The night breeze had grown warm.
Seeping through the window cracks, it failed to dispel the stifling atmosphere indoors, instead accelerating heartbeats and sending adrenaline soaring.
Shi Xi found this sensation quite amusing, staring unblinkingly at the man before her.
Watching the beads of sweat rolling down his temples, his pitch-black pupils, the perpetually sternly pressed lips, the distinctly prominent Adam’s apple…
Her gaze remained as brazen and unrestrained as ever.
Yet she merely observed, devoid of any suggestive or provocative intent.
She seemed to be appreciating some work of art.
Ultimately, it was Huo Yao who yielded once again.
His intimidating stare that could make criminals shudder proved utterly ineffective against her.
Averting his eyes, he said, “Have you eaten? You’ll need to come with me later to give a statement, so you should fill your stomach first.”
Shi Xi shook her head, “I don’t want to eat, no appetite.”
“You need to eat.”
“Then accompany me.”
“…Alright.”
Huo Yao stood up, extracting himself from the dazzling yet humid illusion she had created.
But the next moment, she reached out toward him, “Can you carry me? My legs feel weak.”
Huo Yao’s recently steadied heartbeat faltered again.
He said firmly, “No.”
Then walked to the window, pulled it open, and took a deep breath.
The sound of a cane tapping against the floor approached, slow and feeble.
He resisted turning around, yet his gaze fixed on her reflection in the window.
She had just been discharged from the hospital and had suffered a fright.
She wasn’t feeling well now, her earlier request was reasonable.
He shouldn’t have refused her.
As Shi Xi neared the room, she noticed Huo Yao approaching from her peripheral vision.
In her brief moment of distraction, he had already stopped beside her.
“Sorry for my poor attitude earlier.”
Only after speaking did he lift her into his arms and carry her into the bedroom.
Shi Xi: “…”
His attitude had indeed been poor earlier, but he hadn’t done anything wrong.
It was her who had been pushing her luck, trying to take advantage of him.
Why was he apologizing?
Her mind struggled to keep up with his reasoning, but since he was doing this, he must have his reasons.
Quietly, she reached out and grasped one of his fingers.
Never missing any opportunity for Tie Tie with him.
Huo Yao kept his eyes forward, feeling a slight itch on his index finger. Fully aware of her little maneuver, he still didn’t stop her.
Just like before.
Indeed, once certain things begin, ending them isn’t so easy.
Shi Xi changed into a black dress, her hair still bundled at the back, with fuzzy strands falling loose. One side of her face appeared porcelain-perfect, while the other seemed to have shed a layer, revealing fragile new pink skin.
She looked at Huo Yao eagerly, as if hoping to cut corners: “…Can I still get a hug?”
Huo Yao had already adjusted his mindset. He glanced leisurely at her legs, “Still weak?”
Shi Xi: “Weak.”
Huo Yao: “Please endure a little longer.”
Shi Xi: “…”
She pouted slightly, while Huo Yao silently curved his lips.
The rustle of plastic wrapper sounded.
Shi Xi looked over.
He was offering something, placing it right by her lips.
A strawberry-flavored lollipop.
She had some on her desk.
Seeing her mouth remain closed, he said, “I thought you might want candy now.”
Shi Xi opened her mouth to accept the candy, her right cheek bulging as she spoke indistinctly, “A hug would be even better.”
Huo Yao: “…”
What was going through that little head of hers?
But seeing her constantly murmuring about wanting a hug, he felt that the incident with Lan Yun didn’t seem to have left much psychological trauma on her.
Or perhaps, she always managed to quickly digest the malice others directed at her.
Thinking this, Huo Yao’s chest grew heavy.
He had always been emotionally detached, yet now his emotions kept fluctuating so rapidly that he hardly recognized himself anymore.
After taking Shi Xi to dinner near the residential area, Huo Yao brought her to the police station.
The moment she appeared, she was met with the collective gaze of everyone in the Criminal Investigation Division.
To them, this day had been utterly surreal.
They had been completely stumped by the throat-slitting case just hours earlier, yet somehow they had managed to apprehend the perpetrator directly.
None of this would have been possible without Lin Shi Xi’s help.
It was as if she had gotten hold of the script in advance—coincidentally restoring the portrait for them and just happening to recognize the killer.
And as luck would have it, she happened to be the killer’s target that very night.
While the captain, in a critical moment, had protected her from harm just in time.
If any one of these elements had been missing, the outcome might have been far bloodier.
So, there was definitely something almost mystical about Lin Shi Xi.
Shi Xi was all too familiar with the process of giving a statement and cooperated fully throughout.
Later, a few officers from the technical division came to discuss technical aspects of AI portrait restoration with her.
She remained very patient.
Provided, of course, that Huo Yao was also present.
After a while, someone noticed something unusual.
“Hey, is she close with the captain?”
“Yeah, it feels like her eyes are always on him.”
“And the captain seems pretty attentive toward her too.”
“Right? Even back at Lin Shi Xi’s place, I thought the captain was acting a bit off.”
“Doesn’t anyone else think they’d make a great couple?”
As soon as these words were spoken, several people stared in shock at the speaker—their team’s “iron rose,” the new intern Lin Yu.
“Are you crazy? Do you know how many blind dates the captain has scared off? He’ll never have a partner in this lifetime!”
“Exactly, exactly! The captain wouldn’t be into someone like Lin Shi Xi!”
“What do you all know!” Lin Yu rubbed her hands together, her sweet round face suddenly taking on a somewhat mischievous look. “Hehe, Brother Lu said that when Lin Shi Xi tried to jump off the bridge out of despair, it was the captain who saved her. Ever since then, they’ve kept in touch. Feelings develop through interactions like that! First, there’s the life-saving grace, and now tonight’s heroic rescue—Lin Shi Xi must be smitten! This is love!”
“Are you sure?”
A voice suddenly came from behind them.
Lin Yu instinctively replied, “Of course!”
Then she noticed that the people she had been gossiping with had suddenly scattered, each busying themselves with work.
They were obviously faking it!
A chill ran down her spine as she stiffly turned her head.
Sure enough, Huo Yao and Shi Xi were standing side by side not far away.
The one who had just spoken was Shi Xi.
Shi Xi left Huo Yao behind, ran over, and asked quietly, “Then do you think your captain is smitten with me?”
Lin Yu: “…”
Could she please be sent back to work overtime right now? She loved overtime so much!
She forced a smile, met the captain’s unfathomable gaze, and wanted to cry!!
How did she get caught shipping them like this!
“Sister, why aren’t you saying anything?”
Shi Xi asked with a smile, completely disregarding her plight.
Lin Yu: “I don’t know! Brother Lu is looking for me, I have to go!”
With that, she dashed away as fast as she could.
Shi Xi watched her retreating figure with regret; she really wanted to hear her analysis.
She turned her gaze to Huo Yao.
Huo Yao was still standing in place, his expression largely unchanged.
“Let’s go, I’ll take you back.”
She nodded and returned to stand before him, suddenly asking, “Captain Huo, have you actually developed feelings for me?”
Huo Yao was caught off guard, his eyelashes lowering as he looked deeply at her.
Beneath his chest, his heartbeat became noticeably more pronounced.
“Don’t listen to their nonsense.”
After saying this, he started walking forward.
Shi Xi watched his retreating back. “Don’t walk too fast, I can’t keep up.”
In reality, Huo Yao wasn’t walking very fast.
Hearing her voice, his steps slowed even further.
The sensitive topic was thus brushed aside, but Huo Yao’s mind kept echoing her words.
It wasn’t until he saw her back to her apartment that he forcibly suppressed those chaotic thoughts.
He checked her windows, installed a deadbolt on the door, and didn’t forget to advise, “Don’t be too nervous. Nothing like that will happen again. If you’re scared, keep the lights on.”
Shi Xi nodded.
Before leaving, he turned back to add, “Don’t misplace your phone. Call me if anything happens.”
Shi Xi continued nodding.
She didn’t speak, just watched him with those autumn-water-like eyes.
Her gaze seemed to contain hooks, firmly entangling his departing steps.
Huo Yao entered the elevator, watching the doors slowly close.
His tall frame leaned back as he let out a long sigh, yet he remained unsettled.
Just as he stepped out of the apartment building, his family called.
They were urging him to marry.
“Have you considered how old you are? You’re the only child in the family. You say you’re too busy with work to marry, then disappear for ages. Do you know how your mother and I have lived these past five years?”
Huo Yao’s head buzzed, yet simultaneously, a certain face came to mind.
He looked up toward the brightly lit third floor, where a figure stood by the window.
She leaned out at that moment, waving at him and reminding, “Be careful on the road.”
Huo Yao gazed in that direction, raising his hand in a slight wave as acknowledgment.
Seeing the girl still leaning by the window, he thought of the wall-climbing guy and immediately said, “Close the window.”
“Okay.” The girl obediently closed the window but continued watching him through the glass.
As if she would keep watching until he left.
Only after getting into his car did Huo Yao remember the ongoing call.
He started the engine and drove off, noticing his father’s tone had completely changed.
“Where are you? Seeing a girl home? When did you start dating? Why didn’t you tell us? Your mother and I were so worried we were about to arrange a matchmaking banquet for you…”
Huo Yao had originally intended to explain.
But hearing this, he fell silent.
Back in the apartment, after Shi Xi could no longer see the car, she slowly returned to her room.
She locked the door, leaned back against the headboard, placed her laptop on her legs, and began reviewing Chi’s Group materials.
This time Chi Yuan wanted to destroy her legs; next time he might come for her life.
She needed to make some preparations too.
After all, in this world, she was alone.
System: “There’s still the fragment.”
Shi Xi blinked: “And there’s the System.”
System: “…Mm.”
Shi Xi grinned.
Shi Xi didn’t tell anyone about what happened that night.
The next day, she received her thesis defense notice and prepared to move back to campus for a few days.
After the previous incident, she had reported it to the police and updated her advisor on the outcome.
The school didn’t give her any trouble.
After all, the original host had maintained excellent academic performance in her major courses over the past four years, winning scholarships every year. Though somewhat reclusive, she had brought numerous awards to the university.
Had it not been for her physical disability, her four years of college life would have been more vibrant, even radiant.
The moment Shi Xi stepped out of the taxi, she could feel gazes converging on her.
Crutches, face mask, and bucket hat—this had been the original host’s standard outdoor attire.
Her recent high-profile online presence had made her recognizable to every faculty member and student at A University.
Carrying a heavy backpack and leaning on her crutches, Shi Xi made her way into the campus.
The skin on her face was still in the recovery phase and remained fragile, so she wore a hat and mask to shield herself from the sun.
She completely ignored the probing and curious stares from passersby.
Out of consideration for students with disabilities, the university had arranged a single room for her on the first floor.
Though lonely, it at least preserved what little dignity the sensitive original host had clung to.
While Shi Xi was making her bed in the dorm, the internet was already buzzing with discussions about her.
At the Municipal Public Security Bureau, Huo Yao had just stepped out of the interrogation room when he saw the photo Lin Yu posted in the group chat.
Dressed in a T-shirt and long pants, with a mask and hat, Shi Xi had fully covered herself.
Who knew what was in her backpack? It looked heavy enough to crush her shoulders. In the photo, nearly every passerby was staring at her, taking pictures, as if treating her like some circus animal.
Lin Yu: Why are kids these days like this? My heart aches for Xixi.
After the Lan Yun incident, the members of the Criminal Investigation Team had subconsciously come to regard Shi Xi as their mascot. Naturally, they couldn’t stand seeing random photos of her circulating online or people labeling her unfairly.
Opening a private chat window, the frost in Huo Yao’s eyes abruptly melted.
Bridge-Jumping Kid: Don’t wanna do the defense, don’t wanna do the defense, don’t wanna do the defense!
Accompanied by a photo of her freshly made single bed.
Huo Yao: After your defense, I’ll take you strawberry picking.
Huo Yao stared at the message he had sent.
A few seconds later, he long-pressed the text.
Intending to tap “Recall.”
His hand slipped, and he accidentally hit “Delete.”
Then—
Bridge-Jumping Kid: Yay!
Huo Yao gazed at the screen for a moment, calmly accepting the outcome. A faint smile touched his lips, one he didn’t even notice himself.
He clicked on her profile and edited her contact name.
Kid Who Doesn’t Want to Do the Defense.