Best Friends Have a Heart-to-Heart Talk

She had been drinking.

The moment he stepped inside, he could smell it.

She hadn’t touched alcohol during dinner, so she must have secretly poured herself a drink after returning to her room.

Not that it was unusual.

She often drank when alone.

As long as it was after work and her mood was decent, she’d usually take a few sips.

Her inability to get drunk also meant she never had to worry about emergencies cropping up.

But today,

her mood seemed off. After drinking, there was a noticeable hint of recklessness in her demeanor.

Take her posture just now—when had she ever been so bold, standing with one foot on a box, completely oblivious to her skirt fluttering in the wind?

No wonder.

No wonder she only drank when in a good mood, opting for the gym downstairs to punch out her frustrations when upset.

Turns out, drinking while in a bad mood really could make her "tipsy."

Even with her special constitution, overdoing it when feeling low still left her a little lightheaded.

She became even more uninhibited than usual.

The alcohol went to her head.

Words she’d normally hold back slipped out.

And when words flowed freely, actions followed.

Once actions started…

Well, Young Master Cao couldn’t bring himself to refuse.

By the time he opened his eyes, it was already the next day.

……

……

Young Master Cao stared at the ceiling…

Reflecting on his mistakes.

It was all the system’s fault.

Luring him with emotional points, leading him astray.

Four diamond treasure chests in one night.

A veritable goldmine.

The emotional points came too easily.

Yes, four.

Second Sister was always good at critical hits.

Add to that the double multiplier in Zhonghai.

The system had tempted him with profit, testing Young Master Cao’s resolve.

And how could he possibly resist such a trial?

Ah!

He’d let his guard down.

Last night, he hadn’t dodged in time.

Pulling out his phone, he noted his biological clock was still reliable—10:30 AM.

No matter how late he slept, he always woke up around this time.

He wondered if he should send Tang Xin a message.

But then he reconsidered.

Better not.

They’d already had an open conversation before: she wouldn’t interfere with his affairs outside, as long as he didn’t flaunt them in front of her.

Still,

replaying the night in his mind, Cao Cheng chuckled wryly—he really was just an ordinary man after all.

He’d thought he’d changed, even managing to turn down Lingling.

Do you have any idea how much willpower that took?

More than 99% of men in the world.

And yet.

His mixed heritage had left a crack in his resolve, triggering the "broken windows theory."

A psychological concept, really.

Put simply: once a man gets his feet wet, there’s no stopping him.

One slip, and restraint goes out the window.

……

Cao Cheng got up and washed his face.

As he scrubbed, his mind wandered.

It seemed that ever since Ren's mother got pregnant last year, the atmosphere at home had been saturated with "expectant energy."

Back then, Second Sister had been on leave, and the two of them had nearly crossed a line.

But they’d both held back.

Knowing it was wrong.

Still…

Emotions are hard to control.

And after holding out for over a year,

the dam had finally broken.

Well.

He’d just take it one step at a time.

……

Cao Cheng headed downstairs.

The maids were already preparing breakfast, well aware of the young master’s routine.

Old Cao was outside trimming the garden.

Ren's mother cradled the little "gas tank," pacing back and forth in the living room.

"Shh—"

Noticing Cao Cheng, she pressed a finger to her lips.

The little one had just fallen asleep.

Cao Cheng leaned in for a peek, smiling as he planted a kiss on the baby’s cheek—utterly adorable.

"Did everyone else leave for work?" he asked casually.

Ren's mother nodded. "Second Sister just headed out."

"……"

A pang of guilt shot through Cao Cheng.

Wait.

What did she mean by that?

Why mention only Second Sister, and not Eldest Sister, The Third, or The Fourth?

Was she hinting at something?

Cao Cheng was definitely feeling uneasy.

No amount of life experience could change that.

Especially since he’d just told Ren's mother yesterday that he planned to marry Tang Xin next year—or at least get engaged.

And then, that very night… well.

How irresponsible was that?

Luckily, Ren's mother didn’t seem to notice his guilt. Instead, she smiled softly.

Keeping her voice low to avoid waking the baby, she swayed gently and murmured, "You talked with Second Sister last night, didn’t you? She seemed much brighter this morning—smiled a few times and even played with Xiao Man for a while."

"……"

Cao Cheng exhaled in relief, still avoiding eye contact.

But her words did ease his tension a little.

He reached out. "Let me take him. You rest for a bit."

"Alright. Be gentle."

As he took the baby, Ren's mother asked curiously, "How did you talk to her? It worked wonders. Was she really going through a breakup?"

"Pfft—no such thing. She’s swamped with work. Probably just PMS and a dumbass new boss. So I had a drink with her, let her vent, and she felt better."

Cao Cheng couldn’t tell the truth, so he spun a plausible lie. "We drank till past 2 AM!"

It sounded convincing enough.

Ren's mother bought it.

……

Meanwhile.

At the Criminal Investigation Division.

Second Sister, her hair tied in a ponytail, walked with an almost buoyant step.

A faint smile played at her lips.

Colleagues and subordinates who passed her couldn’t help but notice.

Everyone agreed the captain looked especially radiant today.

Not that she wasn’t always beautiful.

But her usual icy, aloof demeanor kept people at arm’s length.

Today, though, there was a warmth about her—like a spring breeze.

A rookie female officer, who idolized Captain Ren Fanxing as both mentor and role model, couldn’t resist approaching.

"Captain, are you in love?"

Leave it to a detective—even a rookie—to pick up on subtle cues.

Most wouldn’t dare ask, fearing her infamous temper.

But this girl had no such reservations.

Ren Fanxing arched a brow but didn’t scold or deny it. Instead, she smirked. "That obvious?"

"Mm-hmm!" The girl nodded eagerly.

Ren Fanxing chuckled. "Keep it to yourself. Now get back to work."

"Got it, Captain!" The rookie grinned, feeling an even stronger bond with her mentor.

After all, the captain had trusted her with a secret.

Once in her office, Ren Fanxing shut the door and rubbed her face.

Since she wore no makeup, she didn’t have to worry about smudging anything.

Pouring herself a cup of tea,

she used the premium Ningxiang leaves Young Master Cao had given her.

The tea had evolved over time, its effects almost miraculous—Ren Fanxing looked younger by the day.

Especially today.

Sipping the scalding liquid,

she exhaled slowly.

Her gaze grew distant.

Deep down,

she knew this was wrong.

Not because of their sibling-like relationship—they weren’t blood-related, nor were they on the same household register, so outsiders had no grounds to criticize.

The real issue was Tang Xin.

They say you should guard against friends as much as thieves…

Ren Fanxing never imagined she’d become that "friend."

Knock, knock, knock—

A sharp rap at the door.

The young policewoman walked in and handed over some case files.

"Master, I stayed up last night organizing these and found a few issues."

Ren Fanxing waved her hand. "Go see the deputy team leader first. If there are any confirmed problems, we'll discuss them in the meeting later."

"Understood, Master."

The young policewoman left.

Ren Fanxing didn’t dwell on it any further. She picked up her phone and called Tang Xin.

She wasn’t one to beat around the bush.

If she was wrong, she’d admit it.

...

"Aren’t you at work today?" Tang Xin’s voice came through the phone, tinged with curiosity.

As her best friend, Tang Xin knew Ren Fanxing’s habits well—work was work, and she rarely handled personal matters during office hours.

It was even more unlikely for her to call her best friend for no reason while on duty.

If she did call, it had to be something big or urgent.

"I’m in the office," Ren Fanxing admitted.

Tang Xin chuckled. "Well, well, this is rare. Our Second Sister actually handling personal matters during work hours? Must be a serious problem, huh?"

The two knew each other inside out.

So Tang Xin’s remark didn’t surprise Ren Fanxing.

Instead, she took a deep breath.

"Yes. It’s big. And serious."

"Go on, then. What do you need me to do?"

"..."

Hearing Tang Xin’s words, Ren Fanxing hesitated, guilt creeping into her voice as she struggled to find the right words.

When she picked up the phone, she’d already made up her mind.

It wasn’t like she wanted anything—just to lay everything out honestly and face the consequences, whatever they might be.

It was almost like the mindset of Jin Yong’s most reckless character, 'Ke Zhen’e.'

At worst, she’d face the music.

But...

Now that the call was connected, the words stuck in her throat.

Especially given her relationship with Tang Xin, and Tang Xin’s offer—"What do you need me to do?"

That level of trust was immense.

So the guilt weighed even heavier.

People say there’s no right or wrong in matters of the heart.

But the one who comes later is still the one who comes later.

Wrong is wrong.

There’s no arguing that.

"I’m sorry."

Finally, Ren Fanxing uttered those three words.

Tang Xin was sharp. The moment she heard them, she instinctively wanted to ask—Sorry for what?

But before she could voice the question, a realization struck her.

Tang Xin’s tone was calm. "Cao Cheng?"

"Uh... yes," Ren Fanxing replied.

It was like they were speaking in code.

Even if someone were eavesdropping, they’d have no clue what the two were talking about.

That’s how close friends are—they just get each other.

"..."

"..."

Silence.

Still silence.

After nearly twenty seconds, Ren Fanxing spoke. "It’s not his fault. It’s mine. I had a bit to drink last night."

Tang Xin’s voice was neutral. "You’ve never gotten drunk."

"True. But I’ve been in a bad mood lately, and yesterday was the worst. The alcohol hit me harder than usual."

"..."

Tang Xin understood.

She knew Ren Fanxing had this quirk—she could drink endlessly without getting drunk, but only when she was in a good mood, or at least not in a bad one.

Otherwise, even a little could go to her head.

Tang Xin didn’t press further about the drinking.

Whether it was a case of "drunken mistakes" or something else, what was done was done.

Instead, she asked, "When did you start liking him? Weren’t you against him from the beginning?"

"I... I don’t know exactly when. Maybe it started when he helped me crack that case. Slowly, I began feeling differently."

"But..."