Shocked to Hear About Ex-Girlfriend

It was already afternoon. Russell remembered the coach saying that around this time, police officers would start arriving one after another. He didn't want to run into any old acquaintances, so he decided to leave early.

The main reason was his parents' hidden professions. Now, whenever Russell saw former colleagues, he felt incredibly uncomfortable—even looking at old photos of himself in uniform felt awkward and wrong.

The parking lot was on the first-floor plaza. As Russell passed through, he spotted three shady characters lingering next to a White Cayenne.

The three hoodlums were young but seasoned troublemakers. They didn't care about being seen, and when they noticed Russell's clean-cut, scrawny appearance, they shot him a few vicious glares.

What are you looking at? Stick your nose in and we'll mess you up!

Russell confirmed it with a glance—these guys were no good!

He shrugged and turned toward his own van. The three hoodlums acted like they'd just won a victory, laughing arrogantly, completely unaware that Russell had already pulled out his phone and started recording once he got in the car.

These days, police work was tough—everything required evidence. If he'd just beaten the three of them down directly, they might have turned the tables on him. But with evidence, it was a different story.

The three were unlucky. Before they could even pop the lock, the car's owner showed up. She was a woman around thirty, dressed like a white-collar worker, holding the hand of a little girl about three or four years old—a little loli.

The white-collar woman froze at the scene, then quickly thought on her feet and tried to steer her daughter away. But the little loli didn't understand the situation. Pointing at the three hoodlums, she blurted out, "Mommy, there are thieves trying to steal our car..."

The white-collar woman didn't reply. She just pulled the little lori along and quickened her pace. But the little lori's words had already reached the three hoodlums' ears. They chased after them and surrounded the mother and daughter.

Russell put down his phone expressionlessly, pushed open the car door, and walked over. His hands suddenly itched—he wanted to scratch that itch on a few faces.

The white-collar woman's face went pale as the three hoodlums closed in. She pulled a spray can from her bag and shielded her daughter in her arms.

"There are cameras in the parking lot! Don't do anything stupid!"

The three hoodlums exchanged glances. They'd only wanted to steal the bag from the car, and hearing that made them hesitate. But out in the world, face was everything. If it had been just one person, maybe they'd back off, but with two others watching, leaving like that was too humiliating.

The white-collar woman was sharp. She opened her handbag and tossed out her wallet. "Don't hurt us. I promise I won't call the police."

The hoodlum picked up the wallet, tossed the cards and ID on the ground. There was about two thousand yuan inside. They exchanged looks, satisfied.

Things should have ended there. The white-collar woman was cooperative, and the hoodlums didn't want to push it further. But among everyone present, there was still an innocent little lori.

Reality didn't match what she'd been taught. Confused, she asked, "Mommy, why are you giving them money? Daddy said that's wrong—it encourages criminals. We should call the police!"

White-Collar Woman: "..."

Did your daddy also tell you to wait until you're safe before calling the cops?

The three hoodlums were about to leave, but hearing that made them turn back, annoyed, with a look that said they were going to teach the kid a lesson. The white-collar woman gripped her pepper spray, sweat beading on her forehead. She knew some self-defense moves—like groin kicks, groin kicks, and more groin kicks—but with her daughter right there, she was afraid she'd get hurt.

The pepper spray was still a strong deterrent. None of the three hoodlums wanted to be the first to charge. One of them pulled out a switchblade, and with a sharp click, the white-collar woman froze, pulling the little lori tighter in her arms.

The three hoodlums burst into laughter again. The one with the knife, emboldened, waved it around wildly.

Slap!

Russell grabbed the hoodlum's wrist. As the guy stared in shock, Russell said, "According to Article 32 of the Public Security Administration Punishment Law, illegal possession of state-regulated controlled instruments carries a detention of up to five days and a fine of up to five hundred yuan!"

"Huh!?"

"You're under arrest!"

Damn, he's a cop!

The hoodlum shuddered and thrashed his arm to break free, but the five fingers around his wrist felt like they were forged from iron. He winced in pain but couldn't get loose.

Russell didn't hold back. He knocked the knife away, then drove an uppercut into the hoodlum's stomach. The guy dropped to his knees, retching.

"Bros... bros, run..."

The hoodlum was loyal, afraid his buddies would do something stupid. But when he looked up, his good friends had already vanished.

"..."

Every man for himself when disaster strikes. Russell had seen it too many times. He didn't bother chasing the two who ran off. One caught was enough to bring back to the station for questioning—the other two wouldn't get far.

The hoodlum winced in pain and started begging. "Bro, give me a break! I'm a first-time offender! And I didn't even do anything!"

Russell shot him a glance and said, with practiced ease, "Armed robbery! Attempted assault! Resisting arrest! Assaulting an officer!"

Hoodlum: "..."

Who the hell are you even talking about!

The hoodlum cursed his bad luck, his eyes darting around. Rubbing his aching stomach, he scrambled to his feet to flee. But the moment he lifted his foot, Russell stuck out a leg and tripped him. He slammed headfirst into the Cayenne's door, rolled his eyes back, and passed out.

"See? I didn't frame you. That's resisting arrest right there."

On the other side, the white-collar woman had already called the police. Thinking back on the dangerous scene, she was still shaken.

"Thank you so much. If it weren't for you today..." The white-collar woman was endlessly grateful. But when she got a clear look at Russell's face, she paused, hesitating. "Are you... are you Xiao Luo from the police force?"

Russell nodded. "That's me. And you are?"

Seeing it was an acquaintance, the white-collar woman relaxed and smiled. "We met just last year. You don't remember, do you?"

"Last year... oh, right, right, right! I remember now!" Russell wiped his brow, embarrassed. The woman did look familiar, but he still couldn't place her.

The white-collar woman smiled, not taking it to heart. She was about to change the subject gracefully when the little lori piped up again. "Mommy, the uncle is lying! He definitely forgot!"

Russell: "..."

White-Collar Woman: "..."

You couldn't expect a child to understand social niceties. They exchanged awkward smiles, and the white-collar woman said, "Last year, the city organized a police family outing. We met on the bus. You helped me carry my luggage. Our Old Wang... you might not remember, but our Old Wang is in the Riot Squad!"

Hearing this, Russell finally remembered—he had indeed crossed paths with the white-collar woman. A small favor he'd long forgotten, but she still recalled. Thinking about it, he couldn't help casting a sympathetic glance at the unconscious hoodlum. If memory served, Old Wang was the captain of the Riot Squad.

Tsk tsk, no saving him now. Might as well wait to die!

Russell didn't know Old Wang well, but the guy's legendary story had caused a stir. Word was, he had a foul temper—like a stone in a cesspit, stubborn and reeking. By his thirties, he still hadn't found a wife. Everyone figured he'd be a lifelong bachelor. Then one day, he stepped up to save a rich miss. Though there was a ten-year age gap, somehow, against all odds, the rich miss took a liking to him.

Old Wang got married—chased by a beauty ten years his junior. It shook the Fengning City police force, because marrying that wife made him rich!

"What a coincidence today. If you hadn't helped, who knows what might've happened." The white-collar woman was the very rich miss who'd fallen for Old Wang back then—a straightforward woman. She chatted and laughed with Russell for a bit, and when she learned he was there to work out, she dropped a line without hesitation.

"That Fighting Club is mine. From now on, you're free for life!"

Russell: "..."

So that was the connection the coach meant. Those animals from the Riot Squad really did have too much energy—if they didn't train for a day, they felt like crawling out of their skin.

"Xiao Luo! Married yet? You're not getting any younger, don't end up like Old Wang. I've seen your girlfriend—she's pretty..."

Listening to the standard Chinese-style interrogation, Russell felt a headache coming on. What was he supposed to say here? I broke up ages ago?

Russell could only force a smile and nod. Not long after, the police car arrived, and he finally breathed a sigh of relief. He greeted a colleague he knew—though he'd resigned, they were all familiar faces. He gave a brief rundown, forwarded the video he'd taken, and that counted as his statement.

The hoodlum was loaded into the police car. The white-collar woman drove off behind them with the little lori, who waved goodbye to Russell as they left.

Russell climbed into his van and turned the key in the ignition. Then something struck him, and his face darkened instantly. The white-collar woman said she'd seen his girlfriend... but Russell didn't remember that ever happening...

His ex-girlfriend was in the industry and had been abroad for nearly a year. Coupled with being kicked out of the Assassin Group last night, Russell sensed trouble—someone was digging into him!

"Did they catch me lurking in the chat...? That dumb woman took a job to off me!?"

Russell's expression turned grim. Truth be told, he still had feelings for his ex-girlfriend. If it came down to a fight, he wouldn't have the heart to go through with it...