He looked down at her, his lips barely brushing her forehead as he asked, “Why did you suddenly… suddenly accept today? I’m really… so happy I could die, A-Xu, you don’t know how happy I am…”

You Mingxu’s heart ached to hear this. She touched his face and answered, “Silly, you saved my life, so from now on this life is yours. Before, you were always chasing after me, but you don’t need to chase anymore. I’ll wait for you.”

He fell silent for a moment, murmuring, “So it’s to repay my kindness…” Suddenly he bent down to kiss her face, his voice husky: “Whatever the reason, you’re mine now, no taking it back! You have to mean it!”

This was the second time he’d said “no taking it back.” You Mingxu felt a pang in her heart, thinking about how afraid he must be that she would push him away again. She wanted to pat his head, but seeing all the bandages, she couldn’t bring herself to do it. Instead, she gently pinched his chin and said, “It’s not about repaying kindness. It’s not about that.”

He looked up at her: “Then what is it about?”

Those clear eyes suddenly became too intense for You Mingxu to meet directly.

Instead of answering, You Mingxu asked, “What about you? Why do you insist on making me yours?”

For what… reason?

Although Yin Feng’s head still ached slightly, as he looked at her, many images flashed through his mind: their first meeting in Tibet, when he crawled out of his sleeping bag, confused, to see a pair of clean, gentle eyes; him lingering in the hallway as she emerged with a dark expression, letting him into her life; darkness before his eyes, only able to feel her soft palm as her kiss covered him, covered everything; and her crouching in the hallway with her partner, smoking, unable to even cry, while he could only watch through the glass.

When had it happened? When had he, who once trembled in fear of the world, become fearless of everything, even death?

Only because of her.

The words came out on their own as his eyes grew wet: “A-Xu because I love you. I love you so much.”

You Mingxu remained motionless, just watching his tear-filled eyes.

Having resolved to give herself to him today, she had prepared herself for the possibility of being broken beyond repair, with no way back. And then he said those words.

He truly understood love now. She knew it.

Her nose stung as the tears she had suppressed rose again at his words. Suddenly she felt that he was like a child, but so was she. In this world, it was just the two of them, together. This feeling of depending on each other for survival would be forever etched in her heart.

She said, “Oh?”

Yin Feng nodded: “It’s not just liking, not just dependence, not anything else. It couldn’t be anyone else, no one else in this world would do. I only love you, admire you, I’m willing to die for you, as long as you love me. As long as you love me too.”

You Mingxu’s tears fell, and she quickly wiped them away. She reached out to hug him, burying her head in his shoulder. Yin Feng’s heart was filled with both joy and pain as they held each other.

After a while, she whispered: “You Yingjun, from now on… let’s take it slowly, live each day well. I only have you now…”

—

It was an autumn morning heavy with melancholy. Several police officers in full uniform had already arrived at the funeral home.

You Mingxu came too, moving slowly due to her injuries but keeping her back straight as she stood with the other officers. Yin Feng stood beside her in an impeccable black suit, looking like a truly mature and steady man.

The time had come.

The provincial bureau chief and Ding Xiongwei had also arrived, walking at the front with the city bureau chief and municipal leaders, their expressions solemn. You Mingxu watched as Ding Xiongwei’s usually cold eyes reddened, feeling indescribable emotions.

The farewell ceremony began.

First bow, second bow, third bow. Moment of silence.

Most present were strong men, yet muffled sobs could be heard throughout the crowd. You Mingxu stared at her feet as tears streamed down, barely able to lift her head to look at the deceased. After a while, Yin Feng, his eyes red, reached out to hold her, and she buried her face in his chest, all her sobs absorbed by his embrace.

Unlike You, Mingxu, Xu Mengshan didn’t hide in the back rows but stood in the first row behind the family. He stood like a silent mountain of ice, not crying out loud, simply standing there with Fan Jia’s parents.

Many important changes in life, or our transformative growth, come suddenly. We become more silent yet more determined in many ways. These changes often arrive overnight. But sometimes, the price is too high. So heavy that it leaves us with a lifelong ache.

Only after escorting Fan Jia’s ashes and her parents to their car did the officers return to their posts. There was still much work to do on the Deng Yao father and son case. Chen Zhaoci hadn’t been caught either. Those who had passed were gone, and no matter how grief-stricken they were, they couldn’t pause for long—they had to keep moving forward.

You Mingxu’s injuries hadn’t healed, and Ding Xiongwei ordered her to rest for two more days before reporting back. But she didn’t want to stay in the hospital, preferring to recover at the guesthouse while reviewing newly recorded testimonies and supplementary materials.

Returning to the guesthouse from the funeral home that day, You Mingxu was truly exhausted, her back injuries throbbing. She lay down as soon as she entered the room. Yin Feng followed closely behind; his head bandages had been removed, leaving only a few pieces of gauze. He had no other injuries and had almost fully recovered.

Yin Feng immediately told Chen Feng about their relationship. Chen Feng was surprised but happy for them. At a time like this, Chen Feng naturally didn’t follow them in but returned to his room.

Yin Feng walked to the bedside, watching You Mingxu lying there. She had removed her police cap but was still in uniform, her face pale, looking both dignified and somehow fragile, which made him feel both love and heartache. He placed his arms on either side of her, and for some reason, since they’d gotten together, he loved finding ways to “envelop” her, asking, “Are you tired?”

You Mingxu nodded.

“Want to sleep?”

She nodded again.

“Then let me help you undress.”

She was as docile as a child now, raising herself slightly as he pulled at her sleeves, helping her remove her jacket. Underneath was her police uniform shirt; her slender frame filled it snugly in certain places, and Yin Feng couldn’t help but look a few extra times.

You Mingxu’s sharp eyes caught him: “Where are you looking?”

Yin Feng simply bent down and kissed that spot through her shirt: “Looking at what’s mine.”

You Mingxu’s body trembled slightly as she turned to lie on her side, facing away from him. Yin Feng covered her with the blanket, and unable to leave, he removed his suit jacket and slipped under the covers too. Now that she finally didn’t reject him anymore, he slipped his arm under her head and held her, feeling truly blessed.

After a while, he leaned in closer, but she turned her head away, not letting him see. He reached out to touch her face and found it wet with tears.

Yin Feng fell silent for a moment, pressing his face against hers as he asked softly, “Still hurting?”

Ever since leaving the funeral home, You Mingxu’s mind had been empty. She tried hard not to think of Fan Jia, but before long, her former comrade’s smiling face would appear in her mind, and the tears would flow uncontrollably. She had probably shed more tears in these two days than in the past decade.

“Maybe,” she answered listlessly.

“A-Xu, don’t think about it anymore. Too much grief will only harm you. You need to move forward, this case isn’t over yet,” Yin Feng said.

You Mingxu’s throat was almost closed up: “I know.”

She hadn’t opened the curtains when leaving that morning, and now with no lights on, the room was as dark as a quiet, warm night. Yin Feng spoke with complete sincerity: “Let’s be intimate, it will distract you from the pain, and make you feel less awful.”

You Mingxu finally smiled, but before she could agree, he had already rolled on top of her and started kissing her.

This boy… is getting bolder and bolder, You Mingxu thought lazily.

But he wasn’t wrong. After extreme grief, people often feel dazed. If someone is there at such a time, full of love and tenderness, worshipfully kissing and caressing, slowly pulling you back. Your body gradually feels warmth again, and trembles. He was as sincere as a child, yet as determined as a man.

On this blood-stained path, this thorny road. Large patches of darkness often surrounded her. She and her comrades were like silent stone statues, standing guard. Any day, they might fall.

She had understood long ago, just refused to admit it, that he was her only moonlight. Pure, clear, sincere, always following her. She craved this ray of moonlight; only when illuminated by him, comforted by him, held in his palms, could her heart avoid numbness, could her soul avoid becoming harder and more painful. Only now could she breathe like a living person, rather than dying alongside her beloved comrade.

You Mingxu’s attention was completely captured by him. Her whole body burned with heat, and that dazed, irresistible feeling he had given her before once again overwhelmed her. Her hands were pinned by his, and in just a moment of distraction, he had made swift progress—he had unbuttoned most of her shirt and was about to bury his head against her. You Mingxu’s toes were trembling as she twisted his ear and pulled him up.

Their eyes met for several seconds.

His voice was hoarse: “A-Xu, can I… have you now?”

You Mingxu only stared into his eyes. At this moment she wanted only to indulge, to forget everything, to lose herself with him. Her hand released his ear and fell to the sheets, her voice even lower than his: “Yes.”