Volume One, Chapter Four: Giving Gifts

“Uh, excuse me... could you please call a police officer for me? He helped me before, and I’d like to give him a little gift.”

“No need to be polite. It’s our duty; no thanks necessary.”

Mu Yao’s eyes quickly scanned the employee wall.

Strangely, she couldn’t find the familiar face anywhere.

“Oh dear, I’ve prepared this for so long. It won’t take up much of his time. It’s the tall-legged officer—could you please call him over?”

“Tall legs? You mean me?”

Mu Yao turned around in surprise, nearly blinded by the sudden brightness.

The man standing there was about 1.75 meters tall, but his legs were shorter than Mu Yao’s, who was 1.68 meters.

For some reason, Mu Yao felt an odd, uncomfortable vibe in his gaze—a feeling she couldn’t quite place. Maybe she was just too sensitive, but the way he looked at her seemed sinister.

“Since you’re here to thank me, don’t just stand there. Come into my office and we’ll talk.”

Mu Yao: !!!

Actually, she thought, it’s okay to let this grudge go!

Just as she was about to make a quick escape, her eyes caught a familiar figure.

Long legs!

“Sorry, you’ve got the wrong person. The one I want to thank is him!”

Mu Yao gestured toward Gu Nanxiao’s direction with a flourish.

She hurried over in three quick steps, shoved the gift into Gu Nanxiao’s hands, and ran off without looking back.

…

Gu Nanxiao stepped inside.

After two steps, a rigid box was shoved into his arms.

He looked down at the box, still faintly scented.

Turning around, he saw only the back of the young girl running away.

Gu Nanxiao sat in his office, placing the box casually on his desk.

A trace of caution flickered in his eyes.

How could this be...

“Boss! Amazing, boss! It had to be you! That brat Sun Qi is probably going crazy now!”

Gu Nanxiao pinched the bridge of his nose.

Before he could ask, Xie Yangfeng rattled off all the details he’d just gathered, including the tall-legged description.

How could there be a girl so...

“Boss, what do you want to do with this gift?”

Xie Yangfeng circled the desk three times, examining the first ‘thank you’ gift Gu Nanxiao had received since his reassignment from every possible angle.

“...Open it.”

Gu Nanxiao handed the box to Xie Yangfeng.

“Huh?? Me? Boss, that’s not right...”

Xie Yangfeng was stunned.

Hadn’t the boss always refused gifts? He even once forced someone to take back a thank-you letter.

Xie Yangfeng wanted to say more, but Gu Nanxiao’s expression was crystal clear.

…

As the gift was opened, Xie Yangfeng’s exclamation followed.

“A banner! Boss, look!”

He unfolded the banner with excitement.

Then...

“Boss, are you sure... this is a thank-you...?”

The banner was simple; the writing even simpler.

Four large characters dominated the center:

“Do you have an illness?”

For a moment, Xie Yangfeng considered pulling out his phone to ask his old literature teacher about the deeper meaning of those words.

Gu Nanxiao stared calmly at the banner.

He had expected this.

Forget it.

No point arguing with a childish fool who had lost his mind.

…

Mu Yao hurried home.

Whenever she thought of the unspeakable experience at the police station, her toes twitched involuntarily.

A public servant, yet such a lack of morality and decency?

Looks like this tall-legged officer wasn’t any better!

Every time she encountered him, nothing good came of it!

She lay low at home for two days.

On the third day, Mu Yao was reborn, stepping again into the sunlight.

Forced to, at that—dragged out of bed by Wang Rui.

By now, it was already 6:30 p.m.

As Wang Rui put it, the two sisters had not seen each other for a long time.

Mu Yao: ...

No choice—one must spoil one’s best friend.

The two engaged in a lively dinner, discussing everything from ideology to actions.

(The absurd school rules about sand money expected to be issued, and the inhumane regulations already in place.)

From collective to individual.

(From the cricket school to the crickets themselves.)

They spoke freely.

The meal lifted both their spirits.

Toward the end, Wang Rui, in high spirits, ordered two bottles of wine.

At the time, neither found it inappropriate.

Until…

On a cold winter night in the capital, the two sat silently in a private car, parked and facing each other.

Fine.

“Do you want to drive, or... forget it, I’ll call a driver.”

Though Wang Rui drank alone, she simply didn’t trust Mu Yao’s skills with just one month’s driving experience.

She pulled out her phone and deftly opened a ride-hailing app.

Just as she was about to place the order, a slender hand covered the screen.

Wang Rui: ???

“I’ll drive.”

Wang Rui: !!!

Nervously, she climbed into the passenger seat.

Though she hadn’t had much to drink, Wang Rui suddenly felt queasy.

“Yao Yao... are you really sure?”

“Trust me.”

Wang Rui swallowed hard.

The one who doesn’t trust is you!

With no chance to object, the private car, under Mu Yao’s assurance, shakily rolled out of the restaurant parking lot.

Watching bicycles zoom past them one after another, Wang Rui’s anxious heart sank a little.

At least she hoped they’d get home safely... as long as nothing unexpected happened along the way.

One kilometer from home, the usually wide road inexplicably congested at 10 p.m.

This threw a wrench into Mu Yao’s inexperienced driving.

Just as hope appeared on the horizon, despair came crashing down.

The tall-legged officer!

Though still angry, Mu Yao hadn’t imagined they’d meet again after she handed over the banner.

Sure enough, he was in charge of their line of cars.

Mu Yao wished she could dig a hole and bury herself right there.

The tall-legged officer approached their car.

Mu Yao felt sweat break out on her palms.

Not only that, her legs began to tremble.

The car ahead passed inspection smoothly and moved on.

It was their turn.

Despite her nerves, Mu Yao tried to recall everything her driving instructor had taught her… but then, at the signal to stop from the tall-legged officer, one moment of panic...

“Bang!”

Gu Nanxiao: ...

Under Wang Rui’s terrified gaze, the car lost control and crashed into a temporary roadblock.

All the surrounding officers swarmed quickly.

As more and more people tapped on the driver’s side window, Mu Yao reluctantly rolled it down.

Gu Nanxiao, seeing the somewhat familiar face, was momentarily stunned despite his usual composure.

What was going on? This person was not only childish but also rebellious?

Always looking for trouble with the police?

…

Mu Yao cooperated fully with all the sobriety checks.

Things proceeded smoothly.

With the drunk driving issue settled, it was time to deal with the blatant obstruction of official duties and failure to cooperate with the police.