Certificate of Conformity (Chapter 8)

I'm finally back from the middle of nowhere, guys... So sorry, but I've been exiled shipped out to my maternal grandparents' farm since December cause I had another episode and they thought that some fresh air away from pollution and technology would do me good... tbh, other than sleeping and eating, all I did was listen to old stories from grandma and watch old action movies with grandpa.. they didn't have wi-fi (#thehorror, #howcanpeoplelivelikethat) I actually only managed to get back cause my paternal grandad is turning 80 in a few days and we're preparing a huge party for him.. I won't be able to update more chapters this week cause I'll be busy with the sh*tload of relatives that are squeezing into our house, and I don't want dem cousins asking me what I'm doing on my laptop---one wiped out hard drive is enough, tyvm. Btw, I only glanced through these, so if you see some mistakes, just holler in the comments below, TY!
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When Chen Heng said this, his expression was gentle and soft. He looked at Song Wenze with a slight smile and the latter couldn’t help but stare blankly at him. A few seconds passed, Song Wenze snapped out of his daze and asked in surprise: "Brother, why do you want to buy a second-hand car, ah?" Without waiting for Chen Heng to even open his mouth, he went on to say: "If you want to buy a car, you should think of buying a new one. If you don’t have enough money, I can make Yichen pay for you."

Saying this, he turned to Ou Yichen: "Yichen, you’ll agree, right?"

Ou Yichen looked at Chen Heng with a profound gaze before nodding gently. "Su Yi, you’re my best friend. Just buy the car and leave the rest to me."

Chen Heng had already guessed that these two people would oppose him and shook his head. "No need. I just wanted to take the driver’s test, but I’m not that familiar with how to drive a car yet, so I was planning on using a second-hand car for practice." Seeing that the two people in front of him still had looks of disapproval, Chen Heng laughed and unhurriedly said: "Once I get used to driving, I’ll exchange it for a new car, okay?"

"Good." Song Wenze finally nodded his head, then softly asked, "When are you going to buy the car?"

Chen Heng’s eyes glazed over as a glint passed through, "Next week."

"Okay, I’ll accompany you then."

After agreeing with Song Wenze on a good time to meet up, Chen Heng’s mood was very relaxed and joyful. He even began to fantasize about what Song Wenze’s broken body would look like after the ‘accident’.

Just thinking about that scene really makes one’s blood boil.

But before that, he had to deal with the man who dared to fantasize* about him, stalk him, and peek* at him. 

[T/N: the fantasize above refers to sexual fantasy, the peek is 偷窥 which means acting like a voyeur or a peeping tom]

***

The next day was Sunday.

Song Wenze went out early to go on a date with Ou Yichen.

The house was very quiet. Chen Heng sat on the beige sofa with his head bowed down, looking at the phone number on his screen. He thought it over for a few seconds before pressing the call button.

After half a minute, the call was picked up and Xia Ming’s clear and melodious voice was heard: "Hello?"

"Xia Ming, right?" Chen Heng’s eyes squinted against the bright sunlight pouring through the window.

The young man on the other end of the phone appeared to be quite excited: "Why are you calling me? Isn’t it your day off today?" As if realizing that this question appeared to be somewhat inappropriate, the youth stammered: “Is there something you want?”

Chen Heng’s eyes drooped down, and there was a faint smile in his tone. "Ou, I’m not busy today and I have nothing to do, but I was thinking of going downtown to stroll around the zoo. Going there alone would be too boring, so I was looking for someone to go with me"

"Ou, so it’s like this ah."

“Is now a convenient time for you?” Chen Heng asked.

"Convenient. Of course it’s convenient." Xia Ming started to talk in a hurry.

Chen Heng bowed his head and took a sip of his coffee. "Do you know where I live?"

"En, I know. Wait for a moment, I will come right away."

"Okay, I’ll be waiting for you." The smile on Chen Heng’s face deepened, and his eyes were dark and unclear. "Call me when you arrive."

After hanging up the phone, he placed it on top of the coffee table in front of him. He took his eyes off of it for a moment, when out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of an unread message notification. He picked up his phone again, opened his inbox, and immediately found a message from an unfamiliar number.

It said: Come to the company to work overtime.

There was no signature, and the time stamp showed that it was sent at 7:30.

Chen Heng carefully thought about it for a moment. At that time, he was right in the middle of making breakfast, and he didn’t hear the sound notifying him that a text message arrived.

He pondered for a few seconds before he decided to dial the number, and while waiting for the call to be connected, he was already thinking of excuses to decline the order.

After a few seconds, the call was answered but no sound could be heard from the other side.

Chen Heng had no choice but to politely ask: "May I know who this is?"

"It's me, Qi Wei." Qi Wei’s rough and gorgeous voice was heard on the phone.

Chen Heng did not wonder about how the other party got a hold of his phone number, he awkwardly said: "I am sorry, but I have a small urgent matter to attend to today so I cannot come to the company to work overtime."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No need, it’s not a big deal."

The young man on the phone was silent for a moment. "That's alright."

"En."

Chen Heng waited, and seeing that the other party didn't have the intention to hang up first; he couldn't help but say: "Then... byebye?"

"See you tomorrow." Then the call was disconnected.

Chen Heng quickly threw this incident at the back of his mind and patiently waited for Xia Ming to arrive.

Forty minutes later, his phone rang again. After taking the call and saying a few words to Xia Ming, he strode down the stairs. When he arrived at the entrance to his neighbourhood, he immediately spotted a car parked on the other side of the road. Xia Ming lowered the car window, “Get on.”

This time, Chen Heng did not choose to sit on the back seat as per usual but on the passenger seat. “It turns out that you have a car, ah.”

"En, but I normally don’t use it when I go to work."

Chen Heng nodded, this car was just your average car which was in line with Xia Ming’s identity, but Chen Heng still feels that there’s something fishy. His eyes motionlessly fall upon Xia Ming’s face; the other party still had long bangs as before and was wearing a dark colored jacket with the zipper pulled all the way up, just enough that it covered the youth’s chin. Chen Heng carefully observed the other person’s face, looking for similarities with the photos on the ID cards he looked up a while ago.

Seemingly aware of Chen Heng’s blunt stare, Xia Ming’s face turned slightly red, "What are you looking at?"

"I’m looking at you, ah."

"Eh?"

Chen Heng smiled softly. "This is the fourth time we’ve met, but I still haven’t seen your face properly." Putting on a joking demeanor, his voice suddenly took on a lighter tone; his eyes looked as if they contained some dark devilish power, his husky voice bewitchingly said: "Can you let me take a look?"

The tips of the youth’s ear flushed red; he lowered his eyes and didn’t speak.

Chen Heng leaned towards him, his slender fingertips stroked the youth’s right ear, and they unconsciously moved down to the side of his neck.

He asked once again: "Can you?"

Xia Ming felt that he was surrounded by Chen Heng; he breathed in the man’s scent and began to slightly pant. He opened his mouth, eventually letting out a groan as his sign of agreement.

Chen Heng’s eyes flashed, he leaned down and pushed the youth’s long bangs aside. Then, a clean and delicate face was imprinted in his eyes.

The youth's eyes and brows were clear, his nose was straight and refined, and his lips were delicate and exquisite. His overall facial features were soft and eye-catching, it’s just that his skin was somewhat pale, and it made him look like a sickly person.

But his temperament can't fool anyone.

How can this kind of person possibly be a courier?

Chen Heng suddenly smiled, and this smile appeared to be bursting forth, like a huge net used to entrap his enemies, "You look really good. But don’t leave your bangs this long in the future, it’s a pity that you should cover your face like this" This one thinks that you look much better on the photo of your ID card.

Xia Ming shyly blinked his eyes while blushing, and his long eyelashes gently brushed against Chen Heng’s fingertips. "Didn’t you want to go to the zoo?"

"En." Chen Heng lightly stroked his hair. "Let's go."

Xia Ming started the car and set off towards their intended destination. Along the way, he was somewhat restless; the man he was secretly in love with was sitting next to him. His heart was beating in excitement. He really wanted to directly drive his car home, lock this man up and enjoy him alone.

But it’s daytime right now, he can't act rashly or the other party might discover something.

In order to divert his attention, Xia Ming spoke in a low voice: "Do you remember the first time we met?"

The first time we met?

Chen Heng carefully thought back on it. "Wasn’t it at the bus a month ago?"

Xia Ming shook his head and his eyes held a faint trace of mystery. "That’s not it."

It’s not?

Chen Heng lifted his eyes to look at him seriously; he could basically conclude that the young man had met him before.

The anonymous letter directly indicated his real surname. The only possibility is that the sender was also a member of the x organization. This could also explain what the youth meant about the first time they met. Chen Heng was used to keeping to himself inside the organization. He was normally occupied with researching and developing various advanced instruments and equipment. Basically, he couldn’t be bothered to communicate with his other colleagues so it wasn’t out of the ordinary for him to not recognize Xia Ming.

Pretending not to know anything, Chen Heng asked: "When was that, ah?"

Xia Ming gave a shallow laugh, "I’ll tell you later."

Chen Heng listened, and lightly laughed back.

Since this Xia Ming was from the same organization as him, then how did he come here? If he was just an ordinary person, then Chen Heng could kill him using all kinds of cruel means without the slightest hesitation; but if this was a colleague of his, then he’ll need to think about it carefully before he kills him.

After all, the other party hasn’t done anything to him in essence. Everything in this world exists in the form of data; a person in this world, if killed, would have no influence on the original world, but if that other person was a real individual like him, would that person return to the original world or was there something he wasn’t aware of?

Thinking of this, Chen Heng slowly lowered his eyes to a close to conceal his dark expression.

After arriving at the zoo, Chen Heng was already preparing for their next meeting. “In the future, if you’re bored, you can come find me and I’ll keep you company.”

Xia Ming blankly stared at Chen Heng before a look of obsession flashed through his eyes, and murmured his agreement.

Catching the look in the youth’s eyes, Chen Heng’s eyebrows rose as he showed a gentle smile, and with a voice that was even more gentle: “To be able to get to know you as a friend, I am truly very happy.” Since he can’t kill the other person right away, then he’ll just carefully place him at his side and take advantage of him when the time calls for it.

And Chen Heng already had a plan in mind to kill two birds with one stone.

***

Xia Ming's physique was relatively weak and the zoo was on an uphill road. He was gasping for breath while walking, and his complexion has turned white; he looked like he could faint at any time.

When Chen Heng saw this situation, he took the initiative to reach out to him. "Let me help you."

Looking at the slender hand that was extended right in front of him, the young man's eyes turned dark, and he did not hesitate to reach for it. The moment their palms touched, his heart faintly shook.

With Chen Heng’s help, Xia Ming’s complexion became much better, and his face even showed a bright smile. When he laughed, his eyes would turn into charming crescents, and his tiger teeth added a sense of childishness to him.

Chen Heng didn't know why the young man was smiling and laughing so much; he only felt that their palms were sweaty, sticky, and it was very uncomfortable. Of course, his face still showed a warm spring-like smile, and the sunshine sprinkling down his face only made his expression more and more gentle.

But unexpectedly, this scene fell upon a pair of long and narrow phoenix eyes that emitted a cold air.

***

The author has something to say:

Small Theatre

Chen Heng heard of the news that was quickly spreading around: Qi Wei was not satisfied with their lovemaking.

It wasn’t known how this piece of news passed through Chen Heng’s ears.

But on this day, Chen Heng took the initiative to sit on top of Qi Wei’s body.

"I didn't satisfy you?"

Qi Wei covered his crafty eyes with an innocent expression and shook his head. "I don't know what you’re talking about?"

Chen Heng smiled, then he suddenly leaned over and connected their lips. "You’re lying."

He was seen through.

Qi Wei blinked, "Would you be able to satisfy me tonight?"

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