CHAPTER 88: 76. IF I WERE TO LEAVE YOU FOR A WHILE, WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO LET GO?

She panicked and hurriedly clenched her Mizhu, quickly turning away.

She tried to sound calm: "...I won’t disappoint you."

.

Yanqing watched her back, a slight smile tugging at his lips.

"Actually, I have something to discuss with you: the cases of Nisha and Zhou Guanghan’s murders are being investigated together, and I might need to leave you for a while."

"Oh?" Shi Nian was startled, quickly turning around.

Her gaze instinctively climbed up to meet his eyes, filled with urgency.

"Then, who will protect me?"

He slowly clenched the hand behind his back.

At this moment, his heart was pounding.

But he could only remain calm, diverting his gaze to glance at Jia Tianzi.

"Didn’t you once feel a connection with Mr. Jia? Naturally, he’ll take my place."

Shi Nian glanced at Jia Tianzi, a flash of disappointment quickly passing in her eyes. She swiftly concealed it, offering a awkward smile: "Uh, alright."

She should have realized earlier, even though Yanqing moved mountains to bring over two truckloads of belongings, it’s impossible for the police’s 24-hour protection to rely solely on one officer. No one can endure such constant tension.

She looked at him earnestly: "...Thank you, Mr. Tang, for your protection over these days."

She mastered her expression well, letting that fleeting disappointment slip by unnoticed by the distant ones, yet it was captured in Yanqing’s eyes.

His fingers clenched tighter.

He really wanted to hold her right now, but what should he do?

He lowered his gaze, feeling slightly intimidated to meet her eyes, and spoke lightly: "Actually, I need to ask you for a favor."

"Go ahead." She responded immediately, without hesitation.

He looked around the entire open-plan office: "This time, the suspect we face is someone very strong-minded and very cautious. So, I need to enter Kangchuan University posing as a student. To facilitate my work, I want to find a female journalist from the media sector to partner with me and assist in the preliminary investigation of the case."

.

Shi Nian’s mind instinctively conjured the image of Tang Yan Yi.

"But why don’t you find a female officer to partner with?" She bit her lip: "Wouldn’t Miss Tang be the most suitable choice?"

"She’s not suitable." He replied without hesitation.

"Why?"

"She carries too much of an ’agent aura’," He said calmly, staring deeply into her eyes: "Growing up in a family of officers, my second uncle and aunt are both officers, so she has an indelible aura of an officer. Moreover, after graduating from police school, she trained in the investigation bureau for a considerable time, leaving her edges unpolished."

"Just like how you could deduce that she was a sharpshooter when you first met her, our opponent also possesses keen observational and analytical skills, making her too easily exposed."

His gaze flowed quietly: "There aren’t many female officers involved in actual cases, and even fewer capable ones. She’s not suitable, and others are even less so."

"Despite that, why does Mr. Tang seek female journalists in the media as partners?"

He watched her: "Because journalists are inherently not officers, they don’t possess an intense aura that would raise the suspect’s suspicion. Furthermore, journalists have excellent independent investigation skills, particularly in communication and gathering clues, sometimes even surpassing officers. Plus, good female journalists embody independent and calm traits, ensuring no trouble for me."

.

This last statement made Shi Nian raise her eyebrows slightly, a faint smile curling her lips, turning her gaze toward Ye He.

"Ahem..." He intercepted timely: "I mean there might be emotional entanglements in partnerships, not that I can’t resist a female partner. I’ve sworn off womanizing four years ago."

Being deciphered by him, Shi Nian’s face flushed, yet she couldn’t help defending herself: "I’m not doubting Mr. Tang’s self-control... I meant to say, Ye He is also a great candidate."

"But she recently failed my interview." He said calmly.

"Interview, recently?" Shi Nian expressed her surprise.

He nodded: "To become my female partner, one must keep up with my pace mentally. Earlier, when I was analyzing Xiao Mai, it was essentially a minor interview. At that time, Ye He was just agape, looking surprised at us. Clearly, she lacks the skill for the level of deduction just demonstrated."

Shi Nian frowned: "Then, perhaps Xiao Mai could work? After all, she understood immediately after I explained."

His gaze darkened as he spoke: "Facing a ruthless killer, there’s no chance for ’hind-sight wisdom’. I need someone ahead of the curve."