Chapter 12: I Believe You
As soon as Wei Langxing returned, he saw that flamboyant butterfly flitting around the hall, ostentatiously arranging his trophies.
He was beyond irritated. He really didn’t understand if Pang Jin had gone senile, bringing such a plague into their team.
Even before their first encounter, Wei Langxing had been well aware of Xie Cun’s reputation—
After all, Xie Cun’s father was a billionaire, with real estate companies spanning across different star systems.
Such a self-made tycoon having a good-for-nothing son who only knew how to indulge in pleasure naturally attracted attention.
Wei Langxing hadn’t paid much attention to him, dismissing him as a spoiled rich kid, someone irrelevant to his life.
As for the gossip about him changing partners every three days, he scoffed.
He didn’t even want to spare such a frivolous person a glance.
Their paths wouldn’t have crossed if Wei Langxing hadn’t been involved in a case involving illegal arms trafficking, organizing a vice raid to follow a lead.
When the door to the private room was kicked open and his men swarmed in, Wei Langxing immediately saw Xie Cun lounging on the sofa.
His shirt was unbuttoned, his eyes hazy, seemingly unconcerned by the intrusion. While everyone else panicked and crouched on the ground, he continued to play with a silver cufflink in his hand, clearly ripped off during some vigorous activity.
His nonchalant demeanor made Wei Langxing frown. He gave him a cold look, but the other man simply whistled: “Wanna join the fun?”
Wei Langxing wasn’t interested in banter, ordering his men to take him away.
During interrogation, Xie Cun continued to deflect, leaning back lazily in his chair, one leg crossed over the other, his handcuffed hands resting on his knee, the metal glinting coldly.
“I’ve said everything I know. I was just out having fun, invited a few friends for drinks. I don’t understand what you’re talking about, spies and all that.”
No matter what Wei Langxing said, he repeated the same lines.
“You know, this is my only pleasure, beautiful women and fine wine. I’m just enjoying life. That’s not illegal, is it?”
It wasn’t illegal, and there was no further evidence linking him to the case. He genuinely seemed to be a hapless pleasure-seeker caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. They couldn’t detain him any longer.
Moreover, the lack of surveillance footage and the consistent testimonies couldn’t even confirm his involvement in illicit activities. As long as he insisted he was just drinking and playing cards, Wei Langxing couldn’t do anything.
But he knew what Xie Cun had been doing – many people in that room hadn’t even had time to get dressed.
It was… disgusting.
As he was leaving, Xie Cun, freed from his handcuffs, rubbed his wrists. He stopped as he passed Wei Langxing.
“Mr… Wei, do you have something against me?”
Wei Langxing slammed his notebook shut, his face stern: “Aren’t you leaving? Do you want to be detained again? Or have you finally remembered something and decided to confess?”
He didn’t confess, but he did have a suggestion.
Xie Cun patted his shoulder, glancing at the insignia on it: “Level Three Officer… isn’t that a little low for someone with your abilities?”
“What’s it to you?”
“Don’t be nervous. Fate brought us together, so let me offer you some advice – don’t be so rigid, always acting like a block of wood. It’s boring.”
He tossed something over. Wei Langxing caught it; it was the silver cufflink.
“Clothes make the man. Try dressing up, find a partner, and your mood will improve. Then you won’t have to take your anger out on your work.”
Wei Langxing was about to retort, but Xie Cun retreated towards the exit, casually putting on a pair of sunglasses: “My private ship is waiting. Talk to you later!”
Watching his arrogant back, Wei Langxing threw the cufflink in the trash.
Wearing sunglasses at night, what a lunatic.
From then on, Wei Langxing unilaterally considered them rivals.
He would occasionally hear about Xie Cun’s antics, like jumping off a building to try skydiving and nearly landing on a statue in the park, or gathering a hundred people for a fight because he thought his opponent’s racing car was illegal. Yet, nothing ever came of it. Coupled with his father’s company’s cooperation with the Bureau, the higher-ups instructed them to turn a blind eye, and he always got away scot-free.
Like a fishbone lodged in his throat, irritating Wei Langxing.
Now, the fishbone seemed to have pierced through his throat, appearing before him in the flesh.
The moment he entered, he heard him telling Tang Yu’an pointless jokes. What was even more infuriating was that Tang Yu’an was actually amused, even looking at him with admiration!
Tang Yu’an had been happily chatting with his new teammate until he saw Wei Langxing return. The other man strode towards them, fuming, as if about to start a fight. He couldn’t help but take a step back.
“What did you offer Pang Jin to get him to bring you here?”
Wei Langxing was convinced he couldn’t have been chosen for his abilities – what abilities did Xie Cun even have? Could he make enemies die of laughter with his yellow hair?
Xie Cun leaned back, making a calming gesture: “Whoa, calm down, Mr. Pufferfish… I’m new here. Is this how you welcome a new teammate, Captain?”
Convinced he had ulterior motives, Wei Langxing adopted an interrogative stance: “This isn’t a place for your games. If you want to play, hire some people to play house with you.”
Others might have been intimidated by his mental energy, but Xie Cun was unfazed, even taking a step closer, meeting his gaze.
“Captain… Wei, I’ve been very polite. You should know, if I’m not happy, I can have you kicked out of this building at any time.”
Wei Langxing was taken aback: “What nonsense are you talking about?”
Xie Cun smiled, raising his chin confidently: “Didn’t Pang Jin tell you? I bought this building. I decide who stays and who goes.”
Wei Langxing: “…”
He’d been careless. That old Pang, he didn’t even give him a heads-up!
No wonder the funding had suddenly become so abundant. It was because the young master was coming.
Tang Yu’an, standing to the side, glanced between them, then softly broke the tense atmosphere: “Um, why don’t we eat first?”
In his experience, people calmed down when they ate. A full stomach extinguished anger.
So, when in doubt, eat.
Wei Langxing’s expression and tone immediately softened, a complete transformation from moments ago: “Are you hungry? Have some snacks first. I’ll order takeout…”
Before he could finish, Xie Cun interrupted with a “tsk”: “You’re going to feed him that unclean stuff?”
In his view, takeout was made in unsanitary workshops; it would make them sick.
“I…”
Wei Langxing was speechless. He would have argued about anything else, but when it came to cooking, he had no confidence.
Probably only he could stomach the things he made.
Even so, he rarely cooked, even when alone. With nutrient paste available, why bother?
Xie Cun’s cooking skills were probably just as bad, but money made up for it, giving him unwarranted confidence.
“I have four personal chefs. I’ll call one over…”
It seemed excessive to call a chef for just the three of them. Tang Yu’an offered to cook.
He first silenced Xie Cun by saying the gift was too expensive and he needed to repay him somehow, then told Wei Langxing he wanted him to try his cooking.
His real reason was to prevent them from arguing about food preferences at the dinner table. With him cooking, Wei Langxing would at least give him some face, and Xie Cun… judging by his attitude, he probably wouldn’t object too much.
It wouldn’t do for the team to start off on such a bad note. There was nothing a good meal couldn’t solve.
Wei Langxing immediately rolled up his sleeves to help, but Tang Yu’an sent him out to buy more seasonings.
Now, it was just him and Xie Cun again. He couldn’t help but ask: “Didn’t you say your misunderstanding was resolved? Why…”
Before he could finish, Xie Cun put on a pitiful expression, the rebelliousness gone, looking like a kicked puppy.
“I don’t know. I was cleared of suspicion, but Captain Wei still seems to have a prejudice against me… I might have done something wrong. I was so excited to join the team, but he thinks I have ulterior motives. I really don’t know what to do.”
Even his hair seemed to droop, making him look even more like a yellow puppy.
With the protagonist feeling down, the tool-man naturally had to offer comfort. Tang Yu’an put down the potato he was peeling, saying seriously: “Wei Langxing can be a bit harsh sometimes, but he doesn’t mean it. Don’t take it to heart.”
Xie Cun said that everyone had always called him “his father’s son.” He joined the Bureau to prove himself, and he got in through the assessment, not his investments.
“I don’t care what others think. I just hope you believe me.”
Tang Yu’an immediately said: “I believe you.”
Always agree with the protagonist; that was his accumulated experience.
Whether it was true or not was beyond his scope of consideration.
“That’s good.” Xie Cun seemed relieved, a slight smile appearing on his lips.
So naive, he thought, like a little bunny. It was quite fun to deceive him.
Just then, the phone rang. It was Wei Langxing, saying he had run into Wang Wen, the officer from before. He was having some trouble on a mission, needing to rescue a hostage, so he decided to help and would be back later.
Tang Yu’an replied: “I understand. Be careful.”
Ten minutes later, Wei Langxing called again.
Tang Yu’an answered: “Is it resolved?”
Wei Langxing’s voice sounded relaxed: “Resolved. The hostage has been neutralized.”
“That’s good. Come back quickly, the porridge is ready… Wait, what did you say?”
Who had been neutralized?
