Coming to Myself

You Mingxu was awakened by someone patting her.

Yin Feng stood by the bed in a black overcoat, his demeanor cool and detached, his features handsome and clear-cut.

This guy had gotten up at some unknown hour, tidied himself up so neatly, and only then woke her.

You Mingxu sat up and asked, "Is it time for action?"

"It seems he's about to make a move."

Only after sitting up did You Mingxu realize the impropriety of her situation—she wore only a crumpled men's shirt, no shoes, her calves bare.

She looked up at him.

Yin Feng gave a faint, almost imperceptible smile, glanced at the nearby table, then walked out of the basement, closing the door behind him.

On the table lay a women's overcoat, a red dress, a pair of leggings, all new. You Mingxu walked over and rummaged through them—there was also a disposable pair of underwear, socks... and a pair of flat shoes that looked quite ladylike.

You Mingxu fell silent for a few seconds, then changed into them.

The basement also had a bathroom stocked with new toiletries. After freshening up briefly, she stepped out of the basement.

Dawn was just breaking, likely around five o'clock. The courtyard stood empty and silent, shrouded in a thin mist. Yin Feng stood under the eaves, his back straight and solitary, lost in thought.

You Mingxu approached him and said, "Are you out of your mind? Dressed like this, how am I supposed to fight later?"

He turned to look at her, his gaze lingering on the dress for a moment, and replied, "When you're with me, there's no need for you to fight."

You Mingxu was taken aback.

Just then, the others emerged from various parts of the house—Xiao Yan, Tuya, Guan Jun, Lao Jiu, Chen Feng... You Mingxu's heart skipped a beat.

Chen Feng reported, "He's already left the villa area, driven onto Binjiang Avenue, and is heading toward the city."

Yin Feng said, "Let's go."

You Mingxu followed the group outside, suddenly noticing that not only were Yin Feng and she dressed up, but the others also seemed particularly sharp today. Xiao Yan wore a new white hoodie, Tuya sported a black down jacket that looked expensive, Guan Jun was in a Tang suit, Lao Jiu had on a new jacket, and Chen Feng, as always, was impeccably dressed in a suit.

You Mingxu whispered to Yin Feng, "Why are you all dressed like this?"

Yin Feng answered, "Didn't you say we're going to fight? Since it's a group brawl, presence matters."

You Mingxu fell silent for a moment, then said, "Give me back my phone."

By then, they had reached the vehicle. Tuya opened the rear door for them. Yin Feng got in, and You Mingxu followed. Yin Feng pulled her phone from his pocket but didn't hand it over, saying, "The police must follow behind us. Don't mess up my plans."

He knew exactly what she intended to do.

You Mingxu thought, I'll agree for now, and nodded.

Only then did she get her phone back. She immediately called Lao Ding to report.

Lao Ding was a decisive man. Though he couldn't grasp all the details at once, upon hearing they had tracked the organization's trail, he immediately decided to have Jing Ping lead a team and dispatch a large force for backup.

You Mingxu felt reassured. She then called Jing Ping, shared their location, and arranged for his team to approach from the other end and rendezvous with them.

Tuya was driving a rugged SUV today—large, spacious, and seemingly sturdy. Only the three of them were in this vehicle. After hanging up, You Mingxu felt a surge of ambition. Yin Feng asked, "Between you and that Jing Ping now, who calls the shots?"

You Mingxu found it odd that he asked but, after a moment's thought, replied, "He does."

Yin Feng said, "Based on what?"You Mingxu was quite annoyed by his self-important demeanor and said lightly, "He's a decorated detective who's risked his life for the badge. I respect him deeply. He's my boss."

Yin Feng sneered coldly. As he turned his head, his peripheral gaze fell on that dress again. He suddenly regretted having her wear it today.

Soon, they reached an intersection where the police convoy was waiting—surprisingly, five or six vehicles strong. Ding Xiongwei had been unusually generous this time. Just as You Mingxu was about to get out to find Jing Ping, Yin Feng said, "Have him get in this car. As agreed earlier, the police must follow behind us."

Considering Tuya's driving skills and how sturdy this vehicle appeared, You Mingxu replied, "Fine."

Jing Ping and Xu Mengshan were somewhat puzzled upon receiving Ding Xiongwei's abrupt order. How had the suspect been located so suddenly? You Mingxu didn't have time to explain much over the phone, only mentioning that Yin Feng had discovered a mole within his circle and tracked them down.

As they stepped out of their car, they saw a woman descending from the tall SUV opposite. In the faint dawn light, her red dress peeked from beneath a black coat, accentuating her slender waist even in the harsh winter—striking and eye-catching.

It wasn't until she approached that they recognized her.

Having worked alongside her for so long, Xu Mengshan had never seen You Mingxu in a dress—what female detective would wear one on duty?

Xu Mengshan asked incredulously, "Why are you dressed like that?"

Jing Ping was also watching her.

Though inwardly frustrated, You Mingxu maintained her composure. "It was sudden—no time to change. Let's go, get in this car. Yin Feng's inside."

She returned to the vehicle and took her seat beside Yin Feng.

When Xu Mengshan and Jing Ping reached the car, they both noticed Yin Feng sitting there impeccably dressed. It dawned on Xu Mengshan—dressed like this, these two had probably been on their way to a date, hence the rushed attire. He shot You Mingxu a disapproving look before sliding into the passenger seat.

That left Jing Ping to sit in the back, next to You Mingxu.

The car started moving again.

Guan Jun drove one vehicle, followed by several police cars trailing behind.

You Mingxu felt a tap on her right shoulder. She glanced at Jing Ping, who noticed it too, and both their eyes fell on the arm resting on the seatback above her shoulder.

It was Yin Feng's hand, which had somehow found its way there.

"A Xu, give them a brief rundown," Yin Feng said.

You Mingxu looked at him and explained, "Yin Feng's accident was likely connected to that organization. He's long suspected a mole in his circle. Yesterday, we set a trap and caught them. No time for details now—the person's name is Wei Lan, originally his chef, with a prior manslaughter conviction."

Yin Feng added, "Wei Lan started working for me three years ago." He picked up a file from beside him and handed it to You Mingxu. "Wei Lan's detailed profile. Let them see it."

You Mingxu found his behavior somewhat odd today—why not hand it directly to them?—but didn't dwell on it, passing the documents to Jing Ping and Xu Mengshan.

After reviewing the file, Jing Ping asked, "Any thought to playing the long game?"

He meant keeping Wei Lan under surveillance to dig deeper into the criminal organization without immediate action.

You Mingxu replied, "No."

Yin Feng echoed, "No."Jing Ping's gaze paused on You Mingxu before turning to Yin Feng. Yin Feng smiled faintly and said, "The bait A Xu and I threw out can only deceive them temporarily. They'll soon realize the truth, and this lead will be cut off. So we must act immediately to catch them off guard. Right, A Xu?"

You Mingxu couldn't be bothered to respond to him, but not wanting others to notice anything unusual, she let out a faint "Hmm."

Xu Mengshan asked, "What bait did you throw out?"

You Mingxu remained silent and looked at Yin Feng.