"She wouldn't listen and kept crying, so I had to tie her up and gag her. I just wanted to be with her; I had no bad intentions."
This guy thinks that isn't bad? Qin Feng clenched his teeth and shifted his position.
“You don’t think that’s bad?” Xiao Wang threw his pen on the table. “You’re rotten to the core.”
Qin Feng gave him a look, and Xiao Wang swallowed his next words. “When did you bring her here? Did you dig the cellar?”
“The tenth, I think.” The man smiled indifferently at Xiao Wang. “You should learn from the guy next to you. Look at him, never in a hurry.”
Xiao Wang glanced at Qin Feng. Indeed, this one never wasted words.
“Stop talking nonsense. Did you dig the cellar?”
“Yes. It was boring being alone, so I started digging.”
“What was your purpose?” The man didn’t answer, so Xiao Wang pressed on, “Was it to imprison someone?”
“I was just bored, so I dug. No one knew about the underground space, so I could dig however I wanted.”
Xu Jianli had been staying here alone to watch over the place. Over time, he developed evil thoughts. He happened to read about the Li Hao cellar imprisonment case in the newspaper, which inspired his twisted plan. People, when they turn bad, can find countless ways to be wicked.
He first prepared the cellar, digging for a while until he hit groundwater, then changed direction and continued digging. Living alone in this desolate area, he barely saw anyone and spent most of his time digging. After several months, he had the basic structure of the cellar, secured with wooden boards and lit with electric lights. By then, more than half a year had passed, and he committed his first crime, driven by a desire to test his setup.
He rode his electric scooter out and found a girl returning late on Jiankang Road. After knocking her out, he brought her back and tied her up in the cellar. He had no idea he had dug through to the complex's sewer system. During the day, fearing someone might discover the cellar, he usually slept in the small hut. He would buy fried noodles from a nearby stall every night between eleven and twelve, during which time the woman would cry for help.
He raped the woman, planning to mimic the reported cases. Maybe if he successfully raped her, she could make money for him. He was dreaming until the police found him.
Justice will always prevail, no matter how long it takes.
Leaving the interrogation room, Xiao Wang asked, “Can I hit him?”
“If you want to face disciplinary action, go ahead.”
Qin Feng yawned, lit a cigarette to stay awake. “Why are there so many cases!”
Xiao Wang leaned against the wall, also yawning. “Why are there so many heartless people?” He took a cigarette from Qin Feng, lit it, and inhaled deeply. “Once we finish these cases, we need a good rest.”
This imprisonment case was clear. Now he was thinking about the trafficking case.
“Have we gotten results from the trafficking case?”
“He’s holding out, not saying anything.”
“We caught him red-handed, and he’s still holding out.” Qin Feng closed his eyes, yawned again, having not slept for two consecutive days. “I’m going to get some sleep. Wake me if there’s any news.”
“Got it.” Xiao Wang said, “There’s nothing much going on now, I’ll get a couple of hours of sleep too, or we’ll work ourselves to death.”
The duty room was quite chaotic. When Qin Feng entered, he saw Lin Fan sleeping on a bed in the corner. He chose the bed next to hers and lay down. After four hours of sleep, he was woken up. Qin Feng washed his face. Sometimes, sleeping a few hours felt worse than not sleeping at all. Lin Fan was still asleep. He covered her with a blanket.
He quietly left.
When Lin Fan woke up, the room was filled with sunlight. She sat up dazed for a moment, staring blankly ahead. After about a minute, she shook her head and got up to leave.
She smelled a bit. Not finding Qin Feng, she saw his message on WeChat: “Go home and sleep. I’m out on a case.”
Lin Fan took the bus home. Qin’s mother texted her, “If you’re free at noon, come over for lunch. I made your favorite soup.”
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“Thanks, Auntie. Maybe another day? I’m a bit busy today.”
Qin’s mother replied, “Take care of yourself and don’t overwork.”
Lin Fan didn’t see Qin Feng until the next evening. She was studying vocabulary when she heard the door open. She quickly put on her slippers to open the door, but Qin Feng had already come in. His stubble was noticeable, and he threw his coat at the entrance. “Got anything to eat? I’m starving.”
Seeing him like this, Lin Fan hurried to the kitchen to make noodles, the quickest meal. She added some vegetables and meat for a balanced diet. Qin Feng, too tired to go to a restaurant, sat in the living room eating.
Lin Fan noticed his dark circles. “How many days have you not slept?”
“Hardly slept at all.” Qin Feng finished the noodles quickly and went to the kitchen looking for more food. Lin Fan felt a bit embarrassed, rubbing her nose. “There’s nothing left, right?”
Qin Feng found some leftover rice in the fridge, poured it into a bowl, and opened a pack of pickled vegetables. “I’ve been so busy.”
Lin Fan regretted not cooking more. “The rice is cold. Should I heat it up?”
“No need.” The cold rice was hard, and Qin Feng nearly choked. “Can you pour me some water?”
Lin Fan poured him some water and offered milk. “Want some milk?”
“Sure.”
Lin Fan heated a cup of milk for him. Qin Feng had finished the leftover rice. He walked into the kitchen. “The trafficking case is a gang operation. We’ve got leads, and there’s a good chance we’ll find the other kids.”
“So fast?” Lin Fan was surprised at the efficiency. He was working himself to death.
Qin Feng washed the dishes and returned them to their place. He came out, unbuttoning his shirt. “Sleep in the master bedroom tonight. I’m going to take a shower.”
He turned and left. Lin Fan was stunned, almost dropping her jaw. You’re this exhausted, and you still want to do something?
Lin Fan had showered and was wearing loungewear. She chewed on her knuckle for a while before returning to her book, but she couldn’t focus. Her mind was full of Qin Feng’s words about sleeping in the master bedroom. She was still in the living room when Qin Feng came out of the shower, shaving as he opened the door and looked at her. “What time is it? Still studying?”
He wore a tank top and pants, showing off his muscular arms and chest. His tall, lean figure was indeed attractive. Lin Fan swallowed, put down her book, and moved over. “I think I’ll sleep in my room—”
“Stop talking nonsense. Come sleep.” Qin Feng went to the bathroom to wash his face. Lin Fan peeked in, hands behind her back, tilting her head. “Qin Feng?”
“Hmm?” His voice was hoarse, his dark eyes looking over. “What’s up?”
Lin Fan’s face felt hot. Her hair was tied back, showing her smooth forehead. Her face was small and still looked young. Qin Feng finished washing his face, walked over, and gave her a quick kiss before shutting the door.
Lin Fan was dazed. It wasn’t until she was pushed to the bed that she snapped back. She clutched her chest. “Isn’t this inappropriate?”
Qin Feng raised an eyebrow. “Inside or outside?”
Lin Fan’s eyes darted around. Qin Feng got into bed. “I’ll sleep outside then. Come over and sleep. Don’t overthink. I won’t do anything.”
Lin Fan quickly ran to the other side of the bed, climbed in, and lay down, very alert. Qin Feng turned off the main light, leaving a small lamp on, and reached over to touch her hair. “Just talking, don’t be nervous.”
Lin Fan was trapped under his hand. “Have you been busy these past few days? Is the cellar case solved?”
“Yeah.” Qin Feng was tired. His hand rested on Lin Fan’s head. Out of nowhere, he asked, “Did you miss me?”
Lin Fan's heart raced as she looked up at Qin Feng's face. When he didn't shave, he looked somewhat fierce, with naturally sharp facial features. Shaving made a big difference; he wasn’t like the pretty boys that were trendy these days. His features were rugged and masculine.
They hadn’t seen each other for two days. Qin Feng hadn’t replied to her WeChat messages, and even Xiao Wang, the chatterbox, hadn’t responded. They must have been really busy. Summoning her courage, Lin Fan held Qin Feng’s hand and softly replied, “Yes.”
Qin Feng didn’t respond. Lin Fan moved closer and saw that his breathing was steady—he had already fallen asleep. She carefully turned off the bedside lamp, nestled her head against his arm, and closed her eyes.
Lin Fan was awakened by a kiss. She groggily opened her eyes to a forceful kiss that left her breathless. She quickly pushed against him, and Qin Feng, with one hand propped beside her, brushed his fingers against her face. “Breathe through your nose, silly.”
Lin Fan’s face flushed red. “You—”
Qin Feng kissed her again, this time more gently, gradually deepening the kiss. Lin Fan, unsure of how to respond, felt her body go weak and let out a soft moan. Qin Feng released her lips and kissed down her jaw. Lin Fan regained her senses, “Don’t kiss my neck—”
The marks from last time hadn’t faded yet. She hadn’t noticed until everyone started teasing her. Qin Feng chuckled softly and began unbuttoning her pajama top. “Then where should I kiss?”
Lin Fan squirmed beneath him, “Don’t kiss my neck.”
Qin Feng kissed her jawline, skipped her neck, and kissed her collarbone as he undressed her. Although they had done this once before, it still felt unfamiliar to her.
“Don’t look,” Lin Fan covered his eyes, and Qin Feng pulled her hand away to kiss it.
Her clothes were removed, and Lin Fan curled up into a ball, desperately trying to change the subject. “What time is it now?”
“I’ll leave at nine. We still have time.”
Lin Fan had nowhere to retreat as Qin Feng kissed down to her navel. The sensation was so strange. She squeezed her legs together and accidentally touched a sensitive spot. Qin Feng’s gaze darkened as he looked at her.
Lin Fan felt embarrassed, “I didn’t mean to—”
Qin Feng pulled Lin Fan closer, his voice seductive as he bit her earlobe, “It won’t hurt this time. Want to try?”
Lin Fan shrank back, trying to avoid him, “You said that last time, and it hurt a lot.”
Qin Feng chuckled, his hoarse voice especially enticing, “It’ll be different.”
Lin Fan didn’t know what would be different—how exactly would it be different? It seemed the same! She furrowed her brows, staring at Qin Feng on top of her, too embarrassed to look down. When she finally glanced down, she quickly looked away.
“Qin Feng—” she took a breath, reaching her limit, unable to articulate her thoughts as her mind went blank. She clung to Qin Feng’s arm, nearly convulsing with tremors that reached her head. She let out a soft cry, and Qin Feng kissed her, patiently waiting for her to adjust, “Fan Fan.”
Lin Fan recovered and looked up at the handsome man above her, “Brother Qin.”
“Yeah,” Qin Feng responded, “Does it hurt?” He kissed her lower lip, rubbing against her. Sweat from his body dripped onto Lin Fan, his voice hoarse, suppressing the overwhelming desire. “I’m moving now.”