Chapter Fifty-Seven: A Pledge of Love

"Ah..."

Yuan Xiaoying suddenly let out a gasp, sidling up to Liu Jingye with a conspiratorial air. She lowered her voice and whispered in his ear, "Could it be that you’re a mysterious assassin, trained from childhood in the art of killing? A hundred children trained together, forced to kill one another until only one survives to become the king of assassins?"

Liu Jingye narrowed his eyes and replied, "You’re talking about the training method of the 'Nine Dogs and One Mastiff'—only the one who bites the others to death becomes a true mastiff."

Yuan Xiaoying pondered for a moment, then said, "Or maybe you’re a special forces agent from the future who has crossed through time?"

Liu Jingye gave a wry smile, lighting a cigarette. "Honestly, I’d love to travel through time, but I’d rather go back to the ancient days, live a simple life—own a house, run a little business, marry a beautiful wife, and have a loyal brother to watch my back."

Yuan Xiaoying scratched her head. "Isn’t that exactly the life of Wu Dalang?"

Liu Jingye was dumbfounded. On second thought, it was true: a house, a business, a beautiful wife, a brother—these were indeed the standard features of Dalang.

"I know why you’re staying quiet now," Yuan Xiaoying said, showing rare cleverness. "You want to hide in the shadows, deal justice in heaven’s name, punish the wicked, be a lone ranger fighting for the people against crimes the law can’t touch."

Liu Jingye raised an eyebrow, neither confirming nor denying. In truth, his reluctance to admit anything was simple: he dreaded Yuan Xiaoying’s endless chatter. Besides, he was now just an ordinary man, and keeping firearms was illegal. Even if he only killed villains, it wasn’t his place to take matters into his own hands—it would disrupt social order.

"You could tell me, you know," Yuan Xiaoying said, throwing an arm around his shoulder with easy camaraderie. "I’m a cop. I’ve seen plenty of people who are guilty as sin, but escape punishment because they have money or power. There’s so much injustice in the world; someone needs to stand up and punish them in the name of justice.

I’d keep your secret, even be your partner. We could fight for justice together."

Liu Jingye leaned into her embrace, savoring her softness, grinning mischievously.

Yuan Xiaoying, caught up in the fantasy, murmured dreamily, "Such a meaningful mission... We need a striking name for ourselves—The Champions of Justice? The Miraculous Duo? The Twin Heroes? What should we do next? Start with corrupt officials or take down the criminal underworld? Or maybe we rob a bank and give the money to the poor?"

Liu Jingye was speechless, seeing how serious and eager she was—she actually meant it.

He chuckled bitterly. "You can’t wipe out corruption or evil gangs. Besides, those aren’t the most urgent problems in our society right now."

"What is the most urgent problem?" Yuan Xiaoying asked, eyes bright with curiosity.

Liu Jingye adopted a grave expression. "The most urgent issue is the demographic gap. Serious aging, the younger generation not yet grown. If we want to uphold justice and fight evil, we need more people to join our cause."

"You’re right. So how do we fix it?" Yuan Xiaoying asked.

"By making more people, of course," Liu Jingye replied earnestly. "We raise them well, pass on our mission, and they in turn do the same. That’s how the legacy continues, generation after generation."

"Get lost!" Yuan Xiaoying shoved him onto the bed. But she used too much force and toppled over herself, landing squarely in Liu Jingye’s arms, her cheek pressed to his lips. Both of them froze.

Their eyes met, sparks flying. Yuan Xiaoying’s breath quickened as she lay atop Liu Jingye, feeling the strong thrum of their hearts.

Liu Jingye swallowed hard, as if sending a signal. Yuan Xiaoying’s face flushed crimson; she slowly closed her eyes, her trembling lips soft and inviting.

Although Liu Jingye was no expert in romance, he knew what to do now. He leaned in and gently pressed his lips to hers.

From their very first encounter, through her ploys and his counter-moves, the grand wedding, the ambiguous wedding-night kiss, to all their shared perils—it seemed this moment had always been destined.

Liu Jingye kissed her with his whole heart, and Yuan Xiaoying, shy but receptive, melted into his embrace—thunder and lightning, passion and tenderness entwined.

Just as Liu Jingye slid his hand inside her collar, she quickly caught his wrist, sat up blushing, lips glistening, face aflame. "We can’t… It’s too soon."

"We’re already married," Liu Jingye protested, a hint of desperation in his voice.

"That doesn’t matter. I’m not ready." Yuan Xiaoying stood, evading his restless hands, straightening her clothes. "We don’t really know each other that well yet."

"Weren’t you just saying we should be a team? The Miraculous Duo?"

"It’s ‘The Marvelous Duo’," Yuan Xiaoying corrected indignantly. "I meant, I don’t know you—your past."

Ah, so it was curiosity after all.

Liu Jingye forced a smile. "The past is gone. The future hasn’t happened. Best to live in the present."

"Live in the present—doing what exactly? You… scoundrel!" Yuan Xiaoying snapped.

Liu Jingye was left speechless.

Yuan Xiaoying shot him a glare. "I mean, what if you were married before and haven’t divorced? What if you have another girlfriend? Or enemies who come after you? Just look at all the trouble you’ve been in lately!"

"Me? Trouble?" Liu Jingye began counting on his fingers. "You’re the one who offended Huanchao, got targeted, set up by a crooked boss, had several close calls, nearly lost your life. Sister, maybe I’m the one who doesn’t know enough about you!"

"That’s exactly why we need time to get to know each other," Yuan Xiaoying said, hoping to stall his advances.

"Fine." Liu Jingye shrugged indifferently, willing to respect her wishes. "You want to know my past? It’s simple: I served as a soldier for a few years, fought in some conflicts, that’s about it."

"Conflicts? But in our peaceful country, do we even have wars?" Yuan Xiaoying asked curiously.

Liu Jingye smiled faintly, lighting another cigarette. "You really think my country only ever protests verbally? In all those disputed seas and border areas, there are often skirmishes, especially over resource development in contested regions—huge interests at stake, requiring strong military protection. There are also our overseas resource projects that need safeguarding."

"Where have you been, then?" Yuan Xiaoying pressed on, intrigued.

Liu Jingye pondered. "The Arab region, where our country has invested heavily for oil and natural gas—those resources are hard-won and constantly threatened by conflict. Then there’s the southwestern border. Deep in the Ten-Thousand Mountains, Vietnamese smugglers cross illegally, trafficking drugs that poison our people. And in Africa, on that vast continent, we’ve secured resource development rights in exchange for billions in aid—all of it needs protection."

"Wow, I never imagined you’d had such incredible experiences at your age," Yuan Xiaoying exclaimed, eyes shining.

"Incredible?" Liu Jingye gave a rueful laugh. "The most incredible thing is that I’m still alive."

It sounded simple, but the dangers he’d faced were unimaginable to those who hadn’t lived them.

The mood grew heavy. Sensing this, Yuan Xiaoying said, "Let’s not talk about that anymore."

"Then can I kiss you again?" Liu Jingye seized the moment.

"In your dreams." Yuan Xiaoying, cheeks aflame, moved away and turned on the television to break the tension.

The local news was reporting a major incident from the previous night: "According to police sources, the recent shootout has left twenty-one dead, including a foreign national. The authorities have classified the case as a gangland conflict and identified Huanchao Corporation as a criminal syndicate. Nearly a hundred Huanchao employees were arrested last night. It’s been confirmed that the company is involved in drugs, firearms, and numerous violent crimes, with proven ties to the recently deceased Deputy Police Chief Liang Hong, who acted as their protector. Huanchao’s General Manager, Huang Xing, is currently at large. Police have issued a warrant for his arrest and ask the public for assistance."

"Huang Xing escaped?!" Liu Jingye and Yuan Xiaoying exclaimed in unison.

"He must have gone to find his father," Yuan Xiaoying said excitedly. "I heard him mention once that their business has grown overseas in recent years, and his father lives abroad—managing foreign ventures and enjoying retirement. Seems like even there, they’re involved in shady dealings."

"We can’t let him get away," Liu Jingye said, suddenly rising to his feet. "Huanchao has been entrenched in this city for years. There must be other protectors besides Liang Hong, and their network is widespread. If his father holds power overseas, it means they’ve planned long in advance. We must root them out completely."

"You’re right. I’ll go to the station now and see what the plan is." Yuan Xiaoying said, turning to leave.

Liu Jingye suddenly stopped her. "Wait—"

"What is it?" Yuan Xiaoying, seeing his anxious expression, smiled reassuringly. "Don’t worry about me. I’ll stay with the team, and Huanchao’s local power is shattered—they’re no longer a threat. Don’t fret about Huang Xing making a desperate move. Even if I gave him one hand, he still wouldn’t be a match for me."

Liu Jingye’s face was solemn, almost dripping with seriousness. "What I meant was—before you go, can I have another kiss?"

Yuan Xiaoying nearly tripped, exasperated. She’d thought he was worried for her safety, but he was thinking about that. She snorted, "You wolf!"

Still, blushing, Yuan Xiaoying stepped forward and kissed him lightly on the lips before dashing out the door.