Who is the Woman with Qiao Xiran
1199 Words
Under Qiao Xiran's strong insistence, Rong Jingning spent the night at her former good friend's luxurious mansion.
To be honest, the environment here was quite nice—a high-end hotel-style apartment on the top floor. Although it wasn't as luxurious as Lu Chao's villa, it was tasteful and simple. Especially the balcony, which had a huge private infinity pool. Immersing oneself in the pool felt like walking on clouds, overlooking the glittering city lights from above.
"How do you like it?" As soon as they entered, Qiao Xiran threw off his idol image, collapsed onto the dark gray leather sofa, and arrogantly smiled. "Not bad, right?"
Rong Jingning hadn't been to Qiao Xiran's home since he became a popular celebrity. She remembered the last time she visited, he was still living in a more down-to-earth mid-to-high-end neighborhood.
"Actually, you didn't bring me here to save me, but to show off, right?" Rong Jingning smiled faintly.
Qiao Xiran threw a glance at Rong Jingning. "Are all cops like you, always indulging in wild fantasies?"
"This isn't a fantasy; it's a reasonable deduction."
"Alright, alright, whatever you say!" Qiao Xiran saw that Rong Jingning's face already showed signs of fatigue. The wedding must have exhausted her. She always kept everything bottled up inside, never expressing her troubles, which made him involuntarily feel sorry for her.
"Miss, I have a commercial tomorrow morning, so I need to get some beauty sleep. You go wash up and sleep." Qiao Xiran pretended to be annoyed, pushing Rong Jingning into the bathroom. He then pulled out a set of pajamas from the drawer and tossed them at her. "See how nice I'm being? This set of pajamas was specially prepared for you."
Rong Jingning's hands brushed over the soft fabric, and she felt a pang of gratitude. She was about to thank him but was rudely pushed into the bathroom, the door slammed shut behind her.
Only after the bathroom door was completely closed did Rong Jingning wipe the smile off her face. She undressed, feeling exhausted, and lay down in the bathtub.
She had indeed been exhausted that day—first facing the drama at the wedding alone, then fighting with her new husband, and ending up gloriously as the "widow" guarding the empty room.
Thinking of this, Rong Jingning involuntarily raised her hand to her crimson lips. The warmth of that kiss still lingered, carrying the man's sharp taste, and she momentarily lost herself.
She quickly shook her head and took the towel by her side to wipe her lips hard, only then feeling at ease and closing her eyes to rest in the bathtub.
After all, Lu Chao was her husband, but he was destined to be a stranger in her life.
The next morning, Rong Jingning woke up at 6 a.m. Her strict military school upbringing had ingrained her with disciplined habits. She got out of bed exactly at 6 a.m., while Qiao Xiran, who had been shouting about his early commercial yesterday, was still fast asleep.
Rong Jingning smiled faintly, took a few eggs from the refrigerator, and made a simple breakfast for two. After finishing her meal, she left.
At 8 a.m., Rong Jingning arrived at the police station in N City, her workplace.
It wasn't time to start work yet, and several female colleagues were huddled together discussing something. Although Rong Jingning didn't want to eavesdrop on others' private conversations, the content of their talk involuntarily entered her ears.
"When did this news come out?"
"It just broke this morning. It's today's headline in the entertainment circle—popular heartthrob Qiao Xiran spotted having a late-night dinner with a mysterious woman!"
"Is that really Qiao Xiran? Didn’t he publicly claim to be single? Ahhh, why can’t that girl be me?"
"Look at you swooning. Even if it wasn’t you, it’d never be your turn. I bet she’s some fresh-faced model or something."
"The photo’s too blurry. Can’t make out her face, but her figure seems familiar. Kinda looks like…"
Rong Jingning, mid-sip of water, choked violently at her female colleague’s words. She and Qiao Xiran had been extra cautious yesterday—how had they still been photographed? If her relationship with Qiao Xiran got exposed, her colleagues would hound her endlessly.
Truthfully, her father Guan Zetian had vehemently opposed her becoming a police officer. To maintain a low profile at the precinct, only her direct superior knew her true identity. Colleagues assumed she was just an ordinary girl who coincidentally shared the name of Guan Zetian’s adopted daughter. Even her wedding yesterday had been conducted secretly, with no colleagues invited. Exposure was trivial compared to the risk of her identity surfacing—if that happened, her police career could be jeopardized.
Rong Jingning’s eyes darted shrewdly. Flashing an "OK" gesture to concerned colleagues, she joined their huddle.
Edging into the group, she swiftly analyzed the dim, grainy photo on the computer. It captured Qiao Xiran tenderly assisting a black-hoodied, baseball-capped girl into a car outside a restaurant. To outsiders, the scene looked intimate—but only Rong Jingning, the girl in question, knew the truth: Qiao Xiran had been roughly hauling her into the vehicle, her obscured face contorted from his grip.
Proof that appearances deceive—a lesson applicable to future criminal investigations, she mused.
"My guess is the girl’s Guo Yini," Rong Jingning declared earnestly. Though she avoided celebrity gossip, she knew the A-list actress intimately: Guo Yini was her half-sister. Before yesterday’s wedding, she’d seen the woman daily. While less stunning than Guo Yini, their figures were nearly identical—a safe scapegoat.
Sorry, Xiran. Accusing you of a secret rendezvous with Guo Yini still gives you the better end of the deal.
"Ah! I knew it! It does look like Guo Yini!" The colleague who’d noted the figure’s familiarity immediately agreed.
"Hey, the more I look, the more it fits. Jingning, you seem so fresh and understated—I thought you ignored celebrity news. Sharp eyes!"
Rong Jingning chuckled. "All girls love gossip. Following entertainment news is natural."
As she spoke, female colleagues shot her "great minds think alike" glances.
A light cough echoed at the doorway. A middle-aged man in police uniform entered—thinning hair meticulously combed, expression stern, lips drooping listlessly as he glared disapprovingly at the room.
"Though not yet official duty hours, as public servants, you must maintain professionalism at all times. If civilians witness such laxness, how can they trust us with their safety?"
This was Li Junjie, head of Rong Jingning’s Criminal Investigation Unit.
The chatter died instantly. Colleagues scurried to their desks—then froze upon noticing the newcomer behind Li Junjie: a college-styled boy, radiantly handsome with thick brows, bright eyes, and porcelain skin. His clear, starry gaze shone with pure light.
Every eye locked onto the stranger.
Before Li Junjie could introduce him, synchronized phone alerts erupted. A major case had emerged in City N: following a female office worker’s murder three days prior, another victim—a college student in her twenties—was found dead. The MO matched—both victims r*p*d then murdered, their faces carved with a "heart" symbol.
- Writer
