Chapter 16 Ji Xingyu

In the end, Li Cangyu never mentioned the amount of the reward.

Mo Fei shamelessly lingered at the police station to snag a free dinner.

He had to admit, the food at the police canteen was leagues better than the boxed meals on set—there was the aroma of real cooking, a balanced selection of meat and vegetables, and even fruit for dessert.

Not only was his dinner taken care of this time, but someone was actually assigned to drive him home.

Officer Xiao Xu fastened his seat belt in the driver’s seat, glancing over to ask, “Where do you live?”

Mo Fei stood by the passenger door, somewhat conflicted. Not having to walk home was a definite plus, hitching a ride even better, but Officer Xiao Xu’s expression was... less than welcoming.

With genuine curiosity, Mo Fei asked, “Friend, is the station especially busy these days?”

Officer Xiao Xu rested his hand on the steering wheel, his face full of helplessness. “Friend, I’m the only one available right now. Unless you’d rather call a cab?”

“I could take a cab,” Mo Fei replied cautiously. “Would the fare be reimbursed?”

Officer Xiao Xu rolled his eyes. “Just get in the car.”

Mo Fei climbed in and buckled up without needing to be told. “I’m staying in an old apartment complex near the outskirts. I’ll give you directions.”

As the car pulled away from the station, Mo Fei finally relaxed.

Noticing his relief, Officer Xiao Xu teased, “What’s the matter, feeling guilty about some misdeed?”

“A misdeed?” Mo Fei pondered. “I haven’t done anything—usually trouble finds me. I’d rather avoid it if I could.”

Officer Xiao Xu nodded in agreement. “I’ve only been stationed here a short while, but it’s rare to see a familiar face like yours. The frequency with which you show up—neither staff nor suspect—it’s honestly unusual.”

Mo Fei mulled over his words, unsure whether the officer was being sincere or sarcastic.

“It’s not like I want this either.” He thought back to his past, realizing he was almost used to turning up at the police station every few days. Clicking his tongue, he sighed, “Habit is a frightening thing.”

Officer Xiao Xu glanced at him and laughed. “If you go a long stretch without showing up, I might have to check if something happened to you.”

“Then I won’t have to worry about dying alone at home with no one to find the body!” Mo Fei cheered.

Officer Xiao Xu: ...

He couldn’t quite understand it—this guy wasn’t bad-looking, didn’t seem dim-witted, but every word out of his mouth was impossible to handle.

“Hey, by the way,” Mo Fei said, watching the crowds of men and women along the roadside, suddenly recalling something, “is that person we rescued today alright?”

Officer Xiao Xu hesitated, but considering Mo Fei was half in the know and the one who found the person, he relented. “Nothing too serious—some dehydration, a few external injuries, cracked ribs, and the letdown after prolonged high tension. After treatment, he’ll be fine.”

“That’s a relief,” Mo Fei breathed easier.

Though that person had shocked him more than once, it wasn’t their fault for being hunted down. As long as they were safe now, all was well.

As they chatted, Mo Fei’s phone vibrated. He glanced at the screen—an unmarked number. He answered, and a strange female voice spoke.

“Hello, Mr. Mo Fei. The pet you left at our clinic, ‘Stitch’, is now ready to be discharged for home care. When would you be able to pick up your little one?”

Mo Fei was silent for a long moment.

The woman on the other end couldn’t help but prompt him, “Sir? Hello?”

“Ah, I’ll come by in the next couple of days when I’m free,” Mo Fei replied perfunctorily, then hung up.

He’d nearly forgotten about the uninvited guest posing as a housecat that had landed him with Stitch in the first place.

The car wasn’t large, so naturally Officer Xiao Xu overheard the conversation. He teased, “Didn’t take you for a pet owner. Stitch? That’s an interesting name.”

Mo Fei gave a wistful smile.

If only it were just Stitch—he still had two months of rent to cover.

When Officer Xiao Xu dropped Mo Fei off at the entrance of his building, the streetlamps glowing overhead, he recalled the message Mo Fei had sent him earlier and called out as Mo Fei was heading inside. “By the way, I had the traffic unit look into that car you mentioned. It wasn’t caught at the intersection, and turns out it was using fake plates.”

“A car with fake plates being so brazen?” Mo Fei couldn’t understand. Since when was breaking the law something to be proud of?

Officer Xiao Xu gave a helpless laugh. “People, you know... Anyway, just stay safe. Call me if anything happens.”

Mo Fei nodded solemnly.

He valued his life more than anyone.

While Mo Fei finally rested at home, the inpatient ward at the hospital was still bustling.

Officer Tang and Li Cangyu sat by a hospital bed, beside the newly awakened young man with long hair.

He’d only just regained consciousness, and they had rushed over as soon as they got the call.

Facing a victim, the officers’ attitudes were gentle.

Officer Tang softened his tone. “What’s your name?”

The long-haired young man remained silent.

Officer Tang smiled. “Let me introduce myself. My surname is Tang—Tang Xin—from the local police station. This is Officer Li from the Criminal Investigation Unit. You can tell us anything, don’t be afraid.”

Still, the young man only looked at them without speaking.

Tang and Li exchanged glances, both sensing the situation was tricky.

At first, they’d thought the victim was a woman and considered sending a female officer to talk to them. But the hospital forms clearly listed the patient as male, so they came themselves.

It was late—should they call a warm, empathetic female officer in for overtime now?

Officer Tang pulled out his phone to call for backup, but the young man spoke first. “Where’s the person who saved me?”

Officer Tang was quick to answer. “He finished his statement and has already gone home.”

Upon hearing this, the young man lowered his gaze again.

To be fair, his appearance was striking—possessing a beauty that could captivate both men and women, especially when his eyes dropped, evoking a surge of sympathy.

But these two officers were not easily swayed by appearances; they’d weathered many storms.

Officer Li spoke earnestly. “Whatever difficulties you’re facing, as public servants, we’ll do our best to help you through them—as long as you’re willing to speak.”

“That’s right,” Officer Tang added, nodding. “You can trust us.”

“It’s not that I don’t trust you,” the young man said, closing his eyes, his voice still hoarse. “I’ll tell you everything, but you mustn’t contact my family. Is that all right?”

It was an odd request, but Tang and Li had heard it before. Usually, those with families who got caught soliciting, runaway kids, or young people at odds with their families would make such a demand.

Officer Tang smiled. “We’ll respect your wishes, but it also depends on the seriousness of the matter.”

The young man sighed, finally speaking. “My name is Ji Xingyu. As you guessed, I ran away from home.”

“I just happened to have rotten luck while on the run—ended up in the hands of traffickers.”

“And as I was escaping, I ran into a lunatic with an axe—”

Ji Xingyu raised his head, his smile icy. “That’s all.”