《My Captain》 CH 1 Chapter 1 [Full Chapter] ¨C The Best of the Best It¡¯s the end of July in Spain, and the heat is intense. If you take a deep breath, you¡¯ll find that the air is saturated with heat. The sweat and condensations cling onto the temples of the people and the crimson cup of Sangria[1]. Yan An, driving a classic car from the airport to the city, thought to herself that the city is indeed overflowing with passion and desire. After Yan An finished her 4-year study of learning how to fly, there was a one-month window of free time before having to return to mainland China. Yan An didn¡¯t hesitate to use the window of time and directly flew from Australia to Spain. At the end of the 4-year of highly rigorous and cautious learning on how to fly, the string in her body[2] that has been stretched taut for over 4-years has finally reached its limit, she felt that it was necessary to destress and refresh herself anew in this empty-window timeframe. In a country that no one readily recognizes, there is simply no better place to let out all of your emotions, to let your blood boil and cool, and to let yourself refresh and restart to zero. It is a land filled with unrestrained passion and enthusiasm, and, after all, it was once known as the Empire of Which the Sun Never Sets. Yan An has already packed and sent most of her luggage back to China when she finished her studies, and when she came to Spain, she only carried a carry-on traveling bag. Ah Man did say that wearing clothes that are an inch thicker than a thin suspender will have a very sorry effect on her body. Yan An happened to meet Ah Man during a sabbatical in a small town near the coast of New South Wales. With long black hair, a stunning face, and an alluring figure, Ah Man was seen casually sunbathing naked beside an endless stretch of pristine shores and coastline on the east coast of Australia. At that time, she couldn¡¯t help but blurt out, ¡°What a hot girl..¡± Upon hearing that, Ah Man turned around and raised her sunglasses, glanced at her from head to toe, then lazily raised her eyebrows and invited, ¡°It¡¯s still less than a thousandth of your figure, so how about we sunbathe together?¡± Yan An smiled and politely declined: ¡°No, I came here to see handsome naked men tanning.¡± Ah Man laughed and smiled broadly at her reply: ¡°Coincidentally, me too.¡± The personality of these two are highly compatible with each other, and so they quickly became best friends after that. Since then, Ah Man has continued to travel throughout the world, while Yan An continued to dread and study for the theoretical and practical business license exams and more. Even though the two of them are not always with each other physically, they still both frequently contact and roam the internet with each other, always texting each other through the internet with all sorts of topics. And now in the present, Yan An changed into a black suspender and took a picture using the floor mirror of her hotel in Spain and sent it to Ah Man. Ah Man: The suspenders are fine, the pants are not, change the wrap of your hips. Yan An thought that Ah Man¡¯s opinion is agreeable and immediately changed into a pair of skinny jeans and sent a picture to her right after. Ah Man clicked her tongue and replied: With your figure, it¡¯s a huge waste to not go naked sunbathing. And with Spain¡¯s 1,930 kilometers worth of coastline, you are not going to let it go to waste, right? Yan An now seriously considered tanning this time and replied with a quiet and meek emoji: I think Ah Man is right. This is Yan An¡¯s first time in Spain. She didn¡¯t do any thorough planning and preparations for this trip, because after all, she has a traveling expert¡¯s contacts on her phone. At this time, she asked about her other party, how to make one month incredibly exciting, and how to have fun. Ah Man: It really depends on whether you want to do it step by step or one step at a time. Yan An¡¯s previously stretched to the limit string[3] slammed and bounced on her backbones, and Yan An immediately replied: ¡°I want to IMMEDIATELY pump my adrenaline to its utmost limits.¡± The other side fell silent for a moment before immediately replying: ¡°Oh, that is really too easy to do!¡± * A dark green vintage car made its way to the north. Yan An rolled the car¡¯s window down a little and instantly felt the hot and humid sea breeze of the Mediterranean. She looked up towards the azure sky ahead and vaguely saw yellow-like flowers blossoming in the air in the distance. Her heartbeat slowly accelerated in anticipation. Barcelona¡¯s skydiving base is generally well-known throughout all of Europe. For such an extreme sport with sudden accelerations of gravity and air pressure, Yan An entered the skydiving base¡¯s door without hesitation and gave the money without even reading the introductions, and signed the safety notice agreement. With this kind of free-falling experience, Yan An doesn¡¯t even bother to hope that she will ever have this kind of experience again once she begins her career. This extreme sport, which opposes the pilots manual, was a perfect appetizer for this trip. She couldn¡¯t wait. Yan An pushed the signed agreement form back towards the receptionist lady and casually joked, ¡°Hey, can you arrange a handsome-looking instructor for me?¡± The receptionist glanced at her passport information and soon made an OK. ¡°I will arrange a Chinese instructor for you.¡± ¡°Is he handsome?¡± ¡°He¡¯s the most handsome Chinese man I have ever met!¡± Yan An originally made a light joke and didn¡¯t mean what she said, but upon hearing the receptionist lady¡¯s serious reply, her eyes lit up. All humans like attractive things. Who doesn¡¯t like handsome men and beautiful women that are pleasing to the eye? Only Yan An can deal with this mindset better than others, and appreciate the bright and upright more. And now, she is waiting on the base¡¯s lawn, restlessly looking around without hiding her presence. Yan An: I heard that the instructor who will take me later is a handsome Chinese man. Ah Man immediately replied with one word: Go! Yan An: Come on! Ah Man: Fuck off, you cowardly woman with a heart but no guts! Yan An smiled. Yan An is fundamentally different from Ah Man. While the other ¡°take actions first¡± faction, Yan An is in the ¡°mouth off first¡± faction. Yan An: Hey handsome, can¡¯t you see? Moving your mouth is graceful while moving your hands and feet isn¡¯t. Ah, Man spits on her: It¡¯s because you still haven¡¯t encountered the very best. Yan An humbly asked: What is the so-called best? Ah Man: Two words. Yan An: ? Ah Man: I want to sleep![4] [TL/N: The raws says: Ïë˯!] Yan An bursts out laughing: Get taught![5] Yan An was then soon called away to learn about basic safety and movement before skydiving. She looked at the curly-haired Spanish instructor in front of her humorously and winked, ¡°It looks like I¡¯m not destined to be with that rumored handsome Chinese instructor?¡± She grinned and added, ¡°But certainly, you¡¯re pretty handsome too.¡± The Spanish Instructor heartily laughed at her quip, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, your handsome instructor is still yours, he¡¯s just currently getting your goggles ready. But hey, if you find out that you like me better, I can take you with me.¡± Yan An waved her hand, ¡°No no, when I meet a fellow countryman in another country, my eyes will be brimming with tears.¡± Yan An translated the Chinese saying into English in a cute, strange way. The Spanish Instructor had a question mark written all over his face, while he thought to himself that this Chinese girl is really cute. At that moment, the instructor glanced behind Yan An and said, ¡°Hey Sam, come on, your Chinese young lady is dying to meet you.¡± Yan An turned around after hearing the words. A man wearing the base¡¯s instructing uniform walked towards the pair. The man¡¯s figure is straight and tall, with wide shoulders and a narrow waist, while he is putting on a pair of black protective gloves with his eyes looking down. Hearing someone calling him, he raised his head and glanced at the foreigner, and slightly raised his lips in response. He then shifted his gaze to Yan An, his so-called ¡°Chinese young lady¡±, according to the Spanish instructor. Both of their gazes collided for a moment, then his gaze slowly shifted downwards, and paused at Yan An¡¯s fragile black suspenders, which seemingly looks like they will snap off at the softest caress. A moment later, the man lowered his head and gaze and calmly tightened his gloves. Yan An felt her shoulders, necks, arms, and chest burst into strange sensations at each fluttering glance, with a sensation akin to ants crawling throughout her, or being brushed by a leaf of a willow. She felt ticklish and numb. It¡¯s really terrible, Yan An thought. How could someone with the word ¡®chaste¡¯ be written all over him, have every move and even glance seemingly filled with carnal passion and desire? The receptionist lady is an honest person. Yan An¡¯s heart is thumping uncontrollably. This man is definitely the most handsome man she has ever seen! Shan Yi, the Chinese Instructor, briefly had a casual chat with the foreign instructor in Spanish, and then the foreigner left to prepare the plane. Before the foreign instructor left, he said his farewells to Yan An, ¡°Go and enjoy yourself to the fullest, young lady.¡± Yan An snorted and then nodded sincerely, ¡°I definitely will!¡± Shan Yi glanced at the allocation table in his palm and questioned, ¡°Are you number 75?¡± His question is about her waiting hall number. Yan An pointed to the number sticker on her arm and said, ¡°Handsome, are you the one who is taking me? If you¡¯re not, then what¡¯s your number, and how do I change my number?¡± This is precisely the reason why Shan Yi doesn¡¯t want to bring people. He even starts to begin regret taking the Instructor License Exam. He thought that at least Chinese girls would be a lot more reserved and restrained than foreign women, but it was inherently obvious that the one he met today is not. Yan An didn¡¯t know how composed her expression looks like at the moment, but she almost wanted closely to lean her face toward his face and gaze at each other at this very moment. There is no shortage of handsome men in Europe, but she always felt that Chinese men are the most attractive and charming, like the one in front of her. This man has a dazzling aura around him. He has the confidence and passion to be an instructor for the extreme sport of skydiving while appearing masculine, passionate, outgoing, reserved, and charming. His aura alone far surpasses then what just pure good looks can ever hope to achieve. Though, his looks alone are handsome to the extreme. Yan An had a heartfelt sigh. This man checked all of her Aesthetical Tastes box from head to toe, so much so that she almost unconsciously touched him. Shan Yi put down the form in his hand and had no intention of accepting this girl whose thoughts are written all over her face. He asked her about her height and weight according to the standard procedure and turned around to get the equipment necessary. But before he left to go get the equipment, he turned around again out of little kindness for his fellow countrymen. With a small touch of warmth in his voice, ¡°I suggest you go to the reception and change into a new pair of clothes before we set off.¡± His eyes slightly lowered, and Yan An felt her exposed skin seem to be swept by a strange, hot sensation once again. Shan Yi: ¡°Parachuting with thin suspenders isn¡¯t appealing.¡± Then Yan An watched him turn around, picking up a slew of equipment to inspect and assemble and dissemble them again. When he met the occasional colleague, he would say a few words in English and Spanish, and occasionally laughed with his colleagues, making Yan An¡¯s heart skip a beat. Yan An agrees that skydiving with thin garments isn¡¯t a very appealing thing to do. The man¡¯s long-sleeves and trousers bent over and lowered his fingers to tighten his shoelaces, which Yan An found to be even sexier than those nude tanning foreigners besides the coastline of Wales. Yan An swallowed her saliva, Is she going crazy? She then ran to the front desk to ask for a pair of clothes and waited there until she saw the honest receptionist lady she met earlier. ¡°May I know the name of my instructor?¡± The lady¡¯s smile is seemingly full of unspoken words, like how is it, I arranged him for you, the instructor is very handsome, right?: ¡°Ah, his name is Sam.¡± ¡°Then what¡¯s his Chinese name?¡± ¡°Then you have to ask him yourself. Sam doesn¡¯t like to give other people his real name.¡± Yan An put on her new clothes on her body as she walked back to the lawn, where many other people are resting. Yan An¡¯s sudden appearance walking into the scorching summer sun attracted many curious eyes around her. Yan An¡¯s figure is tall and well-proportioned. When she raises her hand to pull her clothes over her head, she reveals a slender waist under those thin garments, revealing her womanly curves. Her slightly exposes unblemished abs and exposed skin transformed into a lovely sheen of white under the sweltering sun. She puts on her clothes neatly and pushes her flowing luscious black hair out of her collars. This Chinese young lady is stunning from head to toe, overflowing with youth, allure, and playful energy that is very hard to ignore. Yan An didn¡¯t pay any attention to the irrelevant extras around her, like Stranger A, Stranger B, Stranger C, and Stranger D, when her mind was completely occupied by that man who is overflowing with testosterone. She couldn¡¯t wait to share this with her buddy who is currently in Alaska: I think you¡¯re right. Ah Man: ? Yan An: I have met the best of the best. Ah Man: How are you feeling right now? Yan An: I want to sleep![6] [TL/N: Ïë˯!] Translators Notes: [1] Sangria is a traditional alcoholic beverage that originated in Spain and Portugal. It looks like something like this: [2] I don¡¯t really know what the author means by ¡®strings¡¯. I tried the definition in the Chinese dictionary and even MTLed it in desperation, but it all literally returns to the word ¡®string¡¯. I assume that¡¯s her mental sanity, stress limit, how much stress she has, or her boredom/yearning for adventure. [3] ^^ I still don¡¯t know what it means. Read the note above. [4] Raws: Ïë˯! Apparently, it¡¯s a popular meme saying in mainland China. I don¡¯t fully understand the humor/punch-line, but here is the meme for reference: [5] ÊܽÌ: Literally means to receive instructions/teachings and to benefit from advice. I can¡¯t find any shortened English alternative to it, so probably the closest definition that sticks with the one-word conciseness is ¡°You live, you learn.¡± [6] See note 4. TL/N: Damn, translating just ONE chapter took me 2 damn days. I guess I really do need to fix my habit of double, triple, and quadruple checking every Chinese word, term, and meaning that I am not sure of. Anyways, my upload schedule is one chapter every 2 Days. It might change and shorten from time to time, due to life and academic situations, etc. Anyways, how will our heroine Yan An win over this ML? Peace :> CH 2 Chapter 2 ¨C I like Excitement Yan An stood on the grass, the corners of her lips raised as Shan Yi helped her equip her with safety equipment. While Shan Yi helped her, she discovered his body was considerably thicker compared to those fragile men. Thick, she discovered that the word now had much more meaning. The man is almost a head taller than her, and she is not by any means considered short. He is at least 185 cm tall, and with his broad shoulders, and pronounced muscular outlines in his arms, his body seems to contain a sense of wild nature. She recalled Ah Man¡¯s words earlier from now: If you want to get laid, it depends on the other person if they are capable or not. If the other person isn¡¯t capable at all, then it¡¯s just no fun. Yan An: Then what is the best way to know if they are capable? Ah Man: First, you have to examine their physical strength. The second is the physique. Third, the fingers, and lastly, the nose[TL/N: Nose?]. Oh, and all of these are all based on my past experiences. The man in front of her is actively engaged in this intense sport, so the first two requirements are undoubtedly top-notch. She then began to focus her attention on his hands, or more specifically, his fingers. Yan An: Isn¡¯t your argument about the length of men¡¯s fingers a little strange? Ah Man: It might sound strange, but if his middle finger is long enough, then things will get real fun. Help. Yan An begins to feel her lifetime worth of impure thoughts is working overtime. As Shan Yi firmly pulled the zipper on his hand, Yan An¡¯s body began to lean in his direction. He glanced at the absent-minded woman who was practically close to salivating and noticed her cheeks just now were red. He felt that it was a little funny. It¡¯s not like he had never dealt with these types of aggressive women abroad. They all have hinted at subtle invitations or slipped him their phone numbers along with a condom. Those who are aggressive don¡¯t blush and act shy. But despite how much she acts frivolously, it appears she has a pure heart in the end. But in reality, Yan An¡¯s thumping heart isn¡¯t as pure as Shan Yi envisioned it to be. Her mind is full of explicit scenarios and visions unsuitable for children that she didn¡¯t dare act out. After all, Ah Man was right. She is indeed a cowardly woman. Shan Yi noted as he buckled the last AB button on her, ¡°Every instructor has their own distinct practices. For me, you just need to memorize a few key safety moves, such as both feet off the ground before exiting the cabin and staying put at all other times.¡± Yan An: ¡°Both of my feet have to be off the ground?¡± Shan Yi: ¡°You need to bend your feet and not step on the cabin door. I will be the one carrying you, as I am the one who is in control.¡± It¡¯s not like Shan Yi hasn¡¯t brought anyone with him before. One time a man went pale and had second thoughts the instant he stepped outside the plane¡¯s cabin. The man stomped on the cabin¡¯s door in desperation, and after an ensuing struggle, the man didn¡¯t jump in the end, resulting in a waste of time and resources for both parties. He added: ¡°It¡¯s for the best if you¡¯re fully aware of your limits and endurance. Don¡¯t go all the way up and in the end cry your way down just for a post for your group of friends.¡± Yan An smiled: ¡°My endurance capacity isn¡¯t comparable to your average woman.¡± Shan Yi thought she was uttering nonsense and didn¡¯t lift a brow at her words. He then gazed up towards the sky: ¡°If there aren¡¯t any issues, then just go.¡± Yan An immediately declared: ¡°But there IS an issue!¡± Her eyes were brilliantly shining, ¡°May I know your name?¡± ¡°I thought that if something were to happen to me, then I at least deserve to know the name of the hands I died to, right?¡± Shan Yi, who seemingly found this Chinese girl incredibly amusing, looked at her quietly with his lips curled, before eventually stating: ¡°Name is Shan Yi.¡± He then smiled disapprovingly: ¡°But in my entire career, I never had an accident.¡± Yan An recited the man¡¯s name quietly. These four words[TL/N: Raws are ¡®Ã»ÓÐÒâÍ⡯], ¡®No accidents.¡¯, are not something her senior captain with the longest flying experience back in her aviation academy would even dare to utter. This man¡¯s confident tone and eagle-like spirit are so incredibly captivating. Yan An could see that this man can be quite difficult to capture. So, this is the man called ¡®Shan Yi.¡¯ Inside the hangar, a Fixed-wing Kodiak 100, with a single-engine 4-blade propeller, and front three-point landing gear is currently parked there. [1] Yan An scrutinized the plane and commented: ¡°This fellow looks awesome to the core.¡± Within the roar of the plane engines, Yan An¡¯s remark attracted a hanging look from Shan Yi. Inside the cabin. The person in a seat opposite Yan An happened to be Flix[2], the curly-haired Spanish foreigner who taught her safety lessons earlier, along with a blond woman. Flix greeted Yan An warmly; He has taken quite the liking towards her. Most of the Chinese girls he met were reserved, and while some had hotter temperaments, he had never once met a girl like Yan An before. Cheerful, outspoken, confident, beautiful, and full of courage, while at the same time not aggressive or pretentious. He knew the meaning of a Chinese word called L¨ªngq¨¬ (ÁéÆø)[3], and to him, the Chinese girl known as Yan An is filled with L¨ªngq¨¬. Meanwhile, Yan An looked toward Shan Yi with sparkling eyes, all of her little thoughts and feelings from her heart seemingly displayed on her face. Flix found it to be a pretty amusing sight. Flix deliberately teased her: ¡°If you changed your mind and wish to change instructors, it¡¯s still not too late.¡± Yan An: ¡°No, no, I still have to hand this over to the hands of my fellow countrymen.¡± Flix laughed and conveyed to Shan Yi in Spanish: ¡°This girl of yours is simply too interesting.¡± Shan Yi smiled and didn¡¯t say anything. He then turned his gaze towards the window behind him. At this time, a ray of blazing sunlight from the midsummer sun outside dipped on the other half of Shan Yi¡¯s body, as if splitting his body into halves of light and darkness. Yan An couldn¡¯t understand what Flix said to Shan Yi just now, and she unknowingly turned to look at the person beside her. Under the half of the shadow, Shan Yi¡¯s eyes are as dark as ink, seemingly like a bottomless lake. The corners of his mouth are flatly pursed, revealing a sense of alienation from strangers. Under half of the sunlight, Shan Yi was shrouded in sunlight. When Yan An turned her head, she saw the ray of sunlight reflected in the other side¡¯s eyes, which was as brilliant as a fire. Yan An felt her heart skip a beat. The cabin was cramped, and such an excellent man sat next to her. With his striking face, long legs, and a seductive and abstinent feel, she felt this spring is abundantly good. The plane was grounded high in the sky, and the loud sound of the engine pierced through everyone¡¯s eardrums. At this moment, Shan Yi elicited a faint smile while the intense light glared from the window. Yan An heard his voice: ¡°May we enjoy this 12,000 feet of the sky.¡± Like a swan wing taking off, Yan An¡¯s blood quickly started to boil. At this time, the cabin door opened, and the low air pressure at the high altitude instantly rushed into the cabin. Yan An¡¯s hair bounced wildly as the cold air collided with her face. Not long after, the first scream slowly faded away into the thin clouds. Flix stood up with the blond beauty and walked towards the cabin door. He then put his fingers against his temple and made a cool gesture toward Shan Yi and Yan An, and declared: ¡°Go enjoy yourselves. I will see you guys soon on the ground!¡± Then cooly leaped down. Yan An then gazed at Shan Yi with a feverish expression and requested with a smile: ¡°Hey handsome, my life is now in your hands. So how about you leave me with your number in return?¡± Shan Yi silently listened to her words. He then put strength in his hands and lifted her to his lap, then focused on doing the safety straps for both of them. There is almost no distance between the two of them. They were the last group of people in the cabin. Shan Yi questioned as he led her up: ¡°Do you want it to be more exciting or tame?¡± Yan An came here to seek excitement in the first place. She raised her eyebrows and blurted without thinking deeply: ¡°I want it to be more exciting.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Yan An then followed the instructions carefully. She bent her legs and shifted her weight on the man behind her. When the two were about to exit the cabin, she heard a whisper by her ear, ¡°If you don¡¯t vomit before landing, I will give you my number.¡± She felt her earlobes tingle, then followed by a momentary centrifugal force that wrapped her up instantly. Free falling from a height of 10,000 feet, and the blood of her entire body rushing to her head, Yan An wanted to scream out loud! Shan Yi seized her flailing body in the air and put her body under the inertia of the sky to experience the extreme g-force. Shan Yi clamped his legs between Yan An¡¯s legs and glanced at the rapidly dropping numbers on his watch several times as they fell in the air. Finally, at the critical point of height safe enough to parachute, without hesitation, he forcefully pulled open the parachute bag. With a violent pull, the impact suddenly diminished. Yan An looked like she went through all of heaven and the earth during the fall. While they were drifting in the air, Yan An let her eyes wander to the beautiful Mediterranean Sea beneath her and couldn¡¯t help but cry: That was amazing! Yan An turned her head and shouted to Shan Yi: ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Shan Yi curled his lips: ¡°We¡¯re just getting started!¡± He pulled the control rope hard, and the yellow parachute began to quickly spin in the air. Five minutes later, Shan Yi controlled the parachute and landed on the ground smoothly. When Yan An landed, her ankles were wobbly, and her butt soon fell straight to the ground. The lawn was soft, and Flix walked toward the two holding a large parachute. Looking at Yan An who still hadn¡¯t returned to her senses, he laughed: ¡°How did things go? It looks like Sam¡¯s skills are notoriously stable as always.¡± Stable? Yan An had a stupid smile. Shan Yi untied the safety buckles of the two of them and looked at Yan An slumped on the ground. But in a rare moment, Shan Yi held out his hand for her. Perhaps he thought Yan An could no longer stand up at the time. Yan An tilted her head and grinned at the man in front of her while slouching on the ground. Shan Yi still stretched out his hand. Looking at the unresponsive woman on the ground, he raised his eyebrows. Yan An: ¡°I don¡¯t know if you are as stable as they say, but your technique is definitely the best!¡± After saying this, she grasped Shan Yi¡¯s hand and stood up with grace, unlike how Shan Yi imagined. Yan An raised a smile and spoke triumphantly: ¡°Thank you, I think I¡¯m completely in love with this intense sport. Now, may I have your number?¡± Yan An has occupied first place in the school¡¯s swivel chair for many years. Whether it is plane rotation or three-dimensional rotation, she never once changed her expression when she comes down from the top. But Yan An recalled that when she stood in front of the hatch, everything on the ground appeared to be as small as ants, and when Shan Yi leaped, it was the first time she had experienced the joy of flipping. The extreme sense of weightlessness and the surreal feeling of the impact of the airflow in the air is another different kind of ¡°flight¡± At this point, Shan Yi has to admit that he agrees with Flix¡¯s words a little; the woman in front of him is indeed more interesting than ordinary people. Just now was an extreme and surreal experience even for Shan Yi standards. Even if he is skydiving on weekdays, he will rarely have this kind of extreme experience. Let alone being asked to accompany the person to heaven if something goes wrong in a lighthearted manner, Shan Yi believed ordinary people would have quickly vomited when he opened the parachute in a few circles in free fall. He glanced at Yan An, who looked at him with a smug smile on her face. The sun glowed brilliantly in the sky. Her face was rosy due to the sun, her eyes were amazingly bright, and the pores over her body seemingly radiated youthful energy and vitality. He smiled suddenly: This bold little brat. He casually stated a string of numbers. Looking at the other person¡¯s unmoved expression, he stated: ¡°I also enjoy skydiving. If you have the money, then go ahead and make another appointment.¡± He lifted the parachute with one hand and turned his cool, tall back towards the scorching summer sun. Yan An, who was quickly reciting the string of numbers just now, shouted at his receding back: ¡°If I skydive again, then are you going to take me with you again?¡± Shan Yi didn¡¯t look back and casually waved his hand behind him as if to convey: Little Brat, we will meet again soon. Flix on the side kindly helped Yan An remove to remove the safety harness and added: ¡°Sam is not a permanent instructor of the base. Today, the boss caught him and asked him to cover him twice. But I can take you in his place if you want to jump again.¡± Yan An questioned: ¡°Then I will never see him again?¡± Flix laughed: ¡°Then it depends on your fate. Don¡¯t you guys have a Chinese saying that goes¡­¡± He thought about it for a bit. ¡°We are destined to meet again in thousands of miles.¡± Ah Man: Did something happen and hinder your way? Yan An: What do you mean by something hindered my way? Ah Man: It¡¯s nine o¡¯clock in the evening on your side, right? You still haven¡¯t hooked up with that top rate. There are numerous bars around Barcelona¡¯s Gothic Quarter[4]. Yan An, who specifically came here, was walking on La Rambla street while looking at the map and returning text messages. Yan An: Yeah, I didn¡¯t hook up with that top rate. The two jokingly chatted about forbidden 18+ topics. When Yan An entered a bar, Ah Man replied: It depends on whether you want to sleep around all the time or once a while. Yan An felt that the verb ¡°want to sleep¡± had become an adjective for that man. A man that you wish to sleep with. Like these luxury goods displayed in the shop windows on Thanksgiving Avenue, everyone wants to own one, but in the end, they can only just wish for it and admire it from afar. After all, not everyone can afford it. When Ah Man heard this description, she immediately became happy: In the end, Isn¡¯t it your fault here? No matter how expensive the luxury item is, if you truly want it, it¡¯s just a matter of gritting your teeth. Yan An shrugged and grinned at Ah Man¡¯s words. She put away her phone and took a seat in the bar. After ordering something casually, she lifted her chin to gaze at the pairs of handsome men around her. The London Bar, as a Gay Bar, the name stays true to the situation of its country. On the big night, she suddenly wanted to drink a glass of wine. So she chose this place, where it was safe. Only men are the prey here, and she is only responsible for quietly enjoying the hunting process. Yan An held a delicate glass of cocktail in her hand and sipped on a piece of pineapple. She thought to herself while looking at handsome men, six hours in, and that top-rate man of hers still hadn¡¯t accepted her friend request. And going by her memory, it¡¯s doubtful she incorrectly memorized the numbers. When she casually turned her eyes, Yan An was left speechless. Oh shit! She instantly realized. Yan An: Damn! It turns out the top rate is actually gay! CH 3 Chapter 3 ¨C Full of Rubbish Shan Yi sat on an elevated chair behind the small round table and clinked glasses with a man named James[1]. ¡°It¡¯s mint tea again. You¡¯re really no fun at all.¡± James put down his cup and sighed. Shan Yi shrugged his shoulders: ¡°Wine is only enjoyable when you drink with a special someone, and you¡¯re obviously not that special someone.¡± James was left speechless: ¡°Come on, you¡¯re on a rare holiday leave right now, so why don¡¯t you let loose and enjoy yourself? If you¡¯re this stiff, the ladies won¡¯t like it.¡± Shan Yi disagrees. For him, letting loose never once hinged on alcohol. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have gotten acquainted with the man in charge of the Skydiving base, James. Without him, he wouldn¡¯t be able to see how outgoing a particular Chinese girl can be. A pair of shining eyes popped up in Shan Yi¡¯s mind. Raising his eyebrows with a smirk, he responded, ¡°Not necessarily. Not all women like ones with taste or mood. Some prefer and seek ones who will give them excitement and stimulation.¡± James with the wrong idea: ¡°Of course women like excitement. See? No, look over there, that Chinese girl has been sneakily peeking at you for quite some time. Haah, and I guess if you want to tonight, you can do something exciting for a change.¡± Shan Yi has heard the phrase ¡°Chinese girl¡± over and over again throughout today. Unknowingly following James¡¯s gesture, he casually glanced over and unexpectedly caught a sneaky glimpse at a hairy little head. She was hiding behind a palm-sized cocktail. And when Shan Yi looked over, she lowered her head in a fluster and began to frantically tap on her phone. Shan Yi raised his eyebrows. He genuinely didn¡¯t expect that he would meet the ¡°Chinese girl¡± in the afternoon so soon in this vast foreign country. He quickly retracted his gaze. Leisurely picking up the cup of mint tea and sipping a mouthful, he lightly replied to James: ¡°Of course, if she wants to.¡± * Yan An: The best couple turned out to be a curly-blond foreigner! Yan An: I still couldn¡¯t see who¡¯s that irritating foreigner. Yan An was left heartbroken: God, I feel as painful as being robbed of my most expensive bag! Yan An paused her fingers and quickly lowered her head: And I have no choice but to go now! My peeping has been discovered! Ah Man quietly read through all of Yan An¡¯s onslaught of texts. Many may not know that Ah Man herself is actually quite experienced in the field of romance and love. And because of that, she begins to harbor doubts about the clumsy words of this naive little girl. She decided to provoke the naive little girl on the other side for a bit: Sister, mere empty words cannot be taken as irrefutable proof. Go send me a picture, and I will judge whether your so-called top rate is really a top rate or not. Yan An: Oh, just you wait! James, who was about to die of laughter, hurriedly elbowed Shan Yi: ¡°Hey, Sam, that girl is secretly taking photos of you!¡± Shan Yi remains unfazed. She¡¯s just taking a few sneaky photos and nothing more, so he wasn¡¯t all that startled. After finally settling down, James propped up his chin and gazed at Shan Yi with curiosity: ¡°I think that girl of yours is actually really cute. So, are you really not interested in her at all? Not even a little bit?¡± Shan Yi remained silent before James finally said, ¡°Hey, if I ask her for her number, will she give it to me?¡± Shan Yi finally replied, ¡°You can go ahead and try.¡± James looked at him with an expression full of interest. ¡°Fine then. I¡¯ll go get one for you.¡± After saying that, he stood up and walked over. As Yan An sent the ¡®secretly¡¯ taken photos, a man¡¯s hand knocked on the table. ¡°Hi, lovely Chinese girl.¡± Yan An raised her head and stiffened. She immediately turned off her phone while immense guilt brewed inside her. She unknowingly glimpsed in Shan Yi¡¯s direction and replied: ¡°Hi, is there something wrong?¡± James pointed his thumb in the direction of his old pal. ¡°My buddy of mine is also Chinese. He thinks you are very cute. So would you like to exchange contact information for him?¡± Yan An swallowed calmly. Bro, that is so fake. That so-called buddy of yours has still not accepted my friend request. Yan An politely declined: ¡°Sorry, that¡¯s too burdening. He¡¯s just not my type.¡± She paused and then thoughtfully sent her blessings. ¡°Your buddy¡­ is quite a decent partner if I say so myself. And you aren¡¯t so bad either.¡± She then made a gesture: You guys match. James froze at her gesture. ¡°That girl of yours has something wrong in her head!¡± James grumbled as he trudged his way back. [TL/N: Fujoshis man..] Shan Yi idly watched the bar¡¯s singer¡¯s performance on the stage as he made a disinterested ¡°Ohh?¡± sound towards Jame¡¯s grumblings. James rants, ¡°She thought we were a couple, and she even did this to me!¡± He imitated the gesture and showed it to Shan Yi, before angrily rolling his eyes. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for your reception tonight, then perhaps I would¡¯ve brought home a girl by now!¡± Looking away from the singer, Shan Yi glanced at the gesture James had imitated and laughed loudly: ¡°Then who told you that it was a good idea to pick a gay bar of all places?¡± James glared at him: ¡°Then who¡¯s the one who is afraid of causing a commotion if he went anywhere else?¡± Shan Yi, staring at the nutjob of a woman, states: ¡°There is something indeed wrong with her head.¡± James: ¡°Right!¡± Shan Yi: ¡°And even if I were gay, I still wouldn¡¯t pick you.¡± James: ¡°¡­Fuck!¡± The pictures Yan An sent to Man were quite blurry, but they didn¡¯t have a huge impact when it comes down to it. Ah Man repeatedly scrutinized the picture before finally sending her approval: I believe you can still work a bit harder. Yan An: ? ? ? Man: Ah, if by any chance you miss this opportunity for these two top rates, you will surely regret it for life. Yan An, who was being inspected at the entrance, gulped down the rest of her cocktail. After paying for the drinks and the tips, she begins to walk. She pouted to the woman on the phone: But I¡¯m not depraved enough to give away my first time to a pair? Yan An walked out of the door of the bar. With the cool night breeze brushing past her, she couldn¡¯t help but heave a deep sigh. This world is getting worse. More and more handsome men are being snatched away by other men. Before she fully sighed, there was a sudden flash of pain in her arms. A man in a peaked cap dashed past her in a flash and vanished into the alley. She was left stunned. Her bag, money, ID card, and passport are all gone! Fuck! This time her expensive bag has actually been robbed! And on top of that, Yan An had the misfortune to first and foremost experience the rumored laziness of the Spanish police. Police Officer: ¡°You¡¯re now registered. We will immediately contact you once we get any updates.¡± Yan An: ¡°How long will it take? I have all of my documents in the bag.¡± With Local theft prohibited, the local police have long been accustomed to it. But whenever a Chinese tourist comes along, 9/10 times something would get lost. The officer calmly replied: ¡°Ma¡¯am, you need to mentally prepare yourself in case your belongings may not be able to be recovered. So in that case, please take this form and go to the embassy tomorrow to get a replacement.¡± The police officer, seeing her as a girl, eventually softened his voice and asked where she was currently staying. After getting her reply, he expressed, ¡°It¡¯s quite far away from here. Do you happen to know someone around here? If so, then go ahead and make a phone call and have that person go pick you up.¡± ¡°¡­ Shouldn¡¯t Officer Uncle escort the victim here?¡± ¡°If you wish to leave now, then you have to wait for a while. There is currently no free personnel available at the moment.¡± Yan An blankly stares: ¡°¡­¡± She quietly sat and contemplated for a while before eventually picking up her phone and making a call. The bar singer proceeded into intermission while James and Shan Yi were chatting and reminiscing about a variety of topics. Eventually getting up, James spoke while paying the bill: ¡°Let¡¯s go. It¡¯s time for you to go home and call other people over for your shift.¡± James grinned and pointed to the phone: ¡°I only really came by here to check up on the base. If this is going to be your last time in Barcelona, feel free to make an appointment with me. I would gladly see you off.¡± Shan Yi just smiled and gave him a light hug. Then the two old friends, who only see each other maybe once or twice a year, parted ways without saying a single goodbye. Shan Yi¡¯s cell phone rang while he was calling over a cab. It¡¯s a Chinese number. He paused for a moment before eventually picking it up. A soft voice came out from the speaker. ¡°Hi, do you still remember me? You took me with you for the skydiving jump today.¡± ¡°¡­Is there something wrong?¡± Shan Yi paused as he opened the car door. Yan An paused for a moment and suddenly asked, ¡°It¡¯s quite late outside, so did I by any chance interrupt what you were doing?¡± There really is something wrong in her head. Shan Yi instantly ended the call. Only a minute later, the phone rang again. Shan Yi gave the address of his hotel to the driver before picking up and replying, ¡°You did indeed interrupt me, so what¡¯s the issue here now?¡± Yan An on the other end braced herself. After a moment¡¯s pause, she stiffly spoke: ¡°I was robbed by a thief and lost all my money, and my hotel is quite far away from the police station where I am at. So, can you please conveniently pause on what you¡¯re doing right now, and come to the relief of your fellow Chinese comrade?¡± Shan Yi scowled and pinched the bridge of his nose. He felt like he had an incoming headache. Yan An thought that Shan Yi would take at least half an hour to arrive. After all, one needs some time to finish what they were doing on the other end before making it here. Because her bag was gone, her portable wifi was also gone. She decided to launch an offline game on her phone and planned on killing some time before Shan Yi arrived. But before she chose her game¡¯s level, a shadow loomed over her. She looked up and widened her eyes. ¡°That fast? Were you in a nearby hotel?¡± Shan Yi scrutinized her. Compared to her daring and confident impression back then, seemingly overflowing with confidence and smugness when she boldly asked for his number in the afternoon, her current appearance appears to be downright meek and harmless. With her completely inverted impression, he couldn¡¯t but say: ¡°Is this on purpose?¡± Yan An tilted her head in question: ¡°Hm?¡± Forget it. Shan Yi shook his head and sighed, ¡°Then let¡¯s go, comrade.¡± The taxi that Shan Yi called just now was conveniently parked at the gate of the police station. The pair got into the cab while Shan Yi inquired Yan An where her current address is. After conveying her address to the driver, he leaned back in his seat and stayed silent. After a moment of silence, Yan An¡¯s casual inquiry broke the silence. ¡°So, where did you call this taxi from?¡± Shan Yi casually replied. ¡°This taxi is actually on the way to my hotel before I made it turned around.¡± Yan An shuts her mouth. It¡¯s indeed true. Shan Yi looked at her as if she was full of rubbish. At this point, he didn¡¯t feel the need to make any light talk. With that, he leaned on the car window before eventually closing his eyes. After the silent and uneventful ride, the taxi eventually stopped beside Yan An¡¯s apartment block. Upon arriving at her temporary residence, Yan An began to get out of the cab. Before fully getting out, she paused for a moment and softly said, ¡°Thank you, my comrade.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Shan Yi cooly replied. But at this moment, Shan Yi is secretly a little curious about what she¡¯s about to pull off. There is no way a person with a temperament like her will let things end so mundanely. And sure enough, Yan An paused and seemingly thought about something before eventually pointing toward the phone. ¡°Oh yeah, by the way, can you accept this friend request of this fellow comrade?¡± Shan Yi¡¯s eyes seemingly questioned, Why? Yan An proclaimed, ¡°We¡¯re in a foreign country. As fellow countrymen, we should keep in touch so we can take care of each other if situations occur.¡± Shan Yi contemplated before eventually nodding. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, handsome. I¡¯m very kind, and I don¡¯t have any of those thoughts now. I promise you won¡¯t regret being good friends with me!¡±, Yan An reassures. I really don¡¯t have those thoughts about you now. Yan An¡¯s face was brimming with sincerity as she spoke warmly. Shan Yi couldn¡¯t help but raise his eyebrows before saying ¡°Thank you.¡± Yan An eventually returned to the apartment. With her phone reconnected with the internet, notifications from Ah Man soon popped up. Ah Man: It¡¯s cool when sisters take to the street holding hands. To be sisters? Yan An laughed outright. Ah Man: Man, also that¡¯s quite something. Even if he¡¯s handsome and dashing, there¡¯s no damn point in the end if he¡¯s bent[2] all along. Going back on track, I believe I have stumbled upon an affair. Before Ah Man goes offline, she dutifully sent her online travelogue[3] to Yan An. I found this to be very interesting. Only a handful are aware of this. And with that, feel free to mess around with it. With this sister having an affair on her plate, she naturally didn¡¯t bother her anymore. Yan An didn¡¯t tell the other party about the bag snatching and instead sent her a wish you a happy evening and a blowing kiss emoji. After exiting the chat, Yan An¡¯s eyes lit up instantly. She now has a new buddy in her messages! Yan An: Hi, fellow compatriot! The other party did not reply. It doesn¡¯t matter to Yan An now. After all, he¡¯s now a bent she now couldn¡¯t even capture. She was curious and decided to tap on the other person¡¯s friend group. She found that the group was only public for six months with barely any activity. Its latest post was a video. Yan An tapped on it, where the video began to play with skydiving from a first-person perspective. Yan An¡¯s memory of those few seconds of pure excitement instantly resurfaced. The next post was from a two-month-old friend group. It appears to be a picture taken from the bottom of the sea. In the photo, Shan Yi is sporting a diving wetsuit while equipped with diving goggles and a safety rope tied around his waist. He appears to be gazing toward the only light source in the photo. The photo¡¯s tone and aesthetics are deeply cold and emotionless, while a muted somber vibe enhanced it further due to the afterglow of the light. With the lighting and the angle, Shan Yi seems like a demon who broke free from confinement from the deepest fathoms of the sea, brimming with restrained power. Yan An enlarged the picture and gulped hard, while her brows crunched as if she swallowed dead houseflies. Oh, help me! This is a man who likes men! Translator¡¯s Notes: [1] The raws states ¡®Jams¡¯. Yes, I¡¯m serious. At this point, I decided to change it to an actual name instead of a food product. I might change Flix to Felix later on. Let me know if you guys actually want Jams instead of James. [2] If you don¡¯t realize what bent is, it¡¯s pretty much slang for gays/lesbians. [3] A movie, book, or illustrated lecture about the places visited and experiences encountered by a traveler. CH 4 Chapter 4 ¨C Don¡¯t Fight, Just Hide Yan An had a terrible dream last night. In her dream, she found herself desperately struggling all night in a plunging ocean. Surrounded by a deep, freezing sea and chained by two thin cords protruding from its bottomless abyss, she thrashed and struggled for freedom for what she felt like to be half a day. Finally overcome with exhaustion, her body eventually slumped. As she sluggishly looked up, she noticed Shan Yi silently treading towards her, step by step. Donned a tight diving suit that accentuated his rugged body lines and muscles, he took off his goggles and approached her. Wordlessly observing her, he opened his mouth for the first time. ¡°Do you want me to save you?¡± Yan An nodded her head desperately. But then, Shan Yi¡¯s lips contorted into a cruel sneer. ¡°¡­ But I don¡¯t like you. Then, why should I even bother saving you?¡± ¡­¡­? That was Yan An¡¯s last thought before her vision went dark; her now cold, senseless body steadily sank into the ever-cold embrace of the ocean. . . . 8:30 Am in the morning. The morning sun¡¯s rays cast slanting shadows through narrow spaces between the looming buildings and high-rises while illuminating the ground with a muted, lazy orange glow. Enveloped by the gentle morning glow, Yan An shivered as she stood on a crosswalk. She¡¯s still reeling from the nightmare she had last night. She dutifully described her nightmare last night in detail to Ah Man. Ah Man, on the other side, thoughtfully stroked her chin. ¡°That dream of yours is definitely not normal.¡± Yan An: Then will you please interpret that dream for me, oh, Great Master? Ah Man: Alright. If you think about it, don¡¯t you think that beneath a certain person¡¯s pure and innocent exterior, they deep down wanted to be tied up? Sending a smirking emoji, she further commented: In addition, the items they dreamed of are quite excellent and interesting in their own right. Then followed up with a disappointing shaking head emoji: But alas, too bad that certain person was recently rejected. The traffic light turned green, and Yan An zipped across the crosswalk. Picking up her phone, she rapidly tapped. Sis, there really is something wrong with you! The directions to the consulate[1] were a little unclear on the map. Yan An circled the street and promptly realized her sense of direction wasn¡¯t very good. She randomly tapped a passerby on the shoulder and politely asked, ¡°Hello, can I bother you for a moment?¡± The passerby paused and glanced at Yan An and stiffened. He appears to be a young Spanish man with wheat-shaded skin and a light-trimmed beard. With three small silver rings piercings in his ears and sporting a graffiti-styled duck-tongued hat, he initially gave off a meek and low-spirited impression. The man and Yan An wordlessly stared at each other. The man¡¯s eyes betrayed a hint of shock before he turned and walked away without a word. ¡­Huh? Yan An was taken aback by the man¡¯s attitude. Yan An stood and studied the man¡¯s retreating figure. She couldn¡¯t put a finger on it, but something about that man made her feel like she had met him before. She deeply contemplated before her eyes fell on the man¡¯s graffiti-style cap. The man who snatched her bag and ran from her last night also appeared to be wearing a fancy cap. Narrowing her eyes, Yan An starts to tail him. Hearing a particular footstep behind him getting louder and closer, the man glimpsed back and forth and gradually hastened his steps before breaking into a full run. The hell?! Seeing the man abruptly breaking into a run, any doubts in her heart immediately dispersed. She was deeply furious upon her realization as she yelled, ¡°Stop! You thief!¡± The man panicked and scrambled away. Pushing away several passers-by, the man glimpsed back, and seeing Yan An persistently on his trail, he couldn¡¯t help but curse. Yan An chased after the man for three blocks before the man veered into an alleyway. After a few minutes of relentless chasing in the alleys, Yan An finally comes to a halt as she gasps for air. She was dying of anger, yet she still lost the man. Eventually recollecting herself, she immediately surveys her surroundings. She appears to be in an old alleyway that¡¯s similar to the many alleys that roughly divide this old Spanish town into a 3¡Á3 grid. At every intersection, three splits spread in all directions, similar to an endless maze. Spanish businessmen appear to be quite laid back as many shops are still closed even after 8 o¡¯clock. Yan An noted walking in the alleyways isn¡¯t very popular, given the absence of traffic. Yan An stretched her back and tiredly sat in front of a closed store. She discovered that running so early in the morning is more exhausting than the physical fitness exam¡¯s when she was still learning how to fly. Tired of the dog, but also lost the dog chase. Yan An held her breath; she truly didn¡¯t want to move anymore. Opposite Yan An is a hand-made bakery. Since the Spanish love their coffee and bread for their breakfasts, countless bakeries dotted the street, many proudly displaying their freshest local-made bread. With her stamina practically depleted, Yan An rested as her eyes wandered all over these bakeries and cafes, admiring the endless displays of delectable bread and pastry. After a while, her gaze paused on a glimpse of a particular figure. She scowled. A glass window of a shop reflected the barren and tranquil of the morning street. Through this reflection, a glimpse of a man in a duck-tongue cap emerged in the corner of the window. The man took the cap off his head and combed his messy hair roughly as he trudged through the empty street. He casually glanced back and paused at the second unexpected sight of Yan An. He cursed something under his breath and spat on the ground before abruptly marching toward her direction. What a guy! Yan An stood up in response, and this time she was smart enough to pick up a rotten table leg from the nearby garbage pile at the side of the road. Now armed, she didn¡¯t hesitate to confront the approaching little doggie. . . . Meanwhile, James lavished a bakery near the Chinese consulate with a mountain of praises. ¡°The bakery¡¯s farmers¡¯ bread and coffee are just as charming and captivating as the lady who runs it! You should go and try it out, Sam!¡± Shan Yi was a distance away from the bakery. As he idly listened to James¡¯s endless love and praises for this bakery, his ears perked up when he heard a curse, more specifically, in Chinese, brush past him. ¡°Damn this son of a bitch! I¡¯ll show you that we Chinese aren¡¯t pushovers!¡± Shan Yi raised an eyebrow as he turned towards the corner of the alley where he heard the curse. He peeked and witnessed Yan An picking up a wooden stick from a garbage pile. She fearlessly marched towards a man in the alley. With her current grim air surrounding her, she almost looks like a warrior who¡¯s about head off into battle. He glanced at the wooden stick in Yan An¡¯s hand and incredulously wondered Did this woman finally lose her mind? . . . The man was caught off guard as he saw Yan An slowly emerging from the alleyway. He glanced at her hand and cursed. He didn¡¯t expect her to be armed. With the man¡¯s labored breathing, he appears to be in a worse condition than Yan An. But now, he didn¡¯t need to run anymore. Because now there¡¯s only the two of them, there¡¯s no more need to keep up the Cat and Mouse facade. Sneering disdainfully at Yan An, the man muttered something in Spanish that Yan An couldn¡¯t understand. Yan An tried to question the man in English. ¡°Where¡¯s my bag from last night?¡± The man pointed his finger at his head with an exaggerated expression, as if he was wordlessly mocking her. Slowly losing her patience, Yan An raised and pointed the wooden stick toward him. ¡°I just want my documents back. Nothing more.¡± But like all gangsters and ruffians, they prefer employing more crude and physical means to communicate than flowery words. The man spits on the ground and starts cracking his neck. Tossing away his cap, he boldly walked up to Yan An. The man¡¯s mouth mutters in Spanish as he lightly shoves Yan An¡¯s shoulder with a teasing expression, like a cat playing with a mouse. Yan An slapped his hands away as she cursed. Then without warning, the man grabbed her neck and choked her. The man¡¯s grip was solid as he pushed the staggering Yan An with all his might towards the wall. Quickly overcoming her daze, Yan An didn¡¯t hesitate to swing the wooden stick towards the man¡¯s ankles. The stick accurately landed on its soft, fleshy target. The man grunted and staggered in pain. Taking advantage of the stagger, Yan An relentlessly swung the stick on the kneeling man¡¯s crown before following up with a quick knee kick. Under her merciless and precise onslaught, the man howled in agony before collapsing and letting go of his grip. The brawl didn¡¯t even last a few seconds. The man never once had the upper hand against her. But in the end, this brawl didn¡¯t benefit both of them at all. Yan An covered her neck and coughed. She never thought that the man would actually fight her. She tried her best to resolve things peacefully. She really only wanted her documents back, and if the other party demanded something in return, then the money isn¡¯t even an issue. But who would¡¯ve thought this man would have the audacity to pick a fight with her when the Chinese Consulate was literally on the other side of the road? Real ruffians and gangsters aren¡¯t afraid of the police, let alone just an embassy of another country. But then, as Yan An tried to sort things, the previously incapacitated man suddenly stood up and rushed towards her in a newfound vigor. The man¡¯s eyes were brimming with seething hatred as he roughly shoved Yan An down to the ground. The two were locked in an ensuing struggle, as their rolling bodies slammed against the closed door of a shop. With the grunts and the clamorous bangs from the door, it sounded like giant beasts were clashing in the secluded alley. Yan An instinctively lowered her head and guarded it with her arms as she braced for a punch. But suddenly, a silhouette appeared from the edge of her vision. Before she could fully react, the man atop her was viciously kicked in the stomach and slammed to the ground. Yan An glanced up in shock and was left even more shocked by an unexpected appearance. ¡°Y-You! What are you doing here?!¡± . . . Shan Yi¡¯s dark eyes were brimming in cold ruthlessness. He smiled at her question, but his smile didn¡¯t touch his eyes. His eyes were cold, like the freezing abyss of the ocean from her dream. Her dream from last night violently resurfaced in waves. Shan Yi rhetorically answered. ¡°What am I doing here, hm? Then I should ask the same thing you. Why are you getting into petty squabbles near an embassy?¡± As the two leisurely chatted, the downed ruffian shakily stood up again. Glaring at Shan Yi and then at Yan An, he clicked his tongue. But he didn¡¯t make a move. Instead, he cast a look behind the two of them. Shan Yi turned his head and noticed two men dressed similarly to the man strolling toward them. Yan An expression became slightly dark. ¡°No wonder he ran back here, back to his little nest of thugs. Turns out there are rats all over this place.¡± ¡°This man you kicked just now was the one who robbed my bag last night, so I followed him over here.¡± As she hurriedly conveyed this to Shan Yi, she made a suggestion. ¡°Looking at our current situation, a wise man knows better than to fight when the odds are against him[2], we really should run.¡± But Shan Yi, who remains strangely composed, smoothly answered back. ¡°I¡¯m not your underling. So, why should I run away?¡± Yan An¡¯s mouth gaped open. ? Three men silently encircled Yan An and Shan Yi. The three men passed a knowing look back and forth to each other, and without a word, they rushed in. Shan Yi took the wooden stick from Yan An¡¯s hand. As the rough and uneven surface of the stick rubbed away from her palm, Shan Yi moved her aside as he calmly faced the assailants. ¡°If you don¡¯t know how to fight, then get out of my way.¡± . . . Shan Yi fought hard. Like a ruthless, veteran soldier armed with his trusty gun and knife, he relentlessly and efficiently pressed on against the onslaught. Shan Yi¡¯s fighting moves are crisp and graceful. His fist and feet pack an astounding amount of power, even after being punched, he didn¡¯t flinch at the slightest and ruthlessly fought on. Yan An watched as Shan Yi took numerous scattered rotten wooden table legs and threw them at the opponent. He didn¡¯t aim at vital or lethal points per se, but all of them heavily reduced the fighting power of the opponent, as he coldly targeted the shoulders, wrists, knees, and ankles in pinpoint accuracy. This man is stupidly good at fighting, especially bare-handed and in close quarters¡­ Yan An internally grumbled to herself as her ears burn in indignation. After a continuous one-sided beating, the Spanish ruffians cried in pain and scrambled away, aimlessly fleeing in a group. Shan Yi then threw away the wooden sticks in his hand. Muffled clangs resounded throughout the now barren alley. Hiding behind a large flowerpot, Yan An stood still, as her heart trembled from each faint thud from the falling sticks. She was now convinced that this man is the dominant one in bed. Yan An let out a deep heated exhale with sympathy. Standing up, she headed toward him and sincerely thanked him from the bottom of her heart. ¡°Thank you, my comrade.¡± Shan Yi rubbed the bleeding corner of his lips, which had been peeled off during the fight. He smiled at her, before wordlessly turning around and walking off. Yan An followed Shan Yi into a bakery. She paid the bill for the bread and coffee. Picking a seat while carrying on to coffee and sliced bread, Yan An sat down with Shan Yi across from her. With half of her body propped up on the table, she worriedly pointed towards the bleeding corner of Shan Yi¡¯s lips. ¡°Do you want to go to the hospital together for disinfection and your wounds?¡± Remaining calm, Shan Yi wordlessly took a sip of coffee. The hot liquid brushed the corner of his lips. He felt a hot, scalding pain. He shifted his eyes towards Yan An. After a moment, he lifted his finger and pointed at his neck. Yan An¡¯s eyes trailed downward and stopped at his bulging adam¡¯s apple. She blinked, confused. Shan Yi opened his mouth, his throat deeply rumbled. ¡°You should go look at yourself in a mirror. When you sit across from me like this, everyone will think I¡¯ve done something to you, while in reality, I¡¯m barely even acquainted with you,¡± A mirror was standing on the wall behind Shan Yi. Yan An immediately tilted her body and saw angry, pronounced red marks streaking across her thin, pale neck. Wordlessly staring at the spattered fingerprints left on her neck, she felt she can immediately make up a compelling, tragic backstory. Glimpsing at Shan Yi, she began to remember memories from last night at the bar as she texted with Ah Man. I heard that most of the men who are rough at you have impure intentions. For example? ¡­ Actually, how the hell do I know? Ah, wait, they choke you? They prob wanted you to experience the thrill of suffocation. Lol. ¡­¡­ Godd*mnit! Yan An immediately covered her neck with both hands. Translator¡¯s Notes: [1] Consulates are like mini-embassies. Like embassies, they carry diplomatic intentions, but unlike embassies, which are mainly located in nations¡¯ capitals and are more focused on political exchanges, consulates can be anywhere ¨C financial markets, tourist areas, or large cities with healthy job markets. [2] ºÃºº²»³ÔÑÛÇ°¿÷, a Chinese idiom that means that a wise man knows better than to fight when confronted with a disadvantageous situation.