[The Nightmare Returns]
A sequel of sorts.
Following Fu Yirong’s jaw-dropping reaction to his face, Lu Ting’an once again felt a similar gaze directed his way. Only this time, there were so many people that he felt like a monkey in a zoo. To these dancers, seeing him in a police uniform was probably as shocking as seeing a sow wearing a brassiere.
This was exactly the situation Lu Ting’an had wanted to avoid. To prevent unnecessary controversy, he had purposely obscured most of his face; he hadn’t expected to be betrayed by his “pig of a teammate.”
Lacking the original owner’s memories, he felt a sense of blind helplessness when faced with these “old acquaintances.”
However, since the original owner was a regular at the Baihui Club, he certainly wasn’t some pillar of morality. So, when Lu Ting’an saw a woman walking toward him, he habitually curled his lips into a smile.
As a former top-tier streamer with millions of fans, he knew exactly which angle made him look the most handsome. The moment he smiled, the lounge seemed to brighten up a touch.
“It really is you, Young Master Lu! We haven’t seen you in days. I thought you’d grown tired of watching us dance~”
The woman before him wore heavy makeup, but Lu Ting’an could tell at a glance that she was naturally delicate, with a quiet, obedient look. His expression softened as he casually hooked his police cap with one finger and gave it a little shake. “How could that be? I’d grow tired of anyone before I grew tired of you ladies. See this? This young master has found himself a ‘steady bowl’—a government job. I simply haven’t had the time to visit.”
The woman giggled. “An Officer, hmm? How gallant.”
The others joined in with the praise. “Indeed, Young Master Lu suits that uniform so well. You’re so handsome I’m almost embarrassed to look.”
“Then look,” Lu Ting’an said with a playful curve of his eyes. “I’m not charging you for the view. But I truly don’t have time today—I’m on a case.”
The girls crowded around him, their voices turning somber. “Young Master Lu, you must find the real killer. You have to get justice for Sister Wanxi.”
…
It took Lu Ting’an a full minute to escape the lounge. The moment he stepped out, he saw Fu Yirong squinting at him with pure disdain.
“I didn’t realize Young Master Lu was such a hit with the ladies. Do you swing both ways?”
Since he had already been recognized, Lu Ting’an didn’t bother hiding anymore. He flaunted his beautiful face as he strode through the hall. “Jealous?”
“Me? Jealous of a sissy like you?” Fu Yirong laughed as if he’d heard a joke. “I just don’t get it. Last week you were clinging to Officer Gu, begging to date him. How is it that the moment you’re in front of women, you can’t even move your legs?”
Lu Ting’an’s face went cold. “Who I want to date and whose presence makes my legs go weak—do I need to report that to you, Officer Fu?”
“Actually, there’s a question I’ve been meaning to ask. I’m the one pestering Gu Yingzhou, yet he hasn’t said a word. Why are you so worked up? You’ve been targeting me since the moment we met. You don’t… happen to have feelings for me, do you?”
Fu Yirong was horrified, his face turning a sickly shade of green from pure revulsion. “Lu Ting’an, are you insane? You think everyone is like you and likes men?!”
Lu Ting’an wasn’t bothered by the insult. “So you’re targeting me because of Officer Gu then? A brother complex? Have you even been weaned yet, Officer Fu? You look like you’re well into your thirties.”
Fu Yirong’s vision went dark with rage. “Who’s in their thirties? Who are you calling thirty?!” ‘I am only twenty-four—hardly even thirty if you round up! This is a personal attack; this is a character assassination!’
Fu Yirong lunged forward, wanting to have a go at Lu Ting’an, but was impatiently held back by Gu Yingzhou.
“He didn’t really say anything. What are you so angry about?” Gu Yingzhou paused, then gave a soft “tsk.” “You’re so slow-witted—why do you keep provoking him?”
“…” ‘Oh, so it was my fault then.’
Seeing his cousin’s indifferent attitude, Fu Yirong’s head slumped. He lost all his momentum.
Gu Yingzhou’s reaction, however, earned him a bit of favor in Lu Ting’an’s eyes.
It was hard for straight men to accept being pursued by another man—that was true even in the 21st century, let alone in this 20th-century world of old-fashioned values. For a “golden boy” like Gu Yingzhou to maintain this level of composure after being hit on by the original owner showed he was a true gentleman with excellent breeding.
Lu Ting’an made a silent vow: he would definitely stay far away from the man in the future, if only to help him erase the psychological shadow of being liked by a man as quickly as possible.
……
As the trio left the Baihui Club, Lu Ting’an was the first to get into the car. He left the door open, waiting for Gu Yingzhou to follow, but Gu Yingzhou didn’t get in. Instead, he reached out and shut the door for him.
Fu Yirong rolled down the window, looking confused. Gu Yingzhou walked over and waved them off. “You take him back to the station first. I’m heading out on a solo call.”
Fu Yirong stared at Gu Yingzhou with a resentful look that clearly screamed: You’ve changed; you’re going on calls without me now. “Where to?”
Gu Yingzhou lit a cigarette. “Wanhe Biological Pharmaceutical Plant.”
Fu Yirong’s expression shifted slightly, and he stopped asking questions.
When he’d heard the dancer mention the name Hu Zounan, he’d been surprised. Why would the second young master of the Wanhe Pharmaceutical Plant be dating the headliner of the Baihui Club? Even talking about marriage? It didn’t make sense. But in front of Zhou Wanxi’s “sisters,” he hadn’t wanted to voice his doubts.
Wanhe was one of the top pharmaceutical companies in Hong Kong. As one of the future heirs, Hu Zounan was naturally a prominent figure. If a police car went “wee-woo-wee-woo” into the factory today to take him away, the Hong Kong dailies would likely be flooded with reports of him being a murderer by tomorrow.
It was best for Gu Yingzhou to go alone.
On the way back to the station, Lu Ting’an couldn’t ward off the exhaustion and dozed for a bit. Just as his consciousness began to drift, Zhou Wanxi appeared in his dreams once more.
This time, she hadn’t transformed into a long-necked woman. She was lying quietly on the ground while a man knelt over her, actually devouring her flesh. A pool of fresh blood slowly gathered on the floor, spreading outward…
As if sensing an outsider’s gaze, the chewing stopped. The man’s tearing movements froze. Before Lu Ting’an could react, the figure whipped his head around and glared back with pure malice.
Without warning, a toad-like face slammed into Lu Ting’an’s field of vision.
Lu Ting’an: “…” ‘Motherf—! Talk about a visual assault!’
That thing… was a monster with a human body and the head of a toad!
…
While driving, Fu Yirong had been observing Lu Ting’an through the rearview mirror. He felt that today’s Lu Ting’an was different from before, though if he had to be specific, the man’s abrasive personality hadn’t changed much.
In the middle of his surreptitious peeking, the person sleeping with closed eyes suddenly jolted and snapped them open.
When their eyes collided in the mirror, Fu Yirong’s foot gripped the accelerator tight. He gave a dry, awkward cough. “Nightmare?”
Lu Ting’an rubbed his aching temples and gave a lazy “mm.”
Fu Yirong suppressed a gloating smile. “What did you dream about?”
“You.”
“Oh?” Fu Yirong arched an eyebrow. “What kind of person am I in your dreams?” ‘To scare him like that, I must have been someone formidable.’
Lu Ting’an: “A dead person.”
Fu Yirong: “…”
His wide, toothy grin vanished instantly.
For the rest of the trip, neither of them said another word. Fu Yirong was stewing in silent annoyance, purposely ignoring him. Lu Ting’an, however, was reviewing a detail he had previously overlooked.
When they went to Pingnan Ridge this morning, he’d also succumbed to drowsiness, yet he hadn’t experienced a nightmare during that twenty-minute drive. Why was it that on the way back, he’d seen Zhou Wanxi again in less than five minutes?
It was the same police car, the same driver—everything was identical.
‘Wait, no.’
Lu Ting’an’s drifting thoughts came to a dead stop. One thing was different.
He turned to look at the now-empty seat beside him, a strange glint flashing in his eyes.
‘Could it be that Gu Yingzhou is the variable that controls whether I dream or not?’
Lu Ting’an’s heart skipped a beat as he forced a twitch of a smile…
‘No way… it can’t be…’