Chapter Thirty-Two: Something of Substance

"You were in that shop too?" Yan Xue asked Kang Ge in surprise.

"That's right. I heard you speaking with such conviction, shutting that man up until he was speechless. I even applauded you!" Kang Ge clearly remembered the incident vividly; he still spoke of it with much amusement. "That guy was full of nonsense. Listening to him made my hands itch. I thought, if my sister ever falls in love and meets someone like that..."

"So you'd definitely give him a beating for your sister?" Yan Xue followed his line of thought.

But Kang Ge shook his head. "Not necessarily. If she can't take it, if the other person goes too far, then of course I should step in. But if my sister willingly accepts that sort of thing, all I can do is wave her off, leaving not a single cloud behind me."

"I thought you were the kind of brother overflowing with protectiveness for your sister!" Yan Xue was taken aback by his answer.

"When she was little, of course I was overprotective. After all, it’s everyone’s duty to cherish the saplings and flowers of our country, right? But now that she’s grown up, an adult, she has to take responsibility for her own life.

Everyone has the right to choose their own way of living, whatever it may be. As long as it’s within the law and doesn’t harm others, no one has the right to stand on the moral high ground and criticize or force another to change.

Choosing a view of life or lifestyle that suits oneself is never wrong. There is no single correct way to live. The real mistake is in forcing your own notions onto others, demanding they accept them.

So if she doesn’t like a certain life, even if the whole world thinks it’s wonderful, if she doesn’t like it, then it’s not okay—and I’ll always support her. On the other hand, if she’s thought it through and made her choice, others may disapprove or withhold their blessing, but at least I won’t obstruct her."

"You sound incredibly broad-minded! For all your glib talk, you’re actually pretty insightful!" Yan Xue couldn’t help but give Kang Ge a thumbs-up.

To her, if everyone around her thought like Kang Ge, her troubles would be far fewer.

"See? That’s prejudice! Why shouldn’t talkative people have depth too?" Kang Ge clicked his tongue and shook his head. "Is it just because everyone remembers ‘silence is golden’? Then how do you know a chatterbox isn’t a diamond mine?"

"Yes, yes, you’re a huge diamond mine! From now on, your name should be Kang Diamond—no, Kang Treasure!" Yan Xue was almost in stitches at Kang Ge’s indignant expression. "But seriously, you saw me arguing that day, and I’m sure someone must’ve told you I have a temper, and about my nickname. I can be quick-tempered, and sometimes I lose control. Doesn’t that worry you?"

"Why would it? I applauded you that day, remember?" Kang Ge laughed. "You were certainly imposing, but that wasn’t the highlight. The highlight was that even when angry, you argued logically and stood your ground, all while showing restraint and never making a lowbrow mistake. I really admire that!"

Yan Xue looked at Kang Ge, her mouth slightly open, momentarily stunned.

Her "Whirlwind" nickname was well-earned. Everyone around her—her parents, Xia Qing, Ning Shuyi, and the rest of her close friends—knew her character, so they were always understanding and tolerant.

But admiration... Kang Ge was the first to say those words to her.

"Why are you looking at me like that? You think what I said is unbelievable?" Kang Ge guessed her thoughts from her expression. He laughed and patted her shoulder in a very familiar way. "Temperament is innate, just like my love of talking—we can’t help it.

I love to talk, but I don’t gossip, don’t speak ill, and don’t hurt with words. You’re quick-tempered, but you don’t vent on others, don’t act unreasonably, and don’t throw fits. So what’s wrong with us?

That guy you met for the matchmaking dinner was a classic case of deep-seated insecurity. To cover it up, he tried everything to put down those who made him feel inferior, seeking a sense of presence by suppressing others.

People like that are exactly those who force their own flawed views onto others. You can’t indulge such people. If they need to hit a wall, let them. If their pride needs to be bruised, so be it. People who don’t respect others don’t deserve to be taken seriously—that’s the fairest way to handle things."

Kang Ge’s words struck directly at Yan Xue’s heart. All her life, she’d heard people urge her to rein in her temper—a girl shouldn’t be so hot-headed, should be gentle. Even her parents couldn’t escape such notions, though they said it less often and were much more tolerant.

Kang Ge was the first to treat her temper as something perfectly natural. His attitude was not just tolerant, but understanding, and Yan Xue felt both surprised and delighted.

"Your enlightenment is remarkable!" she exhaled. "Looks like I won’t have to worry about changing partners anytime soon."

"Relax. Unless you find me too noisy and ask Chief Dong for a transfer, I won’t even consider it," Kang Ge replied without hesitation.

After chatting, they roughly planned out the next day’s work, then wandered around the K University campus to get a feel for the place before driving off. They took Gao Yang’s things, which they’d collected from Xu Wenrui’s dorm, back to the station, called Xu Wenrui’s father to explain, and he readily agreed.

As they’d expected, Xu Wenrui’s father didn’t want to bring his son’s things home at such a sensitive time, fearing his wife would fall apart at the sight and her emotions worsen.

In a short span, he’d lost his son suddenly, family conflicts had erupted, and he had to care for relatives sick from grief and fury. The middle-aged man was truly at his limit.

As for why Gao Yang’s mother, Ms. Yang, insisted her son help retrieve the belongings at such a time, Xu Wenrui’s father didn’t quite understand either, but he didn’t comment much. He thanked Kang Ge and said he’d collect his son’s personal items from the police once the case was resolved.

Regarding any personal effects that might aid the investigation, he gave his full approval for the police to handle them as needed—there were no objections from the family.

With his consent, Kang Ge and Yan Xue sorted through the items, storing what wasn’t immediately needed at the Criminal Investigation Unit, and sending the rest to the forensics team.

At last, their day’s work was done. It was late, so Kang Ge drove Yan Xue to the gate of her apartment complex. They agreed on a time to head to K University the next day, then Kang Ge drove off.

Yan Xue had barely walked a few steps into the complex when someone called her name. She turned to see Xia Qing and Ren Yaya, both carrying plastic bags of daily necessities—obviously just back from the supermarket.

"Just got off work?" Xia Qing asked, unfazed by Yan Xue’s travel-worn appearance, and handed her a bag. "Have you eaten? I just bought bread, it smells great—have some to tide you over."

Ren Yaya nodded beside her. "I have peanut milk too."

Since starting work, this kind of life had long become routine for them.

"No need, I’ve eaten. Kang Ge and I talked with the victim’s family, and ate as we went. It was a good meal, don’t worry. As for Kang Ge, I thought he was just extroverted and talkative, maybe a bit careless, but he’s actually quite thoughtful, organizes things well, and most importantly, he’s tolerant. Looks like I don’t need to worry about changing partners anytime soon!"

She also told them how Kang Ge had once seen her at a matchmaking dinner.

"No wonder! Before he transferred here, there was a time he saw you in the office—he seemed surprised, even made a sound. I asked him about it later, but he didn’t say. So he recognized you. But Kang Ge, tolerant...?" Xia Qing was puzzled. Because her boyfriend Ji Yuan was close friends with Kang Ge, she knew him fairly well. "He’s talkative, sure, but I never thought he was especially tolerant. He just seems easygoing on the surface. Deep down, he’s calm and rational. Ji Yuan says Kang Ge is easy to get along with, but actually he has a mind of his own.

He’s just not interested in wasting energy arguing, nor does he care to quarrel with just anyone. He’ll chat and laugh along, let people say and do as they like, but when it comes to action, you’ll see he hasn’t paid the slightest heed."

"I heard Kang Ge asked Chief Dong to partner with you," Ren Yaya chimed in, always unhurried, yet striking right at the point.

At this, Xia Qing’s eyes and smile took on a teasing glint.

"Come on, you two, stop making fun of me! If you have free time, spare a thought for Ning Ning! Our ‘Queen of the Police World’ has been forced into endless physical training lately—she’s suffering!" Yan Xue, slightly embarrassed by their teasing, quickly changed the subject.

Her diversion worked beautifully. The three young women soon shifted their conversation to the miserable Ning Shuyi, leaving the earlier jokes behind.