Chapter 83: Delivery to the Door

Liu Jingye was at a loss, his face streaked with embarrassment as he forced a smile, inwardly thinking, "I've heard that finding a partner is hard nowadays, and marriage even harder. One must cherish the process, but I never expected it to be so daunting."

"In times like these, especially if your family has a daughter—an exquisitely beautiful daughter—that is the greatest asset." Liu Jingye took a swig of beer and sighed inwardly, "People used to say raising a girl meant losing money, but with the progress of society, daughters have become hot commodities. Not only do they retain their value, they even appreciate. Some stunning girls are priceless. Everyone blames the sky-high housing prices, but in truth, much of this is due to mother-in-laws' insatiable demands."

"Once, they said the mother-in-law grows increasingly fond of her son-in-law; now, she grows increasingly fond of the house."

"Bridal chamber, bridal chamber—the woman emerges from her chamber, the man from his house!"

Liu Jingye muttered with a bitter smile. Lin Shengnan pretended not to hear, stood up, and hurriedly tossed out, "Take care," before leaving.

At the door, Lin Shengnan let out a long breath, glanced back to confirm he hadn’t followed, then whispered in relief, "That scared me. I almost agreed just now. That rascal suddenly confessed his feelings—who knows if it was genuine? My demand for a million in bride price and a house might have frightened him... Oh well, let things happen as they may!"

Lin Shengnan left, deeply conflicted. Women are creatures of sentiment. If you find yourself in ambiguous terms with one, and late one night you call her, hesitating, saying, "I... actually... you’re really quite wonderful... Never mind, I won’t say it. Goodbye!"—after such words, she’ll spend the night sleepless, tossing and turning, speculating endlessly.

It was getting late; Liu Jingye didn’t continue shadowing Lin Shengnan around her territory. Roaming the underworld wasn’t his main occupation; he had his own business to attend to.

Liu Jingye hopped onto a three-wheeler to head home. There were few cars on the road at night, but the three-wheeler was slow. Strangely, a black sedan followed behind, keeping pace, neither overtaking nor falling behind.

"This is such amateur tailing," Liu Jingye chuckled bitterly.

It was obvious he was being followed, always at a certain distance. He couldn’t see inside the car but suspected it was someone sent by Huang Guangzong—perhaps even a Japanese agent.

Just as Liu Jingye was preparing to teach them a lesson, the car suddenly turned at an intersection, reversed direction, and sped off.

"What’s going on now?" Liu Jingye was baffled. Lighting a cigarette, he gazed at the empty road and mused, "Things are getting more interesting."

Halfway home, Liu Jingye’s phone rang. It was Yuan Xiaoying, calling in excitement: "I’ve made a big contribution! The leadership praised me, said I inherited my family's proud tradition of police work, said I solved the murder case like Holmes, Conan, and Kindaichi all rolled into one—but I know, the credit isn’t mine alone, not just one person..."

Liu Jingye wiped sweat from his brow and said, "Why not come over to my place later? We can drink beer and watch football?"

"I’m busy, no time!" Yuan Xiaoying replied, "I still have to interrogate the murderer. Under my relentless questioning, he’s admitted his motive was related to the victim’s bioengineering research, but he denies any collusion with the Japanese company—claims it was a solo act to monopolize the patent."

"But we’ve checked his background and accounts. Besides studying in Japan, a large sum recently appeared in his account, so it’s not as simple as he claims. I’ll have to ramp things up and use my secret weapon..."

"Secret weapon after the relentless interrogation? Is it the Lightning Dragon Drill, Desert Storm, Ants on a Tree, World Tour, Flying Man, or Heart Locking Red Rope?" Liu Jingye asked in amazement.

Yuan Xiaoying sneered, "You seem to know the tricks. When I have time, I’ll show you the full set."

"Great, I’d love that!" Liu Jingye replied cheerfully.

"Love nothing!" Yuan Xiaoying suddenly snapped. "Listen, my first-class merit has been approved by the city bureau, just waiting for provincial confirmation, and headquarters will issue a special commendation. Promotion is certain—rumor has it I might become deputy director and oversee law enforcement and anti-vice campaigns."

"So, if you dare visit those places and I catch you, I’ll make you pay!"

"If you really come after me, I wouldn’t dare go," Liu Jingye said.

"Enough nonsense, I’m really busy. Once it’s handled, I’ll come find you. There’ll be plenty in it for you, you rascal!" Yuan Xiaoying suddenly spoke sweetly, already mastering the art of balancing reward and discipline before even becoming a leader.

Liu Jingye advised, "You’re young and rising fast. Though your father backs you, don’t get arrogant or complacent. The higher you climb, the harder you fall. Also, being a leader isn’t easy—you need tolerance, withstand pressure from above, watch out for backstabbing below, learn to handle friction, become diplomatic, hold monthly meetings..."

Yuan Xiaoying listened in silence, then softly said, "You make sense, but somehow it sounds sinister coming from you."

Liu Jingye grinned slyly, "The simplest truths lead to the same destination."

"Whatever, I’m hanging up. Be good. When I become a leader, I’ll come find you, and you’ll be—" Yuan Xiaoying boasted proudly.

Liu Jingye gritted his teeth, "A cadre’s family member is a family member, not a privileged child!"

"It’s all the same," Yuan Xiaoying replied breezily. "Come on, give your sister a kiss."

Liu Jingye wasn’t accustomed to public displays of affection over the phone, especially with the three-wheeler driver nearby. He awkwardly patted the phone’s receiver, prompting Yuan Xiaoying to burst out laughing, "Are you kissing me or bowing?"

Liu Jingye abruptly hung up. Given Yuan Xiaoying’s personality and her fluctuating sense of propriety, he found himself worried for the police bureau.

The three-wheeler jolted along; Liu Jingye, having drunk quite a bit, felt a sudden urge to relieve himself. He rushed into his family inn and pushed open the bathroom door.

Suddenly, a flash of white light startled him—a person inside, obviously not wearing anything.

"Ah... pervert!" Before Liu Jingye could see clearly, the woman shrieked, grabbed a towel, shampoo, and soap dish, and hurled them at him.

Liu Jingye reacted swiftly. He’d recently experienced a similar incident that brought endless trouble.

"One mustn’t stumble twice in the same place."

He quickly slammed the door shut. As for the woman inside, he had no desire to look—there’s no such thing as a free lunch, nor a free glimpse of a woman.

Bang, bang, bang—several noises sounded against the door, and Liu Jingye frowned, hearing a peculiar thump among them.

"That’s definitely not the sound of shampoo or a soap dish hitting the door—plastic doesn’t make such a dull noise," Liu Jingye pondered. Moreover, "Though I rushed in, I didn’t hear any sound beforehand. Even if she wasn’t showering, drying off would have made noise—my ears wouldn’t miss it."

Besides, he recalled locking both the iron gate and the front door before leaving. How had she entered?

Liu Jingye narrowed his eyes, sensing something amiss. He drank a glass of cold water to clear his head, lit a cigarette, and glared at her from outside.

Soon, a woman appeared, wrapped only in a towel, her wet hair cascading down. This look was one of the most alluring images in a man’s mind.

Liu Jingye glanced at her face—young and beautiful, especially her enchanting almond eyes, seductive and captivating. Her slightly upturned red lips curved into a smile before she spoke, drawing people in.

But Liu Jingye didn’t linger on her beauty. He swept his gaze coolly, stood up, and said, "Move aside, move aside, I can’t hold it any longer."

The woman hesitated, instinctively stepping aside. Liu Jingye dashed into the bathroom and firmly locked the door.

Steam filled the bathroom, scented with shower gel. While running the water, Liu Jingye glanced at the door and soon noticed an indentation.

He touched it, squinting as he thought, "This was clearly made by a knife, forceful enough to nearly pierce the wooden door. The woman seemed panicked, tossing random items, but actually concealed a deadly intent, trying to strike while I was distracted by her nakedness."

He deduced the knife must have been hidden beneath the towel she threw. Fortunately, he’d practiced with Yuan Xiaoying before and understood the consequences, so he closed the door just in time—otherwise, it would have been dangerous indeed.

"Is this woman an assassin from that 'Black Sun' organization?" Liu Jingye wondered. "They are reputed to avenge every grudge. The driver who abducted the school bus and helped Huang Xing escape was likely one of them, killed by my hand, and now they’ve come for revenge."

"If they’ve come to die, I’ll oblige." Liu Jingye gripped the pistol in his pocket, but suddenly realized something and let go. "Assassin organizations are meticulous; they wouldn’t send just one killer, and since they avoid direct confrontation, they must fear me. If she has accomplices nearby, shooting her could provoke a fierce counterattack. The neighbors are ordinary people—if they get caught up, it would be bad."

Liu Jingye analyzed calmly, forcing himself to stay composed. Now he’d identified the female assassin, but she didn’t know he’d seen through her. He decided to probe her background before making a move.

But when Liu Jingye exited the bathroom, he discovered another person had appeared in the room.