A crowd of citizens and guests was already filling the Dragon City's main square, even though there was still time for the main event. On a platform, three rows of chairs were prepared for the guests of honour: the heroes of war, politicians and other influential people. Some of the chairs were already occupied, most still empty.
Luo was standing in the first row, near the platform, recognising the familiar faces. He turned to Jiang Feng.
"Your brother isn't coming?" he asked, already knowing the answer.
"He decided that it would be inappropriate to be here today," Feng fixed his glasses.
"Seriously." Luo shook his head. "Did he not get my entire morning speech or something?"
"Let him be. I believe that he needs time to digest the situation."
"You're spoiling him, Brother Black," Fei muttered.
"Hey!" Da Qing approached from behind the barriers, wearing an official suit and showing off the VIP entry pass. "Your dad's gonna get a merit medal from the Xingdu Bureau."
"Wow. That's cool. What about us?" Luo ruffled Da Qing's hair.
"What do you mean?" Instead of moving away to keep his haircut pristine, Da Qing moved closer, lowering his head.
"We saved the whole city. Shouldn't we get something too? I mean, If it weren't for Xiao Wei, we would've all been dead right now."
"Sssh," both Deputy put their hands on Luo's mouth. "It's all top-secret. The public can't know that their lives depended on some kids," Da Qing hissed.
"All right, just kidding," Luo shook his head and looked at the podium. A beautiful woman in an eye-catching bright red dress and a black leather jacket took her place next to Chu Shushi.
"Holy crap. Hong Jie hasn't changed a bit! Does she still work for us?"
"No, of course not." Da Qing shook his head. "Zhu Hong quit a few months after the whole ordeal with Dixing. Said she didn't have the reason to stay any longer. She's here as a representative and the head of the Yashou tribes."
"That's a pity." Luo sighed, not taking his eyes from her.
The snake woman sensed being observed and quickly looked around.
"Say," she turned to Chu Shuzhi. "Who is Da Qing talking to?"
"Huh?" He followed her gaze. "That's the annoying brat from the high school. Zhao Yunlan's obsessive fan. Got on my nerves the moment I saw him."
Luo, observing the couple, wondered how a person can have a bored and murderous look at the same time. He grinned and, catching Zhu Hong's eye, winked and blew her a kiss. The woman blinked rapidly, feeling that she was beginning to blush.
"See," Old Chu narrowed his eyes. "Annoying as hell."
"He is kind of cute, though," the woman admitted.
Luo was about to send the woman another kiss when his hand got caught by Jiang Feng.
"What are you doing?" the boy demanded in a low voice.
"What? I'm just messing with..." Luo trailed off, seeing Feng's furrowed brows. "The wrong person, apparently. Sorry, my dear Brother Black. Won't happen again."
Jiang Feng nodded. "As long as you understand what you did was wrong," he said in his academic tone. Da Qing snorted.
"You're a hopeless case, my master Luo. That's no surprise, though. I gotta go. I'll see you after the ceremony." He briskly walked away. Luo looked back at the podium, recognising some familiar faces.
"Did you know?" he whispered to Feng. "Dr Cheng married Cong Bo. I mean, what did she see in him?"
Feng smiled and fixed his glasses. "Sometimes, we see a hidden gem where no one else does. What others may see could be a pretence. A facade to deter those who can't see beyond." He looked into Luo's eyes and tilted his head playfully. "And sometimes we just like what we see."
Luo Fei beamed. "Do you like what you see, Your Honor?"
"Don't call me that," Feng fixed Luo's unruly hair. "Aren't we supposed to live in the present?" he asked softly.
"Let me ask again, then. Do you like what you see, my Jiang Feng?"
"No..." Feng was focused on one spot on Luo's forehead.
"What?"
"That's going to be a very painful pimple before it surfaces."
Luo's hand immediately went to check, and Feng caught it. "Don't touch it with dirty hands. You'll make it worse."
"How come your skin is so perfect all the time?" Fei made a face.
"My DNA structure is different than yours. Also, the process of hormonal changes..."
"All right. All right. I get it. You're basically perfect. I can live with that." He turned to the stands and watched as Zhao Xinchi took his place next to Zhao Yunlan. They exchanged some hushed words and then sat in silence. Luo stared, wondering what would it be like to sit there. What would his relations with his father be, had he managed to come back alive from Dixing? A cold hand gently took his, and moved it away from his mouth.
"Eat a lollipop and stop biting your nails," Feng whispered into his ear.
"I'm gonna get fat if I eat so many," Luo muttered, coming back to reality.
"Then give me one too. I'll get fat together with you." Jiang Feng smiled angelically, looking into surprised eyes. Luo Fei took out a lollipop from his pocket, unwrapped it and stuck it into his friend's mouth.
"It's mango. Tell me if you like it," Luo grinned.
"I love it," Jiang Feng smiled back.
Guo Changcheng stepped carefully, carrying a wooden chair in front of him. As he was climbing the steps to the podium, his leg slipped, and he squeaked, losing balance. A strong hand went around his slim waist, catching him. Guo blinked.
"Where do you think you're going with that?" Chu Shuzhi glared at him, his hand holding Guo steadily.
"Oh, um," Changcheng blushed. "They said that there was one chair missing, and as I was walking here anyway..."
"You are a guest of honour, not an organiser. Start behaving appropriately."
"Brother Chu, you can let go of me now," Guo smiled, nodding.
"What if I don't want to? You'll trip and fall again with your luck."
"No, I won't."
"Fine, give me that," Old Chu took the chair from his partner and pushed him forward. "Go take your place. The one near Zhu Hong. I'll be right there."
Guo marched towards his seat, smiling and nodding to the people he knew. He opened his mouth to greet Zhu Hong, but the woman was busy observing something in the crowd. She finally turned to Guo, pointing her chin at Luo and Feng.
"Xiao, Guo," She smirked. "Look at those two lovebirds. They remind me of you and Old Chu when you finally decided you would stop hiding your feelings."
"We never did," Changcheng's ears burnt bright red. The woman laughed, her gaze returning on the two boys. The kid who had winked at her before was busy exchanging the lollipop sticks with his friend. The other boy blushed, his eyes widening.
"Ah, to be young and in love again," the woman sighed.
The clock on the city hall struck twelve, and a minute later, Minister Guo stepped onto the platform and approached the microphone. He waited for the ovation to die out before he cleared his throat.
"Dear citizens of Dragon City, our esteemed guests, welcome. We are all here to commemorate the tragic events that shook our community twenty years ago. The heroes of those days will be remembered. Those who lost their lives can rest in peace, knowing that their sacrifice was not in vain. We came out of the war much stronger and more united than ever."
"That's a crappy speech," Luo muttered to Feng. The boy fixed his glasses and nodded.
The only advantage of the speech was that it wasn't long. The minister bowed and invited Zhao Yunlan to take over. a roaring ovation welcomed the hero of the day, and he stood there, frowning, waiting for the crowd to calm down. Luo smirked.
"What happened that day, what we did, as the S.I.D., was our duty and our job. Nothing more, nothing less. We lost people," Zhao's gaze fell on the two boys. "But they knew the stakes, and they made their own decisions. For that, I want to thank them today." He bowed deeply and froze in that position. Luo stepped nervously from one leg to the other. He had joked before about the whole event being held for his sake, but now it overwhelmed him.
Zhao Yunlan straightened his back and frowned. "But the threat did not end with the gates between Haixing and Dixing closing. Our department worked daily fighting different crimes. Also," he cleared his throat." A new danger appeared, in the form of the "Haixing Only" group."
There was a murmur of alarmed voices, and Zhao raised his voice.
"Last month, the said group planned a massive terrorist attack in our city. As you all know, it was discovered and brought to nought by heroes who again didn't hesitate to put their lives at risk in order to save our citizens. I wish they would stop doing that, but knowing them, I am painfully aware that if another calamity strikes, they will be there in the front line to fight."
Luo was having trouble staying serious, his shoulders shaking badly. Feng smacked him in the arm.
"What? He ain't wrong saying that," Fei whispered.
"And what do you find so amusing in it?" Jiang Feng whispered back.
Zhao Yunlan cleared his throat again. The boys looked back at the podium, Luo grinning sheepishly. The detective continued. "The group is now regarded as a terrorist organisation, and many of its members have already been arrested. In this city, there is no place for lowly criminals. Along with the Xinngdu Bureau, we will make sure it stays that way. Thank you." Zhao didn't wait for the ovation to end before returning to his seat.
Then some higher-up officials gave their speeches, but Luo Fei wasn't interested anymore. He took Feng by the sleeve and pulled him out to the open space, away from the crowds.
"They'll be talking for hours now. Not my bag of beans, really. Would you like something to eat, Old Brother Feng?"
"No, thank you." Jiang Feng exhaled slowly.
"Tired of humans already?" Luo guessed.
"Being surrounded by a crowd of strangers, especially having my back to them, makes me anxious," the teenager admitted, fixing his glasses nervously. Luo laughed.
"Oh, but you needn't worry. I have your back, Xiao Feng. Always will."
"I know. Thank you."
"Tell you what. Let's find a place for you to rest, and I'll go grab something to drink. I promise to be back as quickly as possible."
Going around the erected platform wasn't the shortest way back, but it was the easiest, leaving the crowds behind. Luo was returning with some paper cups and a bottle of sparkling water when he saw Zhao Xinchi slowly walking down the few steps from the podium. The man halted and leaned on the railing, clearly tired. He reached into the inner pocket of his jacket and took out a handkerchief, which he used to wipe the sweat from his temples. The man sighed. He hated this day. Each time the anniversary grew near, all he wished to do was to be left alone. Every year he was painfully reminded of the day he had lost his son. And the fact that he couldn't even mourn openly, made it a hundred times worse. He was grateful to Da Qing, who had decided to move in with him right after the war. Each morning, they would wake up and go to work, pretending that everything was fine. Then in the evenings, they would return home and talk and then cry. The days turned into months, and somehow it became easier to breathe and begin another day. And then the anniversary came, each year tossing them back into the nightmare.
Xinchi wiped his forehead again. He was feeling drowsy after the nightmares which haunted him in the previous nights. All he wanted now was to return home and maybe drink some wine.
"Sir, Are you all right?" A teenager placed a hand under Xinchi's elbow, supporting him. "I think you should sit down. Let me guide you to a chair. Zhao looked at the concerned teenager and sighed, noting the unruly hair, pointy chin and skinny silhouette.
"I've finally lost it," he muttered. He watched as the kid slowly led him to the VIP section, then barked orders at the staff as if he owned the place. Xinchi was soon seated in a quiet area, and a hand with a paper cup appeared under his nose.
"Sorry, I only have sparkling water," the boy said, biting his fingernail.
"Stop doing that," Xinchi took the cup, automatically swatting the boy's hand.
"Sorry, I do that when I'm nervous." A grin that almost split the teenager's face made the elderly man hold his breath. He stared at the boy, his eyes reddening. Finally, he drank from the cup and cleared his throat.
"What's your name, boy?"
"It's Luo Fei, sir," the teenager responded, blinking rapidly.
"Luo..." Xinchi's eyes were glued to the boy's face. "Do you, by any chance, know a man called Luo Jie Ming?"
"He's... um." Fei swallowed. "He's my... My father. Sir." Luo bit his lip. The entire situation was more than awkward. All he wanted to do was hug the man sitting in front of him. Tell him that was ok and apologise for leaving him. The boy clenched his fists. He knew that would be the most idiotic thing to do. Xinchi would get furious at a stranger impersonating his dead son. His heart was fragile. No need to give him a heart attack.
"Boy," Xinchi grabbed Luo's hand. "Let me look at you."
The teenager stiffened, looking into the sharp eyes of the former Head of the Qingdu Bureau. Those eyes were trained to catch any lie and deceit.
"Gods," Xinchi sighed and visibly deflated. "You remind me of my boy when he was your age. But your eyes are different." Zhao smiled sadly. "Yunlan's eyes were cold whenever I spoke to him. Yours..." Xinchi put a hand on Luo's head. "What's wrong?" he asked, seeing first tears threatening to fall from the kid's eyes.
"Sorry, sir," the boy turned away. "I guess my allergies are acting up again." He rubbed his face and sniffed. "Ah, shit. Where are my tissues?"
Xinchi reached into his pocket and handed the kid another handkerchief.
"Use this one," he suggested.
"Thanks," Luo sniffed. He stiffened, realising how informal he got. "I mean, Thank you, sir."
A blur of bright red caught his eye. He perked up, spotting the familiar person.
"Zhu Hong," he called. The woman stopped and looked at him, then at Zhao Xinchi. "Have you seen Da Qing?" Luo asked.
She frowned. "He's back there..."
"Get him here, now." The boy commanded. Xinchi watched, bewildered, as the head of the Yashou tribes, instead of making a scene, nodded and hastened away. He didn't have the time to react when Da Qing came running. The Deputy halted, almost falling on Luo in the process.
"What is it?" he asked, his eyes darting from the elderly man to the teenager.
"Take Leader Zhao home. He is tired. It's been a hard day."
"Oh, ok," Da Qing nodded. "Do you want my help getting up, Old Chief Zhao?" he asked, offering his hand.
"I'm not dying," Zhao bridled at being treated like an invalid. He got up and looked at Luo again.
"Thank you for your help, Luo Fei, was it?"
"Yes, sir," Fei nodded.
"Make sure you live a long, healthy life."
"I will, sir," the teenager nodded solemnly. He watched as Da Qing escorted Xinchi to a black car. Once they were gone, Luo looked at his phone and swore before breaking into a run.
"Where have you been? Jiang Feng looked at him with wide doe eyes. "I was getting worried.
"Sorry. Had to help an elderly man go home." Luo looked at the half-empty bottle of mineral water. "You know what? Let's go home. We'll buy some food and watch the rest of the ceremony on tv." He grinned broadly, tossing his hand over Feng's shoulder.
"Did something happen?" the boy asked, so very attuned to Luo's every expression.
"I'll tell you at home. Now..." Luo suddenly halted when an angry woman in a black leather jacket and a red dress blocked their way. She crossed her hands on her chest and tried to stare him down.
"So," she began, and her eyes shone red. Jiang Feng made a step forward, but Luo's strong grip on his wrist stopped him. "Who exactly are you, kid?"
"Luo Fei. At your service, Honorable Zhu Hong," he bowed deeply. The woman frowned. Both boys should be completely under her influence. Yet, non of them showed any signs of being hypnotised.
"Luo Fei, what makes you think you can order me around?" she asked angrily. Instead of being intimidated, the boy flashed her a disarming smile and took a step closer. His friend cast a worried glance his way.
"You ordered Zhu Hong?" he whispered.
"Old Man needed help. She was the only one around," Luo muttered back.
"You do realise her status, right?" The pale boy fixed his glasses.
"I needed the Damned Cat to take Old Zhao away."
"So that was the elderly person you were talking about?" Feng's brows knitted in concern. Luo nodded.
"Hey!" Zhu Hong finally butted in. "You do realise I'm still here?" she hissed.
"Sorry, Hong Jie. I apologise for my rude behaviour. Is there any way I could repay you for the afront?"
"How do you know me? And Da Qing? Just who the heck are you?" she frowned. She couldn't help but feel affection towards the boy. And that scared her.
"Luo Fei. The future Chief of the Guardian Order. I'm a... A huge fan. And Da Qing, well. He eats from my fridge." The teenager laughed, spreading his hands wide.
"You should find a safer job, Luo Fei." the snake woman tried hypnosis again. "Being a SID Chief isn't the best job. It's easy to lose your life, even if you have the most powerful allies at your side."
"It will be different this time," Luo's pale companion said with so much force that Zhu Hong felt her powers retreat. She blinked and nodded.
"Yes," she repeated. "It will be different."
"I can't believe you hypnotised Hong Jie," Luo laughed and waved his lollipop in the air as they walked back home.
"It was an accident," Feng's ears reddened. "I reflexively blocked her attack, and it backfired."
"Still, one more thing to put on your CV when you apply for a position in the SID."
"I won't," Feng shook his head.
"Whoah," Luo halted and grabbed his hand. "What do you mean, you won't?"
"I wish to focus on school. You should too, by the way."
"Well, yeah," Luo Fei breathed a sigh of relief. "I was talking later on in life."
"You know that you can always rely on me to help you. Why do you need me to join?" Jiang Feng frowned. Luo smirked, stepping closer.
"Isn't it obvious, my dear Brother Black?" He leaned in and kissed him on the lips. "To have you next to me all the time. Just like before."
Feng blinked, fixing his glasses. He tried to move away, but a hand on his back rendered it impossible. He sighed and shook his head.
"Last time, wasn't it because you wanted to cooperate for better results?"
"Erm," Luo laughed, this time nervously, and scratched his head. "That was one of the reasons. But you need to understand. When I asked you if you had a girlfriend at the beginning of our friendship, I already had an ulterior motive."
"Which was?" Jiang Feng stiffened, suddenly feeling anxious.
Luo took a deep breath, swallowed and grabbed Feng's groin. "This," he said proudly. Feng jumped away, reflexively landing in a combat position. He hastily strengthened.
"Zhao Yunlan!" he huffed. Luo's wild laughter was loud, and the boy wiped out tears from his eyes.
"Old Brother Black, let's head home. I believe I need to tell you what some other motives guided me back then."
"I don't know if I want to hear them."
"Xiao Wei-ah, Luo whispered into his ear. "I swear you won't regret it."
********
Hello dear readers!
Things are slowly coming to a happy ending and I believe that next week's chapter might be the last one. I was having fun with this chapter. I hope you like it.😁
Thank you for reading.🤗
Till next week.👋👋👋
Stay safe!