Chapter Thirty-Three: Testing

As soon as An Changpu left, Tian Mi, who had been busy with her own affairs, hurried over and sat in the very seat that An Changpu had just occupied.

“I heard you two used to be classmates?” Tian Mi leaned in excitedly, looking at Qin Ruonan as she asked.

Qin Ruonan was momentarily stunned, then nodded. She took out the now empty hot water bottle from her drawer and handed it to Tian Mi. “Thank you for the hot water bottle earlier.”

“No need to be so polite! I entered later than you, so it’s only natural for a junior to care about her senior,” Tian Mi said, taking the hot water bottle and setting it aside absentmindedly. Her thoughts clearly lay elsewhere. “Ruonan, did you already know An Changpu back at school?”

The way Tian Mi addressed her was warm, and her demeanor matched. The more familiar Tian Mi acted, the more awkward Qin Ruonan seemed. She looked at Tian Mi, her expression as if she were trying hard to restrain something.

“No, I didn’t,” she replied after a pause, unable to resist following up, “You’ve worked together longer than I have, so why ask me?”

“But it’s not the same! Everyone says people are one way at school and another once they walk out into the world. People change! When I met him, he had already been working for years. Who knows if he was a completely different sort back in college?” Tian Mi laughed, as if imagining something amusing.

A faint furrow appeared between Qin Ruonan’s brows, a strange feeling rising in her chest. She suddenly felt impatient, but a glance at the hot water bottle on the desk made her suppress her annoyance. She replied lightly, “He hasn’t changed much. No need to be curious.”

“Huh?” Tian Mi caught the nuance, her smile growing even wider. “Didn’t you just say you didn’t know him in college? You’re hiding something, Ruonan!”

Qin Ruonan’s cheeks flushed as Tian Mi called her out, and she hastily offered a somewhat forced explanation. “It was a closed campus, and there weren’t many people in the department. Even if you didn’t know someone, you’d have seen them around.”

“Was he popular with girls back then?” Tian Mi showed no sign of noticing Qin Ruonan’s lack of enthusiasm or reluctance to discuss the subject, and continued eagerly, “I didn’t know before, but since I joined the Major Crimes Unit, girls seem to like him a lot! There was this time we were investigating a serial assault case, and when we went to the taxi company, the young female dispatcher blushed every time she talked to An Changpu! And from what I hear, during this recent peacekeeping mission, even a foreign female officer liked him!”

“Why are you so interested in his affairs?” Qin Ruonan finally couldn’t help but interrupt Tian Mi’s endless chatter, voicing the question she had been holding back.

Tian Mi seemed to have been waiting for this, showing no embarrassment at all. She replied with a grin, “You know what they say—like repels like, opposites attract. It’s just nature! The more outstanding the man, the more attention he gets. In our Major Crimes Unit, Tian Yang is my brother, Cheng Feng is married and that’s settled, so that leaves only An Changpu and Mo Dou. As an unmarried young woman, I have to admit, in terms of looks, personality, and professional ability, An Changpu is definitely a rising star!”

She rattled on, all the while observing Qin Ruonan’s increasingly unnatural expression, secretly delighted. Suddenly, she noticed Qin Ruonan’s gaze shift from her to somewhere behind her, filled with confusion. Tian Mi slowly turned around, a sense of unease settling in her heart.

Turning, she saw Lu Xiangdong standing not far behind her, arms crossed, listening with a half-amused, half-mocking smile.

“Oh! When did you get here?” Tian Mi jumped from her chair and ran over to him, affectionately taking his arm.

“Not too early, not too late—just in time to hear you discussing rising stocks. I didn’t know you were so knowledgeable about finance. Do you like rising stocks?” Lu Xiangdong raised his eyebrows at Tian Mi.

Tian Mi giggled, nestling his arm into her embrace, “Of course not! I’ve got a blue-chip stock in my hands!”

Lu Xiangdong shook his head, indulgent yet helpless. “I wonder what mischief you’re up to now! Let’s go.”

Tian Mi responded, letting go of Lu Xiangdong, grabbing her jacket and putting it on. Before leaving, she turned to the still bewildered Qin Ruonan and introduced, “Ruonan, this is my boyfriend, Lu Xiangdong! Lu Xiangdong, this is my new colleague, Qin Ruonan!”

“He’s my fiancé,” Lu Xiangdong corrected her, nodding at Qin Ruonan as a greeting.

“We’re off to the bridal studio to pick out photos. I’ll show you the best ones tomorrow!” Tian Mi ignored Lu Xiangdong’s correction, winked at Qin Ruonan, and left happily, arm in arm with him.

Qin Ruonan watched in surprise as Tian Mi and her tall, handsome but somewhat aloof fiancé left the Major Crimes Unit office. Suddenly, she realized Tian Mi’s intention in her earlier chatter. Reflecting on her own responses, she felt her cheeks burning, a sense of panic rising as if a secret had been exposed. She buried her face in her hands and let out a frustrated groan.

“What’s wrong? Not feeling well?” An Changpu returned from his phone call just in time to see Qin Ruonan covering her face and groaning. “Why is your face so red? Do you have a fever?”

“No,” Qin Ruonan quickly lifted her head when she saw him return, her cheeks flushing even deeper. She tried to cover up by touching her hot cheeks with the back of her hand. “Maybe the wind outside earlier got to me.”

“As long as you’re okay. If you’re not feeling well, don’t hide it!” An Changpu cautioned her, still uneasy after her earlier tussle with Yao Chang, worried she might be concealing an injury.

Qin Ruonan nodded, then suddenly looked up at him and said, “Tian Mi’s fiancé was here just now.”

An Changpu checked the time and laughed, “He’s early by more than half an hour. You can really tell Dr. Lu is eager to get married!”

“You seem quite happy about Tian Mi’s wedding,” Qin Ruonan remarked casually as she glanced at the materials beside her.

“A friend’s wedding is always a joyous occasion. Of course I’m happy—I’m even going to be Dr. Lu’s best man.” An Changpu didn’t notice that Qin Ruonan, who seldom spoke with him, was suddenly engaging in such conversation. His mind was already back on the case. “I just spoke with Lu Jun on the phone. He agreed to let us come to his house to discuss Lu Min’s case. It’s getting late—you should go get some rest. I’ll go see Lu Jun.”

“I don’t need rest. Let’s go together,” Qin Ruonan refused his kindness.

An Changpu, used to her strong-willed nature, didn’t argue and agreed. The two of them set out immediately, preparing to head to Lu Jun’s home.