The Twin Beauties of Water and Fire

“All right, you two, calm down for a bit! I’m heading out for a while and will be back later,” Hou Rui said as he changed into a fresh set of clothes, preparing to leave. Unexpectedly, Li Lei suddenly blocked his way. “Monkey, you’re going to see your Shan Shan, aren’t you? Why not take me along? I haven’t seen my Si Si in ages.”

“And me, me too! I want to see my Xiao Yu,” Ma Siyuan immediately chimed in, joining the group.

“Get lost, both of you. I’m going to meet another fellow townsman. You two brutes can go to the Police Academy yourselves.” With that, Hou Rui dashed down the stairs. However, when he reached the school parking lot, he was taken aback once more.

Right next to his self-assembled Forty, Cheng Lin was standing there, dressed in a red off-shoulder top and tight jeans, glancing around as if waiting for someone. She was so striking that she drew the attention of every student passing through the parking lot, making them stop in their tracks, practically drooling.

It was obvious that Cheng Lin had put effort into her appearance that day. Her face bore a touch of makeup, and her signature voluminous waves looked especially fluffy. Her delicate features and alluring figure combined to form a captivating blend of angelic and devilish charm, even from afar.

What’s she doing here? Oh, I get it! She must be waiting for someone else, just coincidentally standing beside my car. Hou Rui tried to comfort himself with this thought. Gritting his teeth, he avoided looking at Cheng Lin and got straight into his Forty. But Cheng Lin, without the slightest hesitation, opened the passenger door and slid into the seat beside him.

So much for wishful thinking. This troublesome girl was clearly here for him.

“What… what are you doing?” Hou Rui tried to sound fierce as he looked at Cheng Lin’s extraordinarily beautiful face, but his somewhat trembling tone revealed his lack of confidence.

“Didn’t you promise your girlfriend you’d introduce us today? So here I am,” Cheng Lin replied, feigning innocence. She was obviously here to stir up trouble.

“No need. We’ve made new plans. You don’t have to trouble yourself. Please get out.”

“Is that so? Well, I’ve got nothing else to do tonight, so I’ll just tag along. Oh, and aren’t you trying to buckle down on your French? Maybe we could find a quiet café to study?” As she spoke, Cheng Lin deliberately flicked her fluffy hair, looking the picture of innocence.

“What will it take for you to get out of the car?” It looked like he’d have to take a tougher stance; otherwise, he’d never get rid of this girl. Hou Rui tried to look menacing, leaning aggressively toward Cheng Lin as if to intimidate her.

“What are you trying to do? I’m warning you—if you try anything, you can forget about showing your face around the School of Communication.” Cheng Lin seemed a bit nervous but quickly seized upon Hou Rui’s bluff.

“All right, you win! But remember, if you end up getting mistaken for a mistress and beaten up, don’t say I didn’t warn you.” With that, Hou Rui resigned himself to fate. Jin Shanshan had already sent several reminders on WeChat. Now that Cheng Lin insisted on getting involved, what did he have to fear as a man?

The Forty soon sped out of the school parking lot. By the time they were on their way to the Police Academy, news that the campus beauty Cheng Lin had gotten into the car of photography hotshot Hou Rui had already exploded on the university forum. Countless gossip-hungry students began to speculate wildly.

Around 7 p.m., the capital’s roads remained hopelessly congested. Cars formed endless lines across every street. Hou Rui’s Forty was no exception, soon caught in a snarl atop an overpass as they entered the city.

To pass the time, Hou Rui pulled out his phone to fiddle with it, aware that Cheng Lin was silently watching him, but not daring to acknowledge her attention. The commission from the Hong Kong assignment had finally arrived, but after deducting Lux’s and his own medical expenses, safehouse fees, and the cost of fake documents, his earnings were pitifully meager. Still, saving Lux’s life and getting a glimpse of the legendary Knights made it all worthwhile. His only regret was not being able to lay eyes on the Spiked Knight himself.

“You don’t look well. Are you sick or injured?” Cheng Lin’s sudden question snapped Hou Rui from his thoughts.

“Didn’t sleep well. Got a bit of a fever,” Hou Rui replied offhandedly. But Cheng Lin immediately reached out to feel his forehead, startling him into dodging. The movement tugged at the wound on his shoulder, making him wince in pain.

Seeing Hou Rui refuse her attempt to check his temperature and noticing him frown, a fleeting trace of disappointment flashed in Cheng Lin’s eyes, though she quickly masked it. She looked at his furrowed brow and said, “How about stopping by a pharmacy to get some medicine?”

“No need. I’ll just get some sleep back at the dorm.” With that, Hou Rui released the handbrake and let the Forty inch forward with the traffic.

As they drew nearer to the Police Academy, Jin Shanshan was already waiting at the gate with her friends Li Si and Chen Xiangyu, fuming.

“Shorty, are you sure that guy is cheating? How could he go behind your back with a chunk of prime swan like you before he’s even won you over? It makes no sense!” Wang Si was clearly trying to approach the matter rationally.

“Unless the other swan is even more tempting, way, way more. That’s the only way he’d ditch a phoenix for a yard hen,” Chen Xiangyu chimed in, clearly just stirring the pot.

“Who are you calling a yard hen, huh? Listen, you mop-head, I’m already annoyed. Try me again and I’ll strip you naked and toss you in the hallway.”

“Just kidding, just kidding! Don’t get mad, Shorty. That guy wouldn’t dare mess around.” Breaking out in a cold sweat, Chen Xiangyu hastily tried to placate the dorm’s resident bully, knowing full well she’d end up in the hallway if she pushed her too far.

As the three bantered, the Forty screeched to a halt nearby, and Hou Rui was the first to climb out.

“Well, well, Monkey, this is your new ride? Tough-looking car,” Chen Xiangyu commented first, but she quickly fell silent as Cheng Lin, exuding charm, stepped out of the passenger seat.

Come what may! I have a clear conscience!

With that sense of resolve, Hou Rui stood before Jin Shanshan, took her slightly stiff hand, and said, “Let me introduce you. This is my girlfriend, Jin Shanshan. These are her friends, Wang Si and Chen Xiangyu. And this is my classmate from the School of Communication, Cheng Lin.”

“Hello,” Cheng Lin said, extending her hand to Jin Shanshan.

From the moment Cheng Lin got out of the car, Jin Shanshan, already wracked with regret, mentally rummaged through her wardrobe, imagining what outfit she could wear to outshine this thousand-year-old fox spirit. She was so distracted that she failed to respond in time, only regaining her senses when Hou Rui discreetly shook her hand. Composing herself, she extended her own hand and replied, “Hello, I’ve heard my husband mention you often.”

“Hehe, Hou Rui and I are classmates in French. We always review together after class. I heard he was buying a car a few days ago, so I helped him make some contacts.” As the two girls shook hands, Hou Rui noticed Jin Shanshan quietly tightening her grip, squeezing Cheng Lin’s fingers until her knuckles whitened. Cheng Lin frowned in pain, but managed to finish her sentence with composure.

Good grief! Girls can be terrifying when they get serious!

Hou Rui glanced from one to the other, swallowing hard. To prevent things from escalating, he quickly intervened, squeezing between the two girls. “All right, enough standing around. Let’s find somewhere to eat. I’m starving—let’s chat over dinner.”

“Sure, sure! Let’s go to that hotpot place we visited last time. The fish there is really good,” Jin Shanshan said cheerfully, but as she spoke, her hand twisted a pinch of flesh on Hou Rui’s waist with a full 360-degree turn.

“Hiss—” Hou Rui sucked in a breath, but forced a smile at Jin Shanshan, careful not to show any sign of pain.

Noticing Jin Shanshan’s little gesture, Cheng Lin unexpectedly chose to retreat. “No, I was just hitching a ride today. I have something to do up ahead. Next time, I’ll join you for dinner.”

“Don’t go! You’re here already—join us!” Jin Shanshan, aware of the threat, was eager to learn more about this sly fox, but Hou Rui stepped in again. “Let her be. We’ll meet up next time. She has her own plans.”

“All right, I’ll listen to my husband. Next time, then—it’s a promise.” Not wanting to embarrass Hou Rui in public, Jin Shanshan agreed readily, but her hand twisted another circle of flesh on his waist.

Soon, Cheng Lin—always the center of attention—left, and only when her figure disappeared did Hou Rui dart aside to escape Jin Shanshan’s clutches.

“Wow, it’s purple! Honey, your hand’s deadly,” Hou Rui exclaimed, lifting his shirt to reveal a red and purple bruise on his waist, tears springing to his eyes from the pain.

“Stupid Monkey, who are you calling your wife? What was that just now?” Now that there were no outsiders, Jin Shanshan dropped her mask and bared her claws, while Wang Si and Chen Xiangyu, wise to the situation, had already retreated to a safe distance to watch this live version of “The Execution of the Faithless Husband.”

“Nothing, really nothing at all,” Hou Rui continued to play dumb, but Jin Shanshan, at her wit’s end, threw a punch straight at his eye...