You Mingxu was flamboyant, Jing Ping was reserved. She excelled at solving cases, he specialized in drug enforcement. Both had been prodigies in the police force since their youth, yet both stood somewhat apart from their peers due to their exceptional skills. Even in combat, they moved with such seamless coordination—was there any other man in the world who could overpower You Mingxu like this? If You Mingxu had displayed her current level of fighting prowess today, Yin Feng wouldn’t have stood a chance of even touching a single finger of hers.
Xu Mengshan couldn’t help but sigh again.
He was truly beginning to grasp the meaning of the phrase “no fate.”
You Mingxu had no idea that her partner, sitting alone by the sidelines, was worrying so much on her behalf. All her attention was focused on the fight. Even Jing Ping’s mind was clear and wholly absorbed. Though he had the upper hand, his opponent was You Mingxu—a single moment of carelessness, and he’d pay the price.
He didn’t realize what kind of look was in his eyes when their bodies intertwined and he pinned her down.
You Mingxu launched another surprise attack, striking Jing Ping squarely in the back. Jing Ping winced in pain and suddenly reached out to grab her. The move was swift and fierce. You Mingxu, already exhausted, never expected him to still possess such speed at this stage. Before she could evade, she was caught. The moment she fell into his grasp, she threw herself forward, landing on the ground, and tried to roll away.
But Jing Ping, learning from her example, reacted with astonishing speed, throwing himself down and pressing her beneath him.
You Mingxu threw a punch at his face, but he dodged swiftly, locking her arm from the inside and pinning it to the ground. Enraged, she threw another punch with her other hand, but he repeated the maneuver, forcibly restraining both her arms. He leaned down, looking at her, and asked, “Do you yield?”
This time, You Mingxu was truly pinned down, panting heavily, trapped so tightly beneath him that she couldn’t muster any strength. Still, she wasn’t ready to give up. Breathing raggedly, her eyes darted around as she remained silent.
So Jing Ping didn’t move either, keeping her firmly restrained under his hands and legs.
A drop of sweat slid from Jing Ping’s forehead and landed on You Mingxu’s cheek. His eyes, dark and sincere, remained fixed on her without blinking.
You Mingxu suddenly froze, only then realizing how close they were—their bodies almost entwined. The heat radiating from him seemed to envelop her completely. At some point, his hands had shifted from pressing to gripping, firmly holding both her arms.
You Mingxu tried to get up, but the moment she moved, she felt his strength holding her down, leaving her unable to budge an inch.
“Do you yield, You Mingxu?” he asked again, his voice unusually low and hoarse.
“…I yield,” she said. “I admit defeat.”
Jing Ping didn’t speak, nor did he release her. You Mingxu, with her keen senses, felt the grip on her arms tighten almost imperceptibly, and her heart skipped a beat. Yet Jing Ping continued to stare at her, holding her down without a word.
“Get up,” You Mingxu said.
Nearby, Xu Mengshan’s eyes were wide and fixed. Though this was just a sparring match, and he himself had been pinned down by You Mingxu countless times without it meaning anything, he couldn’t help but notice—wasn’t the length of time Jing Ping was holding her down a bit too long?
Moreover, the atmosphere felt inexplicably off.
Xu Mengshan couldn’t quite put his finger on why, but as he watched the two of them, even though they weren’t speaking, the tension between them felt subtly unusual.
Just as Xu Mengshan was hesitating whether to speak up, he saw Jing Ping release You Mingxu, stand up, and even offer a hand to pull her to her feet. Both of them appeared completely normal as they walked toward him.Xu Mengshan breathed a sigh of relief and handed them two bottles of water with a smile.
You Mingxu took a large gulp in one go, while Jing Ping downed an entire bottle. Both of their faces were sweaty, yet both wore smiles.
Xu Mengshan patted Jing Ping’s shoulder and said with feigned pride, “Lushan Branch has had more women than men in recent years. Brother Jing, you’ve finally given us male comrades a chance to shine.”
Jing Ping smiled and replied, “Fighting a female comrade was hardly a fair victory to begin with.” He glanced at You Mingxu and added, “I appreciate your graciousness.”
You Mingxu snorted and said, “Give me two years to train, and I’ll challenge you again.”
Jing Ping responded, “Sure, I’ll be waiting.”
The three of them sat down by the court to rest. You Mingxu simply lay down, while Jing Ping leaned back on his arms, steadying his breath. Both seemed somewhat listless, as if the subtle tension between them earlier had never existed.
Xu Mengshan said, “Brother Jing leaves tomorrow—who knows when we’ll meet again? Let’s make a pact: no matter how far apart we are, the three of us will be lifelong friends. Let’s try to stay in touch.”
You Mingxu and Jing Ping both murmured in agreement.
Then Jing Ping said, “Mengshan, could you go buy a few more bottles of water?”
Xu Mengshan agreed and walked out of the venue without looking back.
For a moment, the hall fell silent.
You Mingxu lay still, her heart calm.
The person sitting beside her didn’t turn to look at her either. His back was drenched in sweat, his figure straight and lean.
Then she heard him ask, “If he weren’t in the picture, or if I had met you first, could there have been something between us?”
You Mingxu paused briefly before replying, “There are no ‘what-ifs’ in matters like this.”
Jing Ping chuckled and said, “No, if there were ‘what-ifs,’ you and I would have been the most likely pair. I know it in my heart, and you know it too. In that case, how could I have let you go? I would have outshone everyone else and won you over.”
You Mingxu said nothing.
“I was just too late,” he said. “Today, I’m the one who should admit defeat. Don’t take it to heart. Maybe I’ll still end up marrying a gentle, obedient Yunnan girl—someone more suited to me. If you two ever get married, remember to send me an invitation.”
—
Early the next morning, Jing Ping returned to Yunnan.
You Mingxu and Xu Mengshan saw him off at the airport. Jing Ping promised to airmail them fresh mushrooms in the summer, and You Mingxu promised to reciprocate with crayfish.
Finally, the two stood outside the security checkpoint, watching Jing Ping walk through. He turned back, smiled, waved at them, and then disappeared into the distance.
On the way back from the airport, Xu Mengshan sighed repeatedly.
You Mingxu couldn’t take it anymore and snapped, “What’s with all the sighing? Spit it out.”
Xu Mengshan said, “Look, the only one who liked you and wasn’t a scumbag is gone too.”
You Mingxu slapped him on the head. Xu Mengshan dodged and retaliated, and the two nearly started a fight in the taxi.
Far away in Guizhou, Yin Feng also received news of Jing Ping’s departure—reported to him by Chen Feng.
Yin Feng was now able to get out of bed for short periods. Standing by the window, he gazed into the distance for a while, then smiled and said, “Out of sight, out of mind. Who can possibly compete with me now?”
Chen Feng wasn’t sure whether he was speaking to him or muttering to himself—and with such bluntness. Still, he humored him, saying, “You Mingxu has always had only you in her heart. The others don’t even count.”
Yin Feng said coolly, “Of course. Her heart belongs to me and no one else.”When he spoke these words, his voice was deep and carried an unyielding tone. Chen Feng felt a stir in his heart. In truth, ever since Yin Feng had "returned," Chen Feng had watched with his own eyes as he grew increasingly concerned about You Mingxu, even to the point of risking his life for her. But after waking up this time, Chen Feng always felt that his feelings toward You Mingxu had lost their former casualness and gained an indescribable sense of endurance and obsession. He had no idea why.
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