When Ye Fan returned to Mei Garden Villa, he found Su Qingxue still handling company documents. He said to her, "Thank you for today. Otherwise, I would have had to spend the night at the police station."
"You're welcome, but I won't help you the next time you cause trouble." Su Qingxue's demeanor was as cold as ever.
"There won't be a next time," Ye Fan promised before returning to his room for a shower.
Around midnight, however, Ye Fan heard a noise from Su Qingxue's room and quickly rushed over.
In the darkness, he asked, "What happened?"
The next moment, Su Qingxue kicked out at him.
UGH!
Ye Fan grunted, nearly dropping to his knees. His body was as tough as Vajra, but there was one spot that remained vulnerable, and her kick had struck true.
Just then, the room light flickered on. Enduring the pain, Ye Fan stood up, pretending nothing had happened.
He saw Su Qingxue gasping for breath, her face pale and drenched in sweat.
"What's wrong?" Ye Fan asked. "Why do you look so awful?"
"I had a nightmare," she said.
"Oh, so it was just a nightmare! If that's all, I'll head out."
Ye Fan started toward the stairs to recover. That family-line-ending kick was truly a painful lesson.
"Wait!" Su Qingxue suddenly called out to him.
"What is it?" Ye Fan asked.
"I'm really scared. Can you stay and talk with me for a bit?"
It was rare for her to speak with such vulnerability. At that moment, she was a fragile woman, not the strong-willed CEO she was during the day.
"Okay," Ye Fan agreed, sitting down with Su Qingxue. It was the closest they had ever been.
"I've been afraid of the dark and of being alone since I was a child," she began. "My mother died young, so I spent a lot of time alone at home. Nightmares have always haunted me."
Ye Fan looked at her in surprise and smiled. "I understand. But nightmares aren't the scariest thing. Death is. I grew up in the Land of Death.
"Sometimes, a brother would be standing right in front of you one moment, and the next, all you'd see is his body blown to pieces. Blood would splash on your face, but you couldn't show weakness or sorrow. Not until you killed the enemy."
Hearing this, Su Qingxue gazed at Ye Fan, noticing his chiseled face was filled with sorrow and pain. She never expected this seemingly frivolous man to share his deepest thoughts with her. For some reason, her impression of him improved considerably.
They talked for a long time before Ye Fan finally pulled the blanket over her and left the room. He still didn't know how to act around this fiancée of his, but at least their conversation tonight had brought them a bit closer.
「The next day」
After dropping Su Qingxue off at work, Ye Fan went for a stroll. He found this peaceful life quite boring. Though he was tired of the bloodshed, a part of him still longed for that life. It was, he had to admit, a deep contradiction within him.
A large commercial center was located not far from the company, so Ye Fan decided to wander through it.
There, he saw Fang Nan. He was surprised to see her dressed in such a ladylike fashion. He had assumed the fiery policewoman was as abrasive as a man, never imagining she had such a refined side. With her light lipstick, stylish high heels, and casual jeans paired with a relaxed top, she was the very picture of a modern goddess.
He had to admit, this version of Fang Nan made him see her in a new light. The aggressive policewoman was just browsing the shopping center, but he thought she was dressed so impressively that she must have been on her way to a blind date.
Just then, Fang Nan spotted him. "It's you, you despicable scoundrel!" she snapped.
She snorted in disgust. He had taken advantage of her, so she felt nothing but animosity toward him. If possible, she would have loved to give him a thorough beating.
Ye Fan chuckled. "I never expected our fierce lady police officer to have such a feminine side! It's quite a rare sight. You look beautiful when you dress up."
"Thanks for the compliment, but hearing it from a thug like you just gives me goosebumps," Fang Nan retorted.
"I know you're still mad at me," Ye Fan said with a laugh. "It was just a joke. How about I treat you to a meal as an apology?"
"Who'd want that!" she said impatiently.
She hadn't slept well last night. After the incidents at Jiangning Airport and in the interrogation room, she had dreamt of Ye Fan. His image lingered in her mind so persistently that she felt as if she were possessed.
This piqued Ye Fan's interest. There wasn't a woman in the world he couldn't handle, unless he simply wasn't interested.
"You're scared, aren't you?" he teased. "Yes, that's it. You're definitely scared."
"Who's afraid of you? It's just a meal. Let's go—my treat!" Fang Nan shot back, ever the competitive woman.
Especially when she felt intimidated by Ye Fan, she felt an even greater need to face him and overcome her fear.
Soon, they arrived at a restaurant and ordered a few dishes.
"Can you stop looking at me like I'm some kind of threat?" Ye Fan said. "With all these people around, you're not actually afraid I'm going to eat you, are you?"
"Who said I'm afraid of you? It's just a habit," Fang Nan pouted.
However, when facing Ye Fan, she always felt a special aura about him—very dominant, yet strangely attractive.
"By the way, what do you do for a living?" Fang Nan asked.
"I'm just a lowly bodyguard," Ye Fan replied with a casual laugh.
"You've got good moves, and with those scars I saw on you at the airport... have you had formal training? Or been through something intense?" Fang Nan probed.
Given Fang Nan's family background and her own qualities, she was a goddess in the eyes of many. Yet, she loved punishing evil and upholding justice, which was why she had become a police officer.
Ye Fan spread his hands helplessly. "If you don't believe me, what more can I say?"
As they were chatting and laughing, Fang Nan's phone rang. She answered, and her expression immediately grew serious.
"What's wrong?" Ye Fan asked as she hung up.
She stood to leave, but Ye Fan stopped her. "Come on, I'll go with you and check it out."
"But you're not an officer!" Fang Nan said hurriedly.
"It's fine. I have combat experience. I might even be able to help."
"Alright, but be careful," she warned.
"No worries."
They headed to the parking lot, where Ye Fan saw her car—the latest BMW model, which looked to have a price tag of no less than two million. He didn't believe for a second that Fang Nan could afford such a car on her salary. It must be because of her family.
Fang Nan drove fast, and they soon arrived at a derelict factory on the outskirts of West City. The police had already surrounded the place.
"Don't make any sudden moves," Fang Nan said. "Let's assess the situation first."
"Alright," Ye Fan replied.
Another officer approached them. It was Chen Qiang, the deputy leader of the serious crime unit. He had been pursuing Fang Nan for some time, though she did not reciprocate his feelings. When Chen Qiang saw Ye Fan, his expression soured.
"Chief," he said to Fang Nan, "who is this?"