Chapter 7

Lu Jiu had no doubt about this—though the little girl loved to play, she always ranked in the top five of her grade. 

And even if she didn’t take her to rent the novel, Lu Xinxin could easily borrow more from her classmates. 

Thinking of this, and also remembering that she still owed that police officer a thank you, Lu Jiu agreed. 

— 

At the City Bureau. 

Across the street . 

sitting in the car, Lu Jiu looked at her niece in disbelief. “You mean we’re just going to wait here?” 

Lu Xinxin, her whole demeanor cheerful after renting her desired novel, replied, “Yeah!” 

Lu Jiu was speechless. “Didn’t you say you knew him?” 

Lu Xinxin said, “I do know him! I’ve run into him several times.” 

What kind of “knowing” was this? Lu Jiu, who had a good temper, nearly wanted to knock on the little girl’s head. “But what if he doesn’t come out, or isn’t even at the bureau?” 

This made Lu Xinxin hesitate. “Hmm… really? Maybe we should wait for half an hour first? Who knows, maybe you two are fated, and he’ll come out right away!” 

Lu Jiu was at a loss for words at her niece’s astonishing logic. 

However, just as she was wondering what to say, something even more surprising happened. 

The previously quiet entrance of the City Bureau suddenly burst open, and three or four men rushed out. 

One of them, broad-shouldered, tall, and with long legs, was instantly recognizable to Lu Jiu. 

But before she could get out of the car, he had already driven away, leaving only the sharp and urgent sound of a police siren behind… 

Lu Xinxin murmured, “Am I really that accurate?” Then she excitedly added, “Auntie, it’s fate!” 

Lu Jiu… 

— 

Chapter 04

“Boss, did you see that BMW just now? Those lines, that chassis, it was so cool! I really wish I could sit in it and hear the engine roar,” Luo Wei said, sprawled against the jeep’s window, watching until the last hint of pink disappeared before reluctantly pulling back. 

Wei Shian was also a car enthusiast, but judging by the color, he guessed the owner was a young woman, so he didn’t feel like discussing it. Instead, he closed his eyes, thinking about the mass murder case they had just received. 

Meanwhile, Wei Ping, who was driving, habitually analyzed, “Forget it, that kind of imported sports car costs at least over a million yuan, enough to buy five apartments in the new district, each over a hundred square meters. None of our friends could afford something like that.” 

Luo Wei protested, “Why does Deputy Team Leader Wei always have to be such a wet blanket? Haven’t you heard about the latest lottery? I’ve already decided that if I win, I’ll buy a sports car first.” 

The burly Yan Hanhai, who hadn’t spoken yet, asked in confusion, “What’s the lottery?” 

“How do you know so little, Lao Yan? Is the army that isolated? The lottery is…” Luo Wei went on to give a detailed explanation to his colleague, who had recently transferred from the military, and then encouraged, “So, do you want to try it out?” 

Yan Hanhai didn’t rush to answer, instead asking, “Have you bought a ticket?” 

Frugal Luo Wei, who was saving up for a dowry, awkwardly replied, “…not yet.” 

At this, the group fell silent. 

Luo Wei, a bit embarrassed, stubbornly added, “Actually, I’m in a dilemma. Each ticket costs two yuan, and it would be a waste if I don’t win. But then I think, what if the God of Fortune takes a liking to me, and I don’t even give Him a chance—isn’t that a bit disrespectful?” 

Wei Ping teased, “Then you should definitely give it a try. How about I sponsor your two yuan?” 

“That won’t work. If we win, whose prize would it be—yours or mine?” 

Wei Ping was laughing so hard he was about to continue teasing when he suddenly noticed a flash of pink in the rearview mirror. Surprised, he said, “Oh, are they heading the same way as us?” 

Sitting in the passenger seat, Wei Shian opened his eyes and glanced at the rearview mirror, where he indeed saw that pink sports car steadily following behind them. 

Lu Jiu and her niece were equally surprised. 

After a few more turns, with the two cars still following each other, the high school girl had already imagined a ten-thousand-word romantic story in her head. 

However, Lu Jiu sensed that something wasn’t quite right. 

From what she knew, officers who weren’t in uniform were usually criminal investigators. Plus, there were two police cars leading the way ahead of the jeep. 

It seemed like there had been a serious crime. 

With that thought, Lu Jiu slowly furrowed her brows. 

— 

At the same time, at the Li family villa: 

Upon hearing that their in-laws were coming, Liu Yue (Li Ze’s Mother) personally went into the kitchen to cook a few of her future daughter-in-law’s favorite dishes. 

Watching his wife bustling about, almost eager enough to greet them at the community entrance, Li Yuanzhi (Li Ze’s Father) muttered, “Look at how excited you are. You’ve never been this attentive to me or our son.” 

Liu Yue just smiled without responding, but in her heart, she dismissed his words. 

She wouldn’t compare her husband or son to Peony. 

To her, Peony was special. 

When Li Yuanzhi first started as a construction foreman and struck it rich, he became arrogant, indulging in alcohol and women, and who knows how many women he had been with. 

Liu Yue had cried and fought, but nothing ever changed. 

Her son was dutiful, but he was always off playing with the local kids, climbing trees and swimming in rivers. 

In her darkest moments, the one who stayed with her the most was the little Peony from next door, who was just a few years old at the time. 

The little girl, as delicate as a carved jade doll, didn’t do much—she simply stayed by Liu Yue’s side quietly. 

When Liu Yue was at her most sorrowful, crying, the little girl would reach out with her chubby hands to wipe her tears and comfort her with a soft, childlike voice, “Don’t cry, don’t cry.” 

That period of life, which was like a living hell, lasted for two years for Liu Yue. 

Looking back, she often thought that if it hadn’t been for Peony’s companionship, with her tendency to bottle everything up inside rather than confide in others, she might have done something extreme. 

As time went on and her husband’s business grew, Liu Yue, having passed the years of romantic idealism, began to see things differently. 

She had money, a son, and spent her days enjoying tea, playing cards, shopping, and taking care of herself. The future seemed perfect, especially with Peony becoming her daughter-in-law. Life couldn’t get any better. 

As for her husband, who had now settled down and planned to be a good husband… well, who cared? 

With these thoughts, Liu Yue couldn’t sit still. She got up again and went outside to wait for their guests. 

This time, she wasn’t left waiting for long. 

But as she watched her old friends get out of the car, their expressions serious, Liu Yue felt a pang of dread. 

“What’s wrong? Didn’t Peony come?” Liu Yue asked directly, given the close relationship between the two families. 

Faced with the situation, Fang Wenyi felt uneasy. But she couldn’t bear to see her daughter suffer, so she forced a smile and explained, “She’s busy with something.”