The woman before him still wore the same white blouse from their marriage registration earlier that day. Her neatly tied bun had somehow come loose, cascading down her back.
A few stray strands clung stubbornly to her cheeks.
The man’s gaze drifted downward as he reached out to gently brush away the hair beside her face.
The moment he suddenly leaned in, Xu Jialan instinctively held her breath.
After sweeping aside the stray strands, Shen Xichuan’s fingertips lingered.
Soft hair slipped through his fingers.
Several seconds later, he suddenly lowered his head, his thin lips lightly pressing a warm kiss against Xu Jialan’s forehead before immediately pulling away.
Xu Jialan’s breath hitched slightly.
She clearly felt the warmth of his breath against her face.
It carried Shen Xichuan’s distinct scent.
Her eyelashes fluttered faintly.
Did he… just kiss her?
Shen Xichuan paused, looking down at her.
He happened to catch her dazed expression and the faint blush that had crept up to the tips of her ears.
He couldn’t suppress a low chuckle.
How could she be this adorable?
Hearing his laughter, Xu Jialan froze completely, not daring to move a muscle.
A barely perceptible trace of grievance flashed through her eyes.
Shen Xichuan’s fingers trailed down, gently smoothing the hair by her ear. “Did you eat anything at noon?”
“…No.”
Hearing this, Shen Xichuan’s movements stilled. His gaze settled on her face as he watched her. “At noon, you…”
He had been about to ask why she hadn’t eaten at noon.
But then he remembered—it was because he had abruptly left her alone during lunchtime.
A faint pang tugged at his heart.
“Would you like to eat some wontons?”
Xu Jialan was taken aback. “What?”
Shen Xichuan straightened up and extended his hand. “I’ll take you to eat wontons. Would you like to go?”
Upon hearing this, Xu Jialan instinctively sat up and placed her hand in his. “Yes.”
Afraid he might change his mind if she delayed even a second.
Shen Xichuan curved his lips slightly, tightening his grip as he pulled her to her feet.
“Then get ready, and we’ll head out.”
…
After a quick freshening up, Xu Jialan left with Shen Xichuan.
Shen Xichuan didn’t take Xu Jialan far.
He drove to a wonton shop closest to South Lake.
The place wasn’t overly crowded, but it was far from empty.
They had just sat down when a server approached.
“What would you two like to order?”
Shen Xichuan turned to look at Xu Jialan beside him. “What would you like?”
Xu Jialan glanced at the menu. “A small bowl of wontons.”
It was the shop’s specialty.
The server nodded. “And for you, sir?”
“The same as her,” Shen Xichuan replied.
After placing their order, the server left.
Soon, two steaming bowls of small wontons were brought to their table.
Shen Xichuan handed Xu Jialan a spoon. “Try it and see if it’s good?”
Xu Jialan nodded, accepting the spoon, and began eating the wontons in small bites.
The flavor was a delightful surprise.
The wrappers were thin, the filling generous, and the meat was fresh and savory. Each bite left her wanting more.
Noticing her eyes brighten, Shen Xichuan chuckled softly. “I stumbled upon this place by chance once. After trying it the first time, I started coming here often. If you like it, we can come here regularly from now on.”
Xu Jialan quickly nodded. “Okay.”
Shen Xichuan smiled again before lowering his head to eat his wontons.
It wasn’t just Xu Jialan who hadn’t eaten—he hadn’t either.
Once a rescue operation began, his mind was wholly focused on how to save lives.
Naturally, he wouldn’t stop to consider whether he had eaten or not.
After eating several wontons, Xu Jialan finally felt her stomach settle comfortably.
She gently blew on the wonton resting on her spoon, her gaze involuntarily drifting toward the man sitting across from her.
The man had changed all his clothes—he must have showered at the station before returning.
When he had approached earlier, she had caught a faint, clean scent of shower gel.
Hesitating for a few seconds, Xu Jialan finally spoke, “Today, you…”
Before she could finish, Shen Xichuan already knew what she wanted to ask.
He spoke first, “It’s fine. Everyone is safe.”
That was the best news possible.
Everyone was safe.
Hearing this, Xu Jialan visibly relaxed, a clear relief washing over her. “That’s good.”
As if remembering something, Shen Xichuan paused, set down his spoon, and looked at her with a serious expression.
“Xu Jialan.”
Xu Jialan looked at him curiously. “Hmm?”
Shen Xichuan’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly. “When we were set up on that blind date, there was one thing I didn’t tell you.”
“What?”
The man looked at her, his voice slightly hoarse. “Situations like today might happen again in the future.”
Xu Jialan remained silent.
“My phone is never turned off. Twenty-four hours a day, if I get a call from the team, I have to leave immediately.”
“No matter when, no matter where I am or what I’m doing, I have to return to the team right away.”
“So, there will be many times when I might not be able to stay by your side.”
As he spoke, Shen Xichuan’s voice grew increasingly raspy.
Xu Jialan set her spoon down and looked at him.
“Shen Xichuan, what are you really trying to say?”
The man’s voice was gravelly. “Do you regret it? Like today, do you regret marrying me?”
Xu Jialan’s brow twitched faintly.
After a few seconds, she spoke slowly, “Shen Xichuan, perhaps you don’t really know me, or understand the nature of my work.”
Shen Xichuan’s gaze remained fixed on her.
Xu Jialan continued calmly, “Last time, you said that I’m willing to work hard and persevere for my goals, no matter the cost. So why would you think that I’d regret marrying you just because you can’t always be with me or have to leave suddenly?”
He watched her, his jaw tightening gradually.
Xu Jialan went on, “Working at the Laboratory isn’t just about staying inside to analyze samples. Often, to help the police solve cases, we also have to go to crime scenes to collect environmental evidence.”
“Moreover, we too have to drop everything and rush to the scene as soon as we get a call from the police station.”
“You say you can’t always be with me, but isn’t the same true for me?”
Xu Jialan gave a light laugh. “But, did you forget to mention something else?”
The man was taken aback for a moment.
“Besides not being able to accompany me, there’s also the risk of you getting injured during rescue operations, right?” she said.
Shen Xichuan’s eyes grew complex, and he murmured softly, “Yes.”
Xu Jialan curved her red lips slightly, her voice clear. “My work helps the police solve cases to some extent. For certain criminals, we’re also thorns in their sides. Danger is everywhere for us too.”
Pausing briefly, she added, “You say you can’t always be with me, and I can’t always be with you either. And when it comes to danger, neither of us is any safer than the other.”