ASH | Chapter 1

He​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ wasn’t actually very handsome, just… When he looked at you, you felt like crying.

“Fei Huan, the boss is coming out.”

Tong Ping’s voice, from the same team, came through the radio. Fei Huan stretched in the car, then picked up the radio while fixing his sharp gaze on the tall, thin man emerging from around the corner. “I see him. Keep watching.”

“Looks​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ like they’ve started making contact.” Xiao Shao’s voice came through the radio as well. “Should we move?”

“Wait.” Fei Huan pretended to be looking down and repairing his car, which had broken down halfway there, but his wary gaze never left the two men and one woman two hundred meters to his right.

The man dressed as a dockworker was saying something with his mouth wide open to a woman selling pineapples by the roadside. Fei Huan watched as a tightly newspaper-wrapped package was furtively passed into the man’s hands. He gave a cold smile, excitement surging through every limb.

“Fei​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ Huan, we’ve got it. The entire exchange is on tape. Even the Governor of Hong Kong can’t save him now.”

Knowing they had recorded the entire transaction, Fei Huan finally released all the tension he had been holding back and shouted, “Move!” He was the first to rush out from behind the car where they had been hiding.

“Don’t move! Police!” Pointing his gun stylishly at the drug dealer they had been tracking for days, Fei Huan knew he shouldn’t reveal how pleased he was, but he still couldn’t help smiling.

His​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ teammates surged forward, surrounding the three caught off guard and pointing their guns at them as they shouted in perfect unison, “Don’t move! Police!”

Another case closed!

Watching a criminal hang his head and glare at him with hatred was one of the most satisfying things in the world. Fei Huan arrogantly blew a kiss to the criminal being shoved into the police car, and his icy gaze instantly warmed when he turned to his brothers in arms, the men who had shared both hardship and joy with him.

“Hey!​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ Where are we going to party tonight?” Xiao Shao slammed his shoulder into Fei Huan’s to celebrate cracking another drug case.

Fei Huan ignored him for the moment, pulling the phone from his pocket. He had turned it off before the operation, and now switched it back on.

“A new ktv opened in Sai Wan. I’ve got discount cards!” Tong Ping put an arm around Fei Huan’s waist and asked with a hearty laugh, “We’re all this happy today. Don’t tell me you’re going to run off again.”

Wondering​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ whether “he” would come tonight, Fei Huan shrugged and was just about to shake his head…

“He dares?” Feng Peng, the most hot-tempered member of the team, theatrically reached for the handcuffs at his waist and shouted, “We’ll lock up anyone trying to desert before we do anything else.”

Threatened by his brothers in arms, Fei Huan could only raise his hands in surrender, half amused and half exasperated. “Fine, fine. We’re only going out to party. Anyone who didn’t know better would think you were planning to sell me.”

“Good​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ that you know. You refuse to come every single time, no matter what. Even we were starting to think so.”

“We might as well sell him outright and use the money for drinks.” Xiao Shao offered the rotten idea, only to get smacked on the head by Feng Peng and let out a shriek.

Laughing and joking, the group hailed a taxi and, just as expected, went wild all night.

At​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ two in the morning, Fei Huan finally managed to escape from his brothers, who had insisted on drinking until dawn. Swaying unsteadily and letting out small burps, he leaned against the wall as he made his way back to his door.

He had really drunk too much.

Fei Huan shook his head with difficulty, trying to clear it. But the clouds dancing across the sky refused to disperse, no matter what he did.

At​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ least he hadn’t collapsed in the elevator.

He reached into his trouser pocket for his keys and struggled to find the keyhole.

This one… No, it didn’t seem to be the right key…

This​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ one… It seemed to be facing the wrong way. What a nuisance. Why did he have to use a four-way electronic lock?

He was about to collapse. With a bored flick of his hand, Fei Huan tossed the key aside and slid down against the wall.

I’ll sleep here for a while…

“Click!”

The​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ door was suddenly flung open from the inside.

Before he had time to look up and see who had opened it, Fei Huan was seized by the collar and dragged from the doorway into the apartment. Without pausing, the person hauled him from the living room into the bathroom.

“Whoa!”

A spray of bone-chilling water in the early hours of an October morning drenched Fei Huan’s face and head, which had been flushed and feverish from all the alcohol. The cold made him jump and sobered him considerably.

“Are​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ you crazy!” Fei Huan roared. He snatched the showerhead from the man’s hand and tossed it aside, then shook his head like a puppy that had fallen into a pool, spraying water all over the bathroom. Angry, he walked into the bedroom, stripped off his damp, cold clothes, and burrowed straight into bed.

“Where did you go? I’ve been waiting for you all night.” The frigid voice came from behind him, its reproachful tone enough to make anyone furious.

Fei Huan raised his head from beneath the covers and glanced sideways at him.

Why​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ were some people always so handsome, always so effortlessly elegant?

The face that so often occupied the covers of financial magazines and entertainment tabloids was now right in front of him. His gloomy expression was awful, and his coldly furrowed thick brows made it perfectly clear that he, Xu Luotao, was angry.

Fei Huan cast an extremely displeased glance at this formidable man whom no one usually dared provoke, puffing out his cheeks as he said, “How was I supposed to know you were coming?”

“I​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ called your phone. You turned it off.”

“I was on duty.”

Xu Luotao drew a deep breath, seemingly unwilling to continue tolerating this insolent little police officer. He stepped forward and pinned Fei Huan beneath him through the silk-cotton quilt. “I told you I was coming. You shouldn’t have gone out.”

Fei​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ Huan looked at him, casually resting his head on one hand. Completely unruffled by Xu Luotao’s aggressive position, he sneered, “I don’t depend on men to support me. How am I supposed to do everything you say?”

His provocative attitude stirred Xu Luotao’s temper. He raised a dangerous eyebrow and was just about to speak when Fei Huan beat him to it.

“I know!” Fei Huan made an exaggeratedly bored gesture and yawned. “You’re going to say, ‘A stubborn idiot like you needs something stuffed in his mouth.’”

Seeing​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ Xu Luotao looking furious enough to breathe fire, Fei Huan rudely rolled his eyes at him. “Don’t use that as an excuse to vent your sexual frustration again. I’m tired.” His tone abruptly turned cold. “If you force me, we can both forget about playing together ever again.”

Ignoring Xu Luotao, Fei Huan pulled the leg Xu Luotao had been pinning out from under the quilt, rolled over, curled up, and closed his eyes.

He hadn’t expected Fei Huan to actually fall asleep the moment he said he would. The man being ignored stared blankly for a long while, unable to believe it.

“Damn​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ it!” Xu Luotao cursed under his breath and climbed irritably out of bed.

He really ought to learn from Xu Luqing: indulge in the hard methods first, then follow up with tenderness.

Who would have thought that Xu Luotao, a hero in his time, would not only have to make the rare sacrifice of temporarily running the Tianping Group’s affairs for his beloved younger brother, but would also encounter his nemesis in this tiny place called Hong Kong?

Was​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ this simply an unlucky year?

If it had been anyone else, he would have fucked him until he was crying for his parents. But… the target was Fei Huan.

Fei Huan was an interesting partner, wild enough, fiery enough, full of flavor.

When​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ soft, his tenderness surpassed even water, and his allure put even the most famous adult-film stars to shame. When hard, every word he spoke rang like steel.

Like a steel doll wrapped in the finest silk.

They were getting along quite well for now, and Xu Luotao had no intention of ruining that.

He​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ pulled out his phone and dialed a number. “Hello, Miss Wen? The sunrise today is sure to be beautiful. Would you like to go watch it together?”

…

The Xu family’s eldest young master never made sacrifices for anyone.

To be an honest, dutiful police officer was, frankly, not Fei Huan’s ambition.

There​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ was only one thing he had loved since childhood: watching other people hang their heads in defeat because of him, looking like beaten dogs. Whenever that happened, a single dimple would appear on the right side of his face, and he would grin like a fox that had just devoured a chicken.

That a smile born purely of malicious pleasure could actually be called captivating and soul-stirring was a tremendous joke.

He had become a police officer because the profession offered more opportunities to shatter other people’s dreams of getting rich. That was all.

“Fei​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ Huan, congratulations.” At the crowded celebratory reception, his colleagues repeatedly raised their glasses to the triumphant Fei Huan.

Fei Huan lifted his glass in acknowledgment and took a small sip with a smile. The aftereffects of last night’s hangover still lingered, leaving his head throbbing faintly. He couldn’t drink anymore.

That infuriating Xu Luotao had left without a word. He had probably gone off to find another society beauty who had fallen hopelessly in love with him.

Bastard!

A​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ faint sourness rose in his heart, making even the wine in his glass taste sour.

Superintendent Leung, his direct superior, came over with a broad smile and patted Fei Huan on the shoulder. “Fei Huan, well done. You’re the youngest and most capable inspector in the entire department! You handled this assignment beautifully.”

Fei Huan smiled and discreetly shifted away from the broad hand covering his shoulder.

Superintendent​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ Leung was also one of them, and he was quite taken with Fei Huan. Unfortunately, Fei Huan had no interest in being abused.

“Beep beep beep beep…” The phone in his pocket suddenly rang.

Fei Huan’s heart stirred. He hurriedly found somewhere to hide and pulled out his phone.

Staring​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ at the familiar number flashing across the LCD screen, Fei Huan bit his lip and pressed the answer button. In a gruff voice, he said, “Hello, what do you want?”

“I’m coming over tonight.” The equally unpleasant voice came from the other end of the line.

“Hmph! I’m not free tonight…” The word “free” had not even left his mouth before the call was disconnected.

Fei​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ Huan glared angrily at the phone, which emitted a faint beeping static.

Annoying, annoying, annoying!

What did he take me for!

“Fei​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍​ Huan! What are you spacing out at your phone for?” Xiao Shao came rushing over and smacked Fei Huan on the head.

Fei Huan casually smacked him back and tucked the phone into his pocket.

Damn it! Xu Luotao…