Extra 4: Elite Pei × Mayor He (4)

Translator: Abo Dammen

☆

Extras 

The black business sedan stopped at the entrance of Binshi First Prison. He Yixun unbuckled his seatbelt and uncrossed his long legs. “We’re here.”

Xu Pei withdrew his gaze from the endless fields outside. “Aren’t we going to see the cosmologist?”

“His situation is a bit… complicated.” 

Passing through multiple iron gates, walking deep into the heavily guarded prison walls, He Yixun briefly explained the once high-profile case of the cosmologist who killed his wife. Xu Pei listened attentively, nodding occasionally, the chain of his glasses sliding against the fine imitation cashmere fabric of his suit with the movement.

The suit was off-the-rack, but the size fit perfectly. Paired with a tie clip and a pocket square, Xu Pei had transformed back into his elite appearance, standing appropriately beside the equally well-suited He Yixun.

The two finally stopped before a special cell at the end of a corridor. The guard on duty unlocked several security mechanisms and said respectfully to He Yixun, “Call me if you need anything.”

Inside the cell, a middle-aged man in a checkered shirt was scribbling calculations on a whiteboard. He didn’t react even when he heard footsteps approaching from behind. 

He Yixun spoke up, “Dr. Zhen.”

The familiar title made Xu Pei’s heart skip a beat. When the middle-aged man put down his marker and turned around, Xu Pei couldn’t help but exclaim, “Dr. Zhen?!”

His closest work partner was actually in another world. In an instant, many things made sense, but one thing still seemed utterly illogical. “How are you so young?”

The Zhen Li that Xu Pei knew was nearly seventy years old, while the man before him was, at most, in his early fifties. If not for their identical appearance, similar demeanor, and He Yixun addressing him as ‘Dr. Zhen,’ Xu Pei wouldn’t have dared to recognize him. 

“I’m… young?” Zhen Li gave Xu Pei a baffled look, then nodded at He Yixun. “Mayor He.”

He Yixun nodded back and asked Xu Pei, “You know him?”

Xu Pei’s attention was entirely focused on Zhen Li. He didn’t hear He Yixun’s question and quickly stepped closer to Zhen Li. “Have you always lived in this world? Or did you cross over like I did?”

“Cross over?” Zhen Li first leaned back, creating distance from this frantic stranger, then leaned forward, even more eager than Xu Pei. “You’re a crosser?” 

“He crossed over the night before last,” said He Yixun. “Appeared suddenly in my office.”

“You know me?” Zhen Li asked.

“I know the seventy-year-old you,” Xu Pei said. “You assisted me in developing a drug.”

Zhen Li lowered his gaze, a thoughtful expression appearing on his face. “So, I will cross over when I’m seventy…” 

“Dr. Zhen,” He Yixun interrupted Zhen Li’s muttering. “We came today to ask if you know anything about crossing spacetime, to see if there’s a way to send him back.”

“I know some, but not much,” Zhen Li said, pushing his glasses up. “The mechanism of crossing is complex. I can try to help figure it out. However…”

He paused here, changing the subject. “It’s rare to have the chance to meet Mayor He. I have an impertinent request.”

He Yixun: “Go ahead.” 

“Help clear my name.”

—–

On the return journey, the secretary in the passenger seat reviewed the documents from the original case and said to He Yixun, “There are indeed some doubtful points in his case.”

He Yixun made an affirmative sound. “Have Chief Shao arrange for someone to reinvestigate it.” 

Xu Pei couldn’t help but interject, “I believe in Dr. Zhen. He’s a good person.”

He Yixun turned to look at Xu Pei. “You’re very familiar with him?”

“He’s somewhat of a mentor to me. Without him, I couldn’t have developed the Stabilizer.” Xu Pei, still frowning as he tried to untangle why the Zhen Lis in the two worlds had such a large age gap, continued, “I always felt he seemed able to predict the future. Once, I was about to leave work and go home, but he insisted I stay in the office a while longer. As it turned out, my car exploded in the parking lot.”

“Another time, he knocked over my cup. Right after, the company received a tip that a researcher had produced illicit drugs. That alpha admitted he intended to poison me—saying ‘intended,’ but he’d most likely already done it, right in the cup that Dr. Zhen knocked over.” 

“Is it possible,” He Yixun pondered, “that he has been to the future?”

The driver and secretary in the front seats, upholding their professional demeanors, remained unflappable no matter how bizarre the topic.

“That makes sense,” Xu Pei murmured thoughtfully. “It’s possible I’ve already died many times.”

“In that case, do you still want to go back?” He Yixun asked. 

He had crossed over as a child and avoided a car crash. Xu Pei wasn’t sure if he could avoid the murder attempt this time. Even if he did…

A hearing awaited him.

If not death, then prison.

Xu Pei let out a soft sigh, looking out the window at the increasingly bustling streets. “Let’s first see if Dr. Zhen makes any progress. Maybe the crossing has nothing to do with my pendant after all.” 

—Xu Pei carried a pendant containing a small stone given to him by his parents.

In earlier years, when he still used a scent blocker, the small stone was embedded within it, worn on the little finger of his left hand. Later, after receiving Stabilizer treatment and no longer needing the inhibitor, he had the small stone made into a pendant.

Dr. Zhen Li had just finished analyzing the situation with him and theorized that the small stone might be the trigger for his dimensional travel, so Xu Pei had left the pendant with Zhen Li for further study.

If it turned out the pendant had nothing to do with the crossing, then Xu Pei wouldn’t be able to return so easily. It was still too early to consider that problem now.

A large part of the day had been used, and a great deal of work awaited He Yixun at the city government.

The black business sedan stopped outside the residential compound’s main gate. He Yixun said to Xu Pei, “I’ll be back late tonight.” 

“Alright,” Xu Pei replied, his hand on the door handle. He paused for a moment, then asked He Yixun in a low voice, “Can I speak with you alone?”

He Yixun said to the driver and secretary, “Please give us a moment.”

Soon, only the two of them remained in the car. He Yixun looked at Xu Pei, waiting for him to speak, but instead saw a suspicious blush rise on Xu Pei’s cheeks. His tone, however, was as serious as ever: “I’ve discovered that your saliva is more effective than my own Stabilizer, but it only lasts for about half a day.

“My body is becoming unstable again.” 

Oh. No wonder he was blushing.

“So?” He Yixun asked, feigning ignorance.

“I want to kiss you.”

He had wondered if Xu Pei would lower his head and plead for help, but he was still so straightforward, saying exactly what he wanted. 

“Fine,” He Yixun agreed generously.

Xu Pei closed his eyes and leaned toward He Yixun. His rosy lips, like nectar waiting to be gathered, glistened temptingly. However, having learned from last time, He Yixun naturally didn’t take the initiative. He simply watched Xu Pei’s waiting face calmly until Xu Pei opened his eyes and asked, “What’s wrong?”

“If you want it,” He Yixun tilted his head slightly, “come and get it yourself.”

The blush on his face became more pronounced. The somewhat slow Xu Pei seemed to finally realize that He Yixun was holding a grudge. He let out a resigned sigh, then climbed over to straddle He Yixun’s lap. He asked politely, “Is this okay?” 

He Yixun couldn’t help but swallow hard. He had only meant for Xu Pei to lean closer, not be this proactive.

But this was good too.

He wrapped one arm around Xu Pei’s waist and pressed the other against the nape of his neck. Lifting his chin, he said, “You may kiss me now.”

Xu Pei leaned straight down, only realizing their noses were about to bump when he was very close. He tilted his head slightly and finally pressed his lips against He Yixun’s. Like He Yixun, he seemed to be a natural. He pried open He Yixun’s teeth, and his tongue swept boldly inside, seeking saliva. 

Mayor He experienced, for the first time in his life, the impulse to skip work.

He truly felt sorry for the citizens of Binshi.

The temperature inside the car steadily rose. The simple “treatment” unconsciously acquired a hint of desire.

Just as He Yixun, unable to bear Xu Pei’s deliberate slowness any longer, was about to turn the tables and take control, the secretary suddenly knocked on the car window. 

Startled, Xu Pei quickly retreated to his side, the blush spreading all the way to the tips of his ears. He Yixun had to reassure him, “They can’t see in from outside.”

Having said that, he rolled down the window and asked with a slight frown, “What is it?”

“We just received a message from First Prison,” the secretary said, leaning down. “Zhen Li has disappeared.”

Author’s Feed: 

Puppy Pei is different from Elite Pei. He always had Officer He to soothe him, and later received treatment which completely stabilized him.

Elite Pei, although he received treatment, was still missing his own version of He’s help.

Also, the logic for transmigrating in the side story isn’t as strict so it’s not fixed to thunderstorms.