After embracing Zhou Songyue, Jiang Cheng turned to Lin Qiuyun beside him and called out, “Mom.”

The two elders of the Zhou Family had already learned about Jiang Cheng’s situation from Tan Shiming. Now, seeing him in person, his face still bore bruises and wounds that had yet to fully fade.

Lin Qiuyun’s heart ached, and she couldn’t help but let her tears fall. “A’Cheng, how could you hide something so dangerous from your dad and me?”

Jiang Cheng raised his hand and gently wiped away Lin Qiuyun’s tears, saying softly, “Mom, it’s all my fault.”

The one who had driven them here was Yan Bin.

He watched Jiang Cheng and thought to himself that five years really does change a person.

Jiang Cheng used to be so reckless and brash, always stealing the spotlight in everything he did. Now, the sharp edges about him had softened considerably — though not in a way that made him smoother or more tactful, but rather with a kind of steady, grounded sharpness.

Yet he was still Jiang Cheng. A fist came swinging into Yan Bin’s shoulder, snapping him out of his thoughts. He looked up to find Jiang Cheng wearing that same cocky grin.

Jiang Cheng said, “What are you staring at me for, kid? Forget who your boss is?”

Yan Bin couldn’t help but laugh, cursing back, “How the hell did you not die out there?”

“I’ve got a tough life. How have things been? Don’t tell me you’re still mooching off your parents.”

“I opened a hotpot place — just messing around for fun. Lucky you came back. Come see how well I’m doing these days!”

“Alright, you little—”

Before Jiang Cheng could finish, Yan Bin landed a punch squarely on his chest in return.

Jiang Cheng still had a knife wound on him. Taking a hit like that made him immediately grimace in pain, baring his teeth.

Yan Bin was startled and asked with concern, “What’s wrong — are you okay?”

“Won’t kill me.” Jiang Cheng pressed his hand over the wound, coughing repeatedly, then said, “I have to stay alive. Someone’s got to inherit your restaurant someday and ride on Third Brother’s coattails.”

Seeing he still had the nerve to crack jokes, Yan Bin cursed again, “Inherit my ass — I’m definitely going to outlive a reckless idiot like you!”

As the words left his mouth, his voice trembled slightly at the end. He finally couldn’t hold back the ache in his chest, and one arm wrapped firmly around Jiang Cheng’s shoulders.

After a long moment, Yan Bin finally said, “…Boss, welcome home.”

Jiang Cheng remained unmoved and scoffed, “Can you tone down the drama? You’re making my skin crawl.”

Yan Bin immediately lost any urge to cry, and slapped him hard on the back in irritation. “I really can’t believe I wasted that on you.”

Jiang Cheng burst out laughing.

Zhou Jin was halfway back to the Serious Crimes Unit when she learned that Tan Shiming had told Zhou Songyue about Jiang Cheng’s situation ahead of time.

Tan Shiming had called Zhou Songyue intending to talk about Zhou Jin’s mental state, and in the course of the conversation, Jiang Cheng inevitably came up.

By that time, Tan Shiming had already obtained Yao Weihai’s written note, and had pushed through a handwriting analysis overnight — confirming that Jiang Cheng was completely innocent. So he had gone ahead and told Zhou Songyue about the hearing as well.

He knew about the relationship between Jiang Cheng and the Zhou Family, but even so, he hadn’t expected the family to care so deeply about this young man — the moment they heard the news, they insisted on coming straight over.

Tan Shiming remarked to Zhou Jin, “They treat him better than their own son.”

“More or less,” Zhou Jin said. “When my brother and Jiang Cheng got into trouble together as kids, my dad would usually punish my brother and let Jiang Cheng off scot-free.”

Seeing that she still had the mood to share a funny story, he asked, “Feeling a bit better?”

Zhou Jin said, “I was fine to begin with, Shifu.”

Five years ago, Zhou Chuan passed away, and Jiang Cheng left. During that period, even the two Zhou Family elders had been submerged in grief, and Zhou Jin suddenly found herself without anyone to lean on.

From only being able to cry and drift through her days in a daze, to making the firm decision to transfer from the Public Security Brigade to the Serious Crimes Unit, and then to carrying out everything that followed — she had walked through that long and agonizing stretch of time entirely on her own.

Having lived through those days, no matter how great the pressure she faced afterward, she found she could handle it. Nothing felt insurmountable anymore.

All she needed was time.

Besides, she was no longer alone now. She still had Jiang Hansheng by her side.

Thinking of Jiang Hansheng, Zhou Jin quickly dialed his number.

When the call connected, she first heard the sound of running water, but his voice didn’t come through for some time.

“Professor Jiang?” Zhou Jin said.

After another moment, Jiang Hansheng’s slightly low voice came through — “Mm.”

“Where are you?” Zhou Jin asked. “My parents are in Haizhou. Are you free for dinner tonight?”

Jiang Hansheng said, “My dad and Aunt Fang came back from abroad yesterday. I need to spend the evening with them.”

Zhou Jin thought it over — Yan Bin would be there tonight, and Jiang Hansheng never seemed to have an easy time around him. Seeing less of each other was probably for the best.

She suggested, “Then we’ll split up for the night.”

“Alright.” After a brief silence, Jiang Hansheng asked again, “What time will you be home tonight?”

Zhou Jin thought about it. “Hard to say. If it’s not busy at the unit, I’ll head back early.”

When she returned to the Serious Crimes Unit and learned that the two Zhou Family elders, Jiang Cheng, and Yan Bin were in the break room, she pushed the door open and walked in.

Yan Bin spotted her first, flashing a wide grin full of bright white teeth, and waved at her. “Xiao Wu, over here!”

Zhou Jin went straight to Lin Qiuyun’s side and asked, “Mom, why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”

Lin Qiuyun said, “I wanted to see Jiang Cheng as soon as possible, so I had Bin’zi drive us over. You focus on your work — don’t worry about us.”

Zhou Songyue sat on the sofa across from them, his gaze weighted as it rested on Zhou Jin for a moment. “Have you seen a doctor?” he asked.

Lin Qiuyun’s expression turned worried as well. “You child…”

Zhou Jin smiled at them, signaling that she was fine.

Just then, Tan Shiming also arrived at the break room. He shook hands with Zhou Songyue and gave him a brief overview of the current situation.

“Old Zhou, you’ve made a trip for nothing, I’m afraid. The main suspects in the case are still at large, and Jiang Cheng, as a key witness, can’t move about entirely freely just yet.”

In other words, they wouldn’t be able to go out for a proper family dinner at a restaurant, or spend extended time with Jiang Cheng.

Zhou Songyue and Lin Qiuyun didn’t have any reason to feel disappointed — all they needed was to see with their own eyes that Jiang Cheng was alright, and their hearts were at ease.

“Understood,” Zhou Songyue said. “Once Qiuyun and I have seen these two kids, we’ll head back.”

Zhou Songyue stepped aside with Tan Shiming to catch up, and Jiang Cheng and Yan Bin seized the opportunity to slip outside for a cigarette.

Lin Qiuyun pulled Zhou Jin close and chatted warmly with her for some time. At one point, she asked, “How come we haven’t seen Hansheng this whole time? Is he still busy?”

Zhou Jin said, “Uncle Jiang and Aunt Fang are back in the country. He went to have dinner with them.”

Lin Qiuyun said, “You and Hansheng haven’t had a fight, have you?”

Zhou Jin looked puzzled. “Why would we fight?”

Lin Qiuyun asked, “Does he know about your engagement to Jiang Cheng?”

Zhou Jin nodded. “I told him.”

Lin Qiuyun studied her calm expression — she didn’t seem at all like someone who had caused any tension over the matter. Afraid that pressing further might stir up trouble between the young couple, she let it go and simply said, “No matter how busy work gets, you still need to find a balance with your home life. Don’t always have Hansheng be the one taking care of you.”

“I know.”

Seeing that she was about to launch into another round of nagging, Zhou Jin quickly steered the conversation elsewhere, and on Jiang Hansheng’s behalf, asked about the bayberry wine.

They talked on like this for quite some time, until the sky had grown completely dark. Zhou Jin and Jiang Cheng walked them downstairs together to see them off.

Yan Bin was back behind the wheel.

He propped his arm on the car window and said his goodbyes to Zhou Jin. “We’ll get going then.”

Zhou Jin said, “Drive carefully on the way back.”

Yan Bin patted the steering wheel. “You doubt my skills? I’ll drift my soul all the way there — mission accomplished, no matter what.”

Zhou Jin reached over and flicked him a hard knock on the forehead. “Cut it out.”

Yan Bin rubbed the sore spot, wincing. “Wow, that hard? Just as I thought — now that your backup’s back, you’re climbing over my head again, throwing your weight around…”

He was naturally referring to Jiang Cheng.

They’d grown up together through constant roughhousing, and this sort of thing had happened more times than could be counted. Every time, Jiang Cheng would take Zhou Jin’s side — grabbing Yan Bin by the collar and hauling him back, warning him to “stop picking on Xiao Wu.”

But this time, before Jiang Cheng could make a move, Zhou Jin knocked him again, pressing her lips together to hold back a smile. “I don’t need his backup to throw my weight around.”

Zhou Songyue, sitting in the back seat, scolded her — even fooling around had its limits.

Jiang Cheng stepped to the side and subtly moved in front of Zhou Jin, shielding her from further reproach. He said, “Dad, Mom — once things settle down here, I’ll come home to see you.”

“Good.”

Yan Bin started the car. Before pulling away, he looked at Zhou Jin with something unsaid on the tip of his tongue, then in the end settled for a single reminder: “Take good care of the boss.”

Zhou Jin watched the car gradually blend into the flow of traffic until it disappeared entirely.

Zhou Jin and Jiang Cheng stood side by side, seemingly at a loss for words, and neither spoke.

“You came from the hospital?” Jiang Cheng broke the silence, asking her, “Is something wrong?”

Zhou Jin smiled. “I’m fine.”

Jiang Cheng fell quiet.

Zhou Jin spoke to him with ease and lightness, as if everything between them remained unchanged — as if nothing had happened, and they were simply back to the way they’d always been.

Yet Jiang Cheng still sensed that something was different from before. It was like when Zhou Jin had told him in the interrogation room that she would help him — back when they used to be together, Zhou Jin had never spoken to him with such measured, considerate politeness.

“Zhou Jin…”

Zhou Jin said, “I’ll walk you home.”

Jiang Cheng had made his wishes clear to the Serious Crimes Unit — he didn’t want to stay anywhere else, but in Jinze Garden, his former home.

Tan Shiming had thought it over from every angle and decided to have Zhou Jin keep an eye on things. Zhou Jin hadn’t refused.

They returned to Jinze Garden. Several full plastic bags were piled by the door — daily necessities that Zhou Jin had arranged for someone to buy.

She used the key to unlock the door, and Jiang Cheng went in first while Zhou Jin flipped up the main circuit breaker by the entrance.

Zhou Jin reached in to turn on the light. The stark white light fell over Jiang Cheng, and his body instinctively tensed.

Noticing his overreaction, she recalled what Jiang Hansheng had once told her — that people who had spent years undercover were often highly sensitive to light levels. She immediately switched the light off, then turned it back on again, this time selecting the warm, soft amber setting.

Jiang Cheng threw himself onto the sofa and rolled around contentedly, then propped himself up on one hand, turning to face Zhou Jin. “It’s like nothing here has changed at all.”

Zhou Jin opened every window in the apartment to let it air out, then began taking the household items out of the plastic bags.

She said to Jiang Cheng, “I bought toothbrush, toothpaste, towels — and things for the bathroom too…”

There was too much to list, so she simply carried everything into the bathroom and arranged it piece by piece.

She moved from room to room, getting everything in order, while Jiang Cheng lay stretched out on the sofa and watched her — going in and out, busy on his behalf.

He loved this. He loved having Zhou Jin always trailing behind him, loved her moving in a constant orbit around him without pause.

Zhou Jin heated a meal box in the microwave, then went to the living room and opened the refrigerator, placing the frozen dumplings and the remaining meal boxes inside one by one.

Jiang Cheng watched her arrange everything in neat, orderly rows — nothing like the haphazard way she used to just shove things in any which way. Without quite knowing why, he thought that this was probably Jiang Hansheng’s influence on her habits.

The microwave chimed — the meal box was ready. Zhou Jin’s hands were full, so she said to Jiang Cheng, “Go ahead and eat first.”

Then she felt a searing warmth press against her back. Jiang Cheng had taken hold of her arm, his hand warm too — so warm it made Zhou Jin’s heart jolt.

In that position, it was as if she were enclosed in his grasp.

He said, “Want me to help?”