Sunset Boulevard - Chap 2

It’d been years since Zhang Jue last met Chen Boqiao, but he felt that Chen Boqiao had changed, becoming way more troublesome than what he remembered.

Zhang Jue took fifteen minutes to get out of the car and buy sandwiches, bringing them back in a takeaway bag. As soon as he opened the door, he found that Chen Boqiao was wearing a pair of sunglasses he found from god knew where, and in his hand was a kitten around two or three months old. On Zhang Jue’s sudden appearance, the kitten in Chen Boqiao’s hand let out a pitiful whimper.

“I picked it up at the intersection,” Chen Boqiao took initiative and quickly confessed, “Its foot is injured. I found the shades in the glove compartment, I was kind of worried about being recognized.”

Zhang Jue felt a little helpless, but he didn’t want to scold Chen Boqiao, so he just passed the sandwich bag to Chen Boqiao first, got into the driver’s seat, and closed the door.

Chen Boqiao looked down and petted the kitten’s head, took off his sunglasses, and casually asked, “You upset?” He scratched the kitten’s chin, raised the kitten a little higher, and made Zhang Jue look at it again. He offered, “I’ll make it apologize to you.”

The kitten curled itself within Chen Boqiao’s hands becoming very small, and looked terrified of the stranger.

“I’m sorry,” Chen Boqiao gently held the kitten’s paw and whispered.

Zhang Jue lowered his eyes and stared at the kitten. In his peripherals, he saw Chen Boqiao’s elegantly straight nose and perfect brow ridge. His heartbeat instantly started jumping irregularly. The words “It’s okay” felt dry in his throat and stuck for a long time before he could say them.

On the way to the safe house, Chen Boqiao put the kitten on his lap and teased it occasionally.

Zhang Jue had never been too interested in fluffy animals, but because Chen Boqiao picked up the cat, he decided to show his concern, “Where is it hurt? I don’t see anything wrong.”

“It’s limping.” Chen Boqiao speculated, “Might have been run over by a passing car.”

Zhang Jue didn’t know what to say. After thinking for a while, he asked, “Do you want to get it treated?”

He actually wasn’t sure if there was a veterinarian in this town. If there was a pet hospital or shelter that would keep the cat for them if they paid, that’d be nice. If not, from what he could see from Chen Boqiao’s attitude, he wanted to bring it with them as they ran from the government.

“We should probably find someplace to treat it,” Chen Boqiao suggested while playing with the cat.

“Then I’ll go out to find something at night,” Zhang Jue responded.

The town’s not big, but there were many small alleys and narrow roads. Zhang Jue drove the car carefully, following the map of the town ingrained in his memory, took a lot of turns, and reached the safe house with no problems. “We’re here.”

“Zhang Jue,” Chen Boqiao observed in the dark, “You really know your way around here.”

Zhang Jue didn’t know how to answer, so he replied with “Sure”.

Of course he knew it well.

The escape route they’d take had been taken to heart and memorized countless times, and may never be forgotten.

Every important item’s location, every backup plan and escape route, even all the constructional blueprints of the shantytown where the safe house is located, Zhang Jue could recall instantly when he closes his eyes.

He let Chen Boqiao and the cat stay in the car, got out to open the garage door manually and drove the car into the garage, and then went out to close the door.

The sound of the shutter door opening and closing was a bit loud, and the kitten in Chen Boqiao’s hand seemed to be frightened again and curled up pretending to be dead. Zhang Jue took the key and opened the door, bringing Chen Boqiao into the house. He flicked on the lights, “The house isn’t big, but we won’t be here for too long.”

“It’s way better than where I’ve lived during these past few months,” Chen Boqiao looked around the room and thanked Zhang Jue again. Zhang Jue shook his head, and looked at Chen Boqiao for a second, then looked away.

Chen Boqiao was considered to be tall even amongst the Alphas. He himself was very gentle but the inherent oppressiveness and aggressiveness of his pheromones were difficult to ignore. Zhang Jue lowered his head, pointing to the sandwich bag held by Chen Boqiao and said, “Let’s eat first.”

They sat on the narrow sofa and ate their mostly cold dinner.

The meat of the sandwich was not chewy. It was very soft, the seasoning too heavy, and it smelled of its spice marinade. The lettuce and peppers inside were wilted and way beyond fresh while the edges of the leaves were a little black. Chen Boqiao ate very quickly without choking himself, leaving a small piece of bread and feeding it to the whimpering kitten.

Zhang Jue observed for a while and failed to conclude whether Chen Boqiao was satisfied with the sandwich, but Zhang Jue himself felt that this was his best meal in a few years.

Chen Boqiao finished eating. He picked up the remote control on the coffee table and turned on the TV. An explicit rated song-and-dance film was playing on the screen. Several scantily dressed Omega girls suggestively danced to the music. Chen Boqiao did not change the channel.

Zhang Jue watched it with Chen Boqiao for a few minutes and felt extremely awkward, so he went to the bedroom drawer to take two guns and a communicator for Chen Boqiao while saying, “I’ll go out to find a vet. I’ll be back soon. If you need anything, contact me.”

Chen Boqiao familiarised his hand with the weight of the gun, and politely said to Zhang Jue, “Thank you.”

Zhang Jue said dryly, “No problem.”

When he opened the door to go outside, Chen Boqiao called out, “Zhang Jue.”

Zhang Jue looked back, and Chen Boqiao’s face was half-hidden in the shadow. Chen Boqiao said, “Still, sorry for troubling you.”

Chen Boqiao smiled when he spoke. Zhang Jue always knew he was handsome.

“I can’t even save myself, and I’m running around picking up cats.” Chen Boqiao said, self-deprecating.

“No!” Zhang Jue immediately denied.

He tried hard to think of some good vocabulary to reply, but he didn’t say it because he felt that Chen Boqiao had heard enough of those praises, and nothing he said would be as fancy, or creative, as what Chen Boqiao had heard before. So he just said, “I know you’ve always been a good person.”

Seeing that Chen Boqiao’s expression had not changed, Zhang Jue paused, and added, “You are a hero.”

Chen Boqiao smiled, then turned his eyes back to the screen.

Zhang Jue stood there for a few seconds, and hurriedly picked up the car keys and went out, embarrassed.

~~~

“It’s me.”

“Don’t worry, I’m safe for the time being, in the Thai Independence State, with Zhang Jue.”

“I know. He’s not here to intentionally disrupt our plans. He and his people waited in the Asian League for two months. And not one of you found out?”

“He will be back anytime so don’t say anything you don’t absolutely need to. I don’t have time to play around with you.”

“By the way, I didn’t remove the tracker, and also threw away the signal blocker.”

“Don’t worry, I just want to know if he can be trusted.”

“Tomorrow we will drive to Bangkok and board the ship to North America. The name on my new passport is Shen Yuhua, and the passport number is AU9931738. I don’t know when and where we’ll board the ship.”

“Your operation will continue.”

“Okay, that’s all, I will contact you again. Don’t call this number.”

Zhang Jue first confirmed tomorrow’s plans with a team of mercenaries standing by near the safe house and then began driving around the town. While looking for a veterinary clinic, he spoke briefly with an information seller and learned that the Asian League was now in chaos.

The President was furious and ordered the punishment of the officials involved in the escorting of Chen Boqiao.

The Asian Alliance Capital Police Force was using Mi Mountain as the epicenter for their mass manhunt of Chen Boqiao. The surrounding countries have also participated in the cooperative search.

The relationship between the Thai Independence State and the Asian League was not particularly close, so the search effort was not strong. However, the border defense had been strengthened and teams of people were sent to patrol the border.

Unfortunately, the President of the Asian League and his staff seemed to guess that Chen Boqiao was probably already in the Thai Independence State, and several teams of special task forces had sneaked into the TIS overnight. Chen Boqiao and Zhang Jue wouldn’t be safe here, so they needed to leave soon. Zhang Jue felt that the reaction of the President was a little too fast. He wanted to ask more, but the intelligence dealer brought up another new development.

Contrary to the chaos in the government, Chen Boqiao’s supporters held slogans around the League to celebrate.

After Chen Boqiao’s trial was over, overseas media continued to release new evidence regarding Chen Boqiao’s case. A witness who quickly left the Asian League after the trial accepted a video interview. During the interview, he remorsefully admitted to falsifying his witness account. There were also media announcements hinting that a recording of the conversation between the President and unknown persons would be streamed out at noon tomorrow. The content of the recording was related to the framing of Chen Boqiao.

The intelligence dealer sent a collection of interview videos of the witnesses to Zhang Jue. Zhang Jue hung up the phone and played the videos while driving around town.

Zhang Jue went all over, but did not find a veterinary clinic. He got out of the car and asked a local who was about to close his stall. Only then did he learn that the only pet clinic in the town was near the safe house where they lived, but it was already closed and would only open at 8 o’clock tomorrow morning.

Zhang Jue returned to the car, planning to send the cat to be treated early in the morning, and then take Chen Boqiao to Bangkok.

Back in the room, Chen Boqiao was still watching TV. He’d made a nest for the cat with a cushion on the sofa, and the cat had soundly fallen asleep in it.

Zhang Jue walked over gently and sat on the other sofa. Since the room was not big, he and Chen Boqiao were not far away from each other.

The TIS was not economically developed, living conditions were generally poor, and the TV in the safe house was a sturdy and outdated version.

In Zhang Jue’s home country, this model was replaced and forgotten about more than 10 years ago.

After the TV station’s program with the Omega dancing girls ended, an old movie with Thai dubs came on. It had no subtitles, but for some unknown reason, Zhang Jue thought the movie was good, and Chen Boqiao seemed to agree.

In the middle of the movie, the TV station inserted an advertisement. Chen Boqiao lowered the volume to chat with Zhang Jue, “I haven’t watched TV for half a year. Now I realize all of the things I didn’t like before weren’t half bad.”

Zhang Jue wasn’t good with conversations, and he didn’t know what to say. Fortunately, Chen Boqiao always had the ability to carry the conversation on his own. He asked Zhang Jue, “Have you found a vet?”

“I did,” Zhang Jue told him about his plan for tomorrow morning, and Chen Boqiao agreed. When the commercial ended and the movie started, Zhang Jue thought they would finish the second half of the movie together in peace. Suddenly, Chen Boqiao clicked off the TV, turned around, and looked at Zhang Jue seriously.

This reminded Zhang Jue of the few times when he and Chen Boqiao worked alone in canoeing training in middle school. At that time, Chen Boqiao would be so physically close to him, and he had the same expression when he turned his head to talk.

Zhang Jue spaced out for a moment. As a result it took him a few seconds to understand what Chen Boqiao meant by “I told someone about this place”. Chen Boqiao took out a small mobile phone from his pocket, handed it to Zhang Jue saying, “It’s someone I trust.”

Zhang Jue felt a little dazed. If it were anyone else that had pulled such a stunt on him without warning him, he would have turned around and left in all likelihood, or even fought with the guy. But he just could not be angry with Chen Boqiao, nor would he fight with Chen Boqiao. He took the phone into his hands, glanced at it briefly, and returned it to Chen Boqiao. “When did you buy it?”

“When I was picking up the kitten, I saw these at the magazine stand,” Chen Boqiao confessed. “There was some cash next to the sunglasses, so I bought one. This kind of burner phone is commonly used. It’s disposable and only has one function. They’re not easy to track.”

Zhang Jue looked at Chen Boqiao for a long time and said, “Actually, you don’t have to tell me about you contacting other people.”

“I can’t do that! I don’t want to lie to you.” Chen Boqiao smiled. He took the phone apart, walked to the small window in the living room, opened it and threw the phone remnants out, doing things that were definitely dishonest with such confidence.

Chen Boqiao walked back, sat down in his previous spot, and asked Zhang Jue with a calm expression, “You’re being really quiet, you angry?” He rolled up the sleeves of the clothes Zhang Jue had bought for him, revealing two or three lines on his right arm. They were very shallow scars.

Probably injuries from his missions. He didn’t have those in school. Zhang Jue thought to himself and resisted his desire to take a closer look at Chen Boqiao’s scars. Reluctantly he replied, “How did you do all that with the time I spent buying a sandwich?”

Then he asked softly, “Well, who was it?”

“Someone you know,” Chen Boqiao supplied, “Pei Shu.”

Zhang Jue frowned when he heard the name. His feelings of discomfort which he had previously suppressed rose again. Pei Shu and Zhang Jue were always at odds. But then again, none of Chen Boqiao’s friends liked him. Zhang never liked those people either, and he could not understand how Chen Boqiao would want to be friends with them.

At the time, Zhang Jue was unpopular and antisocial. He ate by himself in the cafeteria. From a distance, he had watched Chen Boqiao being surrounded by a group of friends, and he’d have a long list of each with their shortcomings in his head.

Zhang Jue’s closest friend and former fiance, Ai Jiaxi, once pointed out that none of them were serious faults, and Zhang Jue just disliked them because he was jealous that they got to stay near Chen Boqiao all the time while he could not.

Of course, Zhang Jue himself never acknowledged Ai Jiaxi’s opinion.

Seeing that Zhang Jue had fallen silent, Chen Boqiao followed up, “You don’t remember Pei Shu? He…he remembers you pretty clearly.”

Zhang Jue shook his head, “I do remember that guy.” Without waiting for Chen Boqiao to speak, Zhang Jue made up his mind to speak again, “Forget it, as long as you trust him. Try not to do dangerous things like this again. The Asian League has already sent troops into the TIS. We have to be more careful. Everything else can wait until we get on the ship.”

“Okay,” Chen Boqiao promised quickly, “I get it.”

They decided to turn in for the night after finishing the movie, Zhang Jue left the larger bedroom to Chen Boqiao and chose to sleep in the small one by himself.

Before entering his room, Chen Boqiao bid goodnight to Zhang Jue.

Zhang Jue took a quick shower and lay down on the narrow single bed. He pulled his stiff and rough bedding over himself and found he was unable to fall asleep.

He’s staying near Chen Boqiao now.

This thought made Zhang Jue unwilling to close his eyes.

It was like something was churning in his stomach, and there was a vice grip on his gut, forcing his heart to beat uncontrollably, unable to slow down. When he was bored and missed Chen Boqiao, Zhang Jue painstakingly calculated that for their eight years at school together, he and Chen Boqiao spent about nine hours and forty minutes alone together.

Now, the count has finally started again.

~~~

“How’s the operation going?”

“Yeah, it’s me… I bought two burner phones.”

“I threw that one away when I told him about us calling. If I didn’t tell him in advance, he might straight-up fight you when he sees you. What time are you reaching Bangkok tomorrow?”

“Are you sure you want to see me? Zhang Jue might not necessarily welcome you.”

“Sure, whatever.”

“Pei Shu, don’t spout nonsense.”

“Bye.”