He looked down at her, his lips almost imperceptibly brushing her forehead, and asked, "Why did you suddenly... suddenly agree today? I'm really... so happy I could die. A Xu, you don't know how happy I am..."
You Mingxu felt a pang of sorrow in her heart. She gently touched his face and replied, "Silly, you saved my life. From now on, this life is yours. Before, you were always the one chasing after me. You don’t have to chase anymore. I’ll wait for you."
He fell silent for a moment, murmuring, "So it’s out of gratitude..." Suddenly, he lowered his head and covered her face with kisses, his voice hoarse: "No matter the reason, you’re mine now. No taking it back! It has to count!"
He had already said "no taking it back" twice. You Mingxu felt another wave of bitterness in her heart, thinking how afraid he must be that she would cast him aside again. She wanted to pat his head, but the bandages wrapped around it made her hesitate. Instead, she gently pinched his chin and said, "It’s not out of gratitude. It’s not for that reason."
He looked up at her. "Then what is it for?"
His clear, bright eyes suddenly made You Mingxu unable to meet his gaze.
Instead of answering, she asked him, "What about you? Why do you insist that I have to be yours?"
Why...?
Though Yin Feng’s head still ached slightly, as he looked at the person before him, countless scenes flashed through his mind: their first encounter in Tibet, when he crawled out of his sleeping bag in a daze and saw a pair of clean, gentle eyes; him lingering in the hallway, her walking out with a dark expression, allowing him into her life; the pitch darkness where he could only feel her soft palm, her kiss covering everything about him; and the sight of her and her partner squatting helplessly in the corridor, smoking, unable to even cry, while he could only watch her through the glass.
When did it start? When did he, who had once been trembling and resisting the world, become unafraid of anything, even death?
It was all because of her.
Those words surfaced on their own. His eyes welled up as he said, "A Xu, it’s because I love you. I love you so much."
You Mingxu remained still, simply gazing into his tear-filled eyes.
Today, she had resolved to give herself to him, prepared for the possibility of being shattered in the future, with no turning back. And then he said those words.
He truly understood love now. She knew it.
Her nose tingled with emotion. The tears she had suppressed and pretended didn’t exist were stirred up by him once again. Suddenly, she felt that he was like a child, but so was she. In this world, there were only the two of them, together. This feeling of relying on each other for survival was something she would carry in her heart forever.
She said, "Oh, really?"
Yin Feng nodded. "It’s not just liking, not just dependence, not anything else. No one else would do. No one else in this world. I only love you, I worship you, I’m willing to die for you, as long as you love me. As long as you love me too."
You Mingxu’s tears fell, and she wiped them away in one swift motion. She reached out and hugged him, burying her head in his shoulder. Yin Feng’s heart was already overflowing with joy and tenderness. The two of them held each other close, leaning on one another.
After a long while, he heard her whisper, "You Yingjun, from now on... let’s take it slow, live each day well. I only have you..."
——
It was a deeply autumnal morning. Several police officers, dressed in neat uniforms and caps, had already arrived at the funeral home.You Mingxu had also arrived. Due to her injuries, she walked somewhat slowly, but her back remained straight as she stood among a group of police officers. Yin Feng stood by her side, dressed in a sharply tailored black suit, resembling a truly mature and steady man.
The time had come.
The provincial bureau chief, Ding Xiongwei, had also rushed over. He walked at the forefront alongside the Huai City bureau chief and municipal leaders, his expression solemn. You Mingxu noticed that even Ding Xiongwei's perpetually stern eyes were rimmed with red, stirring complex emotions within her.
The farewell ceremony for the deceased began.
First bow, second bow, third bow. A moment of silence.
Most present were grown men, yet suppressed sobs could be heard from the crowd. You Mingxu stared fixedly at her own feet, tears streaming down her face, almost unable to lift her head to look at the deceased's remains. After a while, Yin Feng—his own eyes red—reached out and embraced her. She buried her face against his chest, muffling all her cries within.
Unlike You Mingxu, Xu Mengshan hadn't hidden in the back rows. Instead, he stood in the front row behind the family members. He appeared like a silent iceberg, not crying aloud, but remaining steadfastly beside Fan Jia's parents.
Many significant changes in life, or our transformative growth, arrive overnight. From then on, we often become more silent yet more resolute. Sometimes, however, the cost is too heavy—so heavy that it leaves us with lifelong, dull pain.
It wasn't until Fan Jia's ashes and her parents had been sent off in the car that the police officers returned to their respective duties. The Deng Yao father-son case still required extensive follow-up work. Chen Zhaoci remained at large. The departed were gone; no matter how profound their grief, they couldn't afford to pause for too long—they had to keep moving forward.
As You Mingxu's injuries hadn't fully healed, Ding Xiongwei ordered her to rest for two more days before reporting back. But she didn't want to stay in the hospital any longer, opting instead to recuperate at the guesthouse while reviewing newly recorded confessions and supplementary materials daily.
Returning to the guesthouse from the funeral parlor that day, You Mingxu was utterly exhausted. The wound on her back ached faintly, and she lay down immediately upon entering the room. Yin Feng followed her in without leaving her side. The bandages on his head had been removed, leaving only a few gauze patches. Having sustained no other injuries, he had almost fully recovered.
Yin Feng had immediately informed Chen Feng about their relationship. Though surprised, Chen Feng was happy for them. Given the circumstances, Chen Feng naturally didn't intrude and quickly retreated to his own room.
Yin Feng walked to the bedside and looked at You Mingxu lying there. Her police cap was off, but she still wore her uniform. Her face was pale, her striking demeanor tinged with a hint of fragility that made him both adore and ache for her. Placing his hands on either side of her, he asked—for some reason, since they'd gotten together, he particularly enjoyed poses that "enveloped" her—"Are you tired?"
You Mingxu nodded.
"Do you want to sleep?"
She nodded again.
"Then let me help you undress."
At this moment, she was as docile as a child. She slightly raised her body, and he tugged at the sleeves, helping her remove her jacket. Underneath, she wore a police uniform shirt. Though slender, her chest filled it tautly, and Yin Feng couldn't help stealing a few extra glances.
You Mingxu noticed sharply: "What are you looking at?"
Yin Feng simply leaned down and kissed that spot through the shirt: "Looking at what's mine."You Mingxu trembled slightly, lying on her side with her back to him. Yin Feng pulled the blanket over her, reluctant to leave. He simply took off his suit jacket and slipped under the covers as well. Now that she no longer pushed him away, he slid his arm beneath her head and held her close, feeling utterly blissful.
After a while, he leaned in to look at her face, but she turned her head away, refusing to let him see. He reached out and touched her cheek—it was wet with tears.
Yin Feng fell silent for a moment, pressing his face against hers as he whispered, "Are you still hurting?"
Truthfully, ever since leaving the funeral home, You Mingxu’s mind had felt hollow. She had tried hard not to think of Fan Jia, but before long, her former comrade’s smiling face would resurface in her thoughts, and the tears would start flowing uncontrollably. It felt as if all the tears she had held back over the past decade had been shed in these two days.
"Maybe," she replied listlessly.
"A Xu, stop thinking about it. Excessive grief will only harm you. You need to move forward—this case isn’t over yet," Yin Feng said.
You Mingxu’s throat felt tight. "I know."
She hadn’t opened the curtains when she left that morning, and now, with the lights off, the room was as dark and quiet as a warm, still night. Yin Feng spoke with sincere earnestness, "Being intimate can distract you. It might help ease the pain."
You Mingxu finally let out a faint laugh. Before she could even respond, he had already shifted, climbing on top of her and beginning to kiss her.
This guy… he’s getting bolder, she thought lazily.
But he wasn’t wrong. After overwhelming grief, people often feel disoriented. In such moments, having someone who adores you, pities you, and worships you with tender kisses and caresses can slowly pull you back. Your body gradually warms, trembling with sensation. He was as sincere as a child, yet as resolute as a man.
On this blood-soaked path, this road bristling with thorns, she was often surrounded by vast darkness. She and her comrades stood like silent stone statues, guarding their posts—until one day, they might fall.
Deep down, she had long understood but refused to admit it: he was her only moonlight. Pure, clear, and wholehearted, forever chasing after her. She clung to this sliver of moonlight, for only under his radiance, his comfort, and his tender care would her heart not grow numb, her Soul not turn colder or more pained. Only then could she breathe like a living person, rather than follow her beloved comrade into death.
You Mingxu’s attention was completely captured by him. Her entire body grew feverish, and the same dizzying, irresistible sensation he had once evoked overwhelmed her once more. Her hands pinned by his, she had only a moment to collect her thoughts before he made swift progress—most of her shirt buttons were undone, and his head was nearly buried inside. Trembling down to her toes, she pinched his ear and pulled him up.
They stared into each other’s eyes for several seconds.
His voice was hoarse with desire: "A Xu, can I… have you now?"
You Mingxu only gazed into his eyes. In that moment, she wanted nothing more than to indulge, to forget everything, to lose herself with him in reckless abandon. Her hand released his ear and fell onto the bedsheet. Her voice was even lower than his: "Yes."
Author's Note:
Fan Jia’s death was a chapter I deliberated over for a long time and rewrote several times.The higher-ups had already decided to abandon Fen Jinbao's lead, but it was the male and female leads who insisted on finding the video and identifying Chen Zhaoci. The four criminal psychology suspects were located by the male and female leads without any police support, as all resources were deployed outside to search for Fan Jia. The female lead had no concrete evidence whatsoever. Even if she had managed to secure a few reinforcements at the time, could Fan Jia have been brought back to life? Besides, if Fan Jia were truly alive, how could the female lead have been so emotionally distraught that she couldn't overpower that father and son? How can Fan Jia's death be blamed on the female lead being forced to act alone? Some readers even believe the male and female leads were too busy flirting and caused Fan Jia's death. Should the male and female leads have had no dialogue at all, no mutual support in adversity? When such things happen, it's astonishing that the condemnation falls not on the perpetrators but on the male and female leads who nearly lost their lives. Reading is just for enjoyment—no need to force it. Feel free to drop the story if it doesn't suit you, and thank you to those who continue following it. Wishing everyone a pleasant holiday. There will be an update tomorrow.
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