In the sweltering heat of New York, skin feels like it's encased in a layer of molten wax.
Jasper stood by the outermost row of the archives, clutching a folder, mechanically flipping through page after page, seemingly absorbed, but in reality, his peripheral vision had long since drifted, wistfully staring at the slightly ajar door across from the archive room. As he finished one folder and prepared to start on the next, the door across finally swung open. In that instant, Jasper felt as if a cool breeze had rushed towards him—beautiful features, short and spirited hair, the state-issued blue police uniform making her skin appear even fairer and cleaner.
Jasper swallowed hard, about to put down the folder, but the object of his attention had already strode away. "—Hey, is that the new deputy director? The big police beauty from the criminal police team?" Jasper turned around gloomily. He had been so focused on the door across that he hadn't noticed there were other colleagues in the archive room.
A few female officers from the logistics department were whispering. "Officer Yu is so much more beautiful than that someone or other from our station!" "Freya—" an older female officer successfully drew everyone's attention, "top-notch in professional skills, or how could she have become a team leader at such a young age? She's had her fair share of achievements and injuries over the years." Hearing this, Jasper sadly lowered his eyes. "Why would a deputy director, who has made significant contributions, be transferred to the current position?" The older female officer said mysteriously: "Who in the criminal police team doesn't know that Officer Yu has quite the background? You can't afford to offend her..." Everyone's eyes widened: "So formidable!" The older female officer chuckled: "I heard that on the day Freya was rescued, many of New York's bigwigs showed up!" Everyone tacitly agreed: "So, Officer Yu might be with one of these big shots?" "Bang—" Jasper slammed the door of the file rack shut.
As she turned a corner, the murmurs of gossip gradually faded away. Freya's expression remained unchanged, as if she hadn't heard her colleagues' "discussions," and continued to walk forward. Ever since she had been on the brink of death in the ICU of a New York private hospital and returned to her post, she had been subjected to endless rumors and gossip in both the criminal police squad and the local police station. Stories of emergency lockdowns, luxury cars blocking roads, and helicopters carrying foreign experts who had come specifically to operate on her. They spoke with such conviction, as if they had been there at the time. After hearing so much, Freya almost started to believe it herself, but she was just from an ordinary family. There were no powerful relatives who appeared after graduation, and she had started from the grassroots in the criminal police squad, cautiously accumulating experience and improving her abilities. Who on earth was the person they described, as if from a Mary Sue drama? Freya sighed inwardly, pushed open the hall door, and a sudden outburst brought her thoughts back with a jolt. "You must give me an explanation today, or I'll file a complaint! I'll take you to court!" "Mr. Zhang, Mr. Zhang, please calm down." The young auxiliary police officer being pulled at looked helpless, and Freya recognized him; he had followed her around on her first day at the police station, calling her Sister Yu. ...She looked much younger than him! Freya walked over and asked, "What's going on?" Mr. Zhang looked at Freya suspiciously. The young officer introduced her, "This is our deputy director." Upon hearing that she was a leader, Mr. Zhang immediately turned his anger towards Freya: "My girlfriend has been kidnapped for two days, and instead of investigating and catching the criminals, you're passing the buck. The local police station says it's the criminal police's job, and the criminal police say it's the local station's job! Who the hell is in charge here?" Mr. Zhang's explosive tirade drew the attention of all the police in the hall and the civilians there for business. Freya's brow furrowed slightly. That morning, she had just heard from her neighbor about recent robberies happening in the streets near her home. "Mr. Zhang, please go with this officer to take a statement," she said. Then, to the young officer, she added, "I will contact the criminal police later."
On her first day at the job, Freya had too much to familiarize and understand, and before she knew it, night had fallen. Freya massaged her aching shoulders while sitting at her desk, continuously reviewing Mr. Zhang's statement. Until her phone alarm went off. It was already 11 PM. Freya casually organized the materials, took off her police uniform, changed into a short-sleeved shirt and shorts, said goodbye to her colleagues on duty, and left the police station. The station wasn't far from her home, a drive of less than fifteen minutes, but the last bus had been three hours ago. Freya decided to walk home, enjoying the brief cooling of the midsummer night. Thirty minutes later. It was 23:40. The dim streetlights were insufficient to hold back the darkness of the night, and Freya walked briskly alone, clearly sensing that someone was following her. The keen sense of smell of an outstanding criminal police officer with numerous merits! Freya passed street after street, with the follower persistent. Then, she approached the street where the crime had occurred near her home, and Freya suddenly slowed her pace, strolling leisurely. At the crossroads, she should have turned right. But she walked straight ahead. Freya knew the terrain around her home like the back of her hand— The road ahead grew darker. The footsteps behind grew clearer. The person had no intention of leaving, nor did they seem to have any intention of making a move. At the next intersection, there was only one streetlight standing. Freya turned into it— A high wall loomed before her!
This was a dead-end alley with no way out! The footsteps behind her arrived just as expected— Freya turned around, and a tall dark figure emerged from the shadows. She swiftly grabbed an iron trash can lid from the alley and smashed it directly towards the figure behind her. The figure dodged quickly, the trash can lid grazed them, and the loud thud as it hit the ground echoed repeatedly through the empty alley... Taking advantage of the brief moment of surprise, Freya didn't hesitate and delivered a flying kick. The serial robber who dared to stalk in the middle of the night was naturally skilled. They immediately grabbed Freya's lower leg. Then Freya could feel the warm fingertips of the opponent wandering on her skin, ambiguously, whether it was a provocation or a tease. "...You scumbag!" Using the force against the opponent, Freya lifted her other foot and immediately kicked them back a step. In this back and forth, Freya seemed to have the upper hand. Unexpectedly, the opponent let out a soft laugh. The hoarse and deep laughter floated in the night. Freya swung her arm and struck a solid blow. While knocking the opponent down: "Ah—" Freya groaned in pain. She fell to the ground, clutching her right arm tightly. She had forgotten one thing, her arm had been shot not long ago! Although the opponent was knocked down by Freya's fierce attack, they quickly got up. The vague figure knelt in front of her: "Are you okay?" The deep male voice was filled with masculine hormones. He naturally held Freya's body in his arms, even letting her sit on his thigh. "Let me see your arm—" His hot palm covered her smooth right arm, feeling it inch by inch. At the same time, a dark and cold gun barrel was pressed against his forehead. "I'm a police officer," Freya said, "Please stop your behavior!" She omitted the word "scoundrel." —Please stop your scoundrel behavior! Freya did not lower her gun. And the other party did not let go of Freya's right arm, as if the gun on his forehead did not exist, he actually touched her skin on the arm as if nothing had happened, he even slapped her buttocks lightly as a punishment. He whispered, "Put down your gun." Freya: "..." For a moment, she was actually frozen. She had handled so many cases and met all kinds of people, but she had never met this type... In the dark night, Freya couldn't see the other's face and expression clearly, and the other party gently massaged her injured arm, the hot breath sprayed on her ear: "Is it still painful? Do you need to go to the hospital? Move it for me to see—" Freya wanted to retract her arm, but the other's strength was surprisingly great. Her right arm was tightly held in the other's palm. A heart-stopping "click—" came from the gun. "I'm a police officer," Freya repeated, "Please stop your scoundrel behavior!" She finally said those two words. Unexpectedly, the other party slapped her buttocks again, as if deliberately provoking her: "Put down the gun, don't be naughty!" Freya: "..."
At almost the same moment, blinding headlights pierced into the dead-end alley from the巷口 across the T-junction. The shrill wail of sirens shattered the silent night sky. It turned out that several police cars had been lying in wait here like a trap. The police cars moved forward, stopping squarely next to the streetlight, completely blocking the suspect's escape route. With the light from the front of the police cars, Freya finally got a clear look at the man beside her. He slightly narrowed his eyes, his gaze still lingering on her arm, his expression and features incredibly serene. She was stunned. She had never seen such a handsome man in her life! No celebrity could compare, not a single one, not even a fraction of his. Freya had encountered countless suspects, all sorts and kinds, but never one like the man before her—where "danger" and "compassion" coexisted on his person. Her gun seemed to resist the flow of time at his brow. He was both the dangerous sinner and the priest who pitied sinners. Police officers rushed out from the police cars, the cacophony of sirens and the sound of handcuffs filling the air. Freya was still sitting on his thigh. A moment or two later, he slowly lifted his eyes— Together with the light behind him, they surged towards her! "Six years, and I've finally seen you again."