Madam, Please Behave

Chapter 62: Buckle Up, We’re Driving

Xu Geng was taken into custody, and Liu Changqing, as the one who reported the incident, went to provide a statement. The man Xu Geng had assaulted, filthy and disheveled, turned out to be Zhou Quan, an unemployed drifter.

After a brief investigation, the police contacted Zhou Quan’s family. For Liu Changqing, once the statement was made, his involvement was essentially over.

The findings revealed that Xu Geng was a typical shady figure—a longtime thug at gambling dens, a loan shark, and a collector of dirty money. His assault on Zhou Quan was supposedly over a debt the latter owed him.

Exiting the police station, Liu Changqing let out a relieved sigh. Though Xu Geng recognized him, Liu Changqing was certain he had no memory of the man.

As for Zhou Quan, Liu Changqing deduced he was Zhou Shiyan’s father. This conclusion came when, as Liu Changqing was leaving, he saw Lan Yixian, her expression grave, rushing into the station. She ran right into Liu Changqing, who had just stepped outside.

The sky had yet to brighten.

“Good morning,” Liu Changqing greeted.

Lan Yixian, startled, looked at him in surprise before her expression turned puzzled.

“What are you doing here?” Her gaze darted behind him, and she cupped her hand around her mouth, lowering her voice. “Did you get arrested?”

Liu Changqing twitched his lips, giving her a look as if she were an idiot.

“Do I look like a criminal? Why are you tarnishing my good name for no reason?”

“Then why are you standing in front of the police station?”

“And why are you here?”

Liu Changqing deflected, not intending to reveal too much. “Shouldn’t you be at the breakfast shop kneading dough at this hour? What are you doing at the station?”

Lan Yixian’s face flushed with embarrassment. Her eyes darted around as she fumbled for an explanation.

“I… my ex-husband got beaten up, and they called me here…”

“Your ex-husband?” Liu Changqing immediately thought of Zhou Quan, the man whose teeth had been knocked out.

“Zhou Quan?”

“Yes.”

“So that guy was your ex-husband…” Liu Changqing sized her up.

She was dressed plainly, likely having come straight from the breakfast shop. A bit of flour clung to her clothes, and her face, bare of makeup, looked slightly weary but strikingly authentic. Her hair was casually tied up, yet the overall effect gave her a fragile charm. Her eyes, in particular, were captivating.

“That guy’s no good.”

Lan Yixian was taken aback by his blunt comment but then nodded in agreement.

“It’s nothing to do with me or my daughter anymore. I’m just here to talk to the police, then I need to hurry back to open the shop.”

“Fair enough. How did you get here?”

“I took a cab…”

“I’ll give you a ride back to the shop. You can pay me with some steamed buns.”

“Wouldn’t that be a bother?”

“Well, if you think so, just toss in three sesame balls for the ride.”

Lan Yixian was momentarily dumbfounded, feeling like she couldn’t quite keep up with Liu Changqing’s pace. Waving her hand dismissively, Liu Changqing nodded toward the station.

“Go on, I’ll wait for you outside.”

“Alright…”

With that, Lan Yixian jogged into the police station. Liu Changqing watched her retreating figure before pulling his van keys from his pocket. He walked over to the rented vehicle, opened the door, and climbed inside.

He had rented the van specifically to haul Xu Geng to the outskirts. It had been a while since he last drove, especially a beat-up old van like this.

Sitting inside, Liu Changqing rolled down the window, lit a cigarette, and rested his arm on the frame, gazing ahead.

---

Within ten minutes, he spotted Lan Yixian running toward the van through the rearview mirror. Her hurried strides made her figure stand out even in the dim light.

“Did I keep you waiting?” she asked, slightly out of breath as she reached the van.

“Not long. You’re pretty quick.”

Flicking the cigarette butt aside, Liu Changqing pulled the seatbelt over himself and clicked it into place. “Get in.”

Lan Yixian silently walked around to the passenger side, opened the door, and climbed in. Her hands rested neatly on her lap, and she sat with perfect posture.

Liu Changqing glanced at her. “Buckle up. There are cameras.”

“Oh… okay.” Startled by the reminder, she turned to grab the seatbelt.

However, the old van’s seatbelt mechanism seemed stuck. Lan Yixian tugged and pulled at it, but it wouldn’t budge.

After watching her struggle for a moment, Liu Changqing sighed and leaned over. “Hold still.”

Reaching across her, he adjusted the seatbelt, pulling it back slightly before giving it a firm tug. This time, it came loose. He guided it into the latch and clicked it into place.

As he finished, their faces ended up closer than expected. Liu Changqing caught the faint scent of flour on her, surprisingly pleasant.

“What are you staring at? Sit properly,” he said, pulling back.

Straightening up, Liu Changqing started the engine. He pressed the clutch, shifted gears, and released the handbrake.

The van jerked forward, then stalled abruptly.

“Ah!” Lan Yixian exclaimed as she lurched forward, only for the seatbelt to hold her in place. Her heart pounding, she clutched her chest and turned to glare at Liu Changqing.

The atmosphere grew awkward.

Scratching his head sheepishly, Liu Changqing muttered, “Heh… it’s the van, not me.”

---

Later, Liu Changqing brought his son home from the hospital.

Liu Zhiyue’s injuries weren’t severe—just some bruises on his back from being struck with the iron rod, a kick to the stomach, and minor scrapes on his feet. By now, even the small wounds on his soles were beginning to heal.

The reason for the hospital stay was his sudden collapse at the doorstep that night. Worried there might be underlying issues, Liu Changqing had taken him in for a full checkup, which revealed nothing serious.

With no reason to keep him hospitalized, Liu Changqing brought him home.

After settling his son upstairs, Liu Changqing woke up his daughter, Liu Xiazhi.

Still rubbing her sleepy eyes, Liu Xiazhi looked at her father groggily. Her attitude toward him had softened considerably since the divorce with Li Wanran.

Once everything was ready, Liu Changqing set the breakfast he’d bought from Lan Yixian’s shop on the table. The family sat down together to eat.

“Do you know about that new handheld console?” Liu Xiazhi asked her brother.

“The new one? Not really.”

“My classmate Haohao has one. It looks so fun!”

Their chatter filled the room as Liu Changqing watched quietly. For some reason, a smile spread across his face.

The siblings paused, staring at him in confusion.

“What’s so funny?” they asked in unison.

Liu Changqing chuckled, placing a hand on each of their heads. He ruffled their hair gently, his gaze warm.

“Our days are only going to get better.”

Reaching for a dumpling, he was about to take a bite when something struck him. Turning sharply, he stared at Liu Xiazhi, who was nibbling on a bun.

His face darkened. “Wait a minute. Who’s Haohao?!”