The dinner for four, though two were overly quiet, was still a perfect ending thanks to the lively conversation between the other two chatterboxes.
Qi Bai left happy, Pang Le’s curiosity was satisfied, Guan Xia ate until she was nearly stuffed, and Xu Nian, though he hadn’t said a word, sat in a relaxed posture that made it clear he was in a good mood too.
After finishing the last sip of wine in her glass, Pang Le checked her watch. "It’s almost 11. Should we call it a night? Maybe meet up again sometime?"
A polite remark, but Qi Bai seized the opportunity without hesitation. "Sure! We’ve got five days off this time—when should we meet again?"
Guan Xia had already started to rise from her seat, but at those words, she immediately sat back down.
Pang Le wasn’t surprised. After a brief pause, she said, "How about the weekend? Are you free? We’ve got a camping trip planned with friends—heading out Saturday and returning Sunday."
Guan Xia shot Pang Le a surprised look. This was setting up a battlefield—she distinctly remembered this outing was organized by Lawyer Shi.
Qi Bai’s smile widened. "The weekend? Should work. Unless something unexpected happens, we’re back at work Monday."
"So it’s settled?" Pang Le said. "Once we finalize the departure time and campsite, I’ll call you."
"Deal." Qi Bai nodded seriously, then asked with interest, "Do you camp often? I only went twice right after college and never again. Are there any great camping spots in Yongquan City?"
At this, Pang Le perked up. She was the restless type with a long list of hobbies, and camping was just one of them.
As the conversation between the two reignited just as the gathering was about to end, Guan Xia chuckled helplessly, shifting into a more comfortable position before letting her gaze wander idly.
Might as well look around—who knows, maybe she’d spot a criminal.
Though it was nearly midnight, the streets were still crowded—some leaving after meals, others just sitting down. Every table near them was full.
Guan Xia scanned the area but found nothing unusual. Just as she was about to look away, a middle-aged man sitting three tables away suddenly caught her attention.
The man had a companion, and the two seemed drunk enough to be leaving, stumbling out arm in arm.
They were about the same height, but one was fat, the other thin. Guan Xia watched as the thin one struggled under the weight, nearly tripping.
The drunker of the two, the fat man, suddenly shoved his friend aside after a few steps, staggering to a tree by the roadside before doubling over and vomiting violently.
Guan Xia grimaced and looked away—only to notice Xu Nian across from her watching intently.
Realization dawned on her, and she turned back just as Qi Bai asked curiously, "What are you two looking at?"
Then, as if resurrected from the dead, the system interface abruptly popped up, lines of text flashing rapidly:
You’ve been questioned by the police. Suddenly, you remember—at 10:27 AM on April 22nd, you browsed through several wanted posters. One of them bears a striking resemblance to the man you’re seeing now. You decide to inform the officers.
The text was followed by an enlarged version of the wanted poster Guan Xia had seen before, clearly labeled with the name: Song Changyong, male, born June 19, 1987.
Below the birthdate were his registered address and ID number, but Guan Xia had no time to scrutinize them. She immediately grabbed her phone and searched the browser.
For the first time since binding with the system, her heart raced with excitement. This dinner hadn’t been a waste—she’d actually stumbled upon something big.
When the search results displayed the same wanted photo in milliseconds, she thrust her phone toward Qi Bai’s face, barely containing her excitement. "Look—is that him?"
Qi Bai instinctively glanced at the screen, her expression shifting for a split second before smoothing over. She nudged Xu Nian with her elbow, silently pushing the phone toward him.
Xu Nian took the phone, studied it for a few seconds, then nodded firmly. "It’s him."
Qi Bai’s eyes curved into crescents, and Xu Nian allowed himself a small smile as he handed the phone back to Guan Xia. "Let’s go. Consider this a little overtime workout during our vacation."
Though they’d agreed, neither stood up immediately. Instead, they waited until the drunk middle-aged man finished vomiting, slung an arm around his friend’s shoulders, and staggered forward another dozen meters—completely leaving their dining area—before leisurely following.
Pang Le had been watching them closely since Qi Bai’s question and now understood what was happening. Her excitement surpassed even Guan Xia’s, and she practically vibrated in her seat after Qi Bai and Xu Nian stood up. Guan Xia had to exert some effort to hold her back.
"Just sit tight," Guan Xia whispered in Pang Le’s ear. "Two detectives can’t handle a couple of drunks?"
Though seated, Pang Le fidgeted like her chair was covered in nails. "I’m just pumped! I’ve never seen anything like this before. It’d be even more thrilling if I could help."
Despite her eagerness, Pang Le stayed put, gripping Guan Xia’s hand tightly as she watched intently.
Guan Xia kept talking to Pang Le but never took her eyes off the scene.
Qi Bai and Xu Nian followed at a slightly quicker pace, closing the gap until they were just a step away. Then Xu Nian suddenly called out, "Song Changyong?"
The drunk man was so far gone that, despite being a fugitive, his first instinct was to turn and slur, "Who’s calling me?"
With his identity confirmed, Qi Bai and Xu Nian lunged forward simultaneously, pinning the man to the ground and cuffing him effortlessly.
The sudden commotion sobered up the thin man, but instead of backing away in panic, he instinctively dropped into a crouch, hands on his head.
Even Guan Xia could tell from the practiced move that he’d probably "studied" inside before.
"This outing was so worth it," Pang Le murmured, eyes gleaming as she stared at the scene. "Even if Qi Bai isn’t my usual type, if every meetup ends like this, maybe I could reconsider."
As the crowd of onlookers grew, blocking Guan Xia’s view, she finally looked away and scoffed. "Be serious. You’ve thrown yourself into every past relationship wholeheartedly. Can you honestly promise the same this time?"
The question gave Pang Le pause. She frowned, cycling through several expressions before sighing. "Hmm… probably not. Fine, friends it is."
Speaking of this, Guan Xia suddenly remembered she had made plans with Qi Bai for the weekend and couldn’t help but ask, "Oh right, I forgot to ask—wasn’t Lawyer Shi organizing a gathering this weekend? How come you ended up inviting Qi Bai?"
"To give him a chance to get to know me," Pang Le replied with a grin. "That way, I won’t even have to reject him. He’ll back off on his own."
Guan Xia understood immediately. "So you’re planning to keep hanging out with him?"
Pang Le nodded. "Life’s been too dull lately—I feel like my bones are rusting. Since you won’t play with me, I figured I’d drag him along. Plus, letting him experience my thrilling lifestyle might just make him give up. Two birds with one stone, right?"
Guan Xia pursed her lips, feeling another wave of sympathy for Qi Bai. She hoped that after experiencing Pang Le’s full range of hobbies, he wouldn’t end up like the last guy, who suddenly developed a fear of heights in his twenties.
Guan Xia had assumed Qi Bai and Xu Nian would take a while to return, but to her surprise, they were back in just over ten minutes, sitting across from her with cheerful expressions.
Even Pang Le seemed taken aback. "That’s it? No need to go to the station?"
Qi Bai smiled. "One B-level fugitive and a habitual thief aren’t enough to drag our entire squad back to work during vacation. We handed them over to the local precinct."
Guan Xia understood now—it seemed their criminal investigation unit only handled major cases.
"B-level fugitive?" Pang Le hesitated before asking, "Is it okay to say what crime he committed?"
Qi Bai answered, "No need for secrecy—it was aggravated assault. By the way, Guan Xia, how did you spot him earlier?"
Guan Xia blinked blankly. "Uh… with my eyes?"
Qi Bai instinctively glanced at Xu Nian before bursting into laughter. "Is this what it’s like in the world of experts? If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have recognized that guy as the one in the wanted photo. His face was so bloated, like a balloon pumped full of air. Even after we caught him, I stared for ages and still couldn’t see the resemblance."
Guan Xia thought to herself—she hadn’t recognized him either. She’d just acted on what the system told her.
Trying to cover, she said, "Maybe it’s because I studied art, so I’m more sensitive to facial features. Plus, I’m used to looking at all kinds of photos for inspiration. Over time, I just remember them."
"Looking at wanted photos for inspiration?" Qi Bai’s expression turned odd, as if he’d imagined something bizarre.
Guan Xia quickly clarified, "I’ve been drawing comics since college, so I need all kinds of reference material. Photos are just one part of it."
"So you’re saying your brain’s packed with who knows how many wanted faces?" Qi Bai suddenly stared at her like she was some kind of treasure, his gaze intense. "Besides comics, what else are you into? Food? Camping? Board games?"
Faced with his sudden enthusiasm, Guan Xia felt a headache coming on.
Maybe it was because she was too much of a homebody, but she really wasn’t good at handling social interactions. Thankfully, Xu Nian stepped in, indirectly rescuing her.
Xu Nian asked, "Has your memory always been this sharp?"
Guan Xia hesitated before nodding. "It’s… decent, I guess."
"So modest," Qi Bai marveled. "Is this the world of experts? Pang Le was right—you and Captain Xu really are alike. He’s always humble too."
Unsure how to respond, Guan Xia stayed quiet. Xu Nian added, "I noticed your search earlier—you looked up the name directly. Did you memorize the names along with the photos?"
Another mess caused by the system. Guan Xia didn’t want to admit it, but she had no choice but to nod.
Just as she thought Xu Nian might ask more, he tapped his phone a few times and held it out to her, asking seriously, "Want to exchange contacts?"
