There used to be a popular saying online.

When someone appears in your dream, you should go see them when you wake up.

Fu Xueli had always thought this saying was very non-mainstream, but somehow, today she kept thinking about it. Once the thought arose, even the magazine photoshoot for Ash didn’t go well.

Her partner was a popular young heartthrob with delicate, androgynous features and a neutral style—he had many female fans who treated him like a boyfriend. Privately, he also liked to put on airs. Fu Xueli didn’t really go for this type of man, but young girls nowadays just liked this.

At this moment, the heartthrob was holding a guitar, plucking the strings with half-skilled technique. His oval face, even more pointed than hers, wore a standard expression of tender affection, but the makeup was too thick—under the strong lights, it appeared somewhat greasy.

Fu Xueli sat facing him on a chair, feeling nauseous for no reason, just extremely uncomfortable. She raised her chin at an angle, taking the opportunity to avert her eyes.

Nearby, the carbon dioxide fog machines were hissing out white vapor, and magnesium lights in the photography studio flashed on and off. The assistant waited on the side with a water cup and coat. The makeup artist waited for gaps to go up and touch up makeup.

Photographer Jony, wearing low-waisted leather pants, knelt on the ground, holding a camera in one hand, his free hand fanning vertically on both sides, signaling the two to move closer. He joked, “Little Lizi, make your expression a bit sweeter, relax, relax. Let’s find the feeling of being in love, okay? Is that expression for facing an enemy?”

Fu Xueli smiled apologetically. She had originally debuted as a model, so although not in the right state, facing the camera, she could reflexively display the feeling Jony wanted to capture.

Click—

Click—

Her mind kept wandering…

Kept wandering…

This distraction continued until she finished rehearsing the opening dance for a variety show episode, then stopped at the entrance of the Public Security Bureau.

None of this was important. The key point was, she didn’t even know what she was doing here… and she had ditched a dinner engagement, sneaking out alone.

She hadn’t even properly memorized the opening lines for the variety show she was about to record, yet she had the leisure to run here.

After a long while, Fu Xueli remembered she didn’t have Xu Xingchun’s phone number.

Today she didn’t know what evil had possessed her. After having a dream, the desire to see Xu Xingchun became increasingly strong.

She didn’t know if he was at work today either. They had clearly just met a few days ago, the familiar building was within sight, yet she just couldn’t take that step.

The security guard in the small white booth at the entrance had been noticing Fu Xueli for a long time, even opening the window to yell that if she had nothing to do, she shouldn’t wander around the Public Security Bureau entrance. She wore a face mask and a black baseball cap, wrapped tightly in a long windbreaker from neck almost to ankles—her outfit was extremely unusual, and her behavior very suspicious.

After pacing back and forth a few more times, Fu Xueli stepped onto the side stairs, counting and jumping.

Go…

Don’t go.

Go…

Still don’t go.

Should she damn well go or not?!

Damn it.

Whatever, since she was already here…

She irritably pulled down her mask, fishing out a lipstick from her pocket. There seemed to be a white Audi that had been parked by the roadside for a long time. She looked left and right, making sure there were no pedestrians around, then leaned over, bent down toward the rearview mirror, slightly opened her mouth, and carefully began touching up her makeup.

Just as she finished applying her lower lip, the car window suddenly descended slowly, revealing the car owner’s face, startling her so much her hand shook.

Xu Xingchun sat in the driver’s seat, one hand still resting on the steering wheel, no excess expression on his face, meeting her eyes. The atmosphere was so awkward it made one’s heart panic.

Fu Xueli had first-class psychological quality and thick skin. After only stiffening for a second, she straightened her waist as if nothing had happened, pressing her upper and lower lips together to even out the lipstick.

After standing steadily, she pretended to tilt her head, slowly screwing the lipstick closed and capping it. The entire process was incredibly calm, as if nothing had happened.

A long time ago, her cousin Fu Chenglin had told her that when you’re embarrassed, the most important thing is to remain expressionless so others can’t detect your embarrassment.

Be more composed than anyone else, and you’ll win.

So Fu Xueli unhurriedly took out a tissue, pulled one out, bent down again toward the mirror to smooth her hair, and incidentally wiped the lipstick marks along her lips.

Throughout the entire process, Xu Xingchun didn’t say a word.

Her eyelids drooped slightly, the corners of her eyes sliding past his neck, his Adam’s apple, and then she asked, “This is by the roadside. You’re illegally parked, right?”

“……”

“Won’t you let me in the car?” Knowing he wouldn’t invite her, she had to ask proactively.

Xu Xingchun turned a deaf ear. He just sat in the car, his gaze slightly cold, not answering. Today he still wore his work clothes—a frigidly ascetic white coat, underneath a black sweater, a clean and neat white shirt showing from the collar. Possessing the handsome stability of a mature man, from head to toe, except for a silver mechanical watch on his wrist, there were no other excessive decorations.

Fine.

Fortune turns in cycles—what’s the big deal?

Just endure it, right?

After thinking this, Fu Xueli, holding back a ball of fire, circled around to the passenger side to pull open the car door. After pulling a few times and finding it wouldn’t open, she lost her temper. Her wrist shook with her body as she pulled hard several more times in succession.

Using too much force, the car door was nearly pulled off, but still wouldn’t open.

After waiting a while, the car showed no sign of unlocking. She circled back the way she came, stopping in front of Xu Xingchun, her chest heaving with anger. Her hair ends had recently been dyed a dull blue-green color. With her large movements, her ponytail drew an arc, swinging from behind to her shoulder. “Xu Xingchun, what do you mean?”

Did he really think he was some big shot?

Rage made one lose reason. Fu Xueli abruptly removed the baseball cap that had been blocking her vision, her chin slightly raised. Although she was bending over with her body tilted, she still had that condescending appearance of scrutinizing someone, just like a proud white swan.

After a brief silence, Xu Xingchun showed no sign of relenting. He just spoke slowly, almost word by word asking, “What are you doing here?”

She didn’t know if it was because too much time had passed, but she felt for the first time that communicating with Xu Xingchun was so difficult. After thinking for a long time, she struggled to find a lame excuse. “I’m not doing anything. Can’t I just come find you to catch up?”

Xu Xingchun’s lips were tightly closed. He turned his head, his gaze moving away from her. His entire body was written with the four words: refuse to communicate.

In front of Xu Xingchun, she had long been the party accustomed to being accommodated. That said, in front of anyone, Fu Xueli had never been so humble, speaking so carefully.

She clearly disliked this feeling of humiliating herself, yet couldn’t control herself. However, even lowering herself to speak like this, anxiously weighing every word and sentence, Xu Xingchun still showed no sign of being moved.

Fu Xueli forced a smile, her hands silently clenching. “At least we’re still friends, right?”

Xu Xingchun stared straight ahead, his gaze light, his profile clean-cut, revealing a sense of cold, indifferent alienation.

Yes. Long ago, Fu Xueli had vaguely sensed that Xu Xingchun was far from as harmless as he appeared on the surface. He was particularly good at enduring, usually pretending to be like a normal person, but actually his personality was extremely sensitive. In his bones, he held grudges deeply and had no sympathy for unimportant people.

Just like now.

Even if she was rubbing her warm face against his cold backside so embarrassingly, he wasn’t moved at all.

How fair—was Xu Xingchun now really experiencing sweetness after bitterness, intending to get back all the grievances he’d suffered before?

Fu Xueli’s heart churned. The words she’d prepared were swallowed back down, stuffed back into her stomach. The fluffy flame in her chest suddenly shot up. She threw the paper she’d been clutching tightly at him—hitting him squarely on the head, neither too far left nor right.

The paper ball bounced a few times, falling from his head to his lap.

Fu Xueli stared at him fixedly, relentlessly pursuing. “Are you afraid of me? Otherwise, why are you avoiding me?”

“This isn’t a place you should come.” Xu Xingchun looked straight ahead, his hand gripping the steering wheel, knuckles white. The car window slowly rose, the car making a starting sound.

It almost made Fu Xueli faint with anger. Her furious roar rang out in the street:

“Go ahead, if you dare leave today, you’d better never—”

Until the car slowly slid away, the red tail lights lighting up. She watched helplessly into the distance, the two words “see me” stuck in her throat. The barrier at the Public Security Bureau entrance slowly rose, the white Audi turned, gradually accelerating, disappearing from sight.

So she was disliked by Xu Xingchun?

……

Fu Xueli stood by the roadside, cars coming and going, only coming to her senses after a long time. She bit her teeth, clenching her phone, taking a breath, so angry she could die.

Just now she should have kicked his car with her high heels and walked away!

Best if she kicked a hole in it!

Her brain must have been kicked by a donkey—she was sick to have come here to find him!

—

The light on the autopsy table was ghastly pale. Old Qin washed his hands, taking a pair of rubber gloves from the operating table to put on.

Old Qin had once been the top detachment captain of the municipal criminal police. Later transferred up, he had over ten years of frontline work experience. It was just that he was getting old, so later he retreated to the second line. Usually leisurely, he generally didn’t work, normally just responsible for reporting work to leadership and incidentally helping young comrades solve their troubles.

Hearing footsteps behind him, Xu Xingchun closed his five fingers, putting away what was in his palm into his pocket.

“What clues are you researching from a ball of tissue, thinking so seriously?” Old Qin’s eyes were sharp—he’d already seen what was in his hand earlier, half-joking.

Xu Xingchun’s body leaned slightly forward. The motion of holding the knife in his hand only paused for a few seconds as he remained silent.

“Busy, right? I see you have quite a few cases recently?” Old Qin found a chair to sit.

“It’s okay.”

“When are you planning to go back?”

Xu Xingchun shook his head.

Old Qin, seeing his tight-lipped appearance, stopped asking. Understanding in his heart, even if leadership came now, Xu Xingchun probably didn’t need to report his whereabouts.

When Xu Xingchun was working silently without speaking, Old Qin deliberately or inadvertently mentioned, “I’ve heard quite a bit of gossip recently. When people are too emotional, it’s easy to lose accurate judgment. So… especially for you now, with heavy responsibilities on your shoulders, diluting your personal feelings is still very necessary for work, and it’s also a physiological and psychological defense mechanism.”

“Pay attention to your health, Captain Xu. Recently your smoking frequency has been rather high.” Old Qin said meaningfully.