Shen Mu Lan's eardrums felt as though they were covered in a film of water. Even after everyone had left the police station, the tail end of Sun Ye's words still lingered amid the ringing in his ears.
Seeing him walk down the steps as though he were treading on cotton, Ji Yanzhi said coldly, "Shen Mu Lan, watch where you're going."
"Huh?" Shen Mu Lan gave him a dazed look. "Oh."
At that, Ji Yanzhi simply caught him by the elbow and led him straight to his car.
Thud. The muffled sound of the car door closing startled Shen Mu Lan. The breath he sucked in finally tore through the haze before his eyes.
Ji Yanzhi asked teasingly, "Back among the living?"
"...What?"
Ji Yanzhi scoffed. "Seriously? You're that excited?"
"Who-who's excited?!" Color rushed up from the thin skin behind his ears, as though someone had poured an entire bottle of red ink over a white plaster statue. Even Shen Mu Lan's neck turned scarlet. "Can't I just be hot because of the heater?"
"Oh..." Ji Yanzhi put on a look of sudden realization. "Thanks for reminding me. I haven't turned it on yet."
Shen Mu Lan clenched his teeth, his jaw muscles drawing hard, rigid lines along his face. "Ji Yanzhi, would it kill you not to make fun of me?"
Holding back his laughter, Ji Yanzhi raised a hand. "All right, all right. Seriously, though. You two have known each other for so long. Did you really never notice Team Leader Sun liked you?"
Shen Mu Lan's cheeks heated up again, and he turned toward the window in agitation. "I didn't!"
"Well, I knew. He fell for you at first sight on the day the Steamed Bun Shop opened. After that, he went out of his way