Volume 1, Chapter 4: Another Secret Investigation

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Xiao Rui chattered incessantly, but Susan could no longer bear it. Once the bathroom door shut, the noise was instantly cut off. Yet, gazing at the jacket in the mirror, a complex mix of emotions stirred within her.

“You, so cold then hot—what kind of person are you really?”

...

After finishing her shower, Susan had composed herself. She suppressed Xiao Rui’s urge to gossip and, together, they dove back into work, focusing on investigating Lin Tingyuan.

Lin Tingyuan was a high-profile figure. Soon, they uncovered a trove of information.

While classifying and analyzing the data, D-girl called again.

Upon answering, a pitiful wail came through.

“He lied to me. I thought he felt the same way—that after the competition ended, he eagerly wanted to be close to me. But it was just a one-night stand before breaking up!”

Susan and Xiao Rui exchanged a glance, brows furrowed deeply. They then switched into listening, empathizing, and comforting modes.

In the end, Susan obtained D-girl’s home address and immediately went there to gather firsthand evidence. After conducting a late-night interview, she returned home and mapped out her thoughts.

“Bastard!” Susan glared at the whiteboard, summarizing her findings.

“Shanbao, what’s the plan now? It’s still not time to break the story.”

“Exactly. The evidence chain is incomplete. D-girl’s word alone isn’t enough. Lin Tingyuan is a ‘hero’ with massive public influence—he could easily turn the tables and sue for defamation. Besides, who exactly is the ‘real wife,’ and whether any transactions occurred, even D-girl doesn’t know! So, to uncover the truth, we have to start with Lin Tingyuan himself.”

“You don’t mean you want to go there, do you?”

Xiao Rui’s face showed shock; she already guessed Susan’s plan. But she was worried for her—normally calm and shrewd, Susan became timid and flustered merely by approaching the pool.

“No risk, no reward. An undercover visit is essential. I’m going to request a few days’ leave.”

Speaking, Susan messaged her supervisor. Fortunately, their work was flexible. Having recently worked overtime intensely, the leadership approved her leave without hesitation.

Seeing Susan’s determination, Xiao Rui had no grounds to object. They had always been partners who trusted each other and played their roles perfectly.

“Alright, given the sensitive location, Shanbao, you need to prepare thoroughly this time!”

“Leave it to me!”

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...

On the first day of the undercover mission, Susan, disguised, crouched in the sports center, familiarizing herself with the venue while searching for Lin Tingyuan. Unfortunately, not only did she fail to spot him, but nearly the entire swimming team was absent. Remembering they had just finished a major competition and were likely still in recovery, Susan shook her head in disappointment, preparing to leave.

Unexpectedly, passing by the weight room, she caught sight of a figure that made her blush with embarrassment.

Despite just completing a grueling week of competition, Jiang Ming showed no sign of fatigue. Dressed in tight training gear, he was drenched in sweat, his taut, sculpted muscles subtly visible.

“Hmm...”

“Ha...”

With measured breaths and controlled movements, the room was thick with an enticing aura.

Susan couldn’t help but smirk, silently agreeing with Xiao Rui—seeing him up close was indeed a feast for the eyes.

Nearby, gymnast Gao Lu jogging and synchronized swimmer Tian Yang on the elliptical were also admiring him. Both wore fitted tank tops and shorts, their graceful physiques radiating vitality and allure. Though training, their eyes often wandered toward Jiang Ming, barely concealing their desire.

After finishing his final set of bench presses, Jiang Ming finally set down the barbell, removed his gloves and wrist wraps, preparing to leave.

“Jiang Shuai, you’re finally done! The night is perfect—I’ll walk you back to the dorm,” Gao Lu hurried over, smiling sweetly, her chest rising and falling like a trembling white rabbit ready to leap free.

“Ming Ge, training this late must mean you’re hungry. I’ll go with you to the cafeteria for a snack,” Tian Yang chimed in, coyly clasping her hands, offering a pale yellow sports drink, her cleavage pronounced like a ravine.

Jiang Ming, used to being surrounded by flattering beauties, was equally adept at refusing them. He coldly draped a towel over his shoulders, slung his gym bag, and passed between the two women without a hint of interest.

“I still have to go to the pool.”

His frosty rejection sent chills down Susan’s spine from a distance, yet Gao Lu and Tian Yang seemed invigorated, as if immersed in the depth of his low, clear voice.

Fearing they wouldn’t relent, Jiang Ming extended a long finger, signaling firmly, “Don’t come any closer. You know I don’t like my training interrupted.”

With that, he turned and left, his expression calm and composed. On closer inspection, there was a trace of helplessness and loneliness beneath his cool demeanor.

Jiang Ming was known as “the top coach in Jiangzhou’s sports circle.” With an impeccable figure and striking looks, his handsomeness was undisputed. Though indifferent to women and dubbed a “rare flower on a high cliff,” his ascetic charm was undeniably captivating. Girls openly and secretly adored him, repeatedly rejected but never losing hope.

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However, within the team, Jiang Ming was infamous for detesting interruptions during training.

Though cold, he was always polite. Rumor had it that once a woman, in her reckless pursuit of him, disturbed his training, causing him—someone who never lost his temper with women—to break his usual composure.

Since then, no matter how wild or impulsive his admirers were, none dared to disturb him during training.

Gao Lu and Tian Yang watched Jiang Ming’s retreating figure, unable to hide their disappointment.

“Training, training, always training! The swimming team’s in recovery, so why is he still training?” Gao Lu sighed helplessly.

“I don’t even know what kind of woman Jiang Shuai likes,” Tian Yang pouted, itching with frustration.

“When have you ever seen him get close to a woman? Could it be that he’s… incapable? Or maybe he likes men? That would be such a tragedy!” Gao Lu said sadly.

As Jiang Ming left, Susan quickly slipped aside to hide in a nearby storage room. Upon emerging, she overheard the two women’s complaints, stirring a strange feeling within her.

Avoiding women? Or disliking them?

Could there be something unusual about his orientation?

What about the help he gave her last night? Was he simply pitying a stray dog by the roadside? Or did he not see her as a woman at all?

Susan pondered, instinctively glancing down at her own undeniably feminine features, concluding the last possibility was unlikely.

Realizing she was overthinking, Susan quickly shook her head and slipped away to continue searching for Lin Tingyuan’s whereabouts.

Days passed—one, two, several—as Susan became increasingly familiar with the swimming center’s layout. Every day, she spotted Jiang Ming from afar—whether in the training hall, weight room, cafeteria, medical center, or even near the locker room entrance—but never Lin Tingyuan.

She remained unperturbed, moving like a guerrilla, hiding in secluded corners, snacking and researching, intensively studying swimming-related knowledge.

Until the last day of her leave, which was also the swimming team’s final day of adjustment, her perseverance paid off. Susan finally spotted Lin Tingyuan and, seizing an unguarded moment, followed him into the locker room.

Lin Tingyuan was on the phone. With no one around, his language was unrestrained, likely speaking to the so-called “real wife.”