He didn’t say anything, and Qi Qi knew her boundaries well enough not to press further. She simply let her mind go blank, not wanting to think about anything, just enjoying this moment of tranquility.
This place was far from the city center—no car exhaust polluting the environment, and the sky was filled with stars.
Countless stars dotted the sky, like a river of silver.
The woman had one leg bent at the knee, her posture relaxed and carefree as she gazed at the sky. Those amber-colored eyes of hers seemed to brighten by several degrees.
And beside her,
the man leaned back, his hands propping him up on the ground, appearing to do the same as her.
Little did she know,
his gaze was fixed on the woman’s profile the entire time. Something seemed to churn in his eyes, but he quickly suppressed it.
“Sleepy?” Seeing her expression begin to show fatigue, Jian Yubai asked.
“Mm,” Qi Qi responded lazily.
Jian Yubai casually tapped on his phone, then put it back in his pocket, accompanying her in enjoying the night sky.
Just as Qi Qi was about to doze off, the car finally arrived, late as ever.
“Second Young Master,”
the driver got out and opened the rear door.
After the two got in, the driver couldn’t help but mutter: “No wonder I was told to wait for the notice.”
“Home or the Criminal Investigation Bureau?” Jian Yubai turned his head to ask.
Qi Qi glanced at the message on her phone ordering her to go home and rest, frowned, and could only change her mind.
“Back to the Gu residence.”
Jian Yubai signaled the driver.
Remembering what had just happened, Qi Qi couldn’t help but speak up: “Don’t you have anything you want to ask?”
Jian Yubai looked at her with a hint of a smile: “If I asked, would you tell me?”
“No,” Qi Qi shook her head decisively.
“…” Then wouldn’t it be pointless to ask?
“About that…”
As if knowing what she was about to say, Jian Yubai said: “I’m not interested in whatever you all have going on. I came along because of Xingyao.”
Qi Qi opened her mouth, then swallowed her words.
Fine, she’d been overthinking again.
The warm air from the car’s heater washed over her, and the drowsiness hit her immediately—she hadn’t had a single good night’s sleep in over a month.
Jian Yubai, who was looking at his phone, noticed the woman had fallen asleep and signaled the driver to adjust the heater vent.
Then he turned and draped the jacket that had slipped off back over her.
Too much warm air blowing could give you a headache.
The car drove smoothly and slowly, taking nearly two hours to finally reach the Gu residence’s front gate.
The driver stretched his body.
This really was the first time he’d driven at a snail’s pace.
The moment the car stopped, Qi Qi immediately opened her eyes.
“…” Jian Yubai, who had been about to reach out, smoothly changed the motion to touch his nose instead.
“Awake?”
Qi Qi glanced at him, got up, and stepped out of the car. Just as she was about to say goodbye, she heard a male voice from behind.
“Qiqi?”
She turned around.
“Why didn’t you call me when you came home?” Gu Cheng walked straight toward her.
Qi Qi glanced at Jian Yubai on the other side of the car and explained: “I just finished a case and happened to run into Second Young Master Jian on the way, so I hitched a ride.”
Jian Yubai walked over at that moment and asked a strange, out-of-the-blue question.
“You’re going out?”
Gu Cheng met his gaze, and the meaning in his eyes was something only the two of them understood.
Qi Qi stood in front of them, sweeping her gaze back and forth between their nearly tangling stares. She suddenly remembered the rumors about Gu Cheng and Jian Yubai.
In an instant, the way she looked at Jian Yubai changed.
“Um… if you two have something to say, say it—but standing this close, it’s not good if people see,” Qi Qi deliberately stepped between the two of them, separating them.
Then she looked at Gu Cheng: “Brother, are you going out?”
Seeing her move closer to him, the coldness in Gu Cheng’s eyes dissipated, and his brows curved into a smile.
“No, I was just checking when you’d be back. If it’s too late in the future, call me. You’re a delicate woman—it’s not safe for you to be out there alone.”
Thinking he must have misheard, Jian Yubai’s eyes widened as he pointed at Qi Qi. “Her… a weak woman?!”
Listen to him—he couldn’t even finish his sentence properly.
Gu Cheng furrowed his brow. “Is there a problem?”
“Weak woman, ha! What a fine weak woman.” Jian Yubai pointed at Qi Qi again, laughing himself speechless with exasperation.
Qi Qi pursed her lips, standing obediently beside Gu Cheng, though her gaze was dark and sinister as she stared at Jian Yubai for a moment.
Not only a romantic rival, but also a witness.
Must be eliminated.
Gu Cheng had no idea what kind of fit he was throwing. “That’s enough. No matter what, you still have to call her your sister.”
After chatting with him a bit longer, Gu Cheng led Qi Qi toward the villa.
Behind them,
Jian Yubai watched the two walking off side by side, shook his head with a low chuckle, then withdrew his gaze and got into his car.
Entering the courtyard,
Gu Cheng glanced sideways at Qi Qi and asked casually, “I heard you went to Xingyao to see Jian Yubai today?”
“Yeah, the case is related to Xingyao.”
“From now on, I’ll pick you up after work,” Gu Cheng said, ruffling her hair.
Qi Qi’s gaze shifted to his face.
Because of his concern and his gesture, the feelings suppressed deep in her eyes surged up once more.
But Gu Cheng didn’t notice. He simply took out his phone.
— Jiang Yu: A-Cheng, I’ve arrived at the airport.
— Gu Cheng: Have Qiu Sheng pick you up. You guys go have fun, no need to wait for me.
He casually sent the message and put his phone away.
“Qiqi, you’re off work—have you eaten yet?”
Lu Qiuyue came forward happily when she saw her return, but upon spotting Gu Cheng, she asked, “Weren’t you going to pick up Jiang Yu? Why are you back?”
Lu Qiuyue’s words were like a basin of cold water instantly dousing Qi Qi.
She felt a sudden chill run through her entire body, and the feelings that had risen in her eyes were once again forcibly pushed back down.
In the end, she curled her lips in a self-deprecating smile and slowly distanced herself from him.
“I’ll head to my room first.”
Lu Qiuyue: “Alright, go wash up first. I’ll make you something delicious.”
“Aren’t you going to see Jiang Yu now that she’s back?”
“I’ll go tomorrow.”
Their conversation drifted into Qi Qi’s ears. Her hand, reaching for the door, froze, then clenched tightly.
Still, she was too tired right now to dwell on these things. She went inside, took a quick shower, and fell straight into bed, sleeping until noon the next day.
When she went downstairs to eat, Gu Cheng was already gone. She didn’t need to guess where he was—he’d gone to keep Jiang Yu company.
“Qiqi, you’re awake. No work today?” Lu Qiuyue beckoned her over.
“I took a few days off.”
Gu Yuanliang: “A break is good. You’ve been busy at the bureau lately—you’ve gotten thin. Perfect, you can eat well and recover at home these few days.”
Qi Qi nodded obediently and ate her lunch in silence.
Just then, her phone buzzed.
It was a message from Yang Ruiming about the follow-up on the case.
In truth, the moment she’d seen the Maple Leaf Organization’s avatar, Qi Qi had already understood the full course of the case and its cause. As it turned out, her assumptions had been correct.
The killer was indeed a spy from the Maple Leaf Organization, and the so-called roommate was his subordinate.
The killer’s target had always been interns who could get into Xingyao—specifically those with a real chance of being hired full-time.
That was also why he’d suddenly asked the girl out yesterday. He wanted to take the opportunity to knock her unconscious while she was off guard, then implant a listening device inside her body.
That way, it would be convenient for the foreign employer to eavesdrop on Xingyao’s secrets.
Li Ying’s situation was the same—except she’d woken up in the middle of the implantation procedure, which was ultimately why she’d been silenced.
As for who that mysterious employer was, that was no longer their concern, given that it involved an international dispute.
Qi Qi had intended to send the follow-up details of this case to Jian Yubai, so that he could keep a closer eye on the people in his company.
But then it occurred to him that the two of them hadn’t exchanged any contact information, and with no other option, he had to let the matter drop.