Reunion

The ginkgo trees of Weng City pave a central boulevard stretching from the south of the city to the north.

You have walked through my heart for many seasons, bridging the gap between the present and my youth.

*****************

The light was pale, and the air was silent.

Sunlight filtered through the curtains, imprinting grid-like chocolate squares onto the thin fabric and casting a faint brightness into the room.

On the large, soft bed, a single duvet lazily traced the curves of a sleeping figure, supple and beautiful.

The woman on the bed was still asleep.

Two pillows lay side-by-side, as if meant for two people.

She slept on the left side, her arm resting across the empty pillow next to her.

A sliver of sunlight happened to fall upon her fingertips; her neatly trimmed nail beds reflected a moist, translucent luster, like unblossomed lotus buds tinged with a hint of pink.

Her fingers curled slightly, twitching as she slowly stirred from a long, soft, and pleasant dream following a night of passion.

Beep—

The landline on the bedside table rang.

Beep—

The piercing sound sliced through her eardrums, causing the long fingers resting on the empty pillow to clench.

“Mm…”

A trembling sound vibrated in her throat, slightly hoarse.

Her brow, partially hidden by her curls, furrowed slightly.

After about three seconds, her crow-feather lashes flickered, opening a crack before lazily closing again.

She groped around to pick up the phone.

“Hello.”

The low, husky voice made the receptionist’s ear tingle.

There was a brief pause before the receptionist asked:

[Hello, Ma’am. I’m calling to ask if you would like to extend your stay?]

Liu Huisheng frowned, rubbing the bridge of her nose with the heel of her palm as she asked, “What time is it?”

[It is exactly 11:00 AM, Ma’am.]

“I won’t be staying. I’ll check out in a bit.”

[Understood. Your friend has ordered lunch for you. You may use your room card to dine on the second floor.]

A friend?

The movement of rubbing her brow stopped.

Her eyelids lifted, her eyes shimmering with a liquid light.

The drowsiness was replaced by clarity as she recalled certain sweet yet bittersweet memories.

She reached out toward the spot beside her; it was completely cold.

It seemed the person had been gone for quite a while.

“When did she leave?” she asked.

[Quite early, probably…] The receptionist thought for a moment. [Around six or seven o’clock.]

She had been somewhat awkward when leaving.

Clearly, she had already stepped out the door, only to return a short while later.

Appearing cold but actually unable to stop worrying, she had ordered a lunch for Liu Huisheng.

Liu Huisheng was unaware of this scene.

The corners of her lips curled upward, but the arc settled into a self-deprecating smirk.

She wasn’t mocking anyone else; she was mocking herself.

Whether in the past or now, she was always the one who was a step behind.

‘Heh, friend…’

She hung up the phone and sat up in bed.

She pulled a clean bath towel from the top shelf of the nightstand, wrapped it loosely around herself, and pulled open the frosted glass door of the bathroom.

*****************

Late July, 1:00 PM.

Weng City Public Security Bureau, Hehai District Branch, Interrogation Room 3.

Steel-like walls enclosed the space into a square iron shell.

The atmosphere was cold and the light was bright.

The overhead lights reflected off the smooth iron walls several times, illuminating every corner of the room.

In the center, a prisoner sat behind a small desk, his handcuffs reflecting the sharp glare of a blade’s edge.

He was a young male with a buzz cut and no beard, wearing a white Polo shirt.

The sneakers beneath his black jeans were so dirty their original color was unrecognizable, the openings caked in a layer of dried mud.

Opposite him, four people sat behind a long table: Liu Huisheng and Feng Xiaojing, who were there for interviews today, as well as the Deputy Director and the Instructor of the Hehai District Public Security Bureau.

Feng Xiaojing was dressed in a stiff black suit, her head buried in the six case files in her hands.

She was nervous, green, and sweating profusely—the spitting image of a high school senior in an exam hall.

Beside her, Liu Huisheng—also there for an interview—leaned back in her chair the entire time.

Though her spine was straight, her eyes never looked at the files.

Instead, she stared fixedly at the prisoner a few meters away, scrutinizing him from head to toe, as if she intended to count every single strand of his hair.

“He should be responsible for this case.”

As soon as the fifteen-minute limit was up, Feng Xiaojing picked up one of the six case files.

Her ears were flushed red from extreme tension, and her voice carried a slight, nervous tremor as she spoke.

“The armed robbery of the gold shop. One dead, two seriously injured.”

This was the test for her and Liu Huisheng: observe the suspect and determine which of the six cases he belonged to.

During this time, they were only allowed to ask three questions.

A qualified profiler should be able to sketch a portrait of a suspect from the contents of a case file.

Even more so, they should be able to match the prisoner standing right in front of them to the correct file number.

Liu Huisheng did not speak; she didn’t express agreement, nor did she object.

Her beautiful face looked like an ice sculpture under the stinging white light.

It was strange—a face that stunning, with upturned peach-blossom eyes that could easily be labeled as “enchanting,” yet she exuded an aura colder than chilled water.

The Instructor did not announce the answer, simply asking, “And your reasoning?”

Feng Xiaojing glanced at the Deputy Director, knowing this was a rare opportunity.

She listed her judgments one by one:

“His height is visually over 185cm, he has a sturdy build, and shows signs of working out. This excludes the residential burglary case, because the shoe size of the footprints left by the killer on the windowsill was only size 41, and since they climbed the water pipe to the fourth floor, the culprit’s height should be between 160cm and 175cm.”

“Next, I’ll exclude the university poisoning case. The method in that case was very sophisticated, with no traces left at the scene, indicating the killer is meticulous and rigorous, likely having OCD and appearing to be a ‘nice guy’ on the outside. But this man’s clothes are loose and messy, and he didn’t even notice his right sleeve was rolled up, proving he is unkempt and accustomed to being coarse…”

Feng Xiaojing continued with her reasons, clarifying the characteristics of the killer for each case and explaining why the handcuffed prisoner before them did not belong to those crimes.

“Therefore, he should be the culprit who robbed the gold shop.”

The entire analysis was well-reasoned.

The Instructor’s face finally showed a touch of gratification, a sharp contrast to his previous indifference.

He nodded and turned to Liu Huisheng, who had remained silent.

“What about you? Liu Huisheng, do you agree with her?”

At that moment, there were two knocks on the interrogation room door.

A female officer entered to pour water, filling everyone’s cups to eighty percent, including the prisoner’s.

After she left, Liu Huisheng finally retracted her gaze from the prisoner.

Her beautiful eyes lowered slightly as she pushed the stack of files away, offering her assessment:

“According to traditional analysis, her conclusion is fine.”

Feng Xiaojing secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Although her analysis was based on theory, there had been a 30% element of guesswork.

If even Liu Huisheng said it was fine, then she must have guessed correctly.

This was why she had insisted on answering before Liu Huisheng for the same test.

Once Liu Huisheng finished speaking, there would be no room left for her to shine.

However, she hadn’t listened closely to what Liu Huisheng said: “According to traditional analysis.”

“I’d like to ask a question.” Liu Huisheng looked back at the prisoner.

The Instructor glanced at the Deputy Director, who shook his head, signaling not to interrupt.

“Are you married?” Liu Huisheng asked directly.

The prisoner was stunned.

Each interviewee had three chances to ask questions.

Earlier, Feng Xiaojing had asked about occupation, height, weight, and education level—questions that could assist in profiling.

Liu Huisheng, however, had gone against the norm. What did she mean?

“No,” he answered, sounding confused.

Liu Huisheng retracted her hook-like gaze, confirming he showed no micro-expressions of lying while answering.

She nodded with satisfaction.

“Good. It’s better that way. Otherwise, the police station would be hit with a s*x scandal.”

As her words landed, it felt as though someone had stomped on everyone’s eardrums.

Everyone was stunned, including Feng Xiaojing, who took pride in her status as a profiler.

“Senior?”

Feng Xiaojing called out cautiously.

Although Liu Huisheng’s micro-expression analysis and criminal profiling abilities were both outstanding, a s*x scandal wasn’t something one should guess at randomly.

If she was wrong, she wouldn’t just be offending the female officer who just poured the water; she’d be offending the Deputy Director sitting right in front of them.

However, Liu Huisheng had absolute confidence in her analysis.

Her eyes were like a crescent moon emerging from the clouds, tearing a hole in the peaceful atmosphere.

She opened her lips and stated her reasoning:

“Just now, when that female officer came in to pour water, she poured a cup for you in addition to the four of us. During that process, your eyes met. In that moment, your gaze softened, and the corners of your mouth lifted slightly. That expression tells me that you like her.”

The prisoner gave a mocking laugh and leaned his sturdy body back, crossing his arms with a face full of impatience.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Body retracted, arms crossed.”

Seeing this body language, Liu Huisheng was completely certain of her thoughts.

The corners of her lips curved as she mimicked his posture, speaking as she did so:

“Many people think this gesture is dominant. But in behavioral science, this indicates self-protection, a desire to prevent others from further encroaching on one’s territory. it’s a very obvious defensive movement. Your reaction proves I was right.”

She withdrew her sharp gaze and scanned the interrogation room, her eyes lightly brushing over the Deputy Director and the Instructor before finally landing back on the prisoner.

“You are likely an officer here. Hearing that two profilers were coming today, you all decided to set a challenge for us. But fearing a real prisoner wouldn’t cooperate, you found an officer whose physical appearance matches a criminal to pose as one. Correct?”

As the words fell, the already quiet interrogation room seemed to fall into a vacuum trap.

Liu Huisheng had clearly stopped speaking, yet it felt as if the air around her had suddenly plummeted in pressure, a heavy contraction of atmosphere so intense the pressure differential nearly pierced the eardrums.

Feng Xiaojing stared cautiously at the Deputy Director’s hand resting on the table.

It was as if she were looking at the guillotine blade hanging high over a medieval execution block.

Her entire heart was suspended as she waited for the verdict—if Liu Huisheng was right, all was well; if she was wrong, she’d be packing her bags along with her!

Tick, tick, tick…

The second hand of the wall clock moved halfway around. Finally, the Deputy Director moved.

He stood up, facing Liu Huisheng directly.

His formidable face broke into a hearty laugh as he reached out his hand to her.

“Liu Huisheng, welcome to the Hehai Branch. I am the Deputy Director, Liao Changjian.”

Phew!

Feng Xiaojing stood up along with Liu Huisheng, the heavy stone in her heart finally dropping.

They had passed!

Liu Huisheng reached out to shake the Deputy Director’s hand, her demeanor composed.

“Deputy Director, it’s a pleasure.”

Liao Changjian continued, “Your analysis today was very accurate. He is indeed not a criminal, but an officer from our second unit. I hope your observation skills will continue to play a role in solving cases in the future.”

“Certainly. That is my duty.”

Subsequently, Liao Changjian also reached out to Feng Xiaojing.

“Feng Xiaojing, you are also welcome to join us. Your analysis today was also very much in place. Little Song does indeed look very similar to the gold shop robber. To be able to see that in such a short time shows you aren’t simple either.”

Feng Xiaojing hurriedly bowed.

“Not at all, not at all. Thank you, Deputy Director, for giving us the opportunity to show what we can do.”

After completing the induction procedures, Liao Changjian had to attend a meeting.

He said his goodbyes to the two of them and left.

Sitting on a stainless steel bench, Feng Xiaojing finally let out a long, solid breath.

“Whew… finally passed!”

She turned to look at Liu Huisheng, only to see her looking indifferent.

Her elegant figure sat poised, her beautiful eyes staring at a commendation notice on the bulletin board as if a silk tree flower had blossomed there.

“By the way, Senior,” Feng Xiaojing asked in a low voice, “how did you see that the prisoner wasn’t a prisoner, but a cop in disguise? Just based on his eye contact with that female officer?”

“Hmm?”

It wasn’t until she finished speaking that Liu Huisheng seemed to hear her.

She withdrew her gaze from the commendation notice and recalled the voice that had just drifted past her ears, answering her question:

“A prisoner wouldn’t think of himself as a prisoner.”

“Huh?” Feng Xiaojing was completely baffled. “What does that mean?”

“When you were questioning him just now, what was his expression?” Liu Huisheng countered.

“Um… very impatient, very disdainful. Just like the villains in many TV dramas, nothing special.”

Liu Huisheng’s gaze sharpened.

The key was precisely that impatience and disdain.

“A real prisoner would act very cooperative and respectful. Even if they’ve killed someone, they would act like a ‘nice guy.’ Because they want the police to believe they are good people.”

The words were like a sudden enlightenment, and Feng Xiaojing realized the truth.

“No wonder… that guy was acting like a bad guy the whole time because he wanted us to believe he was a bad guy. Heavens, Senior, you have to guide me more in the future. There’s so much I don’t understand.”

“Okay.”

Liu Huisheng didn’t say much else.

Actually, there was one more thing—the shoes.

The fake officer’s shoes were very dirty.

Generally, in a premeditated crime—especially theft, robbery, or murder—a culprit would keep themselves very clean to avoid making a mess at the crime scene and leaving traces behind.

But Liu Huisheng didn’t say it.

She hadn’t said it in the interrogation room because she didn’t want to overturn the robbery case Feng Xiaojing had linked him to; she didn’t want to belittle others to elevate herself during an interview.

She didn’t say it now because she didn’t want Feng Xiaojing to owe her a favor.

It wasn’t about social maneuvering; she just found the cycle of owing favors to be troublesome.

In this world, there was only one person with whom she wanted to maintain that kind of messy, inextricable debt.

Just then, the Instructor came over to call them.

“Little Feng, you’ll be going to the second unit. Little Liu, you’ll be going to the Major Crimes Unit. Captain Zhao and the others will be back from a case shortly; I’ll take you over there first.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the sound of rhythmic, drum-like footsteps echoed from the lobby downstairs.

The Instructor leaned over the railing to look down and slapped the rail.

“Oh, they’re back.”

He turned to look at Liu Huisheng.

“Let’s go. Captain Zhao’s group is busy; we won’t be able to find him if we wait.”

Liu Huisheng pursed her lips slightly and slung her bag over her shoulder.

“Okay.”

As she walked forward, she raised her hand to tuck a long strand of hair behind her ear, smoothing it back.

When she stood straight, she even smoothed out the wrinkles on her sleeve—this was the first time Liu Huisheng had adjusted her appearance since entering the police station.

Feng Xiaojing, still on the spot, felt that this gesture was quite rare, though she didn’t know why.

Recalling the conversation just now, she focused on the words “Major Crimes Unit.”

“Captain… Zhao?”

Thoughtfully, she looked toward the commendation notice on the wall that Liu Huisheng had been staring at.

In the most prominent position was a notice: [Captain Zhao Yu leads the Major Crimes Unit to crack a drug trafficking case].

Oh, she’s probably nervous because this Zhao Yu is so impressive and is about to become her boss.

Feng Xiaojing tried to analyze Liu Huisheng’s unusual behavior.

How could she have known that this stoic Captain Zhao on the commendation wall was the very same lover who had left crimson marks on Liu Huisheng just last night?