Chapter 33

“She… isn’t she living at your place? She hasn’t been back since Saturday.”

Hadn’t been back.

Xue Tong suddenly froze. Her hand fumbled in her pocket for her phone as she turned and started walking toward the elevator. Where was Lu Shimiao right now? Why was she sick? Why wasn’t she going to school? Xue Tong’s mind was filled with the image of Lu Shimiao, feverish, clinging to her waist and refusing to let go.

“Ah Tang, check the Hong Kong Identity Card for Police Academy student 10231. See which hotels she’s checked into recently, or any rental info.”

“Ten minutes.”

Xue Tong spoke on the phone while jabbing the elevator button with her other hand, her urgency written all over her face.

“Wait a second.”

Seeing Xue Tong about to leave without another word, An Xi’er furrowed her brow and called out from behind.

Xue Tong looked back at her, coldly. “If you have something to say, say it fast.”

“Let’s talk downstairs. Wait for me.” An Xi’er glanced cautiously at the shared apartment, then quickly went back to her room to grab something before following Xue Tong into the elevator.

The two stood at opposite corners of the elevator, the atmosphere somewhat strange.

Especially Xue Tong, whose eyes were fixed on the reflective glass, scrutinizing the girl’s appearance. Standard Hong Kong girl look, average features, around twenty-five or twenty-six. She recalled seeing her at the mall that day. She had no idea what this person had said that was so funny it could make Lu Shimiao laugh until her dimples showed.

The elevator doors opened, and Xue Tong strode out first, heading for the underground garage.

An Xi’er hurried after her in a quick jog. “So Lu Shimiao isn’t living at your place now?”

“That’s none of your concern.”

Xue Tong was very bothered by An Xi’er’s concern for Lu Shimiao. Her tone was icy but remained civil. She figured this woman didn’t have the guts to actually harm anyone. “Get to the point.”

“I…”

An Xi’er stopped walking, looking around nervously. “I’m afraid Lu Shimiao… something might happen to her!”

The moment the words were out, Xue Tong’s hand, reaching for her car door, stopped mid-air. She spun around in alarm, her face filled with shock.

“What do you mean by that?”

“What could happen to her?!”

—

Twelfth floor of the Four Seasons Hotel. The moment the elevator doors opened, a woman’s figure rushed into the corridor, her eyes darting around, checking room numbers.

Ah Tang said she was staying in room 1204.

1204…

Xue Tong stopped in her tracks, coming to a halt before the door. She placed a hand on the wall, steadying her uneven breath, then pounded heavily on the door.

“Lu Shimiao! Open the door for me.” She couldn’t maintain elegance and restraint right now.

Three knocks and no answer. Xue Tong’s hand moved to her waist—no gun, no breaching tool. Damn it, she had nothing.

She retreated a few steps, preparing to lift her knee and kick the door in, when her phone suddenly rang.

Looking down, it was Ah Tang. Xue Tong took a deep breath, straightened up, and answered the call.

“Madam, CIB says they haven’t handled any violent crime cases in the last two days, and Criminal Records hasn’t received any similar reports… I guess… your girl… your student should still be—”

No murder case, at least that was something.

Xue Tong hung up, regaining her composure. She turned and walked toward the service desk on the 12th floor. She pulled out her Superintendent’s Badge and her Academy Staff ID and slapped them on the counter.

“Call room 1204. See if anyone’s inside.”

…

The floor receptionist was intimidated by the Superintendent’s cold, sharp, oppressive aura. She wanted to call the manager’s office to confirm if this was against hotel policy, but the woman applied more pressure.

“The occupant is a Police Academy Exchange Student. If this person goes missing, your hotel will be held responsible.”

Xue Tong’s tone dropped sharply, its cool clarity echoing in the corridor, as if the room housed not a girl, but a murderer. The frightened receptionist retracted her hand and obediently reached for the landline.

The first call rang out with no answer.

The receptionist didn’t dare speak, simply looking at Xue Tong’s tense face, completely at a loss.

Xue Tong put her credentials away, placed both hands on her hips, and raised an eyebrow at the phone.

“Keep calling.”

Flustered, the receptionist dialed a second time. She was thinking, if this call didn’t connect either, would this woman summon the Special Duties Unit (SDU) to break the door down…

Luckily, after a long wait, a voice came from the other end.

A languid, just-woken-up voice.

The receptionist breathed a sigh of relief. “Hello, this is the Four Seasons Hotel 12th Floor Guest Service Center. May I ask—”

Hearing the phone being answered, Xue Tong’s anger instantly shot to the top of her head. The anxiety and urgency of the past few days, along with the strange, unsettling feeling that made her avoid Ah Tang’s calls, gnawed at her nerves. The thought that Lu Shimiao might have been molested, might have been hurt, made her heart clench uncontrollably…

Xue Tong took the receiver from the receptionist.

“Lu Shimiao, I’ll give you three seconds. Open the door.”

She put the phone down and walked toward the room. It was just a dozen steps, but Xue Tong walked them with unexpected heaviness.

Her mind was on what An Xi’er had told her in the underground garage.

“Someone has been in Lu Shimiao’s room, so she told me to be careful. She also told me… I noticed a while ago that someone was stealing Lu Shimiao’s underwear. So I figured I needed to tell you about this.”

“If she isn’t staying with you, I’m very worried her plan was discovered and someone is retaliating maliciously.”

“Here’s the receipt for the bag she bought—the original four-copy carbon receipt. I just got a reprint and couldn’t find her, so you give it to her.”

Xue Tong snapped back to the present. Her brow furrowed, her eyes darkened, and her body came to an abrupt halt. Her police boots stopped on the guest carpet as her own words echoed in her ears.

“Are you using your parents’ money to buy their favor? Can you sleep at night?”

“Didn’t you get enough of being scolded?”

“If you have free time and money to buy random junk, why don’t you spend that money finding a place to live?”

Her tone back then had been sharp enough, her words leaving absolutely no room for the other person’s dignity… Looking back, even she found them harsh. Lu Shimiao must have held so much hurt inside…

But why was Lu Shimiao so stupid? Didn’t she have a mouth? Why didn’t she say anything?

This thought brought another wave of frustration to Xue Tong.

She walked quickly to the door of 1204. The door was ajar, and no one was visible. She rushed in, checked the bedroom—empty. She opened the bathroom door—empty.

She turned around.

Lu Shimiao was hiding right behind the door.

Her whole body was wedged into the gap between the door and the wall, revealing half a meek, timid head. Her mouth was tightly shut, making no sound.

Xue Tong looked closely. Lu Shimiao was wearing clean, white short-sleeved T-shirt, her training shorts revealing slender, fair legs. Her hand gripped the door handle tightly, as if she had deliberately wedged herself in there. She didn’t dare make eye contact.

Seeing her like this made Xue Tong dizzy with anger. She loosened her tie, took a deep breath. After a few seconds of thought, she walked over, grasped Lu Shimiao’s hand, and forced her to release the door handle. Then, with a slam, she shut the door.

She positioned herself in front of Lu Shimiao, trapping her between herself and the wall. Her police boots blocked the outside of the girl’s slippers as she pressed close and looked down at her.

Lu Shimiao had a naturally clear, delicate bone structure. Her wild, natural brows curved in a way that was both sweet and salty. When she looked down, the tiny mole near her eye was strikingly vivid. She was half-pouting, half-biting her lip, looking sulky and defiant. Her nose was cute too. Overall, she didn’t look gloomy, just fresh and clean.

“Where do you feel unwell?” Xue Tong hadn’t forgotten the reason Lu Shimiao had given for her leave today. She asked directly.

“I’m fine. I just didn’t want to go to class.” Lu Shimiao was telling the truth, but she didn’t dare meet Xue Tong’s eyes out of guilt.

She looked down at the other woman’s tie.

She missed Xue Tong so much. She missed Xue Tong’s police uniform and tie, Xue Tong’s scent. She even thought about how she could go back and apologize.

She thought about yesterday’s Firearms Training class, where her mind had wandered so much she nearly misfired and hurt someone, earning a scathing reprimand from the Instructor. Her mood had been at its lowest. Waking up this morning, she remembered it was a group training day. No one in her class wanted to team up with her, and she couldn’t bear the feeling of being alone and isolated again, so she took leave and hid in the hotel, spacing out and sleeping.

Even when spacing out, she was thinking about Xue Tong.

Thinking about going back to apologize to her, but having no reason to apologize.

Thinking about this, Lu Shimiao felt another pang of grievance. Her sulky pout deflated, and she lowered her eyes.

“If you’re fine, why didn’t you go to class?” Seeing Lu Shimiao’s aggrieved look, Xue Tong couldn’t bring herself to get angry. She reached out to feel her forehead temperature, but the girl tilted her head away, dodging her hand.

“Instructor doesn’t need to worry about me.” The kid’s voice feigned indifference.

Xue Tong: “…”

She didn’t care if Lu Shimiao was willing or not. She grabbed her chin, forced her head back straight, and pressed her palm firmly against her forehead, pinning her head against the wall.

Normal temperature, no fever.

Lu Shimiao, her head trapped by her Instructor, tried to resist, but the space Xue Tong left her was too small. Consequently, her pale legs slipped between Xue Tong’s legs, the skin of her thighs rubbing against Xue Tong’s uniform pants.

The summer duty uniform was terribly thin. The fabric, carrying body heat, pressed close. Sensing this, Xue Tong immediately pulled her hand away in alarm, stepping back a step and coldly ordering:

“Go put on some proper pants.”

Confused by the sudden command, Lu Shimiao looked down at her training shorts. “I am wearing pants.”

“Then go put on your Uniform.” Xue Tong pointed behind her. “Hurry up.”

“But I didn’t bring my uniform trousers.” Lu Shimiao pouted. All her clothes were still at Xue Tong’s place. This white T-shirt was something she’d just bought at the mall.

…

No clothes at all.

“Then come back with me, okay?” Xue Tong seized the chance to coax her. Her tone carried the hint of an adult’s compromise, her voice very soft—a complete contrast to the personality she’d shown when confronting the receptionist.

“Where does Instructor want me to go back to?” Lu Shimiao turned her head away, remembering their argument that night. A bitter pain rose in her heart.

Xue Tong’s words from that night still echoed in her ears. They were too sharp, grinding her self-esteem into the dirt. Even now, just thinking about it made the tip of her heart tremble, as if Qiu Wen was right there, on the line.

She knew she wasn’t part of Xue Tong’s “responsibilities,” had no reason to be freeloading at her place every day. Besides, Xue Tong had a boyfriend. Being forced to go out and get a hotel room during a typhoon—she didn’t want to witness that again. But even more than having no place to stay, the act of going to a hotel hurt her more.

Thinking about this, Lu Shimiao’s eyes started to redden. She turned away to hide from Xue Tong’s gaze, wiping at her tears, while pretending not to care.

“I have a place to stay. I won’t go back with Instructor.”

…

Lu Shimiao was still angry.

Every word she said today was deliberately, formally, “Instructor.”

Hearing her words, seeing her eyes glistening yet still holding back, Xue Tong’s heart sank uncontrollably into a cold abyss, freezing solid, half her body numb. She didn’t want Lu Shimiao to cry behind her back. If she was going to cry, she should do it right in front of her.

She reached out, straightened the girl’s shoulders, and then pulled Lu Shimiao into her arms. “I’m sorry. I apologize to you.”

“Come back home with me.”