Chapter One: The Heir

Xu Wenrui’s case finally drew to a close. The process was fairly smooth, with no unexpected twists, and the outcome was hardly surprising, yet the detectives couldn’t help but sigh with emotion.
“Everyone always says a mother’s love is great and selfless. But Aunt Yang truly opened my eyes this time, taught me a real lesson!” Luo Wei remarked after the formal transfer for prosecution, still incredulous at the truth behind the case. “From start to finish, she claimed it was for her child, but in reality, she only cared about herself—her pride, her risk of exposure—never once considering the impact on her own son.”
“There’s no such thing as pure selflessness in this world!” Kang Ge leaned in, settling beside Luo Wei’s desk. “Everyone makes decisions from their own perspective. What we call selflessness is just a coincidence, when personal interests align with those of the group. Of course, there’s restraint, concession, and compromise mixed in.
Another reason is how people view those around them. Some see others as independent beings and thus show more respect. Some treat those closest as mere extensions of themselves, supporting roles. If they are the protagonist, then the supporting roles naturally exist to serve the protagonist’s interests!”
“Tsk, tsk! How miserable! Twenty years of life, only to end up as an ‘attachment’!” Luo Wei clicked his tongue.
Yan Xue sighed beside them. “Calling him an attachment is being polite; he’s more like a decorative ornament.”
Everyone was moved by this analogy. It sounded harsh at first, but it perfectly captured Gao Yang’s lived experience.
For years, both he and his father seemed to serve Yang’s greatest value: conquering her childhood rival—not merely beating her, but utterly crushing her in overwhelming victory.
Keeping up with her competitive, showy nature, Gao Yang and his father endured immense pressure in silence.
The other side hardly fared better. To keep up with Yang, Xu Wenrui’s father had to borrow money to satisfy his wife’s dream of living in the same neighborhood as her best friend. As for Xu Wenrui, his pursuit of flashy appearances, his tendency to lie and disguise, all stemmed from his mother’s singular chance at triumph—a rivalry between Xu Wenrui’s mother and Yang that shaped him profoundly.
Yet in the end, it was Yang’s single misguided thought that left all of them burdened with suffering they never ought to have endured.
After these bittersweet reflections, the days ahead promised much lighter moods. Luo Wei had previously proposed trying Kang Ge’s cooking, and now, with the case concluded and free time at hand, he took the lead. Everyone eagerly agreed, and Kang Ge obliged without hesitation. After some discussion, they settled on the weekend.
On the weekend, Yan Xue finally indulged in a leisurely sleep, waking at nine in the morning. She stretched comfortably, grabbed her phone from beside her pillow, and found a message from Kang Ge, sent about an hour earlier, asking her to reply when she woke so they could set a time to shop for groceries together.
Yan Xue quickly texted back, then washed up, got dressed, and called Ren Yaya. “Yaya, are you up? We’re supposed to go to Kang Ge’s for the dinner today. He’ll come by soon, we’re heading to the supermarket for ingredients. Get ready, let’s go together!”
“No, you two go ahead, I’ll skip the shopping.” Ren Yaya was slow-paced; Yan Xue’s rapid-fire request barely prompted a calm reply. “I’ll arrive later by myself.”
“Are you waiting for someone?” Yan Xue wondered. “Ning Ning and that team have a case, they can’t come. Xia Qing and Ji Yuan are together. If you don’t come with me, are you going to be a third wheel for Xia Qing? We’re not that clueless!”
“I just don’t want to be that clueless…” Ren Yaya muttered softly. “Anyway, you head out as usual, don’t wait for me. I’ve got something to deal with, I’ll come later. Kang Ge sent the address to the group chat yesterday.”
Ren Yaya, despite her slow and steady demeanor, was actually quite decisive. Once she made up her mind, she rarely compromised, and Yan Xue was well used to this. So she didn’t insist. As two rookie cooks, they discussed over the phone what dishes to prepare, so Yan Xue could buy everything needed. Ren Yaya wasn’t shy and listed her ingredients.
Yan Xue noted everything down. Just then, Kang Ge messaged that he’d arrived, so she pulled on her coat and left, finding Kang Ge’s car parked near the gate.
“Morning!” Kang Ge greeted her with a cheerful smile as soon as she got in.

It was the weekend, so Kang Ge’s attire was more casual than usual. His jacket lay across the seatback, and he wore a loose, chunky turtleneck sweater in soft gray-white tones, with a radiant smile, giving off the image of a gentle, good-natured young man—hard to associate with the tough world of criminal investigation.
“What’s that delicious smell?” Yan Xue sniffed, noticing a faint sweet fragrance in the car.
“You didn’t have breakfast, did you?” Kang Ge seemed certain of the answer, though he asked out of courtesy. “There’s fresh jujube cake in the glove box. It’s good—try it! If you like it, have more. Honestly, I have no faith in our team’s cooking skills. After all the fuss, there might be little edible left!”
Yan Xue laughed, opening the glove box to find a clear cake container. The jujube cake inside was still warm, obviously just baked. The scent was mild through the box but intensified when opened. Her stomach rumbled as the aroma awakened her appetite.
Yan Xue glanced at the cake, recalling Ren Yaya’s words, then looked at Kang Ge, hesitant to speak.
“What’s wrong? Got something to say? You’re not one to swallow your words!” Kang Ge noticed her gaze and glanced over.
“I’ll tell you later, let’s chat then.” Yan Xue waved it off, taking a small bite of cake. “Let’s get the groceries first!”
Kang Ge smiled, agreeable, and turned on the radio. A classic love song played, its lively melody brightening the mood as he drove, humming along softly, clearly in good spirits.
Kang Ge’s voice was deep and melodious, pleasant and in tune. Even his casual humming matched the radio’s rhythm beautifully. Yan Xue secretly thought she must find a chance to hear him sing properly.
She was also curious—besides his sunny disposition, impeccable work skills, and obvious musical talent, what other hidden gifts might Kang Ge possess?
Before long, Kang Ge parked at a large warehouse supermarket in W City. Both were efficient, and in half an hour, they wheeled out a cart brimming with groceries and supplies, loaded up, and headed back to Kang Ge’s home.
Having picked up Yan Xue before, Kang Ge knew where she rented, but Yan Xue had no idea about Kang Ge’s neighborhood—this was her first time visiting his home. She knew he was a local, and his family’s financial status was among the best in their unit, so she expected his house wouldn’t be shabby. Yet arriving there, she was still surprised.
She’d worried that with so many guests, space might be tight, but now it seemed her concerns were unfounded. Not only could his house host the ten or so guests for dinner, but even double that would pose no trouble.
“Your place…” Yan Xue stood in the living room, surveying the spacious flat. “It could easily fit four generations under one roof. As your ‘bachelor pad’… won’t your words echo around here?”
“You said it’s a ‘bachelor pad’! Who am I supposed to talk to? If I talk to myself… isn’t that a bit too pathetic?” Kang Ge laughed at her joke. “With our job, this place is like a dorm—I come home just to sleep, rarely here otherwise, so echoing isn’t a problem yet.
My mom decided everything—she bought the place herself, picked the ‘mature and stable’ décor. I objected, resisted, but got nowhere, so I had to accept it.”
“My goodness, that’s kind of infuriating! The troubles of rich kids—I truly can’t relate!” Yan Xue exclaimed, then exaggeratedly requested, “Come on, Brother Kang, lead the way, let’s get the groceries to the kitchen. If you don’t, I’ll get lost!”
Kang Ge shook his head in amusement, grabbed the bags, and accompanied Yan Xue to the kitchen.
Soon, the others arrived one by one. The crowd would have overflowed Yan Xue’s tiny rented room, but in Kang Ge’s house it instantly brought warmth and cheer to the once empty space.
Each person entering Kang Ge’s home couldn’t help but marvel at its size—except Ji Yuan, who came with Xia Qing, and showed no surprise at all, clearly not his first visit.

“Kang, I always knew you were a second-generation rich kid, but I thought you were modestly well-off. Seems I seriously underestimated you!” Luo Wei exclaimed. “Even if my parents squeezed out their marrow, we couldn’t afford a place like this. Your folks are generous—so good to you!”
Kang Ge didn’t respond, checking the time: “It’s getting late, everyone! The kitchen’s left side is for Chinese cooking, right side for Western—oven, steamer, and a shared central workspace. Don’t hold back, show your skills, or I’ll faint from hunger!”
With that, everyone laughed and headed to the kitchen, sorting their ingredients. Luo Wei threw an arm around Kang Ge, urging him to demonstrate his cooking, not just boast.
“Have you come here with Ji Yuan before?” Yan Xue asked Xia Qing as they walked.
Xia Qing and Ji Yuan had recently upgraded from couple to engaged. Given Ji Yuan’s friendship with Kang Ge, Xia Qing should have visited, but she seemed unfamiliar with the surroundings, as if this was her first time.
“I’ve never been before. Kang Ge rarely invites friends over,” Xia Qing shook her head and quietly asked Ji Yuan, “How many times have you been here?”
“Once,” Ji Yuan replied, glancing at Yan Xue. “Don’t be fooled by his friendly manner—he’s actually very big on boundaries.”
Xia Qing nodded knowingly, casting a playful look at Yan Xue.
Yan Xue, feeling their gaze, feigned annoyance and glared back.
She was close with Xia Qing, so interacting with Ji Yuan felt natural, unlike with others.
But her glare was interrupted by a phone call.
It was her father. Just hearing his half-apologetic, half-helpless tone, Yan Xue knew trouble was brewing. “Xue, are you off today? Sweetheart, I need a favor—could you go to the train station and pick up your cousin Chenchen?”
“Pick her up? Why should I? I won’t go!” Yan Xue’s brows knitted instantly at the mention of her aunt’s daughter, Song Chen. “I don’t owe her anything. W City has buses, subways, taxis, rideshares—she’s got options!”
“No, Chenchen isn’t here for fun this time. She found a job in W City, just arrived by train, but lost her phone and has no cash. She borrowed a phone from a kind stranger to call your aunt, who then called me.”
Her father spoke gently, “If she were here just to play, I wouldn’t let her bother you—my daughter works so hard, you’re tired enough! But this is special.
I checked with your aunt: Chenchen already arranged a place to rent, paid the deposit, so you only need to take her to her accommodation, nothing else required.”