Leaving the Xia Family, Xu Ancheng asked Uncle Cao to take Ding Anguo and his group back to Baiqian Village, while he himself went with Yi Roujing to the small villa for which Xu Zongyin had given him the key.

The two of them walked leisurely for half an hour and reached Yuanxue Lane. Yi Roujing thought that the lane was probably named so because Jing University, a renowned university in Jing City, was just opposite, and Yuanxue Lane faced directly towards its main gate.

"You studied at this university," Yi Roujing looked at Jing University. Despite being weathered by time, the grand entrance stood firm. Her eyes showed a hint of pride, "You’re truly impressive."

Xu Ancheng secretly held Yi Roujing’s hand and turned into Yuanxue Lane, "Actually, I only stayed for two years. Compared to the school, I have deeper impressions of the people inside."

"Professor Zhou and Brother Zhou?" Yi Roujing asked.

"There were five other roommates, and I was very close with two of them. It’s just that now we’ve all gone our separate ways, and we only occasionally contact each other by phone. I’ll take you to meet them if I get the chance." Xu Ancheng squeezed Yi Roujing’s hand, his words filled with warmth.

"Were you all from the mathematics department?" Yi Roujing asked.

"No, our dormitory was filled with students from various departments due to a surplus and late arrival registration. So we ended up together," Xu Ancheng explained, "They are all talents in their respective fields."

"I really want to meet them," Yi Roujing smiled, "If they earn such praise from our Cheng, they must be extraordinary."

"Don’t tease me," Xu Ancheng stared at Yi Roujing intently, "I’ve been through a lot these past few months, but thankfully it’s almost been three months."

Yi Roujing’s cheeks got so hot from his gaze, and she turned her head to glare at Xu Ancheng in disbelief, "You had it tough? I didn’t have it tough? These past few months, I’ve..."

Just thinking about how this person around her teases her, though it wasn’t literally with guns or bullets, every intimate moment was aplenty. She wondered where so many ideas came from, as someone who appeared so proper daily, yet on the bed would say all sorts of nonsense. A true two-faced person, hmph.

"Sweetheart, thank you for your hard work," Xu Ancheng leaned close and whispered in Yi Roujing’s ear, "I’ll serve you tonight."

"Shut up," Yi Roujing couldn’t take it anymore, covering Xu Ancheng’s mouth and shaking his head, hoping to shake those colorful thoughts out of his mind.

"Look at other men, getting hit by their wives without fighting back, yet smiling like fools."

"Why feel sorry for him? Why not feel sorry for me? Aren’t I the one getting hit by you?"

"When I hit you, you weren’t smiling!"

Being teased and annoyed by Xu Ancheng, Yi Roujing didn’t pay much attention to the setting, but the laneway was mostly empty, and she didn’t expect anyone to comment so loudly on their conversation, even sparking a conflict between a couple.

Yi Roujing looked up and saw a man and woman approaching. The man was about five foot nine, but his right ear was being held by a woman about five foot three.

"Laugh, come on, laugh."

"Other people are gentle. Your hits hurt so much, smiling would look worse than crying."

"Pfft—" Yi Roujing couldn’t help but burst into laughter, and the two of them turned to look at her simultaneously.

The man had delicate features, with even more refined features than some girls; the woman had a bold appearance, with sharp, defined features, very striking. The two of them were very distinctive and eye-catching.

Yi Roujing, after looking for a while, finally reacted and let go of Xu Ancheng. Xu Ancheng, not embarrassed at all, stood up straight, and upon looking up, the two of them exclaimed.

"Mrs. An—"

Xu Ancheng looked confused and only after a few more glances recognized them, "Police officers from Jing City’s police department?"

"Yes, yes, I’m Ruan Zhuqing." The bold woman saluted with a smile.

"I’m Chang Xiuming." The delicate man followed suit with a precise salute.

"Mrs. An, it’s been about three or four years since we last met, hasn’t it? You haven’t changed a bit." Chang Xiuming looked at Xu Ancheng with a sincere smile, "Mrs. An, is this your wife? You two really make a great pair."

Upon hearing this, Xu Ancheng showed a hint of a smile, "Thank you, you also make a great couple. Before I left Jing City, you weren’t dating yet, right? Have you gotten married now?"

"We got married this May Day." Chang Xiuming’s face flushed slightly, his eyes filled with a joyful flavor.

"Mrs. An, how about we as a couple invite you and your wife for dinner tonight?" Ruan Zhuqing suggested with a laugh, "Back then, it was because you saved Xiuming’s life that we could have this happiness now."

Seeing the sincerity in Chang Xiuming’s eyes, Xu Ancheng nodded, "Alright, let me introduce you, this is my wife, Yi Roujing."

"Comrade Yi Roujing, hello." The two of them saluted Yi Roujing as well.

"You decide the time and place, and we’ll go over then," Xu Ancheng said.

"Yes. How about 5:30 at Jing City Hotel? How does that work for you, Mrs. An?" Chang Xiuming asked.

"Sure."

After agreeing on the time, the four of them parted ways.

"You saved a police officer’s life? What happened?" Yi Roujing asked curiously.

"When I was in university," Xu Ancheng explained, "Back then, Chang Xiuming and Ruan Zhuqing had just joined the police department, full of ambition but lacking experience."

"At that time in Jing City, there was a case of people disappearing. Three consecutive people went missing, with no apparent connection in their lives, work, or residence, and neither their gender nor age matched."

"You know I’m clever, with strong logical analysis skills. I went to the police department once with a professor to give a talk and saw those three cases."

"The information back then was limited, with only old photos of the three and some known information about their movements and belongings from their families. I noticed all three were caretakers of children in their families."

"Some took care of grandchildren, some sons, some brothers. All three were caretakers at home, so I had them investigate the children’s situation at those homes, discovering they were all enrolled in the same kindergarten."

"However, upon examining the situation in the kindergarten, nothing seemed out of place. But when I met those three children, they had something in common: they were timid, a bit weak, the less lively type in the kindergarten."

"Even with suspicion back then, it boiled down to an unsupported conjecture. So, to draw the snake out, the police department found a child. In those three cases, the children weren’t hurt in any of them. We secretly asked a teacher to keep an eye on the child, and Chang Xiuming was the one who went to pick them up."

"So did Chang Xiuming end up missing too?" Yi Roujing asked.

"Yes, but I found him in time, so Xiuming was unharmed, though the previously missing three didn’t survive," Xu Ancheng said with deep eyes.

"The culprit was the kindergarten doorman, only an eighteen-year-old young man. The reason traced back to his childhood experience, where he and his mother were abducted by robbers, and he witnessed the robbers assault and murder his mother."