Jian Jing's questions had yet to be answered when Cheng Jia You put down what he was doing. With a face full of concern, he walked over and asked, "Jian Jing, Liu Kai said you fell down? Are you okay? Do you need to go to the infirmary?"
"I'm fine." She re-tied her hair and, in the face of the overt and covert probing, smiled and said, "I ran into an escaped convict, but luckily wasn't hurt."
"Escaped convict?!" The others reacted first, "There was an escaped convict here?"
Jian Jing quickly explained, "The police have already caught all of them. It was just the bank robber criminals, and the gold was also found."
Some other girls sincerely admired: "Wow Jian Jing, you're really amazing!"
"You should say she was too reckless." The boys unanimously expressed disapproval, "Who knows if the guy had a gun, you should have stalled him instead of confronting him directly, that was too rash."
Zuo Xin: "Are you lecturing her about how to do her job? As if you could do any better?"
"Why wouldn't I be able to?" The other side stubbornly retorted, "I could take him down in one move."
The two sides started a war of words.
Cheng Jia You didn't join the argument. He sat down next to Jian Jing and worried, "It really was too dangerous, a girl going up against a criminal herself..." He shook his head in strong disapproval, "Luckily nothing happened."
No matter one's gender, people tend to act a little differently towards someone they like.
Jian Jing was the same. Gently, she said, "I know."
Cheng Jia You's face regained its smile. He sincerely exhorted, "Don't do this again next time."
Jian Jing was taken aback momentarily, then gazed at him and slowly shook her head.
"No," she said, "perhaps next time, I will still do the same."
Cheng Jia You was shocked and puzzled: "Why? It's so dangerous, you could get hurt."
"Yes, I know," she raised her head, directing her gaze towards the distant purple dusk, "but, maybe..."
A 10% success rate and 90% mortality rate, definitely don't go.
A 20% success rate and 80% mortality rate, still wouldn't go.
What about a 50% success rate and 50% mortality rate?
Or 60% and 40%?
She couldn't pat her chest and say she could always step up.
But if possible, why not?
Cheng Jia You suddenly fell silent.
The hiking activity was a complete success. After a barbecue dinner, everyone took a group photo by the barbecue grill and posted it on social media and around the school. Of course, those who photoshopped themselves only posted photos of themselves, at most with a bestie, and no two photos from the same original were alike.
Jian Jing took a shortcut, stealing Zuo Xin's photo to post on her own feed. After getting it done without much thought, she took a nap in Cheng Jia You's car on the ride home, only waking when they were close.
"Thank you for today," she bid Cheng Jia You farewell, "thanks for picking me up and dropping me off."
Cheng Jia You opened his mouth, hesitating between two things he wanted to say - should he ask if she was free to see a movie together tomorrow? He had the urge, but reason told him he shouldn't be spending more time with her.
Of course he liked Jian Jing. He had always liked demure, well-behaved girls, obedient and sensible, with a little coquetry that was fine too.
And Jian Jing was just like her name, quiet and peaceful, not noisy like other girls. She was also a writer, and very pretty - she matched his aesthetic very well. So he had uncharacteristically taken the initiative to pursue a girl.
However, after getting to know her, he noticed she seemed somewhat different from his imagination.
Cheng Jia You had been popular with girls since childhood, and fancied himself as quite knowledgeable about them.
Take Zhao Xuan for example. Though she didn't say anything, he knew she liked him. It was the same for the others - girls who feigned ignorance to ask him questions, girls who addressed him intimately like a brother, he knew what they were thinking even if he didn't say it out loud.
Jian Jing was different.
He couldn't see through her, couldn't get a read on her. Right now for instance, looking each other in the eye, he still had no idea how much she actually liked him.
Cheng Jia You didn't like this feeling. It made him feel very insecure.
So after much hesitation, the words on the tip of his tongue changed shape.
He said, "No need to be so polite between classmates."
The word "classmate" was worth examining. It allowed him to attack or retreat. It could be taken as casual conversation, but also hinted at something more. If she was interested, hearing this term, she might take the initiative. If she wasn't interested, he had already set the boundary of "classmate", so he wouldn't end up in an awkward rejection.
Don't think guys don't have ulterior motives either. Even the most infatuated man has his own agenda.
Unfortunately, Jian Jing didn't get his probing at all, only hearing the literal meaning of "classmate".
Although she couldn't help but wonder why he was suddenly ending it, she more or less understood what the issue was. She briskly nodded: "Okay, goodbye."
"...Goodbye." Cheng Jia You reluctantly bid her farewell, scrambling back to his car, cheeks inexplicably heating up, feeling utterly awkward.
The night was deep.
Jian Jing entered the elevator and leaned against the wall, thinking: this fleeting crush came and went quickly. She didn't even really know why he liked her, but why he gave up was very clear - she wasn't the girl he imagined.
Come to think of it, most guys don't like girls who single-handedly charge criminals.
But she really enjoyed being that kind of girl.
Whether Cheng Jia You liked her or not wasn't important.
By the time the elevator dinged her floor, Jian Jing had completely waved away the slight melancholy, impatient to take a hot bath.
After her bath, her phone showed two missed calls from Kang Mo Cheng.
She called back: "Were you looking for me?"
Kang Mo Cheng started the conversation casually: "Went out to play today?"
"School activity." She chatted relaxingly.
"Did you have fun?" Kang Mo Cheng was also very casual.
Jian Jing laughed: "Yeah, fun."
Catching Zhou Bing gave her an achievement she could gloat over for three years. But she'd better not tell Kang Mo Cheng, or she'd be asking for a scolding.
Kang Mo Cheng misunderstood the reason for her good mood. He hesitated briefly before asking in as calm a tone as possible: "That's good then. By the way, who was that guy next to you? I don't think I've seen him before."
Jian Jing: "Ah!" She understood Kang Mo Cheng's implication.
"Boyfriend?" Kang Mo Cheng asked teasingly.
Jian Jing looked at the clock: "An hour ago he was a boy pursuing me."
Kang Mo Cheng frowned: "What do you mean?"
"I mean, an hour ago, he decided I wasn't good enough and gave up." Jian Jing took it lightheartedly, joking about it, "He didn't think I was good enough."
"Who?" Kang Mo Cheng's voice shot up an octave, "He dumped you?"
Jian Jing said: "I wouldn't say dumped... I didn't agree to date him either. We were just getting to know each other and both felt the other wasn't a good fit." Speaking to someone close, she was more blunt, "To be honest, other than his face, there was nothing worth looking at, and even his face doesn't compare to some others."
Her interactions with Cheng Jia You were more about her interest in the concept of "dating" itself, rather than interest in him as a person.
But the result was nothing like she imagined: the love she fantasized about was instinctive, with mutual attraction between two people. But reality was cool, rational weighing and judging whether two personalities were compatible, whether their conversations had chemistry.
It was practically an arranged date.
"Anyway, it wasn't like I imagined." Jian Jing said, "No fun."
Catching escaped convicts was way more fun.
Kang Mo Cheng was silent.
"President Kang?"
"Tomorrow afternoon, my mom has a tea gathering." Kang Mo Cheng recalled, "Her friend's child is back in the country. I'll bring you to sit for a bit and meet some people."
His mom's friends' kids, they were all familiar faces. Some studied abroad, some started their own businesses, even the wildest were professional party animals, well-versed in eating, drinking and fun.
It would be good for Jian Jing to interact more with them. Even if there was no spark, she could make more friends.
But Jian Jing declined, "I don't want to go. It's only two days of the weekend, I went out today, and I need to write tomorrow."
Kang Mo Cheng: "Work and rest in moderation."
Jian Jing: "I need to work."
Kang Mo Cheng was afraid she was feeling down from being rejected, so he didn't insist: "My mistake, I should have introduced more friends for you to get to know."
Jian Jing pressed her palm to her forehead, as if forced into another round of arranged dates by her parents.
She perfunctorily brushed him off with a couple lines, and uncharacteristically took the initiative to end the call first.
But that still wasn't the end of it.
There were new unread messages on her phone.
Jiang Bai Yan: [Teacher Jing Jing, I finished filming the second season, been at home these two days. When can I treat you to coffee?]
Jiang Bai Yan: [No no, I should treat Teacher Jing Jing to coffee! Teacher must help tutor me!]
Jiang BaiYan: [Teacher JianJing, I'm having such a hard time. Just seeing the password makes me lose IQ points. Can you please give me some extra tutoring lessons?]
Jiang BaiYan: [Kitty kneeling on the ground.JPG]
Jiang BaiYan: [Kitty begging.JPG]
JianJing laughed at his teasing and replied without thinking too much: [OK]
She didn’t respond for more than ten minutes, but Jiang BaiYan immediately replied: [Thank you Teacher JingJing. I’ll check my schedule next week and set up a time with you.]
JianJing knew celebrities have busy schedules and didn’t mind: [Sounds good.]
Jiang BaiYan: [Kitty making a heart sign.JPG]
After settling their business, the chat didn’t stop: [Teacher JingJing, did you go hiking today? Was it fun? There’s a similar variety show that wants me to guest star for an episode and do some flying stunts. Do you think that would be tiring?]
JianJing: [A bit. We had decryption tasks to do.]
Jiang BaiYan: [Then Teacher JingJing must have come in first place! (^U^)ノ~]
JianJing was just thinking it was a shame she had no one to share her joy with today. Seeing the conversation going in this direction, she naturally shared some of today's adventures with him.
Jiang BaiYan spammed her with reaction memes.
[Surprised kitty.JPG]
[Confused kitty.JPG]
[Kneeling kitty.JPG]
Near the end, JianJing suddenly realized something was off: [Your reaction memes seem a bit familiar.]
Jiang BaiYan: [Kitty encountering a cucumber.JPG]
JianJing: [I have a fan who also really likes sending these reaction memes.]
Jiang BaiYan: [Teacher JingJing, my assistant is telling me to go to bed. Good night teacher, see you next week!]
He quickly logged off, but new messages kept coming in.
JiFeng messaged: [Sorry, your money is gone.]
JianJing immediately became alert: [Why?!!]
The amount wasn’t important, the sentimental value was.
JiFeng: [Zhou Bing isn’t a fugitive. We only released a notice for Li Li.]
JianJing: [......]
JiFeng: [Let me take you out for a nice meal.]
JianJing: [Humph.]
JiFeng also felt a little guilty. Unlike previous times deducing the real culprit, today they not only pursued the fugitive but also gold worth millions.
He tried hard: [There's a 30,000 yuan reward for Li Li's information. Let me see if I can get it for you. Do you want the certificate? I asked, and it can add credits to your school record.]
JianJing: [Humph.]
No use.
After considering for a bit, JiFeng opened his phone, took a photo and sent it to her: [This is old Gao, currently in the ICU. He has a very caring wife, and twin daughters who just started elementary school this year.]
She immediately asked: [Is he okay?]
JiFeng: [Still breathing.]
JianJing: [Try to get the 30,000 for me, and put it in a red envelope for him.]
JiFeng couldn't help showing a trace of a smile. He leaned his head back against the stainless steel chair, fatigue gnawing at his nerves like an electric saw.
But he couldn't sleep, at least not until old Gao's wife arrived.
He forced his eyes open and chatted idly with JianJing: [Teacher Jian, I've decided to become your fan. Remember to give me an autograph next time.]
JianJing: [You're too fake.]
JiFeng: [More genuine than gold.]
This wasn't entirely flattery. There may be some braver than her, and some smarter than her, but not many prettier. His compliments came from the heart.
JiFeng: [But there's one thing I'm worried about.]
JianJing: [?]
JiFeng: [People become stupid when they fall in love. Be careful.]
JianJing: "......" She felt like anything related to romance was going wrong today.
Not only did the peach blossoms blow in vain, others didn't seem optimistic either.
This must be what everyone expects - destined to remain single.
But she absolutely could not admit it. She retorted: [Is that why you're still single?]
JiFeng justified himself: [Exactly.]
JianJing: "......"
The two chatted about the case for a few more sentences before the system's settlement finally arrived late.
[Task Name: Find the Gold Robbery Fugitive (Completed)]
[Task Reward: 20 Basic Bravery Points + 10 Special Contribution Points (Capturing a fugitive alone)]
[Note: Bravery points can be used to draw cards (ordinary). Each draw costs 5 points; Contribution points can be used to draw cards (special). Each draw costs 10 points.]
Too tired to look closely, she fell asleep.
*
2 AM.
A haggard woman hurried to the ward. Before she could speak, her eyes reddened: “JiFeng, my old Gao...he...he...” She covered her mouth as tears welled up in her eyes.
“Sister-in-law, old Gao is out of danger,” JiFeng roused himself and reassured her, “It’s not serious, don’t worry.”
The woman’s expression relaxed, and though still anxious, the desperation in her brows lessened: “What happened to him?”
“He was stabbed once and shocked with electricity,” JiFeng explained. Old Gao was very skilled, so Zhou Tong’s stab only injured his back. He was only taken down after being tasered.
He said, “I’ll stay here tonight. Come back tomorrow, the kids need someone to look after them.”
“My sister is watching them at home.” The woman instead urged him to leave, “I’m here now, you should go back and rest. Thank you for taking care of our old Gao.”
JiFeng waved his hand: “It’s nothing.”
“Go home, you need to rest too.” The woman said.
JiFeng didn’t insist further. After exhorting her a couple times, he left for home.
Before even reaching the door, he instinctively lightened his footsteps, twisting the lock open and tiptoeing inside. He was afraid of waking his sleeping sister, not even turning on the lights. He only stood outside her door for a bit.
Rustling laughs and paper pages turning came from inside.
JiFeng was immediately annoyed. He knocked furiously on the door: “Ji YunYun, what time is it? You’re reading novels again?”
The room suddenly went silent.
“Sleep!” Too tired to lecture his sister, he warned her a couple times before returning to his room.
Without the energy to even wash up or change, the consecutive days of intensive work had consumed all his strength. The moment his head hit the pillow, he fell deeply asleep.
In his daze, a figure crept in stealthily, grabbing the blanket folded at the foot of his bed and shaking it out over him.
“Don’t even know to cover yourself with a blanket, yet still lecturing me?” The figure silently complained, but used footsteps as gentle as her brother’s, without making any noise as she left.
This was an ordinary police family, an ordinary yet extraordinary day.
