Chapter 165: Quitting Smoking

An overnight rain had just cleared, leaving fresh shoots peeking through the roadside grass. The air was heavy with moisture, and a biting chill rode the gusts of wind.

Fu Kang handed over a cigarette. Fu Zhou didn't take it, his voice carrying a trace of cool indifference: "I've quit."

"Quit?" Fu Kang asked, slightly surprised.

Fu Zhou's gaze was calm, the sharp line of his profile clean-cut. His voice sounded like the early morning after a rain, tinged with a slight chill: "Yeah. Youyou won't let me smoke until my injuries heal."

Fu Kang understood, then asked, "It's been taken care of. Do you want someone to collect his body?"

The corners of Fu Zhou's lips curved upward, carrying a hint of ruthlessness, though his tone remained entirely flat: "Not worth the trouble. Wouldn't it be better to let wild dogs scavenge it?"

Fu Kang nodded slightly: "Young Master, are any other instructions needed?"

In private, Fu Kang usually addressed Fu Zhou as Young Master.

Fu Zhou tapped his well-defined fingers against the car window: "Keep a close eye on him for me. Make sure nothing happens to him no matter what, and bring him back safely in a month."

Fu Kang wasn't often by Fu Zhou's side. Unlike close bodyguards like Fu Nan and Fu Bei, Fu Kang's role wasn't just to protect Fu Zhou; he was the Fu family's blade.

Usually kept concealed, but when unsheathed, it was bound to see blood.

Fu Kang only needed to draw the blade, while the aftermath was left to others hidden in the shadows.

They each performed their duties without interfering with one another.

And they obeyed only the commands of Fu Zhou alone.

Fu Kang didn't know who Yun Nian was, but since the master had given the order, Fu Kang would simply carry it out without asking unnecessary questions.

"Understood, Young Master."

"Mhm." Fu Zhou gave a casual, indifferent response.

Yun Nian pressed against the door, cupping his ear for a long time without hearing anything. He could sense that this car was extraordinary—for instance, the windows were unlike ordinary ones, looking rather like bulletproof glass, and the vehicle model had clearly been modified.

Though Yun Nian had always lived on a small island and had never been exposed to the outside world, his master had taught him many things and brought back numerous books for him to study. He knew quite a bit.

His intuition told him that not only did Fu Kang look fierce, but he also didn't look like someone to be trifled with.

He was beginning to regret not discussing this with Fu Zhou beforehand; this was even worse than that gloomy blockhead Fu Bei.

Yun Nian watched eagerly as Fu Kang got into the car, shrinking his neck in fear: "U-Uncle Kang, hello."

Fu Kang glanced at him through the rearview mirror, the scar across his brow bone arching up a few centimeters: "Do I look that terrifying?"

Yun Nian shook his head vigorously: "N-n-n-no... not terrifying at all!"

Finding the kid rather amusing, Fu Kang raised an eyebrow and stopped teasing him: "Where to?"

"Huh?"

"I asked where you're heading."

"Oh, oh. Haizhou, a small coastal city at the very southern tip of the map." Yun Nian tried to speak as clearly as possible. Having never been to his master's hometown, he could only recount what his master had said in his memories.

Fu Kang: "Mhm."

***

The vehicle gradually drove into the distance. Fu Zhou stood with one hand in his pocket, his posture languid, slowly withdrawing his gaze.

As soon as he stepped back inside, his WeChat chimed.

Fu Zhou's cold and indifferent expression shifted seamlessly. He eagerly unlocked WeChat, but his face reverted to its former blank state the moment he saw the notification was from Gu Bai.

Gu Bai: When did you get back? Why didn't you let us know? Do you have no room for us brothers in your eyes anymore? Damn it, Fu Zhou, you're unbelievable. Got yourself a wife and completely forgot about your friends, didn't you!

Fu Zhou: Piss off.

On the other end, Gu Bai typed for ages before finally sending an emoji that looked ready to explode with rage.

Gu Bai: Are your injuries healed or not?

Fu Zhou: Mhm.

Gu Bai: ......

Gu Bai: Will it kill you to type two more words?

Fu Zhou: Yes.

Gu Bai: ...................

Gu Bai: Get out tonight. The guys organized a welcome-back dinner for you. Bring your wife along too.

Seeing the message, Fu Zhou frowned with irritation and coldly replied: She's busy.

Gu Bai immediately called him directly: "Why is she busy?"

Fu Zhou let out a cold laugh: "My Youyou has to work every day to earn a living and support the family. Do you think she's idle and wandering around all day like you?"

Gu Bai's mouth twitched: "If you want to praise Song Qingyou, praise Song Qingyou. Did you have to insult me in the process? Did I do something to offend you? Come over tonight, same old place. Xu Zezhen, Guan Nan, and the others will all be there."

Fu Zhou's tone was languid: "I need to report to my wife first. If she agrees, I'll go."

Gu Bai rolled his eyes: "Are you out of your mind?"

"Piss off," Fu Zhou said expressionlessly.

Gu Bai had realized ages ago that Fu Zhou was thoroughly henpecked. He snorted and said, "You have to come. This welcome-back feast is thrown specifically for you. If you, the guest of honor, don't show up, what's the point of us drinking?"

Fu Zhou dropped two words: "We'll see."

With a click, he hung up the phone.

On the other end, Gu Bai was utterly speechless and immediately turned to complain to Xu Zezhen: "I really give up on Fu Zhou. He can't go three sentences without mentioning Song Qingyou. He has to report to his wife just to go out for a drink. I must make sure never to take a woman who bosses me around all day as a wife in the future."

Xu Zezhen paused in his flipping of documents, lifted his gaze, and asked, "What kind of woman do you want?"

Gu Bai sat on Xu Zezhen's sofa and ordered him around like a grand lord: "I'm thirsty. Pour me a glass of water."

Hearing this, Xu Zezhen stood up and went to pour him a glass.

Gu Bai gulped it down in a few swallows and handed the empty glass back: "Ah-Zhen is still the best."

Xu Zezhen stared at him for two seconds before saying, "That cup was mine."

***

Gu Bai looked bewildered: "I know it is. So what if it's yours? Can't I use it just because it's yours? Can't you be a little less stingy? You and I even kissed back in kindergarten, what's wrong with drinking a sip of your water?"

Xu Zezhen's expression was ambiguous as he said indifferently, "Let's not bring up things from kindergarten."

Gu Bai crossed his legs: "Sue me. I'll say it. I'll talk about it every day."

Xu Zezhen let out a sudden chuckle, the amusement chilling. It made Gu Bai feel a bit flustered, so not knowing what to say, he hurriedly changed the subject: "In the future, I'm going to find a wife who is pretty, gentle, and well-read."

Xu Zezhen sneered: "Would someone like that even look at you?"

Gu Bai instantly grew indignant: "Why wouldn't she? The blind date my mom recently set up for me is exactly that type. I have to go on a date with her this weekend. Who knows, by this time next year, my mom might even be holding a great-granddaughter."

He said this entirely to provoke Xu Zezhen; Gu Bai simply couldn't stand Xu Zezhen looking down on him. Ever since they were kids, he hated Xu Zezhen's know-it-all attitude most of all.

It made him look so ignorant.

Xu Zezhen's expression remained very calm, his emotions unreadable in the depths of his eyes. Hearing this, he merely nodded: "Good luck."

Then he turned, walked back behind his desk, and continued reading the bidding documents.

Gu Bai froze for a moment. He always felt like Xu Zezhen was acting a bit strange, though he couldn't quite put his finger on what was wrong.

Gu Bai felt a sudden, inexplicable sense of guilt: "Xu Zezhen, are you going to Night Club tonight?"

"Mhm."

Hearing him agree, Gu Bai secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

He put on a grinning face again: "Xu Zezhen, how about you be my best man when I get married?"

Xu Zezhen dragged a long streak across the paper with his pen, raised his eyes to look at the carefree Gu Bai, and curved his lips: "Sure."

Gu Bai felt a chill run through his body under Xu Zezhen's gaze. He rubbed his arms in discomfort and started grumbling: "You're so cold. Are you even too stingy to turn on the heater?"

Without raising his head, Xu Zezhen said, "The remote control is on the coffee table. Turn it on yourself."

"Oh." Gu Bai turned on the heater, then, feeling bored again, rested his chin on his hand to look at Xu Zezhen: "Ah-Zhen, what kind of woman do you want to marry as your wife?"

Xu Zezhen lifted his eyelids, his gaze cold: "I don't plan on marrying a woman."

"What?" His voice was muffled by the hum of the heater, and Gu Bai thought he had misheard.

Xu Zezhen repeated it expressionlessly: "I'm gay. I like men—it's innate. So I don't plan on dating women. Even if I marry, I will only marry a man. Did you hear that clearly?"

Xu Zezhen's words hit Gu Bai like a heavy bomb, leaving his head spinning and his ears ringing.

Gu Bai stood frozen in place with a dumbfounded expression, taking quite a while to digest this heaven-defying piece of information. He forced a stiff arc onto the corner of his lips: "Stop joking with me. It's not funny at all, seriously."

Xu Zezhen's voice sounded utterly merciless: "Who told you I was joking with you, Gu Bai? If you don't want to be pestered by a gay man, you'd better get far away."

Gu Bai stood stunned for another long moment, his complexion growing increasingly unsightly. Finally, he silently stood up and muttered, "Um, I still have things to do, I'm leaving first."

Xu Zezhen stared at Gu Bai's retreating back, a trace of loneliness creeping into his eyes. Slowly, a faint, self-deprecating smile curved the corners of his lips.