1. “My Wife”

At the beginning of summer, the temperature wasn’t too hot yet, but the sky had been overcast since noon, looking like it was going to rain but never actually doing so. The air was suffocatingly humid, and even at night, the wind carried with it a sticky heat.

The largest entertainment venue in town was surrounded by crowds both inside and out, chaotic and noisy.

Half an hour earlier, the public had reported illegal activities taking place there. Undercover police launched a surprise raid, and everyone present was taken to the police station for investigation. The night’s revelry ended almost as soon as it began.

“Captain Jiang, we’ve confirmed the identity of the deceased. Preliminary judgment suggests death by drug overdose. We’ll have to wait for the forensic report to confirm further details.”

“We confiscated 3,000 ecstasy pills and 45.6 kilograms of methamphetamine. All our efforts haven’t been wasted, but it’s a shame some people got away.”

“Once we analyze the substance, compare it to the batch confiscated three months ago to see if it’s the same.” Jiang Yan pushed open the door and walked in. “Director Li just called. He said the criminal investigation team will be here shortly to take the suspects away.”

The person beside him clearly didn’t like this idea. “What do you mean? We haven’t even interrogated them yet!”

Those under the influence were still in a state of excitement; following the leads could yield something useful.

“What do I mean? I mean what the boss wants,” Jiang Yan patted his shoulder.

The door was pushed open from the outside. Lin Xingzi glanced in that direction, only to meet the man’s gaze. He wasn’t wearing a police uniform, and his eyes held a smile. Lin Xingzi’s already sour expression turned even worse. She turned her head away, preferring to stare at a wall rather than look at him again.

“Captain Jiang, these two aren’t locals,” his colleague sighed helplessly, twirling a pen between his fingers. “They’re beautiful, yes, but their tempers are terrible. They’re not cooperating, which makes things difficult for us.”

Jiang Yan nodded and entered the room.

Lin Sang was sitting next to Lin Xingzi. It was obvious she was in one of her foul moods again. She didn’t want to waste the entire evening at the police station. Clearing her throat, she explained, “Xingzi and I are here on business. After finishing work, we wanted to relax somewhere because of the heat. Someone recommended this place, saying it was lively. Who would’ve thought something like this would happen?”

The officer raised an eyebrow, internally noting they must know Captain Jiang—no wonder they stayed silent until he arrived.

“Jiang Yan, sorry about this,” Lin Sang glanced at Lin Xingzi, who sat motionless like a rock, then gave Jiang Yan a meaningful smile. “We’re causing trouble for you.”

“No problem,” Jiang Yan took the pen from his colleague and asked Lin Sang to sign the record book.

Most of the people at the club were normal patrons. After cooperating with the police and signing statements, they were allowed to leave.

Lin Sang cooperatively followed the procedures, while Jiang Yan approached, grabbing Lin Xingzi by the wrist and pulling her up. She wore makeup but dressed simply: loose black athletic pants and a fitted black short-sleeved top that showed off her toned body, revealing a strip of her slim, well-defined waist. She exercised regularly, and her abs were impressive.

Lin Xingzi was furious and refused to look directly at Jiang Yan.

The air conditioning in the police station was broken and hadn’t been fixed yet. She hated the heat and was sweating slightly, a few strands of her wavy hair sticking to her fair neck. Jiang Yan reached out to brush them away.

Her shoulder was squeezed lightly, his hand gliding down her arm, his warmth transferring to her skin. Lin Xingzi frowned. “What are you doing?”

“Carrying out official duties,” his palm traced her body’s curves, not lingering on her exposed waist.

His fingers were rough, calloused against her smooth skin, creating an irritating ticklish sensation. Lin Xingzi’s ears reddened, but she refused to show any weakness. Her athletic pants had two pockets, and he leaned forward, reaching into one. She resisted the urge to kick him away, lowering her head and staring at his short dark hair.

The colleagues watched in stunned silence. Captain Jiang... surely… you can’t search someone like that?

Several pairs of eyes widened. Lin Xingzi’s face fell. Did he always search women’s bodies this way? “Are you done yet?”

“Done,” Jiang Yan stood up, wrote something on the record book, and signed his own name at the end.

Lin Sang chased after Lin Xingzi as she left. Jiang Yan picked up the bag left on the chair and smiled at the two frozen colleagues. “My wife.”

“...”