Due to the heavy rain, the water on the road increased the resistance on the tires, and visibility was low. The 30-kilometer journey took nearly an hour to reach the North Ring Road of the ancient city.
As soon as she got on the North Ring Road, Rui Xiaodan's eyes began scanning the roadside through the rain-swept windshield. She finally spotted a vague figure standing under an umbrella by the road. Her heart pounded wildly as she got closer and saw clearly—it was Ding Yuanying.
She accelerated toward him, came to a sudden stop, jumped out of the car, and ran toward Ding Yuanying, throwing herself into his arms.
Ding Yuanying held the umbrella in one hand and gently placed the other hand on her head. Rui Xiaodan grabbed the umbrella from him and tossed it away, wanting him to embrace her with both arms.
At this moment, Rui Xiaodan's heart was filled with immense happiness. It seemed as though nothing else existed in the world. Clinging to Ding Yuanying's wet body, she couldn't help but cry, releasing all her joy, pain, and relief.
Cars sped by, splashing water on their already soaked bodies, but neither noticed. Rui Xiaodan buried her head in his chest, took a deep breath, and said, "I just killed an escaping criminal."
Ding Yuanying's heart trembled, not from understanding or emotion between a man and a woman, but from an instinctive respect. When death, rebirth, punishment, and humanity intertwined, and such complex and cruel feelings covered a woman at the same moment, she had neither the fear of death nor the pride of being a hero, only love and reverence for life. He said nothing, holding her body with one hand and stroking her hair with the other. His caress and silence spoke louder than words.
Rui Xiaodan, lost in her emotions, murmured, "Say something, anything."
Ding Yuanying said, "Keep up the good work."
Rui Xiaodan was taken aback but quickly understood. She looked up shyly and said, "Rogue!" Then she whispered in his ear, "Let's go home."
They walked to the car, Rui Xiaodan pushed Ding Yuanying into the passenger seat, shut the door, and then sped towards the Rose Garden community.
After parking the car, Rui Xiaodan hurriedly led Ding Yuanying into the house, kicking the door shut behind them.
They melted into a long kiss, after which Rui Xiaodan drew all the curtains and quickly stripped Ding Yuanying of his wet clothes, tossing them onto the floor, and wrapped him in a blanket. Ding Yuanying's cold body immediately felt the warm embrace of her feminine presence.
Rui Xiaodan went to the bathroom to warm herself with hot water, then sat by the bed in her silk nightgown, turning on the bedside lamp. Noticing Ding Yuanying's hair was still wet, she grabbed a towel and started drying it.
Ding Yuanying pulled open Rui Xiaodan's nightgown belt, and as it opened, her full bosom heaved with her rapid breathing under the soft light, exuding an irresistible allure. He suddenly embraced her, pressing her roughly beneath him.
In that moment, spirit and flesh intertwined...
After the stormy passion subsided, Rui Xiaodan's pale face blushed, adding to her charm. She lay on Ding Yuanying's chest, her long eyelashes trembling slightly, and happily said, "I wish at this moment, God would turn us into a statue."
Ding Yuanying said, "That the gun didn't fire was heaven's way of giving me a chance, sparing me a lifetime of guilt."
Rui Xiaodan, intoxicated, said, "It would be better if the gun had fired. Then I would be eternal in your heart."
Ding Yuanying said, "Your clothes are soaked. Go to my place and get some clothes. They're in the bedside cabinet."
Rui Xiaodan got up, found her clothes in the wardrobe, and dressed. She placed a women's robe on the bed and said, "If you walk around the house, wrap yourself in this. Don't catch a cold. I have to go back to the team. I'll pick up your clothes after work."
Ding Yuanying glanced at the robe and shrank under the blanket, clearly thinking it was improper.
Rui Xiaodan took out two photo albums and a file folder, placing them by Ding Yuanying's pillow. She kissed his cheek and said, "If you get bored, look through these. They tell you everything about me. From now on, you can't say you don't understand me. Stay put. I'll take you to the night market tonight." With that, she took Ding Yuanying's house key and hurried out, closing the door behind her.
Ding Yuanying leaned against the headboard and opened the file folder. It was filled with certificates and contracts, including a police academy graduation certificate, a lawyer's license, a police officer's rank certificate, a second-class merit award, a certificate for third place in the women's hand-to-hand combat competition at the police academy, first place in the women's pistol shooting competition in the provincial police system, a level four English certificate, a passport, a German permanent residence visa, a German language certificate, and a street dance class completion certificate.
There were also a few blank German study application forms and two contracts: one for Venus Hotel shares and one for a recent rental agreement for a house in Jiahe Garden community.
The Venus Hotel shares agreement, signed by Rui Xiaodan and Ouyang Xue in April 1989 at the female dormitory of China Police Academy in Beijing, indicated that Rui Xiaodan had invested in Venus Hotel during her university years. The agreement showed that Rui Xiaodan and Ouyang Xue each held 50% of the shares, with Ouyang Xue managing the hotel and receiving 20% of the profits as a dynamic fee. Rui Xiaodan's funds came from a mortgage on her villa in the Rose Garden community.
These certificates and contracts gave Ding Yuanying a clearer understanding of Rui Xiaodan's diligence, dedication, and courage beyond that of most women. However, the street dance class certificate puzzled him. He couldn't imagine a busy female police officer having the time and interest to learn street dance, nor could he picture what she would look like dancing.
After putting the documents back into the folder, he opened the photo album to see pictures of Rui Xiaodan from various stages of her life: childhood photos at the old house, school photos in Frankfurt, high school photos in the ancient city, and police academy training photos. Most of the photos were taken after she started working, documenting her growth, family, and social relationships.
One 5-inch photo caught Ding Yuanying's interest. It showed Rui Xiaodan holding a fierce-looking German Shepherd on a mountain peak. The strong wind on the mountain blew her long hair and coat, surrounded by mountains and wind-blown trees, with dark clouds rolling in the sky. Rui Xiaodan gazed into the distance with a look of melancholy and expectation, while the German Shepherd sat beside her, its mouth open, tongue out, sharp teeth visible, exuding both ferocity and obedience.
Ding Yuanying thought, "This must be a police dog." Although he didn't know much about photography, he liked this photo for its harmonious blend of angelic beauty and the dog's ferocity, creating an image that stirred the heart.