“Who’s responsible for the decoration?”

“Me. These are all furniture left by my grandparents.”

“Is your family Indonesian Chinese?”

“They lived in Bali for a period.”

“This makes me, with my rigid and monotonous life, truly envious.”

Li Zhizhong let her tour the bedroom.

A rattan bed with mosquito netting paired with rattan chairs, bed sheets and quilts made of azure and white batik fabric—very refreshing.

Beside the bed was a small tea table with ceramic inlay on several surfaces, convenient for placing cups and saucers. Naijuan saw Chinese calligraphy written on the white ceramic tiles. Walking closer to read, she found it recorded a poem.

She read it softly aloud: “Remember how scolding once brought heartache first. Now, even fighting is all in vain. Our friendship was like a spring dream—people can’t stay good for a thousand days, flowers can’t stay red for a hundred days. Thinking of past friendship, how foolishly naive I was.”

Naijuan unconsciously sat down gently in the rattan chair.

She slowly savored this poem like a green olive—its melancholy, nostalgia, and disappointment gradually emerging, making her dazed.

“This tea table is supposedly a Qing dynasty antique. Do you like it?”

Naijuan answered, “It’s too unique.”

“I’ll give it to you then.”

Naijuan was overjoyed, “Then I won’t be polite—I’ll take it right away.”

Li Zhizhong couldn’t have hoped for anything better. This way, something that originally belonged to him would be placed in her home—he was already very satisfied.

In the study was a large vase of snow-white fragrant ginger flowers. Li Zhizhong asked her to look at art books. “I’ll go to the kitchen and make you a bowl of silver thread noodles.”

Naijuan dozed slightly, and the art book fell to the floor.

Li Zhizhong came in carrying a lacquered tray.

She opened her eyes and asked softly, “Zhizhong, tell me, will flowers always bloom beautifully and the moon always be full in this world?”

He smiled and handed a lotus bowl to Naijuan.

Naijuan said dejectedly, “Actually, I knew early on it wasn’t possible.”

The silver thread noodles were fragrant and smooth. Naijuan remembered when she was sick as a child, her grandmother also cooked such easily digestible noodles for her.

When grandmother died, Naijuan felt like she’d been hit by a ton of bricks—paralyzed for a whole month, unable to think or work, restless in sleep and appetite.

Then one day, she stopped crying and returned to work as if reborn, becoming a person without joy, anger, sorrow, or happiness.

Today, sadness was stirred up again.

“Alone, sometimes there’s no one even to talk to.”

“If you’re willing, I’m here.”

There was meaning in his words.

He stayed for her? Naijuan felt unworthy.

“Will you find new work in the city?”

He nodded, “I’ve already found a position.”

“How mysterious you are.”

“When there’s time another day, I’ll tell you slowly.”

It must be related to investigating criminal cases.

Naijuan finished the noodles and took her leave.

Li Zhizhong put the tea table in a suitcase and drove her back to the city.

“I’ve ordered a new jeep for you. Want to take a look?”

Naijuan nodded eagerly.

The new car had a tall, strong, and imposing exterior with excellent performance and satellite navigation system. Naijuan immediately wrote a check for payment.

Li Zhizhong asked, “You haven’t chosen the color yet.”

“Deep blue is fine. I’ll come get the car tomorrow.”

Not picky at all.

Li Zhizhong suddenly thought of his ex-girlfriend, and even changing clothes to see a movie took over an hour.

He increasingly liked Wu Naijuan.

However, if he wanted to develop things further, he must confess to her soon.

He couldn’t continue deceiving her—he had to speak early, as it would become harder the longer he waited.

He was somewhat distracted.

At Naijuan’s residence, he carried the tea table up and placed it properly, hesitated for a moment, then bid farewell with a heavy heart.

After the guest left, Naijuan looked at the small redwood tea table and recited softly: “Our friendship was like a spring dream—people can’t stay good for a thousand days, flowers can’t stay red for a hundred days. Thinking of past friendship, how foolishly naive I was.”

She liked it more and more.

She moved the tea table to the study and positioned it properly.

Having been a marriage counselor for so long, she understood too deeply the meaning of “people can’t stay good for a thousand days, flowers can’t stay red for a hundred days.”

Bihao’s phone call came.

“My parents’ fiftieth wedding anniversary dinner—will you come?”

“Wow, half a century.”

“Yes, lasting through time.” Bihao laughed.

“That’s a diamond wedding—solid as ancient stone.”

“Next Saturday evening at seven, Wenli Hotel. Come early.”

“Definitely.”

Naijuan immediately went to order flowers and fruit to be sent to the uncle and aunt, then carefully considered what substantial gift to present.

Spending fifty years with one person—surely they became one entity, or perhaps it was precisely because they respected each other, maintained courtesy, and minded their affairs that they could last so long?

This topic could make a thesis.

That evening, she had changed into nightclothes and was reading when Li Zhizhong called.

“Zhizhong, what’s the matter?”

“I have something to say. Can I come to your place?”

Though they were quite familiar, Naijuan was naturally cautious, “It’s late. How about speaking tomorrow morning?”

“Oh, sorry. Fine, I’ll come tomorrow morning.”

Naijuan felt reassured.

She turned to think: if Li Jialiang had made the same request, would she have immediately agreed?

So her rationality was simply because she hadn’t yet fallen in love.

Naijuan turned off the lights and went to sleep.

Not knowing how long had passed, the phone rang. Naijuan turned on the light to check the time—1:45 AM.

“Miss Wu, this is Lei Qingxin. Did you see Mr. Li on the TV breaking news?”

Naijuan was drowsy and confused, “Which Mr. Li?”

“Miss Wu, your friend Li Zhizhong. Please watch channel 36.”

Naijuan was startled, hung up the phone, and turned on the TV.

The news anchor said, “Police computer crime unit detectives have long suspected that criminals were using online chat rooms to lure innocent young girls, so they set a trap to draw out the sex predator. This forty-five-year-old man is suspected of being connected to two missing girls. Tonight at eleven o’clock, he was finally caught. He had arranged to meet a thirteen-year-old girl at a fast food restaurant, not knowing the girl’s true identity was undercover detective Li Zhizhong from this unit.”

The screen showed footage of Li Zhizhong and other uniformed officers bringing the man to justice.

Naijuan was dumbfounded.

“Parents, please closely monitor your children’s behavior. Don’t think that just because they’re quietly online in their rooms, all is well. You don’t know how many dangers lurk on the internet—”

Naijuan couldn’t believe her eyes. This gentle, unremarkable young man who was always around her was a detective serving the citizens.

She stared blankly at the TV.

The phone rang again.

“Naijuan, not asleep yet?”

“Watching you on TV.”

“I was going to tell you—that’s my new job.”

Naijuan said gently, “Police operations are top secret. You don’t need to explain to me.”

“But suddenly seeing an acquaintance in news footage must be shocking.”

“How did you find this criminal?”

“We’d been watching this person for some time. He was very cunning, refusing to reveal his real name and address, luring girls to run away and meeting them somewhere, then abducting them without a trace. I designed tracking equipment to trace him to his apartment and conducted twenty-four-hour surveillance.”

“Wow, tense and exciting.”

“Ah, we found another missing girl. We’ll meet tomorrow morning.”

He hung up.

Naijuan breathed a sigh of relief.

Her assistant called again, “Miss Wu, did you see? Eliminating harm for the people—what a hero. I’m sure tomorrow’s newspapers will have more detailed news. I never thought your good friend was a computer detective.”

Naijuan smiled, “Qingxin, it’s late. Sleep early.”

She turned off the lights again.

She had always considered him ordinary—the truth was exactly the opposite.

Naijuan took a bottle of ice-cold beer and sat on the balcony, drinking alone.

In the distance were faint wailing police sirens. Gradually the night dew grew heavy, the temperature dropped sharply, and Naijuan returned to her room to rest.

Dawn came quickly.

Naijuan got up to wash and had just changed into casual clothes when someone pressed the doorbell.

Li Zhizhong must have come directly from the police station, having not slept all night, and showing slight fatigue.

His chin had stubble, his white shirt had sweat stains, his khaki pants were all wrinkled—quite different from his usual neat student appearance.

“I’ll drive you to work.”

Naijuan smiled, “Today is Sunday.”

“Oh, I’m dizzy with exhaustion.”

Naijuan poured rich Sandalwood Island coffee. Li Zhizhong drank cup after cup.

Naijuan made sausage and eggs for himself in the kitchen while he leaned against the sofa, thinking how nice it would be to be a regular guest here.

After eating his fill, he thanked her repeatedly.

“I smell terrible. I’ll go home to wash and come see you again.”

“You still have something to say?”

He nodded.

“Can’t you speak now?”

He lowered his head, still hesitating.

He suddenly asked, “Naijuan, do you remember how we met?”

Naijuan answered, “Downstairs at my building. You have relatives living here.”

“No.” He was helpless. “Think again.”

“At the bookstore.”

He said, “It’s probably because of my unremarkable appearance that you can never remember my name or identity clearly.”

“Nonsense.” Naijuan was displeased.

Was she such a shallow person?

“We first met at Bihao’s house.”

“At Bihao’s house—how could that be?”

“Remember? Everyone was guessing your profession. Only I guessed correctly. The prize was a bottle of champagne.”

Naijuan concentrated on remembering. Was it? Was that person him?

Bihao didn’t remember, and neither did she.

Naijuan smiled, “Coming so early in the morning to vengefully test my memory.”

“Naijuan, I returned from Silicon Valley for an assignment.”

“What matter?”

“Li Yuanhua asked me to investigate his wife’s affair. Li has huge investments in Silicon Valley—he’s my mentor.”

“Ah.”

“I collected evidence for him so he’d have negotiating leverage, but as you know, he couldn’t save his marriage.”

“Mr. Li has remarried.”

“Yes, Mr. Li informed me.”

Naijuan looked at him.

He hadn’t finished speaking yet. Like peeling an onion, layer by layer—what exactly did he want to reveal?

“Naijuan, next I’ll tell you something. Before you listen, you must promise not to get angry.”

Naijuan smiled, “What mystery are you selling? I’m not someone who throws tantrums easily.”

Li Zhizhong stared at her, his face showing a bitter expression. He grasped Naijuan’s hand and suddenly choked up.

“Naijuan, I’ve been deceiving you all along.”

Naijuan smiled, “I know—you’re intersex.”

Li Zhizhong didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Naijuan poured him a large glass of ice water.

After much difficulty, he finally spoke: “Naijuan, Li Jialiang, and I are old friends.”

Upon hearing the three words “Li Jialiang,” Naijuan’s whole body trembled.

She slightly changed color, her left cheek burning red with embarrassment.

“Naijuan, Li Jialiang told me: ‘There’s a woman who keeps appearing at the community center, staring at me without speaking or greeting. Zhizhong, please investigate for me—what’s this woman’s background?”

Naijuan stepped back.

She never imagined that despite hiding behind crowds each time, Li Jialiang’s sharp eyes had still spotted her.

So Li Zhizhong was a private detective hired by Li Jialiang.

He was the mantis stalking the cicada, always following behind Naijuan.

She stared at Li Jialiang while Li Zhizhong stared at her.

Naijuan’s ears burned with embarrassment—she wished for a hole to crawl into.

No wonder he appeared everywhere—on the street, at bookstores, friends’ homes, and the office.

Because his appearance was so ordinary, Naijuan paid no attention.

Such people, whether as detectives or criminals, had every advantage.

But what shocked and confused Naijuan was how he used his plain appearance to deceive her trust and sympathy.

“Naijuan, I followed you, I went to your office pretending to have marriage problems. I never reported your identity to Li Jialiang because I fell in love with you.”

Naijuan looked at him for a moment, then suddenly stood up and walked to the more ventilated balcony, taking a deep breath.

She slowly turned back, “You’re not the male companion I have in mind.”

“I know.”

“Thank you for telling me the truth.”

“I’m unmarried, I’m free, I’ve had girlfriends—”

Naijuan said softly, “That’s none of my business.”

She opened the front door to see him out.

“Naijuan, I didn’t know when I should tell you the truth.”

“Now is very good.”

“Can you forgive me?”

“You never did anything wrong—why would forgiveness be needed? You’re being too serious.”

She gestured for him to leave.

He had no choice but to go.

She closed the door and locked it securely.

Naijuan went into the bathroom and immersed her face in cold water for a long time before drying it with a towel.

She almost lacked the courage to go back out.

Everyone said Wu Naijuan had keen insight, yet she hadn’t seen through Li Zhizhong’s true nature.

This man was too cunning!

By the time she came out of the bathroom, the daily newspaper had been delivered.

The headline read “Police Cleverly Capture Computer Sex Predator.”

The reporter said Li Zhizhong declined individual interviews, only stating that solving the case was the result of sincere cooperation among all police colleagues, not one person’s achievement.

Such a solid person had played such a huge joke on her.