Chapter 26: Perhaps Pleasant Goat Shouldn't Play with Guns Anymore

At this moment, Xue Tian’ai’s jaw was practically on the ground, staring in utter shock at the little policewoman blushing before him. What on earth was happening? Had he misheard? Did this fierce little policewoman just call him—?

The crowd around them was equally dumbfounded, instantly falling silent, mouths shut, attention riveted on Xue Tian’ai and Shen Xinyi. Clearly, this was no ordinary event.

“Husband, I’m sorry. Let’s go home, okay?” Shen Xinyi repeated her words, perhaps fearing Xue Tian’ai hadn’t heard, or perhaps for the benefit of the bystanders. Her tone was plaintive, almost pitiful.

“I… you…” Xue Tian’ai, having never encountered such a situation, found himself stammering.

“Husband, forgive me. I shouldn’t be on cases for so long every day, neglecting you. I promise, from now on I’ll spend more time with you. Please don’t be angry anymore. I swear on the great Party branch, after work I’ll cook for you, help you bathe, and be your most attentive little darling!”

As she spoke, Shen Xinyi’s face crumpled, and she grabbed Xue Tian’ai’s hand.

“But I don’t even know you!” Xue Tian’ai finally managed.

“Husband, are you still upset with me?” Shen Xinyi’s expression grew increasingly aggrieved, her cheeks flushed, and she pretended to wipe away tears.

The crowd erupted again, breaking into clusters of chatter. Clearly, there was more to this than met the eye. It looked as if the man was sulking because the girl was busy with work and didn’t keep him company, and now she was feeling wronged because of his anger.

Xue Tian’ai felt his worldview had begun to collapse since returning to China. The first time someone called him “husband,” it was this little policewoman he barely knew! What was this supposed to mean?

“Huh? Husband, you must have forgiven me!” Shen Xinyi’s aggrieved expression suddenly brightened into excitement.

Xue Tian’ai’s heart skipped a beat as he saw the abrupt shift in her expression. What new trick was this little policewoman up to?

“Husband, look, you even bought me lingerie…” The policewoman, shyly, pointed to the elegant little shopping bag in his hand.

“I didn’t…”

“Alright, alright. I’ll wear it for you, isn’t that enough? We’ll go home, I’ll put it on for you, and then…” Shen Xinyi’s face flushed crimson, nearly bleeding with embarrassment, her beautiful eyes now shimmering with a seductive, playful gleam.

Now the bystanders seemed to fully grasp the situation. The elderly woman who’d earlier scolded the police now began to chide Xue Tian’ai.

“The young lady works hard as a police officer—she’s serving the people, after all. So what if she doesn’t spend as much time with you? Don’t be so petty!”

“Exactly! Every couple has their quarrels, it’s normal. Try to understand each other!”

“Think from the other’s perspective and everything will be fine!” And so on, a cacophony of advice and opinions. Earlier, Xue Tian’ai had basked in their words, but now his mind felt as if it were exploding.

He shot a fierce glare at the little policewoman, only to find Shen Xinyi’s lips curled in a triumphant, scheming smile. She’d done it on purpose—no doubt about it!

While Shen Xinyi felt utterly vindicated, she knew this couldn’t go on forever. Smiling sweetly, she took Xue Tian’ai’s arm and said coyly, “Husband, let’s go home~ We’ll talk there, and I promise I’ll make it up to you!”

Xue Tian’ai was about to protest, but Shen Xinyi, holding his arm, gave him a sharp, almost imperceptible pinch, signaling him to keep quiet.

Stung, Xue Tian’ai shut his mouth, letting Shen Xinyi lead him away from the scene, out of the circle of onlookers.

Thus, arm in arm, Shen Xinyi led him through street after street, around and around, until finally they arrived at a deserted alley and came to a stop.

“Um… Can you let go of me now…? While being pressed by your chest feels nice, the fact remains that it’s your chest—I’m honestly a bit creeped out!” Xue Tian’ai muttered quietly, seeing that they were alone.

“What’s wrong, husband? Didn’t you say you wanted to ***? So tell me, was it true or not?” Shen Xinyi, still smiling mischievously, looked up at him.

“The sensory system of the arm is completely different from that of the hand! I can’t judge!” Xue Tian’ai replied solemnly, even rubbing his arm against her soft chest.

Feeling Xue Tian’ai’s movement, Shen Xinyi’s cheeks reddened, and she called him a pervert before finally releasing his arm.

“Officer, are you actually interested in me? Did you bring me to this deserted place to assault me?” Xue Tian’ai began his nonsense anew.

“Shut up!” Shen Xinyi felt her face was as red as a boiled crab. Although she wanted to put Xue Tian’ai in his place, now that she’d calmed down, she realized how foolish she’d been—calling him husband, holding his arm so intimately… What a humiliating act!

“Now, place your hands on your head and squat on the ground!” Despite her shame, Shen Xinyi forced herself to act tough.

“Officer! Are you perhaps a masochist?” Xue Tian’ai obediently squatted.

“Just shut up! Answer my questions truthfully!” Shen Xinyi, furious, wanted nothing more than to rip out Xue Tian’ai’s tongue. His mouth was truly a menace.

“Understood. I promise to answer everything I know—my measurements, that place’s size, anything I know!” Xue Tian’ai replied with unconvincing solemnity, determined to make Shen Xinyi uncomfortable in return.

“Name!” Shen Xinyi suppressed her anger and ignored his nonsense.

“Xue Tian’ai.” He answered honestly.

“Occupation!” “Unemployed vagrant!”

“Occupation! Don’t test my patience!”

“Really, I’m unemployed! Officer! I just returned to China, where would I find a job?” Xue Tian’ai spoke the truth—he had no job. If being a Wolf or Skywolf counted, he’d be something of a colleague to this little policewoman, but that was a national secret. Someone of her rank wasn’t qualified to know.

“An unemployed vagrant can afford such expensive lingerie?” Shen Xinyi pointed to the elegant bag in his hand.

Indeed, the lingerie he’d bought was a luxury brand. The money from Qin Mengxue’s bedside drawer, he’d spent little on himself, most went to lingerie for her.

“I’m so handsome, of course rich women would keep me!” Xue Tian’ai, still squatting, puffed his chest out with pride.

Shen Xinyi was speechless at his boast, but doubts gnawed at her—was he really just a gigolo? Gigolos were supposed to have gym muscles, yet his physique was battle-hardened… Would such a man be a gigolo?

“Just back from abroad? Don’t tell me you snuck in illegally? Come with me to the station for investigation!”

“Come on, sister, your imagination is wild. Did I sneak into your bed? Why are you so fixated on me?”

“Who told you to stare at my chest!”

“Oh, come on, sister, what’s wrong with a couple of glances? You grew them yourself, am I not allowed to look? Is there now a crime for lewd gazes in China?”

“I…!” Unable to retort, Shen Xinyi was left fuming, unable to get a word out.

“See, I was right. Officer, if you’re really interested in me, we can take it slow—or fast, if you prefer. First time’s free, after that I’ll give you a discount!” Seeing her flustered, Xue Tian’ai couldn’t resist teasing her further.

“You… I…” Shen Xinyi’s face was now entirely crimson, tongue-tied by his shameless words.

“See, don’t be shy if you want it! Like I said, first time’s on the house, but you’ll have to pay for the hotel. I’m broke, after all. I don’t want to waste money on such things!”

Shen Xinyi felt herself growing hot from Xue Tian’ai’s words. Her thoughts spun out of control, and in a sudden impulse, she drew her pistol from her waist and aimed it at him. “If you keep spouting nonsense, I swear I’ll shoot you!”

Truth be told, Shen Xinyi didn’t know why she’d suddenly drawn her weapon—only that if she didn’t act, things would spiral out of control.

The moment the gun was leveled at his head, Xue Tian’ai’s mocking expression vanished, replaced by a grave look. His body unconsciously emanated cold energy, though he forcibly suppressed it.

Guns—Xue Tian’ai was intimately familiar with them. Before becoming Skywolf, before becoming Phantom Butterfly, he’d mastered most mainstream firearms as a child.

To him, a gun was as familiar as any part of his body. He was absolutely confident that, at such close range, he could dodge a bullet and subdue his opponent. But judging from Shen Xinyi’s demeanor, she’d merely lost her temper—no real malice.

“Don’t you know that pointing a gun at someone’s head isn’t only rude, but extremely dangerous? Didn’t your instructor teach you that at the police academy?” Xue Tian’ai spoke with ease.

“Enough chatter! If I don’t teach you a lesson today, I won’t bear the surname Shen!” Oblivious to the calm composure Xue Tian’ai showed before the muzzle, Shen Xinyi, cheeks still aflame, scolded him, her hand trembling as she waved the pistol.

Seeing that she wouldn’t relent, Xue Tian’ai’s eyes grew cold. Letting this irrational policewoman continue was no good. He suddenly sprang up from his squatting position, lightning-fast, lunging at Shen Xinyi and grabbing her gun hand.

This abrupt move stunned Shen Xinyi. Instinctively she tried to pull the trigger, but found it stuck—Xue Tian’ai had wedged his finger into the trigger guard, blocking it.

“That won’t do. Reaching for such a dangerous thing on impulse—aren’t you afraid of hurting someone innocent?” With a slight twist of his wrist, Xue Tian’ai snatched the gun away from her.

The whole ordeal took but a moment, so fast it was almost surreal. By the time Shen Xinyi realized what had happened, her pistol was in Xue Tian’ai’s hand, its dark barrel now pointed at her own head.

“Who are you, really? How could a gigolo have skills like this!” With the gun aimed at her, Shen Xinyi calmed, even a little panicked.

“Who I am doesn’t matter. But don’t ever point that thing at my head again! You’re too unreasonable!”

“If you didn’t keep flirting and teasing me, I wouldn’t have acted this way!” Shen Xinyi retorted.

“If that’s all the professionalism you have as a police officer, you’re doomed. If a criminal taunts you like that, will you lose control? If you can’t keep your composure, what about the mission? Besides, you’re attractive—it’s natural for a man to look. Is that a crime?”

“I…” Shen Xinyi was left speechless. Everything he said was true.

“Remember, a police officer’s duty is to protect the people, not to aim guns at their heads without reason! True, I was a bit lecherous and stared at you, but I also helped you catch the thief! Not only did you fail to thank me, you threatened me with a gun! I despise being ordered around at gunpoint!”

“That’s because you’re shameless!”

“Being shameless isn’t illegal! And tell me, would a shameless person look this handsome?”

“There are, and you’re one of them!” Shen Xinyi lifted her chin defiantly, only to realize she’d inadvertently called him handsome. Her cheeks reddened.

“…” Xue Tian’ai hadn’t expected that response. He steadied himself and said, “This is the first time—and I hope the last. Never point that thing at me again!”

“Tsk tsk, Type 05 pistol—not bad.” Xue Tian’ai examined the gun, then, with a swift motion, a series of metallic clicks could be heard as the Type 05 was reduced to a pile of parts.

Shen Xinyi was stunned. Single-handed disassembly? Faster than her police academy instructors! Who was this man?

“Oh right—Pretty Lamb, maybe you shouldn’t play with guns.”

Xue Tian’ai tossed the pistol parts at Shen Xinyi and, leaving behind a light remark, walked out of the deserted alley.

Shen Xinyi stood there in a daze, watching his departing figure, her heart pounding, a strange new feeling brewing within her.

Wait—Pretty Lamb?

Suddenly realizing what he meant, Shen Xinyi’s cheeks flared with anger and embarrassment. “Bastard! How dare you peek at my underwear! Next time, I won’t let you get away with it!”