When they went downstairs, Aunt Qin had already set the table.

Because Si Hang was in a hurry, Aunt Qin prepared a yin-yang hot pot. The table was filled with a variety of dishes, looking very sumptuous.

Aunt Qin’s broth was well-seasoned and delicious, but after the day’s events, Zhuang Zi didn’t have much of an appetite. Still, out of politeness, she ate a bowl of rice.

Halfway through the meal, Si Hang’s phone rang. It was Xie Kui, and he answered immediately.

There was no need to guess—it must have been about the case.

Zhuang Zi waited for him to hang up before asking, “Any results?”

“No.” He picked up his chopsticks and continued eating. “It’s a bit troublesome to check the surveillance footage in the middle of the night. We’ll probably have to wait until tomorrow morning or Monday for results.”

Zhuang Zi nodded silently.

“Additionally, the phone has been examined. It was indeed hacked, preventing calls from being made.”

Zhuang Zi was slightly taken aback.

“The tech team has already extracted some electronic evidence of the crime. For detailed information, we’ll have to wait until tomorrow morning for more precise results.”

…

After the meal, Zheng Ruzhi had Aunt Qin take Zhuang Zi and Xiaomi upstairs to the guest room to rest.

Si Hang also stayed over that night. With the investigation at a standstill, going back to the police station would only mean waiting around.

Upstairs, Aunt Qin provided them with clean towels, slippers, new bed sheets, and blankets. She also showed them where the bathroom was, making sure everything was arranged before she left.

After spending an evening with the Shen family, Zhuang Zi found them to be warm and friendly despite their high social status. The family atmosphere was unexpectedly cozy.

She was particularly struck by the way Shen Jianbai treated Zheng Ruzhi. They respected each other with a touch of humor, their playful yet respectful interactions making their relationship seem both beautiful and unreal.

Perhaps it was the contrast that made her feel this way. Having grown up in a broken family without the love of her parents and later being sent to live with her grandmother, Zhuang Zi experienced the harsh side of life early on. Seeing the warmth of the Shen family made her feel a twinge of envy and a bit of bitterness.

When one is powerless, believing in fate becomes an instinct.

She no longer had the energy to complain about her fate, feeling like a puppet beaten into submission by life, passively accepting whatever came her way.

Perhaps it was her destiny from birth to suffer.

That night, she lay in the unfamiliar yet spacious guest room, unable to sleep until dawn.

The night rain continued, with the lights of the community reflecting off the misty glass windows, creating a blurry, dreamlike effect.

Listening to the wind and rain outside, she thought about how she would be without a place to stay again tomorrow. She was already very surprised and grateful that Si Hang took her in tonight. Having disturbed someone for one night, she didn’t have the face to stay any longer.

She sighed deeply, deciding that she would spend the night in the police station’s parking lot again. No matter how tough it was, she could endure it. After all, she had faced life-threatening dangers; what else couldn’t she handle?

Turning over in bed, she noticed the blanket draped over the nearby sofa.

It suddenly struck her that Si Hang might be taking over her case.

It was obvious. He had mentioned going back to the police station after dinner, but after hearing Xie Kui’s report, he decided to stay here instead of working overtime.

It was clear.

She stared at the blanket, feeling an inexplicable sense of reassurance.

After a while, in the darkness, she faintly smiled.

……

The next morning, the rain had stopped, and a faint orange glow seemed to spread across the sky, indicating that it would be a good day.

Zhuang Zi had to go to the police station to make a statement. Si Hang, in order to wait for her and Xiaomi, got up naturally at six o’clock. Seeing that it was still early, he went for a few laps around the neighborhood.

When he returned, his mother was already up, watching the morning news in the living room.

Seeing him come in, Zheng Ruzhi quickly got up, stopping him with a smile and saying, “Son, I want to ask you something.”

“Mm?”

“That girl you saved last night, you really don’t know her?”

Si Hang glanced warily at his mother. “Mm.”

Zheng Ruzhi nodded thoughtfully, then smiled and looked up at him. “But it’s okay. I’ve already inquired about her.”

“Inquired about what?”

Zheng Ruzhi’s tone was full of undisguised joy. “The girl you saved last night is of good character, and most importantly, she has no boyfriend!”

Si Hang: “…….”

“Oh, right, you, as a police officer, should have known this information before me.” Zheng Ruzhi laughed to herself, then said, “Although we don’t know yet why she was targeted, I believe with your ability, you will be able to find out. So, I think we can cast a wide net and focus on nurturing her.”

Si Hang had already guessed what his mother was up to. He raised his hand, pinching the space between his brows, unable to express his thoughts.

“Of course, I’m not saying you should play both sides. What I mean is, this girl is not only beautiful but also well-educated. Anyway, you don’t have a girlfriend right now. If you feel something, why not start as friends to get to know each other better, and then establish a relationship if you think it’s suitable?”

Si Hang felt a headache coming on and quickly denied, “I have no feelings for her.”

“Liar!” Zheng Ruzhi laughed and glared at him. “I’ve seen more of the world than you have.”

Si Hang had just returned from his morning run and was in a hurry to go upstairs to shower, eager to escape his mother’s bombardment. “Mom, I really have no interest in her. Please stop guessing!”

He said this and, turning, hurried upstairs.

Halfway up the stairs, he vaguely saw a figure out of the corner of his eye.

He instantly furrowed his brow and looked up.

The spiral staircase wound its way to the second floor, and at the corner, Zhuang Zi was lazily leaning against the railing with a spiral pattern.

She wasn’t eavesdropping. She just heard the discussion about her in the living room when she was coming downstairs. Afraid of facing the awkwardness directly, she had avoided running into them.

At this moment, the two met at a narrow spot. Zhuang Zi looked at him with a faint gaze, expressionless. He had just exercised, his hair wet in clumps, his face slightly flushed, making his eyes and brows look even darker and cleaner, exuding youthful vigor.

They briefly locked eyes, then, in perfect tacit understanding, both looked away simultaneously.

Zhuang Zi straightened up from the railing and slowly walked downstairs.

At the same time, Si Hang took a step up the stairs.

Neither looked at the other. As they brushed past each other, their arms brushed lightly against each other.