Chapter 20: Wedding

Chapter 20: The Wedding

Shen Qingye looked at her in shock, and Song Lianfeng was equally incredulous.

Shen Linyue raised her eyelids: "Why are you looking so shocked?"

She said to Gao Zhengming, "You've watched this headstrong girl grow up. Don’t you know what she’s like?"

Gao Zhengming said sheepishly, "Of course I know, but..."

"But what? You think you can change her mind?" Shen Linyue said coolly.

Gao Zhengming was at a loss for words but still unwilling to give up: "But we can’t just let her go ahead with this..."

"Police work is so dangerous. What if something happens to her someday?"

Shen Linyue put down her cup and looked at him: "Is anything in this world completely safe? Even walking down the street, you could get hit by a car and die."

Gao Zhengming opened his mouth: "That’s not the same thing!"

"What’s the difference?" Shen Linyue sighed, "You know how she is, and you can’t talk her out of it. In the end, it’s just a standoff. What’s the point?"

Gao Zhengming couldn’t argue anymore. He remained silent for a moment before finally grumbling, "Sister-in-law, why are you suddenly on her side?"

"It’s not sudden," Shen Linyue said with a sigh, "I’ve known this day would come ever since she decided to go to the police academy."

Shen Qingye was stunned.

Shen Linyue continued in a calm tone, "Instead of constantly worrying that she might go behind my back and do these things, it's better to let her do it openly. At least I’ll know what she’s doing, and even if I worry, I’ll know where to direct my concerns."

She looked at Gao Zhengming, "Old Gao, you know Old Chu, and I know him too. He’d rather his daughter be a dragon that braves storms than a worm that lives a mundane life."

Gao Zhengming asked, "Even if it means she could lose her life at any time?"

Shen Linyue was silent for a long time before saying, "Sometimes I wish she were just an ordinary child, not so exceptional, just living a peaceful life would be enough."

She looked at him with a helpless expression, "But Old Gao, she’s just not that type of kid."

"Young eagles eventually have to learn to fly. What can I do? Can I keep her grounded forever?"

Gao Zhengming stared at her with a stiff expression for a long time before finally saying with a sour face, "Fine, I can’t win against you two."

He turned his head away and muttered, "Anyway, I’m not going to agree."

Shen Linyue just smiled, knowing he was saving face, and decided to change the subject, "How’s your wife doing these days?"

Gao Zhengming's expression softened slightly, though his tone remained stiff, "She’s doing well."

"And Rui Yang? He’s about to take the college entrance exam, right?"

Gao Zhengming nodded, "Yes, the exam has been moved up to June this year, so there’s not much time left. He seems to be doing fine, eating and drinking as usual, just like always."

Shen Linyue agreed, "He’s always been reliable. I’m sure he’ll do well."

She then turned to Song Lianfeng and smiled, "I’ve been busy lately, and I was worried the team was too, so I haven’t had a chance to get together. Now that we all have some free time, why don’t we find a time to have a meal together?"

Gao Zhengming waved his hand, "We’re all nearby, so there’s always time for a meal. Let’s go to my place sometime. You’ve just come back after a busy week, so you should rest first. There’s no rush."

Song Lianfeng also chimed in, "Xiao Shen has been busy too. Let’s take advantage of the weekend tomorrow and get some rest before anything else."

Upon hearing this, Shen Linyue gave a warm smile and said, "Alright, then I won't decline. I'll head back now."

Gao Zhengming stood up and walked them out a bit, saying, "You go ahead, Song and I have a few more things to talk about."

After the group bid farewell, the office fell silent.

Gao Zhengming sat on the sofa without saying a word.

Song Lianfeng couldn't help but say, "Actually, I think Director Shen makes a good point. That child is incredibly talented and skilled, and so determined. Rather than letting her tag along with the Major Case Division without a clear purpose, it might be better to agree to her request and keep an eye on her, which would be more reassuring."

Gao Zhengming replied, "Do you think I don't want to? It's just that the situation is still unclear. We still don't know who's leading those criminals. After more than a decade of joint military and police efforts, we've only managed to take down one arm of their network. How deep and wide their network truly is, no one knows."

Song Lianfeng furrowed his brow, "Is it really that bad?"

Gao Zhengming sighed, "Originally, I thought that after so many years of the mother and daughter living under aliases, those people should have given up. But seven years ago, during a mission, the police accidentally uncovered one of their bases following a lead. The documents found at the base showed that those people were still relentlessly hunting for the whereabouts of Chu Chengjiang's wife and daughter."

Gao Zhengming shook his head, "They really despise Old Chu."

Song Lianfeng asked, "What's the deal with that criminal gang? How do they have such immense power?"

Gao Zhengming replied, "A transnational crime syndicate, what do you think?"

Song Lianfeng let out a hiss.

Gao Zhengming continued, "We've been cracking down hard on them here, but others might not be. Those people are smart; when they can't operate here anymore, they head south. You know how tough cross-border investigations can be. If others don't take it seriously, or even intentionally turn a blind eye, over time, isn't it inevitable that they would grow?"

Song Lianfeng also looked grave.

Gao Zhengming sighed, "I know that girl is capable. But I'm afraid she's too capable. What if those people target her again... When that happens, how could I face Old Chu?"

Song Lianfeng comforted him, "It might not come to that. Didn't you say they've been living under aliases for so many years? Who would suspect who they really are under those circumstances?"

Gao Zhengming said, "I understand that, but..." He suddenly realized something, his eyes widening as he looked at Song Lianfeng, "Wait, what are you getting at?"

Song Lianfeng chuckled awkwardly, "What could I mean? What are you saying?"

"That girl thinks I'm stupid, and now you think I'm stupid too?" Gao Zhengming was displeased, "You're speaking up for them now!"

"When did you switch sides too?"

Song Lianfeng scratched his nose, "What are you talking about..."

He reasoned with him, "Look, we can't persuade that girl, so we can't just keep this stalemate, right?"

Gao Zhengming laughed, "Oh, so you can't persuade her, and now you've been persuaded by her?"

Song Lianfeng coughed twice and admitted frankly, "Alright, I admit, I am a bit tempted! Look at what a good prospect she is. You've seen the case reports from the two cases she participated in. You should know how important that spark of insight, that intuition, is in our line of work. It would be such a waste to let it go. I really feel sorry for it.

"I'll just give her a heads-up, let her focus on solving cases, and try not to involve her in dangerous situations. Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?"

Gao Zhengming laughed in exasperation, "You're really reaching! No wonder you've been so agreeable this time, you've had this idea all along!"

Song Lianfeng looked around, avoiding his gaze.

Gao Zhengming said irritably, "Alright, alright, you're all in this together, and I'm the only bad guy!"

Song Lianfeng watched him storm out and sighed, "Old Gao, you're just overthinking it."

Gao Zhengming paused in his steps, not turning back, "How can I not be worried?"

As soon as Shen Linyue closed the car door, Shen Qingye snuggled up to her and said in a clingy voice:

"Mom."

Shen Linyue frowned and leaned back. "What do you want?"

Shen Qingye looked up at her, and a thousand words condensed into one sentence: "Mom, how come you're so great?"

Shen Linyue pushed her forehead away with a grimace. "Alright, alright, don't be so sappy."

She started the car, glanced at her, and chuckled. "I'm your mom, who else would be as good as me?"

Shen Qingye hugged one of her arms, resting her head on it, and murmured, "I want to sleep next to you tonight."

Shen Linyue looked disgusted. "Oh please, you're not a baby anymore, still wanting to sleep next to me."

"With your sprawled-out sleeping," Shen Qingye pouted, "Please, I just got back from a busy week, spare me."

Shen Qingye pouted, insisting, "No, I want to sleep next to you!"

Shen Linyue snorted. "Then I'll throw you and your stuff out."

Shen Qingye shook her head, smugly. "You can't win against me."

"I have backup."

"Auntie Chen will definitely take my side!"

"We'll see when we get back."

Despite her words, when Shen Qingye came over with her pillow after dinner, Shen Linyue didn't kick her out.

"Stay on your side, don't come over here."

"No way." Shen Qingye snuggled up to her, hugging her mom, mumbling, "I want to sleep right next to you."

Shen Linyue rolled her eyes, annoyed. "Go to sleep, and if you wake me up in the middle of the night, I'll kick you off the bed."

Shen Qingye hummed a couple of times, not sure she'd stay still after falling asleep.

After they settled down, the bedroom light went off, plunging the room into darkness, with silence outside.

Shen Qingye leaned in her mother's arms, and after a while, she suddenly whispered, "Mom, thank you."

She thought Shen Linyue was asleep, but then heard her grumble, "What for? Just behave and don't make me bury my child, that's thanks enough."

Shen Qingye's eyes couldn't help but moisten, but her voice still laughed. "What gray hair? Mom, you're still young, not a single gray hair."

"That's because I take care of myself. Not like you, rough as a boy, lucky I gave you a good face."

Shen Qingye protested. "Who says? Dad was handsome too! I never saw him take care of himself!"

They bickered back and forth, and after a while, they miraculously quieted down.

Shen Linyue patted her back, drowsily saying, "Sleep."

Shen Qingye softly responded. When the wind calmed and the trees were still, with the moon halfway up the sky, she finally whispered, "Mom, I won't end up like Dad."

The bedroom was silent and still. After a long while, she finally heard a faint murmur.

...

Early the next morning, when Shen Linyue woke up, she felt a heavy weight all over her body.

She frowned, opened her eyes, and sure enough, there was her dear daughter, arms and legs wrapped around her, sleeping soundly.

Her eyebrow twitched, and without a second thought, she pried her off and gave her a shove to the side.

Shen Qingye woke up groggily, mumbling, "Mom..."

Shen Linyue shot her a glare, and that was the end of their brief mother-daughter bonding moment. She said, "Tonight, get back to your own room and leave me alone!"

Shen Qingye, wrapped in the blanket, grumbled a few times, knowing she was in the wrong, and kept quiet.

After Shen Linyue finished washing up, she saw Shen Qingye still rolling around in bed and said, "Stop lazing around, get up."

Shen Qingye, lying on the bed, asked, "Isn't today Saturday? Why are we up so early?"

Shen Linyue replied, "I'm taking you shopping for some clothes."

Shen Qingye frowned, "Don't I have enough clothes? Why do I need more?"

Shen Linyue glanced at her, "What you call clothes? A few rags stitched together. Don't go around telling people you're my daughter."

She added, "Tomorrow is the wedding of our business partner's daughter. You're coming with me."

Shen Qingye blinked, "Which one?"

"The one surnamed Xue, we've had dinner with them before," Shen Linyue explained. "The one getting married is your sister Ming Qi."

Shen Qingye nodded, understanding.

·

After breakfast, the mother and daughter went shopping for a few outfits for the wedding. The next morning, they arrived at the wedding venue right on time.

Madam Xue and the groom's mother, Mrs. Yuan, were welcoming guests. When they saw Shen Linyue, they warmly exchanged pleasantries, showering Shen Qingye with compliments.

Such occasions always involved a lot of socializing. Shen Qingye kept a polite smile on her face, listening to their flattery, though her mind was wandering.

The wedding was about to begin soon. Shen Qingye looked around; the banquet hall was beautifully decorated, with red and white roses intertwined, creating a dreamy scene.

Shen Qingye didn't know much about Shen Linyue's business associates. As for the bride, she had only met her once. In her memory, she was a pretty and graceful girl, but she hadn't expected her to be so romantic.

The Xue family's company had been doing quite well in Pingjiang City, and the Yuan family had also been established locally for many years. With the two families now joining through marriage, the number of guests was naturally large.

Shen Qingye casually scanned the crowd and unexpectedly spotted a familiar face.

The man was tall, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. His well-tailored suit accentuated his already impressive physique. He held a glass in his hand, the liquid inside swaying slightly. His eyes were half-lowered, and he looked somewhat disinterested as he listened to the person in front of him, occasionally responding absentmindedly, clearly bored.

It was Yue Lingchuan, the leader of the third team.

Shen Qingye was a bit surprised to see him here.

But upon closer thought, it wasn't that strange. There had long been rumors in the team about his affluent background, and his usual attire, demeanor, and the car that couldn't be bought for less than four or five hundred thousand all confirmed this.

Shen Qingye hesitated whether to go over and say hello, but seeing that the person in front of him was still talking, she was about to give up when Yue Lingchuan seemed to sense something and suddenly turned his gaze toward her.

When he saw Shen Qingye, he paused for a moment, then suddenly smiled, turned his head to say a few words to the person in front of him, and strode over.

Shen Qingye stood still, a faint smile playing on her lips.

"Captain Yue," she greeted first.

It was a bit warmer today, and the girl was dressed in a beige cashmere coat with a matching dress underneath. Her usually tied-up hair was styled simply, falling softly over her shoulders, adding a touch of softness and elegance to her usual neat and tidy work appearance, making it hard to look away.

"Shen—" Yue Lingchuan started to greet her but hesitated.

Shen Qingye keenly noticed his hesitation, blinked, and after realizing, couldn't help but chuckle softly, kindly explaining, "Qingye, Shen Qingye. Qing like the color green, ye like leaf."

Yue Lingchuan, who usually had thick skin, now felt a bit embarrassed. He scratched his head, cleared his throat, and said, "Qingye, I'll remember that."

He then explained, "I’ve always heard Ms. Yun call you Xiao Shen, so..."

After all, they weren't from the same department and hadn't formally met before, so calling her Xiao Shen had become a habit.

"It's fine," Shen Qingye said, tilting her head slightly with a teasing look, "I didn’t know Captain Yue's name either."

Yue Lingchuan chuckled softly, feeling a bit relieved, cleared his throat again, and quite formally introduced himself to her, "Yue Lingchuan, Yue like mountain, Ling like surpass, Chuan like river."

Shen Qingye, not expecting him to be so formal, was momentarily stunned, then also smiled, "I’ll remember that too."

Yue Lingchuan looked at her smile, and his usually sharp eyebrows unconsciously softened.

Shen Linyue was still mingling over there, Shen Qingye wasn’t interested in such events, so she stayed with Yue Lingchuan in a corner, chatting casually.

"Captain Yue, are you here alone?"

Yue Lingchuan said boredly, "Yes, my dad can’t stand me lazing around on my day off, so he kicked me out."

He glanced at the crowd, then asked her, "Did you come with Ms. Shen?"

Shen Qingye raised her eyebrows, "How could you tell?"

Yue Lingchuan smiled, "You look just like her—clearly mother and daughter."

Shen Qingye touched her face, looking puzzled, do we look alike?

She didn’t think too much about it, chatted a bit more with Yue Lingchuan, mostly about the previous two cases.

Yue Lingchuan thought of something else, said, "By the way, these two cases are major crimes, and since we solved them, there’s a bonus, you should keep an eye on it."

"Us?" Shen Qingye was surprised, "I have it too?"

Yue Lingchuan smiled, "You’re a police officer too, you were involved, and you made a big contribution, of course, you have a share."

Shen Qingye was momentarily stunned, then slowly blinked, feeling something she couldn’t quite put into words.

"Dong—Dong—Dong—"

The bell chimed in the banquet hall, signaling the start of the wedding. The Master of Ceremonies directed the guests to their seats at the front, Shen Qingye and Yue Lingchuan exchanged a glance and found seats somewhere in the middle.

When Shen Linyue came over, seeing the handsome man sitting next to Shen Qingye chatting happily, her eyebrows raised slightly, "This is..."

Shen Qingye introduced, "Mom, this is the leader of our Major Case Team Three, Yue Lingchuan."

Yue Lingchuan extended his hand, "Hello, Auntie."

Shen Linyue understood, and her smile deepened. "Qingye has mentioned Yue Lingchuan to me. You've been very helpful recently, and I truly appreciate it. She's a bit headstrong, so I hope you can continue to look after her."

Yue Lingchuan’s eyes flickered, keenly sensing the deeper meaning in her words, and his smile also deepened. "Mrs. Shen, you can call me Xiao Yue or Lingchuan. Xiao Shen has always been level-headed and sharp, and she has been a great help to us recently. If anything, we’ve been looking out for each other."

Both were perceptive, and as they exchanged glances, they understood each other's intentions, making the atmosphere between them even more lively. Shen Qingye, stuck in the middle, could only watch in silence.

She helplessly turned her head to remind them: "Mom, the banquet is about to start."

Only then did the two reluctantly stop their conversation, with Shen Linyue adding: "Xiao Yue, remember to come over for dinner sometime when you’re free."

Yue Lingchuan replied politely: "Auntie, don’t worry, I’ll make sure to visit when I can."

At 11:06, melodious music began to play in the banquet hall, and the solemn voice of the Master of Ceremonies announced the official start of the wedding:

"Dear family and friends, honored guests, good morning! On this beautiful, sunny day with a gentle breeze, we gather to celebrate the joyous occasion of Mr. Yuan Zhenghao and Ms. Xue Mingqi's wedding. On behalf of the bride and groom, I would like to thank you all for your presence..."

A round of applause filled the banquet hall, and Shen Qingye also raised her hand symbolically. The Master of Ceremonies continued with some blessings, concluding the opening remarks, and finally announced: "Now, please welcome the groom, Mr. Yuan Zhenghao!"

The music in the hall changed, and the applause from the audience grew even more enthusiastic. Everyone eagerly looked back, but the door at the end of the corridor remained open, with no sign of anyone.

The crowd exchanged puzzled glances, confused by the delay. The Master of Ceremonies on stage also looked slightly flustered but still managed to smile and smooth things over: "On this joyous day, our groom is feeling a bit nervous. Let’s give him a moment, shall we?"

The response from the audience was muted, and the expressions of the elders from both the Xue and Yuan families turned slightly grim.

Mrs. Yuan nudged her younger daughter to go and check, while she went to comfort the Xue family parents; Mr. Yuan cursed under his breath: "That idiot, how could he mess up at a time like this!"

The guests were patient, but after several minutes passed with no sign of the groom, they couldn't help but whisper among themselves:

"What's going on? Did he really get delayed?"

"That shouldn't be the case. Even without a rehearsal, someone should have reminded him. How could he miss the timing?"

"Could he have gotten cold feet?"

"Tsk... I saw them shopping together recently, arm in arm, they seemed to be on good terms..."

"The Xue family must be livid, right?"

The quiet banquet hall suddenly became noisy. Not only was the Xue family furious, but the Yuan family was also deeply upset.

Mrs. Yuan was about to investigate when a sharp scream suddenly came from the waiting area for the newlyweds:

"Ah—"

"Someone's dead!"

The banquet hall fell silent for a moment before erupting into chaos. Shen Qingye and Yue Lingchuan exchanged serious glances and immediately got up, rushing towards the source of the commotion.

"Xiao Feng!" Shen Linyue’s face paled slightly, and she reached out to grab her, but her fingers only brushed against the hem of her coat as she watched her figure gradually disappear into the distance.

Shen Linyue’s eyes widened, and she gasped.