Replacing the Evil Way

Chapter 99: Happy Ending

Cheng Zhenqing was covered in injuries and was rushed to the hospital. He was immediately taken to the operating room. He Wei and Cheng Zhenqing’s subordinates waited outside the operating room. While his family members were not present, He Wei signed all the surgery documents on their behalf.

After he was out of danger, He Wei was the first one to wait for him to wake up in the hospital room. Cheng Zhenqing’s subordinates were curious about He Wei, and several of them huddled together to whisper, occasionally glancing at He Wei, speculating that there was some “special” relationship between him and their captain.

They heard that Captain He, disregarding orders, took a team to rescue Cheng Zhenqing from the drug trafficking gang led by Scar-face Tahari without even asking for help from their headquarters. Headquarters was furious, but when they rescued Cheng Zhenqing, they praised He Wei for being “incredibly resourceful,” and the drastic change in attitude left everyone astonished.

Wu Xiaolei, who was with He Wei, also didn’t understand what was going on. He simply said that He Wei had observed the stars at night, said he was going to rescue someone, and asked who would be willing to go with him. Everyone raised their hands, and He Wei gave each person a cigarette, leading to a spontaneous rescue mission.

“It’s truly miraculous. Captain Cheng was captured by drug traffickers, and we were trapped in the mountains. Not only did we have to evade the traffickers’ searches, but we also couldn’t send out a rescue signal. We were losing hope.”

“Yeah, we were even considering a breakout. Those traffickers are ruthless. We couldn’t just watch our captain fall into their hands! But then, the village suddenly started setting off fireworks!”

“Oh my, I’ve never been so grateful to the Party and the country. At a critical moment, reinforcements arrived as if sent by the heavens. Otherwise, even if we made it back safely, I would never forgive myself for what happened to Captain Cheng.”

Outside the hospital room, everyone chatted excitedly, but inside the room, it was quiet, with only the faint sounds of medical equipment operating. He Wei glanced at the clock; the doctor had said that Cheng Zhenqing would wake up around eight o’clock, and it was almost time.

He stood up to pour a glass of water and, when he returned, noticed Cheng Zhenqing’s index finger moving, his eyelids twitching, and his eyeballs shifting left and right.

“Awake, huh?”

Cheng Zhenqing nodded almost imperceptibly, and He Wei sat down, his tone much lighter. “Good to see you awake. You’re lucky; you won’t die just yet. But you’ve had a concussion and fractures, and there may be some lasting effects. You might not be able to return to the front lines in the future.”

Cheng Zhenqing managed a weak smile; these were all secondary concerns. Surviving was already a miracle.

He had a strong will to live, like an indestructible cockroach. The next day, although he couldn’t move, he was able to remove his oxygen mask and speak to He Wei.

“Aren’t you tired? Asking so many questions.” He Wei became impatient and placed the oxygen mask back over Cheng Zhenqing’s face.

“I’m just curious; have you really been here for over twenty years?” Cheng Zhenqing paused. “So, have you found someone new and completely forgotten about my little brother?”

“…,” He Wei remained expressionless. “Well, then maybe I should have forgotten to come to save you, and your little brother could have come to collect your ashes.”

Cheng Zhenqing immediately put on a playful smile. It was just a joke, but he couldn’t believe how deeply He Wei felt. Twenty-plus years of unwavering love…; love was truly remarkable.

He Wei remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking, “It hasn’t been that long, actually.”

While he returned to this world from the point of his life exchange, time moved forward at double speed. The corrected memories, regardless of day or night, constantly flooded his brain, sometimes causing headaches due to the overwhelming amount of information.

In the blink of an eye, his student days passed, elementary school graduation, high school graduation, and then enrolling in the police academy. He felt like he hadn’t even had a chance to recognize his classmates’ faces before he started working.

So, while over twenty years might sound like a long time, for He Wei, only two years had truly passed. During this time, he hadn’t come across the Cheng brothers. Even if he consciously tried to search and make contact, time passed too quickly, and often, when he woke up, he found himself somewhere else, on a trip or a mission. Therefore, there was no opportunity to meet them in advance.

He Wei suspected that it was somehow forbidden for them to meet in advance. He thought that this synchronous cycle would continue until he was in his thirties, but a week ago, time suddenly slowed down, and He Wei realized that something important required his attention.

Cheng Zhenqing.

Although he hadn’t received any messages, he knew when Cheng Zhenqing’s life would be in danger. In that high-latitude space, “he” hadn’t forewarned Cheng Zhenqing’s fate. Perhaps it was to entrust Cheng Zhenqing’s life to He Wei. It turned out that He Wei had made the right gamble; he saved Cheng Zhenqing. From that moment on, their lives began to progress at a normal pace in this world.

“Oh… so it hasn’t been that long. Fortunately, fortunately, you’ll still be my little brother’s wife in the future.”

He Wei smiled faintly, his hand resting on Cheng Zhenqing’s wound as he applied slight pressure. “What?”

“Hey, hey, don’t press! Ouch!… I didn’t say anything wrong!”

Outside the hospital room, behind the glass, the conversations among the onlookers turned into gossip.

“He Wei has been guarding Captain Cheng all this time. Could it be… that kind of relationship?”

“They’re even flirting with each other. I can’t bear to watch anymore!”

“Although they’re both men, they seem like a perfect match. I can only wish Captain Cheng and Captain He happiness!”

Wu Xiaolei was horrified, unwilling to believe that Captain He’s miraculous decision this time was because of love.

———

In Shengzhou City, far away, Cheng Zesheng heard that his brother had been captured by drug traffickers and was on the brink of death. Without hesitation, he took leave and rushed to the border. 

Fortunately, Cheng Zhenqing’s surgery was successful, and he had been transferred to a regular hospital room, ready for a transfer back to Shengzhou at any time.

After getting out of the car, Cheng Zesheng hurriedly entered the hospital room and found his brother leaning against the hospital bed, munching on an apple. His complexion wasn’t exactly rosy, but his spirits seemed good. He had bandages on his head, a cast on his body, and his right leg suspended, wrapped up like a mummy.

Sitting by his brother’s bedside was a man in uniform, with jet-black short hair and a fair neck that was almost blindingly white. Looking at his back, Cheng Zesheng had a nagging feeling of familiarity. When the man turned his head, a face with refined features came into view, eyebrows like distant mountains, eyes like polished lacquer, and a faint, sharp smile at the corner of his lips, clear and a bit edgy.

Cheng Zesheng was stunned and blurted out, “He Wei?”

He Wei looked surprised. “…You remember me?”

This even made Cheng Zhenqing sit up abruptly, but he overexerted himself and exclaimed, “Ouch!” before lying back down.

Both sets of eyes stared at Cheng Zesheng expectantly. But Cheng Zesheng shook his head, “No, I haven’t seen you before. In the police academy’s awards section, there’s a picture of you as the new-generation sharpshooter.”

“…”He Wei felt a subtle sense of disappointment. Cheng Zhenqing asked, “Zesheng, you really don’t remember him? No impression at all?”

“I haven’t met him before,” Cheng Zesheng replied decisively as he moved to sit on the other side of the bed. “Ge, are you okay? Mom and Dad are really worried about you; they asked me to bring you back to Shengzhou.”

“Can’t you see if I’m okay? Escaping death’s clutches will bring good fortune later.”

“Yeah, this time, after eliminating the Tahari gang, we’ve seized a huge quantity of drugs. We’ll definitely receive recognition and rewards when we return.”

The two brothers were in good spirits. He Wei stood up and quietly left the room. Cheng Zesheng waited until he was gone before whispering, “Ge, when did you two meet? I’ve never heard you mention him before.”

Cheng Zhenqing evaded the question, saying, “It hasn’t been that long. You know, I haven’t been back for months, and I haven’t had a chance to introduce you to him.”

A doctor came in for a checkup and to change the bandages. Cheng Zesheng also left the room. He saw He Wei standing by the window with his back to him, talking on the phone.

“I know, isn’t it too late to apply now? Saving a life is the priority.”

“Let’s discuss it when we get back. Yeah, I’m going back to Shengzhou. I’ve been in Haijing for five years; it’s time to return to Shengzhou.”

“Alright, alright, it’s all good. Whether or not we share a dorm doesn’t matter. Just don’t hold up my transfer orders.”

After hanging up the phone, He Wei turned around, and Cheng Zesheng was behind him. When their eyes met, Cheng Zesheng felt a bit flustered. “I wasn’t eavesdropping; I just wanted to thank you for saving my brother.”

He Wei smiled faintly. “No need to be polite; I owe him.”

Two days later, Cheng Zesheng overheard some gossip, and his face turned unpleasant. He began to wonder about the relationship between the two men.

Privately, He Wei’s colleagues and Cheng Zhenqing’s team members had started referring to them as a couple.

Cheng Zesheng went to handle the hospital transfer procedures. When he returned, he saw Cheng Zhenqing lying on the bed, and He Wei’s hand was supporting him, getting quite close in what seemed like an ambiguous position. As the distance between the two continued to shrink, Cheng Zesheng was stunned, and the documents and settlement forms in his hand fell to the ground.

“The wound isn’t festering again. Why are you yelling?” He Wei pushed aside the gauze on Cheng Zhenqing’s forehead.

“What do you mean, why am I yelling? I have a headache and a fever. I thought the wound at the back of my head had split open.”

“Always making a fuss over nothing.” He Wei patted his hands and straightened up. Cheng Zhenqing noticed Cheng Zesheng standing in the doorway, looking dazed. He waved at him and said, “Zesheng, you’re here. Why didn’t you say anything?”

He Wei also turned around and smiled at Cheng Zesheng, walking over to help him pick up the documents. Cheng Zesheng remained silent, and his gaze toward He Wei became increasingly perplexed. Cheng Zhenqing noticed that his younger brother was staring at He Wei, and he mistakenly thought that Zesheng might have developed feelings for him. To provide some privacy, he found an excuse to suggest a nap and ushered the two of them out of the hospital room.

In the corridor, He Wei held the settlement documents and asked, “When do you plan to leave?”

“Tomorrow.”

“Alright, it’s good to return to Shengzhou early.” He Wei organized the documents and handed them to Cheng Zesheng. “Let’s go back together. I’ll escort him to the hospital.”

Cheng Zesheng remained silent and stared at He Wei, his tone hesitant. “You and my brother…?”

“Huh?” He Wei looked confused. “Me and your brother…?”

After struggling for a while, Cheng Zesheng bit his lip and asked, “What kind of relationship do you have with my brother?”

“What?”

“I heard,” Cheng Zesheng cleared his throat, “They say they want to call you ‘big sister-in-law.'”

He Wei was completely stunned for about ten seconds. Then he leaned against the wall, arms crossed over his belly, and burst into laughter. Without a definite answer, Cheng Zesheng became anxious, “Hey, stop laughing; is it true or not?”

He Wei suppressed his laughter and fixed his dark gaze on him, “Do you want it to be true or not?”

He was being sly. How was Cheng Zesheng, who had no relevant information, supposed to answer that? He felt a mixture of frustration, anger, and jealousy.

So Cheng Zesheng regretfully replied, “Fine, it might be true or not. I don’t have any thoughts about it.”

“Oh, okay,” He Wei shrugged. “Then it doesn’t matter whether I tell you or not.”

“…” As He Wei walked away, Cheng Zesheng felt incredibly conflicted, scratching his head as he watched him go.

That night, Cheng Zesheng was the one to accompany Cheng Zhenqing in the hospital room. Cheng Zhenqing had a private room with decent conditions, including a small bed for an accompanying person. During the critical days, He Wei had been sleeping there all night, watching over him until morning.

Cheng Zesheng and his brother had a close relationship, and he couldn’t hide anything from him. During the day, He Wei told him the truth, and at night, Cheng Zesheng couldn’t hold back his curiosity and probed Cheng Zhenqing for more information.

Cheng Zhenqing was snacking on sunflower seeds when Cheng Zesheng suddenly asked, “Me and He Wei?”

What kind of nonsense was that? Even if he were brain-dead, he wouldn’t develop feelings for He Wei. He Wei was not an easy person to handle. You could easily get pricked by thorns if you weren’t careful.

To some extent, Cheng Zhenqing admired his younger brother’s boldness. He asked directly, “What’s that supposed to mean? Are you jealous?”

“…” Cheng Zesheng denied it with a touch of anger and jealousy mixed in, “I’m not jealous. I’m worried that our parents won’t accept having a son-in-law. As for me, I don’t really care.”

Cheng Zhenqing crossed his arms, intrigued, as he stared at his younger brother. “Zesheng, what do you think of He Wei?”

What did he think of He Wei? Cheng Zesheng tried to describe it in plain words in his mind: It was like a sky filled with dark clouds, but the moment he turned around, the mist cleared, and brilliant sunlight shone on the glistening lake.

But Cheng Zesheng wasn’t gay, and he didn’t believe in love at first sight.

“I don’t have any particularly strong feelings. I didn’t even know him before. I just heard he was quite impressive at school.” Cheng Zesheng replied earnestly.

His little thoughts couldn’t escape Cheng Zhenqing’s notice. Cheng Zhenqing winked and draped his arm around his brother’s shoulder. “He saved my life; we can’t be ungrateful, right?”

“You should thank him.”

“Words alone don’t show sincerity.” Cheng Zhenqing patted Cheng Zesheng’s chest. “You need to take practical action.”

Cheng Zesheng looked at his brother, and various ideas about how to use their father’s connections to help He Wei advance in his career came to mind. However, he also felt that He Wei wasn’t the type of person interested in that. So he waited for his brother to come up with some brilliant ideas.

Cheng Zhenqing simply draped his arm around his brother’s shoulder, sounding like a supermarket clearance sale with a ‘buy one, get one free’ offer. He said, “You should offer yourself.”

“Um?” Cheng Zesheng was sure he didn’t mishear, but he felt a bit stunned by the phrase ‘offer yourself.’

Cheng Zhenqing asked him to think about it and then turned over to sleep.

Cheng Zesheng stared blankly at the white wall, with He Wei’s face and the words ‘it doesn’t seem impossible’ floating through his mind.

The next day, He Wei accompanied them on a special plane back to their hometown, bringing Cheng Zhenqing to the top-tier People’s Hospital in the city for further recovery. Cheng Zesheng’s parents were both there, and when they saw their eldest son returning home injured but still alive with no missing limbs, they finally felt relief.

They took turns expressing their gratitude to He Wei. Leaders from the local police bureau also visited the hospital. Bureau Chief Huang Zhanwei shook He Wei’s hand and said with a smile, “Comrade He, we are truly grateful to you for saving our Zhenqing. I heard you’ve been working in Haijing, right? When are you going back?”

“No need to thank me; it’s what I should do,” He Wei replied with a firm handshake, then added, “I won’t be returning to Haijing for the time being. I’ll need Chief Huang to take care of things there.”

Huang Zhanwei was a bit puzzled, but before he could ask further, He Wei had already moved on to have a conversation with Cheng Zesheng’s mother.

Relatives, colleagues, and leaders came to visit one after another. As the sun set, Cheng Zhenqing finally finished receiving guests, feeling almost exhausted. He Wei entered the room and saw it filled with flowers and fruits. He chuckled, “You have good connections, receiving so many wreaths.”

“…I knew you didn’t want to save me.” Wreaths were for the deceased!

He Wei showed no signs of guilt, and with a slip of the tongue, he said, “Oh, my mistake. Slip of the tongue.” He glanced casually at Cheng Zhenqing, “Looks like I should’ve sent you a wreath.”

After closing the door, the corridor was empty. This floor was all single rooms, and there were few patients and even fewer family members, so it was quiet. He Wei casually put his hands in his pockets and asked, “What do you want to talk about?”

“My brother asked me to find a way to thank you for saving his life.” Cheng Zesheng automatically filtered out his brother’s suggestion. “I heard you’re working in a leadership position in Haijing, and my father is willing to help you transfer back to Shengzhou.”

He Wei had anticipated this and didn’t decline. “Thanks; I’d like to join the Municipal Bureau.”

“…You’re not holding back.” Cheng Zesheng silently criticized him.

“You want to join the Anti-Drug Division of the Municipal Bureau?”

He Wei shook his head, looking into Cheng Zesheng’s eyes. The setting sun cast a warm glow on his black eyes, making them shine with pride. “I want to join the Criminal Investigation Division.”

Cheng Zesheng was taken aback, and his eyes widened. The Criminal Investigation Division? Would they be colleagues in the future?

He Wei gradually approached Cheng Zesheng, who subconsciously stepped back, and he was pushed to the window. The evening sun shone behind him, illuminating his face with a warm and ambiguous color. Cheng Zesheng couldn’t help his racing heart, and his eyes uncontrollably drifted toward He Wei’s pale pink lips. His mind conjured up some R-rated scenarios.

He Wei smiled softly and whispered, “Do you need a boyfriend? Someone with top-notch marksmanship, investigative skills, and all-around capabilities.”

“Can you warm the bed?” Cheng Zesheng blurted it out without thinking, then immediately looked away, his expression filled with regret. He clearly couldn’t understand how he had blurted out such a vulgar question.

He Wei was stunned for a moment, then he couldn’t help but burst into laughter. He placed his hand on Cheng Zesheng’s shoulder and held his belly with the other as he laughed. Cheng Zesheng was still Cheng Zesheng, the same one he had liked all along, unchanged from his memories.

This time, He Wei didn’t pretend to be ignorant. Instead, he grabbed Cheng Zesheng’s collar and leaned in, pressing his lips against his.

“Yes.”