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The problem with Shen Yi was his complete inability to disconnect from his work and his resulting unwillingness to say no to any police department’s request for help.
There was nothing wrong with him at all, his mind treacherously whispered and as to his inability to say no— He was Shen Yi’s senior officer, his partner— police partner and he had to find a way to stop him from collapsing from sheer exhaustion.
He'd tried sidearms training – he’d shown an aptitude but no interest beyond what the department required – and he didn’t think martial arts training would be any more effective at getting him to disengage… or would it?
“Why did you bring me to the gym, Du Cheng?”
Shen Yi was mumbling, his eye barely open, dark circles below them. When pressed, he’d reluctantly admitted to having forgotten to eat since breakfast.
“Tai Chi.”
“Did Chief Zhang decide I had to start learning martial arts or was it you?” Shen Yi’s shoulders slumped further. “What if I promise not to wander off on my own anymore?”
If only he wouldn’t break that promise like they both knew he would. “No, I only had teaching you a taolu short form in mind.”
“Why?”
“Because you need to get out of your own head more and concentrating completely on your breathing and moving your body through slow precise forms is a great way to do it.”
“If you say so.” Shen Yi looked dubious at best.
“I do.” He had to stop thinking about how good he looked in a spare set of his sweats, the sleeves and legs rolled up to make them fit. “Let’s get started.”
He demonstrated each stage of the form, stopping to adjust the positioning of Shen Yi’s limbs as necessary. Unsurprisingly, he had to constantly remind him to slow down and concentrate on his breathing. Surprisingly, he still picked it up really fast. Everything was going well until he was demonstrating Repulse the Monkey and Shen Yi caught his raised foot on the rolled-up sweatpants leg of his planted foot and collapsed into him, sending them both tumbling to the ground.
Looking even more beautiful than usual, certainly more carefree than he had in a while, Shen Yi laughed down at him until he suddenly stopped.
Shit!
“I thought Tai Chi was all about slow controlled movement of all your body parts.” He pressed his hips down harder against him. “That doesn’t feel slow or controlled.”
“Shen Yi—” He wanted to sound annoyed but only managed a groan as he ground his hips a little.
“Unless this is your usual response to martial arts training—”
“It’s not.”
“—I can think of a much better way to relax.”
With Shen Yi smiling at him and his hand sliding far too slowly down toward his waistband he was inclined to agree.