Breaking Through The Clouds

Chapter 4

Do you want people to think that we are a couple?" "I can be gay for ten minutes."

"The intersection is only four or five hundred meters away from the Sleepless KTV. Yan Xie found a place and parked the heavily damaged car there. Then he informed the traffic police brigade, returned to the original spot; all this only took ten minutes in total.

"What's the matter with you?" Yan Xie stood in front of Jiang Ting and raised his chin. "Where's your girlfriend? Did you let her go out and wander around alone?"

Jiang Ting's complexion still wasn't great, but that was due to long-term bed rest and an inadequate blood supply. He smiled when he heard the words. "The doctor told me to walk around when I'm fine. Yang Mei went out, so I went out by myself."

Yan Xie reached out to support him, but Jiang Ting gestured for him not to bother, so he withdrew his hand and lit a cigarette. "Don't mind, do you?"

Jiang Ting asked, "Can I have one?"

Yan Xie was a little surprised. He rarely encountered non-smoking men, but for some reason, he subconsciously thought that Jiang Ting was one of them, probably deceived by the other's refined and scholarly appearance.

"Thank you." Jiang Ting took the cigarette and lit it, taking a long exhale. "Thanks to Officer Yan just now, I'm really sorry. About the repair costs..."

Yan Xie said, "Forget it, it's a police car! I'll just report the damage, and it'll be fine."

Through the cigarette's white smoke, Jiang Ting glanced at him, probably not expecting the police vehicles in Jianning to be so high-end. Yan Xie laughed at being scrutinized and didn't explain, saying, "Coincidentally, there are some doubts about the case. I'm going to re-investigate the scene, and I can give you a ride back. What happened just now? Standing in the middle of the road without moving, scared stiff?"

Jiang Ting hesitated for a moment. "Just now... I was a bit shocked by the car accident. Maybe it was a post-traumatic stress reaction."

"Oh, and you dared to come out alone."

Jiang Ting said, "I have to learn to walk alone; otherwise, I'll be useless, right?"

He walked slowly, and Yan Xie didn't rush him. The two of them walked down the sidewalk together, and the neon lights of the Sleepless KTV were shining ahead. Yan Xie pointed with the almost burnt-out cigarette and teased, "You have such a devoted and wealthy girlfriend, much better than us who earn a fixed salary. What are you afraid of becoming useless for?"

Helplessly, Jiang Ting shook his head and hadn't replied yet when Yan Xie naturally asked, "How did you two meet?"

Vice-Captain Yan was not one to beat around the bush, apparently waiting for this moment.

"We both came out of the county town to work together in the early years. We stayed in Gongzhou for a few years, and when I earned some money, I went back to my hometown. She came to Jianning and opened this KTV. She's more daring than me. The business in the store has been getting better and better. Three years ago, when she asked me to come to Jianning to help, I had a car accident on the way."

"How did it happen?"

"I was speeding in the rain. I almost lost my life," Jiang Ting sighed. "We call each other boyfriend and girlfriend, but with my current condition, it's not good to burden her, right?"

Surprisingly, Yan Xie immediately agreed, "That's right. What are you two going to do in the future? Are you just going to continue dragging on like this?"

"After a while, we should break up," Jiang Ting smiled. "Staying here won't be of much help, so I'll go back to my hometown and live there."

The KTV was temporarily closed due to the murder case, and the entrance was partially open, giving a desolate feeling. As they talked, they entered the KTV, and when they looked up, they saw Yang Mei eagerly waiting at the bar. She tilted her head and exclaimed, "Brother Jiang!"