Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations
Editor: Karai
After handling the case, the two of them took a leave of absence and left early. Gu Yanchen parked the car in the residential area, took the dog for a walk, settled everything at home, and then went to the closest Impression city. It was a relatively new mall, about a ten-minute walk away. The best movies usually started around seven thirty in the evening. They checked the time and went to have a Japanese barbecue together.
After finishing their meal, they packed some French fries, popcorn, and drinks for snacks. The cinema was on the third floor, newly renovated, with very comfortable seats. They stood at the ticket counter buying movie tickets. Several movie trailers were playing on the big screen nearby.
Gu Yanchen let Shen Junci choose, and Shen Junci picked a mystery thriller that suited his taste. The movie lasted for more than two hours. When selecting seats, it was evident that the movie had good reviews, and many seats were already booked. They chose seats towards the back, which was considered the prime viewing area.
As it was about to start, they entered and took their seats. Sitting in front of them was a young couple. Before the movie started, the girl with long hair asked her companion, “Is this movie good?”
The man replied, “Of course, it has a high rating on Douban. It’s our first date, so we should choose a memorable movie. That way, when we look back on it in the future, it’ll always be fresh in our memories.”
The girl with long hair said, “You’re not thinking that when we see a scary scene later, I’ll cuddle up to you, right? I saw online that some guys deliberately do that.”
The man chuckled, “I never thought about it, but if you’re scared, my shoulder is here for you.”
They sat behind them, and upon hearing their conversation, Gu Yanchen whispered jokingly to Shen Junci, “Doctor Shen, my shoulder is also available for you.”
Comparatively, his shoulder was broader and looked more reliable.
Shen Junci grabbed a French fry, “I don’t need a shoulder for now, just squeeze some extra ketchup, please.”
The lights dimmed, and the movie officially began. The movie started with a strong suspenseful style, introducing a series of gruesome teenage dismemberment cases. It seemed that things were not simple, and the further they watched, the more mysterious it became.
The movie was indeed well-made, with a few scenes of dismemberment being somewhat graphic, along with some eerie and chilling visuals. Coupled with the ominous music, sudden jump scares were quite effective. In this atmosphere, several scenes elicited screams from the audience.
Gu Yanchen was never afraid of anything, the plot didn’t scare him, but the screams were piercing to his ears. On the other hand, Shen Junci sat aside, dipping his fries generously in ketchup.
When a scary scene appeared, the man sitting in front suddenly screamed and buried his head into the girl’s arms. The girl’s popcorn was knocked over, scattering on the floor. She reacted belatedly, also screaming, then struggled to push the man away, complaining, “If you’re so scared, don’t watch horror movies!”
Gu Yanchen felt that this couple might break up after watching this movie.
Only Doctor Shen remained indifferent, his face serene. He finished his fries and switched to popcorn, looking past the bickering couple at the screen where a bloody heart was displayed. “This prop is made from a pig’s heart.”
When he practiced as a medical examiner, he initially used pig hearts and kidneys for training. If someone couldn’t handle these, they obviously weren’t suited for medicine, especially forensic pathology. On the screen, the heart was still beating, then it dropped to the ground, splattering blood, causing even the timid audience members to cover their faces.
Doctor Shen, expressionless, picked up another piece of popcorn. “It’s a shame; fried pig hearts are quite delicious.”
Gu Yanchen looked at him, and Shen Junci’s face was illuminated by the faint light from the screen, appearing somewhat enigmatic. Captain Gu spoke up, “Perhaps it can still be salvaged with a wash.”
In another scene, a girl reached into a box to determine its contents. The audience held their breath as the camera zoomed in, and the girl’s fingertip touched something sticky. Upon inspection, it was revealed to be a human eyeball. After this scene, screams erupted again in the theater.
Shen Junci was unfazed, “What she initially touched was the optic nerve. When I first learned forensic pathology, one training method involved tactile sensations. When the eyes couldn’t see, the body’s senses would amplify. The smooth texture of those organs, as felt through touch, would be etched into memory. The eyeball is relatively easy to recognize.”
During their time at the corpse farm, they underwent a training exercise or game. Organs were placed in boxes, blindfolded, with rubber gloves on, they had to reach into the box and identify the organs in the darkness by touch. It was a meaningful learning experience, enabling medical examiners to identify organs in poorly lit environments. The surface of the kidney is mucous, especially smooth; the liver is relatively uniform, rich in blood; the heart is plump, with the highest density, and feels resilient; the lungs have bubbles, like a sponge; the intestines are the softest, and if filled with air, they will swell, feeling somewhat like a cold snake.
Once, he encountered a box containing a complete brain. Fortunately, he was alert enough not to accidentally damage it. So, solely by touch, he could discern what organ it was and wouldn’t mistake animal organs for human ones. Shen Junci believed that the human body was sacred; those tiny, soft organs consumed very little but operated year after year.
If they were to be replaced by machinery, even with more advanced and larger machines, they couldn’t completely replicate the functions of organs. In the field of medicine, there were countless unsolved mysteries, especially regarding the soul and memory. People attempted to explain them scientifically, but even the most advanced science couldn’t fully understand the truth.
In this world, humans explored outward but couldn’t find the boundaries of the universe; inward, they didn’t know where they came from. Shen Junci was lost in thought for a while before continuing to watch the movie.
The people in the theater displayed the fear that was common to normal people towards ghosts and monsters, but Gu Yanchen remained calm. Compared to Shen Junci’s indifference, Gu Yanchen seemed more composed while watching the movie, his demeanor seemingly enough to deter even ghosts and demons.
Shen Junci asked him, “Captain Gu, aren’t you scared?”
Gu Yanchen said, “If you don’t do anything shameful, what is there to fear? Ghosts, corpses, they’re all cleaner than people.”
The more cases he dealt with, the more he was convinced that the most terrifying thing was always human nature.
The two of them sat in the middle of the golden seats and watched the two and a half hours of the movie. They occasionally made comments while watching. This was a rare moment of tranquility, away from cases and the complexities of their work, just enjoying the movie.
Today was quite accommodating, the city was very quiet with no major cases, and they sat side by side in this dark theater, eating popcorn and sipping drinks without any interruptions. There were no ghosts in the movie; everything had a rational explanation in the end. As they reached the latter part of the movie, the story entered its climax. With the intervention of the police and the gradual unraveling of the truth through reasoning, what was revealed was the twisted nature of humanity, along with its steadfast love.
Parents, relatives, friends, everyone seemed to love each other desperately, but that love wasn’t pure; it was mixed with selfishness. So love turned into a kind of injury, leaving people scarred. By the end of the movie, it seemed like a deluxe version of a suspense novel stepping into science. Though strange, everything could be explained, as long as one understood the logic behind it.
As the movie ended, they walked along the aisle towards the exit and saw the young couple still arguing. Gu Yanchen suddenly realized that while the movie was exciting, its viewpoints might not be suitable for couples to watch together. After watching, they might only feel that love was a twisted burden, a perverted possessiveness.
Captain Gu tried to figure out how to smooth things over, not wanting to scare off his little medical examiner on their first date. Of course, by “scare off,” he didn’t mean the horror and excitement in the movie; Shen Junci wasn’t afraid of those. He feared that the movie might affect him psychologically, leading to despair about love.
They descended the stairs.
Gu Yanchen said, “I feel like the emotions depicted in the movie can’t be considered love. Love isn’t just about physical companionship. If it’s only about physical intimacy, it’ll lead to loneliness. Some people naively think that liking someone is an impulse, it’s me being good to you, and you being good to me. But in reality, this kind of liking doesn’t last. Long-lasting relationships are built on mutual understanding.”
Shen Junci remained silent, so Gu Yanchen continued, “So, love is difficult to sustain between two completely different individuals. Different people might come together initially out of curiosity, but in the end, they need to accommodate each other, losing themselves in the process. Love also can’t last between two completely similar individuals; it’s like one hand caressing the other, lacking passion, unable to withstand the test of time.”
Upon hearing this, Shen Junci finally spoke up, “My view of love is different from what’s depicted in this movie. Those who love each other are inevitably two different individuals, and love is a process of guiding and conquering each other. If I were to summarize it with a suitable term, it would be taming.”
Gu Yanchen felt a connection and couldn’t help but quote, “If you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world.”
As they reached this point in their conversation, they had just exited the theater’s aisle, arriving on the second floor of the mall. There weren’t many people around, and it had quieted down. Suddenly, there was a light click, perhaps indicating a problem with the mall’s electrical wiring; the side they were on suddenly experienced a power outage. The other half of the hall, in contrast, remained illuminated, but this side plunged into darkness.
In the darkness, Shen Junci gazed at him. “Captain Gu, are you pursuing me?”
He had sensitively detected the direction of the conversation.
Gu Yanchen replied, “If you’re willing.”
After spending so much time together, they could both feel each other’s care and concern, but they were busy with work most of the time, and being close colleagues, Gu Yanchen was composed, and Shen Junci didn’t bring it up.
With the topic now clear, Gu Yanchen seemed to think it should be more formal. He took a step towards Shen Junci, the boundary line of a safe distance. Standing still meant being friends, colleagues; moving forward a bit more would transition to intimacy, or even lovers.
“I really like you,” Gu Yanchen’s voice was deep, like a spell. Before this, Gu Yanchen had pondered on how to say these words, whether to be serious or romantic, whether to accompany them with a starry sky or fine dining. In the end, he thought being natural might yield better results. That way, in case of rejection, it wouldn’t be too awkward, and it wouldn’t affect their professional relationship.
Shen Junci felt that if Gu Yanchen took one more step forward, he wouldn’t be able to resist. The man in front of him was strikingly handsome.
Doctor Shen lowered his head, hiding his expression in the darkness. He had eagerly anticipated this moment, but now that it had arrived, he felt a bit overwhelmed. His first reaction was panic. Since returning from hell, he had carried a grudge, wagering life itself, feeling as though he was walking on a tightrope. He was prepared for death at any moment. And about those things he had hidden… would he discover that he was Lin Luo? If he found out that he had been Lin Luo, would he feel that he wasn’t being honest enough? Would their relationship affect the progress of the plan?
It was like trying to solve a puzzle with unknown solutions.
After a long silence, Shen Junci spoke, his voice hoarse and restrained, “Do you think you understand me enough?”
He had such a past, hiding too many secrets, carrying too many burdens.
“I think I might understand you enough,” Gu Yanchen spoke, his gaze intense. “And even if I don’t understand you enough now, I can learn more about you in the future.”
Shen Junci remained silent, unable to decipher the meaning behind those words.
Seeing him silent for a long time, Gu Yanchen felt a twinge of disappointment, though his voice remained as steady as ever, “It’s okay, you don’t have to rush to answer. I can wait for you.”
As he spoke, Gu Yanchen shifted one foot, preparing to turn and continue walking forward. At the moment he turned, Shen Junci suddenly snapped out of his reverie. Since he couldn’t figure out the answer, he decided not to think about it. After all, those predictions about himself had never been accurate. His heart was pounding in his chest as he reached out and grabbed Gu Yanchen’s arm.
Gu Yanchen paused in his steps, turning back to look at Shen Junci with a hint of surprise. Shen Junci began to respond but was interrupted by a cough, his heart pounding.
Gu Yanchen asked, “Can I…?”
Shen Junci suppressed his racing heart and said softly, “You can… try to pursue me.”
In the past, he couldn’t confirm Gu Yanchen’s feelings, but he longed for that warmth. He had been suppressing his emotions in this conflict, but if Gu Yanchen also liked him, maybe he should let go of some of the things he carried. So his answer wasn’t a yes or a no, but a willingness to give it a try. It was like a snail slowly extending its tentacles from its shell, cautiously reaching out.
As he finished speaking, the shops around them suddenly lit up as the power came back on. The light illuminated Shen Junci’s face, allowing Gu Yanchen to see the contours of his brows, the lashes covering his eyes, and the sparkle within his pupils.
Since the deaths of Lin Xianglan and Lin Luo, Gu Yanchen felt like he was in a long, dark tunnel, unsure of where the exit was. But at this moment…Gu Yanchen felt like the whole world had lit up.
He turned around, took a step forward, and then hugged Shen Junci. They could hear each other’s heartbeat, their breaths close.
Gu Yanchen leaned in close to Shen Junci’s ear and said, “Thank you for giving me this chance. I’ll work even harder to make it official.”
Although it was already past 10 pm, there were still many people in the mall. They took the elevator downstairs and encountered a row of claw machines on the first floor.
Gu Yanchen asked, “Want to try the claw machines?”
Shen Junci hadn’t played this game much as a child, but now he was interested. Remembering Gu Yanchen’s marksmanship at the night market, he asked, “Are you good at claw machines too?”
Gu Yanchen replied, “I’m decent. But it’s been many years since I’ve played.”
Shen Junci could predict that when Gu Yanchen said “decent,” it probably meant he was very skilled. At this moment, a detective and a medical examiner were filled with childlike excitement as they stood in front of the claw machines, ready to give it a try.
Gu Yanchen exchanged some coins for tokens, then let Shen Junci have the first try. Shen Junci felt like the box full of dolls was akin to a human body filled with organs. He attempted to grab a small plush toy. Having only watched others play in the past, he lacked a sense of touch and quickly failed, wasting a turn.
Gu Yanchen noticed and stepped in to demonstrate. He calmly explained to Shen Junci, “There’s a knack to playing these machines. When the claw descends, you have to aim precisely. Usually, the claw’s strength isn’t enough to hold the weight of the toy, so you have to use momentum…”
The claw machine suddenly seemed to obey him, accurately hooking a small fox plush. As Gu Yanchen spoke, there was a creaking sound, and the plush toy was dropped. It seemed he was quite adept at handling semi-mechanical things; they seemed to come to life in his hands. Sniper rifles, claw machines—it was all the same.
Watching Gu Yanchen effortlessly succeed, Shen Junci realized that his attempt was nothing like that. But he was smart, and with agile hands and a quick mind, after practicing once more, he made significant progress. He managed to grab the toy, but unfortunately, it landed very close to the exit.
With a sigh, Shen Junci stepped aside. “You go ahead; I’m just wasting tokens.”
Gu Yanchen said, “Give it another try. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll help you.”
Shen Junci gave it another shot, and as the game reached its end, Gu Yanchen gave the joystick a slight nudge. Shen Junci felt Gu Yanchen’s warm hand covering his right hand as they worked the controls together. Shen Junci could even feel the calluses left from Gu Yanchen’s grip on a gun.
Shen Junci pressed the switch with his left hand, and the toy dropped perilously, landing accurately. Cooperating together, they finally managed to grab the toy.
Gu Yanchen took two toys and handed one to Shen Junci, saying, “One for each of us.”
Shen Junci took the toy and placed it in the bag in his hand. It seemed that whenever he was with Gu Yanchen, Gu Yanchen always seemed to conjure up various gifts. From toy trains to Pikachu and now these plush toys, and he loved every single one of them.
As they continued on their way, Shen Junci asked, “Captain Gu, when did you learn this skill?”
Gu Yanchen replied, “I practiced because of my mom. When she was young, she loved trying new things. Claw machines weren’t as common back then, but she loved them. She would always drag me along, using my liking for them as an excuse to play. I knew she’d be sad if she couldn’t grab a toy, and happy if she did. So I saved up my breakfast money and secretly went to practice. I got so good that the owners of those shops almost banned me.”
Then Gu Yanchen shared some stories from his childhood. In the past, Gu Yanchen rarely spoke about his family or his childhood. But now, he opened up. Shen Junci could feel that Gu Yanchen, who grew up with his mom, was completely different from him, who grew up without a mother. He was mature beyond his years, which was both admirable and heartbreaking.
Thinking back now, Gu Yanchen’s composed demeanor probably had something to do with his childhood experiences. He was mature, independent, and responsible from a young age, willingly sharing the household chores and even becoming his mother’s pillar of support.
As they talked, Shen Junci suddenly remembered something. Back when Lin Xianglan was still alive, he often mentioned Gu Yanchen to him. One day, unable to bear it, he asked Lin Xianglan, “Is Gu Yanchen really so much better than me?”
Lin Xianglan thought for a moment and used a metaphor, “Gu Yanchen is like a star, with a fixed and stable orbit, like the sun. Whenever you look up, you’ll find the sun shining brightly. As for you, you’re like a planet with an uncertain orbit, unpredictable. If you’re not careful, no one knows where you’ll end up.”
At that time, he was resentful, thinking that Lin Xianglan was favoring Gu Yanchen again. But now, as he recalled this metaphor, he suddenly realized that perhaps there was some truth to it.
The two of them walked to the entrance of the mall together, and Shen Junci noticed that it had rained during the time they were watching the movie. The rain was heavy and urgent, carrying a hint of autumn cold, blowing with the wind. Although not far from their neighborhood, if they were to run back without an umbrella, they would likely get soaked.
Gu Yanchen glanced around and saw that the supermarkets nearby were already closed, but there were stalls selling umbrellas not far from the subway entrance, about several tens of meters away from them. People coming out of the subway crowded around the vendors, scrambling for the few remaining umbrellas, and it seemed there weren’t many left.
Gu Yanchen handed his bag and doll to Shen Junci, “Wait for me here, I’ll go buy an umbrella.”
Without waiting for Shen Junci to reply, he turned and ran into the rain. Shen Junci hesitated for a moment, then placed the bag and doll in a large bag and waited for Gu Yanchen. The bag was a black detective handbag that Gu Yanchen usually carried with him during investigations, containing some documents and the like.
While waiting for Gu Yanchen to return, Shen Junci suddenly felt a tightness around his waist, as if someone was hugging him.
A child’s voice exclaimed, “Dad, I found you!”
With one hand holding things, Shen Junci instinctively grabbed the child’s wrist with the other hand, frowning in vigilance as he turned around. The child wore a hat that covered half of his face. He seemed to have mistaken Shen Junci for someone else, and upon realizing it was a stranger, he quickly let go of Shen Junci’s hand.
At this moment, a man wearing a mask hurriedly ran out of the mall and pulled the child away, apologizing, “I’m sorry, it’s crowded because of the rain, my son mistook you for someone else.” After saying this, he tugged at the child, “Quickly apologize to the uncle.”
The child lowered his head, hiding his face completely under the brim of the hat, and said in a childish voice to Shen Junci, “I’m sorry.”
It wasn’t a big deal, and Shen Junci didn’t pay much attention to it. After the father and son apologized, they quickly left. After they were gone, Shen Junci frowned, feeling that something was off, but he couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was.
The man wore a mask, the child wore a hat, both were somewhat obscured, so when Shen Junci tried to recall their appearance, he couldn’t remember at all. He turned around to look for them again but found no trace.
During this time, Gu Yanchen returned. He noticed Shen Junci’s unusual expression and shook off the water droplets on him, asking, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Shen Junci turned his head and said, “A child mistook me for someone else, then his father came.”
Gu Yanchen had seen Shen Junci talking to the man from a distance just now but didn’t pay much attention. “Let’s go back. Unfortunately, I was a bit late, and there’s only one umbrella left…”
The rain was too heavy, and after running back and forth for a while, he basically protected only his upper body; below the chest was soaked, and water dripped from his hair. Shen Junci took out a tissue to wipe him. His gaze unintentionally fell downward, noticing that Gu Yanchen’s clothes were wet, clinging to his skin, outlining his figure, which was discernible.
Seeing Shen Junci’s dazed expression, Gu Yanchen asked curiously, “Junci, what are you staring at?”
Shen Junci hurriedly looked away, not realizing Gu Yanchen had changed his way of addressing him. “…What did you just say?”
Gu Yanchen opened the umbrella he held, “There’s only one umbrella. Come closer so you won’t get wet.”
Shen Junci nodded and followed Gu Yanchen into the rain. The wind and rain were strong, and as soon as they stepped into the rain, they heard the sound of water pouring from the sky. Shen Junci could feel the rain wetting his pants, and soon his knees and below were all soaked. The umbrella was only big enough to cover their heads and upper bodies. Sharing one umbrella was a bit insufficient, and Gu Yanchen’s umbrella was completely tilted towards Shen Junci’s head.
Shen Junci nudged the umbrella towards Gu Yanchen, “Captain Gu, your umbrella is too tilted.”
Gu Yanchen then put his arm around Shen Junci’s shoulder, “Then come closer, we won’t get wet together.”
Shen Junci let him hold him and quickened his pace with his head down. Gu Yanchen had a clean and pleasant smell on him. His clothes were wet and slightly cool, but his hands were warm, emanating a comforting warmth.
Outside, the wind and rain were strong, but under this umbrella, it was warm and quiet. Shen Junci’s gaze lowered, and he could see Gu Yanchen’s waist and abdomen. He was too familiar with it, a moment of occupational hazard.
The external oblique muscle has eight muscle teeth, corresponding to eight ribs. The internal oblique muscle is fan-shaped, and the rectus abdominis maintains abdominal pressure, moving lightly with breathing. The sheath of the rectus abdominis is about four to five centimeters below the navel, and below that is the linea alba, a line without blood vessels, extending to the pubic symphysis…
Shen Junci couldn’t help but lower his gaze. In the past, he could remain free from distractions. Now, it seemed he had added some entanglements with the man in front of him.
They ran all the way back to the corridor, and Gu Yanchen closed the umbrella, tidied his hair, then turned to see Shen Junci still looking at him.
Captain Gu stepped closer, “Are you getting a fever? Why is your face so red?”
Shen Junci turned his head away and coughed lightly, “Probably… got a bit hot from running…”
