Smoke rose in the closed space and suffused under the dim light. Lin Ye sat at the head of the bed as if in a trance, with a cigarette in his mouth. Next to his hand was the cup of water I gave him. I tucked him up, “Don’t get cold.”
He gave me a faint glance, and didn’t say anything, but I sensed that he was angry.
After I fucked him, he became very upset.
I walked over and bent down to kiss him, but he tilted his head and dodged it. I sighed, sat next to him and lit up a cigarette as well.
He kicked my back with toes. “Don’t smoke.”
“Why?”
“I don’t like the smell of second-hand smoke.”
When I was about to stub out the lit cigarette in the ashtray, he sat up and snatched it. He put it in his mouth and threw his stub into the tray.
I sat wordlessly with my back to him. He climbed on my back, and sneered, “You had a lot of fun did you.”
I dragged him off my back, “Didn’t you?”
“Why don’t you try it yourself?”
I turned my head back at him, “Do you really want to try?” I patted his member, “Didn’t you shot out all your bullets? How are you gonna try me with an empty gun?”
“Fuck…”
Lin Ye grabbed a pillow and smashed it at me. I blocked it with a hand.
“What is this about?” I asked, a bit exhausted.
He scowled at me, clenching his teeth, “You took advantage of me, despicable bastard.”
I snorted, “I was never a man of high morals.” Then I turned around and locked him under my body, “Such a beauty threw himself at me and you expected me to sit still? Did you realize that I’m a man?”
Lin Ye just looked at me and blew out a puff on my face.
I held my breath so as to avoid being choked, but then he pressed the burning stub on my arm. I lowered my head to kiss him. His eyes were misty, his lips and tongue tangled with mine. A low sigh was released from his lips. With the smell of flesh burning and a tiny hiss, the last of the spark died out in the endless darkness.
*** *** ***
I was driving when Lawyer Zhuang’s call came in.
“Boss Ou, there is a salvation. Please come to my office.” I immediately turned the wheel and drove back towards Lawyer Zhuang’s office.
Lawyer Zhuang passed me a document across the table cheerfully.
“The interrogation results are out. All of Han Dong’s accomplices made a clean breast, and here are their statements.”
I turned the pages and read carefully.
“The situation was indeed life-threatening, so the counterattack would be considered justifiable defense.”
I raised my eyes at Lawyer Zhuang, and he nodded at me smilingly.
I froze there, unable to believe my ears, “Re…Really?”
“Of course. Also, since Chu Yuan Jiang is diagnosed as being paralyzed, he is no longer considered a risk to the public safety. According to the third clause of the Procedures for Compassionate Release in Sentence, medical parole should be considered if the inmate is completely disabled, meaning the inmate cannot carry on any self-care and has lost the ability to cause harm to the public.”[1]
I jumped on my feet, not knowing how to convey my feelings. I held Lawyer Zhuang’s hand with both of my hands, “Thank…Thank…Thank you so much.”
Lawyer Zhuang smiled gently, “You have said that many times, Boss Ou.”
I exchanged a few more words with Lawyer Zhuang. After saying goodbye, I unstoppingly headed to City X. My heart was burning in excitement.
I strode up the stairs in the hospital, rushed into his ward and yelled, “Yuan Jiang!”
He was receiving an injection in bed. The sunlight fell through the window almost impaled through his pallid, bloodless skin, casting dark shadows of his eyelashes under the sockets. The L-sized hospital suit on him looked empty and dreadful. He seemed surprised at my appearance, and stupefied there.
I held the door frame and gasped heavily. Slowly, I walked towards him as if sleepwalking, and took him in my arms. “We can apply for medical parole now.”
He remained silent for a long time. In the end, he let out a sigh, and reacted peacefully, “Yeah?”
I raised my face, clasping his shoulders, “Yes. It will happen soon.”
He lifted a hand to touch my face. His smile was a bit wispy. “Sounds good, Junzi.”
I smiled. It was the first heartfelt, genuine smile of mine in a long time. I couldn’t control grinning.
Chu Yuan Jiang grinned too, “Junzi, I want to go home.”
Footnotes:
[1]Actually the third and fourth criterion in the second clause.