Chapter 16: Why Are You Lifting My Shirt?

Can I say no... Yu Dazhang’s scalp prickled, unable to fathom what Qu Tuotuo wanted.

Outside in the corridor, Qu Tuotuo walked slowly, as if observing her surroundings.

Yu Dazhang walked beside her, half a step behind.

“Actually...” Qu Tuotuo suddenly spoke:

“In both meetings, you’ve done things that weren’t friendly to me, right?”

Here it comes, here it comes, finally—it’s coming... Yu Dazhang knew the banner was a ruse; she was here to confront him.

“What I did was indeed extreme, but at the time...”

Yu Dazhang tried to justify himself, but remembering his actions, he felt guilty and simply said:

“Forget it, I won’t explain. I apologize. I hope you can forgive me.”

Qu Tuotuo paused, seemingly surprised he apologized so directly.

In truth, if she put herself in his shoes, she knew he meant well.

Risking his life to save her was enough to warrant forgiveness.

But the problem was, this apology was something she had demanded—not something he offered willingly.

“Do you know,” Qu Tuotuo whispered, “I waited for you over a week?”

“If you’d come to me to explain—even just one sentence—it would’ve been enough. But you did nothing.”

I was afraid... Because Yu Dazhang felt he’d gone too far, he avoided facing Qu Tuotuo.

Mostly, he felt guilty and didn’t know what to say when they met.

Once someone does something shameful, most choose to flee or let it slide; very few face it head-on.

Yu Dazhang was no exception.

“I did want to come apologize, but work got busy and I forgot.”

Now he could only make excuses.

“Then...” Qu Tuotuo’s expression suddenly shifted, smiling:

“Was your apology sincere?”

“Sincere. Absolutely sincere.”

Seeing Qu Tuotuo smile, Yu Dazhang quickly replied—but that smile unsettled him.

“Then agree to one condition.” Qu Tuotuo’s smile grew brighter.

“Say it.” Yu Dazhang answered without hesitation.

Qu Tuotuo stopped walking, glanced around, then hurried to the stairwell door.

Seeing Yu Dazhang didn’t follow, she waved him over:

“Come on, come inside and talk.”

What are you planning, big sister... Yu Dazhang really didn’t want to go.

Inside the stairwell, Qu Tuotuo dropped her smile and said sternly:

“You offended me twice. I only ask to hit you once. That’s not too much, right?”

“This...” Yu Dazhang hesitated:

“Just once?”

Qu Tuotuo nodded: “I keep my word.”

“Can you not hit my face?” Yu Dazhang feared a palm print would make his colleagues laugh.

“Fine.” Qu Tuotuo agreed readily.

Then it was settled—just one hit... Yu Dazhang knew Qu Tuotuo just wanted to vent.

Letting her vent today would spare him future anxiety.

In Yu Dazhang’s eyes, Qu Tuotuo was just a girl—surely she wasn’t strong.

Those slender, jade-like fingers clearly came from a pampered upbringing.

“Go ahead!”

Yu Dazhang puffed out his stomach, closed his eyes, adopting a martyr’s pose.

Even if you hit me for ten minutes, I won’t blink.

But the next second...

“Hey, why are you lifting my shirt?”

Yu Dazhang felt a chill on his stomach, opened his eyes—and saw his T-shirt pulled up.

Qu Tuotuo held his shirt with one hand, the other raised high...

“SMACK!!!!!!”

A thunderous crack.

At that moment, every motion-sensor light in the building turned on. Yu Dazhang’s eyes nearly bulged from pain—his stomach felt like it had been seared with a red-hot iron.

“Eeeeeeeeee...” He strained not to scream.

Qu Tuotuo blew on her palm, watching Yu Dazhang with satisfied delight:

“Your scream sounds different from normal people’s. Impressive.”

When detectives arrived drawn by the sound, they saw only Yu Dazhang.

He was curled on the floor, clutching his stomach, trembling.

“Dazhang, what happened? Are you okay?”

Lu Zhongxin grabbed his arm, trying to pull him up.

“No, don’t move me. I’ll be fine in a moment.”

In the following days, Yu Dazhang returned to normal life.

The palm print Qu Tuotuo left on his stomach had turned black-purple, and only recently had it begun to fade.

“Damn, she trained in the Five Poison Palm.”

Please... collect... 6...9...books...!

Standing before the mirror, Yu Dazhang gloomily rubbed his belly.

Not bad—at least it doesn’t hurt anymore.

He arrived at the Criminal Investigation Unit.

Lu Zhongxin was assigning the operation; seeing Yu Dazhang, he waved him over:

“You’re just in time. Today, you’re going back to the matchmaking corner.”

Yu Dazhang froze: “What?! I’m going back to matchmaking?”

Lu Zhongxin rolled his eyes:

“Last time you played it well—you’ve got experience.”

“That’s not what I mean,” Yu Dazhang hurried to explain:

“Last time I chased the suspect, lots of people in the park saw me. If I go back, they’ll recognize me.”

Yu Dazhang calculated the days—it had been about half a month since his last visit to Renmin Park.

Too short a time; those older ladies would still remember him.

“Don’t overestimate yourself,” Lu Zhongxin snapped.

“Everyone who hangs out in the matchmaking corner has seen hundreds of people—they’ve already forgotten you completely.”

That made sense... Yu Dazhang nodded in agreement.

In the matchmaking corner’s density, one person walking through would encounter at least forty to fifty opposite-sex strangers.

Who could remember every single face? That’d require an extraordinary memory.

“But what if the suspect recognizes me?” Yu Dazhang still worried.

“The three you arrested last time are still in detention,” Lu Zhongxin said flatly.

“This time we’re targeting the one handling pickup and transport of stolen goods.”

Yu Dazhang smiled:

“Why do they always meet at the matchmaking corner?”

Could it be they’re all single and just happen to be matchmaking...? Yu Dazhang thought it but dared not say it aloud.

Lu Zhongxin knew he was joking and ignored him, instead stepping to the door and calling him out.

Outside, Lu Zhongxin lowered his voice:

“In the kidnapping case, you contributed the most. Commander Wei has already submitted the commendation report. If nothing goes wrong, you’ll be promoted six months early.”

Probationary officers in the Criminal Investigation Unit serve a one-year internship.

Those who fail are either dismissed or reassigned to other departments.

Yu Dazhang was effectively pre-selected by the unit.

“Thank you, Master.”

“Why thank me? You earned this with your performance. No one can envy it.”

Having a student like him made Lu Zhongxin feel proud.

To outsiders, Yu Dazhang was clearly his protégé.

The more successful the student, the better the teacher looked.

Songhai People’s Park Matchmaking Corner.

Yu Dazhang picked up a cardboard sign, looked left and right, then decided to return to his old spot.

Because that spot had the best view, with no obstructions in front, behind, or on either side, and it was close to the entrance.

When he arrived, he placed the cardboard against his chest and straightened his clothes and hair.

As he looked up, he heard an exclamation:

“It’s you again!”

Yu Dazhang stared at the elderly woman before him, studied her face, and found her vaguely familiar.

“Good day, Auntie,” he waved, greeting her warmly.

“Wait here, I’ll go get someone!”

(End of Chapter)