Chapter 853: Mom’s Dilemma

May 27th was a busy day for the Second Team as they scrambled to investigate the multitude of cases tied to Lie Guoxiao. Not being part of the special investigation unit, Lin Dongxue was able to leave work on time.

At 5:30 PM, grabbing her bag, Lin Dongxue said to her intensely focused colleagues, “I’m heading out, don’t forget to eat!”

“Lin Lin,” Xu Xiaodong called out as he followed her, “can you help me with something? My mom somehow got this old cabinet and now it’s sitting downstairs. I told her not to move it by herself and promised to help after work, but now I have to stay late.”

“I’ll go with Chen,” she offered.

“Tell Chen thanks for me, I’ll treat you guys to dinner tomorrow.”

“It’s just a small favor, no big deal.”

Chen was waiting outside for her. They had initially planned to go out for dinner after work, but this new task came up. Chen joked, “Helping move furniture, huh? Did you ask him for payment?”

“Do we need to be so petty? It’s just helping out, and he said he’d treat us to dinner tomorrow.”

“Alright, the fish we planned to eat tonight can wait until tomorrow then,” Chen said as he started the car.

Lin Dongxue had been to Xu Xiaodong’s place once before. During that visit, Xu’s mother mistook her for his girlfriend, leading to some comical misunderstandings. The old lady adored her son to the point of spoiling him. Xu seemed perpetually childlike in her presence, a type of maternal affection that Lin Dongxue envied.

As they drove, Lin Dongxue blurted out, “My brother really went on a blind date!”

“Sounds like you’ll soon have a sister-in-law.”

“I doubt it. A couple of days ago, he and a date seemed compatible, and she seemed to like him too. They planned to meet again, but guess what he said? He told her, ‘I think you’re alright, but I need to compare a bit more, wait for my call.’ It’s like a job interview, not a date. Imagine a girl hearing she’s just one option among many.”

Chen laughed. “People who don’t know your brother would never understand his overly rational mind.”

“That’s just a lack of emotional intelligence.”

“Does he even like her?”

“He told me they matched well, but he felt something was missing to consider a lifelong commitment.” Lin Dongxue pulled out her phone to show Chen a photo. “She’s a nurse, pretty, right? I didn’t expect him to be so picky about looks.”

“It’s not about looks; it’s about genetic attraction.”

“You mean the gene thing is just about looks?”

“Not just looks. It’s a biological instinct. Why do children from loving parents turn out smarter and healthier? It’s because the parents were drawn together by genetic attraction, their genes complement each other well. Sometimes, it’s best to trust your instincts on such matters.”

Lin Dongxue scoffed, “You make love sound so utilitarian.”

“It’s not utilitarian. Love has both emotional and rational sides. Some believe in fate, others in big data and probability. Personally, I’m all for the emotional side.”

“Do we have this genetic attraction?”

“Um, judging by frequency and quality, I’d say yes.”

“Go away, you’re impossible!” Lin Dongxue laughed.

They soon arrived at Xu Xiaodong’s place, where his mother was sitting on the cabinet downstairs, fanning herself. She was delighted to see Lin Dongxue, though her smile cooled a few degrees upon seeing Chen.

“This is a colleague; you can call him Xiao Chen,” Lin Dongxue introduced for simplicity.

“Hello, Xiao Chen.”

Xu had already explained the situation over the phone. The cabinet was heavy, being made of solid wood, and it took some effort to move it into the elevator and then into the apartment. Directed by the elderly lady, they finally settled the cabinet in place just before 7 PM.

“I’m sorry to have you come all this way. Why don’t you stay for dinner? I just bought ribs today and made pork rib and winter melon soup.”

“No thanks, auntie, we should be heading back.”

“Lin, it’s been ages since you visited. Stay for dinner, don’t you like my cooking?”

Under her insistent hospitality, they stayed for dinner. While she was busy in the kitchen, Chen took the opportunity to explore Xu’s room, which was filled with posters and collectibles—an unexpected sight for a detective’s room.

A cartoon-character bedspread featured a stuffed cat sprawled lazily, sucking its paw. Lin called out, “Hua Hua!” The cat, recognizing her, scampered over, indulging in her petting and even rolling over to show its belly.

“She still remembers me!” Lin exclaimed, delighted.

Back in the living room, Xu’s mother served dinner, proudly showing old photographs of Xu as a child. As they ate and laughed, the time quickly approached 8:30 PM when Xu Xiaodong finally came home. Upon hearing his mother jovially sharing embarrassing childhood stories with their guests, he protested, “Mom, please stop, how am I supposed to face people after this?”

“You’re back, wash your hands and come eat,” his mother said cheerfully, her face lighting up at the sight of her son.

“No need, I already ate some takeout,” Xu replied, sitting down and grabbing an apple.

His mother snatched it away to peel it for him, scolding as she did, “Eating takeout again? Are those things even clean? They’re all made with gutter oil and additives, not good for your stomach at all. If you don’t take care of your health now, you’ll suffer when you’re older.”

“Mom, stop nagging, it’s so annoying,” Xu groaned, taking a bite of the peeled apple.

Chen watched this interaction with amusement. Once inside this home, Xu seemed to regress by a decade.

The old lady continued fussing over her son, “He wanted to be a police officer, so I supported him, but I worry all the time about him getting hurt. I try not to restrain him too much; after all, I can’t control his life forever… By the way, does he have a girlfriend at work yet?”

The conversation always circled back to Xu. Throughout the evening, they talked, laughed, and viewed old photos. When it was finally time to leave, Xu’s mother reluctantly saw them out, her concern and affection for her son evident in every word.

Leaving Xu’s house, Lin and Chen reflected on the warm, familial atmosphere they’d experienced. It was clear that despite the challenges of his job, Xu’s home was a place of refuge and unconditional love, a stark contrast to the dangerous world outside.