FRGL chapter 32

Luo Hai hadn’t even finished reading all the messages when another one popped up.

[Are you off work yet? I made osmanthus cake, osmanthus dumpling, and osmanthus lotus root. How about you lift the ankle monitor restriction and let me bring them to the office?]

A vein twitched in Luo Hai’s temple. He quickly replied:

[Don’t even think about it.]

After what had just happened—seizing a stash of Eugene’s explosives and sending shockwaves through the prosecution office—he wanted to waltz in and deliver desserts? Luo Hai didn’t know whether to call him fearless or brainless.

Eugene’s response came almost instantly.

[Come on, I spent all day making them. I just wanted you to have the first bite after work.]

[No.]

Luo Hai’s reply was firm.

[But I’m already standing at the 100-meter boundary with the lunchbox in my hands. Are you really going to make me walk all the way back? That’s just cruel…]

The message was accompanied by a crying bear emoji.

Luo Hai felt an instant headache coming on.

He closed the message page and dialed Eugene.

“Where are you?”

“The intersection of Snack Street and the Nantes River,” Eugene’s voice was light and relaxed. “You finally got off work? Was it a busy day?”

“Thanks to you, I didn’t even have time to take a sip of water,” Luo Hai said coldly. “Stay there. Don’t move. I’m coming to pick you up.”

“Thank you, baby. You’re the best,” Eugene exclaimed in an exaggerated tone. “Working all day and still making a special trip to pick me up—I’m practically the happiest man alive—”

Luo Hai hung up with a snap before he could say anything more nauseating.

But sure enough, Eugene was obediently waiting at the boundary set by his ankle monitor, still holding the food.

He was wearing a white casual jacket, left unbuttoned at the collar, revealing a prominent Adam’s apple and a glimpse of his collarbone. His jeans fit snugly, outlining his long legs. The setting sun cast a warm glow on him, highlighting the round curve of his firm backside.

Anyone who didn’t know better might think he was some street-side gigolo.

Luo Hai parked by the roadside. Eugene cheerfully hopped into the passenger seat, placing the food containers one by one onto Luo Hai’s lap.

“Osmanthus cake, osmanthus dumplings, sweet lotus root stuffed with osmanthus—all still warm,” Eugene said, then pulled out some utensils from the bag and shoved them into Luo Hai’s hand.

Luo Hai frowned and had to push his seat back a little to prevent any soup from spilling onto the steering wheel. “Can’t you just stay put in the apartment and wait for me to come back? You had to bring all this out and run around, making my whole car smell like food?”

“So what? It’s not like I brought durian,” Eugene spread his hands. “Besides, you could just unlock my ankle monitor for a bit, and I’d go straight to your office. That way, you wouldn’t have to make a special trip—”

“And let the entire prosecution office hunt you down? Ruin the little bit of respect I just earned among my colleagues?” Luo Hai sneered. “What, do you have ADHD or something? It takes me less than ten minutes to get back from the office, and you couldn’t even wait that long?”

Eugene propped his chin on his hand and sighed. “I don’t have much time left, Luo Hai. Wanting to spend as much of it as possible with you before I die—is that so strange?”

Luo Hai paused for a moment before opening the lunchbox, then spoke coldly, “Don’t try that with me. I won’t sympathize with you. You’ve brought this upon yourself.”

Eugene chuckled, his expression still light and carefree. “I know~ That’s why I need to cherish it even more. Hurry up and try it, tell me which one is the best.”

Luo Hai opened the lunchbox, picked up a piece of osmanthus cake, and put it in his mouth, then tasted the dumplings and lotus root.

The dim yellow light of the streetlamp cast onto the car window. Luo Hai ate in silence, not making a single sound as he chewed. Eugene watched him intently, propping up his chin with a faint smile.

“How is it?”

“They’re all good.” Luo Hai nodded.

“That’s it? No further comments?” Eugene put on an exaggeratedly wounded expression. “I worked hard all day to make these small portions, then rushed over to bring them to you. I didn’t even get a chance to taste them myself.”

“You didn’t taste them, and that’s somehow my fault?” Luo Hai frowned. “You can try them now. I haven’t finished them.”

Eugene immediately leaned toward Luo Hai. Just as Luo Hai was about to feed him a piece of osmanthus cake with a spoon, Eugene’s lips bypassed the spoon entirely and landed directly on Luo Hai’s.

A deep, lingering kiss, carrying a hint of mischief.

The small piece of osmanthus cake fell onto Luo Hai’s pants.

Heat spread from their lips, igniting every nerve in Luo Hai’s body, expanding through the confined space of the car. The kiss wasn’t filled with desire, but it was intimate enough, as if Eugene was savoring every inch of his mouth, imprinting his warmth and taste deep into his soul.

When a sparrow flew over the car roof, Eugene finally let go of Luo Hai. His amber eyes glowed with the satisfaction of a successful prank. He stuck out his tongue and licked his lower lip. “Sweet. It really is delicious.”

Luo Hai’s breathing had yet to fully steady. “You’re unbelievably childish sometimes.”

With that, he picked up the fallen piece of osmanthus cake and tossed it out the window, then snapped the lid back onto the lunchbox and shifted gears. “Let’s go. We’re heading back.”

Eugene smiled as he helped pack up the lunchbox, watching as Luo Hai turned the steering wheel with one hand. His defined fingers reflected the dim glow of the streetlamp, looking impossibly seductive from every angle.

The weather was beautiful that night. The sky stretched high and deep, filled with countless stars. The moon, pristine as white jade, was cradled among them, quietly gazing down at the earth.

A row of maple trees lined the road leading back to the apartment. Red leaves blanketed the ground, appearing especially vibrant under the sunset glow.

A few schoolgirls walked along the road, chatting and laughing, snacking as they pulled out their phones to take pictures. One of them said something, and the other two quickly stood in front of a maple tree, striking a pose for the camera, capturing their youth, their smiles, and their treats all within the frame.

Luo Hai slowed the car, passing by the girls at a gentle pace. Their laughter briefly slipped through the crack in the window.

Eugene smiled as he watched them, waiting until they disappeared from sight before suddenly speaking.

“When I die, will you miss me, Luo Hai?”

“What kind of stupid question is that?” Luo Hai frowned.

“People just like to ask stupid questions sometimes,” Eugene said breezily, spreading his hands. “If someone had to stay smart all their life, it’d be exhausting. Answering dumb questions every now and then is good for mental health.”

When it came to these kinds of conversations, Eugene always had an endless supply of twisted logic. There was no winning against him with conventional reasoning, so Luo Hai simply gave up.

“I’ll miss the boy who took care of the sick at the orphanage, who sewed stuffed animals for the girls,” Luo Hai said flatly, eyes on the road ahead. “I won’t miss the terrorist who caused explosions, spread fear, and killed so many people.”

Eugene let out a soft chuckle. “But you can’t separate things so cleanly like that, Prosecutor Luo Hai. That careful, kind boy was me. And the terrorist who bombed the factory was also me. Just like the chubby little kid who got beaten up countless times for stealing osmanthus flowers was you. And the cold-blooded man who sent all his own people to hell is also you.”

“What’s so strange about that?” Luo Hai said indifferently. “People change.”

“I don’t think so,” Eugene smiled. “I think no matter how much people change, some things are etched into their bones and will never fade. Like the soul. Like conviction.”

Luo Hai scoffed. “If you really believe that, then you’re the biggest idiot in the world. It’s exactly because of that naive fantasy that you ended up like this. Aunt Ai, Uncle Mi, and everyone at the orphanage—they all had that same naive fantasy. And they paid the price for it.”

He turned to Eugene, his gaze cold and merciless. “You’re no different, Eugene Oddis. Soon, you’ll meet the same fate—dying miserably because of your excessive naivety and stupidity.”

Eugene was silent for a moment before tilting his head, looking thoughtful. “You’re right. I’m dying soon. Can I at least apply to kiss you twice a day? One good morning kiss, one goodnight kiss. It’s not a hassle for you, and I only have fifteen days left. Today counts as half a day, so that’s… 29 kisses in total—”

Luo Hai: “…”

Utterly hopeless.

Eugene leaned closer with enthusiasm. “So? What do you think? It’s not like you’d lose anything. Just 29 little kisses—”

“No!” Luo Hai snapped, exasperated.

Eugene sighed dramatically. “Sigh, even when I’m about to die, you refuse to grant my final wish. I won’t be leaving your name in my will, you cold and heartless man.”

Who even wants your shady money?!

Luo Hai felt like his years of near-perfect emotional control always crumbled to dust whenever he was around Eugene. It took all the patience he’d built up in his entire career just to keep himself from punching that smug face.

“Alright, alright, don’t be mad,” Eugene grinned, leaning in. “Can you pull over here for a sec?”

“What now?” Luo Hai’s patience was wearing dangerously thin. He wasn’t sure he wouldn’t just rip the gear shift out and stab Eugene with it.

“Look at that maple tree. Isn’t it beautiful?” Eugene rolled down the window and pointed at a tall maple tree under a streetlamp. “Let me take a picture before I die. You can’t just remember me as the little fat kid who followed you around—you should also remember this dashing, handsome, blond-haired man.”