“Hey, the house renovation is done. Can I go check it out?”
“Sure, come on over!”
Lu Zheng hung up the phone. The large flat he bought was finally renovated, ready for move-in.
Five minutes later, he arrived.
The five-bedroom, two-living-room flat had a simple, comfortable style, with a colour scheme of white and sky blue, and meticulous attention to detail.
“What do you think?” the renovator asked.
Since the flat was in Lu Zheng’s neighbourhood, he had visited occasionally and gradually added appliances, so he knew the general state. This time, it was fully completed and cleaned, ready for inspection.
Of course, for actual living, it was best to let it air out for about six months.
“Looks good. Very nice,” Lu Zheng said.
He wasn’t picky, as the renovation was indeed well done, and he was quite satisfied.
After a thorough check, Lu Zheng paid the final balance, replaced the door lock with a permanent key, and the renovation crew left.
Done!
I’ve got a house!
A five-bedroom, two-living-room flat!
Awesome!
Lu Zheng flopped onto the living room sofa, rolled around, then pulled out his phone to start furnishing the place.
Bedding sets, kitchenware, bathroom supplies…
While he was in a buying frenzy, his mum called.
“Hey, Mum, what? When am I coming home for the New Year?” Lu Zheng was caught off guard, suddenly realising the modern world was nearing the holiday.
“What? It sounds like you’re not planning to come back. Does last month’s New Year’s Day visit count?”
“No, no, I’ll come back!” Lu Zheng quickly promised.
“That’s more like it.”
After chatting with his mum for a bit, Lu Zheng hung up and checked the time. It was almost noon.
He called Lin Wan, learning she was still at the city bureau office, and invited her to lunch.
Heading out, he hit the streets.
Only then did he notice the festive New Year atmosphere growing thick.
He’d been so caught up running between two worlds that he hadn’t noticed the big day approaching.
Careless.
At the city bureau entrance, he met Lin Wan, and they held hands, heading to a stir-fry restaurant.
“Captain Li still not letting you go on field duty?” Lu Zheng asked with a smile.
“I go occasionally, but most of the time, I’m at the office,” Lin Wan replied, serving him a piece of food.
After some small talk, Lu Zheng casually asked, “How are you spending the New Year?”
“Going home, obviously,” Lin Wan answered offhandedly, then paused, her heart skipping a beat. She looked at Lu Zheng. “What are you getting at?”
Lu Zheng blinked. “Nothing, just wondering if you’d like to come home with me for the New Year.”
“Home for the New Year, with you?” Lin Wan’s eyes widened, her heart racing with a mix of panic and surprise.
No way… so sudden… meeting his parents already?
Isn’t this… a bit too fast? Not the right time, surely?
And with her job keeping her so busy, what if his parents disapproved? Lu Zheng might not care, but…
Reject… or accept…
Lin Wan stared at Lu Zheng, unblinking, while he looked back with an innocent expression.
After a moment, she pursed her lips, a smile tugging at her mouth. “Not this year. Maybe next.”
“Alright,” Lu Zheng nodded, resuming his meal naturally.
Lin Wan took a bite of rice, then chuckled, biting her lip and shooting him a glance. “Scared you, didn’t I?”
Hmph, almost fell for it! Tch! Player!
Lu Zheng’s eyes widened. “Scared of what?”
Lin Wan reached out, lightly tapping his chest. “Playing tough!”
Lu Zheng grabbed her hand. “The toughest part of me isn’t my mouth.”
“Rogue!”
Lin Wan yanked her hand back, but her smile showed no real annoyance.
Lu Zheng grinned, lowering his voice. “I’ll come find you tonight.”
Lin Wan pouted but nodded.
Lu Zheng swallowed hard. “Is your uniform at home?”
Lin Wan’s head snapped up. “Are you trying to get yourself killed?”
Lu Zheng waved his hands. “Just asking casually, no ulterior motives, don’t overthink it.”
“Overthink your head!”
“Which head?”
Lin Wan rubbed her forehead, Lu Zheng’s urban hero aura shattering instantly, like some lifelong bachelor…
They tacitly dropped the New Year topic and moved on to other things.
“If I get field duty after the New Year, I’ll be busier, but I’ve only reached the third form of *Mountain-Carrying Eighteen Styles*.”
“No rush, take it slow. You’ll pick up speed as you go, and I’m here to teach you,” Lu Zheng said, shaking his head. “Besides, even with just the first three forms, your strength and speed are better than before, right?”
Lin Wan nodded eagerly, her face lighting up. “Yeah, yeah! During team training the other day, I took down Captain Li. That’s why he’s letting me do field work.”
Lu Zheng silently mourned Captain Li for a second, then congratulated her. “Impressive!”
“Perfunctory…” Lin Wan teased, then smiled again.
…
While they were eating, Lin Wan’s phone rang.
Lu Zheng shook his head, thinking police work was relentless.
“Hello… yeah, I’m here… okay, I’ll head back!”
Lu Zheng couldn’t help asking, “Office work keeps you that busy?”
“You think sitting in the office is just sipping tea, reading papers, and playing on your phone?”
“Isn’t it?”
Lin Wan rolled her eyes, speechless, then stood to put on her coat. “I’ve got to go.”
“I’m done too. Let’s go.”
Lu Zheng followed, accustomed to not asking about her cases. He walked her to the city bureau entrance, watched her go in, and headed home.
But shortly after getting home, Lin Wan called.
“Hey, what’s up?” Lu Zheng asked.
“I need to ask you something. Answer honestly,” Lin Wan said, her voice low, likely calling discreetly.
“What’s wrong?”
“You said before, um, that with just an item, you could find its owner?”
“Need to find someone?”
“A child!”
Lu Zheng blinked. “Straight to the city bureau’s criminal investigation team? You guys handle a lot, huh?”
Usually, missing children cases would be handled at the local police station level, right?
“Surveillance shows the child was taken, so the bureau filed it as a criminal case. I’m already at the scene.”
“Need my help?” Lu Zheng was puzzled. The case just happened, and Lin Wan was already asking for his help, which wasn’t like her.
“Acquaintance crime,” Lin Wan said, sounding urgent. “The suspect is a neighbour of the child’s parents, but they had a prior dispute.”
Time was critical, and Lu Zheng got it instantly. “Bring something the child recently wore but hasn’t washed, or a toy, anything they frequently touched.”
“Got it!”
“Where are you? I’ll come over.”
“Jin’an North Road.”
“Alright, not far. I’ll take a taxi and be there in ten minutes.”
