“Based on the landlady’s registration records, we’ve mostly confirmed the identities of the deceased. One was a hostess,” the forensics officer reported, nodding to the local police station chief and Liu Jingbo. Looking at the darkening sky, he added, “But it looks like it’s going to rain. There’s not much left to examine at the scene. Once the funeral home’s vehicle takes the bodies and they finish taking photos with scale markers, we can wrap up.”
“Alright.” Liu Jingbo wore a safety helmet and held a spotlight. He shone it around randomly. The crime scene investigation van had already left. Several police cars flashed their lights at the road entrance, while Old Qin leaned casually against one, smoking.
Walking over, Liu Jingbo asked, “So, what are the identification results? Another group that partied themselves to death? Any connection to the Red Mountain group?”
“Can’t draw conclusions yet.”
“Sigh, lately when something happens, it’s one thing after another.”
Old Qin smiled, “Don’t be so tense. We’ll discuss it when we get back.”
“Where’s Chun?”
Old Qin lifted his chin, “Over there.”
The commercial district wasn’t far from here. The alley where the incident occurred was wide, making crowd control difficult, especially in preventing chaos.
A woman suddenly burst from the crowd, presumably having just been notified – a family member of one of the deceased. She first noticed Xu Xingchun’s uniform and desperately grabbed his clothes, anxiously asking, “Doctor, doctor, how’s my daughter? Can she be saved?”
Fu Xueli was startled by this sudden appearance. Xu Xingchun’s hand supported her side, gently blocking the anxious woman. Though his clothes were pulled askew, he wasn’t impatient. He just called someone over to take her to identify the body.
Liu Jingbo’s voice suddenly came from behind, “Hey hey, please cooperate, don’t take photos for Weibo.”
Fu Xueli turned around.
Meanwhile, Liu Jingbo was sizing her up.
Fortunately, it was dark. He could only see long hair, jeans, a beige trench coat, and brown short-heeled calfskin boots. Up close, he noticed diamond earrings – a fashionable outfit that seemed out of place in the messy scene.
Liu Jingbo squinted, turned to Xu Xingchun, and coughed, “Is this sister-in-law? Why is she here?”
Xu Xingchun removed his mask, neither confirming nor denying Liu Jingbo’s question. He gave Fu Xueli his car keys, “Fifty meters left, my car’s parked next to the convenience store. Go wait for me there.”
After Fu Xueli left, Liu Jingbo couldn’t resist asking something. Xu Xingchun glanced at him, “Don’t be so nosy. I have to go, Old Qin can handle the rest.”
“What’s the rush? Taking sister-in-law home?”
“The special task force issued a joint investigation order. There’s still a complicated drug trafficking case unresolved.”
Though Xu Xingchun had transferred to lead the narcotics unit in the criminal police squad, he still worked as a forensic expert. He had many additional duties and a pile of verification reports to review. Liu Jingbo understood and didn’t try to keep him any longer.
Xu Xingchun walked through a path that the onlookers automatically cleared. Despite his low-key attire, his looks and bearing were eye-catching, drawing admiring glances from young girls.
Fu Xueli sat properly upright, occasionally glancing at the passing scenery, then looking at Xu Xingchun driving.
At a red light, the car moved slowly. Bored, she tapped the car roof. After holding back for a while, she couldn’t resist sitting up and asking quietly, “Are you still angry with me?”
After asking, she called his name again, “Xu Xingchun, say something.”
He finally glanced at her, “Be more careful crossing the street in the future.”
“I know! I’ll remember, stop repeating it.”
As if making conversation, Fu Xueli nudged his arm with her elbow, “Do you have to go somewhere busy tonight? Can I come with you? I’m free today.”
Taking advantage of the remaining seconds at the red light, she mischievously pulled at his hand on the gear shift, “Please?”
Xu Xingchun indulged her grip. Squeezed once, then let go.
Seeing no reaction from him, her face soured, “Not allowed?”
Xu Xingchun looked at her expression and smiled, couldn’t help coughing a bit, “I have a meeting tonight. Where do you need to go? I’ll take you there.”
“You’re not catching a cold again, are you… Wear more clothes.” Knowing he couldn’t accompany her tonight, her mood dropped. Dejectedly, Fu Xueli mumbled an address.
It was his home.
That night at Xu Xingchun’s home, Fu Xueli watched all her past variety shows alone, just to give herself something to do.
Later, she got sleepy. Looking at the time, it was already past eleven. She didn’t know when Xu Xingchun would return.
She tossed aside the iPad, hugged a pillow, and dozed off.
When she woke again, the room’s table lamp cast a gentle light.
Xu Xingchun had somehow come to sleep beside her. He lay on top of the covers fully clothed, arm across his forehead blocking the light, eyelashes closed, looking extremely tired.
Fu Xueli made no sound, propped her head on her hand, lying on her side, watching him for a while. Her heart was filled with various concerns, longing, and unnamed emotions.
A mischievous thought suddenly struck her. She carefully picked up her phone nearby, opened the camera to take a sneaky photo, but forgot to mute it. The sound was quite loud, accidentally waking him.
She simply tossed the phone aside and pounced to hug him, cupping Xu Xingchun’s face and giving him a loud kiss on the lips, her nose feeling warm.
Before he could turn his head, Xu Xingchun found himself being hugged around the neck and kissed on the lips.
Lying on top of him, Fu Xueli turned her head, watching Xu Xingchun, and spoke softly by his ear, “You’re awake?”
“What do you think?” His voice was a bit hoarse.
She remained draped over him, completely clinging to him. She pinched one of Xu Xingchun’s cheeks, watching his beloved dimple deepen, and couldn’t resist touching his slightly pouted lips again.
Just woken up, he had an unfamiliar, fresh kind of cuteness rarely seen.
Perhaps because Fu Xueli’s gaze was too obvious, Xu Xingchun looked at her for a few seconds, also smiled, sighed, and raised his hand to pat her head.
“Xu Xingchun,” she breathed his name.
“What?”
“Say my name.”
“Fu Xueli.”
“Mm.”
“What is it?”
Fu Xueli silently mouthed, “I love you.”
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