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When the car stopped at the Emperor Hotel, Guo Wei yawned and asked Guan Yiqing what they were doing here. The two had been busy exchanging information late into the night, and after waking up early, Guo Wei was called back from the Dongjiang District crime scene by Guan Yiqing.
At that moment, Guan Yiqing was rummaging through his pockets, counting the money inside. He slapped his forehead and exclaimed that it was a disaster. He reached out for Guo Wei's wallet. Knowing Guan Yiqing's forgetful nature, Guo Wei casually asked while pulling out his wallet, "What for? Can't you just use your card?"
"What do you mean? A college classmate of mine is getting married, and I almost forgot... Hurry, lend me some money so I can give a gift," Guan Yiqing replied. After gathering a thousand yuan, he grumbled a bit and hurried into the hotel. Inside the small supermarket, he sealed the red envelope and rushed upstairs.
The police world is different from others; as one climbs higher, the circle becomes smaller. Often, when those you rely on become disappointed, your friends dwindle too. After several years in this profession, Guan Yiqing found her circle of friends shrinking. She nearly forgot about her college roommate's wedding.
Upon reaching the eighteenth floor, she entered the newlywed's room just as the festivities were winding down. The bride in her wedding dress spotted her and let out an excited scream before complaining, "Qingqing, you're too much! If you ruin my wedding today, I won't recognize you anymore... Let me introduce you to my bunkmate from college, Guan Yiqing, a police officer."
As they exchanged introductions, more college classmates arrived. A group of bridesmaids surrounded Guan Yiqing, chatting animatedly. In such occasions, chaos was the name of the game.
Guan Yiqing wanted to slip away after giving her gift but was pulled downstairs by classmates she hadn't seen in years for a group photo amidst the floral decorations in the lobby. Just as they began taking pictures, some of the groom's rowdy friends insisted on lifting him to put the bride on his shoulders for a daring shot. It was wild fun; they seemed to be high school classmates. The bride scolded them, but they playfully hoisted her up anyway. Just as they started snapping photos, someone mischievously lifted her wedding dress, causing her to scream and inadvertently knock the groom down, which made the photographer burst into laughter.
The groom wasn't particularly impressive—balding with sunken cheeks and a shiny forehead that made him look older than he was—but he was said to be a tycoon. As for choosing partners among her friends in this room, Guan Yiqing dared not voice any opinions. However, when it came time to give red envelopes to family and friends, she hesitated at the sight of this tycoon's friends; it seemed like there were tycoons everywhere around him. The envelopes were intimidatingly thick—likely containing tens of thousands of yuan—while her own thin envelope felt almost embarrassing to present.
She quietly slipped behind someone and pulled a classmate aside to whisper, "Yuhui... how much are you giving?"
"Are you shocked too? I think today’s gifts will total in the millions! Just now, some rich guy gave a gold-plated statue of Guanyin as a gift; it must weigh at least a kilogram," her classmate replied with barely concealed envy.
"What does Qiong Shi's husband do? How come he has so much money?" Guan Yiqing asked.
"He got lucky with real estate before jumping into stocks; everything just fell into place for him. Qiong Shi is also fortunate—she worked as a legal advisor at a securities company for years without making much progress until she ran into an old high school classmate who turned out to be a big client... Now she's hit the jackpot! You should see their house; it's three stories and over six hundred square meters... Oh my gosh, I'm so envious!" her classmate gushed.
Guan Yiqing paused for a moment before realizing: "I asked how much you're giving! Why are you going off on tangents?"
"I'm not hesitating, am I? Sorry to go," a classmate said, holding a thin red envelope, staring at her in disbelief. It seemed they were facing the same dilemma; in the Tycoon circle, being poor was indeed an awkward situation.
Just when she was at a loss, Guan Yiqing's eyes suddenly lit up as she spotted Mulin Shen arriving. She blinked several times, unable to believe it, until a group surrounding the groom pushed and shoved each other in a very intimate manner. It suddenly dawned on her that this rich second-generation might be friends with the Tycoon groom.
What a coincidence! She grabbed her classmate and headed straight for the bride.
The two former sisters stood there with their thin red envelopes. The bride, Dai Qiongshi, held hers against her chest and softly said to them, "Don't compare yourselves to these rich fools. I'm happier than anything that you could come... You won't look down on me, will you?"
The bride's eyes were red, and her expression was somewhat awkward.
"What are you talking about?" Guan Yiqing replied, knowing Dai Qiongshi's insecurities—how the beautiful girl ended up with an unattractive man was a private joke among their classmates. Another classmate whispered to her, "I'm so envious; why don't we switch? I'll be the bride."
Dai Qiongshi sighed deeply with a complex expression as she glanced back at her husband and his group of friends. Seizing the opportunity, Guan Yiqing asked, "Are they all classmates?"
"From the same year; we all know each other," Dai Qiongshi replied.
"Then, the most handsome one... the one who just arrived—introduce him to my sister. Is he a little rich handsome guy?" Guan Yiqing pointed at Xiao Mu.
Dai Qiongshi smiled and said, "He really is a rich second-generation—Mulin Shen. If you want to meet him, let Tsinghua introduce you. But I warn you, he's quite notorious for being a playboy and a spendthrift. He spent ten years abroad before coming back; his father even sent him to a mental hospital."
"Really? Does he have mental issues?" Guan Yiqing asked curiously. She knew that the major Pyramid Scheme case in Shaanxi Province had started from a mental hospital, but here the rumors had taken on a different form.
"He's worse off than being mentally ill now. His father cut him off completely—not giving him a dime and forcing him to fend for himself... Oh my, it's hilarious! He hired two people to pose as loan sharks and used his own promissory notes to swindle money from his dad. His dad reported him to the police right away—ha ha..." Dai Qiongshi recounted Mulin Shen's embarrassing stories, causing several female companions to burst into laughter.
It seemed this one could be skipped over. Dai Qiongshi pointed out several young men—whose sons belonged to which family, how much wealth they had, what businesses they ran—and those sharp-minded female companions were already eyeing these variously attractive diamond princes.
Sun Qinghua was in a good mood; almost all of his high school classmates had come, not to mention his college friends. His brother Ruhua had never even attended university. He pulled the last arrival, Mulin Shen, aside and scolded him, "Seriously, you didn’t even bother to let me know I was getting married!"
"Brother Hua, forgive me! You know my situation. My dad sent me back to the countryside, and I have to earn my own living now. But here I am!" Xiao Mu replied, embarrassed about his past that he feared had already spread among their friends. Upon hearing this, Sun Qinghua warned him, "Xiao Mu, if you dare call me Ruhua today, I swear I'll cut ties with you!"
"No, no, no, Mr. Sun... Mr. Sun! Yes, I'm sincerely here from Suzhou and Hangzhou to wish you both a lifetime of happiness together," Xiao Mu said earnestly. At this mention, Lezi couldn't help but whisper in Ruhua's ear, "Mr. Sun, this guy wanted to woo your wife back in the day."
"What? Is that true?" Ruhua instantly became furious.
Xiao Mu quickly reacted, "Lezi, what nonsense are you talking about? Did you hear that? Mr. Sun said it so well! I... I can only say Mr. Sun!"
Laughter erupted among the classmates. No matter how thick-skinned Ruhua was, he couldn't compete with Xiao Mu, who had traveled far and wide and was now blushing furiously.
At that moment, the photographer called for a group photo of the newlyweds and their classmates. Everyone crowded around the couple, making silly faces and shouting "cheese" for the camera. Some even shouted "cucumber," causing more laughter. When Sun Qinghua noticed it was Xiao Mu shouting "cucumber," he pointed angrily at him while Xiao Mu quickly dove into the crowd and headed straight for the banquet hall.
Guan Yiqing made a quick call to Guo Wei and found herself inexplicably lingering at this joyful wedding feast, quietly hiding in a corner and observing. Each time Xiao Mu spotted her, he pretended not to see her. He was quite good at acting as if they had never met before. However, Guan Yiqing seemed to notice something; Xiao Mu kept looking at the bride with an expression full of longing. She quickly understood what was happening.
It seemed there was a story there.
Curiosity drove her to find an opportunity to engage in conversation at the banquet. It was easy; when the wedding host began speaking, she intentionally squeezed in next to a few guests and accidentally stepped on a gentleman's foot. The man shot her an angry look, prompting Guan Yiqing to apologize quickly. The man then broke into a smirk and exaggeratedly said, "Wow, so many people have stepped on my foot today; what a coincidence!"
"Hey there, beautiful! Step on me once too; let's make it fate," another man chimed in as he approached her for a chat. The first man retorted angrily, "Guan Guan! This public servant has no shame stealing my fate! Get lost... Hey there, beautiful! Let me introduce myself; I'm Su Rongle. May I ask if you're... wait a minute; let me guess... Shishi?"
"Yes! A classmate from Political Science University; we were roommates," Guan Yiqing replied politely as she shook hands with Su Rongle before introducing her profession: "I'm also a public servant."
"You're not like him; I've never seen such a beautiful public servant before," Su Rongle remarked.
Another student, named Guan Guan, scoffed, "Beauty, you should hurry up and leave. Next, President Su is going to talk to you about film shooting; he wants you to be the lead actress."
Upon hearing this undermining remark, Lezi shot him an angry glare. However, Guan Yiqing replied, "My profession isn't suitable."
"Oh right, beauty, what is your profession?"
"Police officer."
"Uh..."
Lezi was momentarily taken aback, and then Guan Xiangdong burst into laughter. He gleefully said, "Lezi, too much mischief brings retribution. You should quickly confess to the police sister... or let me introduce myself. I'm Guan Xiangdong from the District Prosecutor's Office. And you are?"
"I just established the Criminal Investigation Bureau. We graduated from Political Science University; a group of us ended up in public security back then," Guan Yiqing explained.
"That's quite a connection! Please take care of me," Guan Xiangdong said as he handed over his business card.
As they exchanged cards, Lezi was left dumbfounded. Clearly, his chance had been snatched away by Guan Guan. Just as he was about to explode with anger, he was surprised when Guan Yiqing also handed him a card with a smile, saying, "You're also a Shishi classmate? Please take care of me."
"Uh, okay... this is mine." After recovering from his shock, Su Rongle seemed to be drawn in by the allure and tentatively asked, "Police sister, I want to consult you about something?"
"What is it?" Guan Yiqing asked curiously.
"If you're in trouble, find a police officer. I... currently have a problem and I'm not sure if you can help me with it?" Su Rongle said.
"Of course I can."
"Well... it's quite difficult to find someone to have dinner with me another day. I wonder if you would be willing to join?"
"If I have time, I would be happy to accept the invitation."
"Oh... I told you, it's fate."
Lezi was genuinely delighted, but Guan Xiangdong started throwing cold remarks again. The two of them flanked Guan Yiqing, eager to make plans. Seeing that the moment was right, Guan Yiqing lightly tossed out her question in a hushed tone: "First, help me solve a problem. I have a girlfriend who seems interested in one of you guys. Can you give me some advice without letting anyone know? It's the one who just called for a cucumber..."
At that moment, the wedding had reached the part where the groom was proposing. Xiao Mu was staring blankly at Sun Qinghua, who was kneeling to propose. The expression on her face was stiff and her demeanor awkward, as if the bride had fallen for someone else.
Lezi quietly told Guan Yiqing, "Never let your girlfriend fall for him. Just look at his silly face; he's got issues, really."
Guan Guan chimed in without hesitation, "A serious case of issues... By the way, he was expelled from school back then."
"Expelled?" Guan Yiqing was taken aback.
"Yeah, not just once. He had nowhere to go, so his dad sent him abroad. Guess he went there to con foreign teachers," Lezi explained.
"He got conned himself; he spent tens of thousands on a diploma from Lincoln University. Here, you could get that kind of certificate for two hundred bucks," Guan Guan added.
Aren't they supposed to be brothers? Why does it sound so pathetic? Guan Yiqing seriously doubted the credibility of their words and reminded them, "Aren't you classmates? Lezi, it seems like you have a good relationship with him?"
"Yes, we don't split money between us, but when it comes to character and upbringing, that's where we draw the line," Su Rongle said solemnly.
Guan Xiangdong snickered; it was like a crow mocking a pig. As soon as he laughed, Lezi reached out and pinched him hard, cutting off whatever he was about to say. Guan Xiangdong winced in pain, which made Guan Yiqing unable to hold back her laughter. She gently guided them; these two seemed a bit clueless about Mulin Shen's impending romantic prospects and were determined to sabotage it at all costs.
Xiao Mu's personal matters were no longer a secret. His father had hired a lawyer to deal with him, providing a monthly allowance; he had left an inheritance that could not be accessed until he turned forty; and there were stories about Xiao Mu struggling to find a job, where he was more adept at cutting his hand than chopping vegetables, all told as jokes. The biggest news, however, was that Old Mu's new wife was already pregnant and preparing to have another child. Lezi quietly warned Guan Yiqing never to speak of it, as the brothers feared Xiao Mu might not handle the blow well and might even consider taking drastic measures. They kept it from him.
"Is the father-son relationship that bad?" Guan Yiqing asked, surprised. Every family has its own struggles, and it seemed one couldn't judge solely by appearances.
"Of course! The gift money was still borrowed from me," Lezi replied.
Guan Xiangdong chuckled, "I actually think his father's actions make sense. Xiao Mu was quite clever back in the day, but he was spoiled by his father."
"Come on now, my dad spoils me too, but I haven't turned out like that!" Lezi retorted defiantly.
"Lezi, just admit it. You haven't changed at all; you're still the same mess you always were," Guan Xiangdong said.
"Enough! The real mess is those Ruhua. Just look at them; they still end up marrying the Class Flower. You’re not a mess at all; you’re a high-flying civil servant! Your salary isn't even as high as that Husky's living expenses from the Ruhua' family. What are you so proud of?" Lezi began to expose his flaws.
Guan Guan got angry and grabbed Lezi by the neck, scolding him, "Lezi, don’t underestimate civil servants. Just wait until you get into trouble; I’ll make sure you face the law!"
The two of them were playfully wrestling when they suddenly stopped. "Hey, where did that beauty go?" They ceased their tussle and began to complain to each other. "Damn it, we’re brothers! Why are we fighting? It’s not easy being single; we finally found someone to talk to, and you scared her away!" They looked around but could no longer see the quietly departing Police Flower...
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