When You Mingxu walked out of the villa, Old Nine was once again leading the way with his hunched back. Outside, Tu Ya was already waiting in the Bentley.

You Mingxu didn’t stand on ceremony with them, simply thanking them before getting in the car.

By now, she and Tu Ya had developed something of a rapport. Though he remained silent, the tension in his aura had noticeably relaxed.

After watching the scenery outside for a while, You Mingxu said, “Tu Ya, let’s have a match next time.”

Tu Ya was quiet for several seconds before responding, “No.”

“Why not?”

After another moment of silence, he answered, “If I were to hurt you, I couldn’t face Teacher Yin.”

You Mingxu was taken aback, then laughed. “What’s there to face him about? My business has nothing to do with him. Let’s fight tomorrow.”

Tu Ya remained silent.

Seeing the tense muscles in his face, You Mingxu looked back out the window and said lightly, “Things aren’t like they used to be between him and me. Besides, do you think you could hurt me? I’d say you’re about on par with Xu Mengshan, and he’s already lost to me.”

The car suddenly accelerated.

You Mingxu smiled.

“So it’s settled then?”

He gave a deep “Mm” in response.

Rarely encountering such a skilled opponent, You Mingxu’s mood improved considerably. For some reason, as she watched the night scenery flash past the window, she noticed her heart felt lighter than it had in days, experiencing an inexplicable sense of comfort. Subconsciously, she didn’t want to examine the reason too deeply.

Her thoughts turned to Yin Feng’s words and that surveillance footage, causing her heart to sink. Some things were better left unexamined. If Yin Feng had been taken away back then, only to appear months later in Tibet in a state of mental confusion—what had he experienced during that time? Who had taken him? And for what purpose?

Why him, specifically? And why go to such elaborate lengths to cover it up?

They had chosen him.

Gu Tiancheng’s deliberately revealing words from that day on the mountain suddenly echoed in her mind:

“Do you think the person beside you is an angel and not a demon like me?”

“Do you think the meeting between Yin Feng, me, and you, in Tibet was a coincidence?”

…

In her mind’s eye, she saw the former You Yingjun, smiling like spring sunshine on snow.

She also saw tonight’s Yin Feng, leaning back in his black leather chair, his plain black-framed glasses resting on the table, his expression unreadable, his eyes dark and profound.

He was no longer her angel.

—

There were less than two weeks until the New Year.

For several consecutive days, thick clouds had hung in the sky. On this morning, snow finally began to fall, covering Xiangcheng’s beautiful landscape of mountains and waters in a blanket of white.

The snow concealed the sky, masked the temperature, and seemed to cover all traces on the earth. These past few days, Luo Yu had been away on business, handling a real estate demolition dispute for the Kaiyang Group. Although there would likely be some grey areas in the dealings, given Luo Yu’s experience, he probably wouldn’t be directly involved or would handle things discreetly. He presented himself as a standard white-collar criminal, a cultured villain, showing no obvious signs of psychological deviation or suspicious behavior. The police officers monitoring him from afar reported that everything was normal.

Meanwhile, following Yin Feng’s requirements, You Mingxu had been intensively investigating the circumstances around that old house in the Guizhou village from last spring. However, with very few surveillance cameras in the rural area and the group’s superior counter-surveillance capabilities, they hadn’t found any suspicious leads yet.

As the snow melted, new personnel arrived at the police station.

Two days later.

In the morning, while You Mingxu and Xu Mengshan were buried in case files, they heard Ding Xiongwei’s hearty laughter from afar: “Hahaha… I’ll go drink with your Captain Liu again later. Sending such a talented person to my team—it brings honor to our humble abode!”

You Mingxu and Xu Mengshan exchanged glances. For the old wolf to be so warm and gentle, the newcomer must indeed have some weight.

Others in the office looked up as well, seeing Ding Xiongwei in front, followed by a tall, slim man. Everyone was slightly stunned.

They had heard he was a decorated criminal investigator who had made a name for himself in narcotics, so everyone expected someone older or at least another tough guy. Instead, the newcomer appeared to be barely in his early thirties, with crew-cut hair, fair skin, deep-set eyes, and full lips. While not exactly handsome, his features were clean and refined, with a scholarly air about him.

His gaze was gentle and warm, clear and smiling. If they hadn’t known he was Ding Xiongwei’s recruit, they might have thought he worked in administration.

Ding Xiongwei’s eyes swept around the room, a hint of a smile in his expression as he said, “This is Jing Ping from Yunnan that I mentioned. He’ll be joining our unit from now on. Get to know each other. We’ll have lunch together. You Mingxu, Xu Mengshan, and Jing Ping will temporarily join your team. Little Jing, you’ll sit there. If you need anything, just let me know. Or ask these two.”

After Ding Xiongwei left, several colleagues stood up to greet Jing Ping. He smiled at everyone, shaking hands with one, accepting cigarettes from another, and seeming able to chat with anyone.

Then he came over and sat in the empty seat next to You Mingxu and Xu Mengshan, letting out a comfortable sigh as he looked at his new partners.

Xu Mengshan offered him a cigarette, which Jing Ping tucked behind his ear. His fair complexion made his features appear even more refined, with his pale neck and ears. Since both Xu Mengshan and You Mingxu were younger than him, Xu Mengshan said, “Brother Jing, we’ve heard so much about you. I’m Xu Mengshan. How are you settling in? Is the weather much worse than in Yunnan?”

Jing Ping smiled slightly: “Indeed! It’s too cold!”

Only then did they notice he was wearing just a light jacket, showing how much warmer Yunnan’s winters must be. Xu Mengshan said, “Oh, I have a padded jacket in my locker, let me get it for you.” Jing Ping replied, “No need, it’s warm enough in the office, I’ll buy one after work.”

His speech carried a southwestern accent, with less pronounced rolled syllables and particularly flat tones, showing a gentle quality different from Xiangcheng natives.

You Mingxu extended her hand: “You Mingxu.”

Many people were stunned by You Mingxu’s beauty at first sight. Even Ding Xiongwei frowned during her interview, saying, “Everything else is fine, but you’re too pretty. What does a police officer need to be that pretty for? It’ll just hold you back.”

You Mingxu: “…”

When You Yingjun first met her, he immediately called her “beautiful sister.” Later, when Yin Feng awoke, though he treated her coldly, he didn’t hide the appraising gaze of a man looking at a woman.

But Jing Ping’s gaze remained clear and calm, showing not the slightest ripple of surprise. He smiled like warm winter sunshine, gripping her hand briefly with his large, dry, slightly calloused one.

“Hello, You Mingxu, I’ve heard much about you.”

You Mingxu suddenly felt a bit light-headed. If she had a tail, it would have lifted slightly at that moment. After all, the person before her had more experience than them and carried an air of inscrutability. Yet he had said he’d “heard much about” her, something he hadn’t said to Xu Mengshan or anyone else.