Just a short distance away, Mu Zimo couldn't shake the feeling that Qiao An was at the heart of all these unsolvable mysteries. But she just put on her practiced, foolish grin and said nothing more.
Soon, news came from the hospital. The man who had attacked Qiao An appeared to be mentally unstable. His identity was quickly confirmed via fingerprint analysis, and his file had already been sent to Mu Zimo's email.
After Mu Zimo left the interrogation room, Qiao An once again pulled the fluffy Little Fox into her arms and gave it a few kisses.
"Sweetie, if you need anything in the future, come find me, okay? And please, don't come out to play by yourself again, understand?"
She gently tapped the Little Fox's nose. It seemed to shyly duck its head before it started acting cute again, pestering Qiao An to play.
Qiao An didn't have any other toys, so she opened a pack of tissues, crumpled a few into a tight ball in her palm, and tossed it. The Little Fox chased the ball of tissue around the interrogation room, running, jumping, and tumbling about, its big, fluffy tail waving in the most adorable way.
Watching from the adjacent room, Xie Shan was pressed against the one-way mirror, wishing he could swap places with Qiao An. He was completely obsessed with the Little Fox.
Mu Zimo walked in with a stern expression, a file in his hand. He kicked Xie Shan aside while flipping through the documents.
"It's work hours. Watch your attitude. If you don't want this job, you can quit and go home to be a rich kid."
The Xie family was wealthy, but his parents were traditional, always hoping their children would pass the civil service exams and bring glory to the family name.
Xie Shan, in particular, had a penchant for getting involved. Whether it was a major criminal case or a minor domestic dispute, he was always eager to help. When it came to work ethic, he was the most proactive member of the squad.
"Captain, what kind of magic does Qiao An have? Why are all these animals so fond of her? That owl doesn't like anybody, but Qiao An can hit it and yell at it, and the thing doesn't dare make a peep. And don't even get me started on this Little Fox. I try to win it over with tasty treats, and it still has to look to Qiao An for permission."
Despite Xie Shan's usually carefree and goofy demeanor, he was a top-tier officer who had graduated first in his class from the police academy.
Every time Xie Shan tried to win it over with food, the Little Fox would instinctively glance at Qiao An. It was as if the fox would only deign to humor him after getting her nod of approval.
Hearing this, Mu Zimo fell back into deep thought, his fingers drumming on the tabletop. Xie Shan didn't dare to interrupt; this was the captain's little habit when he was mulling something over. All Xie Shan could do was continue to stare with a mix of envy, jealousy, and resentment at the Little Fox, which was proudly trotting over to Qiao An with the tissue ball in its mouth, as if seeking praise.
'Sigh... It's just too cute. I want one!'
Unfortunately, Xie Shan's job was too demanding. He was working overtime every day. How could he possibly find the time to personally care for the Little Fox? Besides, the little guy didn't seem to think much of him anyway.
Frustrated and helpless, Xie Shan could only continue his futile fuming, scratching at the glass. The grating sound snapped Mu Zimo out of his reverie. He was a man of science and hadn't connected the dots between these incidents and the strange occurrences surrounding Qiao An, leaving him thoroughly perplexed.
"The man in the hospital, Chen Li, has a prior record. His mental state is also extremely unstable. The only option is to send him to a psychiatric hospital for treatment."
Tossing the thick file onto a table, Mu Zimo returned to the interrogation room, opened the door, and asked, "Alright, we should be done for the night. We're all going out for a meal. Want to join?"
At the invitation to eat, Qiao An's eyes lit up. Her happy excitement was completely unconcealed and utterly genuine.
"Can I bring this little guy with me?"
Following her finger, they saw the adorable Little Fox peeking out from behind the door, crouched in a pouncing posture.
Mu Zimo sighed and rubbed his temples. He put on a stern face and patiently explained, "You can bring him for now, but you can't keep wild animals in the city. Even if they won't harm you, you'll be held responsible if an accident occurs and an innocent person gets hurt. It's better to be careful. Joint liability, understand?"
Having just arrived on Blue Star, Qiao An had already gotten a library card from a nearby library. She had read through numerous legal statutes, precisely because she was afraid of attracting trouble.
The ever-so-obedient Qiao An nodded in agreement. She picked up the Little Fox, raised its tiny paw as if taking an oath, and promised, "Don't worry! After we eat, I'll find a place to release him. The wild is a much better place for him to grow up."
As Qiao An left the interrogation room, Xie Shan stealthily sidled up to her, giving her meaningful looks.
'Let me hold him! Let me play with him!'
Having received his eye-signals, Qiao An pretended not to understand and simply stroked the Little Fox's head.
The Little Fox, cooing softly, looked at the gesticulating Xie Shan and asked curiously, "Big Sis, that big oaf keeps winking at me. Is there something wrong with his eyes?"
Qiao An, struggling to keep a straight face, almost burst out laughing. She quickly averted her gaze and looked toward the old officer.
"Uncle Sun, come get a late-night snack with us! You shouldn't always be on the night shift, you're spoiling all the rookies."
The ever-composed Uncle Sun took a sip of his tea and waved his hand dismissively.
"The night shift is quieter. With these old bones, I don't feel like running all over the place with you youngsters anymore. I'd rather hold down the fort and cover your six. When I retire, you can just find a rookie to take my place."
After changing into her street clothes, Qiao An followed the large group out of the police station and toward a bustling night market nearby.
These mobile stalls only appeared after nightfall, and even the simplest snacks seemed to have a special flavor. Feeling as if she had arrived in paradise, Qiao An, her face full of curiosity, tucked the Little Fox into her bag, leaving just enough room for its two curious little eyes to peek out.
Watching Qiao An practically skipping with excitement, the officers following behind couldn't help but feel curious.
Qiao An didn't hide anything, stating bluntly, "This is my first time at a night market! It's all snacks, and they look cheap, but if you actually want to get full, it costs a lot of money. I usually don't even dare walk this way because I'm afraid the smells will be too tempting to resist. Hehe!"
Behind the group, Uncle Sun was heard muttering about how pitiful Miss Qiao was, being an orphan and all, which made everyone's heart ache for her.
And so it began. Whenever Qiao An's gaze lingered on something, her expression showing she wanted a taste, someone would inevitably go and buy two portions. While they'd claim it was for everyone to try, one of those portions would always be handed directly to Qiao An.
She would nod and thank them repeatedly, holding the snack with a reverent expression as she quickly devoured it before following the group to the next stall.
After Qiao An had sampled something from nearly every stall, she sighed with genuine emotion, "This is pure bliss. You all get to eat these things every day. Living like this feels like a dream!"
Back when Qiao An roamed the interstellar void, food was a luxury. On planets with harsh environments, she had to rely on her formidable constitution just to survive. During long-haul flights, her only sustenance came from nutrient paste. She never had the chance to taste such delicacies.
She was this moved by a simple night market snack. A pang of guilt struck Xie Shan. 'I'll never be extravagant or wasteful again!' he vowed to himself.