Detective Su Bai: Handling Cases with Dedication

To be honest, Su Bai found all the trendy "tests" that girls use on their boyfriends utterly repulsive.

What's with all the nonsense? If you like someone, just be together properly. If not, break up cleanly—why all the unnecessary drama?

So Su Bai had long decided that even after starting university, he wouldn’t engage in those formulaic relationships. The thought of playing mind games with a future girlfriend, endlessly bickering and scheming, was exhausting.

Luckily, he had his "System Bro," so he didn’t need to bother with scripted romance. The current "stats-overwhelming" dating model suited him just fine.

His ideal girlfriend? Someone obedient, sensible, and drama-free.

But clearly, Xue Tao’s stats and character design weren’t advanced enough to land him a non-troublesome girlfriend.

And of all people, he ended up with Liu Yuanyuan—a certified drama queen.

"Let me be fair here," Su Bai said after some thought. "Buying fake jade isn’t entirely Xue Tao’s fault. Even big-name influencers get scammed these days, let alone ordinary people."

"Pfft." Chu Mingzhe rolled his eyes. "Old Xue doesn’t think he’s ordinary."

"True… Wait, no, that’s not the point. Liu Yuanyuan claims to be a ‘refined girl,’ right? Shouldn’t she know more about jewelry? If she got duped, she should shoulder most of the blame."

Su Bai, the detective, was on the case.

Though his argument reeked of his usual sly, devil’s-advocate logic, Wang Haoran and Chu Mingzhe nodded in agreement.

Mainly because Liu Yuanyuan had gone too far. Like, seriously—no matter how annoying Xue Tao was, treating him like some war criminal was just overkill.

"Looks like Xue Tao’s Thailand trip isn’t going as planned. Tsk, what a setback!"

Chu Mingzhe clicked his tongue, fiddling with his suspiciously dog-like Kuromi plushie before suddenly radiating confidence.

"Not bad, ‘Shanghai Bro.’ Just stay safe," Su Bai reminded him again.

That night, Chu Mingzhe went out on a date with Leilei. Su Bai assumed he’d stay over, but he was back before 11 PM.

When Su Bai asked why, Chu Mingzhe just grinned like an idiot and said, "Good meals should be savored slowly. No rush."

No one knew what went down between him and "Landmine Girl" that evening…

As for Xue Tao, Su Bai and Wang Haoran, fueled by gossip, urged Chu Mingzhe to check in with his rival.

Chu Mingzhe sent Xue Tao several messages. At first, Xue Tao replied, saying he was too tired from arguing to bother comforting her and was heading to a bar—apparently, the nightlife there was wild.

But after midnight, he went radio silent.

"No way… Dude, you think something happened to Old Xue?" Wang Haoran wondered.

"Nah. That place can be sketchy, but Xue Tao’s not that dumb," Chu Mingzhe said, shaking his head.

Su Bai: "Are we sure about that?"

"…Let’s wait and see. Bai, you wake up early—message him in the morning. If he still doesn’t respond, maybe we should contact his family?"

Rival or not, Chu Mingzhe cared about his roommate’s safety. If Xue Tao stayed missing too long, they’d have to step in.

Su Bai agreed.

---

The next morning, Su Bai woke up at six sharp.

After last night’s discussion about locals, he’d gone to bed before 1 AM. For someone who usually survived on 3-4 hours of sleep, six was practically sleeping in.

"Let’s see what’s up."

He opened WeChat and—bam—Xue Tao had posted a Moments update 15 minutes ago:

[Xue ZhiTao: Morning workout! Can’t slack off even on vacation. Another energetic day 💪💪…]

WTF?!

Last night, Xue Tao was all about "experiencing exotic nightlife," and now he’s up before dawn exercising?

This guy never worked out in the morning back home. Now, in Thailand, he’s suddenly Mr. Discipline?

That doesn’t add up.

[Crispy White Goose: 🦢🤔]

[Crispy White Goose: Chu said you ghosted him last night. We thought you got kidnapped.]

[Xue ZhiTao: ..]

[Xue ZhiTao: As if 😒]

[Crispy White Goose: So… how were the bars?]

[Xue ZhiTao: Hah.]

[Xue ZhiTao: Bars? Overrated. I’m here with my girl—nothing beats quality time with your beloved. Ah, romance is priceless…]

[Crispy White Goose: 🦢🍷]

"Beloved"? Where? Who?

Su Bai found Xue Tao’s wording full of holes… but he got the gist.

Apparently, Xue Tao had made it back to the hotel and, through some mysterious means, patched things up with Liu Yuanyuan.

Good. Good.

Su Bai firmly believed chaotic couples should stay tightly bound—spare the world from their mess.

But one question lingered: How did Xue Tao jump from "storming off to a bar after a fight" to "cuddling sweetly with his girlfriend"?

The plot transition felt… missing a few scenes.

"Oh? What’s our little heartthrob pondering so deeply?"

Su Bai turned—Xia Lin.

He’d left the dorm and, as usual, wandered to the track near the male dorms.

Early mornings at elite universities were serene, almost picturesque. Perfect for jogging or strolling.

Especially when the scenery included a beauty like her.

Xia Lin’s workout attire was, as always, eye-catching.

With autumn cooling the mornings, she’d opted for a cropped jacket over a snug tank top, exposing a sliver of midriff. Classic gray yoga pants completed the look.

Su Bai noticed Xia Lin rarely wore flashy colors. Maybe because her toned figure spoke for itself—neutral tones kept things understated.

"Morning, Director Xia."

"Anything troubling you? You can confide in your big sis." She grinned, pinching his cheek. "Huh? Feels like you’ve gotten even handsomer?"

A 5-point charisma boost was noticeable.

His roommates had spotted it yesterday too, but since they weren’t into guys, they’d shrugged it off.

Xia Lin, however, seemed fascinated, her fingers lingering on his face.

"Your skin’s smoother too. What’s the secret? Does living with beauties really work wonders for a guy?"

"…Doubt it. Just hitting my stride—nothing special."