Looked at Gu Cheng’s face, no significant changes, Ye Tian continued, "An old saying goes, refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit. Hey, don’t look at me like that, I’m not suggesting you go get beaten up."
"People who are as stubborn as mules respond better to gentleness than force. If you relentlessly pressure him, it could backfire and might exclude you even more. So, your intentions are good, but you used the wrong approach. For her sake, it’s better to let go. Strong women hate being controlled the most. Think about it, as a young girl she bravely went alone from the provincial city to a small county town, and her job is even in a policing team dominated by men. In ancient times, she would be Hua Mulan, in modern times, Liu Hulan, and at the very least Thatcher in a foreign context! Hard tactics will only meet major setbacks, so my advice to you is—free-range."
"Free-range?" Gu Cheng frowned.
"Yes, free-range, let her do as she wishes. She wants to be strong? Fine, let her try her hand freely and don’t meddle in things she can handle, and only offer help when she really faces difficulties. With your capabilities, you should be able to do this, right?"
"...Pretty much. Anything else?"
"Of course. Free-ranging is one aspect, but we can’t just let go without keeping check. So, on the other hand, there’s the need to gather back..."
"Thump thump." As Ye Tian and Gu Cheng were happily chatting on the couch, there came a light knock on the door.
He gestured with his palm down, signaling Gu Cheng not to panic, "Eighty percent chance it’s my dopey brother. Who’s there?"
While walking and speaking, he got to the door, still no response. Looking through the peephole, there was no one there.
Blood makes you related; loyalty makes you family. Ye Tian didn’t expect that just like that bastard Gu Cheng, Song Qian also lingered outside, overhearing their conversation. Given the soundproofing of the door is not vacuum-sealed, and considering Song Qian’s professional caliber, listening to a conversation through the door was trivial for her, the only question was from which part of the conversation she started listening.
"Why not continue? Come on, let me hear, what were you discussing?"
When did this girl become so naughty?
Ye Tian grimly closed the door, bracing for the storm that was about to burst in the room.
Gu Cheng was even more surprised. When he came out from the elevator earlier, Song Qian had warned him not to trouble Ye Tian, as he’s just a minor security guard, and she had made it clear she wanted to live by her own will, not to be controlled by others. And now, in less than ten minutes, they were discovered and caught red-handed.
Self-inflicted, cannot live.
"The free-range policy, inspired much?" Song Qian promptly sat down where Ye Tian had been, her slender legs leisurely swinging across the table separating her and Gu Cheng.
Gu Cheng uncomfortably shuffled in the couch, clearing his throat, about to speak, but Song Qian gestured with her hand to stop him.
"Gu Cheng, to put it plainly, you’re just a suitor. How you pursue doesn’t concern me, but ultimately whether I accept you or not is my right. Plus, I’ve told you before, Ye Tian is my friend and also a key person in my case. You’re not only disrespecting me but also my friend."
Watching Gu Cheng’s nose almost crooked from anger, Ye Tian wanted to speak, but Song Qian didn’t give him the chance. Her detective professionalism fully displayed; her emotions and reasoning clear and justified,
"Firstly, I won’t interfere with your freedom and rights as a suitor, and I hope you won’t meddle in my life and work being pursued;
Secondly, I, Song Qian, am not only yours to pursue, others also have the right to pursue me. Not to mention your father, even if your grandfather came, I wouldn’t be afraid." Compared to the princely Gu Cheng, Song Qian’s iron lady demeanor wasn’t weak at all.
"Fine, very well. Song Qian, you’re harsh!"
"Thanks, many have said so, but eventually, they all add at the end—you’re formidable."
As Gu Cheng walked past Ye Tian, he gave him a fierce glare. Failing to handle Song Qian but dealing with this minor security guy would be easy.
Ye Tian was starting to regret it; he had intended to clear himself of trouble, but it turned to messier the more he did it. In courtship, being rejected is completely normal, but if others saw it, especially someone who clearly sides with the pursuee, why bother then? Might as well take a harsher approach; if I can’t have her, neither can you.
Where’s that smart act of yours as the captain, just focusing on scolding but dragging me along!
Seeing Ye Tian’s mournful expression, a trace of disdain passed across Song Qian’s face, "From Huaizhou City you dashed to Beiping City, at the gate that old man was Chen Pingrui, right? Not bad, this time following a good master. I thought martial experts who retreated from worldly affairs would just fade away, didn’t expect you to step back into worldly society again."
Ye Tian bowed his head in contemplation for a while, then sat where Gu Cheng had been, leaning on the soft couch, blankly staring at the ceiling.
"It’s also good this way, you have a good father, I have a good master, quite fair."
Song Qian squinted, looking at Ye Tian in front of her, shaking her head after a long while, "Compared to now, I prefer the Ye Tian who relied on his own two hands to struggle."
"Some things can’t be forced by anyone. You should know that everything is changing; the Earth is spinning, the seasons are changing, flowers bloom and wane, tides ebb and flow, all constantly changing. People too; me, and you. Do you still think you are the Song Qian who just graduated? Don’t say those cases changed you, the psychology and tactics of criminals are just a fixed pattern, what changed is yourself. What I pursue, you can’t understand, and you don’t understand—"
"Are you trying to find someone? I can help you." Song Qian suddenly leaned forward, her tone intense, the words imbued with genuine concern.
Ye Tian smiled and shook his head, a mix of helplessness and relief in his smile, then seriously said, "Song Qian, remember, we are merely strangers brought together by chance. I know you’re a good cop, but some things can’t be forced. Policemen aren’t omnipotent; you can’t solve my problems. To put it bluntly, I am merely using one person after another to do things for me, but...never mind, it’s too complicated to explain. Using others to climb, it’s that simple. Captain Song, maybe we’ll talk some other time."