The rainy season in Jiangnan is long and humid, leaving both cities and people exceptionally cleansed and refreshed. A white Audi honked its horn, signaling pedestrians to move aside, before stopping in front of "Zhile Cafe." The car door opened, and a woman stepped out. She appeared to be around thirty, with short, neat hair that fell to her earlobes. Wearing a professional women's suit, a slight smile graced her oval face, and the gentle light in her eyes conveyed a comfortable and approachable charm.
The woman glanced at the "Zhile Cafe" sign above her head and pushed open the door. Bob Dylan's songs were playing inside. The songs were a bit old, but the melody was beautiful, the vocals perfect—truly classic English songs. "No wonder it's called 'Zhile' (meaning 'enjoyable')," the woman muttered to herself.
"Hello, beautiful lady, are you alone?" A waiter greeted her warmly.
"Xiaolin, this, this." Before Xu Xiaolin could speak, the man sitting in the corner by the window waved his hand.
"Thank you, my friend has arrived." Xu Xiaolin smiled at the waiter and walked straight to a corner seat by the window.
Two men were already seated at the small square table. "Wang Shen," Xu Xiaolin said, walking over to the man who had waved earlier. "Sorry, there was some traffic on the way because of the rain." As she explained her lateness, Xu Xiaolin smiled and greeted Officer Wang.
Officer Wang's real name is Wang Shen, and he's a well-known figure in the local police force. Why is Wang Shen famous? Mostly because of his outstanding criminal investigation skills. A small part of it is also due to his handsome appearance, which makes him particularly popular with women.
"We just arrived too." Wang Shen smiled slightly and gestured for Xu Xiaolin to sit down.
"Wang Shen, what brings you here today? Thank you." Xu Xiaolin picked up the coffee in front of her, held it up to her eyes, smiled at Wang Shen, and then took a sip.
"I must have something important to discuss with you two renowned writers. Otherwise, I wouldn't dare to bother you so easily. Oh, right, I haven't introduced you yet, this is..."
"Hello, Mr. Lin, I am Xu Xiaolin." Before Wang Shen could finish speaking, Xu Xiaolin stood up from her seat and extended her hand again.
Lin Su then looked up at Xu Xiaolin, his hand unconsciously trembling, spilling coffee on himself. He hurriedly grabbed a tissue and began wiping the coffee stains off. Xu Xiaolin, however, kept her hand outstretched, a wide smile spreading across her face.
“That’s normal, that’s normal.” Wang Shen laughed and handed Lin Su a tissue. “Many people are even more disheveled than you when they first meet her.”
The names Lin Su and Xu Xiaolin are familiar to anyone who enjoys suspense novels. They are both among the most famous suspense novelists of our time, with their works consistently ranking high on suspense novel charts. Historically, Lin Su's novels have outsold his. However, Xu Xiaolin's new novel, *Rebirth*, has recently gained increasing attention. It seems likely that Xu Xiaolin will dethrone Lin Su from his top spot on the sales charts.
Lin Su and Xu Xiaolin have very different styles of doing things. Lin Su frequently appears in the public eye, attending book signings held by various publishers. Compared to Lin Su, Xu Xiaolin is much more low-key. She never holds any book signings, and she never even attends award ceremonies for her own works. To readers, Xu Xiaolin is shrouded in absolute mystery.
Xu Xiaolin's behavior has sparked various speculations. Some say she's too ugly to show her face, others say she's pretentious and aloof, and still others say she suffers from social anxiety. Unfortunately, none of these guesses are accurate. Xu Xiaolin can be described as a stunning beauty. Those who know her can feel her approachable and down-to-earth nature. In social situations, she demonstrates exceptional emotional intelligence. However, she simply prefers quiet, nothing more.
Lin Su was surprised to see Xu Xiaolin because Xu Xiaolin looked so much like someone else.
"Her?" Lin Su wiped the stains off his body and looked at Wang Shen in surprise.
Wang Shen looked at Lin Su with a hint of schadenfreude. "I knew you'd be so surprised. Although you're both famous authors of suspense novels, Lin Su, is this your first time meeting Xu Xiaolin?"
Lin Su looked at Wang Shen, then turned his surprised gaze to Xu Xiaolin, extending his hand. The two of the bestselling suspense authors of our time finally shook hands. "Hello, this is truly the first time I've met Xu Xiaolin in person. But she looks so much like her..."
“Everyone says I look like Han Mo, and it bothers me a lot.” Xu Xiaolin sighed, shook her head, and looked very helpless, but still had a joking smile on her face.
"You're not twins?" Lin Su still couldn't suppress his surprise.
Xu Xiaolin smiled and shook her head.
"Xiaolin rarely appears in public because of her appearance. But I can vouch for her as her childhood friend; she and Han Mo are definitely not twins." Wang Shen laughed twice more and patted Lin Su on the shoulder.
“However, Xiaolin, you’ve really gotten me into big trouble this time.” Wang Shen took a sip of his coffee and looked at Xu Xiaolin. “The plot of your novel ‘Rebirth’ is exactly the same as Han Mo’s case three years ago.”
"Exactly the same?" Xu Xiaolin pouted and took a sip of her coffee. "You must not have read my novel carefully. Many of the plot points are different from the case details you released at the time."
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