After finishing that drink, Shao Mingyin asked the bartender for another kamikaze and handed it to the person next to him, saying, “Courtesy demands reciprocity.”

The person accepted the drink, but unlike Shao Mingyin, he savored it slowly, sip by sip. This drink, which used the sweetness of Bailey’s to cover the high alcohol content of rum, tasted like milk chocolate, but with a particularly strong aftertaste.

“I didn’t expect to meet you here, Officer Shao. I should buy a drink.”

Shao Mingyin shook his head. “I’m just a community police officer, no need for formalities. But Lawyer Li, you on the other hand deal with a lot of things every day. So, why aren’t you off to bail out that young master tonight?”

“If that young master ended up in the police station again, you wouldn’t have had the leisure to come here.”

Lawyer Li’s words were not wrong. The Mushan Street Police Station had more auxiliary police and civilian female officers; there were only four male police officers within the establishment, and besides him, the other three were over thirty-five. Even though it was after work hours, if there was a dispute requiring police intervention or waiting for someone to be bailed out, the calls and tasks often fell on Shao Mingyin’s shoulders. Wenzhou wasn’t lacking in wealthy people or their children. The young master they mentioned was the son of the owner of a shoe company in the Mushan Street Industrial Zone. Lawyer Li was the lawyer for that company but also responsible for retrieving the internet-addicted child from the police station at any time. The young master loved the fast internet speed and the smoky atmosphere of the internet cafes. Whenever the police came to the internet cafe to check IDs and ages, they often turned a blind eye, making the young master wait until he finished his game before leaving, even when the police were standing behind him.

Shao Mingyin had caught the kid several times. Underage entry into internet cafes wouldn’t leave a record, but they needed to be taken back for some moral education and then contacted their parents to pick them up. However, the parents of the child were busy making money, and every time they needed to sign the papers, it was Lawyer Li who did it. Despite having no other contact, they had seen each other a few times. Now meeting in a bar again could be considered fate.

Seeing Li Lawyer, Shao Mingyin couldn’t help but think of the kid. Every time he waited for his family, he was quiet and calm. But when he heard his name being called and saw it was Li Lawyer again, that sparkle in his eyes would vanish. Within a month or two, he would be caught at the internet cafe again. The station personnel always felt a headache when mentioning this kid, thinking he wasn’t addicted to online games but addicted to being taken to the police station.

Shao Mingyin thought about it and asked, “How’s that young master recently?”

“His grades are not good. His parents plan to send him abroad the year after next.”

Shao Mingyin sighed, “His parents are so busy. With such big problems with their child, they still send him abroad.”

Li Lawyer remained silent, but shrugged his shoulders, as if to say, “who cares.” His attitude inexplicably reminded Shao Mingyin of a kid who had been brought in for bail about a week ago, but it wasn’t his parents who came.

“Actually, if something like this happens again, I would suggest his parents come in person next time.” Shao Mingyin took another sip of his drink. Whether it was the effect of alcohol or not, his pace of speech slowed down, “Maybe he doesn’t necessarily want to go to the internet cafe or cause trouble. He just wants to see his parents, and wants them to care about him.”

“Officer Shao,” Lawyer Li didn’t seem to care much, nor did he seem inclined to relay Shao Mingyin’s words, “since we’re here, let’s not talk about work, shall we?”

“Oh?” Shao Mingyin asked, “Then what shall we talk about?”

Lawyer Li leaned forward, getting closer to Shao Mingyin. “Let’s talk about what you plan to do next.”

“Is that so,” Shao Mingyin said playfully, “I’m going to crack down on vice.”

“…,” Lawyer Li was speechless.

“I’m kidding,” Shao Mingyin laughed, “I’m leaving soon.”

“Then I’ll walk you out.”

“But you’ve been drinking. How can you walk me out?”

“Or maybe just stay nearby for the night. The Shangri-La Hotel is not far away. If you are willing, I can book it now.”

Although Lawyer Li didn’t say those words explicitly, his intentions were clear enough. Shao Mingyin teased him, “Mr. Li, are you sure you want to be with a cop?”

He stood up and whispered something in Lawyer Li’s ear. Lawyer Li was first startled, then he smiled. This scene in a corner of a gay bar was too subtle. Liang Zhen, who was hiding in the corner, watched without blinking, witnessing the progression from buying drinks to the close contact just now, and now to them both standing up. Liang Zhen didn’t know what they were talking about, but in such a place, he could somewhat guess what would happen next.

Sure enough, the person who looked like a former elite was about to leave, and Shao Mingyin followed suit. Liang Zhen wondered if they had taken a liking to each other, and now it was time to get to the point. This was the process of hooking up in a gay bar. Take off the police uniform, and Officer Shao would “be himself” again.

Liang Zhen couldn’t determine his own mood at the moment, so he continued to sneak a glance at Officer Shao. After standing up, he straightened his clothes, and it seemed like a habit; Shao Mingyin raised his hand towards his forehead as if to touch something, realized he wasn’t wearing his hat, and ran his hand through his hair.

His hair wasn’t particularly short; if he pressed his palm against his scalp, he could still grab it. Shao Mingyin’s fingers ran through his hair and then smoothed it back, and his hairstyle remained unaffected. Liang Zhen thought it must be because of the lighting; otherwise, how could the contrast between those slender and fair fingers and the black hair be so striking? Liang Zhen was not one to beat around the bush; seeing Officer Shao’s gesture, he felt like flirting too.

But he just thought about it. Shao Mingyin seemed to be about to leave, and he stepped back intending to leave ahead of them, however, Officer Shao suddenly stopped and waved at the person in front, then headed in the opposite direction towards the restroom in the bar. The person just nodded and walked towards the door, and Liang Zhen pretended to be a new customer entering just as the person was leaving, and they didn’t spare each other a glance.

So Liang Zhen came in again and sat in the seat where Officer Shao had been sitting before. The bartender asked what he wanted to drink, and he asked about the alcohol content of the bar’s signature cocktail.

“You mean the rum in it?” The bartender smiled subtly. “To be honest, this drink is my specialty. In the bar where I used to work, regulars called it the ‘deflowering drink’.”

And just now, Officer Shao downed the ‘deflowering drink’ as easily as drinking water. If Officer Shao had a good tolerance for alcohol, that would be understandable, but if not, who knew what wrong decisions he might make.

It must be a wrong decision! The more Liang Zhen thought about it, the more convinced he became. He also looked down upon the person who was leaving; they had just come to a gay bar, deliberately dressed up, acting all sophisticated. How could Officer Shao leave with such a person? No way, no way!

Liang Zhen stood up from his seat, turned to look at the closed door of the restroom, feeling a sudden impulse of righteousness. But before his enthusiasm lasted a few seconds, Song Zhou called.

Song Zhou asked, “Dude, why haven’t you come out yet?”

Liang Zhen replied irritably, “I’m not coming out anymore, you leave first.”

Song Zhou: “???”

Liang Zhen: “And also, keep an eye on a lawyer-looking guy who just left, don’t let him in.”

“Uh… okay,” Song Zhou responded, puzzled. “But… what are you doing?”

“What am I doing?” Liang Zhen repeated the question, walking towards the restroom with a growing sense of righteousness with each step, as if he were carrying out some kind of rescue mission.

Liang Zhen declared, “I’m intercepting!”