Dr. Chi’s Mission: Seduce Officer Su - Chapter 42

The air, cleansed by the sudden rain, was filled with the freshness of damp earth.

Reluctant to part from the warmth of their embrace, the two nestled under the covers, savoring the lingering afterglow of their intimacy.

Chi Jue loved to play with Su Qiao’s hair, often twirling it between her fingers before bringing it to her nose to inhale its milky fragrance.

Su Qiao, on the other hand, was captivated by the scent of cedar that seemed to seep into her very bones. It was strange, shouldn’t a doctor always carry the smell of disinfectant? Why didn’t her Dr. Chi?

“I want to discuss something with you,” Chi Jue murmured, tilting her head to nuzzle the hollow of Little Bear’s collarbone before leaving a faint bite mark with a kiss.

Somehow, after every bout of intense passion, she always felt the urge to leave a trace on Little Bear’s body, proof that everything that had happened was real and not just an illusory dream.

That lingering sense of unease would always resurface after being satisfied, tugging at her nerves.

In those faded, yellowed memories of the past, she had been overlooked by her family. As she grew older, she was abandoned by An Jiaqin, leaving her with a deep-seated lack of confidence in relationships.

She often feared that one day, Su Qiao would also cast her aside.

In the eyes of others, she was like a rose in an uninhabited land, aloof, cold, and detached from the mundane world. That was why people labeled her as unapproachable.

But this perception was wrong, utterly and completely mistaken.

The world didn’t know that even a rose tangled in thorns needed the nourishment of rain, how else could it bloom?

Su Qiao had once been indifferent. Her indifference stemmed from self-preservation, to escape the pointing fingers of misunderstanding, to ignore the repeated upheavals she faced while growing up, and to learn how to be a good granddaughter who wouldn’t worry her grandmother.

She never voiced her hardships, a trait she shared with Chi Jue. In a way, they were very similar, yet not entirely compatible. When they embraced, each carrying their own flaws, they formed a perfect, inseparable whole.

“What is it?” Su Qiao only wanted to hold Chi Jue tighter. She, too, was afraid of losing what they had. Hard-won affection made one fear its fragility, even the slightest disturbance could unsettle an overly cherished heart.

“I want to bring Grandma to live with us. The neighborhood has great greenery, complete amenities, and most importantly, it’s very convenient. We have a housekeeper to handle the chores, so she won’t have to worry about daily trivialities.”

Chi Jue had put a lot of thought into this. She considered every detail and had grown fond of the cheerful little old lady. Having her move in would breathe life into her otherwise cold and lonely home.

To wake up and see the person she most wanted to see, to share meals around the table and listen to Grandma’s chatter, this was her ideal vision of home, a simple and peaceful life from dawn till dusk.

Su Qiao was touched but also conflicted. She was moved by the careful consideration of the person in her arms, yet she resisted because her own limited means made it hard to offer more support.

She, too, had her pride and was sensitive to discussions about social class. She had never intended to climb the social ladder and had even avoided delving too deeply into Chi Jue’s privileged background.

All she wanted was to be together, but being together meant compromise, equality, and material considerations.

“Why aren’t you answering me? What are you worried about?” Chi Jue dreaded this silence and feared Su Qiao’s rejection.

“I was thinking, maybe this is a bit too fast, and Grandma might not agree. Sometimes people need courage to change.”

Hearing Little Bear’s gentle refusal, Chi Jue sighed and propped her head up with one hand.

In the dim glow of the night, the person before her still had bright, spirited eyes, yet her expression held an unresolved melancholy.

“Actually… I already know that An Jiaqin came to see you that night in the parking garage.”

She hadn’t wanted to bring it up, because she knew it couldn’t be a pleasant memory for Su Qiao, even though she didn’t know what An Jiaqin had said that night.

“How did you know?” Su Qiao asked in surprise, also propping up her head as she gently tucked Chi Jue’s stray strands of hair behind her ear. “Don’t worry, she can’t affect me.”

Chi Jue had originally wanted to ask Little Bear why she always unconsciously revealed a sense of inferiority, but not wanting to make the conversation too heavy, she opted for a more reassuring way to comfort her: “Whatever she said, don’t take it to heart. Those twisted words will only tear at our relationship. The only one you can trust is what I say to you directly, understand?”

“Mhm, mhm.” Su Qiao nodded, feeling at ease because the person she loved was showing complete sincerity and earnestness.

Love can be a fantastical illusion or a straightforward romance, what matters most is trust.

In that moment, she finally understood why Chi Jue had made her promise, no matter what misunderstandings arose, they couldn’t be left unresolved overnight.

Su Qiao extended her pinky finger toward her. “The stamp I wanted to add last time, we haven’t finished the procedure yet. Is Miss Chi open for business today?”

“Mis*chievous~” Chi Jue hooked her pinky. “If you give me the cold shoulder again out of spite, I won’t let you roll around in bed, or worse, I’ll kick you out of my heart and not let you live in my two-room, two-chamber place!”

Little Bear foolishly pressed, “Huh? Why two rooms and two chambers?”

“Isn’t the heart made up of the left atrium, left ventricle, right atrium, and right ventricle? That’s two rooms and two chambers! You’re so silly!”

“My girlfriend is so, so smart, so I should be a bit dumb. That way, we complement each other~” Su Qiao playfully stuck out her tongue.

Seeing that it was still early, she nuzzled her head into Chi Jue’s chest like a big, affectionate dog.

“Ah!”

A sudden cry of surprise made Chi Jue quickly wrap her arms around Su Qiao’s head to check. “What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell? Let me see!”

“I… suddenly…” Su Qiao feigned weakness, her voice strained. “I can’t… my heart… it hurts so much…”

“Your heart!?” Chi Jue’s own heart clenched in panic as she pressed both hands against Su Qiao’s chest. “What does it feel like? Trouble breathing or a racing heartbeat?”

Su Qiao bit her protruding tongue, rolled her eyes, and drawled, “Let…ter… of… self-criticism…”

“Su Qiao! That’s not funny!” Chi Jue grabbed a pillow and smacked it against Little Bear’s head, torn between anger and laughter. “I feel like chasing you down the alley and beating you up. You’re so annoying!”

Su Qiao crawled on top of Chi Jue, sobbing dramatically while nibbling her ear and wriggling her body. “Wahh… letter of self-criticism… wahh… letter of self-criticism…”

“You’re so annoying! Get off me!” Chi Jue just wanted to kick this mischievous little rascal away, but the girl had wrapped herself around her like sticky plaster that couldn’t be shaken off.

“The two-thousand-word KPI report is due tomorrow, Dr. Chi… save me… I’m doomed!”

Yet Chi Jue remained unmoved, simply wanting to see Su Qiao squirm like an ant on a hot pan.

Su Qiao truly grew frantic. Gritting her teeth, she swiftly flipped over and knelt, kowtowing to her as if it were the New Year.

“On my knees, I beg the Literary Star to descend and lend me your divine power to help me complete this self-criticism and survive this calamity.

I’m completely drained and can’t squeeze out another word. Otherwise, Chief Zheng will drag me over the coals again, scolding me for lacking awareness and failing to recognize my mistakes.

If that happens and I miss out on a warm lunch again, I’ll be so famished I’ll collapse. Then, by evening, I won’t have the energy to serve my girlfriend properly. If she’s unsatisfied, she’ll complain that I’m already failing at such a young age.

Adults can’t admit defeat. Adults must maintain their dignity. Adults carry the banner of hardship. Adults…”

Little Bear instantly transformed into a buzzing little bee, droning on and on like a chant in Chi Jue’s ear.

Unable to bear it any longer, Chi Jue covered Su Qiao’s mouth with her hand and conceded, “Enough, enough! Stop this nonsense. I’ll write it for you, alright?”

“Write it now!”

“Write!”

“Wait for me!” Su Qiao leaped off the bed, snatched the hotel notepad from the table, and lunged back in front of Chi Jue, landing with such force that Chi Jue nearly bounced into the air.

“Alright, I’m ready!” Little Bear bit the tip of the pen, gazing eagerly at the genius organizing her thoughts.

“First, I would like to extend my deepest apologies to my leaders and colleagues for the mistakes I made in my work…”

“Mm… deepest apologies…” Little Bear scribbled quickly, then looked pitifully at Chi Jue. “And then?”

“Through this experience, I have come to a profound understanding of my own shortcomings and issues. To prevent similar mistakes from recurring, I will implement the following improvement measures…”

“Mm-hmm, the following improvement measu… ouch…” Su Qiao bit the pen, grinning foolishly. “Um… how do you write the character for ‘measures’?”

“Fang Ren Ye!” Chi Jue rubbed her temples in exasperation, then reached out and ruffled Su Qiao’s hair vigorously. “I seriously wonder how you even got into the police academy!”

“Hmph…” Little Bear pouted in protest. “Most of the time, I’m just typing on a keyboard. I hardly ever write by hand!”

“Here, you need to break it down into points one, two, three, and four, with line breaks in between! Silly!” Chi Jue pointed at the draft, patiently instructing her.

Su Qiao stole a glance at her face and found herself mesmerized, thinking how diligent Dr. Chi must have been during her student days to be so articulate.

The more she thought about it, the more she felt she had stumbled upon a treasure. Unable to resist, she leaned in and planted several quick kisses on Chi Jue’s cheek, then asked wistfully, “Why are you so good to me? You could have chosen someone better, someone more suited to you. Sometimes, I feel like I’m not worthy of you. Actually… what An Jiaqin said wasn’t entirely wrong.”

Chi Jue was momentarily stunned, but soon a gentle shimmer flickered in her eyes.

She caressed Su Qiao’s overly insecure face, her fingertips pressing lightly between her brows, as if to smooth away the melancholy.

“You have no idea how brightly you shine. From the moment you burst into my sight, the word ‘ordinary’ no longer had anything to do with you.

To me, you will always be the most special one, glowing with a phosphorescent light, striking my heart like lightning, again and again.”

“What others say doesn’t matter. What matters is that I feel we’re a perfect match, just like when we rescued people together, just like how we silently understood each other’s hearts without a word.

You know? I never believed in love at first sight, but your appearance shattered all the emotional rules I had set for myself.

Do you remember how you helped me resolve that scam dispute at the hospital entrance?

Back then, you said you were so happy to meet me, as if you had stumbled upon a hundred pounds of good luck.

But aren’t you my hundred pounds of good luck too?”

Love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation.

…

New Year’s Eve.

The Criminal Investigation Center building was adorned with cheerful red lanterns.

Everyone was immersed in the joy of the upcoming seven-day holiday.

Su Qiao’s mood was equally radiant.

Yesterday, Chief Zheng had called her and Ji Nanxing into his office, first giving them the usual reprimand, but ultimately reversing the decision to deduct their bonuses.

She was busy calculating how much money to put in the red envelope for her grandmother that evening.

As she walked into the office with her head down, she was stopped by Ao Yu.

His attitude toward her remained cold, but for some unknown reason, he took the initiative to ask, “Do you have a moment? Come with me.”

“Uh, sure.”

Ao Yu led the way, as always choosing the dusty room.

After Su Qiao entered, he gently closed the door and pulled an old bank card from his inner coat pocket.

Su Qiao stared at the worn card, her mind reeling. “Why?”

“The money inside hasn’t been touched. It’s all here, returned in full.” Ao Yu was brief. Seeing that she made no move to take it, he tossed the card onto the table. “That’s all.”

Su Qiao was at a loss, her throat tight with pain. “I can’t accept this.”

“My parents have kept this card like a thorn in their hearts. Some things can’t be resolved with money, just as some things don’t deserve forgiveness.”

“Ao Yu, I know you’ll always hate me. Your parents will always hate me. But this is the only thing I can do. Returning the card to me, what good does it do besides deepening my pain?”

After Ao Miao’s death, Su Qiao’s life had taken a sharp downturn because she had given all her savings to Ao’s parents. It was one of the few ways she could think of to make amends, but it felt like whipping the victim’s family with thorns.

“I know you’ll be part of the task force’s second operation.” Ao Yu’s face was pale as he fixed his gaze on her. “I’m conflicted. Part of me wishes you’d die during the mission, and part of me hopes you can avenge Ao Miao’s blood feud. I know these thoughts are vicious, but I can’t bring myself to be magnanimous. If it were you, if the sister you’d cherished for decades suddenly died, what would you do?”

“…” Su Qiao had no answer. She stared at the faded card, swallowing hard, the motion bringing a brief, sharp pain.

“I heard this card doesn’t just hold your savings, but also your grandmother’s pension, which she saved for years. You may have your faults, but the elderly are innocent. Take it back. Our family will have peace of mind, and your life won’t be so difficult.”

Ao Yu opened the door and left without looking back.

Leaving Su Qiao alone, disoriented and lost in thought.

…

‘I’m Officer Ao Miao, badge number 290126, reporting for duty!’

That was Ao Miao’s first time stepping into the criminal investigation team’s office. Amidst a group of burly male officers, she looked like a tiny figure, smiling like a sunflower, more like the newly appointed mascot of the police team.

Ji Nanxing wore a cold expression, too busy with the case to pay her much attention. He pointed toward Su Qiao, who was sitting in the corner, and said, “For now, follow Captain Su and get familiar with the office environment. Assist her with whatever she needs, and come to me if you have any questions.”

“Understood!” Ao Miao saluted excitedly, then turned and ran to Su Qiao’s desk, blinking her eyes. “Master, let me make you a cup of tea~”

Su Qiao closed the file in her hand, feeling that the title didn’t quite suit her. “Master?”

“Yes, Master!”

“No forming attachments. But making tea is fine. Also… I’m very strict.” Though her words were firm, Su Qiao had already handed over her teacup.

“Got it, Master!” Ao Miao cradled the teacup as if it were something precious.

“Hey, Su Qiao, be a little gentler with our little sister. She’s new here and doesn’t know anything yet. Don’t boss her around too much!” Ao Yu wrapped an arm around Ao Miao’s shoulder, stepping up as her big brother to defend her.

“Alright, alright.”

…

“We’re almost at the emergency room. Hang in there, just a little longer…” Ji Nanxing’s voice trembled.

Su Qiao, covered in blood from head to toe, followed closely, gasping for breath. Panic and fear choked her.

The severity of Ao Miao’s injuries meant that with every word she spoke, blood gushed from the corners of her mouth. The bullet wound in her abdomen revealed glimpses of exposed organs, and the irreparable injury continued to bleed profusely.

“I don’t want to die… I don’t want to die…”

“Don’t… don’t let… my brother… see me like this…”

Those happy and anxious memories suddenly turned into blunt knives, each slash bringing raw, unbearable pain, yet unable to break through the surface.

The agony remained trapped inside, neither fading nor finding release.

Su Qiao clutched her head and slid helplessly to the floor. She pounded her chest, as if physical pain could somehow override the torment in her heart.

Her eyes wide open, she gritted her teeth tightly, hating her own reckless decisions and the criminals who still roamed free, unpunished.