"Feng Gege, did she do anything to you?" Zheng Yingxue asked with hostility, looking at Qin Bingran behind Li Qingfeng.
Upon hearing her words, Qin Bingran's face showed a hint of disdain, as if she hadn't heard Zheng Yingxue at all.
Seeing her reaction, Li Qingfeng finally breathed a sigh of relief. If these two women started fighting, he'd be in trouble.
However, what followed was Zheng Yingxue's barrage of concerned inquiries. Seeing her anxious expression, Li Qingfeng felt a touch of emotion. The two of them began chatting by the entrance of the police station.
To Li Qingfeng, their interaction appeared to be a perfectly normal exchange of pleasantries. But to Qin Bingran, it took on a different hue. Seeing the two of them seemingly engrossed in each other, waves of emotion surged within her.
Subsequently, she made a decision that even she couldn't comprehend.
"Is the statement complete?" she asked coldly to the officers at the door.
The officers quickly responded, "Captain Qin, Zheng Yingxue's statement is finished. The entire incident was caused by her high school classmate, Wang Ling."
"As for Pi Yongchang, Guang Hongye, and Ji Fenglin, they were indeed using prohibited items and have been criminally detained!"
After listening to their report, Qin Bingran was at a loss for any reason to keep Li Qingfeng there any longer. Just then, Zheng Yingxue spoke up, "Since the investigation is complete, can we leave now?"
The officers nodded. One male officer said, "You are free to go. You can return home!"
"Thank you, Uncle!" Hearing Zheng Yingxue's thanks, the male officer beamed.
"Let's go, Feng Gege, it's getting late!" Zheng Yingxue pulled Li Qingfeng, intending to leave. However, Qin Bingran suddenly spoke up, blocking their path.
"What do you want?" Before Li Qingfeng could speak, Zheng Yingxue stepped in front of him, glaring at Qin Bingran with hostility.
Seeing Zheng Yingxue's stance, Qin Bingran instinctively lowered her head, appearing disheartened.
"You may leave!" Although Li Qingfeng had injured many people, he had acted in self-defense, so letting him go was the best course of action.
And so, Zheng Yingxue pulled Li Qingfeng out of the police station.
As soon as they were outside, Li Qingfeng let go of Zheng Yingxue's hand and said, "Yingxue, wait for me for a moment. I forgot something!" With that, he turned and ran back into the police station.
At that moment, Qin Bingran was still staring blankly at the police station entrance. She bumped into Li Qingfeng as he ran in.
"You..."
"You..."
They both spoke at the same time.
"You go first..."
"You go first..."
Suddenly, they both chuckled. Li Qingfeng made a gentlemanly gesture, offering the floor to Qin Bingran.
Seeing his action, Qin Bingran asked, "Why did you come back to see me?"
"I... I suddenly remembered I don't have your phone number. Could you give me your number?" Li Qingfeng said somewhat sheepishly, looking at Qin Bingran.
Perhaps taken aback by his directness, the psychological pressure she had been feeling eased considerably. She directly extended her hand to him, shaking it slightly.
Li Qingfeng?
"Give me your phone!"
"Oh, okay!" Hearing Qin Bingran's words, Li Qingfeng sheepishly handed over his phone. Qin Bingran then opened his contacts.
The air grew silent. Li Qingfeng, seeing Qin Bingran motionless for a long time, curiously leaned in. He saw that she was focused on his contacts. Since his iPhone 4 and SIM card were new, the only contact listed was Qin Bingyue, the person who had sold him the phone.
"Wait... Qin Bingyue?" Li Qingfeng suddenly understood why Qin Bingran had stopped. The girl who sold him the phone was indeed Qin Bingran's sister! He felt how small the world was and how peculiar fate could be.
At this point, there seemed to be no other number to save.
"Run!" Li Qingfeng suddenly shouted, snatching his phone back from Qin Bingran and darting out of the police station.
Watching him bolt away, the officers inside the police station looked at him with confusion. Just moments ago, this guy had come in asking for Captain Qin's contact information, and Captain Qin had actually seemed willing to give it to him. They had all gathered around, curious. It was known that obtaining the contact information of the "Iceberg Female Officer" was no easy feat, yet this guy, on the verge of getting it, had suddenly run off. With this thought, their gazes shifted to Qin Bingran.
"Heh!" To their surprise, Qin Bingran showed no anger. Instead, she let out a laugh. With her intelligence, she had realized it was a new phone the moment she took it. It wasn't the latest model, but one she had used herself for a while. So, the moment Li Qingfeng produced it, she understood everything. Opening the contacts, she indeed found her sister's number. Turning back, she returned to her office and called her sister, Qin Bingyue. With her sister involved, she knew Li Qingfeng's phone number. As for her own number, well, he could dream on!
Li Qingfeng, however, was completely unaware of the situation. The moment he rushed out, he grabbed Zheng Yingxue and ran.
"Hey, Feng Gege, slow down!" After they had run a considerable distance, Zheng Yingxue called out, panting slightly.
Hearing her, Li Qingfeng finally came to his senses. He looked around at the dazzling scenery, the bright streetlights, and the countless flashing neon signs of passing cars. In the city, the streets became more vibrant as night fell, a stark contrast to his village, Mo Pang Gou, at night.
"Feng Gege, is there still a bus back to town?" Zheng Yingxue asked softly, looking at Li Qingfeng.
Upon hearing her words, Li Qingfeng honestly shook his head and replied, "It's too late. The last bus from town leaves at 5:30 PM. It's past 7 PM now, so it's long gone!" He then showed her his phone screen.
Hearing her "Feng Gege's" answer, Zheng Yingxue realized that because of her, they wouldn't be able to return home today. She fell silent.