No Ghosting Allowed

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Pei You had just realized his feelings for Zhou Qingbo, and now he was practically defenseless against Zhou’s tactic of being cute and clingy. He looked at the emoji of a cat rolling on the ground on the screen, and in his mind, he replaced it with Zhou Qingbo’s face.

When Zhou Qingbo was being cute, he always had a clear target, knew when to advance and retreat, and had a precise and effective grasp of boundaries, skillfully playing with people’s emotions.

Pei You could even imagine that if he were with Zhou Qingbo at this moment, Zhou would add some subtle gestures to these short sentences. He would smile at him and then lightly hook his sleeve or tug at his hem, revealing his “pitiful” attitude in a discreet yet affectionate manner.

“Fluttering heart” seemed like a rather mysterious filter. It was as if piercing through this layer of window paper made even the most mundane things feel exciting. Pei You felt a hint of secret sweetness in his heart, and a faint blush spread across his ears.

Pei You had never known what it felt like to like someone. He had no experience, so he could only be at a loss of words under the effect of “admiration and crush.” He didn’t know what to reply, and his fingers kept tapping and lifting on the screen. Eventually, he dryly responded with a “I’m coming.”

Zhou Qingbo wasn’t aware of the internal struggle Pei You was experiencing. Bored, he rested his head on the table, fixated on the “Typing…” indicator on the screen for quite a while, waiting for Pei You’s response.

Summer mornings started early, and it was only around 8:30 in the morning. Zhou Qingbo rarely woke up this early, and his biological clock wasn’t quite used to it. He absentmindedly yawned.

After about ten minutes, Lu Ye returned to the waiting room, knocked on the door, and entered with a middle-aged man.

“This is the owner of the club.” Lu Ye stated in an official tone, “Regarding the losses between you, you can discuss among yourselves. If mediation fails, you can resort to legal proceedings to resolve the dispute.”

The club owner had not slept the previous night. He was originally on a business trip to the city when a call brought him back to cooperate with the investigation. The news was that there had been a drug-related incident at his club.

He was taken aback, initially thinking it was a competitor trying to sabotage him. He rushed back overnight only to discover that the incident was indeed real.

Just as Pei You had speculated, Liu Xin had used the pretext of hospitality to book a suite at the club. Lu Ye’s team had searched the place and found a bag containing around 30 grams of heroin hidden under the sink in the restroom.

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Liu Xin was now under police control, and the club was temporarily closed. The owner, hit with an unexpected blow, had been cooperating with the investigation all night. He appeared worn-out, with dark circles under his eyes, looking even more haggard than Zhou Qingbo.

With a major incident occurring at the club, he, as the principal person in charge, held some joint responsibility. Fearing that Zhou Qingbo might hold him accountable, he had not demanded excessive compensation but had cautiously offered a discounted amount.

“Well… we did some calculations with the accountant yesterday.” The club owner rubbed his hands nervously and said, “Considering everything together, it’s around 35,000. Take a look…”

“Sure.” Zhou Qingbo was definitely a smart and logical person. He knew what kind of person Liu Xin was, so he didn’t direct his anger at others. He nodded agreeably, “Credit card or Alipay?”

“Either works, Alipay is fine.” The club owner breathed a sigh of relief, took out his phone from his pocket, and showed Zhou Qingbo a payment code.

Lu Ye, as the primary “mediator,” hadn’t even spoken a word before the victim and the responsible party had already reached an agreement on their own. Satisfied, he nodded in accordance with protocol, uttered a few standard phrases, and then let them go.

The club owner hastily got up to take his leave, but Zhou Qingbo wanted to wait for Pei You. Therefore, he remained seated.

“By the way, Officer.” Zhou Qingbo turned to look at Lu Ye, politely inquiring, “Could you update me on the situation with Liu Xin now?”

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Zhou Qingbo had gone to sleep early last night, so he wasn’t entirely aware of the developments. However, as both the person who reported the case and a party involved, Lu Ye hadn’t concealed anything from him. He summarized the details in a few sentences.

Aside from the drug-related incident, the waiter who had been ordered by Liu Xin to serve the drugged drink had also confessed during the interrogation. According to their testimony, Liu Xin had instructed them to spike Pei You’s drink. Once he was unconscious, they were to take him to a pre-arranged room.

As for Zhou Qingbo, perhaps due to his status as a young master of the Qing Shan family, Liu Xin hadn’t dared to take any action against him. He might have considered getting him drunk to prevent him from ruining his plans.

This incident had escalated from a minor public security issue to a drug-related case. The deeper and more complex aspects of the case were still under investigation, and Lu Ye couldn’t divulge much. Zhou Qingbo acknowledged that Lu Ye had already given him enough details, so he didn’t probe further. He simply thanked him politely.

When facing strangers, Zhou Qingbo had always been prudent. Lu Ye scrutinized him for a moment, his thoughts hidden.

Another ten minutes passed, and Pei You, who had promised to return as soon as possible, finally arrived, albeit “a little late.” He walked in from the entrance, wearing the same white shirt he had left in yesterday. His face displayed a hint of tiredness, but he still seemed relatively energetic.

Seeing Pei You enter, Zhou Qingbo’s eyes involuntarily brightened. He hadn’t spoken yet, but a smile already formed on his face.

“Weren’t you supposed to come as soon as possible?” Zhou Qingbo playfully complained, not willing to let Pei You off easily, and teasing, “It’s been half an hour and three minutes already.”

Lu Ye: …

Lu Ye probably hadn’t encountered someone who counted time in seconds like this before. For a moment, he was at a loss for words and felt as if the chair under him was scorching. He stood up without saying a word and exited, leaving them alone.

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Pei You was well accustomed to Zhou Qingbo’s mischievous behavior. He gave a noncommittal sound and explained subconsciously, “I’ve been assisting the Economic Investigation Division with an investigation. We suspect that Liu Xin is involved in money laundering for a drug trafficking syndicate, so their investigation is urgent.”

“Ah, well.” Zhou Qingbo sighed in a feigned manner, and with a tinge of grievance, he said, “I understand. It’s alright, I’m fine.”

Knowing Zhou Qingbo well, Pei You expected there to be a twist to this statement.

Indeed, right on cue, Zhou Qingbo continued, “Sacrificing my own needs for the greater good. It’s fine, I can handle it —my heart is as tough as iron, and I won’t feel hurt.”

Pei You chuckled softly and said in a gentle tone, “Alright, my bad.” He then asked, “So what should I do to comfort your wounded heart?”

The wound on Zhou Qingbo’s forehead hadn’t fully healed yet, and a slight twinge of pain shot through it as Pei You’s fingers brushed against it. Zhou Qingbo instinctively raised his gaze, looking at Pei You, who was now within arm’s reach. He suddenly felt as though something had changed.

He had an inexplicable sensation that Pei You’s entire demeanor had transformed from the night before. Pei You appeared softer and more approachable. The sense of detachment he had emanated due to his upbringing seemed to have vanished, replaced by an elusive quality.

Zhou Qingbo’s gaze, met with a hint of amusement in Pei You’s eyes, revealed something more—something indescribable—like the warm sun of early summer, carrying a touch of gentle enthusiasm, as if something was about to overflow.

More importantly, Pei You seemed to be standing unusually close to him.

Blinking his eyes, Zhou Qingbo felt as though he was being ensnared by this change in Pei You. The dangerous aura and unfamiliarity that he had sensed before emerged once again, temptingly pulling at his heart.

Subconsciously, Zhou Qingbo reached out and grabbed Pei You’s wrist. For a moment, he found himself at a loss for words.

He had originally intended to follow through with his playful antics, to ask for some “compensation.” He wanted to either take Pei You to try the local fiery rice noodles or tempt him into trying the newly opened “Internet-famous Toilet Restaurant.”

However, his train of thought was derailed by the proximity of Pei You. The atmosphere seemed to have shifted, taking on a different tone. So, he unintentionally allowed his hand to hold on to Pei You’s wrist, and he couldn’t muster the words to continue.

He had planned to seize the opportunity and enjoy the fruits of his scheme, but now, in the face of Pei You’s genuine concern, Zhou Qingbo felt a different sentiment stirring within him, something more raw and elusive than his usual playfulness.

With their hands connected, time seemed to stand still for a brief moment as they gazed into each other’s eyes, a realm of unspoken thoughts lingering between them.

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But at this moment, those harmless little “compensations” had rolled around on his tongue. Just as they were about to be spoken, they mysteriously transformed into something else.

“I’m only okay,” Zhou Qingbo said, “if you are here to take care of me.”