The sky had completely darkened. The night rose and fell, moonlight melting, the air carrying the refreshingly cool scent of recent rain.

Her tears had not yet dried. Having just cried in a complete mess, her cheeks were icy cold. Fu Xueli felt somewhat tired, her gaze drifting unfocused. Her ear pressed against Xu Xingchun’s neck, gripping his wrist, just passing time like this, only wanting to prolong this feeling of letting everything go a bit longer.

She hadn’t had such a solid, comfortable feeling in a long time. She was really tired, even wanting to just close her eyes and sleep like this. Finally making a certain resolution, though hazy fears still remained, it was as if she had unloaded a thousand-pound burden.

“Xu Xingchun…” She lifted her head slightly, calling his name, when Xu Xingchun caught her chin.

Long-lost emotions hung on the tip of her heart. The intense feelings of recent days were eased, making one lazy and unwilling to move.

Fu Xueli felt him staring at her intently, probably wanting to kiss her, so she stopped talking. For a moment, she had mentally prepared herself, but after waiting a long time, Xu Xingchun made no further move.

“What are you doing?” She breathed slowly, blinking her dewy eyelashes, speaking first.

“Open your mouth.” Xu Xingchun said in a low voice, his finger brushing across her cheek.

There was a faint scent of tobacco.

Before the kiss fell, Fu Xueli’s jaw had already gone soft. His Adam’s apple moved. His tongue tip probed twice, pressing in, licking her palate. The intense, clinging kiss deepened further.

This position for kissing wasn’t very comfortable. Fu Xueli unconsciously wanted to change positions. Struggling to climb onto Xu Xingchun’s shoulders, her two legs shamelessly spread apart, straddling his thighs, feet off the ground.

She had always been a hedonist without principles, regardless of the occasion. When she got wild, she completely lost all restraint.

Her slender fingers slowly traced his nose bridge, his chin, then burrowed through the loosened collar of his uniform shirt. Her fingertips slid chaotically over the prominent ridges of his collarbone.

“You police officers… look so handsome in uniform.”

This was sincere—praise from the bottom of Fu Xueli’s heart that she had held in for a long time.

Last time on set, many young girls had been secretly fawning over Xu Xingchun, which had bothered her the whole time.

Actually, Fu Xueli had always been infatuated with Xu Xingchun’s face. Since childhood. The first time she saw him, she thought this little boy was particularly good-looking, better looking than everyone else, which was why she willingly let him be her deskmate for so long.

Superficiality was Fu Xueli’s nature.

Although sometimes she couldn’t stand Xu Xingchun’s excessive discipline, she would invariably submit to his good looks. This aesthetic had continued until now.

Listening to Xu Xingchun’s short breaths, Fu Xueli’s calves dangled on both sides, swaying. Her heels kicked him intermittently, neither light nor heavy, like tickling. “People are passing by… they’ll see us kissing…”

Xu Xingchun bit her lip, one hand steadying her waist. “Don’t move around.”

Fu Xueli was firmly restrained by his strength, like a slippery fish caught by the tail.

She went soft in his arms. Fortunately, he was holding her waist, otherwise she would definitely have fallen.

Xu Xingchun tilted his head slightly. The two separated slowly, lips and tongues still wanting more.

Quiet for a moment.

She steadied her breathing, swallowed, and spoke in a tiny voice. “I feel like my legs are numb…”

The night temperature was lower than during the day, approaching winter. Fu Xueli wore only a thin dress. Now she finally felt cold, suppressing the urge to sneeze.

Xu Xingchun half-crouched, half-knelt on the ground, holding a section of her fair, tender calf and rubbing it. His technique was professional, every movement carrying an indescribable indulgence.

That familiar feeling had returned.

She looked a bit dazed, thinking with some bitterness in her heart.

Xu Xingchun had not…

Had not treated her this way for a very long time, so long that Fu Xueli had almost forgotten—his instinct was to be good to her.

Suppression was Xu Xingchun’s nature, but no matter how much he endured, his adoration for Fu Xueli was fused into his bones and blood. Since adolescence, this abnormal emotion had been too blind, completely uncontrollable.

She had really been too cruel before. Xu Xingchun’s gentleness—she had actually trampled it however she wanted. Even after their reunion, her temperament hadn’t changed much with time. Because of various hesitations, she also didn’t want to proactively admit her own mistakes.

If only it had been earlier, there wouldn’t have been so many problems.

It was all her own stubbornness.

Xu Xingchun’s head was lowered. Looking at his silhouette, he seemed to have lost a lot of weight. Fu Xueli’s heart inexplicably ached. Without thinking, she blurted out, “Xu Xingchun, I’ll be good to you from now on.”

A compromising confession to him, her tone filled with heartache. This sentence successfully made him pause his movements, then look up.

“……”

Fu Xueli’s almond eyes were moist, round and wide. She pretended to be nonchalant, muttering, “What? Why are you looking at me like that? Don’t you believe me?”

Xu Xingchun said, “I believe you.”

“You don’t believe me, do you?” She persisted.

“No.” His gaze dropped again, concealing his eyelashes. Xu Xingchun answered.

Fu Xueli wasn’t satisfied with his reaction—his face was clearly full of disbelief.

But thinking about how she was indeed someone who liked to go back on her word, she secretly resolved that from now on, she must prove it to him and never again do things that hurt people.

The phone rang. Xu Xingchun stood up and went to the side to answer the call.

“Why aren’t you back yet?” Xu Tao asked on the other end.

He asked, “What’s the matter?”

Xu Tao said desperately, “Captain Xu, there are tons of things, too many to explain. Team Liu’s side called again asking us for people, saying there’s a very strange case. Their newly hired forensic doctor has no experience and wants you to take a look. Also, there’s been progress on the Heaven matter. We found an informant.”

“What case? Where’s Old Qin?” Xu Xingchun frowned.

“That old man went home for the New Year ages ago. Who knows where he’s having fun. Speaking of this breaks my heart. I’m scheduled to work on New Year’s Eve again this year… I just called you and you didn’t answer the whole time. I thought something happened to you!” Xu Tao wailed. “Are you at home? Should I pick you up? We can grab some late-night food while we’re at it…”

“No need. I’m not in Shencheng right now.” Xu Xingchun’s tone was very flat.

Xu Tao said, “Bro! Brother Chun! How did you just leave? Abandoning your post, want me to die alone at the branch?!”

“Contact you later.” He hung up after saying that.

Fu Xueli overheard a bit. She stood behind him and asked, “Do you still have unfinished business?”

Xu Xingchun looked at her. “Mm.”

“Oh…”

Fu Xueli licked her lips, like a declawed kitten, completely docile now.

Xu Xingchun couldn’t help but lower his head, kissing the corner of her lips, then planting another kiss. “When I’m done… I’ll come find you.”

“Why are you all so busy… Didn’t you just recover physically a while ago?”

When Fu Xueli had lived at Xu Xingchun’s place before, she saw him every day dealing with many things. A string of matters, busy beyond measure.

After complaining, she proactively tried to please him. “Then do you want me to go back with you? I can keep you company. I’ll just go buy a hat and mask later. Anyway, I know lots of people in Lin City. I can just call someone to bring them over.”

This stance was vaguely like the enchanting delinquent girl who used to swagger through school back in the day.

Only seeking credit too eagerly. Before Xu Xingchun could speak, her phone rang again.

She answered impatiently, not expecting the voice on the other end to be even more impatient than hers. “Fu Xueli, you came home and until now not a shadow of you to be seen. Do you want to die?!”

Fu Chenglin had always had a violent temper. “Last time you left me alone at the restaurant without a care. I haven’t even settled that score with you yet! Aunt Qi knew you were coming back and made dinner. Everyone’s just waiting for you. What’s going on? Look what time it is now. Where are you fooling around again?!”

After the other end finally finished rattling off like a machine gun, Fu Xueli’s temper also flared up. She said loudly, “Can you be gentle with me?! What fooling around? Fu Chenglin, what nonsense are you spouting? I went to visit my parents’ graves today!”

The other end indeed went quiet for a while, his attitude softening. “Where are you? Send me your location. I’ll pick you up.”

“No need.”

“What do you mean no need?” Fu Chenglin gritted his teeth. “Do you know how to act properly? How old are you, still with a child’s temperament? The family elders are all there.”

Fu Xueli was still thinking about how to refuse when she heard Xu Xingchun say calmly, “You’re wearing too little. Go back and change clothes.”

“I can buy some on the way.” Her tone was still complaining.

After saying it, she realized something was wrong and froze.

She seemed to be acting like she really wanted to stay with him…

Holding her phone standing for a few seconds, a strong hand gripped the back of Fu Xueli’s neck, pulling her close into his arms, his other hand lifting. Xu Xingchun seemed to sigh softly. “Go back.”

Her head buried in his chest, muttering, not allowing Xu Xingchun to laugh at her.

When they finally separated, Fu Xueli surprisingly felt somewhat reluctant for the first time. She had wanted to ask something like “will you miss me,” but after holding it in for a long time, couldn’t say it.

Too sappy.

Jazz music flowed slowly in the car.

The siblings pulled long faces as soon as they saw each other. After casually chatting about other topics, Fu Chenglin sighed and asked his sister, “How did you get back together with him?”

Glancing at the rearview mirror, he said, “I didn’t see wrong just now, did I?”

“Xu Xingchun? It’s a long story.” After thinking for quite a while, Fu Xueli answered cautiously.

“How long?”

“Very long.”

Fu Chenglin found it strange. “Why can’t Xu Xingchun think straight?”

His tone was full of regret, as if Xu Xingchun had suffered some great loss. This immediately struck a nerve with Fu Xueli, who cursed fiercely. “What do you mean?”

Fu Chenglin was calm and composed. “What do I mean? Don’t you have any self-awareness?”

“…” Fu Xueli stopped talking, unable to deny it. Because when she thought about what she had done, she felt guilty.

She didn’t even… dare to ask Xu Xingchun what had happened during those years.

Back home, as soon as she entered, Aunt Qi was delighted, knowing Fu Xueli was back for the New Year this year. She had prepared dinner early and enthusiastically called her over.

“Where’s Uncle?” Fu Xueli asked.

“Waiting.”

Aunt Qi’s family of three spent New Year’s Eve at the Fu home every year. This year was no exception. Fu Chenglin brought his girlfriend home this year—not the one Fu Xueli was familiar with, but apparently they had developed to the point of getting their marriage certificate.

After dinner, she privately asked Fu Chenglin, “What about Qinqin?”

Qinqin was the woman who had been entangled in a love-hate relationship with Fu Chenglin since their student days until now, also the only woman Fu Xueli thought her cousin truly loved.

Fu Chenglin’s reaction was very bland. “Who are you to call her Qinqin? We broke up.”

“Weren’t you showing off your relationship to me just a while ago?” Fu Xueli understood. “This one’s pregnant?”

Fu Chenglin didn’t want to say more and went to the side to smoke.

Anyway, life was one day at a time. At their age, it was hard enough just to live well. Love was like passing clouds—it didn’t matter anymore.

If it was suitable, they’d be together. If not, they’d part ways. Love, though it could make people fall into a honey pot, was still too expensive.

After a hot bath, Fu Xueli lay on the familiar soft bed, feeling a sense of security.

But immediately after came a sense of loss…

She stared at the ceiling, thinking.

What was happening now? Once separated from Xu Xingchun, her heart felt empty and she began to feel anxious.

Could things still be okay?

After struggling for just a moment, Fu Xueli rolled over and picked up her phone to message Xu Xingchun.

“Did you eat dinner?”

After waiting a while, there was no reply.

Probably back at the police station working again.

She sighed and opened the “Lin City Top Dogs First Tier” WeChat group to entertain herself.

【Big Pear】: I’m back in Lin City for New Year’s. Anyone coming out to hang?

After a few minutes, people in the group quickly replied.

【Yijie Li Li Li】: Wow! Big star! So busy! How do you still have time for us?

【Big Pear】: I’m on New Year’s holiday 🙂

【Yijie Li Li Li】: Alright, I’m at home. At your beck and call.

【Song Yifan】: Yiyi, Lili kiss kiss kiss.

【Yijie Li Li Li】: Kiss your mom’s old cunt.

【Song Yifan】: So wronged.

【Big Pear】: Where’s Xie Ci? Why isn’t he talking? Is he bringing Xu You this year?

【Song Yifan】: At this hour, who doesn’t have a sex life?

【Yijie Li Li Li】: …….?

【Song Yifan】: Someone as ugly as you obviously has no girlfriend, hehe.

【Yijie Li Li Li】: Amazing. Song Yifan, you wait for me.

【Song Yifan】: Don’t, Brother Li. Being ugly makes you live longer.

【Yijie Li Li Li】: You’ve been a pilot recently, flying to the North Pole? Getting cocky, huh?

【Song Yifan】: I wouldn’t dare, wouldn’t dare.

Watching Song Yifan and Li Jieyi go back and forth like a comedy duo, Fu Xueli couldn’t stop laughing. Laughing and laughing, she felt a bit nostalgic. Thinking of the fun times in high school.

Back then, when they lost bets, the punishment was posting all sorts of weird and bizarre things on the school bulletin board.

Like this:

Gender: Male

Name: Song Yifan

Purpose: I want a wife. I don’t want to become gay. Leave your contact info if interested. We can chat privately. Seeking genuine friendship.

Once a teacher caught them. That teacher didn’t recognize their group and shouted, “What class are you from?!”

When running away, Li Jieyi was especially cheeky, shouting back, “Teacher, heroes don’t reveal their origins since ancient times!”

When the teacher was furious, Song Yifan turned back and immediately added, “Operations don’t look at the path behind!”

Ah…

Those times…

Fu Xueli exited and flipped through messages again. Still no reply from Xu Xingchun.

Damn.

Finally unable to contain herself, typing and deleting, she sent another message.

“Xu Xingchun, you didn’t regret it, did you?”