Chapter 13: The Beautiful Policewoman

Ye Fei had drunk quite a bit, burdened by his worries. When he left, the smell of alcohol clung to him.

"Qianqian, Seventh Brother, Xiaoyang... I’ve let you all down..." Ye Fei lamented silently, not wanting to go home so early. Seeing the vibrant night market, he wandered toward it.

"Clothes on clearance, only thirty yuan each!"

"Authentic Xinjiang lamb skewers!"

...

"Robbery!"

Suddenly, a loud cry rang out, causing a commotion in the crowd. A thin young man sprinted through the throng, and many people hesitated to stop him.

"Someone, please help stop the criminal!" A female police officer pursued the thief relentlessly, calling for help from the bystanders.

"Out of my way! Damn it, I’ll kill you!"

"Move, damn it!"

The young man shouted viciously as he ran, his menacing aura forcing everyone to yield. Even those who dared to intervene were slashed twice with his knife, left bleeding and afraid to meddle further.

By chance, the young man dashed in Ye Fei’s direction.

"Move, damn it!" The youth, spotting Ye Fei walking absentmindedly, shoved him aside with a curse.

Yet as the young man reached for him, Ye Fei retaliated. Reacting after the other but acting faster, he seized the young man’s wrist before he could make contact, twisting it until the bone snapped with a sickening crack.

The young man screamed like a slaughtered pig, clutching his broken hand in agony.

Without hesitation, Ye Fei kicked him to the ground, tossing the thin blade he’d snatched onto the pavement before the fallen youth. He cast a cold glance at him; were it not for the public setting, the man would already be a corpse.

The young man glared hatefully at Ye Fei, not with fear but with a wild, animalistic madness in his eyes, like a beast devoid of humanity.

Ye Fei frowned slightly, disliking that gaze. This was a lunatic, capable of anything, and while Ye Fei feared nothing for himself, he worried such a person might bring harm to those nearby. He was about to ensure the young man wouldn’t live long.

"Wait!"

The female officer finally arrived, calling out to stop him.

"I’m Zhao Dan, an officer from the Huxin District Station. Thank you, sir, for helping us apprehend the criminal," Zhao Dan said as she called her colleagues to the scene.

Ye Fei glanced at the youth, realizing his chance to act had passed. He looked at Zhao Dan and replied coolly, "No need to thank me; it was nothing."

With that, Ye Fei prepared to leave.

"Sir, please wait," Zhao Dan called after him. "Sir, could you please come with me and give a statement?"

Ye Fei turned to look at her. Zhao Dan was indeed beautiful, no less so than Su Xue or that other stunning CEO. Yet Ye Fei had no desire to be involved with the police—not out of fear, but simply because he disliked trouble.

"Officer, I haven’t broken any laws. Why must I go to the station? I really don’t have time to waste. If I’d known helping catch a criminal would be such a hassle, I would’ve let him get away," Ye Fei said.

"You—police and citizens working together is just protocol, sir. We only want to understand the situation, not treat you as a suspect. Once you’ve given your statement, you can leave. Please don’t worry; you won’t be troubled at all," Zhao Dan explained.

"No need. I really don’t have time for a statement. You saw what happened yourself—whatever I might say would be the same," Ye Fei said, seeing that Zhao Dan’s colleagues had arrived and wanting even less to stay.

"You..." Zhao Dan was frustrated by Ye Fei’s uncooperativeness. Police worked for people like him, and yet he refused to cooperate, but when trouble struck, people always turned to the police. Zhao Dan fumed inwardly.

"Zhao Dan, what’s wrong? Who’s this guy?" a male officer asked, noticing Zhao Dan’s unhappy expression and eyeing Ye Fei sternly.

"Captain Chen, what’s happening?" other officers, unsure of Ye Fei’s identity, inquired.

"It’s nothing. He helped me catch the robber. I just wanted him to give a statement as a witness," Zhao Dan hastily explained, fearing her colleagues might mistake Ye Fei for a suspect.

So that was it. Chen Jie looked at Ye Fei and said, "Sir, please cooperate with the police."

"Forget it," Zhao Dan interjected, recalling that Ye Fei had helped her. Since he was unwilling, she decided to let it go.

Seeing that they were willing to drop it, Ye Fei turned and walked away. He hadn’t gone far when the beautiful policewoman caught up.

"I’m sorry for the trouble earlier. My colleague’s attitude wasn’t the best, either. I hope you won’t mind," Zhao Dan apologized sincerely.

Confronted with such genuine courtesy, Ye Fei could no longer keep a stern face. He cast a glance at Chen Jie and the others in the distance, then looked calmly at Zhao Dan. "Forget it. At least you still have some warmth. I didn’t help the wrong person. If it had been your Captain Chen, I might not have stepped in at all."

Zhao Dan laughed merrily.

"Hello, let’s meet properly. My name is Zhao Dan," she said, extending her hand. For some reason, she felt drawn to Ye Fei’s presence and wanted to know him better; otherwise, she wouldn’t have chased after him to apologize and introduce herself anew.

"Ye Fei," he replied, shaking her hand lightly.

"I saw you take down that criminal earlier. You’re quite skilled!" Zhao Dan remarked with keen interest.

"Just some casual training. It wouldn’t matter against a real master," Ye Fei replied.

"Ye Fei, give me your number! I’d like to treat you to a meal sometime to thank you for your help today," Zhao Dan said, mustering her courage. After speaking, she felt anxious, fearing rejection or wondering what he might think of her.

Ye Fei was taken aback; he hadn’t expected this beautiful woman to ask for his number on their first meeting. Maybe she was interested in him? he mused.

But then he frowned in frustration and said helplessly, "Actually, I don’t have a phone."

Sensing Zhao Dan might misunderstand, Ye Fei quickly added, "I just got back from another province, had all my money swindled, and only just found a job. I’m still staying with a friend."

At first, Zhao Dan thought she’d been turned down, but hearing his explanation, she believed him and offered comfort. "You were swindled? Can I help? If you need anything, please don’t hesitate—after all, you helped me just now."

"It’s nothing, just a bit of money. It’s been a while, and reporting it would be a hassle," Ye Fei said with broad-minded ease. After all, the story was a fabrication; pursuing it would only cause trouble.

"All right, then. A few thousand yuan, with so much time passed, it would be difficult to track down," Zhao Dan conceded.

"But if you really need help, don’t hesitate. By the way, where do you work? Next time, let me treat you to a meal."

Zhao Dan’s warmth made Ye Fei wonder if she might be his long-lost sister.

"I work at Tianxiang Corporation here in the city—as a security guard," Ye Fei replied.

"Tianxiang Corporation? Got it, I’ll remember that," Zhao Dan said, nodding seriously as if committing the address to memory. Ye Fei was tempted to tell her, "You don’t have to be so earnest!"

In the distance, Chen Jie’s face darkened seeing how close Zhao Dan and Ye Fei seemed.

"Captain Chen, that guy’s getting awfully chummy with Zhao Dan. Should we go over and break it up?" asked another officer.

Chen Jie’s affection for Zhao Dan was well known in the department, and his father was the deputy chief—his influence considerable. Many, knowing they couldn’t win Zhao Dan’s favor, used the opportunity to curry favor with Chen Jie instead.

"Let it be. Don’t cause trouble in front of Xiao Dan. Lao Zhou, look into that guy’s background later, but keep it discreet," Chen Jie ordered gravely.

"Don’t worry, Captain Chen. No one will know," Lao Zhou replied obsequiously, exchanging knowing glances with his colleagues. They all smiled meaningfully.

"Goodbye, Ye Fei. I have to bring the criminal in for questioning," Zhao Dan said with a smile.

"Bye," Ye Fei waved, his drunkenness now mostly dissipated. Checking the time, he set out for home.

...

"Ye Fei, you’re back."

"You reek of alcohol—did you go drinking?"

"Go take a shower right now! You stink, and you’re not coming out until you’re clean. The whole house smells like booze because of you."

As Ye Fei entered the house, Su Xue caught the scent of alcohol and immediately pinched her nose in disgust.

"I only had a little, I’m not even drunk," Ye Fei protested, but still hurried into the bathroom.