The Feeling of a Racing Heart

At 2:30 in the afternoon, Ren Suo arrived at the Xianlin Subdistrict Office in Quanliu District, Lianjiang City, his future workplace.

Yes, he, Ren Suo, a graduate of a nationally key undergraduate university, had chosen a subdistrict office as his post-graduation workplace.

He had only gotten in after taking the citywide civil service exam. Though he had passed the written exam, if his uncle had not had some connections in Lianjiang City, he might have been eliminated during the interview.

As the lowest-level functional government unit in the Xuan Kingdom with an official public-service establishment, a subdistrict office was really just a township government in disguise. It was not as though there were no prospects. If one could become a leader in the Party Working Committee Office, such as the secretary, it was possible to keep climbing upward. More likely, though, the moment someone left one of those positions, some parachuted-in crony would immediately take the vacancy to pad out their résumé.

Naturally, Ren Suo had no aspirations of becoming the "Xuan Kingdom's future successor" by joining the subdistrict office. He simply wanted an easy iron rice bowl and to coast through life. Civil service employment also suited the expectations of his parents' generation, so he had spent his junior and senior years preparing for the exam.

Subdistrict offices varied in workload. Some were busy enough to kill you, while others had nothing to do but drink tea. After investigating, Ren Suo had concluded that the Xianlin Subdistrict Office he was joining belonged to the latter category—the residential communities under its jurisdiction all had property management companies, and the residents' committees served relatively well-off people. It was one of Lianjiang City's newly developed urban districts.

Subdistrict offices responsible for old city districts and urban villages were different. Since those areas had no property management companies, their water pipes and electrical wiring were "antiques" laid decades ago. There was work every day, with people constantly coming in to ask what to do about burst pipes or blown fuses. Crowds of aunties and uncles came to the subdistrict office every day to chat and ask questions. They even came there to make photocopies and print documents—

Then the subdistrict office would tell them that the residents' committee was actually a little closer to their homes...

Ren Suo had originally thought that, after joining the Xianlin Subdistrict Office, he would spend his long life surfing the internet and drinking tea every day. He had not expected to be dragged in for a medical examination before he had even officially started work.

"Little Suo, you're here?" The moment Ren Suo entered, Director Ye, who was speaking with someone in the lobby, noticed him and waved him over. "Come, let me introduce you. Qingxuan, Zhaolong, this is Ren Suo. Like you, he's one of this year's new staff members."

Director Ye said to Ren Suo, "This is Li Qingxuan, and this is Mo Zhaolong. Get along well. They're both fresh college graduates too. Young people should have plenty in common."

After the three exchanged greetings, Director Ye continued, "We were waiting for you. The others have already gone to the health center on Yuexiu Street. Now that everyone's here, let's go."

Yuexiu Street was not far from the Xianlin Subdistrict Office, so the three decided to chat as they walked. Director Ye was indeed worthy of being the office director. Though he was in his forties, he looked kind and approachable, and he made sure to include each of them in the conversation. "You young people spend every day playing games and watching TV dramas. You should exercise once in a while. But after you join the subdistrict office, you definitely won't have to worry about getting too little exercise."

Li Qingxuan feigned surprise. "Is the subdistrict office that busy? I thought we just chatted with aunties and uncles every day."

"There are times like that." Director Ye chuckled. "But when things get busy, we have to go door to door. For example, half a month ago, the city issued a notice ordering an inspection of the permanent resident population. Even after assigning the task to each residents' committee, we still had to conduct our own inspections afterward to confirm the latest tenant and homeowner information."

"And five days ago, our superiors ordered all of us to visit nearby households. They said there was a... not a fugitive. We were supposed to search house by house for a seventeen-year-old high school student. Who knows which leader's son had run away from home..."

"There have been quite a few things like that lately. We can't afford to sit idle."

They reached the health center on Yuexiu Street in less than twenty minutes. A long line had already formed inside. Ren Suo took one look and estimated there were at least a thousand people, making him click his tongue. "Wow, this many people came out for medical exams on a workday?"

"Yes, we're in the second-to-last group." Director Ye said apologetically, "This was arranged in a rush. The whole district had to finish in one day, so we split into four shifts. We were so busy we got completely muddled and forgot to notify you three."

"It's fine, it's fine," all three said.

There was a counter by the entrance where they could collect forms. Behind it sat a lazy-looking young man in a black vest. When Ren Suo took his form, the man was still playing on his phone and did not even lift his eyelids.

For some reason, Ren Suo felt an inexplicable flutter in his heart. He stared at the man blankly for a long time until Mo Zhaolong patted him from behind. Only then did he jolt awake and hurry inside to line up for the medical examination.

Even if his heart was racing, shouldn't it race for a gorgeous, seductive man? Why was he having such feelings for a man who was not even particularly handsome?

"Brother." Mo Zhaolong walked over with a grin. "So that's how it is..."

"No, no, no." Ren Suo shook his head repeatedly. "I'm a Steel Straight Man."

"Every man thinks he's straight before meeting the right person." Mo Zhaolong advised, "From childhood to adulthood, how many things we liked have we missed out on? Are you going to miss out on the person you like too?"

"Get lost, get lost, get lost."

Men could easily become acquainted over philosophical questions like this. Ren Suo and Mo Zhaolong went through the medical examination together. Internal medicine, ophthalmology, and ear, eye, nose, and throat checks passed quickly. There was also a blood-draw bus at the health center, and the line for it was insanely long, so they saved it for last.

Mo Zhaolong was talkative throughout the process, taking the initiative to talk about his college days and complain about his roommates and professors. Ren Suo nodded along and recalled his own glorious years. When Mo Zhaolong mentioned that he also liked the extremely obscure Xuan Kingdom comic, Sbres Story Collection, Ren Suo felt even more strongly that he had found a good friend—

Having common interests was normal, but sharing a niche interest was like finding a needle in the ocean. Ren Suo had never found anyone in real life to discuss that comic with. Meeting someone like that now made him as excited as a snail finding another snail.

When it was nearly their turn to have blood drawn, Ren Suo was still wanting to continue the conversation. However, Mo Zhaolong's expression suddenly changed as he clutched his stomach. "Oh no, my stomach hurts..."

"Huh? Then hurry to the restroom," Ren Suo said.

"But if I leave now, I'll have to line up all over again." Mo Zhaolong wore a bitter expression. "The last group has arrived too. I'll have to wait another hour..."

Mo Zhaolong looked at Ren Suo and asked, "Big brother, can you get your blood drawn for me?"

"Huh? You can help with that?" Ren Suo blinked. He had heard of people helping others with physical fitness tests, but never medical examinations.

"Don't worry, they only take a tiny bit of blood. It's fine." Mo Zhaolong said, "I had a medical exam half a month ago, and there was nothing wrong with me. I don't really care about this one. Wasting another hour would be more troublesome... How about I treat you to dinner later? Skewers, barbecue, beer—I've got it covered!"

Ren Suo thought about it and figured it was no big deal. He would even get a free meal out of it, so he took Mo Zhaolong's examination form and went to have blood drawn.

He first completed his own blood test, then took Mo Zhaolong's form to another blood-draw line. There were many people waiting there, all packed together. Ren Suo thought he could easily get away with it, but the moment he sat down, a Black Vest Youth walked over. "Didn't you already have your blood drawn?"

"...Huh?" Ren Suo had not expected this medical examination to be so strict. He scratched his head and smiled. "I'm helping someone..."

"Helping someone? Who?" Black Vest frowned.

Ren Suo did not think it was a big deal. He waved the examination form in his hand. "A colleague. He suddenly got a stomachache and went to the restroom, so he asked me to get his blood drawn for him. If that's not allowed, I'll call him over."

"Then take us to him," Black Vest said.

Only then did Ren Suo notice four men in black vests standing behind the blood-draw station. Without exception, they looked tough and young. They did not resemble doctors or ordinary staff at all. They looked more like soldiers.

Did I get him into trouble? Ren Suo blinked, then turned his head and saw a familiar figure running toward the entrance. He immediately pointed and shouted, "Brother Long, are you done taking a dump? Why are you leaving!?"

Ren Suo had no intention of taking the fall for someone he had just met, so he immediately pointed him out.

The four men in black vests instantly looked over, but the lobby was packed with people. How could they possibly reach him in time?

"Don't let him escape!"

The leader of the black vests grabbed the upper corner of the wall, yanked himself up, and planted his foot. He actually ran along the wall, then kicked off hard and flew over the heads of everyone in the lobby, crossing several meters and landing directly at the entrance!

"Running on walls?"

"What, are they catching a criminal?"

"What criminal would be dumb enough to come somewhere packed with civil servants?"

"Maybe the criminal came from somewhere packed with civil servants..."

Some civil servant had spoken the plain truth. Ren Suo also squeezed over to see what was happening.

Mo Zhaolong ran for his life, but the health center was only so large, and he could only flee toward the entrance. One of the black vests shouted, "Netherfire, stop him!"

The Black Vest Youth who had been sitting at the entrance, handing out examination forms, lazily stood up and pointed at Mo Zhaolong. "Stop."

"Stop your mother—"

Mo Zhaolong swung his fist and charged forward.

The Black Vest Youth first crooked a finger toward the entrance. The two iron doors suddenly creaked shut at high speed. Without any visible acceleration, he burst forward and slammed into Mo Zhaolong's chest, sending him flying several meters away with a single punch!

Just watching made it feel as though his internal organs had been displaced. Mo Zhaolong lay on the ground groaning, unable to rise, while the other black vests rushed over and pinned him down.

"You forced me to do this!"

Mo Zhaolong cursed, and then, for some unknown reason, the burly men in black vests on top of him all lost consciousness and collapsed. Not only that, even people standing slightly closer to him fell asleep on the spot, horrifying the onlookers nearby.

"A virus?"

"What kind of disease is that terrifying?"

"Hurry back inside! It can spread through the air!"

The crowd erupted and rushed into the health center. Only Ren Suo remained on the first floor, hiding behind a pillar as he stared blankly at Mo Zhaolong.

For some reason, now Mo Zhaolong also gave him

the feeling of a racing heart.