Chapter 13: A Woman’s Curiosity

At 3 a.m., Xiao Yu, having returned to the Criminal Investigation Brigade, needed to catch some sleep. He had plans to accompany Mu Qingwu at noon to meet her mother, so being well-rested was crucial.

He lay alone on the guest sofa in the captain’s office, deeply asleep. This privilege wasn’t afforded to just anyone. No one would be jealous either since it was earned through sheer ‘ability’ rather than favoritism.

Meanwhile, the rest of the team, under Captain Zhao Changshan’s guidance, diligently investigated the victim’s history. Time was ticking away for the case.

The alarm on Xiao Yu’s phone sounded at 7 a.m., rousing him awake. He noticed Captain Zhao still at his desk, eyes red with fatigue, poring over case files on his computer.

“You’re up,” Zhao Changshan remarked with a smile. “Go grab something to eat at the cafeteria. I’m giving you the day off to rest.”

Internship periods for trainee officers were accommodating, with usual working hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and two days off per week. The more sensible trainees often chose to work overtime, while the less experienced ones tended to leave as soon as their shift ended.

“Perfect timing, I was planning to ask for the morning off myself to handle some things,” Xiao Yu said without any hesitation. “I’ll try to make it back for the afternoon shift.”

“Good, I like that initiative,” Zhao Changshan remarked with increasing fondness for his junior, nodding in approval.

Exiting the Criminal Investigation Brigade, Xiao Yu pulled out his phone and called Mu Qingwu. “Where are you? Can you come and pick me up?”

“…”

There was a brief silence before Mu Qingwu responded, “Am I your driver now?”

“Of course not,” Xiao Yu replied with an awkward chuckle. “Should I just take a cab?”

“Hmph,” Mu Qingwu let out a cold hum. “I’m at XXXX Fitness Club. Find me there.”

A fitness girl? Xiao Yu’s opinion of Mu Qingwu dipped momentarily. It’s a well-known stereotype that ladies frequenting gyms are… well, he wasn’t quite sure how to put it.

However, upon arriving, his preconceptions were challenged. The club was an exclusive women’s fitness center, usually off-limits to men. Yet, Xiao Yu found himself as the exception, being ushered into a private fitness room.

As he entered, he saw Mu Qingwu in her workout gear, running on a treadmill. Unconsciously, he found himself swallowing hard.”

The sunlight cast a glow on Mu Qingwu’s face, highlighting the shimmering beads of sweat.

Her beauty was ethereal, like an unblemished water lily, pure yet captivating.

Those clear eyes, akin to mirrors of ice, held a depth that betrayed a touch of aloofness and nobility.

Beneath the fitness attire, her figure was sculpted to perfection, curves gracefully outlined.

Particularly her legs… How could they be so impossibly long?

Xiao Yu was reminded of a joke.

Once, an ant, fond of playing with its own legs, encountered a millipede. Overjoyed, the ant exclaimed, “Wow, so many legs, I could play with them for a year!” 

In his limited vocabulary, the best Xiao Yu could describe Mu Qingwu’s figure was, “Wow, breathtaking!”

This sparked in Xiao Yu an urge to find a girlfriend. Beauty or physique didn’t matter as much as the desire to find genuine love in this detached world. Was that so wrong?

“Have you seen enough?” Mu Qingwu stepped off the treadmill and approached Xiao Yu, meeting his gaze directly. “Do you like what you see?”

“Okay…ah, no.”

Xiao Yu quickly regained his composure and said with conviction, “Sister, you’ve misunderstood. I’m not that kind of person.”

Whether or not others believed this, he certainly did.

Mu Qingwu slightly pursed her lips, pointing towards the nearby gym equipment. “Go ahead and try it out, we’ve got time.”

Expecting a delicate, smooth-skinned guy to lift weights? What was she thinking… Xiao Yu shook his head, “I was up late last night, I’m really not up for dying yet.”

Staying up late already strains the heart. Combining it with intense exercise could easily lead to sudden death.

“Why did you decide to become a police officer?”

Mu Qingwu’s brows furrowed upon hearing the young man’s words.

How many ordinary girls dream of having a police officer as a partner?

Probably not many.

Why?

It might be manageable for those in administrative police roles, but for those in active field duty…

Have you ever thought about your partner getting injured, disabled, or even killed? What if such a situation really occurs? Could your heart handle it?

“Some things just need someone to step up and do them,” Xiao Yu replied with a smile. “Right?”

Mu Qingwu stared at Xiao Yu, momentarily taken aback. His words unexpectedly brought back memories of her own father.

She remembered, as a child, her favorite pastime was playing with her father’s third-class merit medal.

Her father had been a soldier, a man of valor and achievement. She vividly recalled asking him why he chose to be a soldier, and his response still echoed in her mind, “Someone has to protect our country and our homes.”

It was difficult to perform meritorious service. Her father was injured and no longer fit for the military. Post-retirement, he met her mother, and together they had her. Starting from nothing, he built a small business into a significant company.

Tragically, he passed away in her sophomore year of college. At 20, she took the reins of her father’s company, transforming it over eight years into one of the top ten financial powerhouses in the nation.

Returning to the present, Mu Qingwu’s gaze at Xiao Yu was layered with complexity. 

What really is the world of men like? 

She found herself increasingly curious about this big boy, Xiao Yu.

And what happens when a woman’s curiosity about a man is piqued?