"It really wasn't me. I only saw you..." Xia Yunjie stammered, sweat beading on his forehead as he tried to defend himself, entirely unaware of Qin Lan's habit of sleeping in the nude. Seeing her disbelief, he grew increasingly anxious.
After all, waking up in a stranger's room with nothing on, any woman would immediately suspect the man present. That she hadn't accused him outright of indecency or assault was already quite gracious.
"Alright, you don't need to explain anymore. Just step out for a moment so I can put on my clothes, alright?" Qin Lan interrupted, clutching the blanket tightly with a mixture of frustration and helplessness.
She was the deputy director of the municipal Public Security Bureau, a powerful figure in a key department. Normally, she exuded authority, striking fear into criminals throughout Jiangzhou. Yet now, she found herself stark naked in front of a young man who looked barely over twenty. She had no choice but to stay wrapped in a blanket, too embarrassed to move.
"My apologies, my apologies. I'll step out right away. But really, I didn't take your clothes off," Xia Yunjie said hurriedly as he turned to leave. Even then, he couldn't resist pleading his case one more time before retreating to his room.
As he closed the door, Xia Yunjie couldn't help but feel a tinge of frustration. Couldn't a good deed ever go unpunished? Still, when he thought back to the breathtaking sight from moments ago, he figured it wasn't entirely unfair if she called him a rogue or a scoundrel.
After all, the view had been stunning—so captivating it left him in awe. Never in his life had he seen such a sight, one that left him dazed and shaken to his core.
Meanwhile, Qin Lan watched Xia Yunjie mumble defensively as he retreated, and she couldn't help but feel like crying. She couldn't very well admit that it wasn't him but herself who had taken off her clothes!
Inside his room, Xia Yunjie could hear the faint rustling of fabric as Qin Lan dressed. The image of her from earlier lingered stubbornly in his mind, and he couldn't stop the heat rising within him.
In the living room, Qin Lan was having her own crisis. As she buttoned her shirt, she realized that two of the buttons were missing—likely torn off during her drunken disrobing the night before.
Like this, there was no way she could go out.
After a long while, feeling utterly helpless, Qin Lan called out to the closed bedroom door, "Hey, um, could you come out for a moment?"
As she spoke, her face, normally stoic and commanding whether dealing with colleagues or criminals, blushed with a rare shyness. It was a delicate, feminine charm that was all the more striking given her usual demeanor. If anyone familiar with her were present, they would've thought they were seeing a ghost.
Hearing Qin Lan call for him, Xia Yunjie felt his nerves spike. With a wry smile, he opened the door. He had been hoping she'd get dressed and leave quietly, sparing them both any further awkwardness. It seemed Qin Lan had the same idea, but with her shirt missing buttons, she had no choice but to stay. After all, a deputy director of the Public Security Bureau couldn't walk outside holding her shirt shut.
"Uh, I really didn't undress you," Xia Yunjie said quickly, seeing she hadn't left. Although his eyes couldn't help but linger on her impressive figure, he forced himself to look away as he tried once again to explain.
"I know," Qin Lan replied, exasperated. She felt like kicking him—she hadn't even brought it up, and here he was harping on it again. Still, she knew Xia Yunjie had been kind and wasn't to blame, so she resigned herself to his awkwardness, her face reddening with helplessness.
"You really know? That's great!" Xia Yunjie sighed in relief. At least she was reasonable; otherwise, he would've been in serious trouble.
But then, confused, he blurted out, "If it wasn't me, then who..."
The unfinished question made Xia Yunjie freeze as he stared at Qin Lan's face. Her sharp yet alluring features suddenly made it all clear—if it wasn't him, then it must have been her.
Realizing what he was thinking, Qin Lan stomped her foot in frustration and snapped, "Hey! Haven't you stared enough? Hurry up and get me something to wear!"
Her tone, and the slight petulance in her voice, sounded more like a girlfriend scolding her boyfriend. The moment caught Xia Yunjie off guard, and even Qin Lan was taken aback by her own words. Is this really me?
"What do you need to wear?" Xia Yunjie asked, his brain momentarily short-circuiting.
"You—!" Qin Lan glared at him, her frustration mounting.
Finally catching on, Xia Yunjie quickly said, "Oh, right, right. Sorry! I'll grab something for you." He darted back into his room.
As she watched him hurry away, Qin Lan instinctively looked down and saw that her ample chest had popped two buttons on her shirt. The realization only deepened her exasperation. How did it come to this?
A deputy director of the Public Security Bureau, reduced to such a state. Worse still, she had been seen multiple times by a young man and couldn't even be angry about it. If anything, she owed him her thanks.
What kind of logic is this? she thought bitterly.
Xia Yunjie soon returned with a plain white T-shirt. Handing it to her, he awkwardly said, "This is all I have. It's nothing fancy, but it should do."
Then, having learned his lesson, he quickly retreated to his room without lingering.
After changing into Xia Yunjie's T-shirt, Qin Lan felt an odd mix of emotions. The shirt was his, and though it was loose and casual, wearing it gave her a strange feeling she couldn't quite name.
"I'm dressed. You can come out now," she called.
Xia Yunjie emerged, and his eyes lit up as he saw her. The T-shirt, though slightly oversized, gave her a relaxed yet elegant appearance.
Seeing him staring, Qin Lan felt uncharacteristically self-conscious. She tugged at the shirt and said calmly, "Thank you for taking me in last night, and for the shirt. I'll return it to you another day."
"No need. It's just a cheap shirt. Don't worry about it," Xia Yunjie replied, feigning indifference. While the shirt wasn't expensive, he felt a pang of reluctance at the thought of parting with it. However, the thought of seeing her again and reliving the awkwardness convinced him to let it go.
Though Qin Lan also wanted to avoid further encounters, Xia Yunjie's eagerness to sever ties left her feeling oddly displeased. After all, she was a beautiful woman—a woman he had seen unclothed! His response gave her the impression he wanted nothing to do with her.
"No, I'll return it. I know you work at the BLUENIGHT bar," Qin Lan said impulsively.
Her words surprised Xia Yunjie. He had barely interacted with her at the bar, staying mostly in the background. How had she recognized him?
What Xia Yunjie didn't know was that Qin Lan's sharp observational skills, honed through years as a police officer, made it nearly impossible for her to miss details. Even while drinking to drown her sorrows, her instincts led her to observe her surroundings, including Xia Yunjie, who moved discreetly but consistently throughout the night. For someone of Qin Lan's caliber, recognizing him was effortless.