10th Break: Wedding Day

"One week ago, someone saw my friend walking by the river. It was an afternoon." Meng Xing spoke after the waiter left. "The witness didn't think of anything and since he had something to do, he didn't pay attention. But, who knew - " he took a deep breath. " - my friend was never seen again after that." He told Lin Ze.

"Did your friend say where they will be going?" Lin Ze asked.

Meng Xing shook his head. "No." He answered. "Or else, I would go there and look for them." He said.

Lin Ze nodded. "How about who was with them?" He asked.

Meng Xing shook his head again. "They left alone." He answered and sighed.

"What about their family?" Lin Ze asked again.

Meng Xing looked at Lin Ze. "She is an orphan." He answered. "Like me." He added.

Lin Ze's eyes widened in surprise as he stared at Meng Xing. He can't believe that Meng Xing is an orphan. Considering Meng Xing's clothes and temperament, Lin Ze first thought that he was the son of a scholar family.

But, actually… "I am sorry." He apologized.

Meng Xing's brows raised. "Why are you apologizing?" He asked. "It wasn't you who caused me to lose my parents." He told him.

Lin Ze lowered his gaze.

Meng Xing sighed and waved his hand. "Anyway, are you really sure that you wanted to help me?" He asked. His face was serious as he looked at Lin Ze.

Lin Ze nodded. His expression is solemn. "Yes." He answered. Now that he is an officer, albeit temporarily, he is a responsible person so he will do his duty as an officer.

"Alright." Meng Xing shrugged. Then, he took out the tassel that he bought earlier and gave it to Lin Ze.

"This is?" Lin Ze asked. He saw it earlier when Meng Xing bought it.

"A gift. Take it as a sign of our partnership." Meng Xing said.

"'partnership'?" Lin Ze's brows raised.

"I will go with you to find my friend." Meng Xing answered.

Lin Ze frowned. "No." He looked at him. "Judging from what you told me, your friend's case is suspicious… and likely to be dangerous since someone could disappear, and in broad daylight, just like that." He explained. "So, no." He told him.

Meng Xing's eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at him. "Who would act like this to his employer?" He asked.

"employer'?" Lin Ze asked. First, it was a partnership, now it is employment.

"Are you looking down on me?" Meng Xing asked and frowned. "I will definitely pay you after this!" He told him.

Now, it was Lin Ze's turn to frown. "First, your safety is important. Second, I am an officer and we don't accept money from the people." He told Meng Xing.

"So what? Do you even know what my friend looks like?" Meng Xing asked as he looked at Lin Ze. His gaze is challenging.

To be looked at by such soul-hooking eyes in such a way… mn. Lin Ze had to use all of his will to stand against such bewitchment of this fox spirit. "You can tell me." He calmly said.

"Hmph!" Meng Xing scoffed in defeat. "I will ask someone to paint a portrait for you." He told him.

Lin Ze nodded. "What?" He asked when he suddenly saw Meng Xing stare at him.

"If someone sees you with a portrait of a woman… won't they suspect that second young man Lin has finally found a marriage partner?" Meng Xing asked with his brow raised.

Lin Ze frowned. "You must be joking. I just broke the engagement recently… why would I be looking for a marriage partner?" He asked, feeling bewildered.

"Wasn't it because you broke the engagement, since you are looking forward to a new one?" Meng Xing lazily asked and yawned.

"That is just a rumor - " Lin Ze said.

"Right. I suddenly recall something." Meng Xing cut him off.

"... huh?" Lin Ze looked at him in puzzlement.

Meng Xing smiled. "Isn't today supposed to be your wedding day?" He asked.

…

In Huichen.

"I knew it! The boss is really getting back at Lin Ze!" Qiu Shisi said. "Today is the wedding day, had Lin Ze not broken the engagement with the boss!" He said. "Ha! It is Lin Ze's loss! He is blind! Hahahahahaha!" He laughed.

Qiu Qi rolled her eyes at Qiu Shisi's laughter, sounding like a villain. "Come on. What do you think is boss pitting Lin Ze for this time?" She asked.

Qiu Shisi stopped laughing and looked at Qiu Qi. "Since boss went to see Qiu Liu, then boss should be investigating the disappearance of the Xu family's daughter." He answered.

Qiu Qi nodded in agreement. "Boss was asked to stop pursuing Merchant Wen's case, so boss was idle again, thus he took from Qiu Liu Xu Ran's case." She said.

"En." Qiu Shisi nodded. "But, unfortunately…" he grimaced. "This case is linked with Merchant Wen's case. So, boss should be at a loss." He said.

"Not anymore." Qiu Qi shook her head. "Wasn't this why boss approached Lin Ze?" She asked.

Qiu Shisi froze. "... I thought that boss wanted to pit Lin Ze for something again, considering that today should be their wedding way… ehem." He coughed and looked away when Qiu Qi glared at him. "Right. Boss is trying to use Lin Ze as his handman to investigate Xu Ran's case since boss himself is not permitted to!" He grinned.

Qiu Qi rolled her eyes at him and resumed eating melon seeds. This might be the case, but Qiu Qi smiled in schadenfreude as she thought of Lin Ze being pitted by their boss, Meng Xing. Lin Ze is truly unlucky for being entangled with their sly fox spirit boss. Lin Ze may have escaped it for five years when he went to jianghu to make his name… but, he made the biggest mistake in returning to the imperial capital. Didn't he immediately (and finally) meet their boss when he returned? As they said, you can escape the fifth but not the fifteenth (you can't run away forever).

This is fate. A rotten fate.