The moment Jian Ming stepped into "Gale Auto," he was engulfed in a bear hug, followed by Wei Dong’s wildly excited voice.

"Jian Ming! You're finally back, you big brainiac! Missed you like crazy, man!"

Wei Dong was Jian Ming's high school classmate, and pretty much the only friend he actually wanted to reconnect with since returning home. Looking at Wei Dong's perpetually carefree demeanor, Jian Ming was reminded of his own awkward, insecure teenage self. Time rushes by, yet it always leaves behind a few precious things – like Wei Dong, who’d been his steadfast protector, helper, and supporter since high school.

"Hey, how long has it been?" Wei Dong didn't even give Jian Ming a chance to speak, immediately answering his own question. "Right, I saw you when I went to the States for my honeymoon. I guess it's been about three years? Man, it feels like six or seven! Guess there's no place like home, huh?"

"Classmate Wei Dong, fancy sitting down for a chat inside?" Jian Ming laughed, patting his shoulder, subtly hinting they were still standing in the dealership doorway.

"Haha, right, right, let's go in. Sit down inside." Wei Dong rubbed his head sheepishly and led Jian Ming toward an office.

As soon as they sat, Wei Dong began fiddling with a Gongfu tea set on the coffee table. In moments, a fragrant, rich cup of Xinyang Maojian tea was presented to Jian Ming.

"Playing with tea now, are we? Looks like being a boss has treated you well these past few years." Jian Ming felt completely relaxed, bantering freely.

Wei Dong chuckled. "How can I compare to a big shot like you, PhD? I just make a bit of dirty money, enough to feed the wife and kids. These past few years, I've actually done pretty well, opened two more branches."

Wei Dong wasn't tall and always sported a buzz cut. He used to be as thin as an African refugee, but since finding a wife, he'd filled out considerably, his face showing a bit more worldliness. Still, traces of that naive teenager were clearly visible.

"I always knew you had the potential of a nouveau riche, haha..." Jian Ming rarely laughed so heartily, perhaps it was the joy of seeing an old friend.

"Uh, say, are you still... with that foreigner?" Wei Dong suddenly asked in a low, probing voice.

Jian Ming frowned slightly, momentarily puzzled, and instinctively asked, "What foreigner?"

Wei Dong awkwardly touched his nose, considering his words, then decided to just get it over with. "You know, the foreigner who picked you up and dropped you off in America last time, K-something, wasn't he your... boyfriend?"

Wei Dong had learned about Jian Ming's preference for men during college. They didn't attend the same university, but Wei Dong would often sneak over to Jian Ming's, claiming that there were beautiful women everywhere at Haida University. Before long, he hadn't seen many beauties, but one Saturday afternoon, he stumbled upon two handsome young men kissing in the dorm room. This visual shock was no less impactful to Wei Dong than sneaking a peek at his parents' hidden adult films in middle school; he'd been stunned speechless.

But what really made him fall to his knees was the revelation that one of those handsome young men was Jian Ming himself.

"Kevin?!" Jian Ming thought for a moment, then spoke a name.

"Mm-hmm, yeah, that's him! The one with the sports car and the curly blonde hair." At the mention of the name, Wei Dong's memory snapped back.

"We broke up. He was never my boyfriend." Jian Ming said flatly, draining his teacup.

"..."

"Dongzi, in this circle, it's easier to find a bed partner than a boyfriend." His voice had grown a little weary.

Wei Dong didn't know how to respond and simply refilled his cup.

"Jian Ming... couldn't you... try with a woman? Staying single like this, it's such a waste of your talent, I feel genuinely sorry for you..."

"Stop it. Some things aren't a choice." Jian Ming cut off Wei Dong's overflowing sentiments.

Ding! His phone received a message. He slid it open, a hint of a sneer on his face.

"I'm here, at the entrance."

Lu Heng had never imagined he would actually come. It felt like he hadn't even bothered with the usual pretense of agonizing over it. He silently chastised himself. Am I really going to get treated? Telling a stranger my memories, my worries? What the hell is that going to do? Are two words of comfort going to stop my hands from shaking? Lu Heng's mind was still swirling with countless small doubts.

Seeing Jian Ming emerge from the dealership, Lu Heng, standing across the street, tossed his half-smoked cigarette to the ground and stomped on it. He waved at Jian Ming, who was dressed in a casual suit. "Over here!"

Lu Heng was naturally tall, with a ramrod straight back, his posture as imposing as a pine tree. He could make anything look stylish. It had to be said, his appearance alone made him the kind of person you'd spot instantly in a crowd.

Jian Ming didn't want to cross the street, so he gestured for Lu Heng to come over. Lu Heng thought about it: Well, I came here for him. He sprinted across.

"You actually came?"

"I did."

Jian Ming waited a few seconds. Lu Heng said nothing. The two men standing at the dealership entrance formed a rather picturesque scene.

"You..."

"I..."

They spoke in perfect unison.

"You first." Jian Ming smiled.

"I... well, I just..." Lu Heng had intended to be subtle, but he simply wasn't capable of it. He decided to state his purpose directly: "I don't want to take any more medicine."

"Oh, then don't. Just listen to me." Jian Ming smiled and nodded, indicating his approval of Lu Heng's "wise" decision.

Seriously? That’s your answer? Lu Heng couldn't quite grasp Jian Ming's casual dismissal. He thought of how much mental preparation it had taken him to make that decision, and Jian Ming just brushed it aside so nonchalantly?

"And then?" Lu Heng pressed.

"And then what?" Jian Ming chuckled inwardly. What is this guy thinking? "I know why you came to find me, and I've promised to help you achieve your goal. Isn't that enough?"

"No, it's not. I need to know how you're going to do it."

Jian Ming pulled out his phone and checked his memo. "Alright, come to the consultation office tomorrow at 11 AM, and we'll talk more. Today is my personal time, and I have other things to do. You..." He gestured towards the car dealership behind him, implying, Shouldn't you, Officer Lu, be taking your leave now?

"You're buying a car?" Lu Heng deliberately pretended not to understand and casually walked into the dealership.

Knew it—talking to this guy was never gonna be easy. Jian Ming shook his head helplessly and followed him in.

Wei Dong had been leaning against the office door, staring at them for a while. He just couldn't help but feel that these two standing together were a Grade-A tourist attraction – one handsome, one dashing, one fair, one dark. Jian Ming's really something, huh? Only been back a few days, and he hasn't been idle... Seeing them walk in, he immediately dropped his playful expression and greeted them with a grin.

"Jian Ming, friend? Introduce me!" Wei Dong gave a sly smile, nudging his chin towards Lu Heng.

Jian Ming rolled his eyes internally, but kept a straight face. "Uh, just a regular friend. Don't overthink it." Explaining that Lu Heng was a patient now would be unprofessional. He sighed.

"Just... a friend? He's anything but ordinary." Wei Dong chuckled, looking at Lu Heng with a hint of suspicion as he stepped into the showroom. Lu Heng turned, and their eyes met.

Was I seeing things? Why did his smile seem a little… ambiguous?

"Hi, I'm Jian Ming's buddy, Wei Dong. Feel free to test drive anything you like." Wei Dong's greeting was bright and direct.

"Oh, your buddy's buying?" Lu Heng gestured behind him.

Jian Ming wasn't new to this kind of situation. His mind quickly calculated. By the time he reached them, he had a plan. He smoothly walked past them towards a silver-grey Land Rover Range Rover. "Dongzi, Lu Heng, come over and help me take a look," he called out. See? That's also an introduction, no need to make a big deal out of it.

He had actually decided on this car long ago, having researched its performance extensively online. He hadn't intended to browse, but now he found himself enjoying Wei Dong's earnest explanations, nodding along occasionally.

This was good. Sometimes, dealing with things was like driving: if the direct route was blocked, you took a detour. A few more bends didn't matter, a little wasted time was fine, better than being stuck and frustrated.

Just like now, Wei Dong had stopped pestering Lu Heng.

"Anyway, I just feel like this car has 'Jian Ming' written all over it. It’s a perfect match, seriously. What do you say, Lu Heng?"

Hearing Wei Dong's classic summary, Jian Ming couldn't help but sigh. Such eloquent salesmanship, a true "silver-tongued" salesman—it was a shame to see him just be a boss.

Lu Heng hadn't really caught much of what Wei Dong was saying from beginning to end. He only snapped back to attention when he heard his own name. "Oh, it's good."

"Okay, this one's settled. Do you have it in stock, Boss Wei?" Jian Ming wanted to get this done quickly.

"I'll go check. Don't worry, if this branch doesn't have it, I'll transfer it from a sub-branch. My brother-in-law owns the Land Rover 4S store, so there's no way we won't have the car." With that, he walked towards his office, grumbling, "Wait a moment, it'll be quick. This is only for you, Jian Ming. I haven't personally attended to a customer in eight hundred years."

Jian Ming smiled and shook his head, then casually slipped his hands into his suit pants pockets and walked over to Lu Heng, who was leaning against the car next door.

"Officer Lu, did you get a good look? How many moles are on my face?" 

"Damn it, that look again. Like an X-ray machine." Lu Heng cursed under his breath, lowering his head.

"Who are you cursing?" Jian Ming chuckled, a laugh escaping him.

Lu Heng's head snapped up, eyes wide. "You... you're not from Earth, are you? Got some kind of superpower?"

"Oh, so you were cursing?"

"Goddammit... just admit it!" Lu Heng felt his IQ abandoning him whenever he was around this guy. It was a crushing sense of defeat.

"Mmm, I admit it. But... you have to keep it a secret for me." Jian Ming found Lu Heng's dazed, foolish expression irresistible to tease. He leaned in, deliberately lowering his voice to a whisper near Lu Heng's ear, a playful glint in his eyes.

"Shit, I take back what I just said!" Once again, he felt his intelligence being mocked, and his face began to flush.

Damn it, did he witness my entire ten-minute daze? Lu Heng admitted he'd been staring at the guy for the past ten minutes, but honestly, he was just looking. Like reading a book, a newspaper, or watching a movie—nothing more. And besides, could he be blamed? With a face like that, wasn't it meant to be looked at?

"Counselor Jian, quite the big spender, aren't we? Looks like those high-income rumors about psychologists aren't just talk." Lu Heng smoothly changed the subject, reverting to a slightly thuggish tone.

"Heh, you flatter me. Earned through honest labor, brings peace of mind." Jian Ming didn't look at him anymore, turning his gaze towards the office.

Wei Dong had finished all the arrangements, telling Jian Ming he could pick up the car the next day. They exchanged a few more pleasantries, making plans for a Sunday dinner reunion, before finally letting them leave.

A short distance from the dealership, Jian Ming suddenly felt a spasm in his stomach. He realized he hadn't eaten anything since a glass of milk and an egg that morning, only drinking several cups of tea. His stomach, it seemed, was about to act up again.

"Lu Heng, it's getting late. I have something else to do... I'll head off now. See you... at the office tomorrow." Jian Ming gasped slightly, a pained expression on his face.

Lu Heng noticed something was off, frowning as he asked, "What's wrong?" As a special police officer, while not as adept at discerning thoughts as a psychologist, he could spot even the slightest external sign of distress.

Jian Ming bent over, one hand on his knee, the other clutching his stomach, his mouth slightly open as he forced himself to breathe in and out rhythmically.

"Jian Ming, are you having stomach pains?"

"...Uh... congratulations... you got it right."