Chapter Twenty-Three: Appearances Are Deceiving

The group was all taken aback by Ye Dong’s strange behavior, exchanging glances before someone asked, “Ye Dong, what did you just say?!”

Ye Dong stood frozen on the spot. Officer Li patted him on the shoulder, saying, “Ye Dong? I know our police beauty is quite the surprise, but you don’t have to be so stunned, do you?”

Xiaobao grinned widely. “So she’s a police beauty! No wonder she’s so lovely!”

The policewoman, who bore an uncanny resemblance to Yayi, nodded with a smile. “Hello, everyone. My name is Wang Huiyan. Officer Li is my mentor.”

She offered her hand to the still-dazed Ye Dong. “Please, let’s work well together.”

The group, realizing she was Officer Li’s apprentice, instinctively glanced at Officer Li, who wore a look of pride. Remembering his formidable reputation for solving cases, their estimation of the seemingly delicate Wang Huiyan rose a few notches. “This woman is dangerous!” they thought.

From behind, Nianxue gave the absentminded Ye Dong a gentle push. “Come on, snap out of it! Don’t embarrass yourself.”

Ye Dong snapped back to himself, hesitated for a moment, then smiled and grasped Wang Huiyan’s delicate hand. “Hello, my name is Ye Dong. I look forward to working with you.”

Their eyes met—his gaze intense, hers gentle—and for a moment, his heart surged with emotion, indescribably wonderful.

“Ahem,” Wang Huiyan coughed softly.

Ye Dong realized his impropriety and quickly released her hand, bowing his head in apology. “Sorry, sorry—I just lost myself at the sight of such beauty. Please don’t take offense.”

Wang Huiyan pressed her lips into a smile. “You have a great beauty by your side as well.”

She extended her hand to Nianxue. “Hello!”

Nianxue took her hand lightly and smiled. “Officer Wang, you truly live up to your name—your words go straight to my heart.”

Liang Lingzhi thought to himself, “So I, Liang Lingzhi, don’t live up to my name?” He took the initiative and extended his hand to Wang Huiyan. “Hello, I’m Liang Lingzhi—Lingzhi as in wisdom.”

Wang Huiyan wondered, “What’s with this guy? Why does he have to clarify his name like that?”

Da Chun interjected coldly, “Wisdom as in ‘idiot.’ His nickname is ‘Simpleton.’ He truly lives up to his name.”

Liang Lingzhi shot him a glare. “Talk like that and you’ll get yourself punched, you know?”

Everyone shared a knowing smile. After a round of introductions, Ye Dong lit a cigarette for Officer Li and asked curiously, “Officer Li, you’re only just getting back so late—have you come across a major case? You’re the second-in-command of the city police now!”

Officer Li took a drag, about to answer, when Wang Huiyan quietly stopped him. “Mentor, this is confidential.”

Ye Dong and the others were taken aback and quickly waved their hands. “If it’s confidential, we shouldn’t pry. Sorry, Officer Li!”

But Officer Li laughed heartily. “Come now, what’s between us? We’ve been through life and death together. Besides, I was planning to ask you all to be consultants on this case.”

With that, Wang Huiyan said nothing more.

Nianxue felt a bit frustrated. “Looks like our special training is going to be postponed again.”

She asked quietly, “Officer Li, what’s this case that’s so mysterious?”

Xiaobao ventured, “Could it be another murder?”

Officer Li shook his head and pointed at Jiayu, who stood behind them. “Who’s that?”

Jiayu gave a sheepish grin. “Hello, officer. I got lost here, and Ye Dong and the others helped me out.”

Officer Li’s instincts tingled. After signaling to Wang Huiyan, she immediately darted forward and launched a straight punch right at Jiayu’s face!

Jiayu was startled, but raised both hands and used a move called “Qi and Passes,” neatly blocking Wang Huiyan’s sudden attack.

Everyone cried out in alarm. “What are you doing?!”

Wang Huiyan ignored their questions and followed up with a dazzling 360-degree spinning kick aimed at Jiayu’s back!

Jiayu sidestepped, countered with a traditional martial arts move called “Impenetrable Defense,” deflected the kick, and then somersaulted backward three times in the span of a second, landing five meters away!

Nianxue frowned in disbelief. “Since when was that coward Jiayu so skilled?!”

Ye Dong was equally astonished. “Wang Huiyan’s martial arts are formidable—she really is Officer Li’s apprentice!”

“Don’t move!”

Behind Officer Li, Xiao Yang suddenly drew his pistol, aiming it at Jiayu, who was staring intently at Wang Huiyan. “Move a muscle and I’ll blow your head off!”

Jiayu’s lips curled into a smirk. He slowly raised his hands above his