"Ms. Tie, may I ask you a question?"
Hearing this voice while trapped amidst a group of male teachers, Tie Wan felt as if she'd grasped at a life-saving straw. She immediately nodded in agreement, saying, "Sure!" But the moment the words left her lips, she froze. That voice was all too familiar. Turning around, she saw the face she found utterly infuriating yet impossible to truly resent standing right before her.
"Apologies, gentlemen," Xiang Ri said with a look of earnest inquiry as he brushed past the group of obviously infatuated male teachers. "I have a pressing academic question for Ms. Tie. I trust you won't mind?"
"Which class are you in?" one of the teachers, attempting to maintain a refined demeanor, asked with forced politeness, although inwardly plotting how to deal with this student who had so unceremoniously disrupted their conversation.
"Class 13, Year Two," Xiang Ri replied without hesitation, offering no pretense to conceal his intentions. As for whether they could even find Class 13 of Year Two, it wasn't his concern.
"Ms. Tie, after you." Xiang Ri gave her a sly wink.
"Alright," Tie Wan replied curtly, her face unreadable as she left with him. Behind them, the rejected group of teachers stood grinding their teeth in frustration, vowing to make life difficult for this audacious student.
In the quiet grove, Tie Wan didn't give Xiang Ri a chance to speak first. "What are you doing here?" she asked abruptly.
"Naturally, I came to see you!" Xiang Ri replied with a face full of sincerity.
Tie Wan snorted softly, though a hint of pleasure gleamed in her eyes. "Who is it this time? Another girl you've arranged to meet?"
"How could that be? I'm genuinely here to see you, my dear wife," Xiang Ri said solemnly, only to swiftly change the subject. "By the way, why are you still teaching here?"
"Still trying to catch those drug traffickers!" Tie Wan's tone carried frustration mixed with palpable loathing. "Those heartless criminals are using students to transport their goods. Unfortunately, I haven't uncovered their hideout yet, or else—" Her eyes suddenly brightened, fixing on Xiang Ri with a burning gaze. "I recall you have some kind of secret intelligence network. Can't you help me locate them?"
"Do you think I'm some kind of omnipotent deity, my dear wife?" Xiang Ri exclaimed dramatically. "Besides, I don't have any secret intelligence network. The times I've helped you before were pure coincidence..." He faltered as he noticed the unwavering, oddly suspicious look she was giving him. It made him feel distinctly uneasy.
"Why are you staring at me like that?"
"Keep spinning your tales," Tie Wan said icily. "I'd love to see how far you can go."
"My dear wife, do you not trust me at all?" Xiang Ri feigned a pitiful expression, hoping to elicit some sympathy.
"Don't play the pity card with me!" Tie Wan snapped, her voice sharp. "If you want me to trust you, it's simple—tell me the truth. What exactly do you do? Why are you involved with the Hungry Wolves gang? And how did you get your hands on something as dangerous as a Desert Eagle? Speaking of that, I'm still furious! You promised to hand over that gun to me, yet you didn't. Now spill everything, and don't you dare hold back!" Her voice rose to a near roar by the end.
"Which one of these questions should I answer first?" Xiang Ri muttered, rubbing his nose in frustration. He had tried so hard to avoid these topics, yet here they were, coming back to haunt him.
"Answer them all, one by one. And don't even think about lying, or you'll regret it!" Tie Wan threatened, shaking her fist menacingly.
Xiang Ri's face twisted into a grimace. "My dear wife, can't I maintain a little bit of mystery? Don't you find it adds to the excitement?"
"Excitement?" Tie Wan's eyes narrowed as her temper flared. "Excitement, my foot! You better explain everything clearly, or there's no way I'm marrying a man with such a murky background."
"Do I seem that bad? I have a legitimate name and identity. If you don't believe me, you can check my school records—they're spotless. I'm even an only child!" He paused, his eyes lighting up. "Wait... did you just say you'd marry me?"
"I did not!"
"You did!"
"I said no such thing!"
"You definitely did. Stop denying it!"
"Enough!" Realizing his ploy, Tie Wan immediately changed the subject. "Don't think you can dodge my earlier questions!"
"Um... there seems to be a pavilion up ahead. We've been walking for a while and must be tired. Shall we take a break there?" Xiang Ri suggested, already heading toward his target.
"Stop right there!" Tie Wan's sharp voice rang out, her tone laced with authority. "You! Why is it so difficult for you to answer my questions?"
Xiang Ri halted in his tracks, knowing there was no escaping. He could only smile wryly and say, "Darling, can't you let me keep some secrets? I swear, I'd never do anything wrong. Do I look like a bad person to you?"
Tie Wan stared at him intently for a long moment, her expression shifting repeatedly, before finally relenting. "Fine, I won't press you. But you must cooperate with my work. If you come across any information, let me know immediately."
"Of course, I'll cooperate!" Xiang Ri exhaled in relief. Unlike Chu Xiaoniu or his apprentice, this policewoman was not so easily deceived. Thankfully, she didn't pursue the matter further—otherwise, he really wouldn't know how to handle it.
"Let's sit in that pavilion for a bit," Tie Wan suddenly suggested, her tone soft yet weary.
"Sure!" Relieved to have evaded disaster, Xiang Ri's mood lightened. Yet, something felt amiss. Glancing at the policewoman's face, he noticed signs of exhaustion. She had seemed fine the previous day—how could one night change so much? Concerned, he asked, "Didn't sleep well last night?"
Tie Wan avoided answering directly. "Tomorrow, I'll be leaving the school. No more undercover work."
"What happened?" Xiang Ri frowned.
"I'm being assigned to protect someone."
"What?! You're not a bodyguard. Why should you go? Are there no other officers available?" Xiang Ri bristled with indignation on her behalf.
"Don't misunderstand. The person I'm protecting is… unique. She's a woman." Seeing his agitation, Tie Wan hurried to clarify.
"But this kind of assignment is dangerous. Darling, you don't have to—"
"No!" Tie Wan interrupted firmly. "Being a police officer has been my dream since I was a child. I won't give it up!"
"If that's the case, I won't argue. Just promise me you'll take care of yourself. Safety first. If things get dangerous, you have to hide—"
"How can I do that? I'm tasked with ensuring someone else's safety, not abandoning them to protect myself." Tie Wan dismissed his suggestion outright.
"But can't you think about me for once? If something happens to you, what will I do?" Xiang Ri's voice trembled with emotion, his gaze soft and filled with affection. He couldn't bear the thought of any harm coming to her.
"Don't look at me like that!" Tie Wan, clearly unaccustomed to such tenderness, protested loudly. Yet, deep down, her heart felt warm and full. "Don't worry. I'll take care of myself." Unintentionally, she leaned against him, letting her guard down.
"Take care of yourself," Xiang Ri murmured, repeating her words as he gently held her, his hand brushing her back in a soothing motion. He remained silent, his thoughts drifting to a moment ten years prior when another girl had said the very same thing—but she…
Neither of them felt the need to speak further. At that moment, silence spoke louder than words.
Unfortunately, the serene atmosphere didn't last long. From the distance came an eruption of cheers, shattering their peaceful interlude.
"What's happening?" Tie Wan adjusted her attire and stood up.
"Sounds like it's coming from the basketball court," Xiang Ri said, looking toward the direction of the noise, his expression puzzled.
"Oh no, I almost forgot! There's a basketball game this morning. I promised someone I'd watch it." Tie Wan suddenly appeared flustered.
"You promised someone? Who? A guy?"
"Yes…" Tie Wan avoided his gaze. "It's the man from yesterday at the hotel—Jiang Xian. He's a professional player. But don't get the wrong idea! There's nothing between us—"
"Jiang Xian? Did you say his name is Jiang Xian?" Xiang Ri's eyes narrowed slightly, a glint of sharpness flashing through them. He grabbed Tie Wan's hand. "Let's go. We're heading to the basketball court!"