(Middle-aged man) "I heard you two arguing outside."
(Middle-aged man) "That boy has fallen for you, hasn't he?"
(Che Lei) "What?!"
(Che Lei) "We're not..."
I looked at the middle-aged man lying on the white hospital bed, my eyes widening.
(Middle-aged man) "No, son. This is a good thing."
(Middle-aged man) "I know that family name. He comes from money."
(Middle-aged man) "He's a good person. He'll treat you well."
I wrapped my arms around myself and turned my head aside.
(Che Lei) "Dad, Reddick and I... we haven't..."
Then I let out a deep sigh.
(Che Lei) "And why do you even care about this?"
(Middle-aged man) "Because you're my son!"
The middle-aged man struggled to sit up, but he was far too weak. Even that movement left him panting, and he had to rest for a little while before he could go on.
(Middle-aged man) "I know I'm not exactly a good example. I probably don't even count as a competent father..."
(Middle-aged man) "But you really have to listen to me this once. This is our ticket out of the mud."
(Middle-aged man) "People with their kind of status would never let something like this become public."
(Middle-aged man) "They'll take good care of you, and they'll give you a large sum of money."
(Middle-aged man) "As long as you keep your mouth shut."
(Middle-aged man) "You'll move into a big house. You won't have to worry about feeding yourself anymore, and you won't have to make the difficult choices I did."
(Middle-aged man) "This is your chance. All you have to do is hold on tight to that boy."
I gripped my arm and turned my head away.
(Che Lei) "I don't want to..."
(Middle-aged man) "Your mother and I..."
(Middle-aged man) "You know why she left me."
(Middle-aged man) "But we really did love each other..."
The middle-aged man looked at me, but did not continue.
He stared out the window in silence for a while, then sighed.
(Middle-aged man) "You need that money, son."
(Middle-aged man) "Don't make the same mistakes your father made."
(Middle-aged man) "Whatever you do, don't mess this up... all right?"
(Che Lei) "..."
(Che Lei) "I understand, Dad."
(Che Lei) "I'll think about it carefully."
(End of dream)
(Alarm clock ringing)
Still half-asleep, I fished out my phone and turned off the alarm.
Then I sat up on the sofa, rubbing my temples.
The dream from last night was still echoing in my mind.
"This is our ticket out of the mud."
Back then, even though my life had been poor, I had not truly understood what the "mud" of life meant.
So I could not understand what my father was talking about at all.
All I could think was that I would never do something like that, never live that sort of life under someone else's roof.
But after I walked out of the ivory tower, after I went through all those things...
I began to sincerely feel that perhaps my father really had been thinking of my future.
He truly did not want me to follow the wrong path he had taken...
I sighed, got up from the sofa, and was about to wake Reddick.
But then I smelled food in the air.
So I followed the scent all the way to the kitchen, where I saw Reddick standing with his back to me at the table.
He seemed to be busy with something.
(Che Lei) "Did the sun rise in the west today? You lazy cat actually got up this early?"
At the sound of my voice, Reddick's ears twitched lightly.
He turned around with a smile still on his face.
(Reddick) "I saw there was nothing in the fridge, so I went out and bought breakfast."
(Che Lei) "Oh?"
(Che Lei) "So what's gotten into you today?"
(Che Lei) "Or are you planning to change careers and become my nanny?"
(Reddick) "Ha. Then you'd better pay my salary first."
Reddick pulled out a chair and sat down at the dining table.
(Reddick) "All right, hurry up and eat."
(Reddick) "It'll get cold soon."
So I sat down across from Reddick. In front of me was a whole table loaded with food.
I even saw the kind of egg burgers I had loved as a child.
I could not help wondering how many places he had run to just to buy all of this.
(Che Lei) "Pretty lavish."
Smiling, I picked up a pie with my chopsticks and took a big bite.
A flavor from memory filled the tip of my tongue.
Ever since I was young, I had loved this kind of beef pie.
Fresh beef with soft diced onion, wrapped in a thin crust fried to a golden color, crisp and a little charred with fragrance... for only one yuan, you could enjoy this kind of earthly delicacy.
It was one of the few foods from my hometown that I would still miss.
(Reddick) "By the way, Xiao Lei, aren't we supposed to go out with your friends today?"
Reddick suddenly spoke to me, and I had to swallow the huge mouthful of pie in a hurry before I could answer him.
(Che Lei) "Mm, yeah."
(Che Lei) "Actually, it isn't many people. Just Hyde."
(Che Lei) "Why?"
(Reddick) "Uh, then how are you going to introduce me...?"
(Che Lei) "What else can I say? He's never met you anyway~"
(Che Lei) "I'll just say you're my college classmate. I did meet you in college, after all."
I answered casually. Reddick frowned, then raised one finger and pointed at his own tiger head.
(Reddick) "I'm not talking about our relationship..."
(Reddick) "I mean me..."
Damn it. Only then did I remember that he was still a public figure.
But I was quite certain Hyde did not watch baseball.
In fact, not one of my friends was interested in baseball.
Never mind something as extravagant as a baseball field. Back in my hometown, it was hard enough to find a soccer field with grass.
(Che Lei) "Luckily, you're not as famous as some basketball or soccer star yet, so nobody's going to recognize you."
Then I scratched my head.
(Che Lei) "To be safe, just say your name is 'Ray.' Hyde probably won't suspect anything."
Reddick curled his lip. His tail swished unhappily twice. I did not know whether it was because I had said he was "not famous enough" or because I had asked him to use a fake name.
I could not help snickering to myself and was about to keep working on the breakfast on my plate when Reddick suddenly cleared his throat and put on the expression of someone about to discuss serious business.
(Reddick) "Right, there's something else I wanted to tell you..."
(Knocking at the door)
We both looked toward the front door.
I shrugged at Reddick, then got up and went to the entryway.
When I opened the door, Hyde's delighted face appeared before me, along with the happily wagging tail behind him.
(Hyde) "Xiao Lei!!!"
Hyde practically launched himself at me.
He knocked me back two staggering steps, which made me start wondering whether he had gotten even heavier since the last time I saw him.
Hyde excitedly rubbed against my cheek, burying his nose against me and sniffing everywhere.
(Che Lei) "All right, all right..."
Laughing, I pressed a hand against his face to stop him from continuing to lick my cheek.
(Hyde) "Hehe, you smell like pies all over~"
Then Hyde looked toward the dining table and scratched his head.
(Hyde) "Were you still eating breakfast?"
(Che Lei) "Yeah."
I smiled at Hyde.
(Che Lei) "Have you eaten? Want to join us?"
(Hyde) "Ah~ I ate before I came out."
(Hyde) "You never called me, so I just came over myself."
(Che Lei) "Mm, I was planning to call you after breakfast."
(Che Lei) "Oh, right. Ray... Ray drove here. Does anyone else need picking up?"
(Hyde) "Hm? You've got a car? That makes things easier."
Hyde gave an embarrassed smile.
(Hyde) "But no one else is coming. It's just me."
Just as expected!
Reddick came over at that moment as well, joining the conversation.
(Reddick) "Xiao Lei, aren't you going to introduce us?"
(Reddick) "I'm Ray, Xiao Lei's college classmate."
As he spoke, he held out a paw to Hyde and gave me a meaningful look.
(Hyde) "Ah! Hello! Hello!"
Hyde hurriedly took Reddick's paw, and his tail began wagging again.
Reddick smiled, showing two handsome tiger fangs.
(Hyde) "I'm Hyde. I'm Che Lei's childhood friend~"
Then he looked at Reddick in surprise.
(Hyde) "Wow... you're really built..."
(Reddick) "Thanks. Probably because I exercise a lot."
Reddick smiled and flexed one arm.
He had always been very receptive to compliments about his body.
(Hyde) "Do you play ball a lot?"
(Hyde) "Or soccer?"
(Reddick) "I play base-"
(Che Lei) "You play basketball a lot, and you work out too, right?"
I stepped hard on Reddick's foot-paw, making the corner of his mouth twitch unnaturally.
(Reddick) "Ah, right... I play basketball a lot."
(Hyde) "That's great! I like basketball too!"
(Hyde) "Want to play a little later?"
Hyde's eyes were shining, his tail swaying left and right.
Then, as if he suddenly remembered something, he scratched his head.
(Hyde) "Ah, Xiao Lei doesn't really like ball games... or we could play together later."
(Hyde) "Right, what do you do for work?"
(Reddick) "I work in sports."
(Hyde) "Huh? Don't tell me you're a professional athlete?"
(Hyde) "Haha, if you're a pro, I definitely won't play against you~"
(Reddick) "I'm still-"
Reddick smiled and was about to continue, but I yanked hard on his tail from behind.
(Reddick) "Ah..."
Reddick immediately gritted his teeth. Even his whiskers trembled.
Then I smiled and patted Reddick on the shoulder.
(Che Lei) "He's a fitness coach."
(Reddick) "Right... right..."
Reddick agreed out loud, but he shot me a look with quite a bit of murderous intent.
(Hyde) "No wonder you're in such good shape. Now I feel a lot better~"
Hyde rubbed his belly through his clothes. The places that had once been abs were now soft.
He gave a slightly awkward smile.
(Hyde) "I used to have abs too, but after leaving the army it's been a little hard to stay in shape..."
(Reddick) "You used to be in the military?"
(Hyde) "Yeah."
(Reddick) "What about now? Are you and Xiao Lei coworkers?"
Hyde looked at Reddick, then at me, and his expression turned awkward.
(Hyde) "I'm not as impressive as him."
(Reddick) "Hm? Then what do you do?"
(Hyde) "Mm..."
I cleared my throat.
(Che Lei) "Ahem..."
So Reddick tactfully stopped asking and changed the subject.
(Reddick) "How did you and Xiao Lei meet? Were you classmates too?"
(Reddick) "I've heard him mention you all the time."
Hyde froze for a moment, then looked at Reddick and smiled.
(Hyde) "He mentions me a lot?"
His tail, which had been drooping slightly, began to sway softly again.
(Hyde) "Xiao Lei and I weren't exactly classmates. We just always went to the same schools."
(Hyde) "I knew him back when he was still wearing split-crotch pants."
As Hyde spoke, he put a paw on my shoulder and patted it.
(Che Lei) "Stop talking nonsense. Were you still wearing split-crotch pants when you were ten?!"
I glared at Hyde in displeasure, but he only covered his mouth and laughed.
(Reddick) "Then how did you two meet?"
(Che Lei) "A fight."
I answered irritably.
Reddick raised an eyebrow.
(Reddick) "What?"
(Hyde) "Yeah. He punched me right in the nose. Hard."
(Reddick) "Him?"
Reddick looked at me, then at Hyde, and displayed a level of surprise that I found deeply offensive.
(Hyde) "Haha, don't underestimate him. He was fierce."
(Hyde) "When he was a kid, he was a little demon king."
(Hyde) "Every time we fought, he would aim straight for my nose and stomach."
(Reddick) "Tsk. That doesn't sound very honorable."
A teasing smile appeared on Reddick's face.
(Che Lei) "What are you, the referee?"
I snorted and crossed my arms.
Hyde and Reddick both burst into loud laughter.
(Reddick) "Then why did he fight you the first time you met?"
(Hyde) "Mm... he was playing by himself in the courtyard, and a few of us wanted to play ball, so we tried to chase him away."
Hyde scratched his head again and smiled sheepishly.
(Hyde) "I only meant to scare him a little. But after arguing with me a few times didn't work, he clenched his fist and punched me right in the nose."
(Hyde) "It hurt so much I started crying, and then he turned around and ran away without a trace."
(Che Lei) "There were so many of you. I'm not stupid."
(Hyde) "Yeah, you never took a loss you could see coming."
(Reddick) "Then didn't you get revenge later?"
(Hyde) "I tried. But he had a very powerful backer."
(Reddick) "Oh?"
(Hyde) "When I went to find him, he was with Andy, and then I was forced to fight Andy too."
(Hyde) "After that, I don't know why, but we got close and started playing together every day."
(Che Lei) "It was obviously because you pestered me every day first, and then I had no choice but to play with you!"
(Hyde) "Well, your house was the only one with a game console~"
(Che Lei) "I knew it! You only became friends with us because of the game console!"
(Reddick) "Haha, that's a pretty interesting way to meet."
(Reddick) "Not like us. We met online."
(Hyde) "Hm? Weren't you two classmates at the police academy?"
Hyde scratched his head as he spoke.
(Che Lei) "Uh..."
(Che Lei) "We weren't on the same campus, and we weren't in the same major, so..."
In my mind, I could not help slapping myself across the face. How had I managed to tell such a ridiculous lie?
Fortunately, Hyde did not seem to notice anything.
(Hyde) "Then how did you two meet?"
(Che Lei) "Just chatting online."
(Hyde) "On the school forum?"
(Che Lei) "Uh, no."
(Reddick) "A chat app, I guess."
(Reddick) "We talked for a bit and I found him pretty interesting, then we talked more and more, and slowly got to know each other."
(Hyde) "That really is... kind of fated."
(Hyde) "But I never thought Xiao Lei would chat with strangers online. And he never told me about any of this..."
Hyde's tail swayed slowly, and he seemed thoughtful.
(Che Lei) "I was too bored when you weren't around."
Then I hurriedly changed the subject before it could go any deeper.
(Che Lei) "Instead of that, I think we should decide where to go first. The three of us can't just sit around at home chatting all day, right?"
(Reddick) "I don't really have any ideas. I'll go with whatever you two want."
(Hyde) "Ah... I was thinking of going to the lakeside we used to visit as kids, but I asked my uncle and he said he only has two sets of fishing gear..."
(Hyde) "So I don't know either."
(Che Lei) "Maybe we can get in the car first and think while we drive around."
(Che Lei) "This guy is our dedicated driver today."
I patted Reddick on the shoulder, and he gave a dissatisfied grunt.
We tidied up briefly, then got ready to go.
The two extroverts started chatting again as soon as they got into the car.
They quickly found common ground and began talking endlessly about basketball.
Although I could not get a word in at all, I was still happy that they seemed to be getting along well.
But then they shifted the topic from basketball to me.
(Hyde) "Your car looks really luxurious..."
(Hyde) "I thought Xiao Lei was joking before. After all, making a guest drive isn't really his style."
Before I could answer, Reddick burst out laughing.
(Reddick) "Never let him drive again. I'd still like to live a long life."
(Reddick) "I still remember that time in college when Xiao Lei, my cousin, and I went to the hot springs together."
(Reddick) "We were supposed to take turns driving, but when it was Xiao Lei's turn, he drove the car into the wilderness."
(Hyde) "Huh?"
(Hyde) "Then what happened?"
(Reddick) "The snow was so deep that he panicked and couldn't get the car back onto the shoulder no matter what he did."
(Reddick) "We were stuck in the snow for over an hour."
(Che Lei) "If the GPS hadn't given us the wrong directions, why would I have driven into a place like that?!"
I defended myself loudly, feeling my ears grow slightly hot.
(Hyde) "So how did you get out in the end?"
(Reddick) "Luckily, my cousin and I were strong enough. In the end, we lifted the front wheels up from below the shoulder."
(Reddick) "Then I reversed all the way back to the intersection."
As Reddick spoke, he gestured in front of the steering wheel with one hand.
(Hyde) "Sounds like an Antarctic adventure, haha."
(Che Lei) "A person who doesn't even have a license has no right to laugh at me!"
(Che Lei) "And you. Who was it that smashed up his first car?"
I spoke in embarrassed anger. Reddick rubbed his chin awkwardly.
(Reddick) "That was because I drank too much."
(Reddick) "And it only happened once in total."
(Che Lei) "That's already more cars than I've totaled in my whole life!"
(Hyde) "Is it too late for me to jump out of the car now?"
All three of us burst into laughter, and the car filled with cheerful air.
The car drove on for a while. Suddenly, Hyde, sitting in the back seat, tapped my shoulder and pointed out the window.
(Hyde) "Hey! Xiao Lei, what about going there?"
I followed the direction of his finger and saw a low building enclosed by simple fencing.
(Che Lei) "Yo, the old place."
(Che Lei) "But are you sure it's still open?"
(Hyde) "Hehe, I went there once last month. It shouldn't have gone out of business that fast, right?"
(Che Lei) "All right then."
Then I turned to look at Reddick, who was driving.
(Che Lei) "How about we go play arcade games?"
His tail shot upright at once.
So we slowed the car and, before long, arrived at Golden River Entertainment City.
(The doorbell sounds as the door is pushed open)
I looked inside.
It was the weekend, but there were still hardly any customers. The place looked deserted.
Yet this had once been the holy land we longed for as children.
It had been much livelier back then.
The shop was always packed with people.
They had even built a restaurant inside so players could eat there.
But now the restaurant was so empty you could not even see a mouse. The chairs and tables that had never been moved away were covered in dust, as if it had accumulated for a century.
I felt like the place was about to become haunted.
(Coins clattering in a bucket)
Hyde came back from the dozing cashier carrying a big bucket of tokens, but now I had absolutely no idea how we were supposed to spend them all.
The machines in the arcade had not changed one bit since I was a kid. We had beaten all of them more than once.
I could not work up any interest now, but Hyde and Reddick looked excited.
They soon found their fun.
At the moment, the two of them were sitting together in front of an arcade cabinet called Beast Fighter, staring at the screen with total concentration.
(Fighting game sounds)
This was a versus fighting game that had been wildly popular when I was in elementary school. Every machine in the arcade had been surrounded by crowds, and tournaments with cash prizes were held from time to time.
But after the internet era arrived, this arcade game, like the arcade itself, was swept into the garbage heap of history.
Reddick had once been very enthusiastic about this game.
He had even downloaded it onto his computer, then dragged me along every weekend to play a few rounds, even though my skill level was worse than the built-in AI.
But this time, he had run into a tough opponent.
After Hyde once again executed Reddick's character with a gorgeous special move while at a sliver of health, Reddick finally could not resist slapping the machine and cursing.
(Reddick) "Damn it!!!"
(Reddick) "I was just a little short again!!!"
(Sound of a hand slapping the table)
(Reddick) "The buttons must be broken! Switch seats with me!"
Reddick roared, smacking the buttons until they clacked loudly.
I watched Hyde hold back his laughter as he stood up from the stool and switched places with him.
Seeing Reddick act like a spoiled child, I could not help laughing aloud.
But aside from making Hyde's tail wag even more happily, the seat swap did not seem to have any substantial effect on the battle.
(Reddick) "I don't believe this!"
(Reddick) "Again! Whoever loses this time buys drinks!"
(Hyde) "Then I'll let you pick your character first~"
After watching Reddick continue to get beaten by Hyde for a while, I finally started to feel sorry for him.
Maybe I should walk around...
1. Check the front entrance
I walked toward the front entrance of the arcade.
The two dance machines were still there, their footpad markings worn so badly they were almost impossible to see.
They were the kind with only five foot buttons, an obsolete style now, but when I was in high school these dance machines had been extremely popular.
In a certain sense, perhaps this was the earliest kind of rhythm-game arcade machine?
I used to envy the guys who kept their hands in their pockets and hopped on the machine, stepping accurately to the beat.
Because to the high school version of me, that really was the coolest thing I had ever seen.
Hyde had once studied this seriously.
Back then, every day after school, he would dash over here and spend all the lunch money he had saved on the dance machine.
At first, the sight of him wagging his tail and clumsily jumping around on it always made me laugh.
Until one day, he dragged me over and performed a solo routine in front of me that left my jaw hanging.
Though I did not say anything out loud, I admit I did feel a tiny bit of admiration for him then.
So many years had passed in the blink of an eye. I was a little curious whether he still possessed that skill.
2. Check the counter
The arcade counter still seemed the same as I remembered it, except that the ceiling above it was now blackened with smoke.
A few coin-pusher machines had been placed directly across from it, probably so the staff could watch them and make sure no one shook them.
When I was a kid, those coin pushers were always piled with layer upon layer of tokens, making you feel as if they were within easy reach.
I smiled and brought my face close to the glass window on one of the machines.
Like other children, Hyde and I had more than once fed countless tokens into them while dreaming of sudden wealth, but in the end all those tokens had vanished like stones sinking into the sea.
Only after I grew up did I learn that there were hidden holes on both sides of the coin pushers, ensuring that the tokens you won from the machine would always be far fewer than the tokens you put in.
Businessmen really were cunning...
But now I would not fall for that sort of scam again.
3. Check the main hall
(Reddick) "How is this possible!!!"
Reddick's roar echoed through the empty hall, making my scalp tighten.
I suspected he still had not won a single round.
I shook my head, sat down at the seat in front of a nearby machine, and inserted two tokens.
(Electronic music)
Familiar electronic music played, and a pixel-style airplane appeared in the center of the screen.
Back when we played this game, there would always be a ring of free spectators waiting behind you, waiting for you to run out of tokens so they could take over.
It had once brought us a lot of fun, until Hyde managed to clear the hidden stage on a single life and the game became dull.
I moved the joystick and buttons to dodge left and right through a screen full of bullets, but before long I had used up my last life.
Looking at the huge countdown timer on the screen, I curled my lip and stood up from the seat.
4. Check the back room
In the small room at the back of the arcade, there were two fish-shooting machines. A few uncles sat scattered in front of them, mechanically pressing the buttons before them.
Golden nets kept bursting across the colorful fish on the screen, and from time to time there came the sound of a money bag dropping.
This was a little different from what I remembered.
This room had once been packed with fruit machines, and with people whose eyes were bloodshot.
Back then, I had always been curious what made them gather here sleeplessly all night, but Andy had always warned me not to play those things.
I would absolutely never participate in gambling.
After all, if you always lost, how could you get addicted?
(End of choice sequence)
I returned to the main hall and wandered aimlessly until a huge claw machine blocked my path. It was stuffed with all sorts of plush toys, making me stop involuntarily.
Normally, I would never waste tokens on a machine whose odds had clearly been tampered with, but right now I truly had nothing else to do.
So I dug in my pocket and inserted two tokens.
(Electronic music)
The powered machine let out noisy electronic music. As I moved the joystick, the claw inside began wobbling forward.
I casually aimed at one plush toy and pressed the button. The claw lifted it into the air, then pretended to lose strength and dropped it off to one side. And just like that, the game was over.
But because of that movement just now, a large red tail was exposed among the pile of plush toys.
It caught my attention.
I wiped the dust from the glass with the back of my hand and brought my face a little closer.
My gaze passed through the crowded pile of plush toys, and I saw the shape of that one clearly.
It was a red wolf with black-tipped ears and a huge fluffy tail.
Both of his arms and paws were folded together in front of his chest.
Even though he was pitifully face-down, his face still wore a happy smile.
I could not help wrinkling my nose.
So I put in another two tokens, wanting to use the claw to pick it up.
But unsurprisingly, I came back empty-handed.
As I repeated the same mechanical operation again and again, my once-heavy pocket soon became empty.
Just as I sighed and prepared to turn away, a large furry paw landed on my shoulder.
(Hyde) "What, you want this one?"
I turned back and saw Hyde's happy smile, his tongue hanging out.
Of course, Reddick was also standing beside him, wearing the expression of someone who had just eaten bitter melon.
I smiled and nodded at Hyde.
So Hyde moved a stool from beside the machine and sat down in front of it.
He picked up several tokens from the bucket, stuffed them into the machine all at once, then began moving the joystick with full concentration, controlling the claw inside. A confident smile appeared on his face.
He closed one eye and looked at it as if taking aim, then decisively pressed the button. The claw landed precisely on the plush toy.
He slapped the button again.
But after the red wolf was flipped over, the claw slid off weakly.
(Hyde) "Hm... the grip is a little loose..."
Hyde smiled, waited for the claw to reset, and tried the same method again. This time, however, the plush toy did not even move.
After he had put in more than thirty tokens in a row, the atmosphere gradually became awkward.
(Hyde) "Ahem, this machine seems to have a problem..."
Hyde anxiously scratched his head hard.
(Reddick) "Tsk. Bad technique, and now you're blaming the machine."
(Hyde) "Who was blaming the buttons just now?"
(Reddick) "What? I didn't..."
(Reddick) "Stop talking nonsense and get up!"
Reddick rudely plopped himself onto the chair, squeezing Hyde aside.
(Reddick) "Watch me."
He barely aimed at all before randomly pressing the button, and as expected, the claw missed.
But he immediately began the next round.
This time, he shook the joystick left and right to swing the mechanical claw, then successfully lifted the red wolf and dropped it near the chute.
Reddick gave Hyde a provocative look.
But after he inserted even more tokens and failed to make it move again, things grew even more awkward.
(Hyde) "You missed too many times. You should press the button hard a few times while it's falling..."
(Reddick) "It's called setting up the hand. What do you know?"
(Reddick) "If you can do it, you try!"
(Hyde) "Fine, I will!"
After this childish argument, the two of them threw themselves into taking turns.
The full bucket of tokens soon hit bottom.
Although I had also harvested a few strange plush toys, the red wolf remained face-down, lying quietly inside the claw machine.
(Hyde) "That big tail is too much in the way. I don't know how to get it out..."
Hyde apologetically rubbed his forehead, and his tail drooped too.
(Reddick) "It's all his fault for wasting those chances on other plush toys!"
(Hyde) "Look who's talking, the one who wasted the most tokens!"
(Reddick) "But several times I was clearly just a little short of getting it!"
Hyde snorted and ignored Reddick, turning instead to look at me.
Then he held his arm and asked me tentatively.
(Hyde) "Should I... try again?"
1. Forget it
2. Try again
Choice 1: Forget it
(Che Lei) "It's okay."
(Che Lei) "We did get quite a few other plush toys, didn't we~"
I smiled and patted Hyde on the shoulder to comfort him, but I still could not help feeling a little disappointed.
Reddick, who was standing nearby, said nothing. Instead, he turned and left.
Just as I thought he had gone off somewhere to sulk again, he came back.
In his arms was a plush toy. It was that red wolf, except more than one size larger, almost as tall as I was.
(Reddick) "I asked the kid at the front desk. He said he didn't have the key to the claw machine either."
(Reddick) "But I found an identical one in the storeroom."
(Reddick) "It's a little bigger, but it looks the same."
(Che Lei) "But how did you get into the storeroom...?"
(Reddick) "Because I have superpowers~"
Reddick smugly smiled and handed the plush toy into my arms, then glanced at Hyde in challenge.
I had to use both arms to hug this giant red wolf, my embrace filled with its fluffy, downy texture.
Hyde stood with his arms crossed, his face full of unconvinced dissatisfaction, but his tail drooped even lower.
Choice 2: Try again (Hyde +1)
(Che Lei) "Try again! I believe in you!"
Hyde looked at me in a daze for a moment, then his tail began to wag lightly. He nodded and got up, heading toward the counter.
(Reddick) "Hmph!"
Reddick snorted heavily, crossed his arms, and turned away.
Before long, Hyde returned with another bucket of tokens and sat back down in front of the machine.
He inserted two tokens again and stared with intense concentration at the machine claw behind the glass.
As Hyde pressed the button, the claw descended straight above the red wolf, grabbed its big tail, and lifted it up.
Just as I had almost assumed it would be dropped halfway again, the claw wobbled and carried it to the exit.
With the sound of something falling, the red wolf landed at the bottom of the claw machine.
(Hyde) "Haha, got it!"
Hyde clapped his paws excitedly, and I could not help lifting the corners of my mouth.
Then we smiled at each other, but soon Hyde held his head in regret.
(Hyde) "I shouldn't have bought so many tokens. I don't normally come here by myself..."
(Che Lei) "Mm..."
(Che Lei) "Maybe you can keep them for now? When I come back next time, we can play together again."
(Che Lei) "And I still want to watch you play the dance machine."
(Hyde) "Mm, but I haven't danced in too long. I'm rusty now."
(Hyde) "I might need to spend some time practicing before I dance for you."
(Che Lei) "Come to think of it, I've always wanted to learn this since I was a kid. Maybe next time you practice, you can bring me along?"
(Hyde) "Then it's a promise?"
(Che Lei) "Yeah, a promise."
Smiling, I held Hyde's paw.
His tail wagged with a whooshing sound, and he showed a brilliant smile.
(End of choice)
After we left the arcade and returned to the car, an awkward silence remained in the vehicle.
Until Hyde suddenly suggested we go sing karaoke together, and Reddick agreed without the slightest hesitation.
I secretly laughed at the ulterior motives both of them must have had.
Ever since we were young, Hyde had possessed a singing voice I envied, and he was also passionate about singing.
In fact, for a while I had been surprised that he had never thought of pursuing the arts.
"You need money to support yourself if you want to do art."
"I'm not handsome, and I don't come from any background. I'd starve to death as a singer."
I had asked Hyde half-jokingly a few times, and each time his answer was more or less the same.
As for Reddick...
All I could say was that his singing voice was truly infectious.
I mean, someone like me had actually been willing to sit in a KTV room for a whole night and listen to him sing one pop song after another, songs I had never cared for before.
Or maybe I had simply enjoyed the moments when he sang those love songs to me.
(Noisy KTV sounds)
Looking at the long row of liquor on the table, I could not help frowning.
(Che Lei) "Didn't we say we were here to sing? Why did you order so much alcohol?"
Reddick, however, took off his jacket without a care and leaned comfortably back on the sofa.
(Reddick) "Singing and drinking don't contradict each other."
(Reddick) "Besides, old friends meeting again after so long should drink a little to celebrate, right?"
(Che Lei) "I still don't really understand why drinking has to be part of celebrating..."
(Reddick) "Oh, I almost forgot you can't drink."
(Che Lei) "Who says I can't!"
(Reddick) "Come on. I know exactly how little you can handle."
(Reddick) "What about Hyde? Don't tell me you can't drink either."
(Reddick) "That would be way too boring~"
Reddick turned his head toward Hyde, his words full of provocation.
But Hyde met his gaze without fear, taking off his own jacket and tossing it aside.
(Hyde) "Dice or finger-guessing? You decide. I don't care."
(Reddick) "Now that's more like it!"
Reddick's eyes lit up.
Then he leaned forward slightly and tapped his knuckles on the table.
(Reddick) "But this time, let's play something interesting..."
And so we began this childish contest with a game called "I Never."
It was a game similar to truth or dare.
But it worked in exactly the opposite way: each person had to say something they had never done, preferably something embarrassing, and whoever had unfortunately done it had to drink a full glass of liquor. If no one else had done it, the person who said it had to drink double.
I had never played this game before, so it took Hyde explaining the rules twice before I understood.
But in the end, I kept saying useless things like "I've never eaten stinky tofu" or "I've never played table tennis." From time to time, I accidentally made myself drink a double penalty.
Reddick, however, could make Hyde drink a full glass of liquor almost every round. Even when he guessed wrong, he still managed to make Hyde blush bright red with embarrassment.
For example, thanks to him, I learned that Hyde could actually come seven times in a row...
That truly surprised me.
I mean, didn't most males finish after one time?
Reddick pressed him step by step until Hyde finally had to plead for a change of game.
I thought Reddick had finally gotten exactly what he wanted and won back a round hard.
Then we started a poker game called "Higher or Lower."
As the name suggested, you kept flipping over a card and guessing whether the next one would be higher or lower. If you guessed wrong, you drank and the turn passed on. If you unfortunately flipped the same card or a joker, you had to drink double.
Although the rules were simple, the pace was terrifyingly fast.
After downing several full glasses of liquor in a row, I could no longer hold on and collapsed onto the sofa.
When I regained consciousness again, what came into view was the two of them with their arms around each other's shoulders, howling an off-key song together in hoarse voices.
And by the time the last song on the list ended, Reddick and Hyde were already sitting pressed together, arms still hooked around each other's shoulders.
(The music grows muffled)
Remembering how tense and hostile they had seemed before made the scene now feel inexplicably ridiculous.
I began to understand why people said alcohol was the lubricant of social life.
Half drunk and half awake, I was now sitting on the coffee table in front of the two of them, grinning foolishly at them again and again.
(Che Lei) "I knew you two would get along."
I opened my arms and hugged them both.
Reddick reacted first. He quickly shifted several inches to the side and shook his head like a rattle-drum.
(Reddick) "I do not get along with him."
Hyde stared at Reddick in a daze for a moment. Then he too shifted his butt with a look of disgust.
(Che Lei) "Why?"
Amused, I looked at Reddick.
But Reddick wore a serious face, then suddenly pointed at Hyde's nose.
(Reddick) "Because he wants to sleep with you!"
(Che Lei) "What did you say?!"
I stared at Reddick with wide eyes.
(Reddick) "Really! I can feel it!"
Seeing my incredulous expression, Reddick waved his paws and argued indignantly.
(Che Lei) "No way!"
I looked at Reddick, both angry and amused.
(Che Lei) "He grew up with me. He's my buddy. I guarantee he would never want to sleep with me!"
Reddick and I stared at each other for a while. Then, together, we looked toward Hyde, who had been motionless for quite some time.
He was now leaning back against the sofa, tongue hanging out toward the ceiling, panting hot breaths from his mouth.
Reddick and I exchanged a look, then sat down on either side of Hyde.
We grabbed his shoulders and began shaking him nonstop.
(Hyde) "Mm..."
Hyde, shaken awake, reluctantly opened his eyelids.
(Hyde) "What is it...?"
He looked at us in confusion.
(Reddick) "You have the right to remain silent, but anything you say can and will be used as evidence in court!"
Reddick solemnly read Hyde his Miranda warning. Then he took out his phone, shone its light into Hyde's face, and began his "interrogation" with great seriousness.
(Reddick) "Answer me. Do you want to sleep with Xiao Lei?"
Hyde narrowed his eyes and raised a paw in front of his face to block the light.
(Hyde) "Huh...?"
I gave Reddick a contemptuous laugh.
(Che Lei) "He had a girlfriend ages ago."
Hyde had dated a girl from our class back in high school. Andy and I had given him plenty of advice about it at the time.
Reddick glared at me in dissatisfaction, then turned back toward Hyde.
(Reddick) "So you're straight?"
(Hyde) "Mm..."
(Hyde) "I guess so...?"
(Reddick) "What does that mean? You don't know your own orientation?"
Hyde scratched his head.
(Hyde) "Uh... I've never really thought about that stuff..."
Reddick stared at him for a while, then wrinkled his nose.
(Reddick) "Then let me ask you. Have you slept with a girl?"
(Hyde) "I guess you could say I have..."
(Reddick) "What about a guy?"
Hyde froze first, then shook his head hard.
(Hyde) "No!"
(Hyde) "And why are you asking that...?"
Reddick looked at Hyde doubtfully.
Hyde rubbed his face with his paw, seeming to wake up a little.
Then he looked at Reddick, his eyes shifting.
(Hyde) "Then... have you slept with Xiao Lei...?"
(Che Lei) "Hyde!"
I pushed Hyde's shoulder angrily.
But he grinned at me, then turned his face back toward Reddick.
(Hyde) "Why won't he let me ask you that question~"
Reddick shrugged, unable to keep the smile from his mouth.
(Reddick) "Because I'm the one interrogating you right now."
Then Reddick returned to his serious expression and continued his "interrogation."
(Reddick) "Answer me. How many girls have you been with?"
(Hyde) "One."
(Reddick) "Just one?"
Reddick raised an eyebrow.
(Reddick) "Then how many girls have you slept with?"
(Hyde) "Strictly speaking, one, I guess...?"
(Reddick) "Strictly speaking?"
(Hyde) "Mm... because that time was way too fast, and then it was super awkward."
(Hyde) "She definitely doesn't remember it."
Mm... so Hyde actually stopped being a virgin back in high school?
Fine. That was new information.
He had never told me about any of that before.
Just as I was propping my chin up and thinking, Hyde suddenly began questioning Reddick in return.
(Hyde) "Then do you like guys?"
Reddick gave a ringing laugh.
(Reddick) "What, is that not allowed?"
(Hyde) "Then how many guys have you been with...?"
This time, Reddick let out a chuckle.
I could not help rolling my eyes at him, then said to Hyde:
(Che Lei) "He doesn't want to answer because he's a player."
(Hyde) "A player...?"
Hyde looked at me, then at Reddick.
(Hyde) "Then how many guys have you slept with...?"
(Che Lei) "Good question."
I looked at Reddick provocatively.
But Reddick gave me a sly smile.
Then he turned his face toward Hyde.
(Reddick) "If you promise not to tell Xiao Lei, I'll tell you."
(Che Lei) "Reddick!"
Hyde nodded in agreement.
Then I watched angrily as Reddick leaned close to Hyde and whispered something into his ear.
Hyde's eyes widened in surprise.
(Hyde) "Are you serious?"
Reddick shrugged.
(Hyde) "Wow. That counts as a life achievement, doesn't it?"
That bastard...
I glared viciously at Reddick, but he only laughed loudly at me.
Then I began trying to interrogate Hyde.
(Che Lei) "What did he just tell you?"
(Hyde) "Ah..."
(Che Lei) "Hyde!"
Hyde merely stuck out his tongue and kept shaking his head, while Reddick had already laughed until he could barely breathe.
(Reddick) "Haha, don't tell me you're jealous?"
(Che Lei) "You're joking."
(Che Lei) "I don't care at all."
I shook my head at Reddick, then punched Hyde hard in the stomach.
(Hyde) "Oof!"
(Transition)
By the time we came out of the KTV, it was already deep into the night.
Apart from the dim yellow streetlights on both sides of the road, everything was pitch-black.
Hyde was supported on my shoulder and Reddick's, one on each side, and the three of us staggered down the road together.
(Hyde) "You don't need to hold me... I can walk by myself..."
Hyde drunkenly stuck out his tongue and giggled, but his tail restlessly brushed against my butt, bringing an irritating tickle.
Clearly, he was doing it on purpose.
I grabbed the base of his tail without mercy and stroked it hard, but Hyde showed no reaction and kept giggling.
(Reddick) "Stop messing around, you two! Watch the road!"
Reddick reminded us loudly.
But Hyde still tripped solidly over a pothole in front of him, making me lose my balance along with him.
Reddick grabbed my hand, but Hyde's body went limp and slid down along his shoulder, collapsing onto the ground.
Reddick looked down at the unconscious Hyde and wrinkled his nose, stopping in place with me.
(Reddick) "What now?"
(Che Lei) "What now? We toss him like cold salad~"
I laughed.
But Reddick frowned with displeasure, his tail swishing. His reproachful gaze made me start to feel guilty.
(Che Lei) "Uh... it's not like we can just leave Hyde here, right?"
(Che Lei) "He definitely can't go home like this. Let's bring him back to my place first."
Reddick narrowed his eyes as if thinking, then sighed as though resigning himself to fate.
Then he helped Hyde up from the ground and lifted him into his arms at the waist, as if a knight were carrying a princess.
Only, this princess was now drunk into a puddle of mud, his tongue hanging stupidly beside his face.
I could not help bursting into laughter again.
(Reddick) "How do you still have the nerve to laugh!!!"
(Reddick) "Do you believe I'll throw him right back onto the ground?!"
(Che Lei) "Ah... I was wrong, I was wrong."
I forced back my laughter and followed closely behind Reddick, no longer adding fuel to the fire.
Reddick carried the hopelessly drunk Hyde all the way back to my house. As soon as we entered, he dumped him onto the living room sofa.
Hyde merely mumbled a few slurred sounds before letting out loud snores.
(Reddick) "I'm exhausted!"
(Reddick) "This guy doesn't look that tall, so why is he so heavy to carry?"
I ignored Reddick's complaints and bent down to help Hyde take off his shoes.
Perhaps because my touch was ticklish, the foot-paw hanging over the edge of the sofa curled slightly.
Then I unbuckled his belt and, in a few swift motions, stripped off his pants.
(Reddick) "Yo, looks like he's not small."
Reddick looked at the high bulge at Hyde's half-naked crotch and gave a loud whistle.
I glared hard at him.
(Che Lei) "Could you try being useful for once?"
Reddick muttered while helping Hyde sit up, then raised Hyde's arms high.
Only after I used the motion to pull Hyde's shirt off did Reddick lay him flat on the sofa again.
I brought a pillow from the bedroom, tucked it beneath Hyde's head, and covered him with a blanket.
(Reddick) "Tsk. You're really considerate."
(Che Lei) "The few of us grew up together. We've always taken care of one another like this."
Reddick curled his lip as if he still wanted to say something, but I only turned off the light and pulled him away from the living room with me.
As soon as we entered the room, Reddick leaned his huge tiger head toward me.
(Che Lei) "What are you doing...?"
I unconsciously took half a step back, but Reddick immediately followed.
Hot air puffed from his nose beside my ear, warm and smelling of alcohol, making me feel ticklish.
(Reddick) "Xiao Lei, how did it feel hanging out with me?"
(Che Lei) "Uh, pretty good..."
(Che Lei) "Why are you suddenly asking that?"
Reddick gave a brilliant smile.
(Reddick) "I was really happy today. It was the happiest I've been in a while."
(Che Lei) "Oh? Is your usual life that boring?"
Reddick smiled. Then, with a sudden step forward, he wrapped an arm around my waist.
I instinctively tried to break free, but he held me even tighter.
Then my feet left the floor.
He lifted me and spun me in a full circle on the spot.
The vinyl flooring beneath us made a scraping sound under our weight.
(Che Lei) "What... what are you doing now?!"
I stammered, while my heart thudded wildly in my chest.
(Reddick) "I want to dance with you."
Reddick stared at me without blinking.
(Che Lei) "You... you're drunk, aren't you?"
(Che Lei) "And do you even know how to dance?"
As if to prove himself, Reddick took a step back and suddenly pulled off his shirt, tossing it aside.
Then he put both arms behind his head and swayed his body to music that did not exist.
As though this were some silent dance floor.
He hummed softly and swayed in the darkness.
His fur, damp with sweat, clung a little to his chest, and the muscles beneath it tightened with his movements.
Yet his expression looked so relaxed.
His tail swayed with his motions, as if keeping time for himself.
I had no idea where he had learned this kind of dance.
It looked like something I had seen in bars I used to visit for fun.
But his dancing was so clumsy and stiff that it seemed a little comical.
Yet it was mine. It was a dance he was performing only for me.
Damn it. My heartbeat started speeding up again.
(Reddick) "You're not planning to make me wait here forever, are you?"
He looked at me with eyes like rubies, then crooked a finger at me.
I hesitated, but in the end I still stepped over to Reddick's side.
A smug smile rose onto Reddick's face.
(Che Lei) "But I don't know how to dance."
(Reddick) "Not even ballroom dancing?"
I shook my head woodenly.
(Reddick) "You've danced before. That time I took you to the ball."
(Reddick) "Don't you remember?"
That jolted my memory.
It had been his school's year-end ceremony, and I had attended the party as his dance partner.
An unforgettable night.
God, we really had been crazy back then.
(Che Lei) "Yeah. I remember."
Reddick smiled and stepped back twice, placing one paw behind his back.
He bent at the waist slightly, making an inviting gesture.
(Reddick) "Dance with me?"
I deliberately acted coy, waving my hand and turning my head aside.
(Che Lei) "I'm not that easy anymore."
(Reddick) "You never were~"
As Reddick spoke, he stepped forward, took my hand, and pulled me one step closer.
He lowered his head and looked at me, gentle and intent.
(Reddick) "Then may I have this dance with you now, my esteemed lady?"
I froze for a moment, then a smile spread across my face as well.
(Che Lei) "I hope you can still say that when I crush your tiger paws."
Reddick laughed loudly, took my hand, and began to lead.
Our bodies pressed tightly together as we danced in the dark to the melody he hummed.
From time to time, we stepped on each other's toes, but I could not stop the smile on my face.
I followed his steps forward, then backward, even letting him hold me while he dipped me, letting him lift me into the air and spin me freely.
(Che Lei) "Keep your dirty paws under control~"
(Reddick) "I can't help myself~"
Reddick smiled awkwardly and moved the hand that had been sliding downward back to my waist.
After the length of an entire song, I began to feel dizzy. In the end, I could only sit leaning against the floor in front of the bed.
(Reddick) "Dizzy already?"
(Reddick) "Did I spin too fast just now?"
Reddick smiled and sat down in front of me. I quietly wrapped my arms around him and rested my head lightly on his shoulder.
It made me recover that feeling from the past.
He would sometimes take me out on his bike, and I would hold him like this, secretly smelling his scent.
His T-shirts always carried that pleasant laundry-detergent smell, like summer sunlight.
(Reddick) "I really like having you by my side."
Reddick gently stroked my hair. His deep voice rumbled through his chest.
My heart seemed to skip a beat along with his words.
What was this supposed to be?
Why was he saying something like this to me again?
My heart became impossible to calm.
But I merely took away the paw that was stroking my head, smiled, and shook my head.
(Che Lei) "Who knows how many people you've said that to, especially your lovers."
Reddick's thick tail wrapped around my body, teasingly brushing across my face.
He pressed his head against me and asked with a smile:
(Reddick) "Then have you never dated anyone else?"
(Che Lei) "No..."
(Reddick) "Hm?"
(Reddick) "Not even the kind of person you sleep with not long after meeting?"
(Che Lei) "No!"
(Reddick) "No way."
(Reddick) "You really haven't done it with anyone else?"
Reddick lowered his head and stared straight into my eyes, as if trying to catch something in my gaze.
(Che Lei) "What is your brain filled with?!"
I gave his forehead a hard smack.
(Reddick) "Ow!"
(Reddick) "Why did you hit me?"
(Che Lei) "For asking nonsense!"
Reddick muttered something under his breath, the tip of his tail twitching.
But I thought of what had just happened at the KTV.
(Che Lei) "Seriously, what exactly did you whisper to Hyde?"
(Che Lei) "Have you really done it with that many people?"
(Reddick) "Hm? Define 'many.'"
(Che Lei) "Mm... say, more than five times?"
Reddick laughed.
(Che Lei) "Ten times?"
(Reddick) "Maybe~?"
(Che Lei) "Twenty times?!"
(Reddick) "Mm... does it matter?"
(Che Lei) "Wait... exactly how many people have you rolled in bed with?"
(Reddick) "Not many..."
(Che Lei) "Give me a specific number!"
(Reddick) "Hm... let me think..."
Reddick tilted his head to one side, seeming to think hard.
(Reddick) "During training, once or twice every weekend. Maybe more during breaks..."
(Reddick) "If we're counting from the very beginning..."
(Reddick) "Probably eighty or ninety...?"
Reddick still looked at me with a smile.
But my own smile froze on my face.
Seeing me fall silent in disbelief, Reddick suddenly became serious.
(Reddick) "Would you mind?"
He gazed into my eyes until I had to move my gaze away.
I did not know how to describe what I felt inside at that moment, but I knew I had to give him an answer.
Choice: 1. Tell the truth 2. Lie
Choice 1: Tell the truth (Stress +5)
I sighed.
(Che Lei) "Reddick, why would you do that kind of thing?"
(Che Lei) "Don't you care about your reputation? About what your family thinks?"
Reddick's whiskers drooped, and a flicker of dejection passed through his eyes.
Then he gave a bitter smile and turned his head to the side.
(Reddick) "So it bothers you, doesn't it?"
(Che Lei) "I..."
(Che Lei) "I just don't want to hear them talk about you that way..."
(Reddick) "How do they talk about me?"
(Che Lei) "I... I mean, you didn't used to treat yourself so carelessly..."
Reddick looked into my eyes and laughed softly.
(Reddick) "So you've seen that video too. The one in the team's locker room, right?"
I merely stared at my own knees in silence.
(Reddick) "What did you think? It must have been exciting, right?"
(Reddick) "After all, I was blindfolded and taken on the locker-room bench, moaning that loudly."
(Reddick) "Especially when I came from being fucked, I even..."
(Che Lei) "No, it wasn't like that!"
(Che Lei) "You were just tricked by that guy!"
(Che Lei) "You were dating. You didn't know he had recorded all of it."
(Reddick) "You don't need to make excuses for me. Everything they said is true."
Reddick smiled again, then said lightly a sentence that made me feel as if I were falling.
(Reddick) "I really am a slut."
(Che Lei) "No, you're not... I..."
I wanted to say more, but no matter what, I could not piece together a complete sentence.
Reddick used his paw to force my face around, making me meet his eyes.
(Reddick) "I did it with those people because that was what I wanted."
(Reddick) "And right now, I want you..."
He gave me no chance to react. His palm supported the back of my head, and he kissed my lips.
He pried my teeth open with his tongue and thrust it roughly into my mouth.
His paw slipped beneath my clothes, roaming constantly across my chest.
Then he reached between my legs, unsurprisingly making me begin to harden.
A faint hum escaped my throat, and Reddick smiled smugly.
(Reddick) "That's more like it, Xiao Lei."
I could not help reaching out to touch Reddick's broad, solid back, letting his fur pass between my fingers and feeling its warmth.
But Reddick caught my hand and guided me to stroke the soft fur on his lower belly.
Then he led me deeper into his pants.
I lightly touched his desire-swollen, already slick cock, letting it wet my fingers little by little.
I drew my hand back and placed my fingertips beneath my nose to smell them. It was that masculine scent mingled with lust.
(Reddick) "Do you like it?"
(Reddick) "You must want it too, don't you?"
Reddick stood up, pushed his pants all the way down from his ankles, and kicked them aside.
Then, freed from restraint, he sat on the bed and spread his strong legs, showing off his private parts to me.
(Reddick) "If you want it, it's yours now."
I admitted that I did miss his body.
On those sleepless nights, I had thought of him more than once while relieving myself.
And now I could possess all of this again.
I had no strength to resist, and I did not want to resist.
I let desire break through my reason.
I moved closer and greedily smelled him.
Because of the exercise just now, his whole body had become sweaty and full of a masculine scent.
I braced myself with both hands on his thick thighs and lightly touched the furry pouch between his legs with my tongue.
With my movement, he drew a deep breath, and the muscles of his legs tightened.
I took his tip into my mouth. I could feel him growing wetter, and he let out a soft moan of pleasure.
He was too large for me to take all of him, but I still tried to send him as deep toward my throat as I could.
Reddick closed his eyes tightly and stroked my head, gently thrusting his hips in time with my movements. His cock grew even hotter inside my mouth.
I freed one hand to tease his nipple, while the tip of my tongue lightly explored his front.
He had always liked it when I did this.
Before long, I felt his cock grow even harder and more swollen, and his body trembled slightly.
I knew he was close.
Just as I prepared to accept my reward, he pulled his hips back and lightly patted my shoulder.
(Reddick) "Don't be so impatient..."
Reddick's face was filled with desire. He lifted me onto the bed, stripped off my pants in one motion, and lowered himself in front of me.
He needed no teasing, because I was already hard as iron.
His soft, warm, wet tongue completely wrapped around me, and the unique barbs of a feline's tongue made me tremble slightly every time they brushed across me.
He was not someone who liked to hold things in his mouth, so his movements were rough and clumsy, even bringing the occasional scrape of teeth.
But he was Reddick.
He was so strong and imposing, admired by people, and now he was obediently bent beneath me, focused on sucking my member...
If I wanted, I could do anything to him.
That thought alone had already brought me close to the edge...
(Che Lei) "I... I'm close..."
I panted harshly, but Reddick beneath me showed no sign of stopping. Instead, his tongue teased me even more eagerly.
His paw also settled on his own thick cock, stroking constantly.
I shuddered, no longer able to hold myself back.
(Che Lei) "Mm!!!"
I pressed tightly against Reddick's head. My cock began pumping semen into Reddick's mouth in pulses, continuing five or six times before stopping.
I poured the desire I had suppressed for too long into his mouth, and he accepted it all gladly.
Then the sound of swallowing from his throat painted a heavy stroke across this scene of lust.
I could feel every muscle in Reddick's body tighten. As he nearly swallowed everything I had left in his mouth, he seemed to reach his own limit too.
His cock sprayed arcs of white fluid through the air, falling at my feet, and the air filled with that distinct scent of semen.
Then Reddick stood up, panting heavily. The remnants dripped from the tip of his towering cock, drawing out a long silver thread.
I stood up and wanted to hold him tightly, but he stopped me with his paw.
I looked at him in surprise, but once again he avoided my gaze.
Choice 2: Lie
(Che Lei) "I was just asking casually. I don't care about that kind of thing."
I said it lightly, but inside, it felt like a knife twisting.
(Reddick) "You're really bad at lying, Xiao Lei."
Reddick looked at me and gave a bitter smile, his eyelids lowering.
We fell into a mutual silence. Only after a long while did Reddick let out a deep sigh.
(Reddick) "I don't know how to explain it to you..."
(Che Lei) "You don't owe me any explanation. It is your life, after all."
(Che Lei) "Whether I care or not doesn't change anything."
(Che Lei) "I mean, as long as people are happy living their own lives, why care what others think?"
Reddick sighed again. His brow furrowed tightly, and he sat in silence with me for a long time.
This time, I was the one who spoke first.
(Che Lei) "So are you happy...?"
(Reddick) "Maybe?"
(Reddick) "I don't know."
Reddick shook his head with a bitter smile.
(Reddick) "After all, you're the first person to ask me that question."
(Che Lei) "How could that be?"
(Che Lei) "You have so many fans, so many people who like you, so many people chasing after you..."
(Reddick) "Are you really going to talk to me about that?"
(Reddick) "And then listen to me tell you with my own mouth what kind of feeling that is?"
(Reddick) "The feeling of everyone liking you, but no one really caring about you?"
(Che Lei) "But didn't you date people too? There must have been someone who truly loved you."
(Reddick) "I've dated many times, Xiao Lei."
(Reddick) "Too many times."
(Reddick) "Every one of them would say how much they loved me, say they would remember me forever."
(Reddick) "I used to sincerely believe they would."
Reddick grabbed his own wrist and smiled self-mockingly.
(Reddick) "I lived inside lies."
(Reddick) "So I was exhausted all the time."
(Reddick) "Only when I was with strangers did I no longer have to hide, no longer have to pretend to be some kind of person, and no longer have to worry about being hurt again..."
(Reddick) "That was the only way I could forget everything."
(Reddick) "I could finally be myself without thinking about how terrible life was."
(Reddick) "Just like I had always wanted..."
(Che Lei) "Reddick..."
(Reddick) "Don't, Xiao Lei."
(Reddick) "I really don't want to talk about this anymore right now."
(End of choice)
I wanted to touch Reddick's face, but the hand I had reached out froze in midair.
I silently withdrew it, looked at my own palm, and finally got up without a word.
But his voice rang out behind me again.
(Reddick) "Xiao Lei..."
(Che Lei) "Yeah."
(Reddick) "Don't leave tonight, okay?"
(Reddick) "Just think of it as keeping me company..."
I stopped in my tracks, silently turned off the light, and lay down on the bed with him.
I took off my clothes and threw them onto the floor.
I lay on my side with my back to Reddick, unable to see his expression.
But his breathing in the darkness was especially heavy.
He tossed and turned beside me for a long time, until finally one of his paws rested lightly on my shoulder.
I was too exhausted to make a sound, so I let his paw move over my shoulder.
Even though it kept me from falling asleep.
After an unknown amount of time, he yawned widely beside my ear. Then his paw moved slower and slower, until it stopped.
His breathing also became steadier, brushing softly against the back of my neck.
I could no longer keep myself conscious, and together with the sound of his breathing, I drifted into dreams...
