Chapter 279: A Kiss Seals the Deal

Gu Xiaoting stared nervously at Chen Shi without speaking.

Others in the shop noticed the tense atmosphere and stopped what they were doing to watch.

Chen Shi repeated the question, but Gu Xiaoting remained silent. Lin Dongxue said, “Miss Gu, please come with us.” She reached for her handcuffs.

Suddenly, Gu Xiaoting overturned the table, sending condiments flying. Lin Dongxue screamed as a strong arm shielded her from the table.

Chen Shi had blocked the table with one hand, then pushed it aside, saying, “Chase her!”

They rushed outside, where Gu Xiaoting was speeding away on an electric scooter. When they reached an alley, she lost control and fell. She got up and ran into the alley.

Chen Shi led the chase, with the wind whistling past his ears. Gu Xiaoting, a blur of red, darted across a busy street, causing a cacophony of screeching brakes and crashes.

As Chen Shi ran into the street, a car grazed him, knocking him down. Half his body went numb, but worse, a truck loaded with goods was bearing down on him, honking desperately but unable to stop.

Chen Shi’s face was illuminated by the truck’s headlights. At that moment, a hand yanked him up, pulling him to safety just as the truck roared past.

Incredibly, his rescuer was Gu Xiaoting. Chen Shi hesitated for a moment before grabbing her arm, feeling a bit like he was betraying her kindness, but he had no choice.

Lin Dongxue, who had witnessed everything, was in tears. Despite her fear, she remembered her duty and cuffed Gu Xiaoting after crossing the street.

Chen Shi said to Gu Xiaoting, “Thank you.”

Gu Xiaoting looked at him silently.

There were a few car accidents on the street, but luckily no injuries. They left the scene to the traffic police and took Gu Xiaoting back to the station.

During the ride, Lin Dongxue remained silent, biting her lip and holding back tears, turning her face toward the window to hide from Chen Shi.

Half an hour later, they arrived at the station and took Gu Xiaoting to the interrogation room. Lin Dongxue’s frustration finally erupted. She punched Chen Shi in the chest, crying, “Idiot! Do you know how scared I was? Why do you have to risk your life? You’re not a cop. If you die, you won’t even be a martyr!”

“I…” Chen Shi couldn’t find the words to comfort her.

Lin Dongxue punched him again. “My parents died in a car accident. I was young and didn’t see it happen, but it left a huge trauma. I had nightmares about their death all through high school!”

“I’m sorry, Dongxue.”

Lin Dongxue, losing control, hugged Chen Shi and cried like a child. Her warm tears soaked into his clothes.

“Don’t ever do something so stupid again! Don’t ever do it again!”

Knowing words wouldn’t comfort her, Chen Shi realized how much she cared about him. He gently cupped her face with his large hands and kissed her on the lips. Lin Dongxue, surprised, wrapped her arms around his neck, and their kiss deepened, warming them against the cold night.

After their passionate kiss, Lin Dongxue blushed furiously, her heart pounding. She fidgeted with her hair and then looked up into Chen Shi’s eyes, finding comfort in the silence.

She hugged him again, and Chen Shi whispered with a smile, “Let’s finish this case first.”

Ten minutes later, they entered the interrogation room. Gu Xiaoting was rubbing her wrists, still uncomfortable with the handcuffs. Chen Shi handed her a warm bottle of coffee and said, “Thank you for saving me. I owe you one.”

“It’s nothing. I just thought you were a good person who didn’t deserve to die,” Gu Xiaoting replied, looking down.

“You think Ma Jianjun was a bad person?” Chen Shi asked gently.

“…”

Chen Shi picked up a file, a printed report, and said, “Three years ago, you were disfigured by your obsessive boyfriend who threw acid on you. You came to Long’an to work and save money for skin graft surgery, starting a new life. When you learned about the cat killer, you saw a reflection of your ex-boyfriend in him, so you decided to stand up for Miss Jiang?”

“…”

Chen Shi continued with his theory, “That night at the Japanese restaurant, Miss Jiang left her bag, giving you a perfect opportunity. You discovered her key matched yours and secretly swapped them. You had delivered food to Ma Jianjun before, so you knew his place. You planned a nearly flawless murder. At 10:50 PM, you entered the community, sneaking into the building while the reporters were interviewing others. When Ma Jianjun talked to the reporters through the window, you entered his house and hid in the bedroom. After he finished talking and came into the bedroom, you killed him with a hammer. Then you sprayed water outside to create chaos, quickly used his phone to take a picture, and set up the cat to send a delayed Weibo post. You left quietly… You were meticulous and lucky. Miss Jiang’s bag, sneaking into the house unnoticed, the cat licking the nutrient paste at midnight—these all required luck.”

Gu Xiaoting slowly said, “It was as if fate used my hands to kill him. If any part of my plan had failed, I would have given up.”

“But we can’t arrest fate. You’re the one who acted, so we’re arresting you.”

Gu Xiaoting lowered her head. “I don’t regret it! I was ruined by an obsessive man, and it destroyed my life. Such men think they can control and hurt others because they love them. They’re immature brats who can do anything. I hope no other girl has to suffer like I did… If I hadn’t been caught this time, I would have kept helping other girls until I was finally arrested…” She looked up. “You said I was lucky, but my luck ran out when I met someone like you.”

“If you hadn’t saved me just now, you wouldn’t be sitting here. Anyway, thank you.”

“I just…” Gu Xiaoting glanced at Lin Dongxue. “I didn’t want to see this sister sad. I saw her comforting Miss Jiang and thought she was a good person.”

“Thank you!” Lin Dongxue said sincerely. “I will remember this for the rest of my life.”