Chapter 63: Office romance √

Translator: Abo Dammen

☆

Case Four: Sicilian Defense

The citizen ID card took a few days to process. The procedures weren’t particularly complicated. With the certificate issued by the police station, the review went smoothly.

The postal envelope was delivered to He Yixun’s office. The white card was encased in a transparent sleeve. On the front was Xu Pei’s photo and information, on the back was the emblem symbolizing Binshi and a ten-digit number. The card was light, almost weightless, yet it felt heavy in his hand. Xu Pei held it up to the sunlight from the window, peering at the chip inside that held his identity. Only at this moment did he truly feel the reality of putting down roots in Binshi.

He Yixun folded the discarded envelop in half, stuffed it into the trash bin, and stood up from his office chair, smoothing his police uniform. “Finished looking?” 

He was asking about the ID card. Xu Pei knew this but put the ID away and said deliberately, “No.”

Today, the superior police department had officially issued documents, awarding He Yixun the rank of First Grade Police Superintendent and appointing him as the Acting Chief of the Binshi Police Bureau. Officer He, rarely seen in full uniform, had changed into his new shoulder and collar insignia while Xu Pei was opening the envelope. The badges were embroidered with the same emblem symbolizing Binshi that was on Xu Pei’s ID card.

“You should wear your police uniform more often in the future,” Xu Pei insighted.

The black fabric was crisply ironed, forming sharp angles at the shoulders. The silver buttons were fastened meticulously all the way to the top, resting just below his prominent Adam’s apple. The leather belt cinched his waist, perfecting his inverted-triangle physique. 

Xu Pei picked up the police cap from the desk and placed it on He Yixun’s head. The brim’s shadow fell across his brow bone, making his eyes seem exceptionally sharp. His tall, straight nose bridge supported the authority of the cap, adding a touch of asceticism to his handsome face.

“I don’t usually wear the uniform for work,” He Yixun stated.

“You can wear it at home,” Xu Pei suggested.

He Yixun thought for a moment, glanced at the spot Xu Pei had once soiled, and seemed to understand something. “You seem a bit… kinky.” 

Xu Pei: “…..” There was no need to be quite so blunt.

Taking off the cap and tucking it under his arm, He Yixun led Xu Pei out to the general staff office area. Personnel from all departments had gathered there to congratulate He Yixun on his promotion. Chen Zhen, never one to stand on ceremony, led the cheering, “Sir He’s treating!”

Due to Shao Hui’s misconduct and the investigation team’s presence, the Binshi Police Bureau had been shrouded in a gloomy atmosphere for several days. He Yixun’s promotion was undoubtedly the good news everyone had been waiting for, as it signaled that the matter was finally over.

Waiting for the crowd to quiet down, He Yixun briefly outlined some work arrangements and then introduced Xu Pei beside him, “This is the bureau’s new consultant, Professor Xu. He will participate in case-solving work going forward.” 

“Did we just recruit the guy with special abilities?”

“I remember he was a suspect before?”

“That was ages ago!”

Many officers remembered Xu Pei being arrested by He Yixun. While they said it was “ages ago,” it had actually only been last month. 

The new workplace was much more casual than the research institute. There were no strict laboratory protocols to constantly mind, the boundaries between people weren’t as rigid, and things didn’t easily constitute legal harassment. The atmosphere was quite harmonious.

Xu Pei gave a brief self-introduction, chatted with a few officers for a while, and then followed He Yixun back to his office.

Actually, Xu Pei’s office was right next to He Yixun’s, but since he had nothing to do there at the moment, he figured he might as well keep his boyfriend company at work.

But, was he his boyfriend? 

Sitting on the sofa, flipping through the police bureau’s promotional brochure, Xu Pei secretly peered over the top with both eyes, observing He Yixun who was reviewing documents.

Before sitting down, He Yixun had taken off the stiff, restrictive uniform jacket, revealing the white shirt underneath. Usually, he’d wear a holster over the shirt, but today he wasn’t carrying his gun. He held a fountain pen, focused on examining the files.

‘This refined version of Officer He would look good in glasses,’ Xu Pei assessed objectively.

According to the customs of Nucheng, marking equaled marriage. So, shouldn’t he be his husband, not his boyfriend? 

But it seemed like besides sleeping together, they hadn’t really done anything else.

A whirlwind marriage really didn’t suit Professor Xu’s style. It was better to define it as boyfriend for now.

Perhaps sensing Xu Pei’s gaze, He Yixun looked over. “I’ll take you to open a bank account later after I finish up.”

Besides a bank card, the SIM card needed to be re-registered under his new name. Having decided to put down roots in Binshi, many tasks awaited Xu Pei, like getting a driver’s license, for instance. 

“I’m in no rush,” Xu Pei said, walking over to the desk and looking at the documents. “What are you working on?”

“Some administrative work,” He Yixun replied, screwing the cap back on his fountain pen. He grabbed Xu Pei’s wrist, pulled him into his lap, and looked up at him. “I don’t like desk jobs.”

“Will you be the Acting Chief permanently?” Xu Pei asked.

“No. It’s just because it’s near the end of the year, and personnel transfers are troublesome, so they asked me to act in the role,” He Yixun explained. “I’m not suited to be Chief.” 

“But you’d probably look very handsome in glasses,” Xu Pei said.

He Yixun fell silent for a moment, then picked up his pen again. “I will work hard.”

A sudden knock sounded at the door. Xu Pei reacted swiftly, standing up from He Yixun’s lap. However, the door was already being pushed open. Chen Zhen, holding a laptop, froze on the spot, staring dumbfounded at the two of them. The words “Sir He” died in his throat.

In that instant, he had already planned which group chats he would share this major piece of gossip in. 

The robotic Sir He… is actually… dating… the male suspect he previously arrested.

Not only that, but they were also getting frisky in the office!

When did these two even get together?!

“What was the point of knocking,” He Yixun asked displeased. 

“To warn you I was about to open the door.”

His inner turmoil raged like a stormy sea, but his expression remained normal. Chen Zhen adjusted his mood and placed the laptop in front of He Yixun. “I cracked Zhen Li’s computer.”

The day after returning from the other world, He Yixun and Xu Pei had visited Zhen Li’s newly rented apartment. Damp clothes were hanging on the balcony, fresh ingredients were in the refrigerator, and materials in the study were scattered everywhere, indicating he had not planned to leave for another world beforehand.

Thinking about it, it made sense. No one would be willing to go to another unfamiliar world unless absolutely necessary. Right now, Zhen Li was likely facing the same predicament Xu Pei once had. He had no identity, unable to live a normal life. And the laws in Nucheng were much stricter than in Binshi, so staying there illegally wouldn’t be easy. 

Therefore, Zhen Li would probably try to find a way back.

Of course, the two had considered that perhaps Zhen Li had gone to a different spacetime altogether. But the data on the laptop indicated that the magnetic strength of the meteorite determined the spacetime coordinates. Zhen Li had replicated Xu Pei’s small stone, so he was necessarily destined for that Nucheng—the one He Yixun had turned upside down.

“Let’s just wait for him to come back,” said Xu Pei.

“If the coordinates can be adjusted,” He Yixun looked at the vast amount of data on the computer, “he might never come back.” 

Xu Pei didn’t respond further. Both their expressions were grave.

Chen Zhen couldn’t understand what they were talking about and interjected, “By the way, Sir He, have you seen the invitation Lin Mei posted?”

He Yixun temporarily set aside his thoughts. “Invitation?”

“Here, just posted.” Chen Zhen handed his phone to He Yixun. On the screen was a recent social media post by Lin Mei. 

–

Beneath the Vidley Manor lies a vault. As the method to open it has been lost, we now sincerely invite experts from all fields to the manor to decipher it.

–

Xu Pei leaned over to look at the screen and asked, “What new scheme is she up to now?” 

“It seems most of the Progressive Society’s wealth is stored in that vault. With Luo En dead and the vault unable to be opened, she’s putting out this open call for heroes,” Chen Zhen explained.

Xu Pei didn’t understand the relationship between Vidley Manor and Luo En and looked puzzled. He Yixun explained, “The Vidley family were former nobility who have since declined. Many of their assets have been sold off, including the Vidley Winery where the masquerade ball was held previously, and Luo En’s residence, Vidley Manor. You’ve been there before for Luo En’s funeral.”

The image of that classical manor, swarmed by reporters’ lenses, surfaced in his mind. Xu Pei had once wondered why Luo En, who came from a humble background, lived in such a historically resonant building. So, he had bought it from an old aristocratic family. 

“Is that vault really that hard to open?” Xu Pei asked.

“That vault has quite a history,” He Yixun said. “It was designed by a very famous mechanist.”

“I’ve signed up anyway, whether I get selected or not is another matter,” Chen Zhen said enthusiastically, scrolling through the page. “They say there’s a ton of gold bars in that vault. Lin Mei promised a substantial reward for whoever cracks it.”

The comments under the post were skyrocketing, showing how enthusiastic the citizens of Binshi were about this. 

However, Xu Pei’s focus was different. He muttered, “The Progressive Society’s wealth, huh?”

After Chen Zhen left the office, He Yixun reopened Zhen Li’s laptop and looked at it for a while. Clearly unable to concentrate, he stood up and went to the window, gazing silently at the street scene outside.

It had been several days since they returned from the other world. He still hadn’t contacted Lin Mei. Xu Pei knew he didn’t want to face her, or rather, he was avoiding it.

He Yixun remained silent, so Xu Pei simply kept him company, looking at the view. After a good while, it was He Yixun who spoke first. “We’re going too.” 

This was within Xu Pei’s expectations. He knew He Yixun’s avoidance wasn’t about being a coward; he just needed time to buffer. In the end, he would still face the person he didn’t want to face.

“We can investigate whether this money was obtained illegally,” Xu Pei suggested.

“Hmm,” He Yixun agreed. “But the prerequisite is getting an invitation.”

Even though He Yixun was now the Acting Chief, without a proper justification, he couldn’t just investigate as he pleased. 

“But Lin Mei probably won’t let us go, right?” Xu Pei was well aware of how much this mother and son clashed. Moreover, after their last parting at the entrance of Shao Hui’s hospital room, where He Yixun had said such final words, Lin Mei most likely didn’t want to see him.

He Yixun thought for a moment, took out his phone, and dialed a number. “When is the vault-cracking event?”

“Okay, I’ll be there too.”

With that, He Yixun hung up the phone. “Sorted.” 

“Who was that?” Xu Pei asked curiously.

“Luo You,” said He Yixun. “You’ve met him.”

The image of a young man with delicate features appeared in Xu Pei’s mind. He remembered. This person was Luo En’s grandson who was very familiar with He Yixun, calling him “Yixun-ge“.

Author’s Feed: 

The fourth case is here! A treasure hunt type.