“Darling, what happened? Didn’t you say you wouldn’t be back this afternoon?”
Melissa, the blonde woman, was thoroughly startled upon seeing the two police officers, hastily rising to her feet.
“I’m fine, Melissa. These two officers want to discuss something with us.”
The tall, handsome middle-aged man quickly reassured her.
‘This must be the father of this body,’ Qirong thought.
Qirong, too, stood up, feeling a little flustered. After all, he was an imposter, and facing the head of the household brought a certain pressure.
Chen Xuanzhu, however, merely glanced sideways from the sofa, appearing accustomed to grander affairs.
“What is it?”
Melissa, the nominal mother, had calmed down slightly and asked as calmly as possible.
“It’s about our daughter. Let the two officers explain it to you.”
Chen father glanced at Chen Xuanzhu beside him, then politely gestured for the two police officers to sit.
“About me?”
Chen Xuanzhu frowned, a hint of uncertainty in her expression.
“May I ask which country Mrs. Chen is from?”
The leading middle-aged police officer glanced at Melissa, then instinctively inquired.
The young police officer beside him curiously surveyed the mother and her two children. His gaze first lingered admiringly on Melissa and Chen Xuanzhu, until it landed on the short-haired Qirong.
Qirong distinctly saw the young officer’s eyes suddenly widen. They darted back and forth between him and his nominal younger sister, almost bulging from their sockets.
Qirong inexplicably felt like laughing, but sensing it was inappropriate, he desperately suppressed it.
“My wife is from Ceylon, named Melissa. She’s been in Yongchang for nearly twenty years, so she’s not unfamiliar with our local language. Captain Wang, please speak freely with her.”
“What’s Ceylon? I’ve only heard of broccoli.”
Qirong couldn’t help but mutter under his breath. ‘It’s only natural, this being a parallel world. It would be strange if I *had* heard of it.’
“Mrs. Chen, hello. I am Wang Liang, captain of the Criminal Investigation Division of the Municipal Police Bureau. This is my team member, Mao Shihao. We apologize for the intrusion, but we wished to speak with you about Miss Chen.”
The middle-aged officer first introduced himself, then reflexively glanced at the long-haired Chen Xuanzhu. He then “incidentally” looked at the short-haired Qirong, and to his own surprise, even as a captain, he instantly froze.
“My daughter? What about my daughter?”
Melissa asked, her expression grave.
Wang Liang struggled to retract his gaze, then coughed awkwardly. “Have you ever heard of a criminal organization called ‘Stolen Fragrance’?”
“Stolen Fragrance?”
Qirong, naturally, had never heard of it. He looked around, noticing his family members all wore expressions of bewilderment.
“Mrs. Chen, you’re aware that the gender ratio is severely imbalanced these days. Many men spend their entire lives unable to find a wife, which has led to a surge in human trafficking.
“Stolen Fragrance is Yongchang’s largest human trafficking organization. They’ve committed numerous major crimes over the years, and it’s rumored that as long as a buyer can afford it, they can procure any woman.
“To eradicate this cancerous growth, our police force has been secretly gathering intelligence on them.”
Having introduced “Stolen Fragrance,” Wang Liang’s tone grew heavy. “Unfortunately, we recently received reliable intelligence that their next target is precisely your daughter.”
“What? What should we do? Darling, did you hear that? They’re targeting our daughter!”
Melissa immediately began gesticulating wildly, crying out. Unlike the reserved nature of Eastern women, she expressed all her worries unreservedly through her body language.
“Melissa, don’t worry. We should trust the police.”
Chen father gently comforted his wife once more.
“Yes, Mrs. Chen. We are here precisely for your daughter’s personal safety.”
“Officer Wang, thank you! Please, you must eradicate that evil organization as quickly as possible.”
Melissa pleaded, her voice filled with entreaty.
Wang Liang’s expression grew troubled. ‘How could such a massive criminal organization be eradicated just like that?’ he thought. Nevertheless, he feigned composure. “We will do our utmost, but in the meantime, you must also be careful and vigilant.”
“Mr. Chen, forgive my bluntness, but which of these two young ladies is Chen Xuanzhu? Our intelligence indicates she is ‘Stolen Fragrance’s’ target.”
Wang Liang could no longer contain himself. He turned his head, looking at the short-haired Qirong and the long-haired Chen Xuanzhu.
“Young ladies?”
Qirong’s face instantly fell.
“My apologies, Officer Wang. This is my daughter, Chen Xuanzhu.”
Chen father introduced, pointing to the long-haired Chen Xuanzhu. Then he turned back to Qirong. “This is my son, Chen Xuanqiu. They are twins, so they look very similar. However, my daughter has long hair, and my son has short hair. Knowing this should make them easy to distinguish.”
“You mean *he’s* your son? He’s a *boy*?”
The young officer, Mao Shihao, confirmed in disbelief.
“Yes.”
Chen father’s expression visibly grew awkward. As a father, who wouldn’t wish their son to be strong and capable? Who would want their son to be mistaken for a girl?
Naturally, besides the head of the household, Qirong’s two other female family members also wore displeased expressions. The atmosphere suddenly turned rather peculiar.
“I apologize, Mr. Chen. He’s new to the police force. Young people sometimes speak without thinking. I hope you don’t mind.”
Wang Liang’s expression shifted, and he glared fiercely at the young officer.
Mao Shihao realized he had misspoken. He cautiously shrank his head, yet the regret in his eyes was strikingly evident.
‘What on earth are you regretting?’
Qirong felt a surge of anger. If not for this fellow’s special status, he would have surely given him a proper demonstration of his masculinity.
“It’s nothing.”
Chen father said, but his expression remained unchanged. The young officer’s words had clearly wounded his feelings.
“My suggestion is this: it would be best if your daughter does not go out casually starting today. She should only travel between home and school. We will send people to protect her discreetly. If you’re still uneasy, you may also hire your own security.”
“Thank you, Officer Wang. Let’s do that! However, this is only a temporary solution. We still hope you can solve the case as soon as possible.”
Chen father pleaded.
The matter was temporarily concluded. After the two police officers left, the atmosphere in the home grew somewhat heavy.
“Xiaozhu, did you hear what the police officer just said? You must remember, from now on, you can only travel between home and school for classes. I will arrange for several company security personnel to be solely responsible for picking you up and dropping you off.”
Chen father instructed his daughter.
“What about the party tonight? Didn’t I hear Mom say you were attending a business partner’s birthday celebration?”
Chen Xuanzhu retorted.
“To hell with it. If he’s unhappy, he can terminate the contract. Nothing is more important than you.”
Chen father gazed at his daughter with doting affection.
“But Mr. Chen, Director Fu is a major client for our company. If we lose him…”
The male secretary, carrying a briefcase, kindly reminded him.
“What if we lose him? Are you afraid our company will go bankrupt and you’ll have nowhere to go? Believe it or not, I’ll fire you on the spot!”
The head of the household instantly flared up, his roar causing the male secretary to tremble, burying his head against his chest.
“Dad, don’t worry. In broad daylight like this, I don’t believe they can actually steal a living person like me. If anything, you can just arrange for two extra bodyguards to protect me.”
Chen Xuanzhu spoke calmly, appearing carefree. Yet, any discerning observer could tell she merely wished to comfort her family.
‘As expected of the great Campus Belle Chen, what a brave girl. If it were me, I probably wouldn’t even dare to step outside the front door.’
Qirong watched, filled with solemn respect.
“No, I’m your father, and you must listen to me. You cannot attend tonight’s party. Stay home and peacefully review your studies.”
‘What a touching display of filial piety and paternal love.’
As an “outsider,” Qirong found himself quite moved. Thinking of his parents in his own world, he suddenly missed them dearly, wondering if he would ever be able to return.
“And you, Chen Xuanqiu.”
Chen father turned, speaking sternly to Qirong. “Didn’t you always love to wear makeup? From today onwards, keep applying it. Do it twenty-four hours a day, non-stop. Don’t show your true face unless necessary. I’m afraid those criminals might have too low an IQ and mistake you for Xiaozhu and abduct you.”
‘I understand the logic, but Uncle, can you please not deliver words of concern in such a stern tone? It’s really odd.’
Qirong was somewhat speechless. ‘Could it be that Campus Belle Chen’s tsundere traits are inherited from her father?’
Considering his daughter’s safety, Chen father immediately called his company to enlist reinforcements.
“Xiaoqiu, you’re about to go to school. Aren’t you going to put on makeup?”
Melissa, the mother, reminded him once more.