[139] Officer Ji and Miss Jiang Rekindle Their Romance

At that moment, Wen Shuang’s video call started ringing.

Ji Shen, not wanting her to hear the surrounding noise and jump to conclusions, subconsciously hung up. He took his room card and said, "Miss Jiang, which floor I stay on is not important."

He led his team upstairs. As they rode the elevator, Xiao Zhang stroked his chin and said, "Captain Ji, as a man, I have an intuition: that Jiang Ning is definitely interested in you!"

Recently, rumors of the campus romance between Ji Shen and Jiang Ning had been circulating wildly on Weibo, providing everyone with plenty of gossip to chew on.

"Speak less of what shouldn't be said." Ji Shen shot him a cold glare, looking as if he were about to land a roundhouse kick.

But Xiao Zhang was fearless. "But honestly, I feel like this Jiang Ning doesn't look as stunning in real life as she does in movies. Our sister-in-law's looks are much more impressive!"

"Exactly, I think sister-in-law is prettier too!" the others chimed in.

Compared to Jiang Ning, everyone definitely preferred Wen Shuang. She was beautiful, had a great figure, a gentle personality, and was an incredible cook.

Ji Shen replied, "Regardless of how good-looking she is, she isn't yours, that’s for sure."

After distributing the room cards, he told the others to get some rest as they had a heavy task ahead the next morning.

Xiao Zhang muttered, "We need to keep a close eye on Captain Ji lately; we can't let Jiang Ning snatch him away!"

"Right, Captain Ji belongs to our sister-in-law forever, and we are our sister-in-law's permanent guardians!"

...

After returning to his room, the first thing Ji Shen did was call Wen Shuang back.

"Why did you hang up on me earlier?"

"I was busy checking in and only just got to my room." Ji Shen was telling the truth.

"Arriving so late? I thought you’d be at the hotel ages ago. Officer Ji, you really have it rough."

Wen Shuang sat on the sofa, gently swirling a glass of red wine. Her beautiful cheeks were flushed, giving her a delicate, intoxicating allure.

"You have the mood to drink when I’m not around. You wouldn't even touch it when I asked you to before," Ji Shen said, his eyes darkening.

Wen Shuang curled her red lips. "That’s because you aren't home, and I’m bored. I have no choice but to drown my sorrows."

Ji Shen found her current state quite provocative; she was wearing a milky-white silk camisole pajama set, and as she drank, she unknowingly exposed a large portion of her collarbone.

"How much have you had?"

"About half a bottle, I suppose." Wen Shuang shook her wine glass. "Officer Ji... want a sip?"

His obsidian eyes grew deeper. "I want it. Feed me."

"But I can't reach you," she said, her eyes brimming with charm.

Ji Shen’s voice dropped low. "Shuangshuang, give it to me."

...

An hour later, Wen Shuang pulled her thin straps back up, a drop of crimson liquid still lingering on her chest. It felt cool against her skin.

She wiped it away with a coquettish huff. "I have no strength left today."

Ji Shen’s voice had long since gone hoarse. "Get some rest early."

After exchanging goodnights, they ended the video call. However, Ji Shen felt the fire within him hadn't been fully extinguished. Just as he was about to head to the bathroom for a cold shower, the doorbell rang. He opened the door to find Jiang Ning standing there.

She was dressed in revealing, skimpy clothing, a stark departure from her usual demure style.

"Something up?"

"Brother Shen, I figured you must be hungry after traveling today, so I specifically bought you some late-night snacks. These are local specialties from Lucheng; they’re delicious!" Jiang Ning held up a bag.

Ji Shen replied politely, "Thank you, but I’m not hungry."

"Also, I remember you used to sleep poorly whenever you were away from home. I brought an ergonomic pillow. It’s incredibly comfortable. Back when I couldn't sleep abroad, this was the only thing that helped me drift off."

Jiang Ning was extremely thoughtful; she still remembered all of Ji Shen’s habits from when he was away. She recalled the year she graduated high school, when they had traveled together. Ji Shen had been a perfect gentleman, insisting on separate rooms even though they were a couple. However, he had woken up the next day with dark circles under his eyes. When Jiang Ning asked why, he explained that he was sensitive to new beds and couldn't get used to hotel pillows, so he hadn't slept at all.

"Thank you. But I don't need these things anymore."

When Ji Shen first started his job, he hadn't been used to sleeping away from home. But after spending two years stationed at the border, the environment had been so harsh that he had often slept on the grass just to keep watch. After being transferred back, those little quirks had completely vanished. Now, he was just grateful to have a bed.

Jiang Ning’s expression faltered for a mere second before she quickly regained her composure.

"Oh, you don't? Well, that's a good thing! Brother Shen, it seems you’ve changed quite a bit over the years."

Ji Shen replied flatly, "Everyone changes."

"Brother Shen, aren't you going to invite me in for a chat?"

There was a clear, seductive undertone to her words. Ji Shen was, after all, a man in his prime; she didn't believe he could resist.

"Jiang Ning, it’s getting late. It’s not appropriate for us to be alone together in the middle of the night. We both have things to do tomorrow, so get some rest!" Ji Shen pulled the door shut.

Jiang Ning grabbed the door frame. "But Brother Shen... there are still things I’ve really wanted to tell you all these years."

"I have a girlfriend now. Whatever else you want to say, it’s inappropriate!"

Ji Shen closed the door firmly.

The next morning, Wen Shuang saw that the Weibo trending list had exploded.

The headline read: "Officer Ji and His Long-Term Former Flame Rekindle Their Romance!"

She frowned and clicked on the entry. The pictures showed Jiang Ning standing at the doorway of Ji Shen’s room, leaning in close as if whispering something, while holding bags of items. The photos looked inherently scandalous. The timestamp was 1:00 AM.

She remembered that she and Ji Shen had been on the phone until past midnight. After they hung up, he met with Jiang Ning? Why did Jiang Ning happen to be in Lucheng, too?

Wen Shuang’s good mood for the morning was completely ruined. Her first instinct was to ask Ji Shen, but after calling for a long time, the man didn't respond.

The discussion on Weibo was intense.

Netizen 1: "Looking at this, have they reunited? Standing at a hotel room door in the middle of the night—it’s hard not to let your imagination run wild!"

Netizen 2: "They must be back together. Midnight, dry firewood and a raging fire—who could resist that!"

Netizen 3: "Come on, that’s the celebrity Jiang Ning. What man in the world could resist her? Plus, she’s Officer Ji’s first love!"

...

If Ji Shen and Jiang Ning had reunited, then what was she, Wen Shuang?

Because Ji Shen didn't reply to her messages all day, Wen Shuang felt hollow, and she had no heart for her dancing. People in the troupe were whispering about it, but they immediately fell silent the moment Wen Shuang arrived. Yao Qianqian greeted her as usual, without any change in attitude, which made Wen Shuang feel a little better.

At home, the old Madam Ji was so angry that she smashed a teacup upon seeing the news.

"That Jiang Ning! Back then, she was the one who insisted on going abroad to pursue an acting career and broke up with A-Shen. Now that he’s finally found such a beautiful and sensible girlfriend, she’s back to cause trouble! Creating these tawdry scandals and affecting A-Shen’s career! I don't know what good ever came from her returning."

The nanny beside her urged the old lady not to get too worked up, fearing for her health.

"And this Ji Shen—how old is he? He still doesn't know how to keep his distance!"

The old lady called him in a rage, but the line remained off.

Ji Shen had been busy staking out a location all day. He had left at 5:00 AM and hadn't touched his personal phone since, so he remained unaware of the news. By evening, he finally found a moment to check his phone and was shocked to find over a dozen missed calls.