My Wandering Swordsman

Yudou Road Police Station.

As soon as the troop carrier came to a stop, the police shooed the 37 people out of the vehicle and herded them to the police station like ducks.

Before getting off the bus, Ruan Tang and I secretly switched our ID cards back.

Once inside the police station compound, we were assigned to different case-handling areas.

Since the police explained the consequences beforehand in the car, most of us weren't too nervous and just quietly lined up to wait for our questioning.

Of course, it was impossible to coordinate our statements at this point, as the station had ample police force, and we were surrounded by officers.

My turn came quickly, and I pushed open the door to the interrogation room.

"Good morning, officer!" I saluted.

"Yes, your name."

"Ji Xiaosong."

"age."

"eighteen."

"Where are you from?"

Foshan.

Seeing that I was relatively well-behaved, the police officer softened his tone: "Tell me, what happened today?"

I sighed, putting on a regretful expression: "Officer... this is all my fault, it was just out of curiosity..."

I told the whole story from when I got off the train yesterday, to how my bag was slashed, and how I got to the screening room, except for mentioning Ruan Tang.

Why not mention it?

Hehe, some things are more memorable when acted out than when said directly.

I chatted casually with the police officer, quietly waiting for the show to begin.

A few minutes later, the door was suddenly pushed open.

Another police officer peeked in and his gaze fell on me.

"Ji Xiaosong?"

I nodded.

The police officer whispered a few words to me while taking my statement, then gestured with his chin: "Come with me."

I knew exactly what was going on, and silently began to prepare my emotions.

He led me through the corridor and stopped at the door of another interrogation room.

"Go in, someone wants to see you."

I knew it was time to go on stage, so I composed myself and pushed open the door.

Three people were sitting facing each other inside the room: Ruan Tang and two police officers who were asking questions.

Three pairs of eyes turned to him simultaneously.

I was not intimidated at all. After casually glancing at Ruan Tang, I channeled my inner actor, and my expression changed rapidly.

Suspicion, bewilderment, astonishment, incomprehension...

"Wife?!" I became serious in a second.

Ruan Tang paused for a moment, her big eyes darted around halfway, then she stood up abruptly, her eyes instantly reddening. Pointing at my nose, she began to sob:

"You heartless bastard! I was wondering why you were acting so suspiciously today. Turns out you were up to some filthy thing."

Great acting!

I silently cheered in my heart, outwardly shrinking my neck in perfect compliance, and muttered under my breath:

"I...I wasn't just curious, I just wanted to take a look..."

"What are you looking at! How dare you look at something like that? If your mother-in-law finds out about this, God God, I'll never live again, waaaaah..."

The police officer opposite waved his hand impatiently: "Shut up, all of you. Stop arguing."

We all fell silent.

"Are you two really a couple?"

We all nodded.

The police officer frowned. Years of experience in criminal investigation told him that something was wrong, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what was amiss.

After a pause, he decisively used his usual tactics in cracking down on prostitution.

"Ji Xiaosong!"

"arrive!"

"Recite your wife's ID number."

I chuckled to myself, thinking, "I'll just pretend you didn't ask."

"45030419......"

The police officer waved his hand and looked at Ruan Tang again: "Why don't you carry your husband on your back?"

"44060519......"

"hiss--"

The police officer gasped. The harsh reality was right in front of him, and he had no choice but to believe it.

After about ten seconds, he looked at Ruan Tang's statement again and again, hesitated for a long time, and finally stamped it with an official seal, saying to us:

"Alright, you two sign the statement."

We exchanged a glance, our eyes lighting up with joy, and quickly stepped forward.

Another police officer, who had been watching with his arms crossed, suddenly asked a question while we were signing:

"You two got your marriage certificate?"

Ruan Tang instinctively opened her mouth.

My heart skipped a beat, and I spoke first:

"Officer, my family has arranged a marriage between us since we were little. Tangtang and I have been together for seven or eight years. We'll get our marriage certificate when we're old enough, and we're planning to have a baby right now."

Candy?

Ruan Tang listened from the side, her lips twitching.

Seeing my sincere expression and the reasonableness of my words, and considering that two 18-year-old youths shouldn't have done something so shameful as to show pornographic videos in a group, the police officer stopped asking questions.

"Alright, pay up and let's go."

"Thank you, officer."

The police didn't ask for much more from us; each of us paid a 200 yuan deposit, and at least we were out of jail.

It really hurts to say this.

Ruan Tang wasn't much better off.

She searched her pockets thoroughly and only managed to find a little over a hundred yuan in change. In the end, I, as her "husband," had to pay her over ninety yuan.

This is fine.

Having arrived in Hengdian and not even spent a night there, my remaining savings of 1,000 yuan have dwindled to less than 300 yuan.

Ruan Tang and I left the interrogation room with our heads down, and then jogged out of the police station.

It was still dark outside, and I was walking along, breathing heavily.

That was close!

That was in those days. A few years later, even the police stations were digitized, and civil affairs information was connected to the public security network. No one could hide our lies anymore.

I shook a cigarette out of the pack and put it in my mouth.

Ruan Tang walked beside me, side by side. I assumed she was going the same way, so I didn't think much of it and we just walked along casually.

But it wasn't until I lit my cigarette that I realized...

My hand feels like I'm still holding Ruan Tang's hand.

At the police station, I naturally held her hand the whole way out to make it look more convincing. But once we were out of the station, I was so nervous that I probably forgot to let go.

At this moment, our palms face each other, and our fingers are interlocked.

It's warm and cozy.

To be honest, this was the first time I'd ever held a woman's hand. The smooth, slippery feel of her palm made me a little distracted, and I forgot all about lighting a cigarette. I felt a bit lightheaded.

I subconsciously rubbed her palm with my thumb.

"Haven't you touched it enough?"

I vaguely heard a voice speaking through gritted teeth beside me.

At that moment, all I could think about was the feeling of her hand, so I didn't pay any attention to it, didn't even reply, and kept walking forward.

After walking past the alley corner and completely losing sight of the police station's entrance.

Ruan Tang suddenly stopped and abruptly shook off my hand.

"You scoundrel! You pervert! You lecher!"

She cursed as she wiped her palms with her clothes, her disdain undisguised.

I was still immersed in the scene and subconsciously opened my mouth to reply:

"young married woman--"

"Pah! Shut up! Who's your wife?"

Ruan Tang's face turned bright red, she stomped her foot, and yelled at me:

"Ji Xiaosong, I'm warning you, if I see you again, I'll take both your wheels off."

After saying that, she turned and ran, her ponytail swinging back and forth, and in the blink of an eye she disappeared into the depths of the alley.

I stood there stunned, feeling as if the scent of her fingertips still lingered around my nose, and for a moment I was in a daze.

This woman...

That's a huge turn of events!

Just minutes ago we were calling each other husband and wife, and now you want to take my car wheels off?!

"No way, you still owe me money!"