Chapter Thirty-Five: Malice at Heart

The small house, once dank and musty, now exuded an intoxicating fragrance. The bed was neatly made, every corner upstairs and down had been scrubbed spotless, even the dishes piled in the sink had been meticulously washed. The ashtray gleamed, clothes hung outside in the courtyard—his own shirts and boxers—almost dry in the breeze. In the bathroom sink, a few pairs of socks soaked in water, waiting to be cleaned.

Liu Jingye’s heart gave a fierce twitch; he could almost see Wei Xiaorou bustling about the room.

“So this is what a home feels like?” Liu Jingye lay on the bed, breathing in the delicate scent on his pillow, murmuring contentedly to himself.

He had assumed his encounter with Wei Xiaorou was but a fleeting crossing of stars, a brief moment, but now it seemed otherwise. He didn’t know if she had managed to leave the city safely, or if she might someday return. It appeared she had taken nothing, left nothing behind.

Yet in truth, she had taken with her Liu Jingye’s first stirring of affection, leaving a lingering attachment in his heart.

“A home isn’t a home without a woman.”

Awake now, Liu Jingye, cigarette dangling from his lips, looked at the empty room and felt loneliness for the first time. A fire kindled within him, and he began to look forward to something.

As Li Yue had said, he was a man of deep feelings and loyalty. Though Wei Xiaorou hadn’t shown much, that pure first time was an undeniable fact—one Liu Jingye could not forget.

“Liu Jingye, get out here!”

A woman’s furious shout shattered his reverie, and the door slammed open.

A tall figure appeared, dressed in a water-blue chiffon dress, hem brushing her knees, sheer stockings and high heels, short hair framing a spirited, capable face now flushed with anger.

“Yuan Xiaoying, why is she here again?” Liu Jingye sprang up.

Yuan Xiaoying strode over, eyes flashing, and said, “So this is where you’ve been hiding! Tell me, why haven’t you come to see me these past few days?”

Liu Jingye scratched his head. “Come on, big sister, didn’t we already get married? What else do you need me for?”

Even as he said it, Liu Jingye felt awkward. Yuan Xiaoying gritted her teeth. “You think just having a wedding settles everything? My relatives and friends are still here, you left me standing alone like a fool. They keep asking where the groom went—how am I supposed to answer them?”

“This is way beyond my service contract, isn’t it?” Liu Jingye genuinely wanted nothing more to do with her; the fake marriage was ridiculous enough.

Yuan Xiaoying was livid. “If you’re going to act, you have to see it through. What is this? The groom vanishes right after the wedding? I can’t exactly tell them you ran off to solicit prostitutes and got arrested, can I?”

Cold sweat broke out on Liu Jingye’s forehead. He hadn’t expected her to hit so close to the mark—he really had gone to a bathhouse and brought a woman home.

Just then, Yuan Xiaoying’s expression changed, her fierce demeanor melting into the pitiful, tearful look of a wronged wife. She asked softly, “Do you really dislike seeing me that much? Have you never thought about turning this act into something real?”

Liu Jingye was startled. Her words sounded as though she wanted to take things further, but he’d experienced her mood swings before. One moment angel, the next demon—he’d best not fall for it.

“Big sister, I helped you with something as big as a wedding. What more do you want from me?” Liu Jingye said with a wry smile.

“Since we’re married, we ought to live like husband and wife,” Yuan Xiaoying replied.

“Husband and wife?” Liu Jingye cut straight to the point.

Yuan Xiaoying’s cheeks flushed instantly. She glanced at him and said, “At the very least, you should appear with me in front of relatives and friends these next few days, show some affection, and maybe take me out for shopping, dinner, or a movie.”

Liu Jingye gazed at the bashful Yuan Xiaoying, unable to tell if she was serious or still acting. It sounded like she wanted him to play the part, yet also like a shy girl hinting at a date.

He said earnestly, “Honestly, if you were less attractive—if you were a bit ugly—I’d be very willing to take you shopping and to the movies.”

“What does that mean?” Yuan Xiaoying asked, confused. “Are you saying you can’t ask me out because I’m pretty?”

“That’s right,” Liu Jingye said seriously. “You’re so beautiful, it makes me only want to live like real husband and wife with you!”

“Ugh, pervert!” Yuan Xiaoying scolded him, though secretly she was pleased, proud of her own charm.

Liu Jingye spread his hands, innocent as can be.

“Come on, let’s go on a date,” Yuan Xiaoying said generously. “We’re newlyweds, after all, still in our honeymoon phase.”

She reached out and pulled him up by the arm, chattering as she did, “Hurry up, don’t dawdle like a big man. In this vast sea of people, for the two of us to meet and marry with our friends and family as witnesses—what a stroke of fate, countless missed chances in past lives finally brought us together in this one.”

Liu Jingye hated nagging, and her words gave him a headache. He grumbled, “We must have met in a past life, probably because you left bite marks on me, so you could find me in this one.”

Yuan Xiaoying’s eyes brightened, and she said gently, “Yes, yes—how sweet, how romantic.”

Liu Jingye snorted. “I was Lü Dongbin in my last life.”

“I—” Yuan Xiaoying thought he was about to say something romantic, only to find he was up to mischief. Her anger flared. “Get lost! You’re the dog here!”

Annoyed, Yuan Xiaoying dragged Liu Jingye out the door. He hurriedly asked, “Big sister, what exactly are we doing?”

“I told you—shopping, eating, and watching a movie!” Yuan Xiaoying replied. “What are you so worried about? I’ve married you, haven’t I? Do you really think I’d harm you? Is there no trust left between people?”

Liu Jingye was speechless, thinking to himself, Haven’t you harmed me enough?

They walked quickly to the door. The weather was still poor, the sky gloomy, and the wind was blowing hard.

Being close to the mountains, a sudden gust swept through, lifting Yuan Xiaoying’s chiffon dress and exposing her in an instant.

She squealed, hurriedly pressing her skirt down with both hands, face flushed, glancing at Liu Jingye.

He, unconcerned, lit a cigarette and mimicked her earlier tone, “We’re married now, you’re still wearing leggings. I’m not going to sneak a look—can’t you trust me even this much?”

Yuan Xiaoying was so furious she shoved him straight into the car parked at the door.

Liu Jingye sat down, surprised. “Big sister, you drove a police car for a date? Using a government vehicle for private business is against regulations.”

“I’m not using it privately—I’m on duty,” Yuan Xiaoying said mysteriously.

“On duty?” Liu Jingye was alarmed. “You’re not planning to rope me into helping again, are you?”

“Utilize you?” Yuan Xiaoying scoffed. “You’re just a man, suitable for posing as a groom. What else do you have to offer? This is a police operation. Can you catch thieves or outfight robbers?”

Liu Jingye laughed dismissively. “If it’s a vice sweep, catching a female offender or something, maybe I could manage.”

“In your dreams!” Yuan Xiaoying retorted. “I’m on a top secret mission, assigned to me personally by the leadership. I’m the only one who knows about it.”

She boasted as if only she could handle it, as if the world depended on her.

Liu Jingye ignored her and eyed the steering wheel, itching to drive. “Can I take it for a spin?”

Cars, guns, and women—the trinity of male passions.

But Liu Jingye was clueless when it came to cars, a born menace on the road, unable to learn no matter how hard he tried.

Yuan Xiaoying, unaware of this hidden danger, laughed at him. “What’s the matter, little man? Did you dream of being a cop since childhood, driving a police car to battle evil and keep the world safe?”

“Absolutely,” Liu Jingye grinned foolishly, eager to drive.

Yuan Xiaoying got out, disdainful, and Liu Jingye was thrilled, taking the driver’s seat and gripping the wheel, his excitement palpable.

It was a large, automatic sedan. Liu Jingye had never driven one, but he knew the basics—start the engine, shift gears, step on the accelerator.

He looked at Yuan Xiaoying as she buckled up in the passenger seat and said, “Driving is simple!”

With that, he stomped on the gas. The car shot forward like a cannonball, nearly tossing Yuan Xiaoying out the window. She screamed, “Slow down! Slow down! Do you even know how to drive?”

The speed, combined with her shouting, made Liu Jingye nervous, especially as they reached an intersection in the blink of an eye, cars whizzing by on the ring road.

Yuan Xiaoying panicked, shouting, “Stop! Stop!”

Liu Jingye, frantic, lifted his foot, but the car’s momentum was still strong. Yuan Xiaoying was almost out of the car, and at that moment, he couldn’t tell the accelerator from the brake.

In a flash of inspiration, she yelled, “Step on the accelerator!”

“Screech—” The brakes shrieked, the car came to a hard stop, narrowly missing a tanker truck.

“Typical road hazard: mistaking accelerator for brake, brake for accelerator,” Yuan Xiaoying wiped the sweat from her brow, still shaken. “Luckily the speed wasn’t too high, or if the airbags had deployed, that would’ve been trouble.”

“What, afraid they’ll damage your silicone implants?” Liu Jingye joked, shamelessly teasing her.

Yuan Xiaoying glanced at her chest and snapped, “These are the real deal!”

Liu Jingye laughed. “I can tell—if you padded with silicone and were still this size, that would be fraud.”

“Get out!” Flatness was Yuan Xiaoying’s greatest sore spot; her chest had stopped growing at sixteen, a persistent thorn in her side.