Chapter 30: Narrow Encounter

Imagining Ji Yanli’s expression when he typed that message — this guy actually cares that Ni Ni calls Tang Xiaohe “Sister” but calls him “Uncle”! How childish, like a little kid.

Tang Xiaohe couldn’t help but smile faintly, then casually changed Ji Yanli’s contact name in her phone.

Sitting in the back row, a student Xiao A was sharp-eyed, hiding behind his upright textbook while quietly talking to his deskmate Xiao B: “What’s up with Teacher Yu this morning? One moment she’s stern, the next she’s smiling.”

Xiao B quickly peeked at Tang Xiaohe, but their eyes met her sharp gaze sweeping across the class, so he quickly raised his book again and started mumbling the text.

Seeing Xiao A still trying to talk to him, Xiao B nudged his arm to signal: The teacher is watching us.

Peeking through the crack in the book, Xiao A saw Tang Xiaohe’s expression didn’t waver; she looked directly at them and put a fist to her lips, softly coughing.

Receiving the hint, Xiao A’s heart jumped up to his throat — like a quail, he bowed his head and didn’t dare meet her eyes, obediently reading.

Morning reading ended, Tang Xiaohe’s throat was dry after teaching a full lesson. She didn’t return to the office but stayed in the classroom answering questions, not wanting to see Xu Fangli.

Because other teachers were in the class during break time, the kids quieted down quite a bit and didn’t act as noisy as usual.

Tang Xiaohe felt sorry for them — kids naturally love to play, and from morning till night, they were already very tired attending classes, then extended services after school, and endless extracurricular classes and tutoring afterward.

She sighed helplessly, packed up her books, and left the classroom.

The students, feeling freed, immediately made the classroom lively again.

When Tang Xiaohe returned to the office, some teachers were loudly talking but quickly lowered their voices upon seeing her. Who knows what rumors Xu Fangli had spread while she was gone. Tang Xiaohe smiled coldly to herself, ignoring them, and busied herself with lesson plans.

Ji Yanli held his phone, dazed and distracted.

He sent a message at 8 a.m., and it was nearly 10 a.m. with no reply.

What was Tang Xiaohe doing? Was she so busy this morning she hadn’t checked her phone? Or had she seen it and just didn’t want to reply?

His phone sat on the desk with the screen lit, showing their chat.

Ji Yanli rested his chin on his clasped hands, fingers unconsciously rubbing his chin, lost in thought.

When Xu Yang came in, he saw Ji Yanli staring blankly.

He snapped his fingers in front of Ji Yanli’s eyes: “What are you thinking about, daydreaming like that?”

Ji Yanli first turned off the phone screen, then awkwardly tugged his tie, annoyed: “Who taught you that bad habit? Entering a room without knocking.”

Xu Yang complained: “I did knock, you just didn’t hear it.”

He wouldn’t admit he deliberately knocked softly just to check on Ji Yanli.

Ji Yanli smirked slightly: “Oh, really?”

Xu Yang was already feeling guilty. He had always been afraid of this cousin, always completely controlled by Ji Yanli. Seeing Ji Yanli suspicious, he immediately got scared.
“I’ll knock louder next time,” he said.

Ji Yanli adjusted to a comfortable sitting position: “What do you want?”

“Captain Ji, the domestic violence suspect Tian Yanjun is still detained at the station.”

Ji Yanli nodded and gestured for him to continue.

“Since Zhang Wan has kids and had previously hired a nanny, there were surveillance cameras installed. Both Zhang Wan’s testimony and the footage confirm Tian Yanjun’s illegal actions. However, based on the injury assessment, he can only be detained for a maximum of 15 days.”

Although Ji Yanli had expected this result, a layer of cold frost still appeared in his eyes. Remembering the kick Tian Yanjun had delivered to Tang Xiaohe, his face was full of rage.

Xu Yang was surprised by this expression—after all, as a policeman, Ji Yanli had seen plenty of shameless people and even worse domestic abusers. Even when he first became a policeman, Xu Yang had never seen him so angry and disgusted.

“Also, before formal detention, the other involved party needs to come to the station to give a statement. I heard she was injured too. It’s just a formality,” Xu Yang added, referring to the female colleague of Ji Yanli who was present during the incident.

Ji Yanli’s expression darkened even more. After a pause, he said grimly: “Isn’t there a certain Zhang Keke at the detention center awaiting sentencing? Put Tian Yanjun with him.”

Xu Yang was shocked. Zhang Keke was the death-row inmate who had killed his abusive father with a pillow after poisoning him with sleeping pills.

How had Tian Yanjun offended Ji Yanli? It looked like Tian Yanjun was about to suffer inside.

But Xu Yang didn’t feel sorry for Tian Yanjun; he thought it was well deserved. He approved of Ji Yanli’s plan and said indignantly:
“Serves him right! A man who raises his fist to a woman is just proving she can’t fight back. Now, let’s see how he behaves when he meets someone stronger, meaner, and more ruthless than himself. Will he still dare to act tough?”

After confirming Ji Yanli’s instructions, Xu Yang remembered something else:
“Brother—”

Noticing the change in address, Ji Yanli became distracted. Addressing him as “Captain Ji” meant business, but “Brother” meant something personal. Ji Yanli swore he wasn’t sensitive to titles; Xu Yang had always called him this, but he never paid much attention to these details.

Seeing Ji Yanli distracted again, Xu Yang waved his hand in front of his face:
“Brother, you were so strange yesterday.”

Ji Yanli raised his brotherly facade: “If you’ve got something to say, just say it.”

Xu Yang laughed: “Last time you asked me to find a wife, I really worked on it. So where is my sister-in-law?”

Ji Yanli said nothing, and Xu Yang grew more excited:
“When will you bring her home to meet Auntie? She’s been asking me for a long time!”

Ji Yanli frowned: “You told Mom?”

“I’m just trying to help you! You don’t know, Auntie was already arranging blind dates for you. She had a list ready and was just waiting to notify you.”

“I told Auntie not to bother because you already have someone, you’re just hiding it from us. Then Auntie gave up; otherwise, you’d be going on blind dates every day for a whole month nonstop!”

“So, how about it? Your little brother is reliable, right? Did I solve a big problem for you?”

Ji Yanli praised: “Not bad.”

Then, feeling more relaxed, he got up and poured himself a glass of water, watching the tea leaves float and eventually sink to the bottom.

Ji Yanli didn’t give a direct answer. The more composed he was, the more anxious Xu Yang became:
“Do you have someone or not? It’s not like the girl finally rejected you, right?”