The way Zou Yang was scrubbing his hands, you’d think the steering wheel was smeared with shit.

Fan Jun stood nearby, unsure whether he should leave or wait until Zou Yang finished washing and then… then he didn’t know what. He’d come in to check his arm, and now that he’d finished checking his arm…

He knew Zou Yang was angry.

Usually, when someone was angry—Lü Ze, for example—his way of handling it was to stay silent, then walk away.

But Zou Yang wasn’t Lü Ze.

And he couldn’t bear to just leave an angry Zou Yang hanging there.

After hesitating a moment, he grabbed a small bar of soap from the counter, wanting to tear it open for Zou Yang.

Only as he tore it did he remember—he could grip things, but pinching and exerting force still didn’t work.

Zou Yang’s gaze had already swept over. So he quickly brought the soap to his mouth, bit the wrapper open with his teeth, and placed the soap in the small dish by the sink.

Zou Yang didn’t speak. He took the soap and started scrubbing his hands frantically. Before long, he’d worked up a huge mound of bubbles.

Fan Jun was a bit surprised. He’d always thought these small soaps, especially the ones in cheap inns, didn’t lather at all.

“Are you waiting to use the water?” Zou Yang suddenly asked, looking at him through the mirror.

“…No,” Fan Jun replied, turning and walking out of the bathroom.

He should take the snacks out of his bag first. After eating something, they should head to Li—

The sound of water in the bathroom stopped. He let out a breath of relief. Finally done washing.

Then Zou Yang flung the door open and strode out, his steps urgent.

Fan Jun had just turned to look when he felt the air behind him stir like a gust of wind, and his back was suddenly shoved hard. The force was considerable, like someone had slammed into him.

Fan Jun was thrown forward a step and onto the bed.

But the impact point was chosen very safely—dead center of the shoulder blade. No risk of throwing out his back.

He didn’t know what Zou Yang was trying to do. Work out his frustration through a fight?

As he fell, he used the mattress’s springiness to quickly flip over. Immediately after, he saw Zou Yang charge a step forward and leap up with a flying knee.

It looked like he was coming to kill him.

In this lying position, with a very soft, non-supportive mattress beneath him, it was difficult to mount any defense in such a short time. He could only raise his right arm to shield his front.

Although Zou Yang couldn’t actually want to kill him, it was just in case he lost control—his right arm could prevent Zou Yang from crashing directly into his stomach.

But Zou Yang was very steady, and surprisingly agile. When he leaped up and came down, his left knee landed on the mattress by Fan Jun’s right side, his right knee pressed—not too lightly, not too heavily—against the area below his ribs, while at the same time grabbing his right hand and flipping it upward, pressing it above his head.

Zou Yang leaned over him entirely, looking down at him.

To be honest, Fan Jun was stunned by this chain of movements—smooth as flowing water, beautifully executed.

He just didn’t know what Zou Yang was trying to do.

Zou Yang looked down at him for a long time without making a sound. Just as Fan Jun began to suspect that Zou Yang himself didn’t know what he was doing, Zou Yang spoke: “Don’t move.”

“Hm?” Fan Jun didn’t understand.

“If you dare throw me off when I let go, I’ll beat you up. With only one good arm, you might not have the advantage,” Zou Yang said.

“…Mm.” Fan Jun responded.

Zou Yang’s knee was still pressing against him, but he let go of Fan Jun’s hand. Then, looking down from above, he stripped off his clothes and tossed them onto a nearby chair.

When he leaned down again and grabbed his right wrist, his breathing was clearly much heavier than before.

“Zou Yang?” Fan Jun was stunned.

Honestly, before this second, he had never expected this kind of development. He was in a terrible mood and hadn’t been thinking in this direction, and certainly had never expected that Zou Yang, who had been angry the whole way, would suddenly do this.

Zou Yang made no sound. His eyes stared at the wound on Fan Jun’s left chest. Then he raised his hand and let it fall, his fingertip landing on that patch of scar tissue, tracing along it a few times.

Fan Jun looked at him and felt a thunderous crash. He couldn’t even tell whether the sound came from outside or inside his brain. Except for Zou Yang, everything around him dissolved into peripheral vision, leaving only blurred outlines.

The only thing he could clearly see was Zou Yang.

Zou Yang’s knee, pressed against him, slid toward his waist. His body followed, leaning down, and he lowered his head to kiss his lips.

There was no testing, no prelude—silent yet urgent, warm with a trace of mint candy coolness. The instant it probed between his teeth, Fan Jun’s breathing lost its rhythm.

Zou Yang’s hand didn’t leave. Following the scar downward, it heavily stroked across his chest, swept past his waist, slid over his lower abdomen… In that second, it was as if an electric current exploded from Zou Yang’s fingertips, beneath the skin, igniting fuses along countless nerves, spreading deep into the gaps between bones.

Fan Jun rotated his right wrist. He wanted to embrace Zou Yang, now, immediately.

But Zou Yang didn’t let go. Half his body weight pressed on Fan Jun’s wrist.

“Use your left hand.”

Fan Jun felt his breathing grow difficult. Every heartbeat within the chaotic breath was deafening.

He raised his left hand and wrapped it around Zou Yang. His fingertips gradually exerted force, slowly sliding along his spine. Every inch of movement was like driving his fingertips into Zou Yang’s skin.

His hand stroked from the waist toward the lower abdomen, slow but without pause.

Zou Yang’s lips slowly moved toward the corner of his lips. Scorching breath paved the way, soft touches extending all the way to the right side of his neck.

The right side.

Whether hearing or touch, everything was clearer.

He could hear the heat within the rapid gasps.

The burning heat in his palm could almost burn through skin… The chaotic senses made him, for an instant, unable to tell whose low moan was by his ear, unable to tell whom the trembling spreading through every inch of his body along his blood vessels belonged to…

Until the sound of a distant car horn swept in from outside the window.

Tearing open the chaos wrapping all perception, he heard Zou Yang’s gradually slowing breath by his ear, and also heard his own heartbeat that had not yet fully steadied.

Zou Yang released his hand. His entire body relaxed, lying prone on top of him, then slowly flipped over to lie beside him.

He closed his eyes and let out a long breath.

After easing for a while longer, he tugged up his pants.

“Zou Yang.” Fan Jun turned his face, his voice low, carrying a hint of hoarseness.

It was only at this second that Zou Yang came back to his senses. His eyes snapped open, and he leaped up from the bed, rushing into the bathroom.

He turned on the tap. The rushing water felt like it couldn’t cover his heartbeat. His heart was pounding even harder than just now. Bracing himself against the sink, he had the illusion that his entire body was swaying slightly along with his heartbeat.

He lowered his head and splashed some cold water on his face, then steadied his mind. He didn’t dare look in the mirror, only staring at the stream of water before him.

From the corner of his eye, he could see Fan Jun walk over, stand in the doorway, and lightly rap on the open bathroom door.

Zou Yang stepped aside, turning to lean against the sink.

Fan Jun walked over, bent to wash his face, turned off the tap, and leaned against the sink beside him, looking at him.

“I’m such a pervert,” Zou Yang said.

Fan Jun smiled, reached over to hug him, and kissed his forehead. “Yes… a little bit.”

“Stop savoring it,” Zou Yang said.

“That’s not very likely,” Fan Jun said softly.

Zou Yang leaned against him, lowered his chin onto his shoulder, closed his eyes, and sighed.

“Rest a bit, then go eat,” Fan Jun said. “Then we have to hurry to Boss Li’s place. Can’t arrive right at dinner time.”

“Then let’s not eat, just go straight there,” Zou Yang said.

“It’s very close,” Fan Jun said. “We have time.”

“Mm.” Zou Yang nodded.

This town was bigger than the one they’d passed through earlier, and quite lively. Nearby there was a seemingly famous lake, and many tourists drove here to visit.

The two of them found a nearby noodle shop and each ordered a bowl of beef dry noodles.

“Is there a time limit on your business trip?” Zou Yang asked while eating, looking at the tourist attraction introductions on the noodle shop wall.

“Want to go see that lake?” Fan Jun asked.

“…Mm.” Zou Yang nodded.

“Then let’s go back the day after tomorrow,” Fan Jun said. “Looking at goods at Boss Li’s place might not be that quick to finish anyway. He Chuan didn’t come, so he’ll definitely put on airs.”

“Okay.” Zou Yang lowered his head and took a bite of noodles.

He was truly hungry. Driving here had already been quite draining, plus just now… At this moment, he felt an emptiness in his stomach. Each mouthful of noodles felt like it was sloshing around.

Fan Jun looked even hungrier than him. After all, he’d hardly eaten anything the whole way, and just now…

He finished the entire bowl of noodles in under three minutes.

“Pour it in,” Zou Yang said, looking at his almost-empty bowl.

“I see they also have flatbread,” Fan Jun said. “You want some?”

“…I probably can’t eat anymore,” Zou Yang said.

“I’ll go get a flatbread.” Fan Jun stood up.

When he returned to the table, he was pinching just one corner of a flatbread.

“Where’s the flatbread?” Zou Yang blinked.

“Ate it.” Fan Jun put the corner he was pinching into his mouth too.

Zou Yang turned to look at the flatbread griddle. It was less than five steps away, and he hadn’t even seen what kind of flatbread it was.

“Let’s go,” Fan Jun wiped his hands. “Full.”

“I feel like if you hadn’t kept your championship physique, I might never have had the chance to fall for you,” Zou Yang said softly. “Although I care more about the soul, I’m not completely indifferent to the shell that houses it.”

Fan Jun laughed. “I still watch it now. My exercise volume isn’t as high as before, so I can’t be too casual.”

Right, he wasn’t a coach anymore.

Zou Yang didn’t speak, only gently rubbed his back.

Fan Jun immediately grabbed his hand and rubbed his fingers.

“What?” Zou Yang looked at him.

“I thought you were wiping your hands on my back,” Fan Jun said.

“Get lost!” Zou Yang said. “I just got it all over my hands and I didn’t even wipe it on you…”

The moment these words came out, he was shocked. Zou Yang, you really are a pervert. How can you say something like this in such a public place!

Fan Jun also turned to look at him in shock.

“Go go go go go…” Zou Yang quickly walked toward the car.

The courtyard where Boss Li stored his goods was very close to the inn where they were staying. They arrived before the car even had time to shift into fourth gear.

The small courtyard was enclosed. All around were white walls over a person’s height. The tiles on the walls looked quite old. The courtyard gate was also an old-style wooden door that emitted a low creaking sound when pushed open.

Fan Jun pulled an iron chain by the door, and a clear ringing sound came from above the gate.

“Yo! You’re here,” someone said from inside.

Then a quite stocky man walked out. However, judging from his expressionless face, he wasn’t the one who had spoken just now.

“I don’t know this person,” Fan Jun quietly said to him.

“Mm,” Zou Yang responded.

So that wasn’t Boss Li.

“Please come in.” The stocky man glanced at the two of them, turned, and walked back inside.

Zou Yang followed Fan Jun into the courtyard. The courtyard had quite an antique charm—moss covering half the walls, many beautiful window lattices hanging above, and a set of stone tables and chairs that clearly had some years on them.

Walking further inside, there was a tea table, calligraphy and paintings, cabinets full of bottles and jars, and books that looked very old.

This was the kind of place his dad should come to—it was his style.

The man sitting by the tea table should be Boss Li. Quite thin, but he looked reasonably amiable.

“Little Fan, He Chuan really felt comfortable letting you come alone, huh?” Boss Li swept a glance at Zou Yang.

He looked amiable, but this sentence was already quite pointed—he clearly had grievances toward Boss He.

“It’s two people,” Fan Jun said.

Boss Li smiled. “Then this person is…”

“A shareholder,” Fan Jun said.

Zou Yang nearly wanted to raise his hand to press his eyebrows. He just made that up on the spot.

“Oh?” Boss Li looked at Zou Yang again. “Young and promising.”

Zou Yang smiled and didn’t speak.

Shareholder it was then. Fan Jun hadn’t said which place’s shareholder. He had also invested class fees at Xinxin Studio.

“Sit,” Boss Li gestured to the chairs opposite. “Have some tea.”

“I just ate a bellyful, can’t drink any more tea,” Fan Jun didn’t sit down. “Let’s first look at your newly arrived goods, help with digestion.”

Boss Li laughed. “What’s the rush! Chat a while!”

Zou Yang sat down, and Fan Jun had to sit down too.

“He Chuan is doing quite well now,” Boss Li poured tea for the two of them. “Seeing such good goods, he doesn’t even come personally anymore.”

“He was too embarrassed to tell you,” Fan Jun picked up his cup and took a sip of tea. “He’s been hospitalized for several days with pneumonia. Don’t know if it’s contagious, so he doesn’t dare run around everywhere.”

“Is that so?” Boss Li froze, then frowned and sighed. “His health really isn’t great either. Didn’t he used to practice Sanda with you before? He doesn’t practice now?”

Zou Yang looked at Boss Li.

Watch what you say, boss.

“I have an injury now,” Fan Jun said.

“Oh, right,” Boss Li looked at Zou Yang again. “What is it, little brother, not drinking tea? Want some beverage?”

“I’ll drink,” Zou Yang glanced at the tea. “This steep is a bit overdone.”

Boss Li stared at him for a moment, then laughed. “This one truly knows how to drink tea. We were just talking, and the pour was just a tiny bit slow. You could… smell that?”

“I saw it,” Zou Yang smiled.

“Come, come, come,” Boss Li waved at the stocky man. “Bring that new tea cake I opened yesterday.”

Then he said to Fan Jun: “This is my nephew. No formal training, usually just works out. You’ll give him some pointers in a bit?”

“I…” Fan Jun wasn’t very willing. Boss Li was still making trouble, but after hesitating a few seconds, he still nodded. “Pointers is too much… fine.”

The stocky man quickly brought the tea cake. Boss Li skillfully pried off a small piece. “A’Zhi, in a bit you’ll learn from Coach Fan, let him give you some pointers. He’s a professional.”

“Mm.” A’Zhi looked at Fan Jun, squared his shoulders, and looked eager to try.

Zou Yang swept a glance at him, then looked at Fan Jun. Fan Jun was quite calm, showing no emotion. After all, he’d encountered plenty of dojo challenges before.

It’s just…

Boss Li seemed to have found some amusement. After just two steeps of tea, he got up and had A’Zhi “consult” with Fan Jun.

In the small courtyard, there was a room with quite a bit of fitness equipment. Boss Li usually trained here. On the wall nearby hung a boxing machine, and there was a row of boxing gloves, focus mitts, and such.

A’Zhi looked about the same age as Zou Yang. The moment Boss Li spoke, he immediately got energized. Entering the room without a word, he directly took off his jacket. Underneath was just a sleeveless shirt, and his arms had a bit of muscle.

Fan Jun glanced at Zou Yang. Zou Yang covered his mouth with his hand.

Take him down.

Fan Jun smiled and took off his jacket. Underneath was a T-shirt, much more low-key than A’Zhi.

“My left hand is injured,” Fan Jun picked up the focus mitts. “Throw some punches and try it out.”

“Okay.” A’Zhi punched his gloves and bounced in place a couple of times.

Fan Jun raised the mitts.

A’Zhi swung without hesitation. First, he hurled a punch at Fan Jun’s right mitt, followed by a left hook. But the target wasn’t Fan Jun’s left mitt—it was aimed at his face.

Fuck your grandfather!

Zou Yang’s back snapped straight.

Fan Jun dodged the punch by turning his head. “Hit the mitts.”

“Mm.” A’Zhi nodded.

“Come.”

A’Zhi swung again. This time with even more force. His right fist struck the mitt with a bang. But the left fist that followed once again went for Fan Jun’s head, clearly faster than before.

Fan Jun dodged again by turning his head, looking at him. “Hit the mitts.”

“Right, hit the mitts,” Boss Li said from the side. “It’s only because Coach Fan has quick reflexes. Anyone else would already have been knocked down by you.”

“Sorry,” A’Zhi smiled. “Conditioned reflex.”

Fan Jun made no sound.

A’Zhi threw a third punch.

Same as the first two times—right fist to the mitt, left fist to Fan Jun’s face.

Fan Jun dodged sideways again. At the same time he straightened up, his right hand—without a glove—smashed a fist into A’Zhi’s head.

Heavy.

A’Zhi was directly knocked to the ground by the punch.

“Sorry,” Fan Jun looked down at him. “Conditioned reflex.”

“Hey!” Boss Li didn’t seem anxious at all about his nephew being knocked down, laughing quite cheerfully. “The little bit you’ve learned is far inferior compared to a professional. He can take care of you with just one arm.”

A’Zhi couldn’t quite save face. He did a kip-up and bounced up, patting his gloves. “Again.”

“No. Overcome that conditioned reflex of yours first,” Fan Jun removed the mitts and hung them back on the wall. “We’ll come back when Boss Li has time.”

“Hm?” Boss Li froze.

Fan Jun put on his jacket and tilted his head toward Zou Yang. “Let’s go.”

Zou Yang followed him out of the room, walked through the courtyard without stopping, and went out.

“Fuck,” Zou Yang cursed after they got out. “These two are sick in the head!”

“It’s fine, I’m not the one who got beaten,” Fan Jun said. “At worst, we just won’t take his goods.”

“This is only because you’re on the job,” Zou Yang gritted his teeth. “If this were a different scenario, I…”

“If this were at the studio, the second time he did that I would have already crippled him,” Fan Jun said.

Zou Yang paused, then laughed.

After getting in the car, he hesitated. “How do we explain this to He Chuan?”

“Don’t worry about it. He’ll definitely find He Chuan,” Fan Jun started the car. “He knew perfectly well that Boss Li is this kind of person, and still sent me alone. Then he can bear the consequences himself.”

“Pretty arrogant,” Zou Yang turned to look at him.

“I was already in a foul mood,” Fan Jun frowned. “Picking a fight with me at a time like this.”

“You wanted to beat me up, didn’t you?” Zou Yang asked.

“Mm.” Fan Jun turned to look at him.

“Then beat me up,” Zou Yang said.

“In your dreams,” Fan Jun drove the car out of the parking space. “Pervert.”

Zou Yang laughed. “Your grandfather.”

“Where to?” Fan Jun said. “Let’s find somewhere to wander around. He Chuan will probably call me in a bit to make new arrangements.”

“To the lakeside,” Zou Yang immediately said. “I saw on the tourist introduction that they have a lakeside restaurant, and gardens and such. The pictures look quite romantic.”

“Let’s go.” Fan Jun turned the steering wheel and drove toward the lake.

Zou Yang looked out the window. After a while, he said: “Actually, your left hand isn’t that much of an impediment, is it?”

Fan Jun looked ahead and didn’t speak.