After the Divorce, I Went Back to My Hometown, Pregnant and Became the Sheriff - Chapter 5

“I am sorry for bringing up such a heavy topic.”

“No, it is fine.” Jiang Xu stubbed out his cigarette. The two fingers holding it were slightly red from the heat, and the inner side of his index finger was slightly calloused: a permanent mark left by repeatedly pulling a trigger.

He had not held a firearm in over five years.

The excitement he felt while supporting the gun on the rooftop earlier that day had not yet faded. He had thought he could no longer shoot, yet muscle memory continued to drive his body. He could fire bullets without hesitation, as if he had completely forgotten his own crimes as a killer. Because he had forgotten, he felt no fear and no guilt.

The faint sound of He Xianxing calling his name brought him back to reality. “Sorry, I zoned out. Did you say something?”

He Xianxing stared at him, offering an embarrassed smile. “I said I owe you a favor, both for the shooting and for the cake. If there is anything you need help with, I will do my best.”

Jiang Xu looked back at him thoughtfully. He Xianxing flushed under the scrutiny and asked, “What is it?”

“How tall are you?” Jiang Xu asked.

He Xianxing hesitated for a moment before answering, “About 183 centimeters?”

“To be honest, I have run into a bit of trouble lately.”

“Eh?”

The question escaped He Xianxing’s lips before he could stop it. He had not expected to be asked for a favor so immediately. “Jiang Xu, we are law enforcement officers, right?”

“Do not worry. It is perfectly legal and compliant,” Jiang Xu said firmly.

A few nights later, He Xianxing looked at his reflection in the mirror, wearing a medium-length wig, and then turned to Jiang Xu. “Jiang Xu, this might be legal, but it does not seem very logical.”

Jiang Xu stepped forward to watch He Xianxing awkwardly tug at the hem of his skirt, looking like he had forgotten how to walk. He Xianxing’s features were soft and youthful, his limbs were slender, and his skin was very fair; he did not look out of place in women’s clothing. Jiang Xu reached out to adjust the bangs of the wig. Looking into those round, downturned eyes, he smiled. “You look quite good, Inspector He.”

“So you do remember that I am an Inspector!”

He Xianxing blew at the bangs that were obscuring his vision and sat on Jiang Xu’s sofa with his arms crossed huffily. He never would have imagined that Jiang Xu’s “favor” involved dressing in drag to attend a parent-child fair at Tongtong’s kindergarten.

“I had no other choice,” Jiang Xu sat on the bed, as the sofa was occupied. “The kindergarten insisted that both parents must be present for this fair.”

“That is too much. They are completely ignoring the feelings of single-parent families!”

“Actually, Tongtong does not want people to know he is from a single-parent home, so the teachers do not know about our situation.”

“I see,” He Xianxing thought about it and offered some comfort. “Tongtong is still young. It is quite normal for him to feel that way.”

“Yes.” Jiang Xu took a small box from a drawer and handed it to He Xianxing. “Initially, I thought about just hiring someone to go.”

“Ha, then why did you come to me?”

Jiang Xu looked at He Xianxing in the dress and thought for a moment. “We are neighbors and colleagues, so we are relatively familiar. Tongtong has met you and seems to like you. Also, the teacher mentioned there will be competitive games for the parents. You graduated from the police academy, so your physical strength and reflexes are guaranteed.”

“I did not realize you were so competitive,” He Xianxing teased.

Jiang Xu gave a noncommittal smile. “If we win, Tongtong will be happy.”

“Then,” He Xianxing trailed off, “how much do you plan to pay me for this?”

Jiang Xu ignored the bait. “A subordinate giving money or goods to a superior could be construed as bribery.”

“Hmph. I am going to report you for workplace harassment.”

He Xianxing partially lifted the skirt covering his thighs. Jiang Xu pushed the hand down and lightly kicked He Xianxing’s splayed legs closed. “Did you not say you would help, Inspector?”

“If I had known this was the favor, I would have let that debt rot in my stomach.”

“We could use an Omega scent spray instead. Then you would not have to wear a dress.”

“No, no, no!” He Xianxing looked utterly repulsed. “That scent makes my brain ache. This dress is fine. It is actually quite breezy.” He mimicked fanning himself with the skirt despite the winter chill.

Jiang Xu dismissed the antics with a smile. “I also need you to try these on.”

He Xianxing opened the small box to find a pair of blue contact lenses. His vision was excellent, and he had never used such things. “I do not know how to put these in.”

“I will help you.”

Jiang Xu washed his hands, took a soft lens from the box, and held it before He Xianxing’s eyes. Sitting on the sofa, He Xianxing instinctively closed his eyes to pull away.

“Inspector, tilt your head up.”

He Xianxing looked up, and Jiang Xu leaned over, gently holding He Xianxing’s eyelid open. His palm smelled faintly of hand soap mixed with the scent of tobacco. He Xianxing found the combined aroma pleasant as he inhaled, so he opened his eyes.

They were very close. Jiang Xu was expressionless as he looked down into He Xianxing’s amber pupils. Then, he moved his finger downward.

Sensing the other man’s breath hitch for a moment, Jiang Xu spoke softly to soothe him. “Just endure it for a second.” He Xianxing’s long lashes fluttered, and the blue lens merged into his clear eye.

“Is it in?” He Xianxing asked.

Jiang Xu withdrew his hand. “One more.”

He placed the other lens in. He Xianxing was likely not used to it yet, as he blinked several times. His eyes turned red and watery under the light, making it look as though he had been crying.

“That is it, Inspector He.”

“Ah, wait!” He Xianxing kept one eye closed and reached forward, grabbing Jiang Xu by the waist and pulling him down. “Do not go yet.”

Jiang Xu was forced to sit on He Xianxing’s lap. The heater was on in the room, and He Xianxing’s bare legs pressed directly against Jiang Xu’s backside. He did not seem to realize how suggestive the posture was as he kept his arms around Jiang Xu’s waist. “This eye still hurts.” He blinked his watery eyes, the left one quite red.

“Let me up first,” Jiang Xu glanced back. He Xianxing’s hands on his waist felt very warm.

“No. Fix it for me first!”

Resigned, Jiang Xu had to maintain the strange position to help He Xianxing remove the lens.

“It seems I put it in backward.”

Jiang Xu poured some solution to clean the lens and then leaned back toward He Xianxing’s face. The hands on his waist tightened. “Do not be nervous.” Despite the words, the grip did not loosen. Jiang Xu gave a wry smile and put the lens back in.

“Is that better?” he asked, looking down.

He Xianxing’s palms twitched, and he pulled away from Jiang Xu’s waist as if he had been electrocuted. “It is fine,” he answered, his face turning red.

He stood up and walked to the mirror behind the door, spinning around once.

Jiang Xu stood behind him with his arms crossed. Their eyes met in the mirror. It was unclear who started laughing first, but soon He Xianxing was clutching his stomach, doubled over with laughter. He wiped a tear from his eye and straightened his face. “Jiang Xu, if anyone from the station sees me like this, I will never forgive you!”

“The fair is only one day. If you are careful when you leave the house, it should not be a problem.”

As he spoke, the bedroom door opened. Both men turned to see Tongtong standing there in his pajamas. His large eyes blinked as he stared straight at He Xianxing.

Embarrassed, He Xianxing jumped behind Jiang Xu to hide his skirt.

Jiang Xu spoke with some difficulty. “Tongtong, this is… Uncle He, the one we had cake with the other day. Do you remember him?”

Before he could decide how to explain things to the child, Tongtong had already walked up to He Xianxing’s side. He Xianxing had no choice but to squat down, tilting his head with an awkward smile.

“Tongtong,” Jiang Xu patted the boy’s head. Tongtong grabbed a lock of the chestnut wig and refused to let go. After a long silence, he looked up at Jiang Xu and asked tentatively, “Is this Mommy?”

Jiang Xu felt a sudden ache in his chest. He nodded and said, “Yes. This is Mommy.”

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