The autumn sunlight fell straight across the coffee table in front of me, turning even the beads of condensation on the glass into a lazy shade of gold.
I sat there quietly, watching the ice in my cup melt bit by bit, until it had thinned the coffee into a pale brown and then disappeared completely.
The cafe on the corner was always popular.
Even this one, with its awkward, hard-to-pronounce name, was no exception.
Most of the customers inside had come in pairs.
At this hour in the afternoon, there really was no more intimate pastime than sitting down face to face and drinking something together.
But I was beginning to feel irritated.
Because I hated waiting.
I always had.
A burst of laughter briefly drew my attention.
It came from a young couple.
A boy was leaning close to the ear of the female fox sitting across from him, whispering something that made her tremble with laughter.
Clearly, this somewhat “special” couple had not yet realized that they had become the focus of all those teasing or curious eyes in the cafe.
But no one made any careless comment about it.
Big cities really were nice.
People were always more tolerant.
Or, perhaps, simply indifferent.
Zeus, transformed into a bull, and Europa; Loki, transformed into a mare, and Svadilfari; Nuwa, with a human head and a serpent’s body...
“Bestiality.”
Once upon a time, unions that crossed the boundaries of species had been paths toward divinity. Later, they became unforgivable depravity.
Beastfolk had appeared in human history for little more than a century.
Although the wheels of time had crushed many things that were old and rotten, some stubborn remnants remained as hard to wash away as brands burned into flesh.
If love across species could still be regarded by this more tolerant age as a bold experiment and a brave act of resistance, then a same-sex union between a human and a beastman was something utterly untouchable, even unspeakable.
Just as arrogance was carved into the bones of humankind, reproduction was an instinct flowing in the blood of beastfolk.
So they could use noble words like “family” and “legacy” as excuses to hate all homosexuals equally and without restraint.
That was “us” and “them.”
Who would have the courage to bear that double pressure from society and family?
And who would have the ability to break through the barriers of race and prejudice?
I should have been smarter.
I should never have chosen a road like this...
Thinking that, I subconsciously felt for my pocket and then lit a cigarette.
I was not addicted to smoking.
Quite the opposite. I had always resisted the idea of smoking.
But once you picked up the first cigarette, there would never be a last one.
Of course, I did not remember how many cigarettes I had lit in total, but I had never forgotten the image of the moment I first picked one up.
It was a cool summer night, the kind particular to the north. To avoid curious eyes, he and I always chose to meet on the path through the woods behind the university.
A human and a beastman.
The fact that we were completely different meant we always had endless things to talk about.
Except for that one night.
Our words stopped, and by tacit agreement we sank into silence.
He looked at me with his fiery red eyes, and I raised my chin to meet his gaze.
Yet he completely ignored my usual objections and, with practiced ease, lit a cigarette in front of me.
Maybe the stars were too bright that night, or maybe the cicadas in the trees were too loud.
I snatched the cigarette from his hand and drew it deep into my mouth.
The sharp, acrid taste immediately sent me coughing.
After a brief and awkward silence, the two of us burst into uncontrollable laughter, and then, without warning, I was kissed.
Why did he do that?
How did he dare?
But I had no time to think. I could only kiss him back with everything I had.
It was probably from that moment on that I became addicted to something I could never quite quit.
Still, in order to maintain my stance that “smoking is harmful to your health,” I only smoked occasionally, when I was worried about something.
(Waiter) “Excuse me, sir?”
The sudden voice interrupted my thoughts.
I looked up toward its owner. It was a young deer in a brown apron. When she spoke, she bent slightly at the waist, as though trying very hard to squeeze herself into my line of sight.
(Waiter) “Sorry, but smoking isn’t allowed here.”
Under my gaze, the waitress seemed a little flustered. Like a startled deer, she avoided my eyes. Only then did I realize how awful my expression must have looked.
Although it had absolutely nothing to do with her appearance.
Heat rose to my face.
(Che Lei) “Sorry. I didn’t know...”
A bigger city also meant more rules and restrictions.
(Che Lei) “But I can’t find anywhere to throw it away.”
I forced a smile onto my face. Even without a mirror, I knew my cheeks were flushed.
(Waiter) “That’s all right. You can just give it to me.”
The little deer smiled and took the cigarette from my hand. She deftly pulled a wet wipe from the pocket of her apron, put it out, and then vanished from in front of me.
I had never been good at dealing with awkward situations, so I always tried my best to avoid them.
At least, most of the time.
But there were occasional exceptions, such as the guy who had made me wait through the entire noon.
Yes, he was the person who had made me smoke my first cigarette. He was also the person who had occupied almost all of my university years, and in the end, for one reason or another, he had become my “ex-boyfriend.”
Since the last time we had a huge fight, I had not spoken a single word to him for more than a year.
Until yesterday, when he messaged me to say that what had happened before was his fault. He also said he knew I was on vacation now and that he really wanted to see me.
I had originally typed several hundred words into the input box to tell him why we should never meet again, but in the end, the only thing I sent was that one hasty, powerless line:
“All right. When and where?”
Trouble was always self-inflicted.
I guessed that was probably why I was now sitting in a cafe like an idiot, waiting for nothing.
Clearly, when it came to avoiding awkward situations, I still had not tried hard enough.
What should I say when I saw him?
Should I exchange polite greetings, then loudly question why he still dared to come looking for me?
Or should I skip all those steps and put a fist straight into his face?
Would he come?
He wouldn’t, would he?
Maybe this whole thing had been nothing more than a whim.
After all, it was not the first time he had done something like this.
Maybe I should not have agreed.
I should never have come here at all...
(???) “Hey!”
Just as I stood up, ready to leave my seat, a rough, deep male voice came from behind me.
(???) “I told you to just wait for me in the cafe~”
I looked in the direction of the voice, and what entered my sight was a rather wild set of sideburns and an unrestrained grin.
It was that bastard, all right.
(Reddick) “Yo. You’ve gotten a lot darker since the last time I saw you.”
There was laughter in his voice. Beneath the low brim of his baseball cap, his fiery red eyes showed through.
Every time I met those eyes, I would lose focus for a moment.
But after I came back to myself, I still gathered all my strength and shouted at him.
(Che Lei) “I waited for you for two whole hours!”
Two hours?
So that was what you were going to say to him?
In the fourteen entire months since that guy had left me, I had imagined every question I would throw at him.
But when he actually appeared in front of me again...
I did not know.
I was certain I had prepared lines.
(Reddick) “Traffic was bad.”
(Reddick) “And I couldn’t get a ride anywhere nearby.”
He muttered a couple of excuses and then dropped heavily into the seat across from me. His mountain-like body squeezed the table, making it shift back slightly.
He lifted one paw and waved to signal the waiter. The crew-neck T-shirt on his body stretched in an exaggerated way with the movement.
(Reddick) “It’s so damn hot. Aren’t you going to drink something?”
Option 1: Refuse
(Che Lei) “I already did.”
I answered in an unfriendly tone and turned my gaze aside.
Option 2: Accept
I looked at the cup of coffee in front of me, now diluted until it was almost like water, and nodded with a stiff face.
(Che Lei) “Anything is fine.”
(End of option)
(Che Lei) “So our big star uses ride-hailing apps now?”
(Che Lei) “Shouldn’t you be taking your private jet, then calling your personal driver to bring you here?”
I shook my head and pretended to sigh.
But Reddick only smiled.
(Reddick) “If I really had that much money, that’d be great.”
(Reddick) “Too bad I have to rely on a salary to feed myself, same as you.”
(Che Lei) “Right. Same as me.”
(Che Lei) “Except one of us doesn’t have a seven-figure annual salary.”
(Reddick) “That’s just what they say publicly. You know how athletes’ pay works. In reality, my dad pays me very little.”
(Che Lei) “I get it, I get it. After all, the whole club belongs to your family.”
I could not help saying it with a sarcastic edge.
But Reddick completely ignored my sarcasm and instead focused on the menu in his hands.
Then he turned his face toward the little deer and pointed to one of the pages.
(Reddick) “Two whiskey sours.”
(Che Lei) “It’s only just past noon.”
(Che Lei) “And you’re drinking alcohol in a place like this?”
(Reddick) “So what?”
Reddick raised an eyebrow at me.
(Reddick) “They put it on the menu so people can order it, didn’t they?”
He shrugged indifferently.
(Reddick) “It’s just a little cocktail. Anyway, you don’t have anything else to do today.”
The fist I had clenched under the table was loudly recommending that I adopt the “punch him in the face” plan.
(Reddick) “Wouldn’t it be nice to have a drink with me and catch up?”
(Reddick) “It’s been so long since we saw each other. I missed you.”
Reddick put down the menu in his hand and laid one paw over my hand.
(Reddick) “After all, you’re my brother.”
I admit that when I heard him say the words “missed you,” it felt as though a string in my heart had been touched.
But when he mentioned “brother,” I felt as powerless as if I had fallen from a great height.
And when I saw the bright, glaring wedding ring on his paw, all of it came surging back together with the memories I had buried, until I could no longer suppress what I was feeling in that moment.
(Che Lei) “How do you still dare bring that up with me?!”
My raised voice immediately drew curious looks from the people around us, especially when paired with the image of a human losing his temper at a tiger beastman a whole size larger than himself.
(Reddick) “Keep your voice down!”
The tail behind Reddick curled up visibly. Then, with a dissatisfied look, he made a shushing gesture at me.
Clearly, he did not want to become the center of attention here.
(Reddick) “And why are you yelling at me? What did I do?”
(Che Lei) “What did you do?”
Angrily, I yanked my hand out from under his paw.
(Che Lei) “You’re married!”
(Che Lei) “You have a wife!”
Reddick was stunned at first. Then he drew his paws back under the table.
When they appeared on the tabletop again, the ring on them had already vanished.
(Reddick) “So I can’t come see my brother?”
(Reddick) “So I can’t miss you?”
(Che Lei) “Brother?”
(Che Lei) “So when you need it, I become your brother again?”
(Che Lei) “How convenient. Right?”
The anger flooding into my heart instead made me laugh out loud.
(Che Lei) “Do you really think that after all that crap, we can still be brothers?”
Reddick knitted his brows and let out a deep sigh.
His two huge paws lay spread on the table, and his tail beat irritably against the seat beside him.
(Reddick) “Then what do you want?”
Yes. What did I want?
What else could I do?
I had known him since I was eighteen. Then I had become his brother, and then his lover.
Now I was already twenty-four.
In the blink of an eye, it had been six years.
He had once said he loved me. He said he wanted to live with me.
But in the end, he still left me.
With a reason that was both noble and painfully realistic.
I had once believed that time would eventually bring us together, that there would always be a road leading to the life we wanted.
Until after we separated and drifted further and further apart. Until last year, when he told me he was getting married.
Despair deep in the bones.
Those were the words that best described how I felt then.
I did not want to recall how I had swallowed that news.
But I found a reason to have a huge fight with him, deleted every way of contacting him, and made up my mind to cut things off completely.
I had thought I would never return here again, never meet him again.
I had thought that was how we ended.
But now the two of us were sitting here together once more, repeating the same argument we had repeated countless times, repeating all those words that both he and I had long since grown tired of...
(Che Lei) “I don’t want anything, and there’s nothing I can do.”
(Che Lei) “I’m just an ordinary person, an ordinary person already exhausted by simply living.”
(Che Lei) “And you’re a baseball star now. You have a long line of admirers. You can have anyone you want.”
(Che Lei) “You finally got the life you wanted.”
Reddick’s brows were locked tight, his thick arms folded firmly across his chest.
(Reddick) “The life I wanted?”
(Reddick) “Then why don’t you tell me what kind of life I want?”
(Che Lei) “I don’t know.”
(Che Lei) “But it definitely isn’t a life with some poor kid like me.”
I smiled, as if sighing and mocking myself at the same time.
(Che Lei) “I still have at least that much self-awareness.”
(Che Lei) “I’m not that special.”
(Che Lei) “And all the people who’ve been with you are so much better than me.”
Reddick looked a little astonished. The arms he had crossed slipped down from his chest.
(Che Lei) “Your scandals are everywhere. Even if I don’t want to know, I end up knowing.”
Reddick moved his lips, as if he wanted to defend himself.
But I slowly shook my head.
(Che Lei) “Reddick, we stopped being that kind of relationship a long time ago.”
(Che Lei) “Everything in the past is already in the past.”
(Che Lei) “I think you understand that too.”
(Che Lei) “The only thing I don’t understand is why you still came looking for me.”
(Che Lei) “You already got what you wanted. Why do you have to show up? Why can’t you just let me live my own life in peace?”
I raised my head and looked into Reddick’s eyes, doing my utmost not to let anything spill from my own.
Reddick looked at me, and his brows gradually tightened.
(Reddick) “Why do you always have to make things so complicated!”
He slammed his fist heavily onto the table in front of him, making the cups jump on its surface.
(Reddick) “You think I’m happy?”
(Reddick) “Do you have any idea how I’ve been living these past few years?”
Just when I thought Reddick was about to continue, he pinched the bridge of his brow and let out a long sigh.
After a long silence, he finally spoke again. This time, his voice was full of exhaustion.
(Reddick) “Xiao Lei, you know what my family is like. You also know they could never accept my relationship with you.”
(Reddick) “What else could I have done back then?”
(Reddick) “I admit it. I wronged you. But...”
As Reddick spoke, he lowered his head, his ears flattening back.
(Reddick) “Six years.”
(Reddick) “We’ve known each other for six years.”
(Reddick) “No one understands me the way you do.”
(Reddick) “Even if we’re not together now, all the things we went through together, all the time we spent together...”
(Reddick) “Do those things really mean nothing to you?”
Reddick’s voice grew smaller and smaller until, at last, it sank back into silence.
I did not know what to say. I could only answer his silence with my own.
(Waiter) “Ahem. Your drinks, gentlemen...”
A voice suddenly sounded, making Reddick and me look toward her at the same time.
The waiter squeezed out an awkward smile, set down the two glasses from her tray, and hurried away.
I took the chance to secretly wipe the corner of my eye with the back of my hand, then looked with a bitter smile at Reddick, who had lowered his head and seemed lost in thought.
(Che Lei) “We really haven’t changed.”
After letting out a sigh, Reddick raised his head.
(Reddick) “Yeah...”
Then he and I both picked up the drinks in front of us. The two glasses lightly crossed in the air.
After the crisp sound of glass touching glass, we both drained our cups in one go.
A burning heat mixed with a smoky flavor rushed straight into my nasal cavity, followed by a warmth rising from my stomach that temporarily washed away the unhappiness lingering in my mind.
It allowed me to put those hypocritical masks back on and take out the decency expected of an adult.
(Che Lei) “So how have you been lately, Reddick?”
After calming down, I cleared my throat and began the “small talk” I had prepared in advance.
(Che Lei) “I heard your performance was pretty good a few months ago. You broke your own batting average record again.”
(Che Lei) “They all say you’re one of the most promising hitters of the new generation.”
Reddick looked at me with a surprised expression.
(Reddick) “You watched my games, Xiao Lei?”
(Che Lei) “Honestly, no.”
I smiled and shrugged.
(Che Lei) “But I occasionally read sports news and things like that.”
(Reddick) “I figured.”
(Reddick) “After all, you were never really interested in baseball.”
Reddick pouted as if his excitement had been dampened, then waved his paw at me as though it did not matter.
(Reddick) “But you did get that right. Last season I hit a .310 batting average, especially that game against LA. I...”
Reddick enthusiastically began telling me about his performance last season.
I stared seriously at his lips opening and closing, yet I could not focus on sentences mixed with so many technical terms I did not understand.
Before university, I had not even watched half a baseball game.
Not only because I could not afford the expensive sports channels, but also because there was not even a baseball field in the small place where I had been born.
After Reddick and I met, I had earnestly tried to learn how to play baseball.
But in the end, I gave up.
Perhaps preferences really were not something that could be forced.
Even so, when we were in university, I never missed any of his games.
Because I knew he wanted me to appear in the stands.
And I also liked the way he looked when he swung the bat on the field.
He was so charming when he was focused.
Reddick had once told me that he had started playing baseball when he was very young.
By the time I met him, he was already somewhat famous in the university league.
Although he hesitated at several points along the way, in the end he still chose to begin a professional baseball career and successfully joined the “TIGERS,” that old and excellent team.
Everything had developed exactly as his father wished...
(Reddick) “Anyway, if you ever want to go, I can get you tickets or something.”
After saying that, Reddick smiled and winked at me.
(Reddick) “I’ll make sure you sit in the front-row VIP seats. Close enough that you can see my whiskers.”
Coming back to myself, I hurriedly echoed him.
(Che Lei) “Really? That’s pretty exaggerated.”
(Che Lei) “Is this the privilege of knowing a star?”
(Reddick) “I told you not to call me that!”
Reddick wrinkled his nose and glared fiercely at me.
(Reddick) “I’m a professional athlete, not some star!”
He folded his arms, and his tail struck the seat angrily with a series of thumps.
Looking at Reddick’s unhappy face, I apologetically stuck my tongue out at him.
(Che Lei) “It just slipped out.”
(Che Lei) “Who told you to be the star player of the team?”
(Reddick) “I’m not some...”
Reddick’s brows furrowed, and he looked as though he wanted to say something but stopped.
In the end, he shook his head, seeming unwilling to continue the topic.
(Reddick) “Just don’t call me that next time. I really will get mad.”
(Che Lei) “I know, I know. I’m sorry.”
After I apologized again, Reddick’s expression softened a little.
Then he looked me up and down with those red eyes.
(Reddick) “I feel like I haven’t heard anything about you in forever, Xiao Lei.”
(Reddick) “So what have you been doing all this time? How have you been lately?”
(Che Lei) “Me?”
(Reddick) “Yeah.”
The sudden change in topic made me shift uncomfortably in my seat.
(Che Lei) “Uh, so-so...”
(Reddick) “What’s with you? Why are you suddenly acting so awkward?”
(Reddick) “What can’t you tell me?”
Reddick frowned. He leaned his face closer and looked at me seriously.
(Reddick) “Did something go wrong for you?”
Wonderful.
It seemed that when it came to bringing up the exact thing that should not be mentioned, neither of us was ordinary.
(Che Lei) “I...”
I hesitated again and again, but in the end, I still could not speak.
Just as I was about to say something to change the subject, Reddick suddenly smiled and patted my shoulder with his large paw.
(Reddick) “I don’t know what exactly it is, but I believe you’ll definitely solve it in the end.”
(Reddick) “Because the Xiao Lei I know can adapt no matter where he is.”
A warmth surged into my heart, and my tightly knitted brows relaxed.
(Che Lei) “Thanks.”
(Che Lei) “But... do you really believe I’m that outstanding?”
(Reddick) “Do you believe I can be a good professional player?”
(Reddick) “After all, you know what kind of mess I usually am.”
Reddick flattened his paw toward me, and we smiled knowingly at each other.
Then, once again, he casually placed his paw over my hand and gave me a warm smile.
(Reddick) “You’re an excellent guy. You always have been, to me.”
Looking at the sincere smile on Reddick’s face, I was dazed for a moment.
It took me a long while to come back to myself, and this time, I did not pull my hand away.
I only gave an exaggerated shiver and looked at Reddick with a feigned expression of disgust.
(Che Lei) “Cut it out.”
(Che Lei) “You’re giving me goosebumps!”
He laughed and reached out with his paw to pinch my face, while I nimbly dodged to the side.
After some horseplay, Reddick and I were both laughing so hard we could hardly sit upright.
Then he waved and ordered another round of drinks for us, continuing to chat with me about other things.
We talked endlessly like old friends who had not seen each other in years.
Before we knew it, the sky outside had gone dark...
(Waiter) “Gentlemen? We’re about to close...”
The little deer looked at the scattered glasses and bottles in front of us with a complicated expression.
I guessed it was because she probably did not often have the chance to see customers get this drunk here.
Many animals lacked the enzymes needed to break down alcohol, so a larger beastman was not necessarily better at drinking than a human.
But Reddick was clearly an exception.
I considered myself someone who could hold his liquor.
But even if calculated by body weight, I could not keep up with even half of his tolerance.
Most of the lopsided bottles in front of us now were his “masterpieces.”
Reddick fished his wallet out of his pocket, then pulled out a pure black credit card.
Unlike the crumpled bills in my pocket, it looked heavy. His name was printed on it in gold foil.
He handed the card to the little deer, then waved for her to settle the bill.
He did not ask for my opinion, and that made me more or less displeased.
When I had first met Reddick, I thought he was a poor kid like me. We had often worried together at the end of the month because we did not have money to eat.
Only later did I discover that he actually came from a distinguished family. It turned out that he was just like the other rich bastards at school, someone who never had to worry about life...
The little deer soon came back. With both hands, she handed Reddick the tray containing the credit card and the receipt.
Reddick tossed the bill aside without even looking at it and only shoved the credit card carelessly back into his pocket.
(Che Lei) “I can pay for my own part.”
Reddick was stunned for a moment. Then he slapped me on the back.
(Reddick) “This one’s on me~”
(Reddick) “Come on.”
I stared unhappily at the bill on the table, while Reddick seemed not to care at all.
Then we left our seats together. Already somewhat unsteady on his feet, he kept bumping my shoulder, and I felt as though I were leaning against a warm ball of fur.
Even though he was not putting all of his weight on me, my body was still knocked off balance from time to time.
After leaving the cafe, we walked together down the street without any destination.
The night wind made the street cool. Reddick no longer kept leaning on me.
He only hummed softly, naturally draping his arm around my shoulders.
(Che Lei) “You came here so suddenly. Where are you planning to stay?”
(Che Lei) “Did you book a hotel? Do you want me to take you there?”
Reddick only looked at me with a silly smile, then shook his head.
(Che Lei) “Then where do you plan to go tonight?”
(Reddick) “I dunno. How about... your place?”
Hearing that, I jerked as if someone had stepped on my tail.
Reddick, half leaning against me, nearly lost his balance, and he had to take a wide step to regain it.
(Che Lei) “Mm...”
(Reddick) “What’s wrong with you?”
After steadying himself, Reddick looked at me in confusion.
(Reddick) “You don’t want me to go?”
(Che Lei) “No, it’s because...”
(Reddick) “If you don’t want me to go, I’ll find a hotel myself.”
I knew Reddick was speaking out of anger.
But the area around this neighborhood was not very safe at night, and I really could not feel at ease letting him, drunk as he was, go out alone to look for a place to stay.
So I let out a long sigh, as if accepting my fate.
(Che Lei) “Fine. I’ll take you back to where I’m staying.”
(Che Lei) “But don’t complain that it’s cramped or messy.”
Reddick, who had been looking unhappy a moment ago, suddenly chuckled. It had the unmistakable flavor of a scheme succeeding.
I knew I was definitely going to regret agreeing.
Then I led him toward the urban village.
The road turned into a long, narrow alley.
The buildings around us also began to change into low, squat bungalows.
There was no one else in sight anymore.
Just as I was dodging left and right around the potholes in the brick road, Reddick suddenly blocked my way.
He pulled me into a fierce hug, as if trying to squeeze all the air out of my lungs.
Before I had recovered from the lack of oxygen, he quickly licked my cheek, and my face stung as though it had been scraped with sandpaper.
(Che Lei) “Ow!”
(Reddick) “Heh heh, I forgot.”
Reddick first gave me a silly smile, then spoke to me in a coaxing tone, like he was comforting a child.
(Reddick) “All right, I’ll rub it for you~”
After saying that, he started rubbing my cheek with his paw. But the saliva spread evenly across my face by the pad of his palm began to give off the smell of whiskey.
(Che Lei) “Why did you suddenly lick me!”
I put on a stern face and grabbed the paw that was rubbing all over my face, but my heartbeat could not help quickening slightly.
Before I could figure out why I had such a strange feeling, several uninvited guests appeared.
(Bear beastman) “Hey, look at those two fags.”
The piercing words made both my body and Reddick’s smile stiffen.
I looked in the direction of the voice and saw a bear beastman with brown fur.
With him were two young beastmen who were just as drunk.
The exposed forearm of the brown bear was covered in patterned tattoos, and in some places the fur had fallen out, exposing bare skin.
They were now laughing and whispering to each other. I did not have to guess to know they were not saying anything good.
Reddick lowered his paw from my face.
(Reddick) “What the fuck did you just say?”
His voice dropped an octave, and the fur on his tail bristled slightly.
(Bear beastman) “I said you’re a sissy.”
(Bear beastman) “Haha, how’d a guy like you end up getting with a human?”
(Bear beastman) “If you like sucking dick that much, you can come find us. We’ll definitely be more exciting than that kid~”
The brown bear exaggeratedly grabbed his own crotch with one paw, and then the three of them burst into laughter together.
(Reddick) “Fuck your mother!”
Reddick sounded absolutely furious.
He arched his body slightly, and all the fur on the back of his neck stood up.
Then he swept me behind him with one arm and let out a threatening growl.
I knew that in their eyes I did not count as much of a threat, but an enraged tiger was certainly another matter.
Reddick’s rage made the three guys across from us restrain themselves a little. Then they each lowered their centers of gravity and took fighting stances.
Threatening whines sounded again and again, and the air filled with tension.
In university, Reddick had been good at fighting, but I was not sure whether he had kept that level over the years in the baseball team.
If it were a one-on-one fight, I would definitely bet on him.
But now it was one against three, and he was so drunk he could hardly stand.
The red deer on the right was holding a bottle. The otter on the left could be ignored...
The bear beastman leading them did not look particularly strong.
But the right pocket of his clothes looked bulging.
I was not sure whether he might suddenly pull something out, such as a folding knife, or worse, a revolver.
So I pressed down Reddick’s arm, which was itching to move, and smiled at the three of them.
(Che Lei) “Seriously, you should keep a lower profile.”
(Che Lei) “How many days has it been since you got out of rehab?”
(Che Lei) “Getting into a fight? If your parole officer finds out, I’m sure he won’t be happy.”
(Bear beastman) “What...?”
The bear beastman first looked surprised, then immediately put on a mocking tone.
(Bear beastman) “And who the hell are you?”
(Bear beastman) “I suggest you obediently hide behind that tail-lifter, or I...”
(The sound of a pistol being chambered.)
The crisp metallic sound of the slide snapping back cut the bear beastman’s words off halfway, because a black muzzle was now pointed at him.
And the trigger of that gun was under my finger.
(Che Lei) “If I were you, I would choose my next words very carefully.”
The bear beastman’s eyes widened, and he froze in place.
Then he abruptly straightened up, rubbed the back of his head, and changed into a face full of forced smiles.
His tongue seemed to tie itself in knots as he began to stammer.
(Bear beastman) “B-brother, I was just joking around with you...”
(Bear beastman) “A-actually, my cousin is a tail-lifter. Ah, shit, I mean he likes men. I’ve never...”
(Che Lei) “Enough!”
I cut off the brown bear coldly.
(Che Lei) “I’ve seen too many people of your type.”
(Che Lei) “I’m not in the mood to argue with you today.”
As I spoke, I impatiently flicked the muzzle of the gun toward the side alley.
(Che Lei) “Don’t let me see the three of you around here again. Get lost.”
The red deer holding the bottle beside him seemed unconvinced and wanted to say something, but the bear beastman slapped him across the face.
(Bear beastman) “Are you fucking blind?”
(Bear beastman) “That’s a cop!”
(Bear beastman) “If you want to die, don’t fucking drag me with you!”
After saying that, the bear beastman turned and ran into the alley. The red deer, as though woken up by the slap, immediately followed him in the same direction.
The otter first froze in place. He was a full beat slower before clumsily moving his legs and fleeing in another direction.
Only after I watched all three of them disappear from my sight did I put the weapon back into its holster.
Reddick thought about their fleeing backs for a long while before turning to look at me in confusion.
(Reddick) “You... why are you carrying that thing around?”
Reddick swallowed hard, looking timid.
That made me find it a little funny.
(Che Lei) “What, did you forget what school I graduated from?”
(Reddick) “Oh! Right!”
Reddick placed one fist against his other paw, looking suddenly enlightened.
(Reddick) “Then how did you know he was a drug addict?”
(Che Lei) “For a bear beastman, he was too thin.”
(Che Lei) “Look at the patches of hair loss on his arm, plus that mouthful of rotten teeth...”
(Che Lei) “I’ve seen plenty of people like him. There’s no saving them...”
Reddick stared at me with wide eyes, his gaze moving up and down over my body.
He looked at me until I felt uncomfortable.
(Che Lei) “Why... why are you staring at me like that?”
Reddick took a deep breath, and a hint of delight appeared in his widened eyes.
(Reddick) “Are you a detective now? Like in the movies?”
I did not know how to answer him. I could only give an awkward smile.
As he spoke, Reddick slapped me hard with his palm, making me stagger and nearly lose my balance.
(Che Lei) “What was that for!”
I looked at Reddick unhappily, but he only grinned at me.
(Reddick) “I’m happy for you~”
(Reddick) “My Xiao Lei is actually this amazing now!”
(Che Lei) “What are you even talking about?”
Then Reddick began excitedly saying things I could not understand.
(Reddick) “Mm, you know. Serial murder cases, perverted killers wearing clown masks... Oh, right, and cannibals!”
(Che Lei) “What...?”
I looked at Reddick in confusion, even more at a loss.
(Reddick) “Don’t you usually watch TV shows? That’s how they always act in them.”
(Che Lei) “Then I suggest you watch less of that nonsense...”
I sighed and kept shaking my head.
(Reddick) “No way...?”
(Reddick) “You’re definitely only saying that because you don’t want me asking questions.”
(Che Lei) “My God...”
After that, it took a great deal of effort for me to make Reddick believe that James Gordon, Sherlock Holmes, and I were not colleagues in any sense, and that I had no chance whatsoever of knowing anyone like 007.
Only then did Reddick sigh with some disappointment and begin complaining to me about what had just happened.
(Reddick) “Seriously, you shouldn’t have drawn your weapon.”
(Reddick) “With those cowards? I’d have beaten them until their teeth were all over the ground.”
As Reddick spoke, he even punched the air a few times as if it were real.
(Che Lei) “Right. Beat their teeth all over the ground, then make the headline of tomorrow’s Meili News?”
(Che Lei) “Sounds good. I’ve even thought of the headline for you.”
I cleared my throat, then raised my arm flat as if outlining a blueprint.
(Che Lei) “Meili’s Dark Knight: The Two-Faced Life of Hitter Reddick.”
Reddick froze for a moment, and then he and I burst into laughter together.
(Reddick) “That would’ve been worth it~”
(Reddick) “You have no idea how bad things have been for me lately. And I haven’t hit anyone in such a long, long time!”
(Che Lei) “So if things aren’t going well for you, you have to beat someone up to vent?”
(Che Lei) “Reddick, can you stop always acting like a cub...”
I gave a fake sigh.
(Reddick) “Screw you!”
(Reddick) “You dare lecture me like that now?”
Reddick twisted my thigh hard, making me cry out in pain.
I reached back to grab his ear, but he laughed and ran away.
We chased each other through the alley, laughing as we ran. It took us a long while to catch our breath after the play-fighting.
In the end, Reddick and I found a clean step and sat down shoulder to shoulder.
(Che Lei) “Reddick, do you remember that time in university when I was waiting for you in the park?”
(Reddick) “Of course I remember.”
Reddick flicked his ears and showed a smile.
(Reddick) “That bastard saw you there alone and wanted to pick on you. He even said those things that pissed me off.”
(Che Lei) “Yeah...”
(Che Lei) “But I was really panicking back then, because he was so tall and strong.”
(Reddick) “Tall and strong?”
Reddick snorted disdainfully.
(Reddick) “Didn’t I still beat him until he cried like a cub?”
(Che Lei) “And that guy in the dorm next to mine who always came looking for trouble, just because he thought I was an eyesore.”
(Reddick) “I think I fixed him up pretty badly.”
Reddick scratched his head, then suddenly burst out laughing.
(Reddick) “And I’d thought you police academy students were all good at fighting.”
(Che Lei) “You still have the nerve to say that.”
I rolled my eyes at Reddick.
(Che Lei) “Not only did you have to pay his medical bills, your school also gave you a major demerit.”
(Reddick) “Let them.”
(Reddick) “As if I cared~”
(Reddick) “My school couldn’t bear to expel me. As long as I was still on the team, no one could do anything to me~”
Reddick snorted through his nose, looking unbelievably arrogant.
(Che Lei) “Hah? If I hadn’t scraped together the money for the medical bills with you, do you think you would’ve gotten away that easily?”
(Che Lei) “If your dad had found out, let’s see if you still...”
(Reddick) “I... I’m not afraid of him...”
As Reddick said that, his tail trembled unnaturally a few times.
I could not help chuckling.
(Reddick) “But I think those two months really did leave us dirt poor.”
He scratched his head sheepishly.
(Reddick) “We didn’t even have money to get a room. I kept making you put up with me in the little woods in the park...”
Reddick laughed and made a jerking-off gesture in the air with one paw.
I slammed my elbow hard into his ribs.
Reddick immediately let out an exaggerated cry, pretending to clutch his side in pain.
(Reddick) “Ah, you ungrateful wolf!”
(Reddick) “I only got into fights for you!”
(Reddick) “After all, no one’s allowed to bully you except me~”
As soon as Reddick finished speaking, he pulled me into his arms without warning and began ruffling my hair wildly.
He made me giggle, but those bitter memories quietly climbed into my heart at the wrong time.
(Che Lei) “But we’re not together anymore, Reddick.”
Pressed against his lap, I could not see his expression, but the hand messing up my hair froze.
I knew I had ruined the mood, even though that had not been my intention.
So I sat up from his arms and tried hard to say something to make up for it.
(Che Lei) “It’s okay, Reddick. I’m living well on my own.”
(Che Lei) “I’m not the same as I was back then...”
(Reddick) “No difference.”
(Che Lei) “What do you mean, no difference?”
(Reddick) “I said it’s all the same to me.”
(Reddick) “So what if you became a cop? You think that makes you so great? You think you’re better than me now?”
(Reddick) “No matter what, you’re still Xiao Lei, and I’m the only one who gets to bully you.”
Reddick snorted through his nose and once again wrapped an arm around my shoulders.
Though this time, he did not continue ruffling my hair.
He took a cigarette from the pack in his pants pocket, lit it with practiced ease, inhaled deeply, and then handed it to me.
I hesitated for a moment, but in the end, I still took the cigarette from his hand.
The cigarette with its glowing red ember at the tip was just like the one that had always burned quietly in my memories.
I held it between my fingers, then brought it to my lips and took a shallow drag.
The smoke entered my mouth and spread the spicy taste of tobacco. I held it there for only a moment before exhaling all of it into the air.
After watching that cloud slowly dissipate in front of me, I handed the cigarette back to him.
Reddick did not keep smoking it. Instead, he and I looked at each other and smiled.
We gazed at the city’s scattered lights and simply sat together under the quiet starry sky...
