It seemed that Li Zheng had come to visit again, but had been stopped by security for not registering.
A moment later, Li Zheng entered the living room. He wasn't wearing his police uniform today, but a dark gray casual suit with a light blue shirt underneath, and he was carrying two elegant shopping bags.
Seeing Xia Ling dressed like a CEO, his eyes immediately lit up. His gaze lingered on her ample breasts for a few seconds before sliding down to her shapely legs in black stockings beneath her trousers. His Adam's apple bobbed noticeably a few times; that intense gaze made me feel somewhat uncomfortable.
"Sister Ling," his voice was slightly strained, his eyes filled with undisguised adoration, "I brought you a small gift."
He took an exquisite gift box from the shopping bag: "These are the latest Wolford stockings that I asked a friend to bring back from Paris. I heard they're a limited edition…"
"Officer Li," Mom interrupted him, her tone gentle but distant, "You might not know, but our Lingya Group has always had a partnership with Wolford. I receive samples of their new products in advance."
Li Zheng was immediately embarrassed and quickly took out another bag: "This is for Xiao Wei, the latest PS5. I heard young people these days like…"
I politely accepted it and said thank you. Actually, the Nintendo Switch was more to my liking.
"Sit down," Mom stood up, her beautiful legs gracefully stretching out beneath her trousers. "I'll make you some tea."
Li Zheng sat on the sofa, his gaze following Mom's figure, not looking away for a moment.
Mother walked towards the tea table, her shapely buttocks curving elegantly beneath her trousers, her legs, clad in black stockings, glimpsed faintly. Every step she took exuded the unique charm of a mature woman.
She began to brew tea, her movements graceful and composed.
"You asked me to dinner earlier, but I had an important meeting, I'm sorry," Mom said while making tea, her tone calm but tinged with distance. "What brings you here so late?"
Li Zheng took a deep breath, seemingly trying to forget the awkwardness of the moment. "Sister Ling, I've been suspended."
"What?" Mom returned with the tea, her expression surprised. "Because of Wang Datao?"
"Yes, he arrested the deputy mayor's son and offended the higher-ups." Li Zheng smiled wryly, but his eyes held a hint of expectation as he looked at Xia Ling. "But it's alright, for Sister Ling, what's a little price to pay? It'll be a good opportunity to give me a break, hehe."
Mom put down her teacup, her expression somewhat apologetic. "I'm sorry, it's all because of me…"
"Don't say that," Li Zheng waved his hand, feigning nonchalance. "That's not important. I came today to tell you something else."
"What is it?" Mom's voice held a hint of wariness.
"Zhang Guoqiang, the vice mayor, seems determined to take down Wang Datao," Li Zheng said in a low voice. "Today alone, three of Wang Datao's hotels were shut down and two KTVs were ordered to close. This time, he's really crippled."
After listening, a thoughtful look flashed across Mom's eyes. I saw her fingers lightly tapping the teacup, a habitual gesture when she was contemplating.
What was Mom weighing? Was she thinking about Wang Xiong?
"I understand," Mom said. "Thank you for coming all this way to tell me."
"Sister Ling..." Li Zheng suddenly sat up straight. "Actually, there's something else I wanted to discuss today..."
"Hmm?" Mom's tone was clearly wary.
"I…I like you." Li Zheng's voice trembled slightly. "It's not something that's happened overnight, it's been since I met you…I didn't dare say it when Xiaowei's father was around, but now so many years have passed…"
"Officer Li," Xia Ling coldly interrupted him. "We've talked about this many times. You and Xiaowei's father have been close friends for many years, and I respect you very much…"
"I know, I know you've always treated me like a younger brother," Li Zheng said, his voice rising. "But my feelings for you are real! I would do anything for you, like that night, even though I knew offending the deputy mayor would cause trouble, I still went to shut down Wang Datao's place, just to help you…"
"Enough." Xia Ling's voice suddenly turned cold, like a sharp icy blade. "I'm very grateful for what you've done for me, but…"
Before she could finish, Li Zheng suddenly reached across the coffee table and grabbed Xia Ling's hand!
His movements were both urgent and clumsy, like a drowning person grasping at a straw in the dark.
"Sister Ling, I really…"
Xia Ling's reaction was almost instinctive.
She jerked her hand back as if bitten by a venomous snake, shrinking back on the sofa, her elegant legs swinging back and forth, the rustling of her trousers creating a delicate sound. Her delicate face instantly drained of color, becoming frighteningly pale. The composed, strong woman she usually was had completely collapsed, replaced by an almost instinctive resistance and disgust.
"Officer Li, please have some self-respect."
Her voice trembled noticeably, yet she struggled to maintain a semblance of authority; the suppressed anger made her voice unstable.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Sister Ling…" Li Zheng apologized frantically, the color draining rapidly from his face. "I got too agitated… I didn't mean to…"
His words were fragmented, like his shattered pride.
Watching this scene, my feelings were incredibly complex. I couldn't help but recall what I had witnessed in the office that afternoon. Both Wang Xiong and Li Zheng touched their mothers, but Wang Xiong's domineering actions completely captivated her. She not only knelt to perform oral sex on him but also rubbed his penis against her sensitive, delicate feet. Li Zheng, on the other hand, merely touched her hand, and she reacted with such disgust and resistance.
This stark contrast made me realize a cruel truth: in matters of the heart, not all sincerity is reciprocated, nor is all sacrifice cherished. Li Zheng's appearance was both pitiful and laughable, evoking a pang of pity in me.
"It's getting late," Xia Ling said slowly, her voice carrying an undeniable distance.