After understanding animal language, the villainous girl is guaranteed to become a heartthrob.

Chapter 764 Beauty is in the eye of the beholder (Final Chapter 5)
December 2026, 1.

The slices of meat sizzled on the charcoal grill, and wisps of fragrant white smoke rose into the air.

Chen Ziqi placed the tenderly grilled meat slices onto Fu Xiaoxiao's plate, saying, "My grilled meat should be pretty good too, you should try it."

Business was so good during the New Year's Day holiday that the waiters who were helping with the grilling were too busy, so Chen Ziqi said he would grill the meat himself.

After tasting it, Fu Xiaoxiao raised an eyebrow and said, "It's pretty good. Have you practiced?"

Chen Ziqi: "My cooking skills are pretty good."

"Awesome!" Fu Xiaoxiao gave him a thumbs up.

She really thinks people who can cook are amazing.

Chen Ziqi smiled shyly: "Actually, I don't think being able to cook is that impressive."

"So what counts as impressive?"

"Being good at making money is what makes you truly capable."

Upon hearing this, Fu Xiaoxiao put down her chopsticks, frowned, and said, "Enough money is enough; there's no need to earn too much."

“My parents are very good at making money, but because of that, they have missed many important moments for me and Xiaohang.”

“They were never there for graduation photos.”

“Every time there is a parent-teacher meeting, an assistant is sent to attend.”

"Xiao Hang was bullied at school, so I went to the teacher to stand up for him..."

Chen Ziqi listened attentively, his brow furrowed, and a wave of heartache washed over him.

But as he listened, he suddenly realized there was no sound.

He looked at Fu Xiaoxiao and asked softly, "Xiaoxiao, why aren't you saying anything?"

“I suddenly feel something’s off, like I’m blaming my parents,” Fu Xiaoxiao explained. “Actually, I don’t blame them at all.”

Her parents worked tirelessly to provide a safe and stable environment for her and Xiaohang.

"I understand." Chen Ziqi picked up the tongs and flipped the meat slices over. "My parents always keep an eye on my grades, hoping that I will become a teacher when I grow up."

Fu Xiaoxiao blinked. "I never expected you to end up becoming a police officer."

“Yes,” Chen Ziqi said with a smile. “I had a pretty unpleasant argument with my parents when I was filling out my college application.”

"Is it too dangerous for them to be police officers? Is that why they don't agree?"

"Yes, they still hint at me from time to time that I should switch to an office job."

Fu Xiaoxiao swallowed the meat in her mouth and chuckled softly, "Although I don't have children, I can understand that uncles and aunts face a lot of uncertainty when working on the front lines."

"Then..." Chen Ziqi pursed his lips, seemingly mustering a great deal of courage, "Then would you mind... having a criminal police officer as your future partner?"

The phone that was on the table suddenly rang loudly.

Fu Xiaoxiao glanced down and saw it was Jiang Yuan's call. "Wait a minute, I'll take Yuan Yuan's call."

"Okay." Chen Ziqi nodded.

When Fu Xiaoxiao answered the phone and heard Jiang Yuan's words, she was slightly taken aback, and her eyes subconsciously fell on Chen Ziqi.

The call ended one minute later.

"What's wrong?" Chen Ziqi's voice unconsciously carried a hint of tension. "Did something happen?"

Fu Xiaoxiao put down her phone, a curious look on her face. "Were you just asking me if I minded if my partner was a criminal police officer?"

“…Yes.” Chen Ziqi thought she hadn’t heard him.

Fu Xiaoxiao lowered her eyes and thought for a moment before carefully asking, "Chen Ziqi, do you like me?" Chen Ziqi's face instantly burned, his ears turned bright red, and the redness spread all the way to his neck. The chopsticks in his hand fell to the table with a clatter.

He looked at Fu Xiaoxiao, and his mind suddenly went blank.

Fu Xiaoxiao glanced at the two chopsticks, then looked at Chen Ziqi's face, tilted her head, and asked, "Why aren't you saying anything?"

Chen Ziqi could clearly hear his heart pounding violently in his chest. His hands clenched tightly under the table, and a thin layer of sweat appeared on his palms.

He looked into the girl's clear eyes and tried to make his voice sound calm and composed. "Yes, I like you."

The answer was probably expected, so Fu Xiaoxiao wasn't surprised.

She asked again, "So when did you start liking me?"

Chen Ziqi blushed and said, "Actually, I can't really explain it, but every time we meet, I feel that you are getting cuter and cuter, and my heart races. When we can't see each other, I miss you a lot..."

Fu Xiaoxiao's eyelashes trembled slightly, and her fingers on the table curled up little by little, revealing a hint of unease that she herself was unaware of.

Chen Ziqi's flushed face turned serious as he said earnestly, "Xiaoxiao, I often feel that I'm too ordinary for you, and I'm always torn about whether or not to confess my feelings to you..."

“Where are you mediocre?” Fu Xiaoxiao frowned and disagreed. “You are obviously very capable. I am mediocre. If I am not good enough for you, it should be me who is not good enough for you.”

She's a complete failure; all she can do is spend money.

“You are anything but ordinary; in my eyes, you are perfect.” Chen Ziqi gazed at her tenderly. “Really, you are wonderful. You are a sunny, kind, and generous girl…”

Fu Xiaoxiao stared wide-eyed in surprise, "Are you sure you're talking about me? I'm not that good."

“It’s you, you really are that good,” Chen Ziqi said solemnly.

Fu Xiaoxiao suddenly wanted to laugh, so she lowered her face and laughed so hard that her shoulders trembled slightly.

As she listened to Chen Ziqi's words, a phrase suddenly came to mind—beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Fu Xiaoxiao's smile faded, and she asked seriously, "So it's because you think I'm too perfect, and you feel you're not good enough for me, that's why you've never dared to confess your feelings to me?"

“Yes.” Chen Ziqi lowered his head, not daring to look into her beautiful, shimmering eyes. “And another thing is… my family background is too ordinary, and my salary isn’t high…”

"Are you worried that you can't afford to support me?" Fu Xiaoxiao asked.

Chen Ziqi looked up at her and nodded slowly. "I would need to earn for two or three months to afford the bags you usually carry."

Upon hearing this, Fu Xiaoxiao glanced at the bag placed to the side, "Actually, a bag is just an accessory. I used to fall into the consumer trap, always wanting to buy the best and most expensive..."

Come to think of it, she hasn't bought a bag in a while.

Chen Ziqi was slightly taken aback, seemingly still pondering the meaning of her words.

His expression was blank for a moment, then his eyes suddenly lit up, and he asked eagerly, "Xiaoxiao, would you be willing to give me a chance? Let me take care of you and stay with you..."

“I…” Fu Xiaoxiao frowned slightly and hesitated, “I don’t know how I feel about you. Can you give me some time to think it through?”

“Yes, that’s fine.” Chen Ziqi nodded excitedly.

If you don't refuse, you have at least a 50% chance.

After finishing their barbecue, the two took a walk in the nearby square.

They didn't say a word the whole way; both of them were very quiet.

After walking for more than ten minutes and enjoying the breeze, Fu Xiaoxiao suggested ending the date, saying, "I still need to find Yuan Yuan, let's call it a day."

"Okay." Chen Ziqi nodded. "Do you need me to take you there?"

Fu Xiaoxiao raised her eyebrows. "No need, I'll drive myself."

"Then I'll see you to your car." Chen Ziqi had handled many cases involving incidents in parking lots.

　Happy New Year to everyone! May the new year bring you new beginnings and good fortune!
　　(End of this chapter)