Su Yue had expected the police to be busy at the end of the year, but she hadn't anticipated they'd be so busy that people were nowhere to be seen.
Chen Ziming finally returned home after working two consecutive night shifts.
However, by the time he got home, it was already one in the morning.
In her sleep, she felt herself being embraced from behind. Her latent self-protection mechanism instantly jolted her awake.
"Chen Ziming?" she called out cautiously.
"It's me." A slightly hoarse voice sounded from behind her, and Su Yue immediately felt at ease.
She hadn't seen him for three days and missed him dearly, so she turned over and willingly nestled into his embrace.
To her surprise, he seemed a little unhappy. "Then I can't touch you like this."
Su Yue: ...
As she was left speechless, his gentle voice came from above her head again. "My darling, if you want it like this, then so be it. I'll wait until you fall asleep before I turn you over."
Su Yue: ???
No wonder, no matter what position she fell asleep in every night, she would wake up with him holding her from behind.
His hand would also linger in a certain spot.
But his voice carried so much exhaustion and weariness that she felt a pang of sympathy, and she decided not to argue with him about it.
Instead, she lifted her head and softly asked, "Are you very tired?"
"Mmm, a hug from you is all I need." His hand slipped from behind her into her clothes, tracing and caressing her smooth back.
"When will this busyness end?" she asked again.
"Based on past experience, things will quiet down after New Year's Eve," he said, his eyes closed, his voice laced with extreme drowsiness.
About a week left, then.
Su Yue decided not to ask any more questions. After thinking for a moment, she considerately turned over again.
This move clearly surprised the man behind her. He then chuckled softly, and his hand began to roam upward, unrestrained.
It was so unrestrained that she was roused from her sleep by his teasing.
"Behave yourself," she said softly, blushing, as she pressed his hand down.
Unexpectedly, he leaned close to her ear and asked in a husky voice, "Do you want it?"
Want it... yes?
Her face flushed even deeper, and she shook her head. "It's too late, let's do it tomorrow."
"I can't wait until tomorrow," he said, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling back slightly.
Su Yue immediately felt it.
"Aren't you... very tired?" As he covered her, she was startled and asked haltingly.
He didn't answer, but instead leaned down.
And kissed her.
...
The next day, after waking up, Chen Ziming was gone again, just as usual.
For a fleeting moment, Su Yue had the illusion that he hadn't returned last night at all.
But when she looked down at her disheveled clothes and the red marks, she realized that it hadn't been a dream.
She instinctively glanced at the bedside table, where three sticky notes had appeared this time:
[I've arranged to take leave from the third to the sixth day of the Lunar New Year with my precinct.]
[My darling, take a look at the itinerary for Changbai Mountain and pick first-class cabins and five-star or above hotels.]
[I'm not used to anything cheap (´▽｀)]
His expression this time was as smug as his words.
Su Yue smiled speechlessly.
He claimed he wasn't a spoiled young master, but he was so delicate.
However, she soon guessed that Chen Ziming simply wanted her trip to be more comfortable.
If he could endure being shot, what hardship couldn't he bear?
Feeling happy, and since her scheduled activities for the day wouldn't start until the afternoon, she washed up and headed to the restaurant to eat while searching for travel plans.
In the early evening, at the Yuluo Street Police Station.
The station chief called Chen Ziming over, his brow furrowed as he looked at Chen Ziming's red eyes.
"Didn't I tell you to go home and rest for a day? Why are you back again?"
Chen Ziming rubbed his temples and replied with a smile, "I'm here to write a report on a major case for the branch bureau."
"That can wait a day. Hurry home and get some rest, look at how tired your eyes are."
...
Although he was sent away by the station chief like this, he didn't go home. Instead, he drove to a residential complex near the Ministry of Public Security.
He drove his car to the base of a building with practiced ease and went upstairs with the police officer who came to meet him.
The moment the door opened, a deep voice echoed from the living room, "Ziming is here?"
"It's me, Uncle Xu." He replied respectfully, changed his shoes at the door, and walked into the living room, taking a seat on the sofa.
The person he called Uncle Xu smiled kindly at him and poured him a cup of tea.
"There have been quite a few rumors about you in the ministry lately," Uncle Xu said, his gentle yet sharp gaze sweeping over him.
"Yes, I've come to see you precisely because of this matter," he replied calmly with a slight smile.