On the quiet night streets, the roar of car engines refueling, the loud hum of motors, and the screeching of brakes during sharp turns echoed. A Jeep led the way, recklessly weaving through the streets, closely followed by several police cars and a white Audi.
“Adjust police forces to block off the area near Hongjiang District’s main street. Take those two people back to the station first!” Xu Xingchun shouted into the radio.
He then sounded the horn, lowered the window, and fired warning shots into the air.
The Jeep ahead, hearing the gunshots, sped up even more, becoming increasingly reckless, charging forward with a do-or-die attitude. Someone even leaned out of the window and shot back at them. Xu Xingchun dropped the radio, skillfully turned the steering wheel, quickly shifted gears, floored the accelerator, and brushed past a police car beside him.
After speeding through one turn, there was another rapid drift. Fu Xueli almost flew out of her seat, accidentally hitting her head on the glass, seeing stars from the impact.
She had brought this on herself by insisting on staying in the car earlier. Who knew karma would come so quickly!
She cursed herself silently while in pain. Gripping the handle tightly, she felt her adrenaline surging, her stomach churning, feeling like she might throw up. She could barely breathe, her heart in her throat.
Before she could catch her breath, the car sped up again, reaching life-or-death speeds. The car felt like it might lift off the ground. Fu Xueli’s ears were ringing slightly. Half-dead, she glanced at the dashboard, deeply impressed by Xu Xingchun’s driving speed.
Driving like this, they could die at any moment.
But the sound of police sirens all around and the smell of gunpowder made it feel like being in the middle of a cop movie. It was truly thrilling and exciting.
The people in the Jeep were clearly very familiar with the area. They tried hard to shake off their pursuers, turning left and right. Finally, the glow of their taillights disappeared around a street corner.
“Damn, we lost them!” came a voice over the radio, sounding furious and frustrated. “They got away again. Looks like they’re heading towards the suburbs. Get people to chase from the riverside!”
The police cars behind slowed down a bit.
“I… I… wait,” Fu Xueli said, her face pale, her voice trembling as she struggled to speak. “Xu Xingchun, I can’t take it anymore.”
Fu Xueli woke up with a splitting headache.
She opened her eyes groggily, feeling like everything above her was spinning. She was drenched in cold sweat. A humidifier beside her was puffing out mist. She closed her eyes again, breathing slowly to calm herself.
Where was she…
Fu Xueli propped herself up, looking around in confusion.
The room was extremely simple, almost empty except for white-painted walls, a low wooden table, the most basic white fluorescent tubes, a desk piled with case files, and a sink. There was nothing else.
Her last memory was…
She had felt terribly carsick, rushed out to hold onto a railing and vomit violently. And then…
Then she had passed out.
This low blood sugar problem was really incurable. Fu Xueli had been like this since high school, unable to stand for long in the mornings. It was the same when she stayed up late filming. She had fainted on set several times, making others think she had some terminal illness. Over time, her health had gotten worse and worse from the strain.
Click — someone opened the door and walked in.
Fu Xueli turned her head weakly and saw Xu Xingchun carrying a bag.
Her gaze drifted over him as she spoke, her throat dry and hoarse, “What time is it? Where am I?”
Xu Xingchun opened the plastic bag and placed a bowl of porridge on the table. He took out the bowls and chopsticks, his movements orderly and silent.
In just a short while, he had returned to his usual calm demeanor. Reserved and not talkative.
If it weren’t for last night, Fu Xueli would never have guessed Xu Xingchun had such a violent and exciting side. He seemed like a different person.
But she had to admit, the contrast between his usual gentle indifference and last night’s wild ferocity created a strong sense of cognitive dissonance — for a woman, it was a kind of fatal, masculine attraction.
Especially the way he held his gun. If any lovesick girl had seen it, her heart would have trembled with excitement.
Fu Xueli threw off the blanket and got out of bed. After a couple steps, her legs went weak and she almost fell. So she sat back down on the bed.
She knew Xu Xingchun’s temper. He must be angry seeing her in this state. Not daring to get close to him, Fu Xueli observed her surroundings, behaving herself and not daring to act up.
Every time she felt unwell, his mood would become very strange.
She still remembered that year in tenth grade when she caught the flu virus. Lying in the hospital with a high fever that wouldn’t break, she had also cut her finger. She was basically put in isolation. At the time, she was barely conscious, only occasionally coming to her senses. Only Xu Xingchun stayed by her side without eating or drinking. He kept her injured finger at his lips, kissing it repeatedly, not afraid of getting infected at all.
The way he looked then.
It really seemed like he wanted to die with her.
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