APR 4

Their target was to find Old Gui, but instead of heading to his pawnshop, Chen Huan abruptly braked and parked his motorcycle in front of a narrow-fronted cinema.

The cinema’s exterior walls were nearly buried under layers of erotic posters. The most prominent one featured a half-naked beauty lazily draped in a white bedsheet, her seductive eyes fixed on the street, drawing the attention of passersby.

A ticket booth stood at the lower right corner of the poster, its greasy glass window displaying a sign that read, “No loud noises inside the cinema.”

Zhong Su frowned at the cinema and said, “I really don’t like this place.”

Chen Huan parked the motorcycle calmly. “At this hour, the pawnshops are all closed. This is the only place we might find him.”

Old Gui was a slippery and lecherous man who spent his days loitering in all sorts of unsavory spots. Though Zhong Su had grown familiar with such places while accompanying Chen Huan to gather information, he still detested them.

Chen Huan strode confidently toward the ticket booth.

Inside sat a young man with bulging, fish-like eyes, nodding off so heavily he nearly bumped his head against the glass. He sat with his arms crossed, looking utterly drained.

Chen Huan rapped the counter twice, his voice low but penetrating. “Wei Zai, wake up.”

“W-who wants a ticket?!” Wei Zai jolted awake. Spotting Chen Huan and Zhong Su, he scrambled to his feet. “Brother Chen, Xiao Zhong Ge, what brings you here? I—I wasn’t slacking off, just dozed for half a second!”

This adult cinema fell under Chen Huan’s turf and had to pay monthly dues. But given its remote location, Chen Huan rarely visited, leaving the oversight to his subordinates.

Wei Zai, caught off guard by Chen Huan’s sudden appearance, was so frightened that he stood frozen. Timid and inarticulate by nature, he now fumbled nervously, terrified that a single misspoken word would bring trouble.

Chen Huan glanced inside the booth—cramped, with only a small electric fan and a chair—and asked, “Why are you here? Where’s Cai Tou?”

Wei Zai stammered, “I’m on the night shift. Second Uncle only comes during the day.”

“I see.” Chen Huan casually scanned the cinema entrance. “Wei Zai, is Old Gui inside the screening hall now?”

At the mention, Wei Zai curled his lip disdainfully. “Yeah, that old pervert just went in. Row 5, Seat 12.”

Chen Huan opened his wallet and pulled out a hundred-yuan bill. “Get us two tickets.”

“N-No, no, I can’t take your money, Brother Chen!” Wei Zai waved his hands frantically.

Chen Huan cut him off. “Stop wasting time. Just take it.”

Wei Zai timidly accepted the money, tore tickets from the box, double-checked the movie title, and stamped them.

Chen Huan shifted his gaze from the flustered Wei Zai and leaned against the counter, leisurely studying Zhong Su, who had been visibly uncomfortable all along.

Zhong Su shot him an impassive glare. “What are you looking at?”

Chen Huan’s gaze was intensely focused, almost drowningly so. Propping his chin, he said cheerfully, “You. Su Er, has anyone ever told you you have an ascetic face?”

Zhong Su’s expression darkened further. “Stop talking nonsense. I’m just not as shameless as you.”

Chen Huan seemed oblivious to his displeasure, instead curling his lips into an ambiguous smile that carried a hint of slyness.

“Brother Chen, Xiao Zhong Ge, your tickets.” Wei Zai nervously interrupted their conversation, handing two torn ticket stubs through the ticket window.

The two took the tickets, tossed them into the collection box at the theater entrance, and went inside.

The theater was dimly lit, with lewd scenes playing on the screen—naked men and women entangled together, emitting unrestrained panting sounds.

The stale air was tinged with a fishy, pungent odor. This third-rate cinema attracted customers by screening adult films, and many street prostitutes would slip bribes to staff to sneak in and seek clients. If they agreed on a price, they might even get down to business right in the theater.

Zhong Su scanned the audience in the seats. Those who huddled in a porn theater at this hour were mostly seedy-looking men—unshaven, wearing baggy shirts, with greasy hair plastered to their foreheads in clumps, all equally repulsive.

He spotted a familiar figure and tugged Chen Huan’s arm. “The person in the corner looks a bit like Old Gui. See if it’s him.”

Chen Huan followed his gaze and saw Old Gui sitting in the corner, head tilted back with an ecstatic expression. He had one hand pressing down on a long-haired woman kneeling before him. Her head was bowed, disheveled hair cascading down, as if she were intently engaged in oral service.

Chen Huan curled his lips. “It’s him. Su Er, I’ll go call him. You stay here and keep watch so he doesn’t run.”

“Alright.” Just as Zhong Su agreed, Old Gui suddenly turned his head and spotted them.

The sleazy man’s eyes widened instantly, and he screamed as if he’d seen a ghost: “Holy shit, Chen Huan?!”

“Get out of my way!” He shoved the prostitute in front of him aside, pulled up his pants, and bolted.

“Ah—you bastard, pushing your own father?!”

The prostitute cried out in pain as she fell, but the voice that emerged was distinctly male.

Zhong Su stared at the heavily powdered, unmistakably masculine face revealed in that moment, freezing for half a second.

Not a woman, but a ladyboy.

Seizing Zhong Su’s momentary distraction, Old Gui lunged over the seats behind him, scrambling desperately toward the exit: “Don’t chase me! I just got out of the hospital, I haven’t done anything, I haven’t messed with any of you—ah!”

Before he could finish, Chen Huan snatched a glass Coke bottle left on an armrest and hurled it, striking Old Gui squarely on the back of the head.

With a sharp “crack,” the man collapsed stiffly.

“Blood! Blood! My head’s split open, help!” Old Gui sprawled on the theater’s grimy carpet, feeling the back of his head and coming away with a handful of blood, screaming in panic.

Chen Huan strolled over unhurriedly, pressing his hard-soled shoe against Old Gui’s head as he leaned down. “What was that you said about fucking someone? Hmm?”

Old Gui was utterly terrified of Chen Huan, this demonic presence. Just seeing his face made his legs tremble uncontrollably.

Ever since it came to light that Old Gui had secretly taken goods stolen from the gang by Chen Huan’s subordinate without informing Chen Huan, the latter had nearly killed him on the spot.

Though he’d been spared his life that time, Chen Huan no longer treated him as human.

Old Gui forced a pitiful smile. “Brother Chen, I misspoke. Please spare me.”

Thinking Chen Huan had come to settle a score, he was too frightened to even breathe heavily.

The male prostitute nearby was also trembling from Chen Huan’s ferocity. Realizing these two men looking for Old Gui were no ordinary people, he shivered and said, “I don’t know anything, I don’t even know this guy. I just took money to… to give him a blowjob. Please don’t hit me.”

Zhong Su cut him off: “This doesn’t concern you. Get lost.”

The prostitute felt as if granted amnesty, repeatedly thanking him: “Thank you, handsome.”

Before leaving, he couldn’t resist glancing back, his gaze lingering on Zhong Su’s profile as he secretly sighed: Such a fine straight guy, too bad he’s mixed up with gangs. Otherwise, he’d be totally my type.

Afraid Zhong Su might notice his inappropriate staring, the prostitute didn’t dare look longer. Grabbing his small handbag, he swayed his hips and hurried out of the screening room.

Noticing Zhong Su had let the shemale leave, Chen Huan shot him a sidelong glance before grabbing Old Gui by the collar and hauling him up: “What are you shaking for? Stand straight. I want to ask you something.”

“Recently there’s been a group called ‘Zero Gang’ kids causing trouble everywhere. Do you know them?”

Hearing Chen Huan wasn’t here to trouble him, Old Gui relaxed and said resentfully, “This… Zero Gang? You should’ve said so earlier, Brother Chen. If it’s just about this, you didn’t need to go through all this trouble… Ouch, that hurts like hell.”

“I’m not familiar with Zero Gang. I only know they often hang out at Mars Billiards near Third Middle School until dawn. Seems like they come from rich families with no supervision – spend money recklessly and made up this intimidating name to show off.”

He gestured with his thumb: “Just a bunch of brats with too much money and no respect for rules.”

Chen Huan: “What else?”

Old Gui raised his fingers solemnly: “That’s all I know, I swear.”

Only then did Chen Huan release Old Gui, raising a hand toward Zhong Su: “Let’s check out the billiard hall at Third Middle next.”

Zhong Su nodded.

“Oh, one more thing.” Chen Huan stopped walking, his gaze returning to Old Gui.

Old Gui’s bitter face wrinkled up as if about to cry, his heart pounding: What else could there be? Please just leave, you terrifying presence.

Chen Huan looked down at Old Gui: “Next time I call you, you stand still properly. If you dare take one more step – don’t expect to ever lift these hands again.”

He slowed his tone, voice dropping low and soft: “I mean what I say.”

All color drained from Old Gui’s face as he meekly agreed.

Zhong Su: “We don’t need you anymore. Get lost.”

“Yes, yes, I’m going -!” Old Gui scrambled up from the floor, not even bothering to dust off his clothes before turning to flee.

The film was still playing, the screen filled with layered moans and slick wet sounds as desire hung thick like humid heat throughout the theater.

Listening, Zhong Su’s ears turned red without a sound, inwardly regretting: I shouldn’t have followed Chen Huan in here, should’ve just waited at the entrance.

Just as he was lamenting experiencing such an awkward moment with an acquaintance, a familiar weight settled on his shoulder.

“Huh?”

Chen Huan rested his arm on Zhong Su’s shoulder, staring at his flushed ear tips as he asked with a hint of teasing: “Su Er, do you like that kind of ambiguous shemale from earlier? You actually had time to care about him in that situation.”

Hearing this, Zhong Su gave Chen Huan an exasperated look: “You’re insane. When did your imagination get so vivid?”

Chen Huan bared his teeth, revealing sharp canines as he deliberately leaned close to Zhong Su’s ear like a shark catching the scent of blood, saying, “Men’s mouths aren’t bad either. If you ever want to try it next time, you can come here.”

That breath carried a dangerous warmth, as if laced with poison.

Zhong Su shoved Chen Huan away abruptly, rubbing his burning ear as though trying to scrub off the lingering sticky sensation on his skin.

But that strange, itchy heat refused to fade, sending shivers all over his body.

“Stop spouting such nonsense!” Zhong Su’s voice was strained, each word seeming to squeeze through gritted teeth. “Liking men? Just hearing it makes me sick.”

Chen Huan wasn’t annoyed. He glanced sideways at Zhong Su, the smile at the corner of his mouth slicing through the air like a razor blade, and licked his canine tooth.

“Feeling sick after just a couple of sentences? So innocent, people would think you’re a fresh-faced rookie on your first day out.”

Zhong Su was left speechless by Chen Huan’s teasing and elbowed him. “Enough already. Let’s hurry and find the person to wrap this up, then go home and sleep.”

He knew Chen Huan’s personality was just like this—mischievous, unpredictable, and fond of watching others squirm, so he didn’t pay much mind to the earlier provocation.

Chen Huan turned his face away, his gaze dangerous and obscure, but he said nothing more.