The private room fell completely silent in an instant.
Everyone’s expressions froze in place, staring in stunned disbelief at Le Ning and Zhou Ran.
Did they… just hear wrong?
What did Zhou Ran just say?!
He’s pursuing Le Ning?!
Zhou Ran pursuing Le Ning?
Yang Qingqing’s face and the face of the female classmate beside her changed colors over and over. Thank goodness they were sitting down — even in shock, they had something to hold onto.
They just stared wide-eyed at Le Ning’s side, completely speechless for a long time.
Lu Jiaxiu was the first to react. He let out a light laugh to pull everyone back to reality.
Teasing, he said: “Sorry, everyone — sorry for the show.”
Speaking for the group, he asked: “Zhou Ran, have you gotten little junior’s approval to pursue her yet?”
Zhou Ran didn’t look at him. His intense gaze stayed fixed on Le Ning.
Aside from that initial moment of shock, Le Ning’s expression hadn’t changed much.
She lowered her lashes and looked at the table. When Lu Jiaxiu asked his question, she even calmly took a slow sip of juice.
“What?”
She looked at Lu Jiaxiu: “What did you say, Senior Lu?”
Lu Jiaxiu choked and gave Zhou Ran a “good luck” look.
Zhou Ran didn’t seem to mind. He didn’t push her.
He scanned the room once more, then said calmly: “Not yet. I’m working on it.”
Hu Yi let out a laugh. Right after, Ruan Qiu and Ji Chuchu also stepped in to change the subject.
“Then Senior Zhou, work hard ah~ Our Ningning is not easy to chase at all.”
“Right right right, Senior Zhou, jiayou ah~”
Zhou Ran looked at the people in front of him, picked up a cup of tea from the side: “Using tea instead of alcohol, first thank you all for your kind intentions.”
Yang Qingqing dazedly followed everyone and raised her cup. Only after drinking did she react.
She glared fiercely at Le Ning, her face deathly pale.
How could this be.
How could Le Ning be so lucky?!
Whether in high school or now… she always had this ability. She could always make everyone—all the people Yang Qingqing thought were out of reach—speak up for her.
Whether teachers, classmates, or… the person she once liked.
All of them.
Le Ning didn’t respond to Zhou Ran’s words. With Lu Jiaxiu, Hu Yi and the others keeping the atmosphere lively, the meal eventually came to an end.
Since Lu Jiaxiu had booked the whole place, naturally no one was allowed to pay.
“Heading back to school now?”
Someone asked.
“Back, back, let’s stroll around the school again.”
“Yes yes yes, the school is so pretty right now. I came late this morning and didn’t even take photos.”
Everyone chatted and left one after another.
In an instant, only Le Ning’s group of three and Zhou Ran’s group of three remained in that area.
Le Ning glanced at the two people beside her: “Not leaving?”
Ruan Qiu stole a look at her expression. She had to admit… Le Ning was really very calm.
Ji Chuchu let out an “ah” and looked at her: “Go where? Back to school?”
“Mm.”
Just as Ruan Qiu was about to speak, the quiet Zhou Ran on the side suddenly called: “Le Ning.”
Le Ning didn’t even lift her head.
Zhou Ran didn’t mind her attitude and looked at the others: “You guys go ahead first. I have something to say to Le Ning.”
Lu Jiaxiu understood immediately and quickly said: “Don’t worry, then we’ll head back with the little junior sisters first.”
“Mm.”
Before Le Ning could stop them, the two had already run off.
Watching their retreating backs, Le Ning silently noted down a small debt against them in her heart.
After the others left, Zhou Ran took one step closer toward Le Ning.
The sense of pressure arrived instantly.
Le Ning paused, endured it, and managed not to step back.
The two looked at each other in silence for a moment. Unable to withstand the intensity of his gaze, Le Ning looked away: “Senior Zhou, it’s better not to say things that will make everyone misunderstand.”
She pressed her lips together and said concisely: “It’ll be hard to explain later.”
“What misunderstanding words?”
Zhou Ran lowered his eyes to look at her, his gaze burning: “Which sentences exactly?”
Le Ning: “…”
He was obviously asking even though he already knew.
Looking at her expression, Zhou Ran asked slowly and deliberately: “Was it the part where I said I like you, or the part where I said I’m pursuing you?”
Le Ning choked.
She glared at Zhou Ran, her face turning just a little red.
For some reason, even though she knew very well that he had probably only said those things earlier to keep her from losing face, she still couldn’t help overthinking it.
Le Ning wasn’t narcissistic enough to believe that Zhou Ran actually liked her or was really pursuing her.
Because she hadn’t sensed anything like that at all.
So when she first heard it… aside from her heart beating two beats faster, it gradually calmed down.
Zhou Ran had only been helping her out.
Back in high school… similar things had happened before.
Zhou Ran had helped her back then too.
Le Ning was quiet for a few seconds before saying softly: “Captain Zhou knows best himself.”
Zhou Ran gave an “mm”: “I’ll talk to you about that later. First I need to ask you about something else.”
Le Ning was stunned: “What?”
Zhou Ran looked around: “Let’s talk while walking.”
“…Oh.”
Zhou Ran’s expression was too serious, and somehow Le Ning got pulled into the mood without realizing it.
A few minutes later, she looked at Zhou Ran in shock: “What did you say?”
Zhou Ran met her eyes: “Due to professional reasons, I can’t show you the video for now. You’ll probably need to come with me to the Criminal Investigation Brigade.”
Le Ning frowned. When she saw the seriousness in Zhou Ran’s eyes, she finally reacted.
He wasn’t joking.
When Zhou Ran said he saw her near the crime scene… he really wasn’t joking.
But how could she have appeared at the crime scene?
Le Ning couldn’t figure it out.
She took a deep breath and didn’t hesitate at all: “I’ll go back with you.”
She wanted to see for herself what exactly was going on.
Zhou Ran nodded and said apologetically: “Taking you back requires following normal procedure. There might be questioning…”
He paused, then lowered his voice: “Don’t be afraid. Just answer truthfully.”
After getting in the car, Le Ning sent a message to Ruan Qiu and the others in the group chat, then stopped looking at her phone. Naturally, she had no idea what the class group chat looked like at that moment.
After the meal, the class group exploded.
Someone from the group that had just eaten couldn’t hold back and posted photos and messages in the chat.
At first it was just talking about the meal, saying they ate together with Lu Jiaxiu, Zhou Ran and the others. The classmates who didn’t come were all very envious.
Everyone knew that Lu Jiaxiu and Hu Yi were both company bosses. Although Zhou Ran wasn’t in business and didn’t have that kind of money, he had strong backing.
That was common knowledge.
The ones who didn’t come kept asking for details. At first people were still chatting, but later they gradually went quiet.
Until after the meal, a male classmate sent a message in the group.
【Le Ning really gave our class president so much face.】
【What happened?】
【Senior Zhou is actually pursuing Le Ning!】
【What??】
【Who’s chasing who??】
【Where did this news come from?】
【Did you guys hear it just now at dinner?】
【Yes, we were eating with Senior Zhou and the others just now. Senior Zhou said it himself—he likes Le Ning, and he’s pursuing Le Ning!】
【Aaaaaahhh Senior Zhou is way too charming!! The whole time he was saying it, he kept staring at Le Ning. Oh my god, I’m about to cry from jealousy.】
【For real?? Didn’t Senior Zhou reject Le Ning before?】
【100% true. I was also at the table. More than ten people from our class heard it with their own ears.】
【Holy crap! Then what about Le Ning?】
【What was Le Ning’s reaction? She must be over the moon, right?】
Ruan Qiu couldn’t stand it anymore and threw a message into the group: 【Why would she be over the moon? Our Ningning isn’t short of people chasing her. It’s just one Senior Zhou, that’s all.】
Ji Chuchu: 【Exactly. What’s so strange about someone chasing her?】
Yang Qingqing stared at the messages in the group, biting her lip so hard it broke.
Her phone kept vibrating. The female classmate next to her glanced at her nervously: “Qingqing, are you okay?”
Yang Qingqing shot her a sharp, vicious look: “What do you think?”
She redirected all the anger from the dinner table onto her classmate: “Why did you have to run your mouth so much just now? Are you a gossiping busybody or what?”
The female classmate’s face instantly darkened.
“Wasn’t it you who hinted that I should ask that question at the table?”
Yang Qingqing didn’t respond.
The female classmate’s temper flared up too. Furious, she snapped: “Do you really think the whole world revolves around you? Zhou Ran liked Le Ning—you already knew that back in high school, didn’t you?”
At those words, Yang Qingqing exploded. She screamed in rage: “Then shut up!”
……
When they arrived at the Criminal Investigation Brigade, Xie Wei was already waiting at the entrance.
Even though it was Saturday, the case still wasn’t solved, so no one was resting.
When they saw Zhou Ran walking in with Le Ning, quite a few of the overtime team members exchanged looks, thinking she must be Captain Zhou’s girlfriend.
But then they thought again—it didn’t seem likely.
Everyone in the team knew Zhou Ran was single.
Captain Xu was from another team—Xu Zheng. He was much older and more senior than Zhou Ran in both age and experience.
He had also been at the Ping’an District Sub-bureau for a very long time and was someone Zhou Ran greatly respected.
Technically, Zhou Ran was currently only a deputy captain. But since their main captain had recently undergone surgery and was on leave, Zhou Ran had taken over many of the responsibilities, so everyone had gotten used to calling him Captain Zhou.
The two sides looked at each other. Xu Zheng spoke first: “Miss Le.”
He turned to Zhou Ran, paused for a moment, then said: “We have to follow normal procedure. I’ll handle the questioning.”
Le Ning nodded to show she understood.
“Okay. Thank you.”
She followed them forward. Zhou Ran suddenly called out: “Le Ning.”
Le Ning turned back to look at him: “Captain Zhou, is there something else?”
Zhou Ran’s dark eyes sank. He took a deep breath and said: “It’s nothing.”
For some reason, even though he knew nothing would happen, Zhou Ran suddenly felt a wave of panic.
This had never happened to him before.
No matter how difficult a case was, he had always stayed calm.
But the person in front of him—on the surface independent and strong—actually couldn’t handle being scared. Deep down, she was still a little sensitive and fragile.
Zhou Ran stared at her intently for a long while before saying softly: “I won’t be taking part in this interrogation.”
Le Ning gave an “oh,” not quite understanding what he meant.
“Okay.”
Zhou Ran pressed his lips together, then suddenly reached out and gently patted her head: “Go on. I’ll wait for you outside.”
His palm was warm. When it touched the top of her head, the comforting heat inexplicably eased her nerves.
Although Le Ning knew for sure she hadn’t done anything, this was her first time in a place like this… her first time being questioned. She was still nervous.
She looked up at Zhou Ran. Their eyes met. Unexpectedly, Le Ning seemed to catch a glimpse of something she had never seen in his eyes before—worry and tension.
Even after she entered the interrogation room, Le Ning was still a little lost in those eyes from moments ago.
The interrogators were Xu Zheng and another officer. Both had already seen the video.
In the face of evidence, relationships and favoritism didn’t exist.
Xu Zheng looked at Le Ning: “Miss Le, on the night of July 31st, where were you and what were you doing?”
Le Ning looked at the people across from her, frowning as she tried to recall: “I don’t remember clearly.”
Xu Zheng: “Then take your time and think back, Miss Le.”
Xu Zheng glanced at the video in his hand and asked calmly: “Did you go out that day, Miss Le?”
“I think… I did…”
Inside the interrogation room, the standard questioning procedure continued.
In another room, Zhou Ran and Xie Wei were watching everything through the one-way glass.
Zhou Ran was a police officer. Even if he unconditionally believed in Le Ning, the necessary steps still had to be followed.
But watching this scene, he felt an indescribable discomfort.
She shouldn’t have to face any of this.
Xie Wei glanced at him: “Captain Zhou, Sister Le Ning definitely won’t be scared.”
Zhou Ran didn’t reply.
Xie Wei continued: “It’s just asking her a few questions. Nothing will happen.”
“I know.”
Even though he knew, he still couldn’t relax.
Xie Wei looked at the man beside him, then back at the person in the interrogation room. Suddenly, he remembered the last sentence Zhou Ran had said to him before hanging up the phone earlier.
At the time… Xie Wei had thought Zhou Ran would come back himself to question Le Ning.
But instead, Zhou Ran had asked him to call Captain Xu back and even told him to phone the higher-ups directly.
Xie Wei had been both surprised and curious.
Shouldn’t the person you know best be the one to question you personally—so you feel more at ease?
Zhou Ran was silent for a few seconds before he finally said something rare: “I can’t bear it.”
He spoke calmly: “Xie Wei, I will be biased toward her.”