บท 9: Mu Yuze's Gift
He Juan's stay in the police station was… unfruitful, to say the least. There was nothing he could help with. He really did not know anything at all. Thus no matter how many times he was interrogated by different officers, using the hard and soft tactics, provocation, persuasion until the end when they resorted to guilt-trapping him, He Juan could not say anything beyond the scope of his knowledge.
The police were frustrated as the case was stuck in place, so was He Juan. He would not say that the entire proceeding was torturous, after all they did not harm him at all. It's just… exhausting, draining. No matter how forbearing He Juan was, a trace of exhaustion found its way to his face when the sun started to set in the horizon.
And that's the state Mu Yuze found him in when he entered the interrogation room again at 6 pm.
He Juan had not seen him ever since the morning Jia Molei visited. Presumably, he had been busy with his own investigation, judging from how hard he was pressing his lips together, making him look all the more fierce and unapproachable. It was truly a wonder how he could stay effortlessly gorgeous like that when the officers He Juan met previously had gotten rumpled from the long, tiring day. He Juan felt the shadow over his head was alleviated just by seeing that beautiful face. He couldn't resist a sigh. It was not wrong of him to enjoy some eye candy, right?
"Good evening, Officer Mu," He Juan felt himself smiling. Not the courteous, polite smile he had always given the others, but a genuine warm smile. It was really strange how Mu Yuze could always make him feel better without even doing anything. "Thank you for your hard work."
Mu Yuze closed the door behind him and he only gave He Juan a brief glance before looking away. And then he suddenly looked again and the frown on his face deepened. "Are you unwell?"
"Huh?" He Juan did not see that question coming. He blinked and tilted his head in slight confusion. "No, I am very well."
Mu Yuze uttered something beneath his breath, his voice too soft for He Juan to hear. He Juan only realized that the man was carrying a plastic bag in his hand when he came close. He smelled like exhaust gas, dust, and a tinge of peppermint. Was it his pheromones? Mu Yuze had been firmly keeping his pheromones in check so that He Juan couldn't smell even a hint of it. For some reason, it smelled… good. Very good yet nostalgic somehow.
Mu Yuze set the plastic bag on the table and pushed it in front of He Juan. "You should tell the officers outside if you are starting to feel ill. Even though your innocence has yet to be proven, your well-being is also part of our responsibility."
He Juan opened the plastic bag, curious. Inside, he found… snacks, so many snacks. Chocolates, lollipops, waffles, chips and there were also a few bottles of milk tea that could be found in convenience stores.
He Juan's eyes lit up. For a sweet tooth like He Juan to be deprived of sugar for a whole day, the appearance of these snacks were akin to a gift from Heaven. He instantly forgot Mu Yuze's earlier hostility and how he was supposed to be offended because someone had just provided for him as an Alpha. How could he be upset? This was Mu Yuze's gift! A once-in-a-lifetime gift!
"This… is for me?" He flicked his eyes to Mu Yuze, tentative and hopeful.
A rhetorical question, he knew. Mu Yuze's silent stare was already an answer itself. He Juan's smile widened. He honestly did know how such a small gesture could touch him so much, making him feel warm and soft from head to toe. Just like that, all of his stress from the day melted away like morning mist under the warm sunlight.
Ah, as he had expected, Mu Yuze was really different from anyone he had met before. He was so… special. Yes, that was the word. It had not even been twenty four hours since their first encounter, yet He Juan had a strong hunch that he wouldn't be able to meet someone like Mu Yuze again for the rest of his life.
"Thank you so much, Officer Mu," he said happily and unscrewed the cap of the bottled milk tea. The first gulp was akin to spring rain that flowed gently on He Juan's barren heart. He closed his eyes to savor the sensation and couldn't help drinking more. A blissful sigh escaped his lips. "It's so good..."
"...That good?"
He Juan snapped his eyes open, flush creeping up his neck. How could he let himself be carried away by the temptation of sugar and forgot that Mu Yuze was still here?! And oh God… was that a slight smile playing on the corner of Mu Yuze's lips? When He Juan blinked again to ascertain that he did not see wrong, the faint smile had vanished as if it was never there before. He must be imagining it…
"Yes, it's very good." He smiled sheepishly and pushed another new bottle in front of Mu Yuze. "You haven't tried it before, Officer Mu? Then you have lost out on the chance to enjoy one of the best things you can find in the convenience store. Come on, don't be shy!" After such a passionate speech, He Juan suddenly recalled that Mu Yuze was the one who had bought this, why the hell was he acting like he was the owner? Seriously, snap out of it, He Juan! Why did he always have to embarrass himself in front of this man? How many times had it been today?! He cleared his throat, "Um… of course, you can drink it as much as you want. It's yours after all."
Mu Yuze pulled the chair out and took a seat opposite him. "I don't like sweets."
"You don't…?" He Juan was slightly disappointed. How could someone survive without milk tea and chocolate? That's too bad.
"But once in a while is fine. I am a little tired." Before He Juan could react, Mu Yuze had uncapped the bottle and brought it to his lips. He Juan's eyes transfixed, unmoving, on the way the bob of Mu Yuze's throat moved as he swallowed. He only snapped to his senses when Mu Yuze placed the bottle down and commented with a grimace on his face, "...Not bad."
He Juan couldn't help but chuckle. Heavens, Mu Yuze really did not like sweets, did he? It was practically written all over his face with capital letters. He was so adorable that He Juan had to restrain himself from reaching out to pat his head. It must be so soft— no, what are you thinking, He Juan?!
"Really?" He played along, unable to hold back a grin. "Not bad, right?"
Mu Yuze hummed, but after that he did not touch the milk tea again. "It's getting late. We will never be able to go through Miss Zhao's files in one day. You should call your friend and ask him to take you in for a while."
He Juan was surprised. "I can't… go back to the apartment?"
Mu Yuze gave him a look as though he was a naughty child, which caused his entire body to warm up again in mortification. Oh God, how old was Mu Yuze again? Twenty something? One thing for certain was, he must be at least five years younger than He Juan. To have a junior look at him with such a gaze… He Juan really wished that the Earth would open up and swallow him whole!
"I mean…" he stuttered out. "My things are still there. I would need a change of clothes and also…" His medicines, his teaching plan he had to review the night before, and also a few other personal things. Somehow, those words were stuck on He Juan's throat like a sharp fishbone, unable to be coughed out nor could it be swallowed down.
He did not doubt that Jia Molei would still have his things back in their shared apartment, but if at this rate, what did He Juan move out for…?
He had spent so long convincing Jia Molei to let him live alone, had spent so long rebuilding the foundation of his new life. It might be shaky and full of hardship, but it was He Juan's. He had barely started… and somehow, he had to go back to square one after four measly days? Just thinking about it was enough to make his heart drop to the pit of his stomach.
"The fifth floor is off limits now." Mu Yuze's voice snapped him out of his reverie. "It has been covered in police lines and only the authorized personnel will be allowed to come in. But if you're in dire need of your personal belongings, I will go and fetch it for you."
He Juan considered his choices. Well, it was certainly better than to let Jia Molei know that he had nowhere to go. Perhaps, after he received his things, he could go to some cheap motel to book a few nights of stay. "Thank you, I really appreciate that," he offered a sincere smile. "Um… do you need me to write it down?"
"No, just say it like this."
He Juan cleared his throat. "Alright…" He then listed the things he might need as well as the location to find them. "Also, can I bother you to drive my car here? I might need it for tomorrow."
Mu Yuze nodded. "Which one?"
"It's the one parked in front of the apartment on…" He Juan suddenly trailed off. Which number was his parking lot again? No, no, please not now. He scrunched his brows, trying to dig through his memory to no avail.
It was like a little hole had formed in there, an addition to many large and glaring holes. Once again, he forgot such a mundane and everyday thing like this. Once again… he lost a little piece of his memory.
The more He Juan tried to recall, the more flustered he was. "My car is black. Um… you will easily be able to find that."
"What's the model?"
"The model…" He Juan's heart sank. He could not remember that either.
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