After the Divorce, I Went Back to My Hometown, Pregnant and Became the Sheriff - Chapter 3

“No, I can’t,” He Xianxing suddenly shouted. “I can’t do it!” He moved to pull the gun back, but his motion was abruptly halted.

In the frantic scramble, He Xianxing looked back. Jiang Xu was holding his hand, silent and expressionless.

“Hey! What are you doing!” He Xianxing’s eyes were bloodshot.

Jiang Xu ignored him, his gaze locked on the thief below.

“Jiang Xu!”

“Forgive me, I do not have firearm clearance,” Jiang Xu explained. He stepped forward, pressing against He Xianxing’s back. A frantic heartbeat thrummed against his eardrums; the sound came from He Xianxing’s chest.

He guided He Xianxing’s hand upward toward the sky. A bullet fired, and the deafening crack of the gunshot echoed through the abandoned building. Like a startled bird, the thief did not stop. Instead, he lunged forward in a desperate frenzy to escape the firing range.

“Warning shot ineffective,” a voice whispered past He Xianxing’s ear.

Jiang Xu shifted his grip on He Xianxing’s hand down by half an inch. He then forced He Xianxing’s finger, which was resting loosely on the trigger, to press down.

A loud bang followed.

The recoil made Jiang Xu’s arm go numb. The air was thick with the acrid scent of gunpowder. In the distance, the thief’s body jerked and halted. He pitched forward onto the ground, clutching his calf and screaming as he rolled in agony.

Jiang Xu shot a quick look at He Xianxing. The younger man looked terrible; his pale face was completely devoid of color. Jiang Xu did not have time to investigate further. He let go of He Xianxing and turned to head downstairs.

The wind on the rooftop grew more violent. He Xianxing slowly holstered the handgun. Even through the holster, the searing heat of the muzzle scorched his waist. He slumped to the ground, exhausted. His hand felt as if it still held the lingering touch of Jiang Xu’s knuckles and the warmth of his palm.

By the time He Xianxing made it down from the roof, Jiang Xu had already applied a makeshift bandage to the thief. He Xianxing picked up his phone to call the station’s partner hospital and requested backup from the colleagues on duty. Seeing Jiang Xu about to leave, he hurriedly hung up and grabbed his arm.

“What is it?” Jiang Xu stopped.

“Thanks for just now,” He Xianxing scratched his cheek, offering a shy smile. With his youthful face, he looked more like a fresh police academy graduate when he smiled like that.

The backup arrived quickly. After loading the injured thief into the ambulance, one colleague could not help but tease, “Inspector He, so you do know how to shoot after all.”

He Xianxing laughed it off with a vague excuse. Jiang Xu watched his face but said nothing.

The two returned to the playground. Tongtong was sitting quietly on the bench. Upon seeing them, he jumped down and trotted to Jiang Xu’s side, calling out “Daddy.”

Jiang Xu leaned over to pick the child up. It was then that He Xianxing noticed Tongtong had deep blue eyes. He studied Jiang Xu’s sharp, angular profile until Jiang Xu turned his head. “Is there something else?”

He Xianxing flushed slightly and asked, “Is the child’s mother a foreigner?”

“In a way.”

“Then, would you like to grab a meal together?”

The sudden shift in topic caught Jiang Xu off guard.

“I ran into that thief on my way off the clock,” He Xianxing said with a light smile. “I know a dessert shop that is incredibly good. Tongtong would definitely like it. Well? What do you think?”

He directed his charm toward Tongtong. The boy gripped Jiang Xu’s hand, clearly won over quite easily.

The dessert shop He Xianxing mentioned was small but exquisite. The owner was a gentle female Omega who greeted them warmly as they entered. The air was filled with a sweet, fragrant aroma that felt welcoming.

They chose a seat by the window. Jiang Xu sat down with Tongtong and hung his jacket on the back of the chair. “Do you come here often, Inspector?”

He Xianxing sat across from the father and son. “Of course,” he said, appearing to have entirely forgotten the embarrassment on the rooftop. His smile was bright, revealing glimpses of two small canine teeth. “I am something of a dessert connoisseur.”

Jiang Xu ordered a slice of strawberry cake for his son. He Xianxing reached over, his slender finger pointing at Jiang Xu’s menu. “This one comes highly recommended.”

Jiang Xu glanced at the hand and nodded in response. He closed the menu and signaled to the owner.

He Xianxing sipped his drink, his eyes bright. “You are actually the type who listens to other people’s opinions. How surprising.”

“I seem to be a difficult person in your eyes, Inspector.”

“Oh, I did not mean it like that.”

Jiang Xu smiled nonchalantly. “You are the connoisseur and I am the amateur. It is only logical to take professional advice.”

He Xianxing laughed along. The sunlight filtered through the glass window and danced on his hair, giving his fair skin a nearly translucent beauty. He toyed with the straw in his glass before suddenly saying, “By the way, your marksmanship is excellent.”

“Thank you.”

“Did you graduate from S-Police University?”

“Yes. It has been many years since I graduated.”

“Then why did you come to G-City? With aim like that, you would have had a great career in S-City.”

Jiang Xu looked up. “Am I your suspect, Inspector?”

He Xianxing froze. “Sorry. I was just curious.”

Jiang Xu said nothing. He looked down and used a wet wipe to clean his son’s hands. His movements were slow and meticulous. His long, strong fingers moved between the white wipe and the child’s soft hand, picking up a slight dampness.

“I am just an ordinary grassroots officer. I can shoot because of my training at the academy. G-City is where I was born. There is no need for you to test me, Inspector.”

“I did not mean it that way.”

The atmosphere turned awkward, but fortunately, their cakes arrived just in time. The desserts looked appetizing. Tongtong watched with a quiet, well-behaved focus unusual for a child his age.

Jiang Xu forked the strawberry from the top of the cake and placed it on Tongtong’s plate. “Here, take this.”

Tongtong held the fork awkwardly and took a bite. His beautiful blue eyes narrowed in satisfaction like a kitten’s. “So sweet, Daddy.”

“I’m glad,” Jiang Xu said, wiping a bit of frosting from the boy’s face. “Eat slowly.”

He Xianxing offered a wipe. Jiang Xu thanked him and took it.

He Xianxing looked a bit dejected. It was difficult for Jiang Xu to ignore that pitiful expression out of the corner of his eye. He picked up his spoon and took a small bite of his own cake. The rich sweetness melted in his mouth; it was much better than he expected.

Jiang Xu swallowed, but a tart aftertaste lingered in his throat. “The cake you recommended is very good.”

He looked at He Xianxing. The amber eyes instantly lit up. “Of course! I dare say this is the best shop for Black Forest cake in all of G-City!”

Jiang Xu could not help but smile wryly. He wondered how someone could display such drastic emotional shifts in such a short time. “You are still like a child, Inspector.”

He Xianxing scratched his cheek, looking embarrassed.

Jiang Xu took another bite. Before he could swallow, a scratching sensation flared deep in his throat. He instinctively cleared his throat.

“This cake,” the itch spread through his chest. Jiang Xu covered his mouth and grabbed a napkin, spitting out the remains of the cake.

“What is wrong?” He Xianxing reached toward Jiang Xu. His fingertips brushed against Jiang Xu’s wrist; the temperature seemed high.

“Is there alcohol in this cake?” Jiang Xu’s breathing became heavy.

“The Black Forest does have cherry liqueur in it,” He Xianxing answered, startled. He then realized the situation. “Wait, are you allergic to alcohol?”

He handed over a glass of water. “Are you okay? Do you need a doctor?”

“I am fine,” Jiang Xu said, his face turning deathly pale as he pushed He Xianxing’s hand away. “The restroom.”

He muttered to himself as he stood up. “Where is the restroom?”

Seeing him like this, He Xianxing tried to help, but he was violently shoved aside. “Don’t touch me!”

Jiang Xu froze for a moment, looking at He Xianxing’s rejected hand. “Sorry. You do not need to worry about me. Where is the restroom?”

The owner at the counter hurried over, startled by Jiang Xu’s appearance. “Guest, the restroom is that way,” she pointed. “What happened? Should I call an ambulance? Your face is so pale.”

“Please, just leave me alone!”

Jiang Xu stumbled into the restroom and locked the door with trembling hands.

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