Wei wanted to never go back to Dixing, everything he wanted was here.
For a few blessed days he spent every night at Yunlan's house, in his bed, feeling free and whole only when he was in his arms.

Every night he could love Yunlan thinking that, come what may, it was worth it.

After the sex, they laid in the same bed and Yunlan never stopped caressing his chest or kissing his skin. Wei hated his appearance, eternal reminder of his sad life, but in those moments he could close his eyes and feel Yunlan's touch and pretend to be just a normal man with a normal life.
As long as it was possible, he would keep pretending that he could have it all.

Yunlan sensed that something was weighting on him but didn't want to pressure him with questions, hoping he would tell him when he was ready.

He didn't ask him what he did when they weren't together, and he couldn't avoid thinking about it and worrying, but he was definitely happy that Wei was there every night to go home with him.

Every night they ate together and talked, had sex and then talked some more, firmly in each other's arms.
He always answered all of Wei’s questions, puzzled that only a few were about his work and the possible dangers he had faced that day - not knowing that Wei already knew about that because he never let him out of his sight when he went after some criminal or to investigate something.

Most of Wei's questions concerned little things, like where he kept his clothes, how the washing machine worked, what he ate during the day and what food did he like most. 
Not knowing how to cook, Yunlan would always stop to pick up some food and Wei would ask to try something new, asking afterwards how he liked that, and how it was made.

Then they would go home, eat it in his kitchen talking lightly about such little things, enjoying each other's company; they washed the dishes together then went to bed.

They would start kissing as soon as they stepped out of the kitchen. Every time Wei felt like he had been living in apnea and would start breathing again only when he felt the other’s lips on him.

Their kisses lasted a long time, and Yunlan always waited until Wei was ready and the one to move towards the bed. He wanted Wei to know that it was his choice, that with him he was free to do what he chose to do, and Wei felt his heart fill with feelings so strong for this man that it almost hurt.

At Wei's first hesitant step towards the bed, Yunlan would immediately moan and move in the same direction, giving him courage. Wei was still reluctant to show him his body but the patient Yunlan would reassure him showering him with kisses.

Even without looking Yunlan could feel the scars under his fingers, and hoped one day to be able to avenge everything that had been done to his man.

Night after night they kissed endlessly, made sweet passionate love then slept in each other's arms, both wondering what was in the other's mind and heart, not knowing that it was exactly the same.

In their hearts there was a love so deep that they'd never thought it was possible to feel so much, while in both their minds there was the hope that it could last forever.

Yunlan had to work during the day, and he hated the thought of being separated from his love for long hours. He didn't know that Wei was secretly following him, worried about his safety.

Had he known, he would have been more careful.

~~~~~~~~~~

It was like a dream to Yunlan, they spent all nights together, but in the mornings he had to wake up and go to work, worrying about Wei. What was he doing now? How was he feeling?

Anxiousness was constantly growing in him at the thought that Wei was going back to that world of sadness and hardship, he couldn't focus on what he was doing and it almost cost him his life.

He was chasing a guy, trying to focus on catching up with him, knowing that the guy had no weapons and that Da Qing and Zhu Hong were arriving from the other sides ready to block all escapes, and didn't look for other unsuspected dangers.

He could see his target not too far ahead, and didn't notice that a woman had exited a corner and was staring at him raising her hand.
But someone else did.

~~~

Wei was following him as usual, he had no duties anymore, Yunlan was his only world now, when he noticed Sang and Chu looking at him with strange eyes.

He knew what that meant.
They had come for him.

He couldn't run away and leave them to be punished, but he couldn't surrender either without knowing what would be of Yunlan, without talking to him or kissing him again.

He turned his eyes on the chase and noticed the woman's strange behaviour, standing there uncaring of the escaping man running past her, her eyes focused only on Yunlan.

Wei realised immediately that she was waiting for him and he moved even before his eyes could register her movements and his brain could finish the thought.

The best thing to do would be to get there before she tried anything and take the weapon away so she could not hurt Yunlan, but he wasn't fast enough, so he only hoped to get there in time to protect him.

The woman raised her hand and it all happened in a flash. Yunlan saw the gun, she pressed the trigger and her eyes widened at the same time.

Yunlan was unharmed, but there was another man in front of him. Wei's clothes turned red as blood poured out of his stomach where she had shot him.

For an instant the world seemed to stop.

Da Qing caught the man they were chasing and held him down, ready to put handcuffs on him when he heard a gunshot and could only watch while Hong ran past him as fast as she could.

The yet unknown woman screamed seeing that her plan had failed and made to raise her hand again. Hong landed on her arm with all her strength making her drop the weapon then turned to plant her elbow on the woman's nose.

Hong pushed her harshly against the wall and bended both her arms behind her back, putting handcuffs on her wrists.

When Da Qing arrived with his own handcuffed prisoner, the woman was still screaming.

"How dare you, she's my toy, you can't keep Fang away from me."

Da Qing and Zhu Hong didn't pay her any more attention because they saw a shocked Yunlan holding a bleeding man in his arms.

The woman yelled, "I hope he dies," and kept struggling but Hong was taller and stronger, and had had enough of her.  She hit her again on the head until the woman lost consciousness.

After being shot in the stomach, Wei fell down.

Yunlan yelled, and went down on his knees to catch him in his arms. Many things were going on in his mind, where did Wei come from? What was he doing there? But most importantly, "Why?" he asked out loud.

It was a stupid question, he knew why of course, he would do the same for him, but that didn't mean that he could accept it.

Wei looked at him and smiled seeing that he was alright. "Do you think it'll leave a scar?" he said with a chuckle, spitting blood out of his mouth, and then he closed his eyes.