Coming to Myself

The car was high-end, and the man was impeccably dressed, exuding an air of sophistication. You Mingxu walked right past him as if he were invisible.

The man was thick-skinned, seemingly oblivious to her indifference, and spoke with a smile, "Mingxu."

You Mingxu stopped, took a deep breath to suppress her irritation, and said, "Luo Yu, don't call me that. We're not that close."

Luo Yu chuckled and said, "Just got back? I've been waiting since 7 p.m., and it's 11 now."

You Mingxu replied, "That's because you're out of your mind." She was about to stride past him when he shifted, blocking her path. The man stood over six feet tall, broad-shouldered, a fitness-loving elite with a dark heart and a lawyer to boot. If You Mingxu casually took him down in the neighborhood, she'd likely fall right into his trap and end up even more entangled with him. So she held back and said, "Move aside."

Given his months of persistent pestering, You Mingxu had no desire to exchange another word with him—she just wanted to kick him aside.

Under the streetlight, he stared at her, his long eyes glinting with a faint, unsettling light. "You went off to Tibet for a vacation without even saying goodbye and were gone for half a month. Did you ever think about how I felt? I missed you. Every night before bed, I thought of you, you heartless little thing."

A wave of disgust washed over You Mingxu, as if she'd been hit by the stench of spoiled, sour leftovers. She deeply regretted ever listening to her neighbor's advice and agreeing to a blind date with this guy.

You Mingxu lived alone, and her elderly neighbor often looked out for her, sharing homemade treats. Grateful, she regarded the neighbor as almost family. Last year, perhaps concerned about her single status, the neighbor had a sudden burst of enthusiasm and insisted on setting her up. Having worked for a few years after graduation and finding no one appealing at the police station, You Mingxu felt a flicker of curiosity and agreed.

At their first meeting, Luo Yu appeared refined and well-spoken, the picture of an educated gentleman. He carried himself with straightforward confidence and undeniable masculinity. You Mingxu was quite impressed and considered pursuing things further.

Luo Yu was a top lawyer at a prestigious firm, not yet thirty and financially well-off. He seemed equally captivated by the beauty and competence of this policewoman. Both were clear-headed adults with defined goals, and they gradually found common ground. Though You Mingxu still saw him more as a good friend at first, their relationship warmed steadily. Luo Yu, however, clearly fell harder, picking her up and dropping her off daily, checking in multiple times a day. He devoted nearly all his free time to chasing after her, showering her with attention and care. You Mingxu actually enjoyed being treated so thoughtfully and slowly began to regard him as her boyfriend.

Back then, the ever-suave Luo Yu had told her, "A woman like you—only a mature man like me could truly appreciate you. That feeling is addictive for me. Let's make this work; I don't want to give up on this relationship. Okay?"

Truth be told, You Mingxu had been quite moved at the time. Once, after a business trip, she nearly let impulse take over and invited him to stay the night. But something felt off—their time together still felt too short, and the emotional connection hadn't fully solidified. In the end, she gently pushed away his affectionate advances that night.When You Mingxu first started dating him, she kept it from her colleagues and only had a general understanding of his background. It wasn't until they had known each other for six months and had been dating for two months that she told Xu Mengshan and the others about it.

A few days later, Xu Mengshan threw a detailed background investigation report in front of her.

Luo Yu appeared to be a successful lawyer on the surface—young and promising, having handled several influential cases with a seemingly limitless future. But upon closer inspection, many of the cases he had handled were questionable.

In other words, he was adept at exploiting legal loopholes and operating in gray areas to benefit his clients, prioritizing money over principles and lacking any moral compass. Notably, he served as the legal representative for Kaiyang Group, a prominent local corporation involved in real estate, environmental protection, waste recycling, and more. You Mingxu had heard that many of Kaiyang Group's operations were far from transparent, and Luo Yu was their legal mouthpiece. The higher-ups in the police department had already begun keeping an eye on Kaiyang.

That evening, You Mingxu summoned Luo Yu to her home and confronted him bluntly: "Do you work for Kaiyang Group?"

Luo Yu was momentarily stunned but quickly regained his composure, replying calmly, "Mingxu, let me explain. I only help them handle complex legal issues. The rumors about Kaiyang are baseless slander. As a lawyer, everything I do is within the bounds of the law. Everyone is equal before the law—there's no difference between representing them and representing any other company."

You Mingxu pressed further, "Don't you know I'm a police officer? That I can't tolerate any wrongdoing?"

He tried to move closer and put his arm around her shoulder. "Mingxu, let's talk this through slowly..."

Before he arrived, You Mingxu had already thoroughly researched his background and made up her mind. She dodged his arm and said flatly, "Get out. There's no future for us. Let's just treat the past as a misunderstanding, Lawyer Luo. We walk different paths. And if anything happens in the future, don't let it fall into my hands. I don't hold onto old sentiments."

That night, Luo Yu sent her a text: "Did you ever really like me at all?"

You Mingxu ignored him and blocked his number immediately.

Regardless of whether Luo Yu had ulterior motives when he first approached her—whether it was genuine love at first sight or a calculated move to seek a protector—You Mingxu cut ties decisively, without hesitation.

Little did she know that this lawyer with a shady background would soon reveal his true nature and tactics, embarking on a persistent and shameless pursuit.

He began hovering around You Mingxu frequently, also exposing his inherent arrogance, still treating her as if she were his woman. He often sent her expensive gifts. At first, You Mingxu returned them to his law firm, but he only doubled his efforts. After a few attempts, she grew furious and started tossing them directly into the trash bin downstairs.

He no longer bothered to hide his true self. Occasionally, he would accompany clients to the police station—clients who were far from upstanding. Whenever You Mingxu passed by or was present, he would stare at her with a faint, mocking smile, as if saying, "See? This is who I am. I just fucking want you, this criminal police officer."You Mingxu had certainly considered beating him up or dragging him to the police station to teach him a lesson. But after a moment’s thought, she refrained from acting rashly. He was a lawyer, after all—a cunning, unscrupulous one at that. He must have already prepared excuses for why he was lurking around her, citing official business or something similar. As for beating him up, that would probably play right into his hands. If rumors spread, she wouldn’t even be able to continue working as a criminal police officer.

So, despite being someone as fierce and fearless as You Mingxu—unflinching in the face of criminals and at the police station—she found herself forced to endure this situation. She hadn’t yet figured out a good way to shake off Luo Yu. Her recent vacation had partly been an attempt to avoid him.

And now, the moment she returned, this sly wolf was waiting for her again.

You Mingxu swiftly dodged past him. He failed to block her, a flicker of amusement in his eyes as he followed close behind.

Without looking back, she walked straight to the building entrance, swiped her card to open the unit door, and said, “Luo Yu, if you take one more step, it’s trespassing. Care to test me?”

Luo Yu stopped in his tracks. Her tone was calm and low, but he knew she wasn’t joking. If he so much as stepped into her territory, she would absolutely make a move.

Luo Yu smiled and said, “I’m not here to upset you. Go on up. I just want to make sure you get home safely.”

You Mingxu slammed the unit door shut with a “bang” and strode off without a backward glance. But after just a few steps, she heard him say calmly behind her, “You Mingxu, I’m determined to marry you. There’s no backing out of this.”