Chapter 271: Chapter 271

Shi Nian was already very cautious, but as the two walked out of the observation room and returned to the office, Tang Yan Yi sat at the desk with an angry face. As soon as she looked up, she narrowed her eyes immediately: "You two, what were you doing just now?"

Shi Nian was so scared that she quickly pulled Tang Yan Yi into the tea room before defending herself, "Nothing."

Tang Yan Yi pointed at Shi Nian: "Your lips are swollen! Your shirt collar is all wrinkled! And your skirt waistband, it’s all messed up too!"

Shi Nian closed her eyes.

Tang Yan Yi was so angry that her eyes started to turn red, and she cursed in a low voice, "This is a police station! And you dare to seduce my brother here, you shameless!"

Tang Yanqing came out of the observation room and hurriedly went to the bathroom to fix his trousers.

Guan Liang saw this and followed him in, mischievously asking, "...Holding you in my arms?"

Tang Yanqing felt both satisfied and embarrassed but candidly did not deny it, "Learn a thing or two."

When Tang Yanqing finally calmed down and walked down the corridor, he saw Shi Nian and Tang Yan Yi together in the tea room.

He squinted and walked over silently, only to hear Shi Nian’s calm and gentle voice saying, "...Does your brother even need me to seduce him? Miss Tang, you really overestimate your brother. He has no self-control at all in front of me, no seduction needed."

Tang Yanqing choked on his breath, standing at the door coughing.

The two women looked up in surprise, Tang Yan Yi had a face full of despair.

Shi Nian, however, still remained indifferent, only asking him, "Do you want me to make you a cup of coffee too?"

He came over, lowered his head to look at the bit of coffee stain on her lips, then lowered himself to extend his tongue, licking it off. He softly said, "...Why make another? I just want what’s in your mouth."

"You two!" Tang Yan Yi huffed and turned to leave.

Shi Nian’s face finally turned red, "Just now... I was just bantering with her, sorry."

He looked deeply at her red lips, "...Then give me what’s in your mouth."

The rich aroma of the coffee, smooth as it entered... he pressed her into the corner of the wall, forcing her to take a sip of coffee, then—sipped it from her mouth bit by bit.

The two were wrapped in the dense aroma of coffee, trembling quietly together.

The two came out of the tea room together again, and Tang Yanqing couldn’t help but reach to hold Shi Nian’s hand. Now any slight touch could make him feel more comfortable.

But unexpectedly, they ran into the superintendent as soon as they walked out the door.

Shi Nian quickly let go of Tang Yanqing’s hand, and the superintendent said to Shi Nian, "Mr. Shi, could you come to my office for a chat?"

Shi Nian quickly nodded, "Alright."

Tang Yanqing noticed Shi Nian seemed slightly nervous, so he quickly approached, smiling and squinting, asking the superintendent, "What’s the matter? Can’t I come along too?"

The superintendent had a serious expression, "Yanqing, wait outside for a moment. I will also need to speak with you after this."

Such seriousness... Shi Nian couldn’t help but recall the dean of her middle school. They both focused on student conduct, and if anyone was mysteriously called to speak with the dean, it meant big trouble.

She had been called there too because of a boy. No matter how she explained or said she never gave the boy any opportunity, the dean just wouldn’t believe, insisting she was improper and attention-seeking. Read complete version only at Nove1Fire.net

In that era, in that middle school environment, she couldn’t argue, nor could she angrily slam the door and leave... nor wanted the school to call her parents for such a thing. She could only grit her teeth and stop arguing, letting that menopausal old woman berate her without ceasing.

When she was allowed to leave, all the classes were still in session, the whole campus was quiet. She didn’t want to return to class and face the gazes of all her classmates, so she detoured to the basketball court behind the teaching building and sat idly for a whole session. Until the bell rang, the whole world was full of joy again, she finally lowered her head and walked back to class quietly.

A few days later, she heard that the dean’s son, studying at another school, broke his leg while playing football. At that time, she couldn’t help but think: maybe this was karma.

Shi Nian walked into the superintendent’s office.

The superintendent, having some black ancestry, had a kindly attitude but a sharp gaze.

"Mr. Shi, I’m sorry to inform you, but your police protection policy has to be terminated. From August when you received the suspected threatening package, until now, over two months have passed without further threats related to that package, so continuing the protection is merely wasting police resources and manpower and cannot be justified to taxpayers."

Shi Nian lowered her head, "I understand. Thank you, Chief, for the protection the police have provided during this time, I am very grateful."

The superintendent nodded, "Actually, during this time, I have also noticed, it’s not only Yanqing and the others protecting you, you have also assisted our police in many ways. So I want to thank you as well."

Shi Nian quickly declined politely, "This is a duty every citizen should fulfill, please don’t mention it."

Shi Nian left, unable to help feeling a sense of loss.

Tang Yanqing came up to her, "What’s wrong?"

"Nothing." She smiled.

In her heart, she still knew, even if that 24-hour police protection policy stopped, he would still stay by her side no matter what. So she wasn’t afraid, just a little surprised.

The superintendent happened to come out, "Yanqing, your turn now."

Tang Yanqing nodded, but still bowed his head and instructed her, "You wait here for me."

"Better not," Shi Nian tried to smile, "This is a police station after all, I’m a journalist, it’s not quite right for me to keep coming and going freely here. I’ll go first, I also need to return to the company."

With the police protection policy ended, she had no reason to linger at the police station any longer.

Tang Yanqing walked into the superintendent’s office, somewhat displeased, "Chief, what’s this about?"

The superintendent gave Tang Yanqing a deep look, "I just informed Mr. Shi, the police protection has exceeded standards and must end."

Tang Yanqing couldn’t help but sneer, "But you know, it’s not just the police protecting her, she also did a lot for our police work."

The superintendent looked serious, "But it does not include the possibility of you developing a romantic relationship with her. Yanqing, you understand the rules of the police station, it’s prohibited for officers to have emotional or physical contact with the witnesses they protect. Once it happens, the protection ends immediately."

Tang Yanqing threw the pen in his hand with a snap, "Did Yan Yi come to tattle?"

The superintendent shook his head, pointing to his eyes, "Yanqing, we all have eyes, we can all see the way you look at Mr. Shi, it’s becoming increasingly inappropriate."

"So what? We’re both single, whether we fall in love is our right."

"You’re not wrong, I believe in your integrity, but unfortunately outsiders may not view it that way." The superintendent said while searching for something, "After all, during these two months under your protection, Shi Nian’s separation and divorce occurred, so observers have reason to speculate that it’s your presence that caused problems in her marriage."

After speaking, the superintendent handed a weekly magazine to Tang Yanqing, "Look, the weekly is out."

Tang Yanqing flipped through it, it turned out to be an article featuring his name, titled "Unveiling the Youngest Decorated Chinese Detective in this State." Seeing the author, Tang Yanqing frowned.

Xiong Jie never had the opportunity to interview him, so all the contents in her article were from indirect sources. Xiong Jie, with her usual focus on emotions in writing, clung to his romantic life. The text lingered on topics like "At 27, the top Chinese young master still has no officially acknowledged girlfriend, love life remains a mystery."