"A Xu, I've remembered some things. My perspective has changed."
The moment she heard these words, You Mingxu could clearly feel a pang of pain in her chest—bitter, astringent, and a surge of grievance she didn't want to acknowledge at all.
But You Mingxu wasn't just anyone. The next instant, she had regained her composure.
She realized that this person now was completely different from before. He was adept at handling relationships between men and women, a seasoned player. Even though his tone was low and sincere, making her heart tremble, could she really trust him?
And don't forget.
If Luo Yu was the focal point of suspicion in a series of cases, even now, You Mingxu still couldn't figure out his true background.
Wasn't Yin Feng another major enigma and unknown?
Thus, the surge of emotions in You Mingxu's heart instantly receded, leaving only a lingering trace of pain and an extremely calm clarity.
"Oh?" she asked. "What do you want to do?"
Yin Feng said, "Come to my place, let's talk in person. It's almost dark now, and you probably haven't eaten yet, right? My house has a terrace with a great view. I'll be waiting for you there."
Since she had calmed down, You Mingxu was determined to accept Yin Feng's invitation. He still held too many secrets, all for the sake of the investigation—or so she told herself.
Yet, with a hint of mischief to spoil his mood, You Mingxu deliberately changed into a crisp police uniform, donned her police cap, and even hung a pair of gleaming rose-gold handcuffs at her waist before heading out.
As soon as she left the residential area, she saw the black Bentley waiting there. You Mingxu opened the door and got in. Tuya, in the front seat, turned and gave her a somewhat goofy smile.
You Mingxu had a good impression of him and smiled back.
After sitting down, she noticed a faint floral scent in the car, along with a bottle of water and a small plate of pastries placed beside her.
You Mingxu thought to herself: That guy is getting more and more pretentious.
But Tuya said, "Miss You, the water and pastries are for you."
You Mingxu glanced at them. "Did he ask you to do this?" Trying to pull this kind of stunt.
Tuya, however, lowered his head slightly, looking a bit embarrassed. "It was me. I don't know if it suits your taste."
You Mingxu was taken aback. She picked up a pastry and stuffed it into her mouth—it was surprisingly delicious. "Mm, it's good," she said.
Tuya smiled.
Watching this burly, somewhat simple-minded driver, You Mingxu thought to herself, Yin Feng does have some genuinely kind and likable people under him.
You Mingxu had grown more familiar with him than before. She leaned forward, patted his shoulder, and said while chewing on the pastry, "Why are you being so nice to me?"
Tuya was taken aback, hesitated for a few seconds, and then whispered, "Teacher Yin hasn't remembered yet. Please don't be angry with him."
Suddenly, the pastry in You Mingxu's mouth lost its flavor. Her expression turned indifferent as she leaned back and didn't respond.
When they arrived outside the villa, the large iron gate was wide open, brightly lit to welcome guests. You Mingxu got out of the car and saw Xiao Yan, dressed in white, coming to greet her.
Xiao Yan was still a bit afraid of her. Normally, it wouldn't be his turn to greet guests—that task usually fell to Lao Jiu. But tonight, Yin Feng was determined to be charming and, disliking how ugly Lao Jiu looked, replaced him with the fair-skinned and well-behaved Xiao Yan.
As soon as Xiao Yan saw You Mingxu, he remembered the last time she had grabbed him and pinned him to the ground. His face flushed red, all the way down to his neck, and he whispered, "Officer You, follow me. Teacher Yin has been waiting for you for a long time."
"Mm."Passing by the garden, she noticed the gardener still standing among the plants. His work clothes were clean, and he maintained that gloomy, gaunt appearance. Seeing the two of them, he gave a sinister smile.
You Mingxu had already investigated the backgrounds of all the people around Yin Feng. The gardener before her seemed eccentric and artistic—who would have guessed he was once an internet fraudster who used computer technology to commit crimes, serving 20 years in prison before being released?
What was that man doing, gathering all these convicted criminals?
Noticing her observing the gardener, Xiao Yan mustered the courage to explain, "We all call him Guan Jun. He has a terrible temper—only Lao Jiu can handle him—and he really dislikes the police. Officer You... just ignore him."
You Mingxu said, "Don’t you also dislike the police?"
Xiao Yan mumbled and fell silent. After a few steps, he added, "It’s not that I dislike them."
It’s that they dislike me. I wanted to earn their trust, but I never could.
So whenever I close my eyes, I always return to that blood-soaked room.
And deep down, I know that one day, I’ll end up lying there just like my parents.
Suddenly, someone lightly patted his head. Xiao Yan shuddered, almost afraid to look at the woman beside him.
"What are you afraid of?" she said calmly. "Police officers aren’t three-headed, six-armed monsters—they’re normal people. If you ever need to talk about anything, you can come to me."
She knew this boy had been a habitual thief since childhood, that both his parents were dead, and that suspicions about him had never been cleared. She also knew that Yin Feng had been taking care of him since his release from prison.
Xiao Yan remained silent, at a loss for words.
A light whistle came from above, and Xiao Yan scurried away. You Mingxu looked up and saw a man in a black suit and white shirt standing against the light on the third-floor balcony, watching her.
Yin Feng had been right on the phone—the view from this balcony was indeed spectacular. The weather was pleasant tonight, with a silver moon hanging in the sky. In the distance lay a tranquil lake, dotted with lights along both shores like scattered pearls against jade.
The winter night was bitterly cold, but a fireplace had been installed on one side of the balcony, burning real logs. Waves of warmth enveloped them, creating a cozy atmosphere. Several round white night lights, placed around the balcony, glowed softly like luminous pearls. Faint, husky-voiced lyrical music played in the background, adding to the profound tranquility.
You Mingxu stood at the balcony entrance as Yin Feng approached. His suit was unbuttoned, his shirt open at the collar, and his hair swept back. His leisurely pace exuded a lazy, casual masculinity.
Stopping before her, he glanced at her police uniform and smiled. "I never used to think women looked good in police uniforms."
You Mingxu ignored him and walked straight to the table, taking a seat.
It was a small white square table covered with an elegant dark embroidered tablecloth. Only two chairs were there, placed uncomfortably close together. Yin Feng followed and sat beside her, casually resting his hand on the back of her chair.
He wasn’t wearing cologne tonight. Despite his drastic personality change, the scent and aura of the same person remained familiar. As he subtly drew nearer, You Mingxu felt a momentary daze but quickly collected herself. "Spit it out," she said, slapping his hand away and noisily dragging her chair a full person’s distance away.
Her crude and forceful demeanor left Yin Feng momentarily speechless.
But then, haste makes waste.He smiled slightly. "You must be hungry. Let's eat first. I've slept all day and I'm starving."
The chef brought out the dishes one by one, all of You Mingxu's favorites. No matter how much You Mingxu might be at odds with someone, she would never take it out on her stomach, nor did she worry that Yin Feng could do anything criminal to her. She buried her head in her meal.
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