My Dearest General: It Has Always Been You

"Miss Ru?"

Ru Meiqi turned at the direction of the voice and found Qin Weizhe smiling at her. The man wore a thick sweater and cotton pants, highlighting his slender and tall figure. "You're choosing flowers?"

"Yes, I am." Ru Meiqi stood up and gave him a polite smile. "What are you doing here, Comrade Qin?"

"I was passing by and saw you." Qin Weizhe didn't look like he intended to leave anytime soon. His smiling face receded a bit. "Miss Ru, are you going to visit Captain Jin's deceased wife?"

Contrary to his expectation, Ru Meiqi's smiling face didn't change a bit. "I am. Are you too?"

Qin Weizhe wasn't so close to Yan Jihuan that he would go to her grave to offer flowers. After all, he only saw her from afar when she came to fetch Jin Renguang home from the police academy. At that time, her stomach had already begun to show. Qin Weizhe wasn't clear on the account between them, but the rumor circulated in the army said that Yan Jihuan and Jin Renguang didn't have a happy marriage, causing her to have a severe depression after their baby died. Even the cause of Yan Jihuan's death was unclear and people only knew she contracted severe illness due to birth complications.

He suspected that the matter that year wasn't so simple. Or else, why did Jin Renguang directly resign from the army soon after the baby's death? 

In fact, he only had measly curiosity about them. What he cared about was only Ru Meiqi and her alone. 

So, betraying his original intention of walking to the supermarket to buy groceries, he nodded. "I am. Shall we go together?"

Ru Meiqi didn't refuse, thus they bought two small bouquets of sunflowers and went to the cemetery. It was Qin Weizhe's first time coming here, but it wasn't the case when it came to Ru Meiqi. Qin Weizhe noted her familiarity with the way and tried to crack the silence. But deep down, he just wanted to know more about her. "You come here every year?"

"No." She answered with her eyes on the road. "I came here once after I returned here."

Qin Weizhe couldn't imagine how much suffering she had gone through that year. She and Jin Renguang were a famous couple in the army. They had taken for granted that she would be wedded to Jin Renguang a few years later. That's why it came as a huge shock when Jin Renguang suddenly married Yan Jihuan. On the other hand, Ru Meiqi disappeared without a trace. It was only years later that she came out to the public as the legal consultant and criminal psychologist for the FBI.

What kind of feeling did she have now that she visited her former lover's deceased wife? Sympathy? Mockery? Compassion?

"You and Captain Jin—"

Qin Weizhe's question broke off when from the top of the stairs, a familiar silhouette descended with a phone craned between his neck and shoulder. "Okay, wait for me to go back—"

Three people froze simultaneously, seemingly dumbfounded.

"Qiqi…" Jin Renguang's eyes were stuck on Ru Meiqi whereas Qin Weizhe beside her was only a decoration, thoroughly ignored. "You…what are you doing here?"

To be honest, she was also shocked to meet Jin Renguang here. She had deliberately chosen a few days after Yan Jihuan's death anniversary to visit, but still, she managed to bump into him. Was it the saying that enemies were bound to meet on narrow road?

Ru Meiqi raised her brow. "Is it only you who can visit Officer Yan's grave?"

Jin Renguang flinched subtly from her words and grimaced. "No, I never meant it like that. I just…never expected to see you here."

Qin Weizhe cleared his throat to remind the two people of his presence. 

Just as he expected, only after that did Jin Renguang notice there's a third person between them. His face sank abruptly. "Detective Qin, don't tell me you're here to visit Yan Jihuan too?"

Qin Weizhe imitated Ru Meiqi and retorted. "Is it only you who can visit Officer Yan's grave?"

Jin Renguang sent him a deadly glare while Ru Meiqi coughed out a laugh. The latter pulled Qin Weizhe closer, lips curling into an amused smile. "He's here to accompany me."

Qin Weizhe's heart skipped a beat followed by helplessness of being busted. He thought that he had covered it thoroughly, but in the end, Ru Meiqi still saw through him.

"Accompany you?" Jin Renguang crossed his arms defiantly. "Why should he?" he looked like he wouldn't move from that spot unless Ru Meiqi gave him a satisfactory answer.

She sighed, annoyed. "Captain Jin, don't be so childish. You have urgent matters to attend to, right? Then, we will not disturb you anymore."

Jin Renguang glowered. He had no qualms when Ru Meiqi cursed him whatsoever when they were alone but he hated it when she did it in the presence of another. It was like the secret which belonged to them alone was being divulged to other people.

"I will wait for you here," he said casually, yet his voice contained firmness that left no room for rebuttal.

"No need." Qin Weizhe suddenly said. 

He didn't want to just stand by the side anymore, seeing them bickering back and forth. Taking the initiative, he stood in front of Ru Meiqi and met Jin Renguang's increasingly dark eyes. "Miss Ru came in my car so I will be responsible for sending her back. Captain Jin, you can go and take care of your business first."

Jin Renguang's jaws ticked. His brows exuded terrifying pressure which was enough to make new cadets fall on their knees. 

However, Qin Weizhe stood his ground, his gait couldn't be more carefree, a faint smile hung on his lips although his eyes contained determination that could burn.

The showdown lasted for a few seconds before Jin Renguang broke off the eye contact. "Fine, I will go first." He proceeded to descend the stairs and when he passed by Ru Meiqi, he whispered with a voice only both of them could hear. "Wait for me tonight. I have something I want to tell you."

Ru Meiqi stared ahead as if she had heard nothing.

Only when Jin Renguang vanished from their sight did Ru Meiqi show signs of restlessness, evidence that she wasn't as calm as what she showed in front of the man earlier. "Sorry, Comrade Qin. I pulled you into our affairs."

Qin Weizhe shook his head, his expression particularly gentle and patient. "I don't mind. It's true that I am only here to accompany you anyway."

The man's casual and refreshing manner somehow calmed Ru Meiqi down. She gave him a wry smile and sighed. "Do I look very pathetic in your eyes? Deliberately avoiding and embarrassing him like that?"

"No!" Qin Weizhe answered in a beat. "Sorry, but if I can be honest, he deserves it for all the hurt he has impacted on you. Miss Ru, you're worthy of someone better."

Ru Meiqi was stunned by his heartfelt words and abruptly burst out in laughter. "Thank you very much, I appreciate it."

"No, I don't think you understand me." Qin Weizhe's heart was going to burst out of his chest anytime soon. He held the woman's gaze, trying to prove to her how sincere he was. "What I mean by someone better and worthy of you is…me."

"Miss Ru," Qin Weize took a deep breath and confessed the feelings he had secretly buried for years. "Can you stop looking at Jin Renguang and consider me for once?"

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A/N: ooh, will Ru Meiqi try to move on from Jin Renguang? 

Thank you very much my dearies ArcaneMag, Ann_Perrault, Negin, scissors04 and everyone else I can't mention for your 74 GT! (≧∇≦*) 26 more until 100 and I will give a 5 chappie mass release! Also, let's make it to 1000 privi unlocks!!