The female clerk who had been gossiping earlier looked anxiously at Su Yun and said, "Comrade, you're too late. Su Xiu's ex-fiancé already came here yesterday to make a scene, and just like you said, he immediately started claiming that he had… been with her."
"I knew it! That man looks like a street thug at first glance—nothing he says can be trusted. Comrade Su Xiu has been impeccable in her conduct ever since she joined our office. Of course we believe her."
"Exactly! I don't believe that thug at all. Just look at him—what could Su Xiu possibly see in him? There are so many excellent people in our bureau! And today happens to be the social gathering—who knows, maybe Su Xiu will meet someone she likes!"
Having finished her performance, Su Yun quickly found an excuse to leave. "Comrades, since my cousin isn't in the office, I'll head out first. When she returns, please let her know I came looking for her."
The female clerk immediately nodded. "Don't worry, we'll pass on the message."
After leaving the clerks' office, Su Yun hurried back to Su Xiu and Gu Hai.
"Cousin, sorry about that. The Public Security Bureau is so big—I got lost just now and kept you waiting."
Su Xiu smiled. "It's alright. When I first joined, I got lost all the time too. I should've thought of that and gone with you. By the way, Xiao Yun, there's a dance party at the bureau today. Would you like to join? Even though you already have a boyfriend, there's plenty of good food—you could treat it as lunch."
"No need, Cousin. Gu Hai and I have other plans."
At moments like this, Su Yun had to admit that Gu Hai was very useful.
Su Xiu didn't insist further and escorted both Su Yun and Gu Hai out.
Meanwhile, at the entrance of the Public Security Bureau, Zhou Ziyang arrived on his bicycle with Chu Chengsong riding behind him.
After parking, Zhou Ziyang said to the uninterested Chu Chengsong, "Old Chu, since you're already here, cheer up a bit. There are so many people today—it's lively for once. Look around, check out these fresh faces…"
Before he could finish, Zhou Ziyang spotted Su Xiu at the entrance.
He quickly shifted to block Chu Chengsong's view and gestured in another direction. "Look at our female colleagues from the branch—each one dressed up beautifully. So young, so full of life!"
Chu Chengsong, being a criminal investigator, immediately noticed Zhou Ziyang's deliberate behavior.
With a snort, he turned to look in the direction Zhou Ziyang was trying to block. "I'm looking right here. Let's see what you're hiding."
Zhou Ziyang was about to retort when he saw Chu Chengsong freeze, staring blankly.
Alarmed, Zhou Ziyang quickly raised his hand to cover Chu Chengsong's eyes. "Old Chu, don't blame me for not warning you—she's the one I've set my sights on. You can't have any ideas about her!"
Chu Chengsong forcefully pushed his hand away, his gaze fixed intensely on Su Yun standing at the entrance.
"Who is that girl in plain clothes at the door?" he asked seriously.
Hearing "the girl in plain clothes," Zhou Ziyang relaxed.
Su Xiu was wearing an olive-green uniform!
Zhou Ziyang looked again and, after a few seconds, realized that only Su Yun fit that description. He felt a bit annoyed.
Turning back, he said, "Old Chu, you really have sharp taste—why do you always take a liking to someone else's girl?"
After complaining, he continued, "That girl's name is Su Yun. She works at a recycling station. She's not even eighteen yet, but she already has a boyfriend. You know him too—it's Gu Hai, the one who sold you the camera. See? He's standing right beside her…"
"Not even eighteen?"
Chu Chengsong calculated silently.
His younger sister, Chu Zhenzhen, wasn't eighteen yet either.
It must just be a coincidence in appearance.
Even so, he couldn't help but glance at Su Yun a few more times, thinking: She looks so much alike… this girl looks exactly like my mother, Yang Huiru, when she was young!
After that thought, Chu Chengsong suddenly turned to Zhou Ziyang with a look of betrayal. "You traitor, Old Zhou! We agreed to stay single together, and yet you secretly found someone!"
"Old Chu, I can explain—just hear me out…"
—
Meanwhile, after leaving the Public Security Bureau, Gu Hai rode with Su Yun through countless streets and alleys. After nearly two hours, they finally arrived at a remote valley.
A river flowed around the valley, its waters rushing gently, the scenery pleasant—though the sun was blazing and the temperature high.
Gu Hai hid the bicycle in the grass and led Su Yun toward the river, saying as they walked, "There used to be a lot of scrap around here, but it's all been picked clean now. That box I found was dug up from beneath a big tree across the river."
Su Yun hadn't seen any trace of magnetic stones along the way, so she quickly asked, "What about that big iron-like stone you found before? Where was that?"
Gu Hai replied, "That's a bit farther away, on the other side of the valley. Since we're already here, let's just look around first."
Su Yun wasn't in a hurry. "Alright, let's split up. If either of us finds something, just shout."
With that, she headed off in another direction.
Gu Hai was stunned.
He had suggested looking around just as an excuse to spend more time alone with her—but he hadn't expected Su Yun to take it so seriously, focusing only on treasure hunting.
What a miscalculation!
With a slightly resentful expression, Gu Hai didn't wander off. Instead, he followed behind her at a distance.
Although this place rarely saw visitors, who knew what dangers might be hidden? He couldn't let her roam alone.
Su Yun searched along the riverbank for quite a while but found nothing.
Then she looked across the river and spotted the large tree Gu Hai had mentioned. Could there still be treasure beneath it?
Without hesitation, she took off her white shoes, rolled up her pant legs, and carefully stepped onto the stones in the water to cross.
The water reached her knees. After just a few steps, she slipped—
Her body swayed, and she was about to fall into the river.
Gu Hai reacted instantly. In a flash, he lunged forward and caught her, falling into the water himself as he held her.
Su Yun landed on top of him, her clothes soaked and clinging tightly to her body.
Gu Hai instantly saw everything clearly. His face flushed bright red, and he hurriedly shut his eyes!
Blushing as well, Su Yun struggled to get up. As her hand brushed against a stone in the water, a system notification sounded in her mind—
"Ding! Ancient magnetic stone fragments detected. Recovery value: 123,000. Sell?"
A pile?
Su Yun froze.
She looked across the river and realized that the entire riverbed was densely covered with these stones!
In that instant, three words flashed through her mind: I'm rich!
At that moment, she completely forgot about being seen by Gu Hai. Instead, she quickly improvised:
"Gu Hai, our clothes are soaked. Why don't we separate and dry them before meeting up again?"
Gu Hai, who also wished he could disappear immediately, nodded blindly with his eyes still closed. "Okay!"
As soon as Su Yun got off him, Gu Hai scrambled away in a hurry.
If he didn't leave now, he was afraid he might frighten her!