Chapter 166: Surrender, Stop Struggling

Could a couple stay sweet and loving forever? 

Who said that? Come on, show yourself.

Xiao Yu felt like grabbing a flamethrower and blasting whoever said such nonsense. Like right now.

“Hey, you’re pulling my hair,” Mu Qingwu pouted, annoyed.

“Sorry,” Xiao Yu rolled his eyes, “But can you please take your leg off me?”

“No way!” Mu Qingwu clung to him.

“…” Xiao Yu felt like crying, “But you always put your leg on me. Can’t you stop doing that?”

“What’s wrong with me resting my leg on you?” Mu Qingwu widened her big, bright eyes and glared at him, “Are you saying I’m heavy?”

“Me? No way,” Xiao Yu was torn between laughing and crying, “I never said you were heavy, Sis. You’re not heavy at all.”

“You’re lying,” Mu Qingwu huffed, “You used to say, ‘It’s fine, go ahead and rest your leg on me.’ Now you’ve changed, you’re not like before. Back then, you used to say, ‘I really like it when you…’ Hmph, men’s promises really can’t be trusted!”

Xiao Yu, “…”

His brain hadn’t quite caught up, It felt like he was living in a dream.

‘Wait, did I really say that before? Okay, fine.’

Holding his mischievously smiling sister, Xiao Yu felt like something was off, “Alright, spill it—who taught you this? This change is too fast, I can’t keep up.”

People’s personalities don’t usually change this quickly. 

Big Sis was always the queen, the boss, the cool and confident woman, never the type for childish tantrums.

“Hah!” Mu Qingwu burst out laughing. “I’m not telling you.”

“If I don’t kiss you a couple of times, Sis, you won’t even know what a scoundrel I can be.” Xiao Yu gave her two big kisses, trying to be intimidating. “Now, spill it!”

“Little brother, I saw a top-of-the-line computer yesterday,” Mu Qingwu said, blinking her beautiful eyes. “Do you want it?”

“Uh, well…” Xiao Yu was tempted.

‘Is this what they mean by ‘if you work hard, your future husband is still in kindergarten’?  So frustrating. Am I really going to have to give in to the long legs of this rich sugar mommy? No, I have to resist.’ 

Xiao Yu tried to look defiant. “If someone’s being nice for no reason, they must be—”

Mu Qingwu cut him off with a kiss. “—very much in love with you!”

‘Surrender already. There’s no use fighting it.’ 

Xiao Yu muttered weakly, “Fine, but the graphics card has to be the best one. No cheap stuff!”

“Deal!” Mu Qingwu hugged him tightly.

With a sigh, Xiao Yu buried his face in his wife’s embrace. 

‘She’s getting harder to deal with. Looks like I’m going to be wrapped around her finger from now on. Mom, just wait. Don’t think I don’t know you’re behind this.  Seriously, was I adopted or something? It’s funny, though—no matter how many times Mom would scold me as a kid, I was always the best in her eyes.’

Ever since Mu Qingwu had come into the picture, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law had been getting along so well. 

And now, they were teaming up to control him.

Why, though?

‘Wouldn’t it be great if I could just travel to a martial arts world instead?’

Waking up as a young hero, accidentally messing up while training, and then giving the heroic women around you a chance to sacrifice themselves for the greater good. They help you recover completely, and from then on, you live happily ever after as a couple, loving and devoted. That was the dream.

“Daydreaming about being an emperor again? Why’s your smile so mischievous?” Mu Qingwu pinched her brother’s ear, a dangerous glint in her eyes.

“Absolutely not!” Xiao Yu denied it firmly, sounding righteous. “I’m a serious person.”

But inside, he was a little nervous. 

Women’s intuition was really something else.

The playful couple laughed and teased each other for a bit before snuggling up and drifting off to sleep.

***

A body-snatching case leading to a murder, which in turn uncovered a hit-and-run from years ago, and then tied in with a couple of grave robbers—when this web of cases unraveled, it wasn’t just the criminal investigation unit feeling the pressure. Even the city police department’s leadership felt like their heads had grown several sizes larger.

But the follow-up work wasn’t Xiao Yu’s problem. He handed the case over to his team and the city police to handle. 

Sure, splitting up the credit might reduce the recognition a bit, but who cares?

He already had four first-class merits. What more could he need?

Four first-class merits? Wasn’t it three?

“Feeling good?” 

At the criminal investigation unit, Wang Dong looked at the little brother, who was happily fiddling with a first-class merit medal, his expression complicated. 

“The major human trafficking case is closed now. This medal is well-deserved.”

“Thanks, Brother Wang.” Xiao Yu grinned, nodding as he extended his hand.

“What do you mean?” Wang Dong looked completely baffled.

“Seriously?” Xiao Yu feigned shock. “You just came over to give me a medal, and you showed up empty-handed? Not even a pack of those special supply cigarettes?”

Last time he’d been in the capital, Xiao Yu had met with a big shot and managed to snag five packs of special supply cigarettes from Wang Dong. But now, they were all gone. 

He hadn’t meant to go through them so quickly, but the criminal investigation unit was full of old smokers. When they spotted the special supply of cigarettes, one guy would come over to bum a couple, another would ask for a pack—how could he say no? And just like that, they were all smoked up.

And you know what? Those special supply cigarettes really were a cut above the rest.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Wang Dong rolled his eyes so hard it was a wonder they didn’t get stuck. “Do you have any idea how much nerve it takes to ask? Each team leader only gets five packs a month. I gave you all of mine last time, and you want more?”

“Oh.” Xiao Yu’s smile turned icy as he changed his tone. “So, anything else, Brother Wang?”

Wang Dong almost coughed up blood. This kid was seriously too much.

Why was Xiao Yu acting so cold? 

It wasn’t for real. It was his way of avoiding unnecessary trouble. 

Did Wang Dong, the head of an entire department, really need to deliver a first-class merit medal in person? Would he come all this way if he didn’t have some other agenda?

Xiao Yu was the kind of guy who could see through people with a glance. 

You really want to pull this on me?

“Five more packs of special supply, and I need a favor.” Wang Dong was starting to feel desperate.

“Ah, sorry, I’m just about to clock out.” Xiao Yu put on an exaggerated show of checking his watch. “Promised my sister I’d pick her up.”

“Ten packs. That’s my final offer,” Wang Dong ground his teeth.

“May our friendship last forever, until the seas run dry and the rocks crumble!” Xiao Yu declared solemnly, gripping Wang Dong’s hand with sincerity.

“Don’t… don’t go overboard,” Wang Dong stammered, utterly bewildered.

“So, what’s the case?” Xiao Yu’s expression turned serious. 

If National Security couldn’t crack it, it had to be a tough one—likely a special case. Wang Dong was the leader of the second team, handling only domestic cases. The cases he’d passed to Xiao Yu before had all been head-scratchers. 

Did Wang Dong really think they were so easy to solve?

“Take a look at this first.” Wang Dong handed Xiao Yu a special USB drive. “This one’s dangerous. Think it over before you decide whether to take it on.”

Xiao Yu’s heart skipped a beat. 

If Wang Dong was calling it dangerous, you could imagine what kind of case this might be. That made Xiao Yu hesitate for a moment. But at the same time, it piqued his curiosity.

Too much curiosity isn’t always a good thing. But as a cop, it’s the opposite—how can you solve cases if you’re not curious?

He plugged the USB into his tablet and quickly opened a folder. The moment he clicked on the case file, Xiao Yu’s eyes widened.

Xiao Yu: (￣□￣)

Right at the top of the document were three big words: Assassin Group Case.

It took Xiao Yu a while to process it. When he finally did, he looked at Wang Dong with a strange expression, as if to say: Have you been watching too many movies? Are you messing with me? What era are we in, and you’re talking to me about assassins?