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The sky was dim, and a single white light illuminated the courtyard of the volunteer station.
On the second floor, two shadowy figures cautiously approached Jiang Chuan’s door, crouching outside and fiddling with the lock.
“How’s it going?”
“Damn it, it’s locked.”
“Can you open it?”
“Hold on, let me try…”
“Click—”
The door opened.
The two shadows slipped inside, closed the door, and began searching with flashlights clenched between their teeth. “Nothing on my side. Did you find anything?”
“No, what’s going on?”
“Keep looking.”
---
Lu Sha took A Qi to a high-end Chinese restaurant. A Qi looked around curiously and touched the sofa beneath her when she sat down. She smiled at Lu Sha. “Sister Lu Sha, isn’t this place too expensive… Maybe we should switch to somewhere else?”
Lu Sha smiled and called over a waiter to order dishes, asking A Qi what she wanted to eat. But when A Qi saw the prices, she felt too embarrassed to choose anything.
After Lu Sha finished ordering, she said, “I’m going to make a phone call.”
A Qi nodded.
Lu Sha walked to the end of the private room, pushed open the intricately carved redwood door, and softly called out, “Kun Ge.”
Jiang Kun had his arms spread out, resting on the backs of the chairs on either side. He tilted his chin toward the seat next to him. “Come sit with me for a while.”
Obediently, Lu Sha walked over and sat down beside him on the right. Jiang Kun flicked her curly hair. “How’s it going?”
Lu Sha replied, “I haven’t found anything unusual. Every day, he’s either at the volunteer station or at that small transport company, occasionally picking up some work.”
“Is that so?” Jiang Kun sneered.
Lu Sha hesitated for a moment before saying, “Kun Ge, I don’t think he’s what you suspect him to be.”
Jiang Kun narrowed his eyes dangerously. “What? Do you still have feelings for him?”
“No, no!” Lu Sha quickly shook her head. “What kind of feelings could I possibly have with him? Half the money he earns from running that small transport company goes into that volunteer station. Wouldn’t being with him just be asking for trouble?”
Jiang Kun leaned down and coldly whispered in her ear, “Lu Sha, don’t betray me, and don’t lie to me.”
Lu Sha steadied herself, leaning her soft body closer to him. “Kun Ge, what are you talking about...”
Jiang Kun patted her head and chuckled softly. “Good girl.”
After a while, Lu Sha straightened up. “I need to get back.”
Lu Sha left the private room.
An hour later, Zhao Feng’s phone rang. After listening to the call, he looked at Jiang Kun. “Kun Ge, we didn’t find anything.”
Jiang Kun narrowed his eyes, his gaze icy.
---
Aunt Gui was busy in the kitchen, kneading dough, cutting meat and vegetables, preparing for tomorrow’s buns.
The volunteer station was empty except for her. A Qi had gone out, and when Aunt Gui called Jiang Chuan, he only told her not to wander around and to stay in her room. He didn’t return.
---
At the barbecue stall, Jiang Chuan set down his beer bottle and checked the time. “It’s about time.”
Cao Yan asked, “How did you know they were looking for your credentials?”
Back when Zhao Qianhe was imprisoned, Jiang Kun had already suspected Jiang Chuan of being an undercover cop. However, Han and Cao Yan had prepared in advance, and Jiang Chuan’s personal file had been transferred early on, making it impossible for Jiang Kun to find anything. At that time, Jiang Kun had focused all his attention on Jiang Chuan, neglecting Lin Hao, who was close by—almost costing him dearly.
Later, during a fierce battle, Lin Hao was critically injured in a collision with an SUV, which plunged off a cliff. Fate seemed to favor Jiang Kun as Lin Hao died.
No evidence remained.
As a result, Jiang Chuan got into trouble, lost his police credentials, and was completely removed from the force.
To protect his safety, all of Jiang Chuan’s records, including Lin Hao’s, were destroyed. For years, Jiang Kun hadn’t bothered him.
Now, Jiang Chuan had walked right back into the fire. This time, Jiang Kun wouldn’t let him off easily.
Jiang Chuan finished a skewer of lamb. “Just a guess.”
Lu Sha was a smart woman. During the two or three years she was with him, she had learned quite a bit about him. Based on her way of thinking, if he really had been a cop, after losing his credentials, he would surely feel attached and keep something as a memento.
Like photos with colleagues—or his credentials.
Undercover agents always avoided taking photos with colleagues, so aside from that, the only thing left would be his credentials.
Cao Yan frowned. “Then why send it to that girl in Beijing?”
“She likes it, so I gave it to her.”
Cao Yan: “...”
This made no sense to him, but he didn’t press further.
They finished the last bottle of beer. Cao Yan arranged for his men to escort Jiang Chuan back. If anything happened along the way, they could lend a hand.
The black jeep pulled into the courtyard.
Jiang Chuan got out of the car. A Qi and Lu Sha had already returned. A Qi’s lips were bright red, and she shyly glanced at him.
Jiang Chuan glanced at her. “Bought lipstick?”
The color didn’t suit A Qi.
Lu Sha smiled. “I gave it to her.”
Jiang Chuan furrowed his brow.
A Qi thought he was upset and lowered her head. People came and went at the volunteer station, and Jiang Chuan had previously instructed them not to accept things from others. But Lu Sha had insisted on giving her the lipstick, and A Qi, unable to refuse and liking it, had accepted it.
Lu Sha said, “What? Is it okay for Qin Tang to give perfume but not for me to give lipstick?”
“Boring,” Jiang Chuan muttered, turning and heading upstairs.
Lu Sha patted A Qi. “Don’t mind him. Let’s go shopping again next time.”
A Qi murmured a soft “Mm,” pursing her now-red lips. She secretly thought the lipstick didn’t look good on her anyway...
Lu Sha turned to look, but Jiang Chuan’s figure had already disappeared from the stairwell.
After going upstairs, she heard the sound of running water from the bathroom.
She stood outside the door for a moment, then raised her hand and knocked lightly. “Jiang Ge.”
The sound of water continued uninterrupted.
A few minutes later, Jiang Chuan emerged from the bathroom wearing a sleeveless shirt and long pants. Without looking back, he said, “Feel free,” and walked toward the end of the corridor.
The room appeared unchanged, but since Lu Sha’s arrival, he had grown more cautious and noticed signs of it being searched.
Lu Sha stood rooted in place, biting her lip.
Jiang Chuan was like that—when he was kind, he was truly kind; when he was harsh, he was merciless.
---
Qin Tang left her studio and headed straight to the hospital. The doctor said Zhou Qi was recovering well. Over the years, someone had taken meticulous care of him, massaging him regularly so that his muscles hadn’t atrophied despite his prolonged sleep. After a period of rehabilitation, his bodily functions had mostly returned to normal.
He would be discharged the next day to recuperate at home.
However, Zhou Qi, having slept for five years, felt disoriented facing the blank years he had missed.
Zhou Qi’s parents wanted him to review his studies and take the college entrance exam the following year, but Zhou Qi, now 22, felt it was ridiculous to study alongside much younger students and strongly resisted the idea.
When Qin Tang arrived at the hospital, Zhou Qi was sitting on the bed sulking.
Seeing her, he called out, “Sister An.”
Qin Tang placed the takeout on the table. “Let’s eat first.”
As they ate together, Qin Tang looked at him. “Why don’t you want to take the college entrance exam? How will you get into university without it?”
“Do I really have to go to university?” Zhou Qi shrugged indifferently.
“Then what do you want to do? Live off your parents?”
“...”
Zhou Qi immediately turned defensive. “How could I?! I can join my dad’s company and start learning from scratch. I don’t have to go to university. By the time I finish college, if my parents force me to get a master’s degree or something, I’ll be thirty and still haven’t done anything with my life!”
Qin Tang chewed on her chopsticks silently for a moment.
“It’s my fault. I delayed you for five years.”
Zhou Qi grew even more agitated, his face flushing red. “Don’t say that! This is my own decision—how can you blame yourself? Fine, I’ll do what you say. It’s just the college entrance exam, right? If I’m older, so what? I can be the big brother and beat up those disobedient little brats!”
“...” Qin Tang looked at him speechlessly. “Just focus on studying. Don’t let the top students crush you.”
Zhou Qi glared. “Impossible.”
Qin Tang didn’t argue further. As long as he agreed to take the exam, she would have an answer for his parents.
“Eat quickly.”
“Okay.”
Zhou Qi glanced at her, hesitating for a while before finally speaking. “Sister An, do you have a boyfriend?”
Qin Tang froze, then after a pause, murmured, “Mm.”
Zhou Qi stared at her, skeptical. “Really?”
Qin Tang glanced at him. “Really.”
“What does he look like? What does he do? Is he in Beijing?”
What did he do? She didn’t even know.
She knew almost nothing about Jiang Chuan. The thought made her feel powerless. She didn’t want to passively endure this relationship. If Jiang Chuan wasn’t willing to give her an explanation...
Qin Tang was silent for a moment before saying, “Let’s eat.”
---
“Sister Qin Tang, there’s a courier document for you. I’ve placed it on your desk.”
“Mm.”
Qin Tang walked into her office and immediately noticed the file sitting on her desk. She tore open the seal and reached inside, feeling around but finding nothing. When she opened it, she discovered a small badge, smaller than her palm, quietly resting in the corner of the envelope.
She tipped the envelope upside down, and the badge fell onto the desk.
The tiny one-inch photo showed a man with short, neat hair, distinct facial features, and deep black eyes. He was handsome, looking much younger than he did now.
Qin Tang slowly picked up the police badge, staring blankly at the man in the photo.
Finally, her gaze landed on the lines of text beside it.
ID Number: 00613
Qin Tang gently touched the one-inch photo, her lips tightening. Eventually, a faint smile curved her mouth.
The sense of powerlessness and passivity that had weighed on her heart began to fade. A heavy burden finally lifted.
He had used this way to tell her—he wasn’t a bad person, and he wouldn’t take life lightly.
Qin Tang sat down, leaning against the chair. She rummaged through the envelope, but found nothing else.
He had only sent her the police badge, without a single word.
Zhou Tong knocked on the door from outside. “Sister Qin Tang, we need to head to the studio in ten minutes.”
Qin Tang replied, “I know.”
She placed the badge into her bag, took a sip of coffee from the cup on her desk, and stared at her phone.
After a while, she opened a webpage and booked a flight ticket.
Ten minutes later, she slung her bag over her shoulder, picked up her camera, and walked out of the office.
Her agent approached, smiling. “Tang Tang, I just received a call...”
Qin Tang cut her off. “Finish the shoots we have lined up recently, and don’t book any new work for now.”
The agent frowned. “...Why?”
Qin Tang: “I have something important to take care of.”
The agent was incredulous. “You just came back in June, and you’re leaving again?”
“Mm, it’s very important.”
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