Chapter 9.3| Do you believe in me?

Meng Yin returned to the classroom to get her exam supplies when Lin Xipei suddenly gave her a big hug. Turning Yin's face from side to side, said, "Our Meng Yin baby, don't cry. Once I catch that troublemaker, I'll drag him to a secluded alley and give him a good beating!" Such a bold statement didn't quite match her baby face, causing Yin to burst out laughing. "Don't worry, I'm fine." 

During the monthly exams, lunches were prepared by Nanny Dong with nourishment. 

Zhiyi paid attention to Yin's eating and noticed that her appetite was not affected by the morning incident, which eased the tension in his brow.

When the bell rang, signalling the end of the exams. Upon departing from the examination venue, Yin caught sight of Zhiyi waiting at the entrance.

"Did your exam room collect papers early?" she asked. 

"No," Zhiyi replied, "I submitted my paper early." 

Yin wasn't surprised by this answer as the English paper wasn't difficult, and she had finished it in an hour and twenty minutes, just not submitting it early. 

Zhiyi also mentioned that he had been waiting by the staircase wall for an hour.

"I've arranged for Mr. Wang to cover for you, so go back to the classroom and pack up. We are heading to the police station," Zhiyi said, holding the school uniform. "There is surveillance at the intersection where the incident occurred. I reported it to the police, and they need you to go there for a statement." 

Yin was surprised and asked, "When did you report it?" 

"This morning," Zhiyi replied. 

Yin recalled he had asked for her ID number in the laboratory earlier and realized that he had reported the incident without informing her.

At the entrance of the police station stood a man with distinct features, exuding a combination of seriousness and nonchalance, with an unlit cigarette between his fingertips. Upon seeing Xu Zhiyi, he wasted no time in patting him on the head, "You, kid!" 

Zhiyi took out the cigarette from between his fingers and broke it into two, "If you smoke again, I'll tell your sister-in-law." 

After the threat, he introduced to Yin, "This is my cousin, Yuan Xiao, the captain of the Criminal Police Brigade in A City. "

Yuan Xiao had noticed them when the two were still across the street from the police station, He knew the temperament of his cousin well, having tasked him as the captain of the Criminal Police Brigade to retrieve surveillance footage early in the morning and assist the local police station in filing a case. It was clear that there was more than meets the eye regarding his interest in the girl; it was not just a simple matter that could be easily explained.

"Hello, brother." 

Xiao smiled and greeted Meng Yin, "Hello, sister, I am his elder brother."

The young girl looked good and seemed to be a good match for this guy.

Without further ado, Xiao put away his unruliness and switched to work mode, "The surveillance footage of the road section has been obtained, we still need to go in and take down statements."

"Okay."

The local police station had confirmed the identity of the man in the surveillance footage, located him through big data, and put him under surveillance. However, per procedural requirements, they needed the victim's statement and identification to proceed with the suspect, waiting for Meng Yin to arrive at the police station.

While Yin was inside taking statements, Zhiyi waited outside.

"I watched the surveillance video, this girl knows a thing or two." Xiao said, glancing at Zhiyi's expression, realizing that his cousin was unaware of the "battle" between Yin and the suspect at that time, "The girl has some training, although not to a proficient level, she can defend herself."

There was a hint of emotion in Zhiyi's clear eyes as he spoke, whether directed at himself or in response to Xiao, "We meet a few times every year, I've never asked her if she's doing well or happy."

An hour later, Zhiyi and Yin left the police station. Xiao had initially planned to take the two kids out for a meal but was directly refused by Xu Zhiyi.

"Are you hungry?" YXiao was about to walk towards the parking lot when he heard Xu Zhiyi ask.

Seemingly, this kid thought I was a bit too much of a third wheel, Xiao guessed.

"Kind of."

"Then let's go eat first." Zhiyi stopped a car at the entrance and gave a location.

The destination was a pickled fish restaurant on the back street of the affiliated middle school. 

Zhiyi turned the menu towards Yin.

"You order."

Yin wasn't polite with Zhiyi either, ordering the signature pickled fish, a portion of spicy beef with green peppers, and a serving of shiitake mushroom gluten.

"Do you want to add anything?" She asked.

"No need."

Yin scalded the chopsticks with boiling tea. 

Zhiyi took the bowl that Yin had scalded and carefully chose his words, "Yuan Xiao said you seem to have learned some self-defence skills." 

"It's not self-defence, it's judo," Yin withdrew her hand, sounding a bit cheerful, "In A City, the closest people to me are my grandparents. I have to learn something to protect myself just in case, like this morning. Otherwise, if something happened to me, the ones who would suffer the most are my elderly family members." Although public security in A City is considered top-notch nationwide, no matter how good the security is, it cannot guarantee that accidents will not happen at all. 

Xu Zhiyi felt uncomfortable for the first time. He looked straight at Yin, "You fool," his throat rolled, and after a few seconds, he continued, "In the future —" 

The conversation was interrupted by the waiter serving dishes. 

After the waiter left, Yin asked, "What about the future?" 

"It's nothing." 

Look, this person has become serious again. 

The hot and sour soup warmed and invigorated the whole body. 

Just out of the door, Zhiyi received a WeChat message from Yuan Xiao and handed his phone to Yin. 

Xiao said that the suspect was an unemployed vagrant who had been detained. According to Article 44 of the Public Security Administration Punishment Law, those who threaten others or intentionally expose their bodies in public places, particularly those with severe circumstances, will be detained for five to ten days. 

"Thank my brother for me," Yin pondered for a moment and then said, "Xu Zhiyi, don't trouble your brother next time. I was considering reporting it myself." 

Having a criminal police team leader deal with such trivial matters made her feel uncomfortable. 

"Do you want there to be a next time?" Zhiyi bent down to meet Yin's gaze, "Do you remember what I asked you this morning?" 

Yin nodded. He had asked her if she believed in him this morning, and she said she did. "Since you believe in me, it's not considered a bother," under the dim light, Meng Yin's face was reflected into his eyes, "Besides, this is your first monthly exam at FHS, it's important to you." 

Like sunlight passing through a raindrop suspended in mid-air, reflecting a rainbow. Without her saying much, he could still guess what she was thinking at the first moment. 

Zhiyi pulled Yin's hair, stood up straight, one hand holding the school uniform, the other hand in his pocket, "Let's go, I'll take you home."