My Dongguan Love Story

The policewoman shook her head slightly upon hearing this, her tone carrying an undisguised regret:

"We came up empty-handed. As soon as we received the tip last night, we rushed to Li Jianzhong's residence, but the house was empty, and there wasn't a soul in sight. It seems that after the matter was exposed, he didn't dare to go home at all and hid in advance."

I had already anticipated the worst, but hearing the result with my own ears still weighed heavily on my heart. I slowly composed myself, my brows furrowing tightly. In a vast city like Dongguan, with its diverse crowds and hiding places everywhere, it would be incredibly difficult to find someone who deliberately concealed their whereabouts.

There is no time to lose right now. If he manages to escape the city, it will be like searching for a needle in a haystack, with no trace left.

The policewoman noticed the anxiety in my eyes and reassured me, "We're working on this as quickly as possible. Our colleagues have contacted the police station where he's registered, and they're monitoring his hometown the whole time. If he dares to show his face and flee back to his hometown, we'll arrest him immediately. You don't need to worry too much."

Listening to her comforting words, I could only shake my head helplessly, unable to relax at all.

Li Jianzhong had been navigating the underworld for many years, and was as cunning as a rat in a sewer. With the situation so tense right now, there was no way he would be foolish enough to risk returning to his hometown and walking right into a trap.

He would only find a secluded corner, hide in the cracks of the city, and lie low.

He will patiently endure it, quietly waiting for the storm to completely die down before quietly emerging to continue his activities.

I knew in my heart that this case was ultimately just a dispute over assault, and no one had died. These days, there are many cases, but police resources are limited. If it drags on for too long and the heat of the moment fades, the police's efforts in the investigation and the intensity of the arrests will inevitably slacken little by little.

By then, catching Li Jianzhong, who had hidden himself so well, would be even more difficult.

Seeing my concerns, she offered a few more words of comfort, and then earnestly inquired about Lin Guilian's situation. After all the questions were finished, she extended her hand: "Mr. Chen, rest assured, we will inform you as soon as we have any news."

My heart was still heavy, and I simply nodded faintly, "Mm."

The policewoman stopped at the door, then turned back to me. "By the way," she said, "my name is Lin Tao. Please write down my phone number. If you find any clues in the future, please contact us immediately."

She said that and then left the ward.

Lin Guilian had been lying quietly in bed until she heard the door click shut. She then cautiously glanced up to make sure no one was around. In an instant, all her restraint vanished, replaced by a bright smile, and she softly called out, "Dazhuang~"

As she spoke, she braced herself and tried to pounce on me to hug me, but I quickly dodged to the side, causing her to miss.

I almost fell for her trick just now, so I'm on guard and don't dare to relax.

Seeing my wary expression, Lin Guilian first pouted, then chuckled, "Dazhuang, why are you acting all coy? Are you afraid I'll take advantage of you?"

"Scared? Of course I'm scared!" I glanced at her and continued, "Your hand is like a snake; it can crawl into people's pants."

Lin Guilian blushed upon hearing this, but refused to back down. She retorted, "You didn't hold back either. Your palms hurt. I don't even know if I got any scrapes."

As she spoke, a sly smile flashed in her eyes. Before I could react, her slender fingers were already on the buttons of her shirt, as if to unbutton them. She looked up at me, her expression a mix of petulant grievance and amusement: "Take a good look at yourself, you've rubbed it all red, it hurts so much."

I watched as her fingertips deftly unbuttoned the first button, her collar loose, revealing glimpses of her fair skin, almost exposing her private parts.

My heart skipped a beat, and I quickly reached out and firmly pressed her hand down, begging for forgiveness: "My dear aunt, alright, alright, I know I was wrong, I'll apologize to you, okay?"

I'm genuinely scared of her. I don't know if she's teasing me or if she really intends to untie it. If she does untie it, should I watch? I'm afraid I won't be able to control myself. The most important thing right now is to stop her as soon as possible.

Seeing me blush and become embarrassed like a shy girl, Lin Guilian immediately smiled, her eyes crinkling. She pouted slightly, looked at me intently, and said with a hint of coquettishness, "An apology isn't enough; you have to take responsibility for me."

Looking at her cunning expression, I felt completely at a loss and couldn't utter a single word for a long time.

Seeing my hesitation, she immediately wrapped her arms around my waist, then pressed her face against my chest and whispered, "Dazhuang, you're close to so many women, why are you so distant from me?"

I smiled bitterly to myself, my heart filled with helplessness. The meaning behind her words couldn't be clearer, but I had no way to express my suffering. When I first came to Dongguan, I just wanted to have a stable relationship, and then go back to get married and have children after I made some money. Who would have thought that step by step, this series of entanglements would happen?

Ultimately, it was my own fault for not being able to control myself; I can't blame anyone else. While there's still time, I should withdraw and stop here.

Thinking of this, I reached out to break free from her arms around my waist and completely sever ties with her.

But Lin Guilian seemed to have sensed my intention. Instead of letting go, she tightened her arms and held me tightly, refusing to let me break free even a little.

She slowly raised her head, her once bright eyes now veiled with a thin layer of mist, her nose slightly red, and her voice trembled with suppressed emotion as she asked:

"Dazhuang, is it because I had boyfriends before that you're bothered by it, that you dislike me so much and avoid me all the time?"

I looked down at her reddened eyes and wet gaze, and my heart softened instantly. I shook my head repeatedly and whispered, "No, it's not like that."

This isn't the old society, and I've never been a rigid or old-fashioned person. I would never look down on or despise her just because she's had previous relationships or a past.

My estrangement and avoidance of her were never because she wasn't good enough.

Rather, it's because I have too many messes to clean up, and the emotional entanglements I'm involved in are too complicated to untangle. I dare not fall in love easily again, and I dare not drag her down any further, so I can only desperately retreat and deliberately keep my distance from her.

Seeing her anxious and self-doubting expression, I felt both helpless and guilty, and for a moment I didn't know how to explain it to her.

Seeing Lin Guilian's hesitant expression, she was heartbroken and finally couldn't help but sob as she said:

"I know you're bothered by my past boyfriends. But I genuinely wanted to spend my life with Lin Ping, that's why I gave myself to him. I never imagined he'd be that kind of person. I feel so much hatred and resentment now. Because of this past, I can't be with you!"

As Lin Guilian spoke, she could no longer hold back her emotions. She wrapped her arms tightly around me, buried her face in my chest, and cried even more bitterly.

When I saw her crying her heart out, I was completely at a loss.

Seeing her cry so pitifully, I felt bad for her too. I had never looked down on her from beginning to end, and her relationship with Lin Ping wasn't a stain on her life. It was just a part of her youth.

My heart softened, and I helplessly reached out to wrap my arms around her back, letting her sob in my embrace. Hearing her intermittent sobs, I quickly whispered, "Don't overthink it, I've never disliked you."

She slowly lifted her head from my chest, her eyes red and wet, her face still streaked with tears. Those clear, yet aggrieved eyes looked straight at me, filled with pent-up resentment and confusion, and softly asked:

"Then why did you push me away, and why have you never kissed me first?"

Her words stunned me instantly. Looking at her pitiful appearance, all my hesitation and defensiveness melted away. I could no longer restrain myself, and I lowered my head slightly to gently kiss her lips.

Lin Guilian froze for a moment, her pupils dilating slightly, completely unprepared for my sudden kiss. After a brief moment of surprise, she immediately raised her face and responded to my kiss with fervor and eagerness.

Just as things were about to get out of control, I gently released her and then poured out all my concerns.

"I witnessed you and Tang Yan arguing and even fighting because of me. I'm so afraid that you two won't even be able to be friends because of me! Besides, my emotional life is a mess right now, with too many entanglements that I can't untangle. I can't give anyone a clean and devoted relationship right now. So I can't easily provoke you, and I dare not hold you back."

She instinctively wanted to speak up and explain, to say that Tang Yan was relentlessly pressuring her and that she was merely reacting passively. But when she met my sincere gaze, the words she was about to say stuck in her throat.

She thought for a moment and said sincerely, "Dazhuang, you should break up with them. Let's go back to my hometown in Sichuan and get married. I'll take care of you and have a few more children for you. We'll live a peaceful life together."

My heart skipped a beat, but my longing for a stable life vanished in an instant.

If I could have decisively broken things off with him, I wouldn't be in this mess now. Besides, Lin Guilian and I haven't known each other for very long, and we're not familiar with each other enough. Nobody can predict what will happen after we get married.

I looked up at her helplessly, my voice tinged with weariness, yet my tone was unusually earnest: "Gui Lian, before I completely sort out all these messy things around me, I really don't want to create any more trouble. Can you understand me?"