When Gu Tiancheng said these words, his expression was very calm, as if he were merely deciding to have a burger for lunch today. The night sky behind him was a quiet, desolate color. And so, You Mingxu suddenly understood that all the earth-shattering, heinous decisions in this world likely stemmed from a single muttered phrase after prolonged, repeated silence.
Though only a dozen seconds of silence passed between them, it felt like an eternity had gone by.
Ignoring the fine sweat dampening her palms, You Mingxu lowered her head and smiled faintly. "No wonder... I truly didn't suspect you at first. You acted quite reluctant to let me and Mingtao into your car. Even though I closely match your preferred type of prey. So it was intentional—playing hard to get. If you'd agreed too readily, I would have grown suspicious."
Gu Tiancheng watched her, his eyes deeper than when they first met. For a moment, they seemed to flicker with countless unspoken words—a mix of excitement, pain, wariness, and obsession. Ultimately, it all settled into a stillness as vast as mountains and seas behind him.
You Mingxu realized she had let something slip, but she didn't care much and wasn't the least bit flustered. They locked eyes briefly before she slowly shifted backward, leaning more comfortably against the tree trunk behind her. Meanwhile, the fool on the ground had unconsciously moved to her feet, his face pale from blood loss. Like her, his hands and feet were bound with zip ties. You Mingxu knew his injuries weren't fatal nor severe enough to incapacitate him completely. But with his childlike mind, his psychological fear likely far outweighed his physical pain, leaving him utterly dejected. For some reason, the fool then rested his head against her calf, curling his over-six-foot frame entirely against her feet like a giant infant. You Mingxu had no energy to deal with him now and let him lean.
Gu Tiancheng's attention remained entirely on You Mingxu, ignoring the pathetic figure on the ground. Seeing her still wearing that detached expression, her phoenix eyes naturally holding a clarity and aloofness, her lips pressed together, he suddenly realized this woman—who had remained unflappable throughout—was far more resilient and composed than he had initially thought.
"So how did you figure it out?" Gu Tiancheng asked with a faint smile. "Was it because of the two large suitcases? My mistake for not considering that this half-dead fool could still escape and let you see the empty trunk. When I loaded the bicycle earlier, I'd already claimed the trunk was full and casually mentioned two large suitcases."
You Mingxu replied, "That alone wasn't conclusive. While men traveling with two large suitcases are rare, it's not unheard of. I just found it odd and started paying closer attention to you. Later..." She paused, meeting his gaze directly. "Strange incidents kept occurring. You acted overly concerned about everyone's safety, which contradicted your earlier behavior. It felt like you were 'performing.'"
Gu Tiancheng wasn't angered in the slightest; instead, he looked intrigued.
"However..." You Mingxu shifted her tone. "Many people have a bit of a performative personality—Mingtao's is even more pronounced than yours. So that wasn't a major discovery, just another mark against you. What truly convinced me you were involved in Song Lan and Zou Furong's disappearances was something specific you said.""What do you mean?" Gu Tiancheng asked almost immediately.
"'Those two girls'," You Mingxu said.
Gu Tiancheng froze for a moment, looking confused. You Mingxu smiled and said, "After Song Lan and Zou Furong went missing, we mentioned them several times. Every time, you said 'those two girls,' 'those two girls,' or at most 'them.' You never once said their names. Only someone who's lying does that. Always avoiding saying the victims' names, habitually using pronouns instead. What's wrong? After reading so many criminal psychology books, didn't you learn this?"
Gu Tiancheng's expression turned grim. After a moment of silence, he instead laughed. "So it really is like that. Not saying their names makes me feel more at ease. I'll remember that and won't make the same mistake next time."
A mocking smile tugged at the corner of You Mingxu's lips. Gu Tiancheng saw it clearly and, rather than getting angry, laughed. "What's that smile supposed to mean?"
You Mingxu didn't respond, her expression calm as if she hadn't heard, somewhat like a rogue pretending to be dead. Gu Tiancheng tossed his cigarette butt to the ground, crushed it under his foot, chuckled, and stood up.
At that moment, You Mingxu finally felt a trace of nervousness as he silently approached. She hated this feeling—that even now, she could still be affected by this beast's aura. She found it all utterly ridiculous.
Gu Tiancheng crouched beside her, resting his hands on his knees, his body still carrying that faint, pleasant scent of perfume. Though this perfume had been stolen from the foolish policeman lying on the ground. His expression seemed calm, even reminiscent of the man she had first met.
You Mingxu acted as if she hadn't noticed, letting him stare while she kept her eyes fixed on the ground. What annoyed her more was that the fool on the ground... had actually fallen asleep. Or had he passed out? His eyes were tightly shut, still curled up in the same position, his head resting on her calf, emitting steady, long breaths, with a slight snore...
"Are all female police officers as difficult as you?" Gu Tiancheng whispered in her ear.
You Mingxu felt a hard, hot lump churning in her chest. Instead, she curled her lips into a smile. "Oh? How do you plan to handle me?"
"Simple," Gu Tiancheng said, reaching out to touch her face. She immediately turned her head to avoid it, but he didn't seem to mind. Instead, his eyes lit up with an unusually excited smile. "You're in my hands now, and I doubt your backup will arrive anytime soon. So, doesn't that mean I can do whatever I want with you?"
You Mingxu's expression turned cold, her phoenix eyes lowered. In this state, she seemed to look down on everyone. She said, "Let's talk seriously. Release the others, including the fool. I'll go with you. Like you said, I'm already in your hands. We have a long road ahead—who lives and who dies is still uncertain. I knew you hadn't called the police, so I already notified my colleagues. Your time is running out. Why waste it on these people? Taking me away sooner is what matters."
But Gu Tiancheng stared at her deeply with those dark, misty eyes, making even the usually bold You Mingxu feel an unwelcome stir of anxiety.
"Are you sincere..." he asked, "in wanting to use this kidnapping as an opportunity to go with me? Or are you just fooling me, planning to rescue the hostages and then find a way to capture me?"You Mingxu fell silent for a moment, her dark, upturned lashes trembling slightly as a trace of self-mockery curled at the corner of her lips. "Guess."
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