Chapter 77: The Dog Thief’s Identity and Su Yao’s Playful Persuasion

Lin Qing didn’t object when Su Yao offered to join him and witness the commotion. He was willing to indulge her, provided she refrained from any overtly scandalous actions.

‘Just like her recent gesture of unbuttoning her collar…’

As these thoughts lingered, a blush once again crept up Lin Qing’s ears. He swiftly quickened his pace towards the gathering crowd, hoping to divert his attention with other matters.

Trailing behind him, Su Yao seized a moment of Lin Qing’s inattention, reaching out to grasp his hand.

Mindful of potentially provoking Lin Qing’s resistance, she merely held his palm gently.

There was no intimate intertwining of their fingers.

For reasons unknown to her, Su Yao found herself drawn to Lin Qing’s proximity.

She also relished any opportunity for further contact with him.

This sensation had emerged quite inexplicably.

It defied explanation.

Perhaps it was simply a byproduct of her burgeoning interest in Lin Qing—the more elusive he seemed, the more she yearned for him.

“Friends, after the tireless efforts of our dedicated thief-catching squad, we finally have a significant breakthrough regarding the notorious neighborhood dog thief!”

Now deep within the throng, Lin Qing could only allow Su Yao to hold his hand. To divert his attention, he focused on the central figure ahead, where their neighbor, Auntie Wang, was speaking with dramatic flair.

‘So, it’s related to the dog thief after all…’

The matter of stolen pet dogs in the community had caused a considerable uproar previously.

Lin Qing had once heard from Auntie Wang that even the police were stumped by the elusive dog thief. He never imagined that Auntie Wang and her companions would actually manage to apprehend them!

‘The power of the people is truly immense!’

Still, he wondered if the information Auntie Wang and her group possessed would genuinely lead to the dog thief’s capture.

“While the images are a bit blurry, a general likeness can still be discerned. I’ve printed dozens of suspect photos here; please pass them around. If you encounter this person in the future, notify us immediately, and a suitable reward will be given based on the circumstances!”

As Auntie Wang finished speaking, an individual standing beside her promptly produced photocopies of the pictures, distributing them one by one.

Judging by their resolute demeanor, they were clearly determined to apprehend the dog thief.

Lin Qing, driven by curiosity, reached out for a photocopy. Su Yao, standing nearby, quickly leaned in, her pleasant scent filling his nostrils.

However, at that moment, Lin Qing’s mind was preoccupied with other matters.

As he gazed at the photocopy in his hand, his brows furrowed involuntarily. He had never anticipated encountering Wang Fanran’s image here!

The photograph was somewhat indistinct, and the suspect wore a hat and mask, obscuring their face.

Yet, Lin Qing and Wang Fanran had been desk mates for a considerable time, and Wang Fanran’s distinctive physique made him instantly recognizable. Lin Qing knew at a glance it was him.

Lin Qing recalled Liu Hong’s earlier mention of Wang Fanran, stating that after running away from home, Wang Fanran hadn’t left the city and was still lingering near the school.

‘His residential complex wasn’t far from the school either…’

It was almost certainly him.

Wang Fanran was indeed the dog thief Auntie Wang had spoken of.

At this realization, Lin Qing’s confusion only intensified. What exactly was Wang Fanran trying to achieve?

There was no act of revenge, no deliberate mischief.

‘Just stealing dogs???’

Moreover, to steal dogs in the very neighborhood where Lin Qing resided—was Wang Fanran out of his mind?

‘Was he afraid of *not* being recognized?’

Furthermore, with Chen Sen, a powerful unemployed individual, providing cover, Wang Fanran could easily evade police searches without needing to resort to dog theft.

‘Or was the dog theft, in some way, connected to Chen Sen?’

One question after another assailed him, giving Lin Qing a headache. He couldn’t pinpoint a correct answer, nor could he fathom Wang Fanran’s true intentions.

‘Did he run away from home just to steal dogs?’

“That’s your desk mate, isn’t it?”

Just as Lin Qing’s thoughts were giving him a headache, Su Yao’s voice, neither too loud nor too soft, chimed in beside him. It not only captured his attention but also drew the gazes of those nearby in their direction.

Quickly sensing the collective gaze, Lin Qing shook his head, claimed not to recognize the person, and promptly pulled Su Yao’s hand, leading her away from the scene.

Su Yao offered no resistance, departing with Lin Qing in perfect compliance.

Her docile and agreeable demeanor, witnessed by the young men who had been observing Su Yao, filled them with immense regret, lamenting why they didn’t have such a girlfriend.

‘Beautiful and obedient.’

Yet, the boyfriend of such a stunning beauty was surprisingly scrawny and small.

He resembled a shriveled bean sprout.

‘Utterly useless, it seemed.’

‘What a beautiful flower wasted on cow dung!’

Even as she became the object of everyone’s pity and regret, Su Yao paid no mind to their gazes, instead fixating all her attention on Lin Qing.

Noticing his somewhat hurried pace, Su Yao intentionally slowed her steps after they had walked for a short distance.

As previously stated, Su Yao possessed considerable strength.

Lin Qing was no match for her.

Consequently, once Su Yao halted, Lin Qing found it difficult to proceed, leaving him with no choice but to stop as well.

“Lin Qing, Wang Fanran is merely a minor player. If you’re concerned, I can arrange for someone to take care of him.”

Su Yao was well aware of the considerable animosity between Lin Qing and his desk mate, and she knew he harbored some apprehension towards Wang Fanran, who had abruptly run away from home.

While it might appear that Lin Qing was overthinking, Su Yao, upon gathering some intelligence, had discovered that his perception of danger was remarkably sharp.

If Wang Fanran were left unchecked, he could indeed pose a considerable threat to Lin Qing in the future.

Therefore, armed with this knowledge, Su Yao began to subtly guide the situation.

Just as she was doing now, by informing Lin Qing of Wang Fanran’s whereabouts, she ensured he wouldn’t remain in a passive state.

“There’s no need,” Lin Qing replied, shaking his head immediately. “The individual behind Wang Fanran is not simple; you don’t need to wade into these troubled waters.”

Even though Su Yao hailed from a powerful chaebol family and could effortlessly deal with Wang Fanran, and Chen Sen, even if he possessed the courage of a leopard, would never dare to lay a hand on Su Yao.

However, if Su Yao were to intervene, the situation would undoubtedly become chaotic and far more complicated.

The fact that Wang Fanran hadn’t made a move against him yet indicated that the situation hadn’t yet reached its worst.

“But we already know, don’t we? We can’t just pretend we didn’t see anything!” Su Yao countered, her eyes sparkling as she spoke. “So… let’s catch him together!”

Su Yao paid no heed to Lin Qing’s refusal. As she spoke, her eyes gleamed brightly as she gazed at him.

Her expression, barely concealing an inner excitement, clearly showed she was someone who enjoyed a good spectacle and never shied away from trouble.

Upon seeing Su Yao’s demeanor, Lin Qing immediately raised a hand to his forehead, a headache beginning to throb. He knew that once something piqued Su Yao’s interest, she would absolutely not let it go.

However, if he were to truly join forces with Su Yao to apprehend someone, Lin Qing was gravely concerned about the potential repercussions.

Compared to Su Yao, who was destined to become a formidable ‘big boss,’ Wang Fanran was nothing more than an insignificant ‘small fry.’

He couldn’t shake the feeling that agreeing to Su Yao would be a grave mistake.

“Lin Qing, are you perhaps waiting for some kind of benefit before you’ll agree to my request?”

Just as Lin Qing was internally debating against agreeing to Su Yao, she suddenly spoke, an expression of sudden realization dawning on her face. Immediately, one hand moved to the buttons of her collar.

Her expression swiftly shifted to one of feigned grievance, though her eyes sparkled with mischievous amusement. At this very moment, she intended to employ her old trick once more.