The populace didn't pursue the matter, and the officials didn't investigate.
Under Ning Fei's forceful demands, a reconciliation was finally reached between the two.
Ning Fei, spitting blood, insisted he was fine and then sheepishly drove away from the Ninghai Bureau.
However, after this incident, Ning Fei's hatred for Chen Jinzhao intensified.
If he were allowed to escape this ordeal unscathed, he would undoubtedly make Chen Jinzhao his first target. Otherwise, his lifelong ambition would remain unfulfilled.
"Captain Zhao, if there's nothing else, I'll be leaving?" Chen Jinzhao greeted.
Zhao Defeng hesitated, "Mr. Chen, did you perhaps foresee that Ning Fei wouldn't dare to escalate this matter?"
Chen Jinzhao smiled, "Captain Zhao, you jest. I'm not that capable."
After saying this, he turned and left.
Zhao Defeng stared at Chen Jinzhao's retreating back, lost in thought.
The more he pondered, the more convinced he became that before taking action, Chen Jinzhao had anticipated Ning Fei's hesitation, knowing he wouldn't dare to cause a bigger scene. Chen Jinzhao appeared to be an unreasonable brute, but in reality, he was meticulous and had planned everything.
"A fierce tiger in his heart, yet he delicately sniffs the rose," Zhao Defeng murmured.
Outside the police station.
Chen Jinzhao immediately spotted a graceful figure standing across the road.
Crossing the street, before Chen Jinzhao could even speak, Yu Mengzhi said plainly, "You seem to be in good spirits, full of vigor, even daring to beat up Ning Fei at the bureau."
"President Yu, how long have you been waiting?" Chen Jinzhao changed the subject.
Yu Mengzhi instinctively replied, "I've been waiting for..."
Mid-sentence, Yu Mengzhi realized she had fallen into Chen Jinzhao's trap and quickly corrected herself, "Hmph, why would I wait specifically for you? I just happened to be passing by after work. Don't overthink it."
"I understand," Chen Jinzhao said with a smile.
Yu Mengzhi felt a sense of being teased. She bit her lip and said, "Chen Jinzhao, can you not tease me? I really shouldn't have cared about you. I should have just left you to fend for yourself in there."
Never before had he felt that President Yu was quite so endearing.
At least she wasn't as cold and aloof as outsiders described her; sometimes, she revealed a childlike temper.
Yu Mengzhi noticed Chen Jinzhao was actually smiling!
She was angry, and how could Chen Jinzhao possibly smile? He clearly wasn't taking her seriously!
"Hey!"
"What are you smiling about? Do I seem that funny?"
Chen Jinzhao smiled, "I suddenly find President Yu to be quite cute."
Yu Mengzhi was about to scold Chen Jinzhao, but upon hearing his words, her train of thought was completely derailed. Her anger vanished. Fortunately, the traffic light at the intersection had just turned red, otherwise, Chen Jinzhao would have seen her face turn completely red.
At that moment, Chen Jinzhao would probably have laughed even more heartily.
Yu Mengzhi put on a stern face and huffed, "Whether I'm cute or not has nothing to do with you. Give me your phone. I guarantee I'll make you laugh nonstop."
Chen Jinzhao, unaware of Yu Mengzhi's intentions, obediently handed over his phone.
Upon receiving Chen Jinzhao's phone, Yu Mengzhi immediately got into her car without a word, then started the engine and rolled down the window, saying to Chen Jinzhao, "You can just run home yourself! Let's see you laugh!"
The engine roared, and Yu Mengzhi's car vanished in an instant, leaving Chen Jinzhao bewildered in the wind.
Chen Jinzhao stood by the roadside, dumbfounded.
After a moment, he let out a mournful cry and sighed, "Why can't I control my mouth?"
Never mind!
He'd just have to run home. It was a good opportunity to train his stamina.
Fortunately, it wasn't too far from where Chen Jinzhao lived. It would take an hour to walk, but only half an hour to run back.
Half an hour later.
Chen Jinzhao arrived at the entrance of his residential complex and, from a distance, saw Yu Mengzhi's car parked there. Under the dim streetlights, Yu Mengzhi leaned against the car, occasionally glancing at her watch and looking around.
She seemed somewhat anxious.
Chen Jinzhao stopped walking and didn't approach immediately, standing far off and gazing at Yu Mengzhi's figure.
At this moment, she must be thinking about him in her heart.
Chen Jinzhao shook his head.
He thought to himself that President Yu was indeed all talk and no action, a soft heart beneath a tough exterior.
"Huh?"
"When did I become so narcissistic?" Chen Jinzhao dismissed these irrelevant thoughts and strode toward Yu Mengzhi.
When Yu Mengzhi saw Chen Jinzhao appear safely, she felt a wave of relief. Initially, she had intended to punish Chen Jinzhao, but later, she became worried that something might happen to him on the road.
So, she returned to the entrance of his complex to wait for him.
Of course, she wouldn't let Chen Jinzhao see the worry on her face.
The moment she saw Chen Jinzhao, Yu Mengzhi's expression returned to calm, and she said teasingly, "Why the hurry? Were you afraid I'd look at the secrets on your phone?"
"Here's your phone."
"I don't care to look at your phone."
Chen Jinzhao took his phone back and didn't dwell on the topic. Just as he was about to invite Yu Mengzhi to dinner, she seemed to read his mind and asked, "Are you hungry?"
This made Chen Jinzhao pause.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Yu Mengzhi questioned.
Chen Jinzhao shook his head and asked Yu Mengzhi what she wanted to eat, offering to treat her.
After all, Yu Mengzhi had helped him get out so quickly, so treating her to a meal was the least he could do.
What Yu Mengzhi truly wanted to eat was Chen Jinzhao's cooking, but since he had just been released and she was too embarrassed to ask directly, she suggested going to a nearby snack street for something casual.
The snack street was bustling in the evening.
Due to its variety and affordability, many university students and office workers flocked there every night to fill their stomachs, resulting in a densely packed and crowded street.
Yu Mengzhi had no choice but to link arms with Chen Jinzhao.
At least, in her words, she was forced to link arms with him, and wouldn't admit it was voluntary.
Everything here was quite novel to Yu Mengzhi.
She bought a little here, then a little there.
"Chen Jinzhao, what's this?" Yu Mengzhi, as if she had never seen the world, constantly asked Chen Jinzhao in his ear.
"This is fried milk. As for its taste, I haven't tried it either."
"Chen Jinzhao, what's this?"
"This is fried banana..."
"And this?"
"Egg pancake..."
"That one?"
"Roasted silkworm pupae..."
"Ah, you can eat that? It looks so disgusting!"
As they walked, the snack street became increasingly crowded. To prevent Yu Mengzhi from getting lost, Chen Jinzhao grabbed her hand.
Yu Mengzhi's gaze was still fixed on the strange snacks. Upon being grabbed, her eyes widened, and she instinctively wanted to pull her hand away from Chen Jinzhao's broad, warm palm, but in the end, she didn't.
She struggled only symbolically, then contentedly allowed Chen Jinzhao to hold her hand.
In life, it is rare to be truly enlightened.
Yu Mengzhi took out her phone and snapped a photo of Chen Jinzhao's back as he walked ahead, holding her hand. It was only then that she noticed how beautiful the moon was that night, its soft glow seeming to open her heart.
This life and this night are not long and beautiful, where shall we find the moon next year?