At the foot of the residential complex, Yang Luo looked up at the building and saw that the lights inside had already gone out. He casually stubbed out his cigarette and headed for the elevator.
Just as Yang Luo had expected, Ye Zhihan was already asleep when he got back. He tiptoed into the bathroom, washed up quickly, then climbed into bed.
However, Yang Luo had no idea that just after he entered his room, the light in Ye Zhihan’s room quietly came on.
Ye Zhihan grumbled to herself: This guy comes home so late every day. Who knows where he goes to mess around all the time?
Without even realizing it, Ye Zhihan had spent half a year living with Yang Luo and had begun to complain about his late returns.
The next day, Yang Luo got up early. When he came out of his room, he was surprised to find Ye Zhihan already washed and dressed, sitting quietly on the sofa.
Yang Luo instinctively glanced at the clock on the wall. It wasn’t even seven yet. He couldn’t help wondering: Why had she gotten up so early today? Didn’t she usually get up at eight? This was truly unusual. Had the sun risen in the west?
Could she really have something to discuss with him?
That couldn’t be right. Even when she had something to discuss, she never came to him.
“Morning!”
Though he was full of suspicion, Yang Luo still took the initiative to greet Ye Zhihan. After all, they lived under the same roof, and Ye Zhihan was his wife in name. It would be rude not to greet her when they ran into each other.
Ye Zhihan glanced at Yang Luo coolly and said, “Go wash your face and brush your teeth first. I have something to discuss with you.”
Yang Luo froze. He truly hadn’t expected Ye Zhihan to have something to discuss with him. He even wanted to run out to the balcony and see whether the sun really had risen in the west.
His wife never usually gave him the time of day. For her not to be scowling at him today was a rare sight indeed.
Seeing Yang Luo standing there in a daze, Ye Zhihan reminded him, “I’m talking to you. Didn’t you hear me?”
“Oh.” Yang Luo finally came to his senses and replied. He glanced at Ye Zhihan, still puzzled, then turned and headed for the bathroom.
“All right, what is it?” After washing up, Yang Luo plopped down in the chair opposite Ye Zhihan, casually crossing his legs and bouncing one foot.
At the sight of Yang Luo’s posture, Ye Zhihan’s expression instantly darkened. “Can’t you sit or stand properly? Look at yourself!”
“What’s the matter? I’m not bothering you. People should sit however they’re comfortable. There’s no point forcing yourself to sit straight when it’s uncomfortable—that’s just making things hard for yourself. It’s like being hungry and needing to eat. If your stomach’s growling, but you insist on waiting until the designated mealtime, isn’t that stupid?”
“Stop giving me a long-winded lecture and grinning like that. Can’t you pay attention to your appearance?” Ye Zhihan had intended to speak calmly with Yang Luo, but seeing him sitting there looking so carefree made her furious.
“Oh, right. You’re the lofty Mayor. I can’t even smile in front of you; I have to stay serious at all times.”
“Yang Luo, what do you mean by that? Don’t push it.”
“How am I pushing it? Ye Zhihan, let me tell you: this is home, not your Municipal Government.”
With that, Yang Luo stood up, opened the door, and walked straight out.
Watching Yang Luo leave, Ye Zhihan stood up too. Nearly five minutes later, she finally forced out through clenched teeth, “Yang Luo, you... you jerk.”
Yang Luo got off work unusually early that day, but he didn’t feel like going home too soon. Ye Zhihan wouldn’t give him a pleasant look anyway, and she was surely still angry about that morning. Going back now would only invite trouble. He absolutely couldn’t go home and provoke her.
Yang Luo decided to walk home. He had been in Xinzhou City for over three months, but had never really explored it.
It was past eleven at night, yet the streets were still bustling. People streamed back and forth without end. Looking at the rows of towering buildings and the broad, smooth roads, Yang Luo couldn’t help feeling deeply moved.
The country was developing at breakneck speed, and its GDP kept rising. Even a fourth-tier city like this was changing by the day. Yet how many people realized that behind this peace and prosperity, countless soldiers were fighting in silence, bleeding and sacrificing their lives?
Yang Luo stubbed out his cigarette beside a trash can and slowly headed home.
Zhou Xiulin had been tailing a drug dealer for nearly the entire night. He was a wanted criminal whom the Xinzhou City Police Bureau had been hunting for a long time, but the police had been unable to catch him despite months of pursuit.
That evening, Zhou Xiulin had spotted the drug dealer by chance outside a supermarket and had followed him ever since. Catching drug dealers wasn’t part of the Special Police Brigade’s responsibilities, but Zhou Xiulin hated evil and wouldn’t let him go now that she had found him.
At that moment, the drug dealer slipped into an alley.
Zhou Xiulin grew excited at the sight. Could she have landed a “big fish” this time? But she was completely oblivious to the fact that she was alone.
She followed cautiously. When she reached one side of the alley entrance, Zhou Xiulin stopped and peered inside. The drug dealer was nowhere to be seen.
Zhou Xiulin hurried into the alley and ran to the far end, then doubled back, but still couldn’t find any trace of the drug dealer. She angrily stomped her foot. “He got away again! That drug dealer is so slippery.”
Just as Zhou Xiulin was preparing to head back, she suddenly felt a powerful gust of wind coming at her from behind. Before she could dodge, a heavy kick slammed into her back.
The kick was so powerful that Zhou Xiulin crashed hard to the ground and spat out a mouthful of blood. Only then did she see that the person who had ambushed her was the drug dealer she had been tracking.
“You filthy bitch! You’ve been following me all night. Just because you’re in plain clothes, you think I wouldn’t know you’re a cop?”
Zhou Xiulin was filled with regret. She had been far too sure of herself, assuming the drug dealer hadn’t noticed her. She should have called for backup long ago. Her spine was in excruciating pain, and she knew her opponent was a martial artist—and a skilled one at that. No wonder the police had failed to catch him for so long.
Zhou Xiulin hadn’t brought a gun, and she knew she couldn’t beat the drug dealer head-on. She decided to wait for an opening and deliver a fatal blow.
“Surrender now and cooperate for lenient treatment. Our people will be here soon. You can’t escape.” Zhou Xiulin feigned calm and spoke in an official tone, trying to distract the drug dealer.
The drug dealer gave her a sinister smile and slowly approached. “You filthy bitch, you’ve been following me all night. I’ve had you figured out for ages. You think I’m stupid? I only made my move because I knew you had no backup. This place is remote, too. I deliberately lured you here. Let’s see who can save you now.”
When the drug dealer was less than a meter away, Zhou Xiulin suddenly sprang to her feet and lunged at him as fast as she could, putting all her strength into a punch aimed at his temple.
The drug dealer had already sensed what Zhou Xiulin was planning, but he was still rather surprised. He knew exactly how much force he’d put into that kick, and he hadn’t expected the female police officer to launch such a fast, powerful attack.
Thinking she was about to land her blow, Zhou Xiulin felt a surge of joy. But just as her fist neared the drug dealer, she realized it had struck empty air.
Before she could attack again, the drug dealer grabbed Zhou Xiulin’s fist and kicked her in the stomach.
Zhou Xiulin crashed to the ground again, a meter away. Her throat burned, and she spat out another mouthful of blood.
“Since you’re so eager to die, I’ll send you to meet the King of Hell right now.”
“You dare kill a police officer?” Zhou Xiulin was badly injured. She tried to get up but had no strength, so she could only glare furiously at the drug dealer.
“Killing a cop like you is easy. You’re not the first, and you won’t be the last.”
With that, the drug dealer raised his foot and brought it down toward Zhou Xiulin, intending to crush her neck in a single stomp.
Gravely injured, Zhou Xiulin could barely move, let alone defend herself. All she could do was let the drug dealer finish her off.
Was this really how she was going to die? Zhou Xiulin closed her eyes in despair.
At that critical moment, a figure came racing over from several meters away like a bolt of lightning. He suddenly planted one foot against the wall and used the rebound to send his other foot whipping toward the drug dealer’s head.
The attack was astonishingly fast. The drug dealer didn’t have time to kill Zhou Xiulin—or even to dodge.
With a heavy thud, the drug dealer was sent flying several meters and landed face-down, unable to move, like a dead dog. He stared wide-eyed at Yang Luo, his face full of terror. “Is this guy even human? How can a person move that fast?”
At the sound of the dull impact, Zhou Xiulin slowly opened her eyes and saw a young man looking at her with a mischievous grin.
“You...” Zhou Xiulin stared in shock. She never would have imagined that the person who had saved her was the traffic police officer she’d clashed with at the Traffic Police Brigade.
It turned out that on the street, Yang Luo had seen Zhou Xiulin sneaking around, keeping her eyes fixed ahead and occasionally hiding herself. He could tell at a glance that she was following someone. Though he didn’t particularly like Zhou Xiulin, she was still a member of the People’s Police, and Yang Luo was a little worried that something might happen to the upright female police officer.
So Yang Luo had quietly followed her. Only after he caught up did he discover that the drug dealer was far more skilled than Zhou Xiulin and had knocked her down with a single move.
“Could you say something with a little more depth? Who else would it be if not me—you?” Yang Luo rolled his eyes at Zhou Xiulin.
“You...” Zhou Xiulin wanted to argue, but she was momentarily at a loss for words.
Seeing the drug dealer glaring at him viciously, Yang Luo walked up to him and said, “How could you bear to kill such a beautiful woman? Sure, her chest is a little small, but it’ll develop with time.”
“You jerk! What did you just say?” Zhou Xiulin was so furious at Yang Luo teasing her about her chest that she nearly spat blood.
Knowing the situation was hopeless, the drug dealer glared at Yang Luo venomously without saying a word. In his heart, he wanted nothing more than to flay Yang Luo alive and drink his blood.
“I hate it when people look at me like that.”
With that, Yang Luo kicked the drug dealer in the head and knocked him unconscious.
“You jerk! How could you kill him?” Zhou Xiulin cried out.
“A kind person like me would never kill someone for no reason. I’d tremble just from killing an ant.”
“Nonsense. Just look at you—you don’t seem like a good person either.”
“You’re right. I’m not a good person. I deserve to save you. Goodbye—no, I mean, don’t see you again.”
Yang Luo had just turned to leave when Zhou Xiulin hurriedly called after him, “You jerk! You’re really just going to leave me here?”
Yang Luo turned around. “Can’t you call the police yourself and ask your colleagues to come?”
“You jerk, I can’t move right now. My phone fell on the ground when I fought the drug dealer.”
“Keep calling me a ‘jerk’ and see if I don’t act like one for real and... right here. Sure, your chest is a little small, but that doesn’t make it any less usable.”
“You...” Zhou Xiulin nearly said “jerk” again, but the guy was such a jerk, always bringing up her chest.
“What? Don’t let me hear you say those two words again.” Yang Luo went over, helped Zhou Xiulin up, and settled her on the ground with her back against the wall.
“Um, thank you.” Zhou Xiulin spoke sincerely. She knew full well that without Yang Luo, she might not have made it out alive today.
“No need to thank me. Just don’t go to the Traffic Police Brigade again. Every time I run into you, something bad happens.” Yang Luo picked up Zhou Xiulin’s phone from the ground and handed it to her.
“It’s because you were smoking in the canteen, and right when the Mayor was visiting. And then you had to bring up my... my sore spot.” Zhou Xiulin almost said “chest,” and her face immediately turned red.
As soon as she finished speaking, she saw Yang Luo looking at her chest again and snapped angrily, “Je... where are you looking?”
“Ma’am, I’m looking at your little Wangzai steamed buns.”
“What little Wangzai steamed buns?” Zhou Xiulin understood at once and shouted furiously, “You jerk! I’ll beat you to death!”
Yang Luo had already expected Zhou Xiulin to blow up, and he ran off in a flash.
That jerk was too much. He’d found yet another way to say she had a small chest. Zhou Xiulin wanted to find something on the ground to throw at Yang Luo, but there wasn’t even a pebble, so she grabbed the phone Yang Luo had just handed her and hurled it at him.
Yang Luo reacted quickly and caught the phone. Then he said, “All right, I’ve called the police and an ambulance. I have something to do, so I’m heading back first.”
Zhou Xiulin ignored Yang Luo and sat on the ground, sulking. Without realizing it, tears slid down her cheeks, and before long she was sobbing.
Oh, man. Did I go too far? Her chest is small, after all. What’s she afraid of people saying? But Yang Luo didn’t dare say that out loud again.
Neither of them spoke again. Yang Luo felt awkward standing there, and the police would be arriving soon anyway. He said softly to Zhou Xiulin, “Well, I have something to do, so I’ll be going.”
Zhou Xiulin didn’t know why she was crying either. Hearing Yang Luo joke about her sore spot had made her feel especially sad.
“Go on, then! I don’t want to see you again.”
After waiting several dozen seconds without hearing a response from Yang Luo, Zhou Xiulin turned around and saw that he was already gone.
“That jerk really left. You bastard. I hate you!”
“It’s disgraceful to insult people behind their backs.”
Yang Luo had already planned to leave, but suddenly remembered something and came back.
“Why did you come back?” Zhou Xiulin asked crossly.
“I nearly took your phone with me. Here, take it.” Yang Luo handed Zhou Xiulin her phone again.
Zhou Xiulin took the phone and studied Yang Luo carefully. “Thank you!”
“Don’t keep thanking me. It doesn’t do any good. You’d be better off treating me to a big meal.”
“Hand it over.” Zhou Xiulin held out a hand toward Yang Luo.
“Hand over what?” Yang Luo straightened his clothes and folded his arms. “Let me tell you, I’m not selling my virtue for a meal. I saved you, but I never asked you to repay me by offering yourself to me.”
“Shameless! Who wants your virtue? Who wants to offer herself to you? You really are a jerk.” Zhou Xiulin was both embarrassed and furious.
“Then what do you want?”
“Give me your phone. I’ll save my number in it. Once I’ve recovered, I’ll treat you to a big meal to repay you for saving my life today.”
“You should’ve said so earlier. You scared my poor little heart into pounding.”
They exchanged phone numbers. Just then, the sirens of a police car and an ambulance sounded in the distance.
“Well, your colleagues are here. I’m out of here.”
Watching Yang Luo walk away, Zhou Xiulin’s gaze grew a little hazy.
Was this jerk really just an ordinary traffic police officer? Why was he so skilled?