Afterlife Department

In the midst of deafening silence, Lei Shan's phone rang. After he answered the call, he excused himself and then left without waiting for Hao Baiyun and Gu Xingfeng to answer. Seeing the two's darkened face and sharp gazes like knives stabbing each other, Lei Shan doesn't have the interest to break their stalemate. He doesn't know why the two were hostile towards each other, and he doesn't have to know.

Being the elder between them, Gu Xingfeng broke the silence. He sipped his water since the dishes have already gone cold. "How long has it been since we last met?" he asked. His voice calm as if the hostile gaze before was just an illusion.

However, hearing the question, Hao Baiyun's face darkened more. "You still have the face to ask that?" he asked as he glared at Gu Xingfeng. "Your face is really as thick as the Great Wall." He sarcastically smiled.

"Last time we met, it was another thing you're saying thick." Gu Xingfeng smiled as he looked at Hao Baiyun, his gaze obviously provoking.

Hao Baiyun gnashed his teeth in anger as his face turned red from both anger and embarrassment. "YOU - !" he said as he pointed a finger at Gu Xingfeng. However, his hand and his whole body is shaking in anger. "How vulgar!"

He met Gu Xingfeng when he was forced to take over his family's business after his father died. Because he was still young and naïve, he was drugged by a potential client. Gu Xingfeng, a police officer at that time, was tracking down a drug lord. He saw the drug lord left with Hao Baiyun. When he arrived in a hotel, he broke in the room and saw the drug lord was taking off the drugged Hao Baiyun's clothes. This drug lord is actually a pedophile. He immediately knocked down the drug lord, who sent his subordinates away since he doesn't want them to bother him when he'd rape Hao Baiyun, and then covered Hao Baiyun.

However, he didn't expect the drugged Hao Baiyun to pull him and kiss him. He didn't recognize Hao Baiyun at that time, so he thought Hao Baiyun is a male prostitute. He immediately poured cold water on Hao Baiyun's body, thus wetting the hotel's bed, too. Hao Baiyun immediately sobered up and saw Gu Xingfeng. Realizing his situation, he was shamed and angry. He slapped Gu Xingfeng, who was undercover at that time, thinking he was in cahoots with the drug lord. Then, his body still drugged, dragged himself to the nearest hospital.

Days later, Gu Xingfeng was reading the news magazine. He saw Hao Baiyun's face and learned he was an heir. He thought, Hao Baiyun must be using his face to seduce people for the sake of his company. Meanwhile, Hao Baiyun who bankrupted the drug lord's company, sneered when he didn't see Gu Xingfeng. The misunderstanding started there and ended when Hao Baiyun's uncle, who he was close to, was killed.

Hao Baiyun's uncle actually was dabbling in illegal business. A shooting broke out and his uncle was killed. It was Gu Xingfeng who killed him. When Hao Baiyun arrived in the police station, he slapped Gu Xingfeng in the public. Gu Xingfeng, who was guilty after he misfired, ignored the gazes of the people and only focused on Hao Baiyun's sorrow. Those eyes that held pain and extreme sadness. His uncle doesn't need to die, yet he died. And it was a mistake on Gu Xingfeng's part.

After that, his badge was confiscated and he had never seen Hao Baiyun again… or so he thought.

Hao Baiyun was drunk after his uncle's funeral. Gu Xingfeng happened to be in a same bar as Hao Baiyun. Hao Baiyun had offended some thugs and Gu Xingfeng saved him. However, he can't leave Hao Baiyun alone so he took him to a hotel. He was just about to leave, but Hao Baiyun woke up and teased him who had never had a girlfriend nor boyfriend, nor had a physical relationship with anyone. He endured until he couldn't hold back until, finally, they rolled in the sheets.

After that, Gu Xingfeng admitted he was attracted to the young man. Before, when Hao Baiyun was drugged, he was tempted. However, his responsibility as a police officer held him back. But now, he was no longer on duty, and it was the other party that initiated – albeit drunk. But how can he hold himself back? He isn't a saint who held no desires. He's just a human. However, as a man, he'd naturally take responsibility of what had happened.

But, fate didn't let him do it. Since when Hao Baiyun woke up, Gu Xingfeng could see the young man's face darkened. And the first sentence he spoke hurt Gu Xingfeng.

"I'll take it that I was bitten by a dog. Scram." Hao Baiyun spoke in a hoarse, but cold voice.

It was better if he had thrown things at Gu Xingfeng, since it can alleviate the guilt in Gu Xingfeng's heart. Yet Hao Baiyun didn't. The calmer he is, the guiltier Gu Xingfeng feel. Even if Hao Baiyun wasn't hurt since Gu Xingfeng had knowledge about sex between men, but they were strangers and not lovers. Furthermore, there was a grudge between them.

That was their last meeting. Gu Xingfeng followed every news about Hao Baiyun. Of course, his misunderstanding of Hao Baiyun had been cleared, as well as Hao Baiyun's misunderstanding of him before when they first met. Yet, for Gu Xingfeng, it was better to have a misunderstanding between them than grudge.

Gu Xingfeng had imagined countless ways to approach Hao Baiyun. However, what stopped him every time is Hao Baiyun's eyes. Those beautiful eyes that captured his heart was now full of hatred. He wanted to confess that he had fallen to the young man, yet, ironically, he can only act the opposite towards him to hide his feelings from the young man. The naïve Hao Baiyun was gone ever since his uncle died. Now, Hao Baiyun lives in hatred. Gu Xingfeng is at a loss how to heal the wound in Hao Baiyun's heart, since he's the one who hurt him.

Gu Xingfeng lowered his gaze, making his eyelids hide the pain and affection in his eyes. He doesn't want Hao Baiyun to see them, since he will just mock him. "You made them leave, including the film emperor… what do you want to ask me?" he asked.

"I want to know about xiao Ling's accident." Hao Baiyun said.

"Whether it was an accident or not, aren't you clearer about it than me?" Gu Xingfeng asked.

Hao Baiyun didn't answer and just stared at the table in front of him.

Gu Xingfeng saw it and he had the waiter clear their table then bring them a new set of dishes. "Shall we eat first?" he asked. He hasn't eaten earlier since he was observing Lei Shan, Huo Meiying and Lei Shan's mother. "If you won't eat, I won't tell you anything." He added when he saw Hao Baiyun didn't move.

"Acting like a caring person now?" Hao Baiyun sneered, yet he held the chopsticks.

Gu Xingfeng doesn't know what to do. He's relieved since the young man finally ate, yet the young man's mouth is as sharp as always. I remember his lips were soft and sweet… he thought as his gaze fell on Hao Baiyun's lips that opened and closed as he ate.

"What?" Hao Baiyun frowned when he noticed Gu Xingfeng's gaze.

Gu Xingfeng immediately retracted his gaze. "Huo Ling lives in three worlds: the world of the royalties, the business world… and the underworld." He said as he looked at Hao Baiyun.

Hao Baiyun's hand made a pause before he lifted his gaze and met Gu Xingfeng's gaze. What Gu Xingfeng implies, Huo Ling didn't die in an accident, but he was killed. It was already obvious.

"We have found a bomb, yet we still haven't made public about the cause of the explosion." Gu Xingfeng said. There are many ways a car can explode like engines overheating or electrical problems. They were just waiting Huo Ling's families – the Huo family and the royal family, as well as Huo Ling's father, their decision whether to made public about Huo Ling's assassination, or to make it remain an accident.

Who knows the truth, if one wouldn't pursue it? What they believe as the truth is what was recorded. Wasn't that the same with the history?

Hao Baiyun knew. The moment he heard the news of Huo Ling's death, he knew Huo Ling was killed. However, he couldn't accept it. Who is it? Who killed his brother xiao Ling? His grip on his chopsticks tightened. "I – "

"You know something." Gu Xingfeng said as he watched Hao Baiyun's expressions change.

Hao Baiyun hates him, thus he wouldn't see him. However, he did. Now. Hao Baiyun came with a purpose. And when Hao Baiyun, who would never stay in the same room as him – the man he loathes, made everyone leave, Gu Xingfeng knew Hao Baiyun has something important to tell him.

Hao Baiyun pursed his lips. "Yes." he answered.

"What is it?" Gu Xingfeng patiently said.