Chapter 52: I Hate You the Most!

“Why does it have to be tonight?” Tang Qin Xin asked, puzzled.

“You know we’re playing a cat-and-mouse game with the Pursuit Team right now, right?” Xiao Fen saw that they’d talked enough. He stood up from under the tree, plucked a few oranges, looked around, stuffed a few into his pocket, and handed half the spoils to her. “I’ll head out first. Finish these oranges before you leave.”

Once Tang Qin Xin nodded in agreement, Xiao Fen left the tree with his guard up. He followed the path back to the village entrance and hopped onto a three-wheeler heading to town. Before long, he was back in Tengcha.

He had just reached the town entrance when a familiar tall figure leaning against the stone railing by the bridge stood out sharply from the crowd.

Fang Si Ting and several Vice Squad Officers were waiting there.

“Inspector Fang, on the job?” Xiao Fen jumped off the vehicle and walked right up to him.

Then, Fang Si Ting grabbed his wrist.

He had walked right into the trap.

“Come to the office for some tea?”

“Is it the proper kind of tea?” Xiao Fen lifted an eyelid, the corner of his eye curving up as he flashed him a bright smile.

“What other kind were you hoping for?”

“You’re not the type who can handle the improper kind anyway.” Xiao Fen twisted free of the restraint on his wrist. “Don’t get all grabby on the main street. People might think we’re close.”

Seeing the wary look on Fang Si Ting’s face, he laughed. “You’re not scared I’ll run, are you?”

He tsked lightly and placed his hand in the dry, warm palm, taking the initiative to hold on. “Here, take it.”

Fang Si Ting’s fingers curled instinctively, gripping tight.

Just like when he had impersonated Xu Nuo, the palm had a thin layer of calluses, not much flesh—pure lean, even finger bones when you squeezed.

Stripped of muscle and tendon, the bones of these hands would surely be beautiful.

“What are you thinking? You look like you want to tear my tendons and peel my bones.”

“Nothing.” Fang Si Ting pulled him along expressionlessly, weaving through the bustling bridge crowds and into the alleys.

Xiao Fen let himself be led, trailing lazily behind. “Inspector Fang, have you ever held a criminal’s hand?”

“I’ve got handcuffs. Want to try them?”

“Our relationship hasn’t reached that stage yet.” The Program Crew’s standard for capturing a criminal was both hands cuffed.

The other man’s palm was a bit hot. He wanted to pull away, but the hand enveloping his tightened with force, holding him fast.

“I haven’t committed any crimes yet. Why take me to the Inspection Office?”

“You know whether you have or not.”

“Then tell me, are you slandering me?”

Fang Si Ting took a deep breath. “Routine questioning. As a good citizen, it’s your duty.”

“Fine.” Xiao Fen sniffed, his eyes immediately spotting something tasty.

“Smells so good. Inspector Fang, I’m hungry.”

“Does the Inspection Office cover dinner?”

“Or should I handle it myself first?”

With that, he started dragging the man toward a street-side stall.

Fang Si Ting tightened his grip and yanked him back. “Behave yourself.”

“Even criminals have rights, and your Inspection Office food has to suck. We can talk after I’m full. Who knows, I might feel generous and confess.”

Fang Si Ting sneered. “You? Confess?”

“Hey, why make such a fuss? If I confessed right away, where’s the fun?” Xiao Fen excitedly shoved him toward the stall.

“Food first, business later.”

“Boss, five bowls of noodles. And fried dough sticks, fried pork crisps, grilled chicken wings, blood sausages…”

Xiao Fen ordered every snack on the menu, waved for the accompanying Vice Squad Officers to sit, then pointed at Fang Si Ting. “He’s paying.”

Fang Si Ting: “…”

The guy was doing this on purpose.

All that enthusiasm today, just to bleed him dry.

“You gonna eat all that?”

“Whatever’s left, I’ll pack it up for Team Leader Tang and the others.”

“…When you’re buying off my men, could you at least not do it in front of me?” And so righteously, too.

“Lies. I’m helping you buy off your own men.” Xiao Fen said, “Just admit it’s your money.”

A hint of a smile leaked from the corner of Fang Si Ting’s mouth.

Sophistry.

“What are you spacing out for? Eat. You weren’t really planning to leave it all for them.” Xiao Fen had already picked up his bowl of noodles, blew on it, slurped a big mouthful, then grabbed a huge meatball and bit in ferociously.

Not good.

He shoved the meatball to the corner of his bowl and went for a chicken wing. After scavenging the table, his gaze returned to the bowl—the meatball was gone.

A meatball with bite marks had appeared in the bowl across from him.

“That one’s got my bite in it.” Even Xiao Fen, thick-skinned as he was, felt a bit awkward.

“Mm. Can’t waste food.” Fang Si Ting calmly popped the meatball into his mouth.

Xiao Fen stared at him, puzzled. “That doesn’t add up.”

A guy like this, saying not to waste food?

“You’re profiling me again.”

Xiao Fen looked away. “Nope.”

After a pause, he asked, “Inspector Fang, have you profiled me yourself?”

“Mm.”

“How’d it go?”

“Classified.”

“You’re…” Xiao Fen shook his head. “So rigid and boring.”

“And you’re so flighty and childish.” Fang Si Ting said.

“Besides Sister Xiaoxiao’s analysis, you definitely profiled me personally.” Xiao Fen poked at the noodles in his bowl with his chopsticks, eyeing the man across. “How’d you crack my case in the First Episode?”

Fang Si Ting lowered his head to pick up some noodles when a shadow suddenly loomed closer.

Xiao Fen leaned across the table, staring into his eyes. “Back at the murder scene, seeing that setup—what went through your head? How’d you figure it out?”

“You don’t need to know.”

So boring.

He sat back up straight.

“You always cracked cases objectively before—analyzing clues, peeling back layers to find the truth, like a cold machine. Even those hijackings, pirate cases, kidnappings, extremist crimes—you knew who was behind them, just had to track them.”

Fang Si Ting said nothing, calmly eating a meatball as if he hadn’t heard.

“For the First Episode case, you put yourself in my shoes, didn’t you?”

“The emotionless you on other cases actually tried injecting emotion into it? Guessing my possible motives, imagining me wandering like a ghost in the Abandoned Villa, running through it over and over.”

“Mr. Black Cat, did you feel it? That sense of accomplishment from dressing Lu Jin up like that?”

Fang Si Ting’s head snapped up.

Xiao Fen sat across from him amid the steaming noodle mist, brows furrowed, fox eyes sharp and upturned, gaze piercing.

His lips curved up innocently, like a naive child proudly showing off a toy he’d dressed up.

His head inched slowly over the table again as Xiao Fen said delightedly, “Did you enjoy that feeling?”

Igniting the greed in someone’s heart, manipulating them to “kill” another, toying with everyone in your palm, watching the ants scurry from God’s perch.

“Back when you hunted those criminals, you enjoyed that feeling too, right? In the name of justice, judging the wicked, that unprecedented satisfaction. But what about crimes in the shadows where sunlight doesn’t reach? How do those villains get punished? How does your justice shine?”

Fang Si Ting met his gaze silently.

His dark eyes showed no ripple.

“What are you trying to say?”

“I… mmph…” Xiao Fen’s mouth was stuffed with a shrimp ball.

“Eat properly. No wild thoughts.”

“Inspector Fang, I hate you the most!” Xiao Fen chewed furiously on the food in his mouth, glaring at him discontentedly.

“Thanks for ranking me so highly.” Fang Si Ting said.

Infuriated, Xiao Fen dumped the remaining meatball from the plate into his bowl.

Hated food for a hated person.

He sampled every dish on the table. Once he finished tasting, he was full.

Fang Si Ting glanced at his phone and stood up.

The Vice Squad Officers at the next table rose immediately.

“Let’s go.” Xiao Fen yawned and proactively offered his hand for grabbing.

Night had fallen outside, with fewer people on the streets.

“I’ve got business at the office. Heading back first.”

Fang Si Ting buttoned his suit jacket, called his men, and vanished in a blink.

Xiao Fen looked baffled and asked the boss, “Did he pay?”

He couldn’t be left to wash dishes, right?

“Yeah.”

“Good. Get another identical order and send it to the Inspection Office.” Xiao Fen said. “Pack up these leftovers. I’ll take them.”

————

By the time he reached the town’s only inn, it was already eight o’clock.

He set the two bags full of plastic sacks and takeout boxes on the table, immediately drawing Ou Yu’s gaze.

“Why’d you buy so much food… leftovers?” Ou Yu’s mouth twitched. “Had a great time eating with Fang Si Ting and his Vice Squad Officers, and all you leave me is scraps?”

“I’m thinking of you too, aren’t I? Ordered too much, couldn’t finish.” Xiao Fen grinned ingratiatingly. “Your nose isn’t that sensitive, is it? No secrets around you. If you don’t want it, I’ll take it.”

Ou Yu opened a box. While the close-up camera wasn’t looking, he quickly covered his chest cam like a thief, snatched a meatball, and shoved it in his mouth.

So damn good.

Even leftovers were delicious.

“What’d you talk about with Tang Qin Xin today?” He had forgotten the main point.

Xiao Fen gave a rough rundown of the situation and ended with, “Need you to help with a little something.”

Ou Yu’s cheeks bulged from the meatball as he leaned back slightly.

Ten minutes later, Lu Jin, who was playing on his phone by the bed, heard a heavy thud from next door like something crashing, followed by laughter and bickering.

He put on his earphones. The phone screen showed a chat with someone.

These past few days, he’d been privately messaging Criminal Team members in the group chat to gauge their views.

On their thoughts about Xiao Fen leading the Criminal Team.

He, Lu Jin—the one who first proposed this show, City A’s Crown Prince, heir to the Lu Corporation—had the skills, the leadership experience. From childhood, he’d been the center of attention in City A’s elite circles.

If they were picking a leader, it should have been him—the star of the show.

Especially in front of Ou Yu.

No way should it have gone to a nobody like Xiao Fen.

They only voted for him because they didn’t know their own potential, had no better option.

And so far, the Criminal Team’s performance wasn’t stellar.

In under three days: two successes, one caught, one with key clues leaked—capture imminent.

Not a great start.

Lu Jin was confident he’d do better as Criminal Team leader.

Right now, he was privately chatting with the two criminals who had succeeded, trying to get them on his side. When the time came, he’d speak up in the group, stir things up, have them back him.

Neither criminal had replied yet.

Lu Jin typed more earnest words. The laughter from next door grew louder. Unable to take it, he yanked off his earphones, deleted the chat history, gripped his phone, and went to knock on the next door.

“Could you keep it down?”

Xiao Fen was such a menace!

The door opened. A short-haired, tall “woman” stood in the doorway, covering her low-cut chest with an embarrassed look on her face.