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miss-ingno · 2 years

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Good Poison Tastes Bitter

Fandom: Guardian (镇魂) Rating: T Ship: Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan, one-sided Zhu Hong/Zhao Yunlan Words: 6.3k Tags: married Weilan, Identity Reveal, pre-canon divergence AU, episode 4 rewrite, casefic, flirting, jealousy, misunderstanding implies cheating, Weilan being BAMF, Zhu Hong PoV

Summary:

Zhu Hong knows she shouldn't be crushing on Chief Zhao—he's married! But Chief Zhao shouldn't be flirting with their suspect either >:(

Read here on Ao3. Part 1 of Already Married AU.

A/N: The title is from the proverb 良药苦口。(Liángyào kǔ kǒu / 'good medicine bitter mouth'), meaning frank criticism is hard to swallow. I changed 'medicine' to 'poison' for three reasons: 1) Zhang Danni's poison gas power, 2) to emphasize Zhu Hong being a snake yashou who is 3) jealous.

The story was inspired by this exchange with @sasamelons.

For my @guardianbingo square, “Identity Reveal”!

Zhu Hong was aware that her crush on Zhao Yunlan was inadvisable.

For one, he’s her boss and the one person arguing with their superiors for her inclusion in the SID. It’s part of the reason why she’s crushing on him, she suspected, that he’s going out of his way to ensure her a spot on his team, despite being Yashouren. He had been patient with her while she needed time to acclimate to how humans do things, pointing out what she needed to practice to blend in more easily. Like learning how to walk in high heels, something she hated and yet practiced religiously until she didn’t wobble even a little.

For another, she knew Zhao Yunlan didn’t return her feelings—because, the third reason, Zhao Yunlan was married.

Zhu Hong had never met his wife, none of the team had except for the deputy, who lived with Chief Zhao. And yet, everyone knew how very much in love Chief Zhao was. Sickeningly so. He constantly mentioned her, wondering if she would like this, talking about some project she was working on, about how much her students adored her. All of this was said with the most sappy expression on his face Zhu Hong ever had the horror to witness.

At least, his wife seemed to return his devotion: packing him lunch with reminders to eat regularly, calling him during hard cases to make sure Chief Zhao took a break, calling the deputy when Zhao Yunlan refused to answer.

More tellingly, Chief Zhao listened to her—most of the time—when he blithely ignored everyone else.

So: her crush was hopeless and she should forget about it as soon as possible, which was much easier said than done when Zhao Yunlan insisted on being all noble and passionate and charming and—aaaagh!

All of that was to say that, perhaps, just perhaps, she got her hopes up a tiny little bit when Chief Zhao asked her to join him on patrol. She knew they wouldn’t be alone, Chu Shuzhi and Lin Jing were also ordered to stake out the area. And yet her traitorous heart skipped a beat because… what if this was Chief Zhao asking her to spend more time with him? Rationally she was aware that he simply wanted her to get more field experience, but what did the heart care for logic?

Instead, she was assigned to follow Chu Shuzhi, which she did with her head held high and the clacking of her heels only vaguely resembling the stomping tantrum of a child. And if her responses to Chu Shuzhi's jabs were more acerbic than usual, well, what did he know about how Haixingren ladies behaved? Despite having joined the SID over a year ago, Chu Shuzhi made little effort to pass as Haixingren and seemed to care even less for interacting with anyone outside the team.

And just when she was starting to feel better about herself—Chief Zhao would be so proud that they caught the perp before any more women could be harmed—a scream rent through the quiet evening. Zhu Hong exchanged a look with Chu Shuzhi and cursed, turning on her heels to run after the Dixingren, her hapless stalker forgotten.

They were on the scene immediately, only shortly after Zhang Danni was attacked. Just in time to save her—and they even caught the perp!

Chief Zhao recognized Professor Shen from Dragon City university, which in and of itself wasn't too unusual, Chief Zhao took networking for the SID's advantage very seriously. Despite their superficial acquaintance, Chief Zhao didn't pay the professor much attention—their prime suspect! Normally, lao-Zhao would be all over the man, tricking him into a confession. Instead Zhu Hong was very put out when he focussed on the pretty lady, insisting on escorting Zhang Danni back to HQ in his own car, politely ignoring her objections and assurances, promising her that she's safe.

Obviously it was part of their duties, but did he have to be so… so… gallant and chivalrous about it! The man was married, for heaven's sake!

Chief Zhao quickly co-opted Guo Changcheng in his ‘make the victim feel comfortable’ agenda, leaving their intern to sit with the pretty woman on the backseat. Since neither Chu Shuzhi nor Zhu Hong knew how to drive, it was up to Lin Jing to take the suspect back. Da Qing, faced with the threat of having to take charge, had promptly turned into a cat. Zhu Hong hesitated for a long moment, torn between wanting to keep an eye on the suspicious professor and making sure Zhao Yunlan didn’t do anything untoward with the victim, like flirting.

Why is he smiling at her like that, she thought furiously, glaring after the car until Chu Shuzhi dragged her into the second jeep.

The trend continued once they arrived at their headquarters, Zhao Yunlan dismissively ordering her and Chu Shuzhi to interrogate the perpetrator while he made sure the victim was comfortable, getting her a glass of water, a blanket, some snacks. Da Qing, still a cat, watched him for a long moment before shaking his head and following Chu Shuzhi into the interrogation room.

Zhu Hong supposed she should follow his example, he knew Zhao Yunlan and his wife best, after all. Still… something felt fishy about this, and she didn’t like it.

With a scoff, Zhu Hong stalked over to the carafe and filled a glass of water for the professor. She could be solicitous too, if she wanted! And hadn’t Chief Zhao said, the best way to gain information from a suspect was to make them comfortable first? Well, Zhu Hong would show him. She would make Professor Shen so comfortable, he would spill everything immediately, and then Chief Zhao would have no excuse left to keep that woman here at SID—

Sitting down opposite Professor Shen, Zhu Hong watched him carefully.

The professor seemed relaxed, his closed eyes blinking open slowly. As if he was invited into their living room for a late cup of tea, rather than the interrogation room of a police station. Something inside Zhu Hong bristled at the thought. Flipping open the file someone—Lin Jing, probably—provided her with, she glanced over his record. 32 years old, born in Dragon City, married, graduated from and working at DCU as a professor of biology. His address caught her eye.

“Professor Shen, you live in the north of Dragon City near the university, yet the crime scene is on the other side in the south. What were you doing there this late at night?”

Professor Shen offered her a polite smile, something amused in his bland expression. “I was looking for my spouse, Officer Zhu.”

Zhu Hong paused, staring at him. She couldn’t remember introducing herself, how did he…?

“Your spouse?” she asked, trying to stay focussed. “If you split up, why did you not call her on her phone?”

“Ah.” The professor’s smile turned abashed and he ducked his head. “I’m afraid I’m terrible with technology, I don’t own a mobile phone.”

Zhu Hong blinked, taken aback. She glanced at the one-way glass, knowing the rest of the team was monitoring—except for Chief Zhao, who was too busy catering to the victim—wishing she could see their reactions. Taking advantage of her hesitation, Professor Shen sat forward, hands folded on top of the interrogation table.

“Officer, let us look at the facts. By now you must know there was a man’s shoe print at the scene, and it doesn’t match mine. That man is the true perpetrator, you should not waste time here with me and chase him.”

“And you just happened to stumble upon the crime scene?” Zhu Hong made sure to imbue her voice with all her doubts. The professor’s lips twitched, and he adjusted his glasses.

“When I heard the scream, of course I came as soon as possible. The perpetrator could not have left more than a minute ago before I arrived.”

This wasn’t going anywhere. Zhu Hong braced herself and went on the attack.

“Having witnessed a crime, Professor Shen remains calm and collected,” Zhu Hong observed aloud, aiming for Zhao Yunlan’s blasé tone of voice. Narrowing her eyes, Zhu Hong stared Professor Shen down. The man didn’t so much as twitch, even when she tapped her pen pointedly against his file. Unbelievable. “For a simple professor, you sure seem to have nerves of steel.”

Finally, she seemed to have found a crack. Professor Shen watched her quietly, not having an answer ready, and Zhu Hong stilled, a predator waiting to pounce. Professor Shen was clearly their perp, they caught him all but red-handed. She just needed him to trip up, something the SID could use to pin him down. And she wanted to be the one to get this vital clue for Zhao Yunlan, no matter how useless her crush may be, she still wanted to impress him. As her boss, if not as a man.

Professor Shen lowered his gaze, inhaling softly. Gathering himself. Zhu Hong tried to contain her excitement, when he met her with a piercing gaze.

“Officer Zhu is still quite inexperienced. I suppose you must wish to impress your superiors very much. As a professor, allow me to take this opportunity to teach you.” He pushed his glass of water away and leaned across the table, his gaze firm and steady, and Zhu Hong felt her breath catch.

"First, Officer Zhu should question me about my spouse, confirm their existence and whereabouts," Professor Shen lectured in a soft, hypnotic voice. It sounded genuine, which made the situation all the more humiliating.

"I did!" Zhu Hong snapped. She shoved his file across the table and pointed at Professor Shen's personal information, where it stated he was married.

"But do you know their name? Their gender? Their current location? Have you ensured I haven't contacted them to get my alibi straight?" The questions came at her rapid-fire, and Zhu Hong burned with mortification. Professor Shen made good points, and if Chief Zhao wasn't so distracted by the beautiful victim, surely he would have them looking into these venues already. "Second," Professor Shen added kindly, and Zhu Hong's gaze snapped up to meet his, "don't ever show a suspect their file."

Zhu Hong snatched the file back, cheeks flushed.

Folding his hands, Professor Shen offered her a gentle smile that nonetheless conveyed a smug edge. Zhu Hong wanted to rake it off with her nails.

“Thirdly, you need to work on your poker face,” Professor Shen continued. “Your reactions give too much away. If I truly were the perpetrator of this crime, you make it too easy to push your buttons.”

“Well, so what if I’m inexperienced?” Zhu Hong burst out, slamming the file shut and pushing to her feet. Her chair screeched over the linoleum floor, but Zhu Hong was too upset to care. “You won’t get away with this!”

Zhu Hong stalked out of the interrogation room utterly humiliated. Lin Jing avoided her gaze as she stepped through the door, while Chu Shuzhi was staring intently at the one-way mirror, one hand absent-mindedly fiddling with his puppet. Xiao-Guo, at least, wasn't there to witness her defeat, likely staying with the victim as an empathetic ear. It was Da Qing's stare that got to Zhu Hong the most, though, she couldn't shake the feeling the cat was laughing at her.

"Well?" she snapped, folding her arms protectively over her belly.

"He's a hard nut to crack," lao-Chu opined, gaze not wavering. "But they all crack eventually."

“Then what are you waiting for!?”

Lao-Chu shot her an unimpressed look, then shouldered past her into the interrogation room. Huffing, Zhu Hong stepped up behind Lin Jing to hover over his shoulder. Wisely, he kept his mouth shut.

Chu Shuzhi took his time getting the interrogation started, using the silence tactic. He didn’t even pay any attention to the professor, giving him the cold shoulder in favour of caring for his doll. Zhu Hong tapped her feet impatiently as she watched through the glass. Intimidation was lao-Chu’s strong suit, and as much as it galled her to admit it, Zhu Hong was not nearly as fearsome. Yet. Something to work on in the future.

Finally, the silent treatment seemed to get to Professor Shen, breaking the quiet tension with a compliment. What he was hoping to achieve with that, she had no idea. When lao-Chu started philosophizing in response, Zhu Hong rolled her eyes, cocking her hip on the table next to the glass.

She tensed as the professor reached for the doll, though. No one dared to touch it, less they lose their fingers.

Professor Shen didn’t even flinch as lao-Chu snatched his wrist, despite how tight that grip looked. In spite of herself, Zhu Hong found herself impressed. Clearly, it was also getting to lao-Chu, although it was hard to tell unless you knew him. The way he stilled struck a chord with Zhu Hong, though, a snake ready to strike.

“I was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Professor Shen insisted calmly, freeing himself from lao-Chu’s grasp without a hint of effort. “My conscience is clear. You cannot extort a confession from me.”

“Then let’s start with those hard facts.” Chu Shuzhi cocked his head, staring Professor Shen down. “What were you doing at the crime scene?”

Professor Shen huffed a quiet sigh, seeming amused. “As I told your colleague, and I’m sure you’re aware, I was looking for my spouse when I heard someone in distress.”

“Ah. Your spouse, right.” Chu Shuzhi arched his eyebrows, expression full of polite disbelief. “And what was your wife doing there? And where is she now?”

“I see you paid attention.” Professor Shen gave him a proud smile, a look that visibly irked lao-Chu. “And it’s my husband, actually. He was working late, I wanted to surprise him.”

“Who works this late at night all the way on the southside of Dragon City?”

Professor Shen’s smile turned mocking, his eyebrow arching up pointedly. “Weren’t you doing the same?”

Something flashed across lao-Chu’s face that Zhu Hong hadn’t seen before, his fingers twitching as if he had strings wrapped around them. Then he balled his hand into a fist and hid it under the table. Zhu Hong glanced from him to Professor Shen, leaning back with a self-satisfied air, having dodged the question once more.

“Professor Shen, Professor Shen, what are you hiding?” she murmured to herself, glaring through the one-way glass.

“You think he’s hiding something?” Lin Jing asked, blinking up at her from behind his big glasses. “Why? Everything he’s said so far has been factually correct.”

Zhu Hong flashed him an angry look, holding her fist up as if to hit him. Lin Jing raised his hands to cover his head, cowering dramatically before her, mumbling apologies. Scoffing, Zhu Hong dropped her fist and tossed her hair back, focussing on the interrogation before her.

“Obviously he’s hiding something. Why else would he insist on acting so suspicious?”

“Ah?” Of course, that’s when Zhao Yunlan chose to join them. He gestured for Da Qing to get up. “Damn Cat, keep an eye on Zhang Danni for a minute, will you? I don’t trust her not to talk the rookie into something.”

“Ruin my fun, why don’t you,” Da Qing grumbled, but he hopped off the table anyway, smoothly transforming into a human mid-jump. Zhao Yunlan ruffled his hair as he passed him.

“You can bring her by in ten or so minutes,” Zhao Yunlan called after him. “Just in time for the fireworks.”

“Done comforting the witness?” Zhu Hong asked, unable to keep the sharp note of disapproval out of her voice. Chief Zhao glanced at her, rolling the lollipop around in his mouth. But instead of calling her on her misplaced jealousy, he honed in on her previous statement.

“You think Professor Shen is hiding something from us?” Stuffing his hands into his pockets, Zhao Yunlan rocked back on his heels. “What gives you that impression?”

“He’s avoiding answering our questions directly and has been antagonizing whoever is interviewing him,” Zhu Hong summarized quickly, driving her elbow into Lin Jing’s side as he opened his mouth, likely to tell their chief exactly how Professor Shen had played her. “He keeps bringing up his wife—husband—and insists he was just looking for him when he happened across the crime scene.”

“Ah. Bad timing.” Zhao Yunlan hummed, glancing back into the interrogation cell. Zhu Hong followed his gaze, noting the tense line of lao-Chu’s shoulders.

“—couldn’t even compare to his toes,” lao-Chu spat, and Zhu Hong wondered what she’d missed that had pissed him off. Professor Shen ducked his head, then turned his gaze towards the one-way mirror, zeroing in on Chief Zhao with unnerving accuracy.

“Then he must be a true, righteous hero,” Professor Shen said, eyes not leaving the glass. Zhu Hong glanced back just in time to see Chief Zhao’s lips twitch around his lollipop stick. Then he brushed past them wordlessly, stepping into the interrogation room. A calming hand on Chu Shuzhi’s shoulder and a quiet murmur later, they were switching places, lao-Chu stomping out of the room with his temper barely restrained, although he was hiding it better than Zhu Hong had.

Inside, Professor Shen gave Chief Zhao his full attention, sitting straight and blinking at him with his innocent puppy eyes. The change from smug confidence to this… this… eagerness gave Zhu Hong whiplash. Chief Zhao dropped himself into the chair opposite, crossing his ankle over his knee and jiggling his leg. He picked up the file and paged through it nonchalantly, barely skimming the text before dropping it back on the table and folding his hands over his stomach. Finally, he raised his gaze to meet Professor Shen’s.

“Aiya, Professor Shen, what am I supposed to do with you?” Zhao Yunlan tutted, jiggling his leg once more before dropping it down to the floor, leaning forwards over the table. Professor Shen mirrored the movement, coming closer as well, and a wide grin spread over Chief Zhao’s face. “Tell me, Professor Shen… do you like going on late night walks, take in the sights, check out the nearest crime scenes? Because if so, I could take you to some interesting places.”

Zhu Hong’s jaw dropped open. Was… was Chief Zhao flirting with the suspect?

After he already spent way too much time panting after the victim? What was wrong with the man – he might be a shameless flirt, but he usually wasn’t this bad. He was married, for heaven’s sake!

Zhu Hong paused. Maybe… maybe he was having relationship issues? Then she mentally slapped herself. This wasn’t the time, and regardless, she wasn’t a homewrecker!

“I am at Chief Zhao’s disposal,” Professor Shen acquiesced, his tone perfectly polite. “Whatever Chief Zhao needs of me, I will provide.”

Zhu Hong squinted through the one-way glass, taking in the professor’s attentive posture. There was nothing wrong with his words or reactions on the surface, they would appear completely normal on the transcript, but… in contrast to his previous behaviour—could it be…?

“Ah?” Zhao Yunlan leaned back with a self-satisfied smirk on his face, eyebrows twitching up suggestively. “Alright, then. Let’s start with your number.”

Zhu Hong couldn’t believe her ears. Of course, Chief Zhao was known to be utterly shameless, but this level of outrageous, blatant flirting was too much even by his standards, surely! He was married—both of them were!

“For the record,” Chief Zhao clarified, his lips twitching, not fooling anyone. “So we may follow up with you should we have more questions later.”

An amused huff left Professor Shen, his eyebrows inching upwards in something close to his previous arrogance. “Is that not in my file?” He inclined his head to indicate the folder on the table, eyes crinkling behind round glasses. “Surely Chief Zhao isn’t asking for my personal number, hm?”

"Professor Shen, ah, I'm sure you're used to working regular hours, but police work waits not for the office hours to begin —what if I have an urgent question? Lives might depend on it," Zhao Yunlan implored, widening his eyes and pursing his lips in a pout. Unbelievable.

Professor Shen reached up to adjust his glasses, mouth gaping open a hint. Clearly affected by Chief Zhao's flirtations, and for a moment, hope blossomed in Zhu Hong's chest. Perhaps that was Zhao Yunlan's true goal, to seduce a confession out of the professor! An unorthodox method, but then, Chief Zhao was far from the traditional police chief.

"Besides, I wouldn't want to interrupt Professor Shen's important work," Chief Zhao added with a pur, lashes fluttering. "Perhaps Professor Shen could let me know when he's free…?"

Evidently, Zhu Hong had hoped too soon.

"And what would Chief Zhao do with that knowledge?" Professor Shen asked, obvious amusement curling around his mouth. "If he wishes to know my whereabouts for the previous murders, Chief Zhao should consult my husband; I spend the nights with him whenever possible."

Ha! Zhu Hong thought with no little amount of glee, rebuffed.

Zhao Yunlan clicked his tongue, leaning back in his chair and wagging a finger at Professor Shen, conceding the point.

"And where would we find this wayward husband of yours? Seeing as he's the reason you were at the crime scene… it's quite strange, don't you think?"

Zhu Hong startled. She hadn't even considered that the husband might be their perp, Professor Shen merely distracting the police long enough for him to escape.

"If you'd like to ask him some questions, he could talk to one of your subordinates," Professor Shen offered calmly. Certain that they wouldn't be able to trace it back to his spouse, or were they on the wrong track?

"Ah, how about I come by for dinner instead?" Chief Zhao suggested with a leer, scattering Zhu Hong's train of thought. "Unless he's always working late? That must be rough on your relationship."

"Is he…?" Now even Lin Jing started to feel uncomfortable. He squinted at the monitor, then shook his head. "No, he must just be softening the professor's alibi…"

Zhu Hong wasn't so sure she agreed. If Chief Zhao truly intended to trip Professor Shen up with his flirting, surely he would have switched tactics by now, seeing as it didn't work…? No, the flirting had to be genuine, although Zhu Hong dearly hoped it served multiple purposes.

"You are a professor of biological engineering at DCU, correct?" Chief Zhao continued blithely, changing tracks without blinking.

"That's right," Professor Shen confirmed, arching an eyebrow as if wondering what Chief Zhao was getting at.

"Let me consult you on this case, Professor." Chief Zhao pulled out pictures of the previous victims, laying them out on the table. Zhu Hong held her breath, observing Professor Shen closely as he leaned in to study the photos. "In your expert opinion, what might have caused the state of the bodies?"

Professor Shen hummed thoughtfully. "To remove features this neatly, I cannot think of any natural causes. A surgeon might be able to achieve a similar effect, or a theatre's customing department, but I'm sure you've eliminated those options, Chief Zhao?"

"I have indeed." Lao-Zhao puffed up like an overly amorous peacock. "There is no surgery scar, and the faceless heads are eerily real."

Despite herself, Zhu Hong shivered. She'd seen many strange things in her years at the SID, but this one was the most horrific so far.

"Then I would suggest you are dealing with unnatural causes," Professor Shen declared, meeting Chief Zhao's piercing stare steadily. "As I'm sure you've already concluded. Why else would the SID take the case?"

"Ah?" Chief Zhao pointed his finger at Professor Shen and grinned. "Well-reasoned!"

Next to her Chu Shuzhi straightened.

"So he's aware of Dixingren," he murmured, satisfaction at having caught the professor out in his tone.

Chief Zhao seemed to agree, leaning back in his chair with one flung over the back, the other hand twirling the lollipop stick. "You are a well-learned professor indeed. Is there anything you don't know?"

"The world is full of secrets," Professor Shen replied cryptically, his eyelids growing heavy as he stared at Chief Zhao intently. "Most are not for mortals to know."

Chief Zhao leaned forward and lowered his voice, his gaze seductive. "And will you allow me to discover yours?"

Professor Shen smiled enigmatically. Indulgently. "One day, perhaps."

Zhu Hong, after finally feeling reassured that the interrogation was getting somewhere, was starting to get a headache. Was lao-Zhao being serious about flirting with the professor or not!?

Just then, the door opened, and Da Qing entered, a painfully neutral expression on his face. Behind him, Zhang Danni followed, her steps slow and hesitant.

"Ms. Zhang," Da Qing asked, his voice quiet in a way that caught Zhu Hong's attention. It wasn't the quiet of 'be gentle with the victim' tone, she'd heard him use that one often enough. Rather, it felt like the stillness before the cat pounced on a mouse, blissfully ignorant of its fate. Predatory anticipation. "Is this the man who assaulted you?"

"I…" Zhang Danni bit her lip and shook her head, chancing a glance at the one-way glass before shrinking back into herself, shaking. "I don't know."

"Are you sure?" Da Qing sounded skeptical. "Take another look, Miss."

Chu Shuzhi scoffed, rolling his eyes. But Zhu Hong felt her brow furrow, taking a closer look at their victim. She was well dressed and pretty, but more than that: her clothes were barely rumpled, her hair perfectly coiffed, her make-up unsmudged. Only the bottom of her pants showed any sign of tonight's struggle, dried mud clinging to it. Zhu Hong wondered if Zhao Yunlan had given her time to freshen up, but even then… Zhang Danni was suspiciously put together.

Zhu Hong knew a thing or two about the power of appearances. How a pair of heels and classy outfit, eyes wide in girlish innocence could blind most Haixingren men into thinking of you as harmless. She watched as Zhang Danni ducked her head to allow her hair to hide her expression, playing at meek mouse as she took another peek at Professor Shen. Because she was watching so closely, she noticed the weird pause before Zhang Danni shrieked and curled in on herself, the lack of flinching before she hid behind the pretext of fear.

"It's him!" she shouted, her voice quavering. "He's the one who attacked me!"

Zhu Hong exchanged a doubtful look with Da Qing, even as xiao-Guo stumbled forward to comfort their so-called victim. Snakes and cats didn't have much in common, but they were both predators at the top of their food chains, they both hunted vermin like rats and mice. Da Qing's flat expression mirrored Zhu Hong's disbelief, as they both acknowledged the act going on right in front of their noses.

It became rapidly clear that Zhang Danni wasn't anyone's prey. But what was she hiding?

The door to the interrogation room opened, Chief Zhao leaning against the frame with crossed arms and a serious expression. Behind him, Professor Shen stood with an equally serious look on his face, neither the smugly arrogance nor the faux innocence from his interrogation. But Zhu Hong had no time to ponder this change, as Chief Zhao addressed the victim.

"That's a grave accusation, Ms. Zhang. Are you quite sure?" When Zhang Danni nodded frantically in response, Chief Zhao hummed doubtfully. "You said you didn't remember anything. What jogged your memory?" Zhang Danni only stared mutely. "Was it his clothes? The glasses? His posture?"

"It's… his voice," Zhang Danni offered, sounding unsure.

"My voice?" Professor Shen inquired mildly. The look Zhang Danni shot him was venomous, startling Zhu Hong.

"Yes." Then her expression melted back into teary-eyed pleading. "Chief Zhao, this is the man that attacked me and tried to steal my face. Please, what else do you want?"

Despite her reservations, Zhu Hong felt a twinge of discomfort at questioning this woman after such a traumatic event. From the corners of her eyes, she saw xiao-Guo shift, opening his mouth to… object, or something. Lao-Chu, however, stopped him short with an arm across his chest. Zhu Hong frowned, following his gaze as it switched from a distressed Zhang Danni to Chief Zhao, wearing an ominous look on his face.

A predator closing in on his prey.

"Steal your face? Why, what gave you that idea?"

Realization dawned on Zhang Danni's face, looking anxiously from Chief Zhao to the other members in the room. "I… I…"

"I made very sure no one mentioned any details of the case to you," Chief Zhao continued nonchalantly, stuffing his hands into his pockets. “So it’s rather curious that you know exactly what happened to the other victims, isn’t it?”

Zhu Hong’s eyes widened, her head whipping around to stare at Zhang Danni. The woman gaped at Chief Zhao, before her face twisted into a furious grimace, green gas starting to swirl around her fingers, spreading out across the room—

For a handful of seconds, pandemonium ensued.

Xiao-Guo yelped as his fear stick activated where it was hanging at his hip, shocking him rather than doing anything useful. Lao-Chu reacted before anyone else could, strings flying to wrap around Zhang Danni’s wrists and tying her up before she could attack. Zhu Hong tensed when Zhang Danni’s brow furrowed in concentration, the gas cloud growing bigger—before suddenly dissipating without clear cause.

A glance over her shoulder showed that Chief Zhao had pulled his gun on Zhang Danni, likely the reason she let go of her power. Professor Shen stood pressed to his back, a stern frown on his face.

“Da Qing,” Chief Zhao ordered sharply, and the lazy deputy jumped to snap the dark-energy dampening handcuffs onto Zhang Danni. “Take her to the cell.”

“Make me do all the work, will you,” Da Qing complained, but pushed her out of the room ahead of him, calling over his shoulder, “There better be dried fish for me once I’m back!”

“Glutton,” lao-Zhao muttered, before turning to lao-Chu. “I need you to take the rookie and canvass the area we found her.”

“W-why?” xiao-Guo had the guts to ask, still twitching from the shock he received.

“She must have an accomplice,” Professor Shen explained succinctly, adjusting his glasses. “The shoe print was a man’s size, plus her power seemed to be some sort of toxic gas. Thus she can’t have been the one who removed the faces, someone else stole them for her.”

"F-for her?" xiao-Guo stuttered, his eyes growing wide.

"Idiot," lao-Chu muttered, cuffing him over the head. At xiao-Guo's scared puppy look, he elaborated, "Zhang Danni is a confirmed Haixingren, yet this woman who wears her face is clearly from Dixing. Zhang Danni must be the latest of the victims, but they set a trap tonight to frame Professor Shen for their crimes."

There was a beat of silence where everyone shifted awkwardly, not quite daring to look at one another.

"Ah, our apologies, Professor," Lin Jing finally piped up, bowing deeply to Professor Shen. "We suspected you and treated you like a criminal… we were terribly rude."

"No need," Professor Shen dismissed with a small smile. "You were just doing your jobs."

"Still… to accuse a professor…" Xiao-Guo looked a little green at the mere idea. Or perhaps those were after-effects of the gas.

"I'm sure your chief will make it up to me," Professor Shen assured them, sounding mildly amused.

"With pleasure," Chief Zhao drawled, his leer unmistakably.

That was the last straw.

"What is wrong with you!" Zhu Hong exploded, stabbing Zhao Yunlan in the chest with her precisely manicured nail. "You are a married man! How dare you be this shameless!"

"Have you ever seen him not be shameless?" Da Qing asked dryly as he returned to the room, hopping back up on his table and kicking his legs. "It's like asking a tiger to change its stripes."

Zhu Hong, however, was less than thrilled by his nonchalance. She rounded on her fellow Yashou, eyes flaring red. "And that makes it okay, does it? You're just going to sit here, watching him throw himself at people. Will you even tell his wife?!"

Da Qing shrugged. "She knows what he's like. What's to tell?"

Zhu Hong threw up her hands in disgust. “Why would anyone put up with a cheating, no-good, dirtbag—”

“So anyway!" Zhao Yunlan raised his voice to speak over her. When he had everyone's attention, he cleared his throat and threw an arm over Professor Shen's shoulders. "I’d like to introduce you to Shen Wei. My husband.”

Professor Shen's eyes glittered in amusement as he inclined his head. "Nice to meet you all."

Zhu Hong stared at them, mouth agape. She snapped it shut the moment she realized, her cheeks burning with mortification. Had she just accused her boss of cheating on his spouse… with his spouse…? Her head was spinning.

Behind her, Da Qing was cackling to himself, clearly enjoying the show. She absently swiped at him, distracted by going through all the previous interactions between Professor Shen and lao-Zhao, seeing them in a different light now that she knew. On her other side, xiao-Guo was muttering in confusion, seemingly unable to put the pieces together on his own. Lao-Chu, when she glanced over, rolled his eyes and pressed a hand over xiao-Guo’s mouth to stop his stumbling questions.

"Wait," Lin Jing blurted out, gaze snapping from one to the other and back. "I thought you said you had a wife? But Professor Shen is clearly…"

Da Qing scoffed. "What, do you expect lao-Zhao to cook? I'd rather not get food poisoning daily, thanks."

Zhao Yunlan kicked at the cat, who nimbly dodged out of the way. "Ungrateful," he muttered under his breath.

Of course, Zhu Hong thought faintly. Lao-Zhao was both extremely lazy and, judging by his scruffy outfits, less than tidy. As much as she enjoyed his bad boy vibe, he couldn’t be relied upon to keep a household running. That he would be shameless enough to burden a busy university professor with the chores on top of work…

The realization strangled what was left of her crush quite handedly. She had better things to do than be a nagging wife, always running after her husband.

“If you’re the chief’s husband, what were you doing at the crime scene?” lao-Chu butted in, his arms crossed and tone suspicious.

Professor Shen smiled gently. “Looking for my husband, as I said. Yunlan mentioned having to stay out all night, I worried he might’ve skipped dinner. So I decided to bring him and his team some food to tide you over.”

“Food?” Da Qing visibly perked up and hopped off the table, immediately crowding Professor Shen, who was holding a black bag Zhu Hong hadn’t noticed him carrying before. Perhaps the professor was right, she should work on her observation to become a better agent. “Did you bring me any fish?”

“Of course,” Professor Shen agreed, pulling out a tupperbox and handing it to the cat yashou. Then he hesitated. “I didn’t know what everyone else liked, so I prepared a little bit of everything.”

Zhu Hong took the box labelled with her name warily, surprised to find strips of meat inside that were only lightly seared and mostly raw, alongside rice cakes and some other goodies. It fit neatly into the picture she had of Chief Zhao’s considerate wife, yet it was hard to merge that impression with the Professor Shen who had criticized her interrogation style.

Because he cares about our capability, Zhu Hong realized, and quickly hid whatever expression showed on her face by stuffing her mouth with the food. It was delicious. The more skilled we are at our job, the easier that makes things for lao-Zhao.

“I didn’t realize the chief is gay…” xiao-Guo mumbled faintly, and Zhu Hong sighed, driving her elbow into his side. “Ow! Hong-jie, what…”

“Does it matter?” she snapped, tearing off a strip of the mostly raw meat. Delicious. “More importantly, we should make sure Professor Shen feels welcome. This is his first time meeting the team, shape up!”

“You just want more of his food,” Da Qing accused her with narrowed eyes. She narrowed her own right back at him, slurping down the rest of the meat strip.

“You’ve been holding out on us, Deputy,” she accused him, snatching one of the grilled fish pieces from his box and eating it quickly, before he could reclaim it. “Besides, you’ve known all along who he was, while we were making fools of ourselves trying to interrogate him! You owe us.”

“Agreed!” Lin Jing, the opportunist, jumped in, nodding vigorously. “Deputy Chief, don’t be greedy, it’s not good for your karma.”

Lao-Zhao snorted at their banter, leaning comfortably against Professor Shen’s side, his arm wrapped around Shen Wei’s waist possessively. “Sounds like they really enjoy your cooking, baobei. I doubt you’ll be able to get rid of them now.”

Professor Shen just smiled magnanimously, the way he looked at Chief Zhao softly intimate and entirely besotted. Zhu Hong averted her gaze, feeling her chest twinge with something like regret. No wonder she couldn’t compete… not that she even wanted to. Regardless, Professor Shen set the bar unfairly high.

So what? Zhu Hong thought grumpily, chewing on more of the meat. The professor was clearly out of Chief Zhao’s league. She should look at his example and find someone more respectable than disreputable Zhao Yunlan to crush on.

Yes, she decided. That was exactly what she was gonna do.

Perhaps she could check out the university campus on her next day off…