In the end, it was Qi Xi and Gu Yan who accompanied Lin Wen to file the police report. The officer handling the case turned out to be a female policewoman, gentle and patient, like an older sister from next door, who never once made Lin Wen feel embarrassed.

Once the entire statement and investigation process was complete, Qi Xi and Gu Yan came out of the police station, planning to escort Lin Wen safely home as well. But Lin Wen glanced across the street and declined their offer.

She said, a bit embarrassed: “I’ve already troubled you two so much. Go handle your own business.”

Gu Yan glanced at Qi Xi, but remained firm: “Let us take you home anyway. Your ex-boyfriend might be waiting at some intersection again. Until compulsory measures are taken against him, I think it’s best you not move around alone—in case he does something violent out of desperation.”

Gu Yan was clearly genuinely worried about Lin Wen, and he tried to convince her to stay alert during this period. But Qi Xi glanced across the street and suddenly seemed to understand something. She tugged at Gu Yan’s sleeve and shot him a look. Gu Yan blinked, then followed her gaze across the street as well.

Standing there was a man in a suit and glasses, looking refined but with an anxious expression on his face. He seemed to be searching for someone, looking around urgently. Then Qi Xi watched as he took out his phone and dialed someone’s number.

Sure enough, almost at the same moment, Lin Wen’s phone rang. Qi Xi saw that on Lin Wen’s screen, the caller’s saved contact name was marked with a heart symbol.

Lin Wen seemed to freeze for a moment. She glanced across the street, then stared blankly at her phone, as if she still couldn’t believe this was real. Her fingers twisted anxiously, at a complete loss for what to do, until Qi Xi finally couldn’t bear to watch any longer: “Answer it!”

Only then did Lin Wen fumble to pick up the call.

Qi Xi and Gu Yan automatically stepped back to give Lin Wen some space. From a distance, they couldn’t hear what she was saying, only catching occasional choked, nasal “mm”s, as though she were agreeing to something on the other end.

The man across the street soon spotted Lin Wen too. He hung up the phone and walked quickly toward her, crossing the street, coming to stand in front of her with a solemn expression, saying nothing—just pulling her into his arms.

During the reporting and statement process, though Lin Wen had needed to recall the details of the coercion she’d suffered—which was somewhat re-traumatizing—her face had been pale throughout, but she’d remained brave and steady. She hadn’t broken down, hadn’t cried, just recounted her ex-boyfriend’s wrongdoings with only a slight tremble in her voice.

Yet now, having held herself together through the entire reporting process, held in this man’s arms, Lin Wen finally couldn’t hold back her tears.

There was no need for explanation—Qi Xi already knew who this man was. He must be the young man Lin Wen liked, the one she’d broken up with under her ex-boyfriend’s threats.

**

“On my way to file the report, maybe out of impulse, I made a decision. I sent him a very, very long message explaining everything from beginning to end, telling him I’d made a mistake before, loved the wrong person, apologizing to him, and explaining the breakup I’d given no real reason for. I wanted to tell him that even if he looked down on me and wanted nothing to do with me because of this, my breaking up with him was always something I was forced into. I’ve loved him this whole time, and I hoped that at the very least, this relationship could have a proper goodbye—and I wished him happiness in the future.”

Half an hour later, sitting in a café near the police station, Lin Wen honestly told Qi Xi and Gu Yan about her earlier impulsive act, her face showing both embarrassment and the moved expression of someone who’d survived a disaster: “Really, thank you both. If you hadn’t encouraged me the way you did, I wouldn’t have had the courage to face this head-on.”

As she spoke, the young man she liked held her hand tightly the entire time. Though silent, he stayed firmly by her side.

Without needing words, Qi Xi already knew she hadn’t misjudged this young man—he was someone Lin Wen could trust and rely on.

Since Qi Xi and Gu Yan had already accompanied Lin Wen through the hardest step—filing the police report—the rest of the way, now that the authorities were involved, having this young man by her side would be enough.

After saying goodbye to Lin Wen and walking out of the café with Gu Yan, Qi Xi suddenly felt like the sun today seemed a little brighter.

She stretched. “Lin Wen found herself a really great boyfriend. That guy looks so steady and gentle just from a glance.”

“Mm.”

“And did you notice, the whole time in the café, his hand was interlaced with hers the entire time—they just look so well-matched together…”

Qi Xi had meant to say a few more words of blessing and praise, but suddenly her hand was pulled by Gu Yan.

Before she could react, Gu Yan had already taken her hand and interlaced his fingers with hers.

The man’s hand carried out this little sequence of actions while his face remained completely unruffled—except that his mouth, apparently staging its own independent revolt, betrayed his true feelings without Qi Xi even having to press him.

“She found herself a great boyfriend. The one you found isn’t any worse than hers.”

Gu Yan’s tone was solemn, calm as though delivering a legal opinion. He glanced at their interlaced hands: “I’d say we’re a pretty good match too.”

Qi Xi couldn’t help but laugh, then blushed slightly. She tried to pull her hand back a little: “I feel like people are looking…”

Unfortunately, Gu Yan didn’t let go. “Why are you so flustered? Being this nervous is exactly what’ll make people think it’s strange.”

Still, once the two of them reached the building where Jingge was located, Gu Yan obediently released Qi Xi’s hand.

Even though they were officially dating now, and Qi Xi had earlier talked about announcing his status on her social media, once she thought it over more rationally, she felt that since this counted as an office romance, it was probably best not to be too high-profile about it—especially since their direct boss happened to be Gu Yan’s own sister…

Qi Xi felt she needed a bit more mental preparation before telling Gu Xuehan.

Gu Yan was very accommodating about it: “Then we’ll wait until you’re ready.”

This kind of attitude actually surprised Qi Xi a little. “Aren’t you worried I might be a bad girlfriend—not announcing your status publicly, then sneaking off to go on blind dates or meet other people?”

“That’s not possible.” Gu Yan smiled, then leaned in close to her ear, as if a little embarrassed, and said in a low voice: “I’m pretty clingy. There’s no way you’ll have time for anyone else.”

Having said this, the man, apparently feeling a bit embarrassed himself, turned his face away and looked straight ahead, as though it hadn’t been him who’d just called himself clingy.

But the faint flush on his face and the tips of his ears gave away Gu Yan’s true feelings.

He was shy.

Qi Xi suddenly remembered the legal-education promo video they’d rehearsed before. In this moment, more than ever, she found herself channeling the mindset of the villainous woman from that video. Before stepping into the Jingge office building, she darted forward and kissed Gu Yan’s cheek, successfully watching his face and ears flush even redder with surprise. Then, mischievously, she blew him another kiss before darting into the elevator like a fox.