Love Assault - Chapter 20

Was this imprisonment? Or had he been kidnapped?

Chen Mo stood frozen for over ten seconds, staring at Yun Xi with confusion and disbelief. Yun Xi had already poured a glass of water and placed it on the coffee table, patting the sofa beside him. Team Leader Chen, please sit down. I’ll explain everything slowly. Okay?

Chen Mo didn’t move but asked, Did Lin Che tell you to do this?

Yun Xi didn’t deny it. Team Leader Chen, I don’t know what you think of Lin Che, but I believe you recognize her intelligence. Even though she seems unreliable with her eccentric behavior, her capabilities are undeniable.

Chen Mo nodded, sat down, and picked up the glass of water. The cool glass against his icy hands sent a warming sensation up his arm, helping him regain his composure. I have a question for you first.

Go ahead. Yun Xi leaned back on the sofa, stretching comfortably. I’ll tell you everything I know.

After I returned, the police investigated Lu Qingqing. She owns a registered company, but our search yielded nothing. I want to know if you’re hiding her. Chen Mo fixed his gaze on Yun Xi, observing his expression as he spoke. Lin Che previously told me she suspected Lu Qingqing’s group possessed a massive quantity of drugs. But we found nothing at Lu Qingqing’s company.

Yun Xi smiled. Team Leader Chen, after so many years in law enforcement, you must understand this principle the righteous have their ways, and the underworld has its own. Your police have their principles for investigating cases and making arrests, and we have our own principles for conducting our affairs. Of course, we’re not part of the underworld. Dingsheng has always operated with legitimate business practices—that’s beyond question. If this matter hadn’t escalated so dramatically, we wouldn’t have wanted to trouble our friends in other circles. He paused, took a sip of water, and continued, I imagine Lin Che mentioned Lu Qingqing to you and explained why we can’t hand her over to the police. The reason is precisely what I said earlier. Strictly speaking, I shouldn’t be telling you this, but Lin Che refused to deceive you, not even in the slightest. I don’t know where her inexplicable trust and fondness for you come from, but I hope you can understand. As for Lu Qingqing and the drugs, this is all I can tell you.

Yun Xi spoke lightly, his nonchalant expression starkly contrasting the gravity of his words. Chen Mo sighed. Despite Yun Xi’s seemingly casual demeanor, she doubted she could extract any further information about Lu Qingqing from him. Her face darkened, and she remained silent.

Yun Xi continued, Team Leader Chen, there’s a saying ‘Water too clear has no fish people too discerning have no followers.’ I may not be well-read, but I understand the principle—it’s about the wisdom of feigning ignorance. Some things are better left uninvestigated. As for the drugs, the narcotics police will handle them according to their procedures. Our only concern is clearing our names and preventing malicious actors from harming us.

I understand, Chen Mo said, exhaling slowly. She glanced at Yun Xi. Then why did Lin Che insist I stay here? What message did she want you to convey to me?

Yun Xi met her gaze intently before uttering a few words For your safety.

Chen Mo frowned slightly, her gaze suddenly deepening. The word safety seemed like an overreaction when applied to her. Yet Yun Xi’s expression was anything but a joke. Lu Qingqing and her gang were already spent forces, incapable of causing further trouble. So who could possibly pose a threat to her safety?

Guo Haitao’s face flashed through her mind, as if the answer to her question was about to surface. She opened her mouth to ask, You mean the one at the police station…

Yun Xi grinned, giving Chen Mo a thumbs-up. Team Leader Chen, you’re truly sharp! No wonder our little Che Che admires you so much. Since you’ve already figured it out, there’s not much more I need to tell you.

Who is it? Chen Mo asked, her expression hardening as she stared at Yun Xi. Did Lu Qingqing tell you?

A fish that slips through the net will desperately flee danger. Ants on a hot pan will scatter wildly. When cornered, a person will inevitably try to drag someone down with them before they die. He hasn’t acted against you these past few days because the heat of the situation hasn’t cooled down yet.

But Zhao Xiaomao has already been caught, and Lu Qingqing is under your control. He… Chen Mo trailed off, puzzled.

Since Lu Qingqing is already under our control and has revealed too much, she’ll naturally obey our every command. Otherwise, even if she escapes, she won’t survive. We’ve instructed Lu Qingqing to maintain contact with him, reassuring him that everything is under control. The police haven’t made any moves against him since your return, which has led him to believe that while things have gotten a bit complicated, he’s still safe. Any action he takes now would expose him. Yun Xi smiled and gestured toward the water glass in Chen Mo’s hand. Team Leader Chen, take a sip of water. Don’t let your nerves get so frayed.

Chen Mo’s mouth was indeed dry, not from thirst, but from the frantic pounding of her heart. Even though she had confirmed the existence of a mole within the police force, seeing the evidence laid bare still felt surreal. Yun Xi hadn’t revealed the mole’s identity, but someone who could access Lin Che’s signature and knew her operational patterns must be a close collaborator. The thought sent chills down her spine. She wanted to ask, but she didn’t dare. After draining the glass and setting it down on the coffee table with a crisp clink, she finally spoke So, Director Guo will begin his operation on Monday. Is that right?

Yun Xi poured Chen Mo another glass of water, saying casually, So, Team Leader Chen, just relax and stay here for a few days. You’re on vacation anyway, right? It must be boring being home alone. Think of it as a chance to unwind and take a break.

With that, he stood up and grabbed his bag. It’s getting late, so I won’t bother you any longer. Lin Che said you can use anything you need here. Just tell me what you want, and I’ll have someone get it for you. I’m off now. He was already at the door, opening it, when Chen Mo stood up and called out, General Manager Yun…

Don’t be so formal, Yun Xi waved his hand. I’m easy to talk to. Just call me Yun Xi. Or if you find that too direct, Sara is fine too.

Chen Mo opened her mouth awkwardly. Sara, when can I see Lin Che?

Yun Xi rolled his eyes and chuckled. If he’s still alive, he’ll come back eventually. I’m leaving now. Get some rest, don’t be shy, and make yourself at home. Trash the place if you want. He winked at Chen Mo. That’s what I do.

The door closed softly behind her, but Chen Mo remained rooted to the spot, her heart still gripped by an overwhelming, inexplicable fear. The events of the past few days, combined with her recent conversation, had thrown her already tangled thoughts into even greater disarray. Yun Xi’s words forced her to re-evaluate Lin Che a man of exceptional martial skill and sharp intellect. Yet what she gleaned from Yun Xi’s veiled hints was that the Lin Family’s influence likely extended far beyond what she could imagine.

Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows stretched a breathtaking cityscape at night. But even the opulent surroundings offered her no comfort. She drifted to the window and gazed down from the sixty-sixth floor at the flickering lights of skyscrapers and the tangled web of highways that snaked through the city like gnarled roots. How many secrets and sins lay hidden within this metropolis? She couldn’t know.

But one thing was certain Lin Che had not only saved her life but continued to protect her with unwavering resolve.

Suddenly, a pale woman’s face flickered before her eyes, her gaze unfocused as she mouthed, Mo… this world… isn’t just black… and white…

Chen Mo instinctively reached for the pendant she always wore around her neck, only to find it missing. Panic seized her. Disregarding her composure, she tugged open her collar and groped frantically again—it was truly gone. A cold sweat broke out across her body.

At home. I must have left it at home. She rushed to the door, yanked it open, and bolted out.

Yun Xi left the apartment but didn’t leave Dingsheng. Instead, he went straight down to the 65th floor. A door directly opposite the elevator was slightly ajar. He pushed it open and walked in. Jian Xiaobai, where’s Lin Che?

Jian Dan leaned back in her chair, a cigarette dangling from her lips, and nodded toward the bathroom. She wouldn’t listen and went to take a shower.

Yun Xi strode over to Jian Dan, snatched the cigarette from her mouth, and stubbed it out in the ashtray. How many times have I told you? She’s injured! Stop filling the room with smoke.

Jian Dan scoffed, lighting another cigarette. You’re lecturing me? What about her? She smokes too!

Yun Xi glared at the bathroom door, his voice rising in exasperation. Lin Che, do you even realize your wound is infected? Two days unconscious wasn’t enough? A shower? What kind of shower? Are you trying to kill yourself?

Jian Dan waved her hand dismissively. Enough, enough. You’re such a busybody. Don’t you know her quirks? Back in the States, she crawled out of the jungle half-dead, covered in wounds. Do you know what her first words were when she saw me? Not ‘Help me!’ but ‘Take me to shower!’

Yun Xi crossed his arms, glaring at Lin Che as he emerged from the bathroom, his hair still dripping and wrapped in a towel. A patch of plastic wrap covered his left shoulder, the red swelling beneath it completely ignored. A faint smile played on his pale face as he waved at Yun Xi, chuckling, Come on, Sara, help me get this off! It’s suffocating me.

Yun Xi stomped over and ripped the plastic wrap down. Lin Che winced, Ow, ow, ow… Easy, easy…

Easy? Oh, my dear Miss Lin, when did you turn into Little Sister Lin?

Lin Che roughly dried his hair with a towel, grinning sheepishly at Yun Xi’s remark. Sister Sara, I’ve always been your Little Sister Lin…

Yun Xi made a gagging face, tugged at the corner of his mouth, and snapped, Get lost, without pausing his work. He tossed the discarded plastic wrap aside and dragged Lin Che over to Jian Dan. Jian Xiaobai, the rest is up to you.

Jian Dan, cigarette dangling from her lips, grabbed the first-aid kit and waved Lin Che over. Come on, come on. This busybody is driving me crazy. Yun Xi snatched the cigarette from Jian Dan’s mouth and stubbed it out again. Jian Xiaobai, I’m telling you, don’t you dare let me…

Before she could finish, Jian Dan pressed a cotton swab firmly against Lin Che’s wound. Lin Che yelped, his face turning ashen. Sister Sara, please stop! If you keep this up, the backlash will all fall on your little sister! Ah!

Yun Xi fell silent, though truth be told, she didn’t have time to speak anyway. Lin Che’s cries were drowned out by a ringing phone. Yun Xi answered, her face shifting from red to white before she roared, What’s the point of keeping you around if you can’t even watch one person?! Where did she go?!

Her outburst silenced Lin Che instantly. His exaggerated expression vanished, replaced by a serious look. What’s wrong?

Yun Xi pointed the phone at Lin Che. What’s wrong? This Captain Chen of yours is a real handful! I’ve only been down here a few minutes, and she’s already slipped out!