Bai Cheng sat quietly next to Luo Tian, simply keeping him company. His eyes, swollen like walnuts after letting out all his emotions, made Bai Cheng chuckle.
Luo Tian turned his head and looked at her, frowning in confusion.
“Nothing, it’s just that your eyes are so swollen, you look exactly like that sad frog that’s all over the internet. I couldn’t help but laugh,” Bai Cheng said, pulling up a picture of the Sad Frog on her phone and showing it to Luo Tian.
“Are they really that swollen?” Luo Tian picked up his phone to check his reflection. “They really are.” Then, as he glanced up, he noticed that it was already dark outside.
“Thanks for today. It’s already night, let me take you home.”
“I wasn’t planning on going back when I came here,” Bai Cheng replied. “From my own experience, nights are often harder to get through than days. I’m staying with you. Either you find someone else to keep you company, or you go to your parents, but you can’t be alone.”
“And what do you suggest? Should I go find someone else with these frog eyes, only to burden them with my problems and drag down their mood? How would that help or improve anything? This is my problem, and I don’t want to drag anyone else into it.”
“Then just drag me into it. I’ve already seen you crying like a sad frog, so it won’t affect anyone else if I stay. But I’m not letting you be alone, no matter what.”
“Bai Cheng, what’s wrong with you? You’re a woman, why are you so adamant about sticking around a man’s place?”
“Who said I’m staying in your house? I’ll just do what you did before, sleep in my car outside your place for the night.”
“Bai Cheng, do you even know what you’re saying? You think you’re tough like us, who are used to roughing it out? Sleeping in the car for a night—your body can handle that?”
“Didn’t you protect me like that before? This time, it’s my turn to take care of you.”
“Bai Cheng, how did I not notice before how stubborn you are? I’ve told you I’m fine. I’m someone who’s been through a gunshot wound and survived; do you think I’m that fragile? Stop making things harder for yourself. If you’re that free, go cool off somewhere else and leave me alone.”
“You’re not fragile? Then who was it that locked himself inside for two days and just cried his eyes out like a sad frog?”
“You…” Luo Tian was momentarily at a loss for words.
Bai Cheng began playing on her phone, ignoring the now frustrated Luo Tian.
“I’m tired. I’m going to sleep in the guest room. I hope by the time I wake up, you’re already gone.”
Bai Cheng didn’t respond, and Luo Tian stormed out of the master bedroom in a huff.
Bai Cheng also got up and left the master bedroom, settling on the living room couch, where she gradually fell asleep.
When Bai Cheng woke up, a thin blanket was draped over her, and the sounds of clattering kitchen utensils could be heard from the kitchen. The smell of food wafted through the air.
Bai Cheng glanced at her phone—it was already 11 p.m. Luo Tian came out of the kitchen, carrying a dish to the dining table. He turned to her and said, “You finally woke up? I cooked something. If you’re hungry, come eat. After that, I’ll take you home.”
Bai Cheng was a little hungry, though she didn’t have much appetite. But she still sat at the table, not wanting to waste Luo Tian’s effort.
Both of them ate slowly, not consuming much. Only Pharaoh, who hadn’t eaten all day, seemed to enjoy his food with enthusiasm as he lay nearby.
After finishing, Luo Tian set his chopsticks down and said, “Alright, I’ll take you home.”
With a stubborn stance, Bai Cheng replied, “I said I wasn’t leaving, so I won’t. I’ll just go downstairs and sleep in my car. It’s right outside. You can see me from your balcony. If you feel unwell, call me, and I’ll come up immediately.”
“Bai Cheng, you’re seriously stubborn. I’m a grown man, a police officer. What could possibly happen to me?”
“Plenty could happen! I know what it feels like to have the person you love most die in front of your eyes. It’s worse than death itself. Every night is filled with nightmares, endless nightmares. You can’t breathe; your head feels like it’s about to explode. You cling desperately to that feather-light shred of sanity, telling yourself to hold on, just hold on. Every day and every night, it’s the same cycle. Luo Tian, I won’t leave you alone. I know I can’t share or lessen your pain, but at least let me be there with you. Or find someone to stay with you.”
“You’re not leaving, huh? Fine, then I’ll leave.”
“Where are you going?”
“I’m going to the station to sleep. There are colleagues on night duty, so I won’t be alone. Is that good enough for you?”
“That’s fine,” Bai Cheng nodded.
“Alright, let’s go, then. I’ll take you home first.”
“No, I’ll take you to the station first.”
“Go home first.”
“No way, what if you drop me off and then come straight back here?”
“Are you the cop here, or am I? When did you turn into Sherlock Holmes? If you take me to the station, I’ll still have to take you home afterward, right?”
“I don’t need you to take me home. I can drive myself.”
“Do you know how dangerous it is for a woman to drive alone at night? Here’s the plan—you come to the station with me, and I’ll have Officer Liu take you home.”
“Isn’t that too much trouble for Officer Liu?”
“It’s no trouble! I said it’s no trouble, so it’s no trouble.” Luo Tian’s tone carried the authoritative air of a captain, brooking no disagreement.
Luo Tian drove Bai Cheng to the station, telling her to wait in the car. He walked over to Officer Liu’s desk, who was on night duty, and said, “Officer Liu, can you do me a favor? Drive Miss Bai home.” He pointed to Bai Cheng’s car parked in the station yard. Bai Cheng had rolled down the window and was watching Luo Tian and Officer Liu talk.
“Hey, isn’t that Miss Bai? What’s going on, Captain Luo, so late at night?” Officer Liu immediately recognized Bai Cheng.
Luo Tian blurted out a lie, probably the fastest lie he’d ever told in his life: “Pharaoh got sick suddenly, and she was worried, so she came to find me. Pharaoh’s fine now, but it’s late, and it’s not safe for her to go home alone. So I’m asking you to take her home.”
“Why don’t you take her? Didn’t you come together?”
“I’m sleeping in the duty room tonight.”
“Why? You’re not even on duty tonight.”
“My pipes burst at home, and the place is flooded.”
“If your place is flooded, can’t you drop her off and then come back to the station?”
Luo Tian gave Officer Liu’s head a smack, “Why do you have so many questions? Just take her home. What, I’ve only been away for two days and my words don’t count anymore?”
“Captain, I didn’t mean it like that…”
“Then hurry up.”
“Got it, got it. I’ll go right now. You’re acting like you’re going to eat me alive if I’m one second late.”
“Get moving!” Luo Tian gave a playful kick toward Officer Liu’s backside, but Liu dodged nimbly.
Officer Liu walked up to Bai Cheng’s car. “Miss Bai, good evening. I’m Officer Liu, we’ve met before.”
“I remember you, Officer Liu.”
“Well, Captain Luo asked me to take you home.”
“Thank you, Officer Liu.”
As Officer Liu sat in the driver’s seat, Pharaoh sniffed his familiar scent and barked affectionately at him.
Officer Liu turned around and petted Pharaoh’s head, “His bark is so strong—seems like he’s really better now.”
“Pharaoh was sick?” Bai Cheng asked.
“Wasn’t he? Captain Luo just told me Pharaoh was sick, and that you brought him to see him in a hurry…”
Bai Cheng immediately realized and pretended to have an epiphany, “Oh, right, right. Pharaoh suddenly seemed lethargic earlier, so I took him to Captain Luo.”
“And is the flooding at Captain Luo’s place serious?”
“Huh? Luo Tian sure talks nonsense,” Bai Cheng muttered to herself, before helping him out with his lie, “Yeah, it’s pretty bad, no way to stay there. I was really shocked when I saw it.”
“Wow, that does sound serious. But thank goodness for the flood; otherwise, who knows how long Captain Luo would’ve shut himself off again. When Captain Jiang died three years ago, he locked himself away for a whole month, ignoring everyone. We were all worried he’d do the same thing this time. Luckily, it’s only been three days, and he’s already come out.”
Hearing this, Bai Cheng was reminded of how she’d gone through something similar two months ago. That’s why she could so deeply empathize with what Luo Tian was feeling now. Experiencing that kind of pain once was enough to crush someone’s soul. Bai Cheng couldn’t even imagine how unbearable it would be for Luo Tian to go through it twice.
“Officer Liu, when you get back to the station, keep an eye on Luo Tian. Don’t let him be alone. I’m a psychologist, and in situations like this, you can’t let someone bottle things up. You never know when emotions might surge back, and he could do something irrational.”
“I understand, Miss Bai. Thanks for caring about Captain Luo.”
Hearing the word “caring,” Bai Cheng was momentarily taken aback, then quickly regained her composure and replied, “It’s only right. You all worked hard to protect me before.”
The car pulled up outside Bai Cheng’s building.
“Miss Bai, we’re here.”
“Thank you, Officer Liu. You should head back now.”
“Mm.”
Bai Cheng went upstairs with Pharaoh and sent a message to Luo Tian: “I’m home. Are you at the station?”
Luo Tian replied with a photo. In the picture, he and Officer Li were sitting behind a desk. Luo Tian’s face showed only a hint of fatigue, with no other noticeable expression, while Officer Li was smiling at the camera.
Below the picture, Luo Tian wrote: “Mind your own business. Go to bed early.”
Bai Cheng replied with a simple “Mm,” then set her phone aside, preparing to wash up and sleep.
Luo Tian ended up sleeping at the station for a week, using the excuse of his flooded apartment. During that time, he turned down several offers from colleagues to stay at their places and spent his days in the station’s duty room, chatting with his teammates and reviewing case files, gradually easing back into work.
That Sunday, after missing one volunteer shift, Luo Tian returned to the church, with Bai Cheng accompanying him to help with some simple maintenance. As Bai Cheng was organizing hymn sheets and Luo Tian was adjusting the microphones, he suddenly spoke, “I have a friend from out of town who’s getting married. She invited me to the wedding. Want to come with me? It’ll be a good chance to get away for a bit.”
“Where?”
“Lijiang.”
“Lijiang? I’ve been there once. The sunlight there is incredible.”
“Great. I’ll take care of everything. You just have to come along.”
“Deal!”
