Chapter Fifty-Five: Dissolving Suspicion

It was no surprise that others hadn't noticed Xu Wenrui's puppet-like nature; the only question was whether Xu Wenrui himself had ever clearly recognized it before things went wrong.

The two of them waited in the car a while longer until their colleagues arrived to take over. Then they moved their car elsewhere, left it parked, and went into the school to gather information about Zhang Lei.

To inquire about a striker on the school football team, naturally, the sports field was the place to go. It was already evening, the sun was setting, the light was soft and bright, and though the temperature was a bit cool, it was perfect for outdoor activities—so the field was crowded.

Unlike the pairs of lovers who would appear after nightfall, most people on the track at this hour were there simply to exercise. In the middle of the field, a group of young men were gathered, practicing with a ball.

Kang Ge told Yan Xue to wait nearby while he crossed the artificial turf towards a few boys sitting by the goal, resting and drinking water.

Yan Xue, watching from a distance, couldn't tell if Kang Ge's affability was extraordinary or if young men at the sports field were simply especially approachable; they struck up a conversation quickly, laughing and joking, the atmosphere easy and harmonious.

Yet those boys kept glancing her way, and whenever their eyes met, they grinned broadly at her. Yan Xue had no choice but to smile back politely, nodding in greeting, though she couldn't help feeling a little baffled.

Just how had Kang Ge introduced himself? Had he announced he was a detective? Had he said she was his colleague?

If that were the case, it wouldn't be odd for people to look at her with curiosity—after all, most people have little opportunity to meet detectives, and female detectives working in the field were even rarer. Yan Xue was already used to the attention that came with her job.

But perhaps precisely because she was so used to it, she had the distinct feeling that the way those boys looked at her was… somehow off.

It wasn't the surprise or curiosity reserved for female detectives; instead, it seemed tinged with a trace of ambiguous affection.

Soon, Kang Ge finished his conversation and beckoned Yan Xue to follow him toward the gymnasium by the edge of the sports field.

"Come on, those guys said Zhang Lei should be doing strength training in the gym right now," Kang Ge explained.

Yan Xue had taken a few steps when she looked back and saw the boys still watching her; when she caught their gaze, they turned away in unison.

"What was that about?" She narrowed her eyes, nudged Kang Ge with her elbow, and asked, "Why do I feel like something's not quite right? How exactly did you introduce yourself to those guys? Why were they looking at me so strangely?"

"Ah… well…" Kang Ge drew out his words, quickening his pace a little so they put some distance between them. "I told them I was a second-year master's student here, and you were my little sister, a freshman hopelessly infatuated with Zhang Lei but too shy to ask about him yourself, so you asked me to help you out and chat him up a bit."

So her instinct had been spot on! No wonder those boys’ glances were so peculiar—they’d taken her for one of Zhang Lei’s fangirls, hopelessly smitten!

"You—!" She hurried after Kang Ge, glaring at him. "Why did you have to make up a story like that about me?"

"All for the sake of work! All for the sake of work!" Kang Ge declared solemnly, nearly raising his hand in pledge. "Think about it—if I’d flashed my badge right away, who would have told me anything real? Suddenly a detective appears, asking about Zhang Lei—more likely they'd pretend not to know him at all!

"But if I frame it as a matter of young love, it’s different. Everyone loves a bit of gossip. As soon as they heard Zhang Lei had another admirer—and a high-quality one at that—they were happy to dish out information!"

Yan Xue had no answer for that. He did have a point; people often instinctively avoid anything that might land them in trouble, but gossip has a way of lowering defenses and sparking the urge to talk.

"At least you could have warned me, so I’d be mentally prepared!" Yan Xue protested, exasperated.

"That wouldn’t do—you wouldn’t have acted naturally," Kang Ge replied airily with a wave of his hand.

Yan Xue was left helpless, but she gave up arguing. When it came to twisting logic, Kang Ge was a master.

"So, your plan worked well, did it?" she asked. "Besides learning Zhang Lei was in the gym, did you get anything else? If you’re going to make me the subject of gossip, at least make it worthwhile!"

"As a matter of fact, yes," Kang Ge winked at her. "They said Zhang Lei’s been single for quite a while now, hasn’t started dating anyone new, so your chances are looking pretty good."

The gym was right next to the sports field—a tall, beautiful building funded, it was said, by a famous alumnus who’d become a successful entrepreneur. The generosity of the building’s design had become a popular story within the university circle.

K University had even hung a photo of that generous alumnus in their school history display, as a sign of gratitude.

Yan Xue remembered her own teachers joking about this when she was a student. In other schools, graduates might hope to have a photo in the hall for their remarkable achievements and contributions to their alma mater. But at the police academy, the teachers sincerely hoped their students would never have such a photo hung—because, except for a few cases, most photos belonged to alumni who’d died heroically in the line of duty and had been posthumously honored as martyrs.

The teacher had told them earnestly that while other teachers wished for their students to achieve greatness, teachers at the police academy wished, above all, for their students to stay safe and sound.

Inside the gym, there was no more need for subterfuge. They showed their IDs at the security desk and asked about Zhang Lei. Sure enough, he was training there, so they headed straight to the equipment room to find him.

Unlike other gyms, where the training rooms had only high transom windows, K University had installed large windows in the walls, making the space bright and clear, with a view both in and out.

Of course, Zhang Lei wouldn’t be training alone. Neither Kang Ge nor Yan Xue knew what he looked like—Kang Ge’s earlier pretense as her brother asking for her meant he hadn’t dared ask for a description.

So as they passed the window, both instinctively glanced in, hoping to spot which among the group was likely Zhang Lei.

Xu Wenrui, the artistic type, was tall, thin, and fair-skinned; Zhang Lei, being on the football team, was likely quite different in build. Still, Xu Wenrui was handsome, and Wu Beibei herself seemed to care about appearances. Judging by the gossip, Zhang Lei was popular and had plenty of admirers, so he was unlikely to look bad.

Yan Xue had expected it would take a moment to guess who Zhang Lei was, but as soon as she glanced in, the young men inside spotted her—and immediately, they began to hoot and tease one of their own.

At the door to the training room, Kang Ge was about to go in when Yan Xue caught his arm.

"Never mind, you’ve already played your tricks; one more time won’t hurt," she muttered, then waved him aside. "Let me call him out directly."

Kang Ge obligingly stepped aside. Yan Xue leaned into the doorway, scanning the room and focusing on the boy closest to the door. "Hello, I’m looking for Zhang Lei."

The room erupted in laughter and catcalls, all directed at the same boy. One of them stood up, expressionless, and walked over—and sure enough, he was just the one Yan Xue had guessed.

He was tall, easily over six foot two by Yan Xue’s estimate, dressed in a tank top and baggy shorts for training. His arms and legs were muscled and taut, veins standing out from recent exertion, giving him the look of someone very strong.

Yet, despite his imposing build, his face was gentle—thick brows, large eyes, the sort of classic, upright good looks that, like Kang Ge’s, marked him as a leading-man type.

But unlike Kang Ge’s ever-smiling demeanor, this young man’s expression was anything but friendly—brows furrowed, eyes cold, even a trace of disdain and annoyance when he looked at Yan Xue.

"What do you want with me?" He stopped at the door, arms crossed over his chest, blocking the entrance as if afraid Yan Xue might suddenly lose her head and dash inside.

"You’re Zhang Lei?" Even though his posture all but declared it, Yan Xue asked anyway, just to be sure—no point in a mistaken identity later.

The corner of his mouth curled into a mocking smile. "What, didn’t do your homework before coming? Or are you here playing messenger for someone? Doesn’t matter which—go! Get moving! I don’t have time to mess around with you girls!"

He spoke as if he might push her away at any moment, his irritation plain.

"So you are Zhang Lei, then?" Yan Xue was unmoved by his attitude—she was neither angered nor intimidated by his imposing stance.

Honestly! Whether in the academy or out on the job, Yan Xue was no stranger to tall, burly male classmates and colleagues. If it came to unfriendly attitudes, she’d seen much worse since starting her career—this was nothing.

Firstly, she was sure Zhang Lei wouldn't dare do anything reckless in such a public place, with so many teammates around. Secondly, she trusted her own abilities; even if, as a woman, she was at a disadvantage against a varsity striker, she wasn’t alone—Kang Ge was nearby.

She’d heard from Xia Qing that Kang Ge and Ji Yuan, his close friend, had been evenly matched in their class’s comprehensive assessments. Even though Kang Ge had been seconded elsewhere, with Ji Yuan’s reputation as a reference, he couldn’t be lacking.

So Yan Xue stood her ground, waiting for a clear answer.

"Yes, I am! Satisfied?" the boy snapped. "Whatever you want to say or do, I’m not interested. I don’t want to hear it, don’t want your gifts, don’t want to meet new friends. Now will you leave?"

He rolled his eyes, making no attempt to hide his impatience. "Stay if you want, nobody cares, just don’t come in and disrupt our training!"

"Don’t worry, I’m not interested in you," Yan Xue replied coolly. If not for business, she wouldn’t have bothered with this spoiled campus celebrity. She held out her badge where Zhang Lei could see it. "I need to ask you a few questions. If you’re worried about disturbing your teammates, we can talk in the hallway."

Clearly, Zhang Lei hadn’t considered the possibility of facing a police officer—he froze, then glanced back at his teammates before nodding and leading the way out.

Yan Xue and Kang Ge followed him. He walked quickly, not stopping until they reached the U-bend at the end of the corridor. Turning, he noticed the tall man with Yan Xue, and his expression became wary.

"That badge you showed me—is it real?" he asked Yan Xue, glancing at Kang Ge.

"Absolutely real," Kang Ge replied, showing Zhang Lei his own credentials with a friendly smile. "Why would we risk making fake ones for something like this? It’s just work."

"Detectives?" Zhang Lei, reassured by the ID, seemed even more perplexed. He lowered his voice. "Did someone on our team get into a fight and hurt someone?"