Chapter 13 After a Long While, the Corners of His Lips Curled Up Faintly in the Darkness

The car drove for over half an hour before slowing down. When Zhuang Zi looked up, she saw that the car was turning towards “Dijing Tiancheng.”

Dijing Tiancheng was one of the five major villa areas in Yicheng, reputed to house society’s elite.

Zhuang Zi was slightly curious. How could a captain of the criminal police live in such a luxurious villa?

As the car drove deeper into the community, the unique landscaping and exquisite creative lighting design along the way unfolded like a dreamy painting.

Xiaomi leaned against the car window, her eyes sparkling.

Passing through the shadows cast by the streetlights, the car finally stopped in front of a white three-story European-style villa.

The three of them got out of the car, and Xiaomi followed closely behind Si Hang, saying, “Uncle, your house is so big and beautiful!”

Si Hang ruffled her hair and led the two inside.

As soon as they entered, a pair of elderly couple, around their fifties, greeted them with kind and friendly smiles.

Si Hang called out, “Mom, Dad.”

Zhuang Zi looked at him in slight surprise, only then realizing that the phone call in the hospital hallway had been to his mother.

Then, glancing at his parents again, she was stunned.

His father was actually Shen Jianbai, the chairman of Fengyue Group?

Although Zhuang Zi had never interacted with him, Shen Jianbai’s name was well known.

Xiaomi approached them and sweetly called out, “Grandpa, Grandma.”

“Have you all eaten?” his mother, Zheng Ruzhi, asked with a smile.

“Not yet.” Si Hang shook the car keys in his hand. “Let Aunt Qin make something simple for me. I still have to return to the police station later.”

“Oh dear!” Zheng Ruzhi complained, “Are you going to risk your life for your job?”

Si Hang said nothing, putting the car keys into his pocket and walking into the living room.

Only then did Zhuang Zi follow, politely greeting the elderly couple and apologizing, “I’m sorry to trouble you tonight.”

Zheng Ruzhi looked at her, smiling warmly.

She had noticed the young and pretty girl when they first came in. Now, seeing her up close, she saw how delicate and polite she was.

But what had happened to this young lady to be taken hostage by a criminal?

“It’s no trouble at all.” Zheng Ruzhi looked her over, noticing the bandage on her neck, and frowned, “I heard you were hurt. Are you okay?”

Zhuang Zi smiled faintly, “I’m fine now.”

Shen Jianbai said, “Come in and sit down, don’t stand at the door.”

Zheng Ruzhi apologized with a smile, leading them to the living room sofa and instructing the maid to bring some food.

Having heard a brief explanation from Si Hang on the phone earlier, Shen Jianbai asked, “Did they catch the criminal?”

“Not yet,” Si Hang replied.

Zheng Ruzhi went to pour two cups of tea and began to discreetly observe Zhuang Zi with a kind look.

Shen Jianbai, noticing this, cleared his throat and calmly said, “Get some clothes for the girl to wear.”

Zhuang Zi was wearing a thin knit sweater with a light blanket draped over her. Shen Jianbai’s sudden, considerate concern left her feeling a bit at a loss. She softly replied, “I’m not cold.”

Zheng Ruzhi exchanged a meaningful glance with her husband before turning to Zhuang Zi and saying, “Yan Yan left a few clothes here. They should fit you.”

The enthusiasm of the Shen couple made Zhuang Zi feel both flattered and a bit uneasy, leading her to repeatedly say, “Thank you.”

“Yan Yan is my younger daughter-in-law,” Zheng Ruzhi continued without being asked, “We haven’t yet found a wife for our elder son.”

She smiled at Zhuang Zi, who was slightly taken aback but assumed this lively auntie was just making casual conversation. She nodded in response.

Si Hang absentmindedly petted the husky wagging its tail at his side and gave his mother a look, pretending not to understand her implied message.

“Shall I take you upstairs to change?” Zheng Ruzhi offered.

Zhuang Zi stood up, “Thank you, Auntie.”

After the two women left, in the living room, Shen Jianbai made small talk with Xiaomi before suddenly changing the topic and curiously asking Si Hang, “Your apartment is so close to the police station. Why did you bring them here instead of having them stay at your place?”

Si Hang nonchalantly replied, “The property management notified me about a gas outage yesterday.”

He could handle a cold shower, but he was concerned that the woman and child wouldn’t be able to. It was also not suitable to send them to a hotel since Zhuang Zi needed to remain under police protection until the identity of the assailant was confirmed. Although he was reluctant to bring a stranger home, tonight was a matter of chance.

…

Zheng Ruzhi took Zhuang Zi to a bedroom on the second floor to change clothes. To make her feel more at ease, she kept chatting about various trivial matters.

Although Zhuang Zi wasn’t very talkative, she still answered Zheng Ruzhi’s questions politely.

After changing clothes, Zheng Ruzhi showed her around the guest rooms, letting her choose where she wanted to sleep.

Zhuang Zi wasn’t picky and felt content just to have a place to stay for the night.

As they walked around, Zhuang Zi noticed that all the decorative paintings in the house were calligraphy and traditional Chinese paintings. Having participated in a calligraphy club in college, she paid extra attention to these.

Seeing that each piece was signed with Zheng Ruzhi’s seal, Zhuang Zi complimented her, “Are these all your works, Auntie?”

Zheng Ruzhi turned and smiled modestly, “I just practice in my free time.”

“You are very talented,” Zhuang Zi said, admiring a winter scene with plum blossoms on the wall. “Your style reminds me a bit of Professor Zou Changfeng.”

Zheng Ruzhi, pleasantly surprised, asked, “You know Professor Zou?”

“Yes,” Zhuang Zi replied, “I have one of his calligraphy pieces.”

Zheng Ruzhi’s face lit up with joy, showing a fangirl expression, “Professor Zou is my idol!”

Zhuang Zi was momentarily taken aback, then smiled slightly.

“Could you lend it to me sometime? Zou’s works are very rare. I’ve inquired at many art studios, but none have his pieces.”

Zhuang Zi thought for a moment and said, “I’ll give it to you.”

The sudden surprise left Zheng Ruzhi stunned for a couple of seconds. She quickly waved her hands, saying, “No, no, Zou’s artwork is too precious. Just letting me see it will be enough.”

Zhuang Zi smiled but said no more.

…

When they went downstairs, Aunt Qin had already set the table.

Because Si Hang was in a hurry, Aunt Qin prepared a yin-yang hot pot. The table was filled with a variety of dishes, looking very sumptuous.

Aunt Qin’s broth was well-seasoned and delicious, but after the day’s events, Zhuang Zi didn’t have much of an appetite. Still, out of politeness, she ate a bowl of rice.

Halfway through the meal, Si Hang’s phone rang. It was Xie Kui, and he answered immediately.

There was no need to guess—it must have been about the case.

Zhuang Zi waited for him to hang up before asking, “Any results?”

“No.” He picked up his chopsticks and continued eating. “It’s a bit troublesome to check the surveillance footage in the middle of the night. We’ll probably have to wait until tomorrow morning or Monday for results.”

Zhuang Zi nodded silently.

“Additionally, the phone has been examined. It was indeed hacked, preventing calls from being made.”

Zhuang Zi was slightly taken aback.

“The tech team has already extracted some electronic evidence of the crime. For detailed information, we’ll have to wait until tomorrow morning for more precise results.”

…

After the meal, Zheng Ruzhi had Aunt Qin take Zhuang Zi and Xiaomi upstairs to the guest room to rest.

Si Hang also stayed over that night. With the investigation at a standstill, going back to the police station would only mean waiting around.

Upstairs, Aunt Qin provided them with clean towels, slippers, new bed sheets, and blankets. She also showed them where the bathroom was, making sure everything was arranged before she left.

After spending an evening with the Shen family, Zhuang Zi found them to be warm and friendly despite their high social status. The family atmosphere was unexpectedly cozy.

She was particularly struck by the way Shen Jianbai treated Zheng Ruzhi. They respected each other with a touch of humor, their playful yet respectful interactions making their relationship seem both beautiful and unreal.

Perhaps it was the contrast that made her feel this way. Having grown up in a broken family without the love of her parents and later being sent to live with her grandmother, Zhuang Zi experienced the harsh side of life early on. Seeing the warmth of the Shen family made her feel a twinge of envy and a bit of bitterness.

When one is powerless, believing in fate becomes an instinct.

She no longer had the energy to complain about her fate, feeling like a puppet beaten into submission by life, passively accepting whatever came her way.

Perhaps it was her destiny from birth to suffer.

That night, she lay in the unfamiliar yet spacious guest room, unable to sleep until dawn.

The night rain continued, with the lights of the community reflecting off the misty glass windows, creating a blurry, dreamlike effect.

Listening to the wind and rain outside, she thought about how she would be without a place to stay again tomorrow. She was already very surprised and grateful that Si Hang took her in tonight. Having disturbed someone for one night, she didn’t have the face to stay any longer.

She sighed deeply, deciding that she would spend the night in the police station’s parking lot again. No matter how tough it was, she could endure it. After all, she had faced life-threatening dangers; what else couldn’t she handle?

Turning over in bed, she noticed the blanket draped over the nearby sofa.

It suddenly struck her that Si Hang might be taking over her case.

It was obvious. He had mentioned going back to the police station after dinner, but after hearing Xie Kui’s report, he decided to stay here instead of working overtime.

It was clear.

She stared at the blanket, feeling an inexplicable sense of reassurance.

After a while, in the darkness, she faintly smiled.

……

The next morning, the rain had stopped, and a faint orange glow seemed to spread across the sky, indicating that it would be a good day.

Zhuang Zi had to go to the police station to make a statement. Si Hang, in order to wait for her and Xiaomi, got up naturally at six o’clock. Seeing that it was still early, he went for a few laps around the neighborhood.

When he returned, his mother was already up, watching the morning news in the living room.

Seeing him come in, Zheng Ruzhi quickly got up, stopping him with a smile and saying, “Son, I want to ask you something.”

“Mm?”

“That girl you saved last night, you really don’t know her?”

Si Hang glanced warily at his mother. “Mm.”

Zheng Ruzhi nodded thoughtfully, then smiled and looked up at him. “But it’s okay. I’ve already inquired about her.”

“Inquired about what?”

Zheng Ruzhi’s tone was full of undisguised joy. “The girl you saved last night is of good character, and most importantly, she has no boyfriend!”

Si Hang: “…….”

“Oh, right, you, as a police officer, should have known this information before me.” Zheng Ruzhi laughed to herself, then said, “Although we don’t know yet why she was targeted, I believe with your ability, you will be able to find out. So, I think we can cast a wide net and focus on nurturing her.”

Si Hang had already guessed what his mother was up to. He raised his hand, pinching the space between his brows, unable to express his thoughts.

“Of course, I’m not saying you should play both sides. What I mean is, this girl is not only beautiful but also well-educated. Anyway, you don’t have a girlfriend right now. If you feel something, why not start as friends to get to know each other better, and then establish a relationship if you think it’s suitable?”

Si Hang felt a headache coming on and quickly denied, “I have no feelings for her.”

“Liar!” Zheng Ruzhi laughed and glared at him. “I’ve seen more of the world than you have.”

Si Hang had just returned from his morning run and was in a hurry to go upstairs to shower, eager to escape his mother’s bombardment. “Mom, I really have no interest in her. Please stop guessing!”

He said this and, turning, hurried upstairs.

Halfway up the stairs, he vaguely saw a figure out of the corner of his eye.

He instantly furrowed his brow and looked up.

The spiral staircase wound its way to the second floor, and at the corner, Zhuang Zi was lazily leaning against the railing with a spiral pattern.

She wasn’t eavesdropping. She just heard the discussion about her in the living room when she was coming downstairs. Afraid of facing the awkwardness directly, she had avoided running into them.

At this moment, the two met at a narrow spot. Zhuang Zi looked at him with a faint gaze, expressionless. He had just exercised, his hair wet in clumps, his face slightly flushed, making his eyes and brows look even darker and cleaner, exuding youthful vigor.

They briefly locked eyes, then, in perfect tacit understanding, both looked away simultaneously.

Zhuang Zi straightened up from the railing and slowly walked downstairs.

At the same time, Si Hang took a step up the stairs.

Neither looked at the other. As they brushed past each other, their arms brushed lightly against each other.