Chapter 10: Turning the Tables
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When Tan Yuyan heard this, a flicker of light returned to her dull eyes. “Really? I didn’t study much, so don’t lie to me.”
Tan Ming nodded. “Of course. Isn’t that how it always goes on those criminal investigation shows? Released for lack of evidence.”
“Good.” Tan Yuyan relaxed slightly. “As long as we make it through tonight, when the police arrive tomorrow, we’ll turn the accusation back on her. We’ll say she deliberately splashed hotpot broth in your face and attacked us with a stun baton.”
“If she gets a criminal record, she’ll definitely be fired.”
*
Inside Rescue Station 028, Xu Ying found bottled water and self-heating rice meals and handed one to Ning Zexi.
After eating her fill, she finally felt as though she had returned to Earth from the state of staggering around in hunger.
It was one thing not to look, but once she did, the sight was astonishing. The supplies stored inside Rescue Station 028 were stacked in box after box, as though someone had been stockpiling them.
The rescuers at each station had to go to headquarters every half month to collect supplies.
The original Xu Ying had always taken her animal-rescue work seriously. Because she was constantly out on assignments, she could never make it to headquarters early on distribution day.
Rescue Station 028 was not far from the original Xu Ying’s Station 032. Every time, the siblings Tan Yuyan and Tan Ming would “kindly” collect her share from headquarters in advance, then skim off a portion of her supplies.
The siblings lived in abundance, while the original Xu Ying had to calculate carefully even before drinking a single bottle of water.
Xu Ying let out a cold laugh. Seeing that the two villains were still whispering together outside, she strode out and flung a broom at their feet.
“You two clean the station, then fetch me a bucket of water so I can wash up.”
“I’m going to sleep.”
The broom struck Tan Yuyan, and hearing Xu Ying order them around as though they were her servants, she was furious.
But when she saw the three bear bodyguards behind Xu Ying, she did not dare to lose her temper. Gritting her teeth, she picked up the broom and went inside.
After struggling to clean the room and fetching a bucket of water with Tan Ming, the siblings were exhausted, sleepy, and freezing.
Once they had finished all that, Ning Zexi tied them up again and sent them to huddle in a corner.
When Tan Yuyan looked over once more, Xu Ying was already sleeping soundly beneath a brand-new flannel blanket.
Tan Yuyan was so angry her teeth ached. That blanket had been issued for the New Year, and she had never even been willing to use it herself!
The desert night was bitterly cold, but Xu Ying did not suffer from the chill.
The three Gobi bears lay side by side, and Xu Ying slept sprawled across their bellies. They were soft and comfortable, like a heated blanket with a built-in warming function.
Just by looking at Xu Ying’s peaceful sleeping face, Tan Yuyan could imagine how comfortable it must be to sleep on a bear’s belly.
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The siblings sat back-to-back on the icy floor. Listening to Xu Ying’s even breathing, they were so cold that they barely slept all night.
Meanwhile, Xu Ying lay on a huge, furry bear bed and slept wonderfully.
*
The next morning.
A police SUV stopped in front of Rescue Station 028.
A handsome uniformed officer with long legs, sharp brows, and bright, striking eyes stepped out of the vehicle.
He was Chen Su, the desert police-station officer Xu Ying had contacted through Ning Zexi’s phone the previous day.
Police officers generally responded to calls in pairs or larger groups, and two colleagues followed Chen Su out of the vehicle.
When he reached the station, he assumed the people inside might still be sleeping and prepared to knock. Then he noticed several enormous bear paw prints on the door.
Chen Su drew the police baton from his waist and cautiously pushed the door open.
The sight inside left him speechless.
Three Gobi bears were sprawled on the floor, snoring away.
A peaceful-looking young woman lay across a bear’s belly. Sunlight from outside fell across her face, while her long, thick lashes cast a shadow like a raven’s wing.
As though sensing something, the girl opened her eyes groggily and yawned.
The scene was so strange and beautiful that it seemed to have come straight from a fairy tale.
The instant Xu Ying recognized the uniformed man standing at the door, she woke up completely.
“Big Brother Chen?”
Chen Su nodded stiffly. His thin lips moved, and though he had countless questions, he had no idea where to begin.
“Were you the one who reported the incident yesterday?”
Xu Ying had finally found someone to whom she could complain. She angrily pointed toward the siblings, who were dozing in the corner.
“Yes! Those two stole my supplies and abandoned me in the desert!”
The two officers who had arrived with Chen Su were quick with their phones. During their break the previous night, they had already watched clips from Ning Zexi’s livestream and become acquainted with Xu Ying, the brave and resilient young woman.
Chen Su’s male colleague exclaimed, “Wow! I saw the video of you riding a bear on my phone yesterday and thought it had to be computer-generated. But seeing you sleeping on a bear’s belly today—I’ve truly learned something new!”
He was about to continue when his female colleague covered his mouth.
“Keep your voice down! Don’t wake the fennec fox kits!”
“It’s fine, it’s fine. The little foxes are already awake!”
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Fennec foxes were much like little dogs in temperament. They were especially affectionate, and after finding a dependable big sister they could trust in Xu Ying, the kits wished they could cling to her every moment of the day.
As Xu Ying spoke, the fennec fox kits had already lined up at the door of their travel crate. One after another, they sprinted forward and leaped, shooting onto Xu Ying’s legs. They rolled around on her or climbed into the hollow of her neck like monkeys scaling a tree, snuggling close.
Two little dimples rippled across Xu Ying’s face. At that moment, she was the happiest animal rescuer in the world.
The female officer’s heart nearly melted. She wished she could trade places with Xu Ying.
But she knew that young animals were wary of strangers and easily frightened, so she could only watch enviously, her expression bubbling over with pink hearts.
The tall, powerfully built male officer beside her wore exactly the same expression. His girlish heart had been completely conquered by their cuteness.
When Chen Su saw Xu Ying practically covered in fennec foxes, he was astonished by the girl’s affinity with animals.
The little creatures were the exact opposite around Chen Su. Even stray dogs passing by him would tuck their tails between their legs and hurry away.
At the police academy, he had been nicknamed the Cold-Faced King of Hell. Even the police dogs that had yet to be fully trained behaved impeccably whenever they saw him and never dared to misbehave.
Infected by the girl’s radiant smile, bright as a little sun, Chen Su found himself growing curious about what it felt like to touch one of those fluffy little foxes.
Realizing that his thoughts had wandered, Chen Su cleared his throat. “Comrade Xu, please tell us the entire sequence of events once more.”
Xu Ying lifted the little fennec Foxie away from her face, where it had been enthusiastically licking her.
“No fussing. You can play with them later. Big Sister has to deal with these two bad people first.”
Rejected when it tried to snuggle against her, Foxie wore a deeply aggrieved expression. It obediently curled up beside Xu Ying and waited for her to finish her serious business. As the youngest of the five kits, it was the ultimate champion of clinginess.
Xu Ying wiped the fox’s saliva from her face.
“Four days ago, we received an assignment from our superiors to patrol the uninhabited region and check for poachers. We ended up getting lost.”
“While Tan Yuyan and Tan Ming were trying to find their way, they trespassed into the Gobi bears’ territory. But the bears did not hurt them.”
“Instead, the two of them panicked and slashed the Gobi bears with a dagger, frightening one of the bears that was about to give birth.”
As Xu Ying recounted the events, the three elder Gobi bears had already woken up, but they continued quietly serving as her mattress. Whenever she mentioned something concerning them, they gave two low roars in agreement.
The three officers looked at the bears’ obedient yet aggrieved expressions. Along with their surprise, they felt a touch of sympathy.
The three bears looked rather like long-suffering victims—an even more foolish and guileless version of a pair of cartoon bears.
“The two of them were chased by the enraged Gobi bears. After their motorcycle broke down, they changed course and ran in my direction. Once they had lured the bears to me, they stole my motorcycle and supplies and fled.”
“Officer, she’s making all of this up!”
After waking groggily, Tan Yuyan immediately interrupted Xu Ying when she heard her account of the incident.
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