Meeting Meng Renshu after what happened last time felt so burdening. They hadn't really talked to each other after that. He was probably upset because she tried to chase him away last time.
Li Caiyi didn't mind. In fact, this was very convenient for her. She still hadn't gotten over the mortification of having been caught red-handed doing something indecent in the middle of the hallway.
Her cheeks heated up again when she recalled those memories.
"What's wrong? Are you nervous?"
Li Caiyi shook her head, refusing to look to her side where Meng Renshu was sitting. They were currently waiting for Detective Tang at the usual restaurant where they used to meet.
"No. I was just lost in thought just now."
Meng Renshu peered at her face, making her feel self-conscious. "Is there something on my face?"
"It was just that you were acting strangely."
"That's not true. There is nothing unusual about me."
"Hmm, if you say so." Meng Renshu returned his gaze to the front while asking, "Perhaps, if you are still thinking about what happened last time, then don't be. He is the one who is in the wrong. You did nothing to be ashamed of."
Li Caiyi almost dropped her mango smoothie. It would be better if he had just forgotten about it and never mentioned it again.
"Please just erase it from your memory."
"Does it bother you that much?"
"About what?"
"The fact that I saw what you two were doing."
"Of course," Li Caiyi answered firmly, but later, she noticed something and added, "I would feel mortified all the same if it were other people who saw us like that."
Meng Renshu chuckled. "I know. You don't have to be so defensive. You'll get wrinkles faster if you frown like that."
Li Caiyi cast a doubtful look at him. He seemed pretty unbothered by it, but after seeing his reaction that night, she wasn't that sure anymore.
When Li Caiyi was about to say something again, she saw Detective Tang walking into the restaurant. She quickly waved her hand at him. "Here!"
Detective Tang noticed them sitting together and quickly switched his playful grin to a business smile.
"I'm sorry for being late. There is a matter I need to take care of first."
Meng Renshu smiled politely as he gestured to Detective Tang to sit down. After they finally sat down together, Meng Renshu spoke, "So you are the private detective Xiaoyi has been talking about?"
"That's right. I'm sure you already heard the gist from her, but we need your help."
"Interesting. Care to explain to me in detail?"
The conversation after that was tense, to say the least. Meng Renshu would occasionally ask him a critical question or speak lines that would throw him off, but Detective Tang fared pretty well against him. Rather than business talk, this was more like an interrogation session, where one side tried to probe more information from the other party using manipulative means.
It was like a realm she couldn't step into. There was no gap for her to join in the conversation.
Li Caiyi felt her throat drying just by listening to them, and her mango smoothie ran out before she knew it. Meng Renshu's expression gradually turned darker as he listened to the whole story from Detective Tang.
When they finally finished, none of them said a word. Li Caiyi carefully asked, "Ehm, so what's the decision?"
Meng Renshu sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair. "These are all just too much information to digest. I need time to process this."
"That's understandable. But we hope to hear good news from you." Detective Tang said before shifting his gaze to her, "By the way, Kong said the analysis is done. Do you want to come with me to see the result?"
Li Caiyi's face brightened immediately. This was the news she had been waiting for!
"Really?! Then yes, please take me there!"
"What analysis?" Meng Renshu asked curiously.
"We took a little miss' blood as a sample. We want to know whether a component in her blood made her resistant to the drug. As I said, there is no guarantee that Li Chunhua is the only victim. We took the gamble, and little Miss agreed to it."
"And today, the result is finally out, huh? I understand. Please take me with you as well," Meng Renshu didn't even stop to consider and immediately rose from his seat.
"Huh?" Li Caiyi stared at him in confusion, even more so when Detective Tang readily agreed to him.
"I had hoped you'd say that. Then if you don't mind going by my car, I can take you there immediately."
Meng Renshu's brows raised a bit, but he nodded his head in the end. "I don't mind at all. Lead the way."
Li Caiyi couldn't believe they left her just like that and walked out in a hurry. It was like they had a tacit understanding, and she couldn't keep up with them. Even though it was her blood that was being analyzed!
"H-hey, wait for me!" Li Caiyi shouted while hurriedly standing up and picking up her bag.
***
Li Caiyi wanted to praise Meng Renshu's ability to stay calm. She remembered freaking out when she first knew the entrance to Chu Kong's laboratory, yet he didn't bat an eye when he saw it.
"Are you scared? Do you want me to hold your hand?" Meng Renshu suddenly turned to her and asked. "This tunnel is pretty dark. I'm worried you'll fall down."
Was he trying to be considerate to her? There was no way she would agree to it, though.
"No, I'm fine. This isn't the first time for me."
But then, Detective Tang suddenly chimed in, "Miss, you shouldn't feel embarrassed just because I'm here. I remember you clung to me the last time we passed here."
Li Caiyi was baffled and annoyed by his unnecessary information. No matter how much he wanted to kiss Meng Renshu's feet, isn't it too early to sell her out like this?!
It was dark as usual on the tunnel leading to Chu Kong's place, but she just knew that the nosy detective was probably reaching his ears out to listen to their conversation with that ingratiating playful smirk on his face.
She glared at his back resentfully.
"I don't know what you are talking about." Li Caiyi coldly replied.
"Aww, someone is shy here."
"Detective Tang, please don't speak nonsense--"
Her words were interrupted when she felt something warm wrap itself around her hand. She jolted in surprise and fear.
The next second, she could feel the humid air of breath closing in on her. "Even though you don't need it, I'm still worried. Just let me make sure nothing's happened to you, alright?"
"Hey! I never give you permission!" Li Caiyi replied, unknowingly lowering her voice. She tried to pull her hands off him, but he firmly held her hand in place.
"I promise to let you go once we arrive." Meng Renshu said gently. "Or are you scared you'll fall for me if I do this to you?"
"What kind of nonsense is that?"
He chuckled in amusement. "If not, then there's nothing to worry about, right?"
Ugh. Li Caiyi didn't like how he kept doing this to her, but the fact that she secretly felt calmer feeling another human's warmth on her skin, frustrated her even more.
It seemed she wasn't used to this tunnel like she claimed herself to be. And Meng Renshu saw through that.
It was embarrassing how he could read her like a book. But it'd be more embarrassing to make a big deal out of it, so she played it cool by acting unbothered.
Thankfully, it didn't take long before they finally arrived at Chu Kong's door. Detective Tang knocked on the door a few times just like before, and soon, the door was opened.
Seeing Chu Kong after a while somehow lifted her mood up. He was a man with few words, but he seemed like a genuinely good person. She was so excited she approached him first as soon as she entered.
"It has been a while, Dr. Chu. I heard you finally finished analyzing the blood. Thank you for your hard work."
Chu Kong immediately became alarmed by how she invaded his boundaries. He took a few steps back like a cornered cat.
"Little Miss, don't scare Kong like that."
"Ah! Sorry! I didn't mean to scare you!" Li Caiyi reached out to him, wanting to shake his hand, but it only made him jump away in panic before he ran into his laboratory.
Detective Tang burst out in laughter. "Haha, it's because you had a scary expression on your face. This is hilarious!"
At least one of them seemed to be having so much fun. Meanwhile, Meng Renshu looked around with so much interest on his face. "This is a curious place. How long since Mr. Chu Kong occupied his place?"
That question was, of course, directed to Detective Tang. The detective shrugged before answering, "He has been here for as long as I can remember. I don't know about that either."
"Are you sure?"
"Why wouldn't I be? More importantly, let's get inside and hear the results now."
Li Caiyi watched as he entered the laboratory. It was probably just her imagination, but she felt like he was trying to avoid the topic just now. Was it something he couldn't talk about with them?
"Xiaoyi? Let's go." Meng Renshu gestured to her to come over.
"Uh, yeah! Coming!"
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