Solving the case: Combining the police dog's olfactory genes at the beginning

"here we go again."

Luo Fei closed his eyes. When he opened them again, an eerie blue light shone deep within his pupils.
The "Genius Eye" has been activated.

Through the glass window, he saw a striking sapphire blue Panamera slowly starting up in the parking lot downstairs.

The car window was half-open, revealing Chen Xuanran's face, which always wore a fake smile.

Just as the car was about to drive away, Chen Xuanran suddenly looked up, his gaze piercing like a knife as he looked at the floor where Luo Fei was.

Luo Fei instinctively dodged to the side, his back pressed tightly against the wall.

His heart was pounding violently in his chest, and he could even hear the roar of blood slamming against his eardrums.

He couldn't possibly see me.

Luo Fei calmed his breathing and cautiously peered out again.

The Panamera was already out of sight, but he still felt something was wrong.

Just then, there was a gentle knock on the office door.

"Please come in."

Luo Fei quickly deactivated the "Genius Eye" and turned around, his usual nonchalant expression returning to normal.

The door opened, and a policewoman with a high ponytail stood in the doorway, her uniform accentuating her slender waist.

She seemed a little nervous, her fingers twisting the hem of her clothes incessantly.

"Officer Luo, I am Zeng Mengxue from the Narcotics Enforcement Team."

Her voice was even clearer than it was on the phone, like a mountain stream.

"Captain Gao asked me to invite you to dinner."

Luo Fei raised an eyebrow.

"Gao Wei? When did he become so generous?"

Zeng Mengxue's cheeks flushed slightly.

"Captain Gao, you've been working hard lately. I'd like to invite you to dinner so we can talk about work."

Luo Fei's gaze lingered on Zeng Mengxue's face for a few seconds before he suddenly smiled.

"Magpie Bridge Western Restaurant? Three people?"

"How do you know?"

Zeng Mengxue opened her eyes wide in surprise, like a startled fawn.

"Guess."

Luo Fei picked up his coat and turned off his computer.

"Let's go, my car is in the underground parking garage."

Inside the elevator, Zeng Mengxue stood in the corner furthest from Luo Fei, her gaze shifting uncertainly.

Luo Fei observed her through the reflection in the elevator mirror: her taut jawline, her slightly trembling eyelashes, and the collarbone faintly visible at the neckline of her uniform.

"Is this your first time doing something like this?"

Luo Fei suddenly spoke.

"What's wrong?"

Zeng Mengxue's voice suddenly rose an octave.

"To be a matchmaker."

Luo Fei smiled mischievously.

"Did Gao Wei tell you, 'Xiao Zeng, Luo Fei may seem carefree, but he's got a knack for solving cases. You should learn from him,'"

Zeng Mengxue's face flushed red to her ears, and she stammered, unable to speak.

The underground parking garage was dimly lit, and Luo Fei's Voyah Free was parked not far away.

He pressed the key, and the car lights flashed twice, as if blinking.

"Get in the car, Officer Zeng."

Luo Fei opened the passenger door and made an exaggerated "please" gesture.

Zeng Mengxue hesitated for a moment, but still sat down.

The car was filled with a faint scent of cedar, and on the center console sat a uniquely shaped metal ornament—the embodiment of the "Genius's Eye."

The car drove out of the police station compound and merged into the evening rush hour traffic.

Luo Fei held the steering wheel with one hand and turned down the air conditioning temperature with the other.

"hot?"

He glanced at Zeng Mengxue, who was constantly fanning herself with her hand.

“A little.”

Zeng Mengxue answered softly.

"Jinyang is much cooler than Jiangcheng."

"Jinyang?"

Luo Fei became interested.

“I went there last year, and the beef noodles there are absolutely amazing.”

"You know Jinyang?"

Zeng Mengxue's eyes lit up, and her tense shoulders relaxed slightly.

"My home is in a small village below Jinyang. There's a big banyan tree in front of the door, and I used to visit it often when I was a child."

She suddenly stopped, seemingly realizing she had said too much.

"Go on."

Luo Fei turned the steering wheel, and the car turned onto the ramp of Raffles City.

"I enjoy listening to these."

Zeng Mengxue bit her lower lip.

"These are just some mundane stories about country kids, I'm afraid you won't like to hear them."

"What a coincidence, I also grew up in the countryside."

Luo Fei laughed.

“My home is in the suburbs of Jiangcheng. There is a stinky ditch in front of the door, and the mosquitoes can bite you to death in the summer.”

Zeng Mengxue burst out laughing, her eyebrows curving into crescent moons.

"Really? Officer Luo looks like a city person."

"Why did you lie to me?"

Luo Fei parked the car and turned to look at her.

"Would you like to see the mosquito bite scars on my leg?"

"No, no need!"

Zeng Mengxue hurriedly waved her hand, her ear tips turning red again.

Just then, her cell phone rang.

The caller ID read "Team Leader Gao".

Luo Fei gave him a "I knew it" look.

"Take it."

Zeng Mengxue pressed the answer button, and Gao Wei's loud voice immediately burst out from the receiver.

"Xiao Zeng, there's a case that came up unexpectedly, and I can't go! You and Luo Fei have a good meal, and keep the receipts for reimbursement later! Remember, learn from his case-handling strategies!"

The call was ended abruptly, leaving Zeng Mengxue holding her phone, so embarrassed she wanted to disappear into the ground.

"I really didn't know it would turn out like this."

Her voice grew quieter.

Luo Fei unbuckled his seatbelt and moved closer.

"Zeng Mengxue, do you know why I was able to guess that Gao Wei would stand me up?"

Zeng Mengxue shook her head, her eyelashes fluttering rapidly.

"because."

Luo Fei deliberately dragged out his tone.

"The Magpie Bridge Western Restaurant is a couples-themed restaurant, with an average cost of 800 yuan per person. Gao Wei, that stingy guy, is suddenly being so generous; there must be something fishy going on."

Zeng Mengxue's eyes widened.

"You even know this?"

"There's no restaurant in Jiangcheng that I don't know."

Luo Fei pushed open the car door.

"Let's go, since someone's going to reimburse us, let's order the most expensive one."

The restaurant is decorated in an extremely luxurious style, with crystal chandeliers reflecting a dreamy halo, and fresh roses on each table.

The waiter led them to a window seat, where they could see the dazzling night view of Jiangcheng.

"Are you two a couple?"

The waiter asked with a smile.

"We have heart-shaped steaks available today."

Zeng Mengxue almost choked on her saliva and waved her hands repeatedly.

"No, no! We're colleagues!"

Luo Fei, however, calmly opened the menu.

"Two heart-shaped steaks, and open a bottle of your most expensive red wine."

"Officer Luo!"

Zeng Mengxue was so anxious that she kicked him under the table.

"too expensive!"

"What are you afraid of?"

Luo Fei winked at her.

"Anyway, Gao Wei will reimburse you."

While waiting for her food, Zeng Mengxue finally mustered the courage to look Luo Fei in the eye.

"Are you really not angry? Captain Gao made these arrangements?"

"angry?"

Luo Fei swirled his wine glass.

"Why would I be angry? It's an honor to have dinner with the beautiful Officer Zeng."

Zeng Mengxue blushed again and quickly looked down to study the pattern on the napkin.

"Seriously."

Luo Fei suddenly became serious.

"Gao Wei sent you here for more than just a blind date, right?"

Zeng Mengxue suddenly looked up, her eyes filled with panic.

What do you mean?

“The anti-narcotics team is currently investigating the IGD Group, and my candy was just reported by someone from IGD.” Luo Fei lowered his voice.

"What a coincidence, isn't it?"

Zeng Mengxue's fingers gripped the napkin tightly.

"I was just following orders. Captain Gao said you might know something."

"really."

Luo Fei leaned back in his chair.

"Gao Wei, that old fox."

The waiter brought out the steak at just the right moment, breaking the tense atmosphere between the two.

The heart-shaped steak sizzled and smelled delicious, but Zeng Mengxue had already lost her appetite.

"Eat."

Luo Fei cut off a piece of meat.

"It won't taste good when it's cold."

Zeng Mengxue mechanically picked up the knife and fork, but hesitated to make a move.

"Officer Luo, do you... hate me?"

"how come."

Luo Fei chuckled.

"They're just each serving their own master. However..."

He put down his knife and fork.

"I can tell you some things, but you have to agree to one condition."

"What conditions?"

Zeng Mengxue asked warily.

"Tell me what Gao Wei is investigating."

Luo Fei looked directly into her eyes.

"In exchange, I will share what I know about IGD."

Zeng Mengxue bit her lip and thought for a moment before finally nodding as if she had made up her mind.

"Captain Gao is investigating IGD's drug smuggling chain and suspects they are using food additives as a cover."

"Shen Lang?"

Luo Fei keenly grasped the key point.

"How are you?"

Zeng Mengxue was so surprised that she couldn't speak.

"Guess."

Luo Fei revealed a mysterious smile.

"It seems we share the same goal."

Just then, Luo Fei's phone vibrated.

It was a message from Anbo.

"We've made some progress on Shen Lang's case; it's more complicated than we thought. See you at the usual place tomorrow."

Luo Fei replied quickly.

"Understood. Proceed with caution."

"friend?"

Zeng Mengxue asked curiously.

"Yeah, someone who does intelligence work."

Luo Fei put away his phone.

"Speaking of which, does Officer Zeng have a boyfriend?"

The sudden change in topic caught Zeng Mengxue off guard.

"Huh? No, no."

"Coincidentally, I don't have any either."

Luo Fei smiled meaningfully.

"It seems Gao Wei did something good this time."

Zeng Mengxue's face turned red again, this time even her neck turned pink.

She bent down and slashed at the steak, but because she used too much force, a piece of meat flew onto Luo Fei's plate.

"sorry!"

She frantically tried to grab it back.

Luo Fei, however, simply used his fork to pick up the piece of meat and put it in his mouth.

"tasty."

Zeng Mengxue was stunned, then couldn't help but burst out laughing.

The atmosphere suddenly became relaxed and pleasant, and the two chatted about their hometowns, police academy life, and even some interesting stories about solving cases.

Luo Fei's humor gradually made Zeng Mengxue lower her guard, and a genuine smile appeared in her eyes.

The soft lighting of the "Magpie Bridge" restaurant bathed the tables covered with snow-white tablecloths, and the crystal glasses reflected a dazzling light. Shen Lang elegantly pulled out a chair for Chen Xuanran, a confident smile on his lips.

“Xuanran, this restaurant has the best river view. I made a reservation for this table two weeks in advance.”

Shen Lang's voice was deep and magnetic. Today he was wearing a well-tailored dark blue suit, and the Patek Philippe on his wrist glittered under the lights.

Chen Xuanran forced a smile, but his gaze involuntarily swept across every corner of the restaurant.

"Thank you, this place is indeed very beautiful."

She answered absentmindedly, her fingers unconsciously tracing the edge of the menu.

The waiter respectfully handed over the menu, and Shen Lang gentlemanly gestured for Chen Xuanran to choose first.

However, Chen Xuanran only glanced at it briefly before closing the exquisite menu with its gold-embossed cover.

"It's up to you to decide."

As she spoke, she couldn't help but look back at the restaurant entrance.

Shen Lang frowned slightly, but quickly regained his smile.

"Then I won't be polite."

He skillfully ordered several signature dishes, and the waiter's eyes lit up with each dish he named.

"Top-grade Yangtze River crab, salt-fried premium beef ribs, and crispy sea cucumber with shrimp roe."

Shen Lang's voice became muffled in Chen Xuanran's ears, her attention completely elsewhere than to her date.

'Didn't Luo Fei say he would come along?' Chen Xuanran muttered to himself, secretly sending a message to Luo Fei under the table.

"Where are you?"

"Xuanran?"

Shen Lang's voice pulled her back to reality.

"Are you listening to me?"

"Oh? Sorry, I was a little distracted."

Chen Xuanran hurriedly put down his phone.

"The restaurant's decor is so unique that I couldn't help but take a second look."

Shen Lang's eyes showed displeasure, but he quickly put on a charming smile again.

“I really like the name ‘Magpie Bridge’ and the decor is very artistic, especially the antique-style decorations, which remind me of the romantic story of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl.”

"Yes, it's very romantic."

Chen Xuanran gave a perfunctory reply, but his eyes drifted toward the door again.

Shen Lang finally couldn't hold back any longer.

"Xuanran, who are you waiting for? You've been looking around ever since you came in."

Chen Xuanran was startled and quickly shook his head.

"No, I'm just a little nervous because it's my first time in such a high-end restaurant."

Shen Lang nodded thoughtfully and gently placed his hand on Chen Xuanran's hand.

"Relax and enjoy yourself tonight."

Chen Xuanran reflexively withdrew his hand, pretending to fix his hair to hide his embarrassment.

Just then, her cell phone vibrated.

This is Luo Fei's reply.

"Look up, look at the doorway."

Chen Xuanran looked up abruptly and saw Luo Fei walking into the restaurant arm in arm with Zeng Mengxue.

Zeng Mengxue, wearing a light purple dress, leaned against Luo Fei with a sweet smile.

Chen Xuanran's heart suddenly felt like it had been gripped tightly by something, and he found it difficult to breathe.

'Why did he bring Zeng Mengxue?' Chen Xuanran's mind went blank, and she unconsciously crumpled the napkin in her hand into a ball.

"Xuanran? You don't look well."

Shen Lang asked with concern, turning around to look in the direction of her gaze.

"Do you know those two people?"

Before Chen Xuanran could answer, Luo Fei had already spotted them, his eyes filled with surprise, and then he walked over with Zeng Mengxue.

"What a coincidence, Xuanran."

Luo Fei smiled brightly, but his gaze swept quickly over Shen Lang before finally settling on the Patek Philippe watch.

"Who is this?"

"This is Shen Lang, my friend."

Chen Xuanran introduced the situation with difficulty, his eyes fixed on Luo Fei holding Zeng Mengxue's hand.

"Why are you here?"

"Mengxue said she wanted to try this restaurant's signature dish, so I brought her here."

Luo Fei spoke casually, but deliberately emphasized the words "Meng Xue".

"I never expected to run into you all."

Zeng Mengxue nodded obediently to the two of them.

"Hello, Officer Chen. Hello, sir."

Shen Lang stood up and extended his hand with an air of elegance.

"Hello, I am Shen Lang."

Luo Fei grasped Shen Lang's hand, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.

In that instant, he quietly activated his "Genius Eye".

Two glaring characters appeared above Shen Lang's head. (End of Chapter)