N Years Later, Shi Hao Corporation's Building
A secretary, wearing high heels and dressed in a sharp blazer and pencil skirt ensemble, holds onto a freshly printed contract for a construction project and walks into the meeting room.
She bends slightly, standing next to the CEO and says softly, "Boss, this is the second version of the contract, if I could trouble you to check it over?"
"Nnn, just leave it here and I'll have a look at it later. And also, make an appointment with Boss Chen for tomorrow evening at 7pm later, at..."
The man, clad in a sleek suit, simultaneously gives his secretary her tasks while listening to each department manager reporting on their respective progress. Suddenly, from the man's jacket pocket comes the sound of a phone's vibrations, and all the subordinates seated nearer to him all gesture to the other people in the room with their gazes and mouths after realising what is going on. At that, even the department manager currently giving his presentation ceases to speak, as he points the controller at the screen projector to pause his timed presentation.
"Ex-boss, Captain Meng has gotten injured, and he's already been sent to Dr Jiang's private hospital."
"Nnn."
The man immediately stands from his seat after ending the call and straightens out the wrinkles in his shirt before walking out of the silent meeting room with an upset expression on his face. Only when the CEO has entirely disappeared from their line of vision does everyone exhale nervously, as if a ban has just been lifted with the man's departure.
"Whew.... Let the boys know to go over to Dr Jiang's hospital and stay there, don't let Boss or Captain Meng run into any more problems."
After so many years of working on reforming Xing Tian Meng, the Xing Tian Meng that existed in the underworld no longer exists, and while it is entirely unavoidable that they still have some influence there, major departments in the company have actively tried not to step into the dealings of the underworld again.
"Should we call CEO Zuo to come back and take over?"
The department manager who was interrupted and forced to pause halfway through his presentation directs the question at the people seated nearest to him, looking at the projector.
"You fucking-"
Used to using these profanities to start any sentence, the man who just spoke automatically trails off. He glares at the department manager instead.
Coughing awkwardly, he says, "Do you want to die? Even if CEO Zuo said yes, Brother Dao Yi will never agree to it."
Everyone else nods fervently.
That's right, CEO Zuo and Brother Dao Yi finally got pregnant after much difficulty three years after they got married, and seeing as she was expected to be due in a few days, who would dare to ask CEO Zuo to come back to the office to handle work at this point? The Boss getting angry was one thing, but first they would have to go through Brother Dao Yi.
Geez! Just thinking about it makes everyone shiver and break out in cold sweat.
"Forget it, let's settle the items that do not need the Boss' final decision first, and the rest, we'll wait for the boss to come back."
"You're right."
Everyone present in the room is at the managerial level, so they immediately come up with a replacement for today's agenda and continue with Shi Hai Corporation's scheduled meeting while waiting for the boss, even if they don't know when he'll actually come back.
Hospital
"Fuck! Meng Shao Fei do you think that I'm that free every day? Didn't I warn you not to rush to the frontlines and take on everything by yourself first every time you run into a problem? I still have two surgeries to scrub in on today, and in the end? I have to be here to wrap up your wounds for you. God, my life is so tough. This can obviously be passed on to a nurse to deal with but because of someone's orders, I have to repeatedly revise my Year One course in basic nursing."
Dr Jiang glares at the Captain who was personally escorted to his hospital just for a small 10cm wound, made by a perp with a knife.
"Hehe, thank you!" laughs Shao Fei breathily with his mouth wide, as he sits on the hospital bed and enjoys the special treatment that the hospital usually affords only their top VIPs.
That year, Captain Shi was thoroughly investigated by prosecutors due to his involvement with illicit drug smuggling and the double homicide case, which ended with him leaving the police force for good. And that very night that Captain Shi took the congratulatory pastries from Shao Fei from his daughter's wedding, he left Shao Fei with one thing.
"Shao Fei, I'll leave Team 3 in your hands."
In the beginning, he didn't understand what Captain Shi meant, until the new staff shuffle orders came from Human Resources, and that's when he found out that Chief, while making his confession to his superiors, also offered a suggestion to their commanding officer.
"If you guys are looking for someone to take over my position and continue to lead Team 3, I recommend Meng Shao Fei to take on the position of Captain."
Just like that, after a period of training and assessments, he is now sitting in Chief's previous position. Before, the sound of Chief yelling was the thing Team 3 heard the most often; now, the responsibility of teaching the rookies has fallen on Shao Fei's head.
"Meng. Shao. Fei!"
A cold voice echoes, and each word stabs right at Shao Fei's ears as the door to the hospital room slides open.
The man whose name was called immediately freezes, and with wide eyes, Shao Fei looks at Tang Yi approaching him, not daring to move in the slightest.
"You're finally here," Dr Jiang side eyes the man who he expects would be here, and his voice dripping with sarcasm, he comments lightly, "Tang Yi, your darling baby's wound has been given stitches and is all wrapped up properly. Hurry bring him home and discipline him, and stop wasting my gauze and antiseptic solution! He's also taking up my VIP ward!"
Once he is done speaking, Dr Jiang pats at his robes with his hands and leaves the ward with the emergency first aid kit with him.
Tang Yi walks over to the side of the bed. Gently picking up Shao Fei's bandaged left arm and hand, he asks with furrowed brows, "What happened this time?"
"How would I have known that the perp had a second knife on him? A moment of carelessness... and... this happened."
Shao Fei swallows hard, and decides to omit the part where the knife came really close to his arterial vein on his neck, lest his 'punishment' becomes more severe.
Suddenly, Tang Yi takes out a metal pen from his chest pocket, plucking off the pen's cover and viciously scratches himself on the arm, in the same spot as Shao Fei's wound.
"What are you doing?!" Shao Fei yells angrily, and snatches Tang Yi's weapon in hand away.
"Does your heart hurt?"
"Nonsense!"
Shao Fei grits his teeth and reaches out for the call button to get Dr Jiang who just left the room to come back. Just as he's about to do so, Tang Yi firmly locks his hand around Shao Fei's wrist to stop his movements.
"How much does it hurt?"
"It hurts a lot! You better fucking let go of me, I'm going to find Dr. Jiang-"
Tang Yi suddenly moves to cradle Shao Fei's face with his hands, and kisses Shao Fei, who is in the midst of yelling at him.
Shao Fei has gotten used to intimacy with Tang Yi and out of habit, simply returns the kiss passionately, until rationality returns to him. Only then does Shao Fei push at Tang Yi, who's kissing him so deeply. Idly, he chides himself for letting his mind wander off to other things right at this moment.
"Have you cooled down?"
"Not possible," Shao Fei says as he picks up some tissue from the side and presses on the wound Tang Yi made on his left arm, treating the cut in the crudest way possible.
"Meng Shao Fei, since you can't protect yourself well and not make me worry, then on the same spot where you get injured, I will injure myself as well. If you don't want to see me continue hurting myself, then please restrain yourself, and protect yourself well. Your body is no longer just yours, because it's an extension of me, and likewise, our bodies now belong to each other."
"I'm sorry.... Tang Yi, I'm sorry...," Shao Fei says guiltily, his mouth pressed next to Tang Yi's ear and hugging the man before him tight.
"We're finally together after so much hardship, I really don't want to lose you."
"I know..."
"So tonight, forget about sleeping."
"Huh?"
The sudden switch in Tang Yi's mood stuns Shao Fei, who was feeling so guilty a second ago. Now, all he can do is make weird noises, his mouth wide open.
"Alright, I've got to head back to the office and deal with work."
Certain now that Shao Fei does not have any life-threatening injuries, Tang Yi kisses Shao Fei softly on the forehead and leaves the VIP-only ward with a smile.
"What a cunning strategist."
Dr Jiang is leaning against the wall outside of the room, waiting for Tang Yi as he the man walks out of the ward.
Tang Yi looks at him out of the corners of his eyes, and laughs wryly, "Likewise. I cannot compare to Dr Jiang who took advantage of Xiao Shu Gong's compassionate heart and conned his way into his affections by acting all innocent and pitiful."*
"Tang Yi, are you happy right now?"
"Very."
"Then that's all good."
With that, Dr Jiang, who still has two surgeries scheduled for the day, immediately turns around and coolly waves, his back faced towards this good friend who he has known for so many years now.
Next to a road
"Ex-boss, Captain Meng has gotten injured, and he's already been sent to Dr Jiang's private hospital."
After sending 'intel' back to Tang Yi, Jack keeps his phone in his jacket's pocket and continues to appreciate his little, hot-blooded police officer (boyfriend).
"You! And you! Bring him back and proceed with getting his statement, and remember to apply for an arrest warrant with the prosecutor's office."
"Yes!"
Zhao Zi is standing downstairs and very naturally commanding the other team members to finish their job here.
A young police officer, who was transferred over to Team 3 just half a month ago, asks with concen apparent over his face, "Will Captain be okay?"
"Don't worry! That shady doctor is very good at his job, ah-"
Realizing what he just said, Zhao Zi quickly covers his mouth. Looking around sheepishly and only after making sure that no one within earshot would expose him to said shady doctor does Zhao Zi put down his hands.
He pats at the young officer's shoulder and says, "Someone else will take care of anything that happens to Ah Fei. All we have to do is finish up here."
"Okay, Zhao Zi Ge."***
The young officer bows to Zhao Zi respectfully, then jogs over to a nearby store to request to look at their surveillance footage.
"Hehe, he called me 'Ge'!"
Now that he's finally been promoted from 'Zhao Zi' to 'Zhao Zi Ge', Zhao Zi scratches at the back of his head with a really happy grin, but suddenly, he hears his stomach growl. He bends his head to look at his abdomen.
"Ah! It's 6pm!"
His body alarm is even more precise than a clock as his stomach sounds at exactly 6pm to remind him to eat. Just as he's looking around him to find a restaurant, he hears a familiar trumpet sound from behind him on the left, and a loud voice calling his name.
"Shorty! Here, over here!"
"Jack?"
Zhao Zi turns on his left and immediately discovers the huge food truck parked next to the road, and on the truck's signage, today's menu is written - Fried beef noodles, Beef Hor Fun, Beef Mui Fan, Beef Fried Rice, and Beef Noodles.
"Wow-"
Zhao Zi's attention is captured by all the delicious food. He swallows and walks to the truck, and with bright eyes, he looks at Jack, who has since left his life as a mercenary behind since his days at Xing Tian Meng, with something akin to worship.
"How did you know that I wanted to eat all these?"
"I'm your personal chef, of course I know what you're thinking."
Jack, who has now become 'Fang Liang Dian', has finally returned to life as a common, normal man. Although his Swiss bank account has enough savings to let him spend over three lifetimes, he finds that a too-relaxed life is not suitable for him, and so he has now become Zhao Zi's house-husband. Aside from being responsible for the shorty's meals after he returns home, he also bought a food truck, and everyday all he does is chase after his little police officer across the whole of Taiwan on this truck so that he can provide Zhao Zi with piping hot delicious food at any time.
"Wow, I want a bowl of fried beef noodles, a beef hor fun, and another beef fried rice!"****
"No problem."
A police car suddenly approaches the truck, and Lu Jun Wei pokes his head out of the window inquisitively, then orders unceremoniously.
"You're here again? Just in time, I was getting hungry too, can I have a plate of beef mui fan please?"
"Of course, I'll have to take 1000 NTD from the customer," Jack says with a smile to this unwelcome guest who interrupted the conversation between him and his shorty.*****
"What?! 1000NTD? Are you fucking scamming me?"
Jack looks at him with disdain, and shakes his head at Jun Wei, "If I told you, that these dishes were made with Japan's A5 Wagyu Beef, will you still say that I'm scamming you?"
"....."
A, A5 Wagyu beef?! Just a few small cubes would cost up to 2000 or 3000 NTD, and he's actually using this beef so luxuriously in a dish of fried noodles? Fried rice? Fried hor fun? And even beef noodles?
"You'll be punished by the gods," Jun Wei says, but still takes out two 1000 NTD notes from his wallet, "I'll still like to have a beef hor fun and a bowl of beef noodles."
Even though he feels sorry towards his wallet which just became full with his salary being credited for the month, towards this accessible price, if he doesn't eat, he will let himself down.
"No problem at all, I'll help the customer prepare his order, but the shorty gets priority, always."
"Yes... I totally understand..."
This isn't the first day Jun Wei is meeting Jack, how could he not know that this man's principle of putting his Zhao Zi first?
Zhao Zi touches his ear and with a bit of embarrassment, says, "Jun Wei, sorry about this. I was here a few minutes earlier than you, that's why."
Jun Wei rolls his eyes at his junior who's always this slow on the uptake, and cannot be bothered to explain to Zhao Zi why exactly his turn is behind Zhao Zi's.
In the delivery room
"Gu, Dao, Yi," Hong Ye, who's currently lying on the operating table getting ready to deliver, yells angrily as she holds onto Dao Yi's hand.
"Don't get angry, don't get angry. Remember you have to breathe later, breathe in, and breathe out... That's right, breathe in, breathe out... Very good. Miss, you're doing very well."
"Didn't I tell you that you're not allowed to call me 'miss' anymore? Damn it! Where did that doctor go?"
"I'm sorry, don't get so worked up der. Dr Jiang has already assigned his junior from the maternity center to be in charge of your delivery, so don't worry. After all, Dr Jiang does not specialise in this."
"Junior?! Can that doctor's junior be trusted? Ah.... I'm in so much pain..."
"Don't worry dear, Dr Wu's reputation precedes him in this field, just leave yourself and the baby in his hands!"
"Gu Dao Yi I'm telling you first, I'm definitely not having a second one!"
Damn it, if it wasn't because of how much she loved this man, Hong Ye would never have insisted on having their own baby, destroying her figure and taking on the risks of pregnancy and then giving birth to the child.
"Okay okay, we won't, we won't, our hands will be full with one child anyway."
"Ah.... ouch-"
A few hours later, Hong Ye successfully gave birth to a cute daughter, and the new mom who has used up all her strength during delivery is wheeled into a single ward to rest.
A week later, the new baby's uncles can finally visit at the newborn's nursery in the hospital and are queuing up outside along the corridor, waiting for the curtains to be pulled open in five minutes.
After the curtains are pulled back, Shao Fei is the first one rushing to the windows with Hong Ye's ward number, and inside, a nurse swiftly finds the baby among all the other babies in the room, bringing her to the window.
Shao Fei looks excitedly at the little baby, and says, "Wow, how adorable, Tang Yi look, next time the little princess will call you Uncle!"
"Don't worry! I'll teach her to first call you 'aunt'!"
Tang Yi looks at his lover and smirks, and Shao Fei returns his remark with an eyeroll.
"Tch!"
Jack moves over to Dao Yi's side, smiles and nods, "Dao Yi Ge, you've worked hard."
Ever since Hong Ye's pregnancy began, her temper became worser than before, and even Tang Yi who dotes on her the most was angered so much a few times, to the point where he just walked away, simmering with fury. Shao Fei usually argues with Hong Ye every meal on a normal day, not to mention during the period when she was pregnant. Only Dao Yi, who's so well tempered, can handle his wife's notorious temper, facing it with a smile from day one.
"Miss- Hong Ye worked even harder," Dao Yi smiles.
Even though they've been married for a few years, old habits are really hard to change and he often calls her 'Miss', which resulted in Hong Ye leaving the house in anger, because she really hates that.
These nine months they really troubled the gelato ice-cream store's boss. Usually, the boss changes the flavours available rather often, but to soothe his Hong Ye, Dao Yi asked him to always have the mint chocolate and mango sorbet flavours in store, just waiting for Hong Ye to visit. It also helped Dao Yi to know exactly where he could pick up Hong Ye from whenever she left the house angry.
Jack's lips curve as he walks towards Zhao Zi, who's pressed against the window glass entertaining the little princess. Sliding his arm around Zhao Zi's waist, he asks, "You like children so much?"
"Of course I do! Babies are so adorable, who wouldn't like them?"
"I don't. They're noisy, a nuisance, and they don't understand human speech."
The most important thing is, he can't even lock the baby up in a cage like he would a pet, because he would be charged with abusing a child.
Zhao Zi looks so wistful then, and says, "So you don't like children? And here I was thinking during Lunar New Year we'll spring clean and take out my childhood photos for you to see. In this case, forget it then!"
"Wait! You said... whose childhood pictures?"
"Me! If not, who else?"
The moment he hears that it's Zhao Zi's photos, he demands, "I want to see!"
"Didn't you say you dislike kids? They're noisy, a nuisance, and don't understand human speech? I think we should just forget it, what if you see me when I was younger, and then end up disliking me now?"
"Impossible," retorts Jack immediately.
"But what if?"
"As long as it's you, the younger you, or the older you... I like them all."
Zhao Zi feels his cheeks heat then, and turns to look at Shao Fei, who's laughing at him from the side.
"You, you, be quiet! You're going to bother the little princess."
"I don't care, take out all the photos and give them to me. Everything of yours, they're mine."
"Okay!"
Once Jack sees Zhao Zi agree, his face all red, Jack's expression morphs into that of a smile, and then he also bends forward to look at the fidgeting little baby on the other side of the glass.
"Hey, shorty."
"What?"
"You really like children that much?"
Zhao Zi looks at his lover, and teases, "Didn't you just ask me that?"
"Then..." Jack deliberately trails on, looking at the shorty's face from the side, and very naughtily continues, "Shall we give birth to one then?"
"..."
Zhao Zi stares with wide eyes, turning to glare at Jack.
"No, one is not enough, you have to give me two. They better both be daughters, and they should look like me. When they grow up they're guaranteed to be beauties," Jack begins to fantasize about his future daughters.
He's very proud and confident about his own looks.
"Fang, Liang, Dian!" Zhao Zi says through gritted teeth, syllable by syllable.
"Hnn?"
"Giving birth? Fucking hell, I'm a man! Go and die!"******
Zhao Zi lifts his leg and takes aim at one of Jack's legs, but the man easily dodges the kick. With one person kicking and the other one dodging, in the end the both of them make so much noise that the head nurse ends up kicking them both out of the floor that holds the nursery room.
=
*"The artefact which has just been unearthed" - This is from the last episode, where Dr Jiang basically calls Tang Yi an antique which has never seen the light - In Chinese it works as a 'name' to call Tang Yi, but when translated there's no way to translate it correctly without it sounding dumb lmao! The closest would be Dr Jiang going 'hey you antique' but that's not exactly what the words mean, so I went with Tang Yi instead of "the artefact"
**Xiao Shu Gong is one of the characters from History2: Right of Wrong, Shi Yi Jie's friend who seems to be an archaeologist as well, and he's paired with Dr Jiang canonically in Trapped.
***Ge means 'Brother'
****LMAO ZHAO ZI HOW MUCH CAN U EAT IN ONE SITTING?!
*****1000NTD is about 32USD
******I think I spoke to on this when I first gave my very messy synopsis/summary on the chapter like... a gazillion months ago, and hmm yeah I ain't too fond of this trope tbh. Read at your own risk and also this author is really NOT known for good writing. if you enjoy it great tho! if not don't worry, and don't think too much about it because... yeah this author and some details of the epilogue, not so great. We win some, we lose some, unfortunately.