Chapter 17: Giving Her a Ride to Work Along the Way

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Shi Wei was now certain: Lu Chengfeng liked Shu Yan. From now on, he had to be more careful with his words. Fortunately, he managed to pull Liu Xun away, diverting Lu Chengfeng’s attention and thus avoiding a beating.

Shi Wei feared Lu Chengfeng because he had been beaten by him back in police academy. Since childhood, Shi Wei had been a troublesome character—not seriously ill, but with plenty of minor faults—and especially fond of provoking others. When he first arrived at the academy, Lu Chengfeng was tall, handsome, and popular, which made Shi Wei jealous. He fabricated absurd rumors to slander Lu Chengfeng and even tried to isolate him from their dorm mates.

At first, Lu Chengfeng endured it all. But his patience only encouraged Shi Wei to escalate his provocations. When Shi Wei finally crossed Lu Chengfeng’s bottom line, Lu was forced to lock the dorm door and give him a thorough beating. After that, Shi Wei settled down.

However, it was another incident that truly changed their relationship. One weekend, Shi Wei invited some classmates to a karaoke bar and got into a fight with some local thugs. He was badly beaten. At the critical moment, Lu Chengfeng suddenly appeared and beat the thugs so badly they were left groveling on the ground.

Shi Wei never understood why Lu Chengfeng had come to his rescue out of the blue, but he always remembered how heroic and cool Lu Chengfeng looked—like a superhero straight out of a Western movie. From then on, Shi Wei considered himself Lu Chengfeng’s loyal follower, tailing him everywhere. Lu Chengfeng never held the past against him, which touched Shi Wei deeply. He regarded Lu Chengfeng as a man of great magnanimity and a friend worth keeping.

When they graduated, if not for Shi Wei’s mother threatening him with death to force him back to Licheng, he would have stayed in Hongcheng to work alongside Lu Chengfeng.

Seeing that Lu Chengfeng was no longer angry, Shi Wei shamelessly begged him to make the sauerkraut shredded pork noodles again for dinner. He was simply craving them too much; after eating them yesterday, his illness had vanished. So Shi Wei was convinced that it was Lu Chengfeng’s noodles that cured his cold.

Lu Chengfeng agreed, on the condition that Shi Wei lend him the cheapest new energy car under his name. Shi Wei had originally intended to give him his best car, but Lu Chengfeng said he was a police officer and even the cheapest car, costing over 600,000 yuan, was already eye-catching. Driving a two- or three-million-yuan car to work and to the scene would surely raise gossip. Shi Wei thought it made sense and agreed.

The next day, Lu Chengfeng got up early, washed up, and changed into a black base shirt and black cargo pants, topped with a black leather jacket. He took the car keys from the hallway and left. Twenty minutes later, he arrived at the residential complex where Shu Yan lived, pulled out his phone, and sat in the car to send her a message.

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Lu Chengfeng: Morning. Are you heading out?

Shu Yan replied quickly: Not yet, just finished washing up. Why so early?

Lu Chengfeng: I’m used to getting up early. I’m by the main gate of your complex, driving Shi Wei’s car. Mind if I give you a ride since it’s on the way?

Shu Yan frowned as she looked at the message. She wondered where Shi Wei lived. Was it really on the way?

When Lu Chengfeng didn’t get a reply, he sent another message.

Lu Chengfeng: If you feel awkward, just treat me to breakfast. I haven’t eaten yet.

Shu Yan: Alright, give me five minutes.

Lu Chengfeng: No rush, take your time.

Shu Yan was wearing her police uniform today. Lu Chengfeng’s department was special—everyone usually wore plain clothes for easier investigation—but the forensic center where Shu Yan worked required everyone to wear uniform.

Stepping out of the gate, she saw Lu Chengfeng leaning against a black SUV-style new energy vehicle, clad in a black leather jacket. Passersby of the opposite sex couldn’t help but steal glances. Seeing her, Lu Chengfeng straightened up, standing out even more prominently.

Shu Yan hurried over and slipped the bag in her hand into Lu Chengfeng’s, saying, “Your jacket.”

“Thank you,” Lu Chengfeng said politely and opened the car door for her.

Shu Yan quickly got in, not wanting to be the center of attention. Lu Chengfeng walked around to the other side, got in, fastened his seatbelt, and started the car.

“There’s a tea restaurant up ahead that tastes good. Shall we go there for breakfast?” Shu Yan asked.

“Sure, I’m not picky. Just tell me when we arrive,” Lu Chengfeng replied, slowing down the car.

After about a kilometer, Shu Yan asked Lu Chengfeng to turn into a small plaza, where they snagged the last parking spot. The two got out and went to the tea restaurant together.

Lu Chengfeng had long heard from Shi Wei that breakfast was the most important meal to people in Licheng. No matter rich or poor, families liked to go out together to tea restaurants for breakfast. Of course, most locals were fairly well-off.

Upon entering, Lu Chengfeng saw many families dining together. The bustling scene made him envious. His parents had never been so close to him growing up.

Shu Yan found a small corner table, had Lu Chengfeng sit, and went to get breakfast. Knowing Lu Chengfeng was unfamiliar with the local eating habits, she picked some dishes herself.

When she returned carrying a large tray with several plates, Lu Chengfeng quickly stood to help take it.

Shu Yan set the tray down and then went off again. After a while, she came back with even more food, followed by a waiter carrying coffee. When the waiter placed the coffee and left, Shu Yan said, “Alright, eat up. If it’s not enough, I’ll get more.”

Lu Chengfeng looked at the table full of food in surprise. “You guys eat this much for breakfast?”

Shu Yan lifted her chin. “Look, every table is piled high. Eat up—eating well in the morning gives you energy for work.”

Usually, when Shu Yan went out with her best friend Li Jiao Jiao, they wouldn’t order this much. But seeing Lu Chengfeng’s tall and burly frame, she feared he wouldn’t be full with just a little. If you’re treating someone, you have to do it properly, not just offer a couple of plates and send them off. Besides, she rarely spent money and had saved some over the years.

Lu Chengfeng, not wanting to waste food, ate heartily. He planned to find a reason to pay the bill later, but when he went to the counter, he was told it had already been paid.

They ate for about twenty minutes before finishing everything. Shu Yan was pleased—she liked people with good appetites.

Feeling full, Lu Chengfeng left the tea restaurant rubbing his belly and muttered, “I don’t think I’ll need lunch today.”

It was meant as a joke, but turned out prophetic.

No sooner had they returned to the bureau than Zhao Jianguo notified them of a new case. Lu Chengfeng barely sat down before assembling the investigative team to head out.

Meanwhile, Shu Yan gathered her group, prepared the forensic kits, and went downstairs to board the forensic vehicle.

The scene was at the southernmost mouth of the river in Licheng, near the sea.

Passing by his mother’s convalescent home, Shu Yan looked out the window at its gate, yearning for the day her mother would recover and come home.

They arrived at the scene an hour and a half later. Since it was outdoors by the estuary, the police cordon was wide, and the forensic vehicle had to park 500 meters away.

After getting off, Shu Yan led her team toward the scene and showed their credentials to the SWAT officers guarding the area.

This was the estuary of a river in Licheng, a desolate area overgrown with weeds and shrubs. Few people ventured into this forsaken place.

Taozi muttered nervously as she walked, “I feel such heavy gloom here, I have goosebumps all over.”