In the following days, Zhou Jun either arranged to go out to watch movies or enjoyed afternoon tea, or he would have dinner at the Zhou family home. One day, his sister-in-law organized a mahjong game and happened to rope him in as a player. The table was filled with ladies in cheongsams and Western dresses, wearing diamond rings and red nail polish. The women held the small tiles, calling out for wins and melds. Zhou Jun’s luck was average, and after several rounds, he lost quite a bit of money.

During the game, he felt someone intentionally brush against his leg. Zhou Jun discreetly tucked his leg away, pretending to be an upright gentleman and not even glancing in that direction. However, once the game broke up, he made his way to the car of the lady who had just brushed against him, hoping to steal a kiss.

After some time….Zhou Jun’s hair was disheveled, he had worked up a bit of sweat. He carefully tidying himself up and got out of the small, swaying car. He strolled leisurely along the street, planning to have a bowl of wontons. The wonton shop was a well-known establishment, with fresh broth, thin skins, and tender meat, allowing him to easily devour a large bowl and work up a sweat. After the meal, Zhou Jun wiped his mouth contentedly, left the money for his meal, and prepared to leave.

He was just about to go to the barber shop to shave his face, tidy up his sideburns, and get a haircut. After getting into a rickshaw, he told the driver the destination and leisurely lit a cigarette. The ride wasn’t fast nor too slow, but it took a long time. He knew that the shop he mentioned was nearby and shouldn’t take this long to reach. Zhou Jun glanced around at the increasingly secluded surroundings and asked, “Master, have you taken the wrong route?”

The driver, dressed in a jacket, was focused on pulling the rickshaw and didn’t respond when he heard the question. Zhou Jun grew wary; he looked around and shouted, “Stop the rickshaw! I said stop, do you hear me?” Unexpectedly, the rickshaw pulled into an alley, and the man turned around, holding a small knife. “Young Master Zhou, I’m sorry!”

As soon as the man finished speaking, Zhou Jun, who seemed like a frail young master, had already drawn a revolver and aimed it at him. Zhou Jun held the gun steadily and said in a deep voice, “Step back.”

Before the man could take a few steps back, Zhou Jun shot a hole in his left leg. The gunfire was deafening, and the man cried out in agony, collapsing to the ground. Zhou Jun jumped out of the rickshaw, aiming the gun at the man and shouting angrily, “Who sent you?” The man didn’t respond; he just clutched his leg and continued to wail. So, Zhou Jun fired again, this time hitting the man’s right leg.

Blood poured out, soaking the ground around Zhou Jun’s feet. Feeling a bit disgusted and impatient, he said, “Aren’t you going to speak?” The man hurriedly replied, “I really don’t know; they just told me to bring you here…”

Just as the man finished speaking, Zhou Jun heard a whistling sound behind him. He instinctively dodged, realizing that someone was sneaking up from behind with a wooden stick. Taking a closer look, he saw that there were about a dozen people, all with fierce expressions. Zhou Jun thought about the few bullets he had left and the aggressive group before him. He quickly raised his hands, forcing a smile on his face. “It’s a misunderstanding, really a misunderstanding! I surrender, but please, don’t resort to violence.”

Just as those people were about to advance, the sudden screeching of tires echoed through the alley. Everyone turned to look, and a black car came crashing in, knocking over debris and creating a huge commotion. Seizing the opportunity, Zhou Jun turned and bolted. But unexpectedly, the man lying on the ground reached out with his bloody hands and grabbed Zhou Jun’s leg, causing him to fall to the ground, his gun flying out of his hand.

He thought to himself that it was all over, when suddenly he heard gunshots from behind and the tires of the car screeching against the ground. Zhou Jun quickly kicked away the man holding onto his leg and scrambled to his feet. To his surprise, the car came crashing up next to him, and the door swung open with someone shouting for him to get in.

Zhou Jun didn’t care whether they were friend or foe; he rolled and crawled into the car. Just as he was about to get his other leg inside, the vehicle lurched forward, and the door slammed shut due to the speed, nearly pinching the leg that was still hanging outside.

Fortunately, he reacted quickly and only lost one shoe outside; at least he managed to get into the car intact. The group behind chased after the vehicle, their sticks thumping against the back of the trunk. Zhou Jun steadied himself against the seat and looked up, only to find that it was Yong Jin, dressed in his formal uniform. Yong Jin sat up straight, his hands crossed in front of him, and even smiled slightly at Zhou Jun. “Good afternoon, Mr. Zhou. I didn’t expect to run into you here.”

It wasn’t until the car shook off the group that Zhou Jun took a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe the sweat from his face and smiled back. “What a coincidence, Major Yong. It’s been a while. How have you been lately?” As he spoke, he climbed up from beneath the seat and suddenly felt the aches and pains all over his body.

His clothes were torn, he had bloodstains on him, and one of his shoes was missing—not to mention that his hair was a complete mess. Zhou Jun sat in the seat, wiping his face and hands; the handkerchief was now stained dark red and black, completely filthy. Zhou Jun didn’t bring up how it was such a coincidence for Yong Jin to appear here, and Yong Jin didn’t pry into what had happened to him.

The two sat in the back seat, exchanging polite greetings as if they had truly just run into each other on the street. Yong Jin even kindly suggested, “Mr. Zhou, you can come to my place and change into a fresh set of clothes. Your wounds need some treatment, too.” Zhou Jun held the dirty handkerchief and politely declined, “No need for that; please just take me back to my apartment, Major.” Yong Jin’s expression remained unchanged, but he turned to the driver and instructed, “Back to the mansion.”

This was Zhou Jun’s first visit to the Yong mansion, and it was as grand as he had imagined. The European-style architecture was impressive, complete with a fountain. The car drove through the main gate and came to a stop. Zhou Jun followed Yong Jin out of the car, feeling acutely aware of his disheveled appearance: he was barefoot on one foot, and his clothes were dirty, which made Yong Jin, looking clean and refined, appear even more handsome.

Fortunately, the servants in the mansion were discreet and didn’t gawk at the guest Yong Jin had brought back. Zhou Jun was led to the bathroom, where he found a set of clothes thoughtfully prepared for him. However, he actually preferred to treat his wounds first, as he had several injuries, and soaking in water would cause them to sting.

In the bathroom, Zhou Jun carefully removed his clothes, revealing numerous scratches and bruises reflected in the smooth mirror. He noticed a bruise on his face and felt a pang of sympathy for himself, quickly washing it with water and sighing as he looked in the mirror.

The bathtub was filled with steaming hot water, and just as Zhou Jun settled in, there was a knock at the door. “Are you done changing?” came Yong Jin’s voice. Zhou Jun was still in the tub and hadn’t replied yet when the door swung open. Yong Jin entered, carrying a tray with several medicine bottles placed on it.

Yong Jin looked at him lying in the water and frowned. “You haven’t applied the medicine yet.” Zhou Jun innocently gazed back at him. “I thought since you prepared the water, you wanted me to wash up before going out.”

Yong Jin set the tray aside, took off the bath towel, and approached him, urging him to stand. Zhou Jun instinctively covered himself as he rose from the bathtub but nearly lost his balance and fell back in. Quick as a flash, Yong Jin wrapped the towel around him and pulled him into his arms, speaking gently as if soothing a child, “Be careful, step with your right foot first.” Zhou Jun, unsure of his own feelings, obediently followed his instructions, extending his right leg first before stepping out with his left.

Once he stood steady, Yong Jin handed him the clothes to wear. Zhou Jun stood in front of him, completely naked, but the man’s gaze was not lewd; he was focused and serious as he helped him put on the garment. It was a silk robe, fitting snugly against his body, with a nice drape that cinched at the waist. After Zhou Jun was dressed, Yong Jin suddenly smiled. “The first time I saw you, I thought this style would suit you perfectly.”