RLTT CH 25

hapter 25: Late Night Snack · Harbor Bridge · Brothers · Hot Coffee

Wei Jiaxi devoured his late-night snack, barely chewing as he swallowed each bite.

Sitting beside him, Yun Shaofeng held his small plate of rice noodle rolls, watching as Wei Jiaxi ate with his head down, utterly focused. He hesitated for a moment before pushing his own plate toward him.

“Hm?” Wei Jiaxi finally looked up at him. “You’re not eating?”

Yun Shaofeng shook his head. “You go ahead. You look starving. I don’t really have much of an appetite anyway…”

“What’s wrong?” Wei Jiaxi quickly wiped his mouth and moved closer to him. “Are you feeling unwell?”

“Not really. I was just startled by you today.” Yun Shaofeng shrugged.

“You have the nerve to say that? I was the one who got scared by you.” Wei Jiaxi reached out, wrapping an arm around him. “I already knew you’d gotten bolder, but this time, you really went too far…”

“If anything, you’re the one with the guts,” Yun Shaofeng shot him a glance. “Master Jiaxi? The Master, really?”

“…Sorry,” Wei Jiaxi felt a little guilty. “I never told you before, but I also never expected things to escalate to this point.”

“No matter how things turn out, I’ve always wanted to face them with you.” Yun Shaofeng turned slightly toward him, his gaze unwavering. “From the very start, I’ve been a part of this case. No matter what happens next, don’t shut me out again, okay?”

Wei Jiaxi opened his mouth but couldn’t bring himself to say anything. He wanted to refuse, but facing Shaofeng’s direct plea, he really didn’t want to hurt him.

Wei Jiaxi let out a deep sigh and grasped Yun Shaofeng’s hand tightly. “…Starting tomorrow, we might not be able to see each other anymore.”

Yun Shaofeng hadn’t expected him to say something like that after such a long silence. He was stunned.

“After what happened today, by tomorrow, the big bosses will definitely hear about it. They won’t allow you to have any more contact with me.” Wei Jiaxi spoke calmly, as if he’d already foreseen this outcome. “The priority now is handling Wei Jiayi’s case first—there’s still a long road ahead.”

“I understand.” Yun Shaofeng slowly withdrew his arms from around Wei Jiaxi, resting his hands on his knees, looking somewhat dejected. “Our identities are too complicated. The case is what matters most, right?”

“Shaofeng…” Wei Jiaxi’s heart ached, and he immediately reached out to hold him again.

Yun Shaofeng sat there quietly for a moment without responding.

“Shaofeng, to me, nothing is more important than your safety.” Wei Jiaxi said softly. “Wei Jiayi might be temporarily detained, but he’s not the kind of person to surrender so easily. You’re still in danger. It’s not that I don’t think you can protect yourself, or that I can’t protect you… I just… need to do something. And I don’t want you to see me like that.”

Yun Shaofeng remained silent.

Wei Jiaxi felt discouraged. He placed his palm gently on Yun Shaofeng’s leg. Yun Shaofeng reached out toward his hand without looking up.

Wei Jiaxi thought he was going to push him away. A sharp pang of pain hit his chest, and just as he was about to withdraw his hand, he realized—he was being held instead.

“I really understand.” Yun Shaofeng finally spoke. “I don’t care what kind of person you are, but I know that bringing a murderer to justice… bringing down an entire syndicate… those opportunities vanish in the blink of an eye. We can’t afford to take any risks.”

He turned his head slightly to look at Wei Jiaxi. His expression was calm, but his gaze was unwavering. “Go and do what you need to do. And I’ll do whatever you need me to.”

Wei Jiaxi took a deep breath, intertwining their fingers tightly. He buried all the complicated emotions in his chest, letting them dissolve into invisible breaths that drifted away into the air.

He felt the urge to say three simple words, but he knew he shouldn’t.

For so many years, how had their lives been slowly sacrificed, bit by bit, to these dirty dealings and unreasonable desires? When would they finally be able to reach peace and normalcy?

But Wei Jiaxi said nothing in the end. He only whispered softly, “Shaofeng.”

Yun Shaofeng quickly left after that. Wei Jiaxi accompanied him downstairs, sending him off at the elevator. Neither of them said much before parting—just a single glance was enough. Even though their time together hadn’t been long, there was an unspoken understanding between them from the very beginning, so there was no need for dramatic farewells.

After seeing Yun Shaofeng off, Wei Jiaxi remained in the living room, resting for a while. It was only in the latter half of the night that he made two phone calls before heading out.

A city may never truly sleep, night after night, but even it must have moments of rest. Wei Jiaxi chose a dark-colored trench coat, wrapping himself up slightly. Under the dim streetlights that barely illuminated the path, he walked in silence toward the harbor bridge.

Yang Zhen was already there, waiting for him.

Facing this old friend of many years, Wei Jiaxi suddenly found himself at a loss for words. An apology? A warning? Casual small talk? None of them seemed appropriate. Yet, he wanted to say them all.

The two of them stood by the sea, letting the cold wind blow against them, neither speaking for a long time. Yang Zhen frowned slightly, the salty sea breeze making him wrinkle his nose.

“We’ve been brothers for so many years…” Yang Zhen gazed at the faint lights of distant boats in the bay. “For the most part, I’ve always trusted that you knew what you were doing.”

Wei Jiaxi was touched, but he could already guess what Yang Zhen would say next.

“…But this time, I don’t know if I should keep believing in you.” Yang Zhen gripped the icy railing with both hands.

“Sorry…” Wei Jiaxi stood beside him, tilting his head slightly to look at his friend’s profile. “But I still hope you’ll trust me.”

Yang Zhen let out a deep sigh. After a long silence, he suddenly chuckled and asked, “Do you still remember that bank robbery two years ago?”

Hearing that, Wei Jiaxi couldn’t help but smile. “Of course I remember. You had to clean up my mess for three whole days.”

“We finally tracked down the suspect, and when you saw that his wife was about to give birth, you stayed with them in the maternity ward for three days and nights. You waited until the mother and daughter were safe before arresting him. And you didn’t even bother filing a report to explain yourself—you just squatted there, waiting for him to turn himself in, so you could call it a voluntary surrender.” Yang Zhen punched him lightly on the shoulder. “You disappeared with a suspect for three whole days. I had to cover for you at work—I nearly risked my own job for you.”

“I know. I know everything.” Wei Jiaxi nodded firmly. “All these years, you’ve always had my back. I’ve never forgotten that.”

“Then can you tell me this time,” Yang Zhen turned to face him, his gaze serious, “what exactly are you planning to do?”

Wei Jiaxi opened his mouth but didn’t know where to begin. After hesitating for a moment, he could only say, “I can’t explain it clearly. And… maybe it’s better if you don’t know.”

Yang Zhen turned his body fully toward him, his expression even more solemn. “I was there six years ago. I saw everything with my own eyes. No one wants you and Shaofeng to be together more than I do. I know you want to save him, to protect him. But you don’t have to force yourself to walk this same path again.”

“It’s not just because of Shaofeng…” Wei Jiaxi looked troubled. “I know we’re safe today thanks to you. That’s exactly why I want to put an end to all of this.”

After knowing each other for so many years, Yang Zhen understood Wei Jiaxi well. He knew that while Wei Jiaxi was impulsive, he was neither reckless nor incapable of planning. On the contrary, he always kept his thoughts to himself, charging headfirst in the direction he had chosen without hesitation. Most of the time, he did the right thing. But he never considered the price—especially the people who would worry about him.

Yang Zhen couldn’t help but recall the scene from six years ago. Wei Jiaxi and Yun Shaofeng, their bodies separated by a single wall. Two hearts that had once been so close were forced apart, farther than they had ever been before.

He sighed again and patted Wei Jiaxi on the shoulder. “You should know by now—given my current position, it’s hard for me to say much anymore. I will do everything I can to protect Shaofeng, but as for the situation with Hongsheng and Xin Qing, only the Organized Crime Bureau and CIB have the authority to intervene. If anything happens… I might not be able to provide backup right away.”

“I understand.” Wei Jiaxi’s response was sincere. “The fact that you still trust me at all—I’m already deeply grateful for that.”

“Wei Jiaxi, you have to remember—some things, you don’t have to carry alone,” Yang Zhen looked at him seriously, still trying to convince him to abandon his plan. “I know the past has put a lot of pressure on you, but… I’ve always believed that there’s a better way, one that doesn’t require you to throw yourself into this completely.”

“Maybe there is another way,” Wei Jiaxi’s gaze drifted into the distance, tinged with bitterness. “But this is the most effective one. Perhaps… this is fate.”

“No matter what, I still hope you will think this through carefully.” Yang Zhen handed him a small slip of paper with a string of numbers written on it. “This is my private number. I change it every now and then—this is the latest one.”

“Thank you.” Wei Jiaxi accepted the note, then suddenly thought of something else. “By the way, I wanted to ask… does Prosecutor Shi have any biological sisters?”

“Shi Shi? She has a younger sister, but they’re not very close. I’ve only met her a few times.” Yang Zhen thought for a moment before asking, “Why do you ask?”

“I saw a girl at Hong Sheng who looked a lot like her. She had green hair,” Wei Jiaxi said truthfully.

Yang Zhen fell silent for a moment before saying, “I’ll go back and ask her.”

The two stood there for a while longer before Yang Zhen finally left. Watching his brother’s departing figure, Wei Jiaxi felt a wave of guilt. He knew he had caused a lot of trouble, and most of it would end up falling on Yang Zhen to clean up. But considering what he planned to do next, it was probably best not to reveal too much.

However, this night wasn’t just about meeting Yang Zhen.

Shortly after Yang Zhen left, Mo Chao sneaked over, looking suspicious as ever. Wei Jiaxi glanced at him and frowned in disapproval. “Why the hell are you wearing sunglasses this late at night?”

Mo Chao handed him a cup of hot coffee and shrugged. “Habit.”

Wei Jiaxi accepted the coffee but didn’t drink it. Instead, he stared at Mo Chao and urged, “Hurry up and talk. It’s freezing out here.”

“It’s nothing special, just what you expected.” Mo Chao’s tone was casual, as if he were talking about someone else’s business. “A bunch of cops raided the place. I only recognized one or two from Organized Crime Bureau. They stormed the building on Jiangwan Road and caught him red-handed—he was literally pulling cash out of his safe, getting ready to run.”

Jiangwan Road.

That hideout was well-hidden—so hidden, in fact, that even the models who had followed him for years had never set foot inside. His own mother didn’t even have a key.

Hearing this, Wei Jiaxi smirked playfully. “Oh? Then I don’t even need to ask—you’re the one who found the boat for him, aren’t you?”

Mo Chao showed no signs of guilt and simply laughed along. “Come on, Young Master Xi, some things are better left unsaid. No need to spell it all out, right?”

“Fine. I’m not the type to dig into old debts, but from now on, everything must be handled properly.” Wei Jiaxi stepped closer, lowering his voice slightly—a subtle warning hidden in his tone. “No funny business.”

“Relax, Young Master Xi.” Mo Chao nodded. “You’re the one who leaked the intel, and I’m working for you now. This has nothing to do with anyone else. If there’s more information you want to pass to the cops in the future, I’ll handle it with discretion.”

Wei Jiaxi took a sip of coffee, then nodded. “Good. As long as you understand. You should know by now—I have no intention of staying in this game. Once I’ve dealt with Wei Jiayi, I’m done. But if you prove yourself during this time… who knows, you might get something out of it.”

Mo Chao raised an exaggerated eyebrow. “Wow, Young Master Xi, that’s quite the tempting offer. Aren’t you afraid I’ll run straight to Uncle Wei and spill everything?”

“If you do, he’ll just find someone else to take my place. But if you help me…” Wei Jiaxi trailed off, tossing his empty coffee cup into a nearby trash can before walking away without looking back.

Mo Chao remained standing there, watching him leave.

He understood what Wei Jiaxi had left unsaid.

If he helped him, he might just have a chance to take Wei Jiaxi’s place.

…Wei Jiaxi, oh Wei Jiaxi. Just how many games are you playing at once?

Where Wei Jiaxi couldn’t see, Mo Chao let out a weary sigh, utterly exhausted.

To be continued…