Fang Si Ting’s “interrogation” of Xiao Fen ended on a sour note.
Before leaving, Xiao Fen didn’t forget to give him a hint.
“Mr. Black Cat, Lu Jin’s only use is to replace the real victim. Don’t be fooled by him. Maybe they didn’t let you see that victim to give you a little test from some cute murderer behind the scenes, increasing the difficulty a bit. Ignore Lu Jin and properly re-analyze the dismemberment case, along with the killer’s motive. You’ll find him.”
As long as he analyzed Wu Lifu’s criminal psychology process, he would know where Xiao Fen had hidden him.
This required Fang Si Ting to crack it.
Back at the two-person dorm, Xiao Fen quickly packed away the clothes and items Fang Si Ting had laid out at noon into his suitcase.
It was truly embarrassing.
He had only dragged his suitcase to Fang Si Ting’s place because someone from the travel agency canceled their stay that afternoon. He planned to shower and leave right away, with no intention of staying long.
Fang Si Ting actually thought he was going to stay and had laid out all his things.
He hurriedly dragged his suitcase and backpack away. By the time he arrived at the travel agency, the sun had already set. The front desk regretfully told him the room had already been taken.
“No way?” Xiao Fen scratched his head. Did he have to go find Ou Yu?
“Isn’t this town not open yet? Are rooms this scarce?” He muttered to himself when suddenly a man’s voice came from behind.
“Xiao Fen, did you knife Lu Jin?”
It was someone Xiao Fen didn’t recognize.
But as soon as the man spoke, he exposed himself as a criminal guest.
“What nonsense are you spouting? Lu Jin was killed by the murderer.” Only an idiot would admit it.
“Don’t think I don’t know.” The man’s eyes brimmed with ferocity. “Do you know that because you knifed Lu Jin, we’re down to 22 people now? Are you our teammate or our enemy—helping the Pursuit Team knife our own?”
“From the moment you kicked me out, we were no longer teammates.” Xiao Fen had no interest in tangling with him.
“So you started retaliating against us?” The man’s angry voice carried threads of fear and wariness.
“Do you guys even need my retaliation? Aren’t you overestimating yourselves?” Xiao Fen sneered.
After so many days, the only time he had been caught was the day before yesterday, when he threw out bait to shake off the tracking Vice Squad Officers. These people still hadn’t discovered the spy among them. Their information and criminal evidence must have long been in the Pursuit Team’s hands. Now that the real killer was caught, the Pursuit Team had time to deal with them.
“You don’t really think it’s your capability that kept you uncaptured all this time, do you?”
“What do you mean?”
“As fellow criminals, here’s a final reminder: don’t trust the other criminal guests too much. You think you’re partners with aligned interests who can fight side by side, but in reality, they’ll sacrifice and betray others to survive in the program.”
“You’re saying there’s a spy among us selling info to the Pursuit Team?” The man was stunned for a moment, then sneered coldly. “What discord are you sowing now? Think I’ll buy your bullshit?”
“Believe it or not.” Xiao Fen said indifferently. “Also, by impulsively standing here to question me, you’ve exposed your identity. Good luck.”
Only then did the man realize his stupidity. He glanced around and bolted, immediately pursued by two Vice Squad Officers.
What an idiot.
When would the Program Crew pick someone smarter? No wonder the Pursuit Team hated participating.
Catching these people gave no sense of accomplishment.
“Miss…” Xiao Fen immediately switched to a smiling face, about to speak, when a black shadow suddenly appeared beside him.
Fang Si Ting walked up to the front desk and flashed his inspection badge.
The front desk let out a long sigh of relief. “You’ve finally arrived. The suspect is here.”
She had been terrified earlier—two criminal guests at once.
Hearing this, Xiao Fen fumed. “Inspector Fang, how can you be so despicable? This is abuse of power, you know!”
“Aren’t you my suspect?”
“…”
Was he really that suspicious? There wasn’t even evidence.
“Come back with me.” Fang Si Ting pocketed the badge and dragged him toward the Inspection Office dorm.
“Inspector Fang, ease up. My wrist hurts from your grip.” Xiao Fen lazily trailed behind, letting him pull.
Late returnees reached home amid children’s joyful cries.
Chimneys atop houses puffed wisps of blue smoke, carrying the aroma of dinner.
“The suitcase is stuck in the stone slab cracks. I can’t push it.” Under the streetlight, Xiao Fen sulked, refusing to move.
Fang Si Ting took the handle from him.
“The backpack’s heavy too.”
Fang Si Ting placed the backpack atop the suitcase and dragged them together.
“Inspector Fang…”
Fang Si Ting shot him a cold glance.
Xiao Fen obediently shut up, listlessly turning his head aside.
After some distance, he suddenly quickened his steps, closing the gap to stick right behind him.
————
After over half an hour of fussing, Xiao Fen reluctantly returned to the dorm.
Fang Si Ting shed his jacket and saw him standing idly by the suitcase. He ordered deeply, “Put everything back the way you took it out.”
He had already helped pack once. Did he have to do it himself too?
“I can stay with Sister-in-law Jinlan for the remaining days.” Xiao Fen said awkwardly.
“Squeeze into one bed with Ou Yu?” Fang Si Ting’s voice rose sharply, sternly.
Xiao Fen startled. It felt like he’d been caught red-handed.
“Why so fierce? I won’t leak clues to you.”
Criminals and inspectors never bunked together.
“Sharing a room suits you fine, not me.” He turned away, muttering softly.
“How not?” Fang Si Ting said. “With your dog-repelling sleep posture, anyone sharing your bed is cursed.”
Revenge—pure revenge for embarrassing him in the office earlier, announcing it loudly to the live audience.
His sleep posture was just… a tad bad.
Xiao Fen drew a deep breath. Sharing with Ou Yu wouldn’t work, even as bros.
He sluggishly unzipped and laid out the daily items he’d just packed.
Naturally scatterbrained, he tossed them out without care for neatness.
Fang Si Ting exhaled impatiently, snatched his toothpaste cup, aligned it neatly beside his own, and resignedly repacked the rest.
Xiao Fen hummed a little tune, rummaged the mini-fridge, grabbed a canned iced beer, headed to the balcony, leaned on the railing in the breeze, and sipped contentedly.
“Tuck in your feet.” Fang Si Ting passed by, hung his towel precisely on the rack, edges aligned.
“Xiao Fen.”
Xiao Fen straightened just as Fang Si Ting turned, not leaving, but called hoarsely.
His heart jolted; his grip on the can grew awkward.
He knew the office words had hurt him.
But portraying Xu Nuo was tailored to Fang Si Ting’s profile.
Back then, he only aimed to coast through the remaining days at United Building.
“Xiao Fen.” Fang Si Ting called again, expression gravely solemn.
“Soul-summoning with all that calling?” He grumbled, lips curving into a smile, eyes on the path outside.
His name from this straitlaced old fogey’s mouth… sounded kinda nice.
Five or six seconds of silence stretched between them.
Just as he thought Fang Si Ting would retreat to his room, words came at his ear.
“For the past thirty-three years, I busied myself with studies, work, becoming the finest eldest son—world-traveling without pause, never sparing thought for my love life.”
Xiao Fen instinctively turned, eyelashes fluttering wildly in the balcony light.
Fang Si Ting’s stark black-white eyes brimmed with earnest fervor.
Unprecedented seriousness.
“Even before meeting you, I never considered if my other half would be man or woman.”
Xiao Fen’s heart thumped wildly, limbs numb, mind hazy.
Weird—slaying monsters was like chopping veggies, yet his body thrilled like this.
Fingers hooked his shirt collar, tugging in the heat.
Face impassive, he wore a roguish smirk.
“So now… what then?” Incoherent, he sipped iced beer.
“Now I know.” Fang Si Ting gazed earnestly. “First off, my other half must be male.”
Xiao Fen’s smile deepened.
“Second, supremely capable—stronger than me, sharper mind, brilliantly clever. Unpredictable fighting style, impossible to defend. Elite case-solver, keen observer, meticulous thinker, master of setups, puzzles, even racing.”
Xiao Fen snapped. “Partner or boss you’re hiring?”
Such stringent demands.
“I want someone younger, lively, teasing, boastful, childish yet reliable—grinds teeth in fury, inspires love-hate-helplessness.”
Xiao Fen laughed. “Reasonable.”
“Particularly vain, atrocious sleep posture—tucking blanket dozens of times nightly, yet it ends on the floor.”
“Bull.” Xiao Fen laughed-scolded. “Who drags the blanket to the floor?”
Fang Si Ting cracked, smiling. “Stubborn to the bitter end, huh.”
Dazzled by the smile, Xiao Fen turned away, licked beer from his lips.
Bit drunk.
“Stay single forever.”
Fang Si Ting eyed his flushed earlobe. “Say, is my profile of you deep enough?”
“What?”
Xiao Fen nearly eye-rolled, shot an angry glare—only to find him still staring.
Eye corner upturned involuntarily, long lashes glinting silver shards from the light, cognac eyes shyly smiling, sparkling.
Fang Si Ting’s breath caught.
Who wouldn’t drown in such intoxication?
“Your take?” Xiao Fen tilted his head tsundere, voice lilting provocatively, itching the heart.
“Not enough, seems.” He murmured.
“Far from.” Xiao Fen postured, shook his head, dangled the can before him. As fingers reached, he slipped aside—leaving malt-beer scent lingering.
“Showering first.”
“Noon shower wasn’t enough?” Fang Si Ting turned too, eyes fixed. “Molting?”
“Sweaty.”
“Didn’t go out.”
Xiao Fen ignored, snatched his old tee, ducked into the bathroom.
“Lock properly.” Fang Si Ting loosened his tie, sat with file in hand—heard the click.
Inspector Fang went speechless.
【Is this a confession? Is it? Is it? Is it?】
【Nah, said it’s Inspector Fang’s profile of Brother Fen.】
【Just banter between them.】
【When did Fang Yama get so flirty? Nearly bought it.】
【Don’t care—calling it Fang Yama’s confession.】
【Feels like Fang Yama’s flirting ulterior. Workaholic screams lifelong solo.】
【Fang Yama avert eyes, bad press.】
【Honey trap maybe? Daze Brother Fen, pry words.】
【Logical.】
【Face screams career martyr.】
【Poor Brother Fen. Alas.】
Half an hour later, Xiao Fen emerged refreshed.
Fang Si Ting chin-nodded the table. “Dinner for you.”
Xiao Fen opened the box—all favorites.
Big bowl ice cream in fridge too.
“For half-room share, I’ll reluctantly clue you.”
Fang Si Ting’s cool gaze lifted from documents to his face.
Xiao Fen stuffed a huge bite, cheeks bulging glutinously white, bobbing hamster-like with chews.
“That confident I’ll miss your crime evidence before deadline?”
Xiao Fen swallowed. “Who says nabbing real killer reveals mine?”
“Clues always linger.”
“That’ll disappoint you.”
Fang Si Ting looked at his smug expression, shook his head helplessly, and the upturned corners of his mouth refused to come down.
After dinner, Xiao Fen saw that Fang Si Ting was still reviewing case files. Since his identity made it inappropriate to get involved, he carried some snacks and strolled down the dormitory corridor to aid digestion. He scooped a spoonful for himself. “Front row: melon seeds, peanuts, mineral water, ice cream, drinks, criminal info for sale!”
Tang Shen poked his head out from his room. “You’re really selling?”
“How could it be fake?” Xiao Fen said.
Bai Zhu poked his head out from the next room, phone in hand, and reminded him, “Don’t believe a word he says. Careful, or you’ll get fooled again.”
This guy had more schemes than a beehive.
【It’s over. Now even the most innocent Captain Bai doesn’t believe you anymore.】
【Brother Fen, in the Pursuit Team’s eyes, you’re already a heinous villain who’s lost all credibility.】
Xiao Fen scooped a bite of ice cream and said, “I’m a program crew guest too. I have to do tasks. If I don’t, my info gets leaked to you all. Sure, it might not help you much, but you’d catch me right away. To avoid elimination, I gotta do tasks. I’m just another pitiful victim of the program crew.”
The room door to the left of the stairs opened, and Peng Xiaoxiao and Qin Wensu emerged from their respective rooms.
“Brother Fen, you chewed out Inspector Fang something fierce this evening. How are you still crashing in his dorm?” Qin Wensu caught a whiff of gossip. “You two made up?”
“How’d you know?” Xiao Fen was baffled. The office door had been closed at the time.
No way was he going to air their dirty laundry in front of outsiders.
Peng Xiaoxiao hurriedly tugged at Qin Wensu. “Heard it from someone else.”
“You were peeking through the door crack and eavesdropping.” Xiao Fen cottoned on. “Are you even vice squad officers, pulling stunts like that?”
As expected, if the upper beam wasn’t straight, the lower one would be crooked.
“Hey now, we’re talking about selling criminal info.” Tang Shen strolled out with a chuckle. “So, how’s it work?”
Xiao Fen raised his index finger, hooked the ice cream off the corner of his mouth with his tongue tip, and grinned. “One piece of intel on Inspector Fang.”
“As expected.” Tang Shen shot Peng Xiaoxiao a look.
“Expected what?” Xiao Fen asked, puzzled.
“Nothing.”
Who else could it be in Xiao Fen’s eyes besides Inspector Fang?
“One piece? We got loads.” Peng Xiaoxiao teased.
“You guys are one loose Pursuit Team, huh?” Xiao Fen arched a brow. “Wasn’t Inspector Fang supposed to be your idol?”
Selling out your idol that quick?
“Just ’cause he’s our idol, we’ve got the inside scoop on him,” Peng Xiaoxiao said. “Nobody knows him like we do.”
“Sacrifice one for the good of the team—no more chasing leads,” Bai Zhu added.
“As the boss, that’s the kind of responsibility and dedication he should show,” Tang Shen agreed wholeheartedly.
Peng Xiaoxiao went first. “Inspector Fang’s got social anxiety.”
Xiao Fen: ???
“Seriously?”
