Captain Lu—
When he heard that long-lost title, Lu Taipan’s gaze froze for a moment. He looked at Su Liang—the young man’s face was exceptionally beautiful, but not unheard of. Still, Lu Taipan quickly realized why he had felt such a strong sense of familiarity just by seeing the other’s back earlier.
In his memory, a certain delicate and pale face from years ago suddenly overlapped with the now fully grown man before him.
“It’s you.”
After recognizing the other, Lu Taipan didn’t even notice that his eyes had softened.
It had been years since then. Back when Lu Taipan was still active in the field, some particularly vicious kidnappers, trying to threaten the then-prominent Lu family, attempted to abduct an important younger member of the family.
No one knew what the kidnappers were thinking in the end, but by the time Lu Taipan received the news, the entire university class traveling with that younger relative had been dragged into the incident.
To avoid further escalation and casualties, Lu Taipan, who should have been commanding from the rear, directly broke protocol and joined the frontline operation. He infiltrated the now-isolated luxury cruise ship undercover.
Su Liang, then a university student, worked closely with him several times. Even knowing the danger was imminent, he willingly stayed behind to ensure the mission’s success.
He was the last hostage Lu Taipan rescued—and also the one who experienced the most peril. Just as they leapt off the cruise ship, the bombs set by the kidnappers detonated.
In the thunderous explosion, Lu Taipan shielded the young man with his body. Even he sustained severe injuries from the blast’s impact, but Su Liang, being a strong swimmer, dragged him through the water, avoiding the whirlpool created by the sinking ship. Eventually, they both made it out alive.
But…
Now, years later, seeing the once-crybaby youth again, what flashed through Lu Taipan’s mind was that moment on the rescue helicopter: the drenched, pale young man clinging to the stretcher, sobbing uncontrollably.
“What a crybaby.”
That was the last thought that crossed Lu Taipan’s mind before he lost consciousness back then.
He had never expected to meet that crybaby again, yet here they were, reuniting under such circumstances.
Watching Su Liang calmly handle the car accident, Lu Taipan felt oddly conflicted: the crybaby had clearly become a lot braver.
Strictly speaking, Lu Taipan had come to this remote village to escape the noise of the outside world. He should’ve avoided getting involved with old acquaintances. But now, seeing someone from his past on this mountain road, he found himself unexpectedly pleased.
“Su Liang…”
Lu Taipan called his name.
“It’s me! Captain Lu, you still remember me!”
Hearing the man call out, Su Liang’s eyes lit up. He lifted his face and beamed brightly at Lu Taipan.
Seeing that smile, Lu Taipan didn’t know what came over him. Just like on the cruise ship years ago, when he saw the beautiful, delicate youth—something strange and electric stirred inside him.
Running into an old acquaintance in a foreign place should’ve been a cause for joy, but their brief reunion was quickly interrupted by the commotion from the crowd noticing the rescue team’s arrival.
Help had come. And the villagers had really brought a tractor! The previously panicked villagers finally relaxed.
The village chief directed people to load the wounded onto the tractor—those severely injured were laid flat; those less injured sat on the sides.
But no matter how they shuffled around, even asking a villager to walk back, there was still one spot short.
An older woman was left standing, trying to climb on, voice choked: “Please, just move over a bit. My grandson’s up there—I can’t be separated from him…”
Seeing this, Su Liang quickly jumped off the tractor.
“I’m the least hurt,” he said with a smile. “Village Chief, I’ll walk back with the others from Lu Family Village.”
“You can’t!”
When someone from the village offered to walk, the chief didn’t hesitate. But now, hearing Su Liang say this, he refused outright.
He hadn’t had the chance to properly acknowledge the teacher he’d worked so hard to invite to the village. Now, seeing the injury on Su Liang’s head and his pale face, he felt heartbroken.
“Oh no, Teacher Su, you just got here and now this happens—I already feel terrible. How can I let you walk? This isn’t the city. Our villagers are used to mountain roads, but it’s your first time. You’ll get blisters! And your head’s still bleeding—how is that a minor injury?! No, you must go back on the tractor. I’ll figure something else out—”
Someone on the tractor immediately offered to give up their seat.
“Yes, Teacher Su, my injury’s lighter than yours—I’m from a nearby village, I can walk.”
“Teacher Su, take my spot, I’ve already stopped bleeding.”
Chaos broke out as people tried to rearrange again. Then a calm voice cut through the noise.
The village chief was stunned.
He looked at Lu Taipan in disbelief.
Lu Taipan was pointing to the seat beside him in the tractor’s cab.
The chief couldn’t believe his ears.
Lu Taipan had always been solitary, hating people getting close. This tractor was a rare item in a ten-mile radius. He let people sit in the back, sure, but never up front beside him.
Once, a local troublemaker tried to sneak a ride in the driver’s seat and nearly got thrown out by the collar. Since then, everyone knew not to try it.
Yet today—today!—Lu Taipan himself offered Su Liang that seat?!
Had all his persuasion finally worked? Could it be that the famously cold man had truly taken a liking to the teacher from the city?
If someone else had been there, the village chief might have cried tears of joy.
As for Su Liang, he didn’t think much of it.
“Thank you, Captain Lu.”
He smiled, cradled his bag in his arms, and gracefully leapt into the front seat like a deer.
The seat wasn’t spacious, but Su Liang had a slender frame. Even though he’d grown since college, he was still the slim type. Sitting beside Lu Taipan wasn’t too cramped. Still, their legs touched. Their arms brushed.
Through the thin white shirt, Su Liang’s body heat seeped into Lu Taipan’s.
So did the faint scent of soap—clean and gentle.
Lu Taipan felt a strange tingling in his chest again.
No one else could notice the subtle shift in his emotions. His face unchanged, Lu Taipan glanced back to confirm everyone was seated, then started the engine and rumbled down the road toward Lu Family Village.
By the time they settled all the wounded, night had fallen. Amid the chaos, the village chief suddenly remembered—the clean dorm prepared for Su Liang was already full. Too many people, some from other counties, had to stay the night. Su Liang, the quietest and calmest of them all, had been completely forgotten.
Now there was nowhere left for him to sleep.
Facing the chief’s regretful expression, Su Liang remained calm.
“It’s fine. I’ll make do on the floor.”
He smiled easily.
“No! Absolutely not! Ugh, I really dropped the ball today!”
The chief was heartbroken. Not only was Su Liang the university teacher he’d worked so hard to get, but he was also so stunningly beautiful that people couldn’t look away.
Letting such a person sleep on the floor? Unthinkable!
Especially with the mountain humidity—it would seep up even from a clean floor and harm the body.
The chief was about to offer up his pigsty when Lu Taipan, arms crossed, leaning on the doorframe, spoke in his calm voice:
“…Let him sleep at my place.”
The chief froze.
“Panzi? Really? But you only have one room—and one bed…”
Indeed, Lu Taipan’s home was the best in the village, an old estate once belonging to some grand official. Recently, he’d fixed it up, but still only used one bedroom, the kitchen, and a small sitting area. Everything else was locked away.
That meant either Su Liang would sleep on the floor again… or share the bed.
The chief was stunned. Could it be… Lu Taipan really allowed that?
When the chief loudly mentioned the single bed, Lu Taipan gave a slight cough and glanced at Su Liang.
The youth, thin and pale, stood straight in his white shirt. His exposed neck and wrists glowed in the night.
Sensing the gaze, Su Liang looked up and met his eyes.
His gaze was clear.
“Captain Lu, will it be too much trouble?” he asked, a bit shyly.
“My bed’s big. It’s fine.”
Lu Taipan replied, then added, slightly hoarse, “As long as you… don’t mind sharing.”
“I don’t mind.”
Su Liang truly didn’t.
People often assumed he was some delicate rich boy. But his parents died young, and his sister raised him. He’d suffered a lot and even worked construction to afford school.
Getting to share a bed with the man he admired most—he wasn’t just okay with it, he was thrilled.
And so it was settled.
That night, after dinner, Lu Taipan showed up at the door to escort Su Liang back to his place—like a man bringing his bride home.
The room was big. The bed even bigger.
An antique redwood canopy bed, carved with lotus flowers and mandarin ducks.
“…This was my grandmother’s dowry.”
Seeing Su Liang’s wide-eyed stare, Lu Taipan offered a flat-toned explanation.
“No wonder. Looks like a real antique,” Su Liang mumbled.
“Mm.”
It really was nothing… except for the fact that even the windows were etched with double happiness symbols. The floor had floral and pomegranate patterns.
He’d lived there for a while and never noticed. But now, with Su Liang here, something in him felt… tense.
His heart beat faster.
Muscles tight—not from wariness, but something else he couldn’t name.
“Come. Let me see your wound.”
Lu Taipan fetched his medical kit.
With no chairs, Su Liang hesitated before sitting at the edge of the bed.
Lu Taipan came over with iodine and bandages.
“Close your eyes. Tilt your head.”
“Sorry to trouble you, Captain Lu.”
Su Liang closed his eyes and obeyed.
Lu Taipan bent over, gently cleaning the wound.
“Mm…”
The youth flinched, gasping softly.
“Hurt?”
“No. You’re already being very gentle.”
Su Liang bit his lip unconsciously.
Lu Taipan’s eyes lingered a beat too long on those lips.
If it were one of his old teammates, he’d have mocked them and slapped on leaves. But for Su Liang… he was meticulous, careful.
A simple wound took him twice as long.
“All done,” he finally said. Then added, voice low, “Don’t act tough next time.”
The youth felt too thin under his hands—like a gust of wind might blow him away.
The thought made Lu Taipan uncomfortable.
“…Okay.”
Su Liang blinked, looked up—and saw a tattooed snake stare back at him.
Lu Taipan had taken off his shirt, revealing the intricate snake tattoo on his back.
That lifelike snake was no illusion—it coiled over an old scar from years ago.
“I turned the scar into a tattoo,” Lu Taipan explained before bed.
“Figured it looked scary enough anyway. Might as well make it the Lu family crest.”
“I always wanted to thank you,” Su Liang said, lying in bed.
“I heard from A-Zhao… from Lu Zhi Zhao, that you left the Lu family. I thought I’d never get the chance to thank you. If it weren’t for you, I’d be dead. I’m really happy I got to see you again, Captain Lu.”
“I didn’t expect it either.”
“…You graduated from Star River University. You could’ve stayed in Haicheng with a good job. Why come out here to teach?”
Su Liang froze.
“…No reason. Just wanted to help kids in rural areas. It makes me happy.”
It was the answer he always gave.
But for some reason, saying it to Lu Taipan made him nervous.
Thankfully, Lu Taipan didn’t press further.
Su Liang thought he’d have trouble sleeping.
But the quiet village night, and the man’s familiar scent—cold, earthy, floral—soothed him.
Just like when they were trapped together on that ship.
He closed his eyes and drifted off.
What he didn’t know was: the man who gave him such comfort… was wide awake.
The youth smelled clean.
Before bed, Su Liang had shyly asked to use the bathroom and soap.
Now, wrapped in a similar scent, Lu Taipan felt like he had marked the youth with his own.
And that thought made something in him restless.
The next morning, Lu Taipan was jolted awake by a faint scent at the door. Instantly alert, he leapt from bed.
Su Liang was gone. Only a trace of warmth and fragrance remained.
Moving quietly, Lu Taipan followed the scent… and found the youth bustling at the stove in an apron.
“Su Liang?”
“Ahh—!”
Startled, Su Liang almost dropped the plate of buns. But Lu Taipan caught it in time.
“Captain Lu?”
Lu Taipan raised a brow. “White flour?”
“My sister gave it to me—I just wanted to thank you for letting me stay the night…”
He had woken early and made a simple breakfast.
Buns, pickles—clearly all brought from home.
There were eggs and meat in the kitchen, but he didn’t dare touch Lu Taipan’s food.
Lu Taipan glanced at the table. His voice softened. “There are eggs.”
Su Liang blushed. “You want eggs? I’ll cook—”
Lu Taipan pushed him into a seat. “You eat first.”
Then he brushed his teeth while frying four sunny-side-up eggs with one hand.
He also made himself noodles—with lard and chili.
Su Liang watched, embarrassed.
He doubted Captain Lu liked his plain buns and pickles.
Then watched in awe as the man devoured them all.
“…This pickled catfish is good,” Lu Taipan said suddenly, eyes lighting up. “Your sister’s cooking isn’t bad.”
Su Liang blushed. “I pickled it. If you like it, I’ll make a jar for you next time.”
Lu Taipan looked at him—and though he’d been full, somehow he was hungry again.
“…Okay.”
Little Pink Starfish 
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