Chapter 29 : Didn’t You Just Call Me Husband? Why Are You Calling Me Brother Now?

Song Zhiyi thought she would be thinking about the article she hadn’t finished and might not sleep well, possibly even staying up all night.

But as soon as the lights in the room were turned off, sleepiness hit her.

She slept soundly until the next morning, when Chen Mo woke her up.

Chen Mo, holding her laptop, first knocked on Song Zhiyi’s bedroom door. When he didn’t hear any response from inside, he knocked again.

“Song Zhiyi?” Chen Mo knocked two more times.

“…”

Could it be that she had already left?

But her laptop was still here.

“I’m coming in.” Chen Mo said as he opened the door.

A small bump could be seen on the bed, with the blanket covering her entirely, curled up into a ball.

Her head wasn’t even showing, almost like a body wrapped up, which reminded him of the times he had seen wrapped-up corpses.

Chen Mo walked over, placed the laptop on the small desk, then pulled back the blanket to reveal Song Zhiyi’s head.

The sudden bright light made her brows twitch. She squinted one eye at him, her sleepy eyes struggling to focus.

“Who is it…” she asked, looking at the person who suddenly appeared in her bedroom, still half-asleep.

“?”

Was she still half-asleep or had she become so disoriented that she didn’t even recognize him?

It somehow triggered Chen Mo’s annoyance.

They had known each other for so long, and she had even been living in his house for six months, yet she still didn’t recognize him?

“I’m your husband,” Chen Mo said, standing by her bed, his expression indifferent.

He had kindly woken her up, yet he felt irritated!

“Husband…?”

Song Zhiyi softly repeated the words, and then her brain, slowly rebooting, quickly woke her up. She hurriedly sat up.

“What time is it? I’m not late, am I?”

Chen Mo didn’t answer.

Song Zhiyi looked up and met his deep, aggressive eyes.

“You…”

Why was he staring at her so fiercely so early in the morning?

Song Zhiyi didn’t understand, but with the way he was looking at her, she didn’t dare move.

“ Brother Chen Mo .”

Chen Mo didn’t move, and neither did Song Zhiyi.

So, she carefully broke the silence.

“…”

“What are you doing?” Song Zhiyi asked anxiously. “Please don’t scare me so early in the morning! I didn’t secretly write last night.”

“You just called me ‘husband,’ why are you calling me ‘brother’ now?”

When Song Zhiyi had called him “husband,” her soft, delicate voice had stirred something in him.

“???”

Song Zhiyi was stunned for a moment, recalling what had just happened.

She probably, maybe, most likely… had called him that?

“It’s all your fault for misleading me!” She had been so sleepy at the time, she didn’t even remember what she had said.

Song Zhiyi pushed him, “I need to change clothes! I’m going to be late.”

“No rush, it’s only seven.”

Chen Mo was pushed out of the bedroom, and the door slammed shut with a ‘bang.’

He pursed his lips.

She would call him “husband” again one day.

…

Over the past three days, Song Zhiyi felt like she had slept the best last night. After breakfast, she happily went to the newspaper office.

She finished the article she hadn’t completed yesterday, carefully checked it a few times, and then sent it to Su Hong.

“Zhiyi, you’ve worked hard these days.” At lunch in the cafeteria, Lin Qiqi made her a cup of coffee, “Drink it to refresh yourself. I’ll give you a massage.”

Ever since three days ago, when Lin Qiqi got so many signed photos from Ling Xingyu, she had become Song Zhiyi’s personal assistant.

“You’ve got dark circles under your eyes, you’re not looking your best.” Since the anti-drug campaign was in full swing, Song Zhiyi’s article had to be finished quickly.

She must have stayed up all night writing!

“Actually, I slept pretty well last night.” If Chen Mo hadn’t forced her to sleep, she wouldn’t be so energized today.

“Then I…”

“Xiao Song.” Su Hong suddenly appeared, “I’ve read the article you gave me. It’s pretty good.”

Considering she was just an intern, it was indeed very good.

There were many highlights!

“We’re doing a magazine on the anti-drug campaign. Do you still have contact with Ling Xingyu’s agent? We need to send them a copy.”

Since Ling Xingyu was one of the initiators, it was necessary to send him one.

“Okay.”

Song Zhiyi opened her phone, found Jiang Xu’s WeChat, and Lin Qiqi eagerly leaned over to look.

Song Zhiyi: [Miss Jiang, our newspaper will send you a copy of the anti-drug magazine next week. Could you send me your address?]

As soon as she sent the message, a red exclamation mark flashed in front of the green box.

There was a gray message:

Jiang Xiaoxu has enabled friend verification. You are not her friend yet. Would you like to send a friend request?

Song Zhiyi & Lin Qiqi: “?”

“Wow, this agent’s attitude is shocking!” Lin Qiqi was furious. “What kind of person is this, burning bridges after crossing them!”

“I don’t understand either…” Song Zhiyi frowned. They had just cooperated for an interview three days ago, yet after the interview, she immediately deleted her?

“My husband is so unlucky to be working with such an agent.” Lin Qiqi clenched her fist.

Song Zhiyi had gotten the signed photos for her, so she was her best sister. Even if Jiang Xu was Ling Xingyu’s agent, she shouldn’t treat people like this!

“I’ll try adding her again.”

Song Zhiyi tried to add Jiang Xu’s WeChat again and explained her purpose.

However, the whole afternoon passed with no reply.

It was clear that Jiang Xu was deliberately ignoring her.

“Well, never mind. Maybe it’s not necessary to send it after all.” Su Hong adjusted her glasses and said indifferently.

“Okay.”

As she turned to leave, Su Hong frowned.

She knew that the little fresh meat (Ling Xingyu) wasn’t reliable. He clearly didn’t care about the campaign.

At least, she likely wouldn’t have to deal with him again.

Buzz—

Suddenly, Song Zhiyi’s phone on the desk vibrated. Lin Qiqi rushed over, “Zhiyi, Zhiyi, your phone is buzzing! Check if that agent added you!”

“No…” Song Zhiyi picked up the phone.

It was a message from Chen Mo.

Brother Chen Mo: [I have a task, can’t pick you up. Go home early.]

Song Zhiyi: [Okay, stay safe.]

Brother Chen Mo: [Mm.]

“Is your ‘wolf friend’ going on a mission?” Lin Qiqi sneakily peeked at the message.

“Mm…” Song Zhiyi put the phone away.

Every time Chen Mo went on a mission, she would be quite worried.

She feared that he might end up like Song Qi.

Or worse…

But she couldn’t do anything to help.

“Since it’s Friday, let me take you out for barbecue!” Lin Qiqi had promised last time, a signed photo in exchange for a barbecue meal.

“He asked me to go home early.”

Lin Qiqi: “…”

Girl, you’re too obedient!

Thankfully, her boyfriend was a solid, upstanding cop. If it were any other man, Song Zhiyi probably wouldn’t even know how badly she might end up.

“After eating, just go home. I’m worried you’ll start thinking too much if you’re alone.”

Lin Qiqi could tell that Song Zhiyi had been tense ever since she heard about Chen Mo going on a mission.

“Let’s go, after we eat, I’ll take you home.”

“Eh…”

Song Zhiyi was dragged along to a Korean BBQ restaurant.

On a Friday night, the restaurant was crowded with mostly young couples or families eating out.

“We should just order the two-person set,” Song Zhiyi scanned the menu on her phone and suggested.

“The two-person set is so cheap, only 109 yuan…” Lin Qiqi took a sip of lemon tea, “Will it be enough for us?”

“It should be enough for me.”

She had a small appetite and had always eaten little since she was young.

“Well, with your tiny appetite,” Lin Qiqi complained, “Comparing myself to you, I feel like every time I eat, it’s like I’m a pig.”

Lin Qiqi would often get hungry well before lunch, and when she went to the cafeteria, her bowl was always much bigger than anyone else’s. If the cafeteria auntie was shaking while serving, she’d ask for more.

While others ate elegantly, she seemed to devour food like a famished ghost.

“No need for a mirror to know what I look like when I eat…”

“Calling it pig-like is a bit much, but you really don’t look great when eating,” Song Zhiyi said bluntly after thinking for a moment.

“…”

Lin Qiqi raised an eyebrow, “Didn’t think you’d be so straightforward, with how soft and gentle you usually are.”

Lin Qiqi grilled the meat for them, claiming she was giving Song Zhiyi a “full-service” experience, almost feeding her directly.

As Song Zhiyi ate, she checked her phone every now and then, but there were no new messages, not from Chen Mo or Jiang Xu.

By the time they finished dinner, it was already 8 p.m., and Chen Mo still hadn’t texted her. It seemed he wasn’t home yet.

“I’m full!” Lin Qiqi patted her slightly swollen stomach.

“Then let’s go.”

After Lin Qiqi paid, they walked out of the restaurant. Seeing the busy street, she said, “I’ll take you home.”

“No need, my place is far.”

“Where do you live?”

“Military compound.”

“What?!”

A military compound was way more prestigious than a villa or high-end residential area. After all, villas just required money, but a military compound wasn’t accessible to just anyone.

“What’s the background of your friend?”

“That’s definitely far.” If she took Song Zhiyi home, Lin Qiqi would probably never make it back.

Better to take separate cars!

While waiting for a taxi, they heard the sound of police sirens.

The police cars sped down the road, and when they sounded their sirens, all other vehicles instinctively moved aside, like it was in their DNA.

“Wow! It’s a police car!” Lin Qiqi exclaimed, feeling oddly excited, “I don’t know why, but it feels so thrilling!”

“The police are out on a mission, stop looking.” At that moment, Song Zhiyi stopped a taxi. “The car’s here, you get in first.”

“No, you go first, your place is farther.” Lin Qiqi shoved her into the car. “Text me when you get home!”

“Okay.”

As Song Zhiyi sat in the taxi, the sound of the sirens lingered in her mind. The urgency of the situation made her wonder if it was a dangerous mission.

She arrived home at 9:30 p.m. and sent Lin Qiqi a voice message before heading to the bathroom.

She had submitted her work, and tomorrow was the weekend.

Sitting on the couch, she turned on the TV, but she wasn’t tired.

When the clock showed 10:30 p.m., Song Zhiyi went to the balcony to check, but Chen Mo’s car still hadn’t arrived.

“He’s still not back…”

She nervously twisted her fingers, wanting to text Chen Mo but fearing it might disturb him while he was on duty.

She wouldn’t sleep until she saw him come back safely!

At the police station, Sun Yang grabbed a man by the collar, his usually smiling face now unusually serious.

“Damn it! You still dare to carry a dagger?” Sun Yang kicked the man, whose small body rolled across the floor.

The man had some wounds on him, clearly from being beaten. There was a noticeable bite mark on his wrist—caused by a police dog.

“Where’s Captain Chen? Is he okay?” Gao Yue asked, standing up quickly.

“Captain Chen’s fine… but Nanzai got injured,” Sun Yang replied.

Nanzai was a police dog, an old but brave companion who had been with the force for many years. The drug dealer had been selling drugs at a bar, and Nanzai tracked him down. They had been surveilling him for days, and today they caught him in the act.

However, this drug dealer was a desperate man and fought back with a dagger, injuring Captain Chen and the others. Despite the odds, the police overwhelmed him, and Nanzai bit his wrist, but the dealer managed to injure Nanzai in the process.

“Is Nanzai okay?” Gao Yue bit her lip.

“It’s just a leg injury. Captain Chen took him to the hospital for treatment.”

“Thank goodness.”

Gao Yue let out a sigh of relief. Beyond her fellow officers, the police dogs were the most deserving of respect.

When Captain Chen returned to the police station, Gao Yue was busy searching the drug dealer for hidden drugs in the interrogation room.

“Captain Chen, how’s Nanzai?” Sun Yang asked as soon as he saw him.

“His leg’s broken, but the mission’s done, so he’ll be retiring soon,” Captain Chen replied, taking off his police uniform. “I’m heading home.”

“Alright! Have a safe trip, Captain!”

Captain Chen, after all, had a family. His wife would definitely be worried if he didn’t come back.

By the time he reached the military compound, it was already past midnight. He suspected Song Zhiyi would have already gone to bed, so he entered quietly.

As soon as he opened the door, the warm glow of the lights greeted him.

Song Zhiyi was curled up on the couch, her phone in hand, watching TV, her little head nodding off.

She was still awake?

The door closed with a soft thud, causing Song Zhiyi to startle. When she saw it was Chen Mo, her anxious heart finally settled.

“Chen Mo, you’re back.”

Hearing her voice, Chen Mo’s heart softened, and his chest fluttered with warmth.

“Yeah, I’m back.”