The Long Night - Chapter 50

A sharp pain, like a red-hot wire, pierced from his temple to his jaw. Each breath intensified its throbbing.

The smell of blood mixed with the acrid stench of burnt gasoline in his breath. Tang Shaocheng leaned against the cold hood of the police car, pressing a piece of gauze against the gash on his forehead.

He had put Zhou Yu-nan in the ambulance but remained standing where he was.

“Come with me. How do you know you’re fine!”

Zhou Yu-nan’s voice was anxious. She held his clothes tightly, refusing to let go.

“They took Yan Liao,” Tang Shaocheng said hoarsely. “I have to go save him.”

Zhou Yu-nan opened her mouth but said nothing. She no longer tried to stop him, her expression complex as the ambulance door closed.

The roar of the explosion still seemed to be echoing in his eardrums, but even clearer was the chilling, bone-deep fear brought by the fragments of memory from his previous life.

“There’s an abandoned freezer in the South District.”

The busy police officers around him cast puzzled glances. There were no clues pointing there.

Tang Shaocheng’s movement pulled at his wound. Blood immediately seeped from under the gauze, leaving a crimson trail down his cheek. His face was pale, but his eyes were unusually determined.

The leading police officer walked over and explained to him, “We still need to confirm the exact location and receive orders from our superiors before we can be dispatched.”

Tang Shaocheng remained silent, knowing there was no time to wait. While the police were still recording the scene of the accident, he used the phone Zhou Yu-nan had left behind to quickly send a text message to a number.

A few minutes later, a car drove over in the darkness.

Tang Shaocheng tore off the blood-soaked gauze from his forehead. Taking advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention, he quickly walked over, pulled open the passenger door, and got in. Without any small talk, he gave the address, and Lu Xiao immediately stepped on the gas and turned the steering wheel.

There was complete trust and a bit of guilt, born from who-knew-where and for-who.

“Are you sure he’s there?” Lu Xiao’s voice was very low, and his eyes scanned Tang Shaocheng’s constantly bleeding wound.

“I’m sure. Let’s go.”

The engine roared, and the car, like a wild horse, sped toward the abandoned freezer in the South District.

The lines on the side of Tang Shaocheng’s face were taut like a fully drawn bow. His jaw was clenched. His expression was a mix of reckless madness and extreme calmness.

Lu Xiao was silent. He looked at Tang Shaocheng in the rearview mirror. “I went to see Ge Dong-lin…” He clenched his fingers, and the veins on the back of his hand bulged. He let out a low sigh. “I’m sorry.”

Tang Shaocheng looked away and said no more.

The car stopped in a dark spot a few hundred meters away from the warehouse. The night was dark. The huge abandoned warehouse gave off a salty, musty smell. A faint light vaguely seeped through a crack.

They approached silently in the dark. Outside the rusty iron door of the warehouse, there were two kidnappers on watch, one on each side, smoking cigarettes. The two exchanged a look and immediately understood each other.

The next second, Lu Xiao leaped out of the shadows. He used one hand to precisely and ruthlessly cover a kidnapper’s mouth and nose, and the other arm, like an iron hoop, clamped the person’s neck and twisted it hard. There was a crisp sound of a bone cracking. The other kidnapper’s attention was immediately drawn over. Tang Shaocheng took advantage of his distraction and ambushed him from behind, precisely chopping the side of his neck with a hand knife. The person fell down before he could even let out a sound.

After dealing with the two watchmen, the two of them didn’t stop for a second. Tang Shaocheng followed the blueprint in his memory and went straight to a break in the side of the warehouse, where he heard people talking and snoring.

Tang Shaocheng’s eyes instantly darkened. He kicked open the half-closed iron door. The huge sound made the seven or eight people inside turn their heads in shock at the same time.

“Who?”

Without any nonsense, Tang Shaocheng and Lu Xiao rushed into the crowd like arrows.

Lu Xiao turned sideways to avoid a swinging steel pipe. He used his elbow to hit the throat of the person closest to him with all his strength, and at the same time, he quickly used his knee to hit the stomach of another person.

He took care of most of them. Fortunately, these kidnappers didn’t have guns in their hands. They were also caught off guard. Some of them had just woken up from their sleep and were knocked out by his ruthless punch before they could even stand still.

He snatched a steel pipe from one of them. Accompanied by the sound of tearing through the air, each swing made a terrible sound of bones breaking.

The two of them worked together with perfect synergy and slowly gained the upper hand. Tang Shaocheng’s movements were clean and precise. Every move went straight for the vitals. This scene had appeared countless times in his dreams. He was physically and mentally prepared and finally had a chance to rewrite the ending.

Blood kept flowing from his forehead, even blurring his vision on one side, but it didn’t hinder his movements at all.

Lu Xiao also had an unspeakable anger in his heart, which turned into an astonishing combat power and explosive force. The two of them stood back to back. He blocked a coming dagger and threw the person over his shoulder, smashing him hard onto the ground. Tang Shaocheng took the opportunity to snatch a steel pipe and swung it back at the head of a kidnapper who was trying to ambush him.

“Bang!”

A muffled sound was accompanied by a scream. The seven or eight kidnappers were quickly taken down by their fierce attack.

One person, seeing that the situation was not good, took out a walkie-talkie. Tang Shaocheng’s eyes turned sharp. He threw the steel pipe in his hand like a javelin. The steel pipe hit the kidnapper’s wrist precisely. Lu Xiao pounced on him like a cheetah and punched the other person’s jaw, who “wa”ed and spat out a mouthful of blood, which also contained two teeth.

In the chaos, Tang Shaocheng saw Yan Liao tied to a chair in the corner. His mouth was wrapped with black cloth, and his eyes were staring at him nervously.

“Don’t be afraid. I’m here.”

Tang Shaocheng rushed to Yan Liao. The last two kidnappers came at them with red eyes at the same time. He dodged one knife, but the other person’s dagger cut his arm. The sharp pain, however, triggered all his explosive power. He used his backhand to hold the person’s wrist that was holding the knife and broke it. He snatched the dagger and, without hesitation, plunged it deeply into the other person’s shoulder blade. His movements were ruthless and decisive, without a hint of hesitation.

At the same time, police sirens blared outside the warehouse. Red and blue lights pierced through the broken windows, instantly illuminating the entire dark basement.

“Don’t move!”

“Everyone get down!”

The remaining kidnappers immediately panicked. The police filed in and quickly took control of the scene.

Lu Xiao walked to the leading police officer to explain the situation. Tang Shaocheng seemed to not hear any of the noise behind him, nor did he see anyone. He stumbled, walking step by step toward the figure in the corner.

Every step left a bloody footprint on the ground, but his eyes only saw that one person.

Tang Shaocheng walked in front of Yan Liao, slowly crouched down, and used the pair of hands that had just been in a brutal fight, stained with blood but warm, to very gently, almost trembling, untie the rope that was binding him.

“I’m sorry.”

His voice was very hoarse, with a sense of immense preciousness that came with surviving a disaster.

The moment the rope fell to the ground, Yan Liao threw himself into his arms and hugged his neck tightly. Tang Shaocheng also hugged him back with force, almost wanting to embed him into his bones and blood.

“Are you hurt?”

Yan Liao said in a low voice, “My hands…”

Tang Shaocheng’s expression turned serious. He quickly looked at his hands.

Yan Liao twisted his wrists. “They’re numb from being tied up.”

The doctor heard his cry of pain and was about to walk over, but he stopped halfway and went back.

Tang Shaocheng let out a long sigh of relief. He looked at him, wanting to say something but didn’t, and just comforted him nicely. “It’s good that you’re okay.”

He was checking if Yan Liao had any other injuries, but Yan Liao was staring at the wound on his forehead. His breathing slowly became a little heavy.

“What’s wrong?” Tang Shaocheng looked up and was caught off guard by the other person’s reddish eyes. “Does it hurt somewhere?”

Yan Liao hadn’t cried at all on the way here. He had even been able to nicely discuss the ransom with the other people and pretend that he knew where the oil was hidden to stall for time. But when he saw the hideous wound on Tang Shaocheng’s forehead, he couldn’t help but pucker his lips and cry.

“It doesn’t hurt me. Does it hurt you? How did you get hurt?”

Tang Shaocheng took him to a place where he could rest behind the police car and patted his back like he was哄 coaxing a child. “It doesn’t hurt. I’m fine.”

Yan Liao couldn’t stop crying. He cried so much that the police officers and kidnappers around them looked over. Tang Shaocheng’s hands were still covered in black mud marks. He gently kissed Yan Liao’s forehead. “My hands are dirty. Wipe your own tears. Don’t cry, be good.”

Seeing Yan Liao crying so hard, he was worried and asked if he was in pain somewhere. Yan Liao shook his head while buried in his chest and said in a muffled voice, “My heart hurts.”

Tang Shaocheng no longer cared about the looks of others. He used his hand to press on the back of Yan Liao’s head and kissed his lips.

Amidst the flashing police lights and the mess around them, the kiss had the smell of blood and gunpowder, with the ecstasy of having him back and the bone-deep fear of what could have been. It was so intense that it was as if they were trying to meld each other into their souls.

All the danger and pain went away at this moment.

After they separated, Yan Liao still held onto Tang Shaocheng’s clothes and pulled him closer. Tang Shaocheng held his hand and squeezed it. “Okay, we can kiss again when we get home.”

After a whole night, his rain-soaked clothes had already dried naturally. Now that everything was calm, he just wanted to take Yan Liao home, take a shower, and get a good night’s sleep.

After giving their statements at the police station, it was already dawn. The sun was slowly rising from the horizon, and the tall buildings were bathed in the bright morning light.

The person on the billboard was an endorsement for toothpaste. The person smiled, revealing bright white teeth, which was very contagious.

Lu Xiao went back to the club. Tang Shaocheng and Yan Liao took a taxi home. The car that had been wrecked was still at the police station and would only be retrieved after the follow-up investigation was over.

On the side of the road, there were residents who came out early to buy groceries, and middle school students with backpacks who were going to school early. A little boy threw a rock at the lawn, and all the birds flew up to the trees.

Yan Liao was still unconsciously trembling. Tang Shaocheng hugged him and put his face against his until he felt a little better. The two of them were silent for a while. Then Yan Liao suddenly said, “The person with the black wristband.”

“What about him?”

“…He kicked the dog.” Yan Liao rubbed his face against Tang Shao-cheng’s chest. “You hit him.”

Tang Shaocheng felt his chin getting a little ticklish from Yan Liao’s hair. He rubbed his palm on his shoulder blade. “Yeah.”

Yan Liao grabbed Tang Shaocheng’s fingers and squeezed them. He whispered, “I’m not scared anymore.” He then looked up at the wound on Tang Shaocheng’s forehead, and his nose couldn’t help but feel a little sore. “You have to protect yourself. Don’t get hurt again.”

“Okay, I will.”

Even though Tang Shaocheng didn’t really care about his own wound and would have forgotten about it if Yan Liao hadn’t pointed it out, he still patiently comforted the child and promised that he would also protect himself in the future.

The sky slowly brightened, and there were more and more cars on the road. The city was operating as usual, as if nothing had happened.

Tang Shaocheng rubbed his earlobe. “What do you want to eat tonight? How about hotpot?”

Yan Liao’s ears trembled slightly, and he obediently nodded and said yes. Tang Shaocheng’s body still had the smell of rain and blood, but he felt very safe and slowly closed his eyes in this person’s arms.

In his dream, he saw another version of himself.

A calmer version of himself, sitting there quietly. He instinctively walked over.

Someone seemed to be crying. When that person cried, he could also feel wet traces on his face.

On the way back, Tang Shaocheng sent a WeChat message to Zhou Yu-nan, saying that everything was resolved. Zhou Yu-nan replied, “That’s good. I’m still at the hospital. It’s just some scrapes. I’m also taking a few days off. Have you gone to the hospital yet?”

Tang Shaocheng’s only serious injury was on his forehead, which the doctor at the police station had treated. Fortunately, Zhou Yu-nan’s car was of good quality, and they managed to escape before the explosion. Other than that, he just had some bruises.

“I’m fine. You should rest. I’ll treat you to a meal when you get out of the hospital.”

Tang Shaocheng chatted with her for a few more minutes. Zhou Yu-nan sent a voice message. “Don’t tell old Li about this yet. Tell him after his honeymoon.”

“Okay.” Tang Shaocheng heard the fatigue in her voice and ended the conversation in time. After putting down his phone, he turned his head and looked at Yan Liao, who was lying next to him and had fallen asleep with his arm in his arms.

When they got home, they first checked on the puppy. It was still lively. Tang Shaocheng was worried, so he made an appointment for an examination at the hospital in the afternoon.

The puppy was whimpering while buried in Yan Liao’s arms. Yan Liao picked it up and looked at it over and over again. “There are no wounds anywhere. Is it hurt internally? Maybe we should take it to the emergency room.”

“It’s just being pampered,” Tang Shaocheng said helplessly. “Don’t you do the same?”

…

Yan Liao bit his lip. He was a little red. “You’re talking nonsense.”

He lowered his head and looked at the puppy that was still whimpering. “…Which one of us is the comfort dog?”

Then he gritted his teeth and became a comfort dog for the comfort dog.

After being comforted, the puppy obediently lowered its head and ate the freeze-dried food in its bowl. Tang Shaocheng took Yan Liao to the bathroom. He had planned to just take a quick shower, but after taking off his clothes, Yan Liao said he was too tired to stand. So, both of them got into the bathtub.

The showerhead continuously sprayed hot water. Yan Liao lazily lay there like he had no bones, slowly sliding down. Tang Shaocheng had to use his arm to hold his head so he could lie down comfortably.

He suddenly said out of the blue, “I wasn’t scared at all.”

Tang Shaocheng stroked his wet hair. “Did you know I would come to save you?”

“Yeah… I was wishing to be the richest person in the world in my next life,” Yan Liao said, a bubble sliding down his wet hair to the side of his face. He squinted his eyes.

Tang Shaocheng didn’t know if he was really thinking that or if he was trying to make him feel less guilty. He went along with it. “What about me?”

Yan Liao was very generous. “It’ll be sixty or seventy years later when you’re reborn, right? Then you can be my third-generation heir.”

Tang Shaocheng pinched his face. “I thought you’d want me to come over right away so we could grow up together again in our next life.”

“That’s not good.” Yan Liao wiped the water from his face. His face was flushed from the steam. His eyes were dark and bright in the soft light of the bathroom. “I don’t want you to die with me. I want you to live well.”

Tang Shaocheng was rinsing the foam from his hair. When he heard this, his movements suddenly stopped. He was silent for a long time and couldn’t recover. It was as if a huge sound echoed from the depths of his soul.

Yan Liao raised his head and waited for a while but no water came down. With a head full of white foam, he opened his eyes in confusion. The sound of water had stopped, so the bathroom was empty and quiet after the noise. He saw Tang Shaocheng’s lowered eyelashes in the misty steam.

Yan Liao hadn’t said anything yet when he suddenly felt two drops of water fall on his arm. They weren’t small water droplets condensed from the bathroom ceiling; they were Tang Shaocheng’s tears.

…Yan Liao didn’t want to admit it, but he felt a little excited when he saw Tang Shaocheng crying for no reason.

He wanted to laugh at this person for crying, but he suddenly felt a little sad, and his throat also felt blocked. But he didn’t know what there was to cry about. He had just been immersed in the fantasy of being the richest person in the world.

Yan Liao had very mixed feelings when he saw Tang Shaocheng’s tears. He raised his hand and rubbed the other person’s reddened eyes. He thought of so many things to say, but in the end, only three words came out of his mouth.

“I love you.”

Tang Shaocheng put his arms around his neck and kissed him.

Yan Liao had been thinking about a lot of messy things, but as soon as he was kissed, he was dazed. His lips were like rosy cherries, softly clinging to Tang Shaocheng’s body, as if they were about to melt into water, too.

He vaguely forgot to say that he hadn’t thought about being reborn as the richest person in the world at all.

He was very afraid of dying. He had thought he wouldn’t be afraid, but he was. He couldn’t bear to die.

He wanted to live.

He wanted to live and love Tang Shaocheng.

After taking a shower and blow-drying their hair, it was already past eight in the morning. The sun was gentle. The air was a little fresher after the rain. There were gradually noisy voices downstairs.

Tang Shaocheng went to the kitchen and made two fried eggs. After putting them on the table, he went to pour a glass of milk.

Yan Liao had been through an entire night like a rollercoaster and didn’t have much of an appetite, but when he smelled the aroma, he felt hungry. As he ate, he told him how he had been tricked by the phone call. When he saw Tang Shaocheng’s expression, he defended himself in a low voice, “Even if I didn’t open the door, they would have broken in. It would have disturbed the neighbors and hurt innocent people.”

Yan Liao felt that what he said was very reasonable and kind, so he nodded in satisfaction. “That’s how it is.”

He thought for a moment and then admitted that he was the one who broke the vase. The dog, having been vindicated, raised its head from its bowl and barked twice.

After eating, Yan Liao cleaned up the vase fragments and sat on the carpet with the puppy in his arms. Tang Shaocheng put the bowls and chopsticks in the dishwasher, came out, and rubbed his head, asking if he wanted to go to sleep.

Yan Liao looked up at him. He suddenly felt that this position was very suitable for a kiss. Then, with a good memory, he remembered something.

His only impression of the freezer where he almost died was that Tang Shaocheng had said he would kiss him when they got home.

“You said you’d kiss me when we got back.”

Yan Liao’s ears, hidden under his hair, were a little red. As he rubbed against Tang Shao-cheng’s chest, his ears also trembled.

Tang Shaocheng couldn’t help but laugh. He deliberately asked teasingly, “Were you thinking about this the whole way home?”

“…Just do it.”

Tang Shaocheng graciously cupped his chin and leaned down to kiss Yan Liao’s lips.

The relief of having him back after surviving a disaster once again filled his chest.

He frowned, raised his hand to pat Yan Liao’s butt, and began to scold the child again, telling him not to trust a stranger’s phone call so easily, to be vigilant, and to check the peephole before opening the door to a stranger.

Yan Liao knelt on the carpet and rubbed his head against Tang Shaocheng’s abdomen. He kept saying, “You’re so annoying, you’re so annoying, you’re so annoying, you’re so annoying, you’re so annoying.” He hugged Tang Shaocheng’s waist, raised his head forcefully, and complained, “Stop talking.” He put his hand under Tang Shaocheng’s shirt, his expression serious. “I need comfort now.”

As Yan Liao listened to Tang Shaocheng’s nagging, he felt a little thirsty at an inappropriate moment. “You comfort me first.”

After he said that, he felt his face was a little hot. His head was steaming. He sat up straight and kissed and licked Tang Shaocheng’s chin very recklessly.

He had learned from the dog. Tang Shaocheng briefly commented in his mind and generously decided to comfort him first.