Chapter 2210: Love Caught in the Cycle of Fate 09

Xu Yi: "Room 204 is shared by three or four thugs; they rarely come. When they do come, they usually call a hostess… They also frequently go in and out of the convenience store; I once had the misfortune of bumping into them at the store entrance and almost got scared enough to call the police."

Xie Guan also nodded, showing his agreement.

They're dirty.

He held this opinion strongly.

In every sense, every time they come I have to delay closing and cleaning up.

Shao Huai: "Can't we drive them out?"

Xie Guan's face darkened further: "One of the thugs is the landlord's idiot son."

Jin Chen clicked his tongue, leisurely appreciating his expression, though his tone carried an inexplicable fondness: "Look at how wronged our young master Xie is."

They used to like teasing Xie Guan with "young master," and he is indeed a genuine wealthy young master.

Shao Huai looked over in shock, thinking, Didn't we agree not to bring up the past? Even though he's bankrupt, he still calls himself young master— isn't that just picking at his wounds?

Then he saw Xie Guan glare at Jin Chen; he didn't look very angry, more like he was bristling.

Shao Huai: "……"

Sure enough, they're still the familiar bickering couple.

Just leave this "three" out of it.

In the end, it's just the first floor.

Xu Yi circled room 104 with his pen: "Room 104 has a strange little girl; she's… weird, but if you go check later you'll know her when you see her."

Xu Yi also shrugged his shoulders and added: "Room 106 is occupied by Grandma Wu Lan; she used to be the apartment's manager and is very warm-hearted."

Seeing him finish, Shao Huai hurriedly patted the chair beside him: "Xu Yi, come sit over here and call me brother."

Xu Yi, puzzled: "……I've already graduated college; I'm older than you."

"You look like a high schooler— what's wrong with calling me brother?" Shao Huai placed his hand on the back of Xu Yi's chair, "In this building, it's just the two of us and the two of them."

No more being the "three" getting a face full of it!

Xu Yi didn't understand, rubbed his nose tip, "…Oh."

"Brother."

He's easy to talk to.

Shao Huai happily split the yogurt again, giving him two bottles.

Jin Chen: "……"

Jin Chen lowered his head to look at Xie Guan beside him, sighed, "Sigh."

Xie Guan's mouth twitched slightly, his tone light: "You'll fall asleep faster if you dream."

Jin Chen immediately pulled Shao Huai up: "Stop the wisecracks, get to work."

"You and Xu Yi check from the 7th floor down; I'll accompany Xie Guan to the convenience store first, then we'll go up from below."

Xie Guan startled: "Right, Zhao Chunmei will come to the convenience store today to buy bleach."

The four of them thus split into two groups, each conducting their own search.

——

Jin Chen and Xie Guan went downstairs alone.

He didn't know if it was intentional, but Xie Guan felt Jin Chen walked too close, brushing his shoulders several times at the stairwell turn.

Until another bump, Xie Guan was certain Jin Chen was doing it on purpose.

Just as he was thinking whether to stop and beat him up, the expressionless Xie Guan suddenly had his hand taken.

"Little Xie Guan, everything I just said is true."

Xie Guan's steps halted: "…What?"

"I'll watch over you, protect you— whether it's suicide or being bullied, I won't allow either on my watch."

Jin Chen's expression also grew more serious; he pinched Xie Guan's cheek with his fingertips: "Try trusting me, brother, okay?"

Xie Guan unconsciously frowned, his heart clenching: "……Idiot."

With his ears burning red, he walked on by himself: "Cut it out."

【Villain Heartthrob Value +5, total 13!】

Hearing the teasing laughter behind him, Xie Guan felt the back of his neck go numb, somewhat annoyed, and walked faster.

Convenience store.

When the convenience store's glass door was pushed open, it made a harsh sound against the floor.

Zhao Chunmei came in carrying a vegetable basket, slightly hunched, her body reeking of fish as if she'd just returned from the market; her dark apron was stained with dark brown grime, each step leaving damp footprints.

She noticed Jin Chen, frowned, obviously unused to strangers, her cloudy eyes darting between Xie Guan and Jin Chen.

"Little Xie, do you have bleach?"

Her voice was hoarse when she spoke.

Here she comes.

Xie Guan's expression was unchanged, he hummed: "Yes, Aunt Mei, what do you need it for?"

"For disinfecting; it needs thorough disinfecting, the fishy smell is too filthy."

As she spoke, her gaze fell on Jin Chen; the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes deepened as she narrowed them, and she couldn't help but ask: "Who is this young man…"

It seemed that anyone who had lived in this building for a few years would be unusually wary of obvious newcomers.

Jin Chen noticed this and responded.

"I'm a police officer." Jin Chen straightened, placing his right hand on Xie Guan's shoulder, feeling the warmth through the shirt.

Xie Guan blinked slightly, glancing sideways at Jin Chen.

Jin Chen rubbed his shoulder, and Xie Guan didn't keep looking, his gaze drifting away again.

Zhao Chunmei was visibly stunned, her fingers, covered in tiny wounds, gripped the vegetable basket tightly.

"Police… really? What are the police doing here?"

Jin Chen casually pulled out his police academy student ID from his pocket, showing only the back to Zhao Chunmei.

Zhao Chunmei indeed didn't understand, but her state was clearly off.

Jin Chen deliberately intensified his tone: "There's been an incident nearby; I've come to find Xie Guan to get the details."

He then pulled Xie Guan closer into his embrace, saying, "Also, thank you, Aunt, for taking care of Xie Guan's business; we're on good terms. If you need any help, you can come directly to me."

Xie Guan felt the force from Jin Chen's palm and silently swallowed the words on his lips.

In the next instant, Jin Chen noticed Zhao Chunmei's gaze suddenly turn flustered, as if stung by something, and she quickly averted her eyes.

"Well, that really is a bother, Officer..."

Zhao Chunmei's voice grew even more hoarse.

"Aunt Mei, bleach." Xie Guan handed her the bleach he had swapped earlier; inside was the replaced water mixed with regular disinfectant.

Zhao Chunmei's fingers trembled slightly as she took the bleach.

She hurried toward the checkout counter, the plastic bag in her apron pocket rustling, leaving a stronger fishy odor to ferment in the air.

Jin Chen watched her leave, then lowered his head to whisper in Xie Guan's ear: "Zhao Chunmei definitely has something wrong; we should investigate her first."

Xie Guan: "... You keep hugging without end."

The two were about to leave when the convenience store door was pushed open again.

"Little Xie, your delivery."

Han Dong limped in from outside, holding several parcels, his raincoat almost soaked through.

Jin Chen glanced over and suddenly frowned.

This raincoat…

It's not the set I saw last night; why does it feel somewhat familiar.

In a flash, Jin Chen recalled the figure that had run into the rain on Wednesday, and he instantly straightened his body.