"Who are you?" Xiang Ri asked, his gaze filled with confusion as he studied the group of men before him, whose expressions were anything but friendly. Shifting his eyes to An Xiaoniu beside him, he speculated if these men could be her bodyguards. However, noticing her equally baffled expression, he dismissed the thought immediately.
"We're from the Dongcheng District Police Station. I'm Ma Long, captain of the Anti-Triad Special Task Force. You are currently a suspect in a violent assault case. Please come with us to assist in the investigation," said the leader, a tall, burly man in his thirties. As he spoke, he revealed a pair of handcuffs.
A collective gasp erupted from the surrounding students when they saw the handcuffs. Though such scenes were common on television, witnessing it in real life for the first time stirred a wave of astonishment. Moreover, the fact that the suspect attended the same school as them only fueled their gossip-hungry minds, prompting clusters of students to gather, whispering and pointing with unabashed curiosity.
Meanwhile, Xiang Ri, the subject of all the attention, remained remarkably composed. Gently stopping a few women nearby who seemed eager to intercede on his behalf, he turned to the officers with deliberate calmness. "You claim to be from the Dongcheng District Police Station?"
The thought that these men might be impostors crossed his mind instantly. After all, he was familiar with almost every officer in Dongcheng District, a familiarity stemming from his peculiar status as the "fiancé" of the police chief. It was unlikely that any junior officer would dare to provoke him blindly.
What puzzled him now was their purpose. Who had sent these men after him? Having offended numerous individuals in the past, Xiang Ri couldn't immediately pinpoint which particular adversary would go to such lengths to target him.
"That's correct," the burly officer affirmed impatiently, seemingly perplexed by the question. Shaking the handcuffs in his hand, he urged, "Come with us at once."
The women around Xiang Ri were visibly anxious, even An Xin—who had earlier borne the brunt of his sharp words—now wore an indignant expression. However, Xiang Ri quelled their reactions with a calm gesture.
As he scrutinized the burly leader, Xiang Ri felt an unsettling sense of familiarity, particularly with those eyes—steely and cunning. Yet, he couldn't recall where he might have seen the man before.
Suddenly, an idea struck him. "May I see your identification?" he asked. This served a dual purpose: if the man presented valid credentials, it would reveal his identity; if not, it would confirm the ruse.
Anticipating the request, the burly officer smirked coldly and tossed his police badge over. Xiang Ri caught it and examined it carefully, paying particular attention to the name and rank. Sure enough, the credentials matched the man's claim, and the badge was undoubtedly authentic. Having seen countless such documents, Xiang Ri knew forgery was out of the question.
Still, the faces of these men remained unfamiliar. Despite numerous visits to the police station, he had never encountered them. Yet, the leader's face stirred a vague recollection, leading Xiang Ri to conclude that their paths might have crossed briefly. Perhaps this man had been away on a mission during the period when Xiang Ri's unusual influence in the department had taken root.
"Can we go now?" The officer, growing impatient with Xiang Ri's prolonged silence, pressed him.
"Of course," Xiang Ri replied, handing back the badge. He was ready to visit the station, curious to uncover which audacious individual had orchestrated this scheme against him.
However, he made one small request, pointing to the handcuffs. "Is this really necessary?" he asked, lifting his heavily bandaged right hand for emphasis.
Without even glancing at the injury, the officer replied coldly, "As per regulations, the handcuffs are mandatory."
Before Xiang Ri could protest further, the men lunged at him like wolves, locking the handcuffs onto his wrists. From their perspective, the injury to his hand didn't impede their "enthusiasm" for following protocol.
"What are you doing? Stop it right now!" Chu Chu, visibly distressed, rushed forward to intervene.
But she was restrained by Shi Qing, who reassured her, "Don't worry. The teacher will be fine."
Shi Qing's admiration for Xiang Ri had grown to an almost blind faith, stemming not only from her trust in his prowess but also from Chu Chu's revelation about the woman who had compelled Chu Chu to move back home—the formidable chief of police.
She firmly believed that not only was Teacher Beast in no danger whatsoever, but those officers who apprehended him might soon find themselves in hot water. Yet, Shi Qing chose not to voice this, fearing it might stir up further thoughts in Chu Chu's already distressed mind.
"But..." Chu Chu's concern left her frazzled, her tear-filled eyes fixated on Xiang Ri as he was cuffed by the men.
"Hehe, I'm fine, Chu Chu," Xiang Ri reassured her gently, unwilling to see her so distraught on his behalf.
Casting a sidelong glance at the plainclothes officers who had restrained him, Xiang Ri's mind solidified a conclusion: these men must have been acting under someone's orders. Their unyielding demeanor, along with the deliberate touches to his injured hand that could have easily been avoided, confirmed his suspicions.
Though the pain was minor, Xiang Ri silently vowed to remember this slight. If the opportunity arose, he would repay them in kind, for he had never been one to return evil with kindness—only an eye for an eye.
Chu Chu, seeing Xiang Ri's calm smile, found herself slightly reassured.
The burly officer, however, was irked. Giving Xiang Ri a forceful shove from behind, he growled, "Still smiling? Move!"
Turning to Chu Chu and the others, he added, "You'd better stay away from him. He's a gangster, deeply involved in all sorts of crimes."
Without waiting for their response, he dragged Xiang Ri away.
In truth, the officer had long felt a twinge of jealousy toward this young man surrounded by beautiful women. While he wouldn't resort to violence, a bit of disparagement seemed harmless.
Moreover, he had already resolved to "properly entertain" Xiang Ri back at the station to make this arduous trip worthwhile.
The officer's slander only fanned the flames of the women's indignation. Watching the retreating figures, Chu Chu suddenly clenched her fists, her eyes flashing with unprecedented resolve. "Sister Qing, I'm going to call my father."
"Hmm," Shi Qing murmured in agreement, fully understanding Chu Chu's intent. She herself had been contemplating whether to call her own father for assistance. After a moment's thought, she decided to act. Just as she reached for her phone, she noticed something amiss. "Huh? Where's An An?"
At that moment, Miss An was hiding in a corner, speaking into her phone.
"Hello, Dad, I need your help with something," An Xin cooed with a playful tone.
A gruff voice on the other end replied, "What is it? Has some fool dared to upset my precious daughter again? Just tell me, and I'll bring my men to wipe him out!"
"No, Dad, this time I need you to save someone."
"Save someone?" The man's tone betrayed his surprise. In his memory, such a request was unprecedented. If his daughter were standing before him, he might have checked her forehead to see if she was feverish and rambling.
"Yes, Dad. Will you help or not?"
"Of course, I'll help! If my darling heart wants someone saved, I'd risk my life to do it. But can you at least tell me who this person is? Male or female?" By the end, his voice held a hint of expectation.
"It's a man, Dad. Why are you asking so many questions?" For reasons she couldn't explain, a strange feeling stirred in An Xin's heart as she mentioned the word "man."
"A man?" The voice on the other end paused, followed by a hearty laugh. Once he had laughed his fill, he declared boldly, "Don't worry. If it's my future son-in-law, who would dare lay a finger on him? I'll destroy his entire family!"
Meanwhile, across the street from the towering school gates, a group of individuals had also taken notice of Xiang Ri's arrest and were discussing it.
"Boss, is that the guy we're supposed to look after?" asked a peculiar youth with fiery red hair and flip-flops.
"Indeed," replied the extraordinarily handsome man, passing a photograph to him while speaking in a calm tone.
"He does look similar, but his right hand…" The peculiar youth trailed off before suddenly exclaiming in realization. "Ah, I see! He must've gotten into a fight, and his opponent retaliated afterward, leaving him injured. His family probably thought his safety was at risk and reported it to the higher-ups, who then sent us here."
"That's quite plausible," remarked a tall man nearby, nodding thoughtfully. Then, with a hint of curiosity, he added, "But since when did you get such an active imagination?"
The peculiar youth, undeterred by the teasing, muttered angrily, "Damn it! Why didn't the higher-ups investigate properly before sending us? If I'd known it was this kind of task, I'd rather spar with the boss than come here!"
"Jealous, are we?" chimed in a frosty beauty whose entire demeanor radiated an icy chill. "Though I must admit, those women around him are indeed stunning."
The peculiar youth bristled. "Who's jealous? I just can't stand that guy! These spoiled brats are good for nothing but seducing women. The sooner they're gone, the better. Why should we, the elite of the elite, be tasked with protecting someone like him?"
Realizing his words might sound overly resentful, he quickly turned to the handsome man and asked, "Boss, now that he's been taken away by the police, what should we do?"
The handsome man's gaze flickered. "Let's follow them and see. Given his family's influence, this little incident shouldn't pose much of a challenge for him. Didn't you notice his composed demeanor? It seems these petty officers don't even register in his eyes."