LUO WENZHOU HAD just arrived when a colleague said in his earpiece, “Sergeant Luo, the suspect’s been captured, and she’s identified Xu Wenchao as her accomplice. Can we apply for an arrest warrant now?”
“Yes. Notify the boys keeping watch over Xu Wenchao. Don’t let him get away.” Luo Wenzhou helped carry Chenchen into the ambulance, then turned toward Su Luozhan, who was in police custody. “Do you know where Qu Tong is?” he asked.
Su Luozhan’s only response was to shake her head at him. A corner of her small, delicate mouth twitched briefly upward, as if she’d remembered something; then, as though she herself realized what she’d done, she made a show of lowering her head very meekly.
Luo Wenzhou had mentally prepared himself when he saw the music box, but looking at this girl still gave rise to an uncomfortable feeling in his chest. His gaze swept over her wavy hair and thick eyelashes, and he felt a sudden hint of absurd, unnamable sadness.
He waved his hand, signaling his colleagues to take Su Luozhan into the police car. When he turned back to the ambulance, a few first responders were taking care of the injury on Chenchen’s forehead and quietly asking her questions.
Chenchen’s family had arrived as soon as they could, and her mother’s legs went numb with the sudden, breathless feeling of finding something she’d lost; she nearly fell to her knees. Her husband steadied her, and their brief outbreak of finger-pointing and placing blame immediately melted away. Holding each other, they walked toward their daughter.
Nearly eight hours after she disappeared, the police finally found Zhang Yuchen in one piece, with only superficial injuries—although she’d suffered a horrific fright. This was a miracle.
After a night of work, they’d at least found one.
Heaving a sigh, Luo Wenzhou raised a hand out of habit…but his partner, who usually returned his high fives, left him hanging. Turning around awkwardly, Luo Wenzhou realized that Tao Ran was standing next to Chang Ning, who was crying. Saying something to her in a low, comforting voice, Tao Ran handed her a handkerchief.
Faced with this beautiful woman, Deputy Tao had completely forgotten his partner. Luo Wenzhou couldn’t believe it. What had happened to “bros before hoes”?!
While Luo Wenzhou was gaping at Tao Ran, someone else high-fived his still-outstretched hand. Luo Wenzhou looked toward them in surprise, only to see that the injured CEO Fei Du, his arm still in a sling, had strolled to his side. For some reason, Fei Du had stooped to performing such a frivolous act.
Fei Du slowly put his hand back in his pocket, then looked at Luo Wenzhou with something that could’ve been a smile. “Tch. How childish, Sergeant Luo.”
Not knowing what to say, Luo Wenzhou watched this non-employee duck into his car. Fei Du crossed his legs, waiting for the driver to come start the car for him. Going by his years of experience flirting and reading between the lines, Luo Wenzhou could have sworn that Fei Du’s voice and expression had had an inappropriately teasing undertone.
Give some people an inch, and they’ll take a mile, Luo Wenzhou thought disbelievingly. No—a light-year!