Control Freak - Chapter 22

The man’s fist stopped inches away from Ye Zhou’s face, unable to move any closer. It was Guan Heng, standing behind Ye Zhou, who intervened. With a single hand, he firmly gripped the man’s wrist, applying so much force that the man emitted a pig-like squeal of pain: “It hurts, it hurts, let go—let go quickly!”

Ye Zhou was stunned for a moment, realizing that he was very close to Guan Heng, his back pressed completely against him. He turned his head slightly to see Guan Heng frowning, clearly displeased.

It was that kind of displeased look someone gets when their belongings are touched.

At this moment, Ye Zhou hadn’t quite realized this yet; all he felt was that Guan Heng was incredibly manly and handsome.

Guan Heng usually appeared gentle and refined, but it was evident that his claim of having practiced boxing was not a lie. His reflexes were quick, and his grip was astonishingly strong—he subdued the opponent with just one move. The contrast was utterly mesmerizing.

The chaos quickly came to an end. Someone called the police, who arrived swiftly and took both the man and Ye Zhou to the police station.

The focus of the commotion was entirely on the two men, while the girl remained unaffected. However, feeling grateful for the help from a stranger, she had no reason to leave without expressing her thanks, so she mustered the courage to go to the police station as well.

Ye Zhou had originally planned to spend a pleasant Christmas with Guan Heng. But, unexpectedly, his impulsive action had ruined the rest of the evening.

Realizing that it might take a while to complete the police statements and questioning, and not wanting to make Guan Heng wait, he suggested, “Sorry, why don’t you drive my car back first?”

But Guan Heng responded, “It’s fine, let’s go together. I can also serve as a witness.”

“Uh… it might be quite boring.”

“Get in the car.”

Ye Zhou couldn’t persuade Guan Heng to stay behind, so he ended up taking him to the police station as well.

This wasn’t a criminal case, and giving statements didn’t require going into an interrogation room. They each had separate interviews: the girl requested to be interviewed by a female officer, and there were no other issues.

Given that Ye Zhou’s initial claim was that ‘he was being filmed secretly,’ and since no incriminating photos were found on the man’s phone, the police focused on this discrepancy and asked, “Why did you say that at the time?”

Ye Zhou had been very confident in his accusations, but now, with Guan Heng watching, he felt quite embarrassed. There was no special reason; he was simply caught up in the moment.

In front of someone he liked, Ye Zhou was just as self-conscious as anyone else. Reflecting back, he felt that his reaction was too extreme and somewhat embarrassing, especially shouting in front of a crowd. He admitted honestly, “I didn’t want to embarrass the girl or let that man get away, so I….”

Despite his impulsiveness, Ye Zhou was considerate and thoughtful, as seen in all the details of his actions. Guan Heng waited quietly nearby, his gaze never leaving Ye Zhou.

When they finally returned home, it was already past midnight, and Christmas had ended. The mood was a bit heavy, and neither of them spoke during the drive back.

Ye Zhou wasn’t upset because the date was ruined; he was preoccupied with the police’s words. Although he had given statements and recorded his account, the likelihood of a formal case was slim. The man was a repeat offender and knew how to exploit legal loopholes. The photos he took were too blurry, and he argued that he hadn’t physically touched the girl, so it didn’t qualify as sexual harassment. For someone so slippery, the police could only make a record of it; they were powerless to do more.

Ye Zhou felt inexplicably frustrated, not quite understanding what was bothering him.

After parking the car at his doorstep, Ye Zhou took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, trying to shake off the unpleasant events. He quickly regained his composure and felt a bit guilty towards Guan Heng. He was the one who had invited him out, only to make him wait at the police station for two hours. Ye Zhou looked at Guan Heng with sincere regret and said, “I’m sorry, tonight’s date turned out to be a bit of a mess. Next time, I’ll definitely—”

However, Guan Heng didn’t seem to mind: “You did well.”

Ye Zhou was taken aback. Although Guan Heng didn’t explicitly state it, Ye Zhou understood what he meant. He even felt somewhat comforted, as if Guan Heng could understand what he was thinking.

Guan Heng continued, “The law has its flaws, and not every criminal can be brought to justice, which is indeed disappointing. But for the victims, your action of standing up for them is a beacon of hope in their hopeless situation.”

Hearing this, Ye Zhou suddenly recalled seeing the girl’s boyfriend come to pick her up when they left the police station. After meeting, they embraced tightly. The girl had run to the cinema alone, upset after an argument with her boyfriend, which is how she ended up in such a sitation. The girl was indeed very shy and possibly traumatized, barely able to speak, but despite everything, she had deeply bowed to Ye Zhou in gratitude for his bravery.

Ye Zhou thought about it and realized that was indeed the case; the tension in his heart seemed to finally dissipate. At the same time, he felt that he liked Guan Heng even more now.

He looked at Guan Heng, who was also gazing back at him. Perhaps due to the dimness of the car, Ye Zhou felt that Guan Heng’s gaze was even deeper than usual.

At that moment, Guan Heng spoke: “Have you really thought this through, Ye Zhou? Everyone has flaws, and I’m no exception. It’s still not too late to turn back.”

Ye Zhou had just discovered that he liked Guan Heng even more; there was no way he would turn back now. Since he had struggled with his feelings for so long and still felt this way, nothing could stop him: “Do you have a tendency for domestic violence?”

Guan Heng was clearly taken aback by Ye Zhou’s question but answered nonetheless: “No, I don’t.”

Ye Zhou smiled at him: “Since that’s the case, there’s nothing to be afraid of. I definitely can’t beat you in a fight, though I might not be able to out-argue you either. But as long as we can discuss things reasonably, we can communicate well. As for flaws, I have many myself. I’ve already done embarrassing things in front of you, so I’m not afraid of you laughing at me. Being together is about this kind of acceptance; even if you try hard to hide your flaws, I still want to understand you better.”

Guan Heng continued to ask: “What if it’s something unreasonable?”

“Then I’ll accept that too,” Ye Zhou answered with a smile, his eyes clear. “What can I do? I like you so much.”

“Ye Zhou.”

“Hmm?”

“I really like how honest you are.”

Guan Heng leaned in, his left hand gripping the back of Ye Zhou’s neck. Ye Zhou’s breath caught, the warmth of Guan Heng’s breath brushing against his lips.

Ye Zhou could smell the comforting, warm woody fragrance on Guan Heng. Guan Heng had a firm hold on his hair, tilting his head slightly. Once Ye Zhou regained his senses, he immediately wrapped his arms around Guan Heng’s neck and responded to the kiss with equal fervor.

At that moment, Guan Heng’s phone buzzed twice in his pocket, but neither of them paid it any attention. A few seconds later, the phone buzzed persistently two more times before finally stopping.

[Guan Heng, you haven’t replied to my messages.]

[I’ve returned to my home country.]

[Can I come see you?]

[…I miss you very much.]