Qin Weidong had a point. It was true he hadn’t really bathed himself much lately. But could you blame him? Getting washed by Qin Weidong was just… really comfortable.
Fang Li turned his head to look at him. “You really don’t think it’s ugly? Or disgusting?”
“I really don’t,” Qin Weidong answered seriously. Then he asked, “If that scar were on me, would you think it was ugly? Would you be disgusted?”
Fang Li thought about it. If the scar were on Qin Weidong, maybe he’d be a little scared at first. But never disgusted—because it was part of Qin Weidong. Even if he were scared, it would only last a moment. If Qin Weidong held him enough, he’d stop being afraid altogether. That thought helped ease the knot in his chest.
Qin Weidong reached out, ruffled his hair, and kissed him. “You overthink too much.”
“I’m not overthinking. Don’t you like kissing me so much?” Fang Li blurted out the next part without thinking. “Now that the scar’s so ugly, how are you even gonna want to kiss me anymore?”
The moment he said it, he regretted it. Qin Weidong had just leaned in close to kiss him, and now he froze in place. Ever since Fang Li fainted that last time and the doctor warned that his heart couldn’t handle the strain, urging immediate surgery, they’d been living like monks. Qin Weidong hadn’t dared touch him, terrified of stressing his fragile heart. And now, after such a major operation, it would probably take a long while before he fully recovered.
Fang Li glanced at Qin Weidong’s now slightly darkened expression and rubbed his nose, feeling a bit guilty. “I didn’t mean it, I swear—it just slipped out. Don’t go… letting your little brain get hijacked by your dick, okay?” That was a phrase he’d picked up from Yang San in the band.
“My brain got hijacked by my dick?” Qin Weidong actually let out a laugh, half-angry, half-amused. Compared to how he’d been living lately, even a monk in a temple had it better. He took a deep breath and muttered, “You little bastard…”
Fang Li reached over and stroked his face, laughing again.
Sure, thanks to Qi Jian’s reminder, Qin Weidong had managed to coax him into feeling better. But scars from surgery weren’t something that could be brushed off so easily. As the stitches were removed and the incision slowly healed, the color of the scar darkened, becoming more and more jarring. Every time a doctor came to check the healing progress on his chest, Fang Li would fall into a gloomy mood for the rest of the day. Qin Weidong had noticed too. He’d said every comforting thing he could think of, but it didn’t really help.
By the end of July, Fang Li had recovered significantly. The incision no longer hurt the way it had at first. Occasionally, there were nerve pains around the area—normal postoperative side effects. Some patients, the doctors said, needed three to five years to fully recover.
When the weather was nice, Fang Li would stroll through the garden downstairs at the hospital. He walked slowly, and Qin Weidong pushed his wheelchair alongside him, holding an umbrella. With summer settling in, the heat intensified. Qin Weidong wouldn’t let him walk too much, afraid he’d sweat.
One time, when Fang Li asked for water, he noticed that Qin Weidong had left the top button of his shirt undone. Glancing over, something suddenly caught his eye.
“Qin Weidong?”
He reached out to look. Qin Weidong instinctively tried to stop him, but Fang Li wouldn’t have it. He yanked at Qin Weidong’s collar to peer inside.
“What is this?!” Fang Li exclaimed in shock.
Qin Weidong had no choice but to bend down so as not to let him strain himself. “I got a tattoo,” he said.
“A tattoo? Who told you to do that?” Fang Li was livid. Qin Weidong getting a tattoo? Wasn’t that the kind of thing street thugs did?
“When did you go?”
“At night.”
No wonder! Lately, when Fang Li woke up during the night, sometimes Qin Weidong wasn’t there. So he’d been sneaking out to get inked! Back in Chongsi, Fang Li had seen plenty of punks with garish tattoos on their arms, dyed blonde like some kind of golden lion, swinging machetes around in street fights. There was no way he was letting Qin Weidong turn into one of them!
“Upstairs. Now,” Fang Li ordered.
Once they were back in the hospital room, Fang Li furiously told him, “Take off your shirt.”
“What?”
“Off!” Fang Li barked. If Qin Weidong weren’t so tall, he’d have yanked it off himself.
Left with no choice, Qin Weidong obeyed and peeled off his shirt, revealing his now broader, stronger upper body. Fang Li stared.
From his waist to his chest, a jet-black python coiled across his torso. The serpent slithered up from Qin Weidong’s waist, winding across his chest. Its menacing head, forked tongue bright red, narrowed green eyes half-lidded, stopped just under his Adam’s apple. The creature’s black body loomed with eerie elegance, as though poised to strike.
“You—you…!” Fang Li was speechless. His anger surged, but he couldn’t get the words out. Qin Weidong, in contrast, looked perfectly calm, as if this had been something he’d planned for a long time. And clearly, it had taken a while—tattoos that large didn’t get done in a day.
“Now I have a snake on my chest too,” he said.
“You’ve got a damn—!”
Fang Li wanted to curse him out, to really let him have it. But the moment he heard those words, the rest got stuck in his throat—wedged right in the spot that always turned sore when he was about to cry.
“You’re out of your damn mind,” he finally muttered.
Fang Li crumpled the clothes on the hospital bed and threw them at Qin Weidong. “Hurry up and get dressed! What if the nurse comes in?”
As Qin Weidong put his shirt back on, Fang Li noticed that the skin around the tattoo was red and slightly swollen. “Is that why you’ve been taking medicine lately?”
Qin Weidong was indeed slightly allergic to the tattoo ink. The doctor had prescribed him antihistamines to manage it. “I had a bit of a reaction. It’ll go away in a while.” He didn’t seem to think much of it, but Fang Li was instantly furious. He smacked him hard on the shoulder. “You knew you were allergic and you still went through with it?! Didn’t the doctor tell you an allergic reaction could lead to anaphylactic shock?”
“It’s not that serious.”
“Not that serious? Why didn’t you talk to me about it before getting a tattoo?!”
“I did tell you.”
“When?!”
“When you were asleep,” Qin Weidong replied.
Fang Li felt his anger boiling over. He couldn’t take it anymore. He grabbed the umbrella hanging by the wheelchair and started hitting Qin Weidong with it. “Are you insane?! You’re joking around now of all times? A snake that huge across your chest—what are you going to do about work in the future?! People are going to think you’re in a gang! You think this is funny? Is it?!”
He landed blow after blow. Qin Weidong really felt the pain—this was the umbrella Ye Yunshan had given them, and its frame was solid enough to shelter two adults from the rain. He was afraid Fang Li would strain his injury, so he endured it and let him hit him twice.
“My scar couldn’t be helped. Yours you went and brought on yourself!”
There was still something of the miner’s pride in Qin Weidong’s bones. He could take a few hits from Fang Li, sure. But he wasn’t the kind of man who’d just stand there and get beaten endlessly. He grabbed the umbrella in Fang Li’s hand and said in warning, “Fang Li…”
Fang Li caught the tone immediately. He was tired too. He let go of the umbrella, panting. “What if someone else sees it?”
Qin Weidong let go of the umbrella as well, now that Fang Li had calmed down. He buttoned up the top button, covering the menacing snake head that had been peeking out. “If I keep it covered, no one will see it.”
Fang Li frowned. “What about in summer?”
Qin Weidong replied, “So what if they see it?”
“You—how can you still say that…!” Fang Li was about to explode again, but when he looked at Qin Weidong—he really did look angry. Fang Li had to pause and ask, “Are you mad at me now?”
Qin Weidong didn’t respond.
Fang Li hesitated for a moment. Really, who was at fault here? Who went and got a tattoo without saying a word? And not just any tattoo—a massive, fierce-looking one. But then he remembered: Qin Weidong must’ve done it to keep him company, not wanting him to go through things alone. He’d even ended up with an allergic reaction. Thinking about that, Fang Li’s anger softened.
“So whose fault is this, really?”
“Mine,” Qin Weidong said unexpectedly.
Fang Li hadn’t expected that. “Ahem… Then what exactly did you do wrong?”
Qin Weidong glanced at him. “I was wrong to forget that your conscience was eaten by a dog.”
Fang Li couldn’t help it—he burst out laughing. His whole chest shook with it, pulling on the stitches near his sternum and making the pain worse. The laughing led to coughing, which made it hurt even more. Qin Weidong quickly came over and rubbed his back, coaxing him, “Don’t laugh, don’t laugh…”
Fang Li finally managed to stop. He wiped the tears from his eyes and said between chuckles, “Why are you still the same as when we were kids?”
Qin Weidong ignored him and got up to pour him a glass of water.
Fine, fine—if he was the one who scolded, he’d have to be the one to make up for it. Fang Li followed him and wrapped his sticky hands around Qin Weidong’s waist. Qin Weidong’s expression darkened, and he tried to wriggle free, but Fang Li got there first and said, “Don’t move. I was in so much pain earlier, and if you move now it’ll hurt more…”
Qin Weidong had no choice but to stand still.
Fang Li added softly, “I know you did it for me… You didn’t want me to go through it alone. But seeing your allergic reaction—it hurts me too. And tattoos hurt so much… I really felt for you…” As he spoke, he deliberately rubbed his cheek against Qin Weidong’s back twice. “You’re the best person in the world to me, I know that. You don’t have to do all this—I already know.”
Only then did Qin Weidong’s face begin to soften.
“Why don’t you ever dodge when I hit you?”
“A few hits, I can take. Too many? No.”
“Why not?” Fang Li asked.
Qin Weidong frowned slightly. “Have you ever seen anyone hit their man like that?”
Fang Li laughed. “Wow, Qin Weidong, I didn’t expect you to be so old-fashioned.”
Qin Weidong didn’t want to get into that argument.
“Did it hurt when you got the tattoo?”
“Not that much.”
Fang Li reached around and touched his Adam’s apple. “How much did it cost?”
“Not saying.”
“Why not?”
Qin Weidong glanced at Fang Li’s free hand. If he told him, who knows what Fang Li might grab next to throw at him.
“Come on, tell me—I want to know, I’m listening.”
But Qin Weidong wasn’t falling for that. No matter how much Fang Li pestered him, he wouldn’t say a word. Their bickering eventually turned into laughter. Even after surgery, Fang Li wasn’t afraid to horse around with Qin Weidong, because Qin Weidong would never let him get hurt. He always stopped him before the pain could even begin.
They were in the middle of their play when Qin Weidong suddenly noticed someone standing at the door—Qin Zhengrong.
“Father.”
“Stop making me laugh—it really hurts…”
Fang Li quickly bit back his smile. But when he saw the smile vanish from Qin Weidong’s lips, he followed his gaze—and saw the man at the door.
Qin Zhengrong had just finished a meeting in Beijing. He was supposed to return tomorrow, but things in Jin City were hectic. His entire afternoon was packed, and it had taken some juggling by his secretary just to free up this two-hour window.
Fang Li immediately sobered. Qin Zhengrong said nothing about their roughhousing. Instead, he addressed Fang Li: “You must be Fang Li. I’ve been swamped with work lately and couldn’t visit sooner. I hope you won’t hold it against me.”
“Of course not. Weidong told me you’re a very important man.”
Qin Zhengrong gave a small smile. Then he turned to Qin Weidong. “Go call your mother. She misses you. I’d like a word with this young man.”
“Father, he’s still recovering…”
Qin Zhengrong’s brow furrowed, and he interrupted sharply: “I know. Is that how you speak to your mother too?”
Qin Weidong didn’t argue, but he didn’t reply either. Fang Li wasn’t sure why, but something about their exchange made his heart race nervously. He quickly said, “Uh, Weidong, when you call, can you ask the nurse’s station something for me? I think one of the nurses mentioned something about changing my dressing tonight, but I didn’t catch it clearly. Could you check?” As he said this, Qin Zhengrong glanced at him.
Fang Li shot Qin Weidong a look, nudging him with his eyes to go. Qin Weidong didn’t say much—he just grabbed a jacket and draped it over Fang Li’s shoulders before leaving.
……
Qin Zhengrong, always pressed for time, didn’t stay long. When he finally stepped out of the room, he found Qin Weidong standing just outside. He caught the scent of smoke on his son.
“When did you pick up smoking?”
“Fourteen.”
Qin Zhengrong chuckled. “Not bad. Two years earlier than I did.” He didn’t question why Qin Weidong had waited outside. Instead, he said, “Dr. Wu told me the surgery went well and he’s recovering steadily. You’ve been by his side for over a month now. It’s time to go home and visit.”
Qin Zhengrong had held a position of authority for many years. He didn’t need to raise his voice—his very presence conveyed a pressure that allowed no room for dissent. Qin Weidong said, “I have a language exam next month. I’ll head back after that.”
“This weekend.”
Qin Weidong hesitated, then replied, “Okay.”
Qin Zhengrong’s secretary came over to remind him that it was time—the provincial bureau’s special meeting was about to begin via video. Qin Zhengrong asked which university Qin Weidong had applied to.
Qin Weidong told him.
Qin Zhengrong said, “That won’t work. Ask your uncle for help.”
“I know,” Qin Weidong replied.
The secretary had been with Qin Zhengrong since his early days in local government. He had known about the matter of Qin Weidong’s return from the beginning. He was the one who had gone to collect the DNA results after Director Wei had someone contact the public security bureau. But watching the two of them—father and son—now, even after just reuniting, the distance between them still felt stark. Maybe it was because Secretary Qin came from a military background—emotions always kept tightly under wraps. Or maybe the son had grown the same way. He shook his head, giving up on the thought.
Back in the hospital room, Fang Li looked up when Qin Weidong returned and asked, “Uncle Qin’s gone?”
“Yeah,” Qin Weidong said. “The doctor said you’re recovering pretty well. He told the nurses to stop giving you the lipid infusion in the afternoons, so from now on, you’ll need to eat more to keep your nutrition up.”
“I know. My memory’s not that bad.”
Fang Li reached out his arms, and Qin Weidong came over to hug him. Fang Li nipped lightly at his ear and whispered, “Aren’t you curious about what Uncle Qin said to me?”
“What did he say?”
“Hmph…” Fang Li gave a soft snort. “He asked if I knew you were going to the U.S. I told him I did. Then he asked if I wanted to go with you—and if I thought it was too far or too unfamiliar, he could arrange for me to attend a university here instead.”
“He also said he was really grateful I saved you, and that if I ever wanted anything, I could just ask him.”
Fang Li squinted contentedly, like a cat: “Mm, Uncle Qin looks strict, but he actually seems really nice. And he looks so much like you. Honestly, I think he’s pretty good—at least better than…”
Well… at least better than Qin Weidong’s mother, who didn’t exactly come off as easy to talk to.
Qin Weidong lowered his gaze. “Dummy…”
Qin Zhengrong’s attitude toward Fang Li was entirely different from Ye Yunshan’s.
Unlike Ye Yunshan, who had made her opposition to their relationship crystal clear—even after the dramatic incident with the anonymous report—Qin Zhengrong hadn’t said a single word about breaking them up. Qin Zhengrong’s primary concern was Qin Weidong’s future, and even his suggestion of sending Fang Li abroad had been framed as a way to lie low for a while.
But it was precisely this attitude that made Qin Weidong all the more determined to go to the U.S. If he was reading things right, Qin Zhengrong didn’t believe there was any future between him and Fang Li. He thought it was just a childish game, something they’d both grow tired of in a few years. They’d break up on their own—so why should he step in now and make a scene, only to help them put on a show of undying love? That was why Weidong knew he had to seize the moment—before Qin Zhengrong ever made a real move to interfere—and build his own foundation of power and independence.
“Weidong, are you even listening to me?”
Fang Li tugged on his ear. “Don’t you want to know what I said? Aren’t you afraid I’ll actually stay here? America’s so far away…” Sure, in reality he couldn’t be without Qin Weidong—but he certainly wasn’t going to admit that out loud. After all, back at the villa, Qin Weidong hadn’t even let him visit a music company—just to look around, nothing more! If things kept going like this, where would it end? He had to keep fighting for his own voice, his own choices.
“So what did you say?” Qin Weidong asked.
“I said, ‘It’s alright, Uncle Qin. I’ll just go to America with Weidong. Reading Chinese or English books is about the same for me anyway…’” Which, in truth, was that both languages were equally hard for him. “Do you think Uncle Qin thought I sounded clever?”
Qin Weidong smiled. “Yeah, I think so.” He had to admit, hearing that made him laugh.
“Want to know what else I said?” Fang Li asked, a little proud of himself.
“I heard it already.”
“You heard it?”
Qin Weidong picked up the jacket he’d draped over Fang Li’s shoulders earlier. From the pocket, he pulled out a phone—its screen still lit, showing an active call.
Fang Li stared at the number, and then realization hit him. “Qin Weidong! You were eavesdropping on us!”
Qin Weidong ended the call. “It wasn’t eavesdropping. I was just worried. You’ve only just started getting better.” He was talking about the last time, when Ye Yunshan had called Fang Li—and Fang Li had cried so bitterly over the phone that Weidong could still hear it in his mind.
Fang Li’s heart softened. He leaned in and kissed Qin Weidong’s lips. “I’m not as fragile as you think…”
“I’m the fragile one,” Qin Weidong murmured against his lips. “That surgery scared me out of my mind, Lili. I swear, as long as I can see it, as long as I can imagine it—I’ll protect you, no matter what.”
Axolotl Translations 
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