Chapter 4: Her Identity

Chapter 4: Her Identity

"Shen Xian, I know that for the past three years, you've been sending money and provisions to Little Bai's parents. They asked me to convey their gratitude to you."

The mention of "Little Bai" pierced through Shen Xian's heart like a sharp dart. She gritted her teeth, struggling to suppress her pain.

"Shen Xian, it's been three years. It's time for you to let go."

Zhou Mu reached out and took Shen Xian's hand, his warm and dry palm becoming the sole source of warmth in this chilly autumn night for her.

Tears rolled down Shen Xian's cheeks in large drops. She wept, trembling, leaning on the hands they held together, as the sorrow she had suppressed for years found its release.

Zhou Mu's other hand rested on Shen Xian's back, offering comfort. He shared her grief, for they both had lost the same cherished comrade - Little Bai, Bai Zhan.

The story began three years ago, even earlier.

Back then, Shen Xian was an exceptionally skilled and courageous bomb disposal expert. With exceptional professional abilities and nerves of steel, she had disarmed over a thousand bombs, rescuing countless trapped and hostages. Always timely, she averted threats to public property and lives before any harm could occur.

She raced against time with countless hidden dangers, and she had never lost.

Yes, that's right! Shen Xian, with an unblemished record!

Not only that, but she single-handedly developed a bomb analyzer to swiftly decipher the structures and triggering mechanisms of various explosives.

And Little Bai was her unparalleled bomb disposal partner.

Yet, it was this invincible Shen Xian who, during an operation, failed to protect her comrade's life. She would forever remember the moment after she cut the wire, when Little Bai's trembling voice echoed, "Shen Xian, the wiring is wrong."

In the next instant, without hesitation, Little Bai threw himself at her, shielding her from the blast. The deafening explosion left him no time for a final word before he was permanently taken away from them.

Upon her shoulders, the scars from that explosion remained etched, like the weight of Little Bai's final leap that was forever imprinted on her skin.

After the incident, Shen Xian took the blame and resigned. Though everyone tried to convince her it wasn't her fault, she could no longer face those terrifying bombs with the same calm and composure as before.

She vanished, concealing her identity and severing all connections with her past. Engaging in laborious, mindless work became both an escape and a means of self-preservation.

Three years passed in this manner.

"Three years have passed, and you still haven't found the culprit behind that kidnapping?"

After a long silence, Shen Xian asked with a heavy heart. That explosion had taken away her closest companion and the kidnapped mother and daughter.

Zhou Mu shook his head. "The male head of the family, upon learning that his wife and daughter's rescue attempt failed, set fire to his house, taking his own life as well."

In one blaze, everything was reduced to ashes.

"But..." Pausing for thought, Zhou Mu continued, "We've discovered that the man was a mid-level manager at Shenfei International before he died."

Shenfei International? Shen Xian was taken aback.

"Could it be that the kidnapping was somehow connected to Shenfei International?"

Zhou Mu nodded slightly. "It's hard to say. After such extensive investigation, we haven't uncovered any useful information. The perpetrator is very cunning, leaving no trace behind."

It was a sophisticated kidnapping. Despite their prolonged investigation, they still didn't know the reason behind the abduction of the mother and daughter. Shen Xian had investigated back then too, but there were simply no leads to follow.

"Perhaps, I now know what to do."

With both hands clasped together, Shen Xian's eyes shimmered after being cleansed by her tears. Her words carried a newfound determination.

"You—" Zhou Mu gazed into her eyes, anticipation tingling within him. "Come back, Shen Xian. We need you."

Upon hearing Zhou Mu's words, Shen Xian shook her head without the slightest hesitation. "The Shen Xian from the past no longer exists. Zhou Mu, I'm no longer suitable to be in the team."

A subtle pain flickered across Zhou Mu's eyes. Were those days of fighting side by side truly a thing of the past?

"Here, let's toast to our reunion!"

Perhaps due to finding a new path forward, Shen Xian appeared more relaxed. She picked up a glass of wine nearby and offered it to Zhou Mu.

Though unsure of Shen Xian's intentions, Zhou Mu firmly believed that she had made the best choice for herself at that moment. He would continue to support and trust her as always.

As they sipped their wine and conversed, memories of their perilous missions and shared struggles seemed to come alive before their eyes.

"Shen Xian, am I not awesome? The ultimate Scissor Hands!" Little Bai would always boast to Shen Xian after completing a mission.

"Shen Xian, remember to buy potato chips. You ate three of mine yesterday, so you owe me three bags…"

"Shen Xian, do you think I resemble Edward...?"

"Shen Xian, something's off with your line of thought..."

As they spoke, Little Bai's cheerful, smiling face surfaced in Shen Xian's mind, forever sealed in the remnants of blood and darkness of the past.

Zhou Mu took a sip of wine and turned to ask Shen Xian, who was lost in thought, "Do you have any plans for the future? Or are you content with working at the logistics warehouse indefinitely?"

"Huh, it's not bad at the warehouse either. No need to use my brain, no need to ponder. Just lift and carry with all my might every day, exhaust myself until I can sleep soundly through the night. Ah, what a bliss!"

Shen Xian raised the bottle, gazing at the distant lights through its glass, the blurry beauty captivating.

"Shen Xian—"

Zhou Mu called her name with a tinge of helplessness. A dragon should not be confined to shallow waters. Their Shen Xian deserved more than this.

"Little Bai wouldn't want to see you like this," Zhou Mu reassured her.

"Come, let's toast to Little Bai –"

To Little Bai, her dearest classmate, comrade, and partner; to the most fervent years of their past; to the unforgettable Shen Xian who can never return...

Shen Xian appeared slightly tipsy. As she spoke, she clinked her bottle against Zhou Mu's unbidden and began drinking on her own.

Who said that after a dark tunnel, there would always be a brighter village ahead? Indeed, those words proved true.

Shen Xian didn't disclose her decision to Zhou Mu. Some matters, if investigated by Zhou Mu with her current status, might lead to restrictions. She decided to delve into it herself, hoping that Little Bai's spirit would guide her towards uncovering the truth sooner.

After seeing Zhou Mu off, Shen Xian retrieved a business card from her work uniform and dialed the number without hesitation.

"Hello, Mr. Gu? If your promise today still stands, I hope... I could have the chance to work at the Shenfei Group headquarters."

On the other end of the line, the man gazed at the resume in his hand with a profound expression. "Very well! At ten o'clock tomorrow morning, come straight to the top floor of Shenfei. Someone will meet you there."

"Great!"

With no further words, the two of them sealed this significant decision.

The resume in Gu Chen's hand belonged to Shen Xian. Apart from her three years of work experience at the Shenfei Logistics, her previous background was a blank slate...