《My Dearest General: It Has Always Been You》


 Chapter 1 - Shi Nian

    "Burn the witches!"


    "Chop their bodies into pieces and feed it to the ferocious beasts!"


    "Kill them!"


    The crowd of people was boisterous and rowdy with their ear-deafening cheers. A high tform was set up in the middle, while below, people were cursing and screaming, one was louder than others as if they were upholding justice on behalf of Heaven.


    Not long after, a group of soldiers arrived. With their galloping horses and gant armors, they parted the sea of crowd in the middle. Their horses were tied in a string of thick rope, and the end of it was five women.


    Their conditions were truly pitiful. Ragged clothes, tattered and torn, their feet shackled and wounded, their hands tied up in front, hair disheveled and bodies colored in crimson blood and bruises. As they were dragged inhumanly through the throng of crowds, some people even threw rocks and rotten vegetables at them.


    The woman at the end of the line couldn''t even be considered mature yet. Her build was smaller than others, she was so skinny that her bones stuck to her skin. Messy hair covered her face, some strands were bloody and stuck to her skin. Her breaths were shallow and weak as her gaze lingered on the back of the woman in front of her, never once straying aside.


    The five of them were lined up on the high tform. Their knees were struck heavily with rods, rendering them helpless of any struggle as they could only kneel obediently. Soft sobs escaped from one of them, followed by another, and another¡­only the woman at the end didn''t make any sound.


    In the face of death, her face remained calm, her eyes like a pool of undisturbed spring water, cool and even.


    The executioner stood behind them, carrying a veryrge, long cleaver which was stained with half dried blood. With only a heavy swing, one head was neatly chopped off, it rolled through the tform, followed by the fall of the headless body. Blood flowed like a stream of river, dripping down to the ground.


    The cheers grew more and more buoyant, the excitement and exhration on those faces were nauseating.


    The scent of blood thickened as the second, third and fourth women were beheaded one by one.


    And finally, it was her turn¡­


    She closed her eyes, epting death with absolute peace.


    Unfortunately, her wish wouldn''t happen, at least, not today.


    The cheers of the crowd was broken by the sharp horn of signal from the nearest gate. Everyone knew what that signal meant. Panic and fear struck them as they scattered away like a headless fly. Arge boom sounded nearby, and the wall surrounding the city was broken down and trespassed by another group of soldiers. It was apletely different group of soldiers, their armors were pitch ck, and the ring sun glistened the sweat and blood dripping through it.


    Chaos befell the people.


    Screams full of despair pierced through the sky. One moment they were cheering as they watched the women''s execution and the next moment, they pleaded for their lives under the swords and spears of others.


    The scene in front of her was dyed in a bloody red color, it was unnerving and horrifying, yet she remained motionless in that high tform, her eyes in daze. Corpses umted below her, and sheposedly witnessed how the crowd of people that were cheering for her death died one by one, shed easily like tofu, the bodies created a stack of small hills.


    "General, the mission has seeded!"


    "We have captured all of the remaining fugitives and killed all who struggle!"


    "Tie all of them," A deep voice answered. "Bring the rest back with us."


    "Yes, General!"


    A pair of ck boots appeared in front of her. She lifted her head up, but her hair obscured her sight so that she couldn''t see clearly. Under her blurry sight, she squinted at the man''s appearance which was shadowed by the ring sun behind him.


    It was the scene that she would never forget all her life.


    "Why are they trying to kill you?" His deep voice travelled, the sound echoing and suppressed all the noises around.


    She didn''t answer.


    He cut the ropes tying her hands and freed her. She regained her movement again, yet she remained in her kneeling position. The deep and ented voice remained patient at her silence.


    "Are you the infamous witch of the dark forest?"


    This time, she blinked.


    Then, her head shook gently.


    The man''s fingers grabbed her chin and lifted her head higher. "Look at me." The harsh wind blew, and this time, she could see his face. A pair of deep and cold ck eyes, jet ck hair, high nose and thin lips. A huge scar ran from his left cheek up to his temple, tarnishing the perfect edges of his contour. She gave nothing but a blink.


    "Are you the infamous witch of the dark forest?" he asked once again.


    She shook her head.


    He frowned. "Open your mouth."


    She found herself unable to resist his imposing andmanding tone. The man gave off a very dangerous and dark aura, the heavy air of blood emanated from within. Surely, for all her fifteen years of life, she had never met someone as precarious as him.


    Her chapped and pale lips parted obediently, and inside, a piece of mangled and chopped tongue was seen. Blood still trickled down from it, coloring her jaw crimson. The wound was nearly infected as it hadn''t been treated for quite long.


    The creases on his forehead deepened.


    "General, we are ready to go!"


    The man hummed in agreement and gave a series ofmands to clean up the area.


    He turned back to her. Their gazes met in midair. One was as cold as evesting snow, and the other was calm and unperturbed like a sturdy mountain.


    To her surprise, he asked, "Are you not afraid of death?"


    She was stunned for a moment before shaking her head again. What was she scared of? Death was just another release from the hell that she had been living on these past few months. She was ready to wee it with open arms.


    She saw his lips curled up into an indiscernible smile, but when she blinked, it had disappeared as if it was never there.


    "Very well." He straightened up and offered his hand.


    She stared at his bloody palm in astonishment.


    "Come with me." He said. "What do you say, witch of the dark forest?"


    This time, her expressionless face rippled. Her lips thinned and there was a faint annoyance between her brows. I am not a witch of the dark forest, she muttered inwardly.


    Under the brilliant sunshine, the scent of blood permeated through the air and soaked the ground crimson. He stood nonchntly in front of her with his hand stretched out. His eyebrows raised, but his cold expression gave nothing away.


    She gingerly ced her palm on him.


    It felt unexpectedly warm.


    He pulled her up and cut the shackles on her ankles off with his sword. "Right, what is your name?"


    The question put her in a stupor. Then, she shook her head.


    "What? Do you not have a name or are you reluctant to tell me?"


    She shook her head again, this time harder. A trace of frustration shed through her eyes and he chuckled.


    She lifted her head and stared at him.


    "Alright." This time, she saw it as clear as day. His smile. The long scar didn''t diminish his beauty even one bit. "Then¡­"


    ***


    Beep¡ªbeep¡ªbeep.


    Her eyes fluttered open and the ring light made her squint. There was a faintmotion around her. A feminine voice eximed. "Doctor, the patient of room 505 has regained consciousness!"


    She tried to take a deep breath and found that her face was covered in an oxygen mask. The heavy scent of antiseptic assaulted her nose. Her head was muddled, and her memory in chaos. She tried to recall anything but a sharp pain shot through her head.


    The door opened hastily, followed by a pair of footsteps and a face of elderly man appeared above her.


    She blinked in befuddlement.


    "Can you hear my voice?" He asked, then shone a shlight through both of her eyes. "Vitals normal. Heartbeat normal." The nurse beside him took notes enthusiastically. The doctor raised another question. "Can you tell me your name?"


    She tried to answer, but her throat was so coarse and dry that she ended up in a fit of weak coughs. Her oxygen mask was removed and the nurse slowly fed her a sip of water and dabbed her lips with wet cotton. Her eyes drank in her surroundings and the doctor asked once again. "Can you tell me your name?"


    Her eyes were nk as countless pieces of memories and images floated in her mind. Her lips opened, but before she could answer, a deep and velvety voice rang inside her head, the sound resonated with her soul.


    "Then, from this day on, your name will be Shi Nian."

 Chapter 2 - Detective Xu

    "The patient suffers from post traumatic stress disorder because of her traumatic experience. It ismon for patients, especially one that survives through such a huge ordeal."


    A trembling voice answered, obviously she was trying hard to choke back her sobs. "Then, doctor, will my daughter ever speak again?"


    "She will." The elderly doctor smiled reassuringly. "Don''t worry. She will surely get better. As a parent, you can help with caring for her more. PTSD patients vary, some may get better in a month, some even need years. Just be patient with her."


    The woman from across the screen paled and her shoulder slumped. "I know, doctor." Her voice was weak and tired. "But I can''t leave my job now." She rubbed her face roughly, her bloodshot eyes and huge eyebags were evident.


    "It is just my advice, Madam Shi." The doctor answered patiently. "Of course, every patients'' circumstances differ. It is already a miracle for her to wake up after three months ofa. Surely, she will create another miracle."


    Madam Shi nodded weakly. "Then, can I leave her in your hands for a while more? Maybe¡­maybe I can go back in two months."


    "Of course." He smiled amicably. "The hospital will give her thorough treatment. Not only does she need physiotherapy, she also needs psychotherapy to help her get better. She can''t leave hospital in the meantime."


    Madam Shi acquiesced, her eyes getting teary. "Thank you, Doctor Chun. You don''t know how many doctors I have searched only to end up disappointed over and over again. All of them told me that the possibility of Shi Nian waking up is less than fifteen percent." She sniffled. "But only you alone believe that she will."


    Doctor Chun offeredfort and advice for fifteen more minutes before ending the video call. He sighed and pinched the area between his brows. A knock resounding throughout the silent room. "Doctor Chun?"


    "Come in."


    It was the nurse who was in charge of room 505.


    Doctor Chun was surprised. "Does something happen to the patient?"


    Nurse Zhang was a very young woman, only twenty three years old. However, she had plenty of experiences in medical treatment and her capability was topnotch. There really wasn''t anything that could make her look so anxious before.


    Except¡­


    "Doctor," she whispered furiously. She was so angry that she wanted to burst into tears. "They are here again!"


    As he expected. Doctor Chun''s headache became worse. "How did they know?" Doctor Chun scowled. "The hospital shouldn''t have leaked the patient''s personal information!"


    "Doctor, don''t you know?" Nurse Zhang''s eyes widened. "The one in front, I heard that he has some connection with the director! They are using their authority to suppress us. We can''t hold on any longer!"


    Doctor Chun wore his white coat and stepped outside hastily.


    In the lobby of the rowdy hospital, there stood a very eye-catching man. His temperament was truly unfit in the middle of the sick and elderly that were currently lining up. His eyes were apathetically cold, as if he was looking at corpses. People wereining about him, yet he didn''t show any reaction, only the fatty beside him that was busily bowing and apologizing to the crowd.


    Perhaps the noises were too disturbing, he gave a frown and his eyes shed in contempt. He looked like a debt collector, here to smash things and demand money. Even though the man dressed nicely, his legs especially long in that ck trench coat, but his whole demeanor screamed the word ''thug''.


    If Doctor Chun didn''t appear soon, maybe violence would happen inside the hospital.


    Hearing Doctor Chun''s footsteps, he finally stopped monopolizing the nurse station and stepped aside. Doctor Chun beckoned for them toe over and the two followed the doctor into an empty hall.


    As they stopped, the man instantly took out his police badge without any word.


    The fatty beside him bowed deeply and wiped his sweat. "D¡ªDoctor Chun, we are very sorry to disturb you. If you can''t remember, my name is Wang Chengbing. This is my partner, Xu Binchen. We are from the Metropolitan Police in the Special Crime Investigation Unit."


    Doctor Chun had to muster all his will to not scowl in front of them. "Nice to meet you, I am Chun Liang and we have met three times already. What can I help you¡ª"


    Xu Binchen cut him off abruptly. "We got the information that the patient has regained consciousness."


    "Detective Xu." Doctor Chun took a deep, deep breath. "I am very sorry, but I can''t give you permission to let you meet her now."


    Xu Binchen frowned. "Why?"


    "Because the patient had just woken up thirty six hours ago. She needs a lot of rest and her mind isn''t quite well yet. To be honest, no one can ever survive and recover from that kind of ident, thus it is reasonable to say that we need to give her more time to adjust. If we go through with the questioning, the girl''s mind might copse and her condition may get worse."


    Doctor Chun''s meaning was; get out of here, you brute! How dare youe and bully a weak and fragile little girl!


    Xu Binchen was displeased, but Doctor Chun indeed held absolute authority over the patient''s recovery.


    The fatty Wang Chengbing interrupted. "Um, Doctor...is there really...no other way? It''s not that we want to force the little girl but¡ª"


    "But if we spend time any longer, that means the greater chance the murderer has to escape." Xu Binchen uttered impatiently. "It has been three months, and the chance for the murderer to remain in this country is less than twenty percent. We can''t waste any more time. That girl is our only clue."


    Doctor Chun fell silent for a moment.


    He sighed and rubbed his forehead. "I know, but really, I can''t do anything about that. To be honest with you, the patient suffers from PTSD after thorough examination."


    Xu Binchen: "What are the symptoms?"


    Doctor Chun took a nce at the cold-faced brute. Indeed, speaking with smart people was truly convenient. "She lost her ability to speak."


    Wang Chengbing''s mouth gaped open. "W¡ªWhat¡ª"


    "And her memory of the ident is blurry."


    Xu Binchen scowled in exasperation. Doctor Chun truly felt that if he wasn''t the leading doctor, then the man would surely punch him in the face for delivering one bad news after another.


    "What do you mean, doctor?" Still, the little fatty remained polite and courteous. Doctor Chun decided to overlook Xu Binchen''s rudeness this time.


    "She can remember her identity as well as her usual life just fine. It is only the ident which she can''t recall."


    Xu Binchen pursed his lips, his eyes staring out of the window toward the hospital garden where many patients in gowns were lounging there, some were walking around, some were sitting on wheelchairs whilst sunbathing.


    "One week." He dered. "One week, is that enough time?"


    Two sides remained in a deadlock for quite a while. Doctor Chun finally conceded and sighed.. "Hopefully."

 Chapter 3 - She Wants To Search For Him

    Xu Binchen insisted on following Doctor Chun up to Shi Nian''s room. The doctor said helplessly. "She is currently in physiotherapy session."


    He deadpanned. "Then, lead the way."


    Doctor Chun: "¡­" What to do, really wanted to hack him to pieces. If he did it, it would count as violence toward police officers, right?


    Xu Binchen didn''t care about Doctor Chun''s resentful gaze. His skin was thick enough that he could filter what he wanted to hear and what he wanted to treat as an annoying buzzing fly. His face remained firm and expressionless, and Doctor Chun had no choice but to walk with him there.


    "You absolutely can''t trigger her, okay?"


    Xu Binchen: "Am I that kind of person?"


    Doctor Chun nodded.


    Xu Binchen: "¡­" He sighed. "Don''t worry. I will abide by the doctor''s words."


    "That''s good." Doctor Chun brought him to the eighth floor by elevator. There were only two nurses in the front station, both greeted Doctor Chun warmly and blushed when they saw Xu Binchen.


    Doctor Chun inwardly palmed his forehead. Don''t be fooled, oh little girls! Don''t be fooled by this devil''s outward appearance! Even though he looked like he had juste out of a movie, he was a thug thorough and thorough inside!


    The physiotherapy room spanned almost half of the entire floor, it had a transparent sliding door. There were only six people inside therge room, each were both patients and their apanied psychotherapist. Shi Nian sat beside the window, a table in front of her.


    Her five fingers were tied in a weighted machine. The woman in front of her smiled encouragingly. "That''s very good. Now, try to move two of your fingers."


    Shi Nian''s hands were shaking from the effort she put in, s, she could only twitch her fingers and not make any subsequent movement. Sweat beaded on her forehead and her face was still a little pale, her lips were a bit swollen from being bitten too hard as she gritted her teeth.


    "Very good." The therapist took notes of her stats. "It is already very good. Don''t force yourself. We will continue tomorrow okay?"


    Shi Nian smiled and nodded her head gently.


    Xu Binchen observed her through the transparent door. Jet ck waist length hair, petite face,rge round light brown eyes, full lips. The sun shone through the window and painted her eyshes golden. She lowered her head as the therapist took the machine off her hands.


    Doctor Chun sent Xu Binchen a warning re, but the man''s attention was focused on the skinny and frail girl that was currently being pushed out in a wheelchair.


    Doctor Chun harrumphed and slid the door open. When he turned to Shi Nian, his face returned back to an amicable and kindhearted old man. "Good morning, Shi Nian." The girl lifted her head up and her eyes shed in recognition. She nodded gently in acknowledgement.


    Doctor Chun took over her wheelchair and the therapist excused herself. "How are you feeling today? Anywhere ufortable?"


    She couldn''t speak, and her motoric muscle was still very stiff from the three monthsa. Thus, she could only shake her head with a gentle smile.


    Xu Binchen upheld his words, he only took a few nces and strode away before the both of them reached him. When Shi Nian noticed him, he had already turned to a corner with only a sh of his back was seen.


    Doctor Chun chatted with her lightly along the way until they reached her room. There, she was helped into the bed by a nurse. Once sheid down, she let out a huge sigh of relief. Her back was aching slightly from all the exercise, even though she had only exercised her fingers.


    Nurse Zhang chuckled and helped to arrange her pillows. "Are you thirsty?"


    She nodded, her eyes shone in gratefulness. Nurse Zhang patiently fed the girl a few mouthfuls of water while the doctor took the notes on her bedside and went through it quickly. "Hmm, there''s no problem with your body anymore, your wounds had healed quite nicely. Just make sure to exercise and sunbath regrly okay? If you are free, you can try to move your hands and legs a little bit, but don''t do it excessively."


    Shi Nian pursed her lips and nodded.


    She too, felt a little frustrated by her immobilized body. Now that a lifetime had gone by, she finally regained the memory of her previous life. Her heart soared as she remembered the general.


    In that life, she could do nothing but stay by his side.


    Alive, she was his person and dead, she became his ghost.


    She deliberately didn''t drink Meng Po''s soup on the Bridge of Forgetfulness so that she could one day remember him again. She could remember him again but in exchange, some of her memories of this life were blurry, but Doctor Chunforted her and told her not to pressure herself because of it.


    As she expected, it was still the memory of the general that was imprinted so deep in her mind.


    She decided that in this lifetime, she wanted to search for him again.


    ***


    When Xu Binchen walked out of the physiotherapy area, the two stationed nurses stole nces at him and one even put on courage and asked, "Um, are you a patient''s family?" She was quite young but there''s an air of maturity between her brows, her eyes were soft and tender. This kind of woman that was on the verge of ripening was usually the favorite of adult men, yet Xu Binchen directly strode out as if he didn''t hear her.


    The two nurses were left bbergasted with their jaws cked open.


    With his long legs, it didn''t even take five minutes for him to reach the parking lot. The car beeped and he fluidly slid into the driver''s seat. Xu Binchen mmed the door shut and took out a pack of cigarettes, lit one and took a deep inhale. The smell of tobo instantly filled the car and he stuck the key in. The car hummed gently and he rolled the window down, his arms propped up there nonchntly.


    The cherry blossom was blooming vigorously, the dense pink flowers creating such a dreamy scenery against the blue sky. One or two petals would fall gently to the ground, blown and floating along the wind. Xu Binchen took a deep breath, and the sweet scent of spring filled his nose.


    The atmosphere was so peaceful that one couldn''t believe that under this blue sky, there would be a mass serial killer rampaging around.


    Not long after, little fatty Wang Chengbing got in. "Hey." he greeted.


    Xu Binchen nodded.


    Once he put on the seatbelt, the car darted out from the hospital parking lot to the main road. It was Wednesday morning and the road wasn''t so congested like Mondays. The car ran smoothly and changednes a few times.


    Xu Binchen took a few deep breaths and threw the cigarette away. He rolled the window up and asked, "What did you get?"


    "Nothing in particr." Wang Chengbing scratched his head. "The girl really seems like she is shaken up quite a lot."


    Xu Binchen remembered the girl''s serene appearance and muttered, "Doesn''t look like a victim of a mass killer."


    "What did you say?"


    "Nothing. Continue."


    "Oh, I want to report something." Wang Chengbing shifted hisrge butt and cried out. "This girl Shi Nian is sooo pitiful!"


    Xu Binchen jolted in shock by his loud voice, almost mming into a nearby car. He swiveled the wheel skillfully and red. "Speak properly."


    Wang Chengbing sniffed. "But truly, don''t you know? Her mother is a single parent and his father has passed away before she was born. They live in a single bedroom apartment and her mother often goes on business trips. This time too, she can''t return and apany her daughter."


    Xu Binchen rolled his eyes. "Haven''t we investigated it all already?"


    "Binchen, you''re a heartless bastard."


    The heartless bastard who was cursed out of nowhere: "¡­"


    "She even took on multiple part time jobs to help lighten the household''s burden. And it was precisely because of that e shift in the convenience store that she was kidnapped by the mass killer we are chasing after!"


    Xu Binchen ignored little fatty''s passionate storytelling and sighed. "Who knows when we will be able to catch him?"


    Little fatty red at his remark. "Serves you right to be single in all your twenty four years of life!"


    Xu Binchen, who was once again cursed: "¡­do you have a grudge against me?"


    He fell silent for a moment before realizing something. "Wait, isn''t she only sixteen? Our government prohibited any underage teenager to partake in jobs¡ª"


    "Oh, why are there so many pitiful youngsters this month?!"


    Xu Binchen: "¡­"


    Little fatty acted like he hadn''t heard Xu Binchen''s remark. "I heard the nurses'' gossip. Do you know Jiang Jinyan?" Xu Binchen didn''t even need to answer, hell he didn''t even need to exist because Wang Chengbing was enough to hold the conversation for two. "He is this year''s high jump athlete finalist! He should bepeting in the Olympics this August but he just got in a car ident and they couldn''t keep one of his legs! Damn it, how can he be so unlucky?!"


    Xu Binchen stayed silent and drove without a sound.


    "Give me ament, will ya?!"


    Xu Binchen: "Oh."


    Little fatty: "¡­" What to do, really wanted to hack him to pieces. Wait, if he did it, it didn''t count as violence toward police officers because he was also one, right?

 Chapter 4 - Lost One Of His Legs

    Thest thing Jiang Jinyan remembered before the car ident was how dark the sky was, the evident sign that the rain was going to be fierce. He was worried whether he could return without getting soaked, furthermore his head was starting to hurt and he didn''t want to catch a cold. Thus, taking the risk of how there weren''t many cars on the road, he stepped onto the zebra cross and dashed through the green light.


    After that, a strong beam of light came out of nowhere, the shine pierced his eyes and made him reflexively squint. His mind turned nk and everything became dark.


    As his consciousness hovered between life and death, he felt like he heard many people talking around him. The voices sounded professional and cold, they were discussing how they could keep his body intact, but unfortunately, they had no choice in the end.


    His thoughts were blurry and his body numb. He very much wanted to open his eyes, but the darkness swallowed him whole again.


    The warm sunlight poured in through the window into the hospital room. The monotone beeps of the heartbeat monitor filled the air. In the huge monochrome room, heid on the bed with his whole body covered in bandages, one of his legs suspended in midair.


    It only reached up to his knee which was currently wrapped in a thick bundle of bandages, nothing was below it.


    His fingers twitched and the beeping intensified.


    There was the sound of the door sliding open, and a female voice eximed. "Call Doctor Chun! The patient in room 510 shows the signs of waking up!"


    Jiang Jinyan breathed, and the oxygen mask covering his face fogged up.


    There was a faintmotion nearby, but he could only focus on how his whole body felt numb. His eyelids flickered, and slowly, he opened his eyes, his mind blurred.


    "Mr. Jiang?" There was someone calling him, but he was too weak to answer.


    In the end, he could only maintain his consciousness for a few seconds before drifting back to a long slumber.


    Thest thing that shed through his mind was; damn it, I amte to practice again. Coach Yong will surely cut my vacation time off.


    ***


    "¡­he is really waking up?!"


    "Yes, that''s right, sir. Last evening, Mr. Jiang''s data showed signs of waking up. This is a very good news. Please wait for some time, he should be waking up in a day or two."


    Dad? He wondered in befuddlement. He hadn''t seen his father since two years ago. To sum it up, Jiang Huocheng always provided everything he needed without fail, but he wouldn''t show his face unless necessary. His condition must have been quite serious for his father toe.


    "Uncle¡­Jinyan is waking up¡­"


    "Yes." Jiang Jinyan''s father, Jiang Huocheng sighed. "Fortunately¡­fortunately he is fine¡­"


    This time, his heart lightened at the familiar feminine voice. Xiaxia¡­he called out inside his heart, but his mouth remained shut.


    There was the sound of faint sobbing and Jiang Jinyan was so anxious that he wanted to spring up andfort his girlfriend. s, the heavy feeling that pressed down on him was like a mountain, rendering him unable to move.


    His fingers twitched, but he had expended all his effort to do so.


    "I see Jinyan''s fingers moving!"


    Jiang Jinyan was sure that Wei Xiameng must be crying. How he wanted to wake up and tell her that everything would be fine. Unfortunately, his consciousness started to drift off again and he gave up to the darkness that awaited him.


    ***


    Indeed, as Doctor Chun predicted, Jiang Jinyan woke up the next day.


    It was raining lightly and the weather was cool. The curtain was half-drawn and when he opened his eyes, the first thing that caught his sight was his father who was sitting on the couch while dozing off.


    Jiang Jinyan blinked and he tried to speak with a very hoarse voice. "Dad¡­"


    Jiang Huocheng jolted and his eyes snapped open. Seeing his son''s bleary eyes, he jumped forward, his voice anxious. "Jinyan?! Are you conscious now?" He pressed on the nurse button and peered down to Jiang Jinyan''s face worriedly. "How do you feel?"


    Jiang Jinyan was half-astonished and half-confused.


    When was thest time he ever saw his father this worried?


    Instantly, his heart felt warm and he cleared his throat weakly. "I''m fine¡­"


    The door opened and an elderly doctor with two nurses came in. "Good evening, Mr. Jiang. I see that you have regained your consciousness." The nurses proceeded to take off his oxygen mask and proficiently fed him a few mouthfuls of water. He immediately felt better afterward.


    Doctor Chun checked on his stats for a while and hummed. "Very good. Youngsters'' constitution should be like this. You recover quite fast."


    Jiang Jinyan blinked for a while, his head was still a little fuzzy. "Right, what happened? What date is it? I have practice up to Saturday¡­"


    The room instantly fell silent.


    Jiang Jinyan was still feeling very weak, he kept his gaze on his father and took no notice of his own condition. In every teenager''s weakest state, the person that they relied on first and foremost would be parents. Jiang Jinyan rarely spent time with his father, thus this kind of asion was so hard toe by that he couldn''t peel his eyes off..


    When no one answered, Jiang Jinyan''s head sobered up a level.


    He turned his gaze to Doctor Chun but in the middle of doing so, his eyes fell upon his suspended right leg, and¡­the bandages that were wounded heavily around his stump knee.


    It was as if he was plunged into a deep, bottomless abyss. His blood froze, and his already pale face turned ashy. His mouth opened, but no sound came out.


    Subsequently, it was Doctor Chun''s words that sentenced him to the cruel reality. "Mr. Jiang Jinyan, two weeks ago, you were run over by a truck. It took 18 hours for the doctors to revive your heart. But I''m very sorry to deliver this bad news to you." The elderly man sighed heavily. "We can''t save one of your legs."


    Jiang Jinyan''s head rang and his ears buzzed.


    For a while, he couldn''t make out the sound around him.


    His heart felt blocked, so constricted he couldn''t breathe, as if his blood had coagted inside his veins.


    Finally, a tinge of warmth spread through his icy cold body. He followed the source of it, only to find Wei Xiameng holding his hand tight, her beautiful face withered in tears. He didn''t realize when she came, nor did he register what happened for the next moment.


    He stared at her crying face nkly and all words lost in his throat.


    He couldn''t say it.


    He couldn''t say that everything would be fine.

 Chapter 5 - What Is The Difference From Death?

    For the next few days, Jiang Jinyan spent his days in silence as if he had gone mute.


    The only thing he was slightly happy about was how his father deliberately cleared his schedule just to apany him. Yet not long after, he had to go back to work because the frequency of his phone calls and iing mails intensified more and more that he didn''t even have time to talk to his son.


    Even as he left, his phone was still ringing crazily. Jiang Huocheng spoke hastily. "Can you manage alone? Father has paid for all the hospital fees, so tell the doctors and nurses if you feel ufortable anywhere, okay?"


    Jiang Jinyan stared at his father''s wrinkled face and nodded. "Okay, you go." It was his first sentence in three days.


    After getting his son''s confirmation, Jiang Huocheng left abruptly, his steps wide and long, his back contained no hesitation. Thus, Jiang Jinyan was left alone in the hospital room.


    Fortunately there was Xiaxia. Even though she could only visit every two or three days, Jiang Jinyan was feeling quite happy. Because it showed that in this world, there was at least someone who would make him the priority.


    Every time Wei Xiameng visited, she would bring a bunch of fruits and chicken soup.


    The days passed by ndly and before he realized, almost two weeks had gone by.


    Jiang Jinyan eyed his girlfriend''s haggard face and her huge eyebags. And for the first time since waking up, he tried to lift his lips and muster a small smile. "It''s okay, Xiaxia. You don''t have to do this anymore."


    He didn''t know how his smile looked, but Wei Xiameng froze for a moment. Her head lowered, her shoulder length hair slid down and covered her face from his sight. In the next moment, she sniffled and forced a smile. "Then, I will listen to you."


    The rims of her eyes reddened as she smiled.


    Jiang Jinyan averted his gaze.


    He was tired of seeing the heartache in everyone''s eyes. It made him nauseous as he recalled the state of his disabled leg. He was too tired to cheer everyone up, acting like he could be strong enough to get through this.


    "Jinyan¡­" Wei Xiameng grabbed his hand tightly, her voice choked between sobs. "I will always stay with you okay?"


    Jiang Jinyan stared at the petite and pale fingers that were inteced with his rough one. The warmth travelled from his hand up to his entire body before settling down in his heart. His smile became much more sincere. "En."


    One person, he only needed one person. And it was more than enough.


    A series of firm knocks swallowed what Wei Xiameng wanted to say. She wiped her tears away and said, "Actually, just now¡­I met Coach Yong downstairs."


    Jiang Jinyan stiffened, the little warmth he had just felt was instantly doused in freezing cold water.


    It was indeed Coach Yong outside. As long as he remembered, for eight years of being taught under him, Yong Jizhe had always been a fierce man. If he waste by one minute, he would be asked to run tenps. Ten minutes, then he would be asked to mop the training center''s floor.


    Yong Jizhe was actually a veteran athlete who was reluctant to leave the field after he retired, thus he chose to be a coach instead. Many people strived to learn under him but only Jiang Jinyan¡­only he was the one who got Coach Yong''s invitation.


    It was clear to see that Coach Yong held a great expectation toward him. However, the greater it was, the heavier the disappointment would be. Everyone in the circle knew how much Coach Yong wanted to be in the Olympics, but in the end, he had to forfeit because of his family situation. Thus, Jiang Jinyan had neverined even if sometimes Coach Yong was too strict toward him.


    He was so strict and solemn that Jiang Jinyan didn''t know he could actually smile.


    Like right now.


    Wei Xiameng squeezed his hand. "I will leave the two of you alone."


    She smiled in acknowledgement which Coach Yong returned with a brief nod.


    After the two of them remained, the atmosphere turned heavy and awkward. Coach Yong was a man of few words, and as he stood there silently, the air of awkwardness was so intense that Jiang Jinyan could hear the sound of his gulping.


    "Lad..." He sighed. "How are you?"


    Jiang Jinyan lowered his eyes and the hands on his side clenched into fists.


    The middle aged man stretched out his hand hesitantly and finally pat his shoulder two times. "Don''t worry about the Olympics. Just focus on recuperating."


    His words were light and encouraging, but how could Jiang Jinyan not know what he meant?


    Just focus on recuperating. Ha¡­he sneered mockingly. In this lifetime, no matter how long he recuperated, he would never be able toe back anymore. Sometimes, once a chance was lost, you could never be able to grasp it again. No matter how hard you tried. No matter how much you sacrificed.


    Everything¡­had been lost.


    The sight of his leg burned his eyes, Jiang Jinyan lowered his head even more, focusing on the sewn pattern on his nket as if it was the most interesting thing he had ever seen.


    Coach Yong sighed. He truly didn''t know how to cheer someone up. Pity ah¡­such a pity. He shook his head and smiled. "It''s good that you are alive."


    Their conversation was short. It was Coach Yong''sst words before he left, and probably thest words he would ever say to Jiang Jinyan again. This meeting would probably be theirst. Coach Yong would return to his job, while he¡­he had no idea what he should do from this moment onward.


    He never said anything since the beginning, always stayed silent as he received everyone''s blessing, saying that he was lucky to survive in such a terrifying car ident.


    Jiang Jinyan scoffed bitterly.


    This kind of life¡­what was the difference from being dead?

 Chapter 6 - Victim Of A Mass Serial Killer

    As Xu Binchen said, one weekter, he came straightforwardly through the hospital''s main door way before the visiting hour. Hell, the sun hadn''t even fully risen yet, but he hade and brought with him the chilly wind of spring morning.


    The receptionist was close to bursting into tears from his continuous terrorizing. In the end, they had to call Doctor Chun who was unfortunate enough to enjoy his day off with his family. Cursing ten thousand times, Doctor Chun had to drag himself off the bed and drove to the hospital at four thirty in the morning.


    When he saw Xu Binchen''s face which was sourer than his own, he really wanted to forget his upation and bash this detective''s head to the wall!


    Who gave you the right to be displeased when you are the annoying one?!


    "Doctor Chun." When Xu Binchen noticed his arrival, he even had the audacity to sneer, his words dripping in sarcasm. "I thought that doctors should be on standby around the clock in the hospital. My apology to disturb your beauty sleep."


    Chun Liang stopped on his track, closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep, deep breath. After he was sure that he could pull off a smile, only then did he open his eyes and walked toward the man who was slouching in the deste waiting hall.


    "Sorry for making you wait, Detective Xu. It''s my fault for not considering whether someone wille sitting here when no patient has awakened yet."


    Xu Binchen: "¡­"


    Doctor Chun: "¡­"


    If stare could stab, maybe the both of them would beying down with bodies full of holes right now.


    In the end, it was Xu Binchen who averted his gaze first. "The patient hasn''t woken up yet?"


    Doctor Chun smiled amicably. "What do you think?"


    Sparks flew in the silent waiting hall in the lobby of the hospital. The nurses stared at them cautiously, scared that the brute detective would snap and choke Doctor Chun to death. Even though when he first came, all the nurses blushed and couldn''t resist wanting to get close to him, but after tasting his rude behavior and aloof demeanor for a few times, no one dared to try him anymore.


    Xu Binchen stared at Doctor Chun for a moment. That kind of piercing stare could make one copse psychologically and it had been proved to be able to make a criminal confess his crime as Xu Binchen stared at him for an hour without speaking, but Doctor Chun met his eyes head on.


    "Okay." He grunted and kneaded the space between his eyebrows. "Then I will wait here."


    Doctor Chun scrutinized him for a while. Wrinkled shirt, bluish eye bags, unshaved stubble, messy hair, he looked like he had been drinking for 36 hours straight and proceeded to work without rest. All in all, he looked more terrifying and irritating than when he was dressed neatly before.


    Doctor Chun became softhearted, and he couldn''t resist asking. "When did youst sleep?"


    The man drawled sluggishly as if speaking stressed a lot of effort. "Not sure. Maybe three days, four days?"


    "There still haven''t been any new leads?"


    "No. No news is good news. That means that there are no new victims." After thinking for a while, he added. "Yet. But we can''t guarantee that he will not take action in the near time. After all, the critical three months period has passed, and that bastard must have been so excited that the police hadn''t caught on to his stinky scent."


    Doctor Chun sighed. "That''s worrying indeed."


    "Right, that''s why I need to speak with the only witness as soon as possible."


    "Sure." After he thought that Doctor Chun had finally relented, the elderly man raised his wrist and nced at his watch. "Please wait for three more hours."


    Then, he sauntered passed lightly, his steps light and he even hummed a tone.


    Xu Binchen: "¡­"


    Fortunately, he didn''t have a bad temper.


    ***


    Shi Nian''s first impression of Xu Binchen was; this uncle, he looked very simr to thendlord who came to demand her house rent every month. Could it be thatndlord''s son? Did hee here because the rent was due soon?


    Thus, when Doctor Chun said, "Shi Nian, this is Detective Xu, he has been wanting to talk to you." She put on a genuinely surprised expression. She didn''t mean offense, just that¡­she was taken aback that such a sour face uncle was a detective.


    A debt-collector-faced uncle detective¡­


    Shi Nian gulped, deciding to bring this first impression to her grave.


    Xu Binchen hummed and took out his name card. "I am Xu Binchen, nice to meet you."


    Shi Nian lowered her head and read the simple string of words on that ck and white name card;


    Xu Binchen


    Special Crime Investigation Unit


    Metropolitan Police Department


    Then, he proceeded to take out his police badge and shed it for a split second. Before Shi Nian could satisfy her curiosity to take a look at a real police badge, he had put it back to his pocket. Shi Nian sighed in pity and smiled politely.


    For one week, she had been exercising regrly and diligently without fail. Thus, she could already walk around just fine. Writing wasn''t a problem too. The hospital gave her a small board which she could write on easily.


    "Do you know what I want to talk about?"


    Shi Nian nodded and wrote hastily. Because it had been quite long since she wrote and she still hadn''t got used to the board, her writing was a bit messy and scrawny. [Doctor Chun told me before¡­]


    Xu Binchen squinted his eyes as if he was trying hard to read her writing which made her blush in embarrassment.


    Doctor Chun cleared his throat from the side and helped her exin. "I told her briefly. But not so concisely, I thought that it is the police''s job."


    Xu Binchen gave him a cold nce which made Shi Nian stared wide-eyed.


    In front of her bbergasted look, Xu Binchen decided to be the magnanimous one. "Your mother submitted the missing person form to the police in October after she lost contact with you for two days. On 23rd December, you were found buried under thendslide by local vigers and admitted to the emergency room. Your identity was verified soon to be one of the kidnapped victims of a mass serial killer. "


    Shi Nian lowered her head, listening attentively.


    Xu Binchen got to the point. "Can you tell me what happened during that three months'' time?"


    Her fingers twitched, and she wrote. [I don''t remember.]


    "I told you she doesn''t remember." Doctor Chun sighed.


    Xu Binchen ignored him and pressed, "Then, do you remember who you are?"


    Shi Nian nodded. [My name is Shi Nian, 16 years old. Second Year ss 1 in Tangzhe High School. I live with my mom, Qiang Fei, we rent a house in the suburbs of City A.]


    "What was thest thing you remembered?"


    She hesitated for a moment. [I worked in ate shift in the convenience store. It was 2 am in the morning and I was getting ready to leave. And then¡­I don''t remember anymore.]


    Xu Binchen narrowed his eyes and scrutinized her deeply. Shi Nian met his gaze for only two seconds before looking away. She fidgeted nervously in her seat and wrote with fervor. [I am telling the truth, uncle detective¡­I am not lying!]


    Xu Binchen: "¡­"


    Doctor Chun: "Pfft."


    The corner of Xu Binchen''s lips twitched. "¡­I am only twenty four." Calling her uncle was a bit¡­Okay, he knew that for a sixteen years old girl, he was a middle-aged man already. He sighed and waved his hand. "Whatever, that is also fine."


    "You heard her," Doctor Chun spread his hands helplessly. "It''s not that we don''t want to help, but we are already doing our best. Time is what we need the most."


    "Well," He muttered under his breath. "And time is what I have the least."


    "The hospital has applied psychotherapy sessions for Shi Nian." Doctor Chun smiled. "Hopefully it will help her recover faster. But still, don''t force yourself okay?" Thest sentence was directed to Shi Nian which she answered with a slight nod. "It should be very hard already to escape, yet you are forced to remember again." Sighing, he shook his head.


    Shi Nian hastily replied. [It''s okay, I don''t mind.]


    She too, didn''t expect that she would be the only witness for the wanted mass serial killer who had already killed 11 people in thest year. All the victims were murdered viciously, their bodies were riddled in cuts, mutted and then sent to public ces to create havoc and panic among people.


    Before she went missing, Shi Nian also heard about the mass serial killer on TV, which was reported to be hiding in City A as per histest victim.


    At that time, her mother had been out of reach because she was working overseas and the time zone wasn''t convenient for them tomunicate frequently. Shi Nian didn''t mind, she had already been an independent girl ever since she was small.


    Just that, she didn''t expect herself to be one of the victims, and furthermore, one that escaped sessfully. No, half sessful. In the middle of running, she fell down a slope and coincidentally, there was andslide in that area, thus she was buried alive.


    If not for the vigers nearby to notice her, she would have been dead already.


    She was diagnosed brain-dead after surgery concluded, and then many hospitals refused to treat her because her condition wasn''t optimistic. The probability of her waking up was less than fifteen percent.


    Qiang Fei had been running to and fro to search for a doctor and then chanced upon Doctor Chun Liang, a neurology specialist who was willing to treat Shi Nian. But still, the cost for such arge hospital wasn''t small and even if the government covered half of it, it was still a taxing amount, far exceeding what an ordinary single parent could afford. Thus, Qiang Fei had no choice but to leave her daughter in Doctor Chun''s hands and left to work day and night overseas.


    Maybe that''s why Doctor Chun felt more protective toward her. He had already regarded Shi Nian as his half daughter. Adding to the fact that she was the only clue that the police hounded around, he was akin to a possessive mother hen, scared that his chick would be hurt by others.


    [What can I do to help you, uncle?] Shi Nian felt slightly guilty seeing Xu Binchen''s ckened face.


    "You can do nothing except to remember." He deadpanned.


    Shi Nian''s eyes widened slightly. Did¡­uncle detective just roll his eyes at her?

 Chapter 7 - Is It Expensive?

    She blinked a few times and Xu Binchen''s face returned to his usual sour one as if the whole world owed him ten billion dors.


    Shi Nian''s grip of the pen faltered and only then did she realize that her palms were sweaty. She gingerly swapped the pen to her other hand and wiped the sweaty one on her thigh. Luckily no one found out her little gesture.


    "How is the progress of your recovery?" Xu Binchen suddenly asked.


    She reflexively wanted to write with her left hand but was stunned for a while after realizing that she had no idea of how far her recovery had progressed to. Thus, she could only nce at Doctor Chun, but Xu Binchen had taken notice of her behavior.


    "You can write with your left hand too?"


    She nodded. [I am ambidextrous, uncle.]


    He hummed. "That''s convenient."


    Shi Nian didn''t have time to ask what he meant before Doctor Chun answered on her behalf. "We have conducted two sessions of psychotherapy and today will be the second one. Are you interested in joining?"


    What Doctor Chun meant by joining was just waiting outside the room for Shi Nian to finish her treatment. One session could take hours, and judging by Xu Binchen''s distorted face and how he couldn''t mask his tiredness, Doctor Chun was ready to hear his rejection.


    Just that, he had truly underestimated how Xu Binchen''s brain was wired. "Good. I will wait for her. After that we will hold another questioning session."


    Doctor Chun almost couldn''t resist his re. "I have to remind you Detective Xu that the purpose of psychotherapy is to make the patient release her stress and make her brain feel safe enough for her to break through her defense mechanism. She definitely can''t remember that quickly." Unless they held a hypnotherapy session, but Doctor Chun omitted that.


    Hypnotherapy sessions should be thest possible method should everything be deemed hopeless. He genuinely didn''t want Shi Nian to stress herself out.


    "What about hypnotherapy?"


    Doctor Chun''s veins bulged: "¡­She isn''t ready for it yet."


    Xu Binchen directly turned to Shi Nian. "When will you be ready?"


    Shi Nian was bbergasted. She didn''t know how to answer and this time, her muteness became an advantage as she was stunned silly by the uncle detective''s question.


    Honestly, she didn''t mind receiving every treatment possible to help the police.


    She didn''t even know that hypnotherapy could be done for her. The only thing she was worried about was¡­did mama have enough money for my treatment? Is it very expensive? How hard has mama been working for?


    Shi Nian wanted to get out of the hospital as soon as possible so that she wouldn''t burden Qiang Fei more than necessary.


    Thus, she wrote in her little board decisively. [Is hypnotherapy expensive?]


    Xu Binchen: "¡­"


    [If it''s not expensive, then¡­I should be ready?]


    Doctor Chun felt his heart stabbed by a thousand sharp needles. His eyes melted like a spring pool and he patted Shi Nian''s head softly. "It''s okay, money isn''t a problem at all."


    Xu Binchen kept on staring at her so intensely that it made her feel so awkward to meet his eyes.


    She lowered her head deeper and scrawled. [Do it then, Doctor. Who knows¡­maybe I will remember something?]


    Doctor Chun sighed. "To be honest, I really don''t rmend you to do it this soon. There is many implication if the brain is stimted strongly, your nerves will be affected and there is a huge chance that¡ª"


    "Shut it." Xu Binchen snapped harshly. "The patient has epted the treatment. What are you lecturing about for?"


    Doctor Chun grabbed the pen in his pocket tightly in a dead grip and wouldn''t hesitate to stab his eyes if he opened his mouth to say something again.


    Fortunately, there was Shi Nian between them. She raised the little board high up to her head. [It''s okay Doctor. I want to be helpful to the police!] Her expression was anxious, and her light brown eyes darted between Doctor Chun and Xu Binchen, afraid that they would suddenly break out in a brawl in the hospital room.


    Doctor Chun took a deep, deep breath and felt that he needed another dose of high blood pressure medicine. "¡­Very well."


    After eating another bowl of nd porridge with a wooden face for breakfast, Shi Nian was brought into the psychotherapy department on the seventh floor.


    Doctor Chun and Xu Binchen apanied her along the way. The way she walked was a little weird, like a penguin who tried to imitate humans. Xu Binchen nced at her legs and found that one of her ankles was bandaged.


    Nurse Zhang supported one of her arms but gave her enough space to walk by herself.


    Slowly, they dawdled to the elevator which brought them to the seventh floor.


    It was Psychiatrist Yu who received her with a very wide and gentle smile. She looked like an auntie next door who liked to cook her food whenever she waste from work. Shi Nian smiled, her first impression toward Psychiatrist Yu was very good.


    "Shi Nian, is it?"


    Shi Nian nodded.


    Doctor Chun brought Psychiatrist Yu away and the both of them discussed something with low voices. Nurse Zhang supported her inside the room and made her sit on afortable single seat sofa. Xu Binchen didn''t hesitate to sit opposite her.


    Nurse Zhang smiled. "Wait here for a while okay?"


    Shi Nian nodded sensibly.


    After Nurse Zhang left, only the two of them remained.


    The original quiet room became deadly silent and there was an invisible pressure on the air. Xu Binchen scrutinized her deeply, and she didn''t know what was running through his mind. Just¡­it really felt ufortable to be stared at so closely!


    She promptly wrote on her board. [Uncle, what''s wrong?]


    Xu Binchen tapped his fingers rhythmically on the table. "I have been thinking about it since I first saw you. But you are really unlike a sixteen years old girl."


    She blinked nkly. [Why?]


    "Aren''t you afraid to be the only victim of a mass serial killer who escaped alive? That means that it isn''t impossible for the killer toe and try to kill you again."


    Xu Binchen stared into her eyes, and Shi Nian found that if she ignored the garrish bluish eye bags beneath his eyes, uncle detective''s eyes were actually very beautiful and clear. When he looked at you, you would feel like he was able to look deep into your soul as well.


    Those eyes¡­reminded her of her general.


    He too, had the same kind of eyes.


    She subconsciously bit her lips. [I am not afraid.] Maybe because of that tiny bit of simrity, she found that she didn''t feel as awkward as she did in the beginning anymore. As she finished showing the board to Xu Binchen, she even met his eyes head on and gave him a smile.


    Xu Binchen didn''t talk again even after Psychiatrist Yu returned.


    "Alright, Doctor Chun has told me briefly about your situation."


    "Are you sure you want to proceed with the treatment?"


    Shi Nian was stunned. Psychiatrist Yu as well.


    Because the one who threw thest sentence wasn''t anyone but Xu Binchen, the one who was so eager to catch the serial killer a moment ago. Shi Nian turned toward him, and found that he was staring at her again.


    She nodded briefly. [I am sure.]


    "¡­Good." He then proceeded to step out of the room. "I will wait for you outside."


    The door closed behind him and Xu Binchen walked along the hallway toward the open balcony. There wasn''t anyone there and he directly took out a pack of cigarettes and slid one to his mouth.


    He used the free time to answer his emails and made a few phone calls to inquire about the situation from hisrades as well as reporting his own.


    "¡­yes, that''s right. The victim is currently receiving hypnotherapy. If no ident happens, then we will probably get a clue by the end of today." Billows of smoke blurred his countenance and he took a deep inhale of the cigarette. The other end of the call was saying something and he nodded. "Roger, Captain."


    The call ended soon.


    Xu Binchen spent a few more minutes enjoying the cigarette until it almost burned to its tip, then he threw it to the trash bin. He took the elevator down to the first floor and coincidentally, the canteen opened at that exact moment. The smell of warm rice assaulted his nose and his stomach gurgled.


    Only then did he realize that he hadn''t eaten anything since yesterday.


    Xu Binchen retracted his steps and walked toward the empty canteen. He took his time to finish two bowls of Chicken Rice Set.


    After he more or less calcted the time, he then returned to the seventh floor.


    When the elevator dinged open, the nurses habitually raised their heads and ready to say their greetings. But upon seeing his face, they lowered their head again and pretended that he never existed. Usually, Xu Binchen wouldn''t give them any other nce but this time, he walked toward the station and tapped his fingers on the desk.


    The nurse in front of him was stunned. "W¡ªWhat can I help you with?"


    Xu Binchen asked directly. "Where can I find a wheelchair?"


    "Wheelchair¡­" Seeing that sharp handsome face magnified in front of her face made her brain short-circuited and she fell speechless for a moment. "It¡ªIt''s¡­on the other side of this corridor. Turn left from here and you will see it."


    Xu Binchen nodded and walked away. But he hadn''t walked for two steps before stopping and said, "Thanks."


    The sight of his tall and wide back was enough to make anyone swoon. And even though the nurse knew that he was an asshole through and through, she still couldn''t resist her blushing cheeks after being thanked. His bad boy aura was really irresistible.


    He carried the huge folded wheelchair on one of his arms and walked leisurely toward the psychotherapy room. But before he could emerge from the side of the hall, the elevator dinged open and Doctor Chun, Nurse Zhang and two other nurses stepped out¡ª running¡ªswiftly, their faces stiff and gloomy.


    Xu Binchen''s heart sank and he froze in his tracks.


    The nurses craned their necks and whispered among themselves. "What happened?"


    He snapped out of his reverie and found himself already running toward the destination he was supposed to walk to. The wind whistled past his ears, and he could catch a piece of conversation from the nurses.


    "¡­seems like one of the patients almost got cardiac arrest."

 Chapter 8 - What Was He? A Rabid Dog?

    He arrived in front of the psychotherapy room in a blink of an eye.


    Not even a hint of uneven breathing was seen. Xu Binchen''s eyes were dark as he heard the faintmotion from the room. The door was partially open and because of it, he could see Doctor Chun with his back facing him.


    He stopped on his tracks and the conversation entered his ears.


    "Heartbeat."


    "It is dropping to 155." The nurse sighed in relief. "Finally, it returned to normal."


    Doctor Chun stepped aside, presumably looking for Psychiatrist Yu, and finally Xu Binchen could see Shi Nian. She was lying weakly on the treatment chair, her face devoid of any color with an oxygen mask covering it. Her breaths were harsh and she was currently wheezing, causing the mask to be foggy.


    Her eyes were tightly shut and there was a deep frown on her forehead as if she was immersed in a nightmare with no way out. Her hair was slightly disheveled and it stuck to her face because of sweat.


    Overall, she looked like a dying patient that had just been brought over from the gate of death.


    Where was the serene girl with calm eyes who said that she wasn''t afraid?


    Xu Binchen''s gaze deepened, and he met Doctor Chun''s eyes across the room.


    His lips pursed, and the elderly doctor beckoned him toe over. The three of them¡ªDoctor Chun, Psychiatrist Yu, and Xu Binchen¡ªentered Psychiatrist Yu''s office and sat down on the sofa. Doctor Chun and Psychiatrist Yu''s face lightened up a lotpared to a moment ago. Only Xu Binchen''s face was unreadable, after all he had always been putting such a sour face that everyone thought that his bad mood was eternal.


    Psychiatrist Yu wiped the sweat on her forehead and sighed. "Fortunately, it''s a false rm."


    "We are lucky." Doctor Chun nodded. "You stopped the hypnotherapy on time and we gave her emergency treatment quickly. Or else it won''t be just a false rm."


    The room fell silent for a moment.


    Psychiatrist Yu had just wanted to open her mouth and report the progress of the therapy when the man opposite her suddenly muttered. "I apologize."


    She was stunned and didn''t know how to react for a moment. Then, she could only throw Doctor Chun confused nces.


    Doctor Chun recovered quickly and turned back to the image of an amicable and kind-hearted old man. "It''s okay. No one knows what will happen and it''s not your fault at all." The fact that Xu Binchen knew how to apologize gave him a pleasant surprise. Not that he med the detective, after all Doctor Chun knew that he was bound by tight time and urgency to catch the criminal. "The girl is currently fine, but I suggest that we will not do hypnotherapy for the time being."


    Xu Binchen''s mouth which had always been spouting words which made people want to bash his head, unexpectedly shut tight at that moment. He only nodded expressionlessly.


    Doctor Chun''s face became kinder and softer.


    "So, what happened during the hypnotherapy?"


    ***


    Shi Nian''s eyes fluttered open, and she was faced with the familiar white ceiling and bright ring light. She closed her eyes for a moment and tried to remember what happened to her. That''s right, the hypnotherapy.


    She was receiving hypnotherapy but suddenly, everything went out of control.


    Helplessness shed through her eyebrows and she shifted her body.


    "¡­are you okay?"


    The sudden deep voice almost startled her out of her soul and her eyes snapped open.


    On the couch beside her bed, there sat the sour-faced detective who looked sourer than usual, as if he had just eaten a jar of pickled vinegar.


    Shi Nian subconsciously shuddered, and she opened her mouth, trying to speak before closing it again. Her eyes blinked at the man.


    Xu Binchen rose to his height and approached her.


    The window behind the couch was closed, but the curtain had been drawn so that she could clearly see the outside scenery, the brilliant color of sunset thatplemented the blossoming pink hue of cherry blossom flowers.


    "Don''t move." The manmanded. "You are currently stabilized but Doctor Chun said that they need to observe you for a while before making sure."


    Shi Nian pointed at the oxygen mask covering her face.


    "You can''t take it off either."


    She could only helplessly nod, and inquired with her eyes.


    But Xu Binchen had lowered his eyes. His long eyshes covering the dark pupils beneath. The sunset behind him illuminated his figure so that his hair seemed like they were glowing golden. It was quite a beautiful sight, she thought.


    She was full of questions, but to her frustration, he didn''t even look at her.


    In the end, she could only move her fingertips and poked his arm twice.


    "What?" He snapped out of his reverie and only then remembered to press the nurse button. "Are you thirsty? Hungry? Do you want to go to the toilet?"


    Shi Nian: "¡­"


    What''s wrong with him? Why did he suddenly be so kind?


    The sour-faced uncle suddenly became a kind-hearted uncle next door. The change was abrupt and she found that she couldn''t follow at all. Thus she could only stare at his face nkly, trying to discern his thoughts. But sadly, Shi Nian couldn''t read him at all.


    His eyes stared at her face.


    Shi Nian pursed her lips and awkwardly averted her gaze. That kind of stare again. She realized that uncle detective often stared at her with eyes so deep as if he was trying to see through her flesh and bones and dissected her into pieces. It made her a little ufortable, and her eyes seek around for her board.


    The door to her room slid open and Nurse Zhang came in.


    Shi Nian breathed in relief at the familiar woman.


    "Shi Nian." She smiled widely. "Are you awake now? How are you feeling?"


    Shi Nian nodded. Except for the slight difort on her chest, she didn''t feel anything wrong. Fortunately, Nurse Zhang answered the question she had been asking since she woke up. "You scared me! In the middle of the hypnotherapy, your body was triggered by the stimtion and you almost got a cardiac arrest! Fortunately, nothing happened and everything is fine."


    She then proceeded to help her sit up, arranging pillows behind her back and took off her oxygen mask gently. In the middle of that, Shi Nian was stunned. Cardiac arrest? So serious?


    There was a knock and the door slid open once again and this time, it was Doctor Chun. "Shi Nian." He smiled brightly and strode forward. "How do you feel? Anywhere ufortable?"


    Shi Nian was helpless with all the simr questions but she still shook her head gently and smiled.


    Doctor Chunughed while checking her stats. "Good, good. Everything is fine. Just make sure to rest more and don''t think about what happened earlier okay?"


    Shi Nian nodded. Since she had woken up and nothing was wrong, the IV drip on her hand was taken off, so did the oxygen mask and heartbeat monitoring. It was near dinner time soon and Nurse Zhang once again sent a bowl of warm nd porridge. This time, however, there was an additional bananaying nicely beside it.


    Honestly, Shi Nian wasn''t a picky eater, but during the time of more than a week she was hospitalized, she had almost developed psychological resistance toward porridge but she forced herself to endure and swallowed herints.


    Doctor Chun and Nurse Zhang went out after making sure that everything was fine, leaving Shi Nian with the ever silent Xu Binchen, as well as the porridge in front of her which she had almost stirred into a mass of pulp.


    She grabbed the board that Nurse Zhang put beside her and wrote. After that, she poked Xu Binchen''s arm again and raised the board up to his eyes.


    [Uncle, what''s wrong?]


    Xu Binchen had to lean back and squint his eyes to read that messy scrawl that appeared out of nowhere and almost shoved right to his nose. After reading for a few seconds, he pushed the board down and answered. "Nothing''s wrong."


    [You have been so silent¡­and docile.]


    Xu Binchen: "¡­" What was he? A rabid dog?

 Chapter 9 - Xu Binchens Guilt

    Shi Nian looked at him for a moment. [Are you off work now? Why are you still here?]


    That silly question unknowingly caused him to rx. He sat down again and leaned back, his voice drawled. "Waiting for you to wake up."


    Before Shi Nian could write again. He added, "I''m not asking for the treatment. Not for now."


    Shi Nian''s head snapped up and she stared at him with an incredulous look.


    Xu Binchen scowled. "What kind of face are you making?"


    Shi Nian realized btedly that she had been rude, thus she hurriedly cooled down her expression and mustered up a toothy smile.


    Xu Binchen rolled his eyes. "Don''t give me that smile. Do you think I''m a goldfish that only has three seconds of memory?"


    Fine, then.


    Shi Nian turned her head and didn''t want to look at him anymore.


    There was a sound of ''pfft'' beside her. Shi Nian turned her head so fast that she could get a whish but the man was expressionless and didn''t look at her. She scratched her head in confusion. Maybe she heard wrongly?


    Ever since she met Xu Binchen, she had never seen his smile. She even doubted whether he would smile if he got a lottery. That man put on a face as if it was made for every expression besides smiling. Even now, Shi Nian couldn''t imagine what he would look like when he smiled.


    Then all of a sudden, the man muttered under his breath. "I''m sorry."


    Shi Nian instantly thought that there must have been something wrong with her hearing nerves, maybe it was blocked when she was unconscious thus making her having auditory hallucination. But the empty and silent room magnified the sound that it wasn''t possible for her to hear wrongly.


    She was flustered by this kind of uncle and her grip on the pen slipped.


    It dropped down to the ground and rolled to his feet.


    He raised an eyebrow, grabbed it and gave it to her. She wrote so fast that her wrist slightly sprained. [Un what''swrng why are you srry]


    Xu Binchen stared at her board, stared so long but still couldn''t understand what she was writing. "¡­maybe you should practice your handwriting first before everything else."


    Shi Nian''s jaw fell open, and she took back the board to hug it in her arms. Her cheeks fumed up in anger. She was wrong! She took back her im that uncle detective had turned kinder and more docile! He was still the same as always!


    There was a ghost of a smile on Xu Binchen''s face but unfortunately, Shi Nian didn''t notice it.


    Xu Binchen repeated, "I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have forced you to undergo hypnotherapy."


    Shi Nian nced at him from the corner of her eyes and this time, she took her time to write. Even erased and rewrote when she felt that it was slightly crooked. Thus this time, Xu Binchen could easily discern her words. [Uncle, it''s not your fault.]


    Xu Binchen was very helpless.


    On one side he felt a twinge of guilt, but on the other side, they unexpectedly didn''t put the me on him, even went to the length offorting him! He could endure it if it was Doctor Chun, after all the old man already had one leg into the grave, but a sixteen years old girl too?


    Shi Nian pursed her lips tightly, mirth dancing in her eyes. [Uncle, did you get a fright? That''s why you are feeling guilty now?]


    Even the ck and white characters were oozing with teasing tone!


    Xu Binchen held his forehead and started to doubt his twenty four years of life.


    [Uncle, do you want to pay it back to me?]


    Xu Binchen nced at her from the corner of his eyes. Irritation, frustration and annoyance written across his entire face. However this time, Shi Nian didn''t feel awkward or scared of him anymore. Inexplicably, she even felt that the big uncle slumping there while being all grouchy was slightly¡­cute.


    The man frowned. "What do you want? Say it quickly. You only have one chance."


    Shi Nian internally rolled her eyes but her hands were quick.


    [Uncle¡­I''m hungry.]


    Xu Binchen nced at the white porridge in front of her and jutted his chin.


    [Can you buy me kuntackey? I haven''t eaten it for months¡­] She put her chin atop of the board, stared at him with her round, misty eyes, longing evident in them. Moreover, she even added a sound effect of gulping loudly as if she was a hungry ghost.


    Xu Binchen deadpanned. "No, don''t be disobedient and finish your porridge." Then, the sound of sharp phone calls broke the serene atmosphere between them. Xu Binchen strode out of the room whilst taking out his screeching phone. "You have used up all of your chances. See youter."


    Shi Nian was dumbfounded. "¡­"


    She watched the man open and close the door in a single motion, the phone mped between his ear and shoulder.


    Their gazes met in between the transparent part of the door. Shi Nian couldn''t hear what he was talking, but the man pointed at her and then her porridge. His meaning was clear. He then went away without waiting for her answer.


    Shi Nian was left in anger and amusement. Where was he guilty? He rejected her request without even batting an eyelid! Where was it guilty?! She must have been blind!


    She chucked the board under her bed and grumpily finished her nd porridge.


    ***


    "Captain Jin." Xu Binchen greeted.


    He walked out of Shi Nian''s room and took the elevator. There were three people inside and he scooted to the corner. A man''s deep and powerful voice rang in his ears. "How about it?"


    Jin Renguang was talking about Shi Nian. In the morning, Xu Binchen had reported that they might get another clue from the victim''s hypnotherapy.


    Xu Binchen halted momentarily. He could see his reflection on the elevator wall. Messy hair, wrinkled shirt, bluish eye bags, he looked totally like a wretch. He said smoothly. "I''m sorry. It failed."


    "Failed?"


    He grunted. The elevator dinged open and he was thest one to step out. Outside the hospital, the air was very refreshingpared to the thick scent of antiseptic inside. He took a deep breath and said. "The patient couldn''t withstand hypnotherapy yet. It is my negligence to not consider it. She is our only clue and the doctor said that her condition is fragile. We shouldn''t agitate her."


    There was silence from the other end of the call. Xu Binchen could almost imagine Jin Renguang cursing his ancestors back and forth. In the end, the man only said, "¡­understood. Thene back first."


    "On it." The call ended. He found his car easily in the parking lot and started it. The slick body of the metal glided down the road, intermingling with various cars which carried people who had just gone off work. Xu Binchen rolled down the window, pulled out a cigarette from the dashboard and lit it swiftly. The scent of tobo filled his mouth and lungs, and the smoke clouded his eyes.


    He nced at the store on the left, hesitated briefly before braking and spinning the wheel skillfully to a halt. Once again, he stared at the pink and blue fluffy cake sign on the store and thought that he must have been so tired that his brain stopped working.


    Even then, he still pushed open the door and entered.


    "Wee to Ha¡ª" The clerk lifted her head and saw Xu Binchen''s dark face. She almost choked on her saliva but still forced herself to continue, but this time her voice was as tiny as a mosquito. "Wee to Happy Sweet Paradise. May I take your order?"


    Xu Binchen''s frown deepened as he stared at the various little colorful cakes on the disy shelf.


    "S¡ªSir?"


    Xu Binchen narrowed his eyes with a disgruntled face. "What is a girl''s usual favorite?"


    The clerk finally deemed him not dangerous and started to energetically introduce him one by one. The name of the cakes were ridiculous and Xu Binchen found that his nerves were twitching in pain. "Nowadays, these are currently very popr among girls! There are apple cake, brownies, ck forest cakes, butter cakes, carrot cakes, caste, chiffon, cupcakes, hummingbird cakes, ice cream cakes, marble cakes, princess cakes, red bean cakes, red velvet cakes¡ª"


    "Enough." Xu Binchen cut her off peevishly. "Just give me the first three you said."


    She was stunned for a while and smiled brightly. "Coming!"


    Xu Binchen grumbled endlessly in his heart but his hand pulled out a wallet from the back pocket of his pants and paid for the cakes. "Do you do delivery?"


    "Yes, sir! Where do you want to deliver it to? Please choose one of these greeting cards, it is free!"


    Xu Binchen once again found himself in a dilemma. He closed his eyes and pulled out a blue bear with a star pattern greeting card and wrote. His handwriting was different from Shi Nian''s messy scrawl. His was bold, light yet elegant and neat. He put down the pen and said to the clerk without any expression. "Then, I will leave it to you."


    "Sure, sir!" The clerk gave him the change and smiled so wide until her rows of pearly teeth were seen. "Thank you for your patronage. Pleasee again!"


    Yeah, I sure as hell will, Xu Binchen turned around and drove back to the Metropolitan Police Department.

 Chapter 10 - Cherry Blossom

    Meanwhile, Shi Nian was spending her time in leisure as she enjoyed the scenery outside the hospital. Her room was on the fifth floor, and there was even a small balcony. Outside of it directly faced the busy road and many food stalls, once in a while there were sounds of cars honking and whistles from the parking guards.


    Shi Nian put her hands on the railing and took a deep breath.


    The spring air felt cool and refreshing. Maybe because it''s the hospital, the atmosphere was so serene and peaceful that it didn''t seem like it was situated in the middle of the city. Rows of huge cherry blossom trees were nted along the front road, the petals swirling in the air.


    Shi Nian felt that thebination of blue sky and the pink flowers were such a sight to behold.


    The springtime bloom was avish spectacle, yet it was remarkably brief. Only less than two months time, and the petals would drop to the ground and withered, falling like the snow in winter.


    "Do you know what cherry blossom represents?"


    She closed her eyes and the General''s deep voice rang in her ears.


    It was the time of spring, and outside the General''s residence, the cherry blossoms were blooming spectacrly, the sight was breathtaking to see. It was Shi Nian''s first time seeing this kind of pink, fluffy cloud-like flower. Her eyes were glued to the huge trees and she shook her head nkly.


    The man beside her stepped forward, and in a moment, he was enveloped amidst the raining petals. He was dressed in thin, silk garments that entuated his body. His arms hung beside his body, the skin of it was filled with multiple scars from numerous wars.


    Strangely though, as he was surrounded by the rain petals, his sharp and cynical countenance softened somehow, giving him an air of peacefulness as well as a tinge of abrupt mncholy.


    He reached out and grabbed a piece of falling petal, twiddling it between his long fingers. Those fingers which always held sharp weapons were unexpectedly gentle and patient as he touched the flower. Shi Nian felt that the man in front of her was more beautiful than the scenery.


    She tried to imitate him and stretched her hand forward. But to her dismay, she couldn''t touch even one bit of the falling petals!


    Frustration grew between her eyebrows and she pursed her lips sullenly.


    The General gave her a fleeting nce and chuckled. He turned around and pinned the petal he was holding into her hair. "It represents life and death." he answered his previous question.


    Shi Nian stared into his eyes while her mind spun. Such gentle and beautiful flowers unexpectedly brought forth a kind of heroic meaning?


    "Do you believe in the circle of life and death?" he asked.


    Shi Nian thought for a while and nodded.


    "Me too." He smiled more sincerely as if pleased with her answer. "Humans die and then go through reincarnation, over and over again. It is a cycle of renewal. As long as our soul is still alive, even if our body goes through eternal death, one day, we will be reborn again."


    "Do you trust me?"


    She did. She trusted his words wholeheartedly.


    Was she not the best evidence there was? In this cycle of life and death, she experienced rebirth, and then¡­surely, he too.


    Just that, in this vast world, where could she search for him?


    Under the boundless sky and stretching horizon, Shi Nian''s eyshes trembled, she couldn''t help but wonder, was there any possibility that he was seeing the same cherry blossom she did?


    General Jiang¡­Jiang Jinyan¡­


    The hands on the railing tightened and Shi Nian took another deep breath.


    There was a knock on the door, bringing her out of her reverie. She recovered herself and turned around. It was Nurse Zhang. She blinked in confusion, silently asking what was wrong.


    The young and capable nurse smiled and lifted the stic bag in her hands. There was a very cute transparent stic with decoration of cakes around. In the middle of it was the colorful sign ''Happy Sweet Paradise''. Very bright and dazzling.


    "Surprise." Nurse Zhang put the bag atop of the table and beckoned for her toe over. "See what you''ve got here. Who knows who is so kind and benevolent as to treat you to such a mouth-watering dessert?"


    Shi Nian walked over with interest and peered into the box and saw three pieces of cakes there. The coldness of it created a foggy mist on the stic wrap. She gulped subconsciously.


    "Do you want to eat it?"


    Shi Nian automatically wanted to nod but she held herself back. She wrote. [Who is the one buying it? Is it for me?] The first person who surfaced in her mind was Doctor Chun, after that it was Qiang Fei. Apart from the two of them, Shi Nian had no one else in this world.


    After such a long time of eating nd porridge, Shi Nian was so tempted that she wanted to grovel to whoever bought these little sweets.


    "Yes." Nurse Zhangughed heartily. "It is for you. Do you want to see the card over there?"


    Shi Nian pulled out a very adorable blue bear card. There was a line of sentences there.


    [Compensation. Don''t eat it all at once. X.]


    Shi Nian was visibly surprised by the unexpected person. She took her words back. She didn''t want to grovel to uncle detective.


    The image of a particr haughty detective popped up in her mind. When shepared it to the cute and colorful cakes, Shi Nian burst out inughter, surprising Nurse Zhang who was helping her unwrap the box.


    "What''s wrong?" She teased yfully. "So happy?"


    Shi Nian shook her head, amused. She handed the card to Nurse Zhang. After reading it, Nurse Zhang''s face changed, her smile slipped and her brows furrowed, after that, she returned to her usual smile, just that the excitement level had dropped significantly.


    "Well, he is kind enough to buy the cakes for you after what had happened."


    [It''s not uncle detective''s fault.]


    "I know. But it doesn''t mean that this little gesture will improve my opinion of him!" Nurse Zhang harrumphed. Apparently, after knowing that Xu Binchen had a hand in Shi Nian''s hypnotherapy session, she began to hold a grudge toward the detective.


    Shi Nian shook her head helplessly and scooped up a mouthful of ck forest cake. The sweetness of the chilly chocte as well as the fluffy cream melted in her mouth. She squinted her eyes happily, her legs swung in joy.


    Nurse Zhang''s eyes softened.


    Oftentimes, she felt that Shi Nian was too mature for her own age. She was independent, steady and calm. She looked like she had nothing to fear after experiencing such a huge ident. The 18 years old boy upstairs was still wailing for his mother because one of his arms was broken, but Shi Nian never did.


    She didn''t search for her mother, nor did she show any side of fragility befitted of a sixteen years old girl.


    She was so sensible that it made people''s hearts ached for her.


    Ever since she first woke up, this was the first time Nurse Zhang saw the childlike innocence of joy within her eyes.


    Her impression of Xu Binchen improved a notch and she sighed. "Okay, one piece is enough. Save it for tomorrow again, okay?"


    Shi Nian whined and batted her eyshes pitifully.


    "What should we do if Detective Xues tomorrow and see that there''s nothing left of it?"


    Shi Nian bit her spoon and cradled her cake with both hands.. Her eyes clearly said ''I don''t care if he knows!'' Nurse Zhang was ruthless and packed the box again even if the girl hung on her arms like a ko.

 Chapter 11 - I Come To See How Low Youve Fallen

    Jiang Jinyan averted his gaze away from the rows of cherry blossom trees outside the hospital.


    Today was the day when Wei Xiameng woulde. Even though Jiang Jinyan never showed it, he secretly looked forward to her arrival. He tried to straighten the nket so as to cover his disabled leg from view. It waste in the afternoon, and her sses should have ended.


    Jiang Jinyan waited¡­and waited¡­


    But the woman hadn''t arrived.


    Worry started to surface in his heart, and once it started, he couldn''t help to think of all the worst scenarios possible. He couldn''t help it, ever since he woke up, the only thing he had was time. Ironically, in the past, he had wished that there were 72 hours a day, but now, even waiting for 5 hours felt like such a long time.


    During his idle time, he started to think about all kinds of things. Thinking about his busy yet fulfilling life before, imagining if he wasn''t in the hospital right now, maybe he would be mopping the training center''s floor because of beingte for practice again.


    And then, he would work out a sweat for all afternoon before picking up his girlfriend in her university. She would run toward his embrace with a sweet, beautiful smile and told him her day without him even asking for it.


    Sometimes she could be loud and naggy, oftentimes spoiled and whiny, but still he felt that it wasn''t so bad.


    So many¡­so many memories and what-ifs floated in his mind, all of which were too beautiful toe true ever again.


    His fists tightened on his side, and he couldn''t help but always be reminded of his leg. Such a shameful leg. Such a hateful leg. He really regretted it. If at that evening, he hadn''t broken through the green light to cross the road, then what would have happened now?


    The hospital door slid open and Wei Xiameng ran in, her breath uneven. "J¡ªJinyan¡­sorry I''mte!" The woman''s hair was disheveled and there was a sheenyer of sweat covering her forehead. She was three years older than him, but still sometimes her behavior was so childish that it seemed that Jiang Jinyan was the older one.


    He frowned even though all his worries were instantly dispelled at her presence. "Don''t run so fast. It''s dangerous."


    "I know, I know." She grinned and lifted the stic bag in her hand. "See what I brought!"


    It was the cakes from ''Happy Sweet Paradise''. Every time Jiang Jinyan came to pick her up, she would often whine that she craved sweet desserts. Thus, they often went there to hang out together. Jiang Jinyan didn''t really like sweets, but to amodate her, he forced herself to pick up a spoonful or two.


    His lips quirked up into a faint smile and he asked, "Are youte because of buying it?"


    "No," Sheughed and only then did she step aside. "I forgot to tell you. Qing Si came with me!" There was another boy behind her, smiling courteously as he gestured for her to enter first.


    Jiang Jinyan froze.


    Qing Si was quite a tall man, even though he fell short of Jiang Jinyan by seven centimeters, but now, as he stood in the room, his figure was hovering above him. He had short neat hair, sharp contours, thin pale lips and refreshing demeanor.


    If he wasn''t Jiang Jinyan''s greatest rival in securing the ce for the uing Olympics, then he would surely be a popr president of the student council in university.


    Jiang Jinyan''s smile was stiff as he greeted, "...thanks foring."


    Wei Xiameng didn''t seem to realize the undercurrent between them as she eagerly opened the package of sweets. "Yeah, what are the odds of meeting him below?"


    Qing Si smiled, but Jiang Jinyan could see that his eyes told otherwise. "It''s good to see you, Jinyan."


    Jiang Jinyan''s fists tightened. He lowered his eyes to hide the emotions surging within. Wei Xiameng put on the rows of colorful desserts in front of him and asked joyfully. "Which one do you want?"


    "Up to you," he answered lightly.


    Wei Xiameng looked up, intending to ask Qing Si too. Only then did she sniff something wrong in the room. She scratched her head awkwardly. "Should I leave the two of you alone for a while?"


    Qing Si beamed brightly. "Yes, please. How thoughtful of you, Miss Wei."


    "No, no. It''s nothing." Wei Xiameng nced at Jiang Jinyan and when she received his slight nod, she finally slipped out of the room and closed the door for them.


    The atmosphere plunged down to its freezing point when the two of them were left.


    Jiang Jinyan turned his head to look out of the window. "What are youing for?"


    Qing Si shrugged. "Really, I am just visiting you. Afterall, we have been rivals for years already, right? It is the basic of what I should do." If Qing Si wasn''t his rival, maybe they could have been friends.


    But afterpeting for each other for years, adding to the fact that Qing Si wasn''t the polite and courteous man he showed on the outside, Jiang Jinyan''s impression of him fell lower and lower and in the end, they didn''t even try to be friendly on the surface anymore.


    He sneered. "Do you think I will believe you?"


    Qing Si spread his hands helplessly. "What should I do for you to believe me?" He tapped his chin and then, as if he thought of something, he lowered his head until his lips were right beside Jiang Jinyan''s ears. He spoke with a voice that only the both of them could hear. "All right, you''re right. I doe to see how pathetic you have fallen into. And I have to admit that I am not disappointed."


    "You¡ª!" Jiang Jinyan''s eyes grew red and he swung his fists hard.


    Qing Si leaned back with ease, his eyes teasing.. "Oops, that''s dangerous. Can''t have you injured again after such a condition, can we?"

 Chapter 12 - Get Out! Leave Me Alone!

    "Qing Si!" Jiang Jinyan flew into rage.


    Qing Siughed out loud, his eyes full of contempt and gloat. "What? What can you do to me? In such a condition, do you think that you''re still the high and almighty Jiang Jinyan who is everyone''s favorite?"


    Jiang Jinyan''s eyes red holes into him, and if looks could kill, Qing Si would surely drop dead to the ground in that instant. His chest heaving, and he sneered. "Don''t you think it''s low for you toe and mock me?"


    "Is it low? I don''t think so." Qing Si chuckled.


    "Get out!" Jiang Jinyan didn''t want to say anything to him anymore.


    "All right, all right." Qing Si sighed in pity and shook his head. "I will go back and tell Coach Yong then. Ah, that''s bad of me, I forgot that you can no longer be an athlete."


    His disabled leg was the sorest wound on his heart, and with only a few words of his, Qing Si had sessfully poked numerous bloody holes into them and grilled his flesh and bones to smithereens. Jiang Jinyan''s temper got to his head, his eyes saw red and nothing was in his mind except to wipe that smirk out of Qing Si''s face. And he really flung his nket aside. But unfortunately, no matter how hard he tried, no matter how much strain he put into his body, he could no longer reach Qing Si.


    That spotlight he used to enjoy for granted had been closed for him, forever.


    Jiang Jinyan almost toppled down the bed, making Qing Si''s eyes widened. He hurriedly stepped back and raised both of his hands. "Okay, you win. You win. I will go back right now."


    With only two or three steps, he already got to the door. His hands on the handle as he turned around and added. "Look at my memory, I forgot to tell you. Your slot in the Olympics has been given to me. Thank you in advance. See youter~"


    Qing Si disappeared from the room as fast as light.


    Leaving Jiang Jinyan with his eyes bloodshot, his hands gripping the bed rail so hard that it almost broke his nails. His chest undting fiercely, and he felt so suffocated as if he couldn''t breathe. The image of Qing Si was imprinted in his memory.


    The look he gave. The victory smirk on his face.


    When hepared it to his current condition, Jiang Jinyan felt like he would be going crazy soon.


    The colorful little cakes in front of him became such an eyesore. And in the moment of heat, he swiped them roughly to the ground. The pitiful cakes became a mess of cream and blobs, dirtying the clean, shining ceramic floor.


    When Wei Xiameng entered, this was the sight she saw.


    Jiang Jinyan, bundled in his bed with his hair in a mess, breathing heavily while the cakes she brought had be a messy waste on the ground. The IV drip on his hands were pulled apart, and patches of blood stained his clothes and the bed sheet around.


    Her smile subsided and she strode ahead. "Jinyan, what''s wrong?!"


    Jiang Jinyan didn''t give any reaction as if he couldn''t hear her.


    In the end, Wei Xiameng had to call him a few more times, each time louder than before and shook his arms hard so that Jiang Jinyan finally snapped his eyes open.


    The ferociousness in them almost made her gasp and took a step back.


    Jiang Jinyan saw the fear in her eyes, and his mind instantly broke down. "Get out! Get out of here! Leave me alone!"


    "J¡ªJinyan¡ª" Wei Xiameng''s face paled, and tears pooled up in her eyes. Before, every time she looked like she was going to cry, Jiang Jinyan would soften and coax her patiently until she was appeased, but this time, Jiang Jinyan was akin to a wild beast that was defending against everyone who wanted to hurt him.


    "Get out!!" he hollered with rage.


    The noises attracted a nurse''s attention and she worriedly knocked on the door and peeked inside. Seeing the mess in the room, her eyes widened and she asked. "What''s wro¡ª"


    "Get out!" Jiang Jinyan clutched his head tightly, his back hunched so low that he almost got on the same level with the bed. "Get out of here! Leave me alone!"


    The nurse realized the severe situation and hurriedly called for help. She politely asked Wei Xiameng, "Miss, can you please step out for a while?"


    Doctor Chun arrived not even two minutester, a deep frown on his face. "What''s happening?"


    Wei Xiameng''s face was pale and her beautiful face was painted in tears. The rims of her eyes reddened as she tried to choke back her sobs. "I¡ªI don''t know, when I came back, Jingyan already became like this¡­"


    She was asked to leave straightforwardly, and the nurses and doctors didn''t give a damn about her anymore and they walked toward Jiang Jinyan. But upon hearing footsteps, the man was triggered again and he screamed. "Leave me alone!"


    It needed two nurses to hold him down as Doctor Chun injected sedatives into his veins. Jiang Jinyan let out a growl deep inside his chest, and he struggled against the force holding him. Not long after, his struggle weakened and he finally submitted to the drowsiness that was pulling his consciousness away.


    Doctor Chun sighed and told the nurse. "Keep an eye on him for 24 hours."


    After that, he approached Wei Xiameng, wanting to inquire about the situation, but found that in the corridor outside, there wasn''t a single soul to be seen.


    He could only pinch his forehead helplessly and tried to contact the boy''s guardian, his father, Jiang Huocheng but the monotone female voice answered him. "The number you''re calling is not active¡ª"

 Chapter 13 - Xu Binchen Cant Relate At All

    Shi Nian thought that it would take quite some time for her to meet Xu Binchen again. So, when she woke up the next morning and knew that Xu Binchen was outside, her eyes widened in surprise.


    The morning breakfast improved a lot, presumably because of Nurse Zhang who had seen how pitiful she wolfed down the tiny dessert that she was moved and appealed for changing her meals. There was soft rice, a bowl of chicken soup, and sweet mash potatoes. She was eating happily when she knew that there had been someone waiting for her since four hours ago.


    Her eyes automatically drifted to the clock on the wall. Seven forty. Three hours ago¡­so, four forty? So early? She almost choked on the mash potato, fortunately it''s such a soft and easy to swallow food that she could avoid the embarrassment.


    When the man came in, bringing with him the cold air outside with a scowl on his face, she gingerly raised her board. [Uncle, good morning.]


    "There''s nothing good about morning."


    Shi Nian: "¡­"


    The man yawned and when he sat on the couch with both his arms spread leisurely, the originally wide space that could afford three people shrank abruptly. Shi Nian had never realized that Xu Binchen was so¡­huge before.


    He was wearing a different shirt from yesterday, it was ck this morning. Coupled with jeans, it made him look more slender and tall. His legs were very long, he looked ufortable whether to stretch it or bent it.


    Thest time they met, he had dragged the couch beside her bed so that it became his exclusive seat. Xu Binchen expressed that it was below him to sit on the folded chair. He even gave a disdainful look when Nurse Zhang first weed him with it.


    Shi Nian quietly finished her breakfast.


    The room was so tranquil and serene that Xu Binchen almost fell asleep the moment he bowed his head. "Why are you so quiet?" he asked blearily.


    Shi Nian rolled her eyes. [Uncle, I CAN''T talk.] She deliberately wrote ''can''t'' in huge characters.


    "Ah, right." He rubbed his eyes. Shi Nian felt that his eye bags were getting lower and lower to the point it almost reached his cheeks. "I forgot."


    Such a thing, can you possibly forget?"


    She rolled her eyes again.


    "Did you just roll your eyes at me?"


    Shi Nian changed her face as fast as lightning and smiled innocently. Xu Binchen squinted his eyes. Under the stare of the interrogator of Special Crime Investigation members, Shi Nian held her ground steadily.


    In the end, it was Xu Binchen who averted his eyes first.


    Shi Nian felt a sense of aplishment and finally decided to ask. [Uncle, is there something wrong toe so early?]


    "No." He changed back to lying down on the couch with his legs hanging. "Been out investigating and it''s the same direction with the hospital."


    [So, youe here to sleep?] She asked incredulously.


    Xu Binchen kneaded his forehead and sneered. "Who do you think I am? Wake me up at nine. We will talkter." After saying that, not even five minutester, the sound of soft and even breathing filled the room.


    Shi Nian''s jaw hung open, speechless. And he said that he didn''te here to sleep?!


    ***


    When Xu Binchen woke up, his mind was disoriented and he couldn''t remember where he was for a few seconds. As a detective, he had experienced being awake for 72 hours without sleep, and even if he slept, he could do it anywhere as long as the ce could afford his weight.


    It had been a habit for years but this was the first time he slept so deeply without any broken dreams.


    His eyshes fluttered, and the strong lighting from the window made him frown. He raised his arms to block the light and only then did he register the heavy smell of disinfectant and remembered that he was currently in the hospital.


    He rose sluggishly and nced at his wrist. Eight thirty.


    Only one hour, but he felt that he had slept for at least five.


    The girl was startled at his sudden movement and lifted her head. Xu Binchen saw that she had a book on her hand and asked. "What is that?" His voice was so coarse and rough. He cleared his throat and didn''t hesitate to pour a cup of water and chugged it down his throat.


    He sighed in relief.


    Shi Nian silently erased the words she had written on her board. [It''s my cup¡­] and changed it to [Uncle, did you have a good sleep?]


    "Not bad." The quality of his sleep affected his mood a lot and Xu Binchen answered patiently. "What are you reading?"


    Shi Nian raised the book so that he could see the title.


    He raised his brows. "War for Thousand Years? Why are you reading that?"


    [It''s interesting.]


    "Aren''t you a science student?"


    Shi Nian was confused for a moment before realizing that Xu Binchen was a detective. Of course, it wasn''t weird for him to have searched all of her background. She didn''t have anything to hide so she answered earnestly. [Can''t one have a hobby outside her study?]


    Xu Binchen whose life was spent in military school before advancing to the police academy couldn''t rte at all.


    "Up to you." The man rose to his height, and in such a close distance, Shi Nian found that she indeed had to crane her neck so high to see his face. She nodded and buried herself into her book again.


    It wasn''t that the war was interesting.


    She just¡­wanted to see whether there''s someone she had been searching for there.


    Even though it was just a piece of history written in a ck piece of paper, still, she didn''t let go of the slight opportunity to find his presence. So far, there''s still none¡­she sighed, maybe she should ask for the wars for ten thousand years before.


    Xu Binchen went out and returned fifteen minutester.


    The front of his hair was wet, and the strand of it was hanging down his forehead, making him look younger than usual. Shi Nian couldn''t help but to give him a few more nces. She admitted that¡­aside from General Jiang, Xu Binchen was the second most handsome man she had ever seen.


    He had deep set eyes, strong eyebrows, high cheekbones and chiseled jaw. He gave off a feeling of intimidation and sharpness that was inborn, like an aggressiveness of a wild beast. Different from General Jiang who had a softer countenance but brutal behavior, Shi Nian realized that although Xu Binchen looked like a debt collector, he was quite kind deep inside.


    She blinked and raised the board she had been clutching since just now. [Thank you for the dessert, uncle.]


    The man swiped his hair back. The morning sun shone on his tanned skin, his whole body giving off the feeling of nonchnce tinged with a hint of sluggishness. "Did you finish it all?"


    Shi Nian pursed her lips and pointed at the low table in the room. There was still the stic bag from yesterday and the box with a piece of brownies remained. Xu Binchen nodded like a strict teacher, satisfied with her obedience.


    [Do you want to talk now?]


    Before Xu Binchen could answer, there was a knock on the door. Nurse Zhang came in with a smile. "It is your physiotherapy session soon. Are you ready?"


    Shi Nian nodded before remembering she was talking to Xu Binchen. The man answered as if he was a worm in her stomach. "Do it first. We can talkter on." Nurse Zhang nodded at him with her standard professional smile and Xu Binchen said. "I want to talk about something with Doctor Chun. Inform me if she is done."


    Nurse Zhang''s smile stiffened and she gave a brief yes under her breath.


    Nowadays, Shi Nian felt that she had regained seventy percent of her agility. Her joints didn''t crack anymore and she felt it easier to walk around. Still, Nurse Zhang held her arms as if afraid she would trip over nothing.


    She smiled helplessly and walked into the elevator that brought them to the eighth floor.

 Chapter 14 - Do You Not Want To Ask The Reason Why?

    The physiotherapy sessionsted until afternoon. The sun had begun to set when she''s done. Shi Nian worked up quite a lot of sweat. Her back was soaked and her hair was sticking to her face. There was a healthy flush on her cheeks and her eyes were a lot brighter.


    In this session, she stepped into the next level after the doctor examined that she was quite ready. She started to jog, it was a slow walk in the beginning and after twenty minutes, the speed increased a bit into speed walk, until the end, she had started to run for five minutes before stopping.


    The therapist guided her down the treadmill and took down her speed and time. "Very good. You healed very fast, girl."


    She beamed brightly at thepliment.


    Her breath was harsh and she had almost copsed on the bench when she stopped.


    The therapist prohibited her from lying down and gave her an aid on how to guide her breath. Shi Nian followed the step earnestly and she felt herself calming down afterwards.


    "Good, we won''t need much therapy again if you keep up with the improvement." The helper nodded with a smile. "Maybe two or three more times and you will be as fit as a fiddle."


    Shi Nian bowed in thanks and stepped out of the physiotherapy department. She found her way to the elevator and walked back. Inside the empty elevator, she fanned herself. The smooth wall reflected her face. Round, big light brown eyes, small nose, pinkish lips, fair skin. She looked exactly as she did in her past life.


    Absentmindedly, she opened her mouth and saw a perfectly intact tongue there.


    Her mind couldn''t help but drift toward the night when she first came to the General''s residence.


    At that time, everyone didn''t understand why the General insisted on saving the witch on the death rows and brought her back to his home. An uncanny thought unanimously appeared on their mind.


    The witch must have bewitched the General to save her.


    Shi Nian didn''t understand him either. But then, the enemy of her enemy was a friend. He was the one that had killed the fugitives who executed her sisters, thus she was quite obedient and amodating to his wish. At that time, she had no one left anyway, thus she thought ''why not'' and followed him home.


    The General dismissed everyone in the main hall, leaving the two of them alone.


    He took off his armor and raised his brows. "Do you not want to ask me the reason why?"


    Before he opened his mouth, she had the intention to ask. Now¡­she refrained herself. The moment he asked this question, she knew that he was standing on her side. But the reason why? At that time, she wasn''t really interested in knowing.


    He frowned. "Then, do you follow anyone home as long as they lead you?"


    Shi Nian was stunned for a moment before shaking her head.


    General Jiang was both frustrated and amused. He told the servant to bring out the paper and ink and put it in front of her. "Write."


    She stared nkly. Write what?


    "Tell me the reason why you are willing to follow me."


    She held the brush on her hand, it felt cold and refreshing. Gingerly, she wrote, [No reason.]


    The manughed in anger. "Then what if I kill you right now?"


    [Will you take me away if you''re nning to kill me?] She rolled her eyes at him.


    General Jiang, who was feared by millions of soldiers, the man whom even the Emperor had to be courteous to, was disdained by a little girl in front of his very own face. The experience was quite marvelous and he couldn''t help but chuckle.


    "All right, you win. I won''t kill you for now." He threatened jokingly. "Then, why are you being called a witch? What is the secret in the dark forest? If you told me honestly, maybe I will spare your life."


    Shi Nian gave him a look that made him doubt his own intelligence. She looked around the hall and found a pot of bonsai on top of the table. She walked toward it and scrutinized the little tree closely. It was well taken care of, but maybe because the environment was dark and the servant didn''t maintain its need, the leaves were dull green, almost yellowing in color.


    She beckoned for him toe closer and in front of his eyes, she tapped on the leaves twice. The next second, the originally yellowish green leaf twitched heavily and turned into a deep healthy green color!


    The change was swift and perplexing that if Jiang Jinyan didn''t witness it with his own eyes, maybe he wouldn''t believe it happening in real life.


    "This¡­" He brought the pot of bonsai close to his eyes and found that the change only appeared in the area where her fingers touched. "Is it magic?"


    She hesitated and nodded.


    "Dark magic?"


    Her head shook furiously.


    "Hmm, interesting." Jiang Jinyan rubbed his chin in contemtion. "So, the reason why the dark forest was filled with countless precious herbs and medicines is because of this magic?"


    Yes, she agreed. [But we are not witches.]


    He clearly didn''t care about that and waved his hand in dismissal. "What else can you do?"


    Shi Nian blinked and stared at his face deeply for a while. He looked back in amusement, trying to guess what she was thinking inside her little head. Then, she stretched one finger out and tapped it on his arm where a half-bleeding wound was at.


    It was the wound he received by the sword of one of the fugitives. He hadn''t treated it yet. But now, under one tap of her fingers, the ring wound closed with a speed visible to naked eyes before recovering rapidly. This time, his pupils shrank and he wiped his arm only to find that there wasn''t any wound there!


    "Wow¡­" he eximed in admiration. "This is such an amazing ability¡ª" He narrowed his eyes and asked, "Then why don''t you treat your own wound?" Without Shi Nian needing to answer, he had already found it for himself. "You want to die."


    It wasn''t a question, nor was it an inquiry. His tone was firm and determined, showing that he was confident in what he discovered.


    Shi Nian was helpless because he was indeed true. She had been weing death with open arms only to find that The King of Hell didn''t intend to reap her soul yet.


    He pursed his lips. "Do you want to know why I brought you back?"

 Chapter 15 - Why Dont You Try?

    Shi Nian blinked, and before she could react, he had leaned forward and brought his face close to her. Shi Nian was taken aback. There was a clear reflection of her own face within his pair of dark eyes. Dirty and bloody, marred with bruises and soil, very unsightly to see.


    "Because we are the same."


    The answer stunned her. What¡­did he mean by that?


    General Jiang didn''t seem like he was going to exin further as he lifted his head again. Then, under her confused eyes, he stretched out his hand to her with his palm up.


    "Here." Heughed jovially. "Why don''t you try growing a flower on my hand?"


    ***


    Shi Nian''s lips quirked up when she remembered his absurd request.


    Her fingers unknowingly tapped on the elevator wall, but nothing happened like before.


    After she was reborn, all of her identity had been stripped away. She wasn''t the witch of the dark forest anymore nor did she retain her previous ability. She was just Shi Nian, an ordinary girl living in a peaceful world without any war or magic.


    The elevator dinged open and she was startled to find that she almost jammed straight into a hard chest.


    Fortunately, the person opposite her held her shoulder before they crashed, preventing the ident from happening. The hand atop her shoulder was warm and heavy, and she hastily stepped back and bowed her head in apology.


    "What a coincidence. I am going to get you and here you are.."


    The familiar voice halted her movement and she lifted her head. Indeed, it was uncle detective, standing there with one of his hands inside his pocket.


    The man turned around without waiting for her, and she strived to keep up with his long strides. She didn''t bring her board into the physiotherapy session thus she could only tap on his wide back.


    Xu Binchen turned his head half way and found her opening and closing her mouth like a fish.


    "What are you saying?" He frowned. "You don''t bring your board?"


    Shi Nian shook her head.


    "Here." Xu Binchen stretched out his hand with his palm up. "Write here."


    Maybe because she had been reminiscing about the past, but when she encountered such a simr scene, a feeling of dejavu rose inside her chest. Inexplicably, she found that her heartbeat was increasing.


    The man''s palm was wide andrge, and there were thick calluses on his fingers.


    Shi Nian stared at it for a moment before gingerly reaching out one of her fingers and wrote. [Why are you searching for me, uncle?]


    Xu Binchen frowned at the ticklish sensation that seemed to make his whole arm numb. He took his hand back and turned around. "Did you forget that we have an unfinished matter this morning?"


    Shi Nian indeed forgot. She grinned sheepishly and no longer talked as they walked back to her room. There was a well maintained distance between them, one walked in front and the other following, not too close but not too far either.


    To her surprise, Xu Binchen broke the silence. "How are¡ª"


    There was a faintmotion ahead and Doctor Chun stepped out of the room. His face was wrinkly and gloomy as he looked around to no avail. He then took out his phone and dialed a number, but looked like it wasn''t answered because he put it down helplessly.


    "Doctor," Xu Binchen greeted.


    Shi Nian nodded in acknowledgment behind him.


    Doctor Chun saw Xu Binchen and his face darkened a bit but when he found he had a little tail following him, the elderly man smiled kindly. "Shi Nian? Just came back from your physiotherapy session?"


    Shi Nian nodded and nced into the room behind Doctor Chun, her eyes inquiring.


    There were two nurses that stepped out, their forehead covered in sweat. "Doctor, he has been stabilized for now."


    "Great." Doctor Chun sighed. "Call me immediately if he woke up." He then turned to Xu Binchen and Shi Nian and beckoned for them to follow him. "It''s okay, it''s just a patient who went into hysteria. Seems like he was triggered by something, but his friend suddenly left when I wanted to inquire about the situation and his parents aren''t answering the phone." He sighed heavily and shook his head.


    After realizing that he had beenining in front of Shi Nian''s face, he hurriedly corrected. "Don''t mind me. Let''s go. Detective Xu said that there''s something he needs to say?"


    Xu Binchen nodded.


    The three entered Shi Nian''s room and Xu Binchen didn''t beat around the bush.


    "We received a new development this morning." His lips thinned as creases appeared on his forehead. "There is a new victim, and it has been confirmed that the suspect is the same person we have been chasing after."


    Doctor Chun gasped.


    Xu Binchen continued, "It won''t be long until he realized that one of his victims is still alive."


    He stared at Shi Nian and spelled out, "Shi Nian, you are in great danger." Her heart skipped a beat. "That''s why the police have applied for you to receive special protection for a three months period starting from now."


    He stretched his hand out.. "Please bear with me for three months."

 Chapter 16 - Least Afraid Of Death

    Shi Nian stared at his hand, dumbfounded.


    The man brought with him such devastating news but his face remained solemn and sour as usual as if he was just talking about weather. Finally, because of his urging, Shi Nian gingerly ced her hand on him, still in a daze. He shook her hand firmly, the surface of his skin was dry and warm.


    "Wait, wait." Doctor Chun held his forehead exasperatedly. "How did things turn out like this?"


    Xu Binchen gave an ''ah'' as if he had just remembered that there''s Doctor Chun in the room. "If it''s about the patient''s privacy, don''t worry." He turned to Shi Nian and told her seriously. "You will not always see me but I will be around the clock. Don''t be scared, the police will protect you."


    Shi Nian blinked and shook her head. She wasn''t scared at all. Hell, if her presence could make the criminal appear sooner, then Shi Nian would dly be the bait for the police.


    Doctor Chun interjected, his face weary. "You know that''s not what I mean¡ª"


    "Doctor." Xu Binchen cut him off again. "You know that sooner orter this will happen. The criminal isn''t going to stop just because of this. Once he knows that the police can''t do anything about him, he will go wild and create more victims. This one is just the beginning. Tomorrow, maybe we will find another again."


    Doctor Chun fell silent. As Xu Binchen said, he knew it deeply in his heart. But then, his heart couldn''t afford so many things. He couldn''t cooperate with the police without disregarding his conscience and responsibility for Shi Nian, but on the other hand, protecting Shi Nian meant that he indirectly became the catalyst of more murders toe.


    Shi Nian could see the internal conflict in Doctor Chun''s wrinkly face.


    She thought for a while and wrote. [Doctor, can I talk with uncle detective alone?]


    Doctor Chun raised his guard vigntly. Ever since he knew that Shi Nian was a kind of girl who was reckless enough to neglect her safety, he felt that he couldn''t leave her alone with this kind of detective who only cared about his job. "What do you want to talk to him about?"


    [Doctor, I am okay.] Her eyes were earnest and determined as she smiled.


    Doctor Chun was stunned by the resolution that shone from those light pupils of hers. He was helpless against her choice and nodded.


    When it was only Xu Binchen and Shi Nian alone, Shi Nian pursed her lips and started writing.


    Xu Binchen: "Are you going to talk about your hypnotherapy?"


    Shi Nian nodded without looking up.


    "Are you sure you''re ready?"


    This time, she couldn''t help but to give him another nce. If her ears didn''t y a joke on her, was that¡­concern she sensed in his tone? She scrutinized his face deeply, but Xu Binchen was akin to an imprable fortress.


    Shi Nian couldn''t do anything but to nod.


    She put down her pen and beckoned for him toe closer. She sat her butt on the long couch which Xu Binchen had been lying on just this morning. He silently approached her. When he sat down, Shi Nian felt her center of gravity shift and she almost fell to his side if not for her reflexively grabbing the sofa tighter.


    After clearing her throat in awkwardness and realizing that Xu Binchen didn''t take notice of her little gesture, she showed the board to him.


    [In thest session, I remember that when I was closing the convenience store, I heard the sound of a phone ringing.]


    Xu Binchen frowned and waited for her to continue.


    [It came from the alley beside the store. The phone kept ringing without anyone answering it. I was curious, and because I feared that someone dropped their phone, I went there to check.]


    "A dropped phone in the alley¡­"


    She nodded and continued. [Then, I found the phoneying there on the ground. I picked it up, but then my hand became wet.]


    Xu Binchen''s face sank and he guessed. "What is it? Blood?"


    Shi Nian hesitated for a moment. [It was dark, and I couldn''t see clearly. It¡­should be blood, I think.]


    "Then, what do you see on the phone?"


    This time, a deep set of creases appeared on her forehead. [After that¡­I don''t remember anymore.]


    The room fell into a deadly silence as Xu Binchen was lost in his thoughts. She stared at him, and from such a close distance, she could see his freshly shaved jaw, the edge was so sharp that it could cut through rock, as well as the Adam''s apple on his throat that bobbed with the motion of his gulping¡­


    She thinned her lips and averted her gaze away.


    "What is it?" Xu Binchen asked when he realized that she was still writing.


    [I saw butterflies. A lot of butterflies.]


    Xu Binchen''s face was nk for a moment. "Where?"


    [I don''t know. The butterflies were chasing after me, and I got the feeling that they were surrounding me, choking me and I found that I couldn''t breathe¡­]


    Toward the end, her writing had be a messy scrawl that was almost undecipherable. Her fingers tightened on the pen and her face was turning slightly pale.


    Xu Binchen looked at her and understood. This might be the cause of her almost going into cardiac arrest. Shortness of breath, palpitation, light-headedness, followed by the loss of heart''s function. Moreover, she was in the state of being hypnotized.


    He didn''t know how to describe the weird feeling flooding his chest right now. He didn''t know how to cheer someone up besides saying, "Don''t be scared."


    Shi Nian took a deep breath and shook her head. She couldn''t help it. Actually, no matter how much she said that she wasn''t scared, her body refused to cooperate as it still remembered the taste of the traumatic event.


    It was just like her mouth. She felt that nothing was wrong with her, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn''t speak out a word. She had tried her hardest to do so, but in the end, she could only produce wheezing sound and some intangible hisses.


    She wiped the previous writing off and scribbled. [I hope that it helps you, uncle. I will try my best to remember more.]


    "You¡ª" Xu Binchen was truly helpless. In front of her, he felt like he had somehow be a paper tiger. It was him who told her that she could do nothing except to remember, but when the girl took such a huge initiative to cooperate as if she couldn''t sense the danger in front of her, he was rendered speechless.


    The girl blinked in confusion. Her eyes were so pure, so clear and bright that he couldn''t bear to stare into them.


    Xu Binchen kneaded his forehead in exasperation. "Just listen to Doctor Chun''s words." He let out a mirthless snort. "You know, the first impression I have of you is that you didn''t look anything like a mass serial killer''s victim. You are too calm, levelheaded and steady, like nothing can ever make you scared."


    Shi Nian silently erased her reply. [What a coincidence, my first impression of uncle is that uncle didn''t look anything like a detective¡ª] She then solemnly changed it into; [Maybe that''s just the way I am.]


    Xu Binchen''s eyes bore into her. Again, she felt that the man was trying to look deep into her soul.


    "You aren''t afraid?"


    He had asked this question once before and she had also denied it firmly in that exact moment.


    She felt that her answer was inadequate and uncle detective didn''t really believe her. After thinking for a moment, she tried to improve it this time so that it looked more convincing.


    [In this life, one thing that I, Shi Nian, least afraid of is death.]

 Chapter 17 - Wang Chengbing, The Sunshine Boy

    The next day, Shi Nian met Wang Chengbing for the first time.


    He looked so young and kind of refreshing. His hair was cut short and neat unlike uncle detective who liked tob his hair up until it showed his forehead. The chubby man smiled so bright that he showed his row of pearly white teeth. Shi Nian had the notion that this was what was called a sunshine boy.


    "H¡ªHello!" His greeting was especially loud and energetic which made Shi Nian flinch in shock.


    Xu Binchen pped him on the back of his head lightly. "Speak properly."


    As if realizing that he was indeed too loud, heughed sheepishly and scratched his head. His demeanor was shy and courteous. Shi Nian wondered internally. Did all detectives in this city look nothing like a detective? First it was Xu Binchen who looked like a debt collector, meanwhile here was Wang Chengbing who looked like a young master from a wealthy household who went out to get some real experience of how society worked¡­


    "I have heard so much about you, Miss Shi!" He talked with enthusiasm, which was a marvelous experience for Shi Nian. "You don''t know how long I''ve been wanting to meet you! Ah, look at me!" He pped his forehead and hissed peevishly. "I forgot to introduce myself. I am Wang Chengbing, you can call me fatty or Chengbing or whatever you want."


    Wang Chengbing was so talkative that Shi Nian couldn''t find any chance to reply.


    In the end, she waited for Wang Chengbing to describe the length he had gone through from the first time the SCI Unit received news about her until today when he was finally standing in front of her.


    After more or less fifteen minutes, Shi Nian finally raised her board and smiled. [Nice to meet you, Brother Detective Wang.]


    "Aiyoh!" Wang Chengbing clutched his chest, his face scrunched up in pain. "See, Binchen. See how sweet she is!" He turned to Shi Nian, his eyes shining brilliantly. "Can I call you Shi Nian instead?"


    Xu Binchen: "¡­" I don''t know this person at all.


    His eyes zeroed on the word ''brother'' and he averted his gaze like nothing happened.


    In the next subsequent moment, Wang Chengbing and Shi Nian corrted as if they were long lost sisters. Wang Chengbing was originally a passionate man, coupled with his talkative habit, he found endless topics to talk about with Shi Nian.


    Shi Nian too. Her life these few weeks revolved around the elderly amicable Doctor Chun, the gentle but strict Nurse Zhang, and the sour-faced Detective Xu who looked like he would die if he spoke more. She had been dying to find someone to talk to, and the arrival of Wang Chengbing had somehow fulfilled her wish.


    Wang Chengbing inquired about her situation as if he was the girl''s mother.


    Xu Binchen was left in the dust in the corner, forgotten and abandoned.


    "You can''t imagine how chaotic our situation is right now! That criminal is such a bastard. On one hand, we have to chase after his steps and capture him, and on the other hand, we have to make sure that no one will fall victim again¡ª"


    Shi Nian listened with enthusiasm because with Xu Binchen, he would always just skim over the surface and didn''t tell her the details that she was curious about, for example how much clue had the police gathered, or if the victims had some kind of simrity or rtion with each other¡­


    At that exact moment, Xu Binchen cleared his throat and Wang Chengbing instantly shut his mouth.


    Shi Nian: "¡­"


    "Apologies." He deadpanned, not even an ounce of apology found on his face and voice. "We can''t disclose confidential information to civilians."


    [But I am one of the victims!] She protested.


    Xu Binchen didn''t relent. "Why are you wanting to know so much? Kids should just be kids. Just focus on recuperating and leave the rest to the police. The less you know the better."


    Wang Chengbing: "Damn, what you''ve just said is kind of cool!"


    Xu Binchen''s lips twitched and he went back to his deste corner, no longer paying any attention to them. Even though little fatty could be bbermouth sometimes, he still knew his boundaries. Grinning sheepishly, he changed the topic toward life as a police officer.


    They chatted until it was time for Shi Nian''s physiotherapy session.


    Wang Chengbing asked with hope. "Can I go with you? I mean, I will just observe and not disturb you at all!"


    Shi Nian darted her nce toward Nurse Zhang.


    The nurse gave her signature smile and said mercilessly. "No. We have confidential information about the patients that we can''t disclose to the public."


    Wang Chengbing: "¡­"


    Xu Binchen: "¡­"


    Shi Nian: "¡­" Why did that sound so familiar?


    Wang Chengbing flushed up to his ears, his face boiled like crab. He thought that Nurse Zhang had overheard their previous conversation, but judging from her gentle and smiling face, Wang Chengbing felt that he had been thinking too much.


    Maybe, sometimes karma did arrive sooner than expected.


    Shi Nian waved him goodbye and followed Nurse Zhang to the elevator. She pressed the button to the eighth floor and shook her head. Nurse Zhang understood her meaning at one nce.


    "Okay. I see that you have almost fully recovered. Even Doctor Chun praised your body''s ability to heal. I won''t send you there then."


    Shi Nian beamed and nodded.


    Nurse Zhang patted her head. "See you in the afternoon."


    ***


    In the afternoon, Shi Nian managed to run ten more minutes and received plenty ofpliments from the therapist. She was in a rare good mood as it showed that the time she was able to be discharged was getting closer. She couldn''t wait to get out of the hospital as soon as possible.


    Sweat trickled down her face and fortunately this time, she knew to bring a handkerchief so that she could wipe her sweaty face and neck.


    When she came back to her room, there was only Xu Binchen there.


    [Where''s Brother Wang?]


    Xu Binchen stared at her board for a while longer than usual and spat out.. "He is stationed outside."

 Chapter 18 - Is That You?

    Shi Nian titled her head in confusion.


    Xu Binchen impatiently exined. "We decide to cooperate. He will cover the outside of the perimeter of the hospital while I stay close to you."


    Shi Nian wanted to ask why not Wang Chengbing be the one to guard beside her and Xu Binchen outside, but she guessed that the man was currently not in a very good mood. Thus, she sensibly swallowed her question down to her stomach.


    That afternoon, Xu Binchen was cranky and often irritated. Shi Nian didn''t know the reason why, and because they were not close enough that she could freely ask about his business, Shi Nian refrained herself to do so even though she kept on stealing nces at him.


    "What?" he snapped.


    Shi Nian shook her head briefly.


    Xu Binchen snarled. "If there''s something you want to say then say it."


    Shi Nian fidgeted for a moment. [Uncle¡­is there something wrong?]


    "No. What''s wrong?"


    [You''re angry.]


    He rolled his eyes. "From what angle do you see that I''m angry?"


    Shi Nian was so exasperated that she wanted to stomp her foot. Did he think that she''s blind? Couldn''t she see that across his face was stered ''currently angry, do not provoke'' words in capital letters?


    She decided that she didn''t want to talk to him anymore and turned her head away.


    Nowadays, Shi Nian had been given permission to request her food to the canteen. As long as it wasn''t so greasy and strong vored, then the hospital would give her whatever she wanted to eat. Shi Nian thought that it was very great, she couldn''t bear to eat porridge or soft rice any longer.


    Because she was bored being holed up in the room all day, Doctor Chun gave her the permission to walk around the hospital. She could even eat in the canteen.


    When the sky darkened and she had finished refreshing herself after all the sweat, she walked out of the room alone, totally ignoring Xu Binchen.


    The man frowned and thought, "What is wrong with this girl again?"


    Thus, he asked no more and silently trailed after her.


    They were walking toward the elevator and Shi Nian was grumbling about Xu Binchen''s mood swings which were more severe than women''s PMS when suddenly, in the corner, she caught sight of a very, very familiar side profile.


    Instantly, she stopped in her tracks.


    Xu Binchen halted too. "What''s wrong?"


    Shi Nian couldn''t hear him. No, she could hear and see nothing because her eyes were focused on the man sitting on the wheelchair far in the corner of the hall.


    They were separated by more than twenty meters, and the man was sitting with his head bowed, the nurse behind him was talking about something in a low voice and he nodded imperceptibly.


    The only thing Shi Nian could hear was her thunderous heartbeat.


    Her mouth opened but no words came out.


    General¡­


    Even though the man looked far younger than the general in her memory with his skin unblemished without any long and hideous scar, furthermore he had bangs covering half of his face, still how could Shi Nian not recognize him?


    Her heart soared, and she stared nkly at him.


    Is that you?


    Is that really you?


    The man didn''t turn to look at her, he didn''t even notice her presence. He kept his head lowered, his hands ced on his knees.


    Shi Nian''s breath got stuck on her throat.


    The nurse grabbed the handle of his wheelchair and started to push him away.


    Shi Nian jolted and before her mind could process, she had already started running.


    "Hey!"


    Her eyes were anxious and restless. She opened her mouth, very much wanting to call out to him. But as if her voice was blocked, she could only make out some wheezing and soundless whimpers.


    He turned and disappeared into the corner.


    Shi Nian''s knees softened and her feet gave out beneath her. She almost fell down straight to the ground but behind, a pair of arms wrapped around her waist and hauled her back so that her back was leaning against a warm chest.


    "Hey, what''s wrong with you?!"


    Shi Nian''s eyes were nk as they glued to the corner where shest saw him. Her blood coursed wildly within her veins and no matter how hard Xu Binchen called her, she didn''t give any reaction. He turned her around forcefully and lifted her chin. "Look at me!"


    Shi Nian lifted her gaze lifelessly, her eyes empty without any rity.


    Because she had identally seen it.


    The man who looked exactly like General Jiang¡­


    But that man, one of his legs was missing.


    "Shi Nian!"


    The name somehow snapped her out of her stupor and she blinked a few times.


    Xu Binchen''s face hovered above her, so close that she could see his eyshes. The man''s gaze was sharp and guarded. His brows furrowed deeply. "Are you awake now? What the hell is wrong with you?!"


    The urgency in his tone was hard andmanding, but Shi Nian found that her limbs were numb and she couldn''t give any reaction for a moment.


    Her mind spiraled on all kinds of possibilities, one was more terrifying than the other. Her appetite had evaporatedpletely and she suddenly grabbed hold of his wrist, so tight that her nails almost embedded into his skin.


    Her mouth opened anxiously and for the first time, she hated the fact that she couldn''t speak.


    She was so distressed that the rims of her eyes reddened as if she would burst into tears at any moment. Xu Binchen didn''t understand what she was saying and she didn''t bring her board either.


    In the end, he just stretched out his hand. "Write it here."


    Shi Nian shook her head hard and pulled him forward instead.


    This was the first time he had seen her make this kind of expression. Hell, this was the first time he had ever seen her make an expression other than smiling. Her lips were pursed tightly, and the tip of her nose reddened.


    Her eyes were ssy and wet, the emotion in them was almost bursting out like fireworks. Joy, fear, expectation, grief, anticipation, sadness¡­


    Xu Binchen let himself be led around.


    They turned to the corner, but the hall was empty with no other soul to be seen.


    The girl was breathing heavily and she suddenly squatted down while hugging her head.


    Xu Binchen was almost shocked out of his soul. "What''s wrong?! Does your head hurt?"


    Shi Nian gritted her teeth and squeezed her eyes tightly. Was that only a figment of her imagination? Did she let her yearning get to her head to the point where she was starting to hallucinate? But¡­was it really a hallucination? What if it was real?


    General Jiang Jinyan¡­


    A part of her heart felt exhration upon seeing him, but another part of her really wished that she had seen wrong.


    Or else¡­such a proud man like him, how could he bear to live with one of his limbs missing?

 Chapter 19 - Yang Shijin

    In one night, there were many people who experienced different things. There were some who lost all their lights and crawling blindly in dark, there were some who was happy because their beloved were picking them off work, there were some who was drifting aimlessly without home to return to, there were some who was angry, crying, embarrassed, cursing, also there were some that, no matter how the Earth rotated, they had to work hard just to get a mouthful of rice to eat everyday.


    Yang Shijin was included in thest category.


    She was only eighteen, but was forced to drop out of school due to not having enough money, her mom was diagnosed with stroke, and her dad had run off with some other rich woman, leaving her to shoulder the burden of the family of three.


    The situation was hopeless, and she was a girl. Thus, instead of her sixteen years old brother, she was the one who was sacrificed to hold up the pir to support the family. She worked to her bones, day and night without fail, her money was either spent on her mom''s medicine or her brother''s school fee.


    Sometimes, she just didn''t understand. Why was she the one who was born a girl?


    She mmed her locker off and slung her backpack to her shoulder. Her skin was wan, her hair greasy and dry, her face full of pimples. At the age where girls should have shined the brightest, she had dimmed like a candle in itsst breath.


    "Shijin!"


    "Oh!" She turned around and a smile instantly appeared on her face. "Senior, what''s wrong?"


    The sleazy, monkey faced bastard man was called He Ruifo. Dressed in clothes no better than a beggar, he still could strode toward her as if he was a supermodel, his crooked nose was ugly to death. Yang Shijin forced herself to keep the smile on her face even though she could smell a disgusting stenching from his body like unwashed socks.


    "Are you off work now?"


    "Yes, what''s wrong, senior?"


    "Aren''t you scared?" He closed in to whisper. "After all, the police haven''t caught the serial killer yet."


    Yang Shijinughed daintily even though she was rolling her eyes inside. In the time when she needed money the most, where could she find the time to worry about some kind of killer? If the criminal could kill her father, then she would kneel on his foot and acknowledge him as her ancestor.


    "What? You''re scared?" she teased.


    "What the fuck are you saying?!" He red his nostrils and gritted his teeth. "Senior is just worried about you!" He rudely pinched her chest and even fondled it a bit.


    Yang Shijin jerked back and shouted. "Senior!" Her face flushed in embarrassment.


    Hearing her screech and her fierce eyes, He Ruifo harrumphed and put the stic bag he brought to the table. He pointed at it. "For you." Then, without waiting for Yang Shijin''s answer, he sauntered out and mmed the door.


    Yang Shijin''s breath was harsh and she red at the door with hatred, her eyes reddened in tears.


    Her gaze fell upon the stic bag, and in a fit of anger, she flung it off the table. The food inside of it was packaged quite tight, even though it had fallen off, it still didn''t fly open and scattered all over the floor.


    The phone on her hand beeped, and she nced at it.


    It was from her brother, Yang Shiluo. [Sis, when are youing home? Mom is sick!]


    Not even ten secondster, a new message came in. [Don''t forget to send me money. I don''t even have any penny for lunch tomorrow!]


    Yang Shijin felt that she couldn''t breathe.


    She was here working her bones off, and her brother was home, feigning doing his homework and only knew to y video games all day. Yang Shijin had spared a month of pocket money for him, but not even one week, it all had been spent.


    Yang Shijin hadn''t even eaten lunch.


    That meager money she didn''t even dare to spend on her food and chose to save for her mother.


    All of a sudden, her limbs felt like it was seeped out of all strength and she felt tired, so tired that she wanted to find somewhere to sleep. Sheughed mockingly to herself and lifted the fallen food on the floor.


    Even though He Ruifo often harassed her at work, she still gritted her teeth and endured because the man would buy her food asionally.


    Honestly, she couldn''t bear it anymore.


    She locked the door to the warehouse and breathed out a huge sigh. The night in the harbor was very cold, the wind was chilling. Cargos were stuck one top of each other and the sound of people''s conversation on boats could be heard intermittently.


    With her head bowed, she tightened her hold on the strap of her bag and walked home.


    When she turned over a corner, she could hear a piece of conversation getting louder and louder. It was He Ruifo. "..that bitch doesn''t know what''s good for herself! What''s wrong with ying with this young master for a few hours. Not even beautiful but her attitude is sickening! You see, if I brought her food, then she would definitely bite it away like a dog! Pui!" He spit and cursed. "Who will want such a woman except for me?!"


    The people opposite himughed, every one of them was holding a cigarette, the smoke blown away by the harsh wind. "That girl who works with you? Her figure is not bad, if you ignore her face hahaha!"


    "If you have had your fill, don''t forget your bro ah!"


    "Hey, He Ruifo, you pig. Your dad has been calling me for days! He wants to break your legs off because you steal his gambling money!"


    Yang Shijin''s hold on the stic bag trembled violently, and she suddenly felt so, so dirty. Her eyes red, her heartbeat thundered on her ears and she gnashed her teeth so hard that her gum bled. The taste of blood filled her mouth and she swallowed it back down.


    She knew she couldn''t win. In this vast world, she was just an insignificant being. Compared to them, she was only an ant. Thus, the only thing she could do was endure.


    She turned around and ran out of the harbor, bringing with her the salty taste of air and tears.


    Her heart felt like it was about to burst out of her chest, and for a second, she really wanted to throw the food away into a garbage bin. But then, she remembered how she could save three people''s dinner money with this, and her movement halted.


    She crouched down in the deste street and cried, cried so bitterly. No one would hear her anyway. Even if they heard, no one would care.


    It didn''t even take five minutes for her to finish crying. She couldn''t afford the luxury to cry, she didn''t have the time to. She straightened up and wiped her face, then continued to walk down the street.


    The dim streemp illuminated her shadow, making it long and eerie.


    She wasn''t scared though. Even if a ghost appeared in front of her, she still wouldn''t be scared. She had gotten used to it already.


    With ease, she took the small road that cut through to the main city where it was bustling. Sniffles were heard intermittently, her eyes stung because of the wind. She lifted her head and saw the crescent moon up in the sky.


    So alone, so lonely, just like her. She didn''t know why, but her feelings lightened somehow.


    Suddenly, the sound of a phone call broke off the tranquil night.


    She jolted in shock and her steps paused. The phone was still ringing with no sign of anyone answering it. Her brows furrowed and she looked around. The small alley was deste with wood fences on both sides. One was directly faced with dense bushes and sparsend while the other was the rows of houses with their lights turned off.


    There wasn''t any sound except the asional chirp of cicada, her thumping heartbeat and the ringing phone.


    As she waited, the ringing finally stopped.


    She heaved a sigh and started walking again.


    Not long after, it rang again.


    She couldn''t help but curse. "Who the fuck left their phone here?!" But then, realization dawned on her. She could have sold the phone for extra money. No one would know.


    It was a split second decision, but it took her whole life to repay.


    Gingerly, she passed through alleys toward the source of the ringing sound.


    A dim light shone deep in the corner of a dark alley. It was the phone. She almost whistled in joy. The phone looked like it was thetest model that was being sponsored by a popr actress. It should be worth quite a lot of money.


    With a smile, she bent down and picked it up.


    On the screen, there was a phone call from an unknown number. Then, the call was cut off and the screensaver appeared. It was only an art of smirking lips, but the lips were frighteningly wide, with rows of sharp teeth that were dripping with blood. Below the lips was a word written in gory letters, ''Hello''.


    Yang Shijin raised her brows and she felt her hands be wet.


    "What the¡ª" Her eyes widened as she used the light on the phone to look at her hand.


    It was red and sticky.


    Behind her, came the voice so hoarse that it was doubted toe from a human. "Hello."


    Before Yang Shijin could react, a sharp pain shot through the back of her neck.. Then, everything became dark.

 Chapter 20 - Why Did You Turn Out Like This?

    "Have you calmed down?"


    Shi Nian received a cup of hot water from Xu Binchen and nodded. Her eyes were still a little shaken but she had managed topose herself. She wanted to reach for her board, but the man stopped him.


    "Drink first."


    Hence, she had no choice but toply. The water''s temperature was just right, it wasn''t too hot to scald her tongue, yet it was still warm enough to cease her trembling fingers.


    She downed it with two gulps.


    Xu Binchen leaned himself against the wall, his hand sneaking into his pocket and reaching for his cigarette, but then he recalled that it was a hospital and sullenly held himself back.


    "Are you ready to talk?"


    Shi Nian nced at him and wrote. [Don''t tell Doctor Chun.]


    "Yeah, sure." He rolled his eyes in sarcasm. "Then the next time when people found you, you would have turned into a corpse."


    Shi Nian: "¡­" Why is his mouth so annoying? [It''s not that serious.]


    "You''re not a doctor so how can you know? Are you a shaman?"


    Shi Nian was honestly speechless. She somehow understood why Nurse Zhang hated Xu Binchen so much and why Doctor Chun always looked like he was ready to fight whenever he talked with him.


    [It''s nothing, seriously. I just¡­saw a person I thought I knew.]


    Xu Binchen raised his eyebrows. He dug into his memory and fuzzily recalled that there''s some people who passed by them. But the reaction she showed was nothing in the level of ''someone you know''. Even now, her shoulder was still trembling incessantly.


    Xu Binchen sneered. "Do you think I am an idiot?"


    Shi Nian''s eyes widened and she puffed up her cheeks in anger. If she could speak, maybe she would have screamed in front of his face and drowned him in spit. But then, before she could appeal for herself, he had waved his hand in dismissal.


    "Forget it, I don''t have any interest in your personal business. As long as it doesn''t have anything to do with the case, don''t tell me."


    She took a deep, deep breath and gripped her pen tighter.


    Coincidentally, a nurse passed through them and backtracked. "Shi Nian¡­?"


    Shi Nian lifted her head, it was the nurse she asionally saw, but she wasn''t quite familiar with anyone except Doctor Chun and Nurse Zhang. The nurse looked at the two of them back and forth. The man was standing on all his heights, towering over the girl who was huddling in her seat in the corner, her face was flushed red, even the corner of her eyes reddened¡­


    She stared warily at Xu Binchen and approached Shi Nian, whispering in her ears. "Do you want me to call Doctor Chun here?"


    Unfortunately, it was a deste corridor, and every single voice was magnified. Furthermore, Xu Binchen was standing too close, he could even hear the noise of a fly buzzing past. That''s why, whether it was whispering or saying it right in front of his face, there''s no difference.


    The nurse was still staring at Shi Nian earnestly.


    Xu Binchen''s mouth twitched. Did she think he''s dead? He huffed and pointed at Shi Nian. "She has shown some abnormal behavior just now. Take her to the doctor or wherever you want to get her checked up."


    The nurse was shocked. "What happened? Where is abnormal? Your head? Your chest? Your wounds?"


    Xu Binchen pointed at his temple. "Her brain."


    Shi Nian: "!!!"


    The innocent nurse was dazed before realizing that Xu Binchen was just ying with her. Both of them fumed in anger, the expression was bizarrely simr. Xu Binchen harrumphed in satisfaction and strode away, not before nagging. "I will be around the corner, don''t walk off to another ce as you please. What do you want to eat? I will tell someone to bring it to you."


    Shi Nian''s appetite had evaporated in that moment when she caught sight of a person very simr to Jiang Jinyan. She gloomily responded. [Whatever, as long as it''s not porridge.]


    Xu Binchen nodded and walked away, leaving Shi Nian alone with the nurse.


    The nurse surnamed Li huffed a relief sigh but Shi Nian didn''t take notice of it. She was too preupied with the thought of the man so simr to General Jiang.


    "Are you okay?" Nurse Li asked. "Do you want me to bring you to your room?"


    In the end, Shi Nian couldn''t resist asking. [May I ask¡­]


    "Yes, what?"


    Shi Nian''s fingertips trembled ever so slightly. [There''s a patient with one of his legs amputated, male, quite young¡­]


    She didn''t even need to describe further and Nurse Li''s eyes shone in realization. "Are you talking about Mr. Jiang Jinyan?"


    Hearing that familiar name, Shi Nian''s hand jerked and the pen slipped away from her palm and rolled down the floor. Nurse Li didn''t think too much and bent down to help her get it. "Do you find him familiar? He should be, after all, he is kind of famous among females. He is the gold medalist¡ªoh my God, Shi Nian, what''s wrong with you?"


    Shi Nian''s face was ghastly pale, and her light color eyes dimmed noticeably.


    Her shoulder trembled heavily and she fell in a daze that no matter how Nurse Li shook her, she didn''t give any reaction at all.


    General Jiang¡­General Jiang Jinyan¡­so it''s really you¡­


    I found you atst, but why? Why did you turn out like this?


    Shi Nian buried her face into her palms, her body curled into the corner of the seat.


    "Shi Nian? Shi Nian, what''s wrong?" Nurse Li fell into panic and went to call for help, but Shi Nian didn''t notice her action. Her heartbeat was pounding inside her chest, the sound so loud and dominated her whole focus.


    The warmth of tears on her palm was simr to that time when she held him with his body full of blood.


    She was submerged into the memoryne, the one that made the most impression on her in her past life.

 Chapter 21 - Come And Help Me

    Shi Nian''s eyes rounded in shock as she saw a group of soldiers barged in the General''s residence carrying the blood soaked General, his eyes shut firmly with his face awfully pale. The head servant, Fu Jia, gasped in surprise. "What happened to Master?!"


    An armored soldier answered. "The General is wounded in his chest area. We have administered first emergency treatment on him and his life is no longer in danger, but the General still lost a lot of blood and needs a lot of rest to recuperate.."


    "V¡ªVery well," Fu Jia recovered swiftly, gesturing for the soldiers. "Please follow me, sirs. I will guide you to the General''s room." Then, he turned to another servant and asked for her to bring a physician here.


    Shi Nian instinctively took a step forward, instantly drawing everyone''s attention.


    "Miss Shi¡­?" Fu Jia looked at her with doubt.


    [I am a physician. You can count on me.]


    The hall turned into deadly silence. Fu Jia looked at her with a sh of surprise, and the maidservant nced at her in contempt but didn''t dare to move without Fu Jia''s order.


    In the end, it was General Jiang Jinyan who said hoarsely without opening his eyes. "¡­let her in."


    Fu Jia sucked in deep breath and bowed. "As you wish." He gestured for Shi Nian to follow him which she did obediently. Her heart was moring inside her chest. Anxiety, panic, distress, fear. She couldn''t calm down until she saw his wound for herself.


    Three soldiers brought the General and lowered him down to the bed. Then, they saluted and pardoned themselves, leaving Fu Jia and Shi Nian behind.


    "Master, how are you feeling?" Fu Jia asked in concern. Shi Nian also tiptoed closer to peek on him, only to see him panting heavily as he struggled to remove his bloodied armor. Even if he was heavily wounded, his momentum wasn''t weakened in the slightest.


    Despite standing quite a distance away, Shi Nian could feel hot power and bloodthirstiness radiating from his skin, like he could fight three hundreds more rounds.


    As expected, the next sentenceing from his mouth was, "Bring me a bucket of hot water and a towel. I wish to wash myself."


    "Then, master¡ª"


    "I can do it myself."


    Fu Jia''s shoulder dropped as heplied and stepped back. His eyes nced toward Shi Nian, clearly hesitating. How could he leave the General and this unknown woman alone inside the room? It was so inappropriate, he couldn''t leave just like this¡ª


    "Leave us alone." A singlemand was what it took to get rid of Fu Jia, leaving the two of them alone.


    Shi Nian stepped forward and gingerly asked. [Are you heavily injured?]


    "No."


    [Then the blood?] She raked her eyes along the surface of his skin that was unveiled one by one along with his movement. Not even a patch of unstained skin was seen.


    His answer was curt, showing his evident bad mood. "It''s not mine."


    The armor around his arms, shoulders, hands were slowly removed. Seeing his face showed a bit of difort, she sat by his side and offered. [Let me help you.]


    Jiang Jinyan''s movement halted and he hesitated for a moment, but seeing her eyes so bright, so pure with only concern and nothing else, he cleared his throat and nodded.


    Shi Nian''s movement was careful and slow as she gently took off the armor on his legs as well as the one that was covering his chest. Her fingertips grazed upon the deep gash on his steel armor, blood leaking out of it, yet her face didn''t change at the gory sight.


    "Aren''t you afraid?"


    [Of what?]


    "Me." His gaze was sharp and unyielding. "Aren''t you afraid of me?"


    Shi Nian tilted her head, not understanding what he meant by that.


    Jiang Jinyan''s question wasn''t unfounded. As one of the greatest Generals in the whole Dynasty, he had an infamous reputation, respected among the soldiers, but also feared by the people. Furthermore, he had a pair of sharp razor eyes that was enough to cut you to pieces, stern eyebrows and a garish scar on his face which made him look all the more menacing.


    Realizing that Shi Nian truly didn''t understand him, Jiang Jinyan couldn''t help but lose his momentum. His face softened and a chuckle escaped his lips, his body trembling along with hisugh and the bandage around his chest was soaking red, once again.


    Shi Nian frowned, holding his shoulders in ce. [Don''tugh.]


    "Aye aye." A hint of weakness appeared between his brows as he leaned back onto the head of the bed. His face especially gaunt under the flickering candle light.


    Shi Nian looked at him for a moment. [May I?]


    Jiang Jinyan lifted his eyelids and their gazes met in midair. Shi Nian was especially earnest as she requested that because this man could be counted as her life savior. She couldn''t sit still and watched him suffer if she could help.


    "Sure." Jiang Jinyan''s breathing was a bit haggard as he closed his eyes and let her do what she wanted.


    Shi Nian cut open his bandages, his bleeding wound showing out. It spanned around thirty centimeters, right below his heart down to his waist. The wound was deep enough to show bones, but it had been stitched before, thus sparing her from another gorier scene. However, because he was constantly moved along the journey, the stitches turned loose, traces of blood oozing out endlessly.


    It must have been especially painful, yet the General didn''t show any other expression except thinning his pale lips.


    Shi Nian didn''t waste time any longer as she tapped her fingertips on it and a soft green glow emitted from her fingers, enveloping his wound in a warm cocoon. The change urred at a speed visible to naked eyes. His bleeding wound stopped and the split skin regenerated, the flesh closed together and in no time at all, it was left into a long, scabbing scar.


    She traced her fingers along his wound and the man shuddered imperceptibly.


    Jiang Jinyan lowered his head andughed hoarsely. "No matter how many times I see it, it doesn''t cease to surprise me."


    Shi Nian''s face was a bit pale, but because of the dim light, it wasn''t as conspicuous. She peered up at him, searching for the sign of any difort in his face. [How are you feeling?]


    "Better than ever." He held her gaze. Because she had been leaning forward to treat him, only then did she realize that they had been so close. Too close for herfort.


    She could see the sweat beaded his forehead as well as the mistyyer shrouded his sharp gaze, making the formidable General look a bit vulnerable. Shi Nian''s heart skipped a beat and she hurriedly distanced herself yet ended up losing her bnce because her head was spinning.


    The General agilely caught her arms, preventing her fall. Despite that, she still ended up leaning onto him. And if seen from a third perspective, it looked like she was buried inside his embrace.


    Shi Nian''s face flushed. In front of her was a mass of bronze skin and full muscle glistening with sweat and blood, emitting strong and rushing pheromones that made one dizzy. Her hands touched his hard chest, it was warm, and hot. Very hot.


    "Are you really okay?" The General''s deep voice echoed right beside her ear, his breath fanned her cheek. "There really isn''t any side effect in healing me? It doesn''t affect you whatsoever?"


    Shi Nian shook her head, her body tensed.


    "Alright, I trust you." He sighed and let her go.


    She scrambled to get up, this time she didn''t dare to sit by his side again. Instead, standing up as if awaiting for his nextmand. Fortunately, Fu Jia knocked on the door at that very moment, rescuing her from the weird embarrassment and awkward situation.


    "Master, I''ve brought the things you asked for."


    Jiang Jinyan hurried to tie back his bandages, hiding his wound from sight. "Come in."


    The door opened and two maidservants along with Fu Jia entered, carrying arge wooden bucket full of steaming hot water. "Do you really need no help, Master?"


    "No need." He waved his hand. "Step back."


    "Very well." Fu Jia led the servants out, once again closing the door on both of them.


    The silence ensued, and Shi Nian took the initiative to request. [Then, I will¡ª]


    She hadn''t finished writing yet when the man''s voice resounded once again,manding without leaving any room for objection.. "Come and help me."

 Chapter 22 - Youre As Well As Dead

    Shi Nian froze and for a while, she didn''t know where to put her hands and legs, as well as where she had to look and where she had to avoid.


    Jiang Jinyan rose from the bed and leisurely walked behind the folding screen. The rustle of clothes being unshedyer byyer was especially loud in the silent room, the dim candle reflected his tone and muscled silhouette, unveiling each and every movement of his, followed by the sshing sound of water.


    The girl chose to close her eyes.


    "What are you doing, standing there like a fool?" There was mirth in his tone.


    Shi Nian realized that he was teasing her. Hardening herself in anger, she stomped forward past the folding screen and regretted it the very next second. Jiang Jinyan was soaking in the bathtub, his wide shoulder above the water, the mist made his face vague, however it made him look more depraved rather than standing there naked.


    His arms reached out, water slid down on it drop by drop like glistening dew. "Bring me the towel there."


    She followed his direction and passed the white, fluffy towel to him. Her face wooden and stiff.


    He started to wash himself, and in no time at all, the clean towel turned crimson, the water diluted with blood. "Come and help me rinse."


    Shi Nian lowered her sight and stepped forward, grabbing the woodendle. She stood behind him and slowly poured water down his head. Each droplet of water dripped past his tan skin, highlighting the edges and ridges of his rippling muscle as well as the numerous scars on his back.


    Flush crept up her face, and Shi Nian truly didn''t understand why she had the urge to run away at that moment.


    "Ask." He propped both his arms on the bucket, heaving a sigh of satisfaction.


    Shi Nian''s movement paused. Her heart inwardlymented. Truly, nothing could ever get past his eyes. She thought that she had covered her curiosity clearly but he still saw through her.


    Shi Nian''s eyes darted right and left. Because of the water, she had left the writing paper behind and there was nothing she could use to write.


    As if knowing her predicament, Jiang Jinyan tapped on his shoulder, his knuckles hard and distinct.


    Shi Nian bowed her head, hair covering the deepening blush on her cheeks. She reached out and gently stroked his wet skin. [Why didn''''t you avoid it?]


    "What do you mean?" Jiang Jinyan''s eyes were half lidded and he soaked his arms back to cover the goosebumps rising along his skin due to the girl''s touch.


    [Your wound. You could have avoided it.]


    He humphed. "But then my arm would pay the price."


    [You almost died because of it.]


    He fell silent. She couldn''t guess his thoughts thus she could only count on the scars around his shoulders. Six. There were six of them, both light and heavy. Old and new.


    "There''s something you should know, Miss Shi." He turned around with a whoosh and Shi Nian hastily averted her gaze. "Look at me."


    She cursed inwardly, but then obediently moved her eyes back, instantly locking their eyes together. The dim light in the room further highlighted his dark eyes, it was so dark that not even a hint of light could ever pierce through it.


    It was the exact opposite of her. Hers were light brown, and under the light, it turned lighter, almost golden in color. When she looked at you with those curious and inquiring eyes, it was enough to make your soul tremble.


    "Here," He pointed at his chest where the wound was. "It''s not as important as my arms. In war, even though I lost a piece of meat in my chest, as long as I could still move, I wouldn''t stop. But when your limbs were cut¡­" His lips curled in a cold smirk. "Then you''re as well as dead."


    ***


    You''re as well as dead¡­


    His words reverberated in her ears, forcing her to recall his gaunt and hollowed figure who sat on a wheelchair.


    The rims of Shi Nian''s eyes reddened as she gave Nurse Li aforting smile. [I am okay.]


    "Really?" Nurse Li looked at her dubiously. "You scared me to death when you started crying, you know? Do you really not feel ufortable anywhere?"


    She nodded firmly. [It''s okay. I am just¡­remembering someone.]


    Nurse Li instantly remembered Doctor Chun''s words, that Shi Nian was under his care for now because her mother was too busy toe. Even though her daughter had been awake for weeks, she still hadn''t appeared. Thinking about it, Nurse Li felt apprehension as well as sympathy.


    She sensibly nodded and didn''t ask further.


    [May I ask¡­the patient named Jiang Jinyan¡­] The tip of her pen hovered above the paper, not writing after a while.


    Nurse Li peered into her board and smiled. "Are you a fan of Mr. Jiang Jinyan too?"


    Shi Nian turned nk. A fan? Of General? Well, she could be counted as one. Thus, she nodded.


    Nurse Li smiled brightly. "I knew it. Of course, you will be sad knowing he''s in such a heartbreaking ident. I was sad when I found out about it too. But can you promise me one thing?"


    She gestured for Nurse Li to continue.


    "Please don''t tell anyone else about him, okay? His condition is kept under secret by the hospital so that he can recuperate safely without any disturbance."


    Shi Nian nodded vigorously, of course she wanted the General to properly recuperate. Her heart ached as she thought of him. [May I visit him?]


    "No." Nurse Li smiled awkwardly. "He isn''t open for visitors right now." Shi Nian''s shoulders dropped in disappointment but Nurse Li continued, "But you can still see him asionally though. After all, he is here on the same floor."


    Shi Nian''s eyes brightened as she said her thanks.


    Happiness and sadness mixed within her chest. She was happy that she''d found him so soon, but she was sad at his current condition. General Jiang Jinyan¡­ah no, she shook her head. In this life, he was no longer a general, nor did he remember her.


    She smiled wryly, lips curled in a bitter smile.


    A knock resounded on her door and Xu Binchen appeared.


    Shi Nian''s eyes lit up at the sight of him and she jumped down from the chair, her feet thump thump thump on the floor, running toward him.


    Xu Binchen frowned heavily and stepped aside to avoid her. "What do you want?" he asked in doubt. One moment, she looked so sad as if she wanted to die and the next moment, she was so happy that she skipped around. Teenager, he mused.


    [Uncle¡­] Shi Nian peered up at him with eyes full of hope. [Can I borrow your phone for a while?]

 Chapter 23 - Sarcastic Xu Binchen

    Xu Binchen stared at Shi Nian through the transparent ss on the door, beside him was Doctor Chun. The elderly man sighed inment. "She really asked you herself?"


    Xu Binchen hummed, his gaze straying to the girl''s eyes which started to turn red. Her lips pursed as if trying to choke back any emotion.


    "She is too sensible, too mature for her own age. It is reasonable for her to ask for her own mother. We should leave her be and give them some time alone." Doctor Chun smiled gently and walked down the hallway.


    Xu Binchen didn''t leave though. Instead, he sat down on the metal chair and closed his eyes to rest.


    In his heart, he thought; finally, she showed some traits of teenagers of her own age.


    ***


    "Shi Nian, forgive mama ah. Mama is still swarmed with work. Are youfortable there? Is Doctor Chun good to you?"


    Shi Nian looked at the woman''s haggard appearance through the screen and her nose turned sour. She lowered her eyes to hide the tears that sprung up and typed. [It''s okay. Doctor Chun is very good to me. Mama¡­are you very tired?]


    Qiang Fei sniffled and smiled in tears. "Mama is okay, not tired at all. Be good and listen to Doctor Chun okay? Don''t think about anything else¡­don''t force yourself to recover¡­" Qiang Fei choked on her words, a drop of tears slid down her cheek. "It''s okay. As long as you''re alive, Mama is happy already¡­"


    Shi Nian''s fingers traced on the woman''s thin face on the screen, her vision blurred with tears. [Ma, I miss you¡­] This was the first time they had talked ever since Shi Nian disappeared, it had been almost four months, plus ever since she regained her past life''s memories, Shi Nian always felt that she had been through a lifetime, the longing inside her heart was iparable.


    In herst life, she didn''t have a mother, but there were sisters who would always take care of her. All of them ended up being executed or killed when they were running away from the fugitives, leaving Shi Nian alone which ended up saved by General Jiang Jinyan, and she btedly found out that her mother''s face resembled one of her closest sisters in her past life, even their name was the same.


    "Mama misses you too, baby." Qiang Fei smiled brightly, her eyes glittering like a sea of stars. "Wait for a while, mama will go home soon, okay?"


    Shi Nian nodded sensibly, her heart filled with unprecedented warmth.


    [Mama, I¡­]


    "Hmm? What do you want to say?"


    Shi Nian hesitated. Throughout her sixteen years of life, there had only been the two of them, living while supporting each other. Shi Nian had never kept any secret from Qiang Fei, the mother and daughter pair could always talk about everything.


    But the thing about past life, should Shi Nian talk about it?


    She pursed her lips and shook her head. [I just want to say, don''t work yourself too hard. I am recovering fast. Doctor Chun and the others said that I have superb physic!]


    "En." Qiang Fei nodded happily. "When mama returnster, we will eat hotpot together, okay?"


    She nodded, her light pupils squinted in joy.


    The talksted for almost an hour. They didn''t talk about Shi Nian''s kidnapping, nor did they discuss her PTSD or the fact that she could no longer speak. Qiang Fei treated her the same as always, but Shi Nian could see how the woman tried to suppress her sadness.


    It made her feel bad as well as giving her a burst of energy to recover more swiftly so that she could no longer worry everyone.


    She ended the call and walked toward the door, opening it only to find Xu Binchen outside. Hearing the movement, the man cracked his eyes open and asked. "Finished?"


    Shi Nian nodded and handed the phone back to him. [Uncle, thank you. I will pay you backter. International calls are quite expensive.]


    "Save it." The man grunted and checked on his phone for miscalls and unread mails. "Just a bit of money, I can afford."


    Shi Nian seemed to remember Nurse Zhang saying that Xu Binchen had some connection with the director of the hospital. Once again, she was reminded how he was totally unlike a detective. He looked well off, so why did he have to go through so much suffering to chase after criminals and solve cases?


    [Uncle.] She sat down beside him and nced at his sharp profile. [Is being a detective fun?]


    Xu Binchen stared at her for a while as if trying to discern what was running through her mind. "If you count all of those sleepless night to do undercover, as well as the threat of losing your life at any moment and after all of that, you would only not get many appreciation but also had to endure being cursed by public¡­it should be fun?" he shrugged his shoulders with utter indifference, no longer paying her any attention.


    Shi Nian was rendered speechless, her mncholy and sadness evaporated instantly.


    Could it kill him not to be sarcastic for a second?!

 Chapter 24 - Criminal Psychologist

    "The victim''s name is Yang Shijin. Eighteen years old, high school dropout. She was reported missing after a part time job in the harbor in the outskirts of city B. The one who made the report was her brother, Yang Shiluo." Jin Renguang, Captain of the Special Crime Investigation Unit, pointed theser toward a girl''s formal photo on the screen.


    It was a slender built, oval faced girl with grey eyes. She had shoulder length hair, and her eyes stared straight, looking very much like a good student. s, in the dark meeting room, her face was the only one illuminated through everyone''s eyes, as if she was looking at them squarely. It was kind of hair-raising.


    Especially when such a photo was being paired with the gory photograph which contained only half a leg. That''s right, it was only a slender, bloodstained leg which was severed below the knees.


    Jin Renguang continued, "She is the second victim this year, and this one is found in the parking lot of Jiang Park Mall. Someone saw a bag on the ground and brought it to the lost and found station only to discover heavy stenching from it. After that, the mall''s security guard contacted us." He pursed his lips, his face solemn and grave. "Tang Wei."


    "Here," A bespectacled man replied, his head lifted a bit from the notes in front of him.


    "Tell us the progress of the case."


    "So far, this is the 13th victim. Fromst year, we have identified 11 victims and found all the scattered body parts throughout the entire City S, City H, and City T. As we found a suspicious point which gave us clues to find him, he had already run away to City A. We lost track of him afterward." He pushed his sses up and frowned.


    "And then, on 15th September, we received a missing person case but it was only handled by the local police department. 23rd December, the missing person was found buried under thendslide, and clutched on her hand was a torn note that had a butterfly drawing on it. The same pattern was found on all the body pieces on the victims. That''s why we concluded that this was the same case."


    Jin Renguang pondered, "If she is killed, then we will have 12 victimsst year."


    "That''s right," Tang Wei replied and pressed on the remote control and the slide in the screen changed, showing the photograph of a girl''s face and the scene where she was rescued. "But the medic secured her life atst, the victim''s name is Shi Nian, and so far, she was the only one that somehow escaped alive. However, currently she suffered from PTSD and lost her memory of the ident."


    The screen changed again to show another person. "The first victim this year, Su Bina was a twenty two years old office worker, because she had been absent from work for three days straight, her colleagues called her to inquire only to find that she hadn''t been home at all."


    "We discovered torso, left leg, left hand and head spread throughout numerous busy ces in City A. So far, no information about the remaining pieces could be found and we are still searching. The forensics matched the DNA with the database and found that it belonged to Su Bina who was reported missing on 28th March. This time, we found a right leg and thought that it was Su Bina''s but turns out the DNA waspletely different which leads to this discovery."


    Even though the room held eight people, the sound of Wang Chengbing typing on theptop was the only sound heard.


    Tang Wei concluded his remarks. "Thus, 12th April, we found another victim, Yang Shijin."


    Jin Renguang grinned darkly. "This bastard is getting more and more fearless. But at least, we can confirm that he is still in City A and he will not kidnap more than one person at the same time."


    Xu Binchen sneered, added. "And by the time we find three or more parts of this girl''s body, everything will start all over again."


    Jin Renguang''s face turned dark. Not only him, but everyone also. They had been chasing this man for a year with no avail. It was truly vexing! How frustrating! Every time they thought that they could finally catch him, he would always slip away like an eel, slippery and tricky.


    "The surveince systems around the area?"


    "She took a shortcut around the narrow alleys. There aren''t any CCTVs there."


    "Have you interrogated Yang Shijin''s family?"


    "Yes." Another detective answered. "But there''s a little problem. Yang Shijin only has her mother and little brother. Her brother is truly ignorant, stupid, he doesn''t even care about her sister''s job. While her mother was diagnosed with strokest year, her motoric function is degenerating each day. Now she can''t walk and talk anymore. Simrly, she has no clear idea about her daughter''s job. Truly¡­" The man sneered. "A very harmonious family."


    "Another broken family¡­" Jin Renguang muttered under his breath.


    "Captain." Tang Wei called out. "Then, can we conclude that the serial killer only targets people with iplete family?"


    Xu Binchen frowned at his remarks. It was indeed true, so far, the only connection they investigated between the victims was the fact that they came from broken families, either one of their parents had passed away or divorced.


    But in this world, there were so many people who had broken families, how could they investigate them one by one?


    There ought to be another rtion, another string that they weren''t aware of yet¡­


    Jin Renguang shook his head. "Even though it''s true, we can''t use this one clue. It''s practically useless."


    What he said was exactly Xu Binchen''s thoughts. "Captain, how about the victims'' interpersonal rtionships and social rtions?"


    "There aren''t any rtions at all." The victims came from all walks of life and upation, the only boundary was their age which was around 20s with Shi Nian being the youngest one and the only anomaly.


    The room sank into heavy silence.


    Except for the fact that there were victims and they knew the murderer was a man, they almost didn''t know anything else beyond that. He kidnapped people, killed them brutally and dumped their bodies. All was done without leaving any trace.


    How could such a person exist in this world?


    "First, from now on, we will take over all of the missing person cases in City A."


    Came a frustrated whine. "Captain! There have been almost thirty cases of missing people just in thest two months!"


    Jin Renguang barked out. "Then investigate them one by one!"


    Everyone in the room groaned in annoyance. There came another week of sleepless nights...


    Jin Renguang rubbed his face roughly. "Search around the perimeter of the parking lot in Jiang Park Mall. Xu Binchen and Wang Chengbing, I trust you with the surviving victim." Xu Binchen and Wang Chengbing nodded. "Tang Wei, how about the help we''re requesting?"


    "Yes," Speaking of it, Tang Wei''s eyes lit up. "We have received a response from the main headquarters. Aside from someone in forensics, they will also send a criminal psychologist."


    "A criminal psychologist?"


    "Yes, it''s her!" Tang Wei''s hands shook from excitement, his face flushed pink.. His fanboy aura was leaking out miles away. "The youngest criminal psychologist in our country who worked for the FBI to solve the recent terrorist case, Ru Meiqi!"

 Chapter 25 - He Remembered Her Name

    Shi Nian was shocked to meet face to face with Jiang Jinyan.


    She hadn''t been preparing herself for it at all. Thus, when he saw the man''s profile, shrouded under the sunshine with his head lowered, Shi Nian almost tripped and fell if not for Nurse Zhang supporting her from behind. "Are you okay?!"


    Shi Nian''s heart thundered in her chest so fast that she heard Nurse Zhang''s question with much difficulty after she repeated it for two more times. She shook her head and smiled, even though her smile looked absolutely stiff and her hands had gone mmy from the cold sweat.


    The therapist lifted her head from the notes and saw her standing by the door, her eyes lit up as she approached. "Shi Nian, I''ve been waiting for you!" Seeing Nurse Zhang''s worried face, she inquired with concern. "What''s wrong?"


    Shi Nian shook her head, harder.


    She patted Nurse Zhang''s hand and gave the worrying woman aforting smile.


    After repeatedly making sure that there''s nothing wrong with her, Nurse Zhang sighed in relief and smiled at the therapist. "Then I will leave her to you."


    "Sure," Therapist Ma smiled back as she beckoned for Shi Nian toe in. "Come in."


    The psychotherapy room was wide, like a room which was used to train a group of people in dancing. Except there was no huge mirror on one side of the wall. The machine and mechanism inside the room varied, for example Shi Nian had been using the treadmill for thest two consecutive sessions, while there was another patient who looked like they had just started the treatment, trying to move their fingers with the weighted machine like Shi Nian did before.


    Thus, even though there were ten or more people in the room, everyone did their own things and no one interfered with each other.


    But today, for the first time, Shi Nian saw Jiang Jinyan here.


    He looked thin in his patient gown, his hair was longer than the average man, almost reaching his neck, and his skin was pale, very fair, unlike the General''s tan skin which used to kiss the sun and soaked in the bloody war.


    He was clutching the handrails on both his sides, trying to advance step by step with only one leg¡­


    "Shi Nian?"


    Shi Nian snapped out of her stupor from the call and smiled apologetically.


    She walked to the side as usual while the therapist started to operate the treadmill. "You can start stretching your body first."


    Shi Nian nodded absentmindedly, her eyes often straying to the thin figure less than ten meters away.


    From such a distance, she could hear their conversation intermittently. "Very good. That''s a great development. Don''t force yourself, you''re already doing very well." His therapist said while guarding Jiang Jinyan''s side.


    Sweat trickled down Jiang Jinyan''s body in a heavy stream and it didn''t take long for his hands to turn slippery. He almost lost his grip on the handrails, but fortunately, the therapist was strong and sturdy as he held onto him and supported him to the bench. "We will wrap it up today. Good work. Meanwhile, you can try to move your legs often to exercise your muscles."


    When he almost fell earlier, from the corner of Jiang Jinyan''s eyes, he caught a figure who rushed forward toward his direction as if wanting to catch him.


    He lifted his head and gave the person a nce, only to find a tiny, skinny little girl.


    Nowadays, Jiang Jinyan developed a new habit. He always lowered his head, not wanting to look at other people''s eyes. He didn''t want to see the same pity and sympathy he saw in Wei Xiameng''s eyes which was why he had done so.


    Thus, he only caught the girl''s silhouette and hastily retracted his gaze away.


    "When will I be discharged from the hospital?" He asked hoarsely, eyes darkening with indiscernible light.


    The therapist was stunned from the sudden question and smiled sheepishly as he scratched his head. "I have no idea about it either. Who is your main doctor?"


    "Doctor Chun Liang and Doctor Yi Shubo."


    "Ah I see. Then you will have to ask them for that. I''m very sorry."


    Jiang Jinyan shook his head. "Then, when can I¡­use a prosthetic?"


    "This¡ª" He smiled softly and said, "Mr. Jiang. Your wound hasn''t dried uppletely yet. Using prosthetics hastily will result in inmmation and further injury, thus I rmend that you wait for a while longer."


    Jiang Jinyan pursed his lips hard and spoke no more.


    "Shi Nian?" A woman''s gentle voice floated to his ears. "What are you doing there?"


    Jiang Jinyan gave a nce and caught the skinny girl''s figure again who hurriedly rushed toward the treadmill nearby. Her movement was dexterous, her gestures agile that it didn''t look like she needed any further therapy. A recovered patient, he thought inwardly.


    Jiang Jinyan didn''t know why he paid attention to her. Maybe it was because of her strange name. Who would give their child that kind of name? He mused. Shi Nian[1]. Longing. Ardent yearning. It was quite a peculiar name.


    "Do you know Miss Shi?" The therapist''s question brought Jiang Jinyan''s attention away. He shook his head in answer.


    "Oh." The man smiled. "I thought you do, because the girl has been looking your way since just now."


    Jiang Jinyan raised his eyebrows but didn''t give it much thought.


    Maybe she hadn''t seen a disabled man before. He thought gloomily. That''s why she gave him a few nces.


    "She looks worried and sad." The therapist smiled in amusement. "Say, is she your fan?"


    Jiang Jinyan''s body stiffened. Fan. He never cared about fans before. Even though he knew he had quite a big fan base as a young and fresh athlete who currently attracted attention from a huge range of ages, Jiang Jinyan never thought of himself as a public figure.


    The bitterness in his heart deepened. If his so-called fans knew his condition now, would they still want to be his fans?


    Simrly, Therapist Ma looked at Shi Nian in confusion and asked. "Do you know Mr. Jiang over there?"


    Shi Nian almost lost her bnce and fell. She grabbed the treadmill tightly and gave a scrunched up smile that looked worse than crying.


    "I noticed that you''ve been stealing nces at him since you entered."


    Shi Nian wanted to bang her head into the wall and fainted. Was she that obvious?!


    "You''re so obvious." The woman answered as if she was a worm in Shi Nian''s stomach. She scooted closer and pressed down the speed on the treadmill much to Shi Nian''s relief. "It''s okay. He''s quite handsome after all."


    Shi Nian gave an awkwardugh and turned all of her focus to running. In the end, she didn''t even realize when Jiang Jinyan left the room. When she stepped down from the treadmill, she couldn''t find him anymore. A faint disappointment bloomed in her heart which made her look gloomy and sad.


    Of course, Shi Nian would never know that on that day, Jiang Jinyan had remembered her name and possibly, took notice of her.


    [1] Shi Nian''s name has a very simr pronunciation as Si Nian which means longing but hers is a different character.

 Chapter 26 - Thoroughly Blacken Uncle Detective

    Shi Nian was bored and the nurses who often yed with her were all busy with their work. The hospital was swarmed with patients, she heard from the newscaster on TV that there was a huge chain reaction car ident nearby which garnered almost thirty injured people. The nearest hospitals were almost overwhelmed.


    The floor which Shi Nian''s room at was a special floor for single patients. Not all patients could stay here, for example Shi Nian had to stay here for her istion and protection, and Jiang Jinyan was a famous athlete who needed utmost privacy, but of course Shi Nian didn''t dare to look for him. Only knowing that he was safe and sound was enough, she already felt immense satisfaction seeing him from afar.


    Hence, in the afternoon, the whole floor was practically empty.


    She sat on the bench facing the floor to ceiling window and looked at the sky outside in daze.


    It had been such a long time since she could enjoy free time where she didn''t even know what she should do. Her life had been filled with school, multiple part time jobs, and housework, there wasn''t any room for entertainment like hanging out in karaoke or the mall.


    In a word, Shi Nian was an antisocial person. Because of her quiet and thin presence, she didn''t even have any friends, thus when she was free like this, she really didn''t know what to do except for daydreaming.


    The spring breeze blew by, fluttering her jet ck hair, and it was so cozy that she almost fell asleep.


    Shi Nian''s eyes were half lidded and her consciousness was starting to drift out to nowhere...


    "What are you looking at?" A feminine voice suddenly sounded close to her ears, jerking her awake. She instinctively turned around, her mind still half awake and after catching sight of the person in front of her eyes, she became more and more dazed.


    The person in front of her was a woman around twenty. The first thing Shi Nian noticed about her was her wavy light brown hair, it curled down to her waist like soft waves, enticing her to roll her fingers on it.


    Pairing with that hair that was umon for Asians was a petite and voluptuous body. The curves and lines were all in the right ces, not too much yet enough to leave much for imagination. Furthermore, she was wearing a turtleneck sweater and a pair of jeans, highlighting her full chest and round hips even more.


    Unfortunately, she had a pair of eyes that always looked unfocused, just like how a blind person was. When she looked at you, it was like she was looking through you. But Shi Nian knew that her eyes were working just fine. Pairing with her aloof and expressionless face, she was like a block of ice that prohibited people froming closer.


    A burst of nostalgia struck her chest hard.


    In their past lives, when they were running away from the fugitives, Shi Nian tripped on a vine and fell down only for a pair of strong arms to lift her up and push her away. Those split seconds earned them Shi Nian''s life in exchange for hers.


    Blood sttered onto Shi Nian''s face from the open wound on the woman''s chest, rendering her frozen in ce, her face pale considerably with tears welled up in her eyes.


    But the woman remained resolute as she pushed her. Blood trickled down her jaw, and her eyes that always seemed unfocused were bursting with a dazzling light like a pair of zing mes. "RUN!" The woman yelled to her. "Get away from here!"


    Shi Nian''s lips trembled but nothing came out from it. At that time, her tongue had just been cut off, and the wound hadn''t even dried up yet. Pain shot through her mouth and the taste of rancid blood filled her cavity.


    Gritting her teeth, Shi Nian scrambled up and ran like a flying arrow.


    The woman''s voice followed behind her, "Don''t ever look back!"


    The taste of salty tears and sweat was forever embedded in her mind as she ran through the dense forest with the sound of ughters, curses and screams of despair behind her trail.


    The woman tilted her head. Her expression didn''t change in the slightest as she asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?"


    Even though her tone didn''t fluctuate, Shi Nian could detect a hint of confusion in it.


    She blinked her damp eyes and gave an apologetic smile.


    Finally, the woman sat on the chair beside Shi Nian and following her movement, looked out toward the window where the boundless expanse of blue sky was. "What''s so good about the sky to make you stare at it for so long?"


    Shi Nian scrambled around to search for her board to no avail.


    "Are you searching for this?" The woman lifted the thing she was looking for.


    Shi Nian turned sluggish. Howe she didn''t realize that her board was taken away? This big sister¡­she really didn''t change at all. Always surprising her with her weird antics.


    She voluntarily gave the board to Shi Nian in which she wrote. [Nothing. I just have nothing to do.]


    The woman looked at her writing and nodded. "You have nice handwriting."


    Shi Nian whose handwriting was being criticized by uncle detective every day: [¡­thank you.]


    "What''s that pause in the beginning?"


    [I''ve been told that I need to practice more in my handwriting.]


    "Who told you that?" She snorted. "Such a distasteful man."


    [How did big sister know that it''s a man who said that?]


    "Judging from your reaction, the possibility of it being a man is seventy five percent which I tend to be more inclined to. Moreover, we women are such a sensitive creature, who can bear to say that to such an adorable teenager? Thus, my initial conclusion is that it''s a man, furthermore, he isn''t that familiar with you, but his personality or maybe his line of job required him to be sharp, straightforward almost to the point of rudeness, in which I lean toward the former. In short, he''s a thoroughly crude and distasteful man."


    Shi Nian widened in astonishment. How could this big sister manage to cken uncle detective to the point of no return with only four sentences?! She almost stood up in apuse!


    "Let me guess, is he awyer? Prosecutor? Reporter? Firefighter? Or maybe¡­" She tapped on her chin. "¡­a detective?"


    Shi Nian stood up in a whoosh, her board fell down in a tter.


    The woman was dumbfounded, thinking that she somehow managed to piss the girl off.


    Then in front of her unfocused eyes, Shi Nian started to¡­p her hands.


    In the empty corridor, the sound of her apuse was especially loud and clear, it was practically echoing back and forth.


    The corner of the woman''s eyes twitched: "¡­"

 Chapter 27 - Sassy Ru Meiqi

    [Big sister, you''re so amazing! How can you get it right?!] Shi Nian asked enthusiastically, her eyes shining shimmering splendid like a fangirl.


    The woman lowered her eyes, seemingly embarrassed. "Nothing. It''s just a habit."


    [Big sister, what''s your name? What did youe here for? Are you visiting someone? By the way, my name is Shi Nian. It''s very nice to meet you!] Shi Nian wrote furiously in high spirits.


    The woman''s face remained deadpanned. "Yes, I am here to visit someone."


    Shi Nian had just wanted to drop it off, thinking that they weren''t that familiar with each other to the point where she could ask about her business freely. But before she could erase the words in her board, the woman continued. "I am here for you, and I know your name, Shi Nian."


    Shi Nian raised her head in daze.


    The woman stretched out her palm, a faint smile shed by her eyes in a split second before disappearing. "My name is Ru Meiqi. It''s very nice to meet you too, Shi Nian."


    Ru Meiqi¡­


    Even the name was the same.


    Shi Nian felt her eyes watered and a burst of insuppressible emotion exploded in her chest. Joy, sadness, relief, exhration.


    In the end, she could only shake Ru Meiqi''s hands while trying her best to swallow down her sobs.


    [May I call you¡­Sister Ru?]


    Ru Meiqi blinked in a daze for a while before nodding briefly in which Shi Nian returned with her bright smile.


    Was it a coincidence?


    General Jiang Jinyan, her mother Qiang Fei, and now Sister Ru¡­they all had a connection in their past lives and now, in this modern world, they met once again with a brand new identity and rewritten memories.


    It was truly magical¡­like destiny.


    "Why¡­are you crying?" Ru Meiqi was so shocked that she turned muddleheaded.


    Hmm? Shi Nian blinked and wiped her face only to find that it was wet with tears. Her eyes widened in shock as she hurriedly turned her head back and wiped it, mortified. Why the heck was she crying? What was she crying about?!


    Shi Nian took a deep breath and rposed herself. When she turned around, she had reverted into the same adorable and obedient Shi Nian if not for her slightly reddened eyes.


    [It''s nothing.] She smiled brilliantly and with her glistening eyes, those light brown eyes looked like a sea of gold was swirling within it, truly captivating and bewitching. [You just remind me of someone. It''s just so¡­so simr.]


    ***


    Xu Binchen had just strode out of the meeting room and sat on his chair, stealing some time for a shuteye when his phone suddenly beeped. It was a regtion not to take any calls or messages in the meeting room, thus he could only check it out when he was out.


    There were two new messages, both from the police officers whom he had assigned to monitor Shi Nian.


    [Detective Xu, a woman has just gone up to the fifth floor and made contact with Butterfly.]


    Butterfly was a codename which the police department used for Shi Nian.


    Frown appeared on Xu Binchen''s forehead and he scowled. Then, his fingers tapped on the second message. [Nothing happened. We can''t get the content of their conversation but based on Butterfly''s reaction, there is no emergency.]


    Attached on the message below was a photo which was taken from afar. Xu Binchen clicked on it and erged it. The photographer seemingly had been standing outside in thewn as he took the photo of the fifth floor. The transparent window enabled him to do it smoothly.


    Xu Binchen could easily recognize Shi Nian who was smiling so wide that the corner of her lips almost reached her ears.


    His frown turned deeper. What was she so happy about?


    Then, he moved to the person opposite her. Large wavy brown hair, small build, fair skin. He could only see her profile which was a little blurry, but it was enough to investigate. He replied quickly. [Look for her identity and send it to me ASAP[1].]


    No matter how unsuspicious the person was, he couldn''t let his guard down.


    Xu Binchen drew his head closer to the screen as he opened the photograph once again. The woman''s profile¡­why did it look slightly familiar as if he had seen her somewhere before? But where was it?


    He was submerged in his own thoughts while waiting for response when there was a mor in the lobby outside of their office.


    Xu Binchen instinctively raised his head only to meet face to face with the person in the photograph which he had been scrutinizing for.


    Xu Binchen: "¡­" Am I too tired to the point of hallucinating?


    He saw Tang Wei''s face flushed crimson as he bowed in utmost respect, offering his chair for the woman which she epted unabashedly.


    The weird woman had a casual and feminine style in clothes, very stylish and elegant. Her every movement made her hair flutter like cotton candy. Yet her unfocused eyes made her always look absentminded as if her thoughts were flying out to wondend.


    "Please sit. Please sit." Tang Wei''s voice resounded, very sweet and sticky to the point of nauseating. "What do you want to drink?"


    Xu Binchen rose from his seat and approached them in two or three steps with his long legs. "Who are you? Unauthorized personnel aren''t allowed here. And Tang Wei, since when did you be a coffee boy? If you''d like to do so, then make me one too."


    Tang Wei gritted his teeth, veins bulging out of his neck but in front of his goddess, he could do nothing but to smile andply while cursing Xu Binchen inside.


    The unknown woman sized him up and down and Xu Binchen returned the favor. For a while, the narrow lobby of the Special Crime Investigation Unit was filled with sparks and gunpowder. In the end, the woman snorted. "Are you that distasteful man?"


    Xu Binchen frowned, displeasure evident between his brows.


    At that exact moment, his phone vibrated.


    The woman stood up and brushed aside the invisible dust clinging on her clothes.


    Xu Binchen nced down and scanned through the message. [Detective Xu! She''s Ru Meiqi, the criminal psychologist from the main headquarters!]


    Ru Meiqi stretched out her hand toward him. "It''s not very nice to meet you. I am Ru Meiqi, and I am not an unauthorized person. The main headquarters gives me the same authority as your captain which means that I am your superior. If this has been your behavior in my turf, then you will have to pack your things off and scram by the time I finish speaking."


    [1] As soon as possible :D

 Chapter 28 - Why Xu Binchen Is Still Single

    No one could me Xu Binchen though. Even though their police bureau wasn''t open to the public, it still couldn''t escape nepotism. Sometimes, the higher ups would bring their rtives such as their daughter, nephew or granddaughter to visit, just to unt their presence like a male peacock. Their purpose: to search for potential husbands.


    In short, their police department¡ªespecially the SCI unit¡ªdidn''tck visitors from all ages and backgrounds.


    Moreover, their squad was deemed as ''The Flower Unit'' because there were Xu Binchen and Jin Renguang there. The former was an outstanding graduate of the Police Academy who had high index in looks, wealth and power, while thetter was the Captain who formed SCI and was seen as a legend back in the day. Even though Jin Renguang looked kind of imposing and scary, but truthfully he was a marshmallow in real life when he wasn''t solving cases.


    The number ofdies that came to steal nces over the years couldn''t even be counted with the dandruff sticking on Tang Wei''s hair.


    s, finally retribution came over Xu Binchen.


    As soon as Ru Meiqi''s words fell, heavy silence descended upon the entire floor. Whether it was the officers who wanted to ask for data, the ones who came to report, or even the ones who were just passing by, they all froze in ce.


    But one thing they''d forgotten. Xu Binchen''s face was as thick as the Great Wall in China, not even a crack could be seen.


    Knowing that he was in the wrong, Xu Binchen nodded and bowed his head slightly. "So it''s like that. I am very sorry to offend Senior Ru. It''s a great honor to finally meet you, I am Xu Binchen." He shook her hand and let it go not even a second after, his expression unchanging but his tone was sincere.


    A snort escaped Ru Meiqi''s nose. "Not bad." She murmured and soon, the freezing atmosphere thawed.


    Tang Weiughed dryly and said, "Then I will go and make you all some coffees!"


    The flock of crowds dispersed and the people continued to do their jobs. Xu Binchen looked at Ru Meiqi who only reached his shoulder and asked, "Senior Ru visited the hospital?"


    "You''ve got quickwork there." She had only stepped into the police department and he had already checked her identity out. "Yes, I am."


    Creases formed on Xu Binchen''s forehead. "May I ask what business you have with her?"


    "Nothing." Ru Meiqi''s eyes wandered around. "Just want to look at her."


    He instinctively knew that the woman didn''t intend to divulge anything and nodded, which added to Ru Meiqi''s favorability points.


    To be honest, Xu Binchen couldn''t be said to be arrogant. He was only a bit too straightforward and dull in EQ, often offending people without knowing, rigid and stiff, as well as brilliant and handsome.


    Indifference was his inherent nature.


    It was like when a King descended down his throne and walked around the poor vige, even if he wanted to disguise himself wearing rag clothes, he couldn''t truly be like pheasants. Thus he stood up like a sore thumb.


    But this striking contrast just added to his charm which made countless women swoon.


    s, the people who could match with the kind like Xu Binchen were people who were kind in nature, silly to the point of foolishness, straightforward and didn''t fear death. Only by then could they dig out this bastard''s conscience.


    Ru Meiqi clearly knew that. That''s why, in their first encounter, she acted like a strict superior and Xu Binchen''s reaction didn''t disappoint her in the slightest.


    "Where''s Jin Renguang''s office?"


    Xu Binchen pointed at the closed door to his left with a deadpan face, didn''t feel guilty even a bit for selling out his captain.


    Ru Meiqi nodded and sauntered in, closing the door behind her. Tang Wei hurried over, carrying a tray with four cups of coffee which Xu Binchen grabbed one at ease. "Where''s my goddess Ru?" The man whispered, his sses fogging up from excitement.


    Xu Binchen jutted his chin toward Jin Renguang''s office.


    Tang Wei looked horrified. "You let her into Captain''s office?! Do you want him to hack you to death?" Their Captain had a problem with cleanliness and OCD, he didn''t like other people in his space, nor could he bear people touching his things. That''s why, no one dared to get close to Jin Renguang''s personal office.


    "It''s okay¡ª"


    Xu Binchen hadn''t finished yet when Jin Renguang came out from the elevator, sweating profusely. "Has the criminal psychologist arrived?!"


    Tang Wei hemmed and hawed, his face pale considerably while Xu Binchen didn''t have any qualms in pointing at where Ru Meiqi was.


    Jin Renguang muttered out a thanks and strode forward withrge steps. The door opened and closed, shielding him from curious gazes.


    "¡ªhe will not mind," Xu Binchen finished his sentence.


    "Why do you say so?"


    It was obvious that the two of them knew each other. But Xu Binchen was toozy to exin thus he only patted Tang Wei''s shoulder and spat out one word, "Intelligence." After that, he grabbed his car key and walked away.


    Tang Wei: "¡­" Now he had a faint idea why Xu Binchen was still single with his superb qualification.

 Chapter 29 - Do You Still Think I Lack Love?

    "Little Ru!" Jin Renguang cried out as the door closed behind him.


    Ru Meiqi was sitting on hisfy chair which could rotate 360 degrees while facing the floor to ceiling window. As a qualified person with OCD[1], Jin Renguang''s office was spotless with the scent of air freshener in the air, totally unlike the unkempt and haggard image that the rest of the detectives showed. Every single thing on the table was ced precisely with exact calction and the reports, files and books were filed and disyed neatly by year and the case''s name.


    Usually, he would strangle the people who tried to invade his personal space yet right now, there was only joy and exhration on his face.


    Jin Renguang was very well built with a body full ofpact muscles. He towered over people with height over 1.93 meters. Nine out of ten people would feel intimidated being in the same room as he was because of his upational habit, every time he met someone, he couldn''t help but to scrutinize them deeply even though they weren''t criminals.


    Ru Meiqi turned the chair around and looked at Jin Renguang with her unfocused eyes and deadpan face. "I told you countless times not to call me like that."


    Jin Renguang didn''t care though. "Why didn''t you call me?" The towering man looked especially aggrieved as he demanded. "I said that I will pick you up at the station!"


    "You''re busy."


    "I''m not." Then, he thought of how he had been running around all day and corrected his words. "Even if I am, I can make time for you."


    Ru Meiqi averted her gaze. "I don''t need you to."


    "Well, okay." Jin Renguangughed openly and sat on the sofa. "How about it? Is China nicer than the United States? I thought you would note back anymore¡­" Thest sentence was spoken in a quiet murmur but because of the quietness, Ru Meiqi could hear it loud and clear.


    She replied calmly. "The food there isn''t authentic enough."


    Jin Renguang raised one brow in amusement. "Youe back just for food?"


    "What''s wrong with food?" With a tone full of righteousness, Ru Meiqi argued. "Food is a necessary thing for human beings. Without food, we can''t live and without good food, we can''t feel happy and without happiness, we will fall sick and die. So, to preserve my life, I''d rather return here."


    Jin Renguang: "¡­" Logical enough, can''t refute that.


    He knew that he wouldn''t win in any argument against Ru Meiqi nor did he wish for victory. He was already happy to find her presence here. Without any further ado, he asked. "Have you visited the hospital?"


    Ru Meiqi nodded. "I went there beforeing here."


    "What do you think of Butterfly?"


    Ru Meiqi pondered for a moment. The sun shone down on her figure, casting a golden glow on her silhouette. Jin Renguang stared intently at the petite woman and if intensity could be materialized, then Ru Meiqi''s body would have been riddled with holes right now.


    "I like her," she said.


    "Oh?" Jin Renguang reacted, intrigued. "It is rare for you to be so subjective."


    "Am I?"


    "Yeah, do you remember your first impression of me?" As if immersing in a happy nostalgia, Jin Renguang started to narrate. "In one nce, I can see that youck love very much. You dress your uniform sloppily yet the belt, shoes and watch you wear are branded. You are not stupid, you can clearly get into ss A but you deliberately skip sses and get into fights, getting you into ss E. All of that proves that you want to attract attention and for a teenager like us, especially a raging walking hormone dispenser like you, the thing that you want to attract is either a girl or parents but judging from your personality, I am inclined toward thetter."


    He smiled proudly. "How about it?"


    Ru Meiqi snorted. "You''d rather use your brain capacity to remember my nonsense words from years ago rather than memorizing cases?"


    "Of course, every single thing you said, I remember them clearly even if they are nonsense." Heughed. "There''s one thing I am curious about though, do you still think Ick love?"


    Ru Meiqi squinted her eyes. "No, the thing youck is security."


    Instead of being offended, Jin Renguang calmly admitted. "Hmm, that''s right. A certain someone abandoned me for work and didn''t care for me enough, that''s why I turned out like this."


    "Is it my fault now?"


    "Did I say that it''s you?"


    "Who else would it be if not me?"


    "Ooh~" Jin Renguang deliberately dragged his tone, his eyes bright and teasing. "So you still have the face to admit it?"


    Ru Meiqi rolled her eyes and didn''t want to pay him any attention anymore. But a certain furry bear was restless as he approached her slowly, taking his time to appreciate her whole. He loved her, loved her sassiness, her courage, her deadpan face, her strange eyes, her blunt words, every single one of it was endearing and lovable, he couldn''t get enough.


    He leaned forward and put his hands on the back of the chair and the table, caging her within his embrace. His breath caressed her ears as he whispered in his deep mellow voice. "Say, should I arrest you for being guilty?"


    Ru Meiqi didn''t buy any of it as she spat out. "Stop your nonsense."


    He chuckled and the next second, his cor was grabbed and yanked down. He obediently offered his face and let the woman kiss him.


    [1] OCD = Obsessivepulsive Disorder. Captain Jin''s symptoms; fear of contamination and dirt, and need things to be symmetrical and orderly.. There are another symptoms more severe like aggressive, self harm etc but don''t worry because Captain Jin has strong self control.

 Chapter 30 - Initial Profiling

    Actually, Ru Meiqi didn''t have any intention to kiss this furry and sticky bear at all. She had only wanted to threaten him by yanking down his cor, but a certain shameless someone just seized the opportunity and slipped his palm behind her nape and pulled her closer.


    Before Ru Meiqi could register what was happening, a dry and soft touch brushed against her lips. She was startled and her eyes widened as Jin Renguang''s face erged in front of her. The familiar scent of his cologne rushed to her nose and it subconsciously made her feel rxed.


    Jin Renguang obviously detected the changes in her body as he chuckled and let her go, but not before giving her lower lips a lick for thest time.


    "¡­bastard." Ru Meiqi murmured under her breath.


    "Yes, I am." He admitted readily but added, "I am an exclusive bastard tailored just for you."


    Jin Renguang pulled away and whistled as if he hadn''t just taken advantage of Ru Meiqi and sneakily ate her tofu. "So, let''s talk about business, shall we?"


    Ru Meiqi red at his shamelessness. "Who is the one that went off topic just now?"


    "Is it me?" Jin Renguang chuckled without the slightest bit of guilt. "Well, sorry but I''m not sorry."


    Ru Meiqi sucked in deep breath as she tried to practice enlightenment and patience as to how people should cherish each other and killing was prohibited byw. Evidently, she had gotten used to his shameless and crude behavior throughout the years and only treated the earlier ident as being licked by a Tibetan Mastiff[1].


    "You asked me to give her a look and see if there''s something wrong with her," Ru Meiqi started. "Well, let me ask you some questions first. Do you suspect that she has something to do with the criminal?"


    Jin Renguang shrugged and if he wasn''t acting rogue, the aura he exuded was enough to pressure the whole room. As they talked seriously, his eyes glinted with sharp light. "Think about it. A wanted criminal, chased by police for almost a year, kidnapped a sixteen years old girl and let her go in the end. The question is; why? Why did he let her go? Do you believe that a high school girl could escape his clutch when aborer couldn''t? No. So, the conclusion is; he let Butterfly go himself. He let her escape after confining her for three months. For what?"


    Based on his experience catching criminals for years, the first thing that popped up in Jin Renguang''s mind was suspicion. He didn''t treat Shi Nian as a victim but as a potential suspect that had to be investigated thoroughly.


    Conquer and defeat. Trick the tiger out of the mountain.


    As long as the criminal managed to lead their investigation askew, he had seeded.


    But of course, it was all our Captain Bear''s baseless spection. That''s why he hadn''t discussed this with anyone else but her.


    Ru Meiqi pursed her lips, her mind deep in thought. "No, I am 90% sure that she doesn''t have anything to do with the suspect." Jin Renguang didn''t know it, but when Ru Meiqi first saw Shi Nian, her heart instantly softened for some reason she didn''t know of.


    Furthermore, the girl looked too innocent to be true, almost foolish and silly.


    "What do you base it on?"


    "Her eyes." Ru Meiqi lifted her nk eyes and stared at Jin Renguang. "When she looks at me, they are full of eptance and dependence even though she didn''t know me before. She has a trusting personality and you''ve investigated it yourself, her life is full of school and jobs, she doesn''t even have time to have fun like the other highschoolers her age. Have you asked about her social rtionship with her colleagues? How about it? What did they say about her?"


    Jin Renguang: "Same conclusion. Quiet, hardworking, honest and earnest."


    Ru Meiqi hummed, clearly she had expected that. But it made Captain Jin more confused. "Then, why did the criminal let her go? He couldn''t have predicted that she would lose her memory right? He clearly knew that if she remembered, he would be in great danger. Based on how he did the killing, he couldn''t have taken such a huge risk."


    "Or maybe," Ru Meiqi said slowly. "He knew that she would not remember."


    Jin Renguang''s pupils dted. "What do you mean?"


    But Ru Meiqi didn''t want to divulge anything more. She mped her mouth shut and ordered, "Prepare the meeting. There''s something I want to say to all of you."


    ***


    In the spacious conference room filled with all the members of the SCI squad, Ru Meiqi stood at the head of the long table surrounded by detectives twice her size. The room was dark and the only source of light came from the screen that showed the data of all the victims.


    After she was done introducing herself with one concise sentence of "Hello, my name is Ru Meiqi, I am a criminal psychologist", she instantly got into the point. "Let me tell you my initial profiling. Male, age 20-25 years old, height about 1.7 to 1.8 meters, slender, good looking, looks gentle when he smiles, has a high education, economically stable, socially eloquent, a local resident of City S and has a history of mild to severe case of OCD. Over."


    The whole room descended into deadly silence.


    Jin Renguang tried hard to suppress the curve of his lips. He really liked her like this, confidently talked about her discovery like a proud Siberian cat, her petite body emitted an aura that no one couldpare.


    He knocked on the table to snap hisrades out of their stupor. "Any questions?"


    Instantly, the silence turned into uproar. They had never met criminal psychologists before nor were they familiar with how they worked. Furthermore, the way they solved cases solely relied on hard evidence, witnesses and motives, that''s why they were stuck for ages.


    They could ept the part when she said he had a high education and a rich bastard, but good looking, gentle when he smiles, a local resident of City S and has OCD? Furthermore, his age and his height?! How could she know that?


    Damn it, was she a psychic?!


    [1] Tibetan Mastiff is one of thergest breed of dogs lol, it is our Captain Jin''s spirit animal

 Chapter 31 - Inexperienced Butcher

    Tang Wei raised his hands like an honor student, full of learning enthusiasm. "Me, me!"


    "Yes,rade Tang." Ru Meiqi nodded.


    "How do you guess that he''s 20-25 years old with height of 1.7 to 1.8 meters?"


    "It''s simple," she borated. "It is the average height of adult male teenagers. The victims were all around eighteen to twenty two years old and from the twelve deceased, ten were women. We have no surveince record of the kidnapping, which means that he lured the victims to a ce without CCTV. For women, what are the traits that will make them lower their guard? It is precisely someone like you." She pointed at Wang Chengbing, making the poor boy''s soul almost fly out of his body.


    "M¡ªM¡ªMe??!" He pointed at his own nose in disbelief.


    "Of course. I am not saying that it''s you. It''s someone like you but weighs fifty kilograms lighter. Someone harmless, a man at their age, preferably good looking, so when he asked a simple question like, "May I ask you out for a cup of coffee?" The women would have no resistance and agreed."


    Wang Chengbing didn''t know whether he should be ttered or offended. He could only look on nkly as Xu Binchen pushed his water bottle to his hands which he downed inrge gulps like wine.


    "But what about the men?"


    "Men. It''s far simpler. Some questions like, "Sorry, I have a stomachache, can you please tell me where the nearest public bathroom is?" or "My car''s tire is stuck. Can you please help me out a bit? I will pay you generously." Men have lower guards toward their own gender and such a simple request is easy to follow. Of course, it wasn''t impossible for the suspect to have another partner, if so, there is an 80% possibility of it being a female but for now, we will eliminate that possibility and focus on the suspect. He only needs to have them follow him and vo, he can lure them into a deserted ce and knock them out."


    The criminal investigators got chills running down their spine. It wasn''t umon for them to meet some people who seek help like this along the streets. But never did they expect that it could be used to conduct crime.


    "T¡ªThen, how can you guess that he''s the local resident of City S?"


    Ru Meiqi''s face turned grave and solemn. "It''s from the first crime."


    "The first crime?" The detective thought a bit and found that indeed, the first crime happened in City S. "But what about it?"


    Ru Meiqi pressed on the navigator and the slide on the screen changed to photos of body parts¡ªto be exact, legs¡ªthat belonged to the victims. Below it, there were names and months of the time they were found, arranged by sequence.


    "Look at these legs. What can you see?"


    Ru Meiqi''s questions stumped everyone. What could they see from the victims'' legs? It was¡­just legs and blood, okay?!


    She turned toward the detectives and scanned their faces one by one, but because her eyes always remained unfocused, it looked like she was daydreaming instead. "I see his pleasure brought by killing, his thoughts and his motives. I can even imagine how he cut them off, limbs by limbs, it was just like a gentleman who holds a dining knife and uses it to slice his steak slowly, precisely¡­"


    Jin Renguang cleared his throat. "Miss Ru."


    Ru Meiqi snapped out of her reverie. "I''m sorry. I am quite taken in by my imaginations."


    Holy¡ª!


    Imagining how the criminal cut people''s flesh just like how he cut steak gave them goosebumps! So scary! To be honest, Ru Meiqi gave off the feeling of a weak rabbit in need of protection from the first impression but now no one could ever associate her with rabbits ever again.


    What rabbit? This was clearly a wolf okay?!


    "Let''s continue." Jin Renguang led the topic back. "Can you borate on your thoughts, please?"


    Ru Meiqi gave him a perplexed nce but didn''t point out his strange politeness and continued instead, "Generally, the criminals whomitted continuous murders like this are considered psychopaths. Psychopaths aren''t born, their ruthless thoughts are formed from a tender age. However, only with a strong simtion can they germinate and bloompletely."


    The detectives: "¡­"


    Germinate¡­and bloom? Do you think that psychopaths are flowers in a greenhouse?!


    Captain Jin cleared his throat and once again led the topic back to prevent his brothers'' mind from crumbling. "So, you said that there''s something huge happening that made him do his first kill?"


    "Yes." Ru Meiqi nodded. "There''s a new study in the FBI which stated that when psychopathsmit a homicide, their killing likely will be nned and purposeful¡ªthat is, organized and notmitted in the heat of passion. It''s clearly shown by the behavior of our suspect. Meticulous behavior, strong anti-reconnaissance,prehensive nning, all of it showed the characteristics of a high IQ and EQ. This kind of person is the most dangerous because he knows clearly that he breaks thew but he doesn''t care. And for God''s sake, he has the ability not to care."


    "Now, please look at the picture of these legs we''ve found." Ru Meiqi pointed at the leg at the upper left of the screen. Below it showed; Gong Shu''er (20).


    There were two sides of the photo, first was the top side and second the front side where the clean cut of the leg was seen, even the bones and flesh were clearly distinguished. If they didn''t know it was a human leg, then they would have thought that it was a high quality¡­beef.


    No! They shook their heads in panic. How could they associate humans with beef?! This woman was truly poisonous ah! They had been affected!


    Ru Meiqi took no notice of their inner turmoil and scrutinized the picture. "Can you spot the difference between this picture and the next one beside it?"


    The detectives: "¡­" Now they''re ying ''spot the difference''?!


    Seeing their dumbfounded faces, Ru Meiqi''s brows knitted. She hated slow minded people, but she couldn''t me them either because the practice of criminal profiling had just been popr recently in the United States due to the sess in cracking the terrorist case but here, it was just like prophecy and psychic.


    Fortunately, before the criminal psychologist could turn into Yama[1], Xu Binchen''s voice rang out, deep, clear and concise. "The cut. It''s different. The cut on the first victim''s leg looks jagged, like an...inexperienced butcher."


    Wang Chengbing choked on his water, spraying it all over theptop screen. "B¡ªButcher?!"


    "It''s just an analogy," he deadpanned.


    "Yes, you''re right,rade Xu." Ru Meiqi''s face eased. "I need some help from ourrade in forensic, please. Now, I will exin why I draw the conclusion that the suspect came from City S as well as his mental illness."


    [1] Buddhist deity of death or in some references, King of Hell

 Chapter 32 - Meeting Adjourned!

    The new guy from the forensic department sent from the main headquarters was a thirty five years old man. Quite good looking in a gentle way¡ªbut still overshadowed by Xu Binchen''s cold features and Jin Renguang''s razor sharp handsomeness. He was surnamed Lin, named Zhouyi.


    Anyway, maybe because he was dealing with corpses all day long, the man''s disposition was gloomy. He wore whiteb coat and white gloves covering his hands, a heavy scent of disinfectant followed him all the way as if it had been dissolving into his flesh and bones. He had an unusual air that made people hesitant to approach him, thus since he arrived at the Police Bureau in City A''s jurisdiction, he had been a loner.


    Now that Ru Meiqi pointed him out, he stood up and nodded slightly in acknowledgement. Lin Zhouyi handed the booklets that he had been holding on toward the detective closest to him and asked him to pass him around.


    He gave them a few minutes to register the data in it and started to talk. "I have rechecked the body parts in the morgue. So far, from the twelve deceased, we''ve found 22 legs, 11 torsos, 21 hands, 11 heads, and the rest of the parts are still missing. From the legs, all of it was cut precisely one inch below the femur[1] except the first victim which belonged to Miss Gong, the cut was 1.1 inch lower."


    "It''s the first time the suspect did the murder and because his cut wasn''t neat, he scrapped it off until it reduced 0.1 inch." Ru Meiqi added while rubbing her chin.


    "That''s right." Lin Zhouyi agreed but his light tone made everyone get goosebumps along their arms.


    Who the heck would measure the length of the legs and discover this fact?!


    Lin Zhouyi added, "I have measured not only the legs, but the hands and heads too and it showed that the cuts were made in an exact precision except the first one. But the error was only 10% at most."


    "Alright, thank you,rade Lin." Ru Meiqi said while turning to the wide-eyed detectives. "Based on these datas, we can conclude that the suspect has a very high requirement in both his calction and precision. It showed that he is someone with an OCD."


    If eyes could be inverted into light, then Tang Wei''s eyes would be enough to light up the whole city by now. His body was boiling in excitement and it took him quite a lot of effort not to faint on the spot. "T¡ªThen, Miss Ru, may I know how your thought process is until you reach this conclusion?"


    "It''s simple." The woman calmly answered. "It''s mainly intuition. Because I have known someone with simr symptoms for years."


    All of the people in the conference room¡ªexcept Lin Zhouyi, of course¡ªturned to look at Jin Renguang simultaneously and found the man leaning back on his chair with a meaningful smile hanging on his lips, eyes looking intently at the woman at the head of the table.


    They hastily averted their eyes away lest they suffered serious internal injuries from the sudden dog food, even looking at the severed legs became much more interesting.


    "Okay, Senior Ru had exined the suspect''s OCD." Xu Binchen tapped on the armchair rhythmically. "Then may I ask the thing about his hometown?"


    "Not all violent offenders are psychopaths and conversely, not all psychopaths are violent offenders." Ru Meiqi exined. "For psychopaths to startmitting homicide, generally, they will first receive some kind of violent stimuli. Even though they are psychopaths, it doesn''t mean that they are expert assassins. They will inevitably feel nervous, anxious and flustered, that''s why studies concluded that psychopaths will do the first deed in a ce close to their homes so that they would feel secure."


    "So, because the first crime scene happened in City S, the suspect is spected toe from the same ce? Furthermore, in a range not far from it?" Another detective asked.


    Ru Meiqi: "That''s right."


    "How far?"


    "I can''t say how much exactly but it will not be more than ten kilometers."


    The detectives'' eyes lit up instantly. The fog covering their mind was lessened a bit and they felt like they had finally found a beam of light shining amidst the darkness.


    Jin Renguang rapped on the table to pull their attention back. "Calm down. There''s some questions I want to confirm. Butterfly had testified that before she disappeared, she found a ringing phone in an alley whichpelled her to find out about it. Is there some connection with the case?"


    Ru Meiqi narrowed her eyes. "I''ve never heard of this before."


    Jin Renguang grinned without the slightest bit of guilt. "There are so many things happening that this one slipped from my mind."


    Ru Meiqi would have whacked his head if not for the people around. To preserve Captain Jin''s heroic image, she refrained herself from doing so. "Ringing phone in the alley? As I''ve said, there are so many things he could do to lure the victims away. Maybe, this was one of them. People will be drawn to find out the source of the sound."


    Wang Chengbing nodded. "Based on Butterly''s personality, she would think that some customer dropped their phone and checked it out. But Captain, the thing is, we have searched the alley around the convenience store based on Butterfly''s testimony and even used fluorescence[2], but we couldn''t find any trace of the blood like she said."


    Ru Meiqi frowned. "Blood? On the phone?"


    Wang Chengbing: "Yes! That''s right! Shi Nian said that she heard a phone ringing and picked it up, but then she found that the back of the phone was sticky with some liquid but she wasn''t sure that it was blood."


    Jin Renguang snorted. "Shi Nian? You''ve surely gotten quite close."


    Wang Chengbing scratched his head sheepishly. "But Boss, she''s really a good girl."


    "Her memory isn''t even intact and the method of recovery used is hypnotherapy." Jin Renguang harrumphed. "Digging a human''s memory using hypnosis will result in it being affected by their subconsciousness. Who knows, maybe it''s just something that shed through her mind before but it''s not real."


    Human''s brain was the mostplex organ ever. It could even form pseudo memories, causing the thing they remembered to be different from the event happening in real life. Who could guarantee that what she said was true?


    Xu Binchen frowned, seemingly disagreeing with his captain''s words. Yet he didn''t know where did such a strong emotion came from either. He knew that the girl wouldn''t lie, but there indeed wasn''t any blood found on the alley.


    "But of course," Ru Meiqi pondered, deep in thought. "Even if there''s no evidence, we can''t exclude the possibility of it being true. Blood on the ringing phone? It''s quite interesting¡­"


    "Alright, let''s finish here first." Jin Renguang''s loud voice boomed. "Xu Binchen and Wang Chengbing, as usual, monitor Butterfly, inform me as soon as possible if there''s something else she remembers. Tang Wei, help Lin Zhouyi to achieve the data to our database. The rest of you, go to City S, we will start screening based on the characteristics that Miss Ru have said. While Miss Ru, you¡ª"


    "I need all of the files from this case, starting from the first victim."


    "Yes, yes." Jin Renguang waved his hand. "You can get it yourself from my office."


    The detectives: "¡­" Where is our Captain who guarded his room like a dragon''s treasure, beating everyone who dared to trespass?!


    "Move, move!" He barked out. "Stay connected with our phones. Report everything to me if something arises. Meeting adjourned!"


    "Yes, sir!"


    "Wait," Ru Meiqi''s soft voice resounded. "There''s something I forgot to tell you."


    The detectives whose butts had left the seat once again returned to their position, listening intently. Ru Meiqi looked at Jin Renguang. "Do you remember what I said that the suspect may have known that Butterfly will not remember him?"


    He nodded. "Yes, what do you have to say about that?"


    "I want you to check out the ce where thendslide happened."


    "You mean¡ª" Tang Wei''s eyes widened behind his sses.


    "Yes,rade Tang. I want to check if it''s a realndslide or there''s some external force causing it to happen."


    Jin Renguang cursed. That''s right, he had let that factor slip from his calction! If it was truly a manmade disaster, then the suspect might have no intention to let Butterfly go at all! "Okay, request help from the local police officers. Check on the area around thendslide! Even if you have to dig three feet underground, you have to find something out!"


    "Yes, sir!"


    [1] Femur = thigh bone. The legs were severed right below it.


    [2] Fluorescence can make blood glow in the dark, usually used in crime scene. Another chemical; luminol.. Usage of blue light or UV be unnecessary. Then, UV light will be used to reveal another stain such as seminal fluid, saliva and urine stains

 Chapter 33 - I Am Jinyans Girlfriend

    "Another body part was found in the Jiang Park Mall, precisely in the parking lot on the B2 underground floor. A man surnamed He, who was nning to fetch his girlfriend, found a medium sized women''s bag on the floor. Let us move to Mr. He." The screen on the television shifted to a man whose face had been mosaicked and his voice altered. "Mr He, what do you think about your discovery?"


    "I always saw the news on TV but never expected that I would find one myself!" His tone grew higher and higher. "It''s so scary! The parking lot was dark so I didn''t see it clearly. I thought that someone identally dropped it and nned to bring it to the lost and found station but who knows that it contained a human leg!"


    The screen once again shifted to another man, this time, his face wasn''t covered. The camera lights shed blindingly as he dived through a crowd of reporters, his face sharp and fierce and his body robust. Under it, there was an introductory text: Jin Renguang, Captain of the Criminal Investigation Unit.


    "Detective Jin! Detective Jin! What do you have to say about this case?!"


    "Does the leg belong to the previous victim or a new one?"


    "Do the police have a new lead to find the serial killer?"


    "How confident are you to catch him?"


    Maybe because Jin Renguang was fed up with the barrage of questions, his steps paused. His gaze swiped across the people and the hubbub around him died down as if the reporters were all chickened out. A deep voice travelled across the television to Shi Nian''s ears. "We are currently trying our best to dig into the case. Please wait patiently and don''t go crouching around in front of the Police Bureaute at night¡ª"


    Suddenly, the screen turned dark.


    Shocked, Ouyang Xueqing turned to find Nurse Zhang holding the remote, her gentle voice admonishing. "Don''t watch this kind of news often! It''s not good for your mental development!"


    Shi Nian: "¡­" But she wasn''t some little girl who needed her parents to monitor her!


    [I want to know the development of the case.] She pouted sullenly.


    Under her pitiful eyes, Nurse Zhang sighed and rubbed her head. "It''s okay. If there''s something urgent, Detective Xu and Doctor Chun will tell you for sure. Your current priority is to recuperate so that you can get healthy soon."


    She was healthy, as fit as a paddle! Everyone said that she recovered fast and there were only some bruises and scratches remaining on her body. The only wound that needed attention was only the one on her head that had gone under the knife.


    Shi Nian puffed out her cheeks, unhappy.


    "Do you want to watch cartoons instead?"


    She shook her head. Cartoons were so childish, she had no interest in them.


    "Then, what about dramas? No," Then, Nurse Zhang shook her head and muttered to herself. "Doctor Chun said not to let your emotions fluctuate so much. Nowadays, dramas are all tearjerkers, the moral value keeps on degrading!"


    [Never watch dramas.]


    Nurse Zhang suddenly felt that Shi Nian was especially pitiful. Even though she was as busy as a bee working night shifts a few days in a row, she still had some time to catch on to the dramas. She whacked her own forehead and changed the topic, "Then, how about we go out and stroll around the garden? You''ve never been there, right?"


    Shi Nian shook her head.


    "Great!" Nurse Zhang pped her hands happily. "It''s a great chance for you to sunbathe too. The sun is so great today, it''s not too hot and not too dry, either."


    Nurse Zhang''s enthusiasm made it difficult for Shi Nian to refuse. She could only shake her head helplessly and followed Nurse Zhang out. "Nowadays, you have holed yourself up in your room reading. Is the history of wars that interesting?"


    Shi Nian''s lips curled as she pinched her thumb and forefinger together.


    Nurse Zhang flicked her forehead exasperatedly. "Then why do you keep on reading it? Do you know how much trouble I''ve gone through to search for those ancient books in the public library?"


    Shi Nian grinned and hugged Nurse Zhang''s arms. [Thank you~] She wrote on her board then added a big love in the end.


    Nurse Zhangughed despite herself. "You and your sweet mouth!"


    The two of themughed and chatted as they turned into a corner. Shi Nian''s movement froze as she once again met Jiang Jinyan. He was sitting on a wheelchair, his head hanging low, the sun falling onto his pale skin and shrouded his body, highlighting his slender figure.


    Behind him, there was a girl holding onto the wheelchair.


    Nurse Zhang smiled and greeted, "Good morning, Mr. Jiang. Good morning, Miss. Are you going for a walk?"


    The girl turned her head and finally Shi Nian could take a clear look at her. Beautiful, delicate and lively. That was her first impression of the girl. She had straight shoulder length hair, slightly upturned eyes and a beauty mole on the corner of her eyes. Seeing the two unfamiliar people, the girl smiled politely toward Nurse Zhang and at the same time, Jiang Jinyan turned toward them too. Shi Nian suddenly felt nervous as if she was seeing a teacher.


    "Good morning, Miss nurse. Yes, I am taking Jinyan out for a walk to the garden."


    "Such a coincidence." Nurse Zhang smiled brightly. "Do you mind if we join you?"


    "No, no please." The elevator dinged open and the four of them entered. Nurse Zhang pressed the button toward the first floor and turned to the girl.


    "You can call me Nurse Zhang. I am one of the nurses responsible for this floor. Nice to meet you." She stretched out a hand which the girl took with pleasure.


    "Nice to meet you. Thank you for taking care of Jinyan. My name is Wei Xiameng and I am Jinyan''s girlfriend."


    Shi Nian instantly choked on her breath.

 Chapter 34 - Youve Become My Accomplice

    The sound of Shi Nian choking on her breath was especially conspicuous inside the silent and narrow elevator.


    Two pairs of eyes instantly turned to her while Jiang Jinyan was motionless as if he didn''t hear anything.


    "You¡ª" Wei Xiameng put on a wide and beautiful smile. "Are you a patient too?" The answer was evident by seeing Shi Nian''s attire of the loose hospital gown. But to be polite, she still asked. "Do you also live on the fifth floor?"


    Shi Nian nodded, still didn''t recover from her shock.


    General Jiang Jinyan¡­was betrothed?


    No¡­in her past life, she didn''t know any Wei Xiameng nor did she ever see her around the General. But thinking about it, the Imperial Family at that time was surnamed Wei¡­


    Nurse Zhang patted on her back. Amused, she scolded. "What are you doing, choking on your own breath? How silly." She turned to Wei Xiameng and grimaced with a smile. "Please forgive this girl''s rudeness. She didn''t do it on purpose. She is Shi Nian and she stayed on the same floor as Mr. Jiang."


    Jiang Jinyan''s fingers twitched after hearing that familiar name.


    "Oh, Miss Shi, right?" Like before, Wei Xiameng reached out a hand. "Nice to meet you. I am Wei Xiameng."


    Shi Nian scrambled to open the cap of her pen and wrote on her board. [Nice to meet you too, Miss Wei! I am Shi Nian!]


    Wei Xiameng didn''t give her any special attention thus she was slightly taken aback when she saw her write. Awkwardness shed through her face. "Sorry, I didn''t know¡ª"


    [No, no, it''s nothing at all!] She recovered swiftly from her shock and grinned as usual. Her golden eyes curved into a pair of crescent moons.


    Wei Xiameng smiled politely and didn''t say anything more. She just stared as the lift slid down to the second floor and brought in two more passengers. Thus, the four of them squeezed in deeper and by coincidence, Shi Nian stood right beside Jiang Jinyan''s wheelchair. From her angle, she could even see his hair whorl and his distinct, pale fingers which rested on his knees.


    There weren''t any scars on it, unlike the General''s.


    Shi Nian''s heart moved. Once again, she had to remind herself that the General wasn''t the same as Jiang Jinyan, time had been different for all of them. What was she doing, searching for traces of the General in Mr. Jiang? She shouldn''t beparing the two of them anymore¡­


    Thinking about that, her heart became heavy.


    The elevator dinged open on the first floor and they exited. Wei Xiameng pushed on Jiang Jinyan''s wheelchair and whispered in his ears, "Are you hungry? Have you eaten breakfast?"


    "I have eaten. Don''t worry, buy it if you''re hungry."


    See, even his voice was smoother, higher and gentler. It was totally different from the General, Shi Nian convinced herself with a heavier heart. The General had a deep, powerful and maic voice. Once he talked, thousands of people would instantly turn silent. Such was General Jiang Jinyan''s charisma.


    Wei Xiameng was indeed hungry, but she couldn''t possibly leave Jiang Jinyan alone nor could she take him to the queue. In the end, Nurse Zhang came to the rescue. "How about I help you out, Miss Wei? We can apany Mr. Jiang here for a while. Right, Shi Nian?"


    Shi Nian nodded absentmindedly.


    "Really?" She still looked doubtful.


    But Jiang Jinyan patted her hand. "Don''t worry about me. Buy first, don''t get your stomach empty. I will apany you to eat in the garden, okay?"


    "Right. I will go, then." She was finally reassured by Jiang Jinyan''s words and bowed slightly toward Nurse Zhang and Shi Nian. "Sorry to trouble you, Nurse Zhang, Miss Shi. I will be quick!" Then, she turned around and dashed into the cafeteria. Fortunately, it was quite empty so she could make her order fast.


    The three of them stood in a row with Nurse Zhang in the middle. She started to skillfully open some small conversations with Jiang Jinyan, asking about his condition, praising his girlfriend''s thoughtfulness and so on.


    Meanwhile, Shi Nian fiddled with her board. On it was written. [Mr. Jiang Jinyan. I wish you speedy recovery! ¨CShi Nian] But she didn''t know whether it would be weird if she just gave it to him? Afterall, they wereplete strangers¡­


    She tried to imagine a stranger suddenlying out of nowhere and talked to her, acting like they were familiar with each other. She herself felt crept out by it.


    In the end, her courage dwindled and she refrained herself from doing the suicide move.


    Ten minutester, Wei Xiameng returned with her food. She thanked them endlessly while pushing Jiang Jinyan to the direction of the garden. After that, the four of them separated into two. Jiang Jinyan and Wei Xiameng searched for a bench with shade and Nurse Zhang pulled Shi Nian to a ce full of sunshine and told her to walk around.


    She inadvertently saw the words on Shi Nian''s board andughed. "What? Are you a fan of his?" She teased. "Why didn''t you give it to him before?"


    Shi Nian hastily deleted the well wishes on her board and shook her head.


    "Why?" Seeing her so downcasted, Nurse Zhang became worried. "Did something happen?"


    [No.] She wrote and forced a smile. [Just didn''t want to trouble him.]


    He wasn''t the General. He didn''t remember her anymore. He even had a girlfriend. It was enough to see him from afar. It was enough to know that he lived his life well.


    She tried to convince herself again and again.


    Shi Nian shook Nurse Zhang off and walked away, joining the crowd of people who came out to enjoy fresh air. City A''s hospital was truly a topnotch. There were even bungalows built around the garden with a small pool filled with koi fishes.


    She yed with the fat fishes for a while and strolled around aimlessly, unexpectedly bumped into Wei Xiameng and Jiang Jinyan again. Wei Xiameng had her head lowered as she ate her food but Jiang Jinyan, seeing a shadow closing in, lifted his head up.


    Shi Nian was flustered to meet his eyes without any warning and the only thing she could do was to give him a smile and run away. She covered her face and screamed silently. What to do?! She met his eyes aaaaaa! How was her smile? Was it horrifying?! Did it look fake?!


    What to do?! His eyes were so beautiful! He was so handsome without the scars on his face!


    She half ran until quite a distance and knocked herself on the forehead, grumbling incessantly for her excessive reaction. Now, he must have taken her for a weirdo.


    There were cherry blossom trees and trimmed bushes all over the garden, thus it wasn''t unreasonable for one or two butterflies to swarm there, pping their wings yfully and floating around, adding in to the beauty of the tranquil scenery.


    Shi Nian was distracted and before she knew it, she had arrived in front of the bushes. The butterflies were startled by her sudden movement and flew in panic, one of them zoomed right in front of her face.


    Nearby, the shrill voice of a crying baby rang out.


    It ovepped with the pping butterfly right in front of her eyes and Shi Nian found her head spinning all of a sudden. Her limbs turned cold and she was frozen in ce.


    Air dissipated around her and she wheezed. Her hold on her board loosened, causing it to fall to the ground with a tter, but because of the loud voices of the baby and peopleforting them, her abrupt movement didn''t attract any attention at all.


    Shi Nian wed at her throat to no avail and her whole body began to tremble


    Inside her mind, there was an indistinct voice echoing around.


    "Isn''t it beautiful? The butterfly¡­it suits you."


    "Scream or I will cut his legs off. Which one do you choose?"


    "Scream! Why don''t you scream?!"


    Multiple voices rang inside her ears, one was louder than the other. Apanying it was a screeching cry, but instead of a baby, it had turned into one of an adult. Men and women, shing together, forming a whirlpool which seized her of oxygen.


    She coughed so hard that her chest hurt. Face turned blue, tears streamed down her face. Her knees buckled beneath her and she fell. Theck of oxygen made her brain shut down and she crashed onto the ground.


    The voices exploded in her mind, forming together to be a soft whisper of the devil. "Little girl, she died because of you.. See, you''ve be my aplice."

 Chapter 35 - Help Her!

    The girl named Shi Nian was such a weirdo, such was Jiang Jinyan''s thought as he met her eyes only for thetter to bare her teeth at him and run away.


    Only that¡­she had a pair of very unusual eyes. It was golden in color. When the sun shone on her, they turned into a dazzling gold like a sea of glittering stars as if a pair of sun was staring back at him. It made his impression on her grow stronger.


    His eyes couldn''t help but to follow her figure absentmindedly and only when Wei Xiameng finished her food and lifted her head, asking, "Jinyan? What are you looking at?" did he finally snap out of his stupor.


    Wei Xiameng followed his line of sight and caught a familiar figure. "Miss Shi?" She raised one of her brows. "Do you know her?"


    "No," He shook his head. "Just bumped into her a few times before."


    "It couldn''t be helped, you''re on the same floor after all." She scooted closer and whispered. "Why do you think she''s hospitalized? She doesn''t seem to be sick¡­oh, except that she''s mute¡ª"


    "Xiaxia." Jiang Jinyan interrupted her. "It''s not good to talk about people behind their backs."


    Wei Xiameng pouted her lips sullenly and ran off to throw her trash.


    Jiang Jinyan saw her retreating back and sighed. Ever since the episode where he lost his cool¡ªhe didn''t know whether it was just his imagination¡ªit seemed like there was a barrier separating them, making his girlfriend seem more and more distant.


    It was weird. They were talking just fine, but Jiang Jinyan couldn''t get rid of these estranged andplicated feelings.


    He tapped on his knees as he waited for her, his mind wandering. All of a sudden, a cry broke out near him and he jolted in surprise. His head snapped toward the direction of the voice and saw a small toddler fall on his knees, rolling on the ground as he grabbed his bleeding wound. He was crying so loud that it drew people''s attention.


    His parents hurriedly consoled him while the father bowed toward the crowd. "Sorry, sorry, forgive our child."


    "Aiyah, baby, what''s wrong?" The mother gently asked. "Does it hurt? Let mommy look."


    However, the little toddler swatted her mother''s hand and pointed at the cat which had run off into the distance. "Want. Want." He could only repeat those words as he wailed his heart out, his voice echoing miles away, very loud and powerful.


    Jiang Jinyan''s eyes were drawn toward that direction and he inadvertently saw the familiar skinny figure of a young girl.


    His brows knitted instantly.


    There¡­seemed to be something wrong?


    His pupils dted in shock as he caught sight of the girl hyperventting yet no one noticed her. "Hey¡ª" His mouth opened to call for help from nearby guards or nurses while his eyes darted back and forth to search for Nurse Zhang. "HELP HER!!!"


    His voice sessfully drew attention and in the next second, Shi Nian''s knees buckled and she crashed down, her body twitching weakly.


    Screams broke out and the scene turned into chaos.


    "OH MY GOD!"


    "Help! Someone fainted here!"


    Jiang Jinyan himself jolted as he saw her falling down. Due to his instinct, he instinctively wanted to run and help only to be reminded that he was currently bound in a wheelchair with a useless leg¡­


    A gust of harsh wind blew past his ears and a man ran off as fast as an arrow which was released from its bow. He roared in a loud voice. "WHERE IS THE MEDIC?!" Meanwhile, he checked on the unconscious girl, abruptly kneeled down, tipped the girl''s head up and pressed onto her chest with his palms, performing a set of emergency CPR.


    More and more people ran to see the scene and the medical personnel finally arrived carrying a stretcher, Nurse Zhang leading in front of them, her face pale in fright. "Move! Please move! Please give way for the emergency patient!"


    After that, Jiang Jinyan''s sight was obscured by a bunch of crowd and he lost sight of the girl whose hand hung weakly from the stretcher.


    In that exact moment, Wei Xiameng ran back, her face flushed from the sudden exercise. "Was that you who shouted for help?"


    Jiang Jinyan frowned. "Yes¡ª"


    "Oh God, it''s so terrifying!" Wei Xiameng sat down and rubbed on the goosebumps on her arm. "One moment I said that she didn''t look like a sick patient and the next moment, this thing happened!"


    "Move. Move! Please give way!" The medic shouted as they carried Shi Nian in.


    Jiang Jinyan moved his gaze and saw Shi Nian went past him with an oxygen mask covering her face, her figure so thin and face so pale that it looked like she was going to disappear soon. The crowd was still moring about, some were asking around of what was happening and more and more gossip circted.


    Jiang Jinyan''s frown got deeper and he nearly scowled.


    Surprisingly, the man who had given emergency rescue pulled out a police badge and hollered with a deep, powerful voice. "This is the police! Please don''t breach the patient''s privacy and obstruct the medical personnel, or else, you will be fined three thousand yuan!"


    Hearing him talking about money, the hustle and bustle instantly died down and people scattered away, returning the hospital garden into the former tranquil atmosphere.


    Beside him, Wei Xiameng gasped. "It''s actually a police officer!" She whispered in a low voice, excited and curious. "Well, I didn''t know that our city had such a charismatic police officer before!"


    Jiang Jinyan for once didn''t pay her any attention. He was drawn toward the police officer whose face turned darker and darker as he questioned Nurse Zhang, his voice travelled faintly toward his ears, evident on how enraged the officer was. His body exuded undeniable strength and pressure, but right now, veins popped up on his forehead and he looked like a debt collector in demand of money.


    "What the hell happened?! I have just left for one day and she turned out like this?! Why did you leave her alone?!"


    Nurse Zhang apologized profusely, her face distraught with worry. "I apologize, Detective Xu. It''s my fault. I didn''t expect¡ª"


    "Jinyan?"


    Jiang Jinyan turned his head and gave Wei Xiameng a questioning look.


    "Even the police came. Can you guess who Miss Shi actually is?!"


    He sighed, "Let''s go back."


    "But¡ª"


    "Xiameng." Jiang Jinyan called her by her name and Wei Xiameng gave him a look of surprise. "Don''t be such a busybody. It''s other people''s business."


    "Humph! Am I not curious only?!" Sulking, she begrudgingly brought him back to the fifth floor. Their date was destroyed and the atmosphere wasn''t pleasant at all. In the end, Wei Xiameng didn''t stay, made up some excuses and left.


    Jiang Jinyan saw her off with a perplexed look, the gloominess within his chest grew heavier.


    For the next few days, Jiang Jinyan could hear the nurses'' intermittent whispers and gossips of how the patient in room 505 had been rescued from the critical stage, but somehow she hadn''t regained consciousness yet until now.


    Police officers were often seen patrolling around the hospital grounds, or so Wei Xiameng said when she visited.


    It wasn''t until one more week did Jiang Jinyan finally meet Shi Nian again.

 Chapter 36 - Hooray, Her! Good Job, Her!

    It was raining lightly and the sky was dark. The weather forecaster on TV reported that there was a possibility that it would transform into a raging storm in the middle of the night and cautioned people to be careful on the street. If possible, they must not leave their homes unless necessary.


    At that time, Jiang Jinyan had just returned from another session of physiotherapy. The strength in his arms were returning and he was able to push the wheelchair on his own without the nurses'' help anymore.


    He had just exited the elevator when the corner of his eyes caught a familiar figure.


    It was the Shi Nian who was supposed to be lying in the ICU for intense monitoring. Jiang Jinyan was surprised. She had finally woken up from thea? It had been six days, he counted.


    With the rainy night as background, the girl''s back was especially deste and lonely. Jiang Jinyan didn''t know what possessed his mind and before he knew it, he had pushed his wheelchair toward her.


    Instantly, two pairs of eyes turned to him.


    Jiang Jinyan gave them a furtive nce, his eyes calm and clear and the two casually clothed men retracted their gazes but still kept a defensive posture as if they could spring into action at any moment.


    He inadvertently recalled Wei Xiameng''s words.


    The¡­police? They were really monitoring her?


    He returned his eyes to the girl and approached her slowly. The wheels on the hospital floor created a smooth rattling sound, in the middle of the empty hallway, it was especially conspicuous but she didn''t give any reaction whatsoever, just looking out of the window motionlessly as if the rain was the most attractive thing she had ever seen.


    Until Jiang Jinyan tapped on the floor to ceiling ss window, only then did she snap out of her reverie. She turned to him in surprise and seeing him, her eyes widened even more, giving him a wide ess to scrutinizing her features clearly.


    Small oval face, fair skin, bloodless lips, long jet ck hair, she looked like a little doll. Jiang Jinyan had always thought that when Wei Xiameng deliberately widened her eyes and batted her eyshes, she looked especially adorable. But now, he had to retract his previous thought.


    The girl didn''t even do anything but somehow, she exuded a gentle and calm temperament that made people subconsciously rxed around her.


    Jiang Jinyan cleared his throat. "Miss Shi, isn''t it?"


    The girl kept on staring at him, her expression frozen as if someone hit a pause button, if not for her slowly undting chest, then she would really look like a living doll.


    No¡­she seemed to not be breathing?


    "Miss Shi?" Jiang Jinyan had no chance but to call out once again. Inwardly, he thought. Did he look so weird and scary to the point that she was frightened stiff? No¡­the therapist once said that she was his fan? But was she really?


    Shi Nian blinked and the realization dawned on her.


    The one who appeared before her was truly, the real and genuine Jiang. Jin. Yan.


    Shi Nian: "!!!"


    Panicking, she looked around but didn''t find her board anywhere, only then did she remember that she didn''t bring her board out. Helplessly, she stole a few nces at Jiang Jinyan. In a moment of inspiration, she blew hot air into the ss window and wrote with trembling fingers. [Mr. Jiang¡­]


    The words that came out were so wiggly like worms that she was mortified!


    Fortunately, Jiang Jinyan wasn''t a perfectionist nor was he rude like uncle detective. He nced at her words and breathed a sigh of relief. Good, it turned out the girl truly knew him.


    He asked politely, "Have you felt better?"


    Shi Nian blinked and blinked but didn''t know what she was supposed to say. Mr Jiang¡­was asking about her wellbeing? He was worried about her? There was a floating feeling beneath her feet as if she was stepping on clouds.


    But the man took in her reaction by mistake and thought that she didn''t catch his words. "That day, I saw you¡­"


    Shi Nian blushed and lowered her head. She had a thin skin and once she blushed, it traveled from her cheeks to her ears until her neck. [I¡­I am better already. Thank you very much!!!] She added three exmation marks and to his surprise, the girl suddenly bowed her head deeply until her waist was bent 90 degrees.


    Jiang Jinyan was shocked and waved in a flustered manner. The girl''s overly polite demeanor somehow made him nervous. "No, I didn''t do anything. I was just calling for help¡­it''s a police officer who gave you the first emergency treatment."


    She wrote once again. [Thank you!]


    Jiang Jinyan scratched his head awkwardly. "Well, it''s really okay. You too, don''t stand there for too long. Summer wille soon and people will easily catch a cold." Realizing that he had lectured a little young girl with his long winded sentences, Jiang Jinyan looked more and more awkward.


    But the girl''s bright smile soothed her nerves. [Mr. Jiang Jinyan. My name is Shi Nian!]


    Jiang Jinyan paused and smiled. He, too, didn''t realize how easy it was to smile in front of a stranger whom he had just met less than five times. "I know," he gently replied.


    [I live in room 505!]


    "You¡ª" Jiang Jinyan was speechless. "How can you casually tell me your room number?" He didn''t know whether tough or cry. This was the first time he met such a na?ve and trusting girl, even Xiaxia wouldn''t give a stranger her apartment''s number. "Are you not scared that I have bad intentions?"


    After saying it, Jiang Jinyan felt heat rush up to his cheeks. But because he had a thick skin, the color wouldn''t show easily, pardoning him from the embarrassing situation.


    Shi Nian shook her head. [You''re good.]


    He finally chortled out augh. "How do you know?"


    She pursed his lips and gave him a profound look. [I just knew.]


    Somehow, the way she talked and behaved tickled him and his face rxed. The atmosphere around them turned pleasant and harmonious.


    Until all of a sudden, a booming voice echoed across the hallway. "SHI NIAN!"


    The both of them turned in shock only to find an enraged and dark faced young man strode toward them, each step carrying wind and storms.


    "I''ve gone to your room only to find the bed fucking empty! What the hell are you doing strolling around the hallway in a white gown at such ate night? Are you trying to be a ghost?!"


    Shi Nian: "¡­"


    The flowery atmosphere broke off in an instant and Shi Nian''s face turned nk from the full force of questions. She frowned and scowled.


    Jiang Jinyan couldn''t help but to give the man another nce and found that it was the same man who had first ran to her. He pointed out, "He''s the one who saved you."


    But as soon as he said that, the man once again shot his mouth off. "What the heck are you doing there?! Still don''t want to return?!"


    The good guy image Jiang Jinyan tried hard to build for the man was instantly broken to pieces. He was speechless by how rude he was. From young, he had been taught by his mother to respect women, thus hearing such a word, he frowned deeply, contemting. "Are you okay? Do you want me to go and talk to him?"


    Shi Nian shook her head strongly and gave him a look as if saying, "Are you crazy?!"


    Jiang Jinyan: "¡­"


    "Shi. Nian!" The man gritted his teeth and emphasized each word.


    Shi Nian sighed heavily and looked at him with a helpless look.


    Jiang Jinyan smiled in understanding. "It''s okay. Go, it seems like he needs you there."


    Shi Nian secretly rolled her eyes and puffed up her cheeks. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Jiang Jinyan himself went to talk to her without her initiating it! And it was all ruined by uncle detective! Shi Nian really wished that she could brandish her ws and scratched his face.


    She hesitated for a moment and blew hot air onto the ss window, hastily writing word by word. [Mr Jiang Jinyan, I wish you a speedy recovery!]


    Jiang Jinyan was taken aback for a moment and smiled faintly. "Thank you very much."


    Shi Nian breathed a sigh of relief and pumped her fist.. Finally, she could say it to him! Hooray, her! Good job, her! She mustered the brightest smile she could at him and finally turned around to the awaiting Xu Binchen, her look firm in determination like a soldier who was ready for war.

 Chapter 37 - Butterfly. Terrifying.

    Both of them were silent along the way, Shi Nian with her thumping heartbeat and Xu Binchen with his raging fury. Shi Nian didn''t understand, she was just admiring the night scenery. The rain, cloudless night, brilliant dots of lights scattering throughout the houses, made her realize that during her busy life filled with school and work, she had never stopped to appreciate the simplicity of life around her.


    She was just obediently standing there. So, what made him so angry?


    Shi Nian couldn''t resist protesting for her innocence as soon as she got her board.


    Xu Binchen saw her indignation and sneered. "I had just left for half a day and something happened. What I got when I returned was the news of you getting into anothera, so¡­what do you think? Should I be happy instead?"


    Shi Nian pouted. [You will get old quickly like this.]


    Xu Binchen red with bloodshot eyes. "You¡ª!" Take a deep breath, take a deep breath, this was just a little girl, she is not little fatty whom he could bully whenever he wanted. He tried his best to suppress his boiling temper. "What are you doing running around the hospital after waking up?"


    [I am looking at the night scenery.]


    Xu Binchen rolled his eyes dramatically. "And?"


    [And you came.] She couldn''t help but feel aggrieved. Jiang Jinyan went and talked to her! The real Jiang Jinyan! If not for Xu Binchen, then they would have been talking and getting to know each other by now.


    It was all uncle detective''s fault!


    Shi Nian momentarily forgot about her fear and red at him. [You''re getting mad at a patient.]


    He snorted. "And?"


    [I can report you to Doctor Chun for intentionally causing harm toward the patient and you will not be allowed to enter anymore!]


    For a moment, they were engaged in a ringbat which no one would want to step back from. Sweat formed on Shi Nian''s forehead and she was slowly losing her momentum. To begin with, she wasn''t the kind of person who would engage in a high emotional rollercoaster.


    Yet to her surprise, it was Xu Binchen who first gave up. "Okay you win."


    Shi Nian: "¡­"


    She won? Just like that?


    "So...can we talk properly?" Xu Binchen sat down on the couch and even though his tone softened, his face remained haughty and expressionless, making Shi Nian so furious that she wanted to whack his head with her board.


    Who wasn''t talking properly?! Since the beginning, it was he who had gotten angry out of nowhere. It was he who made a mountain out of a hill. It was he who was getting unreasonable. So, who was it that wasn''t talking properly?!!


    In one second, ten thousand words of abuse passed through Shi Nian''s mind but in the end, she grabbed her cup and chucked down the water in tworge cups, then banged the cup back to the table like a person drinking wine. Her chest heaving hard.


    Xu Binchen: "¡­" Teenager. Heh.


    He raised both of his hands in surrender and gestured for her to go on. "Say it, what happened? The police have gone through the surveince record as well as asking the people around but they didn''t find anything worth mentioning. So¡­why did you suddenly have such a huge reaction?"


    Shi Nian''s throat rolled and following Xu Binchen, she sat down opposite him. Her pen rolled back and forth on her palm. With her lips pursed and pale face, she looked so thin under the loose hospital gown, inducing pity and heartache.


    But the heartless Xu Binchen leaned forward and tried to steal a peek. "What is it? Do you really remember something?"


    Shi Nian''s pen glided across the board and she flipped it for Xu Binchen to see. There was a drawing of a butterfly with one of its wings chipped. [Have you seen something like this?]


    Light shed through Xu Binchen''s dark eyes. "What is it?"


    [I saw it.] She was visibly getting more and more ufortable. [Countless butterflies. Flying around me. Choking me.]


    The man frowned. "You said it before. So, what happened in the hospital garden?" he paused. "...Butterfly? You saw butterfly?"


    Shi Nian nodded, her face paler than paper. [Butterfly. Terrifying.] She could only write those two words and after that, her fingers trembled violently and the pen slipped out from her palm, ttering down to the floor. Her shoulder shook and her eyes got unfocused.


    Butterflies. Countless butterflies.


    Someone was screaming, their words blurry in her mind.


    But the man''s voice was crystal clear as if he had whispered it right before her ears. "The butterfly, it suits you."


    Shi Nian had never feared anything in her life. She was an independent girl who could register her paperwork on the first day of school by herself. She could go grocery shopping and cook for herself. She didn''t even fear working untilte into the night.


    But when she faced the butterfly, an unprecedented terror ran through her spine, making her legs go soft. She couldn''t even run even if she wanted to.


    "Shi Nian!" Without her realizing, Xu Binchen had gotten to his knees in front of her, holding her shoulders tightly, his brows furrowing into deep lines. "Look into my eyes! Can you hear me? Follow me, breathe in, breathe out. Good, continue¡­that''s right¡­"


    The forceful hold on her shoulders and the man''s deep voice pulled her back to the ground and finally, she could clearly see Xu Binchen''s worried and irritated face.


    Suppressed fear, anxiety, terror, it all burst out at that moment. A whimper escaped her lips. Squeezed from the deepest part of her throat, like the sound an animal made on itsst breath, struggling to give its final resistance. Tears slid down her cheeks and she grabbed onto him like he was the only anchor amidst the raging storm.


    Xu Binchen''s shocked face was truly rare and if Shi Nian was in her right mind, she would haveughed.


    But no, not right now, not when her whole body was trembling wildly.


    Her dried and chapped lips moved.


    Again and again, the same sentence, she mouthed out. Her tongue rolled, but no sound came out.


    "What?" Xu Binchen leaned forward and tried to read her lips. "What are you saying?"


    From such a close distance, Xu Binchen slowly spelled out. "He. Asked. Me. To. Scream.." Realization dawned on him and he pressed forward. "He asked you to scream? Who is this ''he''? What do you know?!"

 Chapter 38 - I Am A Magnanimous Person

    Shi Nian sucked in a shaking breath and tried to enunciate with her lips, "Don''t remember."


    Xu Binchen realized btedly that the girl was in no condition to speak. Thus, he went out to get a cup of warm water. Meanwhile, Shi Nian ran her fingers through her hair and found that her body was still trembling so hard and her palms were soaked in sweat.


    In this immacte hospital room, she felt suffocated and the anxiety pressed down on her to the point where she couldn''t breathe.


    Before she knew it, she had run out of the door and met Xu Binchen who had returned with a cup in his hand. The man frowned. "What''s wrong?"


    Shi Nian unknowingly heaved a sigh of relief and shook her head.


    Seeing her pale face and tear stained cheeks, Xu Binchen felt a rare emotion known as softheartedness. Unbeknownst to him, his tone softened and his previous anger had flown out to space. "Get back in. What are you waiting for?"


    Shi Nian hesitated in front of the door.


    Xu Binchen didn''t say anything for a while then motioned her toe over. Shi Nian obediently trailed behind him until they reached the floor to ceiling window where she stood a while ago. There was a row of benches there and he pointed, "Sit down."


    Without any words, Shi Nian sat down and a cup of water was stuffed into her hand. "Drink," he said curtly. The warmth of the stic cup travelled from her fingers to her whole body and her tremble lessened somewhat.


    The rain turned heavier, pounding on the window with a loud pitter patter sound. It was quiet all around, and the two police officers had been dismissed elsewhere, Shi Nian couldn''t find them anymore.


    Late into the night, there were only the two of them.


    Even the nurses in the receptionist area were conversing in a low voice. Shi Nian and Xu Binchen''s movement went unnoticed.


    This was a non-smoking area, to Xu Binchen''s dismay. His fingers itched to smoke, but he bit down on the impulse and spoke up, "Do you feel better?"


    Silently, she nodded.


    "Really to talk now?"


    She drank the warm water sip by sip, slowly nodding.


    "Great." Once again, he crouched down and looked her right in the eye. "Remember, whoever it is, he can''t get close to you. You''re safe here. There''s nothing to be afraid of. Okay?"


    Shi Nian was surprised at how reliable he sounded. She nodded again with a faint smile on her lips.


    Xu Binchen licked his gums and started, this time his tone was a lot softer and lower, it perfectlyplemented the rainy night and slightly cold weather. "So, you''re triggered by butterflies."


    Shi Nian''s hands jerked and she almost flung her cup away but Xu Binchen held her hands steadily. His palm was wide, coarse, filled with callouses as well as an unknown sense of security. It wasrge enough to envelop her two palms."Don''t be afraid."


    She looked into his eyes and found the calmness and steadiness in it that slowly affected her. Her tense shoulder loosened and she gave a nod.


    "Just nod and shake your head if you''re notfortable answering. You''re afraid of butterflies."


    Shi Nian nodded.


    "Why? Did the culprit show something to you rted to butterflies?"


    Stunned, Shi Nian started to ponder. From start to end, there wasn''t any butterfly in her recollection, only the vague sounds of screaming and some blurry images filled with blood. So¡­why? Why was she so scared of butterflies? What did she often dream of countless butterflies around her? Where did ite from?


    Xu Binchen kept his eyes on her and changed his words. "Before, you told me that the culprit asked you not to scream. Where did this happen? Was it during your kidnapping?"


    Shi Nian shook her head.


    "After kidnapping?" Xu Binchen contemted. "He locked you in a ce?"


    Shi Nian nodded.


    "With other victims?"


    Nod.


    "Do you remember them?"


    She hesitated and shook her head.


    "Then¡­" He paused. "Do you remember anything about the culprit?"


    Shi Nian sucked in a deep breath and flipped Xu Binchen''s palm, writing there. [Young. Male. Has a nice voice.] She paused and a piece of image floated in her mind. [Scar! There''s a scar on his waist!]


    This was a new development. Xu Binchen''s eyes brightened but his tone remained even and calming. "What kind of scar? Burn scar? Knife scar? Bullet scar?"


    Shi Nian shook her head. [Bite scar. Someone¡­bit him on his waist. He bled and got angry. Then, he killed that person.]


    "What else? Do you remember the culprit''s face?"


    Shi Nian blinked. [I don''t, but¡­mole. He has a mole.]


    ***


    "Yes, that''s right. That''s all Butterfly said." Shi Nian stole a few nces toward Xu Binchen who was talking to his phone beside the window with her legs dangling in midair, a cup of newly made hot cocoa in her hand. Of course, it was Xu Binchen who bought it. Who knows where he went to search for it in the middle of the night.


    Silence for a while. "Okay, I know, Captain Jin. Sure, I will do it." He hung up and their gazes met in midair.


    Shi Nian blew on her hot cocoa and took a sip, her gaze scrutinizing.


    Xu Binchen strode toward her and asked, "What are you looking for?"


    She looked around to search for her board and found it atop of the table. Without a word, Xu Binchen brought it to her along with her pen which had rolled to the ground. He sat opposite her on the couch. The curtain was drawn in her room and it was dark, only the light from the hallway that poured into the room from the door which was slightly ajar.


    The weather forecaster was right. It was one o''clock in the middle of the night, and the rain turned into a heavy downpour. Shi Nian put down her hot cocoa and wrote, [Nothing. It''s just¡­you''re a good detective.]


    ck lines formed on Xu Binchen''s forehead. "Should I say thank you?"


    Shi Nian had been immune to his sarcastic words to the point where she was able to return a witty remark. [No, it''s okay. I am a magnanimous person.]


    Xu Binchen: "¡­"


    Shi Nian blinked innocently. She bowed her head and this time, wrote at a much slower pace. [About today, thank you.]


    "Which part? The one where Iforted you or the one where I broke the hospital rules and hid your condition from Doctor Chun?"


    True, it was Shi Nian who told him to tell Doctor Chun tomorrow. It had beente into the night, she was not willing to disturb the elderly doctor. But hearing Xu Binchen''s words¡­her lips twitched. [Everything.]


    The man waved his hand. "Don''t be. I am a magnanimous person."


    Shi Nian: "¡­"


    Xu Binchen: "What?"


    Surely, she still wasn''t Xu Binchen''s match.


    Seeing her pouting, a fleeting smile crossed Xu Binchen''s face and this time, Shi Nian caught it with her eagle eyes. Her eyes widened dramatically and excitement was written inrge capital on her forehead.


    Xu Binchen frowned and his smile vanished as if it was only an illusion. "What happened?"


    [You smiled! You just smiled!] Shi Nian grinned widely. Being able to make uncle detective smile filled her with an unprecedented sense of achievement.


    "I did?" he frowned. "Why are you so excited?"


    [You never smiled!]


    He raised one brow. "And what does it have to do with you?"


    Shi Nian''s excitement was instantly doused and she resisted the urge to roll her eyes. It wasn''t because she was scared of Xu Binchen, it''s just that she didn''t want to develop cross eyes. The hot cocoa and high emotional rollercoaster sessfully drained her and she yawned.


    Shi Nian didn''t know whether she imagined it or not but Xu Binchen''s voice sounded especially soft and patient, which was really unheard before. "Sleep."


    The rain outside formed a curtain to the outside world, enveloping the two of them in afortable silence. Shi Nian went to her bed andid down while Xu Binchen fixed his position on the couch. His long legs hung from the edge ufortably.


    [Are you sleeping here?]


    "Yes. What should I do if you get into anothera again?"


    She harrumphed but still, the fear of being alone was squished away by his presence. Shi Nian''s eyes quickly became sleepy but as she was ready to enter dreand, all of a sudden, something clicked in her mind and she got up with a whosh.


    "What is it?" Xu Binchen asked, alert.


    Shi Nian reached for her board. [Uncle, may I ask you for a favor?]


    Xu Binchen really wanted to refuse but seeing her eyes, he changed his words at thest second. "Ask."


    [Can you stop by the flower shop and buy some daffodils for me?]


    Xu Binchen scowled. First it was dessert and now it was flower. "What do you want it for?"


    Angry, she rebuked. [You''re visiting a patient! You should bring flowers!]


    Xu Binchen: "¡­fine."


    [Remember, it has to be daffodils!]


    "Yes, yes," Xu Binchen closed his eyes and rested his arms above his forehead.. "Now, rest."

 Chapter 39 - Tousled Her Hair

    Shi Nian would have never guessed that Xu Binchen would appear in her hospital room the day after in such a high profile manner. He wore a ck sweater with jeans, hair slightly messy, looking just like a mature and handsome college student. In his arms was arge bouquet of daffodils. The bright yellow petals swayed elegantly, adding color to his gloomy aura and creating such a contrast that was quite funny that his scariness index reduced by half.


    Doctor Chun was performing a series of tests on her when he entered, the door slid with a smooth sound.


    Four pairs of eyes turned to him, stunned, but he was only looking straight at Shi Nian. Striding in, he handed the bouquet to her in a haughty and nonchnt manner. "For you."


    Shi Nian: "¡­"


    Doctor Chun: "¡­" What the¡ª


    The nurses: "¡­" Oh¡ªem¡ªgeee! Squeal!


    Shi Nian blinked and blinked, and only when the nurse let out a sharp yelp did she snap out of her stupor. She epted the bouquet in a muddle headed manner, her eyes bewildered.


    "What''s wrong?" He tilted his head. "Didn''t you ask for flowers yesterday?"


    Shi Nian''s jaw dropped to the ground.


    The eyes on Xu Binchen turned to Shi Nian, especially the nurses'' eyes which were full of gossip. For a while, Shi Nian really wanted to bury herself into the quilts. Yes, this was what she requested. But she didn''t ask him to give it this way ah¡­


    Such a great morning to start a misunderstanding.


    Doctor Chun cleared his throat. "F¡ªFlowers are good. It''s very colorful, very suitable for young girls."


    "Yes, yes." The nurses chirped. "It''s so beautiful oh~ Do you want me to put it into a vase for you?"


    Now, how could Shi Nian tell them that she intended to give the flowers to Jiang Jinyan?


    The corner of her lips twitched and she shook her head, only putting the flowers atop of the nightstand beside the bed. She mouthed to him, "Thank you."


    Xu Binchen nodded and made himself scarce as he sat on the couch, waiting for Doctor Chun to conclude his examinations. "Okay, it''s quite good. But remember not to strain yourself so much. We will make an appointment with Psychiatrist Yu again in a few days. Rest a lot in the meantime."


    Shi Nian nodded with a smile.


    After making sure that she wouldn''t run off anywhere again, Doctor Chun nodded at Xu Binchen and beckoned for him toe over. Xu Binchen raised a brow but didn''t reject it. He stood up, walked toward Shi Nian and handed her a box which he had been holding, then followed behind Doctor Chun.


    The doctor and nurses went out, leaving Shi Nian alone.


    She looked down on the box and found that it was a smooth, square white box with an emblem of one of the most famous brands renowned for their high quality phone. Shi Nian''s eyes widened in shock. The stic was still untouched, proof that the phone had just been brought.


    Uncle detective...gifted her this? What for?


    Shi Nian was one of the rare creatures who wasn''t obsessed with phones and social media. She preferred to spend her time in supermarkets or part time jobs. Where did she find the time to surf the inte? Her home had an oldputer which her father used which was enough. Phone was just an essory that she carried because of Xia Wei''s insistence, scared that she wouldn''t be able to reach her daughter. Even so, what she carried was such an ancient phone which could only be used to call and send messages.


    Because of the recent ident, her phone had been lost and forever unfound.


    Shi Nian had even inadvertently heard her ssmates moring about this phone when it had just beenunched. It was so pricey that even the richest kid in her ss had to beg his parents for two months prior to get it.


    Such¡ªSuch an expensive and sophisticated phone!


    Thus, when Xu Binchen entered in the next moment, this was what he saw; Shi Nian with a solemn face, kneeling upright on her bed. In front of her was the phone, its box still intact. She looked like she was facing her greatest nemesis.


    He couldn''t resist asking, "Why? Don''t like it?"


    Shi Nian panicked. [No! It''s just...]


    Before she could write it, Xu Binchen nodded. "Good. It''s for you."


    [...so expensive!]


    "Isn''t that what teenagers use these days?"


    Shi Nian, who wasn''t your average teenager: "¡­"


    Xu Binchen sensed something was wrong and waved his hand. "Forget it. Just use it. It''s a gift from the police department. Now that you have a phone, you can call me directly if something happens. Still not opening it?"


    Shi Nian''s brows knitted, she still had a belly ofint.


    But Xu Binchen flicked her forehead and snorted. "What are you thinking so much for? At this time, what you should do is just say thank you and ept it."


    Shi Nian held her aching forehead, dumbfounded.


    Xu Binchen couldn''t resist it any longer and did what he always wanted to do. He tousled the girl''s hair until it became a bird''s nest. "Leave all theplicated things to adults and just live carefreely, okay?"


    Shi Nian looked up at him, her expression foolish to the extreme. Since today, no, was it yesterday, or the day before? Even though Xu Binchen was still rude, frank and annoying, he had retracted the thorns which previously wrapped around his whole body, making the atmosphere around him turn softer and warmer.


    It wasn''t just a matter of hours, but days and weeks. Xu Binchen was gradually changing and somehow, he had started to develop a sense of responsibility toward this underage yet mature sixteen years old girl.


    Maybe Doctor Chun was right. Such a sensible and pitiful girl, who wouldn''t be softhearted?


    So, he was willing to help her even for a bit. To say that it was a gift from the entire police department wasn''t wrong but Xu Binchen had only submitted the form today. It wasn''t possible for it to be processed so quickly but he had gone and bought the phone.


    So be it, he shrugged. Anyway, it''s just a little money.


    He looked down at her and raised his brow, "Still not opening it? Do you want me to serve as your hands?"


    Shi Nian: "...."

 Chapter 40 - Pink Bubbles In The Air

    Shi Nian didn''t have any choice but to dismantle the bouquet and used another wrap paper to create another one, a smaller and more pleasing to the eyes one.


    After confirming that there was nothing out of ce, Shi Nian smiled in satisfaction and went out. Coincidentally, it was Nurse Zhang''s shift today. As soon as she caught sight of Shi Nian, Nurse Zhang stood up and approached her. "Do you need something, Shi Nian?"


    Ever since the incident of her getting into another shorta, Nurse Zhang transformed into an overprotective mother hen, she didn''t lose out against Doctor Chun at all. No matter how many times she stressed that it wasn''t her fault, Nurse Zhang felt a twinge of guilt and strived to watch Shi Nian better.


    Shi Nian put her forefinger on her lips and gestured for her toe over. Then, huddling together, she wrote on her board. [Flower gifting to Mr. Jiang.]


    Nurse Zhang''s face turned strange. Who didn''t know that just this morning, a certain detective appeared carrying arge bouquet and swooned countless nurses'' hearts, almost creating a new wave of gossip and a mass of fangirls?


    "You¡­are giving this flower to Mr. Jiang?"


    [Yes, I asked uncle detective to buy it.]


    Nurse Zhang silently lit a candle for Detective Xu in her heart. "Do you want me to help you?"


    She smiled widely and refused. [I want to do it myself. Don''t worry. I will be back soon.]


    "Okay, then. Be careful."


    Thus, wearing a patient gown, Shi Nian rode the elevator to the first floor and approached the receptionist. A delicate brow and small faced nurse lifted her head and smiled gently. "Good evening. How may I help you?"


    Shi Nian wrote on her board. [Excuse me, I want to send flowers to Mr. Jiang Jinyan who stayed on the fifth floor.]


    "Sure, please let me check for a moment." In the bustling hospital lobby, she didn''t attract much of an attention, especially when there were many patients with hospital gowns strolling around. "Mr. Jiang. Yes, we do have a Mr. Jiang here. May I check the flowers please?"


    The nurse stood up and only then did she realize that the young girl in front of her was wearing a hospital gown.


    The dumbfounded nurse: "¡­excuse me, are you a patient too?"


    [Yes! I live on the fifth floor!]


    The corner of the nurse''s lips twitched, but she didn''tment further and epted Shi Nian''s flowers. "To Mr. Jiang Jinyan. On behalf of whom do you wish to send it?"


    [No. Just send it anonymously.] She grinned.


    Such a weird visitor¡­sending flowers to a patient living on the same floor¡­the nurse tried hard to maintain her smile. "Sure, we will do it."


    [Thank you very much!] Shi Nian bowed slightly and walked away.


    She hummed a random tune, feeling that the sunset today was especially nice. The cherry blossom was going to wither soon, what a pity. But this kind of short lived beauty made people appreciate it more, the light pink petals against the orange sunset was such a spectacr sight to behold, it made people who saw it feel good and rx.


    Shi Nian couldn''t resist imagining how Jiang Jinyan would react upon receiving the flowers. Daffodils. She chose it deliberately for him. It represented hope and brightness in life. She wished for him to be strong and resilient like daffodils, that he wouldn''t be disheartened just because of his legs.


    She really wished for Jiang Jinyan not to drown in depression and sadness, through this flower, she wanted to tell him that he too, could have a new beginning.


    Shi Nian hoped that her wish would get through to him.


    Humming, she skipped her steps and conveniently decided to walk around. City A''s hospital was so nice. Besides the cafeteria, there was also a small library where people could spend their time quietly reading. There was also a four star guest house for the patient''s family to live in. It was very hospitable andfortable.


    Shi Nian passed through the hallway toward the elevator, her eyes ncing outside toward the parking lot and inadvertently saw a familiar figure. Instantly, her feet halted and she stared wide eyed.


    Wasn''t that¡­Mr. Jiang''s girlfriend, Miss Wei?


    Yes, it was indeed Wei Xiameng.


    She was justing down from the car and then someone handed her backpack to her which she received with a bright smile. It was a man with a clear cut and handsome look whom Shi Nian didn''t recognize, his whole body exuded freshness of youth yet there was also a hint of maturity and pride between his brows. Judging from their closeness, he should be Jiang Jinyan''s friend too, right?


    Shi Nian nodded and had just wanted to look away when the sight in front of her nailed her to the ground.


    Besides helping her put on her backpack, the man also brushed her bangs away with a slightly intimate gesture. Then, Wei Xiameng''s glittery eyes peered up at him, bashful and exquisite. Her cheeks painted in a light blush.


    Shi Nian blinked, blinked and blinked.


    Weren''t they¡­a little bit too close?


    The distance between them was only an arm''s length away and just when Shi Nian thought about it, the man cut down the distance even more and hugged Wei Xiameng, whispering something into her ears which made the girl pout her lips coquettishly and hit his shoulder in a yful manner. Then both of themughed happily, Shi Nian could almost see the pink bubbles in the air.


    The elevator in front of her dinged, snapping her out of her reverie. She hurriedly dashed inside and pressed the fifth floor.


    The elevator door closed slowly and from the gap, she could still see how theyughed together. Then the man reached out toward Wei Xiameng¡­and Shi Nian''s sight was reced with her reflection on the metal door. The number of the floor started to go up. One, two, three...


    Only then did Shi Nian realize that her palms were sweaty and her heart was almost sinking down to her stomach, she even held her breath. She took in a deep breath, her mind moring wildly.


    The man¡­should be Miss Wei''s close friend?


    Yes, she must have thought too much. It''s all because of the dramas she saw in her free time! Shi Nian shook her head. It was Jiang Jinyan''s girlfriend ah, how could she doubt her like this?


    She pped her cheeks a few times to sober herself up.

 Chapter 41 - Misunderstanding

    A series of knocks resounded on Jiang Jinyan''s door, followed by his low voice, "Come in."


    Nurse Zhang slid the door open with a smile, her hands holding a small bouquet of bright yellow flowers, blossoming with six lobes with its central bell-shaped crown. They were swaying coquettishly in the air, bringing with them the fresh air of spring. "There''s a delivery for you."


    Jiang Jinyan raised one of his brows. "From who?"


    The nurse''s smile was impable as she said, "Sorry, we don''t know either, it''s anonymous. Do you want me to ce it in a vase?"


    Jiang Jinyan nodded, "Yes please." Afterwhich, his mind wandered. Who would send him flowers? The only people who knew that he was hospitalized were his father and Wei Xiameng. His father was a lost cause, let alone flowers, maybe he had already forgotten that he had a son staying in the hospital.


    Then, the only possibility was¡­Wei Xiameng?


    Jiang Jinyan felt the corner of his mouth curl up and his mood elevated. "It''s beautiful."


    "Yes," Nurse Zhang agreed with a smile. "It''s beautiful indeed." She was dexterous and did her work fast. In less than five minutes, she had found an empty vase, filled it with water and put the daffodils inside. "I will put it on the table by the couch?"


    "No," Jiang Jinyan requested, "Put it on top of the nightstand instead."


    Nurse Zhang beamed, "Sure." She put the vase on the nightstand closest to Jiang Jinyan. Seeing how much the young man liked it, she felt happy for Shi Nian. "Then, I will leave first."


    "Thank you, Nurse Zhang."


    Jiang Jinyan waited until the door closedpletely to reach for the vase. He recalled that Wei Xiameng had always liked flowers, but being the crude man whose brain was only filled with training and training, Jiang Jinyan often forgot to buy it for her on their dates, causing the girl to throw a tantrum until the end, buying flowers before a date became Jiang Jinyan''s habit.


    Now, the girl took the initiative to send him one? It was¡­quite adorable.


    He fiddled with the yellow petals between his fingers, his face donned with a rarely seen smile. Not long after, the person in his mind arrived, carrying with her the bright smile that brushed off the gloom hanging on Jiang Jinyan''s heart.


    "Jinyan, how are you?" Wei Xiameng put down her backpack and approached him. Seeing the flowers in his hand, she eximed in admiration. "Wow, such a beautiful flower!"


    Jiang Jinyan snorted, amused. If she wanted to y pretend, sending the flowers anonymously, then he would dly follow along. "It''s beautiful, right?"


    "Hmm-mm!" Wei Xiameng nodded, looking especially happy today which further confirmed the doubt in Jiang Jinyan''s mind. He rxed and twisted the flowers with his pale and long fingers.


    "It''s such a pity that I don''t know what meaning it carried," he meaningfully said.


    "Then let me tell you!" Wei Xiameng chirped, her voice crisp and clear. "This flower is named daffodil! Daffodils are said to be the first flower we see in springtime and a great indicator that winter is over. Because of it, they are seen as a representation of rebirth and new beginnings. It''s such a meaningful flower, Jinyan, whoever sends it must love you so much!"


    Sure, sure, keep pretending. Jiang Jinyan smiled and titled his head. "You think so?"


    "Yes, haha. I have no reason to lie, haven''t I?"


    "Hmm." He lowered his eyes, joy bursting through his eyes. "Then this will be my favorite flower from now on."


    Both of them were immersed with their own world. She, thinking of the mesmerizing man who had just dropped her off, to the point where the person who would send flowers to her boyfriend slipped out from her mind.


    Meanwhile he, seeing his girlfriend beaming brighter and brighter, thinking that surely, his guess was right. Silly girl, if she had just wanted to send flowers, why should she do it secretly? Jiang Jinyan''s heart melted into a puddle and his stiff expression softened considerably.


    Just like that, the misunderstanding continued¡­


    ***


    Meanwhile, Shi Nian was in a good mood because Nurse Zhang had just reported that Jiang Jinyan liked the flowers very much. She was grinning from ear to ear to the point where Xu Binchen felt crept out. "Why are you so happy today?"


    She drew a big smiley face on her board and hummed a random tune.


    This kind of happiness¡­no one would understand!


    [Uncle detective, are you busy?]


    Xu Binchen rolled his eyes. "Yeah, since when am I not?" Then, his eyes were drawn toward the blooming yellow flowers on the vase and he cleared his throat. "Do you like flowers so much?"


    [Yes, yes! I like it, like it so much! Thank you!]


    So happy just because of a bouquet of flowers? Xu Binchen snorted. Indeed, she was such a simple teenager¡­then, if she was sad in the future, he would have to buy more bouquets and the problem would be solved, right?


    All of a sudden, his phone rang and without any qualms, he epted it in front of Shi Nian. "Yes, Tang Wei?" He gave Shi Nian a furtive nce. "I am in the hospital, what''s wrong?"


    Shi Nian lifted her head and stared at him curiously.


    She saw Xu Binchen''s face sink, alternating between ck and red, brows knitted tighter before he let out a string of curses. "Can you take care of it?! Wait¡ªit hase up to the trending list?! Damn it, just bring it down!" In the end, his tone rose higher and higher into a roar and he hung up with a fuming face.


    Shi Nian fearfully wrote, [Did something happen?]


    "You¡ª" Xu Binchen nced at her and rubbed his face roughly. "Remember, no matter what happens, you must not leave this room as much as possible until the end of the week, okay?"


    Shi Nian''s heart dropped to the pit of her stomach. The first possibility that popped up in her mind was; the serial killer had reappeared. Her small face turned pale, even her fingers were trembling ever so slightly.


    Xu Binchen heaved a sigh and messed her hair up. "It has nothing to do with you. But you''re so damn unlucky to be caught up in it."


    She blinked, confused.


    Sighing again, Xu Binchen grabbed his coat and put it on. "Listen to me. If there''s something you need, press the nurse button and make sure not to show yourself as much as possible, okay?"


    Shi Nian instinctively grabbed onto the hems of his shirt, her golden eyes quivered, filled with inquiry and dependence. Xu Binchen actually felt his heart go soft. He hastily patted her hand two times and flicked her forehead. "Don''t be scared. I will just meet up with little fatty outside the hospital. I will return soon. In the meantime, I will ask a nurse to apany you."


    Thus, without giving Shi Nian any chance to retort, Xu Binchen strode out inrge steps, not forgetting to repeat. "Don''t go outside, you hear me!"

 Chapter 42 - #EmergencyRescueGege

    Xu Binchen had no choice but to return to the Police Bureau because Jin Renguang caught wind of the news and demanded an emergency meeting. He met up with Wang Chengbing outside the hospital. They switched seats and he took hold of the wheel, mming onto the gas pedal and the car shot into the road like a bullet.


    The pressure inside the car was low and the only sound heard was Wang Chengbing typing. Then, he suddenly cursed. "Damn it!"


    Xu Binchen knew that nothing good ever came from his reaction. "It can''t be taken down?"


    Wang Chengbing almost plucked his hair off. Frustration evident in his brows. "Yes, it can. But what''s the use of it? It has already got into the trending topic with more than a million views and 200.000ments! If I delete it, then the whole thing will backfire!"


    Not only would it cause suspicion, but the wave it brought would be more tumultuous instead. After all, suddenly erasing the whole thing should be counted as a guilty conscience right? The choice was either to stay silent or make a rification. However, staying silent wasn''t feasible. Made a rification? What kind of rification could they possibly send out? They were just unlucky passersby!


    They were totally caught off guard, stuck between rock and a hard ce.


    Veins bulged out of Xu Binchen''s forehead. "Why haven''t you detected it before it got into the trending list?!"


    Wang Chengbing was the technician of their squad. Whenever it involved surveince records and cyberspace, then it would be his area of expertise, after all, he had no qualification to be a police officer other than his superb skill as a hacker.


    Hearing Xu Binchen''s words, Wang Chengbing felt really wronged. "Brother, my good brother Binchen. Tell me, who between us has the time to check Weib8[1] every single day?! Do you think I am an inte addict?!"


    Xu Binchen: "¡­" He''s right. Damn it.


    If they couldn''t even find enough time to sleep, who had the leisure to check the trending list in Weib8?


    "Then this time, how did they find out?"


    Wang Chengbing wiped his nonexistent tears. "It''s Senior Ru, alright. She has quite a lot of followers, almost two millions. An inte celebrity. This time, it''s her who inadvertently saw it and informed our Captain. Do you want to see it?"


    Xu Binchen frowned. "I don''t have Weib8."


    Wang Chengbing threw him a rotten look that screamed, "See?! You old man!"


    Xu Binchen: "¡­"


    "Shall I remind you of something?" Wang Chengbing snickered in schadenfreude.


    "What?"


    "You''re also in the video. No, you''re the main protagonist of it."


    "¡­fuck."


    ***


    The whole SCI unit was thrown into chaos.


    And the root of all problems was just a small ount with less than 300 followers. It all started with a video when Shi Nian got into an ident. The original poster, who was only fifteen years old¡ªpractically the time when they couldn''t let go of their phones¡ªwas there that day.


    When people got into panic, the first thing that popped up in her mind was to record a video to gain a small ssh in poprity. The title in the video was very eye-catching. [Who wouldn''t want such a handsome brother to rescue you and give you emergency treatment?! Gege, save me too!]


    Of course, as Wang Chenbing said, the main protagonist in the video was Xu Binchen.


    In the 53 seconds video, Xu Binchen''s taut back was recorded as he performed CPR, his arms muscles flexed, very masculine and full of pheromones. Then, the video shook violently and the scene plunged into chaos, people screaming, inquiring and scooting closer, causing Xu Binchen''s figure to be blocked by people''s backs.


    Then, the medical personnel arrived to bring Shi Nian in, and Xu Binchen''s dark face reflected on the screen. Maybe the girl was frightened as she hurriedly moved the camera away and instead, another handsome man appeared.


    It was Jiang Jinyan who sat on a wheelchair.


    At first, people clicked on her video because of the interesting title. In the first few days, it didn''t cause much reaction, only less than 100 views, but somehow, a popr blogger found it out and reposted it, even added some captions that finally made the whole thing explode. [My fellow sisters and brothers, am I blind or am I blind? Is this Jiang Jinyan, our gold medalist athlete?! Please tell me that I am blind QAQ.]


    The name Jiang Jinyan wasn''t unfamiliar to teenagers, especially when the season of Olympics wasing soon in a few months. Jiang Jinyan had a verified Weib8 ount as a high jump athlete, his followers reached the threshold of 3 million people, proving how much fans he had. He had a wide range of fans, mainly consisting of girlfriend fans, mama fans, big sister fans, brother fans, and perverted fans.


    The man had a gentle contour, but when he smiled, a hint of wild and wickedness could be seen in his eyes, his whole body reflected the recklessness of youth and the vigor of a healthy athlete. A video of his training had garnered more than a million views and it was just a video less than 10 seconds long.


    He wore a loose white shirt with the sleeves rolled up, showing the expanse of his long and fair arms. When he jumped and twisted his body in the air, the light reflected his pale skin and the hem of the shirt shifted up to show his lean and slender waist as well as a pair of legs that were both long and muscly.


    The arc of his back was very attractive, just like a dolphin that performed a jump in the air and sshed back into the water.


    He was both sunny yet entric, sporty yet mature, polite yet nonchnt. Such a contrast was enough to invite moe[2], and his Weib8 was flocked with people who wanted to lick his face through the screen.


    3 million followers, 3 million pairs of eyes, how could they not recognize Jiang Jinyan''s handsome face?!


    Thus, above the trending list of #EmergencyRescueGege, there was #JiangJinyanHospitalized #JiangJinyanWheelchair #CanJiangJinyanStillCompete


    After that, the original poster''s video broke into more than a million views in mere days. She, of course, didn''t expect that her video would be such a huge sensation. Frightened, she hurriedly retracted her post, but it was toote already.


    Screenshots, downloads and records had been spread everywhere, it allid open in front of the wide range of inte.


    Thus Xu Binchen was overshadowed by Jiang Jinyan''s poprity. But it was okay.


    But the problem was¡­Shi Nian was seen in the video in a split second. When Xu Binchen stood up to let the medical personnel do their work, Shi Nian''s face cut into the corner of the screen.


    If nobody noticed it, then okay.


    But¡­what if the serial killer saw it?


    Now, even though it had turned into a trending topic, the original poster had gone into hiding and no matter how loud theizens asked her, she wouldn''t appear, acting as if she was dead. So, Jiang Jinyan''s location hadn''t been discovered yet and the reporter was crazy searching for the ce in the video.


    By now, the video had sat in the top ten trending for 6 hours.


    How long would it take for them to find out the location? How much longer could they maintain the peace in the hospital? Could they still let Shi Nian stay there?


    [1] A popr social media tform in China, let''s censored it haha


    [2] Moe = cuteness/meng

 Chapter 43 - Si Zhening

    The meeting inside the Police Bureau had been going on for half an hour and they had gone through the pros and cons, debating until their saliva turned dry. In the end, Jin Renguang, with a displeased face, concluded. "We will keep on monitoring the development in Weib8. First, Wang Chengbing, go and find some popr topics to press this video down. Humans are social creatures who will lose interest in something old when something more interesting pops up."


    Wang Chengbing saluted with a face which was on the verge of crying. He was a hacker for God''s sake, now he had turned into an entertainment analyst!


    "Xu Binchen, take some people and increase the security in the perimeter of the hospital. Be careful, we don''t want to use the stick to rm the snake, we want to kill it on first strike." Jin Renguang''s eyes were sharp and dark as he said, "If possible, cooperate with Butterfly."


    The thing which Xu Binchen didn''t want to happen the most had finally concurred. Under the table, his fists clenched and unclenched but his face remained sour and cold as he spat out, "¡­fine."


    "Tang Wei, follow Xu Binchen to the hospital. You said that Jiang Jinyan is hospitalized on the same floor as Butterfly? Perfect. Sound out his intention first and we will follow up with the n." Jin Renguang tapped his fingers on the table and sighed. "Jiang Jinyan is the son of CEO Jiang, the owner of Jiang Park Mall?"


    "Yes, Captain." Tang Wei pushed his sses up and enunciated like a walking Wikipedia. "We have contacted Jiang Huocheng, but his assistant was the one who picked up, saying that CEO Jiang is currently on a business trip abroad and can''t be reached in the meantime."


    "A body part is found in the parking lot of his mall and he still has the gall to go on a business trip?"


    Tang Wei shrugged. "Don''t forget. Jiang Park Mall is just one of his properties. He still has some wealth in real estates, casinos, hotels and amusement parks. If he lost one, it wouldn''t amount to much."


    Another detective muttered, "Rich bastard."


    Jin Renguang: "When will he return?"


    Tang Wei flipped his notebook to read the information he had noted of his conversation with CEO Jiang''s assistant. "5th May. There is a possibility of it being longer."


    "5th May?" Jin Renguang repeated, incredulous and enraged. "It''s still more than two weeks'' time!"


    "I know, Captain." Tang Wei rolled his eyes and huffed in irritation. "I have asked his assistant to pass the message. If he knows what is better for him and his son, then he will return."


    Jin Renguang massaged his aching temple andmanded. "After this, go and call his assistant again, press him for answers! If CEO Jiang still doesn''t respond, then say that we will send an arrest warrant to his doorstep!"


    Tang Wei furiously wrote in his notebook. "Aye, aye Captain. Poor Mr. Si Zhening, CEO Jiang isn''t here and he is the one who has to deal with all of the aftermath."


    Jin Renguang snorted. "Do you think we''re not pitiful enough?! Director Fen has been threatening me every day that if we don''t make any progress by the end of this month, he will cut all of our sries by half!"


    Simultaneous groans of pain and despair rang out in the meeting room.


    "How can he do that?!"


    "Evil capitalist!"


    "I haven''t even paid the loan for my house yet!"


    "Now, do you have time to pity other people?!" Jin Renguang said darkly but inside, he was feeling satisfied for pulling hisrades into the same pool of muddy water. "Go! Go and work! Rest of you, keep on investigating from Miss Ru''s profiling! Meeting adjourned!"


    The crowd of tired detectives ran out of the meeting room, each of them had a bitter expression on their face. Jin Renguang was thest to go out and in the hallway, he had just locked the door when a detective approached him. "Ke Shao? What''s wrong?"


    Ke Shao had a heavy frown on his face. "Captain, just now, when you said Senior Ru''s profiling, I was reminded of something and went back to check on it." He handed Jin Renguang a report and flipped to the specific page. "We have screened half of the poption in City S and so far, there are 18 people who match. Please look at this name."


    In the list of 18 people, Jin Renguang looked at the name that Ke Shao pointed to. His heart abruptly sank.


    In that white paper, the ck ink was conspicuous, showing the three characters in a bold font.


    Si Zhening.


    ***


    "Don''t worry. Everything will be fine." Nurse Zhang smiled. "Just focus on your recuperation and leave everything to the police, okay?"


    Shi Nian wrung her fingers and bit her lips, her face anxious. [Is Mr. Jiang okay?]


    Nurse Zhang sighed. "He still hasn''t known about it yet. We are trying to stall time as much as possible lest he will get too agitated. It''s our hospital''s negligence this time that everything bes such a mess."


    Shi Nian pursed her lips and slowly, gingerly stretched out her arm and patted Nurse Zhang''s hands.


    Nurse Zhang was stunned and burst into a bout of heartyughter. "Are you trying tofort me? Don''t worry too much, our hospital has its own regtion when ites to protecting a patient''s personal information." The female nurse looked at her watch and eximed. "Aiyoh, look at the time. I will get going first and visit youter in the afternoon, okay?"


    Shi Nian nodded, smiled and saw Nurse Zhang off.


    Back in the room, she took out the brand new phone which was almost unused. There was nothing inside except some default apps, even the wallpaper was a in blue screen. Her contact was empty except for three people''s number; Xu Binchen, Doctor Chun and her mother.


    Originally, Shi Nian had no intention of using this phone at all, searching for time when she would finally be able to return it back to its rightful owner. But today, her fingers pressed on the Application Store, searched for Weib8 and downloaded it.


    In the span of time that it took for the app to appear in the front window of her phone, Shi Nian''s palms had gotten sweaty.


    This should be counted as her debut to social media?


    With an awkward movement, she tried to register a new ount and when the interface popped up, asking for her to read the Terms and Conditions before agreeing, she read each word carefully until her eyes stung, until the end, she managed to enter her email and was asked for a username.


    Her fingers hovered above the screen and slowly typed.


    Missing You for a Century[1].


    Then the app started loading and the trending topics appeared in front of her eyes.


    [1] In Mandarin, this will sound like; Si Nian Shi Wan Nian, it just sounds poetic and fit her name so much haha

 Chapter 44 - Do You Miss Me?

    The sharp beep of the rm clock echoed throughout the dim room. The curtain was drawn and the only light came from the gap of it, shining onto the shirt that was hung neatly in front of the closet.


    A long, slender arm slithered out from deep inside the nket, blindly reaching onto the nightstand beside the bed, unable to find the source of the ringing sound. Irritated, the young man on the bed let out a groan, he finally cracked his eyes open and found his phone, swiped the rm off and finally, silence and peace returned.


    He heaved a sigh of relief and closed his eyes again.


    Then, five minutes after that, the rm sounded again.


    He ruffled his hair in frustration and sluggishly got up. The nket slid down from his body, showing a naked upper body filled with honeyed skin and slender muscle. Sleepiness left him and he could finally see the time.


    6.46 AM


    "Damn it," A low, hoarse voice sounded. "I should have slept for four more minutes."


    Devoid of any choice, he got up, reached for the shirt and wore it. The bathroom door closed behind him and the sound of water was heard. A few minutester, he returned with his face still dripping with water, his hazy eyes finally cleared up.


    Taking the phone, he looked at it. 7.00 AM. The round numbers made his mood soared and he hummed, obviously in a good mood, contrasting on how he found 7.03 AM yesterday which caused his bad mood to continue throughout the day.


    He opened the messages and replied to some, solving the urgent matter first before rxing and opening Weib8. New topic came up every single day and usually, he would just skim through it, but this time, his eyes were drawn toward the eyecatching hashtag #EmergencyRescueGege and #JiangJinyanWheelchair


    Of course, he knew who Jiang Jinyan was, he even followed thetter''s Weib8.


    A short video came out and he yed it with meager attention.


    All of a sudden, his pupils dted and he froze. The hands holding the phone jerked violently, causing it to crash to the ground with a muffled thud. He snapped out of his thoughts and hastily reached out, reyed the video, paused in a certain time and zoomed in.


    The face of the girl in the stretcher passed through, just for one second.


    But it was enough to make him tremble. He covered his mouth with shaking hands and a suppressed whimper escaped his lips, before gradually growing louder and louder and turning into an excited guffaw.


    "You''re alive! You''re actually alive!" Heughed until his body doubled over, rolling across the bed and his eyes wet in tears.


    His breath quickened and he reyed the video once again. This time, he put in 120% of focus, scrutinizing each detail that appeared in the video. "Oh?" His shoulders shook in exhration. "Isn''t this¡­City A''s hospital?"


    The corner of his mouth lifted into a wide grin, just like a child who had gained his precious toy, his eyes shone in crazed madness.


    "I didn''t expect you to be so close, darling."


    He got up and pulled the curtain open, bright sunshine poured into the room, illuminating a neat space that was so tidy and clean that not even a hint of dust could be seen. The bedsheet, sofa, cab, nightstand and chair were all in the same color, with the wall and floor decorated in a warmer tone.


    Behind him, there was a board with photographs lined up in rows, each separated with the same width, not even one centimeters less. If Jin Renguang was there, then he would recognize each of the people in the photographs in one nce.


    Of the fourteen photographs, thirteen of them had red crosses on them.


    Only one that was still pure, unblemished, showing the figure of a smiling girl as she worked in a convenience store.


    The girl''s face was exactly the same as the one in the video.


    ***


    "So, what are you calling me for in the middle of the night?"


    It was the first sentence Jin Renguang said as he stepped into Ru Meiqi''s apartment. He put his shoes inside the cab, tidied the woman''s messy high heels along the way and ttened the wrinkled doormat.


    Jin Renguang still carried the scent of rain from outside, and when Ru Meiqi gave him a cup of hot coffee, he instantly wrapped his huge palm around it to seek warmth. He sipped on it and frowned. "Bitter."


    "One cube of brown sugar?"


    "No. I''ve gotten past that," He took two more sips and said, "Now, three cubes."


    Ru Meiqi scoffed and went inside.


    "Hey, you know, working as a Captain drains my mind, I need sweetness to keep myself awake." He chased after her, acting like a little tail. "So, how about yours?"


    Ru Meiqi didn''t even give him any nce. "You know I don''t have a sweet tooth."


    "Yeah," He chuckled. "But who knows? People''s preferences change and it''s been five years."


    Ru Meiqi had rented a two room apartment right in the middle of a busy district in City A. It was very convenient because there was a 24 hours supermarket on the ground floor, and the subway station was only 5 minutes away. She could drive to the Police Bureau in 10 minutes and moreover¡­Jin Renguang was right on the upper floor.


    Of course, Ru Meiqi didn''t know this fact when she moved in, if not for meeting the man when she went to buy sanitary pads.


    She wouldn''t forget Jin Renguang''s pleasantly surprised face as they met. "Meiqi? What are you doing here? You¡­couldn''t have lived here too, right?"


    That ''too'' got her into another whirlwind of mess that she didn''t want to take part of. Ever since she returned to China, she had the feeling that both of them had many coincidental encounters. Too many to be counted as coincidental. He was the Captain of the first case she took when she returned and now, he was her upper floor neighbor.


    She stood in front of the floor ceiling window, overseeing the glittering light of the lively city from 16 floors above. The steam from the coffee blurred her face, but she could still see Jin Renguang''s eyes clearly through the ss, staring intently at her.


    Then, in the next moment, she felt the man''s heavy head rested on her shoulder as well as his sickening draggy, sticky voice. "Tell me, why did you call me here?" His hands started to act on their own and snaked around her waist, pulling her back into his chest. His low voice echoed in her ears. "Do you miss me?"


    "No," Ru Meiqi finished her coffee and peeled his muscled arms away, walking toward the kitchen to rinse the cup. "Have you finished yet?"


    "No, it''s too bitter." Jin Renguang leaned himself on the kitchen door frame as if he was a boneless creature.


    "Then don''t drink it."


    "No way!" He eximed. "You made it for me!"


    The sound of running tap water stopped. Ru Meiqi wiped her wet hands and turned to him, her unfocused eyes were emotionless. "Renguang."


    Jin Renguang straightened up and if Ru Meiqi didn''t know him like the back of her hand, maybe she would have thought that he was nervous.. But no, she had had enough. "Until when will you be like this?"

 Chapter 45 - You And I, We Are Possible

    Jin Renguang was stunned for a moment beforeughing. "What do you mean? Haven''t I always been like this?" He stepped forward and poured the remaining coffee which he just said that he couldn''t bear not to drink down the sink and rinsed the cup.


    Ru Meiqi stared at him silently.


    He was always like this, whether it was back then or now.


    When he met something that he didn''t want to face, he would alwaysugh it off as a joke. But Ru Meiqi certainly wasn''t joking. "Renguang, I have said it before but I will say it again now. You and I, we are impossible."


    "Meiqi!" Jin Renguang propped his arms onto the corner of the sink, his back muscle stretched taut and the veins along his arms bulged. It was as if he could crush her sink with a little bit of strength. Ru Meiqi was worried he would do just that, but when Jin Renguang turned around, he had returned to his usual frivolous smile, rxed and nonchnt. "Let''s talk about this next time."


    Ru Meiqi''s heart slowly sank as she walked out of the kitchen. "Follow me."


    The distance of ten steps were spent in silence, both immersed in their own thoughts. Ru Meiqi opened another door and went in. Jin Renguang had no choice but to follow her. His foot halted at the door as he took in the surroundings.


    It was supposed to be a bedroom, but it had been modified into a study. No, it wasn''t exactly a study, only the shelf full of books that was befitting of the study, but on the other two walls¡ªexcept for another floor to ceiling window¡ªit was covered with maps, photographs, notes, scribbles and analysis.


    Jin Renguang had nothing to say except, "Wow."


    After he closed the door behind him, hemented. "If Tang Wei sees how meticulous you are, he will surely grovel on your feet."


    Jin Renguang tried to y it cool, but in the end, he couldn''t betray the subconscious reaction of his body. He fidgeted in difort. This kind of messyposition, scrawny scribbles and even the way she haphazardly put the books on her shelf made him ufortable. It triggered his OCD,pelling him to tidy it for her.


    He averted his gaze outside the floor to ceiling window to calm his agitated emotion.


    At that exact moment, Ru Meiqi''s cold yet soft voice sounded. "I have no time to tidy it up, so bear with it for just a moment."


    Instantly, Jin Renguang felt his difort cut down by half. He looked at Ru Meiqi''s slender back, a hint of smile hidden deep within his eyes. This kind of woman, could he give up on her?


    Without turning around, Ru Meiqi gestured for him. "Come here."


    Jin Renguang begrudgingly forced himself to the front of the wall which was full with the maps of City A, City S, City H, and City T. It was the maps from where the body part was found before. She had even added a mark on each of the locations where it was found.


    Just looking at it gave Jin Renguang a headache. "What do you want me to see?"


    "Look at this map." She reached for a marker and tapped on City S'' map where the percentage of body parts found was thergestpared to all. "What do you see?"


    Jin Renguang knitted his brows. The scattered dots made him irritated. "Roads, lines, dots."


    The corner of Ru Meiqi''s mouth twitched. "See, someone with OCD will not be able to bear looking at these messy points without getting a headache. Supposedly that the culprit has OCD more severe than you, then these marks aren''t for nothing."


    Jin Renguang was finally attracted by her words. "What do you mean?" He turned around to find Ru Meiqi''s focused side profile, the yellow light above the wall highlighted her sharp cheekbones and thin lips.


    "If I put myself in the culprit''s shoes," She uncapped the marker and drew a set of lines. "These locations are significant to me because theymemorate the event when the police are unable to catch me. I have obviously given them such a tant clue, but they are still clueless like a bunch of headless flies, only able to buzz here and there."


    Jin Renguang: "¡­"


    Ru Meiqi gave him a sideways nce and finished her soliloquy. "Captain, I have some insight toward these kinds of criminals. After sessfullymitting crime after crime yet still undiscovered, he will develop some sort of arrogance and a need to show off. He has been rampaging for a year already, it is impossible for him not to leave us some clues."


    "Clues?" Jin Renguang frowned. "He gave us clues? Is he stupid? Does it mean that we can catch him easier?"


    "Simple, it just adds to the excitement." She analyzed. "After killing more than ten people and causing panic among the masses, he will feel satisfied at first, but then, he will slowly turn numb and want to chase after another form of satisfaction."


    Jin Renguang cursed under his breath. "And that is to y cat and mouse with the police?"


    "The fact that you are still unable to catch him is irrefutable." Ru Meiqi shrugged. "Now, let us return to the map. If I am the culprit, I will leave clues in the way that is easy to find but also one that the police will never think of so that when they find out, they will realize how stupid they are."


    "See these marks?" Ru Meiqi started to connect the dots. "If I draw it like this¡­"


    A tangible shape started to form under Ru Meiqi''s hands. Jin Renguang saw it and he almost choked on his breath. "What is he? An elementary kid?"


    The scattered dots, when connected, would form a picture of the sun with spikes around a circle, just like one which was drawn by elementary kids in their art homework. Furthermore, every spike was drawn in the exact same length, the precision was as if the culprit had especially counted every degree and divided it meticulously.


    Ru Meiqi snorted. "Maybe his way of giving clues is like an elementary kid, but can you guess it? Can you find it? By now, even if he walks under your nose, you will still be unable to identify him!"


    Jin Renguang: "¡­"


    He started to scan the map with intense focus. "Then, if he works like this¡­" He snatched the marker from Ru Meiqi''s hands and moved to the map of City A. He tried to superimpose the maps with each other. Even though City A''s maps only had 5 dots on it, he connected it only on that part and managed to draw a line where there wasn''t any dot yet.


    Jin Renguang was stunned, the tip of the marker hovered above andmark.


    Ru Meiqi finished for him. "Here is where he will dump the next body part."


    The Recreation Park of City A.


    Jin Renguang cursed under his breath but his eyes brightened. He whipped out his phone and started to make calls. When he had walked out for two steps, he turned around to find Ru Meiqi still standing on her original ce, her eyes unfocused as if she was in daze, but Jin Renguang knew that she was looking at him.


    With the background noise of Tang Wei''s shouts, he turned around, crossing the distance with fourrge steps and kissed her on her lips in a quick, passionate kiss.


    Ru Meiqi''s eyes widened and when she wanted to push him away, Jin Renguang had let her go. A smirk hung on his lips. "Meiqi, you and I, we are possible," he dered before disappearing from Ru Meiqi''s apartment, mming the front door behind him.


    Ru Meiqi fell into a trance, she numbly wiped her lips. "¡­crazy bastard."


    .


    .


    A/N:


    hello, my dearest readers! As of today, this story is officially contracted! What does it mean? It means that the gift button is unlocked, you can send me gifts to support and cheer me up ^o^/ but don''t worry I don''t have ns to lock it at this moment so this story will stay free for reading! Thank you very much!

 Chapter 46 - Tragic Scream Of Young Master Nan

    "AAAAAAH! OW¡ªOW¡ªOUCH!"


    One fine morning, even before Shi Nian woke up from her deep slumber, a tragic scream echoed throughout the entire floor. She sat up in shock, her eyes still bleary with drowsiness. Her first reflex was to go out and see what was happening, but when she remembered Xu Binchen''s words, she refrained herself and only slid the door open by an inch.


    She stered herself onto the door and peeked outside.


    "It hurts! It hurts so much! I am not lying! Give me anesthesia!" She could hear the voice of a young man reverberating through the hallway, followed by the familiar voice of Nurse Li.


    "Young Master Nan," Nurse Li spoke patiently. "We gave you some anesthesia for your operationst night. It has surely worn off a bit by now, that''s why you feel a bit of pain."


    "Then give me more!"


    "We can''t do that. Please bear it for now, if you can''t endure it any longer, feel free to press on the nurse button."


    The young man''s angry voice sounded closer and closer, mixing with the sound of rattling wheels and distinct footsteps. "Where is the nurse button?! I want to press it now!"


    "Young Master Nan¡­"


    Shi Nian could imagine Nurse Li''s helpless face as she faced this Young Master Nan. Anyway, judging from their conversation, it looked like another new patient.


    Shi Nian was right. The patient who had juste inst night was named Nan Xukun. He was the son of the Conglomerate Nan Cheng who entered the Forbes Top 30 for being the most inspirational figure of the country.


    For such an antisocial and introverted person like Shi Nian to know Nan Cheng, it proved how famous he was. How could he not be? Nan Cheng was an orphan who fought his way up thedder of society until he made his foothold in the upper circle of the riches, his struggle and sess had been made into stories and documentaries, every single youngster had once been motivated by him.


    Shi Nian too, when she was at her lowest, one of Nan Cheng''s sentences had pierced through the gloom and rekindled the light of hope in her. At that time, she was burdened by her job, schoolwork and a nonexistent social life. In short, she was experiencing a rebellious period where she felt unsatisfied with every aspect of herself.


    When she rode her bicycle through the city, the billboard on the street was showing one of his interviews.


    The interviewer asked him. "Do you have something to say to the people who are struggling with their life right now?"


    Nan Cheng smiled. He was a middle aged uncle, but his charisma and looks were top notch. 90% of the pedestrians stopped walking to watch the billboard, including Shi Nian. "Nothing. I know that motivational words are many, just search for some on the inte and there you have it. Whether you read it or I read it for you, it''s all the same. What I can say for you is based on what I''ve experienced."


    "Above the sky, there will be another sky. Give up or not, it''s your choice. But if you give up at this point, remember that there will be people who will be sad and angry on your behalf. If there isn''t any, then you can mourn for yourself."


    The interviewerughed and Nan Cheng chuckled along. "I am not kidding. Everyone can disappoint you but only you will not disappoint yourself. Think back on how much you''ve gone through to reach this point, can you bear to let go? Can you disappoint yourself? That''s all."


    It was the only time Shi Nian ever saw Nan Cheng.


    He was just so, so far away from her that it felt unreal.


    Everyone wished that they could reach Heaven''s high, but Shi Nian was different. She never wished to be a billionaire who could summon a helicopter with a wave of her hand. She just wished for stability in life, spending every single day with the people she loved, eating good food, walking down the street under the sunset, inhaling fresh air every morning.


    It was enough. Just that simple.


    She didn''t expect that fate would one day bring Nan Cheng''s son in front of her, nor did she expect that they would have further connection.


    Until the day when Nan Xukun called out, "Hey! Little meimei[1]!"


    Shi Nian didn''t react because she felt that she wasn''t anyone''s sister. Until Nan Xukun''s voice grew closer and closer, Shi Nian turned her head, confused.


    "Little meimei, why are you ignoring me?"


    How to say? The man in front of her was truly¡­entric. He was tall, almost 180 cm with sharp features, thick eyebrows and an aggressive smile. His hair...amidst the ck, there were strands of blue, silver, green and gold. It was very colorful. His right arm was slung over his chest with thick bandages over it.


    Even when he was d in hospital gown, it couldn''t diminish his unruly presence.


    Nan Xukun was grinning as he sat beside her. "Little meimei, what are you looking at so seriously?"


    Shi Nian was sitting on the bench in front of the floor to ceiling window as usual, almost dozing off. Every day, she was stipted toe out and sunbathe for one hour while there were nurses and police officers in civilian clothes who patrolled around.


    When a stranger suddenly spoke to her so enthusiastically, the antisocial Shi Nian crashed down. Dumbfounded, she pointed at her nose. Her face had arge question mark on it.


    "Yes, I am talking to you!" He chuckled. "What is your name? Which room do you stay in? My name is Nan Xukun, I am in 508!"


    He wanted to stretch his right arm out but was obstructed by the knot on his neck. Grimacing in pain, he bared his teeth. "Ah, it hurts. Sorry, I want to shake your hand but it is not possible." He paused. "Then let''s use our left hands!"


    Just like that, he stretched out his left palm.


    Shi Nian was amused and used her left palm too.


    Nan Xukun''s eyes brightened up and under the sunshine, Shi Nian could see that his eyes weren''t ck, but dark grey with a ring of green on them. It was a very peculiar yet beautiful color.


    After that, Shi Nian hurriedly reached for her board and wrote. [My name is Shi Nian, I stayed in 505!]


    The man looked at her board intently, his smile vanishing. "You¡­can''t speak?"


    Shi Nian nodded earnestly.


    Nan Xukun turned silent.


    Somehow, his serious face made Shi Nian''s heart thump. Could it be¡­? Nan Cheng''s son, Young Master Nan Xukun, was disgusted with a mute?


    "You¡ª" Nan Xukun lifted his head, his left arm reached out and all of a sudden¡­hugged her shoulder. "I''m sorry! I am so insensitive! I shouldn''t have asked that kind of question directly!"


    Shi Nian: "¡­" Dumbstruck.


    Nan Xukun was a healthy 18 years old male. Having yed around for half of his life, doing extreme sports which caused him to break his arm, he had a strength like a mule. Shi Nian''s weak physique couldn''t rival him at all. When she was hugged, her bnce was thrown off and she fell forward.


    Her arms instinctively reached out to stabilize herself and¡­pressed onto Young Master Nan''s injured arm.


    Once again, a tragic scream rang out along the hallway.


    [1] meimei = sister

 Chapter 47 - Sweet Talker

    After the breakthrough analysis in Ru Meiqi''s apartment, Jin Renguang pulled a continuous all-nighter until three dayster, he managed to form aprehensive report to send to the Director of Police Bureau for eptance.


    Subsequently, he was engaged in a heated argument with Director Fen over the conclusion of Ru Meiqi''s analysis. Director Fen roared through the phone, "Evidence! I want evidence! What is with that analysis?! How can I submit it to higher-ups, saying that we can predict the culprit''s movement just by drawing a damn sun?!"


    Jin Renguang roared back. "I will give you the evidence if you sign the application! Without authority, I can''t casually deploy people to monitor the Recreational Park!"


    They went back and forth for two hours, the content of their conversation revolved around proof and logic. Jin Renguang had realized that the way Ru Meiqi did things was different, totally different from how the detectives worked.


    They relied on proof to chase the criminal''s trail while Ru Meiqi relied on the trail the criminal left behind to find the proof. It was like having your views upside down, no one could ept it wholly at first.


    But Jin Renguang had firm confidence in her. In the end, he dropped an ultimatum. "I am willing to take all of the responsibility! If I don''t find the body part there, then I will resign as the Captain of Special Criminal Investigation Unit!"


    Director Fen was silent. "¡­Are you sure?"


    "Yes, I am sure. 120% sure! Director, how long have you known me? Am I the kind of person who will talk nonsense with you?!"


    "Fine¡­" A hint of exasperation could be detected from the other line of the phone. "I will cover you. Just this once. If you fail¡­"


    "Yes, yes, I know. I will not fail you!"


    Finally the matter was settled and he could spread the. A knock sounded from the door. Jin Renguang pinched his brows and said tiredly. "Come in."


    Tang Wei pushed open the door and reported. "Captain! CEO Jiang''s assistant, Mr. Si Zhening just confirmed that he wille to the police station tomorrow on behalf of CEO Jiang!"


    "Nice!" Jin Renguang grinned wildly. "Tell Ke Shao to receive him."


    Tang Wei saluted. "Aye aye Captain!"


    Si Zhening said that he would arrive at the police station at ten and there he was, not even one second of deviation. As Jin Renguang demanded, he was escorted into the interrogation room. There was only a in table with two chairs, a surveince camera that shot squarely on Si Zhening''s face and one side of the wall being a one sided mirror.


    Jin Renguang sat on the other side of the room as he scrutinized Si Zhening through the one sided mirror, the rest of the detectives behind him.


    They had already investigated Si Zhening before they came, so they weren''t surprised to find such an out of ce human amidst the barbaric and sleep deprived police officers. He was like a butler in Mediterranean era, he wore a slim fit suit with white shirt beneath it, gold rimmed sses with silver chains hung by the side of his face, with shoulder length hair which he tied back in a ponytail behind his neck.


    He carried a small briefcase in his hand and when Ke Shao gestured for him to sit, he smiled courteously and even shared his gratitude. "Thank you very much, police officer. You''ve worked hard. I know that CEO Jiang has burdened you and I am sorry on his behalf. I am willing to cooperate with your investigation, just ask me and I will answer to my utmost ability."


    Sweet talker, Jin Renguang narrowed his eyes. Faker, he added.


    Then, he pulled the chair out softly, putting the suitcase neatly on the table and sat down calmly. He looked around with a faint smile on his face, not even a hint of nervousness could be detected.


    Ke Shao licked his finger and flipped the page of the document in his hand. Compared to Si Zhening, Ke Shao who only had time to wash his face and brush his teeth looked like a beggar on the verge of attack. "Thank you foring all your way here, Mr. Si. I hope that you will answer all of our questions honestly."


    "That''s for sure," Si Zhening smiled gently.


    "Your name."


    "Si Zhening."


    "Age."


    "24."


    "upation."


    "I am one of the assistants of CEO Jiang. I am responsible for his affair when he is gone on business trips."


    "How long have you been working for CEO Jiang?"


    "Hmm, let''s see. As of today, it will be 2 years, 4 months and 17 days."


    Ke Shao nodded without a change of expression, the hands turning the page paused. "You''re born in City S?" He asked casually.


    "Well, yes. I am a native of City S, but I moved to City A when I was epted in Jiang Corporation. Is something the matter?"


    "No," Ke Shao seized the chance to catch him off guard. "Mr. Si, on 12th April around 5pm to 9pm, can you tell us your whereabouts and what you were doing at that time?" That was the date when they found Yang Shijin''s leg in the parking lot of Jiang Park Mall. Because the area was a blind spot of surveince record, they could only estimate the time when the bag was being dropped off.


    A sh of surprise passed through Si Zhening''s eyes. "What? You''re suspecting me? Aren''t you supposed to ask CEO Jiang about that?"


    Ke Shao gave a fake smile. "This is just our procedure, Mr. Si. Sorry for the inconvenience but if you may, please give an answer. On 12th April around 5pm to 9pm, can you tell us what you were doing at that time?"


    Si Zhening lowered his eyes, his lips curled gently. "Hmm, wait. 12th April¡­let me think for a moment."


    Jin Renguang never took his eyes off Si Zhening''s face, his gaze deep and profound.


    ***


    "Thank you very much for your cooperation, Mr. Si. We will notify you on the further development." Ke Shao''s smile became much more genuine as he escorted Si Zhening out.


    The man smiled, still with that impable and polite smile. "No, it''s my pleasure. Please contact me if you need me again."


    His back was straight, his steps casual and long as he strode out of the police station. The chauffeur stood beside the ck Benz, caught sight of him and opened the passenger door. Si Zhening smiled and said his thanks as he slipped into the back seat.


    Ke Shao was still standing in his ce and when the car started, Si Zhening lowered the window and nodded briefly at him.


    "Mr. Si, where are we going next?" The chauffeur asked.


    It was almost noon. The sun was ring and the air inside the car was quite stuffy. The buzz of the air conditioner sted cold and fresh air, mixed with the scented pouch that CEO Jiang chose himself. It smelled like a mixture of coffee, ash and vomit.


    Si Zhening leaned himself back on the seat and let out an inaudible sigh. He unbuttoned the top of his shirt, the previous courtesy he showed to Ke Shao was nowhere to be seen, only a faint indifference and annoyance.


    But when he heard the chauffeur''s question, his smile deepened. "To City A''s hospital, please.. Thank you very much."

 Chapter 48 - Wallpaper

    Young Master Nan was very unlike your usual young master. Well, not that Shi Nian knew any other young masters. He inherited his father, Presdir Cheng''s deep set eyes and enigmatic smile, it made him look more profound and mature than the other men his age. However, he was very down to earth, so humble that sometimes it made Shi Nian forget about his identity.


    The time when Shi Nian had to sunbathe alone turned to two upon Young Master Nan''s arrival. "Little meimei! You''re here early!"


    Shi Nian gave him a smile as she waved her hand.


    Nan Xukun seemed like he didn''t have any idea about personal space at all as he sat beside her, so close that their shoulders were touching. Shi Nian was still not used toward his close proximity, afterall, they had just known each other for three days.


    Young Master Nan''s smile was very sincere, his eyes crinkled with genuine and warm smile, causing people who received his smile to feel like he was really happy to see them. The same case could be seen in his eyes. When he looked at you, it gave you the impression that you were the only one in his world.


    Maybe that''s why Nan Xukun became so famous on the entire fifth floor despite his peculiar behavior and strange temper.


    Shi Nian felt quite ufortable because she didn''t like to be the center of attention. Instead, she was the kind of person who liked to squeeze into the corner of the room to grow mushrooms. But then, Nan Xukun never mind her alienation, or maybe he didn''t even realize, Shi Nian didn''t know.


    He grinned, showing his pearly white teeth. "How are you today?"


    Shi Nian gave him her thumbs up.


    "Really?" He looked incredulous. "Can you really survive on this hospital''s unptable dishes?"


    Shi Nian tilted her head, confused. She felt like the food served in the hospital was quite good. It tasted better than the food that her neighboring auntie used to share with her.


    Nan Xukun huffed. "I am going to ask my dad to sponsor this hospital''s canteen! How can they make such food? Anyway, how old are you? How long will you stay in the hospital?"


    Young Master Nan was the kind of person who could change topics in a blink of an eye and wouldn''t bat an eysh on it. Shi Nian had quite grown used to his temper in the past few days. [I am 16. I don''t know¡­I am waiting for my mother toe.]


    "Sixteen?!" He gasped. "You look so young and tiny! I thought you''re only thirteen or fourteen!"


    Shi Nian pursed her lips, upset. [I am an adult already!]


    "Okay, okay." He chuckled. "Where is your mother?"


    [Working.]


    "Where? Why haven''t I seen her around?"


    Shi Nian didn''t know whether anyone would ask about a stranger''s parents when they had just known each other for a few days or Young Master Nan was just being overly friendly. But to be polite, she answered casually. [Abroad. She ising back soon.]


    Nan Xukun wilted like an inted balloon. "Really? If you''re gone, who should I talk to?! This floor is so boring! There''s no one around!"


    [There is¡­] Shi Nian thought for a while but decided not to divulge Jiang Jinyan''s identity. [There''s nurses and doctors.]


    "How can nurses and doctorspare to a little meimei?!"


    Shi Nian: "¡­"


    "Where is your school? Which grade are you on? Are you a highschooler? I am eighteen, let''s see¡­" He counted with his fingers. "I have dropped two grades, so currently I am in the first year of high school." Speaking until here, heughed mischievously. "But then because of my injury, I am forced to recuperate at home for three months. Should I drop a grade again?"


    Shi Nian, who studied so hard like a dog, couldn''t rte¡­


    Nan Xukun had just wanted to talk again when his phone rang. He clicked his tongue and fished out a brand new phone that looked exactly like hers. When the ringtone sounded, Shi Nian fell into a trance. She stared for a while and inadvertently saw the caller''s name. [Old Bastard]


    "Yeah." His voice turned low as he spoke irritably. "I know, you don''t need to remind me. Yes, yes, you''re so long winded! Talk to youter!" He forcefully hung up and offered an apologetic smile at her.


    "Sorry, it''s just an unrted person¡ªShi Nian?" He called out because Shi Nian had been looking at his phone, she didn''t even notice that he was calling her. "What''s wrong, hey?"


    Shi Nian''s face turned pale as she looked at the wallpaper of his phone, transfixed.


    A blurry memory surfaced in her mind.


    A ringing phone in a dark alley and then, a dark wallpaper of nted lips, oozing with gloominess and malice. The lips were frighteningly wide, with rows of sharp teeth that were dripping with blood. Below the lips was a word written in gory letters, ''Hello''.


    Along with it was the voice of a person that had been altered. His tone was giddy with joy and excitement yet the voice that came out was as cold as ice, such a contrast pieced together to form a monster.


    The back of Shi Nian''s head throbbed in pain.


    ***


    "Young Master Jiang, your father asked me to send a message. He has gone on a business trip, this time, it''s a very crucial time for Jiang Corporation, if not he would havee back and apanied you." Si Zhening smiled at the man on the bed. "How are you? What did the doctors say?"


    Jiang Jinyan looked at his father''s secretary with a deadpan expression. He wasn''t familiar with Si Zhening, nor did he want to, so he couldn''t muster any smile at him. "I am fine." He leaned back and continued. "Tell him that he doesn''t need toe."


    "Young Master¡­" Si Zhening turned apologetic. "You know that CEO Jiang treasures you very much."


    Jiang Jinyan scoffed.


    But Si Zhening''s smile was impable as he said. "Do you need anything? Is this hospitalfortable for you? CEO Jiang told me to solve any problem you have."


    Jiang Jinyan pursed his lips as he looked out the window. "I don''t need anything."


    "Then¡­"


    "When is heing back? How is my mother? Has he gone to see her?"


    Si Zhening''s smile faltered for a second. "Madam is very well. Don''t worry, Young Master Jiang."


    Jiang Jinyan knew that it meant her mother''s condition was still the same as usual, no improvement at all and Jiang Huocheng hadn''t gone to see her even a bit for the past half a year. He felt vexed and irritated. "I don''t need anything else! Go back to your work, I want to rest."


    Si Zhening didn''t say anything else but bowed slightly. "Then, I will take my leave. Get well soon, Young Master Jiang. And if you need anything, you can directly call me."


    He strode across the room and slid open the door and at the same time, a loud scream exploded along the hallway, echoing in the entire floor. "DOCTOR! NURSE! ANYONE! HELP! SHI NIAN IS¡ª!"


    Jiang Jinyan lifted his eyes hearing the familiar name. A horde of chaotic footsteps followed, "What happened?! What''s going on here?!"


    "I don''t know!" The young man''s loud voice was enough to pierce anyone''s eardrums. "She just fainted all of a sudden!"


    Si Zhening turned his head, his smile apologetic. "I''m sorry for the ruckus. I will close the door for you. See you, Young Master Jiang." Jiang Jinyan''s door closed and the hubbub died down, but from the transparent ss on the door, he could see the nurses running around in panic.


    Si Zhening walked down the hallway calmly, bypassing a crowd of nurses and doctors checking an unconscious young girl. He gave a fleeting nce and continued walking, his back ramrod straight, steps steady and leisurely.. Sighing, he looked out of the floor to ceiling window.

 Chapter 49 - Hug Xu Binchen Tightly!

    Xu Binchen''s face was as dark as the bottom of the pot. Just by receiving Doctor Chun''s call, he already had a faint premonition and within two seconds of the call, his doubt was thoroughly dispersed. "Fainted again? Is it anothera? No?" He frowned deeply. "What''s wrong this time?"


    One bitten twice shy. The times when Shi Nian would suddenly faint had turned into a kind of periodic urrence to Xu Bhen just like drinking medicine. He didn''t panic as much as back then. "Okay, I will go to the hospital now." He hung up the call.


    Beside him, Wang Chengbing didn''t even look up from hisptop screen. "What''s the matter with Shi Nian?"


    "I don''t know. I will go first." He patted the fatty''s shoulder. "Do your job well."


    Wang Chengbing wanted to cry but had no tears. "I have almost be an entertainment paparazzi! At least I will get remuneration if it bes a hot topic, it''s better than being a police officer!"


    Xu Binchen opened the car door, leaving him a curt and heartless sentence. "Then resign."


    Wang Chengbing almost threw hisptop off, but Xu Binchen had already walked toward the hospital. The elevator dinged open and inside was a man in suit, carrying a briefcase with gold rimmed sses adorning his face. Their eyes met in a split second and the man offered a faint smile which Xu Binchen replied with a nod.


    They passed by each other and Xu Binchen pressed on the fifth floor. The elevator door slowly closed but within the gaps of mere inches, the man turned around. Xu Binchen hadn''t gotten the chance to digest it when the man disappeared from his sight, reced with his blurry reflection.


    He knitted and looked up at the ascending floor numbers.


    Just now¡­the man came down from the fifth floor as well?


    The elevator dinged and Xu Binchen walked out, his face dark as he found Doctor Chun in front of Shi Nian''s room together with another youth with his right arm slung in front of his chest. "What happened?" he asked with a domineering voice.


    "Ah, Detective Xu, you''re here..." Doctor Chun''s wrinkly forehead knitted deeply.


    The youth turned around and when he saw Xu Binchen, his pupils dted in shock.


    Xu Binchen looked at the young man whose height wasparable to his and asked, "Who are you?"


    "You¡ªyou¡ª" The youth was shocked out of his wits. His face alternated between red and white. Then, he cried out abruptly. "Emergency rescue gege!"


    Xu Binchen: "¡­"


    Doctor Chun: "...pft."


    Xu Binchen was in a bad mood to begin with and now with the youth''s call, he scowled as if the youth''s father owed him one million dors. "What did you say?"


    The youth turned excited, his rainbow hair flying around. "You''re the emergency rescue gege right? I am right, am I not?! Well, you''re really famous in Weib8 but I didn''t expect to meet you here! Wait¡ª" He paused and gasped dramatically. "The girl in the video¡­is it Shi Nian?!"


    Xu Binchen instantly squeezed his face with one palm. "Shut your mouth." He gritted his teeth, his breath scorching fire. He turned to Doctor Chun and asked. "Who the hell is this?!"


    Doctor Chun cleared his throat. "He''s Nan Xukun, a new patient on this floor. Well, let me remind you that his father, Nan Cheng, had entered each of his body parts in ident insurance. Each of his arms costs five million and his face¡­ten million."


    Xu Binchen''s hold instantly loosened and he took three steps backward, his eyes which looked at Nan Xukun was as if he was looking at an exotic animal.


    Nan Xukun: "¡­" QAQ gege¡­


    His sharp eyes scrutinized Nan Xukun''s face. After confirming that there''s no injury there, he nodded briefly and took out his police badge. "My name is Xu Binchen. I¡ª"


    "You''re a police officer?!"


    "Yes I am." Xu Binchen exerted all of his patience and took a deep breath. "Now may I ask what happened to Shi Nian?"


    "This time, her condition has greatly improved. She just fainted from shock and will wake up anytime soon." Doctor Chun gestured for Nan Xukun. "Young Master Nan was with Shi Nian when she fainted. You may ask him questions."


    Nan Xukun fidgeted andughed nervously. "This is the first time that I face a detective, it''s so cool¡­" He needed ten minutes to describe the event which took ce in less than two minutes. His movement exaggerated and his expression could be animated into memes. With his rainbow hair curling around, he looked like a big puppy that barked for attention.


    "So," Xu Binchen frowned deeply. "You took a call and then she fainted?"


    "Yes, yes! I really don''t know what happened!"


    "May I ask for your phone?"


    Nan Xukun gave it to him readily. Xu Binchen reached out to receive it, then paused. "Your phone doesn''t have any assurance, right?"


    The youth giggled, amused. "Don''t worry. It''s new. My phone was in my pocket when I did bungee jumping, then somehow, the safety straps broke and it fell down from my pocket to the cliff below." Thinking about that, he still had lingering fear. He patted his chest. "Fortunately I was smart to hang on a tree, if not maybe my little life would have been gone by now." Then he lifted his eyes and looked at Xu Binchen with shining eyes.


    The corner of Xu Binchen''s lips twitched. "¡­good job."


    Nan Xukun beamed brightly, even every strand of his hair exuded happiness of being praised by a police officer.


    Xu Binchen received the phone and told him, "I may need this for quite a while."


    "Don''t worry, don''t worry." He waved his hands. "I have more spare phones. This one is only for my dad''s call. But speaking of it¡­why did you care so much about Shi Nian''s condition? What happened to her¡ª"


    Before Nan Xukun could finish his words, the door by his side mmed open and Shi Nian rushed out with a bloodless face with sweat trickling down her forehead. Her eyes darted around in panic.


    Xu Binchen took a step toward her. "What¡ª"


    As Shi Nian caught sight of Xu Binchen, she instantly shot forward like an artillery shell and hugged him tightly! Her arms tightened around his waist. Xu Binchen froze, so did Nan Xukun and Doctor Chun.


    Xu Binchen didn''t know where to put his hands. He looked down at the top of her head with knitted brows then slowly, awkwardly, put his arms around her shoulder and patted her back. "What''s wrong?" Maybe he himself didn''t realize how gentle he sounded.


    Shi Nian buried her face into his chest and only then did Xu Binchen realize that her whole body was trembling.

 Chapter 50 - I Will Protect You

    It was Nan Xukun who recovered first. Gasping, he eximed. "Whoa! Is Shi Nian your girlfriend?"


    Shi Nian snapped out of her stupor and she hurriedly stepped back, her face flushed in shame. Her muddled mind sobered up instantly and only then did she realize that there were other people here with them. But¡­But¡­


    Gingerly, she reached out for the hem of Xu Binchen''s shirt and grabbed it tightly, her head lowered pitifully.


    Shi Nian never knew that she could feel fear before. But when the forgotten memories inside her were triggered, she was scared, terrified. She was filled with apprehension, insecurity and anxiety. Waking up in an empty and deste room frightened her so much that with all of the umted emotions, when she saw Xu Binchen''s face, she instantly rushed out without thinking further.


    Xu Binchen knitted his brows but didn''tment about her unusual behavior. Instead, he asked. "What''s wrong?"


    Shi Nian fearfully lifted her head and nced toward Nan Xukun, abashed.


    She felt like digging a hole on the floor and buried herself within. How could she show such an embarrassing sight of her in front of this man whom she had just known? No, wait, she even fainted in front of him¡­


    Color drained from Shi Nian''s face.


    Irked, Xu Binchen moved to the side and covered Nan Xukun from Shi Nian''s sight. "What''s wrong?" he asked once again, now Nan Xukun was unseen, only his rainbow hair that was poking out from behind Xu Binchen''s shoulder.


    Nan Xukun pursed his lips, a hint of envy shed through his eyes. But whether it was envy toward Xu Binchen or Shi Nian, only he knew.


    Doctor Chun cleared his throat to make his presence known. "Shi Nian, why are you running out? Did you pull your IV drip off?"


    Xu Binchen reacted and reached for her hand. So skinny and tiny that he could easily circle her wrist just with his thumb and forefinger. A trail of blood running along her arms. He pressed down on the tiny wound and she hissed in pain. "Idiot." He chided softly. "Who told you to take this off?"


    He turned her around and pushed her inside, conveniently closing the door behind him.


    Doctor Chun was ustomed to Xu Binchen''s rude behavior so he reopened the door. Turning to Nan Xukun, he smiled amicably. "Young Master Nan, thank you very much for your cooperation this time. Detective Xu will notify you soon so you may go back first to your room and rest."


    Young Master Nan, who had just wanted to squeeze inside: "¡­fine." He huffed and stomped his feet, walking back into his room.


    Doctor Chun closed the door behind him and went inside. "So¡­" He saw Xu Binchen fished out Nan Xukun''s phone. "This is the wallpaper on the phone you found in the alley?"


    Shi Nian nodded desperately. [The ringtone too.]


    "What is this ringtone?" He fiddled with his own phone, entering Nan Xukun''s number and called his phone. In the next second, a soft tune of ssical melody resounded within the room. Shi Nian let out an inaudible gasp, her lips trembled and her eyes went unfocused.


    She could hear it again, the man''s hoarse voice as he said, "Hello." Then¡­the voice changed. He had used a voice changer, but in reality, his voice was nothing like that. It was smooth, calm, steady with a hint of maturity.


    She felt like she had heard it somewhere before¡­


    The ringtone stopped and her train of thoughts broke. Xu Binchen''s face appeared in front of her, his brows knitted. "Remember something?"


    Shi Nian was frustrated. She felt like she was almost grasping onto something just now but it all disintegrated into dust in the next moment.


    Xu Bhen gave her time to calm down before saying, "I have something to tell you."


    Doctor Chun: "Shall I give you two some time alone?"


    "No, please, Doctor," Xu Binchen gestured. "Feel free to listen. It''s better this way because I need the hospital''s cooperation."


    Doctor Chun stood beside the window and flipped through Shi Nian''s statistical report. "Is this about the case? Any development?"


    "I don''t know whether it''s a development or not but," He paused and looked straight at Shi Nian. "I feel that it''s better for you to know it. But I tell you that it''s definitely not good news. If you can''t endure it, then I will not say it now."


    Shi Nian gulped and braced herself. [Say it.]


    "Report hase in from the public security bureau near the area where you''re found." Xu Binchen enunciated clearly. "It has been confirmed that there were signs of manmade explosive in the soil."


    Shi Nian''s heart skipped a beat.


    "That means that your ident, you falling into andslide, is not a coincidence. It''s premeditated, Shi Nian. The culprit is determined to kill you."


    Shi Nian felt shudders run down her spine and her head turned nk.


    It was Doctor Chun who voiced his doubt. "Then, why didn''t he kill Shi Nian like other victims? Pardon my rudeness, Shi Nian, Detective Xu, but logically, nting explosives, waiting for you to enter that specific area, it was moreplicated than dismembering you. The chance of sess is unpredictable. What if you ran into another direction? What if you didn''t die? What if you woke up and remembered him?"


    Xu Binchen narrowed his eyes. "A criminal psychologist in our squad said that the culprit is getting cocky. He''s starting to leave clues to us."


    Doctor Chun was shocked. "Shi Nian is that clue? Is he that confident?"


    "Maybe," Xu Binchen pondered deeply. "Maybe he was sure that even if she didn''t die, she still wouldn''t be able to remember him. See, the fact was she indeed forgot about him."


    Doctor Chun clicked his tongue. "Then what if she suddenly regains her memories?"


    Xu Binchen pursed his lips. "There are two possibilities. One, she still will not be able to tell anything specific about him."


    "And two?"


    "Two¡­" Xu Binchen kneaded his brows. "The culprit has already closed in on her. So close that he can manipte her however he wants and if I am the culprit, then I will choose this possibility." He sneered in contempt. "That''s why Detective Xu, I may need you to increase the security on this floor."


    "How tight?"


    "Make a record log of the visitors. Verify their ID and their rtionships with the patients before letting them in."


    Doctor Chun hesitated briefly. "I will try to do it."


    Shi Nian tremblingly wrote. [What should I do?] Imagining the devil being close to her was enough to give her goosebumps. She wanted to run far away, but she was helpless to do so.


    Xu Binchen gave him a reassuring look. "Don''t worry too much and leave it to the police."


    Doctor Chun sighed. "Then, you may tell us some of your ns so that Shi Nian can have a peace of mind, Detective Xu."


    Xu Binchen contemted for a moment before speaking slowly. "We already got clues regarding where the next body part will be found. We will start from there. Meanwhile, our criminal psychologist is working hard to do a precise profiling on him. We will start investigating the possible suspects one by one."


    Xu Binchen stopped. He didn''t tell thest ultimate n and also the one that he wished would never happen.


    And that was to wait for the culprit to approach Shi Nian, making her the perfect bait. He pursed his lips in displeasure.


    Shi Nian''s icy hands were suddenly being covered by a warm, huge, palm. She looked up in shock to see Xu Binchen''s sharp and steadfast gaze. "Don''t be afraid.. I will protect you."

 Chapter 51 - #JiangJinyanDisabled

    Jiang Jinyan was visited by a police officer by the name Tang Wei. He was a man with sses who looked like a white cor worker, his hair looked like it hadn''t been washed for a month. With a in blue shirt and faded jeans, he politely asked what Jiang Jinyan nned to do with the trending topic in Weib8 as it affected one of his coworkers, the detective whom he had seen with Shi Nian, Xu Binchen.


    Jiang Jinyan went silent for a moment.


    Ever since he received his new phone, he hadn''t downloaded all of his previous messaging applications and social media. So, currently, he finally downloaded Weib8 and scrolled through the hashtags which had been pulled down from the trending topics by another actress'' scandal.


    But the enthusiasm in two handsome men was still going strong, he doubted that it would ever subsided if they didn''t delete it directly.


    Tang Wei smiled bitterly as he replied. "We want to do it too, but we fear that it will be like covering shady deeds after a guilty conscience. So, to prevent it from blowing up more, we need to ask for Mr. Jiang''s intention. How do you n to deal with it?" Tang Wei didn''t divulge anything about Shi Nian because it was confidential information, thus he only stressed on Xu Binchen''s breach of privacy.


    Jiang Jinyan nodded in understanding. "It''s okay, you may delete it directly." He said calmly, which surprised Tang Wei.


    "Are you sure?"


    Jiang Jinyan hummed. Being an athlete and public figure, he had a manager who would manage his social ount. Thest picture that was posted on his Weib8 was the picture of him exercising with a white shirt and sleeves which was rolled up to show his slender arms. Under the light, his skin shone in a luminous luster because of sweat, and the camera''s micro lens captured the droplets of sweat on the tip of his eyshes. It had garnered more than 700.000 likes, dated right on the day of his car ident. Thements under that post were blowing up, nearly 500.000 which mainly asked about rification about his wellness and the truth in that video.


    After that¡­there was nothing.


    Bitterness and unwillingness welled up within his chest. His heart was raging in fire. He didn''t want to give up, but reality had pped him so harsh that he could no longer stand back up anymore. His manager had abandoned him. His coach had abandoned him. His dreams had abandoned him¡­


    "I will make a post of rification." Jiang Jinyan closed his eyes and swallowed with difficulty. "Afterall, my condition can''t be hidden any longer. The Olympics Games ising soon and everyone will realize that I will not bepeting."


    As he said that, Jiang Jinyan lowered his eyes and typed on his phone.


    It was just a short caption with the photo of the daffodils on his nightstand. With every word he typed out, it drilled a hole in his heart. After he sent this¡­everything would be over.


    [The man in the wheelchair is indeed me, Jiang Jinyan. I sincerely apologized for disappointing all of you, my health has proved me unable to join the Olympics in theing August. Lastly, please stop spreading the video because it is rted to another person''s privacy. Thank you for your understanding. Thank you for all of your continuous support.]


    He handed the phone to Tang Wei. "Is this okay?"


    "Yes." Tang Wei pushed up his sses. "Thank you for your understanding, Mr. Jiang."


    Tang Wei was finished with his business and bowed slightly. "I wish you speedy recovery. I will take my leave first."


    Jiang Jinyan nodded in acknowledgement and he replied dryly. "Thank you." The door closed behind Tang Wei and he averted his gaze toward the withering daffodils. Come to think of it, someone had said the exact same words of well wishes to him. No, to be exact, she wrote it on the ss window.


    He just didn''t know how she was right now. It seemed like she had gotten in another ident judging by a young man''s echoing screams.


    Well, it wasn''t his business though. They were just unfamiliar acquaintances.


    He pressed the upload button and the new post popped up in the top interface of his ount. Then, he turned his phone off and threw it inside the drawer.


    ***


    Meanwhile, a certain unfamiliar acquaintance heard a soft ping on her phone. Shi Nian jolted in shock because instead of amunicating device, her phone was more like an essory. There was no one who would call or message her, so hearing a sound notification shocked her that she jumped like a cat whose tail was being stepped on.


    Xu Binchen who sat on the couch raised his brows at her jumpy behavior. He grumbled under his breath. "Scaredy cat."


    After a domineering deration of "I will protect you", Shi Nian had been filled with awe and admiration for him. But it was all washed away after Xu Binchen chided her with his trademark sneer, throwing all kinds of insults toward her cowardice. She was wrong, Xu Binchen was still the same old Xu Binchen!


    Shi Nian puffed her cheeks and red at the man. Then, she lifted her phone and saw a new notification from the Weib8 ount which she had just created a few days ago. It had 0 followers and 1 following. [The ount you''re following has just created a new post.]


    She was stunned for a few seconds and a surging exhration welled up within her chest. For the past few days, she had spent her time scrolling through Jiang Jinyan''s posts, admiring his photos and every medal he had gotten throughpetitions. Shi Nian especially liked to read thements of praise under it. Every single praise the man received seemed like it was said to Shi Nian herself and she felt so happy for him.


    But now¡­


    She clicked open the notification and saw Jiang Jinyan''s new post. Her heart skipped a beat at the familiar daffodils in the photo. Before she could feel happy about it, she caught sight of the caption underneath.


    [The man in the wheelchair is indeed me, Jiang Jinyan. I sincerely apologized for disappointing all of you, my health has proved me unable to join the Olympics in theing August. Lastly, please stop spreading the video because it is rted to another person''s privacy. Thank you for your understanding. Thank you for all of your continuous support.]


    With just three minutes within him posting, there had already been more than 100 likes.


    She pressed her lips together and without obstruction, numerousments entered her sight.


    [Noooo! I don''t believe it hubby!!!! QAQ how can you do this to me?!]


    [WTF, Jiang Jinyan finally admit it himself?!]


    [Why can''t I find the video any longer? Damn it, it''s been deleted so it must be true!]


    [What about the Olympics then?! To think that I have waited for four years!]


    [Upsidementer, don''t you see Jinyan''s caption? He said that he''s notpeting any longer!]


    Someone then sent a screenshot of Jiang Jinyan in a wheelchair from the video and added a big, red circle around Jiang Jinyan''s legs. [See what I''ve found.]


    The picture finally blown everything up and #JiangJinyanWheelchair climbed up the trending topic again and at the same time, #JiangJinyanLegs #JiangJinyanDisabled and #JiangJinyanOlympics started to make their way to the top.


    [His legs is disabled?!]


    [My hubby, dear, what happened to you? Talk to noona[1]!]


    [OMG, the news must be true then. I have a rtive who visited the hospital and caught a glimpse of Jiang Jinyan. He said that one of Jiang Jinyan''s legs had been amputated! But at that time, I punched him because I thought he''s talking nonsense!]


    [Upsidementer, which hospital is it?! I am going to visit him!]


    [Me too, me too!]


    [+1]


    [+2]


    [+10086]


    .


    .


    [1] noona = older sister in korean

 Chapter 52 - I Will Always Cheer For You

    Shi Nian''s heart jumped to her throat and she brought the phone closer to her face. In her mind, it was not the problem of her location being discovered, but Jiang Jinyan''s. He was still recuperating, how could anyone disturb him?


    Fortunately, as she scrolled, thementer who said that he saw Jiang Jinyan in the hospital didn''t appear again. But then, this one sentence was enough to set off another bomb. In the end, it even made its way to the trending topic of #JiangJinyanHospital where people were moring to find out where he was treated.


    Shi Nian bit her nails, nervous.


    Her eyes were glued to the screen as she kept on monitoring the public discussion.


    Scroll, scroll, scroll¡­


    Until a momentter, a huge palm covered her phone screen and she looked up nkly, dumbfounded. Xu Binchen frowned as he said snappily. "Why are you looking at your phone so much? Didn''t I say not to think too much about it?"


    Shi Nian shook her head. She wasn''t worried about that, but Xu Binchen wouldn''t understand even if she said it¡­


    [Uncle.] She wrote solemnly.


    "What?" the man replied curtly.


    [This hospital, it won''t be discovered right?]


    Xu Binchen scoffed. As he expected, she was just a little girl who could be frightened too. He haphazardly messed up her hair. "Your Brother Wang is working on it. It will not be discovered." His even, cool tone emitted indifference, yet it was still this tone that offered her a little bit of security.


    Shi Nian nodded and Xu Binchen snatched her phone away.


    "You can only go online for an hour a day, got it? It''s not good for your eyes."


    Shi Nian inwardly rolled her eyes. Before getting to know Xu Binchen, he was just a fierce looking detective who didn''t like to speak nonsense, but after getting to know him better, he became a kindhearted, grumpy and long winded uncle next door.


    Despite that, she still nodded in acquiescence.


    Afterall, she was an obedient andw-abiding citizen, she wouldn''t go against a police officer''s words.


    Later, when Xu Binchen wasn''t here, she would go surf Weib8 again.


    ***


    Late at night, Xu Binchen was being summoned by his captain to return to the Police Bureau. He left some underlings to watch over Shi Nian. It seemed like he was getting busier and busier because there were too many things that they had to investigate.


    Xu Binchen''s face was as dark as the bottom of the pot as he went out. He even ordered, "Don''t go out anywhere during these times."


    Shi Nian nodded readily, and after Xu Binchen disappeared, she whipped her phone out again. The hot topic was still rampaging through Weib8, garnering a mass of attention. Shi Nian found out that the video had disappeared from the inte, only leaving one or two screenshots of Jiang Jinyan.


    She and Xu Binchen weren''t mentioned at all. Well, to begin with, she didn''t even attract any attention though, only Xu Binchen and Jiang Jinyan. But after Jiang Jinyan''s post this noon, miraculously, the direction of public discussion started to change.


    No one talked about Emergency Rescue Gege anymore, only the uing Olympics and the main character who was in the middle of the storm, Jiang Jinyan.


    Now, people were busy guessing for what reasons Jiang Jinyan got himselfnded in the hospital. Some said that he was injured because of over-exercising, some said that he got into a gang fight and got his head cracked and his leg smashed, some even said that he was drunk driving and ended up in a car ident.


    To be honest, Shi Nian didn''t know how he got into an ident either.


    But she believed that Jiang Jinyan wasn''t like what the public said about him at all.


    Then, more and more spections popped up. Netizens even handed proof of the surveince record of Jiang Jinyan fighting four years ago. At that time, he hadn''t even been an athlete yet. Shi Nian zoomed in on the picture and couldn''t match Jiang Jinyan''s face with the people scrambling in the dark holding beer bottles at all.


    It was amazing how the original poster could create a 1000 long words caption as if they were there when Jiang Jinyan fought. The description, causes and consequences wereid out clearly. If Shi Nian had no idea of Jiang Jinyan''s true character, then she might have believed it.


    It wasn''t only that original poster, but more and more people came out, saying that they were Jiang Jinyan''s junior high school ssmate and how he often got into fight with the neighboring school and local gangsters, breaking the ss representative''s arm, even causing the poor boy to withdraw from the school, truly an overbearing and unreasonable tyrant.


    Shi Nian was fuming as she read that.


    When Jiang Jinyan was in the peak of limelight, why didn''t these ck materialse out?!


    Now that he had fallen, one by one, people came out as if they were the victims of his crime, saying something bad about him like a trophy to be shown off.


    Shi Nian was livid. For the first time ever, she couldn''t hold herself back and replied.


    [Don''t talk so much nonsense! Even if that''s true, it doesn''t have anything to do with him now! He is injured, how can you people badmouth him like this?!]


    Herment instantly got replied in a few seconds.


    [Yoyoyo~ look at the previousmenter. Another blind fan of Jiang Jinyan''s.]


    [Ckck, I know that he''s nothing good. It''s different if it''s only one person but how many people havee out to confess about his atrocious crimes? Jiang Jinyan tried to wash himself clean but it''s useless HAHAHA!]


    [Well, I think it''s good this way. If there''s a problem with his character, then it is better for him to withdraw from the Olympics sooner. If he carries our country''s name and then causes this shame, how can we lift our heads up?]


    [Like, previousmenter! +1]


    [+999]


    [I say, maybe this is all karma¡­]


    Shi Nian was so angry that she wanted to cry. She spent two hours arguing with the people behind the screen and ended up almost vomiting blood. These people, they didn''t know the truth at all but their maliciousments were enough to kill someone!


    To lift him up higher when he''s in Heaven and to stomp him down when he''s suffering in Hell, were they still humans?


    The rims of Shi Nian''s eyes reddened and she went back to Jiang Jinyan''s ounts. Thements under histest post had broken into more than 200.000 just in a span of one night. Shi Nian clicked thements section and saw more and more unbridled people came out to curse him. Even though there were some who put on crying emojis and asked how he was, the point was, they all just seek sensation and wanted to be the first to know gossip!


    Shi Nian pursed her lips, upset.


    Slowly, she started to type. Even if herment was going to sink into the bottom of the ocean, she still would like to support him wholeheartedly.


    [Missing You for a Century: Mr. Jiang Jinyan, no matter what you do and no matter how you are now, I will always cheer for you! Fighting! You can do it!]

 Chapter 53 - Nightmare

    Shi Nian didn''t know why, maybe it was because she was too sad and enraged for Jiang Jinyan, but that night, her sleep was gued with continuous nightmares. She dreamed of many things, some were too broken to be discerned.


    She dreamed of thest time she saw Qiang Fei. The woman wore a slim fit suit with her hairbed into a bun, smiling cheerfully at her. "Baby, wait for mama toe home, okay?"


    Then, Qiang Fei''s face distorted, reced with a mangled face, her eyes were missing from its sockets and blood seeped through the corner of her mouth. Shi Nian was shocked and took a step back but Qiang Feished forward, her mouth opened wide with rows of sharp fangs dripping with red liquid.


    A sense of weightlessness overcame her and she jolted, the scene shattered to pieces and she was standing in an empty room. There was no window and no door. Only a wooden bed that was ced against the wall, the color of the bed sheet was yellowing.


    Out of nowhere, a voice sounded. "Why did you try to resist me?"


    The tip of Shi Nian''s fingers trembled, her blood ran cold at the voice. She knew that she didn''t recognize him but the fear and terror that he imprinted had been carved into her bones. She huddled in the bed, trying to make herself as small as possible.


    She looked down and saw her hands which were stained with half dried blood.


    Then, a tray with tes appeared out of thin air, followed by the same voice. "Today''s meal. Eat it. Or else, you will not get any for three days toe."


    Shi Nian didn''t want to look, but she couldn''t control herself. Her eyes trailed onto the tray and she saw it. On the te, there was a row of neatly sliced flesh, still fresh and oozing with blood. The heavy stench of blood assaulted her nose, causing her tremendous nausea.


    But her mind was nk as she scrambled to get the tray.


    "Eat it." The man said withughter in his voice. "Eat it and you will be free. I promise you."


    Shi Nian''s hands hovered on the fork. Then¡­she ate it.


    Shi Nian gasped and her eyes snapped open. Her forehead was soaked with sweat and strands of hair stuck to her face. She was grabbing the nket so hard that her nails broke. Her stomach churned and she scrambled into the bathroom, bent over the sink and retched.


    She was lightheaded and the nauseousness was making it worse. She vomited her dinner, the putrid stench of gastric acid and tomato soup filled her cavity. She lifted her head up and saw a pale face and wide eyed girl staring back at her, her eyes were red with tears from the force she used to vomit.


    What¡­was that?


    Her missing memory?


    She turned the faucet and cold water ran down in a loud whoosh, drenching her hands and washing away the stain of her vomit. For a while, Shi Nian stood there in daze, her entire body freezing. The more she thought about it, the more the dreams became a blur as if everything was just an ordinary nightmare.


    But she couldn''t ignore the difort as she kept feeling like she had to remember something but unable to do so.


    She emptied out her dder and came out toy on the bed weakly. Her fingers had turned pruney and even though the heater was working fine in the room, she couldn''t help but shiver in chill. The light in her room was out and the only source of light was from the bright hallway.


    It was 2 am in the morning and the whole hospital was tranquil and filled with silence.


    Shi Nian closed her eyes and listened to the sound of light rain, her breathing softened. However, under her eyelids, her eyeballs were twitching continuously and she couldn''t force herself to sleep anymore after the nightmare.


    In the end, she grabbed her phone.


    She didn''t want to browse Weib8, fearing that those people were going to make her feel worse, but there was nothing in her phone except the messaging app and Weib8. It was in the middle of the night, everyone must be asleep right?


    It was like Shi Nian''s fingers had its own soul as she opened WeChat and saw the empty interface. She looked for the contact inside and clicked on Xu Binchen''s profile. He was still using the default profile picture which was set when someone first registered their ount, his moments were a desertednd, nothing to be seen.


    Shi Nian hesitated but still typed.


    [Ten Years[1]]: uncle


    To her surprise, Xu Binchen replied not even half a minuteter.


    [Xu Binchen]: Why are you not sleeping?


    [Xu Binchen]: Are you browsing Weib8 again?


    [Xu Binchen]: I have told you not to.


    Shi Nian could even imagine Xu Binchen''s face when he typed that. Her disgruntled feelings eased and her lips curled into a faint smile.


    [Ten Years]: I can''t sleep.


    [Xu Binchen]: Then you''re pulling people to suffer with you?


    Shi Nian rolled her eyes.


    [Ten Years]: you''re clearly not asleep yet!


    [Xu Binchen]: The world of adults can''t be understood by you teenagers.


    [Ten Years]: gasp.jpg


    [Ten Years]: you''re in a club drinking booze and hugging women left and right?!


    [Ten Years]: struckbylightning.jpg.


    No reply came for the next five minutes. Shi Nian had almost fallen asleep, then the phone in her hand buzzed lightly. She opened her eyes blearily and saw Xu Binchen sent her a string of ellipses.


    She burst out inughter and giggled softly.


    [Xu Binchen]: Go to sleep.


    [Xu Binchen]: I aming back now.


    [Xu Binchen]: If Ie back and find that you''re still awake¡­


    [Xu Binchen]: RIP.jpg.


    Shi Nian opened her eyes wide in astonishment.


    [Ten Years]: You actually sent stickers!


    [Xu Binchen]: eyerolls.jpg.


    [Xu Binchen]: who do you think I am?


    [Xu Binchen]: SLEEP!


    O¡ªOh, he had even used capital letters. Shi Nian replied with an OK and shut her phone down, putting it on the nightstand beside her bed. She closed her eyes and tried to hypnotize herself to sleep.


    When one''s sight was blocked, then other senses would be magnified. Shi Nian could clearly catch the sound of cars passing by on the road outside, the pitter patter sound of rain dropping onto the window, as well as the soft and steady footsteps that walked down the hallway.


    Coming closer and closer...then stopped right in front of her room.


    [1] Basically it''s still Shi Nian but in different characters.

 Chapter 54 - What Are You Scared Of?

    Shi Nian''s first thought was; it couldn''t be Xu Binchen right? It hasn''t even been five minutes yet, how can he be so fast?


    Then she thought that the footsteps didn''t match. Xu Binchen''s footsteps were swift, distinctive and heavy. He had long legs and he walked fast too. Sometimes Shi Nian had to pull on his shirt for him to slow down.


    But this one¡­it was airy, light and almost silent.


    If she didn''t strain her ears, maybe she couldn''t have heard it too.


    Her heart jolted and she didn''t know why, but goosebumps rose along her arms. The person had been standing on her door for a while. Shi Nian could see that person''s shadow formed beneath the slight gap of the door.


    Who was it?


    Nurse Zhang? No, it wasn''t Nurse Zhang''s shift today.


    Doctor Chun? It couldn''t be. Doctor Chun always returned home when his shift ended.


    So, who could it be?


    Shi Nian gripped on her nket and she almost had difficulty in pretending to be asleep. She swallowed hard and heard the door softly slid open. It glided on the floor smoothly followed by a series of soft footsteps.


    The presence of the person was getting closer and closer.


    It definitely wasn''t the nurses or Doctor Chun! Her heart sank to the pit of her stomach and she tried to calm herself down. Maybe she was only being paranoid. Yes, she must be. There were Xu Binchen''s people patrolling outside, how could anyone enter her room casually?


    Shi Nian pretended to turn over and the person''s footsteps halted.


    There was even no breathing detected. The silent and tense atmosphere continued and Shi Nian felt that she was going to have a heart attack from this. She tried to smooth her breathing to resemble a heavily asleep person and in a split second, cracked her eyes open by a bit.


    Instantly, her blood ran cold.


    The light from the hallway illuminated the person''s shadow. That person was tall and well built so it must have been a man. But the thing which terrified Shi Nian was the thing in the man''s palm. Even if he tried to hide it, the light reflected the t, sharp and shining surface.


    It''s a small knife!


    Cold sweat broke out in Shi Nian''s back and she waited for a full two minutes until the man started to move again. His footsteps were so soft, light, almost unheard. Shi Nian tried to use the darkness to move her fingers and pressed on the emergency button under her bed, but she could feel the man getting closer and closer, confirmed that she was indeed asleep.


    Her whole body froze and she couldn''t find the emergency button. Shi Nian was filled with terror. First, it was a nightmare and now this. She couldn''t afford to care anymore and flung the nket as hard as she could toward the man''s direction! Using the split second when he was caught off guard by the assault, Shi Nian scrambled off the bed and dashed toward the door, her heart exploding within her chest.


    The door banged open loudly. In the middle of the night where it was silent all around, it was especially ring to the ears.


    Tears blurred her eyes and fear eroded her senses. Intense panic and anxiety pushed her body forward. She wanted to scream for help but couldn''t make any sound, all of it was strangled down within her throat.


    She couldn''t afford to think of how there was no one outside and ran out as with her life on the line!


    A low curse sounded behind her and she looked behind her back.


    Her eyes and the man''s met in midair. Just a split second and Shi Nian continued to run away. The man was covered from head to toe, wearing a turtleneck shirt and cotton ck trousers. He was wearing a mask and sses, but the eyes that looked at Shi Nian were especially cold as if he was looking at a corpse.


    From the moment she escaped until when she reached the end of the hallway, it was only five seconds. She gasped, her throat was hurt from theck of air and tears ran down her face. She turned into a corner and almost collided with a man in a wheelchair.


    Jiang Jinyan''s eyes widened in shock. "Miss¡­Shi?"


    As she caught sight of the general''s face which was very dear to her heart, Shi Nian''s knees buckled and she copsed under his feet. She clung to him, grasping his trousers as if grabbing a life straw and burst into tears, one which didn''t make any sound, but her face turned red in a blink of an eye from difficulty breathing.


    Jiang Jinyan couldn''t sleep, so he rode on his wheelchair and came out of his room. It was silent and tranquil on the fifth floor, all of the patients were deeply asleep and even the nurses were dozing off in their station.


    He spent some time in daze as he looked out of the night sky, feeling the coldness of the rain mming onto the ss window as if mming onto his own body. He had contemted his life for these past few hours but couldn''t think of anything to do. Today, he made a very big decision. From now on, the athlete Jiang Jinyan was no more. The gold medalist who was everyone''s hope was no more.


    Depressed from the biting coldness and bitterness in his heart, he had just wanted to return to his room when he met Shi Nian who was obviously not in the right state.


    "You¡ª" He was shocked to find the girl crying her heart out so wretchedly and pitifully. "What happened¡ª" Jiang Jinyan stretched his hand out to support her and his whole body ended up leaning forward.


    And then, he saw it. A man walking down the hallway with his back to them.


    He had quite long hair, loosely spread out on his shoulder, his gait was steady and calm. Then, as he half turned his head, Jiang Jinyan caught sight of a weird mark on his neck. Then, the man turned into another corner and disappeared from his sight.


    Shi Nian grabbed his hand tightly and felt his warmth. Relief flooded her entire being and strength seeped out of her body. She could even feel her legs trembling violently. Hot tears dripped onto Jiang Jinyan''s palm, snapping him out of his thoughts and he turned to the girl. "Miss Shi¡­what''s wrong?"


    Shi Nian mouthed again and again. "General¡­General¡­" She cried as she stared at the unfamiliar look on his eyes, silently whimpering and pleading. "I am scared¡­"


    He frowned as he read her lips. "What are you scared of?" Then, he grabbed her icy cold hands and patted it. "Wait for a moment."


    Once again, he came to her rescue as he shouted for the nurse.


    His loud voice created somemotions. The nurses were jolted awake and hastily approached them, Xu Binchen''s underling who had just returned from the toilet because of stomachache was also running to them in panic.


    But Shi Nian grabbed him, clinging onto him so tight that no one could pry her off.

 Chapter 55 - Its Me, Xu Binchen

    On 2.14 am in the morning, the entire fifth floor was being jolted awake. The nurses scrambled around Shi Nian in panic, asking. "Shi Nian, what''s wrong?" "It''s okay, don''t cry." "Can you let go of him first?"


    But Shi Nian didn''t hear any of it, or to be exact she couldn''t afford to. She had cried so much that she wheezed, her nose and throat blocked and she could only breathe through her mouth like fish out of water. Her head buzzed in pain and the voices seemed as if they came from a ce far away. Her entire body was soft and weak, but only her grip on Jiang Jinyan''s hand was so tight as if she was holding onto her sole savior.


    To be honest, Jiang Jinyan felt very awkward.


    He wasn''t in a good mood to begin with and the circle of people with one talking after another caused him a headache. But when he lowered his head and saw Shi Nian''s pale face and swollen eyes, all of the words stuck on his throat and he didn''t know what to do.


    When Xu Binchen arrived, this was the scene he saw.


    The nurse had no choice. Shi Nian was too agitated and she could no longer recognize people. Every time someone got close to her, she would go crazy and scratch them, bare her teeth in fear and bury her head into Jiang Jinyan''s trousers.


    A nurse was holding an injection with sedative while the others were moring on how to grab her arms. It was very rowdy and chaotic.


    Xu Binchen''s heart sank and he roared. "What are you doing?!"


    Shi Nian jolted in shock and she buried herself deeper into Jiang Jinyan, the blind dependence was palpable from her behavior. The nurses in the night shift stiffened in shock and fear.


    It was Xu Binchen''s underling who stepped forward with a pale face and described what happened in a concise manner, but still he was trapped in the toilet with stomachache. What he knew was no more than what Xu Binchen knew.


    Xu Binchen''s face instantly turned dark and the low ranked police officer could only gulp and wait for his sentence.


    The man walked past him, his footsteps were powerful and heavy. The crowd gave way to him like Moses parting the Red Sea until Xu Binchen arrived in front of Shi Nian. But s, the girl had already turned into an ostrich, her neck shrank in fear as she sensed another''s presence.


    "Shi Nian." Xu Binchen tried to calm his fury and soften his voice. "It''s me, Xu Binchen." He reached out an arm but like a provoked feline, Shi Nian wed him, leaving a three thin line wound on his arm. She just rejected everyone except Jiang Jinyan.


    Xu Binchen froze. He pursed his lips and his frown grew deeper.


    He lifted his head to see the pale and thin man. "You are¡­"


    Jiang Jinyan''s hand had be wet from Shi Nian''s sweat and tears and she was still holding onto it tightly. He tried to smile but he knew how stiff his face was. "Jiang Jinyan."


    The injured athlete, Xu Binchen recalled. He nodded and as he talked, he tried to inch closer and closer to Shi Nian. "Do you know what happened to her?"


    "I am not so clear." Jiang Jinyan said. "It seems like she''s running from something. She said¡­she said that she''s scared."


    Xu Binchen''s face sank and in one movement, he chopped the back of Shi Nian''s neck and the girl fell ck to the ground, unconscious.


    Jiang Jinyan: "¡­"


    The nurses: "¡­"


    Xu Binchen barked. "What are you doing still standing there?! Bring her back to her room! Also, bring me the surveince record of the hallway from 1 am to now!" He turned to Jiang Jinyan and nodded. "Mr. Jiang, if you don''t mind, there''s something I have to ask you."


    The crowd dispersed and they brought Shi Nian away. Now, they didn''t dare to ck off again. Xu Binchen''s underling stood ramrod straight in front of Shi Nian''s door as if trying to be a Door God.


    Xu Binchen gestured for him and walked forward. Jiang Jinyan pressed on his temple and pushed his wheelchair toward the man who was standing in front of the floor to ceiling window where he stood a moment ago.


    He looked very irritated and fished out a cigarette from his pocket but chewed on it, unlit. Xu Binchen waited until Jiang Jinyan came beside him and sat on the side bench so that they were face to face. "Mr. Jiang, I guess you know who I am."


    Jiang Jinyan nodded. "Detective Xu."


    "Great, so let''s just go to the main topic. Mr. Jiang, I hope that you can borate how exactly you met her, her state and every single detail you could remember."


    Jiang Jinyan looked out the ss window which was full of tiny, water droplets. The streemps outside were blurred, creating haphazard yellow blobs and he could see his reflection faintly as he started to talk.


    "¡­I read her lips and she said that she was scared but what she was scared of, she didn''t say. And then, I called for the nurses. That''s it."


    Xu Binchen fell silent, the air pressure around him was all time low. "Did you see anyone else?"


    "Ah yes," Jiang Jinyan was reminded of the man in the hallway. "I saw someone, a man wearing a turtleneck, ck trousers, shoulder length hair, mask and sses. He was around 1.8 meters tall, but because he was covered wholly, I couldn''t see his features. Moreover, he disappeared around the corner very fast."


    "Describe his sses please."


    Jiang Jinyan frowned as he tried to recall. "In my impression, it''s very ordinary, ck rimmed sses."


    "How did he walk? Quick? Sneaky?"


    "No¡­on the contrary, he was calm, too calm. Just like how people usually walk."


    Xu Binchen nodded and pinched his brows. He really wanted to curse out loud. "I see."


    "One more thing." Jiang Jinyan added as he pointed at the back side of his neck. "When he turned around, I saw a long mark here, it looks like a scar, but I can''t be sure."


    "A scar." Xu Binchen chewed on the words and nodded. He offered Jiang Jinyan his hand. "Thank you very much for your cooperation, Mr. Jiang. It really helps."


    Jiang Jinyan shook his hand and let it go quickly. "Miss Shi¡­is she in danger?"


    "I''m sorry but we can''t tell you. It''s confidential, but don''t worry, we will try our best to solve it as soon as possible." Xu Binchen stood up and nodded slightly in acknowledgement. He had started to walk a few steps but ended up turning around again. Jiang Jinyan was looking at him too, the two gazes met in midair. "Mr. Jiang, do you have any idea why she rejected everyone but you?"


    Jiang Jinyan was caught off guard by his question. That¡­he also wanted to know. Was the girl truly his huge fan to the point where she would rely on him more than a police officer? To the point where she would feel safe toward a disabled man in a wheelchair?


    "I don''t know either.." He shook his head.

 Chapter 56 - Tampered Surveillance Record

    Morning, 3 am, City A''s public hospital.


    The investigation came out pretty quick, mainly because Xu Binchen was going to be Xu Yanluo[1] if things dragged on any longer. Sitting on the bench outside of Shi Nian''s room, he was like a mafia boss with a row of ipetence subordinates in front of him.


    The first sacrifice to be sent to death was the rted underling who had suffered from mild diarrhea, Hu Kai. He was only neen years old and this was his probation period. With a pale face due to the spicy burn on his butt and the guilt from not doing his job well, he bowed deeply.


    "Senior Xu, this is all my fault! I¡ªI thought that there would be nothing wrong so I slipped out of my post and went to the toilet. There¡­There I was so consumed with stomachache that I didn''t notice¡ª"


    Xu Binchen''s face was dark. "Do you think I want to hear about your emotional journey in the toilet?"


    Hu Kai broke out in cold sweat. "Sorry, sorry Senior Xu! Please punish me!"


    "Why didn''t you ask the other toe up and reced you for a while?" Xu Binchen''s voice was even, cold and there wasn''t much fluctuation in his tone, but everything became more terrifying because of that, just like a devil who was ready to throw out a death sentence."Do you think that, after weeks of no ident, then there would be no problem in slipping away for a while?"


    Hu Kai closed his eyes in regret. That was indeed what he was thinking, he had nothing to say for this mistake.


    Xu Binchen pinched his brows and said tiredly. "Forget it. You can go back first and wait for further notice."


    The young man''s eyes turned red. He pursed his lips and bowed once again, his ssy eyes determined. Without saying anything else, he turned around and obeyed his superior''smand, without any question nor excuse, just like how a proper soldier should behave.


    Next, was the nurse in the night shift that night. The nurse''s surname was Ling, and she was a middle aged woman who always frowned all day. Her tight nurse uniform wrapped around her fat body, and facing Xu Binchen, her face was pale even though her voice stayed firm. "No one passed through the front station. I can swear at my job."


    The nurse station was a strategic ce. It directly faced the elevator so every person who came in and out could be noticed and the emergency exit stairs was just on the other side of the station. So if Nurse Ling said that she saw no one, then there was surely no one that entered the fifth floor.


    A horde of footsteps approached them. There police officers in civilian clothes saluted toward Xu Binchen and reported. "We have searched around the fifth floor, everything is normal. There is nothing suspicious, Detective."


    Followed behind them was Wang Chengbing whose eye bags were so thick that he almost resembled a panda. His usual carefree look was nowhere to be seen, his face solemn as he showed hisptop to Xu Binchen. "There''s something strange."


    He pressed on the spacebar and the surveince record in theptop yed. The time shown in the lower left was 1:55 am. The hallway in front of Shi Nian''s room was as deste as a haunted hospital, no one was seen. Then, as the video fast forwarded, at 2:12 am, Shi Nian''s hospital door banged open and she dashed out, her hair messy and her whole body exuded panic and fear.


    Xu Binchen frowned and paused.


    "Do you see it?" Wang Chengbing asked as he dragged the video backward. "Here, the time in the video from 2:11 to 2:13 was only 100 seconds. I have counted it, Binchen." Wang Chengbing''s slit eyes widened and the light from theptop was reflected on his pupils, casting an eerie shadow that caused goosebumps. "Whoever it is, they had meddled with the CCTV, 20 seconds was cut out nicely, no more and no less."


    "Moreover," he added. "I have looked through the surveince record today. Based on Mr. Jiang''s description of the man; turtleneck, cotton pants, shoulder length hair, mask and ck rimmed sses¡­there was none."


    Xu Binchen: "What do you mean?"


    "It''s exactly what I mean." Wang Chengbing shuddered. "All day today, there is no one with that description who entered and exited the hospital."


    Xu Binchen stood up and walked to the end of the hallway, he turned into the corner which Jiang Jinyan said the man walked to and faced another simr hallway with rooms on either side of it. He looked up to the CCTV which was emitting faint red light and pointed at it. "This one. What about it?"


    Wang Chengbing shook his head. "I have looked through all of the surveince records on this floor. There is no trace of the man."


    Xu Binchen frowned and walked back. "Show me. Is there any trace of the record being tampered?"


    Wang Chengbing shook his head, dousing Xu Binchen''s hope. "He managed to avoid all of the surveince cameras. Damn, such a strong anti-reconnaissance ability!"


    Xu Binchen pursed his lips and pondered for a while. He turned to Nurse Ling who was fidgeting nervously. "I have told Doctor Chun that I want to implement a new system for log visitors. Has he informed you?"


    "Yes, yes, he has. Doctor Chun said to start it as soon as possible so we n to do it tomorrow. Who knows..." She shook her head in pity.


    "Okay," Xu Binchen sighed. "Start it tomorrow. You can go back first."


    Nurse Ling nodded and scurried away. Xu Binchen turned to the rest of his subordinates and Wang Chengbing. "There are a few deductions we can draw until now. First, the culprit has always been in this hospital. Maybe he has beenying low for days, and maybe now, he is hiding in one of the rooms right now."


    Imagining a man that they were chasing after, hiding inside an unused room or storage rooms, listening to them as they searched for him frantically and showed a crazy, crooked smile, they all shuddered in distress.


    "Second, he changed out of his clothes. But for this, there should be evidence somewhere which we haven''t found yet. Third, the mark on the side of his neck that Mr. Jiang said. This is one of the suspicious points. Such an eyecatching mark, he would be stupid to show us just like that. It doesn''t correspond with his IQ, so there should be another meaning to the mark that we haven''t found out yet."


    "But of course, another possibility is, he has already left the hospital without us knowing. But the possibility of it was small. Since I first arrived which was less than 10 minutes from the scene, I have ordered some men to monitor the hospital''s exit. First, seal the hospital. No one is allowed to go in and out. You can do it now, after that search for the man in the description on every floor. I give you six hours'' time until 9 am, can you do it?"


    "The permission¡­" One of Xu Binchen''s subordinates interjected.


    Xu Binchen nodded. "Don''t worry. I will talk to the hospital''s director in a while. We can do it as long as we create an appropriate excuse and not cause panic among masses. You can form two groups, one to seal the hospital and search for clues, and the other¡­look for the surveince cameras on the street, in the shops opposite the hospital, anywhere that shot the possible entrance of the hospital. Even if the culprit has strong anti-reconnaissance ability, I don''t believe that he can evade all of the CCTV in the street!"


    "Yes, sir!" They saluted and went off in a hurry.


    There were only him and Wang Chengbing left. The only sound that apanied the cold, uing dawn was the continuous cking of Wang Chengbing''s keyboard. "I have sent all of the records to you and Captain. You may check it yourself."


    Xu Binchen hummed. "You have worked hard, Chengbing."


    Wang Chengbing rubbed his face roughly. "Binchen, is it him? The man we are chasing after all these times? Has he reappeared again?" Even though he was a police officer, faced with a cold blooded serial killer who treated human lives as trash, Wang Chengbing couldn''t resist the fear climbing up his body.


    The light rain had subsided and in a while, the sun would start to rise, signaling a new day full of hope and vitality, but Xu Binchen only felt fatigue and dread in his heart.


    "¡­yes." It took him a long time to squeeze out an answer. "It is him."


    [1] Yanluo = Yama/King of Hell

 Chapter 57 - Logic Above Everything

    Xu Binchen hadn''t shut his eyes for 36 hours but he wasn''t sleepy at all. Contrarily, he felt his blood roaring in irritation and his mood plunged to the bottom of the ocean.


    At 9 am in the morning, the hospital reopened. Visitors and patients came and went as usual, not noticing that there was someone who had blood on his hands and had just brushed shoulders with them.


    The investigations came to a dead end.


    The man who came to Shi Nian''s room had disappeared without any trace as if he had evaporated into thin air. There was no trace of him in the hospital. The surveince cameras both inside and outside the hospital, along the streets and even in the stalls, restaurants and houses near the hospital didn''t catch a shadow of the man.


    As he turned into the corner, it was as if he had instantly vanished. If not for the 20 seconds cut in the surveince record, then he would have thought that Shi Nian was hallucinating.


    Wang Chengbing said in stress, the culprit was like a vengeful spirit, came to scare the person who killed him and went along with the wind into an unknown ce.


    In front of Xu Binchen the atheist, Wang Chengbing received a mocking look.


    This time, even if the hospital copsed, Xu Binchen wouldn''t move from Shi Nian''s side even a bit. Every time he went out to do business, there would always be some idents happening to her. Once bitten twice shy. Xu Binchen would never let anything happen under his watch again.


    "¡­yes, I will stay here, Captain. No, she hasn''t regained consciousness yet." Xu Binchen looked through the transparent ss on the door to see Shi Nian''s pale face as sheid helplessly on the bed. He went silent for a while. "Captain."


    "What?" Jin Renguang''s irritated voice came from the other side of the phone.


    "Do you think that we can let Butterfly keep on staying here?"


    "Why not?" He snorted. "Now, we can conclude that the culprit knew Butterfly is still alive, he knew her whereabouts and he came to sound her out. Why should we hide her?"


    Xu Binchen gripped the phone tight. He knew, he knew that this was a hard earned opportunity. If they were lucky then they could have set a trap and caught him. But¡­ "It''s dangerous. Butterfly''s mental condition can''t cope with the situation."


    "Is it what you thought or what the doctor said?"


    Xu Binchen pressed his lips tight. "The examination result hasn''te out yet."


    "Xu Binchen," Jin Renguang measured his words. "It''s not like you at all. You have always kept your cool all the time. What''s wrong? Did your heart ache for her? Pity her? Sympathize with her?"


    Xu Binchen didn''t answer.


    A sigh travelled into his ears. "I know that doing this is a bit cruel but do we have a choice?" On the other side of the phone, Jin Renguang leaned his head on the swivel chair and smiled bitterly. "If I can, I also want to protect her securely. But we can''t. We can''t wait any longer. He is like a time bomb and we don''t know when he will explode. Now, the only thing we can do is to guard Butterfly properly as much as we can while we work behind the scenes."


    "I understand." Xu Binchen lowered his eyes and the surging undercurrent he felt when he saw Shi Nian''s terrified state in the surveince record receded quickly. Logic. He had to prioritize logic above everything, emotion would just hinder his work. "I apologize, Captain. It''s my momentarypse of misjudgment."


    Jin Renguang grunted. "Anyway, wait for the girl to wake up and question her thoroughly."


    Xu Binchen drew in a sharp breath. "¡­roger."


    ***


    She dreamed of her past life, dreamed of when the fugitives wrecked her vige and ughtered everyone, dreamed of the executioner with the long cleaver, dreamed of the General''s unreadable eyes as he looked at her and then the world plunged into Hell. Blood and screams of despair everywhere.


    She stood in the middle of the room which she recalled as the room in her past life.


    At that time, the General had gone into another war. Five months had passed and finally, the news came. But it wasn''t the news of victory, instead, the messenger came with tears in his eyes, carrying the General''s hair which was stained with blood.


    That day, the General''s residence mourned.


    The head servant, Fu Jia, seemed like he had aged ten years in just a span of one day. Only then did Shi Nian realize that Fu Jia was old, his back had started to hunch and he had served the General ever since the Madam and Master of the family was still alive.


    Shi Nian asked for a white silk, saying that she would hang it in her room.


    Fu Jia sighed, his eyes red and damp. "Shi Nian ah, Master¡­how can Master just leave like this?" The man who had always brought back victories, bathed in the light of luck and bravery, braced through countless corpses and emerged as thest one standing, how could he simply be defeated just like that?


    The reality hadn''t sunk in yet for Fu Jia.


    But Shi Nian knew. The General wasn''t going to war, he was going to offer his head. He knew that he was going to die, but he still went. Shi Nian remembered his back that was covered in armor, his long hair swayed along the wind. An inconspicuous smile hung on his lips as always, as if death or alive didn''t matter to him. "So, it''s time¡­"


    Shi Nian didn''t know where she got the courage to hold his arms and shook her head, pleading. Don''t go, you know that it''s a trap but why¡­


    She didn''t say anything but the General understood. He lifted his eyes to look at her, but it was only for a split second. His long eyshes obstructed his sight as he pried her hands off. He wore his helmet, the ck metal glistened under the sun, as bright and dauntless as she first saw him.


    Tears blurred Shi Nian''s eyes, and at that time she really wished to know what General Jiang Jinyan was thinking of.


    He reached out a hand and it hovered in midair for a while but in the end, he lowered it back down, swallowing everything that he wanted to do. He turned around without hesitation, his voice drifted to her, lower as usual. "I live for the people, and I die for the people."


    It''s the oath that one took when they entered the army. But General Jiang''s intention as he said that, whether it''s to convince himself or for Shi Nian to hear, only he knew.


    When the news of General Jiang''s death travelled to her ears, Shi Nian didn''t shed any tears like she did when she saw him off, not anymore. Instead, there was a cid calmness within her eyes, just like that time when she waited for the executioner''s de to cut her head off.


    She grasped the white silk in her hands and rubbed it with her thumb. In her mind, numerous images floated up, all of it contained him. With no change of expression on her face, she tidied her room up, brushed away the dust in every nook and corner, climbed up the chair, hung the white silk up around the ceiling beam, tied a dead knot and slipped her head in.


    Shi Nian closed her eyes as she kicked the chair away. At that time, she had the illusion that the General was waiting for her on the other side of the underworld.


    A soft smile adorned her face as she weed death with open arms¡­


    But no, everywhere she searched, she couldn''t find him.


    She was scared, scared of¡­


    "What are you scared of?" A familiar voice yet more youthful, higher and softer asked her.


    She jolted awake in shock, but when she opened her eyes, all of the images behind her eyes started to disintegrate until there was nothing left, slipping between her fingers like sand and she couldn''t catch even one of them.


    .


    .


    PS Weekly Mission:


    With every 100 PS, there will be 1 extra chappies ^^ vote more to read more, thank you in advance~

 Chapter 58 - Traumatized

    The back of Shi Nian''s head and neck throbbed in pain.


    The light sprinkled into the room from between the gaps of the curtain, Shi Nian grimaced in pain and it took her a moment to realize where she was and what she was doing before she lost consciousness.


    Her heart thudded, she flung her nket away and sat up¡­


    The door slid open, bringing with it a thick scent of tobo and Xu Binchen''s hoarse voice. "Awake?"


    Shi Nian looked up in shock, and her heart settled down as the man came in. She panted softly and reached for the cup on the nightstand and finished it in a fewrge gulps.


    Xu Binchen didn''t move, only looking at her from a distance. His eyes were hard and indecipherable, but Shi Nian didn''t notice anything because she was still recovering from the shock.


    She heaved a huge sigh and kneaded her sore neck.


    "What''s wrong?" The man fiddled with his lighter. "Does it hurt?"


    Shi Nian grunted as she rotated her neck. She shot an inquiring look at him. What had happened to her? How did she end up in bed? Thest thing she remembered¡­


    Color drained from Shi Nian''s face and she shivered as if she was deserted somewhere in Antarctica.


    "Remember now?" Xu Binchen approached her and pressed onto the nurse button. "How do you feel?"


    Shi Nian opened her mouth but she was so terrified that she couldn''t even let out a squeak. He''s here¡­he''s finally here to kill me¡­


    In less than ten seconds, the door slid open again and this time, there were many familiar faces. Doctor Chun, Nurse Zhang and other nurses she had seen before. Xu Binchen stepped back and let Doctor Chun do a series of tests on her.


    Shi Nian was as fit as a fiddle, there was nothing wrong with her except the bruise on the back of her neck. She had just gone through a huge shock and required a lot of rest.


    Doctor Chun especially called Xu Binchen out and warned him. "Don''t question her now. Her mental state is more fragile than ever, we need Psychiatrist Yu toe and examine her first before you are allowed to do anything."


    Xu Binchen''s head was lowered and he let out a sigh.


    Then, all of sudden, a loud crash sounded in the room, followed by the nurse''s surprised cry. Xu Binchen''s face changed abruptly as he mmed the door open to see Nurse Zhang being shut out of the bathroom. "Shi Nian? Shi Nian?! What''s wrong?!" She knocked on the door, and inside, water was running and the sound of Shi Nian vomiting was transferred out intermittently.


    Doctor Chun gasped in shock. "What''s wrong?"


    The food that was prepared for Shi Nian was scattered all over the floor and the soup sshed onto the bed. Even the tray was thrown pitifully upside down.


    "I don''t know!" Nurse Zhang was flustered. "I was just putting breakfast in front of her when she suddenly run to the bathroom and vomit."


    Xu Binchen frowned and crossed the room to arrive in front of the bathroom. He knocked louder, almost banging the door down. He pressed on the handle to find the door locked. "Shi Nian? What happened?"


    The sound of her vomiting stopped and two soft knocks answered him but Shi Nian didn''te out yet.


    Nurse Zhang added, "Shi Nian? Do you feel unwell? Open the door please so that I can look at you?"


    Shi Nian didn''t answer this time, but two minutester, the bathroom door creaked open to show Shi Nian''s frighteningly pale face with the rims of her eyes reddened. She heaved dryly, water dripped down from the tip of her hair and her face was wet.


    Nurse Zhang hurriedly grabbed a clean towel and offered it to her. She supported Shi Nian''s weak body to sit on the couch, away from the soiled floor. Shi Nian lowered her eyes in daze, her thin figure looked especially pitiful.


    Doctor Chun frowned and exchanged nces with Xu Binchen. As far as he knew, Shi Nian wasn''t allergic to anything. He scrutinized the food on the floor. White rice, potato soup, light vored steamed duck and stir fry asparagus¡­there wasn''t anything wrong.


    Nurse Zhang went out to get a cup of warm, sweet, honey water. When Shi Nian drank it, the sweet liquid travelled down her throat and washed away the astringent and bitter taste. Her cramping stomach felt better and she sighed in relief.


    Her gaze trailed to the food on the floor and she lowered her head further. [Sorry.]


    Nurse Zhang worked fast, she cleaned up the food and changed the soiled bed sheet, then she smiled gently at her. "Don''t worry about it. Are you hungry? Let me get you another food?"


    Shi Nian''s mind floated to the pieces of thin, sliced duck that was reddish brown in color and she was instantly reminded of the bloody pieces of flesh served in the te in her memory and the taste of disgusting, rusty blood in her cavity¡­


    Another wave of nausea washed through her. She gripped her board tighter until her knuckles turned white and shook her head.


    Nurse Zhang titled her head worriedly. "Then, how about a bowl of in porridge? Just one small bowl. Even if you can''t stomach anything, you still have to eat something, okay?"


    Under Nurse Zhang''s insistence, she nodded briefly.


    The nurse then went out, leaving only the three of them behind.


    Doctor Chun approached and sat in front of her. "Shi Nian, do you feel ufortable anywhere?"


    Shi Nian hesitated and shook her head. She couldn''t possibly tell him¡­that she remembered how she was forced to eat raw meat and that meat seemed like human meat that had just been cut from the person, still dripping with blood that was on the verge of coagtion¡­


    Even remembering it caused chills to rise up from the soles of her feet up to her limbs. From now on, every time she looked at red meat, she would be reminded of that memory. She didn''t know whether she would be able to stomach any red meat for the rest of her life. It was truly traumatic¡­


    No¡­was that really her memory? What had she done? How could¡­How could she eat that?


    Doctor Chun was as patient and gentle as ever, his gaze was akin to a grandfather who looked at his mischievous granddaughter. "You have to tell me if there''s anywhere ufortable okay?" Shi Nian nodded in response and Doctor Chun added, "Is your stomach better?"


    Shi Nian pointed at the honey water and nodded. Because she had just consumed something warm and sweet, her empty stomach felt a lot better after vomiting gastric acid.


    "Well, then that''s good. Try to eat a few spoonfuls of porridge Nurse Zhang broughtter. You can rest for a while. Don''t worry, Detective Xu will be here with you, right?" Thest word was directed toward the man who had been standing by the window.


    Xu Binchen grunted, his eyes narrowed as he scrutinized Shi Nian deeply.

 Chapter 59 - Everything Had Changed

    Early in the morning, Jiang Jinyan discovered that the whole hospital was restless, even the nurse who was charged for changing his bandages was absent minded. She was often in a daze for a split second before snapping out of her thoughts.


    Jiang Jinyan patiently waited until she finished wrapping the bandages around his leg before asking, "Is there something wrong with the hospital? I heard many people walking around."


    The nurse was caught off guard by his question and hurriedly shook her head, but then, as if thinking of something terrifying, her face turned a bit pale. She looked young, maybe only one or two years older than Jiang Jinyan and her nametag was white, different from ordinary nurses which was green. She must be a probationary or intern nurse, Jiang Jinyan spected.


    As he expected, this young nurse named Ying Ruirui was an intern from City A''s University, she just reported here less than one week ago and all of a sudden, the young girl who only had human anatomy and medicine in her mind was faced with a bunch of rowdy and fierce police officers.


    Especially their leader. His eyes were so cold and terrifying. When he looked at her, she felt like she was surrounded by a cold blooded python, eager to swallow her whole. Even thinking about it made her fingers tremble.


    "J¡ªJiang¡­Mr. Jiang," The rims of Ying Ruirui''s eyes reddened. "Maybe¡ªMaybe you should change hospitals soon."


    Ying Ruirui had good intentions in her heart. She saw that Jiang Jinyan was handsome, docile and pitiful. She had met this man a few times and a kind ofpassion bloomed in her heart. It wasn''t love, just simply like a good neighbor who wanted to warn the people around her of the recent robbery.


    Jiang Jinyan''s face didn''t change. "Change hospitals? Why?"


    She nced out and saw no one walking around. Then, she leaned forward and whispered fearfully. "I heard that there''s a serial killer who sneaked into our hospital at dawn today. Do you know the serial killer who is often reported on TV? It''s that person!" Once she started to speak, everything became easier. Jiang Jinyan showed a shock expression and Ying Ruirui''s eyes brightened as if finding a friend in misfortune, her gossip soul roaring.


    "You don''t know right, Mr. Jiang? It''s so terrifying. I heard that this morning, the patient in the diagonal room from you was almost killed! The distance between your rooms was so close, what if the serial killer came here instead?! The hospital isn''t safe any longer!" Ying Ruirui shuddered. "I really want to finish my internship as soon as possible¡­"


    Jiang Jinyan''s face soon returned to its calmness. He spoke calmly with logic, "Don''t worry, there are many police officers around. There is also a skilled detective here. It will be safe."


    "Are you talking about Detective Xu?" She gasped, horrified. "Well, you''re not wrong¡­between Detective Xu and the serial killer, I don''t know which one is more terrifying¡­"


    Jiang Jinyan: "¡­" What had Detective Xu done to her?


    Ying Ruirui didn''t know whether tough or cry. Her smile was worse than crying. "I braced myself beforeing here, thinking that every hospital has its own ghost story but I didn''t expect that a real ghost would reallye! The nurses are terrified because the police haven''t found the culprit yet, they said that he has disappeared without a trace, just like a ghost! What if¡­What if he returns tonight¡­?"


    Jiang Jinyan just smiled faintly without saying anything.


    Nurse Ying was done with Jiang Jinyan''s routine checkup and reminded him to be careful once again. Then, she went out and closed the door behind her.


    Jiang Jinyan leaned back to the bed and closed his eyes. Behind his eyelids, he saw Shi Nian''s tearful and terrified eyes, looking at him like he was her sole savior, her hands grabbing onto him tightly as she pleaded. "I am scared¡­"


    But before it, did she say something else? ''General''?


    He shook his head and reached for his phone. The notification for Weib8 had been shut off so there were no annoying noises disturbing him. He opened the interface for WeChat and found the pinned chat column with the profile picture of a girl smiling brightly with a rabbit headband on her head, her eyes crinkled with smiles and there was a small mole on the corner of her eyes which made her look especially lovely.


    Jiang Jinyan remembered that it wasst year when they went to Disnend together. At that time, he had just won his first gold medal and Couch Yong granted him three days of vacation.


    He had always felt guilty because due to the continuouspetitions he joined, Wei Xiameng, his poor girlfriend, would always be thrown to the back of his mind. If he was engrossed in the hardcore practice, he would even forget to check his phone. The high intensity training drained his mind and every time he returned home, he would always flop into the bed and fall asleep.


    Thus, he dedicated his mere three days of free time to bring her to the ce she always yearned to go.


    They were so happy back then. Even though it was tiring and sometimes, he would feel frustrated because of Coach Yong''s unreasonable demand. Looking back, he was truly, genuinely happy, it was the kind of happiness which brought him immense satisfaction¡­


    He shook his head and smiled bitterly.


    The chat endedst night with Wei Xiameng sending him a kiss sticker with good night. He scrolled up a bit and discovered that the frequency of their chat had been decreasing more and moretely.


    Well, it was almost May and Wei Xiameng''s architecture department would be especially busy, moreover, she was in her third year and she ought to search for a good internship.


    Jiang Jinyan started to type.


    [Jiang Jinyan]: Xiaxia, you don''t have toe to the hospital in the next few days. Something happened here and it''s not safe.


    Jiang Jinyan had to wait until it was almost noon for her reply.


    [Xiaxia]: Ah? What happened to the hospital?


    [Xiaxia]: What about you? Are you okay?


    The simple question of ''Are you okay?'' managed to bring Jiang Jinyan warmth. His expression eased as he replied.


    [Jiang Jinyan]: I am okay. Nothing happened to me.


    [Xiaxia]: Is it rted to Miss Shi?


    [Jiang Jinyan]: Hmm, I am not sure.


    The words ''Xiaxia is typing¡­'' appeared on the screen. Jiang Jinyan waited patiently.


    [Xiaxia]: Okay then, be careful. Call me if there''s anything.


    It has been more than a day since Jiang Jinyan became a trending topic in Weib8. He didn''t know whether the girl was so busy that she didn''t check social media or she was trying to be sensible, but she never asked anything.


    [Jiang Jinyan]: What do you think about my post¡ª


    He deleted it.


    [Jiang Jinyan]: Xiaxia, I am not an athlete anymore. Do you mind¡ª


    He deleted it again.


    [Jiang Jinyan]: Have you read my post in Weib8¡ª


    Delete again.


    In the end, he just asked simple questions.


    [Jiang Jinyan]: How is your day? Have you found a goodpany for an internship yet?


    [Xiaxia]: I am sooo tired! Even a dog isn''t as tired as me! Professor Hong is merciless, he even asked us to do model analysis in the suburb area and it''s almost summer soon!


    [Xiaxia]: It''s so hot that I am getting sunburn! Xiao Bai wasining that we are going to be tanned sooner orter!


    [Xiaxia]: cry.jpg


    [Xiaxia]: Don''t worry! An acquaintance of mine has rmended me to his internshippany so I am safe!


    [Xiaxia]: peace.jpg


    Jiang Jinyan smiled faintly.


    [Jiang Jinyan]: rubhead.jpg


    [Jiang Jinyan]: Good luck!


    If he wasn''t in the hospital, if his leg wasn''t disabled, then at this time, maybe he would have been by her side, driving her around everywhere, and as sheined because of the heat, he would go out and wait for her with a cup of iced milk tea, wiping the sweat on her forehead while she smiled sweetly at him.


    s¡­


    Everything had changed.. He clenched his fist tight, his eyes lowered and the sunshine that poured into the room did nothing to warm the chill around his heart.

 Chapter 60 - Two Times More Handsome When He Smiled

    "You don''t want to talk?"


    Shi Nian closed her eyes and took a deep breath. [Uncle¡­please give me some time.]


    The curtain in Shi Nian''s room was drawn and sunlight flooded the room. It was so bright that the microscopic dust flying in the air could be seen. Shi Nian''s face was overcast and there was a gloominess and confusion that she couldn''t hide in her eyes.


    Xu Binchen contemted briefly and nodded which surprised the girl so much that she widened her eyes in shock. The man snorted. "What? Do you think that I am such an evil that I will extort testimony out of a weak patient?"


    The corner of Shi Nian''s eyes twitched. It wasn''t that she didn''t realize that Xu Binchen was turning kinder, milder and softer toward her, but she knew that the man must have been pressured by the higher-ups.


    The serial killer had reappeared and then vanished without a trace. Even with the police officers patrolling around, he was able to sneak into Shi Nian''s room smoothly and erased all of the evidence.


    The only people who saw him were Jiang Jinyan and Shi Nian. Jiang Jinyan didn''t have any connection to the case and that left Shi Nian. She was a key witness, the one who spent three months'' time with the culprit.


    Now that he hade for her, how could the police sit down and watch just like that?


    They must have been restless, itching to peel off Shi Nian''s skull to see her memory. Everything depended on her, if she remembered sooner, even if it was just a day sooner, then maybe they would have a higher chance to capture the culprit.


    [Thank you very much, Uncle.]


    Xu Binchen pinched his brows tiredly. "It''s okay. Just rest and wait, I will interrogate you two times harder next time. Don''t cry and break down when the timees."


    Shi Nian: "¡­"


    Every time she felt that Xu Binchen was only cold on the outside but passionate inside, she would always be pped by his dark, crude and sarcastic remarks. He was such a contradictory person, one moment he would be so gentle that it made one flustered and the next moment, he would return to his usual cold and sharp persona.


    "I''m sorry."


    Shi Nian was so absorbed in her own thoughts that she couldn''t react for a few seconds after hearing Xu Binchen''s abrupt apology. Her mouth gaped open and huge question marks formed on her forehead.


    Xu Binchen sighed and continued. "Last time, I said that I will protect you. I said that with the police here, there''s nothing to fear but the truth has just pped me on the face." He let out a soft curse andid horizontally on the couch like a boneless sloth. "It''s all my fault that you got a scare."


    Shi Nian took in a sharp breath and the back of her eyes stung. Warmth permeated through her heart. Having someone by your side who would care for you, who would understand you, who would consider your feelings was such a good thing. She sniffled and gave a piece of tissue to him. [Don''t cry.]


    Xu Binchen showed a rare dumbfounded expression.


    Shi Nian burst out inughter, the sun painted her silhouette golden. Her smile was so bright and pure that he couldn''t look straight at her. She was bathed in the light, looking ethereal like an angel in disguise.


    Xu Binchen''s heart went disordered for a moment and he too, gave a shortugh. "You brat, how dare you tease me?" It was an angryugh without any destruction force, three parts helpless and four parts amused.


    For the first time ever, Shi Nian was reminded of how someone could look two times more handsome when he smiled.


    The first one was Jiang Jinyan, and the second was Xu Binchen.


    ***


    When the night arrived, Xu Binchen didn''t leave Shi Nian''s room as usual. He dismissed all of his underlings outside and camped for a night on the couch, his legs dangling ufortably.


    Shi Nian could imagine how sore he would wake up if he slept like that.


    Guilty, she offered. [What if you sleep on the bed while I sleep on the couch?]


    Xu Binchen read her board and closed his eyes in response. He even slung his arms across his eyes to block her from sight.


    Shi Nian: "¡­"


    She crouched down beside him and poked his arms.


    "What?" Xu Binchen grumpily answered. "Don''t you know that I haven''t slept in two days?"


    [I don''t know.] She answered casually. [You will be sore tomorrow if you sleep like this.]


    Xu Binchen snorted. "Brat, you don''t know anything." He could even sleep in the cramped car, the wilderness, and with soiled mud, hell, he had even gone undercover as a beggar under the bridge before.


    Sleeping on the soft couch could be considered a luxury.


    Shi Nian puffed out her cheeks in anger. She harrumphed and didn''t care about him anymore. After brushing her teeth, she returned to her bed and pulled up the nket to cover her head.


    Xu Binchen peeked at her with one eye and snorted.


    The room descended into silence. Then, Xu Binchen asked. "Why don''t you turn off the light?"


    Shi Nian hurled her nket away and sat up with a jerk, her pupils trembled.


    Xu Binchen raised a brow and sat up, his tone turned serious. "What''s wrong?"


    She wrote. [Don''t¡­]


    "You''re scared?"


    Shi Nian nodded after a brief moment of hesitation.


    "Because ofst night''s incident?"


    She bit her lips and nodded again.


    Xu Binchen let out a soft sigh and walked across the room. In the next second, the room plunged into total darkness with the light from the hallway being the only source of light. Shi Nian let out a yelp and her goosebumps rose along her arms.


    She wasn''t afraid of the dark, but¡­


    The atmosphere, the darkness, the asional footsteps of nurses walking around, the silent and tranquil ambience of the hospital, it all reminded her ofst night''s nightmare. The nightmare that she didn''t dare to tell anyone.


    "Don''t be afraid." The man''s voice sounded lower and gentler than usual. He dragged the couch¡ªwhich Nurse Zhang moved back everytime¡ªto her bed side andid down. "I am here."


    Like this, when she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw would be him.


    His eyes shone in the dark like two precious gems. "Sleep."


    Shi Nian wrung her nket and with no other choice,id back down.


    "Kids in their growth period need to sleep with the lights off. Or else, they will not grow taller[1]."


    The fear in Shi Nian''s heart was instantly doused by Xu Binchen''s mocking remark. She harrumphed loudly and turned her back over. But this time, she was filled with a sense of security because she knew that there was someone protecting her behind her back.


    She closed her eyes peacefully and drifted off to sleep.


    The night in hospital was always more serene and tranquil than any other ce. All of the hubbub sounded far in the distance as if there was a veil covering the ce, separating them in another dimension. In no time at all, soft breathing could be heard from Shi Nian''s side.


    Xu Binchen scoffed and he also shut his eyes, but his mind was wide awake.


    The time was 22:43 pm.


    He opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling,ying down, his breathing sounded as if he was deep asleep. In the midst of the darkness, a pair of cold eyes glinted sharply.


    Waiting, baiting, preying.


    .


    .


    [1] Well even though Xu Binchen was just teasing her, but it''s half truth. No, don''t worry, it doesn''t have to do with height but sleeping with lights turn on may lead to sickness, including cancer.. The exposure of bright light may suppress mtonin, a hormone that regtes sleep and wakefulness. So, let''s sleep with the lights off :))

 Chapter 61 - Shivering Little Animal

    Night at the hospital was eerily quiet. Every single sound, no matter how small it was, would be magnified indefinitely. The hushed voices, soft footsteps, crackling light bulbs, the door opening and closing.


    In the empty hallway of the fifth floor, once again, there was a series of light footsteps that were getting closer and closer to Shi Nian''s room.


    Shi Nian had been sleeping soundly, but maybe because it was a conditional response, once she heard those footsteps, her eyes snapped open amidst the dark and the first thing she saw was the clock on the wall.


    1:55 am.


    She looked over and was instantly met with a pair of sharp, deep eyes, staring intently at her. Her breath hitched on her throat and her heart stopped. She widened her eyes in fright and it took a few seconds for her to realize that it was Xu Binchen''s eyes.


    ...Really, she forgot Xu Binchen was here and almost got a heart attack.


    The man put his fingers on his lips and gestured for her to not move.


    Shi Nian''s fingers grasped her nket so tight that her knuckles turned white. Loud and violent heartbeats thundered in her ears and she slowly, fearfully let out a shaking breath. Her back broke out in cold sweat and her fingertips trembled ever so slightly.


    Xu Binchen was still in his position, lying horizontally on the couch with his feet dangled in the air. His sharp eyes shone in the dark, not even a hint of sleepiness could be seen. Shi Nian doubted whether he had slept all these while.


    The footsteps came closer and closer and then stopped not far from her room.


    It was like the nightmare fromst night was reying all over again. Shi Nian stared at Xu Binchen with horror in her eyes, but different fromst night, she wasn''t alone. Just this fact alone enabled her to calm herself down and smoothed her breathing as if she was in a deep sleep.


    Xu Binchen could just stretch out his neck and he would be able to see the situation on the door. From their position, Shi Nian''s sight was blocked by the couch and she could only see the half top of the door. Meanwhile, if one peeked in from outside, then they would only be able to see the back of the couch with Xu Binchen''s long legs in the air, Shi Nian waspletely blocked out of sight.


    Xu Binchen rolled soundlessly to the floor.


    Shi Nian stared wide eyed, astonished as to how he was able to move steadily and made his way to the area beside the door. This way, no matter who came inter, they wouldn''t be able to discover Xu Binchen.


    He gave her a reassuring nce and Shi Nian nodded. Even though her face was still a little pale with fright, she didn''t feel so terrified anymore.


    The footsteps stopped and Xu Binchen held his breath.


    The light that poured out from the gaps between the door and floor was obstructed with a long shadow and slowly¡­soundlessly¡­Shi Nian''s hospital door slid open, only by an inch.


    An eye poked out between the gaps of the door and was instantly met with Xu Binchen''s chilly eyes which were slightly bloodshot because of theck of sleep. He was like a vengeful spirit with red eyes that was full of malice. The suspense and shock was enough to cause someone''s life.


    "AAAAHHHHH!!!!"


    The long, shrill scream was so loud, so heartrending and so miserable that it could be heard from miles away. Shi Nian shot up from her bed and Xu Binchen mmed the door open, and in the next second, the whole room was blinded with the lights on.


    The nurses and doctors in shift had learned from their previous experience, moreover, they had been lectured by Detective Xu just like a bunch of misbehaving children. Now that an ident happened once again, they instantly reacted and ran toward Shi Nian''s room!


    "W¡ªWhat happened?!"


    "Shi Nian?! Is Shi Nian okay?"


    Shi Nian widened her eyes in shock. Not because of the person sneaking around, but because that exact person, who met Xu Binchen''s eyes, was the one who screamed like a pig in ughter.


    And that scream was even familiar to her.


    The nurses and doctors skidded in shock. Crowded in a circle in front of Shi Nian''s room, they saw the youth who fell on his butt due to shock as well as the main culprit whose scream was enough to make the ss windows crack.


    Xu Binchen looked down coldly like a God. The light from the room shone behind him, shrouding his face and illuminated his profile, making him look more domineering and awe inspiring. "What are you doing here, Young Master Nan?"


    Yes, the person who sneakily opened Shi Nian''s door was exactly Young Master Nan, Nan Xukun.


    The youth''s mouth gaped open in shock and his eyes reflected horror. Only after Xu Binchen talked did he realize that the eyes who met him was just Xu Binchen''s. Patting his chest in relief, the youth whose hair was rainbow in colorined in an aggrieved tone. "Can you not scare me like that?! I almost got a heart attack!"


    "Aiyoh, Young Master Nan?"


    "What are you doing here? Are you okay?"


    "Did your butt injured?"


    Nan Xukun''s face blushed crimson and he stood up shakily. "I¡ªInjured your ass! Why should I be injured?! I am okay, ah. Stop! Don''t crowd around me!"


    The nurses and doctors confirmed that there was nothing wrong and finally went back in relief.


    Shi Nian walked toward Xu Binchen and Nan Xukun, confused. What was he doing here,ing to her room in the middle of the night?


    Xu Binchen hadn''t slept, and he had umted anger in his belly due to having not caught the serial killer yet. His face was awfully dark as he scowled. "What are you doing here?"


    "I¡ª" Nan Xukun nced at Xu Binchen in fear and finally turned to Shi Nian, his gaze pleading. "I am scared to sleep alone¡­Can you take me in for one night? Please?" He widened his eyes, fully disying his beautiful greyish green pupils. His entire body was trembling, maybe because he hadn''t gotten out of the shock of facing Xu Binchen''s bloodshot eyes in the dark.


    Even though Young Master Nan was almost as tall as Xu Binchen, when he was cowering like this, he really looked like a shivering little animal.


    Shi Nian: "¡­"

 Chapter 62 - Her General Is The Best!

    "Sorry¡­" Young Master Nan scratched his head sheepishly. "I heard from the nurses thatst night, there was a serial killer running around! What if hees to my room and demands money from my dad?! Hell, I am so scared that I don''t even dare to close my eyes!"


    "So," Xu Binchen pinched his brows, exasperated. "You sneaked into a girl''s room, at 2 am in the morning, just because you''re scared? Don''t you realize that she will be more scared than you?!"


    Nan Xukun: "¡­Right. I didn''t think of that. I am sorry. Sorry, Shi Nian. Sorry, Detective Xu. Did I really scare the both of you?"


    Xu Binchen sneered. "Oh, yes, I am really scared to death! How do you want topensate me?"


    Nan Xukun: "¡­"


    Shi Nian: "¡­" Liar, why couldn''t she find the traces of fear in this man who was slouching on the couch with both of his arms spread wide?


    Maybe Nan Xukun didn''t realize that Xu Binchen was just being sarcastic. To her surprise, Young Master Nan followed innocently. "How much do you want forpensation? Is five million enough?"


    This time, it was Xu Binchen who was rendered speechless.


    The sight of him gawking at Nan Xukun as if he was an exotic animal made Shi Nian giggle in amusement. Now that she thought about it, she felt ridiculous for being all paranoid.


    Nan Xukun''s eyes brightened. "You''re not mad at me right, little meimei?"


    "Little. Mei. Mei?" Xu Binchen stressed down each word, his tone dark.


    "She''s obviously younger than me so what''s wrong with me calling her little meimei?"


    Faced with Nan Xukun''s clear and purely confused eyes, Xu Binchen raised his hands in surrender. He flopped down into the couch and closed his eyes tiredly. "Sleep, let''s just sleep."


    Nan Xukun looked at the bed which was upied by Shi Nian and the couch which was dominated by Xu Binchen. Chuckling dryly, he asked. "Where do I sleep?"


    Xu Binchen roared angrily. "Just sleep on the floor!"


    Thus, with the power of money, Young Master Nan managed to order the nurse to bring him a makeshift bed. Finally, the three people settled in Shi Nian''s room. Shi Nian''s room wasn''t small, after all, it was a single patient room with personal bathroom inside. There was even a couch with a low table for multiple uses.


    But then, with the addition of Young Master Nan''s bed, it became strangely cramped. It was such a weirdbination with Shi Nian in the middle, Xu Binchen near the door and Nan Xukun on the inside. With two men in the room, Shi Nian slept restlessly and woke up before dawn with panda eyes.


    The sun hadn''t even risen yet and there was only a burst of purplish blue mixed with sshes of oranges in the sky.


    Nan Xukun snored softly. He slept so deeply, so well behaved. Both of his arms were ced atop of his chest with his ten fingers intertwined together and his body was straight and neat. He only needed a white cloth to cover his head to be a corpse in the morgue.


    Shi Nian got out of bed gingerly. She didn''t make any sound but Xu Binchen still roused from his sleep. With a voice thick with drowsiness, he called out. "Shi Nian?"


    The deep, low and raspy voice of a male filled with pheromones in the morning was a lethal attack. Shi Nian''s heart skipped a beat. Uncle detective''s voice was so nice and gentle in the morning, if it was made into a ringtone and sold, then it would definitely make a fortune.


    Xu Binchen cracked his eyes open and Shi Nian pointed at the bathroom. Then, realizing her intention, he grunted softly and returned to sleep.


    Shi Nian went to empty her dder, washed her face and returned to the bed. But because she couldn''t sleep any longer, she grabbed her phone and went out of her room. The morning air was so misty and humid that even a deep breath was enough to chill her lungs.


    The nurse that had just arrived on her morning shift was surprised to see her outside. "Shi Nian?" She called out softly. "What''s wrong?"


    Shi Nian shook her head with a smile and typed on the phone. [Nothing wrong. I just can''t sleep.]


    "The morning is so cold. Make sure to wear more clothes and don''t catch a cold." The kind hearted nurse went to get her a cup of warm water. Shi Nian thanked her and strode into the floor to ceiling window as she wrapped her palms around the cup, intending to watch the sunrise.


    She shuddered and sneezed softly.


    Hearing her sneeze, someone turned around. A man in wheelchair who had been looking out of the window since God-knows-when.


    Jiang Jinyan.


    Their gazes met in midair and both showed a shocked expression. Jiang Jinyan was the first to recover, his facial features returned to its usual cid calmness, then he gestured for her to go on as he pushed his wheelchair away.


    Shi Nian recovered from her stupor and blocked his way. Meeting with the man''s deep, confused eyes, she blushed in embarrassment. What to do? She had shown him such a miserable state of hers, it was so mortifying, so embarrassing that she wanted to crawl away and hide.


    But her principle didn''t allow her to do so. If there wasn''t Jiang Jinyan that night, then she didn''t know whether she would be able to escape alive.


    [Thank you very much for that night.] She showed her phone screen to him.


    Jiang Jinyan nodded politely. "It''s what I should do. Are you okay, Miss Shi? Last night, I heard someone screaming."


    She shook her head hard and typed furiously. [It''s not me!] If Jiang Jinyan thought that it was her who was shrieking like a pig, where would she put her face?!


    "I know." A hint of amusement shed through his eyes. He pointed at his mouth, "After all¡­" After all, you can''t speak. He didn''t say it but somehow, Shi Nian could understand what he was going to say.


    The blush on her cheeks went deeper.


    Aaaaah! Why?! Why did her IQ always turn negative when she''s in front of him?!


    Jiang Jinyan didn''t point out her silliness and smiled softly. "Then I will return to my room. Be careful with your safety, Miss Shi." The man''s eyes turned serious and earnest and it warmed Shi Nian''s heart.


    Her nose turned sour. In this world, they were practically strangers but Jiang Jinyan was so polite, considerate and warm. How could there be such a perfect man like him?


    She nodded her head like chicken pecking rice, exceedingly obedient and well behaved. dded in a hospital gown, her figure looked so thin and soft as if she could be blown away along with the wind. Her golden eyes were like a pair of ssy gems, watery and tender, shining so bright as she caught sight of him. Just like a pair of morning sun that was enveloped by the warm airy clouds.


    Jiang Jinyan returned to his room in a much better mood. Whoever met such a sensible and obedient girl would be softhearted. Even though they had no rtion with each other, but based on how the girl treated him so nicely, so politely with the appropriate distance that made himfortable, he didn''t regret stretching his hand toward her that night.


    Other than Wei Xiameng, this was the first time that Jiang Jinyan couldmunicate with a girl sofortably.


    Shi Nian looked at his back until he disappeared around the corner, her smile so foolish and silly.


    Come to think of it, Jiang Jinyan was just one year older than Nan Xukun but both of them were akin to soft moonlight and stinky soil. Jiang Jinyan was so mature, so graceful and handsome while Nan Xukun was so unruly and wild, he was too enthusiastic even with strangers that it would make people ufortable.


    As she expected, her General was really the best!


    .


    .


    A/N: hello guys~ maybe some of you are confused. The synopsis clearly said that Jiang Jinyan is violent, hot tempered and mentally unstable! It is not consistent to how patient and considerate he was!


    Don''t worry~ he will eventually be like that. Such a good boy, the world will hurt him and abandoned him QAQ what exactly happen to him? You will see~


    Just treat [Volume 1: Cherry Blossom] as an introductory volume. In volume 2, our Jiang Jinyan''s temper will change in contrast to how he was in this volume and you will know how crazy he can be....

 Chapter 63 - The High Profile Culprit

    Three dayster, it was Sunday and still, there wasn''t any further development on the case. Maybe this time, they had really alerted the culprit, afterall, these three days, Xu Binchen followed her wherever she went just like conjoined twins.


    Xu Binchen''s captain was so angry that Shi Nian could hear his roar across the phone. But Xu Binchen bore with it all, his face didn''t change a bit. In the end, he was punished to write a three thousand wordplementary essay on his mistakes and how to fix it and prevent it from happening again in the future.


    Shi Nian could only guiltily stand by Xu Binchen''s side as he grumbled and wrote the essay in half an hour, his ability to talk nonsense was so amazing that Shi Nian was shocked out of her wits.


    "¡­I admit that it''s my fault for not being guarded enough, causing the victim to be traumatized and injured emotionally. It''s a police officer''s duty to embrace every citizen and ensure their safety so that they will feel secure enough with us, thus all faulty with me as a detective. I, Xu Binchen, am not disciplined enough¡­"


    Shi Nian looked and looked and in the end, she couldn''t resistughing.


    Xu Binchen''s face was nk as he kept on spouting rainbow farts. His hands glided across the A4 paper and in no time at all, it was filled with a dense row of neat handwriting.


    Shi Nian gave him two thumbs up.


    Xu Binchen capped his pen and tidied his essay. He scoffed softly. "You have no idea how many essays I have written since I joined the police. This is just a piece of cake."


    Shi Nian: "¡­" Is that something to be proud of?!


    Well, judging from Xu Binchen''s cold and rude behavior, willful, proud, stubborn, not afraid to offend ghosts and Buddha, it was reasonable for him to be punished regrly. Shi Nian had no idea whether the word ''courtesy'' existed in his dictionary.


    She started to feel admiration toward Captain Jin who could straighten him up.


    Xu Binchen nced at her. "So happy today?"


    She swung her legs joyfully and nodded. [My mother ising back!]


    Yes, Shi Nian''s missing mother, whom she hadn''t seen ever since she woke up, said that she wasing back soon! Finally, she could meet Qiang Fei who was also her sister in their past lives. Just thinking about that made her so happy that she didn''t care about Xu Binchen''s sarcasm these past few days.


    Xu Binchen raised a brow, muttered, "Teenager." She was really a kid, Xu Binchen thought, well afterall she was only a sixteen years old brat.


    But when he turned his back toward Shi Nian, there was an unprecedented gentleness in his eyes that maybe he himself didn''t realize.


    The TV was ying a new snack advertisement and in the next moment, the scene changed to the live report of a chaotic entrance of a park filled with people. A woman in neat suit stood in front of the yellow police line and around her, people were busy taking photos and video.


    "This is Mango TV Station and you''re with me, Shang Ling. Now, I am in the Recreational Park of City A. Since this morning at 5 am, the police have surrounded the park and officially closed it for half a day. Many peoplee only to be denied entry, soon people start specting; why? Why did the police close a public space on Sunday?"


    "Let us move to Xiao Ran." Then, the scene moved to another reporter who spoke in a hushed voice, sneakily ncing around in excitement. "Yes, this is Xiao Ran here, thank you Sister Ling. I am here inside the closed off area." The camera moved from Xiao Ran''s face to the scenery around.


    The usually crowded Recreational Park was empty and deste except for some officers in police uniforms and some in civilian clothes. The fountain in the middle of the park was sprouting water gracefully in different movements every few seconds just like an exquisite dance and the grass carpet was soft and fresh. It should be a ce which exuded tranquility and peacefulness but now, the solemn faces of the police officers made it look like they were attending a funeral.


    Shi Nian lifted her head and stared intently at the TV meanwhile Xu Binchen frowned and went out to the balcony to make a call.


    Xiao Ran continued to talk in excitement, "Some police officers have been guarding this area and you can see on the ground beside the fountain which is slightly covered by the ornament bushes, there is a ck cloth luggage bag! Is this the so-called body part that was often found throughout the City? There is a huge probability that it''s the truth! People are crowding outside to protest and demanding to know what is going on and the police are working hard to track where the bag wasing from¡­"


    Xu Binchen returned to the room with a dark face meanwhile, the police officer on the TV looked around and discovered Xiao Ran. "Hey!" He shouted loudly. "Where are youing from?!"


    Xiao Ran maintained her professional smile without a hint of panic yet her words came out fast like a machine gun. "This is Xiao Ran and I will continue to report the newest development. Meanwhile, let us return to Sister Ling." Then, the screen turned dark and Shang Ling reappeared.


    Shi Nian looked at Xu Binchen dubiously, her good mood doused like an icy cold water that was thrown atop of her head. [What happened?]


    Xu Binchen sullenly kneaded his forehead, sighing. "Since a few days ago, we have been monitoring the Recreational Park intently, especially the area that often bes the CCTV''s blind spots. But we found nothing and thought that it was a false rm. The Mayor didn''t want to close the park on weekends because it would cause suspicion among the masses and we couldn''t go against him."


    "Then, the result was, when they were making thest round of search, they found the evidence near the fountain, covered by potted nts. It was clearly the trademark area of the park! The culprit was too audacious, he was so presumptuous that we were clearly caught off guard. Now that the body part is found, we have no choice but to close the park off." Xu Binchen couldn''t help but curse the culprit''s thirteen ancestors. He didn''t fear the police at all, daring to put the body part on the most crowded ce within the entire Recreational Park!


    Shi Nian gripped her board tightly, her lips pursed. [So¡­the culprit who bought the bag wasn''t caught?]


    "Don''t worry, we have installed CCTV on every corner of the park. The culprit could hide within the crowd but he couldn''t hide from our 360 degrees monitoring. Sooner orter, we will lock him down."


    Shi Nian nodded but she still felt uneasy. Somehow, she had a premonition that everything would go haywire. The culprit dared to challenge the police in such a high profile manner, wasn''t he scared that he would be found quickly?


    Or¡­he didn''t have to be scared?

 Chapter 64 - A Pathetic Coward

    Jiang Jinyan listened to the news, frowning.


    "¡­by now, the police haven''t given any rification yet." Shang Ling reported, then she turned around and saw a tall, sharp, handsome man approaching. Her eyes lit up as she stretched out her mic toward the man. "Captain Jin! Captain Jin! What do you have to say about the sealed Recreational Park? Is it true that it''s rted to the body parts and the serial killer who has been rampaging sincest year?"


    The man''s eyebrows were thick and heroic and when he swept his eyes across the cameras, it seemed like an invisible pressure had pressed down, rendering them unable to breathe. "Please wait for our official notice. Don''te here and obstruct the police. Do you want me to send you an arrest warrant?"


    Shang Ling: "¡­"


    The cameramen: "¡­"


    Then, Captain Jin walked away while the rest of the people were still dumbfounded.


    Shang Ling recovered herself and smiled sweetly. "That is Captain Jin for you. He''s the lead criminal investigator of City A''s Police Bureau, so we should trust the police and wait for their official notice."


    Jiang Jinyan grabbed his phone and opened his chat with Wei Xiameng. The chat stoppedst night with Jiang Jinyan''s ''good luck''. They hadn''t contacted each other these past few days.


    [Jiang Jinyan]: Xiaxia, I remembered that you said your analysis area is in the suburbs? Is that near the Recreational Park?


    Wei Xiameng replied more than ten minutester.


    [Xiaxia]: Yes, that''s right!


    [Xiaxia]: What''s wrong with it?


    [Jiang Jinyan]: Be careful. There is a crowd of people and police officers in the Recreational Park. Are you still busy? Not yet done with the analysis?


    [Xiaxia]: No!


    [Xiaxia]: cry.jpg


    [Xiaxia]: It''s not that easy, Jinyan. I have to do surveys and analyze the people, make the data and process it. I can''t skip it just because of some crowd of people.


    Jiang Jinyan frowned and felt that her tone didn''t seem right.


    [Jiang Jinyan]: It''s not that. I am just worried about you.


    [Jiang Jinyan]: It''s better that you wrap it up and finish soon.


    [Jiang Jinyan]: Who are you with? Bai Jiya?


    [Jiang Jinyan]: It''s not safe for two girls to travel alone.


    [Xiaxia]: puffedcheeks.jpg


    [Xiaxia]: Don''t worry! We can take care of ourselves!


    [Xiaxia]: I will contact you after I''m done, bye Jinyan~


    After that, every message he sent was like stone sinking into the oceans, no reply was received anymore. Jiang Jinyan felt unsettled and opened a new chat with Bai Jiya¡ªXiao Bai¡ªWei Xiameng''s best friend as well as her only friend whom Jiang Jinyan knew. After all, when Wei Xiameng chased after him two years ago, it was Bai Jiya who helped her with strategizing.


    Jiang Jinyan seldom chatted with her.


    Thest chat between them was more than half a year ago. At that time, Wei Xiameng couldn''t be contacted and Jiang Jinyan had no choice but to call her friend. Only then did Jiang Jinyan know that Wei Xiameng had been pulling all-nighters to finish her project to the point where she copsed with a high fever.


    [Jiang Jinyan]: Bai Jiya, are you there?


    It took no more than fifteen seconds for her to reply.


    [BaiBai]: OMG, Jiang Jinyan?! Is that you?!


    [BaiBai]: What the hell with all the gossip on Weib8? You''re really hospitalized?!


    [Jiang Jinyan]: Xiaxia didn''t tell you?


    It was strange, afterall, Bai Jiya was her best friend whom she always shared everything with. Her own boyfriend was in such a huge car ident, how could Wei Xiameng didn''t tell her?


    [BaiBai]: No.


    [BaiBai]: confused.jpg


    [BaiBai]: Wait, you''re still together with Xiameng?


    Jiang Jinyan''s heart skipped a beat and his fingers stiffened as he typed.


    [Jiang Jinyan]: What do you mean?


    [BaiBai]: No! It''s just my misunderstanding ne~


    [BaiBai]: shyshy.jpg


    [BaiBai]: Don''t take it to heart! I don''t mean anything.


    [BaiBai]: How are you now? Where are you hospitalized? Let mee and visit youter.


    This act was just making Jiang Jinyan more suspicious, the more Bai Jiya said that there''s nothing wrong, the more disgruntled he felt.


    [Jiang Jinyan]: It''s okay, architecture students must be busy. It''s not good for me to bother you.


    [BaiBai]: No, no! Hahaha! How long have we known each other? Wei Xiameng''s boyfriend is my good brother. Just good, today is Sunday and I cane byter in the evening.


    [BaiBai]: Is Xiameng there?


    [BaiBai]: Do you want me to bring you dinner?


    Jiang Jinyan''s heart instantly sank. Bai Jiya didn''t know that Wei Xiameng wasn''t here, she was not together with her. So, Wei Xiameng was lying? Why did she lie? Moreover, why did Bai Jiya ask whether they were still together?


    As if¡ªAs if¡­


    A terrible spection popped up in his mind.


    Jiang Jinyan closed his eyes and inhaled sharply. His heart was beating fast and once the seed of doubt was nted, it was hard to pluck it off from its root. Of course, he didn''t want to doubt her girlfriend but¡­the decreasing frequency of their contact, Wei Xiameng''s short and impatient chats, her gradual disappearance, it formed a vortex of ck clouds in Jiang Jinyan''s heart, pressing him so hard to the point where he couldn''t breathe.


    However, when he thought about Wei Xiameng''s wet eyes when he had just opened his eyes, her sad cries, her gentle and warm care, her patient apaniment, and the years they had spent together, Jiang Jinyan was really, really unwilling to doubt her.


    He didn''t believe that the girl, who would take a taxi for ten kilometers to his training center, just to send him a handmade lunchbox and meet him for less than fifteen minutes, could betray him.


    She was Jiang Jinyan''s sunshine, the only light in his dark tunnel. The only warmth he could feel. Her gentle care was the string that could hold him together. It was because Wei Xiameng was here that Jiang Jinyan hadn''t given up on himself. If she left him too¡­if she abandoned him like any other, how could he live with that?


    He was like a dying man, stubbornly holding onto thest straw and behind his feet was a bottomless abyss.


    His huge palm gripped onto his stump knee tightly, so tight that he felt sharp pain shooting up his whole body and the bandages began to turn red, blood seeping through it. He breathed heavily and in the end¡­tried to grasp onto this light as long as he could.


    [Jiang Jinyan]: It''s okay. Xiaxia has just returned home.


    [Jiang Jinyan]: I have received your good intention. Thank you.


    Yes.. He, Jiang Jinyan, was such a pathetic coward.

 Chapter 65 - Preserved Body Part

    Recreational Park of City A located near the suburb area, approximately 2 hectares, if one calcted from the entrance to the back garden. It had the trademark fountain waterfall dance, which was the spot that was most liked by children. Not only the fountain, but they could also y with water in the designated area.


    There were ygrounds, restaurants, shopping mall, small amusement park, cottage houses, natural exquisite sceneries, photobooth area and many other services which made it popr all year around.


    Henan Corporation, which was owned by Nan Cheng, had 51% shares in Recreational Park, making him the biggest shareholder meanwhile the rest of the shares was divided among other businessmen with the second mostrger shareholder being the government.


    Afterall, this was a public space and the park was built atop of a piece of ownerlessnd. Tacitly, all of the ownerlessnd belonged to the government and it was because of the government''s permission that Nan Cheng could create a project to build a recreational park.


    Just for monitoring the whole Recreational Park, Jin Renguang had to install more than 300 new CCTVs. With that, there would be no blind spots throughout the park. There were so many ces where the culprit could have dropped the body part.


    Below the ferris wheel? In the restaurant''s bathroom? In the cottage house''s lobby?


    So many possibilities and the officers dispatched to monitor the park changed shifts all day long with 8 hours each.


    Still, they failed.


    Still, they let the culprit escape.


    In the monitoring control room, the whole wall was filled with rows of screens, each divided by four, showing different sceneries at different times. 300 CCTVs and they had to screen it all from yesterday which was approximately 28 hours. There were only less than 60 police officers who could do overtime.


    They were assigned with one screen each person while Jin Renguang dominated four. Sixteen records, each showed around 20 meters square ofnd. If it was the peak hours, then the people in one screen could exceed fifty, just like sardines that stuck together. He had to analyze each person and scrutinized them intently.


    His dark pupils reflected the light from the screen and his focus was so intense that his eyes could bore holes into it.


    Tang Wei put Jin Renguang''s personal cup which was filled with coffee on top of the desk beside him. "Boss, drink something first. You haven''t drank anything ever since you returned."


    Jin Renguang didn''t even move his eyes. He reached out and lifted the cup to his mouth skillfully, finishing the coffee in a fewrge gulps. "Thank you. How about the surveince record around the area where we found the body part? Have you processed who carried the bag?"


    Tang Wei pushed up his sses. "Yes, we have. But this kind of bag is reallymon among people. By now, we have identified 26 people who carried the same bag and passed through the fountain."


    Jin Renguang frowned and pressed pause on hisputer. "Give me the data. How about the people whose hands be empty once they pass through? Or the one whose bag suddenly disappeared? You can also check it right?"


    "Boss," Tang Wei smiled bitterly. "The problem is, there are so many people! They are stuck together and the hands are often covered. Moreover, it''s a small sized bag. The culprit could just cover it with his coat and then, it couldn''t be seen anymore."


    Jin Renguang pinched his brows. "Carefully check every single person who passed through the fountain. Prioritize the one who carried the bag. Identify them one by one and start to contact them all."


    The door swung open and there came Lin Zhouyi with his white coat and face covered with a surgical mask. "Captain, the forensic resultes out. The right leg belongs to the first victim this year, Su Bina. But I can''t make a more urate calction because the body clearly has been preserved all these while."


    "Preserved?"


    "Yes," Lin Zhouyi expressionlessly continued. "There is wax, formalin and traces of frost in the severed leg. It is spected that the culprit has smeared the leg with wax and formalin before putting it in the freezer. So far, there''s no hint of decay detected."


    Tang Wei cursed. "Perverted bastard!"


    Jin Renguang stood up. "What about the previous body part? There is no substance detected from them?"


    "No. This one is slightly different from the one before. Previously, the body parts were still fresh, the blood didn''t have any hint of coagtion. It is estimated that the culprit dumped the body parts less than three days after he murdered them. But this Su Bina¡­"


    "Yes, it is different. Before, we never found another person''s body part when we investigated one like how we found Yang Shijin''s right leg during our investigation on Su Bina." Tang Wei concluded. "Su Bina has been reported missing since 28th March, at that time, her colleagues said that they couldn''t reach her for three days so we can say that she was kidnapped on 25th or 26th. Then, Yang Shijin''s right leg was found on 12th April. Comrade Lin, how about Yang Shijin''s leg? Can you estimate when she was murdered?"


    Lin Zhouyi flipped through the pages in his notebook and nodded. "All of the previous victims were consistent. Based on the livor mortis, it is estimated that Yang Shijin had died for two days."


    "Two days¡­" Tang Wei muttered. "So, it''s 10th April? But Yang Shijin often didn''t return home for one or two days, even her family didn''t care too much about her. We didn''t know when exactly she was kidnapped and where. No, the question now is, why did the culprit preserve Su Bina''s leg?"


    "Obviously, it is because she has been dead for a month. If it was left alone, then it would surely rot by now." Lin Zhouyi spoke by the matter of fact.


    Of course, he wasn''t wrong, but why did the culprit suddenly change his behavior?


    Jin Renguang didn''t talk since the beginning, his mind was constantly thinking. If he was in the culprit''s shoes¡­someone with OCD, he couldn''t bear to keep the body part which had started to rot so he preserved it. But why didn''t he spread it all at once just likest year? Why one by one?


    A horrible guess instantly popped up in his mind.


    So that he could distract the police, led them by their nose so that they were wary of where he would dump the body part in the future.


    Why did he want to distract the police?


    Because he had unfinished business that stained his continuous glory. A business which was more important than anything else. He hadmitted numerous homicides and dismembered every single one of them without fail, except for one. It was unforgivable. As someone with a severe case of OCD, he surely couldn''t sit still knowing that one of his victims was still alive and kicking.


    The one and only victim that was still alive until this day, Butterfly.


    He had to take care of her first.

 Chapter 66 - Zeroed In On The Suspect

    The police truly worked hard that day. By noon, they had already narrowed down the suspect to 143 people, it was a miniscule numberpared to the thousands influx that were constantlying and going around in the Recreational Park. All of them had the same description; carrying the luggage bag, passed through the waterfall fountain, and at some point of time, the luggage disappeared from their hands.


    Jin Renguang and his subordinates didn''t even cross out youngdies or old people, no matter how small the possibility was, they couldn''t let it go.


    By three in the evening, they had narrowed it down further until there were 98 remaining. The investigation carried on untilte at night. When the room in the Police Bureau turned dark one by one, only their office was still bright with light.


    "Captain! Captain!" Wang Chengbing connected with therge projector screen in the SCI office. His fatty face flushed with excitement. His surroundings were dark, and there were car headlights passing by asionally. Only the light from theptop that illuminated his face. "Look at this! I will send it to you in a second!"


    Jin Renguang received a new email the next moment. He clicked it open and saw a video that was around 10 minutes long. Inside, there was the record of the park''s surveince, the people were stuck together like sardines but Wang Chengbing had clearly marked one of them with a red circle.


    "At nine in the morning, he entered with a group of people. Look, he''s carrying the exact same luggage." The people in the office crowd behind Jin Renguang and the man zoomed in on the video while Wang Chengbing was exining.


    "He went through multiple ces such as the restaurant by theke, the amusement park, I won''t show it to you about this. Then, please drag the video to 4 minutes 12 seconds, there he passed through the waterfall fountain and sat on the bench for almost half an hour, his bag was ced beside him."


    Jin Renguang fast-forwarded the video and saw the man sitting on the bench as he faced the ying children. But because the CCTV was too far, they couldn''t see his expression clearly. If not for Wang Chengbing saying that, they wouldn''t have realized it because almost three quarters of the bag was covered by the man''s body.


    After sitting for almost half an hour, he stood up and went somewhere hurriedly, joining with the crowd of people that almost swallowed him whole. Jin Renguang frowned, he could only see him up to his shoulder because of the crowd.


    "Now, move the video to 8 minutes and 34 seconds," Wang Chengbing voice grew more and more excited. "See, his hands became empty and thest moment the bag was seen was near the fountain! And the bench where he sat was near the ce where we found the body part!"


    Jin Renguang''s eyes deepened and he reyed the video three more times, scrutinized each of the scenes deeply in contemtion.


    "Captain," Tang Wei''s voice sounded behind him. "This man, he''s included in the 98 people we''re currently investigating!"


    Jin Renguang clenched his fist and his eyes deepened. "Search up all of the information about this man as soon as possible!"


    "Yes, sir!"


    The tedious investigation finally saw light and everyone regained their vigor. Jin Renguang pinched his brows and rested his dry eyes. His mind constantly whirled at high speed.


    His subordinates were truly efficient. Not even twenty minutes passed and they had already dug out all of the information about that man up to his thirteen ancestors. Jin Renguang epted the report and flipped it quickly.


    Yu Chuan, 34 years old. Male. Married five years ago and had a three years old son and one year old daughter. He worked as a salesman in a pharmaceuticalpany that specialized in researching bone marrow and osteoporosis. He used to live in City S, but because of a promotion, he brought his family to settle in City A almost a year ago. His sry was higher than 50% of all the people in City A.


    He had a clean and gentle temperament, his eyebrows were straight and his eyes were clear.


    Jin Renguang raised his brows, his fingers tapped on the armchair.


    He was pondering deeply when all of a sudden, the office door swung open and there came Lin Zhouyi, bringing with him the thick scent of disinfectant and a faint trace of formalin. "Captain." He nodded, his hands holding a stack of paper.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "The forensic missed something. When they brought the leg out, there was quite a lot of blood smeared into the inner cloth of the bag. Then, the result showed that the blood belonged to Su Bina. Just like before, there weren''t any fingerprints detected."


    "Then?" Jin Renguang spun his swivel chair and received the report that Lin Zhouyi handed. He flipped through slowly to understand the indecipherable biological terms of DNA, chromosome and so what.


    "Then, we found a strand of hair, it is our negligence. The bag was ck and the hair was so short and covered in blood that we almost missed it. At first, we thought that it''s just Su Bina''s hairleg."


    Jin Renguang lifted his head, speechless. "You know that you can''t specte about something like that before there''s conclusive evidence right?"


    Lin Zhouyi nodded. "I have my own doubts and then, I brought it to theb to find who the short hair belonged to." He pointed out. "Please turn to thest page. The hair belonged to a male named Yu Chuan, male, 34 years old. I have matched his DNA with the database."


    Jin Renguang''s eyes turned razor sharp as he directly flipped the report to thest page. The report box clearly stated that the hair belonged to Yu Chuan.


    "Great!" Tang Wei trembled with excitement. "We have just zeroed in on a possible suspect named Yu Chuan! Your eyes are so good, Comrade Chengbing!"


    Wang Chengbing beamed and gave a thumbs up.


    "Really?" Startled, Lin Zhouyi murmured. "Such a coincidence¡­"


    "There''s no coincidence in this world. Only premeditated action." Jin Renguang stated with a low voice. When he lifted his head again, there was a smile on his face. "Good job, everyone! Let''s finish inspecting all of the remaining people and rule out the suspicious ones! Ke Shao, tomorrow, send a warrant to escort Yu Chuan to the police station. I want him to arrive here at eight!"


    "Yes, sir!"

 Chapter 67 - Did You Enjoy Killing Her?

    At 7:30 in the morning, Yu Chuan had just kissed his wife and children, put on his shiny leather shoes, carried a briefcase and came out of the door when he was intercepted by a burly man with an overly bright smile.


    Yu Chuan''s brows furrowed in vignce. But his years of job and education had tempered his tongue so that he could talk smoothly without a hint of offensive tone. "Sorry, may I ask who you are?"


    "Mr. Yu Chuan?" The man showed a paper to his face and grinned. "You are being invited by our Captain to have tea in the police station. Please don''t struggle and follow me obediently."


    Yu Chuan froze. "P¡ªPolice?"


    Ke Shao stepped forward and wrapped his arms around him in an intimate gesture as if they were long lost brothers. He gestured toward a nearby car that was parked on the roadside. "Don''t worry, we just want to ask you a few questions."


    Fifteen minutester, Yu Chuan sat in the interrogation room in a daze, his whole being was a little silly. Ke Shao scrutinized him from the one way mirror and doubted. "Is that really the serial killer? Why does he seem a little bit not right here?" he pointed at his own head.


    The interrogation room''s light was dim but the deskmp that shone onto Yu Chuan was so bright that it stung his eyes. In the corner of the room up in the ceiling, there was a CCTV sh with infrared light that recorded his every behavior, and in front of him, there was a huge mirror that almost span across the entire wall that reflected his face.


    This¡­if the action and crime movie wasn''t wrong, this was a one way mirror right? Behind that ss, there should be a bunch of police officers and detectives behind it right?


    He fidgeted in his seat nervously and his forehead was covered in sweat.


    Jin Renguang stalled the interrogation until half an hourter and by that time, Yu Chuan''s psychological defense was about to copse. His face was blue and the air of a warm, steady and trustworthy salesman was nowhere to be seen.


    The door mmed open with a loud bang and Yu Chuan almost jumped out of his seat and rolled onto the floor.


    He lifted his head to see a sharp, towering man. He was so tall that his head almost reached the top of the door. His gait was leisurely and the way he walked was as if he was in a fashion show. He flung a thick document onto the table and Yu Chuan flinched in shock once again, snapping out of his own stupor.


    The man sat down and finally Yu Chuan could see his face clearly.


    Like the man before, he wore civilian clothes. Even then, Yu Chuan could identify him as a police officer at one nce. Maybe it was the way his sharp gaze swept across him, maybe it was his thick eyebrows that exuded heroism, maybe it was the heavy aura he emitted, but still, it all didn''t diminish the unease in Yu Chuan''s heart.


    He scrutinized the man deeply and blurted out. "Captain Jin?!"


    Jin Renguang lifted his brows and a smile that wasn''t quite a smile appeared on his face. "You know me?"


    Yu Chuan twisted in his seat. Heughed dryly and tried to ease the atmosphere. "You appeared on the news very often." He suspected that almost everyone in the entire nation knew this man.


    "Great, so I will skip the introduction." He opened the document and reached for a pen.


    Yu Chuan really wanted to cry but had no tears. "C¡ªCaptain Jin, may I know why I am summoned here?"


    "Don''t you know it yourself?" The man retorted.


    "Huh?" Yu Chuan''s face turned nk before color drained from his face. "No! I have nevermitted any crime before! I swear! I am aw abiding citizen!"


    Jin Renguang let out a short, coldugh and pulled out a bag covered in transparent stic from out of nowhere. "Do you recognize this?"


    "This¡­" Yu Chuan tried to calm himself down. "I own one bag like this. But what does it have to do with me?"


    "Mr. Yu Chuan." Jin Renguang calmly borated however, each word was akin to a struck of lightning that hammered Yu Chuan''s head until he didn''t even remember his surname anymore. "Your DNA was found on the bag which contained a body part in a serial murder case that we''re currently investigating on."


    Yu Chuan''s eyes widened to the extreme and his jaw dropped to the ground. He was so surprised that he couldn''t form any coherent words.


    Next, Jin Renguang continued his psychological attack and fished out a number of photos, each of which was a different body part. There was a severed torso, legs, hand, and the most terrifying was, a pale and bloodied head of a woman with her eyes closed.


    "Do you know her? You know, right? Look clearly."


    Yu Chuan shook his head like a rattle drum. "No, you have mistaken it! I...I don''t know such a person!"


    Jin Renguang abruptly banged his palm on the table and shot up like a cheetah, his face twisted in a cold, chilling smile. Coupled with his bloodshot eyes due tock of sleep, Yu Chuan was so terrified seeing him up close that all the words stuck on his throat and his breath hitched.


    "You don''t know her? Look more closely. Don''t you remember? You cut her limbs off one by one, then cut her torso and head. You smeared formalin on her leg and shoved it into the freezer. Then, at the Recreational Park, when it was the peak hour and the waterfall fountain was full of people, you seized the moment where people crowded around you to drop the bag off. Did you enjoy it? Killing her? Dismembering her body? Hearing her screamed in despair until her heartbeat weakened and finally stopped?"


    The tip of Yu Chuan''s fingers trembled violently and his pupils dted. He looked back and forth from Jin Renguang''s face to the rows of gory photos in front of him. The woman''s eerily pale face reflected on his eyes.


    And then¡­


    And then, Yu Chuan couldn''t hold it any longer and vomited on Jin Renguang''s face.

 Chapter 68 - A Needle In A Haystack

    Ke Shao pushed open the door and asked, "Where''s Captain?"


    Tang Wei was the only member inside the office, looking solemnly at theputer screen in front of him. His fingers didn''t stop hammering the keyboard as he jutted his chin toward the closed personal office door. Then, as if reminding of something, his face distorted.


    Ke Shao sported the same expression.


    It was one where someone really wanted to roar withughter but couldn''t afford to do so, they had to strive to maintain a solemn and righteous face so they had to keep their face in check. Jin Renguang''s expression as he was rained with Yu Chuan''s sudden vomit was so marvelous that it could be one of the best jokes in the entire Police Bureau for the rest of the year.


    Clearing his throat, Ke Shao strode toward the closed door and knocked on it. "Captain?" There wasn''t any answer but he could hear the sound of water running faintly. In the end, Ke Shao couldn''t hold it any longer and with a pfft, burst out in silentughter as he clutched his stomach.


    Tang Wei hunched his neck, but from where Ke Shao was standing, he could see the man''s shoulder trembling incessantly.


    Ke Shao''s liver ached, his stomach was also cramping in pain from holding back theughter. His face was almost turning blue then all of a sudden, he felt a wave of cold air on the back of his neck. Stiffened, his facial features froze in a crooked, schadenfreude smile.


    It wasn''t known when, but the sound of running water had stopped and Tang Wei had returned to his solemn expression, not even acknowledging Ke Shao.


    Ke Shao''s back broke out in cold sweat and the desire for survival within him exploded. He smoothed out his expression, turned around and saluted with a solemn expression. "Captain, I have interrogated Mr. Yu Chuan, here is the transcript!" He handed the papers with both hands, his back bowed and his eyes were earnest and innocent.


    Jin Renguang was expressionless and his eyes were cold. Chilly wave of air emanated from his body, and there was a wet towel hanging from his shoulder. His skin was red from scrubbing and the corner of his lips bruised from the force he used to brush his teeth. He soundlessly stretched out his hand and Ke Shao handed the paper to him like a eunuch who presented an offering to the Emperor.


    Without waiting for the man to speak, Ke Shao borated. "Captain, I think that Yu Chuan isn''t the suspect we''re looking for. He said that he came with his wife and son, so it was reasonable that he went to the restaurant and amusement park. It also exined why he sat looking at the children for almost half an hour, he was watching over his son."


    "After that, he imed to have a stomachache and hurried to the toilet. He thought that it was okay to leave the bag nearby because his wife was there, but then, when he returned, his bag was missing meanwhile his wife was busy looking over their son."


    Jin Renguang''s brows knitted. "Evidence?"


    "I have rewatched the surveince record, this time, without Wang Chengbing''s edits, and it was true that he came with his wife and son, and when he walked away from the waterfall fountain, the direction pointed to the public toilet."


    "His bag was missing?" Jin Renguang confirmed once again. "So, the culprit stole his bag and reced his things with the victim''s body part, dumped it in a conspicuous ce and put the me on his head?"


    Ke Shao nodded gingerly. "It¡­should be so."


    Behind them, Tang Wei who was eavesdropping, interjected. "Captain, I also thought that it''s not possible for Mr. Yu to be the culprit. First, his mentality. It was totally different from the culprit. Not only is Mr. Yu weakhearted, he also had a mild phobia for blood. He couldn''t withstand pressure and almost broke down from your interrogation. It is not consistent with the culprit''s coldblooded cruelty and his high IQ and EQ. If he was just acting, then he ought to go and be a Movie Emperor instead of a salesman."


    "Second, I am more inclined toward the possibility where the culprit ced the me on Mr. Yu''s head, after all, it has been more than a year, but he has never left anything behind on the crime scene that can trail us to him. So, now that there''s Mr.Yu''s DNA in it, it just seems kind of suspicious."


    "Yes, yes, I feel that way too." Ke Shao nodded like chicken pecking rice. "Captain, I am sure that Mr.Yu is indeed innocent."


    Jin Renguang scrutinized Yu Chuan''s testimony word by word to find loopholes in them and to his dismay, he couldn''t find any of them. Honestly, when he firstid his eyes on Yu Chuan, his gut feeling had told him that this person wasn''t the one he was looking for. It was just a tingling instinct as a criminal investigator. Such a person couldn''t havemitted a string of homicides throughout the year and challenged the police. Hecked the courage to.


    He pinched his brows. "First, call the management personnel of the Recreational Park. Ask if someone named Yu Chuan had reported his missing belongings, and scanned the hidden and inconspicuous area once again to find Yu Chuan''s belongings. If the culprit indeed stole his bag, then his things must have been left there. Third, go and ask for his wife''s statement. If it all aligns with Yu Chuan''s testimony, then detain him for 24 hours and let him go."


    "Yes, sir!" Ke Shao saluted and went out inrge steps.


    Tang Wei looked at Jin Renguang worriedly. "Captain, if the culprit really stole Mr.Yu''s bag, then¡­he must have entered with another bag and we didn''t know what kind of bag it was." Just thinking of the thousands of people inside the park carrying numerous kinds of bags, Tang Wei got a headache.


    It was just like searching for a needle in a haystack.


    Jin Renguang clenched his fist and the taste of minty toothpaste in his mouth calmed him down. "It is my negligence, I never guessed that the culprit would be so wicked and slippery. Now that we don''t know his appearance and what kind of bag he used, we lost all track of him."


    Tang Wei rubbed his face. All of the hard work these past few days were for naught.


    "Don''t worry," Jin Renguang said, his calm and solemn expression somehow settled Tang Wei''s restless heart down. "I will think of something." Then, he went inside his office and closed the door. Inside his personal space, Jin Renguang finally let his expression loose and a trace of fatigue appeared between his brows.


    He pulled out the phone from his pocket and pressed on the speed dial.. On the fifth ring before it was disconnected, the call finally went through and the soft, low and frosty voice of Ru Meiqi came through. "Renguang?"

 Chapter 69 - She Is Killed!

    "Meiqi." Jin Renguang sighed and sat on his chair. "How is your investigation going?"


    "It''s not very well." There was a sound of rustle and crackle passed through and Ru Meiqi''s voice became clearer. "I went to a vige near City T to find the first victim''s family, but they shut me out of the door."


    Jin Renguangughed in self-deprecation. "Of course, how do you expect them to react?" The first victim, they were the first to find a member in their family murdered so cruelly, so ruthlessly. It was a kind of cold bloodedness that chilled them down to the bones.


    The only thing they could rely on was the police. In the beginning, Jin Renguang promised. "I will try to find the murderer as soon as possible and redress the justice for Miss Qian."


    At first, they were filled with hope, dependence and trust. One month, they still called regrly to the station and the only answer they could give was, "Sorry sir, we are chasing after the culprit now. Don''t worry, we will catch him as soon as we can." But then, two months, three months, half a year, one year¡­the hope slowly turned into despair, grief and fury. They couldn''t hope any longer, they didn''t dare to. The feeling of being given hope again and again only to be disappointed each time was an abominable thing that no one wanted to experience.


    "Renguang?" Perhaps sensing that something was wrong with his tone, Ru Meiqi''s voice softened. "What''s wrong?"


    "It''s a failure." Jin Renguang admitted with guilt and shame. "I am very sorry, Meiqi. You have worked hard to detect the body part but I failed to catch the culprit."


    Ru Meiqi retorted ruthlessly. "I never expected you to." On the other side of the phone, Ru Meiqi stood under the shade and fanned herself as she looked around. "It''s just one failure. Don''t be such a spineless coward. Aren''t you a captain?"


    Jin Renguang fell silent for a moment before chuckling. "You''re right. I have to hurriedly adjust my mentality and continue on."


    The convenience store where she took cover was in an old building with its paint almost peeled off, moss grew on the corner of the wall and there was a thick scent of sewer around. Her shoes had been covered in mud because of the undeveloped road. The woman who stood behind the cashier gave her a nce once in a while. "Tell me about the development of the case since I am away."


    Then, Jin Renguang began to narrate about their operation and the way they worked, as well as his spection which he hadn''t shared with anyone yet coupled with the culprit''s appearance in the hospital where Butterfly stayed at.


    The more Ru Meiqi listened, the more she felt that something was wrong. "A mark on the side of his neck, you said? Do you have the picture?"


    "Yes, it''s just an illustration though. The only one who saw it was Mr.Jiang who was there coincidentally. We could only ask him to describe it as vividly as possible and draw it down."


    Ru Meiqi nodded. "It''s okay. Send it to me, I want to take a look." She fell silent amidst the cking of the keyboard on Jin Renguang''s side. "Renguang, you have to protect her. She''s in danger."


    Jin Renguang snorted, amused. "First, it''s Xu Binchen, now it''s you. Why are all of you being affected by feelings? Is there something special about Butterfly?"


    "Xu Binchen?" Ru Meiqi''s eyebrows rose to her forehead. "That rude, ice block brat?"


    Jin Renguang burst out in a fit of chuckles. His low, velvety voice travelled directly to Ru Meiqi''s ears as if he was whispering it right beside her. She pulled the phone away slightly and rubbed her tingling ears. "Come back as soon as possible if you''re done there." he said softly.


    "I know. I will just ask around for a while more." Ru Meiqi wanted to return too. She had a gnawing feeling that she had overlooked something important. Just like messy pieces of puzzle, she had to slowly think of the bigger picture and pieced it together one by one. For it, she needed to return and do an analysis once again. "I will hang up now, goodbye." Without waiting for Jin Renguang''s answer, she hung up resolutely. A chat interface popped up, informing her that there was a new message. She looked at the sole character on the sender ''Jin'' and shut her phone off.


    Walking inside the convenience store, she looked around, nodded toward the woman behind the cashier who greeted her with a smile. Ru Meiqi walked toward the shelf and took a bag of potato chips and orange juice, bringing it to the cashier.


    The cashier woman scanned her snacks as her eyes raked over her in tant curiosity. She didn''t have much of an interest when Ru Meiqi stood outside, but now that she was here in front of her, she couldn''t hold back her curiosity. "Are you from the city?"


    Ru Meiqi lifted her eyes and her unfocused pupils made her look like she was in daze. "Yes, I am."


    The machine beeped and the woman said. "Twenty three yuan."


    "Can I pay from Alipay?"


    "Yes, please scan here." The woman put Ru Meiqi''s snack inside a stic bag and saw her typing on her phone smoothly. "Your eyes¡­"


    "I am not blind." Ru Meiqi answered bluntly. "My eyes are born this way."


    "O¡ªOh, I see¡­" The woman smiled awkwardly. "Why did youe so far from the city to here?"


    Ru Meiqi''s lips curled up in a smile as she nced over the woman''s name tag. Fang Xiaoyuan. "I am here to visit my rtives but the weather is so hot, so I stopped here for a while."


    "You''re right! It''s very hot, especially these days, it has almost reached 30 degree Celsius." Fang Xiaoyuan looked like she was in her thirties. She had short straight ck hair, a square face and thick freckles. "Which family is your rtive from?" The people in this small vige knew each other but she had never seen such a beautiful yet strange woman like Ru Meiqi.


    "Huang." Ru Meiqi lied casually. "Actually, I followed my cousin''s wife here. She is the youngest daughter of Huang''s."


    Fang Xiaoyuan smiled, much more genuine than before. "Oh, so you''re the paternal family of Xiao Huang''s husband?"


    Ru Meiqi grimaced and finished the payment. "Yes ah, I havee here once before. It was years ago. Back then, I remembered that Uncle Huang''s neighbor, Uncle Qian, has a daughter that is a few years younger than my cousin''s wife. But why didn''t I see her around? Uncle Qian too, do you know what happened to him? I want to ask but I am a little shy¡­" She lowered her head and perfectly acted the role of introvert, caring and attentive woman.


    Fang Xiaozhou''s face changed abruptly. She looked around in fright and seeing that there was nobody in the convenience store, she patted her chest in relief. Leaning forward, she whispered to Ru Meiqi. "Don''t ask about Uncle Qian''s daughter in front of him, you got it?"


    Ru Meiqi showed a bbergasted expression. "W¡ªWhy?"


    "It''s so tragic." Fang Xiaoyuan''s face was somber as she said. "Uncle Qian''s daughter is killed!"


    Ru Meiqi''s jaws dropped so hard that it almost reached the floor. "Killed?!"

 Chapter 70 - You Cant Give Up On Yourself

    "Sssh, lower your voice!" Fang Xiaoyuan chided softly. "It''s so terrifying right? Qian Ke is such a good girl. Aiyah, how can she¡­" Fang Xiaoyuan shook her head and sighed. "Last year, Uncle Qian had just created arge feast and invited the whole vige, saying that his daughter had finally graduated from a good university and instantly received a job offer instantly. Qian Ke came back to fetch Uncle Qian and said that she was going to bring him to the city to live. There were only the two of them remaining, Aunt Qian had died of cancer five years ago, but who could expect that the thing that awaited them in the bustling city was grief and despair?"


    Ru Meiqi pursed her lips, her brows tightening.


    Fang Xiaoyuan saw that she was listening intently and her gossip soul was triggered. "You can''t expect it right? Qian Ke was killed not even two months after they moved there! Her body was chopped to pieces and dumped into the sports field in City S High School! It even got into hot news back then!"


    "She was chopped to pieces?" Ru Meiqi asked, incredulous. "Who has such a huge grudge against Qian Ke?"


    "Grudge?" Fang Xiaoyuan was confused. "I don''t really know, but Qian Ke was such a good girl. Everyone liked her here but maybe¡­she offended someone in the city?"


    "Qian Ke didn''t have any enemies here?" Ru Meiqi continued to ask.


    "How could she?" Fang Xiaoyuan pped the countertop and spoke enthusiastically. "I saw Qian Ke grow up with my own eyes. Who has a grudge with who, can I not know it? You can go around and ask casually, they will definitely say that Qian Ke was such a dear and she didn''t deserve such a violent death! Damn the murderer, he actually hasn''t been caught yet! How many victims has it been? Ten? Twenty? What the hell is the police doing?! They must have been corrupted and secretly buried Qian Ke''s case because she was just a countryside girl!"


    "I know right?" Ru Meiqi smiled sweetly. "The police is full of ipetent bastards."


    Fang Xiaoyuan was startled because of Ru Meiqi''s curse that came out of nowhere. A look of surprise and astonishment shed through her eyes as if she didn''t believe that such a soft and petite woman like her could curse like that.


    "R¡ªRight." Fang Xiaoyuanughed dryly and patted Ru Meiqi''s shoulder. "Be careful in the city, girl. It''s so dangerous nowadays. Look at Uncle Qian. He returned with his daughter''s ashes and locked himself at home all day long. He used to be a vigorous fisherman but now, he''s just a withered tired old man. His wife and daughter died, leaving him alone." Fang Xiaoyuan shook her head in distress.


    Ru Meiqi hummed and took the stic bag. "Thank you for the chat, Miss Fang. I guess that I should go now."


    "Ah? Oh, yes. See you again next time!" Fang Xiaoyuan waved her hand as Ru Meiqi walked out, her mind in chaos.


    She didn''t know where she walked to, but all of a sudden, she caught sight of a familiar figure. Her eyes lit up. That''s right, that was Uncle Qian. The old man was throwing away a bag of trash full of instant noodle cups. As Fang Xiaoyuan said, even though Uncle Qian was only in his fifties, but he had a hunch back, his hair was wholly white and there was an unspeakable gloom in his eyes that couldn''t be hidden.


    Ru Meiqi walked closer and Uncle Qian noticed her. He reacted intensely in an instant. "Go away!" Snarling, he growled. Have you had enough already?! Go and don''t bother me anymore!"


    He strode away inrge steps but Ru Meiqi ran after him. "Uncle Qian, please, I need to ask you something. It is very beneficial to us. We can catch the culprit faster with you¡ª"


    "Shut up!" Uncle Qian stopped and abruptly turned around. The rims of his eyes reddened and the way he looked at Ru Meiqi was as if he was itching to swallow her whole. Ru Meiqi was stunned to find the intense indignation, hatred and repulsion that emanated from him. "Always, it''s to catch the culprit, catch the culprit! I have given my statement countless times so go back and ask your colleagues!"


    "Uncle Qian¡­" Ru Meiqi tried to soften her voice. "You saying it yourself is different than reading a printed paper. I beg you. This will be thest time. I swear on my life that I will catch the culprit and bring him to kneel in front of you and your daughter." She put up three fingers to the sky, her expression solemn and earnest.


    Ru Meiqi saw that the man started to waver andunched another attack. "Uncle Qian, you know, we have a victim in our protection. She''s the same as your daughter, kidnapped by the murderer. But she escaped alive and returned to us."


    Uncle Qian was stunned and his red, bloodshot eyes lit up with hope. "R¡ªReally? Then¡­"


    "The investigation is running smoothly and we have other clues. This time, we are sure to catch the murderer. Uncle Qian, I am not saying this to sweet talk you, but the girl is currently in danger. She is only sixteen and upon returning, she turned into a mute and suffered a great blow psychologically. The faster we can catch the culprit, the more we can guarantee her safety. You can''t bear for her to suffer the same fate right?"


    Uncle Qian grumbled under his breath, hesitated for a while and surrendered. Huffing, he said. "Then, follow me."


    "No, don''t bother. I will be fast. I just want to ask whether your daughter had ever told you that she experienced any hardship in her job or circle of friends."


    "No." Uncle Qian shook his head resolutely. "My Keke was meek and a little too soft for her own good. If she suffered any grievances, she would have told me. She always told me. But this time¡­" Uncle Qian rubbed his face roughly. "Everyday, she returned home happily saying that she loved her job and her boss was very kind to everyone. Sometimes, she would go out with her colleagues on weekends. Sometimes, they would visit our home and have dinner together. I''m sure that no one¡ªabsolutely no one¡ªcould ever think of killing her. Is that clear, Miss police officer?" Uncle Qian asked tiredly. His wrinkled face looked like he had just aged ten more years.


    That was consistent with the police''s report. The culprit had no motive for killing Qian Ke. Ru Meiqi nodded briefly and patted the old man''s shoulder. "I''m very sorry for making you recall bad memories. Leave it to me, I will make sure that justicees to you. Uncle Qian," Ru Meiqi''s eyes softened. "You can''t eat instant noodles everyday. Cook something healthy, even a bowl of vegetable soup is fine. You can''t give up on yourself, not until I bring the murderer to you."


    Uncle Qian was stunned, his eyes staring at her in daze. Some time ago, there was also a girl who would be angry if he ate instant noodles for three days straight. She would say, "Dad! Why are you saving money and eating instant noodles again?! Don''t worry, our finances aren''t that bad. Look, I have got a job! I will support you in the future!"


    "You have to be healthy and live a long life, Dad. I want you to stay with me for a long, long time."


    Uncle Qian''s eyes watered and he buried his head in his palm, weeping silently. The rims of Ru Meiqi''s eyes reddened as she hugged the fragile old man and patted his hunched back.


    She spent some timeforting Uncle Qian and walked away. Her eyes shone in determination. She pulled up her phone and pressed on thetest recipient in her log call. Not even half a ringter, the call connected. "Meiqi, what''s wrong?"


    "Renguang." Ru Meiqi''s throat rolled and she took a deep breath. "We might have been wrong from the start.. Qian Ke isn''t the first victim."

 Chapter 71 - You Will Get Used To It

    Jin Renguang straightened in his seat. "What do you mean?"


    Ru Meiqi strode quickly, half jogging and half running to the deste part of the vige, near the dense banana and mango tree where she parked her car. mming the door shut, she put the phone on speaker and started the car. "ording to criminal psychology, the first victim of every budding psychopath will unwittingly¡ªproven by data¡ªto be someone they know. They would be invested both emotionally and psychologically in their first killing. But in Qian Ke''s case, it is clear that she didn''t have much to do with the culprit. She came from a faraway vige, and the time she spent in City S was less than two months. Even if the culprit was involved with her, he would need sufficient and meticulous nning; considering that he didn''t leave any trace of evidence, nor did he show any ipetence in executing it. Two months'' time wasn''t enough."


    "That''s why I thought that there''s something weird about the first case." Ru Meiqi drove smoothly to the main road and merged together with the stream of vehicles that weaved under the uing sunset. "Kidnapping. Torture. Dismember. All of it concludes that the culprit has intense hatred and repulsion inside him, preferably to people around twenty who came from broken families. There must be a reason why, but until now, we are still unable to make any conjectures about that. Meanwhile, in Qian Ke''s corpse, I couldn''t find any trace of hatred in it. He was too calm, too scrupulous to the point of apathy and indifference."


    "So," Jin Renguang slowly concluded. "There''s someone who died before Qian Ke?"


    "Yes, and I suspect that there''s more than one."


    A harsh exhale of breath resounded from the other side of the line. Ru Meiqi readjusted her rearview mirror and continued, "This is the first time you encountered such a vicious criminal since you became a criminal investigator right?"


    "Right," Jin Renguang admitted wryly. "Meiqi, all those years in the US, how could you cope with that?" Terrorists weren''t much better than serial killers, both of them had a maniac hobby of killing people, spreading panic among masses and took pleasure in the negativity and chaos that stemmed from it.


    Ru Meiqi fell silent for a while. There was only the sound of intermittent honk and the soft purr of the car machine. "At first, I couldn''t cope with it either. Seeing the devastation, bodies that weren''t even intact and unrecognizable, the despair and chaos they caused. But the answer was only one; slowly, you will get used to it and everything will not matter anymore."


    "Is that why?"


    "Is that why what?"


    Jin Renguang asked softly. "Is that why you changed so much upon your return?"


    Ru Meiqi''s hands clenched on the steering wheel and a faint indifferent smile with a hint of mockery appeared on her lips. "I don''t know. I don''t even realize that I have changed."


    The atmosphere turned stagnant and Jin Renguang was the one who broke the ice. He knew that it wasn''t the time to catch up on their old history nor did they have the time to. "So, what advice can you give to this rookie investigator who is totally a greenhorn in dealing with vicious criminals?"


    Ru Meiqi scoffed out augh, her previous gloominess due to Uncle Qian and their talk dissipated somewhat. "Judging from the timeline, it should be a year¡ªor even more than a year¡ªsince the culprit''s first murder. Now that we can''t find any simr cases, there are two possibilities. First, the victim was someone that, even if they disappeared, no one would report them missing. Second, the victim was someone who was high in social background and the case was too unsightly to be reported, afterall, to them, face and reputation was more important than finding the killer."


    Jin Renguang digested her words carefully. "Which one are you inclined to?"


    "The second." Ru Meiqi answered without hesitation.


    The man chuckled bitterly. "Then everything will beplicated." He looked down at his notebook which was full of Ru Meiqi''s analysis and closed it. "Okay, return first as soon as you can. If your analysis is true, then I know someone who I can seek help with."


    "Who?" she asked.


    Jin Renguang pinched his brows and said reluctantly, "Director Fen of City S Police Bureau."


    ***


    City A''s Hospital, in room 510th.


    Si Zhening stood by Jiang Jinyan''s bedside, a usual ck briefcase still in his hand. Beside him, there were two nurses and Doctor Heng, a middle aged doctor who specialized in artificial limbs. The nurses unwound Jiang Jinyan''s bandage, showing the stump knee out in the open. Because of the surgery, there was arge hideous ck surgical line across it and the skin around was reddish with a few spots of bruises.


    Jiang Jinyan clenched his fists. This was the first time for him to face his leg head on ever since the ident. As he thought, it was truly¡­unsightly.


    Si Zhening asked worriedly. "How is it, Doctor?"


    Doctor Heng wore a pair of surgical gloves as he scrutinized Jiang Jinyan''s legs. "Hmm, it is recovering nicely. But no, it is still too early for artificial leg."


    Jiang Jinyan took a deep breath. "Do I need more physiotherapy?"


    "No, Mr. Jiang. This is not the matter of therapy. It''s your wound itself. Wearing an artificial leg means that you have to put a heavier burden on your amputated leg, it can cause inmmation, bone fracture and worse, you can end up limping for the rest of your life. You don''t want that, do you?"


    Jiang Jinyan''s jaws ticked and he didn''t answer. But the slight tremble of his fingers betrayed his indifferent appearance.


    It was Si Zhening who brought up questions. "Then, how much longer does he need? Can you guarantee that he can walk as smoothly as before?"


    "Approximately two more weeks if there''s no further ident." Doctor Heng answered. "If Mr.Jiang followed the proper procedure for recuperating, then his normal life will not be hindered by his leg."


    Si Zhening opened his briefcase and took out an exquisite box. He opened it to show a stack of name cards and gave one to the doctor. "Doctor Heng, if there is any problem, please contact me here. I also wish to discuss further about Young Master Jiang''s condition with you."


    "You are¡­?" Doctor Heng epted the name card gingerly. A hint of shock shed across his eyes but soon returned to the previous calmness. Albeit a little shock due to knowing that such a young man managed to hold quite a high position in the business world, it didn''t cause quite a ripple for Heng Liujun. As a high rank member of the hospital''s Board of Directors, which influential figure he hadn''t seen before?


    "I am a temporary guardian of Young Master Jiang." Si Zhening exined.. "Until Young Master Jiang''s parents return, I will be solely responsible for him."

 Chapter 72 - Withering, Dying

    "Alright, Mr. Si. It''s very nice to meet you." The nurses were done doing the daily tests and Doctor Heng smiled politely. "Then, I will excuse myself first. Rest well, Mr. Jiang."


    Si Zhening nodded in acknowledgement while Jiang Jinyan didn''t react. His soul flew out to nowhere as he looked out of the window nkly.


    When the two of them were left in the room, Si Zhening tried hard to find a topic to talk with him. "Young Master Jiang, don''t worry. Doctor Heng is the best doctor there is for the artificial limbs department. With him, you can return to your life smoothly soon."


    Jiang Jinyan snorted bitterly. "No matter how good of a doctor he is, I still can''t return to being an athlete, can I?"


    "Young Master Jiang¡­" Si Zhening said helplessly. He pushed up his gold rimmed sses and readjusted the position of the vase on the nightstand so that the distance between each side would be precise. "Don''t worry, you are still young. You will find many things to do in the future."


    Jiang Jinyan didn''t want to hear any more superficial nonsense and closed his eyes tiredly.


    Si Zhening received the hint clearly and bowed slightly. "Then, I will return first. Please call me if there''s anything." He walked across the room in steady, rhythmic footsteps and closed the door softly behind him.


    Instantly, Jiang Jinyan reacted intensely and reached for the vase, veins bulged out of his forehead and arm. His eyes opened in fury and bitterness and his arms raised up, the wilting daffodil swayed along with his movement and the water sshed onto his arm, trickling down his pale skin and dropped onto his forehead and eyes like a string of tears.


    But in the end, he didn''t throw the vase, because it contained the flower that Wei Xiameng chose for him. Even though it was withering, dying, just like his heart.


    He closed his eyes, his chest undting fiercely. He tried hard to restrain the violent impulse that urged him to destroy everything. The vase was thrown back to the nightstand, creating a loud thumping sound. Heid in the bed weakly and buried his face into his palms, his shoulders trembling incessantly.


    ***


    As Si Zhening walked down the hallway, a piece of candy rolled down to his feet and he stopped. In front of him, there was a thin girl in hospital gown, her golden eyes ncing at him anxiously. Within her arms were tens of simr candies and she didn''t know where to put it down.


    Si Zhening was stunned and before the girl moved, he had bent his waist to pick the candy up. Walking to her, he asked softly. "Is this yours?"


    The girl looked at him with a hint of curiosity and vignce. In the end, she nodded softly.


    Si Zhening smiled and put the candy atop of the stack within her arms. "Be careful next time. Do you live here, on this floor? I seem to have seen you before¡­"


    The girl nced at him and the door where he came from back and forth, her lips pursed tight. A trace of struggle fleeted past her eyes, and she opened and closed her mouth without sound. Slowly, Si Zhening could catch what she was saying by reading her lips, "Thank you, Mister."


    The smile in Si Zhening''s face deepened. He didn''tment on the girl''s muteness nor did he show any particr reaction about it. "You''re wee. Do you know Young Master Jiang?"


    The girl blinked a few times, then shook her head. Then, pondering for a while, she nodded briefly.


    Certainly, Si Zhening didn''t understand what she was going to say. Thinking that they were acquaintances who stayed on the same floor, he smiled. "Then, I will bother you to take care of Young Master Jiang." Again, he took a name card and slipped it between the candies. "This is me, you can contact me if anything happens to him. Thank you very much. If you''ll excuse me."


    He smiled in acknowledgement and went past her. The girl turned around to stare at his back, but he never looked back. Faintly, he could hear a man''s low voice asking. "Shi Nian, who are you talking to? Wait, what the heck with all of these candies?"


    Si Zhening gave a courteous smile to the nurses in the station and went inside the elevator. As the door closed to separate him from others, his smile vanished in an instant, reced with utmost indifference and coldness. He spread his two fingers where he touched the candy earlier and took out his handkerchief to slowly, meticulously, wipe them down as if there were many bacteria on it.


    ***


    Shi Nian turned to Xu Binchen, helpless. It was Young Master Nan who dumped all of these candies for her all of a sudden. She didn''t even know what he meant by it. Xu Binchen frowned as he took out a stic bag from out of nowhere and threw all of the candies inside. Shi Nian sighed in relief, now she could free her arms.


    She caught the name card that the man gave her and scrutinized it deeply.


    Si Zhening


    Executive Assistant of the CEO of Jiang Corporation


    Below was a string of numbers and the address of Jiang Corporation''s branch office in City A.


    Xu Binchen leaned forward to take a nce and in an instant, he froze. He snatched the name card from Shi Nian and chewed down each word, his frown deepening by the second. Shi Nian tugged on his arm in question, and the man asked darkly. "He came and talked to you just now?"


    Shi Nian didn''t understand why he was reacting so intensely. With a pair of innocent and inquiring golden eyes, she nodded.


    Xu Binchen''s face turned ugly. This person was one of suspects in the police''s ck list. Even though he had been interrogated and proven innocent, such a person appearing beside Shi Nian¡­how could there be so many coincidences?


    He warned her seriously. "Don''t get too close to him."


    "Why?" She mouthed, anxious. This was Jiang Jinyan''s father''s assistant ah, he even especially asked her to take care of him¡­


    "Shi Nian." Xu Binchen confiscated the name card and put it out of her reach, angering her to no end.. But his next word stumped her so hard that her face paled. "He is one of the possible suspects of the serial killer, got it? You still want his name card?"

 Chapter 73 - Hugging Another Man

    Shi Nian''s eyes were wide open in shock as she stared at Xu Binchen, petrified.


    Xu Binchen pressed his lips together and a curse slipped out of his mouth. Clearly, he didn''t have ns to say anything but the moment he saw the familiar name on the card in Shi Nian''s hands, his mind turned nk and the only thing in his mind was to separate Shi Nian from that person as far as possible.


    This was a mistake, Xu Binchen thought.


    "But you don''t need to be scared," Xu Binchen sighed with irritation on his face. "Afterall, he''s just a possible suspect. I just want to warn you to be more careful okay?"


    Shi Nian''s face didn''t improve, and she dumped all of the things in her hands to Xu Binchen as she went to get her board. [He¡­He¡­] Her palms were sweaty and it took her a moment to properly form the words she wanted to say.


    On top of everything, she wrote hastily. [He came to visit Mr. Jiang!] Then, wasn''t Jiang Jinyan in great danger right now?! Apart from her, he was the only one who saw the culprit that night. Was this¡­the so-called silencing witness?!


    Shi Nian''s head buzzed and her sight darkened as the thought shed past her mind.


    "Come here." Xu Binchen pulled her inside her room and pressed her to sit on the couch as he went to get her a cup of warm water. The man himself sat opposite her, his fingers reached deep into his pocket to drag out a cigarette. He bit down on it but didn''t light it up. "Si Zhening is one of the possible suspects that the police have investigated before. But the search hase to naught and he was proven innocent."


    Shi Nian tremblingly reached for her cup and chugged down all of the water there. Only then did she feel her head cooling down somewhat. Her sluggish brain started to work again. [So, he''s not¡­?]


    "So far, he''s not." Xu Binchen''s eyes were dark and deep as he said. "Every criminal is innocent until they''re proven guilty. But I don''t want to let go of any suspicion. Someone once said to me that there''s no coincidence in this world, only premeditated action. However, it seems truly a coincidence that Mr. Jiang is hospitalized here, on the same floor with you and Mr. Si being his father''s personal assistant. But what if it''s not? Do you understand what I want to say, Shi Nian? I just want you to be more careful in the future."


    Shi Nian swallowed her saliva and nodded. [Then, Mr.Jiang¡­?]


    "Nothing will happen to him. His father isn''t someone ordinary. They have to think twice if they want to touch him. So far, the culprit''s victims are people from lower to middle economic ss in society, so the possibility of him targeting Mr.Jiang is miniscule."


    Shi Nian sighed in relief. It''s good. If Jiang Jinyan was okay, then everything was good.


    Xu Binchen raised a brow. "You seem to be extraordinarily concerned about him?" The end of his sentence contained a question mark but the tone itself seemed certain. Shi Nian just gave a casual excuse. [I am his fan.]


    Xu Binchen''s brows rose to his forehead, seemingly unconvinced but he didn''t ask anything more except to warn her again and told her not to get close to any strangers.


    ***


    For a few days after that, Si Zhening didn''te anymore and the name card was confiscated by Xu Binchen. The former''s sincere wish for Shi Nian to contact him if anything happened to Jiang Jinyan came to naught.


    In fact, she wanted to report to him, saying that Jiang Jinyan didn''t seem right these days.


    Despite looking the same as usual albeit a little bit dispirited, he never finished his food. Every tray that the nurse brought in would be brought out again with only a third missing. After that, Shi Nian often caught him staring out on the floor to ceiling window¡ªsometimes outside the balcony¡ªalone, no one knew what was on his mind.


    Every time during those moments, Shi Nian would always stop two meters behind him. A distance not too close to be detected, and not too far to be unseen. If the man just turned around, then he would always be able to find Shi Nian there.


    But never once did he ever look back. Thus, Shi Nian would always be shown with the sight of his back, sitting on a wheelchair, the strands of his hair moving along with the breeze as sunlight poured onto his fair nape. Tranquil and deste. Seeing him like this, Shi Nian would be filled with sadness and concern.


    Now that she thought about it, she had never seen his parents.


    He had always been alone.


    But she didn''t have any right to ask him, nor did she have the right to show her concern to his face. What was she? She was only Shi Nian, one of the numerous passerby in his life.


    Thus, Shi Nian did the thing that she had done before, giving him flowers. Ever since she discovered that Jiang Jinyan seemed to like daffodils, she had wanted to give it to him once again. Surely, the task of buying flowers was handed to Xu Binchen.


    And finally, the man saw with his own eyes as Shi Nian received the flower bouquet and¡­tore it apart. She created a new, small bouquet and brought it to the receptionist on the first floor. Once again, the person who received her was the same as before.


    [Hello, I want to send flowers to Mr. Jiang on the fifth floor please.]


    The receptionist''s mouth twitched as she nced at Shi Nian''s hopeful eyes and Xu Binchen, who was standing behind her with a face as ck as the bottom of a pan. She curled up her lips in a professional way. "Sure, let me check it first¡­.yes, Mr. Jiang Jinyan on the fifth floor. On whose name do you want to send it?"


    [Anonymous.] Shi Nian beamed.


    The procedure was handled quickly and her flowers were brought in. Shi Nian then turned around and happened to meet Xu Binchen''s indecipherable eyes. "You¡­"


    Shi Nian tilted her head, confused.


    Xu Binchen was rendered speechless, he almostughed in anger. "You gave the flowers¡­to Mr. Jiang?"


    [Yes!] Shi Nian''s face sported ''does it have to be asked?'' expression. [What''s wrong, uncle?]


    All of a sudden, Xu Binchen felt ridiculous. The urge to smoke kicked in and he sighed as he signaled to one of his men who was wearing civilian clothes and pretended to read the newspaper on the waiting bench. The other man gave a nod and folded his newspaper. "I want to go out and smoke for a while. You can go up first."


    Shi Nian didn''t doubt his words and nodded.


    Then, as she turned around, she was instantly met with Jiang Jinyan''s figure in a wheelchair, his eyes staring in her direction. Shi Nian stood still, dumbstruck. In her mind, she had already died a thousand times. Thoughts of ''Did he see me send the flowers?'' ''Now, he will know that I am the one who sent it, what will he think of me?'' were constantly circling around.


    It took her a moment to realize that Jiang Jinyan never looked at her even a bit. His gaze shot passed her, intense and burning.


    Shi Nian had an ominous premonition in her heart. She followed the man''s sight and turned her gaze toward the transparent wall which directly faced the parking lot. Her heart instantly sank.


    There she was¡ªWei Xiameng, Jiang Jinyan''s girlfriend, hugging another man she had seen once before. Her face suffused with an aura of shyness and happiness as the man ducked his head and kissed her cheek.


    .


    .


    A/N: Hello everyone! AllNovelFull has adapted new changes, now, you can offer ''GOLDEN TICKET'' to your favorite books! Thank you DespairingDarkness for the 2 Golden Tickets! If it''s not too much, please give MDG more and more Golden Tickets ^^ Thankyou very much!

 Chapter 74 - He Couldnt Even Recognize Himself

    Jiang Jinyan would have never guessed that he would be gifted with such a surprise. Last night, Wei Xiameng had told him in advance that she was going to visit, that she missed him very much and also, she had cooked nutritional soup which took her a whole night to simmer.


    Of course, he was happy. Then, who knew what ghost possessed him and Jiang Jinyan decided to go down and fetch her, only to be shoved with the sight of his girlfriend with another man.


    And the man was also one that he couldn''t be more familiar with; his rival for years, the one who had snatched his position and reced him in the Olympics, the one who hade to visit and taunt him once in the hospital, Qing Si.


    Jiang Jinyan saw with his own eyes as Wei Xiameng fluttered her eyshes as she always did with him, smiled bashfully until her eyes crinkled as she always showed him. Then, Qing Si gave his own smile and kissed her on the cheek affectionately; a ce which Jiang Jinyan himself had kissed in the past countless times before.


    All of a sudden, unprecedented disgust welled up in his chest.


    At the same time, he also wanted tough but he didn''t know whether he wasughing at Wei Xiameng or himself. He was really such a fucking idiot. Just a few days ago, he had steeled himself that he would turn a blind eye, as long as Wei Xiameng remained the same, as long as she was still the Xiaxia that he knew. But now, all of those dreamy illusions were instantly poked by the harsh and bitter reality in front of him.


    The two people in the parking lot separated and Jiang Jinyan pushed his wheelchair to turn back and rode the elevator. He returned to his room and staggered up the bed in difficulty. In the next second, his door was knocked and Nurse Zhang came in with a smile, within her arms was a bouquet of yellow flowers he had received before. "Mr. Jiang, there''s a delivery for you again."


    Jiang Jinyan stared at the bright yellow flowers that still contained fresh dew, swaying elegantly along with the nurse''s movement, every petal was very ring to his eyes. He sneered, feeling like everything he tried hard to maintain was such a joke.


    Nurse Zhang asked amicably. "Do you want me to put it into a vase?" She eyed the vase that was filled with withered daffodils. Even then, Jiang Jinyan didn''t want to throw it away and insisted on putting it beside his bed. Now that there''s new flowers arriving, it''s only right to throw away the old one.


    But to her surprise, Jiang Jinyan rejected. "No, just put it on the nightstand."


    Nurse Zhang only felt that the man was in a bad mood. Jiang Jinyan was indeed sporting a low spirit in these few days so she didn''t find anything wrong about it. She just smiled and nodded, then told him to exercise moderately and not to force himself.


    Jiang Jinyan replied with silence.


    Nurse Zhang sighed inwardly and excused herself. At the door, she met Wei Xiameng. "Miss Wei," she greeted. "Are you here for Mr. Jiang?"


    "Yes." Wei Xiameng was breathless and her cheeks were red, highlighting her upturned eyes and a beauty mole on the corner of her eyes. "I have been busy for a while. How is he?"


    Nurse Zhang stepped aside and whispered in a low voice. "Mr. Jiang''s mood isn''t very good these few days. You should cheer him up!" She even pumped her fist to encourage her.


    Wei Xiamengughed cheerily and made a beeline to his side. "Jinyan, here I am! Look what I have brought! It''s your favorite broth soup. I have simmered it for a night, it should be very good. Smell it, fragrant right?" As soon as Wei Xiameng opened the lid, the fresh scent of chicken broth wafted out.


    In the past, Jiang Jinyan would be tempted and his stomach would gurgle hungrily. But now, he felt that he wouldn''t be able to stomach anything again for the rest of the day. He didn''t even turn his head to look at Wei Xiameng.


    Wei Xiameng poured it onto the thermos cup and set up a table for him. She chatted along, "The nurse said that you''re not in a good mood these past few days. What happened? Something is wrong with your body?"


    Jiang Jinyan''s fists clenched under the nket. Something was wrong, no, everything felt wrong right now. The soup that always seeded in warming his heart before now gave him chills, his whole body felt so cold even though the curtain was drawn and sunlight poured into the room.


    Wei Xiameng handed him the spoon but he didn''t receive it. She tilted her head, confused. "Jinyan, what''s wrong?"


    At that moment, inside Jiang Jinyan''s mind, he was flipping the table and flung the soup away, roared, "You''re asking me what''s wrong?! Why don''t you ask yourself whether there''s something wrong or not?!" But of course, it was all on his head. In reality, Jiang Jinyan turned to her with a faint smile and received the spoon, even though the tip of his fingers were trembling and he didn''t drink it for ages.


    Wei Xiameng beamed brightly, her gaze trailed onto the nightstand, eximing. "Another daffodil bouquet? You really have a lot of fans huh?"


    Before, when he first received the bouquet, he thought that Wei Xiameng was only ying coy so he yed along with her. But now, he was suddenly enlightened and his mouth blurted out before his brain could process anything. "The sender is anonymous. Before¡­I thought that it''s from you."


    Wei Xiameng was taken aback for a moment beforeughing. "No, I don''t even have enough time to sleep these days due to homeworks and projects. Where do I go and search for flowers? Furthermore, there''s no flower shop around here, so they must be travelling for quite a distance to buy it. Do you need me to ask the front receptionist to see where it came from? It''s such a good bouquet¡­"


    Jiang Jinyan''s head was lowered all the time. But as he saw Wei Xiameng reached out to touch the petals, he spoke out, "Don''t touch it."


    Wei Xiameng froze. "Huh?" Thinking that she heard it wrong, she asked again. "What did you say just now?"


    "I say, don''t touch it." Jiang Jinyan replied calmly. All of the turbulent feelings inside his heart a moment ago calmed down and Jiang Jinyan felt that he had never been so sobered before in his life. His heart broke into pieces, but at the same time, overwhelming relief waved through him, as if he was finally free from the shackles that dragged him down.


    Wei Xiameng''s smile receded and anger filled her eyes. "What''s wrong with you?!"


    Jiang Jinyan smiled mockingly. She was always like this. Sweet, coquettish, with sky high pride. When Jiang Jinyan thought back, he was always the one who yielded. He never liked crowds, but when Wei Xiameng pleaded with him, he would be ready to take her shopping and watching movies, trying out numerous shops before dragging his tired body home to prepare for training the next day. He never liked sweets, but if Wei Xiameng liked it, he was willing to eat a few spoonfuls to please her. He was never a patient and good tempered man to begin with, but with her, surprisingly he could transform into anyone she wanted.


    Jiang Jinyan never realized it, but in their rtionship, it was always him who tried to change himself to suit the other person.


    Until the end, he couldn''t even recognize himself anymore.

 Chapter 75 - He Was Just An Ordinary Human

    Jiang Jinyan always felt that the person whom Wei Xiameng wanted to date wasn''t the real him, but the him that was generated by others. Earnest, hardworking, gentle, mature, full of freshness of youth.


    He met Wei Xiameng after he became an official athlete. At that time, his poprity was growing and he got many endorsements, thus his manager created a small fan meeting event after his first win in the National Championship.


    There, he met Wei Xiameng. At first, she was just a usual fan. She came to his first fan meeting, her face entirely red as she handed him a handmade wristband and blurted out, "M¡ªMr. Jiang, I have always liked you, I have watched all of your matches!"


    Jiang Jinyan was just an immature youth, only sixteen years old. In his entire life, it was the first time he received such a heartfelt confession and the other party was delicate and beautiful, just like a little porcin doll.


    Subsequently, they always met in fan meeting events and Jiang Jinyan grew to know her better. Every time, Wei Xiameng would always give him handmade things. Scarf, kneepad, photo album, the collection of his bulletin in newspapers and magazines. In short, they were small, not very useful things but always made him feel warm and treasured. No matter how hard his heart was, being washed by this kind of affection again and again, it ultimately softened and melted into a puddle.


    The simple fan-athlete rtionship turned into messaging friends, then one outing led to another, finally they established their rtionship. It was almost one yearter after their first encounter, and Jiang Jinyan had be a well-known public figure. Thus, they dated discreetly.


    At first, Wei Xiameng was sensible. Every time Jiang Jinyan was busy with training, she would always smile and say that training was more important. Then, she would secretlye to his training centre, giving him a lunchbox and soup in front of his fellow athlete, really inducing envy and jealousy of others.


    Beautiful momentssted in the beginning. Jiang Jinyan didn''t know when everything began to change. The sensible, earnest and beautiful girl turned into a demanding, needy and unreasonable person. She would always be dissatisfied no matter what Jiang Jinyan did, "If we have just announced our rtionship at that time, then we don''t need to date secretly like this!"


    She wanted to show her boyfriend off to the whole world, but Jiang Jinyan couldn''t afford to do that. That''s why he had always felt guilty and wanted to repay her in some way or another. That''s why, he tried to change himself. Be more patient, more sensible, more mature, more amodating.


    Jiang Jinyan didn''t know how to treat her well except to give, give and give more.


    Turned out, it felt so exhausting to lead such a rtionship.


    Both of them knew that there''s some problems that they didn''t address, but as long as everything didn''t change then it would be fine. But Jiang Jinyan''s ident was just like a prick to burst the air tight balloon, showing them the hideous truth that he didn''t want to ept.


    He didn''t dare to, because dependence was such a scary thing. Once you became ustomed to someone, if they left, it was just like taking half of your heart away. Jiang Jinyan had felt it once before and he didn''t want to feel it the second time.


    But still, he fell into the same pit.


    Wei Xiameng''s watery eyes, shining with anger, red at him. "Fine, I won''t touch it! If you''re in a bad mood, why are you taking it out on me? You''re so childish!"


    Childish? He was childish? It was such a long time ago that Jiang Jinyan heard that. How many years had it been? Four, five years ago? And thest person who said it to him was Jiang Huocheng.


    Jiang Jinyan gripped the spoon tighter and lowered his eyshes. All of a sudden, he didn''t want to endure anymore. Why should he change for other people? Why¡­should he live ording to other''s wishes when the other person didn''t even cherish him?


    "En, I don''t feel so good these days. If you can''t bear it, then it''s okay. The door is behind you."


    It was the first time Jiang Jinyan had ever spoken this way to her. Cold, indifferent with a hint of ridicule. Wei Xiameng stared at him in shock, incredulous. Herrge eyes widened and the water glistening around them couldn''t be contained anymore, sliding down her fair cheek, creating a wet trail that would induce heartache.


    However, to her dismay, Jiang Jinyan didn''t even look at her. He poured the soup back into the thermos and closed the lid. "I am quite tired from the therapy." Heid down and closed his eyes, showing his nonchnt back to her.


    Wei Xiameng''s temper exploded. "I came all the way to see you and this is the attitude you show me?! Jiang Jinyan, how can you be like this?!"


    That''s true, how can you be like this? Jiang Jinyan bemused.


    Silence fell into the room and it didn''t take long for rapid and light footsteps to run toward the door, mmed it open and banged it close. Jiang Jinyan slowly opened his eyes and let out a shaking breath. His heart was beating violently and the tip of his fingers chilled.


    He thought that he could endure, that he could ept everything. But it turned out that he couldn''t. He was just an ordinary human. Not a fake that could act for the rest of his life.


    Now, thest person that could offer him warmth was gone.


    A drop of tears slowly slid out from the corner of his eyes and disappeared into the pillow.


    ***


    Shi Nian saw Wei Xiameng wipe her tears when she went out. She sat on the bench outside her room, so when Wei Xiameng wanted to go to the elevator, she would have to go past her. Seeing such a scene, Shi Nian''s heart felt so heavy that she couldn''t breathe.


    Why¡­? He was such a good man, but why did you have to hurt him? Why did you have to do this when he was already like this?


    Even though Shi Nian always took pride in her good temper, right now, she couldn''t contain her anger. When Wei Xiameng got close, Shi Nian stood up. She didn''t even know why she stood up, she just¡­felt so angry. But what right did she have to be angry?


    Wei Xiameng''s red and damp eyes lifted. Her nasally voice sounded. "Miss Shi? I am sorry, but I am not in a good condition right now. Sorry." Then, without waiting for her reply, she brushed past her shoulder. Shi Nian didn''t stand well and her calf bumped into the edge of the metal bench, causing her to take in a sharp breath due to pain.


    It was so painful that tears sprung up in her eyes.


    "Shi Nian?" Xu Binchen who had just returned from the bathroom got a shock as he found her sitting pitifully with red rimmed eyes. "What''s wrong?" His heart sank, and his long legs propelled him to approach her faster. Urgency filled his tone as he scanned her up and down.


    He crouched down to find her watery eyes. "Why are you crying?" The man''s voice was unprecedentedly gentle, warm and patient, totally unlike the usual Xu Binchen but unfortunately, Shi Nian didn''t realize that.


    She shook her head. More than her aching calf, her heart felt more painful and sour.


    She didn''t have her mother by her side, then that''s fine, she still had Doctor Chun, Nurse Zhang and Detective Xu who was always worried about her well being. But Jiang Jinyan¡­who did he have? Who would be there for him when he''s sad? The more Shi Nian thought about it, the more upset she was.


    .


    .


    A/N: Lol, so I was shocked when I wanted to update because there''s a new feature called ''SUMMONING PEN''. Basically, you can exchange 200 points in exchange of 1 summoning pen and I can release chappies for you ^^ it''s quite nice huh, AllNovelFull is so creative hahaha so here it is my first try in bonus chappie for you, thank you for summoning me~

 Chapter 76 - Theres Someone Suspicious!

    When Shi Nian went to ask Nurse Zhang about her bouquet, she was told that Jiang Jinyan was really not in good spirits these days. Nurse Zhang said, "Don''t worry. Maybe something happened in his family. He will be okay soon."


    But Nurse Zhang''s words didn''t prove true because Shi Nian saw that he was eating less and less. Sometimes, he didn''t even eat. Shi Nian seldom saw him outside anymore. Jiang Jinyan holed himself up in his room, and she didn''t have any chance to see him at all.


    Thus, Shi Nian started to give him flowers every few days. Oftentimes, it would be daffodils, but sometimes, it was peony, because peony meant fortune, bravery and honor. She thought that it suited him very much.


    But after she brought flowers a few times, the usual receptionist who received it suddenly rejected with an apologetic smile. "I am very sorry, Miss. But Mr. Jiang told us not to receive any flowers anymore. He said thank you and he received your good intentions already."


    Shi Nian returned glumly to the fifth floor, dejected. Even herst means to cheer him up was cut off...


    "What''s wrong with you?" Xu Binchen asked, irritated. "You''ve been acting weirdtely."


    Shi Nian returned with a bouquet of peony that she had just put together. The sweet citrusy scent filled her nose, but it did nothing to lift her mood. She gave the bouquet back to Xu Binchen.


    The man almostughed in anger. "Now that your flower is rejected, you return it back to me?"


    Then, what should she do? Shi Nian thought inquiringly. She couldn''t have barged into his room to give it to him right?


    She lowered her head sadly and pushed the bouquet back to Xu Binchen. [You can give it to whoever you like.]


    Xu Binchen was so angry that steam almost puffed out of his head. He crushed the peonies in his hand and smiled coldly. "Thank you very much."


    Shi Nian nodded absentmindedly, not noticing Xu Binchen''s sarcasm.


    Not long after they returned to Shi Nian''s room, the elevator dinged open and a skinny man with rounded hat, checkered shirt andrge sling bag came in. He looked around and sauntered past the nurse station with a wide smile. "Hello, good morning."


    He had just wanted to get through but the nurse stopped him. "Sir, wait!"


    His heart thumped and sweat formed in his forehead, but when he turned his head, there wasn''t an ounce of nervousness within her eyes. "Is there something wrong?"


    "No." The nurse smiled sweetly. "Are you visiting someone? Pleasee here to fill in the log."


    "Log?" The man turned nk. "What log?"


    Realization dawned on the nurse and she let out an ''ah!'' "You haven''te bytely right? Now, the hospital has implemented a new system. Every single visitor must be recorded. It will not take long, Sir. Don''t worry."


    The manughed dryly and approached the nurse. "This is my first time here. My apology, I never knew that there''s a system like this. Is there something wrong with the hospital?"


    "No," the nurse answered. "It''s just a new security system." She pointed at the new line and handed the pen to him. "If you may."


    The man''s eyes darted back and forth and he decided to fill in the name of the person who hadn''t gotten any visitors in a long time.


    "Nan Xukun?" The nurse''s expression turned strange as she looked at him upside down. "Are you a rtive of Young Master Nan?"


    The man thought ''Not good!'' but his expression remained calm andposed. "Yeah, I am just his family''s driver''s son. Young Master Nan''s parents are busy so they told me toe and visit him on my way home. Is there something wrong?" The man gave a faint, confident smile.


    A hint of doubt popped up in the nurse''s mind but she wasn''t easily swayed. She was one of the people who had been educated by Detective Xu Binchen himself. It could be said that she had been enlightened. She picked up the phone receiver and pressed some numbers haphazardly. "Please wait a moment while I confirm it with Young Master Nan. Don''t worry, this is just a new system." She smiled harmlessly. "Yes, Young Master Nan? This is the front station, do you have a rtive called Mr. Fu¡ªhey!"


    The man saw the situation didn''t fare well for him and turned his tail, running toward the elevator. The nurse dropped the phone and shouted. "Security! Security! There''s someone suspicious!"


    This was the floor which had the strongest defense in the entire hospital. Furthermore, Xu Yanluo¡ªthis King of Hell¡ªwas present himself. Just an ordinary person, how could he escape from a bunch of criminal investigators and police officers?


    Five minutester, the man cried with snot and tears on his face and pleaded guilty. "I am not a terrorist. Police officers, I am truly innocent!"


    Xu Binchen''s face was dark and somber. Even when he was just sitting there, he was able to exert mountainous pressure toward the poor skinny man. The police officers around him were checking the man''s bag and ID Card. "Detective Xu," Their face wasn''t good which made Xu Binchen''s heart sink.


    "What''s wrong?" He received a badge from the man and his pupils dted as he saw the identification on it. "You''re a reporter?" He scowled. "What are you doing here?"


    Xu Binchen''s mind was working at a thousand megabytes per second speed. Were they finally discovered? No, it couldn''t be. If so, then it shouldn''t be only this scrawny man who came here. Furthermore, Wang Chengbing who was guarding the hot topic in Weib8 didn''t say anything.


    "I¡ª" The man cried and spoke incoherently. "I am just here for news...Really, I didn''t mean anything bad."


    The other police officer typed his office in the search column and all of the information popped up. Jinghe Journalism Company. A third ratepany which delved in tabloid and entertainment gossip. Thepany had been working for two years but so far, they hadn''t published any good articles yet. Every single news was just the scandal of actors and which actress schemed against whom.


    The police were done checking his bag which was filled with recording equipment and deemed that he was indeed a reporter. They didn''t find any suspicious weapon on him either. But the word ''reporter'' strung on their nerves and each of their faces looked ugly.


    Xu Binchen put theptop away and turned his gaze to the man whose name was Fu Lexiang, as shown in his ID Card. "What news can you possibly get from a hospital, Mr. Fu?"


    Fu Lexiang''s upational habit kicked in and for a split second, he forgot his fear. "There''s so many police officers here. Shouldn''t there be some news worth reporting?"


    Hearing his words, slowly, Xu Binchen curled his lips, but the coldness in his eyes didn''t diminish so it created a terrifying image beyond description which caused goosebumps to break out along Fu Lexiang''s arms. He shrank his neck fearfully and returned to being a crybaby.


    "Disturbing public space, secretly gathering and illegally providing information and selling it to organization, institution or other personnel, personal info breach, all of those crimes above can cause you to be fined. Depending on the severity, you can also be jailed for a maximum of ten years¡ª" Xu Binchen enunciated and leaned forward. His smile vanished and his eyes pierced into the poor man. "So, what do you have to say?"


    In the end, Fu Lexiang was escorted to the police station for tea and his phone was confiscated by Xu Binchen. Based on the man''s confession, Xu Binchen opened the forum in his history and entered an unknown website.


    A red, ring headline popped up in front of his eyes.


    [Warning: Some Doubts Regarding City A''s Safety!]

 Chapter 77 - I Cant Be A Coward

    Jin Renguang straightened his cor and knocked on the door.


    "Come in," The voice from inside answered.


    Jin Renguang opened and closed the door behind him gently, only creating a soft click sound. The man behind the table lifted his head and upon seeing Jin Renguang, he took off his myopic sses. "Xiao Jin[1]? You''re here?"


    If it was any other person, even if it was his own parents who called him by this kind of cheesy nickname, he would haveined. But unfortunately, the other party was someone that he couldn''t offend no matter what.


    Jin Renguang performed a standard military salute. "Major General Fen."


    Fen Huiguan, the Director of City S Police Bureau,ughed when he heard that title. "You''rete. I retired long ago. Now, there''s a new major general in the military already. You should know him."


    "I know." Jin Renguang nodded as he scanned his eyes on the gray haired, robust, majestic man. "But no matter what, you''re my major and it will not change."


    "Has anyone told you that you''re a sweet talker?" Director Fen walked to the low table and poured out a cup of tea. "Don''t just stand there, sit down and talk."


    Jin Renguang grunted in acquiescence and took his seat opposite the old man. His back was straight with his knees folded neatly and palms seated above it. No matter how long it had been, how senile the old man be, Jin Renguang was once a soldier under him.


    Time had flown by so fast. Just a few years ago, Fen Huiguan was still the Major General of Elite Special Force, an independent organization that worked with the government to defend the nation from outside forces. Jin Renguang once worked under him, but now everything had changed. Ever since Fen Huiguan''s sight deteriorated, he had retired and be the director, while Jin Renguang took a totally different path and became a criminal investigator.


    Despite the twists and turns, he had once again be this man''s subordinate.


    Fate was really¡­Jin Renguang sighed,ughable.


    Don''t look at how the old man could brew tea so elegantly, so tranquil and serene, but the truth was, he was once the most feared personnel in the entire special force unit. The fear and reverence was embedded too deep into Jin Renguang''s bone that he subconsciously turned into an obedient and meek person in front of Fen Huiguan.


    If Ru Meiqi was here right now, she would haveughed her ass off.


    "What do you want to talk about?" The aroma of Tieguanyin Tea suffused into the air, creating a warm ambience that could make anyone rx.


    But Jin Renguang never let his guard down. "Two days ago, I talked about it on the phone with you. I know that currently, we have no evidence. But Miss Ru¡ªour criminal psychologist''s analysis wasn''t unfounded." He took out the report that he had handwritten himself. "You can see the thought process and conclusion in it."


    As Fen Huiguan put on his sses and read the report word by word, Jin Renguang continued, "The more clues we have, the sooner we can catch the culprit. Right now, there has been one ident in the hospital where the culprit got close to Butterfly¡ª"


    "I haven''t calcted it with you yet," Fen Huiguan lifted his eyes, sharp as a dagger. "What''s wrong with your team? You can''t even guard one person well?"


    "It''s the negligence on my part, I will take full responsibility for it," Jin Renguang took the me humbly. His response made Fen Huiguan''s brows rx slightly as he continued to read the report, "That''s why, I really need a favor from you, Director Fen. I can''t touch the upper echelon in society, but you can. If you''re willing to help me¡ªno, if you can shield me and give me authority to investigate this, then I will make sure to give you a satisfactory result."


    Fen Huiguan finished reading the report and sighed. "Xiao Jin, you know that it''s not easy to touch them. They have many connections with the government and police department, even higher and deeper than you can think of. If you want to pull a radish, you have to pull all of its roots and the soil on it[2]. It can even be moreplicated than you think, can you guarantee that you can walk through it without staining yourself?"


    "I can." Jin Renguang''s straight, earnest and resolute eyes shone brilliantly with confidence. "I will do it."


    Fen Huiguan fell silent for a moment before letting out a few chuckles. "You really haven''t changed at all, always stubborn and determined to reach your goal. Have you ever thought of what would happen if you fail?"


    "If I always fear failure, how can I continue to step forward?" Jin Renguang shrugged. "Now, I have many subordinates under me. Their life and death was in my hands. I will always be cautious, but I can''t be a coward and shrink my neck every time I reach a bottleneck."


    Fen Huiguan nodded, a hint of satisfaction arose in his heart. Truly, this was the seed that he nurtured himself. Unfortunately, he chose to be a police officer rather than a soldier. Such a pity¡­


    But he could see the strong aura of a leader and determination of a soldier inside his eyes. Thest bit of dissatisfaction in Fen Huiguan''s chest dissipated and he finally felt relieved. "All right." The man smiled.


    A sh of surprise passed through Jin Renguang''s eyes and it didn''t go unnoticed by Fen Huiguan. "What? Are you really that surprise? Should I retract my words?"


    "No, sir!" Jin Renguang sat up straighter and answered loudly. "A soldier will never go back on his word!" Originally, he thought that he needed tounch some attacks, pull and tug war, all of the strategies he could think of to make Fen Huiguan agree. Jin Renguan didn''t expect to receive a positive answer so soon. That''s good, he beamed brightly.


    Fen Huiguan didn''t know whether he shouldugh or be angry. He scoffed, the corner of his lips curled up in amusement. "I will give you direct authority, but remember not to go past their bottom line. Investigate it well, if you haven''t got any result by the end of this month¡­" Fen Huiguan smiled. "Same rules. I will deduct your team''s wages by half."


    Jin Renguang''s eyes lit up. "Yes, sir. I will not disappoint you!"


    ***


    He closed the door behind him and let out the breath that he subconsciously held. Right at that moment, his phone buzzed in his pocket. Jin Renguang fished it out to find a few new messages and an iing call from Xu Binchen.


    "Xu Binchen?" He answered as he walked down the hall toward the elevator. "What''s wrong? What...? A private website? Send it to me."


    He hung up and made another call. "Tang Wei, check your email. I will send something to you, investigate where it came from and who posted it¡­No, I am on my way. Wait for me in the office. Yes, that''s all."


    Jin Renguang''s face turned somber and his good mood plummeted down by this single news. However, a bubbling excitement slowly coursed through his veins. He had the premonition that the culprit couldn''t wait any longer and started to make his move.


    A man should fight head on instead of hiding and stalking, he harrumphed. He had just entered the elevator when his phone rang again. This time, it was Ru Meiqi. He had just remembered that there were unread messages sitting in his inbox.


    "Meiqi," He took the initiative to plead guilty. "Sorry, I have been busy these past few days making a report to Director Fen. Yes, he finally gave me the authority and I can start to investigate it. Your messages? No, I haven''t read it. Why so urgent? Wait, I will hang up for a second."


    Jin Renguang opened his WeChat and easily found Ru Meiqi''s chat which was pinned to the top. There were 2 unread chats there. He clicked it to show thetest chat which was when he sent her the drawing of the culprit based on Mr.Jiang''s description. A vague outline of a man with sses with a long mark on the side of his neck was drawn on a piece of paper.


    Ru Meiqi''s chat continued below.


    [Renguang, I think I know what the mark is. It''s not a burn mark or knife scar. But still, I need to investigate further because just one person''s description will not be urate enough.]


    [Ever heard of a skin mask? I think it''s the mark of it.]


    .


    .


    [1] Xiao Jin = Little Jin


    [2] Basically, he said that there might be corruption in higher-ups and investigating it was very risky


    A/N: Thank you very much for MoniqueDeLaVerite for your golden ticket [throwinglove.jpg] Thank you very much Umi_juvariel I can''t believe my eyes to see 11 golden tickets from you QAQ I am so moved! Thankyou too for readers whom I haven''t mentioned because I can only see top 3 contributors~ Please give more golden tickets for MDG ne~

 Chapter 78 - Will You Believe Me?

    "What the hell¡­?" Tang Wei pushed up his sses and squinted his eyes as he leaned closer toward theputer screen. "What kind of nonsense is this?"


    "What is it?" Ke Shao, who had just returned from an errand outside, approached and stood behind him.


    "This¡­" Tang Wei needed a moment to form coherent words because he was rendered speechless by this website. "Come and see this. Captain sent this to me just now, apparently it came from Xu Binchen. A reporter has just snuck into the hospital because of this."


    "What?!" Ke Shao bent his waist and together with Tang Wei, they read the article with rapt attention.


    [Warning: Some Doubts Regarding City A''s Safety!


    As you all may know, City A is one of the most famous cities in China. Not only is there a new Recreational Park which was opened by Jiang Corporation, there is also A University and People''s Hospital which was sponsored by Henan Corporation. Two gigantic figures in the business world have invested in this City, making it prosperous and full of vitality. But what kind of malice is hidden beneath this kind of mor?


    First, the vicious criminal, serial killer which is often reported on TV, has fled to City A and settled there. You can see from the recent news where some body parts were found in the parking lot of Jiang Park Mall and City A''s Recreational Park. Both were properties that were owned by the big shots, Jiang Huocheng and Nan Cheng. Is that really a coincidence?


    Second, reportedly some time ago, a Weib8 post has blown up with the eye catching hashtags of #EmergencyRescueGege and #JiangJinyanWheelchair. Until now, there hasn''t been any development regarding this hot topic. Is that normal? Especially when everyone is moring on the newly rising athlete''s ident, Jiang Jinyan? Obviously, there is a force that controls everything behind the scene. Gradually, the hashtag #EmergencyRescueGege vanished from public and only news of Jiang Jinyan remained.


    Why did this happen? Obviously, it is because the man behind #EmergencyRescueGege isn''t just anyone ordinary. But do you all forget one thing? How about the girl that was being rescued? Why hasn''t anyone mentioned her at all? Suspicious point +1


    Third, a sparse amount of people havee out and confessed that they were there during the time of the ident and the location of it was precisely our People''s Hospital in City A! So much of being a coincidence! But apparently, all of thesements were deleted before they could even see the light of the day. Suspicious point +1


    Jiang Jinyan''s ident, the serial killer, more and more body parts, the hidden force behind the scene, what is the connection between all of them?


    Below was the attachment of a post that was screenshotted before they were deleted. [picture]


    Now, don''t worry. This is not a conspiracy post. This article intends to raise awareness of the citizens in City A. Pay attention to safety when going out. Avoid public crowds and keep the lights out when it''s dark. Keep your beloved in sight and don''t lose them to the serial killer.]


    Ke Shao frowned, speechless. He almost slipped out a curse but managed to hold himself back in the end. "What is this¡­?"


    "On the surface, this post is just stating the truth. They didn''t conclude anything, but the way they formed the words is ambiguous and leading people''s thoughts to a certain direction." Tang Wei analyzed. "First, they brought out the matter of people''s concern, the serial killer. Then they linked it to Mr.Jiang''s ident, forcefully intertwining the two. Then, they subtly reminded people of someone that they had neglected all these while; Xu Binchen and Butterfly''s disappearance."


    Terrifying. Just thinking of that gave Tang Wei chills. "If this manages to get out, not only will City A''s hospital be crowded by reporters, but Butterfly''s identity will also be dug out sooner orter."


    Ke Shao clicked his tongue. "Vicious, truly vicious!" He took over the mouse and scrolled down. Because this was a private website that was created with public domain, there were advantage and disadvantage of it. The advantage was; it wouldn''t pop up in hot topics and search columns unless people specially typed in the keyword but the disadvantage was exactly that. Because it wouldn''t appear on Weib8, then the police had no way to track it down and the website could grow all it wanted. Fortunately, there hadn''t been many visitors yet.


    "Hmm?" He narrowed his eyes. "Thisment¡­"


    Below the article, there was one ringment made by an ount with username Fu888. "Is this real? Where did OP receive all of this information? I will give you a generous amount in exchange for it. Please contact me as soon as possible at XXX-9876. Thank you in advance."


    "Yes," Tang Wei answered with a sigh. "This is the reporter who came to the hospital to scout for news. But he has been apprehended by Xu Binchen and now, he''s on his way here. Captain asked me to track the original poster down."


    "Eh, what about Wang Chengbing? Isn''t it his job?"


    "You don''t know ah?" Tang Wei slumped on the desk and groaned. "Because of the continuous all nighter and undercover, he suffered from acute gastritis, vertigo, high fever and inmed throat and was hauled to the hospital the day before yesterday. Now all of the technical jobs are handed to me. I am going to die from all of this work!"


    "Good luck, bro." Ke Shao patted his shoulder in schadenfreude. "Fortunately, we realized it soon. I can''t imagine what would happen if this managed to spread."


    Tang Wei''s sses reflected the clean and neat website which only contained a single post. "Hopefully, what we are afraid of will not happen. Now, let me track down the IP address of this website..."


    Tang Wei''s fingers flew on the keyboard and the only sound that filled the office was the continuous and rhythmic cking. The screen changed and rows of code came out, even looking at it gave Ke Shao headache.


    "Hmm?" Tang Wei frowned and his expression turned more and more strange. "Hmm????"


    "What? What''s wrong?" Ke Shao didn''t want to look at those rows of intangible codes but Tang Wei''s incredulous expression hooked him. "Is there something wrong with the website?"


    "The IP address..." Tang Wei looked like he wanted to cry butcked tears. He showed Ke Shao theputer screen and as he pressed the enter key, the screen changed to the satellite maps. There was a red blinking that showed the location the location of the website creator.


    Ke Shao''s eyes instantly widened in shock.


    ***


    If Shi Nian''s face could be converted into an emoji pack, then her face would be filled with ck question marks right now. The youth in front of her still sported the same wild, unrestrained grin with his rainbow color head. His cast had been taken off, and the bandaged arm hung limply by his side.


    "Are you busy?" Nan Xukun asked. Then, without permission, he sat beside her on the bench with his long legs stretched out. His warm body temperature was instantly transmitted to her and Shi Nian scooted away as if being scalded. "What''s wrong? Did I make you ufortable?"


    Shi Nian looked at him, incredulous. Her eyes were saying, "So, you realize it?"


    Nan Xukun rubbed his nose sheepishly. "Well, don''t be too obvious. My heart hurts. See, I will sit further okay?" Then he really moved one seat away. Now, there was one empty seat between them. "Is it okay?"


    Shi Nian looked at him intently. Was there something wrong with Young Master Nan''s head? Why was he so sensible today?


    Nan Xukun stared at her with a smile as if he didn''t mind her scrutiny. The light that poured onto him gathered on those pairs of grey greenish eyes, creating a myriad of kaleidoscopes simr to molten silver with a speck of lively color in it. Shi Nian had to admit that he had a very beautiful pair of eyes that people couldn''t resist.


    "Shi Nian, will you believe me if I say that I am very happy staying in this hospital?"


    .


    .


    A/N: Thankyou very much ArcaneMag and Despairing Darkness for your golden tickets!!! I really can''t thank you enough! Let me dedicate this chappie for you ne~

 Chapter 79 - Have We Met Before?

    Shi Nian was stunned. Ever since Nan Xukun learned of her name, this was the first time he called her out loud. Usually, he would always say ''little meimei'' or ''sweetheart'' or ''cutie pie''. To her surprise, Shi Nian actually saw the seriousness in his usual lopsided grin.


    She blinked and wrote. [I don''t know.]


    "You don''t know?" He tutted. "The answer to this question is only two; yes or no."


    [I don''t know you enough to make a judgement.]


    Young Master Nan was dumbfounded seeing her earnest gaze and the way she tried to answer his question so seriously. A burst of heat spread through his chest, making it sting but not painful. Just a little itchy,pelling him to hug the person in front of him.


    Thus, Young Master Nan did exactly what he thought. He was always an action oriented person. But this time, he didn''t do it directly, but asked first. "May I hug you for once?"


    Shi Nian''s eyes turned vignt and slowly, her butt scooted backward until she was further and further away.


    The way she was so guarded against him was too adorable that he burst out in a fit of cheeryughter. He had long past the age where his voice changed, but the way he talked always made it seem like he deliberately pinched his voice and made it sound higher.


    But hisugh right now¡­


    Shi Nian stared deeply. It was unexpectedly mellow, smooth and low. It befitted him very much. Somehow, Shi Nian even felt like he sounded familiar as if she had heard it somewhere before.


    "I will be discharged from the hospital today." Before she could delve deeper into her thoughts, Nan Xukun''s voice pulled her back to reality. Shi Nian lifted her head, stunned for a moment before breaking into a genuine small smile.


    [Congrattions!!!] She added three exmation marks in the end to show the jubnt mood.


    Nan Xukun smiled and his eyes crinkled, turning into a pair of crescent moons. "So, can I hug you?"


    Shi Nian hesitated and she nced toward the corner of the hallway where Xu Binchen''s subordinate was. Xu Binchen himself had been missing in action ever since this morning and his phone was ringing nonstop. Seemed like something had happened in the police but he didn''t want to let her know.


    "Why are you so worried about him? Come here, give gege a hug." Young Master Nan was still Young Master Nan. He leaned forward and enveloped her in a warm hug. His arms circled around her shoulder loosely. Shi Nian was stunned silly and she froze. Before she could push him away, he had returned to his position with a sweet smile. "How is it? Easy right?"


    Xu Binchen''s subordinate stared wide eyed in shock. He didn''t know whether he should report this or not¡­He hesitated, but in the end, he decided not to. What? Even a single hug needed to be reported?


    Shi Nian was still frozen, not because of the shock of Nan Xukun''s hug but because when he came closer, his scent enveloped her and wafted into her nose. The mixture of spearmint, musky cologne and a sweet familiar fragrance seeped into her. It was so familiar, so close that the words were hanging on the tip of her tongue but she couldn''t remember it as if there was a mist covering her memory.


    "Little meimei?" Nan Xukun waved his hand in front of her eyes. "What''s wrong? Are you that mesmerized by me? Should I hug you again?"


    Shi Nian''s train of thoughts broke and she snapped out of her stupor. She red, her lips pursed into thin lines.


    Nan Xukunughed again. "Believe it or not. I am really happy here. You don''t know right, little meimei. I have yearned for ordinary life since a long time ago." Nan Xukun''s smile slipped and a hint of sadness appeared between the curl of his lips. "Ordinary life, ordinary parents, ordinary family. I really, really want it. But everyone whom I said it to would tell me how ungrateful I am and how many people would kill to be in my position. If I could, I would dly exchange it with them."


    Shi Nian blinked her eyes, and didn''t know what to say amidst his soliloquy.


    "Do you want it too?" He asked, but his eyes looked past her as if he was seeing something through her. "Do you also think that money is the most important thing in this world? That money is the source of happiness?" He sat in a daze for a moment and blinked. Instantly, the mncholic young master vanished and the usual silly Nan Xukun returned. "Aiyah, look at me! What am I saying to you?" He chuckled as he rubbed her head. "I don''t know what happened to you, but I wish you well so that you can speak again."


    Shi Nian silently erased the word of constion and exchanged it with a simple thank you.


    Young Master Nan sighed as he stood up. "In here, there will be no one who will monitor me, who will dictate my behavior, who will educate me harshly and also," He bowed to look at her. "There''s also you, a little meimei who doesn''t change her behavior after knowing my identity. Can we exchange WeChat ID?"


    Somehow, Shi Nian had a spection that those heartrending words were just opening to what he truly wanted to ask at the end of the sentence. She was rendered speechless by her own thoughts. Shi Nian then recalled that her phone was bought by Xu Binchen and she hadn''t had the chance to return it back to him yet.


    Furthermore, Young Master Nan¡ªthe sole heir of Henan Corporation''s WeChat ID? Maybe, tens of thousands of people would kill to be in Shi Nian''s position. He wasn''t wrong. His life was privileged since birth, everything revolved around him. He certainly couldn''t bepared to someone ordinary like Shi Nian. Everyone wanted to be him, but only he himself knew how it felt to be him.


    If not for his ident, maybe they wouldn''t cross paths in this lifetime.


    Shi Nian gingerly took out her phone and exchanged her WeChat ID with him. She couldn''t restrain her curiosity and waved her board in front of his eyes. [Have we met before?]


    Nan Xukun stared at her words in surprise.


    Heat crept up Shi Nian''s cheeks. Why did it sound very much like an overused pick up line? But truly, somehow, Shi Nian felt that he was kind of familiar. But this kind of entric young master, she wouldn''t forget it if they had met before so¡­where did this kind of familiaritye from?


    Nan Xukun quickly recovered from his surprise and smiled. It was the kind of profound, mysterious smile that made her heart skip a beat. He gently pushed her forehead with his forefinger and sang out. "You have to think of it yourself~"


    Shi Nian blinked. So it was a yes??


    Young Master Nan looked at her for thest time before walking away. He waved his hand without turning back, arrogantly showing off the silhouette of his back before disappearing into a corner. Shi Nian''s phone beeped and a new chat came in.


    The profile picture was totally ck in color without any pattern or embellishment and his name consisted of three letters that were capitalized. KUN.


    "If you remember it, don''t forget to tell me [wink..jpg]."

 Chapter 80 - Location Of The IP Address

    Jin Renguang''s ck jeep stopped on the side of the road. The window was rolled down and the man''s arm hung loosely on the sill, white billows of smoke blowing out of it. Two fingers that held the cigarette flicked and the ashes flowed down to the ground outside, the tip of it was still burning red.


    He let out rings of smoke from his mouth, creating a hazy mist that covered his sharp features. The car''s machine was purring softly and Twenty One Pilots'' Cancer was ying softly on the background. The singer''s soft voice suffused into the post raining cold air, inducing chills that rose from the sole of his foot to his whole body.


    I''m counting down the days to go


    This just ain''t livin''


    And I just hope you know


    I will not kiss you


    The door to the passenger seat swung open and Ru Meiqi came in, bearing the dampness of the rain and the mild fragrance of her perfume. She raked her fingers through her wet hair and pulled the dashboard open with practical ease, taking the box of tissue in it and started to wipe herself without saying anything.


    Jin Renguang sucked in the cigarette for thest time and put it off. He shifted the gear and the car moved to join the stream of traffic beyond. Finally, the song came to an end with a mncholic echo of ''Lips are chapped and faded...''. Jin Renguang changed the channel to the other radio and broke the silence. "Have you eaten?"


    Ru Meiqi threw the wet and soiled tissue into the small dustbin and wrinkled her nose. "You''re still smoking?"


    "What about your car? Where do you park it?"


    She replied with another question, "Have you seen my messages?"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    The both of them fell into a strange silence. Jin Renguang chuckled and reached into the dashboard. That way, he leaned half of his body to her side. The warm temperature and musky scent of tobo swiveled around her nose, making her lean her body back to avoid it.


    Jin Renguang took out a new small mineral water bottle and gave it to her without averting his gaze from the road. "I only smoke asionally and yes, I have read your messages."


    Ru Meiqi received the water and took a few sips. "I let my car be towed away. It will be sent to my apartment directly and no, I haven''t eaten."


    Jin Renguang guessed so. He hummed and turned the steering wheel.


    Ru Meiqi frowned. "This is not the direction of the police station."


    "Who said that we will go to the police station?" Jin Renguang raised his brow and entered the nearest McDonalds drive through. He ordered two sets of burgers, cokes and sundaes with familiarity without even asking Ru Meiqi. The whole process took not even five minutes and they waited as the waiter made the order.


    Only then did the man turn around and asked. "Your taste hasn''t changed right?"


    The corner of Ru Meiqi''s mouth twitched. "Don''t you think that it''s toote for you to ask that?" He had even ordered and paid for it, why should he ask for her opinion again?


    Jin Renguang''s lips curled into a smug grin, one which Ru Meiqi wanted to smack very much. "I know that you will like it."


    Then why are you still asking? She rolled her eyes.


    Both of them stopped on the side of the road to eat for a while. Even though Jin Renguang often looked slovenly with an air of sluggishness, he ate in a neat and uniform manner, not making any sound, and more importantly, not messy at all. Maybe it was a habit which was formed in the military. Three minutes was all it took for him to devour the deluxe burger and the extrarge coke. Meanwhile, Ru Meiqi was still picking at lettuce and tomatoes¡­


    "You don''t want it?" Jin Renguang took over the unwanted food and ate it. "Then, give it to me."


    This was one of their small habits. Ru Meiqi liked burgers, but she didn''t really like lettuce and tomatoes. Thus, it would always be Jin Renguang this omnivore who cleaned it all. It wasn''t limited only to burgers, but all kinds of food they had eaten together.


    After Ru Meiqi finished the burger, Jin Renguang handed her the sundaes, including his. Without a word, Ru Meiqi started to dominate the two chocte sundaes. After throwing the trash away, Jin Renguang started the car and only then did he turn to the direction of the police station. "Are you full?" he asked.


    "I am. What about you? You can''t possibly be full with only that one burger right?"


    Jin Renguang raised a brow. "Worried about me?"


    Ru Meiqi rolled her eyes and didn''t want to pay any attention to him anymore. But she couldn''t deny that good food made her mood turn better. She had consumed unptable dishes these few days in that small vige, it almost caused her to lose two kilograms. Because it was Jin Renguang who satisfied her craving, she was willing to tolerate him for the time being. "How about my analysis? What do you think of it?"


    "Skin mask?" The man''s silhouette as he drove was steady and masculine. His sharp jaw was defined and his lips were moist and red because of the hot chilly. Soft strands of hair fell onto his forehead, making him look more youthful. But the power and muscle hidden beneath that harmless appearance couldn''t fool anyone. "This is quite difficult. Skin masks, especially one that can change appearance, will not be easily obtained in the market. If it is so, then we can track the purchase history down. However, it''s just your guess so I need more specialists toe and verify it."


    It was better than she thought, Ru Meiqi nodded. Because she was a woman, she often received unfair treatment in work, especially in this line of job that required strength and agility. Oftentimes, she would be denied of her effort, just because of her gender which was unusual. But with Jin Renguang, she had never felt like that.


    If there was a task, then he would divide it fairly. If it was risky, then he would brief you of all of the dangerous aspects. He never treated her specially, nor did he ever underestimate every single one of her doubts and guesses. He would even try to specte together with her even though she knew that this kind of reasoning was totally different from the way he worked.


    It truly¡­made her feel quitefortable.


    Jin Renguang chuckled. "Why do you keep on looking at me like that?" The man''s smile deepened with meaning, but his eyes never strayed as he drove diligently like an upright citizen. These two contrasted traits created an itch that could always hook someone''s heartstring. "Have you changed your mind about us? Have you realized that you love me the most?"


    Us. Not me, not you. But us. A word that forcefully bound them together like they were one entity. Ru Meiqi often marveled on how someone could be so thick skinned. Every single word she said would be converted into obscenity if it passed through his mouth. However, as she grew older and knew more people, she realized that it was only Jin Renguang who could say these kinds of words without batting an eysh. He was always this unique and he would always be.


    Ru Meiqi turned her head away to look out of the window. The scenery outside was blurred, pedestrians walking around, shops and stalls scattered along the street, cars honking intermittently¡­so many sounds, but somehow, she could only focus on the man''s quiet breathing and the flex of his arm as he pulled the gear.


    If Ru Meiqi focused her eyes, she could even see his reflection on the ss window. Handsome, chiseled and dignified as always, yet every single thing that came out of his mouth made one wonder how he could live his life safely for thirty four years.


    "Are you shy? Are you speechless? Are you wondering how someone hasn''t killed me yet?" He continued on his barrage of endless questions.


    Ru Meiqi closed her eyes and gnashed her teeth. He made herfortable but at the same time, he alsopelled her to smack his face with high heels. Ru Meiqi knew that she couldn''t win against him so the only thing she could do was to stay silent.


    The car slowly drove into the Police Bureau. The security guard recognized Jin Renguang''s car te number and instantly saluted. The horizontal pole pulled up and he drove in smoothly. Jin Renguang had just wanted to search for an empty parking lot when his phone rang. He told Ru Meiqi. "Answer it for me."


    Ru Meiqi reluctantly turned around. "Where is it?"


    "My pocket." He turned the steering wheel and urged. "Faster, it will be cut off soon."


    Ru Meiqi had no choice but to pat his thighs and reach her hand deep into his pocket. She tried hard to ignore his little squirms and pulled out the phone. "It''s Tang Wei." Then, she answered it and put it on speaker.


    "Boss!" Tang Wei''s cry came out shrill and sharp.


    Jin Renguang frowned. "What''s wrong? Wait a moment, I will arrive in a minute with Miss Ru."


    For the first time, Tang Wei¡ªRu Meiqi''s fanatical fan¡ªignored Jin Renguang''sst sentence and blurted out. "The IP address of the website has been uncovered and the location is¡­the location is¡­"


    "What?" Jin Renguang snapped impatiently.


    "¡­It''s our own Police Bureau, aaaahh!!!"


    .


    .


    A/N: OMG, thankyou very much Moon_Raven for your precious gift and golden ticket!!! It really made my day QAQ this chappie is dedicated to you~

 Chapter 81 - Please Let Me See Him

    At the end of May, the cherry blossom trees outside the hospital shed theirst petals, each of it swayed gently to cover the asphalt road in a pale pink color and when she looked out of the window of her room, it looked just like an oil painting that depicted blue horizon and the budding summer where spring clung onto it, seemingly like it didn''t want to leave yet.


    Shi Nian received thest session of physiotherapy and was deemedpletely healthy, with 100% recovery of her motoric nerves and reaction. Finally, she could get out of the hospital soon. The phone in her pocket buzzed and she unlocked it to find a new chat from her mother.


    [Qiang Fei]: Baby, mama will arrive this weekend!


    [Qiang Fei]: What does mama''s baby want? Mama will buy it for you


    Shi Nian chewed her lips to contain her smile and replied.


    [Ten Years]: Mama, I miss you very much. Hmm, I haven''t thought of anything yet.


    [Qiang Fei]: Okay. Tell me if you think of something.


    [Qiang Fei]: Mama misses you too, dear [love.jpg]


    [Qiang Fei]: Send my greetings to Doctor Chun and Detective Xu. They have taken care of you so well.


    Shi Nian replied with an OK emoji and locked her phone to the sound of knocks on her door. Nurse Zhang came in with a smile as she pushed a cart with threeyers full of steaming dishes. "You will be discharged next week, are you ready?"


    Shi Nian nodded her head energetically, her smile was bright enough to rival the sun. She typed on her phone memo and showed it to Nurse Zhang. [Thank you for always taking care of me~]


    Nurse Zhang''s heart melted into a soft mess of puddle. "You''re very wee, Shi Nian. I hope that you will recover soon. Don''t forget toe and visit Psychiatrist Yu on the designated schedule, okay?" Even though Shi Nian had recovered physically but mentally, she still suffered from PTSD and selective memory loss, thus she couldn''t discontinue the counseling session yet. Shi Nian nodded obediently.


    Nurse Zhang put her food on the low table. "Come here and eat." Today''s dishes were quite a delicacy. There was a bowl of soft white rice, scrambled egg with tomatoes, sweet and sour pork fillet and red dates soup. Shi Nian took a nce and pointed at the pork fillet.


    "What''s wrong?" Nurse Zhang gave her confused look.


    Shi Nian pointed at the dish and shook her head.


    Nurse Zhang understood. "Shi Nian, you don''t want this?"


    Shi Nian nodded.


    "Then, you will not have any meat dish." Nurse Zhangplied and took away the sweet and sour pork fillet. "Is there something wrong? I noticed that you haven''t really eaten meat these past few weeks. You are so skinny already, you have to eat more meat."


    Shi Nian tried hard not to give anything away and shook her head with a carefree smile. Nurse Zhang just thought that this child didn''t like to eat red meat and found nothing wrong with it. She flicked her forehead with a helpless smile. "You can''t always pick on your food okay?"


    She just nodded to whatever Nurse Zhang said. It wasn''t that she was a picky eater, but until now, she still couldn''t bring herself to look at red meat and did not recall the terrifying scene in her nightmare that had been embedded deep inside her mind.


    It was a secret that no one knew but her.


    Nurse Zhang sorted out the tes in the tray. There were three portions on it, less than usual by two. Because Nan Xukun had been discharged, the portion was reduced by one. She hadn''t noticed anyone else being discharged so...where did thest portion go?


    Shi Nian decided to solve her curiosity and didn''t expect to get a shocking answer from Nurse Zhang.


    "Eh, you haven''t known yet?" Nurse Zhang was surprised. "Today, Mr.Jiang is going to be discharged."


    Shi Nian was dumbfounded. Her eyes opened wide nkly as she stood rooted to the floor. Who? Who was going to be discharged? Mr.Jiang? Jiang Jinyan???


    "Yes, it''s exactly Jiang Jinyan." Nurse Zhang dispelled her doubt. "I thought that you know because his guardian Mr.Si has beening oftentely."


    How could she know that?! Because Xu Binchen prohibited her froming closer to strangers especially Mr. Si who was one of the possible suspect, she holed herself up in her room every time the man visited! A booming rumble of thunder resounded in Shi Nian''s ears due to the shock.


    [Is he okay already?] It took her a while to type it with trembling fingers.


    "He¡­" Nurse Zhang sported a perplexed look. "His recovery is going well and he will soon be able to apply for an artificial limb on his amputated leg but somehow, his spirit doesn''t look good, especially after¡­"


    Especially after Wei Xiameng stormed out of his room with her face covered in tears, Shi Nian instinctively knew what Nurse Zhang was going to say. The nurses on shift had no other entertainment during their work hours except for quietly gossiping about their patients. Shi Nian had identally eavesdropped on them one time.


    The gossip was really colorful, some said that Jiang Jinyan was depressed because he broke up with his girlfriend, some said that it was Wei Xiameng who confronted him because of his post in Weib8 that was now dwindling down from the hot topic, some even created a dog blood drama plot that could make a dramatic teen series.


    She was flustered and her appetite was spoiled due to the sudden news. [When?]


    Nurse Zhang didn''t expect her reaction to be sorge. "Mr.Si came by an hour ago. I guess that the procedure has beenpleted and he is going now¡ªhey, Shi Nian?!"


    Shi Nian threw her off and burst out of the room. She looked at the room diagonal to hers and found that the door was wide open. With rapid steps, she went to it and peered inside. A nurse was currently tidying the messy bedsheet and Jiang Jinyan was nowhere to be seen. "Ah?" The nurse was shocked to find her. "Hello, may I help you?"


    Shi Nian shook her head and then ran to the elevator. Xu Binchen''s subordinates were rmed and followed after her while Xu Binchen himself had been missing since yesterday because the police suddenly called in all of their personnel for some emergency that she wasn''t notified of.


    Shi Nian didn''t even realize that she didn''t wear anything except a thin hospital gown. Her hair was messy from the run and her eyes frantic. The number on the elevator was still going down. 3¡­2¡­


    Jiang Jinyan was just going down!


    She pressed on another elevator and bit her nails anxiously. Xu Binchen''s people and Nurse Zhang caught up to her and asked in concern. "What''s wrong? Did something happen?"


    Shi Nian was so restless that her eyes reddened. Her mouth opened but no words came out. Her hands were chilly and they trembled too hard for her to type anything. Meanwhile, the elevator was still crawling up from the underground floor at snail speed¡­


    Why? Why had she just found out about it now?


    In this world, she knew nothing about him except his name. She thought¡­she thought that she still had time until next week to say her farewell and get herself acquainted with him slowly. But then, this kind of thing happened. If he went home, where was she supposed to search for him? If he disappeared like this, what should she do?


    The other elevator had stopped on the ground floor and Shi Nian''s head buzzed.


    Her body moved before her brain could catch up with it as she ran to the emergency exit and started to run down the stairs. The shouts and exmations behind seemed like they hade from a distance far away and the only thing in Shi Nian''s mind was to meet him onest time.


    What did she want to do when they met? She didn''t know but¡­she just really, really wanted to see him.


    Five floors, almost a hundred flights of stairs. She stumbled, gasped for breath, wheezed, staggered, swayed and finally found herself on the first floor. Behind her were Nurse Zhang and Xu Binchen''s people closely following but she couldn''t afford to care about them right now.


    She raked her eyes around in jittery. Inwardly she prayed, please, please, let me see him¡­


    She didn''t want it to be like her past life where she could only wait passively in his residence, waiting for the news about his battle only to find them separated by the uncrossable realm of death. She didn''t want to go through those times again. This time, she wanted to find him, wanted to tell him that¡­


    The figure of a man in wheelchair entered her sight and she stopped, her chest undting fiercely. Her throat burned and her sight was blurry with tears, but his back was clear and vivid, as vivid as when he wore his pitch ck armor and rode on his horse.


    Jiang Jinyan at that period of time ovepped with this fragile, helpless and disabled Jiang Jinyan.


    He was staring into a distance in daze. Mr.Si was nowhere to be found. Shi Nian took a step forward and halted. In thest moment, nkness filled her mind. What should she say? What should she do? She didn''t even bring her board, didn''t bring any gift. Her hair was messy, her back was sticky with sweat and her body was trembling incessantly. She was in such a mess. Could she really see him like this?


    Mr.Si came in and approached him. He went to the back and grabbed the handle of his wheelchair.


    Shi Nian instinctively opened her mouth to call out. However, she choked on her breath and only strange, intangible wheezing sound came out. General Jiang¡­Jiang Jinyan¡­this is me, Shi Nian...


    At thatst moment when Jiang Jinyan almost passed through the door, as if he had heard her, his head turned around and their eyes met.

 Chapter 82 - Just Forget Me

    It wasn''t without reason or a mere coincidence, just because Jiang Jinyan suddenly felt a smothering hot gaze directed at him that he instinctively turned his head to find out where it came from. He was a public figure, but because of his introverted personality, there weren''t many people who recognized him when he went out.


    Mainly because his skillful manager had a good photography skill, he would always take a picture in an aesthetic way, thus covering a part of Jiang Jinyan''s face. Sometimes, only his lower jaw was seen, sometimes only his eyes, sometimes only his side profile and sometimes, it was a video that was shot in a distance so that his face couldn''t be seen clearly.


    That''s why, only a handful of people who came to his fan meeting could see his face wholly.


    As long as Jiang Jinyan wore a mask, then he would be safe even though he walked in a crowded street.


    Because of that, he was quite sensitive to people''s gazes.


    When he found those pair of golden eyes of a messy haired thin girl d in hospital gown who stood in a distance while staring nkly at him, a sentence automatically popped up in Jiang Jinyan''s mind.


    ¡­a child who was being abandoned by her parents.


    Upon realizing that Jiang Jinyan didn''t react to him, Si Zhening lowered his head to find him looking at something else. "Young Master?" He simply followed Jiang Jinyan''s sight and found Shi Nian who was circled by a nurse and two men. "Is there something wrong?"


    Jiang Jinyan blinked and lowered his eyes. "¡­no."


    They didn''t have any rtion to each other, maybe he could only be counted as an unfamiliar acquaintance. So why did the girl look at him like he was going to abandon her soon?


    Even Si Zhening found something wrong about it. "Do you happen to know her? Should you say something to her before leaving?"


    These past few weeks, Jiang Jinyan felt too tired to deal with anything. He didn''t do anything, but his spirit was exhausted and the only thing he wanted to do was to hole himself up in his room and didn''t meet anyone else. Even the slightest louder sound was enough to irritate his nerves and triggered the violent impulses inside him to destroy everything. He knew that this kind of mindset wasn''t healthy, but he just simply couldn''t care less.


    He lost interest in everything and the sight reflected in his eyes became dull and gloomy.


    Only that pair of golden eyes that were burning brightly, so bright like molten and flowingva. Amidst the hustle and bustle in the hospital lobby, Jiang Jinyan could find it with a turn of his head.


    His temple suddenly throbbed in a dull ache and the pale joints on his fingers cracked.


    He too, didn''t know why he hesitated in answering Si Zhening''s simple question.


    Less than ten meters away, Shi Nian, whose adrenaline finally receded, felt the nerves in her calf strain so painfully that her legs trembled and she swayed. Instantly, she was supported by the panicked Nurse Zhang. "Shi Nian, are you okay?"


    Xu Binchen''s subordinates: "Should we carry her up?"


    Nurse Zhang shook her head, she knew what''s wrong with Shi Nian. With a soft voice so as to not scare Shi Nian, she whispered. "It''s Mr. Jiang up front. Do you want to say something to him?"


    Shi Nian snapped out of her stupor and once again, her instinct rushed up to her head as she shook off Nurse Zhang and walked with her trembling leg, step by step, to him who was still looking at her silently. She licked her chapped lips, heartbeat thundered inside her chest.


    Jiang Jinyan was looking at her, her mind buzzing. She had to say something, had to do anything.


    "Hello, Miss." It was Si Zhening who broke the silence between them. "We meet again. Do you have something to say with Young Master Jiang?"


    Shi Nian lifted her eyes to look at him and within those eyes, there was actually a little bit of fear, nervousness and apprehension which made Si Zhening confused as to why the girl was looking at him like that. Shi Nian nodded at him in acknowledgement and shook her head in the next moment.


    ¡­she didn''t know what to say now that she was in front of him.


    Even though Si Zhening didn''t understand what she meant, he still maintained the perfect gentle and polite smile as he stepped back. "I am going to get the car first, Young Master Jiang." This way, he had the perfect excuse to leave the two alone.


    Jiang Jinyan nodded his head briefly.


    Shi Nian swallowed to moist her dry throat. Sweat trickled down her face and her hair stuck to the side of her cheek. She did not need a mirror to see how much of a mess she was right now. But her eyes could only reflect him. He looked much paler and thinner than thest time she saw him and the light in his eyes had dimmed considerably, so much that his eyes were a pair of cid calmkes, indifferent and cold even if a huge rock was thrown into the surface.


    Shi Nian clenched her fist and only then did she realize that she was still holding her cell phone.


    She sucked in a deep breath and inadvertently caught sight of her phone screen. It was still showing the WeChat interface with her mother, Qiang Fei. A light bulb emerged in her head and without thinking, she offered her phone with both hands to him, her back bent slightly.


    Her meaning was; please tell me your WeChat ID!


    It could be said that this kind of seeking death movement drained all of Shi Nian''s courage and her back was soaked in cold sweat. The people in the hospital were looking at the both of them, discreetly and openly, and hushed discussions sounded around them which was instantly dispersed by Xu Binchen''s men. But Shi Nian was so nervous that she couldn''t hear any of them.


    Jiang Jinyan looked at the cell phone that was less than twenty centimeters from his eyes. He caught sight of the girl''s WeChat interface and then, his sight was instantly diverted at how her hands, up to her arms and shoulders were all trembling ever so slightly. Even her pale cheeks were dotted pink in color, just like the fallen cherry blossom on the asphalt road outside.


    "Are you my fan?" he finally asked the question which he had always wanted to ask and the girl answered with a startled look. She blinked as if she couldn''t follow his question.


    Jiang Jinyan patiently waited and Shi Nian nodded, her eyes were earnest and straight, pure and clear, so transparent that he could read what she was thinking about just in one nce.


    His eyshes lowered, creating the faint shadow of a pair of butterfly wings on his thin and pale cheeks. The man''s features were profound and sharp, and because he was at the age where his body was maturing, his facial features had started to open up, forming an image of gentle yet exquisite beauty that could take people''s breath away. It was a pity that he was too thin and pale, it added a tinge of fragility and mncholic to it.


    Jiang Jinyan''s hands that were ced on his knees squeezed slightly as if reminding himself of his broken and disabled body. "Just forget me. I am not an athlete anymore," He murmured, "...not the Jiang Jinyan you like anymore." He was already like this, so what else could she like about him? A hint of self deprecation and mockery shed through his eyes.


    In a timely manner, a ck benz drove to the drop off area and Si Zhening appeared out of the driver seat. "Have you finished talking?"


    Jiang Jinyan nodded. Si Zhening just gave a nce toward the girl who seemed like her soul had been sucked dry and pushed Jiang Jinyan''s wheelchair away.


    When Shi Nian came to her senses, Jiang Jinyan had climbed up to the back seat and the door closed behind him. Si Zhening folded his wheelchair and put it on the trunk then circled around and got into the driver seat. Only after Si Zhening mmed the door closed did Shi Nian react and ran to the car, but it was toote. The slick, ck car had driven away, leaving a billow of exhaust gas behind and the silhouette of Jiang Jinyan''s head who never turned around.


    The rims of Shi Nian''s eyes reddened.


    The Jiang Jinyan she liked wasn''t the athlete Jiang Jinyan, also not the image thatizens created for him. She really, really wanted to say that she just liked him. Simply Jiang Jinyan and no one else. But he had left with such a cold and nonchnt sentence, brushing her off so directly and cleanly without leaving any room for rebuttal.


    Nurse Zhang¡ªseeing her antics¡ªimmediately caught up to her and held her back. "Shi Nian! You can''t chase after him, he has left already!"


    He has left¡­


    Tears blurred Shi Nian''s eyes as the ck Benz drove past the security post in the entrance and disappeared into a throng of cars in the stream of traffic. Strength left Shi Nian''s body and she slumped down, her weight leaning into Nurse Zhang.


    For two lifetimes, she hadn''t forgotten him.


    Then, how could a curt sentence of ''just forget me'' be able to dismiss her?


    A string of intangible and breathless groaning escaped Shi Nian''s throat as Nurse Zhang forcefully hauled her inside. "I won''t forget..." she mouthed as she stared at the corner where the car disappeared into. "I won''t forget you."


    .


    .


    A/N: Hello, if you like MDG, please leave me a review to let me know about it. Thank you very much and if you can, please donate MDG with your precious golden tickets QAQ

 Chapter 83 - A Mole?

    When Xu Binchen received the urgent call which demanded all of the members to return, his left eye twitched. Then, when he arrived at the police bureau and found only Jin Renguang, Ru Meiqi, Tang Wei and Ke Shao in there, he only looked surprised for a moment before returning to his usual coolness. "Captain," he greeted.


    "You''re here?" Jin Renguang grunted and took the initiative to walk into his office, Ru Meiqi trailing behind him. Xu Binchen, Tang Wei and Ke Shao looked at each other. Xu Binchen''s gaze was inquiring, Ke Shao pretended not to see anything while Tang Wei looked like he had just swallowed a fly.


    The five of them crowded inside Jin Renguang''s office. Except for Ru Meiqi, this was the first time for the other three to enter this personal space of his, but when the door closed behind them, they didn''t look around curiously and stood in attention.


    Jin Renguang rapped his fingers on his mahogany table in rhythmic knocking and didn''t speak for a moment. Meanwhile, Ru Meiqi miraculously pulled out a bug detector from her bag and started to scan the room. Xu Binchen''s heart sank and a faint doubt appeared in his mind.


    After finishing a round and no rm came out, Ru Meiqi nodded and her expression finally eased.


    Jin Renguang turned to them. "Remember, this meeting is confidential. Even if your spouse asks you for it, you have to pretend not to know anything."


    Tang Wei pushed his sses up. "Don''t worry, Captain. Everyone in our unit is single."


    Jin Renguang: "¡­" Ah yes, he forgot he led a bunch of single dogs.


    "Anyway," he cleared his throat and looked at Xu Binchen. "Did anyone know that you''reing here?"


    "I told Butterfly," Xu Binchen said without missing a beat. "And no one else."


    Jin Renguang looked at him with a perplexed look. Then, he pondered for a while and decided not to say anything. "Well, so be it. Maybe this is for the best."


    Xu Binchen''s brows knitted. "Is there a spy?" He wasn''t stupid. The moment he found that something wasn''t right, this was the first possibility that popped up in his mind. His face darkened as ck as the bottom of a pan. "In our team? What happened?"


    "It''s not for sure yet," Ru Meiqi answered. "For now, it''s just a suspicion and we are the only ones who are aware of it. But of course, we can''t exclude that possibility. That''s why we are taking caution for this meeting."


    Between the five of them, it was only Xu Binchen who had no idea of what had happened yet. Tang Wei exined with a green face. "I have tracked down the IP address of the website." He opened theptop in his arms which showed a map of the area around with a red dot blinking at the building which pointed to the City A Police Bureau. "It shows that the websitees from our station. Captain, what happened? How can this happen...?"


    The problem of a mole in the police station had always happened in movie blockbusters and action dramas. They didn''t expect that it would actually happen in reality. This was the first time for them to face something like that and each of their faces showed loss and confusion.


    Jin Renguang got a headache. It was only a single case of a mass serial killer, why did something like this pop up? What did the culprit have to do with the police? If¡­If all these times, they were actually in cahoots¡­Jin Renguang almost let out a string of curses, then what had they been doing for more than a year?!


    Ru Meiqi rubbed her chin and actually was the calmest person in the room. "Comrade Tang, can you check whichputer it came from? If it''s theputer in the offices, then we could be certain that there''s indeed a mole but if it''s theputer in public area, then the possibility will expand. This website creator could have been someone who hase to the police station before and if he''s shrewd and meticulous, then it wasn''t impossible for him to seize a chance to use theputer for a while."


    Tang Wei''s eyes lit up like headlights. "Yes, yes, you''re right! It could have been someone else." He would rather the culprit being someone with a high IQ rather than facing a betrayal from hisrades. "I will try to track it down but I am not sure. After all, this is Wang Chengbing''s area of expertise."


    Ke Shao turned to Jin Renguang who didn''t give any reaction whatsoever. "¡­you don''t trust little fatty either?"


    Jin Renguang lowered his gaze, no one knew what was on his mind. "There''s one thing that I can''t understand no matter how hard I think about it. For all the time we spent to chase the suspect, why¡­every single time without fail, can he escape? He didn''t leave any trace in the dumping scene, no surveince record either, it was such a perfect crime if not for him throwing the body parts in public spaces."


    The group was stunned. He was right. If the serial killer didn''t haughtily dump the body part, could they have known that there''s a homicide? At most, they would just treat it as a case of missing person and then, it would be taken care of by the public security bureau. Then, the case wouldn''t havended on their hands.


    Jin Renguang lifted his eyes and looked at them one by one somberly. "If¡ªby chance¡ªthere''s a possibility that someone is the mole in our team, then everything will be exined." How the suspect always had been one step ahead of them, how he could sessfully evade them every single time, how he didn''t have to be scared of them because he had a secure protection that guaranteed his safety.


    Xu Binchen''s head whirled. He had always been the one with the coolest head in their team. In the face of possible betrayal from therades who had been working with him for years, he started to analyse. "At the beginning, we didn''t have any leads to the suspect and it was the technical team who scouted through countless surveince records and pulled out the suspect''s silhouettes, enlightening us of the suspect''s gender. However, after that, the suspect hasn''t left anything behind anymore which we can conclude as a momentary mistake for his first crime."


    "After that we chased after the victim''s body parts from City S to here, leading us to the suspect''s trail. Subsequently, we found Butterfly who was the only victim alive. During Butterfly''s treatment in the hospital, the people who interact with her can be counted in single digits. The doctors, nurses, police officers and other patients with the maximum number of two."


    The more Xu Binchen said it, the clearer his mind became as if the fog covering his mind was being swept away, giving him a wide look of reality. "The suspect came to Butterfly, but the technical team found that the surveince record was being tampered. Then, we came across Mr.Yu Chuan whose bag was being used by the suspect."


    If it was the first person who had his hands on the surveince record¡­he could have erased them before the police found out. It was the same with every single dumping scene, or the tampered CCTV in the hospital, or even when they scouted for days and nights to search for the suspicious people in the Recreational Park.


    Ke Shao''s brain came online and he followed. "At that time, he was the one who found Mr.Yu Chuan and subsequently, we focused our investigation on him. If...If at that time we followed through with the investigation, could we have found anything else?"


    Tang Wei''s face turned pale. "Impossible! He¡ªHe..." Even if Tang Wei wanted to rebute, he didn''t know what to say. If that was the truth, then everything would be exined. Because that person was always the first who gave them evidence. From the culprit''s gender to the tampered surveince record in the hospital as well as Mr.Yu Chuan and the incident with the IP address¡­


    There was only one person who could do it.


    Wang Chengbing.

 Chapter 84 - Forever Frozen At Sixteen

    Time passed and City A finally ushered in the beginning of summer. The cicadas were chirping noisily and the heat was being over the top, causing people''s sweat to flow uncontrobly and their brain heating up. Even then, summer became the most favorite season for students because they would have a long holiday and there were many ces that they could go to only in summer, like beaches, swimming pools and festivals.


    Amidst the crowd of youths who were nning on where to go during the holiday, a single person walking was especially conspicuous. Furthermore, because he was almost a head taller than average, he received gazes no matter where he went. His body was lean and slender with the perfect amount of muscle, and his skin fair and pale like jade. It was a pity that only his dark eyes were shown while the rest of his face was being hidden under the mask.


    Coupled with his ck, longer than average hair; the upper half of it lifted up in a ponytail while the other half was long enough to cover his fair nape, he looked wild and free spirited. His gait was casual with an air of suaveness, but if one looked closer, one would find that he walked slower than most people and he would subconsciously put pressure on his left leg, causing the bnce of his body to tilt slightly.


    He entered the taxi by the side of the road and closed the door. The driver was a friendly middle aged man. With a wide smile, he asked. "Young man, where do you want to go?"


    "¡­The Central Sanatorium." He said quietly.


    Surprise shed through the driver''s eyes and he started the car. For the next few minutes, only silence could be detected within the car. He didn''t mind, only casually looking out of the window to see the blur scenery, no one knew what was on his mind.


    However, the driver couldn''t bear the silence and started another conversation. "Are you visiting someone there? How old are you? You look very tall and handsome, are you a model?"


    He didn''t answer, thus the driver could only grimace sheepishly and put on the radio. The sweet voice of the host started to talk about interesting news and today''s weather.


    It didn''t take very long to get to the central sanatorium, to the driver''s relief. He couldn''t bear this kind of passenger the most. After a slow, suffocating drive of 20 minutes, the taxi stopped in front of arge building with a huge que ''The Central Sanatorium''. "We''re here." He nced at the fare measurer and said, "It''s 38 yuan."


    A slender finger reached out from behind to give a 100 yuan money.


    The driver was startled. "Ah? Wait, let me give you the change."


    "No need." He said and went out before the driver could do anything.


    The window rolled down and the driver yelled. "Aih, thank you very much!" Even if he was reticent and taciturn, he was a kind youth.


    The driver, as always, was met with silence. But he didn''t mind anymore and drove away while humming.


    Meanwhile, the man walked through the automatic door and took off his mask because there was no one present in the lobby. The receptionist who was getting sleepy perked up and her eyes brightened. "M¡ªMr.Jiang!" She stood up straight and smiled widely. "You haven''te for such a long time! Madam Jiang has been looking for you!" Then, as if remembering something, she nced at the man''s leg and averted her gaze in the next moment with unnaturalness.


    "How is my mother?" Hearing the receptionist''s words, a hint of warmth appeared in Jiang Jinyan''s cid eyes. He didn''t mind the curious andplicated gaze the receptionist was giving him and opened his wallet to pull out a stack of bills. "This is a little bit for you. Thank you for taking care of her."


    "No need, no need!" The receptionist didn''t dare to ept the money and instead, put it in the donation box. "Please wait a moment." Then, she picked up the phone receiver and pressed some numbers. "Hello, Xiao Yuan? Mr.Jiang is here."


    Not even a minuteter, a woman around 30 in white nurse uniform ran down the hallway, her eyes brightened up at the sight of Jiang Jinyan. "Young Master Jiang, you''re here! Madam has been worried because you haven''t beening for almost three months!"


    Toward this woman, Jiang Jinyan''s attitude could be considered lukewarm. This was the caretaker who had apanied his mother for almost ten years here. "Auntie Yuan, it''s okay, just call me Jinyan."


    "Aiyah, how can I? Don''t worry about it!" Yuan Xilu waved her hand. She smiled so wide that wrinkles appeared on the corner of her eyes. "How are you, Young Master Jiang? You have gotten a lot thinner."


    Jiang Jinyan hummed as he walked together with Yuan Xilu. "I have just gotten into a small ident, no big deal."


    "Is that so?" Yuan Xilu''s face turned worried. "Are you okay now?"


    "Yes." Jiang Jinyan didn''t want to discuss himself thus he changed the topic back. "Mother was looking for me?"


    Of course, Yuan Xilu could sense that something had infinitely changed within Jiang Jinyan, after all, this was the kid whom she had watched growing up with her own eyes. But she was also simple minded, upon being led, she instantly forgot what she was worrying about. "Oh yes, this month she has been looking for you twice andst month, she called for you thrice. She is getting better and better each day."


    Jiang Jinyan knew that Yuan Xilu was justforting him. Who didn''t know that Guan Xiaoxiao had almost no chance of recovery? Even so, he still smiled and walked past thewn where it was nted with numerous kinds of flowers in separate flower beds.


    There, a slender, exquisitely beautiful woman stood as she admired the hydrangeas. She had waist length hair that flowed down naturally, very smooth and shiny like silk. Her face was fair and gentle with a pair of arc eyebrows. Her eyes curved naturally thus even when she was just being silent, it always looked like she was smiling, very pleasant and heartwarming.


    Upon seeing two peopleing closer, she was dazed for a while.


    Jiang Jinyan stopped in his tracks as he looked at her, a lodge stuck in his throat. Guan Xiaoxiao''s eyes turned to him and her eyes brightened up like no other, as if all of the happiness in the world had gathered there.


    "Huocheng!" She threw her flowers away and ran toward Jiang Jinyan. He had gotten quite used to it, thus he instinctively strode forward and received the woman''s embrace. "Huocheng, you''vee to see me! I miss you very much!"


    Beside them, Yuan Xilu whispered patiently. "Madam, this is your son, Jinyan."


    "Ah?" Guan Xiaoxiao blinked in confusion and a pair of doe eyes peered up at him. "Jinyan?"


    The corner of Jiang Jinyan''s lips curled upward and he grasped Guan Xiaoxiao''s and kissed the back of her palm like a gentleman would. His eyes were gentle, warm with a hint of sadness. "Mother, it''s me."


    This was Guan Xiaoxiao, Jiang Huocheng''s legitimate wife and Jiang Jinyan''s mother, whose mind would forever be frozen at the age of sixteen when she first met her first love, never changing and never getting old even when twenty five years had already passed.

 Chapter 85 - A Princess In Ivory Tower

    Of course, Guan Xiaoxiao wasn''t originally like this, nor did her family have any heredetic mental disease. Guan Xiaoxiao was the only daughter of the Guan Family. Back then, fifty years ago, Guan Family was one of the most prestigious families in China. Its wealth and power was immeasurable and both Sir Guan and Madam Guan was the picture of a perfect couple, even when they were already in their thirties, they still loved each other the same way as when they first met, everyday was soaked in honey and rainbow.


    That''s why, their daughter, Guan Xiaoxiao grew up as a cherished little princess. She was pure, simple minded and very beautiful. When she turned sixteen, the line of men who wanted to propose to her could circle the Earth twice.


    s, in the end, she fell for Jiang Huocheng, a startup entrepreneur who came from an average family.


    The reason for it was a bit silly, but very much like Guan Xiaoxiao; because Jiang Huocheng looked very much like a prince in the story that she liked the most. In that story, there was a girl who was imprisoned in the ivory tower, overwhelmed with loneliness and sadness, waiting for someone who woulde to pick her up. Like every other fairy tale, she encountered a knight kneeling under her window, asking for her hand. "My Princess, I havee to take you away."


    The girl was moved and fell in love with the knight who was handsome, gant and gentle. He was the picture perfect of the husband she was yearning for. The two were like lock and key, fitted perfectly with each other. The knight turned out to be a Prince from the neighboring kingdom and he was here for a visit only to find an abandoned princess in a tower.


    If there was a prince, then there would always be viins. Evil stepmother and stepsisters, love rivals etcetera. Together with the Prince, they held hands and defeated it all with the power of love, finally gaining everyone''s acknowledgment.


    The abandoned princess was crowned as a queen and finally, they lived happily ever after.


    Guan Xiaoxiao''s favorite part was when the knight pretended to be a wanderer. Upon finding out that she was a princess, he said sadly. "You are a Princess, but I am just amoner. How can we be together?"


    Then, the Princess replied. "Then, I am willing to be amoner together with you."


    During the wedding, when the Prince put on the ring on her fingers, she whispered, shedding tears of joy. "Whether it''s a princess or amoner, I am willing to be anything as long as I can be with you. But in the end, you make me a queen."


    Guan Xiaoxiao would dream of it every night, imagining that she was a princess in an ivory tower, waiting for the prince who pretended to be a wanderer. Subsequently, it was unknown whether it was fate y or not, one day, when Guan Xiaoxiao opened her window from her room which was on the third floor, the twenty two years old Jiang Huocheng stood under it, looking up in shock.


    Then, he recovered quickly and chuckled, two dimples appearing on his cheeks. "What are you, a princess?"


    The universe seemed to work together hand in hand with destiny. The flower was blooming behind him, the sun shone on his hair and his curved eyes reflected smiles. The scent of rose floated in the air and the sky was clear blue. Between the picturesque and dreamy scenery, Jiang Huocheng stood in the middle,plimenting it perfectly.


    ¡­very charming and handsome like a prince.


    Guan Empire''s princess fell in love, just like that.


    At that time, she was only sixteen and her head was full of rainbow and cotton candy. She hurried on to Madam Guan, bashfully saying that she had found her future husband. It wasn''t like Madam Guan and Sir Guan were prejudiced against Jiang Huocheng, this bright and smart youth, but other than Jiang Huocheng, there were still many others who were far better.


    Madam Guan and Sir Guan wanted nothing but the best for Guan Xiaoxiao, but their daughter was adamant to marry Jiang Huocheng. Helpless, they had no choice but to probe Jiang Huocheng''s intention.


    How could Jiang Huocheng ever refuse? The two smoothly got engaged when Guan Xiaoxiao came of age and nned to marry the year after. The happily ever after in her dream was right in front of her eyes and Guan Xiaoxiao felt like she was the luckiest woman on earth.


    Unfortunately, everything changed when she was neen. Sir Guan and Madam Guan died in a ne ident which exploded in the middle of the ocean. Not even their corpse returned. Guan Xiaoxiao received a huge blow from it and she fell into a mild depression.


    Nheless, Jiang Huocheng was always there with her. Just like in her favorite story, struggles and difficulties came one after another, but love would always prevail. Under Jiang Huocheng''s gentle and affectionate care, Guan Xiaoxiao slowly recovered and they became more lovey dovey each day.


    Guan Xiaoxiao always wanted to bear Jiang Huocheng''s child, but the man gently held her hands and said, "Baby, you''re still too young. Let us wait for two more years okay? When you''re twenty two, we will have a child together."


    Guan Xiaoxiao''s heart melted at his words and she agreed.


    Fast forward, because Guan Empire had been solely founded by Sir Guan with Guan Xiaoxiao being the only heir, now that Sir Guan had passed away, all of his wealth and properties fell into his daughter''s hands.


    She was the baby who was always spoiled and pampered, cupped in their palms and cherished on the tip of their heart. When would she learn how to operate such a giganticpany like Guan Empire? Thus, the responsibility fell into Jiang Huocheng''s hands.


    Jiang Huocheng was just an ordinary man with sufficient knowledge but he was born to be a tycoon in the business world. The Guan Empire was shaken hard because of the news of the chairman''s death, but Jiang Huocheng¡ªwith his tenacity, forbearance and insight¡ªsingle handedly held Guan Empire up with both of his hands and thepany finally prospered again.


    One year, two years¡­the time he promised finally arrived and yes, Guan Xiaoxiao was finally pregnant with a baby boy. Her first pregnancy was very hard; morning sickness, mood swings, pain and soreness, moreover, there wasn''t a mother by her side and her husband was always busy with thepany.


    She wanted his time, but time was what he didn''t have the most.


    She wanted hispany, but he had a huge responsibility to shoulder which concerns the lives of thousands.


    Jiang Huocheng was Guan Xiaoxiao''s everything but to Jiang Huocheng¡­Guan Xiaoxiao was just one of many things which he had to care for.

 Chapter 86 - A Machine That Know No Fatigue

    After Jiang Jinyan was born, Jiang Huocheng was afraid that it would be too hard for her to raise the baby alone, thus he hired a nanny for her while his work remained the same, even so busier.


    That year, China underwent a huge financial crisis.


    The energy prices on global markets rose, leading to an increase in the rate of global intion. Guan Empire, which was apany that delved in real estate and properties, became one of the most affected by this crisis. The property prices fell and the value of the assets copsed. Guan Empire''s foundation went through another huge earthquake after the death of Chairman Guan.


    Jiang Huocheng was so busy that he could only sleep for two or three hours a day and the hours beside it were spent on working. That was also the time when Guan Xiaoxiao was the most fragile. No, at first, she was still sensible.


    Everytime Jiang Huocheng phoned her, apologizing that he couldn''t return home any sooner, she would say, "It''s okay. Thepany is more important. Don''t worry, Jinyan and I are okay. We miss you very much."


    Jiang Huocheng loved his wife very much, that''s why, he would try his best to set an hour of time to chat with his little family. But then, the work became more and more chaotic. One hour turned to half an hour, then fifteen minutes until the end, Jiang Huocheng couldn''t even turn on his personal cell phone anymore.


    It was the nanny who managed to reach him with much difficulty, even taking the time to find him in thepany. When he saw the tearful woman, Jiang Huocheng''s heart sank.


    "What''s wrong?" He asked urgently.


    "Madam," The nanny sobbed, tears ran down her cheeks. "Something happened to Madam."


    It was when Guan Xiaoxiao was hospitalized that Jiang Huocheng learned that there''s a disease called postpartum depression. It turned out, Guan Xiaoxiao wasn''t okay. She hadn''t been okay at all. She had just learned to hide her sadness and grief, suppressing it so much that she almost broke down.


    Jiang Huocheng felt very guilty, especially when he held his wife''s hand that was much skinnier than before. He discovered that Guan Xiaoxiao needed him, needed hispany and needed his time. Thus, Jiang Huocheng expended twice the effort. He would often burn midnight oil and squeezed some time to return to apany Guan Xiaoxiao until she was asleep then returned to thepany in the middle of the night.


    He was like a robot, a machine that knew no fatigue. His work efficiency was high and thepany was gradually pushed out of the line of crisis with much difficulty. However, Jiang Huocheng developed a bad habit because of it; insomnia. He often didn''t sleep for two or three days so it was hard to fall asleep after that.


    As study would say, sleep deprivation led to moodiness and irritability. He was originally a gentle, firm and patient man and a loving husband but one day, problems arose. He was enduring a dull headache for days and Guan Xiaoxiao threw another tantrum, using that, "You aren''t the same anymore! You don''t love me the same! Tell me, do you have anyone outside?!"


    Jiang Huocheng lost his temper in that instant. He could understand if Guan Xiaoxiao needed him, but he couldn''t tolerate theck of trust between them. So, in a fit of anger, he threw the phone he was holding to the floor, his eyes pratingly cold. "So, that''s what you have always thought about me. Very well, Guan Xiaoxiao."


    Then, Jiang Huocheng went to grab his coat and car key, intending to spend a night outside to calm his head down.


    Guan Xiaoxiao panicked. Seeing that Jiang Huocheng was leaving, she ran to hold him back. "No, no¡­Huocheng, it''s my fault. It''s my fault okay?"


    But Jiang Huocheng felt hurt. His head hurt and his heart ached even more. He felt that he couldn''t stay here any longer or else he was going to say something he would regret. Thus, he resolutely brushed Guan Xiaoxiao''s hands off and only left a curt sentence before leaving, "Sleep well."


    Guan Xiaoxiao''s hands hung limply beside her, her eyes filled with unshed tears. The bright and pure gaze of hers turned dull and nk as she stared at the closed door in disbelief as if she couldn''t believe that Jiang Huocheng would leave her.


    In a timely manner, Jiang Jinyan¡ªwho was only less than a year old that time¡ªcried, his cries were very loud and powerful, mming into her eardrums, startling her heartbeats. The nanny approached carefully. "Madam, little young master wants you."


    Guan Xiaoxiao was still staring nkly at the door, not even giving any reaction. Baby Jinyan cried even harder, his face turned as red as a tomato, it was heartbreaking to hear. "Madam¡­"


    "Shut up!" Guan Xiaoxiao grabbed her hair and screamed. "Shut up! Make him shut up!"


    Instead, little Jinyan cried even harder as if he knew how sad his mother was. Upon receiving Jiang Huocheng''s rejection, Guan Xiaoxiao had almost copsed already. With the baby crying beside her ears, it was like a hammer that pummeled onto her head again and again. Very unbearable.


    Guan Xiaoxiao became hysterical as she screamed and smashed the things inside the house. The frightened nanny huddled in the corner as she tried to soothe little Jinyan to no avail. The more little Jinyan cried, the more agitated Guan Xiaoxiao became and the more Guan Xiaoxiao smashed things in rampageous sounds, the more it frightened the baby. It was an endless toxic cycle.


    The teary nanny had no choice and tried to call Jiang Huocheng, pleading for him to return.


    But Jiang Huocheng''s cell phone was turned off. Its screen cracked like cobwebs, having slid under the sofa after being thrown by his owner in a fit of anger.


    On the other hand, Jiang Huocheng was sent into the hospital the same night.


    .


    .


    A/N: Guys, don''t be too paranoid okay? Jiang Huocheng is innocent QAQ he really love his wife and son, definitely not a bastard (guarantee 100%)

 Chapter 87 - Exactly Who Has Changed?

    Prolonged sleep deprivation and umted stress led to high blood pressure. When he drove in the middle of the night, Guan Xiaoxiao''s ruthless sentence kept on repeating in his mind over and over again, the more Jiang Huocheng thought about it, the angrier he became.


    His chest felt stifled and it was difficult to breathe. Even his vision swayed. When his legs turned numb, Jiang Huocheng sensed that something wasn''t right, he parked by the side of the road and tried to regte his breathing to no avail. It was like there was a hole in his chest where air poured out continuously, leaving him with a ring and empty hole.


    His work phone rang, his assistant called, asking where he was and why he hadn''t arrived in thepany yet. Jiang Huocheng hadn''t had time to answer yet when his sight darkened and he lost consciousness. He woke up the next day in the hospital and the doctor told him that he had a mini heart attack.


    Even though it was just a small rm, it would eventually be very dangerous in the future. He was told to exercise a healthy habit and not to let himself get angry very often. Jiang Huocheng''s assistant was the one who arranged everything, from his hospitalization to the concealment of his illness; or else, the barely stabilized Guan Empire would copse once again.


    His assistant entered with a haggard look as he reported his work one by one. It took almost an hour by the time they finished and Jiang Huocheng finally asked, "How about my wife and son?"


    The assistant was too busy and forgot about it. He apologized profusely. Jiang Huocheng saw that he didn''t do it on purpose and he was indeed too tired already, thus he dismissed him and disregarding the doctor''s words to stay in the hospital for a few days, he dragged his tired body and went home.


    Only to find the house which had been turned upside down.


    Shards of sses on the floor strewn haphazardly, the furniture was overturned. Jiang Huocheng couldn''t find the resemnce between this messy house with the one he had just left behind yesterday. Seeing Jiang Huocheng return, the nanny almost burst into tears. "Sir, you''re finally back!"


    Jiang Huocheng frowned. "What happened? Where''s Madam?"


    "Madam is¡­" The nanny described what happenedst night in detail. After smashing all of the things in the living room until there wasn''t anything to smash, Guan Xiaoxiao marched into the room and locked the door. Then, the sound of smashing and crashing continued all night.


    The nanny kept on calling Jiang Huocheng''s phone all night but it couldn''t connect. She wanted to go to thepany to seek for him but she couldn''t leave Jiang Jinyan alone. The baby had been crying all night and now, he even sported a low fever.


    Jiang Huocheng worriedly went to check on his son and found that he had cried so much that he had difficulty breathing. His head ached even more. Tiredly, he requested, "Wait for a moment while I check on Madam. We will go to the hospital together."


    Jiang Huocheng knocked on the door softly but it was as if Guan Xiaoxiao had been waiting for him all night behind the door as it instantly swung open and a pillow was thrown into Jiang Huocheng''s face. "You still know toe home?!" With tear streaks on her face and bloodshot eyes, Guan Xiaoxiao vented her anger. "You still know that you have a wife and son at home?!"


    Seeing her wife''s manic state, Jiang Huocheng felt a pang of sadness. But he was the head of the family, he couldn''t copse at this moment when they needed him the most. He sighed and lowered his voice, "Xiaoxiao, Jinyan is sick. We can continue our conversationter after sending him to the hospital okay?"


    But in Guan Xiaoxiao''s ears, his sentence came out differently. He was tired of me¡­tired of my tantrums, tired of coaxing me. He didn''t even want to talk to me a bit longer. She burst out in tears and copsed. "Why?! I want to talk now! Why can''t we?!"


    "Xiaoxiao!" Jiang Huocheng chided harshly. "Jinyan is your son! Are you still a mother? How can you be so selfish?!"


    For all her life, Guan Xiaoxiao had never received such harsh treatment before. Her mother and father treated her very well and never got angry with her. Jiang Huocheng was also like that, he had always been gentle and tolerant so why¡­why did he change now?


    "Why?! Why are you talking to me like this? You have never been like this before! Are you finally tired of me, huh?! Jinyan is your son too, so why don''t you care about him?!"


    She couldn''t ept such a change, she couldn''t bear it. She dreamed of a perfect rtionship like one of her parents but why couldn''t she get it? Her happily ever after was shattered in face of reality and her fragile state couldn''t bear such a blow. Adding with her loneliness, grief and anger, she almost lost her mind and slowly turned paranoid.


    In the end, the family doctor had toe and inject a dose of sedative into her. The elderly man sighed, he had been Guan Family''s exclusive doctor since Guan Xiaoxiao was born so he was biased toward her. But when he saw how messy Jiang Huocheng was, he didn''t have the heart to berate him. So, he just lectured him patiently. "A new mother has to be treated with care and patience. You can''t lose your temper at her."


    Jiang Huocheng rubbed his face roughly. "I know. It''s all my fault."


    After that, Jiang Huocheng earnestly tried to change. He delegated less important work to his vice president and his assistant, only attending the most important social gathering himself. He came home more often too to apany his wife and son.


    But it was as if his hard work sank like a small stone to the bottom of the ocean. Guan Xiaoxiao turned more and more paranoid each day. When Jiang Huocheng attended an important social gathering and seeded in signing a huge contract, he was happy and drank a little bit more than usual. He came home in a tipsy state and Guan Xiaoxiao used him. "Where are you going?! Is that really a social gathering?! Why are you smelling of smoke and perfume?!"


    When he was in ate meeting and didn''t answer Guan Xiaoxiao''s call for an hour, what he got when he called back was another usation. "What are you busy with? You''re not deliberately hanging up on me right?"


    It was to the point where Guan Xiaoxiao could go crazy when he returned ten minutes more than the usual time.


    Jiang Huocheng was massaging his aching temple when his wife barged into his study and pointed at the reddish stain on his shirt. "Jiang Huocheng¡ªyou¡­what is this?! Are you cheating on me?!"


    Jiang Huocheng frowned with two points of impatience in his brows. "It''s only the sauce on today''s dinner that sshed on my shirt. Don''t think too much."


    Guan Xiaoxiao looked at his cold countenance and tears streamed down her face. "Don''t think too much? How can I not think too much when you''re like this?! You''ve changed, Jiang Huocheng! You are not like this before, I don''t even recognize you anymore!"


    The door mmed behind Guan Xiaoxiao, leaving Jiang Huocheng stifled in his seat.


    Exactly who had changed?


    Exactly how¡­did they be like this?

 Chapter 88 - Too Much Expectation In Fairytales

    He wanted to mend their rtionship, but the more he tried, the messier it became. No matter how patient he was, he would also be tired one day. Right now, he was already on the brink of copse. He couldn''t bear another unreasonable tantrum of Guan Xiaoxiao anymore.


    Their rtionship became strained even when Jiang Jinyan turned five. Guan Xiaoxiao''s mental state wasn''t improving so Jiang Huocheng tried to invite a psychologist for her but she threw another tantrum and said that she wasn''t crazy, that Jiang Huocheng was only doing it to get rid of her.


    Jiang Huocheng was afraid that her current violent state would harm Jiang Jinyan, thus he tried to separate them as much as possible. He brought Jiang Jinyan to work and let him y in his office. Fortunately, Jiang Jinyan was a quiet and sensible child. Even at such a young age, he seldom cried for his mother.


    The umted negativity thickened in their family until one day, it burst out in the point of no return. Jiang Huocheng was on a business trip abroad and he left Jiang Jinyan in the house with the nanny. He repeatedly warned the nanny to keep an eye on the interaction between mother and son and kept Jiang Jinyan away if there''s something wrong with Guan Xiaoxiao.


    However, he hadn''t left for two days when Guan Xiaoxiao called. Her voice was shrill and shaking and it was evident that she wasn''t in the right mind. "Huocheng, where are you? Why aren''t youing home?"


    Jiang Huocheng paused the meeting and went to the deste area to answer. "Xiaoxiao, I am on a business trip. Be good. I wille home the day after tomorrow."


    In the background, there was the faint sound of Jiang Jinyan crying. Jiang Huocheng''s heart jerked and he had an ominous premonition. "Xiaoxiao, what happened? Why is Jinyan crying?" As far as Jiang Huocheng remembered, his son wasn''t a crybaby. He wouldn''t even cry when he fell and bled, and he would only purse his lips grumpily when his wish wasn''t fulfilled.


    His son was crying so heartbreakingly and it was getting louder and louder.


    "Xiaoxiao!"


    Guan Xiaoxiao''s voice came through. "Come, Jinyan. Talk to your daddy."


    "Daddy¡­" Jiang Jinyan''s milky and childish voice travelled into his ears. "Daddy, I want you¡­wuwuwu...daddy, it hurts¡­"


    Jiang Huocheng gripped the phone so tight that his knuckles turned white. "Guan Xiaoxiao! What are you doing to Jinyan?! Where is the nanny?!"


    Guan Xiaoxiaoughed crazily. "If you don''t return, see if you can meet me and your son ever again!" Then, she hung up right there and then.


    Jiang Huocheng cked out and he almost had another bout of heart attack. He dropped everything, even the contact which was on the verge of finalization, and returned to find Guan Xiaoxiao became crazier than he thought.


    She locked the nanny in Jiang Jinyan''s room and threatened Jiang Jinyan to call him, even to the point of hurting him. When Jiang Huocheng snatched his son from Guan Xiaoxiao, Jiang Jinyan had fainted due to a high fever and blood was flowing nonstop from his arm. In the end, he had to receive ten stitches along his forearms.


    Such an ugly scar on the smooth jade skin. Such a huge wound on a kid.


    He was only five years old¡­


    Jiang Huocheng felt like he couldn''t go on any longer and proposed a divorce. "I can take Jinyan away with me and I will support you. I can even return Guan Empire to you. But Xiaoxiao¡­I can''t." A drop of tear slid down Jiang Huocheng''s cheek. "I can''t go on any longer¡­"


    It was the first time in Jiang Huocheng''s life where he felt so helpless and sad. He buried his face in his palm and cried, his shoulder shaking incessantly. The business mogul, the cold and mighty Jiang Huocheng, at that time, broke down in front of his wife as he wept.


    Guan Xiaoxiao went insane, even threatening to kill herself. Jiang Huocheng had no choice but to send her to the psychiatrist ward because her mind truly wasn''t normal anymore. The test result came out quickly; she had a few symptoms of schizophrenia and a severe case of paranoia.


    His wife''s mind wasn''t well so Jiang Huocheng couldn''t file a divorce. Jiang Huocheng epted it fairly well and paid the hospital, trying to get them to cure Guan Xiaoxiao. Even at this moment, he still held a sliver of hope that Guan Xiaoxiao could recover to the state she was in before.


    In the hospital, Guan Xiaoxiao became more manic. She demanded to see Jiang Huocheng everytime, crying that he didn''t want her anymore, that he was already tired of her, that he had never loved her like she loved him.


    In this life, there would never be a prince and there wasn''t a princess in the ivory tower either. She held too much expectation in fairy tales that in the end, she couldn''t ept the slightest bit of stain in reality. The perfect imaginationpared to the bitter reality had distorted Guan Xiaoxiao''s mind.


    Guan Xiaoxiao did everything she could. She stopped eating, creating a huge ruckus, crying hysterically, rejecting everyone and even hurting the medical personnel. Jiang Huocheng visited her almost everyday but slowly, he couldn''t bear to see her like this. During the three years that she was treated in the hospital, Jiang Huocheng had already had two heart attacks, one was more dangerous than before.


    First was when Guan Xiaoxiao was diagnosed with severe mental illness and the second¡­was when shemitted suicide by banging her head into the wall. Guan Xiaoxiao got into a week-longa and survived miraculously.


    s, when she woke up, her mind had regressed and she returned to the sixteen years old Guan Xiaoxiao when they first met. The doctor gave Jiang Huocheng the most reasonable exnation, "The pressure is too hard for her to bear and her mind copses. So, the brain turned on the self defense mechanism and she reverted into the state when she was the happiest to protect herself."


    The happiest¡­


    Jiang Huocheng listened to the doctor with a bitterugh. The initial happiness had led to a bottomless cliff in the end. Was it really the happiest moment? If¡­If that year, Guan Xiaoxiao never met him, would she be better?


    It wasn''t only Guan Xiaoxiao who was sick, but Jiang Huocheng also suffered from a great psychological shadow after the incident. He gradually turned into a cold, weary and hard hearted man. In a few months after Guan Xiaoxiao''s suicide, he even suffered from severe insomnia to the point of hallucination.


    If he was with Guan Xiaoxiao, he would always remember the look she gave him thest time. It would haunt him everyday, suffocate him so much that he couldn''t breathe.


    Thus¡­Jiang Huocheng chose to hide this weakness of his deep inside his heart and locked it with a key that, possibly, could never be opened anymore.


    .


    .


    A/N: so, in the end, whose fault is it? Guan Xiaoxiao, who was so protected by her parents that she became too fragile to bear the difference between expectation and reality? Or Jiang Huocheng, who tried hard to bnce work and family but ended up almost sacrificing both? Or...author who created them? (nuu the third isn''t a choice lol)


    The moral in this chappie was....don''t set your expectation too high in every aspect of life QAQ and def not your taste in spouse because you read too much allnovelfulls hehehe.

 Chapter 89 - Why Give Birth To Him?

    Guan Xiaoxiao sat by the window, eating her favorite dessert but once in a while, she would steal nces toward Jiang Jinyan, her pure and childlike curiosity evident.


    Jiang Jinyan left her alone to talk to Yuan Xilu on the other side. "Is my mother''s health okay?"


    In the private sanatorium room, it was no different than a single hotel room. There was a queen size bed, a floor to ceiling window with Guan Xiaoxiao''s favorite lc curtain, a 32 inch TV, sofa and low table, and a separate dressing room. The wall was covered with a light brown wallpaper and the floor covered in a cozy oak flooring.


    The only ring thing that seemed out of nowhere was a huge cab with transparent ss on one side of the wall. It upied a veryrge area and inside, there were numerous trophies and medals, all in Jiang Jinyan''s name and all kinds ofpetition he had gone through starting from elementary school until now.


    Yuan Xilu pursed her lips hearing Jiang Jinyan''s question. "Of course, she''s healthy."


    Jiang Jinyan looked straight at her. "She seems to be a bit thinner than before."


    Seeing how attentive he was, Yuan Xilu knew that she had no chance to keep it a secret anymore. "To be honest, there would be a few times when Madam became sober. She would be like before; smash things, refuse eating and only demand to see your father."


    "Then, have you called and notified him about it?"


    "We have but¡­"


    Jiang Jinyan cut through her hesitation. "But my father still didn''t return to see her, right?"


    Yuan Xilu sported an awkward look. "Young master, Sir must have been so busytely."


    "Nonsense." Jiang Jinyan sneered quietly. "He hasn''t evene to see her for almost two years. How can he be so busy that he can''t even spare even a day''s time to visit her?"


    Without them knowing, Guan Xiaoxiao had crept up to them and popped up into their conversation. "Are you talking about Huocheng? Is heing?" She turned to Jiang Jinyan, her eyes full of hope and expectation. "Is he?"


    Jiang Jinyan''s throat bobbed. Everytime Guan Xiaoxiao asked him this question, he would feel strangled and suffocated. He couldn''t bear to see her so disappointed but he had no choice but to rebuke her. "No, he has been a bit busytely."


    Guan Xiaoxiao''s eyes dimmed and she forced out a smile. "It''s okay. Thepany is more important. I can wait. I will keep waiting for him."


    Jiang Jinyan averted his eyes and couldn''t bear to look at her anymore. He just didn''t understand; how? How could she wait for someone that was so heartless, that could abandon her without any hesitation without fail? How could she keep on waiting even though he would nevere?


    "Are you Huocheng''s rtive? You look so simr to him¡­" Guan Xiaoxiao''s eyes peered up at him, twinkling with wonder.


    "Madam¡­" Yuan Xilu prepared to correct her as always.


    But Jiang Jinyan stopped her. "En," He yed along with her. "I am his rtive. He is so busy so he told me toe and see you."


    "Really?!" As he expected, Guan Xiaoxiao beamed so brightly that it was painful to see. "I knew it. I knew that he still loved me the same." Guan Xiaoxiao hummed a random tone and danced around in the room, exuding joy and happiness.


    "Young master," Yuan Xilu sighed. "She kept on asking for Sir. Every day, every hour. Sometimes, she didn''t even want to eat until she could hear his voice."


    Jiang Jinyan knew it. The sanatorium had the recording of Jiang Huocheng''s voice. It would rey, "Xiaoxiao, be good. I will return soon." Then, they would y it everytime Guan Xiaoxiao threw a tantrum. It worked every single time and Guan Xiaoxiao would nod obediently. "Then, you muste home faster. I love you."


    It happened so many times that it had be a daily urance. Yuan Xilu sighed sadly, "But it seems like it will stop working sooner orter because Madam realizes that something is wrong. Every time we yed the recording for her, she would cry and say that Sir was lying, that she wouldn''t eat and rest until she could see him. We wanted to seek Sir''s help but it was Sir''s assistant who answered the call, saying that he was currently abroad and unavable."


    Jiang Jinyan''s fist clenched by his side.


    He strode to Guan Xiaoxiao and sat opposite her. "I brought you something." Under Guan Xiaoxiao''s curious eyes, he pulled out another gold medal. "It''s the prize of mytestpetition."


    Guan Xiaoxiao let out a ''woah'' and turned her gaze toward the huge cab. "Are the trophies and medals yours?"


    Jiang Jinyan nodded.


    "You''re so amazing! Is it really for me? Thank you very much!" Guan Xiaoxiao received the medal with a smile. She stroked the uneven surface in astonishment like how she always did when he presented his medals to her. "As expected of Huocheng''s rtives, you''re as good as him! Huocheng is very smart and talented too!"


    Jiang Jinyan swallowed the ''mother'' that had almost slipped out of his mouth. "Jinyan. My name is Jiang Jinyan." He would always introduce himself when he came, it had be a habit. But this time, it was especially unbearable.


    Which child could bear it when his mother couldn''t even recognize himself?


    "Jinyan¡­" Guan Xiaoxiao repeated. "Good, it''s a very good name! I have discussed it with Huocheng before. If we have a baby, we will give it the name ''Jinran'' if it''s a girl and ''Jinyan'' if it''s a boy!"


    Jiang Jinyan''s eyes stung and he nodded briefly. "En, it''s a very good name. My parents chose it for me."


    He looked at Guan Xiaoxiao''s curved eyes with wrinkles around them and the gold medal in her hands, couldn''t bear to say that it would be thest medal that he could give her. Hisst glory and achievements. He really, really wanted to pour all of his grievances and sadness in front of her, but s, he had to pretend to be a stranger.


    It felt like the hollowness in Jiang Jinyan''s heart was getting bigger and bigger. It almost swallowed him whole yet he had to put on strong armor in front of her and pretended that everything was fine when it''s not.


    Jiang Jinyan lowered his eyes. As far as he could remember, Guan Xiaoxiao had already been like this when he was young. He had no idea of what was happening and his father didn''t have any intention to tell him anything.


    It was when he was six or seven years old that Guan Xiaoxiao remembered him for the first time. She hugged him while crying. "Jinyan, my baby Jinyan. Mother misses you very much. Your daddy is so bad. He doesn''t want us anymore..."


    But it was only one or two instances. The number of times Guan Xiaoxiao remembered Jiang Jinyan in the span of fourteen years she spent in the sanatorium could be counted in one hand as if her heart could only contain one person and there''s no space for anyone else no matter how hard he tried to squeeze in.


    His whole life, he was shoved with the scene of his mother''s tears and his father''s coldheartedness.


    Sometimes, he even wondered whether Jiang Huocheng''s heart was made of rock.


    How could he do this? How could he leave her like this? If it was him¡­then he would have done better. Thus, Jiang Jinyan started to present all of his achievements to her in hope that she would remember him more often. But it was no use.


    In her heart, there was only Jiang Huocheng and no Jiang Jinyan. While in Jiang Huocheng''s heart¡­who knew what was in his heart? Jiang Jinyan wouldn''t be able to understand him even if he spent his whole life trying.


    It often made him feel redundant. Like he was unwanted.


    If so, then why did they have to give birth to him?


    .


    .


    [Mini theater]


    Jiang Jinyan, eight y.o. First time winning the swimmingpetition in the match with other children in theplex where he lived in.


    Host: Congrattions to Jiang Jinyan for getting the first prize and gold medal! *look around* where is Jiang Jinyan''s parents? Ah, is that you?


    Nanny: *shy and awkward* n-no, little Jinyan''s parents is busy so I am apanying him.


    Host: Okay, okay then Jinyan, do you have something to say as your winning speech?


    Jiang Jinyan, with chubby cheeks and curly eyshes, totally a little plump dumpling: I want to give my gold medal to Mama.. Mama is sick, she will feel better if I win.

 Chapter 90 - Like The Seed Of Dandelion

    Jiang Jinyan''s visit was always short, only spanning around twenty minutes to half an hour. In the end, he bowed politely and bid his farewell, saying that he woulde and visit againter. Guan Xiaoxiao waved happily. "If youe againter, please bring Huocheng with you, alright?"


    Jiang Jinyan smiled mildly but didn''t promise anything.


    He walked out of the sanatorium toward the main road. Pedestrians were crowding the street and the road was filled with cars honking intermittently. Exhaust fumes billowed up, mixing with the air, making the rowdy atmosphere seem a bit suffocating. The boisterous chatter andughter around him contrasted as to how he stood alone.


    In the middle of the lively street, his back looked particrly lonely. Just like the seed of dandelion which flew wherever the wind brought it, not knowing its destination, and not having any root to return to either.


    With the mindset of ''why should I go home if there''s no one waiting for me there'', Jiang Jinyan started to walk absentmindedly, his mind empty. The billboard on the highest building was showing the advertisement of a newest smart watch produced by Jiang Corporation and Jiang Jinyan could hear the conversation around him.


    "It''s finally out! The newest fifth edition smart watch! Damn it, it actually came with a limited edition series!"


    "Haven''t you asked your father to buy it for you?"


    "Of course, but my dad told me that I have to get into the top 100 for this semester''s grade if I want it."


    His friends allughed at him in schadenfreude.


    "Jiang Corp is too awesome. Isn''t it justst month that theyunched the first underwater amusement park?"


    "Awesome, I really can''t think of what CEO Jiang''s brain is made of. He must be very rich ah!"


    "Ah, I really wish to be his son! Then, I can y andze around all day! Of course, I can also be the first person to get the sample of the smart watch!"


    Jiang Jinyan walked through them, the sun burning onto his head. Wishing to be his father''s son? He scoffed softly. It ought to be the greatest joke he had ever heard.


    Summer came in full swing and everywhere was full of people on vacation.


    He was like a ghost that drifted around without destination. Sweat soaked his skin and his shirt became damp in no time at all. The heat caused his head to smoke and the strands of hair stuck to his nape. Jiang Jinyan walked and walked until he felt a dull ache on his right knee.


    He snapped out of his stupor and realized that he had no idea where he was right now. His feet had brought him up to a high end area where luxury brand shops lined up along the street. Even the floor was covered with marbles and the streemp was antique as if he had entered a totally new world.


    Because of the expensive goods, not many people were here. Jiang Jinyan tried to walk normally but his leg was getting numb. He gritted his teeth and limped to the nearest bench, disregarding the strange looks that people gave him.


    After plopping his butt down, he straightened his legs and let out a sigh in relief. It turned out that he had overestimated himself. He had just walked for less than two kilometers but his leg had started to give up. Compared to the past, let alone two kilometers, he could even run five kilometers without breaking out in sweat.


    He gripped his aching knee and felt the hard material under it.


    Jiang Jinyan''s head buzzed and there were many things swirling in his mind. His life before the ident, Guan Xiaoxiao''s cries, Jiang Huocheng''s cold back as he walked away and the continuous unanswered calls and then, Wei Xiameng''s smiling face as she looked up at Qing Si affectionately.


    He didn''t know what he was thinking as he pulled out his phone and dialed a number. The dull, ringing tone echoed in his ears. Up until the call was almost cut off, someone finally picked it up.


    "¡­Dad?"


    A slightly awkward and ented voice answered. "Young master, this is Deng Chuqian. Sir is in the meeting right now and left his phone with me. Do you have something you''d like me to pass to him?"


    Deng Chuqian. Jiang Jinyan had very little impression of him. He was one of his father''s many assistants. Si Zhening was tasked to hold the fort in City A while Deng Chuqian followed Jiang Huocheng as he flew everywhere. "Uncle Qian." Jiang Jinyan greeted after a while. "My father, he¡­is he very busy?"


    "Yes, the meeting has been going on since nine. It is estimated that it will conclude in one more hour. But after it, Sir still has another appointment to attend to. Is something the matter, young master?"


    Jiang Jinyan pursed his lips. "Can you tell him to call me backter?"


    "Of course. Of course, I will tell him that. Are you sure that there''s nothing urgent?"


    "Yes." He fell silent and decided to bite the bullet. "Tell him that my mother has been looking for him."


    Deng Chuqian had never seen a woman beside Jiang Huocheng before so he was slightly stunned. He thought that the madam was no more so he didn''t dare to touch Jiang Huocheng''s bottom line. His tone was airy and light as he promised, "Sure, I will tell Sir to call you and Madam as soon as he''s finished with the meeting."


    They exchanged brief pleasantries before hanging up.


    The sun was still boiling up ahead but fortunately, the bench where Jiang Jinyan sat was shaded by the roof. He had long legs, good body proportions, exceeding temperament and his face was covered in a mask, thus people kept on giving him nces.


    Two girls stood in the distance whispering. Upon seeing that Jiang Jinyan was finished with his call, they pushed each other and finally decided to step forward together. Giggling, their voices soft and a bit coquettish as they asked. "Handsome, can we exchange contact numbers?"


    Jiang Jinyan looked up from his phone, his eyes frozen in a deep chill like a pair of unthawed pools. No light was reflected there, making it look more mysterious and terrifying.


    The girls were stunned and they stuttered, "Um¡ª"


    Jiang Jinyan didn''t pay them any attention, he got up and left.


    The girls were dumbfounded. Heat crept up their cheeks from anger and humiliation as they stomped their feet. "What the hell? So arrogant!"


    "Hmph! Leave him alone, shall we? We''re just a lil bit curious. Seems like he''s not so great. Oh damn, look at how he walks. Is heme?"


    "Lame¡­pfft. We have wasted our time here. Let''s go!"


    Jiang Jinyan endured the difort on his legs and tried to walk normally but the throbbing achepelled him to shift the pressure to his other leg and he couldn''t help limping.. It was like his heart was zed with me, scorchingly hot but his limbs were heartrendingly cold.

 Chapter 91 - Its Very Attached To You

    He staggered until he left the area and entered aplex of residences. The security guard in front of the gate looked at him strangely, trying to discern this suspicious person. Jiang Jinyan didn''t spare him any nce as he walked through, turned into a corner and stopped in front of an empty area as he leaned his back against the wall.


    Sweat trickled down his jaw to his neck and dampened his cor. His back had broken out in cold sweat due to the sharp pain and rm. He had overstrained his leg just now that it felt terrible to even move. He pulled down his mask as he tried to catch his breath, gasping as if he had just run a marathon.


    The pain slowly subsided until only dull, throbbing numbness left. He sucked in a deep breath and lowered his eyes. To his surprise, he met a pair of small, glittering eyes that gazed at him weakly. It was a little kitten that was still too young to be weaned. Its body was small and dirty, ck in color and stuck out in all ces like a hedgehog.


    Seeing Jiang Jinyan looking at it, it opened its mouth to mewl but no sound came out. Its body was trembling, even taking a step was hard and it plopped down weakly. Its paws were kneading air, as if trying to reach something unseen. Layer of mist covered its eyes as it directed a pitiful and aggrieved gaze toward Jiang Jinyan.


    "What are you looking at?" he murmured. "Where''s your mother and siblings?"


    The kitten opened its mouth and wheezed softly like it was dying.


    Jiang Jinyan didn''t know what struck him but he waited there. One human and one cat. One leaning against the wall and the other lying on the dirty ground. Both were strays without a home to return to.


    He waited until the sun was covered by a thickyer of clouds. By then, the dirty kitten''s eyes were already closed, its body rising up and down weakly and Jiang Jinyan couldn''t discern whether it was sleeping or fainted. Softly, he mumbled. "No one ising for you. Are you abandoned too?"


    His phone buzzed in the next moment and he took it out, thinking that it was Jiang Huocheng.


    [Xiaxia]: I went to the hospital and they said that you have been discharged two weeks ago?


    [Xiaxia]: Why didn''t you tell me?


    He locked the phone and returned his gaze toward the weak cat. "Do you want to go with me?"


    The kitten was lying down, motionless.


    Jiang Jinyanughed bitterly, both at himself and the kitten. "Well, up to you."


    He straightened his body and started to walk away, his legs slightly limp but it wasn''t very unbearable like before. He had just walked no more than three steps when a very soft, weak and delicate meow sounded behind him.


    Jiang Jinyan turned his head and found that from sometime ago, the kitten had stood up as it tried its best to catch up with him. It couldn''t even walk properly yet, staggered and swayed, fell down yet got up again and again, its gaze looking straight at Jiang Jinyan.


    Seeing its pitiful appearance, a rare empathy filled him. Jiang Jinyan licked his gums and turned back, then bringing the kitten with him. "You make the choice yourself."


    The kitten closed its eyes peacefully and snuggled itself against Jiang Jinyan''s arm. It kept on sleeping as he hauled a taxi and told his destination: the nearest vet. It didn''t even open its eyes when Jiang Jinyan pulled its whiskers.


    It was the first time for him to enter the hospital for pets. Other people were bringing handsome, elegant and vigorous pets; a fierce Tibetan Mastiff, elegant Persian cat, an adorable ragdoll, small Pomeranian and there''s even rabbits and chinchis. Jiang Jinyan looked out of the ce as he registered his stray cat.


    "What is its name?" The person in the front register asked with a smile.


    Jiang Jinyan blinked. "No name."


    "¡­" The fair and plump manughed awkwardly. "Okay, then. Have you visited before?"


    "No."


    "Is it a stray? Haven''t been checked before?"


    "Yes."


    The series of questions were finished quickly and Jiang Jinyan waited until his name was called. The veterinarian was a thin, ponytail woman. There were two assistants beside her, one man and one woman. They gave the kitten a bath to wash off the dirt and only then did Jiang Jinyan realize that it wasn''t ck, but ashy blue in color. After gulping down some milk, it got more energy and could mewl noisily again.


    "Oh my, it''s a British shorthair." The female assistant eximed in surprise. "How can it be a stray huh?"


    Seeing the two unfamiliar people in front of it, it shrunk fearfully, its body trembling. Its brown, earthy color eyes darted around in panic and finally saw Jiang Jinyan standing in a corner. Jiang Jinyan even had the notion that its eyes lit up when it saw him.


    "Mew mew!" It reached its paw to him but was held back by the assistants for fear that it would fall down from the counter.


    The female assistantughed. "Sir, it''s very attached to you."


    Jiang Jinyan only grunted softly. Attached? He was just a passerby that had nothing to do. Upon receiving some grace, it directly pounced and imprinted itself on him. Isn''t it just stupid?


    The result soon came out; the little kitten was badly malnourished and dehydrated. Its eyes were injured with mild infection and there''s a fracture on its hind leg. Aside from that, it waspletely healthy and resilient. It must have been left behind by its mother and stranded along the street without food and drink until it met Jiang Jinyan.


    The vet injected a liquid vitamin and vinated it. Then, she told Jiang Jinyan. "It''s still very weak. Do you want to leave it to us for a few days?"


    Jiang Jinyan had no hesitation to say yes. After paying all of the fees, he turned around, ready to leave. The kitten stood up in panic, mewling noisily at him. When Jiang Jinyan turned around and met its misty, golden eyes that were like floating maple leaves amidst the autumn trees, he was suddenly reminded of a person who had very simr golden eyes, standing there in a distance amidst the bustling hospital, looking as if the whole world had abandoned her.


    His fingers twitched.


    Simr¡­very simr.


    After some hesitation, Jiang Jinyan retraced his steps and reached out to pat the kitten''s soft and fluffy head awkwardly. "Be good. I will returnter."


    The kitten purred softly and licked Jiang Jinyan''s fingers.

 Chapter 92 - Should I Say Congratulations?

    It wasn''t until the sun had settled down far into the horizon that Jiang Jinyan finally returned home. It was the house that he had lived in for fourteen years. Jiang Jinyan didn''t remember where the house he lived with his mother was. Jiang Huocheng never told him anything, everything in the past sank down like a small pebble plunging to the bottom of the ocean, indefinitely being buried without knowing when to see the light of the day.


    The Jiang Residence was built in an antique style. The ground was covered in hardwood floors and the wallpaper was creamy white. The light was nted around the corner of the room and it could be set either to brightly white or dimly yellow ording to preference. Boston Ivy circled around the wall outside and thewn was covered in soft grass, adorned with an old, small wisteria tree. It would definitely feel veryfortable toy down when the sun wasn''t too hot.


    The architecture of the house would make anyonefortable when they looked at it, but unfortunately such a perfect house was devoid of warmth and traces of living being.


    Even when it''s summer and the air outside was smothering hot, when Jiang Jinyan entered, a gush of cold air sprayed onto his face and he had an inexplicable chill.


    He didn''t even turn on the light and flopped down to the couch. After resting for a while, he rolled up his pants, showing the metallic glint of the artificial leg. With a soft groan, Jiang Jinyan took it off. It hurt as if he was peeling off his skin along with it and without ncing, he knew that his stumped knee was bruised but he was toozy to deal with it.


    He threw the artificial leg haphazardly beside him and let his amputated leg dangle freely. He would still find it novel when he moved, just like how someone could clearly see the things in front of them but when they tried to grab it, they could touch nothing but empty air. That kind of hollowness that was difficult to be described with words.


    His phone buzzed again. It had buzzed numerous times when he was in the taxi just now, but he was toozy to open it.


    In addition to the two messages Wei Xiameng sent earlier, there were another bunch of messages spreading across the screen once every hour.


    [Xiaxia]: Jinyan, why are you not answering me?


    [Xiaxia]: I went to your house but the security guard said that you haven''t returned yet. Where are you?


    [Xiaxia]: Why are you disappearing on me like this?! [angry.jpg]


    After these messages, there was a stretch of silence about two hours and thetest one was sent fifteen minutes ago. It seemed like she had realized that it was useless to lose her temper so she decided to give him a cold shoulder.


    [Xiaxia]: If you''ve seen my messages, call me. There''s something I have to tell you.


    Without a change in his expression, Jiang Jinyan opened the call log and saw twelve unanswered calls, all from Wei Xiameng.


    It had been five hours since Jiang Jinyan called his father. Deng Chuqian said that his meeting wouldst for another hour, but five hours had already passed and there was still no sign of activity. Jiang Jinyan sneered. He just knew it. His father, where was he busy? It was more like he couldn''t spare some time for people who were unimportant.


    He turned on the TV and changed it to the news channel. The sound of the woman broadcaster spoke softly in the background as Jiang Jinyan dialed back to Wei Xiameng. The ringing tone hadn''t even echoed yet and the call was directly connected.


    For the first few seconds, nobody spoke. Jiang Jinyan''s eyes looked at the TV but his mind had wandered everywhere.


    Finally, it was Wei Xiameng who gave up first. "Jinyan? Is that you?" There was a nasally tone to her voice as if she had just cried.


    Jiang Jinyan softly let out an ''en''. "What did you want to tell me?" He asked directly.


    Wei Xiameng almost choked on her breath. He had disappeared for almost a day but his tone remained nonchnt and even as if he had done nothing wrong. He didn''t even feel like exining anything. How could he be like this? Was he still the Jiang Jinyan she knew?!


    "You¡ª" Wei Xiameng''s tone rose, but due to the sound of TV, it was muffled a bit. For some reasons, in the end, she changed her mind and didn''t get angry, her tone softened instead. "Jinyan, where are you now? Are you okay? Why didn''t you tell me that you have been discharged?"


    The corner of Jiang Jinyan''s lips curled up in a cold smile. He didn''t say anything. If a few weeks ago, when he saw Wei Xiameng together with Qing Si, he had felt like cold shards of ice piercing his veins and merging with his blood, now he felt unbearably calm and level headed.


    He even thought that it was stupid of him to cry.


    It seemed like this sentimental trait ran down in his family. Just look at how his mother ended up because of one rtionship. How could Jiang Jinyan let himself be affected like that anymore? He refused to be like her, begging and pleading for someone to stay only to be discarded like a worthless piece of trash.


    He learned in a hard way that dependence, trust and love was such a scary thing.


    "Why didn''t you answer?" Wei Xiameng wasn''t a good tempered girl to begin with. She had been pampered by Jiang Jinyan for years and now, getting this kind of cold treatment was like a p to his face. "Jiang Jinyan, what the hell is wrong with you?!"


    "I know right," he replied lightly. "I also want to know what''s wrong with me these past few years."


    All of Wei Xiameng''s words got stuck on her throat. She didn''t expect Jiang Jinyan to answer her so she was slightly speechless. Her chest huffed in anger and she decided to throw all caution to the wind and get to the point. It was useless to worry about him anyway. "Jinyan, there''s something I want to tell you."


    "What?"


    Wei Xiameng fell silent for a while and then, starting with a vague sigh, she mumbled. "Originally, I wanted to tell you directly but I couldn''t find you anywhere so it''s not totally my fault anyway. Jinyan," She took a deep breath and blurted out "¡­let''s break up. I¡ªI''m sorry, but during this period of time, you weren''t there and I was so lonely. It was very hard to endure...."


    Jiang Jinyan''s arms were spread by his side sluggishly and his head tilted back. His Adam apple rolled as he swallowed. Finally, it came. The deration that waste by a few weeks. He didn''t expect himself to be so calm after being cheated. Somehow, it amused him a bit. "Okay."


    His cold, indifferent attitude made Wei Xiameng angry. "Okay? I am asking for a break up and all you gotta say is ''okay''?!"


    Jiang Jinyan chuckled in ridicule. "Or else, what do you want me to say? You have already gotten together with Qing Si, what else do I have to say? Or¡­should I say congrattions?"


    The other side fell into a deadly silence.

 Chapter 93 - Pretend Not To Care

    Wei Xiameng''s voice trembled ever so slightly. "W¡ªWhat?"


    Jiang Jinyan felt amused as to how she kept on pretending not to understand. Thest bit of affection nurtured for almost two years inside his heart dissipatedpletely at this moment. He just felt like he must be blind to date such a woman.


    "I thought you wanted me to see how you show off your rtionship in front of the hospital."


    Wei Xiameng rebuked shrilly. "Nonsense! Qing Si was just dropping me off¡ª" She choked on her words, evidently remembering one event in the evening that was out of the norm. It was the first time that Qing Si tantly disyed his affection to her. All these times, they were in an ambiguous rtionship, slightly more intimate than usual friends. The man also knew that Wei Xiameng had a boyfriend thus his behavior had been restrained, courteous and gentlemanly. There was only one time¡­only one time when¡­


    "Have you recalled it?" Jiang Jinyan casually fiddled with the remote control and changed the channel of the TV back and forth. His behavior couldn''t be more leisurely.


    "I¡­No," She stammered. "W¡ªWe were just friends at that time."


    "Wei Xiameng." Jiang Jinyan cut her off. The deep and firm tone stunned her. "We already knew each other for years. Why pretend anymore?"


    Why pretend anymore¡­


    Wei Xiameng took a deep breath and felt her heart ache as if she was getting a heart attack. "Jiang Jinyan! Are you a man or not?! How can you¡ªHow can you say it like that?!" She stumbled on her words, sniffling. "Isn''t it all because of you? Ever since you got into the ident, you''ve changed totally. You would never be this harsh to me in the past! I never cheated you, bastard! I tried to be sensible, seeing that you''re so pitiful, I couldn''t bring myself to bring it up to you. I don''t want you to think that I am heartless, that I will dump my boyfriend after he turns into a waste. I tried to endure by myself but you never understood me¡­only Qing Si¡­only he stood by my side¡­"


    Jiang Jinyan listened to the first half of her rumble with half lidded eyes. But when she got into the second half, his expression chilled abruptly. Dark glints shed through his eyes as his cold voice sounded. "I never asked you to pity me, Wei Xiameng. I don''t need anyone''s pity. Not in the past, not now and not in the future. Keep the charity to yourself."


    "You¡ª"


    "Is that all you want to say?" He asked irritably. "If so, then I will hang up. In the future, if we cross paths, please pretend that we don''t know each other. You said that I never understood you. I guess it''s the same, you have never truly known me either. Goodbye." He hung up directly and cklisted Wei Xiameng''s number.


    Even then, Jiang Jinyan''s chest felt like it was burning with smotheringva.


    Seeing that you''re so pitiful, I couldn''t bring myself to bring it to you¡­


    I don''t want you to think that I am heartless, that I will dump my boyfriend after he turns into a waste¡­


    Jiang Jinyan gripped the remote control so hard until his knuckles turned white, then something inside his mind snapped and he hurled it forward, smashing the TV in front of him. The 32 inch thin TV swayed backward due to the momentum but didn''t crash to the floor because of the wall behind it. A crack appeared in the center of the screen but the newscaster was still speaking passionately.


    The mes in his chest felt like it was going to swallow him whole. It caused his head to go nk and his blood roaring with only a pure, unaltered madness left. "Who''s a waste?! Who''s a fucking waste?!" It wasn''t enough to smash the TV, he flipped the low table until it was overturned.


    His eyes were red with fury and veins bulge out of his forehead.


    The living room instantly turned into a mess. Only the soft voiceing from the TV and Jiang Jinyan''s harsh breathing could be heard. He slumped into the sofa, feeling like strength had seeped out of his body until there was nothing left.


    It wasn''t worth it. She wasn''t worthy of him getting angry. He said to himself. But still, he couldn''t bring himself not to care. The doctors and nurses sympathetic gazes, the various public opinions that condemned him, the eyes of people who looked at him strangely along the street and finally, Wei Xiameng''s words¡­


    Jiang Jinyan told himself that he shouldn''t care but it turned out he had overestimated himself.


    He cared. He cared about what people said about him.


    He chose to uninstall Weib8 because he was scared to see thements under his post. He chose to flee from the hospital because he was scared that the reporters would find out his whereabouts. He chose to block Wei Xiameng because he was scared to hear what she was going to say¡­


    He was scared, thus the only thing he could do was to pretend that he didn''t care.


    He didn''t want to admit that he had be a waste just like she said but the artificial leg that sat coldly by his side was akin to a prick that stabbed through the thin illusion that he tried to create just to keep his defenses.


    His phone rang. The soft, twinkling melody of piano apanied by the mncholic drizzle of rain echoed throughout the room. Jiang Jinyan buried his face into his palm, shoulders slouched, giving no reaction whatsoever toward the phone call. Even though he perfectly knew that this was the ringtone he had set specially for Jiang Huocheng.


    However at this moment, he couldn''t make sure that he could converse calmly with him.


    He couldn''t make sure that he wouldn''t curse, vent and throw a childish tantrum toward this family member of his who was never here for him. Thus, the phone rang until it was disconnected. But then, not five secondster, it rang again. It repeated two more times until the other side of the phone gave up.


    Silence hung across the room. No more iing calls.


    Everyone was like this. They would show some concern at first but then, when he didn''t reciprocate, they would give up on him. Wei Xiameng was like this. Jiang Huocheng was like this too. Everyone would be like this without fail.


    In the hard cocoon with thorny shells that enveloped him, one or two people would knock, trying to probe and beguile him toe out, but then, everyone would be scared of getting hurt by his thorn and leave. Everyone would, eventually. He was doomed to stay in the dark. Left behind. Abandoned.


    Amidst the myriad of negativity surrounding him, the intermittent voice of the newscaster floated into his ears.


    "¡­City A''s hospital has been surrounded by reporters sincest night. All of it can be contributed by an anonymous post that had instantly gone viral on a slightly unknown forum. Allegedly, the post has been suppressed by Weib8''s management directors, but the poprity can''t keep it from being spread by people throughout the inte. Right at this moment, the anonymous post has been reposted 700.000 times and has sent itself to the government''s concern. The public is pressing the police to give out an official notice. Is it really true that the serial killer has been hiding inside the hospital all these times?"


    .


    .


    A/N: Jiang Jinyan''s ringtone for Jiang Huocheng: The Scent of Rain by Big Rice Piano.. You all should search it up on YT and hear it QAQ Big Rice Piano is one of my favorite pianist all the time.

 Chapter 94 - Police Vs Serial Killer

    City A People Hospital''s gate was swarmed with people carrying recording equipment, heavy cameras and mics. Security guards fiercely scowled as they maintained the order, using their flesh and soul to block the gate. "Go back! What are you all doing here, obstructing the way? This is a hospital! What if emergency patients got stuck behind because of you? Go back!"


    But it was like their words dissipated into thin air, ignored and uncared for.


    It wasn''t until the police siren rang in the distance that the reporter perked up. Yet, instead of leaving, each of their faces showed palpable excitement instead. "Finally, the police arrived! Hurry, hurry, start the recording!"


    The security guards'' faces almost turned blue due to anger.


    Three police cars stopped behind the rows of mini vans from various news stations. The door of the car in the very front swung open and a long leg stepped out. The reporters instantly swarmed into that person without even looking properly at who he was.


    "What do you have to say regarding the post that recently went viral in the forum?"


    "Is it true that the serial killer has been discovered around the perimeter of the hospital?"


    "What did the hospital have to do with the serial killer? Are there some conspiracies that we aren''t clear about?"


    "Is there some secret rtionship between the police and the serial killer?"


    "Police officers, please answer our questions!"


    Mics were shoved into that person''s face and finally the reporters could catch a clear sight of him. Thinly pressed lips, perfect straight nose, deep set eyes, frowning brows thick in displeasure, low chill emanating from his body. The reporters simultaneously froze.


    The security guards'' faces lit up as if they had finally found their savior. Like children, they started toin and tattletale about the reporters. "Detective Xu, it''s good that you''re here. The reporters have been crowding the gate sincest night."


    "That''s right. Today, it''s especially crowded. Cars and ambnces can''t even pass through! What if there are emergency patientster on?!"


    Xu Binchen nodded in acknowledgement toward the security guards then spread his gaze evenly among the faces of each reporter with eyes as sharp as a dagger. His lips opened and a low, emotionless voice came through. It wasn''t loud but without a clear reason, the whole crowd suddenly turned silent so his voice was especially conspicuous.


    "Disrupting public spaces, obstructing medical officers from doing their job properly, intentionally causing havoc and spreading panic." Xu Binchen waved his hand and the police officers behind him shoved a paper to each of the reporters. "This is your arrest warrant. Please get back into your car and follow us back to the police station."


    The out-of-control situation was instantly subdued because of Xu Binchen''s heavy presence. He only wore a piece of white cotton shirt, long pants with another long thin jacket as addition. If he wore a ck sunsses, then he would have instantly transformed into a full pledged model. Nheless, the aura he exuded was akin to a domineering CEO who would p people''s faces with ck cards if they didn''t listen to him.


    The rowdy and wild reporters were akin to wilted chicken as they obediently put their equipment back and climbed into their car. The police cars worked dexterously as they guided the rows of mini vans in the middle along the street. The police siren roared loudly with red and blue lights red out. It was quite a spectacr sight to behold.


    One after another, they left until only Xu Binchen''s car left. He waited as he smoked until another police officer came out from the hospital. "Detective Xu, everything is done here."


    Xu Binchen nodded and extinguished the burning cigarette. "Get back first. I will follow behind." After saying that, Xu Binchen stepped past the gate toward the security post. He bowed in apology. "On behalf of the police, I offer my apology foringte."


    "No, you''re notte at all." The middle aged security guard with a beer belly surnamed Lin leaned forward, curiosity written clearly across his forehead. "But, Detective Xu, the thing those reporters were talking about¡­is it true? Is that why there''s so many police officers patrolling aroundtely?"


    Xu Binchen pressed his lips together and answered perfunctorily. "The investigation hasn''t concluded yet. We will release an official noticeter so please wait for it patiently." He nodded and turned to walk away. "Thank you for your hard work."


    Xu Binchen got into the police car and turned off the siren light. He drove smoothly into the main road with every car avoiding him due to the police emblem that was carved into the car''s body, but his lips were still pressed thin, showing his evident displeasure regarding the development of the case. The green light flickered to yellow and Xu Binchen slowly pressed on the brake as the car gently stopped behind the red traffic light.


    His phone beeped and he gave an inadvertent nce.


    [Ten Years]: Uncle detective, I have just seen the news.


    [Ten Years]: Are you okay? How can the matter of the serial killer be discovered by reporters?


    [Ten Years]: That post! They are just speaking nonsense!


    [Ten Years]: angrytotears.jpg


    Xu Binchen''s cold eyes thawed without him knowing as he fished out the phone. Seizing the chance when the traffic light would still be red for the next forty seconds, he typed in a reply.


    [Xu Binchen]: Everything is under control. Don''t worry


    [Xu Binchen]: rubhead.jpg


    [Xu Binchen]: Have you arrived home yet?


    [Ten Years]: Soon. Sister Meiqi brought us to the temple earlier on to buy amulets.


    [Ten Years]: Unexpectedly, she''s so religious.


    [Ten Years]:ughingcrying.jpg


    [Ten Years]: Uncle detective, are you very busy?


    The traffic light turned green and Xu Binchen typed a single period to show his answer. He put the phone back down and continued driving to the police station which was especially lively today, even more than New Year''s time. He parked on the designated parking lot and entered the police bureau, strictly walking toward the elevator and pressed the fourth floor.


    As the elevator dinged open, Tang Wei''s loud roar travelled into his ears. "That''s why I am asking you where you get this information from! How dare you talk back to me?!"


    The male reporter shrunk his neck but still replied fearfully. "Isn''t it because the police colluded with the serial killer?"


    "What?! Say it again?!"


    The front lobby that was usually deserted was filled with young people, their faces bitter and sour as Tang Wei extracted their testimony one by one. Xu Binchen gave them a nce and passed by to enter the office. Inside of it, there were only Ke Shao, Jin Renguang and a few low rank police officers who were busying back and forth to send documents.


    Upon sensing someoneing closer, Ke Shao lifted his head and broke into a smile. "Wee back. Good work, it''s been hard on you."


    Jin Renguang turned back to show that he was currently on the phone. He gave a ''wait a moment'' gesture and continued talking. Xu Binchen went to his seat and sank down onto it like a sloth. He heaved a sigh and touched the mouse. Instantly, hisputer screen lit up to show the exact post that had gone viral after being reposted for 700.000 times.


    [Police vs Serial Killer?! Scandals revealed in City A''s hospital!]


    "You have returned?" Jin Renguang ended his phone and greeted him. "How is it?"


    Xu Binchen turned his eyes away and reported. "Everything is normal. There''s no suspicious people. The bait we set isn''t working either."


    Jin Renguang rubbed his chin thoughtfully.


    "Boss." Ke Shao butted in with a frown. "What should we do now? Butterfly has returned home safely and we have ced police officers around her too. Everything is just going smoothly. Then¡­we deliberately released this kind of news, isn''t it a suicide move for us?"


    That''s right. The hot news that currently shook the entire nation regarding how the serial killer had been hiding inside of City A''s hospital and how the police turned a blind eye to it was released by the Captain of Special Criminal Investigation Squad himself.


    Jin Renguang grinned at Ke Shao''s words. "Who said that we didn''t get any benefit from this?"


    "Really?" Ke Shao''s eyes shone. "How is it? How did the higher ups react?"


    Smugly, Jin Renguang cackled with a face that really asked for a beating. "They have just threatened to fire me if this topic is still spreading by the end of this week."


    Xu Binchen: "¡­"


    Ke Shao: "¡­fuck! Boss, how can you stillugh?! You¡ª" Ke Shao didn''t know what to say except giving him a thumbs up. "Badass!"

 Chapter 95 - I Am Shi Nians Distant Cousin

    Jin Renguang chuckled as he raised one of his brows. Seeing his subordinates'' dumbfounded faces, he finally got some conscience and exined. "The reason I released this news and let it ferment is only one: to gauge the government''s reaction. Throughout the year we have been chasing the serial killer, which kind of rumors hadn''t spread before? Which kind of condemnation we haven''t received before?"


    Xu Binchen blinked in realization. That was true. They hadn''t seeded in catching the suspect for more than a year. Theizens had spat themselves dry due to cursing them for their slow efficiency. They had received all kinds of ckmail before from the simplest animal corpses gift sent to the police station to the petition to change the SCI unit''s members.


    Yet all those times, the government had never reacted.


    The SCI unit could still stand strong until now, wasn''t it because there was support from the government? Now, Jin Renguang had just released a little news, subtly informing the citizens that there''s something wrong with the police. Due to it, the police and the serial killer had been tied in one boat.


    This was an asion that was unheard before. Because of it, the government couldn''t escape either. One more thing that was worth pondering about was: even though Weib8''s hot topic had been strictly regted by the police, the post could still go booming and unknowingly sent itself to the government''s door and thus, came the pressure on Jin Renguang''s head.


    What did this series of things mean? Everything became crystal clear in Xu Binchen''s mind.


    Why did the government give any reaction now?


    Why did they give Jin Renguang pressure because of this?


    "They surely have a guilty conscience." Jin Renguang''s lips curled up with a smile that didn''t reach his eyes. "They are starting to get anxious. It''s good. I can finally direct how we will conduct our investigation in the future."


    Surely, the government had something to do with the serial killer''s first victim. Jin Renguang was adamant to dig all of it up because he was sure that it would definitely contain something crucial that would lead them to the serial killer''s identity.


    After their secret meeting in Jin Renguang''s office two weeks ago, they had been brainstorming as to how to start the investigation. The other side was people with higher authority and much bigger scope ofwork. Having to fish them out wasn''t easy.


    So, they came up with a n; to use the pressure of public opinion.


    Members in government relied on their good reputation among citizens to flourish. The best strategy against them was to use their Achilles Heel, forcing them to act and show their tail. Finally, the team''s hard work seeded.


    s, it also didn''te without risk. This big move was only known to a few of them. Even Ke Shao and Xu Binchen weren''t so clear about it. Jin Renguang only discussed it with Ru Meiqi and his old superior, Director Fen of City S Police Bureau. The three of them formed good cahoots, throwing out baits and waiting for the fish toe out and enter the trap.


    Xu Binchen frowned. "So, the reason why you ask me to find a recement simr to Butterfly and ce her in the hospital is because of this?"


    "Bingo." Jin Renguang snapped his fingers. "The government has moved. I also want to test whether the culprit will react or not. But I guess he is more slippery than we thought. Knowing that we have caught onto something about him, he chickened out and disappeared."


    Seeing Xu Binchen''s heavy frown, Jin Renguang chuckled meaningfully. "Don''t worry. I will not risk people''s lives in this operation. Butterfly will be safe and sound."


    Xu Binchen received his teasing calmly without any change in his expression. "So, what should we do next, Captain?"


    ***


    Ru Meiqi''s car stopped in front of the suburban apartment that was older than her own age. The air was quite good and there was a market and convenience store nearby, but the environment¡­she looked up at the dark and narrow hallway that led to the stairs then at the winding alleys around the apartment.


    Old buildings were like this. They retained their traditional style; wooden gates, brick floor, rednterns, small and narrow houses whose paint was almost peeled off, streets only wide enough for two people to pass through and would definitely give passerby the impression of a maze. It was very suitable for people who were tight on budget and who really liked the historic feel it gave off.


    But it couldn''t be the same with the people.


    Even as Ru Meiqi drove in, she had spotted three groups of gangsters that leered at the slick, ck sedan with greed and curiosity in their eyes. Such a ce would be suitable for retired, immigrants or busily working people, but it wouldn''t be good for youths, especially a student like Shi Nian.


    Of course, Ru Meiqi couldn''t bring this up directly in front of Qiang Fei.


    She followed the mother and daughter pair to the apartment building. The wall was covered with advertisements that were both old and new, spanning from the missing notice of a dog to the herbal treatment for AIDS that was 100% guaranteed.


    "Slowly, slowly¡­" Qiang Fei hovered around Shi Nian nervously. "Look at the stairs properly. Don''t trip."


    Shi Nian turned to her mother, half exasperated and half amused. She was as fit as a paddle already but Qiang Fei still treated her the same as a chronically ill patient. She still remembered when they first met again. Upon seeing Shi Nian, Qiang Fei instantly burst into tears and wailed loudly in the hospital hallway, scaring the nurses to death thinking that there''s another emergency situation.


    She hugged the thin woman''s shoulder, her eyes reddened. Qiang Fei''s familiar smell entered her nose and suddenly, nostalgia spread through her. Qiang Fei pulled away and scrutinized her from top to bottom as if wanting to see whether she had grown two heads.


    "Are you okay, baby? You have worked hard¡­you have worked really hard. Thank you for staying alive for mama."


    Shi Nian''s nose turned sour. She clearly hadn''t recalled the details of the three months imprisonment with the serial killer. But upon seeing Qiang Fei''s swollen eyes and the woman''s face that looked much older than the one in her memory, an inexplicable grievance flooded her chest and she too, burst into tears.


    The first meeting between mother and daughter after Shi Nian regained the memory of her past life turned out to be crying and hugging each other for almost an hour on the hospital hallway where people could pass by freely.


    If it wasn''t for Nurse Zhang who hardened her heart and interrupted them, maybe they could have cried longer than that.


    Even until now, Shi Nian still felt confused as to where she got that much tears to spill.


    "Hey," Qiang Fei waved her hand worriedly in front of her face. "Niannian, why are you zoning out? Is there somewhere ufortable?" Then, she started to scan her body up and down likeser light.


    Shi Nian giggled and shook her head. Entwining their arms together, she pulled Qiang Fei up until they climbed to the third floor. Their neighbor, Auntie Su, coincidentally opened the door and caught sight of them. Pleasantly surprised, she eximed. "Aiyah, I haven''t seen you for so long! I thought you had moved away! Where have you been?"


    She looked at the luggage bag in Qiang Fei''s hands and spected. "Returned from a trip?"


    Qiang Feiughed heartily. "That''s right. How are you, Sister Su? You have gotten much more beautiful now that I haven''t seen you for months."


    "You tter me." Auntie Su waved her hand bashfully. But it was truly rainbow fartsing from Qiang Fei. Compared to the elite businesswoman''s aura that radiated from Qiang Fei''s body, Auntie Su was your standard vegetable auntie; wearing long daster, sandals, had her hair tied in a bun, bby body with face dotted with ck spots.


    Auntie Su''s eyes turned to Shi Nian and she beamed brightly. "I haven''t seen Shi Nian for long and she has grown so much! You have be more and more beautiful like your mother!"


    Shi Nian couldn''t talk and her board was still in her luggage bag so she just gave a smile. Fortunately, Auntie Su didn''t find anything strange as she moved to another topic. "Is your school okay?"


    "Oh, that''s fine." Qiang Fei answered. "I have called the school to ask for leave in advance."


    "Is that so?" Auntie Su rubbed her chin and sighed in relief. "It''s good then. I forget the exact date, but there''s one day when I cooked too much and wanted to share it with Shi Nian. I opened the door to find someone standing in front of your house. It seems like they are trying to find you. Is that your ssmate, Shi Nian? You have made them worried ah."


    Shi Nian''s smile froze. Even though her memory of the ident was blurry, Shi Nian could recall other things just fine. She remembered perfectly that she didn''t have any close friends, especially a ssmate that woulde all the way here to find her.


    Before she could try to ask, a soft and firm voice came behind her. "A ssmate? Then, it''s important to say your thanks. May I ask Auntie Su to describe that person''s appearance to me?"


    Auntie Su craned her neck to see a woman standing behind the mother and daughter pair since God-knows-when. Confusion filled her face. "You are¡­"


    Ru Meiqi stepped forward and smiled as she slung her arms around Shi Nian''s shoulder. "Hello, Auntie Su. Nice to meet you.. My name is Ru Meiqi and I am Shi Nian''s distant cousin."

 Chapter 96 - A New Phase Of Life

    Not only Auntie Su but Shi Nian and Qiang Fei''s faces also sported the same expression. Question of ''where the heck did this distant cousin pop out from?'' written across their faces but Ru Meiqi carried herself with so much naturalness and confidence that it was hard for Auntie Su to doubt her.


    Qiang Fei''s brain clicked and she cooperated seamlessly. "Yes, that''s right. This is Niannian''s distant cousin. She came from the Capital and because of the summer vacation, she visited City A a few days ago."


    Shi Nian nodded her head in cahoot.


    Auntie Su recovered her smile and greeted Ru Meiqi warmly. "Meiqi, is it? Such a beautiful name. I haven''t heard that Shi Nian has a distant cousin before so please pardon my rudeness."


    "No problem, Auntie. It''s also because I have lived abroad these past few years that I seldom appear here. Please take care of me in the future." The both of them shook hands amicably.


    Upon hearing that Ru Meiqi was a returnee, Auntie Su''s impression of her went up a few notches. In her mind, someone who was living abroad surely had a sophisticated lifestyle and a greatly educated person. She instantly glossed over the holes in Ru Meiqi''s words and continued the topic. "Shi Nian''s ssmate ah? They¡­" She tried hard to recall. "Because they ran away when I came out, I actually didn''t see them clearly. I only know that it''s a man, quite tall because his head almost reached the top of the door and he has a good figure."


    "Anything else?" Ru Meiqi pressed on gently. "Anything remarkable that can make us recognize him easier?"


    "Remarkable? Hmm¡­" Confused, Auntie Su shook her head. "Sorry, I have no idea."


    Ru Meiqi nodded in understanding. "Okay, thank you very much, Auntie Su. We will make sure to find Shi Nian''s ssmate and thank him." It had been months and Auntie Su had just nced upon that person in a split second, it was understandable that she couldn''t offer anything crucial.


    But the important point was, when Shi Nian was kidnapped, someone came to her house. What intention did that person carry?


    Ru Meiqi furtively inspected the dim hallway and saw an old CCTV that had stopped working in the corner. Every floor had only one CCTV and it was even sparser outside. She prayed that the CCTV on the floors below would still work just fine.


    The three of them entered Shi Nian''s house. It was a small, one room apartment where the kitchen on the right could directly be seen upon entering the door. The living room was only big enough for a small couch, low table and old TV. The one and only bedroom door was firmly shut. One of the walls was covered in floor to ceiling window with a small balcony outside. The curtain was drawn thus the light in the room was slightly dim and there was a moldy smell special to a house that was long unupied.


    Qiang Fei brought the luggage in. "Wee, Miss Ru. Please pardon our messy home. I have just tidied it up casually."


    Shi Nian pulled out a new slipper from the shoe cab and gestured for Ru Meiqi to change her shoes. To be honest, it was the first time for Ru Meiqi to enter such a cramped room where no privacy was offered to the members in the family. But due to her job, she was ustomed to being surprised by all kinds of different things in people''s lives.


    With a smile, she shook her head and slipped into the slipper. "No, it''s a very cozy house."


    After putting down the luggage, Qiang Fei hurriedly went into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. "What does Miss Ru want to drink?" But then, she was speechless because there''s nothing inside, not even a bottle of mineral water. She pped her forehead, exasperated.


    Fortunately, Ru Meiqi was an easy going person. "Whatever is fine. Please sit, Madam Shi, Shi Nian. Don''t treat me like a guest."


    Shi Nian rummaged through her luggage and brought out her board. Swiftly, she wrote. [Sister Meiqi, is there something wrong with the person Auntie Su was saying?]


    Ru Meiqi took the initiative to sit on the carpeted floor and nodded in agreement. "Please don''t be offended, but because of your case, we have investigated your background thoroughly. We have also gone to your school and interrogated your ssmates one by one. They said that you were often seen alone and they had no idea if you had any close friends in school. That''s why, hearing that your ssmate came to your home to visit, I thought that there''s something more about it."


    Qiang Fei came out of the kitchen with two sses of warm water. Upon hearing Ru Meiqi''s words, she was shocked and sad. Her eyes lowered in regret. "It''s all my fault. Because of the tight economy in our household, Shi Nian took the initiative to take some part time jobs and she didn''t have time to make friends."


    Shi Nian pursed her lips, upset. [Mama, it''s not your fault.]


    Qiang Fei took her hand and pleaded. "Niannian, listen to mama. Don''t do part time jobs anymore okay? Money can be earned but Mama only has you¡­" The woman''s eyes were brimming with tears, rendering Shi Nian unable to refuse.


    Ru Meiqi moistened her throat and cut off the emotional mother and pair conversation. "Don''t worry about the suspicious person, the police will take care of it. Also, there''s something I have to say to both of you."


    Seeing Ru Meiqi''s solemn expression, Qiang Fei wiped the damp corner of her eyes and gestured for her to go on. "Is it about Shi Nian?"


    "Yes." Ru Meiqi looked at Qiang Fei and Shi Nian but in their eyes, it would look like Ru Meiqi''s eyes were unfocused as they stared at something far away through them. Anyway, Shi Nian had gotten used to it but unexpectedly, Qiang Fei''s ability to ept everything was alsomendable. "Madam Shi, have you considered moving? By moving, I mean to move into another city, possibly quite far from City A. I know that you have to consider your finances but there''s something I have to warn you of."


    Ru Meiqi continued, "Shi Nian, the criminal¡ªhe knows you. He knows your name, your appearance, where you live and the ce you work. Possibly, he also knows the route you often partake in. City A isn''t safe anymore for you. That''s why the police suggest that you will consider moving. Because you''re a victim and an important witness, we will try our best to help you to settle down in another ce, find a new school for you and ce some officers around to guard your safety."


    Shi Nian fell silent. She didn''t know what to say, so she turned to Qiang Fei. In this household, she had always listened to Qiang Fei''s words.


    "Miss Ru is right." Qiang Fei contemted seriously. "Actually, I have been promoted and my superior wants to ce me in another city. Ever since we found Shi Nian, I have considered moving into another city and start a new phase of life."


    Ru Meiqi nodded in satisfaction. "That''s a good mentality to start with. Shi Nian," She turned to the silent girl. "Even though we know that the culprit is still running free and he maye to you at any moment, we want to create a new environment for you to live in. You''re only sixteen." Her voice came out soft, encouraging and as warm as Shi Nian could remember. "Your life has just started and you don''t have to live in the shadow of fear each day."


    She held Shi Nian''s hands tightly. "Don''t be afraid. We are all by your side."


    Qiang Fei nodded, moved. "Then, we will listen to the police''s suggestion."


    Just like that, the matter of moving into another city was set into stone. Shi Nian was helpless against the numerous changes that were instantly discussed heatedly by both Qiang Fei and Ru Meiqi. Matters like where Shi Nian would continue her education or where they would live was finished in a blink of an eye.


    They didn''t have many things to begin with so it was easy to pack everything.


    The police moved fast and Qiang Fei cooperated in every way possible. Three dayster, they had already confirmed everything. Shi Nian and her mother would move to the Capital. Other than because Qiang Fei was promoted into a branchpany in the Capital, there was also the Police Bureau Headquarters there.


    The distance between City A and Capital was quite far. Thus, it was decided that they would fly in a ne with Ru Meiqi and another police officer apanying them.


    Just that, on the day of the departure, Shi Nian didn''t expect to find a familiar face.

 Chapter 97 - Stop Acting Like A Sissy

    Ru Meiqi drove her car into the underground parking lot with ease. Her hands holding the steering wheel were as steady as ever but her soft lips were pursed tight in nerves. The security guard at the underground parking lot gave her a few nces and jotted down her car''s te number. "Miss, how long do you n on staying? Should I upgrade your lot to VIP?" he asked as she came out and approached.


    Ru Meiqi smiled faintly. "No need. I will be quick."


    Her high heels made a sharp clicking sound on the marble floor as she pushed the ss door open and stepped into a luxurious hotel lobby. Foreigners with blond hair and blue eyes could be seen lounging around with a few local Asian faces strolling by. The women who sat behind the receptionist counter offered a smile as they saw her. A bellboy pushing a trolley filled with suitcases passed through, greeting her along the way. "Hello Miss. Wee to Shangri-La Hotel & Entertainment. How may I help you?"


    "Thank you, but there''s no need to." Ru Meiqi nodded slightly and made a beeline straight to the elevator. Pressing the number to the seventeenth floor, she stared nkly toward the ascending number, no one knew what was on her mind.


    It was the soft ding and the door sliding open that snapped her out of her thoughts. She grabbed her purse, brushing her hair and strode out with confidence as if she was just another customer in this five star hotel. The thickly carpeted floor muffled the sound of her shoes, creating a dull thumping sound across the empty hallway.


    Ru Meiqi stopped in front of room 1705 and gave the CCTV at the upper corner of the hallway a fleeting nce.


    She raised her hand and knocked firmly. Three times slow and two times fast.


    The peephole''s color lightened and Ru Meiqi waited for a full five seconds before the door clicked open. She pushed forward and closed the door behind her.


    The hotel room was exceedingly luxurious. The living room was spacious and elegant with a chandelier hanging directly up on the soft, long couch emitting a dim yellow light. Amidst the darkness of the room, a figure of a plump man made his way to the sofa as if he was floating and plopped down onto it.


    "Have I awoken you?" Ru Meiqi scanned her gaze around the room and in a fit of upational disease, she pulled out a bug detector from her purse and started to circle around the room.


    "Don''t need to worry about that, Senior Ru," The man lifted his head and his muffled voice became clearer albeit it was still thick with sleepiness. "Do you think that with me here, tiny things like listening bugs can work?"


    Ru Meiqi chuckled at his arrogant words but didn''t deny. "I know your skill, after all, it''s Jin Renguang who invited you into the team, Comrade Wang Chengbing."


    She walked toward the closed curtain but Wang Chengbing spoke up in time. "There''s people across the building. Don''t let them see you." Ru Meiqi stopped and turned around as she sat on another sofa. Her brows crinkled as she saw the assortments of snacks, empty cans of beers, empty takeaway boxes spread evenly on the low table.


    "Are you having a party now that you are off work?"


    "Off work?" Wang Chengbing ruffled his hair andughed dryly. "I will call Captain my grandpa if he is willing to give me a day off."


    Ru Meiqi didn''t ruminate on the topic and got to her point. "How is it? Any development?"


    Without answering, Wang Chengbing grabbed a remote control on the low table and pressed on the power button. The TV lit up but instead of a film, there were sixteen boxes with different timestamps and locations, all originating from the surveince records.


    He pulled out a thinptop from thepartment under the low table and flipped the cover up. Rows of code lined up neatly, illuminating Wang Chengbing''s haggard face and the dark circles around his eyes. "As expected, there''s some problem with Mr. Yu Chuan."


    He tapped on hisptop and the screen on the TV started to change. One of the sixteen boxes erged and dominated the whole screen, showing the record of the entrance of a famous casino in City S. "Mr. Yu Chuan owed twenty million in debt¡ªrounded¡ªfrom gambling, and his current house is still on credit. His wife and families has no idea of it." Wang Chengbing''s fingers flew on the keyboard and the screen changed again, showing Yu Chuan with three different women in a different time frames, but the licentious arms and lewd leer as he groped their butts and waists was one hundred eighty degrees different than the upright, timid and innocent Yu Chuan in the police station.


    "Two of them are famous prostitutes and one was a neen years old girl whom he dubbed into sleeping with him after he drugged her. The girl is a freshman in University of Arts in City S, currently infected with AIDS and has dropped out from her school, but give me a few moments, I will definitely find her by the end of this day."


    Ru Meiqi was startled. "This Yu Chuan have AIDS?"


    Wang Chengbing calmly pulled out photos after photos of him with different women. There were at least twenty of them. "He has started hiring prostitutes even before he was married. But I am not clear when he was infected with AIDS, maybe it was six months or a year ago, or maybe it''s recent. I have asked Captain''s men to get his hair and blood tested and the result came out positive. Mr. Yu''s yearly medical checkup was dated on November, so he has no idea that he''s sick yet."


    Ru Meiqi was speechless as she witnessed the calmness¡ªalmost indifferent¡ªface of Wang Chengbing who was always smiling sunnily. He typed furiously without even a change of expression and with a click of his fingers, he could pull out the history of your thirteen ancestors, no secret remained as secret in front of him, even one that you had no idea of.


    "So," She drawled. "Do you have any evidence that he has something to do with the culprit?"


    Hearing that question, Wang Chengbing sneered with contempt. "Of course. It''s enough that they want to ce the me on my head but to escape from me again and again? I am not the King of Hackers in the underground world for nothing."


    "You promised to stopmitting crime when you joined the police." Ru Meiqi''s face turned serious.


    "Come on!" Wang Chengbing''s fa?ade copsed as he groaned in agony. "I am already so miserable, can you let me show off my glorious era once in a while? I have to ask for permission to even surf the inte, is there anyone more pitiful than me in this world?!"


    "No can do." Ru Meiqi chuckled in amusement. "And stop acting like a sissy.. It doesn''t fit your image as a king."

 Chapter 98 - Codename WANG

    Three years ago, Wang Chengbing was still a revered hacker with the codename WANG[1], crowned as the king in the cyber world. He was one of the top list in the most wanted criminal in the Police HQ. Even though his crime didn''t cordon into homicide and stealing, he had a weird hobby; hack into the police''s database, fixing their firewall and improve the hole in their cyber security system.


    After that, he even had the audacity to leave a message. "I have fixed it for you ah~ how will you thank me? Don''t forget to treat me to a meal when we meet upter oh~" The most despicable thing was how he added a piggy wink in a morous dress as a signature. Its face was swollen pink with thick lips offering a kiss, it was super disgusting.


    Even though the police benefitted from his act, still, there were so many confidential secrets inside! All of it was bare in front of WANG, how could they standby and let him do whatever he wanted?!


    This WANG was too audacious, haughty and arrogant! Pity that he finally met his nemesis in the name of Jin Renguang who, instead of throwing him in jail, opted to pull him into their team. Ever since then, the SCI unit''s efficiency improved greatly. However, the only person who could keep him in check was Captain Jin.


    The only people who knew his true identity were Jin Renguang and Xu Binchen. It was unknown where thetter knew the information from, anyway he had an inscrutable air around him that made people reluctant to approach even though he was the person with the widestwork in their squad. Even Jin Renguang himself wasn''t clear of Xu Binchen''s background. He epted him solely based on his capabilities and quality as a detective and police officer. Nothing else.


    Ru Meiqi herself only knew Wang Chengbing''s identity ever since the conclusion of their meeting.


    Wang Chengbing''s identity was confidential. If not for this ident, maybe she wouldn''t have known at all.


    He once ruled over the cyber world, no one could ever stand in his way. This kind of haughty and prideful man, in which kind of mindset would he collude with the serial killer? If he wanted to, he could even make a person appear and disappear out of nowhere. Escaping suspicion was as easy as a pie.


    If he wanted to create a crime, he could make itpletely invisible okay?! How could he let the me fall onto his head just like that?


    If previously it could be said that Wang Chengbing sympathized with the victims whichpelled him to help them, now he was all fired up to catch the culprit and his efficiency went up by 200%.


    Maybe in the history of the serial killer''s glorious deed, he would have never expected that the thing that would trip him was the exact person whom he poured the dirty water on.


    "Look at this, Senior Ru." Wang Chengbing pulled up another screen. This time, it was the history of a chat between the username @chuanchuan88 and @kmeulchian. Ru Meiqi rubbed her chin as she scanned the short meaningless conversation.


    "What is this tform?"


    "It''s an unknown forum ah. Even if I said it, you will never recognize it. Basically, the people who joined this forum were people who wanted to curse their life." Wang Chengbing grabbed his phone and gave it to Ru Meiqi. "You can look at it."


    Ru Meiqi scrolled up to thetest post that was posted two hours ago by @jianghuiswide.


    [Ah, fucking shit. My mother always asks me for money. Where can I find so many fucking money?! Should I rob the bank or my neighbor? That old hag already has one leg into the grave, when will she finally die?!]


    This kind of rude post filled with curses made Ru Meiqi frown deeply. Then, when she clicked on thement column, she was even more astonished.


    [Hahaha, rob your neighbor ah~ I have robbed them since years ago, I have even fucked their family''s daughter and they never found out. Stupid idiot!]


    [Should I tell you the way to rob the bank?]


    [Why so difficult? Just kill your mother ah. Give her sleeping pills or push her down the stairs, making it an ident and vo, everything is finished!]


    Ru Meiqi''s face flushed in anger. "What the hell is this forum?!" She had never known that such a website could exist in the nation. It was filled with various deration of crimes; stealing, ****, injuring, intentional ckmail, cursing. But the worst thing was how they felt proud of their own crimes andpeted to see who couldmit more.


    Wang Chengbing raised his brows. "Senior Ru, there''s many hidden crimes in this world. The ones that were uncovered by the police don''t even make up 10% of it. Many peoplemitted crimes and went free without being noticed. This was just one glimpse into that dark world."


    Ru Meiqi turned speechless. "Shouldn''t this be reported to the police?"


    Ru Meiqi didn''t expect that one day, she¡ªa quite renowned criminal psychologist¡ªwould be given a look as if she was an innocent child by a man who was younger than her. Wang Chengbing shook his head as heughed helplessly. "Sometimes, justice doesn''t always prevail. Many people became victims but could only silently endure it. What was the use of reporting it to the police? For example, this crime of injuring a fellow ssmate in the football club."


    Ru Meiqi looked down to read the quite short caption.


    [AAAAH, I got into my dream school! If I had known that it would be this easy, then I would have done it sooner! Now that idiot can''t no longerpete with me! I am a genius!]


    "Allegedly, it was just an ident which caused his ssmate to strain his tendon and he had to go into therapy for at least half a year. But because of it, the ssmate who was supposed to get a rmendation into a famous sports school ended up being rescinded. His dream and future was practically ruined and the spot ended up being given to the OP. How many people knew that it wasn''t only an ident? Maybe except for him, there''s only people on the website. Can this fellow ssmate take him to the police? For what? For tripping over his feet and bumped into another person?"


    Ru Meiqi sank into contemtion.


    Afterall, Wang Chengbing was a person who had dived into the dark world of cyber crime. He had seen more than the rice he had ever eaten. He shook his head. "It''s no use. What can the victim do? Endure. A few yearster, it will merely remain as a regret. Life will go on as usual."


    Ru Meiqi didn''t want to give up. "Who created this website then?"


    "Don''t bother with it." Wang Chengbing waved his hand tiredly. "The person who created this website probably didn''t even expect that their website would be used for this kind of purpose."


    "Can you close it down?"


    "I can." He answered calmly. "Then what? I close one, then two more will appear. It is just like a tumor. You leave it be, maybe it will only corrupt a certain area. But if you move it, it will spread to your whole body."


    Ru Meiqi clenched her fists and knew that Wang Chengbing was right. The crucial thing wasn''t the website, wasn''t the crimes, but the people who showed off, who didn''t think that they did anything wrong. There were thousands of them out there, thousands of small, unnoticed crimes.


    Protect the citizens. If the citizens the police had to protect included these kinds of people, then¡­


    "Don''t stress yourself with it." Wang Chengbing''s voice pulled her up from her thoughts. "Search for @chuanchuan88 and see how our kind, upright citizen behaved behind the screen."


    [1] WANG in english alphabet and coincidentally, it means ''king''.

 Chapter 99 - Username @kmeulchian5862

    [Hahaha, I will marry a kind, virtuous girl in two months. She will definitely taste good, pure and innocent. It''s sad but I guess I have to stop whoring around.]


    [My wife is pregnant and her temper is getting more and more explosive. How annoying! Doesn''t she think of how fucking hard I work every single day? Comin about this,in about that. I can''t even get a release in a week!]


    [Old habits die hard. It''s still the experienced one that tasted better. I thought that it would be novel to marry a virgin, innocent girl but turns out it''s just so-so. I lied that I am having a business trip abroad for half a month hahaha, Little Chenchen and Xiao Man, I''ming~]


    [Fuck, I have gambling debts! Fuck! I can''t let my family know about this. Does anyone know how I can get quick money? I need two million.]


    Ru Meiqi stopped at this post that was dated a year ago.


    Wang Chengbing hummed. "Open it. If I am just a little careless, then I will surely miss it. See his conversation with @kmeulchian5862."


    Ru Meiqi scrolled down. Amidst thements of "lololol another bastard appeared" "brother, you have a life, work, virtuous wife and still gambling? I salute you!" "Just sold your kidney ah, your wife''s is also okay." An inconspicuousment of an intangible username appeared.


    [kmeulchian5862]: In need of money? No need to stress yourself out, no need to sell your kidney. Instant solution is here for you!


    Even though it sounded much like an advertisement and a scam but because Wang Chengbing had unearthed it out from thousands ofments, Ru Meiqi paid extra attention to it.


    In the next posts, Yu Chuanined about everything. His wife, his children, his parents and inw and the most often ones were how he always lost in gambling and garnered quite a lot of debt to the point where he considered selling one of his kidneys.


    But in every post, that username always appeared with the same words and the exactmas and periods.


    [kmeulchian5862]: In need of money? No need to stress yourself out, no need to sell your kidney. Instant solution is here for you!


    [kmeulchian5862]: In need of money? No need to stress yourself out, no need to sell your kidney. Instant solution is here for you!


    [kmeulchian5862]: In need of money? No need to stress yourself out, no need to sell your kidney. Instant solution is here for you!


    Ru Meiqi lifted her head. "What''s wrong with this ount?"


    After confirming that she had finished looking, Wang Chengbing clicked on another post. This time, it was dated almost thirteen months ago by the username @littlebunny.


    [It''s so scary! We are just having PE ss in the field and everyone in my ss is running in two rows, girls in front and boys behind. At that time, my partner suddenly felt unwell so I supported her to rest by the side of the field under the tree. Guess what we found?! It''s. A. Fucking. Severed. Hand! And it''s still bloody!!! The school is instantly sealed off and policee to investigate! Rumors said that there''s a homicide happening in the school and they haven''t found out who the hand belonged to. The victim is so pitiful! I hope that the killer is found soon.]


    Ru Meiqi remembered it. This was the first time that the serial killer dumped the body part in the sports field of City S High School. The first victim, Qian Ke''s body was found there, spread throughout the school with her head ended up in the garbage bin.


    She scrolled down to the tens of thousands ofments and found the familiar username.


    [kmeulchian5862]: Who knows? Maybe the victim deserves to die.


    Deserves to die¡­


    Ru Meiqi looked at this sentence and remembered Uncle Qian''s bloodshot eyes filled with hatred and grief, a lump instantly formed in her throat. She took a deep breath to control her emotion.


    Wang Chengbing extracted @kmeulchian5862''s activity andpiled it into the TV screen. Ru Meiqi looked at it intently.


    [kmeulchian5862]: Hahaha, City S is so lively, how fun!


    [kmeulchian5862]: Why don''t you ever think that the victims deserve to die? It''s not always the killer''s fault, okay?


    [kmeulchian5862]: She deserves to die ah


    [kmeulchian5862]: What fun is there with secretlymiting crime? You all should publicize it like the serial killer ah!


    [kmeulchian5862]: What''s innocent about her? You don''t know, maybe she''s just putting a good girl front but behind, she''s a true bitch?


    Ru Meiqi felt like her head was spinning. Then, the screen changed to the log conversation between Yu Chuan and this username. Maybe because Yu Chuan had been pushed into the corner, he actually replied to that username.


    [chuanchuan88]: How do I earn money? Please tell me!


    [kmeulchian5862]: How much do you need depends on how hard it is. But don''t worry, there will be no pain and you will not lose a single thing!


    [chuanchuan88]: Can¡­Can it be fifty million?


    Wang Chengbing chuckled. "This little fellow is quite smart. His debt was only twenty million but he asked for more than twice as much of it."


    The chat in the forum ended there and Wang Chengbing typed on his keyboard. A string of codes ran across the screen and the firewall of the protected chat was peeled offyer byyer.


    "This is illegal, I know. Breach of privacy, I know." Wang Chengbing grumbled in a low voice but Ru Meiqi couldn''t afford to care about him now. She leaned forward to read a private message between the two of them. First, they introduced each other. Yu Chuan¡ªbeing the passive party, instantly revealed everything about him, anyway all of his secret that was kept in the website had been seen so he had nothing to hide anymore.


    The real chat started a month ago.


    [Yu Chuan]: Where can I get the money? What should I do? If it''s any longer, I can''t bear it anymore! The debt collector almost got my address!


    [kmeulchian5862]: Calm down. Saturday, 25th May. Go to the Recreational Park, bring your family and stay a night in the cottage.


    [Yu Chuan]: Then?


    [kmeulchian5862]: Just that. Don''t forget or else there''s no money.


    [Yu Chuan]: Fucker! It''s really just that?! You have to keep your words or else I will go search for you!


    The chat ended there. Ru Meiqi pinched her brows. "Then? What else?"


    "What else?" Wang Chengbing''s face crumpled. "I have already dug this deep in only a few days okay?! This is already crucial information! Now we know that Yu Chuan really has some shady deals with the serial killer!"


    Ru Meiqi didn''t know whether she shouldugh or cry. "I don''t mean to criticize you. You have already done such a good job. What I mean is the chat¡­after this, is there anything else?"


    "No." Wang Chengbing frowned. "I guess they established a new form ofmunication after that but I haven''t found out about it yet. Give me a few days and I will dig it out."


    "Good job." Ru Meiqi nodded and patted his shoulder. "Actually, I have another favor to ask of you."


    Wang Chengbing turned to her and showed a smile worse than crying. "I know that you aren''t justing to check on my progress. What? I have ved myself and there''s still more work?"


    Ru Meiqi burst intoughter. "Actually, it''s not that urgent. But I want you to check the CCTV on Shi Nian''s apartment building. I have just returned there and an auntie said that a man had visited her house when she was missing."


    "What?!" Wang Chengbing jerked as if his tail was being stepped on. "Someone trespassed into Shi Nian''s house?!"


    "No, not trespass." Ru Meiqi hurriedly calmed him down. "It''s just that the identity of that person is unknown and the CCTV on her floor is broken. I need you to check whether you can find something out. My gut feelings told me that there''s more to it than what meets the eye."


    Hearing that it was Shi Nian''s matter, Wang Chengbing was instantly rejuvenated. "Okay, okay I will check it out for Shi Nian! Just wait until I find that person!" He rubbed his palm and started to dive into work, his ten fingers flying across the keyboard so fast that afterimage was formed.


    Ru Meiqi nodded. "Thank you very much, Comrade Wang. I will leave it to you."


    Wang Chengbing hummed without looking up. "Will youe again in a few days?"


    "No," she answered. "You can directly report to your captain. I have to apany Shi Nian to move."


    "Move?" Wang Chengbing lifted his head in shock. "Move where?"


    "It''s not confirmed yet. But she will surely move into another city. It''s not safe here anymore. The police will arrange everything for her and her mother and I will go apany her until she arrives safely.." Ru Meiqi looked at the bird nest hair atop of Wang Chengbing''s head and offered seriously. "Comrade Wang, do you want to go with us?"

 Chapter 100 - Not A Public Plane?

    The day of Shi Nian''s departure soon arrived.


    Due to safety issues, they didn''t even tell Auntie Su where they were moving to. Instead, they gave her a fake address, much to Shi Nian''s reluctance. Afterall, Auntie Su had always been taking care of her when Qiang Fei was absent and the food she made was delicious too.


    For the nth time this morning, Shi Nian gave a look toward this home where she had been staying ever since she was born.


    Yes, it was cramped and yes, there was nothing valuable. But in every nook and corner, she could still remember every single memory it contained. For example, the small fridge that she and Qiang Fei got together from the wholesome sale during New Year, the bedroom door that was covered in all kinds of old stickers, from the Princesses to Doraemon and Spongebob. There were also height measuring lines on the side of the wall which recorded Shi Nian''s growth.


    For her, this was the only ce she could call home. But now, she had to leave it all behind.


    Qiang Fei called out from behind. "What''s wrong, baby?"


    Shi Nian turned around and shook her head.


    Qiang Fei sighed with a look that said ''I don''t know what I should do with you''. "It''s okay. Don''t be sad. We can alwayse back here together again, okay? If¡­If everything bes safer, we will return."


    Shi Nian knew that Qiang Fei only said it tofort her. She didn''t point it out though, only giving a fleeting sensible smile. Qiang Fei''s heart ached for her. She knew her daughter very well. Even though she looked easygoing, mature and didn''t really care about anything, in fact, she was a sentimental person deep down. She cherished every single thing in her life. If she liked something, then she would continue to like them even though it had worn down to the point of unrecognizable.


    Qiang Fei could only swallow herfort back down and beckoned to her. "Come on or else we will miss the ne."


    Shi Nian gave her house¡ªwhich was already bare with the remaining furniture covered in white cloth¡ªonest nce and closed the door behind her.


    The journey to the airport was smooth sailing and when they arrived, Ru Meiqi was already there waiting for them. The girl wore a casual yet stylish long t-shirt with ripped jeans, her face donning a ck sunsses. The sunlight shone into her light brown curly hair and as she stood there with her face lowered, she exuded an elegant and refined aura that attracted people''s gazes.


    "Miss Ru!" Qiang Fei called out and approached her, smiling apologetically. "We''re sorry for making you wait."


    Ru Meiqi typed on her phone and locked it before answering. "It''s okay. I have just arrived anyway. Come on, let me help you to register your luggage."


    "No, no. I can''t let you do that." Qiang Fei rejected politely. "It''s okay Miss Ru, you can just keep Niannianpany, right?" Thest word was directed to Shi Nian which the girl didn''t have any choice but to nod.


    Ru Meiqi didn''t insist and eded. "You can go to that counter. She''s our people." She gestured toward the nearby empty counter where a woman in uniform was smiling at them politely.


    When Qiang Fei was busy with their luggage, Shi Nian took the chance to look around. Call her a country bumpkin, but this was the first time for her to go to an airport. Her whole life had been spent in City A and the scope of her activity was limited to school, supermarket and part time jobs. Thus, everything was very novel and new.


    There was a smile in Ru Meiqi''s tone as she asked. "Is it your first time riding an airne?"


    Shi Nian nodded, her eyes glistening curiously. She took out her phone and typed on the memo. [Is it true that the moment the ne takes off, we will be momentarily deaf?]


    "No," Amused, Ru Meiqi rubbed Shi Nian''s head. "It''s just how our body copes with the huge difference in air pressure. Not deaf, just that your ears will be ringing and possibly, your head will hurt too." She took out a can of drops and gave it to her. "Here, you should eat mints if you''re ufortableter."


    The process didn''t take long. Because the counter was empty, Qiang Fei registered their luggage quickly and soon, they entered the boarding area. People were walking back and forth, most were pulling suitcases around. The transparent window showed the scenery ofrge, gigantic airnes that were currently parking in ce. One was just taking off while the other wasnding smoothly.


    Ru Meiqi strode forward with confidence, Shi Nian and Qiang Fei followed behind. There was a different air about her that made heads turn. Maybe it was because of her graceful yet soft temperament or maybe because she was just simply so beautiful. Anyway, people wouldn''t be able to associate her with the word ''police'' or ''criminal psychologist''.


    "Baby, are you hungry?" Qiang Fei asked. "You didn''t eat too much for breakfast just now."


    Shi Nian shook her head and held Qiang Fei''s hands, telling her not to worry.


    They had just averted their eyes for a moment and Ru Meiqi had already been talking to an airport security member donned in blue uniform. His attitude when talking with Ru Meiqi was especially humble and polite, almost anxious that he couldn''t bend his waist lower.


    Ru Meiqi talked with him for a moment and returned to them. "Are you guys ready? If yes, we can board the ne now."


    The two agreed readily. Shi Nian¡ªwho was inexperienced¡ªwouldn''t even know if someone sold her out but Qiang Fei was someone who was ustomed to having business trips out of the city. "Miss Ru, may I ask for our boarding pass?" Come to think of it, they didn''t even need their ID card when they checked in earlier.


    "No need," Ru Meiqi shook her head as she pointed at the security member who was on standby. "We can just follow him."


    Bewildered, Qiang Fei could only follow this criminal psychologist while Shi Nian trailed after Qiang Fei. They went through another corridor and now, even though Shi Nian was stupid, she still knew that they had trailed off from the boarding area.


    "Pleasee, Missuses. Make sure that you don''t leave anything behind. Are you hungry? We can wait for you if you want to eat something first. Oh no, I forgot, you can also order whatever you want inside the ne." The man chattered as they walked.


    Ru Meiqi waved her hand. "We will board now."


    "Sure, sure." He grinned and led them to another passageway. There were two women in the post who were tasked to check their bodies for any suspicious or dangerous substances even though Shi Nian could see that it was all a formality. They were almost given a free pass judging from how wide their smiles were. Shi Nian blindly followed behind and looked around but didn''t find anyone else beside the three of them. Her confusion grew bigger.


    Qiang Fei: "Miss Ru, we¡ª" She wanted to ask, but it didn''t seem too suitable with other people present so she refrained herself.


    Ru Meiqi realized her doubt and took off her sunsses. "Oh, it seems like I forgot to tell you. My apologies. Due to the special identity of the passengers, we will not take a public ne."


    Qiang Fei: ???


    Not a public ne? So¡­?


    .


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    A/N: Happy 100th chappies for MDG! I originally thought that this would be a short story that finished in 100-200 chappies but it seems like I am still too naive hahaha our ML hasn''t even make his full debut yet. Please be patient ne~

 Chapter 101 - You Can Slowly Repay Me Later

    Their confusion was answered soon. As they got through the connecting corridor, a slick, huge and dazzlingly bright airne had been waiting for them. Its machine roared wildly. Along the way, Shi Nian could see people loading their luggage into the ne. The corridor led directly to the gate where flight attendants had been waiting for them. Three beautiful, tall slim women in uniform smiled professionally. "Wee to XBC-0000, we hope you will enjoy the flight."


    The interior was unlike what Shi Nian had seen on the inte before. Instead of rows of seats, there were small sofas arranged in half circles with a low table in front of them. The atmosphere was cozy as the sun poured through the thick window pane. The floor was covered in a thick, soft carpet and warm, yellow light shone from above their heads.


    A man in a trench coat and ck sunsses sat on the nearest sofa to the door, his head bowed as his fingers swiped on the tablet. As their group entered, he lifted his head and took off his sses. Cool and handsome, suave and domineering. The man stood up and went straight to Qiang Fei. "Madam Shi, it''s an honor to meet you. My name is Xu Binchen."


    Qiang Fei was so stupefied by the appearance of this man with rich, domineering CEO aura that she took a moment to snap out of her thoughts. Years of professionalism made her rpose her expression soon and she offered her hand. "Nice to meet you too, Mr¡­eh?" Only then did she realize that the man''s name was precisely the same as the detective that was handling her daughter''s case. "Oh! Detective Xu! I''m very sorry for my rudeness," She smiled sheepishly. "Thank you for taking care of my daughter. Niannian,e here and greet Detective Xu."


    Shi Nian obediently stepped forward and bowed in gratitude.


    Xu Binchen''s eyes softened unnoticeably as they fell onto her. "It''s okay, I am just doing my job."


    Ru Meiqi bypassed them and asked. "Where is Comrade Wang? Still haven''t arrived yet?"


    A plump hand reached out from behind one of the sofas, followed by a severely sleep deprived face. "I am here. I have been here since early in the morning." Wang Chengbing expended all of his effort to pry his eyes open and greeted Qiang Fei. "Hello, Madam Shi. My name is Wang Chengbing."


    "Hello, Mr. Wang. It''s very nice to meet you. Thank you for taking care of my daughter."


    "Okay, save the formality forter on." Ru Meiqi pped and sauntered to sit on the nearby sofa. "Can I ask for the menu? I haven''t eaten breakfast yet."


    Xu Binchen waved his hand and a flight attendant went to serve Ru Meiqi.


    Qiang Fei and Shi Nian were like two statues that had long frozen due to this special and luxurious treatment. Qiang Fei fidgeted nervously. This Detective Xu...seemed a bit too different from the one that Shi Nian described...


    "Sit down wherever you want, no need to be polite." Xu Binchen returned to his seat and ordered another flight attendant nearby. "You can tell Captain Hu that we are ready to depart now."


    Qiang Fei pulled Shi Nian to sit near Xu Binchen and Ru Meiqi. The four of them were on the same sofa with Qiang Fei and Shi Nian in the middle. Ru Meiqi sat by the former''s side while Xu Binchen sat by Shi Nian''s side. Yet the four of them could see each other clearly because of the half circle sofa.


    Ever since Qiang Fei stepped onto the ne, she had broken into cold sweat.


    As the only woman in the police''s team, she felt morefortable with Ru Meiqi thus she leaned forward to inquire. "Miss Ru¡­isn''t it too exaggerated to rent a private ne only for the five of us?"


    Ru Meiqi lifted her head from the menu but who knew that Xu Binchen had super hearing that he could hear such a small whisper and said, "It''s free."


    Qiang Fei: "Huh?"


    "It''s free of charge." He repeated. "Don''t worry about the fee, Madam Shi. I can even lend it to you if you want. Just tell your daughter to inform me in advance."


    "Yes," Ru Meiqi coughed to warn Xu Binchen to think before he spoke. "Madam Shi, this is Detective Xu''s private ne. Don''t worry, he¡­is he rich. It''s he who volunteered to lend his ne for us."


    Qiang Fei''s mouth was so wide that egg could enter it. In the end, she blinked and blinked before finally recovering herself. She had been through so much shock that she could only mumble an ''okay''.


    Shi Nian who sat beside her was equally shocked butpared to Qiang Fei, she had known Xu Binchen longer. From the way Xu Binchen carried himself, she had her own doubts regarding the man''s background. Thus, instead of shock from Xu Binchen''s wealth, there was more of ''so, it was like that''.


    "Mr.Xu, we are ready to depart now." The flight attendant came to inform which Xu Binchen replied with a curt nod.


    When Xu Binchen averted his gaze, coincidentally or not, his eyes met Shi Nian''s. The man raised a brow and mouthed. "What?"


    Very¡­arrogant and haughty.


    Suddenly, Shi Nian had the urge tough and tease him. She changed her phone to airne mode and typed on the memo. [Mr.He Rich Xu Binchen, thank you for gracing us with your precious ne. How can this lowly one[1] repay you?]


    The first second Shi Nian showed the text to him, she had already regretted her action. As expected, amidst the dimming light and the buzzing ne, Xu Binchen leaned forward and spoke with a voice that only the two of them could hear. Even though the man''s face hadn''t changed ever since, the faint mirth swirling on his dark eyes told Shi Nian that the man was currently in an exuberant mood.


    "No need to be so anxious. You can slowly repay meter."


    Shi Nian: "¡­"


    Why did my fingers have to itch?!


    .


    .


    [1] This lowly one = basically, it''s just like how a person address someone in a much higher status, often used in ancient era.. Shi Nian is just humbling herself to tease him.

 Chapter 102 - No Longer Him

    This year, Jiang Jinyan ought to be in his second year of university but because he repeated a grade in junior high, he became a freshman instead. s¡ªagain¡ªbecause of the car ident, his sport schrship and the guaranteed ce in the Olympics sport major came to naught and he turned into a wild ghost, drifting around with no destination in mind.


    Ever since Jiang Jinyan was small, he had no interest in study. However, he had an unusually sharp mind, able to calcte his steps far ahead and resilient toward challenges. Jiang Huocheng said that he was born to be in business but Jiang Jinyan didn''t think so.


    He didn''t want to mingle with people who put on fake masks as they tried to probe each other''s thoughts, pretending to be friends in front only to stab the other on the back. Such a life was very tiring.


    Sometimes, he imagined that if he lived in the ancient era, he would be a soldier instead. Brandishing swords around, fighting with skill and technique, making war strategies, away from political struggle¡­s, Heaven didn''t concede and now, the world was as peaceful as it could be. When Jiang Jinyan said that he wanted to apply to military school, Jiang Huocheng instantly lost his temper and cut off his allowance. He was only thirteen at that time and his life depended on the money Jiang Huocheng gave.


    Once he cut it off, Jiang Jinyan was helpless to do anything. He wanted to rebel, but at that time, he was in the period when he especially wished to please Jiang Huocheng, wishing that he could concede to his every wish and request just so that the man could give him more attention. Of course, it was to no avail. Jiang Huocheng was very angry and the way he showed it was to disappearpletely.


    It truly¡­traumatized the thirteen years old Jiang Jinyan. And from then on, he never mored about bing a soldier ever again.


    Thus, entered the rebellious period of a chuuni[1] teenager. He fought, smoked, raced, broke many rules, but Jiang Huocheng never cared. If Jiang Jinyan hurt somebody, then he would pay for thepensation fee. If Jiang Jinyan broke traffic rules, got a police ticket to the point where he had to squat in the prison for a night, then Jiang Huocheng would simply bail him out.


    For him, the problem that could be solved with money and authority simply wasn''t a problem.


    Fortunately, Jiang Jinyan still had some logic not to venture into drugs. After he experienced growth spurt and his height shot up like a bamboo, he repented. More like, he gave up trying to attract Jiang Huocheng''s attention and started to live only for himself.


    For the first time in his life, Jiang Jinyan found something that he really liked to do.


    Running, propelling against the ground to jump high. The sensation of wind that passed through his sleeves and caressed his skin. The split second weightlessness that seemed able to bring all of his worry away. The way the spotlights up ahead pierced his eyes when he turned in the air. It was very addicting and he liked it very much.


    But now¡ªeven that¡ªeven the only thing that he managed to find among countless things, he had to give it up.


    Jiang Huocheng said that he had an innate talent in which he had more insight than anybody else. Due to that, he wouldn''t have to worry about the future because he had it all nned out. But never in Jiang Jinyan''s wildest dream that he would get into a car ident and end up with a disabled leg.


    All of those insights crumbled in a single night without anything left.


    Without his high jump, Jiang Jinyan realized that¡­he was very empty inside.


    The living room was dim without a light turn on, only the glow from the TV that illuminated Jiang Jinyan''s chiseled features. His eyes were glued to the screen that was currently showing the live opening of the Olympic Games. This year, athletics would be one of the openingpetitions, third in the list after archery and badminton but both of it had been showing since days before and the main event today was athletics-high jump, gymnastics, fencing and hockey.


    "¡­this year, we have many contestants from China! There is the national gold medalist gymnast, Ruo Lan! For fencing, we have women''s individual; Ou Shuyi and men''s individual sabre; Sheng Qu and Shao Jinghe! Andst but not least, our first time high jump athlete; Qing Si!"


    The camera spanned across the athletes whose name was being called out and with each shout out, there would be a loud cheer from the audience. Qing Si''s youthful and handsome face appeared, smiling so wide that his rows of teeth could be seen.


    "Qing Si! Qing Si! Qing Si!"


    Qing Si bowed toward the audience and blew a kiss. The women instantly burst into shrieks and the men whistled loudly. And then, Jiang Jinyan saw her. Carrying a banner like she always had, jumping and cheering together with the crowd of fans, cheeks flushed in excitement with her eyes twinkling like no other.


    It was such a familiar sight. But the difference was, the name in the banner was no longer his and the person whom she was cheering on was no longer him.


    Jiang Jinyan''s fingers twitched and he felt a soft nudge at the bottom of his feet.


    He snapped out of his thoughts and lowered his eyes to find a small fluff of grey ball. The ball had a pair of shining golden eyes that stared up at him followed by a soft, almost inaudible mewl. The little feline was fetched only a week ago. But before that, Jiang Jinyan had changed his thoughts countless times before he brought himself to the vet again.


    In the end, he still couldn''t bear to abandon it.


    When Jiang Jinyan met with a soft, round and fat kitten, he almost couldn''t believe his eyes. Where was the skinny, dirty and malnourished little thing he picked up a month ago? He pointed at the kitten''s head, brows furrowing. "Who is it?"


    The assistant almost died ofughter. Jiang Jinyan learned that his name was Guang Weiyuan. "Yes, Mr.Jiang. It is indeed your little kitten. Now that it''s well fed and regrly cleaned, its appearance has improved tremendously. British shorthair was beautiful to begin with. It''s only when it was abandoned that it looked horrible before."


    As if supporting Guang Weiyuan''s words, the little kitten with short, plump legs waddled to Jiang Jinyan and rubbed its head against his palm. Then, as Jiang Jinyan''s fingers curled in reflex, it opened its mouth and bit his fingers affectionately. Its golden eyes were watery and shining as it peered up at him, as if protesting sadly, "How can you not recognize me?"


    ¡­okay, it was his kitten for sure.


    Thus, due to the momentary impulse, Jiang Jinyan ended up bringing it home.


    However, right up to this moment, the little kitten still hadn''t got its name yet. Jiang Jinyan always called it ''little fe'' ''stupid shorty'' when he was in a good mood and ''hey'' ''you'' when he was in a bad mood.


    He reached out and brought the struggling kitten who was fighting to climb his pants up onto the sofa by his side. His fingers rubbed the scruff of its fluffy neck. It felt very warm and soft to the touch. His rippling emotion calmed down in an instant. "Stupid shorty, what do you want?"


    The kitten couldn''t withstand the temptation of being caressed and ended up rolling onto its belly. Its four paws reached out and kneaded onto air as it purred softly against Jiang Jinyan''s fingers. He spent some time in a daze as he kneaded the kitten''s soft and fleshy paw.


    "Behave." He said as he returned his gaze toward the screen.


    Coincidentally, it was showing the start of the high jump athleticspetition. The audience''s bursting cheer shot through the roof and in every single frame of the camera, there would be banners with Qing Si''s name on it.


    [1] Chuuni = chuunibyou. A Japanese term used to describe teens who have grandiose delusions, who desperately want to stand out and think that they have a super power. Typically a middle school syndrome.


    .


    A/N: we are getting to the climax in volume 1! Thank you very much ArcaneMag for the 30 golden tickets!!! I almost can''t believe my eyes lol QAQ this chappie is dedicated for you!

 Chapter 103 - He Didnt Know Exactly Where It Hurt

    The live report was still going on as thementer introduced Qing Si''s past achievement.


    "...not only is he a tenacious andmended youth that has gotten his first medal in national championship at the age of seventeen, Qing Si is also the disciple of Yong Jizhe, our veteran high jump athlete who has brought many medals home. The athletics high jump qualification section will begin now! Starting from Italy, we have Mr. Tamberi here." The scene switched to an Italian man with long limbs who was warming up. "The pole was being set with 2.2 meters height¡­"


    At the corner of the screen, Jiang Jinyan could see Coach Yong saying something to Qing Si with pursed lips. Even though he was expressionless and his face didn''t give anything away, Jiang Jinyan knew that the man was very displeased right now.


    The two talked for a while before Qing Si went to get ready.


    Mr.Tamberi gave off a magnificent performance as the starting contestant, giving pressure toward others.


    Next, there were contestants from the United States, Australia, Qatar, Canada, New Zend and Brus. One by one, the athletes performed with 120% effort, each was morepetitive than others. In the end, it was Qing Si''s turn.


    The reporter turned excited as he bbered. "It''s finally our home country''s turn! Let''s see¡­Qing Si is challenging 2.3 meters height?!"


    The crowd went into an uproar. The camera focused on Qing Si''s determined face. His eyes were bright and he took a deep breath. Even then, one could see the pride and smugness within his gaze. Coach Yong''s face was slightly dark, evidently he didn''t agree with Qing Si''s decision.


    Jiang Jinyan frowned.


    What the hell was this man thinking about?


    2.3 meters¡­In Jiang Jinyan''s memory, the highest record he had ever broken was 2.35 meters. At that time, he was in his best condition. Even he himself couldn''t believe that he could do it. Because there was no audience and pressure, he adapted the ''just try and see'' mindset.


    Jiang Jinyan recalled that Qing Si''s best record was 2.26 meters. He...


    A horrible spection suddenly popped up in Jiang Jinyan''s mind.


    Even at this crucial moment, Qing Si couldn''t have thought of defeating Jiang Jinyan''s previous record right?


    This was only the qualification, there was still the final! Even if he challenged 2.25 meters, he would still be the second best after Mr.Tamberi from Italy who had managed to achieve 2.28 meters. If he was Coach Yong, he too would have smacked Qing Si right on his face.


    Qing Si warmed up as the jury pulled up the pole. The spotlights shone brightly and he could see Qing Si''s forehead that was soaked in sweat. Qing Si went into position and dashed into a quick run amidst the ear deafening cheers.


    However, when Qing Si''s feet propelled up from the ground, Jiang Jinyan closed his eyes, couldn''t bear to look anymore. His heart almost went to his throat and he didn''t realize that he had clenched his fists so tight that his nails almost pierced into his flesh.


    "Ah!" Thementer eximed. The audience broke into multiple screams, one was louder than the other. "It''s a pity but the sole of Qing Si''s foot just touched the pole! That''s a pity, truly...let us see Qing Si''s score."


    Jiang Jinyan''s throat bobbed as he finally lifted his eyes. In the screen, Qing Si fell into the mattress, his face in a daze as if he hadn''tprehended what was happening yet. The jury scored his performance and shook his head.


    The thin pole¡ªdue to Qing Si''s bump¡ªtrembled and one end of it slipped from the post.


    Coach Yong rubbed his face and went to grab Qing Si''s arm to support him. Qing Si''s eyes reddened as he turned to Coach Yong but thetter gave him a nce which made him close his mouth.


    Qing Si''s stubbornness and arrogance just caused him a lifetime of regret right at a crucial moment.


    In the subsequent match, Jiang Jinyan couldn''t hear anything more. His mind was buzzing and his chest felt like it was on fire. He couldn''t describe what he felt. Just¡­it was just like a child which yearned so much for a toy, only to see another child y with it and break it with his own hands.


    If¡­If it was him, would he have done better?


    He would. He definitely would. Because he was way better than Qing Si.


    However, those thoughts just made it all the more painful. It was precisely because he knew that he could do better that the helplessness and hatred within him grewrger andrger.


    If it was him, then he would surely break a new record. If it was him, then he would surely make Coach Yong proud. If it was him¡­how he wished that he could be there.


    Jiang Jinyan sank lower into the sofa as he buried his face into the crook of his arms, the tips of his fingers trembling ever so slightly.


    The little kitten sensed that something was wrong with him and painstakingly climbed onto his thigh, meow-ing incessantly. The myriad of sounds¡ªthe reporter''sments, the audience''s cheers, clock ticking, buzz of air conditioner, the kitten''s calls and far in a distance, the ring of a phone¡­all of it magnified in Jiang Jinyan''s ears and the veins on his forehead bulged.


    In a fit of madness, something inside him snapped and he roared. "SHUT UP!"


    The kitten was so shocked that it tumbled down from his thigh andnded on the carpet, its body trembling. Jiang Jinyan pulled his hair, pain searing through his head. "Shut up! Shut up!" Everything was so noisy, it was so noisy that he wanted to destroy it all.


    He remembered Qing Si''s victorious smirk as he said. "You can no longer be an athlete."


    Then, Wei Xiameng''s usation tone as she said. "I don''t want you to think that I am heartless, that I will dump my boyfriend after he turned into a waste."


    After that, it all spiraled into Jiang Huocheng''s heavy sigh on theirst phone call. "Jinyan, about your mother¡­you don''t understand. You can do whatever you want then, no need to tell me."


    Jiang Jinyan reached out, wanting to smash something but he forgot that he hadn''t put on his artificial leg. His bnce shifted to the right and he couldn''t catch himself. His whole body tumbling down from the sofa and his head bumped into the corner of the low table in the process.


    It hurt. It hurt so much. But he didn''t know where exactly it hurt.


    Just¡­everything was painful.


    Heid on the ground, his eyes staring up nkly to the ceiling. Only the sound of his loud heartbeat and heavy breathing echoed in his ears.


    Jiang Jinyan didn''t know how long he stayed in that position. The light in the house wasn''t turned on and slowly, the room descended into darkness. The sun began to set and the air conditioner sted out cold air, lowering the temperature in the room further.


    Slowly, he calmed down and only then did he hear the muffled sound of his phone ringing.


    He propped himself up on his elbow and touched his forehead. It had swelled in such a short moment. He groped around for his phone and squinted his eyes due to the bright screen. As he saw the identity of the caller, his heart sank.


    Before the call disconnected, he answered it, his voice raspy and coarse. "Hello, Jiang Jinyan here."


    "Mr.Jiang! You have finally picked up!" The anxious female voice travelled loud and clear.


    Jiang Jinyan felt his stomach churn and his heart dropped to the pit of his stomach before he even spoke. "Did¡­something happen to my mother?"


    "You have toe here as soon as possible. Madam Jiang¡ª"


    In the next few minutes, Jiang Jinyan didn''t know how he hung up on the call, put on his artificial leg hastily and grabbed his wallet. The next thing he knew, he was already running down the street.


    .


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    A/N: Thank you very much for your golden ticket, Moon_Raven!!! *kiss*

 Chapter 104 - Can You Not Leave Me?

    There was a saying that, the more you didn''t want something to happen, the more likely it would happen instead.


    Summer rain was annoying. The weather was still hot and sticky, but the rain still came crashing down nheless. It didn''t diminish the heat, yet also didn''t offer anyfort in temperature. As if the only purpose of the rain was to drench all of the people below to sober them up in a certain moment.


    When Jiang Jinyan burst out of the taxi, his hair had already dampened. His head was aching and so was his leg. But all of it dimmed inparison to the anxiety, fear and panic within his chest. He half limped to the sanatorium. Even before he passed through the door, he had already caught sight of the front receptionistdy standing in front of the door as she waited for him.


    "What happened to my mother?!" His voice boomed to rival the rain.


    The receptionistdy''s face was pale, she said nothing more and brought him in instead. The sanatorium was currently in a mess. The workers, caretakers, doctors, all of them walking back and forth busily.


    Amidst his ringing head and the noisy crowd, Jiang Jinyan managed to catch a familiar figure. "Auntie Yuan!" He didn''t know how he looked right now, but as Yuan Xilu''s eyes fell on him, the rims of her eyes reddened. "W¡ªWhat happened to my mother?"


    "Young Master Jiang¡­she¡ª"


    "Move away! Move away!" The nurse eximed hastily. "Does the sanatorium have 300 ml of AB blood supply?!"


    "We do! Come with me!"


    Jiang Jinyan was pushed aside amidst the chaos and the pressure fell onto his right leg, making him grimace in pain soundlessly. But he couldn''t afford to care right now. He pulled on Yuan Xilu''s hands and urged, his voice breaking in the end. "What happened to my mother, Auntie Yuan? What happened to her?!"


    "She¡­" Yuan Xilu sighed wearily as she moved to avoid the busy crowd. Only then did Jiang Jinyan see that her white uniform was sttered with blood. Whose blood was it? Jiang Jinyan''s blood ran cold at the thought. "Calm down first, Young Master Jinyan. Everyone is trying to save her."


    "Isn''t she¡­" His voice cracked. "Isn''t she still fine a few days ago¡­?"


    The warmth on Yuan Xilu''s hands was the only thing that pulled Jiang Jinyan together. Yuan Xilu''s eyes were teary and red as she started to exin. It was a short yet ironic story. These days, it was unknown what happened but the medicine and voice recording didn''t work on Guan Xiaoxiao anymore.


    Jiang Huocheng''s words which would always work had failed and Guan Xiaoxiao wasn''t so easy to be coaxed anymore.


    "Where is he?! Where is Huocheng? I want to see him! I want to see him right now or else I will die!" Guan Xiaoxiao''s mental illness wasing back in full force and her mind was exceedingly unstable day by day. They tried to contact Jiang Huocheng, trying to persuade him toe but his phone was turned off all the time. They could only manage to find Jiang Huocheng''s secretary¡ªSi Zhening¡ªbut Mr.Si was also helpless.


    It was unknown what Jiang Huocheng said, but Si Zhening''s answer was, "I am very sorry but CEO Jiang is really unavable at this moment. He wille back next month. Please wait until then."


    Jiang Jinyan''splexion was ashy. "My father¡­is on another business trip. He will not check his personal cell phone if he''s busy."


    Moreover, it wasn''t one or two days that Guan Xiaoxiao started to throw a tantrum. Why should he care about it?


    Yet no one knew. This time, Guan Xiaoxiao didn''t throw a tantrum nor was she crazy. Her mind was absolutely clear, it was never clearer before. She meant every single word she said. When Jiang Huocheng didn''te day after day, she was consumed with more and more despair.


    Maybe she had reached her limit or maybe she had decided to give up. In a literal sense.


    Yuan Xilu tried to soften her words so as to not shock Jiang Jinyan but he understood it instantly.


    Guan Xiaoxiao couldn''t bear Jiang Huocheng''s absence, cold behavior, abandonment and alienation anymore and finally, decided tomit suicide by biting her own wrist.


    The nurse barged out of the door. "Is Mr. Jiang Huocheng here yet?! The patient keeps on calling his name!"


    "I¡­" Jiang Jinyan stepped forward.


    "Are you Mr. Jiang Huocheng?" The nurse looked at him upside down.


    Jiang Jinyan didn''t know how to describe what he felt at that moment. "No, I am Jiang Jinyan, her son."


    "Where is your father?"


    "He can''te."


    The nurse frowned, her lips pursed tight. "Okay, you can also do it. Come in and talk to your mother so that she can keep her consciousness."


    Jiang Jinyan numbly followed behind the nurse and he stopped on his tracks as he took in Guan Xiaoxiao''s appearance. Weak, fragile, dying. Huge, bleeding bite mark on her wrist was being treated but the heartbeat monitor kept on giving an rm signal. "The blood pressure is dropping rapidly! It''s not good!"


    The nurse who brought Jiang Jinyan in urged him. "Mr. Jiang, can you please talk to your mother? Her will to live is very weak and it''s a dangerous phase for her right now!"


    The thunder rumbled far in the distance, but Jiang Jinyan felt it like it had pummeled directly down his head. He staggered onto Guan Xiaoxiao''s side and took her free hand. It''s very thin and cold, brittle and weak. "Mother¡­" His voice made Guan Xiaoxiao''s eyes crack open a bit, her breath fogging the oxygen mask.


    Jiang Jinyan''s legs gave up under him as he kneeled by her bedside, his head lowered to her palm. Shoulders trembled incessantly. "Mother¡­" There were so many things he ought to say like ''Don''t give up'' ''Father will be here soon'' ''I will be here for you no matter what'' but he couldn''t say it.


    Because none of it was what Guan Xiaoxiao wanted to hear.


    Even the person who was saying it wasn''t the person whom she was waiting for.


    "Don''t leave me¡­" Hot tears ran down his cheeks.. "Can you not leave me¡­?" he whispered, pleading.

 Chapter 105 - No Place Could Offer Him Sanctuary

    Guan Xiaoxiao''s chapped lips opened and a droplet of crystal liquid slid down the corner of her eyes. "Jinyan¡­"


    "The vital sign is stabilizing! Keep it up!" The nurse eximed in joy.


    "En, it''s me." Jiang Jinyan ignored the pain on his leg and crawled forward on his knees. "Mother, it''s me, Jinyan. You will be okay. You have to be okay¡­"


    Guan Xiaoxiao weakly squeezed his hand and offered him a sad smile. "Mother¡­isn''t a good mother at all, right?"


    Jiang Jinyan''s throat choked up as he shook his head again and again. "It''s not true..."


    "Mother is sorry¡­Jinyan, I''m very sorry¡­" Guan Xiaoxiao''s chest heaved and foam formed on the corner of his mouth.


    "Not good!" The heartbeat monitor was going out of control again. The screen showed irregr waves before finally, like someone was pressing down on it, the line turned t and a long beep sounded. "Prepare the defibritor!"


    The nurse pulled Jiang Jinyan up. "Mr. Jiang, please stand by the side for a moment!"


    Jiang Jinyan stumbled backward and a wave of searing pain rushed from his knees up to his head before swirling down to his chest. The nurses and doctors crowded around Guan Xiaoxiao''s limp body. The doctor yelled, "Clear!" and Guan Xiaoxiao''s body jerked up. But the heartbeat line remained t.


    Jiang Jinyan''s hand was grabbed and he was pulled out. It took a moment for him to realize that it was Yuan Xilu. He turned to the middle aged woman in daze. His lips trembled.


    She said¡­sorry? For what? For not remembering him? For only keeping Jiang Huocheng in her heart and no one else? Or¡­because no matter how he pleaded, she would still leave in the end?


    Jiang Jinyan didn''t know how that day ended. It just felt like a long, endless nightmare. From the desperation due to Qing Si''s blunder, his mother''sst words, up to the painful yet short wait, all of it hammered upon his head like boulders, pressing him so hard that he couldn''t breathe.


    The doctor''s final words echoed in his ears, seemingly like it hade from a ce far away. "Time of death, 24th June 3.17 pm. Cause: excessive blood loss. We are very sorry for your loss, Mr.Jiang."


    Yuan Xilu''s soft cries sounded beside him. The doctor''s meaningless constion, the buzz of noises around, the sight of white cloth covering Guan Xiaoxiao''s face from the crack of the door, it spun within Jiang Jinyan''s sight as the ground beneath his feet sank into nothingness.


    Amidst his hazy consciousness, Yuan Xilu hugged him, patting his back incessantly while weeping. "Young master Jiang¡­it''s okay. Maybe¡­maybe it''s the best for her. She has been suffering for a long time."


    The best¡­for Guan Xiaoxiao? Death?


    Jiang Jinyan had no idea how to process a funeral. He passed through the days, his head muddled and hazy as if he was still dreaming. It was Yuan Xilu who took care of everything until Guan Xiaoxiao could be buried right beside her father and mother''s cenotaphs, inside of the Guan Family''s cemetery. Atst, the Guan''s little princess could return to her parents'' loving embrace once again.


    The summer rain had receded and the smothering hot weather returned in full force. Jiang Jinyan wore a piece of ck suit which he had never worn before. His cheeks sunken in in emaciation even though only three days had passed since Guan Xiaoxiao''s death.


    People flocked into the cemetery. Sobbing, wiping tears, mourning. All of them wore ck and white. Most were people Jiang Jinyan had never seen before. His mother''s old friends, university ssmates, former neighbors, Madam and Sir Guan''s close friends. But no husband.


    The only person who had the closest connection to her wasn''t present.


    Nevertheless, everyone remained silent in tacit cooperation.


    Somehow, Jiang Jinyan wished that someone would approach him and asked, "Where''s your father? Why haven''t we seen him?" But on the other hand, he feared that kind of question too because he didn''t know how he was going to answer that.


    It wasughable, ironic and tragic. Just like Guan Xiaoxiao''s fairy tales which she hated the most. Ones with sad endings as closure.


    The love that she yearned to have ended up being the one which destroyed her life.


    In memorial of a loving wife and mother.


    Guan Xiaoxiao


    7th February 1980 ¨C 24th June 2021


    May your soul be blessed with peace and serenity.


    "Young Master¡­" Yuan Xilu, with a haggard face thick in fatigue, rested a hand upon his shoulder. "Let''s return."


    Jiang Jinyan heard himself speak. "I want to be here for a while."


    Yuan Xilu sympathized yet helpless against him. In the end, everyone gradually left and only Jiang Jinyan remained in front of the newly buried tomb surrounded by fresh, crimson roses which was Guan Xiaoxiao''s favorite. He reached out and picked up one, only for the thorn to prick his fingers, blood oozed out from the open wound and he looked in daze as it dripped onto the red soil like a drop of silent tear.


    Ever since that day, when Jiang Jinyan pleaded with Guan Xiaoxiao to stay, he had never shed another tear.


    The sun plundered fiercely from above, grilling and sizzling, the temperature was almost inhuman. Jiang Jinyan felt sweat covering theyer of his skin, dampening his suit and hair. Yet he didn''t move. His eyes half lidded, looking at Guan Xiaoxiao''s photo in front of him.


    Such a sweet smile.


    One that he had never seen before.


    He pulled out his phone and pressed the number which had been engraved into his bones. The waiting tone echoed in the empty cemetery, adding to the desteness and loneliness of the smiling woman''s face. It rang for five times before the mechanical female voice answered him.


    "The number you''re calling cannot be reached at this moment. Please leave a message after the beep¡ª"


    He numbly ended the call and redialed. Again and again.


    "The number you''re calling cannot be reached at this moment. Please leave a message after the beep¡ª"


    "The number you''re calling cannot be reached at this moment. Please leave a message after the beep¡ª"


    He didn''t know how many times he had called until finally, the call was connected. There was a few seconds of silence between them before Jiang Huocheng spoke. An undeniable trace of exhaustion and weariness on his tone. "¡­Jinyan?"


    Jiang Jinyan stared at Guan Xiaoxiao''s brightly smiling face. "Where are you?"


    "What''s wrong? I¡ª"


    "Mother died." He cut Jiang Huocheng off. "Mother died. Shemitted suicide and your name was the one she kept on calling. Where are you?" Jiang Jinyan couldn''t detect any emotion in his voice. It was t, cold and numb.


    The other side of the phone was silent for a while. Jiang Jinyan didn''t know if it was the wind howling beside his ears or the rustling trees above his head, but he seemed to hear a shaky exhale, so soft and quiet like a feather floating in midair before gentlynding onto the surface of a frozenke.


    "Jinyan," Jiang Huocheng''s voice was hoarse and raspy. "I''m sorry¡­"


    I''m sorry¡­


    Again. Guan Xiaoxiao said it and now, Jiang Huocheng also said it.


    Exactly what were they sorry for?


    The calm fa?ade he tried to put on crack with only those two words and anger burst forth like an unstoppable erupting volcano, clouding his sight and mind. "I am asking where are you?! Why aren''t you saying anything?! Why don''t you exin what exactly you are sorry for?! What didn''t I understand?! TELL ME!" The heat from the sun seared into his head and his eyes blurred from the sweat which dripped onto it.


    It stung like hell that he couldn''t open his eyes for a moment.


    His harsh breathing reverberated through the empty space and the beautiful rose was crushed within his fist. The thorns pierced into his flesh, blood dripping from the gaps of his fingers. Yet he never realized it. After he finished venting, there was no answer from Jiang Huocheng. As expected of him.


    Jiang Jinyan sneered and hung up on the call.


    Silence reigned across the air once again and Guan Xiaoxiao''s smiling face remained the same. Frozen at the peak of happiness as she wished to.


    Time passed like receding tide and the sun starting to set down the horizon. In the empty cemetery, stood Jiang Jinyan''s figure whose person seemed like he was being hollowed out.


    Tired. He felt nothing but immensely tired. Yet no ce could offer him sanctuary and nothing could grant him salvation.


    There were 7.6 billion people on Earth but Jiang Jinyan had never felt so alone like right now. As if he was the only one left. Forlorn and lonesome.


    It was an unforgettable summer. It could be because of the torrid heatwave or the incongruity of the situation which made everything seemughable. Or maybe, it was both.


    .


    .


    A/N: Thank you JJson101 for your golden tickets!!!

 Chapter 106 - Which Floor Do You Want To Stay On?

    The private nended smoothly in the Capital and the group of five descended. Maybe it was because of Xu Binchen''s show of wealth that had numbed her mind but when they exited the arrival terminal only to find an ordinary Volkswagen waiting for them, Shi Nian''s face expressed genuine shock.


    Xu Binchen confirmed their destination with the driver and put their luggage into the trunk. Her change of expression didn''t escape his eyes. "What''s wrong? Are you so shocked that I am not driving a Rolls-Royce or Lamborghini?"


    It wasn''t wrong but him saying it like that didn''t seem true either¡­


    Shi Nian''s face turned conflicted and in the next moment, a fleeting touch fell upon her head.


    "Get on." Xu Binchen slid into the passenger seat.


    Shi Nian touched the ce where Xu Binchen''s hand had justnded and all of her thoughts went out of the window. The three women slid into the back seat while Wang Chengbing waved them goodbye. After resting for a full three hours on the ne, hisplexion was suffused with rosiness. He looked nothing like the walking dead he was before.


    "I will go my own way from here on. Goodbye, Senior Ru, Madam Shi and Shi Nian! Let us meet again soon!" Hugging a backpack with only aptop in it, Wang Chengbing slid into the crowd and disappeared from their sight in a blink of an eye. It was a wonder how he could do that with his plump body.


    Wang Chengbing excluded Xu Binchen from his greeting and thetter didn''t care either. He rolled up the window andmanded in a cool tone. "Start driving."


    The airport in the Capital was totally different from how it was in City A. Afterall, City A was only deemed as a big city due to its public hospital, university and green, suburban area which had a huge potential in development. However, the Capital was a truly busy and lively city for everyone in every aspect of life. The whole ce seemed to be soaked in a jubnt and exuberant mood.


    The cars were denser in count and traffic jams were amon sight everyday. Railway trains were built above their heads with criss-cross roads circling like a stack of lego. It looked very novel and sophisticated.


    "Hello, Madam and Miss Shi." The driver introduced himself with a bright smile. He looked around Xu Binchen''s age but the temperament between the two was contrastly different, like those of moon and sun. "My name is Qin Weizhe. I am a detective in Police HQ, Miss Ru and Binchen''s colleagues."


    When Qin Weizhe smiled, his eyes crinkled and the area around him seemed to light up along with him.


    "Nice to meet you, Mr.Qin." Qiang Fei greeted.


    "Oh, no, no. Madam. Don''t be so polite. Just call me Weizhe or Xiao Qin. I am very wee toward beautifuldies¡ªoof!"


    Xu Binchen pped the back of his head. "Don''t flirt with every woman you meet."


    "How can you nder me like that?" He grumbled incessantly yet when he turned to Qiang Fei and Shi Nian, his million watt smile returned in full force. "It''s very tiring to be with Binchen right? I am a year older than him but he never gives me any respect at all. He''s rude, standoffish, cold and not afraid of anything¡ª"


    Xu Binchen frowned. "Can you shut up?"


    "See?!" Qin Weizhe''s joke melted the awkward atmosphere and the car was filled withughter. He peeked out from the rearview mirror to see Ru Meiqi looking at her phone seriously. Clearing his throat, he asked. "Miss Ru, what are you doing? So busy¡­have you possibly got a boyfriend in City A?"


    He asked in a casual tone yet the tightening motion of his hands on the steering wheel betrayed his thought.


    Ru Meiqi didn''t notice anything and answered. "Oh, I am just informing our captain that we havended safely. He''s quite a worrywart, you see."


    "The Captain? Jin Renguang?"


    Ru Meiqi hummed, not realizing the hidden sour tone within Qin Weizhe''s question. But the man skillfully covered everything and returned to joking around with Qiang Fei and Shi Nian to loosen the atmosphere. "Don''t be afraid. Capital is very safe with us around. You can stay in the ce we''ve arranged temporarily. There''s a supermarket up ahead, aundry shop, mall and the nearest police station is only two streets away!"


    Qiang Fei offered her immense gratitude. "Thank you very much, Mr.Qin¡ªah, no Weizhe."


    Shi Nian nodded along with a smile.


    Qin Weizhe grinned foolishly. He acted like a tour guide, introducing them to the interesting ces along the street like the street food, karaoke, downtown, salon, spa, mall, school, university. He practically knew every single corner in the Capital.


    The ce which the police arranged for them was an apartment district which had a tight security around. The area was serene, peaceful and beautiful. There was also a public park and jogging track. It was more than they could have asked for.


    "Just stay here for a while until you find a fixed ce, okay? No, no, don''t worry. The right side of the area, including the two apartment buildings, belongs to our Binchen here, so feel free to stay in there as long as you want. Right, Binchen?"


    Thus, two pairs of wide eyes turned to Xu Binchen. Ignoring their shock, Xu Binchen nodded. "I live here too. So, you two are considered my tenants."


    Qiang Fei questioned what was also in Shi Nian''s mind. "Mr Xu, so¡­you''re from Capital then? Sorry, I thought that you''re a native in City A."


    The car stopped in front of a twenty story apartment building which had a rotating door. The floor was covered in ceramic and the wall was painted in a clean, woody color. Xu Binchen took off his seat belt and got out of the door. "Yes, I used to live in the Capital. These days, I follow where my captain goes."


    Qin Weizhe pulled the rug out of his feet. "Oh, don''t say it like you''re so loyal to your captain. Jin Renguang will get a heart attack if he hears that."


    Ru Meiqi muffled augh at his words which made Qin Weizhe grow more energetic.


    "You don''t know right, Madam Shi?" Qin Weizhe excitedly sold his colleagues out. "The total amount of Xu Binchen''s wealth can rival the CEO of Henan Corporation. He could have lived his life freely as andlord and money would still fly into his pocket but he insisted on applying to be a detective. Isn''t it such a waste?!"


    Xu Binchen pulled open the trunk and called out. "What are you dilly dallying for? Come here and help me."


    Qiang Fei felt awkward discussing the wealth of someone who wasn''t familiar to her andughed dryly. Instead, it was Shi Nian who grew curious. She had once asked Xu Binchen why he wanted to be a detective but the man didn''t give her a definite answer.


    It looked like there was something more to it than what met the eye.


    The security guards, upon seeing Xu Binchen, hastily went to help, which Xu Binchen dly epted. He went ahead of everyone and went to the receptionist to get the key, Shi Nian followed behind him.


    Xu Binchen beckoned to Shi Nian. "Come here and see. Which floor do you want to stay on?"


    This¡­was such a CEO-like question, Shi Nian mused inwardly. She pointed at Qiang Fei, meaning that she would go with whatever thetter wanted.


    Upon hearing Xu Binchen''s question, Qiang Fei hastily waved her hand, grimacing. "Please, don''t be so courteous, Mr.Xu. We can do with whatever."


    Xu Binchen nodded curtly and said to the receptionist.. "Give them the room beside mine then. It''s still empty right?"

 Chapter 107 - Just A Little Sister

    Thendlord himself had dered thus the tenants could do nothing but obey. Xu Binchen''s room was situated on the twentieth as well as the highest floor. The higher it was, the wider each space of the room would be. From the first floor to the fifteenth, there were five rooms on each floor. Sixteenth to neenth, three rooms and the mighty twentieth floor only had two rooms. One of which was Xu Binchen''s and the other would be upied by Qiang Fei and Shi Nian from here on.


    It was honestly too luxurious, so to speak and Qiang Fei was ready to give a final struggle but the man''s reason had been too logical. "It''s safer to live beside a police officer. If something happens, you can directly cross the floor to my door and in case are there any suspicious people, we can identify them easily. There is 360 degree CCTV on my floor, no blind spot. Safety guaranteed. It''s much more efficient this way."


    ¡­it was the best situation for both Shi Nian and Qiang Fei.


    Thetter had to go to work by day and if Shi Nian lived alone, she would worry too. But now, because of Xu Binchen, she could put her worries aside for the time being.


    Thus, the moving process continued smoothly.


    The room was very wide, cozy and beautiful. The floor to ceiling window was ced on one side of the wall which faced the multiple sky high building. If it was nighttime, then the scenery would surely be as beautiful as the sky of twinkling stars flowing through the darkness. There was a hammock and bean bag ced by the window. The room came with a wide 32 inch TV with a long couch and two separate bedrooms with personal bathroom in it.


    Shi Nian opened the door to her bedroom to see soft sky blue wallpaper, floor covered in thin carpet, queen size bed with canopy curtain in the middle of the room, dressing table, a huge wardrobe,and with each breath she took, she could smell the warm scent of sunshine in the air.


    "Do you like it?" Xu Binchen''s voice came from behind her. "If you don''t, you may change it as you please."


    Shi Nian shook her head furiously.


    Xu Binchen might not have seen her former house. Even this bedroom was as wide as her living room plus kitchen. She ced her luggage on the floor and bowed to the man. He had given her a new cell phone, rented them his private ne and now, offered them a ce to live.


    Even though he was frank, insensitive and annoying, deep down, Xu Binchen was honestly a truly good person.


    Xu Binchen waved his hand nonchntly. "It''s your ce from now on. I am just across the door if you need me." He fished out his ringing phone from his pocket and gave it a nce. "I will get going now. See youter." As usual, he didn''t need to wait for anyone''s answer as he directly strode out after greeting Qiang Fei.


    Shi Nian snapped out of her thoughts and hurriedly pried open her luggage bag and dug into it. Her hands made a ruckus and clothes ended up scattered all across the floor. After finding what she sought for, she dashed out to Qiang Fei''s room and gave a few gestures in urgency.


    "Where are you going? Heye back soon!" Qiang Fei''s voice trailed behind her as she waved in reply.


    Shi Nian didn''t even have any time to wear her shoes as she ran out barefooted and barely caught Xu Binchen in front of the elevator. The man''s deep voice echoed within the hallway. "Yes, I am going down soon. We will go together." He raised his brows as he saw Shi Nian. "Okay,ter."


    He hung up the call and asked. "What''s wrong?"


    In her scurry, she didn''t even bring her phone. She patted around her body helplessly and found nothing that she could use to write. Xu Binchen''s frown got deeper with each second. He handed her his phone. "Here, type on it."


    Shi Nian directly grasped Xu Binchen''s wrist, much to his surprise.


    The girl lifted her head to meet his eyes. The sunshine from the window illuminated her golden eyes and dark pupils, like an unpolished precious gem with hidden treasure within, swirling in the form of molten gold. Xu Binchen fell into a trance as Shi Nian closed her eyes for two seconds before opening them again.


    "¡­what?" She repeated the movement and Xu Binchen slowly had an inkling of what she wanted to say. "You want me to close my eyes?"


    Shi Nian smiled, her eyes curved into crescents.


    His sharp and dark eyes bore down onto her, as if trying to seek her soul through the depth of her smile. He didn''t move nor did heply with her request. Gradually, awkwardness brewed within Shi Nian as she pulled her hand back.


    She had thought that he wouldn''t possibly concede to her childish request but much to her surprise, the man spat out in a great reluctance and impatience. "Fine." Notwithstanding how he was still frowning as if the whole world owed him a million dors.


    Shi Nian suppressed a smile and quickly took the things out of her pocket.


    Xu Binchen only felt her fingers¡ªsoft and pliant¡ªdid wonder to his wrist. It felt ticklish, like feathers grazing mischievously across his skin. The sensation shot right through his arms, making it slightly numb. Then, something wrapped around his wrist and Shi Nian tapped two times on the back of his palm.


    Lucky. If she took a few seconds more, Xu Binchen might not hold on much longer.


    His eyes snapped open and he directly lowered his eyes. His whole person became stunned at the sight of a red braid bracelet that circled snugly against his wrist. His brows rose to his forehead as he fiddled with it. "What the heck is this rope?"


    Shi Nian almost rolled her eyes up to the sky. She typed on Xu Binchen''s phone.


    [It''s a Buddhist bracelet that I got when I visited the temple with Sister Meiqi before. The monk said that it can bring good luck and prosperity to the wearer and it can also shield you from evil and any dangerous idents. You''re a detective and your work is dangerous¡­]


    Just one nce and Xu Binchen could tell that it was all a bunch of marketing nonsense. If a mere rope could deflect evil, then there would be no crime in this world. But the words which came out from his mouth became, "It''s for me?"


    Shi Nian beamed and nodded.


    He fiddled with it with his fingers and hummed quietly. "¡­Thank you."


    [You''re wee, Uncle detective. Stay safe doing your work.]


    Whatever it was that passed through Xu Binchen''s heart in that fleeting moment, before he could define it clearly, it was all awashed by the uncle detective that was typed in a huge font right in front of his very eyes. Xu Binchen didn''t know why he felt very disgruntled and he almost had the urge to flick her forehead until she cried out in pain.


    He huffed in annoyance. "Well, even though I never believe in those superstitious things, I ept your sentiment. Just make sure that you aren''t scammed by those glib tongue sellers again in the future."


    Shi Nian: "¡­"


    The elevator arrived in a timely manner and Xu Binchen nodded curtly. "See youter." Then, the man took two steps forward with his long legs and pressed on the ground floor number. Shi Nian''s puffy cheeks were thest thing he saw before the door fully closed.


    His eyes focused on the descending number on the screen in front of him yet his fingers were still pulling and ying on the red bracelet. Then, slowly...a small, gentle smile made its way up to his face.


    ***


    "Say, what do you think he''s doing?" Qin Weizhe whined incessantly. "He isn''t flirting with any woman inside right? He said that he''sing down but the elevator has been going up and down for ages and he''s still nowhere to be found!"


    Ru Meiqi shot him a nce. "You think he''s like you?"


    "M¡ªMe?" He pointed at his own nose, halfughing and half bbergasted. "I don''t flirt with anyone, you know!"


    "Sure, sure." She said offhandedly.


    "What are you busy with?" He hastily changed the topic as he saw Ru Meiqi didn''t even lift her head to see him.


    "Giving updates to my captain."


    "Captain, Captain," He grumbled quietly with a scoff. "Does he think that he''s a babysitter that you ought to update him every minute?"


    The corner of Ru Meiqi''s lips curled upward as amusement shed past her eyes. "Nice, babysitter Jin. It suits him very much. Let me tell him in a moment. He will surely offer his immense gratitude to you."


    Qin Weizhe: "¡­" I am notplimenting him!


    "Are you done talking?" Xu Binchen approached them, the hem of his coat fluttering along with the wind. His long legs stretched out, its sole covered in shiny, polished shoes. His gait was cool and unhurried as if this ordinary stony road was his red carpet. Qin Weizhe felt like his eyes were going to burn from looking at him.


    "Done." Ru Meiqi pocketed her phone. "Let''s go back to the headquarters. I need to meet Chief Song."


    Qin Weizhe grumbled incessantly in his heart. His sight inadvertently passed through Xu Binchen''s hands and saw a new red bracelet that wasn''t there before. "Yi[1]? What is that? You aren''t wearing that before, are you?"


    Sometimes, Xu Binchen really hated how a great observational skill within Qin Weizhe was paired with the dense and insensitive nature of his. He hummed in a low tone and slipped onto the passenger seat. "Let''s go. I am hungry."


    "Aiyah, don''t brush me off!" Qin Weizhe''s gossip soul was ignited and even when he started the car and drove out from the apartment district, he stilltched on and didn''t want to let it go. "Tell me, who gave it to you? Let me guess¡­is it the little miss, Shi Nian?"


    Of course, Xu Binchen pretended to have selective deafness.


    "Binchen¡­Binchen ah~tell me, pleaseeee..."


    Ru Meiqi and Xu Binchen: "Shut up!"


    "If you dare to whine with that sticky tone again, I will kick you out!" Ru Meiqi scowled threateningly.


    Qin Weizhe shut up obediently and didn''t dare to let out any beep anymore.


    Ru Meiqi huffed in irritation and brushed her fingers through her hair. Her eyes caught sight of the red bracelet around Xu Binchen''s wrist and she recalled when Shi Nian bought three of them. One for Xu Binchen, one for Qiang Fei and the other¡­who was it for?


    Ru Meiqi didn''t ruminate on it further and only warned him. "She''s still a minor. I don''t want to put you in jail for this."


    Xu Binchen almost rolled his eyes out of its sockets. "What the hell are you two thinking about? I treat her as a little sister." His eyes drawled to the passing blurry scenery out of the window, as fleeting as time which flowed away in a blink of an eye.


    "Just as a little sister..." He repeated in a low, inaudible murmur. Whether to himself or the two others in the car, only he knew.


    [1] Yi = surprise exim


    .


    .


    End of Volume 1 - [Cherry Blossom - Rebirth]

 Chapter 108 - Kindness That Need No Return

    "What are you doing there?"


    The man''s voice shocked Shi Nian so much that her hand jerked and the edge of the sharp tool pierced her fingers, instantly drawing blood. But she couldn''t afford to care right now. She stuffed the wooden te and the sharp tool behind her back and stood up hastily.


    General Jiang Jinyan approached from afar, wearing only a thin, ck kimono with a coat draped across his shoulder. The frontpel of the kimono was loose, showing an expanse of health, bronze color skin gilded with numerous scars, both new and old.


    Soft strands of hair brushed against his cheek, half covering the hideous scar which ran across his left cheek. His eyes were staring attentively at her, as if she was an object worth observing.


    Shi Nian shook her head and pretended that she was just looking around at the back garden that was filled with blossoming pink petals. Because of her care, General Jiang Jinyan''s cherry blossom trees thrived magnificently, its bloom was full in grandeur, shards of pink and white washing the General''s residence everyday, coloring the dull and somber ambience.


    Under her feet, pots of orchids, bonsais and all of those nts which were befitting of an old man lined up neatly.


    And she, standing in the middle of all of it, was just like a little fairy that got lost in Eden.


    Jiang Jinyan fell into a trance in a split second before recovering himself. His eyebrows raised casually as his gaze raked all across her. The longer he stared, the more nervous Shi Nian became.


    "Are you nting a poisonous herb in my garden?" he probed casually.


    Shi Nian''s eyes widened in shock as she hastily denied his usation.


    "No?" Seeing how hard she shook her head, mirth filled Jiang Jinyan''s eyes. "So, what''s up with that block of wood?"


    Shi Nian froze in ce. Her effort was all busted just by a single nce of the Great General of Wei Dynasty. She chewed her lips anxiously and finally gave up on hiding what she was doing. Gingerly, she reached out the hands behind her back and opened her palm.


    Jiang Jinyan gave a closer look and was stunned in ce.


    It was just an ordinary wooden nk. Presumably it was one piece among trash that wasn''t useful anymore. The servants were patching the farmtely so they might have left many broken woods behind. No one would notice if there''s one of them missing.


    The wooden nk had been cut so nicely that its sharp edges were gone. Its surface was polished with oil and words had been carved atop of it. Line of words. Some had three characters, some had two. Lei Liqiu, Ru Meiqi, Cao Ting, Qiang Fei¡­


    General Jiang blinked. Realization dawned on him. "Your fellow witches?"


    Shi Nian puffed up her cheeks in annoyance. She had told him many times that she wasn''t a witch! It was just that they were born with the ability to borrow the Earth''s spiritual power and transfer it to others. So they could easily grow nts and heal wounds. Of course, such a magic was seen as abhorrent and appalling by ordinary people. Thus came the title ''Witch of the Dark Forest''.


    "You are making cenotaphs for them?"


    Shi Nian pursed her lips and nodded. Her sisters¡­some of them had died back in the forest and some were beheaded in public. She herself had left them all behind without retrieving their corpses. Time passed and their bodies had rotted or been eaten by wild beasts with possibly not even bones remaining thus, this was the only thing she could do.


    Pray that their soul would be able to go into the path of reincarnation soon.


    Jiang Jinyan caught her wrist and Shi Nian struggled in reflex.


    "Shush," he chided softly. "Don''t move. Let me see your fingers." The man''s eyshes were very long and curly as he lowered his head. "How did you graze your hands all over like this?"


    Jiang Jinyan''s hands wererge, contrasted with her skinny, emaciated ones. Now that they were lined up together, it was more obvious than ever. Pale and bronze skinplemented each other, and he gently pried open her curled fingers one by one and wiped the blood away. Coarse callouses swiped the pad of her fingers, the ticklish sensation almost made her squirm.


    "Does it hurt?"


    She shook her head. This kind of pain was nothing at all.


    "Silly child." He muttered. "If you want to do it, you can ask the other servants. Your wounds have only just healed and now, you''re adding on to them again."


    Shi Nian listened in ce as Jiang Jinyan lectured her, petrified. The way he treated her¡ªa mere stranger¡ªwas too kind, too generous. Saving her, offering her a ce to stay, caring about her wounds, apanying her as she practiced her hideous handwriting, telling her to eat more, worrying about her mental state¡­


    She grew up bearing humans'' malice and doubts that it was hard to digest this kind of kindness which didn''t request anything in return. It made her¡­vulnerable and weak.


    "Follow me." He pulled her along and this time, Shi Nian couldn''t bring herself to reject him.


    The both of them followed the stony path to the back of the residence which she had never ventured to before. General Jiang''s residence was too spacious and wide and Shi Nian didn''t dare to act presumptuously. The only ces she ever went to were her room, the main hall and Jiang Jinyan''s room¡ªalbeit it was only one time when he was injured.


    When they turned into a corner, a new world opened up in front of Shi Nian''s eyes.


    So many¡­so many flowers! Rose, peony, daffodil, daisy, begonia, tulips. It was like she was walking across the sea of rainbows that consisted of all the beautiful things in the world. Astonished, amazed, awed, Shi Nian could do nothing but gawk at this spectacr sight.


    "Do you like it?" he asked.


    He offered his arm to her. She reached out, avoided his scabbed wound, and wrote with the tip of her finger. [Your flowers?]


    He hummed softly. "Isn''t it beautiful? I have spent too much time in wars. There is too much grief, desperation, rage and hatred in them. Everytime I return, I will spend some time here. Merely gazing at this scenery...gives me the illusion that my sinful soul has been granted salvation."


    Shi Nian looked up to see his chiseled side features.


    That kind of gaze again¡­

 Chapter 109 - Bird In The Cage

    Every time Jiang Jinyan gazed at flowers¡ªboth here and the cherry blossom trees outside¡ªhe would bear this kind of gaze. Joy, tenderness with a hint of sadness and yearning.


    He turned to her, and all of those deep emotions dissipated like mere delusions. His eyes curved ever so slightly and the corner of his lips gently lifted. In one nce, it wouldn''t look like he was smiling. Only when one stared fixedly into those eyes of his could one catch a hint of smile that was hidden too deeply within. It really made one wonder how strong of an armor he built to cover himself.


    Something inside Shi Nian''s heart stirred along with those profound thoughts.


    "You can keep the cenotaphs here." His voice brought her out of her reverie, and she was ashamed to find that she had been staring intently at his face. Fortunately, he didn''t realize. Or maybe, he just didn''t have any intention to point it out. "There," He gestured toward the sea of yellow and white flowers, its bright petals swaying and caressing the white daisies beside. "You can keep it there. It''s newly bloomed daffodils. New beginning, hope, bravery. The path thee brought forth must be one of happiness. I think it suits you and your sisters very much."


    Shi Nian''s sight blurred as she stared at the thriving flowers and it took her a while to realize that she was crying. She had never wept before. Not since she followed him here.


    But now, as she listened to his even, soft voice enunciated the meaning of this bright yellow and white flowers, crack formed in her defenses and the feelings that she tried so hard to suppress¡ªoften in the middle of the night, when she awoke from nightmares¡ªburst forth like an unstoppable tsunami.


    She dug into the red soil and nted the self made, crude cenotaph there. Kneeling, she gazed at each of her sister''s names and kowtowed three times. Jiang Jinyan stood behind her. Gently apanying, silently filling the void in her heart. His presence offered immense security to the fifteen years old girl who was left behind alone in this vast world.


    A warm touch fell upon her head and the man''s deep voice followed. "Grieve. Only with this will you be able to let go of the painful past."


    She closed her eyes as warm liquid slid down her cheeks, dripping to her jaw before disappearing into the wet soil.


    I wish you all¡­a hopeful beginning filled with bravery.


    Darkness spread through her eyes and a sense of weightlessness attacked her all of a sudden. Shi Nian now realized that she was dreaming but she couldn''t wake up. It was so real, too real that she wanted to relish in them a while longer.


    She was still kneeling but the location was no longer behind General Jiang''s residence.


    Her ears were ringing and a familiar, children''s song echoed around her.


    Kagome kagome/ The bird in the cage;


    When, oh when will ite out


    In the night of dawn


    The crane and turtle slipped


    Who is behind you now?


    Children''sughter filled her senses and someone eximed. "Who is behind you now?!" The question was repeated over and over again, and the childish, sticky voice turned into the kind of inexplicable eeriness that induced fear.


    Shi Nian wrapped her arms around her tiny body. She felt herself speak. "Who is it ah? Hmm, let me guess. Is it Xiao Chun?"


    She directly peeled open the blindfold around her eyes, a smile beaming on her face as she turned around. s, in the next second, she froze.


    The children holding hands in a circle around her were all smiling andughing. Yet there were no eyes on their faces, only empty, void sockets. She screamed in shock but this time, no voice came out of her throat. Darkness descended upon her sight and only the children, cackling and turning around, were left.


    "Kagome kagome¡­" They sang heartily. "The bird in the cage¡­"


    She scrambled back in fear but her back bumped against a solid, hard and chilly wall. All the air seemed like it had been sucked away from her chest to the point where breathing became such a strenuous thing to do. The song reverberated through her ears. "When, oh when will ite out¡­"


    In the far distance, a voice broke through the tight defense, screaming shrilly in desperation. "No, no, I beg you! Kill me! Just kill me!"


    Shi Nian''s breath got stuck in her throat and she coughed so hard that tears sprung up in her eyes. She lifted her head to find a ray of light shining through in the form of a butterfly. Yet instead of relief, she felt tremendous terror, fear and shiver running down her spine.


    All of her cells were screaming in unison; run, run away from here!


    The children around her shattered into dust in that exact moment in the form of a million butterflies, their wings pping crazily in a pure white color and amidst the total darkness, it was akin to the only thing which she could grasp, which could offer her help.


    She reached out her hand¡­


    And her eyes snapped open. Shi Nian inhaled sharply. Heartbeat thundered in her ears. Sweat dripped down her body, soaking her pajamas and nket. Strands of hair stuck onto her face and for a moment, as she looked at the unfamiliar ceiling, she was disoriented and couldn''t snap out of it.


    Faint light peeked through the gaps of the curtain and birds were chirping incessantly out of her window. It was yet another brand new day.


    She fell into a daze and it wasn''t until her heartbeat calmed down that she sprung up from her bed and grabbed the notebook and pen on the nightstand. Flipping to a new page, she wrote with trembling hands.


    Children. Kagome song. Xiao Chun. Dark room. Butterfly lights. Someone''s screaming: kill me.


    After that, she flopped back down to the bed, her mind relishing on the good dream of Jiang Jinyan which ended in a bizarre nightmare. She probed blindly for her phone and checked on it. No notification. She opened Weib8 to see the only person whom she was following¡ªJiang Jinyan''stest post popped up.


    Still the picture of daffodils with the apology for retiring.


    She mechanically typed her daily greeting onto it.


    [Missing You For A Century]: Good morning. I wish you a day full of hope, bravery and happiness. Cheering on you, xoxo


    As always, it would sink like a small pebble into the deep trench. Never be seen and noticed. But it''s okay. It was her wish to do so. It was the only thing she could do to express the sadness and yearning in her heart upon the dream of the past.


    She wondered.


    General Jiang, how are you doing now?

 Chapter 110 - Can You Defeat Your Fear?

    It was ironic how people''s interest could change in a blink of an eye, especially in the entertainment industry where people came and went, new reced old and nothing ever remained the same. Just four months ago, theizens werepeting on who could curse Jiang Jinyan louder, who could use him further, and who could kick him harder after he was down.


    Numerous ck materials came forth, all of it stemming from Jiang Jinyan''s youth period. Many people spoke up saying that they had been threatened by him during their middle school, how he often fought and even went against teachers, or how he was actually a two-faced person who only showed his good side in front of others but actually had a very ck and poisonous heart inside.


    As if they were proud that they could unt other people''s dark history. How disgusting.


    But now, Weib8 had turned peaceful again as if the previous chaos wasn''t exist in the first ce. For them, athlete Jiang Jinyan was just one insignificant person who created some sensation and then, he would soon be forgotten from public''s memory.


    It would do no harm for them to type abuses behind the screen but for the person who received it...the wound would remain forever. It might be ineradicable.


    Shi Nian shut her eyes and tried to shake those previous thoughts away. General Jiang had once said to her, "You can''t erase people''s malice and doubt toward you but you can keep your conscience clear." He himself had never thought that he was a good person but at least he could make sure that he lived his life proudly with his head held high.


    He was such a proud, noble and honorable person. And such a person was reduced into someone who was hated by the whole country because of a crime that he didn''t do. Just like what happened in his past life.


    The rims of Shi Nian''s reddened as she thought of the past.


    She spent some time adjusting her emotions and went to the bathroom to clean herself. Coming out of her room, she only found an empty house which she had gotten used to. As she guessed, on the refrigerator, there was a note written by Qiang Fei. [Baby, mama is going to work. There''s breakfast on the table and don''t forget your psychotherapy session this noon. If something happens, don''t hesitate to ask Detective Xu for help. Love, Qiang Fei.]


    Shi Nian smiled at the small smiling person on the corner of the note. It looked particrly ugly yet adorable at the same time.


    Now Shi Nian knew where her bad artistic sense came from.


    Shi Nian had registered at her new school, Sangzhe Private High School, Year 3. Because she was absent during her second year''s final exam, she had to put in twice the effort to study so that she could retake the exam. It was already good that she was allowed to retake the exam and went to the third year. If not for Xu Binchen''s connection with Sangzhe''s Principal, maybe she would have had to spend one year repeating a grade.


    She ate breakfast by herself, cleaned the house, didundry, then went to dig out the second year''s notebook from the bottom of her luggage. The warm sunshine sprinkled into the room, illuminating Shi Nian''s eyshes into golden fluttery as she sat against the bean bag and studied seriously.


    Just like that, time passed in a blink of an eye and it was soon her psychotherapy session''s time. She searched for the contact number and started a video call. It was epted less than five secondster and Psychiatrist Yu''s smiling face appeared on the screen.


    "Good afternoon, Shi Nian. How do you do?"


    Shi Nian typed. [I am very good. How are you, Doctor?]


    "I am very well, thank you. I can see that you have been living happily in the Capital." They engaged in some small talk, about the weather in City A and the difference of grocery''s prices between the two cities. After that, Psychiatrist Yu started to get into the point. "So, do you have something that you''d like to share with me?"


    Shi Nian''s fingers hovered above the screen. Hesitation flickered through her eyes but in the end, she decided to take photo of her note and send it to the middle aged woman.


    Psychiatrist Yu swiped through the photo while keeping an eye on her. "Nice, you''ve started to keep track of your dream. Don''t be afraid, sometimes dreams aren''t real and it''s only the manifestation of your subconsciousness. Your desire, your fear and maybe, your forgotten memories."


    Shi Nian listened earnestly and nodded.


    Yu Yanliang pondered for a moment. "So, you suddenly dreamt of someone named Xiao Chun? Do you remember who that person is?"


    Shi Nian shook her head. At that time, she was only five or six years old. She recalled that when Qiang Fei went to work, she often dropped her off at an auntie''s house. That auntie had a child who often yed with her. But she had forgotten that auntie''s appearance, so was that child''s name and how they looked.


    She couldn''t even ascertain whether that child was the Xiao Chun she dreamed of.


    [Is there some rtion between Xiao Chun and my past? Why did I suddenly dream of it?]


    "Maybe yes, maybe not." Yu Yanling said in a mysterious tone. "You must not underestimate how a human''s brain works, Shi Nian. Sometimes, it may give you some crucial clues that you aren''t aware of. For now, we can''t cross the possibility that something might have triggered your past memory that caused you to remember Xiao Chun. You can start by asking your mother but don''t pressure yourself too hard to recall it."


    Shi Nian smiled. [I know, thank you, Doctor.]


    They spent some time trying to analyze Shi Nian''s dream one by one. Of course, she never told Yu Yanling about her memory of General Jiang. For her, this was her greatest and sweetest memory, one that she held like a treasure, unwilling to take it out for people to see.


    Yu Yanling sighed. "So, it''s a dream about butterflies again huh?"


    Shi Nian''s eyes dimmed as she nodded.


    "How about this?" Yu Yanling suggested. "I may have to consult your mother before I can do it. But I want to ask for your opinion first. I feel like your fear for butterflies is very profound. You have lost your memory, yet your fear remains the same. It is the proof that the fear has been embedded deep into your subconsciousness, either by prolonged exposure or the disy of something terrifying which caused you great trauma."


    "If you can tackle this fear, you may gain another breakthrough," the woman softly said.


    Tackle her fear¡­


    Shi Nian''s body turned rigid as she recalled her dream, those ps of butterfly wings and how she felt suffocated in their presence. It felt like the viper snaking around her neck and choking her, rendering her unable to breathe and think clearly. The agony and misery was tangible, as if she could feel it condensed into the air she breathed in.


    Yu Yanling continued, "If you''re willing to cooperate with me, I want to suggest doing exposure therapy[1] on you. But the question is¡ªShi Nian, are you ready? Can you defeat your fear?"


    .


    .


    [1] Exposure therapy is a technique to expose the target patient to their anxiety source or its content without the intention to cause danger.. It has been proven to treat phobia, anxiety disorder, PTSD and OCD.

 Chapter 111 - Dont Call Me Uncle Again

    Shi Nian waited until 9 pm to know that Qiang Fei was working overtime again. It wasn''t an umon urrence. Qiang Fei often worked untilte at night and returned early in the morning. By then, Shi Nian had already been asleep and when she woke up, Qiang Fei was either still sleeping or had gone to work again.


    They could maintain this kind of habit of not meeting face to face even though they lived in the same house for more than five days.


    After weekend arrived, Qiang Fei would return much earlier than usual and they could finally have dinner together.


    Thus, when she received Qiang Fei''s message at 6 pm, telling her to eat dinner first, Shi Nian obediently whisked out two eggs and started to cook. She fried one while the other was made into egg soup. It was both fulfilling and delicious as she was the kind of person who could survive on eggs for days without getting bored.


    When Shi Nian was in the middle of eating, the doorbell rang. She jolted in surprise, inwardly musing on whether Qiang Fei suddenly clocked off work early and forgotten her keys. With cheeks bulging with rice and eggs, Shi Nian sauntered toward the door and opened it directly, only to meet face to face with Xu Binchen''s dark face.


    Shi Nian: "¡­" She almost choked on her rice.


    Opening the door wider, she weed the man inside. However, Xu Binchen didn''t take a step though, which made her look at him in confusion.


    "Do you always open the door without making sure who it is?" he asked in a low tone.


    Shi Nian blinked. In her former house, even though there was a peephole, people never bothered to use it. Anyway, they were considered the lower ss of society anyway. Who would want to rob them? It wasn''t worth it.


    Realization dawned on her as she put her hands together in apology and closed the door right in front of Xu Binchen''s face.


    Xu Binchen: "¡­"


    In the next second, the peephole''s color turned brighter, proof that there''s someone peeking out from behind the door. Xu Binchen waited expressionlessly until Shi Nian opened the door once again. With her cheeks bulging with food and a grain of rice stuck on her lower jaw, she cut an amusing yet adorable figure.


    Xu Binchen originally had a belly of lectures, but upon seeing her like that, it all deted like a balloon.


    He summarized his words in concise points. "First, remember to make sure who is beyond the door before opening it. Second, don''t casually invite anyone inside, especially men."


    Shi Nian swallowed her rice, nodded and gave him a thumbs up.


    Xu Binchen''s face loosened up as he put one hand inside his pocket. "Are you alone at home?"


    Shi Nian nodded.


    "Then, the more reason you must not invite me inside, got it?" His dark eyes fixed its stare on her. The more she looked at her clueless and innocent eyes, the more he couldn''t put his heart at ease. Thus, he started to preach seriously about the border between men and women and how she ought to understand the degree of propriety.


    Shi Nian listened to this impromptu lecture until her head turned dizzy. It wasn''t that she was an idiot. But¡­


    But this was Xu Binchen ah.


    For Shi Nian, he was equal to half a rtive. In the hospital, when she was alone without anyone to visit her, she would always have Xu Binchen by her side. When she was scared, Xu Binchen was there to apany her. It was him who stayed with her during the hardest period of when she realized that there was a nkness in her memory and when her life was in danger due to the serial killer.


    Even though Shi Nian knew that he was just doing his job, it didn''t diminish the gratitude she felt toward him.


    By now, she had subconsciously treated Xu Binchen as an elder. Well¡­although she felt that the man wouldn''t be pleased about that.


    Shi Nian got her board and wrote. [Uncle detective, why have youe? Is something the matter?]


    Xu Binchen snorted. "Do you think that I am so free to check up on you?"


    Shi Nian: "¡­" Here it is, the sarcastic Xu Binchen is back. Will it kill him to speak properly?


    Seeing her stare at him speechlessly, Xu Binchen continued. "What are you eating? It can''t be instant noodles right?"


    Shi Nian shook her head. But then, she felt embarrassed for pointing out her lousy fried egg and egg soup. She didn''t want Xu Binchen to feel that she was a sloppy person. [Just casually cook some dishes.]


    "Is there vegetables and meat in it?"


    Shi Nian was once again rendered speechless.


    Xu Binchen gave her a nce that said ''I know it''. "You are going to be a third year high schooler soon. Look at you, you''re so thin and tiny that people can squish you dead in the train station. Does your mother not give you enough money for food?"


    Shi Nian had gotten used to how straightforward Xu Binchen was and knew that he didn''t mean anything by it. She pursed her lips and shook her head. [I have enough money.] Just that¡­looking at the empty space in front of her, she couldn''t gather the motivation to cook something morevish for herself. It just felt¡­too lonely and miserable.


    Xu Binchen didn''t bother with her anymore and said. "Come."


    Shi Nian lifted her head, confused.


    "Come with me to eat. I haven''t introduced you yet to our apartment''s cafeteria. If you''re not willing to cook, you can go down and buy some food. It''s quite delicious and healthy." His tone didn''t have room for refusal so Shi Nian could only go back, put her dirty te into the sink and grabbed her jacket.


    She looked at Xu Binchen who was leaning outside the door. [Will you eat together with me?]


    Xu Binchen gave her a look full of contempt. "Or else? Do you want me to watch you eat?"


    She broke into a wide grin and strode toward him.


    "Have you got your phone, key and wallet?"


    She nodded like chicken pecking rice and showed the thing in her pocket for him to look. Only when Xu Binchen saw that she was fully prepared did he show a satisfied expression. They then rode the elevator to the first floor and went out of the apartment building.


    The sky had gotten dark and there were only a few streaks of orange across the horizon. The sun had fully rested in its slumber, reced by the crescent moon and faint dot of sparkling stars. Cold air blew into her face, slightly dissipating the humid air of summer.


    Xu Binchen didn''t talk at all so they spent the time walking in silence.


    Shi Nian stole some nces at him every few seconds until the man couldn''t bear it anymore. "If you have something to say, just say it directly." He suddenly spoke without looking at her.


    His cold and rigid side profiles, soft hair blowing against the wind, icy look and thin pursed lips gave off the impression that he was someone difficult to approach. However, Shi Nian felt an unprecedented sense of security whenever Xu Binchen was around.


    [Have you gotten off work?]


    "No, after dinner, I will go back again."


    Shi Nian fell silent for a moment. She knew that Xu Binchen deliberately returned just to apany her to eat. Honestly, after spending months together in the hospital and then with Qiang Fei''spanion these past few days, Shi Nian had no time to feel lonely.


    Only now¡ªwhen Qiang Fei and Xu Binchen returned to work, when she turned her head and didn''t find their familiar presence around her, was she finally reminded of how lonely she was before.


    Unexpectedly, Xu Binchen noticed it.


    She felt¡­somewhat moved.


    [Thank you, uncle detective.] She smiled. Her golden eyes glittered as she looked up at him.


    "Save it when you treat me to a meal." He cut her off curtly yet somehow, Shi Nian could catch a glint of awkwardness shing through his face. She blinked a few times. Was Xu Binchen¡­shy?


    He cleared his throat. "¡­don''t call me ''uncle'' again.. I am not as old as you think I am."

 Chapter 112 - She Must Be His Girlfriend!

    Shi Nian''s brows raised in surprise.


    [Then...]


    Before Shi Nian could ask further, Xu Binchen interjected. "We have arrived."


    They had walked across the street, turned into two corners and arrived in a new area that Shi Nian had never stepped onto before. It was a two story building which had a wall full of ss. The light was turned on brightly and she could directly see the interior of the building. Food stalls lined up neatly, people were eating and chatting and the atmosphere was exceedingly lively and boisterous.


    Even though Shi Nian had already eaten a bit, her stomach still growled as she sniffed the delicious fragrant food.


    "You don''t have to worry. All of the people that usually eat here are the district''s residents. Our people patrol here often so it''s very safe." Xu Binchen pushed open the door and let her go in first. Warm air sted into her face, bringing with it the liveliness that was contrasted with her deste dinner just now.


    "What do you want to eat?" The man asked.


    Shi Nian looked around and settled with a meal set of ramen and meat dumplings. It had both vegetables and meat in it so Xu Binchen wouldn''t have a chance toin about it. The man pointed at the empty corner near the window as he himself walked into the line of the stall that Shi Nian pointed to.


    Shi Nian had no choice but to wait for Xu Binchen while the man lined up for food. His tall, handsome and suave features set off waves upon waves of discussion in the cafeteria. Shi Nian could hear the conversation of the housewives beside her table.


    "Oh my god, who is that man?"


    "Who?"


    "There, the one that''s lining up in Jing Shu''s stall."


    "Oh wow, you''re right. He''s very handsome ah. Whose child is it? Why haven''t I seen him before?"


    "Is he a new tenant? Should I strike up a conversation? Maybe I can introduce my niece to him¡­"


    "Shush, I want to introduce my daughter to him first!"


    "Line up, will you?!"


    Shi Nian suppressed a smile. Amidst the crowd of aunties and uncles, there was only one or two tables that were filled with young people, mainly women and they were all stealing discreet nces toward Xu Binchen but sadly the man didn''t realize it at all.


    As she expected, Xu Binchen was the kind of person who would attract attention no matter where he went. His icy temperament, high index in look and the way he carried himself made him stand out of the crowd.


    Shi Nian felt kind of embarrassed. She didn''t know what kind of reaction people would have when they saw Xu Binchen with herter on. She checked her clothes and to her dismay, found a conspicuous stain on her yellow shirt¡ªegg yolk stain¡ªwhich she didn''t realize before.


    Compared to Xu Binchen, she looked like a scrawny child¡­


    "What are you thinking about?" Xu Binchen approached with arge tray and put Shi Nian''s ramen bowl and meat dumpling in front of her. He himself had ordered arge te of curry fried rice. It was such a huge portion that the rice seemed like a small mountain.


    Xu Binchen didn''t notice her speechlessness or the nces people gave them. He sat down opposite her and started to dig into his fried rice. He looked famished. It hadn''t even been one minute yet but Shi Nian felt like the rice had disappeared significantly¡­


    The problem was¡­no matter howrge of a bite Xu Binchen took, his gait was wless, elegant and leisurely as if he was dining in a high ss French restaurant!


    Shi Nian felt indignant and tried to eat her ramen slowly. But because of how slow she chewed, when Shi Nian finished half of her portion, Xu Binchen had already put down his spoon. The te had been cleaned thoroughly with not even a grain of rice remaining.


    Xu Binchen raised a brow. "Not delicious?"


    Shi Nian shook her head and slurped loudly but because of it, the soup sshed into her eyes and she squeezed her eyes in pain!


    She dropped her chopstick and wanted to rub her eyes but before she could do that, Xu Binchen grabbed her wrist. "Wait a moment. Are you a dog? How can you be so clumsy when eating?" He wetted the napkin with ice water, his fingers pinched her chin as he instructed. "Open your eyes and let me see."


    Shi Nian craned her neck up to amodate him as a cold, gentle touch fell upon her eyes. She blinked due to the spiciness, her long eyshes fluttered with droplets of water hanging onto it, tears blurred her vision. Xu Binchen''s dark eyes were staring intently at her from a close distance. Faint concern reflected within them.


    His movement was so gentle, careful and considerate...


    The event was witnessed by the melon seed eating housewives and a bunch of women who gossiped passionately.


    Unfortunately, Shi Nian didn''t realize it as she was currently drowning in shame. How could she show such a bad eating manner in front of people? She was so mortified that she wished there was a hole for her to hide.


    She tapped on Xu Binchen''s wrist and grabbed the napkin from his hands.


    Xu Binchen didn''t insist and let her do it herself. "Does it still hurt?"


    Shi Nian slowly shook her head while wiping her damp eyes. Because of Xu Binchen''s timely treatment, the spiciness soon receded. Only the rims of her eyes were still reddened, looking as if she had just cried. Coupled with her red nose, flushed cheeks and oily lips, she looked quite hrious.


    Xu Binchen cupped his cheek with his palm, enjoying her distressed look. His eternal sour face was nowhere to be seen and his features softened considerably.


    "I told you! She must be his girlfriend!"


    "Shut it, you must have watched too many soap operas! Look at them, they are obviously siblings!"


    "Nonsense. My children fought all day long that my hair almost went bald because of them! Where can you find such a gentle elder brother?!"


    All of a sudden, a loud voice cut through the hubbub in the cafeteria. "Xiao Chen?! Is it Xiao Chen?!"


    The corner of Xu Binchen''s lips that almost curled upward ttened abruptly and his eyes chilled down. He turned his head to find an old granny with white hair, supported by a young woman. The woman had a cheerful appearance, her eyes were naturally curved so it''s very easy to gain goodwill just by looking at her. As she caught sight of Xu Binchen, her eyes lit up in an instant.


    The old granny eximed excitedly after she had gotten a good look at Xu Binchen. "It''s actually you! You''ve returned? Why didn''t you tell me? Don''t tell me you have forgotten this old grandmother ah!"


    The old granny''s voice was so loud and piercing that the whole cafeteria''s attention was drawn to them. People''s eyes lit up as they smelled the scent of gossip. Especially the group of housewives by their side. They looked at each other and sensed the excitement of the long lost gossip in the apartment district.


    "Aiyoh!" One of them yelled out. "Granny Zhang, so you know who this man is!"


    Xu Binchen stood up and bowed to the old granny, his attitude was perfect and polite. Yet the coldness and alienation was clearly reflected on his eyes. "Granny Zhang.. It''s been a long time."

 Chapter 113 - I Dont Have A Grandson Like You

    Seeing Xu Binchen standing in a deferential yet cold manner, Shi Nian hurriedly put down the napkin and followed behind him. Because Shi Nian sat with her back facing them, only then did Granny Zhang and the young woman realize that Xu Binchen wasn''t alone.


    Shi Nian felt a piercing gaze fall onto her and she lifted her head to find the young woman looking at her with a smile that didn''t reach her eyes. Shudders ran down her spine inexplicably. The young woman reminded her of the officials and eunuchs who came to visit the General''s residence.


    The gaze they used to look at her was exactly the same.


    As if looking at someone worthless but due to the circumstances, they couldn''t do anything but to show a polite manner.


    Shi Nian hastily retracted her gaze and scooted behind Xu Binchen''s back.


    Her little motion caught Xu Binchen''s attention as the man turned back and asked, "What''s wrong? Done eating?"


    Shi Nian looked at her half full ramen bowl and honestly shook her head.


    "Then, continue eating," he said as a matter of fact.


    Shi Nian was rendered speechless. They got a visitor so how could she remain eating like she hadn''t seen them? If this matter got into other people''s ears, they would think that she was a mannerless child. Moreover, there''s so many people looking at them with curious and strange nces¡­


    She pursed her lips, confused as to what she should do.


    Fortunately, Granny Zhang rescued her in a timely manner. Her voice was booming loud, and inside the hushed cafeteria, it sounded especially ring. Even if one didn''t strain their ears, they still would be able to hear her. "Eh, who is this child? I haven''t seen her before!"


    Xu Binchen hummed nonchntly. "She''s someone in my care." Just like that. Short and precise. He didn''t even introduce them to each other, making the situation more awkward.


    "What?!" Granny Zhang loudly yelled. "I can''t hear you!"


    Xu Binchen''s sharp gaze turned to the young woman. "Granny Zhang doesn''t wear her hearing aid?"


    The young woman grimaced, her face full of apology. "Granny Zhang said that her ears felt ufortable wearing it, so she took it off before we went out." Then, she bent down and whispered closely to the old grandmother''s ears, repeating what Xu Binchen had just said.


    On the other hand, Xu Binchen pressed Shi Nian down to the seat. "Just keep eating and don''t mind us."


    Shi Nian peered up at him, perplexed. Somehow, she could sense that Xu Binchen''s mood was different than usual. He didn''t wear his sour face, yet Shi Nian could feel that he was currently not in a very good mood. Thus, she sensibly nodded and buried her head into her food.


    Xu Binchen gave the young woman a signal and together, they went toward another empty table that spanned across the room.


    Granny Zhang''s voice echoed. "When are youing back? Why aren''t you informing us? Little Jiao has always been waiting for you, right, Little Jiao?"


    Jiao Jiaying¡ªLittle Jiao''s face reddened as she stole nces toward Xu Binchen''s cold and handsome features. "Granny, I am not. Don''t talk nonsense!"


    "Aiyoh, where am I talking nonsense? Isn''t it you who keeps on bringing up your Brother Xu?"


    The housewives beside Shi Nian''s table exploded in another wave of gossip. "So he''s someone that Granny Zhang knows huh? It''s weird that we haven''t seen him around before."


    "Is he Little Jiao''s boyfriend?


    "Aiyoh, how lucky she is to get such a suave boyfriend. It''s such a pity¡­I have just thought that he suits my daughter more."


    "Hey, don''t be so shameless!"


    One of the housewives suddenly turned to Shi Nian. "Little girl,e on. Tell this auntie that your brother has a girlfriend already lest she will not know how to give up!"


    Shi Nian almost choked on the noodle. Her face flushed as she hastily opened the memo on her phone and typed. The atmosphere turned strange the moment when Shi Nian lowered her head to type in scurry. [Auntie, I am sorry. But I am not clear either¡­]


    The aunties looked at her withplicated eyes. "You¡­are mute?"


    Shi Nian chewed her lips and nodded.


    They looked at each other in silence andughed dryly. "Okay, okay. Don''t talk about him anymore, alright?" Then, the conversation shifted to the tenant in the west wing building who hadn''te home for five days in which their family had gotten into panic searching for them.


    Shi Nian finished her food and stood up. Her eyes met with Xu Binchen''s from across the room. She pointed outside and fanned her face, indicating that she was done and would go out to get some fresh air. Only when she got Xu Binchen''s nod did she leave the cafeteria.


    The cold air rushed into her nose as soon as she opened the door. It was very warm and toasty inside but somehow, she felt stifled because of people''s gazes. Shi Nian knew that it wasn''t their fault, but when they heard that she was different from most people, they would show such an estranged and awkward look as if they had just met an alien.


    She took in a deep breath and strode forward.


    This district was very peaceful and serene. Streemps lined up along the stony road, illuminating the darkness and giving off some peace and security. Conversations drifted from faraway into her ears and the sound of television could be heard from the house across.


    She just wanted to digest the food and took a slow walk around the perimeter of the cafeteria so that Xu Binchen could find her easily. Contrasted with the brightness inside the cafeteria, behind it was filled with bushes and a narrow path that led to somewhere.


    When she stretched her gaze, she could see the gate of the district and the main road filled with cars, softly humming with honks sounded intermittently.


    She kicked a pebble on the path and followed it, ying around nkly. The sound of rolling stone against her shoes echoed in the empty space when all of a sudden, a muffled thud was heard followed by a pained groan.


    Shi Nian froze in ce.


    In the next second, she heard it again. The sound of flesh meeting against flesh, and the heavy thump of body falling into the ground. "¡­sorry¡­" Faint yells and curses filled her ears. "¡­I said sorry, okay?!"


    Shi Nian didn''t know what possessed her but before her brain could process, her foot had brought her toward the direction of the sound. In this peaceful apartment district where its security was top notch, what could happen behind the dark?


    The closer she was, the clearer the voices and chaos became.


    "Ah! You bastard! Ifozi[1] can''t kill you today, then I will call you grandpa!"


    A deep, mellow coldugh followed. "I don''t have a grandson like you."


    Shi Nian''s heart jumped to her throat at the familiar voice. The fight urred in the dark corner behind a lightless building. She hastened her steps, half running and turned into a corner. The scene opened up in front of her eyes.


    [1] Laozi = the superior way of saying ''I''

 Chapter 114 - She Wanted To Stay By His Side

    In the dark alley between the houses, hidden from the streemps, four bodies spread across the ground, groaning and panting in pain. A tall silhouette stood as he grasped onto another man''s cor, his fist hammered again and again onto thetter''s face.


    Each punch was very hard, swift and merciless. "You madmanozi will kill you¡ªah! Damn you! You crazy bastard!" The fight was clearly one sided. Even though the man kept on cursing, he was obviously on the losing side.


    Blow upon blow fell upon his face until the end, the man''s curses weakened but the attacker hadn''t relented. After making his head swollen like a pig, he proceeded to step onto the man''s fingers that fell limply on the ground. The man''s eyes widened in pain and shock, his mouth opened to let out a piercing scream¡­only to be mped by the attacker''s bloody palm before he could even let out a squeak.


    "Shut up. Don''t make a ruckus, or else I will kill you here." he hissed in a low tone.


    Fear shed through the man''s eyes. This madman wasn''t lying! He would seriously kill him right here and now if he didn''t obey!


    Sweat dripped across his forehead and his veins bulged out due to the pain. But the madman didn''t show any mercy as he proceeded to press some force onto his foot and the terrifying sound of bone cracking echoed amidst the faint scent of blood in the air.


    "If youe to me again, I will make sure that the next time you open your eyes, it will be in the ICU. You got it?"


    The man nodded in panic. Tears welled up his eyes, half from the bone piercing pain and half from the ghastly fear crawling up his body. He regretted it! He regretted ever provoking this madman! How would he know that such a thin, slender and seemingly weak man was actually a beast in disguise?!


    "Good. You''d better remember it." The man loosened his grab on the man''s mouth and let him go. The man slumped to the ground, strengthless, his eyes reflected the man''s dark and cruel eyes. Heartbeat thundered in his ears and his broken hand twitched in numbness.


    In the next second, a string of melody resounded through the alley, breaking the tense and stagnant atmosphere to pieces.


    It was Shi Nian''s ringtone.


    She snapped out of her reverie and hastily dug into her pocket to mute her phone. In the next moment, silence returned to the space, this time it was a little too eerie and sinister. She lifted her head to find the man''s eyes staring at her.


    At that instant, Shi Nian had the notion that she had been transported to the past when she had just met Jiang Jinyan. He wielded sword like the extension of his arm, he cut heads as easy as cutting tofu and in the end, he would always walk out victorious. Covered in his ck armor, his whole body reeked of blood and his gaze murderous. He was General Jiang, the God of War in countless battlefields who instilled fear among people.


    The past and present merged into one, forming into Jiang Jinyan''s figure hidden in the dark, his cial eyes boring into hers.


    Shi Nian couldn''t read his thoughts at all. Her mind churned with questions. How could Jiang Jinyan be here? What was he doing here? Why was he fighting with these people? The blood¡­was that his? Did he get hurt?


    In the end, it was the iing call that¡ªonce again¡ªawoke her of her thoughts.


    The light from the screen illuminated her face. Xu Binchen''s name shed on it. She answered it absentmindedly and the man''s voice travelled into their ears. "Where are you? I am done here."


    Shi Nian tapped on the screen as answer and hung up on the call.


    Jiang Jinyan slowly walked toward her as she was still frozen in ce. Closer and closer¡­five meters¡­three meters¡­one meter¡­the scent of blood and faint cologne rushed into her nose and her eyes raked across his body in search for the source of the wounds.


    However, in the next moment, Jiang Jinyan walked past her, just like that.


    She gasped in surprise, her head turned so fast that she could get a whish. Her hand shot forward before she could think and grasped onto the hem of his shirt. Jiang Jinyan halted in his tracks. Even Shi Nian was stunned after doing it. She hastily let go as if her hand had just been burned.


    He half turned and gave her a frosty nce. So cold and distant as if they had never seen each other. There was even blood sttered across his face, his cheek was slightly swollen and there''s a cut on the corner of his lips.


    Shi Nian stared up at him, bewildered.


    The man spoke in a low voice. "Go back. You didn''t see anything here." After saying that, he continued forward without turning around. His silhouette was drowned into the darkness once again, the diminishing back looked particrly straight yet deste.


    Shi Nian instinctively opened her mouth, wanting to call out to him but no sound came out.


    She grasped the phone in her palm so hard that her knuckles turned white.


    Hesitation flickered through her eyes. Had¡­Jiang Jinyan forgotten her? Did he really not remember her at all? Last time, he told her to forget him. He said that he''s not the Jiang Jinyan she liked anymore.


    However¡­how could he decide what kind of Jiang Jinyan she liked?


    He didn''t know anything. In this lifetime, he had no memory of her¡­


    In their past lives, he had brushed her hands off and went straight to the war even though he knew that it would be his burial mound. What was she thinking of at that time?


    She decided that¡­if there was a next time, she didn''t want to leave him alone again.


    Thus, when she received the news of his death, she didn''t hesitate to hang herself and followed him to the underworld. She just didn''t want him to show such a sad and destitute profile again. She wanted to apany this strong, kind, gentle yet fragile man.


    As what? She hadn''t thought that far yet. The intangible,plicated feelings and bittersweet warmth he offered couldn''t be described with mere words.


    It was just that¡­she really, really wanted to stay by his side.


    Multiple thoughts spiraled in her head but in fact, it only took less than two seconds.. The next moment Shi Nian lifted her eyes, the brief hesitation vanished, reced with resolution and determination. His disappearing back reflected within her eyes and in the next moment, Shi Nian started to chase after him!

 Chapter 115 - Same Apartment Building

    In Shi Nian''s eyes, only Jiang Jinyan''s silhouette was reflected. When the man stepped into the dark, something stirred inside of Shi Nian''s heart. Her mind jolted, telling her to chase after him, telling her not to leave him alone.


    Otherwise she would regret it one day.


    Her ringtone rang once again, but in her ears, it seemed toe from a ce far away. She stepped forward, her steps faltered at first before she started to run without hesitation.


    Jiang Jinyan''s legs were long. In the time when Shi Nian was in turmoil, he had walked quite far and when she started to run after him, he had turned into a corner and disappeared from her sight. Shi Nian''s pupils shrank and she elerated.


    When she passed through the alley and returned from where she came from, a force tugged on her arm and she struggled in reflex. "Calm down, it''s me." Xu Binchen''s voice came from behind her. When Shi Nian turned around to show an urgent and anxious expression, he frowned. "What''s wrong? Where had you gone to?"


    Shi Nian looked at Xu Binchen in daze as if she hadn''t processed what was happening. When she turned around, Jiang Jinyan had already vanished from her sight. No¡­Shi Nian couldn''t reconcile. Her mind was buzzing loudly, her eyes looked back and forth anxiously.


    "What the hell is wrong with you?"


    She ignored Xu Binchen''s inquiry and shrugged his arm off.


    She chased after the corner where Jiang Jinyan disappeared into. Like any other time before, the man had disappeared without trace. Only an empty street illuminated by streemps was left. She looked around for his presence to no avail.


    Xu Binchen''s footsteps echoed behind her. He grabbed her shoulder and turned her around with force. His dark and deep eyes stared fixedly into her. "Calm down. Look at me. Tell me, what''s wrong?" The man''s calm, steady and even tone miraculously soothed her anxious mood.


    Once again, Shi Nian nced at the empty road behind her and her entire person became dejected, aggrieved. No matter how Xu Binchen asked, she just shook her head. The rtionship between her and Jiang Jinyan¡­it was unlike others.


    She didn''t know how to exin it and no one would believe her anyway.


    No matter how close they were in their past lives. In this lifetime, they were just a pair of perfect strangers.


    Xu Binchen stared at her with a frown, his eyes fixing down on her as if trying to open her skull and see what she was thinking about. In the end, he relented with a sigh. Well, so be it. He didn''t have any right to intrude on her personal affair anyway. As long as the girl was okay, he was fine with anything.


    "Let''s go back." He said.


    Shi Nian nodded, her eyes downcast. The atmosphere between them turned somber. No one talked and Shi Nian clearly looked like she had a lot in her mind thus Xu Binchen tacitly remained silent. It didn''t take long for them to arrive on the road that led to the apartment building.


    The district had east and west wing in which multiple apartment buildings were built above thend. The road was evenly divided and there''s security guard on the outer gate and in front of every building. Even though one didn''t have a sense of direction, one wouldn''t possibly get lost in this ce because if they kept walking, they would be able to return to the initial ce.


    Xu Binchen''s apartment was situated in the east wing and there''s also two other apartment buildings beside it. However,pared to the other two, Xu Binchen''s was clearly the best, cleanest with excellent service and it was evened out with the most exorbitant prices of each room.


    Shi Nian walked down the road absentmindedly, her mind was filled with the scene of Jiang Jinyan brutally fighting people, the hostility and rigidness between his brows and the strong alienation he exuded. In the two months since theyst met in the hospital, he had changed considerably.


    What could have made him change so much? And his leg¡­


    "Hey." Xu Binchen snapped his fingers in front of her face. Shi Nian blinked and looked up at him in confusion. The man deadpanned. "We have arrived."


    Only then did Shi Nian realize that they had arrived in front of the apartment building.


    "Go in first." He added. "I will return to work."


    Shi Nian nodded and turned around only for her arm to be grabbed by Xu Binchen.


    There''s ayer of hesitation and struggle in Xu Binchen''s dark eyes. "If something happens¡­call me."


    Upon hearing her words, Shi Nian finally smiled. She gave him an obedient nod and shushed him off to work. As Xu Binchen drove his car out, Shi Nian waved him goodbye and turned to walk to the door. Her eyes drifted to the side and she froze.


    That familiar figure¡­


    It was Jiang Jinyan!


    The man stood in the store inside the apartment building where the janitor auntie sold multiple household appliances like sk, hot termos, kettle, nket, pillow, toothbrushes, soaps, cups etc. Jiang Jinyan was carrying tworge bottles of mineral water, a box of bandaids, gauze and alcohol swaps.


    The auntie behind the cashier scanned his thing and said in worry. "Young man, you''d betterpress your face or else it will be swollen tomorrow. Were you fighting?" Jiang Jinyan gave her a soft grunt which didn''t answer anything but the middle aged woman became more concerned. "You''re not breaking any bones, are you? Are you new here? I have never seen you before."


    Jiang Jinyan took the stic bag from her. "I have just moved here. Thank you."


    "Pleasee again! If your swelling doesn''t go down by tomorrow, auntie can boil eggs for you!"


    Jiang Jinyan strolled out, his gaze straight as he made a beeline toward the elevator.


    Meanwhile, Shi Nian¡ªwho witnessed all of these exchanges¡ªstood in ce, dumbstruck.


    What were the odds that the person whom you''ve been searching for turned out to live in the same apartment building as you? For a moment, that information was too much for her to process and her brain crashed. Only when the security guard came out to inquire did she finally snap out of her thoughts and smiled in apology.


    She clenched her fist and chased after his trail and saw the elevator ascending. Three¡­five¡­seventeen¡­it stopped at neen. Neenth floor. Only one floor beneath her. The tip of her fingers trembled ever so slightly and the haze covering her eyes vanished in an instant.


    Oh my God¡­


    Shi Nian rubbed her face and pressed on the elevator button.. Her heart beating hard in the process.

 Chapter 116 - Little Stalker With Golden Eyes

    These days, Jiang Jinyan had a feeling that someone had been watching him.


    But when he turned back, he could find no one. At first, he thought that he had been thinking too much, however the feeling was so tangible that he couldn''t fool himself that it was a mere imagination.


    Was Zhou Zhui''s people monitoring him?


    He had just moved to the Capital a few weeks ago and settled into the best apartment that the real estate agent introduced him to. It was serene, safe and services were quite wholesome, thus he didn''t hesitate to pay for half a year''s loan.


    On the first day that he moved here, he walked around the district to familiarize himself with the surroundings. The more he looked at it, the more satisfied he became. It fulfilled all of Jiang Jinyan''s conditions of living. Peaceful, quiet with nobody to disturb him.


    s, it was merely a wistful thought.


    When he found the cafeteria and ate there, a woman with gaudy makeup sauntered toward him and tried to talk to him. Even though Jiang Jinyan didn''t give her any attention, the woman sat down opposite him and performed a one person talk.


    In the end, when she introduced herself¡ªJiang Jinyan heard her name but forgot in the next second¡ªflirted and sweet talked to him but received no response in return, she left in humiliation.


    The next day, a man with spiked hair named Zhou Zhui imed to be her boyfriend and came to find him, cursing that Jiang Jinyan had seduced his girlfriend. He acted like a local tyrant as if the whole district belonged to his grandparents.


    Of course, Jiang Jinyan ignored him.


    But the man kept oning back, like an annoying bug. It vexed him so much that he almost couldn''t control the violent impulse inside him. Coincidentally, he had just wanted to find some punching bags to vent his irritation and the man became the perfect foil. Thus, the fightmenced.


    Jiang Jinyan didn''t think far when he fought, only that he wanted to teach Zhou Zhui a lesson so that thetter would leave him alone. Who knew that Zhou Zhui would block him in a dark alley a few dayster with a bunch of gangsters?


    Hence, the second fight took ce¡ªthe one whom Shi Nian happened to chance upon.


    His n for a solitary life shattered into pieces. He hadn''t even moved in for a week and he had fought two times.


    And the more irritating thing was¡ªhe met that girl again. The girl with golden eyes.


    A rub on his leg snapped him out of his thoughts and he lowered his head to find a pair of soft, shimmering, watery golden eyes staring back at him. It reminded him so much of that girl that he fell into a trance for a moment. Only when his pants were bitten did he finally regain his rity. "What do you want?"


    "Meow~" The plump, fluffy ash grey kitten replied enthusiastically.


    Jiang Jinyan grabbed the clutch by his side and limped toward the kitchen. The little kitten trailed after him, its tail swishing back and forth. Jiang Jinyan opened the cab and poured a bowl of cat food. He watched as the little feline ate in relish, its whiskers trembled in bliss. It even purred out deep from its throat.


    The doorbell rang and Jiang Jinyan went to fetch his delivery. Hence, a human and a cat started to eat in harmony. Jiang Jinyan was in the middle of eating when the little kitten started a ruckus again. It kept on trying to climb on Jiang Jinyan''s pants. Just when it had almost seeded to reach his thigh, its paw loosened and it rolled down to the floor andnded with its belly up. Its watery eyes staring at him sadly.


    His disturbed mood caused by the unexpected encounter ended up soothed by its silly antics. He reached out and pinched it on the back of its neck. "Why? You''re not full?"


    Its four paws hanging down loosely as it whimpered softly, looking very much aggrieved.


    Anyway, Jiang Jinyan had gotten used to it selling meng everyday so he wouldn''t be fooled anymore. He pushed it away like a bowling ball. The kitten nimbly rolled away and licked its scruff.


    "Go away, don''t bother me." He said with a huff as he finished his food.


    After washing the cat bowl, he put on his artificial leg, grabbed the trash bag and went out to throw it.


    In fact, on every floor, there was a garbage bin in the hallway but Jiang Jinyan chose to go out and crossed the street to throw it into the public garbage bin. He dawdled, walking around to digest the food and brought tworge mineral water on his way back.


    He was ready to go back to the apartment building when he changed his mind.


    Here it was again.


    The feeling of someone watching him from afar.


    He deliberately changed his course and went back out. The stic bag created rustling sounds with each step. The air was humid and his sweaty forehead was being caressed by the wind. He sighed wearily and contemted on whether he should move away or not.


    If it was Zhou Zhui and his peopleing back for revenge again, he would make sure to take care of them once and for all then rent another ce to live in.


    He purposely raked his fingers through his hair and gave a discreet nce behind, trying to catch whoever it was off guard, but as always, there was no one. The street was empty with no people. Only the faint conversations from afar, the sound of television and the honk of cars was heard.


    For the first time, Jiang Jinyan started to doubt his judgement. Did he think too much of it to the point of paranoia? Or it wasn''t his imagination? If it was so, then whoever it was that was stalking him ought to have some skills in them.


    He pulled back from his thoughts and continued walking down the road. This time, he chose a narrow path and headed into the back of a building. Then, he hid under the shadow and waited there for ten seconds.


    As he expected, a faint shadow approached soundlessly. They stopped in a distance and hesitated. Jiang Jinyan didn''t give them any chance to retreat as he dropped his stic bag and ran out all of a sudden.


    A pair of golden eyes that was simr to the stupid fe at home stared back at him in shock.


    Jiang Jinyan pursed his lips tight, his eyes chilled down in an instant. So, it was you¡­


    His brows knitted.. Suspicion, doubt and hostility brewed within his somber eyes. "Why are you following me?"

 Chapter 117 - Dont Let Me See You Again

    This time, Shi Nian was really wrongly used.


    Even though she often snuck around the neenth floor for a chance to see Jiang Jinyan again, she wouldn''t stoop so low to stalk him. Even if she didn''t know him inside out, Shi Nian could confidently say that she understood him quite well.


    Jiang Jinyan was a lone wolf. He liked to be alone and he hated people disturbing him. Thus, the only thing Shi Nian could do was to look at him from afar, both in their past lives and now. Holding his arm back when he was going to send himself to death and asking for his WeChat ID had been the most courageous thing she had ever done.


    Shi Nian was on her way to the cafeteria when she inadvertently saw Jiang Jinyan.


    She had stood in ce as she looked at his back. Scrutinized the way he walked, the way his fingers curled subconsciously, the way he would shift his bnce to the left, she took in all of that greedily as if wanting tomit it into memory.


    Then, just when she wanted to take her eyes away, she discovered a ck shadow reflected by themps behind him.


    Both Jiang Jinyan and that shadow didn''t know that Shi Nian was watching them.


    She looked as the shadow vanished in the next second. A bad premonition coursed through her heart and she followed Jiang Jinyan from a distance. She saw the shadow emerged in a second and faded in the next second as Jiang Jinyan walked through streets, never showing their real appearance.


    If it wasn''t because Shi Nian was watching Jiang Jinyan intently, then she wouldn''t have noticed it.


    Her mind returned to the night when he fought against five people and worry flooded her heart. Shi Nian couldn''t restrain herself from following. What if that person had malicious intent toward Jiang Jinyan? What if they fought again? Jiang Jinyan had been limping for a while, albeit it was so subtle and hard to notice, but how could Shi Nian not realize it?


    His leg¡­it must have been very ufortable.


    Then, all the more reason that she couldn''t let whoever it was hurt him!


    With a belly full of anger, Shi Nian snuck behind, trying to diminish her presence as much as possible. Who knew that when she turned into a corner, she would be ambushed by Jiang Jinyan himself?


    She looked at the man''s frigid and vicious eyes, frozen in ce.


    When Jiang Jinyan didn''t receive any answer, his face darkened. "I am asking you a question."


    Shi Nian blinked and looked around but didn''t see that shadow. She let out a sigh of relief and faced Jiang Jinyan with a happy smile.


    The man froze subtly, and his frown got deeper. He had had his fair share of fans in his glorious days. All of them were moring that they wanted to know more about him to the point where he had to flee and stay in the training centre to avoid them.


    They all had a crazed look on their faces, as if wanting to tear his clothes and drink his blood.


    Of course, the way Jiang Jinyan handled them was to call the police and let thew do their work.


    But this girl¡­how could she still smile so foolishly after being busted? Was she stupid?


    Jiang Jinyan rolled his eyes, vexed. "Scram."


    Shi Nian''s smile turned stiff. Only then did her brain work and she pulled out his phone to type. [I am not stalking you, really!] She opened her eyes wide to show her genuine sincerity.


    Jiang Jinyan scoffed softly. "Whatever." He turned around, went to grab his stic bag and continued walking without giving her any second nce.


    Shi Nian looked at his back for a few seconds and then, trailed behind him.


    Jiang Jinyan swished his head around, eyes full of cold anger. "I said don''t follow me!"


    Shi Nian stopped in her tracks and pointed behind him. Jiang Jinyan followed her line of sight to see the cafeteria across the street. Her meaning was: It''s just a coincidence that we are going the same way. I am not following you, okay?


    Jiang Jinyan: "¡­"


    He pinched his brows, his chest stifled with irritation. Then, he went back in the opposite direction. Shi Nian panicked and in a moment of nkness, grabbed onto the hem of his shirt.


    The soft tug halted Jiang Jinyan in ce. The man lowered his eyes to look at the pale, thin fingers grasping his shirt, then up to the fair arms to the anxious golden eyes. "Let. Go." He gnashed his teeth, feeling like he had used up his patience for this week.


    First, it was Zhou Zhui''s people and now, it was her.


    Was he destined not to have a peaceful life?


    Shi Nian''s heart galloped madly. She didn''t know why she was holding onto him either. Just that¡­when she looked at his frosty look, she felt like she had to say something to break the tension. But what should she say? Shi Nian''s mind buzzed with various messy thoughts but at the same time, she wasn''t thinking at all.


    Flustered, she typed. [I am Shi Nian.] It''s me¡­have you forgotten? Did you really not remember me?


    Jiang Jinyan brushed her hands off coldly. "So?"


    So¡­Shi Nian peered up at him, seeing her bewildered look in his eyes. Heat crept up her cheeks and she braced through the embarrassment to ask him. [Are you okay?]


    Jiang Jinyan looked like he had just heard the biggest joke in the world. "Why should I not be okay?"


    Shi Nian looked at the bruise on the corner of his lips and his slightly swollen cheeks. It looked like his injury was recovering nicely and there''s no problem with him walking normally either. However, Shi Nian just had the instinct that there''s something wrong with Jiang Jinyan.


    There''s something really, really wrong with him.


    She chewed her lips and took in a deep breath. [Can we¡­be friends?]


    Jiang Jinyan''s ck pupils stared straight at her as if wanting to dig into her soul to see what was inside her skull. The oppressive, dreary aura he exuded almost made her unable to breathe.


    Sweat dotted Shi Nian''s forehead, but she persevered under the man''s dismal look.


    Then, when she was sure that she wouldn''t be able to receive any answer, Jiang Jinyan let out a small, very soft and tinyugh. Shi Nian lifted her eyes, hope filled her eyes only to freeze when she found the thick ridicule and contempt within his eyes.


    His lips curled up in a very gentle way, contrasted to the sinister absurdity that swirled within his eyes. He leaned forward and whispered beside her ear. His words made her face drained in color.


    "Don''t let me see you again or else¡­" He chuckled.. "You will know the consequences."

 Chapter 118 - Warding Off Rotten Peach Blossom

    "Oh, Shi Nian. You''re here again. Not with your mother this time?"


    Shi Nian gave the middle aged uncle a wide smile in greeting. [My mother has been busytely.]


    Because of her recent job transfer, Qiang Fei needed to put in more effort to integrate with the work environment. It really wasn''t easy for her to work hard everyday.


    The middle aged uncle named Peng Cheng was the one who selled oriental dishes in one of the stalls in the cafeteria. Shi Nian liked to eat his food and because she was unable to speak, people remembered her easily. Peng Cheng, this kind hearted uncle, treated her like normal and always gave her a bigger portion.


    Peng Cheng cooked his dishes in the back kitchen. When he went out, his forehead was shiny with sweat as he asked. "What do you want to eat today?"


    After Shi Nian ced her order, she waited by the side counter. Peng Cheng had a part time worker called Song Yongzheng. He was a student in the Sangzhe University affiliated to Shi Nian''s school-to-be. He had a skinny built, clean cut hair with a face full of freckles and pimples.


    Shi Nian detected early that Song Yongzheng didn''t like her. She had felt it ever since the first few times she went to Uncle Peng''s stall. Even though he would politely take her order, he would always ignore her afterward and give her condescending nces when he thought that Shi Nian wasn''t looking.


    Toward this kind of person who discriminated against people with disabilities, Shi Nian imed that she didn''t want to have anything to do with him.


    "Good afternoon!" A familiar female voice sounded beside her and Shi Nian instinctively lifted her eyes to find Jiao Jiaying there. She was truly a very charming woman with a sweet and tender look. When she smiled, it looked like flowers were blooming by her side. "Hello there, Song Yongzheng. Can you take my order?"


    Song Yongzheng''s face reddened with a speed visible to naked eyes. "S¡ªSure. Uncle Peng is in the back kitchen. W¡ªWhat do you want to eat?"


    Jiao Jiaying lowered her head to read the menu. Her lips coated with lip gloss pouted subtly as she pondered. Song Yongzheng discreetly nced at her, his eyes dotted with fascination.


    Jiao Jiaying wore casual sportwear like when Shi Nian first saw her before, the tight legging hugged her long and slender legs, highlighting the curve of her hips and bust. "Then, I will have meal set B. Thank you."


    Song Yongzheng hurriedly lowered his head and entered the order. "Y¡ªYou''re wee. You can sit first, I will bring it to youter."


    Jiao Jiaying smiled sweeter until her eyes crinckled. "That''s very kind of you."


    The blush on Song Yongzheng''s face travelled to his neck but because of his dark skin and face full of red pimples, it didn''t look as conspicuous.


    Shi Nian waited by the side, trying to make herself as small as possible. s, her wish was deemed unfulfilled when Jiao Jiaying turned to her with a smile. "Hello, I remember you. You''re the one with Brother Xust time, right?"


    Shi Nian really wanted to ignore her, but her principle didn''t allow her to do so. Thus, she could only smile and reply. [Yes, hello to you too.]


    Jiao Jiaying''s eyes widened in surprise. "You¡­can''t talk?"


    Shi Nian nodded, still with a smile that wasn''t really a smile.


    "Oh, I am sorry." Jiao Jiaying covered her mouth, embarrassed. Her cheeks were tinged in a light blush, making her eyes look brighter and more sincere. "My name is Jiao Jiaying. I am Brother Xu''s childhood friend."


    [My name is Shi Nian.] She and Xu Binchen¡­she pondered for a while. [He is my elder.]


    "E¡ªElder?" Jiao Jiaying almost choked on her breath. "What do you mean by that? Oh I am sorry if I seem too eager, but Brother Xu hasn''t returned here for more than a year and Granny Zhang¡ªyou know, the grandmother that was with me back then¡ªmissed him so much." She lowered her eyes bashfully and added. "I¡­miss him quite a lot too."


    Shi Nian was rendered speechless.


    If you miss him, why not say it to him directly? Why to me?


    Fortunately, Peng Cheng rescued her from the awkward predicament by bringing out her meal. "Here you are, Shi Nian. I added some lean pork belly to your stir fry vegetables. You''re too thin and it''s only right to eat more. You don''t mind, do you?"


    Shi Nian looked at the dish in front of her and her appetite diminished by half. She forced herself to smile and nodded. [Thank you, Uncle Peng.]


    Not giving Jiao Jiaying any chance to talk, she grabbed her tray and nodded perfunctorily at her. Then, she found another seat on the other side of the room. Here, they wouldn''t be able to see her.


    Shi Nian looked at the pieces of pork in her te, her mind churning. Actually, it didn''t look very much like¡­like the bloody raw meat in her memory. She gripped her spoon and fork tightly and tried to eat half a piece. The meat was cooked nicely into a deep brownish color, emitting warm vapor and delicious fragrant.


    Shi Nian took a deep breath and brought it to her mouth. I can do this. I can''t always keep myself from eating red meat or else people will get suspicious. Especially Qiang Fei. She could fool everyone else but her. Only Qiang Fei knew how much she loved barbeque, pork belly and all kinds of meat. But since she returned from the hospital, she hadn''t touched even one bite of it.


    Qiang Fei thought that it was due to the near death experience which changed her tastes. But¡­how long could she pretend? What if someday, people discovered her secret that what she ate back then was possibly¡­raw human flesh?


    "Shi Nian?"


    Shi Nian''s hands trembled and her grip on the fork loosened. The meat fell back to the te with a ng.


    "Are you okay?" Jiao Jiaying put down her tray opposite her, worry tinged her voice. "Yourplexion is so pale."


    The tip of Shi Nian''s fingers trembled faintly and her lips felt numb. She looked up at Jiao Jiaying and saw the coldness that was hidden beneath the fake worry she showed. Her hands clenched atop of the table as she pursed her lips tight..


    "Are you ufortable?" The woman asked again. "By the way, may I sit here? I really want to talk with you more."


    Shi Nian nodded stiffly. [Sorry, my stomach is just a bit ufortable.]


    Contempt shed through her eyes which was quickly covered by a concern inquiry. "Is that so? Autumn will be here soon and the weather has started to change. Many people have caught a cold nowadays, so you should take care of yourself more."


    Shi Nian nodded and separated the meat from her te full of vegetables. After that, she started to stuff herself mechanically. To be honest, after going through the scare, Shi Nian couldn''t taste anything again. But it wasn''t that Jiao Jiaying would care anyway.


    They started to eat in silence.


    Jiao Jiaying chewed her rice and spoke casually. "Right, do you know where Brother Xu lives now? He has so many houses that it''s kind of hard to find him, you know."


    Shi Nian blinked, her eyes lowered as she pondered.


    This woman¡­she must have approached Shi Nian just to ask about Xu Binchen. If they were close like she said they were, then Xu Binchen must have told her his address, right? Now that he didn''t, the only possibility was: she must have delusions regarding Xu Binchen.


    Furthermore, Shi Nian sensed that Xu Binchen didn''t seem too happy when he saw themst time. If she gave out Xu Binchen''s address just like that, then wouldn''t she be condemned by the manter on?!


    For the sake of her survival, Shi Nian chose to lie. [I am sorry. Actually, I am not very close to him.]


    "Oh? But he said that you''re under his care."


    [Right, he''s quite close to my mother. My mother is busy so he asionally checks up on me.] Sorry, mother. You ought to carry this me for now, Shi Nian grimaced silently.


    "Y-Your father?" Jiao Jiaying was surprised for real this time.


    [My father...he has passed away even before I was born.] Shi Nian showed a sad puppy doe eyes.


    "You¡­how old are you?"


    Shi Nian gave her an innocent look. [I am already 16 but Uncle Xu still treats me like a child.]


    Jiao Jiaying choked and coughed.


    Shi Nian smiled triumphantly. First, she said that Xu Binchen was close with her mother, and then she called Xu Binchen ''uncle''. Wouldn''t everyone who heard it have a certain kind of conclusion?


    As she expected, Jiao Jiaying''s face turned green and she ate her meal quietly, her whole body shrouded in confusion as if she didn''t want to see reality. The corner of Shi Nian''s lips curled up and her mood brightened so much that she wanted to hum.


    She must told Xu Binchenter when he''s back! See if the man would give her some reward for warding off this rotten peach blossom[1] for him!


    [1] Rotten peach blossom = romance but not the kind you want :)

 Chapter 119 - Ultra Thin...Pleasure Pack...

    Shi Nian finished her meal happily and waved Jiao Jiaying goodbye with a wide smile. [See you again, Sister Jiao.]


    "Right¡­" Jiao Jiayingughed wryly. "See you again."


    Shi Nian hummed and went to buy a bottle of cold tea to wash her mouth. She had just paid and turned around when she inadvertently saw Jiang Jinyan through the throng of people. No matter how low profile and inconspicuous he was, Shi Nian would always be able to find him with a nce.


    His back faced her and he walked down the street alone. The amber sky illuminated his profile and the wind blew his slightly longer hair. He had pulled his hair up in a half bun and with each step it would bounce softly. Shi Nian stared at him with nk eyes.


    That day, he said, "Don''t let me see you again."


    But like this, he wouldn''t be able to see her, right?


    This kind of looking¡­was allowed, right?


    "Miss, it''s 2 yuan." The cashier reminded her. "Do you need anything else?"


    Shi Nian snapped out of her thoughts and paid hastily then went out of the cafeteria. The distance between both of them was less than 200 meters. Shi Nian didn''t dare to get close to him again, not after his manic derationst time.


    She kicked a pebble in front of her with the tip of her sole sullenly. Pedestrians strode along in between them and sometimes, she would lose sight of him. But when she turned, she would find him again. Just like that, she followed behind him and stole some nces asionally, just like a child that was deprived of her treasure and could only sadly look at it from behind the ss.


    Jiang Jinyan walked into the apartment building and disappeared from her sight.


    Today too, he was safe and sound. Shi Nian hadn''t seen that suspicious shadow ever since. If she wasn''t keen, then she would have taken it as a mere imagination. She had wanted to tell him multiple times but...would Jiang Jinyan believe her? After all, he had always thought that she was stalking him...


    Shi Nian let out a sigh and turned to the convenience store. She couldn''t continue to eat in the cafeteria like this. Even though it was convenient, the cost that umted for days was quite high. She wanted to buy some groceries to cook for herself.


    The convenience store in the apartment district was like a mini supermarket. There was a section for fruits, vegetables, seafood and meat. With a basket in hand, she stood by the shelf and bought three kinds of vegetables, a dozen eggs and some frozen food.


    She was deliberating on whether to buy oatmeal when the bell attached to the top of the door rang, followed by the greeting. "Wee, what can I help you, sir?"


    Shi Nian identally peeked through the gaps of the shelf and saw Jiang Jinyan!


    She hid by reflex, her heart thumping wildly. Why was he here?! Hadn''t he gone back already? If he saw her here¡­then would he misunderstand that she was stalking him again?!


    No, she couldn''t let Jiang Jinyan see her!


    Shi Nian grabbed a box of oatmeal and turned into the cornermost shelf that sold instant noodles.


    Who knew that Jiang Jinyan would walk in her direction?!


    Panicked, she circled around and sessfully slid to the beer and condom section. Shi Nian looked around nkly but her attention was focused on Jiang Jinyan who was currently choosing instant noodles across the shelf.


    "Miss." The female staff approached her with a strange smile. "Can I help you?"


    Shi Nian looked at her, bewildered. She shook her head in panic.


    "I''m sorry, but you look like you''re underage. May I see your ID card?"


    The convenience store was quite deste and the distance between Jiang Jinyan and her was only less than ten meters. When the female staff spoke, Jiang Jinyan gave a cursory nce and their eyes instantly met.


    Shi Nian froze in ce, her mind in a mess. What to do¡­he saw me. What to do¡­he saw me¡­


    She had thought that being caught was the worst thing that could have happened. Shi Nian didn''t expect that there''s something worse that awaited her in the next moment. Jiang Jinyan''s gaze moved from her to the shelf in front of her and the patiently waiting female staff.


    His lips curled into a scornful smile.


    The female staff looked at them in confusion. Then, realization dawned on her. "Are you two together?"


    Shi Nian looked at her in shock. What the hell are you saying?!


    Jiang Jinyan scoffed and threw the cup noodle in his hand toward his basket. "I don''t know her." Then he sauntered away.


    "Miss?"


    Shi Nian snapped out of her reverie and saw the weird gaze the female staff gave her. Steam poofed out of her head and her face reddened like a tomato.


    "Do you¡­still need it?" she probed carefully.


    Still need what?


    Shi Nian nkly followed her line of sight and saw a colorful variety of boxes in front of her. Ultra thin¡­pleasure pack¡­exciting mix of sensation and stimtion¡­


    She jumped like a cat whose tail was being stepped on. What had she been looking at?! No wonder¡­no wonder that Jiang Jinyan ridiculed her. No wonder that the female staff looked at her with those strange eyes. Aaaaaah! Shi Nian really felt like dying right here and now!


    She shook her head like a rattle drum and escaped from that ce as fast as possible! Her facebusted in red me and Shi Nian felt like she couldn''te to this convenience store again¡­not when the female staff was still working¡­


    She escaped to the toothbrush section and pretended to seriously consider which one she would choose.


    Jiang Jinyan bought a basket full of instant noodles, eggs, vegetables and tworge bags of cat food. "Thank you for your patronage!" The female staff sent him off with a smile.


    Shi Nian waited until full five minutes before she dawdled to the cashier with a red face. The female staff gave her a wide smile. "Is there anything else?"


    She shook her head furiously, her eyes teary. No matter how she defended herself, she would never be able to wash herself clean anymore¡­


    She didn''t buy much and it only took onerge stic bag.


    "Thank you for your patronage!" The female staff smiled and added. "Don''t worry, I will not tell anyone."


    It''s better that you didn''t speak! Shi Nian wept internally and dashed out with tail between her legs.


    She walked down the street with her head down, tears flooded her heart, forming arge river. The wind rushed to her face, slightly diminishing the heat that was caused by the earlier ident. Shi Nian was immersed in the funeral of her reputation when the sole of her feet bumped into an instant noodle cup.


    She halted in her tracks.


    Maybe due to her speed walking, she had caught up to Jiang Jinyan without her knowing. And in front of her, Jiang Jinyan was half kneeling as he bent down to pick up his things which had been scattered across the ground due to his stic bag ripping¡­


    All of the mortification and intense embarrassment went down the drain in the face of his twisted brows and his slightly trembling legs.


    Without thinking, Shi Nian strode forward and helped him to pick it up one by one. She moved fast and in a blink of an eye, she had gathered all of his instant noodles in one ce. It was unlucky though, his eggs cracked and the yolk stained the stic bag, it was definitely unusable anymore.


    Jiang Jinyan straightened his legs and discovered her. Surprise shed through his eyes before disappearing in a split second. The mask emerged in the next second with armor so strong that nothing could break it.


    "Go away. I don''t need your help.." He said coldly.

 Chapter 120 - Are You Cursing Me?

    Pedestrians walked along the street under the purple clouds spread evenly across the sky. Streemps lit up one by one, illuminating their silhouette and the elongated shadows under their feet. People gave discreet nces but nevertheless continued walking as if they hadn''t seen anything. After all, in this kind of era, people wouldn''t care about anything if it wasn''t their business.


    "I don''t need your help." Jiang Jinyan''s low, cold voice that was forced out in between gritted teeth sung along with the wind to her ears.


    Shi Nian pretended to be mute and deaf as she dexterously picked up his loitered groceries and put it out of people''s way. Jiang Jinyan froze for a second, never expected that he would be ignored. His momentum weakened and his brain turned sluggish.


    Sharp pain rushed from his leg up to the tip of his hair, making his scalp tingle with numbness.


    He wasn''t prepared at all when the stic bag ripped and the stuff in it fell down to the ground. Jiang Jinyan avoided in reflex. He was about to jump to the side when an instant noodle cup rolled under his feet. He was forced to regain his bnce and along the process, the pressure shifted to his right ankle.


    If it was a real leg in flesh, then his ankle should have been sprained. But because it''s not, the pressure shot up to his knee as the cold metal grazed against his skin. He badly wanted to find a ce to sit but he couldn''t leave his messy things alone.


    Nice. What good luck he had.


    Moreover, this pathetic event was witnessed by that girl again.


    The pain made him unable to react in time and when he snapped out of it, the girl had zoomed back into the convenience store and returned with a new stic bag. Ignoring his gloomy stare, she bent down and put his things inside nicely.


    Jiang Jinyan pursed his lips tight, annoyed. "I told you to scram, don''t you hear me? I don''t need your help at all."


    Shi Nian nced fleetingly toward his leg but this one movement almost made him explode. What he despised the most was people''s pity and sympathy. It made him truly feel like a waste, like a beggar who needed people''s alms. It made him recall that he was truly different from other people.


    At a moment like this, he felt fucking disgusted at himself.


    Shi Nian tied a knot on the stic bag to keep the things from falling again and finally gave her full attention to Jiang Jinyan.


    In the next second, he was stupefied.


    Because within Shi Nian''s golden eyes, there contained pure, unaltered anger. No pity, but anger, concern and heartache. Her eyes were zing against the darkened sky, exceedingly dazzling and bright. Even her cheeks were flushed. Her lips opened and closed as she eximed angrily, yet not a sound came out.


    Jiang Jinyan could only make out a few words like ''stupid'' ''idiot'' and ''I am worried''.


    In fact, what Shi Nian said was: "You stupid, brute and idiot General! How can you still be as stubborn as a mule even when a lifetime has passed? Wasn''t it you who told me that humans shouldn''t overestimate themselves? When you''re in need of help, then you should ask for help! If you don''t, then how can people know that you''re suffering? I understand that you don''t want to see me, but I can''t leave you alone like this! You''re almost making me worried to death!"


    She took full advantage of being a mute to tell him off until she was satisfied.


    The wind blew their hair along and Shi Nian''s harsh breathing was the only thing that could be heard between them.


    After some time passed, Jiang Jinyan asked with a frown. "Are you cursing me?"


    Shi Nian harrumphed sullenly. She grabbed his stuff and shoved it into his arms. Jiang Jinyan caught it, dumbstruck at this thin girl''s audacity. Then, she grabbed her own stic bag and dashed into the distance without looking back.


    Jiang Jinyan looked at her diminishing back, his feelingsplicated.


    There was still the stained stic bag and the broken eggs on the ground but Jiang Jinyan decided to report it to the cleaning service as he made his way back to the apartment building. If it wasn''t because he forgot the stupid fe''s food was almost finished, he wouldn''t have gone to the convenience store.


    He walked slowly, rested asionally as he gnashed his teeth to brace the numbing pain on his leg. It must have been bruised again, hemented. It took almost ten minutes for him to arrive at the building that was only a mere 150 meters away.


    The lobby was deserted and only thedy receptionist smiled at him. Jiang Jinyan nodded briefly and walked to the elevator. He pressed on the button and the elevator door shifted open directly, inside of it was the girl who had left him behind just now, currently hugging her stic bag as she stared at the sole of her feet as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.


    Jiang Jinyan: "¡­"


    He faltered for a second before making his way in. As he pressed on the neenth floor and the elevator began to ascend, he gave a cursory nce toward the girl whose height was only up to his shoulder. Her shoulders stiffened slightly and her whole person gave off the aura of ''I am here first so I am not stalking you. This is just a coincidence.''


    Jiang Jinyan really didn''t want to have anything to do with her but judging by how the girl had helped him just now, he had a moment of softheartedness that onlysted for a mere second. "Which floor are you?" She hadn''t even pressed on her floor number, had she waited to stupidity?


    The sudden voice inside the silent elevator made her jolt in shock and in a fit of panic, Shi Nian pressed on a number carelessly and only five secondster did she realize that she had pressed on the eighteenth floor.


    Shi Nian: "¡­" faint.jpg


    The elevator dinged open on the eighteenth floor amidst her silent crying.


    "Why aren''t you getting off?" he asked with a suspicious tone.


    Shi Nian bit her gums and resolutely stepped out. Then, after waiting until Jiang Jinyan got off at one floor above, she took the emergency stairs up. Shi Nian nced at the number neen in red color that glowed beside the door, hesitating.


    She inadvertently recalled Jiang Jinyan''s furrowed brows and his trembling legs, worry rushed to her head. His leg¡­he must have silently bore the pain, right? Would he be okay alone? Shi Nian knew that Jiang Jinyan loathed to see her, but she couldn''t restrain herself from opening the door to the neenth floor.


    Only to see Jiang Jinyan leaning on the hallway. Two pairs of eyes met in an instant.


    Shi Nian: "¡­"


    Jiang Jinyan sported the same cold and hard expression as always that Shi Nian didn''t know what he was thinking about. Shi Nian''s face paled in fright and she stood there, petrified in ce. The air stagnated for a moment and it was getting harder to breathe under his oppressive stare.


    In the end, Shi Nian surrendered and stepped back into the emergency stairs.


    "Hold on."


    She froze, her hand on the handle of the door.


    Jiang Jinyan walked up to her and if one didn''t see clearly, one wouldn''t be able to make out his subtle limp. Shi Nian didn''t dare to look up at him, scared that she would find the same contempt and ridicule.


    "Which floor are you?" he asked again.


    Shi Nian didn''t dare to lie again, her fingers pointed up to the ceiling. The highest floor, twentieth floor.


    Jiang Jinyan hummed. Seeing the girl''s flustered and fearful face, he actually felt amused. Where was the one who was cursing him just a moment ago? "I¡­" He took a deep breath. "Thank you¡­for just now."


    Shi Nian looked up at him in disbelief and joy but Jiang Jinyan''s face remained deadpanned. He only waited here to say it, if not, his conscience wouldn''t allow him to sleep soundly tonight. He directly turned around but again, the girl grasped onto the hem of his skirt.


    Jiang Jinyan told himself, patience is virtue. "What?"


    Invigorated, Shi Nian put down her stic bag and fumbled around for her phone as her fingers flew across the screen. To her surprise, Jiang Jinyan actually waited until she finished typing.


    [I want to tell you about that day. It''s not me who''s stalking you. I saw another shadow following behind you.]


    His brows knitted subtly.


    [You should be careful.] She peered up at him, trying to discern his mood to no avail.


    "I know now." Curtly, he replied. Then, he once again turned around, ignoring Shi Nian who was still typing on the phone.


    Flustered, she chased after him and reached out to tug on his shirt again, typing with only one thumb.


    "What now?" He was losing patience quickly.


    [I am Shi Nian.]


    Jiang Jinyan looked at the distressed girl and finally relented with a sigh. "I know."


    Shi Nian instantly broke out in a wide smile. She was the kind of person that when given adder, she would try to climb up to Heaven. [Can we be friends?] She batted her eyshes, her golden eyes filled with hope.


    Jiang Jinyan looked at her with dead fish eyes and answered. "No."


    Then, before she could react, he slipped behind the door and closed it right on her face.

 Chapter 121 - Got It, Boyfriend?

    "This is quite a tricky situation." Ru Meiqimented, her arms crossed in front of her chest. In the dim car, only the light from the screen illuminated her and Xu Binchen''s face.


    "I know." Jin Renguang''s solemn voice resounded from the other side of the video. Exhaustion evident on his brows and his whole person looked unkempt. "But this is a priceless clue, too precious for us to let it go."


    "I understand it, but..." Ru Meiqi sighed. "Are you really sure that it''s trustworthy?"


    Headlights from cars shone onto their faces once in a while. Xu Binchen''s hands rested on the steering wheel as he squinted his eyes. His line of sight went to the billboard up above which signed ''Dreamscape Bar''. This was one of the most luxurious and official bars in the Capital. Its owner was mysterious, but rumors had it that it was opened by a high rank official.


    It was unlike any other bars who was soaked inscivious atmosphere with waitresses wearing skimpy clothes sauntering around selling cheap beers that could be found in supermarkets. Promiscuous and scandalous acts could be seen in every corner, even dirty condoms weren''t an umon sight in the bathroom stalls.


    On the other hand, Dreamscape Bar upheld strict regtions. People who could enter had to be verified and only when their identity was confirmed by a string of unknown procedures could they finally receive entry. Crouching tigers and hidden dragons swam freely inside like fish out of water. Moreover, Dreamscape Bar could keep secrets well.


    That''s why, even though many bars and clubs emerged in the Capital for the past few years, Dreamscape Bar remained at the top as the kaolin flower on the edge of a high cliff that was untouchable by mortals.


    It was also because of this strict regtion that the government overlooked them.


    "I trust Director Fen." Jin Renguang said. "From all of our people, he''s the one who''s most worthy of our trust. Even under the de of death, he will not betray hisrades. Now that he has discreetly passed me this clue, I am willing to gamble on it."


    Xu Binchen''s fingers tapped on the steering wheel, his sharp eyes scrutinized every single person who passed through the door.


    "How is it, Xu Binchen?" Jin Renguang turned to him. "Do you know anything about this ce?"


    Xu Binchen pondered for a moment before slowly opening his mouth. "Dreamscape Bar was opened six years ago and its management was handed to someone surnamed Si. Allegedly, he''s quite young, less than thirty five years old and he has a great rtionship with the owner. The owner himself has almost never appeared on the scene. It proved that he trusts this surnamed Si very much."


    Ru Meiqi doubted. "Can it possibly be a screen? Surnamed Si may be the real owner disguised as the manager."


    "Many people have seen him before. If you''re a regr guest of this bar, you may even talk to him sometimes. From his background up to his bearing, it''s impossible for him to open this kind of tightly closed fancy bar. He doesn''t have this kind of qualifications nor authority."


    Jin Renguang nodded. "So there is definitely someone behind him."


    They fell silent for a moment, digesting the information slowly.


    Xu Binchen asked, unrelenting. "Captain, exactly what kind of clue do we have to focus on? Does it have to do with the owner? If so, then we could have directly inquired about him without this roundabout method."


    "No." Jin Renguang shook his head slowly. "I have a feeling that it''s not that simple. Dreamscape Bar has operated for six years but is it normal for it not to have even one ident? Clear water has no fish and for this pond to hold such big kois, the water must be a special kind. We have to investigate what kind of water there is."


    Xu Binchen nodded albeit he still had some suspicions. "Fine. Then, we shall go in and probe a bit for the situation."


    Jin Renguang: "Keep on updating. If there''s something wrong, directly retreat, got it? Safety first." Thest sentence was directed toward the yawning woman who was draped in gorgeous makeup.


    Ru Meiqi blinked her damp eyes and turned to Xu Binchen. "Then, shall we go in now, boyfriend?"


    After sessfully making Jin Renguang''s face turn green, Ru Meiqi ended the video call with a satisfied smile. Xu Binchen nced at her but didn''t want toment. He changed the topic swiftly. "The matter with that person who came to Shi Nian''s house¡­how is it?"


    "Comrade Wang is still working on it. The CCTVs in that area are seriously problematic, if it''s not broken then its screen isn''t working well. He''s trying to extract as much footage as possible. We should be able to find that person in a few more days."


    Xu Binchen nodded. "Tell me if there''s any further development." He opened the car door and went out. The wind blew his hair which wasbed up with hair gel, showing his clear forehead and highlighting his deep set eyebrows and eye-catching features.


    He wore a branded trench coat, two piece suit and his tie loosened around his cor and stuffed into the breast pocket casually. His cold and elegant bearing swept the crowd and people couldn''t help but give him another nce. He perfectly depicted the role of a mature, sessful entrepreneur. His whole person exuded a ''not to be trifled with'' aura.


    Xu Binchen went to the passenger seat and opened the door gentlemanly. A fair, tender hand came out and rested on his arm, followed by a blindingly sexy leg and a captivating woman in glittering ck gown who gave him a flirtatious smile.


    Truly...a very well matched couple.


    But actually, the conversation between them went on like this:


    Ru Meiqi swept a nce toward the red string bracelet around Xu Binchen''s wrist. A meaningful smile on her face. "I don''t know that you''re such a devoted Buddhist, Comrade Xu."


    "I''m not, but someone does." The man put his palm on the canopy to protect her head. His gesture was intimate yet his dead eyes betrayed his thoughts. "Anyway, why should we pretend to be a couple? Why can''t I be the boss while you''re my secretary? It''s easier to act like that anyway. I can also evade Captain''s ire."


    Ru Meiqi was almost angered to death. She covered her mouth andughed charmingly. With a yank, she pulled on Xu Binchen''s tie so that the man''s head lowered. Their distance was so close that it seemed like they were going to kiss anytime soon.


    A cold glint shed through Ru Meiqi''s eyes as she smiled sweetly. "If you talk to me like thister on, I will make sure to expose your secret to her, got it boyfriend?" Both of them knew who the ''her'' Ru Meiqi was referring to.


    Xu Binchen''s jaw ticked and it looked like he had to expend all of his effort not to go out of character. Ru Meiqi smoothly descended and slipped her hand around Xu Binchen''s arm. Together, they tangoed toward Dreamscape Bar''s gate.


    A bouncer with bulging muscle and a ferocious scar on his cheek stood guard. He looked suspiciously toward them. "First timer?"


    Xu Binchen''s character was arrogant, the true proud son of Heaven. It was beneath him to speak to such a lowly character so he remained silent with a condescending nce. It was Ru Meiqi who took care of it. She hugged Xu Binchen''s arm, batted her eyshes while her lips pouted adorably.


    "Hubby, this is it~ I really want to visit this bar since ages ago!" she whined like a pampered sugar baby.


    That sickening sweet tone almost made Xu Binchen puked. Fortunately, when his face turned ugly, he directed it toward the bouncer.


    His face remained deadpanned as he ordered. "Open the door."


    The bouncer didn''t budge. "May I see your identity, Sir?"


    Xu Binchen dug into his pocket and threw a golden card to him. The bouncer caught it steadily and his eyes instantly changed as he caught sight of the card. His attitude turned a hundred eighty degrees as he lowered his head deferentially. "Turns out that it is an esteemed guest. Please forgive my insolence." He opened the door for them and gestured. "Dreamscape Bar wees you. Please enter and enjoy yourself, Sir."


    Xu Binchen harrumphed coldly and stepped forward. Ru Meiqi winked seductively toward the bouncer and blew him a kiss but actually, she was quite shocked inside.


    There was very little information regarding Dreamscape Bar''s management and there was even less of what police could obtain. This operation was only known by a few of them, the less people knew of it, the better. They couldn''t even seek Wang Chengbing''s cooperation. Unexpectedly, there was another hidden dragon in their SCI squad.


    After the door closed behind them, she steadily whispered in Xu Binchen''s ears. "What did you give him?" The man''s attitude directly changed after seeing Xu Binchen''s card so there must be something special in it.


    "VIP membership card." Xu Binchen replied casually. "After knowing that we have to go undercover, I created one." His tone couldn''t be more leisurely. But what kind of identity was needed to make a VIP membership in this bar?


    Ru Meiqi was rendered speechless.


    It seemed like Xu Binchen''swork was deeper than she thought it was. He was truly mysterious and hard to read.


    But at this moment, she threw it to the back of her mind and focused on the sight in front of her.

 Chapter 122 - Manager Si

    She had made some mental preparations before, but still, when the scenery opened up in front of her eyes, she couldn''t help but widen her eyes in surprise. Instead of a bar, this ce should be more of a high end lounge instead.


    A huge chandelier hung on the ceiling, emitting soft yellow light that made people rx. Sofas in half circles sat across the floor, each with a low table with it. Enough privacy was given, at least if someone didn''t crane their necks up to deliberately peek at others, they wouldn''t be able to see anything.


    Being a country bumpkin sugar baby, Ru Meiqi seized the advantage to look around curiously. Awe and astonishment filled her heart. Holy shit, that man over there¡­wasn''t it the sessful entrepreneur covered in this month''s business magazine who was said to have a blissful marriage life? That man over there¡­wasn''t it the rising actor that starred in the recently booming box office movie?! And¡­and that woman by that side who sat on an old man''s thigh¡­wasn''t it the speaker of a certain political party??!


    Ru Meiqi''s jaw dropped to the ground and only then did she realize how important the verification in front of the gate was. If someone were to see this scene, then tomorrow, every single channel would explode with headline news, full of numerous exciting scandals!


    She didn''t have any qualms in looking around. Scrutinizing each person carefully and jotting it down by heart, she made her way to the counter in the middle, following behind Xu Binchen. A sparse hair middle aged man with belly beer met her eyes and winked at her, his eyes glowing sciously as his eyes raked across her body likeser beam.


    Goosebumps broke out along Ru Meiqi''s arms and she hastily turned her eyes away, pretending to act spoiled by leaning onto Xu Binchen''s shoulder.


    Xu Binchen stiffened slightly, but due to his cold temperament, it didn''t seem as conspicuous. They sat by the counter, a ce where they could swipe a nce at every corner of the room easily. A bartender in white shirt and butterfly bow tie approached them politely. "Wee Sir, Miss. May I ask what you''d like to drink?"


    Xu Binchen tapped his fingers and spoke in his trademark domineering tone. French rolled out of his tongue smoothly. "Domaine Leroy Musigny, do you have?"


    Surprise shed through the bartender''s eyes which was quickly covered. But then, in the next moment, his tone became much more humble. "Sorry, Sir. The wine you''re looking for isn''t avable right now. At this moment, we have a limited edition old wine Romanee Conti. It''s been brewed since 1945, I guarantee with this bar''s reputation that you will not be disappointed."


    Displeasure exuded faintly from Xu Binchen''s brows as he relented. "Fine. As for mypanion¡­" He hooked on Ru Meiqi''s chin, his eyes narrowed with a smile. "How about a Sangria[1]? We don''t want to see you copse early into the night, do we?"


    The bartender chuckled softly. "Certainly, Sir."


    Ru Meiqi''s cheeks flushed as she lowered her eyes bashfully. But inwardly, she was cursing like an old auntie; damn, this brat does have a huge potential to be a pro g man¡­


    The bartender went to do his job while Ru Meiqi leaned forward to rest her chin on Xu Binchen''s shoulder, looking like a woman intoxicated with love. But in fact, she was hissing, dread filled her tone. "T¡ªThe wine¡­what wine did you just order?" Even the end of her tone trembled ever so slightly.


    "Oh?" Xu Binchen crossed his legs. "Romanee Conti? Not too bad. Quite expensive. Around seven thousand dors, if I am not wrong."


    Ru Meiqi choked on air. "S¡ªSeven thousand dors?!" For a bottle of wine?!


    "Calm down. Don''t break your character." Xu Binchen whispered, his face soft and doting. "It''s only right for me to go all out or else I will not be able to fish out any big catch."


    "But¡ª" It''s seven thousand dors ah! Almost 45 thousand yuan! Ru Meiqi''s heart was bleeding as she cried out. "The police don''t have that much money to reimburse our fee¡­"


    "I know." Xu Binchen scoffed softly. "I don''t expect to be reimbursed. Do Ick that kind of money?"


    That tone dripping with with contempt and sarcasm¡­you''re trying to get beaten up, aren''t you?


    Ru Meiqi took a deep breath, her heart ached as she thought of how Xu Binchen would drink money. But because it''s his own money, she felt a lot better. He was right, it''s better to go all out. Now or never.


    "He hase." Xu Binchen''s lips curled up in a faint smile.


    The bartender returned from the back storage, followed by a handsome middle aged man in white cotton shirt and pants. He had a youthful look, and if not for his deep and immeasurable eyes which told that he had gone through the vicissitudes of life, Ru Meiqi would have taken him as an ordinary white cor worker.


    "Hello, esteemed Sir. I heard that you''re the one who ordered Romanee Conti?"


    Xu Binchen gave him a cursory nce. "You are?"


    "Ah, look at me." He smiled in apology, gentle and refreshing. "I have forgotten to introduce myself. This one is surnamed Si, named Yusheng."


    The one surnamed Si! He had finally appeared!


    Uproar resounded throughout the room. "Oh look, it''s manager Si!"


    "Manager Si himself hase out to receive a guest? Such a rare asion is hard toe by. Who is that young man?"


    "I don''t know either¡­never seen him before."


    "A second generation brat?"


    After all, the ones who mingled in the room ranged above 30 at age. Seeing such a young man like Xu Binchen, it was like seeing a branch of peach blossom amidst the chilling and dry winter. Whispers and heated discussions were heard, mainly guessing who the young man''s identity would be.


    Xu Binchen nodded. "So, it''s Manager Si. This one is surnamed Xu."


    Si Yusheng smiled politely. "Mr. Xu, it seems like we have attracted some attention. If you don''t mind Sir, Dreamscape Bar will offer you a private room based on your membership card. It''s more personal and enjoyable there. You will definitely like it more." He gave Xu Binchen a meaningful nce.


    Xu Binchen rubbed his chin thoughtfully, his eyes profound. Then, he suddenly turned to Ru Meiqi. "What do you think? Should we?"


    Ru Meiqi cooperated seamlessly. She felt proud for being this lofty man''spanion but at the same time, she was also nervous to be scanned by people''s stares tantly. "I¡ªI will follow you ah¡­what do you ask me for?"


    Xu Binchen chuckled faintly. "Then, we will take on Manager Si''s offer."


    "Thank you very much, Sir. Pleasee this way."


    The three of them went to the secluded hallway around the counter. It was hidden on the dim corner and the door was the same color as the wall, making it difficult for people to notice it. There was a mechanical lock on the door which could only be opened with an identification card.


    Seeing Xu Binchen looking at the card, Si Yusheng exined with a smile. "This is the highest benefit we can offer. Along with this card, you can upgrade the services and enjoy the greatest VIP treatment."


    Upgrade the service? VIP treatment?


    So¡­the ones outside weren''t VIPs?


    Doubts filled Ru Meiqi and Xu Binchen''s head but they remained calm¡ªno, to be exact, Ru Meiqi was flustered, joy and exhration filled her eyes as she looked around with twinkling curiosity and bubbling excitement.


    ...she truly enjoyed herself, it''s hard for Xu Binchen to look at her.


    Si Yusheng didn''t say anything toward this behavior of hers. More like, he was trying to give Xu Binchen some face due to the man''s identity...


    The door opened with a soft click and he took the lead. "Come on, Sir." There was a long hallway in front of them. When they stepped in, the door automatically closed behind them. Xu Binchen gave the lock a nce but his mind whirled on how it would operate. Just a card? He didn''t think that it would be that simple.


    The hallway waspletely silent and only their footsteps muffled under the thick carpet echoed throughout the space. Surveince cameras worked in every corner, monitoring ceaselessly with almost no blind spot. They turned into a corner and a new world opened up in front of their eyes.


    Rows of shut doors lined up neatly. Xu Binchen counted quickly. There were twenty rooms. No sound could be heard from any of it. He didn''t know whether it''s because the rooms were empty or due to the excellent soundproofing. But based on the bar''s reputation, he would bet on the second possibility.


    Something was hidden beneath those doors, Xu Binchen''s gut feelings said.


    "Wee to the true ''Dreamscape Bar'' where we can make your every dreame true." Si Yusheng walked to the door with a metal te carved with number 8 on it. "You are our newest VIP guest, and we will surely entertain you to your heart''s content. I will be here if you need me, so¡­feel free to take a look and make your order."


    .


    [1] Sangria: chopped fruits, brandy, and red or white wine. Popr amongdies~ Question: How does Xu Binchen know it? Hehehe

 Chapter 123 - The Secret Of Dreamscape Bar

    Xu Binchen and Ru Meiqi were still standing in the middle of the room when Si Yusheng closed the door behind him. Both of them nced at each other and when Xu Binchen wanted to open his mouth, Ru Meiqi suddenly fell on his body, her arms around his shoulder as she gave a signal.


    He followed her line of sight to see a faint blinking red light of surveince camera.


    Curses slipped out of his mouth.


    Then, without any further ado, Xu Binchen walked to the camera with a sour face. His expression was terrifyingly dark as he said coldly. "I thought that Manager Si is going to give us the greatest service. But it seems like I have overestimated you." He chuckled, yet his eyes were dark.


    In the control room, the staff who was responsible for overviewing the surveince record broke out in cold sweat as he met Xu Binchen''s piercing eyes across the screen. He jumped from his seat like his butt was burning, all colors drained from his face.


    How could he find the hidden CCTV in the blink of an eye? How terrifying!


    In the next second, the screen showing Xu Binchen''s face shut down abruptly and only the ck and white buzzing remained. The staff gulped nervously and hurriedly picked up the interphone. "M¡ªManager Si? This is Xiao Feng, the customer in room 8¡­"


    Meanwhile, back in room 8, Ru Meiqi was rendered speechless.


    Xu Binchen raised one of his brows and gave her a lofty nce that said ''I didn''t break my character, did I?''


    Ru Meiqi didn''t know what to say except to give him a thumbs up.


    Xu Binchen rolled his forefingers around the room and Ru Meiqi understood. She scanned the surrounding quickly, eliminating the possible ces of where the hidden surveince camera would be and shook her head in the end. There was no more CCTV¡­but they didn''t know about listening bugs.


    He got the message and sat himself on the couch, sneering. "I see that there''s nothing good about this ''Dreamscape Bar''. What fucking greatest benefit? Just a bunch of dogs that aren''t worthy to lick my shoes."


    Ru Meiqi gave ttering words. "Young Master Xu is right. How can they spy on you?! I think that they don''t want their business anymore!"


    "What do you say? Should I make it so that it can''t operate any longer?"


    As he expected, in the next second, a series of knocks resounded through the room. Manager Si reappeared with an apologetic look and his smile looked much more sincere. "My deepest apologies, Mr.Xu. It isn''t our intention to pry on your privacy but we need to take greatest caution on neers."


    Xu Binchen sneered and rolled his eyes.


    Even though he was in a lower position right now, the way he sat was exceedingly regal and domineering as if he was the king and the couch was his golden throne. Manager Si hurriedly soothed him, finally giving the answer that they wanted to hear. "It''s okay, Young Master Xu. There won''t be anything like this anymore. This is just ourst test for you and you have proven worthy to be a VIP member in this bar."


    Xu Binchen still looked impatient. "Remove the listening bugs."


    Manager Si was startled.


    Xu Binchenughed mockingly. "Do you think I am stupid?"


    "No, no, of course not." Manager Si smiled and gave a series ofmands on his tablet. Less than a minuteter, two servants in the same uniform as the bartender entered, their eyes lowered and their behavior humble. They didn''t look anywhere as they moved dexterously, removing the listening bugs in inconspicuous ces like the bottom of TV, inside the bathroom, on windowsill and many more secret ces that made Ru Meiqi break out in cold sweat.


    Fortunately¡­fortunately they reacted fast and didn''t give anything away.


    Well, it was mainly because Xu Binchen''s character was too strong that no one dared to defy him.


    The door closed again behind the servants and awkward silence descended onto the room. Xu Binchen hadn''t gotten the chance to explore yet but based on the interior, he could make out that the room was simr to a hotel suite. They were in the spacious and luxurious living room, while there was a bedroom, bathroom and one closed door whose purpose he had no idea of.


    Manager Si gave a smile. "As a token of our sincerity, today''s wine will be on the bar."


    Only then did Xu Binchen''s face eased up slightly which made Manager Si silently let out a sigh of relief. Another servant came in with a tray carrying a bottle of wine, two empty sses with ice cubes and a ss of rose colored liquid with small pieces of fruits in it.


    Manager Si popped open the cork himself and poured the wine into two sses. A smooth, mellow and intoxicating scent of liquor wafted into the air and Xu Binchen''s eyes turned half lidded as he inhaled the fragrance. A fleeting smile curled up on his lips. "Hmm, truly a good wine."


    "Yes, Sir." Manager Si raised one ss. "How about a weing toast?"


    Xu Binchen reached out for the ss while his other arm wrapped around Ru Meiqi''s shoulder. He twirled the ss around and saw the carmine liquid made its trail on the ss, its color was velvety and delicate, much like a cherished lover.


    Then, he clung his ss against Manager Si''s and took a sip. His Adam apple bobbed slightly as he swallowed. The elegance and poise he exuded was truly captivating, full of irresistible male charm. The savoury tartness and faint ckberry scent filled his cavity as the taste gradually manifested into an evesting sweetness.


    Finally, Xu Binchen''s mood was elevated. "Good."


    Manager Si took a sip himself and his eyes brightened up. "I have to thank Mr.Xu or else this wine will be hidden under the cer until God-knows-when. It''s because of Mr.Xu that I can taste this legendary wine. I offer this toast to you, may we have a smooth cooperation!"


    Xu Binchen raised his ss. "Smooth cooperation."


    Both men dried their sses and came to a tacit understanding.


    Ru Meiqi felt like it was her turn to perform, so she leaned forward with a longing look. "I want to taste it too¡­"


    "No." Xu Binchen curtly rejected. "You can''t bear it. Just drink your Sangria obediently."


    Ru Meiqi showed a sad look but inwardly she was grumbling. Free wine! She also wanted to taste this legendary wine and because it was free, it should taste twice as savoury! Disgruntled, she could only reach for her Sangria and slowly drank it sip by sip.


    Manager Si threw a meaningful look. "May I ask what kind of service you seek? We will do our best to fulfill it."


    Xu Binchen tapped on his thigh. "I just want to have fun, can I?"


    "Of course you can. Then¡­"


    "Show me your best offer." Xu Binchen smiled, his eyes brightened in anticipation.


    Manager Si smiled widely. He liked this kind of guest the most! He readily offered another tablet to Xu Binchen and opened a new page where multiple goods lined up with a short description. Xu Binchen scrolled down without any expression. As he expected, there was an exchange of drugs here.


    How many years had it been? And the bar had been operating under the government''s nose¡­how terrifying.


    Ru Meiqi showed a perfectly nk look toward a variety of drugs that were sold like potato chips in supermarkets. She pointed at the bottommost corner curiously. "What is this special offer for first timer?"


    "Ah, that." Manager Si''s smile deepened. "It''s a special service, we called it ''The Abyss of Ecstasy''"


    Ru Meiqi didn''t act confused¡ªshe truly didn''t understand while Xu Binchen understood it instantly. This kind of offer¡­how was it different from a brothel and human trafficking? Maybe because the dealers were men in suits? Or because both parties were willing?


    His smile grew more profound as heughed. "Truly a pleasant surprise. I wonder if I will have the luck to enjoy this service tonight?"


    "Of course. Just treat it as a show of sincerity from me. What kind of goods does Mr.Xu like? We have a lot of stock in our warehouse, I guarantee that you will find the kind you like."


    As a domineering and money burning young master, of course Xu Binchen''s reaction was: "Take all of them out. I want to choose by myself."


    Manager Si¡ªafter seeing his behavior tonight¡ªwasn''t surprised any longer. He sent a fewmands into his tablet and as they waited, both men chatted amicably. The tip of Ru Meiqi''s fingers turned cold as realization finally dawned on her.


    Her face paled slightly but because of the thick makeup, it didn''t look as conspicuous. However, Xu Binchen still noticed it. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder while his fingers gave a sign behind her back. "Scared? Don''t worry, my favorite will always be you. We will only be ying today."


    The underlying meaning was: "How can you be scared just like this? Don''t be a weakling and drag me down, okay?"


    Ru Meiqi took a deep breath and hugged Xu Binchen''s arm while in fact, she was pinching him with all her might. Veins popped up in Xu Binchen''s forehead and his eyes darkened. Ru Meiqi cried softly. "I know, you will always love me¡­"


    Her meaning was: "Let''s see who will first go out of character!"


    Manager Si didn''t notice anything. The door was knocked and he went to receive it. Then, all of a sudden, the room turned crowded. There were ten, fifteen people who came in, all wearing ck cors around their necks. As Si Yusheng said, Xu Binchen could truly find all kinds of types. The gentle type, wild type, mncholic type, rebelling type, cold type, seductive type¡­


    To his surprise, there were even males! Their figures were pale, slender andnky. As they looked up and saw Xu Binchen, their eyes lit up with ayer of watery mist, pleading and begging for him to take them.


    In one scan, Xu Binchen discovered that 80% of them didn''t react even when they were disyed like goods, while the rest lowered their heads in humiliation and pain.


    So, this was the secret of Dreamscape Bar.


    Truly¡­exciting and marvelous.


    The main question was: did this exchange have anything to do with the serial killer''s first victim?

 Chapter 124 - They Didnt Even Deserve A Name

    Every second passed by excruciatingly slow and no one dared to talk. Manager Si stood by Xu Binchen''s side deferentially, just like a eunuch who was showing the harem candidate to the emperor. Xu Binchen reached into his pocket and pulled out a cigarette. The veins on his arms bulged, and if he didn''t have the taste of tobo on the tip of his tongue, he feared that he couldn''t maintain his character any longer.


    He puffed out a ring of smoke, adding on to the tensely taut atmosphere. Everywhere his eyesnded, those people would lower their eyes, terrified that he would choose them.


    It was only the males who wished that they could step forward and disy themselves. Maybe, seeing that Xu Binchen was bringing a woman as hispanion, hope lit up in their hearts. Compared to those old, disgusting and thirsty middle aged women with absurd hobbies who liked to keep male pets, Xu Binchen was akin to a savior in their eyes.


    If he chose them¡­then they wouldn''t have to suffer anymore!


    Xu Binchen''s voice turned deep and raspy due to the smoke. "Do you sell?"


    Si Yusheng answered swiftly. "We do. But it''s exclusive for long time and loyal members. For Mr.Xu who has just joined today¡­my apology, Sir, but right now, you can only rent."


    Long time and loyal members. Surely, it was because they were more trustworthy and had done a lot of deals. The crude meaning was, those members had been pulled deep into the muddy waters and they were all in the same boat so there''s no chance of betrayal or else, if they dared to betray, then Manager Si dared to pull them down with him.


    Such a tight andmendable operation with almost no holes.


    It''s no wonder that the government never caught onto anything.


    Xu Binchen wondered how many big figures were in this together. Aside from the serial murder case, this ought to be the biggest operation he had ever taken part in.


    And the more terrifying thing was; both of these cases were linked intricately together.


    "How long is considered a long time and how loyal is considered a loyal member?" he asked in an impatient tone. "I don''t like to share my things with others."


    Manager Si smiled and spoke in underlying meaning. "Sir, you will know it in time. On the other hand, once you''ve picked your favorite, they will be exclusively yours until the contract expires."


    That meant that he hadn''t trusted Xu Binchen fully yet. It made sense. To create such a huge human trafficking chain, Si Yusheng must have been a very cautious and witty old fox. Now, Xu Binchen was very curious on who the real owner of Dreamscape Bar was.


    "Okay." Xu Binchen seemed barely satisfied with the answer and pointed casually at a shoulder length thin woman in white dress. "I want her."


    She kept on lowering her head from the beginning, giving off a mild and docile feeling. Coupled with her white dress, she resembled a harmless white rabbit. Judging from her face and figure, she looked no more than twenty five. Such a young girl, strained in this kind of ce¡­how ironic.


    When she realized that Xu Binchen was pointing at her, panic and despair shed through her eyes. She lowered her head deeper, her fingers wringed together in fear. Her face which was originally fair to begin with turned ashy grey in an instant.


    Manager Siughed. "Excellent choice." Then, a servant stepped in to swipe a card toward the ck cor around the girl''s neck and the faint red blinking dot turned green.


    Xu Binchen frowned. "What was that?"


    "Don''t worry, Sir. That is just a tracker that we put on them. You see, we have met with some disobedient ones and applied new rules. With this tracker, it''s easier to record their location and the condition of their bodies."


    Just like a dog cor, Ru Meiqi thought. She huddled against Xu Binchen''s arms, staring at the girl with faint hostility. Perfectly portraying the threatened lover. But in truth, she was analyzing the girl and tried to make out some clues from her.


    Xu Binchen tapped his cigarette on the astray. "One week. Draw the contract."


    "We will send it to you as soon as possible. You may stay here tonight Sir and we can sign the contract tomorrow." Manager Si gestured at the third door which had never been opened. "There''s some extra entertainment there which you will like. Feel free to enjoy the night in Dreamscape Bar. I hope that you will achieve the fun you seek for."


    Xu Binchen nodded with a cold smile. "I sure will."


    People started to leave the room one by one. At the end of the line was Manager Si. He said to the girl. "No 36, make sure to serve this young master well." His eyes shed in cold and threatening glints.


    The girl shuddered violently and the rims of her eyes reddened.


    No.36¡­they didn''t even deserve a name, Xu Binchen inhaled his smoke deeply to suppress his rage.


    The door closed behind Si Yusheng and heavy silence doomed the luxurious room. Xu Binchen exhaled another billow of smoke and leaned forward to throw it to the ashtray. Just that one small movement made the girl jump in fright, her face paled further.


    "Come here." He ordered.


    Ru Meiqi stood up and circled around the table to her, making the girl tremble even more.


    Seeing the girl unmoving, Xu Binchen''s voice turned displeased. "Do you hear me?"


    Ru Meiqi harrumphed coldly and spoke out loud. "Let me see what kind of slut you are¡ª"


    Before they could react, the girl jumped forward with a burst of unimaginable strength, her eyes desperate and wild like a cornered beast struggling to make onest futile resistance. She grabbed onto the thick, ss ashtray and mmed it on Ru Meiqi''s head!


    Ru Meiqi''s pupils shrank and she reacted in a nick of time. She swiped her leg and slid around the girl, caught her arms and twisted it behind her back. The ashtray fell down and shattered into pieces, just like the girl''s barren and despaired heart.


    Tears streamed down her face as she sobbed.. "Sorry¡­I am sorry. I didn''t mean to do that¡­I am sorry¡­"

 Chapter 125 - Humans Greed Knew No Bounds

    Xu Binchen and Ru Meiqi''s eyes met and thetter lowered her head to whisper in the girl''s ears. "Calm down. We will not do anything to you."


    The girl was instantly stunned in ce, looking at Ru Meiqi incredulously.


    Xu Binchen yed with the lighter in his hands. Click click. The rhythmic sounds amplified along with the girl''s harsh breathing. He pulled out a small bug detector from deep inside his suit and made his way around. When he got to the bedroom and the third closed door, as he expected, the green light turned into a fast blinking red.


    Xu Binchen sneered.


    He had tomend Si Yusheng for his caution.


    If he and Ru Meiqi were to lower their guard even for a moment, then they would have been busted.


    He gave Ru Meiqi a meaningful nce and the woman cooperated. She whispered some words in the girl''s ears and yelled out loud like a shrew. "You...damn it! How dare you try to attack me?! Let''s see how I will teach you a lesson! You''re not even worthy of licking Young Master Xu''s shoes!"


    Fortunately, even though the girl was scared shitless, she was quite bright. She started to let out struggling and pained screams. "Sorry, I don''t mean to do that¡­sorry¡­"


    Xu Binchen finished going around the room and found three other listening bugs. Fortunately, there weren''t any hidden cameras left. It seems like his warning was useful.


    In the next moment, they enacted a scene where shuffle and struggle broke out, exactly to the point where Ru Meiqi knocked down the listening bug in the bedroom and crushed it with her high heels. Then, they mmed the bedroom door shut with a loud bang that was enough to shake down the chandelier.


    Finally, peace returned. Ru Meiqi''s hair was a mess and her breath was heavy. The girl didn''t seem any better though. But the infuriating thing was how Xu Binchen still looked perfectly suave with not even a strand of hair that was out of ce. After he made onest round around the room and confirmed that there''s no listening bug left, he slipped the thing back inside his suit.


    Ru Meiqi let go of the girl and sank down to the couch like azy sloth.


    The girl stood tensely, fearful with a hint of hope. "Y¡ªYou guys, who are you?"


    "Don''t speak too much." Xu Binchen spoke out. "Just know that we don''t mean you harm."


    The girl shrank her neck in fear of being sted by Xu Binchen''s icy aura. The ace investigator came online in the next second.


    "Name."


    "L¡ªLei Liqiu."


    "Age."


    "Twenty three."


    "How long have you been here?"


    The girl became calmer as time passed along. She even looked like she was itching to break her skull and show it all to Xu Binchen. Finally¡­finally her savior arrived! She wiped her tears and stammered. "It''s been¡­two months."


    "Are you a willing party?"


    "What?" She lifted her head in shock only to find Xu Binchen''s piercing eyes staring straight at her.


    As always¡ªRu Meiqi rolled her eyes¡ªthis man didn''t know how to add a filter to his mouth. She pulled the girl down to the couch to sit beside her, holding her hands firmly. "Don''t worry, just answer as best as you can."


    Xu Binchen pressed on. "I''m asking, are you a willing party in this exchange?"


    They yed the part of good cop bad cop seamlessly. One was tasked withforting her while the other yed a big bad viin.


    As expected, the naive Lei Liqiu''s face turned crimson, half in shame and half in anger. "H¡ªHow can I be willing?!"


    "Shush," Xu Binchen cut her off. "Lower your voice."


    Lei Liqiu hupped. "I¡­I worked here as a waitress. It''s my friend who introduced me to this job. Saying that I will earn big buckets of money. Who knows¡­who knows that¡­" She couldn''t speak anymore and began to cry softly.


    Xu Binchen got a headache everytime someone cried and he didn''t want to prolong this interrogation any longer. "What''s your friend''s name?"


    She choked on her sobs, looking very wretched and pitiful. "Zhu Zhenli."


    Xu Binchen saw through her in a nce. "Boyfriend?"


    Lei Liqiu''s eyes widened in shock and then she nodded weakly, mortified and sad.


    Xu Binchen sneered. The boyfriend selled his girlfriend to a bar to be a toy for rich people to y with. Did he know the truth and cooperated with Si Yusheng or was he innocent? Xu Binchen was inclined toward the former.


    Human''s greed knew no bounds. They could act like a desperate and dying man just to pull you down to the abyss together. He had learned it in a hard way and it opened his eyes to the darkness of the world. In a way, he had to say his thanks toward Granny Zhang.


    In the next moment, Xu Binchen approached her. His tall figure loomed above her, a pair of dark eyes staring at her coldly, just like an emotionless robot. Lei Liqui''s eyes brimmed with tears, fear eroded her mind. What did he want to do? What¡ª


    Xu Binchen chopped down on her neck in one abrupt moment. Lei Liqiu''s body instantly slumped to the side and Ru Meiqi let hery down on the couch. She looked at Lei Liqui''s tear streaked face and sighed inaudibly.


    She turned to Xu Binchen and for the first time, felt that the police were lucky to have Xu Binchen as their member. Or else¡­


    She shuddered at the thought. "Should we proceed?"


    Xu Binchen suppressed the urge to smoke again. "I think this should be enough otherwise Si Yusheng will be suspicious."


    Ru Meiqi pondered for a moment and felt that he was right. They hadn''t gotten Si Yusheng''s full trust yet and this operation was shocking enough and not to be underestimated. They were here for the serial killer''s victim but who knew that they would uncover a hidden human trafficker organization?


    "We can''t do this undercover secretly any longer." Ru Meiqi sighed. "It has ventured to outside of our scope. We should cooperate with Drug Enforcement Force and the Interpol." She lifted her head and asked. "Anyway, do you get the footage?"


    "Yes." Xu Binchen looked down at his tie clip which had a micro camera stuck to it. "We have the record of all of their faces ready. Now, we can do our job properly."


    .


    .


    A/N: Sold by his boyfriend QAQ I am so sad for Lei Liqiu....by the way, if you don''t realize it, Lei Liqui''s name has been mentioned in the first chapter of volume 2! Yes, that''s right, she''s one of Shi Nian''s sisters in her past life ne~

 Chapter 126 - Do You Have Someone You Like?

    Early in the morning, when Shi Nian was brushing her teeth in daze, mind still half asleep with drowsiness, the doorbell rang. It was very short, as if the person outside only touched the button lightly for a second.


    At first, Shi Nian thought that it was her ears ringing. Full of doubt, she peeked out and saw the clock. Only 6.40 am. Even though the sky outside had lightened up, it was still too early for someone toe and pay a visit. Moreover, who woulde?


    She stared at her reflection for a second. Messy hair, dark circle around her eyes, pale skin, bleary eyes. Right, she had a dream against night and it was still the same. Her blurry childhood, children''sughter, someone named Xiao Chun and then, it would always end up with butterfly lights.


    Amidst her empty thoughts, Shi Nian''s brain suddenly shed to something.


    She hastily rinsed her mouth and ran to the door, peeking into the peephole¡­


    Surprisingly yet not quite surprising at the same time, Xu Binchen was standing there. Having not received an answer for a while, he was ready to turn around and return to his room when the door suddenly opened behind him. He turned his head to find a barely awake and confused Shi Nian.


    At first, Shi Nian had wanted to ask him why he had rang the bell so early in the morning.


    But as she saw Xu Binchen, all of those questions were thrown back into the back of her mind. Xu Binchen looked¡­quite different than usual. He still wore his cold, indifferent expression but the light in his eyes, the way he put his hand into the pocket, and his slightly raised brows, all of it gave off an unrestrained feeling.


    Xu Binchen was the most disciplined, strict andposed person Shi Nian had ever known.


    So she didn''t know how the word ''unrestrained'' could have popped up in her mind.


    "Sorry." He said, his voice deeper than usual. "Am I waking you up?"


    Shi Nian gave a ''wait a moment'' signal before pitter pattering back to her room and grabbed her phone. She returned to find Xu Binchen leaning against the door frame, his eyes half liddednguidly.


    [Do you need something?]


    There was just something different about Xu Binchen, but Shi Nian couldn''t put her fingers to it. The man wore a trench coat and white shirt inside, coupled with straight solemn ck pants and leather shoes. Shi Nian was reminded of when she had first met Xu Binchen. It was the first time she had ever seen Xu Binchen dressed so formally and now, this was the second time.


    "Didn''t you text mest night? I was quite busy, so I just saw it."


    So¡­he ran here early in the morning just because of that?


    [No¡­] Shi Nian thought of how she was itching to share yesterday''s event with someone else. First, about Jiao Jiaying and second, about Jiang Jinyan. Then, she felt that it didn''t seem right to talk about thetter. Due to Xu Binchen''s rtion with the former, she had sent him a casual messagest night. [It''s just something unimportant. Uncle, you¡­are you okay?]


    The corner of Xu Binchen''s lips lifted in a faint smile. "I told you not to call me ''uncle'' anymore."


    Shi Nian was enlightened all of a sudden! She finally grasped what this weird feeling she got since the beginning! Everything was wrong! Where was the sarcastic and rude Xu Binchen? Where was the frank and crude Xu Binchen? Why was he so docile and harmless at this moment?!


    Shi Nian stared at him with wide eyes, all of her sleepiness evaporated instantly.


    She sniffed the air, sniffed and sniffed to Xu Binchen''s direction like a trained police dog. In the next second, her nose crinkled. [Have you been drinking?!] Xu Binchen''s whole body reeked with smoke, wine and¡­women''s sweet perfume.


    Now that she was scrutinizing him intently, even though Xu Binchen''s face didn''t change color, the tip of his ears flushed in a tinge of crimson.


    He was definitely drunk!


    [Are you drunk?!]


    He frowned. "I''m not."


    Only a thief who wouldn''t admit to stealing! Shi Nian huffed inwardly. [Do you want to go in first? I will boil you some honey water.]


    Xu Binchen looked at her for a moment. Shi Nian faltered at his stare, thinking that she had said something wrong. Nheless, she was genuinely concerned about him. She had seen Qiang Fei when thetter was drunk and she would be so out of it that she couldn''t even recognize her own name.


    On the other hand, Xu Binchen was a bachelor who was living alone. What if he fainted and no one knew?!


    Xu Binchen''s lips pursed tight and he spoke slowly. "Shi Nian."


    Shi Nian blinked, waiting for his next sentence which didn''te even after ten seconds. [???]


    "Shi Nian." The man drawled out slowly, as if chewing her name around the tip of his tongue. His voice was low, gentle and soft, as if he was gradually retracting his cold armor to let everyone peek in on the softest part of his heart.


    Shi Nian was seriously worried that Xu Binchen''s brain wasn''t working properly at this moment.


    She grabbed the man''s arm, gesturing for him toe in. However, Xu Binchen stood his ground. How could Shi Nian drag a 84 kg man with her measly strength? He was like an immovable statue, no matter how she pulled on him, he wouldn''t move.


    Shi Nian made a gesture of drinking and wanted to go and boil some hot water for him to drink. She had just let him go when Xu Binchen counter moved and grabbed her instead!


    "Shi Nian," Xu Binchen spoke seriously, much more seriously than he had ever been. "Don''t fall in love so early, got it?"


    For some reason, Shi Nian''s heart skipped a beat.


    Because Xu Binchen was holding onto her, she couldn''t type and could only look at him in utter confusion. Unfortunately, there wasn''t an ounce of tacit understanding between them.


    "Why don''t you answer me?" His frown got deeper. "Do you not agree?"


    "Or¡­" His face tilted down, cold breath stained with high quality wine caressed her cheek. His suppressive aura loomed above her. "Do you have someone you like?"


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Hello my dearies~ I just want to inform you in advance that this story will go premium (locked) on 23rd September. It means that you have to use coins or FP to read the chappies...QAQ I know that some of you may be disheartened but I really, really wish to see you again in thement sections! Every single words from you really made my day and motivates me to no end! ^^


    But no worry, you can still read for free in the next 10 days aka 20 chappies or more toe~


    Last but not least, thank you ArcaneMag baby for your 41 GT (ToT)/~~~ I am so moved! Will make a bonus chappie for youter on!

 Chapter 127 - Is Gege Good?

    Under Xu Binchen''s intense stare, a bout of numbness shot through Shi Nian''s scalp and her gut feeling told that something would happen if she got the answer wrong. With a strong survival skill, Shi Nian put on a solemn face and shook her head like a rattle drum.


    What fall in love? What someone I like? I am just an innocent sixteen years old girl!


    Look at my eyes! Look at the genuine sincerity swimming in my eyes!


    Xu Binchen kept his gaze on her for a moment and retracted it. "It''s good that you don''t. Men are untrustworthy, got it? Don''t ever trust what they say no matter how kind or how sweet they are. Such a na?ve girl like you," He showed a disdainful expression. "You will not even know when you''re sold and will even help them count the money!"


    Finally, the usual Xu Binchen came out.


    Shi Nian heaved a sigh of relief. [Don''t worry. I won''t.] Then, after pondering for a while, she added. [Gege[1].]


    Xu Binchen was caught off guard and Shi Nian shed a bright smile. It felt so good to draw multiple expressions out of Xu Binchen''s paralysis face. [You don''t want me to call you ''uncle'' so¡­is Gege good?]


    His face cooled down abruptly and he scoffed disdainfully. "Do you think I care about that?"


    Shi Nian almost rolled her eyes up to Heaven. This drunkard had forgotten what he had just said five minutes ago!


    [Have you sobered up?] she probed.


    Truthfully, he had.


    Seeing that ''Gege'' word formed in front of his eyes, thest bit of alcohol in his system evaporated instantly and Xu Binchen was shaken awake. His imagination was so strong that somehow, he could hear a clear, soft and youthful voice calling out ''Gege'' by his ears¡­


    The tip of Xu Binchen''s ears twitched and it burned slightly.


    He pinched his brows, exhausted. After going through a sleepless night, he had impatiently called out Si Yusheng early in the morning just to sign the contract. Thetter dawled for a while, engaging him in small pleasantries and Xu Binchen, who hadn''t gotten a wink of sleep for 42 hours, was forced to drink a few sses of wine again.


    It was already remarkable of him not to topple down after exiting Dreamscape Bar.


    Ru Meiqi reced him and settled into the driver''s seat. She gave him a nce. "Should I drop you off at the police station?" In a way, she had grasped Xu Binchen''s personality well. This man was workaholic to his bones and wouldn''t be absent even when it''s storming or raining. Now that they had gotten some clues, how could Xu Binchen not itch to go back and analyze it?


    Then, to her surprise, the man who was looking down at his phone answered quietly. "Drop me off at my apartment building."


    Ru Meiqi raised her brows in surprise, but this rude brat didn''t have any intention to borate thus Ru Meiqi could only drop him off in anger. She was already sulking because she couldn''t taste the seven thousand dors wine due to her shy and obedient fake character and she didn''t have any patience to deal with him any longer.


    The early morning when the air was suffused with thin mist, Xu Binchen recalled Shi Nian''s message which was sent to his phonest night. [Uncle, are you busy?] Then, his pig head which was muddled by wine andck of sleep stopped working. Instead of going back, he found himself pressing the doorbell to Shi Nian''s room.


    Then, when he finally saw her, he was reminded of Lei Liqiu''s desperate and dim eyes. Such a young and promising girl, bright and beautiful, eventually destroyed by her scum boyfriend¡­


    Before his mind worked, his shitty mouth had blurted out. "Don''t fall in love early."


    And when she didn''t answer, anger got to his head and he really wanted to teach her a lesson she wouldn''t forget.


    What kind of lesson could you possibly teach her, Xu Binchen? Don''t mess around.


    He admonished himself inwardly. "Sorry, I was quite drunk. Forget what I said just now."


    How could Shi Nian, this cheeky girl who would take a mile when given an inch, be willing to forget Xu Binchen''s dark history just like that? She patted his shoulder and gave him an encouraging look just like a mother would.


    [It''s okay. I know that everyone has their own needs.]


    Xu Binchen: "¡­" Needs? What needs?


    Shi Nian looked at him innocently. He returned early in the morning, reeked of wine, smoke and perfume. Wasn''t it a clear indication that he had just gone out for a fun nightlife? Don''t underestimate Shi Nian. Even though she was just sixteen years old, she had seen quite a lot of people in the messy environment she grew up in!


    Realization dawned on him all of a sudden and Xu Binchen''s face scrunched up like dried tangerine peels. "Don''t think nonsense! It''s not what you think it is!"


    Shi Nian nodded. Clearly, she didn''t believe him. This time, even if Xu Binchen jumped to the Yellow Spring River, he wouldn''t be able to wash himself clean anymore.


    He decided that it''s better to end the topic once and for all. "Why did you message mest night?"


    Shi Nian saw that the usual Xu Binchen had returned and happily borated in detail her conversation with Jiao Jiaying in the canteen. Xu Binchen was so angry that heughed out loud, his tone so cold that Shi Nian felt shiver down his spine.


    "So, you''re pairing me with your mother just like that?" Every single word was squeezed out in between his gnashed teeth.


    Shi Nian took a step back and readily admitted her mistake. [I shouldn''t have done that!]


    Xu Binchen smiled icily. "Really?"


    Seeing his unusual rage, Shi Nian grew incredulous. [It couldn''t be that¡­you really like her?] Then, she had doomed herself and the innocent Xu Binchen!


    Xu Binchen had to expend all his effort not to knock her brain out of her skull. "Oh sure, I like her very, very much." He enunciated, the sarcasm in his voice could circle the Earth twice.


    Unfortunately, the blockhead Shi Nian didn''t catch on. She was truly shocked out of her mind. [Oh no, what should I do? I will¡­go, apologize and exin it clearly to her?]


    Xu Binchen couldn''t hold himself back anymore and¡­and vented his anger on her innocent cheeks. His evil ws kneaded the soft flesh on her face until it was deformed. How he wished that he could knock some senses into her head! "Why are you so stupid?! It''s really a wonder how you can live safely until this day!"


    Shi Nian almost dropped her phone out of pain and shock. Dumbstruck, she stood in ce as she received ashing that came out of nowhere. Shi Nian felt that she was really wronged and tried to fight back, only to be stopped by Xu Binchen''s re. "Do you dare?"


    Shi Nian: "¡­" She didn''t dare.


    She could only ept her punishment sullenly, her whole person wilted like a rotten mushroom.


    Xu Binchen finally vented all of his anger and let her cheeks go. She rubbed her aching face and sought death once again. [So, you don''t like her?]


    "What do you think?" He humphed in such contempt that made Shi Nian question her IQ.


    Well, it seemed like he didn''t. Then, why didn''t he say so from the beginning?!


    For the first time, Shi Nian learned that a man''s heart was just like a needle in the ocean.


    .


    .


    [1] Gege = brother in a cutesy tone


    A/N: Congrattions Xu Binchen, you''ve been awarded! After being uncle-zoned, elder-zoned now, now it''s brother-zoned (¨R?¨Q) I should give him ''The Most Zoned Character'' award


    This chappie is dedicated to ArcaneMag for her amazing contribution in GT~


    Please enjoy some tidbits of sweetness before we get to the serious business ?(¨@?¨A )?

 Chapter 128 - Water Purifier Salesman

    "Shi Nian?" Qiang Fei came out of her room sleepily. "Did someonee?"


    Shi Nian closed the door behind her and rubbed her cheeks. Seeing Qiang Fei still d in pajamas with messy bed hair, she showed a surprised and confused face.


    Qiang Fei understood her daughter, she rubbed her head and smiled. "Mama has finished her work for this week so my boss gives me a two days holiday. I have been so busy since we moved here that I haven''t been able to apany you much. Mama will make it up for you, okay?"


    Shi Nian blinked and her lips blossomed into a delighted smile, her eyes shone bright enough to light up the whole room.


    Qiang Fei felt happy yet heartache at the same time. She tucked Shi Nian''s hair behind her ears, softly said, "What do you want to eat for breakfast?"


    [I want Mama''s pumpkin porridge!]


    "Sure." Qiang Feiughed. "Let me refresh myself and go to the supermarket below to see if there''s pumpkin there. We haven''t had hotpot for ages. How about it for dinner?"


    Shi Nian''s smile froze briefly but the yawning Qiang Fei didn''t realize it. When she was done rubbing the tears and eye gunk away, Shi Nian had rposed her expression and smiled with a nod. [Sure, let''s have hotpot for dinner!]


    Qiang Fei went to the bathroom to brush her teeth, then recalled her previous question. "So, did someonee just now?"


    [No.] Shi Nian answered sullenly. [Just a water purifier salesman.]


    ***


    It was rare for Qiang Fei to have a peaceful day. As she sat at the dining table with a bowl of piping pumpkin porridge emitting warm steam in her hand, her whole body felt rxed andfortable. In front of her, Shi Nian ate happily. Her eyes curved in joy as she kept on stuffing herself.


    The thick, creamy and sweet porridge went to her stomach and made her warm all over. It was so tasty, especially when she hadn''t eaten Qiang Fei''s porridge pumpkin for months. Qiang Fei was a great cook, but because of her busy job, Shi Nian hardly had the chance to eat her dishes.


    This kind of hard earned delicacy almost made her moan in bliss.


    "Slow down." Qiang Fei chuckled and handed her a napkin. "No one will take your food away."


    The TV in the living room was on and at this moment, it was showing a business conference that was attended by numerous big figures, entrepreneurs, executives, and investors. But of course, the main highlight of the event was two most gigantic moguls namely the CEO of Henan Corporation, Nan Cheng and the CEO of Jiang Corporation, Jiang Huocheng.


    The camera moved to shoot Nan Cheng''s enigmatic smile and face full of righteousness and heroism. Shi Nian looked at the sessful middle aged uncle and was reminded of the wild young master whom she met in the hospital, Nan Xukun.


    Then after Nan Cheng walked down the red carpet amidst the camera''s blinding shlights, behind him, another tycoon followed. A tall, powerful man d in a three piece suit. He had sharp and dark eyes, sculpted face like God''s favorite and an impressive aura that could awe the crowd. Yet something in the way he carried himself exuded a faint sense of mncholy and gloominess.


    The CEO of Jiang Corporation, Jiang Huocheng.


    Shi Nian''s eyes instantly glued to the man.


    This face¡­it was an exact replica of her general! Except for the wrinkles around his eyes and the strands of white hair on his temple, the two men looked like they were carved out of the same mold!


    She almost dropped her spoon in shock. Shi Nian seldom watched business channels so she didn''t have any chance to see Jiang Huocheng. On the other hand, he was very low profile and rarely appeared in public, unlike Nan Cheng who often epted interviews from various TV stations.


    Jiang Huocheng. Jiang Jinyan.


    Shi Nian''s brain clicked.


    Holy¡ªso it turned out, Jiang Jinyan was a rich young master! As expected of the general!


    Shi Nian''s mood turned to the better after knowing that Jiang Jinyan had such a powerful family. It meant that he was living well in this life, unlike Shi Nian who had to work multiple part time jobs to ease her household''s financial affairs.


    "What makes you so happy?" Qiang Fei followed her line of sight and only saw the opening ceremony of a business conference in the Capital that looked more like a Spring Festival G with all of the festivities. "Jiang Huocheng?"


    Shocked, Shi Nian left her food behind and typed. [Mama knows him?]


    Qiang Fei chuckled. "Everyone who works in the business world should know him. After all, he hailed from a humble family and worked his way up. When he merged his investmentpany with the long time conglomerate Guan Empire, it almost caused the pir of economy in China to shake."


    Shi Nian didn''t understand anything but it sounded really cool. Moreover, because he was Jiang Jinyan''s father, it sounded triple cool! She looked at Jiang Huocheng on the TV screen with awe.


    "Niannian is going to graduate from high school next year." Qiang Fei asked casually. "Are you interested in taking business major?"


    Shi Nian sank into deep contemtion and realized that she hadn''t had any n for her future education.


    Qiang Fei gave her aforting smile. "It''s okay, think slowly. No matter what you choose, Mama will always support you. Don''t let anyone else influence your choice and it''s better to stick to what you like, got it?"


    Warmth permeated through Shi Nian''s chest and she felt so lucky to have Qiang Fei as her mother. In their past lives, she had sacrificed herself to give Shi Nian a way to live and in this life, she was a strong, gentle and supporting mother who never constrained Shi Nian''s wishes.


    No matter how hard life pped her, she would always be able to maintain a positive mentality and influence others with it.


    [Ah, right.] Shi Nian felt that it was the right time and tried to ask. [Mama, when I was around five or six, do you remember that I used to y with a bunch of friends?]


    "Yes." Albeit confused, Qiang Fei answered earnestly. Her eyes were stained with nostalgia. "At that time, Mama is especially busy so I always drop you off at our neighbor''s house. You often yed with the auntie''s child back then."


    Shi Nian''s eyes lit up. [Yes, yes! Do you still remember that child''s name?] Her heart raced. If it was truly the Xiao Chun she had been dreaming about, then she would know where she should start to investigate.


    "Her child? Mama doesn''t really remember it. I just recalled that you two were a pair of very adorable dumplings. Mama remembers the auntie more, after all, she had taken care of you." Qiang Fei tried hard to recall and seeded. "If I''m not wrong, her surname is Si. Si Qingzhao. By the way, why are you suddenly asking about that?"


    .


    .


    A/N: Let me refresh your memory:


    Si Zhening - Jiang Huocheng''s secretary


    Si Yusheng - Dreamscape Bar''s manager


    Si Qingzhao - neighborhood auntie


    Spoiler: they are all connected with the case and THEY are connected with each other. Oh, I just want you to suspect everyone ne~ ?(£à?¡ä?)

 Chapter 129 - Abandoned Puppy In A Carton Box

    Shi Nian had always been an honest and sensible child. Furthermore, this was rted to her memory loss thus she readily borated her dream to Qiang Fei.


    "So, Psychiatrist Yu said that there might be some rtion between your dream and memory loss?"


    Shi Nian nodded.


    Qiang Fei lowered her eyes in thought. "It''s okay." She shed a reassuring smile. "Let Mama help you. There might be some way to contact Auntie Si again. I will let you know if I make it."


    Shi Nian instantly felt that a portion of burden had been lifted off her shoulder. As expected, keeping secrets was so hard. She returned Qiang Fei''s smile and gifted her with a smooch.


    They spent the day leisurely, window shopping, buying stationary for Shi Nian, eating their favorite dessert and finally, Shi Nian had to endure when Qiang Fei treated her as a Barbie doll to y with. "Yes, yes, this miniskirt is so adorable! Niannian will look good in this!"


    The boutique staff echoed: "You have a very great sight, Madam! Your daughter will look fabulous in this!"


    Shi Nian didn''t know whether tough or cry. In Qiang Fei''s arms, there were already a number of dresses, from the ordinarycy to the dark gothic, mini skirts, stylish tops, all of those fashionable outfits which were popr among teenage idols.


    She looked like she was ready to empty the house''s savings which scared Shi Nian out of her wits.


    She hurriedly ran to hold Qiang Fei''s arms and shook her head, pleading.


    "Niannian, this will look good on you. Trust me!" She replied with solemn eyes.


    Shi Nian gave a smile that was worse than crying. If she wore that Gothic Lolita dress which consisted of 90%ce and dark embellishments, she would directly be apprehended by the security guards for disrupting peace and deliberately scaring other tenants!


    Left with no other choice, Shi Nian picked out the most normal among the masses, a soft, silk lc dress with flowing hems and clean lines. It suited her taste well, simple yet stylish and elegant. Qiang Fei''s eyes lit up. "You should try it on right now!"


    Helpless, Shi Nian held the dress as she was pushed into the fitting room.


    Shi Nian seldom wore dresses. First, school uniform was mandatory and second, during working hours, it''s easier to just put on a pair of casual pants. Where would she find the time to shop and dress?


    When Shi Nian went out, everyone''s eyes fell upon her. She pulled on the sleeves awkwardly and shot Qiang Fei a pleading nce. Qiang Fei snapped out of her reverie and covered her mouth, gasping. "Oh my god, my daughter is so beautiful!"


    The staff: "Yes, yes, it suits her very much!"


    "It''s just like it was made for her!"


    "Madam, your daughter looks just like a fairy!"


    Shi Nian: "¡­" It didn''t have to be so exaggerated, right?


    Qiang Fei twirled Shi Nian around and scanned her up and down. The more she looked, the more satisfied she was. The dress hugged Shi Nian''s thin figure perfectly, entuated her soft curve and made her look more girlish and delicate. The soft lc colorplemented her fair skin nicely and the jet ck hair contrasted sharply yet blended with the palettes, making her stand out of the crowd.


    Shi Nian''s cheeks turned red. She wanted to change back but was held back by Qiang Fei. "We will take this dress! No need to change, Niannian. Let''s walk around just like this!"


    Shi Nian: "???"


    As expected, she was pulled into another whirlwind of window shopping. It wasn''t until evening did Qiang Fei finally let her off. By then, they had already purchased two dresses, one cheongsam for new year, and the birthday gift which Shi Nian didn''t receivest year: a make up set.


    It was unfortunate that Shi Nian didn''t have any interest in painting her face like a work of art.


    Dinner was inevitable and they returned to set up a hotpot. "Niannian, can you call Detective Xu and see if he''s free toe?" Qiang Fei called out from the kitchen. "We have bothered him so much but never treat him to a meal. It''s quite embarrassing."


    Shi Nian obediently went to retrieve her phone and sent Xu Binchen a period, a silent protest that she was still sulking due to his unreasonable lecture this morning.


    Sadly, her attack rebounded and Xu Binchen sent her the same thing.


    [Ten Years]: .


    [Xu Binchen]: .


    [Ten Years]: ¡­


    [Xu Binchen]: Are you itching for a beating?


    Shi Nian recalled Xu Binchen''s evil ws and didn''t dare to mess around anymore.


    [Ten Years]: Dinner? We have hotpot here


    Xu Binchen replied a few minutester.


    [Xu Binchen]: Busy


    [Shi Nian]: ¡­


    [Shi Nian]: iunderstandyou.jpg


    [Shi Nian]: wink.jpg[1]


    [Xu Binchen]: rolleyes.jpg


    [Xu Binchen]: Got a new lead. Have to pull an all nighter.


    [Xu Binchen]: Say my thanks to Madam Shi


    Shi Nian showed the chat to Qiang Fei and in the end, the sumptuous dinner could only be finished by both of them.


    Wait.


    Shi Nian blinked. Wasn''t there someone else on the floor below?! Shi Nian felt that she was a genius, she could also take this chance to check up on him! [Mama! Mama! Can you make a separate portion?]


    "Sure, who do you want to share it with?"


    Shi Nian decided to thicken her skin. [I made a friend! He lives on the floor below us!]


    "Why don''t you just invite her[2] here?" Qiang Fei washed the tofu, enoki mushroom, and meat as she replied lightly. Yet that one question almost scared Shi Nian''s soul out of her body.


    Invite Jiang Jinyan here to her house? Did she want to seek death?!


    Thus, after a bout of pestering and excuses, Jiang Jinyan''s doorbell rang ten minutester.


    The interior of the room waspletely dark with only incandescent light from the streemps outside pouring in faintly. Jiang Jinyan curled up on the sofa, his eyshes quivered violently. When the doorbell rang again, his eyes snapped open and he gasped sharply.


    That dream again.


    The pale face of Guan Xiaoxiao. Thick smell of blood and disinfectant. Weak breathing. Hot tears. And her parting words. "I am sorry, I am sorry, Jinyan¡­"


    Jiang Jinyan sat up and only then did he realize that the sky had already darkened. He raked his fingers through his damp hair and found that his back was drenched in sweat.


    Ding-dong!


    Who the hell was it that rang his doorbell? Jiang Huocheng''s man? It had only been a few weeks, but they had found him? Then, he had tomend them for their high uracy and efficiency. He sneered.


    Imagining Jiang Huocheng''s man behind the door plus his dream of Guan Xiaoxiao just now made Jiang Jinyan irritated to no end. He was just like an explosive that was ready to erupt with a slightest poke. With the expression that was ready to fight them once and for all, he opened the door with a bang.


    And found a lost puppy¡ªno, a girl in lc dress staring up at him with a bright smile.


    The smell of hotpot sted onto his face. He looked down on therge container in her arms and the board that hung around her neck, decorated with all kinds of stickers. [We made too much food, please take it if you''d like! Begging.jpg. Puppyeyes.jpg. Hungryghost.jpg[3]. Happytummy.jpg]


    Her whole person was just like an abandoned puppy that was left in a carton box by the side road.


    Looking up at you with eyes full of hope that you have no choice but to bring her home.


    .


    .


    .


    [1] wink.jpg like this= ¡î¡Ð(¨R¨Œ?¡ã ) haha Shi Nian thought that Xu Binchen was whoring around again


    [2] Qiang Fei thought that Shi Nian made a new female friend because ''he'' and ''she'' in Chinese is the same ne~


    [3] Hungry ghost in Shi Nian''s board = ?(¡¥¦ê¡¥?)

 Chapter 130 - The Perfect Bait

    When Shi Nian saw Jiang Jinyan''s ugly expression the first second he opened the door, her smile froze briefly. But then, she had decided to thicken her skin so she might as well stuck onto it until the end. She showed the container in her arms to him and gestured toward the artistic, childish and colorful drawing of emoticons on her board.


    In a way, Shi Nian had tried her best to do it so that it didn''t seem too forceful but at the same time, it didn''t leave him any room for refusal either.


    She peeked into the room behind him and saw apletely dark space without any lights.


    "What do you want?" Jiang Jinyan''s voice was hoarse and raspy as if he had just woken up.


    Shi Nian returned her gaze and saw that Jiang Jinyan''splexion didn''t seem right. His eternally untanned skin looked sickly pale at this moment and there were dots of sweat on his forehead. Worried yet couldn''t let the things in her arms go, she only gave him a concerned look.


    Jiang Jinyan lowered his eyes and didn''t meet hers. "I have already eaten."


    As if the whole universe decided to go against him, in that exact moment, his stomach growled loudly in protest.


    Jiang Jinyan: "¡­"


    Shi Nian: "¡­"


    She tactfully pretended not to hear anything and waved the container in front of his eyes. The scent of warm food, mild spiciness and strong vor of broth rushed to his nose and his stomach gurgled again.


    The veins on Jiang Jinyan''s arms bulged and his head was attacked by a strong migraine.


    A soft and familiar sensation rubbed against his feet and he lowered his head to find his family''s little idiot staring at Shi Nian with a fervent gaze. "Mew~"


    Shi Nian''s eyes brightened up. She opened her mouth to mimic the meow soundlessly.


    The two instantly formed a tight bond at first meow.


    That traitor even wanted to go through him and rubbed its head against the girl''s calf. Jiang Jinyan closed his eyes for a second and used his foot to push the kitten inside. Shi Nian showed a regretful expression and looked at it longingly, then a pair of human and cat looked at Jiang Jinyan with a sad look.


    For a split second, Jiang Jinyan felt like an evil witch whose life was dedicated to separating a pair of lovebirds.


    The corner of Shi Nian''s eyes curved happily. General Jiang and a little kitten, it was such a cute and unexpected pair! He was rich, talented, handsome, and a cat lover, could anyone be as perfect as her general?


    She decided that today had been enough and shoved the container into Jiang Jinyan''s arms, catching him off guard. She hade at the right time, Jiang Jinyan must have been famished. Shi Nian gave a wide grin and made a gesture of eating. Then, she waved him and the little kitten goodbye.


    The sight of her back leaving was swift and decisive and the hem of her dress flowed like clouds drifting across the sky, leaving a trail of air smelled like hotpot along the hallway. When she opened the emergency stairs and saw Jiang Jinyan still standing on the door with his eyes on her, she waved happily at him.


    Dealing with this kind of cautious, wary and sharp man, Shi Nian shouldn''t be hasty. She ought to pretend that she was harmless, that she didn''t have any bad attention toward him, that she was standing by his side.


    Only then would Shi Nian be able to live under the shadow of his sharp de and break through his armor.


    Of course, Shi Nian learned it from General Jiang in her past life.


    As expected, he really hadn''t changed a bit.


    ***


    "Captain!" Ke Shao barged into the office and looked around frantically. "Is Captain here?!"


    Tang Wei lifted his head from theputer to show a pair of dark circles around his eyes, making him look like a panda with sses. He pointed at the closed door of Jin Renguang''s personal office soullessly.


    With rapid footsteps, Ke Shao knocked on the door. "Capt¡ª" The door opened amidst his knocking, showing the sight of an unkempt Jin Renguang.


    "What''s wrong?" His voice was very coarse as if he hadn''t drank any water for three days.


    Ke Shao tried to smooth his breathing, yet his eyes shone dazzlingly with excitement. "Our trap¡ªthe Butterfly trap¡ªfinally, the bait has been taken! Right now, our people have gone into position and surrounded the ce!"


    Jin Renguang''s eyes turned sharp. He closed the door behind him and grabbed his coat. "Tang Wei, you stay here and support us behind the scene. The rest of you,e with me! Ke Shao, we will talk in the car."


    "Yes, sir!"


    Jin Renguang left hisrge jeep and opted for a police car. Five big guys crammed into the car, and Jin Renguang skillfully drove out, the police siren ring along the way. His hands rested on the steering wheel casually, yet his whole body exuded danger as if he was ready to pounce anytime soon. "Report."


    Ke Shao¡ªin the passenger''s seat¡ªexined in a swift and concise manner. "Someone has broken through the gate and evaded surveince cameras. Our people have been keeping an eye on him."


    The Butterfly trap precisely meant what the name implied. It''s a trap to trip the culprit and possible aplices. The operation had started ever since Shi Nian was discharged from the hospital.


    Xu Binchen and Ru Meiqi were responsible for the ''real'' Shi Nian. While Jin Renguang and the rest of the SCI squad was responsible for the ''fake'' Shi Nian.


    By fake, it was really a substitute with simr body proportions, simr features, same height, and even same aura. By looking from afar, even Qiang Fei might not even be able to differentiate them. The substitute started to live as the real Shi Nian; being guarded tightly by the police, lived the way Shi Nian lived and took the route Shi Nian walked.


    She managed to hide under the radar with the police''s protection, then after two months passed, she felt that the culprit had totally lost interest in her. Thus, she started to work in multiple part time jobs under Shi Nian''s name but she never tookte night shifts anymore due to the trauma.


    With the police''s help, she moved into a better living area with good security. It was an inconspicuous, smallplex which only consisted of good aunties and uncles, white cor workers, and elderlies walking their pets. Very peaceful, safe and serene.


    But in fact, all of the people inside¡ªincluding the Alzheimer granny, the rheumatic grandpa, their pets and cleaning janitors¡ªwere their own people. The wholeplex was acting as a cage with multiple personnel living as ordinary people passing through days leisurely, all to give a false impression of a peaceful and tranquil ce.


    This was Jin Renguang''s iron, the impable movie set with him as the producer and director; the perfect trap that not even a fly could get through!

 Chapter 131 - Dont Move Or Ill Kill You

    Jin Renguang stopped his car a distance away from the target and switched off the police siren. Night was descending rapidly and the skyscraper was gradually filled with myriad dots of lights, slightly dispersing the chill caused by the cold air.


    Ke Shao was currentlymunicating with the other side. "Yes, we have arrived at the west gate, 600 meters away. No problem, we''re currently in a private parking lot. Yes¡­okay, sure. I will ry it to the Captain." He hung up the call and said, "Captain, we have locked down on the culprit."


    "Who is it?" Jin Renguang asked.


    The corner of Ke Shao''s lips curled up in a sneer. "It''s Yu Chuan."


    A former acquaintance, Mr. Salesman who became the culprit''s scapegoat willingly, Yu Chuan.


    Jin Renguang''s brows knitted and he ordered the three other people in the back seat. "Disperse around the area. Based on the culprit''s personality, he''s having Yu Chuan out to test us. If the police move, then he will be rmed. Check on all themunication devices and CCTVs, discover how the culprit is monitoring Yu Chuan. Go!"


    "Aye, Captain!" The door opened soundlessly and three people dived into three different locations and started their search.


    "Ke Shao, go and ask Tang Wei to see which building that''s best for viewing around here. It should have a clear look on theplex, inconspicuous and have an escape route ready." After hearing the order, Ke Shao nodded and started to connect with Tang Wei.


    Jin Renguang leaned his head against the headrest, his eyes narrowed sharply, waiting just like a predator lurking amidst the dark.


    In the tranquil night of bustling City A, the whole SCI squad began to move.


    ***


    In therge van with its windows tinted dark, Xie Dong¡ªone of the detectives¡ªhung up the phone. Hisrade, Luo Xiu, asked quietly. "Has Captain arrived?"


    "Yes." Xie Dong answered. "He is 600 meters away, at the west gate. Come on, we are responsible for Yu Chuan while Captain will try to catch the snake behind the scene."


    Luo Xiu grinned in excitement. "Yu Chuan ah, Yu Chuan. I have known that there was something wrong with him ever since Wang Chengbing pointed him out. Has it been almost three months ever since we interrogated him?"


    "Two months and twenty days." Xie Dong corrected. Now that he had been fighting against a serial killer with a severe OCD case, hearing this kind of round and set numbers sent shivers down his spine. "This is definitely the culprit''s work."


    Inside the van weren''t the usual rows of seats but only a t ground with monitors all around the wall. Wiresid haphazardly across the ground with Xie Dong and Luo Xiu sitting on the empty space, a bag of potato chips in each of their hands.


    Luo Xiu bit down on the seaweed vored chips and narrowed his eyes to look at the screen. "Whose house did Yu Chuan break into again?"


    There was a hint of sympathy in Xiu Dong''s tone as he said, "It''s Granny Kong and her beloved pomeranian''s house."


    Both men looked at each other, finding the same kind of schadenfreude and glee in their eyes. From all the people he could have possibly taken as hostage, he ended up choosing Granny Kong. They lit a candle in their heart for the miserable Yu Chuan.


    Luo Xiu''s shoulders rxed. "It seems like we only have to wait for the mission to finish."


    ***


    Yu Chuan hid in the back garden, among the field of lush vegetables free from pesticide and fertilizer. Even though his clothes were stained with dirt and mud, he couldn''t care less. His manic and bloodshot eyes stared straight into the opposite house, seeing a skinny, jet ck haired girl riding on an old bicycle into the yard.


    She got off the bicycle and entered the house, flicking the lights on. Instantly, the cold, dark and deste house was illuminated with soft, warm lights. A silhouette reflected behind the curtain as she opened the window slightly.


    Yu Chuan waited in his position patiently until ten minutester before moving.


    He had done his job beforeing here. This was an oldplex with ts that was suitable for people who seek tranquility and peace. There were many elderlies living here, housewives who like to gossip but didn''t care about other''s business and white cor workers that he could beat up even with his eyes closed.


    Yu Chuan suppressed the giddiness in his heart and steadily snuck into the house which was upied by a single granny and her old dog. It was just a small, insignificant Pomeranian with measly strength, coupled with the old granny, it became a sumptuous delicacy for Yu Chuan to sink his teeth in.


    Even though it was only 8 pm, Granny Kong had already gone to bed. The whole house sank into darkness but Yu Chuan''s eyes were already ustomed to it. He crept into the kitchen and pulled out a long kitchen knife, his lips curled up in a malicious smirk.


    His feet and hands were covered in ayer of protection to make sure that he wouldn''t leave any trails behind.


    When he glided across the living room, he didn''t make any sound at all, just like a ghost who drifted in and out secretly.


    The t only had one floor and the design was simple and minimalistic. Thus it was simple for him to find Granny Kong''s bedroom. He turned the doorknob and pushed it open slowly, bit by bit¡­


    And was met with a pair of wet, limpid eyes.


    The pomeranian''s pupils reflected Yu Chuan''s figure as it tilted its head in confusion. It sniffed around but didn''t recognize this person, so it let out a whimper and was ready to bark. But sadly, before it could do that, Yu Chuan lunged forward like a beast and grabbed the tiny dog by its neck, cutting the yelp that was ready to slip out of its mouth.


    The dog struggled madly, its throat letting out pained whines.


    Yu Chuan really wanted to kill the dog, but a feeble voice drifted out from the bedroom. "Tangyuan, what''s wrong?" Yu Chuan could only forget the dog for now as he threw it hard against the floor, its small body collided with the hard marble and twitched, then it remained motionless.


    "Tangyuan?" Having not receive any answer, Granny Kong turned on the light and scanned her bedroom, but didn''t find her beloved dog anywhere. "Tangyuan? Did you go to the bathroom again?"


    She shuffled down from the bed and wore her slipper, then grabbed the cane stick by the nightstand and started to walk slowly to the door.


    "Tangyuan¡ªah!!" A shadow shed in front of Granny Kong, followed by a cold sensation on her neck.


    A cold, fierce and deep voice hissed, but if one looked closer, they would be able to discover the slight tremble on his voice.. "Don''t move, or else I will kill you."

 Chapter 132 - The Great Granny Kong And Her Pomeranian

    "Tangyuan!" Granny Kong saw her lifeless dog and her whole body started to tremble. Her weak, fragile voice replied with a hint of sob, "W¡ªWhat do you want? Who are you? I¡ªI will give you all of the money!"


    Clearly, Yu Chuan didn''t have any intention in Granny Kong''s meager savings. Compared to it, that person had promised him endless benefits should he seed in leading the girl named Shi Nian out of thisplex.


    He had lived his life abiding rules. Even when he was whoring around, he tried to stick to the norm and didn''t dare to spread his seeds around. He was a steady, mature working adult with a wife and kids. This was the first time for him to do this kind of breaking into people''s house and sending out threats with a knife.


    If he had just tightened his grip, then the knife would have sliced into Granny Kong''s neck.


    Unexpectedly, instead of fear, he felt unprecedented excitement coursed through his veins, as if he was a superior being that held people''s lives in his hands. When Granny Kong pleaded for her life, it med his vanity further to the point that all of his nervousness was swept away without a trace.


    Yu Chuan scoffed in disdain. "I don''t need your money, old hag."


    "T¡ªThen, w¡ªwhat do you want?" Crying, Granny Kong was just one step away from kneeling. "I will give you anything, please¡­please don''t kill me."


    "Good, I like obedient people." He kept the knife on Granny Kong''s back as he pushed the elderly into the telephone sitting nicely atop the table in the living room. "Do you know the girl living opposite this house?"


    "Ah?" Dumbfounded, Granny Kong needed a few seconds to digest the question. "Y¡ªYou mean, that little girl surnamed Shi?"


    "Yes." Yu Chuan smiled. "Now, go and make a call to her, say that you need her help right now. Don''t try to do anything funny, or else, I will chop your Tangyuan in front of you before killing you. What do you say?"


    Granny Kong''s grip on her cane stick almost slipped and she panted in fear and rm. "What¡­do you want to do with her?!"


    Yu Chuan''s smile vanished and he started to approach the Pomeranian, his knife lifted high¡­


    "Stop! Stop! Don''t do that!" Tears streamed down Granny Kong''s face as she kneeled. "I will do it. I will do it now!"


    Yu Chuan lowered the knife and gestured to the telephone.


    Trembling, Granny Kong scrambled to pick the receiver, her breathing was exceedingly harsh against the deste space. She opened the phone number book beside the telephone and flipped it to thest page. Under Yu Chuan''s intimidation, she put in the number and waited as the monotone tune sounded by her ear.


    "Hello?" The call was connected and a soft, feminine voice of a mechanical machine answered. Granny Kong knew that Shi Nian had a problem with speaking thus, whenever she was on a phone with someone, it was always the automatic speaker who tranted her text. "Granny Kong?"


    "S¡ªShi Nian." Granny Kong tried to calm her voice. "It''s me."


    "Do you need something?"


    Granny Kong nced fearfully toward Yu Chuan and the man brandished the sharp, shiny knife in front of her eyes. The elderly was left with no choice but to sacrifice the innocent girl. A tear slid down her cheeks as she whispered. "Can you pleasee for a moment? There''s something I need your help with."


    The girl on the other side on the phone didn''t harbor any suspicion at all. She replied readily. "Sure." Then, the call was hung up.


    Granny Kong looked like she had been seeped out of her strength as she slid down to the ground helplessly. "I have done¡­I have done what you said."


    "Good job." Yu Chuan bared his teeth and scanned the surroundings to monitor Shi Nian''s movement. "Now, stay there and don''t move. You don''t want something bad to happen to your dog, right?"


    Granny Kong tearfully nodded.


    Five minutester, the doorbell rang.


    Yu Chuan pushed Granny Kong up and threatened. "Go and bring her in."


    Up to this point, Granny Kong had already turned numb. She mechanically obeyed Yu Chuan''s words and opened the door for Shi Nian. The girl was smiling cheerfully behind the door, but upon seeing Granny Kong''s ghastlyplexion, her eyes turned worried. She wrote on her board. [Did something happen?]


    Granny Kong grabbed her wrist and pulled her in.


    Confused, Shi Nian could only follow the elderly''s guide. They reached the dark living room where Yu Chuan was sitting on the couch leisurely. When he lifted his head to meet Shi Nian''s eyes, he smiled gentlemanly. "Hello, little girl. I have to trouble you with something."


    Shi Nian looked at Granny Kong''s unusual behavior, then at the stranger who appeared out of nowhere. Her eyes inadvertently caught the fainted Pomeranian on the ground. Instantly, her instinct told her that she was currently in great danger!


    She threw off Granny Kong''s hands and ran in the opposite direction, but how could she outrun Yu Chuan? When she had just barely stepped out of the door, her hair was caught by Yu Chuan''s hand and she was yanked back inside, all the while struggling ceaselessly. Tears flooded her eyes and she wanted to open her mouth to scream yet no sound came out.


    Yu Chuan put his knife in front of the girl''s eyes. His eyes shone in frenzy. "Don''t move or else, I will dig your eyeballs out."


    Shi Nian instantly froze and looked at the tip of the de in front of her eyes, terror drained all the colors in her face.


    Yu Chuan didn''t want to spend time any longer. He tied Shi Nian up with a dead knot and didn''t bother to tape her mouth because he knew from that person that she had turned mute. Just that¡­it was a pity. He caressed the teenager''s soft cheek with a sigh, dirty desire flickering within his eyes.


    As if sensing what he wanted to do, Shi Nian started a new round of struggle, this time more desperate than before.


    Yu Chuan was caught off guard and his calf was kicked amidst her struggle. It hurt so much that he sucked in a sharp breath. Enraged, he pped her hard on the cheek. "You slut! How dare you!" Shi Nian fell from the force to the ground and Yu Chuan kicked her stomach.


    He spat. "If not for that person, I will do you right at this moment and kill you after that!"


    The girl''s thin figure curled up in pain, tears streamed down her face.


    Granny Kong covered her. "Stop. Don''t hurt her! Don''t hurt her anymore!"


    "Ha!" Yu Chuan cackled as if he had just heard the greatest joke in the world. "Isn''t it you who called her here? If not, would she be harmed?"


    Granny Kong''s face paled.


    "Come on!" Yu Chuan pulled Shi Nian up without any kindness for fairer sex at all. "We have to go now. Old hag, youe with me!"


    Granny Kong stood up in difficulty with her cane stick. Her legs were trembling so hard that it looked like the slightest wind would be able to knock her out. "I¡­Can I take Tangyuan with me? Please?"


    Just a little useless dog, it didn''t even enter Yu Chuan''s sight at all. He waved his hand. "Quick!"


    Granny Kong picked up the weak Pomeranian and heaved a sigh of relief as she found that it was still breathing evenly. With her in front, Shi Nian in the middle and Yu Chuan in the back, they walked out of theplex. The streemps were on, but almost all the houses in this row had their lights turned off and the street was deste without people around, easing Yu Chuan''s movement by a lot.


    Yu Chuan used Shi Nian''s body to block the knife while he fished out a phone which didn''t have any contact number in it. The call log only consisted of a string of strange numbers. 666666. It was a one way call so Yu Chuan could only wait until that person called him.


    But it was as if that person had his eyes on him. Just as they emerged from theplex''s area, the phone lit up with an iing call from the serial number 666666. Yu Chuan picked up the phone in delight. "I have done what you told me. Where are you? How will the money be delivered this time?"


    The other side of the phone was silent for three seconds before directly hanging up.


    Dumbfounded, Yu Chuan stared at the disconnected call. Was the signal bad?


    His brain turned nk for a moment and all of a sudden, a sharp pain attacked his leg! "Oow, what the fuck?!" He lowered his head to find the originally lifeless Pomeranian sprung up madly and biting his leg in a death grip as if it had been injected with chicken blood, growls spilled forth its throat and its eyes shone in cold lights. "Y¡ªYou fucker¡ªah!"


    Before he could deal with the dog, suddenly a shadow shed in front of his eyes and a hard, blunt object hit the back of his leg!


    Pain shot through his bone and his leg lost strength instantly, making him fall down and his grip on Shi Nian loosened.


    In the next moment, a forceful and authoritative tone which was contrasted with the tearful, trembling and feeble voice of a weak elderly a moment ago boomed behind his ears like a strike of lightning. "Laoniang[1] has been fighting with tanks and rifles when you''re still swimming in your dad''s genitals! Such a weak chicken like you,oniang can even deal with a hundred of you with my eyes closed!"


    .


    .


    [1] Laoniang = this olddy

 Chapter 133 - What Made Him Suspicious?

    Jin Renguang wore two pieces of airpods, yet each piece reported different information from two people, plus the tablet in front of him was showing a video call with Tang Wei.


    "Captain, Yu Chuan has gone out with the substitute and Granny Kong. They are heading to the south gate."


    "Captain, we are 200 meters from each gate."


    "Captain, Yu Chuan pulled out a phone."


    "His phone rang!"


    Jin Renguang barked out, "Find the signal! Check who''s the caller!" He changed the gear shift amidst the continuous report. "Tang Wei, be ready!"


    "Aye, Sir!"


    Beside him, Ke Shao held onto the handle as he drew on the maps. "Captain, I have eliminated the ces that can be used as a hideout."


    "Shit!" Tang Wei cursed loudly. "Captain, the call is only connected for three seconds and the other side doesn''t even speak a word!"


    Jin Renguang''s eyes darkened. "We have been busted. The general direction of the signal?"


    "Twenty degrees from the southeast!"


    Ke Shao calcted in his head and circled a ce. "It''s a ten story apartment building with a French restaurant on the highest floor!"


    Jin Renguang mmed the wheel and the car made a sharp turn to the left. He drove the police car like a race car while Ke Shao forced himself to look at the map and the miniscule writing in it amidst the bump and rush. "Something''s not right, there''s a simr building only 800 meters away."


    Jin Renguang pressed on the elerator and the speed broke through the limit. "We will separate, I will go to the one with French restaurant while you keep an eye on the other building."


    "Yes, sir!"


    In his left ear, loud rustles echoed. "Captain, we have apprehended Mr.Yu and confiscated the phone. Luo Xiu will go back to the police station to give the phone to the technical team for check, I will stay behind to take care of the aftermath.."


    Jin Renguang grabbed the walkie talkie and spoke into it. "This is Jin Renguang. Personnels who are on standby, go assist Ke Shao. One of you,e with me."


    The car made a stop by the side road, the sound of wheels screeching formed sparks by the friction. Without a word, both men went on their way. Jin Renguang''s figure dashed ahead to the apartment building. From afar, he could see the floor to ceiling window on the tenth floor, the room was filled with lights with silhouettes walking around.


    He estimated the time and confirmed that, if the culprit was indeed here, he wouldn''t have been faster than Jin Renguang for he ought to descend ten floors and running out. Unless the culprit was a descendant of sh or he had long since left his post even before Yu Chuan answered the phone should Jin Renguang face another possibility that might concur.


    Exactly what made him suspicious?


    Jin Renguang was sure that the trap was wless without any evident hole. So...why did the culprit decide to bail out at thest moment?


    He had even called Yu Chuan before. Hence, it proved that he hadn''t doubted the situation at first. Then, what could have let him catch on something?


    Jin Renguang decided to empty his mind and focus on the sight in front of him. He arrived in front of the apartment building in a blink of an eye, almost colliding with a cuddly couple which were engrossed with smooching each other.


    "Excuse me." He murmured and ran in the building.


    The receptionistdy lifted her head and offered him a smile. "Can I help you with something, Sir?"


    Jin Renguang shed his police badge and demanded. "Seal every entrance right now! No one can leave for the moment. Call the manager here and show me to the control room!"


    The woman was bbergasted at Jin Renguang''s words which shot out like a machine gun. Under the man''s heavy gaze and impatient frown, she grabbed the receiver tremblingly and pressed on the speed dial. "H¡ªHello, manager? There is a police officer here, he wants to see you¡­"


    The night ought to be a busy one. Jin Renguang spent almost two hours searching for any suspicious person to no avail. In the end, he could only frustratedly grab his hair and curse. He couldn''t reconcile and yed the surveince record again 20 minutes before he arrived.


    Beside him, the manager tried to shrink himself as small as possible. "Mr. Police officer¡­how is it?"


    Before Jin Renguang arrived, there was a family of five who had only exited the French restaurant. A man, woman, two little children and a teenage girl. Nothing suspicious. Next, a guy in pajamas came down to throw his trash and returned directly after that. Crossed. Then, the couple who almost collided with him. They also came out from the restaurant. Crossed.


    So¡­where could the culprit be hiding?


    Jin Renguang pinched his brows. "The guy¡­the couple! Yes¡­!" He stood up and pointed at the man that was hugging the woman by her neck. "Check out the surveince camera for this guy!"


    From when they almost crashed, Jin Renguang had never seen his face as he was flirting with the woman. He had only given them a split second nce but when he thought back about it¡­didn''t something seem strange about this pair?


    Which kind of sane person would kiss and hug in the middle of an apartment gate?


    The manager, security guards, and police officers worked in tandem. Jin Renguang left the seat to them and went out to get some fresh air. He fished out his phone to listen to the reports. First it was Ke Shao. "Captain, we have caught someone suspicious. When he saw us, he turned to run away. We are on our way back to interrogate him but from the initial deduction, he didn''t seem like the person we''re waiting for."


    Second, Luo Xiu. "Captain, there''s something wrong with Yu Chuan. We left him in the interrogation room, but he started to vomit and said that his whole body didn''t feel well. The doctor has taken his blood to the test. Wang Chengbing said that he has gotten AIDS!"


    Third, Xie Dong. "Captain, Granny Kong wants to see you. She said that it doesn''t matter when."


    Jin Renguang felt his scalp go numb at thest report. The ''doesn''t matter when'' from Kong Daixue meant that Jin Renguang had to get his ass there as soon as possible. He rubbed his face and saw that the time had almost reached 11 pm.


    It didn''t count as toote, right?


    Jin Renguang gave out hismand and told his subordinate to keep watch as he drove back to theplex. It was dark all over with only the streemps offering light so that the pedestrians wouldn''t lose their sights. Jin Renguang''s footsteps echoed as he walked down the street to Granny Kong''s house.


    He pressed on the doorbell and waited with his back ramrod straight.


    Ten minutester, the door opened to Kong Daixue''s grumpy face upon being woken up suddenly and the sharp barks of her beloved Tangyuan which was half a trained army dog. Rumors said that, Tangyuan had once saved Granny Kong''s life in an imminent peril and turned the tide to their advantage so that they could win against the enemies. It had even been bestowed a medal because of its contribution.


    However, the mighty and honorable Tangyuan was currently growling at Jin Renguang like a mad dog. Well, not that he minded. He might be the reincarnation of an alligator or something in his past life because he found that every single dog seemed to treat him like a natural enemy.


    Jin Renguang saluted solemnly. "Colonel Kong, this is Jin Renguang reporting. My apology for arriving sote."


    Granny Kong red sullenly. "So you know that you''rete?! Why don''t you crouch there all night and ring the bell tomorrow morning?!" As if echoing its owner, Tangyuan barked two times and bared its fangs.


    Granny Kong¡ªKong Daixue¡ªhad retired as a Lieutenant Colonel honorably. She was one of the rare women whom even Director Fen Huiguan had to be subservient to. Thus, as the subordinate of a subordinate, Jin Renguang could only go along with the elderly''s words and admitted his mistake humbly.


    "Come in.." The elderly woman''s face turned heavy.

 Chapter 134 - Lets Play A Game, Shall We?

    Ke Shao grabbed the paper report and veins bulged out of his forehead. Beside him, Luo Xiu lifted his head from the midnight snack¡ªa huge portion of pig trotters¡ªchewing on it until his lips were all oily. "What''s up?"


    "This Yu Chuan¡­" Ke Shao gritted his teeth. "Not only is he infected with AIDS, but the blood test result also shows that he is addicted to drugs!"


    Luo Xiu just gave an apathetic ''oh''. "Isn''t it expected from such a person?"


    "But¡ª" Ke Shao thought of his background check, his innocent and virtuous wife and two adorable children¡­why were they fated to have such a scummy man as father and husband? Ke Shao''s eyes were red as he wailed. "We don''t even have a girlfriend but why is someone like Yu Chuan able to get a wife and two cute children??!!"


    The whole busy office froze with Ke Shao''s loudint.


    Luo Xiu threw him a disdained gaze. So, that was what he was fussing about.


    Tang Wei pushed his sses which had dropped to the edge of his nose. "Can you not attack me personally? Thank you very much."


    "I am not attacking you!" Ke Shao thumped on his chest. "I am attacking myself! My own miserable life!"


    "Shall I add to your misery?"


    Ke Shao almost tumbled down his chair. He rapidly stood up, turned around and saluted. "Captain, you''re back! This is Yu Chuan''s blood test. We have ced the suspicious man in interrogation room 1 at this moment. Do you get any leads? Are you tired? Shall I order you some pig trotters?"


    Everyone wished that they could whack Ke Shao''s head. Such an ass kisser. Didn''t he see that Captain had be Jin Yanluo?


    Jin Renguang''s face was heavy and somber, the air pressure around him was at an all time low. He grabbed the blood result and flipped it as his eyes danced along the words. "Leave them alone for two more hours. Give Yu Chuan some medicine."


    When Jin Renguang was like this, the whole office didn''t dare to breathe too loud, even Tang Wei softened his fingers so that the keyboard''s clicking sound became a bit quieter.


    "For now, we have a few leads; the person Ke Shao caught and Yu Chuan, Yu Chuan''s phone, the phone number, and a few possible suspects that are in need of confirming. Ke Shao, you''re responsible for the suspicious person. Tang Wei, dig whatever you can out from Yu Chuan''s phone. The rest of you, follow up with their progress and I will take care of the rest. I am giving you five hours. Five hourster, we will gather in the meeting room tobine what we got." He emphasized each word and scowled. "If you haven''t got anything after those hours, then don''t even think of getting your sry this month!"


    Jin Renguang stormed to his office and mmed on the door, leaving a room full of wailing souls full of woes behind.


    The door closed behind Jin Renguang, separating him from the rowdy howls outside. He sank into his chair and closed his eyes for a moment. In his mind, the conversation between him and Granny Kong circled around which ended with the sentence she said when he was getting ready to leave.


    "It will be the fifth year of her death anniversary soon. Although she''s at fault, she has died in exchange for it. When will you decide to forgive her?"


    ***


    Shi Nian''s eyes snapped open amidst the dark and she sat up, gasping. Sweat dampened her hair and a few strands of it stuck to her cheek. She pulled up her knees and buried her head in it, her body shivering incessantly. It seemed like she could still hear the desperate screams which were getting weaker and weaker, the thick scent of blood permeating the air, and the blurry yet terrifying voice of that person.


    "Let''s y a game, shall we? If you can eat this te, then maybe, I will be kind enough to let her go. If not¡­hehe, you shall know it soon."


    It turned out that she still couldn''t face it straight. She had forced herself to act natural, trying to remember how she liked to eat hotpot the most. But it all manifested into a nightmare.


    She couldn''t deceive herself anymore. In her dream, she tremblingly asked, "You¡­will really let her go?"


    "You''re not in the position to bargain with me, little one." He chuckled. "Let me count to three. One, two, three¡ª"


    "I will! I will eat it¡­" She scrambled to grab the te of bloody meat. Tears gathered in her eyes as she forced herself to swallow. She choked and coughed, nausea churned her stomach. "Let her¡­go¡­"


    Yet, in the next second, the thing she got in return was a woman''s piercing scream and the man''sugh. "Did I ever promise you anything?"


    When Shi Nian lifted her head, she was shocked to find that her hands were covered in blood. But when she blinked, it all disappeared. Choking, she staggered toward the bathroom and vomited all of the dinner out. The rims of her eyes reddened and her throat was so dry that it was painful, but she still heaved ceaselessly as if wanting to vomit her guts out.


    The clock showed 2.11 am.


    But sleep had left Shi Nianpletely.


    The house was dark with only the dim yellow light of streemps pouring in intermittently. Shi Nian huddled in the nket, but her teeth kept on chattering in chill. The silence suffocated her, and a burst of fear rushed through her veins. It was like she had returned to that time, when she was alone, helpless and scared¡­


    She wanted to find Qiang Fei, but she knew how precious this short holiday was for her. She had worked so hard and if she found her daughter frequently woke up from constant nightmares, moring that she had dreamed of the past again, that she hadn''t walked out from beneath the shadow of the dark at all... How sad would she be?


    Shi Nian could lie once, but how long could she keep on doing it? Sooner orter, Qiang Fei would find out. But Shi Nian would like to lie as long as she could to give Qiang Fei some hard earned peace.


    She would carry this burden until she couldn''t bear it anymore.


    Her shoulders trembled and the back of her eyes stung. Her throat seemed like it had still retained the metallic rust of blood and the softness of raw meat. She took in a deep breath but the air was also suffused with the faint taste of blood.


    Shi Nian bit the inside of her cheek and decided that she might as well try to stay up until dawn arrived.


    She slipped out of the house and saw there wasn''t any sign of activity from Xu Binchen''s door. He must have still been busy pulling all nighters. Shi Nian went to the emergency stairs and started to climb. Yes, Xu Binchen''s apartment building actually had a vacant roof.


    It was just an empty space devoid of anything. Xu Binchen told Shi Nian that since someone tried tomit suicide by jumping down the roof, the door had always been locked since then.


    Shi Nian dug into her pocket and found the key that the man had given her.


    When she arrived at the door¡­


    Eh? It wasn''t locked?


    The door that was usually restricted was currently ajar. Cold wind blew in from the gap, slightly dissipating the suffocation that pressed down on her chest.


    Shi Nian didn''t hesitate any longer to push open the door.


    The lights from the high buildings and skyscrapers in the distance formed a perfect contrast with the dark sky, like a painting of a glimmering sea of stars among the void. Like the manifestation of hope amidst pain and despair.


    The wind fluttered her hair and Shi Nian squeezed her eyes shut by reflex.


    There was already someone else before him.


    That person''s back...was immensely familiar.


    Jiang Jinyan was standing there, at the edge of the roof where he could directly fall down if he just took a step forward, the hem of his shirt blowing like clouds. A burning cigarette was pinched between his fingers, its tip gave off red sparks.


    Shi Nian''s eyes widened in fright and she rushed forward before her brain could think.

 Chapter 135 - Im Not Okay At All

    The sight of his back had been imprinted so, so deeply into her mind. Straight as always, proud, filled with forbearance yet also contained a tinge of mncholy, he had donned his armor and spurred on his horse. And then, after that, Shi Nian had never seen him again in that lifetime.


    Now that she was shoved with the same scenery, the same kind of mncholy and desteness, something inside Shi Nian''s mind snapped.


    No! No, you can''t! You can''t do it!


    In the past life, she had reached out to hold him back, only to grab onto a handful of empty air, his back was getting further and further and no matter how strong she wished for it, she couldn''t hold onto anything. But now, as she lunged forward in an almost fervent madness, her hand grabbed onto something tangible. Warm, real, and living flesh.


    It caused her to freeze in ce, stunned.


    On the other hand, Jiang Jinyan couldn''t have guessed that there would be someoneing to the rooftop in the wee hours of the morning. He used to smoke when he was in junior highschool but then, after mending his crooked path and swearing to be an athlete, he had forced himself to stop smoking with such difficulty.


    Yet sometimes, when the stress reached its tipping point,te at night when he was consumed by loneliness, hatred and self-loath, he wouldn''t be able to resist lighting one up. He would just hold onto it without inhaling, letting the smoke blurred his sight and the me burned his skin.


    Such as this night.


    He had picked the lock to the rooftop and let himself in, standing at the highest point where he could oversee the whole city, filling his sight with the resplendent color of lights in the skyscrapers and streets that had just begun its nightlife.


    This kind of tranquility and quietness was very calming. Where he could hear nothing but the whistle of wind on his ears, where there was nothing but the night that shaded his body, enabling him to sumb to the soothing darkness. He didn''t have to think of anything, didn''t have to see anything, didn''t have to hear anything.


    There''s only him in this world, right at this moment.


    Yet, all of those illusions were shattered into pieces by a strong force that yanked on his arm. Jiang Jinyan was so surprised that he almost lost his footing. His body leaned forward and the sight of t ground from such a high distance caused his heart to lurch.


    His pupils dted in shock. In that split second, he could see the zigzag lines of the bricks lining up on the ground, the flickering streemps and the hair whorl of the person who was throwing trash.


    His fingers trembled and the burning cigarette slipped out from his hand, plunging down in a free fall from the twentieth floor.


    Jiang Jinyan forcefully regained his bnce and let his body fall backward. His arms shot out to support his body and he fell down on his butt, his mind still reeling on the near death shock.


    All of a sudden, the tranquil of the night was ruined and...he wasn''t alone in the world anymore.


    The sound of rapid heartbeats drummed on his ears and he numbly turned around to find a familiar face. It''s her again! Anger rushed to his head, and he almost exploded judging by how hard he gritted his teeth. His voice was low, but the slight shaking betrayed the rage and fury boiling in his heart. "What the hell are you doing?"


    By now, even if she''s stupid, Shi Nian would have realized that there must be some kind of misunderstanding from her part.


    She knew that Jiang Jinyan didn''t have that kind of intention, but she couldn''t help it. She grabbed onto him so desperately, so tightly that she almost crushed his bones.


    Jiang Jinyan sucked in cold air and shook her arms off. "Let go¡ª"


    Words died down in his throat. The dim moonlight shone on the girl''s face, making her already pale face look even more ghastly. He saw his own face reflected on her crystal clear eyes which was trembling minutely. In her eyes, he saw fear, grief, apprehension, and plea which made all of the rejection on the tip of his tongue drop back to his stomach.


    Those eyes were so vivid, so beautiful, so fragile as if it was going to break by the slightest touch.


    Jiang Jinyan''s heart stirred unknowingly.


    Shi Nian breathed hastily, her mind in a mess. She knew that she had messed up, knew that she should have said something, should have exined herself but at this moment, she could only see his features, unwilling to look away even for a second, taking in his every small movement when he breathed, the knit of his brows, the purse of his lips; embedding it into her memory.


    Only then did Shi Nian btedly realize that this was the first time she had been so close to him in this life.


    This was the person whom she held dear the most in her heart.


    The person whom she was willing to follow to the Underworld.


    The person whom she had missed for a lifetime.


    Realization dawned on Jiang Jinyan. Even though he was shocked to find the girl appeared out of nowhere, even though he was still fuming enough for steam to billow out of his head, when faced with those eyes, he would always himself unable to truly be heartless.


    Like a deted balloon, an angry smile formed on Jiang Jinyan''s lips, his eyes extremely dark. "I am not so stupid tomit suicide by smashing my body like watermelon!"


    Shi Nian''s eyshes quivered as she lowered her eyes.


    Her grab on him loosened yet the tingling pain and warmth still lingered on his skin devoutly. Jiang Jinyan patted his pants and intended to stand up, but because of the fall, he had overexerted his leg again. His brows furrowed in pain, and he finally gave up on the notion. His body fell back down again, but this time, he moved to lean against the railing wall which he had just stepped on, sighing heavily.


    Shi Nian panicked and she fumbled on her phone to write. Her fingers shaking. [Are you okay?]


    Jiang Jinyan''s eyes were half lidded as he took in the change in her expression. He didn''t really know this girl. Maybe, they could only be considered as unfamiliar acquaintances. Yet, just in front of this person...he felt something bubbling up inside his heart.


    Maybe because she''s a stranger, maybe because of how she had given him delicious hotpot, maybe because of the influence of the night that lowered his guard.


    Or maybe, it could also be because he had been too lonely, that he had kept it inside too long that he couldn''t bear it anymore.


    He gave himself a million reasons to exin the urge that was currently overwhelming him. The urge to tell his true feeling that was always hidden ever since he woke up in the hospital and found his whole world had turned upside down. The feelings that he had never told anyone and could only be brought into his deepest nightmares.


    "¡­I''m not okay." Jiang Jinyan gave a softugh. Yet somehow, when it reached Shi Nian''s ears, it almost sounded like a helpless sob. "I''m not okay at all. It hurts..."


    .


    .


    A/N: Late night. Rooftop. No one but the two of them. Momentary weakness.. Hehehe. Nah I am weeping for my poor Jinyan because everyone vouched for Shi Nian and Xu Binchen QAQ remember that he''s only a second male lead guysss! Don''t be bewitched by our sarcastic and tsundere detective (?©n?`?)

 Chapter 136 - I Will Accompany You

    Shi Nian almost never saw Jiang Jinyan show any weakness before. He was just like a tight lipped bottle, his pride was sky high and he always wore that sardonic smile that made people unable to guess what he was thinking about.


    Almost. It meant that she had.


    It was one rare asion when General Jiang became tipsy just after three cups of Pear Blossom Wine. He was such an enigmatic man. Hemanded thousands of boorish men who gulped down booze before they picked up their swords and jumped to the battlefield, yet he himself was such that he could be drunk just after a little bit of mellow, gracious wine.


    The drunk Jiang Jinyan was unlike others who would make a fuss, did something atrocious or silly, nor did he look like a drunkard. He would just sit there with his eyes half lidded, his entire person exuded anguid and unrestrained aura. Extremely well behaved and obedient. The only thing that could prove otherwise was the redness on the tip of his ears which was contrasted with his fair skin.


    Shi Nian had never been drunk before nor could she be one, considering how she wielded the Earth''s spiritual power in her body. Any liquor that could cause the mind to be muddled would be flush out of her system.


    She sat in front of him, under the wisteria tree in his courtyard, sipping the wine bit by bit.


    "Do you know why I gave you the name Shi Nian?" he asked all of a sudden.


    Shi Nian raised a brow but nheless shook her head honestly.


    s, the man didn''t even look at her. Instead, he asked again. "At that time, when the executioner''s de was hanging above your neck, what did you feel?"


    Shi Nian put down the cup and contemted seriously. Even though it had just been less than a year since that day, somehow she felt like it was an event from a few lifetimes ago. How could she guess that someday, the person who was scorned as the witch would sit together with the Great General in the entire dynasty, chatting peacefully over a jar of wine?


    She dipped her finger to the wine and wrote on the table. [Liberation.] Free, relieved, unshackled. Just like a butterfly that was ready to break through its cocoon and spread its wings.


    Jiang Jinyan narrowed his eyes. "Liberation¡­" he murmured. "Some people said that death was the beginning of life itself. But then, if that''s true, then what is it that we''re experiencing now? A prequel? Preparation?"


    The General she knew would never say something like that. Shi Nian scrutinized him intently. [Are you drunk?]


    To her surprise, he readily admitted. "Yes, I am. Only a person that has a guilty conscience will deny usations. But I''m not. I have a very clear conscience."


    He''s starting to talk nonsense¡­Shi Nian confirmed that he was indeed drunk.


    Seeing that Jiang Jinyan was ready to down another cup, she hurriedly snatched it away from his hand. General Jiang didn''t realize anything, he still held onto empty air and tilted his head back, wiping the imaginary wine on his lips. Then, he was stunned, his dark eyes looked at her in confusion. "Why is it tasteless?"


    Shi Nian: "¡­"


    She was rendered speechless. Fortunately, there was nobody to see General Jiang like this or else he would be aughingstock. Before she could think of how to handle this drunkard, Jiang Jinyan chuckled and patted her head. "I am just kidding, silly girl."


    She snapped her head up to see his unfathomable, deep eyes that were like the highest quality ck jade. No light would be able to shine through it. Profoundly beautiful yet mysterious at the same time. You wouldn''t realize that you had been sucked in until you couldn''t extract yourself from the quagmire that was his eyes.


    At that time, those eyes were exceedingly bright and clear, making her doubt whether he had just been acting. "I gave you that name because I yearn. I also yearn for death¡­like you."


    Shi Nian looked at him with slight surprise.


    "Are you wondering why someone like me would like to seek death? I yield power, authority, and wealth in my hands that other people find unreachable." He retracted his hand and grabbed the purple branch that was hanging down from the tree. "But it''s also these hands that have in countless people, brought innumerable sufferings and despair."


    Shi Nian shook her head, unable to bring herself to agree. He was the dynasty''s greatest hero. With his de, he had protected the country behind his back, allowing them to live a peaceful life.


    "On the battlefield, the enemy''s sword has grazed my body countless times," he continued. "But everytime, I would dodge, stubbornly hanging onto this meager life of mine, unwilling to perish and die. Say, do you think it''s cowardly of a person who is eager for death?"


    General Jiang and coward were two words that would have never been ced together no matter in what context. This strong, fearless and ruthless man¡­how could he think so lowly of himself? How could he feel inferior? It was so absurd, she thought.


    Jiang Jinyan clenched his fist, trembling ever so slightly. Maybe it was just the trick of the light, or maybe she was just imagining it, but at that time, she seemed to see ayer of mist covering his eyes.


    For the first time ever, she found this formidable, dependable man to be so fragile, so helpless and confused that she wanted to hug him and tell that he was great. Very, very great.


    She thought, and so she did.


    Jiang Jinyan blinked, never expecting that one day he would beforted by a fifteen years old brat. He couldn''t help but chuckle. "What are you doing?"


    Shi Nian instantly pulled herself away, mortified by her bluntness. Her cheeks blushed furiously and she didn''t know where to put her hands and feet. In the end, she could only gulp down the wine to cover her embarrassment.


    Jiang Jinyan didn''t let it get to himself. He propped up his chin, his lips curled up in his usual smirk yet she could still sense a hint of sadness in them. "With my sins, I should be punished in Eighteen Layers of Hell when I die, right? No matter how terrifying it is, can itpare to the endless bloodshed and cruel deaths in wars? What do you think?"


    Shi Nian lowered her head and didn''t dare to look straight at him. Her thin skin flushed crimson, even the rims of her eyes reddened. She didn''t know why but at that time, she really wanted to cry. Yet she held herself back. The tears hung onto her eyshes stubbornly, like the morning dew on the tip of a willow branch leaf, lingering tightly like a pair of passionate lovers.


    When Jiang Jinyan was closing his eyes, resting, Shi Nian quietly reached out and scribbled on the table with the tip of her fingers, as if caressing the scar on his face gently.


    [I will apany you.]


    If so, he wouldn''t be afraid anymore, right?


    Three months after that short event, he was summoned to the Pce to receive the Imperial Edict, marching on his horse into another war. But this time, what returned was only a cut of his hair as his body had perished together with the mountain of corpses. He had lived his life in full glory yet sadly, died as a traitor.


    I will apany you. So...wait for me a bit, okay?


    One day after Traitor Jiang''s demise, his servant girl''s body was found in his residence, cold and lifeless, hanging onto the ceiling with a piece of white silk.


    .


    .


    A/N:


    A glimpse of their past and Shi Nian''s devotion QAQ


    But no, at that time, there''s no romance between them, only a tender, intangible feelings that can''t be described with words. Somehow, it''s more bittersweet than a mere love, much much more pious, pure and passionate than that.


    The reason Jiang Jinyan died as a traitor, I will not borate more in the story. But it has to do with the political struggle. He''s the Great General and the people''s hero. Yet in one sky, two suns weren''t allowed to exist. It''s the Emperor who''s getting paranoid and ended up using the war to kill him. Jiang Jinyan himself knew that he''s getting more powerful, knew that the Emperor would be wary of him, but he still let himself into the trap.. As he said, he''s one who sought for death. Maybe, it''s the liberation for General Jiang who has suffered his whole life QAQ

 Chapter 137 - Even If I Became A Waste?

    Shi Nian felt so distressed that she wished she could p herself a few minutes ago for her stupidity. Immense guilt awashed her. [Where???] She scanned two possible ces; his arm which she had grabbed onto. No bruises present. So¡­the only ce was¡­


    Jiang Jinyan moved his leg away as if wanting to hide it from her eyes.


    The rims of Shi Nian''s eyes reddened and she felt so upset that she wanted to cry. Fortunately, the wind at night was so cold that her tears didn''t have any chance to be formed before they dried up.


    It must be his leg hurting¡­


    What should she do?


    What could she even do?


    Shi Nian lowered her head, remorseful. [Sorry, I thought that you¡­] wanted to jump down from the roof, shemented inwardly.


    But just as Jiang Jinyan had said, he wasn''t so stupid to do that.


    Jiang Jinyan rested his elbow on his propped up knee, examining her closely. She was so frightened that she didn''t even dare to look up at him. He was reminded of the fear in her eyes. Thinking back of it, he was amused.


    They clearly didn''t have any rtionship with each other so how could she care for him very much when the people who clearly had blood rtion to him didn''t even care whether he dropped dead somewhere?


    His fingers curled subconsciously and he couldn''t help asking. "Why? Do you like me that much?"


    Shi Nian lifted her head in shock but upon meeting his razor sharp eyes, she lowered her head again. Like a child who was caught stealing something, she nodded briefly. The movement was so small that if he didn''t look at her closely, then he would have missed it.


    "Look up."


    Shi Nian gingerly lifted her chin but her eyes still darted everywhere.


    "Look at me," he said again. "Or do you want me to force you?"


    Shi Nian pursed her lips and finally gathered her courage to meet those dark bottomless eyes.


    Truly simr, Jiang Jinyan thought. How could her eyes be so simr to his stupid fe?


    "Say it." His lips curled up in a sneer. "What do you like about me?" He had lost his family, his dream, his body, his future, what else did she see in him?


    Shi Nian pressed her lips tight and her eyes turned moist. Jiang Jinyan in front of her became a blur, so much that she didn''t catch the pain and satirical sh in his eyes.


    The girl earnestly typed. [Everything about you is good. Very good.] in which she earned a guffaw from the man in front of her.


    Even if she was dense, she could still catch the deep mockery amidst hisughter.


    Shi Nian chewed her lips. [You don''t believe me?]


    Jiang Jinyan breathed deeply. "Why should I trust you?"


    He''s right¡­why should he trust a stranger''s words? Shi Nian wilted like a rotten potato.


    Unreconciled, she raised her eyes to re at him. Her fingers flew on the screen. [You''re very wise, dependable and mature. Kind and gentle. Humble and passionate. You have an adorable kitten. Even if you''re the young master of a rich family, you never look down on others...]


    There''s more though like, he''s kind enough to shelter the witch who was repelled by the entire world, taking her under his wings no matter what people said, endure the malice and hostility together with her, silently shielded her behind his back all the while smiling carefreely, providing her freedom, security and protection, always supporting whatever she wished to do¡­


    There was so much that the more Shi Nian thought, the more she found that Jiang Jinyan was truly the best man in the world. If she was asked to borate, she would be able to continue on for three days straight.


    s, it''s all in their past. No one knew his hidden kindness except her. Not even the person himself.


    Shi Nian felt dejected all of a sudden and she ended her praise with [You''re very good looking too.]


    Seeing the girl earnestly wracked her brain to praise him, Jiang Jinyan felt a rare flicker of amusement and warmth spread through his chest. Outwardly, he scoffed. "Even if my face is scarred?"


    Shi Nian seriously nodded. [Very good looking.]


    "Even if I became a waste?" He asked in a joking tone.


    But the girl surprisingly erupted just like when he identally stepped on the stupid fe''s tail. Her fur bristled and her eyes shone red in anger. She was so angry that she neglected her phone, her shoulders trembled in fury.


    What waste?! Who dared to say that her general was a waste?!!


    Her lips parted then closed again. Her literature knowledge wasn''t good and she couldn''t form any words to describe how terrible she felt. She could only grab his hand and shook her head again and again.


    Jiang Jinyan was stunned and when heughed, his voice was slightly hoarse. "What are you angry for? Truly you¡ª" A lump formed on his throat.


    You''re so stupid.


    How could you be so stupid?


    Jiang Jinyan lowered his head to hide the redness on his eyes, but Shi Nian thought that he didn''t believe her words at all. Dejected, she held onto his hand, her fingers softly kneading his joints while the tip of her fingers slowly, stroke by stroke, grazed his skin. [Not lying.] I am not lying¡­you have to believe me. You''re really, truly, very good.


    Her soft caresses scalded his hand and he hurriedly yanked his hand away. He bore the pain and stood up, leaving only a curt sentence "You stay here" and left, his gait almost like fleeing.


    Shi Nian stared at his back until he disappeared behind the door, her whole person shrouded in gloominess.


    On the other hand, Jiang Jinyan mmed the door behind him, his breathing harsh as if he had just ran a marathon. Thump thump thump...his heartbeat drummed loudly and he lifted his hand to cover his mouth. But then, he recalled that it''s the hand that she had just touched and hastily retracted it, wishing he could just dismember his limb.


    "Mew¡­?" The stupid fe popped its head out from under the sofa.


    Jiang Jinyan nced at it and was reminded of Shi Nian''s eyes again. He closed his eyes exasperatedly. "Can you just go away for a second?"


    "Mew~" It titled its head in confusion and fortunately, it was toozy to move so it just syed there like a boneless rug. Maybe if it could talk, it would say: "What does this stupid hoomane up with again?"


    Jiang Jinyan managed to calm himself down with much difficulty. But the sensation on his hand lingered still, quite ticklish, numbing and burning as if all of his nerves were concentrated there. He didn''t manage to sleep until dawn and when he was woken up by the kitten''s miserable yowls, it was already evening.


    He dragged his aching body to feed it cat food and some goat milk in apology while he himself ate some food which didn''t register in his mind. When he went downstairs to throw his trash, the receptionistdy, household appliances auntie and janitor uncle huddled together to gossip, their voices travelled to his ears intermittently.


    "¡­how terrifying! Has the serial killer got here already?!"


    "Shush, don''t talk so loud. The police forbid us to talk about it."


    "But someone was killed ah! His body was thrown into our garbage can! Let me tell you something, I heard from my friend who worked in another building that it''s Mr. Wu from the west wing who disappeared a few weeks ago!"


    .


    .


    .


    A/N:


    Jiang Jinyan: stupid fe


    Catto: stupid hooman


    Shi Nian: I pronounce you two partners for life (¡ñ¡ä¦Ø`¡ñ)?

 Chapter 138 - A Key Witness

    "Impossible!" Ru Meiqi cried out. "It''s not possible for one person to be in two ces at the same time!"


    Qin Weizhe tried to calm her down. "I know. I know, we doubted it too. Last night have been Jin Renguang''s major operation and at the same time, a murder case is happening in the Capital." He pulled the pale woman to sit on the chair and made her a cup of camomile tea. "That''s why, we have sealed the murder scene and suppressed the news. Right now, everything is under control. We just need to wait for Lin Zhouyi to finish performing the autopsy. Then, we can make everything clear."


    Ru Meiqi warmed her chilly hands on the surface of the warm cup. After hearing Qin Weizhe''s exnation, she rxed slightly. Following that, she pinched her brows. "You''re right. I was too agitated."


    "You''re too exhausted." He pointed out in concern. "What time did you sleepst night?"


    "3 am." She sipped the tea and frowned. "You should have worried about that madman instead. He hasn''t slept for three days straight."


    "Binchen?" Qin Weizhe waved his hand. "Don''t worry, he''s as strong as a mule. During our time in the police academy, when everyone syed down like a dog at night, he was up monitoring the trade market. He could bnce work and study just fine. This kind of man will not copse just because of something like that."


    The man whom Qin Weizhe said wouldn''t copse dashed out of the office, disheveled. The area under his eyes had turned bluish green. With a voice so hoarse that it didn''t resemble human anymore, he staggered to Qin Weizhe''s desk. "Where did you say the crime scene was?"


    "It''s¡­" Qin Weizhe gulped. "Your apartment district."


    Crash!


    Xu Binchen tripped on a chair, toppling it down as he grabbed the edge of the table to stabilize himself. "Shi Nian? What about Shi Nian?"


    Ru Meiqi threw Qin Weizhe a disdainful nce. Thetter caressed his cheek. The feeling of being pped not even five seconds after his grand deration truly was a novel experience.


    "Calm down, calm down! She is fine and dandy!" He pulled Xu Binchen to sit down and made a cup of strong coffee for him. "Everything isn''t clear yet. Don''t make any hasty assumptions!"


    Xu Binchen was cold to begin with, now that he was pale to the point of resembling a corpse, he looked like he could create ice shards with a snap of his fingers. After gulping down the coffee, he looked more sober yet still unkempt like a handsome zombie. His fingers fiddled on the red bracelet on his wrist.


    After that, he grabbed his phone which was dying soon and sent Shi Nian a period. Not one minuteter, the girl replied with a question mark. Only then did Xu Binchen feel tension loosened from his shoulders."How is the development?"


    "Don''t worry. It''s been 80% confirmed that it''s not the same case. First, the crime scene was too messy and there''s no butterfly marks on the body. We can basically gather enough proof to zero in on the suspect." Qin Weizhe analyzed. "Second, the log of visitors in the apartment district for yesterday was empty. It means that either the culprit has been hiding there or he is there to begin with. Everything¡ªfrom how the victim was dismembered and thrown to a public ce¡ªshould have been a coincidence."


    Xu Binchen and Ru Meiqi sank into deep thoughts.


    Jin Renguang''s words reverberated in their minds. In this world, there is no coincidence, only premeditated actions.


    It was good if it''s not the same culprit, however, they couldn''t exclude the possibility that it was. If so, then how could they exin the phenomena of a person appearing at the same time in different ces? Or else, there were more than one suspects?!


    Xu Binchen''s face was getting more and more unsightly. His head ached and he felt so sleepy that he could faint if he closed his eyes right now. The coffee helped a bit and finally, he could think again. "The entrance¡­have you sealed it?"


    Qin Weizhe was receiving a report from his subordinate and turned to him. "Yes, I have got it under control. Don''t worry and leave it to me. You should just focus on your task. How is it? Have you found something?"


    "Of course." Xu Binchen snorted.


    But before he could borate further, their office door mmed open from outside and a police officer came in. "Detective Qin, a witness tost night''s case is here to see you!"


    "What?!" Qin Weizhe shot up from his seat, astonished. "A witness¡­?"


    The police officer nodded, his eyes bright in joy. "He said that he saw it when the culprit threw the body!"


    Qin Weizhe''s eyes met with Ru Meiqi and Xu Binchen. He grinned wildly andmanded. "Then what are you waiting for?! Invite him into Interrogation Room 3, I will be there shortly!" After the police officer left, Qin Weizhe pinched his cheek, his expression in disbelief. "Am I dreaming? Less than twenty four hours, we can actually crack the case?!"


    "Shut up and let''s go." Ru Meiqi put down the cup and left. Xu Binchen followed after her.


    "Ah, ah, ah, wait for me~" Qin Weizhe grabbed his notebook and pen then left with wind under his feet.


    The police officers saluted Xu Binchen and Ru Meiqi along the way. Thetter spoke softly. "What do you think?"


    "Qin Weizhe is right." Xu Binchen said. "It''s not the same culprit."


    "But do you think that everything is such a coincidence? The easier we crack this case, the more unsettled I feel."


    Xu Binchen heaved a tired sigh. "I think that we all suffered from PTSD after this. Every murder case that follows are deemed to be connected one way or another to the serial killer. Especially you, Senior Ru, should see a psychologist. You''re getting paranoid."


    Ru Meiqi: "¡­"


    To ask a criminal psychologist to see a psychologist? Ru Meiqi was so angry that her chest hurt. She huffed and left Xu Binchen behind, her high heels cking sharply against the marble floor.


    The witness was already seated in the interrogation room. Ru Meiqi and Xu Binchen entered the control room one after another. On the other side of the wall was the interrogation room which was only separated by a one way mirror.


    Xu Binchen lifted his eyes and gave the witness a casual nce, then he halted in ce.


    Ru Meiqi''s voice drifted from the front. "Hmm, such a handsome man. But he''s quite familiar. Where have I seen him before?"


    Qin Weizhe entered and sat in front of the witness. His behavior was very warm and weing. "No need to worry, you only need to answer my questions honestly, okay? Don''t treat it as an interrogation, we''re just questioning you. If we can catch the culprit, then you will receive a huge reward for your contribution!"


    The witness only gave him a short "Okay."


    Qin Weizhe grinned and opened his notebook. "Your name?"


    "Jiang Jinyan."


    Ru Meiqi jolted in shock. "Jiang Jinyan¡­? That athlete who got into the scandalous ident, Jiang Jinyan?!"


    Xu Binchen looked at Jiang Jinyan intently, his eyes dark and unreadable.


    "I saw it from the rooftop in my apartment building." Jiang Jinyan said. His skin was fair to begin with and under the room''s bright light, it seemed so translucent like porcin. His slightly longer hair covered his sight and he raked his fingers through it. The eyes beneath it were especially piercing and resolute. "Around 2 to 2.30 am. He''s holding a ck trash bag, wearing gloves and a mask. When he finished throwing it, he walked into the direction of the west."


    Qin Weizhe smiled. "Mr. Jiang, it''s not like we don''t trust you. But do you have someone who can support your im? It will be much better if you do."


    Jiang Jinyan fell into a trance for a few seconds. His lips pursed tight. "Someone was there with me but I don''t know if she saw it. She lived a floor above mine." Hesitation flickered through his eyes and he said carefully, "Her name is Shi Nian."


    Qin Weizhe sucked in a shaky breath. "S¡ªShi Nian is there with you?"


    Question filled Jiang Jinyan''s eyes. "You know her, police officer?"


    Not only Qin Weizhe but Ru Meiqi and Xu Binchen were also shocked out of their souls. What did Jiang Jinyan mean? Shi Nian was actually another key witness to this case?! Ru Meiqi''s face turned pale and she turned to Xu Binchen.


    "What is happening?!"


    Xu Binchen needed no words, he had already barged out of the room.


    In the interrogation room, Qin Weizhe chuckled dryly. Not only did he know her, but everyone else in this station did. He tried to focus on the youth in front of him and answered casually. "Coincidentally, I do. Around 2 to 2.30 am, you''re on the rooftop, right? May I ask what you''re doing there?"


    Jiang Jinyan had prepared himself. Thus, he answered sinctly. "I''m insomniac. I went up for a smoke."


    Ever since he heard of the aunties and uncles'' gossip, Jiang Jinyan had been in a dilemma. When he threw his trash, he could see that the public garbage can had been sealed off by police lines. Then, everything suddenly came together in his mind.


    Last night, when Shi Nian suddenly popped up out of nowhere to yank him down, Jiang Jinyan had inadvertently nced down in a split second. He had seen a maning out with a huge trash bag in his hands. However, he didn''t think too much of it until the murder was discoveredter.


    Should he report to the police? Or should he not?


    Jiang Jinyan didn''t really want to get himself involved. But what if? What if his testimony was what helped the police to catch the culprit? What if he had actually witnessed something very, very crucial? As he thought about that, he couldn''t sit still anymore and went to visit the police station to get it off his chest.


    "Then," Qin Weizhe probed casually. "Do you know what Shi Nian was doing up there?"


    Jiang Jinyan frowned. "I have no idea."


    "Hmm?"


    He repeated himself and added, "I don''t know her well." Chewing on his words, Jiang Jinyan spat out. "I only know her name. That''s all."


    "Okay, okay sure." Qin Weizhe gave a bright smile. "Thank you very much for your cooperation, Mr. Jiang. If you may, we have a lounge to receive guests. You can stay there for a while in case we need your further help." He just received a signal that Xu Binchen had fled back to his apartment. Thus, he added. "We have a detective who''s staying in the same apartment as you. He''s also on his way to get Shi Nian. Please wait for a while, it''s safer to have him escort you back."


    Jiang Jinyan''s face turned awkward for a moment. "I can leave by myself."


    "No can do, Mr.Jiang!" Qin Weizhe instantly cut his way off. "What if the culprit is monitoring the situation right now? Will you be in danger then? We''re currently in the dark so we have to guard against every single threat. I hope you understand where I''ming from, Mr.Jiang."


    "I understand." Jiang Jinyan heaved a sigh and massaged his brows. "Then, I will take you up on your offer. Thank you very much."


    .


    .


    A/N: Our two love rivals meet again (*¨R?¨Q*)

 Chapter 139 - Please Take Care Of Me

    Shi Nian would''ve never guessed that one single action of hers would cause her tond into the police station. She could be considered an acquaintance, thus everyone didn''t treat her the same as other witnesses.


    No, it was worse than that.


    She sat in Ru Meiqi''s chair, surrounded by three police officers, with Xu Yanluo himself personally taking on the lead. "Tell me, what are you doing on the rooftop in that early hour?"


    Shi Nian shrank her neck just like a good student who was caught cheating then was condemned by all teachers with the principal holding a knife above her nape. [I¡ª]


    She hadn''t even typed out a sentence when Xu Binchen''s voice rang out. "Don''t lie. If you dare, I will ce you under home arrest."


    Shi Nian looked up at him in shock.


    On the other hand, Ru Meiqi chided softly. "Why are you so harsh to her?! Shi Nian, tell Sister Meiqi. Was something going on?"


    Qin Weizhe echoed: "Right, right."


    Shi Nian nced at them tearfully. [I was just having a nightmare.]


    "What nightmare?"


    Shi Nian fidgeted in her seat.


    "Don''t try to lie." Xu Binchen threatened again.


    Heaving a sigh, Shi Nian confessed half of the truth. [The matter¡­of the past.]


    The surrounding fell silent for a moment. It was Ru Meiqi who spoke up. "You mean, you''re having a nightmare about that time when you''re kidnapped?"


    Shi Nian opened the album in her phone and showed Xu Binchen the photo of her notebook. With each second passed, thetter''s frown was getting deeper and deeper. "Why didn''t you tell me?"


    [It''s just a blurry fragment...]


    Xu Binchen was so angry that heughed. "It''s not the first time you''ve had nightmares, right? All these times, you have kept quiet. For what? I am willing to bet that even your mother doesn''t know about it. Every single piece of memory you regain is a precious clue for us! What are you hiding for?!"


    Shi Nian lowered her head guiltily. [Sorry, gege.]


    Ru Meiqi instantly caught on. "Gege?" She raised a brow and gave Xu Binchen a meaningful smile. "Since when did Shi Nian change her address to you?"


    Xu Binchen pinched his brows. "Can we focus on the important topic right now?"


    Qin Weizhe: "Right, right. Binchen, you''re so sneaky!"


    Both Ru Meiqi and Xu Binchen pretended that it''s only fart beside them as the interrogation continued on.


    "I heard from your mother that Psychiatrist Yu is preparing a new therapy for you?" Ru Meiqi softly asked which Shi Nian answered with a nod. "Are you scared? Is that why you''re having nightmares?"


    Shi Nian chose the lesser of two evils and admitted. [I am quite scared.]


    Xu Binchen stared at her intently, feeling that the girl had a guilty conscience. She must be hiding something else. However, they had a more important thing to solve right now thus he couldn''t question her in detail. "Last night, were you with Mr.Jiang?"


    Surprise and dread filled Shi Nian''s eyes. [Why? Did something happen to him?!]


    If not, why would she be called to the police station?!


    Colors drained from Shi Nian''s face and she looked at them anxiously. Ru Meiqi sat beside her and held her hand. "Don''t worry, he''s fine." Then, she borated what had happened to her in a concise manner. "Did you see anythingst night?"


    Shi Nian rxed and sheepishly shook her head.


    Her eyes and mind were full of her General Jiang. How could she still notice anything else? [It''s not the same culprit?]


    "It''s not." Ru Meiqi said resolutely. "Right now, the autopsy is still going on. In a few hours, we will know the victim''s identity and possibly, the culprit too. Don''t worry too much, we''re just going through the procedures."


    Qin Weizhe: "Right, right!"


    Shi Nian''s brows knitted. [Then, Jiang Jinyan¡­he''s here?]


    "He is."


    [I want to see him!] Her eyes shone in enthusiasm.


    "Why?" Surprise, Ru Meiqi asked. "He said that he doesn''t know you well. Only your name."


    Hearing that, Shi Nian''s glee from the unexpected encounter suddenly decreased by half. [He said that?] She pursed her lips, upset.


    Ru Meiqi nodded.


    Head lowered, she typed in glum. [But I still want to see him¡­]


    Ru Meiqi burst intoughter and asked in a joking tone. "Did you fall in love with him or something?"


    Shi Nian was so shocked that she almost tumbled down from the chair. F¡ªFall in love?! With the general?! It¡ªIt was such a sphemy! How could she fall in love with him?! Was he someone that she could like so casually like that?


    She shook her head furiously, but her face that almost resembled steam crabs made everything more suspicious.


    Ru Meiqi was only asking in passing, she didn''t expect Shi Nian to react so excessively. She stole a nce toward Xu Binchen and saw the man lowered his eyes, seemingly in a trance.


    Qin Weizhe gulped with difficulty. It''s over. Xu Binchen¡ªthe male god in the police academy¡ªactually had a one sided crush?! No one would believe Shi Nian''s denial when she reacted like this. Qin Weizhe chuckled wryly. "Hey,e on. Don''t tease her like that, Miss Ru." Or else Binchen will be heartbroken ah! How can this be so tragic?!


    Xu Binchen stood up, almost making Qin Weizhe choke on his breath. "Come on." He said. "I will take you there."


    Shi Nian happily jumped and went after him, not noticing the undercurrent in the room.


    Ru Meiqi had a moment of speechlessness. "Did I mess something up?"


    Qin Weizhe nced at Xu Binchen''s back in sympathy and sighed as he shook his head. "It''s better to make everything clear sooner thanter. Moreover, a girl''s feeling is fickle. Who knows, maybe next month, she wille to like Binchen¡­"


    Ru Meiqi smacked him on the back of his head. "What did you say?!"


    "Ow ow¡ª" Qin Weizhe ran out and yelped in pain. "I didn''t do it on purpose!"


    ***


    Xu Binchen opened the door and gestured for her to enter. Shi Nian''s eyes lit up as her sight fell upon Jiang Jinyan who was sitting by the window as the evening sun shone on him, surrounding him with an ethereal glow of golden light.


    Jiang Jinyan¡ªupon hearing the door opened¡ªturned his head and met Shi Nian''s bright eyes. The girl dashed toward him, looked at him up and down in worry. [Are you okay? You''re not hurt right?]


    He frowned slightly and created some more distance between them. "Miss Shi." Jiang Jinyan nodded inly in acknowledgement. His attitude was so estranged as if the person whoined softly under the night wasn''t him.


    Xu Binchen stood by the doorway, his face t and expressionless. Jiang Jinyan caught sight of him and surprise shed through his eyes. "Detective¡­Xu?"


    "I see that you still remember me." Xu Binchen nodded. "Mr.Jiang, I never expected to see you here."


    Realization dawned on Jiang Jinyan. "You''re the detective who lives in the same apartment as me?"


    "You''re right." Xu Binchen gave a furtive nce toward the girl whose eyes were focused on someone else. "I live on the floor above yours, beside Shi Nian''s.. We''re all neighbors so¡­please take care of me from here on."

 Chapter 140 - Just A Bunch Of Lies

    Xu Binchen drove a silver grey Benz which was parked in the underground parking lot. On their way there, the atmosphere waspletely silent. Xu Binchen was shrouded in a cold aura, Jiang Jinyan never bothered to talk and Shi Nian was unable to talk, thus the party of three made their way to the elevator to the underground floor inplete silence.


    The underground parking lot was equipped with an automatic lock. Xu Binchen grabbed his work card and swiped, then opened the door for himself, striding out directly. The huge ss door almost smacked Shi Nian on her face because she was standing right behind Xu Binchen. But an arm came from behind in a timely manner and blocked it for her.


    Shi Nian turned around to find Jiang Jinyan''s apathetic face. She gave him a grin and walked out, deliberately waiting for him.


    Xu Binchen''s legs were long and due to his job, he was used to walking in brisk and swift steps. Just due to the few seconds dy, Shi Nian and Jiang Jinyan were already more than ten meters behind.


    In fact, Jiang Jinyan''s height didn''t lose out to Xu Binchen. Their height was almost the same. His legs were also long and slender. But it was evident that he was unable to walk fast thus as time passed, the distance between them was getting further and further away. Shi Nian realized it and her heart ached, thus she slowed her steps so that Jiang Jinyan would always be two steps behind her.


    Their moderate speed made Xu Binchen realize btedly that he had left them behind. He turned around facing Shi Nian, his face in a scowl as if asking, "What the hell are you dilly dallying there for?" However, before he could shoot his mouth off, he was reminded of Jiang Jinyan''s legs and forcefully swallowed hisint.


    The words which were suppressed made his chest congested and it felt sofortable that his temple throbbed. He huffed under his breath, his fingers itched for a cigarette and he fumbled around his pocket to none. He had finished smoking two packs for thest three days and there was no stock left. The notion just made Xu Binchen grow more irritated.


    The Benz''s headlights lit up in the dim parking lot and Xu Binchen gestured for them to enter.


    Jiang Jinyan nodded and conscientiously got into the back seat.


    Like a chick following its mother, Shi Nian happily followed behind him just for her scruff to be grabbed by Xu Binchen''s evil ws like a helpless kitten. She let out a gasp, her gaze toward Xu Binchen was full of inquiry.


    Xu Binchen sneered. "Do you think that I am your driver? Sit in front!"


    Shi Nian pursed her lips and begrudgingly crawled to the passenger seat. Xu Binchen entered beside her. "Put on your seatbelt."


    The car drove out of the police station toward the bright marmde sky with purple streaks across the cloud. Xu Binchen opened the dashboard and to his relief, found another pack of cigarettes. Without asking for the other two''s opinions, he lit one up and opened the window.


    Cold air mixed with fumes rushed in, circting the scent of tobo as billows of smoke flew out of the window.


    Shi Nian''s head was lowered as she replied to Qiang Fei''s message, telling her that nothing was wrong that she was on her way home with Xu Binchen gege. After that, she was reminded of the silent person behind. She took a nce at the rearview mirror and saw Jiang Jinyan sitting behind Xu Binchen''s seat, looking out of the window in a trance.


    She frowned at the thick scent of smoke and opened her window slightly. Then, worried, she typed. [Have you eaten yet?] She turned her body around and wanted to ask him¡­but Jiang Jinyan never noticed her.


    Ever since they met, Shi Nian had the hunch that he was purposely avoiding her.


    But what for? Because ofst night? Because he had inadvertently exposed a weakness?


    She lowered her head, dejected. Her fingers pressed on the delete button. Xu Binchen nced at her and opened his mouth, his voice slightly raspy. "Have you eaten yet?"


    Shi Nian was surprised. Her first instinct was to look at Jiang Jinyan but the man didn''t react.


    "I am asking you, Shi Nian."


    Oh¡­he was asking her. Shi Nian shook her head. [Mama cooks.]


    "How about you, Mr.Jiang?"


    Only then did Jiang Jinyan turn his head. But still, no matter how much she hoped, he didn''t look at her at all. "I have eaten, thank you."


    Liar! General Jiang always forgot to eat and had to have Fu Jia, the head servant, to remind him. Oftentimes, he would just eat some snacks and let it be done just like that. Sadly, Shi Nian couldn''t just expose him like that because she wasn''t supposed to know anything about him in this life¡­


    The cold wind continuously blew into the car and Jiang Jinyan sneezed.


    Shi Nian instantly fussed like a mother chicken. [Are you sick?]


    This time, Jiang Jinyan''s eyes met hers and he nced toward her memo. "No." However, two secondster, he sneezed again.


    "Sorry, it has been getting coldtely." Xu Binchen snuffed out his cigarette and pulled up the window. In no time at all, the car began to warm up.


    "No, it''s okay." Jiang Jinyan said. "Detective Xu shouldn''t mind me."


    [How could that be?!] Shi Nian typed furiously, but Jiang Jinyan''s attention was pulled out of the window again. She could only use her eyes to examine him but didn''t notice anything wrong.


    The distance between their apartment and the police station was close. Fifteen minutester, the Benz drove into the familiar district. There were police officers in civilian clothes patrolling outside and another stationed inside the post. Xu Binchen''s car was clearly recognized because he was directly granted entry.


    The man pulled down the window and nodded.


    "Detective Xu." The police officer saluted.


    "Is there any development?"


    "No. Everything''s under control. Nothing suspicious so far."


    Xu Binchen nodded and drove around the apartment district, circling toward the west side of the building. His eyes scanned around the surrounding area before driving back toward their apartment in a roundabout manner.


    From afar, Shi Nian could see the public garbage can which was still sealed off by the bright yellow police line.


    Xu Binchen pulled out three masks from thepartment beside him and handed two to Shi Nian and Jiang Jinyan. "Wear it. In case something pops up."


    Shi Nian fidgeted nervously and wore the ck mask around her face, Jiang Jinyan followed suit without any word. The car entered the garage and the security guard came to confirm their identity. Xu Binchen gifted him some tips and brought the other two up.


    "Which floor are you, Mr. Jiang?"


    Jiang Jinyan said neen quietly and silence descended onto them once again. Fortunately, the suffocating atmosphere was going to end soon. Inside the elevator, Xu Binchen said, "Don''t forget to call me if there''s anything wrong. Do you have my number?"


    Jiang Jinyan shook his head, thus the two men directly exchanged contact information. Shi Nian''s eyes lit up and she fished out her phone, sticking herself in between them. Xu Binchen gave her a disdainful nce. "What do you want?"


    Shi Nian looked at Jiang Jinyan with bright hopeful eyes, her gesture was evident.


    Jiang Jinyan''s mouth twitched. He was already holding his phone and rejecting her in front of Xu Binchen didn''t seem so appropriate. This girl really knew how to take advantage of the situation.


    In the end, Shi Nian got what she wanted. She looked at the new contact information in her phone and couldn''t tten the curl of her lips.


    Xu Binchen snorted in contempt. Surely, she had forgotten what she had just promised him a few days ago.. What not fall in love early? What about not having someone she liked? Just a bunch of lies.

 Chapter 141 - Just For This Once

    The elevator stopped on the neenth floor and Jiang Jinyan exited. "Thank you for the ride, Detective Xu." He reluctantly added. "Miss Shi."


    Shi Nian beamed brightly and waved him goodbye.


    The elevator closed again as Shi Nian hummed a random tune silently.


    "Do you like him that much?" He asked the question which Jiang Jinyan had just asked less than twenty four hours ago. Was it that obvious? Shi Nian scratched her nose and sheepishly nodded.


    Anger rushed to Xu Binchen''s head as the elevator stopped on their floor. He directly strode out and left her behind, annoyed to spend even one more second in that space.


    Shi Nian looked at his back, dumbfounded. What was wrong with him again?


    She intended to chase after him but he had already pulled out his key and opened the door. Come to think of it, he looked much more unenergetic and silent than usual? Was it because of the all nighters he pulled these past few days?


    Shi Nian decided not to provoke him for now in fear that she would be the recipient of his umting stress. Well, now she has lost her chance to invite him to dinner¡­


    Proud of how sensible she was, Shi Nian walked to her door, only to hear a loud dull thump behind her as if something heavy had fallen to the ground. Her heart skipped a beat and she turned her head so fast that it was a wonder how she hadn''t twisted her neck.


    Xu Binchen''s door was ajar and no sound came from inside.


    Dread crawled up Shi Nian''s spine and she dashed to the neighbor. As she expected! Xu Binchen''s bodyid on the hallway, his foot preventing the door from closing. Shi Nian''s heart jumped to her throat as she ran to him!


    Her face paled and she shook his shoulder. The man''s body temperature travelled from his shirt to her palm and she was filled with immense shock. So hot! Shi Nian put her fingers to Xu Binchen''s neck and felt the scalding temperature emanated from him.


    His face was ghastly and his lips were chapped. Frown covered his forehead and his eyeballs twitch around under his closely shut eyelids. Just in one nce, it was obvious how ufortable he was. How could Shi Nian not notice it?! Guilt flooded her heart¡­it was certainly because she was focused on Jiang Jinyan, fussing whether he was sick, entirely not noticing that the person beside her was already sick¡­


    The cold sensation from her fingers made Xu Binchen groan, his eyes cracked open a bit.


    Shi Nian didn''t know what to do and could only run to ask Qiang Fei for help. Yet, before she could get up, Xu Binchen caught her wrist, his skin burning in me. "Don''t go¡­"


    Distressed, Shi Nian tried to struggle to no avail. The more she tried to shake him off, the tighter he held onto her. Shi Nian could only pull out her phone and helplessly typed. [I am just going to ask for help.]


    However, the man had already turned half conscious. His pupils were unfocused and were only focused on Shi Nian''s face. No matter how much she gestured, Xu Binchen didn''t react except for holding onto her.


    Shi Nian was so angry that she smacked his shoulder!


    To Xu Binchen, it was akin to a silent protest. He turned around and struggled to get up, but still hadn''t let go of Shi Nian as if she was going to disappear if he did. Shi Nian could only go with the flow and helped him to lean onto the wall.


    Xu Binchen sucked in a breath, cold sweat dotted his forehead.


    Shi Nian looked at him anxiously. She waved her hand in front of his face, but Xu Binchen was totally out of it.


    His eyes were half lidded and his whole body slumped against the wall. Totally different from the upright, menacing and intimidating Detective Xu Binchen. It was like all of his protective armors were peeled off one by one, grinding his sharp edges and making him soft all over.


    Xu Binchen''s eyes were heavy, limpid and sorrowful. "Where do you want to go?"


    Shi Nian was stunned by the strong emotions in his eyes which she hadn''t seen before. But the situation didn''t allow her to be muddled for so long. She pointed out, showing her memo to him while mouthing ''Qiang Fei''.


    "What are you going out for?" He drawled slowly. "Leaving me?"


    How could she ask for help if she didn''t leave?!


    Shi Nian huffed in anger. She never knew that the sick Xu Binchen was so clingy!


    She tried to shake off his hand but it made Xu Binchen grow more alert. "Not allowed."


    Shi Nian took a deep breath and patiently put her palm on her forehead then pressed it onto his in return, gesturing the temperature difference between them. Xu Binchen stared at her, his eyes nk.


    It''s no use! He''s not going to respond except for forbidding her to leave!


    Shi Nian could only send a message to Qiang Fei, asking for emergency help. But one minute passed and the woman hadn''t replied. She tried to call her, only to hear the mechanical female voice saying that the line was busy. In the end, Shi Nian could only wait.


    She sat her butt down beside him and red. I won''t leave, satisfied?


    Xu Binchen''s temperature was getting higher and higher. His perception of the outside world was dulled and his ears were ringing. It was like a truck had just run through his body. It ached so much that he wanted to bang his head against the wall.


    Only the softness on his hand. Only that, he couldn''t bear to let go.


    He used all of his strength to stay awake, resorting to pinch his thigh to wake himself up with pain. It seeded and he sobered up slightly. The floor was cold, and the chill travelled to his body, making him shiver. The pain on his head was getting unbearable and he couldn''t help letting out a muffled groan.


    Cold, soft sensation pressed against his forehead and he cracked his eyes open to see Shi Nian''s anxious face. So close that she could see his pale face reflected on her eyes. She waved her hand in front of his face, the panicked gesture was so adorable that he chuckled weakly.


    "What are you doing?" His throat was scorching and his eyes hurt. But the sight of her made him feel unprecedented relief. The reason why; Xu Binchen was unable to think and he didn''t want to analyze deeper either.


    She was close, so close within reach¡­


    His head stopped working and his body moved on instinct. His arm moved to encase her shoulder and the sudden weight caught her off guard. She lost her bnce and fell straight onto his chest which Xu Binchen received with open arms.


    He felt the girl in his arms stiffened but Xu Binchen hugged her tighter.


    "Just for a while." He whispered in her ear. "Let me...okay?"


    Because he knew¡ªeven though his head was muddled and fire scorched his breath¡ªthat when the time came, when he sobered up, he wouldn''t be able to do this anymore.


    So¡­just for this once.


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    A/N: Binchen (¡ä§¥?©c


    Let us give some limelight for Xu Binchen okay? Because the male lead has appeared and his screen time is going to end soon...


    Just wanna rify. From the beginning to end, Xu Binchen is a logical person. His logic is so strong that it masks his feelings. He knows his love isn''t going to seed, he knows that Shi Nian likes Jiang Jinyan, that''s why, he can only show some of his real feelings when he''s sick (he''s very irritated in these two chappies just because he''s not feeling well). His logic is so strong that it can''t defeat his emotions so the only thing he can do is retreat.


    This type of person is just going to support them from behind the scene ne~ a very devoting second male lead (¦á¦â¦ã) Let''s cry for him...


    No worry! He''s going to have his own happiness but not with Shi Nian~

 Chapter 142 - Revenge Murder

    "The victim''s name is Wu Wengen. Male. 32 years old. Single." Lin Zhouyi tore off the surgical mask on his face and borated with slow and even tone. "Time of death around 12.00 to 2.00 am. The victim''s body was dismembered into six, with each limb cut off neatly. In one nce, it is very simr to the serial murder''s case. But actually, this is just an imitation. First, the cause of death was the repeated stabbing on the chest which pierced through the lungs and resulted in asphyxiation. Second, the distance between each cut isn''t precise like the serial murder. Third, there''s traces of struggle in the victim''s body. Please take a look."


    Qin Weizhe epted the report and flipped through it speedily, his eyes raking across the paper. "So, this man was stabbed to death and then, his body was dismembered to pieces and thrown into the garbage can just to mislead the police to think that it''s the serial murder''s deed?"


    "It may be so." Lin Zhouyi nodded.


    "It''s not maybe, but it''s definitely so." Ru Meiqi fiddled through the photo taken of the crime scene and the body parts. She pointed at the messy ovepping scars on Wu Wengen''s chest. "Look at these wounds. Judging from the uneven depth and haphazard locations, it can be seen that the culprit''s emotion was very agitated when they were carrying the killing. There''s a strong sense of hatred in it and the way they chopped his body was only an icing that intended to cover the track. This could only mean one thing; revenge murder."


    Qin Weizhe pped his thigh, eximing happily. "Then, we should be able to conclude this case soon! Little Luo! Come here and report what you''ve got!"


    "Yes, sir!" The police officer named Luo Ning stepped forward. "I have investigated Mr. Wu''s interpersonal rtionship and¡­it''s quite intriguing. Wu Wengen is the adopted child of the Wu Family. He entered Wu Family when he''s three years old."


    "Wu Family?" Ru Meiqi rubbed her chin. "The current head of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment is called Wu Liangyan. Is there some rtionship between them?"


    "Yes, you guessed it right, Senior Ru. Wu Liangyan is Wu Wengen''s adopted father." Luo Ning continued. "Wu Wengen lived in the Wu Family until he''s twenty five, after that, he moved out and made a living for himself. The reason for it is currently unknown."


    "I understand." Qin Weizhe hummed. "Rich people''s problems. You never know what the real problem is because the gossip will be so exaggerated that ck can be washed into white."


    Ru Meiqi gave him a nce then turned to Luo Ning. "Then why did you say that his interpersonal rtionship is intriguing?"


    "In one nce, Wu Wengen''s life was very ordinary. He has be a full pledged adult and it''s reasonable for him to move out from the family. But somehow, Wu Wengen stoppeding to the Wu Family five years ago as if they had cut off all rtionships." Until this point, Luo Ning''s face turned awkward. "The gossip is rtively known if I dig a bit deeper. Afterall, it''s very scandalous for the Wu Family."


    "What is it?"


    "It''s said that¡­Wu Wengen has an unspoken rtionship with Minister Wu''s only daughter..."


    Qin Weizhe''s melodramatic brain instantly filled in the holes. "He''s adopted into the family only to fall in love with his non blood rted little sister?! What kind of drama is this?!"


    "No¡­" Luo Ning turned embarrassed. "Detective Qin, I haven''t finished yet. It''s not the little sister but her¡­husband¡­"


    The rapid development was so thrilling that no one could catch up in a moment.


    "So¡­" Qin Weizhe choked on his saliva. "Wu Wengen is gay and he has a rtionship with his brother inw?" This was more dramatic than the little sister''s plot, damn it!


    Ru Meiqi was scrolling through her phone and added. "Minister Wu''s daughter, Wu Ruoqing was married five years ago. The wedding was quite lowkey and not many people attended it, but it''s covered in news because of Minister Wu''s upright reputation throughout the years. Miss Wu is also a quite famous designer who studied in Paris. I chanced upon her design a few years ago. But at that time, Miss Wu wasn''t married yet because I didn''t see anyone with her. In any case, they protected her husband''s identity properly and not a single leak can be found. It can be deduced that he ought to be an ordinary man."


    Luo Ning looked at her with awe and admiration. "Senior Ru, you know Miss Wu?"


    "Not quite. Just an acquaintance." Ru Meiqi spoke humbly. "Then, is it the case of adultery? Wu Wengen kept a hidden rtionship with Miss Wu''s husband but then, Miss Wu found out about it and he was killed?"


    "I guess it''s not so simple." Qin Weizhe pondered. "First, the killer is a man. Second, the log visitor in the apartment district didn''t show any guests for the past few weeks. So, it means the killer lives there or he has been hiding there for a while. Either way, he''s still inside right now or he has long been gone from our radar."


    "The killer is a man?" Luo Ning was struck with an epiphany. "Then¡­is it possible that it''s Miss Wu''s husband that¡­"


    "Clues!" Qin Weizhe rapped his head. "Look for clues and evidence! Don''t make up your own story like that. Moreover, it''s still not confirmed yet whether his rtionship with Miss Wu''s husband is true or not. Have you contacted them? What did they say?"


    "Oh!" Luo Ning covered his head. His round eyes blinked. "I have contacted Minister Wu''s secretary. Madam Wu, after hearing Wu Wengen''s death, fainted and is currently being treated in the hospital. As for Miss Wu and her husband¡­Madam Wu said that they have been on a vacation abroad since two months ago and haven''t returned until now. When I contacted them, nothing seemed wrong with their reaction and they are on their way back now."


    "How long until they arrive?"


    "Approximately five more hours."


    "Besides his family, how about his rtionship with his colleagues?"


    "Nothing''s wrong. He has a good reputation and everyone sang praises for him. No enemies or rivals either. His rtionships were clear except for the scandal with his family." Luo Ning thought of something and eximed. "Oh, I have heard of gossip. It''s said that a female colleague has been crushing on him for a while now but Wu Wengen never reciprocated."


    Qin Weizhe nodded. "Take more people to the airport to receive them directly. Pay attention to Miss Wu and her husband."


    "Yes sir!" Luo Ning saluted and dashed out of the room.


    Qin Weizhe turned to Ru Meiqi and asked. "What do you think?"


    "I am 80% sure that this is the case of revenge," Ru Meiqi said. "And the killer has an emotional entangle with the victim. But if Miss Wu and her husband are abroad, then¡­who can possibly kill him in such a cruel way?"


    .


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    A/N: Dearies, I have received your heartfelt wishes lol don''t worry Xu Binchen will have his own happy ending ^^


    The serial murder case is now linked with the human trafficking case and now this one. Everything is connected one to another~ by now, the case progress until we solve it should be more or less 40%


    Tomorrow, MDG will officially go premium about 12pm-6pm GMT+8 so you can still read the chappies I upload in the morning~

 Chapter 143 - The Most Dramatic Case

    Madam Wu regained consciousness an hourter but her mental state was deemed to be unsuitable for questioning because she had been crying ever since. It seemed like Wu Wengen''s death had struck her hard and her grief was so consuming that it dyed her hair white in a single night. In the end, the police could only dispatch Ru Meiqi to console her and dig out some information along the way.


    Fortunately, Miss Wu and her husband''s ne didn''t get caught up on dy so they arrived at the police station at one in the morning. The citizens'' nighttime activity had reduced considerably and the city plunged into afortable darkness. Only the police station was still lit up with neverending hustle and bustle.


    Miss Wu¡ªWu Ruoqing¡ªwas a fiery and domineering woman. Because she was a designer, she had gotten used to dressing herself up. Thus, when she arrived at the police station, she was still wearing a branded dress that highlighted her curves, ming red high heels with flowy hair and impable makeup. Maybe because she had been crying in the ne, her eyes were red and the haggardness couldn''t be covered by any form of powder.


    She was supported by a tall man with gentle temperament. He had neat ck hair, an charming oval face with rimless sses sitting on his nose. Just in one nce, he looked absolutely harmless and the sadness beneath his calm eyes were vivid and real.


    Luo Ning had been secretly observing them but he didn''t find anything wrong. He scratched his head, confused. He was a new recruit that had just entered the SCI squad for less than five months because he had subdued a madman with a knife who escaped from the psychiatric ward when he was still working in the public security bureau.


    At that time, there was no casualty, no injury, no suspense. This was the first time he had ever encountered a murder case. It was like a noob gamer who suddenly had to face the big boss of the entire arena. He could only follow behind Qin Weizhe obediently.


    "Little Luo."


    "Yes, sir!" He fluttered like a bird toward Qin Weizhe. "Do you need me for something?"


    "Go and check up on Xu Binchen. You know his address right?"


    He blinked in confusion. "What''s wrong with Detective Xu?"


    "He''s sick and lives alone." Qin Weizhe chuckled. "I don''t want another death case to pop up all of a sudden so do me a favor and check up on him, okay?"


    "O¡ªOkay!" Luo Ning saluted.


    "You know how to take care of sick people right?"


    "I know, Detective Qin!" He thumped his chest. "Leave everything to me!"


    "Good." Qin Weizhe ruffled his hair. "Go. Make sure that he''s alive."


    Luo Ning touched the ce where Qin Weizhe''s huge palmnded earlier and suddenly felt like he had been coaxed like a child. He pouted sullenly but still went to do the task even though he really wanted to stay by Qin Weizhe''s side.


    "It''s really stupid of him to work himself to death like this." Ru Meiqi chided. ''It''s fortunate that Shi Nian discovered it in time. Or else we are going to collect another corpse."


    Qin Weizhe shook his head helplessly. "He has been working too hard recently. It''s no wonder that he copsed. Binchen ah, he doesn''t know how to take care of himself and he doesn''t have a girlfriend either. This old friend can only support him behind the scenes¡­"


    He turned his head toward the woman who was sitting in a daze in the interrogation room. "Do you think she can kill people?"


    "You will never know." Ru Meiqi shook her head, expressionless. "People''s hearts are the hardest to guess."


    "Damn right." Qin Weizhe agreed on a spiritual level. Of course, the person he''s referring to wasn''t the woman inside the interrogation room¡­


    Ru Meiqi nced toward Wu Ruoqing and recalled the confident, prideful and beaming woman she met a few years ago. "She''s more shakenpared to her husband."


    "How about him?"


    "He shows the appropriate amount of sadness and it doesn''t seem fake nor exaggerating either, but if Comrade Luo''s investigation is true and he indeed has a rtionship with Wu Wengen before, can he still be so calm right now?"


    A lover''s death. One that he was possibly still entangled with. Could someone really be so clear headed? Or was that just how he was?


    "Let''s wait for a while." Qin Weizhe wasn''t in a hurry and he went to make a cup of instant noodles, slurping it heartily and took a short shower afterward. The clock showed 1.46 am and he waited until Luo Ling returned.


    "Detective Qin, I have seen Detective Xu alive and breathing. His fever has broken and currently, Miss Shi and her mother are taking care of him. They told me to leave Xu Binchen to them and it''s okay for me toe back. So¡­here I am."


    Qin Weizhe''s eyes rounded. Then, he coughed to hide hisughter. "Ah, Binchen¡­" He clicked his tongue. "Okay, nice work. Thank you, Little Luo."


    Little Luo Ning blushed from thepliment. "H¡ªHow is the case, Detective Qin?"


    "Now that you''ve returned, let''s start."


    He stuttered in shock. "D¡ªDetective Qin, you''re¡­waiting for me?"


    Qin Weizhe gave a wink. "What do you think?" Coupled with his sunny smile and curving phoenix eyes, it was enough to hoodwink a soul. Poor little Luo was an inexperienced virgin who hadn''t seen enough of the world yet thus he couldn''t resist such charm. His whole face reddened in an instant.


    Seeing his shy manner, Qin Weizhe barked out inughter and he felt like the police station still had hope. A man so pure like Luo Ning was truly rare amidst the old, deceitful and scheming detectives who wormed their ways around crimes and the darkness inside people''s hearts.


    Qin Weizhe was also like that; the more he worked, the more tired he became. Gradually, he lost sight of his initial resolution of why he wanted to be a detective.


    But after seeing Luo Ning, he felt like he had regained those energetic, fulfilling and warm days. This little rabbit was truly precious. Qin Weizhe''s eyes warmed and he hooked his arm around the guy''s neck, pulling him as they walked into the hallway. "Let me ask you a question, which one do you think we should interrogate first, Wu Ruoqing or her husband?"


    Luo Ning couldn''t concentrate due to the fresh soap scent that wafted from Qin Weizhe''s body. Everyone else used the same soap but why did it seem so different when it came to Qin Weizhe? "I¡ªIsn''t it the same?"


    Qin Weizhe tutted. "Think about it. First, we have the dubious rtionship between Wu Wengen and his brother inw. Second, he moved out of the family five years ago, but why was he only killed now? Something must have happened during that time. Weck a crucial link that connects the whole thing. What do you think it is?"


    Luo Ning knitted his brows and seriously contemted. "About the time he was killed, nothing worth mentioning happened except for him being pursued by his female colleagues. But what does it have to do with his death?"


    A police officer approached and saluted toward Detective Qin then whispered something into his ear.


    Luo Ning perked up his ears but didn''t manage to hear anything. Qin Weizhe was slender and tall, thus when Luo Ning looked up, he could only see Detective Qin''s lips curled up into a devious smirk. "Aha, now everything bes clear."


    "What?" Luo Ning blinked, not understanding.


    Qin Weizhe epted theptop from the police officer and whistled. Because of their close distance, Luo Ning could see the screen directly and when he did, he choked on his saliva and coughed so hard that tears sprung up his eyes.


    "What, Little Luo? You haven''t seen a live action movie before?" Qin Weizhe teased.


    Luo Ning red with red eyes akin to a rabbit. W¡ªWhat live action movie?!


    "Let''s go. We will start with Miss Wu." Heughed carefreely. "This might be the most dramatic case I have ever seen."


    .


    .


    .


    A/N:


    Aaah, Qin Weizhe and Luo Ning are just like my ideal gong and shou£¨=¡¦¦Ø¡¦=£©I don''t have any ns for them yet but they are so cute!! Qin Weizhe is just a natural tease and Luo Ning is so innocent *squeal*


    But let''s see how it turns out because Qin Weizhe is Jin Renguang''s love rival ne~

 Chapter 144 - You Are Still Too Inexperienced

    "Miss Wu." Qin Weizhe nodded as he opened his notebook and pen. "Miss Wu Ruoqing, right?"


    Wu Ruoqing''s voice was weak and raspy as she answered. "¡­Right."


    It was 2.30 am, the time when people were usually deep in sleep. At times like these, they would be prone to psychological attack and Qin Weizhe decided to make use of it to throw a huge bomb. "The scandal about Wu Wengen and your husband, can you tell me about it?"


    Wu Ruoqing was petrified and her haggard face abruptly lost all colors. "W¡ªWhat?"


    "There have been some rumors that Wu Wengen was engaged in an unusual rtionship with your husband. Is that true?" In this context, Qin Weizhe didn''t borate anything. The term ''unusual'' didn''t only have one meaning. By this, he could measure Wu Ruoqing''s reaction.


    As he expected, anger, humiliation and pain shed through Wu Ruoqing''s eyes even though she tried hard to cover it up. "I¡ªI don''t know what you''re talking about."


    Qin Weizhe''s lips curled up. "I have got some evidence here that you might want to see." He opened theptop and showed it to the woman. He sneered as horror emerged on her face. "Let''s see, if you can''t answer this, let me ask you another question."


    Qin Weizhe mmed theptop shut, leaned forward and whispered, a chilling yet wide smile painted on his face. "Miss Wu Ruoqing, how does it feel to kill your own brother?"


    ***


    The interrogation room closed behind him and Qin Weizhe took a seat. "I''m sorry to make you wait."


    The man in front of him replied with a tired and sad smile. "It''s okay. How about it? Have you found Wengen''s killer yet?" Seeing Qin Weizhe''s somber expression, the man added wryly. "Mr. Police Officer, Wengen is my best friend. His death pained me very much. I hope that you can get him justice as soon as possible."


    "Alright, we will do our best." Qin Weizhe forced a smile. "Let''s start then. May I ask for your name, Sir?"


    "I am surnamed Cui, given name Qiqiang." The man answered earnestly. "I am 32 years old, the same as Wengen."


    "Oh?" Qin Weizhe raised a brow. "You must have known him for a very long time?"


    "Yes." Cui Qiqiang rubbed his face, his eyes reddened as he spoke. "We were university ssmates when we first met. How long has it been? 10 years? 12 years? I¡ªI never expected that he would¡ª"


    Qin Weizhe offered him tissues. "My deepest condolences, Mr.Cui."


    "No, it''s okay." Cui Qiqiang took a deep breath and rposed his emotion.


    Once again, Qin Weizhe threw another bomb. "The scandal between you and Wu Wengen, is it true?"


    Cui Qiqiang was immensely shocked. Then, a wry smile shed across his face. "What scandal? It''s just bullshit. Me and Wengen were the best of friends, we were roommates back in university and Wengen often invited me to his house. I didn''t know how such a rumor came by, but it''s just so cruel. We were clearly best friends, but people twisted all of our gestures and closeness as something more. In the end, those rumors destroyed Wengen."


    "So, the reason why he moved out of the Wu Family after you got married is because of that?"


    Cui Qiqiang hesitated before nodding. "Wengen has always been very kind. He knew that I and Ruoqing were in love with each other and if he stayed, then we would often meet. Who knows what kind of rumors will spread again by then? He really loved his sister and didn''t want her to get hurt. So, he took the initiative to live by himself to refute those people''s spection."


    "In the end, did you keep in touch all these years?"


    "Not often. We called each other from time to time. Sometimes, when Ruoqing returned from abroad, she would buy some gifts and we would go together to Wengen''s ce to hang out."


    "When was thest time you saw him?"


    "It''s¡­around a month ago? Wengen was drunk back in a bar then and he called me, saying that someone has been chasing after him and maybe, he would no longer be single soon. He sounded delirious and I was worried about him, so I went to pick him up and bring him home."


    "Which bar is it?"


    Cui Qiqiang''s brows knitted as he tried to recall. "If I''m not wrong¡­it''s Dreamscape Bar or something like that? It''s Wengen''s favorite bar and he often went there."


    Qin Weizhe scribbled on his notebook and nodded. "Do you know that he asked for leave from his work after that?"


    "No¡­" Cui Qiqiang shook his head, confused. "Is there something wrong with his job? Did he make some enemies?"


    Qin Weizhe tapped on his notebook that was filled with dense writing. Wu Wengen had been missing for three weeks. But then, he called work, saying that he would like to ask for leave for a while. His neighbors were ustomed to him having business trips so they weren''t rmed by his absence. It was only the housewives in the apartment district that were gossiping about his disappearance. However, those talks couldn''t be taken seriously either because they would talk about anything and anyone.


    In short, Wu Wengen''s disappearance waspletely normal yet after that, he vanished into thin air. And the next moment, he had already turned into a corpse whose body wasn''t even intact.


    "Last question," Qin Weizhe smiled. "As Wu Wengen''s best friend, who do you think will have such a grudge against him enough to kill?"


    Cui Qiqiang''s shoulders trembled minutely. "I don''t know¡­Mr. Police Officer, Wu Wengen is the kindest and gentlest man I have ever known. Such a person¡­I don''t know who would hate him so much¡­"


    "Alright." Qin Weizhe rose from his seat and patted his shoulder. "Rest assured, we will definitely catch the killer!"


    "Thank you¡­" Cui Qiqiang buried his face into his palms and wept. "Thank you very much¡­"


    ***


    Qin Weizhe entered the monitor room and looked at Cui Qiqiang''s pitiful appearance from the one way mirror. "What do you think?"


    Ru Meiqi crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Sly. Good performance. Impable." After saying that, she yawned, tears pooled up on the corner of her eyes.


    Qin Weizhe''s heart ached seeing her so tired like this. "If you''re sleepy, go rest."


    Ru Meiqi hummed and didn''t insist. "If there''s any emergency, call me. I will be in the lounge."


    He stared at her back and only turned back when he heard Luo Ning''s voice. "Detective Qin, if we didn''t have that video, then I would have believed all of his words. He''s so terrifying."


    Seeing how his entire person became muddled, Qin Weizhe burst out inughter and ruffled his hair. "The most believable lies are those that''s mixed with truths. He''s just too smart for his own good. Well, if we don''t have a god level hacker that is Wang Chengbing who dug out that video from Wu Wengen''sputer, then we will be fooled too. First, he said that he''s just an ordinary white cor worker, but his hands have thick calluses that can only be obtained by regr training with knives and guns. Second, when I leaned close to pat his shoulder, his whole body tensed up in subconscious movement like he''s ready to attack me anytime soon if I made a move."


    Shock couldn''t be used to describe what Luo Ning felt right now. "Knives and guns? What kind of person is he?"


    "It seems like we can only know if we test him." Qin Weizhe turned to another police officer and asked. "Have you got what I asked for?"


    "Yes, sir. We have obtained Mr.Cui''s fingerprints and hair."


    "Nice, get it tested for DNA right now. Anyway, we can detain them for 20 more hours so let''s get it done by then."


    "D¡ªDetective Qin¡­" Luo Ning choked on his breath and horrifying chills ran down his spine. "W¡ªWhy do we have to test his fingerprint and hair? Don''t tell me¡­"


    Qin Weizhe tapped his forehead with his notebook and smiled. "It''s exactly what you''re thinking about. Now, we have sufficient proof and witnesses. The only thing left is to catch the real murderer."


    Luo Ning felt that he was suddenly thrown into another dimension. "What real murderer? Aren''t they the murderers???"


    "Tsk." Qin Weizhe clicked his tongue and gave a mysterious smile. "Little Luo, you are still too inexperienced."

 Chapter 145 - Come Here And...Hug Me

    Early in the morning, Shi Nian drifted to the kitchen, her eyes still closed as she grabbed some drink. As usual, there was a note from Qiang Fei stuck on the refrigerator. [Mama has gone to work. There''s congee in the pot. Share it with Detective Xu.]


    Shi Nian opened the lid and the warm and delicious fragrance of meat congee spread through the air. Shi Nian''s stomach gurgled and she took a small bowl for herself, wolfing it down in seconds like a hungry ghost. Only then did she feel more sober to discern her surroundings.


    The curtain hadn''t been drawn and faint streak of golden lights had started to break through the horizon. Shi Nian nced toward the clock. Only 6.00 am. She yawned and went to freshen herself up. After that, she grabbed her phone and crossed the floor to Xu Binchen''s door.


    Sincest night, the mother and daughter pair had been taking care of him. Xu Binchen suddenly got a high fever. Due to hisrge build, it was difficult enough for Shi Nian and Qiang Fei to move him into the room. When they wanted to bring him to the hospital, the man miraculously opened his eyes and rejected strongly even though he was already delirious back then.


    Left with no choice, they could only let him rest in the house.


    Shi Nian''s face turnedplicated as she recalled how shocked Qiang Fei was when thetter found her in Xu Binchen''s embrace. Stinky uncle! Bad gege! How could he just hug someone casually like that? And his low, raspy voice¡­Shi Nian rubbed her ears. Somehow, she could still feel the tingling on her ears when Xu Binchen''s hot breaths brushed across it.


    En, she admitted that Xu Binchen gege wasn''t just handsome, but his voice was pleasant too. Too bad that his personality was like that. Who knows, if he just fixed his sour face and learned to smile once in a while, maybe he wouldn''t have to suffer alone without any girlfriends right now.


    She opened the door and poked her head in. The state of the house was the same as yesterday. Cold, unfeeling and empty. Shi Nian widened the door and entered. The birds chirped and asionally, the sound of cars passing by could be heard mixed with the barks of dogs from somewhere. She tiptoed to Xu Binchen''s bedroom that was slightly ajar and caught sight of a lump above the huge, ck bed.


    Nice, he was still sleeping.


    Shi Nian then made her way to the kitchen. Last night, she had known that Xu Binchen''s kitchen didn''t even have anything; not even sugar and salt, rice, frozen foods, there wasn''t even any pans, pots, bowls or spoons! The space waspletely empty and clean as if it hadn''t been used before.


    However, Qiang Fei had cooked ginger soup here thus Shi Nian could easily heat up the meat congee with the clean pot. However, Shi Nian had forgotten that this was the only pot and she couldn''t even boil any water!


    No, this wouldn''t do.


    Xu Binchen had taken good care of her family these past few months so the only thing she could do to repay him back was to fill his kitchen with basic necessities!


    Taking advantage of the morning sun, Shi Nian went down to the 24 hour supermarket, intending to buy pots, sugar, salt, soy sauce, and many more. She recalled Xu Binchen''s words that warned her not to show her face often in the front gate, thus she went around to the back gate that was connected with other apartments by winding alleys and water pipes.


    Shi Nian greeted the receptionistdy and opened the back door. Cold wind pped her face in an instant and she tightened her coat. She walked along the pipes, carefully evading the uneven bricks and small rocks. The fresh air made her take a deep breath and she smiled at the good weather.


    Her eyes inadvertently nced toward the side of the alley where it was connected with the back door of a two story house. The gate was slightly ajar and from there, Shi Nian could see empty food boxes, cans, empty mineral water bottles, and other misceneous trash that were thrown carelessly in the beautiful yard.


    She halted in her tracks, strangeness filled her chest. As far as she could remember, Xu Binchen had once said that this side of the apartment didn''t have that many residents because of the high price and the houses were also included. The whole row had been empty for years.


    So¡­where did those thingse from? It was as if...someone had been secretly living there.


    Goosebumps rose along her arms and Shi Nian''s head buzzed. She thought of the unsolved murder case, then the yellow police line around the garbage can. Could it be¡­?


    Her foot subconsciously took a step forward yet all of a sudden, a strong force yanked her arm, causing her to lose her bnce and tilt backward. Shi Nian couldn''t react in time and the sky spun in front of her eyes. The next moment she regained her senses, her back bumped against the wall and she was faced with a pair of piercingly cold, sharp and slightly angry eyes.


    Her eyes instantly lit up.


    The man''s face was so close that Shi Nian could see her reflection in his eyes. "Don''t move."


    Shi Nian''s body instinctively froze in absolute obedience and she lifted her head to see Jiang Jinyan''s sharp and neat jawline, sweat drifting down from it. The General''s heavy aura shrouded her whole and her senses were filled with the sight of him.


    It took a moment for her to realize that Jiang Jinyan was focused on something beyond the wall behind her.


    Shi Nian tried to peek, but the man tightened her grab on her. His elbow braced against the wall. From behind, it looked like he was embracing her into his chest.


    Jiang Jinyan returned his gaze to her and he put his finger on his lips. Shi Nian nodded in understanding. Only then did the man release her, yet their positions stayed the same. Shi Nian took a deep breath yet it only made her dizzier because of the masculine, clean and cool scent mixed with sweat that rushed to her nose.


    Inwardly pping herself, Shi Nian tried to focus and pricked up her ears.


    Amidst the tranquil morning filled with chirping birds and rustling trees, a soft movement could be heard.


    Shi Nian''s head cooled down in an instant and her lips tightened. If she wasn''t wrong, then the sound came from the house around the corner which Shi Nian had just seen. There was the rustle of stic bags and the cking sound of cans bumping against each other, then the slow creaking of heavy and rusty door opening¡­


    It wasn''t known when, but Jiang Jinyan had been pressing closer and closer onto her to the point where the line of his nape was right in front of her eyes. If Shi Nian moved even a bit, then her nose would have bumped into him.


    "Shit," Jiang Jinyan cursed in a low voice.


    Shi Nian froze in ce because she heard the sound of footsteps that were getting closer to them!


    Jiang Jinyan pulled her to the side. However, they couldn''t hide. If that person walked forward, then they would be able to see her and Jiang Jinyan if they just turned their head!


    In a split second decision, Jiang Jinyan moved so that his back faced that person then hemanded in a whisper which only both of them could hear. "Come closer...and hug me."


    Shi Nian''s eyes widened in shock and she snapped her head up to see Jiang Jinyan''s eyes that werepletely serious. Shi Nian instantly understood the severity of the situation. There wasn''t any time to be flustered!


    She trusted Jiang Jinyan with her whole heart. Even then, her arms trembled as they moved to hug the man''s back. Jiang Jinyan''s arm circled around her waist and brought her closer so that her body was flushed against him. His other arm reached out toward her nape, jet ck hair spilled forth the gaps of his fingers as he exerted a bit of force to lift her head.


    His head lowered all of a sudden at the same time as Shi Nian titled up.. Her golden pupils quivered as Jiang Jinyan''s dense eyshes and half lidded eyes filled her sight.

 Chapter 146 - Is There A Flower On My Face?

    Shi Nian''s heart stopped beating for a moment as Jiang Jinyan''s faint breath brushed her nose. The man''s face magnified indefinitely in front of her to the point where they were close enough to¡­to¡­


    Her fingers gripped his shirt so hard that it crumpled.


    However, Jiang Jinyan stopped when they were only a few centimeters from each other.


    Right at that moment, the footsteps walked to their side, followed by a surprised curse. "Fuck, what the hell¡­? If you want to make out, just get a room!" Then, that person turned into a corner with rapid and hasty steps.


    Shi Nian peered up at him, eyshes trembling.


    Jiang Jinyan angled his head so that it looked like they were kissing passionately, but his voice in her ear was clear and piercing. "Can you see him?"


    Startled, Shi Nian peeked out and saw the silhouette of the person who was getting further. It was a man wearing ck T-shirt with jeans whose color had worn off. His entire person looked very unkempt with slightly messy hair. When the man turned into a corner, his eyes trailed to them and Shi Nian abruptly squeezed her eyes shut and buried her face into Jiang Jinyan''s shoulder.


    "What''s wrong?" His arm on her waist tightened.


    Shi Nian cracked open her eyes a bit and didn''t see anyone there. She let out a sigh of relief and every single nerve in her body rxed, causing her legs to weaken. Fortunately, Jiang Jinyan caught her in ce and easily brought her back into the apartment building, closing the door behind them.


    She took inrge gulps of air, heartbeat drumming incessantly.


    During that time, Jiang Jinyan had already pulled out his phone and from Shi Nian''s peripheral vision, she could see him entering Xu Binchen''s name. Without thinking, she grabbed his hand which earned a frown from him.


    Shi Nian shook her head and typed on her phone. [Xu Binchen gege is sick. He''s still sleeping upstairs.]


    Jiang Jinyan frowned deeper.


    [Is that person¡­the murderer?]


    Instead of answering, Jiang Jinyan said simply. "Call the police."


    Shi Nian gave him a ''wait a moment'' gesture and opened her chat with Ru Meiqi. Fortunately, the woman replied in an instant.


    [Meiqiqi]: !!!


    [Meiqiqi]: What did you say?! You probably met the killer?


    [Meiqiqi]: I am on my way right now, don''t worry. There are police officers patrolling there. I have informed them about it.


    [Meiqiqi]: Were you alone just now? Did he see your face?


    [Ten Years]: No¡­Mr. Jiang Jinyan was there with me. The killer didn''t see me thanks to him.


    [Meiqiqi]: Pass him the call.


    Then, Shi Nian''s phone rang from Ru Meiqi''s iing call. She passed the phone to Jiang Jinyan which the man received swiftly. "Yes, this is Jiang Jinyan. No, don''t worry. I made sure that he didn''t see us. Yes, it''s a man. I''m not sure if he''s the one I sawst time." He gave Shi Nian a furtive nce. "It''s Miss Shi who managed to see him so you might want to ask her instead. Yes, we are currently inside the building." Then, a long pause followed.


    Shi Nian looked at him, curious as to what could make him so troubled like that.


    "Alright." Jiang Jinyan pinched his brows. "I know. Right, thank you." The call ended and the phone returned to her.


    Shi Nian couldn''t hold back her curiosity. [What did she say?]


    "Nothing." Jiang Jinyan let out a short sigh and when his eyes fell upon her, they were filled with slight displeasure and exasperation. "How old are you?"


    Even though she didn''t understand why he''s asking that, Shi Nian still answered. [17.] Well, she would be seventeen in a few months so it didn''t count as lying, right?


    To her surprise, he''s getting angrier instead. "You''re already seventeen. Do you know what you should do when you''re met with a situation like that? Instead of fulfilling your curiosity, you should step back, observe the situation properly and make a report to the police!"


    Shi Nian''s eyes widened in surprise.


    This was the first time that Jiang Jinyan had said so many words to her. It was evident how he was angered by her recklessness. Shi Nian lowered her head but couldn''t resist the curl of her lips. [I know. It''s my fault. Don''t worry.]


    Jiang Jinyan was struck speechless and he cooled down in an instant. "¡­Who''s worrying about you?"


    Shi Nian pursed her lips, silent. Yet her eyes clearly told that she didn''t believe any words he said. There was a faint glee and joy emerging in her golden eyes which were shining brighter. She decided not to chase after that topic anymore. [What are you doing there?]


    "Just passing by." He bypassed her and walked forward.


    Shi Nian chased after him. [Have you eaten yet? Did you get sick yesterday?]


    "No," he answered curtly.


    Shi Nian wanted to ask further but she couldn''t concentrate on walking and typing at the same time so she could only follow him to the elevator. There were only the two of them inside and Shi Nian scooted closer once again.


    However, before she could finish typing, Jiang Jinyan snapped at her, his tone cold. "Why are you asking so much?"


    Shi Nian froze and then slowly lowered her phone, no longer messing around. The elevator silently went up to the neenth floor and Jiang Jinyan stepped out, leaving her behind to stare at his nonchnt back.


    She wasining inwardly about Jiang Jinyan''s bad temper when the man stopped in his tracks. He turned to the side and asked quietly. "Is there anyone else in your house?"


    Shi Nian shook her head, confused.


    Jiang Jinyan sighed as he surrendered and stepped back again. "The police officer just now asked us not to stay alone. So, do you want to stay at my ce or your ce?"


    No matter what the choice was, it was all the same. If Jiang Jinyan went to her ce, then they would totally be alone together for quite some time. Shi Nian felt her cheeks heated up at the notion.


    But then, if she went to Jiang Jinyan''s ce¡­


    She abruptly remembered the little kitten that she had seen before in his ce. Light bulb popped up above her head and she beamed. [Let''s go to your ce!]


    Jiang Jinyan seemed like he had expected that answer as he blocked the elevator door with his palm, letting her step out. Shi Nian hummed a random tune, her fear and anxiety earlier dispersed in an instant. Jiang Jinyan opened the door with a deadpan face then, a blue grey small fur hurled out from the sofa to hang onto Jiang Jinyan''s leg, its golden eyes filled with coquettishness. "Mew~"


    "Let go." He grabbed its scruff and pushed it aside.


    Shi Nian crouched down and caught the kitten in her arms, hugging it happily. Two golden eyes stared at each other and Jiang Jinyan could somehow imagine the same expression on their faces. [What is its name?] she asked.


    "Nothing."


    She replied innocently. [Its name is ''nothing''?]


    Jiang Jinyan opened the door wide and huffed. "It doesn''t have a name."


    The little kitten nuzzled against Shi Nian''s cheeks, smelling like soap and sunshine. Very warm, soft andfortable. How could Jiang Jinyan not give it any name? Pitiful little guy¡­Shi Nian patted its head and the kitten purred happily.


    Jiang Jinyan left the door wide open and Shi Nian stepped into the room cautiously, looking around with wide eyes. Generally, the interior of the room was the same but this one was slightly smaller than hers and Xu Binchen''s. There were two bedrooms that were connected with the living room, but somehow, Shi Nian felt that Jiang Jinyan''s room was the same as Xu Binchen''s. Cold, empty and emotionless. Like a ce that wasn''t home to return to, but only a ce where they used to sleep.


    There wasn''t any unnecessary furniture or little trinkets that were special to its upant. The curtain was beige in color and the sofa was grey ck. Jiang Jinyan emerged from the kitchen with a cup of water. "Sit. I don''t have anything to drink except water so just bear with it for a while."


    Shi Nian shook her head and sat on the sofa with the kitten on herp.


    Jiang Jinyan threw it a disdainful nce and sat opposite Shi Nian.


    Then, the atmosphere turned silently awkward. No, to be exact, it was only Jiang Jinyan who felt awkward because the girl''s gaze was so scorching that it was hard to ignore. Jiang Jinyan frowned impatiently, his skeptical and deep eyes stared straight at her.


    "What are you looking at? Is there a flower on my face?"

 Chapter 147 - Are You Interested To Be A Detective?

    Shi Nian didn''t cower at all under his gaze. She gave an innocent look as if the person who was staring intently at Jiang Jinyan wasn''t her. It would be more believable if Jiang Jinyan didn''t know how she truly was.


    Seeing that his attack seemed as if punching soft cotton, Jiang Jinyan didn''t want to bother with her anymore. He turned his head to look out of the window, but the girl''s sticky gaze stayed on him. In the end, he couldn''t help but snap. "Can you not look at me?"


    Both the human and the cat titled their heads and looked at him with the same confused expression.


    Jiang Jinyan: "¡­"


    Shi Nian took her phone and typed. [Mr.Jiang Jinyan¡­]


    "What?" He replied impatiently.


    [Have you eaten breakfast?]


    The veins on Jiang Jinyan''s forehead bulged out. "What does it have to do with you?"


    [My mom made meat congee. If you want, then let me share it with you?] She had such an earnest and sincere look that it made Jiang Jinyan feel slightly guilty and ridiculous for reacting so excessively.


    In the end, she was just looking at him. Why did he have to make a mountain out of a hill?


    Every single rejection, rebuttal and refusal didn''t work on her. She just kept on treating him¡­normally. Like a concerned neighbor and friend. Maybe an overly enthusiastic one. In the end, it made Jiang Jinyan tired because he knew that he had no idea how to push her away.


    "Don''t bother yourself with it." He leaned back to the couch tiredly.


    Shi Nian shook her head and stood up, making him reluctantly lift his eyelids. "Where do you want to go?"


    [Meat congee.] She smiled. [I haven''t eaten yet either so let''s eat together.]


    Left with no choice, Jiang Jinyan could only nod, albeit unwillingly. However, he still trailed behind the girl, following her as she walked to the elevator. Shi Nian turned around in surprise, even the tip of her hairs swayed around in joy. [You don''t need to follow me.]


    Jiang Jinyan looked away and coughed. "You shouldn''t be alone until the suspect is caught."


    Originally, Shi Nian always took the stairs because the distance of one floor was too superfluous to wait for the elevator. But this time, because Jiang Jinyan was here, she silently changed her direction and pressed on the button. The elevator was still empty thus it didn''t take even two minutes for them to arrive.


    Shi Nian pped her forehead, recalling how she was intending to buy kitchenwares for Xu Binchen earlier. She opened her door in a hurry and invited him in, then dashed into the kitchen to heat the porridge. After making sure that Jiang Jinyan had settled in the living room, she again dashed out, wanting to go check up on Xu Binchen.


    Seeing her run around so busily, Jiang Jinyan caught her wrist. "Where do you want to go again?"


    Shi Nian nced at the long and slender fingers which wrapped around her thin wrist and pointed outside.


    He frowned. "Where?"


    Shi Nian fumbled around for her phone. [Xu Binchen gege''s ce. He''s sick.]


    It was unknown what Jiang Jinyan was thinking of, but then he stood up and said. "I will go with you."


    Shi Nian scratched her nose and didn''t have any choice but to let him follow. She took out the key and opened Xu Binchen''s house quietly, putting her forefingers to her lips as a signal for him not to make any ruckus.


    The corner of Jiang Jinyan''s mouth twitched. He didn''t go inside but only leaned on the hallway as he looked at Shi Nian''s back which disappeared into the kitchen. She popped her head out all of a sudden, catching him off guard.


    "What''s wrong?" he asked in a low voice.


    Shi Nian pointed toward her door across Xu Binchen''s, then mimicked the gesture of eating.


    Jiang Jinyan said helplessly. "¡­just do your business." Why did she always worry about him? Moreover, telling him to go to her house alone, did she trust him that much? Exactly how gullible this girl was? Jiang Jinyan had never known before that he had such a trustworthy face.


    Shi Nian went back to the kitchen to heat up the congee.


    Subsequently, the door to one of the rooms suddenly swung open and Xu Binchen emerged, d in pajamas and messy bed hair. The phone was pinched between his ear and shoulder. "Yes, I''m up. What do you say? You have more or less solved the case?"


    He stopped in his tracks, dumbstruck. Because his room''s direction was parallel to the kitchen, thus he instantly caught sight of a figure who was busily looking over the pot. His entire being froze in ce. In his ear, Qin Weizhe''s voice travelled out, confused. "Hello? Binchen? Heck, is the signal that bad? Hello, helloo???"


    Xu Binchen shut his eyes and opened them again, yet the sight in front of his eyes remained the same.


    He pinched his thigh, it hurt. So¡­he wasn''t dreaming?


    What was happening right now? Why was Shi Nian cooking in his kitchen?


    "Detective Xu." Jiang Jinyan caught sight of the befuddled Xu Binchen and stepped forward to greet. "Sorry to intrude your ce early in the morning."


    Xu Binchen was taken aback once again. His hoarse voice cracked in the end. "¡­What the hell?" There were so many questions in his head that he didn''t know where to begin. It wasn''t enough with Shi Nian and now, Jiang Jinyan was here too???


    Shi Nian turned around and beamed at the sight of him. She turned off the stove and ran toward him. [Are you okay now?] She wanted to measure his forehead but Xu Binchen was too tall and she couldn''t reach him even when she was tiptoeing.


    Xu Binchen recovered his senses and took a step back. "No¡­what are you doing in my house?"


    Shi Nian was shocked. [You don''t remember?]


    There was a faint bad feeling in Xu Binchen''s heart. "Remember what?"


    [You¡­] Shi Nian didn''t know how to exin Xu Binchen''s unusual behaviorst night. [You''re sick and became clingy¡­]


    The man''s eyes turned incredulous as if it was more believable to say that pigs could fly rather than this. "Me¡­?"


    Shi Nian puffed up her cheeks in anger. How could he do the deed and then forget it just like that? Shi Nian nced toward Jiang Jinyan who looked like he was going to merge with the wallpaper anytime soon and swallowed her words back down. It wasn''t good to air Xu Binchen''s shameful behavior out in the open. She would properly count it with him when they were aler.


    In the end, the three people ate together in Xu Binchen''s ce.


    It wasn''t long until the police siren rang out in the distance and the doorbell rang. Shi Nian went to open the door for Ru Meiqi, Qin Weizhe and Luo Ning. Then, the house turned rowdy and cramped in an instant.


    "Wow, so this is Binchen''s ce~" Qin Weizhe ran around like a dog sniffing around a new ce. "It''s so clean and tidy! Look at your kitchen tsk tsk, you don''t even have any instant noodles?! Then what did Ie here for?! What is this? Congee? Where''s mine?!"


    Xu Binchen almost threw his spoon to Qin Weizhe''s face. "Shut up."


    It was Luo Ning who was more sensible. He tidied Qin Weizhe''s messy shoes into the cab and bowed, slightly embarrassed. "Sorry to intrude, Detective Xu."


    Ru Meiqi strode past toward Shi Nian and looked at her up and down. "Are you okay? Why do you always make me worry? Don''t be so careless in the future, got it?"


    Shi Nian''s heart felt warm and she smiled at the woman.


    Ru Meiqi turned to Jiang Jinyan and nodded slightly. "Mr.Jiang, I believe that it''s our first meeting." She gave him a name card. "My name is Ru Meiqi. Thank you for taking care of Shi Nian earlier."


    Jiang Jinyan nced down and caught sight of the bold cursive font of ''Criminal Psychologist, Professor of Criminology Department, Affiliated University of Sangzhe'' then, with a usual deadpan expression, nodded and replied. "Miss Ru is too polite."


    "Ah yes!" Qin Weizhe returned to the living room and shook Jiang Jinyan''s hands. "Thank you very much, young man. Because of your report, we have sessfully caught the culprit! I noticed that you''re very sharp, calm and observational. May I ask if you''re interested to be a detective?"


    Xu Binchen put down his spoon with a bang and the atmosphere swiftly turned silent. He crossed his arm and demanded coldly. "Tell me what is going on. What did all of this have to do with Shi Nian and Mr. Jiang? Hmm?" He looked around and his eyes finally fell onto Shi Nian who hid behind Ru Meiqi, silently pretending that she was entirely made of invisible air.


    He chuckled angrily at her cautious look.. "Come out."

 Chapter 148 - Let Me Wash Your Face

    The tragic case of Mr. Wu Wengen''s death was solved in less than three days. It was quite a remarkable and decisive disclosure, with all the witnesses, testimony and proofid out in the open. The only thing left to do was to straighten some things out and make aprehensive report.


    The murderer that was wandering around the apartment district was caught because of Jiang Jinyan''s timely report.


    Even when he was brought into the police station, he was still struggling ceaselessly. "Let go of me! What is the meaning of this?! Can the police casually arrest someone innocent?!" With his unkempt appearance, body reeked with stinky sweat, he looked very much like a madman.


    A police officer pulled on his handcuffed hands and smacked his head angrily. "Shut up! I will beat you up if you keep on yelling!"


    "Ha. Come! Come ah! See, is this how a police officer should behave?! Beating up people casually?!"


    The police officer rolled his eyes and brought him to an empty interrogation room, locked the handcuff to the desk and chuckled grimly. "Stay here obediently okay?" Then, ignoring the man''s ruckus and threats, the door mmed shut, firmly sealing his fate.


    The police officer went to report. "Detective Qin, I have ced him in interrogation room 4."


    Qin Weizhe, who was currently slurping hot and sour noodles, gave him a thumbs up.


    Luo Ning asked curiously. "Detective Qin, who is the man we have just brought in? He''s the real murderer? What does he have to do with Miss Wu and her husband?"


    Qin Weizhe drank the soup, making his lips red and oily. Faint blush colored his cheeks and he chuckled. "Wait a minute. You will know soon." He grabbed a new report on his table. "Read this."


    Luo Ning epted the DNA report with confusion and then, the more he read, the rounder his eyes became. In the end, his entire person became foolish. "What is this? Mr.Cui isn''t Mr.Cui?"


    "No. He isn''t Cui Qiqiang to begin with." Qin Weizheughed. "The man we brought in¡ªthat is the real Cui Qiqiang."


    Luo Ning looked at him with awe. "How did you know that, Detective Qin?" Realization instantly dawned on Luo Ning. "So that''s why you didn''t interrogate him the same way as Miss Wu?"


    Speaking about that, Luo Ning lit a candle silently for Wu Ruoqing. She was frightened so fiercely by Qin Weizhe''s continuous psychological attack to the point where she almost broke down. On the other hand, Qin Weizhe''s attitude toward ''Cui Qiqiang'' could be said to be gentle andpassionate.


    Qin Weizhe shrugged, amused. "If he isn''t the real culprit, then why should I interrogate him harshly?"


    "Wait." Luo Ning was stunned. "If that man isn''t Cui Qiqiang, then who is he? He¡­he has the same face as Cui Qiqiang and his itinerary ticket with Miss Wu is real. They were really abroad when Wu Wengen was killed."


    "That," Qin Weizhe packed his instant noodle cup and threw it into the trash can. It made a beautiful arc and went in directly. "¡­is what we have to ask him. Get ready for the closure. Let''s go, we will dig out the whole truth behind Wu Wengen''s death."


    ***


    Qin Weizhe began the interrogation with a happy tummy. Thus his mood was quite good. He wasn''t even affected by Cui Qiqiang''s scowls. "What do you want? Isn''t it enough to catch me without any warning and now, you detain me too?! What will people say if they know that the police are this crude and shameless?!"


    He took a seat and couldn''t help but chuckle at Cui Qiqiang''s words. "Crude and shameless? Isn''t it what I should call you instead¡­Mr. Cui Qiqiang?"


    Cui Qiqiang was visibly shocked then he cackled. "Cui Qiqiang? Did you just arrest the wrong person? I am not the Cui Qiqiang you are looking for."


    Qin Weizhe was toozy to argue with him. Thus he instantly grabbed a water bottle and grabbed Cui Qiqiang''s cor harshly. Cui Qiqiang was taken aback,pletely not expecting that the man would y it rough. "W¡ªWhat do you want?!"


    Fear and panic shed through his eyes under Qin Weizhe''s cold smile. Thetter spoke nothing but poured the water above Cui Qiqiang''s head, drenching him from head to toe. Cui Qiqiang struggled and gaped like a fish, but because his hands were handcuffed to the table, he couldn''t make any big movements at all.


    Qin Weizhe threw the empty bottle aside and beamed. "Don''t be afraid. It''s just that you''re too ugly and stinky so let me wash your face a bit, okay?" There was a coquettish tone in his voice as if he was coaxing a misbehaving child.


    The people in the monitor room: "¡­"


    Luo Ning asked with tears in his eyes. "Senior Ru, is it okay for Detective Qin to act like that?"


    The corner of Ru Meiqi''s lips twitched and she sighed helplessly. "He has his own ways."


    True to Ru Meiqi''s words, Cui Qiqiang''s guise was clearly under great threat because of Qin Weizhe''s crude act. He managed to cover his face because of messy hair and he also deliberately smeared his face with dirt to resemble a beggar. Now that all of the dirt was washed away, everyone could see that his features were exactly the same as the clean, neat and tidy Cui Qiqiang in the other room!


    Qin Weizhe smiled. "Now, shall we speak, Mr. Cui?"


    Cui Qiqiang''s face alternated between red and white but he maintained his principle of ''silence is gold''


    Sighing helplessly, Qin Weizhe grabbed theptop and tapped on the keyboard. "I really don''t want to get to this point but you''re the one who is forcing me."


    "What¡ª"


    Qin Weizhe turned theptop around and the video yed.


    Cui Qiqiang''s pupils visibly shrank and strikes of lightning fell upon his head.


    In the video was a simple room with a bed, small shelf full of books, and the corner of a ss door which was stained with water vapor. A rustle was heard and someone''s face appeared in front of the camera. It''s the deceased, Wu Wengen!


    "Wengen? There isn''t any shampoo left!"


    "Coming!"


    Of course, another person in the video was Cui Qiqiang.


    Qin Weizhe fast-forwarded the video. But everyone who knew it had already known and everyone who saw it had already seen the entire content. It was quite a bold, provocative and obscene tape featuring Wu Wengen and Cui Qiqiang.


    Cui Qiqiang emerged from the bathroom with only a towel wrapped around his waist, then Wu Wengen instantly stuck to him like an octopus, wrapping his arms around Cui Qiqiang''s neck lovingly.


    The former was taken off guard and chuckled. "What''s wrong with you?"


    A series of wet and messy kisses rained upon Cui Qiqiang''s face amidst Wu Wengen''s murmur. "After all, it''s ourst time so¡­"


    Both of them fell on the bed and scenes that weren''t suitable for children under 18 were shown after. The high definitive camera caught everything clearly and the hot, passionate and long sex whichsted for the whole night was clearly recorded into the screen.


    Of course, Qin Weizhe only showed a section of it and mmed theptop shut. "Do you have anything more to say, Mr. Cui?"


    "W¡ªWhat?" Cui Qiqiang trembled and his face drained of all colors. "So what? Just¡ªJust because of that, you''re treating me as a killer?"


    "Oh?" Qin Weizhe showed an interested look. "So you do know that we''re treating you like a killer?"


    Cui Qiqiang: "¡­"

 Chapter 149 - I Am Willing To Wait For You

    Cui Qiqiang averted his gaze and stuttered. "I¡ªI don''t know what you''re talking about. Either way, I am not Cui Qiqiang."


    "Don''t be in such a hurry." Qin Weizhe leaned back leisurely. "Whether you''re Cui Qiqiang or not, we will be able to discover it soon."


    After Detective Qin''s words fell, the interrogation room''s door swung open and a police officer saluted. "Detective Qin, we have searched the empty house behind the apartment building and found the murder weapon."


    Cui Qiqiang''s heart jumped and chills crawled up his spine.


    "The knife was hidden in the bottom of the sewer and the DNA on it has already been extracted. The murder scene has been sealed too. With that, we have gathered sufficient proof to confirm the identity of the murderer."


    "Alright." Qin Weizhe replied. "Get this person''s blood and fingerprints."


    Cui Qiqiang''s pupils shrank. "No¡ª!" However, his resistance was futile as his head was pressed down to the table and the police officer acted swiftly to collect his fingerprints and blood. After all of that was done, Cui Qiqiang slumped on the table, dazed as if he had just lost his soul.


    In front of him came Qin Weizhe''s light voice tinged withughter. "How about it? Whether you''re really Cui Qiqiang or not, won''t we know by then?"


    Cui Qiqiang''s eyes turned bloodshot as he lifted his head. Murderous intent glinted within them and he plunged forward like a cornered cheetah, wanting to drag his opponent down with him. Unfortunately, Qin Weizhe was prepared and the tip of his shoes pressed on the button under the table and Cui Qiqiang screamed in pain, his body convulsing.


    The man crashed back to the table, strengthless and confused as if he didn''t understand what was going on.


    "How is our electric shock service? Isn''t it enjoyable?" Qin Weizhe''s eyes curved and he gathered his notebook. "You should know that not everyone can get this service from me so you should relish in it while you can."


    After that, he tipped the chair back and went out, humming a random tune.


    The subsequent events progressed smoothly. The DNA result came out and the blood in it was indeed Wu Wengen''s and the fingerprints on the knife matched with Cui Qiqiang''s. By then, no matter how many excuses and threats Cui Qiqiang spat out, he couldn''t possibly wash himself clean.


    Knowing that he didn''t have any way out, he finally confessed.


    Cui Qiqiang and Wu Wengen were indeed university ssmates and roommates. Wu Wengen was Minister Wu''s adopted son thus he had privilege and was ced in the double room in the dorm by himself. By usual practice, he should have lived alone but Cui Qiqiang was a transfer student that came in in the middle of the semester.


    At that time, there wasn''t any room left, thus he could only stay with Wu Wengen. Coincidentally, Wu Wengen wasn''t pretentious and haughty at all. He was humble, earnest and gentle, a lovable boy who loved to smile. Throughout his life, no one in his social circle knew that he was a man of high social standing and he didn''t like to show off either.


    The two men hit it off from the start and became the best of friends.


    They lived together, did activities together, each hour was spent with each other and gradually, a different kind of feeling started to blossom.


    Wu Wengen had always known that his sexual orientation was different from others but because of his adopted family''s status, he didn''t dare toe out of the closet. Meanwhile, Cui Qiqiang was a bisexual.


    One eventful day, a club gathering went rowdy and alcohol got into their systems.


    Under the influence of liquor, Wu Wengen confessed his feelings. Two men alone under the same roof were unobstructed when they wanted to do something. Starting from small physical touches, they became braver and braver. In the end, hot blooded youths were like dry woods in heat, the fire was enough to burn everything to ashes and they finally did the deed.


    Wu Wengen nestled into Cui Qiqiang''s arms, dazed. His body was still covered with traces of hickeys and love bites, and the throbbing pain between his legs told him that it wasn''t a mere spring dream. He lifted his head and saw Cui Qiqiang''s jawline, warmth permeated his chest. "Qiqiang¡­"


    "Hmm?" The other''s voice was soft and nasally.


    "We¡­" He gathered his courage to ask. "What are we now?"


    Cui Qiqiang paused, his palmnded on Wu Wengen''s waist and stroked gently. "What do you want us to be?"


    "I¡­" Complicated feelings overcame Wu Wengen. He was sure by now that Cui Qiqiang had the same feeling for him. But due to his family, he couldn''t just be wilful. They had already picked him up from the orphanage and raised him up until this year. Even when Madam Wu conceived a child three years after, she had never loved Wu Wengen less. Wu Wengen loved his family very much and he didn''t want them to be aughingstock among the upper society''s circle just because of his sexual orientation.


    "What''s wrong?" After not hearing any answer for a while, Cui Qiqiang hugged him and nuzzled against his cheek. "Don''t worry. If you''re still not ready, it''s okay. I am willing to wait for you."


    Wu Wengen choked up and tears covered his eyes. He loved Cui Qiqiang but at the same time he was grateful for his family too. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. If it was this man, then¡­


    Wu Wengen told him his family situation clearly. Cui Qiqiang was astonished, however he recovered quickly andforted him. "It''s okay. We wille out of the closet whenever you''re ready."


    "En." It was at that time that Wu Wengen decided that he would cherish this man.


    Time passed and they became closer and closer with each other. One day, Wu Wengen offered. "Do you want toe home with me?" His cheeks blushed crimson and his eyes looked everywhere but him, even the tip of his hair was oozing with nervousness.


    Cui Qiqiang fell silent and hugged him abruptly. His lips on Wu Wengen''s ear, whispering. "I love you¡­"


    "I love you too." Wu Wengenughed and hugged him back. He thought that he would take it step by step, slowly bringing Cui Qiqiang to his life, making his family get used to him. Then, when he came out of the closet, everything would surely be easier.


    If Minister Wu and Madam Wu couldn''t ept Cui Qiqiang, then Wu Wengen was ready to sacrifice everything and bring Cui Qiqiang away.


    Never would Wu Wengen expect that this decision of his eventually be one that would bring him despair and heartbreak.

 Chapter 150 - He Had Never Moved On

    The day Wu Wengen brought Cui Qiqiang home became the worst day of his life.


    At first, he was so happy that he couldn''t stop smiling. He held Cui Qiqiang''s shoulder, proudly introducing thetter to his family as his roommates and best friend.


    Minister Wu and Madam Wu''s response was very good. They weed Cui Qiqiang nicely, treating him the same as Wu Wengen. Then, when Wu Wengen''s eyes trail to his little sister, he was taken aback by the luminous luster in her eyes. So bright. Never been brighter before.


    "G¡ªGe, your friend is so handsome!" Wu Ruoqing was never shy to express her feelings. She was easygoing, frank and straightforward. Coupled with Wu couple and Wu Wengen''s pampering, she became a spoiled little princess.


    Hearing Wu Ruoqing''s words, it was as if lightning bolts crashed upon Wu Wengen''s head.


    He realized instantly that¡­Wu Ruoqing had fallen in love at first sight.


    Cui Qiqiang was taken aback by the sudden praise then he epted it sheepishly, his gait was earnest, mature and calm. The more Wu Ruoqing looked, the more she liked him.


    Starting from that day, Wu Ruoqing started to pursue Cui Qiqiang. She had always been the one who got what she wanted. Her entire person exuded confidence and beauty. He pestered Cui Qiqiang everywhere, making him helpless and awkward.


    "Ge, what kind of girl did Brother Qiqiang like? You''re his best friend so you should know it right?"


    Wu Wengen''s grip on the pen tightened so hard that he almost broke it in half. His face was ghastly pale. Fortunately, his room was dim thus it didn''t look as conspicuous. "Y¡ªYou really like him?"


    "En." Wu Ruoqing didn''t realize anything as she held her blushing cheeks, daydreaming. "I like him. I like him so much. What to do? Yesterday, it rained so hard right? Brother Qiqiang braced through the rain to pick me up, he tilted his umbre to my direction and in the end, his shoulder becamepletely wet." Wu Ruoqing chuckled affectionately. "Say, how can a person be so gentle and charming?"


    It''s only because you''re my sister! He''s kind toward you because of me!


    Wu Wengen screamed inside his heart but outwardly, he forced a smile and rubbed Wu Ruoqing''s head. "Then Ge¡­will ask him for you."


    "Really?!" Wu Ruoqing jumped up and hugged him tightly. "Ge, you''re really the best brother ever! I love you!"


    Wu Wengen closed his eyes and replied hoarsely. "¡­I love you too."


    Their rtionship was destined to not be able to see the light of the day, so what right did he have to say his feelings? Numerous times, numerous times had he tried to tell Madam Wu. But when he remembered years of their kind grace and sincere love, Wu Wengen couldn''t bear to break Wu Ruoqing''s heart.


    "What exactly do you want?" Cui Qiqiang demanded. His throat rolled tightly. "You¡­You know why I treated your sister kindly so why didn''t you do anything?!"


    Wu Wengen buried his face into his palm and wept. "Sorry, I am sorry, Qiqiang."


    He really loved him, but could that love go against twenty years of gratitude? His initial resolution to bring Cui Qiqiang away strengthened and he offered a crazy decision. "Let''s¡­Let''s elope together, how about it? We will go abroad and live together, just the two of us."


    Cui Qiqiang looked at him incredulously. "Wengen, are you crazy?!"


    Wu Wengen also knew that he wasn''t thinking straight. It was already their fourth year of university and the crucial time for internships. Because of Wu Wengen''s identity, he and Cui Qiqiang were epted into a prestigiouspany with Minister Wu''s help.


    Just less than one more year, they would be able to graduate.


    Their life, dreams and hope were all here.


    Wu Wengen knew that Cui Qiqiang wouldn''t be able to leave. He came from a single parent family. His father was a drunkard and it wasn''t easy for his mother to leave and raise Cui Qiqiang alone.


    Cui Qiqiang had told him his dreams and aspirations. He wished to work as soon as possible and lightened his mother''s burden, giving her the happiness that she never received in her marriage. Wu Wengen knew how much Cui Qiqiang cherished his mother and making this kind of request at times like this was¡­really selfish and cruel.


    Wu Wengen broke down that day and chose to avoid everything.


    He avoided Cui Qiqiang, avoided Wu Ruoqing, avoided his family and friends.


    He spent the time recalling his childhood memories; the cold orphanage, the food that was never enough, the bullies that always left bruises on his body. It was Madam Wu''s hands that lifted him from Hell to Heaven.


    But at this time, Wu Wengen felt that he had returned to the abyss with no lights once again.


    However, if he could have Cui Qiqiang apany him along this thorny path, then¡­


    Wu Wengen''s eyes were filled with strength and resolution. He decided to be selfish, just this one time. He wanted to be happy with Cui Qiqiang. Without caring of reputation, public opinion, or his family''s approval, he just wanted to be with the person he loved.


    However, Wu Wengen learned that time waited for no one.


    When he was ready to embrace the future, he found that that person hadn''t waited for him all along.


    He returned to his home only to see the sight thatpletely shattered his heart.


    Wu Ruoqing hugged Cui Qiqiang''s arms affectionately, her smile sweeter than honey. The four people sitting together, talking,ughing and discussing future ns were as if they were covered in anotheryer of bubble that he couldn''t get through. Among them, he was the only outsider with no ce to poke in.


    "I''m sorry¡­" Cui Qiqiang said. "But I really can''t endure it anymore¡­Minister Wu said that he will train me as his secretary if I marry Wu Ruoqing. This¡­this is once in a lifetime opportunity for me. You know how much it means to me right, Wengen¡­?"


    So what about me? Am I not once in a lifetime for you?


    Wu Wengen smiled bleakly. "En¡­I know." He paused and said, "Then, may I ask for onest thing? Consider it a breakup gift¡­"


    Cui Qiqiang nodded sadly. "What do you want? I will do my best to get it for you."


    "Can you...spend this night with me? Just this one night¡­"


    That was where the sex tape came from. However, at that time, Wu Wengen absolutely had no idea that this one thing would be the rock that smashed theirst affection to smithereens. At that time, he just wanted to have something of Cui Qiqiang to remind him by. When he was consumed with loneliness, when he was sad and desperate, he would take out the video and reminisce.


    Time passed in a blink of an eye. Cui Qiqiang and Wu Ruoqing''s rtionship was lovely and harmonious. Wu Ruoqing continued her study abroad and Cui Qiqiang went with her. On the other hand, Wu Wengen applied to a mediocrepany that wasparable with his skills and continued his humble life, never once did he take advantage of his status to do something more.


    When Wu Ruoqing returned to China, the discussion about marriage started in full swing.


    The Wu Family was surrounded in a joyous and exuberant atmosphere, contrasted with Wu Wengen''s life that was getting more and more deste. Ever since Cui Qiqiang left, it was like he lost interest in everything. He spent every single day like a zombie, just waiting for night to arrive and sun toe out again the next day.


    The next moment he saw Wu Ruoqing was when she tried on her wedding gown.


    The pampered little sister had grown up to be a mature and charming woman. But the happiness and innocence in her eyes remained the same. "Brother! Is it beautiful? You haven''t spent much time with me nowadays so you must be Brother Qiqiang''s groomsman okay?"


    To be the groomsman in the wedding of his sister and the person he loved, howughable was it?


    Why did everyone have the right to be happy except him? Why did he have to endure everything alone? Why did he have to concede the person he loved for someone else?


    All of the umted sadness, despair and grievances burst forth from Wu Wengen''s heart all at once.


    It was then that he realized that he had never moved on.


    .


    .


    A/N: Cue Little Mix - Secret Love Song. It fits so much QAQ

 Chapter 151 - Havent You Had Enough?!

    The rumor about Wu Wengen and Cui Qiqiang''s shady rtionship started to spread right before the wedding. Wu Wengen himself didn''t know why he did that. Maybe it was just a final struggle, maybe he wanted a kind of liberation for his feelings, maybe he just wasn''t ready to give up yet¡­


    However, the thing that pushed him further into the abyss was how strong Cui Qiqiang reacted. "Nonsense! How can I and Wengen be like that? It''s all just utter bullshit, you shouldn''t believe it, Ruoqing!"


    Perhaps a woman''s intuition would always work at a precise moment. Even when Cui Qiqiang defended himself harshly, Wu Ruoqing started to suspect them. And then, to further prove his innocence, Cui Qiqiang started to avoid Wu Wengen too.


    One day, Cui Qiqiang even came to him and the first thing he said was: "Wengen, help me deny the rumor. It''s my wedding soon and it''s not good for Ruoqing to specte so much."


    Wu Wengen gave a smile that didn''t reach his eyes. "What rumor? Isn''t it the truth?"


    "You¡ª" Cui Qiqiang''s eyes widened in shock and he instantly looked around warily. Only when he confirmed that there was no one around did he sigh in relief. He rebuked angrily. "What are you talking about?!"


    Wu Wengen smiled brighter yet the depth of his eyes had already died long ago. The brilliant, gentle boy years ago had already withered under the rain of storms and chills. He shocked Cui Qiqiang by wrapping his arms around thetter''s neck, kissing him passionately on his lips like how he used to.


    Cui Qiqiang pushed him away harshly and punched him on the face. His breaths were harsh and his words fell on Wu Wengen''s ears like million swords stabbing his chest. "Don''t be so disgusting, Wengen!"


    Disgusting?


    His love¡­his sincere love that took every nook and corner of his heart, was deemed disgusting by the person who upied it?


    Tears slowly slid down his cheeks.


    Cui Qiqiang came to his senses and his face paled. "I¡ªI don''t¡­"


    However, Wu Wengen had directly turned around and left, the sight of his back was exceedingly lonely and bleak.


    From then on, it was as if Wu Wengen had given up. He never returned with the reason of creating some distance so that people wouldn''t gossip much about their family.


    Five years passed in a blink of an eye and everyone gradually forgot about this small turbulence. It was only Wu Wengen who couldn''t forget, couldn''t erase Cui Qiqiang''s shadow from his heart. He was already 32 years old, but his heart remained unchanged.


    He tried to respond to his female colleague''s feelings, but no matter how hard he put in the effort, he just couldn''t.


    In this life, Wu Wengen was destined to love Cui Qiqiang and no one else.


    It frustrated him further, but he knew that Cui Qiqiang was already a married man. His sister''s husband. His brother inw. The more Wu Wengen thought about that, the more painful it was. He drank beers like water as if the liquid would be able to wash his sorrow away.


    Then, amidst his hazy consciousness, he called the number which was already imprinted in his bones.


    "Hello? Who is it?" His voice had be deeper and smoother than Wu Wengen remembered.


    He choked on his drink and murmured. "Qiqiang¡­"


    A pause. "Wengen¡­?"


    "Qiqiang¡­what should I do? What should I do so that I can forget you?"


    "You¡­" Cui Qiqiang''s voice became smaller. "Where are you?"


    Wu Wengen told him the address of the bar and less than an hourter, Cui Qiqiang arrived. Wu Wengen''s eyes brightened up and he hugged the man, sobbing like a child. "You never forget me, right? Am I right¡­?"


    "You''re drunk, Wengen." Cui Qiqiang hoisted him up. "Let''s go home."


    "En¡­let''s go. Let''s go back to our home."


    They returned to Wu Wengen''s single apartment and the man took no time to ster himself to Cui Qiqiang, kissing him senselessly. "Qiqiang¡­Qiqiang¡­"


    Cui Qiqiang peeled him off with much difficulty. "Let go, Wengen! Look at me, I am already married! It''s all in the past already. I know that I''ve wronged you, I''m sorry okay?"


    Wu Wengen slumped onto the wall lifelessly. Hearing Cui Qiqiang''s words, he let out augh. "Sorry? You''re sorry?"


    "Yes, it''s my fault. You can me me but don''t be like this. Ruoqing loves you very much¡ª"


    "Don''t talk about her in front of me!" Wu Wengen screamed, his eyes reddened with unshed tears. "Why did you have to get married to her? Why did you two have to be together?"


    "Wengen¡­"


    Wu Wengen''sugh became more and more manic. "It''ste¡­It''s toote! You want to apologize to me?" He stumbled to hisptop and opened an encrypted video. The obscene gasps and moans of two men reverberated through the room. "Say, if I send this to Ruoqing, what will she think of you?"


    Cui Qiqiang''s pupils shrank. "You¡ª" He lunged forward to grab theptop. "WU WENGEN, HAVEN''T YOU HAD ENOUGH?!"


    "No!" Wu Wengenughed and cried. "I haven''t! It will never be enough!"


    Cui Qiqiang grabbed his cor, panicked. "What do you want?! What exactly do you want?!"


    "I want you to tell Ruoqing about us!"


    "Are you crazy?!"


    "Yes! I am crazy!" Wu Wengenughed himself hoarse. "I have gone crazy because of you!"


    Cui Qiqiang threw him off and busily started to delete the video.


    "It''s useless. I have made many backups of it. No matter how many times you delete it, I can always take another out for you to see!"


    Two people who were once the closest, who shared one bed and snuggled under one nket, intimately talking about their dreams and future, ultimately turned into lifelong enemies right at this moment.


    Cui Qiqiang was helpless against him. He knew how stubborn Wu Wengen was under that gentle appearance. However, he never expected that he would dare to record something like this! If this got out¡­Cui Qiqiang didn''t need to imagine how chaotic it would be.


    For the people who didn''t have anything left to lose, they would be able to do anything.


    Cui Qiqiang feared this kind of Wu Wengen. That fear turned into paranoia. Then, the matter escted when Wu Ruoqing found out about the video. Cui Qiqiang could only fix the broken boat and confessed that he was under Wu Wengen''s threats.


    Wu Ruoqing had always been decisive. She was heartbroken that his brother was actually like this, furious to think that the person who shared the same bed with her for years was actually her brother''s boyfriend. The humiliation was really unbearable which caused her to take drastic measures.


    "Then, let''s threaten him back.. I don''t believe that he doesn''t fear death."

 Chapter 152 - He Had Never Intended To Keep It

    Cui Qiqiang was frightened by Wu Ruoqing''s bold decision. "Is-Is this really okay?"


    Wu Ruoqing nodded firmly. "I have asked my friend about it. He''s a real big figure with hundreds of subordinates under him. Don''t worry, he will take care of everything just fine. First, he will have his people disguise as you, kidnap Wu Wengen and threaten him to destroy the video. If he doesn''t want to listen, then he will be taught a lesson."


    "But why¡­do they have to pretend to be me?" he asked carefully.


    A cold light shed through Wu Ruoqing''s eyes. "Of course, it''s because he loves you. If it''s you, he will not be able to think clearly and everything will be easier. If the timees when he tries to confront you about it, we can create a perfect alibi. Then, he won''t be able to find any proof that it''s us who n it. Moreover, we can also scare him a bit so that he will note up with any tricks again in the future. Do you think that it''s just like hitting two birds with one stone?"


    Cui Qiqiang pondered on her words for a long time. Hesitation reflected on his eyes. Was it really okay to do this? What if Wu Wengen wasn''t fooled?


    This was a crucial matter which concerned his life in the future. No matter what, he had to make sure that the video thoroughly disappeared from the face of Earth!


    Cui Qiqiangforted himself multiple times. However, he was used to being independent and he never trusted anyone but himself. Giving such an important task to others, he couldn''t rest assured. Thus, he came out with an idea.


    "I will personally do the task. You go and have your friend''s people go with you."


    With this, he would end everything once and for all.


    ***


    Cui Qiqiang copsed on the table, tears streamed down his face. "I really didn''t mean to kill him. Who knows¡­when I threatened him, he would be so crazy to push the knife into his own chest¡­It''s really not me who killed him! It''s him who wanted to kill himself!"


    Luo Ning''s expression when he listened to the interrogation wasplicated. For a person like Wu Wengen, to suddenly have the person he loved hold a knife in front of him, threaten him just for a video, how desperate and sad he was back then?


    Maybe death was better than this.


    He swiveled his chair and sighed. "Senior Ru, Mr. Cui might not be lying. Maybe it''s really Wu Wengen who dealt thest blow."


    "It might be him, it might not be him, so what?" Ru Meiqi answered. "The person who held the knife was Cui Qiqiang and the person who ''killed'' him was Cui Qiqiang. In this case, he was the true murderer."


    After Wu Wengen held Cui Qiqiang''s hands and pushed the knife into his own chest, he finally got the liberation he wanted. It wasn''t enough once, he even stabbed a few more times. The act showed how hurt he was.


    Then, the panicked Cui Qiqiang intended to disguise the murder as the serial killer''s deed. He chopped off the body and threw it in the public garbage can while he himself still wandered in the area where Wu Wengen lived.


    The video! The video was still in Wu Wengen''s hands!


    He couldn''t leave until hepletely deleted it! However, the police had sealed Wu Wengen''s apartment room. Cui Qiqiang nned to wait for a few days until the police''s guardxed a bit to sneak into the apartment, then destroyed Wu Wengen''sptop andputerpletely.


    Who knew that the police would act so fast?


    It was over, everything was thoroughly over...


    Wu Wengen had died while Cui Qiqiang''s life had also ended.


    Now that he was a convict, how could he continue to live on?


    Qin Weizhe didn''t interject during Cui Qiqiang''s long confession. He had his eyes lowered as he looked at his open notebook nkly, seemingly listening while also daydreaming. Only when Cui Qiqiang said thest sentence did he lift his head, his lips pursed tight.


    "Do you know?" He said slowly. "We have searched all of Mr. Wu''s belongings but never found the video. From the start, he had never intended to keep it."


    "W¡ªWhat¡­? What did you say?" Cui Qiqiang looked at him in daze, his whole body swayed like a thin leaf.


    Qin Weizhe closed his notebook and shook his head with a sigh. "It''s only because we have our own manpower that we managed to retrieve the video. Mr. Cui, you said that Wu Wengen loved you. If that''s the case, do you think that he would have the heart to do something bad to you?"


    Cui Qiqiang''s hands shook violently and tears streamed down his face without him realizing.


    In his mind were Wu Wengen''s disbelieving eyes, bleak and deste. Thest light in them waspletely extinguished by Cui Qiqiang''s own hands. "Qiqiang¡­is that really how you think of me?" His lips curled up in sadness, blood trickled down his mouth, mixing with unending tears.


    However, at that time, Cui Qiqiang''s sight was only focused on the knife inside Wu Wengen''s chest. He looked at his bloodied hands, frenzied. "No, no¡­I didn''t mean to..."


    "Qiqiang¡­" Wu Wengen''s body fell to the ground and convulsed violently, yet his eyes stared unblinkingly at Cui Qiqiang. "I¡­" He coughed out blood, so much blood that the floor was dyed crimson. Then, he closed his eyes and breathed hisst.


    I¡­what?


    What did you want to say in the end, Wengen?


    Cui Qiqiang buried his face inside his palm, a pained howl escaped from his mouth.


    The door closed behind Qin Weizhe''s back and he sighed.


    "Detective Qin." Luo Ning approached and offered him a cup of steaming warm water. "Nice work. Drink some water to moisten your throat."


    Qin Weizhe epted it with a faint smile. "How is it? Have the people extracted Miss Wu''s testimony?"


    "Yes, she has confessed all of her deeds. It matched with Cui Qiqiang''s testimony."


    "That''s good."


    Luo Ning looked at the downcast Qin Weizhe and couldn''t get ustomed to it. "Detective Qin¡­are you okay?"


    The man gave him a smiling nce. "What? Worried about me?"


    Luo Ning blushed but he didn''t deny it.


    Qin Weizhe chuckled and rubbed his head. Then in the next second, his smile receded and heaviness painted his eyes. "Sometimes, it''s really¡­tiring to do this. Don''t you think that everything is very ridiculous? If Wu Wengen didn''t act on impulse and threaten Cui Qiqiang, if Wu Ruoqing had just chosen a more peaceful way, if Cui Qiqiang cared about Wu Wengen more¡­do you think they would end up like today?"


    "Detective Qin¡­" Luo Ning pursed his lips tight and braced himself. "I¡ªI don''t know... But if it was me, I wouldn''t do anything to hurt my lover."


    Qin Weizhe was stunned for a moment before bursting intoughter. He ruffled Luo Ning''s head until it turned into a messy bird nest. "En, our Little Luo is the most sensible. Whoever marries you in the future will be the luckiest girl in the world!"


    Steam billowed up from Luo Ning''s head, even his neck reddened with a speed visible to naked eyes. "P¡ªPlease don''t tease me!"


    Qin Weizheughed heartily, the gloominess earlier had dispersed in the face of Luo Ning''s cuteness.


    Seeing Qin Weizhe''s smile, Luo Ning finally sighed in relief and a smile emerged on his face. "Then, what should we do with the fake Cui Qiqiang?" He asked carefully.


    "Ah right. I almost forgot about him." Qin Weizhe rubbed his face and took a deep breath. "Come on. Time for thest interrogation. I have a feeling that this man isn''t so simple."


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Wu Wengen is so sad QAQ but once again lemme ask, who''s at fault?


    Wu Wengen who has his love denied and got desperate, Cui Qiqiang who ced more importance on his future, or Wu Ruoqing who got betrayed by both his brother and husband? Or....is it author''s fault for creating them? (nuu this one doesn''t count haha)

 Chapter 153 - Human Skin Mask

    Qin Weizhe''s guess was proven correct in the next moment.


    He had nned to catch the man off guard. The fake Cui Qiqiang had always been detained inside the interrogation room thus he shouldn''t know about the development of the case. Yet, before Qin Weizhe could take Luo Ning into another round of interrogation, a police officer came to report with a flustered face.


    "D¡ªDetective Qin, the person in interrogation room 2 said that he wanted to confess something!"


    Qin Weizhe almost spurted out his water. He coughed as he wiped his mouth. "Who...?"


    "It''s the fake Cui Qiqiang." Luo Ning helped to answer. "What did he want to confess?"


    Qin Weizhe was nning to take a short break, but because of this interference, he decided against it and grabbed his notebook. "Come on. We will hear what he wants to say."


    Qin Weizhe''s face turned unprecedentedly serious, making Luo Ning nervous beside him.


    There were questions in Qin Weizhe''s head and he had a faint inkling as to what the man was going to say. True to his guess, the first thing the man said was, "Actually, I am not Cui Qiqiang."


    Qin Weizhe paused for a second and sat down as if nothing happened. Chuckling, he replied. "What are you talking about, Mr. Cui?"


    "I am not Cui Qiqiang." The weak, helpless man that was just crying a few hours ago was no more. The man with Cui Qiqiang''s face in front of him was calm and as steady as Mount Tai. "At first, I didn''t intend to confess because Wu Wengen''s death has nothing to do with me. Now that I think about it, how can I prove my innocence if I don''t say anything?"


    The man had chosen to confess just as the case concluded. Was this simply a coincidence?


    Qin Weizhe raised his brow. "But Miss Wu has attested to your identity and she has confessed her crime, Mr. Cui. How can you juste out and say that you''re not Cui Qiqiang right now?"


    The man sighed wryly. "Really, I am just helping Miss Wu out ofmand. She said that she needed my help for something so I went abroad with her for a few months. Who knew that I will be implicated with a murder case all of a sudden?"


    "Mr. Police Officer, tell me, what crime did Imit?"


    How sly.


    First, he confirmed his stand as Wu Ruoqing''s helper and stated his innocence at the whole thing. If it''s based on his statements, who could charge him of any crime? It was true that Wu Ruoqing was the one who asked him for help. It''s true that he only went abroad with her.


    He didn''t kill anyone, nor did he do anything at all.


    However, could Qin Weizhe just trust him based on that? Who would believe him if he said that he''s totally innocent in this whole matter? But the problem was, the police didn''t have any proof to charge him of guilt.


    The man clearly knew it too. That''s why he was particrly rxed.


    Qin Weizhe gritted his teeth hatefully. Outwardly, he still gave a bright smile. "Then, why did you have to pretend to be Mr. Cui?"


    The man shrugged. "I received money. Isn''t it logical to fulfill my employer''s wishes?"


    "You got stic surgery?"


    "No." The man reached behind his neck, then pulled ayer of skin on his nape hidden by cor. The next second, a totally different face appeared in front of Qin Weizhe. "It''s just a mask."


    Inside the monitor room, gasps and exmations of shock could be heard. "What the heck?! Human skin mask?!"


    Ru Meiqi was frozen in shock. Her eyes glued to the mask as her mind mored. A few months ago, in City A''s hospital, someone had broken into Shi Nian''s room. At that time, Jiang Jinyan gave his testimony, saying that there''s a scar on the side of the man''s neck.


    She and Jin Renguang had made countless guesses about it. Ru Meiqi suspected that it was a human mask, but this kind of mask wasn''t avable at the market and because of the chaotic and messy schedule, she hadn''t had the time to pursue it yet.


    But now at a nce, she instantly knew.


    This mask was the same as what the culprit wore.


    She instantly grabbed themunicator and said. "Ask him where the mask came from."


    Her voice was transmitted to Qin Weizhe''s earpiece and the man seamlessly cooperated. "Such a good mask. I want to buy one too. Where can I get it?"


    "Mr. Police Officer, it''s ourpany''s secret product. If you are interested, then you should connect with our boss."


    This man who pretended to be Cui Qiqiang was called Shin Dong. He was half Korean with proportional features and nice eyebrows. Still, he looked 20 to 30% simr to Cui Qiqiang, that''s why when he wore the human skin mask, his face would be so simr to Cui Qiqiang enough to fool everyone.


    Shin Dong cooperated nicely, even offering his boss'' contact information as if he was a door to door salesman. Both of the men chatted amicably, making everyone inside the monitor room speechless. In the end, Shin Dong was free of charge and Qin Weizhe had no choice but to let him go after the period of 24 hours passed by.


    Wu Wengen''s death was concluded as of this moment. Perhaps, in this case, the most pitiful ones were the Wu couple and Cui Qiqiang''s mother. For the Wu couple, their eldest son was murdered in such a tragic way and the culprit was their daughter and son inw.


    Madam Wu cried so hard that she couldn''t get out of bed. Meanwhile, Minister Wu seemed like he had aged twenty years in a single night. He sat on the bench, listening to his daughter''s heartrending cries.


    In the end, Wu Ruoqing was only an aplice in an unnned murder. Minister Wu directly used his connection and wealth to bail his daughter out. As for his son inw? The man had harmed both of the Wu Family''s children! Why should Minister Wu help him?!


    Wu Ruoqing filed for a divorce and Cui Qiqiang was directly sentenced for 20 years in prison.


    On the day his sentence was out, Cui Qiqiang''s mother came to the police station to beat his son up, face covered in tears. Cui Qiqiang bowed his head, silently receiving the beating he deserved. His entire person had slimmed down so much that he''s only left with skin and bones and asionally, he wouldugh and cry at the same time, murmuring Wu Wengen''s name again and again.


    It was such a heartbreaking scene for Madam Cui that she directly fainted. The whole police station was in uproar. In the end, Madam Cui was diagnosed with stroke and half of her body became paralyzed.


    Of course, it was the event of another day.


    At this moment, the SCI squad was jubnt because they had once again received another clue to the serial killer.


    As a result, Jiang Jinyan once againnded inside the police station.


    Qin Weizhe was unanimously voted as a human sacrifice and tasked to wear the mask. He stood in front of Jiang Jinyan with a face simr to Voldemort.


    Ru Meiqi suppressed herughter and asked in a serious tone. "Mr. Jiang.. We''re very sorry to disturb you but it''s really important. Can you please confirm if this is the same scar as what you saw on the man''s nape in City A''s hospital that day?"

 Chapter 154 - The Notion Of Mother

    Jiang Jinyan tacitly ignored Qin Weizhe''s aggrieved eyes and focused his gaze on thetter''s neck. Brows frowning, he slowly said. "Seems like it. At that time, I only saw it for a split second so I can''t be sure. But the scar line is simr, although this one is fainter and smoother."


    Xu Binchen''s fists clenched. "If he was really wearing human skin mask, then he could have passed right under my nose and I still wouldn''t realize it."


    Ru Meiqi nodded. "That''s right." Then, she turned to the dazed Shi Nian and asked in concern. "What''s wrong, Shi Nian? Are you okay?"


    Shi Nian came back to her senses and shook her head.


    "Don''t worry." Ru Meiqi hugged her shoulder gently. "We are here. He will not be able to do anything to you."


    Jiang Jinyan interjected. "Who is this person you''re searching for, if I may ask?" He looked at the distracted Shi Nian and recalled how she huddled under his feet and cried so hard that her face was soaked in tears, tremblingly mouthed that she was scared. Jiang Jinyan''s heartstring was tugged and he couldn''t help asking. "Are you in trouble?"


    Shi Nian blinked and looked at Ru Meiqi. Then, Ru Meiqi looked at Xu Binchen, Qin Weizhe followed suit. Four pairs of eyes converged onto the man who''s clearly in a bad mood. "Sorry Mr. Jiang, it''s confidential information. The less you know, the better."


    Jiang Jinyan nodded and didn''t ask anymore.


    Shi Nian''s sight fell onto him, seemingly wanting to say something but stopped in the end. It was only right that Jiang Jinyan wasn''t included in this mess. This kind of matter¡­the further he stood, the better. Still, the feeling of hiding something from her general was really ufortable, like a fishbone stuck on her throat.


    "Has it finished already?" Qin Weizhe''s voice came out muffled. "Can I take it off?"


    Amused, Ru Meiqi stepped forward and helped him take off the mask so that it wouldn''t be torn. "This is crucial evidence. Keep it in the archive."


    Qin Weizhe took inrge gulps of air and nodded.


    "Alright." Xu Binchen stood up. "Let me take you back."


    It was the second time Jiang Jinyan and Shi Nian rode on Xu Binchen''s car and the seating arrangements didn''t change a bit. Jiang Jinyan was still as taciturn as ever, Xu Binchen''s mind was troubled with something, leaving only Shi Nian who wanted to make some small talks to no avail.


    The police were getting busier than ever, thus Xu Binchen just dropped them off and returned.


    Jiang Jinyan and Shi Nian walked side by side into the elevator. He wanted to press on the neenth floor but Shi Nian held him back. [Have you eaten yet?]


    It seemed like she had always asked him that every time they met.


    "I have," he answered quietly and proceeded to press on his floor.


    Liar, Shi Nian muttered inwardly.


    She typed on her phone with her head lowered, silence hung between them. When the elevator stopped on the neenth floor, Jiang Jinyan bowed slightly, ready to say goodbye. "Then¡ª"


    He hadn''t even finished his sentence when Shi Nian grabbed the hem of his shirt. This kind of act was quite familiar. Jiang Jinyan stopped in his tracks and saw the screen that Shi Nian showed him. It was a WeChat interface with her mother.


    [You''re back with your friend? Then ask him toe up and eat together!]


    Under it, Shi Nian replied with an OK emoji.


    ck lines filled Jiang Jinyan''s forehead. "I have eaten."


    Shi Nian shook her head and typed. [My mother wants to thank you for your help. Mr. Jiang Jinyan, please ept it, okay?] The golden eyes were filled with hope as they stared up at him.


    Jiang Jinyan retracted his feet and sighed. "¡­fine."


    Shi Nian beamed and brought Jiang Jinyan back to her house. Qiang Fei was already waiting for them, an apron tied on her body. "Niannian? Is everything okay with Detective Xu?"


    Shi Nian nodded and gestured toward Jiang Jinyan who stood frozen in the hallway. "¡­Madam Shi."


    Qiang Fei''s eyes curved happily. "Is it Xiao[1] Jiang? Shi Nian has told me so much about you! Come in and sit. Oh, just call me auntie, no need to be so distant. Thank you for always taking care of Niannian, she''s such a handful, isn''t she?"


    Throughout his life, Jiang Jinyan had never got into contact with any middle ageddy except for Auntie Yuan who took care of his mother. Even the notion of ''mother'' only reminded him of the cold sanatorium and crazed pleading of Guan Xiaoxiao.


    This kind of mother¡ªwho smiled happily, who cooked with an apron, who looked at him affectionately, who put food into his bowls¡ªeverything was so foreign and unfamiliar that he couldn''t taste what was inside his mouth.


    Only when he tasted the greasy sweetness of potato did he frown.


    Qiang Fei asked enthusiastically. "Is it delicious?"


    Jiang Jinyan didn''t chew and directly swallowed. "It is."


    "Then you should eat more."


    "No." To prevent any more potato invasion in his bowl, Jiang Jinyan forced out a smile. "Let me get it myself. Thank you very much¡­auntie."


    Shi Nian looked at his face half fearfully and half amused. Of course, she knew that Jiang Jinyan loathed everything that had to do with potatoes. She wanted to tell Qiang Fei, but it was toote. The daydreaming Jiang Jinyan didn''t even see what he ate as he shoved it into his mouth.


    As expected, he hadn''t changed at all¡­


    Shi Nian felt distressed seeing him only eat rice, thus she picked the vegetables, gathered the pieces of shrimp and meat together and offered it to his bowl. This kind of light dish, he liked it right?


    Jiang Jinyan gave her a fleeting nce. But as he saw her act like nothing happened, he could only burrow his head into the bowl and silently ate the vegetables.


    Shi Nian''s lips silently curled up.


    .


    .


    [1] Xiao Jiang = Little Jiang hehe

 Chapter 155 - You Will Only Be Disappointed

    Everytime Jiang Jinyan talked to Qiang Fei, Shi Nian would sneak around and ce food into his bowl. Jiang Jinyan felt strange how she always managed to avoid the things he hated, but when he thought of how she was his fan, everything became usible.


    The meal ended harmoniously and Shi Nian took the dish into the kitchen.


    "Niannian, go and keep Xiao Jiangpany." Qiang Fei shoved her out. "Last time, the friend you brought hotpot to, was it also him?"


    Shi Nian nodded firmly.


    Qiang Fei smiled meaningfully. "He''s a good child."


    Shi Nian''s eyes shone. Of course, General Jiang is the best!


    "Handsome too." Qiang Fei was amused seeing how Shi Nian agreed to her every praise joyfully as if it was her who was being praised. "Does he live alone?"


    Shi Nian pondered for a while and nodded hesitantly.


    If she could find out that Jiang Jinyan was the famous entrepreneur Jiang Huocheng''s son, then Qiang Fei would definitely discover it too. Despite that, she didn''t act any differently. She took out fruits from the refrigerator, cut them into pieces and put them into a food container. "Go and tell him to take this back."


    Shi Nian looked at her mother, touched. She happily hugged the chilly container and went out.


    "Thank you for the food, auntie. It''s very delicious." Jiang Jinyan said as he stood by the door.


    Qiang Fei smiled and waved from the kitchen. "You''re very wee. Auntie is often busy but next time, let''s eat together again."


    The care and warm affection was so rare that Jiang Jinyan couldn''t react for a moment. Seeing Qiang Fei''s face which was five points simr to Shi Nian, Jiang Jinyan choked out. "Okay."


    Shi Nian waved Qiang Fei goodbye, in her arms was the food container. Then, she trailed behind Jiang Jinyan''s back to the elevator. "You don''t have to follow me back." He broke the silence.


    Shi Nian shook her head. Anyway, the elevator had already started to descend so it''s no use if he chased her away right now.


    Jiang Jinyan only gave a sigh and kept silent afterward.


    After they got to his door, the man turned over. "Go back."


    Shi Nian''s round eyes looked at him in confusion. She gestured for him to open the door.


    Jiang Jinyan''s jaws clenched and he opened the door. The little grey kitten shot out and hugged Shi Nian''s leg, meowing incessantly. Shi Nianughed happily and wanted to bring it into her arms. However, she had hugged the chilly container for quite long and there was residual water vapor on her skin.


    The little kitten was shaken by the cold and shook itself off, jumping to his owner instead.


    Shi Nian gave the food container to Jiang Jinyan, beaming. [These fruits are delicious. You should eat it slowly.]


    Something shed inside Jiang Jinyan''s eyes and he expressionlessly epted the container. "Thank you."


    [You''re very wee! Pleasee often to eat with my mother and I, okay? We will always wee you.] Her eyes were very earnest and serious as she typed.


    The little kitten which was ignored came to create ruckus again. It jumped off Jiang Jinyan''s leg and went to bite its empty bowl, yowling with an aggrieved tone. Seeing how Jiang Jinyan didn''t react to it, Shi Nian felt that the little guy was so pitiful.


    She looked around and found a bag of cat food on the table. Thus, she went to pour some into its bowl. The little kitten licked her hand and proceeded to bury its head and wolf the food down, purring with its tail swishing back and forth.


    [Right, have you thought of a name for it yet?]


    Jiang Jinyan still looked at her with that expression which was indecipherable. Her smile slowly vanished as she typed, worried. [Are you okay?]


    Jiang Jinyan''s fists clenched by his side as he took a deep breath and decided to break apart the thin barrier once and for all. "Shi Nian, I am very thankful for you and your mother''s kind hospitality. But this kind of behavior, what exactly do you want to achieve?"


    Shi Nian was stunned in ce. Why did he suddenly ask about that?


    Jiang Jinyan demanded. "Type."


    Hesitantly, Shi Nian typed. [What do you want me to type?]


    He almostughed out of frustration. "Then let me make this clear. Caring about me, worrying about my condition, inviting me to your house, sharing food, approaching me, always trying to get close to me¡­what did you want to achieve by doing that?"


    Shi Nian looked at his dark, unfathomable eyes and felt her heart thump. [I just want to be good to you¡­]


    "Because you''re my fan?"


    Shi Nian nodded slowly.


    Jiang Jinyan chuckled grimly. "Do you remember what I told you back then in the hospital? The Jiang Jinyan you like¡ªthe young, promising athlete, gold medalist, famous public figure, he has already died, okay? The Jiang Jinyan whom you like is no more¡ª!"


    Shi Nian lunged forward and mped his mouth shut with her palm, her eyes reddened with unshed tears.


    Don''t say it like this¡­


    Don''t disparage yourself like this¡­


    Jiang Jinyan tore her hands off and continued. "I am just a useless, idle and disabled man. I don''t even know how my future will be. Even if you pour your best effort into me, you will only be disappointed!"


    A loud p reverberated through the silent space right after Jiang Jinyan''sst words fell!


    Shi Nian looked at her palm in disbelief, tears slid down her cheeks.


    Jiang Jinyan licked the corner of his lips which was split, her palm print created red ring marks on his fair skin. However, Jiang Jinyan didn''t care. "Do you understand what I mean now?"


    He was tired already.


    Tired of guessing people''s attention. Tired of getting disappointed. Tired of opening his heart only to be humiliated again and again.


    In this world, kindness wasn''t free. Everyone was kind for a reason. No one was obliged to be kind to someone else. Even the world wasn''t obliged to be kind to you.


    Jiang Jinyan knew it very well. Thus, Shi Nian''s act which was akin to boiling frogs in warm water; he couldn''t endure it any longer. He wanted to tear off her mask and see what kind of uglinessid underneath those so-called goodwill and kindness.


    Only this way he would be able to push her away.


    Only this way¡­he wouldn''t be hurt anymore.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Jinyan QAQ he''s such a fragile little baby. He can''t even ept kindness without doubting it.. It''s just his defense mechanism to push everyone away so please don''t hate him okay? He needs time to ept everything.

 Chapter 156 - As If He Could Embrace The Whole World

    Warning: Suicide thoughts and self harm. You have been warned!


    .


    Jiang Jinyan opened his eyes to the soft glow of moonlight pouring in from the window above his head. He was slumped against the floor, his entire body aching and sore. He tried to move his fingers only to have a numbing pain shot through his arm.


    He instantly knew what was going on.


    He had another rpse again.


    However, this time he wasn''t in a hurry to treat the wound on his arm. He changed his position andid down instead, staring nkly at the only source of light inside the dark room. It was quite an empty room with only pieces of broken mirror in the corner, some broken furniture, together with one side of the wall with one piece of missing mirror.


    Jiang Jinyan didn''t know when it started but one day, he found himself woke up just like this, muddled and unable to remember what was going on before.


    It wasn''t until he saw the broken furniture¡ªoverturned tables, broken phone, cracked sses¡ªdid he realize that it was all his doing when he momentarily lost his mind. He knew that it wasn''t normal but he had to do something to channel this violent tendency in his veins.


    He needed venting, thus he just emptied one room and filled it with brittle things; mirrors, furniture made of ss, wooden chairs and tables. And it worked, miraculously.


    Everytime he woke up after the rpse, he felt peace and serenity deep inside his mind.


    There wasn''t any headache, jumping veins and vtile mood anymore.


    Jiang Jinyan closed his eyes and took a deep breath, taking in the faint scent of blood in the air.


    The tip of his fingers had be numb yet he still didn''t intend to move. Behind his eyelids was the dream he had just had. The hot summer, crowded sanatorium, scent of blood and disinfectant mixed together. Then, it was Guan Xiaoxiao''sst words. "Sorry, I am very sorry¡­Jinyan..."


    He had dreamed of this scene countless times these past few months.


    Only this time, there was a slight difference.


    The teary pale face of Guan Xiaoxiao somehow changed at thest second. Her ck pupils shone in a weak golden light, glistening with distress and heartache. It was what woke Jiang Jinyan up in the end.


    Exactly how¡­could he dream of that girl?


    Was it merely because of today''s event? Hadn''t he gotten used to it already?


    He had never got people who cared sincerely about him thus he couldn''t help but question the reason behind it. And surely, when he decided to tear off any pretense, she couldn''t answer. She only looked at him with those big golden eyes, panicked and pained.


    However, Jiang Jinyan didn''t want to spend even one second more. He didn''t wait for her to react and pushed her out of his door.


    Out of his life.


    By now, he could still imagine the tingling pain on his cheek due to her harsh p.


    His lips curled amidst the dark. The soft and usually obedient kitten¡­it turned out that her ws and fangs were quite sharp and painful.


    Jiang Jinyan dragged his stiff body and pulled out a first aid kit in the hiddenpartment which was used to be a safe. He couldn''t help but turn to see his reflection on the cracked mirror. Distorted, frenzy, bleak. Just like a madman. A pool of blood was formed in the ce where he justid and Jiang Jinyan looked down to see a long, stretching wound along his arm.


    Instead of the alcohol, he bent down and grabbed a piece of broken mirror, using its sharp tip to slowly press on his wound. Pain stung his nerves and crimson blood started to flow again, making his head dizzy.


    But he couldn''t stop. Somehow, the taste of pain was additive.


    It wasn''t until his feet staggered that he threw the mirror away and poured alcohol onto his wound directly. The burning sensation shook his mind awake and he smoothly treated the wound, wrapping it with thick bandage in practical ease as if he had done it countless times before.


    Jiang Jinyan ignored the broken furniture and blood on the floor as he walked toward the cracked mirror on the wall. Seeing his own reflection closer and the distorted face as if he could peer into the devil inside his heart, whispering,


    "Exactly why are you still alive?"


    "Why don''t you just die? Then everyone will be happy¡­"


    A drop of liquid fell onto his cheek and Jiang Jinyan wiped it, stunned to find that it was his own tears.


    He couldn''t helpughing. "Why are you crying¡­?"


    In one swift movement, he punched the mirror and thoroughly shattered it to pieces! The sharp fragments fell under his feet and the reflection of the devil was no more. He panted heavily, cold sweat dripping down his back.


    Scratch scratch¡­


    A small series of sound came from the shut door. Jiang Jinyan opened the door to see a grey furball whose golden eyes shone brightly in the darkness. "Mew~"


    "I said, stop looking at me with those eyes." he mumbled in a low voice.


    The little kitten didn''t care about his messy state and proceeded toplete its mission; climbed up to its warm nest! With much difficulty, it prowled and jumped, catching his pants then crawling up slowly. Jiang Jinyan looked on expressionlessly. Only when the kitten reached his shirt and almost lost its grip did he extend his arm under its butt.


    As if finding a safe harbor, it snuggled into his arm and closed its eyes happily, purring.


    "I am covered in blood."


    The kitten purred and nuzzled its head against his neck. Its long tail caressed his cheek as if wanting to wipe the dampness on his face away.


    "One day, I might just kill you and I will not even realize it. Aren''t you scared?"


    "Mew~"


    The small bundle of fur was so warm that Jiang Jinyan couldn''t bear to part with it. He slowly bent down and reached out, hugging the kitten into his chest as if he could embrace the whole world if he did so.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: A glimpse of the violent and mentally unstable Jiang Jinyan. Do you think that it''s hereditary from his mother?


    Actually he''s a really gentle person, you can tell from Shi Nian''s memory of the General. Sadly, the world has changed him so much QAQ

 Chapter 157 - Why Not Make The Best Out Of It?

    At midnight, the meeting in the police station was still going on full force. There wasn''t a hint of sleepiness on their faces.


    Qin Weizhe said. "I havepiled the report. Wu Wengen''s case is closed and the culprit will be sent to trial next week. How about your side?"


    Jin Renguang''s face came from the other side of the screen, tired but still handsome and sharp. "It''s useless. Yu Chuan didn''t know anything. In the Recreational Park, he just received a message from a small boy that told him the location where the money would be. It was a locker in a private sauna house and the CCTV showed the other man whom we caught at the time of operation."


    "Who''s he exactly?" Ru Meiqi asked.


    He massaged his temple. "Another middleman. The culprit contacted him online and he received the money without meeting face to face. He didn''t know anything about the culprit. That day, he was also tasked to be there without knowing what he''s supposed to do. He has a criminal record so when he met the police, he instinctively ran."


    "A criminal record?"


    "Theft and high school girl assault. He had just been released from prison a few months ago."


    Ru Meiqi frowned. "What about Comrade Wang? He can''t find out anything either?"


    "En, it''s all dead end. The phone is already deactivated and the SIM card is untraceable. Any kind of trace has been swept clean."


    Qin Weizhe rubbed his face. "How terrifying."


    "What about the person who went to Shi Nian''s house in City A?" Ru Meiqi asked. "I have asked him to find out about it before I came to the Capital. Did he find out anything about it?"


    "What? When did someonee to Butterfly''s house?" Another detective inquired.


    Ru Meiqi exined in a concise manner and looked at Jin Renguang inquisitively.


    "Wait a moment. I will show you." The man''s face was reced with the footage of an unclear scene, simr to those old TV which had white and ck lines on it. "This is the only CCTV that''s working in the area and this¡­is the person that''s caught by the camera."


    Qin Weizhe cursed. "The hell? Why is the quality so terrible?"


    "It''s not unreasonable." Ru Meiqi mumbled as she narrowed her unfocused eyes. "Themunity where she lived was where the lower ss in society gathered. The rent is already very cheap, what else do you need to ask for? Around 180 cm, ck short hair, slender, wearing ck coat, jeans, and mask¡­"


    Qin Weizhe wheezed. "You basically can''t make anything out of this blurry image."


    "How about the other CCTV in the outer area?"


    "Nothing." Jin Renguang said. "There''s nobody simr to that at all. Either he disappeared into thin air, or he took the small alleys where there''s no CCTV."


    Now, there was a mysterious person who appeared out of nowhere with dubious intentions too? Exactly who was this person and why did hee to Shi Nian''s house? In addition, if the middleman was only tasked to be there to misled them, then where did he hide? How could he find out that Yu Chuan''s kidnapping process was only a farce?


    Ru Meiqi sighed. "Let me send the footage to Shi Nian and see whether she recognizes that person."


    The discussion continued to the masked man, Shin Dong. "Hispany is called Haishang Technology. It''s a certified and legalpany which dabbled in the high end technology in household appliances. Anyway, it''s definitely not apany that can produce human skin masks."


    Jin Renguang nodded. "I will have Tang Wei and Wang Chengbing investigate it further. Anyway, this is a bountiful development. At least, we know the direction of the search instead of being the passive party. How about Dreamscape Bar, Xu Binchen?"


    "It''s been three days since I went there. Don''t worry, the contract will expire soon. By then, Manager Si will introduce another star product for me to choose from."


    Luo Ning spoke out carefully. "Then, what about the girl?"


    Xu Binchen pinched his brows. "I will try my best to rescue her. If the worstes to worst, I will just spend some money to buy her." He said casually, and only when he received no answer did he realize that the room had turned deadly silent. "¡­What?"


    Everyone: "No, nothing. Nothing at all. Please continue."


    Qin Weizhe gave him a thumbs up and said what was on everyone''s mind. "So domineering! Very cool, Binchen!" Then he straightened his expression and mimicked Xu Binchen''s tone. "I will just spend some money to buy her¡ª"


    "Shut up!" Xu Binchen threw a pen to his face.


    Ru Meiqi could clearly recall the people who wore cors on their necks, disyed like goods for rich people to choose from. She said with a heavy tone. "We have to rescue them as soon as possible. Who knows what they will experience inside?"


    Jin Renguang agreed. "Let Xu Binchen rest for a day to recover fully from his cold. Then, the day after that, you will go there again and gather more information. How about it?"


    "No problem, Captain." Xu Binchen nodded readily. "Sorry, I neglected my health and caught a cold at these precarious times."


    Jin Renguang waved his hands. "Don''t worry. Just recuperate and don''t overwork again."


    Ru Meiqi: "Should I go with him?"


    "No." Xu Binchen directly refused. "I will go alone this time. It isn''t aligned with my character to stay with the same woman for a long time. Don''t worry, I will be able to manage it."


    Everyone: "¡­"


    Qin Weizheughed until his stomach ached. "You''re really a dedicated actor, huh?"


    "Okay." Jin Renguang''s deep voice cut through and brought everyone''s attention together again. "Then we will leave it just like that. Xu Binchen, remember to pull out once the situation is deemed dangerous. I will try to investigate the loophole in the Butterfly Trap and continue to scan through the CCTV in the area nearby. I will leave the matter in the Capital to both Xu Binchen and Miss Ru. Meanwhile, I request for Qin Weizhe and therades in the Capital to fully assist in this case. Thank you very much."


    Qin Weizhe beamed. "No problem! Just leave it to me!"


    Xu Binchen nodded but inwardly he thought, even if he acted wilful, Si Yusheng wouldn''t dare to do anything to him due to his identity.


    "Then, we will conclude the meeting¡ª"


    "Actually, I have an idea." Ru Meiqi, who was silently contemting since a while ago, said out loud. "But I don''t know whether it will be feasible."


    Jin Renguang: "Say it."


    "As you all know, the culprit''s profiling stated that he has a severe case of OCD, that''s why he has such an urate precision when he cut his victims and also why he''s so dead set on finding Shi Nian. Such a person, what do you think he will react when he finds out that someone giarized his work and threw the me onto his head?"


    Jin Renguang said firmly. "He will be furious."


    "Right." Ru Meiqi snapped her fingers. "Instead of waiting for him toe to us, why not bait him here? Spread the news that the serial killer has started to kill again. Of course, we will cover part of the truth to let the citizens believe that it''s truly his work. Anyway, the murder is real and we have already caught the culprit. Why not make the best out of it?"


    "If the culprit discovered that someone sshed dirty water onto his head," Qin Weizhe couldn''t help but chuckle. "He will definitely run here and go rampant."


    Jin Renguang was silent for a moment. "I will discuss it with Director Fen."


    He didn''t reject it meant that he was already considering it. Ru Meiqi''s heart felt warm because she knew that her idea was too wild and controversial. It would definitely create some panic among people. However, Jin Renguang still considered it seriously.


    "Thank you," she whispered in a small voice.


    The long meeting concluded after that and there''s still too much work to do. But at least, they began to make out some lights in this prolonged darkness. If they kept walking, eventually they would arrive at the final destination.


    Ru Meiqi had the feeling that they would be able to achieve breakthrough soon.

 Chapter 158 - Unwanted Child

    "¡­the serial killer has once again begun to act! Last time, the police sealed off the Recreational Park in City A for the weekend. Main investigator Detective Jin Renguang said that he would give further notice in the future. However, four months has passed and now, there''s another victim in the Capital! The modus operandi is still the same, the victim was dismembered and the body was thrown into a public garbage can in the apartment district no. 12. People were protesting what exactly the police had been doing all these times and now, we are here to witness Detective Jin''s press conference on 9 am, 24th September that''s held in the conference hall of City A''s Police Bureau."


    The screen changed from the female reporter to the official hall in the police station. Jin Renguang stepped onto the stage d in a dark blue police uniform which hugged his powerful figure. Blinding lights shed ceaselessly but the man''s expression didn''t change a bit.


    "Good morning, fellow reporters and everyone behind the screen. My name is Jin Renguang, the main investigator for the serial murder case that has been going on for more than a year." Jin Renguang adjusted the mic and proceeded to solemnly borate the ''Mr.Wu''¡ªthe victim''s case outline. "It has been confirmed that this is another victim of the serial killer we have been chasing for. On behalf of the police, I am ashamed to have made you all disappointed. However, please rest assured, the police have gathered more and more clues that will bring us to the serial killer. During these times, we hope that¡­"


    Jin Renguang''s calm, steady tone rang out from the TV amidst the intermittent sound of page turning. A series of knocks resounded through the door and Si Yusheng answered without looking up from the document in front of him. "Yes?"


    The door swung open and the bartender in charge of the front lounge came in, bowing slightly. "Manager Si, the man surnamed Xu hase."


    "Really?" Si Yusheng closed the document and looked up with a smile. "Alright, I wille out in a moment."


    The bartender nodded and closed the door.


    Si Yusheng turned off the TV and the room returned to its silence. He walked across his office toward the small mirror that was hung behind the door, inspecting his appearance and practicing a smile. After that, he went out to receive the wealthy Young Master Xu.


    "Mr.Xu," he greeted with an impable smile. "It has been a long time. I almost wondered if I''ve done something to offend you."


    The man came alone this time, sitting on the sofa with his arms spread out on both sides like a king. In his hand was a ss of red wine, its color tantalizing and amorous against his cold features. "It has nothing to do with you, Manager Si. I have just been ying around too much and got sick because of it."


    Because Xu Binchen had just recovered from his cold, his jaw looked sharper and his lips pale. With hisnguid appearance, he looked exactly like someone with kidney deficiency.


    Manager Siughed lightly. "Then, I am relieved. Shall we?"


    Xu Binchen nodded and they entered the hidden corridor again. "How about my little toy, Manager Si?"


    "Don''t worry. We have kept her safe and sound. Wait a moment, I will call her here for you."


    Xu Binchen thought for a while and stopped, earning a questioning smile from Si Yusheng. "Let her go to the room first. I have something to talk to you."


    "Oh?" Si Yusheng raised a brow.


    Hesitation flickered within Xu Binchen''s eyes before it became firm and determined. "Manager Si, what do you think about a cooperation with me?"


    Manager Si was surprised for a second and his smile deepened. "I am quite interested to hear that. Let''s talk in my office." They turned into another corner and walked along a winding path to circle around the row of rooms. Xu Binchen casually looked around and counted at least 5 CCTVs along the way. "May I ask for the reason, Mr.Xu?"


    Xu Binchen shrugged. "You know, my family may not be well known in China because my ancestry originated from abroad."


    "Of course. Who hasn''t heard of the prestigious Xander Family? Actually, I have heard bits and pieces about you, Mr. Xu. But at that time, I didn''t know that you have a Chinese name too. Imagine how surprised I am to see you in China."


    This time, it was Xu Binchen who was intrigued. "You know me?"


    Si Yusheng chuckled quietly. They stopped in front of arge mahogany room with delicate andplicated patterns carved on it. Xu Binchen noted how Si Yusheng directly pushed the door open without any mechanical lock.


    The room was decorated elegantly and it reallyplimented Si Yusheng''s temperament. Mature, elegant and chic. The floor was covered with soft carpet and the wall was painted in light grey. There was arge rectangr table with a swivel chair and a huge shelf on one side of the wall, filled to the brim.


    Si Yusheng gestured for Xu Binchen to take a seat on the couch as he poured a ss of wine for both of them.


    "Of course." He continued their conversation. "Aren''t you Ash Xander, the son of Mr. Graham Xander, one of the leading engineers in NASA and Madam Ailey Xander, the scientist who discovered the cure for thetest mria outbreak in Florida?"


    Seeing how Si Yusheng could urately disclose his parents'' identity, Xu Binchen couldn''t help butugh. "Surely, Manager Si is very extraordinary. In the entire world, only less than one hundred people know of my existence."


    Xu Binchen''s parents worked for the government and their projects were mainly confidential. Because of that, his whole family was under regr protection or, crudely said, supervision. Both of his parents were Chinese, but his father had lived his whole life in US and then, met his mother who worked in the institute in the same country through a blind date. Both of them got married and decided to stay in US.


    Xander Family was a family of influential figures. It was said that back in the Wei Dynasty, the Xander or Xu Family had produced generations of empresses and imperial consorts. Their wealth and prestige had umted so much that when the Xu Family''s great grandfather moved to US, he was able to flourish and expand his businesswork more and more, making him a great big tycoon.


    After that, the Xander Family didn''t regenerate. Instead, they produced more influential figures; doctors, ministers, engineers. By now, even when the Xander Family was only left with Graham alone, their roots hade so deep that the government had to be wary when it came to them.


    When Xu Binchen was born, his parents decided to hide it from the whole world. First, it was because they didn''t want any excessive attention on him that could hinder his growth.


    Second, it was because Xu Binchen himself was an unwanted child.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Finally, Xu Binchen''s mysterious identity is revealed! A little bit foreshadowing of their past that''s mentioned above: Xu Binchen''s family is a family that used to produce empresses and imperial consorts during the Wei Dynasty, the dynasty where Shi Nian and General Jiang Jinyan came from hehe so, there you go their rtionship map in the historical era.

 Chapter 159 - Please Let Me Go...

    It was said that workaholics were hereditary in the Xander Family. Sir and Madam Xander were busy all year around and the amount of time they got together was only enough for themselves. They conceived a child five years after their marriage and gave birth to Xu Binchen''s sister, Tiffany Xander.


    After that, they dumped Little Tiffany to the nanny and threw themselves into work again.


    Madam Xander felt like one child was enough. She was busy enough already and originally, she wasn''t really fond of children. It was only because Graham was the only child of Xander Family did her heart finally soften to give him a child.


    Who knew that Madam Xander would get pregnant once again when Tiffany was already six years old?


    Thus, it wasn''t unreasonable to say that Xu Binchen was truly an unwanted child conceived out of ident. Thus, he received less care than what his sister did.


    Xu Binchen grew up sensible, he knew that both of his parents were busy and he wasn''t a child who would cry for his parents either.


    Throughout his life, Xu Binchen was the ''other people''s child''. He had good looks, tall, handsome, rich, his charisma was overflowing, making him the typical male god among women.


    He was independent and smart. When he was only in junior high, he already learned how to analyze the trading market and earned his own money.


    When he came of age, he used the money he earned to invest in real estate, duplicating his private wealth by folds and finally bought a few good buildings for rent, a private ne and a holiday resort which he nned to enjoy when he retiredter.


    However, the teenager Ash Xander couldn''t forget the homnd which he spent the first five years of his life in.


    It wasn''t known what the reason was but the Young Master Ash Xander suddenly moved to China alone, changed his name to Chinese name, applied to military school and proceeded to the police academy to be a detective. People said that he''s wilful and rebellious, some said that he wouldn''t know how to suffer until he bumped into a wall, but this year, Xu Binchen was already 24 years old and he didn''t regret the choice he made back then.


    He hadn''t regretted anything in his life.


    He just didn''t expect that there was someone in this bar who managed to find out who he was.


    Xu Binchen didn''t deliberately hide it but he didn''t show it off either. He just didn''t like unnecessary attention and for that, he had to thank his mother for the decision she made 24 years ago.


    Nheless, Si Yusheng actually pinpointed out his identity. Interesting¡­


    The corner of Xu Binchen''s lips curled up and something shed inside his eyes. "So how about it? Are you interested in doing business with me?"


    Si Yusheng leaned back in an elegant posture and sipped his wine. A faint smile hung on the corner of his lips. "Please borate."


    Both of them talked in the office for almost an hour. No one knew what they were talking about but when Xu Binchen came out, there was a satisfied look on his face. It was obvious that their talk was sessful.


    They proceeded to Xu Binchen''s room number 8. "Manager Si," he said. "When can I upgrade my membership card and enjoy the greatest service in this bar?"


    Si Yushengughed. "Don''t be so anxious, Mr.Xu. You will when the timees."


    They both had an unscrupulous businessman blood in their veins. Of course, Xu Binchen understood what he meant. Si Yusheng couldn''t trust him yet despite the revtion of his identity. It seemed like he had to take everything in a slow and steady way so as to not arouse any suspicion.


    Xu Binchen put on a regretful expression and shrugged. "Well, I will wait for it."


    Si Yusheng made a ''please'' gesture. "No.36 has prepared herself for you inside. We have also added some additional service so that you will not be bored. I hope that Mr.Xu will enjoy it to your heart''s content."


    Hearing his words, the corner of Xu Binchen''s eyelids jumped but he maintained his aloof expression. "Very well." He entered the password and the door clicked open.


    Inside, the room was pitch ck with only a very faint and dim yellow lighting from the corner, almost negligible.


    Xu Binchen stepped in and slowly got his eyes ustomed to the darkness. The room was the same as hest remembered and the yellow light he saw came from under the third room, flickering just like a burning candle.


    He already had an inkling as to what he was going to see but when he found a girl, wrapped in a thin silk nket on the bed with her cheeks flushed, whimpering and writhing, he still couldn''t help but feel uncontroble anger and disgust welling up deep inside his chest.


    The third room that was shut when he enteredst time had been opened in advance and now, he could clearly see that this was a very lifelike imitation of the ck room. There was a huge, transparent cab full of adult toys.


    Strings of thin chains hung down from the ceiling, locking the girl''s wrists above her head so that she couldn''t escape.


    Hearing the door creak open, Lei Liqiu opened her eyes with difficulty, her sight blurry. The flickering candle reflected half of the tall man''s features while the rest of it was submerged into the darkness, watching her intently like a predator. She recoiled back in fear and the chain nking loudly along with her movements, fixing her on the huge bed.


    As if she was a sacrificialmb offered in a silver tter.


    "No¡­" Her weak, sobbing voice pleaded. "Please let me go¡­."


    Her harsh breathing and cries echoed throughout the space, magnified indefinitely. There was a burning sensation deep inside her body and she couldn''t help but rub her legs together, tears streaming down her face. Her mind was slowly numbing away and a tingling sensation crawled up from the heel of her toes to the top of her head.


    Instinct and logic battled within her.


    The instinct said that her savior had arrived. She wouldn''t suffer anymore. He would be able to solve this unbearable itching sensation throughout her body. She wanted him, wanted him very much.


    But her logic kept pping her awake. No, you can''t sumb! Don''t do this!


    In the end, she couldn''t even discern what wasing out from her mouth anymore. One second, it was a helpless pleading of mercy and the next second, it was a string of ambiguous moans. Sweat trickled down her body, adding on to the lustrous shine on theyer of her dewy skin.


    Before she realized it, the man had disappeared from the spot.


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    A/N: New privilege tier will be updated on 1st October! You can read up to 5 chapters in advance only with 25 coins!

 Chapter 160 - A Mans Lips Could Taste So Sweet

    W¡ªWhere was he¡­?


    There was a mix of relief, longing and loss in Lei Liqiu''s heart. Broken string of pearls trickled down the corner of her eyes and she bit her lips to muffle the cry that threatened to escape from her throat. She was like a parched deserter, dying of thirst and ended up finding a mysterious honeybee.


    She knew that the honey would make her thirstier, possibly it would also kill her. But she couldn''t bear it anymore. She wanted it even though it was poison.


    "Help¡­" She cried out, "Anybody, help me¡­"


    As if answering her plea, the door mmed open against the wall, creating a loud bang and in the next second, a cold bucket of water was poured up from above her head. Literally.


    She gasped in shock, the water entered her nose and mouth, making her cough incessantly.


    The next moment, the room turned bright. Translucent light shone out from every corner of the room and Lei Liqiu could finally open her eyes enough to see the other person. "Mr¡ªMr.Xu¡­"


    He was as cold as she remembered him to be. As he towered above her, there was a rolling storm crashing within his eyes, the mere sight of it was enough to sober her up. "Have you regained your senses?"


    The frost in his tone was enough to make the room submerged in ciers. Truly, Lei Liqiu felt like she was suddenly transported into Antarctica. Even the fire inside her body wasn''t enough to rival the man''s chilly aura.


    "Y¡ªYes." She shifted, trying to cover her shameful appearance, her eyes blurry with tears. "I¡ªI am sorry."


    Xu Binchen had gone to confirm that there weren''t any listening bugs inside the room before fetching a bucket of cold water. In this early autumn, drenched in cold water in the middle of the night would surely make someone invulnerable to cold.


    The soaking wet Lei Liqiu was akin to a stray cat that had just been hauled out from the sewer, her eyes reddened in humiliation and shame.


    In the next second, a warm jacket fell upon her head, covering her sight and bringing with it the faint scent of wine and fresh cologne. "Bear with it for a while." The man''s voice sounded and a slight pull yanked on her chained wrist.


    Xu Binchen rummaged through the drawer on the table beside the bed and found a small key. He directly unlocked the chain and Lei Liqiu was set free.


    The girl wrapped herself in the nket and Xu Binchen''s wide jacket, her eyes slightly bewildered due to the aphrodisiac. "Thank you¡ªachoo!"


    Xu Binchen gave her a fleeting nce and pulled on her arm.


    Lei Liqiu shrank back, her wide eyes filled with fear. "W¡ªWhat do you want?!"


    "Stay still." He said curtly, eyes staring intently on the white skin along her arms.


    Lei Liqiu bit her lower lips so hard that it was going to bleed. She could feel the man''s soft breath caressing her skin, his strong presence and the undeniable pheromones he exuded. Under the bright light, Xu Binchen''s stunning features were akin to an Adonis that was carved out of ice.


    However, he didn''t notice her predicament at all.


    His fingers slid across her inner arm and he found a few small bruises and ck dots. Frowning, he asked in a grave tone. "They injected something into you?"


    Lei Liqiu tried to concentrate and answered. "Yes¡­"


    The most probable one was aphrodisiac but who knew whether there would be another kind of drugs in there? Xu Binchen''s expression sank and his jaws clenched.


    From Lei Liqiu''s perspective, she could see the small movement of his lower jaw, sharp enough to slice through her defense. His curly eyshes, hiding the dark, obsidian eyes that were particrly sharp and aloof. His thinned lips, pale and supple¡­


    Lei Liqiu fell into a trance. She didn''t know what possessed her, but the next thing she knew, she had her arms wrapped around the man''s neck, her teeth biting his lower lips, impatient and eager. Her eyes blurred and a weak whimper sounded from her throat, pleading sweetly.


    Xu Binchen stiffened, clearly didn''t expect that she would move all of a sudden. The sudden weight around his neck caused him to lose his bnce and his arms propped on both sides of her to stabilize his fall.


    This movement made Lei Liqiu move more freely, her lips nibbling and sucking messily, hot breaths syed between the cracks of her lips. "En¡­um¡­" Wet kissing sounds and soft moans reverberated through the room.


    Never did Lei Liqiu realize that a man''s lips could taste so sweet and exquisite.


    She was like a death row prisoner that was granted amnesty, her body pressing up to him, eager to stick herself closer. She opened his lips, her tongue leaking the seam of his lips¡­


    However, her arms were empty all of a sudden.


    She opened her eyes hazily and saw his tall figure with his cor opened a bit, showing the sight of his corbone. The man''s hair had be slightly messy and his lips glistened due to the kiss, yet his eyes remained icy cold. He wiped the corner of his lips and without a word, chained both of Lei Liqiu''s hands once again.


    Lei Liqiu: ???


    "Stay there until you have sobered up." He left that sentence and went out of the room, leaving her alone and helpless.


    He returned a few secondster and dumped another bucket of water above her head mercilessly. The bed became totally wet and the thin nket clung to her figure. Fortunately, there was still Xu Binchen''s jacket covering her, even though it had all turned wet due to his act¡­


    Lei Liqiu''s face paled along with the chill and her shoulders trembled incessantly. "Sorry¡­" She choked on her tears. "Sorry, Mr.Xu¡­I didn''t mean to do that. I don''t know why¡­"


    How could she be so wanton andscivious?! Lei Liqiu couldn''t believe that she could actually behave in such a presumptuous manner.


    She was already twenty three years old but Zhu Zhenli was her first boyfriend. Thetter had been chasing her for a while. At first, she had rejected him but Zhu Zhenli remained firm and persistent. Maybe that''s why Lei Liqiu became softhearted in the end and decided to try it out with him.


    However, they only hugged and held hands. Zhu Zhenli hadn''t even kissed her cheeks yet!


    But just now¡­just a little bit more and she would have slid her tongue inside a man''s mouth¡­


    A man whom she had just met two times.


    Oh my God¡­


    Lei Liqiu instinctively bit her lips, a subconscious movement when she was anxious or worried. Yet it made her jolt because she could still taste the lingering sweetness and acidity of Xu Binchen''s lips there. Her cheeks reddened further and she sneezed two more times.


    Xu Binchen knitted his brows. He couldn''t ask for any antidote because it would make Si Yusheng suspicious. He hade so far and he wasn''t willing to trip just because of a random woman. Nheless, he couldn''t leave her like this all night either.


    The man''s face turned more and more somber, scaring Lei Liqiu so much that she didn''t dare to breathe too loud. The ambiguous atmosphere earlier had dispersed without leaving a trace, leaving a thick awkwardness that was so mortifying that she wished to die.


    Xu Binchen pondered for a while and made a decision. "Get up. Take a cold shower first and rinse yourself with hot water."


    Lei Liqiu looked up nkly. His naturalmanding tone made her obey but before she could move, the chains nked once again and she was thrown back into the bed. The harsh movement caused Xu Binchen''s jacket to slide down from her body.


    Lei Liqiu: "!!!"


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Congrattions to listlesslemon, you guessed it right! Xu Binchen''s fl is indeed Lei Liqiu. I have made numerous considerations for it and you will slowly see that she is the best choice for him! ^^


    Where is the main couple''s romance?! Why are the side couples thriving?! Be patient, dearies. It is because Jiang Jinyan is too fragile and vtile right now so Shi Nian should take it slow.. Too much care will make him suspicious and that''s just the way he is QAQ everything will be sweet when the timees. Wait for it ;)

 Chapter 161 - Dislike People Touching My Things

    Lei Liqiu let out a cry as Xu Binchen''s jacket slid off, showing the curvature of her chest that was only covered by a wet silk nket. The white color of the nket clung to her skin tightly, and she could even see the faint outline of twin buds that were perking up¡­


    Fortunately, Xu Binchen didn''t let down his guard this time. He directly picked up the jacket and tied it around Lei Liqiu''s body without making any contact with her. In an instant, she looked like a pitiful dumpling with her wrists still chained above her head.


    Xu Binchen had an immense migraine. "You shouldn''t do anything." He warned.


    "I¡ªI won''t!" She rebuked, ashamed. However, even she herself couldn''t believe her words. If Xu Binchen got close to her once more, wouldn''t she lose her mind and try to pounce on him again? Her tone weakened in the end and she suggested. "What if¡­you just leave me here¡ªa-choo!" She sniffled, goosebumps rising along her arms from the chill.


    Xu Binchen sneered. "You don''t have to say it, I also want to do that."


    Lei Liqiu: "¡­." Why could he be so mean¡­?


    "So annoying." He frowned and went to examine the chain. This kind of thrilling game, even if Xu Binchen hadn''t yed it before, he still knew one or two principles behind it. The chain was used to restrict the female''s movement in BDSM y and it should be designed to the male''s pleasure. The control was handed to the stronger one and it meant there should be some way for Xu Binchen to take it off from the ceiling.


    He only needed one minute to see the sp in the middle of the chain. With one swift movement, he took it off and Lei Liqiu''s body lost its support, falling back to the bed with a thump. She looked up in shock to see the end of the chains in Xu Binchen''s hands as the man pulled on it, demanding. "Get up."


    Even if Lei Liqiu''s heart was as wide as the ocean, she still couldn''t bear this kind of humiliation.


    For the first time, she hardened her voice and spoke out. "I¡ªI can do it myself!" She snatched the chain from Xu Binchen''s hands, much to the man''s surprise.


    Lei Liqiu''s skin reddened from head to toe as she struggled to stand up. However, her legs weakened when she stood up, causing her to fall back again and again. She bit her lips hard, tears pooling up on her eyes. The hot and burning sensation was rising again, rendering her weak and needy.


    She pinched her thigh to sober herself up and took a deep breath.


    To her dismay, the pain just added to the tingling sensation, almost making her scalp numb.


    Xu Binchen''s presence became so intense all of a sudden, she couldn''t ignore it even when she had her back on him. Thus, when he stepped forward, Lei Liqiu sensed it clearly and her entire body stiffened.


    A sigh came from behind her and her feet left the ground all of a sudden. "Ah!" She yelped in shock and Xu Binchen''s sculpted face came close, so close that she could see the fine hair on his cheek. "Y¡ªYou¡ª"


    "Stay still." Xu Binchen walked inrge strides toward the bathroom.


    Lei Liqiu didn''t dare to move even though her breath was turning heavy. Every single breath she inhaled was suffused with the scent that only belonged to him. The more she took it in, the more intoxicated she became.


    "Don''t you dare." He warned in a low voice, pushing the door open and putting her down in the bathtub.


    The cold surface touched her back and Lei Liqiu let out a suppressed moan, breathless and bewitching. Her cheeks flushed and her eyes were covered in ayer of mist, lustrous under the incandescent light, reflecting the man''s strong figure as he fiddled with the shower head and turned the setting to the highest volume. In the next second, a burst of cold water mmed down on Lei Liqiu''s body once again.


    He leaned forward and caught her chin, his dark eyes bore down on her. "Sober up. If you can''t hold it back, just lock yourself in the bathroom, okay?"


    Lei Liqiu nodded, her watery eyes nk.


    Xu Binchen harrumphed coldly, flicking his sleeves which had turned wet and strode out of the bathroom, mming the door behind him.


    Lei Liqiu, who was submerged in icy cold water both literally and figuratively, shivered.


    Even though she was thankful and relieved, there was also humiliation and aggrieved feeling that she couldn''t quite exin. He was so swift and decisive¡­ Was she really so unattractive that he could act so indifferent and frosty?


    ***


    The next day, Si Yusheng was summoned into room number 8 early in the morning. He hastily washed his face, still with traces of sleep as he strived to muster a smile, albeit a little stiff. It was only six in the morning! Which ghost would be awake at this time? Moreover, this was a bar ah! A ce where people danced and partied all night. Was it legal to be awoken at times like these?


    No matter how patient and professional Si Yusheng was, he was also annoyed.


    Two times Mr.Xu came and two times he was summoned at this inhuman hour.


    He knocked on the door and it clicked open, pouring the bright light of the living room to the dim hallway. Si Yusheng walked in and found Xu Binchen sitting on the long sofa, a burning cigarette between his fingers with grey fog blurring his features.


    "Manager Si." He greeted. "I am very sorry to disturb you at this hour."


    The corner of Si Yusheng''s mouth twitched. He couldn''t sense the apology in Xu Binchen''s tone. Nevertheless, he still smiled and replied. "It''s okay, Mr.Xu. May I ask if you need something?"


    He walked closer and only then did he realize that there was a small lump beside Xu Binchen. Looking closer, it was actually No.36 with her whole body covered only in a flimsy nket. Her head was on Xu Binchen''sp, eyes shut as she slept with a restless frown. There were bluish circles below her eyes and her lips were tinged in blue.


    The patch of skin which wasn''t covered by the nket showed traces of red and faint purple marks.


    In one nce, it was obvious how tortured she wasst night.


    Si Yusheng''s eyes brightened up and his smile became much more sincere. "Do you like our service, Sir?"


    Xu Binchen tapped his cigarette on the ashtray, his cold voice asking. "What did you inject into her bodyst night?"


    Si Yusheng interpreted it as interest and he answered swiftly. "It''s only a little ecstasy drug in our house. Nothing more."


    "Really?" His eyes narrowed and his tone turned dangerous. "You know, even though I appreciate your thoughts, I really dislike people touching my things."


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Xu Binchen''s potential to be a scum man: 100% hahaha


    Poor Lei Liqiu, facing Xu Binchen, she has to be extremely, exceedingly, truly patient.

 Chapter 162 - Could She Be Rejected?!

    Si Yusheng''s eyelids jumped and cold sweat dripped down his back. However, he was a wily old fox that had handled countless people before. Even in the face of Xu Binchen''s heavy pressure, he stood his ground and put on a regretful expression. "Really? My apology, Mr.Xu, it''s my negligence. I will make sure to note it down next time."


    Xu Binchen hummed indifferently but his sharp eyes pierced into Si Yusheng''s body.


    "Then," Si Yusheng offered. "Seeing how you like her so much, how about I give her to you?"


    The room plunged into silence in the next moment. It wasn''t known what Xu Binchen was thinking about but in the end, he replied. "No." However, his tone lightened somehow, proving that Si Yusheng''s sincerity had appeased him. "It''s annoying. I don''t want to keep something permanently. She will be kept here and serve only me and me alone. No one can touch her, not even you, got it?"


    "Sure, we can do that." Si Yusheng smiled, relieved.


    "Prolong the contract to next month. I think I will keep oning here in the future." Xu Binchen looked down at the girl''s miserable appearance and the corner of his lips curled up into a meaningful smile which was received perfectly by Si Yusheng.


    The two men became closer after the contract was signed and Xu Binchen''s membership card was upgraded. In a sense, he had already achieved what he came for.


    Xu Binchen left in satisfaction and when Lei Liqiu woke up with her head aching from having showered with cold water all night, there was only an empty room left.


    She remembered what the man had told herst night. "During this period, try to record the captives'' names. Find out where they came from, who brought them in and what they had seen here. Remember, don''t provoke anyone else and keep it under wraps."


    Her breath stuck in her throat and she asked in a small voice. "¡­who are you? Are you a cop?"


    The man didn''t answer but his firm gaze had already dispelled Lei Liqui''s doubt. Her heart lightened in an instant and the long lost hope was rekindled. She clenched her fists tight and nodded. "I¡ªI will. You¡­may I know your name?"


    It was only a simple question but when Lei Liqiu recalled how she had kissed the man without even knowing his name and identity, she blushed in shame.


    Xu Binchen was speechless seeing how the girl''s skin could change color in a blink of an eye. Even so, he didn''t have any qualms about telling her. "My surname is Xu, given name Binchen."


    "Mr. Xu Binchen¡­" Lei Liqiu muttered, her heart ticklish as if there was a feather grazing on it gently. She saw the man''s cold, handsome features and couldn''t help her heartbeat quickening. "Don''t worry, Mr.Xu, I will definitely do it properly!"


    Lei Liqiu didn''t know what Xu Binchen had done but from then on, no one dared to touch her anymore.


    ***


    "I have finished the task." He unbuttoned his shirt, took it off and changed into a clean, simple shirt that emitted a soft fragrance of detergent. The phone was still connected with Ru Meiqi and Xu Binchen reported as he drove out from the bar. "Lei Liqiu will be our spy from now on."


    Ru Meiqi paused. "Alright, I will trust your judgment. But make sure that the girl will be safe inside."


    "Don''t worry." The scene ofst night''s kiss shed on his mind and he frowned. "She isn''t so stupid...I guess."


    Ru Meiqi was speechless by his crude remark. "¡­Speaking of it, what happened to your voice?"


    Xu Binchen cleared his throat. "Stayed up all night."


    "What are you doing not sleeping all night¡ªwait, no, don''t tell me. I don''t want to know."


    "What the hell are you thinking about?" He scoffed. "Si Yusheng injected aphrodisiac into her body. I have to take care of her throughout the night."


    Ru Meiqi was sure that ''take care'' in Xu Binchen''s version wasn''t what she was thinking about. Suddenly, she pitied the girl. Ru Meiqi sighed. "Well, just go back and rest first. Afterall, you have just recovered from your cold."


    It was only six something in the morning and the road was clear and smooth. Xu Binchen turned the steering wheel and answered with a hum. "I will go back in the afternoon."


    He recalled how Qiang Fei would always cook congee these past few days for breakfast and how Shi Nian would always knock on his door to share the food. Warmth permeated through his heart and his cold eyes softened ever so slightly. Even he didn''t realize that he was stepping on the elerator harder.


    When Xu Binchen arrived, it was only 7.15 am. He rode the elevator to the highest floor and walked to his door, expecting to see a certain someone there.


    Well, there was indeed someone. However, it wasn''t the person he was expecting.


    Xu Binchen halted in his tracks. "¡­Madam Shi?"


    Qiang Fei stood in front of his door, d in a business suit with her hair rolled up and delicate make up on her face. However, it still couldn''t cover the fatigue and anxiety between his brows. Seeing Xu Binchen, her eyes lit up and she bowed. "Detective Xu."


    Xu Binchen''s expression sank and he quickened his steps. "Is there something wrong with Shi Nian?"


    "Well¡­" Qiang Fei sighed wryly. "I don''t know if it''s worth mentioning but still, I am very worried. It''s nothing urgent but something seems to be wrong with Shi Nian."


    "What is it?" he asked, his tone slightly anxious.


    "Last night, I woke up in the middle of the night and went to the kitchen to fetch a drink. Then from Niannian''s room, I heard that¡­she was crying." Qiang Fei pursed her lips worriedly. "Do you think that there''s something wrong? This girl, she never told me anything at all¡­"


    Xu Binchen frowned deeply. "Did she act strangely these past few days?"


    "She just looked a little bit restless. However, there''s nothing unusual." Qiang Fei sighed heavily. "When Xiao Jiang came to our house to eat, she was still smiling so happily. What could have happened?"


    Xu Binchen''s eyelids twitched. "Her strange behavior began the day after Mr. Jiang came to your house?"


    Surprised, Qiang Fei asked incredulously.. "How could it be? Did something happen between them?" Her mother''s intuition worked and she blurted out. "Could she be rejected by Xiao Jiang?!"

 Chapter 163 - Only This One, You Cannot Destroy

    Jiang Jinyan closed the door behind him, ignoring the mewling kitten and sank himself into the sofa, heaving a tired sigh. Without wasting any second more, he took off his artificial leg and stretched his limb, feeling it sore and throbbing numbly.


    Evidently, he had walked too much today.


    Jiang Jinyan had just gone to report to Sangzhe University for his midterm transfer. He had already skipped a year due to his car ident and it was unreasonable for him to dy any longer. His sports schrship was gone along with his sinking future and now, Jiang Jinyan could only settle down for a while, trying to regain himself and finding what he liked to do in the meantime.


    He had prepared himself though. At the end of June after his mother''s death, he had decisively packed his luggage and moved out without bringing anything else. Afterward, he deliberately went to one ce after another to cover his tracks.


    He changed his number and this phone of his didn''t have any use except for calling takeaways and deliveries. Even the contact in it only had two numbers; Shi Nian and Xu Binchen.


    However, he knew that after he registered his data in the university, Jiang Huocheng would be able to find him sooner orter.


    Speak of the devil, and the devil wille. His phone rang in a timely manner and the string of numbers shown on the screen were ones that he had imprinted deep into his mind. His lips curled into a cold smile. Surprisingly, Jiang Huocheng had acted faster than he thought.


    Jiang Jinyan didn''t hide and picked it up, his tone leisurely. "Hello?"


    Silence reigned for a moment before Jiang Huocheng''s deep and solemn voice echoed. "Jinyan, have you been well?"


    Jiang Jinyan thought that no matter what Jiang Huocheng said, he wouldn''t be affected anymore. Ever since his mother died and Jiang Huocheng never appeared, his heart had gone cold, even his blood was frozen into icicles. He btedly discovered, it wasn''t that Jiang Huocheng couldn''t leave some time for them, it was that he didn''t want to.


    However, after hearing this sentence which was softly said, apanied with a gentle sigh, Jiang Jinyan felt his throat choked up. He took a deep breath and evened his tone. "Of course, I am very well."


    "Where are you right now?"


    "At home."


    "Jinyan¡­" He could almost imagine how Jiang Huocheng''s face would be on the other side of the phone. Frowning, with a hint of impatience between his brows. "Come back. Why did you settle in such a small university? Father can enroll you in any university you want."


    Jiang Jinyan sneered as all of the previous sentiments were wiped away.


    Once again, Jiang Huocheng just wanted to control him. Bound him to his side. Never letting him out of sight. Forever, Jiang Jinyan could only live as how Jiang Huocheng wanted him to be.


    He had once been full of hope, full of expectation that if he did well, Jiang Huocheng would look at him more. After it went unsessful, he changed. He thought that he had to create some troubles and threw tantrums so that Jiang Huocheng would pay more attention to him. Still, it didn''t seed.


    Now, he didn''t hope anymore, didn''t think and didn''t want to feel.


    "What to do?" He chuckled. "I just don''t want toe back."


    "You¡ª" Jiang Huocheng sighed wearily. "Do you still me father?"


    me him, Jiang Jinyan used to. In the first few days after Guan Xiaoxiao''s death, Jiang Jinyan spent the nights wide awake. He couldn''t help but wonder what if¡ªwhat if Jiang Huocheng had cared a little bit more, what if he hade back, what if he wasn''t so cold and ruthless, would his mother still be alive right now?


    Later, he learned that even ming someone took a great deal of effort.


    It was tiring to hate. Right now, all Jiang Jinyan felt was only exhaustion, emptiness and bitterness.


    "No." He said. "Why should I me you? It''s all your choice, you''re the one who chose to marry mother and you''re also the one who chose to abandon us."


    "Jinyan!" Jiang Huocheng''s voice raised higher. "How can you say that?! You...You just don''t understand it¡ª"


    "Yes, and right now, I no longer wish to understand." Jiang Jinyan looked up at the ceiling, his eyes nk as he said smoothly. "Don''t bother me anymore. It''s enough for us to live like this, don''t you think so? If you force me further, the next time you see me, maybe all you will get is a cold corpse in the morgue."


    Jiang Huocheng sucked in a harsh breath. "You¡­what are you saying?!" His roar sounded extremely harsh in Jiang Jinyan''s ears and somehow, there was a manic satisfaction within him to know that he could stimte Jiang Huocheng''s emotion so much.


    Pain. Feel more pain. Jiang Jinyan didn''t want to be the only one who was hurting. He just wanted to drag everyone down with him.


    "I am not kidding, father." He emphasized on thest word and said hisst sentence. "I hope that you will live a hundred years more."


    He hung up directly but somehow, it felt like he could still feel Jiang Huocheng''s breath fanning beside him.


    He rubbed his ears nkly, his veins tightening. Something dark was brewing inside his chest, threatening to burst out at any moment.


    The little kitten popped up from under the sofa, snuggling against his feet and wanted to climb up his pants.


    Jiang Jinyan lowered his head to look at the struggling kitten, thousands of thoughts whispered within his mind which ended with thest word: destroy.


    He gnashed his teeth, a deep growl emerged deep within his chest like a wounded beast with nowhere to go. Nails pierced into the flesh on his palm yet he felt nothing at all. He could only hear his own blood coursing through his veins.


    The kitten was spooked by the sound he made but it didn''t affect much as it kept on climbing and climbing.


    Jiang Jinyan closed his eyes and took a deep breath.


    No. You can''t. Only this one, you cannot destroy.


    Jiang Jinyan stood up and instantly lost his bnce. His arm shot out to grab the corner of the table, blue and green veins bulging out of his fair skin, truly...a hideous sight. The kitten rolled down from his sudden movement but Jiang Jinyan couldn''t afford to care, not right now.


    He stumbled to the side room, using the wall as his support, his gait was akin to a drunken man. The door mmed close so hard that the doorframe seemed to be shaking and in the next moment, the sound of ss breaking and dull thumping sound echoed repeatedly, not stopping until more than an hour.


    All of it was only witnessed by the little kitten who was faithfully waiting, scratching on the door without receiving any answer. Its ears drooped sadly as if it could see its owner who was suffering inside.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Don''t be sad everything will be better soon QAQ


    Anyway, thank you very much for ArcaneMag and Kelly_Irvine_1077 dearies for your golden tickets! (¨R?¨Q) I love you!

 Chapter 164 - National Treasure, Principal Mo

    "Are you ready?"


    Shi Nian grabbed her backpack and nodded at Qiang Fei''s question. Thetter smiled and scanned Shi Nian''s face as if searching for something. "Mama will always be here if you want to talk, okay?"


    Shi Nian: ???


    She looked up to find Qiang Fei''s enigmatic smile, confused. What was she talking about?


    However, Qiang Fei didn''t give her any chance to react as she already turned around and put on her high heels. She thought that it wasn''t good to force Shi Nian to talk lest it opened up the wound inside her heart. It wasmon to be rejected and Shi Nian had to deal with it alone for her to grow up.


    s, adolescence, Qiang Fei sighed.


    She opened the door to find Xu Binchen leaning against the wall, fiddling with the lighter. "Detective Xu." She greeted him with a smile. "I have to trouble you today."


    "No problem." Xu Binchen straightened up and his gaze passed through Qiang Fei. Seeing her behave like usual, he finally heaved a sigh of relief. "Let''s go."


    They parted ways on the apartment gate. Qiang Fei went to herpany while Xu Binchen drove Shi Nian to Sangzhe High School. Midterm had just ended during this period and Xu Binchen couldn''t rest assured letting her go alone.


    "It''s okay to be nervous. Don''t care too much if you can''t integrate with your ss. Everyone will part ways in the end, anyway. It''s kind of useless to make friends at times like these. The most important thing you have to do is study, got it?"


    Thest sentence was okay. But the former half, was it okay for him to say it like that? Wouldn''t elders usually tell their children to make friends and have more fun at school?


    Shi Nian suppressed her thoughts and asked. [You''re not busy today?]


    Xu Binchen adjusted the rearview mirror and shifted the gearstick. "I took the morning off." To her dismay, he hadn''t finished nagging yet. "If someone bothers you, just go directly to the principal and say my name. His name is Mo Qingshan and he''s my old friend. Or else, you can directly call him. Okay, I have sent his contact info to you."


    Shi Nian looked at the newest message in her phone and saw a string of numbers on it. Once again, she was struck speechless. Was it okay to behave like this? She was only going to school, not a war!


    Xu Binchen looked at her dazed look, seemingly wanting to say something but held back in the end.


    The drive to school didn''t take longer than 20 minutes. By now, there were many students who walked along the side streets, some were still eating breakfast at the stalls, chatting andughing, each of their faces was free of worry and fear.


    Shi Nian felt a burst of nostalgia. It had only been a few months but it felt like she hadn''t seen such peaceful scenery in a lifetime.


    Xu Binchen''s car drove directly to the gate. The security guard approached and knocked on his window. Xu Binchen greeted them politely, stating his intention.


    There weren''t many people who came by cars thus this sight early in the morning evoked quite a lot of attention. Moreover, some of the students caught sight of Xu Binchen''s aloof bearing and handsome temperament.


    In a blink of an eye, the school forum exploded.


    [A handsome hunk arrived at our school by car! I heard from the security guard that he''s bringing the newly transferred student!]


    [Holy¡ªso the rumor is true? It''s already midterm and a student is really transferring here?]


    [Reporting! I have seen the transfer student! It''s a girl with long ck hair and golden eyes! Very cute, docile and gentle!]


    [Ah ah ah!!! Do you think that he''s her boyfriend?]


    [Upstairsmenter, watch your mouth or else Principal Mo will ban you!]


    [Sisters, don''t let Principal Mo hear this kind of gossip or else the forum will be shut down again QAQ it''s not easy for us to retrieve it. Sincerely, from a member of the journalist club.]


    [Reporting! I saw the transfer student and the handsome hunk going to the Principal''s office!]


    [Upstairsmenter, please borate!]


    [Please borate +1]


    [Please borate +999]


    [What happened? Our strict, upright, national treasure Principal Mo finally received a bribe?]


    [rolleyes.jpg do you think Principal Mo will be so easily bribed? Upstairsmenter, scram!]


    [Hahaha, another brainless fan of Principal Mo. Why can''t he ept bribes?]


    Once this ck fan came out, the army of national treasure Principal Mo''s ''holy guardians'' came out like a throng of bees.


    [Don''t speak nonsense ah! Our Principal Mo is handsome, gentle and pure! He''s our Sangzhe''s national treasure! We must guard his innocence properly!]


    [Principal Mo is one out of a thousand! Don''t speak such sphemous words in front of him.]


    [*spray holy water* May Principal Mo bless you!]


    Themotion didn''t subside until the first bell rang. In the end, the students argued: which ss would the transfer student settle in?


    On the other hand, inside the Principal''s office, Shi Nian looked at the young, handsome and gentle Principal. In her mind, she had already imagined a beer belly uncle with sparse hair. Suddenly being thrown in front of such a person whose looks didn''t lose to Xu Binchen, Shi Nian couldn''t help staring.


    "Shi Nian, right?" Even his voice sounded so nice and gentle, it made one feel rxed andfortable. "Nice to meet you, I am Mo Qingshan. You can just call me Principal Mo like others. I have heard of your situation from Xu Binchen so don''t worry. The environment in Sangzhe is very good and the learning facility is top notch."


    Xu Binchen nodded, satisfied. "Look out for her."


    Mo Qingshan gave him a smiley nce. "Yes, I know."


    The two men stepped aside and talked about something else in hushed voices. A few minutester, a series of knocks came from the door and Mo Qingshan eximed. "Come in!"


    There came a middle aged woman with an icy temperament. She nodded politely and her eyes turned to Shi Nian. "This is the transfer student?"


    Mo Qingshan stepped forward and introduced both of them. "Yes, Teacher Yao, this is Shi Nian. Shi Nian, this is your homeroom teacher, Yao Xiurong."


    Yao Xiurong nodded coldly and stretched out her hand. "Hello Shi Nian. I will be your homeroom teacher from here on, please take care of me."


    Shi Nian looked into Yao Xiurong''s eyes and grabbed the woman''s hand with a smile. She had met many people before, both in this life and her past life. She had seen so much that she could easily pinpoint out the source of contempt and malice even if they hid it deeply.


    But she didn''t find it in Teacher Yao. Even though she sounded frosty and unapproachable, her work ethic was very professional and strict. Shi Nian liked it very much.


    Yao Xiurong didn''t waste anymore time and gestured for her. "Let''s go. The first bell has already rang out two times."


    Shi Nian nodded, turned to Xu Binchen and waved goodbye.


    The corner of Xu Binchen''s mouth ticked up and he waved back. "Study well. I will pick you up in the afternoon."


    Shi Nian bowed politely toward Mo Qingshan and trailed behind Yao Xiurong. The woman wore a grey slim fit suit that entuated her slender figure with her hair rolled up in a tidy bun. She looked quite young but Shi Nian couldn''t ascertain her age. Throughout the way, they both maintained a tacit silence.


    Yao Xiurong stopped in front of ss 1, Year 3. She turned around and said in an even tone. "I hope that you can study well in my ss. If there''s something you don''t understand, don''t hesitate to ask your ssmate for help."


    Shi Nian straightened up and nodded seriously.


    "Don''t be scared. If someone dared to bully you, juste to Teacher."


    This was the second time she heard this sentence in less than an hour. Did she really look so easily bullied? ck lines filled Shi Nian''s forehead but under Yao Xiurong''s stare, she nodded obediently.


    Because the school didn''t allow phone usage, Shi Nian switched to her board as she wrote. [I will do my best, teacher.]


    The corner of Yao Xiurong''s eyes softened ever so slightly and she touched Shi Nian''s head. "Let''s go in."


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: we''re finally starting the school arc. There will be many, many developments here hehehe

 Chapter 165 - New School Environment

    The midterm exams had just ended thus the mood of the third year students varied. Some were exuberant while some were depressed. Still, they didn''t have time to digest it as a new wave of tryouts wasing soon. The school was rowdy except for the third year block. It was tranquil, serene yet slightly gloomy. Only the sound of papers being flipped and hushed discussion could be heard.


    Yao Xiurong''s heels echoed throughout the hallway in a steady and calm manner. She pushed open the door and greeted. "Good morning, students."


    The ss monitor stood up and shouted. "Greeting to Teacher Yao."


    The rest of the students followed. "Good morning, Teacher!"


    Yao Xiurong nodded and stepped onto the podium. "Today, we will have a new ssmate." Without waiting for the students in the ss to react, she beckoned for Shi Nian toe over. "Come in."


    Shi Nian stepped forward gingerly and took in the entire ss'' surroundings. There were around thirty students in the ss, all of those eyes staring straight at her. Shi Nian gulped nervously and stood beside Yao Xiurong.


    She whispered. "Can you introduce yourself?"


    Shi Nian took a deep breath and nodded. She epted the chalk from Teacher Yao and wrote her name on the ckboard. Below it, she added [Please take care of me.] After that, she turned around and bowed deeply, her lips lifted into a bright smile.


    The students were dazed and in the next second, the silence exploded into an uproar.


    The gossiped transfer student went into their ss!


    Yao Xiurong tapped on the podium. "Alright, is there something you want to ask?"


    "Me, me!"


    "Shi Nian, is it? Why did you suddenly transfer schools?"


    "Which school did youe from?"


    "Who is the man that came with you this morning?"


    "Do you have a boyfriend?"


    Thest question was received with multiple boos, followed by giggles and unrestrainedughter. The heavy atmosphere dissipated slightly and Shi Nian was relieved to see such a weing atmosphere.


    Yao Xiurong''s face darkened and she massaged her brows. "I didn''t see you so energetic when you did practice papers. Shall I add five more?"


    "No, no Teacher. Please don''t! We have had enough!" The whole ss was wailing out loud.


    "Silence." Shemanded coldly and continued. "Take care of your ssmate well, got it? Shi Nian has some special circumstances so her study might begging quite behind. I hope that the ss will unite and help her as much as possible."


    Everyone: "Yes, Teacher! Don''t worry!"


    The ss monitor, a girl with thick sses, raised her hand.


    "Yes, Chen Jiawei?" It was obvious that Yao Xiurong liked this student judging from her patient tone.


    "Shi Nian," Chen Jiawei asked. "Do you have practice papers ready? How far along are you?"


    Shi Nian scratched her nose and wrote. [I don''t have any¡­but I do study regrly, now I am not very far from the current curriculum.]


    The whole ss saw Shi Nian busily writing and the atmosphere shifted for a moment.


    Yao Xiurong spoke out. "As you can see, ssmate Shi Nian has some special circumstances so get along with her, okay?."


    Chen Jiawei and everyone else was simrly stunned.


    Shi Nian had already known that she would be the center of attention when she carried a board everywhere. Still, the stares and gazes were so sticky that she became quite nervous.


    [Yes, I am unable to talk. Please take care of me, everyone.]


    ***


    By lunch break, the whole school had already known that the new transfer student was ced in ss 1, Year 3 and moreover, she was a little mute.


    The school bell rang and everyone in ss 1 collectively sighed in relief. Yao Xiurong closed the notebook and nodded. "Then, we will stop here. Don''t forget to do the practice papers for tomorrow. If you have time, memorize more vocabry."


    Shi Nian almost copsed onto the table, her head buzzing in pain. She had spent these past few months so leisurely that she had forgotten this Spartan-like study. No, this was worse than that because they were already in their third year. Time was tight and everyone wished that there would be 52 hours a day. Shi Nian didn''t even have any chance to get to know her ssmates because the lesson had started in a rush.


    Sheid like a salted fish until a chuckle was heard above her head.


    It was Chen Jiawei. "Shi Nian, are you hungry? Let''s go to the cafeteria together, shall we?" Shi Nian btedly discovered that under her thick sses, Chen Jiawei had very beautiful apricot eyes which color was simr to a ss bead.


    She was caring, passionate, mature and calm. It''s no wonder that she was the ss monitor.


    Shi Nian nodded and then two more people came to gather around her. The slightly chubby girl with dimples on her cheek was Li Qing and the twintails girl with a bright smile was Mo Ling. They were Chen Jiawei''s close friends. Now that Shi Nian joined them, the two girls automatically came to introduce themselves.


    "It''s really rare for a transfer student toe after midterm." Mo Lingughed cheerfully. "Do you know how much of an uproar you have caused in the school forum? It''s fortunate that my uncle upholds tight rules and maintains regr checks, if not maybe the school forum would have exploded and crashed!"


    Shi Nian tilted her head. [Your uncle?]


    "You don''t know?" Mo Ling''s eyes turned eager. "Of course, it''s the national treasure, our one and only Principal Mo! He''s my blood rted uncle, my father''s younger brother."


    "Ohe on." Chen Jiawei rolled her eyes and said to Shi Nian. "Don''t bother with her. She has been telling everyone that Principal Mo is his uncle until the whole school has gotten bored of it."


    Mo Ling: "Hey! You''re jealous, aren''t you?!"


    Who didn''t want to have such a cool, handsome and charismatic rtive like Mo Qingshan? Of course, Mo Ling had to boast about it, it''s best if the whole world knew!


    Li Qingughed lightly, as if she had seen amon reurrence. "Come on, or else we will not be getting any food."


    Shi Nian looked at the three girls'' dynamics with interest. They joked and teased each other, but in the end, their rtionship was really good. In her previous school, Shi Nian was so upied with part time jobs that even if her ssmates wanted to get close to her, they would gradually drift away because she always rejected their invitation.


    She trailed behind them with a smile, her steps were light and airy.. The rows of maple trees in the school courtyard painted a magnificent scenery, each leaf was like a small petal of me floating around.

 Chapter 166 - I Am Shi Nians Gege

    "Let''s go, let''s go! To the newest BBQ ce, how about it?" Mo Ling grabbed her backpack and skipped around. "It will be a weing ceremony for Shi Nian!"


    Chen Jiawei gave her a nce. "How much practice paper have you finished?"


    Hearing that question, Mo Ling''s enthusiasm dampened in an instant. "Why are you talking about that? We are already off school right now¡­"


    Students went out of the ss in one or two. Shi Nian had quite sessfully integrated into the ss, at least she knew two thirds of her ssmates'' names. Everyone was very nice and weing except for some who couldn''t afford to care. Afterall, they were already in the third year, it''s the time to improve themselves and they had no time to care about other''s business.


    Shi Nian put on an apologetic smile. [Sorry, someone ising to pick me up.]


    Mo Ling''s eyes instantly brightened up. "Is that the handsome hunk from this morning?!"


    Shi Nian almost burst outughing. She knew that Xu Binchen had a high index in looks, but it was rare to find someone who would openly appreciate him like this. It felt so refreshing thus Shi Nian cooperated seamlessly. [Yes, that''s him.]


    Mo Ling looked around sneakily and whispered. "Is he your boyfriend?"


    Chen Jiawei chided softly. "Mo Ling!"


    yfully, she pulled out her tongue. "Come on, I am just curious."


    [No, he''s not.] Shi Nian answered, amused. [He''s my¡­gege.]


    "Woah." Came the exmation of awe from Mo Ling. "You really don''t lose out to me, girl! You have your brother and I have my handsome uncle!"


    Chen Jiawei rolled her eyes. "Is that something to be proud of?"


    By now, Shi Nian could already discern each of their temperaments. Chen Jiawei was the calmest and she always looked at everything based on logic. In contrast, Mo Ling was energetic, cheerful and slightly childish.


    Shi Nian guessed that Li Qing''s rtionship wasn''t as close as both of them because she was gone as soon as the school bell rang.


    She was proven right. By their conversation, Shi Nian found out that Chen Jiawei and Mo Ling had been ssmates since elementary school. They could be said to have grown up together and their rtionship was super close. Even their houses were only one street away from each other.


    On the other hand, they only knew Li Qing since high school.


    Li Qing two years ago waspletely different from now. She was very fat back then. Mixed with young adults who had started to be conscious of their own appearance, Li Qing was often ostracized and isted. It was Chen Jiawei, the ss monitor, who often stayed by her side and because of that, Mo Ling came along.


    However, their rtionship was only limited to one of good ssmates. Chen Jiawei had already done everything she could so that Li Qing would be able to integrate into the ss. Fortunately, her effort paid off as Li Qing had gotten way better now.


    They walked out of the school,ughing and chatting¡ªof course, it was mainly Mo Ling who talked nonstop while Chen Jiawei just answered once in a while. Shi Nian stood in the middle, smiling happily as she listened to them bicker back and forth.


    Walking across the courtyard, a tall figure d in a dark trench coat entered their sight. Every pair of eyes was attracted to him and the passersby gossiped animatedly. Under the huge maple tree, his silhouette was akin to an actor who was posing for a film poster.


    Beside her, Mo Ling sucked in a deep breath. "Damn, he''s really handsome!"


    Chen Jiawei shielded her face. "Don''t say that I know youter on."


    Still, the two of them had to walk past the parking lot to exit the gate. Their presence was soon discovered by the man and he raised a brow. "You''ve made some friends?"


    As the social butterfly, Mo Ling straightened up and loudly greeted. "Hello, Shi Nian''s gege! My name is Mo Ling and I am her ssmate!"


    Chen Jiawei looked like she had nothing left to live for. "¡­I am Chen Jiawei, the ss monitor."


    It was unknown what Xu Binchen was thinking about but he sighed softly under his breath. "Yes, nice to meet you. I am Shi Nian''s gege, Xu Binchen."


    Shi Nian was scared that Xu Binchen would be angry by her casually making him into someone''s brother. She stole a few nces but found nothing unusual. Only then did she heave a sigh of relief. A sliver of happiness burst through her chest, making her warm all over.


    Xu Binchen''s aura was too strong and domineering. Before five minutes passed, they had already garnered quite an attention. Chen Jiawei could already imagine how the school forum would explode, judging by how loud Mo Ling''s greetings could be heard until five miles away. Suddenly, she had a headache and after some pleasantries, dragged Mo Ling away.


    "Bye bye, Shi Nian! Bye bye, gege! See you tomorrow!" The shameless Mo Ling had already omitted ''Shi Nian''s'' and directly called him gege.


    The corner of Xu Binchen''s mouth twitched but when he saw Shi Nian''s curved eyes, he held back his poisonous tongue andmented seriously. "You''ve made some good friends."


    Shi Nian nodded happily. [They are very good!]


    Xu Binchen resisted the urge to pat her head and softly said, "Very well."


    They got into the car swiftly and drove into the main street. It was almost 6 pm, the time when office workers would clock off. The traffic became slightly congested and they could only move bit by bit like a crawling snail. Xu Binchen''s fingers tapped on the steering wheel as he asked. "Do you want to eat?"


    Shi Nian blinked in confusion. [I have some dishes in the refrigerator. Do you want some?]


    "No. I will return to the police station after this."


    Hearing that, Shi Nian felt slightly guilty. [Actually, you don''t need to drive me around. I can go to school by myself from tomorrow on!]


    Shi Nian only had good intentions in her mind. However, it was unknown what conspiracy was brewing inside Xu Binchen''s mind. The corner of his lips curled upward yet his eyes remained cold. "How can I? Afterall, I have just be someone''s gege."


    Shi Nian: "¡­" She knew it! Xu Binchen must have been angry!


    [Sorry. I won''t do it again.] She pursed her lips tight.


    Xu Binchen scoffed. "You think I care about things like that?"


    ck lines filled Shi Nian''s forehead. Why did she feel that Xu Binchen was getting harder and harder to read?


    [Are you angry?] She asked tentatively.


    "Why should I be angry?" The traffic light turned green and he pressed on the elerator hard, almost making her stumble if not for the seatbelt that was properly strapping her in ce.


    Shi Nian didn''t know how she provoked him so she didn''t dare to talk anymore.


    The atmosphere turned silent, making Xu Binchen get more irritated. "I am not angry." He said with a huff.


    Shi Nian: "¡­" Who would believe that?!


    However, a small smile still made its way to her face and she returned to her silly and foolish nature. She could actually be happy just like this? Really...naive and endearing.


    Xu Binchen''s forehead smoothened and he seized the chance to ask. "Did something happen between you and Mr.Jiang?"


    Shi Nian froze and her smile vanished in an instant.

 Chapter 167 - He Was Just Like A Rose

    Xu Binchen saw her expression change abruptly and knew that his guess was right.


    Shi Nian''s fists above her thigh clenched as she recalled how she had used this same hand to p her General''s face. She didn''t mean to do that. It''s just¡­she wanted to stop him from talking in that kind of depressing manner, as if he was repulsed by the whole world, as if he was unloved, abandoned...


    How presumptuous of her.


    Shi Nian was so upset that she didn''t dare to face him.


    In a timely manner, Xu Binchen''s phone atop of the dashboard rang. The man didn''t even turn his head as he demanded. "Pick it up and put it on speaker."


    Shi Nian nodded and the call was connected.


    "Hello?" Xu Binchen said. "This is Xu Binchen speaking."


    "Hello, Mr. Xu?" A nice, gentle voice of a woman sounded. Shi Nian thought that the voice sounded kind of familiar. It wasn''t until Xu Binchen said the woman''s name¡ªFeng Changjia¡ªdid she remember that it was the apartment''s receptionistdy.


    "Is something the matter?"


    "Sorry to disturb you, Mr.Xu, it''s like this." Feng Changjia said carefully. "We have received the sameint from tenant in room 1802 three times."


    "Comint?" Xu Binchen was surprised. He had been thendlord for years but never received anyints before. "What is it about?"


    "They said that they heard loud, thumping sounds from upstairs. At first, they thought that it was just new people moving in, but the sound has been repeating again and again for days, mainly at midnight or early in the morning."


    Xu Binchen frowned in displeasure. "Where is the manager? Should you ask him about this kind of problem?"


    "Yes, I know." Feng Changjiaughed wryly. "It''s because the manager has taken a leave for this week so we have no choice but to call you. How should we proceed, Mr.Xu? I recalled that you were together with the tenant from 1902 on a few asions. So maybe you can help with this?"


    Before Feng Changjia even finished her sentence, Shi Nian''s back straightened stiffly and her eyes widened in shock. The tenant above room 1802¡ªroom 1902, that was Jiang Jinyan''s room!


    Evidently, Xu Binchen realized it too. He had a slight frown on his forehead as he said. "Okay, you can leave it to me. I will give him a call."


    The car stopped again at the red light and Shi Nian used the opportunity to type. [It''s Mr.Jiang''s room!]


    "I know." Xu Binchen rolled his eyes as he searched for Jiang Jinyan''s number. "Why do you look so worried? Would something have happened to him?"


    Shi Nian didn''t know. But when she recalled Jiang Jinyan''s bleak and deste eyes, a trace of fear made its way to her heart. She looked anxiously at the phone in Xu Binchen''s hands. The waiting tone that was less than 20 seconds seemed to stretch for centuries until the call was finally connected.


    "Detective Xu?" Jiang Jinyan''s voice rang out, slightly deeper and hoarse.


    Shi Nian''s heart thudded inside her chest for some reasons she wasn''t aware of.


    "Mr. Jiang, there''s something I want to ask." Xu Binchen went straight to the point and forwarded what the receptionistdy had said before.


    There was a pause before Jiang Jinyan answered. "It''s my fault. I have noted it down. My apologies, Detective Xu."


    Xu Binchen''s eyes met Shi Nian''s anxious ones and he continued to ask. "Do you need help with something, Mr. Jiang?"


    "No, I don''t." he answered sinctly.


    Xu Binchen had already got his answer and Jiang Jinyan wasn''t willing to divulge anything so the call ended after that. He raised his brows as if asking, "Are you satisfied?"


    Shi Nian bit her lips, she kept on feeling that there''s more than what meets the eye. However, Jiang Jinyan''s answer was impable and even Xu Binchen didn''t find that there''s anything wrong with it. She could only nod and set her perilous thoughts aside.


    ***


    Xu Binchen dropped her off and directly turned around to return to the police station. As she walked in, Shi Nian grabbed the strap of her backpack as she notified Qiang Fei. [I have returned safely. Work hard, mama ^^]


    Ever since she returned from the gate of death, it had be a habit for her to inform Qiang Fei everytime she arrived safely. Shi Nian''s heart felt distressed. It wasn''t just her who suffered, but the people around her also developed a kind of psychological trauma and the only thing she could do was to keep herself safe and showed that she could walk out of the darkness alive.


    She rode the elevator with a heavy mind.


    It had been a week since thest event and she still hadn''t decided with what expression she should face him. On the other hand, Jiang Jinyan''s words kept on repeating inside her mind. "Even if you pour your best effort into me, you will only be disappointed!" Everytime she recalled it, her heart would twinge in pain.


    Shi Nian looked up at the ascending number until it stopped at 20. The elevator door dinged open and she stepped out.


    However, she had just walked halfway when she changed her mind and turned to the emergency stairs.


    Her steps were cautious and hesitant at first, then it turned rapid until she was practically running to Jiang Jinyan''s door.


    What was she scared of? Why was she hesitating? Wasn''t her goal this life was to apany him, to stay by his side just like how she did in their past lives?


    A man like the General, who sliced through enemies'' throats was also the same person who put on a fragile look when he talked about his death. Such a powerful yet delicate man was the one whopelled her to apany him through thick and thin.


    If she wasn''t there with him, would he be afraid? Would he shut himself off again? Only dared to show a rare moment of weakness with the help of strong liquor?


    Shi Nian arrived at his door, panting. She rposed herself and took a deep breath. Her eyes shone in a determined light as she pressed on his doorbell.


    In the middle of waiting, numerous scenes shed through her mind like a fast forwarded movie. Kaleidoscopes of sses spun amidst the sea of memories, all of them showed only a single person.


    The way he stretched out her hand for her on the execution ground, his tall figure wrapped in ck armor, the blood flowing through his wound and his dauntless smile.


    And then the scene gradually disintegrated to pieces, superimposed by his gloomy and thin figure sitting on a wheelchair. The pained look he showed when he forced himself, the unreconciled look on his eyes, the fragility that he carefully hid beneath those hard armors.


    He was just like a rose. Charming, beautiful yet deadly. Sharp and poisonous thorns surrounded his body, letting him grow tall and high, undeterred by wind and storm. Yet it was also because of that, no one dared to get close because a single prick from him was enough to scare everyone away.


    Exquisite and lonesome at the same time.


    No one knew that if they just braced through the thorns, what they would find was a rare and unique flower, an irreceable existence in the whole universe.


    The door swung open and Jiang Jinyan''s pupils trembled as he saw who stood behind it.


    Shi Nian''s lips curled into a dazzling smile, faintyer of tears glistened her eyes, making those golden pupils shone brighter than ever.


    She had decided.


    She would be the one to brace through the thorns and embraced the rose.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: en, en, the initial turning point of their rtionship is here!


    At the beginning, Shi Nian was too immersed in the memory of her General. Remember that she used to be his servant and it was sphemous for her to stand on the same ground as him, let alone touching him. That''s why she hesitated even though she promised she would apany him, literally.


    Jiang Jinyan''s question of "What exactly do you want?" and her answer "I only want to be good to you" has woken her up. In modern life, how many people will be kind to another for no reason?


    It''s no longer about the formidable General Jiang but now, it''s the depressed, disabled Jiang Jinyan.


    This is one of the most important chapter in MDG that marks the event of Shi Nian acknowledging the current Jiang Jinyan as well as the subtle shift of her feeling. I hope I deliver it nicely (¨R¦Ø¨Q)

 Chapter 168 - Why Hadnt She Left Yet?

    Jiang Jinyan''s pupils dted in shock but in the next second, he regained his senses. His tone was exceedingly cold. "What do you want?"


    He breathed slowly, feeling his temple throb and his heart skipped a beat before drumming faster than before, even though his appearance betrayed nothing of his thoughts.


    Shi Nian looked up at him with a smile, so bright as if the previous event between them never happened to begin with. [Have you eaten yet?]


    A familiar question. A familiar tone.


    Jiang Jinyan''s fingers on the doorframe tightened until his knuckles turned white. The slight movement caught Shi Nian''s attention and her eyes widened in shock. She held his hand gently, her face anxious.


    His eyes trailed to see his injured knuckles with half dried blood stuck onto it. Because of his pale skin, the dark blood stain seemed especially conspicuous. It was indeed quite a scary sight. He cursed inwardly as he had forgotten to clean the wounds there.


    Even without her typing, Jiang Jinyan could guess what she wanted to ask by her eyes alone.


    What happened? Why are you injured? Are you okay?


    He felt his vision blurred and he shook her hands off to stabilize himself. "None of your business."


    He didn''t want anything to do with her anymore. Wasn''tst time enough? They had shed off all cordiality, so why was she still here?


    Why hadn''t she left yet?


    Jiang Jinyan turned his eyes away and closed the door. But before he could do that, Shi Nian put her feet between the gaps of the door, blocking it by reflex. The strong force made her grimace in pain.


    Seeing that, Jiang Jinyan''s fingertips trembled and his hold on the door loosened. Shi Nian seized the opportunity to pull the door open and let herself in. Without waiting for him to react, she grabbed his hand with a force so soft that he could shake her off with the slightest effort¡­but he didn''t. He couldn''t do it.


    His mind was sluggish as if he couldn''t understand why she could enter his personal space. Jiang Jinyan still couldn''t react as Shi Nian turned his palm to show the surface of the skin that was covered in criss cross scars, some were still new, some were old scars as they ovepped with each other.


    Her eyes caught a small patch of maroon blood stain disappearing beneath his sleeves and she held no hesitation to roll it up, showing the sight of the long scar along his arm that had begun to fester!


    Shi Nian''s shoulders trembled as she looked up at him with a pained and confused look.


    Jiang Jinyan couldn''t endure that kind of gaze as he yanked his arm forcefully out of her grasp. "Have you had enough yet?" His voice was rough and hoarse. After saying that, he coughed so hard that his face flushed in an unnatural tinge of pink.


    Shi Nian''s heart skipped a beat and she ced the back of her palm against his forehead. The high temperature was enough to fry someone''s brain!


    Jiang Jinyan struggled to open his eyes. He could see the girl mouthing something, but his head was ringing in pain and the wound on his arm throbbed painfully. All of it got in the way of judgement and the only thing he wanted was to sleep.


    "Go away¡­" He wanted to push the girl away but his body was seeped out of strength. His breaths were hot yet his teeth chattered due to the chill.


    Instead of pushing her away, his hand was grabbed by a soft, cold thing. Jiang Jinyan''s body wobbled and he nked out for a second. When he regained his senses, he found Shi Nian painstakingly half supported and half dragged his body toward the couch.


    Jiang Jinyan let out a muffled groan as his body fell to the soft surface. He closed his eyes and curled up, trying to block the light as much as possible. However, there was a repeating shake on his shoulder, it was so annoying that he pped it off.


    Shi Nian was so anxious that she almost cried. The wound on Jiang Jinyan''s arm was very horrible, it wasn''t properly treated and there was even pus in it! Now, the man had contracted high fever and he had gotten delirious. If it was left alone, he would die sooner orter!


    For the first time ever, she was thankful for her recklessness. If she didn''te here, if she didn''t barge her way in, what would be of Jiang Jinyan?


    Shi Nian looked around and dashed to the room which she guessed was the bathroom. She was right though. The interior of their rooms was simr, it was only the size that was smaller on his part. Shi Nian rummaged through the cab but didn''t find any medicine box.


    She almost turned the bathroom upside down but she couldn''t even find a hint of Yunnan Baiyao[1].


    Left with no choice, Shi Nian ran out again. This time, Jiang Jinyan had already sat up, his eyes following her in daze as if he couldn''tprehend what was going on. Shi Nian rushed to him and checked his forehead, only to feel his temperature rising even higher!


    Shi Nian typed anxiously. [Are you okay?]


    He looked at the screen, his eyes nk.


    [Let''s go to the hospital okay?]


    Shi Nian was ready to call for a cab when Jiang Jinyan grabbed her hand, his skin burning as if it was me running inside his veins and not blood. "No." He frowned. "Don''t¡­go to the hospital¡­" He spoke slowly, his tone so weak that after finishing the sentence, he leaned his head back and gasped heavily.


    Shi Nian hovered around him, so distressed that she wished she could have her ability in her past life. With it, she could have already treated his wound and alleviated his pain easily. She tried to persuade him, but Jiang Jinyan was adamant not to go.


    Perhaps he knew that nothing good woulde out of it if he kept on being stubborn, he pointed toward a closed door. "The medicine box¡­" Without waiting for him to finish speaking, Shi Nian had already fled toward the door. Her feet almost tumbled due to the curling kitten on the way. It was sleeping so quietly that Shi Nian almost forgot its existence. She only gave it a nce and pushed open the door.


    In the next second, the sight beyond the door was enough to drain all the colors from her face.


    .


    .


    .


    [1] Yunnan Baiyao = typical Chinese medicine to treat bleeding.


    A/N: My dearies, please help author to reach this month''s goal for mass release


    1000 privi chappies unlocks = 5 chapters


    5000 privi chappies unlocks = 15 chapters


    It will be effective as of this month until thepletion of the story ^^ thank you in advance~

 Chapter 169 - Just One Person

    There was broken furniture and pieces of ss everywhere. The entire scene was like wreckage that had just been visited by arge-scale hurricane. Shi Nian didn''t know what had happened in this room, but the broken mirror still hanging on the wall and the half dried blood on the crack between tiles conjured up a very scary spection.


    A lone medical boxid on the one and only intact table. The lid was opened and the things inside were ced haphazardly. Shi Nian scanned the box in one nce to find everything she needed. After that, she went to the kitchen to boil some water before returning to Jiang Jinyan''s side, kneeling by his side.


    The man''s armsid limply by his side and Shi Nian slowly pulled up the sleeve to show the hideous wound that oozed with blood and pus. Her throat choked up and she hurriedly picked up a few thin needles, soaked them in disinfectant and began to clean the wound for him.


    Jiang Jinyan jerked in pain and he let out a guttural groan.


    Shi Nian froze as she looked up at him. Sweat dampened his hair and his face was ghastly pale. He was frowning, enduring the pain with his eyshes trembling. The corner of his eyes reddened as if he''s going to cry soon. Shi Nian forcefully swallowed the suffocating feeling within her chest back down and concentrated on her task.


    Her fingers moved dexterously, but it became truly hard for Jiang Jinyan to bear as it went on. Afterall, it was the tender flesh that was being scraped off, dug into and bled out. Oftentimes, he struggled and the needle almost went through his flesh. Shi Nian had to hold him down by force, witnessing his silent suffering and pain.


    "No¡­" Jiang Jinyan grimaced and whimpered softly. "It hurts."


    She pursed her lips, a drop of tears slid down her cheeks which she casually wiped away. Her throat tightened and she opened her trembling lips, saying. "Don''t be afraid. It will not hurt anymoreter."


    Unfortunately, there wasn''t any sounding out of her mouth.


    When Shi Nian''s needle went through the core of the wound as well as the most infected area, his body convulsed in pain and his eyes snapped open even though his eyes could focus no more. "Ngh¡­!" The pain was too much to bear, it was excruciating. He curled up instinctively, but Shi Nian''s weight held his arm down so that he couldn''t move.


    Shi Nian wasted no more time topletely cut off the infected part, washed the wound with alcohol and smeared medicinal powder on it. The cold and biting sensation covered the burning part and the sudden change of sensation made him suck in a mouthful of cold air, his eyes still hazy with pain.


    By the time Shi Nian finished with the simple emergency treatment, the basin of hot water had already turned red and the small towel was thoroughly stained crimson.


    She checked up on him with teary eyes while her hands didn''t stop to roll the bandages around his arm in a practiced manner.


    Jiang Jinyan gasped softly, his whole body soaked in sweat as if he had just been fished out of water. Even water droplets hung on the corner of his eyshes like tears. He lowered his eyes to look at Shi Nian with those pair of dark eyes. However this time, due to the pain, the color of his pupils lightened, enabling her to see her own pale and anxious face within them.


    Shi Nian had tons of questions she wanted to ask but in the face of this kind of Jiang Jinyan, all of those questions fell out of the window and the only thing she mouthed was: "Does it hurt very much?"


    Jiang Jinyan read her lips. Actually, his mind was still bleary and a lot of things were unclear. He couldn''t remember what happened and why he ended up in this situation nor was he sobered up enough to think. In his hazy subconsciousness, he only felt that there was someone by his side with swift movement and gentle hands, treating the wound on his arm which he had neglected for days.


    That person''s face was blurry but somehow, he could read the question clearly.


    Does it hurt very much?


    Of course, of course it did. But only with this kind of pain could he remind himself that he was still alive, that he was still human, that he couldn''t fulfill all of the bad thoughts in his mind. Only with this kind of physical pain could he mask the difort and unsettled feelings in his chest.


    Jiang Jinyan''s arm reached out, just like how he always did in his dreams countless times before. But all he ever received was their receding backs as they walked away, leaving him swamped in the mud as invisible hands dragged him down to the abyss.


    However, this time, someone grabbed his hand and he was abruptly yanked out of the continuous nightmare.


    Jiang Jinyan''s eyes cracked open with difficulty and his vision became clearer by each second. In front of him was the girl with golden eyes, looking at him with those puffy red rimmed eyes, filled with sadness, fear, anxiety and concern.


    True, genuine concern.


    A surge of emotions overwhelmed him and in a split second, he was filled with an unprecedented sense of relief. As if this was all he ever wanted. This kind of concern, care and affection. It made him feel like he was still wanted, still needed, that somewhere in the corner of this world, there existed someone who still hadn''t given up on him.


    Just one person.


    He only needed one person to reach out their hands to him, and it was already enough.


    Jiang Jinyan closed his eyes, peaceful and soothed. Even the throbbing pain on his arm didn''t seem so horrible anymore.


    On the other hand, it was Shi Nian who panicked when he copsed all of a sudden. His head slumped onto her shoulder, hot breaths spraying her neck like a burning stove.


    She touched his forehead and felt the bone aching burn.


    With lots of effort, she positioned him properly on the couch as she boiled another basin of hot water to dab the sweat on his face, neck and arms. She pulled the medicine box over and found Yunnan Baiyao capsules that had to be taken orally.


    She eyed the unconscious and helpless Jiang Jinyan and went to the kitchen to fetch warm water. After that, she ate the medicine herself, drank two gulps of water, pinched Jiang Jinyan''s jaw and bowed her head.


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    A/N: hohoho, first official mouth-to-mouth feeding (¡ä¦Å£à*)

 Chapter 170 - It Has Always Been You

    When Jiang Jinyan woke up to the familiar white ceiling, the first thought that came to his mind was: damn, I forgot to feed the little thing. How can it be so docile and quiet?


    Gradually, his five senses started to work again and he could faintly hear the familiar sound of the purr it made when it was especially happy¡­


    Confused, Jiang Jinyan followed the source of the sound and found the grey fat furball hoarding its bowl that was stuffed with food, munching and gnawing cheerfully while its throat continued to make purring sounds, its tail swinging back and forth. Jiang Jinyan instinctively sighed in relief.


    Wait¡­the bowl stuffed with food?


    Jiang Jinyan sobered up abruptly and the memory before he lost consciousness started to return frame by frame. He shot up sitting and the force pulled on the wound on his arm, making him hiss in pain. He sluggishly turned his eyes to find his arm wrapped in thick white bandage, the scent of Chinese medicine spreading from it. Also, there was a hint of bitterness on the tip of his tongue¡­


    All of a sudden, a figure came out from the kitchen from his peripheral vision. She approached and put her hand on his forehead, smiling in relief at the lowered temperature.


    Jiang Jinyan''s brain almost crashed down and he had a rare moment of stutter. "Y¡ªYou¡­why are you here?"


    Shi Nian cocked her head. She took her phone that was sitting on the low table and typed. [You don''t remember?]


    Jiang Jinyan swallowed, his voice raspy and feeble. "Remember what?" Don''t keep asking, of course he remembered! He just suddenly felt like forgetting so that he could escape from this escapade of embarrassment.


    Before she could type again, Jiang Jinyan cut her off. "While I¡­was sleeping, you''re always here?"


    Shi Nian nodded and pointed at his forehead. Jiang Jinyan numbly pressed onto his skin and felt the residual low grade fever. Speaking of it, his whole body was covered in sweat, even his clothes were thoroughly dampened¡­


    A sharp whistle came from the kitchen and Shi Nian dashed away like a cheetah. Less than five minutester, she came out with a bowl of thick and warm porridge. The air was instantly suffused with the fragrant and warm scent of porridge. His stomach didn''t disappoint him as it growled out loudly in response.


    Jiang Jinyan: "¡­"


    Shi Nian acted like she heard nothing and sat on the low table by his side. She blew on the porridge and brought the spoon to his lips.


    Jiang Jinyan snapped out of his senses and dodged awkwardly. "No, I can do it myself¡­"


    She pointed toward his right arm which was bandaged like a dumpling. Jiang Jinyan instantly changed his words. "I can also eat with my left¡ª" She directly shoved the spoon into his mouth, sessfully blocking whatever protest he was ready to throw out.


    ¡­delicious.


    He subconsciously chewed and swallowed. Jiang Jinyan opened his mouth in protest and once again, Shi Nian blocked his mouth with a spoonful of porridge. Jiang Jinyan''s eyes met with her smiling ones and he instantly averted his gaze, mortified beyond saving. As a result, he caught sight of the opened and clearly used medicine box on the floor.


    His expression chilled in an instant. "You saw it?"


    Shi Nian followed his sight and to his surprise, her expression turned more grim than his. Jiang Jinyan had a bad feeling about this and it was proven when Shi Nian pulled out a broken shard of mirror from out of nowhere like a magician.


    The tip of the mirror was still stained with blood and Jiang Jinyan recognized it as the shard he had grabbed tightly in his palm when he stabbed his arm which aggravated the wound further.


    She put down the bowl on the table, creating a loud bang which resonated with the skipping of Jiang Jinyan''s heartbeat.


    Shi Nian''s eyes lowered as she stared at the floor, the shard of mirror was still on her hands.


    The atmosphere turned gloomy and awkward in an instant.


    Jiang Jinyan didn''t know what she intended to do with it. Nevertheless, not even in his wildest dream would he guess that she would clench the sharp shard in her hand and stab her arm with it!


    Startled, he snatched the shard of mirror away. "What are you doing?!"


    It was only a small and shallow wound but blood had started to flow out of it. The crimson color on her fair skin was especially ring to Jiang Jinyan''s eyes. "Are you stupid? Hurry up and stop the bleeding!" Jiang Jinyan wanted to reach the medicine box but Shi Nian kicked it away.


    "You¡ª" His eyes widened in shock.


    Her face was expressionless as she let the blood flowed between her fingers and dripped to the floor.


    Jiang Jinyan caught her wrist in one swift movement and pressed on the wound, his face twisted in anger. "Have you gone insane?!"


    The corner of Shi Nian''s lips curled into an ugly smile, the rims of her eyes reddened as she slowly pointed her forefinger on his chest.


    I am giving your words back to you. Have you gone insane?


    Jiang Jinyan froze, his throat choked up abruptly. The thumb pressing on Shi Nian''s wound tightened but the girl''s face didn''t change a bit. She stared fixedly at him as tears slid down her cheeks, silently crying. "Why?" She mouthed.


    His heart trembled and there was a stinging sensation on the back of his eyes. His ferocious expression dispersed in an instant, long bangs covering his eyes. His pale lips quivered ever so slightly as he sighed. "Stupid, why did you do that? What are youing for?" Why did you have to see me like this, he added silently.


    Shi Nian''s shoulders trembled as she reached behind her back for a lc notebook that Jiang Jinyan never noticed before.


    There were many pages that were already filled with scribbles and Shi Nian turned to the fewtest pages. She showed it to him. [Before, you asked me what do I want by treating you so nicely, caring for you, worrying about your condition, inviting you to my house, sharing food, approaching you, always trying to get close to you.]


    [I said, I just want to be good to you. But you pushed me away. Is that reason not good enough? Do you need another reason for this? Then, I will give you one. But can you please try to believe in me?]


    She stared at his stunned look, confirmed that he had finished reading and slowly turned the page. [Whether it''s the shining Jiang Jinyan, the fallen Jiang Jinyan, the bright Jiang Jinyan, the gloomy Jiang Jinyan, the gentle Jiang Jinyan, the harsh Jiang Jinyan, the formidable Jiang Jinyan, the fragile Jiang Jinyan, the kind Jiang Jinyan, the bad Jiang Jinyan¡­]


    All kinds of ''Jiang Jinyans'' filled the entire page and finally, Jiang Jinyan''s eyes were glued to the crooked handwriting that was written on the center of the next page, like a nk heart that wasid open for him to see. He could even make out some tear stains on the paper.


    [Mr. Jiang Jinyan.]


    [I like you.]


    "I like you."


    Jiang Jinyan''s head snapped up abruptly, his pupils shrunk in shock. Not because of her bold confession, but because as he read the three word sentence, a soft, gentle voice spoke of the same sentence word by word.


    It was a voice that he never heard before, and it came from the little mute girl in front of him.


    Shi Nian smiled and as if realizing his doubt, repeated. "I like you," Slowly and clearly, she whispered the words which seemed to fall into his heart like a gentle rain. "Jiang Jinyan, it has always been you¡­"


    Long, long ago, since their past lives, she had always liked him. No, to be exact she worshipped him, adored him, cherished and treasured him to the point where she felt satisfied just by looking, by knowing that he''s living just fine.


    However, the past Shi Nian couldn''t understand such aplex emotion. Before she could grasp it clearly, General Jiang had left the world.


    How stupid. How could she just realize it now?


    Turned out, she had loved him since a lifetime ago.


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    A/N: Atta girl! (¡ä?`??) when Shi Nian took the initiative, she swept the whole scene like a nuclear bomb! And yes, her first sentence is the one she has always wanted to say!!! (?¨R?¨Q)?


    Shi Nian''s way of confessing: first, stab herself and then say "I like you" _(:3¡¹¡Ï)_

 Chapter 171 - You Dont Have Enough Money?

    Even though Shi Nian''s confession was rejected, her life still went on as usual. At most, it was just her who was often distracted in ss, causing Teacher Yao to call on her to answer the Mathematics question twice. Fortunately, Shi Nian''s forte had always been in numerical subjects.


    After racking her brain and writing the answer on the ckboard, Shi Nian heaved a sigh in relief. She managed to avoid the embarrassment of standing in front of the ss because of daydreaming.


    On the podium, Teacher Yao''s face was slightly displeased yet satisfied at the same time. "Good, ssmate Shi Nian can answer this question that''s out ofst year''s exam context. Actually, it isn''t that difficult, you just have to understand how to line up the function." After Teacher Yao exined the theoretical knowledge of derivative function, she ended it with a gentle admonishment. "However, being able to do questions doesn''t mean you can zone out in ss, understand?"


    Shi Nian''s cheeks blushed as she quickly returned to her seat.


    Chen Jiawei turned around to whisper, her eyes shining in awe. "Shi Nian, that''s awesome! I haven''t understood that question yet, you should exin to me when the ss ends, okay?"


    Shi Nian gave an OK sign and seriously listened to the ss afterward. The bell rang, signaling the time of lunch break. As soon as the teacher went out, the students rushed into the cafeteria like a bunch of hungry ghosts.


    Shi Nian''s rtionship with her ssmates was getting better and better, however she was still closest to Chen Jiawei and the gang who first approached her. This time also, the four of them sauntered to the cafeteria together.


    Different from Shi Nian''s previous school, the cafeteria in Sangzhe High was quite wholesome. There were stalls where people could order the food in the menus and also, there was a free counter where various dishes were lined up neatly like a buffet. Students who wanted to skimp on money could queue there and pay the portion they managed to grab.


    From the first time since Shi Nian saw the free counter, she had fallen in love with this cafeteria.


    The only drawback there was to it was how students had to act quick and fast lest the food in the free counter would be cleaned up in the blink of an eye.


    Chen Jiawei, Mo Ling and Li Qiang seldom went to the free counter because they were too slow to line up. It was only during thest few days of the month did they join the battlefield.


    Today was only the middle of October, they didn''t have to painstakingly hoard food like wolves.


    As always, Shi Nian picked up an empty te and tray to get on the line.


    Chen Jiawei halted. "You''re on the free counter?"


    Mo Ling saw the long queue and felt her scalp tingle. "Are you sure? When you arrive, maybe there will be no food anymore."


    Li Qing also interjected, her tone kind and gentle. "You don''t have enough money? I can lend you some if you need."


    Chen Jiawei and Mo Ling looked at each other. They were already young adults, talking about private affairs like money didn''t seem right. They were scared that they would poke into Shi Nian''s sore spot, but when they saw her calm expression as she refused Li Qing''s offer, they simultaneously sighed in relief.


    "Okay, don''t waste any more time. I am famished!" Mo Ling circled her arms around Li Qiang and pulled her away. "We will leave a seat for you, Shi Nian!"


    Chen Jiawei pushed up her sses and nodded.


    Shi Nian waved at them then turned her eyes to the long line in front of her. The free counter was very economically friendly for Shi Nian. Besides therge variety of dishes, she could also takerger portions with the same price. What was there toin about?


    Even if Qiang Fei gave her pocket money enough tost her until next month, Shi Nian just wanted to lighten her mother''s burden as much as possible. She couldn''t do part time jobs anymore, so this was the only thing she could think of.


    When Shi Nian took her tray to the table, the other three had already seated there. Mo Ling had even finished half of her food.


    Chen Jiawei scooted in to give her space and they started to eat in relish.


    It was only a momentter that Shi Nian realized that the atmosphere around them was too quiet. She gave a fleeting nce around and found that Li Qing''s face didn''t seem right. Usually, they would gossip or simplyin about the demonic Teacher Yao, but today, Li Qing only bowed her head as she shoved food into her mouth and the chatterbox Mo Ling didn''t say anything.


    Shi Nian raised a brow, confused.


    Then, a piece of mutton appeared on the corner of her te. Shi Nian lifted her head to see Mo Ling grinning. "I can''t finish all of this meat. Shi Nian, help me eat some, pleaseee?" The te in front of Mo Ling was almost clean but she still had a bowl of mutton soup.


    It seemed like the cafeteria auntie hadn''t boiled the soup long enough as when Mo Ling cut the meat to share with her, the inside of the mutton was still half raw.


    Shi Nian looked down at the reddish brown meat on her te, lips pursed into tight line.


    "Why?" Mo Ling asked fearfully. "You don''t like it?"


    Shi Nian shook her head and threw the meat into her mouth, mouthing, "Thank you."


    Mo Ling was invigorated and almost poured half of her soup into Shi Nian''s bowl.


    Seeing the messy scene in front of her, Chen Jiawei rolled her eyes. "You''re so greedy. Look, you can''t even finish them all."


    Mo Ling harrumphed. "Look at the heap of shrimps on your te. You still dare to talk?"


    "It''s because I don''t like it." She then turned to Shi Nian. "Last time, I saw you eating shrimp. Shi Nian, do you want it? It''s a bit wasteful but I really don''t like it¡­"


    Shi Nian nodded happily and finished all of the food.


    The atmosphere loosened and Mo Ling started to gossip about the handsome school grass[1] from ss 5,paring it with the boys in their ss and ending it with how all the boys couldn''t hold a candle to her uncle, Mo Qingshan.


    Until the bell rang, Li Qing didn''t talk at all.


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    [1] School grass = male god in your school


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    A/N: I like how considerate Mo Ling and Chen Jiawei are, they are so good (*¡ä?£à*) the cafeteria is based on my school lol I love the free counter. For example, if you take one scoop or two, the price will remain the same as long as you only pick that one dish. It''s cheap and your tummy is happy hehehe


    En, another conspiracy ising up.. Prepare yourself. This time, it will happen in school~

 Chapter 172 - Youre Shi Nian, Right?

    After lunch break, there was English ss and thest ss of the day was PE. Their PE ss was often mixed with other sses. It was the same this time, ss 1 would be mixed with ss 5 to y volleyball in the indoor gymnasium.


    Originally, Mo Ling was sleeping with her saliva hanging on the corner of the mouth when the teacher read English text, but when PE came, she was injected with chicken blood. The whole changing locker was filled with her chatter. "Oh my, it''s ss 5, I will be able to see Zhang Jiancheng!"


    The so-called Zhang Jiancheng was Sangzhe High''s school grass which was said to rival Mo Qingshan in terms of look. It was just that Mo Qingshan was more charismatic, mature and gentle, making people swoon endlessly.


    On the other hand, Zhang Jiancheng was truly like the male protagonist of a school idol drama.


    He''s the captain of the volleyball club. Tall, suave and kind of cold. Just like a typical high school male god. He often liked to y basketball during free ss and when the time came, the entire court would be filled with the girls'' screams and cheers.


    Shi Nian''s group walked to the gymnasium under Mo Ling''s exaggerating praise of Zhang Jiancheng''s character, something like how he didn''t hesitate to jump into the middle of the street to help a limp dog that''s almost ran down by a car, or how he was Teacher Yao''s favorite student which meant that he was superb in his study and temperament.


    "Aaaah, look, it''s him!"


    In fact, Mo Ling didn''t have to point it out because there were just some people who, even when they were only standing there quietly, would be able to be the center of the crowd.


    Zhang Jiancheng was one of them. And another example of it was Jin Renguang, the main investigator of the serial murder case whom she had only seen on TV.


    Moreover, there was already the filthy rich Xu Binchen by her side who was almost perfect except for his stinky temperament and also Jiang Jinyan whose look could rival A-list actors if not for his strong sense of alienation and gloominess.


    As a result, Shi Nian didn''t really feel that Zhang Jiancheng was any kind of special.


    But of course, it was different from all the girls around her. Their eyes would, deliberately or subconsciously, be attracted to the charming boy in sports clothes who was turning the volleyball on the tip of his fingers.


    "He''s very handsome, right?" Mo Ling whispered in her ear, excited.


    Shi Nian nodded in agreement. Her eyes trailed to him again. However, it wasn''t his look or temperament which attracted her attention. It was the familiarity as if she had seen him somewhere before.


    But where was it? She couldn''t recall. It just seemed like a recent case, but she couldn''t remember it no matter how much she turned her brain upside down.


    Then, Zhang Jiancheng lifted his head and his eyes parted through the crowded gymnasium and shed with Shi Nian''s! The man blinked once, but Shi Nian had already turned her head away, embarrassed that she was caught staring.


    The PE teacher, Teacher Gu, blew the whistle and the ss started.


    They did warm up exercises for twenty minutes and Teacher Gumanded in a booming voice. "The girls can form a two person group to pass the ball. The boys form teams for a match." Loud cheers followed Teacher Gu''s words. The thing they were waiting for was exactly this match!


    Boys crowded around Zhang Jiancheng, one even slung their arms around his shoulder as they joked around.


    Mo Ling begrudgingly said under her breath. "ss 5 has Zhang Jiancheng, how can we win?"


    The atmosphere in ss 1 wasn''t dampened even with the oppression of the Captain of the volleyball club from the other ss. The hot blooded boys excitedly started to discuss the formation of the team.


    Shi Nian started to look around for a partner.


    Their group had four people so it was very convenient. Li Qing smiled and asked. "Shi Nian, do you want to pair with me?"


    Before she could agree, a boy came over, asking shyly. "Shi Nian, do you have a partner for the group? If not, do you want to consider me?"


    Loud boos came from behind. This boy was exactly the one who asked whether she had a boyfriend when she first introduced herself. His name was Tian Wen.


    "Shut up!" Tian Wenughed at the booing. "I will not y in the team anyway!"


    Shi Nian was caught off guard by the sudden invitation.


    What Shi Nian didn''t know was, the number of girls in ss 1 was odd. However, Teacher Gu especially liked to ask the girls to form a two person group. Anyway, they would give any kind of excuse to dodge team matches even if Teacher Gu asked for it.


    In their ss, the person who had always been isted was Li Qing.


    Chen Jiawei felt responsible as a ss monitor and ditched Mo Ling to pair with Li Qing. As a social butterfly, Mo Ling would be able to find someone else just fine so Chen Jiawei was rest assured.


    However, the boys weren''t aware of it at all. They thought that Shi Nian would be left alone so Tian Wen took the initiative to ask.


    Shi Nian took out her pocket size notebook and scribbled. [Sorry, I¡ª]


    She hadn''t finished writing when Li Qing grumbled under her breath. "Well, good for you, huh?"


    After that, she went to ask another person, leaving Shi Nian behind, dumbfounded.


    Tian Wei looked at them back and forth. "Did I say something wrong?"


    "Yes!" Mo Ling took a deep breath and yfully kicked Tian Wei away. "Scram! Shi Nian''s partner is me!"


    "Alright, alright!" Tian Wei was kicked back to the boys'' group.


    Shi Nian looked at Li Qing who had already teamed up with Chen Jiawei. Noticing her worried nce, Mo Ling pulled her to line up and grab the ball. "Don''t worry, Li Qing is¡­" Mo Ling scratched her head awkwardly. "How do I say it? She''s more sensitive than other people so don''t take it to heart, okay?"


    Shi Nian fell silent for a while and nodded.


    The ss continued with the gymnasium separated in two clear areas. The first area was used for the boys'' team match while the other area was filled with girls passing balls back and forth.


    Shi Nian''s back was facing the boys when Mo Ling''s eyes suddenly widened. "Look out!"


    The girls screamed in surprise and Shi Nian wasn''t given time to react when a surge of wind came from behind her head!


    She instinctively ducked and wrapped her arms around her head but the pain she expected didn''te. Instead, the whole gymnasium suddenly quietened down as if someone had just pressed the pause button. Slowly, Shi Nian cracked her eyes open and saw Mo Ling''s eyes staring behind her, jaws cking to the ground.


    A slightly harsh breathing was heard and Shi Nian turned around to find Zhang Jiancheng grabbing the volleyball which was supposed to ram onto her head. From such a close distance, Shi Nian had to crane her head to look up to him.


    At the same time, the youth''s eyes looked down at her. Droplets of sweat slid down the side of his cheeks. Instead of disgusting, he gave off a cool and refreshing aura. Seeing him up close, Shi Nian first thought that: he really looks familiar, where have I seen him before?


    Surprise shed through Zhang Jiancheng''s eyes and he asked tentatively, "¡­You''re Shi Nian, right?"


    Mo Ling dropped the ball in her hands from shock and the loud thump snapped the students out of their reverie.


    Like a fuse, the whole gymnasium instantly exploded into an uproar!


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    A/N: ohh, a new character popped up. Will he be a friend or foe? hehehe you will know in the next chapter _(:3¡¹¡Ï)_

 Chapter 173 - Can I Give You A Ride Home?

    "Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!" Mo Ling couldn''t calm down even when they had already returned to the ssroom. Seizing the chance, she dashed to Shi Nian''s table. "You really don''t know him?!"


    Shi Nian didn''t know whether tough or cry. During the past few hours, she had answered at least a hundred times. [I really, really don''t know him!]


    The ss was rowdy as usual, especially the boys in thest row. However, Shi Nian could feel that everyone was perking their ears up. Even Chen Jiawei turned around to ask. "Then, isn''t it because Zhang Jiancheng likes you?"


    "Pei, pei, pei!" The most beautiful girl in the ss, Ruo Tingran, sneered. "Zhang Jiancheng has just met her today, okay?! How can he like her all of a sudden?"


    Mo Ling retorted. "Haven''t you heard of love at first sight? Just admit it, you''re jealous of Shi Nian because your confession was rejectedst year!"


    "You¡ª!" Ruo Tingting''s face turned crimson in shame.


    The girls who had confessed to Zhang Jiancheng since he first enrolled in this school could circle the entire Sangzhe High thrice, or at least twice. Zhang Jiancheng was really popr, even if girls didn''t really like him, they would confess just because of his handsome look.


    Eventually, the people who confessed to Zhang Jiancheng were no longer a secret. The forum even had a thread called ''The Gathering of Zhang Jiancheng''s Concubines'' to amodate the people who were rejected by him. Of course, the main discussion inside would be the empty seat of Empress.


    And now, the forum had totally exploded.


    The seat of the Empress¡­would it be filled by the new transfer student?!


    They had heard all kinds of rumors about her, such as; her handsome boyfriend drove a Benz to drop her off at the first day of school, some even spected he''s her sugar daddy but some refuted that he''s only her rtive. Adding on to how she went to Principal Mo''s office personally, the rumor turned into a wealthy and fragile heiress who was escorted by a bodyguard.


    The people who knew the truth, namely Chen Jiawei and Mo Ling, tried to rify but their voice was quickly drowned by other remarks. Others didn''t believe them at all.


    Anyway, the rumor was already exaggerated enough and now, there was even Zhang Jiancheng inserted there!


    [What happened in the gymnasium? Why is it so crowded today?]


    [Hehe, little meimei. You don''t know anything¡­heartbroken.jpg]


    [Oh my god, I saw with my own eyes that Zhang Jiancheng stood on the corner and the distance between them was like half of a gymnasium away. But when the ball flew in her direction, he¡ªwhoosh¡ªran so fast to intercept it!]


    [My hubby QAQ is it really true? You have found your Empress?]


    [Noo! There''s no rification from Zhang Jiancheng yet! Don''t talk rubbish!]


    [Yes, I will not believe until Zhang Jiancheng said it with his own mouth!]


    [But have you ever seen Zhang Jiancheng approach a girl? No, right? Even School Belle Yu, who graduatedst year, was rejected by him! This is true love, I say!]


    The melon eater was satisfied. Ever since the transfer student came, the gossip around her was neverending! However, they wouldn''t have expected that there would be more explosive gossip after the school ended!


    The center of the rumor¡ªZhang Jiancheng¡ªpopped up on the door of ss 1 with school bag slung on his shoulder, asking for Shi Nian!


    "Aaaaaah!" A new wave of screams followed alongside School Grass Zhang.


    The students in ss 1 who were already one step outside retracted their feet and they all stood by, looking at Zhang Jiancheng and Shi Nian back and forth with gossiping eyes!


    Shi Nian frowned from the excessive attention, but the person was already standing there, waiting for her, thus she had no choice but to go.


    Mo Ling stared eagerly, wishing that she could stick to Shi Nian''s thigh so that she could hear what they were talking about!


    [Do you need something?]


    Zhang Jiancheng looked at her for a moment before saying, "Can I have a moment?"


    Gasps and exmations of shock resounded throughout the ssroom. Even Shi Nian was stunned. This sentence¡­this kind of ssic sentence, was it not the prequel of a confession?! Was it really?!


    However, looking into Zhang Jiancheng''s eyes, Shi Nian could see that he didn''t have that kind of attention toward her. He seemed to recognize her, and Shi Nian also felt a strange sense of familiarity toward him.


    She didn''t want to keep on guessing blindly, thus she nodded, grabbed her backpack and together, they walked to the school gate apanied by people''s shocked eyes and dropped jaws.


    "Sorry." Zhang Jiancheng broke the silence. "It seems that I have caused you trouble."


    Shi Nian shook her head. [I never care about gossip and rumor.]


    The corner of Zhang Jiancheng lifted faintly. "I guess I have never introduced myself. I am Zhang Jiancheng from ss 5, Year 3."


    Simrly, Shi Nian returned the gesture. [I am Shi Nian from ss 1, Year 3.]


    This kind of formal introduction amused Zhang Jiancheng to no end that he couldn''t help but chuckle. Shi Nian had to admit, with the background of maple trees and blinding sunset, Zhang Jiancheng looked really handsome. It''s no wonder that girls were crazy for him.


    "I don''t have the intention to confess." He went straight to the point.


    Shi Nian nodded. [I have guessed it. ssmate Zhang, have we met somewhere before?]


    "We haven''t. But I know you." Under her surprise gaze, Zhang Jiancheng added. "No, to be exact, I have heard a lot about you. You know my elder sister, right? Her name is Zhang Duanqiao. She works in City A''s hospital as a nurse."


    Shi Nian''s eyes slowly widened even more.


    Only then did she realize that yes, Zhang Jiancheng''s features looked really simr to Nurse Zhang who took care of her before! Especially their eyebrows and the shape of their lips, it looked exactly the same!


    So, that''s where the weird sense of familiarity came from!


    Shi Nianpletely rxed after knowing the truth. She liked Nurse Zhang very much and this youth in front of her was Nurse Zhang''s brother.


    There was a sense of camaraderie between them after clearing the doubts. Shi Nian beamed brightly. [I know her. She''s a verypetent nurse. Your sister has taken care of me so much before.]


    Zhang Jiancheng smiled. "She''s the one who keeps on talking about you all day long that my ears have almost fallen off."


    Shi Nian chuckled, happy yet embarrassed. [How is Nurse Zhang doing?]


    "She''s very good." He replied. "After you''re discharged from the hospital, she always talks about you, saying how there''s no patient more obedient, sensible and lovely as you. She even showed me your photo, that''s why I recognized you in one nce."


    He shot her a smiling nce. "Now that I met you face to face, I know that what my sister said isn''t exaggerating at all."


    Shi Nian''s smile froze, stunned. What did he mean by that?


    However, Zhang Jiancheng didn''t borate further. He stopped at the side of the gate where bicycles and motorcycles were parked. He led a ck, cool motorcycle out and offered. "Can I give you a ride home, if you don''t mind?"


    Shi Nian stood by the motorcycle, faced with Zhang Jiancheng''s patient eyes and the curious nces of students around her. She felt really awkward and kind of regretted that she had asked Xu Binchen not to pick her up anymore.


    This was the person she had just known less than twelve hours ago and also the most popr boy in the entire school. Now, this kind of person was offering to take her home. Did he really not have that kind of intention or was Shi Nian the blockhead one?


    Shi Nian was ready to thicken her face and reject but all of a sudden, she caught sight of a familiar figure amidst the crowd. Her eyes widened all of a sudden and she held no hesitation anymore to refuse Zhang Jiancheng''s offer politely and dash after that person.


    Zhang Jiancheng was stunned, seemingly didn''t expect that one day, he would take the initiative first only to be rejected in an instant. His lips couldn''t help but curl up even more as he wore his helmet, eyes trailing after the girl''s back.


    .


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    .


    A/N: oh, he''s really smooth like butter lol this story almost turn into a ro school drama hahaha no me just kidding, something will happen in a few chappies just wait for it _(:3¡¹¡Ï)_


    Did you expect thating? Will he be another rival of Jiang Jinyan''s? Let''s see...


    By the way, Shi Nian is really surrounded from all sides, Jiang Jinyan, Xu Binchen now Zhang Jiancheng, I am quite envious¡­

 Chapter 174 - The Little Stalker Is Back Again

    Shi Nian didn''t know why, but amidst hundreds of people, she would be able to find Jiang Jinyan just in a single nce. Maybe because the sight of his back had been deeply embedded in her mind. Or maybe because she had spent many, many long hours on countless days by staring at his back.


    As long as she could see that straight, slender back, she would feel an unprecedented joy and happiness burst forth her chest.


    Jiang Jinyan didn''t know that there would be someone trailing after him twenty meters behind. He was too absorbed in his own world. However, his unique temperament still managed to attract people''s gaze. It was fortunate that he was wearing a mask or else he would definitely be swarmed.


    Shi Nian couldn''t suppress her smile as she walked behind him.


    It was as if she had returned to those days, when General Jiang brought her out to the market because she was too isted from the whole world, only holing herself up in his residence as she took care of his flower garden.


    Wearing his ck armor, he would be the formidable General feared by many. But now that he had taken it off and only d in a simple ck robe, he looked many times better than the most beautiful courtesan in the entire town.


    Of course, after people saw the scar on his face, they would discover his identity and scampered away fearfully. Thus no matter how attractive he was, no one dared to bother him, making his walk exceedingly peaceful and leisurely.


    General Jiang realized that he could hear nothing after walking for a while. He turned around, amused to find her following behind like a crawling snail. "Keep up," he said.


    Shi Nian shook her head.


    She didn''t care about rumors about her. But she did care about what people were saying about him. He had already been questioned so badly after sheltering her, she didn''t want any other bad topic to pop up again because of this.


    General Jiang raised a brow, seemingly exasperated. He said nothing afterward, but his walking speed lowered significantly. Even then, Shi Nian kept her distance and stared at his silhouette, peace and serenity she never felt before filled her entire being.


    Shi Nian''s phone vibrated, snapping her out of her past memories. She ignored the bombardment of messages from Mo Ling in their chat group and opened Xu Binchen''s message.


    [Xu Binchen]: Has your ss ended?


    Shi Nian replied with her head lowered.


    [Ten Years]: En. Walking back now.


    [Ten Years]: On my way to the subway station.


    The distance between Sangzhe High and her apartment wasn''t far, only two stations away. That''s why Shi Nian rejected Xu Binchen''s offer to pick her up, it was too troublesome and time consuming on his part.


    After that, Xu Binchen didn''t answer anymore so Shi Nian slipped the phone into her pocket. Lifting her head, she panicked when she couldn''t find Jiang Jinyan in front of her. How could he disappear just like that?!


    This road led straight to the subway station so whoever wanted to go there would walk through here.


    Shi Nian looked around anxiously and her heart fell back to her chest when she found Jiang Jinyan turned into a convenience store. She hastily chased after him all the while maintaining their distance.


    However, she had no idea that her reflection could be seen on the ss door of the convenience store. Thus, when Jiang Jinyan pulled open the door, his eyes inadvertently caught sight of an approaching girl in school uniform, golden eyes staring at him happily.


    Jiang Jinyan: "¡­."


    The little stalker is back again, huh?


    His steps halted only for a split second before he decisively walked in.


    "Wee." A man with shamate hairstyle behind the counter looked up casually before lowering his head again to look at his phone.


    Jiang Jinyan looked around. At first, he was attracted by the meatbun poster in front of the store. But now, he opted to walk around the shelf to the potato chips section. The shelf covered his body but from his direction, he could clearly see the door.


    As he expected, a few momentster, the door was opened and the bell hung atop of it jingled lightly, followed by the shamate man''s monotone greeting. "Wee."


    Shi Nian looked around and saw Jiang Jinyan''s back circling around the shelf. She hastily hid on the magazine counter and pretended to pick one up, using the book to cover her face. Her eyes trailed after him, trying to discover what he''s trying to buy.


    Speaking of it, she didn''t know what Jiang Jinyan''s likes and dislikes in this life. Would his taste remain the same? Or has it changed already?


    Jiang Jinyan looked at the variety of potato chips, his face contemting. However in the end, he didn''t choose anything but walked away.


    Shi Nian felt like his expression didn''t seem quite right. Thus after he was gone, she tiptoed to the shelf to see what he was looking at. Just a new brand of potato chips with cheddar and sour cream vor. Did he like this? Shi Nian recalled that Jiang Jinyan hated anything sweet and sour¡­


    A hand suddenly touched her shoulder and the deeply focused Shi Nian was frightened so badly that she jumped and bumped against the shelf in front of her!


    The thin stic shelf swayed dangerously and the potato chips above her head fell forward.


    Shi Nian''s pupils shrunk as she subconsciously protected her head and shut her eyes tight! Why was she so unlucky? Last time, it was a ball and this time, it was the rain of potato chips!


    A loud bang sounded as the shelf found its bnce due to someone''s hand grasping it right. The nearly fallen potato chips were blocked and at the same time, an arm wrapped against her waist, pulling her away from the shelf and into a warm and solid embrace.


    Faint, cool fragrance entered her nose as Shi Nian''s eyes snapped open in shock.


    Jiang Jinyan''s face appeared right in front of her eyes, the distance between them so close that she could feel his thumping heartbeat. One of his arms shot out to bnce the shelf while the other was around her waist. With this movement, it was like he was kabedon-ing her against the shelf.


    No matter from which angle, it looked very¡­scandalous.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: hehehe Shi Nian, you''re busted ( ?¡ã ?? ?¡ã) kabedon scene, check!


    I want to thank Yukina8397 and MirCat for your golden tickets! Thank you very much dearies (¡ä¦Å£à*) and also, everyone who''s not in the top 3. I can''t see who you are but I love you QAQ thank you for your support for MDG!

 Chapter 175 - Hold On To Me Properly

    "What the heck?! What happened?!" The shamate man approached hastily, panic in his eyes before turning nk as he found the two figures hugging behind the shelf.


    Jiang Jinyan turned his head and said, deadpanned. "Sorry, there''s no problem at all."


    "Oh¡ªokay, okay. Please be careful and don''t damage the product ah!" He scratched his head and walked away, muttering. "Couple these days is so damn courageous. Okay, I am not envious..."


    Shi Nian was still in a state of shock as if she couldn''tprehend why Jiang Jinyan could appear in front of her. Until the man turned to her, his eyes narrowed dangerously. "Do you have something to say, little stalker?"


    It was supposed to be a jeering remark. However, his voice muffled by the mask sounded lower than usual, adding on to the narrow space between them and the hidden corner, the atmosphere instantly turned ambiguous.


    Shi Nian''s stiff body rxed under his presence and her lips curled into a sweet, booming smile.


    Even Jiang Jinyan himself didn''t realize that his heart skipped a beat at that sight.


    It wasn''t until the girl mouthed, "Mr. Jiang Jinyan." that Jiang Jinyan realized something was wrong about their position. He hastily loosened his arms and stepped back. "I''ve told you not to follow me again, haven''t I?"


    Shi Nian used her phone to type. [It''s just a coincidence that we are going the same way.] She eyed the medium sized bag on his back which seemed empty. [I have no idea you''re going to Sangzhe University! I am in Sangzhe High, ss 1 Year 3!]


    This was such a pleasant surprise. Even though Shi Nian knew that Sangzhe High was affiliated to the university whose building was just beside them, she didn''t expect that Jiang Jinyan would enroll there!


    Seeing the girl smiling so foolishly, Jiang Jinyan was rendered speechless.


    How could she¡­still act like nothing happened?


    Did she not remember how he chased her out after her confession that day?


    The most important thing was¡­he nced at her phone. "You''re not talking anymore?"


    Shi Nian tilted her head. [You want to hear me talk?]


    It seemed like they couldn''t ever stand on the same wavelength, Jiang Jinyan huffed. "What does it have to do with me?" He turned around and bought three meat buns from the counter under the shamate man''s dubious gaze. Jiang Jinyan knew what he was thinking about but he was toozy to care.


    He walked out without looking back, but somehow he knew that the girl must be following behind.


    This strong conviction popped up out of nowhere. He had a weird notion that as long as he turned around, he would always be able to find her there. It felt kind of¡­bizarre.


    Shi Nian looked at his back, dejected. Of course, she still remembered his strong reaction after her simple yet heartfelt confession. He had sneered without saying anything. Shi Nian got a bad premonition that she had reminded him of something unpleasant.


    True to her thoughts, in the next moment, she was politely and coldly chased out. Shi Nian saw that his fever had broken, thus she could only give him space and tried not to provoke him anymore.


    The setting sun illuminated his figure, so blinding that she couldn''t look straight at him.


    That''s why she hadn''t realized that Jiang Jinyan had stopped since God-knows-when. It wasn''t until Shi Nian caught sight of his shoes did she lift her head in surprise.


    Their eyes met in midair and Jiang Jinyan sighed, exasperated. "Keep up."


    Shi Nian''s pupils dted and for a while, she was immersed in her past memories. But this time, instead of rejecting, Shi Nian took a step forward to approach him, her whole being radiating happiness.


    They walked side by side and asionally, their arms would brush against one another. Shi Nian pursed her lips, cheeks flushed bashfully. However, Jiang Jinyan''s expression didn''t change a bit as he ate heartily with cheeks bulged out.


    He found her stealing nces and finally took one meatbun out, giving it to her not without reluctance.


    Shi Nian was surprised and then, she realized that Jiang Jinyan had misunderstood her intention. She couldn''t help but giggle, then took a bite out of it.


    "It''s quite tasty." Hemented.


    Shi Nian hummed. This was by far, the most delicious meatbun she had ever eaten.


    Jiang Jinyan looked around for a garbage can and inadvertently caught sight of a conspicuous ck motorcycle parked on the side of the road, a boy in uniform with ck helmet sitting atop of it. Their eyes met for a while before Jiang Jinyan turned away, not giving it any thought whatsoever.


    When they arrived at the subway station, it had already been crowded with people to the point where all they could see was a sea of ck hairs. Shi Nian got a scare and stuck to Jiang Jinyan''s back who didn''t say anything to agree or refuse.


    Office workers who had just gotten off work, students with numerous different uniforms in groups and other kinds of people were mixed in one space. In the past, Shi Nian used to ride a bicycle to travel thus she had never experienced rush hours before.


    Jiang Jinyan''s wide back offered an immense sense of safety.


    Shi Nian looked down and hesitatingly grabbed onto the hem of his shirt. She felt the man stopped for a split second but then, he didn''t say anything so she grabbed onto him tighter.


    This way, they sessfully boarded the train. Even then, there wasn''t any seat anymore so they had to stand amidst the sea of people, pressed together tightly like sardines.


    Shi Nian looked at him worriedly. In this crowd, it wasn''t umon for people to step on each other. Jiang Jinyan''s leg¡­


    She tugged on the hem of his shirt.


    He looked down, expressionless.


    Shi Nian was surrounded by people to the point of breathlessness, she couldn''t even fumble for her phone. Thus, she mouthed. "Are you okay?"


    Before he could answer, the train swayed and a strong force pushed her from behind. Jiang Jinyan''s arms reached out to catch her and she bumped her nose against his shoulder. It was so painful that she was seeing stars.


    Jiang Jinyan''s voice came above her head. "Look up."


    Shi Nian obeyed in reflex. Her eyes were teary due to the pain and her nose was red, fortunately there wasn''t any injury. This appearance of her made her look piteously lovely yet aggrieved at the same time.


    Jiang Jinyan''s heart softened a bit and he said in a moment of carelessness. "Hold on to me properly."


    Of course, Shi Nian didn''t have any qualms and obediently wrapped her arms around his waist, holding him properly like he said.


    Jiang Jinyan: "¡­"


    He didn''t mean it like that.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Shi Nian (?¨R?¨Q)? you''re so proactive! But Jiang Jinyan''s heart still softened in the end so...hehehe


    Enjoy this tidbits of fluffiness before we got back to the serious business~

 Chapter 176 - Why Arent You Speaking Anymore?

    Shi Nian sensed that Jiang Jinyan was a bit angry even though she didn''t know why. Knowing his temper, Shi Nian didn''t dare to provoke him lest she made the whole situation worse though she felt a little wronged.


    He was the one who told her to hold on properly, no? She didn''t do anything wrong, did she?


    The subway stopped at their station and Jiang Jinyan walked out, followed by Shi Nian. Exiting the station, it didn''t take ten minutes for them to walk home. However, it was for normal people''s walking speed. Shi Nian eyed Jiang Jinyan''s leg from behind, worried.


    She had tried her best to use her own legs to shield him from being stepped on, but she couldn''t be rest assured.


    Shi Nian observed for a while but found nothing unusual about Jiang Jinyan''s walk. The man didn''t say anything and Shi Nian didn''t break the silence either. They spent the whole journey in a depressing atmosphere, at least for Shi Nian.


    Their apartment district had always been quite peaceful and serene. The main reason was because of the high rent cost, so there were many buildings that were still devoid of tenants. Along the way, they encountered a few gossiping aunties and office workers who had just returned. People only cared about their own business but still, when they turned to look at her and Jiang Jinyan, Shi Nian still offered them a polite smile while Jiang Jinyan pretended that he saw nothing.


    Jiang Jinyan had just turned to the road leading to their apartment building when Shi Nian pulled on the hem of his shirt. He turned sideways silently, his face expressionless.


    Shi Nian tutted inwardly but still asked. [Have you eaten yet?]


    It seemed like she had always asked this question every time they met. Jiang Jinyan''s brows subconsciously rxed.


    Shi Nian continued. [Let''s eat in the cafeteria?]


    Hepletely halted in his tracks, his thought unreadable.


    Shi Nian waited by his side until the security guard''s head popped up to look at them questioningly. Only then did Jiang Jinyan step aside. "Lead the way."


    Her smile blossomed as she pulled ahead, brimming with energy. It wasn''t quite dinner time yet so the cafeteria was quite empty. Shi Nian liked Uncle Peng''s dishes, thus she directly walked there and ordered her usual menu, Jiang Jinyan silently trailing after her.


    "Oh?" Uncle Peng''s eyes lit up slightly. "Who''s here together with Shi Nian?"


    Even though Jiang Jinyan exuded an aura that made people hesitate to approach, he still held enough courtesy toward elders. He bowed slightly and pulled down his mask. "Hello, my name is Jiang Jinyan."


    "Hello, hello." Uncle Peng''s fat face shook along with his wide smile. "My name is Peng Cheng. Please order whatever you like, Uncle will make sure to add more to your portion!"


    His words made Shi Nian recall the horror she felt thest time she ate here. She hastily typed on her phone. [Uncle Peng, no need to give me meat, okay?]


    "No?" Peng Cheng was slightly confused.


    Shi Nian put on a smile. [I am not very hungry so don''t waste your food.]


    Peng Cheng entered their order to the cashier, all the whileining. "Aiyah, you young people should eat more! Look, you''re so thin already."


    Shi Nian could only nod and go along with what he said.


    Surprisingly, Jiang Jinyan had the patience to stand beside her, listening to Uncle Peng''s chatter. Shi Nian had long been worried so she turned to him. [You can go and sit down first. I will bring your food there.]


    Jiang Jinyan looked at her with those dark eyes, it wasn''t known what he was thinking about but he still managed to make Shi Nian nervous. He replied slowly, "No need."


    Okay then...


    Thus, the two of them waited silently in front of Uncle Peng''s empty stall.


    Right at that moment, Uncle Peng''s part time worker, Song Yongzheng, arrived carrying a bag that looked heavy with stack of books in his arm. "Uncle Peng, sorry I''mte! The professor dragged the ss longer and I couldn''t leave." He moved inside and saw Shi Nian and Jiang Jinyan.


    Looking at Jiang Jinyan''s aloof temperament and his excessively beautiful face, a glint of displeasure shed through Song Yongzheng''s eyes. "What do you like to order?" He asked impatiently.


    Shi Nian knew that Song Yongzheng didn''t like her for some reason but she didn''t expect that he would show the same kind of attitude toward Jiang Jinyan. Instantly, anger filled her eyes. It was okay if he didn''t like her but he used this kind of stinky tone to talk to Jiang Jinyan too?!


    Conversely, Jiang Jinyan just gave a disinterested nce. "We have already ordered."


    Song Yongzheng could only reply with "Oh."


    Fortunately, Uncle Peng cooked fast and three dishes werepleted in just less than fifteen minutes. "Here you go!" He smiled kindly, not noticing the strange undercurrent between the other three.


    Shi Nian grabbed a tray, but Jiang Jinyan''s hands reached out quicker. When she came to her senses, he had already walked away with her food included. Shi Nian was stunned for a moment before hurrying after him.


    They took a seat beside the window. Shi Nian helped him put down the tes. [Thank you.] Her eyes couldn''t help but fall onto his right arm, however Jiang Jinyan was currently wearing a long sleeve coat, thus she couldn''t confirm the condition of his wound.


    Jiang Jinyan noticed her gaze but unwilling to say anything about it. He sat down and started to eat. After swallowing, he said. "Bad service."


    Shi Nian almost choked on her rice. She covered her mouth and giggled. This kind ofint was truly General Jiang''s style.


    He lifted his eyes slowly. "What are youughing at?"


    She wanted to reach for her phone but the man chided. "Don''t y on your phone and eat properly." Hence, she retracted her hands and ate quietly with her head lowered.


    Jiang Jinyan couldn''t help but give her another nce. "Why aren''t you speaking anymore?"


    Shi Nian was taken aback by his question. She wanted to answer but Jiang Jinyan didn''t allow her to take the phone. Her lips opened and closed, yet no sound came out.


    "Forget it." He said after a while.


    Shi Nian pursed her lips and put down her spoon. The clear sound made him lift his head. Then, Jiang Jinyan saw Shi Nian''s mouth open and close to say something. He frowned. "What? I¡­can''t? You can''t speak?" He scoffed. "So the person who spokest time was a ghost?"


    Shi Nian had only talked once before and it was during her failed confession. When he brought it up all of a sudden, she was taken aback and heat crept up her cheeks.


    Looking at her bashful and awkward look, Jiang Jinyan''s mind was nk for a while before recalling what he had just talked about. He cleared his throat and resumed eating. Hence, the topic ended there even though the atmosphere around them shifted subtly, bringing them back to the ambiguous air in the convenience store.


    "Shi Nian!" A familiar female voice greeted from afar.


    Shi Nian lifted her head to see Jiao Jiaying waving at her with a beaming smile.


    Instantly, she got a headache.


    .


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    .


    A/N: yes so the matter of her speaking only happen once in a blue moon lol.. Shi Nian is honest when she said she is unable to speak again after that. There will be an exnation for that in theter chappies~

 Chapter 177 - I Am Very Good

    Jiao Jiaying looked like she had just returned from somewhere. She wore a knee length dress which hugged her figure perfectly. Thin make-up highlighted her features and a pair of simple yet elegant earrings adorned her ears.


    When she approached, Shi Nian could smell the sweet and slightly sensual fragrance from her body. It was quite different from Xu Binchen''s faint and refreshing cologne. Honestly, it was quite unpleasant that Shi Nian''s nose wrinkled.


    However, Jiao Jiaying didn''t realize it as she sauntered to their table, her white, pearly ankles wrapped in ck stiletto. The whole cafeteria''s eyes were on her, making Jiao Jiaying''s chin raise higher. "Long time no see. I really want to hang out more with you but I don''t know your contact information."


    Because Jiang Jinyan''s back was facing her, Jiao Jiaying could only see him when she arrived at their table.


    Instantly, she was entranced, eyes staring in unconcealed astonishment. The woman''s bold manner suddenly curbed and she turned into a bashful, restrained girl. "Oh, I don''t know that someone is here with you. How about introducing us?"


    Shi Nian almost broke off the spoon in her hand.


    She looked at Jiao Jiaying''s eyes who kept on trailing to Jiang Jinyan and a strong sourness spread through her heart. Why? She clearly liked Xu Binchen already so why did she want to approach Jiang Jinyan too?


    mes burst out of Shi Nian''s eyes and everyone who wasn''t blind would be able to see it. Unfortunately, Jiao Jiaying just had to be one of the blinds. She pulled on an empty chair and sat down, a sweet smile on her face. "Well?"


    Shi Nian really wanted to leave this ce but Jiang Jinyan still hadn''t finished his food yet. Thus she could do nothing but endure in silence.


    To her surprise, Jiang Jinyan put down his spoon and wiped his mouth with a napkin. He gave Shi Nian a nce. "Finished eating?"


    Even if she hadn''t, she would still say yes!


    Jiang Jinyan stood up, nodding toward Jiao Jiaying. "Sorry, Miss. We still have another matter to attend to. Please excuse me."


    Thest thing Shi Nian saw was Jiao Jiaying''s dumbfounded face before she ran after Jiang Jinyan, exhration coursed through her veins. Jiang Jinyan walked slowly so Shi Nian caught up to him in a blink of an eye. Her previous anger was nowhere to be seen. Instead, she was all smiles and giggles.


    How could she look so silly? Jiang Jinyan wondered.


    "So happy?" he asked.


    Even without seeing him, Shi Nian could feel that Jiang Jinyan''s mood had gotten a lot better. Her smile instantly faded as she asked. [Do you like that type of woman?]


    Jiang Jinyan was struck speechless at the abrupt question. "¡­what?"


    Shi Nian was aggrieved as she typed. [You look happier than before.] Was it not because Jiao Jiaying had just asked for his name? Shi Nian knew that Jiao Jiaying was pretty, but she just couldn''t bring herself to like that woman.


    Jiang Jinyan raised a brow and the corner of his lips quirked up. It was unfortunate that Shi Nian didn''t notice it. "What do you think?"


    Shi Nian became more upset. She solemnly added. [Don''t. She''s not a good woman.]


    Jiang Jinyan was amused by her tant usation. "So, you''re good?"


    This time, Shi Nian couldn''t not notice the teasing tone in his voice even if she was deaf. She looked up in surprise to find a trace of smile in Jiang Jinyan''s eyes.


    He himself didn''t know why he could never reject this girl thoroughly. He obviously hated clingy people who didn''t know their position, especially ones who disrupted his quiet and intruded his personal space.


    However, he couldn''t apply it to Shi Nian. Every time he pushed her away, she would always return in full force. No matter how despicable he was, she would still show him a bright smile. Unexpectedly, Jiang Jinyan didn''t hate it. Instead, he quite liked this kind of feeling.


    Right now, he just wished to indulge in this peace and serenity.


    Under the yellow light from streemps which light up one by one and the gradually darkening sky, Shi Nian decided to be shameless once in a while.


    Her fingers almost slipped a few times as she typed and her face blushed fiercely. Even then, she didn''t want to retreat, didn''t want to give up on him only to lose him again.


    [I am very good. If you get close to me, you will know how good I am.]


    ***


    Even when Shi Nian returned home, her entire body was still burning inside out as if she had just been boiled in hot water. Her heart drummed loudly and for a split second, she was filled with self loathing. Especially when she recalled how Jiang Jinyan had mockinglyughed at her shameless remark.


    Once again, it seemed like she had failed to get close to him.


    It had always been like that. Every time she felt like she could finally close the distance between them, Jiang Jinyan would always find thousands of ways to push her away, to reject her, to not let anyone approach.


    Why? It was like he was afraid of something¡­


    The sound of phone ringing jolted Shi Nian out of her thoughts. She patted her chest and pulled out her phone, only to find Qiang Fei''s name on the screen. Shi Nian hit her forehead, how could she forget to notify Qiang Fei of her arrival?


    The call disconnected and Shi Nian hastily opened her WeChat interface.


    [Qiang Fei]: Baby, have you arrived home yet?


    [Qiang Fei]: Shi Nian?


    [Qiang Fei]: Niannian, are you busy? Please call mama if you''ve seen the messages, okay?


    [Qiang Fei]: Niannian, did something happen?


    Shi Nian could feel the increasing panic in Qiang Fei''s tone across the screen and she hastily replied.


    [Ten Years]: Mama, sorry, I forgot!


    [Ten Years]: I have arrived safely. [photo]


    Qiang Fei replied in a blink of an eye.


    [Qiang Fei]: Sigh, scared Mama to death. Mama thought that something happened to you.


    [Qiang Fei]: What have you been doing?


    [Ten Years]: I was just having dinner with Mr.Jiang Jinyan.


    [Qiang Fei]: .....


    [Ten Years]: Mama???


    What was this heavy speechlessness oozing from the long string of periods Qiang Fei sent?


    .


    .


    .


    A/N:


    Qiang Fei''s inner cries: I am here worrying about my daughter but it turns out she''s on a date?! (;£þ§¥£þ)

 Chapter 178 - Are You Going To Apologize Or Not?!

    Shi Nian spent some time cleaning the house and washing herself up afterwards. When she emerged from the bathroom, it was almost 9 pm already. She turned on the nightmp and sat on her desk to do the practice papers.


    Amidst her focus, she heard Qiang Fei returned and went to check up on her. Shi Nian confirmed that Qiang Fei had eaten dinner before she continued to do her homework again. When she finished writing thest stroke of answer, it was already 00.30 am.


    There were tons of unread messages on her phone and only then did Shi Nian recall that she had forgotten to reply to Mo Ling.


    She opened the group chat which consisted of only 4 members.


    [Princess MoMoling]: Shi Nian! How is it?! I saw in the forum people said that School Grass Zhang offered to take you home but you rejected him?! Is that true?! Did he really confess to youu??! Did he bring you to the Moonlight Pavilion?


    [Princess MoMoling]: Where are you? Why didn''t you reply?! Did you really reject Zhang Jiancheng? That Zhang Jiancheng???


    [Princess MoMoling]: Holy shit the forum exploded. Zhang Jiancheng has just appeared to defend you!


    [Princess MoMoling]: [photo] I have screenshotted it for you. Damn girl, you''re really something!


    Shi Nian: "¡­"


    Actually, she hadpletely forgotten about Zhang Jiancheng.


    Shi Nian clicked open the photo Mo Ling sent and saw an eyecatching thread: "The newly transferred student and School Grass Zhang are together?!"


    Below were countless discussions and the number of replies had reached 2000 in just less than one day.


    Mo Ling''s photo was focused on the username ZJC. It was obvious who it was in one nce. School Grass Zhang suddenly popped up in the forum discussion. [There''s nothing between me and Shi Nian. She''s just an acquaintance of mine so I hope everyone will not gossip about her smile.jpg.]


    There was actually nothing special about Zhang Jiancheng''s reply. Shi Nian had no idea why everyone became so crazy just because of this. After she entered the forum and scrolled down through the thread, she finally realized something.


    [Aaaaah, it''s Zhang Jiancheng!]


    [Holy¡ªhe has finally appeared!]


    [Where''s the little sisters who said that they wanted to wait for Zhang Jiancheng''s response? Here he is. Why are you all so silent now?]


    [Damn, please remind me. Is it only the second time Zhang Jiancheng appeared in the forum during his three years of high school?]


    [Upstairsmenter, you''re right! I still remember the first time he appeared to warn the girls not to take pictures of him without permission and spread it in the forum or else he will sue them one by one! It was already more than two years ago!]


    [Hehehe¡­]


    [First, he popped up to warn us and the second time, it''s still a warning.]


    [Why do I smell the sour scent of love in the air? vinegar.jpg]


    [I am just a passerby, don''t mind me~]


    [That smile of his is kind of scary¡­ spooked.jpg It feels like he''s going to do something if we don''t listen.]


    [Hahaha sister, your imagination is really superb.]


    [Wake up! Zhang Jiancheng has said that she''s only an acquaintance, okay?!]


    [Yes, he said that there''s nothing between them!!!!]


    [Hahaha, upstairsmenter, look at yourself in the mirror. Do you believe it?]


    [Do you believe it? +1]


    [Do you believe it? +2]


    .


    .


    [Do you believe it? +ID number]


    Shi Nian was rendered speechless by the imagination of those melon eaters. She closed the forum lest her eyes became scarred. After that, she reopened the group chat. After she scrolled past Mo Ling''s screams, finally there''s a change of atmosphere.


    [Chen Jiawei]: Why are you so noisy? It''s up to Shi Nian how she deals with it, okay?


    [Princess MoMoling]: I just want to hear some first hand gossip


    [Princess MoMoling]: aggrieved.jpg


    [Li Qing]: Actually, there''s nothing special about Zhang Jiancheng. He''s not even that great.


    The chat went dead instantly. It was only two hourster that Mo Ling replied.


    [Princess MoMoling]: ¡­


    [Princess MoMoling]: You know, if I share what you said just now, you will be drowned in Zhang Jiancheng''s concubines'' spit.


    [Princess MoMoling]: But it''s personal preference, I understand. [strokebeard.jpg]


    [Princess MoMoling]: Just don''t let his fans know that you badmouth him behind his back, do you hear me?! Even though I am his fan too, I shall reluctantly forgive you.


    It was obvious that Mo Ling tried to ease the atmosphere but Li Qing''s reply didn''t make anything better.


    [Li Qing]: Hmph I am just speaking the truth


    [Li Qing]: He''s so arrogant and haughty. All of his kindness is just a show off.


    Thest reply was half an hour ago. Shi Nian thought for a while before replying.


    [Ten Years]: Sorry, I have just opened the chat. Nothing happened between us. He didn''t confess either. We are really acquaintances, it''s true.


    [Ten Years]: So he just greeted me for a while.


    [Ten Years]: Moreover, I have someone I like [shysmile.jpg]


    [Ten Years]: Moonlight Pavilion? What is that?


    The chat revived in an instant.


    [Princess MoMoling]: Oh my goodness, who is it?! Spill!


    [Princess MoMoling]: knife.jpg


    [Princess MoMoling]: Come on! Tell me, I am so curious!


    [Princess MoMoling]: You don''t know about Moonlight Pavilion?? Ah right, you''re a transfer student. It''s a building that connects our Sangzhe High with Sangzhe University. There used to be a joint activity between us and Sangzhe University. But now that it stopped, Moonlight Pavilion has been made into an empty building.


    [Princess MoMoling]: Rumors said that when you confess when the moonlight is out, you will be epted!


    [Princess MoMoling]: Then tadaa, it bes a famous ce to confess. They said that someone has tried it and they seeded! Now, the couple has be husband and wife, harmonious for eternity~


    [Princess MoMoling]: So if you want to confess, you should go to Moonlight Pavilion for a greater chance of sess! [excited.jpg] So who do you like??? @Ten Years


    [Chen Jiawei]: Have you finished today''s papers?


    [Princess MoMoling]: I have, I have! So can I please have some time to gossip?!


    [Chen Jiawei]: ¡­.


    Shi Nian chuckled.


    [Ten Years]: Not telling you~


    [Princess MoMoling]: Aaaaaah you''re such a meanie! Just give me a hint? Is it really not Zhang Jiancheng?


    [Ten Years]: ¡­no. It''s really not him.


    [Ten Years]: You don''t know that person.


    [Ten Years]: He''s a university student.


    [Princess MoMoling]: ¡­wow


    [Princess MoMoling]: thumbsup.jpg


    [Chen Jiawei]: thumbsup.jpg


    [Li Qing]: thumbsup.jpg


    After sessfully making them speechless, Shi Nian smiled and turned off her phone. However, she didn''t know that this small event would be the prelude to an irrevocable tragedy.


    When Shi Nian arrived at school the next day, she realized that everyone was looking at her with strange gazes and the hushed whispers would instantly die down the moment she approached. She frowned, confused. It wasn''t until she got into ss did she find out the cause.


    The whole atmosphere was somber.


    The usually cheerful Mo Ling was so angry that her face flushed red, while Chen Jiawei was holding her back even if her own expression wasn''t any better either.


    In front of them, Li Qing was quietly crying.


    When Shi Nian slid the door open, it created a soft creaking sound that was especially conspicuous against the silent background.


    Instantly, all eyes turned to her.


    Shi Nian: ???


    She slowly walked to her seat, looking around in confusion. Her eyes met with Li Qing for a split second before thetter looked away in an instant.


    Mo Ling exploded fiercely. "Shi Nian is already here so are you going to apologize or not?!"


    Shi Nian turned to the most reliable person, Chen Jiawei. [What happened?]


    Chen Jiawei sighed as she pulled Mo Ling away from Li Qing otherwise a fight would break out at any time. She pushed up her sses and sighed, then started to exin.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: herees trouble ?(£à?¡ä?)

 Chapter 179 - Everywhere Around Her Was Darkness

    Early in the morning, a new thread appeared in the forum, right at the time when students woke up to check Weib8 to see whether there''s new interesting gossip. Because the traffic was huge and the object of the discussion were ones who were heatedly popr these past few days, everyone clicked on it whether or not they actually cared.


    Shi Nian stared at the phone in front of her, expressionplicated.


    [Hot News: The New Transfer Student Rejected School Grass Zhang?!


    Everyone here should know that yesterday, our one and only school grass and male god, Zhang Jiancheng, has asked the transfer student out. This is Zhang Jiancheng we''re speaking about! After that, on the very same night, he even appeared in the forum to warn everyone not to cause trouble for the transfer student!


    I just want to say: you''re right! Little meimei, big jiejie, our Zhang Jiancheng really wanted to chase after her [cry.jpg] [cry.jpg] Someone has leaked that they heard Zhang Jiancheng offered to take the transfer student home but she rejected him!


    Let me tell you the reason. [photo]


    [Ten Years]: Moreover, I have someone I like [shysmile.jpg]


    [Ten Years]: Not telling you~


    [Ten Years]: You don''t know that person


    [Ten Years] He''s a university student.


    I just want to say, School Grass Zhang, you''re too pitiful ah! And the new transfer student, let me give you a bow orz[1].]


    It was the screenshot ofst night''s chat in their group. The name of the group and other people had been mosaicked, leaving only a single, obvious name. Moreover, it was edited to the point where Shi Nian sounded extremelycent and smug as if she didn''t take Zhang Jiancheng''s feelings seriously.


    Mo Ling was shocked awake when she saw the thread and her sleepiness vanished in an instant. This was clearly their personal chat group! How could it appear in the forum? Moreover, the poster obviously targeted only Shi Nian, judging from how they crossed out the names except hers.


    When she opened it, the replies had already reached more than 100 and every single one was very unpleasant to hear.


    [What did I tell you? The transfer student is really problematic! Who knows what she has done in her previous school? Otherwise, did she need to transfer school during midterm?]


    [Hahahaha, I saw thising and now, I am extremely satisfied!]


    [OP, you''re true [cry.jpg] I really pity our male god. He likes a girl for the first time, but it turns out, she''s that kind of girl¡­]


    [See her tone? ''I have someone I like''? Holy fu¡ªhow can she be so arrogant?! Is it worth boasting to have Zhang Jiancheng like you???!]


    [Pssst, upstairsmenter, you''re right. It''s really worth boasting to have Zhang Jiancheng''s love.]


    [¡­.]


    [Don''t burst my bubble. My point is¡ªI hate her! Who does she think she is?!]


    [I have insider information! My cousin''s sister''s friend said that she knew the transfer student. Even in her previous school, she is isted and weird. You know, she ignored the girls and only talked to boys. They said that her rtionship is a mess, she could y with 3 boys at once¡­]


    [Wait, let me straighten this out. First, there''s a man in Benz, then Zhang Jiancheng andstly, a mysterious university student. Wow¡­let me guess again, is it a Sangzhe University''s student?]


    [I have to say that if you''re true, this transfer student is too scary ah. Just how long has she transferred here? I have studied in this school for three years but my experience lost to someone who hasn''t even known how to walk around school without getting lost [pitiful.jpg]]


    Mo Ling took a deep breath, suffocated like she was buried under the avnche. She hastily washed herself up, didn''t even eat the breakfast her mother made and dashed to Chen Jiawei''s house. Coincidentally, they met midway. Chen Jiawei was also on her way to Mo Ling''s house.


    As they looked at each other, they instantly knew that the culprit couldn''t have been them.


    They had known each other for a long time, so long that Mo Ling could air Chen Jiawei''s dark past in public for three days straight and still not done with it. Simrly, Chen Jiawei could also pull out some to p her face. Of course, it was only limited to both of them. Their principle absolutely didn''t allow them to do this kind of thing to others.


    So the only person who could do that was¡ª


    "Is that you?" Mo Ling said, her tone dark and grim.


    She didn''t even need to wait for answer. Li Qing''s trembling shoulders and red rimmed eyes had already exposed her guilt.


    Mo Ling took a deep breath, but she couldn''t hold herself back. Her temper exploded in an instant. "Why did you do this?! Shi Nian is our friend and because of that she dared to say it to our chat group! Li Qing, doing this is equal to betraying the trust Shi Nian has for us! Are you still human?!"


    Mo Ling had always been eloquent. When she was angry, her words shot out faster than a machine gun. Each sentence drained the colors from Li Qing''s face.


    When Mo Ling shouted thest sentence, Li Qing instantly broke down. "It''s not me! Really! I don''t know who did it too! I¡ªI came early to do practice papers and after that, I left my phone for a while to go to the bathroom. Yes¡ªat that time, there''s only Ruo Tingran in the ss!"


    Ruo Tingran, who was suddenly pointed out, fumed in anger. "You''re using me?! Li Qing, listen to what you said. Do you think I care so much to fumble through your phone secretly and put the me on your head?! Who do you think you are?!"


    Li Qing was speechless. She¡­She didn''t know what to say next.


    Every single sentence Ruo Tingran said was true and exactly because it was true that Li Qing was getting increasingly panicked by each second. She really didn''t do that, but the evidence pointed to her. No matter how much she tried to exin, it sounded like an excuse.


    "I¡­" Li Qing got tongue tied and under everyone''s doubtful eyes¡ªthe students and ssmates who had been together with her for three years¡ªshe only felt cold all over. It was so cold that she couldn''t help but shiver.


    Why didn''t anybody trust her?


    Why did they look at her like that?


    She really didn''t do it¡­


    Mo Ling harrumphed. "Look at the trouble you have caused! Now, they are saying all kinds of things about Shi Nian! How are you going topensate her?!"


    Li Qing looked at Mo Ling''s disdainful gaze and answered nkly. "I will¡­I will apologize to herter¡­"


    After that, Shi Nian arrived, her confused eyes turned to Li Qing who then couldn''t resist looking away. There was a sense of fear deep in her stomach, like ugly, messy bugs that were on the verge of crawling out, climbing up to her skin and dug into her eyes and nose.


    Li Qing stood up with her back covered in cold sweat. "Shi Nian, I¡­" In the end, Li Qing couldn''t say anything except, "I''m sorry¡­"


    Shi Nian''s lips pursed tight as she scrolled through the thread. Countless usations entered her eyes but her expression remained unchanged. Mo Ling and Chen Jiawei surrounded her, offering numerous words offort and defense.


    However, no one cared about Li Qing.


    No one cared about her words. No one cared about her existence. They were obviously standing in the same ce but Li Qing felt like there was ayer separating her from others.


    She was alone, and everywhere around her was darkness.


    .


    .


    [1] orz = a person kneeling.


    .


    A/N: Poor Li Qing (?©n?`?) so, who do you think is the main culprit? Is Li Qing lying or is it Ruo Tingran, or another person?


    Sigh, I know of someone who has been in Shi Nian''s position before. Because she was absent for a few days, rumors even said that she was pregnant and expelled from school. The truth is, she''s only sick (>©n<£©


    I also know someone who''s been in Li Qing''s position.. Rumors are so scary, it''s enough to destroy someone so don''t believe anything you see on inte nowadays. Me? I was only a passerby £Ü(o ¡õ o l|l)/

 Chapter 180 - I Trust You

    Shi Nian looked at her ss'' unpleasant atmosphere and heaved a sigh. She stood up and walked to Li Qing''s desk. [Did you do it?]


    "No!" Li Qing''s head snapped up, eyes brimming with tears. "It''s not me! It''s not me who did it! Really!"


    Li Qing didn''t know what else to say except denying it. She didn''t have any proof and everyone was suspicious of her. If she was in Shi Nian''s position, she would doubt herself too. The light in her eyes dimmed and she lowered her head, fists clenched by her side.


    Then, to everyone''s surprise, Shi Nian patted her shoulder. [I trust you.]


    Li Qing couldn''t believe what she was seeing. She wiped her tears roughly, asking in a trembling voice. "W¡ªWhat?"


    Mo Ling shook off Chen Jiawei''s hands and rushed forward. "What did you say? What did you just write?"


    Shi Nian showed her notebook to Mo Ling. Under her astonished gaze, Shi Nian nodded firmly, a faint smile on her face.


    "You¡­" Mo Ling choked on her breath, then huffed as she walked away. "Fine, do what you like."


    In a timely manner, the bell rang and students returned to their seats. Teacher Yao entered the ssroom, but instead of starting ss, she scanned her sharp gaze across each of the faces under the podium. "Shi Nian and every single person in the chat group, meet me in the office after the ss ends."


    The ss continued amidst the weird atmosphere. Time seemed to crawl very slowly when the bell finally rang. Then Shi Nian, Mo Ling, Chen Jiawei and Li Qing stood up. Like four little chicks, they trailed behind Teacher Yao in silence.


    The teacher''s office was empty because it was still ss time. There wasn''t any other person except for one or two students who were asked to bring something to and from the office. Their eyes fell on the five people in the office, curious and specting.


    In the end, Teacher Yao chased the busybody students out. She sat in her swivel chair, leg crossed over in front of the other like an icy and ruthless queen. "So, who wants to tell me what happened?"


    Chen Jiawei pushed up her sses and exined in a concise manner. Her words were carefully chosen and didn''t offend a particr party. She just stated the fact one by one, her face calm and steady.


    Teacher Yao nodded, brows knitting. "So, who is the one who created the thread?"


    Li Qing cried out, sobbing messily. "It''s really not me!"


    Teacher Yao sighed and turned to Shi Nian. "As the involved party, do you have something to say?"


    Shi Nian pondered for a while and wrote in front of Yao Xiurong. [Teacher, I think this matter has to be investigated thoroughly.]


    Teacher Yao nodded. "Don''t worry, we will definitely find out the root of the problem and clear your name!"


    Shi Nian shook her head. [I don''t really care about the gossip. But I believe that Li Qing will not do something like that. If the matter continues like this, then everyone will think of Li Qing as a culprit.]


    The feeling of the whole world using you, saying that you''re cursed, that you''re better off disappear from the world, that you would bring bad luck to others, Shi Nian had gone through it all. She knew exactly how revolting and repulsive it felt.


    Shi Nian had gone through a period of wanting to prove herself to the world, to show that they were wrong, that she wasn''t like what everyone thought she was. But it was General Jiang who dragged her out of this endless quagmire of self doubt and loathing.


    It was exactly because you''re doubting yourself that the whole world doubted you. If you lived with clear conscience and confidence, how could people''s words affect you?


    Shi Nian didn''t realize how mellow and mature her gaze was, it wasn''t one which a sixteen years old could have. But Teacher Yao had received Principal Mo''s instruction and knew one or two things about what Shi Nian had experienced before. That''s why she didn''t dare to treat Shi Nian casually.


    "Alright, Teacher will listen to you."


    The other three didn''t know what Shi Nian had written to Yao Xiurong. In the end, thetter stood up and patted their backs one by one. "This matter will be investigated further. Maybe it will take quite a long time, but don''t worry, Teacher will not let you be wronged. The only thing you have to focus on is the monthly exam next week, got it?"


    Mo Ling groaned and draped herself on Chen Jiawei''s body.


    "And, Shi Nian." Yao Xiurong''s sharp eyes fell on her. "Crushes are allowed, it''s verymon for you young ones to develop feelings, but dating isn''t. I will not ask you to divulge the other party''s information, but I hope that you will make it a motivation to study harder. You can confess after you have graduated, got it?"


    Shi Nian almost forgot about that thing. She lowered her head and nodded guiltily, face as red as apple.


    Teacher Yao had dered her stance and it was printed on paper, stuck in the announcement board. Everyone could see it if they walked through the courtyard.


    The thread was finally deleted and the culprit was still unknown. She hoped that everyone wouldn''t use each other. Try to maintain a harmonious atmosphere and study hard. Until then, no one was guilty and if a simr thread was found again, the consequences would be dire.


    The melon eater boos collectively, disappointed. They felt that the matter was as clear as day and Teacher Yao was biased toward the students in her ss. However from start to end, Principal Mo didn''t appear, thus they didn''t dare to cause any ruckus.


    The monthly exam added to the pressure on the third year students. No matter how curious they were, studying was still the most important.


    Nheless, the situation in the third year building didn''t get any better afterward. They couldn''t pretend that nothing happened.


    Thus, three different groups were formed.


    The first group thought better of Shi Nian, the second group was those who felt that problem started to crop up after Shi Nian''s transfer and chose to stand with Li Qing, andstly, the third group¡ªwhich made of the majority¡ªwas melon eaters who took the stance as passerby, watching and enjoying the drama everyday.


    Shi Nian never had lunch with Li Qing again after that day.


    Mo Ling put on an ugly face, still angry with how Li Qing could wash her hands clean from the problem. She pulled Chen Jiawei and didn''t allow the ss monitor to help Li Qing this time. In her words, Li Qing had to be taught a lesson.


    Actually, Mo Ling was not a bad person. Her anger was gone as soon as they came. Shi Nian even caught her sneakily looking at Li Qing a few times. Hesitant yet also wanted to approach. Mo Ling herself knew how reckless and impulsive her temper was, thus she had been looking for a chance to make up with Li Qing.


    However, it wasn''t clear when, but Li Qing had started to hang out with Ruo Tingran''s group. The two people who argued fiercely on the day of confrontation became as close as Siamese twins.


    Ruo Tingran''s group consisted of the powerful and influential students. Nicely speaking, privileged and popr ones. Crudely said, the haughty, rich and arrogant ones. They were also the ones who used Shi Nian the fastest when the gossip about her came out.


    They protected Li Qing like a fragile porcin doll, not allowing Mo Ling to get close.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: we will get to the climax of school arc in the next chappie. Hold on (/¦Ø£Ü)

 Chapter 181 - A Dead Body Was Found

    If not for Chen Jiawei being there, maybe Mo Ling would have gotten into a fight with Ruo Tingran right there and then.


    The most infuriating thing was, she had lowered herself first to ask for Li Qing, but thetter turned away and ignored her! Mo Ling could even catch the contemptuous sh in her eyes!


    "From now on, I dere that we have nothing to do with each other!" Mo Ling shoved food into her spoon hatefully.


    "Yes, yes." Chen Jiawei sighed tiredly.


    On the table in front of them, there came a burst of giggles. It was Li Qing and her new group. Shi Nian ate all the while stealing some nces worriedly. She tugged on Chen Jiawei''s sleeve and asked. [Do you think that Li Qing has changed so much?]


    Following Shi Nian''s sight, Chen Jiawei saw Li Qing who was beaming so bright to the point where her eyes turned to slits..


    Shi Nian was right. Li Qing had indeed changed so much. It wasn''t her appearance. But the way she smiled, the way she looked at people, the way she carried herself. In the past, she was earnest and hard working. But these days, Chen Jiawei never saw her study. All day long, she hung out with Ruo Tingran''s group, putting on makeup, curling her hair, shortening her skirt¡­


    She looked much more sophisticated and brighter, but Chen Jiawei couldn''t help but feel that she had lost sight of Li Qing whom she reached out to three years ago.


    Chen Jiawei shook her head. "Let her be. It''s her choice after all."


    In the corner of the cafeteria, Zhang Jiancheng''s eyes drifted elsewhere, making his good bro, Xuan Liyuan, crept closer to follow his line of sight. A meaningful smile appeared on his face as he slung his arms across Zhang Jiancheng''s shoulders. "Is she that beautiful, huh?"


    Zhang Jiancheng retracted his gaze silently.


    "Say something ah." Xuan Liyuan urged exasperatedly. "Look, when the rumors about her popped up, you didn''t say a single word to defend her. Now, it seems like even their friendship has sunk. Do you really have nothing to say?"


    Zhang Jiancheng replied cooly. "What should I say?"


    Xuan Liyuan was rendered speechless. "You¡ªokay, now I know why you''re still single until this day!"


    Zhang Jiancheng''s face darkened and he elbowed Xuan Liyuan''s stomach, making the other boy groan in pain. "Fuck, you''re ruthless¡­" He rubbed his aching stomach and sought death once again. "I am telling the truth ah, if you keep on being silent, how can you get her? Don''t you see the forum said that she already has someone she likes?"


    Xuan Liyuan really hated how iron couldn''t be steel[1]. Zhang Jiancheng was obviously so excellent but he didn''t know how to seize the opportunity to sweep the girl''s feet off the ground. If he had just been a bit proactive, a bit sincere, who knows how long the transfer student would have fallen into his embrace?


    Zhang Jiancheng''s movement of receiving the tray from cafeteria auntie paused. "So what?" He said. "This is not the time yet."


    Xuan Liyuan saw his friend''s eyes and his jaws dropped to the ground. He couldn''t resist cursing. "Fuck, man, you''re serious¡ªreally?"


    ***


    Finally, Shi Nian ushered in her first monthly exam. This exam was very important to her and she really wanted to do well so that she could show it off to Qiang Fei. She was so busy studying that she didn''t have time to care about anything else.


    The four people''s WeChat group was silent from then on. However, a day before the exam, Li Qing took the initiative to leave the group.


    Shi Nian sighed as she discovered it. It was night time and books were spread across her table. A series of knocks resounded through her door and Qiang Fei came in with a te. "Eat fruits first, Niannian." Qiang Fei saw how hard she studied and felt heartache as well as a sliver of pride. She caressed her daughter''s head and said. "Don''t force yourself too much. It''s okay to get bad grades. Mama will not me you."


    Shi Nian stuffed the cut apple into her mouth and nodded. But inwardly, she convinced herself that she couldn''t get to the bottom of the rank.


    Days passed in a blink of an eye. The season weedte autumn along with the gradually colder temperature. The long awaited exam day finally arrived. Shi Nian roused early and ate the breakfast Qiang Fei made, ck circles below her eyes. In her hands were the important notes that she had gathered. Even when she rode on the subway station, her eyes still raked across the paper, wishing that she could imprint all of it into her memory.


    Every third year student had a simr thought, that is: on the exam day, they could only be earlier and earliest! Even when it was still an hour away from the examination, Shi Nian found a huge crowd of students gathering at the gate.


    She approached with her head lowered, mind still full of chemical forms. Gradually, she realized that something didn''t seem right. The students'' faces were pale and their eyes filled with horror. Shi Nian found Mo Ling amidst the crowd, her body supported by Chen Jiawei.


    Startled, Shi Nian ran to them. When she drew closer, she found that both of the girls'' faces were soaked in tears.


    An ominous premonition sent chills down her spine and her eyes inadvertently caught sight of a stter of reddish stain on the clean courtyard, the color so ring and familiar that her entire body was frozen in ce.


    Intermittent whispers filled her ears, but it still managed to clear Shi Nian''s confusion.


    A dead body was found in the school. It was estimated that the person had jumped from the rooftop of Moonlight Pavilion. From such a high altitude, the person''s body was, without a doubt, squashed beyond recognition. The skull cracked open and white brain matters spilled out.


    The initial investigation had juste out.


    The corpse was suspected to belong to a female student in ss 1, Year 3 by the name of Li Qing.


    .


    .


    [1] hate how iron couldn''t be steel = hated how Zhang Jiancheng couldn''t meet his expectation aka he''s such a disappointment


    .


    A/N: oh, here it is. Did you see thating?? The suspense is here atsttt ?¨‘¡õ¨‘?


    Just a reminder that this is a case within case. So, this case will give Shi Nian more clues which led to her lost memory and the serial killer. Compared to Wu Wengen''s death, this is more impactful (¨R?¨Q)

 Chapter 182 - Where Is Shi Nian?

    The monthly exam was suspended, students were asked to return to their ssrooms and the forum was shut down. However, it still couldn''t block the speed of how gossip spread. By the time when the bell signified the end of first ss rang, the whole school had already known that a third year student Li Qing hadmitted suicide.


    Because all of the teachers were busy in the meeting room, the students became more and more rowdy and unruly.


    Countless spection popped up.


    First, shemitted suicide on the day of monthly exam, was it too stressing that she could only seek death to escape? But it couldn''t be ah. Sangzhe High had been here for quite a long time but there hadn''t been any terrifying case like this before!


    Second, everyone in the school more or less had heard of Li Qing''s name after the dissing thread about Shi Nian came out. Even though the announcement said that the culprit was still unknown, they thought that it would surely be Li Qing who did it.


    Now that she hadmitted suicide, was it due to this? Because she wanted to prove her innocence?


    The two theories were widely discussed and the majority was inclined toward thetter.. Not only the people who didn''t really know Li Qing believed that, but Mo Ling also did. In this case, maybe she was the most shaken one.


    She couldn''t stop crying and now, she was lying limply in Chen Jiawei''s arms, eyes swollen and hair messy. "It''s my fault¡­it''s all my fault. If I don''t use her in front of everyone, if I ask her with a better way, if I just curb my temper a bit, would she not resort to something so stupid like this?"


    Chen Jiawei was silent, because she also didn''t know what to say.


    Yes, she was mature and yes, she had a high sense of responsibility and justice. But in the end, she was still a seventeen years old girl who hadn''t even stepped onto thedder of society yet.


    The burden of someone''s life was too heavy, overly heavy for them to carry.


    Someone who sat by the window nced down and muttered. "Li Qing''s parents have arrived¡­"


    Silence reigned inside the ssroom. Everyone hung their heads low, depressed. If the forum was the main reason of Li Qing''s suicide, then they weren''t innocent at all. They also had a hand in pushing Li Qing toward the abyss.


    Chen Jiawei sighed, took off her sses and rubbed her face. She inadvertently turned sideways but didn''t see the person who sat behind her. Stunned, she asked, "Where is Shi Nian?"


    Everyone looked at each other, no one realized where she went or when she was gone.


    ***


    Shi Nian walked across the empty hallway. Even then, she could hear the loud voices from the closed ssroom. People were discussing Li Qing''s death, specting the cause and bringing up the matter of the forum which had been deleted.


    There wasn''t any expression on her face, but her bloodless lips spoke of thousand words.


    If she nced out from the window, she could see the yellow police line around the courtyard, the dried blood stain, crouching forensic investigators and the white chalk which made out the corpse''s body shape. Li Qing''s body.


    The girl who wasughing so bright in the cafeteria a few days ago could no longer be found from this day onward.


    Shi Nian braced herself and walked through the direction she had kept in mind. Moonlight Pavilion was used to connect Sangzhe High and Sangzhe University. It was a small five storey building which was painted creamy white, simr to the building in the Mediterranean era. Hence the name ''pavilion'' came from.


    There were two doors on each side of the building, connected by short bridges. If one wanted to go there, then they could choose one of the two paths. First, directly entered from the front door and second, from the connecting bridge on the second floor of the west building.


    Shi Nian''s ssroom was on the fourth floor of the west building. Thus, she had to descend two flights of stairs to reach the connecting bridge. The teacher''s office on the second floor was empty and it was expected that they had all gathered in the meeting room. However, there were security guards and police officers patrolling around.


    Shi Nian stered herself onto the wall and stuck her head out to find no one around. Heaving a sigh of relief, she stepped onto the second floor amidst the muffled and loud voices that came from somewhere in the ssroom.


    She hadn''t had the chance to walk around the school yet and wasn''t familiar with the second floor. Based on the map she saw, she had to go through the row of sses, pass the toilets and music room, then turn in a corner to reach the bridge.


    With the fastest speed imaginable, she ducked her head and ran across the hallway of sses and reached the girl''s toilet. Fortunately, there wasn''t anyone inside. She calmed her heartbeat for a bit then continued, turning into a corner and saw the door of the music room¡­


    Her pupils shrunk. In front of her was the balcony and a door leading to the bridge. But the door was currently locked! The huge lock reflected on Shi Nian''s eyes and she knocked her forehead, how could she be so na?ve to think that she could sneak to the Moonlight Pavilion at this moment?


    The worst thing had yet toe as in the next moment, she could hear the sound of several footsteps approaching and the voices of patrolling police officers!


    "¡­let them be for a while. The principal is almost here. I heard that he''s in Bangkokst night."


    "Then, he could only get thetest flight early in the morning, right? How could he be so fast?"


    "He''s powerful, of course he has another powerful friend. Someone lent their private ne for him¡ª"


    Shi Nian couldn''t register what they were saying because she was panicking! Where could she go? In front of her, the balcony door was locked and if she wanted to return to the girl''s toilet, then they could catch sight of her!


    Cold sweat broke out on Shi Nian''s back and she paced back and forth, anxious to death.


    However, before the police officers could reach the corner she was in, suddenly someone grabbed her arm from behind and yanked her into the music room!


    The heavy double door shut down with a muffle bam.


    The police officers halted in their tracks. "Did you hear something?"


    They looked at each other and ran forward, but in front of them, there was only an empty hallway, not even a soul could be seen.


    They scratched their heads, confused. Before they could investigate further, their talkie walkie buzzed and amand sounded out. "All members, gather at the assembly point on the track field. I repeat, all members¡ª"


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    A/N: Romance will be absent in the next few chapters as we will focus on the investigation on Li Qing''s death. Jiang Jinyan will appearter on so please be patient and enjoy the case ne~

 Chapter 183 - Would You Believe Me?

    The only light from the music room came from the gaps of the drawn curtain which fell onto the ck piano and illuminated the flying dust in the air. It waspletely dark and the uncertainty caused courage to dwindle. Shi Nian was so spooked by the previous event that she still felt lingering fear, her forehead was covered in sweat.


    In front of her, a tall figure put his forefingers on his lips, gesturing for her to not make a ruckus.


    Shi Nian nodded and the boy in school uniform tightened his hold on her wrist, gently pulling her aside. He stuck to the door and opened it a bit, only enough for the intermittent buzz andmanding voice of a male to slip in. "¡­gather at the assembly point on the track field. Over."


    Shi Nian remembered that the voice belonged to Detective Qin Weizhe''s. It seemed like he was the one who was in charge of Li Qing''s case.


    The boy''s brows knitted, his thought indecipherable.. He closed the door gently and turned to Shi Nian. "It''s safe now. But we can''t turn on the lights right now, so bear with it for a while."


    Amidst the dark, they could only see each other''s silhouette.


    Zhang Jiancheng saw Shi Nian nod quietly and a trace of smile shed through his eyes, albeit it receded soon. "What are you doing here?"


    Shi Nian was alerted. Her body stiffened and her lips pursed into thin lines.


    "Don''t worry." Zhang Jiancheng''s tone softened like he was coaxing a small, injured animal. "What you''re nning to do, I can guess. You also think that there''s something fishy about Li Qing''s death, right?"


    Shi Nian stared at him, stunned.


    Zhang Jiancheng¡­also thought that something didn''t seem right?


    As if to prove himself, Zhang Jiancheng started to exin. "It isn''t logical for her tomit suicide. First, Li Qing wasn''t the kind of person who could do something like this. Second, I had inadvertently heard her conversation with Ruo Tingran''s group that she was nning to do something after the monthly exam. It is kind of weird that she wouldmit suicide all of a sudden. Third¡­" He paused. "Well, I will tell youter. You want to go to Moonlight Pavilion, am I right?"


    Shi Nian looked at Zhang Jiancheng for a while, trying to discern his thoughts but saw nothing but sincerity.


    This was the person whom Li Qing said was arrogant and haughty, whose kindness was just a show off. The exact person had nowe personally before Shi Nian did to find out about her death. For a while, Shi Nian feltplicated inside.


    She decided to trust Zhang Jiancheng this time and nodded.


    To her surprise, Zhang Jiancheng pulled out a ring of keys from his pocket. Shi Nian''s eyes rounded as she saw the man pick out a single key. "Let''s go. We should seize this moment when the police are away."


    Shi Nian wasn''t given a chance to react when Zhang Jiancheng pulled the door open. Light poured in all of a sudden and Shi Nian''s eyes squinted, unustomed to the sudden change. The boy beckoned to her as he walked toward the door and pushed the key in, twisted it twice and¡ªclick¡ªthe lock which almost made Shi Nian break down opened just like that.


    As if sensing her confusion, Zhang Jiancheng exined. "I was the President of the Student Council untilst semester. Even though I have stepped down from my position, I haven''t got the chance to return the keys yet. Who could guess that it wille in handy today."


    They went through the door as Zhang Jiancheng put the lock back.


    The wind blew, carrying the depressing mood and faint scent of blood to Shi Nian''s nose. From her position, she could see the track field where the police gathered. As she expected, Qin Weizhe was standing in front of the teachers and police officers, his expression solemn and grim.


    "Come on. There isn''t much time." His words brought her back and Shi Nian chased after Zhang Jiancheng''s back.


    The connecting bridge was short, around ten meters and after that, they arrived in the Moonlight Pavilion. Shi Nian looked around the so-called famous ce to confess. The wall was creamy white and because of the long abandonment, there were long vines with orange leaves growing on the pir, giving off a vintage look. The whole building was empty and it had gathered dust, but the coloured ss window reflected kaleidoscope of colors simr to rainbow, adding on to the beautiful scenery.


    However, both of them weren''t in the mood to appreciate it.


    Shi Nian followed Zhang Jiancheng without a sound as the boy climbed on the dusty and creaky stairs.


    If Li Qing really didmit suicide early in the morning, Shi Nian couldn''t imagine how she felt when she climbed on this stairs alone surrounded by darkness and utmost silence.


    "I forgot to ask you." Zhang Jiancheng reached the top of the stairs and turned sideways. "Why do you think that there''s something more about Li Qing''s death?"


    Shi Nian spread her palms helplessly. She didn''t bring her notebook and pen and her phone was still in her school bag thus she couldn''tmunicate with him. After all, she was only nning to secretlye and take a look, then quickly returned.


    Zhang Jiancheng raised a brow then pulled out a phone. "Here."


    Shi Nian: "¡­" The school male god was really proficient.


    She epted it gingerly and typed on the memo. [Intuition.]


    Looking at her serious face, Zhang Jiancheng was rendered speechless. "¡­alright."


    They climbed onto the roof of Moonlight Pavilion and saw traces of marks and symbols that were left behind by the forensics. Zhang Jiancheng and Shi Nian separated. Shi Nian walked toward the broken railing and nced down to see a human shaped figure drawn with white chalk and the sttered bloodstain below.


    Nausea churned her stomach and she hastily looked away.


    Actually, there wasn''t much to see. Because it wasn''t raining yesterday nor did it snow, the only clue she could refer to was the footprints on the dusty floor. However, maybe because many people hade here to confess recently, there were numerous different footprints, small andrge, ovepping with each other.


    If she looked closer, she could find neat footprints leading to the broken railing which was supposed to be Li Qing''s. But that was it. There weren''t any additional footprints or suspicious marks. This was the scene which had been examined by the forensics, thus every single evidence, no matter how small it was, would have already been collected already.


    Shi Nian didn''t know what she wanted to seek bying here but a pang of disappointment hit her chest.


    "Did you find what you''re searching for?" he asked.


    Shi Nian turned back and shook her head. [What about you?]


    The boy had both his hands in the pocket as the wind ruffled the strands of his hair. He was slender, but his shoulders were wide and his muscles taut, formed by countless hours of volleyball practice andpetition. Shi Nian could judge how powerful he was from the way he had dragged her in one swift movement into the music room.


    His eyes locked onto hers, then he slowly said, "If I told you that me in the music room and saving you in the nick of time was a coincidence and I only tagged along to keep youpany, would you believe me?"


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    A/N: Zhang Jiancheng, you shall be awarded with "The Smoothest Side Character" in MDG. Congrattions~

 Chapter 184 - Dont Be Scared

    "Sorry to keep you waiting." Mo Qingshan shook Qin Weizhe''s hands, traces of fatigue on his eyes. His brows were taut with nerves and tension. "Thank you foring all the way here, Detective Qin."


    "Principal Mo." Qin Weizhe smiled. "Don''t be so polite. Binchen''s friend is also my friend. My apologies, but because there''s a personal connection between you and him, it isn''t appropriate for him to be in the team. To make up for it, he asked me toe and help."


    "I know." Mo Qingshan nodded and kneaded his forehead, a wry smile on his face. "He has helped me a lot.. If not for him, I would not be able to arrive so fast."


    The rest of the investigation team members were busy executing Qin Weizhe''s orders. In the meeting room, only Qin Weizhe, Mo Qingshan, and Yao Xiurong remained.


    Teacher Yao''splexion wasn''t good, her face was ghastly pale even though she tried to maintain coolheadedness. "I am Yao Xiurong, Li Qing''s homeroom teacher. Nice to meet you, Detective Qin."


    After the short greetings, they moved on to the main topic: Li Qing''s death, was it murder or suicide?


    Yao Xiurong expressed her stand firmly. "She wouldn''t havemitted suicide. Detective Qin, I have taught her for three years. Even though I don''t know her inside out, I can confidently say that I know her temperament. Even though she''s introverted, she is a strong and tenacious girl."


    Qin Weizhe listened patiently and nodded. "I understand where you''reing from, Teacher Yao. If you''re convinced that it isn''t suicide, then you''re saying that there''s a murderer rampaging inside the school?"


    Yao Xiurong''s face paled further.


    Mo Qingshan interjected gently. "We shouldn''t make any conclusions yet. Teacher Yao, I know that you cherish each of your students but a person''s heart is the hardest to guess. I am not refuting you, but I want you to realize that you''re only a teacher, simrly I am only a Principal, the things we know are limited."


    A faint smile appeared on Qin Weizhe''s lips. "Your point is?"


    "To let us understand Li Qing further, let''s start with her closest friends and ssmates around her." Mo Qingshan said. "Detective Qin, I will give you the full authority to investigate her death."


    "Thank you for your trust, Principal Mo. Then we shall start. Which ss is she in again?"


    Yao Xiurong answered. "ss 1. It''s ss 1, Year 3."


    "Alright. We will conduct an investigation from there."


    At that moment, Luo Ning knocked on the door and came in. "Detective Qin, here''s what you want." He handed Qin Weizhe a few pages of paper.


    "Great." Qin Weizhe grinned and flipped the pages to find the list of students from ss 1, Year 3. There were 28 students, excluding Li Qing. "I will have to ask Teacher Yao''s help to ask for the students in your ss toe here. Yes, starting from Tian Wen, Hao Dong, Chen Jiawei¡ªwait, what?!" Detective Qin''s eyes widened as he eximed in surprise. "Shi Nian?!"


    "Do you know her, Detective Qin?" Mo Qingshan questioned. "She is the new transfer student that''s brought in by Xu Binchen."


    Qin Weizhe and Luo Ning looked at each other and found the same astonishment in each other''s eyes.


    Was this a coincidence? Why did cases start to crop up one by one wherever she went? First, Wu Wengen''s case in the apartment district and now, there''s another one¡­


    Qin Weizhe''s eyes shed before he regained his usual cheerful smile. "Oh, nothing. Yes, I met her a few times before because of Xu Binchen. I just didn''t expect to see her here, haha, it''s such a small world. Okay, Teacher Yao, I will trouble you to call the students here one by one."


    From the first two students¡ªTian Wen and Hao Dong, Qin Weizhe and Luo Ning learned about Li Qing''s school life which could be said to be mediocre and t.


    Well, it was more because the boys tended not to pay attention to others except the girls they liked, thus Qin Weizhe couldn''t extract any important information from them.


    But in the end, he finally learned something interesting. "Oh? Tell me about the forum''s thread."


    Tian Wen was shocked as he flusteredly denied. "No, no, Mr. Detective. That matter hasn''t been solved yet. Nothing is confirmed until now."


    "Don''t worry." Looking at this youthful puppy-like boy, Qin Weizhe couldn''t help but tease him. "Why did you seem so reluctant? Don''t tell me you have a crush on Shi Nian?"


    Tian Wen instantly blushed. "N¡ªNo, I didn''t! I definitely don''t!"


    The more he tried to deny it, the more obvious it seemed.


    Qin Weizhe: "¡­" s, Old Xu, you lost the opportunity to see how popr your kiddo bes.


    "I just¡­" Tian Wen scratched his head. "I know that Li Qing''s death is very sensitive right now, especially when the conflict between them has just happened not long ago, so people will inevitably think that it has something to do with Shi Nian. But seriously, ever since she transferred here, she has been studying so earnestly. We aren''t even sure whether the chat is real or not. Nowadays, there''s a lot of photo fabrication, right?"


    He was talking until his saliva turned dry, but the point was only one. He didn''t want Shi Nian to be dragged unjustly into this matter.


    Qin Weizhe suddenly felt bitter, feeling like he was very old already as he looked at the boy''s bashful yet careful look.


    "Alright, I understand." He patted Tian Wen''s shoulder. "I promise to be impartial. Now, all you should do is to tell me the truth and leave everything to the police, got it?"


    Tian Wen heaved a sigh of relief and nodded.


    ***


    "I heard that when the thread using Shi Nian came out, only you and Li Qing were in the ssroom, so if we exclude Li Qing, the only person possible to do it is you. What do you have to say about that?"


    Ruo Tingran had just sat down when Qin Weizhe suddenly asked this question. She was so shocked that she stopped sobbing. Her eyes wet with tears widened delicately. Qin Weizhe wondered how someone could be so inspirational to create waterproof mascara to let girls cry without looking like a vengeful ghost.


    "M¡ªMr. Detective, I¡ª" She stuttered. "This is just an usation! Li Qing med me because she''s looking for an excuse!"


    Qin Weizhe tapped on his notebook. "So you''re saying that it''s Li Qing who created it?"


    "Of course! If it''s not her, who else?!"


    Qin Weizhe''s eyes bore down onto her for a long few seconds. His eyes sharp and indecipherable, as if he was digging into the depth of her soul.


    Ruo Tingran fidgeted nervously in her seat, ten fingers wrung together.


    In the end, the handsome detective''s face blossomed into a bright smile. "Don''t be scared, I am only asking casually."


    Ruo Tingran didn''t have the heart to appreciate the beauty in front of her as lingering fear gripped her heart like iron w. "Y¡ªYes¡­"


    "Next question," The man smiled until his eyes curved. "If you don''t really like her, then why did you ept her into your group?"


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    A/N: what do you think, is it murder or suicide?


    The investigation method of the three men are very distinguished ne~


    1. Jin Renguang - imposing, high pressure


    2. Xu Binchen - y with psychology until the other person copsed


    3. Qin Weizhe - stabbing where it hurts with a bright smile


    Extra chappie for my lovely readers, thanks for 50 GT! If MDG reach 100 GT this month, I will do a 5 chapters mass release!

 Chapter 185 - If She Didnt Commit Suicide

    Ruo Tingran frowned ufortably. "Mr. Detective, what do you mean by that? Do you suspect that Li Qing''s death has something to do with me? That I bullied her to the point of suicide?"


    "No, no. I don''t mean it like that. Really." Qin Weizhe put on apletely harmless look, sincerity oozing from his eyes. "I am just trying to understand Li Qing''s character. So, I hope you will help me. You know, someone canmit suicide due to various reasons such as mental illness like depression or schizophrenic, impulsivity, stress¡­" He leaned forward and his voice lowered into a whisper. "It can also be social istion or¡­there''s something she desperately wished to say."


    Ruo Tingran''s body stiffened.


    Qin Weizhe continued casually.. "We have looked through her medical report and everything is normal. From your homeroom teacher, I learned that Li Qing isn''t an impulsive girl, nor did she have bad grades. So, we can rule out the possibility of mental illness, impulsivity and stress. Now, the only choice is¡ª"


    "Do you know something, Miss Ruo?" He lifted his eyes, the corner of his lips quirked up.


    He was obviously smiling but the pressure exuded from his body was so heavy that Ruo Tingran couldn''t breathe. Her lips parted to take in gulps of air, sweat dripped down her back. "Last week, because of the forum thread, Li Qing was ostracized by her close friends, Chen Jiaweri and Mo Ling."


    "Oh? Care to tell me more?"


    Ruo Tingran sighed. "She was originally close to them. But after Shi Nian came, it was like both of them were bewitched. Compared to a friend whom they had known for years, they chose to believe in Shi Nian who''s only here for a month!"


    "So, she''s isted?"


    "Yes, I saw that she''s pitiful and¡­" Ruo Tingran lifted her head to meet Qin Weizhe''s smiling eyes but she hurriedly lowered her head again. "Okay, fine! I will tell the truth! Actually, I used to be friends with Li Qing. No, to be exact, it''s our parents who were business partners."


    Qin Weizhe gestured for her to continue.


    Ruo Tingran came from a wealthy and powerful family in the Capital. Her circle of friends was wide but narrow at the same time. She had an extensivework of friends, but in fact, they had known each other since childhood because they were of the same age and generation.


    The kids often met in their parents'' business parties or birthday banquets. Parents mingled with parents and the children yed with fellow children. Ruo Tingran met Li Qing when she was seven.


    "At that time, Li Qing''s family was quite well known. Her grandfather had a...high rank in the army and my parents held high regard for him. So, I was asked to befriend Li Qing."


    Wealthy people''s circle wasplicated. Even the children were dragged into the muddy water to formworks and political connections. The Li Family was resourceful, but unfortunately, it only stopped up to Grandfather Li''s generation.


    Li Qing''s father was also a businessman but he didn''t have the insight and temperament Grandfather Li had, nor was he shrewd like other sessful people in the same field. He often invested in failed businesses and the family wealth degenerated bit by bit, just like a rock which was slowly grinded by the violent waves until only a pebble was left.


    Along the time, little Ruo Tingran learned that she must befriend those of the powerful. If the children got along fine, then the business deal of their parents would go smoother. Due to the decline of Li Family, Ruo Tingran mingled with another group of friends. She and Li Qing gradually drifted further until the end, Ruo Tingran never saw Li Qing in any business parties anymore.


    "I heard his father''spany went bankrupt." Ruo Tingran twirled her hair with her fingers and scoffed. "They had to mortgage their family''s residence and live in a much simpler house. Do you know what''s more painful than being poor, Mr. Detective?"


    The poor Qin Weizhe was curious. "What?"


    Ruo Tingran chuckled. "It''s when you have experienced how it feels to be on the top, when everyone revolve around you, ready to be your beck and call. If you told them to go east, then they wouldn''t go west. Then all of a sudden, those people treated you coldly, you couldn''t keep up with their conversation anymore and then, when you came to your senses, you have been isted."


    From Ruo Tingran''s words, the image of Li Qing whom Detective Qin had never seen before gradually formed into life.


    A former phoenix, the child praised to Heaven, suddenly fell from the sky into the mud. She became introverted, reclusive, and closed herself off to the world. In addition, the pressure from her peers made her develop low self esteem.


    "So, you took pity on her and asked her to join your group?"


    "No." Ruo Tingran replied coldly. "It''s her who asked."


    "Ah?"


    Ruo Tingran heaved a sigh in relief as if she had just dropped off arge burden on her shoulder. "So be it. If Mr. Detective asks from another person in my group, you will know." She rolled up her sleeve a bit to show a sparkling, delicate bracelet. "This is the newest edition of Tiffani''s jewelry. Li Qing bought it for me, in exchange, she wanted me to hang out with her again."


    Qin Weizhe¡ªupon hearing the price she said¡ªchoked on his breath and couldn''t recover for a moment.


    Holy¡ªthat was his whole month''s sry plus bonus!!!


    Were high school children this scary nowadays?!


    "So," Qin Weizhe was suddenly at a loss. "She bribed you?"


    "Bribe? How crude." She showed a disdainful look. "It''s not bribing, but mutual exchange."


    "Okay, okay, mutual exchange." Qin Weizhe didn''t know whether tough or cry. "So, she gifted you that bracelet and you epted her into your group?"


    "Yes, we hung out together. I brought her when we went to karaoke, facial spa, salon¡­" She counted one by one, almost making Qin Weizhe''s head turn upside down.


    "Alright, I know." He furiously scribbled on his notebook and froze. "Wait, you said that her family has gone bankrupt so where did she find that much money?"


    Ruo Tingran blinked, apparently she hadn''t thought of that either. "How would I know?" She shrugged.


    Qin Weizhe recorded it in his notebook as an important lead. "So, when she''s in your group, was there any conflict? She used to be isted by you all so it must not be easy for her toe around again, right?"


    Ruo Tingran''s lips pursed and the hands atop of her thigh clenched slightly. "The group might not be able to ept her at first, but money makes everything turn, Mr. Detective. Say, if she paid for all of your expenses without caring how expensive it was, would you be happy or not?"


    "Wait, she paid for all of your expenses?" Qin Weizhe repeated. "''You'' as to you alone, or everyone in your group?"


    "¡­Everyone. She paid for everyone."


    "Why didn''t you tell me this before?"


    Ruo Tingran shrugged. "You didn''t ask?"


    Qin Weizhe: "¡­"


    He took a deep breath to recover himself. "Okay,st question. If¡­I say if. If she didn''tmit suicide, who did you think was able to kill her?"


    Ruo Tingran''s expression changed abruptly as she looked up at him, colors drained from her face.


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    .


    A/N: sigh, the upper echelon of society is reallyplicated. That''s why it''s the best to stay moderate, happy and free just like Mo Ling :))


    Jiang Jinyan wille out again after one more chappies and after that imma stuff you with some sweetness haha

 Chapter 186 - Those Who Can Kill Arent Just Murderers

    The next students interrogated were Chen Jiawei and Mo Ling, as Li Qing''s ''former'' closest friends. Chen Jiawei stood Qin Weizhe''s interrogation steadily and the things she said confirmed what Tian Wen, Hao Dong and Ruo Tingran said before.


    On the other hand, Mo Ling had another breakdown due to Qin Weizhe''s questioning. When she heard hisst question of, "Who do you think would be able to kill Li Qing?" She burst into tears and poured out all of her grievances and sadness umted for the past few days.


    "It''s my fault¡­I am the bad one. If I am not so wilful, if my temper isn''t so bad, then Li Qing wouldn''t have to join Ruo Tingran''s group."


    Qin Weizhe''s writing movement paused. "What''s wrong with Ruo Tingran''s group?"


    "They are all bullies!" Mo Ling couldn''t hold back anymore and blurted out everything. "They are so terrible. In the first year, they hid Li Qing''s uniform so that she couldn''t change back after PE ss, they flushed Li Qing''s homework down the toilet, they mocked her verbally and then asked Li Qing to run errands for them!"


    Qin Weizhe''s fingers tapped on the table..


    Now, herees the first inconsistency.


    Ruo Tingran imed that after she drifted apart from Li Qing, they weren''t friends anymore. No, they weren''t friends to begin with. Li Qing bought an expensive bracelet for her in exchange to join her group, but Ruo Tingran didn''t say anything about this bullying.


    If what Mo Ling said was true¡ªif Ruo Tingran''s group really did bully Li Qing so badly¡ªthen why did she want to befriend them again? Was Li Qing so magnanimous that she could forget everything they had done to her? Or was there something hidden underneath?


    "How about the teachers? Such bullying, they didn''t act at all?"


    "They did. But Ruo Tingran''s group was really cunning! They did everything seamlessly, even if we reported it to Teacher Yao, there was no evidence at all. Moreover, it was Li Qing herself who didn''t want to make it big so we can only help her secretly."


    "In the end, it was Chen Jiawei who stood by her. She threatened them, saying that she recorded a video on them and if they dared to bully Li Qing again, then she would report them to the police."


    "Video?" Qin Weizhe showed curiosity. "What is it about? Why didn''t Chen Jiawei say anything about that?"


    "Of course, she was only bluffing!" Mo Ling pped her thigh. "How could someone who only know to do practice papers all day be able to sneak around to record a video of the bullying?"


    Qin Weizhe: "¡­"


    He recalled the mature, thick sses Chen Jiawei and inwardly gave her a thumbs up. "Then, Ruo Tingran''s group believed her?"


    "They had to even if they didn''t! If Chen Jiawei really pulled out a real video, then they''re all finished! You also know how convincing Chen Jiawei''s face was, she almost never lied before!" Mo Ling lowered her volume as if whispering a secret.


    Coupled with her swollen eyes and damp cheeks, she looked wretchedly adorable. "Mr. Detective, you should know that people like Ruo Tingran value their face the most. They have to act like a perfect student in front of their parents."


    Qin Weizhe nodded, then pulled the topic back. "So, you think that Ruo Tingran''s group was the one who caused Li Qing''s death?"


    Mo Ling pursed her lips and tears flooded her eyes again. "Li Qing...didn''tmit suicide?"


    Qin Weizhe offered her tissues, didn''t know whether he should cry orugh. "I say if, if!"


    "Then¡­" Mo Ling hesitantly nodded.


    Qin Weizhe finished the interrogation and said, "Can you please call Shi Nian here?"


    Mo Ling blew her snot and nodded.


    Ten minutester, a series of knocks resounded through the empty ssroom. Qin Weizhe leaned forward to see Shi Nian. He beckoned with a wide smile. "Come in,e in! Hi, it hasn''t been long, huh?"


    Thest time they met was in Xu Binchen''s ce when they had just caught Cui Qiqiang. More than three weeks had passed since then.


    Shi Nian smiled and bowed politely, then sat in front of Qin Weizhe.


    He looked at her calm appearance and silently praised her. "So, let''s get on to the topic, okay?"


    Shi Nian nodded. Qin Weizhe tore off some pages from his notebook and handed her a pen. "You can write there. Nice, it saves me the time to record your statement in my notes. Write properly."


    Shi Nian didn''t know whether tough or cry and nodded.


    From the beginning, Qin Weizhe never treated her like any other witness. This was the girl who survived with the serial killer alone for three months. No one knew what she had experienced during those times but the most important fact was, she came out alive.


    That alone was already a glorious achievement.


    Qin Weizhe tapped on his chin and asked directly. "How much do you know about Li Qing?"


    Shi Nian pondered for a while. [Kind yet awkward. Has a low self esteem and is not good with expressing herself. Sometimes, it will make people misunderstand her.]


    Qin Weizhe was amused. "Did you learn psychology from Miss Ru?"


    Shi Nian looked up in confusion.


    Qin Weizheughed. "For a split second, you sounded just like her. Except that you''re much more mellow, kind and gentle."


    The corner of Shi Nian''s lips lifted up. [I am just saying what I know.]


    "Then," he asked. "Do you think she''s the kind of person who wouldmit suicide?"


    This time, she shook her head without any hesitation.


    "Why?"


    [I heard from Chen Jiawei and Mo Ling that Li Qing used to be isted. Maybe, she might have even gone through a period of bullying. But during those times, she nevermited suicide. Why now?]


    That''s right. Shi Nian had pointed out what Qin Weizhe was most concerned about.


    There was no motive.


    Li Qing didn''t show any strange behavior before her death except for buying expensive jewelry for Ruo Tingran. He had asked Luo Ning to go to Li Qing''s home to search her room for diary or suicide note, but up to this moment, there wasn''t any news from him. Qin Weizhe didn''t really expect that he would be able to find one either.


    For such a girl like Li Qing, to stand on the rooftop of Moonlight Pavilion alone, at the darkest hour early in the morning, what kind of feeling did she have at that time? Despair? Hopelessness? Or emptiness?


    Exactly what had she gone through that was worse than bullying?


    Qin Weizhe''s face turned solemn as he asked what he had asked everyone before Shi Nian. "Then, if she didn''tmit suicide, you''re saying that there''s a murderer in this school?"


    Shi Nian''s lips pursed tight and she fell silent for a while. [I don''t really know about that but Detective Qin¡­]


    [Those who can kill aren''t just murderers.]


    .


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    A/N: but all murderers kill ¤Ø(¡ä§Õ£à¤Ø)


    oh, will Shi Nian possibly follow behind Ru Meiqi''s footsteps as criminal psychologist? Let''s see hehe

 Chapter 187 - Thats What The Police Are For

    Murderers didn''t have to take up a knife, didn''t have to end a life with their own hands, they could just use their mouth, their eyes, their fingers; words, gazes, gestures, all of it could converge into an invisible knife that was more hurtful that the real one.


    Qin Weizhe was stunned silly by Shi Nian''s solemn words. Those mature quotes, paired with her face that still had a bit of baby fat, round cute golden eyes, made Qin Weizhe burst outughing. "You''re right¡­" He held his stomach, shoulders trembling. "You said it well ah, Shi Nian."


    Shi Nian scratched her nose awkwardly.


    "Okay then, thank you for your answers." Qin Weizhe said. "...My condolences, Shi Nian.."


    Shi Nian''s hand clenched around the pen. In fact, Li Qing wasn''t anyone important in her life. They had only met for a short time and if nothing happened, they would take the university entrance examination and go on their own ways afterward.


    At most, she was just one of the passersby in Shi Nian''s life.


    However, such a passerby might be the center of the world for other people.


    Such as Li Qing''s parents, the people who cherished and loved her from the bottom of their hearts.


    Qin Weizhe saw Shi Nian off and coincidentally, saw Luo Ning return. The two police officers then decided to take a break, running to the cafeteria to buy two bottles of coke. The cool sensation ran down Qin Weizhe''s throat and he groaned in satisfaction.


    Luo Ning waited for him to finish drinking before saying, "Li Qing''s parents decided to cremate her. They aren''t willing to do an autopsy because it''s just too embarrassing. Even her parents believed that shemitted suicide for real." He stole a nce and asked carefully. "Then Detective Qin, why are you trying so hard to learn about her? For what?"


    They could have closed the case directly as a simple suicide.


    In the end, what was he trying so hard for?


    Qin Weizhe stared into the distance, his gaze wandering. "I have interrogated a total of 15 people for thest 5 hours and guess what, only two people told me with confidence that Li Qing couldn''t havemitted suicide."


    Luo Ning tentatively guessed. "Principal Mo?"


    Qin Weizhe shook her head, chuckling. "It''s her homeroom teacher, Yao Xiurong and the new transfer student, Shi Nian. One is the most hated teacher with multiple bad reputations among students and the other was someone who had just known Li Qing for a short period of time. Even her parents, her ssmates, her closest friends¡­" Qin Weizhe sighed. "No one doubted it. Say, do you think that it''s ironic?"


    Luo Ning had seen this kind of gaze on Qin Weizhe before. It was just after they concluded Wu Wengen''s case. At that time, he had murmured. "If Wu Wengen didn''t act on impulse and threaten Cui Qiqiang, if Wu Ruoqing had just chosen a more peaceful way, if Cui Qiqiang cared about Wu Wengen more¡­do you think they would end up like today?"


    He didn''t know how to describe that gaze. Bitterness, irony and a faint hint of regret¡­


    "Detective Qin¡­" Luo Ning followed Qin Weizhe''s line of sight to look out of the window and discovered that the sky had gotten dark without them knowing. Subsequently, a droplet of water sshed upon the window pane, then another and another. "Do you believe that she didn''tmit suicide?"


    "I don''t know." Qin Weizhe admitted. "But as long as one person thinks otherwise, I will do my best to dig out the truth." He patted Luo Ning''s head with a smile. "That''s what the police are for."


    Luo Ning''s eyes reflected his smiling visage, a faint feeling bubbling inside his chest.


    Then, Qin Weizhe broke off the solemn and touching atmosphere just like that. He leaned forward and scrutinized Luo Ning''s face properly. "I have felt it before but you''re really baby faced. Should I find you a uniform to see whether you can mingle with those high school students?"


    Luo Ning''s face flushed from anger and shame. "Stop teasing me!"


    Qin Weizheughed and dashed away. The exasperated Luo Ning could only follow after him.


    Behind them, rain started to fall, bringing with it the chilly scent of grass and wind. Dropping gently, just like tears.


    ***


    Droplets of rain fell upon the windowpane, blurring the reflection of Jiang Jinyan who sat by the window. He wore a long sleeve sweater withfy pants, hair pulled up into a half bun with a mask covering his face.


    In front of him, the lecture was still going on full force but somehow, he couldn''t find himself to concentrate anymore thus he looked out of the window, hand supporting his cheek, daydreaming. The ss he was in right now was on the fourth floor and from his position, he could faintly see the connecting bridge leading to Moonlight Pavilion, a ce famous for its spot suitable for confession.


    Not that he cared, but a few moments ago, he seemed to have seen a familiar shadow on the rooftop of Moonlight Pavilion, standing on the edge of the railing as she looked down.


    ¡­Of course, it could only be a fragment of his imagination.


    Or else, how could Shi Nian be there?


    The ssroom had an ascending seating pattern with the teacher''s podium being the lowest position while the rows of seats surrounding it in a half circle. People sat in one or two, or groups if they wanted to. In front of Jiang Jinyan sat two men who kept on ying with their phones and he could see the interface of the widely known League of Legends on the screen.


    If the teacher looked closer, then he might see only one or two students who paid close attention to him. The others were immersed in their own business. Even if he knew, he didn''t care. This was how university was, no one would walk around the aisle to confiscate phones or throw chalk toward you when you''re not paying attention to ss.


    As long as you didn''t cause a ruckus, then you could do whatever you want. If you failed the exam, then it was your own business. No one would guide you anymore and you must learn to wipe your own ass.


    This kind of attitude¡­was it indifference or freedom, he wondered?


    The man in front of him took off his earphone and switched to WeChat. He cursed softly. "Holy shit." Due to their seating position, Jiang Jinyan could hear him clearly even if he didn''t want to. "Look at this, my sister just told me that someone jumped down from Moonlight Pavilion."


    ¡­What?


    Jiang Jinyan''s heart jolted and for some reason, he recalled the shadow he had seen just now.


    "Moonlight Pavilion?" His friend asked incredulously. "Our Moonlight Pavilion?"


    "Yes, now the whole school is sealed. Wait a moment, she said that it''s a third year student, someone named Li Qing."


    Jiang Jinyan''s clenched fists rxed unknowingly. It''s not Shi Nian¡­


    He wanted tough. How could it possibly be her? Even though he had stood on the edge of the roof and caught red handed by her, it didn''t mean that she would also jump down, right? What was he so nervous for?


    The two men discussed in low voices excitedly. This kind of matter was too thrilling. They had only heard it from dramas or detective stories. Stuff like, do you think there''s some kind of conspiracy here? What if she didn''tmit suicide and was killed instead? Could she possibly confess and be rejected, then jump down on impulse?


    The man was chatting animatedly with his sister, all the while talking to his friend. "It''s the new transfer student again? Why is she so phenomenal? The suicide could be rted to her? Whoa¡­how scandalous."


    "The new transfer student that has appeared in the forumtely? The one named Shi something?"


    "Hahaha, see, she''s gotten so famous that even a geek like you has heard of her."


    Suddenly his shoulder was grabbed from behind. He turned around in surprise to find a pair of dark, sharp eyes looking back at him.


    "W¡ªWhat do you want?" He shrunk his neck and looked at Jiang Jinyan strangely. Who the heck is he? Did I offend him somehow?


    A muffle voice sounded behind the mask. "The transfer student surnamed Shi. Can you tell me more about it?"


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Qin Weizhe (¡ä¦Å£à*) even though you''re often silly but still, you''re quite reliable

 Chapter 188 - Put Away Your Umbrella

    At noon, the rain fell heavily, mming into Earth and filling the whole space with the astringent scent of petrichor, washing away the stench of blood and death. Because of the unexpected incident, Principal Mo let the students out early and tomorrow, the school would only start at 1 pm after lunch break.


    Hearing that, the majority of the students were overjoyed, except for those who hadn''t recovered from Li Qing''s death.


    Mo Ling saw the rain and murmured sadly. "It''s raining. Li Qing must be crying right now. What should I do? Will she me me up there?"


    Chen Jiawei had had enough of hearing her nonsense bber all day. She directly pulled her from the window and grabbed their bags. "Shi Nian, how do you get home?"


    Shi Nian raised her head and wrote in her notebook. [I will take the subway.].


    Chen Jiawei looked worried. "It''s raining too hard. I am worried that the subway will stop temporarily. How about you give your brother a call and tell him to pick you up?"


    Shi Nian looked out toward the heavily downcast weather and nodded. [En, I will do that. Thank you, Chen Jiawei. Also, I am very sorry for your loss.]


    Chen Jiawei lowered her eyes, the sses obscuring her sight as she nodded and pulled the wailing Mo Ling along with her.


    Of course, Shi Nian was just bluffing and wouldn''t really call Xu Binchen. It was just raining. If she couldn''t ride on the subway, then she would just take the chance to walk home and clear her head of all the unnecessary thoughts.


    She had heard of the conspiracy theories others created about how Li Qing''s death was rted to the forum, how everyone used her, causing her to die unjustly.


    Did she believe that? No, of course not.


    But did she really not care about it deep inside her heart?


    ¡­Shi Nian couldn''t not care.


    What if? Not because of the forum, but what if somehow there was a rtion between her and Li Qing''s death? After all, the interval between their fight and her death was too close. Too close to be ignored.


    No matter how calm her appearance was, she was ufortable and upset too.


    And everytime she suffered from something she couldn''t cope with, she would hole herself in her room, brooding, mulling again and again until she got over it. Yes, it was kind of a self-inflicted torture, but the only thing for her to calm down was to make peace with it.


    However, what did she see?


    Standing beyond the gate, carrying arge ck umbre, the person whose body was slender with his hair pulled up into a half bun. Was it not Jiang Jinyan?!!


    Shi Nian didn''t care how he got there and what he came for. Heck, she didn''t even think at all. When she came to her senses, she was already running toward Jiang Jinyan. Water sshed along her every step as she approached and a wide smile made its way on her face.


    Jiang Jinyan tilted the umbre and like a slow motion scene, the lower half of his face came to sight¡ªcovered by a mask¡ªuntil the end, their eyes met in midair. An undecipherable light shed through them as his eyes bore down onto her as if searching for something.


    Simrly, Shi Nian stared up at him, seeing his damp clothes and wet hair, droplets of water slid down from the tips of his hair¡­


    She drank in the sight of him greedily. It had been a few days since shest saw him due to thest minute cramming study she did. But when she saw his drenched look, she became worried. [Mr. Jiang Jinyan...you''re wet.]


    Jiang Jinyan gave no answer, only looking at her fixedly. Gradually, Shi Nian realized that something didn''t seem quite right. [Is there something wrong?]


    "No." He finally spoke, albeit only a word.


    Shi Nian sighed in relief. [It''s such a coincidence. Are you waiting for someone?] She paused and braced herself, typing. [If not, can we go home together?]


    The rain knocked on the surface of the umbre ceaselessly, the loud echo almost drowning any other sound around her. It was quiet, and the only thing reflected on his eyes was her, as if¡­they were the only two people in the world.


    Jiang Jinyan rested the handle of the umbre on his shoulder, his other hand reached out to grab hers. "Your shoulder is drenched."


    Because she was busily typing with two hands, her umbre had slid to one side. The water fell freely onto her left shoulder and the fabric of the uniform became darker in color. Shi Nian turned aside and saw that he was right. She grinned sheepishly and held the umbre straight, but if she wanted to type, she could only pinch it in between her neck and shoulder.


    Such a hassle¡­


    Jiang Jinyan sighed. "Come in."


    Shi Nian: "¡­" Come in¡­where?


    "Put away your umbre ande inside." He exined.


    Shi Nian''s eyes rounded and she blinked in disbelief. Before Jiang Jinyan lost his patience and took back his words, Shi Nian hurriedly closed her umbre and scooted closer to him, feeling the man''s warm temperature exuded from a close distance. The series of movements was unexpectedly swift and smooth.


    Her heart thundered inside her chest.


    She didn''t realize it before but the space within one umbre¡­isn''t it too close? To cover two people''s bodies, she had to stick to him closely, their shoulders brushing against each other once in a while. Shi Nian blushed and instinctively took a step backward, but to her surprise, Jiang Jinyan''s umbre followed her, causing the rain to descend onto his back.


    Shi Nian:"!!!"


    She moved back in a hurry and didn''t dare to run around again.


    They started to walk slowly. His presence surrounded her and the narrow space almost made her head dizzy. [Mr. Jiang Jinyan, you¡­are you waiting for me?]


    Shi Nian thought that it was not usible. How could Jiang Jinyan stand in front of Sangzhe High on rainy days, letting the rain damp his whole body, only to wait for her?


    However, to her surprise, he admitted. "Yes."


    Shi Nian was so shocked that she halted in her tracks. Her eyes rounded adorably as she picked on her ears. Was it an auditory hallucination?


    A sh of smile appeared in Jiang Jinyan''s eyes as he reached out for her arm, pulling her forward. Shi Nian was caught off guard and her nose almost mmed onto his chest. The man''s muffled voice sounded above her head. "Pay attention when you''re walking."


    Soft scent of detergent wafted to her nose from Jiang Jinyan''s coat, mixing with the man''s cool and fresh cologne and also¡­a faint smell of blood?


    Shi Nian''s dazed look sobered up in an instant as she took hold of his arm. Her eyes trailed to his hand and found stters of blood on his knuckle and the back of his hand, his skin torn and bruised in some ces.


    Her heart trembled and the festering wound on his arm came to mind. Shi Nian didn''t realize how bold she was as she grabbed his warm palm, bringing it in front of her face as she looked at him questioningly, demanding any exnation.


    The rims of her eyes reddened anxiously. The concern, fear and heartache was vivid and tangible, so real that it rendered him unable to react. Even without her voicing her thoughts, Jiang Jinyan could imagine what she wanted to ask;


    Why are you injured?


    Did you hurt yourself again?


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: hehehe Jiang Jinyan couldn''t hold himself back from checking up on her ?(¨@?¨A )?

 Chapter 189 - Sit Properly

    Under the thick concern of those watery golden eyes, Jiang Jinyan fell into a trance.


    When he came back to his senses, he found that many pedestrians were sneaking nces at them, half of them wore the same uniform as the girl in front of him. He recalled the rumors about Shi Nian and frowned.


    Jiang Jinyan''s fingers exerted strength and held her hands, pulling her ahead. "Come on, let''s go."


    His palm encased hers fully, amidst the cold and chilly weather, it was very warm, broad andfortable, making her heart skip a few beats. Shi Nian was taken aback as her body moved along with the force, trailing behind him closely.


    Her eyes fell upon their hands, one big and one small, with simr degree of fairness but his joints were well defined, the knuckles strong, long and slender, it looked very pleasing to the eye. Shi Nian recalled that Jiang Jinyan had shot a wristband advertisement before and for a period of time, his hands became a widely discussed topic as the favorite for those hand fetishes.


    Jiang Jinyan suddenly stopped and the not prepared Shi Nian bumped onto his back, her nose aching and red..


    He turned sideways, scoffing. "What are you daydreaming about?"


    Shi Nian didn''t dare to say that she was entranced by his hand, scared that Jiang Jinyan would remember that they were still holding hands. He felt so warm that she didn''t want to let go. Thus, she mouthed. "Where are we going?"


    Due to their close distance, the breath she puffed out grazed across his cheek softly. Jiang Jinyan''s pupils deepened as he reached out his hand to stop a taxi. "You don''t think that we can ride the subway in weather like this, do you?"


    Oh. Shi Nian nodded, whatever Jiang Jinyan said, she would agree.


    A taxi halted in a timely manner and Jiang Jinyan opened the passenger seat, their hands naturally loosening. Unprecedented sense of loss came over Shi Nian as her palm suddenly grabbed nothing, the chill from the air came back in full force. She was brooding over her oversensitivity when her nose was pinched all of a sudden.


    Shi Nian looked up, dumbfounded with her nose reddened like a confused little deer. Jiang Jinyan was holding onto the door, jutting his chin. His expression was obscured due to the mask, only a pair of dark eyes could be seen staring down at her.


    "Get on," he grunted.


    Shi Nian touched her nose as she got into the taxi, still marveling at the slight pain lingering there.


    Compared to when she bumped her nose against him earlier, the heat from Jiang Jinyan''s fingers seared into her skin down to her heart, immeasurably hot, causing her whole face to heat up. Shi Nian took a breath to calm herself down as Jiang Jinyan sat beside her and put the umbre against the door by his leg.


    "Where do you want to go?" the taxi driver asked with a smile.


    "Lingzhe Apartment District, thank you." He answered and took off his mask.


    Shi Nian stole some nces at him and inadvertently saw a puddle formed beneath the umbre. Jiang Jinyan''s pants were getting soaked due to that. She tugged on his sleeve, attracting his attention.


    "What''s wrong?" he asked in a low voice.


    Their eyes met in midair. Narrow space, rainy days, dim light above their head. She subconsciously lightened her breathing. Shi Nian didn''t know when the atmosphere between them started to change, especially when they were alone. The kind of uncertain atmosphere, the subtle border between proprietary and ambiguity. The kind where made her mind turn nk and her heart thundered against her ribcage.


    Just that, Shi Nian had no idea where she stood right now.


    Perhaps the taxi driver felt that the atmosphere was too silent and cold, he turned on the radio and a soft, melodious male voice rang out, singing¡ª


    The pencil in my hand


    Moves back and forth on the paper


    I use a few lines of words to


    describe who you are to me;[1]


    Jiang Jinyan''s Adam apple moved and her eyes were enticed by that faint movement.


    She didn''t know why it seemed a bit hard to breathe right now.


    He asked again, his voice deeper this time. "What''s wrong?"


    Shi Nian came to her senses and pulled on his arm gently, pointing at the wet umbre and his dampened pants.


    Jiang Jinyan raised a brow but in the end, he still scooted closer. The taxi was cramped to begin with and Jiang Jinyan¡ªeven though he looked thin¡ªwas actually very tall. His legs devoured a lot of space and when he came closer, the tip of their knees almost touched. Shi Nian''s hands above her knees stiffened as she tried to make herself as still as possible.


    The taxi turned without warning and the delicate bnce broke off as her body tilted to his direction, their legs instantly stuck together like two pieces of puzzle.


    Rain falls for the whole night


    My love overflows like the rain;


    Shiver ran through her whole body like electric shock. She panicked and tried to create some distance. But Heaven seemed to go against her as the taxi once again made a sharp turn, taking over the slow SUV in front and Shi Nian''s effort came to nil as not only were their legs touching, but their arms also.


    For God''s sake, Shi Nian was almost sprawled into his embrace.


    Jiang Jinyan reached out to hold her shoulder, his voice never sounded so maic and soul hooking in her ears before. "Calm down." The man''s burning palm fell onto her shoulder, fixing her in ce. "Sit properly."


    How could she?! Shi Nian was so mortified that she wished she could dig a hole and hide in it.


    However, under his strong presence, Shi Nian tried her best to stiffen her back so as to not lean bonelessly onto him, her calf almost got a cramp and the tip of her fingers trembled ever so slightly.


    I then write


    I write my eternal love for you into the poem''s ending


    You are the only understanding I want¡ª


    During the half an hour ride, Shi Nian experienced how it felt to walk through thin ice with the roaring ocean beneath her feet. One slip, and she would be swept away in an instant. Honestly, it was the most arduous, heart-stopping and exhausting ride in Shi Nian''s life, even though she did nothing but sit.


    Until they got off the taxi, Shi Nian''s brain was still fuzzy and she couldn''t think straight at all, her whole body feverish, as if she had got a low grade fever. She didn''t even realize that once again, her hand was on Jiang Jinyan''s hold as he pulled her into the apartment building.


    ¡­Only when Shi Nian faced the receptionistdy''s smile and softint about the weather did she snap out of her reverie.


    The warmth on her hand made her haltically as she stared at their hands in shock.


    Since when were they holding hands? Why didn''t she realize it?


    She tightened the hold unknowingly, causing Jiang Jinyan to turn toward her. A tinge of amusement in his tone. "Sobered up now? I thought you''re going to daydream until we reach your floor."


    Shi Nian: "!!!"


    Aaaah, how embarrassing!


    Jiang Jinyan let go of her hand, much to her reluctance. Shi Nian finally got enough freedom to type. [Your hands, what happened?] Fortunately, she still remembered what she wanted to ask.


    "Nothing, just bump into a wall." He put his hands into the pocket and answered, his tone couldn''t be more casual.


    Bumping into a wall and the skin bruised and scraped unevenly like that? Did he mean to fool a three years old child?


    The elevator dinged open in front of them and Jiang Jinyan stepped in. Shi Nian trailed after him angrily, demanding an answer. Jiang Jinyan pressed onto the twentieth floor, the corner of his lips curled up in a faint smile.


    He patted the fuming golden-eyed girl''s head gently. "Don''t worry. I am not hurting myself."


    If he did that and the girl found out in the future, would she put the sharp edge of the broken mirror against her fair and thin arm again?


    Such a stupid little thing, it was better for Jiang Jinyan not to do it lest she got a scar.


    .


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    [1] A song by Jay Chou - Common Jasmine Orange (Qi Li Xiang) oh I love this song very much and it suit the atmosphere hahaha


    .


    A/N:


    Taxi driver: don''t thank me ( ?¡ã ?? ?¡ã)?


    Holding hands check (?¨R?¨Q)?

 Chapter 190 - Did He Know Something About Li Qings Death?

    Shi Nian touched her head where his palmid a few seconds ago, heat rising from the soles of her feet up to the tip of her hair.


    The elevator ascended as Jiang Jinyan spoke. "I heard about the situation in your school."


    Shi Nian looked up in shock, the bubbling joy and happiness on her face was extinguished, her head sobered up in an instant. Even the flush on her face receded like tides, paling in a blink of an eye. Her lips pursed as she recalled Li Qing''s death and the destroyed body under the Moonlight Pavilion.


    "It''s not safe these days." He said. "Don''t run around alone. Go to the subway station with your friends or you can just ride a taxi, got it?"


    Shi Nian looked up, confused. She muddledly typed.. [You standing in front of the gate...waiting for me...worried?] Her mind was so tangled up that she couldn''t form aplete sentence.


    But Jiang Jinyan wasn''t willing to divulge anything more. "Just do as I say."


    The elevator dinged softly and the door slid open. Jiang Jinyan pushed her forward. "Go on."


    Shi Nian looked around and btedly realized that this was her floor. Jiang Jinyan¡­Jiang Jinyan was sending her off? Shi Nian wanted to make it clear but Jiang Jinyan had pressed on the button and she could only catch his eyes for a split second before the metal door separated them.


    She bumped onto the door and wilted away, forehead stered on the cold surface, unreconciled yet feeling like she was asking for too much. Jiang Jinyan had been very kind, waiting for her, going home together, sending her to her door, what more could she ask for?


    Greediness brought forth evil and disaster. Shi Nian shook her head and walked to her door, dejected.


    As she put in the key, Jiang Jinyan''s words reyed in her mind.


    She paused, contemting. What did he mean by it''s not safe these days? Did he know something about Li Qing''s death?


    ***


    "Go away! My daughter has already died so tragically like this, what more do you want?!"


    Luo Ning stood against Mother Li''s rejection and tried to persuade her again. "Madam, nothing has been cleared yet. What if¡ªwhat if your daughter didn''tmit suicide¡ª"


    "Enough!" Father Li''s voice boomed as he stepped forward to pull her wife back. His tone was more amicable, yet his words left no room for rebuttal. "Mr. Police Officer, you wanted to search Li Qing''s room, we gave you permission. You wanted to investigate her death, we gave you permission! But letting the forensic mess with her body? No! She has already died so shamefully like this. By now, every single person in the Capital might have already known that I, Li Hanji''s daughter, died without her corpse intact!"


    "What do you mean by shameful?!" Mother Li hit his back, crying hysterically. "Isn''t it your fault?! If you didn''t me her so much, would she have died?!"


    Luo Ning hung his head helplessly. No matter what he said, the Li couple seemed to believe that Li Qingmitted suicide and wanting more than to cover everything up as fast as possible. However, when he heard Mother Li''sst sentence, he grew alert. "me her? What did you me her for?"


    Mother Li shut her mouth down while Father Li''s face alternated between ck and blue. "Go, go away! We just want to send Li Qing off peacefully! How can you keep on bothering us like this?!"


    In a spur of a moment, Father Li forcefully pushed Luo Ning away and thetter was taken off guard, his feet slipped and his whole body tilted backward¡­


    "Sir Li, Madam Li." Warm and steady hands caught his shoulder, followed by the familiar scent and presence. "I am very sorry for your loss, but attacking a police officer is another matter altogether."


    "You are¡­?"


    Qin Weizhe smiled politely. "My name is Qin Weizhe, the lead investigator for your daughter''s case."


    "So, you''re the leader?!" Father Li seemed to find the outlet for his anger and pointed toward the door. "Go, go and bring your subordinate back! We don''t wee you here!"


    Luo Ning looked at Qin Weizhe worriedly, but the man''s face didn''t change a bit. He patted Luo Ning''s shoulder, leaned down and whispered something, lips practically stered onto his ear.


    The tip of Luo Ning''s ears twitched and flushed in crimson, but when he heard Qin Weizhe, his expression turned serious as he walked out. Qin Weizhe turned to the fuming Father Li and emotional Mother Li, gesturing. "Shall we talk in another ce?"


    "No!" Father Li refused vehemently. "There''s nothing for us to talk about!"


    "Yes, there is." Qin Weizhe loomed forward and put a hand on Father Li''s shoulder. Father Li instinctively struggled but found out that he couldn''t move a bit!


    Under Father Li''s terrified gaze, Qin Weizhe smiled brighter than the sun. "It''s not really good to be seen like this, don''t you think so? If you refuse this time, I can find another opportunity to approach you. In your home, yourpany, the ces you often visited¡­"


    Father Li red at him but his momentum had clearly suppressed. Mother Li held onto his arm fearfully, looking at Qin Weizhe as if he was the reincarnation of a demon. Nevertheless in the end, her maternal love won. She stammered. "Your subordinate said that¡­Li Qing didn''tmit suicide?"


    "I believe she didn''t." Qin Weizhe said solemnly. "So, I need your cooperation, Sir and Madam, to help redress justice for Li Qing. What do you say?"


    It''s Mother Li who caved in first. She nodded in tears. "Ask¡­ask anything you want."


    Father Li deted like a balloon, exasperated. They moved out from the deste crematorium to a resting room Qin Weizhe had borrowed, gesturing for the couple to sit on the couch.


    He didn''t beat around the bush and asked. "Don''t worry, I won''t take too much of your time. After this, you can proceed to cremate your daughter''s body." He looked at them and after ensuring that they were truly listening, continued, "I heard what Madam Li said. The matter you med Li Qing about, was it about buying expensive jewelry?"


    Mother Li''s eyes widened. "H¡ªHow do you know¡­"


    "Did she ask for the money from you?"


    "Unfilial daughter!" Father Li''s temper exploded all of a sudden and he mmed his fist on the table. "What ask? She never asked! She took the vi deed from the safe and sold it!"


    Qin Weizhe''s pupils widened in surprise. His mind whirled quickly and found a loophole. The branded bracelet was only around five to ten thousand RMB, but how much would a vi be sold for? 50 million? 100 million? Where did the rest of the money go?


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: ooh...what is Jiang Jinyan''s part in this case? You''ll see...hehe. By now, I can say that the progress of the bigger case (serial murder case) is already 60% it''s so fast ne~


    Thank you, scissors04 for your golden tickets! We have 58 now, let''s make it to 100 and I will give a mass release! ^^

 Chapter 191 - [Mr. Jiang, Are You Asleep?]

    "Did she tell you what she needed the money for?"


    "She¡­" Mother Li wiped her tears and choked out. "She only said that she wanted to buy makeup and essories. The rest of the money has been kept in a secure ce." Beside her, Father Li was cursing incessantly and Mother Li screamed in anger and pain. "Our daughter has already died so why are you still ming her?!"


    Father Li shut up, his chest heaving violently. It was evident how affected he was by this incident.


    For the former Li Family whose wealth and glory was immeasurable, what did a vi cost? They wouldn''t even bat an eyelid if someone gifted them ten. But today''s Li Family wasn''t the same anymore. The vi was one of Father Li''s most expensive properties. It disappeared all of a sudden, who wouldn''t be angry?


    Qin Weizhe scribbled on his notebook. [Sold vi.. Trace the money.]


    He asked again after waiting for both of them to calm down. "Then, do you know that Li Qing bought branded jewelry for her friend, Ruo Tingran?"


    "W¡ªWhat?!"


    So, they didn''t know. Qin Weizhe''s pen moved quickly across the paper.


    "Not only did she give it to her, she also paid for Ruo Tingran group''s expenses." Qin Weizhe recalled Ruo Tingran''s words and counted one by one. "Karaoke, facial spa, salon, shopping. I have counted the estimation she spent before her death. Around 10 million, all for her friends."


    Mother Li and Father Li were so shocked that their jaws dropped open.


    "Li Qing¡­why?" Mother Li covered her face and cried again.


    Qin Weizhe shook his head in pity. "Let me ask twost questions. Before her death, did she act any differently?"


    "Different? Was suddenly selling the vi different?" Father Li sneered cynically.


    "What else?"


    "She¡­" Mother Li rposed herself to no avail. "She also started to hang out more often. But I thought that she was stressed out by school. Who knows, who knows that¡­" The hard earned money from the family''s sweat, blood and tears was spent just like that for others. Mother Li was heartbroken, bitter and unable to understand why.


    "Yes, you''re right. She often stayed with Ruo Tingran and her group and yed all night long." Qin Weizhe confirmed. "Anything else?"


    Both shook their heads.


    "Then," He licked his gums and leaned forward seriously. "The day before Li Qing''s death, her interaction with you two, what she was saying, what she was doing, recount it to me one by one asplete as possible."


    ***


    "Your mother has gone on a business trip and she asked me to check up on you." That was the first sentence Xu Binchen said as Shi Nian opened the door. The man looked at her face and frowned. "Why are you skinnier?"


    Shi Nian rubbed her cheeks. [Stressed from exam.]


    Xu Binchen sneered. "Well, who knows whether you will finish the exam or copse due tock of nutrition first. Don''t you remember what Doctor Chun said?"


    Of course Shi Nian did. Because of the three months imprisonment plus three monthsa, when Shi Nian woke up, she was practically left with only skin and bones. So malnourished that she could scare people. Doctor Chun said that she had to look out for the nutrition bnce in her every meal to strengthen her body. Straightforwardly speaking, she should eat as much as she wanted and fatten herself up.


    Shi Nian knew that Xu Binchen was worried about her and thus ignored his sarcastic remarks. She gave him a smile. [I know, don''t worry. I will not copse.]


    As she expected, Xu Binchen scoffed in disdain. "Who''s worried about you? Did you bump your head because of your friend''s death?"


    The atmosphere instantly turned still.


    Xu Binchen cleared his throat. "I am sorry for your loss."


    Shi Nian shook her head.


    "Don''t worry. Even though he looks unreliable, Qin Weizhe has got real skills. He will be able to dig the truth out, no matter how hidden it is. Do you know what his codename was when we''re still in the academy?"


    It was rare for him to talk about his past. Shi Nian followed curiously. [What?]


    "Dog Nose." Seeing Shi Nian burst intoughter, Xu Binchen''s brows rxed ever so slightly. "It''s apliment, you know. He''s just like a police dog, able to sniff out a tiniest bit of crime."


    Shi Nian asked. [Then, what is your codename?]


    Xu Binchen instantly changed the topic. "If you''re scared, I can stay with you for a while."


    Shi Nian rolled her eyes inwardly. Could he be any more obvious? She didn''t take Xu Binchen''s words seriously at all. [No need. Have you forgotten? I have told you before that the thing I am least afraid of is death. I am sad, but not scared.]


    Xu Binchen fell silent for a while. "Then, what are you most scared of?"


    Until Xu Binchen finished nagging for half an hour and returned to his house, Shi Nian still couldn''t get his question out of her mind. What was she most scared of? Shi Nian could think of many things; nightmares, her lost memory, the mysterious serial killer who hunted her, butterflies¡­she was also scared that she couldn''t pass her exam, couldn''t live up to Qiang Fei''s expectation and made enough money for her to stop working.


    But were they the things that scared her the most?


    Sheid on her bed in the empty house, listening to the rhythmic ticking of the clock. It was already 11 pm but she still couldn''t fall asleep. So she just went on the search column and typed "Jiang Jinyan''s high jump". Tons of videos popped up, all of them were already marked with grey after being seen.


    No matter how many times she had seen them, Shi Nian didn''t feel bored at all. Starting from the uppermost, she yed numerous videos of his high jumping in automatic mode, from when he was still sixteen years old, year after year until he was neen, all the while imagining that she was there by his side as he grew up.


    When she finished them, the hour hand had turned to one.


    Instead of being sleepy, Shi Nian was wide awake.


    She was stimted by Li Qing''s death, Jiang Jinyan''s concern and Xu Binchen''sst question. Who knew which ghost possessed her, but she ended up opening a new chatting interface with Jiang Jinyan. The default message was the only thing inside. [The user Jiang Jinyan is now your friend! Chat with him now~]


    Shi Nian barely hesitated and sent a message. [Mr.Jiang, are you asleep?]


    After waiting for fifteen minutes, Shi Nian almost became a salted fish but still no reply came out.


    She thought for a while and decided to indulge in a momentary whim. Somehow, she got a feeling that Jiang Jinyan wasn''t asleep yet. If he wasn''t asleep and didn''t look at his phone, then¡­could he possibly be in that ce?


    Wearing a thick jacket and stuffing her phone into the pocket, she climbed up the stairs to the roof. When she saw the slightly ajar door, there was an ''I guessed right'' expression on her face. She pushed open the door. Cold wind sting onto her face, blowing her hair up wildly and she stretched out a hand to hood her eyes.


    And there he was. Sitting against the boundary wall, chilly breeze fluttered his shirt, blowing the strands of his hair, softly falling onto his forehead. Behind him were the myriad dots of lights from the high buildings, twinkling and spreading like a glimmering sea of stars.


    The whole scene was like an oil painting, so dazzling that she stopped breathing.


    .


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    A/N: I posted next chappies spoiler in my instagram: dnasiwarka. Go and check it out if you want to see visuals and moodboards~

 Chapter 192 - Say That You Like Me

    Shi Nian gazed at his sleeping visage, heart fluttering wildly. She gingerly took a few steps forward, but it was as if Jiang Jinyan was deeply asleep, his eyelids shut peacefully, breathing long and steady. Shi Nian gathered the coat around her, feeling the chill climbing up from the soles of her feet to the top of her head.


    It was obviously such cold weather, moreover the heavy rain had only stopped a few hours ago, but he only wore a sweater. Even looking at him made Shi Nian''s teeth chatter.


    She gradually arrived by his side, crouching as she cupped her chin, eyes trailing onto the bangs covering his forehead, the line of his brows, the curve of his eyes, the shape of his nose, his thin and pale colored lips¡­


    Captivated, the scene from the taxi earlier shed through her mind.


    Jiang Jinyan''s warmth beside her, the echo of his heartbeat, every breath he took, the low voice above her head¡­Shi Nian wondered how could someone be so good looking, so pleasant to see that she wouldn''t be bored even if she was merely gazing at him for the whole night.


    His face reflected on her eyes and suddenly, Shi Nian was hooked by a strong impulse out of nowhere. Her heart skipped a beat and her breathing grew disorderly. She tried to lighten it in fear of waking him up..


    Slowly, she crept in¡­and nted a soft kiss on his high nose. So soft, only a graze like the touch of a dragonfly across the water.


    Billows of steam erupted from Shi Nian''s head and she covered her face to squeal soundlessly. The lips which were in contact with his nose were tingling and numb like she was being electrocuted. Shi Nian had never realized before that they could be so sensitive.


    She sucked in cold air and chastised herself for being a pervert, a wanton who coveted the helpless beauty in front of her. She was ready to get up and leave without leaving any sound when her wrist was suddenly grabbed!


    Shi Nian was so shocked that her soul almost flew up to the sky.


    Jiang Jinyan''s eyes remained shut, but his lips moved, brows furrowing. "¡­don''t go."


    Her whole body was stiff and she didn''t dare to move. However, after waiting for a while, Jiang Jinyan didn''t make any other movement. She braced herself and finally looked down, only to see him sleeping soundly yet his hold on her remained firm.


    Was he sleeptalking?


    Shi Nian''s n of sneaking away secretly was foiled and she had no choice but to squat back down, observing his features more thoroughly. Jiang Jinyan''s hand was freezing cold, each joint was pale and slender. Shi Nian sighed in relief as she discovered that he had dealt with the wounds.


    A gust of wind blew and Jiang Jinyan shivered, her eyshes quivered gently nheless it wasn''t enough to rouse him out of his sleep. Aided by the fluorescent lights on the roof, Shi Nian saw bluish green eyebags under his eyes as if it had been long since he slept.


    Startled, Shi Nian couldn''t help but doubt. Pieces of memory from the past floated into her mind one by one. Jiang Jinyan was in such a grave ident but Shi Nian had never seen his parents visit him in the hospital before except for his father''s secretary, Si Zhening. Even now, he lived alone with his cat, his grim and seclusive temperament and how he tended to push everyone away...everything clicked in an instant.


    A faint guess popped up in Shi Nian''s mind.


    She gazed at Jiang Jinyan and asked inwardly, in this life, how are you doing? Did you not live well?


    The weather was getting increasingly cold. Conversely, perhaps Jiang Jinyan had something to hold on to, his sleep was deep and dreamless. Shi Nian couldn''t bear to wake him up, but she could see that he was cold, his lips dry and chapped and he shivered once in a while.


    Shi Nian shook off her coat gently, but because one of her wrists were restrained, it wasn''t possible to get it off without removing his hold. Subsequently, Shi Nian gingerly peeled off his fingers one by one, all the while keeping a close look at his face.


    As soon as Jiang Jinyan showed the slightest bit of movement, she halted and held her breath, only continuing after a while. When she was done with three fingers, her back was already soaked in sweat. Two fingers only had a meager strength and Jiang Jinyan''s hold fell loose, his hand dropping to the ground in an instant.


    Shi Nian stared nkly at her fruitless effort and before she could react, Jiang Jinyan was startled awake and his eyes snapped open wide. Two pairs of eyes stared at each other, sluggish and slow to react.


    Jiang Jinyan blinked, eyes still moist with lethargy. Shi Nian''s mouth kept shut as she waited for him to speak, much like amb waiting to be ughtered. In the end, Jiang Jinyan only lowered his eyes and spoke hoarsely. "Why are you here again?"


    Shi Nian was ready to pull her phone up to defend herself when Jiang Jinyan spoke again, "Why aren''t you talking?" His tone waszy and casual, yet tinted with a hint of yfulness that she had never seen before. Shi Nian froze, feeling like she had seen wrong somehow. "Weren''t you so brave when you''re confessing?"


    Shi Nian''s eyes widened in shock and she almost choked on her breath. Why¡­why did he bring up the matter of confession again?! She could feel her cheeks heating up in no time at all.


    No. It''s not right. Jiang Jinyan had never spoken to her in such a tone before, so¡­unbridled carefree.


    Jiang Jinyan tugged on her wrist in one swift movement, catching her off guard. Her knees bumped onto the ground, face halted a mere centimeters away from him, so close that she could see her shocked face reflected on Jiang Jinyan''s pupils. "Your voice is very good," he murmured under his breath. "So why aren''t you speaking anymore?"


    Before, Shi Nian had heard this question twice. Yet the tone he used was always distant, polite and as long as Shi Nian didn''t answer, he dropped it off directly, not asking anymore. Shi Nian didn''t know that Jiang Jinyan had always kept it in mind. Moreover, she didn''t expect that he would demand it, right here, right now, in this kind of ambiguous and intimate manner.


    Shi Nian couldn''t bear such a distance and tried to pull away in panic yet she was obstructed by his palm which slid behind her nape, fixing her in ce.


    "Say it." His fingers exerted force as he kneaded softly. "Say that you like me."


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: detected! The possibility that Jiang Jinyan might have a voice fetish: 98.888% ©c(¡ä¨Œ£à)¥Î


    hohoho, what''s wrong with him ne~ he suddenly became so bold ¡Ñ¨Œ¡Ñ and Shi Nian, you stole a kiss fufufu...

 Chapter 193 - I Like You. Only You.

    Once in a while, the girl with golden eyes would haunt his dream.


    The first time she did was the night after Jiang Jinyan confronted her, asking "What exactly do you want?"


    At that time, he didn''t know how he offended her but he ended up getting pped on his cheek. Amidst his slumber, instead of Guan Xiaoxiao''s face, he saw Shi Nian instead, eyes filled with tears and pain as she gazed at him.


    Whenever she appeared, Jiang Jinyan would always snap awake with back coated in cold sweat.


    However, the scene in his dreams shifted since her confession. Such a pure, sincere and simple confession. The three words ''I like you'' which could be found anywhere, between mother and child, friends, family, lovers¡­


    They didn''t have such a rtionship, but Shi Nian''s ''I like you'' was enough to set a storm in Jiang Jinyan''s heart, much to the indifferent exterior he showed.


    She would use that soft, meek voice of hers, like a mewling kitten, saying ''I like you'' over and over again. Sometimes, she would wear a lc dress, but sometimes, she would also wear a simple, coarse robe he had only seen in historical dramas.. Jiang Jinyan was astonished by the extent of his imagination.


    At first, Jiang Jinyan would refuse her harshly, but the Shi Nian in his dream was much more sticky and stubborn than the real Shi Nian. When Jiang Jinyan rejected her, she would hover around him with thoserge golden eyes, aggrieved as she asked, "Do you not like me?"


    Did Jiang Jinyan like her?


    He didn''t know.


    But was he moved by her?


    How could he not be? Who wouldn''t be moved after being showered by care and affection for a continuous period of time?


    Jiang Jinyan wasn''t a rock, and his heart was one either. He could feel himself getting swayed. But he knew that there''s a hurdle he couldn''t pass.


    He was scared.


    Scared that he was just a quest to be conquered, scared that he was a mere white moonlight, and when they got together in the future, she would see all of his ws and be disappointed.


    He admitted it, what he was scared of was failing to live up to the expectation of people whom he cherished. Be it his father, his mother, his coach, his ex-girlfriend, his fans¡­he was scared to let them see how pathetic he had be.


    At least in his dream, when he said, "I might be a burden in the future."


    She would reply, "It''s okay. I will like you no matter what."


    He asked, "Will you be disappointed in me?"


    She held him gently and answered, "No. I won''t. I like you. Only you, and I will always do for many years toe."


    Jiang Jinyan relished in the warmth and affection she offered, feeling like he had found his sanctuary. But when everything dispersed into nothingness and he woke up, he had to put on his usual expression and pretended that he didn''t feel the sense of loss inside.


    He had been so ustomed to her frank and direct manner that seeing her all bashful and blushing like this, he got the urge to tease her to his heart''s content. The flesh beneath his palm was warm¡ªwarmer than ever, soft¡ªsofter than ever, and more importantly, vivid and real. He could even feel the strands of her hair tickling his arm and the sweet refreshing scenting from her body.


    Jiang Jinyan fell into a trance, but seeing no response, he grew sullen, just like a child deprived of candy. "Say it." He said. "Say that you like me."


    The girl looked up at her with clear, pure eyes, panicked.


    How could today''s Shi Nian resemble the real Shi Nian so much?


    Jiang Jinyan''s brain was muddled and faintly, he felt that something wasn''t right. But before the idea could surface, it was wiped away by the soft scent that entered his every breath. Jiang Jinyan chased after that fragrance like a hungry wolf and realized that¡ªit came from the girl''s neck, where her veins thudded with life.


    He released every restraint and plopped his head onto her shoulder, his voice slightly aggrieved. "Why? You don''t like me anymore?"


    The body in her arms trembled ever so slightly and slowly, the fair, slender arms reached out and found its way around his back, enveloping his wide frame within the narrow space of her embrace. Jiang Jinyan almost sighed in relief, his whole body rxing.


    He asked, "Will you still like me even if I be a burden?"


    No answer.


    He only felt the girl grasp his sweater tight and then, gingerly with nervousness that he could feel even without seeing, she caressed his head, fingers slipping into his hair, massaging his scalp gently with tender force. Jiang Jinyan narrowed his eyes in satisfaction, every single caress was savored to the deepest recess of his heart, making it itch and tickle.


    "What are you doing?" His voice was raspy and feeble, not a hint of resistance could be heard.


    She paused for a second and continued to appease him. Jiang Jinyan felt like a wild animal, starved and wary, bodydened in injuries. In the end, he was picked up by a pair of tender hands, hugged and cherished. Caressed and cated. Making him forget how painful his struggle in the wilderness was.


    She hugged him tighter as if trying to block all the rain and wind for him.


    Jiang Jinyan took a deep breath and it wasn''t long for him to fall back into a slumber, this one was much more peaceful andfortable than before.


    ¡­


    Shi Nian nced down but could only see Jiang Jinyan''s hair whorl, his face buried into her neck, breathing softly and deeply. Her position was truly ufortable, her waist was bent to support his weight and she could only rely on the strength of her knees to hold on.


    But she gritted her teeth and persevered.


    Her original mortification had turned into heartache. When Jiang Jinyan asked, "Will you still like me even if I be a burden?" something inside Shi Nian''s heart broke into pieces.


    She instantly knew the answer to her doubts. So, it turned out that this was what Jiang Jinyan feared. It wasn''t that he didn''t have any feelings for her, it wasn''t that he was heartless, but he was scared. Scared that someday, she would turn her back on him.


    How silly.


    Foolish general, she muttered as she stroked his head, appeasing him but at the same time, relieving the pain in her heart.


    Seeing his fragile side, she wanted nothing but to hug him and say that she would, she would like him no matter what.


    s, before she could brace herself to speak, he had already fallen asleep.


    Shi Nian looked up toward the dark sky and sighed. She pulled her half off coat and wrapped it around him haphazardly. Next, she tried to move him so that he could sleep in a better position but as if sensing her intention, Jiang Jinyan''s arms around her waist tightened and he let out a protest grunt, almost knocking the breath out of Shi Nian.


    Well, so be it.


    That''s why, when Jiang Jinyan woke up at dawn, he was surrounded by warmth and sweet fragrance. His whole body felt refreshed due to the best sleep he ever had for months and his mood was happy because he had just had a good dream.


    He opened his eyes fuzzily, disoriented for a moment. The things he registered after dawdling for a while was...an expanse of white, tender skin in front of his eyes. Slow and rhythmic heartbeat echoing in his ears, long jet ck hair under his palm, soft breathing above his head, and the slender waist around his arms¡­


    Jiang Jinyan: "¡­"


    Jiang Jinyan: "??!!"


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    .


    .


    A/N: Jiang Jinyan: [emailprotected]</a>#$%^*!?


    Damn it, how awkward would it be lol (/¦Å£Ü*) I am feeling the second hand embarrassment even when I''m typing QAQ s, Jiang Jinyan, everything you want to hide is exposed~

 Chapter 194 - Its All My Fault

    Warning: maniption. You have been warned :)


    *


    *


    Could someone tell him what was going on right now?!


    Jiang Jinyan''s breath faltered abruptly and his entire body froze. It was only a momentter that he realized he was still hugging her tightly. Shi Nian''s whole body nestled into his chest with his head buried into her shoulder and his back leaning against the wall for the girl to cushion on.


    Their position couldn''t be intimate enough.


    Jiang Jinyan''s brain buzzed and in two seconds, numerous thoughts had run through all over his mind. What was this situation? Why was she here? When did shee? Why was he hugging her? More importantly, was he¡­was he forcing himself on her?!


    Jiang Jinyan sluggishly pinched his arm and jolted from the pain..


    He sucked in a shaky breath.


    He''s not dreaming¡­


    This wasn''t a dream.


    A soft hum came above his head and he froze again, resembling a rock statue. Jiang Jinyan closed his eyes, desperately wishing that something would fly down from the sky and ram into his head so that he could die and let it end once and for all.


    Shi Nian stirred and her arms around his waist tightened. Jiang Jinyan felt her pulse quickening as her chin moved from above his head. Upon seeing that his eyes were still shut, she sighed in relief, her nerves loosening. Her fingers gingerly moved to his head, caressing there softly.


    Jiang Jinyan had to exert all of his willpower so as to not jump in shock.


    Before he could react, he heard her voice saying, "General¡­"


    Jiang Jinyan''s mind jolted. The first thing that came to his mind was: finally, she was speaking again, and only after that did he register what she was talking about. General? What General?


    Shi Nian sighed softly.


    He felt her presence looming in front of his face. He could feel the girling closer¡­and closer. Jiang Jinyan''s eyeballs twitched violently behind his eyelids. As he felt her breath brushing against his face, he couldn''t endure it any longer. His eyes opened wide at the same time Shi Nian leaned down to give his forehead a soft kiss.


    Two pairs of eyes met in midair. Simrly stiffened, simrly wishing that they could just drop down and die.


    The two intimately entangled people separated in a blink of an eye. Jiang Jinyan dashed away like a pouncing cheetah while Shi Nian scrambled backward as if she had wind beneath her feet. They turned their heads away simultaneously.


    Jiang Jinyan put his hands against the railing as he took in a deep breath, trying to sober himself up with the cold wind. It didn''t work though, so he just blurted out the first thing that came to his mind. "Why did you call me ''General''?


    When the question fell, he thought that it was very reasonable. He was quite curious too, so he waited eagerly for the girl''s answer. When he got no answer after a while, he braced himself and looked at her sideways, only to find the girl''s face so pale that it was scary to look at.


    Startled, he asked, "What''s wrong?"


    The fluorescent light on the rooftop flickered and who knew from where it popped up from, arge, blue butterfly pped its wings as it fluttered in the air. Of course, Jiang Jinyan didn''t realize it as his attention was wholly focused on the girl''s nk eyes.


    "Hey." He took a step forward. "Shi Nian?"


    Shi Nian''s pupils shrank and she felt the ground beneath her disappear as she plunged deep into the darkness. And within the boundless shadow where light couldn''t reach, only the blue butterfly shone vividly, so bright that she wished she could reach her hand out to grab the light, but she knew that she couldn''t.


    Because the butterfly wasn''t hope, but despair.


    Everytime he came, he would turn on the light and slide the metal panel through the butterfly-shaped window. Only his eyes were shown, curving up without emotion as he found her huddling on the bed, shivering in fear. "You have just spoken, aren''t you?"


    Shi Nian stared at him in fear and shook her head desperately.


    "No?" He drawled. "Don''t lie to me. Haven''t you just talked to the woman in the opposite room? Let me see, what were you two talking about?"


    There was a pained groan. Hearing that, Shi Nian''s blood ran cold. She couldn''t move her limbs at all, as if her feet were nailed to the ground.


    He enjoyed her terrified expression as his hand yanked on the woman''s hair. "Speak. What were you talking about?"


    Shi Nian didn''t know what the man was doing, but the woman suddenly screamed shrilly, begging. "Don''t kill me, don''t kill me! I will tell you! She¡­she said that everyday at 6 pm, you wille on time to bring us food." The woman sobbed. Albeit trembling, she spoke smoother after starting. "On Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, you like to sit for twenty minutes longer. She said that¡­she has a way to bring us out¡­"


    "Ha¡­" He chuckled, amused. "Out? You want to get out?"


    "No, no¡­I don''t want to¡­spare me, please spare me." The woman cried in pain. "It doesn''t have anything to do with me, it''s all her! She''s the one who nned everything¡­"


    Shi Nian''s head buzzed, color drained from her face. Without her realizing, she had backed herself to the corner of the room, gasping and hugging her trembling body. It''s over. He knew it. Now, she couldn''t escape alive anymore¡­


    Tears blurred her eyes and Qiang Fei''s face shed in her mind. How sad would her mother be if she found her corpse? How worried was she when she disappeared for so long?


    Shi Nian waited for her fate, the light in her eyes dimming by each second. Yet nothing happened. The serial killer looked at them back and forth before focusing on her. "You can actually grasp my habits. How remarkable! It''s been two months since then, but your spirit hasn''t broken yet." He threw his head back andughed heartily. "Amazing! So amazing! You''re the first person who has persevered against me for so long. It''s kind of a pity for me to kill you. Why don''t you be my partner instead?"


    Shi Nian looked at him incredulously, shaking her head hard.


    "You don''t want to?" Smile vanished from his eyes and in the next second, blood sshed from the gap under her door, followed by the woman''s desperate scream. His hands moved to inflict torture yet his eyes stared straight at Shi Nian, shining in frenzied and manic lights. "Speak ah. I told you to speak, why do you keep on shaking your head?"


    Shi Nian mped her mouth shut, tears streaming down her face.


    He sighed in pity. "I really like you, little girl."


    It wasn''t known what the other woman went through, but her screams turned into inhuman screeches, as if she was going through unimaginable pain. Sounds of struggle and flesh hitting flesh could be heard and the scent of blood permeated through the air. "Kill me¡­just kill me!!"


    Shi Nian covered her ears with both palms and pressed her back against the wall tightly, bringing her knees up as if it was the only thing she could do to not hear the desperate holler and pleading.


    "Let me give you a choice. If you speak, I will kill her. If you don''t speak," He paused and chuckled. "Well, I can''t think of a better option. Why don''t you tell me instead? But oops¡ªif you speak, she will die. What should we do, then?"


    It wasn''t long until the woman''s screech reached its peak and all of a sudden, everything turned silent. Just like that, as if the world had cut apart the space in front of her, separating her from everybody. Shi Nian could only hear her own harsh breathing and chaotic heartbeat.


    Yet in the next second, he spoke. His voice thundered around her ears. "She died..." His eyes turned to her, using. "She died because of you! IT''S ALL BECAUSE OF YOU!"


    Every time someone died, he would turn to her with usation. "See, it''s all because of you. If you''ve just been a bit obedient, if you have just obeyed my words, they wouldn''t have died!"


    "Remember it, they died because of you!"


    Because of me¡­because I was talking to her, because I pulled her into my n¡­because I didn''t give up...because I kept on searching for a way out...


    The condemnation reverberated in her mind, over and over again, shackling her like a curse.


    I shouldn''t speak¡­shouldn''t speak again from now on. If I didn''t speak, then they wouldn''t have died. If I didn''t speak, then everything would be fine. No one would die.


    Narrow room. No window. Ultimate darkness that caused her unable to tell days and lights. Rusty bed. Mottled bedsheet. Brownish blood stain. Stuffy air. Desperate screams. If this ce wasn''t Hell, then where would it be? In front of her was the evilest of all demons, one that she wouldn''t be able to win against.


    This was a neverending nightmare. And until the blood dried, the only lights Shi Nian could only see was the butterfly, and from there, the demon could see her. Saw her terrified look andughed.


    "Shi Nian! What''s wrong with you, Shi Nian?!" Shi Nian''s eyes cracked open with difficulty. Her chest was hurting and every breath she took was excruciating.


    Shi Nian turned over, hugging her body and gasped for breath. Her sight went through Jiang Jinyan toward the perching butterfly, its wings glowed under the iridescent light. Tears blurred her vision as her lips parted, yet no sound came out.


    I''m sorry, it''s my fault.


    I shouldn''t speak again from now on.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Are you shocked to see everything changed all of a sudden? (?????) Now, you know why Shi Nian can''t speak and even if she can now, she is still reluctant to. Don''t worry, everything will be better in the next chappie, she''s just recalling the terror she felt those days

 Chapter 195 - Yes, Just Like That. Good Girl.

    Jiang Jinyan only saw her face turned ghastly, then in the next second, she fell ck to the ground, eyes staring ahead nkly as she gasped for breath. The ident in the hospital shed through Jiang Jinyan''s mind: hyperventting.


    He didn''t have any time to think further as his body moved before his brain did. He positioned the girl''s body straight and tilted her chin up. He cupped her cold cheeks, the end of this sentence contained a tremble that even he didn''t notice. "Shi Nian? Can you hear me?"


    She looked at him nkly, the lights in her eyes dimmed as if she didn''t recognize him.


    Jiang Jinyan''s brows furrowed as he counted her pulse. He kept count in his heart, his face growing grimmer by each second. "I am Jiang Jinyan. Can you hear me?" He leaned down, eyes staring straight at her. Amidst her panic, his voice was akin to a sharp beam of light piercing through the darkness, strong, calm and steady. "Shi Nian, I am Jiang Jinyan.. Look at me, see who I am."


    Jiang Jinyan kept talking to her for a while. Shi Nian''s pupils shrunk and gradually started to focus. Her fingers twitched and Jiang Jinyan grabbed hold of her, wrapping her cold palm with his warm one. "Look at me. Don''t look anywhere else. Yes, that''s right. Focus on me just like that."


    Shi Nian looked up at his solemn face, the rims of her eyes reddened. Her body chilled as if she was submerged in an ice cer, the only source of warmth came from her hand which was being held tightly and securely.


    She was pulled out from that dark and suffocating ce and in front of her wasn''t the devil, but Jiang Jinyan.


    General Jiang Jinyan. The man who saved her life.


    The feeling of being lifted from Hell to Heaven brought forth immeasurable grievances. Her whole body felt weak and she was unable to show a strong exterior. All she wanted was to snuggle against him to seekfort and warmth.


    Tears slid down the corner of her eyes as she murmured weakly, "General Jiang¡­"


    "Yes, it''s me. Don''t be afraid." He responded swiftly. "Now, follow my lead."


    Shi Nian looked at him without blinking.


    Jiang Jinyan silently sighed in relief as he massaged her cold fingers one by one. "Rx your shoulders. Don''t be scared. I am here. Now, inhale through your nose¡­yes, that''s right." He guided her carefully. "Purse your lips and exhale slowly. Yes, very good. You''re doing very great, inhale again¡­now exhale¡­[1]"


    Shi Nian was like a puppet as she followed his every word. Her eyes could only contain his figure and she held onto him tightly like a drowning man would. Inhale, pursed her lips and slowly exhale¡­


    Her heartbeat gradually calmed down and the illusion disappeared. Cold winds gust by and she shivered, her nose itching to sneeze. Jiang Jinyan saw through her difort and lifted the girl''s up by her shoulders, letting her lean onto his body. His calm voice flowed out steadily. "Inhale¡­exhale¡­yes, just like that. Good girl."


    Shi Nian let her body rx and closed her eyes tiredly. Jiang Jinyan''s chest was wide and his body temperature was higher than average. Being enveloped by him was akin to being covered by a warm nket, sofortable and serene.


    His voice, his hands, his embrace¡­they slowly calmed her down until her fear subsided.


    Shi Nian buried her face into his chest, listening to his rhythmic heartbeat and soft breathing above her head. Jiang Jinyan''s movement paused for a moment but in the end, he let her be. Shi Nian heard a long sigh above her and opened her watery eyes, peering up at him with sad and nervous eyes.


    "How do you feel?" he asked softly.


    Shi Nian nodded. She used the tip of her fingers to trace his arm. [Thank you.]


    Once again, he saved her life. Chasing her nightmare away and offering her boundless security. Shi Nian''s shoulders quivered minutely as she took in a shaky breath.


    Jiang Jinyan noticed her movement and nced down tentatively. "¡­Are you crying?"


    She shook her head but buried her face deeper into his chest. Subsequently, Jiang Jinyan felt dampness on his sweater, the hot liquid quickly turned cold due to the wind, seeping from his sweater to his skin and from his skin deep into his heart, making it twinge slightly.


    The former awkwardness between them was gone, just like that. Jiang Jinyan lifted his head and pretended that he noticed nothing. However, the tremble under his palm was too palpable to be ignored and he grew worried.


    "Don''t cry¡­" He stroked her head gingerly.


    As if finding an outlet to her suppressed emotion, Shi Nian''s tremble grew worse. Sniffles and sobs escaped from her lips and she shifted to hug his waist, pouring out all of her grievances, unease and dread. Just like that time in the hospital, when she cried and clung onto his feet, reluctant to let go.


    Shi Nian didn''t know for how long she had cried but when she came to her senses, the fabric on his chest waspletely drenched by her tears. She wiped her face and distanced herself, her swollen eyes trailed up nervously.


    She was ready to receive any cold and admonishing nce but conversely what she got was his softened expression as he brushed away the hair that almost got into her mouth. "Don''t worry about it."


    Shi Nian sniffled, embarrassed. Fortunately, because she had cried her face crimson to begin with, the additional blush didn''t look as conspicuous.


    "Are you feeling better?" His arms lowered to grab her arm, two fingers pressed across her wrist.


    Shi Nian nodded bashfully. She fumbled for her phone and typed rapidly. [I am not usually like this.]


    A lowugh slipped from Jiang Jinyan''s lips. "Then, how are you usually like?"


    Shi Nian knew that it was his way of asking why she suddenly copsed. Nervous, Shi Nian didn''t know how to say it. It was tooplicated and if she started to talk about her fear of butterflies, then she had to exin about the serial killer. Shi Nian''s face twisted. She didn''t want to talk about that person.


    Jiang Jinyan saw that her face crumpled like dried tangerine peels and felt his heart softened. "Okay, let''s save it forter." He stood up and reached a hand out. "Come on."


    Shi Nian looked at his palm in daze. The scene from her past life ovepped with the present. In her past life, he had also reached his hand to her like this when he saved her from the execution ground. This life, he saved her again from the fear that could take her life.


    Warmth permeated her heart as she put her hand onto his and let him pull her up.


    However, Shi Nian overestimated herself as her legs gave out beneath her. She didn''t even realize that her legs were still trembling from the aftermath. Jiang Jinyan moved fast and caught her before she fell down again.


    She gave an embarrassed smile. Before she was ready to try again, Jiang Jinyan had slipped his arm beneath her knees and lifted her up in one swift movement.


    Shi Nian gasped and held his shoulders in surprise.


    "Hold tight," he said as he stride forward and brought her down the stairs.


    Shi Nian struggled, her eyes thick with concern. "Your legs," she whispered.


    Jiang Jinyan didn''t respond as he descended the flight of stairs with ease, even with an additional burden weighing 48 kilograms. He jutted his chin and grunted. "Push the door open."


    Left with no choice, Shi Nian could only reach out to push the door. However, she didn''t expect that there would be someone standing beyond the door. Instantly, three pairs of eyes met in midair.


    Xu Binchen''s movement of opening his door paused. He looked at both of them back and forth before focusing on Jiang Jinyan. His expression chilled in an instant. "What is happening here?"


    .


    .


    [1] What Jiang Jinyan guided her to do is ''Pursed Lip Breathing'' It''s the technique designed to make breathing more effective by making them slower and more intentional. For more information, you can search on it in Google. It''s effective for hyperventting especially in cases like Shi Nian where she hasn''t lost consciousness yet, her mind is still clear and more importantly, there''s no paper bag around like in dramas (?¨Œ?.)


    Warning: if you''re not a pro like Jiang Jinyan then call for ambnce asap okay?

 Chapter 196 - Gege, I Can Talk Now

    Shi Nian''s current feeling was akin to someone who snuck out to have a date with her boyfriend and came homete, only to see her father sitting in the living room waiting for her. She didn''t know why she panicked either, Xu Binchen clearly wasn''t her father and Jiang Jinyan wasn''t her boyfriend either.


    She grabbed her phone anxiously, racking her brain to create a reasonable excuse but in the end, she waspletely exposed by the man who was carrying her. "She has just had another bout of hyperventting. Detective Xu, you should get her to the hospital for a checkup."


    Shi Nian: "!!!"


    Xu Binchen''s expression sank. "Hyperventting? What caused it to happen?"


    Shi Nian''s lips pursed tight, colorless.


    Xu Binchen saw through her in one nce. He turned to Jiang Jinyan as he pocketed his key. "Mr.. Jiang, were there any butterflies on the rooftop?"


    "Butterfly?" Jiang Jinyan''s brows furrowed. Lights often attracted moths and other kinds of insects. But butterflies¡­ He lowered his eyes to see Shi Nian''s dreadful expression and got the answer to his doubt. "...It seems like there were."


    "How is she right now? Any difort?"


    "I guided her to do pursed lip breathing to stabilize her condition. There''s just some seque left like coldness on limbs, weakness and slight tremble."


    Both of them talked seriously. They were evidently talking about her but it was as if she was invisible. Ignored and not even being looked at.


    Xu Binchen shot Jiang Jinyan an appreciative nce. "You''re quite good, Mr. Jiang."


    "No." He replied humbly. "I have seen Detective Xu perform first aid in the hospital and my skill is nowhere as good as yours."


    She cleared her throat softly to attract their attention and it seeded. They instantly turned to her, asking in unison. "What''s wrong? Do you feel ufortable?"


    Shi Nian: "¡­" Even if she didn''t, now that she was asked like this, she started to feel ufortable!


    "Let''s go to the hospital right now." Xu Binchen decided. "Mr. Jiang, I will have to trouble you to carry her for a while."


    Jiang Jinyan nodded and walked behind him inrge strides.


    Shi Nian, who wanted to say that she was better and could walk by herself, decided to be a salted fish and y dead until they arrived in the hospital. It was the main branch of City A''s Public Hospital and because Shi Nian was an important patient before¡ªaided by Xu Binchen''s police badge¡ªshe was prioritized and given a full body checkup as soon as she arrived.


    The result came out by ten in the morning. Everything was normal, but she was a little anemic due to not having eaten breakfast. When Shi Nian came out from the examination room, Xu Binchen was leaning on the wall as he yed with his lighter. She looked around but didn''t see Jiang Jinyan anywhere.


    "Don''t look anymore." He pinpointed out her thoughts. "Why should he wait until you''re finished with your check up?"


    Shi Nian knew that Xu Binchen was right, but she was still disappointed upon not seeing him.


    Xu Binchen couldn''t bear to see her growing mushrooms in the corner any longer and said in irritation. "I told him to go home, alright? He waited here until half an hour ago but I told him to scram. Are you satisfied now?"


    Shi Nian''s eyes gradually brightened up.


    Xu Binchen scoffed in disdain. "I haven''t even started to ask what you two were doing on the rooftop at 5 am in the morning."


    Shi Nian pretended to be deaf and said innocently. [Gege, I am hungry.]


    "I know." He red. "What do you think is the gurgle that has been going on since minutes ago? The whole floor can hear your stomach growling!"


    Was it the kind of sentence he could say to an adolescent girl?! She didn''t want to lose out to him and glowered, arms wrapping around the growling tummy. She was clearly exhausted enough but he suddenly got angry out of nowhere and vented it on her! How mean, brute and insensitive!


    "Let''s go." Xu Binchen huffed and didn''t want to look at her anymore. "We should eat at the cafeteria first and go to Psychiatrist Cheng afterward. Psychiatrist Yu have already told you about her, right?"


    Shi Nian''s expression smoothened and she nodded. Psychiatrist Yu rmended her to another psychiatrist with better skills, Cheng Fenwan. Psychiatrist Cheng should have long performed therapy that could evoke the memory hidden deep in her subconsciousness but Qiang Fei hadn''t given her word of consent yet thus the therapy was paused with no confirmation on sight.


    But now¡­


    Xu Binchen and Shi Nian sat in the cafeteria and ordered two simple sets of chicken porridge. For a while, no one talked and both of them were focused only on eating. Shi Nian''s stomach had been empty since morning, thus she ate with gusto, even rivalling Xu Binchen''s speed.


    After she put down the spoon, Xu Binchen had just wiped his mouth with a napkin. She knocked on the table in front of him with two fingers. He lifted his eyes, eyebrows lifting in question as he drank his coffee.


    [I will tell my mother that I want to do the therapy.]


    Xu Binchen put down his cup and his expression turned serious. "Are you sure? You should know the risk of the therapy. You will either get better or end up worse. The best possibility is you will recall your lost memory, but the failure will cause you to feel deeper anxiety and severe depression. The study only guaranteed 60-90% of patients who recovered with mild or no symptoms after the therapy. That''s also the reason why your mother hesitates."


    Shi Nian nodded. [She didn''t want me to force myself to remember.]


    "So what makes you change your mind?"


    [If I said that¡­I recalled a few fragments about the serial killer, will it be enough?]


    Shi Nian put down her phone and looked straight at him. She braced herself, took a deep breath and spoke, "Gege, I can talk now."


    Xu Binchen froze and his eyes widened in shock.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Shi Nian, atta girl! (¡ä¦Å£à )? She''s ready to face her past!

 Chapter 197 - Did He Torture You?

    Psychiatrist Cheng Fenwan was a middle aged woman who had a kind and gentle look. She was Psychiatrist Yu''s senior and had treated someone with PTSD before. After receiving Shi Nian''s file, she smiled reassuringly toward Xu Binchen. "Don''t worry, we can just try a few sessions first. From Shi Nian''s statement, it was proven that butterflies are a good stimulus for her to recall her lost memory. I heard that there''s some risk of hyperventtion, it''s okay. I will do my best to help her."


    Xu Binchen yed with his lighter, opening and closing it, creating clicking sounds that echoed throughout the office. He then turned to Shi Nian. "Go out. There''s something I want to say to Psychiatrist Cheng alone."


    Shi Nian stared at him for a while and nodded..


    Xu Binchen didn''t take long. Shi Nian waited only less than ten minutes before seeing himing out. She stood up and asked. [What did you talk about?]


    "You''re very reckless and stupid so I have to make sure that everything goes well." He was itching for a smoke but he had to wait until they got out of the hospital. It made him more irritated. "Talk well with your mother. She wille back in a few days, right? Think about it first during these few days and tell me your decision after that."


    Shi Nian beamed, eyes curving happily. [Thank you, I will do that.]


    Xu Binchen gave her a nce. It was rare to see him hesitate so much thus she waited patiently for him to talk. "He¡­did he torture you?"


    Shi Nian''s smile slipped. She had decided to open the Pandora Box but still, her fingers trembled uncontrobly when she grabbed hold of the opening. Her limbs chilled and she couldn''t resist the fear that numbed her scalp. It had already been embedded into her body and soul during those three months.


    No. The serial killer had never tortured her. He never wished to.


    He just tried again and again to break her down mentally. To make her crazy. To create another him.


    To make her into his best partner.


    Warm palm held her hand, snapping her out of her thoughts. She lifted her head to see Xu Binchen, a hint of concern in his eyes but he still urged, "Did he?" Xu Binchen felt like he would go mad if he let go of the answer now.


    Shi Nian whispered, "No."


    Only then did Xu Binchen''s brows loosened, but it wasn''t known what he was thinking about, his expression sank again in the next moment. "This isn''t a good ce to talk. You should go to school first, we will talk about it againter on."


    From a detective who had first neglected her well being and forced her to remember quickly, to the man today who looked more nervous than her upon touching the answer. Shi Nian couldn''t hold back her smile. Right, she had escaped from that Hell. She wasn''t alone now. If she called for help, someone would reach out to her and pull her out of the darkness.


    She didn''t need to be scared anymore.


    Shi Nian took a deep breath. [Right, let''s talkter on.]


    Even if Shi Nian had just regained a piece of important memory, life still went on like usual. Today, school started at 1 pm. She went back to refresh herself and change to the uniform before going to school with Xu Binchen.


    By a nce, nothing seemed different in Sangzhe High. The sses were still rowdy with chatter andughter, some idle boys yed basketball on the court and the Disciplinary Teacher was still standing on the front gate to check the students'' uniforms. Only the yellow police lines around the Moonlight Pavilion and some people who looked more restless that showed signs that someone had just died.


    It was a bit worse in ss 1. When Shi Nian entered, the atmosphere was still as gloomy and depressing as yesterday. The boys didn''t dare to cause a ruckus like they always did in the back rows, some were earnestly doing practice papers, some were ying with their phones.


    Shi Nian took a nce and saw only Ruo Tingran''s group behaved like usual, applying makeup and polishing nails, contrasted to Mo Ling who seemed to have be so haggard, none of her previous cheerfulness could be seen.


    On Li Qing''s desk, there were a few small buckets of flowers. White, yellow, pink and blue, its petals fresh and wide, swaying along with the wind. It fiercely reminded everyone that up until two days ago, someone had still been sitting there, talking andughing with them.


    The bell rang and Teacher Yao came in. She had ck circles around her eyes. No matter how thick her foundation was, it couldn''t cover the grief and exhaustion in her eyes. Li Qing''s death had truly affected her very much, but when she stood in front of the podium, she had turned back into the great demoness Yao Xiurong. "The monthly exam will be suspended until next week."


    Soft cheers were heard from the students. It evidentlycked any enthusiasm.


    After the short announcement, ss started like usual and practice papers were distributed again. The entire ss didn''t have any time to mourn for Li Qing''s death anymore as they immersed themselves in Spartan mode study.


    Time passed quickly when you were throwing yourself into something.


    Until the ss ended, Mo Ling didn''t even say a sentence. Only then did Shi Nian realize how deste the ssroom became without the girl''s loud and cheerful voice. Chen Jiawei silently packed her bag and shot a nce toward Mo Ling.


    Shi Nian noticed her line of sight and wrote in her notebook. [Is she okay?]


    Chen Jiawei forced a smile. "She will. She just feels guilty because she couldn''t make up with Li Qing before her death." She was sure that it would definitely be one of Mo Ling''s lifelong regrets. Chen Jiawei pushed up her sses and whispered. "Shi Nian, I heard from the police officer yesterday that your brother is also a detective. How is it? Did they¡­find out anything about Li Qing''s death?"


    Shi Nian shook her head regrettably.


    The police were still working hard but there was still no news.


    Shi Nian said goodbye to Chen Jiawei and Mo Ling. Then, she grabbed her backpack and walked alone to the gate, her silhouette painted a long shadow on the ground as she stepped on the fallen maple leaves, creating crisp, crunching sounds.


    Suddenly, there came another shadow behind her.


    Shi Nian turned around and found Zhang Jiancheng there. The boy smiled faintly and nodded in greeting. Together, they walked along the yard. Even though they didn''t do anything, everyone''s eyes were attracted to them. It couldn''t be helped, School Grass Zhang was just too popr. Fortunately, the school forum was still off or else they would be a hot topic tomorrow.


    After yesterday''s incident on the rooftop of Moonlight Pavilion, Shi Nian was a bit reluctant to be alone with Zhang Jiancheng. Even if she was deaf and blind, she couldn''t ignore the subtle signal he gave off, especially after his tant question, "If I told you that me in the music room and saving you in the nick of time was a coincidence and I only tagged along to keep youpany, will you believe me?"


    Shi Nian was shocked upon receiving that question. Afterward, Zhang Jiancheng took the initiative to break the silence. He gave a slight smile, his tone light and casual. "Don''t worry. I don''t have any bad intentions. Just want you to know. You don''t need to mind it, Shi Nian."


    She didn''t understand. There were many girls out there who were more beautiful, smart and fashionable than she was. Why would Zhang Jiancheng chase her?


    "Shi Nian."


    His voice brought her out of her reverie. Without her knowing, they had walked up to the parking lot. Shi Nian frowned from the excessive attention that they garnered. They slowly crept closer, acting as passersby to eavesdrop on their conversation.


    Zhang Jiancheng realized it too and his brows knitted, he clicked his tongue in displeasure and grabbed his helmet. "I want to talk to you about something."


    Shi Nian lowered her sight, writing. [I don''t have anything to talk to you about.]


    Zhang Jiancheng smiled wryly. "Why are you so eager to reject me?" The tall boy leaned forward all of a sudden. Shi Nian stepped back in reflex, but in the end, the sentence he whispered managed to make her stay.


    She contemted for a while and nodded.


    His smile became more dazzling. The afternoon sun shone on him, enveloping him in a golden glow. His eyes were full of smiles as he looked at her. His long legs proceeded to swing onto the ck motorcycle, the smooth and swift movement was very cool. Shi Nian could even hear the muffle squeal from some girls nearby. Unfortunately, she was immune to Zhang Jiancheng''s charm.


    "Can you get on?" He asked teasingly and handed her a helmet.


    Shi Nian epted it, her face deadpanned as she directly climbed on therge motorcycle without his help. Zhang Jiancheng looked at her through the rearview mirror. The ck helmet covered his head, leaving only a pair of dark eyes full of charm. "Why don''t you wrap your arms around my waist so that you won''t fall?"


    What he received was only a hit on the back.


    His lips curled into a smile. "Hang on tight."


    Shi Nian grabbed the seat behind her and nodded.


    He was helpless against her stubbornness and started the motorcycle. Under the students'' gazes, he pulled down the visor on his helmet. The motorcycle roared fiercely and flew out of Sangzhe High''s gate.


    What Shi Nian didn''t know was, from when the motorcycle exited the gate until it turned to a corner and disappeared, someone''s gaze was glued on to her back, dark and unfathomable.


    .


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    A/N: oho, who is that person?


    Honestly, I really like Zhang Jiancheng. He will be the perfect male protagonist with his looks, temperament and smoothness lol. But unfortunately, Dna''s male leads have never been perfect _(:3¡¹¡Ï)_

 Chapter 198 - A Shameless Rogue

    Zhang Jiancheng rode the motorcycle to a caf¨¦ that looked cozy and affordable. The tone of the caf¨¦ was light brown with decorated lights hanging down from the ceiling. From the window, Shi Nian saw that there were many people inside and some were even wearing uniforms of Sangzhe and other schools. The majority of them were pairs, sitting and talking intimately.


    Was this a famous spot for dating?


    Zhang Jiancheng took off his helmet and bit his glove to pull it off. The series of movements attracted the attention of women who sat by the window. They took a nce outside and couldn''t look away anymore. Then, their eyes turned to Shi Nian, curious, envious and scrutinizing.


    He tilted the motorcycle almost 45 degrees and offered his hand, whispering, "Be careful."


    Shi Nian still wasn''t willing to ept his help and jumped down agilely. She took off the helmet and blew out a long sigh before handing it to him.. Zhang Jiancheng proceeded to put it under the seat''s storage and together, they went inside the caf¨¦.


    "Wee," The waitress smiled widely. "Table for two?"


    "Yes." Zhang Jiancheng looked around and saw an empty table in the corner. "We will take that one. Thank you."


    This was the first time for Shi Nian toe to a caf¨¦ after school, with a boy at that. She couldn''t help looking around with wide and curious eyes. Zhang Jiancheng smiled and handed her the menu. "Is this your first time here? You shoulde more often, the steak here is delicious."


    Shi Nian gingerly epted the menu and almost choked on her breath. A ss of mineral water was almost twice more expensive than the one sold in the cafeteria in school. She sucked in a deep breath and shook her head.


    "Don''t want to eat?" Zhang Jiancheng lifted a brow. "How about a drink?"


    Shi Nian shook her head. [What do you know about Li Qing''s death?]


    It was none other than Zhang Jiancheng saying he knew something rted to Li Qing''s death that could possibily denied the possibility of suicide that she was willing to follow him. But she didn''t expect that he would bring her to a ce like this. Shi Nian pursed her lips, ufortable.


    Zhang Jiancheng closed the menu and sighed. "About the screenshot¡ªyou like a university student, is it true?"


    Shi Nian frowned. [What does it have to do with Li Qing?]


    "Just satisfy my curiosity, will you?" Zhang Jiancheng rested his chin on his palm and looked at her in interest. "At least I will know why you despised me so much."


    [I don''t despise you.] She wrote seriously. [Let''s not waste anymore time, ssmate Zhang. My family will worry if I amte.]


    Zhang Jiancheng''s smile deepened. "Is it the man who walked to the subway station with you a week ago as well as the one whom you walked together with under the ck umbre yesterday?"


    Shi Nian lifted her head in surprise. Her eyes turned sharp and wary.


    "Don''t look at me like that." Zhang Jiancheng lowered his head and chuckled helplessly. "I really don''t have any bad intentions. If you react so strongly, I will know your answer even if you don''t say it."


    Shi Nian''s face darkened. Even if she didn''t deliberately hide it when she went home twice with Jiang Jinyan, she didn''t expect that someone would pay so much attention to it that they could connect it to the screenshot.


    "You like him, right?" He leaned back and ordered a cup of mhiato for him and milk tea for Shi Nian. After the waitress walked away, he turned to her. "But I don''t think he likes you that much."


    Shi Nian''s lips pursed, her displeasure was evident. [None of your business.] Even her tone wasn''t so polite anymore. [If you don''t want to talk, then don''t.] She really didn''t like the feeling of someone interfering in the matter between her and Jiang Jinyan, especially someone who didn''t know them very well.


    Facing Zhang Jiancheng was very simr to facing those eunuchs who kept on urging General Jiang to take in concubines lest rumors spread that he brought ''the witch'' home as a pet.


    Zhang Jiancheng saw her seriousness and said abruptly. "I overheard that Li Qing had someone she liked."


    Shi Nian paused and after sizing Zhang Jiancheng for a moment, sat back down. [Someone she liked?]


    "Yes." He tapped on the table and borated. "I heard it when she was talking with Ruo Tingran''s group. After the monthly exam, she nned to ask him out. Do you think that someone who created such a n wouldmit suicide all of a sudden?"


    Shi Nian''s face turned solemn and she shook her head. nning to ask the boy she liked out? Shi Nian understood the feeling of anticipation, excitement and happiness of meeting the person she liked. If that was true, then there was no way that Li Qing wouldmit suicide


    Even if she was rejected before the exam, it wasn''t a reason strong enough to end her life.


    [You didn''t tell Detective Qin?] She looked at him strangely. He had such a strong lead but decided to tell her instead.


    Zhang Jianchengughed softly. "Li Qing and I have no rtionship with each other. The police didn''t have to question me about her."


    Shi Nian nodded. [Do you know who¡ª]


    "I don''t know." He interjected. "I only heard it in passing and they never said any name."


    Shi Nian''s displeasure toward him lightened a lot. This was quite an important lead. If Zhang Jiancheng didn''t know, Shi Nian was sure that someone in Ruo Tingran''s group did. If they could trace that person, then they might be able to find another clue.


    The gloom in Shi Nian''s heart was wiped away and she began to see the emergence of lights. Her eyes brightened up and she offered Zhang Jiancheng a faint smile. [Thank you very much.]


    From their previous chat, Shi Nian found out that Li Qing didn''t really like Zhang Jiancheng. It seemed like she hated him quite a lot. Actually, he wasn''t as bad as how Li Qing described him to be.


    Zhang Jiancheng smiled, leaned forward and whispered in a low voice. "See, I am not a bad person. I have helped you so much. How do you want to repay me? Let''s see, how about being my girlfriend for a week?"


    Shi Nian''s expression cooled down in an instant and she retracted her previous remark.


    School Grass Zhang was a shameless rogue disguised as a good and obedient student!


    .


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    A/N: New lead! Li Qing has someone she likes! Who could that be?

 Chapter 199 - Not Missing Me?

    Capital City''s airport, arrival terminal.


    As usual, the VIP lounge was deste of people. Only a few staff members and wandering passersby could be seen. One or two men with suits were sitting on the sofas with small suitcases by their feet, talking to their phones while checking on the time


    Then, the double door that was usually closed was pushed open, followed by a smiling and bowing staff. "We hope you have a pleasant day, Mr. Jin."


    The man who strode out was very eye-catching. His height was already a cheat. Coupled with the proportional body, taut skin filled with muscles, narrow waist, long legs covered in ck boots, he attracted everyone''s gazes. But the rted person didn''t seem to care. Huge, ck sunsses hung on his nose, and the chin and lips that were exposed looked particrly cold and indifferent..


    He led a bunch of people behind him, all wearing casual backpacks and ck sunsses, like a group of wealthy second generation young masters who had juste back from a vacation. Fortunately, they were all wearing casual shirts and not suits or else the scene would look like one that came out of MIB[1].


    Outside, there was already an off road Jeep that was waiting, a petite woman with light brown curls that reached her waist was leaning on the car, her eyes unfocused as if she was in a daze.


    Upon seeing her, the tall man on the very front instantly quickened his steps, leaving the tails following him behind. He arrived in front of the woman in less than three seconds and pushed up his sunsses, showing a pair of ck, sharp eyes and straight eyebrows. His lips curled into a faint smirk. "Sorry to make you wait." A low, pleasant male voice drawled out like azy Persian cat.


    The woman took a nce and only grunted. She threw the car key which was easily caught by the man. "Five more minutes and I would have left."


    Jin Renguang chuckled, as if he had gotten used to her cynical remark. Using the advantage of hisrge body and tall height, he blocked her from everyone''s eyes and leaned forward, his lips moved to whisper into her ear, "Not missing me?"


    Ru Meiqi snorted, "Not even a bit."


    She pushed him away ruthlessly and climbed onto the passenger seat.


    Instead of being angry, Jin Renguang seemed to be in a better mood. His exhaustion and irritation these past few days seemed to have been wiped away after seeing her.


    Subsequently, behind him, Tang Wei, Ke Shao and every member of SCI Squad arrived. "Senior Ru! It''s been a long time!"


    "Thank you foring to meet us!"


    "Ah, I am starving!"


    "I''d prefer to sleep rather than eat though..."


    Ru Meiqi rolled down the window. Her expression was contrastly different from how it was when she faced Jin Renguang. A friendly smile hung on her lips. "Then, shall we eat first? What would you like?"


    The group of tired as dog men chorused, "Hotpot!"


    In such a cold, overcast weather, eating something hot and spicy would always be the best.


    Jin Renguang used to live in the Capital before. It was because he was assigned to the serial murder case that he moved from ce to ce, chasing the culprit from City S, City A then back to the Capital.


    He drove them to a famous hotpot ce and opened a private room. They had been tortured by paperworks for the past few days because of Ru Meiqi''s suggestion of making Wu Wengen''s death public, then threw the me to the serial killer''s head.


    It was indeed her idea, but Jin Renguang took the full me. He was even berated by Director Fen Huiguan and thoroughly disciplined until he had psychological shadow when he neared thetter''s office. In the end, the whole squad was punished to write endless reports and after Jin Renguang convinced Director Fen by cing his job on the line, he was finally liberated. It caused their move to be postponed until today.


    The voracious men didn''t hold back any longer. They drained their Captain''s wallet and the restaurant''s foodstock, causing the manager to be so scared that he broke out in cold sweat and fearfully gave them free coupons to satisfy their craving.


    Jin Renguang almostughed in anger. He threw the meat into the boiling hotpot and grinded his teeth. "You rascals! Did I not feed you these past few days?!"


    "Captain, you don''t understand." Ke Shao huffed as he munched heartily, white mist blowing out of his mouth. "It''s exactly because you''re treating that it bes more delicious."


    "Yes, that''s right!" Tang Wei had even taken off his sses, turning him from an unattractive bookish nerd to a wide eyed young man that looked a bit childish. "We should eat as much as possible before we continue to work!"


    Jin Renguang snorted and ced some cooked pieces of meat into Ru Meiqi''s bowl which the woman finished in a blink of an eye. She was so fast and didn''t lose out to the group of men. Heck, if she was slower, then everything would be gone in an instant!


    Captain Jin was subsequently ignored and only when the group was full to the point of bursting did they finally stop.


    "I can''t¡­I can''t eat anymore...bleurgh!" Tang Wei heaved, pushed his chair back and dashed to the bathroom.


    Ke Shao cackled as he bit on a toothpick.


    "Full?" Jin Renguang asked softly as he poured the cold tea away and reced it with a hot one.


    Ru Meiqi nodded, her face rxing as she enjoyed the Chrysanthemum tea. "Go and pay." She waved her handzily.


    After feeding his subordinates, Jin Renguang proceeded to drive into the police station. The first thing he asked was, "Where''s Xu Binchen and Qin Weizhe?"


    "Xu Binchen is taking the evening off." Ru Meiqi said beside him. "Qin Weizhe is busy with a suicide case in Shi Nian''s school."


    It was rare for the workaholic Xu Binchen to take half a day off. He was the kind of man who, even if it rained bullets, would still drag his feet to work. "Oh?" Jin Renguang raised his brow, intrigued. "What is Xu Binchen taking the day off for?"


    They walked toward the huge meeting room and took their seats. "He''s taking Shi Nian to school."


    Jin Renguang movement halted. He even suspected that he heard wrong. "¡­What?"


    Ru Meiqi deadpanned, "You heard it right."


    Jin Renguangughed with a smile that didn''t reach his eyes. In the end, he didn''tment. He told everybody in the room. "We will begin the meeting after Qin Weizhe and Xu Binchene back." Then, he turned to Ru Meiqi, his dark eyes shing. "Tell me about the suicide case in Butterfly''s school."


    .


    .


    [1] MIB = Men In ck


    .


    A/N: Oh, everyone is almost here in the Capital. Let''s see, who''s missing? Right, it''s the serial killer (£à?¡ä)¦·

 Chapter 200 - The Cases Are Linked With Each Other

    Amidst Ru Meiqi''s exnation, Xu Binchen returned. He nodded toward Jin Renguang, "Sorry for beingte, Captain."


    Thetter only grunted and continued listening to Ru Meiqi. "What do you think?" Ru Meiqi took a sip from her water bottle to moisten her throat. "Is it only a coincidence?"


    Jin Renguang''s brows knitted. "The information and clues are too little. Let''s wait for Qin Weizhe to return before we make any conclusion."


    Fortunately, they didn''t need to wait long because Qin Weizhe barged in not long after, following behind him was Luo Ning and two other detectives. When he saw Jin Renguang, he gave a smile albeit it was different from his usual smile, overly polite and distant. "Captain Jin, it''s been hard on you to move back and forth."


    Jin Renguang replied casually, "Not as hard as you.."


    A strange undercurrent sparked between both of them, making the rest of the people look back and forth. Luo Ning looked at them strangely. He had only seen Jin Renguang on TV before, thus this was the first time he officially met the lead investigator of the biggest case the country had ever seen.


    Luo Ning''s first impression toward him was quite unpleasant. Mainly because he''s biased toward Qin Weizhe, thus he subconsciously didn''t like anyone Qin Weizhe didn''t. Moreover, Jin Renguang was too fierce, his eyes sharp and intimidating. His presence was so heavy and domineering that Luo Ning didn''t dare to breathe loudly. Totally different from Qin Weizhe who could make people feelfortable and rx around him.


    He bumped the person beside him. "Senior, what''s going on between Detective Qin and Captain Jin?"


    Even though Jin Renguang wasn''t their captain and their job area was different, it was as if the title had stuck to him, making everyone call him so.


    "Ah, you don''t know?" The man replied with a whisper. "I heard that Captain Jin used to be Detective Qin''s instructor in the army. Detective Qin was thrashed around so badly that he developed an obsession to beat him, but he never seeded till this day."


    Luo Ning widened his eyes. "How could it be?"


    In his impression, Qin Weizhe was formidable, intelligent, sharp yet friendly and charming. Nothing could ever shake him and simrly, nothing could beat or drag him down. He was practically Iron Man.


    Yet in front of Jin Renguang, he was akin to a puppy being held by its neck, ferocious yet helpless to counter.


    Jin Renguang sat on the center of the long table,id back yet imposing. "I thank Detective Qin and everyone in the General Criminal Division for lending a hand toward our squad. Especially Detective Qin," Jin Renguang nodded toward him. "You are already busy with another case and still go out of your way to help us. Your contribution will be greatly rewarded."


    Qin Weizhe sat on the left of Jin Renguang while Ru Meiqi sat on his right. From his position, he could see that, although Ru Meiqi was writing in her notebook, her attention was wholly focused on Jin Renguang.


    Qin Weizhe chuckled, bitterness welled up in his heart. "As I should be." He only dwelled on it for a moment before focusing on the matter in hand. "Moreover, I suspect that these cases are linked with each other."


    His words attracted every single person''s attention, all waiting for him to continue.


    "Little Ning, if you may." Qin Weizhe gestured toward him.


    Luo Ning nodded and distributed a stack of reports for each person. Jin Renguang flipped through it and saw the contract of the vi sold under the name Li Qing.


    Qin Weizhe gave them some time to digest before talking. "The deceased is Li Qing. 17 years old. Female. A third year student at Sangzhe High. ssmate of Shi Nian." He exined toward his confused subordinates. "Yes, you''re right. It''s Shi Nian who''s the victim of the serial murder case. On 26th October, her body was found in the school. The initial conclusion gathered by the forensic was that she hasmited suicide. However, there''s two points which I found suspicious."


    "First, there''s no motive and second, there''s no suicide note. From the statements of the people who has closely interacted with Li Qing in school, I conclude that Li Qing isn''t the kind of girl who wouldmit suicide but if she did, there''s no reason why. She''s the only daughter of Li Hanji, so her life wouldn''t be too bad¡ª"


    Gasps resounded through the room. "Li Hanji? Isn''t he Retired Major General Li''s son?"


    "Yes, you''re right."


    They all knew who Major General Li was. For those who graduated from the police academy, Major General Li was akin to a legendary figure with endless glory and contributions toward the country. Even if he had retired, he would still asionally teach in the academy until a few years ago when his body was ridened with illness and he died of old age.


    People said that apples wouldn''t fall far from the tree but the same case couldn''t be applied to Major General Li and his son. Major General Li was righteous, respected and noble, but how could he produce such a wimpy son like Li Hanji?


    He had no talent in the army and he still couldn''t seed as a businessman.


    The glorious Li Family slowly declined in Li Hanji''s generation. Now, his only daughter had died. It was unknown how the Li Family would fare in the future.


    "Let''s continue." Jin Renguang rapped on the table.


    Qin Weizhe rubbed his chin in ponder. "She used to be bullied a few years ago but it wasn''t a reason strong enough tomit suicide, so this time, the motive must be worse than bullying. Moreover, two weeks before her death, she sold the vi under her name which Li Hanji had saved as her dowry for 150 million. At least 10 million was spent a few days before her death because she has been paying for her group''s expenditure so¡­where did the rest of the money go?"


    Ru Meiqi spected. "She used money to join the group of powerful kids in school which showed that she had a strong desire to put up an appearance. It also aligned with the time of her fight with her close friends. High schoolers her age tend to have a high pride and aren''t willing to be humiliated even a bit, moreover, Li Qing used to be the youngdy of Li Family. I suspect that her pride was even higher than normal people."


    Qin Weizhe beamed at her. "Yes, that''s what I am thinking about! She even bought expensive jewelry for the leader of the group, Ruo Tingran. If such a person wished tomit suicide, then what did she need to put up an appearance for?"


    Jin Renguang nodded in agreement. "So, what''s the link between the cases you were talking about?"


    "Aiyah, don''t be too impatient," Qin Weizhe tutted.


    He nodded toward Luo Ning and the man stood up straight, his voice shaky and unstable at the beginning due to the nervousness, although his eyes remained bright and firm as he reported.


    "I¡ªWhen Detective Qin and I went to the crematorium to question the Li couple, Detective Qin told me to¡­" Luo Ning lowered his gaze and saw Qin Weizhe''s encouraging eyes. Instantly, boundless courage and vitality surged through his veins and he loudly dered, "I went inside to collect some samples of Li Qing''s blood and body fluid!"


    The group of people were rendered speechless¡­


    Going through someone''s body, moreover collecting blood and body fluid without consent of the guardian, was practically an illegal act. If the Li couple knew, the police would definitely be sued until they couldn''t even lift their heads anymore!


    Luo Ning thumped his chest. "Don''t worry! I have made sure that no one found out about it! Now, the samples are being tested and in a few hours, we will get the result!"


    Some people were confused. "What are you testing her blood for?"


    "Yes, what result are you expecting?"


    "I am confused. What does it have to do with the serial killer?"


    Xu Binchen''s mind clicked. His voice rang out, cold and clear. "Detective Qin, do you suspect that Li Qing was taking drugs?"


    The crowd died down in an instant, making the tickling sound of the clock be more conspicuous.


    Under everyone''s eyes, Qin Weizhe nodded. "Yes, I suspect¡­no, I am 80% certain that Li Qing was taking drugs. It''s merely an intuition and for now, I don''t have any evidence thus I can only pave my way with brute force." He chuckled. "When the resultes out, we can confirm it by then."


    Who was Qin Weizhe? He''s one of the youngest yet most sessful detectives in the entire Criminal Division. He joined the police with perfect assessment results in analytical thinking, intuition and problem solving method which was out of the box.


    When he said he was 80% certain, it practically meant that he was already confident in his judgement.


    Sometimes, qualified detectives weren''t ones who were good in interrogating, gathering proofs and subduing criminals, but those who could piece together the truth by taking in therge picture and thinking three steps ahead of others.


    People often called it a sharp instinct.


    Intuition. Such an abstract sense that couldn''t be exined clearly. But oftentimes, that was what they needed the most.


    And Qin Weizhe¡­


    He was the best in that aspect.


    The atmosphere in the room shifted. They unknowingly started to believe in him and continued his conjecture, "If Li Qing was really taking drugs¡­"


    "The ce where drugs can be bought freely and securely as long as you have power and money¡­"


    Jin Renguang''s lips curled into a cold smile as he pointed out everyone''s thoughts. "Dreamscape Bar."


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Happy 200th chappies, my dearest readers! I can''t believe how fast we have reached this step (¡ä§¥?©cThank you for apanying me along the way. Yourments, GT, votes and reviews are the main source of my motivation!


    Let''s make MDG reach 100 GT this month and I will give you a mass release! ^^

 Chapter 201 - Have You Eaten Yet?

    The room sank into a heavy silence. Sounds of teeth gnashing could be heard faintly.


    Dreamscape Bar! It''s Dreamscape Bar again!


    "Captain!" Ke Shao eximed angrily. "We have detected the activity of drugs distribution and human trafficking, can''t we just shut down the bar and arrest everyone responsible there?"


    Jin Renguang''s sharp eyes shed. "Do you think Director Fen doesn''t know about it? Or Chief Song or even Commissioner Wang?!" He scanned his heavy gaze around as his low voice pierced through the air. "They knew! They have long known about it! Then, why can''t they act? Why should Director Fen secretly give me clues to investigate? It''s because they can''t! Don''t you understand? We have to gather crucial evidence which those sitting on the high can''t deny!"


    "Do we have evidence now? Can we provide enough proof to send out an arrest warrant? Can we?! All we got is only a mere testimony from a little girl and some video recording. If the higher ups decide to act against us, those little pieces of evidence will disappear from the surface of Earth!"


    Ke Shao lowered his eyes sullenly, tufts of his hair flying around in frustration. "I know. Sorry, Capt. I got too emotional.."


    "Let''s stop and cool our heads for a while, shall we?" Ru Meiqi suggested, looking at Jin Renguang intently.


    Thetter nodded, fingers pressing against his throbbing temples. "Let''s take a break. We will return here in half an hour. Disperse!"


    The door to the meeting room swung open and a crowd of detectives swarmed out. There was no difference between them and the students who ran out after the bell rang to go to the cafeteria. Until the end, only five people remained; Jin Renguang, Ru Meiqi, Xu Binchen, Qin Weizhe and Luo Ning.


    Luo Ning didn''t go out because he was waiting for Qin Weizhe.


    Qin Weizhe was looking at Jin Renguang and Ru Meiqi back and forth, his eyes alert as if he had detected something different about them.


    Jin Renguang was leaning onto the chair with his head tilted back, heaving a loud sigh of frustration while Ru Meiqi went through her notebook and reread the reports which were distributed just now.


    On the other hand, Xu Binchen¡­


    Well, he didn''t care a bit about the strange undercurrent in the air as he pulled out his phone and started texting. His head lowered, strands of hair covering his forehead. The glow from the phone screen illuminated his face, obscuring the emotion in his eyes yet it made his features soften somehow.


    Ru Meiqi suddenly spoke, "You''re taking her to school all of a sudden. Did something happen? Didn''t she tell you not to fetch her around anymore?"


    As expected of Senior Ru, nothing could escape her eyes.


    Xu Binchen didn''t intend to hide anything and exined Shi Nian''s ident and what Psychiatrist Cheng said. "The probability of seeding is less than 50%. She has been imprisoned for too long and there''s a huge chance that she might have a breakdown if she recalls all of her memories. Afterall, she said that the serial killer didn''t torture her."


    "Didn''t torture her¡­" Ru Meiqi pondered and understood instantly. "Then, it might have been something worse. There''s no concluding remark about human''s psychology about this but let''s conjure up the worst case scenario. Imprisonment, possibly in a dark, narrow room. Maybe there''s even maniption and witnessing something that we can''t possibly imagine. Don''t say three months, just five days or one week is enough to break someone''s mind."


    Xu Binchen didn''t say anything, but his hold on the phone tightened so much that it almost cracked.


    "And she''s only sixteen years old." Ru Meiqi sighed heavily. "Sometimes I wonder, is it better for her not to remember forever?"


    Qin Weizhe pointed out. "She said she wanted to remember."


    Ru Meiqi chuckled darkly. "That''s just what she said. Who doesn''t want to escape from the thing they fear the most? Don''t you realize that she has a habit of putting up a strong front? Maybe it''s because of her upbringing, but she''s too mature and sensible for her age. It''s not good for her psychology in the long term. She needs someone to confide in, someone who can share her weakness and burden."


    A figure shed in Xu Binchen''s mind. "Let''s see." He said. "It''s true that if she can remember, then we will have another breakthrough. We may even solve the case."


    Jin Renguang who was silent during their discussion, opened his eyes. The corner of his lips tilted down. "Since when does our squad be so weak that we need a sixteen years old girl to sacrifice herself for us? If she can''t remember, does it mean that we will not be able to solve the case?"


    Four pairs of eyes turned to him, stunned.


    "Don''t look at me like that." Jin Renguang chuckled wryly. "What kind of brute do you think I am? I will not sacrifice someone innocent. Haven''t I said it from the very beginning? Xu Binchen, if the chance of sess didn''t exceed 60%, don''t give your permission, got it?"


    Xu Binchen''s brows loosened and he answered loudly. "Yes, sir!"


    "Now, there''s something I am curious about." Jin Renguang leaned forward and intertwined ten fingers beneath his chin, smiling meaningfully. "Xu Binchen, you¡ª"


    Xu Binchen interjected suddenly. "Detective Qin."


    "Ah, what?" Qin Weizhe asked, startled.


    Xu Binchen lifted his eyes from his phone screen, the light illuminated his eyes, making them shine dazzlingly. "Shi Nian got a lead from a student named Zhang Jiancheng. She said that Li Qing liked a boy. Heard it from Ruo Tingran''s group."


    Qin Weizhe''s brain whirled rapidly and he cursed. "This group of snotty kids!" He couldn''t care less about the serial killer anymore and got up. "Little Ning,e! We will re-interrogate them one by one. Even if I have to dig three feet underground, I shall dig this person out!"


    Luo Ning gathered his things, excited. "Detective Qin, this person might be the link we''re searching for!"


    ***


    After sleeping for a night bathing in cold autumn air and going through a long and exhausting day, it was no wonder that Shi Nian developed a low grade fever when night arrived.


    Qiang Fei had gone on a business trip and hadn''t returned yet. Shi Nian was used to being alone, but when she''s vulnerable like this, the emptiness of the house seemed especially unbearable. Nevertheless, she wasn''t the kind of daughter who would make a fuss.


    After obediently finishing her homework and downing two pills with warm water, she drilled into the nket and sweated it out. When she woke up groggily, the sky was still dark outside and her fever had broken.


    She saw the time. 2.27 am.


    After changing her clothes and relieving herself in the bathroom, Shi Nian found that she couldn''t fall asleep anymore.


    Her eyes were wide open and only the sound of ticking clock could be heard. It was dark and quiet. Every single sound was magnified indefinitely. The sound of her breathing, her heartbeat, the rustle of bedsheet when she moved¡­


    Shi Nian sat up and grabbed her phone.


    When the screen lit up, a new message notification popped up, one that she hadn''t noticed before because she didn''t touch her phone at all. Unexpectedly, it was from Jiang Jinyan.


    Shi Nian''s pupils shrunk as she tapped open the message.


    It was sent at 6 pm and the content was very short and sounded quite familiar.


    [Jiang Jinyan]: Have you eaten yet?


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Shi Nian and Jiang Jinyan''s way of showing love will be asking "Have you eaten yet?" (?¨R?¨Q)? oh, there''s a very nice treat for you in the next chappie hehehe~

 Chapter 202 - Yes, I Am Jiang Jinyan...

    Shi Nian grew dismayed. Why didn''t she notice it earlier?! Eight hours had already passed since then, what would Jiang Jinyan think? Would he be worried when she didn''t reply? Shi Nian messed her hair up until it became a bird nest but still couldn''t think of anything to reply.


    To her surprise, a new message appeared, right under Jiang Jinyan''s message.


    [Jiang Jinyan]: .


    Shi Nian was overjoyed, albeit it was only a period. She typed hurriedly.


    [Ten Years]: Mr. Jiang Jinyan! Sorry, I didn''t see your message earlier!


    [Ten Years]: puppyeyes.jpg


    Jiang Jinyan''s reply came fast..


    [Jiang Jinyan]: Not asleep yet?


    Shi Nian sat straighter, lips curling up.


    [Ten Years]: Woken up thirsty


    [Ten Years]: What about you?


    [Ten Years]: ¡­don''t tell me, you''re on the rooftop again?!


    [Jiang Jinyan]: Are you alone at home?


    [Ten Years]: Yes!


    Only when Shi Nian sent the reply did she btedly realize that there''s something about Jiang Jinyan''s question. Why did he ask her about that?


    [Ten Years]: Are you okay? Did something happen?


    Below Jiang Jinyan''s name, there was an italic line of ''typing¡­''


    It wasn''t until two minutester that Jiang Jinyan replied. The text was reflected on Shi Nian''s eyes. Instantly, her blood ran cold and colors drained from her face.


    [Jiang Jinyan]: I saw someoneing down from your floor a few minutes ago.


    [Jiang Jinyan]: Not Detective Xu.


    [Jiang Jinyan]: There''s something weird.


    [Jiang Jinyan]: ...maybe it''s just my imagination.


    Right after Jiang Jinyan''s message arrived, the whole room instantly plunged into darkness.


    "Ah!" A short scream escaped Shi Nian''s lips.


    It was a power outage, even the streemps outside dimmed simultaneously. There wasn''t any source of lights everywhere. She couldn''t see anything, only her heartbeat and harsh breathing echoed in her ears.


    Shi Nian''s limbs turned cold as she looked around in fear.


    The soft sky blue wallpaper turned into dirty, moldy cream colored wall whose paint had cracked in some ces. The clean, carpeted floor warped into broken tiles with brownish blood stains she could still make out. Her nose was filled with the scent of blood and her ears rang with people''s screams.


    It was only for a split second and when Shi Nian blinked, everything disappeared and her room was still there. Soft blue wallpaper, fluffy carpet, warm nket covering her body which smelled of sunshine and mild detergent.


    Shi Nian gasped heavily. She had just changed her clothes but now, it was dampened with perspiration again.


    Unbeknownst to her, she was gripping her phone so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Multiple messages popped up one after another.


    [Jiang Jinyan]: He left after seeing me.


    [Jiang Jinyan]: He''s so fast, I can''t catch up to him.


    [Jiang Jinyan]: Don''t worry, we will know who it is after checking the surveince camera


    [Jiang Jinyan]: Shi Nian?


    [Jiang Jinyan]: Are you okay?


    An iing call came in the next moment, startling Shi Nian so bad that she jumped in shock. Her eyes widened nkly as they fell upon the three characters ''Jiang Jinyan'' on the screen. The phone slipped from her hand and fell off the bed to the ground, creating a soft muffle thud.


    Shi Nian snapped out of her senses and scrambled to pick it up. But then, the phone was already disconnected and the screen automatically returned to the previous page. Only two of the topmost messages were shown on the screen. Shi Nian''s pupils shrunk in horror.


    When the call came in again, she picked it up before it even rang, her voice breaking in the end. "Don''t go¡ª! Don''t go after him!"


    She didn''t know why, but the fear gripping onto her heart was so tangible that she couldn''t breathe. It was as if she could see Jiang Jinyan ended up like the others,ying in a pool of blood, cold and lifeless.


    She gasped for breath, rapid and shaken.


    Jiang Jinyan''s voice travelled from the other line. "¡­I''m not. Calm down."


    "Where¡ªWhere are you?" Her voice contained a hint of sob that even she didn''t realize. Shi Nian flung away her nket but it clung to her ankle, tripping her when she got off the bed and her body toppled to the ground.


    "Shi Nian?" Perhaps realizing that her state wasn''t right, Jiang Jinyan called out again and again. "What''s wrong? Are you okay?"


    Shi Nian rubbed her aching forehead, her eyes seeing stars. It hurt so much that tears sprung up in her eyes. When she lifted her head, her sight inadvertently trailed to the gaps between the window curtain and through her blurry eyes, she saw an eye peeking inside.


    Her breath stopped and Shi Nian was so scared that her voice disappeared inside her throat. When she blinked again, the eye had vanished as if it was never there to begin with.


    Illusion?


    It should be. This was the twentieth floor. How could someone be there outside?


    Shi Nian panted heavily, her body trembling hard.


    "Shi Nian!" Throughout her hazy consciousness, she could hear Jiang Jinyan''s voice and the doorbell echoing in her ears. "I am in front of your door, open up!"


    Shi Nian bit her tongue until she tasted blood. Only then could she maintain her sanity. She scrambled up, not caring whether she bumped into anything and made her way toward the door. When she saw Jiang Jinyan behind the door, an immeasurable sense of relief flooded her heart and her knees turned soft.


    "Shi Nian!" Jiang Jinyan caught her, just like when he caught her on the rooftop before. "Calm down." His warm palm cupped her cheek, eyes staring through hers. "Remember the breathing I taught you? Right, start it. Inhale through your nose, purse your lips and exhale..."


    Her fingers grasped onto the hem of his shirt tightly, so tight that it might crumple up. Yet nothing could ever peel her off him. Jiang Jinyan''s features weren''t clear amidst the dark, but his voice, warmth and familiar presence managed to calm her down in a short time.


    Shi Nian closed her eyes, head buried into his shoulder as tears slid down her cheek. Voice shaky, she murmured, "I''m scared¡­"


    Jiang Jinyan proceeded to pat her head gingerly.


    The silentfort was so familiar that the defense around her heart broke down in an instant. Shi Nian couldn''t think straight nor did she realize what she was saying. "General Jiang, have I gone insane? Sometimes when I woke up, I found myself back in that dark room. Am I¡­Am I just dreaming? Everything, this ce, this peacefulness, you¡­do I imagine it up?"


    Jiang Jinyan clearly sensed that her mental state wasn''t stable. He hugged her tighter, pressing her thin and petite body flush against his body. "You''re not dreaming."


    It was as if Shi Nian couldn''t hear him. "General Jiang, are you real? Do I miss you so much that I make you up? In fact, you don''t even exist in this world¡­" she mumbled under her breath, sobbing.


    "You''re real." Jiang Jinyan lifted her chin, forcing her to look straight into him. His dark eyes gleamed, even in the dark, those eyes were like two pieces of luminous gems, sharp and bright like stars. "I am real." He brought her hand to his chest, the clear, rhythmic thumping pulsed on her palm. "Do you feel it?"


    Shi Nian absorbed his presence greedily, her hand travelled up from his chest up to his cheek, thumb grazing on his soft cheek, it felt warm and vivid.


    He was alive. He was real. This was Jiang Jinyan.


    Jiang Jinyan grasped her palm which was cupping his cheek. "Do you feel it?"


    Shi Nian raked her eyes around his features. His chin, his jaw, the outline of his face, his sharp cheekbone, tall nose, prominent eyebrows, deep eyes¡­


    "General Jiang...Jiang Jinyan...Jiang Jinyan..." She chanted his name over and over again, like a devout believer who was seeing her God for the first time, pious yet crazed in delight.


    "Yes, I am Jiang Jinyan..." he breathed out the sentence softly.


    It was unknown who leaned toward whom. Maybe it was her who reached out for him in desperation, maybe it was him who sensed her need and reciprocated it.


    They were like two mas attracted to each other. Noses brushing against each other, hot air grazing their cheeks in an intimate caress¡­


    The tears hanging on her eyshes slid down before it melded with their lips and disappeared into the urgent kiss.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Aaaaaaah (?¨R?¨Q)?(?¨R?¨Q)?(?¨R?¨Q)? Don''t worry about the suspicious person and savor the kiss first!

 Chapter 203 - Why Are You Such A Crybaby?

    Shi Nian''s first kiss after two lifetimes tasted like tears, tinged with astringent and bitter stings.


    She didn''t even realize what was happening in the first few seconds. Terrified out of her wits, she desperately sought shelter with the man who could offer her the best sense of security, it was akin to how a freezing and dying traveler would lunge into fire head on.


    Thus, when the warm touch fell upon her lips, Shi Nian thought nothing but grasp onto it with all her might. She clung onto the sweater behind his back, fists crumpling. Jiang Jinyan simrly pressed closer, his palm supported the back of her head while the other arm circled around her waist.


    They kissed frantically, absorbing each other''s breath and fervor.


    It wasn''t until Shi Nian tasted blood that her eyes snapped open wide and her throat issued a weak whimper. Unexpectedly, the little noise stoked Jiang Jinyan so much that the man turned over and pressed her against the door, body smoldering onto hers as his lips gnawed and nibbled hers with passion.


    "Jiang¡­" Shi Nian gasped for breath.. "Jiang Jinyan¡­"


    "En." He hummed in a low voice, the ardent kiss finally receded as he slowly stopped moving, their numb lips still brushing with every little movement.


    Right at that moment, the light suddenly returned, enveloping the dark living room with warm, amber glow. However, for them who had started to adjust in the dark, the sudden brightness was too stimting and piercing.


    His face entered her sight without warning. Deep, lustrous ck pupils transfixed on hers, soft bangs falling onto his forehead which tickled her skin. The burning sensation on her lips¡­the hot rapid breaths against her mouth¡­


    Her mind instantly exploded into thousand fireworks.


    It was as if her fever came back in full force, now it wasn''t a mere low grade anymore. Shi Nian''s entire body burned from head to toe, and her head suddenly spun so dizzily that she couldn''t make out the current situation.


    What happened? Why was Jiang Jinyan here? Why were they standing too close? They¡­what had they done...?


    Pieces of memories gradually emerged one by one. His messages. The power outage. The immense fear that overwhelmed her.


    Shi Nian pressed her lips together, but still could vividly taste the numbing sensation that lingered there. Her head shrunk back like an ostrich as she tried to distance herself to no avail. Behind her was the solid door while in front of her, Jiang Jinyan didn''t seem to have any intention to move.


    His arm rested on the door above her head. Fingers grasping her chin, forcing her to lift her head. His voice came out hoarse, a bit raspy, thick with pheromones and ambiguity, reminding her of what had just happened just now. "Sobered up?"


    Shi Nian''s mind was a mess as she nodded dumbly.


    The fingers on her chin trailed up and wiped the dampness on her cheek. Like a meek puppy, Shi Nian could only crane her neck and let him wipe her face clean.


    Jiang Jinyan''s breath tickled her cheek, soft and warm. It attracted almost all of her attention that she had no time to pay attention to the fear.


    "Why are you such a crybaby?" he asked softly.


    Bewitched by the gentleness in his voice, Shi Nian''s mind was empty as her eyes could only stare at him without blinking.


    "Cat got your tongue?" His thumb pressed on her lips, causing her breath to hitch as shudders ran down her spine. Jiang Jinyan''s eyes were too deep and profound for her to guess what he was thinking about. That kind of unawareness made her more nervous and jittery instead.


    He exerted a light force and her lips parted open. Shi Nian couldn''t imagine what she looked like right now, but she saw his eyes darkened a few degrees. Her scalp tingled and all of a sudden, she seemed to have guessed what he wanted to do, and the knowledge drove more heat through her entire body, so that her limbs turned soft and boneless, unable to resist nor deny.


    In the end, what she imagined didn''te and Jiang Jinyan pulled away.


    The light shone onto him and only then did Shi Nian discover that the corner of his lips were bleeding. She grasped his arm, concerned. "Your lips¡ª"


    The tip of his tongue travelled out to lick his lips, the slow movement exuded boundless charm and sexiness. She recalled how his tongue hadpped on her lips a few times and then...no! Stop thinking about that!


    He said in a light tone, "You were so fierce when you bit me."


    Shi Nian: "!!!"


    If this was an animation, then Shi Nian''s ears would puff out billows of steam. She lowered her head so much that her chin reached her chest. Then, her brain started to work all of a sudden. She hade out without wearing slippers, body d in childish yellow chick pajamas, hair akin to a bird nest and more importantly, because she was sleeping earlier, she wasn''t wearing a bra¡­


    Shi Nian almost vomited blood. "I¡ªI will go and get you a drink!" After leaving that sentence, she dashed to the bedroom with the fastest speed she had ever conjured up in her life, mming the door shut behind her. Two minutester, she went out with a neat shirt and short pants, her hair had obviously beenbed and there was even the scent of baby powder in the air.


    Without turning to look at the living room, she made her way to the kitchen but btedly realized that she hadn''t asked the most important question. Thus, she popped her head out and asked in a quiet voice, "What do you want to drink?"


    Jiang Jinyan cleared his throat. "Anything is fine."


    "Anything is fine¡­" She nodded and went back, mumbling. "Anything is fine¡­"


    Jiang Jinyan''s eyes followed her clumsy and frantic movement, his lips lifted up slightly. Shi Nian came out with a ss of orange juice. She put it on the table in front of him, still had no courage to look up. Jiang Jinyan muttered a thank you and took a sip he very much needed.


    She stood aside, head lowered with little to none presence, wishing that the air would stretch open and swallow her up.


    Jiang Jinyan saw her like this and felt his heart stirred. He obviously didn''t have any intention to bring this matter up, but it wasn''t known what possessed him that he blurted, "I came to your school today."


    Then, as if regretting how silly that sentence sounded, he continued with a casual tone. "It''s good that someone was taking you back." Damn, that sounded sourer than he expected.


    Jiang Jinyan didn''t want to admit that he was worried about her, so he went to her school even if he didn''t have any ss today. But unexpectedly, he saw her standing together with another boy as she epted his helmet and rode on his motorcycle.


    He couldn''t believe how affected he was by that mere sight, so much that he almost did something that would definitely scare her away.


    He lifted his eyes to look at her nervous appearance. Well, he had done it...


    Shi Nian''s attention was pulled by his sentence, head tilting in confusion. "He didn''t take me back, I went home by myself."


    Jiang Jinyan: "¡­"


    He didn''t know whether to feel relieved or disappointed of how dense she was.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Congrats scissors04, you guessed it right! It was indeed Jiang Jinyan who''s in school back then. I am shocked how can you bingo just like that (¨R?¨Q)


    Hoho General Jiang was jealous but Shi Nian didn''t realize it. Maybe she thought that jealousy was beneath him (£þ?£þ)

 Chapter 204 - Bastard, Pervert, Jerk, Idiot

    "You have your own ce. Why do you have to follow me home?"


    Disregarding Ru Meiqi''s words, Jin Renguang squeezed himself into her apartment, pulled out new slippers from the shoe cab with ease as if it was his own home. Ru Meiqi''s brows knitted and didn''t budge from the door.


    Helpless, Jin Renguang turned and pulled her in, closing the door behind her. "Alright, what did I do wrong again? Why are you suddenly angry at me?"


    Ru Meiqi gave no answer. Seeing that she was unable to chase him out for now, she sauntered toward the kitchen and fetched a can of beer from the refrigerator. However, before she could even take a sip, Jin Renguang snatched it away.


    "Hey!" She eximed angrily. "What do you think you''re doing?!"


    Jin Renguang put the beer atop of the refrigerator and pressed her onto the kitchen counter, perfectly taking advantage of his full height. When his arms caged her on both sides, Ru Meiqi was so overwhelmed by his strong presence that it was getting harder to breathe..


    She tried to push him away but the man didn''t budge even a bit. The taut muscle on his arm flexed against her palm and Ru Meiqi retracted her hand as if scalded.


    "Tell me." His sharp eyes and fierce features softened, his voice even more so. "Tell me, okay?"


    If any members of the SCI squad were to see their Captain deliberately lowered his voice to incite pity from a woman, they would definitely be shocked out of his wits.


    No one knew that Jin Renguang was a very sly person. He could use any means necessary to achieve his goals, rebellious with boundless courage. It contrasted with his righteous, strict and disciplined image he showed in front of others.


    No one knew, except for Ru Meiqi.


    She sucked in cold air and spat out through gritted teeth. "Shameless bastard!"


    Jin Renguang chuckled, head leaning forward as he pressed his nose on the back of her ear, taking in the sweet scent of her perfume. His warm breath sprayed on her skin, forcing her to shrink her head back. "You already know that I am a shameless bastard, so why don''t you tell me? Or is it that¡­you want to see how much further I can go?"


    Ru Meiqi red, ready to rebuke. Nheless, she wasn''t given any chance as Jin Renguang directly sealed her lips, swallowing any protest she might throw out. He grasped her jaw and exerted a bit of force. The pain caused Ru Meiqi to gasp and shameless bastard Jin used the opportunity to slip his tongue inside, teasing her gum back and forth and entangled with her tongue.


    Ru Meiqi struggled, hit and wed him on his arm, nails piercing onto his skin. But it was as if he knew no pain as he pressed forward, lifting the woman up onto the counter. Their lips almost separated during the movement but he proceeded to push her knees apart and squeezed in, smoldering her with kisses again and again.


    No, it couldn''t be called kisses. It was rough, raw, almost violent with the intent to dominate.


    It was almost like they were fighting through this kiss.


    Ru Meiqi bit down on his tongue ruthlessly, blood spreading between the exchange of their saliva and breath. Yet Jin Renguang persisted as he kissed Ru Meiqi to the point where the woman''s head turned nk and her struggle weakened. In the end, she was dizzy and had to hook her arms around his neck for support.


    Only then did he slow down, the force softened greatly, turning the tyrannical kiss to a gentle and passionate one, full of fervor and affection.


    As if they were truly a pair of lovers.


    Tears sprung up Ru Meiqi''s eyes for some reason, sliding down her cheek onto their lips. Jin Renguang paused as he pulled away slightly, lips trailing up as he licked her tears and kissed her eyelids. "Don''t cry." His hoarse and deep voice sounded. "Qiqi, don''t cry."


    The familiar nickname cracked Ru Meiqi''s defense even more. Even though she was crying, she still used the opportunity to re at him, cursing softly. "Bastard, pervert, jerk, idiot."


    "Yes, yes, I am a bastard, pervert, jerk and idiot." He bumped his forehead onto hers. "What else?"


    Ru Meiqi almost died out of anger. She should have known that she couldn''t ever handle this thick skinned beast as early as fifteen years ago. Yet just like a moth drawn to the me, even though she knew that the fire could burn her to ashes, she still couldn''t resist getting closer and embracing it.


    Her hands pressed on the back of his head. Jin Renguang lowered his head obediently, hisrge build exuded hot pheromones and dangerous bursts of power, but right now, he was akin to a docile puppy as he let the woman bite his chin, jaw and nose to her heart''s content.


    He hugged the petite woman, almost enveloping her into his chest, hand stroking her back infort.


    Ru Meiqi''s body couldn''t help rxing and she opened her eyes to look into his piercing dark eyes. These were the eyes who had seen countless inhuman and cruel cases, but strangely, Ru Meiqi felt like nothing had changed with the way he saw the world.


    She couldn''t help but wonder, if that year she tried to make him stay, if she was more honest with her own feelings, would everything have changed between them?


    Instead of this ambiguous, untitled rtionship, would she have the right to stand by his side?


    "Renguang¡­"


    "Hmm?"


    "Do you love me?"


    He answered without a hint of hesitation, "I do."


    Instead of being happy, she only felt sourness and bitterness welling up in her heart.


    Jin Renguang used his thumb to wipe her cheek and only then did Ru Meiqi realize that she was crying again. Damn it, since when was she so weak? More importantly, why did she only show this weak and pathetic side of hers in front of him?


    Ru Meiqi had conducted numerous analyses of human psychology, but at this moment, she was unable to understand her own feelings.


    "But I don''t love you," she retorted.


    He chuckled. "Little liar."


    Ru Meiqi didn''t answer. She turned her head away to look outside the floor to ceiling window which overlooked the entire city from the 38th floor. The lights twinkled, glimmering like the Milky Way she had seen from the night sky on her high school graduation party.


    That year, she wasn''t a criminal psychologist nor was he a crime investigator. They were only Ru Meiqi and Jin Renguang, two teenagers who focused on the present, who thought that love could conquer all, that they would be together until the end of time.


    Ru Meiqi was the well known good student and teachers'' favorite, but with Jin Renguang, she learned how to lie and skip ss, slipped out of school from the back door, riding on his motorcycle in the middle of the night, all kind of things that could make her teacher vomit blood upon knowing.


    Yet only with him, Ru Meiqi felt alive.


    Jin Renguang had graduated four years earlier, but he still came to Ru Meiqi''s graduation party.


    Amidst the boisterous party, he pulled her away as they snuck out in search of thrill and excitement, seeking for a ce without people and inadvertently encountered a meteor shower. That was also the day when Ru Meiqi had her first kiss. Up to this day, she could still remember the clumsy way he kissed, causing their teeth to knock against each other.


    Her first kiss, first love, first intercourse, first heartbreak, it was all given to this man.


    He nipped on her earlobe, pulling her out from the spiral of memory. "What are you thinking of?"


    Ru Meiqi turned her head back and saw his fully mature, handsome and suave features. It was hard to associate him with the red haired gang leader who wore his uniform sloppily. She scoffed, "I am thinking of how ugly you are."


    Jin Renguang was stunned. "You are the first person who''s ever said that I am ugly aside from my mother."


    Ru Meiqi rolled her eyes exasperatedly. She regained her wits and tried to push him away once again. "Go back!" She gritted her teeth. "Don''t you have to return to your family? Don''t you have to visit¡ª" The words died down in her throat. Ru Meiqi closed her eyes and cursed inwardly. Now, she had let the cat out of the bag.


    Jin Renguang instantly clung to her sentence and didn''t let go. "Visit who? Her?" There was an unprecedented coldness in his tone as he spoke.


    Ru Meiqi sneered. "No matter how you say it, she''s still your wife."


    He corrected with a frown. "Former wife."


    That''s right, Jin Renguang, the capable and acimed Captain of the Special Crime Investigation Squad, was a married man until five years ago.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: today''s update is faster cos I was using my phone to update for the first time *cry* yes I clicked wrong but enjoy~


    Are you surprised ¦²(¡ã¥í¡ã) I have given a bit of foreshadowing earlier. You might want to retrace back to Chapter 134 - Let''s y a Game, Shall We? if you want to understand more. The person Granny Kong was talking about was Jin Renguang''s deceased wife ^^


    Why does he seem to hate her? Why did Jin Renguang marry even though he has Ru Meiqi? Well, you will know it slowly...o(¡ä^£à)o


    Ru Meiqi and Jin Renguang in high school = well achieving student x rebellious gangster

 Chapter 205 - She Decided To Love Herself More

    Jin Renguang propped his arms by her sides, head hanging low. Ru Meiqi could see the veins popping up along his arms when his muscles tensed. For a moment, she was afraid that he would destroy her counter with his bare hands.


    "It''s been five years." He said in a low voice, eyes lifting to look at her. A delicate face with reddened eyes reflected within them. "You still haven''t forgotten about it?"


    Ru Meiqi pressed her lips together. She tried to hold it but in the end, her emotions got the better of her. "Do you want to say that I''m petty? That I still mind you''re a divorcee even if she was already dead for five years?"


    "No." Jin Renguang tried to hug her. "It''s not what I meant. Listen to me¡ª".


    But Ru Meiqi didn''t want to.


    It was unknown where she got the strength to break free of the cocoon of his arms. Her petite body slipped away and stood a few meters further. The independent, prideful and talented criminal psychologist was nowhere to be seen. Right now, she was just a woman who''s exhausted trying to grasp onto something she couldn''t.


    "I don''t care how many exes you have." She clenched her fists, chin held high, keeping together thest bit of dignity she could gather. "I will not care, as long as you''re mine in the future."


    Jin Renguang said helplessly. "I am yours¡ª"


    "BUT!" She took a step back when he came closer, again and again, until she stepped out of the kitchen. Even then, Jin Renguang didn''t give up on trying to close their distance. Ru Meiqi exploded angrily. "Listen to me, goddamnit!"


    "I can''t even hug you?" Even though he said that, he still stopped in ce, his eyes stared fixedly at her, like a puppy who''s shunned by his owner.


    Ru Meiqi''s heart almost softened for a moment, but for the first time, her logic won. Maybe this was what she should have done long ago. Maybe this was what she needed the most. "I don''t care whether you have hundred ex-girlfriends or ex-wives. It was all in the past. But you know?" Sheughed in a self deprecating manner. "Even though I don''t look like it, actually I am a very possessive person. I don''t like it when my man has someone in his heart."


    She shook her head, tears dripping one after another, but this time, there was nobody who would wipe it for her anymore. "I have no way to fight against a dead person, Renguang. And you¡­you can''t ever wipe the traces she had left behind in your life."


    Exes, former wives, all of them didn''t matter. She was confident that she could make him forget about them soon.


    But it wasn''t the same with a dead person.


    The memory they left behind was eternal, and they could never be erased.


    Like she said, engraved. Carved. And she couldn''t bear it, couldn''t bear that no matter how much effort she exerted to erase or even overwrite those traces, it would still be there.


    She had used fifteen years of her life to love him. But now, she decided to love herself more.


    That''s why, no matter how much she loved him, she still had to let him go.


    "Qiqi¡­" Ru Meiqi had never seen Jin Renguang show such a helpless expression before. There was hurt, fear, and sadness there.


    A pang of pain shot through Ru Meiqi''s heart to her whole body. It hurt more than when sharp shards of ss pierced her skin during the explosion caused by the terrorist in the case she had handled before. She took in a deep breath and said with a shaky voice, "It''s been five years. You should go and visit her grave."


    When Jin Renguang didn''t give any answer, she turned her back to him, whispering. "Thank you for taking me home. Please close the door after you leave."


    ***


    Lei Liqiu gulped nervously as she walked down the familiar hallway with Manager Si Yusheng. As instructed, she didn''t dare to look anywhere else, only keeping her head down, eyes focused on the velvety dark brown carpet along the way.


    "Here we are." They stopped in front of room number 8 and Lei Liqiu''s heart began to thump for no reason. Her palms were mmy with sweat as Si Yusheng knocked on the door.


    "Come in." A cold, icy voice replied.


    Before Si Yusheng pushed the door, he turned to her, his expression was gentle and kind. It should beforting, but his words sent chills down her spine. "You should know the consequences if you don''tply with his words, right?"


    Colors drained from Lei Liqiu''s face. Even though she knew that Mr.Xu wouldn''t do anything to her, she still couldn''t help but tear up slightly. "I know." Her voice came out shaky and meek. "I will do anything he orders me to."


    "Good." Si Yusheng''s smile deepened and he opened the door.


    Inside, the lightning was dim. The main lights weren''t turned on, leaving only yellow fluorescent light on the corner of the room that didn''t reach the man who was sitting on the sofa. Upon entering, an intoxicating, mild scent of high quality wine wafted through the air. Lei Liqiu started to feel dizzy even though she didn''t drink.


    "Mr.Xu, have you been well?" Si Yusheng greeted with a courteous smile.


    Xu Binchen hummed. He had a ss of wine in his hand, gaze passing through Si Yusheng to look at the woman in white delicate dress standing behind who tried to make herself as small as possible.


    Si Yusheng caught his meaning and said politely, "Don''t worry. As you demand, no one has touched your possession. You can check it if you want."


    Xu Binchen''s eyes narrowed. Just like how he tried to y with the other person''s psychology, Si Yusheng was also trying to test him. If he showed a bit of dislike or disinterest toward Lei Liqiu, it was unknown what fate was waiting for her after he left.


    He put down the ss, creating a sharp crisp sound. "Come here."


    Lei Liqiu flinched at the sharpness in his voice. Only after receiving a hint of warning in Si Yusheng''s smiley eyes did she stumble forward. Before she could even close in, Xu Binchen reached out and directly pulled her to sit on hisp. Lei Liqiu yelped in shock and a whimper escaped her lips when Xu Binchen dipped his head low and buried his nose behind her ears, taking a sensual deep breath there.


    The fear in Lei Liqiu''s eyes was real and vivid. Seeing it, Si Yusheng smiled in satisfaction and bowed politely, "Then I won''t bother you anymore. I hope you enjoy this pleasant night."


    Xu Binchen didn''t answer as he was already engrossed in trailing kisses upon the girl''s nape. Goosebumps erupted along Lei Liqiu''s arms as she shifted slightly, trembling. Yet the movement looked like she was offering her neck to him without a hint of resistance, oh so piteously lovely and heartrending.


    The man''s breath brushed against the sensitive skin on her shoulder, reminding her of the kiss they sharedst time¡­


    The door clicked softly behind Si Yusheng and in an instant, the magic dispersed and Xu Binchen pulled away abruptly. However, before he could push Lei Liqiu down from his body, the woman''s next movement caught him off guard.


    She caught his wrist and leaned forward¡­whispering on his ears, sniffling slightly. "Mr.Xu, there''s a¡­listening bug inside my dress."


    Xu Binchen froze and cursed under his breath.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: do you think it''s wrong for Ru Meiqi to push him away? Some said that dead person isn''t a rival, but imo, dead person is the biggest rival *chuckle* Simply put, if your ex is alive, then he/she will gradually find another, live happily and you will too. Your entanglement ends right then and there.


    But a dead person...thest one in their life was you, and you''re forever frozen in the memory of theirst moment. And that''s what Ru Meiqi can''t bear the most.


    Well, I will write their backstory slowly inter chappies so that you can understand Ru Meiqi further! Remember, if you''re in a toxic rtionship where you''re sadder than happier, then you should let them go no matter how much you love them!

 Chapter 206 - Growing Dependency

    He kept the girl in his arms, whispering in a voice only both of them could hear. But also because of it that their distance was gradually shortening. Lei Liqiu could vividly feel the strength of his arm around her waist, the hard muscle she sat on, the wide expanse of his sturdy chest¡­


    She still felt instinctual fear toward him, because her life and future was practically in his hands. On the other hand, she couldn''t resist the growing dependency. In this hellish ce, he was the one who could offer her salvation.


    Lei Liqiu had been here for almost three months and she was lucky that Xu Binchen was her only ''guest''. She had seen others who were chosen by beer-bellied middle aged uncles who had perverted hobbies and ended up being scarred, or those who didn''t even take them as human and were yed before being discarded like trash.


    With Xu Binchen here, no one dared to mess with her and the treatment Lei Liqiu received was the best among others.


    "Where is it?" he asked, his tone dark.


    "B¡ªBehind¡­on my back.. My arms can''t reach there¡­" Lei Liqiu squirmed, trying to point out the location for him.


    The man warned in a low voice, "Don''t move."


    Lei Liqiu froze in instinct as she felt the man''s palm crept behind her back, touching here and brushing there. "Ah!" She gasped softly and bit her lips, trembling eyes staring at him fearfully. "S¡ªSorry, I am quite ticklish there¡­"


    She was prepared to receive his scorn and disgust, yet to her surprise, he said lightly. "Continue."


    "C¡ªContinue what?"


    His lips curled up into a cold smile. "Continue moaning. The louder the better. Hurry, start!"


    Lei Liqiu was bbergasted. M¡ªMoaning?! It¡ªIt wasn''t that she didn''t know what it meant, afterall the bar was a promiscuous and wild ce under the legal fa?ade. But¡­but how could she do that?!


    Xu Binchen clicked his tongue and pinched her waist, exactly on the area where she said was her sensitive spot. Lei Liqiu''s eyes widened as shivers shot up to her head, causing her scalp to tingle. She copsed in his arms, sobbing. "No¡­stop it! Um¡ªah¡­Mr.Xu¡­I can''t¡­"


    In a sense, Xu Binchen had seeded. The person on the other side only heard low murmurs, the sound of clothes rustling followed by breathy gasps and moans before turning off the device with a red face.


    He supported her soft body and scanned the back of her dress. It wasn''t amonly seen dress which was created out of middle tier quality fabric, but one which was quite expensive, made of silk with long ribbon tied in a criss cross pattern. Xu Binchen was caught in a predicament of how to loosen the dress which clung to her body.


    Headache hammered his head and hemanded. "Take off your dress."


    "Ah¡­what?!" Lei Liqiu was shivering due to the ticklish sensation. Her watery eyes couldn''t help but widen in the face of his four curt words.


    Xu Binchen frowned. "Or should I just rip it off?"


    "No, don''t!" She grabbed his wrists, panting heavily. "I will¡­but, I don''t have anything to wear¡­"


    Xu Binchen shot her a disdainful look. He closed the distance between them and whispered into her ears. "Focus, little girl. I don''t need you to take it all off."


    Heat exploded in Lei Liqiu''s head. She was so mortified that she wished she could faint right away. "I¡ªI know!" She couldn''t admit that for a split second, she thought that¡­thought that¡­


    Aaaah! No, she didn''t want to think anymore!


    With trembling fingers, she pulled on the ribbon on her waist and slowly traced thece upward. The dress loosened and the sight of the girl''s back wasid out in front of his eyes. The dim yellow lightning illuminated theyer of perspiration on her skin, making it glisten and shine like a piece of milky white jade.


    "Okay, enough." He tugged on the dress and saw a small, red blinking light on the middle of her back, hidden beneath theyer of the dress. Coldness seeped through his eyes as he crushed the listening bug on his palm into pieces.


    "Is¡­Is it done already?" she asked in a whisper.


    It was only now that he realized how provocative their position was. Xu Binchen stood up without warning, but Lei Liqiu wasn''t prepared at all. Her body stumbled forward and she gasped, her eyes shut firmly in preparation for the fall...


    A strong force wrapped around her waist and when she came to her senses, she was already lying on the sofa with Xu Binchen towering above her.


    For a moment, Lei Liqiu forgot how to breathe. She didn''t realize either that her dress was loosening more because of the previous action. The neckline slipped and a hint of soft cleavage could be seen. The girl''s eyes were watery and innocent, cheeks tinged in deep pink with luscious lips parted slightly...just like an obedient deer that was ready to be ravaged.


    Lei Liqiu blinked a few times before her sight was overwhelmed by darkness. At the same time, the man''s familiar cold scent drifted to her nose.


    "Cover yourself properly." He said and without waiting for her reaction, continued, "I will give you five minutes to calm yourself down. We will talk after that."


    Lei Liqiu pulled his jacket from her head as she stared at his back, dumbfounded. What did he mean by that? What did she need to calm down for?!


    She buried her face into the jacket in silent scream and fastened the ribbon on her waist before tying it tightly. The whole sequence didn''t even take twenty seconds. "I am ready."


    Xu Binchen gave her a cursory nce, a cigarette hung on his lips.


    Lei Liqiu''s heart skipped a beat. She couldn''t deny that the man in front of her, albeit rude, insensitive and ruthless, was the most charming and handsome man she had ever seen. If this was a normal situation, Lei Liqiu wasn''t sure whether she could hold herself back from wanting to get closer to him.


    She mentally pped herself. Her expression turned serious. "The bar currently has 78 people like me."


    Xu Binchen had expected the number and gestured for her to continue.


    "Moreover, I heard some gossip that a few people have died because of...because of serving guests, but others said that they disappeared or ran away from the bar. I personally believed the former." She stole a nce and gulped nervously. "I have gathered the file in a USD disk. It''s in my room. Don''t worry! I have hid it in an absolutely safe ce! Only I and God know the location!"


    Xu Binchen hummed softly. "Good job."


    For the first time ever, she received an appreciative statement from him! Intense joy blossomed in her heart, she was happier than when she became the first student to receive the schrship that was fought by the whole school.


    Even she didn''t realize how attentive she was toward his reaction. "That''s why, Mr. Xu, you should make some excuses to follow me to my room." She said eagerly. "I will give it to you right away!"


    "Not now."


    "Ah?" She blinked. "Why?"


    Xu Binchen gave a mocking smile. "Can''t you tell that your manager hasn''t trusted me fully yet? He even ced a listening bug on you despite my warning. Keep the USD properly, but remember that your life is more important. In case Si Yusheng starts to doubt you, immediately abandon it, you hear me?"


    Lei Liqiu nodded. She clenched the hem of her dress and asked gingerly. "Then Mr. Xu, how long do you need? After you''re done, can you¡­can you set me free?" The rims of her eyes reddened as she said. "My mother must have been so worried¡­"


    He hummed. "Right, you''re included in the list of missing people."


    "Mother¡­" Lei Liqiu bit her lips, eyes welling up in tears.


    Lei Liqiu only had her mother. Her father had died due to a car ident four years ago. But their economic situation was still quite good because Father Lei was a businessman who had amassed a small amount of wealth.


    Lei Liqiu took schrships and part time jobs purely because she strived to be independent earlier so as to not make her mother worried about her. Who knew that she would be stranded in this damned ce!


    "Don''t worry." He breathed out billows of white smoke, blurring his features and causing his cold look to soften somehow. "You will definitely return safe and sound. I will guarantee it."


    "Thank you¡­" Lei Liqiu sobbed softly. "Thank you very much, Mr. Xu¡­"


    Deep into the night, when Lei Liqiu almost dozed off, Xu Binchen''s phone suddenly rang loudly like an rm. She was startled awake and her drowsiness dissipated in an instant when she saw his expression. She had never seen such a terrifying look on his face before.


    "No, you''re not disturbing me."


    "What time did that happen?"


    "Okay¡­I know. Wait for me, I will return soon."


    "Mr. Jiang is there with you? Alright¡­"


    Lei Liqiu wondered who was on the other side of the phone that caused him to talk with such a careful and gentle tone. She probed carefully as she saw him getting up to leave. "A¡ªAre you leaving now?"


    "Yes. There''s a sudden emergency." He didn''t even remember the jacket which he had thrown onto her head. "Go back to your room. I will inform Si Yusheng."


    Lei Liqiu nodded and before she could remind him to drive carefully, he had opened the door and left with wind on his steps.


    She couldn''t quite describe how she felt right now.


    What she knew was, the earlier joy and giddiness she felt had reduced by half.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: poor Lei Liqiu ah, she''s gonna suffer in the future if she wants to chase Xu Binchen QAQ

 Chapter 207 - Hes Still In This Building

    At four in the morning, all of the apartment''s staff were summoned without any warning. It was okay for those who worked on morning shift because they had slept a few hours earlier, but for those in night shifts¡­they were already sleepy and haggard to begin with and with this incident, they were startled awake, hearts thumping furiously, cold sweat dripping down their backs.


    What happened? Why did the big boss suddenly gather us at this time? Did something go wrong? Would we be fired?


    That was the main discussion among the staff after they gathered in the meeting room.


    The room itself couldn''t actually be called a meeting room. It''s an empty room the staff used when they took a break during their shifts. There was a long table, chairs, sofas, very suitable for lounging and rxing.


    But now, the manager was ordered to set up the projector for the first time ever. The solemn and grim face he showed made everyone nervous.


    "That¡­Manager, what exactly happened?"


    "Yes, why are we here?".


    "Is there something urgent happening?"


    "Hush, what kind of thing could happen?"


    "You can''t guess it¡­recently there''s even a murder around here¡ª"


    "Pei, pei, pei, knock wood! Don''t talk rubbish!"


    The manager ignored the chaos around him as he put up the screen and connected the cable. He wiped the sweat on his forehead and hastily went out to wee the big boss.


    The door swung open and Xu Binchen was the first one toe in, his face extremely dark with brows knitted deeply. The staff instantly rose from their seats and bowed simultaneously. "Boss!"


    If this wasn''t an apartment and the people weren''t staff from all ages, the scene would undoubtedly look like one that came out from a gangster or mafia action movie.


    Xu Binchen nodded curtly and went to the head of the table, following behind him were two people who were familiar to all of the staff. It was Madam Shi''s daughter who was Boss'' neighbor and Mr. Jiang Jinyan¡ªthe former renowned athlete¡ªfrom Room 1902!


    Yes, of course they recognized Jiang Jinyan''s identity. After all, he used to be a widely discussed topic on Weib8. At the time of his ident, almost everyone talked about him. Even more so, it coincided with the approaching date of the Olympics. The controversy about him was still unresolved up to now.


    The receptionistdies were women who liked to surf through Weib8 to follow thetest gossip and some of them were even Jiang Jinyan''s mama fans!


    Fortunately, they were all sensible and didn''t cause a ruckus. Seeing that Jiang Jinyan didn''t really wish for fame and attention, they protected his information securely.


    "What is happening here?" someone whispered.


    Feng Changjia bit her lips and shook her head, worried. She was one of Jiang Jinyan''s mama fans. Of course, she was worried about him. If not, she wouldn''t have braced herself to call Boss'' number when aint came in for him.


    She looked at the three people back and forth, anxious to know what was going on.


    Xu Binchen pulled two seats and gestured for them to sit down while he operated theptop to view the surveince camera. He lifted his eyes, cold gaze sweeping through each person and instantly, all noises died down.


    "Everyone is here?" He scanned around and counted. "Good, let us begin."


    "Just now, an urgent report came in from Mr. Jiang. He imed that he had seen a suspicious person on the twentieth floor at approximately 2 to 2.30 am. You should know that Shi Nian is my guest and her safety is my responsibility."


    The staff nodded, still confused.


    Some of them were relieved. So, it''s not murder. Well, a suspicious person wasn''t any better either. They focused and turned their gazes toward therge projector on the wall which yed the record from 2 am onward.


    The hallway on the video was empty and the lights could only be turned on when someone stepped on the floor. Thus, for a few minutes, they only saw greenish scenery as the CCTV''s night vision was working. A few female staff held their breath. Looking at this kind of scene was particrly creepy and scary ah!


    Xu Binchen fast-forwarded the video until at one point of a time, the hallway suddenly turned bright!


    "Someone''s there!"


    Xu Binchen stopped fastforwarding and the video''s speed returned to normal. In the next moment, everyone saw a persone into the screen; male, ck hair, ck long sleeves sweater, ck pants, ck shoes. He was especially conspicuous among the bright and clean walls.


    Then, the man slowly walked down the hallway, his gait casual and slow and stopped¡­in front of Room 2002¡ªShi Nian''s house!


    Everyone looked on with bated breath as they waited for the man''s next movement.


    Yet, there was no further development. He was motionless, one minute, two minutes¡­until five minutester, as the automatic lights didn''t sense any kind of movement, it turned off abruptly and the whole scene plunged into darkness. The CCTV''s night vision was working again, illuminating the man''s figure in green lights. Yet, he still didn''t move.


    "Holy shiiit!"


    "Ah! What the hell was he doing there?!"


    One by one, they couldn''t resist cursing.


    Standing and staring at someone''s door motionlessly in the early hour in the morning was kind of perverted and maniac. They got goosebumps just by watching, okay?!


    Shi Nian''s face was ghastly pale as she stared at the video. The man''s slender figure reflected in her eyes.


    Fear eroded her heart but she found herself unable to look away. The sounds around her gradually went further and she couldn''t help but wonder, if¡­if she were to look out of the peephole, would she meet his eyes directly?


    Those eyes that didn''t contain any emotions, crazed and ruthless¡­


    A warm touch enveloped her trembling hands and Shi Nian snapped out of her reverie. She turned her head to find Jiang Jinyan''s concerned eyes.


    Shi Nian mustered a smile and shook her head by reflex but when the man was ready to pull his hand away, she scrambled to hold on tight to his pinky finger, knuckles turning white from the force she exerted in anxiousness.


    Jiang Jinyan didn''t say anything but forcefully pulled away.


    Panic and distress filled Shi Nian''s heart but not even one secondter, his hand snuck closer and slid down her wrist, fingers slipping in between the empty gaps before holding it tight. Their ten fingers gradually intertwined together like two pieces of puzzles.


    Shi Nian stared up at him, surprised. But Jiang Jinyan''s attention was elsewhere as if the man whose thumb was caressing the soft flesh on the back of her hand wasn''t his. Softly, gentlyforting. He was so gentle that it made Shi Nian''s heart race for apletely different reason.


    Heat crept up Shi Nian''s cheeks. Finally, the healthy color returned to her pale face.


    Their small exchange urred under the table, thus it was unlikely that anyone would find out about it.


    Xu Binchen gave them a cursory nce before looking away. "At 2.10 am, a man came up to the twentieth floor and stood in front of Shi Nian''s room until 2.30 am, exactly twenty minutes." He paused. "Mr. Jiang, care to borate how did you see him and what did you see?"


    Jiang Jinyan squeezed Shi Nian''s hand and started in a slow, steady manner. "I went to the rooftop at around eleven and stayed until a few minutes past two¡ªjudging from the surveince record, then it''s half past two. At that time, when I opened the door, I saw a man walking down the stairs. He wasn''t on the rooftop so I surmised that he wasing down from the twentieth floors. I only saw the back of his head."


    Xu Binchen ignored the fact that the rooftop should have been locked, asking, "ording to your memory, is it the same man as the one in the hospital?"


    The staff looked at each other, confused. What hospital?


    Only three people understood that question.


    Jiang Jinyan pondered for a while. "¡­It''s not quite the same."


    "How sure are you?"


    "80%. The height and body build aren''t the same." Jiang Jinyan took a deep breath. "May I know who he is? In the hospital, and now¡­were those people targeting Shi Nian?"


    Xu Binchen gave him a meaningful nce. "We will talk about itter. Now, let me ask all of you some questions. Miss Cha, have you seen this person?"


    The receptionistdy in charge of today''s shift¡ªMiss Cha¡ªstood up shakily. Under Xu Binchen''s sharp gaze, the woman was on the verge of breaking down. "N¡ªNo, I didn''t see anyoneing in or out! I swear!"


    Xu Binchen nodded and turned to the security guard uncle.


    Thetter answered helplessly. "I haven''t seen him either."


    "So," Xu Binchen concluded. "He''s still in this apartment building now."

 Chapter 208 - Thirteen, Dead. One, Alive.

    Hearing that sentence, their blood instantly ran cold. "T¡ªThat person is still here?!"


    "What to do? Should we call the police?!"


    "Hush, don''t you know that Boss is a police officer himself?!"


    "Ah, sorry¡ªI was so nervous that I forgot about that¡­"


    Xu Binchen gave out orders systematically. The staff members were mobilized to search in the empty rooms in a two person group. "Seal the gate and keep watch around the front gate and back door. If there''s someone suspicious, immediately report it, understand?"


    "Yes, sir!"


    Chairs were pushed back and everyone was ready to move. At that moment, the cleaning auntie suddenly raised her hand. "Um¡ªMr. Xu, I feel like I have seen that person before.".


    It was as if someone had just pressed on the pause button. All movement halted and the noises ceased.


    Xu Binchen turned to the middle aged woman with wrinkled face and white hairs on her temple. "Auntie He, are you sure?"


    Auntie He cowered under everyone''s heated gaze and nodded after some hesitation.


    Xu Binchen''s expression sank in an instant. "Who is it?"


    "I¡ªI am not quite sure, it''s just that he looked kind of familiar." Auntie He fidgeted nervously.


    "Don''t be so wishy washy and just say it." Xu Binchen urged.


    Auntie He braced herself and blurted out, "He looks like Mr. Fei''s son from room 1002!"


    Being the part of the cleaning staff, Auntie He had more opportunity to meet with the tenants. She also had to remember them one by one so as to not offend anybody.


    Sometimes, there were tenants who were rude, like some obnoxious brats who would belittle and mock her. Remembering them would make everything easier and Auntie He would be able to cease all troubles that might arise.


    Xu Binchen nodded and directly took the security guards with him to 1002 and rang the bell continuously. For the first ten minutes, no one answered but Xu Binchen was persistent as he pressed on the bell button again and again.


    Finally, the door swung open, followed by Mr. Fei''s grumpy and drowsy face. "Do you know what time it is?! What do you want?!"


    He red, unaware of how grim his situation was.


    "Mr. Fei." Xu Binchen directly shed his police badge and Mr. Fei''s eyes opened wide in shock. "Can you call your son out? We need him for some questioning."


    Of course, the questioning would be done in the police station. Mr. Fei''s son trudged out from his room, rubbing his eyes as he yawned sleepily. "What''s wrong, dad?"


    "You¡­!" Mr. Fei smacked the back of his son''s head. "You should tell me what''s wrong instead!"


    Mr. Fei''s son was startled awake and his soul almost flew out of his body as he found the police outside the door for him. What happened? What crime did hemit?!


    Xu Binchen nodded. "Mr. Fei, we need him to testify on something."


    "W¡ªWhat is it?" Mr. Fei asked nervously.


    It was unknown what Xu Binchen was thinking about as his lips curled up into a cold smile. "You will knowter on."


    The security guards stood on both sides of Mr. Fei''s son as he was escorted to the police station, still d with pajamas and slippers. Xu Binchengged behind as he returned to the twentieth floor. As he guessed, Shi Nian and Jiang Jinyan were there.


    Xu Binchen directly addressed Shi Nian. "You should go and rest."


    Shi Nian shook her head. How could she rest after something like that happened?


    "Whatever, then." Xu Binchen sighed. "Lock the door and call me if anything happens. I will tell you if there''s any further development. Don''t worry, we haven''t confirmed what''s going on yet, it might not be that person."


    Shi Nian hummed. "Drive carefully, gege."


    After nagging for five more minutes, Xu Binchen walked down the hallway toward the elevator. Behind him came a series of footsteps. He didn''t look back and took long strides ahead when the elevator door opened.


    The two men entered one after another, silence reigned between them for the next few moments. It was Jiang Jinyan who spoke first. "You still haven''t answered my question, Detective Xu."


    Xu Binchen reached into his pocket to pull out the cigarette. His voice was muffled as he bit on it and flicked the lighter. "Why don''t you ask her? I am sure that she will tell you everything."


    Jiang Jinyan fell silent for a moment, eyes staring at the descending number. 19¡­18¡­17¡­ "I can''t." He let out a mirthless chuckle. "She was already like that, how could I ask her? Tell me, Detective Xu. I can be considered as a witness, can''t I? I have the right to know about the situation."


    The tongue of the me had almost burned the tip of the cigarrete but in the end, Xu Binchen decided against it as he put it off and let the cigarette dangle between his fingers. "Mr. Jiang, do you know what is the main case I am working on?"


    Jiang Jinyan shook his head. "I''m afraid not."


    This time, instead of being straightforward like he always did, Xu Binchen told it in a roundabout way. "My Captain''s name is Jin Renguang."


    Jin Renguang.


    Jiang Jinyan''s brows knitted as a vague memory surfaced in his mind. That name sounded quite familiar, where had he heard it before?


    "Alright, I don''t know that you''re such a hermit." Xu Binchen scoffed and gave up in an instant. "I am working on the serial murder case which has caused 13 people''s death." Or even more, he added inwardly.


    Along with Xu Binchen''s words, Jiang Jinyan finally remembered. He had seen Jin Renguang being interviewed on the national news channel before. It could be said that almost all people in the country who watched TV should have seen him once or twice before.


    Jiang Jinyan''s brows furrowed deeply and he suddenly got a bad feeling. "Then, Shi Nian¡ª"


    "The news didn''t report it, but actually the number of victims should be 14. Thirteen, dead." Xu Binchen turned sideways to meet Jiang Jinyan''s appalled eyes. He crushed the cigarette in his palm and breathed out heavily, "One, alive."


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Aaaah, Jiang Jinyan finally knows!!! (ToT)/~~~


    My dearies, I have just created a discord server. You can enter by the link bit.ly/dnadiscord


    Let''s talk about anything and everything there! :3

 Chapter 209 - How Much Does He Pay You?

    Mr. Fei''s son was named Fei Chenghan. For the first time in his life, he was sitting in the renowned interrogation room often seen in action movies!


    His mind was quite simple. After receiving a scare in front of his door, he gradually calmed down on his way here. And now, upon entering the interrogation room and being left alone by a detective named Ke Shao, he wasn''t scared but excited instead.


    "Uwaah¡­" He touched the metallic indention on the chair. "Is this so-called cuff bar that can be used to lock the suspect? In the movies, there is a shock wave attack that can be activated by a button especially for rebellious criminals." He bent down and searched around, eyes brightened up when he saw a small inconspicuous button hidden by the side of the table. "Aha, I found it! Detective-sama[1], can I try to press it?"


    Behind the one way mirror, Ke Shao pointed at the youthful teenager. "This is the suspected serial killer?"


    "No!" Tang Wei rebuked. "Xu Binchen only said that there might be some connection between him and the serial killer!".


    Fei Chenghan turned around with his back facing them, hand waving around cheerfully. "Hello? Is it the rumored one way mirror? Can you see me through this wall?" He touched around in awe, butt sticking out in the air.


    Ke Shao''s tone remained incredulous. "He is connected to the serial killer?"


    Tang Wei pushed up his sses and murmured. "Well¡­it''s not me who said that."


    Their butts were suddenly kicked, causing them to yelp in surprise.


    "What are you two gossiping about?" Xu Binchen suddenly appeared behind them like a ghost.


    "Ah, here you are!" Ke Shao rubbed his butt andined. "Where did you find this kid? Look at how happy he is in the police station!"


    Feng Chenghan turned to the side wall, confused. "Did I get it wrong? Is it this wall? Hello, detective-samaa???"


    "What do you know?" Xu Binchen gave Ke Shao a side nce. "He might be another Yu Chuan."


    Goosebumps erupted along Ke Shao''s arms and he couldn''t help but curse. "If that''s true, the culprit is really abominable!"


    Xu Binchen patted his shoulders. "You should go before he disassembles our interrogation room to pieces."


    "Alright, alright." Ke Shao mussed up his hair and grabbed his notebook andptop. He went to the interrogation room in time to see Feng Chenghan making poses in front of the CCTV. "You!" He pressed on his temple and whacked Feng Chenghan''s head with the notebook in his hand. "What are you doing? What do you think you''re doing, huh?!"


    "Ah! Detective-sama!" Feng Chenghan protected his head while dodging.


    "Detective-sama your ass!" He cursed. "Come and sit down or else I''m gonna send you a shock wave attack!"


    Feng Chenghan''s eyes lit up. "So you do listen to me from behind the wall!"


    Ke Shao''s face was sullen as he opened his notebook. "Name."


    "My name is Feng Chenghan, 16 years old." He introduced himself happily. "My dad is called Feng Shaowei and my mom Yue Xiann. I am a second year high school student in Sangzhe High¡ª"


    "Stop!" Ke Shao roared. "I didn''t ask you about all of that!"


    Startled, Feng Chenghan shrunk his neck. "But¡­"


    "No buts!" Ke Shao was so irritated that every breath he took seemed to scorch his body. "I think you haven''t understood the predicament you''re in, kiddo. I warn you, you''re a possible aplice of a wanted criminal. If you''re proven guilty, you will be jailed for ten to fifteen years, got it?"


    "Ah?" Feng Chenghan pointed at his own nose, dumbfounded. "Me? A wanted criminal''s aplice?" It dawned on him that Ke Shao waspletely serious. Feng Chenghan''s smile stiffened. "You''re kidding, right?"


    "Why do you think you''re here?" Ke Shao sneered. "Name."


    "F¡ªFeng Chenghan."


    "Age."


    "16."


    Ke Shao turned theptop around, the screen was still paused on the surveince record. "At 2.10 am today, you went to the twentieth floor and stood in front of Room 2002 for twenty minutes. Is it true?"


    Feng Chenghan stammered. "Y¡ªYes, but¡ª"


    Ke Shao banged his palms on the table, reached for his cor as he seized the youth''s body up, eyes narrowing sharply. "Why did you do that? Are you his partner? His aplice? Assistant? How much does he pay you?"


    Feng Chenghan''s eyes widened as he struggled weakly, colors draining from his face. "I¡ªI¡ª"


    "Feng Chenghan, you''d better think before you speak." Ke Shao hissed. "Every word you say can be used against you in court. If you don''t want to go to jail, then you''d better confess everything!"


    At most, Feng Chenghan was only a happy-go-lucky teenager whose life revolved around school, homework and inte caf¨¦. How could he contend against a professional detective who had broken down real, vicious criminals before?


    Just by a bit of threatening, the boy blurted out almost everything.


    The truth was quite ridiculous, in Ke Shao''s opinion.


    It all started from an unknown forum. And it''s also one who was somewhat familiar to them. It''s the forum which Wang Chengbing had brought up previously, the one which Yu Chuan used to connect with the person who swapped his bags with a body part.


    Wang Chengbing should have monitored it, but because there hadn''t been any news of the username @kmeulchian5862 for a long time and he was swarmed with more urgent works, it had been neglected.


    Who knew that they woulde across this forum once again?!


    Xu Binchen, who was overseeing the interrogation from the hidden room, gave an order in a low voice. "Call Wang Chengbing here, immediately."


    .


    .


    [1] sama = usually refers to someone in higher rank or somebody you admire. Japanese. Feng Chenghan should have learned it from animes and games lol


    .


    A/N: Wang Chengbing: I feel cold. *sneeze* Is someone cursing me?


    Sorry, there will be no romance in the next few chapters as we shall focus on the plot first *wink*


    Countdown!! We have 5 more chappies until the end of this volume and after that, we will officially enter thest volume of the main story [Rose - Ardent Love] and proceeded to the closure. Ehem, judging from the volume title you should have an idea of what it contains£¨?^?^)?


    After that, we will have to say goodbye to MDG (¡ä§¥?©caaah, time flies really fast but no worry, third volume is quite long hehehe


    Don''t forget to join my discord at bit.ly/dnadiscord ^^

 Chapter 210 - Lets Play A Simple Dare, Shall We?

    Emergency meetings in the middle of the night or early hours in the morning wasn''t a rare urrence anymore for them. Once the summon was sent out, every member arrived at the police station in less than half an hour. However, there were three people whose faces were extremely dark.


    First, it was Wang Chengbing. He felt like he was the most miserable person in the squad. He was obviously the King of Hackers, one who was respected and feared in the cyberworld. But here, he was akin to a horse and dog, working nonstop without even getting the pay proportional to it.


    He was already busy enough trying to organize the surveince record around the apartment where Granny Kong and the fake Shi Nian lived in. Jin Renguang kept on insisting that there must be something that gave them away. And then, the job was dumped to him just like that.


    Not only that, he was also in the middle of investigating Haishang Technology, thepany where the guy Shin Dong, who disguised as Cui Qiqiang in Wu Wengen''s case, worked in. Thepany which produced the human skin mask that the suspect wore when he came to the hospital..


    He had just slept for no more than three hours when the call arrived.


    The second person was Ru Meiqi. Even though she acted like usual, today there were gold rimmed sses hanging on her nose. If one looked closer, then they would be able to discover that her eyes were slightly swollen.


    Last but not least, their beloved and darling Captain, Jin Renguang. Well, he used to have bouts of mood swings once in a while so no one really felt it was weird anymore. But when it was paired with Ru Meiqi, then it was another matter altogether.


    The members of the SCI squad crowded in the meeting room, looking at each other with eyes full of interest in gossip.


    Xu Binchen stood up and concisely exined the incident and Feng Chenghan''s involvement.


    In the room, only his voice and the sound of Tang Wei and Wang Chengbing typing on the keyboard could be heard. "So, what do you have to say about that, Wang Chengbing?"


    "It''s my negligence." Wang Chengbing rubbed his hair which was sticking up in all directions. "I have monitored it for a few months and only ck off these past few days and ites back to bite me on the ass right at this time!"


    The projector on the wall was connected to hisptop and everyone could see the so-called suspicious forum. In the country, there were already tons of different forums, like in Weib8, there''s Super Topic or some which was created for certain reasons like eSports forum, Anime Forum, Drama Forum. In short, no one would care about this small, insignificant forum which only consisted of random dissing at a nce.


    The number of members wasn''trge and if you scroll through two pages, then you would find four or five same ounts in it.


    The forum''s color base was blue and white with a simple and unattractive heading. [Feel free to express yourself through words.] It sounded quite meaningful, but when it was paired with people like Yu Chuan and the serial killer, then the meaning in it became quite heinous.


    Wang Chengbing filtered through the entries and found the username "zing Wind Beneath My Feet" that belonged to Feng Chenghan. It was a very chuunibyou name but when Feng Chenghan said it, he sounded so proud as if it was the coolest username ever existed.


    [zing Wind Beneath My Feet]: Why do teachers always focus on the wrong thing? Can''t they see how much effort I put in to answer? Even if I am wrong, at least give me some points!!! begging.jpg iamfurious.jpg heartbroken.jpg


    [zing Wind Beneath My Feet]: Oh, the new game XXX looks quite interesting¡­ rubbedchin.jpg


    [zing Wind Beneath My Feet]: My dad is so annoying! Everytime hees home drunk, he will make a ruckus. The wholeplex can hear his loud chatter and rambles! I am so embarrassed when Xiao Wen asked me about that on the next day, I wish I don''t have that kind of dad huffing.jpg


    [zing Wind Beneath My Feet]: My dad refused to give me more pocket money. Annoying.


    [zing Wind Beneath My Feet]: Is there someone who wants to trade my dad with me? Oh God, please take him away! I can''t bear it anymore!


    The entries started from two years ago and he updated irregrly over the years. Most of it was about schools and his father.


    Wang Chengbing''s fingers stopped. "Look at this."


    A new entry popped up. It was posted three days ago.


    [zing Wind Beneath My Feet]: What to do? What to do? I owe the inte caf¨¦''s boss 15.000 yuan. I don''t have money anymore! What should I do if hees to my home to collect the debt? My dad will kill me if he knows that I skipped school to y! panic.jpg panic.jpg panic.jpg


    Below the post, there were a fewments but Wang Chengbing skipped it and focused on one familiar username.


    [kmeulchian5862]: In need of money? No need to stress yourself out, no need to sell your kidney. Instant solution is here for you!


    "It''s him." Wang Chengbing lifted his panda eyes to look at everyone. "I am sure. Look at the replies."


    [zing Wind Beneath My Feet]: How?! Ancestor, I beg you! I can work like a dog as long as I can get the money!


    [kmeulchian5862]: Easy, let''s y a simple dare, shall we? You can just record a video and send it to me for proof. Then, I will give you 50.000 yuan.


    [zing Wind Beneath My Feet]: shocked.jpg 50.000 yuan?! W¡ªWhat do you want me to do?! I don''t want to rob the bank or kill someone!


    [kmeulchian5862]: I dare you to go to the highest floor in the building you live in at 2 in the morning. Choose the room which has the same number as yours and stand there for twenty minutes, don''t move and don''t let anyone see you! If you seed, I will transfer the money directly to you.


    ***


    "I swear to God!" Feng Chenghan cried bitterly. "It''s just a prank! I never expected someone would see me and call the police. Will I be a convict just by ying a dare by myself?!"


    Ke Shao was rendered speechless. "You really trust that person''s nonsense?"


    He wiped his tears and snots. "At first, I didn''t. But who could guess that he directly transferred me 15.000 yuan in advance! I will trust him even if he told me to run tenps around the apartment! Isn''t it only a courage test? Who will be scared of only standing in the dark hallway for twenty minutes? See, haven''t I seeded?"


    Ke Shao wasn''t sure whether to call him na?ve or idiot.


    Well, in a sense, it was only a courage test for him but the entire SCI squad was mobilized due to this one simple matter.


    But then, was it really a simple ident? A mere coincidence that Feng Chenghan''s house was numbered the same as Shi Nian? A mere coincidence that Jiang Jinyan caught sight of him and reported it to the police?


    "Please don''t confiscate my money!" Feng Chenghan wailed out loud and pleaded. "I have to use it to pay my debt! I work for it myself so don''t tell my dad! He will kill me waaa¡­!"

 Chapter 211 - She Disappeared After Her Mothers Death

    After hearing the news, Qiang Fei returned home two days earlier. Shi Nian, who took the day off because her fever shot up again, was surprised when she saw the woman. Before she could even open her mouth to speak. Qiang Fei had dropped her suitcase and rushed to hug her.


    Her face was tinged with fatigue, dark circles below her eyes. "Niannian, are you okay?" She scanned her daughter up and down, trying to find the tiniest bit of injuries and relieved when she found none. "I have heard everything from Detective Xu. You''re so bad! Such an incident happened and you don''t even have a n to tell Mama!"


    Shi Nian received the scolding guiltily. "Sorry, Mama."


    "Tell me, if Detective Xu didn''t say anything, do you n to never say it at all?" She touched Shi Nian''s forehead anxiously. "You also got a fever! Niannian ah, why are you always like this!"


    "Sorry, Mama.."


    "Do you think everything can be solved just by saying¡ª" Qiang Fei''s words died down in her throat. She looked at her, dumbstruck. "You¡­" Tremblingly, she asked. "Did you just speak?"


    "En." Shi Nian gave her a smile. "I''m sorry to make you worried."


    Qiang Fei''s mouth opened and closed and in the end, no words came out. She tried to take a breath but the pleasant surprise was too astonishing. She instantly burst into tears. Huge droplets of tears slid down her cheeks. "You''re speaking again¡­you''re really speaking again¡­"


    Shi Nian''s nose felt sour as she brought the woman into her embrace, hugging her thin and fragile shoulders. "Yes, I am."


    It had been such a long time since Qiang Fei heard Shi Nian''s voice. Thest time she did was when she went to work on that fateful day. She said, "There is yesterday''s curry in the refrigerator. You can heat it up for lunch and dinner. Sorry, Mama can''t go home early today."


    Shi Nian replied obediently as always. "Don''t worry, Mama. I know what to do."


    After that, she didn''t receive any news from Shi Nian and only when Qiang Fei couldn''t get through to her the day after did she start to panic. Subsequently, Shi Nian disappeared, leaving a portion of curry that hadn''t been eaten yet.


    Three monthster, she got the news from the police that Shi Nian had been found. At the same time, the doctor told her to prepare herself for the worst because the chance for her to survive was abysmal. It was like being lifted to Heaven in one second and crashing down to Hell the second after.


    Qiang Fei didn''t even know how she survived those six long, arduous months. All she knew was, her daughter was still breathing. Shi Nian hadn''t given up yet so she couldn''t either.


    She was already satisfied just by seeing Shi Nian open her eyes again. Or so she thought.


    "Niannian¡­Niannian¡­thank you. Thank you for speaking again. Thank you for recovering." She hugged her beloved daughter tightly, her unstoppable tears akin to a violent burst after six months of suppressing herself.


    Shi Nian hummed as she buried her face into Qiang Fei''s shoulder, inhaling her scent which could always manage to calm her down. Both in past life and now, Qiang Fei had always protected her, shielding her, giving her warmth and in the end, she even died to give her a chance to live.


    Maybe this life debt was what made them mother and daughter in this life. Shi Nian was bound to repay this favor for the rest of her life.


    The mother and daughter spent the rest of the night talking about everything mundane. They didn''t talk about the tragedy that befell Shi Nian, only about simple things in life like Qiang Fei''s busy work, the menu for tomorrow, the weather forecast, and Shi Nian''s school life.


    Shi Nian talked about Li Qing and her death, so much that she felt she had spoken more than she did for the past few years.


    "Oh, dear, I am sorry for your loss." Qiang Fei heaved a sigh. "How much suffering that child must felt to havemitted suicide?"


    Shi Nian corrected, "It''s not confirmed yet, Ma. She might notmit suicide."


    Qiang Fei frowned but didn''t say anything more. She patted Shi Nian''s head. "As long as you''re okay." Maybe all mothers were selfish like that. When hearing that something bad happened, the first reaction they had was to ensure their children were okay and relieved when they were. "I hope that the police can solve it soon."


    Shi Nian nodded in agreement.


    "Speaking of it," Qiang Fei hit her forehead exasperatedly. "Mama has been quite busy that I forgot to tell you. Remember the thing you ask me to find out about? Auntie Si, our neighbor who often took you in and her child, Xiao Chun?"


    Shi Nian nodded, curious. "Did you find them?"


    "Well, yes." Qiang Fei grimaced. "Mama found out before I went on the business trip. It turns out that your Auntie Si has died quite a long time ago."


    Shi Nian was stunned. "Died?"


    "Yes, maybe you don''t remember anymore, but when you''re in primary school, Si Qingzhao and Xiao Chun moved away. For the first few months, we were still in contact with each other but after that, there was no news from them anymore. Mama doesn''t even know where they moved to."


    "So, how did you find out about it?"


    Qiang Fei sighed. "It''s a long story. Mama knows someone who was acquainted with Si Qingzhao and she told me that Si Qingzhao used to be her neighbor but then, it seemed that she got into some ident and her life couldn''t be saved."


    Shi Nian frowned. "What kind of ident? What about her child, Xiao Chun?"


    "Aiyah, that''s the problem." Qiang Fei frowned in doubt. "She didn''t know anything about it and Mama couldn''t find out more. About Xiao Chun, Mama heard that she disappeared after her mother''s death."


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: hmm, mystery child. Who exactly is Xiao Chun and why does Shi Nian dream of her? What did Xiao Chun have to do with the serial murder case? Let''s see... _(:3¡¹¡Ï)_

 Chapter 212 - Her Instinct Screamed Of Danger

    A few dayster, the traces of blood in the courtyard of Sangzhe High was thoroughly cleaned, leaving nothing away. The students'' lives gradually returned to normal. Today was also the day for third year students to have their suspended exams.


    The first and second years were being let out early so as to not cause a ruckus for their seniors. Meanwhile, the third years'' suffering didn''t end there. After the exam, they still had two sessions of additional lessons to make up for the time they had lost caused by Li Qing''s death.


    It was kind of ironic. One life was lost but there were still thousands of another. They couldn''t keep on looking back to the past and had to force themselves to focus on the future. And being busy proved to be efficient because the talk of Li Qing''s death gradually receded. It was unknown whether in the near future, when a new sensational gossip came out, would anyone still remember Li Qing?


    The sun sank down the horizon as time ticked by. The bell rang, signifying the end of today''s school.. The third year students couldn''t even make out a sound anymore, slumping on their desks lifelessly, half dead.


    Shi Nian pressed her forehead onto the cold surface of the table to cool down her buzzing brain. It was veryfortable and if not for the noises, she would have fallen asleep right there and then.


    "Shi Nian, what do you think is the answer to thest question in the Maths essay section?" Chen Jiawei was the kind of person who wouldn''t surrender until she gathered everyone''s answer andpared them one by one.


    Shi Nian bitterly smiled as she wrote in her notebook. [1?]


    The most abominable thing in Mathematics was how the answer steps required three full pages but the final answer ended up being 1 or 0.


    "Damn," Chen Jiawei cursed under her breath. "I answered 0. Five people answered 1, and seven people including me answered 0."


    Shi Nian couldn''t care less about it anymore as she begged pitifully. [Please don''t say it in front of me. I don''t want to know.]


    "Alright, it''s my fault." Chen Jiawei pushed up her sses and grabbed her backpack. "Should we walk to the gate together?"


    Shi Nian nodded, eyes trailing to the empty table where Mo Ling sat on.


    Chen Jiawei instantly knew what she was thinking of. "She still hasn''t recovered from the fever. Her mother didn''t allow her to take the exam when she''s like that. Don''t worry, Teacher Yao has promised to give her makeup exams."


    Shi Nian nodded with a sigh.


    Mo Ling was actually very simple with clear distinction between likes and dislikes. She genuinely treated Li Qing as a friend. Compared to any other student, Li Qing''s death had affected her the most. Grief was inevitable. In the end, only time was able to give her the chance to recover.


    She walked with Chen Jiawei to the gate. Her first reaction was to look around for a certain someone.


    Her act was noticed as Chen Jiawei asked, "Your brother ising to pick you up?"


    Jiang Jinyan wasn''t here today. She shook her head in disappointment.


    They parted in a junction afterward and Shi Nian proceeded to make her way to the subway station. Out of nowhere, a boy with shabby clothes tugged on her skirt, halting her in her tracks. He looked only six or seven, skinny with patches of dirt on his clothes and face.


    Shi Nian blinked in surprise as she crouched down. "Little boy, what''s wrong?" Shi Nian took out a candy from her pocket and gave it to him.


    The boy epted it with a grin. "Are you Shi Nian?"


    Confused, she nodded. "How do you know me?"


    The boy pointed at a side alley, his huge eyes innocent. "There''s someone there waiting for you."


    The first person that came to Shi Nian''s mind was Jiang Jinyan. However, she was still wary and tried to ask more. "What does that person look like?"


    The boy adorably reached above his head, tip toeing. "Tall, very fierce and scary big brother! He''s carrying a ck umbre, it seems like he was injured."


    Shi Nian gasped in shock. She became certain that it was Jiang Jinyan. The notorious General who had the record of silencing crying children was still as effective as it was until this day.


    "Injured? How injured is he?" She asked anxiously. Could it be that his leg was hurting again?


    The boy shook his head.


    "Thank you for telling me." She patted the boy''s head and hastily ran toward the direction he pointed to, eyes looking around anxiously. "Mr. Jiang, where are you? Mr. Jiang?!"


    "Oh, so his surname is Jiang?"


    Shi Nian turned around in surprise and found that the mouth of the alley was surrounded by threerge built, muscr men with piercings, tattoos and dyed hair. Shi Nian''s heart sank as she btedly realized that the boy was literally telling the truth. Tall, scary and fierce. Shi Nian lowered her eyes to see that one of them was holding a foldable ck umbre.


    But they were certainly not injured no matter how she looked at it.


    Her instinct screamed of danger and without hesitation, she turned around to run deeper into the alley.


    "Oops." Someone blocked her way. "Where do you want to go?"


    Shi Nian recoiled back from the collision. Her golden eyes looked around in alert, heart thumping rapidly as her mind whirled. They knew her name and they deliberately led her here using Jiang Jinyan as bait. Who was the real target, her or Jiang Jinyan?


    Around her was a small and narrow alley where the houses'' back door was. The surrounding was deste and no people passed through here. Shi Nian calcted the possibility of someone helping her if she screamed for help.


    The four men looked at each other and their faces turned increasingly fierce. "You''re Shi Nian, right?"


    Shi Nian made a fearful expression and shrunk her neck. "W¡ªWho is Shi Nian?"


    The gangster: "¡­"


    Shi Nian trembled like a little white bunny. "Really? Who are you? Why are you getting on my way?"


    The gangster: "......"


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Shi Nian''s acting mode: on

 Chapter 213 - You Dont Recognize Me Anymore?

    The gangsters were dumbfounded. One of them whispered to the man who seemed to be their leader. "Boss, are you sure we aren''t getting the wrong person? They said that she''s a mute kid. This one is talking smoothly, ain''t that right?"


    "Do you have the photo?"


    "No." He gritted his teeth. "My phone is broken by that damned man ah! The one who didn''t say anything and started to beat us up all of a sudden!"


    "Boss, we aren''t wrong! I am sure!" Another replied. "I have seen her with that man a few times before! She''s really Shi Nian! Maybe we received the wrong information¡­" The man who talked had spiked hair with dumb monkey face. He was none other than Zhou Zhui, the teenager who had once been beaten to pulp by Jiang Jinyan but now, he looked as fit as a fiddle, skin lustrous and spirit formidable.


    That day, he had sworn not to find troubles with that madman again.


    Still, habits die hard.. He had gotten used to coercing people and suppressing the weak. So, after recovering, he returned back to being an arrogant tyrant, robbing students'' money and receiving jobs to teach people a lesson. Right now, their gang''s target was Shi Nian.


    They should have seededst time but who knew where the masked man came from, popping up out of nowhere and hammering them down one by one! They couldn''t even make out who he was before their heads were smashed to the ground.


    Unforgivable! Hateful!


    Last time, they were caught off guard but it was different now. They were prepared. A few brothers were patrolling around the area and they would catch him as soon as he appeared. s, the man seemed like he had vanished into thin air. Other than that day, they had never seen him around anymore.


    Left with no choice, they could only catch the tail first. He wanted to protect this girl? Sure, then they would threaten him with her!


    Zhou Zhui demanded fiercely. "The man surnamed Jiang, call him here."


    Shi Nian pursed her lips. Her expression cooled down in an instant, eyes turning cold. The previous fear she had shown dissipated in an instant like fumes. If she could escape by acting weak, then she would dly do that. But this time, they were obviously targeting Jiang Jinyan. Shi Nian couldn''t sit still after knowing that. "What do you want to do?"


    "Hehe." Zhou Zhui sneered as he pointed at his faintly bruised face. "Do you see this, this and this? It was all done by him! Brothers, don''t let her talk nonsense anymore! Tie her up and take her phone!"


    Shi Nian frowned and backed away step by step. She stared warily at the four men who were creeping closer. Her expression was calm andposed. The only thing she thought was that she couldn''t let them call Jiang Jinyan here!


    "Don''t resist too much, little girl. You see, we don''t hold any grudges against you. Only that Jiang man. If you call him here, then we will release you." The Boss said.


    "Boss, then how about the payment¡ª"


    "Hush, it isn''t toote to deal with her after we deal with her man."


    They cackled heartily and reached a decision, didn''t even bother to hide their conversation from Shi Nian.


    Whistling, they teased Shi Nian back and forth just like cats ying with mice. If this was a normal person, then they would have been so scared that they would cry river of tears. However, this was Shi Nian. She had seen the most terrifying people, those who killed, those who tortured.


    These kinds of gangsters were akin to heckling ducks and howling dogs. All bark and no bite.


    Shi Nian wondered if she would be able to make an escape if she attacked the leader. She sized him up and down and thought it was possible as long as she attacked his most important part¡­


    If she could take the biggest down, then the small fries wouldn''t be a problem. Shi Nian was used to working continuously so her movement was quite dexterous. Paired with the knowledge of self defense taught by General Jiang in her past life, she was confident that she could escape alive.


    Her muscles tensed as she braced herself to attack¡­


    All of a sudden, vroom-vroom!! A silver metallic motorcycle drove into the alley, the driver''s face was covered by a helmet as he elerated right in their direction!


    The motorcyle''s headlights were turned on, shining onto Shi Nian and the four men''s faces directly.


    "What the fuck?!"


    "Who is that? How can he get in?!"


    Everyone was caught off guard.


    Where did this punk pop up from?! It couldn''t be that Jiang man, right? Could they be this lucky?


    "Damn it, turn off your lights!" The Boss cursed angrily.


    Shi Nian had to shield her eyes as she squinted, trying to take a clearer look. The driver stopped leisurely, long legs rested on the ground as he took off the helmet. His face was overshadowed by the overly bright lights but Shi Nian could faintly make out the dark brown curls atop of his head.


    A fairly familiar voice called out with mirth. "Hey, Brother Man, Brother Zhou, you don''t recognize me anymore?"


    Brother Man¡ªthe Boss¡ªwas shocked upon hearing that voice. "Y¡ªYoung Master! It''s you! When did you arrive? Why didn''t you call us?"


    "Isn''t it because I went first to the basecamp and didn''t find you that I came all of the way here?" Heughed, crisp and hearty.


    Finally, the headlights were turned off and Shi Nian could see his features clearly.


    Brown curly hair,rge ck cross earring hanging on one ear, dark grey eyes with shades of green curving full of smiles. Except for his new hairstyle and overlyrge earring, he looked no different than thest time she saw him.


    He turned to Shi Nian, pleasantly surprised. "Aiyah, isn''t this my little meimei? Why are you guys bullying her?"


    The four gangsters were dumbstruck. "Your little meimei?!"


    Holy¡ªdid they really mess with the wrong person?! This was Young Master Nan, Nan Xukun''s little sister?!! Wait, did he have a little sister though?


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Surprise! Young Master Nan is here! Hoo and whoever it is who paid for the gangster to teach Shi Nian a lesson? _(:3¡¹¡Ï)_

 Chapter 214 - I Remember Now

    "You have a sister?" Zhou Zhui asked what was in everyone''s mind.


    "I don''t. But from now on, I do." Heughed again until his eyes crinkled to crescents. "How about it, Shi Nian? Try calling me gege?" He teased yfully.


    "Ah, see. She''s really Shi Nian!" Zhou Zhui eximed.


    Shi Nian''s lips pressed tight. Even though it looked like Nan Xukun''s words had some weight on the gangsters, Shi Nian couldn''t be sure whether he was willing to get her out of this predicament. After all, they had only known each other for a few weeks in the hospital and it seemed like he had a good rtionship with these gangsters.


    "I haven''t seen you for a few months and you have gotten so pretty.." Nan Xukun leaned forward with arms crossed atop of the motorcycle, chin resting above it. "You didn''t even message me at all even though I have given you my WeChat." He muttered sullenly.


    Shi Nian still didn''t dare to reply.


    "Ah." He softly eximed. "I forgot that you¡­" can''t speak, he continued inwardly. He turned toward the gangsters andined in an angry tone. "You even dared to bully a little girl?!"


    "Aiyah, it''s not like we want to. But we received payment ah! We will not hurt her, only scare her a bit. Who knew that her man woulde out and beat us up all of a sudden? Now, it has be a personal feud! Don''t stand in our way, Young Master Nan! We will make him pay, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth!"


    Nan Xukun seemed to feel that it was quite interesting and gestured. "Go on, call him ah. Don''t say I don''t warn you, okay? He''s not the kind of person whom...you can mess with." The corner of Nan Xukun''s lips curled up into an amused smile. He turned to Shi Nian. "Why don''t you call him? Mr. Xu will surelye as soon as possible!"


    "Ah, what Mr. Xu? The man we''re searching for is Mr. Jiang!"


    Nan Xukun showed a surprised expression. "What Mr. Jiang? It should be Mr. Xu."


    The five men looked at each other confusedly. Meanwhile, the gangsters were conflicted. Could it be¡­they got the wrong information again? First, the girl clearly wasn''t mute but their employer said she was. Then, this Mr. Jiang¡­


    Well, Young Master Nan was the one who knew her anyway. Yes, it must be them who had heard wrong!


    "Then, call him out!"


    "Yes, call him right here and now! We shall see how great of a person this Mr. Xu was."


    Shi Nian shot a nce toward Nan Xukun and saw the schadenfreude in his eyes. It made her bewildered. Weren''t they friends? Why did Nan Xukun seem so eager to dig a pit for them to jump into? Well, Shi Nian decided to stop thinking about that. After all, he was helping her with this.


    Thus, under five pairs of eyes, Shi Nian pulled out her phone to give Xu Binchen a call and put it on speaker. "Shi Nian? Is there something wrong?"


    Nan Xukun thought that Shi Nian was unable to speak and to liven up the atmosphere further, he snatched the phone and talked into it. "Is this Mr. Xu? Your girl is currently in our hands! Come to the back alley near the subway station alone. Remember, don''t call the police or else you will regret it!"


    The gangsters looked at Nan Xukun in awe. Thumbsup.jpg


    That ferocity, the tone and degree of threatening. It was all perfect! They couldn''t do it as well as him!


    Xu Binchen was silent for a few seconds. His tone was getting low and dangerous. "Why is her phone with you? Where is she? I have heard your voice before, aren''t you¡ª"


    "Aiyah, why are you speaking so much?" Nan Xukun hurriedly interjected and gave Shi Nian a wink. "Hurry up ande. Do you not believe us? Should we take some pictures?"


    The group of gangsters cackled loudly and the voice travelled to Xu Binchen''s ears loud and clear. "Don''t call the police?" He sneered in derision. "Imprisoning a minor, threatening a police officer, you will be fined 100.000 yuan and the worst consequences is being jailed for five years. Can you bear it?"


    The gangsters froze. What?


    T¡ªThreatening a police officer? 100.000 yuan fine? Five years in jail???!


    "Y¡ªYou''re a police officer?!" Zhou Zhui shrieked loudly.


    "Don''t believe me?" He continued to say. "Then wait for me for a bit. I will escort you to the police station with handcuffs, do you want to try?"


    Nan Xukun directly called off the call as if he was being scalded. Heavy silence hung upon them.


    Zhou Zhui''s face paled. "Y¡ªYoung Master Nan, he''s really a policeman?"


    Nan Xukun put on an innocent face and shrugged. "I don''t know about it either."


    "Damn it!" Boss Man cursed under his breath. Nan Xukun was fine because the police couldn''t do anything to him. But they¡­they had neither money nor power. What kind of shitty luck was this?! They only wanted to earn some pocket money but ended up offending someone they couldn''t afford to?!


    He made a decision in an instant. "What are you waiting for? Let''s go!" Boss Man turned head and sprinted away with tail between his legs.


    Zhou Zhui gnashed his teeth hatefully but didn''t have any choice but to flee. The gangsters pulled away and in a blink of an eye, only Nan Xukun and Shi Nian were left in the alley.


    Shi Nian took her phone back and typed. [Thank you.]


    "Don''t worry about it." He smiled and scratched his head awkwardly. "You know, I don''t usually hang out with them. It''s only asionally when I am bored that I find them to y. Only once in a while, I swear!"


    Shi Nian nodded albeit confused. Why did he exin it to her?


    "Anyway, I am really happy to see you again." Nan Xukun grinned widely. "How about it? I have waited for months for your answer. Have you really forgotten about me?"


    Shi Nian was startled. [We have really met before?]


    "You don''t remember?" He clutched his chest with a pained expression. "So I am waiting for nothing?"


    Shi Nian felt kind of guilty. Honestly, she also felt that he was somewhat familiar although she couldn''t remember him. She suggested. [Or else you can tell me?]


    "Hmph, what fun will that be?" He caught her off guard by suddenly leaning forward to her eye level. Meeting her surprised gaze, he couldn''t help but smile. "I am so sad, how can you not remember me? I have remembered you all these years. When we were young, you used to protect me when I was bullied. We yed, sang, and slept together. You even said to my mother that you will be my big sister in the future."


    Vague memories floated in Shi Nian''s mind.


    In her past, she used to be very close to someone when she was five or six years old. They spent time together like conjoined twins up until the time when Qiang Fei returned and brought her home. The quiet little girl, so beautiful like a porcin doll¡­


    She had a pair of eyes so dazzling like two pieces of resplendent gems. Shi Nian liked it very much. They were greyish green, like the sparkling pebble she had dug out from underneath the clear river.


    Shi Nian heard Qiang Fei''s voice, saying. "About Xiao Chun, Mama heard that she disappeared all of a sudden."


    In front of her, Nan Xukunughed gently. "You were so strong as a kid. How can you be so tiny now? You could even lift me up, saying that you would protect me forever. I still remembered that your front tooth was missing back then and you had a lisp, you used to call me¡­Xiao Chun."


    Shi Nian''s mind exploded into nothingness as the memories surged up her mind like a fast-forwarded movie.


    Xiao Chun. The little girl she used to y with. The one who hid behind her back when someone bullied her. Xiao Chun. Xiao Kun.


    She lifted her eyes to look at him and their features gradually ovepped.


    The little girl¡­turned out to be a boy¡­


    "Remember now?"


    Shi Nian almost choked on her breath. Knowing that the child whom you''ve always thought of as a girl was actually a boy, it was too much for her to digest.


    Nan Xukun tutted. "I even remembered you in an instant when I saw you in the hospital for the first time. Imagine how sad I was when you didn''t recognize me."


    So that''s why he acted overly familiar with her upon their first meeting? Because he had recalled that she was the one who used to y with him in their childhood?


    She sucked in a deep breath and nodded, guilt flooded her heart. "I¡­remember now¡­sorry."


    "Hey, you''re speaking!" Nan Xukun''s eyes lit up, happily circling around her. Joy was evident on his face "That''s very great!"


    "Xiao Chun," Shi Nian felt strange now when she called him like this. "It has been a long time."


    The gap between the past and present was too much. One was a delicate little girl while the other was a tall, handsome man. Xiao Chun in her memory was such a fragile, crybaby girl, how could he be like this all of a sudden?


    No, most importantly, she treated Xiao Chun as a girl all these while but Auntie Si had never rebuked her!


    "Yes, yes, Xiao Nian, I really, really missed you so much!" Nan Xukunughed happily.


    Shi Nian was affected by his bright smile. The corner of her lips curled up without her realizing.


    Xiao Nian.


    Only Xiao Chun used to call her that. This man was indeed Xiao Chun. Shi Nian was genuinely happy to meet him again. It was indeed a joyful asion to reunite with someone whom you have been so close with in the past.


    "What are you doing here?" Only then did Shi Nian remember to ask. Judging by Boss Man''s earlier words, it seemed like Nan Xukun didn''t live around here.


    "Ah, about that." Nan Xukun scratched his nose sheepishly. "I have been summoned to the police station for questioning. It seems like an acquaintance of mine has died recently."


    .


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    End of Volume 2 [Daffodil - New Beginning]


    A/N: aaand, it''s a wrap!!! (?¨R?¨Q)? I am so excited to write this chapters! Are you surprised? Did you see iting? Xiao Chun = Xiao Kun = Nan Xukun!!! And hisst sentence ¦²(¡ã¥í¡ã) he is... (censored) fufufu


    Next, we will get to thest volume [Rose - Ardent Love] oh before that I will give you an extra chappie after this ^^


    MDG have 93 GT right now! 7 more until the end of the month and I will give you a mass release!

 Chapter 215 - Extra - Youre Just A Kid

    ***This scene happened on the night after General Jiang returned from apprehending the fugitives.***


    It was a cloudy night, murky with thick dark, heavy clouds swirling by. It was unknown how hard the rain would fall on theter part of the night. Fortunately, General Jiang had finished reporting to the Emperor. His slender and muscr build was d in a ck brocade robe with intricate, gold embellishment, hem flowing briskly like wind, mellowing the bloodthirst emanated from his body and curbing his rigid temperament.


    General Jiang had always hated to wear suchplicated and gorgeous robes, even though Fu Jia, the head servant of his residence, kept on gushing how handsome he was when he dressed up.


    Come on, he''s a soldier. What kind of soldier would care about what they wore? Before you could flick your sleeve to brush the draggy cloth away, your head would have been cut by the enemy''s de.


    Thus, as soon as he arrived home, he directly discarded the outeryer of his garment, leaving only a thin,fortable ck inner garment.


    The residence looked livelier than usual and Fu Jia came out to greet him hastily, sweat dotting the elderly man''s face..


    General Jiang raised a brow. "Is there some kind of festival here?"


    One couldn''t me General Jiang for his ignorance. Half of his life was ved away on the battlefield. He could count the number of times he returned home. It was only for the New Year, QingMing Festival and the Emperor''s Grand Birthday.


    "Aiyah, Master." Fu Jia dabbed his forehead with the handkerchief and grimaced. "This old servant apologies."


    "What''s wrong?"


    "The witch¡ªno, the child you brought home, she¡­she disappeared."


    If not for Fu Jia reminding him, he wouldn''t have recalled there was such a person here. "Disappear?" Amused with Fu Jia''s choice of words, he retorted. "How can such a big person disappear all of a sudden?"


    "That''s the problem." Fu Jia said. "None of the guards saw hering out of her room and we searched high and low, almost overturning the entire residence, but still can''t find her. What should we do if she¡­escapes?"


    General Jiang gave an offhanded reply, "Then let her be ah."


    Fu Jia lifted his head in surprise. "Master?!"


    "Why are you so shocked?" General Jiang was amused. "I rescued her on a whim. Taking her back was also an impulse. If she wants to go, then let her go. Of course, she doesn''t have to stay here. She''s a free person, she can go wherever she wants to."


    Fu Jia was exasperated by how casual he was. "Master¡­"


    "Alright, I know what you''re thinking about." Jiang Jinyan cut him off. "The Emperor has also addressed the matter to me. I know what I am doing."


    When he put it like that, Fu Jia was left with no choice but toply. He summoned the searching guards and called it a day. The liveliness slowly dispersed and candles blew off one by one, leaving the General Residence in utter desteness like usual.


    General Jiang took a slow hot bath and tied the sash of his belt loosely, the front robe was slightly open, showing the expanse of healthy, honey skin marred with numerous scars and fresh injuries, still damp with vapor with warm mist floating up. Coupled with his long, jet ck hair which was slightly wet on its tip, it added a tinge of wild charm to his temperament.


    He was used to being on guard when the night came and it wasn''t often for him to be free. Somehow, he just couldn''t get used to it. After thinking for a while, he thought that he should go to the study to view the record of household expenses on days he was away. Not that he didn''t trust Fu Jia, but looking at those dense numbers might incite his drowsiness.


    His footsteps made no sound as he walked briskly across the dark pathway. The ck clothes merged into the darkness and if one didn''t look closer, then one wouldn''t have realized that someone was there. Only the falling leaves could prove his trail, as his fingers were itching to pluck those swaying greenish off.


    General Jiang suddenly halted in front of one of the silent, dark rooms.


    If he wasn''t wrong, then this was that little girl¡ªShi Nian''s room.


    With the attitude of the master of the residence, Jiang Jinyan pushed the door open. It creaked slightly under his fingers and the moonlight shone on his long silhouette as he stepped into the room.


    This used to be one of the empty rooms in the residence. The house itself was toorgepared to the number of servants in it. So, it was very convenient for someone to move in.


    Jiang Jinyan looked around and nodded in satisfaction. Fu Jia had done his job properly. There was a pot of tea on the table¡ªalbeit it had gone cold. Warm bedding and also, sufficient candles in the room.


    As the head servant had said, the room was too deste, no hint of a person could be seen. The bedding was soft and smooth without any creases, evidence that the upant hadn''t even sat there.


    However¡­


    He halted in his tracks and lightened his presence. His breathing almost stopped as he strained his ears to listen. There was a faint sound of breathing¡ªnot his. Very soft and faint. If he wasn''t a soldier trained in countless battlefields, then he might have as well overlooked it.


    Jiang Jinyan made his way through the partition screen to the changing area. He knew that it was inappropriate to barge into a young maiden''s private area in the middle of the night. But at this moment, he couldn''t care less.


    His guards ought to have high morals so as to skip this part of the area, but he wouldn''t.


    As he expected, as he opened the closet, there she was¡ªhuddling in the corner, almost smothered by the fabrics and numerous garments. She was so small that the space was more than enough to cover her up.


    General Jiang didn''t know whether tough or cry.


    He reached out a hand, but before he could wake the culprit up, the girl''s eyes suddenly snapped wide open. The sleep within them hadn''t dissipated yet, but because she had sensed the presence of an unfamiliar person close by, her instinctive reflex jolted her awake.


    Jiang Jinyan was stunned by the rich hostility and wariness in her eyes. Right now, she looked just like how his soldier was when they were only a step from a hard earned victory where the slightest mistake would turn everything over¡ªstake it with their lives, and pave the way with their blood.


    When Shi Nian''s sight gradually focused and she took in her surroundings as well as the person in front of her, the animosity faded, reced with a careful look he had always seen on her.


    Jiang Jinyan decided to break the silence. "Why are you sleeping there?" He pulled the girl out, mirth in his eyes. "Did you know how hard everyone has been looking for you?"


    Shi Nian blinked, surprised. Pursing her lips, she bent her waist deeply in apology.


    Jiang Jinyan stopped her before she could do that, sighing helplessly. "I know you aren''t ustomed to the change in environment yet, but don''t worry, there''s no one who can hurt you here."


    Amidst the dark, Shi Nian''s golden eyes shone brilliantly, like the incandescent magma bubbling atop of the volcanic mountain. Then, she nodded, albeit Jiang Jinyan wasn''t sure whether she really understood what he meant.


    "Hmm?" He narrowed his eyes, thumb grazing the corner of her eyes. "Did you just cry?"


    Shi Nian recoiled back in shock, eyes widened as she stared at him, bbergasted. Jiang Jinyan''s eyes were trained to see in the dark, thus he could see the spreading redness across her cheek.


    He thought that it was funny how she acted like a little wary and timid animal. But then, what was her age again? Twelve? Thirteen? After witnessing the tragic death of her family, it wasn''t umon for her to act like this.


    He even felt that she was too calm. Too silent and taciturn.


    "Are you hungry?" He changed the topic. "Have you eaten supper?"


    Shi Nian shook her head, then nodded.


    "How are your wounds? Open your mouth, let me see your tongue." Jiang Jinyan was amused to see her back away with every step he took, thus he stride forward nonchntly, spooking the girl so much that she tripped over her foot and fell down directly on the bed.


    Shi Nian widened her eyes, the man''s expressionless face reflected in her eyes.


    She scrambled to the side and grabbed a set of brush and paper, scrawling frantically. [Inappropriate!]


    "What''s inappropriate?" Jiang Jinyan almost couldn''t maintain his expression.


    Shi Nian huffed in anger. Her cheeks flushed red. She was a girl and he was a mature man! Why would he want to see her mouth?! She clenched her fists yet helpless to do anything against the General. This man was¡ªno doubt¡ªthe most powerful person in the whole nation. She couldn''t win even if she could duplicate herself into ten.


    Jiang Jinyan stared at her for a few seconds until he finally couldn''t hold back anymore and burst into a fit of chuckles. The smile made his eyes crinkled with smiles, dissipating the grim and dangerous aura he exuded. If not for the ring scar on his face, then he would be one of the most attractive men in history without any effort.


    "What are you thinking of?" He patted her head and seemingly not satisfied, proceeded to mess it up as he pleased. "You''re just a kid, afterall."


    Shi Nian brushed his hand away, peeved.


    "Come on." Without any warning, Jiang Jinyan hoisted her up, eliciting a short yelp from her lips. He easily hauled the thick bedding off and wrapped it around her like a dumpling. "Sleep. You haven''t slept for days, right?"


    Shi Nian grabbed the warm thick quilt around her as if it could protect her from the General''s ws. Her eyes stared at his every move in full alert.


    Jiang Jinyan didn''t do anything but took out a random book from the shelf Fu Jia had prepared for the girl and sat on the chair, casually flipping it through. For a while, there wasn''t any sound except for the turning page and soft rustle of the trees outside.


    Some time passed and rain started to fall in a soft drizzle, before turning harder and gradually transforming into a downpour. The temperature dropped in an instant as the sharp scent of grass and cold air wafted into his nose.


    Jiang Jinyan silently closed the book and stole a nce to see the girl sleeping soundly, still with her hand tightly grabbing the quilt around her. A smile made its way to his face without him knowing and he approached her silently, helping her to loosen the thick nket lest she suffocated deep into the night.


    The girl''s sleeping face was very peaceful, quiet and soft. Long, thick eyshes curled, framing her eyes. There were still traces of bruise on her face, yellow and purple. And she looked too skinny for her own good.


    Must feed her more delicious food, Jiang Jinyan noted.


    That was how Shi Nian passed through her first night in the General''s Residence.


    Unexpectedly, she slept very soundly¡ªeven in the presence of the most feared General in the nation.


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    A/N: A bonus chappie to close volume 2 hehehe Jiang Jinyan is such a tease >< and it would be quite long until Shi Nian gradually opened her heart to him until she could depend, trust and admire him from the bottom of her heart.


    Jiang Jinyan''s "You''re just a kid" sentence wille back to bite him one day fufufu and Shi Nian is already fifteen by that time, the age where ancient China people consider a young adult, but because she''s too skinny and short, Jiang Jinyan thought she''s only twelve kekekek


    See you tomorrow on Volume 3!

 Chapter 216 - I Want To Be Fwiends!

    "Sorry ah, Niannian. Mama has to wrong you for a bit." Qiang Fei crouched down to level her eyes with her five years old daughter, a plump child simr to a little dumpling wrapped in a red thick coat. Her cheeks were rosy due to the cold and her round, golden eyes blinked, eyshes fluttered like butterfly wings.


    "Don'' wowwy, Mama. I am okay." She replied with a huge smile.


    Qiang Fei was amused by her pronunciation. "Let Mama see your teeth¡­ah yes, Nianian is very lucky, it has stopped bleeding."


    Hearing that, Shi Nian covered her mouth with both hands, eyes wide with fear. "Mama¡­"


    It was all because of her carelessness that she tripped and banged her mouth on the floor, knocking over her front teeth. It hurt so much that tears instantly sprung up her eyes.


    Qiang Fei was so shocked when she heard Shi Nian howl out of her lungs. The little girl was clutching her bleeding mouth withrge droplets of tears running down her face. It was both adorable and pitiful at the same time.


    "Don''t worry." Qiang Feiughed. "It will grow out soon."


    "Weally?"


    "Yes. If Mama lies to you, then Niannian can''t grow taller anymore."


    "Owkay." Shi Nian nodded seriously, totally didn''t realize that she had been duped.


    Behind them came a string ofughter, melodious and clear. Qiang Fei stood up and held Shi Nian''s hands, together they walked toward the stunning, gentle woman who had been waiting. "Madam Si, I have to trouble you with Niannian for a while. Don''t worry, she isn''t a disobedient child."


    "I know." Si Qingzhao bent down and touched Shi Nian''s head. "She''s such a cute girl."


    Shi Nian looked at her in curiosity.


    "Call Auntie Si." Qiang Fei whispered.


    "Auntie Shi~" The soft, sticky sound could melt anyone''s heart. Shi Nian blushed, realizing that she had pronounced the name wrong. She pursed her lips and tried again. "Auntie¡­Shii¡­" Ah, she couldn''t! It''s all because she lost her front tooth!


    Si Qingzhaoughed heartily. "She is so cute. Don''t worry, Madam Shi. You can just leave her to me."


    "En." Qiang Fei nodded and looked at her watch, speaking faster afterward. "Then I will leave her to you. Niannian, listen to Auntie Si''s words okay?"


    Shi Nian answered loudly with her chest puffed out. "Ow-kay!"


    She tried to be strong but in the end, she was nothing but a kid. Seeing Qiang Fei''s back disappear into the corner, the rims of Shi Nian''s eyes reddened yet she still persistently held back her tears. When she felt Si Qingzhao''s eyes on her, Shi Nian wiped her eyes roughly and turned to her with a smile.


    Si Qingzhao didn''t expose her futile effort as her eyes looked redder than before. She held Shi Nian''s hands and led her inside the house. Different from her house which smelled of sunshine, soft detergent and Qiang Fei''s perfume, Si Qingzhao''s house was surrounded with a sweet fragrance.


    Shi Nian sniffed around and her stomach suddenly gurgled.


    Si Qingzhaoughed and helped her take off her coat. "Hungry?"


    Shi Nian patted her round belly and nodded with a shy smile.


    "Come in. Auntie has just baked some cookies. Xiao Kun likes them the most."


    Shi Nian tilted her head as she followed Si Qingzhao in. "Xiao¡­Chun?"


    Inside the house, there was a tiny, life-like porcin doll sitting on the sofa with delicate features and milky skin. Hearing the noises, the doll''s head turned and when his eyes fell upon Shi Nian, he abruptly jumped off the sofa to hide behind Si Qingzhao''s legs, looking at her with wary eyes.


    His eyes weren''t ck like Shi Nian or Auntie Si, but they were slightly lighter in color, grey with a tinge of green in it. When he looked at her with wide eyes, Shi Nian thought that he really resembled a kitty.


    "Xiao Kun." Si Qingzhao patted the doll''s head and said in a soft tone. "This is Shi Nian, Auntie Qiang''s daughter. You remember Auntie Qiang, right? The one who gave you the doll in your room?"


    Xiao Kun looked back and forth between Shi Nian and his mother before nodding curtly.


    There was a sh of sadness in Si Qingzhao''s eyes which was quickly concealed. "Niannian, this is my child, Xiao Kun. He''s two years older than you." Si Qingzhao turned to Xiao Kun and asked in a soft tone. "Shi Nian will stay with us for dinner tonight. Let''s get along well, shall we?"


    Shi Nian looked at the child''s exquisite features, her heart racing faster like never before. This was the most beautiful girl she had ever seen in her life! So adorable and delicate! How cute!


    Shi Nian took the initiative to step forward and reach out a hand. "Hello, my name is Shi Nian."


    Nan Xukun recoiled back slightly like a startled little animal. After confirming that Shi Nian didn''t mean any harm, he gingerly reached out and shook her hand for only a split second before hastily retracting.


    Somehow, he reminded Shi Nian of the little snail she teased yesterday. It was also like this, when she touched it, it would retreat back to its shell but when she didn''t do anything, it woulde out and scan its surrounding warily before making a step.


    Shi Nian''s eyes crinkled with smiles. "Xiao Chun!"


    Si Qingzhao coughed to suppress herugh.


    Nan Xukun''s face fell and it was obvious that he was a little displeased. "My name is Xiao Kun." His voice was crisp and clear, the pronunciation was much clearer than hers. That alone was enough to make Shi Nian admire him.


    Shi Nian nodded seriously, "Xiao¡­Chun."


    Nan Xukun pursed his lips, tears welled up in his eyes.


    "Ah?" Shi Nian panicked. "W¡ªWhat''s wwong?"


    Si Qingzhao crouched down and talked to him softly. "Xiao Kun, Xiao Nian isn''t bullying you. See, she really wants to be your friend."


    "Yes, yes!" Shi Nian echoed. "I want to be fwiends!"


    Xiao Kun stared at her warily and clutched the hem of Si Qingzhao''s clothes. Only after half a day did he finally nod, barely epting Shi Nian''s presence in his house.


    That was Shi Nian and Nan Xukun''s first encounter. On a winter twelve years ago, they became friends along with a tray of chocte chip cookies which was still warm, fresh from the oven. The sweet scent diffused into the air, making them feel rxed and peaceful.


    For the rest of the day, even though Xiao Kun only talked with Si Qingzhao and pretended that she was air, Shi Nian was still happy to gain such a pretty friend! Now, she could show off to her ssmates that she had someone to y dolls with!


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    A/N: We''re starting the new volume with scenes from the past (?????)? ??and yes, Nan Xukun as a child is really beautiful and Shi Nian really mistook him as a girl until yearster lol.

 Chapter 217 - Xiao Chun, Dont Cry...

    It wasn''t until a few weekster that Shi Nian knew the reason why Xiao Kun showed such a strong reaction when they first met.


    For Shi Nian, it was a day like any other. Her life only consisted of school, ying with friends, doing homework, watching cartoons with Qiang Fei and asionally munched food from Auntie Si.


    If it wasn''t for her being curious about the new kitty which her ssmate chanced upon yesterday, Shi Nian wouldn''t have taken a road different than her usual path. If it wasn''t for that, then she wouldn''t have seen such a horrible scene either.


    A group of big children were ganging on a small, little child. Mocking,ughing, asionally pushing and hitting. The child was shoved so hard that he tripped and fell over his butt, yet he didn''t make any sound at all, head hanging low.


    Shi Nian blinked in confusion. She tried to creep closer silently to find out what was going on but her n came to naught when she realized that the child in the center was next door''s Xiao Kun!


    Her eyes widened in anger and Shi Nian charged forward, pushing the kid whose leg stretched out, intending to kick Xiao Kun.. The circle was broken in an instant. Shi Nian gantly stood in front of Xiao Kun and glowered at the group of boys who were half a head taller than her.


    "You¡ª" Maybe because Shi Nian''s eyes were too ferocious, the boys instantly cowered and turned tails. "The mistress'' son got help today! Let''s go! We will continue tomorrow!"


    Shi Nian glowered fiercely. "You will still bully Xiao Chun tomorrow?! See if I will tell the teachers!"


    Honestly, it wasn''t that Shi Nian was fearless. When she saw the boys retreating, she was so relieved that she wanted to cry. However, she held herself back and turned to Xiao Kun who had stood up on his own, asking in worry, "Are you okay? Why are they bullying you? They are so bad! Let''s go and tell Auntie Si!"


    Shi Nian pulled on his wrist, but the boy remained firm in ce. "Xiao Chun?" The nickname had finally be a habit. Even though Shi Nian didn''t have a lisp anymore, she would still call him that.


    "Don''t." His shoulders were trembling minutely. "Don''t tell my mother."


    "Why?!" Shi Nian demanded, confused. "They are bad kids! We should report bad kids to the teachers and parents!"


    "I said no!" Xiao Kun burst out in anger for the first time, making her dumbfounded. "Didn''t you hear me?! I told you not to tell my mother!" As he shouted, tears slid down his cheeks in an unstoppable stream.


    Shi Nian was so spooked that she was left with no choice but to appease him first. "A¡ªAlright, alright, I will listen to you. I won''t tell your mother. Xiao Chun, don''t cry¡­don''t cry¡­" Shi Nian''s nose felt sour and she sniffed along with him.


    Xiao Chun hupped and wiped his face roughly, the base of his ears was red. "Who''s crying?!"


    "But¡ª"


    "My name is Xiao Kun!"


    "Okay, okay Xiao Kun. Your name is Xiao Kun." Shi Nian said his name ''Xiao Kun, Xiao Kun'' over and over again until the boy calmed down. However, not even a few momentster, she regenerated back into Xiao Chun as if she was a goldfish with only three seconds of memory.


    Xiao Kun''s head was lowered as he continued to dry his tears. "Why did you help me? Don''t you see that they are my ssmates? They wille and find trouble with you..."


    For a seven years old child, Xiao Kun was very skinny and pale. His height barely reached Shi Nian''s nose and it was still long before he could match his strong and vigorous ssmates. Xiao Kun was so delicate and fragile, making Shi Nianpelled to help him!


    Hearing Xiao Kun''s words, Shi Nian was dumbfounded. "Why? I should help you at times like these! If those kidse to trouble me, then I will tell the teachers!"


    Nan Xukun pursed his lips. "Is that how Auntie Qiang taught you?"


    "No, Mama didn''t teach me. Why?" Shi Nian blinked.


    At that time, she still hadn''t known what ''righteousness'' and ''justice'' meant. All she wanted to do was to chase away the kids that bullied Xiao Kun.


    "Because from all of the children I''ve met, no one has ever stepped forward except you." Xiao Kun whispered under his breath, his long and curly eyshes were damp with tears, making it look exceptionally dark against his fair skin.


    Shi Nian was still stuck with the previous problem. "Why don''t you let me tell Auntie Si? Or else, let''s go and tell the teacher? Why are you keeping quiet when they''re bullying you? How long have they been bullying you for?"


    Nan Xukun frowned, irritated. "Why are you asking so many questions?"


    "I am curious ah." She said innocently.


    Nan Xukun snorted. "Did you not hear what they said?"


    "I didn''t." Shi Nian was serious. At that moment, her brain was nk. Where did she get the effort to listen to them yapping?


    "They said I am a mistress'' son." Xiao Kun confessed glumly. "They also said that I am a bastard, that my mother is only a mistress."


    Shi Nian was confused. "What is a mistress? What a bastard?"


    Xiao Kun blinked, dumbfounded. To be honest, he didn''t really understand it either. He instinctively knew that it was a bad word and he couldn''t let his mother hear them lest she would get upset again. "It means¡ªum¡­" He borrowed the words which he had heard from the neighborhood auntie and tranted it within his own capacity. "It means I have more than one father¡­"


    "Huh?" Shi Nian was taken aback. "Isn''t that a good thing? I don''t even have a father, let alone more than one. You''re so amazing!"


    Two innocent children looked at each other speechlessly, both were equally confused and perplexed.


    However, no matter how Shi Nian tried to cheer him up, Xiao Kun remained depressed until they returned home.


    Shi Nian couldn''t contain her curiosity and asked Qiang Fei on that very night, under the warm nket when they snuggled together.


    For the first time ever, Qiang Fei sported a grave expression. "Where did you hear this?"


    Shi Nian shrunk her neck fearfully. "I¡ªI heard it from Xiao Chun and Xiao Chun heard it from the bad kids who bullied him!"


    Qiang Fei pressed on her temple and sighed.


    She had heard in passing that Si Qingzhao never talked about her husband but Qiang Fei didn''t think too much about it. Everyone had wounds and secrets they never wanted anyone to know. However, she had never expected that the rumor would spread this far and low.


    If the adults didn''t talk about it in front of their children, how could they learn it?


    Qiang Fei felt more urgently the need to move out from this neighborhood. "How is Xiao Chun? Is she[1] okay?"


    Shi Nian thought for a while and crumpled her face, mimicking Qiang Fei''s frown. "It seems like she''s not."


    "Listen to Mama, Niannian." Qiang Fei said seriously. "Bastard, mistress what not, they are all very, very bad words. Mama doesn''t need to teach you the meaning right now because you will gradually understand it as you grow up. But remember," She stared into her daughter''s golden eyes solemnly. "You cannot, by any circumstances, use those words to mock people, understand?"


    "Yes!" Shi Nian recalled her and Xiao Kun''s conversation and sighed in relief. Safe, she hadn''t used those words at all. Then, as if thinking of something else, she let out a yelp. "Ah, what to do?!"


    "What''s wrong?"


    "I¡ª" Shi Nian scratched her nose sheepishly. "I seemed to have praised him about that. Mama, is that not very good?"


    Qiang Fei: "¡­"


    .


    .


    [1] In case you''re curious, yes, Qiang Fei didn''t realize that Xiao Kun is a boy either.


    .


    A/N: oh, Young Master Nan is too pitiful, he''s only seven years old and has to endure those bullying. Where is his powerful and rich father ah? (?§Õ?¨p) why don''t you show up?!

 Chapter 218 - Help! Help My Mother!

    Shi Nian thought that if she kept on protecting Xiao Kun from the bullies, then everything would be fine. Everyday, they went to school and returned home together. When the bullies saw that there was a fierce looking Shi Nian beside him who clearly wasn''t easy to bully, they didn''t dare to find them anymore.


    Sometimes, Xiao Kun''s clothes would be stained with red or blue ink. It spread on the clean fabric, looking especially ring and dirty. However, when Shi Nian asked about it, Xiao Kun always said to just leave it alone.


    Thus, she could do nothing but babble, sing and spend time together with him.


    People could talk, but they could also choose to ignore. As long as Shi Nian distracted him, filled him with happy memories, then Xiao Kun wouldn''t be sad anymore.


    However, she still underestimated how cruel the society could be..


    Shi Nian looked at Si Qingzhao''s swollen eyes, proof that she had just cried, then looked at the glum Xiao Kun. Nowadays, Xiao Kun smiled less and less often. He wasn''t a fan ofughing to begin with, but he didn''t usually look this somber either. He was shrouded in an air of gloominess and the sadness in his eyes was evident.


    Si Qingzhao forced herself to smile as she and Qiang Fei went away to talk. Shi Nian confirmed that the adults couldn''t hear him and whispered. "Auntie Si¡­was crying?" She asked tentatively.


    Nan Xukun sported a nk expression as he blurted out smoothly. "We overheard the auntie below say that my mother is a promiscuous woman, that''s why my father doesn''t want us anymore." Children were just like that, they could repeat whatever adults said without knowing its meaning.


    Shi Nian looked at him, confused. There were some words she had never heard before. But she still rebuked seriously. "So what if your father doesn''t want you? I want you ah!"


    Xiao Kun mustered a smile, but Shi Nian felt like it was better if he didn''t smile at all. It looked too¡­ugly. "Can you keep on protecting me forever? Can you stay with me forever?"


    "I can!" Shi Nian puffed out her chest. "Why can''t I? I will be with you, protect you and apany you!"


    "For the rest of our lives?"


    Shi Nian didn''t understand what it meant but she still nodded. "For the rest of our lives!" Only after saying that did Xiao Kun give her a genuine smile, one which she returned with a wide grin.


    Later, Auntie Si asked her. "Little Shi Nian, do you like our family''s Xiao Kun?"


    "En!" Shi Nian beamed. "I like her very much!"


    "Then¡­" Si Qingzhao teased. "How about getting married to Xiao Kun in the future?"


    Shi Nian tilted her head, baffled. "Auntie, you''re joking, right? Mama said only a boy and girl can get married in the future. They are future spouses, that''s why we have to maintain some distance from them so as to not create troubles in the future!"


    Si Qingzhao was astonished by her solemn tone. Then, she blinked, blinked and blinked again. Realization slowly dawned on her and she abruptly burst out inughter. Sheughed so hard that she almost rolled on the floor.


    Shi Nian was bewildered. She didn''t think that she had said something funny. But seeing Si Qingzhao''s bright smile which she hadn''t seen for a while, Shi Nian became happy too so sheughed along with her.


    That was the scene Xiao Kun saw when he got out of the bathroom. His mother and Shi Nian wereughing at who knows what. Si Qingzhao''s face was flushed and she wheezed for breath, hugging her cramp stomach.


    Seeing her son, she staggered toward him and patted his shoulder, the corner of her lips trembled. "Nan Xukun, it will be hard for you in the future."


    Xiao Kun: ???


    The days passed by as usual until one day, delicately protected bnce was finally broken.


    The sses for first year and third year of primary school were different. Shi Nian didn''t have exams, but Xiao Kun did. Thetter persistently told her to go home first. Thus, Shi Nian had no choice but to follow his words lest Xiao Kun would cry again. He was such a crybaby.


    On the stairs leading to her floor, Shi Nian was careless and bumped into a boy. He was a fairly young man with youthful face, d in a school uniform she had never seen before. For the five years old Shi Nian, the boy was akin to a towering giant.


    "Sorry!" After bumping into his legs, Shi Nian rubbed her aching nose and craned her neck ny degrees just so that she could look at his face. She had never seen someone so tall before and was curious, thinking that he was a new neighbor.


    He clearly looked so young, yet his eyes terrified Shi Nian so. Those eyes were too chilling, frosty with no emotions seen. Dark and bottomless. When he looked down at Shi Nian, she had the notion of being submerged in icy cold water in snowy weather.


    Children were more sensitive toward emotions thus, when his eyes fell upon her, she instinctively recoiled, cold sweat dripping down her back.


    The boy didn''t say anything and proceeded to go down the stairs. His footsteps rang out clear and loud, matching with Shi Nian''s heartbeat. Thump¡­thump¡­thump. Only after he disappeared down the corner did Shi Nian dare to move again and dashed into her house with the greatest speed she had ever mustered.


    Even after a few days, whenever she thought about those eyes, she would be so scared that she didn''t dare to sleep alone.


    It was onlyter that Shi Nian realized that the scary big brother wasing out of Auntie Si''s house. Shi Nian hid behind the door until the boy disappeared down the stairs before she proceeded to ring Auntie Si''s doorbell.


    The door swung open in an instant, showing Auntie Si behind it with a fierce expression she had never seen before. "What do you want¡ªah, sorry, it''s Niannian. Sorry...did Auntie scare you?"


    Shi Nian was still frozen in shock and she only recovered when Si Qingzhao pulled her in and sweet scents of chocte cookies filled her nose.


    She gingerly asked, "Auntie Si¡­who did you think of just now?"


    Si Qingzhao gave a forced smile. "No one, don''t think about it. Are you hungry now? Auntie will give you some cookies first so don''t tell Xiao Kun, okay?"


    As expected, Shi Nian was distracted just with that. She loudly promised, "Not telling Xiao Chun!"


    But clearly, that boy wasn''t no one like how Auntie Si described him to be. In total, Shi Nian saw him three times. And thest time was when she was together with Qiang Fei. Because her mother was here, Shi Nian had nothing to be scared of. Even then, she still grabbed Qiang Fei''s hands tight and hid behind the woman''s legs as she looked at the boy''s receding back.


    "Niannian?"


    Shi Nian couldn''t contain her curiosity. "Mama, I have seen himing out of Auntie Si''s house a few times before."


    Qiang Fei smiled and patted her head softly. "Little busybody. Your Auntie Si has her own family and rtives okay? It''s verymon for someone toe visit her."


    So, it was Auntie Si''s family? Shi Nian blinked. Then why don''t they live together?


    She really wanted to ask, but she didn''t want to be called a little busybody anymore thus she held herself back. They went inside the house one after another and Shi Nian helped Qiang Fei drag one of the stic bags to the kitchen.


    Qiang Fei gave her a loving smile and pushed her back. "Go out and wait a moment. Dinner will be ready in half an hour."


    "Okie dokie!" It wasn''t often for them to have dinner together as Shi Nian usually went next door to munch for food from Auntie Si when Qiang Fei was swarmed with work. Thus, Shi Nian waited obediently on the sofa, short legs swinging back and forth in anticipation.


    However, the awaited dinner never came.


    Shi Nian''s doorbell rang, once, twice, third, continuously as if the person behind the door was jamming on the button anxiously.


    "Niannian, go and see who''s outside!" Qiang Fei called out from the kitchen.


    Shi Nian jumped down the sofa and opened the door as far as the safety chain allowed before peeking outside.


    The anxious cry came even before Shi Nianprehend what was going on. "Help! Help my mother! She¡ª"


    What happened afterward was a blur in Shi Nian''s mind. She recalled how Qiang Fei ran out from the kitchen and brought her into the bedroom with a pale face, telling her to y alone for a while. Shortly after that, the sound of door mming close and rapid footsteps sounded.


    After a while, Shi Nian tiptoed and peeked out of the window and saw an ambnce driving into theirmunity. The piercing siren rang out loudly, the red lights shone in a dazzling glow.


    She thought, the color was very simr to the red liquid on Xiao Chun''s body.


    .


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    .


    A/N: Shi Nian is such a little busybody but no, it doesn''t change either after she grows up (?¨R?¨Q)? ohh and who''s the mysterious boy in school uniform? Hmm sus...


    One more chappie until we return to the present!

 Chapter 219 - Its A Promise

    Auntie Si slipped in the bathroom, lost her bnce and bumped her head against the edge of the bathtub. It wasn''t until Xiao Kun returned home that he realized the great predicament his mother was in. By the time he ran out to ask for help, Si Qingzhao''s blood had covered the bathroom floor, some of it even stained Xiao Kun''s clean clothes.


    She lost too much blood and had to be monitored in the hospital for a few days. If she was rescued a bitter, it was unknown how her life would be right now.


    Shi Nian didn''t really understand but it seemed like the situation was quite bad as she didn''t see Xiao Kun on those days and when she asked Qiang Fei, the only answer she got was, "Xiao Chun is with her Mama. Don''t worry, she wille home soon."


    Qiang Fei seldom lied and five dayster, Si Qingzhao and Xiao Kun returned.


    "Auntie Si!" Qiang Fei told her that she couldn''t jump on Si Qingzhao like she always did, thus she only hovered around her and looked at her in worry. "Is Auntie Si okay?" Her eyes fell upon the gauze on her forehead. "Does it hurt?".


    "Auntie is okay. I have made Niannian worried." Auntie Si touched her head softly.


    Shi Nian was satisfied and turned to the boy trailing behind her. "Xiao Chun¡ªeh?" She blinked, baffled. "What''s wrong with you?"


    Xiao Kun looked much skinnier than before. The clothes that used to fit him snugly became loose. He was even skinnier than when Shi Nian first met him. There were red veins on his eyes and it looked like he was going to cry anytime soon.


    But he didn''t.


    Because before he did, a hoarse cry came from behind them.


    Shi Nian turned around in surprise to find her mother hugging Auntie Si. Thetter''s face was hidden in Qiang Fei''s shoulder, but the muffle cry travelled to her ears. "I can''t bear it anymore! No matter how far I go, they will still find me! How can I keep on living like this?!"


    Qiang Fei patted Si Qingzhao''s shoulders. She turned sideways and her eyes met Shi Nian''s. Qiang Fei gave her an apologetic smile and patted Si Qingzhao''s back infort as she waited for the emotional woman to calm down.


    Shi Nian instantly understood what she had to do. She grabbed Xiao Kun''s wrist and pulled him into her house straight to her bedroom. She showed him the drawing she didst time. "Look. This is me and this is you. Isn''t it beautiful?"


    Xiao Kun held the drawing, eyes transfixed onto it. The drawing only consisted of two people. The figure of Shi Nian was casually drawn like a vertical stick with four branches sticking out as limbs but Xiao Kun was different. His eyes wererge, hair soft and fluffy with beautiful clothes on his body. More importantly, in the drawing, there was arge smile on his face.


    "Isn''t it beautiful?" She asked again after not hearing any answer.


    Xiao Kun didn''t say anything, butrge droplets of tears silently fell onto the paper, wetting the crayon right onto the happy Xiao Kun in the picture.


    "Ah!" Shi Nian yelped, flustered. "Why are you crying again? Is it ugly? I will draw it again, okay?"


    "It''s¡­beautiful." Xiao Kun sniffled and wiped his tears. "It''s the most beautiful drawing I have ever seen." He put it beside his face and pulled up the corner of his lips as high as it could be. "Is it simr?"


    "Yes, yes! It''s very simr!"


    "Can I have it?"


    "I originally wanted to give it to you anyway! But are you sure you don''t want me to paint another? I promise it will be better¡ª"


    "Thank you, Xiao Nian."


    Her words were interrupted, making Shi Nian''s head go nk. "Ah? No, no, it''s okay. You''re very wee."


    "Thank you." For the first time ever, Xiao Kun initiated a touch as he gingerly held her hands. "Thank you very much. Because of you, I learned for the first time how to speak out for myself, how to ignore people''s obnoxious remarks and how to live happily."


    Shi Nian felt like something didn''t seem right with him. But Xiao Kun''s words were too touching and Shi Nian was beside herself with joy.


    "Hehe, it''s really nothing." Shi Nian scratched her nose, embarrassed. "Then you should draw me as well!"


    Xiao Kun pursed his lips. "I don''t have any crayons."


    "I will lend you mine!" Shi Nian scrambled to pull out a box of crayon from her drawer. "This is my favorite, I will lend it to you for a week. After that, you should return it to me or else I will get angry. How about that?"


    Shi Nian expected him to be exhrated, but instead, Xiao Kun shook his head.


    Shi Nian''s eyes dimmed as she whined, "Why? I won''t be angry even if you draw me ugly¡­"


    "Xiao Nian, I am moving." He said all of a sudden.


    "Ah?" Shi Nian blinked a few times before the words slowly seeped into her brain. "You are moving? You will not be living here anymore?"


    "Yes." Xiao Kun lowered his head sadly. "I have always moved from one ce to another and I have never minded it before. Only here¡­I really don''t want to leave."


    "Then don''t!" Shi Nian blurted out anxiously, then perhaps realizing that her words didn''t really hold any weight, she changed her sentence. "Where will you move to? I will go and find you everyday!"


    "I am moving abroad."


    "Abroad?" Shi Nian didn''t know where it was but she still promised nheless. "Then I will go abroad everyday!"


    Hearing her words, Xiao Kun finally gave a smallugh.


    Shi Nian thought that he had acquiesced and got happy afterward. "It''s a promise then."


    "Okay." Xiao Kun didn''t say anything to rebuke her nor did he tell her it was impossible for her to go abroad. This¡­This might be thest time they met. "It''s a promise."


    Subsequently, Auntie Si and Xiao Kun moved away. The room next door became empty. Seasons passed and time flew by in a blink of an eye. For the first few days, Shi Nian cried, saying that she wanted to go abroad to find Xiao Kun. It was only that moment she learned what abroad meant and how she needed a lot, a lot of money to go there.


    Money was important, Shi Nian knew it. Without money, then there would be no food, no bed, no house. Mama worked hard to earn money. On the other hand, Shi Nian had to be an adult before she could earn some too.


    Gradually, Shi Nian stopped making a ruckus.


    Her life seemed to have returned to how it was before Xiao Kun moved here.


    It was like the delicate, beautiful porcin doll was only a fragment of her imagination.


    Shi Nian slowly grew up and the things she had to worry about increased. Slowly, the memory of childhood faded away and Xiao Kun remained as one of the children she yed with when she was young.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Sigh, their interactions are so heartwarming yet sad at the same time. It''s not unreasonable why Nan Xukun was so overly familiar and sticky when they met again. Next chappie, we will return to the present!

 Chapter 220 - How Do You Remember Li Qing?

    "The report is out!" Ke Shao eximed with astonishment as everyone''s eyes fell on him. "Detective Qin¡­is spot on! There''s a high concentration of ecstasy drugs in both Li Qing''s blood and body fluid!"


    The busy office halted as if someone had just pressed the pause button. Then simultaneously, numerous pairs of eyes turned to Qin Weizhe whose expression didn''t change since the beginning.


    It was Luo Ning who was so excited that his face flushed crimson. "Detective Qin, your deduction is proven! Oh my God, you''re so amazing!" His eyes were filled with pure awe and admiration.


    Qin Weizhe epted the report and flicked through it, then handed it to Xu Binchen who took it without a word. Thetter''s eyes raked through the dense words in the paper as he hummed. "Yes, that''s right. I have seen this drug in Dreamscape Bar''s catalog before. Ecstasy pill, or happy pill is a stimnt that can make people feel good and high, keeping them for days without rest. Usage in the long term can cause hallucination, severe mood swings, seizures, brain swelling, or even death.".


    "There''s a huge case in City S Private High School where the top students were caught using this drug so that they can study more vigorously with better concentration. But when one of the students was admitted to the hospital because of a sudden seizure, the matter was found out by the Principal."


    "Oh, yes." Ke Shao nodded thoughtfully like chicken pecking rice. "It seems like I have heard it in the news before."


    Xu Binchen continued, "It''s one of the most scandalous cases a few years ago. All of the top students had to be admitted into the rehabilitation centre, causing a huge sensation among people. After that, the drug was officially banned in the country, but I have guessed that the matter wasn''t that simple."


    Tang Wei snorted. "What banned? Dreamscape Bar can even distribute it freely, doesn''t it mean that people in the government are corrupt?"


    "Hush!" Ke Shao pped the back of his head. "Even if you know, you still can''t speak of it. The walls have ears, you know?"


    Tang Wei pushed up the sses which had slid down due to Ke Shao''s p, muttering curses under his breath. He looked around and asked, "Where is Captain?"


    "He''s reviewing the overall progress of the serial murder case with Senior Ru."


    After the words fell, everyone nced at each other, their facesplicated. "Captain and Senior Ru¡­they¡ª"


    "Why are you gossiping about them?" Qin Weizhe stood up from his seat, cutting off whatever conversation might take ce. "Aren''t you busy enough already? Luo Ning, has that person arrived yet?"


    Luo Ning, who was suddenly cued, fumbled around and checked. "N¡ªNo, it seems like he''s still on the way. Don''t worry Detective Qin, he has already promised toe over today."


    "Who''s worried?" Qin Weizhe mumbled, but his dark expression lightened. He patted Luo Ning''s head and messed up his hair slightly. "Come on. Let''s go first to wee our big guest."


    "Oh, alright." Luo Ning didn''t care about his hair and hastily grabbed his notebook andptop before chasing after Qin Weizhe.


    The people who were left behind were surrounded in a strange silence. It was Ke Shao who spoke first, asking tentatively. "Did I say something wrong?"


    "No." Xu Binchen, who knew the truth, lied without batting an eyelid. "He is just mad for no reason. It''s just how he is."


    ***


    Nan Xukun said that he would arrive at the police station at 8 pm and he was right on time, not even a second less.


    "Wee, Young Master Nan. Thank you foring on such a short notice." Qin Weizhe portrayed the perfect attitude as a host as he shook Nan Xukun''s hands. The boy was exactly how he pictured him to be. Handsome, roguish with an air of rebelliousness. Just that, he looked much more obedient and well-behaved than expected.


    Nan Xukun smiled in return, leaned forward and whispered. "You don''t tell Chief Song about my arrival, right?"


    "No," Qin Weizhe smiled with his teeth shown. "Don''t worry. Except for us, no one knows."


    "Good." Nan Xukun patted his chest and sighed dramatically. "I don''t want that old fogey to nag me again. You did a very great job. Detective Qin, right? I will try to cooperate as much as possible!"


    Qin Weizhe and Luo Ning''s mouth twitched. The former''s smile didn''t change as he gestured for Nan Xukun toe into the interrogation room, his gait was almost like a butler who weed the owner of the house back. "Please sit. What do you want? Water, tea, coffee?"


    Luo Ning looked at Qin Weizhe with a weird gaze. Since when did he be so considerate of someone? Was there something special about Nan Xukun except being Nan Cheng''s son and the sole heir of Henan Corporation? Well¡­that alone was already very amazing though¡­


    He dejectedly went out of the room to go to the hidden room to monitor the progress.


    "No, no need." Nan Xukun hastily refused the great intention and grinned. "I won''t take long anyway."


    Qin Weizhe observed his behavior discreetly and nodded. "Then, let''s get to the point." He sat down and opened his notebook. "Young Master Nan, do you know what I call you in for?"


    Nan Xukun shrugged. "You just said that you need me for questioning because Li Qing died. What do you want to ask me?"


    Qin Weizhe looked at him curiously, the pen twirling between his fingers. "This is the police station. Aren''t you nervous at all?"


    Nan Xukun gave him a gaze as if he was just saying the most amusing joke in the whole world. "Detective Qin, in total, I havended myself in the police station 14 times. 10 times for gang fighting," He counted with his fingers. "3 times for illegal street racing, one time for¡­eh? What is the onest time for ah? I forgot¡­" He scratched his head, confused.


    Qin Weizhe: "¡­" This kid is really gutsy. No wonder he dared to call Chief Song an ''old fogey''.


    He cleared his throat. "Okay, I know now. Let''s move on to the main question. How long have you known Li Qing?"


    "How long¡­" He frowned. "Don''t really remember, two years? Three years?"


    Qin Weizhe noted it down. "Then, how much do you know about her?"


    "Know?" Nan Xukunughed. "We are just acquaintances. At most, we only knew each other''s name. The number of times I have seen her or talked to her can be counted with one hand."


    "So¡­you don''t often meet her?"


    "Yes, my school isn''t here and my house is far too. The majority of times I met her was at¡­"


    "At where?"


    Nan Xukun coughed softly. "The bar. But really, I am not that kind of person who smokes and drinks booze. I just yed around and danced a few times."


    Qin Weizhe didn''t change his expression as he asked casually. "Dreamscape Bar?"


    "Oh yes, Manager Si''s service is really good. With him here, I don''t have to worry about being caught by my father. It''s really annoying, you know¡ª"


    "I know." Qin Weizhe nodded, then brought the topic back. "Except for Li Qing, who else often went to the bar with you?"


    Nan Xukun frowned. "Honestly, I don''t really remember their names. My close buddy is only Huang Lexin. The rest of the people were either here because of his name or mine."


    Huang Lexin. The eldest son of Minister Huang of the Ministry of Economy. Qin Weizhe nodded. The saying was right that only people of the same feather flocked together. "Then, do you know Ruo Tingran and her group? They also frequented the bar you went to."


    "Aiyah, the girls are too many to count. You should just ask Huang Lexin, that yboy, if you want to know more." Nan Xukun waved his hand nonchntly, fingers pressing on his temple. He always had bad times remembering people''s names.


    "Oh?" Qin Weizhe raised a brow and his tone grew sharp. "If you don''t remember her, then how do you remember Li Qing?"


    .


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    A/N: Plotes first before romance ¡î¡Ð(¨R¨Œ?¡ã ) one more chappie before I drown you with dog food fufufu...

 Chapter 221 - More Than What Meets The Eye

    Qin Weizhe couldn''t quite describe the way Nan Xukun looked at him, despite being a quite eloquent detective, in his own opinion. How to say it¡­kind ofplicated, perplexed and bewildered. In short, he looked like he didn''t understand why Qin Weizhe was asking this sort of question.


    Old Qin, who felt like his IQ was being insulted, rapped on the table with his knuckles. "Can you tell me honestly?"


    Nan Xukun rubbed his lips with the back of his hand, pondering. "Let''s say it like this, Detective Qin, let me ask you a question. If from a flock of white gooses, suddenly there''s a chicken there, will you notice it or not?"


    Qin Weizhe ignored how Nan Xukun phrased Li Qing as a chicken and nodded. "Notice."


    "Then, if the so-called chicken¡ªwait, you know who I''m talking about. I mean, if a person like Li Qing often passed by in front of you, like five times in less than half an hour, with her face beet red and regrly tripped on her foot then looked at you in panic, would you notice her or not?"


    Qin Weizhe nodded.. "¡­notice."


    Nan Xukun spread his palms with the expression of ''See, now you know it''.


    Qin Weizhe cleared his throat. "So, you know that she had feelings for you?"


    "If I don''t know, then I must be blind ah." Nan Xukun sighed. "She was so obvious as if she was scared I wouldn''t know it."


    The tip of the pen moved swiftly on the paper as Qin Weizhe nodded in contemtion. "Then how do you feel about it?"


    "How do I feel?" He asked in return. "How should I feel? She didn''t confess at all so I couldn''t just reject her out of nowhere, right? Now, the person suddenlymitted suicide, I can''t do anything even if I want to."


    So far, Nan Xukun''s answer had been wless. Qin Weizhe twirled the pen between his fingers and questioned, "Then, how do you exin why you started to exchange messages regrly with her a few days before her death?"


    "Huh?" Nan Xukun was taken aback, shocked. "Me?"


    "Yes, you." Qin Weizhe sneered lightly and pulled out a few pages of papers where the screenshots of chatting were printed on. There was Li Qing''s conversation there with someone with the nickname NanNan. It was such a girly nickname that even Wang Chengbing overlooked it, moreover, there was already someone in Ruo Tingran''s group with that nickname. Maybe it was Li Qing''s intention, maybe she didn''t want anyone to know, that''s why she changed it like that.


    However, in the end, when the group were questioned by the police, the matter was finally exposed.


    The conversation was quite short and it didn''t contain any additional meaning or hidden secrets.


    [Li Qing]: Good morning smile.jpg


    [Li Qing]: Today''s weather is very pleasant. Sadly, the homeworks and practice papers are too much.


    [NanNan]: Hahaha you''re right


    [Li Qing]: Good evening


    [Li Qing]: The weather forecast said that it will rain today. Do you bring an umbre?


    [NanNan]: I didn''t


    [Li Qing]: Oh no, you should take a hot bath and take care not to get a cold


    [NanNan]: I know. Thank you.


    .


    .


    .


    [NanNan]: Li Qing, you''re so kind. Thank you~


    [Li Qing]: Where am I kind ah? shy.jpg


    If it was Qin Weizhe read the chat log himself first, he might have realized that the chat was too formal and ambiguous between normal friends and unlikely to happen between two girls unless they were lesbian, but in the end, the one who checked it was Wang Chengbing, that blockhead whose girlfriends were only PCs and gaming keyboards. He didn''t realize anything at all and gave it a pass.


    Li Qing''s words were carefully chosen and every single entry was filled with concern and worry about the other party''s well being. However, Young Master Nan''s reply would differ by hours. Sometimes, when Li Qing messaged him in the morning, he would only replyte at night or early morning after that.


    The conversationsted until the day before her death as Li Qing''sst message was: [When the monthly exam passed, can I tell you something?]


    There was no reply from Young Master Nan.


    Nan Xukun blinked, baffled. "This¡­" He pointed at the printed conversation. "You said this NanNan is me?"


    The corner of Qin Weizhe curled up into a smile which didn''t reach his eyes. "Oh, it isn''t you?"


    "Of course not!"


    "Then," He typed on theptop and turned it around to show the database of the WeChat server which had been hacked. A red circle was drawn on one of the datas, where the register name and ID of the person behind ''NanNan'' was evidently Nan Xukun.


    Young Master Nan''s jaws dropped open as he saw that.


    "Any excuses?" Qin Weizhe asked with a smile.


    "This¡­" Nan Xukun was silent for a few moments and to Qin Weizhe''s surprise, threw his head back andughed. His brown curly hair swayed along with his movement. He didn''t cower at all, instead he rxed fully, azy smile hung on his lips. "I know what is going on now!"


    Qin Weizhe asked nkly. "What?"


    "A month ago, one of my phones went missing. I thought it was stolen so I didn''t really care about it. This must be my stolen phone. You can ask Huang Lexin about it if you don''t believe me. Someone must be impersonating me to chat with her."


    "Stolen?" Qin Weizhe raised a brow. "When did youst use this phone? Do you remember approximately when and where it was stolen?"


    Nan Xukun shook his head. "It''s not the first time this has happened. I have lots of spare phones and I only use one private number which only a few people know. The rest are decoys so that unrted people can''t annoy me. I can give it all to you if you want to check."


    Qin Weizhe sucked in cold air. "How many phones do you have in total?"


    "Don''t remember." He drawled nonchntly. "You might want to ask the servants in my house for that."


    Veins popped up along Qin Weizhe''s arms. "Okay, I will make sure to do that. Young Master Nan sure is extravagant."


    He nodded humbly, which made Qin Weizhe very much wanted to smack his notebook on the boy''s head. "You are exaggerating. It''s only normal."


    Qin Weizhe tried to rpose himself while chanting that this was the difference betweenmoners and those beloved children of Heaven. Now, he already got a new lead. The stolen phone. As long as he found that phone, then he might have found something else. He also had to test the blood of all of the people in Ruo Tingran''s group to see who was responsible for the drug distribution.


    He was ready to end the interrogation when a static tone came from the earpiece and Ru Meiqi''s voice came through it. "Comrade Qin, take his blood and ask for his medical report."


    Qin Weizhe''s movement halted, goosebumps erupted along his arms. The woman''s voice was too close to hisfort as if she was whispering right beside his ear. He ignored his racing heartbeat and even though he didn''t understand why the woman was asking about that, he didn''t say anything and silentlyplied.


    After finishing through the series of procedures, Qin Weizhe came out and rotated his neck, feeling sore and tired. A cup of ss suddenly appeared in front of him and he lifted his head to find Luo Ning.


    "Good work." He said with a smile.


    "Thank you, Little Ning." Qin Weizhe epted it dly. "You''re the best!"


    "Ah, I am not¡ª"


    Behind Luo Ning was Ru Meiqi. Upon seeing her, Qin Weizhe''s eyes lit up as he bypassed Luo Ning and went to her, asking in a whisper. "Senior Ru, may I ask why you''re asking for his blood and medical report?"


    Ru Meiqi looked at him with an indecipherable gaze. "I don''t know. Maybe it''s just curiosity. I felt like there''s something more about him than what meets the eye."


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: What do you think they will find in Nan Xukun''s medical report? hmm...

 Chapter 222 - Really Want To Hold...

    "They ganged up on her?" Jiang Jinyan frowned.


    Xu Binchen added as he fed a spoonful of curry fried rice into his mouth. "Not only that, they also threatened to call you out."


    "Then why didn''t she call me?" he demanded.


    In the next second, both men''s eyes simultaneously turned to Shi Nian who wished that she had a shell so that she could shrink inside and escape from their piercing eyes. One Xu Binchen was already enough and now, adding Jiang Jinyan to the group¡­


    Oh how she wished to just drop dead and faint.


    Shi Nian didn''t know when, but when she realized it, there was already a strange sense of camaraderie between the two men and she often saw them huddling in the corner, whispering who knows what to each other. Shi Nian was sulking, feeling like she had been left behind.


    The rice noodle soup in front of her was only half eaten, but somehow Shi Nian had already felt bloated.


    The cafeteria in their apartment district was lively and boisterous as usual. After Shi Nian was fetched by Xu Binchen who arrived in less than ten minutes, they returned home together and bumped into Jiang Jinyan on the way. Thus resulted in the strangebination at this moment.


    Xu Binchen and Jiang Jinyan¡­


    Shi Nian stole some nces. One was fierce, cold with perpetual frown while the other had softer features, so overwhelming stunning yet giving off a sense of mncholy. Thebination of their aura practically screamed ''unapproachable'' and in the radius of two tables, there was no one who dared to sit around them.


    Just one was already enough. And now, the two of them attracted too much attention ah!


    Shi Nian could feel everyone''s eyes, coincidentally or not, stumble on them once in a while. The two handsome men were just so blinding that they couldn''t look straight at them, thus they turned to Shi Nian who sat between them, the strange and mediocre anomaly.


    The heated gazes seemed to burn her back and she didn''t dare to turn around. Even her back straightened without her realizing.


    Xu Binchen gave her a weird nce. "Why do you keep squirming around? Your butt''s itchy?"


    Jiang Jinyan choked on his spicy ramen and coughed, flush colored his cheeks red.


    Shi Nian looked at Xu Binchen in disbelief, but the man only gave her a questioning nce. She gnashed out through her teeth. "My butt is not itchy!"


    Xu Binchen''s eyes were filled with incredulity as if he didn''t understand why she was angry just by a simple question. He backed away in the end, thinking that he had literally used up all of his patience on her, that''s why she dared to climb up to his head and talked back to him. "Okay, your butt isn''t itchy."


    Shi Nian: "¡­"


    Was that a suitable topic to talk about on the table where they ate?!


    Jiang Jinyan drank his lemonade and pretended that he heard nothing. Halfway through the meal, Xu Binchen''s phone rang and after receiving it, he finished his food in two or threerge bites yet still managed to look graceful and elegant like he was dining in a French restaurant. Wiping his mouth, he said, "I''m going first. Finish your food." He pointed at Shi Nian.


    Shi Nian glowered. Did he have some kind of problem with her today? Why must he keep on embarrassing her in front of Jiang Jinyan? "Finish your food"? She wasn''t some kind of three years old child. Shi Nian sulked and didn''t dare to imagine how Jiang Jinyan''s face was right now. He must have thought that she was childish and ridiculous.


    However, to her surprise, Jiang Jinyan mumbled under his breath after Xu Binchen had walked away. "You two sure are close."


    Shi Nian''s fur bristled like a cat whose tail was being stepped on. "We''re not!"


    "Alright." He replied with a faint smile then proceeded to eat his food in silence. There was no further conversation until they finished their meals. Shi Nian was immersed in her own thoughts when Jiang Jinyan suddenly leaned forward, whispering with his face right in front of hers. "Are you done?"


    "Ah? Y-Yes, what''s wrong¡ª" Shi Nian followed his sight and saw a familiar figure entering the cafeteria. Tall, curvy body d in sportswear with hair tied up in a ponytail, showing the refreshing sight of her forehead...


    Who was it if not for Jiao Jiaying? Why was it her again?!


    "If you''re done, let''s go." Jiang Jinyan stood up.


    Of course, Shi Nian didn''t have anyints about that. On the contrary, she was happy that Jiang Jinyan seemed to have no interest in Jiao Jiaying. Shi Nian had more than once inadvertently heard that the boys in her ss created a survey to vote for the most beautiful girl in the third year. It gave her the impression that boys always paid attention to appearance first.


    Jiang Jinyan was only three years older than them, why would there be such a big difference?


    Shi Nian''s thick rose tinted ss started to work. Certainly, it was because her General was born this way!


    After that, her mind started to recall Jiang Jinyan''s ex-girlfriend without any warning. Beautiful, fashionable, cheerful, sweet with a stunning body. Shi Nian''s mood, which she had lifted up with much effort, crashed back down in an instant.


    The afternoon wind sted against her face as they stepped out of the cafeteria. Shi Nian gave an involuntary shudder and brought her coat closer. Jiang Jinyan, coincidentally or not, maintained half a step in front of her, shielding her from most of the chilly autumn wind.


    Shi Nian''s feet stepped on the fallen leaves, creating crunchy sounds on her trail. November wasing soon and winter was approaching. It would be eight months since she regained the memory of her past life and reunited with Jiang Jinyan again. Shi Nian from a year ago couldn''t have guessed how much her life would change just in a span of one year.


    "What are you thinking about?" Jiang Jinyan''s palm blocked her forehead, preventing her from crashing straight onto the electric pole like a fool. His palm felt very warm against her cold face and Shi Nian blushed, half from his sudden touch and half from embarrassment.


    "I¡­" She blurted out. "I am thinking how sad Jiao Jiaying would be if she found out we were running away from her like this."


    "Jiao Jiaying?" Jiang Jinyan knitted his brows deeply.


    Shi Nian let out an ''ah'' and her mood instantly soared. She couldn''t suppress her smile. "No, it''s no one. You don''t have to remember her name!"


    Jiang Jinyan raised a brow but didn''t refute her further. Shi Nian stole a nce toward his side profile, then down to his palm which was hanging free by his side.


    What to do¡­really want to hold¡­


    Shi Nian was ashamed by her own wanton thoughts, but once the desire emerged, it rapidly sprouted and burst out into arge, towering tree, almost overshadowing any other thought in her mind. Shi Nian gave him a quick nce then gingerly, bashfully¡­reached out and tugged on his pinky finger.


    Jiang Jinyan halted in his tracks and behind him, Shi Nian held her breath, her hold tightening ever so slightly.


    To her surprise, he didn''t refuse nor acquiesced. Shi Nian shamelessly took his silence as an agreement. With her eyes lowered, she buried half of her face into her scarf, grinning like a fool.


    Jiang Jinyan''s pinky finger felt as warm as his palm and there were slight calluses, one that''s smoother than his past life. Of course, he used to wield swords and des, there were uncountable scars criss crossing his palm alone. Fortunately, right now they lived in a peaceful world without wars.


    Both of them walked leisurely under the setting sun and amber glow far in the horizon, enjoying the breezebing their hair. Streemps lit up one by one, illuminating the two ovepping shadows.


    They strolled in silence, yet it felt so warm and peaceful like never before.


    How Shi Nian wished that time would stop right at this moment.


    "General Jiang," she murmured into her scarf, heart full to the point of bursting.


    Jiang Jinyan suddenly stopped and caught off guard, Shi Nian''s nose bumped against his shoulder. The whole scene felt like a dejavu. She rubbed her nose and gave him a questioning nce.


    "I forgot to ask," He said slowly. "In the hospital, on the rooftop, in your house, why do you always call me ''General''?"


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: An extra chappie for you guys!


    Shi Nian, buuusteeed!!! (/¦Å£Ü*) oh I love how she took the initiative lol one thing I realized in Chinese novels that all problems could be solved just bymunication especially Ye Fei Ye''s novels (if you read them) for example Bringing The National Husband Home, Back Then, I Adored You and Billion Stars Can''t Amount To You...oh dear, the dog blood plot that originated from a mere misunderstanding dragging on until hundreds of chapters _(:3¡¹¡Ï)_


    but no kidding, the stories are very good, just that you need...a very strong heart...


    ignore me ranting because I read all of her books and got depressed cos of it (/¦Å£Ü*)

 Chapter 223 - Is It Not A...Date?!

    Shi Nian blinked, bewildered. She¡­Did she really call him ''General'' that much? To the point he remembered it every time she did? "I¡ª" Her tongue tied up, heartbeat quickening under his intense stare. Shi Nian looked at those eyes which held the same depth and luminance as General Jiang.


    This was General Jiang whom she admired. But this was also the Jiang Jinyan she loved.


    She suddenly smiled and asked in a light tone, "Do you believe in the circle of life and death?"


    Jiang Jinyan was taken aback by her unexpected question, he didn''t know why he pondered seriously about it either. "Do you mean¡­reincarnation?"


    Shi Nian nodded. "Humans die and then go through reincarnation, over and over again. It''s a cycle of renewal, as long as our soul is still alive, even if our body goes through eternal death, one day, we will be reborn."


    Her airy and soft voice floated along with the wind, carrying with it the wet and cool fragrance of grass. With each of her words, Jiang Jinyan''s heart stirred for some reason. He had that kind of deja vu again, as if they had stood together like this before, engaging in the same kind of conversation.


    The feeling was so subtle and fleeting that before he could grasp it clearly, it had slipped through his mind and vanished without a trace.


    Seeing Jiang Jinyan''s rare nk look, Shi Nian chuckled. "Someone said that to me, and I believe it. Do you?"


    He snapped out of his thoughts and nodded, still with his mind on her sentence. "I¡­guess I do." Then, realizing how the topic had strayed, he turned his eyes toward her, narrowing slightly. "What does it have to do with my question?"


    "It''s a secret!" Shi Nianughed cheekily, the streemp casted a dim, gentle light on her features, making it as if she was surrounded in a halo. "I will wait for you."


    Jiang Jinyan''s heart skipped a beat and he couldn''t look away from her. His throat parched up all of a sudden, even his voice came out dry. "¡­What do you mean?"


    But the girl only gave him a bright smile, more blinding than every smile he had ever seen before. "Everything. I will wait for you for everything. Mr. Jiang Jinyan," She squeezed his pinky finger and even though a smile still graced her lips, her eyes were uncharacteristically solemn, as if she was swearing an oath. "You don''t know how long I have been waiting for this day...for you...." Her words ended into a heartfelt whisper and Jiang Jinyan felt it seeping and searing into his heart.


    He looked away on one rare asion, unable to bear the intensity within those golden eyes. "You¡­" It was as if a small burden had been lifted off his shoulder, making him feel lighter and¡­happier. His lips curled up without him knowing. "You don''t have to be so formal to me everytime."


    Shi Nian blinked. "It''s a habit." Before the man couldprehend her sentence, she continued, "Then¡­I can call you by your name?"


    Jiang Jinyan didn''t know whether he shouldugh or cry. Sometimes, he felt the girl was putting him on too high of a pedestal. It always made him scared that one day, she would wake up and discover that there''s nothing special about him. "Of course."


    He could never have guessed how much those two words meant to her. Shi Nian''s nose turned sour and she had to blink her eyes a few times so as to not bawl her eyes out in a spur of the moment. "Jiang Jinyan..."


    She had called his name so many times in her heart before. Secretly. Discreetly. Like a treasure that she couldn''t even bear to take out to admire. How could this person have given her so much? How happy must he make her feel until he was satisfied?


    She thought that it would be impossible to ever tell him these bubbling, uncontroble feelings that almost overwhelmed her whole. She was scared that she might scare him away.


    "Jiang Jinyan¡­" She whispered with reddened eyes, yet her smile was dazzlingly bright.


    Jiang Jinyan thought nothing of such a simple thing. He couldn''t understand either why she was getting so emotional. His thumb reached out to graze the bottom of her eyes, gently and softly. "Why are you crying again?"


    Shi Nian sniffled. "I am not. It''s just a bit cold."


    "Really?" He didn''t rebuke her and pulled away his hand whose pinky finger was still in her grab, changing to hold her hand instead. "Then we should hurry home lest you catch a cold."


    Shi Nian burst out in a fit of giggles. Warm permeated her heart, flooding her limbs, making it soft and jelly. She let herself be led along as they walked home together. To think that a simple walk in less than ten minutes could be so fulfilling and meaningful.


    It was only Jiang Jinyan who could make her feel like this.


    He only let go of her hand when they reached the apartment building. Together, they stepped into the elevator one after another. Only after the door closed did he break thefortable silence, "You should call me as soon as possible if those peoplee to find you again."


    If he didn''t bring it up, then Shi Nian might as well forget about those insignificant people. "I know." She nodded obediently, then was reminded of something abruptly. "You have beaten them up before? Is it when you picked me up at school? Your hands were bloodied and bruised all over at that time..."


    Jiang Jinyan gave an offhanded reply. "It''s nothing. They''re annoying."


    "How could it be nothing?!" She huffed. "Today, they were scared by Binchen gege so I think they will note again anytime soon. But you can''t fight again." She picked up his hand and brought it in front of her face, scrutinizing it closely. "Your hands were so precious. How can you injure yourself just because of that?"


    Jiang Jinyan repeated, incredulous. "Just because of that?" Did she know how dangerous it was? Jiang Jinyan couldn''t imagine how it would turn out if he wasn''t there that day. Those gangsters'' build was twice as big as her. How could she win against them?


    Not noticing his concern at all, she replied confidently. "Of course, you''re the most important! Compared to them, un¡ª" Shi Nian tried hard to think of a metaphor to let him understand how precious he was. "You''re an exotic rose in the greenhouse while they''re only cow dung!"


    Jiang Jinyan''s brows shot up. The corner of his lips trembled but in the end, he just scoffed softly, amused.


    He wondered what Madam Shi ate when she was pregnant with her daughter. Did she consume honey and sugar? Or else, how could her mouth be this sweet?


    The elevator stopped on the twentieth floor as it always been when they were together. Even when their houses were only one floor apart, Shi Nian felt very happy because it was as if Jiang Jinyan was sending her home. "Then, I am going¡­Jiang Jinyan." She giggled bashfully after saying his name.


    Jiang Jinyan felt tickled by how easily satisfied he was. "Go on. Don''t study toote for the exam."


    Shi Nian blinked. "You know?"


    "How can I not know?" He flicked her forehead. "I am in Sangzhe University, remember? There''s a huge banner in Sangzhe High to wish the third year students a sessful exam everytime I pass by."


    "Oh." Shi Nian covered her forehead, her mind went nk for a while. "Then, is there a reward if I do well in the exam?" Shameless Shi Nian, how much more do you want to take after being given an inch? But she couldn''t help it. Wanting to get closer, wanting to interact, wanting to be with him everyday. What to do? Shi Nian liked this person very, very much.


    Mirth shed through his dark eyes. His hand itched to pat her head and mess it up, but in the end, he held himself back. "Let''s do it like this. If you do well in the exam, then I will take you out to refresh your mind."


    Shi Nian''s eyes brightened up. "Where are we going?"


    "So sure you''re going to do well?" He mused. "We will go wherever you want to."


    Shi Nian liked it the most when he used ''we'' to describe them. "It''s a promise!" She offered her pinky finger.


    Jiang Jinyan''s lips curled. "En." He said softly, reaching out to intertwine her pinky finger with his. "It''s a promise."


    Only after Shi Nian finished cleaning the house, taking a bath and doing one practice paper did she btedly realize something crucial.


    ¡­Taking her out?


    Is-Is it not this a¡­date?!

 Chapter 224 - Detective Qin, Were Wrong

    In the Capital''s Police Bureau HQ, because the SCI squad arrived all of a sudden without even Chief Song knowing, there wasn''t an office prepared for them. Thus, they had to squeeze in with their fellowrades from the General Crime Division. It was easy in the first few days because they had to cooperate in a lot of area, such as the serial murder case and Li Qing''s case, but as time went by, Jin Renguang couldn''t bear it anymore.


    In City A, he had a personal office, clean without a speck of dust, with his things inside arranged properly to the point of maniacal. Here, he had to cram together with a bunch of smelly, messy old men whose socks smelled of sour odor. The air was mixed with all kinds of scents; foul armpit smell, sweat from the body which hadn''t taken a bath for days, heavy pig trotters smell, and sometimes, they even went as far as to boil noodle cups and eat it on their desks.


    Who could live in such a pigsty?!


    Jin Renguang, for the first time in his life, wrote a petition with utmost seriousness. "The Need of an Office for Special Crime Investigation Squad". On it was written a long list of reasons, both analytical and logical, of how SCI squad had a lot of confidential meetings which even some of their members had no idea of and how they were in a dire need of a separate space for the development of the investigation.


    Wang Chengbing, who was gnawing on pig trotters in the corner with his neck supported by a neck pillow bought by Ru Meiqi, suddenly eximed. "I found it! I found the signal of Nan Xukun''s lost phone!"


    Instantly, a huge crowd of people swarmed to him. "Where? Where is it?"


    On his screen was a map of Capital City with a few red dots which was disappearing one by one, leaving one ring dot in the middle of a building. Tang Wei pushed up his sses, narrowed his eyes and read out the address out loud.


    Jin Renguang''s typing motion stopped.


    "Where is it?" They pondered deeply. "Why does this address sound so familiar?"


    "It''s the address of someone named Qu Nanchi." Jin Renguang''s voice sounded low and clear, piercing through the fog of confusion among the detectives. "One of the girls in Ruo Tingran''s group."


    "Fuck!" Wang Chengbing cursed. "Then, isn''t she the real NanNan?!"


    "Captain, you''re awesome!" Ke Shao gushed shamelessly. "How can you remember everyone''s name and address easily just like that?"


    Someone from the analyticalb knocked on their door, pulling everyone''s attention to him. "Hello, I have the test result you''re waiting for."


    "Give it to me!" Luo Ning snatched it from a group of rowdy men and bowed politely. "Thank you very much!"


    The analyst waved his hand and strode away. Luo Ning flicked through the papers. The more he read it, the more dumbfounded he became. The result was¡­contrary to his and Detective Qin''s spection.


    "What''s wrong, Little Ning? Why is your face like that? Come on, what''s the result? Say it out loud!"


    Luo Ning gulped and coincidentally, Qin Weizhe entered the office and met his eyes. Upon seeing his expression, Qin Weizhe raised a brow, inquiring. Luo Ning took a deep breath and although he was saying it to everyone in the room, his eyes were trained onto Qin Weizhe.


    "Everyone in Ruo Tingran''s group, except for Ruo Tingran herself¡­were tested positive." He said in bewilderment. "Detective Qin, we''re wrong. Ruo Tingran didn''t take drugs."


    ***


    Qu Nanchi had been terrified these past few days. It all started the day after she identally picked up Young Master Nan''s phone. She was beside herself with joy, thinking that Nan Xukun woulde and find her soon for his phone, then she would slowly find a way to approach him after that. Who didn''t want to have such a cool and rich boyfriend like Young Master Nan?


    However, she waited for days yet no news came from him. There wasn''t even any talk about his missing phone.


    After pondering for a while, Qu Nanchi thought it through. He was a young master. How could he care for a mere phone? This must not be his personal phone! She had searched through the phone thoroughly but didn''t find any important data or photos except for WeChat which had hundreds of iing messages everyday!


    So, all these times, the WeChat ID Young Master Nan gave them was fake?


    Qu Nanchi was disheartened, sad and enraged. She wasn''t reconciled to let everything end just like this!


    Thus, in a spur of a moment, she thought of Li Qing, the disgusting fatty next ss who looked at Young Master Nan with undisguised longing and admiration.


    Did she not know how repulsive her gaze was?


    Young Master Nan didn''t even look at Qu Nanchi, so how could he look at someone like Li Qing?


    Qu Nanchi didn''t want to be the only one who suffered from heartbreak. Thus, came the foul n to deceive Li Qing. Thetter''s WeChat was also included in the phone in Qu Nanchi''s hands and once in a while, Li Qing would send a message.


    [Good morning. Have a nice day.]


    [Good evening. Looks like a storm ising. It''s better to stay home for a few days.]


    [Hello, Young Master Nan. I am Li Qing. We have met a few times in Dreamscape Bar before. Do you¡­remember me?]


    Disgusting. Listen to that! It was so disgusting that Qu Nanchi wanted to puke.


    Before her brain could catch up to her action, she had typed in reply. [I remember you smile.jpg]


    From that day onward, they would exchange messages once in a while. But Li Qing was too boring. After ying for a few days, Qu Nanchi got tired of this and nned to expose everything after the monthly exam ended. She could also use this chance to humiliate and mock Li Qing. Oh, such a great n she had! Thinking of that ugly face, flushed in tears full of shame and mortification exhrated Qu Nanchi to no end.


    s¡­


    Who knew that¡­Li Qing wouldmit suicide before she could even do anything!


    Qu Nanchi was dumbfounded, but after the truth seeped in, she had no remorse at all. She even thought that it suited the disgusting coward to die in such an ugly way. However, after a few days, she became afraid.


    Li Qing''s phone¡­still had their conversation history, right? Of course, Li Qing''s death had nothing to do with her. However, what if the police found the evidence and used her, saying that Li Qingmitted suicide due to heartbreak of being lied to, how could she escape?!


    Qu Nanchi bit her nails, anxious. She had only let out this secret to Ruo Tingran alone, but she trusted that Ruo Tingran wouldn''t expose her because it did nothing good for her either. s, the more Qu Nanchi thought about it, the more afraid she was.


    She was so jittery that she couldn''t focus on the exam and had to take a few more pills to boost her brain.


    Aftering home from the exam, she made a decision. Tomorrow¡ªno, tonight, she had to get rid of the phone once and for all! Then, no one could find the evidence against her anymore!


    She clutched the phone and after deleting everything inside and flushing the sim card down the toilet, she put it into her bag and dressed up to the nine. Her parents often didn''te home, thus she had no qualms of going out in the middle of the night. She had gotten used to it.


    Qu Nanchi chose her favorite pink Lamborghini and strode to the garage. She threw her bag inside and was ready to get in when a maid approached her. "Y¡ªYoung Miss¡­"


    Qu Nanchi was already anxious to begin with and now with this interruption, she snapped. "What?! Can''t you see that I''m busy?!"


    "That¡­" The maid stammered fearfully. "The police¡­The police are here for you¡­"


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Been feeling burnout recently and I don''t really know what I''m writing fortunately I have a few stockpile lol, idk what to say so no a/n :''(

 Chapter 225 - Well Done

    Everyone in Ruo Tingran''s group except the leader herself was called into the police station in the middle of the night. Even if they had nothing to do with Li Qing''s death, just by the crime of consuming illegal drugs and distributing it was enough for them to be thrown into the jail and rehabilitation centre.


    The truth gradually surfaced. Li Qing''s death was confirmed to be suicide due to the impact of overconsuming drugs. However there were still some points that ought to be investigated such as; was there a reason for Li Qing tomit suicide from the Moonlight Pavilion in the middle of the night and for what reason did she sell the vi for? Where did the rest of the money disappear to?


    There were five people in Ruo Tingran''s group, excluding Ruo Tingran herself and Qu Nanchi, there were Ding Qiaomo, Xiang Yan, and Dai Huiqin. Some refused the summons to the point where Qin Weizhe had to pull out arrest warrants, some were apprehended without any suspense, and the main culprit, Qu Nanchi¡ªwho had Nan Xukun''s stolen phone¡ªwas caught red handed when she was going to get rid of it.


    Even if the data was deleted, Wang Chengbing could easily retrieve them anyway.


    It was 1 am in the morning by the time Qin Weizhe finished questioning them one by one.


    Subsequently, he received a surprise when one of the police officers approached and whispered. "Detective Qin, there''s someone by the name Ruo Tingran outside, waiting for you since three hours ago. We told her to go home ande againter but she insisted on meeting you right now."


    Qin Weizhe raised a brow. What matter could be so important for Young Miss Ruo to wait for hours? He nodded lightly. "Bring her in."


    Ruo Tingran wore a casual cardigan paired with loose pants. Without make-up and voluminous hairstyle, she looked softer and milder, like a well-behaved child. Qin Weizhe even thought that her natural look was better. "Miss Ruo." He smiled after the girl sat down. "Do you have something important to tell me?"


    Ruo Tingran fidgeted nervously, her eyes darted back and forth before bracing herself to speak, "Yes, Detective Qin. My friends¡­are all of them apprehended already?"


    "Now that you bring it up," Qin Weizhe leaned on the chair and sighed lightly. "There''s something I want to ask of you." He smiled and pulled out a transparent zipper bag. Inside it were a few small, yellow inconspicuous pills. "Do you know what this is?"


    Ruo Tingran''s eyes trembled and she lowered her eyes, muttering quietly. "I know."


    "Then, may I ask why, except for you, does everyone consume it including the deceased Li Qing?"


    Ruo Tingran flinched like she had been scalded. When she lifted her eyes again, the rims of her eyes reddened pitifully. "Because I still have a bottom line. Unlike them, I can''t bring myself to consume it."


    That answer was so unexpected and¡­dramatic that Qin Weizhe couldn''t help blurting out, "Huh?"


    The girl sobbed intermittently. "You must think I am lying, but I am not. In our group, it''s true that I am the leader, but in fact, Qu Nanchi has the most allowance out of the four of us. It was her who first introduced the pills to us, saying that eating it can make our brain work faster and sharper."


    "At first, Li Qing ate it without knowing what it was and the effect was miraculous. She became happier, smarter, even Teacher Yao praised her a few times in front of the ss. When she finally knew that it''s an illegal drug, everything was toote already."


    Qin Weizhe rubbed his growing stubble, pondering.


    Even without him questioning, Ruo Tingran confessed everything. "It''s all Qu Nanchi. She''s also the one who hates Li Qing the most. I don''t have any animosity with Li Qing but Qu Nanchi did. Her father had one failed business just because she didn''t fulfill Li Qing''s wish, so from that day onward, she hated Li Qing. She was the happiest when she heard the news of Li Family''s downfall and she was also the one who bullied her the most. It was also her who enticed Li Qing to consume the pills."


    Qin Weizhe interjected. "Li Qing knew she hated her so why did she want to take something she gave?"


    Ruo Tingran blinked her damp eyshes. "She could just say that it''s the pills Young Master Nan introduced and Li Qing would have been duped. Everyone in our group knows Li Qing liked Young Master Nan the most."


    Qin Weizhe didn''t know how to react to that. Was it really true that the IQ of a girl who fell in love turned negative in an instant when the person they liked was included in the context?


    "Actually, this¡­" Ruo Tingran pulled out a stack of papers from her bag.


    Qin Weizhe epted it with doubt and when his eyesnded upon the familiar vi''s deed, his eyes widened in shock. "Li Qing''s vi? She sold it to you?!"


    "She actually had no idea it was me." Ruo Tingran corrected. "I asked a friend close to my family to buy it for me."


    Qin Weizhe flipped to thest page and saw that the name of the owner matched with the one Wang Chengbing discovered. He asked dubiously. "Why did you buy it?"


    Ruo Tingran took a deep breath, fists clenched, she said, "To be honest, I have sensed that there''s something not right with Li Qing. Ever since she consumed the pills¡ªyes, she had be much smarter¡ªbut she had also changed into another person. Bolder, crazier, paranoid¡­it''s scary¡­" She confessed sadly. "I knew that it was because of the pills but when I advised her to stop, she got angry with me. Then, I found out that she was going to sell her vi and I thought that it couldn''t continue any longer. In a spur of a moment, I bought it and gave the money to her in installments so that she couldn''t spend it all on drugs. The rest of the money was still in this bank card. Detective Qin, I will hand it over to you now. I¡­I just didn''t expect that she wouldmit suicide, Qu Nanchi is too cruel¡­"


    "Wait." Qin Weizhe cut her off. "What did it have to do with Qu Nanchi?"


    "Oh, she..." Ruo Tingran blinked. "The day before Li Qing''s death, Qu Nanchi told her that she was going to confess to Young Master Nan in the moonlight pavilion. She also said that she has been exchanging messages with him for the past few days. Of course, it was all a lie, she wouldn''t have expected something like this to happen either¡­"


    In the end, it was all because of the overdose of drugs which messed with Li Qing''s mind and caused her to be muddled, she actually believed Qu Nanchi! If she had just thought about it more, then she would have discovered the lies, yet she didn''t. More than believing, she even went as far to the Moonlight Pavilion.


    Was it to prevent Qu Nanchi from confessing or was it to confront Nan Xukun as to why he was messaging her and Qu Nanchi at the same time?


    Exactly how deep was Li Qing''s obsession toward Nan Xukun?


    s, no one knew.


    Li Qing had died and the real truth had been buried together with her forever.


    Ruo Tingran came out from the interrogation room with her eyes swollen. She bowed deeply toward Qin Weizhe and walked out with brisk steps, as if she had let go of the burden which kept on dragging her down.


    Outside, the driver was faithfully waiting. She smiled in apology. "Sorry to make you wait, Uncle Yang. Let''s return home."


    "No problem, Young Miss." Uncle Yang smiled and opened the door for her.


    Ruo Tingran sat on the backseat and her tense shoulders slowly rxed as the car drove out of the police station into the deste road. It was almost two in the morning and tomorrow, she still had exams to take, however Ruo Tingran was still wide awake right now.


    This day ought to be sleepless for many people.


    She looked out toward the passing scenery and sighed. When the car stopped due to the red traffic lights, an ordinary ck car stopped at the side and the passenger seat''s window rolled down bit by bit. In the middle of the night, the bright screen from the phone of the person sitting inside was especially conspicuous.


    Ruo Tingran''s eyes were attracted to the source of light and she could see the person''s phone screen facing her, well defined joints and neatly trimmed nails wrapped around it, illuminated by the ring lights.


    There were only two words on it. [Well done.]


    The girl''s pupils dted in shock and colors drained from her face. Right after that moment, the traffic lights turned green. The car window rolled up and the SUV drove away, merging into the darkness of the night.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: wait...what?! O_o who the f is that?! Oho, what kind of conspiracy ising up again?! This trashy author really likes to drop foreshadowing lol please forgive me orz


    100 GT right on thest day of the month! You guys must have done it on purpose QAQ expect a mass release in the next few days! I have to prepare first cos I never expected we will make it. You guys rock! Thank you my dearies~

 Chapter 226 - She Could Only Endure

    Thanks to Ruo Tingran''s confession, the subsequent interrogation became much smoother. Originally, Qu Nanchi insisted on defending her innocence in Li Qing''s death, but when she heard Detective Qin said that Ruo Tingran had confessed everything, Qu Nanchi''s mentality copsed in an instant. She knew that she couldn''t escape anymore.


    From the group of five, it was indeed Qu Nanchi who hated Li Qing the most.


    Since Li Qing was born, she had lived her life as a Princess. She had a Major General grandfather who spoiled her rotten, a pair of handsome and elegant parents, and immeasurable family wealth. It was just a pity that Mother Li''s womb was weak, thus Li Qing came out as a premature baby with fragile health.


    Although it caused her to be more treasured in the family¡ªespecially when Mother Li couldn''t conceive anymore¡ªshe also had to consume a lot of medicine and vitamins as she grew up, thus her body constitution differed from others.


    Li Qing''s body slowly bloated and she became a little fatty.


    When she was just a child, everyone praised her as cute, chubby and adorable. But as she grew up and found no change in her body no matter how hard she followed the dietician''s healthy meal and exercised as much as she could, she slowly grew disheartened.


    At that time, she wasn''t too worried because she was still the sole granddaughter of the prestigious Li Family. Just that alone had made her stand out from others.


    "Li Qing, your dress is so beautiful! Where did you buy it? I will ask my mom to buy it for me too!"


    "That''s right, from everyone in this banquet, Li Qing is the most beautiful!"


    "Li Qing, do you want to take a walk in the garden? There''s a mini yground there!"


    Li Qing epted the praise in a humble manner yet inwardly, she felt an immense sense of self satisfaction and smugness. "Thank you everyone, but sadly, I have to reject. My mom asked me not to go around with strangers."


    The air stagnated in an instant and Li Qing could see their expression crack one by one. Afterall, they were only children who were ordered by their parents to befriend her. Li Qing didn''t care though. As long as her surname was still Li, she could talk nonsense and everyone would still praise her as a genius!


    As she expected, after receiving such a tant rejection, they still tried to please her. "Oh, your mom? Isn''t she thatdy in red? She looks so young and beautiful!"


    Li Qing sneered, but still put on a bashful expression as she chuckled. "Thank you for yourpliment."


    s, the shield that she thought was an imprable fortress suddenly disintegrated without any warning along with her grandfather''s death. As if Li Family had run out of luck, every single business Father Li invested either gained meager benefits or worse, nothing at all.


    The Li Family which sat on the throne of upper society, started to decline like a fallen crown, fast and hard.


    Li Qing felt it firsthand when she tagged along with Father Li to a business party as usual. She sensitively felt the atmosphere shift subtly as they entered.


    "I have known that Li Family will notst long. After all, they could only rely on Retired Major Li''s power and ride on his coattails."


    "Yeah, Li Hanji is useless. Is he really Li Family''s son? Otherwise how can the difference be sorge?"


    "What do you mean by that? Hahaha, but I have to agree though."


    The discussion entered her ears one after another, one was nastier than the others. Thepliments, flowery words, praise, awe and admiration, all of that could no longer be found. The children who used to hover around her suddenly turned their backs, their gaze contemptuous as they looked at her.


    "I have wanted to say it since long ago, but my dad didn''t allow me to¡­"


    "Yeah, you''re right!"


    "¡­how ugly. Look at her dress. Ew, tacky."


    "Hahaha, she''s only a fatty. Is she really a girl? Why doesn''t she look like it?"


    "What? Otherwise, you want to prove it yourself?"


    For the first time ever, Li Qing felt afraid. Those eyes, usations, and contempt were like thorns nailing her in ce. Her back broke out in cold sweat and she couldn''t muster the confident smile which had been stuck to her since forever.


    The darling of Heaven, child of phoenix, crashed down from the sky in a pathetic manner.


    And all she could do was to hide. Hide and wished that she would no longer meet them. How could she stomach their disdain with her pride? All of her confidence, security and self-esteem copsed until there was nothing left.


    Li Qing, like a coward, chose to iste herself to protect her remaining bits of dignity. If she didn''t do that, she didn''t know how she could keep on living.


    s, the whole universe seemed to go against her as she met those people again in a new school she transferred to. In one nce, the children who had grown up recognized each other in an instant. Li Qing paled. She saw Ruo Tingran, Ding Qiaomo, Xiang Yan, and Dai Huiqin who used to cater to her every whim. And most importantly, there was Qu Nanchi.


    Qu Nanchi, the one who antagonized her the most.


    They had grown up to be so beautiful, fashionable and confident.


    While she¡­


    Well, she was still the same. Li Qing felt like she hadn''t changed at all. She was still the repulsive, hated and ugly fatty Li Qing. High school was supposed to be the years full of new discoveries, transition from teenagers to adults and the moment of heart-throbbing spurt of love seed hidden in bashful nce and awkward care.


    However, for Li Qing, those were the worst years of her life. She had to endure the bullying silently, suppressing the hatred and loathe within, robotically passing each day like a living corpse.


    "Heh, where was your smugness when you ordered us around huh? Where has the beloved Princess Li Qing gone?" Qu Nanchiughed mockingly as she poured Coke above her head. "Aiyah, so ugly and disgusting. I can''t believe that we used to y with you when we''re children. Don''t tell people you know me okay? It''s so embarrassing I can''t lift my head high."


    The girls around Qu Nanchi giggled in amusement. The leader, Ruo Tingran, who only watched from afar, chided softly. "Alright, I think you''re too much, Nannan."


    "What?" Qu Nanchi flicked her hair and huffed arrogantly. "Don''t tell me you don''t hate her for being such a pretentious bitch. Don''t lie to me, Ting. I know you."


    Ruo Tingran choked on her breath, her eyes met with Li Qing''s fervent gaze filled with hatred and humiliation, and she looked away instantly.


    Li Qing clenched her fists, her entire body trembling in anger and agony. Oh, how she wished she could w their faces one by one. This was the first time Li Qing tasted the ultimate despair of helplessness and defeat. She couldn''t do anything to them, and telling anyone would be useless either.


    She could only endure, endure, endure¡­


    Who...Who could possibly save her? If someone could pull Li Qing out of this hell, she would dly sell her soul to them.


    Xiang Yan wasughing at Li Qing''s misery when her gaze trailed somewhere else and she stiffened abruptly. She patted Dai Huiqin beside her with a fearful face. "Ah, look¡­it''s Zhang Jiancheng. He¡ªHe saw us¡­"


    Zhang Jiancheng!


    Who didn''t know him? Ever since he attended the first year students'' weing ceremony as the student representative, his photo had circted wildly in the forum and the discussion didn''t look like it was going to recede anytime soon, instead his poprity skyrocketed. He was blessed with impable looks that could mesmerize anyone, sharp and exceptional IQ, with an unusual bearing that made him stand out from the crowd of bratty students. Even if he wasn''t a wealthy and powerful young master, who cared?


    With his capability and temperament, it was just a matter of time until he climbed up thedder of society and sat on the throne!


    The group of girls looked at the pale Ruo Tingran. They knew that Ruo Tingran had been crushing on Zhang Jiancheng since she first saw him. Nheless, so far, it seemed like no development would happen soon between them.


    "Z¡ªZhang Jiancheng¡­this¡­" They had calcted everything and did the bullying secretly behind one of the empty buildings and Ruo Tingran didn''t expect that they would be caught red handed. Even more so, by her male god! What to do? What should she say so that Zhang Jiancheng wouldn''t associate it with her? She had been striving to maintain a gentle, well educated and sophisticated image in front of Zhang Jiancheng and now, it copsed within a blink of an eye!


    On the other hand, Li Qing''s eyes brightened up as if she had just seen an angel. She also knew who Zhang Jiancheng was. If it was him¡­he would surely help her! Her lips tremblingly hollered. "H¡ªHelp, help me¡­!"


    "You bitch!" The girls shielded Qu Nanchi with their bodies as thetter pped Li Qing.


    However, it was like Li Qing was injected with chicken blood. She struggled against Qu Nanchi, much to the girl''s surprise and managed to push her away. Li Qing''s eyes were red and desperate as she stared at Zhang Jiancheng''s figure.


    Xiang Yan exchanged a nce with Dai Huiqin and both of them tripped Li Qing''s feet, causing her to fall down in a totally disgraceful manner. Li Qing''s chin knocked hard against the cement floor and it hurt so much that tears sprung up her eyes. However, she still stared fixedly at Zhang Jiancheng, her eyes almost burning holes into him.


    Help¡­Help her! Get her out of this hellhole!


    Zhang Jiancheng''s eyes met hers and in the end¡­he turned away in a nonchnt manner. The lights in Li Qing''s eyes dimmed considerably and her whole body fell ck. She didn''t even struggle anymore when Qu Nanchi stepped on the back of her hands, almost breaking her bones in the process.


    Why?


    Why didn''t he save her?


    He could have just told them to scram, and Li Qing was sure that Ruo Tingran and her group would scurry away. But he didn''t.


    School grass? Pure hearted man who saved an animal in the middle of the road? A kind yet cold gentleman? It''s all bullshit! In the end, he was just like Qu Nanchi and the others! They were all hypocrites and pretentious! She hated, really hated all of them!


    Li Qingughed,ughed so hard until she cried. Finally, her spirit broke apart and she wailed loudly, sobbing like a child.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Li Qing''s backstory is here! Oh, so that''s why she hated Zhang Jiancheng very much. But is Zhang Jiancheng really that heartless? Hmm...


    Sorry guys I forgot to set the timer because I am too engrossed in writing Jiang Jinyan and Shi Nian''s kiss scene-oops! Hehehe

 Chapter 227 - The Long Lost Superiority

    In the end, it was because they heard Teacher Yao''s high heels cking in their direction that Ruo Tingran and her group scattered like flies. Li Qing''s body trembled as it hurt all over. She didn''t know where she got the strength to get up and run before Yao Xiurong caught sight of her. She didn''t even know how she got home. The rest of the day passed by like a blur.


    Ever since that day, they stopped bullying her. Presumably because Ruo Tingran was spooked due to being seen by Zhang Jiancheng. Well, Li Qing couldn''t care less.


    It was during the darkest days of her life that she got to know someone named Nan Xukun, the only son of Nan Cheng, CEO of Henan Corporation. She heard many, many things about him such as how he was proimed missing until the age of nine and by the time his father found him, he was so emaciated that he looked malnourished. Rumors floated around the circle, specting what kind of hell Nan Xukun had gone through during those nine years.


    Some said that he was kidnapped by child traffickers, some said that he was missing one day due to some unspeakable reasons, some even said that it was Nan Cheng himself who threw his son away until the end, it was unknown why he changed his mind and decided to take his son back. Of course, thest one could only be said in secret, or else the consequences would be dire.


    The most important thing was, from start to end, there wasn''t a woman by Nan Cheng''s side. Thus, the talk about Young Master Nan''s mother and CEO Nan''s legitimate wife remained a profound mystery worth specting about. s, Nan Cheng seemed to have no intention to rify the rumors, he only poured all of his intention on properly raising his son.


    Simply speaking, after hearing about Nan Xukun, Li Qing felt like she had found her soulmate.


    Both of them had suffered before. The difference was Nan Xukun suffered when he was a child before transforming into a phoenix in the end. Meanwhile, Li Qing enjoyed wealth and glory first before being disgraced and humiliated by others.


    Yet how could the difference between them be so huge?


    Look at Nan Xukun. He grew up to be everyone''s favorite. Carefree, wild and unrestrained. Free and confident. Charming and deadly. For Li Qing who lived in the shadow, Nan Xukun was akin to the light which she yearned to grasp.


    Li Qing didn''t know when she started to pay attention to Nan Xukun''s every move but when she realized it, the secret feelings gradually transformed into a deep obsession.


    She longed to be like him, she also longed to be with him.


    Li Qing was sure that as long as she could have Nan Xukun by her side, then she wouldn''t have to be scared of anything again. She could regain herself; the former shining, confident and proud Li Qing.


    Because of Nan Xukun, Li Qing could endure living in this hellish world.


    Time passed and she became a third year student. Because of her indifferent and fearless reaction, Ruo Tingran''s group finally got bored of bullying her and she could focus on studying. She also made two new friends; Chen Jiawei and Mo Ling. Although Li Qing didn''t really like hanging out with them, she could only make do with it to suppress her loneliness.


    Until one day, a new student transferred in during the midterm.


    She was a thin, petite girl with huge golden eyes named Shi Nian. Unfortunately, the girl was mute and poor.


    Just in a few days, there were already numerous rumors surrounding her, one was worse than the other.


    Li Qing saw how Shi Nian was antagonized and cursed so badly in the forum and strange feelings grew inside her. This was the long lost feeling of superiority.


    Li Qing had been in the lowest rug for so long, and in the end, someone came who was lower than her.


    She saw how reclusive and lonely Shi Nian was and felt deep sympathy and pity toward her. Yet, there was also a sense of satisfaction and glee to see someone who suffered more.


    If she offered her a little bit of kindness, if she reached out her hand in times of need, Shi Nian would be so indebted to her that she would idolize her, right? Li Qing saw that she had always eaten cheap stuff in the cafeteria and offered to lend her some money only to be rejected. Fine, she understood that Shi Nian had to preserve thest bits of dignity.


    Li Qing continued to be kind. When she saw how confused Shi Nian was to search for a partner in the PE ss, she graciously offered to form a group with her.


    Look! Look at how kind and sincere she was! Li Qing could finally regain some of the confidence and dignity by stepping on others.


    s, before she had the time to be smug, someone suddenly interjected. "Shi Nian, do you have a partner for the group? If not, do you want to consider me?" It was Tian Wei, one of the most popr boys in third year due to his cheerfulness and refreshing manner.


    In an instant, it was as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over Li Qing''s head. The reality she refused to admit was being spread open for her to see.


    Shi Nian was different from her. She had always been. She was never ashamed to admit her limited pocket money, she never shied away whenever she couldn''t answer a question in the ss, she also epted everyone and treated them with a sincere heart.


    From the beginning, there had never been aparison between them.


    All the more reason for Li Qing to feel so¡­filthy and ugly.


    Since when did she be someone who needed to step on others in order to ascend?


    Li Qing was mortified and before her brain could think, she turned to escape. "Well, good for you, huh?" She ignored Shi Nian''s worried and confused eyes. Li Qing knew that Shi Nian was genuinely worried about her, but at that moment, she just wanted to hide from her sincere eyes which shone so bright that they could illuminate all the dirty thoughts in her mind.


    Yet she wasn''t given time to hide when the conversation in their group chat was exposed the next day, causing Shi Nian to be in the middle of the storm.


    Li Qing had no idea of it, she even considered skipping ss just so that she didn''t need to face Shi Nian. However, when she was reminded of how close the date was to the university entrance exam and she wasn''t so smart to begin with, she decided against it.


    The exam was her one and only ticket to get away. As long as she could test into a university far, far away from here, then everything would be better. She would be able to leave the bad memories behind and start anew.


    That''s why, when Mo Ling interrogated her about it, Li Qing''s blood ran cold. She instantly knew that she was finished. Her mind whirled dizzily and it was as if all the oxygen around her was sucked away. It must be Ruo Tingran, no doubt about it!


    "I didn''t do it!" She cried out. Yet nobody listened, nobody trusted her.


    Why?! It was just Shi Nian! She hadn''t even been here for half a year, but how could she make everyone side with her? How could nobody trust Li Qing?!


    Li Qing felt bubbling hatred and the familiar helplessness deep in her soul until Shi Nian came.


    [I trust you.] She wrote in front of the whole ss and to Teacher Yao, clearly defining her stance to side with Li Qing. When the whole world was against her, only Shi Nian stood by her.


    Yet, Li Qing didn''t feel happy about it.


    She only felt disgust and¡­repulsion. This scenario was so familiar. Giving her a little bit of kindness and being the one to reach out a hand when the other was in need, wasn''t it what Li Qing was supposed to do? Why did it be Shi Nian instead?!


    Hateful! How hateful!


    And the most abominable thing was how Li Qing had to thank her like a beggar for what she did, had to act submissive and pitiful just to garner sympathy. Pathetic! Coward! Wimpy! Li Qing had never hated how powerless she was until now.


    Why? Li Qing didn''t even wish for anything grand, she just wanted to be brave, courageous, confident, but why couldn''t she achieve that?


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: tell me why, ain''t nothing but a heartbreak~


    no hehe just kidding now you know why Li Qing is kind in one second, but turn temperamental in the next second. She just wants someone to need her :(


    but somehow, I can understand Li Qing. I will be happy if someone have test score lower than mine even tho mine is already below average QAQ it''s just a psychologicalfort to feel better when we see the suffering of others


    fyi, Zhang Jiancheng went to get Teacher Yao, sadly Li Qing would never know it because she has been too prejudiced :( why didn''t he help her directly? First, he knew how cunning Ruo Tingran and her group were, if he helped Li Qing this time, it might backfired and she might be bullied even more. The best method is always call on the teacher....imo

 Chapter 228 - To Receive A Death Verdict

    Once again, when Li Qing felt like her whole world was going to copse, Nan Xukun appeared.


    Li Qing actually sent him a message once in a while without expecting anything. She just wanted to leave a mark in Nan Xukun''s memory, to remind him that someone named Li Qing existed in this world. Never even in her wildest dream would she guess that Nan Xukun would really reply one day!


    [I remember you smile.jpg]


    Li Qing recalled how she felt back then. It was miraculous, as if all of her sadness, depression and hatred faded away with that one sentence. The dark fog in her heart dispersed too. She even had the notion that she was exchanging all of her luck just to have Nan Xukun notice her. If so, then she would dly endure through the hardship.


    As she expected, Nan Xukun was so kind, gentle and considerate. Even if he only replied once in a while, Li Qing was immensely satisfied already.


    Li Qing was filled with happiness, yearning and grief. She had always felt that Nan Xukun was out of her reach. But with this, it was like she was a step closer to his heart. A twisted thought formed in her mind. If she had more power, wealth and glory, would Nan Xukun consider her?


    He didn''t even consider girls like Ruo Tingran and her gang, how could he see Li Qing?


    She looked at the beautiful and elegant Ruo Tingran, thenpared it with herself. The more she thought about it, the more unsatisfied she became. What was the use of struggling to study if in the end, she would still be beneath people like Ruo Tingran who were born with a gold spoon in their mouths?


    It was better if she tried to get Nan Xukun instead!


    Li Qing made a crazy decision that day. She secretly sold her family''s vi under her name and used the money to buy expensive jewelry for Ruo Tingran. Thetter sported a strange expression as she received it. "What is this for?"


    "It''s for you." Li Qing suppressed the humiliation in her heart and pleaded. "As long as you let me into your group, I can buy you more."


    Li Qing didn''t receive any answer after a few minutes. After she was sure that Ruo Tingran would reject the offer, she suddenly sighed. "Fine, don''t regret it."


    Don''t regret it, she said. Li Qing had already regretted the day she was born in the world. Someone who had nothing didn''t have to fear losing. Li Qing was the perfect example of that. By joining Ruo Tingran''s group, she tagged along in parties and gatherings, and the times she met Nan Xukun increased exponentially. She made a profitable investment by joining Ruo Tingran''s group albeit how she hated each of them.


    Nan Xukun. Nan Xukun. Her eyes only had him. Only he could save her now.


    "Hey, girls. This is something I got from Young Master Nan." Qu Nanchi giggled, her face blushing as she took out some pills. "It''s a vitamin that can boost our brain."


    Li Qing was repulsed by Qu Nanchi, but she couldn''t ignore her when it was Nan Xukun she was talking about. She scanned Qu Nanchi''s face in suspicion, trying to spot any deceit but found none. She lifted her head to Nan Xukun''s direction and coincidentally, their eyes met and the attractive boy in ck leather jacket gave Li Qing a lethal smile that made her dizzy.


    Holy, Nan Xukun just smiled at me!


    She heard herself talk, "Give it to me." If this could make her get closer to Nan Xukun, then she would do anything!


    The pills were proven useful. Li Qing felt as if she was reborn. She was bolder, more confident and smarter. The number of messages Nan Xukun sent her increased marginally. Even the problems which she had difficulty catching up on could be easily solved with the help of the vitamin.


    The pills were expensive as hell, and this was where the money from the vi came in. Li Qing consumed more and more, and when she found out it was an illegal drug, she had be too dependent on it.


    At that time, Li Qing was in a state of intoxication and couldn''t care less. Why should she care what it was? Even if it was illegal drug or lethal poison, as long as it was what Nan Xukun gave her, she would dly consume it.


    With every pill she ate, the closer she felt to Nan Xukun. She even felt like Nan Xukun had been giving her nces once in a while, which made her blush shyly. Could it be¡­he also had the same feelings for her? Yes, that''s right. If he didn''t, why should he reply to her messages? If he didn''t, why was he so kind and considerate to her?


    That''s why, when she heard Qu Nanchi boasting that she had been exchanging messages with Nan Xukun for days, Li Qing''s eyes saw red. She knew that something wasn''t right with her condition, but she had been blinded by rage, jealousy and hatred.


    So, she wasn''t his one and only? Of all people, why should it be Qu Nanchi? Why should it be the person she hated the most?


    Li Qing started to make excuses for herself. Nan Xukun must have been deceived. He didn''t know how repulsive and ugly Qu Nanchi was, all he could see was her beautiful exterior. It was all Qu Nanchi''s fault for being such a slut!


    After knowing when Qu Nanchi was going to confess, Li Qing''s mind brewed another crazy n. Nan Xukun could only have her and her alone! She wouldn''t let Qu Nanchi confess, never!


    She received a phone call from a hidden number on that certain day. There weren''t many people who knew her number and almost all of them were in her contact. An almost impossible guess popped up in Li Qing''s mind and her hands trembled in excitement as she epted the call. "H¡ªHello? Is that you¡­Young Master Nan?"


    She wouldn''t have guessed that the phone call would lead to her death. If¡­If she hadn''t epted the call that day, would everything be different now? s, it was no use crying over spilt milk.


    She went there, to Moonlight Pavilion, to receive nothing but a death verdict.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: end of Li Qing''s backstory! For now, I will not confirm who''s the caller. You''re all free to specte _(:3¡¹¡Ï)_ what I can say is, everything will fall into ce when the identity of the serial killer is exposed


    oh, I dropped so many foreshadowing in Li Qing''s backstory, you might even be able to guess something already (?????)

 Chapter 229 - Did You Get Jealous?

    Li Qing''s case was solved along with the truth that surfaced from Qu Nanchi''s statement. In one night, the news was so sensational that it managed to make it into the national TV channel''s headline news. Four girls and three boys with exceptional background and good academic performance were detained in the police station due to consuming illegal drugs.


    s, one of the regrets the police had was that they could do nothing to Dreamscape Bar. First, Qu Nanchi didn''t have any other evidence except for an oral statement that used Dreamscape Bar as a drug den.


    Every single transaction was done in a secret ce that only the higher management in Dreamscape Bar knew and Qu Nanchi was only a little reseller who got the drugs from another party. How could a simple statement bring the whole bar down?


    Of course, as the person responsible for Dreamscape Bar, Manager Si expressed his regret toward high schoolers'' morality nowadays and he also imed that he would cooperate with the police to do aprehensive check to prove that their bar was totally innocent in this matter.


    The expression, gesture and the words he used, everything was right on point, expressing the right amount of innocence and helplessness while also garnering multiple sympathy among masses. After watching his interview, the whole SCI squad and General Crime Division cursed this shameless man to Hell.


    What ''I hope that the police will redress the justice for Dreamscape Bar''? It was all utter bullshit!


    Chief Song granted the General Crime Division three days of vacation after digging out this huge, scandalous case and the group used it to go to the karaoke and sang their frustrated hearts out. Anyway, this was all the event of another day.


    Shi Nian, who held the report card in her hand, was so happy that she almost flew up to the sky.


    Because of Jiang Jinyan''s encouragement, she was able to put in 200% of effort, easilynding her on the upper rank of the ss. Even Teacher Yao praised her rapid development in front of the ss.


    After the school ended, she instantly pulled out her phone and snapped a photo of the report card, sending it to Jiang Jinyan. [Look at this, I am ranked 7th in the ss and 25th among the entire third year!]


    "What makes you so happy?" Mo Ling''s head suddenly blocked her sight, taking her off guard that she almost dropped her phone. "What ah? Come on, tell me!" The girl grinned mysteriously, brows shooting up and down in a cheeky manner.


    Shi Nian pursed her lips as she felt warmth seeping through her cheeks. She shook her head hard and shoved the phone into her pocket. [How about your score?]


    "Ah!" Mo Ling yelped and covered her eyes, flustered. "Don''t ask me about my score! I don''t want to remember it!"


    It could be said that half of the reason why Shi Nian was able to reach the seventh rank in the ss was due to how some of them didn''t do well. For example, Ding Qiaomo, one of Ruo Tingran''s close friends who was also a high achiever, was still squatting behind the cell right now.


    Chen Jiawei pulled on Mo Ling''s ponytail, frowning. "Don''t scream into my ear!"


    Mo Ling huffed in anger as she engaged in a tug of war with Chen Jiawei. Shi Nian was relieved to see her gradually recover herself from the sadness due to Li Qing''s death.


    Shi Nian gathered her things in the backpack and waved them goodbye. She walked down the lively hallway filled with students who wereparing each other''s report card. When she passed through ss 5, the door slid open in a timely manner and Zhang Jiancheng walked out with the backpack hanging on one of his shoulders. He was obviously surprised to see Shi Nian.


    Both of them hadn''t interacted ever since theirst private meeting in the caf¨¦ and now that Li Qing''s case was solved, half of it could be attributed to Zhang Jiancheng. Just from that alone, Shi Nian decided to forget all of his previous shameless remarks and greeted him with a nod and faint smile before walking away. Nevertheless, she wouldn''t get all chummy with such a person.


    It was sphemous for a girl to hang out with a boy who obviously had another kind of intention toward her when she didn''t feel the same way. Maybe it was a trait brought from the historical era, and maybe it would make her look too reserved and rigid, but she couldn''t care less. Shi Nian didn''t want to do something that could cause the person she liked to misunderstand her.


    Although the said party didn''t say anything at all.


    Shi Nian paused in her tracks, eyes widened slightly.


    ¡­Wait. Did Jiang Jinyan say something?


    Shi Nian blinked a few times and her brain suddenly clicked. The scenes that were overlooked abruptly fell into ce.


    Jiang Jinyan, could he possibly be¡­jealous?


    Shi Nian''s grip on her backpack strip tightened, eyesnding upon the tall and straight figure who was standing outside the gate. The students around him couldn''t resist stealing some nces due to his exceptional bearing and proportional body, yet it was as if he didn''t notice them at all. His eyes wandered elsewhere, it was unknown what he was looking at.


    Shi Nian gingerly approached him with her heart racing.


    As if noticing her presence, Jiang Jinyan''s head turned and their eyes met in midair. Even though his face was covered by a mask, Shi Nian could somehow imagine the faint smile on the corner of his lips. "I saw your message. You did well."


    Shi Nian swallowed nervously and the itch inside her grew stronger. She braced herself and asked in a slow tone, "That day, when you saw me together with Zhang Jiancheng, did you get jealous?"


    There wasn''t any change in his expression but instinctively, she could sense his shock.


    Shi Nian grew bolder. She stepped forward and tugged on his sleeve, eyes peering up at him in the mixture of anticipation, nervousness and glee. "Did you?"


    .


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    .


    A/N: oooh, bold Shi Nian (/¦Å£Ü*)

 Chapter 230 - We Will Go Wherever You Want

    Jiang Jinyan didn''t realize that he was holding his breath.


    Why? Why did she bring this up all of a sudden? He looked at her calmly, yet his mind was galloping madly. However, it was inherently unlike him to show his feelings in a tant manner. Thus, no matter how shocked he was, his gait remained cool andposed. "What are you talking about?"


    Shi Nian''s eyes dimmed noticeably.


    Jiang Jinyan averted his gaze away and cleared his throat. "Let''s go. It''s going to get dark soon."


    Shi Nian gave a nomittal hum and trailed behind him as they went home together. Seeing her dispirited self, Jiang Jinyan felt a hint of regret. Should he just be honest to make her happy? But how could he say it so that it didn''t seem too eager?


    ''Sorry, you''re right. I do feel jealous seeing you together with other people. Not only that boy, but also Detective Xu''?


    ¡­


    That sounded too embarrassing.


    Jiang Jinyan thought himself to be a man of action. Instead of flowery words, he preferred to express himself directly. The subway station at this hour was always crammed with people yet somehow, today the number of people seemed much more than usual.


    Jiang Jinyan stood in front of her, muttering "Hold on tight" then used his body as a shield as they dove through the throng of people.


    The train was simrly crowded and when Jiang Jinyan caught sight of someone who coincidentally got up from her seat, he tugged on Shi Nian and pushed her to upy the space.


    Caught off guard, Shi Nian suddenly found herself sitting in a secure ce while Jiang Jinyan held the metal rail above him, his figure towering in front of her. Shi Nian''s eyes widened and she shot up standing. "No!" She whispered anxiously. "You¡ªYou should sit instead!"


    Jiang Jinyan didn''t say anything but pushed her shoulder back down.


    The train announcement rang out. "Passengers of Train 004, please pay attention to your step. The gate is going to close soon."


    More people squeezed inside and Jiang Jinyan''s muscles tensed as he braced through the force crushing on his back.


    Shi Nian stared up at him in distress. She scooted herself in as much as she could and tugged on the hem of his coat. "Come¡­Come closer¡­"


    The response she got was only a dark stare that bore down at her. Shi Nian fidgeted nervously but in the end, she sighed in relief when Jiang Jinyan relented and closed the distance between them. The train buzzed and started to run at high speed.


    Whenever someone pushed his back, Jiang Jinyan would lean forward and in their current position, it was almost as if Shi Nian was burying her head into his stomach.


    She blushed bashfully, peeking up at him through the dense eyshes and was shocked when she found him looking straight at her too. She hastily averted her eyes and fixed it on her feet instead as if it was the first time she had ever seen it.


    A soft chuckle sounded above her head without warning, so faint that it was almost drowned by the hushed conversation in the train and the whistling speed. Shi Nian snapped her head up but could only see Jiang Jinyan''s chin.


    Fortunately, the journey only took about ten minutes and they could finally get off. Shi Nian''s keen eyes caught sight of his slightly off step. She grasped his pinky finger, eyes concerned.


    Jiang Jinyan gave an offhanded reply. "I am okay."


    She pursed her lips. How could he be? Sometimes, she wished that he could justin and tell her honestly his difort. Yet she knew that the wish was akin to wishing to cup the moon within her palms; impossible.


    In the end, Shi Nian could only suppress her worry until they reached the apartment building. Jiang Jinyan''s expression never changed the slightest all these times, making her doubt whether it was all only the figment of her imagination.


    "So," He said as they waited for the elevator. "Have you thought of where to go?"


    Shi Nian was distracted by the sudden question. "Hmm? Where do you want to go?"


    Amused, he replied. "Haven''t I said it? We will go wherever you want."


    Shi Nian retorted. "But I want to go wherever you want."


    Her answer caught Jiang Jinyan off guard. It was only then that he realized that he had subconsciously brought up his habit when he was still together with Wei Xiameng.


    In fact, Jiang Jinyan and Wei Xiameng''s personalities shed messily; Jiang Jinyan preferred calmness and quiet, while Wei Xiameng liked boisterous and noisy crowds. Yet, everytime Wei Xiameng pulled him somewhere, Jiang Jinyan neverined. Anyway, she always had destinations to go to, so whatever Jiang Jinyan said would be useless. He only had to drive her and apany her through her escapades.


    And now, he unknowingly applied it to Shi Nian. For the first time in his life, there was someone who prioritized his want. It was quite a...peculiar feeling.


    Jiang Jinyan felt soft all over his heart, but still, he wanted to make Shi Nian happy. He thought of the ces he had gone to with Wei Xiameng which was generally young girls'' favorite. "Amusement park?"


    To his surprise, Shi Nian pondered for a short time and decisively shook her head.


    Who was she kidding? There would be many people in the amusement park. They would push on each other. It was particrly fine for couples who wanted to use the asion to stick close to each other, but Shi Nian thought differently. What if the crowd injured Jiang Jinyan''s leg? No, no, she couldn''t take the risk!


    He offered gingerly. "¡­Aquarium?"


    Dark space! Low vision! High possibility of stepping on each other''s feet! High risk of injury! "No."


    "Window shopping?"


    Why would she go shopping with him? Shi Nian frowned. "No."


    Jiang Jinyan was half amused and half exasperated. "Then where do you want to go?"


    Shi Nian secretly sweated. "I¡ªI will go back and research it." This was their first date ah! She had to make sure that Jiang Jinyan would feel happy, rxed andfortable!


    "Okay." A chortle bubbled up from his chest and he pushed her back when the elevator arrived on the twentieth floor. "Go on."


    Shi Nian nodded and waved him goodbye. Today was Friday so there were still two more days until Sunday. She still had time to do deep research. Shi Nian pumped her fist and strived to n a date that he would never forget!


    Time flew by when one was busy and Sunday came fast.


    Shi Nian and Jiang Jinyan lived in the same building thus they only made an appointment to meet at 8.30 in the morning. Jiang Jinyan rode the elevator up at 8.10 and leaned on the hallway as he waited. At 8.20, the door to Shi Nian''s house opened and Qiang Fei''s voice floated out. "Be confident! Niannian is the most beautiful girl on Earth!"


    "Mama¡­" Shi Nian sighed. "You''re exaggerating."


    "No, Mama doesn''t! How can you use me like that ah?"


    Shi Nian wore her favorite t shoes, stepped out and subsequently met with the sight of Jiang Jinyan waiting outside.


    The air around them was sucked away abruptly as two pairs of eyes met with each other.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: ohoho first date (¨R?¨Q)

 Chapter 231 - A Very Fun And Unforgettable Place

    Tall, slender legs stretching outzily. ck turtleneck sweater paired with jeans, ck sneakers, hair pulled up in a half bun. Then, he perfected it with a purple cashmere long coat that could possibly look tacky on men, but Jiang Jinyan managed to pull it off with his exceptional look. His dark eyes stared straight at her, a lollipop bulging out on his side cheek.


    He was so handsome that Shi Nian forgot to breathe.


    Shi Nian herself wore her favorite lc dress. Her long hair was made slightly wavy on its end by Qiang Fei, and there was a light makeup on her face, making her eyes look particrly bright and striking. Her youthful look was matched with peach colored lip gloss which added the cheerfulness to her features.


    "Um¡­" Shi Nian averted her gaze nervously and tucked her hair behind the ear. "G¡ªGood morning."


    Jiang Jinyan recovered from his daze and replied, "Good morning."


    "Oh, Xiao Jiang is here!" Qiang Fei eximed with a smile.


    Jiang Jinyan straightened up and bowed politely. "Auntie, good morning. I am taking Shi Nian out for today."


    "Yes, yes," Qiang Fei was so happy that she couldn''t stop smiling. "Have fun and remember to reach home before dark. Oh! Look at you two," She covered her mouth and giggled. "It looks like you''re wearing a couple outfits."


    Shi Nian stared at Jiang Jinyan''s dark purple coat and her lc dress.


    "It''s a coincidence." They said in unison then looked at each other, speechless.


    "Oh my!" Qiang Fei squealed inwardly. "Look at how cute you two are! Okay, go on and remember to pay attention to safety. Xiao Jiang, Auntie will leave Niannian in your care."


    Jiang Jinyan replied politely, "As I should be."


    The door closed behind Qiang Fei, leaving the two of them in an awkward silence. Jiang Jinyan rubbed his nape and gestured, "Shall we go?"


    "Oh, okay!" Shi Nian skipped toward him. Even when they got into the elevator, Shi Nian couldn''t take her eyes off him. There was pure admiration, awe and bashfulness in her eyes.


    Since the day she found out about his insecurity, she always found some ways to let him know her feelings both vocally and in action. Because she still held some apprehension to approach him carelessly, Shi Nian could only verbalize her thoughts. "You are so handsome."


    Jiang Jinyan coughed softly.


    "Really, I am not lying." She mumbled. "How can you be so handsome ah? What to do, when we go outter, everyone will stare at you."


    In response to her statement, Jiang Jinyan pulled out a mask from his inner pocket and wore it before the elevator arrived on the ground floor. Shi Nian stared at him in surprise then burst out in a fit of giggles.


    When the elevator door slid open and Shi Nian stepped out, Jiang Jinyan''s eyes followed the girl''s back, murmuring. "You too."


    Unfortunately, Shi Nian didn''t hear it.


    When she was ready to set out of the apartment building toward the subway station, Jiang Jinyan grabbed the girl''s arm abruptly.


    Caught off guard, Shi Nian lost her bnce and her body tilted backward. Luckily Jiang Jinyan held her shoulders in time, preventing her from the embarrassing fall. She scratched her nose sheepishly. "Thank you."


    A soft, sweet fragrance wafted to Jiang Jinyan''s nose and he lowered his eyes to find the source of the fragrance which came from Shi Nian''s hair. It smelled¡­alluring. Jiang Jinyan let go after she found her bnce, unknowingly shifted his eyes away. "No, it''s my fault."


    "Why did you stop me?"


    Only then did he remember what he was going to say. "There." He pointed at the garage. "Let''s take the car."


    Shi Nian nkly followed him into the apartment''s underground garage and found a sleek, dark blue sports car. Even though Shi Nian was blind about cars, she still knew that the price of the car in front of her couldn''t possibly be cheap. "This¡­is your car?"


    Jiang Jinyan hummed softly and pressed on the car key. The headlights lit up twice and Jiang Jinyan opened the door for her. "Get in."


    Shi Nian held her breath at his suave movement. She wondered, if Jiang Jinyan showed this side of his to others, how many women would have fallen into his embrace? Even in their past lives, when Jiang Jinyan was surrounded by more obnoxious rumors than glorious, he was still popr among the upper rankdies due to his wealth and power.


    "O¡ªOkay." Shi Nian robotically slid in, her spine straight. She took no notice of how careful Jiang Jinyan put his palm above her head to prevent her bumping into the car hood.


    After making sure that she had seated properly, he shut the door and made his way to the driver''s seat. His movement was both proficient and skilled, as if he had driven it countless times in the past.


    However, his leg¡­


    Shi Nian shut her mouth. She knew better than to question his decision so as to not spoil the pleasant mood between them. So be it. Today, she would trust Jiang Jinyan and indulge herself in the fun. The car''s interior lit up in a soft dim light, illuminating his dark eyes and long eyshes. "So, where are we going?"


    Shi Nian had finished adjusting her mentality and pulled out her phone with her chest puffed out in pride. "I have decided to take us to a very fun ce! You will find it unforgettable!"


    More than half an hourter, the car came to a stop by the side of the road. Jiang Jinyan rested his arm on the steering wheel and peeked outside. "This is¡­the unforgettable ce you''re talking about?"


    Shi Nian flushed in excitement and her eyes grew brighter as if there were stars in it. "It''sfy, tranquil, privately safe, we can do whatever we want, and there''s delicious food!"


    Jiang Jinyan looked at her for a while andughed.


    In the end, the ce Shi Nian brought them to was a¡­book caf¨¦.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: For me, there''s no dating ce better for two introverts than a book cafe ngl (?????) hehe but anywhere will be fun as long as you''re with the person you likes


    Next update will be tonight 10 pm GMT+8 as always ^^

 Chapter 232 - Couple Box

    The book caf¨¦ was situated in the centre of the city with a shopping district around. Thus, this one, cozy ce looked especially conspicuous with the huge bookshelf that could be seen from the disy window. Jiang Jinyan parked on an empty spot and got out of the car. He didn''t know how to react as he looked at the two storey building. "You¡­are sure this is the ce?"


    "Yes!" Shi Nian harrumphed proudly, then seeing the strange look in Jiang Jinyan''s face, she blinked nervously. "Why? You¡ªYou don''t like it? Hmm wait a minute¡­" She tapped on her phone, flustered. "Then we will go to another ce¡ª"


    "No." Jiang Jinyan covered her phone screen, his eyes curving faintly. "It''s very interesting. I have never been here before so I am quite¡­intrigued."


    Hearing no rejection in his voice, Shi Nian was invigorated again and started to babble, "I have checked on the inte. This is the ce with the highest rating! They have a wide variety of book genres¡­"


    As the girl spoke in excitement with hands gesturing around, Jiang Jinyan wrapped his arm around her shoulder and tugged her closer when someone almost bumped into her from behind. He proceeded to hold her hand and pulled her toward the caf¨¦. "¡­delicious dishes andfortable spaces. It''s very suitable if we don''t want any unnecessary attention!"


    Jiang Jinyan sighed, "I told you to put your wishes in mind."


    "I know..." She pouted sullenly. "But I really want toe here too. Not amusement parks, aquariums or shopping, I prefer reading books in quiet and peace instead. Jiang Jinyan¡­" She peered up at him and asked carefully, "What about you?"


    "Me?" He chuckled lightly. "What a coincidence. It''s the same for me too."


    Because it was still early in the morning, there weren''t many people inside yet. It was mainly a self service caf¨¦. Customers were allowed to roam around the space and look for books then sat on the ce they liked.


    There were two main areas in the caf¨¦. First, it was the outer area where you could rx while looking at the scenery from the floor to ceiling window and the second was the inner area for people who preferred private time without any disturbances from others.


    Shi Nian, without a doubt, chose thetter with Jiang Jinyan in mind.


    They listened to the staff exining the mechanism and looked around in the meantime. The caf¨¦ was adorned with huge bookshelves which were separated by genre. Most of them were manga, but there was also literary section, poem section, educational and health section, sport section, history section and many more. It really resembled a mini library.


    "Should we pick our books first?" Shi Nian asked.


    "Sure." Jiang Jinyan answered without looking away from the books. His dark eyes gleamed and it looked like he had found something that roused his interest.


    Shi Nian smiled. "Then let''s meet up here in fifteen minutes!"


    Subsequently, they separated. Shi Nian walked around the poem section and saw some books packaged to be simr to books in the historical era. She suppressed her shock and took out a book that turned out to be a collection of poems from Ming to Wei Dynasty. Shi Nian''s hands trembled as she caressed the yellowing pages.


    She walked deeper and reached the history section which was merged with the poem section. There were many records, documentaries and encyclopedias preserved in each dynasty before China gradually formed a Republic. Han Dynasty, Ming Dynasty, Wei Dynasty¡­


    Years gradually yed out in front of Shi Nian''s eyes like a silent movie. The Emperors changed along the time and people died one after another. The ancient civilization was reced with innovation, machine and technology.


    Her eyes inadvertently caught sight of a part of a thin book stuck out in the midst as if the person had hurriedly shoved it in between hardcover books but didn''t have time to tidy it up. Moreover, the spine was facing inward, making Shi Nian unable to see what the book was about.


    Curious, she pulled it out and turned it around. Shi Nian''s pupils trembled in shock as her eyesnded upon the title¡ª"List of The Vilest Felons in the History of Wei Dynasty"


    Shi Nian''s heart thumped for no reason. Somehow, she got an instinct that the thing she had always been searching for was in there. Shi Nian stood there frozen as her entire person fell into a daze. Only the words ''Vilest Felons'' repeated in her mind like a curse.


    "Shi Nian?" Jiang Jinyan popped his head out from the other aisle. "Are you done yet?"


    "Ah?" Shi Nian panicked seeing Jiang Jinyan approach her and in a fit of the moment, covered the book with the poem collection she had found earlier. Thus, that was what Jiang Jinyan saw when he stretched his neck to see.


    "''The Comption of Ming and Wei Dynasty''s Poem''?" He read the title out loud, amused. "I didn''t know that you''re into this kind of book."


    "I¡ªI just coincidentally found it and got curious." She pushed Jiang Jinyan away from the history section and tried to lighten her tone so as to not let the cat out of the bag. "By the way, what have you found?"


    Jiang Jinyan showed the book in his arms.


    Shi Nian blinked. Sun Tzu''s Art of War and a bunch of shounen basketball manga¡­her nose suddenly felt sour.


    Her General''s taste, no matter how long it had been, never changed a bit. He still liked to flip through ssic literature and somehow, he was also well informed about the hot blooded and scandalous stories that spread among the higher echelon. The two contrasts confused people as they couldn''t ascertain whether he was a schr or a barbarian.


    Yet Shi Nian knew that Jiang Jinyan was one of the most knowledgeable men in history.


    "The collections here are quite wholesome. It''s good then," he added. "I can do my assignment at the same time."


    Shi Nian blinked, bewildered. "Huh?" Assignment? What assignment?


    Somehow, Jiang Jinyan knew what she was thinking about just by looking at her alone. Amused, he tapped her head with the manga. It didn''t hurt, but still surprised her nheless. "Didn''t you know? I am in the Department of Humanities with a major in History."


    Shi Nian was shocked. "H¡ªHistory?"


    Wait, wasn''t he the heir of the major Jiang Corporation? Why did he study History instead of Business? All these times, Shi Nian had taken for granted that Jiang Jinyan would choose a sport rted major or at least Business, but it turned out she was wrong.


    "Why?" He asked in a casual tone. "Is it so surprising?"


    Shi Nian snapped out of her thoughts and shook her head in reflex, then after pondering for a while, she nodded hesitantly. No matter what, she didn''t want to lie to Jiang Jinyan but if she told the truth, she was afraid that it would remind him of some bad memories.


    Jiang Jinyan didn''t mind at all. Conversely, he was amused seeing her rapidly changing expression. "I know what you''re thinking about." He patted her head gently and added, "Let''s go."


    "Oh? Oh, yes!" Shi Nian chased after him, all the while thinking; what did he know?


    Both of them followed the staff to the inner area. "We have private boxes reserved specially for couples which we rent per hour. How many hours do you want to stay? Don''t worry, you can extend itter and the additional fee will be returned to you in the end. We will also remind you half an hour in advance when your time is up."


    C¡ªCouple box?! Shi Nian nced toward Jiang Jinyan, her mouth ready to refute.


    However, before she could say anything, Jiang Jinyan replied, his tone couldn''t be more casual. "Then we will take five hours."


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Jiang Jinyan is the type of person who, even when he and Shi Nian go to a love hotel, will not bat an eyelid when he ordered, "Give us your most luxurious suite."


    No, just kidding lol Shi Nian is still a minor so no smexy time (?????) but idk if she turns legalter on fufufu...


    I want to say my thanks to ArcaneMag, Tan_Lik_Ching, Ann_Perrault and Marrise_Insong (and more because I can''t see you sorry QAQ) for your GT! 43 GT just on the first day, you guys rock!


    Same old rules. Monthly goals:


    1. 100 GT - 5 extra chs


    2. 1000 privi unlocks - 5 extra chs


    if both are fulfilled, I will give more than 10 chs mass release! Let''s go, my dearies~~

 Chapter 233 - I Am Your Devoted Fan!

    Shi Nian meekly followed Jiang Jinyan and the staff to the couple box. The ceiling hung low while rows of closed doors appeared when they turned to a hallway. The staff proceeded to open an empty room and gestured for them to enter. "Please inform us if you need anything. Have a good time~"


    Jiang Jinyan had strode in first, leaving Shi Nian to deal with the staff. Somehow, she felt that there''s something more in the staff''s smile which made her face blush. Shi Nian pinched her thigh to calm herself. Why was she so nervous?! Did she not choose this ce so that Jiang Jinyan could rx and have a peace of mind?


    Shi Nian took a deep breath, braced herself and entered the room.


    The so-called couple box was an approximately 20 meters square room. It was equipped with a low table stuck to the wall, a 32 inch TV and a small heater. The temperature slowly heated up and Jiang Jinyan took off his coat. He looked around and nodded, "Not bad."


    "E¡ªEn." Shi Nian gingerly took off her shoes and stepped on the tatami. She put her sling bag in the corner of the room and stood awkwardly there.


    Jiang Jinyan looked at her with a strange expression, mirth filled his eyes. "What are you doing there? Come here and sit down." He had already made himselffortable, sitting down with his long legs stretched straight.


    Even though Jiang Jinyan was slender, he was very tall and his bone frame was huge. When he slouched down, it was as if he had upied more than half of the space. Shi Nian swallowed and discreetly wiped her mmy palms on her dress, then proceeded to sit beside him.


    No matter how she tried to ignore it, she could clearly feel the warm temperature exuded from his body, like a little burning stove. Every single movement caused her to be painfully aware of his presence.


    Before she could think of what to say, Shi Nian''sp was suddenly covered by something. Surprised, she found that it was Jiang Jinyan''s dark purple cashmere coat.


    Jiang Jinyan cleared his throat, "¡­Cover your legs."


    "Ah?" Shi Nian blinked, and blinked as realization dawned on her. "Ah, okay! Thank you very much!" With her face flushing crimson, she spread the coat across her legs. Jiang Jinyan''s coat was still warm with his body temperature lingering there and along with it, a faint cool fragrance floated to her nose. It was Jiang Jinyan''s cologne. Instead of calming down, Shi Nian grew more nervous.


    Jiang Jinyan cleared his throat again and pulled the books he chose in front of him. He started to read the shounen manga first. Nobody talked afterwards, and the silence was so tangible that it was getting awkward.


    Shi Nian didn''t even dare to move for fear of disturbing him.


    "Do you want to drink something?"


    Surprised by his sudden question, Shi Nian turned sideways and found Jiang Jinyan with his head leaning on his arm which was propped on the table. He was peering up at her with those dark, unfathomable eyes that could always make her hold her breath.


    Shi Nian''s heart almost jumped up her throat as she croaked, "¡­yes."


    Jiang Jinyan pressed on the bell button and the previous staff knocked on their door. "May I help you?"


    "We want to order something." He said.


    The staff smiled and gave them a menu.


    Jiang Jinyan flipped to the beverage section and handed it to her. "What do you want?"


    Shi Nian indeed felt her throat a little bit too parched. Attracted to the good reviews whichmended the food and drink in this caf¨¦, she was soon distracted from her nervousness and leaned in to look at the menu with him, instead of taking it from him.


    Jiang Jinyan only gave her a fleeting nce before looking away.


    Thus, the two of them huddled together to look at the menu book. "This strawberry mojito looks nice."


    He chided softly, "It''s not good to drink that before eating something."


    "Huh?" Shi Nian changed her option obediently. "Then, I want a chocte milkshake."


    Jiang Jinyan noted to the staff. "Don''t give her too much ice."


    The staff, who was silently eating dog food, entered the order while suppressing his smile. "Yes, sir."


    Jiang Jinyan then closed the menu which made Shi Nian look at him in confusion. "What about you?"


    "Give me a cup of ck coffee."


    Shi Nian''s lips pursed tight and she said after some consideration. "¡­You will feel bloated if you drink coffee now, it''s not good for your stomach."


    "Really?" He replied with a faint smile. "Just make the chocte milkshake two then."


    Shi Nian frowned. "You don''t like sweets, do you?" She turned to the staff, her small face solemn. "What kind of tea do you have in the house?"


    "We have jasmine, chamomile, chrysanthemum, earl grey¡­"


    Without even thinking, she blurted out. "Chrysanthemum tea is fine. You should steep it for a bit longer." In their past lives, General Jiang liked Chrysanthemum tea second most after wine. He especially liked it when the tea was steeped until it tasted more bitter than usual, only then would the sweet aftertastest longer. He said that it was the perfect sweetness for him, not too yucky nor greasy.


    The staff nodded and closed the door for them.


    Shi Nian heaved a relieved sigh and turned her head only to find Jiang Jinyan staring fixedly at her. She blinked, the nervousness came back in full force. "I¡ªIs there something wrong?"


    "No." His dark eyes gleamed as he drawled slowly. "I am just wondering how much you know about my taste."


    "I¡ª" She stuttered in defense, almost biting her tongue in the process. "I am your devoted fan!"


    "Oh?" He smiled. "I have never included these preferences in my bio. How do you know that?"


    Shi Nian stared at him, dumbfounded.


    Fortunately, Jiang Jinyan didn''t press her for an answer. He only pinched her nose without saying anything and started to read his manga.


    Shi Nian touched her nose, still dazed. She grabbed the topmost book in front of her and flipped it absentmindedly. It was the collection of poems from Ming and Wei Dynasty. Her eyes refocused as she found a familiar poem. Without her realizing, she had recited it verbally, her voice soft and gentle, resonating across the room.


    I was not when you were born,


    You were old when I was born.


    I wished to have been born together,


    We could enjoy our time together.


    I was so far away from you,


    You were so distant from me.


    I''d be a flower-seeking butterfly,


    And sleep on the fragrant grass every night[1]


    Jiang Jinyanmented, "Nice poem."


    Shi Nian snapped out of her reverie and only then did she realize what she had done. She bit her lips, abashed. "¡­Sorry."


    "What are you sorry for?" He said, amused. "You have a good voice, and your tone and pronunciation are very nice to hear. Have you practiced poem reading before?"


    No, I only paid more attention when you recited it beside me. "I guess...I often listened when someone read it in front of me."


    "Auntie Qiang?"


    Shi Nian grimaced from the result of her blunder. In this life, she only had Qiang Fei alone. If it wasn''t her, then who else? "Yes¡­" Sorry, mama. I have to lie for a bit, she whimpered inwardly.


    This loose mouth! It was better to keep being a mute or else she wouldn''t know what else she would blurt out in front of him.


    Fortunately, Shi Nian was saved by this predicament by the staff who delivered their drinks. She stood up a bit too eagerly and just like that, the conversation broke off.


    He hummed and turned his attention back to the manga, to Shi Nian''s relief. She quickly put the poem collection away and grabbed the next book. Her hand halted for a split second before picking it up.


    .


    .


    .


    [1] This is a real poem titled ''I Was Not When You Were Born, You Were Old When I Was Born'' written by an unknown writer from Tang Dynasty. Just a reference, the poem indeed have innguage and used by the author to express their pity and nostalgia to a much older lover. It suited General Jiang and Shi Nian very much QAQ


    .


    A/N: Idk if I have written it down, but in their past lives, Shi Nian was rescued by General Jiang when she was 15. Jiang Jinyan was 38.. When they died, Shi Nian was 17 and Jiang Jinyan 40. Right, he''s soo much older that it''s possible for him to be her father _(:3¡¹¡Ï)_

 Chapter 234 - I Cant Even Hug You?

    Jiang Jinyan stole a nce and was amused to see how serious her face was. He then returned his gaze to his manga, his whole body rxing fully.The atmosphere around them slowly thawed, bing harmonious and tranquil.


    Shi Nian read the book word by word, her heart thumping into a mess. It wasn''t a very thick book, only around fifty pages and the words in every page were short and briefly borated. The paper had turned yellow and there were creases in the corner, even torn in some pages. Shi Nian guessed it had just been read recently because there was no dust inside. The position in which she found the book further confirmed her spection.


    The corrupt minister, traitorous prince, cheating concubine, heinous official¡­Shi Nian read through them one by one. On one hand, she was relieved not to find a familiar name there but on the other hand, she was disappointed for she had gone through many books to find his name to no avail.


    Until a few momentster, her eyes froze on a certain page, pupils dted in shock.


    Jia Ming''en. The loyal friend of General Jiang.


    When thetter was condemned, cursed and loathed by the whole nation, only Jia Ming''en spoke out on his behalf. As a schr, he had to always pay attention to what he said. But when the rumors broke out about how General Jiang chose to betray the nation and forsake his soldiers in the battle, Jia Ming''en crossed the line as he criticized the Emperor for unjustly using his faithful vessel.


    [Jia Ming''en. A schr born in the second year of Emperor Yongwen''s reign. He achieved a brilliant feat as the first rank in the Wei Dynasty''s fifth Imperial Examination and received the title of ''Noble Schr Jia'' from Emperor Yongwen. Died by decapitation in public as a capital punishment for ndering the Son of Heaven. Noble Schr Jia has sinned deeply, spouting lies, betraying the principle of how a schr should uphold. He was suspected of being the aplice of Traitor Jiang, the greatest sinner in the entire 32th year of Emperor Yongwen''s regime.]


    The tips of Shi Nian''s fingers trembled as she flipped to the next page.


    The name Jiang Jinyan was written in ck ink in front of her very eyes. Her heart squeezed in pain as she tried to take a breath.


    He was here¡­Shi Nian finally found him. Not as a General, not as a hero or soldier, but as the greatest traitor down the history.


    General Jiang''s description was a bit longer than Schr Jia. Shi Nian traced every word in longing, the false truth shattered her heart into smithereens.


    [Jiang Jinyan. A soldier born one year before Emperor Yongwen''s reign. He lived gloriously as a General, wielding great power from Emperor Yongwen to lead the troops, hailed as the beloved vessel of the Emperor and his trusted confidante. Stationed in the border against the fugitives until he was thirty eight.


    Blinded by the temptation of greed and power, he colluded with the barbarians to overthrow the throne. The conspiracy was found out by Second Prince and thetter resisted gantly against General Jiang in thest battlefield. The barbarians were wiped out and General Jiang along with his six hundred thousand of armies, none returned victorious. Since then, thend was called Crimson Passage tomemorate the blood that spilled, staining the soil crimson and the nts withered for years.


    His corpse was then thrown in the wilderness, forbidden to be visited nor worshipped. From then on, his contribution was removed and he was deemed as the most dangerous felon. Traitor Jiang became the perfect example in the royal studies about the sin of betrayal and greed.]


    Shi Nian''s knuckles turned white as she clenched the book so hard that the pages almost tore off. J


    iang Jinyan noticed her minute reaction and surprised to see her eyes reddened, swirling with tears that refused to fall.


    "What''s wrong?" He asked, bringing her out of her reverie. "Is the story that sad?"


    She followed the source of the voice, her expression dazed. Jiang Jinyan''s inquiring face ovepped with thest gaze General Jiang offered when he brushed her hand off for thest time prior to the war.


    Shi Nian''s tears slid down her cheeks and she sobbed. "General Jiang¡­"


    Jiang Jinyan fumbled around for tissue and handed it to her, yet the girl was too emotional to respond.


    "Jiang Jinyan¡­"


    "What''s wrong with you?" He sighed softly. Left with no choice, he lifted her chin and wiped her face, but it was neverending as her tears streamed down unstoppably. Jiang Jinyan was both amused and distressed. "Okay, stop crying. It''s just fiction anyway."


    It''s not though¡­she denied inwardly.


    Shi Nian pursed her lips and hupped softly yet unable to stop her tears. "What to do?" She sniffled. "I am so sad¡­"


    "Alright, alright." Jiang Jinyan slowly brought her closer and wrapped her trembling shoulder into an embrace. "Stop crying already."


    Shi Nian''s head dropped to his shoulder,rge droplets of tears fell onto the fabric of his clothes, dampening it before seeping onto his skin. Pain squeezed her heart in waves as she mourned for her General. Died unjustly, body left in the wilderness to rot, forbidden to be worshipped. How much had he suffered?


    Jiang Jinyan''s warmth engulfed her, giving off an endless sense of security which she always sought for. Shi Nian leaned closer and hugged his waist, hanging there like a ko as her cries slowly subsided. Jiang Jinyan freed a hand and reached out toward the book. "What are you reading anyway?"


    "NO!" Shi Nian reacted fiercely and shoved the book away. "Don''t read it!"


    He was surprised but upon seeing her aggrieved expression, he relented. "Okay, okay, I won''t read it." He returned to hug the girl, pushing her head onto his own shoulder. "Calm down." He patted her head softly, just like coaxing a child.


    He also took her chocte milkshake and brought the straw into her mouth. "Here, drink this first."


    Shi Nian, with watery eyes and damp eyshes, relied on him forfort as she sucked the sweet liquid down her throat. The sweetness diluted the pain in her heart, and his presence even more so.


    "Jiang Jinyan¡­" She called out softly.


    "Hmm?"


    "You will not leave me, right?"


    Jiang Jinyan paused for a moment. "¡­If you don''t want me to, I won''t."


    "I don''t want you to!" Shi Nian tightened her hug, as if he was going to disappear anytime soon and the fact terrified her to death.


    Honestly, Jiang Jinyan couldn''tprehend what could make her react like this. He just contributed it to the tragic story the girl had read.


    Weren''t all teenagers like this? Bursting hormones, mood swings, blinded by beautiful visions of love, feeling like they could make a promise to stay forever and keep it still. Jiang Jinyan never thought he was such a person. Nevertheless, he got the urge to indulge in it right now.


    So be it. He thought. Anyway, I am only neen. Am I not a teenager too?


    There was a person who loved him so in this world. How could he let her down?


    Jiang Jinyan''s eyes softened as he pulled away slightly to check on her. Shi Nian''s emotion had stabilized albeit she was still glum and depressed. Also, she became very sticky, always wanting to stick to him. Well...not that he minded.


    He tried to lighten her mood by teasing her. "Where was the girl who was so nervous that she didn''t dare to sit down?"


    Shi Nian pouted in response. She was embarrassed, of course. But it was nothingpared to the emotional shock she just received. She knew nothing of the event following his death because shortly after she received the news, she had hung herself. She didn''t expect that he would receive the same treatment as the lowest criminal without morals, no, it was even worse than that.


    Her General was so noble, righteous and sincere, such a death was too humiliating for him!


    "I don''t care...I can''t even hug you now?" She looked up, aggrieved and pitiful.


    Who could resist Shi Nian when she blinked those round, misty golden eyes? Unquestionably, Jiang Jinyan had no way to escape from it either.


    He flicked her forehead helplessly. "Rather than hugging me like that¡­" He parted his legs to create some space and beckoned to her. "Come here. Let me hug you instead."


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: finally! Mass release is confirmed, tomorrow night 10 pm GMT+8 (5 chappies) please wait for it~~

 Chapter 235 - Physically And Spiritually

    He thought that she would refuse, judging from how she turned red so easily.


    But Jiang Jinyan forgot the fact that Shi Nian would always be able to surprise him, again and again.


    She looked up in surprise, her eyes brightening up with hope. "I can?"


    It was toote to take his words back, wasn''t it? Jiang Jinyan cleared his throat softly. "Sure,e here."


    Shi Nian carefully bypassed his leg and sat her butt down between his two long legs. She was already thin and petite to begin with, thus when she shrunk her body, she was able not to bump into him carelessly, albeit her whole nerves were strained tight with the ball of nervousness in her gut.


    Originally, she was leaning forward, but the man''s arm embraced her from behind so that her back was flushed against his chest, rendering her previous effort futile. The tip of Shi Nian''s eyes reddened with a speed visible to naked eyes, and the blush travelled to her cheeks and neck. His presence engulfed her whole body with his arm settled around her waist.


    Still, it was so warm andfortable that she didn''t want to move¡­


    Slowly, her body rxed and she leaned against his chest. Jiang Jinyan put his chin atop her head and reached for his manga which he had only read up to page 3.


    Shi Nian pointed at it. "Is it fun?"


    A deep chuckle sounded above her head and the tremor from his chest sent tingles down her spine. "Do you want to read together?"


    Shi Nian took a deep breath to stabilize her heart and nodded. Jiang Jinyan would always ask her softly whether she had finished reading before turning the page and she readily gave a nod. In fact, she couldn''t focus at all.


    His hands¡­how beautiful¡­


    Shi Nian marveled on his defined knuckles, prominent joint, long slender fingers with neatly trimmed nails. Wide and masculine palm that was obviously two sizesrger than hers with greenish veins popping under his fair skin. He indeed had impable hands for those with fetishes.


    "What are you looking at?" he asked.


    Shi Nian answered in daze. "Your hands ah."


    Only when Jiang Jinyan chortled softly did she regain her senses and blushed. Oh my God, what was she talking about?! "I¡ª" Shi Nian started to panic.


    Jiang Jinyan directly pointed her out. "You''re not reading at all, are you?"


    Nothing could ever escape Jiang Jinyan''s eyes. Shi Nian admitted guiltily. "I''m sorry¡­"


    "What are you sorry for?" He knocked his chin on her head softly in admonition. "You can do whatever you want."


    "Whatever I want?" Shi Nian confirmed once again.


    Jiang Jinyan hummed in agreement and turned the page. As he was immersed in the basketballpetition among the first year newbies with the main character who had a very thin presence, a soft sensationnded on his wrist. He turned his gaze only to see Shi Nian pressing on the protruding bone on his wrist yfully, massaging and kneading on it as she pleased.


    To be honest, it was a little ticklish. No, very ticklish to be exact. A strange sensation spread through his wrist up to his arm and he quickly caught her sneaky hand.


    "What are you doing?" his voice came out deeper than before.


    Shi Nian turned her head sideway to peer up at him, her eyes using. "You said I can do whatever I want¡­"


    Jiang Jinyan''s eyes darkened in warning. "You really want a mile after given an inch."


    Shi Nian puffed her cheeks in protest. "You''re the one who said it!"


    It seemed like he had spoiled her rotten that she dared to climb over his head. Jiang Jinyan smiled grimly and without any warning, he trapped her in ce and tickled her waist.


    Shi Nian jolted in shock, eyes widening. "You¡ªHa¡­Hahahahaha! Stop it!" She wriggled around, yet unable to break free from his arms. "No, it''s ticklish hahaha! Ah, don''t touch me there!"


    Jiang Jinyan savored her suffering to quench his anger. "Now you know how ticklish I feel, huh?"


    "Nooo, stop it!" Shi Nian couldn''t stand it the most when her waist was tickled. Her limbs turned soft and she slumped onto his arms, trying to push his hands away to no avail. "Jiang Jinyan!" In a desperate attempt to flee, she crawled out of his embrace only to be pulled back once again.


    "Where are you going?" He continued to teach her a lesson.


    "Stop it!" Shi Nian wheezed, tears sprung up her eyes from oveughing. Her eyes were watery as she pleaded. "Okay, I am wrong. It''s my fault okay? I will not do it again!" She held his shoulders as support to hang onto him.


    Their faces were only an inch away from each other. Heavy breaths ovepping. Two pairs of eyes met in midair and sparks of electricity zipped between them, making them turn silent at the same time. The atmosphere shifted subtly and finally, they realized how intimate their position had be amidst the yful tussle.


    "J¡ªJiang Jinyan¡­" Shi Nian called out nervously. Was it only her imagination or his face was indeeding closer?


    Shi Nian attempted to avert her gaze but her chin was grasped, forced to turn toward him again. His face magnified indefinitely in front of her eyes and this time, Shi Nian found herself unable to look away anymore. She was rapidly sinking into the violent whirlpool of those eyes which were so dark that only a faint visage of her face was reflected.


    His breath grazed her cheek in a soft tickle, causing her heartbeat to elerate.


    Yet her heart felt strangely at peace.


    She slowly grew unsatisfied with their current distance. How she wanted them to be closer and closer. Until they could finally feel each other in the true sense.


    Jiang Jinyan put his hands on her waist as the girl reached out to hook her arms around his neck. When their lips were only a few centimeters from each other, he whispered in a low voice. "Close your eyes."


    Shi Nian stared into his eyes, bewitched. She heard herself reply, "But I want to look at you¡­"


    His eyes flickered with faint mirth. He said no more and closed the distance between them, both of their eyes were wide open as their lips brushed against each other. The raging fervor were clear to see, as if they didn''t just touch each other physically but spiritually as well.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: I....have no words to say _(:3¡¹¡Ï)_

 Chapter 236 - Am I Dreaming Right Now?

    The kiss started off sweet, more like a tiny, soft peck before Jiang Jinyan pulled away slightly. Shi Nian stared deeply into his eyes, her hold tightening due to the nervousness. This clearly wasn''t their first kiss, but for Shi Nian it was.


    Last time, she was too muddled and delirious toprehend what was going on. What lingered in her impression was only his warm breath between her lips, the stinging pain of her lips being gnawed mixed with the taste of blood and tears.


    But now, she was truly kissing Jiang Jinyan, the man she had loved for two lifetimes. The knowledge slowly seeped into her brain, making her eyes zed with disbelief. She couldn''t help asking, "Am I dreaming right now?"


    Jiang Jinyan replied with another peck, his palm trailed up to the back of her head, fixing her in ce as he bit on her plump lower lips. She tasted like cherry with a hint of chocte. Her lip gloss stuck to his lips and he licked the wetness away. "So, are you dreaming right now?" He asked in return, a faint smile gracing his lips.


    Shi Nian was too mesmerized to think straight. She made a tiny noise from her nose in response, blinking. "I think I am, or else how can you kiss me, General?"


    It was such an inconceivable idea. They started off as a pair of strangers who stood on different sides and finally becamepanions in the fraudulent peaceful yet short period, then proceeded to be separated by death. Those were the memories that had almost been covered in dust.


    Now, here they were. Snuggling against each other intimately, breaths intertwined, eyes entangled with deep reluctance to part. It was then that Shi Nian felt how unfathomable the so-called fate was.


    Jiang Jinyan brushed the tip of her nose with his. "Then, you should slowlyprehend whether this is a dream or not."


    Shi Nian''s eyes widened when he melded their lips together in a slow, deep and intimate caress, sensually exploring the shape of her lips to his heart''s content. She blinked a few times rapidly, her eyshes tickling his skin akin to mischievous feathers.


    "Hmmm¡­!" A soft whimper escaped her throat when he increased the force, tasting her deeply. His eyes gradually shut to savor the kiss.


    It was burning. Her lips, her face, her body, every single part where he touched, leaving zing mes in his wake.


    Air was sucked away from her mouth, causing her head to spin dizzily. She grabbed onto whichever for support and the closest thing in hand was his soft, silky hair. Shi Nian didn''t mean to hurt him, but when Jiang Jinyan deliberately sank his teeth onto the corner of her lips in slight punishment for her ridiculous question earlier, her fists clenched tight and along with it was his hair.


    Jiang Jinyan paused from the sudden pain on his scalp, but looking at her zed and misty eyes, he held no intention of backing away. Not anymore. He pulled the girl closer and dipped his head lower as he trailed soft kisses to her eyes. "How is it?" he panted, voice raspy and teasing as he threw the question.


    Shi Nian blinked to brush the haze in her mind away. But how could she when the source of her intoxication was right in front of her eyes? She didn''t even realize what she was saying, "You bit me again¡­"


    "Hm?" Jiang Jinyan''s thumb caressed her bottom lips where a faint tooth mark was imprinted on it. "Does it hurt?"


    Shi Nian pressed her lips together in reply and shook her head.


    The corner of his lips curled upward as he took in her disoriented features. Watery, doe golden eyes covered in ayer of mist, flushed cheeks, tender skin, sweet breaths. Neck craned meekly in submission. It was as if¡­no matter what he did to her, she wouldn''tin and would even indulge him in it.


    Jiang Jinyan''s eyes deepened in color as he felt his heartbeat slowly grew out of control. The feelings he had tried so hard to suppress seemed like it was going to burst out soon. He exerted a bit of force on his fingers, kneading the soft flesh behind her neck.


    The blush in Shi Nian''s cheeks intensified as she turned her head away. "No¡­it''s ticklish¡­"


    "Why do you have so many ticklish spots?" He asked, half teasing and half serious. "Your waist¡­" He held her thin waist, measuring it with his palm. He didn''t even do anything and she was already out of breath, squirming. "Then, your nape¡­" He admitted that when it came to Shi Nian, he constantly got the urge to tease her. When he saw her using re which didn''t look convincing at all, he retorted using his nails to softly scratch the tenderest part of the skin behind her neck.


    Just as he expected, Shi Nian yelped adorably, her eyes flushed in tears. Her whole body was soft as jelly, every ounce of strength was seeped out by his teasing touch. "It¡ªIt''s different¡­"


    "What''s different?"


    "It''s¡­It''s¡­" Shi Nian huffed, ashamed.


    "Come on. Tell me." He enticed like a devil he was, his tone exceedingly patient as if he could spare a lifetime waiting yet his eyes gleamed in hidden anticipation which even he himself didn''t realize.


    "Um¡­" Shi Nian tried to move herself away so that she could breathe, but the man kept her caged in ce, forcing her to bear his heavy presence. Her mind was nk all over and in front of the ultimate devil, she could hide nothing. "W¡ªWhen you tickle my waist, it''s just ticklish¡­"


    Jiang Jinyan hummed. "And then?"


    "And then¡­" Shi Nian lowered her head and buried her face into his chest, whimpering. "My nape¡­the feeling is different. My scalp tingles and I have goosebumps on my arms¡­"


    He lifted her arm to confirm. "Ah, yes you''re right."


    Shi Nian groaned in mortification. "You''re such a bully!"


    Jiang Jinyan patted her back infort. "Continue."


    "What¡­Continue what?"


    "Your scalp tingles and you have goosebumps, and then?"


    Shi Nian buried her face deeper, totally had no intention to deal with him any longer. Better if she pretended to be dead. How could he be so sharp?! She couldn''t even hide anything from him! But¡­But how could she say things like that? It was tooscivious. Shi Nian didn''t want him to think that she was a wanton pervert.


    .


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    .


    A/N: hehehe Jiang Jinyan can be such a bully if he wants to (/¦Å£Ü*)


    This is a mass release forst month''s GT, thank you very much! [1/5] and right now, we have reached 50 GT, you''re awesome! Cast your tickets for MDG so we can have many, many mass releases!

 Chapter 237 - Buddhist Sutra To Calm You Down

    Jiang Jinyan nudged the motionless girl to no avail. He scoffed lightly, "I haven''t even asked you forpensation yet."


    "C¡ªCompensation?!" Shi Nian lifted her head in shock. "Whatpensation?"


    "First, in the rooftop, you secretly kissed my nose when I was sleeping¡ª"


    "You''re awake at that time?!"


    "Half awake," He corrected. "But it didn''t mean that I wouldn''t know whether someone touched my body."


    Shi Nian gaped in incredulity. He knew? That¡­That was her teeny bitsy secret which she guarded deep inside her heart. At that time, she couldn''t help herself, wanting to get closer to him more and more. The impulse appeared out of nowhere and when she regained her senses, she had already acted on it. She thought that she would be able to bring the secret to her grave yet, he had known it all along?!


    Jiang Jinyan continued, ignoring her twisted expression. "Second, in your house, you bit my lips so hard that it bled. It really stung, when I brushed my teeth, when I ate, I would always be reminded¡ª"


    "Okay, okay, enough!" Shi Nian covered his mouth, her face crumpled like dried tangerine peels, wanting to cry yet had no tears. "I know now. I will say it!"


    Jiang Jinyan grasped her hand and held it tight, his eyes smiling.


    Stinky fox! You despicable man!


    Shi Nian grumbled, but inwardly, she knew she had no choice but surrender because she couldn''t win against Jiang Jinyan, ever. "When you do it like that, I¡­" Shi Nian shut her eyes firmly and blurted out, "I have another wicked urge to¡­to kiss you again¡ªhmph!"


    Shi Nian''s pupils quivered as Jiang Jinyan dove in yet again, the kiss turned out more passionate than before. In front of her was the stunning, attractive visage of Jiang Jinyan with his eyes closed, immersed in the kiss.


    Shi Nian felt her heart almost jumping out of her ribcage, her whole body slumping against him, powerless and soft. She bore the intensity of his fervent kisses with her head muddled. For a while, she couldn''t even remember what they were talking about.


    He chuckled into her mouth, his lips tender and hot, sweet and bewitching. Intoxicating, just like his favorite century years old red wine.


    The temperature in the room rose sharply and ayer of sweat formed on her forehead. She grasped his shoulders tightly, moans and whimpers spilled forth her lips. The tip of her fingers trembled ever so slightly, and her chest was full to the point of bursting. Under his guidance, Shi Nian gradually learned the joy of kissing and even learned to mimic his movement, albeit a little bit too stiff and awkward.


    Until a wet, foreign sensation grazed upon the seam of her lips, forcing it apart.


    Shi Nian: !!!


    "Don''t be afraid." He whispered hoarsely, guiding with impatience. "Right, good girl, open your mouth for me¡­"


    Shi Nian shut her eyes tight, her breathing all messed up as Jiang Jinyan let his tongue in like he owned the ce. Her legs weakened and she almost slid down, but he caught her in time and lifted her up to hisp, his lips chasing after her relentlessly.


    "Ha¡­hmm, Jinyan¡­"


    He plundered deeper, tongue dominated her inside. On the other hand, she cowered and hid, dodging shyly. The man was indulgent as he was wild, slowly exploring the unknown ce before turning his attention back to her. Shi Nian felt that her mouth wasn''t her own anymore. She was tainted all over with him; his presence, his breath, his warmth, his saliva¡­


    His tongue entangled with her trembling one, softly, grazing and teasing again and again, sending electricity from her scalp down to her spine, melting her whole body into mush. Every single cell in her body buzzed in excitement and her calf trembled unknowingly as she sank herself into depravity, knees rubbing in need. It felt weird¡­the stinging sensation caused her body to itch in a way she didn''t even realize was possible.


    For quite a long time, the private room was filled with only heavy breathing, gasps and moans, with asional deep grunts intecing.


    Jiang Jinyan''s hands didn''t rest idly on her waist, caressing intermittently, further heightening the girl''s senses to a frightening measure. He pressed on all of her sensitive points urately, turning her into a puddle of soft water, a marite that could only be yed by him.


    A thin string of saliva connected their tongue when he parted their lips. Shi Nian opened her blurry eyes to see his deep eyes filled with passion and desire. For her. Only her. The realization caused her heart to squeeze in delight. She mewled in protest, her head lifting to chase after him again.


    He dodged in the nick of time, causing her kiss tond on the corner of his lips.


    She looked up at him in question. "Jiang Jinyan¡­"


    "Baby, don''t call me now¡­" He chuckled grimly, head buried into her shoulder, his rapid breaths tickled her skin. "Keep still, just for a moment."


    Shi Nian tugged on his hair in rebellion. "Kiss again..."


    She had never known that caressing each other''s lips and tongues could feel so¡­soul stirring. She liked it very much, especially when his eyes could only hold her within. It filled her with absolute euphoria, knowing that she could stir his emotion the same as he did with her.


    "Shi Nian," He breathed out what seemed like a curse. "Shi Nian, don''t entice me, or else you won''t like it."


    Shi Nian blinked, not understanding. "What?" It slipped through her mind that their position had changed amidst their plundering kiss. From sitting between his parted legs, she was lifted across hisp. She squirmed her butt around, puzzled. "Wait, there''s something hard there¡­" She reached out in annoyance, wanting to push the thing away, but Jiang Jinyan grabbed her wrist in time.


    His head lifted with eyes dark in warning. "Keep still."


    Shi Nian froze and realization suddenly dawned on her. The biology lesson of human anatomy passed through her mind before exploding into smithereens. "You¡­you¡­you¡­" Her face blew up akin to a cooked shrimp. She couldn''t even form anything past ''you''.


    "What?" Jiang Jinyan retorted. "I am a healthy, hot blooded male. Can''t I react? You''re obviously¡­tempting me."


    "T¡ªTempt¡­" Shi Nian was so shocked that she choked on her breath. "I am not!"


    "Alright, alright." Jiang Jinyan sighed and proceeded to hug her still. "Don''t move anymore or it''s not gonna go down."


    Like an obedient baby she was, Shi Nian froze and didn''t even dare to breathe too loudly. The hardness under her bottom was very prominent and she could feel it strain¡­straining against his jeans. Shi Nian sucked in a deep breath and chanted Buddhist sutra to distract her mind from worldly desires.


    And the fact was, she chanted it out loud.


    Jiang Jinyan''s shoulders trembled in softughter. "What are you reciting?"


    "It''s Buddhist sutra to calm you down." She breathed in and continued to recite.


    It was unknown whether the scripture was truly effective but after a while, Jiang Jinyan''s body rxed and he lifted his head. His expression had gone back to normal, not even the hint of the previous raging passion could be seen. A faint smile hung on his lips and it looked like he was in a very good mood.


    Their eyes met in midair and electricity sparked once again.


    Shi Nian scrambled away abruptly. "I¡ªI will go to the toilet!"


    Jiang Jinyan cleared his throat softly. "Okay."


    The subsequent event passed by smoothly. They spent the time peacefully in the book caf¨¦ until noon and ate in the open area as they admired the meticulous interior and huge assortments of bookshelves adorning the walls. The atmosphere was very rxing and harmonious.


    After they finished eating, Jiang Jinyan asked, "Where do you want to go next?"


    Shi Nian''s eyes brightened up. "Let''s go see a movie, then after that we can go to the park to enjoy the afternoon sun."


    Jiang Jinyan''s lips curled up. "Sounds good."


    Shi Nian insisted on paying for their date because Jiang Jinyan had taken his precious time to apany her. However, when she sneakily went to the cashier while he was in the toilet, the staff told her with a smile, "Miss, your boyfriend has paid for it."


    "What¡­?" Shi Nian ignored the ''boyfriend'' and asked incredulously. "He''s always with me so how could he pay?"


    The staff smiled in amusement and nced behind her. "You should ask him yourself."


    A palm fell heavily on her shoulder and she turned around in fright. "You¡ªYou¡ª"


    He gave a smile which didn''t reach his eyes. "What are you doing sneaking around here?"


    "Y¡ªYou too, you should be in the toilet! Why are you here?!" Shi Nian retorted like an angry kitten with soft, harmless ws.


    Jiang Jinyan nodded toward the staff and pulled her away. "Come on, we should go to the cinema now."


    "The money¡ª"


    "Talk again about it and I will bring you home right now."


    Shi Nian zipped her mouth and pouted sullenly. She let her hand be held as they walked out of the book caf¨¦. It was still noon and the weather was very good, not too cold and not too warm. The two of them joined with the throng of walking passersby hand in hand, looking very much like an ordinary couple in love.


    "Shi Nian?"


    The voice came from behind them and Shi Nian turned around in surprise. "You¡­"


    That person looked at her, then at Jiang Jinyan and their hands which were sped together. "You two¡­?"


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    A/N: oh I suck big time in writing intimate scenes. What do you think of it? (/¦Å£Ü*) and AAAAAH, Jiang Jinyan called her ''baby'' (?¨R?¨Q)?


    [2/5]

 Chapter 238 - I Am Still Chasing After Her

    Shi Nian widened in surprise. "Xiao Chun!" She followed Nan Xukun''s line of sight and saw her and Jiang Jinyan''s intimately intecing fingers. Blush colored her cheeks and she loosened her hold only for Jiang Jinyan to hold it tighter. Shi Nian looked up in shock to find Jiang Jinyan''s questioning nce as if he didn''t understand her predicament at all.


    Nan Xukun raised a brow, a smile graced his lips. "Care to introduce us?"


    "Ah, this is¡ª"


    "Jiang Jinyan." He cut her off, his words curt.


    Shi Nian nced at him, baffled but still continued. "Yes, this is Jiang Jinyan." What should she introduce him as? Friend? No, which friend would hold hands together in the middle of the street? Lovers? But she wasn''t Jiang Jinyan''s girlfriend at all¡­Shi Nian cleared her throat and decided to skip it once and for all. She turned to Jiang Jinyan, gesturing to Nan Xukun. "This is Nan Xukun, or Xiao Chun, my childhood friend."


    Nan Xukun beamed, hand stretching out. "Hello, nice to meet you there. You''re Shi Nian''s boyfriend?"


    "Xiao Chun!" Shi Nian blushed fiercely and glowered. "He¡ªHe''s not my boyfriend!"


    "No?" Nan Xukun gave their hands a nce.


    If Jiang Jinyan wanted to shake Nan Xukun''s hand, then he had to let go of Shi Nian. Nan Xukun waited for a few moments but didn''t see any intention to part from him. He shrugged his shoulders and lowered his arm. "Really not?" He asked once again.


    This time, it was Jiang Jinyan who answered. "No."


    It was as if a sharp needle had just tweaked Shi Nian''s heart. It was painful and ufortable. She lowered her head so that her dim expression couldn''t be seen, but instead, her eyes fell upon their hands which he still held tight.


    She pressed her lips together, trying to hold back the surging tremble. Suddenly, she felt that the glee and excitement she had felt prior to this had be ridiculous instead. Maybe, she thought that after they had kissed so fervently¡ªeven exchanging saliva with each other¡ªthere ought to be some changes between their rtionships.


    But it seemed that she was still too na?ve.


    What to do? The happiness from holding hands with him became suffocating instead.


    Shameless Shi Nian! Why are you so greedy? Isn''t it enough already that he was still willing to be dragged along with her everywhere?


    Shi Nian swallowed painfully, lumps on her throat but she still stretched her lips upward to form a smile. "Yes, told you he''s not¡ª"


    Jiang Jinyan tugged on her hand without any warning. Caught off guard, Shi Nian''s body tilted toward him and he wrapped his arms around her shoulder, lips brushing briefly against her temple. His gaze toward Nan Xukun was dark and bottomless. "Not yet, I mean...I am still chasing after her."


    Shi Nian''s head snapped up in shock. The rims of her reddened eyes were in to see, evidence that she almost cried due to his previous denial.


    Jiang Jinyan scoffed lightly, thumb massaging her eyelids. "What''s wrong with your expression?"


    Shi Nian shook her head dumbly. Her heart, which had almost shattered to pieces, was suddenly revitalized. The feeling of being lifted from Hell to Heaven was so thrilling that she felt her whole body abruptly lighten as if she could fly anytime soon.


    Nan Xukun looked at both of them, still with a smile but slowly it dissipated from his eyes, leaving an empty, cold smile. "Xiao Nian,e here for a second."


    "Huh?" Shi Nian was too happy to register the undercurrent that was happening between the two men. "What''s wrong?"


    "Come here." Nan Xukun gestured. "There''s something I want to ask you."


    In response, Shi Nian looked at Jiang Jinyan for permission and thetter finally loosened her hold. "I will take a walk around."


    Shi Nian''s eyes trailed onto Jiang Jinyan''s back until he was a few meters away, her eyes dazzlingly bright with an uncontroble grin on her face. She turned to Nan Xukun with the same silly face, asking in an exuberant mood. "What do you want to talk about, Xiao Chun?"


    "You¡­" Nan Xukun smiled wryly. "Do you really like him that much?"


    "Of course!" Shi Nian didn''t intend to hide her feelings at all. If she could, she even wished to shout it out loud so that the whole world would know that she liked such an amazing man.


    Nan Xukun lowered his eyes to hide the sadness within them. And you said that you''re going to stay with me forever¡­ The hand inside his pocket clenched tightly, yet his tone remained casual. "What about Detective Xu?"


    "Huh?" Shi Nian repeated instead, clueless. "What about Binchen gege?"


    Nan Xukun looked at her innocent face which hardly changed at all since twelve years ago. The bitterness inside him intensified, it was almost gut wrenching. "No, nothing. I am just curious, do you still keep in touch with him?"


    Shi Nian hummed in agreement. "He''s my neighbor now. How about you? What are you doing here?"


    In a timely manner, Nan Xukun''s phone rang. He fished it out and waved it in front of Shi Nian. "Just hanging out with some friends. Then, I will not disturb your date anymore. Goodbye." Without waiting for her to answer, Nan Xukun turned and walked away.


    Shi Nian stared at his back, bewildered. Why did it seem like something wasn''t right with him? But no matter how she thought about it, she couldn''t recall what could have gone wrong. Hence, she decided to put it to the back of her mind and turned to find Jiang Jinyan instead.


    "Finished?" He asked, both hands settled into the pocket snugly. Even just by standing there, with his face covered by a mask, he could still manage to attract many peach blossoms. Shi Nian only had to look around once and she could already find two or three women sneakily ncing at him.


    She puffed up her cheeks, stifled. "En."


    "What''s wrong again?" He pinched her nose gently and Shi Nian seized the opportunity to hold his pinky finger.


    "Can we?" She asked, her eyes glittered with hope and nervousness.


    Jiang Jinyan raised a brow and flicked her forehead in return. He didn''t say anything but intertwined their ten fingers once again, making her so happy that she almost skipped in ce. Shi Nian grinned foolishly and swung their hands as they proceeded to walk toward the cinema.


    The shopping district was connected with the mall. They only had to walk across it then rode the elevator to reach the cinema. As the sun rose to its highest point, more and more people were seen along the way, both in groups or couples, some were even enjoying their time alone.


    Shi Nian''s eyes were constantly pulled to him like a ma, so did some people, to her dismay. Jiang Jinyan was just too eyecatching. He had this aloof and slightly mncholic temperament that could make him stand out of the crowd, especially when he dressed in such a nice outfit.


    Seeing how she kept on stealing nces, it amused him indeed, yet he couldn''t help chiding softly. "Keep your eyes ahead when you walk."


    "Oh¡­" Shi Nian pouted slightly. Her head didn''t turn anymore but her eyes did. In the end, Shi Nian received her karma and bumped her shoulder against someone. She gasped in shock as the force was enough to knock her down, fortunately Jiang Jinyan quickly wrapped his arm around her waist and supported her.


    "Sorry, sorry!" The girl who bumped into her grimaced in apology. "Are you hurt?"


    Shi Nian recovered from her shock and shook her head. "I''m okay. Sorry, I didn''t pay attention to the road either."


    The girl nced at her then toward Jiang Jinyan who was more than a head taller than her, face blushing slightly. After apologizing once more, she dashed away quickly with her friend in tow.


    "What did I say just now?" His voice came above her head, tone severe.


    "It''s my fault¡­" Shi Nian stood properly with his help. She turned around to face him, but her eyes inadvertently caught sight of a slightly familiar figure. In an instant, her whole body froze in ce, eyes widening in astonishment.


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    A/N: can anyone be sweeter than Jiang Jinyan? ??_??


    [3/5]

 Chapter 239 - My Baby Isnt A Crybaby

    "Shi Nian?" he called out after seeing her suddenly fall in a daze.


    Shi Nian snapped out of her senses. When Jiang Jinyan turned his head to follow her sight, Shi Nian abruptly went on tip toe and grabbed his face with both hands. "No!" Her face was anxious as she shook her head. "I¡ªIt''s nothing, don''t look¡­"


    When she acted like that, all the more reason for Jiang Jinyan to find out what was going on. He exerted a bit of force to peel her hands from his face, holding them tight as he turned around quickly. Simrly, his pupils dted in surprise.


    It was unknown where Shi Nian got the strength to break free, or maybe he was too stunned to react properly thus he failed to hold onto her.


    Shi Nian looked at the familiar figure of Wei Xiameng in the distance, then to the shocked Jiang Jinyan. She bit her lips and reached out to cover his eyes, her voice contained a tremble which she didn''t even notice. "Stop¡ªStop looking¡­"


    Wei Xiameng was still as beautiful as always. No, she looked even more stunning instead. There was a hint of maturity in her face which Shi Nian didn''t see a few months ago. The woman had cut her hair until it only reached her neck, the strands of it were highlighted in light brown, making her look more youthful yet mature at the same time.


    This was Jiang Jinyan''s ex-girlfriend, the woman who had apanied him in the period which Shi Nian didn''t know before.


    Shi Nian didn''t know what had happened between them but she could still make some guesses. She recalled the scene she had seen before; Wei Xiameng hugging someone else in the hospital''s parking lot, and the man even kissed her on the cheek. Now, the same man was standing by her side, gazing at her with the same soft and affectionate look.


    Shi Nian''s heart was trampled to pieces just by imagining how Jiang Jinyan felt right now.


    What to do? If she could, she wanted to keep Jiang Jinyan for herself so that nobody could look at him, so that nobody could hurt him anymore.


    "It''s okay." She whispered, her voice quivering slightly. "It''s okay, Jiang Jinyan. Don''t be sad¡­" You still have me. I will always be with you. But the promise of ''always'' was too abstract and profound. Shi Nian found herself unable to say it at times like these, not with Wei Xiameng''s presence not far from them. All she could do was try her best in her own way to shield him from harm.


    Her fingertips were freezing against his skin and Jiang Jinyan grasped it tight, bringing it down as he turned around. "You¡­" Surprised, Jiang Jinyan cupped her cheek gently. "Why are you crying again?"


    Shi Nian didn''t even realize she was crying until he said it. "I¡ªI just feel so bad¡­" She sobbed, her nose reddening due to crying and the cold weather.


    People started to throw them nces, curious and inquiring. Jiang Jinyan looked around and decided to take her somewhere first. In this way, it was impossible for them to watch a movie peacefully anymore.


    Shi Nian tried hard to stop crying, unwilling to be seen as a crybaby. But whenever she remembered Wei Xiameng, she just felt so angry that she wanted to teach her a lesson. Jiang Jinyan was such a good man, so how could she cheat on him?


    In the end, Jiang Jinyan took her back to his car which was parked nearby. He settled her down before getting in himself. After turning on the engine and heater, he pulled out a tissue box from the dashboard and wiped her face for her. "Crybaby."


    "I¡­I am not!" She eximed in defense, yet it sounded unconvincinging from her swollen eyes and reddish nose. She had cried earlier in the book caf¨¦ and now, she cried again. If this wasn''t a crybaby, then what was?


    Jiang Jinyan dabbed her eyes with the tissue gently. "Yes, yes, my baby isn''t a crybaby."


    Shi Nian''s golden eyes blinked in surprise.


    He threw the tissue into the mini trash bin and took off his mask. Shi Nian scanned his face thoroughly, trying to find the slightest bit of sadness but saw none. "You¡­aren''t sad?"


    Amused, he squeezed her cheeks exasperatedly, making her look like an octopus. "Why should I be sad? I didn''t even cry and here you are, crying buckets in my stead."


    He wasn''t lying¡­


    Shi Nian let his words seep into her mind, relishing in it. So, he really wasn''t sad.


    "You should forget about her, seriously. She isn''t a nice woman. Last time, I saw her with the man beside her at the hospital, they¡­were acting unusually intimate." She asserted with a solemn expression.


    The corner of his lips twitched into a mirthless smile. "So, even you saw both of them, huh?" Seeing her nervous expression, Jiang Jinyan softened his tone. "We broke up months ago. This time, I was only surprised. I didn''t expect to see her in the Capital."


    Even Jiang Jinyan himself was shocked to discover his calm reaction. There was a period of time when he decided to have Wei Xiameng stay by his side for a long, long time and there was also a period when he had difficulty epting her infidelity. He thought that when they met again one day, he would still feel ufortable, heart rippling in waves of pain. After all, there were still years of good memories between them.


    But to his surprise, he felt none of those. In fact, he didn''t even feel any difort. Jiang Jinyan was really telling the truth, he was just a bit shocked to see her, nothing more.


    Right now, all he could think about was the girl in front of him. Her crying face, her cute pout, her concerned eyes, her happy and silly grin. Even seeing her tears distress him to no end, how could he bring himself to think about another?


    It was then that Jiang Jinyan realized he had truly moved on from the past. Each memory of Wei Xiameng, both happy and sad, was gradually reced with Shi Nian, firmly etched into his body and mind. The feeling was even stronger, so intense that he felt it deep from his soul.


    He had suffered before but destiny brought him someone much, much better, the best that he could ever imagine.


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    A/N: yes, and she will be much more betterter on (¨R?¨Q*)


    [4/5]

 Chapter 240 - I Just Want To. Cant I?

    "What are you looking at?" Qing Si waved his hand in front of Wei Xiameng''s face.


    The woman blinked and gave him a soft smile. "No, that person there¡­do you think he looks a bit like Jiang Jinyan?"


    Hearing that man''s nameing out of Wei Xiameng''s mouth once again, Qing Si''s eyes darkened but he still followed her line of sight. "Where?"


    "There." She pointed at the man who wore a long purple cashmere coat with his hair pulled up in a half bun. He was holding a girl in lc dress in his arms, his tall figure covering her whole, so Wei Xiameng was unable to catch a clear sight of them. "Don''t you think so?"


    Qing Si raised a brow. He recognized Jiang Jinyan just in one nce. Who was he kidding? He had gazed at that particr silhouette countless times before; when the man was training, when he stood in line in front of him, when the light shone on him as the champion¡­it was impossible for Qing Si to erase it from memory.


    However, he certainly had no intention of divulging it. He shook his head, sighing. "Must be your imagination. Why? Are you thinking of him again? Last time, you said you have moved on."


    "Of course I have!" Wei Xiameng hugged his waist, cheeks rubbing against his shoulder to pacify him. Qing Si had to admit that it was very effective against him and knowing that, the woman unscrupulously made full use of it everytime. "Are you angry? Don''t be angry at me okay? Darling? Hubby?"


    Qing Si was weak toward her coquettish act and forgave her almost in an instant. "Who said I am angry? Let''s go." He slid his arm around Wei Xiameng''s waist, holding her intimately. "You''re hungry, right? We should go now."


    "Okay~" Wei Xiameng answered with a sweet smile. Together, they walked to the restaurant Qing Si rmended. However, in a spur of a moment, Wei Xiameng turned around sneakily and caught sight of the couple. After all, they were very eye-catching. The man was very tall with a perfect, proportional body and the only man Wei Xiameng knew who had the same physique was Jiang Jinyan.


    Even though they had gone quite far, Wei Xiameng couldn''t have mistaken it.


    The girl in lc dress whose hand was enveloped in the man''s palm, was it not¡­ "Miss Shi Nian?" she murmured in doubt.


    ***


    Because Jiang Jinyan had to soothe Shi Nian for a while, they werete for the movie they were nning to watch. The next showing time was one more hour. Disheartened, Shi Nian''s shoulders slumped, "Sorry, it''s all my fault. I shouldn''t have let my emotions get the better of me."


    Jiang Jinyan''s huge palmnded on her head and pressed down lightly in reproach. Shi Nian looked at him, aggrieved but didn''t dare to protest because the me was indeed on her. It was weird, although she wasn''t that apathetic, Shi Nian still prided herself for beingposed, calm and collected, even more than the peers around her age.


    But why, only in front of Jiang Jinyan, she couldn''t keep her emotions in check?


    "Remember, the reason why I brought you out was for rxing. If you keep on moping around and showing this kind of face, then I would have spared my time for naught."


    Shi Nian bit the inside of her cheeks. She didn''t want Jiang Jinyan to feel like he was wasting his time with her! However, the more he said it like that, the more nervous she became. Shi Nian racked her brain hard to think of a ce. It was still too early for a pic, the sun was too strong and it wouldn''t be good for him.


    "Then, then¡­where should we go?" This was her first date and she wanted it to be perfect. On the contrary, she kept messing up again and again. Shi Nian started to be afraid whether Jiang Jinyan was regretting to be with her on his free Sunday.


    She nced at him with a pair of pitiful eyes that reminded Jiang Jinyan so much of the stupid fe in his home when it pooped outside the litterbox.


    Jiang Jinyan''s heart onlysted for one more second before it softened in the end. He reached for the girl''s hand. "Let''s go."


    "Where?"


    "Anywhere. We will look around and see if there''s anything that interests you, okay?"


    Shi Nian''s face lit up instantly and she nodded. "Okay!"


    Jiang Jinyan''s lips, which were hidden beneath the mask, tilted up into a smile. Today, he had smiled many times more than he did for the past two weeks, and it was all because of Shi Nian''s silly antics and her rich expressions which always amused him to no end.


    Shi Nian never knew that walking around without a destination would be so fun!


    A smile was never absent from her face as they strolled around the mall slowly. Shi Nian would point at the cute and weird things which caught her interest; such as the 3 in 1 pan which could be used to make many dishes, or the cleaning robot that was shaped like a cute round mochi.


    Jiang Jinyan noticed that she always gave more attention to household appliances and passed by the essories or trinkets shops which teenagers would usually like.


    When she did it for the third time, he held her back. "Wait."


    Shi Nian turned around, puzzled. She followed his line of sight only to find him looking at a shop filled with pink dolls, pink earrings, pink rings, pink hairbands, pink nail polish¡­even the walls were painted in light pink. Shi Nian was almost dazzled by the myriad of pink that flooded her sight. "What¡­are you searching for?"


    Jiang Jinyan pulled her along with him as he took a cute, little cat hairpin from the shelf. Before Shi Nian could react, he clipped it onto her hair and nodded in satisfaction. "We will take this one." He said to the smiling female shopkeeper.


    "Sure, sir. Does your girlfriend want to wear it right now?"


    "Yes, she does."


    When Shi Nian regained her senses, Jiang Jinyan had paid and received the bill. Shoving it into his pocket, he proceeded to take her hand again.


    "Wait¡ªWait a second!" Shi Nian grabbed his arm with both hands, eyes staring up at him in bewilderment. "This¡­"


    "Don''t like it?" he asked faintly, yet Shi Nian got chills down her spine, telling her that if she got the answer wrong, then she was going to get it from him.


    "No, I like it! I like it very much!" With a burst of survival instinct, Shi Nian blurted out. "I love everything you gave me and will protect it at all cost!"


    "What protect?" He squeezed her cheek lightly. "You should wear it instead."


    "Yes, I will wear it¡ªwait no, I mean¡­why did you buy it for me?" She probed tentatively. Her eyes kept ncing toward the mirror in front of the shop. There, the little pinkish cat hairpin snugly rested, its eyes curving with happiness, mirroring hers.


    Sensing her smile, Jiang Jinyan''s mood soared along. He reached out and brushed the messy strands of her hair, tucking it behind her ear. His movement was both gentle, oozing with affection and intimacy. "I just want to. Can''t I?"


    The man had even paid for it! If she said he couldn''t, would it make any difference? Shi Nian harrumphed with her cheeks blushing, "Do I have a choice?"


    "No." He smiled.


    "Thank you." Her eyes curved happily as she hugged his arm. "I really, really like it!"


    Jiang Jinyan''s eyes darkened and seizing the chance when nobody paid attention to them, he leaned forward and pecked her lips. Without waiting for her to react, he dragged her toward the cinema.


    The rest of the day passed by smoothly. They watched a famous action superhero movie, then enjoyed the afternoon sun in the park.


    Time flew so quickly, when they realized it, the sun had already begun to set.


    "We should go back." He said.


    Shi Nian nodded reluctantly, her expression glum.


    Jiang Jinyan squeezed the soft cheek he had gotten addicted to. "After your next exam, we will go out together again."


    Shi Nian was invigorated in a split second. "I will do my best to reach a better score!"


    Jiang Jinyan wanted to say that even if she scored badly, he would still take her out. Well, so be it. Shi Nian would be motivated to study this way. Maybe it was better to leave it like that.


    When they reached the apartment building, it was already a little more than 6 pm. Qiang Fei had even messaged her, asking about her day and subtly reminding her toe home soon.


    Shi Nian passed her mother''s message to Jiang Jinyan. "My mother invites you to have dinner in our ce."


    Jiang Jinyan didn''t refuse and offered his thanks.


    Overall, Shi Nian was very satisfied with today''s date. It was plenty of fun and¡­and she even got a kiss. Everytime she thought about it, her face would get hot and she needed no mirror to know that she must be blushing again right now.


    Using the dim interior of the car, she scrambled to open the door to no avail. "Eh? It''s locked¡­?"


    "Wait a moment." He reached to the passenger seat behind and pulled out a paper bag out of nowhere.


    Shi Nian''s eyes bulged out when he handed it to her. Coupled with the dim incandescent light shining down on him, his features looked more profound and bewitching. It was simply captivating. It was as if she could drown into those two pools of dark, bottomless eyes. Sometimes, Shi Nian even wondered whether he had hypnotic ability or else, how could she fall harder and harder for him every time they met?


    The corner of Jiang Jinyan''s lips curled up into an indistinct smile, the aloofness in his eyes thawed into a gentleness that belonged only to her. "I know I am a few days too early but¡­happy seventeenth birthday."


    "On the day of your birthday, there''s something I want to tell you."


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: ooooh, what do you think he''s gonna tell her on her 17th birthday?! (¡Ñ?¡Ñ) hehe, it will be very exciting indeed!


    here it is, 5 chappie mass release! Drowned you in chapters full of fluff _(:3¡¹¡Ï)_ because we will soon return to serious business~

 Chapter 241 - Forget Whatever Happened Between Us

    The cemetery at dusk in the cold weather of November was truly devoid of people, the asional rustle of huge maple trees along the path added to the tinge of mncholy. Maybe that''s why Jin Renguang chose toe here after he got off work. It had been a few days since Yan Jihuan''s fifth death anniversary and to be honest, Jin Renguang didn''t have any intention to visit her grave, ever.


    Regardless of whether her name was supposed to be inked beside him in the marriage certificate.


    However, he did. Not because of Yan Jihuan, but because he had to start pursuing his own happiness.


    Jin Renguang realized that no matter how many times he tried to tell Ru Meiqi that nothing mattered anymore, deep inside his heart, he still couldn''t let it go. He was just this kind of person, petty and despicable, couldn''t let go of the slightest bit of grievance. Sadly, the person whom he loathed had already been buried three feet underground.


    He couldn''t exact his revenge anymore and precisely because of that, he had difficulty moving on. It was just like a fishbone stuck in his throat, and now, he had to ept the fact that he should live with it for the rest of his life.


    "I havee." He stuck his hands into the pockets as he faced the tombstone. The afternoon wind blew his hair, deepening the heaviness in his eyes. He put the bouquet of daisies he had bought in front of the tombstone, then put another smaller one on the tombstone beside it.


    There were two tombstones. One was Yan Jihuan''s, his ex wife. And the other was an unnamed tombstone, because the baby hadn''t had the chance to be graced with a name before he had to leave again.


    Jin Renguang had a name on the tip of his tongue but he was unwilling to say it. Unwilling to engrave it into the tombstone. Whether it was due to pettiness, hatred or sadness, even he didn''t know.


    Yan Jihuan was frozen in her most beautiful moment, carved into the ck and white photograph. Soft, upturned eyes filled with captivating charm with a ghost of a smile on the corner of her lips, heart shaped face with mid length hair cupping her cheek. She was beautiful and charming. Yet, what remained in Jin Renguang''s mind was only the woman''s pale face, bloodless lips as it curled into a bitter smile before she breathed herst.


    "Are you happy now?" Jin Renguang straightened up, his gaze wandered elsewhere. "That year, I have sworn that I wouldn''t step into your grave for the rest of my life, but here I am." He sneered, contempt filled his eyes before it slowly receded into a rare nkness.


    Yan Jihuan used to be one of his bestrades. Even though she was a woman, she didn''t lose out against men in terms ofbat ability. It was that trait that made Jin Renguang admire her. She was resilient, tenacious and witty. So why did she end up bing the kind of woman he hated the most?


    "It''s been five years." He said. "I have thought a lot about that year''s matter. I won''t say I am innocent and you''re free to curse me from wherever you are now. Just that¡­" Jin Renguang nced toward the smaller tombstone beside Yan Jihuan and grazed the tip of his fingers against it, his eyshes quivering slightly.


    "Your sin was too heavy," Jin Renguang''s voice turned raspy, " Not to me, and certainly not to Qiqi either, but to your child. Yan Jihuan, I, Jin Renguang, stood in front of your grave today in search of repentance. We should forgive each other, too much hurt has been done between us and I think it''s time for me to move on, don''t you think so?"


    Jin Renguang bowed his head and closed his eyes, letting the wind mess with his hair, almost freezing his skin in the process. His mind gradually sank into the spiral of memories, one that he had been unwilling to visit.


    He and Ru Meiqi had been a pair of lovers since high school and their rtionships were still going strong, even when one of them registered to the special force and started to undergo multiple highly dangerous and confidential missions, and the other continued her study in psychology.


    The members in Jin Renguang''s team knew that he was a taken man, even if he hadn''t yet got married at that time. And Jin Renguang didn''t shy away either. He treated Ru Meiqi just like how one treated his wife and every time, they would scatter so much dog food that hisrades itched to beat him up for once. That was, if they could defeat him in a closebat.


    Yan Jihuan was the only woman in their team so subconsciously or not, she would often receive preferential treatment and herrades in arms would always protect her, just like a big brother would.


    Thus, imagined how shocked Jin Renguang was when one day, he woke up after a wild party¡ªit was usual for their team to celebrate afterpleting a mission¡ªand found Yan Jihuan on his bed, naked with traces of fierce lovemaking all over the room.


    For a second, Jin Renguang wondered whether he had died and woken up in Hell.


    He couldn''t recall what was going on and the headache tore on his head, almost splitting it into two as he stared at the familiar and unfamiliar body beside him. His bed, one which Ru Meiqi usually slept on, one which they had spent countless nights cuddling against each other, making out as if the world contained the two of them alone, now had another woman on it.


    Yan Jihuan stirred as if sensing the heavy gaze on her back, her eyshes fluttered open. The first thing she caught sight of was Jin Renguang''s ghastly face, looking as if he wished that someone would stab him with a knife.


    Her breaths got heavy as she roused, clenching the nket around her to cover her naked body. "B¡ªBrother Jin¡­" Tears swirling in her eyes, hurt and disappointment shed through them. She lowered her eyes to cover the undercurrent emotion. "Sorry, even though I know you already have Miss Ru, I still¡­ashamedly fall in love with you. Sorry, I couldn''t resist myself when you¡­you¡­"


    Jin Renguang rubbed his face roughly, annoyance and irritation brewing inside him like a premonition of a violent storm. "Last night, I fucked you?"


    Yan Jihuan flinched from his sharp and cold tone, his words even more so. Fucked. Such a crude word. An act that only involved the physical, empty and deste. Of course...Yan Jihuan smiled bitterly. She knew more than anyone else how much the man loved Ru Meiqi, he loved her so much that he couldn''t see another close to his side, who loved him unceasingly over the years. That''s why, when Yan Jihuan got a once in a lifetime opportunity to bed him, she didn''t hesitate at all.


    "Sorry, I¡ª"


    "Don''t say anymore." Jin Renguang scrambled from the bed. He looked at his clothes scattered around the floor, messily crumpled together with Yan Jihuan''s dress, stocking and underwear. An unprecedented nausea and disgust rose within his gut, not toward Yan Jihuan, but himself.


    How could he do that? How much of a beast was he? He¡­How could he face his Qiqi after this?


    Jin Renguang opted against wearing the clothes on the floor and walked in his naked glory toward the closet, taking random clothes and wearing them, all done in less than a minute. His eyes never oncended on the pale woman on the bed.


    "I''m sorry." He started without turning around, giving Yan Jihuan the sight of his lonesome back.


    "No, it should be me¡ª"


    "But I can''t take responsibility for you." He blurted out all at once. "Yes, you may call me a jerk, bastard because that''s what I am. I won''t me you, the fault is all on me. But I can''t¡­" His voice broke off in the end. "I can''t lose Qiqi¡­"


    He took a deep breath and turned around, his expression just like how she had seen before when he dealt with criminals. Cold, brutal and ruthless. "So I will have to ask you to forget whatever happened between us."


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Finally, Jin Renguang, his ex wife and Ru Meiqi''s back story! Do you expect iting? Welp, it''s not gonna look good QAQ do you think Jin Renguang is too heartless or...


    Sorry for the dy ne~ some problems cropped up with myputer

 Chapter 242 - She Was Worth More Than That

    Yan Jihuan''s face paled further, herplexion grew ashy. In the end, she couldn''t hold back anymore and sobbed quietly on the bed,rge droplets of tears streaming down her face. Jin Renguang had never seen Yan Jihuan cry so pitifully before. In his memory, she was always strong, dependable and cheerful.


    "If you don''t want to see me anymore, I will resign." He hardened his heart to say, shocking her out of her soul.


    "NO!" Yan Jihuan eximed in panic. "Y¡ªYou¡­You are the best soldier I have ever seen! Brother Jin, you''re born to be in the Special Forces. Please don''t¡­don''t throw it away¡­"


    Jin Renguang sighed and his jumbled heart finally softened slightly. After all, this was his closestrade who had gone through life and death situations with him countless times throughout the years. He approached her and wiped her tears, his brows furrowing. "¡­Sorry." Except for sorry, he didn''t know what to say.


    It was on that day that Jin Renguang felt vividly how much of a jerk and scum he was. He owed Yan Jihuan a lot, and if he had to take a bullet for her in their future mission, he would. He swore it to himself.


    They parted on bad terms that day and fortunately, there wasn''t any subsequent summon in the next few weeks, allowing Jin Renguang to avoid her as much as possible. Things would have been buried just like that if not for Yan Jihuan suddenly came to him two monthster with a report in her hand, her expression dazed. "Brother Jin¡­I¡ªI am pregnant."


    If this wasn''t what was called the sky crashing down onto his head, he didn''t know what else. Jin Renguang held the report, his eyes raking through each word, yet none registered in his mind. The only thing he could see was the bold ink of ''Pregnancy Confirmed'', presenting the harsh truth in front of him. One that might be too much for him to shoulder.


    Jin Renguang grew up upholding tight principles. Yes, he lived his teenage life recklessly, stirring down the wrong path and hanging out with those delinquents all day. If not for Ru Meiqi, there wouldn''t be Jin Renguang today. However, he prided himself for being a principled man. He had bottom lines which he wouldn''t cross even with the price of his life, and one of them included cheating.


    Now that he received this report, he could no longer escape. He had created a new life, just like how he imagined himself to be. This would undoubtedly be one of the happiest moments in his life, if only the person who conceived his child was Ru Meiqi.


    His lover was wrong, the person whom he wanted to hear this from wasn''t her. His life slowly went haywire, everything was spiraling down to an unwanted path. He had no way to make it right except for gritting his teeth and advancing forward step by step.


    Even yearster, he could still recall how anguished Ru Meiqi''s expression was when he broke the news to her. Yes, anguished. There was no other word that could exin it. They had clearly nned to settle down when Jin Renguang turned thirty¡ªthat was, two yearster. And now, he came and said that he had impregnated another woman and ought to take responsibility for her?


    "You''re lying¡­right?" Ru Meiqi asked, still in a state of disbelief and denial. Nevertheless, tears had started streaming down her face, because she knew Jin Renguang too well to discern that he wouldn''t joke on something like this. Moreover, the man''s twisted expression had further dispelled her hope until there was practically nothing left.


    "Sorry, Qiqi¡­I''m sorry¡­" Jin Renguang kneeled in front of her, head hung low. The back of his eyes stung and he had a strong urge to cry. But the pride of a man held him back. He had never cried for as long as he could remember, and this time too, even when his eyes were bloodshot, the tears still refused to fall. "Don''t cry, it''s my fault. Qiqi, don''t cry¡­"


    "Renguang¡­" Ru Meiqiughed nkly. "Please tell me it''s all a lie, hmm? I beg you¡­"


    Jin Renguang clenched his fists so hard that his nails pierced through the flesh and drew blood. He was such a talented, skilled and prideful man. Yet in front of Ru Meiqi, he was only a desperate man who sought his lover''s forgiveness. "You can beat me, p me, you can even stab me. I will receive it all."


    Ru Meiqiughed again, one that was too painful for him to hear.


    Her hands hung limply by her side, trembling ever so slightly. How could she beat, p or even stab him? She had exerted all of her strength just to remain standing. She loved this man so much, too much that she trusted him wholeheartedly, too much that she handed her heart for him to cherish. Yet, it was all trampled to pieces in the end.


    It hurt, even at this moment, she still stupidly wished that he would suddenlyugh and tell her that it was a mere joke. Anything. Anything was better than this.


    Jin Renguang would have felt a bit better if Ru Meiqi vented her anger and sadness by hurting him. He would even receive curses and condemnation. The more the better. Killing him was also okay. Yet she''s not. She had always been the most ruthless woman, able to deliver the sharpest spear into his heart.


    Without saying anything, she turned around to leave.


    "Qiqi¡ª!" Jin Renguang rose in reflex, but in the end, he realized he had no right to stop her anymore.


    Ru Meiqi halted, she wiped her tears and decided to give Jin Renguang the brightest smile she could offer. No matter how much agony she was in, she refused to show it in front of him. God knew how hard it was for her to speak in a light and airy tone. All she wanted to do was to hug him.


    But in the end, rationality still won over her.


    She was Ru Meiqi, and she definitely wouldn''t copse just because of a broken heart. She was worth more than that.


    "Officer Jin, I wish you a happy marriage."


    "No¡­" Jin Renguang shook his head, tears welled up in his eyes. "Don''t say it, please..."


    "Live happily ever after with Officer Yan and treasure your child, be a good father¡­just like how you say you would be to my children."


    "RU MEIQI!" Her smiling visage became a blur, so beautiful and dazzling. It was exactly that smile that made Jin Renguang fall head over heels for her, and now, she used the exact smile to bid him a farewell that mightst forever.


    Jin Renguang''s mind snapped as he stumbled to chase after her, his whole body trembling violently.


    But she had disappeared.


    Since that day, it was as if Ru Meiqi had vanished from the surface of Earth.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Music Rmendation Day6 - Congrattions Eng ver


    have I said how much I love Ru Meiqi? (?©n?) I wish I could be like her. Smart, capable and independent. She has a clear outlook on what she wants and knows what she has to do. After leaving Jin Renguang, she prospers even more abroad as a famous criminal psychologist~


    Girls, if you meet a cheater, don''t hesitate to let him go and don''t show a bit of weakness! p him on the face with your glory and sess!


    Well, for Ru Meiqi, Jin Renguang is indeed a scum. But is he truly? _(:3¡¹¡Ï)_

 Chapter 243 - You Have A Healthy Son

    The members of Special Forces were shocked to find out that Jin Renguang was going to be married to their little sister. Originally, they all cheered for him as they held the wedding invitation in their hands, but when they saw the name of the bride ''Yan Jihuan'' and not ''Ru Meiqi'', they were all dumbfounded.


    Jin Renguang pulled up an ugly smile. "You should alle."


    Rumors started to spread in the army. The wedding should be a joyous asion, but the atmosphere was strangely suffocating. The bride was absent these past few days and there wasn''t an ounce of happiness in the groom''s face.


    If one asked Jin Renguang whether he hated Yan Jihuan or not, of course, he would unhesitatingly answer: yes, he did. Even more so, he hated himself. Hated to the bone. He couldn''t forgive Yan Jihuan foring between his and Ru Meiqi''s love and he couldn''t forgive himself either for ruining everything.


    The wedding reception was set in the fourth month of Yan Jihuan''s pregnancy but shortly after Jin Renguang came out to his family, he had gone to receive a marriage certificate with Yan Jihuan. So, even though they hadn''t publicized it yet, she had already be his legal wife.


    On the day of the reception, their rtionships had thawed even though there was still a tangible strain between them. Up to this day, Jin Renguang still loved Ru Meiqi dearly. The pain was still there, in the corner of his heart, bound and locked by thickyer of chains named principles and responsibilities.


    Slowly, he learned to ept.


    Jin Renguang had always been a highly adaptable person. He forced himself to work, forced himself to smile, forced himself to be okay, and slowly, he did. He crawled out from the pit of despair and returned to the usual him.


    Yes, Jin Renguang still hated Yan Jihuan a lot, but interwoven with the hatred, there was a tinge of affection mixing in along with the passage of time. After all, everytime he returned home after a long tiring day, there was another person who was waiting for him with a warm smile and a small bump on her stomach. The house that used to be cold and silent slowly grew warm and cordial. Even when he was a rock, his hard surface would have still been eroded by now.


    Jin Renguang started to care about Yan Jihuan and their baby''s wellbeing. Just like how he said he would, he gradually learned how to be a responsible father.


    During years of their intense missions, Yan Jihuan had sustained numerous injuries, both light and heavy. There were someplications left which impacted the baby''s growth. The doctor told them that everything would be okay, that Jin Renguang just had to pay attention to Yan Jihuan''s mood and her healthy diet.


    In the seventh to eighth month of her pregnancy, it was as if they had truly be husband and wife. Jin Renguang would fuss everytime Yan Jihuan walked around without him, and no matter what Yan Jihuan craved for, he would go out and search for it even in the middle of the night or wee hours in the morning. He also learned to cook for her.


    Until one day, Yan Jihuan''s pregnancy entered a perilous phase. The woman had a weaker uterus than average. In addition, the baby''s position wasn''t quite right and sometimes, she would have internal bleeding which frightened Jin Renguang so much more than the rain of artillery bullets.


    When Yan Jihuan was pushed into thebor room, she had lost consciousness with her lower body drenched in blood. The doctor solemnly told Jin Renguang to prepare for the worst. He had never felt so helpless before.


    Why? Why did everything seem to never go right when it came to the people he cared for?


    Jin Renguang slipped on the sterile clothing and followed Yan Jihuan into the operation. There, he held his wife''s hand, whispering words of encouragement andfort, although he didn''t know whether Yan Jihuan would be able to hear him.


    Blood, lots of blood covered his sight. Jin Renguang had never been scared of blood before, but now, he found his knees weakened and he almost staggered when the machine started to beep wildly.


    "Doctor, the mother''s blood pressure is dropping too quickly!"


    "It''s excessive bleeding. We have to bring the baby out as soon as possible!"


    That was the longest six hours in Jin Renguang''s life. In the end, soft, weak cries reverberated throughout the room and everyone collectively sighed in relief. "Congrattions Mr. Jin¡ª" The doctor paused, her expression turned strange for a moment.


    Jin Renguang felt his heart sink to the pit of his stomach. "D¡ªDoctor, is there something wrong with my child?"


    The doctor stretched a smile. "It''s a little weaker than average because it''s born premature. We have to take more tests to find out but right now, all indicators are normal. Congrattions Mr. Jin, you have a healthy son."


    He didn''t know how to describe his feelings. Gratification, astonishment, awe and affection. He had loved his baby even before he saw him. However, all of those feelings morphed into horror and disbelief when he cradled the baby in his arms.


    His son¡ªhis baby which he had waited for so long¡ªhad a tuft of blonde hair on his head and when his eyelids fluttered open, a pair of dazzling blue eyes blinked at Jin Renguang. It was like the sky crashed down his head for the second time. He felt the long lost despair and helplessness deep in his bones.


    So¡­that''s why the doctor had such a strange expression.


    They were obviously Chinese with ck hair and ck eyes, so¡­how did their baby turn out to be blonde and blue eyed?


    Shortly after, Yan Jihuan roused from her sleep, eyes blinking dazedly. She saw the familiar silhouette of her husband at first sight. "Brother Jin¡­" She panted lightly, still weak from the aftermath of the surgery.


    Jin Renguang''s back stiffened and slowly, he turned around. There was no joy or excitement she had visioned, instead, he had the same expression as when she woke up on his bed eight months ago. "W¡ªWhat''s wrong? The baby¡ª"


    Only then did she take a clear look at her baby, and her whole being was stunned silly by the sight.


    Jin Renguang trembled, his whole body exuded raging fury and disbelief. "Yan Jihuan, what do you mean by this?"


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: ¦²(¡ã¥í¡ã) oh God, idk what I would do if I were in Jin Renguang''s position. He...He''s too pitiful .©b©b(¡ä£Ï`) ©b©b.he has been waiting for his baby for months, force himself to ept Yan Jihuan''s presence and even grew some affection for her, but in the end, he was cheated thoroughly....

 Chapter 244 - I Am Giving You One Last Chance

    "No¡­that, who is that? Where''s our baby?" She sought around in a desperate manner. The sympathetic nce from the nurses and doctor entered her sight. In an instant, her heart sank heavily and she gasped for breath, tears sliding down her cheeks. "Brother Jin, I¡ª"


    "You lied to me?" Jin Renguang asked lightly, his eyes deste and barren, just like his heart. "You lied to me, Yan Jihuan?" His grip on the baby tightened and as if perceiving Jin Renguang''s hostile mood, the baby opened his mouth and wailed loudly. His cries soft and heartbreaking.


    Yan Jihuan''s eyes widened in terror. "No, my baby! Don''t hurt my baby!"


    "Madam Jin!" The doctor held her back in ce. "You must not move around!"


    "My baby¡ªdoctor, my baby!!" Yan Jihuan shrieked as she saw Jin Renguang''s chilling smile, then her eyes rolled backward and she fainted. The doctor gasped in shock and chased Jin Renguang out of the room after the nurse took over the newborn baby.


    Honestly, at that time, Jin Renguang had the urge to drop the baby and killed himself afterward. He had spent months trying to ept both Yan Jihuan and the baby into his life, imagining them growing old together only to receive a painful betrayal in the end.


    If...If not for the baby, would he have married Yan Jihuan, causing his rtionship with Ru Meiqi to be destroyed to shambles?


    If not for the baby, would he have let Ru Meiqi go?


    If not for the baby, would he be so wretched now?


    Jin Renguangughed, and in front of his and Yan Jihuan''s waiting family, he broke down into tears, hisrge body curling helplessly on the floor.


    Was there a man more ridiculous than himself? Was there a man stupider than himself?! He naively believed everything, naively believed every single wording out of Yan Jihuan''s mouth! Look at the price he had paid for it! How many nights he had spent condemning himself, trying to crawl out of the whirlpool of guilt and self me?!


    In the end, the baby wasn''t even his!


    The premature baby was kept in the incubator for the first few days. Gradually, the doctor came to realize something was wrong when they tested the baby''s blood. He had one of the rarest blood types in the world; Rh-negative blood type or panda blood. Only 3 out of 1000 Chinese people would have it. Yan Jihuan was clearly not included thus, the blood could onlye from the baby''s real father.


    It turned out, Yan Jihuan had consumed abortion drugs more than once before. Because of that, there was a slight mutation in the baby''s red cells, it regenerated slower and has a shorter lifespan than average. It caused the baby unable to carry oxygen to his lungs properly. His lips often turned bluish and had to receive blood transfusion and oxygen masks once in a few days. It was troublesome, but manageable as long as they had an enough blood supply from his father. They only had to endure until the baby''s immune system strengthened and his health would improve significantly.


    Yet ironically, that was the biggest problem of them all.


    Yan Jihuan was unwilling to divulge the father''s identity thus all they could do was to rely on the blood supply from the hospital which was alwayscking. Jin Renguang spent an enormous amount of money just for the blood supply and in the end, it diminished and only a few bags left, enough to sustain the baby for a few weeks.


    "You''re his mother, for God''s sake!" He roared in fury. "Is your son''s life not more important than the father''s identity?!"


    Yan Jihuan cried quietly. She couldn''t even count how many times she had cried since the baby was born. She had to endure through the postpartum''s pain, receiving Jin Renguang''s cold re, as well as both sides'' parents judging and disappointed face. She knew it was her fault, but still, it was too much for her to bear.


    "I don''t know!" Eventually, her spirit broke down as she buried her face into her palm, wailing. "I don''t know who the father is! Remember thest mission we did in New Zend? At that time, I slept with a few foreign strangers so I have no idea who the father is!"


    Jin Renguang sneered in disbelief. How could he not remember? Following the sess of the mission was the party in which he found Yan Jihuan on his bed.


    "Yan Jihuan, I really don''t know you at all." He had always regarded her as a little sister, one that was innocent, kind and dedicated to her work. Thus, when he knew he had slept with her, he was filled with guilt and shame. "There''s one thing I want to ask you. That day, did we really sleep together?"


    Jin Renguang''s fists clenched, palm mmy with sweat. He didn''t even realize he was holding his breath. "I am giving you onest chance. If you still bullshitting in front of my face, then I¡ª"


    "No." Yan Jihuan''s lips tilted into a twisted smile, her eyes crazed with delight and glee. "We have never slept together. That day, you''re too drunk to do anything to me. All I did was stripped you of your clothes andid down beside you. Honestly, I didn''t hold much hope but you believed me! Ha¡­.hahaha, I said I was pregnant with your child and you totally believed my words!"


    Jin Renguang breathed rapidly, eyes turning bloodshot. His whole body exuded a dangerous aura like a bloodthirsty leopard ready to pounce on his prey, tore their skin and drank their blood.


    "But, Brother Jin¡­" The pale woman''s expression turned sad and deste in a split second. "I really didn''t have any choice. You have no idea how much I hope that it''s your child I am conceiving."


    BAM!


    Jin Renguang punched the wall by his side, veins popping up his forehead. The sound of his gnashed teeth could be heard in the hospital room that suddenly turned silent.


    "B¡ªBrother Jin, I¡ª" It was only then that Yan Jihuan realized something was wrong with him. Her expression changed abruptly. "You can''t abandon me and our son! I am your wife! Jin Renguang, remember that you caressed my stomach and talk to the baby everyday! You have also been waiting for his arrival!"


    A deep growl escaped from his throat. "SHUT UP!"


    If not for her being a woman, if not for her being bedridden, Jin Renguang would have snapped her neck off! "Have you had enough? Toying with my feelings, seeing me heartbroken because of my failed rtionship, and deceiving me for months? Yan Jihuan, do you have any conscience left?! TELL ME!"


    Yan Jihuan shut her mouth, the rims of her eyes reddened. She glowered at Jin Renguang, unwilling to concede defeat. "Jin Renguang, I told you. You aren''t going to divorce me! I won''t allow it!"


    Jin Renguang sought her eyes, trying to find a slightest bit of guilt but found none. It was then that he gave up trying to talk sense into this mad woman. From the start, she had never felt guilty at all. Instead of admitting her fault, all she could do was to use her newborn son to threaten him. A son that had no blood rtion to him at all. Howughable!


    He sneered in disgust. "I have never touched you nor did you conceive my child. On what basis do you think you''re my wife?"


    "No, you can''t do this to me¡ª"


    Jin Renguang turned around coldly. "Expect a summon from the army soon."


    Their marriage was a military marriage, one that was bound under the government and militaryw, hard and troublesome to be dissolved. But Jin Renguang had never bowed down in face of adversity. Now the truth had surfaced, he didn''t have to hold back anymore. He had a clear conscience.


    Since the moment he heard that he hadn''t slept with Yan Jihuan, Jin Renguang felt a burden had been lifted off his shoulder. As he walked down the hallway, his steps lightened and brisk.


    Qiqi, I haven''t wronged you. Since the beginning, I have never betrayed you¡­


    .


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    .


    A/N: Ite to my mind that some of you may think he''s stupid, why he didn''t check whether Yan Jihuan is saying the truth or not. But here, imagine yourrade who has gone through many dangerous missions with you where trust and teamwork is an absolute must. Sometimes, they might even put their lives into each other''s hands. Jin Renguang''s trust toward Yan Jihuan has been tempered through years yet she exploited it for her own use QAQ Bad woman!


    And good news! They have never slept together and not even after they got married!

 Chapter 245 - Your Son Has Disappeared!

    After the incident where he identally found Yan Jihuan on his bed, Jin Renguang had sworn upon his dignity that he wouldn''t drink anymore for the rest of his life. However, that night after returning home, he did. What dignity did he have left?


    The house still had residual warmth and vitality in it. The dishes which Jin Renguang had only done halfway before Yan Jihuan suddenly screamed for help still piled up messily in the sink, the colorful ball of yarns she was nning to knit for their future children spread out on the table, heaps of baby clothes, toys and the baby room which Jin Renguang still hesitated on whether to paint in soft blue or mint green¡­


    He stood on the doorway and memories of the past few months came rushing back like a tsunami, inducing another earth shattering headache. He left the dishes alone, threw the yarns into the trash bin and swept their wedding photos down. Only then could he feel like breathing again.


    This wouldn''t do. The house just felt too suffocating to him at this moment.


    His phone rang continuously and he gave a nce to find his mother calling. Jin Renguang massaged his temple and shut his phone down with almost no hesitation. He turned heels and drove into a bar he frequented, opened a private room and drowned himself in alcohol.


    As if wanting to erase the image of the blonde and blue eyed baby in his mind away. As if wanting to dilute the throbbing ache deep inside his heart...


    He didn''t know what to feel. There was immense relief upon knowing he hadn''t touched Yan Jihuan, but there''s also a strong sense of betrayal everytime he recalled Yan Jihuan''s confession. It was a lie if he said he could obliterate his feelings for her in a blink of an eye, those were feelings he had cultivated with much difficulty for months. However, precisely because the feeling still remained, it was harder for him to ept reality.


    The owner of the bar was one of his formerrades who had retired due to injury and ended up opening a business. Upon seeing Jin Renguang''s devastated state, he shook his head and left him alone.


    Jin Renguang didn''t know how many bottles he had downed. He drank liquor like water, forcing the spiciness and astringent taste to cover the bitterness in his tongue.


    Time passed unknowingly, and when Jin Renguang came to again, he felt a hammering headache enough to kill and his whole body was so sore as if he had just been run over by a truck.


    Hisrade walked back and forth to clean up his mess. Jin Renguang roused from the floor and rotated his neck, cracks sounded one after another from his sore body. "What time is it?" He said with his hoarse and scratchy voice.


    "Awake?" The man spared him a nce before pointing at the phone on the table. "You should call someone to take you home, buddy. You''re too wasted."


    Jin Renguang couldn''t care less. He flopped onto the couch, groaning in pain. After resting his eyes for a few moments, he reached for the phone and turned it on. Shock shed through his eyes when he saw countless notifications barging in as soon as the signal returned. There were calls from his parents, Yan Jihuan''s parents, the hospital and even some from hisrades in the Special Force. There were even 99+ unread messages in his inbox.


    His brows furrowed in contemtion. Why did a calle in from those in the army? Did something urgent happen? He wanted to return the call to hisrades first but an iing call dominated the screen, the caller was from the doctor in the hospital.


    Jin Renguang snarled in annoyance, his thumb swiped the screen roughly, his voice even more so. "What do you want¡ª"


    "Mr. Jin!" The doctor''s relieved and gratified voice travelled from the other side of the call, sounded like she was on the verge of breaking down. "Where are you now? We have been trying to reach you since forever!"


    Jin Renguang said impatiently, "What''s wrong? There''s still a few blood bags left for the baby, right?"


    "No, no, Mr. Jin, listen to me! The baby¡ªyour son has disappeared!"


    "What?!" Jin Renguang shot up sitting, his head spun both from the hangover and the sudden news. "What did you say?!"


    "We¡­We checked the surveince camera and saw Madam Jin avoiding the security and escaping with the baby in the middle of the night! Mr. Jin, do you know where your wife might be now? She''s still recuperating and can''t run around like this! The baby is still too weak to be exposed to cold air!"


    Jin Renguang ignored the doctor''s angry holler and scrambled to pick up his car keys and coat. He nodded to hisrade and rushed out of the bar. The cold weather pped his mind awake, and he lifted his head to see soft drizzle falling down from the sky like strands of silver, milky stars. The sky was murky and signs of downpour could be seen from the intermittent lightning and thunder.


    The baby disappeared. Yan Jihuan ran away bringing the newborn weak baby..


    He got into the car and stepped hard on the elerator, diving into the deste road at full speed. Therge Jeep roared loudly, leaving behind puffs of exhaust gas.


    A cold smile shed through his lips. Jin Renguang didn''t know whether tomend Yan Jihuan''s bravery and wit for running away with her baby or her cowardice for the imminent divorce. Did she think that if he couldn''t find her, then he had no way of divorcing her?


    On the way to the hospital, he received calls from both sides'' parents and found out that they had tried all the ces they could think of and called all the people that Yan Jihuan might go to for shelter. It was for naught. After Yan Jihuan exited the hospital, it was as if she had vanished abruptly.


    Who were they kidding? Yan Jihuan was one of the members of the elite Special Forces. Evading surveince cameras and anti reconnaissance ability were one of the mandatory skills a soldier like them must have. If Yan Jihuan didn''t want anyone to find her, then no surveince camera would be able to catch her silhouette.


    In an instant, Jin Renguang didn''t hesitate to ask for hisrades'' help. Only with the strength of people could he dig out Yan Jihuan from wherever she was hiding.


    "Jin!"


    "Brother Jin!"


    Everyone had been waiting for him when he alighted from the car. Yan Jihuan''s parents were sobbing incessantly, the re they threw to Jin Renguang was using as if he had looted their family''s wealth.


    His own parents sat on the other side with displeased faces. They were on the verge of bing grandparents and had also boasted about it around their neighborhood. Now such a thing happened, wasn''t it all this imbecile Yan Jihuan''s fault?! She didn''t even bear Jin Renguang''s child and now she even wanted to inconvenience their son to search for her? Who did she think she was?!


    Jin Renguang turned his gaze toward his two worriedrades.


    "Jin, what happened?"


    "Sister inw, she¡­hasn''t she just given birth? How can she run around?"


    They knew nothing of the truth about the baby''s appearance and his awkward identity yet. Sporting a worried expression, they circled around Jin Renguang, seeking exnation.


    Jin Renguang''s eyes were bloodshot and he had stubble growing on his chin. Such a haggard appearance was truly unbefitting of the usual Jin Renguang. His voice was hoarse, yet he forced himself to remain clear headed. "I will exin to youter. Now, we must find Yan Jihuan as soon as possible. She and the baby might be in danger."


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: As much as you hate Yan Jihuan (yes me too QAQ) there''s still a few chapters left. There''s good news and bad news, good news is there may be one or two chapters left which I will post them all today and bad news, you''re going to hate Yan Jihuan more :))

 Chapter 246 - Give Him Back To Me!

    They nodded readily. "We will lend you a hand!"


    The help of highly skilled individuals was a great benefit in the search. Yan Jihuan wasn''t found in her and Jin Renguang''s house nor did she hide in her parents'' house. There was no news from her friends either. That meant she fled alone without anyone''s help. However, no matter how discreet she wanted to be, she couldn''t have evaded every passerby''s eyes.


    After asking around for some time, some people stated they had seen the woman holding a bundle of clothes along the road. They followed people''s directions and found a taxi driver who had picked Yan Jihuan up. The pitiful taxi driver had been bribed enormously to keep his mouth shut, but after Jin Renguang and hisrades brought out their army credentials, the taxi driver was so frightened that his knees weakened, thinking that he had helped a fugitive escape.


    "She¡ªShe only told me to drop her off in front of Jianshan intersection!"


    "Jianshan intersection?" Jin Renguang frowned.


    The man behind him hurriedly typed the information on hisptop. He was the best technician in their team, codenamed RainbowBaby. Although his code name sounded childish and kind of chuunibyou, he was in fact a burly, robust and stern man that could rival a sumo fighter.


    He said with a gruff voice, "Jianshan Intersection is a newly built road just a year ago. There''s an elite residenceplex to the north and an abandoned construction site to the south. Aside from it is wilderness that''s not suitable for people to step into."


    After saying that, they looked at each other and saw the same apprehension in the other party''s eyes.


    "Go to the construction site." They said in unison.


    Jin Renguang and RainbowBaby dashed into the car. RainbowBaby informed the other who was still searching and together, they raced toward the abandoned construction site.


    The wide expanse of emptynd was supposed to transform into a huge supermall with an amusement park nearby. However, the feasibility study stated that the soil wasn''t suitable and there''s a huge risk of recurring earthquakes. Thus, the construction had been left alone since then with no further development confirmed.


    Jin Renguang and the team members arrived half an hourter. His eyes scanned the muddy soil and he crouched down to scrutinize a barely visible footprint. "It''s Yan Jihuan." He confirmed. "Come on, she''s definitely inside."


    "I heard the sound of a baby crying!" The other member with the codename Immortal strained his ears and pointed. "Looks like ites from the second floor¡­oh shit, the cries have stopped!"


    Jin Renguang felt his heart squeezed, he almost couldn''t breathe. It had been more than twenty five hours since Yan Jihuan brought the baby and escaped. The premature baby¡­who even needed the help of oxygen masks to survive. He shook his head and didn''t dare to think any further.


    RainbowBaby stayed behind to monitor the perimeter and he also called for an ambnce in passing. Meanwhile, Jin Renguang and Immortal separated when they ran up to the second floor, each sweeping through a huge area.


    The construction site was only halfway done. The structure and pir had been erected and the foundation had been covered in cement. The second floor''s walls had even been painted in white, although there were still numerous messy heaps of steel beams, pipes and bags of cement on the corner of the floor. The air smelled like dust, mold had even flourished wildly on some edges of the white paint.


    Jin Renguang saw the downcast sky from the frameless window and saw the rain pouring down harder, like a curtain separating the building from the outside world. He didn''t call out for fear of rming Yan Jihuan. The man''s footsteps were light and brisk, almost soundless like an agile cat.


    After searching over for a while, he finally found Yan Jihuan in a room where dim lights casted in from the floor to ceiling window. The window was only covered by a thin paper curtain and the rain had already rendered it useless. Water seeped into the room in huge droplets, drenching the floor and air with ufortable dampness.


    Yan Jihuan was sitting on the floor with her back to Jin Renguang, a bundle of clothes in her arms. The woman was motionless, which made Jin Renguang put up his guard. "Yan Jihuan¡­"


    She didn''t react at all. Only the subtle motion of her breathing told Jin Renguang that the person in front of him was alive and not some life-like puppets.


    Jin Renguang approached her slowly withrge steps. "Yan Jihuan, what are you doing there? Let''s go back, your son is still very weak."


    When Jin Renguang said the word ''son'', only then did Yan Jihuan turn around. Jin Renguang was shocked to find her lifeless and wan appearance. Her hair was messy and her eyes stared at him nkly as if she didn''t recognize him.


    After a while, she finally spoke, her voice so hoarse like sand grinding on paper. "Brother Jin¡­why? Why did my baby stop crying?"


    Jin Renguang swallowed with difficulty and crept closer to the unstable Yan Jihuan. "We will bring him to the hospital right now. Okay?" He scanned the woman''s thin body and found that she only covered herself with a thick coat. The hospital gown on her lower half had already been stained by blood. Jin Renguang''s face turned somber. He was already an arm''s away from them.


    "No¡­" Yan Jihuan hugged the baby closer to her, mumbling. "No, you''re going to take him away."


    "I won''t." He grabbed her thin wrist and when the woman struggled by reflex, he forcefully suppressed her movement and hauled the baby from her.


    "NO, give him back to me! You''re a bastard, Jin Renguang! You said you''re going to be responsible for us!" Yan Jihuan struggled wildly and her instinct as an elite member of Special Forces kicked in, she twisted Jin Renguang''s arms and kicked his waist with all of her strength yet the man was motionless. It was Yan Jihuan who felt like her ankle was going to be fractured by the sheer force radiating from his body.


    Yan Jihuan was terrified. She couldn''t win, no one could win against Jin Renguang in a closebat. Left with no choice, she ran outside to grab a long, sharp metal beam.


    .


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    A/N: Yan Jihuan you bich what do you want to do to your husband?! (?§Õ?¨p)


    One more chappie, let''s get it done asap, author is also impatient QAQ

 Chapter 247 - You Have Also Lost Me

    Jin Renguang didn''t care about his dislocated arm and bruised waist, nor did he care about the running Yan Jihuan. All his attention was on the baby in his arms. Thest time Jin Renguang gazed upon the baby was when he was sent into the incubator with multiple tubes piercing his tender skin. At that time, the baby was still alive and kicking, crying loudly and pitifully.


    But now, he was already breathless. His face puckered as if in pain until hisst breath and his lips had turned into a shade of blue and purple.


    "Jin, I found Yan Jihuan! She wanted to attack me!"


    When Immortal dragged the struggling Yan Jihuan into the room, what he saw was the silhouette of Jin Renguang kneeling, trying to perform emergency first aid to the baby who had just stopped breathing. Sweat dotted his forehead, and his eyes were red.


    "Let go of me!" Yan Jihuan shrieked madly, but when her sightnded on the lonesome back of Jin Renguang in the middle of the messy and dusty room, her struggles ceased as if strength was seeping out of her body. "Baby¡­my baby¡­"


    Jin Renguang noticed their presence. Wrapping the baby in his coat tightly, he roared. "Call the ambnce!"


    Immortal regained his senses and stammered. "R¡ªRainbow has already called for it."


    Right when his words fell, loud ring sirens pierced through the heavy downpour and they could see the bright red lights from afar. Jin Renguang disregarded everyone in the room and dashed out carrying the baby whose warmth had slowly started to dissipate.


    He was anxious, desperate and frantic.


    He was drenched from head to toe as he dashed straight into the curtain of the heavy rain. When he arrived in front of the barely stopping ambnce, the baby was still dry and safely secured. "Save him¡ª" He hollered desperately. "SAVE THE BABY!"


    The doctor''s face was solemn as another emergency treatment was carried out inside the ambnce. Tubes and machines were connected with the little infant''s vulnerable body. Yet, what Jin Renguang received in the end was a shake of her head. "Sorry, Mr Jin¡­the baby was already very weak and got a chill. He also hasn''t eaten anything and¡­"


    No further words were needed. The baby, who had just arrived in the world less than five days ago, was gone just like that.


    Jin Renguang slumped onto the ground, huge droplets of rain fell upon his face. Or maybe, it was tears. His red eyes stared unblinkingly at the doctor, seemingly in daze.


    It wasn''t until RainbowBaby pulled him up did he realize that Immortal hade out with Yan Jihuan in his arms.


    Every single sound¡ªthe doctor''s angry exmations, RainbowBaby''s furious shouts, the ambnce screeching, the rain¡ªeverything faded away and what remained in Jin Renguang was rage. A zing, scorching rage.


    When Yan Jihuan stumbled past him into the ambnce to cradle the baby with a nk expression on her face, Jin Renguang asked, his tone so calm that it scared himself. "Yan Jihuan, are you satisfied now? You lost your baby and now, you have also lost me...thoroughly."


    Yan Jihuan stared at him with empty eyes. The doctor hovered around her and pushed her toy down on the bed. "Mr. Jin, we have to hurry back to the hospital! The mother is in danger, her operation wound has reopened and shows signs of infection!"


    Jin Renguang didn''t hear her, his eyes staring fixedly at Yan Jihuan. No emotions could be seen in his eyes yet there were also deep undercurrents veiled within. He wiped the water on his face roughly andughed. "Yan Jihuan, I don''t want to see you anymore. Even when you die, I, Jin Renguang, swear that I. Will. Never. Step. A. Foot. Into. Your. Grave! Ever!"


    "Mr. Jin!"


    "Jin!"


    The doctor, Immortal and Rainbow shouted for him to no avail. Jin Renguang had broken his way through the crowd and dashed into the heavy rain, leaving his car behind. Even RainbowBaby was unable to catch up to him.


    Jin Renguang himself was unclear as to where he had gone on that day. What remained in his memory was the baby''s pained, purple face, Yan Jihuan''s bitter smile and the chilling rain that seeped into his skin and bones.


    The rain fell unceasingly for the rest of the night as if mourning for an innocent soul''s departure.


    Yan Jihuan fell into depression after the incident, but Jin Renguang was unmoved. It was like his heart had frozen into stone regardless of his inw''s cursing and his parent''s light persuasion.


    The army was helpless when they received a letter of resignation from Jin Renguang a few days after.


    Immortal and RainbowBaby finally learned the truth after they personally sent Yan Jihuan and her baby into the hospital. They turned silent simultaneously. Yan Jihuan was their closestrades and also the little sister they had cherished but Jin Renguang was also one. In this matter, outsiders could see the problem better than the rted party. Indeed, they had to admit it was Yan Jihuan''s fault thus they did nothing to hold Jin Renguang back, only throwing him a personal party when he came to bring his stuff back.


    Jin Renguang spent the rest of his savings to buy a house in City S and moved there. He applied to be a local police officer who did menial jobs.


    The higher ups thought that it was below Jin Renguang to be an ordinary police officer. Thus they created a new department for him and named it ''Special Crime Investigation Unit'' with him as the Captain.


    Not long after he settled into his new job, his parents carefully exposed the news that Yan Jihuanmitted suicide a day after she knew Jin Renguang had resigned from the army. His parents had helped him to set the funeral and buried Yan Jihuan with her baby. Not in Jin ancestors'' graves, of course. They weren''t such a saint to ept such a woman in their ancestry. It was already the best treatment they could offer after the suffering she had inflicted to their son.


    Jin Renguang didn''t react much after hearing the news which made his mother heave a sigh of relief. "Renguang, you''re still young. You¡­"


    He knew what his mother wanted to say but currently, he didn''t want to hear any of it. "I know. Don''t worry too much about me. Buy yourself good food and travel around as you like. If I have vacation, I will make sure toe home and visit you sometimes."


    Mother Jin didn''t have any qualms about her son not being at home. She clicked her tongue exasperatedly. "You know what I want to say. You and Meiqi¡ª"


    "Oh, the Director summons me to his office. Talk to youter." He directly hung up on the phone.


    There was no change in his expression nor did his colleagues realize something off about him. It was just that, when he got off work, Jin Renguang drove to the supermarket and bought ten cans of beer. That night, he finished them all.


    The next day when he arrived at the police station, no one could spot anything different about him except for thicker eyebags and the words he spoke didn''t exceed ten words for the rest of the day.


    Only he himself knew, what was different was only a new mail resting snugly in his phone. A very short mail, yet it needed three hours for him to finish drafting. He only needed one click for it to be sent to the other side of the ocean.


    To: Ru Meiqi


    Subject: None


    Qiqi, I have never betrayed the promises I swore to you. Every single one of them.


    But maybe, we do need some time apart from each other to sort out our feelings. When I have settled everything, am I allowed to meet you again?


    With my utmost sincerity,


    JIN


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: fyi, Jin Renguang''s codename is a simple ''JIN'' and that''s also his name in Ru Meiqi''s phone (*¡ä¦Ø£à*)


    Finally, Jin Renguang''s backstory is over! Now, you understand why he''s not willing to go see his wife even after five years.. I think I will not be able to forgive her for the rest of my life if I was Jin Renguang. Can I say that she deserves it? Poor baby QAQ

 Chapter 248 - Haishang Technology

    Although his reminisce seemed very long, in fact not even half an hour had passed. The cemetery was still devoid of people and the daisy in front of the two tombstones swayed freely along the wind, the white and yellow petals looked exceedingly delicate with water droplets still resting on it.


    Jin Renguang once again caressed the smaller unnamed tombstone. His heart would suffocate everytime he thought of the baby''s first cries, his fragility when Jin Renguang cradled him for the first time, his teary eyes as he was sent into the incubator, until the end¡­his shriveled face tinged with a shade of purple.


    Jin Renguang closed his eyes, frowning. The tip of his fingers trembled ever so slightly. "I''m sorry¡­"


    No matter how wicked Yan Jihuan was, the baby was innocent. If¡­If at that time, he arrived a few minutes sooner, if he didn''t go to the bar and got himself wasted, if he cared a little bit more¡­would he find a little blonde haired, blue eyed toddler stumbling to him, calling him ''uncle'' or ''godfather'' right now?


    Jin Renguang had no idea how to deal with the problems at that time. He was just too emotional, too furious and he needed a little space to shut himself off lest he did something he would regret for the rest of his life. In fact, he didn''t mind taking the baby boy under his wings. He would divorce Yan Jihuan for sure, but he wouldn''t be able to cast the baby away.


    s, everything had already happened and there was no use crying over spilt milk.


    Jin Renguang felt that, instead of Yan Jihuan, the one he couldn''t move on from was the baby.


    "Jin Hengfu¡­" He murmured with a bitter smile. "A man with unyielding principle, who lived his life surrounded by good luck. Do you think it''s a good name, boy?"


    Light, gentle breeze blew, caressing his cheek as if whispering an answer. Jin Renguang spent some time cleaning the graves and gave them onest look before turning away.


    Now, he and Yan Jihuan really didn''t have anything to do with each other anymore.


    His phone rang when he''s halfway through the stairs. The caller was Tang Wei.


    Jin Renguang frowned. Thinking something urgent was happening, he answered the call and hastened his steps. "Jin Renguang speaking. What''s wrong, Tang Wei?"


    "Captain!" Tang Wei''s excited voice came through. Hearing that, Jin Renguang rxed in an instant. His gait returned to its usual pace as he fumbled around for the car key, the phone stuck between his neck and shoulder. "Come back soon! We have alreadypiled the data about Haishang Technology!"


    ***


    City A, the branch office of Jiang Corporation.


    Si Zhening was dexterously handling numerous documents and data that flowed into hisputer. The ones which weren''t crucial would be handled by thepany''s representatives while the important ones would be checked by him first before they got to the CEO''s desk for approval.


    His face was calm andposed but the movement of his hands were so fast that it created afterimages. The tasks that were considered hellish by the group of secretaries became as easy as pie when it came to him. The female secretaries who worked in the same office couldn''t help but sneak some nces at him, their gazes full of marvel and worship.


    The saying of men looked handsomest when they were working in full concentration truly befitting of Head Secretary Si.


    This kind of scene was already a daily urrence within the office and Si Zhening didn''t give them any mind as long as they didn''t stand in his way ofpleting his job on time.


    He nced at the wristwatch and frowned. "Where''s the data I asked for two hours ago?"


    Bai Jiya¡ªthe new intern secretary¡ªstraightened her back, herrge eyes blinked pitifully. "Secretary Si, it''s supposed to be Sister Mengya''s job but today, she didn''t clock in so I have to take over. Please forgive me for being slow~"


    The rest of the secretaries buried their heads into theirputers. Herees another innocentmb.


    No matter how much they admired Si Zhening, no one dared to approach him because of one fatal reason.


    Yet, the new intern was still clueless of it because this period of time was a busy peak and nobody had the chance to tell her yet. They tried to give Bai Jiya signals through their eyes to no avail because the woman''s eyes were fixated on Si Zhening with infatuation.


    Aiyah, this silly girl! Everyone shook their heads and shrunk their necks again when Si Zhening stopped typing.


    In an instant, all sounds were sucked away and only the monotonous ticking clock was heard.


    Bai Jiya blinked and looked around in confusion. What happened? Why was everyone so silent all of a sudden?


    "So, you mean to say that you haven''t finished it?" He pushed up his gold rimmed sses, his movement clean and elegant.


    Bai Jiya felt chills down her spine from Si Zhening''s question. It was weird, he was clearly asking with a mild tone, so why did she feel so nervous? She stammered, eyes dodging everywhere. "I¡ªI will do it as soon as possible!"


    "How many minutes do you need?"


    Minutes? Bai Jiya sucked in a deep breath, her face turning serious. She finally digested Si Zhening''s question and answered based on her expectation. "Another fifteen minutes, please."


    "Sure." The corner of Si Zhening''s lips curled into a smile. Lights reflected on his silver rimmed sses and fair skin. Coupled with his hair which was tied into a ponytail, he looked like a noble butler from the Medieval era. "I will give you fifteen minutes starting from now."


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    .


    A/N: In case you missed it, Haishang Technology is thepany which produced the human skin mask from Wu Wengen''s case.


    And Bai Jiya well _(:3¡¹¡Ï)_ she''s Wei Xiameng''s good friend but judging from her tone, it seems like she and Wei Xiameng are only stic sisters. They all got intern inpanies in Capital City? Talk about the coincidence....

 Chapter 249 - They Are Still Suspecting Me

    Bai Jiya nodded repeatedly. "Thank you, Secretary Si! I will do my best to finish it as soon as possible!"


    Si Zhening hummed and returned his gaze to theputer. Various sounds of busy typing, rapid footsteps and phone ringing filled the office once again. Si Zhening replied to a few urgent emails and forwarded them to CEO Jiang. He lifted his head and saw that thirteen minutes and forty four seconds had passed.


    He tidied his desk and stood up. His movement instantly attracted everyone''s attention.


    They saw Secretary Si walk toward Bai Jiya''s desk and couldn''t help but pray that the data had already beenpiled to the man''s satisfaction.


    Si Zhening knocked on the desk, announcing his presence to the deeply concentrated woman. "Miss Bai, how is it?" He pointed at the clock. "It''s almost fifteen minutes."


    "Ah?" Bai Jiya lifted her head nkly and when she saw Si Zhening''s perfectly sculpted face so close to her, she couldn''t help but blush. "P¡ªPlease wait for a moment."


    Under his silent gaze, the more she tried to finish it sooner, the more mistakes she created.


    Si Zhening counted the seconds and when it was exactly fifteen minutes from the promised time, he stretched out his hand. "Give me your intern evaluation form."


    Bai Jiya had no idea what he intended to do, but anything was better than staring at her silently as she worked. It gave her immense pressure, no matter how handsome he was.


    "Here it is, Secretary Si." She handed the form to him and while he was busy filling something, Bai Jiya finally finishedpiling the file and offered him the shdisk with both hands. "Secretary Si, here is the file you asked for!" She nced toward the clock and sighed in relief when she hadn''t made him wait for long.


    Si Zhening epted the shdisk with an expression that was neither servile nor overbearing. "Good work."


    Bai Jiya''s eyes brightened up. "Thank you, Secretary Si! I will continue to do my best!" Who wouldn''t strive to do their best when they could see an eye candy everytime they lifted their heads?!


    Coincidentally, Si Zhening''s phone rang so he walked away, leaving her with a short nod.


    Bai Jiya sat down with a relieved sigh, but when she looked around, it seemed like she could see some¡­sympathetic nces? She frowned, confused. The paper on top of her desk caught her attention and she remembered the form Si Zhening asked for.


    Bai Jiya felt giddy. He praised her for her good work, surely¡­he would give her a nice score, right? Of course, she had taken the initiative to do a senior''s job, and she was confident that she could do it perfectly. Even Secretary Si himself went to her desk to get the data.


    Oh dear, he¡­he couldn''t have got a crush on her right?


    Bai Jiya suppressed her excitement and took the paper in front of her.


    In the next moment, her expression crumbled when she saw a ring F in the evaluation rating. Thement was written in a very neat and beautiful handwriting, almost like a printed font yet the content was simply heartless and cruel. [Inattentive at work,ck of focus, slow witted, easily distracted, inability to fulfill a simple task by the given timeframe. Unsuitable to be a permanent employee.]


    Bai Jiya slumped on her desk, soulless. W¡ªWhat? Did she read it wrong?


    She asked the senior beside her. "Why¡­? He praised me but in the end, I only got an F?" If she got such a bad score from the Head Secretary, would the HR Department consider her again?


    The senior sighed in pity. "Sorry, I forgot to tell you. In front of Secretary Si, you must not give excuses and promise him to finish something within a few minutes and not be done with it."


    "I counted it." Another secretary whispered after seeing Si Zhening walking out of the office. "You did it in fifteen minutes and twenty three seconds. You have exceeded the time. It''s a big no no!"


    "What?!" Bai Jiya shrieked in shock. "I am only twenty three secondste! What kind of perfectionist person is he? Does he have OCD or something?!"


    The secretaries shook their heads. "That''s just how Secretary Si is. You have to endure it. Or else, how do you think he is able to be the head secretary and CEO Jiang''s right hand man when he''s just a little over twenty four?


    Bai Jiya was going crazy soon. "What should I do then?!"


    If she couldn''t get this job, how could she lift her head in front of her boasting vixen and green tea bitch of a good friend, Wei Xiameng?


    Si Zhening walked to the balcony and closed the door behind him, shutting the faint whispers and discussion inside. Only after confirming that no one was around did he put the phone to his ear. "What''s wrong?"


    "Mr. Si, the boss asked you toe. It seems like the police have been investigating thepany for a while."


    Si Zhening''s eyes were cold as he replied. "Wasn''t it Shin Dong''s fault? Who told him to be such a bbermouth?"


    "Mr. Si¡­" The other side of the phone was helpless and anxious. "Don''t worry, Shin Dong has already been obliterated. The police will not be able to find him anymore, all they can track of him is his itinerary and ne ticket to his hometown in Korea."


    Si Zhening snorted. "Tell the boss not to be anxious. We have already done the business for so long, how can a mere police wipe us out?" He fell silent for a moment. "Don''t call me with this number anymore. Tell Boss that I can''t go there for the time being. The police¡­they are still suspecting me."


    Without waiting for the other party''s response, he hung up the phone.


    What reflected on the screen that had gone dark was an impably sculpted face paired with gold rimmed sses. It should be a peerless feature, however the eyes which stared back at him were pratingly frosty and devoid of any emotion, like the surface of a thousand years unthawed ice, it was borderly inhuman.


    .


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    A/N: ehem, so as to not spill any spoilers, I shall refrain from adding anything in author''s note _(:3¡¹¡Ï)_

 Chapter 250 - Consider Me For Once?

    "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 ount between them, but the rumor circted 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 birthplications.


    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 timeing 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. "Youe 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 yearster. 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 yearster 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¡ª"


    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¡ª"


    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 re while Ru Meiqi coughed out augh. Thetter pulled Qin Weizhe closer, lips curling into an amused smile. "He''s here to apany 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.


    "Apany 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 showdownsted 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 particrly gentle and patient. "I don''t mind. It''s true that I am only here to apany 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 inughter. "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?"


    .


    .


    .


    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! (¨R?¨Q*) 26 more until 100 and I will give a 5 chappie mass release! Also, let''s make it to 1000 privi unlocks!!

 Chapter 251 - I Think You Misunderstood Me

    Shi Nian had a spectacr date with Jiang Jinyan and even received her birthday gift in advance, keeping her in an exuberant mood when Monday arrived. The rest of the day passed by smoothly as temperature continued to drop, moisturized by soft, drizzle rain and asional downpour. For a few times, it looked like the sky was going to snow anytime soon.


    Ever since the ident where Shi Nian was blocked by a group of gangsters, Xu Binchen wasn''t rest assured to let her go home by herself. So, for the subsequent days, everyone would always see someone fetching Shi Nian; sometimes it was Xu Binchen but oftentimes, it was Jiang Jinyan.


    Both men shifted the schedule regrly, never bumping with each other as if they had discussed it before.


    But Jiang Jinyan and Xu Binchen?


    Even in a million years, Shi Nian would never be able to put the two of them together. Not because there were huge differences between them, but because they were just too simr. Appearance wise, they were both attractive enough to put the entire entertainment industry in shame. They had simr temperament; unapproachable and aloof. Lastly, did she need to talk about their wealth? One was the only son of the CEO of Jiang Corporation and the other even had a private ne at his disposal.


    It was precisely because they were both too simr that Shi Nian couldn''t put them in the same frame. Just like how mas of the same side would repel each other.


    "So, who is it that''s going to pick you up today?" Mo Ling asked in a teasing tone.


    Shi Nian smilingly answered. [Jiang Jinyan.]


    Chen Jiawei and Mo Ling had seen Jiang Jinyan a few times before. But different from Xu Binchen whom they still dared to get close to, Jiang Jinyan totally exuded a reclusive aura that kept people miles away. Even a girl as extrovert as Mo Ling preferred to avoid him as much as possible.


    "Aww," Mo Ling cupped her cheeks. "I can''t imagine how it feels to have two men by my side."


    [What two men?] Shi Nian pushed Mo Ling''s forehead with her forefingers, amused.


    Her movement pulled on her cor, exposing a glimpse of sparkling ne chain. Mo Ling''s eyes widened and she hurriedly pulled Shi Nian closer, shock and awe filled her eyes as she saw the delicate crescent moon pendant with a small exquisite star hanging on it. The ne rested on the curve of her corbone,plimenting her fair skin perfectly. "Shi Nian, I didn''t remember you wearing a ne before¡­"


    Shi Nian blushed as she tried to pull her cor up but Mo Ling held her hands. "Aiyah, don''t try to hide it anymore. I have seen it! Tell me, who gave it to you? Is it...Jiang Jinyan whom you like?" Mo Ling grinned mischievously as her fingers wriggled to articte. "Have you two...you know?"


    Fortunately, the ss had ended and there were not many students left except for those with cleaning duty otherwise they would be the center of attention. Shi Nian had to admit that when it came to nonsensical things, Mo Ling would always be spot on. She indeed wished she could show off Jiang Jinyan''s gift to the whole world when she first received it, but when the time came, all she wanted to do was to bury her head and hide.


    Why did gifting someone a ne tranted into something soscivious in Mo Ling''s eyes?!


    They...They had only kissed, okay?!


    Chen Jiawei pushed up her sses and with a contemting expression as if she was cracking a difficult problem, she guessed. "Your notebook must be from him too?"


    "What?!" Mo Ling yelped, shining eyesnded on the notebook on Shi Nian''s desk. It obviously came from the same set judging from the elegant, lc cover in moon and stars pattern. "Oh my, it''s so beautiful! If I can have the same notebook, I will be willing to do a few more practice papers!"


    Shi Nian helplessly shoved her new notebook into her backpack, her face blushing all the way. [It''s my birthday gift¡­]


    The three of them walked out joking and bickering back and forth when Mo Ling suddenly elbowed Shi Nian''s side, taking her off guard. She had a cheeky grin on her face which told Shi Nian that the girl was up to no good again. "See who''s in front of us?"


    Shi Nian followed her line of sight and saw Zhang Jiancheng in the school lobby. The heavy rain outside posed as the background to his tall and slender figure. He had taken off his outer jacket, leaving a white shirt and vest which highlighted his slim waist. With soft strands of hair hanging down his forehead, he looked very much like a noble prince. A mere look was beautiful enough to be an art painting.


    As if noticing their presence, Zhang Jiancheng looked their way and his eyes brightened up subtly although no change could be seen from his expression.


    Mo Ling squealed, grabbing Shi Nian''s arms tightly. "Oh gosh, he''s walking toward us¡ªno, he''s walking toward Shi Nian aaaah! I am wrong, she doesn''t only have two men but three!!!"


    Shi Nian pursed her lips and threw a questioning nce toward the boy.


    "Shi Nian." Zhang Jiancheng stopped in front of her. The lobby was still crowded with students taking shelter from the rain and in a blink of an eye, a circle was formed with them in the middle.


    Chen Jiawei frowned, lowered her head and pulled the silly Mo Ling away. They joined the crowd and observed from a distance.


    Shi Nian looked around in difort.


    "I won''t take much of your time." He said softly. "Sorry, I can only catch you if I am waiting here. You always avoid me and I don''t know your number." There''s a hint of grievance in his voice but fortunately, the heavily drumming rain masked their conversation or else Shi Nian was sure she was going to be in the forum again tomorrow.


    No, she has probably been discussed there right at this moment.


    [What do you want to say, ssmate Zhang?]


    Zhang Jiancheng gazed at Shi Nian seriously. There''s a hint of helplessness in his lowered eyes when he saw how unyielding she was. Of all people, how could he possibly fall for this one girl who couldn''t be moved? "I just want to say sorry for the rude remarks I have saidst time."


    Oh, so he was talking about the matter in the caf¨¦. Shi Nian nodded. [I didn''t take it to heart, don''t worry.]


    "How can you not?" Zhang Jiancheng raked his fingers through his hair in frustration. "Otherwise you will not avoid me like a gue."


    The whispers surrounding them increased as they stood there and talked. Shi Nian had no intention to drag this any longer. [ssmate Zhang, I think you misunderstood me.]


    "Huh?" He didn''t expect that kind of answer. "I did?"


    He waited both patiently and impatiently until Shi Nian finished typing on her phone. From where he was standing, he could barely catch her screen and saw a new notification popped up above the screen. In an instant, the frown on her face smoothed and the corner of her lips tilted up uncontrobly.


    Zhang Jiancheng couldn''t resist asking, "Is that the boy you like?"


    Shi Nian paused for a moment and decided to ignore that question. Instead, her typing speed became faster. [I am avoiding you, yes. But not because of the incident in the caf¨¦. It''s only because I don''t want to make someone misunderstand me.]


    "Who?" he asked.


    But the girl''s attention wasn''t on him any longer, her eyes shot past his back and they instantly brightened up in a way he had never seen before. It was so¡­bright and dazzling, like two pools of golden gems.


    With happiness radiating from her whole body, she nodded perfunctorily to Zhang Jiancheng and held the strap of her backpack as she dashed through the throng of people into the rain, approaching the tall figure with ck umbre.


    The students'' eyes were both on Zhang Jiancheng, Shi Nian and the new figure, curious and excited. Was this the so-called love triangle in live action? Would the two men fight to win Shi Nian over?


    s, they were destined to be disappointed because Zhang Jiancheng didn''t give much reaction except a light sigh. After that, he grabbed his outer jacket, draped it over his head and ran out toward the parking lot.


    When they turned their gaze to Shi Nian, they btedly found out that she had walked away with the other man, their silhouettes already turned hazy and blurred due to the downpour. Yet somehow, there was a subtle intimacy and heartwarming nuance in the way they both snuggled under onerge umbre.


    "What are you looking at?" Mo Ling crashed into the scene and shooed them away. "Go, go! The show is already over!"


    .


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    .


    A/N: aaah Jiang Jinyan saw her with Zhang Jiancheng again (/¦Å£Ü*)

 Chapter 252 - I Like You This Much

    "Why did youe in?"


    "Why are you running out without an umbre?"


    Both of them asked at the same time.


    Shi Nian ran to Jiang Jinyan without thinking and the man instantly pulled her closer to shield her from the heavy rain. However, his effort was deemed futile because the girl''s hair was already dampened with water, even her face wasn''t spared from the onught although her eyes still shone as bright as ever as they were fixed on him.


    Jiang Jinyan sighed helplessly. "Don''t you have an umbre?"


    Shi Nian patted the bulge at the side of her bag, grinning. "I forgot. Sorry, did you wait long? Someone came to talk to me so I was dyed for a moment."


    "Someone?" Jiang Jinyan titled his umbre enough for his eyes to meet with Zhang Jiancheng across the rain curtain. "Him?"


    Shi Nian followed his line of sight and felt a rare moment of guilt. Wait, what was she guilty of anyway? "Yes...but I don''t have anything to do with him!"


    Jiang Jinyan reached for her hand and together, they walked out of the school. "Don''t have anything to do with him?" He muttered with a scoff. "You have even rode on his motorcycle before."


    "That''s different." Shi Nian frowned and said solemnly. "He has a crucial clue for my ssmate''s suicide case so I have no choice but to follow him."


    Jiang Jinyan gave a smile that didn''t reach his eyes. Stinky boy. What crucial clue? If it was so crucial, why didn''t he go to the police directly and instead, used it as bait to ask Shi Nian out? Jiang Jinyan could guess what he was nning just with a single nce and the more he thought about it, the more stifled his chest became. "He''s not good. Don''t get close to him anymore."


    Shi Nian nodded obediently. "I have always maintained my distance from him. Today I also told him clearly that I don''t want someone to misunderstand me¡ªwait," Shi Nian blinked as realization dawned on her. Her luminous, round golden eyes, twinkled as if they contained the whole universe in it. They peered up at him in glee. "You''re jealous, aren''t you?"


    Jiang Jinyan scoffed lightly.


    Shi Nian tugged on the hem of his coat, her eyes swirling with mirth. "Jiang Jinyan, tell me~" She dragged on thest word. Even she didn''t realize that her tone was exactly the same as Mo Ling when thetter teased her.


    Jiang Jinyan itched to shut those lips up so that she couldn''t blurt out coquettish words anymore. "What about you?" he retorted. "Don''t want someone to misunderstand you? Who is this someone you''re talking about?"


    "Does it need to be asked? Of course it''s you!" Shi Nian pouted grumpily as if she couldn''t understand why Jiang Jinyan still questioned her feelings. Her luminous golden eyes peered up at him, filled with tender sentiments and affection. "I like you this much, how can I bear to let you suffer the tiniest bit of grievance?"


    The measly hideous jealousy that had just sprouted in Jiang Jinyan''s heart instantly withered away with a single sentence from her. The temperature was clearly enough to freeze his lungs yet at this moment, his whole body was akin to being soaked in hot water. A dull ache spreading from deep within his heart down to his fingertips. It dawned on him that this kind of sweet torture actually existed but at the same time, he was also willing to indulge on it.


    Shi Nian was just like a little moon, shining unceasingly to disperse the darkness in his heart even without her realizing. Never before did she let him be insecure or uneasy. Her feelings, affection and passion, all of it could be perceived in her little gestures, words, eyes and smiles.


    Jiang Jinyan felt fiery heat rushing up from the soles of his feet up to his head. When they passed by a small, deste alley, he couldn''t resist pulling the girl in. He had never felt so impulsive and...alive before. His heart throbbed rapidly as he used his whole body to shield her. Even if someone were to pass by and caught sight of them, they would only think that they were taking shelter from the rain.


    The alley was shaded by eaves, with only a few droplets of rain dripping from the edge. It was just like a small world that belonged only to the two of them. Other indistinct sounds were instantly muffled by the downpour.


    Shi Nian had no time to react when her back bumped against the wall, followed by Jiang Jinyan right after. The familiar scent and warmth fiercely invaded her personal space, abruptly increasing her heart rate.


    Jiang Jinyan''s face was right in front of her, so close¡­


    His eyes were zing in zeal, one that sent shivers down her spine. Within those eyes, Shi Nian found herself utterly captivated, both her mind and soul.


    "Jiang¡ªhmp!" The man''s lips were hot on trail,tching on hers in a sudden, fervent kiss. Shi Nian blinked rapidly a few times but in the end, her eyelids gradually shut as she immersed herself into the kiss, hands grasping the hem of his sweater tightly.


    The thrill coursed through her veins at the thought of being discovered, it spooked her so much that she couldn''t concentrate. "You¡­wait, we are in public¡­hmm! We''re going to be seen¡ª"


    Jiang Jinyan chuckled deeply into her mouth, his teeth caught her lower lip in between nibbles. "I got you." He bumped their forehead and gazed into her eyes, smiling. "Look at us, all people can see is only my back."


    Shi Nian red at him with red rimmed, watery eyes. "...That''s not the problem!"


    How could that soft, harmless protest deter Jiang Jinyan from his yearning?


    Their lips grazed against each other as they spoke, breaths intecing intimately. Shi Nian felt the familiar itch gurgling in her belly everytime Jiang Jinyan sucked on her lips like a devotee worshipping his Goddess, pious and intoxicated. Her head spun dizzily and she gasped, out of breath. She couldn''t muster even an ounce of strength to resist him, her body softened into mush and if not for Jiang Jinyan''s arms around her, she would surely slide down right now.


    The man''s eyes deepened with something dark and dangerous, his thumb caressed her glistening lips back and forth. "How can this mouth taste sweeter than before?" he rasped.


    "You¡­" Shi Nian panted with her face as red as a tomato and blurted out whatever crossed her mind. "Nonsense¡­!"


    He gave another deep chuckle, one which tremor she could senseing from deep within his chest. Shi Nian didn''t know whether to be relieved or disappointed when he broke off the kiss and grabbed the umbre that had been thrown somewhere amidst their passionate entangle.


    It took a few moments for Shi Nian to regain the strength in her limbs and only then did she steal a nce toward Jiang Jinyan and unexpectedly saw the sight of his thoroughly dampened coat.


    Shi Nian gasped in shock. "You''re drenched!"


    "Hmm?" Jiang Jinyan turned his head around to see Shi Nian busily trying to wipe his coat with her handkerchief. He touched his thoroughly wet coat and mused. "I didn''t realize it."


    Shi Nian huffed in anger. Stinky General! It was all because he was too absorbed in kissing her that he didn''t even realize when the rain had soaked through his clothes. "Let''s go back first, you should take a hot bath lest you catch a cold. If¡­" She paused, the blush on her cheeks deepening. "If you want to continue ki...kissing, we can also do itter on..."


    A dark shadow fell upon her face and she lifted her head at the same time when Jiang Jinyan chomped down ruthlessly on her nose, leaving a faint tooth mark.


    Shi Nian gasped in pain. "W-Why did you bite me?" She covered her aching nose, aggrieved. "It hurts..."


    "Let me see." Jiang Jinyan regretted his impulsive act in an instant. He was distressed to see her nose getting redder by each second and thus dropped light kisses over it, muttering. "Sorry, I didn''t do it on purpose."


    Shi Nian puffed up her cheeks. "You definitely did!"


    "Okay, okay, I did." He flicked her forehead exasperatedly. "It''s a warning. Don''t ever say that sentence again, got it?"


    Shi Nian was confused. "What sentence?" Apparently, she had a goldfish memory that could only remember things for three seconds.


    "That¡­" Jiang Jinyan cleared his throat lightly. "That you''re going to let me kiss you again."


    They walked out of the alley and waited for a taxi by the side of the road. No one noticed a pair of youngsters sneaking into the alley and came back out a few minutester. The rain acted as a perfect shield. With Jiang Jinyan''s huge ck umbre propped up above their heads, they were just like any other passersby.


    "Ah¡­" Shi Nian eximed softly. Now that she thought about it, it sounded really¡­immoral. The cold temperature did nothing to alleviate the blush on her cheeks. On the contrary, ayer of sweat started to form on her forehead. "T¡ªThen you should just forget it!"


    "I won''t." He rebuked calmly and under her flustered eyes, continued with a solemn tone. "Every single word you have said to me, I remember it all."


    It was unknown what scene came to Shi Nian''s mind. Her mind instantly exploded to bits as she covered her face in shame. "Y¡ªYou¡­You pervert! I have never known that you''re such a person before!" Shi Nian cried out, wishing that the ground would open up and swallow her whole. "Maybe you should let the cold numb your brain so you can''t keep on thinking about indecent things!"


    Jiang Jinyan blinked, baffled from her sudden outburst. It wasn''t until a few secondster that he understood. He threw his head back, barking out a heartyugh. One which he hadn''t had for a long, long time.


    Shi Nian was enraptured by his rareugh that she forgot what she was angry about. Wasn''t it good if he was happy? Wasn''t it nice if he could keep on smiling like this? How she wished he could be this happy for the rest of his life.


    Of course, she couldn''t show it on her face. So outwardly, she crossed her arms and harrumphed. "Be careful not to inhale too much cold air!"


    True to Shi Nian''s ''blessing'', that very same night, Jiang Jinyan caught a cold.


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    A/N: Dearies~~ if you like MDG, please give it a review hehe thank you very much!

 Chapter 253 - He Almost Couldnt Sit Still

    When he went to ss the next day, he had a runny nose. Jiang Jinyan measured his temperature and downed two pills of medicine which he had just bought from the convenience store. The cold water running down his throat soothed the heat within him, but in exchange, he shivered minutely as if he was plunged into an ice cer.


    He seldom fell sick before due to his regr exercise and healthy diet as an athlete. Now that he did, it was worse than usual.


    Fortunately, today''s ss was just a seminar from some public figures that were invited by the university. This kind of event happened often and they only had to make summaries of the presentations to get credits. It was both easy and practical, that''s why the auditorium was almost crammed with people by the time he arrived even though he was already twenty minutes earlier than the starting time.


    Jiang Jinyan looked around and saw an empty seat at the corner of the middle row. Presumably, no one liked that seat because the angle made it difficult for them to see the stage, but for Jiang Jinyan, it was the perfect seat. With a mask covering his face, he sat down and pulled out his notebook.


    A bunch of girls sat a few seats from him giggling, eyes ncing at him once in a while. Jiang Jinyan ignored them and having not received the reaction they expected, they got bored and started to gossip.


    "Aih, if not for that handsome hunk being the substitute guest today, I will note so early to grab a seat."


    "Hahaha, do you think he will take a look at you?"


    "Who knows? We shouldn''t limit our imaginations, right?"


    Another asked. "Who''s the handsome hunk you guys are talking about?"


    A row of giggles followed. "You will see. Girl, you definitely won''t regreting here today. I guess the news has already leaked out. See how many girls dolls themselves up?"


    Their conversation drifted to Jiang Jinyan''s ears involuntarily. He loosened the mask and took a deep breath to ease his breathing. Suddenly, someone approached him and asked gingerly. "Sorry, ssmate, is the seat beside you taken?"


    Jiang Jinyan shook his head and made a ''please'' gesture. Just in the span of a few minutes, the seats around him were fully upied, 60% of them were girls. The auditorium was indeed more crowded than usual. The students who came slightlyter than usual groaned in annoyance because there weren''t any seats left.


    Jiang Jinyan stretched his legs and drank mouthfuls of water to moisten his aching throat.


    After waiting for a while, the lights dimmed and the seminar began. Jiang Jinyan shook his head and forced himself to focus. Just two hours. After that, he could go back and sleep for the whole day to recuperate.


    The seminar started with an associate professor who presented his coboration with the government for his newest research project. Jiang Jinyan''s pen glided across papers as dense words filled the paper. For a while, only the sound of the speaker and papers flipping could be heard across the wide auditorium.


    Without him realizing, one and half an hour had passed.


    "Please give our sincere apuse to Mr. Fu for his great research of the ancient ques and cenotaphs which are suspected to have been produced in Wei Dynasty! Next, we should have weed Ms. Dong, our senior and alumni who had seeded in getting into Forbes 30 this year, but regrettably, there''s some changes in Ms. Dong''s schedule and she is unable toe today. In exchange, we have invited one of the most popr high jump athletes in the nation who has just participated in the Olympics Games in Tokyo. Let''s wee Mr. Qing Si!"


    Jiang Jinyan''s pen paused and the ink smeared across the white paper. Amidst the deafening cheers and squeals, a familiar figure stepped onto the stage, d in a casual long sleeve shirt and cotton pants. A wide smile graced his charming face as he nodded toward the MC.


    "Hello, everyone. Thank you for having me today. Some of you might not recognize me, so let me introduce myself first. My name is Qing Si, and I am a high jump athlete."


    "Aaaaaaaah! Qing Si!!!!"


    "Oh my God, how can our university invite such a famous figure like him? Aaah, now that I have seen him directly, I can die in peace!"


    "What to do? I want to cry¡­I have already been his fan for years!"


    "Ugh, look at his body! Such long legs!"


    "Of course, he''s a high jump athlete, for God''s sake! Do you think anybody can casually have such slender, long legs?"


    "What do you know? That athlete who got into a car ident also has legs like him!"


    "Who¡­?"


    The noises ceased as Qing Si raised his palm. "It''s such an honor to be here today. Next, I will talk about some things about my specialty. I hope you will not be bored listening to me yapping. Well, I will try my best to make it simple and interesting." He gave a wink, inducing a short sequence of squeals and screams again.


    The speakers before Qing Si were professionals in their field, so their contents were quite dull and boring as time passed by. However, although Qing Si was also a professional, he was closer to them in age and he would crack some witty jokes once in a while, keeping the audience perked up and listening attentively.


    In one corner of the auditorium, the man in a mask, who was seated in a ce where no lights could reach, didn''t even lift his head. He only wrote some key points and scribbled nonsensical drawings after fifteen minutes passed.


    Qing Si was eloquent and the way he delivered himself was calm and collected. Standing on the stage, he exuded confidence which most twenty two years old fellows didn''t have.


    Jiang Jinyan didn''t know whether it was his cold acting up, but he felt unprecedented nausea churning his stomach when he heard Qing Si talk about his experience in the Olympics. His career, his journey, the obstacles he overcame. It was the lights that were supposed to be Jiang Jinyan''s, the glory that was supposed to be Jiang Jinyan''s¡­


    He almost couldn''t sit still.

 Chapter 254 - Not A Man To Be Trifled With

    Fortunately, Qing Si concluded his presentation with a video of him doing a high jump. The youth on the screen only wore a sleeveless shirt and short pants, disying his slender arms and legs covered in thin muscles. His eyes filled with determination as he rushed from the starting line and ran for some distance before propelling himself up from the ground.


    In mid air, his body arched gracefully, the lights overhead converged onto his body just like a dolphin that broke through from the shackles of water. The movement lifted his shirt and a glimpse of taut waist and abdominal muscle could be seen. It was only for a split second, but enough for the atmosphere to heat up like a zing me.


    "Aaaaaah! Oh my God! It''s so cool!!" Screams and cheers erupted below the stage.


    The video was indeed very well taken, both angle wise and lightning wise. But for a veteran like Jiang Jinyan, he could catch a minute detail like how Qing Si''s jump wasn''t stable enough, causing his posture to be crooked. If the pole was lifted a centimeter higher, then he would surely flunk it. His body was also not flexible enough and his turnover was stiff and dull.


    Jiang Jinyan was sure, if he was the one who performed like this, then he would have been punished by Coach Yong to mop the training centre''s floor for one week straight.


    It seemed like Qing Si still hadn''t made any definite improvement. He still made the same mistake as when Jiang Jinyan hadn''t gotten into the ident yet.


    The short video ended and the screen returned to Qing Si''s wallpaper; a photo of him together with all of the people that usually exercised in the same training centre. And in between them was Jiang Jinyan. The old Jiang Jinyan. Sharp eyebrows, bright and prideful gaze, azy smirk on his face.


    The photo was taken way before his car ident. That time, he was still the haughty and proud Jiang Jinyan who had just won his first national gold medal.


    Some students who were in the same sses as Jiang Jinyan were stunned when they saw a familiar face. "Wait¡­isn''t that guy in our ss? You know, the one who often wears a mask?"


    "What? Where?"


    "There¡­the second from the left. The one in ck, sleeveless shirt."


    "Oh my God, you''re right! So he''s an athlete too?"


    "What is his name?"


    Jiang Jinyan''s entire body was frozen in ce. The more he looked at the photo, the more distorted it was. It took a few moments for him to realize that his fever was getting increasingly high, whether from anger, humiliation or the suffocating space, even he himself couldn''t discern.


    Seemingly realizing the hubbub caused by the photo, Qing Si put on a regretful expression. "I used to have a good friend. He''s also the one whom I always look up to. You should know him from the huge stir in Weib8 a few months ago. It''s such an unfortunate incident." Qing Si shook his head in pity. "Because he''s involving himself in something he wasn''t supposed to, he was unable to keep his career."


    Buzz resounded throughout the auditorium. "He''s talking about¡­Jiang Jinyan right?"


    "So, the matter of him getting into a gang fight and the mafia ended up chopping both of his legs for revenge was true?"


    "What? I heard that he was doing illegal racing and his brake came loose. Also, he only lost one leg, okay?"


    "Anyway, there''s nothing good about him."


    Amidst the scorn, there''s also minor protest and support, albeit it was quickly drowned out by others. "No! Wuwuwu, I don''t believe it! How can he suddenly get into an ident just like that?!"


    "Yes, there must be some truths we didn''t know about!"


    "Shush, do you know Jiang Jinyan yourself? Qing Si is his good friend and even he has already said it himself so the rumors must have been true!"


    Jiang Jinyan pulled down his mask and breathed through his mouth. His entire face was hot, yet his bones felt cold to the point of soreness. His mind was surrounded by noises from all directions. Malice, usation, protest, defense¡­each sound attacked his head, causing it to ache immensely.


    He gnashed his teeth in rage and his bloodshot eyes were filled with Qing Si who showed a regretful expression.


    Qing Si, who had especiallye to Jiang Jinyan''s hospital room to mock him. Qing Si, who had taken his spot. Qing Si, who had once again ndered him in public.


    Did Qing Si think that he didn''t know who had been pouring the ck material in Weib8? Did Qing Si think that he didn''t see the glee that shed through his eyes when he heard the numerous discussions under the stage?


    How despicable¡­ Disgusting!


    Who did Qing Si think he was that he could step all over Jiang Jinyan''s head and not expect him to retaliate?!


    Anger got the best out of him. The pen in his hand cracked under the force he exerted to clench his fist and before his brain could think, his body had already moved. The loud screech of a chair being pushed back drowned all of the hushed whispers. Instantly, hundred pairs of eyes turned to the source of the sound.


    A tall, slender man stood. He had a stern expression, neatlybed hair and rimless sses sitting on his nose. Instead of making him look like a nerd, he looked more like a high ranking official of a mafia organization. Low pressure exuded from his body, making everyone fall silent simultaneously. Just in one nce, he was able to insert the impression that he wasn''t a man to be trifled with.


    One hand brought a mic to his lips, while the other hand was sping the shoulder of a man sitting in front of him. Because of theck of lights, nobody could catch a clear sight of the man. No one cared either because the standing man had already sucked all of their focus.


    "Hello, everyone. Sorry for the intrusion. I am Jia Ming''en, a third year student from the Department of Civil Engineering as well as the Student Council President."


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    A/N: aaaah yes, idk if you notice it. He''s indeed Jia Ming''en, the one who Shi Nian read in the book, General Jiang''s loyal friend (refer to chs 234 - I Can''t Even Hug You?) and in this life, he''s going to be Jiang Jinyan''s good friend too QAQ

 Chapter 255 - Is He Jiang Jinyans Fan?

    An uproar erupted as soon as the man announced his identity.


    "Jia Ming''en? Isn''t that the newly elected President Jia?"


    "Oh, I have heard of him. They said that he was a gold medalist at the Physics Olympiadst year. He''s also the genius who enrolled in Civil Engineering with the highest admission score in the history of Sangzhe University, right?"


    "Yes, yes. Vice President Guang is the senior in my ss. He said that President Jia is a very low profile and humble person. He doesn''t like to appear in public so every single event is attended by Vice President Guang and Secretary Ji hahahaha!"


    "Oh? So why does he appear now?"


    "Shush, be quiet! President Jia wants to speak!"


    The auditorium fell silent as everyone waited for President Jia Ming''en to speak. One of his palms was still pressing tightly onto the man''s shoulder who sat in front of him, so heavy that his knuckles turned white, trembling ever so slightly. Yet his nonchnt expression gave nothing away. "First and foremost, I would like to thank Mr. Qing for your superb presentation."


    "You''re too generous." Qing Si smiled. "The pleasure is all mine."


    The MC who was taking a break behind the stage was hastily summoned. He looked back and forth between Qing Si and Jia Ming''en, confused. What happened? This section wasn''t on the rundown, right? Did President Jia want to ask something? No, moreover, why did nobody tell him that President Jia was here?! If he knew it, then he would have reserved the first row VVIP seat for him!


    "No need to turn on the lights." Jia Ming''en held the mic loosely in his hand and his eyes, coincidentally or not, fell upon the maintenance staff who was going to turn on the lights. The poor staff was frightened by the sharp glint in Jia Ming''en''s eyes that he retreated step by step before sticking to the wall, pretending to be a wallpaper. Thus, the whole auditorium remained dim.


    Qing Si narrowed his eyes, trying to catch a clear sight of Jia Ming''en to no avail. The man was seated on an inconspicuous seat, perfectly shadowing his whole body. Hence, all Qing Si could do was to smile in the direction of the voice, albeit the smile looked a bit stiff.


    He sensed that something was off, but at this moment, even the Dean and directors didn''t dare to make a squeak, much less the MC who cowered behind the stage and gave Qing Si an apologetic smile. They all waited patiently until Jia Ming''en spoke.


    "There''s a few things I would like to say. Firstly, Mr. Qing has always portrayed the image of a refreshing youth full of indomitable spirit, determination to fight andpetitive nature, very befitting of a role model for every teenager." Even a deaf knew that it was all rainbow farts. And as expected, President Jia''s next words took a turn for the worse.


    "However, I am quite disappointed to see that the reality isn''t how the media described Mr. Qing to be. All I can see is a narrow minded, petty and despicable man. Even though I am not a fan of high jumping, I have followed the development of manypetitions in my free time. You and your self proimed friend, Mr. Jiang have always been the worst rivals and I believe everyone knows that. As soon as you both appeared on social media, your fans would tear at each other. In everypetition, you often sabotage him, both psychologically and physically so it''s a bit far-fetched to say that he''s your good friend whom you look up to."


    Seeing Qing Si''s face reddened in humiliation with his mouth parted to rebuke, Jia Ming''en sharply interjected. "I have not finished talking. Mr. Qing, as an intellectual figure, one has to learn to listen before debating with the opposite speaker."


    Buzz and soft whispers resounded through the room. Everyone kept it to the bare minimum, didn''t dare to offend President Jia albeit quite a few took out their phones to secretly record the scene.


    Without turning around, Jia Ming''en asserted. "Put down your phones and turn off the recording, my fellow students. Staff in the security department, I have to trouble you to maintain order."


    He lifted his eyes slightly to look at Qing Si. "Please believe that I mean no harm, Mr. Qing. It just didn''t sit well on me to hear you guiding public opinion for the worst. In the years you and Mr. Jiang became an athlete, I have never seen the media put you two together in one frame and when he''s involved in the car ident, you have never sent your condolences either. Instead, paparazzi photographed you entering a bar on the very same night. Don''t ask me how I know it, I have my own way."


    Qing Si tried hard to muster a smile. "President Jia, I don''t understand what you''re talking about."


    Jia Ming''en nodded casually. "Then take it as I have recognized the wrong person."


    Qing Si''s face almost turned blue. He gave up trying to speak to Jia Ming''en and turned to the directors in the front row who had specifically invited him here. "Sirs, I don''t know what President Jia is trying to im but this has gone beyond the line. I expect a formal apology." Without waiting for the MC to conclude the session, he started to walk off the stage.


    "I will give you an apology after this." Jia Ming''en said directly. "Once again, I only want to offer my humble opinion."


    Qing Si smiled grimly, almost baring his teeth. "And what is it?"


    "Don''t pretend to befriend Mr. Jiang if all you want to do is to harm his reputation." His tone grew slightly harsh and a faint disgust passed his eyes before disappearing. "In short, it repulses me to see such a person. Now that Mr. Qing''s session hase to an end, let us give a warm apuse for his wonderful presentation."


    Jia Ming''en changed face faster than the speed of light. He took the start to p his hands and the students followed, sparsely at first before it turned thunderous. Even a few girls were screaming. "President Jia, you''re so cool! I love you!"


    "President Jia, I trust Jiang Jinyan too! He must be innocent!"


    "President Jia! President Jia!"


    The cheers and whistles were getting out of control, everyone was immersed in the thrill and excitement of the facep. Damn! Qing Si could be counted as a public figure with decent fans and reputation throughout the nation but Jia Ming''en didn''t hesitate to tear his face apart in front of the public! Too handsome!


    Qing Si fumed in anger and proceeded to rush backstage. The MC¡ªwho kept on wiping the sweat on his forehead¡ªhad a smile worse than crying. Usually, after every presentation, he would give a short review and insert his own opinion, but now, all he wanted to do was escape and drop the aftermath to President Jia. "E¡ªEveryone, it''s very regrettable that the time is limited so we have to end today''s seminar. Please submit your summaries to the front desk and don''t forget to put your name and department. Thank you very much!"


    The students still couldn''t catch up with the rapid development. They saw President Jia walk toward the directors and bowed deeply. After exchanging a few words, they made their way backstage, presumably to offer the formal apology which President Jia said he would give.


    It was a pity that the security had shooed them away. If not, they also wanted to rush backstage and watch the showdown!


    They looked at each other and blurted out the most important question that made their hearts itch uncontrobly.


    "So...is President Jia Jiang Jinyan''s fan?"


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    A/N: Yeah, give it to him, Jia Ming''en!!! ?(£à?¡ä?) Finally someone can teach Qing Si how to behave!


    If Jia Ming''en has the memory of his past life, he will definitely reply in disdain: "Laozi doesn''t even fear the Emperor, why should I bother myself with this snotty brat?" ©´(£þ¥Ø£þ)©°

 Chapter 256 - What Trouble Can He Bring Me?

    "No, you fool! Didn''t you hear him? He said that Qing Si has ndered Jiang Jinyan!"


    "Hmm, now that I think about it, every time Jiang Jinyan''s advertisement starts to get popr, Qing Si''s fans wouldment with especially harsh and demeaning words. It''s inconceivable for both of them to be good friends!"


    "There''s no true friendship in everypetition, only pure rivalry!"


    "Hah, why didn''t you say this a few minutes ago? Who was it that said that Jiang Jinyan was nothing good?"


    "That¡­aiyah, am I not following the public opinion?!"


    Beside the heated discussion, there were also some who had slightly gone off the track. They couldn''t help it! What to do? President Jia was just so mighty when he defended Jiang Jinyan!


    "Aww, I have never seen President Jia so aggressive before. Cool, he''s too cool! Usually, he''s just like a piece of rock but just then, he''s like a zing fire!"


    "Don''t say it, I have already imagined 10000 words of fanfic between President Jia and Jiang Jinyan. The genius and sharp tongued student council president gong x wronged, pitiful white lotus ex-athlete shou. Even if the whole world is against you, I will always have your back. What do you think?"


    "Aaaaah, sister! Don''t forget to share it after you finish writing!"


    In short, today''s seminar was really exciting, even more than a scandalous reality talk show. Some stood on Qing Si''s side, but there''s also no shortage of people who started to see clearly because of Jia Ming''en''s wake up calls and defended Jiang Jinyan''s innocence. However, one certain thing was that President Jia had seeded in diverting their attention so that they couldn''t dig out Jiang Jinyan''s identity otherwise it would just be a matter of time until he was exposed in public.


    So, was Jia Ming''en Jiang Jinyan''s fan or not?


    In regard to that matter, Jiang Jinyan also wanted to know. After all, Jia Ming''en was especially...harsh and ruthless. Judging from how petty Qing Si was, he wouldn''t have let the matter go easily.


    Back then, he had been ready to forsake everything to bring Qing Si down with him. He had been ready to ept that he wouldn''t have a peaceful university life anymore. Now that everything ended before he could evenprehend it, he btedly realized how impulsive he was.


    Was confronting Qing Si worth the peaceful life he had worked so hard to build? No, of course he wasn''t.


    It must be the severe cold which had impacted his judgement.


    Jiang Jinyan leaned on the empty pathway behind a building which led to the dean''s office. Practically no one would walk around here except for those who were called in. Now that all the rted parties had already gone inside, Jiang Jinyan didn''t have to worry about being discovered.


    He closed his eyes to stabilize his breathing. The faint sound of conversation drifted to his ear, seemingly like it came from another space and dimension. His whole body was aching and his head throbbed like it was being smashed by a hammer.


    It wasn''t until the sound of light, steady footsteps came closer to his direction did he snap out of his reverie. He lifted his eyelids to find Jia Ming''en looking at him too.


    "What are you doing here, student?" thetter asked.


    Jiang Jinyan cleared his throat, his voice raspy and muffled under the mask. "President Jia, thank you for stopping me just now."


    "Don''t mention it." Jia Ming''en nodded. "I just don''t want to see blood in today''s seminar." He stopped squarely in front of Jiang Jinyan. Their heights were almost the same, enabling them to look at each other''s eyes directly. Only then did Jiang Jinyan find that Jia Ming''en was wearing ck ear stud with longer tips that hung from the back of his ear. Somehow, it fitted him perfectly, making him look fiercer. "You''re too impulsive, Mr. Jiang. Anger will not take you anywhere."


    Jiang Jinyan frowned. "What about you? Did you¡­get into trouble because of this?"


    "Trouble?" Jia Ming''en scoffed. "What trouble can he bring me? Expel me? Fine me?"


    Jiang Jinyan was rendered speechless by his audacity. True to Jia Ming''en''s words, the university wouldn''t expel him. Instead, it was them who should feel thankful that he had enrolled into Sangzhe and lifted its prestige, otherwise there were tons of other universities who would dly offer him an olive branch. As for the fines¡­Jiang Jinyan looked at the watch adorning Jia Ming''en''s wrist and decided to stay silent.


    Jia Ming''en took off his sses and wiped them slowly. His eyes lowered as he continued, "They only lectured me a bit and asked me to apologize to Mr. Qing." He shrugged nonchntly. "Sure, what''s difficult about that? I am not a public figure anyway so I don''t have any reputation to lose. As for my words, they all came from the bottom of my heart. I didn''t do it to defend you so don''t let it get into your head."


    Jiang Jinyan was once again rendered speechless. This man, he was lowkey yet brazen, withdrawn yet unabashed at the same time. If he stayed silent¡ªjust like how he did in the auditorium¡ªno one would discover his presence but if he wished to, he could stand in the middle of the crowd and still be the center of attention.


    It wasn''t the matter of humility and modesty, but it''s a kind ofzy nonchnce which came from deep within his bones. It was no wonder that he was the chosen student council president with more than 90% of votes even though he seldom attended any social events.


    Jiang Jinyan chuckled quietly. "Still, thank you¡ªcough, cough!"


    "There''s something I actually want to ask you." Jia Ming''en slipped on the sses and raised his brow. "Isn''t your face a little too red than average?"


    "I¡ª" Jia Ming''en''s head suddenly split into three in front of Jiang Jinyan''s eyes. He shut his eyes and shook his head twice, but the more he did, the dizzier he became. In the end, all voices vanished around him and all he could hear was a noisy and annoying buzz. "I am not¡ª"


    "Hey!" Jia Ming''en caught Jiang Jinyan''s arm before the man could fall on his face, his hands making contact with Jiang Jinyan''s burning skin. ck lines covered Jia Ming''en''s forehead. "You have such a high fever. How can you even drag yourself here to wait for me?"


    "Sorry, I¡ª" Jiang Jinyan tried to speak but his throat felt like it was lit up in me, excruciatingly painful and dry. He couldn''t help but cough again, so hard that it looked like he was going to cough his gut out.


    Jia Ming''en looked around but saw not a single soul. After much consideration, he resigned himself to fate and asked dryly. "¡­Where''s your address?"


    Jiang Jinyan wasn''t sure whether he actually blurted out the name of the apartment district vocally or only inside his mind. His whole body felt like lead, so heavy and ufortable.. He was no match against the strong force that pulled his eyelids shut and in the end, he surrendered and let himself be submerged into the whirlpool of darkness.

 Chapter 257 - Isnt It Only An Eye?

    Amidst his blurred consciousness, Jiang Jinyan recalled something from a long, long time ago. How old was he that year? Three? Four? For as long as he remembered, his mother¡ªGuan Xiaoxiao¡ªhad always been an obsessive and unstable woman.


    He had a high fever at that time, shivering incessantly as he huddled under the nket when hazily, a cold,fortable and soft sensation fell upon his forehead. Just by a single touch, he could already feel the affection oozing from it.


    Yet when he woke up, there was no one by his side as if everything was just a mere pipedream.


    He could still remember how torturous he felt back then. It was just like now. Like he was being burned in a furnace in one second before drowning into a frozenke in the next second. Sweatyered his skin and his breath was boiling hot although his teeth kept on chattering from the chill.


    In the next moment, a wet, cold sensation touched his forehead. The effect was akin to cool, refreshing water for the dehydrated man, a lifeboat for the drowned, a heavenly elixir for the dying. Jiang Jinyan almost groaned from thefort it brought him, but unfortunately, the sensation onlysted for two seconds before pulling away.


    "No¡­" He tried his best to crack his eyes open. "Mother¡­"


    "I am not your mother." A low, male voice sounded above his head tinged with helplessness and bemusement.


    The lights in the room pierced his eyes as soon as he opened them and he grimaced from the sting. Covering his sight with his arm, he shook his head hard and managed to collect a little bit of rity. "Where am I?" He rasped, his voice so dry that it cracked in the end.


    It took him a few moments to recollect the memory before he lost consciousness. The seminar, Qing Si, and in the end¡­Jia Ming''en.


    Jiang Jinyan''s eyes snapped open abruptly in time to see Jia Ming''en entered the room with a cup of warm water. He strode toward him as if he owned the ce, totally casual without any hint of difort.


    Jia Ming''en sat by the side of his bed and helped him to sit up. "Drink first."


    Just what he needed. Jiang Jinyan muttered a ''thank you'' before gulping the water down. Only then did he feel a little bit better. Only a teensy weeny though. His head still throbbed like he had just been run over by a truck, but at least he could already discern that the room was his own bedroom.


    "Mew mew! Meeew~"


    Jiang Jinyan followed the source of the sound to find the greyish fluff ball running back and forth anxiously on the floor, looking as if it was searching for ways to climb up to no avail because the bed was too high and it was too tiny.


    Jia Ming''en jutted his chin. "It has been like this since I brought you in."


    As Jiang Jinyan''s eyes fell onto it, the kitten''s eyes brightened up in luminous golden lights. "Mew! Mew!" It rushed to Jiang Jinyan and struggled to climb onto the bed by grabbing the bedsheet. It kept on meowing as if blurting out a string of protests.


    "Noisy." Jia Ming''en frowned and grabbed it by its scruff. "Let me get rid of it for you."


    Before Jiang Jinyan could react, Jia Ming''en had already left with the kitten hanging pitifully on his hand, four limbs iling around in protest. It gave a soft, aggrieved cry when it was being put down outside the room.


    The kitten agilely turned around, rushing to get in through the crack on the door again but unfortunately, Jia Ming''en was faster and mmed the door right before it could get through.


    "Meww!" QAQ


    "You¡ª" Jiang Jinyan''s eyes wereplicated. "Don''t be too rough on it."


    Jia Ming''en shrugged. "Cold is contagious."


    So, was it all because he cared for the cat? Jiang Jinyan''s eyes became more perplexed. The image of President Jia being a cat lover was quite...inconceivable. Jiang Jinyan shook his head to erase the bizarre image and shifted the topic. "How did you get in?"


    "Don''t you remember?" Jia Ming''en returned and took the empty ss from his hand and put it on the nightstand by the bed. "You fainted in front of me and luckily, you have told me your address and door passcode."


    Really? Jiang Jinyan frowned as he tried to remember. He really gave his address and passcode¡ªto his house, his most private ce¡ªto a stranger he had only known for a few hours?


    As if sensing his doubt, Jia Ming''en added. "No need to think too much about it. I''m the one who brought you back otherwise you would have already died in the bushes. I''m also the one who brought you medicine¡­" He jutted his chin toward the small stic bag on the nightstand which Jiang Jinyan hadn''t noticed before. "¡­and changed your clothes for you."


    Jiang Jinyan froze abruptly. His already pale face whitened and he flung away the thick nket covering his body to find himself wearing a clean shirt and long cotton pants. But the most important thing was¡­his artificial leg had already been taken off.


    His eyes instantly grew fierce and red, filled with fury and humiliation. It was as if he could pounce onto Jia Ming''en just with a tiniest bit of provocation. "¡­You saw it?"


    Jia Ming''en scoffed, his eyes shed with disdain. "Of course I do. Don''t tell me you''re some kind of maiden who wants people to take responsibility for you after being seen?"


    Jiang Jinyan''s head buzzed. The dull ache throbbing his head slowly chipped his sanity away. Except for him, the doctor, nurses and a few other people, no one had ever seen his leg after the ident. No one had gone as far as to even touch it. His breathing grew ragged and bile raised up his throat at the thought of his stump knee, the hideous surgical scars, the deformed flesh¡­all of it was seen by a stranger.


    "Get out¡­" He could feel the coldness rising up his limbs, a sign that he was going to lose control soon. "Get out of my house!" A suppressed growl erupted from his throat. Due to his weakness and fever, it sounded more like a cry. He gripped the nket so hard as if it could protect him from Jia Ming''en''s eyes. "Get out of here!"


    "What''s wrong with you?" Jia Ming''en furrowed his brows, his tone oblivious. "Aren''t you only missing one leg?"


    The thin string pulling Jiang Jinyan''s sanity together snapped with that light sentence. He grabbed Jia Ming''en''s cor, pulling the man closer. His eyes red and bloodshot, the wordsing out through gritted teeth. "Only missing one leg?! ONLY?! You have no idea what I have lost because of this one damn leg! You have no idea¡ª" Adrenaline burst through his veins and he clenched his fist, swinging it toward Jia Ming''en''s face with all of his strength.


    In Jiang Jinyan''s contorted mind, the man''s face had turned into many despicable others; Qing Si, Wei Xiameng, his father, the passersby who gave him disdainful nces, theizens who cursed him that he got what he deserved¡­


    What right did they have to judge him?! What right did they have to act as if they understood his life, his suffering and everything he had gone through?!


    Jia Ming''en''s reaction was surprisingly quick. He caught Jiang Jinyan''s fist right before it hammered down his face.


    Jiang Jinyan felt the world tilted in front of his eyes and when he came to, his hands twisted behind his back. The force Jia Ming''en exerted was so strong that Jiang Jinyan felt like his arm was going to be dislocated.


    "You¡ª!" Jiang Jinyan red, his chest undting fiercely.


    "Oh." Jia Ming''en quickly released him and stepped back. "Sorry, it''s a conditional reflex." He even lifted both of his hands to show that he''s perfectly harmless.


    Pain shot through Jiang Jinyan''s arms to his shoulders atop of the soreness due to the fever. He grimaced, but the strain did wonder to shake his mind awake. Thest attempt had already extorted all of his strength to the point where his fingertips trembled slightly when he tried to move. He rolled over andid on his stomach with a groan, his breath uneven.


    Slowly, he calmed down and massaged his shoulders, veins popping up on his forehead. "No, I am sorry, President Jia¡­" He shut his eyes, face crumpled up. Difort evident on his face. "I¡­I shouldn''t haveshed out on you. Thank you for bringing me back and buying the medicine."


    Jia Ming''en shrugged, nonchnt. There was something more important he had to state though. "Seriously, I have already sensed it back in the auditorium. You have a severe anger issue and impulsive disorder, which I don''t really mind because I know you have just got into an ident a few months ago. But as I said, anger will not bring you anywhere."


    Jiang Jinyan opted to stay mute, head hanging low although his knuckles had already turned white from the force he used to clench the nket. He had to constantly remind himself not to lose control again, one which would look very unsightly and insane. It was a little too hard though considering his mind was already half muddled from the fever.


    "I am not criticizing you." Jia Ming''en stepped closer again, prompting Jiang Jinyan to raise his head in bafflement. "What I mean is..." The man took off his sses without any warning. "You don''t need to care about what people say. It''s really tiring. Trust me, I have been in your ce before."


    Under Jiang Jinyan''s gradually widening eyes, Jia Ming''en used two fingers to peel open his left eyelid and gouge his eye out. If Jiang Jinyan wasn''t dizzy to the point of stupefaction, he would have been terrified and appalled by Jia Ming''en''s abrupt act.


    "See?" The man yed with his eyeball in his palm, leaving a ring ckhole in the empty socket of his left eye. "Isn''t it only an eye?"


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: seriously if someone gouge their eyes out in front of me, I will piss myself ??_??


    and no, please don''t imagine Jia Ming''en as a cyborg lol idk why in my mind, I thought of him as Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator QAQ I repeat, there''s no fantasy element in the story except for Shi Nian''s memory of her past life hahaha


    Lastly, guys I created some reading lists which you can view from my profile, please check it out and follow me if you''d like hehe, thank you~

 Chapter 258 - Unable To Muster Any Fear

    Jiang Jinyan''s jaws almost dropped to the floor.


    He looked at Jia Ming''en''s empty eye socket and the eyeballs that he rotated between his fingers casually, too bbergasted to form any words.


    "Surprised?" the man asked.


    He wasn''t only surprised, he almost got a heart attack, okay?!


    Jiang Jinyan let out a breath he didn''t know he was holding. His entire back was drenched in cold sweat. The adrenaline receded from his system, causing his entire body to feel weak as he leaned against the headboard, too tired to even show any expression. "¡­Artificial eye?"


    "Right." Nodding, he popped his eye in like one wore contact lenses, blinking a few times to adjust himself to the sensation. "How is it?" he asked, widening his eyes for Jiang Jinyan to see.


    Usually, the aura Jia Ming''en exuded was so sharp and intimidating that people didn''t dare to look directly into his eyes. Coupled with his sses, his artificial eye didn''t look as conspicuous. But now that he had taken it off and leveled his eyes with Jiang Jinyan, he could see the slight difference between two eyes; one was natural while the other looked glossier when light reflected on it, just like a doll''s eye.


    Jiang Jinyan nodded numbly. "¡­Looks good."


    He didn''t know what was funny about his words, but Jia Ming''en let out a suppressed chortle before his face rapidly cooled down to his usual nonchnt expression. "See? I told you. No need to take it to heart. Everyone has skeletons in their closets while ours are¡­a little bit more visible to naked eyes."


    The corner of Jiang Jinyan''s lips twitched and in the end, he let out a helpless chuckle. "Thank you and¡­I''m sorry for attacking you before."


    "Nah." Jia Ming''en waved his hand. "You can''t beat me even if there''s ten of you anyway."


    Jiang Jinyan: "¡­" This man was too honest and straightforward for his own good.


    ***


    Shi Nian grabbed the strap of her backpack, her steps light and brisk as she walked into the apartment building. She nodded in greeting to the receptionistdy and lowered her head to nce at her phone. Still no reply from Jiang Jinyan.


    Could he possibly be upied with something else? But usually, when Shi Nian messaged him, he would reply a few minutester and the longest time he had taken was two hours. But now, it had been half a day and she still hadn''t gotten a reply.


    Sometimes, Shi Nian was shocked by how greedy a human could be. Just a month ago, she could clearly remember how happy she was when she got his contact information, which she couldn''t even imagine happening a few months ago. Yet right now, she was already fretting when he didn''t reply to her messages for less than 24 hours.


    Shi Nian ah, Shi Nian. How much greedier do you want to be before you''re satisfied?


    She sighed dejectedly, slipping the phone back into her pocket.


    The elevator was slowly descending from the 17th floor¡­16¡­15¡­


    Shi Nian let her mind wander as she stared nkly at the elevator door.


    Ding!


    The door slid open and her eyes met directly with a man''s eyes. Her pupils dted in shock and her whole body was nailed to the ground, astonished.


    Jia¡­Noble Schr Jia?! It was him, wasn''t it? Well, he looked much younger than Shi Nian remembered him to be, youthful albeit sharper with a much darker and nonchnt aura as if he couldn''t see anyone in front of him right now...


    But that face¡ªShi Nian couldn''t have mistaken him! He''s truly Noble Schr Jia!


    What was he doing here? General Jiang and Noble Schr Jia¡­did they meet already? What was up in this lifetime? Why did she keep on meeting people from her past life? General Jiang, her mother, sister Meiqi, and now Noble Schr Jia¡­


    She had read an ancient text which stated that once a soul had drank the soup of oblivion, all of their fates would have already been severed; husband and wife, siblings, mother and child, they would no longer have any rtions with each other. Shi Nian couldn''tprehend why she could still recall her past life, but she attributed it to how strongly she had prayed before she hung herself to let her meet with Jiang Jinyan again in another lifetime.


    The modern, stylish and bespectacled Jia Ming''en lifted his eyes and saw a girl looking at him with a silly, dumbfounded face.


    He raised his brow slightly. "Miss, I don''t think I am handsome enough to bewitch anyone."


    Shi Nian''s eyes widened further. Except for the same appearance, Noble Schr Jia was nothing like his past life! In Shi Nian''s far, far recollection, Noble Schr Jia was gentle, upright and righteous. He liked to recite poems and admired flowers. It was no wonder that he and Jiang Jinyan were good brothers.


    But¡­But this Jia Ming''en was so boorish and frank!


    Shi Nian gulped, unable to contain her curiosity. "Mister, may I ask if your name is Jia Ming''en?"


    Jia Ming''en was startled and finally gave Shi Nian a second nce, his eyes turning wary. "How do you know?"


    So she was right¡­Shi Nian heaved a sigh of relief. If Jia Ming''en was here, did it have something to do with Jiang Jinyan? "Um¡­" Shi Nian racked her brain to answer. "I¡ªI might have seen you before..."


    Jia Ming''en eyed the uniform of Sangzhe High on Shi Nian''s body and the tension on his body rxed somehow. He nodded in understanding. "I didn''t expect that the student council''s publication staff would be this effective."


    Actually Shi Nian had no idea what he was talking about but it looked like Jia Ming''en had filled the holes himself and for Shi Nian too. She scratched her nose awkwardly. "En, you''re right¡­may I ask if you''re a new tenant here?"


    "No." Jia Ming''en raised a forefinger to the ceiling. "Just bringing a sick person home."


    In Shi Nian''s mind, she had already put Jia Ming''en and Jiang Jinyan in one frame. So, when Jia Ming''en said ''a sick person'', Shi Nian automatically tranted it to Jiang Jinyan whom he was talking about. In a way, she was spot on though.


    Shi Nian panicked in an instant. "Is he okay?! How is he now?" What to do? Jiang Jinyan must be sick because of the rain yesterday!


    Jia Ming''en frowned, baffled. His gaze toward Shi Nian was perplexed andplicated. "You know whom I was talking about?"


    This time, Shi Nian had really let it slip. "Eh? Um¡­I might know about that too?" Even she herself couldn''t believe what a sorry excuse she gave. Nevertheless, her mind was already preupied with the sick and fragile Jiang Jinyan. How could she think of making excuses anymore?!


    "You know that doesn''t sound convincing at all, right?" Jia Ming''en narrowed his eyes.


    Shi Nian anxiously asked. "The person you''re talking about¡­is it Jiang Jinyan?"


    Jia Ming''en stared at her deeply without saying anything and Shi Nian stood her ground. Anyway, she had already known him quite well in their past life enough to know that he had a severe fear toward supernatural stuff. That''s why General Jiang especially liked toin to Noble Schr Jia about the mournful wails and cries he had heard in the middle of the night in his residence, rendering Jia Ming''en so afraid that he didn''t dare to stay a night again after that. Of course, General Jiang was just lying.


    It was those tidbits that made Shi Nian unable to muster any fear no matter how intense Jia Ming''en''s stare was.


    In her mind, Jia Ming''en only had a tough exterior but secretly a scaredy cat inside.


    Well, if Jia Ming''en knew what the girl in front of him was thinking about, he would surely be so angry to the point of coughing out blood.


    He, Jia Ming''en, afraid of ghosts?! He wasn''t even afraid when he was held at gunpoint or when his father''s enemy gouged his eye out with a burning spoon when he was still a chubby little ten years old brat. Why would he be fucking scared of ghosts?!


    Fortunately, both didn''t have a mind reader ability, saving them from the trouble.


    Jia Ming''en rubbed his chin in contemtion, his eyes amused. "Little miss, tell me. Are you those so-called people with sixth sense that can hear ghost talking?"


    .


    .


    .


    A/N:


    I, Jia Ming''en, fucking afraid of ghosts?!


    Also Jia Ming''en: Can you hear ghost talking? (?§à?)

 Chapter 259 - Big Boss Of The Underworld

    Karma was truly a bitch.


    Wang Chengbing, the renowned king hacker codenamed WANG, finally reaped what he sowed.


    At first, when he was trying to crack into Haishang Technology''s firewall, he had adopted a very leisure mentality, almost belittling them. And it didn''t help that he had smashed down the first barrier in less than half an hour.


    Heh. Such an easy thing to do. He could still finish it even if he picked his feet at the same time.


    He thought that he would be able to leave the program running while he finished other works. Wang Chengbing had gotten ustomed to multitasking. There were three keyboardsid out in front of him, connected with threerge 16 inch monitors respectively.


    There were still so many things to do and first and foremost, he had to track down this son of a bitch @kmeulchian5862 through the money he had wired to Fei Chenghan. The beguiling adolescent boy had been closely monitored these past few days to the point where he didn''t even dare to skip ss and go to inte cafes. The promised reward still arrived in the end, albeit the other party was smart to use a virtual ount that belonged to some inconspicuous white cor worker.


    Wang Chengbing was immersed in the cyberworld when all of a sudden, hisputer screen buzzed with white and ck lines simr to old, half dying TV. All of the codes turned into iprehensible garbles and a huge, red warning appeared.


    [Loading¡­reboot in process.]


    [Reset all configuration 1% 2%...]


    "Fuck!" Wang Chengbing jumped out of his seat, bewildered. "What the hell? Virus?!"


    No one in this world dared to im to be first if Wang Chengbing imed second when it came to creating viruses. He cracked his fingers and started to type furiously to defend against the virus and at the same time, infiltrated into the other party''sputer to steal the files.


    The more he typed, the weirder he felt.


    Huh? This pattern¡­seems a bit familiar?


    No fucking shit! Wasn''t this his own creation that he sold a few years ago in the ck market for ten million dors?!


    This was one of Wang Chengbing''s proudest creations, Ultimate Destroyer, UD-W01. As the name implied, the virus would hide in between ordinary codes, disguising itself as a firewall and then, when it was cracked down, it would multiply, expand and breed to countless little bugs, gnawing and tearing, until it dominated and devoured the attacker.


    One of its many features was how it looked very simr to the original firewall, causing the attacker to lower their guards and when the time arrived, it would wipe everything in one swoop and vo, ultimately destroyed without fail!


    Fighting against the virus he created himself, Wang Chengbing might be the only person in the world to earn this kind of privilege.


    And most importantly, he recalled how he had confidently assured the buyer that there''s no shield UD-W01 couldn''t destroy. If an idiot dared to hack into the buyer''sputer, then they would be beaten up so hard until they called thetter daddy!


    And now, Wang Chengbing had be that exact idiot.


    "Damn, damn, damn! Aaaah, my files! Myputers!" He pulled his hair, screaming hysterically.


    It was no use. UD-W01 was just that powerful. In just five minutes, the loading waspleted 100% and all threeputer screens turned dark simultaneously. Even the CPUs emitted sizzling, burned smells.


    "NOOO!!!" Wang Chengbing wailed tragically.


    Motherfckers, how he regretted ever creating UD-W01! Now look how it hade back to bite him on his ass!


    No, more importantly, how could he be so unlucky toe across this virus again?!


    This¡­This¡­


    He scrambled to pick up his phone and dialed Jin Renguang''s numbers with tears and snots in his face. "Captain! I¡ªI know who''s behind Haishang Technology now!"


    "Really?" Jin Renguang sounded genuinely surprised. "That''s quick. Good work."


    "No¡­" Wang Chengbing smiled bitterly. Nheless, even if Jin Renguang threatened to kill him, he wouldn''t admit that he was defeated by his own virus. "It''s not that difficult¡­"


    "So, who is it?"


    Wang Chengbing took a deep breath, his eyes turning serious. "Captain, be careful. That person isn''t someone we can touch casually. He¡­He''s surnamed Jia, called Renyu."


    There''s a few seconds of silence before the chaotic sounds of something heavy falling, ss cracking and loud screeches were heard from the phone.


    "Who did you say it was?!" Jin Renguang''s voice rose higher in incredulity.


    Wang Chengbing sniffled. "You didn''t hear wrong. It''s really Jia Renyu, the big boss of the underworld." He added after some thinking, "The leader of China''s mafia organization."


    Jin Renguang cursed from the other end of the call. He wasn''t in an excellent mood to begin with, it had persisted ever since he returned from the cemetery. And with this news, his mood plunged to Mariana Trench, unable to surface anymore.


    The SCI squad had formed a team of young police officers to pose as interns to enter Haishang Technology undercover. Yet, upon knowing that their opponent was the big boss of the underworld, the ns hade to naught. How could they win against those people with firearms and ammunition at their disposal?!


    Jin Renguang''s voice was gloomy. "Do you think the serial killer is someone from the underworld?"


    The more Wang Chengbing thought about it, the more it seemed to be. "How else?" He replied. "First, the human skin maskes from the underworld and only the members with connections can obtain it. Second, the method of killing was quite brutal. It''s in line with the underworld members'' temperament. Captain¡­if this was the case, how should we proceed?"


    Jin Renguang fell silent for a while. "¡­We will think of something. Thank you for your hard work. You may rest for now and leave everything to us. I will inform you if there''s any development."


    Wang Chengbing heaved a sigh of relief, but when his eyesnded upon the three deadputers, he had the urge to cry again.


    Why was it so hard to be a proper and upright police officer? Wuwuwu¡­he wanted to resign and go back to being a hacker. At least, he wouldn''t have to worry whether he would have enough sleep and most importantly, enough money to spend on midnight snacks.


    ---


    Rumors said that the Big Boss of the underworld was never married yet he had a son which he brought back out of nowhere. This son hadn''t appeared in public ever since some malicious people from the side branch tried to harm him in order to threaten Jia Renyu to hand over the authority. It was unknown how he was now, but judging from the timeline, he ought to be a young man around twenty years old.


    The SCI squad came up with two ns.


    n A was for Wang Chengbing and Tang Wei to look for Jia Renyu''s son. Although this was the most risky n with high probability of casualty in case they attracted Jia Renyu''s suspicion, it was also the safest one. With Jia Renyu''s son on their side, they could get lots of inside information and might even obtain cooperation.


    n B; in case they flunked n A, Jin Renguang would step out on behalf of the police toe into a deal with Jia Renyu.


    Ever since the era of liberation, the mafia had been suppressed by the government with their authority chipping away bit by bit. Nowadays, everyone subconsciously regarded them as scumbags, trash, dangerous people that must be obliterated. It waspletely different from olden times when they could walk everywhere freely around Earth and nobody dared to cross them. That''s why, if the police offered a truce, it must be something that Jia Renyu couldn''t afford to refuse.


    Of course, this was a proposal which the police could only throw as ast resort. Granting them authority was akin to having a double sided sword by their side, too risky and dangerous.


    After a long meeting, the ns were confirmed with the higher ups and everyone could finally have a night of rest.


    That''s why, because of these twists and turns, Jin Renguang''s "wait for me tonight" had to be postponed until six dayster.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: ohoho, what''s the connection between the serial killer and underworld?


    Overall progress of the case: 70% we are getting closer to the end~

 Chapter 260 - Please Listen To Me

    Ru Meiqi returned to her apartment after a long, tiring day. She wasn''t just a consultant for the SCI squad, but she also had to help other divisions¡ªsuch as the Drug Enforcement Division, General Crime Division, Public Security etc¡ªto perform analysis and psychology tests if necessary.


    The intensity of work varied. Sometimes, they wouldn''t have any cases for months so she had many leisure days. But for the past few months, the SCI, General Crime and Drug Enforcement had been working together to crack not only the serial murder case, but also the drugs distribution in Dreamscape Bar.


    The most tiring thing of all was how she had to write reports after reports after every development to submit them to the higher ups. It was almost neverending.


    Ru Meiqi herself had already forgotten Jin Renguang''s words, thus when she entered her apartment and found a hazy silhouette sitting in her living room amidst the dark, Ru Meiqi''s first reaction was to pull out the golf club beside the shoe cab and hold it with both hands. "Who is it?!" She barked out fiercely.


    "Whoa." Came a familiar voice, one which made her rx but also itching to beat the other person up at the same time. "Easy, woman. It''s me."


    Jin Renguang turned the lights on and instantly, the bright light poured all across the room. Ru Meiqi saw that he was still wearing the same shirt he wore today, proof that the man had directlye here after work. The knowledge didn''t make her feel any better, instead, she grew more irritated.


    "What are you doing here? How did you get in?"


    "Put down the golf club." Jin Renguang cleared his throat and continued in a softer tone. "Don''t you remember? Last time, in the cemetery, I told you to wait for me."


    "But you never said that you would directly trespass into my house!" Ru Meiqi eximed angrily and turned to change the passcode of her door. She had no idea how Jin Renguang found out about it, but either way, she did it out of irritation albeit she knew perfectly how a single door did nothing to hold him back.


    "Don''t bother." Jin Renguang took a step forward and admitted unabashedly. "I have copied your fingerprints."


    Ru Meiqi turned to him in disbelief. "Jin Renguang, is that how you make use of your upational skill?! I will report you to the police!"


    "I am the police, remember?" he grinned teasingly.


    Ru Meiqi: "¡­" Okay, she must be too tired to blurt out something so stupid like this.


    She massaged her brows, gesturing outside. "Please make your way out. I''m not in the mood to bicker with you."


    "Neither am I. Qiqi, I am serious when I say there''s something I want to tell you." Jin Renguang''s face was unprecedentedly solemn and Ru Meiqi had to admit that this kind of Jin Renguang made her slightly nervous. Well, not that she would admit it anyway.


    "So?" She raised her brow defiantly, her voice cold and even. "Tell me. After that, you may go."


    Jin Renguang snorted softly. Before Ru Meiqi could react, he strode forward inrge steps, closed the door and pulled her in, barely using any strength. When she regained her senses, she was already sitting on the couch with a cup of steaming honey water in front of her.


    Stunned, Ru Meiqi asked, "Where does thise from?"


    Jin Renguang''s voice came from behind. "I boiled water in your kitchen, bought a jar of honey downstairs. Don''t you like to drink this?" A soft touch suddenly fell upon her shoulder, making her jolt in shock. "Shush, just rx."


    The man''s fingers started to move. Pressing, kneading, rubbing, he gently massaged her shoulder with perfectly controlled strength. "You''re too tense. Let me give you a short massage, okay? Anyway I have done it countless times before." He kneaded her nape, thumb stroking the tender side of her skin. It was sofortable that Ru Meiqi had goosebumps all over her arms and she almost dozed off in an instant.


    A distant memory surfaced in her mind. Back when she was still studying in university, her life was so hectic and her sleep schedule was turned upside down, even catching a few hours of sleep a day was already a luxury. Oftentimes, she would fall asleep when she waited for the noodle cup to finish cooking or when she was soaking in the bathtub. Even when she was eating, she would doze off randomly.


    It was Jin Renguang who often visited her rented ce, filling her refrigerator with groceries, lining up her shoes in the cab, cleaning her messy desk and even washing her clothes¡­


    When she burned midnight oil, he would asionally stay up with her and give her a shoulder massage. Every single time, Ru Meiqi would end up falling asleep on him and wake up only to find her assignments done.


    She took a sip of the honey water to cover the aching throb in her heart and felt the warmth and sweetness travelling down her throat. Coupled with the skillful massage, it was akin to being serviced in a spa. It didn''t take much time at all for Ru Meiqi''s body to turn into mush, leaning onto Jin Renguang''s wide and warm palm bonelessly.


    Moreover, Jin Renguang knew every crook and corner of her acupuncture point, enabling him to offer the greatest satisfaction possible.


    She struggled to keep her eyes open amidst the lullingfort. "You¡­what do you want to say?"


    Her voice had already lost the previous defiance and formidable spirit. It was soft, weak and harmless, falling into Jin Renguang''s ears akin to a kitten''s retracted ws, very squishy and adorable.


    Jin Renguang tacitly didn''t speak for the next few moments and focused on loosening her tense nerves.


    Ru Meiqi leaned on the couch, purring softly. "Yes, that¡­hmm, a bit to the left. Yes¡­that''s the ce..."


    The woman''s slender and fair nape was exposed in front of Jin Renguang''s eyes. His honey colored palm contrasted against her tender and milky skin, forming an enticing sight, one that pulled on his heartstrings. She was so docile, so oblivious, letting him do whatever he pleased. The rhythmic pulse under his thumb did nothing to alleviate his quickening heartbeat. The man''s eyes deepened and he couldn''t help but lean forward¡­


    "Ah!" Ru Meiqi jolted in pain. She turned around angrily. "What are you doing?! Do you want to snap my neck¡ª" The words stopped at her throat when she discovered their abrupt closeness. Jin Renguang''s face was so close, too close that she could see his growing stubble and the red veins in his eyes due tock of sleep.


    If Ru Meiqi still didn''t know what was going on in this bastard''s mind, then she would chop her neck off for him to y with! "You¡ª" The drowsiness dissipated in an instant, reced with wariness and alertness. "What are you trying to do¡ªuhft!"


    Jin Renguang pressed his palm on the back of her neck, pulling the woman closer as he leaned down and captured her lips. "This..." He breathed out huskily. "¡­is what I want to do."


    Ru Meiqi almost choked on her breath. She pushed him and retreated a few steps, wiping her mouth. "Shameless!"


    He gave a lopsided grin. "Haven''t you known it since day one?"


    Ru Meiqi almostughed out of anger. Her eyes cooled down as she dered with a deadpan face. "Say whatever you want to say and get out of my house."


    Inwardly, Ru Meiqi patted her back in encouragement. Good, she hadn''t been affected much by his touchy feely inclination. Just like this, she had to be ruthless to both him and herself so as to help her to move on quicker.


    "Qiqi¡­" Jin Renguang clenched his fists, mouth closing and opening repeatedly.


    Was he¡­nervous? Someone like Jin Renguang could actually be nervous? No, it must be her who was too sleepy and tired.


    Ru Meiqi turned her gaze toward the floor to ceiling window, preferring to admire the night scenery instead.


    "I¡­I went to the cemetery," he started.


    She snorted. "I know."


    Jin Renguang took a deep breath. "I''m sorry." Ru Meiqi''s head snapped toward him in bewilderment, and he braced himself to continue. "For all these years, I have always been hurting you. For that, I am sorry."


    "I¡ª"


    "Listen to me first." He said with a firm tone that left no room for rebuttal. "I should have known that honesty andmunication are the most important aspects to keep a rtionship going. But with my stupid pride and dignity, I am unwilling to admit my mistakes to you because it''s just too ridiculous and embarrassing¡­" Jin Renguang wiped his face roughly and only then did Ru Meiqi convince herself that he was indeed nervous.


    Immensely.


    And anxious too.


    "Qiqi, are you willing to listen to me?" He lifted his head, eyes slightly reddened. "Everything that happened that year, I will tell you everything. Don''t you want to know how Yan Jihuan and her baby died? Do you know that I hated her so much and thest sentence I said to her was that I wouldn''t ever see her again even if she died?"


    He pleaded, a slight tremble in his voice. "Please¡­Please listen to me. After that, you can decide how you want to deal with me and I swear I will notin."


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Finally, Jin Renguang is willing to properly face his past! He and Ru Meiqi needed that honest and deep talk to clear all of the misunderstandings. They have missed each other for five years QAQ but what was Ru Meiqi''s answer toward Qin Weizhe''s confession? hehe, you will seeter on...


    My dearies~ we have 99 GT currently! You guys are awesome! One more and I will give a 5 chappie mass release! I guess I need to prepare from now....QAQ

 Chapter 261 - Dream On!

    The streemps along the narrow street could only illuminate the area a few meters around. Jia Ming''en, with hands inside the pocket, walked leisurely down the street, a stic bag hung on his wrist. His feature was obscured by the darkness, unable to be seen clearly.


    Night descended and only a few people remained hanging around¡ªthe so-called gangsters and tyrants parading around the streets¡ªwho gave him some inquiring and intimidating nces when he walked past. But upon seeing his face, they all retreated and didn''t dare to make a squeak.


    Sounds of televisions, faint chatter andughter drifted into his ears, yet his expression remained unchanged. It was both nonchnt and indifferent.


    He turned in a corner toward a small, old apartment building that only consisted of five floors. Only the window on the first and second floor was on, the rest of them looked uninhabited. There wasn''t even any elevator so he had to climb the stairs every time he returned here. What choice did he have left? If he didn''t escape here, sooner orter, those people would buzz around him again.


    He had told them countless times that he had no intention of inheriting the family business, yet they all remained persistent. It was so annoying.


    Jia Ming''en halted in his tracks with one foot already on the first step of stairs. "Who''s there?"


    There was no answer for a moment. Only the cold gust of wind breezed by, merging with his cold and aloof temperament.


    Jia Ming''en waited patiently until the end, a person stepped out from the darkness and let his features be illuminated by the streemp. A very elegant, sophisticated man with gold rimmed sses. His hair was slightly long, tied behind his neck with not even a single strand out of the ce.


    Everyone''s mood would lighten upon seeing such a handsome man, but Jia Ming''en''s expression turned ugly in an instant. "Why are you here?"


    "Just running some errands and dropping by on the way. Don''t worry." Si Zhening answered with a light tone, a polite smile hung on his lips. "No one knows this address except for me and the boss."


    Jia Ming''en was finally willing to turn toward him, his tone reluctant. "My dad told you toe here?"


    "Yes." Si Zhening nced down at his wristwatch. "It''s already 8 pm, don''t wander around casually. The people here aren''t very good."


    Jia Ming''en scoffed as if he had heard the best joke in the world. "You should say it to everyone beside me."


    Si Zhening didn''t care about the sarcasm in his voice and continued, "Stay here for a while. It isn''t safe in the Capital nowadays."


    Hearing the seriousness in his tone, Jia Ming''en furrowed his brows. "What problem did you all cause again?"


    Of course, Si Zhening didn''t have any intention to divulge it. He had always been the firmest secret keeper, that''s why Jia Renyu was willing to trust him when it came to his son''s safety. "Nothing for you to worry about. You should just study earnestly and get some perfect scores to make Boss happy." Si Zhening paused and contemted for a while before deciding to give a warning, his eyes subtly ncing at the other man''s left eye. "Be careful with the police. Don''t let them find you. You know how ruthless they can be."


    Jia Ming''en sneered, toozy to even say anything to him.


    "That''s all I''ve got to say." Si Zhening nodded and waved casually. "I wille to you again if there''s any further development." He pointed at the stic bag in Jia Ming''en''s hands. "And don''t keep on eating instant lunchboxes from the convenience store. What use is the money in your card if you don''t spend it at all?"


    Jia Ming''en shrugged. "Just let them rot then."


    Si Zhening smiled as if he didn''t hear anything and turned to walk away.


    Jia Ming''en stared into Si Zhening''s back until the man exited the street and got into a ck, inconspicuous car. Only after that did he turn away and climb the stairs to his room on the fifth floor. The light bulbs above his head flickered intermittently, highlighting the difference between both eyes; one was deeper than the night, while the other was glossier amidst the dark, almost like a clear ss. It was quite a bizarre sight.


    In the end, Jia Ming''en couldn''t resist kicking the metal fence on the balcony, causing the railing to creak dangerously. His eyes shed with dangerous lights yet hidden beneath the frozen frost was deep sadness and indignation.


    He used to trail behind that person when he was young, calling him ''brother'' and treating him as a role model. In the end, it was this ''brother'' who lied to him the most.


    The emotions in his eyes were quickly veiled until not a trace was left. A cold, furious smile appeared on his face. "Do you think I am still a ten years old brat that''s so easy to dupe? Dream on!"


    ***


    After Jia Ming''en left, Shi Nian wasted no time to ride the elevator to the neenth floor and pressed on Jiang Jinyan''s doorbell, anxious. Her fingers wrung together impatiently, ears pricking up to hear the slightest bit of sound inside.


    Yet, after a minute, there was still no answer.


    No, not even a hint of movement could be heard. If Jia Ming''en didn''t confirm that he had just brought Jiang Jinyan home, Shi Nian would have thought that there was nobody inside.


    How was he? Was he asleep already? Wait...what would she do if Jiang Jinyan fainted inside without anybody knowing?!


    All sorts of scenarios yed inside Shi Nian''s mind, almost driving her insane.


    After pressing the doorbell a few more times, finally, the door creaked open, albeit only a bit. Shi Nian''s eyes lit up. However, instead of Jiang Jinyan, a ball of fluffy grey shot passed the door and jumped onto her, mewling in grievance. "Mew mew mew!!"


    Shi Nian caught the kitten in her arms, rubbing its chin infort. "What''s wrong?" She asked softly. "Where''s your owner?"


    She peeked into the door and saw Jiang Jinyan leaning on the hallway, his eyes pressed shut, frowning with his breaths uneven. No color could be seen from his face and lips, his whole person looked sickly and pallid. His hair was dampened with sweat, looking as if he was enduring some kind of great difort.


    Hearing the sound from the door, he forcefully peeled open his eyes. "You¡­what are you doing here?" He asked with a raspy voice.


    Not even a secondter, his legs staggered and his whole body tilted.


    Shi Nian instantly put the kitten down and rushed to support him, distressed. "Are you okay?!"


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: ooooh, what''s Si Zhening''s rtionship with Jia Ming''en? Now, you know who the boss is hehe

 Chapter 262 - How Good Is He?

    Jiang Jinyan panted heavily


    As soon as Shi Nian came into contact with his hands, she could feel the scorching temperature he exuded. It was so high that she flinched in shock. Tiptoeing to touch his forehead, she eximed in distress. "Oh my God, you''re so hot!"


    Jiang Jinyan let out a breathlessugh, his head lolling down onto her shoulder.


    All of a sudden, half of his weight transferred onto her. She staggered back due to the pressure. Fortunately, Jiang Jinyan still maintained a sliver of consciousness not to press his whole weight down. "Help me¡­inside."


    Shi Nian half dragged and half pulled him into his bedroom. She was so worried to the point where it slipped her mind that it was her first time entering the room of a boy she liked. Her attention was wholly focused on the man with flushed cheeks and chapped lips. Shi Nian helped him to lean against the headboard and grabbed the ss sitting atop of the nightstand, relieved when she found the water inside was lukewarm. "Here, drink first."


    Jiang Jinyan slowly shook his head. "Have¡­had enough¡­"


    "Then, have you eaten anything yet? What about medicine? Have you measured your temperature? What did the doctor say?"


    Jiang Jinyan lifted his half lidded eyes silently.


    Shi Nian instantly understood in one nce. "Wait here for me. I will go and cook some porridge for you."


    She adjusted the room''s temperature and lightning, covered him with a thick nket and pushed him onto the bed. "Sleep first, okay?" The appearance of the sickly Jiang Jinyan was too different from the usual Jiang Jinyan. The gloomy and unapproachable aura was softened considerably, reced with an obedient, harmless and adorable one.


    Shi Nian couldn''t resist stroking his hair infort and got up from the bed. However, before she could leave, Jiang Jinyan''s fingers moved to hold onto the tip of her fingers loosely. He hadn''t even exerted a bit of force, yet it was enough to hold her in ce.


    "What''s wrong?" She came closer in concern.


    His consciousness had gotten hazy and ayer of mist covered his eyes. Even then, he wasn''t willing to let go. His pale lips parted. "Don''t go¡­"


    Hearing the soft plea, a dull pain drilled its way into her heart. It caused her nose to turn sour. "¡­I won''t go." Shi Nian held his hand in a firm grasp and leaned down to drop a butterfly kiss onto his forehead. "Jiang Jinyan, I will not leave you. Ever."


    Jiang Jinyan let out a sigh of relief and closed his eyes afterward.


    Shi Nian made sure that he was truly asleep before slipping into the kitchen. The little fluffy grey ball waddled along on her trail.


    "Little one, have you eaten yet?"


    "Mew~"


    "Oh, then I will feed you after I finish cooking, okay? Your owner is sick so we should take better care of him."


    The kitten happily mewled, its tail swishing back and forth.


    Shi Nian chuckled and rubbed its chin and the back of its ear. The kitten felt so blissful that it rolled onto its back and showed its fluffy belly, eyes narrowed into slits.


    The interior of Jiang Jinyan''s kitchen was almost the same as hers, albeit a little smaller. Thus, Shi Nian easily found the rice container in the bottom cab and a single pan hanging on the wall. Fortunately, Jiang Jinyan still stuffed his refrigerator with some eggs, frozen food and tomatoes, unlike Xu Binchen who had nothing at all.


    Shi Nian measured the rice and started to boil porridge. The water simmered and bubbles started to surface along with thick, damp vapor which was instantly sucked away by the venttor. In the meantime, she grabbed two eggs and whipped out a simple and delicious egg and tomato soup.


    An hourter, Shi Nian carefully pushed open the door, bringing with her a warm and delicious fragrance.


    Jiang Jinyan had already woken up a few minutes ago. After all, he hadn''t eaten anything yet since morning and his stomach had almost glued to his back. However, he didn''t have an ounce of strength to get up, much less to cook something. Thus, he only spent the minutes in a daze. When Shi Nian entered, lights from the hallway poured into the room, illuminating a huge lump above the bed.


    "Jiang Jinyan?" Shi Nian called out tentatively.


    Jiang Jinyan gave a hum. He sluggishly sat up and probed around for his phone. "What time is it? You haven''t gone back yet?"


    "Don''t worry. I have already notified my mother." She flicked the lights on and brought the tray over. "I made you some porridge and soup. Eat first and drink medicine after that, okay?"


    Hearing the indulgence in her tone as if she was coaxing a child, he couldn''t help but chuckle. "Okay."


    Shi Nian sat by the side and blew the porridge. "Here, aah¡ª" She brought the spoon toward his mouth.


    Jiang Jinyan stared at her silently, his gaze indecipherable.


    Shi Nian blinked and realization dawned on her all of a sudden. Her face instantly erupted in mes. "Ah, sorry, you¡­you should eat it yourself¡ª"


    "No." He cut her off and said softly, "I feel a little weak..."


    "Ah?" Shi Nian put on a dumbfounded face and asked carefully. "Then¡­I will feed you?"


    There''s a faint, indistinct smile on the corner of his lips. His dark eyes radiated joy and satisfaction. "En."


    Shi Nian focused all of her attention on the spoon, taking care not to burn him. "Sorry." She said guiltily. "If not for me, you wouldn''t be sick."


    Jiang Jinyan blinked, "How so?"


    "I¡ª" Shi Nian was baffled? How so? How ah? She didn''t do anything yet the man suddenly pulled her into a small alley, pressed her against the wall and kissed her into confusion, causing his back to be drenched by rain thoroughly amidst the cold weather for a long time. So, what exactly did she do? Shi Nian blushed, hemming and hawing. "That¡­just like that."


    She peeked out through her eyshes and saw the curl on the corner of his lips. "You¡ª" She eximed angrily. "You''re teasing me!"


    Jiang Jinyan spread his palms innocently. "When did I?"


    Shi Nian almost choked out of anger. She shoved the rest of the porridge into his mouth and told him to finish the soup himself while she prepared the medicine for him. Rummaging through the stic bag, she could see a lot of medicines. Fever pad, cough drops, anti-inmmatory, cold medicine and even a new sealed thermometer¡­


    She didn''t need to think to know who had bought these.


    The scene was so familiar. Everytime General Jiang was sick or injured, the first guest who woulde to visit him was Noble Schr Jia. He would bring medicines, fruits or books although the General''s Residence probably had more than enough in stock. Yet General Jiang never refused.


    In return, he would brew his favorite tea for him or dug the wine he had buried under the cherry blossom tree. Together, they would sit on the rooftop, chatting or merely gazing into the moon and stars untilte into the night. If not for Shi Nianing out to get them, they wouldn''t have rested and would finish all the wine instead.


    The sense of familiarity caused her to lower her guard and without her brain processing it, she had blurted out the question. "Mr. Jia Ming''en bought all of these for you?"


    Jiang Jinyan froze. He slowly lowered the spoon and asked slowly. "¡­You know him?"


    Recalling the unshakable, firm bond of brotherhood between them, Shi Nian couldn''t resist smiling. "You can say so."


    She told Jiang Jinyan in a serious tone because the man no longer remembered anything. "He''s a good man." Seemingly thinking that it wasn''t enough, she paused and added, "Very good and loyal."


    Shi Nian took no notice at all of the subtle shift in the air due to her words.


    "Oh?" Jiang Jinyan drawled. Without any warning, he yanked on the girl''s wrist, causing her to lose her bnce and bounced onto the bed. Ignoring her shocked and oblivious expression, he smiled, albeit it didn''t reach his eyes. "How good is he? Why don''t you tell me slowly?"


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Mass release in pending (ToT)/~~ I am stockpiling so please wait for a few days ehe in the meantime, enjoy the jelly Jiang Jinyan (?????)


    Thank you very much for 100 GT! You guys rock! Let''s make it to 200 before the end of the month for another mass release~

 Chapter 263 - Thank You

    Shi Nian''s breath hitched in her throat. At this moment, she felt as if in front of her was no longer Jiang Jinyan, but a ruthless devil that would punish her as soon as she blurted out something wrong.


    W¡ªWhat''s wrong? They had just been talking nicely, hadn''t they? So why did he suddenly get angry out of nowhere?


    Shi Nian froze with her eyes wide open.


    "Hmm?" The man urged softly. "Come on, tell me."


    She blinked, entranced by the lure of his low and husky voice. "What...do you want to know?"


    "I just want to know how good this Jia Ming''en is."


    "How good?" Shi Nian furrowed her brows softly. Her eyesnded on the bag of medicines. "He bought you so many medicines and brought you home. Isn''t that good enough?"


    Sometimes, Jiang Jinyan was grateful for how dense Shi Nian was. Like that, she wouldn''t pay attention to the annoying bugs around her. However, everything turned different when it came to him. How could she be such an airhead? It was so frustrating yet endearing at the same time.


    Jiang Jinyan had nowhere to vent the stuffiness in his chest. The fever caused his inhibition to weaken slightly, causing him to spurt out things that he usually wouldn''t say even if someone threatened him with death. "¡­Not good enough."


    Shi Nian blinked a few times, confused. "Not enough?"


    He let his head drop onto her shoulder and nuzzled there a few times. "No."


    The soft hair carrying the faint scent of sweat and shampoo tickled her skin. She shrunk her neck slightly, but her awkward position she fell into prevented her from moving away. "You¡­are you jealous?" She blurted out the first thing in her mind.


    How could it be? Shi Nian was certain that it was out of the question. Jiang Jinyan would definitely deny it just like how he did when she asked the same questionst time. She felt ridiculous for asking the exact same question, hoping that she would get a different answer one day¡­


    "Yes." All of her thoughts died down with his one word. The man said quietly. "I don''t like it when you pay attention to other men. I don''t like it when you talk about them either. Do you think¡­I am too much?"


    Shi Nian froze in ce, too shocked to form any words.


    Jiang Jinyan, after not receiving any answer after a while, grew disheartened. "Sorry, I¡ª"


    "No!" She cried out in reflex. "It''s not too much! Not at all!"


    The man slowly lifted his head and was shocked to find fat, round droplets of tears dripping down her eyes like a loose faucet. Baffled, he asked, "Why are you crying?"


    "Sorry¡­" Shi Nian sniffled and wiped her face in fluster. "I¡ªI''m just¡­too happy."


    Jiang Jinyan paused and let out a soft chortle afterward. His dark eyes gleaming as his thumb reached out to caress her damp cheek. "I''m suffering here but you''re happy instead? Shi Nian, are you a sadist?"


    Shi Nian received a great scare by hisst question. "No! How can I be?!"


    Jiang Jinyan never expected to see such an excessive reaction from her.


    Colors drained from her face and she looked anguished as if she wished she could dig her heart out for him to see. Instead of stopping, her tears fell unceasingly down her cheeks and dropping onto his hand. It was both scalding and painful. "I¡­I have never wished to see you suffer. Whatever I do, whatever I say, I wish for your happiness the most¡­"


    "Okay, okay." Jiang Jinyan hugged the girl tightly, patting her back infort. "I am just joking. You care for me this much, how can I suffer? I was just teasing you, okay?"


    Shi Nian grasped the hem of his shirt, sniffling. "...You''re really not suffering?"


    Jiang Jinyan didn''t know whether tough or cry. "No."


    The girl wasn''t willing to put the topic down. She told him seriously. "I know that I am quite dense, I don''t really know what you''re thinking about unless you tell me. So, if I hurt you, if¡­on any asion, I did something wrong to you, you should tell me directly, okay? I am willing to change, to fix my mistakes and redo them¡ª"


    Jiang Jinyan couldn''t bear to listen any longer and engulfed her in another embrace, tighter and warmer.


    "En." His voice came out slightly hoarse, forcefully suppressing the emotion that almost burst forth. His heart was aching and sour at the same time and his eyes watered. "Thank you."


    Thank you for not giving up on me, thank you for always smiling, thank you for your effort in protecting me, thank you for caring for me, for apanying me, for worrying me, for loving me¡­countless thankyou''s popped up in his mind in a split second.


    It was only then that he realized, in a short span of time since he met her, she had unknowingly given him so much. Strength, affection,fort, care,panionship, warmth, sincerity. Those which he couldn''t obtain from any other person, she gave him as much as she could in her own silly way.


    Maybe that was what attracted him to her.


    "It''s me that should thank you¡­" She muttered quietly under her breath.


    If there was no him, then there wouldn''t be the Shi Nian today. She owed him a life, yet she could only repay him this way. Sadly, it was only her who still recalled everything¡­


    "What did you say?"


    "No." She shook her head and smiled, wiping her tears away. "Come on, you should eat medicine with a full stomach and get lots of rest."


    Jiang Jinyan had already forgotten about Jia Ming''en after seeing her cheer up. He obediently took the medicine and told her, "You should go home. Don''t linger here lest you catch my cold."


    "I don''t mind." She mumbled with a pout. "I am very healthy anyway."


    "Shi Nian." he called with that deep voice of his tinged with a hint of warning.


    Jiang Jinyan only needed to say her name for her to turn obedient. Begrudgingly, she agreed. "You should properly lock the door. There''s still a little porridge left in the pot. If you''re hungry, you can go to the kitchen and heat it up. If you need anything, don''t hesitate to call me, even if it''s in the middle of the night¡ª"


    "Alright, I know." Jiang Jinyan chuckled. His mind rapidly turned drowsy as the medicine kicked in. "You should return quickly otherwise Auntie will worry about you."


    Shi Nian looked at his sleepy face and felt her heart soften into mush. Her eyes nced around therge, lifeless bedroom and couldn''t help but imagine. If she leftter on, how quiet would the house be? How deste was it? Jiang Jinyan¡­wouldn''t he be lonely and sad?


    "What are you standing in daze for?" He urged, voice quickly turning into soft mumbles. "Hurry and go home."


    Shi Nian opened her mouth, intending to ask. What about your family? Your parents? Why aren''t they staying with you at times like this? Why haven''t I heard you talk about them?


    However, she intuitively felt like it wasn''t a topic he would like to discuss, thus she sensibly shut her mouth and bid him goodnight.


    For the rest of the night, Jiang Jinyan slept soundly. Not even gued by the usual nightmares. Instead, he dreamed of a sea of flowers, it was very colorful and mesmerizing, stretching as far as his eyes could see, colliding with the light blue skyline. Every time he gazed far into the distance, his heart would feel lighter and happier.


    Beside him, there was a scrawny, blurry figure dressed in simple robes. Jiang Jinyan had no control of his body, but he sensed no rejection or repulsion toward that person. Instead, they seemed¡­quite close. "You have done a great job maintaining the garden." He heard himself say in satisfaction. "Even the withered roses have been revived."


    The blurry person by his side took a step forward and skillfully trimmed thergest, freshest and most beautiful Chinese rose whose color was deeper than blood. They[1] cut off all of the thorns and presented it to him like a trophy.


    The corner of his mouth twitched. "You want to give it to...me?" He didn''t know the reason why, but he felt like roses were thest flowers that could ever represent him.


    That person didn''t move, as if waiting for him to receive it.


    In the dream, Jiang Jinyan felt a mixture of helplessness, joy¡­as well as a sliver of regret and sadness. He epted the rose gingerly. "Thank you. It''s very...beautiful."


    That person gave a bright smile in return.


    The smile looked lovelier¡ªvery much so¡ªthan the rose in his hand.


    He should give the rose to them instead, he mused.


    .


    .


    [1] That person was pronounced as ''they'' because Jiang Jinyan had no idea whether it''s male or female


    .


    A/N: aaah, a fragment of Jiang Jinyan''s memories ¨R¦Ø¨Q let''s wish that he will remember Shi Nian sooner orter. It''s too pitiful being the one who remembers everything QAQ

 Chapter 264 - Is There Anything You Want?

    Today, it''s Shi Nian''s birthday.


    Right at 00.01 am, she received three messages. First, it was from Jiang Jinyan. [Happy seventeenth birthday. I will pick you up at school today.] in which she returned with a so-moved-that-I-don''t-know-what-to-say gif.


    Second, both unexpectedly and somehow, as expected, Xu Binchen. [Hbday.]


    It was obvious that he only used a split second to type it before he continued to work. Shi Nian even wondered whether it was set in a timer from days ago. Or else, how could someone like Xu Binchen go out of his way to wish someone a happy birthday right when the calendar changed?


    Still, Shi Nian replied with an orz[1].


    Third, who was someone she didn''t expect at all, it was the contact that had been sitting in her phone for months. One that she had almost forgotten about. The profile picture was totally ck with only arge, bold font of three letters ''KUN'' was printed across the screen. [Happy birthday, Xiao Nian! You''re already seventeen this year, time really flies so fast! Hoping that you will grow tallerugh.jpg]


    Shi Nian felt guilty and moved at the same time. So much had happened in her life to the point where she had almost forgotten she had a good childhood friend by the name of Nan Xukun. Even the memory of that period had started to fade. She didn''t even remember what Nan Xukun looked like as a child anymore, only recalled that he was so pretty. Otherwise, how could she mistake him as a girl?


    [Thank you, Xiao Chun hug.jpg. If you''re free, will youe to have dinner at my ce? My mother and I both miss you so much.]


    Shi Nian never got a reply even after she finished showering. She shrugged and put the phone into her pocket, thinking that Nan Xukun hadn''t gotten up yet.


    "Happy birthday, Niannian!" The confetti sted as soon as Shi Nian opened the door. She gasped in shock as the colorful paper sprinkled down like rain above her head. In front of her, Qiang Fei was holding her phone, recording Shi Nian''s every reaction whilst grinning cheekily. "Are you surprised? You''re surprised, aren''t you?"


    "I¡ª" Shi Nian looked at the living room which was decorated with numerous pink balloons that formed the number 17. It wasn''t there when she went to bedst night. So, Qiang Fei must have done it eitherte into the night after she was asleep or early in the morning. She could even imagine how the woman tiptoed around, trying to be as silent as possible so as to not rouse her up.


    "Mama¡­thank you!" Ignoring Qiang Fei''s protest, Shi Nian rushed to envelop her in a bear hug.


    "Aiyah, aiyah, the phone is still recording!"


    Shi Nian buried her face into Qiang Fei''s shoulder and giggled.


    On the table were two bowls of longevity noodles with a te of red eggs. Shi Nian sat down and took a deep breath. "Hmm, it smells heavenly!" She praised in exaggeration. "Mama is the best! There''s no mother better than Mama in the whole world! Mama''s dishes are the most delicious food in the world!"


    "Oh you!" Qiang Fei didn''t know whether tough or cry. "You haven''t even eaten it yet."


    Qiang Fei went to her room and brought out a box simr to shoe box''s size. It was wrapped in lc wrapping paper and tied in arge, bright red ribbon. The woman''s eyes were slightly red. "Last year, Mama couldn''t celebrate it with you so...here, it''s two years'' portion! You should open it after you get hometer, okay?" She nced at the clock and eximed. "Oh my, look at the time! We should hasten up otherwise we will bete!"


    Shi Nian received the box curiously and shook it. There''s a slight movement inside but the box was light thus Shi Nian had no idea what Qiang Fei had put inside. Suppressing her curiosity, she put the box in her room and together, they wolfed down the longevity noodles and red eggs.


    "You should give these to Xiao Jiang, Detective Xu and your friends." Qiang Fei said as she pointed at the round eggs on the te.


    Shi Nian nodded. "Okay!" On birthdays, they always had red eggs. In Chinese culture, it symbolized birth or a new start. The red color signified prosperity and good fortune, thus it was paramount to be served to guests.


    She put some into a small container and brought it to school, giving them to Chen Jiawei and Mo Ling. Both were excited to receive it, especially Mo Ling. Her family didn''t have the habit of making red eggs on birthdays before, thus it was her first time receiving it.


    "It looks so cute!" She lifted the egg against the light and peered into it with one eye.


    Shi Nian was amused. [The taste is the same as any ordinary boiled egg. It''s just the shell that''s dyed in red.]


    "Is that so?" Mo Ling replied, intrigued. "Then, I will tell my mother to make some yellow, blue and green eggs on my birthday next year!"


    Shi Nian and Chen Jiawei burst outughing at her silly remarks.


    Her mood remained exuberant even when Teacher Yao surprised them with a sudden mock exam, especially when she recalled that Jiang Jinyan would pick her up after school. As she wondered what the man wanted to say, her heart began to race uncontrobly.


    At lunch break, Shi Nian got a free meal from Chen Jiawei and Mo Ling because they didn''t prepare any gifts. She epted it heartily and ate with relish. In the middle of it, a dark shadow fell upon their table without any warning and they lifted their heads simultaneously to see Zhang Jiancheng towering in his full height. Behind him was an unfamiliar boy looking at them with intrigue and curiosity. He seemed to be Zhang Jiancheng''s good buddy judging from how he had his arm around thetter''s shoulder.


    "It''s your birthday today?" Zhang Jiancheng suddenly asked.


    Shi Nian''s cheeks were stuffed with food and her hands were oily. She was reluctant to touch her phone nor was she ready to speak in front of the public. It was Chen Jiawei who voiced everyone''s question. "How do you know?" It was equal to admitting.


    The boy by Zhang Jiancheng''s side, Xuan Liyuan, replied with augh. "Why don''t you ask thisdy over here who ran around everywhere to show off a red egg?"


    Mo Ling''s face blushed. "Ah¡­sorry, Shi Nian. I was just too excited."


    Shi Nian shook her head with a smile then turned to Zhang Jiancheng, her eyes inquiring. Because today was a good day, she wasn''t willing to spend it in a foul mood. However, Zhang Jiancheng just had to pour water into the already boiling oil.


    "I don''t have a gift with me right now." He asked gently. "Is there anything you want?"


    .


    .


    [1] orz = it''s a kneeling pose if you look closer hehe


    .


    A/N: Happy birthday, Shi Nian! (?¨R?¨Q)?


    Her birthday is on November and coincidentally, we are on November as well! Finally, we arrived at this moment. What do you think Jiang Jinyan wants to say? hehehehe...


    Confirmed! Mass release five chappies tomorrow at this hour so wait for it! It will be so exciting fufufu

 Chapter 265 - Well, Try Me

    The voices in the cafeteria had long turned mum when Zhang Jiancheng walked toward Shi Nian''s table, thus the man''s words were clearly heard by the people around them. Just in a span of a minute, hushed whispers filled with excitement spread through the entire area and everyone knew that today was Shi Nian''s birthday and Zhang Jiancheng was offering to give her a gift!


    There was actually nothing special about it, but the person they were talking about was Zhang Jiancheng ah!


    Zhang Jiancheng, who kept his distance from every girl. Zhang Jiancheng, the study male god that was renowned for his diligence and abstinence! Zhang Jiancheng, who rejected the School Belle without a second nce, was currently attempting to ask a girl. For. Her. Birthday. Gift!


    "Oh my, Zhang Jiancheng asking that question is really like a ray of warm sunlight amidst the freezing winter. It can melt you like butter!"


    "I have never known that Zhang Jiancheng could sound so¡­gentle before!"


    "True love, this must be true love!"


    On the other hand, a group of students who sat on thergest round table gave Shi Nian and Zhang Jiancheng curious nces. They then turned to the beautiful girl in the middle and shrunk their necks collectively in nervousness.


    What to do? Ruo Tingran''s face was so dark and terrifying!


    After the gals in Ruo Tingran''s group were arrested and sent into the rehabilitation centre, she was reduced into a loner. However, a starving camel was still bigger than a horse. Ruo Tingran wasn''t apprehended so she must be innocent! Now that the arrogant and haughty students around her were no longer there, people started to flock around her, trying to tter, praise or even just sit near her so as to be sttered with the rich youngdy''s poprity.


    That''s why, upon seeing Ruo Tingran''s displeased expression, the students started to echo one by one. "H¡ªHumph! What does Zhang Jiancheng actually see in Shi Nian?"


    "That''s right, that''s right! She''s neither beautiful nor rich like Tingran. Even the things she wore are all cheap stuff you can get from the supermarket!"


    "Aiyah, this Shi Nian must have used witchcraft to bewitch Zhang Jiancheng or else how can he be so smitten with her?"


    "Shut up!" Ruo Tingran put down her spoon and fork with a loud ng and rose from her seat.


    Those around her were shocked. "Eh, Tingran, don''t be angry! She''s not worthy of your attention. Wait for a few months longer, Zhang Jiancheng will gradually discover that she''s nothing special."


    "Yes, yes, don''t lower yourself into her level ah!"


    "Hmph, Zhang Jiancheng should be grateful that such a sophisticated youngdy like Tingran actually likes him!"


    Rather than being happy, Ruo Tingran turned incensed instead. They were so hypocritical and disgusting, did they think that she didn''t know how they secretly badmouthed her behind her back? She flicked her hair, eyes ncing in the direction of the mainmotion, harrumphing arrogantly. Her eyshes fluttered low, hiding the dark emotions beneath them. "What about them? So what if he likes her? They will never be together anyway."


    After leaving that sentence, she turned around and left with straight and poised back.


    The students on the table looked at each other and saw the same apprehension and abhor in their eyes. The atmosphere turned stale and finally, someone muttered in mockery. "She''s just jealous because she can''t get him."


    Covering their mouths, they snickered secretly and continued to eat.


    ***


    Shi Nian sent Zhang Jiancheng away with much difficulty after asserting that he didn''t have to go out of his way to get her a gift and she had received his well wishes. Only then did Zhang Jiancheng leave reluctantly, not before putting a new boba milk tea on her desk, a courtesy to her birthday, or so he said.


    The rest of the day passed by peacefully, at least for Shi Nian albeit she could imagine how the newly reopened forum would have turned out by now. What should she do? Zhang Jiancheng was just that popr, it was such a headache.


    That''s why right when the final lesson''s bell rang, Shi Nian was the one who dashed out the fastest so as to not go through a crowd of curious and inquiring students. She even left Chen Jiawei and Mo Ling behind.


    Jiang Jinyan was already waiting outside the gate as always, leaning against the metal fence by the roadside. He looked surprised as he saw Shi Nian approaching with bated breath. "What''s wrong? Did something happen?"


    Shi Nian waved her hand breathlessly and spent some time calming herself before answering. "Nothing¡­just want to see you sooner." After that, she gave him a silly grin.


    The corner of Jiang Jinyan''s lips curled upward and he flicked her forehead. "Let''s go."


    "Okay, let''s go!" Behind her, the students were starting to flock out of the buildings. She held his sleeve and pulled him ahead, leaving like there''s a fire behind her butt.


    Jiang Jinyan raised a brow but didn''t say anything in the end.


    "Have you recovered yet?" she asked after they were some distance away.


    Jiang Jinyan nodded, his voice slightly muffled under the mask. "Have already recovered the day after that." He gave her a fleeting nce and said once again in a quiet voice. "Happy birthday."


    In an instant, Shi Nian felt like the world brightened in color. Even the humid weather and the puddle along the road didn''t seem that annoying anymore. She lifted her head and stared into his eyes, an uncontroble grin on her face. "Thank you so much..." Recalling something, she pulled her cor to the side, exposing the ne that was hidden underneath. "I am even wearing your gift, see?"


    Jiang Jinyan''s eyes skimmed past the delicate curve of her corbone and averted his gaze in the next second. "Hmm, it looks good."


    "Right?" She giggled cheerfully. "I like it so, so much!"


    Jiang Jinyan suppressed theugh bubbling up his throat. Looking at the girl who radiated happiness up to every strand of her hair, his hand suddenly itched to pinch her soft cheeks.


    And so he did.


    Shi Nian blinked in bewilderment when her cheeks were pulled to both sides, kneaded and pressed to his heart content. After a while, his wide palm cupped her cheeks and squeezed them so that her lips pouted like an octopus.


    Jiang Jinyan''s eyes curved into crescents as mirth swirled in his eyes. The mere sight was so beautiful that Shi Nian couldn''t bring herself toin.


    Hmph, this was her birthday so she would graciously let him do whatever he wanted.


    Jiang Jinyan didn''t torture her for long. He finally spared her cheeks and cleared his throat softly. "Sorry, my throat is a bit parched."


    Jiang Jinyan needed no extra words as the girl''s ears perked up in worry. "Your throat hurts? Wait a minute, I will go there to buy a drink and cough drops for you, okay?" Fortunately, there was a convenience store a few hundred meters away. Shi Nian couldn''t wait to rush ahead and returned as soon as possible.


    His fingers brushed against his soft cheek, nodding gently. "I will be waiting here."


    Shi Nian waved happily and skipped ahead.


    Jiang Jinyan didn''t take his gaze off until her back got further away. Only then did he turn sideways to nce into the deepest part of the alley. "You have been following us from school. Come out. What do you want?"


    A few secondster, from within the shadows where the lights couldn''t reach, a group of burly men sauntered out, their gaits intimidating with eyes filled with malice. Jiang Jinyan counted inwardly, five men. All around his height with muscles buffing their whole body and skin covered in dense tattoos.


    Compared to the previous batch of gangsters whom he had beaten up before, Jiang Jinyan could sense that the five men in front of him were different. Danger was written across their foreheads and judging from the way they carried themselves, Jiang Jinyan was certain that¡­they had taken lives before.


    His eyes frosted over and he stole a nce toward the direction of the convenience store to see Shi Nian seriously choosing between two brands of sports drink. "Why are you following her?"


    "Move away, brat." The man at the very front spat out. He flexed his biceps and thick veins bulged out along his robust muscles. "We don''t have any business with you, only the little girl. Don''t worry, she will not lose her life, maybe only lose some¡­skin and teeth." The four other men cackled, malicious intent emanated from their eyes and gestures.


    The pedestrians who sensed something off hurriedly turned around and ran away, leaving them alone on the street. The streemps over their head flickered intermittently, obscuring Jiang Jinyan''s features. Only a pair of dark eyes gleamed amidst the dark, exuding ferocity and viciousness.


    Jiang Jinyan''s knuckles cracked as he sneered in mockery. "Well, try me."


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: ¦²(¡ã¥í¡ã) oh damn, who is targeting Shi Nian again and again?! 1 vs 5, let''s hope Jiang Jinyan can hold his ground QAQ


    Tomorrow, mass release!

 Chapter 266 - Let Her Go!

    Warning: mild gore and...blood. Lots of blood :)


    ____


    The muscle buff guy rushed forward in a blink of an eye. His punch, bringing with it a sharp gust of wind, flew toward Jiang Jinyan''s face. It was estimated that if the punch struck him, Jiang Jinyan would lose some teeth for sure, or even brain damage at worst.


    Hardly any change could be detected from Jiang Jinyan''s expression. He tilted his head sideways and the fist grazed past his ear. His eyes sharpened and he grabbed the man''s wrist, yanking him forward as he jammed his knees onto thetter''s stomach! The series of movements werepleted in a very smooth and fluid manner that the man couldn''t react in time.


    The muscled man grunted in shock, his body staggered back two steps from the impact.


    "Bro!" "Bro Sui!" The four men behind him ttered forward.


    Jiang Jinyan cracked his neck and raised his brow in a taunting manner. Even though he wore a mask, they could clearly see the provocation and scorn in his eyes!


    Hateful! They gnashed their teeth in anger.


    The man with a fierce dragon tattooed on his arm up to his neck¡ªBro Sui¡ªwaved his hand as he rubbed his stomach. "Not bad, kiddo." He grinned and Jiang Jinyan knew that he could no longer escape. Just as he expected, the man took out a few knuckle rings and wore them on his hand. It glinted sharply against the light, the sharp edges was enough to scrape flesh and bones. "But still not enough¡ª!"


    He rushed forward again, this time faster with a vicious smile on his face.


    Jiang Jinyan met him head on. The knuckle rings were akin to scythes which targeted his vital parts. He seized the man''s momentum to reflect the attack with meager force. Taking advantage of his speed, Jiang Jinyan attacked Bro Sui''s neck with the jagged edge of his car key at the same time when the knuckle ring brushed against the side of his waist.


    A thin slit appeared on the side of Bro Sui''s neck and slowly, a bead of blood slid down. He slowly touched it, his face darkening.


    Jiang Jinyan wasn''t any better either. His waist stung and he was certain that there was arge bruise forming on it.


    The four men didn''t stay idle as they slowly cornered and surrounded Jiang Jinyan from all sides. In their hands were metal bats, knives and brass knuckles.


    Jiang Jinyan grabbed the metal bat that struck his shoulder and yanked it back with force. The man on the other end was pulled forward and Jiang Jinyan used his elbow to knock the man''s teeth. Subsequently, he used the metal bat to block against the brass knuckle behind his head.


    Another guy seized the opening to give a blow to his right leg. The sharp ng of metal against metal reverberated through the air and the man showed a dumbfounded face when Jiang Jinyan didn''t show any pain. Instead, he used the same leg to deliver a sharp kick to his stomach, sending him flying meters away.


    The fight gradually moved deeper into the alley. Jiang Jinyan blocked Bro Sui''s attack with his arm as he threw the metal bat right onto the head of another that snuck an attack on the other side, knocking him out in an instant. The knuckle rings smashed directly onto his arm and Jiang Jinyan was sure he heard the sound of his bones breaking. He sucked in cold breath as his whole arm turned numb from the pain.


    Bro Suiughed. "His arm is broken! Come on now!"


    The subsequent blows turned twice as fierce with Bro Sui''smand.


    Jiang Jinyan retreated step by step as he blocked the attacks from all sides until his back met with the uneven brick wall. His shirt was wet with sweat and blood and every breath he inhaled burned. It had been too long since he had a proper fight, even the regr exercise couldn''t help much. He was slowly losing his momentum.


    There''s a long, thin wound running from his neck down to his corbone. His chest throbbed in dull pain and he estimated that his ribs must have been fractured. Multiple bruises were seen along his arms and hands. His right leg trembled and sharp pain jolted up from the stump of his knee up to his thigh.


    The man struck by the metal bat was knocked out cold, eyes rolling up with only whites showing while the other was immobilized from Jiang Jinyan''s kick, unable to get up anymore.


    So, three more were left¡ª


    Wait, three?


    Jiang Jinyan repelled Bro Sui''s attack and punched the other man afterward. There were only two around him. Where''s the other one?!


    His blood ran cold at the revtion and in the next second, his ominous premonition came true.


    "Bro Sui! Come and see who''s sneaking around here!" The missing man reappeared, his arm wringing around the struggling Shi Nian''s neck. Shi Nian bit down on his thick arm ruthlessly but the man tightened his choke, cutting her airflow. Shi Nian gasped in pain and through her hazy vision, she saw the bloodied Jiang Jinyan, staring at the man behind her with reddened eyes filled with rage.


    "Let her go!" He growled deeply.


    It was as if he was injected with chicken blood all of a sudden. Jiang Jinyan proceeded to move swiftly like a provoked beast. Solely relying on his fighting instinct, he grabbed Bro Sui''s head and pummeled the man''s face with his knees, causing Bro Sui to cry out in pain. Bro Sui used his heavy weight to ram into Jiang Jinyan, knocking his head hard against the brick wall behind.


    Yet Jiang Jinyan hardly cared about the pain. He grabbed Bro Sui''s fingers and snapped them off as if they were brittle twigs. Screams rang out along with the sound of bones breaking as Jiang Jinyan took over Bro Sui''s sharp knuckle ring and used it to jab the other man whose knife almost pierced Jiang Jinyan''s stomach right on his eyes.


    "AAARRGH!" The poor man covered his eyes and stumbled backward, blood dripping between his fingers.


    The tables turned in an instant. The man holding Shi Nian paled and took a few steps back. "D¡ªDon''te closer!"


    However, it was as if Jiang Jinyan could no longer hear him. He searched around Shi Nian''s face, gaze trailing down and halted when he saw hideous red, purplish marks on the girl''s neck and arms.


    Something exploded in Jiang Jinyan''s mind and before he knew it, his body had moved. Disregarding the man''s threat and the knife in his hand, he rushed forward and grabbed the sharp tip with his bare hand.


    "Jiang Jinyan!" Shi Nian screamed as thick, crimson blood dripped down his palm onto his pale wrist. Let alone Shi Nian, even the man was shocked when he found Jiang Jinyan charging forward like a bulldozer without caring for his life.


    He struggled in reflex and the knife pierced deeper. Not stopping there, he even twisted it around and the de grinded into Jiang Jinyan''s flesh, but thetter''s hold remained steady as ever, confining him in ce. Only the blood that poured out faster, painting the ground around their feet crimson.


    Due to Jiang Jinyan''s reckless attack, the man''s hold on Shi Nian loosened and she used it to free herself. Shi Nian''s eyes reddened in fury and she kicked the man right on his balls with all of her strength. Jiang Jinyan followed with a punch right to his gut. The man doubled over and coughed out bile before tumbling down to the ground, groaning in pain.


    Jiang Jinyan''s breath was erratic and the knife''s tip was still lodged in his palm. His whole body was covered in blood, both his own and others. The mask had been thrown off somewhere amidst the fight and Shi Nian could see his chapped and pale lips and the blood running down from his forehead.


    His eyes were still red with ferocity like a wild, cornered beast. Even the veins around his arms bulged out intermittently like he was ready to continue fighting for 300 rounds more.


    Shi Nian''s hands trembled as she reached out to hold his pinky finger and slowly peeled the knife away from his clenched fist. Her pupils quivered as she saw the badlycerated flesh. Even then, he still subconsciously wanted to clench his fists, causing his nails to pierce into the wound.


    "Jiang Jinyan¡­Jiang Jinyan¡­" He chanted the man''s name softly, again and again. Her voice trembled into a pained whisper.


    Jiang Jinyan slowly regained his senses and brought himself out from the frenzied state. He blinked and turned to the girl, voice hoarse and dry. "Are you¡ª" His words hadn''t finished yet when his pupils suddenly dted in shock. In an instant, he yanked Shi Nian and turned the girl over, embracing her with his back exposed to Bro Sui who was closing in with a knife.


    Bro Sui''s right hand was already useless thus he could only hold it on his left rigidly. Blood sttered his face from the broken nose and his eyes glowed red in hostility. "DIE¡ª!"


    Shi Nian''s breath stuck on her throat. The scene in front of her eyes yed out in slow motion.


    Jiang Jinyan pivoted himself and directed a flying kick toward Bro Sui''s jaw. Crack! A dull, terrifying sound was heard along with Bro Sui''s hollers. However, his eyes glinted in determination to bring Jiang Jinyan''s demise. In a split second before his body rebounded, he shed the knife down.


    Jiang Jinyan cried out as arge gash formed on the side of his thigh before the tip of the knife wedged itself on the sp of his artificial leg. Along with the weight of Bro Sui''s body, the knife continued its way down and tore Jiang Jinyan''s artificial leg off with force, bringing with it pieces of flesh and blood.


    It all happened in a split second. Shi Nian was frozen in ce as her breathing ceased abruptly. Red dominated her vision, bringing with it the thick and pungent stench of blood. For a while, she knew nothing except for holding onto Jiang Jinyan''s trembling back numbly.


    She could clearly hear his muffled groan and his harsh breathing right beside her ear. His body spasmed in pain and without any warning, his weight bore down onto her. Shi Nian lost her bnce and together, they toppled down to the ground.


    The man''s head was buried into her shoulder, motionless. Only the hint of his harsh breathing and asional tremble could be detected.


    "J¡ªJiang Jinyan¡­?" Shi Nian called out tremblingly. She lifted her hand from his back and found it covered in blood. His blood. Gradually, a crimson puddle formed underneath them. Terrified, she brought his head up to see his firmly shut eyes. "JIANG JINYAN!"


    From the distance, faint echoes of ring sirens and screeching tires drew close, muffling the girl''s heartrending cries.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Jinyan QAQ ugh, I grimaced when his artificial leg was forcefully torn off. Man, even my teeth hurts (¤Ä©n?)


    I hope you can imagine the action scene because I am not very good in fighting scenes teehee.

 Chapter 267 - How Could Everything Turn Out Like This?

    The local security police were notified by a passerby who reported that there''s a group of thugs surrounding a tall and handsome man who resembled a celebrity, asking them to hurry and save the man! When they finally arrived at the scene, the whole sight was very gruesome. Blood sttered everywhere and on the ground, there''s a few people strewn about; some had already fainted while others still retained a sliver bit of consciousness while groaning and moaning in pain.


    The police instantly called the ambnce and hauled all of them to the hospital.


    The person in charge¡ªOfficer Wen¡ªcounted with a dark expression. There were a total of six people; four were what he discerned to be the thugs while the other man was the tall and handsome guy whom he ought to rescue.


    It''s just that¡­Officer Wen sighed, the man''s condition didn''t seem too good.


    Upon arriving at the hospital, he was directly pushed into the operation room. Officer Wen, even with years of his experience in the Public Security Division, couldn''t bear to look at the man who was covered in blood from head to toe. There was even a leg strewn distance away from his body, scaring his subordinates so badly for they thought the man''s leg was cut off by those gangsters. Well, knowing that the leg was an artificial leg to begin with didn''t make them any better either.


    Lastly, the girl who shouted for help. It was only when Officer Wen rushed into the alley did the girl''s cry finally weaken and she lost consciousness with her arms still holding onto the heavily injured man, unwilling to let go. Overall, the girl didn''t suffer any serious injuries but when the police found her phone and entered her data into the hospital''s database, Officer Wen was shocked to find that even the director of the hospital was summoned down from his office!


    Exactly who was this girl''s identity?!


    Sweat ran down his back. The director''s rtive? An influential figure''s daughter? If so, then everything would turnplicated. He weed the director with a chagrin grin, asking politely. "What matter is so urgent to have Director Lie down here in person?"


    Officer Wen had seen Director Li once before. He was a bald and fat middle aged man. Usually, Director Li would be full of himself and not even give them any nce, but now his face was ghastly pale and there''s an anxious look on his face. "H¡ªHow''s the girl that has just been sent here?"


    "Don''t worry," Officer Wen appeased. "She only has a few mild bruises and received a shock. The doctor said that she will regain consciousness soon."


    "Really?" Director Li still couldn''t rest assured and told him solemnly. "You should dig this matter down to its root. Don''t close the case sloppily."


    Officer Wen got more curious. "May I ask what is the identity of the girl inside?"


    Director Li waved his hand offhandedly. "Don''t ask me. I have no idea either. All I know is that she''s under the police HQ''s protection."


    "Police HQ?!" Officer Wen''s voice rose slightly. He was still immersed in shock even after Director Li nagged for more than half an hour as to how they shouldn''t do anything to offend the higher-ups. Officer Wen nodded numbly and when the girl was pushed out of the ICU ward and transferred into the VVIP room, he assigned two more officers to guard her room.


    The girl remained unconscious for the rest of the night and at the same time, the light in the operating room remained on with no signs of wrapping up anytime soon.


    When Ru Meiqi, Xu Binchen and Qiang Fei rushed to the hospital, this was what they saw. Shi Nian, lying on the hospital bed d in a hospital gown with an IV drip on her wrist. Herplexion was already pale to begin with but now, she looked ashen and pallid. The scene was awfully familiar to the period of time when she hadn''t woken up from thea yet. The only difference was how there were ring bruises and finger marks on her fair arms and neck.


    Upon arriving at her daughter''s bedside, Qiang Fei almost copsed. "No, no¡­Shi Nian, how could this happen? Please¡­don''t scare Mama again, okay?" She turned to the attending doctor, tears streaming down her haggard face. "D¡ªDoctor, what happened to my daughter?"


    Ru Meiqi and Xu Binchen''s face didn''t look good either. Thetter went to pat Qiang Fei''s back to offer a silentfort while thetter rushed out of the room to search for Officer Wen, his face filled with murderous intent.


    The doctor checked Shi Nian''s vital signs and gave them aforting smile. "It''s okay, don''t worry. Your daughter has just received a shock and is currently recuperating. Just let her sleep for a while and then she will wake up by tomorrow at least."


    Qiang Fei let out a sigh of relief and held Shi Nian''s cold hand. "Thank you, Doctor."


    "No worries." The doctor replied with a smile.


    Ru Meiqi asked. "What about Mr. Jiang¡ªI mean, the boy who was being sent together with her?"


    "Ah, you mean him?" The doctor''s smile faltered and she smiled in sympathy and apology. "He''s still being operated on. His condition is quite severe. He has three broken ribs, deep gashes on his waist and thigh as well as multiple skin traumas. There''s also signs of infection from his leg. Coupled with how he has lost quite a lot of blood, it can be said that right now is indeed a critical stage for him."


    Qiang Fei covered her mouth and couldn''t resist a sob escaping her lips. Today was Shi Nian''s seventeenth birthday. The day when she finally stepped on the stairs of adulthood. The girl had bashfully told her about how Jiang Jinyan was going to tell her something on this day and Qiang Fei could more or less guess it.


    No matter from which angle one looked at it, today was supposed to be a joyous day for both of them.


    But how could everything turn out like this?


    "Doctor," Ru Meiqi had a scowl on her face. "I heard there''s four other people who were sent here with them?"


    "Yes," The doctor replied helplessly. She couldn''t count how many times she had answered this question today. After all, everyone with eyes could see that those tattooed men were nothing good either. But she was bound by her work ethic and every patient was equal in her eyes so she still tried to defend them. "They also sustain quite a lot of injuries. Miss, you should restrain your anger and¡ª"


    "Take me to their room." Ru Meiqi demanded with a cold face.


    The doctor tried to persuade her but in the end, she relented under Ru Meiqi''s convincing words who said that she only wanted to check on them and wouldn''t do anything. Yet.


    In the end, Ru Meiqi was escorted by a nurse down to the regr ward where the four of them were being put together.


    Actually, Ru Meiqi didn''t need to do anything because the police were already guarding these thugs closely and among them was a certain Yama King surnamed Xu who was ready to unleash Hell on Earth. They definitely wouldn''t be able to escape any longer.


    The hospital room was finally left with only Qiang Fei and Shi Nian.


    Qiang Fei walked around to draw the curtain and adjusted the humidifier before pulling the nket up to Shi Nian''s neck. The series of movements were smooth and fluid as she had done this countless times before. She sniffled and caressed her daughter''s cheek with a touch so light that it was almost negligible. "Niannian, hurry up and open your eyes, okay?" Her voice barely ended with a whisper, containing all of the affection, love and heartache within.


    Qiang Fei spent some time looking at Shi Nian before she gradually grew drowsy and dozed off on the couch.


    Amidst the dark, Shi Nian''s fingers twitched imperceptibly.


    She was currently engrossed in a dream.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Jiang Jinyan QAQ he really went all out to protect her

 Chapter 268 - Theres More Than Four?

    The scene in her dream was a blur, but she could hear her own rapid heartbeat and harsh breathing so vividly in her ears.


    Fear, anxiety, nervousness and intense panic overwhelmed her. It was wretchedly simr to how close she was to breaking down earlier as she held the unconscious Jiang Jinyan in her arms.


    Although in the dream, there was no Jiang Jinyan and no gangsters who would hurt them either.


    She was running with all her might. asionally, she would turn her head to check the sight behind her. In front of her was an endless passage whose end couldn''t be seen. Rooms lined up neatly on both sides with each door closed with a special lock.


    It had been such a long time since Shi Nian ran this hard. Her lungs were burning due tock of oxygen and her legs almost gave up beneath her. Yet she never stopped. The desire to survive and get out of this hellish ce was the fuel which kept her going.


    She turned into a corner and found a slightly ajar door. Without hesitation, she rushed inside and closed the door behind her, gasping heavily. After adjusting her breath, she started to scan the room in vignce.


    This room was slightly different from the dim, windowless and moldy room which she was locked up in. There was a small window near the ceiling that allowed lights to pour in, illuminating the narrow space. The walls were made of bricks with uneven surface. Shi Nian relied on her senses, probing around as she walked deeper into the room. There was a strange smell hanging on the tip of her nose. It was familiar yet unfamiliar at the same time.


    Smell of mold and dampness which was typical to underground rooms and mixed with it was a sour stench of¡­something rotten and foul. Her eyes gradually adjusted to the darkness and she covered her mouth in shock, eyes widening in horror.


    There was a person lying right in front of her!


    That person was lying on a stone table, a trolley by the side with scalpels, knives and all kinds of sharp, small desid out on it. Shi Nian couldn''t take her eyes off the person. Long hair, slim figure, they ought to be a woman, she deduced. But there was no sign of breathinging from the other party at all.


    Shi Nian''s blood instantly ran cold and her knees weakened.


    A soft cry escaped from her lips which she swallowed down in an instant. Tangent and rusty scent of blood permeated from the tip of her tongue that she bit off identally.


    Even though she knew that he had killed people, this was the first time Shi Nian saw a real corpse. The dim light prevented her from seeing the woman''s features clearly but to her dismay, Shi Nian found that the woman was missing an arm and leg. Blood poured down the stone table onto the ground, forming a thick, sticky puddle which was the source of the disgusting, foul stench.


    Shi Nian tumbled backward and gagged. She had dry heaves, yet only stomach acid rose up her throat and nothing else because she hadn''t eaten anything for thest two days. Her body trembled violently and she hugged herself, the cold shiver came from deep within her bones.


    Fortunately, Shi Nian had always been strong. She willed herself to remain sane, tiptoed around the woman and hastily grabbed a few scalpels and des, disregarding the blood in them. Holding it tightly in both of hands, she treated it as her life saving talisman.


    BAM!


    The sound of door mming close cut through the silent night and Shi Nian jolted in shock.


    Oh no! He must have discovered her breaking the lock and escaping! Her heart rose to her throat, the anxiety and panic drove into her like a tsunami.


    She gave the woman on the stone table onest nce before dashing out of the room and continued on her flight.


    Out, no matter what, she must escape from this ce today! It''s now or never!


    The scene in the dream distorted like a video that was being fast forwarded. In a blink of an eye, Shi Nian found herself face to face with arge wooden door. Her hands and face were soaked in fresh, warm blood and there was a blood curdling scream behind her.


    Tears streamed down her face and she dragged her aching body toward the door, her hands trembled as she reached out¡­


    All of a sudden, someone tackled her from behind and she fell down, her chin knocking against the ground hard. In an instant, blood filled her mouth and her head rang dizzily. There seemed to be someone screaming by her ears, but in the next moment, it disappeared along with the force pressing down on her body.


    Shi Nian had no courage to look back. She was close, so close to freedom that she was willing to forsake anything to gain it. Her chest ached with every breath she took and she mustered any strength remaining within her to push the door.


    The tip of her fingers touched the door and it instantly swung open. Not because of her but someone who was pulling the door open from the other side.


    Shi Nian''s blurry vision was met with a pair of polished, ck shoes. Numbly, she trailed her gaze up, following the person''s straight, ck pants devoid of any creases, warm thick sweater, the protruded jut of Adam''s apple, well defined jaw and finally rested on the man''s eyes which was looking down on her.


    So cold, so freezing. Emotionless. Like he was looking down on a dead person. Those eyes frightened her so much that the thin string that was desperately holding her sanity together snapped.


    Shi Nian screamed in reflex and her eyes snapped open wide.


    "¡ªNiannian! Niannian, it''s Mama ah! Wake up, it''s just a nightmare!" Qiang Fei''s anxious face appeared above her as soon as her vision refocused. Shi Nian was still breathing hard and the joints in her entire body ached as if she had just ran a marathon.


    "M¡ªMama?" Shi Nian blinked and her senses gradually returned. The dream was akin to sand slipping through between the gaps of her fingers. Within a few seconds, everything had turned blurry and when she tried to recall it, her head would throb painfully.


    "Yes, yes, it''s Mama!" Qiang Fei smiled in relief and pressed on the button on the bedside. "How are you? Is there anywhere ufortable?"


    Shi Nian rxed almost spontaneously. Only then did she realize that her whole body was covered in cold sweat. She blinked to wipe the haziness in her mind away and the memories rushed to her mind like a furious tide. Her face paled in an instant. "Jiang Jinyan! Mama, how is he?!"


    Shi Nian wanted to get off the bed but Qiang Fei held her back.


    "Niannian, calm down. Calm down first okay?" The woman coaxed patiently. "Don''t be too agitated. See, you almost pulled the IV drip off."


    The more Qiang Fei tried to divert the topic, the heavier Shi Nian''s chest became. It was so suffocating that she couldn''t breathe properly. "Mama, tell me¡­" She tremblingly whispered. "How is he? Is he¡­okay?"


    Qiang Fei fell silent and Shi Nian''s heart abruptly sank.


    The door slid open in the next moment and a woman in white coat came in with two nurses, following behind them were Ru Meiqi, Xu Binchen and an unfamiliar middle aged man with a stern look.


    "Hello, Miss Shi. I see that you have regained consciousness." The doctor greeted with a smile.


    Shi Nian stared at Qiang Fei''s somber face and turned to the doctor, the rims of her eyes reddened. "¡­how is he? How is Jiang Jinyan?" How Shi Nian wished that she could shake the answer out of them. "Tell me!"


    She struggled out of Qiang Fei''s hold and yanked the infusion off her wrist.


    "Shi Nian!"


    Shi Nian''s eyes were frenzied and her face twisted like a madwoman. Everytime she closed her eyes, she could still smell the thick rusty scent of blood on the tip of her nose and his weight on her. No matter how she called out, the man didn''t respond. He justid there with his eyes shut, face devoid of color, blood pouring out of the wounds on his body.


    How could she continue living if Jiang Jinyan died? How could she live on with the knowledge of him risking his life to protect her? Shi Nian couldn''t. She couldn''t bear to. Even imagining the scene where his body turned cold and his breathing gradually ceased was enough to torment her with such pain as if someone had just stabbed her straight in her gut.


    "Shi Nian!" Ru Meiqi held her shoulders firmly. The woman leveled her gaze to her, firm and reassuring. "Calm yourself and take a deep breath. Don''t worry, he has gotten through the critical period and is currently being treated in the ICU. He has passed the most dangerous phase, do you hear me? Now, all we can do is wait for him to wake up and the doctor has confirmed that he will be able to recover fully with enough rest."


    Shi Nian digested Ru Meiqi''s sentence word by word and slowly, her eyes lifted, brightening up with a light so fragile and hopeful that it seemed to be on the verge of perishing if Ru Meiqi were to take her words back. "Really? He''s¡­really okay?"


    "Yes." Ru Meiqi answered firmly, eyes gazing into hers in a determined light. "He''s okay."


    "That''s good." Shi Nian slumped on the bed, crying in relief. "It''s good that he''s okay¡­Then, when can I visit him?"


    "Rather than visiting him¡­" Ru Meiqi gestured to the unfamiliar stern man. "This is Officer Wen, he has something to ask you. Shi Nian, you should rify some things first so that we can punish those people who have hurt you and Mr. Jiang."


    "I wish I could say that it''s nice to meet you, Miss Shi but the situation is quite troublesome and I hope you can assist me in answering some questions." Officer Wen smiled wryly. "There were four men who were found in the scene together with you¡ª"


    "Wait, four?" Shi Nian interjected. "You said that there''s only four men?"


    Ru Meiqi asked sharply. "What do you mean? There''s more than four?"


    Shi Nian gnashed her teeth, enraged. "Five! There were five men attacking us! One of them must have escaped!"


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: oooh, the stimuli jolted her memory~ y''all should know who''s the person with emotionless eyes _(:3¡¹¡Ï)_ well, I will notment further hahaha let''s see whether Shi Nian will recall her dream when she calms downter on

 Chapter 269 - Even When The World Ceases To Exist

    After some rification, Shi Nian testified that the one who escaped was the man who was called Bro Sui. He had prickly hair, a viciously upturned eyes and a huge dragon tattoo along his arm up to his neck.


    The other four men, albeit their conditions were a little better than Jiang Jinyan, still hadn''t regained consciousness yet. One of them had sustained a concussion, one suffered from the agony of broken testicles because of Shi Nian''s kick, while the other two had broken ribs and damaged eyes respectively. Due to the anesthesia, they were still sleeping soundly, unaware of the doom that was awaiting.


    "Can you think of any reason why they attacked you?" Officer Wen asked.


    "I don''t know." Shi Nian answered hoarsely. "Jiang Jinyan said that his throat hurts so I offered to go to the convenience store to buy him a drink and cough drops. When I returned, they were already fighting. I wanted to call the police but one of them found me and dragged me out."


    Shi Nian rubbed her face roughly, the shadow beneath her eyes were dark, making her eyes look rounder and hollower. "Officer Wen, are they targeting him?"


    "It''s not certain yet." Officer Wen rubbed his chin thoughtfully. There was another officer by his side who was sketching Bro Sui''s features ording to Shi Nian''s statement.


    "Last time," Xu Binchen spoke out for the first time. "You were blocked by some gangsters. Do you think there''s some connection to this?" The man had been eerily silent for the whole night to the point where everyone had almost forgotten about him. It was only then that they sensed the low pressure emanating from him. In truth, he was just curbing his anger. God knew how furious he was when he found Shi Nian lying helplessly in the hospital.


    "Yes, you''re right!" Shi Nian eximed somberly. "Could it be...the same person? So, their target is¡­me?!"


    "Wait. What is thisst time about? Please tell me concisely." Officer Wen requested.


    Shi Nian proceeded to tell him about the matter. After thest incident, she had always thought that the person behind the scene had given up because Xu Binchen had given them a severe warning through the gangsters. Never would she expect that instead of withdrawing, they came back with more vicious means!


    The police officer by Officer Wen''s side had finished sketching Bro Sui''s features. However, before he could hand it to Officer Wen, Xu Binchen who stood behind him snatched it away instead. His eyes widened in surprise. "Ah, that¡­"


    "Give me." Xu Binchen said coldly as he pulled out his phone and pressed some numbers. "I can search for him a thousand times faster than the police."


    Aren''t you a police too? The officer thought exasperatedly. Officer Wen gave him a nod so he could only swallow his words back down and excused himself.


    "Can you guess who might want to harm you?" Officer Wen asked Shi Nian again. "Anyone. Those who have feuds with you, those who don''t like you and are cruel enough to resort to such means."


    Shi Nian lowered her eyes as she fell deep into thoughts. In this lifetime, there was no war nor hierarchy power struggle. This was a modern world that advocated peace and justice. Who would be so vicious that they could go through any means to sabotage her?


    After eliminating some guesses and doubts, Shi Nian came to an answer almost in an instant. However, she didn''t have any proof to use that person¡­


    "Found him." Xu Binchen''s voice rang out softly, bringing them out of their reverie.


    Officer Wen''s eyes rounded in shock. "F¡ªFound who?"


    Xu Binchen waved the sketch paper without any expression.


    Officer Wen was shocked. How many minutes had it been? He had already found the man just by a single sketch?! He had heard the hearsay about how every personnel in the Special Crime Investigations were officers who had passed a series of special tests, making them different from ordinary police officers.


    However, this wasn''t just simply different anymore, okay? This was clearly on another level!


    "Sui Chenyou. 27 years old. Born in the Capital from a housewife mother and bank robber father. Has four criminal records in a span of two years. Since young, he has learned some bad ways from his father and mixed himself with the underworld. When the mafia organization recruited new members, he passed with flying colors and became a small head of the district around Sangzhe High." The corner of Xu Binchen''s lips curled into a cold smile. "I have sent the rest of the data into your email. Feel free to check it. However, I have one request."


    "W¡ªWhat request?" Officer Wen was being led around by his nose yet he didn''t even realize it yet.


    "This Sui Chenyou." Xu Binchen waved his phone, his eyes pratingly cold. "Hand him to our SCI squad. We have some old and new grudges with his boss."


    ***


    After a night of monitoring, the doctor proimed that Jiang Jinyan''s condition had fully stabilized. He was moved out from the ICU toward another VVIP room that was directly across Shi Nian''s. Early in the morning when daybreak hadn''t even settled yet, Shi Nian couldn''t hold herself back and slipped into his room.


    The heartbeat monitor rang out rhythmically along with the subtle rising and falling of his chest. His face was covered with an oxygen mask, head wrapped in a thick bandage. Almost every part of his body was injured so right at this moment, he was akin to a mummy with only his face showing. A cast was hung over the bed to prop his leg up, the long pants were rolled up, showing the patch of his stump knee which was wrapped in thick dressing.


    He was breathing smoothly, mists forming from the exhales.


    Shi Nian gingerly pulled a seat and sat by his bedside, eyes never leaving his face since she stepped into the room. Gradually, her sight turned blurry and she bit her lips to hold back the cry.


    General Jiang had once told her that it was human nature to cry, but when someone cried every time something happened, they must be a crybaby. Shi Nian didn''t want him to wake up to see her miserable face so she took a deep breath and blinked the tears away.


    How she wished to reach out to hold his hand, but when he saw his fingers wrapped in bandages with purple bruises on his skin, she held herself back and only stared at his face unblinkingly like a pitiful puppy who was waiting for its owner to return home.


    Soft knocks resounded throughout the room and Shi Nian lifted her head to find Ru Meiqi on the door. "I knew you would be here." The woman said with a smile.


    Shi Nian replied in a quiet voice. "Sister Meiqi, I want to wait for him here."


    "I know. I am not here to bring you back." Ru Meiqi didn''t know whether tough or cry. "You haven''t eaten breakfast yet, right? I will go down and buy a few snacks for you to pad your stomach. What do you say?"


    Shi Nian shook her head. "I am not hungry."


    She was like an immovable statue. Even if it rained bullets or swords, once she had made up her mind, she wouldn''t budge no matter what people said. Shi Nian might look thin and fragile, but actually her heart was stronger than anybody else. Only the people who had interacted with her closely over time could tell.


    That trait of hers was bothmendable and distressing at the same time.


    Ru Meiqi fell silent for a moment. "...Do you like him that much?"


    Shi Nian was taken aback by her abrupt question but she still answered solemnly. "I do."


    Maybe it was because the hospital was too deste or maybe, the weather today was just too cold, thus Ru Meiqi had a sudden urge to share her thoughts. "You don''t know what the future holds. What if, one yearter, two or maybe ten yearster, your feelings gradually fade and you find that you don''t like him as much as you did in your youth?"


    The heartbeat monitor rang out softly in the room. Beep¡­beep¡­beep. Jiang Jinyan''s steady breathing was akin to an anchor which offered her tranquility.


    Shi Nian lowered her eyes, seemingly in a daze. "I don''t know about other people, Sister Meiqi, but for me, that will not happen. Do you know that there is a one of a kind sentiment in this world? When you meet a certain someone, you will instinctively know that they are the one. Your heart mors for them, yearns and long to be with them. You won''t be able to imagine ever having the same feeling toward another."


    Shi Nian lifted her head, a pair of golden eyes gazing at her seriously. At that moment, it was as if there were glows radiating from within, so bright and dazzling that Ru Meiqi couldn''t look away.


    "For me, Jiang Jinyan is that someone. I will continue to like him¡­even when the world ceases to exist."


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: I wish Shi Nian can help Ru Meiqi confirmed her feelings~ and Shi Nian QAQ, it''s such a pity that Jiang Jinyan isn''t awake to hear such a confession!


    And can you guess who Shi Nian is suspicious of?

 Chapter 270 - Its All Your Doing

    The doctor gave Shi Nian a note of absence but the girl unexpectedly declined and insisted oning to school. Of course, Qiang Fei was the first person to protest but she knew how stubborn Shi Nian was when she had made up her mind. Furthermore, she always had an idea of what she was doing, never letting Qiang Fei worry about her. It rendered Qiang Fei helpless in face of her insistence.


    "Why do you insist on going to school anyway?" Qiang Fei couldn''t help asking.


    "Just¡­because." Shi Nian murmured under her breath. The girl had been out of it since Jiang Jinyan showed no sign of waking up for the whole morning. However, the doctor assured her that everything was fine. He had just lost quite a lot of blood thus he needed a longer time to recuperate.


    Shi Nian received the school uniform from her mother and changed into it in the bathroom.


    Seeing Qiang Fei''s mildly anxious look, Shi Nian felt distressed on her behalf. "Mama, I am okay." She assured the worried woman with a smile. "There''s just something important I have to do."


    "Fine." Qiang Fei sighed. Fortunately, Shi Nian didn''t sustain any injuries, which was one thing Qiang Fei had to be grateful of. "Mama will drop you off, okay? Do you bring your phone with you? Make sure to call me or Detective Xu if something happens."


    "Okay." Shi Nian pocketed her phone and ushered the woman out. "Let''s go or else I will bete!"


    School was just as intense and boring as always. Mock exams, make-up lessons, quizzes, reviews, practice papers. Now that December was arriving in two weeks, everyone had started to get serious. Some had even registered to additional cram schools such as Chen Jiawei who strived to get into a top university in the Capital. Some were rtively calm, especially those who were certain to follow the affiliate program and enrolled into Sangzhe University, such as Mo Ling and Shi Nian.


    As long as they didn''t flunk the exams and got a lower than average score, then Sangzhe University would definitely open its arms for them.


    Because of yesterday''s event at the cafeteria with Zhang Jiancheng, Shi Nian was once again subjected to the students'' heated discussion and gossip. Hushed whispers would follow wherever she went. Usually, Shi Nian would be ufortable to be the center of attention but today, she didn''t even notice a thing.


    When the school bell rang and students swarmed out to get to the cafeteria, Shi Nian waved toward Chen Jiawei and Mo Ling. [Can you grab a seat for me first? My tummy hurts.]


    "Are you okay?" Chen Jiawei worriedly asked.


    "Do you need me to apany you to the infirmary?" Mo Ling held onto Shi Nian''s arm as if she was going to copse anytime soon. She leaned forward and whispered. "Is it that time of the month?"


    Shi Nian gave a furtive smile which further confirmed Mo Ling''s guess. Thetter''s expression rxed and she slung her arm around Chen Jiawei, dragging her out. "Okay then, we will wait for you! Just take your time slowly!"


    Chen Jiawei: ???


    She wanted to say something but Mo Ling whispered into her ears. Her expression smoothened and she nodded in understanding. "I have heat packs in my bag if you get cramps. You can get it from meter."


    Shi Nian didn''t know whether tough or cry and jokingly shooed them away. Chen Jiawei and Mo Ling went to the cafeteria together while Shi Nian turned around and descended two flights of stairs and arrived at the second floor. The hallway and ssrooms were quite deserted because the majority had rushed to the cafeteria as soon as the bell rang.


    Shi Nian walked along the familiar path which led to the Moonlight Pavilion. As always, the gate was locked by a heavy string of chain andrge padlock. A few meters from it was the music room and washrooms separated into two areas for males and females respectively.


    Shi Nian turned into the female washroom. A row of five cubicles was set on one side of the wall while the other was sinks and mirrors. There were two girls inside who were reapplying lip gloss andbing their hair before sauntering out, all the while chatting andughing. Shi Nian waited by the side patiently until the girls left, only then did she walk to a sink and open the faucet.


    Cold water rushed out, chilling her hands. Shi Nian shivered minutely and sshed some cold water onto her face. The reflection on the mirror showed a slightly fatigued girl. She hadrge eyebags and a paleplexion. Even her golden eyes dimmed considerably, making her look quite dull and pallid.


    The closed cubicle on the second left opened and Ruo Tingran stepped out. Upon seeing Shi Nian, she showed a slightly surprised expression before calming down quickly and there was even a hint of derision in her eyes. Acting as if Shi Nian wasn''t there, Ruo Tingran strode toward the sink and washed her hands.


    Shi Nian closed the faucet and dried her hands, her eyelids lowered to hide the emotions within. All of a sudden, she asked. "It''s you, isn''t it?"


    For a while, Ruo Tingran couldn''t react. She wasn''t even aware it was Shi Nian who had just spoken. Shi Nian lifted her eyes to stare straight at her through the mirror, the rims of her eyes reddened. Only then did Ruo Tingran realize in astonishment that it was Shi Nian who was talking!


    "You¡ª" She gaped in shock. "You can actually speak?!"


    No change of expression could be spotted in Shi Nian''s face. She continued to say, it was no longer a question but a statement instead. "The one who asked people to teach me a lesson twice, also¡­the one who posted the forum discussion with Li Qing''s phone, it''s all your doing."


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: It''s Ruo Tingran! Do you see iting or have you suspect her all along?? (?????)


    anddd, with this chappie our mass release ends! Thank you everyone for your GT! Please cast MDG with your grace so that we can have another MR when it reached 200! Cya~

 Chapter 271 - I Will Not Let It Slide

    Ruo Tingran was stunned for a few seconds before a scowl slowly appeared on her face. "What the hell are you saying?" She sneered in contempt. "Who do you think you are? You might want to look at yourself in the mirror first before talking to me."


    She intended to leave but Shi Nian stood on her way. "You¡ª" Ruo Tingran red. "What are you blocking me for?! Scram!" If looks could kill, Shi Nian would be lying on the ground with holes all over her body right now.


    Shi Nian''s expression turned somber. Disregarding Ruo Tingran''s displeased face, she said with a deadpan face. "You''re jealous of me, jealous that Zhang Jiancheng approached me while he doesn''t even give you a nce." Shi Nian poked her right where it hurt, and she didn''t have enough yet. "Two times. It has happened both right after ssmate Zhang did something. The first time was when he showed up in the forum to speak on my behalf and the second time¡­" The corner of her lips curled into a cold smile, her golden eyes chilled down. "Was it when he talked to me? In the hallway or in the lobby? Or both?"


    Ruo Tingran''s face turned livid and she nced around the empty washroom and the tightly closed door. Confirming that nobody was around, she stepped forward, neatly trimmed nails poking Shi Nian''s shoulder, seething. "If you know it, then why don''t you keep your distance from him, bitch?"


    Compared to Shi Nian, Ruo Tingran was taller and more slender. When they stood together in such a close distance, Ruo Tingran towered over her with half a head height advantage. It made Shi Nian look more scrawny and weaker, however she surprisingly didn''t budge under Ruo Tingran''s force.


    "Why did you nder Li Qing?" Shi Nian actually didn''t need any answer because it was all crystal clear in her eyes. She had seen a lot of people like her. Those so-called missus from rich, affluent families. They never changed whether it''s in ancient times or now.


    Petty, narrow minded, jealous. She gave a mocking scoff. "They said that it was Qu Nanchi who bullied Li Qing the most, that you only stood on the side and even helped Li Qing speak out a few times. But actually, you''re enjoying it deep down, right?"


    Shi Nian leaned forward and whispered softly. It sounded both melodious and venomous, just like a juicy, delicious looking poisonous apple. "You hated her very much. You enjoyed seeing her suffer but wasn''t willing to dirty your own hands. That''s why you borrowed someone else''s knife. Ruo Tingran, do you know what people like you are called?" Her eyes curved into a smile. "Mice. Cowardly, chauvinistic, egoist. That''s what you are."


    "Shut your mouth!" Ruo Tingran was enraged and raised her hand to p Shi Nian''s face but her thin wrist was easily held in Shi Nian''s grab. No matter how hard she struggled, she couldn''t break free. Anxiety and panic started to surface in her eyes. "Y¡ªYou¡­let me go, you stupid wench!"


    "And now you''re angry because I poke you right on the spot where it hurts the most." Shi Nian gave augh that didn''t reach her eyes. The calm surface started to ripple and red veins spread throughout her pupils. Her hold on Ruo Tingran tightened, and thetter started to show pained expression and struggled more wildly. "You can juste and get me. If it''s only me, I will not give a damn about whatever you do. But you just have to hurt him¡­"


    Ruo Tingran didn''t catch thest sentence Shi Nian muttered. She scowled. Now that everything was already exposed, she didn''t try to hide anymore. Jeering, she taunted. "So what if I did that? You''re just a poor, countryside girl. Do you know what my surname can do? I can crush you even with the tip of my toe but you aren''t even worth it! What does Zhang Jiancheng see in you? You slut, did you seduce him with your body? Oh, there''s also the man who often picked you up. What rtives? All I see is only an older sugar daddy that fed you with money!"


    Shi Nian didn''t let Ruo Tingran''s words get to her. Laughing coldly, she clicked her tongue in a mixture of sympathy and disparage. "Ruo Tingran, how can you have such a ck heart with your beautiful face? It''s such a pity...It''s no wonder that ssmate Zhang doesn''t even give you a nce."


    Again, Shi Nian sprinkled salt on her wound. Zhang Jiancheng was her soft spot and with Shi Nian provoking her again and again with the man, Ruo Tingran was enraged. Her eyes grew red and she gave a scream, pushing Shi Nian hard against the wall with all of her strength. Her expression grew frenzied and she looked like she could kill someone anytime soon.


    Against this kind of people, Shi Nian didn''t even have an ounce ofpassion. She ruthlessly kicked the girl''s knee, eliciting a sharp shriek from Ruo Tingran. When thetter''s knees buckled, Shi Nian twisted her hands behind her back, forcing her to crane her neck up. Fear and shock shed through Ruo Tingran''s eyes as she looked at Shi Nian''s expressionless face. "Y¡ªYou¡­let me go! Do you hear me?! You''re going to get it from mywyer! Shi Nian, I am going to sue you¡ª"


    "Shut up." Shi Nian interrupted callously. "Ruo Tingran, you should feel lucky that we live in awful world. Otherwise¡­" She gave a savage grin and deliberately chose not to continue her words.


    Ruo Tingran''s face paled and her arms trembled from the pain. She was breathing heavily and when she spoke the next moment, her tone had lost its edge. "Let go of me¡­" She lowered her eyes to hide the hatred and contempt within. How hateful! Unforgivable! Just wait until she got out of here and then Shi Nian would know that she was nothing more than an ant that she could easily trample with the soles of her shoes. Dared to hurt and threaten her? Just wait!


    Shi Nian humped coldly and threw Ruo Tingran''s arms off.


    "Ah!" The girl stumbled backward. Her elbows and knees scraped across the damp, dirty bathroom floor. Ruo Tingran gritted her teeth, eyes welling up in angry tears.


    Shi Nian smoothed her messy hair and straightened her uniform. "For hurting the most important person to me, Ruo Tingran, I will not let it slide. Remember it."


    An ominous premonition coursed through Ruo Tingran''s heart and shivers ran down her spine, both from the cold ground and Shi Nian''s impassive tone.


    Her instinct was proven true when the school ended. As soon as the teachers were gone, the students fished out their phones and checked social media as well as scrolling through the forum to see whether there was anything new and interesting.


    A new post had just been added a few minutes ago and it had already been pinned as ''hot'' by the moderators.


    [The Truth of an Ugly Heart.]


    Curious, they clicked on it and realized that it was only a short voice recording that wasn''t even one minute long. Surely, nine out of ten people directly yed it.


    "The one who asked people to teach me a lesson twice, also¡­the one who posted the forum discussion with Li Qing''s phone, it''s all your doing."


    "If you know it, then why don''t you keep your distance from him, bitch?"


    "They said that it was Qu Nanchi who bullied Li Qing the most, that you stood on the side and even helped Li Qing speak out a few times. But actually, you''re enjoying it deep down, right?"


    "So what if I did that? You''re just a poor, countryside girl. Do you know what my surname can do? I can crush you even with the tip of my toe but you aren''t even worth it! What does Zhang Jiancheng see in you? You slut, did you seduce him with your body? Oh, there''s also the man who often picked you up. What rtives? All I see is only an older sugar daddy that fed you with money!"


    "Ruo Tingran, how can you have such a ck heart with your beautiful face? It''s such a pity...It''s no wonder that ssmate Zhang doesn''t even give you a nce."


    The post exploded in an instant and in a blink of an eye, eight out of ten students had already heard it multiple times. The discussion beneath it was endless. Soon, thements exceeded 500 and showed no sign of stopping.


    [What. The. Heck?! Wait a minute, let me process that. So, the culprit behind the forum who ndered Shi Nian is Ruo Tingran?]


    [I knew it! Li Qing is so pitiful, she had to endure many usations because of that! Aiyah, now that the person has already died, it''s also good that the truth finally surfaced. This Ruo Tingran is so shameless!]


    [Question! Who do you think is the other girl? Damn, she''s so cool!]


    [Does it need to be asked? Do you hear what Ruo Tingran said? ''What does Zhang Jiancheng see in you?'' The other party must be Shi Nian!]


    [¡­Huh, doesn''t everyone say that she''s a mute?]


    [Upstairsmenter, I also heard it!]


    [Who knows? Maybe she''s just been pretending¡­]


    [Right, why are there so many dramas around Shi Nian? She''s really problematic. The gossip around her is endless. Maybe Ruo Tingran is right and the man is her sugar daddy shrugged.jpg]


    Xuan Liyuan barged into ss five and shouted anxiously. "Jiancheng, Jiancheng, have you heard the recording?!" The ss fell silent in an instant. Although everyone seemed to be busy with something else, they actually perked their ears up and eavesdropped full of interest.


    Zhang Jiancheng replied nonchntly. "What recording?"


    "Aiyah, I know that you will never check the forum! Here, listen to this!" Xuan Liyuan stuffed an earbud into Zhang Jiancheng''s ear and yed the recording. Zhang Jiancheng''s eyes gradually sank as words poured into his ear. Until the end when the recording stopped, dark clouds had formed above his head.


    "Say," Xuan Liyuan asked curiously. "One of them is Ruo Tingran. The other person, do you think it''s Shi Nian?"


    Zhang Jiancheng didn''t even take off the earbud as he dashed out of the ssroom.


    "Hey! Hey, Jiancheng, wait for me ah!" Xuan Liyuan chased after him closely.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Shi Nian is angryyy rawrr (?§¥?) and everyone gonna suffer from it!!

 Chapter 272 - Youre Just Making Things Worse

    "Shi Nian!" Ruo Tingran screeched sharply, her eyes breathing fire. "You¡ªyou did it on purpose, didn''t you?! How dare you!"


    Despicable! She was such a wicked bitch! Ruo Tingran had just nned to give Shi Nian another lesson after the school ended but who could guess that she would be the more vicious one and directly exposed everything in the forum?! Where would Ruo Tingran put her face after this? What would she do if her mother found out about it?!


    "Delete it for me, right now!" She demanded in an authoritative tone.


    The whole ss turned strangely silent. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at Ruo Tingran with a weird gaze. Although they weren''t as smart as Zhang Jiancheng, they weren''t stupid either, okay? The recording had already exposed everything and it was clear that Ruo Tingran had done many bad things to Shi Nian. So, what right did she have to give demands as if she owned the ce?


    Chen Jiawei pushed up her sses and frowned. "Ruo Tingran, it is kind of ridiculous for you to put it like that. Shi Nian has suffered under your hands and she decided to unmask everything. What mistake has she made? Going against you? Not submitting to you like Li Qing did?"


    Ruo Tingran glowered. "Shut your mouth. Li Qing has already been buried three feet underground so why do you keep on bringing her up?!"


    "You''re the one who should shut up!" Mo Ling threw her bag on the desk, creating a loud tter. "I have been tolerating you for so long and I can''t bear it anymore! Ruo Tingran, is there anyone more thick skinned than you in the whole world?! If I were you and my dirty deeds were exposed in front of the whole school, I would be mortified enough to wish for death. But you''re so good, you actuallye to confront the innocent!"


    Ruo Tingran''s chest huffed up and down in anger. She gnashed her teeth, livid. When someone was cornered to the point of helplessness, the most direct thing to vent their anger was to go physical! Ruo Tingran screamed and rushed forward, arms lifting to give Mo Ling''s loose mouth a p!


    Mo Ling''s eyes rounded in shock and she was unable to react because she didn''t expect that Ruo Tingran would go on offense all of a sudden. The girls in the ss screamed collectively and the boys rushed forward, intending to hold Ruo Tingran back.


    Still, they were a tad toote.


    However, before the palm couldnd on Mo Ling''s face, a figure stepped in and held Ruo Tingran''s wrist in a deadlock.


    "Stop." Shi Nian''s eyes were unprecedentedly cold as she asserted. "If you want to p someone then just p me. Why are you going for Mo Ling?"


    Mo Ling, who hid behind Chen Jiawei, gasped in shock. "You can actually talk?!"


    Actually, everyone was also asking the same question. Shi Nian could actually speak?! What was this about? If she could speak, then why did the teachers say that she couldn''t? And why did she herself only speak out now?


    Shi Nian''s jaws ticked yet she didn''t respond.


    "Shi Nian!" Ruo Tingran hollered in anger and yanked her aching arm back. "Do you think you have won just like this?! Just you wait! I will make sure that you will regret ever moving to Sangzhe."


    "No. You''re the one who will regret it." Shi Nian sneered. "Because I have sent the recording to my brother or...the sugar daddy as you imed. He''s a police officer, d to let you know."


    "What?!" Mo Ling gasped. "You¡­Shi Nian, you''re awesome!"


    Chen Jiawei nodded. "It''s the right thing to do."


    Ruo Tingran was stunned in ce, colors drained from her face. "Police¡­? You reported me to the police?" She asked, incredulous. From the corner of her eyes, she saw a small cutter on the desk which belonged to a ssmate in the arts club. Her eyes gleamed and without thinking, she grabbed the cutter and threw it toward Shi Nian with all of the strength she could muster!


    The sharp edge flew right onto Shi Nian''s face, the surface glinted under the lights. The crowd gasped, some even closed their eyes and couldn''t bear to see. The small cutter was sharp enough to draw blood and inflict permanent scars!


    "Shi Nian!" Mo Ling and Chen Jiawei scrambled to pull her aside but because they moved at the same time, both of them crashed into each other and totally missed the timing¡­


    The corner of Ruo Tingran''s lips twisted into a malicious smile. Let''s see if Shi Nian could show her face again if there''s a huge scar on it! Just when she started to rejoice for a second, her whole body was petrified in ce afterward, eyes flew open in shock.


    "Aaaah!" Shrieks and screams rang out frenziedly, creating such a ruckus that rendered one unable to hear clearly.


    Shi Nian herself had already shut her eyes, protected her face with her arms and braced for the pain. Her heart sank as the cutter''s sharp edge shot straight to her but dodging was impossible because behind her were Chen Jiawei and Mo Ling.


    However, the expected pain never came. Shi Nian only heard screams rang out all around. She cracked her eyes open and saw a tall silhouette standing in front of her, with wide and tense shoulders, shielding her whole body perfectly.


    A few words made their way to Shi Nian''s ears spasmodically in between screams.


    "No, Zhang Jiancheng!"


    "Oh my God, Ruo Tingran hurts Zhang Jiancheng!"


    "Aaaah, blood! There''s blood!"


    Zhang Jiancheng popped up out of nowhere and rushed in front of Shi Nian, receiving the attack in her stead. The sharp cutter easily ripped the fabric on his shoulder and grazed his skin. Blood oozed out, staining the white shirt crimson. The boy''s face was expressionless under such injury, but one could somehow sense the anger radiating from him.


    Ruo Tingran swayed, her eyes trembled in incredulity. "Z¡ªZhang Jiancheng¡­no, I didn''t do it on purpose¡­"


    From a distance, a faint holler was heard. "Quickly leave, Teacher Yao ising!"


    Unfortunately, no one cared about that. The boys hastily confiscated the sharp things on the desk and cleared the whole area while the girls inched further yet stood in ce to watch with bated breath.


    "Ruo Tingran, you''re too poisonous ah!" Tian Wen cursed out loud. "How can you attack Shi Nian like that?!"


    It was as if Ruo Tingran couldn''t hear him. Her eyes gazed into Zhang Jiancheng''s dark ones, quivering in tears. "Zhang Jiancheng, you¡­you''re bleeding¡­"


    Zhang Jiancheng didn''t reply and directly turned to Shi Nian behind him. "Are you okay?" He asked in a quiet voice.


    Shi Nian nodded, her face slightly pale. She quickly recovered from the previous shock and pointed at Zhang Jiancheng''s shoulders with an expressionless face. "Your shoulders are injured."


    "Scram, scram, scram!" Xuan Liyuan got through a throng of crowds and arrived in front of Zhang Jiancheng, gasping. "Oh my God, who the hell caused this shit?!" He took off his vest and pressed it against Zhang Jiancheng''s shoulders. "Are you okay? Do you feel dizzy?"


    Zhang Jiancheng gave him a nce which directly shut his mouth. The former then turned to Shi Nian and replied offhandedly. "It''s okay. Just a skin injury. The recording¡­" School Grass Zhang struggled with his words, his breath came out heavier. "Is it true? She got some people to teach you a lesson? Why don''t you tell me?"


    Regrettably, the one in front of Zhang Jiancheng right now was Shi Nian who was in a very, very bad mood, enough to breathe fire at the slightest provocation.


    Every second Jiang Jinyan remained in an unconscious state kept her heart hanging in midair, unable to be put down.


    She knew that Zhang Jiancheng was innocent, that it was all Ruo Tingran''s doing, but when she realized that he was the catalyst, Shi Nian couldn''t muster any good expression.


    If Zhang Jiancheng didn''t approach her, then the subsequent event wouldn''t have happened. If there were no gangsters blocking her, then Jiang Jinyan wouldn''t have been injured. He was still lying on the hospital bed, covered in injuries all over his body¡­


    Whenever Shi Nian recalled the blood Jiang Jinyan had spilled, she had the urge to retaliate a hundred folds to everyone who was responsible, whether it''s direct or indirect.


    Shi Nian clenched her fists, her face cold with a hint of anger. "Why should I? You''re just making things worse."


    "Hey!" Xuan Liyuan chimed in, displeased. "Miss, what did you just say? Our Jiancheng is totally innocent in this whole matter!"


    Mo Ling and Chen Jiawei also realized that Shi Nian''s state was unusual. They approached her and gently asked. "Shi Nian, you''re not hurt right? Don''t get angry, everything will be okay. If Ruo Tingran wants to escape unscathe, we are willing to be witnesses."


    "Yes, that''s right! Everyone can testify that it''s Ruo Tingran who acted first!"


    The boys nodded in agreement, they guarded around Ruo Tingran lest she made any surprise attack again. It was no need honestly, because the girl was already paralyzed ever since Zhang Jiancheng appeared. Her eyes staring nkly at the boy who had never seen her way even once, weeping quietly.


    "Holy¡ªTeacher Yao is here!"


    The students gave way like Moses parting the Red Sea, showing the figure of Teacher Yao d in formal suit and high heels. The woman''s sharp eyes scanned around and students shrunk their necks when her gaze fell onto them. The ones from another ss hastily scrambled away while the rest from ss 1 obediently stood on the back of the ss.


    Teacher Yao entered the ss and her sight directly fell onto the blood on Zhang Jiancheng''s white shirt, her expression tightening. "What is happening here?"


    .


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    .


    A/N: Shi Nian is on a state where she cared for nothing except Jiang Jinyan. Well, Jiang Jinyan is still unconscious so she must have been so anxious QAQ poor Zhang Jiancheng tho ©c(£þ¡«£þ¡¡)¥Î

 Chapter 273 - The Yearning Shi Nian

    The matter with Ruo Tingran quickly spread to the whole school. Xu Binchen and Ru Meiqi had been closely monitoring the case, thus as soon as they received Shi Nian''s recording, action was immediately taken to inflict punishment for the culprit. Even Ruo Tingran''s parents were informed.


    Her crime was neither light nor insignificant. She had got into contact with the people from the mafia and it was expected that this wasn''t their first cooperation. The police wanted to seize this opportunity to catch them in the act. Convicting Ruo Tingran was equal to holding one of the mafia''s weaknesses in their hands.


    On the other hand, Ruo Family used all of their resources andwork to resist vehemently. The Police Bureau''s higher ups were rmed by this matter. The tension between both sides was thick and tense, neither seemed to have any intention of backing down.


    For a while, they remained at a deadlock. Although Ruo Tingran hadn''t been apprehended yet, her dirty deeds had been aired in the public and discussed widely. As someone who cared about face and reputation the most, it was certain that she wouldn''t be able to recover anymore.


    True to the fact, she didn''t evene to school for the next few days. Some people even said that she was going to transfer schools, or so the hearsay.


    As one of the rted parties, the messy situation didn''t affect Shi Nian in the slightest. She was still waiting for a certain someone to rouse from his sweet slumber. Fortunately, God seemed to answer her prayer as Jiang Jinyan regained consciousness the night after.


    Shi Nian knew that her mother, Sister Meiqi or even Xu Binchen was aware that any changes in Jiang Jinyan''s condition, no matter how small it was, could sway her mood like a colossal tsunami. That''s why, they subconsciously wanted to keep Jiang Jinyan''s news away from her and only notified her when the man had gotten slightly better.


    Shi Nian was aware of it and due to that exact reason, she bribed Jiang Jinyan''s nurse secretly before she was discharged. As soon as Jiang Jinyan regained consciousness, she ought to notify Shi Nian, no matter if it was at midnight or wee hours in the morning.


    It was almost 10 pm when Shi Nian received the message. [Miss Shi Nian, this is Xia Yu. The patient in VVIP 04 has regained consciousness.]


    As soon as she saw that, Shi Nian grabbed her coat, left a note to Qiang Fei and tiptoed out of the house. Under the cover of the dark sky, she hailed a cab and rushed to the hospital which was still brightly lit. The sight managed to loosen the heavy string in her heart, albeit only a tiny bit.


    "Miss Shi!" Nurse Xia Yu was stationed on the night shift today. As soon as she caught sight of Shi Nianing out of the elevator, she stood up from her seat with a tter, shocked beyond wits. "You...Why are youing thiste?!"


    Informing the rtives or someone close to the patient about their condition was already the norm practice among the nurses and doctors. Nurse Xia didn''t give it much thought when Shi Nian asked her to do so. Never had she expected that Shi Nian woulde at such an hour!


    Shi Nian breathed heavily, sweat dotted her forehead although the weather was chillingly cold. "He''s already awake?" She asked nervously.


    "Yes. He asked for you as soon as he woke up and I have already told him that you have been discharged." Xiao Yu saw that the girl''splexion didn''t look too good and tried to persuade her. "It''s already sote and maybe the patient has already gone back to sleep. Miss Shi, you should havee tomorrow morning during the visiting hours."


    How could Shi Nian wait any longer? Even one minute seemed so long, too long that it was getting torturous. She was uncertain of the reason why, but she just really, really wanted to see him with her own eyes otherwise she wouldn''t be able to sleep at all again likest night.


    "I know. Sorry, Nurse Xia." Shi Nian forced out a smile. "I¡ªI won''t disturb him. I will only look at him, okay? Nurse Xia, please¡­" Shi Nian pleaded. "Just this one time."


    The arrival of six people two days ago had created amotion among the staff. Nurse Xia also knew that the patient inside VVIP 04 had sustained such great injuries in order to protect her. The man had to receive two operations whilst the girl only had light bruises. If it was Xia Yu who was in Shi Nian''s position, she would also be anxious to death.


    Aiyah, youthful love¡­


    Nurse Xia''s heart softened just like that and she whispered solemnly. "If the patient is asleep, don''t disturb him, okay?"


    Shi Nian smiled in relief. "Okay, I really won''t disturb him."


    Aftering to apromise, Xia Yu gave Shi Nian a pass. The entire floor was wholly reserved for VVIP patients and to enter the ward, they had to scan the pass to the electronic scanner.


    Shi Nian said her thanks and held the pass in her hand. It wasn''t until she was walking down the corridor that she found out how fast her heartbeat was. Her palms were mmy with sweat and she was consumed by an unprecedented anxiety and nervousness which she had no idea where it sprouted out from.


    The French window showcased the gloomy thick clouds up in the sky and the scattered lights from tall buildings. Bolts of lightning shed and rain started to pour down gently. Tiny droplets of water lingered on the window pane, leaving trails akin to tears.


    Warm air sted from the heater, slightly warming her freezing body. Her footsteps made no sound and the atmosphere on the whole floor was absolutely tranquil. Only when the electronic scanner verified her pass did it give a soft beep.


    The police officers guarding outside had been summoned back by Officer Wen to chase down Sui Chenyou. And the other part of the reason was the hospital''s tight security that reassured them. Anyway, because of this decision, Shi Nian''s journey was clear and smooth.


    She stopped in front of Jiang Jinyan''s door and numbly reached out to slide the door open. However, she stopped when the door was only slightly ajar. Shi Nian recalled Nurse Xia''s words and opted to see him from the ss panel instead.


    Lightning shed, illuminating the man on the bed. His back was supported by a stack of pillows with his head turned sideways as he gazed out of the window, rendering Shi Nian unable to see his face clearly.


    However, it was clear that the man was still awake.


    Jiang Jinyan stayed in the same position for five minutes and Shi Nian didn''t take her eyes off him for the whole time, greedily taking in his silhouette. At one time, Shi Nian wondered how many times she had only stood at a distance to stare at his back. She must have done it quite often in her past life to the point where it had almost be a habit to do so.


    Longing, yet unable to get close. Yearning, yet oblivious as to how to cut the distance.


    Just like the name he bestowed her[1]. A yearning for something unattainable. She craved him in the same way.


    They were clearly no longer restricted by age, status, social ethics and morals. But once in a while, Shi Nian would get the same feeling as if no matter how hard she tried to reach him, there would always be a thinyer of imprable barrier that hindered them from seeing each other clearly.


    It was so, so thin yet they needed a lifetime to cross it. Nevertheless, the barrier had never felt so thin like tonight.


    As though she would be able to pierce it just with a single poke.


    .


    .


    [1] I don''t know if I have mentioned it before. The pronunciation of Shi Nian''s name is the same as Si Nian (yearning). Exactly what was our General thinking about when he gave her the name? Hehe...his POV ising at the end of the story


    .


    .


    A/N: It pained me to imagine the scene where Shi Nian stood behind General Jiang, not once but many times, staring at him with such yearning but the man had no idea of it at all.


    Next chappie, my favorite after Shi Nian''s confession as well as the scene which makes me start writing MDG. Prepare your heart, folks (¡ä§¥?©c

 Chapter 274 - Every Part Of You

    Music rmendation:


    All of Me - John Legend


    True Colors - Anna Kendrick and Justin Timbeke


    ----


    A series of thunders pierced through the silent night. It was akin to the wake up call that brought Jiang Jinyan and Shi Nian out of their reverie.


    Shi Nian saw him shifting subtly, his hand reached out toward a ss on the nightstand by the bed. His broken ribs and the cast on his leg deterred him from making anyrge movement but the ss was clearly out of his reach. He stretched his arm out, his fingertips were only a few centimeters away yet in the end, he was still unable to reach it...


    Pain overturned Shi Nian''s heart at the sight and she was ready to show herself and help him when Jiang Jinyan retracted his arm.


    The foot which had already taken its step also halted in ce. Shi Nian lost all of her courage to enter. Somehow, she had the feeling that Jiang Jinyan didn''t want her to see him like this.


    "Damn it¡­" He cursed in a low voice after a bout of long silence. It was obviously such a tiny voice, almost like a whisper, yet somehow it echoed in Shi Nian''s ears loud and clear, each word was excruciating like thorns stabbing her body, spreading dull pain up to the tip of her fingers. "Jiang Jinyan, why are you so pathetic?"


    "Why are you so useless? Why can''t you make anything go right?" He buried his face into his palms, shoulders trembling faintly.


    Shi Nian lowered her eyes and slowly, a droplet of tears slid down her cheek.


    The man''s harsh breathing and soft, muffled cries echoed throughout the space. Shi Nian listened quietly, absorbing each of the man''s sobs into her flesh and bones and engraved it into her heart and soul. In the end, she had to clutch her chest and leaned onto the wall, gasping for breath without a sound.


    Her brows twisted and her pursed lips were devoid of color, trembling slightly as if she was experiencing the same pain.


    What to do?


    What should she do to help him not to hurt anymore?


    One was inside the room while the other was standing outside. One was crying, while the other silently suffered. They were only separated by a door which was slightly ajar yet it was as if there was a whole dimension separating the two of them.


    All of a sudden, a series of dings rang out, breaking the agonizing ambience apart.


    Jiang Jinyan stiffened and he snarled out, "Who''s there?!"


    Shi Nian pulled out her phone in panic. Damn it, she had forgotten to silent it! Three messages popped up on the screen, all from Qiang Fei. It seemed like the woman had discovered her missing from the house. Shi Nian didn''t have the time to read or reply and directly switched it to silent mode, her heart almost jumping out of her throat.


    After not receiving any answer for a while, Jiang Jinyan grew impatient. His eyes narrowed as he saw the slightly ajar door.


    "Come in." He said with a frosty tone. Not a hint of the previous weakness could be found from his hardened voice.


    Shi Nian gulped nervously and braced herself.


    The little bit of light seeping in through the crack of the door was blocked and slowly, the door slid open, showing a petite girl d in pajamas that was only covered by a thick down jacket.


    Jiang Jinyan''s pupils trembled. Shi Nian couldn''t quite describe what she saw. Panic? Trepidation? Fluster?


    "You¡­" Jiang Jinyan''s voice was dry and raspy. "Why are you here?"


    Light from the hallway shone behind the girl''s back, obscuring her features. Jiang Jinyan could only feel a pair of eyes staring at him and the mere thought filled him with an unprecedented sense of dread and shame.


    "¡­Did you see?" He asked. There was no clear context or object, but both of them understood clearly what he was talking about. It was as if something deep within him shattered along with the girl''s prolonged silence.


    Shi Nian closed the door behind her and stepped forward, still a few distance away from him.


    Jiang Jinyan looked away and his gaze froze on his stump knee which was propped up by a cast. Abruptly, he hurled the nket to cover it. The sudden movement attracted Shi Nian''s eyes. This time, Jiang Jinyan felt it clearly on his body, so clear that it was as if he was sitting on pins and needles.


    His bandaged fingers grasped the nket tightly, eyes half lidded. If one looked closer, they might discover the slight quiver on his eyshes. There wasn''t a change in his expression, but his face, which was illuminated by the faint light outside, was almost white in color.


    He whispered with a strained voice. "¡­Don''t look."


    Don''t look at my leg, don''t look at this defect, don''t look at his ugliness...don''t look at me¡­


    The man''s shoulders were tense and his head hung low, so low as if he wished the ground would open up and swallow him whole. Right now, he was akin to a death row prisoner, waiting for the bullet that would pierce through his heart, destroy and annihte it. Completely and utterly.


    Shi Nian moved after what seemed like a long, long time.


    The rain outside fell ceaselessly, showering the earth with a faintyer of freshness that could chill the bones. Contrasted to the gentle,forting rain, the lightning struck time and time again.


    From the corner of Jiang Jinyan''s eyes, he saw the girl approach the bed side and¡­without any warning, kneeled down on one knee.


    Jiang Jinyan snapped his head up in daze and his eyes met with the girl''s reddened ones. The sh of lightning illuminated her golden eyes that glowed in a translucent light. Even when the sky halted its firebolts, those eyes still shone brilliantly, sucking all of Jiang Jinyan''s attention in. He didn''t even realize it when the girl gingerly reached out for his hand.


    Amidst his consternation, Shi Nian brought his hand to her lips, kissing each of his knuckles in utmost dedication. The girl''s eyes were closed and he could see her damp eyshes which trembled ever so slightly, her expression was utterly reverential, as if she was praying to her beloved God.


    Jiang Jinyan jolted in the mixture of shock and befuddlement. "Shi Nian!"


    Shi Nian never uttered a word. As if she hadn''t had enough, she unhesitatingly flung away the nket covering his leg, disying the marred leg.


    "No...!" The man tried to shield it in panic, but how could his injurydened body endured such a move? Pain ripped through his chest and he gasped, his resistance stalled abruptly.


    The seconds dy contributed to Shi Nian''s sess. The girl reached out to touch his leg, feeling each of his trembles and jitters. Then, under Jiang Jinyan''s sharp intake of breath, she dipped her head down and pressed a kiss onto the stump knee, this time it was much, much longer than when she kissed his knuckles.


    Jiang Jinyan instinctively bit his lips to suppress a groan. His hands grabbed the nket so tight that sharp pain rippled through the wrist area where the IV needle connected to. Nevertheless, Jiang Jinyan couldn''t seem to take his eyes off the girl whose expression was almost pious as she dropped adoring kisses onto that part of his limb that had lost all function; the part that he had always dreaded, that he always hid like a shameful thing.


    The soft sensations instantly burned like zing mes, searing into his heart with the might of an unstoppable volcano. Jiang Jinyan even felt as if Shi Nian was branding a mark there. A mark that was especially hers, that could only belong to her and her alone. The sudden idea instantly turned his leg all weird and tingly, even a bit itchy.


    "Shi Nian¡­!" He rasped, breathless.


    Shi Nian pulled away slightly. She lifted her eyes, smiling. Tears streamed down her cheek as she whispered. "Jiang Jinyan¡­"


    The crystal liquid dripped down her jaw toward his leg and absorbed into the thick bandage yet he swore that he could vividly feel it seeping into his skin and bones.


    Her eyes glowed in such a soft light, so pure, so captivating that he couldn''t look away. Along with the lulling drizzle outside the window that showered down unceasingly, she also poured out a confession from the bottom of her heart, word by word falling into his barren heart, drenching it thoroughly.


    "I love you. For every w and imperfection; for every reason and madness." She reached out to hug him; his fragile side, his ugly side, everything. She gathered the broken pieces of him into her heart and adored them all. Breathing out a softugh that sounded like a sob, she murmured, "You don''t even know how dear you are to me."


    "Do you hear that? I adore you, Jiang Jinyan."


    "I cherish you, treasure you. Every part of you."


    So, please don''t vilify yourself, my dearest General. For there''s someone who will be waiting for you on the end of the dark tunnel.


    Jiang Jinyan''s head was nudged onto Shi Nian''s shoulder. The man didn''t resist and rested his head there, motionlessly listening to the girl''s soft voice, feeling her warmth around him. His tense body eventually rxed.


    A few momentster, a damp sensation spread through Shi Nian''s shoulder and seeped into her jacket.


    It felt very cold, just like the rain.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: uwuwuu our Jiang Jinyan is so precious (¡ä§¥?©che''s so sensitive, fragile and inferior. Even he himself can''t quite ept his state, but Shi Nian does. She always does.


    *sigh* I think Jiang Jinyan is very simr to me when I met my crush without any makeup on with my es breaking out inrge red bumps all over my face, like...so horrendous ??_?? but I have no Shi Nian who will ept my everything. It scarred me to the point I didn''t dare to go out again after my face got better (¥Î¤Ø£þ,)


    What do you think of this chappie? I edited it for two hours QAQ


    Next chappie, go back to serious business ???

 Chapter 275 - Want To Continue?

    In one nce, the apartment building amidst the boisterous city looked no different than the other. It had fifteen floors with the walls painted in soft, creamy colors. Clean ceramic tiles. Brightly lit rooms. When one stepped in, there would be a polite, smiley and courteous receptionist greeting them. No matter from which angle it was seen, it looked very homey and pleasant.


    However, no one knew that this ordinary apartment building was the nest for the members in the mafia organization.


    After escaping from the gruesome scene a few days ago, Sui Chenyou returned with a broken nose, internal injuries, bruises and ruined fingers.


    Everyone was shocked. Didn''t Bro Sui just go out to teach some girl a lesson? How could he return like this? Moreover, where''s the other four who went with him?!


    "G¨CGo ah! Go and give Bro Sui a treatment!"


    "Ah, okay!"


    They didn''t dare to ask any questions because Bro Sui''s face was too terrifying! His face darkened, eyes bloodshot with lips turned downward. Coupled with the blood staining his face and all over his body, he looked like he was going for a kill with the slightest provocation!


    Bro Sui breathed heavily, blood dripping down his head. He twisted his stiff jaw. The aftermath of the flying kick which Jiang Jinyan had delivered still lingered there. His teeth ached every time he recalled it. Heh, fortunately, Bro Sui grinned viciously. He wasn''t injured in vain because he managed to wound the other person enough to kill.


    Still, Bro Sui couldn''t reconcile. Having to fail this kind of easy mission was too embarrassing and he even had to lose four men!


    The four members lounging in the tenth floor lobby gulped when they heard loud smashing and breaking soundsing from the closed door of Sui Chenyou''s room. A few momentster, the guy giving treatment came out supporting himself, a bleeding gash on his shoulder.


    "Damn, Little Ming!" A senior pulled him aside and helped to bandage his wound. With his voice lowered, he asked, "What happened? Who made our Bro Sui so angry?"


    Little Ming''s face was still pale. He shook his head, sighing. "Can''t afford to ask. I only applied splints to his nose and fingers and already had to bear his wrath. If I ask any more, wouldn''t I be killed already?"


    Little Ming was a scrawny, cowardly man with thick sses on his nose. He used to be a good student in a prestigious medical university. However, a mishap happened when he was interning in the hospital. He was used of malpractice and if he didn''t take shelter in the mafia using his medical skill at its best, he would have been thrown into jail.


    Hearing Little Ming''s words, the seniors around himughed wryly, cold sweat dripping down their backs.


    "Then...we should leave Bro Sui alone for a while and wait for him to calm down."


    "Yes yes, we should do it just like that!"


    It wasn''t the first time for them to be injured during missions but it wasn''t the case for Bro Sui. He had been in this organization for a long time, making him the most senior out of them. He was ruthless, capable and bloodthirsty.


    Upon knowing that a rich missy had hired Bro Sui to personally make an appearance to scare a high school girl, they had even lit a candle for the girl and prepared to fetch her corpse and dispose of it somewhere else. Who could guess that the table would turn all of a sudden?!


    For a whole two days, they kept on hearing Bro Sui smashing things in his room and it wasn''t until the third day that he was finally willing toe out.


    "Bro Sui!"


    "Bro Sui, you''re here!"


    "Have you eaten dinner yet?"


    Today, there were only three members in the area; Little Ming, Lang Xi the second most senior and a robust yet short man Dong Jingcuo.


    The bruises on Bro Sui''s face were ck and blue, making him look more hideous than usual. He had a splint on his nose and a cast on his arm which slung around his neck. He grunted and took a seat on the sofa, lighting up a cigarette along the way. "Haven''t eaten yet. Cook me some noodles."


    "Aye aye!" Dong Jingcuo stood up and dashed to the pantry.


    They knew that Bro Suiing out meant he was ready to talk. A huge pot was quickly put on the table with hot, fragrant noodles bubbling inside. They each took a te and grabbed a share while Little Ming prepared Bro Sui''s portion and served it to him.


    For a few moments, only the slurping and chewing sounds could be heard. After filling his stomach until he was warm all over, Bro Sui spoke out, "How about Hei Rong and others? Has anyone probed around yet?"


    "I have." Dong Jingcuo answered. He gasped due to the spiciness and had to gulp down a few mouthfuls of water before answering. "They are treated in the Central Hospital. It seems like their conditions are quite severe. I heard that Hei Rong even lost both of his eyes and Hu Keran''s testicles are broken."


    Little Ming and Lang Xi inhaled sharply. Thetter even grimaced and covered his lower part as if he could feel the pain Hu Keran went through.


    "I can''t get close because the police is guarding their room." Turning to Bro Sui, Dong Jingcuo asked gingerly. "Bro Sui...what happened exactly? The whole situation looked a bit unusual. Did we somehow mess with the wrong person?"


    His head was instantly pped by Lang Xi beside him. "What are you saying? Don''t you already know our criterion of receiving clients? We have even scanned their background thoroughly!"


    That''s right. Their movements were closely monitored by the police so they didn''t dare to casually ept missions. At most, they only dealt with debtors, traitors, and some ordinary people. That''s how they maintained their status all the while exerting fear on people.


    "Bro Sui, I have got a hold of Miss Ruo." Lang Xi said. "She has already wired the money to us but she asked that we will not have any contact with each other again in the future. She sounded a little weird, like she was terrified of something."


    Ruo Tingran was the daughter of the prestigious Ruo Family. Even when contacting them for the first time, her tone was absolutely arrogant and condescending like it was beneath her to talk to them. They had already seen all kinds of people though hence they didn''t take her behavior into offense as long as she fulfilled the other end of the transaction.


    Yet now, Miss Ruo suddenly wanted to back away? This...what had actually happened?


    They looked at each other in apprehension.


    "Bro Sui, who exactly did you fight so badly with?" Little Ming asked tremblingly.


    Bro Sui licked his gum, eyes darkening. "Just a tough brat, no one important. But it indeed seems a bit unusual, almost like the police are hoarding a treasure and scared that we will scratch it¡­"


    Bro Sui''s words died down in his throat and his eyes suddenly grew sharp like a predator. He flipped the long table, overturning the pot, tes, and noodles. "Everybody, get down!"


    The conditioned reflex trained into their bonespelled them to follow the order without hesitation. Little Ming screamed as Lang Xi dragged and pushed his head down.


    Bro Sui used the cover of the long table and rolled over the ground to where the telescope was. The rest of the members scrambled away like flies, each taking shelter on the blind spot away from the French window.


    Red dots! They saw red dots flying around!


    "Who the fuck can still walk around with firearms in the middle of the city?!" Dong Jingcuo cursed vehemently.


    "Damn it, damn it, damn it! My noodles! There''s still a whole poached egg inside the pot! I am going to kill the son of those bitches! Aiyah you¨CLittle Ming, what are you crying about?!"


    Bro Sui squinted into the telescope and saw a few men on the other side of the building, each with a sniper rifle in their possession!


    As Bro Sui looked at them, they were also locking onto Bro Sui''s position. "Damn it!" Bro Sui gave a low curse as red dotsnded on his arms and thighs. Shivers ran down his spine and he rolled over on the ground again, almost making a sorry figure.


    Dong Jingcuo''s eyes widened as he yanked Bro Sui behind the sofa while he himself ducked into another hiding ce.


    Tsing! Tsing! Tsing!


    Three bullets pierced through the ss window andnded onto the ground where Bro Sui was a second ago. Sui Chenyou looked at the holes on the ground, sweat dotted his forehead. If Dong Jingcuo hadn''t pulled him in, he...he would have been shot!


    Crash!


    The window shattered into pieces instantly, and apanied by a sharp, whistling wind were a few lethal bullets. The silencer worked wonders to muffle the roar of the gun and no one even knew that an intense round of gunfire was going off in the middle of the city.


    Just in a span of five minutes, the tenth floor lobby was utterly destroyed. Damaged sofa, flying feathers, broken sses and furniture, holes on the ground, smell of gunpowder and dust in the air¡­


    "Fuck! Bro Sui, they are targeting you, aren''t they?! Those people really want to cripple you! How dare they?! Aren''t they scared that those police hound dogs will sniff them out?!" Dong Jingcuo popped his head out, enraged.


    "No." Bro Sui still had cold sweat as he recalled how close he was to being pierced by the bullets. "It''s the police outside."


    Little Ming''s face paled. The police?! He...He was most afraid of them. "What should we do?! W¨CWhy are they here?"


    Dong Jingcuo cursed, "Fuck, they are provoking us!"


    Lang Xi pressed Little Ming''s head down to the ground and suddenly recalled the most important thing. "Wait, how can they find out about this ce?!"


    True to Bro Sui''s words, in the next second, the deafening chuff of helicopter des closed in and a beam of light shot into the apartment building''s tenth floor whose window had already broken.


    A cold voice transmitted from the speaker. "We have already surrounded this building. Don''t try anything funny because we have evacuated the citizens around the perimeter. Sui Chenyou,e out or else we will kill everyone inside."


    Faintly, they could hear the shrill screams of the receptionistdy downstairs.


    Dong Jingcuo burst into curses and swears. He wasn''t some herbivore who would cower in face of threats! Back in the day, even those higher ups in the army had to take caution when they saw him!


    "You dare?!" He rushed into the middle of the room and stood under the ring lights, furious."Come ah! Come and shoot me! I would like to know which police officer dares to kill a civilian!"


    Lang Xi''s jaws dropped to the ground. "Dong Jingcuo! You...Come back here!"


    "A civilian?" Cold, mockingughter followed. An ominous premonition shed through Bro Sui''s heart and he had just propped himself up, wanting to drag the hot tempered Dong Jingcuo away. s, he was a tad toote. In the next second, a sharp whistle flew past his head.


    He looked up in shock and Dong Jingcuo who was just shouting earlier tumbling down with wide eyes filled with incredulity. His pupils dted and slowlynded on Sui Chenyou. "Bro Sui¡­" He couldn''t finish what he wanted to say as his body already toppled down, spasming, blood pouring out from the hole on his chest.


    "Aaaaaah!" Little Ming covered his head and screamed hysterically.


    "Brother Dong...fuck!" Lang Xi paled, his eyes reddened.


    Sui Chenyou''s head buzzed and his entire body trembled. Whether it was from fear or anger, nobody knew. Maybe a mixture of both.


    The indifferent, frosty voice outside continued. Just that, it suddenly sounded quite far, like someone was covering Sui Chenyou''s ears.


    "Want to continue? I can kill some more. If worsees to worst, I can just quit being a police officer."


    .


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    .


    A/N: It isn''t only Shi Nian who''s angry rawrrrr ¦×£¨£à§¥¡ä£©¦×

 Chapter 276 - No Time

    Jin Renguang almost died of anger.


    "I can kill some more?" He walked across the room back and forth. Turning to the other man, he added with his voice rising, "If worsees to worst, I can just quit being a police officer?"


    Xu Binchen stood ramrod straight, hands sped behind his back in attention. His whole posture looked like a well behaved, obedient student that was ready to receive punishment¨C


    ¡ªWell behaved his ass.


    There wasn''t even an ounce of guilt or repentance on his face!


    Jin Renguang''s fingers twitched, itching to pummel this arrogant brat down to the ground. "Answer me!"


    Xu Binchen''s pupils which were looking straight moved sideways, his tone contained no fluctuations whatsoever. "We have already caught the culprit."


    Veins popped out on Jin Renguang''s forehead. "So does that give you the right tounch the helicopter and kill anyone as you please?!"


    Xu Binchen hesitated, then he ''kindly'' reminded his Captain. "The helicopter is my own property and the one I''ve killed is Dong Jingcuo, the number five on the list of criminal wanted by the police."


    Jin Renguangughed angrily. "Of course I know that. Otherwise, do you think you can still stand here and talk to me?!"


    Xu Binchen returned a loud reply. "Thank you Captain for your generosity!"


    "Generosity?" Jin Renguang gnashed his teeth. "Xu Binchen, you do know that I have done a lot to ept you into my team, right? You have neither experience nor a clear background and everything about you is shrouded in a mystery. If it''s not me who''s the Captain, do you think you will be able to stay in the Police Bureau?"


    "I know." Xu Binchen''s cold face finally rippled. He had concealed his identity to remain as an ordinary ''Xu Binchen'' and Captain Jin had given him a pass even though the police ought to investigate each of the rookie''s background thoroughly. He had never forgotten about that. Even now, no one in the SCI squad ever questioned his background and they only knew that Xu Binchen was some rich second generation young master. "Thank you, Captain. I won''t do it again next time."


    Look! Look at that innocent face and sincere tone! There''s still a fucking next time?!


    Jin Renguang''s chest stifled with anger that had nowhere to vent. In the end, he averted his gaze away. Out of sight, out of mind. "Where the hell is Tang Wei?! How long does he need to take just to rify those people''s identity?!"


    The poor Tang Wei came in the nick of time. He knocked on the door and opened it only to find Jin Renguang''s dark face. "Captain! I...um¡­" His tone weakened in an instant. "Captain, we have finishedpiling their identity."


    He gingerly offered the report with both hands like presenting a gift to the Emperor. Jin Renguang snatched it and flipped the report in irritation.


    Tang Wei reported, "We have caught twelve people in total; one is the receptionistdy, six are the cleaning janitors, two are maintenance staff."


    "Now the other three; first, Sui Chenyou, our prime suspect. Second, Lang Xi, his right hand man. 29 years old. Male and single. Has eight criminal records in the span of five years due to extortion, gambling, infiltration of legitimate business and loan sharking."


    Jin Renguang paused and gave him a nce. "And thest one?"


    "Thest one¡­" Tang Wei pointed at the formal photo of a twenty something man with small eyes, big nose and slightly crooked lips. Just in a nce, they could see his hunched back and the gloominess radiating from him. "Ming Sen. 23 years old. Undergraduate of Medical University. In hisst year, he interned in a hospital in City S and did a malpractice. The victim is an eighteen years old girl who crashed her car on the toll road. He should have received the verdict of five years in jail but he escaped. It isn''t until now that we find out he has been hiding under the mafia."


    "Captain¡­" Tang Wei said carefully. "This time, we have harvested quite a lot of criminals. Most importantly, we have got Sui Chenyou in our hands¡ª"


    "Alright, I know what you want to say." Jin Renguang didn''t know whether tough or cry. He waved in dismissal. "Go, go! Summon everyone to the meeting room in five minutes! We are going to screw those nutjobs up!"


    Tang Wei and Xu Binchen saluted. "Aye aye Captain!"


    "Xu Binchen." Jin Renguang suddenly called after they had reached the door.


    "Is there anything else, Captain?"


    "The boy in the hospital¨Cthe one surnamed Jiang, how is he?"


    Something in Xu Binchen''s eyes shed. He dropped his eyes and answered quietly. "Just regained consciousness a few hours ago."


    "I see¡­" Jin Renguang fell silent for a while and sighed. "Alright, I know. You can go."


    Xu Binchen bowed politely and proceeded to walk out of the room.


    The two men exited one after another and closed the door behind them. Only then did Tang Wei let out a relieved sigh and wiped his sweaty forehead. "Big brother, I know we are in a hurry." He gave a smile that''s worse than crying. "But can you not provoke Captain? You know he''s been moody nowadays."


    Xu Binchen didn''t stop and left only two words. "No time."


    Tang Wei looked at his back, baffled. No time? No time for what? Although this case was rted to the mafia which was suspected of sheltering the serial killer, it wasn''t that urgent either to the point of reaping lives, okay?!


    ***


    Carrying with him the chilly air of mid autumn, Xu Binchen slid the door open after receiving an answer inside.


    The window in the room overlooked the high buildings and downcast sky. It was clearly still noon yet the sun looked as if it was going to set soon. Just looking at it could make people feel mncholy and gloomy.


    Jiang Jinyan was leaning on the bed, still connected with IV drips. Upon seeing Xu Binchen, he greeted with a small nod. The bruises on his eyes and the corner of his lips were blue and purple which appeared a bit terrifying. Still, instead of ugly, it added a resemnce of wild charm to his delicate features. Unfortunately, the man''splexion was haggard and if one looked closer, they might see his eyelids which were slightly swollen.


    He had a thick nket covering his body from the waist down, making him look cold and distant.


    "Thank you foring, Detective Xu. Actually, there''s no need to go out of your way to visit me. It''s too bothersome."


    "Don''t waste your breath, kiddo." His upational disease kicked in and Xu Binchen walked around the room to inspect whether there was any listening bug or hidden camera. Of course, there wasn''t but it didn''t hurt to be careful. "I am not justing to visit you."


    The corner of Jiang Jinyan''s mouth twitched and he replied dryly, "...So what are youing for?"


    Instead of answering, Xu Binchen asked. "Shi Nian was here, wasn''t she?"


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: oooh, Xu Binchen knows (/¦Å£Ü*)

 Chapter 277 - Just Take It As Me Being Nosy

    Lowering his eyes, Jiang Jinyan hummed quietly. "...Did you meet her on the way?"


    "No, there''s some deep creases on the couch which showed that someone was sitting¨Cor lying there for a long time. Also," Xu Binchen looked at the man with an indecipherable gaze. "I can''t imagine another person who woulde here faster than I did."


    Silence reigned after Xu Binchen''sst words fell. The atmosphere shifted subtly.


    Jiang Jinyan swept his gaze over and halted on Xu Binchen''s exposed wrist. Peeking out in between the fold of his sleeve was a red string bracelet.


    And the same bracelet was now lying snugly atop of the nightstand by his bed.


    He could still recall what Shi Nian said when she gave it to him. "It''s a protective bracelet I bought in the temple a few months ago. It will bring you fortune and protect you from harm. You should keep it with you, okay? I...I don''t want to see you get hurt anymore."


    Jiang Jinyan pursed his lips, his fingers slowly grasping the edge of the nket.


    Did Shi Nian give it to Xu Binchen too?


    If so, did she also say that it would bring him fortune and keep him from harm? That she didn''t want him to get into any ident?


    Jiang Jinyan''s eyes sank and suddenly, everything fell into ce. The gaze he directed toward Xu Binchen also changed.


    Xu Binchen, who sensed the shift in Jiang Jinyan''s mood: ???


    "...Why are you looking at me like that?" He asked weirdly.


    Jiang Jinyan shook his head and tore his mind away from the thoughts. He repeated his question again, "What did Detective Xue here for?"


    Xu Binchen took no notice of his sudden rigid and impassive tone, focusing on the matter in hand. "In case you have no idea, four men were transported to the hospital at the same time as you and Shi Nian. Based on Shi Nian''s statement, there should be one more person in the gang but he slipped away. However, the police caught himst night. They will all be convicted with severe punishments for their crimes."


    Jiang Jinyan''s eyes darkened when he recalled the previous event. Nodding, he said, "That''s good. Previously, I suspected that they weren''t ordinary thugs."


    Xu Binchen confirmed his suspicion. "They are mafia members. Small members."


    Jiang Jinyan frowned. "Who is so vicious to have those people gang up on Shi Nian? Is it the...serial killer?"


    "For now, no. There isn''t any proof of rtion between both cases." Jiang Jinyan still looked disturbed by his guesses, thus Xu Binchen added in a rare moment of generosity. "The culprit behind this matter has been locked on. I can guarantee that they will not be able to bother her again."


    Jiang Jinyan nodded. Nevertheless, Xu Binchen''s choice of words perturbed him, much to his dismay. It further confirmed his baseless doubt. For a split second, he wanted to ask the man directly but in the end, he refrained from it, knowing that no good woulde out of his crazed suspicion and jealousy.


    Wasn''t it also this kind of jealousy that ended up ruining his mother, Guan Xiaoxiao?


    He forced himself not to think of it and said, "I know that''s not the thing you want to talk to me about, Detective Xu. You can tell me directly."


    Quite a sharp dude, Xu Binchenmended inwardly. With Jiang Jinyan''s permission, he didn''t beat around the bush anymore and directly stated, "When you were just brought to the hospital two days ago and underwent operations, the hospital tried to call your family¨Cthat is, your father."


    Speaking until now, there weren''t any ripples in Jiang Jinyan''s face. His eyes half lidded as he quietly listened.


    "He didn''t answer the phone even once."


    After a stretch of silence, Jiang Jinyan sneered, his voice came out lower than before. "...He has always been like this."


    Busy. Busy with work, meetings, business parties, contract dinners. Jiang Huocheng''s life revolved around work andpany. Come to think of it, thest time Jiang Jinyan saw him was when he was admitted to the hospital due to his car ident.


    How many days did Jiang Huocheng spare for him? Two days? Three days? It was so generous of him to do that.


    Jiang Jinyan had been disappointed too many times that he could already ept the news without wavering. "If that''s all you want to talk about, then I''ve got to say that there''s no need for you to inform him in the future. No matter what happens, he will not care."


    Xu Binchen quietly stared at him and added, "Which is strange, in my opinion."


    Jiang Jinyan snapped his head up, bewildered.


    "Mr. Jiang, I am sorry but due to some safety procedures, I have done a background check on you and I have a brief idea about the issue in your family. But I also know that CEO Jiang dide to visit you more than ten times during your stay in the hospital. We have even talked once."


    "More than ten times¡­?" Jiang Jinyan was dumbfounded. He even wondered whether it was Jiang Huocheng whom Xu Binchen was talking about. "Didn''t he onlye when I regained consciousness?"


    "No." Xu Binchen rebuked in an indifferent tone yet it was that exact tone that set off storms in Jiang Jinyan''s heart. "Each time hees, you''re either in the middle of physical therapy or asleepte at night. He only stayed for around twenty minutes to half an hour then left before you could see him."


    Jiang Jinyan''s fingers twitched and only when the soreness travelled along his joints did he realize that he had been too stiff. Even his chest faintly ached. "...Have you mistaken about something?"


    Were they still talking about Jiang Huocheng? The Jiang Huocheng whom he had known for neen years?


    Xu Binchen didn''t care about his self denial and continued. "That''s why, I thought it was weird when he didn''t even pick up his phone. I have asked some people to investigate it and we will get the result soon."


    "What do you mean?" Jiang Jinyanughed hoarsely. "Do you mean to say that...something has happened to him?"


    Xu Binchen silently looked at him, "It''s a possibility."


    Jiang Jinyan clenched his fists. After a while, he slowly loosened up. Yet instead of rxing, it almost looked like something was being hollowed out of him. He gazed at Xu Binchen nkly. "Why are you going out of your way to do this?"


    Xu Binchen lowered his eyes and his sight, coincidentally or not, fell onto a tiny, delicately packaged box. "I am not sure." He mumbled. "Just take it as me being nosy."


    .


    .


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    A/N: Xu Binchen''s way of liking someone: love you, love your dog


    No, I don''t mean Jiang Jinyan is Shi Nian''s dog *cry* it''s a idiom I often see in Cnovels, meaning like if you love someone, you''ll love the people around them too, you get what I mean but the way Xu Binchen interpret it is on another level (¤Ä§Õ?) he''s such a bae sometimes, only sometimes okay. Such a rare, rare sometimes haha


    And what do you think is happening to Jiang Huocheng hmm...will they ever reconcile? *sigh* I swear Jiang Huocheng is such an awkward dad....

 Chapter 278 - I Will Give You Two Choices

    "Sui Chenyou¡­" Jin Renguang dragged the chair out and sat down, carrying with him an imposing andmanding aura. "¡­right?"


    Sui Chenyou crossed his arms on his chest, his eyes staring ahead nkly as if there were no other people in the room. He cut a sorry figure with his shirt still stained with Dong Jingcuo''s blood. The splint on his nose had torn off amidst the final yet futile struggle when he attempted to escape before he was caught by Xu Binchen, revealing a purplish and hideous bruise. No, actually it looked more horrendous than before because Xu Binchen had taken the opportunity to punch him a few more times.


    Jin Renguang continued leisurely, "Do you know why you are here?"


    Sui Chenyou quietly sneered. He lifted his eyelids, eyes oozing with bloodthirstiness. "Because I injured that brat?" He pointed at his face and lifted his fingers which were still thickly bandaged. "Look, he caused me these injuries too, so isn''t it reasonable for me to retaliate in my own way?"


    Jin Renguang lifted one brow, amused by how Sui Chenyou tried to paint the ck into white. "So, you think you''re innocent?"


    Sui Chenyou shrugged.


    Jin Renguang leaned forward. His eyes slowly narrowed, shing with a sharp glint.


    In an instant, Sui Chenyou''s whole body stiffened and he subconsciously clenched his fists and took on a defensive state, thanks to the reflex built for years to resist any possible threating his way. Although the other man didn''t do anything, Sui Chenyou still couldn''t help but rise his guard and look at Jin Renguang warily.


    In response to Sui Chenyou''s excessive reaction, Jin Renguang only snorted softly. "I will give you two choices. First, you can squat in jail for the rest of your life and second¡­" He paused for a moment. "Connect me with someone."


    Sui Chenyou showed an astonished look. "Even a police officer like you want to seekwork and fame?"


    Jin Renguang leaned back and showed a profound smile. "Why not?"


    The tattooed man contemted back and forth but still felt that the second choice was the most beneficial. Come on, he didn''t even consider the first one. Asking him to rot in jail? They had better kill him first! Still, he inquired cautiously. "Who is it? Someone who can be traded with my lifetime punishment surely isn''t someone ordinary."


    Jin Renguang spread his palms helplessly. "Your choice. You only have to know that if you fail, then our prison will wee you with open arms."


    Sui Chenyou gnashed his teeth, his eyes bloodshot. He really hated the way he was oppressed by the other party, it was truly such a nauseating and unbearable feeling. He had once vowed to live a life where he could do whatever he wanted and for that, he didn''t hesitate to sell his cheap father as a tribute to the mafia organization, earning him a secure ce within.


    But look at where he was! He still had to be oppressed by this son of a bitch and the worst thing was, he was helpless to retaliate. Sui Chenyou spat out through gritted teeth. "Say it."


    Even though he was only a leader in the small district, hiswork and connection couldn''t be underestimated. The mafia members naturally had a stronger sense of camaraderie with people on their line of business. Sui Chenyou calcted it properly. For now, he would cooperate with the police and then, as soon as he got into contact with the brothers in another district, he would definitely take the chance to escape!


    Jin Renguang tapped his fingers on the table. He didn''t speak for a while, making the atmosphere thick and tense. A second before Sui Chenyou totally lost his patience, Jin Renguang finally spat out, "Your boss, Jia Renyu''s son."


    This time, Sui Chenyou was genuinely appalled. He shouted angrily. "Are you out of your mind?! You want me to search for Boss'' child? Why don''t you just ask me to kill the country''s President and rece his position?!"


    Jin Renguang asked, his tonepletely oblivious. "You can''t?"


    Sui Chenyou roared, his body shot forward and grabbed Jin Renguang''s cor. "Are you fucking kidding me?! How many people do you think have been trying to find the Boss'' child all these years? Yet they never seeded. Not. Even. One!! Why do you think I am able to do it¡ªugh!"


    Electricity shot through Sui Chenyou''s body from where his leg was chained to the chair. He let go of Jin Renguang''s cor and fell back to his chair, convulsing slightly.


    "Watch your manner, boy." Jin Renguang frowned and pinched his cor with two fingers, disgusted. Well, he definitely had to take another bath after this and washed all of the stain away. "I will give you three hours to think properly."


    After saying that, Jin Renguang left with rapid steps.


    Who knew how many bacteria were on those hands? Just looking at Sui Chenyou''s dirty fingernails and the half dried blood stain on his palm was enough to churn his stomach. Jin Renguang waved toward Tang Wei who popped his head up from theputer and proceeded to the shower room.


    "What is Captain doing?" Tang Wei muttered, confused.


    "Take a shower." Ke Shao walked in and heard Tang Wei''s question. He grinned in schadenfreude. "Just now, Sui Chenyou touched his cor."


    Tang Wei grimaced and expressed sympathy and deep pity toward a certain Sui''s fate in the uing future. "So that''s why Captain''s face is so stinky." He rolled his swivel chair and elbowed the fatty that had garnered mushrooms in the corner. "Hey, Wang Chengbing. How is it? Have you found Jia Renyu''s son yet?"


    Wang Chengbing brushed him away in irritation. "Scram! If you have time to ask me, then you should just do other work!"


    Ke Shao propped his cheek up with his hand, asking. "Is it that difficult to search for him?"


    Wang Chengbing felt pain pierced through his heart and he almost got a heart attack from Ke Shao''s innocent question. "Difficult?! It''s super, ultra hellish mode okay?! All we know is that he''s surnamed Jia, around twenty years old, and Chinese! Do you have any idea how many people are surnamed Jia in China?! Approximately four million people! How many among them are around 20 years old? More than fifty thousand people. Fifty thousand! There''s even one close to us in Sangzhe University!"


    Ke Shao was bombarded with his outburst until he was stunned silly. "Then¡­could it possibly be him?"


    Wang Chengbing sneered and turned his attention back to theputer, toozy to even give Ke Shao a second look. Because hisputers were broken, he had no choice but to take shelter in the police station and make do with these super slow and annoyingputers. "Do you think we are in a novel where the important characters are gathered in one ce? Dream on!"


    He huffed in annoyance. "If we can find Jia Renyu''s son just like that, then I will dly livestream to eat a sandal!"


    Tang Wei also showed a frustrated face. "Aaaah, I really envy our colleagues in the General Crime Division. What right do they have to enjoy a vacation? I can''t even catch a healthy six hours of sleep a day!"


    Never had Wang Chengbing expected that his blind guess wouldnd him a jackpot. Later on, when they finally found Jia Renyu''s son with much difficulty, the first person who copsed into tears was him.


    Holy shit, they really did gather in one ce!


    .


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    A/N: Wang Chengbing, I will wait for your livestream oh~ (?????)

 Chapter 279 - Do You Have Someone You Like?

    The General Crime Division members were indeed having the time of their lives. For example, Luo Ning who took the chance to move into a new ce. He had lived in a rented room for half a year ever since he arrived in the Capital and now that he had gathered enough savings, he used almost 80% of it to buy a house.


    Interior wise, he was very satisfied. Although it was quite small, it had everything he wanted within. Two bedrooms, a kitchen, a study, widewn and moreover, there''s also a space in the attic where he could store many things. The attic was also equipped with a window where he could climb on the roof to admire the sun.


    Not only was the house beautiful, the price was also affordable and the location suited his taste. Luo Ning really liked how the house was located away from the boisterous city but still, the distance was tolerable enough not to be isted. He only needed to walk half an hour to the nearest subway station.


    He had also been confused. The house was clean and nice, the location was good, and even his neighbors were very kind and polite so why did the house remain unsold for years? When he delivered the question to the agent, thetter sported a strange expression, like a mixture of fear, awkwardness and guilt.


    Luo Ning''s instinct as a police officer kicked in when he faced this person who clearly hid something. Only after threatening that he would back out from the transaction that the agent finally revealed that the house, albeit cozy, was actually¡­haunted.


    The house was furnished nicely by the original owner but unknown for what reason, it was suddenly put up for rent. At the beginning, there were many tenants who moved in but they all quit before a year''s time was up. The agent had received numerousints, all of them were in a simr context.


    At night, they could hear the sound of something scratching or dragging on the floor. At first, they thought that it was a thief breaking in or stray animals, they even put on CCTVs to catch the culprit. However, nothing came up at all. The noises persisted, some nights were even more unbearable than the others, frightening them so badly that they directly moved out without even caring about the penalty. Slowly, no more tenants came to ask about the house and it gained the reputation as a haunted house.


    Upon knowing the truth, Luo Ning didn''t know whether tough or cry. So that''s why he received such a sympathetic nce when he greeted his neighbors.


    The agent asked, his eyes pleading. "So, are you still buying?"


    Luo Ningughed lightly, showing a pair of tiger teeth. "Buy ah. Why shouldn''t I? Isn''t that just some ghosts? If I don''t disturb them then they will not disturb me either. We can just live together in harmony."


    He still recalled how the agent stared at him as if he was an exotic creature. Luo Ning shook his head and proceeded to clean the dust and cobwebs in the house, especially the attic which had be the nest for insects. He personally decorated the house and also repainted the walls because he didn''t like the damp and weird odor inside. Breathing in for a long time could cause someone to be dizzy.


    It was fulfilling and tiring at the same time. During the day, he would go to work as usual, sometimes even pulling all-nighters and directly sleeping in the police station. Only at night did he spare the time to visit his new house. However, during those days, Luo Ning had never heard any strange noises whatsoever so he quickly put it to the back of his mind.


    When the General Crime Division was granted a few days of vacation, Luo Ning seized the chance to empty his rented room and moved into his new house. Today, he invited all of his colleagues for a housewarming party.


    Luo Ning was ted to receive praises and looks of appreciation from them.


    "Woah, Little Ning, not bad!"


    "I know right? The feng shui is also good. You really have a good eye!"


    "I have asked around and found that there''s no empty house left. Sigh, it''s such a pity or else I will be able to be neighbors with you."


    Luo Ning scratched his head sheepishly, cheeks flushed. "Thank you, thank you. It''s just my good fortune to find this house." Then, he looked around and showed a perplexed expression. "Ah, where''s Detective Qin? He doesn''te with you?"


    The others looked at each other and shrugged. "We don''t know. That Old Qin, he''s too reclusive. Aside from work, we haven''t really interacted with each other."


    Luo Ning was taken aback. "Why?"


    In his mind, Qin Weizhe was extroverted, sunny and handsome with thousands of buddies and followers. He was such a charismatic man. Luo Ning couldn''t imagine him staying put in the house, reading books while sipping tea.


    Shrugging, the other person answered. "Who knows? Don''t you realize that although Old Qin looks easy going andid back, he doesn''t have the habit of telling others about himself?"


    "Ah, right." Another responded. "Now that you say it, I don''t even know where he lives."


    Luo Ning felt unsettled yet helpless to do anything. The group ended up ordering takeaway, buying a dozen beers and chatted merrily in the living room. Luo Ning told them about the bad reputation of his house and as he expected, they only took it as a joke and teased Luo Ning to call them whenever he was scared. They were a bunch of experienced police officers sh detectives who had handled many vicious cases before. Crudely speaking, in their opinions, humans were more terrifying than ghosts. Thetter could only shake you but the former could stab you for real.


    When the clock hit 9 pm, they started to get bored and left one by one. Luo Ning thanked them sincerely and after thest person left, the house became eerily silent all of a sudden, he couldn''t quite get used to it.


    Luo Ning looked at the mess in the living room, sighed and grabbed a broom. He was still cleaning when the doorbell suddenly rang. "Who is it sote at night?" He grumbled but still went to receive it. Originally, he thought that someone might have left something behind but when he saw from the inte who was behind the door, his eyes widened in surprise.


    His body moved faster than his brain did. He directly opened the door, revealing a surprised Qin Weizhe who still had one hand in the posture of knocking like a beckoning cat. Seeing Luo Ning, he gave a wide grin. "Sorry, am I toote?"


    Luo Ning cried out happily. "Detective Qin!"


    Qin Weizhe took in his flushed cheeks and watery eyes glittering with excitement. Amused, he guessed. "Did you just drink?"


    "Uh-huh." Luo Ning opened the door wider and pulled him in. "Why are you sote? I even thought that you won''t being!" The alcohol got to his system and caused him to be a chatterbox. Well, most importantly, he was just so happy to see Qin Weizhe that he subconsciously chattered a little bit more.


    Qin Weizhe chuckled and patted his head. "Aren''t I here now? Come on, stop acting spoiled." He changed to the slippers and strode inside leisurely.


    Luo Ning pouted, eyes staring at his back. "Where am I acting spoiled?" He muttered under his breath and chased after Qin Weizhe, almost skipping on his steps. With much enthusiasm, he dragged the man around, proudly introducing every crook and corner of his house. After that, he even puffed out his chest, lifted his chin and stared at the man with his round, lustrous eyes like a child seeking praise and reward.


    Qin Weizhe gave him a nce, mirth filled his eyes. "Good, it''s a very nice ce."


    Luo Ning''s eyes brightened up and he was so happy that he could fly up to the sky. He dashed to the kitchen to fetch him a ss of juice and returned to see Qin Weizhe sniffing around. Luo Ning blushed, for some reason he was embarrassed to let Qin Weizhe know that he painted the walls himself. "Does the smell sting? Sorry, it''s newly painted."


    "No." Qin Weizhe rubbed his nose and turned to him with a smile. "My nose is just too sensitive. What do you have there?" His eyesnded on the empty cans of beer in the trash bag. "Any beers?"


    "Ah, you want to drink? Wait a minute." Luo Ning returned to the kitchen and brought out the leftover beers from the refrigerator. There were still six cans left in total. Stumbling, he ced them all on the table, surprising Qin Weizhe.


    "So many?" The man asked.


    Luo Ning hummed and pulled open a can for him. "I want to drink too¡­"


    Qin Weizhe received it, took a sip and stayed silent. For a while, the house was quiet except for the faint slurping and gulping sound.


    "It''s a very beautiful house." Qin Weizhe opened the conversation. "How much do you pay for it?"


    Luo Ning told a price, surprising him again. Cracking up from Qin Weizhe''s shocked expression, he proceeded to tell the man about the problems guing the previous tenants.


    Unexpectedly, Qin Weizhe didn''tugh it off like the others.


    His eyelids half closed, he sat with his long legs parted, it almost looked regal. After taking off the coat, he only wore a turtleneck sweater and long pants. The dark colorplimented him perfectly, making his skin look paler than usual. In one nce, he appeared very slender but Luo Ning, who had once bumped into him while he was changing, knew how much strength was conserved in that body.


    When he was quiet and unsmiling like this, he exuded a mysterious aura that made people itch to explore everything there was to him, longing to dig out every wonder he could offer. Even the beer in his hand looked like a ss of limited edition wine.


    Luo Ning burped softly, his eyes zed as he stared at the man.


    All of a sudden, he asked, "Detective Qin, do you have someone you like?"


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    A/N: oooh, drunk Luo Ning is very straightforward (/¦Å£Ü*) do you think he and Qin Weizhe will *******? hehehe

 Chapter 280 - Not As Good As You Think

    Usually, Luo Ning wouldn''t be this frank. Hell, even if he had nine lives, he wouldn''t dare to.


    Maybe because he had had too much alcohol tonight, maybe because the house was too quiet or maybe, because there were only two of them inside the closed space. His inhibition weakened and his courage soared. He also knew that he was definitely going to regret it to death when he sobered up tomorrow, but he just couldn''t help himself right now.


    Qin Weizhe was taken aback by his abrupt question before throwing his head back and bursting out inughter.


    "Why are youughing?" Luo Ning asked with a pout.


    The other man raised both of his hands in surrender as he put his beer can on the table. "You''re drunk?" He asked, amused.


    "I am not."


    "The drunk never admits their wrongdoing."


    Luo Ning looked at his smiling visage and felt his eyes turn blurry. He knew that the situation was spiraling down in a way he couldn''t control but the urge inside his heart almost gnawed at him whole, it was both itchy and ufortable. "You don''t have to say it. I know." He fiddled with the water vapor on the can, feeling the cold water on his fingertips. "You like Senior Ru, right?"


    After counting to five, Luo Ning gingerly lifted his head and his breathing abruptly ceased as his eyes crashed with Qin Weizhe''s dark and turbulent one. Hisidback aura vanished in an instant, reced with a sharp and piercing one. Although the man''s eyes were far from calm, his tone remained light. "What does our Little Ning want for guessing correctly?"


    Luo Ning gulped and he shook his head to brush the dizziness away. s, the more he shook his head, the dizzier he became.


    Qin Weizhe didn''t know whether he shouldugh or cry seeing his drunken antics. He was clearly so drunk already; wet eyes, flushed cheeks, looking all confused and disoriented. Still, he adamantly denied that he didn''t. It was¡­unexpectedly cute.


    He grabbed Luo Ning''s chin to stop him from shaking himself silly. "Stop moving. Don''t you feel dizzy?"


    "Now that you say it¡­" Luo Ning squeezed his eyes and grimaced. "I do."


    Qin Weizhe couldn''t resistughing. The previous scary aura disappeared and he returned to the usual him. Standing up, he cocked his head toward the kitchen. "Stop drinking beer. I will fetch you some water okay?"


    Luo Ning blinked and when the man walked past his side, he urately grabbed his wrist and demanded. "You haven''t answered my question!"


    The drunk Luo Ning was surprisingly strong. His grab on Qin Weizhe was very firm, rendering him immobile. He couldn''t shake Luo Ning off even if he wanted to. Helpless, he crouched down and coaxed him patiently like a child. "Haven''t I already answered your question just now?"


    "You have¡­?" Just now, even when the man was still a few distance away from him, Luo Ning was already stunned silly. Now that Qin Weizhe''s face was directly ced in front of him, the visual impact was too strong, the drunk Luo Ning became intoxicated even more.


    "I have." Qin Weizhe patted his head, smiling. "Now let me go okay? I will bring you a ss of water."


    Luo Ning ignored his words and brought the topic back. "Why do you like Senior Ru?" One second after asking, he felt like it was a very ridiculous question. "Well, she is beautiful, talented and has a great personality. Of course¡­Of course you will like her¡­"


    The more Luo Ning said it, the sadder he became. He hung his head low, dejected.


    "Little Ning¡­" Qin Weizhe''s voice was three part helpless and two part warning.


    Hearing that low voice, the grievance and emotions he had been suppressing deep inside him burst out in an instant. "But she is Captain Jin''s lover! You can only like her one-sidedly! Why...no matter how much you like her, she won''t return your feelings..."


    Qin Weizhe''s eyes darkened and his jaw clenched. Faint anger surfaced in his heart and he was ready to teach this ignorant brat a lesson when Luo Ning continued his sentence, fingers grasping Qin Weizhe''s sweater tightly. "¡­So why don''t you like me instead?!"


    Qin Weizhe''s eyes widened in shock. "...what?"


    Luo Ning sniffled,rge teardrops hung on his damp eyshes. Throwing all caution out of the window, Luo Ning leaned in and kissed Qin Weizhe wetly, sloppily. His technique was nonexistent, only relying on his passion and feeling to gnaw and suck on the man''s lips.


    Like a moth flying straight to the source of me, he let himself be burned to crisp.


    Qin Weizhe only came to his senses when a little pain stung his lower lips, courtesy to Luo Ning biting him like a puppy. He reached out to push the drunk man away, his voice raspy, "Luo Ning¡­!"


    Yet the drunk Luo Ning''s reason had beenpletely thrown to outer space, unable to be retrieved anymore. He caught Qin Weizhe off guard by tackling him, arms wrapping around the man''s neck.


    The unprepared Qin Weizhe couldn''t bear the weight of 55 kilograms and tumbled backward, his elbows propping up to support.


    Luo Ning rubbed his cheek on the man''s jaw, muttering with an aggrieved tone. "Don''t reject me. Don''t reject me, okay? You haven''t even tried it yet. I can like you more, cherish you more and adore you more. Why can''t you ept me?"


    Qin Weizhe could feel the younger man''s tears dripping onto his sweater, the coldness of it seeped into his skin. His hand, which had reached out ready to push Luo Ning away, stilled in ce. In the end, instead of pushing him away, Qin Weizhe patted his head soothingly. "Luo Ning¡­" His mouth closed and opened for a few minutes before spatting out a sentence. "We''re both men."


    "So what?" Luo Ning rebuked. "I know you have no problem with that. Detective Qin¡­I¡ªI have seen you dated a man before."


    Qin Weizhe''s eyes narrowed and he mped his wide palm on Luo Ning''s neck, exerting force. "When?" Dangerous and fierce aura emanated from him, his tone cold. "When did you see it?"


    Luo Ning shrunk his neck, tears pitter pattering down his delicate face, looking both pitiful and lovely. But he still answered obediently. "In the police academy. When I was still a rookie, you used to be one of my instructors for a few months."


    Qin Weizhe''s grip on him loosened. He hadn''t been an instructor for such a long time. Thest time he recalled it was three or four years ago. How could Luo Ning still remember it? Moreover, he didn''t have any recollection of the other person at all¡­


    Luo Ning grasped his thoughts urately. His tears came down harder. "You don''t remember me, do you? You actually don''t remember me uwuwu¡­"


    Qin Weizhe was both helpless and amused. "Okay I am sorry. It''s my fault, okay?"


    Luo Ning''s eyes brightened with hope. "So does that mean you ept me?"


    "Wait," Qin Weizheughed exasperatedly. "What does it have to do with this?"


    Luo Ning''s face crumpled and he looked like he was going to cry rivers as soon as Qin Weizhe showed the slightest bit of rejection. Under the bright light, his pupils were light brown in color and when it was awashed with tears, it looked like a pair of crystal clear topaz, lustrous and moving at the same time.


    When he poured all of his love, admiration, longing and respect into those eyes, Qin Weizhe found that he was unable to deal with him harshly. Pulling the man into his embrace, Qin Weizhe patted his back. "Alright don''t cry anymore. How old are you this year? Three?"


    Luo Ning buried his face into Qin Weizhe''s neck and wrapped his arms around the man''s waist, hugging him tightly as if afraid he was going to disappear anytime soon.


    Qin Weizhe lifted his eyes to look at the ceiling and let the other person hang on his waist, sighing. "You don''t understand. Yes, you''re right, I do swing both ways." When he felt Luo Ning stir, he directly pressed his head down and continued, "But society nowadays will not be so merciful. Haven''t you seen it with your own eyes from Wu Wengen and Cui Qiqiang''s case? Even if we can ept it, what about your parents? Certainly, they wished for you to grant them cute and chubby grandsons."


    Luo Nin kept his head buried in the man''s neck, motionless. Qin Weizhe actually wondered whether he listened or not but still, he carried on and finished what he wanted to say. "So just give up on me. Our Little Ning is such a good man, he will surely find an equally good girl in the future."


    "How old are you this year? Twenty one? Twenty two?" Qin Weizhe chuckled. "You''re still very young, there are many more wonderful people than me." He fell silent and muttered, "...many more. You will soon realize that I am not as good as you think I am."


    .


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    A/N: Qin Weizhe is so gentle and considerate ??_?? he''s only twenty five but talks like an old man. Everything he said is for Luo Ning''s own good....

 Chapter 281 - A Ghost?

    Warning: mild NSFW *cough* I never expected that the first NSFW scene for MDG will be contributed to these two but anyway enjoy~ if you feel ufortable reading about two men making out (yes dna is a rotten woman forgive me orz), you may skip to the fewst paragraphs


    ----


    After what seemed like a long time, to the point where Qin Weizhe was sure that Luo Ning had fallen asleep, thetter tightened his hold, almost breaking his old waist. Qin Weizhe gasped silently as Luo Ning shook his head, the strands of his hair tickling Qin Weizhe''s jaw.


    "...You don''t understand." He mumbled under his breath. "You don''t understand anything."


    "Little Ning?"


    Luo Ning lifted his head and Qin Weizhe was stunned to find the zing me in those eyes. He was determined, almost desperate to confess these hidden feelings. It was as if he couldn''t care less whether he would be damned. Yet hidden beneath those stubbornness was a hint of fragility and sadness, too deep it was almost overlooked. He loved too much, so much that he was sure that if he had to discard this love, then he would never be able to muster the same throbbing to another ever again.


    Like a dying man, he was attempting ast struggle. One that would result in his death if he failed but if he seeded¡­


    Qin Weizhe had just opened his mouth when Luo Ning blocked his lips once again, this time he deepened the kiss as if wanting to prove the depth of his feelings. Qin Weizhe could feel the man trembling in his arms, his eyes shut firmly with tears still hanging on it, unwilling to fall. Just as headstrong as its owner.


    As Qin Weizhe was in daze, Luo Ning reached out his tongue and licked the seam of the man''s lips. Upon receiving no rejection, he became even more thrilled, like he had just consumed a high quality liquor, one whose taste lingered in his mouth for eternity. He parted Qin Weizhe''s lips and drilled his tongue inside, shyly and gingerly, arms lifting to hook the man''s neck, pulling him closer.


    Luo Ning let out a whimper when their tongue touched. Shiver ran down his spine and he couldn''t help but indulge in Qin Weizhe''s warmth. The man''s lips were just as heavenly as he had imagined it to be. There was a slight taste of beer and tobo, heartrendingly bittersweet, sucking Luo Ning''s soul so hard that he could barely think of anything.


    Qin Weizhe tasted too addictive. Luo Ning was unwilling to let go but after a while, he lost his breath, arms hanging on the man''s shoulders weakly. His eyes were watery and dazed and his face so red that blood almost dropped out of it. Still he clung to him desperately, crying in an aggrieved voice, "Qin Weizhe...Qin Weizhe¡­"


    Qin Weizhe''s eyes deepened and he let out a sigh.


    Luo Ning''s heart had just dropped to the pit of his stomach when the other man suddenly pulled his waist closer, caging him in ce. He turned from the passive receiver into an active giver and resumed their intimate contact. The heat that hadn''t dissipated was once again rekindled, this time it burned stronger, hotter and wilder. Lips against lips, tongue against tongue and teeth against teeth, they drew breath from each other, feeling as if they would die if they stopped even just for a second.


    The wet sounds of their tongues intertwining, heavy gasps and sharp breathing reverberated through the empty house, obscene and ambiguous.


    In that moment, every single fiber of Luo Ning''s body buzzed in happiness and excitement. He had the notion that he wouldn''t even mind even if he were to die now.


    His eyshes fluttered madly, brushing the other person''s cheeks. Qin Weizhe''s heat dominated his mouth, rendering his mind nk. What happened? Qin Weizhe...took the initiative to kiss him? Qin Weizhe? Why¡­?


    "What are you thinking of?" The man bit down on Luo Ning''s lower lips, eliciting a short yelp from thetter. Chuckling, he delved down again. "Focus."


    "...hmm!" Luo Ning gasped. Firework exploded in his mind as Qin Weizhe''s tongue teased him, rubbing, hooking and stroking. The silky and hot tongue plundered his mouth, swiping over his gums and teeth skillfully before intertwining with his own. The moist sensation shot right up to his head, making his scalp numb and tingle. He could only follow Qin Weizhe''s rhythm nkly for it alone was enough to send him to the Ninth Heaven.


    Luo Ning didn''t even realize when their positions had changed. When he came to his senses, he was already lying on the carpet with Qin Weizhe above him, covering his body wholly. After an indefinite amount of time, the man finally let go of his lips and a thin string of saliva connected them.


    Luo Ning panted heavily, his whole body soft all over. He gazed at the man above him, confused and bewildered yet ecstatic and blissful. Luo Ning wanted to ask him why...why did he kiss him? Did he somehow like him too even a little bit?


    As much as he really wanted to make it clear, he was also afraid that everything was only his imagination. The turbulent emotions tormented him and all he could do was to stare at him nkly, seeing how the man''s dark eyes flushed with lust, his swollen and glistened lips that were redder than blood...


    When Luo Ning thought that everything had ended, Qin Weizhe leaned down and bit his earlobe without any warning.


    "Ah¨C!" Luo Ning jolted in pain and pleasure, whimpering.


    "I have always thought¡­" Qin Weizhe whispered raspily. As if soothing, he licked the ce where he had just bitten. The obscene wet sound echoed in Luo Ning''s ears, making his whole body flushed in crimson. "...that your ears are so tiny and white, like a pudding. Surely, they tasted so sweet."


    Luo Ning had his lips parted, gasping his name. Qin Weizhe sucked the soft area behind his ear while his hands didn''t rest idly. Luo Ning''s eyes widened in shame and panic when Qin Weizhended his palm on that raging part of his. "N¨CNo, don''t!"


    "Don''t?" Qin Weizhe gave a squeeze and Luo Ning almost died in an instant. "Aren''t you ufortable? Have you ever got off by yourself before?"


    The series of embarrassing questions rolled out of Qin Weizhe''s mouth smoothly as if he was purely asking about the weather. Luo Ning looked at him with tears in his eyes, pleading. For what? Even he himself couldn''t discern.


    "So, that''s a no." Qin Weizhe propped himself up, a smile hanging on his lips. "How cute."


    Luo Ning almost became a cooked shrimp under his ministrations. Although he was still fully clothed, he could vividly feel the man''s burning temperature straight to his sensitive skin. Rubbing, kneading, teasing. Luo Ning''s toes curled up, trembling and his waist arched. "No...Detective Qin, it feels weird¡­" Luo Ning squirmed beneath him, the hem of his shirt lifted to show a glimpse of fair, slim waist.


    A hue of soft pink painted his skin. It resembled cherry blossoms in its glory and beauty. So mesmerizing and heart stirring.


    Qin Weizhe bet that Luo Ning definitely had no idea how seductive he looked right now. Under the impact of alcohol, his eyes were covered in ayer of mist, so tender and harmless, lustrous and moving. It was downright an invitation for Qin Weizhe to do whatever he pleased.


    He licked his lips, throat dry. His own erection had long strained against his pants yet there wasn''t a slightest hint of impatience in his eyes. Instead he lifted Luo Ning up and gently lowered him onto the long couch before pulling down the zipper of his jeans.


    "Detective Qin¡­" Luo Ning grabbed the man''s wrist, so ashamed as if he was going to die. He...He had only thought of confessing and nothing else afterward. Now that everything had gone out of his control, Luo Ning was trembling from both fear and a sense of anticipation he didn''t even realize.


    "Hush, be good." He dipped down and pecked Luo Ning''s lips gently a few times, his tone teasing. "Come on. Don''t you say that you can love me, adore me and cherish me more?"


    Luo Ning bit his lips, whimpering.


    "Let go, baby. I will teach you the pleasure of an adult, okay?"


    Luo Ning was so entranced by his ''baby'' that he subconsciously nodded. The color of Qin Weizhe''s eyes deepened and he forced down the impulse to take Luo Ning right here and then, opted to guide him slowly instead.


    "Good." Qin Weizhe nibbled on Luo Ning''s plump lower lips. "We are starting¡­"


    Luo Ning''s pants were pulled down and hanging by his calf, exposing his in ck boxer. There was a wet patch on the fabric and the shape of his manhood was clearly outlined. When Qin Weizhe''s handsnded on it, it twitched a few times and leaked out more precum.


    Qin Weizhe stared into Luo Ning''s wet and fearful eyes and couldn''t help kissing them. "Don''t be afraid. I promise I won''t hurt you." Upon receiving Luo Ning''s nod, Qin Weizhe smiled, his hands pulling on the edge of Luo Ning''s boxer¡­


    Then he suddenly halted.


    Luo Ning cracked his eyes open a bit, confused. "Detective Qin¡­?"


    The man above him was out of focus. The redness on his eyes was still there but the lust had been reced with alertness. He pulled Luo Ning''s pants up and frowned. "Did you hear that?"


    That look of his was awfully simr to when he was giving out orders that Luo Ning snapped out of his intoxicated state. His ears perked up and faintly, he could hear a faint sound of scratching. Like when a cat wed on a wooden door, so soft that it almost went unnoticed.


    It sounded like it came from nowhere at all yet close at the same time.


    Luo Ning propped his body up, his mind instantly went to the rumors. "Ghost?" He asked in a whisper.


    Qin Weizhe gave him a heavy nce. By now, Luo Ning had sobered up quite a lot albeit his lower part still hadn''tpletely calmed down yet. At Qin Weizhe''s nce, the hair on his arms stood up. "...It''s not?"


    Qin Weizhe got up from the couch and pulled him up at the same time. Both of them looked around to search for the source of the sound.


    Of course, Luo Ning was frustrated, very frustrated that their intimate moment was being interrupted. The resentment in his heart was overflowing and he was so upset that he almost cried. Still, ncing at Qin Weizhe''s serious side profile, he didn''t dare to protest.


    After half an hour, they still hadn''t found the source of the sound. Instead, it got louder and messier as if it knew that it had been noticed.


    Luo Ning turned to Qin Weizhe, annoyed. "Maybe it''s only a ghost¡­"


    Qin Weizhe was staring at the floor thoughtfully. "Does your house have a basement floor?"


    Startled, Luo Ning shook his head. "W¨CWhat''s wrong?" He looked down at the floor beneath his feet in astonishment.


    Scratch-scratch-scratch...the sound persisted under their sudden silence. Now that Qin Weizhe had pointed it out, Luo Ning suddenly became aware that the sound seemed to..e from under his feet.


    "I have been wondering for a while what smell is hanging on the tip of my nose." Qin Weizhe directed his gloomy eyes at him. "Luo Ning."


    "Y¨CYes?!"


    "Have you ever been to a livestock storage? One that has been abandoned for quite a long time."


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    A/N: Smutty -> horror hehehe what do you think they will find under Luo Ning''s house? (¡ã¥í¡ã) !

 Chapter 282 - Excavation Laborer

    The virgin Luo Ning, after having glimpse into the world of adults, couldn''t calm down no matter what after being teased by the object of his admiration to the edge of euphoria. He marveled at how Qin Weizhe could regain hisposure so quickly, standing there all calm and collected while he cut a sorry figure. Ashamed, Luo Ning rushed to the bathroom and took a quick, short cold shower.


    Not even five minutester, he came out with water dripping down his hair, bringing with him poof of white cold mists.


    Qin Weizhe was crouching in the kitchen cab, opening them one by one whilst knocking on every crook and corner, his expression mesmerizingly solemn and serious.


    "Have you found it?" Luo Ning approached him, restless. No matter how fearless he was, knowing that there''s some kind of unknown creatures hiding under his house¡ªpossibly for years¡ªfrightened him quite so. If Qin Weizhe wasn''t here then¡­then he would definitely cover his head with a pillow and go back to sleep!


    Qin Weizhe shook his head and stood up. He turned around to find a freshly bathed Luo Ning, his shower gel had a nice, milky scent to it, wafting into Qin Weizhe''s nose. The younger man''s skin was akin to lustrous jade, so translucent and fair. His lips were slightly pale from the cold, but it didn''t hinder the curious twinkle in his eyes. Droplets of water slid down his cheeks down to his neck before disappearing into the cor. Faintly, Qin Weizhe could see a reddish mark on the side of his neck. Just a moment ago, his lips weretching there, sucking and nibbling¡­


    Qin Weizhe averted his gaze, his throat bobbing. He snatched the towel on Luo Ning''s shoulder and covered his head with it, rubbing roughly. "Dry your hair first." He said in a low, deep voice. "Do you want to catch a cold?"


    "Ah¡­sorry," Luo Ning blushed. "I was too rushed."


    "Take your time." Qin Weizhe chuckled. "No matter what it is, the thing under your house has been there for quite a long time. Waiting for a few more minutes doesn''t matter."


    How could Luo Ning admit that whenever Qin Weizhe looked all serious and somber like that, he would instantly panic and think of the worst? Nodding, Luo Ning pointed at the slightly ajar door on the other side of the living room. "Then¡­I will go and dry my hair first. Do you want toe with me?"


    Luo Ning almost bit his tongue after he said thest sentence. Whate with me?! Why does he have toe with you ah, stupid Luo Ning?!


    The ambiguous atmosphere enveloping the two earlier had dissipated until nothing was left behind. If it''s not for his stinging lips and numb tongue, he would even wonder whether everything was merely his dirty imaginations. He couldn''t guess Qin Weizhe''s intention and didn''t dare to ask either.


    Luo Ning couldn''t help but be dejected. Forcing augh, he corrected his words. "Sorry, I don''t mean it¡ª"


    A shadow fell over his head and Luo Ning''s eyes rounded in shock as Qin Weizhe mped his damp, fair neck. The man''s fingers inadvertently brushed against the strawberry mark on the side of his neck. "Okay, I will take you on your offer."


    Luo Ning shrunk his neck, blushing. Clearly, Qin Weizhe had done it countless times before but why did he feel all weird and ticklish this time?


    "What are you looking at me for?" Qin Weizheughed and pushed him forward. "Come on."


    "O¡ªOkay!" Luo Ning replied loudly, so lightheaded that every step he took felt like stepping on cotton. With stiff and nervous movement, he guided Qin Weizhe to his bedroom and asked the man to take a seat while he dashed to the bathroom and dried his hair in record time.


    When he came out with his hair all dry and fluffy, Qin Weizhe was pulling up his carpet in one hand, his eyes scrutinizing. Sensing Luo Ning''s presence, he gave a smile which made Luo Ning''s heart raced faster. Stupid Luo Ning, useless Luo Ning! He only smiled at you and here you are, blushing like a shy maiden!


    Luo Ning forced himself to calm down and approached him, his eyes falling on his carpet. "Is there something wrong?"


    "Nope." Qin Weizhe said lightly. "Just checking around. Anyway, do you mind if I open your closet and take a look?"


    "Sure, sure, go ahead!" Luo Ning made a ''please'' gesture. "You can do whatever you like err¡­no need to mind me." Upon receiving Qin Weizhe''s amused nce, Luo Ning straightened up. "I will also look around Sir!"


    They divided the job and investigated every ce that could be a secret path. In fact, Luo Ning had personally cleaned the housest time yet he didn''t find anything weird. Knowing that his house possibly had a secret chamber like the storybooks in Harry Potter made him feel weird all over. Luo Ning circled around the living room¡ªtried his best not to look at the ce where he had just made out with Qin Weizhe before¡ªand paced around the approximate area where he sensed the source of the sound.


    "Detective Qin, is there really a hidden passage?" He asked in doubt. "The sound disappeared a long time ago. Who knows, maybe it''s only a cat that''s trapped inside? As for the smell of livestock storage, do you think it''s animal carcasses?"


    Qin Weizhe hummed vaguely, his eyes meaningful.


    Luo Ning had been working by his side for almost half a year. Although he didn''t know the man inside out, he still recognized his small gestures and habits. "No way?!" Luo Ning''s jaws dropped to the ground. "Do you think¡­" The words stuck on his throat. Even until a few minutester, Luo Ning still couldn''t bring himself to finish the rest of the sentence.


    Luo Ning gulped and realized the severity of the situation. For the next hour, no sound was heard as the two men ransacked the whole house upside down. Still, they couldn''t find any possible hidden path.


    Exhausted, they slumped onto the sofa like two salted fishes.


    "This won''t do." Qin Weizhe sighed in contemtion. "Maybe we are wrong. If the previous tenants have allined about this matter, there''s a huge possibility that they have tried to search for the source of the sound yet until now, it still remains a mystery. They couldn''t find the origin, that''s why people started to think that the house is haunted."


    Luo Ning nodded in understanding. "So, there has been no secret chamber since the beginning?"


    "Yes." Qin Weizhe ruffled the younger man''s hair, amused by his choice of words. "However, no secret chamber here doesn''t mean that there''s no secret chamber at all."


    Luo Ning tried to ignore the warmth of Qin Weizhe''s palm and muttered, "No secret chamber¡­?" He eximed as realization dawned on him. "So, you mean that there''s another path somewhere else that leads to my house''s basement, something like a tunnel?!"


    "Bingo." Qin Weizhe grinned. His hand fell from Luo Ning''s head down to his cheek, the tip of his fingers grazed across Luo Ning''s lips along the way. Luo Ning saw the man''s eyes trailed down following his fingers andnded on his lips, staying there for two more seconds. Luo Ning subconsciously held his breath, his pursed lips trembled ever so slightly.


    However, Qin Weizhe retracted his arms casually. He proceeded to pull his phone out and pressed some numbers.


    Luo Ning snapped out of his daze, asking. "W¡ªWho are you calling, Detective Qin?"


    Qin Weizhe winked. "The excavationborer."


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    A/N: guess who''s the excavationborer Qin Weizhe is calling? hahaha

 Chapter 283 - Man Up, Kiddo

    Jiang Jinyan spent almost two days waiting for Xu Binchen''s news. He tried hard not to let curiosity bother him, but the itch was slowly getting unbearable. Finally, he couldn''t help but give Si Zhening a call.


    "Hello, Young Master Jiang? May I ask why are you calling me at thiste hour?" Si Zhening''s tone was as impable and polite as always.


    From the other end of the line, Jiang Jinyan could faintly hear the sound of wind whistling as well as a faint conversation. Quietly, he asked, "Secretary Si, did I bother you?"


    "Not at all," The man said. "Do you need something?"


    Jiang Jinyan stared at bruises on his palm, hesitating for a while. In the end, he couldn''t bring himself to ask directly. It was too awkward. The pair of father and son had spent thest decade with minimummunication, sometimes they didn''t even talk to each other for months. Jiang Jinyan wasn''t used to worrying about the old man, but Xu Binchen''s words kept on guing his mind.


    He could only ask in a roundabout way.


    "¡­Did my father give you a lot of work?"


    "No." Si Zhening was unaware of the turmoil in Jiang Jinyan''s mind. "It''s just as usual. Do you need something from him? If you''d like, you can tell me instead, Young Master Jiang. After all, CEO Jiang has informed me to prioritize you first shall anything happen."


    Jiang Jinyan grabbed onto his words and pretended to casually ask. "Oh? He said that?"


    "That''s right."


    Silence reigned over the phone call. Although Jiang Jinyan kept on dilly dallying, Si Zhening didn''t lose his patience and waited for him to speak. Jiang Jinyan cleared his throat, "Do you know where my father is now?"


    "Wait a moment." A rustle of paper was heard. It seemed like Secretary Si was flipping his notebook. "As of now, CEO Jiang was in a business conference in City H. He departed a month ago and by estimation, he should return this week."


    This week...today was only Tuesday. Which day did he mean? "...Can you get in contact with him?"


    "Young Master Jiang," Si Zhening sounded helpless. "You should know that once CEO Jiang is immersed in his work, he won''t remember his phone at all. How about this? I can try to contact Secretary Deng Chuqian. He''s the one who follows CEO Jiang there."


    Jiang Jinyan hummed softly. "Then, I will bother you with that."


    "It''s my pleasure. Please wait for a moment, Young Master Jiang." The call ended afterward.


    The screen on Jiang Jinyan''s phone returned to the contacts interface. On it were only three names; Secretary Si, Shi Nian and Xu Binchen. He deliberately didn''t want to save Jiang Huocheng''s number because everytime he looked at the older man''s name, he would be so irritated and moody.


    Jiang Jinyan would never admit that he had remembered Jiang Huocheng''s number by heart.


    He stared at the phone in daze and when he came to his senses, a string of numbers appeared there without him realizing. It was Jiang Huocheng''s numbers which had kept on popping up in his mind. His thumb even hovered above the call button. If he had moved a bit, then the call would have been connected.


    Jiang Jinyan hastily let go of the phone as if his hands had been scalded, watching it drop onto the bed.


    In the next moment, the phone rang again. It was Si Zhening.


    "Young Master," Si Zhening greeted and directly got to the point. "I have contacted Secretary Deng. ording to him, CEO Jiang is indeed in City H right now and the business conference is going smoothly. However, there''s a slight adjustment to the schedule. Instead of returning, CEO Jiang will directly fly abroad to discuss a new cooperation."


    Jiang Jinyan digested the words and slowly, a sneer formed on his lips. His heart which had been hanging unstably could finally rest. What ident could have happened to Jiang Huocheng? Wasn''t he just as busy as usual? Jiang Jinyan felt absurd for being affected by Xu Binchen''s spection just like that.


    "¡­alright," he said in a low voice. "Thank you very much, Secretary Si. Please tell Secretary Deng not to tell my father that I asked for him."


    Si Zhening didn''t suspect anything and agreed.


    Jiang Jinyan put down the phone and stared out of the window, taking in the sparkling, glittering lights of high buildings outside. An unspeakable loneliness washed over him and he couldn''t help but feel tired. He closed his eyes for a moment and faintly, his ears caught a soft, steady footsteps walking down the hallway.


    The footsteps stopped outside his door, followed by a series of knocks.


    Jiang Jinyan lifted his eyelids and turned to see Xu Binchen outside the door. The man''s temperament was always cold and frosty. When he stood there, it was as if the temperature inside the room lowered by a few degrees. There was a hint of exhaustion between his brows and his eyebags seemed a bit darker than thest time Jiang Jinyan saw him. Yet his eyes remained sharp and alert like a fierce leopard that could directly pounce on you if the situation called for it.


    "Detective Xu," Jiang Jinyan started before the man did. He chortled softly, a hint of mockery in his tone. "No need to bother yourself again. I have just asked my father''s secretary and they told me that he is perfectly safe and sound."


    Xu Binchen had his hands inside the pocket as he walked in. His voice was hoarse and tired. "Did they tell you that he''s currently in City H, attending a business conference?"


    Jiang Jinyan had no idea what Xu Binchen''s identity was but he knew that thetter was rich, powerful with an enormouswork at his disposal. Maybe he might even be mightier than Jiang Huocheng. In any case, finding this kind of information shouldn''t be difficult for him. So, Jiang Jinyan wasn''t surprised anymore when he said that. "That''s right."


    "Then, what if I tell you that the business conference has been cancelled three months ago?"


    Jiang Jinyan lifted his eyes, bewildered.


    Xu Binchen gazed at the youth''s bruised yet stunning features and spoke, his tone contained a hint of impatience and irritation. "One of the core figures in the business conference, Chairman Kim Ji Seok from Korea, got into an ident and was hospitalized. The news hasn''t been reported yet because they feared that the economic stability andpany''s stock will plummet. However, the business conference is confirmed to be postponed indefinitely."


    He pulled out a stack of papers that had been rolled from his pocket, throwing it to Jiang Jinyan. Thetter was too stunned to react and the papers spread across bed, the content was clear for him to see. There were screenshots of surveince records, showing the side profile of the man who was awfully simr to Jiang Jinyan, albeit a few decades older. Behind him was Secretary Deng Chuqian and a few additional staff.


    The time stamp was marked on the bottom left corner of the footage. It was the date of a month ago.


    Xu Binchen borated. "A month ago, Jiang Huocheng departed on a private ne to City H. Yes, that''s the fact. However, when my people dug deeper, they found that after three days in City H, CEO Jiang rode on a chartered ne to a private, nameless ind. It is an ind under your mother, Guan Xiaoxiao''s name, bought as early as twenty years ago."


    Jiang Jinyan reached for one of the papers showing Jiang Huocheng''s rigid and solemn face as he walked into the chartered ne. The additional staff behind him were gone, only Secretary Deng Chuqian remained. He didn''t know why his fingertips started to tremble, maybe because it had been a long time since he heard someone uttered his mother''s name. "Why¡­did he go there?"


    Xu Binchen didn''t disappoint as his knowledge wasprehensive and thorough. "Twenty years ago, Jiang Huocheng bought that ind and transformed it into a vacation resort for your mother. When she was pregnant with you, she spent most of her time there. Aside from a vacation resort, the ind was also equipped with a clinic with thetest equipment and best doctors. Mr. Jiang, why do you think your father went there?"


    Jiang Jinyan gripped the papers so hard that they tore. His head buzzed and he couldn''t seem to understand what Xu Binchen was implying. "¡­What for?"


    Xu Binchen looked at him and sighed. He reached out gingerly and patted the youth''s shoulder two times infort. "In thest five years, Jiang Huocheng has gone there a total of eighteen times and his stay ranges from half a month to two months. Jiang Huocheng has covered it very well and it seems the only person who knows the truth is his secretary but that person also helps him to hide."


    "Mr. Jiang, I suspect¡ªno, I am 90% certain that CEO Jiang went there to recuperate from an illness."


    It was as if Jiang Jinyan''s soul separated from his body. He saw Xu Binchen''s lips move but couldn''t understand what the man was saying. He saw Xu Binchen pat his shoulder but couldn''t feel it on his own body. A dull ache drilled into his heart and it was then that Jiang Jinyan realized he had been holding his breath for too long. "He¡­what?" He asked, his voice was barely a whisper.


    Xu Binchen pinched his brows, veins popping up his forehead. "Don''t pretend. I know you heard me."


    Seeing Jiang Jinyan''s disoriented state, Xu Binchen lost his patience. He hated how iron couldn''t be steel. Why did he look as if the world was on the verge of copsing? Xu Binchen inwardly added ''emotionally fragile, sensitive and slow witted'' into his impression on Jiang Jinyan. The more he looked, the more dissatisfied he became.


    "Man up, kiddo." He said gruffly. "Running away won''t solve your problem. What are you scared of? A real man isn''t afraid of making mistakes, but running away and not amending those mistakes, letting them be the source of darkness in your heart."


    In a timely manner, Xu Binchen''s phone rang, rescuing him from having to cheer up an emotional brat. He almost sighed in relief and thanked whoever was calling him.


    Turning away from the lost Jiang Jinyan, he answered the call. "Hello, why are you calling me? Aren''t you guys having your holiday? No shit, spill it or I will hang up in three, two¡ª" He listened to what the other person was saying, his brows furrowing more and more. "Digging a treasure trove? Qin Weizhe, are you fucking joking with me?"


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    A/N:


    Excavatorborer Xu: wanna die? (¨s¨F¡õ¡ä)¨s¦à©Ø©¤©Ø


    No, jokes aside, my heart aches for Jiang Jinyan QAQ he''s too sensitive and emotionally fragile for his own good. In addition to Shi Nian who will love him unconditionally, he also needs someone to p some sense into his head or else he will remain stubborn. Welp, Xu Binchen is just too rough and insensitive (£à¦Å¡ä)

 Chapter 284 - A Major Crime Scene

    Half an hourter, Xu Binchen arrived in front of Luo Ning''s house with a bunch of uniformed workers plus a huge excavator machine behind him. Luo Ning, who opened the door, had his jaws directly dropped to the ground in awe and shock.


    Xu Binchen lifted his eyes, a burning cigarette hung between his teeth, expressionless. Yet in Luo Ning''s eyes, he looked extraordinarily suave and haughty at this moment. The kind with a halo shining behind his back. "Where is Qin Weizhe?"


    Luo Ning shouted without turning around. "Detective Qin, the¡­theborers are here!"


    Qin Weizhe strode out leisurely and waved toward Xu Binchen. His smile was wide and cheerful. "Hello, brother. What''s up? Your face is as ugly as usual, huh?"


    Xu Binchen glowered. "Where''s the area ought to be excavated?"


    Even though it was almost midnight, the workers Xu Binchen brought with him were still as energetic as ever. For the first time, Luo Ning realized how formidable the power of money was. He stared at his house which was dismantled bit by bit and felt his whole body ache inside out.


    He had just bought this house¡­hadn''t even lived here for a week¡­


    Dusts and debris flew all over the air as the excavator worked to dig a hole out of the floor. The neighbors came out toin due to the loud noises and Qin Weizhe stepped out to mediate. With his handsome appearance and friendly smile, he was able to swoon anyone until they could no longer think straight. The fierce uncles and aunties who sought problems turned in a blink of an eye into amicable and friendly people,ughing and gossiping together with Old Qin.


    Luo Ning stared at him, amazed. Seeing how there was no space to stand in the house, he moved outside and approached the smoking Xu Binchen. There were already two cigarette butts under his feet. The white smoke blurred his visage, making him look softer and more approachable.


    "Thank you foring, Detective Xu." Luo Ning bowed politely. "And also, we are sorry to have called youte into the night."


    Xu Binchen waved his hand, nonchnt. "Nah, I should pity you instead. I heard you have just moved here?"


    Luo Ning''s mouth twitched. He took back the sentence saying that Xu Binchen looked more approachable! He must have been too exhausted to think of that! Luo Ning covered his aching heart and looked up at him pitifully. "Do you really think there''s some¡­thing buried underneath?"


    Xu Binchen gave him a sympathetic nce, one that made Luo Ning want to burst into tears. "Don''t you know Old Qin''s nickname?" Seeing Luo Ning nod, he snorted softly. "Then why are you asking again? That guy''s nose is more potent than a police dog, mind you."


    Luo Ning: "¡­" Why is it so hard to have a proper conversation with him?!


    "What are you two talking about?" Qin Weizhe suddenly slung his arms across Luo Ning''s shoulder, the force dragging him back two steps until his back bumped against the man''s chest. Luo Ning''s heart skipped a beat and started to race faster afterward. Maybe he should thank the darkness for covering his reddening face.


    Xu Binchen threw the cigarette in his mouth, took out a new one and flicked the lighter. His voice came out muffled. "Just praising your sharp intuition."


    Luo Ning: "¡­" That wasn''t what you said a moment ago!


    Hearing Xu Binchen''s words, Qin Weizhe fell silent. Sighing, he shook his head while his hand rubbed and pinched Luo Ning''s ear as ifforting himself with the soft sensation. "I hope it''s me who''s too paranoid¡ªeh?" Qin Weizhe leaned forward and sniffed the air around Xu Binchen, making thetter reveal a disgusted expression and took a few steps back. "You smelled of disinfectant. Did youe here from the hospital?"


    Xu Binchen''s face was deadpan. "No."


    It was as if Qin Weizhe had found a new source of fun. He grinned mischievously, eyebrows hooking up and down. "Oh~ are you visiting that boy? I say ah you, why are you so generous toward your own rival¡ªugh!"


    Xu Binchen moved with an unimaginable speed and punched Qin Weizhe on his gut, causing the man to bend over. His shoulders shook as he hugged his belly with both hands.


    "Like you''re better than me." Xu Binchen retorted.


    "Detective Qin!" Luo Ning''s face paled and he hastily went to support him. "Does it hurt a lot?!" He was so anxious seeing how Qin Weizhe trembled violently that he took no notice of the underlying meaning in Qin Weizhe''s sentence, even ring at Xu Binchen hatefully.


    It wasn''t until a few secondster that he heard the sound of suppressedughtering from the man he held onto.


    Qin Weizhe couldn''t hold it anymore and threw his head back, guffawing.


    Luo Ning was dumbfounded. "You¡­are you okay?"


    Qin Weizhe spent some timeughing to himself, tears sprung up his eyes, making the man''s dark eyes covered in ayer of lustrous sheen. He nced at Luo Ning mirthfully but his words were directed toward Xu Binchen. "Aiyah, see how badly you have frightened our Little Ning?"


    Xu Binchen rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Yeah, if you pretended for one more second, he would have brought a knife out and hacked me to pieces."


    Luo Ning blushed deeply, his eyes wide in disbelief. "You¡­You''re lying to me?!"


    Qin Weizheughed again, his eyes curved into crescents. Seeing how Luo Ning was puffing his cheeks out angrily, he reached out and patted his head. "Alright, alright, it''s my fault okay?" His tone was so soft and indulgent that Luo Ning''s face reddened further, his anger dissipated in an instant.


    "Do you have to dote on him so deeply like that? Qin Weizhe, are you raising a subordinate or a lover?" Xu Binchen''s sharp remarks pierced through the pink bubbles surrounding the two and each of his words poked into Luo Ning''s heart.


    He subconsciously held his breath, waiting for Qin Weizhe''s response. A subordinate or a lover? Sometimes, he also felt that Qin Weizhe was really kind and patient to him more than others, but he had always contributed it to him being the greenest and youngest members in the team.


    However, if Qin Weizhe didn''t have that kind of feeling to him, then why did he kiss him? Then again, if Qin Weizhe liked him, why didn''t he say anything to Luo Ning''s confession?


    Sighing, Qin Weizhe rubbed his neck. "You''re really such an insensitive guy. It''s no wonder that you have always been single. I pity your future girlfriend."


    Xu Binchen only scoffed and turned to walk inside.


    Qin Weizhe turned to Luo Ning, cocking his head toward the direction Xu Binchen walked in. "Come on. Let''s keep up. Do you still feel dizzy?"


    "No¡­" Luo Ning shook his head, dejected. He was itching to listen to Qin Weizhe''s answer but in the end, the man dodged it just like that. Albeit disappointed, he could only chase after the two men and focus on the matter in hand.


    The excavation went on swiftly and smoothly. A hole,rge enough for two men to pass through, formed in Luo Ning''s living room. He looked at his filthy sofa and unusable carpet and once again felt the urge to shed tears.


    "How is it?" Xu Binchen crouched down and shouted.


    "Boss! You¡ªYou shoulde down yourself ah!" The workers sounded frightened and panicked.


    Luo Ning''s heart skipped a beat and he clenched his fists subconsciously.


    At that moment, a warm touch fell upon his head, stroking his head. "Don''t be afraid." Qin Weizhe said in passing and went forward to receive a shlight from one of the workers. The excavators climbed up one by one, their faces drained in color. Xu Binchen frowned, rummaged through his pocket and pulled out a thick roll of one hundred yuans.


    After receiving that huge amount of money, they left with ruddy faces after repeatedly stressing that Xu Binchen should call them again if he needed to, no matter howte it was.


    Xu Binchen impatiently walked out to send them away, leaving Qin Weizhe and Luo Ning to stare at the ck hole.


    Qin Weizhe shone the shlight down and looked around, his brows scrunching. "Old Xu,e here quickly!" Turning to Luo Ning, he said with an exceedingly solemn face. "If you can''t bear it, don''t follow us. Just Xu Binchen and I are enough."


    How could Luo Ning ever let himself be left behind? Provoked Qin Weizhe''s sentence, his fear dwindled and he stepped forward courageously. "I can! Let mee with you two!"


    Luo Ning came closer to Qin Weizhe to see what the man was looking at. Even before he could see anything, a burst of unpleasant smell rushed into his nose. In an instant, nausea churned his stomach and he almost vomited right there and then. It''s no wonder that the workers sported such a horrified face. W¡ªWhat kind of horrible stench was this?!


    Because the floor had just been torn apart, the smell took some time to travel out. He couldn''t quite describe it. Very repulsive and disgusting, as if every foul stench in the world mixed into one. "I¡ªI will go and grab some masks for us!" Luo Ning ran to his bedroom and took inrge gulps of air.


    "What is it?" Xu Binchen returned from outside and simrly, his brows also knitted deeply. His gaze on Qin Weizhe turned severe. "Blood. Rotten flesh."


    Qin Weizhe added at the same time when Luo Ning came out with his face covered with threeyers of masks. "Excrement, possibly human''s. Cement. Moss. Animal carcasses. Heavy scent of rusts and steels."


    Luo Ning halted in his steps, colors drained from his face. He only snapped out of his senses when Qin Weizhe turned to him.


    "Stay here and call our team members as well as Captain Jin. We might have stumbled into a major crime scene."


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    A/N: Poor Luo Ning lol idk whether he''s lucky or not to have his newly bought house to be a crime scene QAQ


    Guys, we have almost reached our goal of 1k privi unlocks! If we canplete it this month then I will give a mass release on the first day of next month :))

 Chapter 285 - Beyond The Brick Wall

    Luo Ning begrudgingly went to call the members back one by one. Everyoneined, "Why are you telling us toe back again?!" Moreover, it was the middle of the night in their previous vacation. Everyone would be irritated to be woken up like this. But none of them could match Luo Ning''s vexation.


    He only said, "Workes first, seniors." Then, he hung up on the phone without exining anything.


    Well, he didn''t know how to say it either. The house he had just bought and moved into coincidentally had a space underneath where a criminal executed imprisonment and homicide for years? This must be one of the top three most despairing incidents in his life.


    "Hello?" Jin Renguang''s deep voice entered his ears, his alert tone slightly eased Luo Ning''s annoyance. "Luo Ning, do you need something?"


    When faced with Jin Renguang, Luo Ning didn''t dare to show his temper at all. "Sorry to bother you at thiste hour, Captain Jin. Detective Qin asked me to call you. We might have found a crime scene that requires your presence here."


    Old Qin''s name was apelling magic word. Instantly, the sound of the chair being pushed back was heard. "Send me the address." He didn''t even ask anything and directly said that he would arrive as soon as possible.


    After finishing the calls, Luo Ning heaved a sigh and approached the hole. There was a faint light flickering inside but still, the environment was too dark for him to see anything. Adding to the revolting smell, Luo Ning really didn''t want to step in. He only steeled himself after remembering that Qin Weizhe was down there.


    Holding his breath, Luo Ning slowly lowered his legs with his hands hanging over the edge of the hole. Only after measuring the distance between his feet and the ground did he slowly let his hands go andnded with a soft thump.


    He inadvertently sucked in a breath and the foul stench assaulted his nose from all directions. It was only then that Luo Ning realized that this was the weird smell he caught when he had just entered the house for the first time with the agent. Because the smell was very faint, he had always thought that it was the distinctive smell of an uninhibited house.


    "Luo Ning?" Qin Weizhe called out from a distance.


    The light came closer along with the man''s footsteps. "Why are youing down?" he sounded exasperated and helpless. To Luo Ning''s amazement, he didn''t even care to wear a mask! How could he even breathe in this kind of foul air?!


    Luo Ning shook his head, unwilling to open his mouth.


    "You should have stayed up there." Sighing, Qin Weizhe beckoned to him. "Well,e on. Old Xu has already gone to see where the end of the tunnel leads to and we will search around here to find the source of the sounds we heard earlier, okay?"


    Luo Ning gave him a thumbs up and flicked his shlight on. He looked around and saw that they were currently standing on a dead end of a tunnel. The walls around him were built from bricks, its surface uneven. Moss grew on every crook and corner. Everywhere Luo Ning stepped on felt kind of sticky and slimy, he didn''t even want to think further of what it was.


    The damp smell was so overpowering that Luo Ning¡ªwho had worn threeyers of mask¡ªcouldn''t resist gagging. He almost vomited all of the beers he had just drank earlier.


    He heard Qin Weizhe sighed and in the next second, his neck was pulled forward, face buried into the hollow of the man''s neck. Instantly, a clean and cool fragrance filled his nose, bringing him back to life. Luo Ning almost groaned in pleasure as he hugged Qin Weizhe, pulled down his mask and ced his nose directly onto the man''s skin, greedily inhaling his scent. He knew it was Detective Qin''s cologne, he even knew the brand and its expensive price. Amidst this hellish ce, Qin Weizhe smelled absolutely heavenly, it was almost celestial. Luo Ning secretly vowed that he would spare some of his savings to buy the same cologne.


    "Better?" He chuckled.


    Luo Ning''s voice was muffled. "¡­hmm."


    "If you can''t bear it, just go up."


    "No!" Luo Ning distanced himself and pulled up the mask with swift movement. "I will help you, Detective Qin. Don''t worry, I will get used to it soon." Honestly, it was the contrary. After inhaling Qin Weizhe''s scent and then being exposed to the foul stench again in return, Luo Ning almost copsed in despair. However, his eyes that were looking at Qin Weizhe remained firm and determined.


    "Alright. Take it as training. You haven''t stepped into such a gruesome crime scene before, have you?" He smiled encouragingly and turned to inspect the walls.


    "No." Luo Ning trailed after Qin Weizhe. "The most I have seen is only the victim''s body part from the serial murder case. How about you, Detective Qin? Have you chanced upon this kind of crime scene often?" To the point where you seem to have gotten used to it? He added inwardly.


    "Not very often. Only once or twice." Luo Ning couldn''t see Qin Weizhe''s face but he sensed the man''s voice turned colder. "But only once is enough for it to be imprinted in your mind. No matter how you try to forget it, you can''t."


    "You''re right¡­" Luo Ning echoed. He also felt like he would never forget this scene for the rest of his life. The shlight in his hand moved around. As he expected, under his feet was ayer of soft soil with puddles of ck water. Mice and cockroaches ran past, there were even worms and centipedes. Goosebumps crawled along Luo Ning''s arm and he hastily averted his eyes. Out of sight, out of mind.


    "Before youe, I was looking at this area." Qin Weizhe gestured toward the area in front of him. There was an indented surface right in the corner of the wall. Qin Weizhe put on gloves and probed around the brick wall.


    Luo Ning didn''t know what he was looking for thus he could only walk around. Excluding the indented area, the walls were shaped in square. Three solid walls surrounded them while the other led elsewhere. Luo Ning directed the shlight there and found that the path was too long to the point where his lights couldn''t reach.


    "Look at this." Qin Weizhe suddenly said. He pointed at the indented wall and the normal wall beside it. "Don''t you think that the moss pattern on the two walls are different?"


    There''s even a pattern of the moss? Luo Ning''s head was filled with question marks but he obediently went to Qin Weizhe and stood beside him. Only afterparing the two walls did he find out something different. So miniscule that he wouldn''t have noticed it if Qin Weizhe didn''t mention it.


    "The moss on the wall is supposed to cover the whole area but on the indented wall, the moss is missing in some corner!" Luo Ning cried out.


    "Bingo." Qin Weizhe swiped his fingers on the moss of two walls. The moss in the indented wall fell in chunks while the normal wall''s moss stayed firmly. "This kind of moss should have been here for more than half a year. Yet one side of it is loose while the other side isn''t." The man suddenly gave Luo Ning his shlight. "Hold this for me."


    "Oh!" Luo Ning shone two shlights onto Qin Weizhe''s hands. The gloved fingers slowly peeled on the corner of the brick where the moss was missing. A familiar scratching sound was heard. Qin Weizhe paused and deliberately used his nails to scratch the brick harder. Luo Ning cried out. "Detective Qin, it''s the sound we heard earlier!"


    Qin Weizhe hummed and in one swift movement, found a small opening in between bricks and pulled out a loose one. Dusts and small rocks fell from the ceiling but the two men were too shocked to react.


    Luo Ning let out a suppressed scream. "Oh God¡­that¡ªare those fingers?!"


    The shlight flickered unstably due to Luo Ning''s tremble. But the scene in front had already been engraved in their heads.


    Beyond the brick where Qin Weizhe had just pulled out, there was a glimpse of forefinger and middle finger, stained with clunks of cement and soil. Moreover, the fingers were still tense horizontally as if the owner was still digging until a moment ago.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: ¦²(¡ã¥í¡ã) oh God, there''s a person buried behind the wall!

 Chapter 286 - Just Stay With Me

    "What are you two standing around for?" The sudden voice from behind shocked Luo Ning so much that he almost jumped like a cat whose tail was being stepped on.


    "D¡ªDetective Xu!" Luo Ning clutched his heart which was beating rapidly, gasping. "Oh my God, why didn''t I hear youing at all?!"


    Xu Binchen gave him a contempted gaze and moved to see the wall in front of Qin Weizhe, his brows furrowing.


    Qin Weizhe asked, "How is it, Old Xu? What is it like on the other end of the tunnel?"


    "This should be an old mining site. I found traces of wheels and machines. Also, this space here ought to be illegally dugged because there''s a fork path up ahead. One side of it led to the entrance of the mine, while the other side¡­" Xu Binchen pondered for a while. "I sensed some people''s activity so I didn''t dare to venture deeper casually. But from the smell, I''m sure it is gunpowder."


    "Gunpowder?!" Luo Ning eximed in shock.


    "Yeah," Xu Binchen answered nonchntly like he was just answering a math problem and not illegal weapons which were banned in the country. "I estimated that there''s a whole lot of it."


    Qin Weizhe recovered quickly from his shock and guessed, "An ammunition warehouse?"


    "It''s possible." Xu Binchen nodded. "Now that we put it like that, Old Qin, don''t you think that it reminds you of¡ª"


    "The mafia?" Both of them said at the same time.


    Luo Ning looked at them, dumbfounded. Wait wait¡ªhow could they just connect the crime scene with the mafia organization based on a few vague clues?


    As if sensing his doubt, Qin Weizhe patiently borated. "A few years ago, the police received an anonymous report saying that the mafia has been rampaging around and killing people blindly. Although the act was said to be done under the name of punishment, it''s too cruel and inhuman. They buried people alive and let them suffer the agony of dying slowly. Can you imagine it, Little Ning?" Qin Weizhe''s eyes turned cold albeit his voice remained soft and steady. "The despair, helplessness and pain of not dying directly? They couldn''t even died even if they wanted to. That''s how cruel the mafia was."


    Images started to form in Luo Ning''s mind. Buried alive. The scratching sound. Newly moved brick stones. So¡­the sound they heard earlier when they were making out, was that the sound of someone struggling, trying to make anyone notice them, to save their lives?


    Luo Ning''s knees trembled and his eyes fell upon the white fingers peeking out from the hole in the wall. In the next second, he ran to the corner, bent over and emptied his stomach. The pungent and bitter taste of beers mixing with his dinner scorched his throat.


    Qin Weizhe and Xu Binchen were dumbfounded at the sudden turn of events.


    Qin Weizhe scratched his cheek awkwardly. "¡­.eh?" In the next moment, he received a p on the back of his head.


    "How are you training your subordinate?" Xu Binchen''s eyes practically spelled ''weakling and ipetent''. "Isn''t his mental strength too weak to be a criminal investigator?"


    Qin Weizhe rolled his eyes, a hint of displeasure in his voice. Somehow, the way Xu Binchen demeaned Luo Ning made him annoyed. "He''s not like us. Little Ning transferred from the Public Security Bureau, you know how peaceful it is there. Meanwhile, our division¡­" He gave a wry smile. "We are practically exposed to every cruelty and savageness of the world. It''s reasonable for him to be unable to adapt in an instant."


    Xu Binchen shrugged and turned to inspect the fingers.


    After Luo Ning finished emptying his stomach, he leaned on the wall, uncaring of how it would dirty his shirt. His limbs felt weaker than before, almost to the point where he couldn''t stand straight. With his eyes teary and red, he was gasping yet every breath he took reminded him of the corpse¡ªor corpses, who knew how many bodies had been buried inside the walls for years?


    "Alright." All of a sudden, his arm was pulled to circle around Qin Weizhe''s neck while the man''s arm hoisted his waist. "Let''s go up. It''s not good for you here."


    Luo Ning hupped, his body was boneless like a puppet as Qin Weizhe dragged both of them up. "Sorry, Detective Qin¡­"


    Qin Weizhe flicked his forehead. "What are you sorry for? It''s very okay to be weak. When I was your age, I was also a little scaredy cat and vomited every time I stepped into a crime scene."


    "Really?" Although Luo Ning couldn''t put Qin Weizhe together with ''scaredy cat'' and ''weak'', it still didn''t stop him from feeling better.


    "Really." He chuckled.


    Xu Binchen climbed up behind them and patted his dusty coat, grimacing.


    In a timely manner, a faint ruckus was heard from outside the gate. "Luo Ning! Old Qin! We are here! Woah, where is your door? What happened to your house?!" The gate had been torn down to amodate the excavator, even the floor to ceiling window was disassembled. The members of the General Crime Division directly sauntered in and entered unobstructed, their jaws dropping as they found a ring hole on the floor. "What the fuck is happening here?!"


    Captain Jin arrived not long after and the house became rowdy once again. They didn''t dare to alert the people from the other side of the tunnel, so they could only investigate the closest area and formte some ns forward.


    The corpse inside the wall had been confirmed to die less than five hours ago, which coincidented with Luo Ning''s horrible spection. The sample was brought back to theboratory and soon, they would be able to identify the corpse.


    "We can''t tear the walls apart right now." Jin Renguang shook his head. "This is a residentialplex and there''s a lot of houses and underground pipelines. If we dig casually, the risk of andslide or earthquake is huge. We need to evacuate the people around here."


    "If we make anyrge movement, then the people on the other side will notice." Qin Weizhe inserted.


    Jin Renguang rubbed his chin and spread out a map he had brought down from his car. He marked Luo Ning''s house there and pushed it toward the man in front of him. "Xu Binchen."


    Xu Binchen nodded. "I walked for about four hundred meters and judging by the sound of activity, they are about one or two hundreds meters away." He estimated the distance on the map and pointed toward a nk, green area in the middle of the mountain hill. "Here, approximately one hundred meters around here."


    "Good." Jin Renguang nodded. "If they really have ammunition storage here, then we will do a direct ambush and catch them off guard. This matter will be handed to Qin Weizhe and Luo Ning because they are the one who found the crime scene. The others, assist them with your all."


    The members of the General Crime Division cried out in agony. "Our precious holiday!!!"


    Jin Renguang turned to Xu Binchen, pondering. "When is your appointment with Manager Si from Dreamscape Bar again?"


    "Three days from now." The man said, "I will prepare from now on. Si Yusheng isn''t that simple and he hasn''t trusted me fully yet. He will definitely disarm me and surround me with his people."


    "Yes, this will be a very risky operation." Jin Renguang patted his shoulder. "But once you seed, it''s only a matter of time until we catch the head of the tiger."


    Xu Binchen nodded, a sharp glint shed through his eyes.


    After confirming the ns, they finally decided to call it a day and returned home. The people left one by one, leaving only Qin Weizhe and Luo Ning.


    Luo Ning looked around his dusty and messy living room that''s clearly unfit for people to live in. Even though his bedroom remained unscathed, just the foul stench in the air was enough for him to be reluctant to stay here any longer.


    Sighing, he bowed toward Qin Weizhe. "Goodnight, Detective Qin. Please drive safely."


    "Wait." Qin Weizhe grabbed his arm. "Where are you going?"


    "I¡­I will stay in the police station for a while until I find a new ce." Luo Ning hung his head low, dejected. He had almost emptied his savings to buy this house and he had even ended the lease on his previous ce. Really, it''s so easy for one to fall from riches to rags. The best option he had right now was to stay in the police station and scanned any affordable houses along the way. Although it would be hard, Luo Ning didn''t have any choice.


    Qin Weizhe fell silent for a moment. "How about this, I can empty a room in my house for you so...just stay with me instead."


    Luo Ning snapped his head up, eyes widened in shock. "Y¡ªYour house?!"


    "Yes," The corner of his lips quirked up. "Even though I already have another housemate, I''m sure she will like you very much." Sensing Luo Ning''s hesitation, he added. "Which one is better; the cramped, smelly police station or afortable and warm bedding in my house?"


    Luo Ning blinked a few times, his cheeks flushing faintly.


    Just like that, the decision was set.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Aaaah, the start of cohabitation (?¨R?¨Q)? one more chappie and we will return to Shi Nian and Jiang Jinyan. Sorry, it''s been a long time since they appeared hehe

 Chapter 287 - A Foreigner Housemate?!

    Luo Ning hugged his backpack and sat on the passenger seat, his fingers wringing nervously.


    "Ready?" Qin Weizhe asked.


    "Ah¡­yes! Of course I am ready!" He answered loudly. Too loud in fact. It was obvious how the more he tried to hide something, the messier it got. Luo Ning closed his eyes in exasperation.


    As he expected, the man beside him chuckled. "Don''t be so nervous. I won''t eat you."


    I won''t eat you¡­ Luo Ning chewed on the words, bbergasted. Qin Weizhe also realized how ambiguous he sounded, especially after the two men had entangled intimately just a few hours ago. He averted his gaze, cleared his throat and started the car.


    The street outside was deste with only a few cars driving sliding leisurely along the road. The autumn weather was chilling but inside the car, the heater was actively sending waves of warm air, making the atmosphere seem even more tranquil and calm. Luo Ning nced at his watch, yawning. It was already 2 am. In fact, he had gotten used to pulling all nighters. If he didn''t drink so much and if¡­he didn''t experience that make out session, maybe he wouldn''t be as exhausted as now.


    He was fighting to keep his eyelids open when a soft sensation touched his head. It was Qin Weizhe''s palm. The man held the steering wheel steadily in one hand and patted him with another, his eyes didn''t stray from the road. "Just sleep if you''re drowsy. We still have quite a long way to go."


    "No¡­" Luo Ning murmured. "I can still hold on¡­" However it wasn''t even one minute yet when his head tilted sideways and rhythmic, deep breathing was heard.


    Qin Weizhe retracted his arm and gave him a nce, chuckling.


    Luo Ning didn''t know how long it had been when he felt a soft sensation grazed across his lips. His eyshes fluttered and he drowsily opened his eyes to find the car already stopped albeit the heater was still on.


    "Awake?" Qin Weizhe''s voice rang out. Amidst the quiet darkness, he sounded deeper and lower than usual.


    "En¡­" Luo Ning rubbed his eyes and yawned. He stretched habitually, the movement lifted his shirt, showing a glimpse of thin and delicate waist. "Sorry, it seems like I really fell asleep." He rubbed his face to brush the haze of drowsiness away and recalled the softness on his lips he felt just now.


    No way¡­right? Luo Ning pressed his lips together. You dumbo, are you too immersed in the memory that you even brought it into dream?! Stop! Stop hallucinating about it! He berated himself inwardly and decided to throw the matter to the back of his mind.


    He looked around to see the car parked in a patio where pots of flowers were nted. There was even a swing under the tree. "Have we arrived?"


    "Yes." Qin Weizhe pinched his cheek. "You are sleeping so well that you didn''t rouse even after I called you for more than five minutes."


    "S¡ªSorry!" Luo Ning blushed, ashamed. The ride was just too steady andfortable. Furthermore, he was surrounded by Qin Weizhe''s scent, making him subconsciously lower his guard.


    They got out of the car one after another. Luo Ning hugged the backpack in his arms as he scanned the surroundings in curiosity. Qin Weizhe''s house was unexpectedly homely and full of warmth. It''s mainly painted in white, grey and ck, designed in modern style with clean lines and minimalistic features. Warm, yellow light illuminated the foyer and only then did Luo Ning recall that Qin Weizhe already had a housemate.


    He started to get nervous again. "Um¡­the other person in the house, how should I address them?"


    Qin Weizhe contemted for a moment. "¡­Lucy. You can call her Lucy."


    The English pronunciation stunned Luo Ning. He had imagined a gentle, schrly gentleman or a cheerful, muscr guy...yet it turned out to be a woman instead? Moreover, she was a foreigner?!


    Qin Weizhe stepped forward and inputted the passcode. "It''s 729137. You should remember it well."


    "Ah¡­" Luo Ning was too dumbfounded to react. A foreigner woman was staying with Qin Weizhe? What¡­What was their rtionship? Ordinary housemates? Lovers? Of course, if a single man and woman were staying together, how could they only be ordinary housemates? A twinge of pain drilled into Luo Ning''s heart, making him suffocate. He suddenly didn''t want to follow the man any further.


    As if with that, he could fool himself that after Qin Weizhe kissed him, he ought to¡­have some feelings for Luo Ning. Right?


    However, Luo Ning''s ns to escape came to naught as Qin Weizhe didn''t give him time to react. The door swung open and warm lights poured in from inside. Qin Weizhe sported a surprised expression before gentleness took over his eyes. "Lucy, sorry. Have you been waiting for me? Why don''t you go to sleep first?"


    Luo Ning closed his eyes and braced himself. So be it. If¡­If he already had a lover, then Luo Ning would sincerely congratte them!


    "Woof!"


    "Good girl, good girl." He chuckled. "Don''t jump on me. See, we have a guest."


    Luo Ning: ".....?"


    "Eh¡­?" He snapped his eyes open and saw arge golden retriever with tongue out and wagging tail pouncing on Qin Weizhe with much enthusiasm. His whole person was stunned silly as if lightning had just struck his head.


    Seeing him standing all frozen, Qin Weizhe was suddenly reminded of something. "It can''t be? Are you scared of dogs? Don''t worry, Lucy is a good girl. She is very sensible and quiet. See?" Qin Weizhe hugged Lucy from behind and waved her paw. "Hello~" He even pinched his voice higher.


    "Woof!" Lucy echoed, panting happily.


    Thebination of handsome man and adorable dog was too much for Luo Ning to bear. He clutched his chest, feeling as if arrows were stabbing there. "Ugh¡­hello. Sorry, I was just a bit surprised. You never said that Lucy is a dog, Detective Qin¡­" He couldn''t help but grumble.


    Qin Weizhe blinked and gave an innocent smile. "Maybe I forgot about it?"


    Can you even forget about this kind of thing?! Luo Ning groaned inwardly.


    Lucy sniffed the stranger carefully and gave a soft ''woof'' when she smelled a trace of her owner on him. Her tail wagged more excitedly. Luo Ning finally recovered from his shock and bubbles of exhration coursed through his veins. When Lucy came over and poked her damp snout on his palm, Luo Ning scratched her behind the ear and hugged her, squealing. "Aiyah, hello, I am Luo Ning. You''re so adorable! How can you be so adorable?!"


    "Woof!" Lucy barked and licked Luo Ning''s chin, making the man giggle in joy.


    "Detective Qin, look! She just answered me!" Luo Ning buried his head on the fluffy fur and rubbed a few times. "Ah you''re so soft and fragrant! Beautiful! You''re so cute! Detective Qin, why haven''t you told anyone that you have a dog? How old is Lucy? No, hahaha don''t lick me, it''s ticklish!"


    Luo Ning turned his head at the same time when a sh of light shone on him a few times. He squinted his eyes and saw Qin Weizhe locked his phone and pocketed it. Luo Ning blinked, bewildered.


    Qin Weizhe walked toward them and patted Luo Ning and Lucy''s head, his smile exceedingly gentle. "Alright, let''s go inside now."


    "Woof!"


    "Alright!"


    The human and dog sported the same bright eyes and silly expression. Qin Weizhe couldn''t help butughed, amused. The sun would rise in just a few more hours so Qin Weizhe decided to leave the house tour for another day and directly brought Luo Ning to a guest room. "You can stay here. The bathroom is inside and you can find the towel, toothbrush and soap in the cab." Pausing briefly, he added with a gentle smile. "Sleep well, it''s been a long day."


    "Thank you very much, Detective Qin!" Luo Ning bowed deeply.


    Qin Weizhe waved casually and walked toward the room adjacent to Luo Ning''s, Lucy followed behind his steps and slipped in before the door fully closed.


    The corner of Luo Ning''s lips curled upward. He closed the door behind him and yawned. The curtain was fully drawn, blocking out the light from streemp outside. There was arge bed in the middle of the room radiating the smell of detergent and sunshine. Luo Ning opened another door inside the room and found the bathroom. He didn''t hesitate to jump in and wash himself clean.


    Ten minutester, he was already lying on the bed, face buried into the pillow.


    ¡­it was the same scent he sensed from Qin Weizhe, minus the man''s cologne.


    Luo Ning''s heart raced faster. He thought that he wouldn''t be able to sleep soundly, either gued by the nightmare of the corpse in the wall or the dreamy and intimate entanglement with Qin Weizhe. However, surrounded by the man''sforting scent, it took no time at all for Luo Ning to doze off, his whole body rxed fully.


    In the end, he didn''t dream of anything at all.


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    A/N: two men and a dog. I think they can just get married directly (¨R?¨Q) perfect!

 Chapter 288 - Am I Interrupting Something?

    Ever since Jiang Jinyan was hospitalized, Shi Nian took over to feed his kitten. She also slept with it and took a bunch of photos together. Shi Nian wondered if he would smile more if she showed it to him.


    Wednesday morning was a self study session thus Shi Nian directly took half a day of absence and departed to the hospital, carrying a bag of homemade dishes and broth soup with her. It was still quite early for Jiang Jinyan to have breakfast so it was the perfect time to bring him the food. As she walked into the hospital lobby, Shi Nian''s lips curled upward as she imagined how Jiang Jinyan would react when he saw her at this hour. Would he be pleasantly surprised or¡­would he be angry instead?


    The elevator brought Shi Nian up and she had just stepped out when Nurse Xia Yu caught sight of her. "Miss Shi!" Surprise, she asked. "So, have you heard of the news too?"


    Shi Nian blinked in confusion. "What news?"


    "Ah, you haven''t heard of it?" Nurse Xia frowned. "I thought you know and that''s why youe here so early in the morning."


    Shi Nian felt foreboding sinking down her heart. "What''s wrong? Did¡­something happen to Jiang Jinyan?"


    "No," Shi Nian was only relieved for a split second before Nurse Xia continued. "For some reason, he wants to be discharged from the hospital today. Aiyah, it''s so troublesome, his wounds hadn''t even dried properly yet¡­"


    Shi Nian didn''t hear what Nurse Xia was grumbling about anymore. Bowing slightly, she dashed toward Jiang Jinyan''s room and coincidentally overheard him talking to the doctor.


    "...There''s something important I have to attend."


    The doctor showed a half-helpless and half-annoyed expression. "It''s not a matter of urgency, Mr. Jiang. The problem is, your condition isn''t suited yet for you to be discharged from the hospital. Moreover, we have just done another operation on your leg and you can''t put on the artificial leg just yet."


    Jiang Jinyan pondered for a while. "Then, if I don''t put it on, can I be discharged?"


    "You¡ª!"


    Slight movements from the door attracted the two people''s attention and they turned to see Shi Nian standing there, her face pale and anxious. The doctor recognized Shi Nian and almost sighed in relief. She smiled more sincerely, "It seems like you have a visitor. I will leave you two to talk alone then. Mr. Jiang, please carefully reconsider my words."


    Shi Nian bowed toward the doctor and gingerly walked into the room.


    This was the first time they met again since Shi Nian''s abrupt confession.


    After she got carried away and professed her feelings in a bold manner, Shi Nian hugged him and the two snuggled against each other quietly, none wanted to separate from the warmth andfort it brought. The wetness on her shoulder made Shi Nian panic. Even if she was given ten times the courage, she still didn''t dare to look at his face.


    Still, just knowing that Jiang Jinyan was crying was enough to break her heart into pieces. Shi Nian racked her brain, trying to divert his attention. "S¡ªShall I tell you a story?" She blurted out the first thing in her mind and waited nervously for Jiang Jinyan''s answer.


    It wasn''t until sweat formed on her forehead that she finally heard a soft grunt of approval.


    Heaving a sigh of relief, Shi Nian hummed. "Let''s see, what story should I tell you?" A sudden idea formed in Shi Nian''s mind. "Do you remember what I talked aboutst time, something about reincarnation and the cycle of life and death?"


    "¡­what about it?"


    Shi Nian sat on his bedside and let his head rest on her shoulder. She stared out of the window, the corner of her lips curled up slightly. "Actually, there''s a story behind it. Let''s see¡­ A long, long time ago, there existed a great General, the leader of the troops and the Emperor''s most precious vessel named Jiang Jinyan." Pausing for a while, Shi Nian added, "His reputation spread beyond the nation. Everytime he stepped onto the battlefield, it was as if the God of War was standing behind him. News of victories came one after another. He protected the nation very well and the people loved him very much."


    Jiang Jinyan gave a soft, inaudible chuckle. "So formidable?"


    "Yes! He''s the strongest, handsomest and bravest person ever!" Shi Nianughed, her fingers raked across his head, stroking there tenderly. "One day, when he was on a mission to wipe out the fugitives, he saved a little girl that was almost beheaded in public. The little girl''s body wasdened in injuries and her tongue was cut, making her a mute. The Great General took pity on her and offered her shelter. He also gave her a name." She whispered. "¡­Shi Nian. He gave her the name Shi Nian."


    Shi Nian felt Jiang Jinyan''s breathing on the side of his neck, soft and smooth. She was ready to continue when Jiang Jinyan asked, "Then, what happened to both of them?"


    The corner of Shi Nian''s lips curled upward. A hint of nostalgia in her eyes. "The General taught her literature, taught her how to protect herself, he also taught her how to live her life properly. Although flowers wilted in winter, they would also bloom tenaciously when spring arrived. The General had always been the girl''s mentor, friend, guardian as well as the person she admired the most."


    "And then?"


    "And then what?"


    "How does the story end?"


    Shi Nian hummed vaguely. The lowered eyshes quivered. "In the end...they stayed together until death separated them, living a life full of happiness and bliss."


    "¡­Shi Nian?" The call brought Shi Nian out of her reverie and she blinked to see Jiang Jinyan staring at her, frowning. "Why are you here at this time? Did you¡­hear what I was talking about with the doctor?"


    The memories from that night dissipated and Shi Nian returned her focus to the matter in hand. She put the bag on the table and nodded. "The nurse in front also told me about it." She gave Jiang Jinyan a perplexed look. "You want to be discharged? Why? Can you¡­tell me the reason?"


    Jiang Jinyan was taken aback. In the next second, the anxiety and irritation in his eyes melted away. "I thought you would be the first one to go against my decision¡­"


    "No, how can I be?" Shi Nian hastily defended herself. "I know that you''re not such an unreasonable person. If you said that you have an important matter to attend to, then it''s definitely urgent. But you¡­" She scanned his unhealthyplexion and the ck circles under his eyes, feeling distress and heartache. "Can you tell me? Maybe¡­Maybe I will be able to help you and you won''t have to be discharged?"


    Jiang Jinyan fell silent for a moment. He quietly reached out a hand toward her.


    Shi Nian, albeit confused, still shuffled closer and gingerly put her palm into his hand. In an instant, Jiang Jinyan yanked her closer and hugged her tightly, head buried into the girl''s stomach.


    "J¡ªJiang Jinyan?!" Shi Nian cried out in surprise.


    "Thank you¡­" He whispered. "However, you can''t help me this time. I have to do it myself."


    Somehow, Shi Nian could sense the tension and unease radiating from him. She patted his back infort and tried to plead again. "Then, can Ie with you? Please? Jiang Jinyan, I am very, very worried about you¡­ If I have to stay here and wait for you, maybe I will die from worry."


    Jiang Jinyan let out a mirthful chuckle. "Die from worry? You¡ª"


    A series of knocks interrupted the warm atmosphere surrounding the two. Shi Nian snapped her head up to see a familiar looking man standing outside the door, smiling politely. He wore a dark blue two piece suit, straight, uncrease ck pants and polished shoes. His long hair was tied behind his neck and gold rimmed sses hung on his nose,plimenting his elegant temperament perfectly.


    He looked at the scene inside without a change of expression. "Good morning, am I interrupting something?"


    Jiang Jinyan loosened his hold and nodded. "No, youe at the right time, Secretary Si."


    Only then did Shi Nian remember this person. Wasn''t he the one who had once given his name card to her? What was his name again? Si Zhening? Shi Nian recalled that he seemed to be Jiang Jinyan''s father''s secretary.


    "Good morning, Young Master Jiang. I was shocked to receive your call this morning and found younded in the hospital again." Sighing, Si Zhening swept his gaze over and halted on Shi Nian. "Oh, who might thisdy be?"


    The second their eyes met, Shi Nian''s heart skipped a beat.


    .


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    A/N: oh damn, will Shi Nian finally remember something?! And Jiang Huocheng, how are you now?! £¨?¡õ?;£©


    hehehe will Shi Nian''s storytelling finally jolt Jiang Jinyan''s memory? Let''s see....

 Chapter 289 - Everything Will Be Okay

    Shi Nian blinked a few times and the weird feeling dissipated before she had the chance to identify it. Si Zhening was still looking at her with the same polite smile. Bowing, Shi Nian introduced herself. "Hello, Mr. Si, my name is Shi Nian. We have met before."


    "Ah, yes." Si Zhening''s smile deepened as he returned Shi Nian''s bow. "We have indeed met before, Miss Shi."


    "I asked Secretary Si to deal with my discharge procedure and¡­" Jiang Jinyan''s words trailed off and he grabbed Shi Nian''s hand, frowning. "Why are your hands trembling? Are you cold?" he proceeded to rub her hands to keep the temperature up.


    "Eh¡­?" Shi Nian looked at the trembling fingertips, confused. "You''re¡­right? The weather must have been too cold. I will leave you and Mr. Si to talk for a while." She squeezed Jiang Jinyan''s fingers and smiled. "I will wait for you outside, okay?"


    Jiang Jinyan''s eyes thawed and he replied with a faint smile.


    Shi Nian gathered her coat and walked out, passing by Si Zhening along the way. A faint fragrance wafted into her nose. It seemed like cologne, but there was also a slight chill that came from autumn wind. Kind of¡­familiar and unsettling.


    In an instant, some images formed in her mind. Ground covered in snow, polished shoes, towering figure and a pair of gold rimmed sses. Once again, it disappeared before Shi Nian could discern what it was. Frown appeared between her brows and she sat on the bench outside Jiang Jinyan''s room.


    It was weird. Shi Nian rubbed her chest. Why was her heart beating so fast?


    Shi Nian pulled out her phone and entered the search engine. [Snow phenomena in China.] The results came out in a split second. The topmost article attracted her attention. [Meteorologists have predicted that Capital City will finally wee snow for the first time in five years!]


    She clicked the article and read it thoroughly. [The weather in China has always been unpredictable. For thest five years, Capital City has maintained the top rank for the city which has the lowest temperature change, contrary to City A and City S which are almost covered in snow when winter arrives. However, this year, the meteorologists have predicted that Capital City will finally wee snow for the first time in five years! The climate changes are observed to fluctuate 30% more thanst year. Entering thest few days of autumn, the temperature has almost dropped to ten degrees Celsius¡­]


    Shi Nian leaned her head back on the wall and stared nkly in daze.


    Snow. As long as she could remember, thest time she had yed in the snow was two years ago. Even in herst memory at the convenience store, it wasn''t snowing.


    So, where did the memory of Si Zhening and snowe from? Did she somehow meet the man a few years back but forgot about it in the end?


    Shi Nian didn''t know how long she spent the time racking her brain. Being a person with memory loss was really worrisome. She couldn''t help but assume every imagination and every dream to be the fragment of her lost memories, unable to discern whether it really happened or not.


    Moreover, it had almost been six months but she still couldn''t remember anything. How frustrating.


    The door to Jiang Jinyan''s room slid open amidst her self doubt and Si Zhening stepped out. Shi Nian''s eyes couldn''t help but fall onto the man''s polished shoes. It ovepped with the scene in her memory, not even a single deviation.


    "Miss Shi," Si Zhening bowed. "Sorry to have made you wait. Young Master Jiang and I have finished talking so feel free to enter." He was ready to turn away when Shi Nian called out to him.


    "Mr. Si!"


    "Yes?" He gave a courteous and amicable smile. "Is there something wrong?"


    "Hmm¡­" Shi Nian wrung her fingers nervously. "Will Jiang Jinyan really be discharged from the hospital?"


    Si Zhening gave a helpless look. "It''s Young Master''s order and I can''t win against his stubbornness. Moreover, he''s worried about his father so he''s not in any capacity to wait any longer."


    "His father?" Shi Nian was worried. "Did something happen to him?"


    "As of now, no. But everything hasn''t been confirmed yet." He smiled and nodded slightly. "If you''ll excuse me."


    Shi Nian stared at his face and blurted out the question before thinking. "Mr. Si, have we met somewhere before? Not in the hospital, but somewhere else, it''s on a snowy day¡­"


    Si Zhening showed a puzzled look. "A snowy day?"


    Shi Nian shook her head, apologetic. "No, I am very sorry. I might have taken you for someone else."


    "Is that so?" Si Zheningughed softly. "I have been told that I have a verymon face so I think that''s the case."


    Shi Nian could tell that he was trying to alleviate the awkwardness and her goodwill toward the man rose slightly. "Sorry for dying you, Mr. Si. Please go ahead."


    Si Zhening nodded once again, turned around and walked down the hallway. His steps rang out steady andposed. The corner of his lips was still curling up but behind those gold rimmed sses, no emotion could be seen from his eyes. Slowly, like a robot he turned down his lips and his face remained cold and expressionless until he got to the nurse station.


    ***


    "Are you really going to be discharged today?" Shi Nian asked worriedly.


    "Yes." Seeing her looking so anxious, Jiang Jinyan''s lips tilted up. "I am really okay. Don''t worry."


    "But¡­But the doctor prohibited you to." Carefully, she probed. "You can''t wait until you get the doctor''s permission?"


    "No." Jiang Jinyan pulled her closer by her hand and fiddled with her thin, slender fingers. "It seems like something has happened to my father. I¡­am a little worried about him." His voice barely ended in a whisper and with his head hung low, Shi Nian was unable to see his expression clearly.


    So, the reason why he looked so restless and anxious was because of his father? Well, if Shi Nian were in his position and something happened to Qiang Fei when she was hospitalized, she would also try whatever she could to get to her, even if she had to crawl out from the window.


    Sighing, Shi Nian reached out to stroke his hair. "Don''t worry." She hugged his shoulder loosely. "Don''t worry, Jiang Jinyan. Everything will be okay."


    "Ha¡­" Jiang Jinyan''s head was buried into her shoulder as he let out a breathlessugh. "Why¡­if you say it like that, I really feel like everything will be fine?"


    The tip of Shi Nian''s ears reddened and her heart raced so fast that she was sure Jiang Jinyan would be able to hear it loud and clear. Every word that came out from his mouth tasted like honey, very sweet and euphonious, making her whole body feel warm especially when she sensed that Jiang Jinyan didn''t seem to have any intention of pushing her away anymore.


    "¡­Aren''t your heart beating a little too fast?" he asked quietly.


    Shi Nian answered with a vague hum. "Really? Maybe¡­because I am just worried about you."


    What to do? She liked this man more and more, so much to the point where she had started to miss him even before he left. Shi Nian tried to suppress the anxiety and restlessness in her heart and hugged him closer instead, trying to imprint his every breath and presence into her mind.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Finally, will Jiang Jinyan get to meet his father, or even reconcile? Both of them are victims and they have already been hurt enough. My poor babies QAQ


    We have finally reached both of our monthly goals: more than 100 GTs AND 1000 privi unlocks!!! (?¨R?¨Q)? thank you very much, my dearies for your support! Let me love you with a mass release on the first day of Decemberter. Expect more than 5 chappies ;))

 Chapter 290 - A Fragile Health

    Secretary Si had always been swift and efficient. As soon as he came, the doctor''sint became useless. Moreover, the person whom the doctor thought would be her number one supporter didn''t even try to hold Jiang Jinyan back. Looking at the docile yet supporting Shi Nian, the doctor gnashed her teeth, hating that iron couldn''t be steel.


    Shi Nian returned to school at noon while Jiang Jinyan went to the airport with Si Zhening. Together, they flew on Jiang Huocheng''s private ne directly to the ind.


    It was a little beautiful ind in the middle of the ocean, surrounded by silver sand, crystal clear beach and cloudless blue sky. Lines of coconut trees were nted along the path and a few picturesque, elegant and antique wooden cottages built along the shore. A few distance away, there stood a lone, three storey pure white building that looked kind of out of ce.


    The private nended on the long and spacious runway, a bunch of bodyguards and staff were already waiting there.


    Jiang Jinyan looked out of the window and saw Secretary Deng Chuqian there. The man''s face didn''t look particrly good which made him sneer quietly.


    "Young Master Jiang, we have arrived." Si Zhening pushed forward the wheelchair and bowed.


    Jiang Jinyan hummed. He took out the earbuds and messaged Shi Nian, telling the girl that he had arrived safe and sound. Only then did he climb onto the wheelchair with Si Zhening''s help.


    "Young Master Jiang¡­" Secretary Deng stepped forward as they got off the ne, his eyes inadvertently fell on Jiang Jinyan''s legs, shock and apprehension was visible on his face.


    If this was Jiang Jinyan a few weeks ago, he might have already lost his temper and felt humiliated to death. But now, his face didn''t change when he nodded. "Secretary Deng, long time no see."


    Deng Chuqian snapped out of his thoughts and bowed his head, his eyes didn''t stray anymore. "It''s very nice to see you, Young Master Jiang. I hope you have been well." He was already in his fifties, just a few years younger than Jiang Huocheng. However, he already had grey hairs all over his head and deep wrinkles on his face. With a hunched back and thin figure, he looked much older than his actual age.


    The bodyguards were muscr and stern, all wore ck suits and ck sses with earpiece speakers in their ears. Guided by those people along the road, the atmosphere felt exceedingly heavy and solemn. Well, most of it could be attributed to Jiang Jinyan''s gloomy expression anyway.


    Everyone had heard that Jiang Huocheng only had one son. However, they had never met him before nor did he attend any business parties or socialize with other young masters his age. The only thing they knew was that the rtionship between father and son had been strained for years andtely, the young master had gotten into a car ident and crippled his leg. Thus, nobody dared to tantly look at him like Deng Chuqian did.


    "Where''s my father?" The man''s voice was quiet and even, yet it caused cold sweat to break out on their backs. For them, Jiang Jinyan was like an unpredictable bomb thus no one dared to say anything, discreetly handing the hot potato to Deng Chuqian.


    "Hahaha¡­" Deng Chuqianughed awkwardly. "That¡­CEO Jiang has been very busy these past few days so he''s resting right now."


    The corner of Jiang Jinyan''s lips curled into a smile that didn''t reach his eyes. "It will be dinner time soon but he''s still sleeping?"


    "Yes, yes. You know that our business partners are mostly foreigners thus our working hours are a bit different."


    They left the terminal and found a ck Jeep in front. It was a huge car that could amodate eight people at most. Two bodyguards took the driver seat and passenger seat while Deng Chuqian, Jiang Jinyan and Si Zhening sat on the back seat. Deng Chuqian tried to break the heavy atmosphere, speaking in a light tone. "Young Master must have been tired after such a long journey. We have emptied the west cottage for you. Please rest first¡ª"


    "The Jiang Huocheng I know will definitely show his face if he knows I am here." Jiang Jinyan turned to him, his eyes brooding. "Take me to my father. Right now."


    Deng Chuqian grimaced. However, his face didn''t look like he would yield anytime soon. "Ah, that¡ª"


    "Secretary Deng, I advise you to act otherwise." Si Zhening smiled lightly, polite and courteous as usual. "No matter what, Young Master is CEO Jiang''s son. You have no right to hinder him from meeting his father. Or else," His eyes shed in a glint. "Do you want us to go through thew?"


    "Secretary Si!" Deng Chuqian massaged his brows, frustrated. "I never meant that. But it''s CEO Jiang''s order¡­"


    Jiang Jinyan silently stared at him, his fists clenched above his knees.


    "Fine." Deng Chuqian spat out in surrender. "We will go to CEO Jiang first then."


    The Jeep made a turn away from the wooden cottage toward the white building behind it. Deng Chuqian made some calls along the way and when they arrived in front of the building, there were two people in white coats that were waiting for them. Both were males, one of them looked to be in his forties with deep features, forest green eyes and blonde hair while the younger man had Asian features, appearing in his twenties.


    "Wee, Young Master Jiang." The foreigner doctor unexpectedly spoke in fluent Chinese. His smile was wide and friendly. Upon seeing Jiang Jinyan, he stepped in to give him a hug. "Oh my, look at you. You have grown to be such a handsome man. You can''t imagine how heartbroken I am to hear about your ident."


    Jiang Jinyan shrunk from the man''s touch, a frown on his face. "...Do you know me?"


    "Of course!" The man smiled and took no notice of Jiang Jinyan''s alienation. A hint of nostalgia on his face. "I am the one who delivered you here. Oh! I am also the one who held you first before everyone did." He broke out into loud guffaws and only stopped when the younger man behind him coughed.


    He stepped forward and bowed. "Young Master Jiang, it''s an honor to meet you. My name is Cai Mingzhe and I am Doctor Darren Walker''s assistant."


    Jiang Jinyan looked at Doctor Walker, dazed.


    So, Xu Binchen was right. Neen years ago, he was indeed born here.


    Along the way, Doctor Darren was the one who chatted nonstop. Cai Mingzhe was a serious and reticent man to begin with while Jiang Jinyan¡­he was even worse. If they were just ordinary strangers, he wouldn''t even give them any attention.


    Deng Chuqian and Si Zhening silently trailed behind him, not making any sound.


    They rode on the elevator to the third floor. The heavy scent of disinfectant rushed into Jiang Jinyan''s nose, reawakening some memories that he''d better forget. When he came to his senses, his palms were mmy with sweat and his throat felt dry.


    Doctor Walker could talk about anything. The ind''s beauty, his leisure life here, how Jiang Huocheng funded his research and Cai Mingzhe''s schrship, as well as how Jiang Jinyan was such a wrinkly tiny baby that would cry everytime Jiang Huocheng put him down.


    Jiang Jinyan stayed silent. It was unknown whether he really listened or not. In the end, he couldn''t bear it anymore and asked. "What happened to my father? He can''t evene out to receive me. Is¡­" His eyshes trembled ever so slightly. "Is he very sick?"


    In Jiang Jinyan''s mind, Jiang Huocheng had always been a formidable, steadfast and invincible man. He single handedly brought Jiang Corporation to its glory today, it was a feat that not anyone could replicate. Even when he was in his fifties, he was still a very handsome man. Maturity made him look more attractive instead, akin to aging wine that tasted more intoxicating as time passed. He was tall and fit, his features were deep and chiseled, and there was unspeakable woe between his brows that added to a hint of mystery to his charm.


    He looked like a man with a story that all women wanted to conquer.


    It was hard to imagine such a man could ever copse.


    "It''s no big deal." Doctor Walker smiledfortingly. "He''s just over exhausted. He has always had a fragile health so only some nourishment and a lot of rest is needed."


    Jiang Jinyan repeated, incredulous. "A fragile health¡­?"


    "Yes." Doctor Walker sighed, unaware of the turmoil in Jiang Jinyan''s heart. "I have already warned him numerous times but he just doesn''t listen. A patient with a history of heart attack has to maintain a healthy diet and regr rest. I have never seen such a stubborn man like him. He works around the clock like he never gets tired."


    Jiang Jinyan''s heart stuttered and his breath hitched on his throat. What did he say? Heart¡­attack?


    Before Jiang Jinyan realized it, they had already arrived in front of a double door. Doctor Walker scanned his work pass and gestured for him. "Go on. I have just injected him with a dose of medicine so he''s kind of drowsy right now. But you shouldn''t have to wait long. He might wake up before dinner."


    Jiang Jinyan''s heart almost leapt to his throat. He wanted to tell Si Zhening to give him some time to calm himself but he hadn''t opened his mouth yet when the man had pushed him in.


    In the next second, the room unfolded in front of his eyes.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: oh, Jiang Jinyan finally knows! QAQ

 Chapter 291 - Why Dont You Tell Me?

    The room was decorated in an elegant and sophisticated style, mainly dominated by brown and cream color. The curtain was drawn, showing the breathtaking scenery of the sun setting and tranquil beach, thebination of bursting streaks of golden, purple and dark blue was simply captivating.


    However, as soon as he entered, Jiang Jinyan''s eyes instantly focused on the man lying on the bed, unable to look away. The man looked much older than he remembered him to be. Streaks of white hair colored his temple and his eyebrows were perpetually frowning as if he was having a nightmare.


    The hands thatid on his side were thin and dry, looking especially frail and sickly.


    He looked¡­nothing like the man Jiang Jinyan knew.


    Secretary Si pushed him to Jiang Huocheng''s bedside and bowed. "Young Master Jiang, I will stay outside if you need me." He also nodded toward Doctor Walker. "Excuse me, Doctor."


    "Ah yes." Doctor Walker snapped out of his thoughts and returned his smile. "Go on ahead."


    The meticulously dressed man turned and walked away and Doctor Walker''s eyes followed his back until he disappeared behind the door. His eyes were unreadable, kind of the mixture of confusion, astonishment and bafflement.


    Jiang Jinyan discreetly pinched his thigh and used the pain to clear his mind. "Doctor Walker¡­" He said in a strained voice. "You said that my father has a history of heart attack?"


    "That''s right." Doctor Walker finally sensed that something was off. However, it was already toote by that time. He could only brace himself and continue. "He has already contracted the symptoms of heart attack as early as eighteen years ago."


    Seeing Jiang Jinyan''s increasingly somber face, the blonde man hurriedly added, "But don''t worry, the symptoms are always mild and curable with medicine and a healthy lifestyle. It''s only your father who suddenly got crazy two months ago and suddenly buried himself in work like there''s no tomorrow. You should berate him harder when he wakes up."


    Two months ago?


    A scene popped up in Jiang Jinyan''s mind, one that caused his breathing to halt. Two months ago¡­was it the time when he said that they didn''t have to meet each other again, that if Jiang Huocheng forced him further, then all he could get was Jiang Jinyan''s corpse? Was that why he worked himself until he copsed?


    Jiang Jinyan took a deep breath, each movement caused his heart to ache like never before.


    "Are you okay?" Doctor Walker crouched down and looked at him worriedly. His deep forest green eyes exuded genuine concern. "I''ve told you not to worry. As long as he doesn''t pull all nighters again, he will be able to live healthily until one thousand years. I promise!"


    Jiang Jinyan''s nails sunk into his palm and the pain sobered him up. A bit. "Doctor Walker, there''s something I want to ask you." It''s crazy, totally crazy, Jiang Jinyan knew. He wasn''t the kind of person who would ask this to the person they had just met a few minutes ago.


    Maybe because the doctor was someone who knew their family inside out or maybe because Jiang Jinyan could sense nothing but kindness and sincerity from his eyes.


    "My mother¡­" He said with hesitation. "Do you think my mother''s death is my father''s fault?"


    At first, Doctor Walker showed a shocked expression, then it gradually morphed to helplessness and finally, sadness. "Young Master Jiang, have you always been thinking about this?"


    Jiang Jinyan hung his head low, silent.


    The only sound in the room was the rhythmic beep from the heart rate monitor as well as Jiang Huocheng''s deep breathing.


    All these while, he couldn''t help but me Jiang Huocheng. If he was there, would Guan Xiaoxiao have suffered less? If he was there, would she still be alive right now?


    If Jiang Huocheng was there for them, was it possible for him to have an ideal family?


    Excellent father, beautiful and elegant mother¡­


    Maybe¡­maybe he would even have a brother or sister.


    "Young Master Jiang," Doctor Walker pinched his brows, exasperated. "I don''t really know how to exin it to you. What I can say is¡­they have their own share of suffering. Did Madam Jiang suffer? Yes, she definitely did. But CEO Jiang also suffers. The torment and agony he feels didn''t lose to you or your mother."


    Doctor Walker patted his shoulder. "CEO Jiang loves both of you very much. Trust me."


    Jiang Jinyan averted his eyes and it halted on the photo frame standing on the nightstand. There were three people there and the location was precisely the hospital room they were in now although it was Guan Xiaoxiao who was sitting on the bed. Her hair messy, face pale with dark circles below her eyes. She looked haggard and exhausted. But there was a wide, blissful smile on her face and the eyes which looked directly into the camera exuded happiness that couldn''t be faked. One that Jiang Jinyan had never seen before.


    Beside her was the younger Jiang Huocheng, the corner of his eyes were red and there were tear streaks on his cheek. He had one arm around Guan Xiaoxiao while the other was hugging a small bundle of cloth. The man''s expression was extremely soft as he gazed down at the baby in his arms.


    It was so¡­beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time.


    Doctor Walker followed Jiang Jinyan''s line of sight and eximed softly. "This photo¡­it was taken on the day you were born." The man couldn''t help but chuckle. "Your mother had a slightplication during thebor and I recalled your father cried so much that he almost flooded the floor with his tears."


    "But in the end¡­she managed to push you out with her own strength." He finished softly, a smile on his lips as he reminisced about the past.


    Silence stretched between them once again. Doctor Walker was almost sure that he wouldn''t get any response when Jiang Jinyan said quietly. "¡­I have never seen this photo before."


    "Ha, I knew it! Your father is such an awkward and shy man. He''s the type who will silently do everything for you without you knowing." Doctor Walker chortled and stretched his body. "So, whatever conflict you guys have, I hope you can solve it as soon as possible."


    "Young Master Jiang¡­you guys only have each other as family so I hope there will be no more regrets."


    Jiang Jinyan didn''t even realize when Doctor Walker stepped out of the room nor was he aware how long he had been sitting there, staring at Jiang Huocheng''s broad palm and calloused fingers, the green veins were prominent. The man''s skin didn''t even look stic and supple anymore. He already had age spots and wrinkles everywhere.


    Jiang Jinyan silently buried his face into his palm, his breathing came out harsh.


    After a long time, the fingers by the bedside twitched slightly. Jiang Huocheng slowly opened his eyes and it only took a few seconds for him to discern his surroundings. Sighing, he was ready to get up and flung the IV drip away when he sensed another presence in the room.


    Shock couldn''t even describe what Jiang Huocheng was feeling. "¡­Jinyan?"


    "You¡­" Jiang Huocheng was¡­yes, he was bbergasted. Panicked even. "Why are you here? Did Walker call you? No, it is impossible¡­"


    "Why don''t you tell me¡­?" Jiang Jinyan''s voice started as a whisper before his tone gradually rose into a hoarse growl. "Why don''t you ever tell me anything at all?! Do you intend to hide it forever?!"


    .


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    .


    A/N: Yes, give it to him Jinyan! QAQ they both deserve this

 Chapter 292 - Failure As A Husband And Father

    Jiang Huocheng''s head sobered up in an instant and he was caught at a loss for words.


    ¡­damn it, how he wished he could have slept longer.


    He scanned Jiang Jinyan''s furious eyes, covered in a luminousyer of tears, perplexed. How long had it been since they had looked each other in the eye? Six months? A year? Jiang Huocheng couldn''t quite remember it.


    His heart couldn''t help but constrict painfully. He cleared his throat and averted his eyes away, yet itnded on Jiang Jinyan''s bruised face and bandaged arm instead. Frowning, his voice turned deep in dissatisfaction. "You''re fighting again? With your leg like this? Who did you fight with?"


    Jiang Jinyan clenched his fists tight, his head hung low. If this was him before, he would have thought that Jiang Huocheng wasn''t pleased with his behavior. No matter what Jiang Jinyan did, Jiang Huocheng would always have something to nitpick on. Anyway, he also had had enough of the man''s cold behavior.


    However, he recalled Doctor Walker''s words. "Your father is such an awkward and shy man. He''s the type who will silently do everything for you without you knowing."


    Really? Was Jiang Huocheng really a person like that?


    "¡­So what if you know whom I fought with?" he asked quietly.


    "What?!" Jiang Huocheng couldn''t believe his ears. He stared at his son, incredulous. Could someone tell him whether this person was really his son? Since when did he be so mild and docile? Jiang Huocheng almost choked on his breath as he replied, "What do you mean so what? Of course, father has to take care of the aftermath so that those people will not be able to find you again."


    "You¡­" Jiang Jinyan''s eyes rounded in disbelief. "Is that what you did to every single person before?"


    Jiang Huocheng frowned. He would look imposing and pressuring if he wasn''t d in pajamas with his hair stuck out in all ces. Sighing, he pinched his brows. "Who the hell told you about this ce? What are you doing here anyway?"


    "Father." Jiang Jinyan called out suddenly.


    Jiang Huocheng swallowed theint in his belly back down. "¡­What?"


    "You haven''t answered my question yet. If I didn''te here, would you hide this matter from me forever?"


    Jiang Huocheng raked his fingers across his hair. "It''s not a big deal."


    "Not a big deal?" Jiang Jinyan scoffed. "So, it will only be a big deal until I find your corpse?"


    Jiang Huocheng frowned and berated, his voice louder. "Jinyan! Watch yournguage!"


    "What happened here?" Doctor Walker and Si Zhening walked in upon hearing the ruckus. The former''s eyes lit up. "Sir, you''re awake?"


    Jiang Huocheng''s face was ck. "Yes."


    Doctor Walker halted in his steps and scratched his nose,ughing dryly. "Would you believe me if I said that I was just as shocked as you to find Young Master Jiang here?"


    Jiang Huocheng took off the IV drip and heart rate device, shaking his head in exasperation. His frown got deeper and impatience was written across his face. "Where is Secretary Deng?"


    "Here, sir!" Deng Chuqian rushed forward and bowed. "How do you feel, sir?"


    "Same as usual. What''s my schedule for today?"


    "Jiang Huocheng!" Doctor Walker''s face darkened in anger. "What do you mean by that? Do you want to get back to work again?"


    Jiang Huocheng tantly ignored Doctor Walker and gave Deng Chuqian a look, one that caused cold sweat to break out on his back. He hurriedly opened his notebook and scanned it. "Today¡­you only have a meeting with Director Chu regarding thend development in City H. But judging from your condition and Doctor Walker''s suggestion, I have pushed it back to tomorrow so today you''re totally free, Sir."


    Jiang Huocheng pinched his brows. "Who gave you the right to decide what I am gonna do? Reschedule it. I have enough time for a small meeting after dinner."


    "Sir..." Secretary Si stepped forward and tried to persuade him, "I think that''s not a very nice decision¡ª"


    Jiang Huocheng ignored them and took the change of clothes from Deng Chuqian''s hands, making Doctor Walker''s face reddened in fury. "Jiang Huocheng, if you take one step out of this room, you''re going to get it from me! Don''t you see that your son is here¡ª"


    "Shut up!"


    The whole room turned silent in an instant. Doctor Walker''s movement of holding Jiang Huocheng back halted, so did Jiang Huocheng who had unbuttoned his pajamas and Deng Chuqian who was ready to receive the clothes.


    Everyone turned to Jiang Jinyan who had just shouted. The man had a heavy frown on his face, irritation and annoyance exuded from his entire body. In a moment like this, he was really simr to Jiang Huocheng. So simr that everyone subconsciously froze to listen to him. "Secretary Deng, don''t listen to my father''s nonsense. Doctor Walker and Secretary Si¡­" He pointed toward the stunned man expressionlessly. "Tie him to the bed."


    "O¡ªOh!" Doctor Walker was the one who recovered his senses first. He gave a wide smile and nodded. "Sure, Young Master Jiang. I will do that!"


    Secretary Si bowed inpromise. "As you wish."


    Jiang Huocheng''s eyes widened in shock. "You¡­You¡ªWhat do you want? Let me go¡ªargh!"


    A few minutester, the noisy room calmed down and Doctor Walker had a satisfied and smug smile on his face. Jiang Huocheng sat on the bed, his hair in a mess as his wrists were tied to the bedpost. He gave Doctor Walker a re which thetter pretended not to see.


    "How is it, Young Master Jiang?" His eyes twinkled. "Are you satisfied?"


    Jiang Jinyan silently nodded as he assessed Jiang Huocheng with the corner of his eyes. "If you may, I would like to talk to him alone, please."


    "Yes, yes. Definitely! You guys can have a long, nice talk as long as you wish!" He patted Jiang Huocheng''s shoulder in schadenfreude. "Give up, buddy. You should just surrender yourself. Isn''t it nice to have a heart-to-heart talk?"


    Jiang Huocheng scowled in response.


    "Alright, don''t be shy~" Doctor Walker waved cheerfully. "Please call me if you need anything. Adios!"


    The door closed behind him, leaving the pair of father and son behind. Jiang Jinyan silently stared at Jiang Huocheng whose eyes were nailed outside the window. He sneered. "Until when do you n on avoiding my gaze?"


    Jiang Huocheng frowned but finally looked at him. "Is that how you talk to your father?"


    "Is this how you act as a father? Keep mum and choose to turn a blind eye to everything?" Jiang Jinyan retorted.


    The two red at each other, seemingly returning to those years ago when they would argue even on a slightest disagreement. In the end, it was Jiang Huocheng who caved in. Maybe he was too tired already or maybe, his heart softened after seeing his son here. "¡­You hate me."


    His son hated the sight of him that''s why¡­he chose to avoid him so as to not add to the hurt they had both suffered. If that could make Jiang Jinyan feel better, then¡­


    "Yes, I hate you." Jiang Jinyan admitted honestly, each word stabbing into Jiang Huocheng''s heart even though he was the first one who brought it up. "I hate that you were always busy with work. I hate that mother and I had to beg like a dog just for a sliver of your attention. I hate that you could be so heartless as to leave the two of us behind."


    Jiang Huocheng''s pupils dted, skeptical. "I am not¡ª"


    "At least, that''s what I have always been thinking." Jiang Jinyan forced a smile, tears sliding down his cheek. "Am I wrong, father? Everyone around me has always said that you cherished mother and I the most. But why can''t I feel it¡­?"


    Jiang Huocheng choked on his breath, his heart squeezed in pain. Years of mingling in the cruel business world had hardened his expression thus he could only frowned harder and avoided Jiang Jinyan''s piercing stare. s, his eyes fell on the photo frame on the nightstand instead.


    In it, they were so happy, so blissful, so harmonious¡­


    How could everything turn out like today?


    Tears blurred Jiang Huocheng''s eyes but he forced himself to endure it.


    "Tell me, father¡­" Jiang Jinyan hung his head low, tears dropping pitter patter onto the fabric of his pants. His fists clenched tight, trembling. "Tell me what you think! Why are you always disappointed in everything I do? Why did you choose your work over mother and I? Why do you always leave us alone? Why don''t youe to mother''s funeral? Why didn''t you tell me that you are sick? Why did you brush me away everytime?!"


    "Please tell me, father¡­" His voice barely ended in a whisper, quivering. "Tell me okay? This will be thest time I ever beg something from you¡­"


    Jiang Huocheng covered his eyes with one palm, a teardrop slipping through. The man''s lips were trembling as he whispered hoarsely. "Stop¡­you don''t need to do this. Jinyan, stop speaking...it''s my fault. Everything is father''s fault. The world acknowledged me as a sessful businessman but in truth...I am utterly a failure as a husband and father."


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    A/N: Both of them are so simr yet so awkward with each other QAQ and yes, Jiang Jinyan need to get it off his chest!


    Oftentimes, mimunication is the source of all problems and also the thing I hate the most (¡ä§¥?©c

 Chapter 293 - The Unbearable Pain

    "What do you want to know? I will tell you everything." At this moment, he wasn''t the domineering CEO Jiang nor was he the cold and apathetic man in Jiang Jinyan''s memory. Slumping onto the bed, he was only a weary, despondent middle aged man.


    Jiang Jinyan looked down at his bandaged fingers, contemting. "Tell me about mother. I want to hear about her¡­from your own mouth."


    "Your mother huh?" Jiang Huocheng gave a bitterugh. "Where should I start? The first time I met her was in the Guan Residence. At that time, I couldn''t mingle with the businessmen there because I was poor, inexperienced and I came from amoner family with no background at all. I was walking alone through the rose garden when the window over my head opened and she appeared¡­just like an angel¡­"


    Once Jiang Huocheng started talking, he couldn''t stop it anymore. Perhaps he had always been searching for someone to listen to him. Perhaps this was what he needed, to let everything off his chest. Sometimes he stuttered and stumbled with his words, sometimes he had to stop because he got too emotional, but he slowly told Jiang Jinyan about their beautiful love.


    ¡­It was supposed to be beautiful indeed.


    He felt like he had done his best, but nothing ever worked. It proved that he was stillcking, he couldn''t give Guan Xiaoxiao the love she wished for, nor could he grant Jiang Jinyan the life he wanted. Once he looked back at it, he had missed every precious moment he wasn''t supposed to.


    s, there''s no medicine for regrets except for self me and guilt.


    And so, he shall carry it for the rest of his life. Until the end when he died, maybe he could beg for Guan Xiaoxiao''s forgiveness once again.


    "I don''t expect you to understand neither am I asking for your forgiveness." Jiang Huocheng gave his son a stiff smile. "That''s why I am not willing to tell you. This is my and your mother''s problem, not yours. From beginning to the end, you have always been innocent. I only wish for you to live happily but it seems like I was burdening you subconsciously¡­"


    Jiang Jinyan had never interjected as Jiang Huocheng talked. Only when the man turned silent did he slowly say, "So, when I said I want to apply to military school, why did you object?"


    Jiang Huocheng frowned. "You could have just been a carefree second generation young master and slowly learned family business with me, so why should you make yourself suffer in the army?"


    "When I became an athlete, weren''t you the first person to disapprove?"


    "Being an athlete is not easy, you are required to train all day and it''s still not certain whether you can seed. Moreover, the sports field isn''t as clean as you imagine it to be. There''s a lot of shady deals and you also have to deal with paparazzi. Once again, why don''t you want to be a carefree second generation young master?"


    Jiang Jinyan''s face contorted in disbelief. "So you think that being a carefree second generation young master is good?"


    "Why not?" Jiang Huocheng seriously asked. "See what state you end up in now."


    The father and son pair looked at each other, speechless by the absurdity of the other''s viewpoint.


    Jiang Jinyan rolled his wheelchair away and scoffed. "I can''t bear to listen to you. Rest up, I will return to my room first."


    Jiang Huocheng was also tired. He wasn''t the person who talked a lot but his son had just forced the whole year''s share of words out from his mouth. "Go, go." He waved tiredly. "Do you think I want to listen to you any longer?"


    The day had passed by without them realizing. The sky had turned dark and twinkling stars could be seen from the dark sky. The lulling sound of waves crashing onto shore was peaceful andforting. Breeze ruffled their hair, carrying with it a salty scent of sea.


    Secretary Si pushed Jiang Jinyan out and they rode the car to the wooden cottage. "Do you feel hungry, Young Master? The cook has prepared many dishes when they heard you''reing."


    Jiang Jinyan shook his head quietly. "Just send me into my room. I am tired. Just leave the food for tomorrow."


    Si Zhening nodded. "As you asked."


    The wooden cottage was nicely furnished and it smelled of ocean, coconut and flowers. It was like a personal presidential suite with a homey tinge in it. Si Zhening brought Jiang Jinyan into the bedroom that had been cleaned up thoroughly. "Rest well, Young Master Jiang." He bowed and turned away.


    After making sure that Si Zhening''s footsteps had marched away and the cottage contained no one but him, Jiang Jinyan finally let go of the tension he had been holding back. His back hunched dispiritedly and he buried his face into his palms, shoulders trembling.


    He had felt this way ever since Jiang Huocheng told his story.


    ¡­It was unreal. Too unreal that he couldn''t digest it.


    It was like the knowledge he had known for his whole life had turned into a joke. Throughout neen years of his life, Jiang Jinyan only knew that he had a crazy mother and apathetic father. Now, he was told that both of them loved each other very much.


    Could he believe that readily? Could he¡­after he had seen how Guan Xiaoxiao begged for Jiang Huocheng''s love? Could he¡­after he had gone through years of solitude and loneliness without anyone by his side?


    His condition could be described with one word; denial.


    He couldn''t believe that the truth waspletely different than what he had thought of. He couldn''t believe that what he saw was just a mirage, that anotheryer of truth was hidden beneath it.


    If so¡­then what had he been doing all these years?


    Wasn''t he just too ridiculous andical?


    Jiang Jinyan''s face twisted from the pain. Jiang Huocheng''s words reverberated in his ears again and again. "I don''t expect you to understand neither am I asking for your forgiveness."


    Then what¡­? His suffering, loneliness, pain and agony, could it be dispelled just with that single sentence? Could he forgive Jiang Huocheng just because he knew the truth? Could he let go of the anger and grievance in his heart?


    Jiang Jinyan''s arms shook and he panted harshly. Sweat dripped down his face. His head felt so painful that it was going to explode and he needed something to distract him from the unnecessary thoughts.


    ¡­but he couldn''t. He shouldn''t lose control. Not here.


    He used the sharp tip of his nails to draw a slit on his arm, again and again. The barely healed gash on his arm split open and blood poured out, soaking the bandage red. He tried to think of another matter. Another thing that made him happy¡­


    [Whether it''s the shining Jiang Jinyan, the fallen Jiang Jinyan, the bright Jiang Jinyan, the gloomy Jiang Jinyan, the gentle Jiang Jinyan, the harsh Jiang Jinyan, the formidable Jiang Jinyan, the fragile Jiang Jinyan, the kind Jiang Jinyan, the bad Jiang Jinyan¡­]


    "I like you."


    "You don''t know how long I have been waiting for this day. For you."


    "Jiang Jinyan¡­"


    "I like you this much, how can I bear to let you suffer a tiniest bit of grievance?"


    "I love you. For every w and imperfection; for every reason and madness."


    "Don''t worry, Jiang Jinyan. Everything will be okay."


    Everything will be okay¡­


    His eyes snapped open, bloodshot. His clothes were drenched in cold sweat, making his skin and hair damp. His breath came out harsh and he clung onto Shi Nian''s figure in his memory. Her smile, her twinkling golden eyes, her embrace, her words, her warmth¡­


    Only then did he feel the pain wasn''t so unbearable anymore.


    Suddenly, a series of knocks rang out on his door, piercing the silence of the night.


    Jiang Jinyan rasped, "Who is it?!" His voice almost came out like a growl. Who could it be? Hadn''t he told them that he wanted to rest?!


    The irritation that he suppressed with difficulty surged up again, harder and wilder, to the point where he wanted to bash the head of the person standing behind the door¡­


    "Jiang Jinyan?" The voice that he had just been fantasizing about came from behind the door. So close that he couldn''t believe his ears for a second. "Sorry to bother you thiste at night. It''s me, Shi Nian."


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    A/N: for Arcane who''s wishing that Shi Nianes with Jiang Jinyan, here you go teehee


    Thank you as always ArcaneMag, OmiCereNova, listlesslemon and everyone who casted your GT! I can''t believe we can reach 150! Thank youu QAQ

 Chapter 294 - Not Like We Havent Kissed Before

    Jiang Jinyan whispered in disbelief. "Shi Nian¡­?"


    The girl''s voice that came behind the door was sincerely worried. "Are you okay? You don''t sound very right¡­"


    Before Jiang Jinyan realized it, he had pushed his wheelchair and opened the door, almost tearing it off from its hinges. And there she was, the figure that he had just used to keep his mind sane, standing in front of him. Real in flesh.


    There''s a small luggage by her feet and she looked travelworn, hair sticking up in all ces. But amidst the dark, those golden eyes shone brighter than the gemstone, dazzling like the ray of sunshine that peeked through the shades of autumn leaves. It always managed to steal Jiang Jinyan''s breath away no matter how many times he had seen it.


    He lowered his head and gave a tremblingugh. "¡­Why are you here?"


    Shi Nian scratched her nose, hemming and hawing. "Sorry¡­I guess I was just too worried about you. I came here as soon as school ended. Sister Meiqi apanied me here but she has gone to the dining hall for food. Xu Binchen gege can''te because he''s busy but he lent us his private ne¡ª" Her words trailed off and she gasped in shock. "What happened to your arm?!"


    She crouched down and inspected his bleeding wound anxiously. Just by looking at his bloodied nails, she already had an inkling on what was going on. The rims of her eyes reddened. "Are you okay? Why are you hurting yourself again?"


    Jiang Jinyan didn''t care a bit about his injuries. He reached out and pulled the girl into his embrace, buried his nose into her hair and inhaled her sweet and nice smelling shampoo. "Shi Nian, Shi Nian, Shi Nian¡­" He gasped out her name, over and over again.


    If the girl could see Jiang Jinyan right now, then she would definitely be terrified. His expression was twisted in crazed delight, there was a hint of madness, satisfaction, exhration and incredulity. He wanted to squeeze the girl into his body to prove that she was real and not only an illusion he conjured up due to missing her too much.


    "Are you okay?" She wrapped her arms around him softly, stroking his back infort. "You''re trembling¡­"


    Jiang Jinyan eased his breathing and his tense nerves slowly calmed down under her tender touch. He closed his eyes and listened to her rhythmic pulse. It was too magical, all of his vexation and difort melted away in an instant.


    "I''m tired¡­" he mumbled vaguely.


    Shi Nian hummed gently. "Is that so? Let''s go in first, okay? I will help you to bed and bandage your wound."


    Jiang Jinyan nodded obediently, his eyshes lowered to hide the turbulent emotions surging within. Shi Nian pushed his wheelchair back, supported him to bed and padded his back with pillows. Only after making sure that he wasfortable did she pull away. "Wait a moment, I will go and ask for a medical kit¡ªah!"


    Jiang Jinyan yanked on the girl''s arm, taking her off guard. Shi Nian couldn''t keep her bnce in check and fell onto Jiang Jinyan''s body. She wasn''t given any time to react as he suddenly turned over and smothered her in a suffocating embrace, almost squeezing the breath out of her lungs.


    The full weight of a man couldn''t be taken as a joke. Shi Nian couldn''t even move a limb. "Jiang Jinyan¡­"


    The man''s head dropped to her shoulder, lips mumbling. "Don''t leave me alone, okay?"


    "But your wound¡­"


    "Forget about it."


    "No!" Shi Nian twisted around in protest. "We should disinfect it or else it will turn worse tomorrow!"


    Jiang Jinyan was silent, pretending to be dead.


    "Come on." Shi Nian softened her voice, coaxing him patiently. "I won''t go anywhere. We should treat your wound first, okay?"


    "Don''t wanna¡­" He sounded just like a petnt child throwing a tantrum.


    It was so adorable that Shi Nian''s heart squeezed. She guessed that something had happened between Jiang Jinyan and his father and it wounded him so. Seeing how he acted unusually sticky and affectionate, her heart couldn''t help but turn to mush. "Alright, alright, let''s hug for a bit. After that, we will treat your wound, okay?"


    "Don''t wanna¡­"


    Shi Nian chuckled. "Then what do you want?"


    It was as if Jiang Jinyan had just been waiting for that question. As soon as Shi Nian said it, the man propped himself up, asking sincerely. "I can have whatever I want?"


    Faint breeze seeped through from the half opened window and ruffled the strands of his hair. The eyes which were gazing down at her were dark and unfathomable, yet there was also a faint twinkle within them. Shi Nian had seen this kind of serious and somber look before when General Jiang was¡­hunting for prey.


    Gulping, she started to get all jittery. Why did it seem like¡­she had just unknowingly jumped into a trap?


    "Hmm?" he urged softly with his low voice that could always make her ears turn numb.


    "You¡­" Shi Nian withdrew her eyes and it was unknown when she started to breathe through her mouth. No wonder that her lips were starting to get dry. "What do you want..?"


    He sped her chin and brought her eyes back, forcing her to bear the intensity of his stare. It was a bit too heavy, honestly. As if he could devour her whole just by looking. Shi Nian''s throat constricted when Jiang Jinyan leaned in, so close that their breaths mingled and noses brushed against each other.


    Her eyshes quivered violently as the air he exhaled tickled her lips. Her eyes could see nothing but her own reflection in his pupils. Red faced, dazed and muddled. Did she really look that silly right now?


    The corner of Jiang Jinyan''s lips curled up slightly. "If I say I want to take a bite of you, will you let me?"


    "B¡ªBite¡­" Shi Nian''s breath stuttered. "Y¡ªYou want to bite me? Why¡­?"


    He shrugged lightly, the movement caused their lips to graze against each other. So soft and light that they only touched for a split second but it was already enough to make her lips tingle as if all of her nerves were jumbled there in a mess. She couldn''t help but shrunk her neck and bit her lips in shock.


    "Why are you so surprised?" He gave a light chuckle and leaned in for another peck, then another and another again. "It''s not like we haven''t kissed before."


    Shi Nian gasped amidst the kisses he showered down. "Your wound¡ª"


    "I said forget about it." He knocked his forehead against hers. "Look at me. Just focus on me and me alone."


    "¡­hmm!" Jiang Jinyan swooped in and caught her lips in a fervent kiss. Her eyes widened in shock, not because of the kiss because she had somehow seen iting, but because of the intensity he gave off. His tongue seized in forcefully, all hot and silky as it plundered her mouth, chasing and entangling itself with her tongue. It was as if he was desperate to sink himself into her, drowning in her warm and sweet mouth, taking all she could offer.


    It was a kiss that''s totally different from the previous kiss they shared before. At that time, there wasn''t this kind of urgent, intense and mad urge nor was there this kind of overwhelming and delicious pleasure that swept all over her cavity up to the top of her head.


    "Ah¡­ha¡­Jinyan¡­" Shi Nian shivered from the sensation, her hands grasping onto his shoulder tightly. Her half lidded eyelids reddened and tears welled up in her eyes due to the passion. Her mind was in a trance, fuzzy and tingling.


    "Shi Nian¡­Shi Nian, my Shi Nian¡­" Jiang Jinyan rasped and sucked on her lower lips, sinking his teeth onto the plumpness until a faint mark was formed there. It was sweet, too delectable and exquisite that he couldn''t bring himself to stop.


    His hand trailed down from her cheek down to her neck, unbuttoning the topmost button of her shirt. An expanse of fair skin appeared in front of his eyes as well as the prominent curve of her corbone. The ne he gifted her was there, twinkling above her skin and moved along with her harsh breathing.


    "Ah, no!" Shi Nian gasped sharply when he left her lips and dove onto her neck, biting and licking across her corbone. Ever since he saw it the first time before, he had already developed an urge to trace it with his lips and teeth.


    Soft and delicate moans slipped out from Shi Nian''s lips, her toes all curling up, round and adorable. She panted, whined and squirmed, waist arching up at the hot, tingly sensation of his tongue and the hair that fell over her neck. Her heart felt like it was going to explode soon and she desperately wanted to escape.


    "It''s ticklish¡­" She tugged on his hair in daze, forcing the man to lift his head up.


    In an instant, her breathing ceased abruptly.


    Lustrously dark eyes. Ruddy cheeks. Glistening lips. Messy jet ck hair. The devil was back once again with his devious smirk. He deliberately licked his lips and drawled, eyesnding on the strawberry marks on her skin. So breathtaking like cherry blossom petals amidst wintry snow. "Thank you for giving me a bite."


    "Y¡ªYou¡­" Tears welled up from Shi Nian''s eyes due to shame and she hollered angrily. "Let me go! We should treat your wound. NOW!"


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    A/N: uwu spoiled Jinyan is too adorable (/¦Å£Ü*) so sneaky but not yet NSFW so I don''t put the warning kekeke

 Chapter 295 - What Should I Do Without You?

    Si Zhening arrived together with Ru Meiqi, a medical kit in his hand. "Young Master Jiang, Miss Shi, who is injured?"


    Jiang Jinyan was sitting on the bed, all prim and proper whilst Shi Nian sat on the furthest couch with her coat buttoned until the top, covering her whole body. The weather was indeed cold in the Capital, but it''s different here, in a tropical ind where the lowest temperature barely reached eighteen degrees. It was obviously hot, bundled up like that, yet she still wasn''t willing to take it off no matter how flushed her face was.


    Hearing Si Zhening''s answer, Shi Nian pointed toward Jiang Jinyan with a humph.


    Ru Meiqi looked at them back and forth and rubbed her chin, a meaningful smile on her face.


    "It''s me." Jiang Jinyan echoed along. "Sorry for bothering you thiste at night, Secretary Si, Miss Ru. It''s just a small wound but Shi Nian overreacted."


    "I overreacted?" Shi Nian repeated, incredulous. His arm had gotten all bloody like that but he still said she''s overreacting?


    "No, I misspoke." He corrected his words without batting an eyelid. "I am the one who overreacted."


    Shi Nian harrumphed and turned her head away, half angry and half amused. Who did he want to kid with that sorry excuse?


    "Excuse me, let me see." Si Zhening stepped forward but he was held back by Ru Meiqi. Confused, he looked at her inquiringly. "Miss Ru¡­?"


    Ru Meiqi boldly snatched the medical kit away from him and threw it into Shi Nian''s arms. "Alright, it''s alreadyte into the night so let''s not bother the youngsters anymore. Shi Nian can treat Mr. Jiang''s wounds just fine, right?" Thest sentence was clearly directed to Shi Nian.


    She blinked, baffled and pointed toward her own nose. "Me¡­?"


    "You can''t?" Ru Meiqi asked in return.


    "I¡ª" Three pairs of eyes nailed onto her, but the worst one was Jiang Jinyan''s. Shi Nian couldn''t bear to refuse, not when he was looking at her like that. Otherwise she would feel like she had justmitted a felony. "I can¡­" She mumbled in resignation.


    "Alright! After you treat Mr. Jiang''s wounds, make sure to have a good rest. Your room is next door." Ru Meiqi gave her a wink that made her embarrassed for no reason. "We will not bother you anymore. See you tomorrow morning!" The woman cheerfully dragged the clueless Si Zhening away and closed the door behind them, leaving Shi Nian with him in this suffocating silence.


    "So," Jiang Jinyan chuckled lightly. "Are you treating me or not?"


    Huffing, Shi Nian didn''t have any choice but to approach him. "Of course I will! But you¡­" Eyes lustrously bright and cheeks rosy, she bared her teeth. "No biting again okay?!"


    Jiang Jinyan''s eyes deepened and he smiled softly. "¡­okay."


    Shi Nian sat on the bedside and rolled up his sleeve. "Let me see¡­you shouldn''t hurt yourself again. Isn''t it painful? Why are you so silly?" She grumbled and pinched an iodine cotton with a tweezer, slowly cleaning the dried blood around the wound.


    "¡­Does it hurt?" She peeked at him.


    "No."


    Although he said that, Shi Nian still blew on it as she dabbed the red medicine on it as softly as she could. Her heart couldn''t help but ache when she saw the obvious nail marks. "Seriously, what were you going to do if I didn''te?"


    Jiang Jinyan lowered his head to look at her, his eyes softening. "I don''t know¡­" He reached out and tucked a lock of silky hair behind her ear, pinching her soft earlobe along the way. "That''s why, you shouldn''t leave me alone or else, I don''t know what will happen to me."


    The rims of Shi Nian''s eyes reddened and she hastily lowered her eyes to hide the tears. "I won''t." She said quietly. After a while, she gingerly asked,"Your father¡­is he okay?"


    "He''s fine." His eyes instantly hardened. Even the atmosphere around him felt biting cold, heavy and pressurizing.


    "Alright, that''s very good to hear." Shi Nian sensed the change in him and didn''t ask anymore. After that, she proceeded to wound his arms with gauze. "Okay done!" She gave him a grin and stroked his head, easing the messy strands of hair and enjoying the silky sensation between her fingers. "Don''t let it touch water when you bathe and tomorrow, I will change the bandage for you."


    He grabbed her hand, almost subconsciously. "Where are you going?"


    "Ah, I¡ª" Shi Nian answered, baffled. "I am going back to my room¡­"


    Jiang Jinyan frowned and said with all seriousness. "Haven''t you just said that you will not leave me alone anymore?"


    Shi Nian was rendered speechless by his audacity. "So¡­what do you want me to do?"


    Under her stunned gaze, he scooted in and patted the space beside him. "Come here. I want to cuddle with you."


    Shi Nian almost clutched her chest, feeling like she was going to get a heart attack sooner orter. Why¡­Why was Jiang Jinyan so different tonight?! The restrained, reticent man seemed to lose all his inhibition in a single day. Every word he blurted managed to make her heart race faster and faster. Blood pumped to her head and she got so dizzy that she couldn''t think straight. "No¡­don''t want. You will bite me again."


    Jiang Jinyan''s gaze was perfectly sincere, so sincere that she couldn''t pick on any ws. "I won''t. Trust me, hmm?"


    Shi Nian already had an innate trust toward Jiang Jinyan to begin with. Now that the man pleaded like this, she couldn''t bring herself to say no. "No biting, okay?" She asserted once again.


    Jiang Jinyan chuckled as he tugged on her softly. "Okay."


    Shi Nian took off her coat and slowly climbed to his side. Jiang Jinyan opened the nket and enveloped both of them in it. It was so warm, tinged with the man''s cool scent mixed with the pungent smell of medicine. Shi Nian lied on her side and took special notice not to bump into his injured arm.


    But her careful act seemed to have made him dissatisfied. Frowning, heined. "Why are you so far away?"


    Shi Nian blinked and slowly moved closer half an inch.


    Jiang Jinyan didn''t know whether tough or cry. "I only injured my skin, not my bones. How can I cuddle when I can''t even hug you?" In a yank, he pulled her closer until her head leaned onto his shoulder and the man''s arms wrapped around her. Only then did he heave a sigh.


    "Your wound¡ª"


    "Hush." He pressed her head back down. "Let''s sleep."


    Her heart was pounding rapidly, how could she sleep in a situation like this?! Shi Nian secretly held her breath and tried to remain still until Jiang Jinyan fell asleep. However, not even five minutester Jiang Jinyan suddenly spoke, "Are you asleep?"


    "¡­No," she said quietly. "Why aren''t you asleep?"


    "I can''t sleep." He chuckled. "This is the first time I have someone sleeping by my side. I can''t get used to it."


    A smile made its way to her face. "Me too. But when I was young, my mother used to sleep with me until I could get to the bathroom myself. After that, no matter how many times I threw a tantrum, she didn''t budge. She said that a woman should depend on herself first before anyone else."


    Jiang Jinyan loosened his embrace and slightly pulled away. Shi Nian thought that she could finally take a breather but when Jiang Jinyan looked at her with smiles, his eyeszy andnguid, her heart beat faster instead. "She''s a good mother."


    Dazed, Shi Nian blurted out the first thing in her mind. "What about your mother? I have never heard you talking about her¡­"


    Sadness shed in Jiang Jinyan''s eyes. He lowered his eyes and said in a quiet voice. "She passed away this summer."


    Shi Nian sobered up in an instant, her expression sank. "I¡ªI am sorry¡­"


    "No, it''s okay." The corner of his lips tilted upward. "Maybe because you''re here with me, I feel calmer and serene." He ced a hand over his chest. "It''s so peaceful here whenever I am with you. Sometimes, I wonder why¡­you''re just so magical. What should I do without you?"


    Shi Nian reached out gingerly and grasped his hand. Their fingers gradually intertwined on Jiang Jinyan''s chest, one lean and calloused, the other slender and fair, like two souls that blended with each other, inseparable until the end of time.


    "I love you..." She whispered.


    Jiang Jinyan closed his eyes, seemingly to savor the girl''s words or to suppress something surging within. Maybe both. "You know," He said with throaty voice when Shi Nian thought that he had fallen asleep. "On your birthday¡­that day, there''s something that I have prepared to tell you if not for those gangsters blocking us. Do you remember?"


    Shi Nian''s heart jumped to her throat for some reason. She swallowed with difficulty, "¡­What is it?"


    "Shi Nian," The man''s eyelids lifted, baring a pair of extremely dark, piercing eyes that bewitched her soul. Yet the voice that came out of his lips was exceedingly tender and gentle. Truly, like a devil''s whisper that demanded no rebuttal. "Be my girlfriend, okay?"


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Finally, after almost 300 chapters, our main leads got together! (?¨R?¨Q)?(?¨R?¨Q)?(?¨R?¨Q)? Sorry to have made you all wait oh! I know MDG is kinda slow and I''m still trying to match the rapid pace in most  hahaha


    And yes, if there''s no people obstructing them that day, Jiang Jinyan and Shi Nian would have gotten together right on her 17th birthday! He''s so sweet to wait until she bes a legal (?¨R?¨Q)?

 Chapter 296 - Miss Ru, Are You Angry?

    The sky was blue, the ind was surrounded by crystal clear water that the fishes, shells and reefs underneath could clearly be seen. Breeze ruffled through the coconut trees, swaying the leaves gently. Just as the sun started to rise, Jiang Huocheng was already up, dressed neatly in a suit with his headbed back, showing his chiseled and deep features. He sat on a long table that could amodate more than ten people, bodyguards and staff around him.


    "What do you wish to eat for breakfast, Sir?" The cook asked politely.


    Jiang Huocheng would usually choose to skip breakfast altogether, but recalling that he wasn''t the only one on the ind, he changed his mind eventually. "Where is Jinyan? Still asleep?"


    Si Zhening stepped forward with his head bowed. "When I passed by the west cottage, there''s still no sign of movement inside so I guess yes, Young Master Jiang shouldn''t have woken up yet."


    Jiang Huocheng sighed with a frown. "What time is it now? So young but already sozy. Secretary Si, please go and wake him up, tell him that I have been waiting for him in the dining hall."


    "Yes, sir." Si Zhening smiled faintly, turned around and went to the west cottage. It was still as tranquil as he had glimpsed upon a few minutes ago. Sunshine poured in from the ss window and the breeze was soothing. It was so quiet that it looked like no other person existed.


    Si Zhening had just walked in when the room at the other end of the hallway opened, showing Ru Meiqi with damp hair and a refreshed face.


    He bowed. "Good morning, Miss Ru. Did you have a nice sleep?"


    "Oh yes," Ru Meiqi smiled. "The air is so fresh and the room is nice, how can I not sleep well?"


    Si Zhening chuckled. "Indeed. CEO Jiang built this ind as a vacation resort so it''s no wonder that it makes people feel rxed." He paused for a moment and couldn''t help butment, "Excuse me, Miss Ru, your pocket is a bit crooked."


    "Hmm?" Ru Meiqi looked down to see two small pockets on either side of her shirt. One of them had its inside a bit overtuned. Albeit, it wasn''t too messy to the point where someone would specially point it out. Still she tidied it up properly. "Thank you, Secretary Si. I am amazed at how attentive you are."


    "It''s nothing." He said with a more sincere smile. "It''s just a habit."


    Ru Meiqi nodded and casually walked alongside him. "So where are you going this early in the morning?"


    "CEO Jiang asked me to wake Young Master Jiang up. It seems like he has a good night''s sleep."


    Ru Meiqi''s eyes twinkled. "Okay, let me go with you. I should wake Shi Nian up too."


    Si Zhening smiled and didn''t refuse. The two walked down the corridor until Ru Meiqi broke the silence first, "So, judging from how you pointed my shirt out earlier, it seems like Secretary Si has quite a severe OCD problem? Ah sorry¡­I don''t mean to invade your personal life," She smiled apologetically. "It''s just an upational habit."


    "OCD?" Si Zhening hummed vaguely. "It might be considered so. Perhaps because I have been working as a secretary for years, I developed a habit that makes me unable to leave something untidy alone. I apologize if I have offended you."


    Ru Meiqiughed and waved her hand offhandedly. "It''s nothing. I also know someone who''s itching whenever he sees something messy. Butpared to him, Secretary Si seems a bit more¡­disciplined."


    Si Zhening only smiled and didn''tment.


    They entered the area where Jiang Jinyan and Shi Nian lived. Coincidentally or not, Si Zhening''s steps became more hurried so he soon left Ru Meiqi behind.


    "Come to think of it," Ru Meiqi suddenly imed. "I have always wondered where I have heard your name before, Secretary Si. Possibly¡­have you gone to the police station before for some questioning regarding the serial murder case?"


    Si Zhening visibly halted but when he turned around, his smile still remained impable. "¡­You''re right. Miss Ru has a very good memory. I have almost forgotten about it myself."


    For a while, both of them stared at each other. Ru Meiqi''s nk eyes moved and it was unknown where she directed her gaze to. In the end, she gave an elegant and beautiful smile. "Thanks for thepliment. Now, let''s go and wake them up, shall we?"


    "Yes." Si Zhening nodded and gestured ahead. "If you may."


    Ru Meiqi walked ahead leisurely yet she was secretly alert inside. Years of experience had honed her senses and she could vividly feel the man''s gaze on her back, almost piercing a hole there. She frowned and pondered. Where did this weird feeling whenever she looked at Si Zhening came from?


    She shook her hand and decided to bring it up to Jin Renguang when she returnedter. Walking toward Shi Nian''s room, she knocked a few times. "Niannian, are you up yet?"


    There was no answer.


    "Shi Nian?"


    Ru Meiqi grabbed the handle and tried to turn it. The door opened in an instant. "If you don''t answer, then I am going in, okay?" She waited five seconds and still no answer was heard inside. There wasn''t even any hint of movement.


    She finally opened the door and popped her head in. Just as she expected, the room was empty, even the bedsheet was smooth and tidy without any creases. She had somehow seen iting but when her doubt was proven true, she still felt a tad surprised. "She''s quite a bold girl, huh¡­"


    "Miss Ru?" Secretary Si''s voice sounded beside her. "If you''re searching for Miss Shi, I think you can find her here."


    Ru Meiqi chortled and walked toward Jiang Jinyan''s room.


    The window was left half opened and sunshine peeked in from the gaps of the curtain. The whole room was unexpectedly serene and tranquil. A huge lump formed above the king size bed and two people''s heads peeked out from the nket, leaning against each other intimately. Fortunately, both of them were still dressed and there''s no condoms lying around.


    Ru Meiqi crossed her arms and gave an amused scoff. On the other hand, Si Zhening directly went to open the curtain, letting the ring sunshine fall over Jiang Jinyan''s eyes.


    Soon, his eyelids twitched and he roused from his sleep.


    "Young Master Jiang, it''s time to wake up."


    Jiang Jinyan''s eyes instantly snapped open but it closed soon due to the lights. He let out a hoarse grunt and tried to move his arm to no avail. ncing down, he saw Shi Nian''s peacefully sleeping face. Sensing how Si Zhening was still standing there like a fool, he glowered. "I know now. Get out."


    Si Zhening bowed and moved to exit the room, closing the door behind them. He saw Ru Meiqi leaning on the wall in front of the door, an exasperated smile on her face. After thinking for a while, Si Zhening asked, "Miss Ru, are you angry?"


    Ru Meiqi raised a brow. "Do I look like I am angry?"


    "Usually, when a guardian sees their child in the bed with a man, they would get angry."


    Ru Meiqi let out a bark ofughter. She went forward and patted Si Zhening''s shoulder. Thetter was taken aback and had no time to react. "Secretary Si, you''re quite a funny guy. Let''s go, we should go to the dining hall first." After saying that, she strode away leisurely, humming a random tune along the way.


    Si Zhening looked at the woman''s back and gave a smile that didn''t reach his eyes. "Yes, we should."


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Damn, Ru Meiqi don''t mess with him aaaah! Did she begin to feel that he''s a lil sus....omo

 Chapter 297 - Is Miss Shi Pregnant?

    The dining hall was strangely silent. Rows of bodyguards stood on the corner, overlooking the singlerge table that was upied only by two people. Jiang Huocheng sat on the head of the table on one side and Ru Meiqi on the other side directly opposite him, the two were separated by ten chairs; five on each side.


    Jiang Huocheng had a perpetual frown on his face. "So, Miss Ru, you''re the one who arrived on the private ne yesterday evening?"


    "Yes, it''s me and Shi Nian, to be exact. And the private ne isn''t mine, it goes to a man surnamed Xu."


    "Xu¡­?" Jiang Huocheng scanned his memory of any wealthy businessman or powerful mogul surnamed Xu but couldn''t match any of it with someone who was rich enough to own a private ne.


    As if sensing his thoughts, Ru Meiqi smiled and added. "He''s a police officer. Look at me, I have only introduced my name, haven''t I? I worked as a criminal psychologist in Police HQ. It''s a pleasure to meet you, CEO Jiang."


    "Police officer?" He frowned deeper. "Do you have something to do with Jinyan?"


    "No, no, rest assured. I am only here to apany a child in my care. It''s Shi Nian whom I talked about before."


    "And who might thisdy be?"


    Ru Meiqi had just opened her mouth when her gaze flew past Jiang Huocheng toward the door. "Oh, here they are!" She gave a wide, teasing smile and greeted, "Good morning, you two. Did you sleep well?"


    Jiang Jinyan and Shi Nian came through the door. The former was sitting on the wheelchair and thetter was pushing him. Hearing the underlying meaning in Ru Meiqi''s tone, Shi Nian''s face, which she had managed to cool down with difficulty, started to burn up again.


    The man with his back facing them turned around, showing a feature that was extremely simr to Jiang Jinyan. It was hard not to recognize who he was.


    "Jinyan," he frowned, displeased. "Look at howte it is now. How can you just wake up now?"


    Jiang Jinyan ignored his remark and quietly greeted, "Good morning, Father."


    It was rare for Jiang Huocheng to see such a calm and obedient Jiang Jinyan. He was ready to lecture him about the importance of waking up early and exercising even though his leg was like that so that he didn''t have to suffer from heart attack just like Jiang Huocheng did. But when he heard Jiang Jinyan''s greeting, all of his anger was dispelled in an instant.


    He cleared his throat softly, "¡­Morning." His eyes then trailed toward the young girl behind Jiang Jinyan. "And thisdy here is Miss Shi Nian?"


    "Yes," Jiang Jinyan had thought about how he should introduce Shi Nian. Jiang Huocheng shouldn''t have known about the matter of him breaking up with Wei Xiameng. He didn''t want Shi Nian to be subjected to inquisitive or even derogatory gaze¡ªhe couldn''t bear to see it happen. He should let his father be used to Shi Nian''s presence first. "Let me introduce you. This is Shi Nian, a junior¡ª"


    Jiang Jinyan''s words trailed off when Shi Nian suddenly stepped forward and bowed ny degrees. Her voice trembled due to the nervousness but still loud and clear nheless. "It''s a pleasure to meet you, Uncle Jiang! My name is Shi Nian, I am Jinyan''s g¡ªgirlfriend!"


    Jiang Jinyan: "¡­"


    ng! The spoon Jiang Huocheng had just picked up fell back down again.


    Ru Meiqi covered her mouth and let out a cough that sounded awfully like augh.


    The bodyguards¡ªalbeit their eyes were covered in ck sses¡ªturned their sights toward Shi Nian, gobsmacked.


    One thought echoed in their minds; Oh God, this is the first time Young Master Jiang hase here and he brought a girlfriend with him already? Is this a meeting-father-inw scene?!


    Shi Nian turned to Jiang Jinyan, eyes sparkling. Her entire body radiated glow as if she hadpleted an enormous task and was now asking for a reward. Jiang Jinyan could almost see a tail wagging behind her. Only after seeing Jiang Jinyan''s speechless face did she snap out of her senses and a foreboding filled her heart. Scooting closer, she tugged on his sleeve and whispered, "Did I do something wrong?"


    Jiang Jinyan was half-exasperated and half-amused. He offered a smile and patted her hand. "No." Turning to the nk faced Jiang Huocheng, he nodded. "That''s right, this is Shi Nian, my girlfriend."


    Jiang Huocheng finally rposed himself after much difficulty. Looking at his son and Shi Nian back and forth, he suddenly dropped a bomb. "¡­Is Miss Shi pregnant with your child?"


    "What?!" Jiang Jinyan and Shi Nian simultaneously eximed in shock.


    "P¡ªP¡ªPregnant?!" It was as if steam was blowing out of Shi Nian''s head. Her face turned deep crimson, and the color spread down to her neck and disappeared beyond her cor. "I¡ªI am not, Sir!"


    "Calm down¡­" Jiang Jinyan patted her back. "It''s okay, he''s only joking. Right?" Thest word was directed to Jiang Huocheng with a sharp, threatening gaze that was saying ''if you spout out nonsense once again then you''re going to get it from me''.


    Jiang Huocheng raised a brow. "It''s not? So, what''s with this formal introduction?"


    One couldn''t me Jiang Huocheng for thinking like that. Even with Wei Xiameng, if it wasn''t for him identally finding out about it, Jiang Jinyan wouldn''t have introduced both of them at all. For Jiang Jinyan to bring a girl to him, this was the first time. Jiang Huocheng couldn''t help but imagine the worst case scenario.


    Why did Jiang Jinyan introduce them? He was serious with the girl and intended to marry her.


    Why so urgent? There was an unexpected incident.


    What kind of incident could offset this? His bastard son identally knocked the girl up.


    Conclusion: possibility of pregnancy was huge.


    .


    .


    Short cut scene: Jiang Jinyan''sment early in the morning.


    The following scene happened after Si Zhening left the room and closed the door behind him.


    Jiang Jinyan stared adoringly at Shi Nian''s face for a while and brushed the strands of hair covering her face away. After that, he gently peppered kisses onto her eyelids. The disturbed girl slowly roused awake and her eyes fluttered open, still dazed and misty with sleepiness. It made Jiang Jinyan''s throat tighten, he couldn''t help but give her a peck on her lips.


    "Good morning, girlfriend." He said in a slightly hoarse and deep voice.


    Shi Nian looked at him in daze. The morning sun fell on him, wrapping his entire body in a golden glow. His hair was slightly messy yet it fitted him nicely, he looked wild and sexy. Especially with those dark eyes that were oozing with tenderness, affection and...something else. Something dark and dangerous that made rms go off in her brain.


    Shi Nian sobered up in an instant and her whole face burned as she realized where she was now. "M-Morning." She didn''t dare to breathe out loud for fear that her morning breath was smelly.


    Scrambled up from the bed, Shi Nian intended to rush to her room and wash herself up first when Jiang Jinyan pulled her back. She stumbled, gasping when her back crashed onto his chest. So warm, broad and unexpectedly hard with muscles. Not even a sheet of paper coulde between them.


    His strong heartbeat was transmitted to her back. Ba-thump. Ba-thump. Ba-thump. It was so fast that Shi Nian had difficulty discerning whether it was truly his or hers.


    Jiang Jinyan wrapped his arms around her waist and leaned forward, his lips stered onto her ears, his breath hot and tingly. Strands of hair fell onto her neck, it was both ticklish and electrifying that goosebumps formed along her arms. "Where''s my official title?"


    Shi Nian''s poor heart couldn''t take this kind of teasing early in the morning. She already had a hard time falling asleep due to Jiang Jinyan''s abrupt statement. Coupled withck of oxygen into her brain, she got dizzy in an instant.


    "Hmm?" He drawled. "Or...did you forget?"


    H-How could she forget this kind of thing?!


    Rattled, she shook him off with all of her strength, stood up and shouted. "G-G-Good morning, b-boyfriend!" Shi Nian bit her tongue in the end. Mortified, she covered her face and hastily rushed next door, leaving the stunned Jiang Jinyan behind.


    In the end, he didn''t get a morning kiss because she was too shy.


    Jiang Jinyan chuckled helplessly.


    What to do? His girlfriend was just so adorable....(/¦Å£Ü*)

 Chapter 298 - I Will Go Insane

    "It''s not like that." Jiang Jinyan pinched his brows and sighed. "Please don''t make any careless remarks. You can ruin an innocent girl''s reputation. She only wants to introduce herself properly to you, am I right?" His face instantly changed when he turned to Shi Nian, softer and milder. Jiang Huocheng cursed inwardly at how two faced he was.


    "T¡ªThat''s right!" Shi Nian answered nervously, having known that she had messed it up. Seeing Jiang Huocheng''s narrowed eyes, she took a deep breath and calmed herself. "I know this is not the best time for me to show up in front of you and the situation may not seem right. But all I want to do is to introduce myself to you. After all, you''re the father of the person I love¡­"


    Jiang Jinyan''s expression softened and he gave her fingers a squeeze. "You''re hungry right? Let''s have breakfast first and leave the talk forter."


    Shi Nian stole a peek at Jiang Huocheng and saw that the man didn''t seem to care much. She heaved a sigh and nodded. In her mind, she was berating herself inwardly, why did she have to go and do that? Everything was messed up right now. She had the feeling that Jiang Huocheng didn''t seem to wee her very much¡­


    She pushed Jiang Jinyan''s wheelchair forward and paused.


    Err¡­the table was very long. Where should they sit...?


    She looked at Jiang Huocheng and Ru Meiqi who sat on each end of the table, bewildered. Should she just sit close to Ru Meiqi and let Jiang Jinyan sit together with his father?


    Just as she was starting to sweat, Jiang Jinyan grasped her hand and pointed toward a seat. "Let''s go."


    Shi Nian hesitated for a while. "Is this okay¡­?"


    However, Jiang Jinyan wasn''t listening any longer and directly rolled the wheelchair himself. Shi Nian had no choice but to sit beside him. So the final arrangement was; Shi Nian sat on the right side of Ru Meiqi with Jiang Jinyan beside her, leaving Jiang Huocheng on the corner alone.


    Jiang Huocheng: "¡­I have told the cook to serve some dishes. Feel free to eat whatever you like."


    Right on cue, a line of people in white uniform stepped in carrying multiple dishes. In a short time, therge table wasid outvishly. Fresh baked garlic bread and juicy fruity sd as appetizers. The main dish was steak with hot BBQ and mushroom sauce,plemented with mashed potato that was both soft and creamy. The meat was roasted nicely with its inside light brown, sizzling with thick, mouth watering fragrance wafting out.


    Shi Nian''s stomach growled and her mouth started drooling.


    Not long after they started eating, Doctor Walker and his assistant, Cai Mingzhe joined. Only then did the awkward atmosphere slightly thaw with Doctor Walker busily chatting with Ru Meiqi.


    Jiang Huocheng only finished less than half a portion and asked for some desserts, Shi Nian took notice of it. Although he didn''t show it, hisplexion looked kind of unhealthy so it wasn''t good to consume such an oily thing early in the morning. Shi Nian assumed that the man had been abroad for quite a long time that he picked up some of foreigners'' habits.


    "Excuse me," Shi Nian whispered to the cook that stood closest to her gingerly. "Do you have some light dishes¡­um, something like a in, vegetable porridge?"


    "Certainly, Miss." The cook bowed. "Please wait for a moment."


    Not even ten minutester, a bowl of piping hot porridge was brought to her.


    Jiang Jinyan spoke softly into her ear, "Not full enough?"


    Shi Nian shook her head and moved a portion of the porridge into a separate bowl. "This is for you. The steak is a bit too heavy for your taste, right? Here, drink some porridge to warm your stomach." The bowl was gently put in front of Jiang Jinyan.


    Stunned, he took quite a while to react. "Thank you¡­" He sipped the porridge slowly and felt the warmth flowing from his throat down to his stomach, heating up his heart and entire body. Somehow, his nose felt sour and he had to finish the porridge in a fewrge gulps to suppress the surging emotion.


    The small interaction was noticed by Jiang Huocheng who pretended to be engrossed in Doctor Walker''s conversation but in fact keeping an eye for both of them. His gaze deepened and he lowered his eyes, pondering.


    After the meal, there was pretty much nothing to do and Jiang Jinyan wasn''t willing to stay here any longer. The misunderstanding between father and son was solved but it seemed that time was needed for the crack to heal.


    One thing was certain, it would only turn for the better from now on.


    Before returning, Jiang Jinyan was called into the study by Jiang Huocheng. It was the room where he used to have his meetings and conferences. Simple and elegant with a grey fluffy carpet covering the floor and arge bookshelf on one side of the wall filled with thick, hardcover books.


    "What do you want to talk about, father?" he asked.


    Jiang Huocheng frowned. "That girl¡ªI mean, Miss Shi¡­are you serious? Didn''t you still with Miss Xia a few months ago?"


    "There''s nothing between me and Wei Xiameng anymore." He answered with almost no hesitation. "I am serious about Shi Nian. If the situation permits, I n to propose to her once Ie of age."


    Jiang Huocheng pinched his brows and sighed. Nevertheless, his tone didn''t sound as severe, almost tinged in helplessness. "Why are you so much like me? Jinyan, there''s a lot of things you must prepare in order to marry a girl. Can you spare enough time for her? Can you assure her the life she wants? Can you keep the marriage steady with your current condition and capability? If you marry her just because you love her, I will bluntly tell you that love isn''t enough." He stared out of the window, his gaze wondering, "Just love alone is not enough¡­"


    Jiang Jinyan gave a scoff. "I am not you, and Shi Nian is not mother. Stop projecting yourself into us."


    Jiang Huocheng flinched from his words. "You¡­"


    He wanted to lecture more but Jiang Jinyan had already pushed himself away and reached the door. His hand stayed on the handle and he said without turning around. "And I don''t just love her. I''m already in a state where I can''t imagine my life without her. If she leaves me, I think¡­no, I''m sure that I will go insane..." He rasped. "Farewell, Father. I will note even if you get sick once again."


    Jiang Huocheng stayed in the study until the private ne coded XBC-0000 departed, Jiang Jinyan''s words kept on reverberating in his mind, making him unable to focus on his work.


    "Sir," Deng Chuqian stepped forward and bowed.


    He hummed. "Have they left?"


    "Yes and¡­" The secretary hesitated for a while.


    "And what?"


    "And¡­Young Master Jiang brought the photo frame with him. The one on the nightstand in your treatment room."


    Jiang Huocheng''s eyes widened in surprise. A whileter, he gave a softugh. His hard expression melted along with the slight curl on his lips. "Let him take it then."


    The smile seemed like a mirage because when Secretary Deng blinked in the next second, it already vanished without a trace and the usual stern and somber Jiang Huocheng was back. "Secretary Deng, I need you to investigate what happened to Jinyan these past few months, especially whom he fought with. Pass it to me as soon as possible."


    "Yes, sir." Secretary Deng bowed and left the room, leaving Jiang Huocheng alone, contemting.


    The man had his cheek cupped in one hand while the other rapped on the table rhythmically. "Shi Nian¡­Shi Nian¡­where have I heard that name before?"


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Jinyan QAQ

 Chapter 299 - Hellish Life

    Nowadays, Ruo Tingran felt like she was living in Hell. Whenever she thought of her previous life where she had people revolving all around her, ying and shopping whatever she wanted, she always got the urge to cry.


    After leaving China, their family of three settled in Vietnam in a rented house. It was a very shabby house, even her room was smaller than the bathroom in her previous house. Everyday, her father would leave home early in the morning and returnte at night, drunk and wasted. And then, he would start to act violent.


    When night arrived, Ruo Tingran could hear her father''s furious holler and her mother''s pained cries. She would huddle under the nket, shivering and trying her best to suppress the cry. She would also lock her room so that her father wouldn''t be able to find her. She knew that only the sight of her face was enough to infuriate him, so she opted to hide behind her mother and let thetter bear the brunt of his wrath instead. Only when her father went to sleep did she dare to go out of her room and help her mother up, treating her wounds tremblingly.


    "I''m sorry¡­I''m sorry, Tingting." Mother Ruo, with her eyes swollen and bruised lips, muttered sobbingly. "Please be patient okay? Your father isn''t originally like that, he is only angry nowadays that his business doesn''t go well."


    Ruo Tingran lowered her head and hummed in response.


    Exactly where had she gone wrong?


    How could everything turn out like this?


    Ruo Tingran gritted his teeth, her eyes zing with hatred. Shi Nian¡­it''s all because of Shi Nian! If she didn''t exist, then Ruo Tingran would still be the prestigiousdy of the Ruo Family! No one dared to cross her except for that bitch! Now, Shi Nian hadpletely ruined Ruo Tingran''s life and left unscathed. How could this be? Unforgivable. Ruo Tingran wouldn''t forgive her!


    She vowed that she would return to exact her revenge!


    What was Shi Nianpared to her? She was only a poor dirt, two faced bitch that went around seducing men! It was her who should have experienced the hell that Ruo Tingran was going through right now!


    It was unknown how long Ruo Tingran endured such suffocating days. Until one night, her father returned earlier than usual, sober at that. There was a huge smile on his face. "Come on, we should leave right now. I have some connection with the authoritative officials here and they have promised to cover us so that we can escape. We are going to South Korea right now! Pack your things! Hurry, hurry up!" He babbled while throwing his clothes haphazardly into the luggage.


    Mother Ruo, still with spots of bruises in her face, revealed a hesitant expression. "Will it be okay?"


    Father Ruo spat out hatefully. "If you want to stay here, then stay!"


    Ruo Tingran overheard their conversation and hastily went to pack her clothes. Actually, she hadn''t put out much of her things so it only took a little time for her to finish. Wearingfy clothes with her face covered by a mask and sses, she dragged her huge luggage out. When Father Ruo''s disdained eyes fell onto her, she shrunk her neck fearfully and hid behind Mother Ruo.


    Mother Ruo patted her hand. "C¡ªCome on, we should quickly go."


    Father Ruo clicked his tongue and all sorts of profanities slipped out of his mouth, saying how they were such a burden and how daughter was uselesspared to son. Ruo Tingran stared at his back, fire of hostility burning in her eyes.


    There was a small inconspicuous car waiting outside that brought them directly to the airport. The driver was a ck middle aged man that spoke Vietnamese. Father Ruo put on a ttering smile and replied in stutter, but it was obvious that the driver held him in contempt, yet Father Ruo kept on licking his boots.


    It was repulsive to see. Ruo Tingran squeezed her mother''s hand, ansty. "M¡ªMother, will it be okay? Everything will be fine right?" Days of running and hiding had eroded the confidence and arrogance in her bones. Right now, she was no different than a terrified rat, trying to hide under the sewer to hide from the eyes of predators.


    "It will be okay¡­" Mother Ruoforted yet her worried expression betrayed her thoughts.


    The airport was deste with only a few people walking around. Practically nobody would pay attention to them because there were many immigrants that took shelter here. Ruo Tingran tightened her coat and dragged her heavy luggage, her heart racing faster by each second.


    More simr people weed them inside the airport. All ck with muscr build, scars and tattoos were seen on their exposed arms. Just one nce told her that they were all dangerous people. The gaze they threw toward her and her mother made Ruo Tingran ufortable.


    Chills ran down her spine and she huddled close to Mother Ruo forfort. "M¡ªMother, who are these people? They don''t seem right¡­"


    Exactly what did Father Ruo go out to do everyday?!


    Both mother and daughter held onto each other with the same look on their faces, frightened and helpless in face of the towering men who were leering at them. However, what if these men could indeed help them get to South Korea safely? As long as Ruo Tingran could live freely once again, as long as she didn''t have to fear the police again¡­why should she care what kind of person they were?


    She hardened her resolve that was based on revenge and hatred, firmly following behind her father''s steps. Following that, the men began to speak in English and Ruo Tingran could more or less understand them. "The ne has been prepared. Bruce will be escorting you. Once you arrive there, don''t forget about the payment or else¡­"


    "Sure, sure!" Father Ruo hurriedly answered, sweat dripping down his face. "I will definitely not forget!"


    Contrary to Ruo Tingran''s worry, they passed the verification smoothly and entered the boarding area. But somehow, the foreboding in her heart intensified. There was nobody inside the boarding area except for them and the foreign men. Even the gift shops and restaurants were closed for service.


    There were five men escorting them, one that seemed like the leader was talking animatedly with Father Ruo while the rest surrounded Ruo Tingran and her mother. She even sported one that scanned her body upside down with tant lewd gazes that he didn''t care to disguise.


    Ruo Tingran felt ufortable all over and her heart was beating so fast it was going to explode. Subconsciously, she picked up the pace and chased after Father Ruo, trying to evade the men as much as possible.


    "The boarding time is in ten minutes. After the gate opens, you may enter." The man said.


    "Thank you! Please send my utmost gratitude to your Boss!" Father Ruo bent his waist tteringly. "This Ruo will not forget his kindness! Later if Boss needs something from me, don''t hesitate to ask for it."


    The men looked at each other and guffawed. "Really? What if the boss wants your daughter to apany him for a night?"


    Ruo Tingran''s jaws dropped. Piecing the words and the suggestive stares they gave her together, she had an inkling on what they were talking about. "No¡­No!" She shrieked in terror.


    To her dismay, Mother Ruo covered her mouth in panic. "Tingting, don''t! Don''t make any sound, okay? We are so close¡­" She cried helplessly. "We are already so close¡­it''s just one night. Sorry, forgive mother ah, Tingting¡­but you have always been a strong girl. You can definitely bear it, can''t you?"


    Tears streamed down Ruo Tingran''s face as she shook her head vehemently.


    What was this¡­? Just in order to escape, her mother and father were willing to throw her to some dubious man?!


    .


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    A/N: Well, that''s karma for ya~~


    If you forget, I have briefly mentioned before that the police and Ruo Family remained in a deadlock so although everyone knows of Ruo Tingran''s crime, her father still have intensivework at his disposal. After the matter broke out, they lost their reputation and fled to Vietnam to avoid the police.


    But seriously, her parents are so bastardly QAQ


    Anyway, expect a mass release tomorrow! I still haven''t confirmed the number of chapters yet because I haven''t edited them lol but it''s def more than five _(:3¡¹¡Ï)_ I finish them in two days praise me~

 Chapter 300 - If I Couldnt Even Defend My Son

    Her whole body trembled violently and her heart was further pushed to the brink of despair when Father Ruo answered. "Well¡­if Boss wants to, I can''t bear to object. But I must highlight that my daughter is the cream of the crop. She''s beautiful, smart and has a great body. Boss¡ª"


    The man barked out augh. "Don''t worry, Boss will definitely reward you greatly!"


    Father Ruo revealed a satisfied and relieved nod.


    Ruo Tingran''s pupils dted in anguish, strength seeping out of her whole body. Two men started to approach her and she scrambled back in panic. "Don''t touch me! Don''t touch me, you bastard! Father, Mother, please! Help me, I don''t want this¡­!"


    It was no use though. Her strength couldn''t even be mentioned in face of two powerful and brawny men. Ruo Tingran resisted with all of her strength yet for them, it was just like a kitten trying to brandish her ws. It was ticklish and adorable, tempting them to cut the sharp nails off.


    Right at that moment, the gate opened and a man in European features came out wearing a trench coat.


    "Ah, there you are Bruce!"


    Bruce swept his gaze over the people andnded on Ruo Tingran who had curled herself up on the ground. He only raised a brow and didn''tment anything. "Ready?"


    "Yup. You can leave whenever you want."


    "How many people do you have?"


    Albeit it was kinda strange, the brawny leader still answered. "Only five of us. What''s wrong?"


    "Nothing, just that¡­" All of a sudden, Bruce pulled out a gun and pointed it right on the man''s forehead. "The deal''s off."


    Everyone was too stunned to react. Surprisingly, Father Ruo recovered his senses first and took off running. He was especially fast with a burst of adrenaline surging on his veins, leaving his wife and daughter behind for a chance of survival.


    "Bruce!" The ck man hollered. "What is the meaning of this?!"


    All of a sudden, men in police uniforms poured into the boarding area and subdued Father Ruo who had almost run away, dragging him back. Ruo Tingran and her mother didn''t need any of that, they had already been scared shitless.


    The ck men thought that this was only a simple task of escorting some people to the airport thus they didn''t take any special precaution and only had a simple dagger inside their clothes. How could these people cope with fire armed police officers?!


    "Take out all of your weapons and kneel down!" The muzzles were pointed at the back of their heads. Five men slowly raised their hands and threw their knives out, kneeling with their heads bowed.


    The leader looked at Bruce in the middle of the police officers with hatred. "Bruce, you''re also one of us! Don''t think you can get off scot free just because you sold us out! I will drag you down with me!"


    Bruce lit up a cigarette and exhaled a puff of smoke. He casually took out a FBI badge and shed it in front of the man, earning him a disbelief stare.


    "How¡ªHow can this be?! How long have you been with us? Seven years? Eight years? Why are you revealing yourself right now?!" The man bellowed in rage and disbelief.


    Bruce leaned forward and whispered into the man''s ears. "Someone more powerful than Boss wants the man you''re escorting. I would say that your luck is out, man. You have offended someone you shouldn''t."


    The scene was quickly taken care of. A handcuff was put on Father Ruo''s wrist, and his back was pressed to the ground, ceasing all of his desperate struggles. Simrly, Ruo Tingran and her mother were also apprehended.


    The familiar Chinesenguage flowed out from the police officer''s mouth. "Ruo Lianfen, you''re arrested for drug and firearms transaction, embezzlement, forgery of confidential documents and bribery. You may call awyer to defend you and all you say right now can be used against you in the court."


    "Yin Fanjia, you''re arrested as your husband''s aplice and helping him to escape from the country. Lastly, Ruo Tingran..." Pausing, the police officer gave the young, frightened girl a sympathetic look. "You are being sued by the CEO of Jiang Corporation, Jiang Huocheng, for your harmful and deliberate act to injure his son, Jiang Jinyan. CEO Jiang has insured his son''s limbs for a hundred million USD each and you practically injured his entire body, so now you ought to pay the fine of six hundred million USD. If you can''t pay it off, then you have to squat in jail, Miss." He shook his head in pity. "Why should you go and offend people you shouldn''t?"


    Ruo Tingran''s vision ckened as she gasped. "S¡ªSix hundred million dors? I¡ª" Even if they were still the wealthy Ruo Family, this amount of money was exorbitantly insane, let alone now that they had fallen from grace! She grabbed onto the police officer''s trousers, desperate. "Please, I am innocent. I don''t even know who CEO Jiang''s son is! You have to believe me!"


    Her wrist was handcuffed in the next second. "You can plead for your innocence in the courtter."


    She looked at the thick metal around her wrist and her eyes rolled backward, fainting.


    The Ruo Family was brought back to China on that exact day and proceeded to be thrown behind the cells until the time when they would be put into trial. With this, the curtain to the event finally closed.


    One thing for certain was: they would never get back up ever again.


    Just like that, the once powerful and prestigious Ruo Family slowly disappeared from high society. Their ridiculous act was discussed widely among the upper echelon for a period of time.


    Of course, this was the event for another day.


    In the tropical ind, Jiang Huocheng''s treatment room.


    He was holding a tablet in one hand while the other was held by Doctor Walker as thetter injected a daily dose of medicine. "Stop working, I told you. Do you want to copse and worry your son again?"


    Speaking of Jiang Jinyan, Jiang Huocheng finally put down the tablet and pulled up the nket, sighing. "Secretary Deng, how is it?"


    "Everything has been taken care of, Sir." Deng Chuqian answered politely. "The Ruo''s reputation has been destroyed thoroughly so it''s certain that nobody will help them pay off the debt. Even if they can someday get out of jail, their lives are practically ruined now."


    The corner of Jiang Huocheng''s lips curled into a cold smile.


    Seeing that, Doctor Walker lightly pped his arm. "Do you have to go to such a length? Poor girl, how old is she? Seventeen? Eighteen? She''s even the same age as your little daughter-inw!"


    Jiang Huocheng let out a hmph. The medicine slowly kicked in and he started to grow drowsy. "If I couldn''t even defend my son like this, I would have built my empire for naught." He turned to Deng Chuqian and ordered. "The officials and ministers who helped them out of the country, tip them off to Chief Song of Police HQ. There''s no need for them to keep their position any longer."


    Deng Chuqian smiled and nodded. "Yes, sir."


    Jiang Huocheng''s eyelids fluttered shut and he slowly dozed off.


    Doctor Walker looked at him with a helpless smile, shaking his head. "If you''re just a little more honest in front of Young Master Jiang, then your rtionship will not be so bad."


    .


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    A/N: Oh my, happy 300th chapters, everyone! Time really flies! Thank you for all of your support, it''s been such an thrilling and enjoyable journey!


    PS: The best father award goes to...our Daddy Jiang! All hail Daddy Jiang! ?(¨°?¨®)?


    Mass release [1/7]

 Chapter 301 - Whos The Corpse Buried Inside The Wall?

    "So, you think he''s weird?" Jin Renguang asked without straying his eyes off the road. Both of his hands were positioned on the steering wheel leisurely and his whole body exudednguidness as if they were just going on a date and not raiding the mafia''s ammunition storage.


    Ru Meiqi hummed, frowning. "First and foremost, I noticed he has a severe case of OCD, it''s even worse than yours. Let me ask you, if some strangers suddenly go and touch you, how will you react?"


    Jin Renguang drawled, "Of course, I will twist their hands. But it''s my conditional reflex as a police officer and ex Special Forces soldier whereas Mr. Si is only an ordinary citizen."


    "That''s not what I mean." Ru Meiqi almost rolled her eyes up to the sky. "No matter what, you both will not like it and will show some reaction to express difort, right?"


    "Yes, and?"


    "Secretary Si wasn''t like that." Ru Meiqi analyzed. "When I suddenly touched him, he stiffened visibly but there''s no anger in his face. Heck, I couldn''t even see any hint of difort in his face. He just gave me that¡­smile of his. Can you guess what came to my mind? It''s so perfect but superficial. His smiles were so fake, you know. Just like he''s programmed to do so."


    Jin Renguang recalled Si Zhening''s figure in his memory and hummed. "Well, maybe it''s just business-like smiles?"


    "Second, when I was there, I kept trying to push his buttons. Invading his personal space, asking about stuff rted to his private life, bumping into him, or sshing juice onto his shirt¡­I have done them all!" Ru Meiqi covered her face and groaned. "Now that I think about it, I must look so ridiculous!"


    "Yeah," Jin Renguang echoed. "So ridiculous."


    Ru Meiqi snapped her head up and red. "What did you say?" It was alright when she mocked herself but it was different when it came to him! How dare he do that!


    The corner of Jin Renguang''s lips curled upward. He freed one hand and held Ru Meiqi''s hands, pinching the soft flesh on the back of her palm. "I''m just kidding. Why are you so easily provoked nowadays? Is your period near?"


    Ru Meiqi yanked her hand off and harrumphed. "Don''t be touchy feely." She berated yet the tips of her ears reddened slightly. "My point is, I have been trying to make him angry, but instead all I got was only the same smile and expression! It was just like Secretary Si could only put on that expression on his face! Don''t you think he''s kind of weird?"


    "Now that you put it like that, it''s indeed weird." Jin Renguang turned to the matter in hand and pondered seriously. "No matter how patient he is, he will not be able to mask his emotion perfectly like that, especially negative emotion like anger, difort or repulsion. Even if it''s me, I will not be able to hold on if a person gets close to me without any warning. Of course," The car stopped at a red light and Jin Renguang offered her a teasing smirk, "It is different when ites to you. Instead, I will wee you with both arms. How about that?"


    Ru Meiqi pushed away the hands that started to get all touchy again, hated that she couldn''t smack him to death.


    Their casual banter seemed to slowly return to how it was years ago.


    Ever since Jin Renguang came clean in her apartmentst time, Ru Meiqi had been so shocked that she didn''t know how to react. She couldn''t imagine how terrible Jin Renguang felt to be deceived by hisrade. But if she put herself in the deceased Yan Jihuan''s shoes, Ru Meiqi could somehow understand her desperation.


    Understand, though. Not that she could be sympathetic toward her crazy behavior. Her lie had earned her Jin Renguang''s hatred as well as her baby''s life. It was too cruel to say that she deserved it, but that''s just how karma worked.


    The harm had been done and Ru Meiqi couldn''t just erase the hurt, torment and betrayal she had gone through, the pain and effort she had put in to crawl back from the hole of despair until now, she became a stronger, firmer and confident woman.


    The experience taught her how to stand firm for herself and how to be independent. She couldn''t just rely on a man just because they were her other half. Even the closest person in her heart could someday turn around and backstab her. And Ru Meiqi truly learned from that, learned how to be more wary and only believed in herself.


    Maybe Jin Renguang was right. She had really changed too much.


    Well, the point was, ever since that day, they hadn''t got the time to have a nice talk yet. To be exact, Ru Meiqi had already forgiven him but she felt awkward all of a sudden and didn''t know how to bring it up.


    ¡­Perhaps they had to wait until they caught the serial killer before talking about private matters.


    "Hey." Jin Renguang pinched her chin and lifted her head up, snapping her out of her senses. "What are you thinking about that got you all serious like that? Don''t burden yourself too much thinking about Mr. Si, I will tell Wang Chengbing to check him over once again. But the strange thing is, we have already suspected him as early as a few months ago, but his house, bank ount, personal life and record, everything is squeaky clean."


    Ru Meiqi looked around and saw that they had arrived at the base of the mountain hill. Jin Renguang had driven his Jeep with Ru Meiqi while behind them, there were three other ck, inconspicuous vans that carried the members of SCI squad and General Crime Division.


    She swatted Jin Renguang''s hands away and glowered. "Don''t bother. I already have some ideas, but I have to search for my mentor''s notes first. I recall there''s simr research about symptoms like his."


    "Alright, up to you." Jin Renguang gave a soft smile, one that he didn''t show to anyone else besides Ru Meiqi, one that could always cause her heart to speed up and butterflies fluttering inside her stomach.


    ¡­Damn it. Why did he have to look so handsome only in a in shirt and coat?


    Ru Meiqi hated how weak she was to Jin Renguang''s appearance, unwilling to admit that his face perfectly suited her taste.


    The walkie talkie buzzed. "Captain Jin, this is Qin Weizhe. How is the situation over there?"


    Instantly, they put the private matters behind and returned to being the serious Captain Jin and professional Miss Ru.


    Jin Renguang propped his arms on the steering wheel and scanned the surroundings. "There''s only one path if we want to go up and there''s some obvious tyre prints here."


    "This is Tang Wei. I have asked the civilians around and they said that there''s nothing in the mountain because it''s thend that belonged to the government so they didn''t dare to touch it casually. But once in a while, they saw some people with cars riding up there and when they asked, those people only said that it''s the government''s confidential project." He sounded helpless. "You know, whenever the government is being brought up, people don''t dare to ask anymore."


    Jin Renguang quietly sneered.


    The walkie talkie was noisy for a moment filled with multiple curses and cussing. In the end, Qin Weizhe''s voice pierced through. "Okay, here''s the n. There''s only one way up to the mountain so if we just go up like this, we will be so eye-catching that we practically ask them to capture us. We also don''t know how many surveince camera are up there and where they put them. So here''s the n."


    "First batch, I, Luo Ning and the members of the General Crime will go up first. We will surround them from east and west, five people each. Try to avoid the surveince camera and crush them as much as you can. It''s better if we can pull them out from their nest. SCI squad, after we give the signal, it means that the situation is already clear and you can join us."


    "For the technical team, Captain Jin and Senior Ru, you will remain here to scoop the area. If you see their backuping, inform us as soon as possible and try to hold them back for a while. Is everything clear?"


    "Roger!"


    "Good. Now, check your gun and make sure that it''s fully loaded. Wear your bulletproof vest properly. Remember that this is a very dangerous mission. Who we will face are the mafia and they will hold advantage over us over the number of firearms. That''s why we have to act swiftly and quickly. Take them off guard and disarm them, got it?"


    "Yes, sir!"


    Jin Renguang nodded. "Remember, safety first. Best luck to you,rades."


    Under the veil of the night, the car door opened soundlessly and ten men rushed out directly up to the mountain. Their pace was quick and vigorous. In a blink of an eye, they had already vanished from sight, leaving only the soft rustle of leaves and trees.


    Ru Meiqi leaned on her seat and let out a sigh.


    "Nervous?" Jin Renguang chuckled and held her cold hands. This time, Ru Meiqi didn''t evade and tacitly let him be. "It''s okay. We can do this. Qin Weizhe is very skillful."


    "I know." Ru Meiqi grumbled. What? She wasn''t allowed to be worried even though they were powerful? She pinched Jin Renguang''s calloused hands to vent her nervousness and jittery, kneading his hard flesh like dough. "How about the DNA test? They still haven''t identified the corpse buried in the wall?"


    Jin Renguang frowned. "Well, it''s about time for the result toe out. But it doesn''t look very optimistic though. We only got some blood samples. It will be a lot of work to match it to the database. It''s easier to get facial recognition instead." He sighed tiredly.


    They fell silent for a while, eyes scanning around in alert.


    Jin Renguang''s phone vibrated on the dashboard and a pop up notification appeared on the screen. He gave a nce and whistled. "Talk of the devil."


    Ru Meiqi straightened up. "The result hase out? Who is it?"


    Jin Renguang was visibly stunned when he read the messages, unable to react for a while until Ru Meiqi called him for the third time. "Ah?" He blinked and lifted his head to see the uneasy and agitated Ru Meiqi. "Sorry, I was caught up in my thoughts for a while." He patted her head gently to appease her.


    "So who is it?" Ru Meiqi asked impatiently.


    "Should I say that it''s surprising or not?" Jin Renguang''s lips curled into a smile that didn''t reach his eyes. He lowered his eyes in ponder and said quietly. "It''s Shin Dong. Do you remember him? The one who disguised as Cui Qiqiang and gave us information about the human skin mask. Fortunately, we have his DNA in our database so the result came out quickly."


    He sneered and gazed up toward the tranquil mountain as if he could see through the battle that wouldmence there. "He must have been eliminated due to betrayal."


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    A/N: RIP Shin Dong QAQ there''s a bit of foreshadowing about this in chapter 249 - They Are Still Suspecting Me. It''s because he told the police about the human skin mask (¡ä§¥?©c


    Mass release [2/7]

 Chapter 302 - He Will Not Be Killed, Right?

    Qin Weizhe led four other men as they rushed through the dense forest and climbed the mountain, their boots thumped lightly on the ground. He and Luo Ning raced in front while three others covered behind them. For a while, there was only the sound of twigs snapping, leaves rustling and soft, rapid breathing.


    Until at one point of time, Qin Weizhe suddenly stopped and raised his fist.


    They halted swiftly and following Qin Weizhe''s direction, saw a red dot twinkling above the tree. One of the members nodded, jumped agilely and crushed the mini CCTV, the whole movement didn''t even take two seconds. "Clear." He whispered.


    "Okay, let''s sweep around first." Qin Weizhe ordered. They dispersed briskly and returned a few minutester. "Three cameras around eight hundred meters from the base¡­" he muttered.


    "Are we close to the warehouse?" Luo Ning asked in a whisper.


    "Maybe. But my gut feeling said that this is only the firstyer."


    They looked at each other, nodded and continued forward. In the span of fifteen minutes, they found another five mini CCTVs, all crushed in their palms. The deeper they went, the more red dots they saw. "It''s not right." Qin Weizhe suddenly halted. "We have destroyed so many of their cameras. Why does nobodye to check it out?"


    Only then did they realize that the surrounding was quiet. Too quiet, in fact.


    "It can''t be, right?" The other member echoed. "Just now we found that the tyre prints are fresh. They have just gone up a moment ago."


    Qin Weizhe nodded, his face serious and tense. Under the helmet, his bronze skin was glistening with sweat. Coupled with his sharp and fierce eyes, he looked just like a leopard ready to pounce on his prey. He whispered to the members behind him. "Two of you, go and inspect what happens. Pull back if you saw any sign of activity okay? Don''t let them see you."


    They nodded and dashed out agilely with their backs bent.


    Qin Weizhe waited with his jaws clenched taut. He swept his gaze over and saw Luo Ning beside him had a slightly paleplexion. Taken aback, he asked, worry marred his face. "Are you okay?"


    Luo Ning nodded with a wry smile. "I''m okay¡­"


    Qin Weizhe''s features softened and he patted Luo Ning''s shoulders gently. "I know this is the first time for you to go through such a huge operation so it''s inevitable for you to feel nervous. Don''t worry, I and Old Quan will cover you, right?" Thest word was directed toward Quan Rongheng who crouched beside them.


    He nodded. "When I was going through this the first time, I was more nervous than you. I even misfired the gun. Fortunately, I didn''t harm anyone that time. You are already doing great, Luo Ning."


    "Really?" Luo Ning tookrge gulps of air and tried to calm his tremble. "I thought it''s only me¡­thank you, Detective Quan, Detective Qin."


    Qin Weizhe smiled and rubbed his back infort. "Just make sure to take a warm bath when you return hometer. You will definitely feel better."


    Luo Ning gave him a wide grin in return. His heart slowly calmed down.


    The two members returned not long after. Their expressions a bit unsightly. Luo Ning''s heart secretly sank, even Qin Weizhe grew tense as he asked, "What''s wrong?"


    "I think it''s safe for us to move forward." They said, "We are only around eight hundred meters away from the warehouse. I just saw them dragging someone inside. If my eyes didn''t wrong me, then it is definitely Sui Chenyou."


    "Who?" Quan Rongheng asked nkly.


    Qin Weizhe clicked his tongue. "Sui Chenyou. That Bro Sui whom Captain Jin ordered to find Jia Renyu''s son."


    They couldn''t help but curse vehemently.


    "No way." Luo Ning gasped, his face paled. "They caught him? What will happen to him? He¡­He will not be killed, right?"


    To his dismay, no one refuted his sentence. Luo Ning clenched his fists, exasperated. Of course, what did he expect? The first and foremost principle the mafia upheld was loyalty. Sui Chenyou had clearly switched sides with his act of searching for Jia Renyu''s son. It''s no wonder that he was apprehended and brought back for punishment.


    Thinking of the corpses buried in the wall, Luo Ning got chills down his spine. A few hourster¡­Sui Chenyou''s fate must have ended up like them. Slowly dying, watching as oxygen around him thinned bit by bit until the end, he would asphyxiate and die in unwillingness and fear¡­


    "We shouldn''t waste time any longer." Qin Weizhe said somberly. It was clear that they were imagining the same thing. Quan Rongheng even showed a vomiting look. "Come on. If they are busy with Sui Chenyou, the security must becking right now. It''s our chance."


    They looked at each other and saw the same determination. Nodding, they broke into a run and rushed forward, disregarding the twinkling red dots until the dense trees thinned and a space opened up in front of them. They halted sharply and scanned around.


    "Oh!" Luo Ning whispered excitedly. "It''s our members there!"


    The two teams met again, separated by the small, inconspicuous warehouse. Qin Weizhe''s team was standing on the east while the other was on the west. They made eye contact with each other and nodded.


    Qin Weizhe swept his gaze over the area in front of him. There were two ck sedans parked in front of the shabby warehouse. The building seemed like a security guard''s station that was renovated to be a warehouse.


    The size was so small for a storage warehouse. It wasn''t even fifty meters square. The windows were blocked by ck films and from the gaps beneath the door, there came the faint light and shadow moving. They could also hear distant conversation, the dull thud of something heavy falling to the ground and muffled screams.


    It was Sui Chenyou''s voice!


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    A/N: oh no, Sui Chenyou is caught! Well, Jia Renyu''s son is practically dangling in front of their very eyes. It''s unfortunate they haven''t realized it lol (?????)


    Mass release [3/7]

 Chapter 303 - The Real Mission Was Just Starting

    Qin Weizhe pulled out his walkie talkie and whispered into it. "This is Qin Weizhe. We have already arrived in front of the warehouse. The distance is approximately 1300 meters from the base. Number of casualties and injured: none. Sui Chenyou is in their hands and I suspect that they are trying to kill him. I repeat, Sui Chenyou is in their hands. Over."


    Electrical buzz and rustle sounded, followed by Jin Renguang''s low voice. "Received. The secondary team is on their way. The pathway is clear. Proceed with the n and caught them red handed. Over."


    "Received. Over. Members of General Crime, be on stand by. As soon as you receive my signal, we will break through the door."


    "Roger!"


    For a while, Sui Chenyou''s muffled screams and grunts of pain rang out nonstop. Luo Ning grimaced. He couldn''t imagine what kind of cruelty the other man was going through right now.


    Ten men in bulletproof vests and ck helmets blended with the dark terrain. They surrounded the warehouse,plete with guns and knives.


    All of a sudden, the door swung open and two men stepped out. One was buff and quite short, while the other was bald with a horrendous skull tattooed on his cheek. Short Man grunted as he lit up the cigarette. "I hate going through this kind of thing over and over again."


    "We have no choice." Tattooed Man answered with a mocking yet sympathetic snicker. "We have to get rid of him as soon as possible. How dare he go and cooperate with the police? Even if I am given ten times the courage, I still don''t dare to mess with Boss'' son."


    "Well, he''s kind of an idiot and simple so it''s no wonder that he''s the one whom the police caught first. We should bury him quickly. I heard that a new tenant has just moved into the house."


    "Huh? When I passed by yesterday, it seemed empty though."


    "Hush, don''t take the risk!" Short Man dropped the cigarette and stepped on it. "How is it? Have they finished preparing the materials?"


    "Let me ask them quickly." Tattooed Man had just wanted to enter when the door mmed open from inside. Coming out was another man, he had a look of panic and apprehension.


    "What''s wrong?!" They asked warily.


    "The...The surveince cameras we put around the mountain." He bbered in panic, incoherent. "Some of them are broken and I saw¡ª"


    Qin Weizhe''s eyes sharpened and he gave a long whistle. Now!


    Ten vigorous police officers rushed out in an instant like mighty lions brandishing ws. The three men didn''t even have the time to react¡ªno, they hadn''t even had the chance to see who the assants were when they were knocked out cold. The whole situation was resolved in less than one minute, their movement was clean, neat and brutal. Even more, it waspletely soundless.


    Luo Ning, who stumbled in his step causing him toest, coincidentally saw hisrades'' cold and cruel eyes that didn''t lose out to the mafia. His knees instantly trembled and if not for his familiarity with them, he would have been scared shitless.


    ¡­Oh my God, would he be required to be this ruthless and savage in the future? Luo Ning cried inwardly. Even if he was given a lifetime, he felt like he wouldn''t be able to do it!


    "Are you okay?" Qin Weizhe approached him worriedly after they dragged the bodies into the woods.


    Luo Ning nodded with an obviously forced smile. Qin Weizhe patted his shoulder infort. They crouched down under the window as Qin Weizhe popped his head out and peeked in through the ajar door. The first thing he noticed was the thick smell of gunpowder and nauseating stench of blood that assaulted his senses.


    He wrinkled his nose and held his breath. The light in the warehouse was dim and there were a lot of stacked cargos. A twitching figureid on the ground, blood soaked his body. It was Sui Chenyou whose fate was unknown.


    Hushed conversation came from deep inside the warehouse where it was obscured by the cargos. Nevertheless, the front coast was clear and it was evident that the three men earlier were tasked to guard the door.


    Less than one minuteter, the SCI Squad''s members arrived and found three unconscious menid defenselessly under the bushes. They each gave a kick and joined Qin Weizhe''s group, almost surrounding the warehouse from all sides.


    Qin Weizhe calcted and raised his palm, pointing toward four other men and him. He gestured with his head and mouthed, "Three, two, one¡ª"


    Five men rushed inside and hid in the shadows, their footsteps soundless as the space they left behind was instantly filled with other members. From Qin Weizhe''s position, he could see Luo Ning staring at him worriedly. He gave the younger man a firm smile and turned to inspect the surroundings.


    The faint conversation travelled to his ears and he scooted closer to eavesdrop better.


    "That man surnamed Sui isn''t dead, right?"


    Laughter rang out. "Dead or not, is there any difference? He will be buried in the end."


    Four men were inside, mixing cement and gathering some steel bars. Qin Weizhe observed as they put the steel bars together in criss-cross to form a barrier. So that was where the smell of steel and rust came from. He could imagine it inside his head. The body would be put between the wall and the steel bars then cement would be applied before it would be covered by bricks. This was done in order to allow some oxygen to remain.


    How cruel. His jaws clenched rigidly, cold lights shing through his eyes. They really didn''t intend to give Sui Chenyou a quick death.


    The four men were engrossed in their task and didn''t notice anyoneing in. Perhaps they had gotten used to doing it for years and left unscathed, causing them to lower their guard.


    The corner of Qin Weizhe''s lips tilted into a chilling smile.


    ...Right, it was better this way. This would make everything easier.


    Qin Weizhe made eye contact with the member who stood closest to the door and gave two signals.


    Seize Sui Chenyou. Then, everyone coulde in.


    The real mission was just starting and the night was still long.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N:


    Mass release [4/7]

 Chapter 304 - You Can Still Eat After This?

    "Come on." One of the men sighed and wiped the sweat on his forehead. Cements stained his gloves and clothes. Irritated, he threw the shovel aside. "This should do it."


    "Yeah, let''s go. I want to go home soon and sleep."


    Unbeknownst to them, the entire team of the police had entered the warehouse, captured the heavily injured Sui Chenyou and were currently observing them closely. Qin Weizhe gave the members a nod and pointed forward. Everyone nodded in return, hands tightening around the guns, tensing in preparation.


    "Where''s Old Two and the others? Why haven''t I heard any sound for a while? Don''t tell me. Is that Sui Chenyou really dead and they''re escaping?"


    "Damn it. Go and check it out ah! Drag them back! I have told them not to hit Sui Chenyou so hard. If he''s really dead, they are going to get it from me!"


    "Aye aye." The chosen man clicked his tongue and turned to walk outside, yawning. "I swear I will bury that old geezer someday. Hmph, who gave him the right to order people around¡ªugh!" He had just stepped into the shadows when a hand mped his mouth shut and yanked him to the side. His eyes widened in shock as he saw rows of uniformed people hiding behind the cargo. W¡ªWhat the hell?! Police?! "Hmm¡­hmm!"


    "Noisy." Song Huo frowned.


    The back of the man''s head was chopped neatly and his eyes rolled backward, fainted.


    Luo Ning was once again rendered speechless as the man''s ck body was thrown to him. Song Huo whispered. "Little Ning, you can just take him outside and wait there. We will be done in a while."


    "Ah¡­" Luo Ning''s mouth opened to rebuke. Why did everyone want to leave him behind?! He intended to plead to stay but before he could say anything, the three men remaining stopped what they were doing, stunned.


    "Where''s he? Why does he take so long? It''s just a few steps away right?"


    "Come to think of it. I didn''t even hear him calling out."


    Their faces sank and the look they gave each other was full of apprehension and rising panic. "W¡ªWhat happened? I have a bad feeling here¡­" Suddenly, the warehouse just seemed silent. Too silent, in fact. There wasn''t any other sign of activity besides them.


    "Go!" They made a split second decision. "We are ambushed!"


    s, they had the thought but not the capability. Just as they dropped everything and wanted to flee, men in bulletproof vests and ck helmets jumped out from all corners, carrying with them guns whose muzzles were pointed toward the three.


    "Freeze!" Qin Weizhe shouted. "This is the police! Put your hand behind your back and kneel down or else we will shoot!"


    They cursed and carefully lifted both arms. One of the men that was acting like the leader, nced around in panic and saw the back door that was only a few meters away from him! No one was guarding him and the police were too busy checking for the cargo. He gritted his teeth, pushed his teammate toward the police officer and made his run toward the back door!


    Bang!


    Ru Meiqi gasped, her head snapped up. "Is that¡­gunshot?"


    Jin Renguang peered over and hummed. "It is."


    "Have they started a gunfight? What should we do? Who has been shot? It couldn''t be our side, right?" Ru Meiqi shot off a barrage of questions in anxiety.


    Jin Renguang chuckled. "Listen, there''s only one gunshot. It means that they are almost done with the job."


    Just as he said that, the walkie talkie buzzed and Qin Weizhe''s voice came through. "This is Qin Weizhe. The operation has seeded. Number of casualties and injured from our side: none. However, there''s someone from the other side who has been shot on his legs. We have applied emergency first aid. Requesting the assistance of the medical team. Over."


    "See?" Jin Renguang raised a brow, the corner of his lips curled into a smirk, taunting. It looked so annoying that Ru Meiqi got the urge to stuff her high heels into his mouth. Still, she endured it though.


    Jin Renguang grabbed the walkie talkie. "Received. I and Miss Ru are going up now. Over."


    The eight mafia men that were tasked with burying Sui Chenyou that night were captured sessfully and the police directly took over the warehouse. It seemed like the Goddess of Luck was still siding with him at thest moment. He was directly sent to the hospital and pushed into the emergency room for multiple operations.


    That night, over half of the police officers in the station¡ªwhether they were interns or not¡ªwere summoned to help with the mass excavation.


    For six hours straight, they worked to evacuate the area and thoroughly disassembled the tunnel walls.


    In the end, they managed to dig out eighteen corpses. Three of them were even left with only skeletons while some were half decayed with worms, centipedes and maggots running through the flesh. Luo Ning and a few weak hearted policemen instantly retched and threw the contents of their stomach up. Eventually, they were shooed out of the scene.


    Based on the initial analysis, it was estimated that the earliest the mafia had done this kind of heinous thing went as far as two to three years ago. It coincided with the time when the anonymous report was sent to the police station. However at that time they couldn''t find any evidence at all thus the case was suspended just like that.


    Who could it be? Was there a spy in the mafia? Everything was still vague and unclear in some parts. But at least...they got a lead to chase for after this.


    The newest corpse, as theb results stated, was Shin Dong, the guy who could be considered an old acquaintance. He only died a few days ago and livor mortis[1] had started to appear all over his skin. However,pared to the other corpses, his body was still considered fresh and intact.


    Qin Weizheid him in the body bag[2] and sighed as he closed Shin Dong''s eyes that were still wide open even after his death. His face was twisted with fear, hatred and unwillingness. It would definitely haunt the police officer''s nightmares for a few days straight.


    When they were done, it was already 3 am in the morning. The mountain was officially sealed with yellow police lines and everyone dragged their legs back to the car, carrying with them grime, mud, sweat and the thick scent of death. As exhausted as a dog.


    Jin Renguang obtrusively put some distance between him and his team members, grimacing. He only left a short "Good work, now we can leave the identification for the technical team. Go home and rest well." Then he left in his car, dragging Ru Meiqi together with him.


    Qin Weizhe took off the bulletproof vest, revealing a in shirt that was soaked in sweat. His well defined muscles, broad shoulders and slender waist was highlighted. Well, everyone was dressed simrly but somehow, Luo Ning couldn''t take his eyes off him. He had such a nice and perfect body. Luo Ning looked down at his own t stomach and deted like a balloon.


    The man received a bottle of mineral water from Luo Ning and poured it over his head before washing his hands with the rest. He lifted his eyes and saw Luo Ning''s hesitating look. "What''s wrong?" He asked, smiling. "Scared?"


    "No, I mean, yes¡­a bit." Luo Ning sighed. "Are you¡­okay? I saw that yourplexion didn''t look so good."


    Qin Weizhe was stunned for a moment andughed. "Whoever saw this kind of scene will not feelfortable." Hisughter gradually faded into a sigh. "I need a bowl of delicious, piping hot ramen after going back."


    Luo Ning revealed a repulsed expression. "You can still eat after this?"


    "Why not?" He shrugged and slung his arm over Luo Ning''s shoulder, droplets of water sshed onto thetter''s face and clothes. "Good food, a longfortable warm bath, or even one or twoedy movies will do the job. Come on!"


    "Old Qin, Luo Ning, are you two going back together?" The other member asked.


    "Yeah!" Qin Weizhe waved casually. "Good work. Drive safely and have a good sleep."


    Hisst sentence instantly got him some curses and yful kicks. Luo Ning''s dull eyes lightened up bit by bit and he finally gave a faintughter. His tense shoulders loosened after hours of nervousness.


    Catching that sight, Qin Weizhe''s lips curled up into a slight smile.


    .


    .


    [1] livor mortis = purplish-blue discoloration of the skin in the dependent parts of the body due to the collection of blood in skin vessels caused by gravitational pull. Appeared within half to two hours after death.


    [2] body bag = arge zippered bag (as of rubber or vinyl) in which a human corpse is ced especially for transportation.


    .


    A/N: Ugh, I swear Qin Weizhe is just so sweet ~(>_<~)


    With this, the overall progress until the serial killer is revealed has reached 85% hahaha. I am sad and happy to tell you that MDG''s main story will end this month (aka December) or it will be dragged until the beginning of January due to the side stories and epilogues. I am not ready at all to part with them and all of you QAQ


    Mass release [5/7]

 Chapter 305 - You Kissed Me Again...

    Luo Ning still couldn''t get used to the fact that he was living together with Qin Weizhe now¡ªuh, no, not living together. He was only a tenant. Yes! It was a tenant andndlord rtionship. The journey home was unsurprisingly quiet and Qin Weizhe deliberately put on some soothing piano music. Luo Ning looked at his own reflection through the ss window and couldn''t help asking. "When did you first chance upon this kind of gruesome crime scene?"


    Qin Weizhe calmly shifted the gearstick, his gait leisurely. "Let me think¡­has it been four or five years? At that time, I was even younger than you, only twenty years old and I waspletely a newbie. You might have heard that a few years ago, the police had a mentor and mentee program for each rookie officer but now, it''s been terminated because more and more cases of nepotism were dug out."


    Luo Ning groaned in annoyance. "It''s such a pity! If the program was still here, I would definitely apply to have you as my mentor!"


    "Will you?" Qin Weizhe gave him a teasing nce. "I don''t think I can."


    "What?" Surprised, he asked. "Why?"


    "Because I''m sure I will keep opening the back door for you."


    Luo Ning blinked, slowly digesting his words. A few secondster, he burst outughing. "You? Nepotism? Hahaha¡­Somehow, I can''t imagine it!"


    "Why can''t I?" He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. "Even today, when I saw you all scared and shivering like that, I wished to hide you behind my back and shielded you from the terrifying and brutal sight. If this isn''t nepotism and favoritism, what is?"


    Luo Ning''s mouth gaped in shock, his face flushed dark crimson. "You¡­You¡­" Even until a while, he couldn''t get anything past ''you''.


    Qin Weizhe finally cut him some ck and continued, "Of course, you definitely can''t find another mentor like me. Take me as an example, even when I was half dying with tears and snots all over my face, guess what my mentor did?"


    LUo Ning blinked. "¡­Comfort you?"


    "Nah." Qin Weizhe sneered. "He just looked at my face in disgust and told me to wash as soon as possible before reporting to him. It has taken all of his patience not to beat me up and toss me away. Thanks to him, I gathered my shit together way faster than the officers in my batch."


    The gears turned in Luo Ning''s head. Why did this sound kind of familiar? An incredulous idea popped up in his mind and he blurted out. "It can''t be? Your mentor¡­was it Captain Jin?!"


    The twisted expression in Qin Weizhe''s face told Luo Ning that he had guessed it right. He gasped. It''s no wonder that Jin Renguang and Qin Weizhe always had that kind of weird atmosphere around them. So they had this kind of history!


    Qin Weizhe gently pressed on the brake and the car stopped at the red light. He couldn''t resist pinching Luo Ning''s cheek and savoring the soft, tender sensation between his fingers. "What''s up with that gleeful look of yours? Are you thinking of some weird stuff in that little head of yours?"


    "W¡ªWhat weird stuff! It''s just¡­" He peeked at Qin Weizhe carefully. "I have heard some gossip about you and him. Do you¡­truly hate him?"


    "Hate¡­?" Qin Weizhe hummed vaguely. "I guess not. In fact, he''s one of the police officers I admire the most." The traffic light flipped to green and Qin Weizhe refocused his sight on the road.


    Sensing Luo Ning''s gaze transfixed on him, he chuckled. "Is it that shocking? I guess it''s because our bad history is spread all over that people like you often got it wrong. I don''t hate him at all, but it''s¡­hmm, how do I say it? It''s just my sense of inferiority kicking in. Captain Jin is the kind of police officer I strive to be but no matter how hard I try to reach him, I can''t seem to do that."


    "What?" Luo Ning was bbergasted. Qin Weizhe, one of the most aplished and experienced officers, had an inferiorityplex?! What kind of joke was this? "How¡­? I don''t understand. You''re smart, observational, have a sharp intuition, loaded, handsome, funny, attractive¡­how can you feel inferior?" He frowned. "To me, you''re even more amazing than Captain Jin, two times¡ªno, a hundred times more amazing akh!"


    Qin Weizhe suddenly beat the steering wheel to the side. The car tyres made a sharp, screeching sound as it halted sharply on the side of the road. Fortunately, it was wee hours in the morning so there weren''t any cars around them.


    Luo Ning grabbed the handlebar tightly, his face pale. "D¡ªDetective Qin, are you okay?! Why did you suddenly brake?!"


    Qin Weizhe had his forehead against the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white.


    "Detective Qin?" Luo Ning reached out worriedly, trying to help him up. "Are you dizzy? Headache? Nauseous?"


    Qin Weizhe grabbed Luo Ning''s hand, taking him off guard.


    Slowly, Qin Weizhe lifted his head and gave him a smiling nce, one that made Luo Ning''s heart skip a beat. Under the dim light from the streemp outside, Qin Weizhe''s eyes were half obscured in the shadows; half lidded, striking and luminous. It was both soul sucking and heart stirring.


    Click.


    He took off the seat belt and under Luo Ning''s dazed look, leaned forward and cupped his cheek. His thumb rubbing the faint traces of mud over the skin. "Why are you so adorable? It makes me want to¡­" Qin Weizhe''s presence overwhelmed him and thest few words he said disappeared into their mingled breath and locking lips.


    Luo Ning''s eyes widened as Qin Weizhe pushed him into the seat. The man''s presence overwhelmed his senses, painting the corner of his eyes with red. "Um¡­ha...Detective Qin¡­" He gradually closed his eyes shut and immersed himself in the fervent kiss. Wet licking sounds and sharp gasps echoed in the car.


    After an unknown amount of time, Qin Weizhe finally pulled away, not without giving Luo Ning''s lips onest peck. Luo Ning sprawled on his seat, panting for breath. His eyes glistened with unshed tears and lips coated in saliva. He couldn''t seem to feel his tongue anymore.


    "Are you okay?" Qin Weizhe asked hoarsely, his eyes hooded with desire.


    Luo Ning''s blood seared, especially after he found the other man''s body changes. The knowledge that Qin Weizhe was reacting to him, Luo Ning of all people, filled him with unprecedented delight and euphoria. He covered his lips with one hand, mumbling in usation. "You¡­You kissed me again¡­"


    Qin Weizhe stroked his eyshes, feeling it fluttering against his thumb. "It''s your fault for saying such cute things."


    He red, the water in his eyes made them look even more luminous and moving. They used to be such pure eyes, filled with nothing but energy, determination and vitality. Yet those eyes were currently tainted with the color of lust and desire, courtesy to Qin Weizhe. It caused him to feel that the temperature in the car had risen sharply.


    Luo Ning couldn''t hold himself in check anymore. He liked Qin Weizhe, liked him so much that it went beyond the liking one had for his colleague, senior or friend. He wanted to be Qin Weizhe''s one and only. He wanted to be the only one who could kiss those lips and receive those ravenous eyes.


    "Why did you kiss me?" His voice trembled yet his heart was adamant to get a clear answer. "Qin Weizhe, answer me. You clearly have someone you like so are you kissing me because of¡­pity? Because you found me amusing?"


    "No...!" Qin Weizhe rebuked anxiously. "It''s not like that. Little Ning, don''t cry¡­"


    Eh? Luo Ning felt Qin Weizhe''s thumb caressing his cheek. It was damp there. He didn''t even realize when he started crying. Once he knew it, he couldn''t stop. His nose started to feel sour and tears pooled up his eyes even more, threatening to fall even with one single blink.


    Qin Weizhe rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. "Sorry¡­"


    Luo Ning''s throat constricted and he hung his head low, fists clenched above his knees.


    "Look at me." Qin Weizhe sped his chin and lifted his head up. Luo Ning was stunned, because this was the first time he had seen¡­Qin Weizhe blushing. Although the environment was dim, he couldn''t have mistaken it. Faint tinge of pink spread across the man''s cheeks and he averted his gaze¡­nervously? "Sorry, I didn''t mean to make you misunderstand. I thought¡­" He sighed in frustration. "I thought that you would get my signal when I did this."


    Luo Ning blinked and arge teardrop fell directly onto Qin Weizhe''s palm. His heart trembled violently, beating faster and faster by each second. "S¡ªSignal? What do you mean¡­"


    Qin Weizhe revealed a half-embarrassed and half-exasperated face. "You still don''t get it? Do you think I will casually kiss someone I don''t even like?"


    "Like¡­?" Luo Ning almost choked on his breath. "But¡ªBut the person you like is Miss Ru, right?"


    "Seems like I forgot to tell you." He showed a perfectly innocent grin. "I was rejected already a long time ago."


    Luo Ning: "¡­" Could you even forget to say this kind of thing?!


    His fists trembled and for the first time in his life, Luo Ning had the urge to abandon peaceful path and chose violence to solve problems instead.


    .


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    A/N:


    Mass release [6/7]

 Chapter 306 - Will I Be Your Only One?

    That day, on the way to the graveyard to visit Jin Renguang''s ex wife, Qin Weizhe was suddenly possessed with the urge to end his years of crush. "Miss Ru, can you stop looking at Jin Renguang and consider me for once?" He waited patiently, knowing that there''s no way Ru Meiqi would ept him. He knew she wasn''t a woman like that.


    Just as he expected, Ru Meiqi tucked her hair behind her ear and stared into a distance. "Sorry, Comrade Qin. With my condition like this, I think it''s insulting to ept your feelings carelessly when I can''t even discern what my heart actually wants. You''re a very good and capable man so I believe you will certainly have it easy to move on from me."


    Qin Weizhe let out a sigh. The breeze ruffled his hair and along with it, he felt like a burden had been lifted off his shoulder. He chuckled. "Wow, I have actually been given a nice guy card, huh?"


    Ru Meiqiughed along with him.


    "Well, I hope you aren''t wrong." He shrugged and took the initiative to walk ahead. "I wish you happiness, Miss Ru. One little piece of advice though, if you''re feeling confused at this moment, it means that you have already found the answer yourself." He turned around and grinned merrily. "Am I right?"


    His recollection ended with Luo Ning''s exmations. "Wait, wait a moment. So, you confessed and got rejected?!"


    "Yes." Qin Weizhe''sughter couldn''t be any more carefree. "So, what question does our Little Luo Ning have left?"


    Luo Ning tried to remain calm andposed. He brushed off Qin Weizhe''s teasing tone and asked in confirmation. "So¡­after you''re rejected, coincidentally I¡ªI confessed to you and you thought that I am not bad, that''s why you went along with the flow?"


    Qin Weizhe was stunned for a moment before bursting out in a fit ofughter. He flicked Luo Ning''s forehead exasperatedly. "Exactly what has your head been thinking about? I like you. Do you hear me? I like you and it''s as simple as that. Why did you consider yourself as a rebound?"


    "I''m not?"


    "Of course not." He smiled. "Do you know why I started to like Miss Ru?"


    Luo Ning shook his head. "Why?"


    "Hmm, it''s quiteplicated. I bet you don''t know yet. Although my parents can''t be considered rich and powerful, they are still quite wealthy and respected in the city where they were living in. My father is a university professor and my mother is an ordinary housewife. Actually, I have twin elder brothers, one younger brother and one younger sister."


    Luo Ning gasped in shock. "Your family is sorge!"


    Qin Weizhe hummed, amused. He threw his gaze outside and saw little droplets of water had started to fall onto the window ss. He restarted the car and continued driving as he reminisced. "Yes, and my father brought us up with strict discipline and morality. So, when I came out about my sexuality to them, they couldn''t ept it." He smiled wryly. "That''s also why I was reluctant to answer you for the first time."


    "Ah¡­" Luo Ning recalled his shameless behavior when he was drunk. Steam emitted from his head. "S¡ªSo, what happened in the end?"


    "What could happen?" He shrugged leisurely. "I was disowned."


    "What?!" His eyes widened in shock and disbelief.


    It was as if Qin Weizhe was only talking about the rain outside. His tone was exceedingly casual and nonchnt. "Anyway, they have three other sons who listened to them. They don''t need this kind of son who''s abnormal."


    "Abnormal¡­" Luo Ning''s heart squeezed. He couldn''t imagine how big of a courage Qin Weizhe mustered toe out to his family only to be rejected and abandoned in the end. "That''s very hurtful¡­"


    "I guess so. Their words haunted me for years. But this is just who I am. I am born like this and being a bisexual isn''t a sin." Heughed softly. But somehow, Luo Ning''s heart ached sharply. Qin Weizhe cleared his throat and continued. "I think that''s why I have been searching for someone who can ept the abnormal me, someone who saw the ugly side of me and didn''t think I was weirdpared to others."


    "And somehow, I felt like Miss Ru could understand me. Now that I think about it, it''s really weird. Just a vague feeling and intuition, it somehow brought me to having a one sided crush for years." He shook his head, seeminglyughing at his own stupidity.


    Luo Ning clenched his jaw and imed with a loud voice, almost biting his tongue in the middle. "I¡ªI can also understand you! In junior high school, I had a crush on a girl. But right now, I like a man. Then, does it mean I am also abnormal like you?!"


    His self righteous words tinged with grievances cracked Qin Weizhe up. Once again, he burst outughing.


    The car entered the residentialplex where they lived and Qin Weizhe didn''t answer until he parked into the garage and turned off the engine. Theughter in his eyes had faded, reced with gravity Luo Ning had never seen before. "Let me ask you for thest time. Think about it clearly before you answer, Luo Ning."


    He stared into the man''s eyes and nodded dumbly.


    Qin Weizhe''s eyes thawed and he reached for Luo Ning''s hand, grasping it softly. "Do you want to be with me? The kind where we will have nobody except for each other. When the matter about uses out, you may be subjected to interrogative and repulsive looks from the public, your friends and rtives might talk about you behind your back, and worst, you can''t even have children. If you''re your parents'' only son, then you have to wrong your ancestors by cutting the family line." Qin Weizhe gazed into his eyes deeply and gave a slightly sad smile. "Even then, do you still want to be with me?"


    ¡­it''s not fair. He totally didn''t y it fair.


    If he gave this kind of soft look, saying those kind of affectionate words, how could Luo Ning bear to say no?


    He didn''t even have to think as he threw himself into Qin Weizhe''s embrace, almost knocking the breath out of thetter''s lungs. "You¡­" His eyes revealed doubt and disbelief. Arms dangling by the younger''s man side, hesitant to return the hug. "Luo Ning, you¡­"


    "I forgot to tell you." Luo Ning whispered with a smile. "I am an orphan to begin with so I have no family line to pass on. I don''t care about the look people give me as long as I have you by my side and children¡­we can just adopt some if you''d like."


    Qin Weizhe was stunned, unable to react for a while.


    Luo Ning giggled and braced himself to drop a kiss onto his cheek. His eyes twinkled like a billion stars were confined in them. "A person with nothing to begin with doesn''t fear losing. How about it, Detective Qin? If I say yes¡­will you ept me? Will I be your only one?"


    Qin Weizhe looked into his eyes and finally¡­let out the breath he was holding and inhaled sharply afterward. "You¡­" He gnashed his teeth and pounced on Luo Ning, eliciting a flustered and delightful yelp from thetter.


    Qin Weizhe princess carried him inside, the corner of his lips curled into a smirk. "Be prepared. I will not let you go from now on."


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: (?¨R?¨Q)?(?¨R?¨Q)?(?¨R?¨Q)? my ship is sailing finally! Second couple after Jiang Jinyan and Shi Nian be official hehehe


    Mass release [7/7]plete! Thank you for reaching the monthly goal~


    Next chapter will be updated as always on 10 pm GMT+8

 Chapter 307 - Little Apple

    Whenever Shi Nian thought of her time on the tropical ind, she would be amazed. First, she got to meet Jiang Jinyan''s father whom she had never met before. Even in their past lives, General Jiang had only assumed the mantle after his father perished in the battlefield. She also heard rumors about how her mother died shortly after giving birth to him, leaving little Jiang Jinyan in the care of the residence''s head servant, Fu Jia. When she met General Jiang, he had grown into an independent, formidable yet lonely man.


    Second...and also the most important thing, she got to spend a night with him and he even¡ªcough¡ªeven asked her to be his girlfriend.


    Upon returning to school, Shi Nian often pinched herself once in while to remind herself that it wasn''t a dream.


    The temperature in the Capital continued to drop in thest week of November. The third year students began to enter the serious phase for the university entrance exam was only less than three months away. Today, they received aspirations form in which they were required to fill the top three universities they wanted to get into as well as the chosen major.


    Shi Nian unhesitatingly filled Sangzhe University for her first university choice but left the major nk.


    The day passed by as usual. Practice papers, exam review, extra lesson, self study session, repeat. It was unknown from where the rumors originated but the talk of how the Ruo Family was done for because they had offended someone they shouldn''t have started to spread all over the school. It became the interesting talk students gossiped about during lunch break, considering Ruo Tingran was quite a famous figure after her dirty deeds were aired in the public forum.


    Of course, as the other rted party, Shi Nian was also dragged into the discussion.


    Well, not that she had any hands in that matter anyway. For her, Ruo Tingran was already the past and indeed, she was furious because Ruo Tingran''s ridiculous jealousy had caused Jiang Jinyan severe injuries but Shi Nian felt like she had made Ruo Tingran pay.


    They had both harmed each other''s most important thing. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, so was how General Jiang taught her.


    After school ended, Shi Nian rode the subway station home and by the time she arrived in front of the apartment building, it was already 6.30 pm. Her lips curled up as she saw a new message on her phone.


    [Jiang Jinyan]: Arrived?


    Shi Nian couldn''t contain her giddiness. Her heart felt so full that it was going to burst, especially when she recalled snippets of the scene from the man''s abrupt confessionst night. Deliberately pretending not to see the message, she rushed home, changed out of her uniform and took a brief shower in record time.


    When she finished gathering her things and grabbed her coat, another three messages popped up.


    [Jiang Jinyan]: ?


    [Jiang Jinyan]: Haven''t arrived?


    [Jiang Jinyan]: You''re quitete today.


    Sensing his worry, Shi Nian had an uncontroble grin on her face. Even though they had just separated a few hours ago, she already missed him so much. Shi Nian rushed¡ªalmost running down the stairs¡ªand stood in front of Jiang Jinyan''s door, panting.


    She took a deep breath to calm her breathing, tidied up her bangs and pressed on the doorbell, all the while replying to his message.


    [Ten Years]: Open the door~


    Faint rustle and ruckus sounded and the door swung open soon after, revealing Jiang Jinyan with his breath uneven. His medium length hair was left untied, slightly messy as it framed his face. He had a crutch held between his armpits to help him stand.


    "Surprise!" Shi Nian beamed and lifted the bag in her hand. "Have you eaten yet? I have some dishes here."


    He leaned on the doorframe and revealed a helpless look. "Why don''t you reply to my messages? I thought something happened to you¡­"


    She giggled. "What could have happened to me?"


    Before Jiang Jinyan could answer, right behind him shot out a furry bluish grey kitten, jumping straight to Shi Nian''s leg, hanging there like a leg pendant. "Mew~" Wet golden pupils stared up at her, so adorable that it could cause a heart attack.


    "Little Apple!" Shi Nian''s eyes lit up. "I missed you so much!"


    When the cat stayed in Shi Nian''s house, it often gnawed on the fruit Qiang Fei had cut for Shi Nian. It especially liked apples and would rush out whenever it smelled the fruit. Thus, before Shi Nian realized it, she had called it ''Little Apple'' and it would mew back as if it acknowledged it.


    Hence, it seemed like from now on, the poor nameless cat would be called ''Little Apple''.


    Jiang Jinyan raised a brow. "You missed your boyfriend''s pet but not your boyfriend himself?"


    Shi Nian inwardly grumbled about how petty Jiang Jinyan actually was. She put down Little Apple and went to support Jiang Jinyan by his arm. "Of course, I missed you too¡­" She mumbled with a flushed face.


    Jiang Jinyan limped inside and sat on the couch with Shi Nian''s help. She wiped the sweat on his face, heart aching. "Does your leg still hurt?"


    "A bit." He gave a slight smile. "The wound hasn''t driedpletely yet so I can''t put on the artificial leg."


    Noticing how his hair was sticking to his face, she used the pink crunchie on her wrist to tie the man''s hair up into a bun. Jiang Jinyan''s eyes narrowedfortably as her fingers raked across his scalp. "Are you hungry? Should I prepare the food?" She asked softly as her hands didn''t stop moving.


    Shi Nian pulled away slightly to admire her masterpiece. Jiang Jinyan with hair bun and pink crunchie was thebination that she hadn''t known was possible yet somehow, he managed to pull the look off. How could he be so cute? She couldn''t help but giggle.


    "Okay." Jiang Jinyan ignored her teasing, reached for her hand and squeezed the tender flesh on her palm. "Eat with me?"


    "Alright, I also haven''t eaten yet." She grinned and strode toward the kitchen to heat up the dishes, Jiang Jinyan''s eyes trailed behind her back, glued. Qiang Fei''s dishes were delicious and Shi Nian only needed to reheat it for a while. They spent a harmonious, warm and simple dinner together.


    Afterward, Jiang Jinyan sat on the couch withptop on hisp, typing on his assignment whereas Shi Nian sat crossed leg on the carpet with her practice papers spread across the low table. Little Apple curled itself on the sofa beside Jiang Jinyan. The two were engrossed in their own task and once in a while, Shi Nian would stop and rest her head on his leg and Jiang Jinyan would caress her hair softly when it happened.


    Everything was so tranquil¡­so perfect that Shi Nian couldn''t ask for more.


    When she finished filling the answer for thest question, she let out a tired groan and copsed on the table. The man''s low chuckle sounded above her, followed by a soft message on the back of her neck. "Tired?"


    "Uh-huh.." Shi Nian pressed her lips tight and buried her face into her arm to suppress the moan. Jiang Jinyan had just pressed the tense nerves on her shoulder and it made her sofortable that shudder ran down her spine.


    "Why are you lying there?" Jiang Jinyan lifted her up to the couch and let the boneless girl lean on him. Shocked by the sudden movement, Little Apple let out an aggrieved mew and sacrificed its ce for the female master, opting to stay in its pillow nest instead.


    "Comfortable?" he asked with a murmur.


    Heat crept up Shi Nian''s cheek but she couldn''t help but bury her face into his chest, taking in his clean scent that was tinged with medicine. "Hmm." With her voice muffled, she looked up at theptop on hisp. "What are you working on?"


    "An online test I have toplete before midnight." He ruffled her hair and proceeded to do the work with Shi Nian cocooned in his embrace. "I also have to send a sick note to my professors because I was absent these past few days."


    Shi Nian hummed, hesitant.


    Sensing it, Jiang Jinyan stopped and turned to her, lips curling up into a faint smile. "What''s wrong?"


    Shi Nian peeked at him and asked carefully. "Can I¡­change the bandages for you?"


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: writing this chappie makes me feel so warm. Jiang Jinyan''s inferiorityplex slowly healed and he learned not to see his leg as something shameful and needed to be hidden anymore :'')


    And finally, our catto has a name. It''s Little Apple or Xiao Pingguo.. There''s even a song with the same title sung by Chopsticks Brothers. "You are my little apple, I can never love you too much~" You should listen to it seriously the song is so cute hahaha

 Chapter 308 - The Last Person Who Would Leave Him

    Jiang Jinyan was stunned and subconsciously clenched his fists, his eyes half lidded.


    Shi Nian held his hands and appealed softly. "Can I? Well, if you''re unwilling, I will not force¡ª"


    "No." He lifted his head, a determined light shed within them. "You can." Shi Nian could even feel the slight tremble on his fingertips and the knowledge caused her heart to squeeze painfully. "If you want to, you can¡­"


    "Thank you, Jinyan." Shi Nian hugged him tightly, feeling his thunderous heartbeat echoed in her ear. "Stay here. I will grab the medicine kit, okay?"


    The man gave a soft hum.


    When Shi Nian returned with a medicine kit in her hand, he still stayed in the same position. Even the creases in his shirt didn''t change. Shi Nian sat on the carpet under him and reached for the bottom hem of his pants. Pausing, she asked once again. "Is it really okay?"


    Jiang Jinyan inhaled sharply, put theptop away and bent down to roll the trousers up himself. Shi Nian wasn''t even given the time to react when he had rolled up to his knee, showing the stump knee that was still wrapped in bandages.


    Shi Nian grasped his cold hands, bringing it onto her lips for kisses. She didn''t say anything but her warm smile and encouraging gaze were all Jiang Jinyan needed to loosen up. That''s right, Shi Nian was different from others. She wasn''t repulsed by me. She said she loved me¡­only with that thought could Jiang Jinyan manage to calm his stumbling heartbeat.


    No matter what Jiang Jinyan became, she was thest person on Earth who would leave him.


    The notion appeared all of a sudden in his mind and heated his whole body, warmth surging his heart in gentle waves. It was kind of ridiculous and narcissistic yet he found no doubt that it would be true, as if that was how it should be between both of them.


    His nose couldn''t help but feel sour. How could she be so nice? What kind of great sacrifice had he done in his past life to meet her in this life?


    Shi Nian gently cut the bandage off and applied medicine, murmuring. "Well, it''s okay nowadays because the weather is cold. But when spring arrives, you should just wear short pants at home." She gave him a smiling nce. "Isn''t it morefortable that way?"


    "Hmm¡­" His throat constricted painfully, it was getting hard to breathe. "Are you done yet?"


    The clueless Shi Nian didn''t notice his turbulent emotions and answered patiently. "Wait for a moment ah. I don''t want it toe loose in the middle of the night. Why?"


    "Nothing, just want to hug you."


    Sheughed and from Jiang Jinyan''s position, he could see the curl of her eyshes, fluttering adorably as she blinked. "One minute." She deftly tied the end of the bandages into a beautiful bow and eximed. "Done!"


    She hadn''t even packed up the kit when Jiang Jinyan directly pulled her up by arm, earning him a shocked yelp. Shi Nian stumbled and held onto the back of the couch so that she didn''t directly fall on him, grumbling with a smile. "What got you so impatient, Mr. Jiang?"


    Jiang Jinyan didn''t answer, directly hugged her waist and buried his face into her stomach, inhaling deeply. Shi Nian giggled and returned his embrace, patting his back in a soft manner. "Are you okay?" She asked gently.


    He nodded but didn''t give any other response except for hugging her closer.


    Shi Nian nuzzled his chin on the top of his head and kneaded his shoulders, sensing the man''s nerves slowly loosened up under the slow massage. She felt so much love toward this man, so deep that it seemed toe from her soul and engraved within her bones. Two lifetimes¡­only Jiang Jinyan could make her feel this way and no one else.


    After an unknown amount of time, he lifted his head, the rims of his eyes faintly red. "Why are you so good to me?"


    Shi Nian was taken aback by the sudden question. Instead of answering, she pinched both of his cheeks mischievously. "Why? I can''t?"


    He harrumphed lightly and lowered his head back down. "If you keep being so good to me, then I¡­" The rest of his words disappeared into incoherent murmurs.


    "Hmm? What did you just say?"


    "Nothing, just¡ª" His words were cut off by the sudden ringing of the doorbell.


    Dingdong dingdong!


    Jiang Jinyan frowned, more than displeased at the sudden interruption.


    "Huh?" Shi Nian nced at the clock on the wall. It was 9.45 pm. "Who is visiting at thiste hour?"


    Jiang Jinyan thought of the most probable person. "Is it your mother?"


    "No." Shi Nian checked her phone, confused. "Mama has told me that she will return possibly in the wee hours of the morning. She doesn''t send me any messages either."


    "Then let''s ignore it." Jiang Jinyan returned to its recent favorite spot, Shi Nian''s soft tummy.


    Dingdong dingdong dingdong!


    The sound of the bell came out more urgent as if the person on the other side had gotten either anxious or impatient. Or maybe both.


    Shi Nian patted his steel-like arms around her waist. "J¡ªJinyan...!" She didn''t know whether tough or cry. In a tone of cajoling a three years old child, she pushed his shoulders away. "I will just look into the peephole, okay? Just to see who''sing. Come onnnn¡­let me go!"


    Jiang Jinyan''s face was filled with reluctance. However, the continuous doorbell was akin to a hammer that almost cracked his skull. His face darkened and he slowly let go of Shi Nian with a scowl. "Just take a peek."


    "Yes, yes," She answered helplessly. "I will just take a peek."


    After peeling Octopus Jiang off her body, Shi Nian went to the door and tiptoed to peek into the peephole and when she saw who was behind the door, her eyes widened in shock. "Huh?!"


    Hearing her exmation, Jiang Jinyan asked. "Who is it?" He was already grabbing his crutch when his phone that was on the table vibrated. A new message appeared on the screen and from his peripheral vision, Jiang Jinyan could see it in a nce. His expression froze.


    [137-4477-xxxx]: Open the door - Jia


    He heard the front door open followed by Shi Nian''s gasp. "M¨CMr. Jia, what happened to you?!"


    Jia Ming''en stood there without his sses. His neatlybed hair was currently in a mess and fell over his forehead, making him look younger than usual. However the thing that shocked Shi Nian the most wasn''t his sudden visit, but the fresh wound and bruises all over his body as well as the blood stain on his otherwise perfectly white shirt.


    Seeing Shi Nian, Jia Ming''en paused and rechecked the door''s number. "...Isn''t this Jiang Jinyan''s house?"


    Shi Nian snapped out of her senses. "Oh, yes. Jinyan, he¨C"


    Jiang Jinyan appeared behind her, leaning on the hallways with his temples throbbing. Just in one nce, he could tell that Jia Ming''en''s entire body spelled trouble. "May I ask what President Jia came here for?"


    Jia Ming''en lifted the folder in his hand. It was already wrinkled, stained with mud and blood from his hands. "You have an online test toplete today, right? I heard you haven''t beening because you''re sick so I think I should act out some kindness once in a while. You will not be able to pass without the Professor''s note." Noticing the blood in his hand, Jia Ming''en softly eximed with an ''ah'', his expression still indifferent and nonchnt.


    "Sorry, I have just shaken off some unwanted tails. Do you think I cane in for a cup of water?"


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: President Jia is here!

 Chapter 309 - Sleeping Over

    "See? This theory here, and here too¡­all of them are only exined today by the Professor in person." Jia Ming''en seriously pointed at the papers he had brought. "This is the Professor''s research that hasn''t been released yet so you can''t find it on the inte. You are lucky that I also take this ss myself. What are you waiting for? Come on, finish the test right now."


    The corner of Jiang Jinyan''s lips twitched as he inputted the answers in a few empty brackets for the questions he had left behind. With Jia Ming''en''s guidance, after ten minutes, he finished answering them all and submitted the test two hours earlier than the deadline. "...Thank you?"


    "Ha!" He gave an incredulousugh. "Why did you sound so uncertain?"


    "Maybe because I am not sure why President Jia came here at thiste hour at night just to help me do an online test?" Jiang Jinyan sounded sarcastic. "I don''t remember we are close enough for you to do so."


    "Haven''t I said it before?" Jia Ming''en leaned back on the single seater sofa as if he owned the ce. "If I didn''t have to take care of some matters, then I would have arrived much earlier." He raked his fingers across his hair, sighing. "Anyway, there''s something I have wanted to ask since just now. Miss, why are you looking at us with such a happy face?"


    "Ah?" Shi Nian who was suddenly cued was taken aback. She put the ss of water in front of Jia Ming''en and touched her lips only to realize she was grinning without her knowing. "Sorry, I guess I am just too happy to see the two of you together."


    Jiang Jinyan and Jia Ming''en''s heads snapped to her simultaneously, both sporting the simr incredulous expression. Jia Ming''en had goosebumps all over his arms. "Don''t tell me¡­are you one of those rotten women?"


    Shi Nian: "Rotten¡­woman???"


    Jiang Jinyan glowered. "Why are you insulting her?"


    Just in one nce Jia Ming''en could see that they weren''t speaking in the same wavelength. He held his forehead and waved offhandedly. "No, I''m sorry. Just forget what I was talking about. Anyway," He looked at Jiang Jinyan and Shi Nian back and forth, guessing. "Have I interrupted you two?"


    Shi Nian: "W¡ªWhat? No!"


    Jiang Jinyan: "Yes."


    The two different answers were spoken out at the same time. After that, both of them looked at each other, speechless. Jiang Jinyan narrowed his eyes, something within them held a warning that made Shi Nian''s heart beat faster. She withdrew her gaze and tucked her hair behind her ear nervously. "Um¡­then, I will go home first."


    Jiang Jinyan reached for his crutch. "I will see you off to the elevator."


    "No need." Shi Nian pressed his shoulder back down and smiled. "I am sure you two have something to talk about. I will go alone, it''s only a few steps anyway."


    Jiang Jinyan harrumphed in discontent. When Shi Nian retracted her hands, he grasped it and kissed the back of her palm. "Then, I will see you tomorrow?"


    Shi Nian blushed furiously and stole a peek toward Jia Ming''en to see the man cupping his cheek and staring at them with an utterly bored look. "O¡ªOkay¡­" She scrambled to grab her phone and coat. "See you tomorrow then. Goodnight, Mr. Jia."


    Jia Ming''en waved casually and it wasn''t until the front door opened and closed again did he ask, "Your girlfriend?"


    Jiang Jinyan leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. "Isn''t it obvious already?" Whenever he thought back on how Shi Nian had praised Jia Ming''en to the nine heavens for his good character, he had the urge to put on a scowl.


    "Heh¡­" Jia Ming''en grumbled under his breath. "Cocky bastard."


    "Where''s your sses?"


    "Fell off somewhere. Broken."


    Jiang Jinyan had never seen the prim and proper Student Council President this messy before. Well, not that he had seen the other often anyway. As he had said before, they weren''t so close that Jia Ming''en woulde only to give him some notes. "Where did you get my number? I don''t remember giving it to you."


    "The Student Council President has the right to ess the student''s database. Don''t worry, I will not misuse it. Today is the only exception."


    Sighing, Jiang Jinyan finally got impatient. "Spill it. What are youing here for? Are you running from debt collectors?"


    Instead of answering, Jia Ming''en hung half of his body over the sofa and scratched Little Apple beneath its chin, making it purr ceaselessly. "Cute kitty. What''s its name?"


    Jiang Jinyan clicked his tongue in vexation.


    "Alright, alright." Jia Ming''en sighed. "Why is your temper still so bad when you already have a girlfriend?"


    Jiang Jinyan scoffed. "I am only patient in front of her."


    Jia Ming''enughed as if he couldn''t believe such a corny sentence coulde out of Jiang Jinyan''s mouth. Hisughter receded into a sigh after a while. "Debt collectors huh? Well, I guess you''re right. Recently, so many annoying flies are chasing after me, it''s so infuriating. I am in a very bad mood and somehow, I thought that I could crash on your ce for a while. I don''t know why¡­" He turned his eyes to Jiang Jinyan with a smile. "Maybe because we were good friends in our past lives?"


    Jiang Jinyan scoffed at the ridiculous sentence. He knew that Jia Ming''en was only bbering some nonsense thus he didn''t put any further thought in it. He kicked the medicine kit on the carpet onto Jia Ming''en''s leg and said coldly. "Help yourself."


    Jia Ming''en raised his brow and grabbed some iodine cotton and red medicine. "So, whom did you fight with? You injured your leg?"


    "None of your business."


    Jia Ming''en shrugged and proceeded to dab the medicine all over his wounds haphazardly. Judging by the scars along his arms, it looked like he fought quite often. Even his current wounds looked like they came from knives and all sorts of heavy weapons.


    Jiang Jinyan grimaced at how casually the man treated such horrendous wounds without batting his eyelid but his own prideful temperament didn''t allow him to help. Thus, he only sat in silence and stared at Jia Ming''en with a frown.


    "What''s wrong? Scared?" He asked without lifting his head.


    Scared? Jiang Jinyan? Was there a funnier question than this? His expression cooled down in an instant. "Get out."


    "Don''t be like this." Chuckling, Jia Ming''en continued, "If you kick me out tonight, you might find my corpse by the roadside tomorrow morning."


    Jiang Jinyan added with a more sincere tone. "Then please make your way out right at this moment."


    "Whoa, look at how much of a heartless bastard you are. Can''t you see that your girlfriend likes to see us together? If she knows how you treat me, don''t you think she will be angry with you?"


    Jiang Jinyan put on a smug and satisfied look. "She will never be angry with me."


    Jia Ming''en threw the medicine tube to his face,ughing. "Listen to how arrogant you are."


    Jiang Jinyan caught the tube with bare hands and threw it back at him. He grabbed his crutch and stood up. "Just for tonight, you can sleep on the couch." After saying that, he left for his bedroom, limping.


    Jia Ming''en stared at his back with a smile on his face.


    Jiang Jinyan stopped in front of his bedroom, contemting. A whileter, he finally sighed and turned sideways. "If you¡­by chance, shed with some people you couldn''t handle, you should go to the owner of this apartment building. His surname is Xu and he''s a police officer. He should be able to help you rather than taking shelter here with me."


    Jia Ming''en almost burst outughing by the time Jiang Jinyan''s sentence registered in his mind. Police? Ha. Jiang Jinyan had no idea that the police were even ravenous than those people. As soon as they caught wind of him, he would be hunted to be the puppet just for their transaction toe through. He had lived this kind of life for more than twenty years that he had gotten sick of it.


    However, tonight, instead of returning to his own ce, he suddenly recalled a person whom he had helped once before. He was seized by the urge to do something different, to break through from the chains that locked him down. And here he was, sleeping over in someone''s house which he had never done before.


    "No, thank you but there''s no need¡­" His words trailed off as a sudden idea popped in his mind. "Actually, you know what? I will take you up on your offer." He stood up with a slight smile, a dark light shed in his eyes. "I won''t bother you. Give me the police officer''s number, I will call him myself."


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Jia Ming''en you got it right lol you two were indeed good friends in your past lives hahaha

 Chapter 310 - Freedom Isnt An Option

    Lei Liqiu looked at her own reflection in the mirror. She had full makeup on her face, elegantly drawn eyebrows, eyeliner to highlight her peach blossom eyes with eyshes coated with mascara. The red rouge on her lips made her face look brighter and more sensual if not for the gaunt and anxious look on her face.


    Her hands had managed to crumple the hem of her flowy, fabulous dress into a mess. Still, cold sweat still dampened her skin ceaselessly.


    Nervousness and anxiety had been a loyal friend ever since she arrived here.


    Everyone spent their days in fear and jittery, afraid that their ride to doom would arrive. Lei Liqiu had it easier. Xu Binchen had staked his im on her and because of it, she could grasp onto a tiny bit of security in this ce.


    Soon, everything was going to end.


    Lei Liqiu clutched her chest, the ce where a little inconspicuous shdisk was hidden deep inside her bra. She stared into the mirror and murmured under her breath. "It''s okay, Qiuqiu. You can do this. Don''t be afraid. Everything is going to be fine. Mr. Xu said that he will bring you out of here. You can do this." She pumped her fists and tried to lift a smile. "Fighting!"


    A knock resounded through the bathroom door. "36, have you done yet?"


    Lei Liqiu gave herself onest prep talk and opened the door, greeting the impatient woman waiting outside with a smile she had trained countless times before. Nervous, timid and humble. "Sorry, Madam Lan¡­I have a bit of stomach cramp."


    The Madam Lan she was talking to was actually a supervisor who managed all of them. When Lei Liqiu first arrived here and almost broke down in despair, it was Madam Lan who stayed by her side.


    Rather thanfort, it was more like she was helping Lei Liqiu to see reality faster. There was no kindness or sympathy in this kind of cruel ce and once she stepped in, she had to adjust herself as soon as possible otherwise she would be the perfect prey for the customers to sink their teeth into.


    She was kind yet cold, gentle yet indifferent. No one knew what her real name or identity was. Lei Liqiu only followed everyone and called her ''Madam Lan''.


    The mature woman wore a fiery red cheongsam with a high slit on her thigh, coupled with white fur shoulder cape. She held a smoking pipe in between slender fingers whose nails were painted in the same ring crimson. With her hair twisted into an elegant bun, she looked precisely like a wealthydy Lei Liqiu had seen in her mother''s favorite Hongkong movie. Smoke billowed out of her plump, rouged lips as she said, "What are you nervous for? You should pray to your ancestors for your great luck. Come on, everything is ready."


    Lei Liqiu put on a bitter smile and followed behind Madam with her head hung low. Ever since she got picked by Xu Binchen, everyone had more or less envied or hated her. She could sense that Madam Lan had slowly be more alienated from her than before. She couldn''t me her though. If she was in other people''s shoes and saw someone living afortable life while she was in Hell herself, she would also feel resentful.


    What was better about her that made him pick her? Everything she had, I also had.


    Maybe the umted desperation and negativity had distorted everyone''s mind, Lei Liqiu wasn''t an exception. That''s why she was ready to give her all just to snatch back the freedom she belonged to.


    A shiny, ck limousine was parked outside the bar. Lei Liqiu gulped and gingerly climbed in, the extravagance and grandeur added to the thrill, anticipation and fear bubbling in her chest. She looked around but didn''t see the familiar handsome and cold man. "Mr. Xu isn''t here yet?" she asked Madam Lan who sat beside her.


    "Nah," The woman answered nonchntly. "We will meet him at the appointed ce."


    After waiting for a while, two more people climbed in, one woman and one man, all dressed to the nine like Lei Liqiu did. It seemed like tonight was going to get rowdy, she assumed.


    The car window was tinted ck, preventing them from remembering where they were heading to. Five people spent awkward silence inside the cramped space. It was unknown what was the tipping point, but the other woman started sobbing. Her cries soft and mournful. She mped her mouth shut, terrified. Yet tears kept on dripping down her face.


    "What are you crying for?!" Madam Lan berated. "Wipe your tears or else your face is going to get ugly! Who will want you when you''re looking all messy and miserable like this?"


    Lei Liqiu clenched her fists. Somehow, Madam Lan''s words made it a bit difficult for her to breathe even though she knew the woman''s words weren''t directed at her. She took a deep breath and held her trembling fingers, trying to calm her jumping heartbeat to no avail.


    If Lei Liqiu wasn''t wrong, the crying woman was No. 56 surnamed Yu. Lei Liqiu only got a faint idea after gathering their data, if not they would only be called with numbers, just like livestock.


    "I¡ªWhy am I picked?" No.56 cried bitterly. "I don''t want to go. Why must you choose me?"


    Madam Lan sighed in irritation and puffed out smoke. "You don''t have to worry. Director Yang, who chose youst time, will not be there. Even though he likes to y it rough, he alsopensates you nicely. Why are you stillining?"


    They lowered their heads, thick depression hung over the air. Except for Lei Liqiu who was directly picked by Xu Binchen at her first disy, everyone there had more or less served some guests with ridiculous requests. ying rough was quitemon, there were also some who liked to see blood or some who couldn''t get their lower parts up thus they opted to fool around with tools that always inflicted torture and pain, both physically and mentally.


    No. 56''s cries slowly weakened and her eyes turned nk. "Is there anyone better than Director Yang? No, every single one of them is the same. If I have to continue like this, then I may as well die."


    "Watch your words!" Madam Lan chided harshly.


    It was unknown what No.56 had gone through that made her suddenly grow courageous. Usually, when Madam Lan''s voice rose higher, they wouldn''t dare to cross her anymore. But No.56, instead of turning mum, argued back. "Am I wrong?! So many people have disappeared from the bar. My only friend, Wan Biwen, Kong Huo who lived next door, and many more, they died, didn''t they?!"


    Lei Liqiu''s heart skipped a beat and she held her breath. Died? She had always been trying to dig more information about the secret in Dreamscape Bar but she could barely find anything. Either people were too scared to say anything or they started to be suspicious of her. In the end, Lei Liqiu had toy low for a while.


    This¡­This was the information Mr. Xu had always wanted!


    "Died?" She pinched her thigh to squeeze out some tears. "People died here?"


    It wasn''t senseless for her to ask this kind of question, after all, she was the newest person among them. She didn''t know anything at all. Lei Liqiu didn''t have to force herself, the fear and thrill had drained colors from her face and made her tremble.


    "Yes, they died!" No. 56 sneered. "You don''t know anything, do you? Of course you don''t! You have such a nice and handsome patron who practically treats you like a Princess!"


    Lei Liqiu''s breath stuttered and she forced herself to focus and brushed away the shadow of a man she hadn''t seen for weeks. "W¡ªWhy? Are they really so cruel? How do you know they died and not been set free?"


    The only man among them scoffed. He lifted his head to show a pair of glittering, amorous eyes and delicate features. His voice was also soft and gentle but the words he said chilled their hearts. "Set free? Freedom isn''t an option. We either die or be yed to death. Isn''t that right, Madam Lan?"


    Madam Lan pinched her brows with a constipated expression. "Who did you hear it from? Of course, if someone is willing to pay the ransom, we will set you free."


    The man sneered. "But who? Who is willing to fork out a huge amount of money just for people who have been yed by others when they can just choose a partner among their ranks? Once we step foot here, we are destined to be a ything that will be discarded in the end."


    Sighing, Madam Lan grumbled under her breath. "What''s wrong with all of you? Why are you so emotional?"


    "Because I can''t bear it anymore!" No 56 buried her face into her palms, wailing. "I don''t want to die in this kind of ce¡­"


    Lei Liqiu gulped. Madam Lan''s reaction told her that what No. 56 said was right. People indeed died because of this human transaction. She noted the names she had heard inside her heart.


    Wan Biwen and Kong Huo.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Finally, big battle Xu Binchen vs Manager Si!

 Chapter 311 - Are You A...Spy?

    The atmosphere remained low until the car jolted a bit, seemingly travelling into a ragged road. No 56 slowly calmed down and fixed her make up as best as she could.


    "Get ready." The driver''s cold tone sounded from the front. "We are arriving in ten minutes."


    Lei Liqiu straightened her back. Waves? She pricked her ears up and indeed heard the clear sound of waves crashing. "Are we going to the sea?" she asked carefully.


    "It seems so." Madam Lan wasn''t willing to divulge more.


    Lei Liqiu sighed and kept her mouth shut. A few minutester, the car gradually slowed down and halted. "We have arrived." Madam Lan gathered her shoulder cape and patted Lei Liqiu''s shoulder. "Let''s go."


    Lei Liqiu took a deep breath and climbed down the car following Madam Lan. In an instant, the scent of the sea rushed to her nose. Harsh wind blew her hair and dress. It was so cold that her breath evaporated into mist. Her nose instantly turned red as she sneezed.


    Madam Lan went aside to talk to the driver, leaving the three of them behind. No 56 nced at them back and forth with puffy eyes. "My name is Yu Li''er. If I die today, I want someone to remember my name."


    The man sighed. "What use is there to remember your name?" He raked his fingers across his hair and muttered. "¡­I am Mo Xin, 22 years old. I got duped by my bastard ex boyfriend who spiked my drink. When I came to, I was already here. I swear if someday I get out of here, I will kill him."


    Lei Liqiu and Yu Li''er looked at Mo Xin''s slender figure and thin arms then burst outughing. They didn''t know why theyughed either, maybe it was because of the sudden camaraderie that formed between them amidst adversity.


    When Lei Liqiu''sugh receded, she said softly. "I am Lei Liqiu, 23¡ªno, actually my birthday was a few days ago so I am already 24 years old." She took a deep breath and said in a determined tone. "Someday¡­if I can get out of here, I will avenge all of you."


    "What are you crowding there for?" Madam Lan shouted from afar. "Come on!"


    They trailed after Madam Lan and got into an elegant building near the sea. The sign above their heads wrote Langchi Bar. There was a lounge with shelves filled with all kinds of drinks as well as wooden chairs and tables. Inside, there was nobody but a man in ck suit who was already waiting for them. He wore an earpiece and a bulge was visible from his waist. Lei Liqiu hastily withdrew her gaze. Gun! The man carried a gun!


    "Wee,dies." He smiled. "If you don''t mind, please follow me. We have to check your body for weapons. You don''t happen to carry any, do you?"


    Lei Liqiu''s heart skipped a beat but she forced her face to remain the same. C¡ªCheck her body?! What if¡­What if they told her to strip? The shdisk inside her bra...No, she couldn''t lose that! Her whole life line depended on it!


    In the moment before she broke down in panic, Madam Lan put on a displeased face. "You want to check our bodies?" She crossed her arms over her chest and lifted her chin arrogantly. "Where''s Manager Si? If he wants to proceed, then you''d better step over my corpse first!"


    The bodyguard was taken aback, apparently didn''t expect that Madam Lan would react so strongly. He gave a ''wait a minute'' gesture then talked to the walkie talkie. After confirming something, he returned to them with a wider smile. "My sincerest apologies. I have no idea that you''re from Dreamscape Bar. We have to be very careful because today''s trading is very important." He stepped aside and bowed slightly. "Please enter."


    Madam Lan harrumphed and sashayed past the bodyguard, leaving only the faint scent of perfume on her wake. Lei Liqiu let out the breath she didn''t know she was holding and trailed after her, Yu Li''er and Mo Xin following behind. They walked past the dark corridor with numerous closed doors that were guarded each by two bodyguards. Faint chatter andughter was heard from the gaps beneath the door.


    Lei Liqiu thought that they would serve some guests here, even Yu Li''er huddled with her to seekfort. But no, Madam Lan kept on walking ahead and went through the corridor to the back of the building.


    The space opened up in front of their eyes and Lei Liqiu''s jaws dropped as she found a huge yacht docked on the shore. The environment was dark and it was almost covered by the building so no one realized that a huge yacht existed here!


    "Are we going up?" Yu Li''er asked gingerly.


    "Uh-uh." Madam Lan pointed toward the stairs that led to the yacht. "Don''t ask so many questions."


    Yu Li''er shut her mouth up and silently followed Madam Lan as thetter stride elegantly up the stairs. Lei Liqiu couldn''t do the same. The waves were quite strong tonight and the stairs kept on swinging back and forth. She had to keep a tight grip on the handrail and on some asions, Mo Xin even caught her when her feet slipped.


    It was only a few short flights, but when Lei Liqiu stepped on the solid ground, her knees weakened so much that she had difficulty walking if not for Yu Li''er''s arms hooking hers.


    The interior of the yacht didn''t lose out to a five star hotel. The lobby was luxurious with shiny ceramic tiles and marble pirs, incandescent lights pouring warm yellow glow onto the space.


    "The party will not start until half an hourter." Madam Lan opened up. "In the meantime, you can prepare yourself."


    Lei Liqiu felt Yu Li''er''s fingers clenching around her arm. It hurt a bit and managed to sober her up.


    Prepare themselves¡­everyone was very familiar with that sentence. Everytime they would be put on disy, Madam Lan or Manager Si would tell them to prepare themselves. It meant more psychologically rather than physically. Because whatever would happen in the next moment¡­they had to brace themselves for it.


    Yu Li''er pulled Lei Liqiu with her toward the bathroom. It was empty and they had the whole room for themselves. Maybe because Lei Liqiu had been affected by Xu Binchen too much, she started to look around for possible spots for hidden cameras and listening bugs. Inwardly she thought that it wouldn''t be possible though. Manager Si wouldn''t have allowed something that could possibly be used against the bar to exist.


    As she expected, there were none.


    Sighing in relief, Lei Liqiu was reminded that she wasn''t the only person here. She turned around with a nervous smile to see Yu Li''er staring at her with scrutinizing eyes. Her heart skipped a beat and in the next second, the bad premonition came true.


    "You¡­" The girl probed gingerly. "Lei Liqiu, are you a¡­spy?"


    The thin, fragile string that had been holding Lei Liqiu''s wits snapped at that moment. Countless scenes shed before her eyes, her desperation and effort, the tears she had spent, her longing for freedom¡­ Before she knew it, she had pressed Yu Li''er against the wall, knocking the breath out of the woman''s lungs. Even Lei Liqiu herself was shocked by how bone chillingly cold her voice was. "If you don''t want to die, then you''d better keep it for yourself."


    Yu Li''er''s eyes widened in shock. "Hmph hmm!" She patted Lei Liqiu''s hand that mped down on her mouth, fear surfaced on her face.


    Actually, Lei Liqiu wasn''t as calm as she looked. Her heart was beating furiously and if Yu Li''er was a bit more attentive, then she would have realized that her voice had a slight tremble on it, even her palms were mmy with cold sweat.


    "Don''t scream. Don''t make any ruckus." She tried to imitate Xu Binchen in her mind when the man instilled fear. His sharp aura, even tone, terrifyingly fierce eyes. It seemed to work because Yu Li''er nodded again and again with tears in her eyes.


    She slowly let go and took a step backward, confused as to how she should proceed. What to do? Someone knew her secret. Would Yu Li''er threaten her with it? Would she report it to Madam Lan to get the woman''s favor?


    All kinds of possibilities churned in her mind but never had she expected that Yu Li''er would pounce on her into an embrace, crying. "I knew it! I have my own suspicions! Lei Liqiu, you¡­you can save us all, right?"


    Lei Liqiu was dumbfounded at Yu Li''er''s suffocatingly tight embrace. "You¡­knew?"


    "Of course. You''re always snooping around for news. No one will care about other people here when they''re too busy to save themselves. But you, instead of minding your own business, you went around and asked for our names."


    Lei Liqiu froze. "So¡­everyone knows?"


    Yu Li''er pulled back and wiped her tears. "No, only me and Wan Biwen. Actually, Wan Biwen is very smart and observational. Sometimes, I felt strange when I hung out with her because a woman like her isn''t so stupid and na?ve to be duped into this shit. It''s also Wan Biwen who shared her suspicion about you with me." She hastily lifted three fingers and swore. "Don''t worry, I haven''t told anyone at all!"


    Lei Liqiu sighed in relief. Strength seeped out of her body and she had to lean against the sink to stand. "Your close friend, Wan Biwen? Can you tell me what happened to her?"


    Yu Li''er nodded readily. "Usually, Wan Biwen wouldn''t be picked because her look was quite ordinary. I mean, she was beautiful but when disyed with rows of beautiful men and women, she looked kind of dull and dim. So, it''s very strange for her to be picked that night. Then¡­after that, she never returned anymore." She hugged herself and trembled. "I suspected¡­those people have gotten rid of her."


    Lei Liqiu clenched her fists so tight that her nails pierced into her palms. "What do you mean? The management in Dreamscape Bar, they knew that there''s something fishy about Wan Biwen and that''s why they got rid of her?"


    "It''s only my suspicion though." Yu Li''er added. "Before they sent her away, she secretly sneaked into my room and told me something. I''m not that bright and I can''t understand it no matter how long I try. I also don''t dare to tell anybody so I have been trying alone to crack it. But you¡­I got the feeling that I can tell you¡­"


    Lei Liqiu looked into Yu Li''er''s solemn eyes, her breaths came out short. She rposed herself and asked amidst thundering heartbeats . "What did she say?"


    "She said¡­she got an idea on who was behind all of this human trafficking." Yu Li''er leaned forward and whispered something into Lei Liqiu''s ears and the more she listened, the wider her eyes became.


    She eximed in shock. "What kind of riddle is that???"


    .


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    A/N: oho, do the dead people have anything to do with the serial killer? And what connection does this human trafficking have with the serial murder? You will find out very, very soon fufufu we are slowly reaching the climax

 Chapter 312 - Miss Me, Baby?

    Half an hour passed before they realized it. Yu Li''er and Lei Liqiu went out of the bathroom, arms hooking, giggling and chatting. There was absolutely no trace of the previous conversation.


    Lights gradually lit up one by one, illuminating the entire yacht. An elegant, antique chandelier hung in the lobby, and professional waiters walked around carrying trays with colorful drinks on it. People gradually filled in the yacht, men wore ck suits with their hairsbed back, looking all neat, tidy and prideful whereas women dressed in their best gowns with meticulously styled hair and sparkling essories.


    Lei Liqiu gulped nervously and grabbed the hem of her dress habitually. Although she had been used to the morous life of rich people in Dreamscape Bar, somehow there was something different about the air here. Other than wealth andwork, they were the cream of the crop in the country, ones that amoner like Lei Liqiu couldn''t even dream of meeting.


    Madam Lan guided the three of them through the lobby. Elegantughter, business talk, scent of perfume, cologne and wines overwhelmed all of Lei Liqiu''s senses. Fortunately, they soon left the lobby and walked up to the deck. The three didn''t dare to make a squeak, obediently lining up together with Madam Lan although their heads were filled with questions.


    Lei Liqiu scanned her surroundings discreetly through lowered eyes. The deck area could be considered emptypared to the lobby. A few parasolsid neatly and in every corner, there was always one or two bodyguards. Lei Liqiu couldn''t help but feel nervous again.


    Could Mr. Xu do it? He was only alone while here, it was practically like sending himself to the wolves'' den!


    No. She clenched her fists. Calm down, Qiuqiu. You have to believe in Mr. Xu. He definitely has a n.


    The weather at night chilled considerably and Madam Lan soon became impatient. "Where is Manager Si? He still hasn''t arrived yet?" Her bold tone made Lei Liqiu wonder what her identity was. It seemed like Madam Lan was quite an important figure in Dreamscape Bar, she could even order Manager Si around¡ªwho was considered to be the power holder.


    The bodyguard pressed on the earpiece and answered politely. "They are on their way."


    They? Could Manager Si be with¡­him?


    True to the bodyguard''s words, they only had to wait for less than five minutes before the loud sound of a motor boat approached the yacht. However for Lei Liqiu, it seemed like she had been waiting for so long to the point where she almost couldn''t feel her fingers.


    "Yes, Manager Si and the client today is arriving. Prepare a suite room and the goods." The guard said into the walkie talkie.


    The white, medium sized motorboat was decked onto the yacht and wooden nk was let down. Lei Liqiu struggled to make out the figures amidst the strong wind.


    The first toe up was Manager Si. The man opened up the button of his suit jacket and nodded in thanks. His hair fluttered along with the wind yet his gentle expression remained the same. However, only they knew whatid beneath those kind smiles of his.


    There were another two people behind him, held up with the support of the bodyguard. Lei Liqiu suppressed her gasp. One of them was Xu Binchen! He had his eyes blindfolded and hands tied up in front of him. Even so, it couldn''t obscure his unusual temperament and the dormant power emanating within.


    Even though he was surrounded by men with guns, he stood his ground calmly. His aura even suppressed theirs. Xu Binchen rejected the bodyguard who touched him and climbed onto the yacht himself. After his feet touched the solid ground, he asked. "So, is there anything more I have to do, Manager Si? I am starting to suspect your sincerity."


    Manager Si smiled and signaled for the bodyguard to disperse. He untied the bind around Xu Binchen''s wrists. "My apologies, Mr. Xander. It''s not like we are doubting you, but this is the usual procedure we have to go through. I ask for your generous understanding."


    Xu Binchen took off his blindfold and sneered, his cold eyes jeering. "Yeah, sure. If I am not generous, I will not be standing here with you now. So, how should you repay my generosity?"


    Manager Si smiled as if he didn''t hear the sarcasm in the man''s tone.


    Xu Binchen didn''t look like he was in a good mood. However, his face was defaulted like that anyway thus no one thought anything was strange with it. He raked his fingers through his dark hair and swept his gaze over, stopping at Lei Liqiu.


    She didn''t even realize that she hadn''t taken her eyes off him even for a second since Xu Binchen arrived. The man looked as cold and dashing as she remembered him to be. Elegant, sophisticated dark blue suits covered his body, the two topmost buttons unsp perfected with a loose tie around his neck.


    As the man''s eyes fell onto her, only then did Lei Liqiu realize she had been holding her breath.


    "Ah¡­" He gave a slightzy smile. "So you brought my favorite here to appease me? Not bad."


    "What are you waiting for?" Madam Lan whispered impatiently and pushed her back forward. Lei Liqiu tumbled on her steps and gingerly walked toward Xu Binchen, putting her cold hand onto his outstretched one. In an instant, she was pulled into the man''s embrace, powerful arm wrapped around her waist.


    Lei Liqiu could hear nothing but her heartbeat as Xu Binchen lifted her chin. She knew it was all acting, but she couldn''t suppress her nervousness, happiness and thrill to see him just like a foolish maiden in love.


    "Miss me, baby?" He whispered affectionately.


    Lei Liqiu lowered her eyshes and nodded bashfully.


    She grew even more ashamed when she heard Manager Si''sugh behind her. Xu Binchen discreetly tapped twice on her wrist and when she buried her face into the man''s shoulder, she gave a faint nod.


    Manager Si pped to pull their attention. "Let me introduce you." He gestured toward the man behind Xu Binchen who came together with them. With flowery gaudy shirt and huge, gold chain ne, he looked frivolous, a typical second generation young master. Albeit his overall bearing was akin to thepassionate Buddha with his plump belly and chubby face. Nevertheless Lei Liqiu knew better than to be fooled because ''kind'' and passionate'' weren''t words which could be used for people involved in this business.


    "This is our newest client, Director Wang Chengbing." Manager Si''s gazended onto Yu Li''er, draining all colors from the girl''s face. "No 56, you will serve this honored guest tonight. Please make sure to provide him with your best service."


    Director Wang sized Yu Li''er from head to bottom with a barely satisfied look. "Good." Heughed loudly. "This young master is very happy tonight. Come on! The beautiful woman is already here, where''s the booze?"


    .


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    A/N: I swear everyone in SCI squad are Oscar worthy actors ¡Ñ¨Œ¡Ñ


    And Wang Chengbing is on the boat with another identity! ^^/

 Chapter 313 - This Is Only A Warning

    Mo Xin was assigned to another influential figure in the end and they parted ways. Their group was escorted into the yacht by Manager Si himself, proving that their status was more important than others. As soon as they stepped in, Lei Liqiu could feel everyone''s eyes fall on them.


    "Oh my, who might they be?"


    "I haven''t seen them before. How about you?"


    "So young. Are they new entrepreneurs? Rookie businessman?"


    "Hush, watch your words. Do you think this ce is one that anyone can step into?"


    Lei Liqiu tightened her hold on Xu Binchen''s arm. More than fear, she felt ufortable instead to be subjected to such inquisitive gazes, much to her surprise. She peeked at the man by her side through lowered eyshes and couldn''t help but admit that Mr. Xu was the reason. Ever since he arrived, an unprecedented sense of security and relief overwhelmed Lei Liqiu, so much that she almost mistook the feelings as if she was missing him.


    Ha¡­ don''t be ridiculous, Lei Liqiu. What do you two have for you to harbor such a feeling? What he does is nothing more than duty, and you''re going to cooperate with him to escape from this ce. That''s all.


    She almost hypnotized herself so much that she failed to realize that they were heading toward the stairs. Lei Liqiu didn''t see where they were going and stumbled on her feet, her heart almost jumped out of her throat when she lost her bnce.


    Oh no! What came across her mind in a split second wasn''t how this was going to be a bad fall or how painful it would be, but how she was going to be such an embarrassment for Mr. Xu and she would rather kill herself than let the shdisk inside her bra be thrown off.


    A strong arm caught her waist in time, pulling her back like a doll that weighed nothing at all. Her back crashed onto a warm and solid chest and the man''s distinct cologne rushed to her nose, as if embracing her every cell and pore.


    "Careful." His low voice echoed in her ear.


    It took a few moments for Lei Liqiu to recover herself. Blinking, her face blushed deeply and she hastily regained herself. "T¨CThank you and I''m sorry¡­"


    Xu Binchen said nothing but pat her head but that alone was enough for her to marvel at his lingering touch until they reached the suite room on the second floor of the yacht.


    Manager Si gestured for them toe in. The suite wasparable to a hotel room. It had a luxurious living room and two bedrooms, long sofa and 32 inch TV. An antique chandelier hung on the ceiling and the whole space screamed money.


    The waiters entered to serve them drinks whereas Manager Si bowed. "Excuse me, gentlemen. Please enjoy this appetizer from me before the main dish arrives."


    Lei Liqiu followed behind Xu Binchen and sat by the man''s side. At Manager Si''s words, she revealed a confused look. It wasn''t until she looked clearly at what the waiters brought that she realized what he meant.


    Aside from wine, there were a few colorful small pills they could choose from. Lei Liqiu had gotten familiar with those pills. As soon as she saw it, shivers ran down her spine and goosebumps formed along her arms. Drugs! Those were drugs!


    What did Manager Si mean? Did he want them to consume the drug?!


    Xu Binchen didn''t move except for swirling his ss of wine. The crimson liquid flowed in a captivating color as the man gave a softugh. "What is this? I haven''t been back to China for so long and people thought they could treat me as a pushover?"


    The pressure in the room lowered significantly as Xu Binchen spoke. Lei Liqiu knew that his words weren''t directed at her but still, a sense of fear clouded her mind and chill wrapped around her limbs, freezing her in ce.


    Xu Binchen''s sharp eyes halted on Manager Si. Those dark, terrifying eyes that didn''t seem to belong to a human; cruel, bloodthirsty and merciless. His entire body exuded a dangerous aura, hinted that he wouldn''t hesitate to strike and snap Manager Si''s head off his body.


    "Manager Si¡­" He sipped the wine, lips all red and glistening. It was bewitching and deadly at the same time. "I understand that you don''t know me well. So this is only a warning." He gave a smile that didn''t reach his eyes. "Be careful when you walk around at night in the future."


    No one knew that¡ªalbeit Manager Si''s face remained smiling andposed¡ªthe tip of his fingers trembled slightly and rm rang on his brain.


    He knew that Xu Binchen wasn''t lying. He could definitely do what he said he would.


    "My apologies." He bowed deeply. "I really have no idea that the appetizer didn''t suit your taste. It''s my negligence. How about you, Director Wang?"


    Wang Chengbing snapped out of daze and secretly wiped his mmy palms. "Ahaha me too! It''s still too early for parties! I only want to enjoy some good wines. It will be okay, right?"


    "Of course." Manager Si smiled and stepped back. "Then please don''t hesitate to summon the waiters if you need anything. Excuse me for a while, Sirs."


    Manager Si stepped away, leaving the four of them plus waiters and bodyguards stationed nearby.


    Wang Chengbing slumped on the couch and cursed in fluent Spanish. "Oh my God, can you not shock me like that?"


    Xu Binchen shrugged and put his ss down. The previous sharp aura vanished and he returned to the casual, dashing and cool Xu Binchen. "Don''t tell me you want to eat those cheap things. Feel free to do so."


    Lei Liqiu couldn''t understand what they were talking about. That seemed to be the case with the bodyguards too. They pressed on the earpiece and whispered something to it.


    It was then that Lei Liqiu realized. Ah, those people were put here to monitor them. She swept her gaze over and met with Yu Li''er''s nk ones. The girl had put on that kind of face ever since Manager Si pointed her out.


    She sighed inwardly. Director Wang¡­ alright, when he spat out foreignnguage like that, he looked kind of menacing and fierce, especially when she had no idea what he was talking about. But if he could have this kind of casual talk with Mr. Xu, then wouldn''t it mean that they knew each other?


    "Sorry, girls." Wang Chengbing smiled widely and switched back to Mandarin. "It''s just a habit. I can''t help but curse in my mother''s tongue when I am frightened. I am a mixed blood, you see."


    Yu Li''er gazed at Director Wang''s double chin, narrow eyes and thick Asian features then gave a nk nod.


    "So what''s your name?" He asked enthusiastically.


    "Y¨CYou can call me whatever you like, Sir."


    Lei Liqiu''s attention was diverted when the man by her side moved. She turned around to find Xu Binchen staring at her with his trademark piercing gaze as if he wanted to see through her soul. "Scared?"


    Lei Liqiu revealed a confused expression.


    "You''re trembling." It wasn''t until Xu Binchen held her clenched fists that she realized the truth in his words.


    "S¨CSorry¡­" She stammered and when Xu Binchen directed a discreet nce toward the bodyguards and waiters at the distance, Lei Liqiu understood that they had to start acting.


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    .


    A/N: Manager Si still doubted Xu Binchen hmph you sly fox! (£à¦Å¡ä)


    also, tonight there''s two chapters updated! Scroll for the next one!

 Chapter 314 - The Ridiculous Riddle

    What was the best interaction between a master and ve that had been together for more than a month? Surely, her awkwardness and stiff limbs were out of ce.


    Lei Liqiu''s eyes turned determined as she fell softly into Xu Binchen''s embrace, twirling his tie around her slender fingers. "You look quite scary, I can''t get used to that, Young Master. Usually, your eyes contain nothing but affection and desire for me."


    Lei Liqiu licked her dry lips. Seeing that, Xu Binchen brought his ss onto her mouth. With her head tilted, she drank from his hands, holding the man''s wrist as the red wine slipped down her throat, a few drops trickled down her jaw. Xu Binchen leaned in and gave a lick from her jaw up and halted before he reached her lips, his wine scented breath brushing against her cheek. The taste surrounded her senses, making her dizzy, pink tinged her fair skin.


    Everything seemed to have faded away and what remained was only him. Xu Binchen''s eyes locked onto hers for a few moments until they slowly travelled down her nose andnded on her rouge that was imprinted on the mouth of the ss, right where the man had drank it before. She grabbed the hem of his suit jacket, out of breath without doing anything in a true sense.


    And when their eyes met once again, there wasn''t anything she expected within. Only pure, clear and sharp eyes that held a faint warning.


    In an instant, it was as if cold water was poured all over her head, sobering her up within seconds. Xu Binchen''s eyes were warning her to focus on her job, but Lei Liqiu couldn''t help but read more into it, something like...to hold a clear boundary between them, a warning for her not to catch any feelings.


    He tucked a lock of hair behind her ears, his movement was utterly gentle as if he truly cherished her.


    As if.


    "I don''t mean to scare you." His low voice rang out. "It''s all Manager Si''s fault that caused me to lose the beauty''s favor. Tell me, what should I do to make it up for you?"


    Lei Liqiu pushed down the heaviness in her chest and mustered her best smile, one that could even fool herself. "How can I make Young Master suffer because of me?" A brilliant idea popped up in her mind. "How about this? If Young Master can answer a riddle from me, then I will count us even."


    "A riddle?" He raised his brows, intrigued. "If I answer it, I get nothing?"


    "It depends." She smiled mysteriously with a hint of seduction. "Perhaps, you can also get what you want from me the most."


    "Hmm¡­" Xu Binchen rubbed his fingers. His eyes met with Lei Liqiu''s pleading ones. Please, please get my hint! Her eyes brightened up when he gave a nod. "Sure, let''s hear that."


    From Lei Liqiu''s peripheral vision, she could catch Yu Li''er widening eyes, shock was palpable on thetter''s face. Nheless, she paid it no heed and proceeded to tell the riddles that Yu Li''er had just told her back in the restroom.


    "There''s a farmer whose hobby was to grow all kinds of crops. One day, he brought his money to the market, wanting to buy a few new seeds. But it turned out that his money was only enough to buy one kind of seed. Then, he bought the most expensive one and nted it on hisnd. The seed slowly grew into a very beautiful exotic flower.


    "The farmer was very excited and nned to buy a few more. However, ever since then, his crops, other than the exotic flower, all died one by one. He was desperate and tried to loosen the soil. However¡­" Lei Liqiu paused and took a breath. "He found that his soil was dry and barren, it''s practically dead already. The exotic flower had sucked all of the nutrients not only from the soil but also from all of the nts nearby. It''s a poisonous nt!


    "The poor farmer regretted the day he bought the seed. However, he was helpless against the flower. It could neither be killed nor be dug out. When the farmer wanted to chop it down forcefully, heter realized that...the exotic flower was almost as strong as him. It had mutated into a monster."


    Lei Liqiu smiled and threw out the main question. "So, how can the farmer get rid of the poisonous flower and save hisnd?"


    "Pfft!" Director Wang choked on his saliva and burst outughing. "What kind of riddle is that? First, can a nt be stronger than a human? Are you talking about the apocalypse era that''s filled with mutated nts?"


    The bodyguards and waiters also hid theirughter with soft coughs. Only Yu Li''er frowned, gazing at Lei Liqiu and Xu Binchen in disbelief.


    Lei Liqiu also felt ridiculous when she first heard the riddle. It was very fantastical and abstract, seemingly as if every answer could be epted but there''s also no definite solution to that.


    What kind of farmer couldn''t recognize a poisonous seed? Why hadn''t he realized anything until the exotic flower ate all of his nts? Was it so strong that it couldn''t be killed no matter what?


    Lei Liqiu had discussed it together with Yu Li''er in the restroom. They came up with numerous kind of answer but in the end, who could tell them which one was the urate one?


    When she ryed it to Yu Li''er, she was told than Wan Biwen only left that riddle behind before she was called away by Madam Lan. And then like she had said before, Wan Biwen disappeared afterward. The riddle was shrouded in mystery and perhaps, it cost Wan Biwen''s life to pass it on to Yu Li''er.


    "How about it, Young Master Xu?" Lei Liqiu smiled sweetly but inwardly, she was sweating buckets. "Can you answer this? If you can, I guarantee I will give you what you desire the most." The mystery regarding Dreamscape Bar, the owner, the person behind human trafficking. If you could solve this riddle, then you would be able to find out everything!


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    A/N: Surprise! A double update!


    So, what do you think the riddle mean and what does it have to do with the person behind human trafficking and the mysterious owner of Dreamscape Bar?

 Chapter 315 - Someone Stop The Music!!!

    "Hmm, that''s interesting¡­" The corner of Xu Binchen''s lips curled into a slight smile. "Give me a moment to think. If I ponder it through, you should keep your words."


    "Yes!" Lei Liqiu sighed in relief. As long as she had told Xu Binchen, it meant one less burden on her shoulder. "You can take your time, Young Master."


    They spent the next moment casually chatting. Yu Li''er slowly rxed, seemingly realizing that Director Wang wasn''t quite the same as the previous patrons who came to Dreamscape Bar. She slowly let loose and even became quite close with the chubby Director, chatting andughing like long lost buddies.


    Lei Liqiu smiled. She hadn''t seen Yu Li''er so energetic since she got on the limousine earlier.


    They didn''t need to wait long before the speaker around the yacht buzzed. Manager Si''s voice came through it. "Good evening, honoreddies and gentlemen. This is Si Yusheng from Dreamscape Bar. Let me remind you that there''s only one rule in this ce; whatever you see or hear, it shall remain here and only here. Every offender shall receive punishment depending on their crime. Don''t forget, you do not wish to cross us. Now, let the party begin and I hope you have a pleasant night here!"


    Si Yusheng''s gentle voice could be heard throughout the yacht, coupled with the subtle threat in his words, it was as if he could see through every gesture and word no matter where they were. It caused goosebumps to crawl all over Lei Liqiu''s skin. She hugged her arms and shivered, then a warm clothing carrying a subtle scent of cologne was draped over her shoulder all of a sudden.


    She turned around in shock to find Xu Binchen left with only a thin white shirt and tie.


    "Wear it." Xu Binchen said offhandedly. "Just looking at you makes me feel cold."


    Lei Liqiu gathered his suit jacket closer and lowered her head to hide the smile. She watched as Xu Binchen beckoned the guard toe. "Do you need something, Sir?"


    "There''s something I want to ask," He drawled in azy tone. "The punishment Manager Si is talking about, what kind of punishment is it?"


    "You''d better not know about it, Sir." The bodyguard smiled mysteriously. "All I can say is that every single person who has broken the rules ended up regretting it."


    "Huh?" Xu Binchen feigned interest. "So, what if I disclose the content of our trading with a friend of mine? Will Manager Si drop my body in the ocean? Anyway, can he even monitor everyone closely? What if there''s an unknown slip?"


    "Err¡­" The guard hesitated.


    "If you have any questions, then you should have asked me, Mr. Xander." Manager Si arrived in a timely manner, smiling. He dismissed the guards and waiters. "They don''t know anything."


    Xu Binchen gestured for him to go ahead.


    Instead of answering, Manager Si asked in return. "Why are you asking that kind of question? Do you have any n to break the rule?"


    The man shrugged casually. "What if I''m drunk and blurted it out by mistake? Will I also be punished?"


    "Don''t worry." Manager Si smiled but somehow, there''s something in that smile that made Lei Liqiu''s skin crawl. It was terrifying and disgusting. "We have widerworks than you can imagine us to be. On ount that you haven''t made any detrimental mistakes, then we are willing to overlook it, but¡­"


    He didn''t clearly exin it but everyone could understand his underlying meaning. If anything about today''s trading got out, then Xu Binchen would be the prime suspect.


    This was a tant threat!


    Director Wang couldn''t help but burst out into another bout of Spanish curses. It amused Si Yusheng to the point where he chuckled. "Don''t worry, Director Wang. Because we epted your presence on ord of our long-time VVIP client''s wish, I believe that he will be able tell you more about our rule."


    Wang Chengbing couldn''t help but curse Si Yusheng for his shamelessness. Of course, his entry was an illegal and unexpected one. He had hacked into the ount of one of Dreamscape Bar''s VVIP clients and stole that person''s identity, posing as his curious yet naive nephew who had just returned from abroad. It took a huge amount of work to forge some paperworks and documents to pass Si Yusheng''s background check.


    But who was Wang Chengbing? He was hacker WANG for God''s sake! This kind of work, he couldplete it even with his eyes closed!


    Yet despite his clean record, he still couldn''t shake Si Yusheng''s suspicion off. He had to admit that Manager Si was such a sly fox but Wang Chengbing wasn''t disheartened. The man couldn''t even trust Xu Binchen, this gigantic cash cow, let alone him.


    "Alright, alright, I got it." Wang Chengbing raised two hands in surrender. "Anyway I only tagged along because my uncle is unable to make it. I have no interest in your business."


    Si Yusheng nodded in understanding and beckoned to the guard. "Then, let them take you around to enjoy the merriment. How about it?"


    Wang Chengbing snapped his fingers with a wide grin. "Just what I want! Come on, let''s go!" He pulled Yu Li''er along and left with the guards, leaving the three behind with the guards.


    Xu Binchen was calcting the time and felt like it was barely enough. Well, he could always stall for time. "Should we proceed with the deal?"


    "Are you sure? You don''t want to mingle at the party first?" Manager Si asked. "It''s not often you can see many powerful figures of the country crowding in one ce."


    Xu Binchen revealed a disgusted expression as if he couldn''t believe such an offer coulde out of Si Yusheng''s mouth.


    Si Yusheng blinked andughed. "My apologies, I actually forget that Young Master doesn''t need them at all. Being in this kind of environment for a long period of time," He pointed at his temple jokingly. "It messes with your head."


    "Yeah, it sure is right." Xu Binchen sincerely agreed.


    The two continued to banter back and forth, their tone casual but one could feel the hidden swords and gunpowder hiding beneath. Lei Liqiu gulped and held onto Xu Binchen''s arms as Si Yusheng guided them to the bottom storage. They descended the stairs and passed through the empty quarterdeck. The more they walked, the more deste it became to the point where nobody could be found except them.


    Their footsteps created creaking sounds on the wooden board. It actually sounded kind of eerie and terrifying plus the swaying lightbulb above their heads. Si Yusheng stopped on a small door that''s guarded by two bodyguards with guns holstered on their waists. He nodded in greeting. "Good job. I have Mr. Xander here with me. Please make sure that nobody disturbs us."


    "Yes, sir." The guards saluted.


    Si Yusheng had just opened the door when suddenly, the speaker buzzed. Xu Binchen''s eyes sharpened and before anyone could react, he tackled one of the guards and robbed his gun. The other guard alertly reached for his gun. "Halt¡ª" Xu Binchen swiveled and directed a flying kick toward the man''s jaw, knocking him cold in an instant. His momentum didn''t stop there as his feet moved to Si Yusheng''s body.


    Si Yusheng''s pupils dted and a split second before the kick could connect with his chest, he raised his arms in reflex to block the attack, causing him to stagger against the door.


    Xu Binchen yanked the dumbfounded Lei Liqiu forward and threw her into the storage. After that, with his palm tightened around Si Yusheng''s neck, he also dragged the man in. The whole movement waspleted in less than ten seconds. The door mmed shut at the same time when the speaker suddenly red out a ssic English song from Pitbull, Hotel Room Service.


    The Hip Hop and singer Pitbull''s husky rap echoed on the entire yacht as the chandelier was reced with a dazzling disco ball.


    I want everybody to stop what they''re doin''


    Make some nooiseee!


    Forget about your boyfriend and meet me in the hotel room


    You can bring your girlfriends at meet me in the hotel room


    The guests were shocked by the sudden change in development. Where was the elegant piano and violin apaniment? Where was the high ss gathering? This...This was just like a vulgar party!


    "What the hell is Manager Si thinking?!" Chaos ensued in the party hall and the bodyguards became disorderly as they couldn''t reach Si Yusheng or the person in charge of the cockpit.


    "Someone stop the music!!!"


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    A/N: lol Wang Chengbing (?¨R?¨Q)? I almostughed my head off writing the end of the chapter. Imagine the party filled with numerous influential figures in the country suddenly yed Hip Hop song plus disco ball with colorful lights.


    Pitbull is ssic! I love him hahaha

 Chapter 316 - Lets Start The Real Party!

    Ten minutes ago.


    Wang Chengbing sauntered out from the bathroom with Yu Li''er in his arms. The girl''s face was flushed and her eyes misty, disoriented as if she had just gone through something wrecking. On the other hand, Wang Chengbing had a satisfied look on his face, peeking out from his two topmost undone buttons were a few faint lipstick marks.


    The bodyguards who stood by outside the bathroom looked at each other in understanding and coughed as they looked away. "Director Wang, does your stomachache feel better?"


    "Oh yes, veryyy much better." He dragged out the words in a meaningful tone, smirking. "Thank you for waiting. Shall we proceed with the tour?"


    "As you wish." There were two bodyguards who acted as their guides. One of them walked ahead while the other trailed behind. "As you can see, our main activity focused on the party hall. A lot of authoritative and famous figures gather here. You can see Congressman Rong right there, also it''s the newly crowned Movie Empress, Mu Chenying¡­"


    Wang Chengbing waved his hand, uninterested. "Enough with the introduction. I have no interest in talking and putting on fake smiles toward those people. Any other entertainment?"


    "If you''re hungry, we have hired 10 five star chefs to bring you exceptional dishes from all over the world, as well as many sought after limited edition wines¡­"


    He clicked his tongue impatiently. "I am still not hungry. Let''s leave it forter. You don''t have anything else?"


    "Err¡­" The guards nced at each other awkwardly. Seeing Wang Chengbing increasingly displeased face, they recalled Manager Si''s words to entertain the young master and tried to fulfill whatever he wished for. "Sorry, Director Wang. Do you have any idea?"


    Wang Chengbing pondered for a moment. "Oh, hey!" He snapped his fingers, eyes twinkling brilliantly. "What about the Captain of the boat? Call him down! I have always wanted to talk with people who have operated ships before."


    The guards chuckled at his obliviousness. "Director Wang, this yacht is docked on the shore. Even the machine isn''t on. It isn''t supposed to sail into the sea so there''s no Captain present at the moment."


    "Aw, that''s too bad." He sighed in disappointment. "Then, I want to take some cool photos inside the cockpit. Come on!"


    The guard couldn''t help but remind him. "Your phone was confiscated earlier¡­"


    "So just lend me yours! What are you so long winded about?" Wang Chengbing sized the guards upside down. "You can add my WeChat to send me the photos when the party ends." Sensing their hesitation, he added. "Don''t you want to add my WeChat? Have you no idea who my uncle is? I can give you a much better job than being a bodyguard here. The sry is around this amount per month." He lifted four fingers and wriggled them in teasing. "How about it?"


    "Director Wang¡­" Gulping, they asked, eyes shining in greed. "Are you sure?"


    "Of course!" He harrumphed impatiently. "Do you think I am a man who will go back on my words? Huh?" His fingers pinched Yu Li''er''s chin and shook it intimately.


    Yu Li''er chuckled, her eyes curved into crescents. "Oh, Director Wang is so mighty. How can he be such a cowardly man? Surely, he will keep his promises."


    The guards had long been tempted by the offer. Such a naive and lewd Young Master could even sit in a high position as a Director which they couldn''t even dreamt of in their lives, how could they let this opportunity slip from their fingers? "O¡ªOkay, sure! But we can only give you ten minutes. Manager Si is very strict and disciplined, you see. We are afraid that Director Wang will be med."


    Wang Chengbing winked. "Alright! Take me there! Finally, I can get some cool photos. Babe, remember to shoot me as handsomely as possible, okay?"


    Yu Li''erughed sweetly. "Okay!"


    The group of four climbed the stairs to the cockpit. Along the way, a few bodyguards came to ask them where they were going but because the two guards wanted to secure the job position among themselves, they talked themselves out easily, solving Wang Chengbing''s problems along the way. The wind was harsh, blowing their hair and clothes. It wasn''t until they got to the board that they could take a breather.


    Seemingly consumed by thrill and anticipation, Wang Chengbing skipped ahead, throwing the three behind. The corridor was dim and the floor creaked under their weights. From the porthole, they could see the back of the building and the dark, cloudless night.


    All of a sudden...


    "Ah!" A yelp came from Yu Li''er whose heels slipped, causing her to lose her bnce and fall down on her butt, clutching her leg in pain. "It hurts¡­" Her brows wrinkled and dots of cold sweat formed on her face.


    "What happened?" Wang Chengbing retraced his steps and stood beside the guard. "You sprained your ankle?"


    Yu Li''er bit her lips and nodded piteously, eyes swirling with unshed tears.


    However, the guards had be too hardhearted to sympathize with the poor girl. Director Wang was their future boss so they couldn''t bear to offend him!


    "Don''t you know how to walk properly?" The guard berated in displeasure. "You''re just wasting Director Wang''s time, so useless!"


    "Aiyah, aiyah, don''t be so cruel." He patted one of the guards'' shoulder. "Can you see she''s in pain? You, go and give her treatment. I haven''t had any fun with her yet, you know. Don''t ruin my happy moments."


    The subtle threat in his words made the guards'' back straightened. They sighed tiredly. Unable to offend Director Wang, yet also had to treat his ything better. Such was the life of a lowly bodyguard. It strengthened their resolve to resign from the job.


    "Alright." One of them crouched down and held Yu Li''er''s arms. "Here, get up. I will treat your ankle as soon as possible."


    The other gave Wang Chengbing a fawning smile. "Do you want to wait here, Director Wang? Or shall we go back to the party hall so I can find you another to amuse you in the meantime?"


    "Hmm¡­" The corner of Wang Chengbing''s lips curled upward and sharp glints shed through his eyes. "You''re truly not bad." The guard''s eyes lit up and his smile became wider. "Then¡ª"


    "Arrgh!" Muffled groan of pain came from behind. The guard swiveled his head around in reflex and his eyes bulged out in shock when he saw the weak, harmless Yu Li''er holding an injection that was stabbed into the guard''s neck. The woman''s eyes were vicious and gleeful. The liquid drained into the guard''s body, making the sturdy man slump down in no time.


    "Y¡ªYou¡­How dare you! Where did you get that?!" The guard positioned himself in front of Wang Chengbing and reached for the gun in the holster strapped to his waist. "Get behind me, Director Wang! This woman is poisonous¡ª" His eyes widened in shock as the same injection was stabbed into his neck. Instantly, his hold on the gun slipped and his whole fingers turned numb. He trailed his gaze from the hand holding the injection up toward the perpetrator''s face. "Director Wang¡­" Even until his body slumped down in paralysis, he still had a disbelief look on his face.


    "Hehehe, one advice from me. When you do a body check in the future, please check what''s inside their boxers and under the soles of their shoes, okay?" Wang Chengbing grabbed the gun and threw it toward Yu Li''er which the girl epted in trembling hands. "Hold it. You will need it soon."


    "You...Director Wang¡­" Yu Li''er scrambled up and stood straight, her ankle free from bruises and blemishes. Her whole body trembled from nervousness and excitement. She was still in a state of disbelief from the time Wang Chengbing took out a small yet potent paralysis injection and handed it to her back in the bathroom. "You''re together with Mr. Xu and Lei Liqiu, aren''t you?" She whispered with a hopeful voice.


    "Save your question forter. We have a few minutes until other guardse to check on us." He pushed the door into the cockpit and grinned. "Let''s start the real party!"


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    .


    A/N: Four of them vs the entire ship crew with guns: begins! Maybe it looks OP but it''s because they caught the guards off guard and knocked them out in an instant. There''s still lots of bodyguards remains in the party hall.. Hehehe let''s see how they will deal with that.

 Chapter 317 - Whos Your Boss?

    "We at the Hotel, Motel, Holiday Inn!" Wang Chengbing sat on the highest vantage point overlooking the whole ship, witnessing joyfully how people scramble around in panic like a colony of ants. His voice exploded louder. "We at the Hotel, Motel, Holiday Inn whoooo!"


    "Oh my God!" Yu Li''er screamed to rival the deafening music. "This is so fun! Director Wang, you''re so amazing!" She pulled the chubby man closer and nted a wet kiss on his cheek.


    Wang Chengbing was stunned for a split second before his eyes lit up like no other. He stood up in excitement and entered a string of code to the broadcast monitor. In an instant, the song changed its tune to Shawn Mendes'' melodious voice, singing ''There''s Nothing Holding Me Back''.


    Oh, I''ve been shaking


    I love it when you go crazy


    You take all my inhibitions


    Baby, there''s nothing holdin'' me back


    Bam! Bam! Bam!


    "Open the door!"


    "Whoever you are! Surrender right now or we will take action!"


    Yu Li''er jumped in shock and turned to the door fearfully. Thetch was still sped, but it was just a matter of time until they broke through. "W¡ªWhat should we do?"


    Wang Chengbing increased the volume and tuned up the disco ball''s intensity to its highest. By now, the whole ship was akin to exploding fireworks, shining in vivid rainbow colors. "We wait." He said casually.


    "Wait?!" Yu Li''er shrieked in disbelief. The force knocking the door turned stronger and more extreme to the point where the hinges trembled, seemingly as if it was going to crash down soon. She could even hear a few gunshots. Fortunately, this was a high quality yacht with high caliber materials or else they would turn into human sieves by now!


    Yu Li''er bit her nails anxiously. Wait? What were they waiting for?! Oh God, she looked at Wang Chengbing''s smirking face and couldn''t help crying inside. God, Merciful Buddha, Jesus, please help us!!!


    As if answering her plea, an ear deafening crash shook the yacht. Yu Li''er screamed as her body tilted to the side. Fortunately, Wang Chengbing caught her by the waist. The yacht swayed dangerously and the ground was t no more. Outside, people stumbled and bumped against each other, some that were closest to the bow even lost their hold and plunged into the sea. This was a scene right out from an action movie!


    "What''s happening?!" Yu Li''er hollered in panic.


    Wang Chengbingughed maniacally. "Behold, they have arrived!"


    ***


    "Manager Si, report your location!"


    "Manager Si, did something happen to your side? Hello, hello?!"


    "Not good, there''s unknown people trespassing into the cockpit! They seem to carry some sort of weapon that can stun people!"


    "Emergency! Emergency! The anchor has been severed by force and the yacht is sailing! The machine is on and the propeller has started to work!"


    "Prepare the medical and rescue team! Someone fell into the sea!"


    One report after another rang out from Si Yusheng''s earpiece. The ring music and rhythmic thumping sounded muffled as if they were in a separated dimension right now. He coughed and wed on the arm choking around his neck, eyes bloodshot. "I knew it¡­" Laughing breathlessly, he said. "I shouldn''t have trusted you..."


    "Toote." Xu Binchen confiscated Si Yusheng''s gun and weapons in a blink of an eye. "You took the gamble and lost."


    "Who is it? Is it Director Wang?" Maintaining eye contact with Xu Binchen, he sneered. "Of course he is. I already got some untimely doubt due to Politician Bo''s sudden absence. That old man is so greedy, how could he ever miss the gathering? What have you done to him?"


    Xu Binchen didn''t answer and tightened his hold on Si Yusheng''s neck, his fingers mped down on the man''s pulse, feeling them throb under his skin. Si Yusheng gasped, red veins spread through his sclera and his tongue rolled out. Only when his eyes almost rolled back due to suffocation did Xu Binchen loosen his hold.


    "Speak." Xu Binchen said coldly. "Who''s your boss?"


    Si Yusheng half coughed and halfughed, tears sliding down his cheek. "Even if I tell you, you will never be able to catch them."


    The corner of Xu Binchen''s lips tilted upward into a chilling smile. "Try me."


    Bam! Bam! Bam! Multiple loud bangs came from the door, followed by flustered and inquiring voices.


    "Manager Si, are you in there?!"


    "Manager Si, what is happening? Who attacked us?!"


    Xu Binchen dragged Si Yusheng up. By now, thetter''s limbs had already turned numb due to asphyxiation and he had difficulty regaining his breath. Xu Binchen strangled Si Yusheng''s neck with his arm and stered himself beside the door, pointing the gun muzzle on the man''s temple.


    His eyes made contact with Lei Liqiu''s frozen ones and he clicked his tongue impatiently. "Hide yourself."


    Lei Liqiu snapped out of her daze and forced herself to look away. The storage they were in wasn''trge, only around 10 meters square. Wooden boxes stacked on the floor. The small porthole showed the outside scenery; recedingnd and endless ck sea.


    The yacht swayed unstably along with the small lightbulb over their heads. Xu Binchen''s face was obscured by the shadows and Lei Liqiu didn''t know what he was thinking. She held herself up using the wall, whispering. "There''s no ce to hide."


    Xu Binchen frowned.


    The banging on the door was getting more and more relentless. "Manager Si, we will count to three and break down by force! Three¡ª"


    Xu Binchen pressed the muzzle on Si Yusheng''s temple harder. "Tell them to retreat."


    Si Yusheng onlyughed.


    "Two¡ª"


    Lei Liqiu stared at the door in horror. Her whole body was petrified in ce. Xu Binchen clicked his tongue again and was prepared to stance himself in defense when the yacht swayed again. This time it was so severe that it almost tilted 45 degrees.


    Lei Liqiu bumped her head onto the wall and her whole body pasted onto it like a lizard.


    Xu Binchen and Si Yusheng weren''t as lucky. Thetter seized the momentum to wring himself out of Xu Binchen''s hold and scrambled to the door. Xu Binchen''s pupils dted and before his brain could process, his body had moved to shoot Si Yusheng on his leg.


    "Arrgh!" The man lost his bnce and tumbled down, the lurch of the yacht brought him closer to Lei Liqiu instead. With a pale face and vicious eyes, he stretched his ws toward the helpless girl.


    "Lei Liqiu!" Xu Binchen bellowed.


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    .


    A/N: oh my, this is one of my fav scene to write lol I love Wang Chengbing and Yu Li''er''s energy! (?¨R?¨Q)?


    Next chappie, we will know who''s the owner of Dreamscape Bar!

 Chapter 318 - We Have Been Fooled!

    Perhaps it was Lei Liqiu''s misperception, it seemed like she could hear a hint of concern and panic in Xu Binchen''s voice. The scene in front of her turned into a slow motion. The swaying ship, unstable ground, flickering lightbulb, Si Yusheng''s twisted face and the blood drenching his leg¡­


    Lei Liqiu bit her tongue and rolled down on the ground, causing Si Yusheng to miss only by a hair''s breadth. She gave a breathless smirk and delivered a kick right on Si Yusheng''s injured leg, the momentum propelled herself backward as she slid across the ground. "Take that, you son of a bitch!"


    Si Yusheng groaned in pain and hugged his leg, wheezing.


    Xu Binchen glided toward her and held her up. "Are you okay?!"


    Lei Liqiu grimaced by the force in his fingers as well as the bruise forming on her shoulder. "I...am okay."


    Xu Binchen heaved a long sigh and pointed his gun toward Si Yusheng. "You can''t escape anymore, Si Yusheng. Tell your man to retreat right now or else, I will shoot your hand next." He gave a smile that didn''t reach his eyes. "Do you think I will let you die so easily?"


    Si Yusheng transfixed his gaze onto Xu Binchen for a moment. Another urgent report came through his earpiece. "Manager Si, not good! There''s a diver team under the sea! They pierced a hole through the yacht! We are preparing lifeboats right as I speak. Please give us instructions!"


    Si Yusheng tremblingly reached for his earpiece and whispered as steady as he could. "I am having a very important talk right now. Evacuate everyone and confirm their safety. I will leave it to you."


    The people banging on the door instantly retreated and silence reigned inside the cramped space. Xu Binchen still didn''t lower his guard with the gun muzzle still pointing at Si Yusheng. "Talk."


    Once again, Si Yusheng chose to stay mum, only directing a ridiculing gaze toward Xu Binchen.


    The man wasn''t offended, instead he added. "You can''t escape anymore. The ship is already surrounded and we have every single person here in our hands. With their statement and the evidence here, your crime will be clear. Why are you still protecting that person?"


    Si Yusheng coughed and struggled to sit up. He slumped onto the wall, out of breath. "I am not protecting them. As I said, even if I told you, you won''t be able to catch them."


    Xu Binchen was instantly reminded by the riddle Lei Liqiu said earlier. The farmer tried to kill the poisonous nt but found that it was already as strong as him, almost undefeatable. Who was the farmer and who was the poisonous nt?


    Could it be...the farmer was Si Yusheng and the owner was the nt?


    No, it couldn''t be. Si Yusheng was only a manager. He didn''t have enough authority and power as the ''farmer'' who nted the nt from a seed into an exotic flower. "Why?" He asked. "They are that powerful? Enough to rival me?"


    Si Yusheng sized him up and pondered. "You have only money and no power. Can you stand against the powerhouse that pired the country?"


    That sentence alone already contained plenty of information. Xu Binchen''s expression sank. He lowered his gun and said with barely no hesitation. "My real name is Ash Xander, Chinese name Xu Binchen. I am here on behalf of the police as a part of the Special Crime Investigation Squad. We have received a tip who told us that your bar has something to do with the serial killer we have been chasing." Under Lei Liqiu''s shocked eyes, he continued calmly. "Now, can you tell me?"


    Si Yusheng was stunned. "Dreamscape Bar...is rted to the serial murder case?"


    Xu Binchen frowned, perplexed. The first thing Si Yusheng cared for wasn''t Xu Binchen''s police identity or his infiltration mission, but the fact that the bar was linked with the serial murder? A foreboding arose in his heart and he stride forward to yank Si Yusheng''s cor up. "What do you know?" He hissed threateningly.


    Si Yusheng lowered his quivering eyshes but Xu Binchen had seen it. The fury, betrayal and hatred bursting forth his eyes. "Who tipped you?" He asked quietly. "Let me guess. Is it Director Fen Huiguan of the Police HQ?"


    Xu Binchen''s blood chilled, one that crept from the soles of his feet up to his head, nking his mind entirely. His hold on Si Yusheng''s cor loosened and the man slumped back down,ughing. "I guessed right, didn''t I?"


    Lei Liqiu didn''t understand what they were talking about nor did she expect that Xu Binchen was an undercover policeman working on such an important mission.


    Amidst Si Yusheng''s mocking yet woefulughter, Xu Binchen''s feet staggered. Lei Liqiu gasped and hastily supported him, her hands got into contact with his skin and she was surprised to find how cold it was. "M¡ªMr. Xu, are you okay¡­?"


    Xu Binchen''s ears buzzed and numerous scenes shed in his mind. Director Fen Huiguan of the Police HQ...he was Captain Jin''s direct superior as well as a respected figure within the police. He couldn''t believe his ears but¡­ "How do you know?" His voice sounded so foreign in his ears, dry and hoarse. "Tell me!"


    "Do I still need to spill it out for you?" Si Yushengughed mockingly. "You have been duped. We have all been fooled!"


    He gnashed his teeth hatefully, his voice too low for Xu Binchen to hear. "So that''s your final choice, huh¡­"


    "What did you say?"


    Xu Binchen hadn''t gotten any answer yet when another force struck the yacht once again. The ground trembled and tilted in axis. Lei Liqiu screamed as the wooden boxes grazed across the ground and pummeled straight onto her. She closed her eyes and braced herself for the pain.


    But all of a sudden, a powerful force yanked her arm and hugged her into a tight embrace. The excruciating thud of something heavy hitting the flesh and bones breaking echoed in her ears. Lei Liqiu snapped her eyes open in shock to find Xu Binchen''s face right in front of hers, bleeding. The man''s pale lips were pressed tight and his brows twisted in pain. "M¡ªMr. Xu¡­" Tears welled up her eyes as she reached out, fingertips trembling.


    "We have to get out of here!" Xu Binchen shouted amidst the chaos and screams. He grabbed Lei Liqiu''s hand in one hand and clutching Si Yusheng''s arm in the other hand, dragging them out of the storage and staggered through the overturning space.


    "The yacht is capsizing soon!"


    ***


    "Yes, Sir. They are currently infiltrating the gathering." Fen Huiguan said into the phone. The moonlight shone through the window, encasing his silhouette inside the dark and empty office. "As you wish, Si Yusheng will be eliminated."


    "Yes, I will make sure that no one will track it back to you." He took off his myopic sses and massaged his brows as he listened to the other''s voice. "Right, not even his family will be able to escape. Si Yusheng will definitely get death penalty for his crimes."


    The other side of the call paused for a while. "...Thank you for your hard work, Director Fen. The matter I promised you, I will definitely do it."


    The corner of Fen Huiguan''s lips curled into a wry smile. "I hope so." His eyes fell onto the photo frame on his desk. On it, a young man in his twenties was smiling brightly in a garden full of sunflowers. Light and hope shone through his eyes. Fen Huiguan shut his eyes in pain. "I am willing to do anything to avenge my son."


    No matter what it took, no matter how thorny the path was, he would definitely make all of them pay. And the only method he could do was to sell his soul to the devil.


    "How about the serial killer?" Fen Huiguan asked. "You said that you have important leads on him. How long do I need to wait for that?"


    "Not long." The other side chuckled. "Everything will end soon."


    "Then...I must say thank you in advance, CEO Nan." That was all Fen Huiguan said before hanging up.


    .


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    .


    A/N: A major plot twist! So...has SCI squad been fooled by Fen Huiguan?! Remember that he''s the one who tipped Jin Renguang and started the whole infiltration mission in Dreamscape Bar.


    And in case you don''t get it, CEO Nan = Nan Cheng = Nan Xukun''s father. What does he mean by everything is going to end soon? Hehehehe, let''s see....

 Chapter 319 - Dont Be Afraid

    Water rushed in from the small hole on the bottom of the yacht. By the time they went out, it had already reached their ankles. Sshing sounds apanied as they rushed their way forward, bumping and staggering into lots of falling things and furniture.


    The hand holding Lei Liqiu was firm and warm, but at this moment, there was a huge bruise at the back of it and blood trickled down his wrist. "Mr. Xu!" The rims of Lei Liqiu''s eyes reddened. "You...Your hand¡­"


    Xu Binchen turned his head sideways, revealing his cheek that had a long graze on it. "Worry about yourself!"


    "Binchen! Binchen! Here!" Wang Chengbing hung on a rope tied to the metal fence, an orange life jacket encased his body. Clinging onto his arm was a pale and horrified Yu Li''er, also wearing a life jacket. "I have some life jackets here with me! Oh gosh!" He stared at the half conscious Si Yusheng. "What happened to him?!"


    Xu Binchen directly threw the man over to Wang Chengbing. "Take care of him!" He then grabbed a life jacket and pulled Lei Liqiu forward, slipping it into her body. "Listen to me." His eyes held nothing but calmness and determination amidst the screams and chaos around. "When you fall into the sea, pull this string here and the life jacket will inte. Okay?"


    Wang Chengbing had Si Yusheng hung over his shoulder as he shouted. "Come on! The yacht can''t hold on any longer!"


    Lei Liqiu stared at him in panic. "H¡ªHow about you?! You haven''t worn it!"


    The elegant and sophisticated people who wore suits and gowns had been reduced into a mess. They scrambled to grab a hold of anything, sliding and wing on the ground, screaming. The luckier ones had already escaped through the limited lifeboats which were currently floating above the dark, terrifying sea.


    "Help! Help me!"


    "Give me your life jackets! I will give you one million dors in return!"


    "Scram! Don''t push me, bastard!"


    The chaos didn''t have anything to do with Lei Liqiu. She grasped Xu Binchen''s arms tightly, her body trembling. The man''s visage slowly turned into a blur amidst her tears. "Mr. Xu¡­"


    All of a sudden, Xu Binchen yanked on her wrist, pulling her to the side as a man slid across the 45 degrees ground, screaming as he plunged into the sea head on. He grabbed onto the hull, his teeth gritted. "Don''t be afraid." He stared into her eyes and said softly. "You can do it."


    "No, wait¡­"


    "I will let go in three. One, two, three¡ª"


    "Aaaaaah!" A sense of weightlessness overcame Lei Liqiu and the only thing she could cling onto was Xu Binchen. The man protected her in his embrace as their body slipped off the yacht and sank into the sea. Water rushed in through Lei Liqiu''s mouth, nose and eyes. She gasped and involuntarily inhaled some of it into her systems.


    It was dark and heavy. She couldn''t see anything nor could she sense the surface. Like a helpless ant in the face of a colossal mountain, she struggled helplessly and iled her limbs to no avail. Her mind was devoid of any thoughts but panic and fear. The seawater clung onto her limbs, shackling her movement as she slowly sank deep, water bubbles blew out of her mouth.


    Help! Help her...she couldn''t swim¡­


    Her sight slowly became a blur and what remained in front of her was an endless darkness. Until someone grabbed her arm all of a sudden and pulled her out of the water with a swoosh. Lei Liqiu gasped and coughed hard, almost coughing her lungs out. Her chest hurt and her ears buzzed, unable to discern her surroundings.


    "Yes, I have caught another survivor. Heading to the nearby motorboat" An unfamiliar male voice rang out close. "Miss, are you okay?!"


    Lei Liqiu forced her eyes to open amidst her tears and saw a man with aplete diving suit,rge goggles and oxygen tank behind his back. The man activated the life jackets for her and Lei Liqiu could finally float by herself, albeit aimlessly. "I am from the police. We will soon head to a safe ce. Please hang on!"


    Lei Liqiu grasped onto the man weakly, gasping. "Mr. Xu...There''s still Mr. Xu Binchen¡­"


    However her voice was too smallpared to the raging waves, humming machines, shouts and screams of help. Lei Liqiu was dragged along helplessly as the diver parted the sea, heading straight into the nearby motorboat which held people in life jackets. From the man''s walkie talkie, she could hear the reportsing one after another.


    "We have secured the main target. The target is still alive but he has a severe blood loss and a gunshot wound on his leg! The possibility of hypothermia is huge, we have to hurry and bring him to the hospital!"


    "The hacker has been secured. Safe!"


    "Where''s Detective Xu?!"


    Lei Liqiu was pushed up onto the motorboat as a nket was draped over her shoulder. Another man in a police uniform asked. "Miss, are you feeling ufortable anywhere?!"


    Taking a dive into the sea inte autumn wasn''t a joke. Lei Liqiu shivered violently and white mists puffed out of her mouth with her every breath. It was getting harder to breathe and her throat felt so parched it was painful. She hadn''t felt anything more agonizing than this moment. But her mind was clouded in panic as she grabbed the policeman. "Mr. Xu Binchen¡­" She wheezed, head throbbing in pain. "Mr. Xu Binchen was just right by my side!"


    "We have got Detective Xu!" Another diver climbed up the boat dragging arge, wet body. "He''s unconscious!"


    Xu Binchen wasid tly across the boat, his entire body drenched. No color was seen on his face and his lips had turned purplish blue. His hair stuck to his face and his teeth were chattering, almost frozen.


    Lei Liqiu''s pupils dted. "Mr. Xu!" She scrambled down and kneeled by the man''s side, tremblingly reached out for his face. She couldn''t detect any temperature because her sense of touch had also turned numb. "Mr. Xu, no! Please wake up!" Tears streamed down her face. Second ticked by but the man remained motionless.


    The medical team connected him to the vital monitor and eximed. "Not good! His temperature is dropping too fast! Go back! We have to send him to the hospital as soon as possible!"


    Numerous motorboats surrounded the capsized yacht, pulling with them the lifeboats with frightened and pale faced people. The engine roared and brought them back to the shore. By then, the entire area had been taken over by the police. Ambnce sirens pierced through the silent night, carrying along the chaos and turmoil of the huge incident.


    .


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    .


    A/N: omg Xu Binchen QAQ and finally the operation is done! Can it still be considered a sess though hmm....

 Chapter 320 - If Its Lost, Then Let It Be

    "Mr. Xu¡­!"


    "Mr. Xu, please hang on!"


    Who¡­? Xu Binchen frowned. Who was yelling for him with such an ugly crying voice?


    Thest thing he recalled before he lost consciousness was enveloping Lei Liqiu in his embrace as they plunged into the sea. Water rushed into his senses and his eyes remained sharp as he checked on the panicking girl. He tried to hold her down but was instead kicked on his shin. The water buoyancy shielded half of the force but it caused him to lose his grip on her. At the same time, the back of his head¡ªwhich was struck by the wooden box back in the storage room¡ªthrobbed painfully.


    He grimaced in pain and involuntarily gulped in some water.


    Not good! He tried to swim up to the surface yet his leg just had to be cramped right at that moment. He cursed vehemently as he could only see Lei Liqiu getting further and further away from himself.


    Everywhere in his body ached and it felt like a ton of bricks were pressing down on his chest, so heavy that he couldn''t take a breath.


    "Mr. Xu! Hic...Hic Mr. Xu...please don''t die¡­"


    Damn girl, what are you cursing me for?


    Xu Binchen was so annoyed that he broke through the surface of his subconsciousness. Instantly, fresh air rushed into his lungs and he coughed softly, eyelids fluttered open. White ceiling and ring lights pierced his eyes and he shut them down again, groaning.


    "Mr. Xu!" The same voice in his dream called out, followed by a girl''s messy and teary face. "You''re awake!"


    "Yeah¡­" His temples throbbed painfully and he painstakingly managed to lift his arm to massage his brows. "It''s regrettable that I can''t experience how it feels to be buried deep in the sea."


    "W¡ªWhat are you saying that for?!" Lei Liqiu burst out crying,rge teardrops slid down her cheeks. "How can you be so mean?! You must have felt better then¡­"


    He scoffed and turned his head weakly, sarcasm dripping from his voice like blood flowing in his veins. "Never been better before." He had just woken up and had to be subjected to these teary eyes and excessive worry. Great, certainly not the way he''d like it to be.


    The door mmed open in the next moment and a doctor and two nurses came in, followed by the energetic Wang Chengbing. "Binchen! You''re awake!"


    Xu Binchen''s headache grew worse. Damn it, why did that fatty look as fit as a fiddle while he was paralyzed in the hospital bed?


    The doctor performed a string of vital tests and nodded. "It''s good that you managed to wake up. If you were sent here a bitter, it would have been precarious. Please have a lot of rest, Mr. Xu."


    Xu Binchen sat up, feeling his bones creaking in all ces. He received a ss of warm water from Lei Liqiu, gulped it down and asked after the doctor and nurses left. "How long have I been unconscious for?"


    "More than a day." Wang Chengbing answered. "What''s wrong with you, dude? You got injuries and bruises all over your body. You had a death fight with Si Yusheng? Look at Little Qiuqiu, she''s been so worried that she almost tied herself on your bed."


    Lei Liqiu bit her lips guiltily and hung his head low.


    Little Qiuqiu? Goosebumps crawled over his arms and he ignored thetter part of Wang Chengbing''s sentence. "How is he? He''s okay, right?"


    "Yep, still unconscious though, but overall alive and breathing."


    Xu Binchen sighed in relief and frowned. He didn''t know how to break the news to everyone. How could he tell them that the superior they had been receivingmands from was someone corrupt who got orders from the owner of Dreamscape Bar?


    Seeing his frown, Wang Chengbing patted his shoulder andughed. "What are you worrying about again? Everything has ended nicely. We have apprehended everyone on the scene, the goods aren''t damaged and we have Si Yusheng in our hands. This is a huge sess!"


    Xu Binchen caught his arm and said seriously. "Increase the security in Si Yusheng''s room. Don''t use the people assigned by the higher ups. Take someone you trust."


    Wang Chengbing was taken aback by his sudden seriousness. Still he nodded and thumped his chest. "Leave it to me! Just take a lot of rest. Oh here." He pulled out a brand new phone from his pocket and gave it to Xu Binchen. "Your phone was broken and I changed it into a new one. Give Shi Nian a call if you have time."


    Xu Binchen''s head snapped up. "Shi Nian called me? Did something happen to her?"


    Lei Liqiu couldn''t help but give Xu Binchen some discreet nces. Shi Nian? This was the first time she had heard that name. That...was certainly a woman''s name, right? She couldn''t help but specte more. Was it his sister...or girlfriend? He sounded so worried...and Lei Liqiu had only heard this kind of genuine concern from him once before when he picked up the call in the middle of the night and hastily left Dreamscape Bar.


    She swallowed down the difort in her chest.


    "Nah, she''s just calling because she noticed you haven''t been home for a few days." Wang Chengbing grinned. "Such a good girl, huh? I told her that you are hospitalized so she might rush here as soon as you give her a call."


    Xu Binchen sighed tiredly. "Why did you tell her?"


    "She''s worried about you." Wang Chengbing relished in the schadenfreude and left feeling refreshed. "Goodbye! I will tell Captain Jin that you''re awake! Little Qiuqiu, please look after him for a while, okay?"


    Lei Liqiu stood up and bowed politely. The door closed, leaving the two of them alone.


    Although Xu Binchen had a look of annoyance in his face, he still went to WeChat and tapped on Shi Nian''s contact.


    [Xu Binchen]: I''m here.


    Not even five secondster, a reply came.


    [Ten Years]: !!!!!!


    [Ten Years]: You''ve woken up?!


    [Xu Binchen]: No, it''s my spirit who is talking to you.


    [Ten Years]: cry.jpg you made me so worried


    Somehow, Xu Binchen could imagine how her expression looked matched with the gif. The rims of her eyes reddened and she looked at him anxiously, scanning him up and down. "Are you okay? Anywhere ufortable? Do you want to eat anything?" The thought caused his frown to loosen and a hint of smile appeared in his eyes.


    Xu Binchen nced at the time on the screen and typed.


    [Xu Binchen]: Aren''t you still in ss right now?


    [Xu Binchen]: Put your phone down and pay attention.


    [Ten Years]: Salute.jpg I wille to visit after my ss ends.


    Xu Binchen was halfway through typing ''There''s no need'' when Lei Liqiu suddenly spoke. It was only then that he recalled there''s another person in the room with him. "Mr. Xu ah no, Detective Xu, I want to thank you for everything you have done. The Dreamscape Bar was searched and everyone in captivity was saved. Thank you."


    "It''s nothing." Xu Binchen put the phone down. "I am only doing my job."


    "Right¡­" Lei Liqiu hung her head low, a bitter smile on her face. Of course, everything was just his job. What were you expecting ah, Qiuqiu? "Still, you are injured because of me. I will feel guilty if I don''t say anything to you."


    Xu Binchen nodded offhandedly. "How about you? Any injuries?"


    "Ah, no!" Lei Liqiu waved her hand nervously and tucked her hair behind the ear, ttered by his concern. "I was just a bit shocked but today, it is better. I have been discharged earlier. Finally, I can go home."


    Lei Liqiu couldn''t describe what she was feeling right now. On one hand, she was happy and relieved that everything had ended and she had been freed from that hellish ce but on the other hand...it meant that she no longer had any reason to meet Xu Binchen, to apany him, to talk to him¡­


    She desperately racked her brain to think of how to maintain any form of contact when her eyes fell on his bare wrist. An idea popped up in her mind. "If you don''t mind, can I give you something simr to your red string bracelet? Don''t think too much about it, it''s just a small token of my gratitude. I noticed that you have always been wearing that bracelet but it seemed that you lost it in the sea¡­"


    Lei Liqiu''s words trailed off. She peeked at him through her eyshes only to find him lost in thought. His gaze drifted onto his right wrist nkly. It was unknown what he was thinking about. Yet somehow, Lei Liqiu had a feeling that he looked a bit...lost.


    "Is the bracelet that important to you?" The question came out before she could think it through. She hastily mped her mouth shut and looked at him nervously.


    "Nah..." He withdrew his gaze and no distinct emotion could be detected from his eyes. "If it''s lost, then let it be. It''s a cheap thing anyway."


    .


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    A/N: Can you hear the sound of something breaking? Yes, it''s my heart QAQ Xu Binchen really treasured that cheap bracelet ne~

 Chapter 321 - The Girl Who Gave Him The Bracelet

    The Central Capital was flooded with people that night. The VVIP rooms were almost sold out, filled with those important figures who cried and cursed because they got a shock and chilled due to the freezing water.


    Xu Binchen had almost recovered afterying down for an hour so he directly dealt with his discharge procedures, disregarding Lei Liqiu''s worried inquiries and Wang Chengbing''sints.


    "Ohe on. Seriously, Binchen? You almost lost your life just yesterday, remember?" Wang Chengbing leaned on the door frame and crossed his arms over his chest, hating that iron couldn''t be steel.


    Xu Binchen slipped in a coat and clicked his tongue. "I''m fine and it''s too noisy here."


    "What can we do?" Wang Chengbing sighed. "All of these people need to be investigated but they will definitely cause a scene if we directly send them to the police station. Where is Captain when we need him the most? Aiyah, speak of the devil." He popped his head out and waved. "Here is Captain Jin."


    Xu Binchen straightened up and saluted. He started before Jin Renguang could say anything. "Captain, there''s something I want to talk to you about."


    "What a coincidence." Jin Renguang gave a smile that didn''t reach his eyes. "I also have something to discuss with you. Why don''t you just obedientlyy on the bed as we talk?"


    Xu Binchen: "...huh?"


    In the end, he was stripped out of his clothes into a new hospital gown and forced down the bed by Jin Renguang. Xu Binchen leaned on the pillow and stared out of the window with dead fish eyes, an IV drip hung from his arm. The hospital room was empty except for the two of them. Wang Chengbing had gone to assist Ru Meiqi to do some damage control and take charge of the chaotic scene.


    Jin Renguang sighed exasperatedly and pinched his brows. "Are you aware of how dangerous hypothermia is? You are allowed to rest for a few days. Stay here until the doctor kicks you out."


    Xu Binchen replied quietly. "It''s unnecessary."


    "What did you say?" Jin Renguang smiled and asked ''gently''.


    "No, Sir. I have received the order. I will stay here, Sir."


    "You rascal." He chuckled helplessly. "Say it. What did you want to talk to me about?"


    Xu Binchen''s expression chilled down and he proceeded to narrate Si Yusheng''s statement as well as the riddle Lei Liqiu gave. The hospital room fell silent after he finished. Xu Binchen cleared his throat and gulped down a ss of water. Yet the heaviness in his chest didn''t diminish a bit.


    Of course, who wouldn''t be ufortable when they realized that they had been used and betrayed by someone they trusted and depended on?


    "How should we proceed from now on?" He murmured, more to himself.


    Everything was a jumbled mess in his mind. What did Director Fen Huiguan have to do with Dreamscape Bar? Why did he send them there? Was he rted to the human trafficking and the serial murder case? If so, what should they do? Could they confront him just like this?


    They didn''t even know who their enemies were. Those people hid in the dark while they were utterly exposed to light. It was evident to see who had the upper hand.


    Xu Binchen''s jaws ticked. He hated this kind of powerless feeling. Since he was born until now, he seldom felt this way. With his parents'' qualification, power and wealth, he could practically saunter everywhere around Earth twice. Everything could be solved as long as he said the word.


    Should he¡­just expose everything and force the truth out of Si Yusheng''s mouth?


    Rough, almost violent patsnded on his shoulder twice, knocking Xu Binchen''s line of thoughts. He coughed and directed a disgruntled expression toward Jin Renguang''s inconsideration. The other man didn''t seem to realize how brute he was. "Don''t think too much about it and have a good rest. You have done a very great job, Xu Binchen."


    Xu Binchen frowned. "What do you mean, Captain? Have you got some ns already? No, why don''t you look surprised at all? Don''t tell me¡­" Realization dawned on him, one so ridiculous that heughed for real. "Have you suspected Director Fen all along?"


    "No." He said in a stern tone as always, one so firm that Xu Binchen couldn''t seem to guess what Jin Renguang was thinking about. "In our line of work, trust towardrades is one of the most important aspects I always hold. Never have I doubted myrades before." He lowered his sight and gave a bitter smile. "But I guess that some people aren''t the same. It''s not like I am not surprised. Just that¡­I learned not to have expectations anymore."


    "Anyway." He gave a huge tired sigh. "If what Si Yusheng said was the truth, then he is in a precarious situation at the moment. They want him dead but unfortunately, we can''t just stand by and let it happen. He held too many clues in his hands."


    Xu Binchen nodded in agreement.


    Jin Renguang rapped his fingers on his thigh, contemting. Xu Binchen didn''t disturb his line of thoughts and stayed mum. Until one point, his movement halted. "The most important thing right now is to keep Si Yusheng out of Director Fen''s radar. The rest of it, we will let them be."


    Xu Binchen rebuked in disbelief. "You are going to let it go just like this?"


    "Yes, this time, I will let things go as Director Fen wishes it to be." Jin Renguang smiled grimly, sharp glints shed through his eyes. "We still have another lead to chase for, remember?"


    "...The corpses in the wall." Xu Binchen gradually understood Jin Renguang''s intention.


    "That''s right. Jia Renyu will not let his reputation go down the drain with this matter. He will definitely seek us out. Even if we can''t find his son in the meantime, it''s still possible to go through with the cooperation." Speaking until then, he fell silent for a moment. "...Actually, there''s something that has always been in my mind."


    Xu Binchen gave an inquiring look.


    Jin Renguang withdrew his gaze and stared out of the window, his silhouette looked somber and grim. "Don''t you think that the serial killer is too quiet recently?" Seeing Xu Binchen''s stunned look, he continued. "Last year, we identified eleven victims¡ªtwelve, if Butterfly is included. There''s almost one every month. This year, how many?"


    Xu Binchen''s fists clenched as he replied in a strained voice. "Two."


    "That''s right, it''s December soon, but the number of victims is only two. Don''t you think it''s weird, judging from how severe his OCD is?" Jin Renguang pinched his brows tiredly. "I don''t know if it''s just my imagination but I can''t help thinking about it. Everything is just like the calm before the storm."


    "You mean¡­" Xu Binchen''s heart sank.


    "Yes, I''m afraid¡­he might be preparing something huge."


    ***


    Xu Binchen was too preupied with what Jin Renguang said that he didn''t notice Lei Liqiu entering the room until she spoke. "What are you thinking about?"


    He blinked and directed his gaze toward her. The girl had changed out of the flimsy and flowy dress that she had always worn in Dreamscape Bar. She wore an oversized turtleneck sweater paired with jeans and a knitted cardigan. With her hair tied into a high ponytail, she looked fresher and younger.


    Frown creased his forehead. "You still haven''t gone home yet?"


    Lei Liqiu scratched her nose sheepishly. "My mom told me to stay here until she arrives. I just want to say a proper goodbye onest time."


    Xu Binchen nodded, not understanding why she still hadn''t left. Even more so when she pulled out the folded chair by the bed and sat on it.


    "Do you still need something from me?" He asked straightforwardly.


    Too straightforward, in fact that Lei Liqiu almost forgot to say the sentence she had practiced back in the restroom. "H¡ªHow are you feeling, Mr. Xu?"


    Xu Binchen frowned deeper, his voice as t and cold as the Antarctic. "I''m fine."


    Sweat dotted Lei Liqiu''s forehead. She wiped her mmy palms onto her jeans and grabbed the hem of her cardigan. Come on, Lei Liqiu. Just say the sentence ''Can you please tell me your WeChat ID?'' It''s not difficult. What''s so hard about it? You can do it! Now or never!


    "That¡­um¡ª" The words stuck on her throat when the door in front of her suddenly slid open harshly, revealing a young, petite girl in school uniform, gasping for breath.


    The girl''s eyes fell on Xu Binchen''s on the bed and her dazzling golden eyes instantly covered in ayer of mist. Her knees buckled underneath her and she could only stand by holding onto the wall. "I asked the receptionist below and they told me that you havepleted the discharge procedures! Brother Wang even said that you''re in aa until a few hours ago, how could you do that?!"


    Lei Liqiu couldn''t react for a moment. She was taken aback when Xu Binchen pulled off his IV drips, flung the nket away and slipped his feet into the slippers. Lei Liqiu instinctively reached out to hold him back yet the only thing she could grab onto was empty air.


    Before the man could get down from the bed, Shi Nian snapped out of her senses and pushed him back down angrily. "What are you doing?! Have you gone stupid?!"


    Lei Liqiu had never seen such a soft look on Xu Binchen''s eyes before. Ever since the girl arrived, his eyes held nothing but her. Seeing how anxious the girl was, the corner of his lips curled up into a faint smile. "Why don''t you tell me you have arrived? I could have gone down to meet you."


    Shi Nian pressed on the nurse button helplessly. "You''re a patient! Do you remember that fact, Xu Binchen gege? Ah, sorry I am so nervous that I didn''t realize you''re not alone. Good evening, I''m sorry for my rudeness. My name is¡­" The words trailed off as her eyesnded on Lei Liqiu''s face, dumbstruck.


    On the other hand, Lei Liqiu was too preupied with her own thoughts to realize what the girl was saying. All sounds around her were drowned by her rapid heartbeats and somehow, her sixth sense told her¡­


    Ah, this should be the girl who gave Mr. Xu that red string bracelet.


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    A/N: author has nothing to say *evil smile*

 Chapter 322 - Go For The Kill

    "You are¡­"


    Lei Liqiu snapped out of her thoughts and stood up, bowing. "Good evening. My name is Lei Liqiu."


    Shi Nian''s pupils constricted as soon as she heard that name. The same face, same name¡­ First it was her mother, sister Meiqi, Jia Ming''en and now, even sister Liqiu appeared. By now, Shi Nian had kinda gotten used to the fact that the people from her past life would intersect with her at some point, whether they were only passersby or important figures in her life.


    One aspect that remained the same was; they had no recollection of the past.


    Shi Nian blinked and gave a huge, bright smile. "Hello, my name is Shi Nian. You''re Xu Binchen gege''s friend?"


    Lei Liqiu was taken aback by the sudden question. "Ah, no. I am not¡­"


    "Why are you such a busybody?" Xu Binchen grumbled, pulling Shi Nian''s attention back to him. "Look at you, you''re all sweaty and messy. Don''t tell me you ran up the stairs? So eager to see me?"


    Shi Nian glowered. What was wrong with him? Could he just speak proper humannguage? "You have no idea how worried I and my mother are. When Brother Wang told me you''re in aa, my heart almost stopped, you know? Ah right, Jinyan also sends his regards. He can''te with me because his leg hasn''t healed yet. What''s wrong with you two? He has just been discharged and now here you are."


    A nurse knocked on the door. "Hello, did you just call for help?"


    Shi Nian pointed at him. "Miss nurse, please help him reattach his IV drip."


    Xu Binchen frowned, seemingly wanting to say something more but the nurse had caught sight of his shenanigans and eximed. "Aiyah, what have you done?!" He was then forced to listen to the nurse''s angryints, helplessly watching as Shi Nian followed Lei Liqiu out.


    "You don''t have to send me off." Lei Liqiu smiled awkwardly.


    "It''s okay. Xu Binchen gege''s friend is also my friend." She grinned, exuberant. "How did the two of you meet? It must be hard for you, he''s such a jerk sometimes, you know."


    Somehow, Lei Liqiu just couldn''t bring herself to dislike Shi Nian no matter how jealous she was. Chuckled, she said softly. "You two must be very close."


    "Yep, he can be considered as my guardian. If you know him closer, you will find that he''s actually a very kind person deep down."


    Lei Liqiu lowered her head and nodded. How kind Mr. Xu was, actually she knew. He had always been polite, considerate and helpful. When Lei Liqiu was drugged by aphrodisiac, despite behaving in such an atrocious way, he stayed by her side and helped her to sober up. He kept his words and protected her. Being by his side always gave her an immense sense of security. Even when they were in a perilous state, Xu Binchen chose to prioritize her and helped her to wear the life jackets even though he himself hadn''t worn it yet.


    Unbeknownst to her, in such a short span of time, Xu Binchen had given her so much.


    Lei Liqiu clenched her fists. She wasn''t willing to leave just like this, to back down without giving any fight. This was so not her. So what if he already had someone he liked? So what if he only treated her as part of his mission?


    This wasn''t the end. It''s only the beginning.


    Lei Liqiu halted in his tracks, catching Shi Nian by surprise. "Is there something wrong?"


    "Sorry." She turned around and bowed. "I still have something I need to talk to Mr. Xu about!" After leaving that sentence, she ran back to Xu Binchen''s hospital room. Coincidentally, the nurse was on her way out, still grumbling incessantly on how problematic patient Xu Binchen was.


    The man''s face was ck as he sat on the bed, frowning. Seeing Lei Liqiu, he furrowed his brows deeper. "What''s wrong?"


    Lei Liqiu took a deep breath. "Mr. Xu, can you please tell me your WeChat ID?"


    Xu Binchen: "...huh?"


    She stared straight into his eyes and enunciated each word clearly. This might be one of the instances where Lei Liqiu mustered her greatest courage. Her fingers were cold and trembled slightly. Still, her eyes were filled with determination. "After this, I might not have any chance toe into contact with you anymore and I don''t want that to happen. Can we¡­start over as friends?"


    Shi Nian stood outside the door, the corner of her lips curled into a smile. Sister Liqiu had always been a scaredy cat but on a few asions, she would showcast unexpected might and bravery, one that had taken their enemies off guard countless times.


    When she did, it meant that her opponent should be prepared. Because she would always go for the kill.


    ***


    "Is he okay?"


    "Uh-huh." Shi Nian hung her coat on the hanger and walked into Jiang Jinyan''s open arms. "He''s still alive and kicking."


    His hug always felt so warm and pleasant. She buried her head into his shoulder and inhaled his cool and clean scent,ughing.


    Jiang Jinyan tucked her hair behind her ear. "What makes you so happy?"


    "Hmm¡­" Thinking of Lei Liqiu and Xu Binchen, this unexpected pair, Shi Nian always got the urge tough. "Nothing. Just that¡­it seems something good will happen soon."


    Jiang Jinyan only gave a vague hum.


    Feeling weird, Shi Nian lifted her head and was surprised to see him sulking. "What''s wrong?" She asked worriedly. "Did something happen? Are you hungry? Is your leg hurting again?"


    Every single question was returned with a shake of his head. Confused, Shi Nian offered him an inquiring look in which Jiang Jinyan replied with a tighter hug, almost smothering the breath out of her lungs. "...Jinyan?"


    Albeit surprised, she still hugged him back and caressed his hair in gentle strokes. One thing that Shi Nian discovered recently, Jiang Jinyan liked it very much when she massaged his scalp gently. He would make this soft purring sound from his throat, just like Little Apple did. It was illegally adorable.


    This time also, Jiang Jinyan nuzzled his head closer to her palm, asking for more. Shi Nian hugged Kitty Jiang tighter and gave a helplessugh. "How can I know what''s wrong if you don''t tell me, hmm?"


    Jiang Jinyan mumbled with a sigh. "Don''t get too close¡­"


    "To whom?" She probed carefully. "Binchen gege?"


    Jiang Jinyan didn''t answer. It was practically a silent yes. Shi Nian didn''t know whether tough or cry. "Don''t tell me¡­are you jealous? Xu Binchen gege is just Xu Binchen gege, nothing more."


    He grumbled under his breath. "It''s because you don''t know anything, dummy¡­"


    "What did you say?"


    Jiang Jinyan shook his head slowly. He loosened his embrace and scoffed. "I am not jealous."


    "Oh?" Shi Nian raised her brows teasingly. "Are you sure?"


    Jiang Jinyan attacked her soft cheeks with pinches, stretching her face to the side. "Huh? Is this still the girl who used to be afraid to approach me and could only stalk me secretly?"


    Shi Nian iled her limbs around and escaped from his vice ws, squealing. Rubbing her sore cheeks, she harrumphed and stuck out her tongue. "I am not afraid of you anymore! And how many times do I have to tell you that I haven''t stalked you before, okay? Everything is just a coincidence!"


    "Okay, okay." Jiang Jinyan pulled her closer and tickled her waist. "It sure is a coincidence."


    "Ah, no¡­don''t tickle me there! No, I give up! I give up, okay?!" Tears sprung out of Shi Nian''s eyes from overughing. In the end, she could only admit defeat and slumped onto Jiang Jinyan''s side, boneless like a salted fish. Shi Nian gasped in huge gulps of air, face flushed with sweat. "You''re such a meanie¡­"


    Jiang Jinyan chuckled and nuzzled his chin on the crown of her head. "I can be even meaner. Do you regret being with me now?"


    Shi Nian peered over, her golden eyes flickered in admonishment. "What kind of question is that? You know that I have never regretted anything when ites to you¡­"


    Jiang Jinyan''s eyes softened. His heart turned into mush just like that. The two people''s eyes met in midair and the air instantly turned ambiguous. Shi Nian blushed and averted her gaze but he didn''t allow her any chance to escape as he cupped her cheek and leaned in for a kiss.


    It was only a soft, gentle kiss. Simply rubbing and grazing each other''s lips but the feeling it gave was magical, as if their soul merged together along with it. Shi Nian''s heart thumped rapidly inside her chest yet at the same time, she felt so full and happy. She couldn''t ask for anything more.


    Jiang Jinyanughed into her mouth. "We have kissed many times before. Why are you still so shy?"


    Shi Nian hmphed bashfully. "T¡ªThis is not something that I can get used to just like that, okay?"


    He gave another soft peck. "Then, what if I take things to the next level? Are you going to run away from me?"


    Shi Nian almost choked on her breath, stuttered. "N¡ªNext level?!"


    Seeing the glints in Jiang Jinyan''s eyes, Shi Nian grew even more flustered. "Y¡ªYou¡­You are¡­" Her mind went nk and it was as if all the air was sucked away from her, rendering her unable to breathe.


    Jiang Jinyan burst outughing all of a sudden, bending over with his shoulders quivering.


    Shi Nian''s jaws dropped open, dumbfounded. Realization dawned on her in the next second and she hollered angrily. "You''re such a bully! Jiang Jinyan, you''re going to get it from me!"


    Of course, she was all bark and no bite. How could she, when he showed such a bright, child-like smile with delight in his eyes? If it could make himugh, Shi Nian didn''t mind being teased everyday.


    In a timely manner, her phone vibrated inside her pocket, saving her from the mortification. She pulled it out to see a new message from a person she had never expected before. The light in her eyes dimmed and she stared at the screen nkly for a while.


    "What''s wrong?" Jiang Jinyan hugged her from behind, his chin on her shoulder. From his position, he could see her phone screen just fine. "Huh?"


    Shi Nian tilted it to let him see better. "It''s from Xiao Chun. Do you remember him? We met him once before. Nan Xukun."


    [KUN]: Xiao Nian, how are you? I''m so sad because you never texted me. Speaking of it, next week is my mother''s death anniversary. I recalled that you two used to be so close. If you''d like, do you want to visit her together?


    .


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    A/N: Jiang Jinyan''s new rank unlocked: Octopus Jiang, Kitty Jiang (¨R¨Œ¨Q)


    Alright, Lei Liqiu x Xu Binchen''s story ends here.. The continuation wille after the main story ispleted. I will write some side stories for them ^^

 Chapter 323 - Guess Who Just Called?

    A series of knocks resounded through Fen Huiguan''s office. "Come in." He answered.


    The door swung open, revealing Jin Renguang who brought with him the chilly air outside. The tip of his nose was slightly red from the cold and the breath he exhaled dissipated into thin, white mist. Jin Renguang stood in front of him and gave a military salute. "Major General Fen."


    Fen Huiguan took off his sses and hummed. "How is the situation?"


    "It''s been brought under control. Majority suffered from shock and light injuries and there''s no casualties from our side. Si Yusheng has the most severe injuries, currently he''s still unconscious and the situation doesn''t look very good. We have questioned some of the people there, but they know nothing of the owner of Dreamscape Bar. From their statements, it seems like Si Yusheng is indeed behind everything."


    Fen Huiguan didn''t give any response and merely listened.


    "Major General Fen, allow me to ask bluntly," The hands Jin Renguang put behind his back clenched. "You said that Dreamscape Bar is rted to the first victim of the serial killer. We have almost dug out everything there is but found nothing except for the human trafficking and drug distribution case. May I ask you to borate further about that, Sir?"


    Fen Huiguan narrowed his eyes. Everytime he took off his sses, everything would be a blur. He could no longer see Jin Renguang''s face clearly, the same way as how he couldn''t find a way out of this dark tunnel. But no matter what happened, he had to keep walking forward to know whatid on the end of it.


    "Keep digging. We might find something eventually."


    "I am quite lost." Jin Renguang said. "What exactly are we trying to find? I have also asked you the exact question before we started the mission. Now that the mission almost ends, I still don''t understand what you''re implying."


    This was tantly pressuring the other man to give him an answer. If this was Jin Renguang before he heard Xu Binchen''s words, he wouldn''t have done it. Who said that he wasn''t surprised? It was just that he had perfected the skill to mask his emotion, not wearing them on his sleeves anymore. Only God knew how he wished that he could get the answer he wanted from Fen Huiguan''s mouth.


    But unfortunately, that wouldn''t happen in this life.


    "Everything will end soon, Jin." That was the only sentence Fen Huiguan gave.


    Jin Renguang''s jaws tightened. Just with that, he could guess on which side Fen Huiguan chose to stand in the end. Somehow, he really felt likeughing. Who was it that instilled into his flesh and bones that one could break all of their bones, but shouldn''t bend their principles, shouldn''t betray the country even with a gun pointed at their foreheads?


    "Very well, Sir." He bowed politely. It seemed that people did change. Jin Renguang was already too tired to ask why. "Then, I will take my leave."


    ***


    "What are you doing out here?" Wang Chengbing asked when he found Xu Binchen smoking outside the open balcony with only a coat draped across his shoulder. Cold wind fluttered the man''s hair and the night caused him to look softer.


    Wang Chengbing coughed and waved frantically to disperse the thick scent of smoke. "Seriously, can you stop smoking just for one day? You know you''re gonna die young if you keep this up, right?"


    Xu Binchen scoffed lightly yet still pressed the cigarette bud on the ashtray. "Done interrogating?"


    "Yeah, we practically dumped all of the work into General Crime''s hands. So far, there''s no information regarding the owner. No one met him before. Everything is practically hearsays or rumors."


    "I expect so." He hummed. "Since the beginning, the owner has always been surrounded by mystery."


    Wang Chengbing leaned on the railing and stared into a distance where cars lined up like ants, flowing like rivers toward where life took them. "Binchen, why do I get the feeling that everything is messed up? You know, being a hacker, I have always hid behind the shadows. I don''t care about evil or kindness as long as the other side fulfills our transaction and money goes into my bank ount."


    Xu Binchen sneered. "Even now, you still haven''t changed a bit."


    "Hey!" Wang Chengbing huffed angrily. "And you''re still a heartless bastard. Oh no, you''re not heartless anymore." He covered his mouth and smirked evilly. Xu Binchen rolled his eyes and showed a nonchnt expression even under Wang Chengbing''s tease, making thetter get angrier instead. "You''re no fun! It''s no wonder that you haven''t got a girlfriend."


    Xu Binchen delivered a stab right where it hurt. "Well, have you?"


    Wang Chengbing clutched his chest, groaning. In a timely manner, Xu Binchen''s phone which he put by the side vibrated, the screen lit up, showing a new WeChat notification.


    [Lei Liqiu]: Hello, Mr. Xu. This is Lei Liqiu. Please take care of me :)


    "Oh?" Wang Chengbing''s eyes twinkled in mischief. "What do we have here? Little Qiuqiu?"


    Xu Binchen clicked his tongue and pocketed his phone. "None of your business."


    "I really don''t get it. You''re so rude, bastardly and annoying but girls flock to you like you have mas imnted in your bones. Do you have some sort of secret?"


    Xu Binchen pushed his face away, his face twisted in contempt and disdain. "What secret? Keep on talking nonsense and I will kick you down from here."


    The corner of Wang Chengbing''s mouth trembled and he burst outughing, carefree. The heaviness he felt dissipated slightly. He also didn''t know why, it seemed like Xu Binchen was just that magical. Simply talking and bantering with him could lighten his mood. Hisughter slowly receded and he closed his eyes to enjoy the breeze.


    "Don''t think too much about it." Xu Binchen suddenly said. "We only have to do as best as we can and leave everything in Captain Jin''s hands."


    "You''re right." Wang Chengbing rubbed his face. "I also don''t know what I am scared of. I haven''t met such aplicated case before, well not that I have solved many cases. But this time¡­I truly can''t guess how everything will end up. Moreover, I still haven''t found Jia Renyu''s son yet¡­" He kept on grumbling and messed up his own hair in frustration. "Arrrgh, I''m so stressed out! I need to resign as soon as the case is solved! I don''t want to be a police officer anymore!"


    Xu Binchen recalled Jin Renguang''s somber face and Director Fen Huiguan whose intention they had no idea of. The thing that irritated him the most was, even when the situation was tangled up like a ball of messy yarn, the person who upied his mind was a certain golden eyed girl.


    He didn''t want to admit how anxious he was.


    "Don''t you think that the serial killer is too quiet recently? I don''t know if it''s just my imagination but I can''t help thinking about it. Everything is just like the calm before the storm. I''m afraid¡­he might be preparing something huge."


    The more Xu Binchen thought about what Jin Renguang had said, the more ominous it sounded. He was scared that Shi Nian would be put in danger once more.


    The girl barely recovered. She had just started to speak not long ago. He couldn''t even ascertain whether the girl was truly okay or she was just pretending to be. What would happen if the tragedy repeated itself? In the end, could she escape from the past trauma and pain?


    Xu Binchen got a headache everytime he thought about it. In exchange, the urge to smoke heightened. He couldn''t help but pull out one more cigarette, disregarding Wang Chengbing''sints. The lighter me flickered, illuminating his haggard face and the bluish circles under his eyes.


    "Are you listening to me?" Wang Chengbing groaned. "I told you to cut it down, damn it!"


    Xu Binchen''s phone rang in a timely manner, rescuing him from having to deal with Wang Chengbing and his loose mouth. He exhaled white smoke, flicked off the cigarette ash and pulled out his phone to see an iing call from an unknown number. "Hello, who''s speaking?"


    A faint rustle sounded from the other side, followed by an unfamiliar male voice. "...Is this Detective Xu Binchen?"


    "Yes, I am. Who are you?"


    The man chuckled. "Haven''t you always been searching for me?"


    The cigarette slipped from Xu Binchen''s fingers, almost scalding Wang Chengbing''s foot. He scooted backward in surprise and eximed angrily. "What''s the problem with you?! Hey! What''s with that face? Who is calling? Is that Captain Jin?"


    He waved his hand in front of Xu Binchen''s nk face. "Hello? Earth to Binchen~"


    Xu Binchen lowered his phone and pinched his brows, frowning.


    "What''s wrong? Hey!" Seeing him like that, Wang Chengbing grew flustered. "Are you unwell?!"


    Instead of answering, Xu Binchen suddenly reached out and pinched Wang Chengbing''s fleshy arm and twisted it with strength.


    "Aaaah it hurts, damn it!" He pped Xu Binchen''s hand away and rubbed his arm with reddened eyes, cursing incessantly. "What''s wrong with you?! You wanna fight?!"


    Xu Binchen rubbed his face roughly and raked his fingers across his hair,ughing incredulously. "You don''t have to search for Jia Renyu''s son anymore."


    Wang Chengbing: "...huh?"


    "Guess who just called?" Xu Binchen shook his phone gently. "It''s him."


    Wang Chengbing''s face turned even more at a loss. "Who?"


    "Jia Renyu''s son." Xu Binchen smirked. "I can''t believe he took the initiative to seek us out."


    Wang Chengbing''s jaws dropped open. It took forever for him to regain his wits. "SAY WHAT!!!"


    .


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    A/N: oooh Director Fen is dead set on putting the me on Si Yusheng''s head. Poor Jin Renguang, he must be so disappointed...


    Also herees Jia Renyu''s son ^^

 Chapter 324 - He Knows Something

    "What is this?" Jiang Jinyan massaged his brows as he looked at the weirdbination that gathered in his living room.


    Shi Nian, Xu Binchen, Wang Chengbing and Jia Ming''en.


    "I have one condition." Jia Ming''en said on the phonest time. "If you want to talk face to face, then it can only be done in Jiang Jinyan''s house. You know who he is, right?"


    And thus, one evening, Jiang Jinyan found his house swarmed with some unwanted guests, interrupting his precious time alone with Shi Nian.


    "My apologies, Mr. Jiang. Please understand that this is an emergency." Xu Binchen frowned. "I have no idea that you two know each other."


    "Wait, wait!" Wang Chengbing chimed in as he seized the bespectacled teenager in front of him up and down. "You''re really Jia Renyu''s son? How can we know that it''s not merely a trap?"


    One couldn''t me him for doubting Jia Ming''en''s words. Afterall, who could have guessed that the young master of mafia lineage lived such a humble life, was a high achiever and a Student Council President at that?! Shouldn''t he be going around fighting left and right with a gun holstered on his waist? What was up with this good child vibe?!


    Jia Ming''en scoffed and slurped down the fruit juice Shi Nian had made earlier. "And who are you? I don''t remember ever making any appointments with someone other than Detective Xu. If you don''t trust me, then you''re wee to walk out through the door anytime." After saying that, he even made a gesture toward the front door.


    "You¨C!" Wang Chengbing''s eyes widened, nostrils ring. "Who said that I don''t trust you?!"


    Jia Ming''en shrugged nonchntly.


    "How do you know that the police have been searching for you?" Xu Binchen brought the topic back.


    Jia Ming''en gave a disdainful look. "Sui Chenyou. Does it ring a bell?" Seeing Wang Chengbing exim in a sharp ''ah'', he sneered. "He has been going around and spreading the news that the police threatened him to search for Jia Renyu''s son, that fucking idiot. Thanks to him, I have wonderful days of getting rid of some annoying pests."


    Xu Binchen cursed under his breath.


    The situation turned stagnant for a moment then simultaneously, all eyes turned to Jiang Jinyan who was sitting on the couch with a frown. "What?" Hemented, displeased. "Shall I give you some room inside my own house?"


    "Yes please¨C"


    "No."


    Xu Binchen and Jia Ming''en said in unison.


    Thetter turned to Jiang Jinyan and said seriously. "Don''t. In case he throws some threatening remarks to me, I need you as a witness."


    Xu Binchen sneered. "Me? Threatening you? Brat, do you want to try?"


    Wang Chengbing pulled up his sleeve and showed his fist. "Want to see a real threat?!"


    Jiang Jinyan gave a huge sigh and raised one hand. The chaos died down in an instant. "Haa...this is going to drive me crazy." He raked his fingers through his hair and could barely stand his irritation only with Shi Nian stroking his back. "Fine, speak all you want and scram."


    Xu Binchen looked at the two''s natural intimacy and suddenly asked. "Are you two dating?"


    Jiang Jinyan felt Shi Nian''s movement pause and he deliberately held the girl''s hand and lifted their intertwined fingers as well as shing the red string bracelet on his wrist. "Yes, we are." The gaze he directed toward Xu Binchen was brooding and taunting, as if asking "Do you have something to say about it?"


    Shi Nian groaned inwardly and face palmed. Here it was, Jiang Jinyan''s vinegar pot overturned without any warning again. She had no idea why he was so wary of Xu Binchen no matter how many times she exined that there''s nothing between them. Well, that kind of mindless jealousy was kind of adorable though.


    Suddenly Shi Nian recalled, in one instance a few months ago, she had promised Xu Binchen not to fall in love early and here she was, sitting in front of him and holding hands with Jiang Jinyan. Shi Nian''s heart skipped a beat. She didn''t like to break promises and thus felt slightly guilty. "My mother knows about it, Binchen gege." She mumbled in defense.


    Originally, Shi Nian thought that she would get another long lecture but unexpectedly Xu Binchen let her go just like that with a scoff. The man turned his gaze toward Jiang Jinyan and said, "If Shi Nian is your girlfriend, then you might want to hear our conversation. After all, this matter is rted to her."


    Shi Nian looked at them back and forth, confused.


    Xu Binchen didn''t beat around the bush again and proceeded with the questioning. "Mr. Jia, I thank you on behalf of the police for your presence here. Let me emphasize once again that we have no intention of using you as a means of exchange for a transaction with your father. On the other hand, what we want is just some information and if you can provide it for us, then we will certainly reward you immensely."


    Jia Ming''en nodded nonchntly. "What kind of information?"


    Xu Binchen pulled out a transparent zipper bag from his bag and put it on the table. Inside it was a wrinkly, synthetic human skin mask. "This is a product that your father''spany has been producing, correct?"


    "Oh?" Jia Ming''en took it and inspected it under the light with interest. "Where did you get this?"


    "From your response, I assume that it''s a yes. A few months ago, a man with this mask came to the hospital and almost inflicted harm upon the police''s important witness. We have reasons to suspect that he''s the serial killer we have been chasing for more than a year." Xu Binchen leaned forward and narrowed his eyes. "Mr. Jia Ming''en, allow me to request bluntly. Give us the list of the customers who have purchased this product. That''s all."


    Jia Ming''en''s expression didn''t change at all but Xu Binchen noticed the minute details such as how his pupils dted and his movement paused for a split second. No matter how he tried to hide it, he was obviously quite shaken up.


    Some guesses popped up in Xu Binchen''s mind. Did he possibly know something?


    "Please be aware that we have no intention to cross the mafia. But¡­" Cold glints shed in Xu Binchen''s eyes. "If we found that the mafia is indeed sheltering the serial killer, then it''s another matter altogether."


    Jiang Jinyan squeezed Shi Nian''s sweaty palm and couldn''t help adding. "President Jia, regarding this matter, I will appreciate it very much...if you are willing to help."


    Jia Ming''en''s eyes trailed from Xu Binchen''s measuring gaze toward Shi Nian''s pale face and finallynded on Jiang Jinyan''s tense figure. In the end, he lowered his eyes in order to hide the turbulence within. When he spoke in the next moment, his voice came out slightly hoarse. "I don''t know if I can help but...I will give it a try."


    Jiang Jinyan''s expression eased. "Thank you very much¡­"


    Jia Ming''en waved offhandedly. "If there''s nothing else, then excuse me." He picked up his coat and left. Although hisposed demeanor gave nothing away, they could somehow sense the tension and nervousness from his back.


    Not long after, Wang Chengbing and Xu Binchen also left. They got into the car to return to the police station.


    "That kid¡­" Wang Chengbing broke the silence. "He knows something."


    "Yes." Xu Binchen agreed.


    "Is it okay to not put any tracking device on him?"


    "It should be okay. We already know he''s Jiang Jinyan''s senior in the university so it will be easy to search for him." Xu Binchen tapped his fingers on the steering wheel and stared into his own reflection on the ss window. "I can''t believe that the world is so small. By any chance, do you think another coincidence will pop up?"


    "Like what?"


    "Like¡­" Xu Binchen trailed off and shifted the gear stick. "The serial killer we have been chasing after, he might be someone we have crossed paths with before."


    It was a ridiculous remark but somehow, Wang Chengbing couldn''t bring himself tough. He couldn''t help but imagine, howical would it be if Xu Binchen''s words were toe true?


    "Anyway," Wang Chengbing''s eyes curved and he smirked teasingly. "Are you okay leaving Shi Nian together with Jiang Jinyan? After all, she''s your¨C"


    "Shut your mouth!" Xu Binchen hissed and threw the tissue box to his head, eliciting a pained yelp that was mixed withughter and schadenfreude.


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    A/N: O-oh, what kind of information will Jia Ming''en give the police?

 Chapter 325 - Tell Me The Truth

    "What''s wrong?" Jiang Jinyan asked after everyone had left. He held Shi Nian''s frozen hands and kneaded them gently. "I noticed you have been so quiet since just now. Afraid, hmm?"


    Shi Nian swallowed nervously and found her voice with much difficulty. "You...already knew?"


    Jiang Jinyan blinked and in the next moment, realization dawned on him. Shi Nian had never told him about her being the victim of the serial killer before. She behaved as if everything was okay, but Jiang Jinyan knew deep down she''s not. Her eyes brimming with horrified tears, shaking shoulders, inexplicable reaction and fear... it all shed through his mind. Everything gradually fell into ce when he knew the truth.


    Seeing Shi Nian''s pale face, Jiang Jinyan vividly perceived how it was to have his heart ache for someone else. Somehow, he could understand how Shi Nian felt when she kissed his leg and embraced his scars.


    He too, wanted to be that kind of person for her.


    He gathered the girl into his embrace and brushed his lips against her temple softly. "Sorry, I asked Detective Xu about it, are you angry?"


    Shi Nian buried her face into his shoulder, the rims of her eyes reddening. "I don''t want you to know¡­"


    "Why?"


    Why? Shi Nian had no idea either. Maybe it was a subconscious reaction from a girl toward the boy they liked. They always wanted to present their best sides and hid the ugly sides.


    Jiang Jinyan patted her head in a soothing manner. "It''s scary, isn''t it?"


    "I don''t know." She relished in his warmth and presence, mumbling. "I don''t remember at all."


    "Then, it must be so scary."


    "...hmm." Without her realizing, tears slowly dripped down her eyes, falling onto his shirt and creating a damp patch.


    Jiang Jinyan''s movement paused, then he hugged the girl tighter, almost wishing that he could hide her forever in his embrace so that no one could harm her anymore.


    Everytime he saw the news about the serial killer''s victims, it all didn''t feel real because the incident didn''t impact his life at all. However upon knowing that Shi Nian could end up just like them¨Ctortured, dismembered, with her corpse thrown into public ces¨Che felt an unprecedented fear suffocating his chest, it hurt so much that he couldn''t breathe.


    "Thank God¡­" He whispered raspily, distress thick in his tone. "Thank God you''re still alive. If you weren''t¡­" He shook the thought out of his mind and cupped Shi Nian''s cheeks, wiping the tears with his thumb. "Don''t be afraid. Everything will be okay. The culprit will definitely be found soon, okay? I will be here with you so¡­"


    Keep on living. Don''t give up.


    On you, on me.


    On us.


    ***


    Drrr¡­drrr...drrr¨Cclick. The call was connected. "Where are you?" Jia Ming''en asked before the person on the other side could talk. He elerated the motorcycle even more until the tyres zed out some sparks on the deste highway.


    "...Ming''en?" Si Zhening''s confused voice came through. "What''s wrong? You''re on the road?"


    Jia Ming''en didn''t answer his question and asked in return instead. His voice came out muffled, added with the howling wind and loud engine roar. "You''re in your home in City A? Or the base? Or the apartment in Capital City?"


    "I am in the Capital." Upon hearing the answer, Jia Ming''en instantly made a sharp u-turn and re-enter the boisterous city.


    "Did something happen?" Si Zhening asked again.


    "Stay there. Don''t go anywhere. I swear, if I arrive there and I don''t find you there, I will not forgive you."


    Si Zhening fell silent for a while. "...alright."


    Jia Ming''en pocketed his phone without caring whether the call was disconnected or not. He narrowed his eyes and rode the motorcycle even faster, it almost reached 200 mph. The scenery around him turned into a blur and his mind slowly drifted to the past.


    For him, Si Zhening was his role model, a man he wanted to be when he grew up. He was calm,posed and mature. Every task Jia Renyu gave him¨Cno matter how difficult it was¨Che couldplete it perfectly without fail. It took no time for the rumors to spread that a talented man had joined the gang.


    That year, Si Zhening was only fourteen. So young. He was only a junior high schooler yet he could already hurt someone enough to kill without batting an eyelid. Everyone said that he was like an emotionless monster, one that could haunt their nightmares for days. But for Jia Ming''en, he was as cool as Iron Man.


    He admired Si Zhening and wanted to be like him. Thus, he did everything he could to get close to him. He followed Si Zhening everywhere, clinging onto his thigh, crying whenever he left and throwing tantrums when he returnedte. Jia Ming''en was practically closer to Si Zhening than his own father, Jia Renyu. And the way Si Zhening never pushed him away encouraged him further,pelling him to think that the man liked him as much as he did.


    Thinking about the past, Jia Ming''en very much wanted to bash his own head¨Cthis brainless fool.


    Everything in his mind was cotton candy and rainbow until one day, Jia Renyu''s enemies infiltrated the base he lived in and dug one of his eyes out as a warning for them.


    For the first time in his life, Jia Ming''en learned what it meant to be born into a mafia family.


    To kill or to be killed. The strongest always won. It was as simple as that.


    He wanted to kill himself whenever he recalled how naively happy and grateful he felt that Si Zhening wasn''t there that day. For that, he didn''t have to suffer like Jia Ming''en did.


    And what did he get in the end?


    "Pity? He lost because he''s weak. It has nothing to do with me." An expressionless face, a heartless remark, a cruel eye opener.


    From the start, Jia Ming''en was nothing in Si Zhening''s eyes. Thetter only allowed his shenanigans because he could reach Jia Renyu faster that way. Because he wanted power and authority.


    A new wound was added atop of Jia Ming''en''s physical wound. Yet it was much more painful than that. He felt betrayed, deceived and fooled.


    It was a stupidity on his end, not Si Zhening''s fault. But he learned in a hard way that what everyone said was right; Si Zhening was akin to an emotionless robot, he could use and abandon you at any time.


    That man''s heart was incapable of containing any feelings at all.


    He parked his motorcycle and rushed to Si Zhening''s apartment room on the fifth floor by stairs, barely breaking a sweat when he arrived. Banging on the door, he hollered. "Open the door!"


    The hallway was deste and almost all the lights had been turned off. After all, it was almost 1 am. His loud voice echoed throughout the night, but he couldn''t care less whether his act could be considered as a public disturbance. His heart beat faster than ever and adrenaline rushed to his head. If Si Zhening didn''t open the door for him in the next second, he was surely going to break it open.


    "Ming''en!" He looked surprised, but Jia Ming''en knew that it was all a facade.


    Jia Ming''en stormed into the room and closed his eyes to rpose himself. This was so unlike him. Why...when it came to Si Zhening, Jia Ming''en lost control of his emotions so easily?


    Si Zhening closed the door behind him and tapped the switch on. Instantly, light flooded the room, showing an expanse of space that was so neat and tidy that it almost looked inhabited. The walls separating each room had been taken down so that the entire area could be seen in one nce.


    A huge bookshelf was put on one side of the wall, filled with books that were organized by colors, genres and alphabets. It was so orderly, so much that it was hair rising.


    A single bedid near the window, creases formed on its corner showing that a person had justid there a moment ago.


    Just like that. The entire room was only upied by a bookshelf, a tiny bed, and kitchen with a small refrigerator. Wind breezed through the gaps of the curtain and Jia Ming''en turned around to face Si Zhening who had just slipped his sses on.


    "I want to ask you something." Jia Ming''en stared straight at him. "The human skin masks that thepany produced are custom made, right?"


    Si Zhening''s movement paused. "Why are you asking about that?"


    "I saw the record a few days ago by coincidence. This year, we have received more than 10 orders but only 2 of them came from China. One of them is from the daughter of Minister Wu while the other...is from you, is that right?"


    Si Zhening leaned on the wall with his arms crossed. That kind of nk eyes again, void of any emotion. He couldn''t even bring himself to pretend anymore, is that right?


    Jia Ming''en''s fists clenched by his side. He suppressed the urge to deliver a punch right to Si Zhening''s face and asked in agitation. "Is that you...the serial killer?"


    The atmosphere turned heavy, the tension so thick that it could almost be touched. After an unknown amount of time, Si Zhening gave a sigh. "What kind of ridiculous question is that?"


    "Ge!" Jia Ming''en almost shouted himself hoarse. Red veins spread around his sclera and his whole being looked as if he was ready to explode. He closed his eyes, fists trembling. "I beg you, Ge. Just...Just tell me the truth this one time, okay? What did you use the human skin mask for?"


    Even Jia Ming''en didn''t even realize how much of a pleading his voice sounded like. But it was practically what he did. Begging for a sliver of his attention. Pleading for the truth that could shake his whole world.


    "Tell me and I will believe everything you say. You''re not...the serial killer right?"


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: omg, in my head, Jia Ming''en called out ''Hyung'' instead of ''Ge'' idk it just hurts more when it''s Hyung but sadly this is not a korean drama scene lol


    Don''t ship them yeah, their rtionship is purely brothersss

 Chapter 326 - Kiss Me And I Will Tell You

    "So, no information regarding the owner?" Ru Meiqi asked as she flipped through the book in her hands. Sitting crossed leg on the floor, she was surrounded by tons of books and reports that spread messily. If Jin Renguang was here, he would surely be unable to endure being in the room for more than ten minutes.


    "Yes." The man''s voice came from the other side of the phone, raspy and fatigued. "It seems like the only alternative is to wait for Si Yusheng to wake up."


    "Oh? How is he now?"


    "Still unconscious. We are nning to transfer him to another hospital tomorrow." He fell silent for a moment. "I lied to Director Fen, saying that his condition doesn''t look good."


    Ru Meiqi paused, her eyes floated around the heading ''Mental Disorders and Symptoms'' yet nothing could register in her mind.


    "Tell me," He murmured quietly. "Can people really change that much in a short period of time?"


    Ru Meiqi put the books away and leaned against the wall, sighing. "How much time is considered short? How can you be certain that they aren''t that kind of person from the start?"


    The man didn''t reply for a while whereas Ru Meiqi returned to browse her collection of research reports. "Stop brooding. It''s pathetic. Haven''t you already noticed that people always change in the face of money and power? There''s tons of such cases everywhere. Shall I spell it out for you one by one?"


    Sighing, he groaned. "I know, but¡ª"


    "No buts." She chimed in firmly. "All we can do is to move forward and let go of the past. Why do you care so much about the reason behind Director Fen''s act? What if you know? Will you sympathize with him? Will you understand and ept his reason? No. It''s something you can''t control so why do you keep on moping about it?"


    Jin Renguang let out a fit of throaty chuckles that made Ru Meiqi lose focus for a split second. "Seriously, how can you be so strong, woman? Do you have any idea how sexy it sounds?"


    Ru Meiqi scoffed. "Quit talking nonsense."


    "Oh?" Even without meeting face to face, Ru Meiqi could imagine his expression right now. Slightly raised brows, smirking lips, eyes twinkled with mischief. He was the epitome of annoying yet still hot as hell. "How are you so sure that I am talking nonsense?"


    Ru Meiqi grabbed the phone near her feet and talked angrily into it. "If you have nothing better to talk about, then I will hang up."


    "No, wait please." Heughed. "Don''t hang up on me. What are you doing right now? I heard the sound of paper flipping."


    "Yes. Remember my mentor''s research I told you about? The one about mental disorders? I am trying to find it now."


    Slight rustle sounded from the other side. "I will help you. Where are you right now? The apartment?"


    "Don''t." As much as Ru Meiqi hated to admit it, she couldn''t focus whenever they were left alone. "I am serious. You don''t need toe."


    However, when had Jin Renguang ever listened to her? The rustle was reced with the sound of car closing and engine humming. He was already on his way to her. "What did you just say?"


    "Nothing." Ru Meiqi pressed on her temple. "Call me after you have arrived." After that, she hung up on the phone and returned her attention to the book report in front of her.


    Ru Meiqi''s mentor back in university was a famous psychologist that focused on researching mental disorders linked with brain activity such as autism or depression. There had been one case that intrigued her mentor very much and he had brought it up in front of Ru Meiqi once. It made a vague impression in her mind and somehow, she was sure that it was rted to the strangeness she sensed from Si Zhening.


    The apartment was only filled with the sound of page flipping until the doorbell rang around half an hourter. Ru Meiqi''s phone rang at the same time, revealing Jin Renguang''s name on the screen. "I have arrived." He said.


    "I''m too busy to open the door." Ru Meiqi replied offhandedly.


    "Okay." A few secondster, the door opened with a click and Jin Renguang appeared in the doorway, smirking. "I will open it myself, no need to bother you."


    Ru Meiqi rolled her eyes. "This is illegal intrusion, Officer Jin."


    "No if the owner gives permission herself." Jin Renguang sat in front of her and started to sort the books. "What are you searching for? Let''s split the task, it''s faster that way."


    "A research by my mentor who goes by the name Ronny Wright. He has published research about someone who tends to fake all of their emotions. However in the end, there''s no further development because the treatment for that hasn''t been found up to this day."


    "Fake emotions? Is it sociopath?"


    "Nah, Si Zhening looks too ''normal'' to be a sociopath, if you know what I mean. He''s just¡­fake. I can''t even sense his true feelings." Ru Meiqi flung the book on herp and messed up her hair in frustration. "Arrgh, where the hell is it?! Why can''t I find it?!"


    "Calm down." Jin Renguang chuckled and gathered the messy books in front of him. "Don''t panic. We will search for it slowly."


    Ru Meiqi hummed and gave him a sideway nce. "What about you?"


    "What about me?" He asked without looking up.


    "Being in this messy environment, aren''t you ufortable?"


    "I can still bear it." He pretended to look hurt. "I''m not that freakish, okay?"


    Ru Meiqi shrugged and got up to the kitchen, leaving all of the mess for Jin Renguang. She slowly brewed two cups of coffee and brought it to him. "Drink first."


    Jin Renguang epted it and took a sip. He gave her a smiley nce. "One spoon of milk and no sugar, just like how I like it."


    Ru Meiqi put the cup onto her lips and leaned on the wall, pretending to be oblivious. "What are you talking about? I also have my coffee that way. It''s just a coincidence." How could she ever admit that her little habits came from Jin Renguang himself? That was the same as agreeing that the man had be an indispensable part of her life, too embarrassing.


    "Sureee¡­" He dragged out the words teasingly, tempting Ru Meiqi to pour the coffee all over his head. Fortunately, he changed the topic in the nick of time. "Speaking of it, I suddenly recall something."


    "What is it?"


    Jin Renguang lifted his face and tapped on his lips. "Come here and give me a kiss. Then, I will tell you."


    Ru Meiqi gnashed her teeth exasperatedly. "Can you be serious for a second?"


    "Hmph!" He harrumphed and turned his head away. "Then I will not tell you."


    What? Ru Meiqi looked at him in disbelief. How could this 190 cm man be so childish?! Was he a three year old child or what?! "Renguang!" If this was a cartoon, then Ru Meiqi''s breath would be spurting fire right now.


    "What?"


    Look, look at that sulking face of his! "You''re so annoying!" She stomped her feet angrily.


    "Thank you, I know you love it." The man said shamelessly.


    Ru Meiqi''s face reddened. Of course from anger. She put the cup down harshly and strode toward Jin Renguang inrge strides, her posture like one seeking a fight. Jin Renguang was ready to surrender and say that he was joking when Ru Meiqi suddenly pulled on his cor. The woman''s face loomed closer and in the next moment, a loud smacking kissnded on Jin Renguang''s lips. So violent that their teeth knocked against each other.


    "Ouch¡­" Jin Renguang said smilingly. "That kinda hurts."


    Ru Meiqi let him go with a huff. "Are you telling or not?!"


    "Of course I am." He seized the opportunity to pull her down so that the woman sat between his legs.


    "You¡ª!" Ru Meiqi struggled in reflex, but within Jin Renguang''s bear hug, she was almost smothered and utterly overwhelmed.


    "Look here." The man''s breath brushed against her ear. It was ticklish and hot. Ru Meiqi shrunk her neck but her eyes automatically followed the man''s fingers as he pointed toward one of the sections in the book he was reading. "...The symptoms appear as if individuals have difficulty recognizing and expressing feelings, and it often coincides with another underlying neurological condition or mental health disorder."


    Ru Meiqi snatched the book from his hands and ran her eyes through the text seriously, the matter of her being in Jin Renguang''s embrace was thrown to the back of her mind. "Yes¡­" Her eyes gradually brightened up. "Yes, this is what I am searching for! How can you find it so easily?"


    Jin Renguang put his arms around the woman''s waist and his chin on her shoulder, smiling. "Luck, I guess."


    Ru Meiqi''s face turned serious as her fingers moved across the page. "Inability to express feelings, an affected person mighte across as being out of touch or apathetic¡­" The gears in her head started to turn and all of her interaction with Si Zhening shed through her mind like a fast forwarded movie. "Lack of emotions, inability to express¡­"


    Her fingers stopped on one word.


    Alexithymia.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Alexithymia is a broad term to describe problems with feeling emotions. In short, the affected with have trouble identifying what they feel such as happiness so they mighte out as socially inept. In this case, Si Zhening doesn''t really fit with the real case of alexithymia but this is the most urate disorder to describe it :)


    In conclusion, all these while, Si Zhening is someone who doesn''t know how it feels to be happy, sad or angry. Welp, I will not spoil it so soon there will be a backstoryter on hehehe

 Chapter 327 - A Huge Conspiracy

    "Are you the serial killer that the police have been searching for?" Jia Ming''en waited for the answer with bated breath. He didn''t withdraw his gaze and stared straight into Si Zhening''s calm ones.


    There were no fluctuations or any sign of surprise. He stood there, calm andposed as he always was. It made Jia Ming''en feel ridiculous for reacting excessively. Also, he began to doubt himself. Had he gotten the wrong person? Wouldn''t someone who was charged with that kind of question feel a tad of panic or even surprise?


    Yet, he could find none in Si Zhening''s eyes.


    The suspicion was certainly a bit far-fetched.


    Even though Si Zhening was coldblooded, Jia Ming''en knew he wasn''t the kind of person who would do something without any reason.


    As he expected, Si Zhening let out a tired sigh. "What kind of question is that? I am the serial killer? If I am, do you think Boss will let me remain by his side?"


    "That''s¡­true." Jia Ming''en slowly calmed down. His clenched fists loosened and his heartbeat regted to normal. It was as if a bucket of cold water was poured all over his head.


    Jia Renyu was a person who had the strongest judgment of people, in Jia Ming''en''s opinion. That''s why, if Si Zhening could remain by his side for so long, it meant that he had passed Jia Renyu''s strict evaluation. However¡­ "What did you need the human skin mask for?"


    "Do I have to tell you everything about me?" He shrugged nonchntly. "I never break thew."


    "But¡­" Jia Ming''en deted like a balloon. He hated how Si Zhening''s cold remarks hurt him more than he expected. But still, he couldn''t help but worry for the other person. Was there anyone more foolish than him? "Sooner orter, even if it''s not me, the police will be suspecting you."


    Si Zhening sneered. "They have always been suspecting me."


    "What?!" Jia Ming''en lifted his head in shock. "What do you mean by that?!"


    "I have been called in for some questioning as early as a few months ago. However, until now they still haven''t found the serial killer yet. Does it tell you something?"


    That meant that the police couldn''t find anything on him. Si Zhening wasn''t the serial killer...


    Jia Ming''en let out the breath he didn''t know he was holding and rubbed his face roughly. "Sorry, I lost control for a moment. I never meant to suspect you."


    "It''s fine." Si Zhening walked barefooted to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator, taking out a bottle of cold mineral water. "Drink first and then go home. It''s weekday tomorrow and you still have sses, right?"


    Jia Ming''en gave a soft hum in agreement.


    He didn''t linger there any longer and went out soon after. However, when he arrived at the door, he turned around to see Si Zhening standing in the middle of the room looking straight at him expressionlessly. There was something about the man that gave off a sense of disharmony and desteness. Jia Ming''en didn''t know why he felt uneasy. "Do you know something regarding the serial killer?" He blurted out the question before he could think it through.


    Si Zhening blinked and pulled up the corner of his lips. "No, how could I?"


    Jia Ming''en nodded and left without turning back.


    ***


    "The analysis is out. From the dental record, the earliest corpse buried inside the wall dated around two years ago." Luo Ning reported to Qin Weizhe who sat with his legs propped up the table and a book covering his face. "Female. Mid twenties. Quite a beauty."


    Qin Weizhe pulled down the book and sat up. "You know she''s a beauty from the skeleton?"


    "I¡ªIt''s not me!" Luo Ning rebuked hastily. "I only ry the data ording to the analysis report!" He cleared his throat and continued. "Anyway, the forensic department is doing facial reconstruction right now as we speak. But our country still doesn''t have sophisticatedputerized 3D technology so we have to do it manually. The earliest time the result can be expected is two more days."


    Qin Weizhe frowned. He didn''t really understand how forensics did their job so he couldn''tment on anything. "Did you ask how urate the result will be?"


    "Yes," Sighing, Luo Ning replied tiredly. "By estimation, the uration for female skull is only 26% whereas male can reach up to 68%."


    "Better than nothing¡­" Qin Weizhe raked his fingers through his hair.


    Luo Ning nced at him worriedly. He scanned the surrounding to confirm no one was around then leaned down to cup the man''s cheek. "Are you okay?"


    Stunned, Qin Weizhe reacted a momentter. He grasped Luo Ning''s fingers and fiddled them yfully. "Why are you asking?"


    "It''s just¡­you look tired."


    His innocent remark made Qin Weizheugh carefreely. "Well, how about letting me recharge for a while?" Before Luo Ning could ask what he meant, Qin Weizhe had pulled him forward and hugged him tightly, head buried into his belly.


    "D¡ªDetective Qin!" Luo Ning held his shoulders in panic. "Someone can walk in on us!"


    Qin Weizhe inhaled deeply and let him go before Luo Ning could protest further. "Alright, recharged 100%." He reached out and patted Luo Ning''s head gently. "Thank you, my reliable boyfriend."


    Luo Ning stared at him with widened eyes, face flushing furiously. He covered it with his hands and murmured under his breath. "Haa¡­he''s doing it again."


    "What did you say?"


    "Nothing¡ªerr¡­" Luo Ning refocused on the matter at hand and flipped his notebook. "Right, there''s something we have to look into. We received statements from the women held in Dreamscape Bar surnamed Lei and Yu that a person named Wen Biwen might be a spy who got in undercover."


    "A spy?" Qin Weizhe received the notebook and scanned it with intrigue. "Wen Biwen? I haven''t heard that name before. She''s also the one who provided the riddle? It means that she knew something huh? Interesting¡­" He tapped his fingers on the armchair and nodded. "Ask the technical team to investigate her deeper. We might get something out of her."


    "Yes, sir!" Luo Ning saluted and went to execute the order.


    Qin Weizhe was left alone in the office. He leaned backward and lifted his leg onto the desk again, his gaze wondering. The farmer who bought the most expensive seed. The exotic nt which sucked the nutrients out from the soil and nearby nts. The gears in his brain turned rapidly. This was the clue to the owner of Dreamscape Bar, he was rumored to be a high ranking official who had a wide source ofwork at his disposal and possibly¡­connection with the police.


    If Qin Weizhe had to guess wildly then¡­what if the riddle wasn''t limited only to Dreamscape Bar? The farmer who liked to nt all kinds of crops, what if¡­it was a metaphor for the most powerful person in the whole country for example¡­the President?


    QIn Weizhe grabbed a pen and paper and was ready to continue digging into his line of thoughts when his phone suddenly rang. It was as if the answer was already right in front of his very eyes, but it eventually slipped away due to the interruption. He pulled out his phone and answered in irritation without even looking at the caller''s name. "Hello? This is Qin Weizhe speaking."


    "Boss Qin, it''s me."


    Qin Weizhe sat up straight. "You haven''t called me for weeks. I thought you had abandoned the task."


    "How can I?" The manughed. "You have no idea to what extent I have to do to get this information."


    "So there''s something?" He asked in anticipation. The man who was talking to him was an illegal information broker who was famous for his high sess retention.


    Ru Meiqi had once brought up that she wanted Nan Xukun''s medical report and Wang Chengbing gave it to her on the next day. Afterall, Nan Xukun was CEO Nan Cheng''s only son, he ought to undergo annual checkup and his medical record was easy to get.


    Contrary to their expectation, it was clean. Nan Xukun was healthy both mentally and physically.


    Qin Weizhe had heard one or two hearsays that Nan Xukun was brought back to Nan Family when he was already somewhere around eight years old. The child had suffered greatly before that so it was a suspicion how his medical report could remain so clean.


    Originally he also had guessed that this kind of information couldn''t be obtained so easily and it seemed like he was right about that.


    "Yes, there is." The brokerughed and hinted discreetly. "It''s very, very difficult to get. I bet you will be surprised."


    "I will pay you thrice the amount."


    "Thank you for Boss Qin''s generosity!" Upon receiving the money, the broker instantly spilled out everything he knew. "CEO Nan''s son entered the family when he was eight. Before that happened, he was said to be kidnapped and sold to human trafficking but actually, it''s not true."


    "So, what happened?"


    "He lived with his mother until then."


    "Mother?" Qin Weizhe frowned. "Nan Cheng never had a wife by his side. Is it a mistress?"


    "It seems so. She never entered Nan Family''s registry. It seems like Nan Cheng never married her properly, that''s why she brought his son and moved from ce to ce to avoid Nan Cheng''s eyes."


    "Then what kind of surprise do you say I will get?"


    "Don''t be impatient, Boss. Nan Xukun''s medical report is indeed clean but I''ve found an unknown doctor who has diagnosed him before. You don''t know how difficult it is to find him. Nan Cheng was supposed to get rid of him but the doctor managed to escape with barely a breath hanging on his life. He went to the countryside toy low, living with his legs amputated and burn marks all over his body.


    "And you must be wondering why Nan Cheng had to get rid of him? It''s because he found out that Nan Xukun¡ªthe social butterfly Young Master Nan¡ªsuffered from a severe depression soon after his return."


    "Severe depression?" Qin Weizhe asked, not understanding. "It''s not anything unusual. Why did he need to hide that?"


    "Not only that, he also showed symptoms of a mental disorder. Let me see¡­" Page flipping was heard in the background. "Ah yes, he had paranoia, hallucination, disorganized speech and in the end, he even created an imaginary friend whom he called Xiao Chun. In short, he''s nearly crazy, that''s why Nan Cheng was dead set on burying the matter."


    Qin Weizhe was dumbfounded. His perfect memory made him instantly recall Xu Binchen''s casual remark. Damn it, wasn''t Xiao Chun the name of Shi Nian''s childhood friend?!


    "Is there anything more?!" He pressed urgently, itching to give Xu Binchen a call right at this moment.


    "Hmm¡­nope!" Just as Qin Weizhe was ready to hang up the call, the broker continued. "Ah, wait! As thanks for your generous payment, let me give you a tip. Nan Xukun''s mother is surnamed Si, named Qingzhao."


    Si Qingzhao¡­


    Qin Weizhe froze and something in his mind clicked. Si Qingzhao. Si Yusheng. And also¡­Si Zhening. Moreover there''s also Nan Cheng, Nan Xukun, Shi Nian. What connection did they have with the serial killer? Argh, for God''s sake, why did his gut feeling tell him that there''s a huge conspiracy right in front of his eyes?!


    He furiously entered Xu Binchen''s number and bit his nails anxiously. As soon as the call connected, his mouth let out a string of profanities. "Help, Binchen! Please tell me I''m not insane!"


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: author got nothing to say during these moments because behold, everything will fall into ce soon :)

 Chapter 328 - Always Call Me Xiao Chun, Okay?

    "I''m sorry¡­" Shi Nian grimaced, apologetic. "My mother has been called in for urgent work otherwise she would prefer toe with us."


    "What are you apologizing for?" Nan Xukunughed lightly. "It''s me who should be thankful. After all, we are only neighbors and it''s been a long time. You''re willing to visit her grave with me. It''s already enough."


    The corner of Shi Nian''s lips curled up slightly. The youth in front of her was as energetic and cheerful as usual. Last time, he had brown curls adorning his head with huge, cross piercing on his ear. However, today he was unusually neat and solemn. His hair was dyed ck again andbed backward, showing his clean and smooth forehead.


    It seemed like, no matter how long time had passed, a child would always want to present their best sides to parents.


    Shi Nian held a bouquet of daisies as they climbed up the stairs. The weather was overcast with murky clouds shielding the sun. She pulled up the scarf to cover her mouth, white mists puffing up her every breath.


    To be honest, Shi Nian had considered whether she should stille when she received Qiang Fei''s apology. The three of them were supposed to visit Si Qingzhao''s grave together. Although Shi Nian and Nan Xukun were the best of friends when they were still children, everything was different now.


    The person who stood by Shi Nian''s side was no longer Xiao Chun. He was Nan Xukun, the heir of Henan Corporation. He was no longer the pretty, angelic Xiao Chun who was bullied, isted and ostracized. Back then, everyone could mock Xiao Chun and Auntie Si, saying all kinds of bad things about them. But now, who would dare?


    Maybe it was better not to treat him as Xiao Chun anymore.


    Shi Nian had the urge to sigh whenever she thought of the past.


    "It''s here." Nan Xukun guided her and stopped in front of a tombstone. It was a simple stone b with Si Qingzhao''s name carved. However, there was no photo, no memorials, no offering. Shi Nian asked carefully, confused. "Young Master Nan, isn''t today Auntie Si''s death anniversary? Why is there nobody around?"


    Actually what Shi Nian wanted to ask was, where was Auntie''s husband, Nan Cheng? Auntie''s family? Why didn''t theye? Yet somehow she got the feeling that she shouldn''t ask further.


    Nan Xukun paused. When he turned to Shi Nian, his expression was slightly hurt. "Why are you calling me Young Master Nan?"


    Shi Nian was taken aback by the question. "Err¡ªsorry, is that too formal?"


    He nodded seriously. "Why are you treating me like a stranger?"


    "Sorry." Shi Nian scratched her nose sheepishly. "I guess I''m just not used to it. Then¡­Nan Xukun?"


    "No!" He reacted strongly. "You should just call me Xiao Chun!"


    "But¡­" Shi Nian turned even more embarrassed. "That''s the nickname I called you when I had a lisp. You shouldn''t take it seriously¡­" She didn''t dare to admit that she had always thought of him as a girl until they reunited again. How could she be so stupid? It was definitely a dark history; she''d prefer to bring the secret to her grave or else she would be too mortified to face Nan Xukun.


    "It''s okay. I like Xiao Chun very much." He beamed brightly. "Whenever you''re with me, you should always call me Xiao Chun, okay? You''re the only person I allow to call me that."


    Shi Nian buried her face deeper into the scarf, guilty and embarrassed by her past stupidity. s, there was no medicine for regret so there was nothing she could do besidesplying. "Okay then, Xiao Chun¡­"


    The man''s smile turned brighter. His gray colored eyes shaded lighter, the green inside them swirled like a glimpse of jade stone, so vivid and beautiful. His overall appearance had changed greatly except for his eyes. Those eyes remained beautiful, pure and innocent, almost childlike. It made Shi Nian smile.


    She crouched down beside him and gently put the bouquet down. "Auntie, this is me, Shi Nian. I don''t know if you can still recognize me."


    Nan Xukun chuckled beside her. "Of course she will. Xiao Nian, you really haven''t changed at all. I recognized you in one nce."


    Shi Nian simply replied with a smile and closed her eyes to pay her respect, Nan Xukun followed along. The silence between them stretched for long until Shi Nian asked softly, "May I ask how did Auntie¡­" She trailed off, pondering how to word the question but Nan Xukun already understood.


    He sighed and wiped Si Qingzhao''s dusty stone b. "It''s an ident." He didn''t look like he wanted to borate further thus Shi Nian sensibly nodded and stayed silent.


    "I''m sorry for your loss. But luckily, you still have your father with you?" She fiddled with the flower petals, her gaze wondering. "All these years, have you been living well?"


    If Shi Nian could see Nan Xukun''s expression right now, she would surely be shocked. The man''s jaws ticked and veins popped up from his forehead. His eyes swarmed with anger and hatred at the mention of father. However, when the girl turned to him, his expression turned tranquil once again. "Sure¡­" He shrugged. "Couldn''t be better."


    Shi Nian nodded in agreement. The ce they used to live in could practically be considered as a slum. It was a ce where the bottom of society gathered. Surely, being a sessful businessman''s son was a thousand times better than that.


    She patted Nan Xukun''s shoulder and stood up. "I will leave you two to talk alone, okay?"


    Nan Xukun waved worriedly. "Don''t wander around casually. Wait for me downstairs!"


    "Okay!"


    Shi Nian''s ck skirt fluttered along with the wind as she made her way down. Nan Xukun''s gaze trailed after her, unrelenting even after the girl disappeared from his sight. He nked out for a while and turned to Si Qingzhao''s tomb, smiling. "Mother, I brought Xiao Nian here this year, are you happy?"


    He exhaled hot air on his palms and sniffled. "It''s cold this year too. Did you also feel the same coldness that day?" He hung his head low, strands of hair fell over his forehead. "I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have left you alone. I shouldn''t have trusted that man. You''re right, he''s dangerous. We should have escaped as far as we could back then."


    Laughing wryly, he asked. "Will you be happy if I avenge you?"


    His smile slowly subsided, reced with a frosty and cold expression. "Mother, what should I do? Shi Nian still hasn''t remembered me." Then, he turned his head to the side and eximed angrily as if there was another person there. "It''s all your fault, Xiao Chun! If only¡­If only¡­"


    But from the start to end, there was nobody in the cemetery except him.


    He reached out and stroked Si Qingzhao''s tombstone gently, his eyes softened with affection. "Don''t worry about me. I am going to end everything once and for all."


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: giving you a lot of foreshadowing here fufufu so, who do you think is the serial killer?

 Chapter 329 - It Cant Be Him

    "I think you''ve truly gone insane." Xu Binchen stated mercilessly. "You should register yourself into the asylum."


    After cursing out to his heart''s content, Qin Weizhe hung up on the phone and continued to do his job. Only after he managed to bring everything under control did he go to Xu Binchen''s house to meet him. The man looked as fit as a fiddle. It''s only proper to discharge him from the hospital as soon as possible. Keeping him was basically a waste of funds. Of course, Qin Weizhe wouldn''t dare to say it in front of his face.


    He winked yfully. "I think the asylum is unable to detain the great me."


    Xu Binchen rolled his eyes and gave a disgusted expression. He turned to Wang Chengbing who had made himself at home for the past few days. "How is Si Yusheng?"


    "Just regained consciousness a few hours ago. He said he''s willing to answer our questions as long as we can keep his family safe."


    "His family?" Xu Binchen frowned. "He has a family?"


    Wang Chengbing snapped his fingers. "That''s exactly my question. I''ve scanned through his house registry and found that all his family members had passed away. He is also single and has no child, where does this familye from?"


    "Could it be that he faked their death?" Xu Binchen made a spection.


    "For what?" Wang Chengbing scoffed. "Why does he need to do that? Is he threatened by the owner of Dreamscape Bar or something? If so, why does he still work for them and even helps to run the business all these years? Is he stupid?"


    Xu Binchen pped the back of his head. "Why are you asking me? You should go and ask him instead."


    "I can''t." He grimaced and crossed his arms sulkily. "He said that as long as we haven''t given the word, he will not say anything. That ce isn''t safe. I guess we can only talk only after we move him into another hospital. Where is Captain Jin anyway?"


    "Let me ask something." Qin Weizhe chimed in and asked in a casual tone. "Does Si Yusheng have a sister?"


    "Oh yes, he does." Wang Chengbing frowned and dug through his memory. "His sister died quite long ago. Almost five¡ªno, six years ago? There''s nothing specific about that. It seems like she died because of an ident."


    "What''s his sister''s name?" Qin Weizhe pressed further, his heart palpitating.


    "How can I remember all of that unimportant data?!" Wang Chengbing scratched his head and typed on hisptop. "Give me a minute. Let''s see. Si Yusheng is the eldest son of the family and his sister''s name is¡­"


    "Si Qingzhao." Wang Chengbing and Qin Weizhe said in unison.


    "Huh?" Wang Chengbing lifted his head in surprise. "You''ve known it, why are you asking me again?"


    Xu Binchen detected something from Qin Weizhe''s perplexed look. "What''s wrong?"


    Qin Weizhe''s mouth closed and opened without a word. After that, he suddenly went mad by messing up his hair and groaning in frustration, pacing back and forth in the living room like an orangutan. Xu Binchen threw a slipper whichnded squarely on his head, earning him a pained exmation. "Where is Captain Jin? Call him!"


    Wang Chengbing dialed Jin Renguang''s number and ryed the question. "He''s in Senior Ru''s ce. He said that there''s something he needs to tell and ask us to gather in the police station."


    "No." Qin Weizhe disagreed. "I don''t want to talk about this in the police station. Let''s go to Miss Ru''s ce. Right now."


    Wang Chengbing passed on the message and received the approval. Thus, five people crowded into Ru Meiqi''s apartment. The woman carried out a tray and put the sses of coffee in front of them. "Please make yourselffortable."


    On the other hand, Jin Renguang looked reluctant and pissed as if the area that was intruded was his personal space. Of course, Ru Meiqi pretended not to see that. "So, who wants to talk first?"


    Qin Weizhe still needed some time to rearrange his thoughts so he gestured for Jin Renguang and Ru Meiqi to go ahead. Ru Meiqi nodded. A standing transparent board was dragged into the living room with a few words written on it in bold characters.


    [Si Zhening ¡ú Alexithymia(?)]


    Ru Meiqi knocked on the board. "I know you''re confused why I am bringing this up all of a sudden but I think there''s something weird about him." Then she wrote underneath.


    [Si Yusheng. Rted?]


    "Ah!" Qin Weizhe eximed in shock. "That''s also what I want to tell you!"


    "Huh?" All eyes turned to him. "What do you mean? Si Zhening is rted to Si Yusheng?"


    Qin Weizhe stood up and grabbed another marker, writing furiously. Soon, the board was filled with dense notes.


    [Si Zhening¡ú Alexithymia(?)


    Si Yusheng asked the police to protect his family. (From whom? The owner?)


    Si Yusheng¡ú Si Qingzhao (deceased sister)¡ú Nan Cheng (brother-inw) ¡ú Nan Xukun (nephew)


    Nan Xukun¡ú Shi Nian (childhood friend)


    Main question:


    1. Who''s the owner?


    2. Who is Si Yusheng''s family we ought to protect? What rtion does he have with Si Zhening?


    3. What is the connection between all of them with the serial killer?]


    "Wait, wait!" Wang Chengbing gasped in shock. "What the heck is this rapid development?! Let me arrange my thoughts for a while. So, Si Yusheng is the CEO of Henan Corporation¡ªNan Cheng''s brother inw? And Si Zhening might be rted to them? I don''t understand your third point. Why are you bringing the serial killer here?"


    "Because I suspect Nan Xukun." Qin Weizhe dered firmly. "He fits all the criteria of our profiling and he also had a severe mental disorder. If so, then what Captain Jin said about Dreamscape Bar rted to the serial killer applied here. Maybe from the start it isn''t Dreamscape Bar in the context, but Si Yusheng himself. Si Yusheng is rted to the serial killer."


    "I beg to differ." Ru Meiqi interjected. "I am more inclined toward Si Yusheng being the main suspect. First, he showed the symptoms of Alexithymia¡ªthe inability to feel emotions. Such a person tends to be perfectionist and desperate to chase after what he iscking. What Si Zhening desires the most is stimtion. A veryrge stimtion. Fear, anger, grief, excitement. To learn those emotions, he might possibly start to kill because only then can he perceive such emotions. Of course, that''s just an analysis ording to his psychology."


    Then both of them turned to Jin Renguang and asked simultaneously. "What do you think, Captain?"


    Jin Renguang tapped his fingers on the table, pondering deeply. "I''m sorry but¡ªinstead of the identity of the serial killer, I am more concerned about what Si Yusheng meant. He wanted us to protect his family when he''s rted to the Nan Family in person. Who do you think will be able to touch the Nans in the whole country?"


    "Someone stronger than Nan Cheng?" Xu Binchen frowned.


    Wang Chengbing guessed blindly. "Jiang Huocheng¡­? Hey wait, don''t look at me like that! When we talk about Nan Cheng, the only person whoes to mind instantly is Jiang Huocheng. After all, they are the two giant business moguls in China. Even until now, the economic analysts still can''t decide who is stronger than whom."


    Qin Weizhe rubbed his chin and added Jiang Huocheng''s name on the board. "So you mean that you suspect Jiang Huocheng is the owner of Dreamscape Bar? Well, it''s a possibility."


    The atmosphere turned silent in an instant. Everyone was deep in thought, trying to sort out the messy jumbles of puzzles in their minds.


    "It can''t be Jiang Huocheng."


    The sudden statement broke the stillness. All eyes turned to the one who had just spoken, Xu Binchen. Surprised, as it was rare for Xu Binchen to give such a subjectivement.


    "Why?" Qin Weizhe asked.


    Xu Binchen himself looked taken aback as if he had blurted out the sentence without thinking. "I¡­don''t know." The person who secretly came to the hospital to visit his son in the middle of the night, fatigued and travel worn, only to stay for less than twenty minutes without anyone knowing. The person who bought an entire private ind for his wife''sbor and spent his time recuperating there. The person who looked cold outside but actually passionate and caring inside¡­ Somehow, Xu Binchen couldn''t bring himself to suspect him.


    To his surprise, Ru Meiqi echoed. "I agree with you. I also think that Jiang Huocheng isn''t the one. We can slowly dig for evidence of the rtion between Jiang Huocheng, Si and Nan Family but I can guarantee that we won''t be able to find anything. Just call it¡­a woman''s intuition."


    In the end, they took a short break for fifteen minutes to freshen up.


    Qin Weizhe intended to give Luo Ning a call when his phone rang in a timely manner. He picked it up, smiling. "Do you think telepathy is real? I suddenly want to hear your voice and here you are."


    Regrettably, what he received in response wasn''t Luo Ning''s adorable stutter but his anxious inquiry. "Detective Qin, where are you?!"


    "What''s wrong?" Qin Weizhe''s tone became serious. "Calm down first then speak."


    "Err¡­there''s a situation here. It''s Ruo Tingran." Clicking his tongue, Luo Ning continued. "She said there''s something she wants to confess. She said that Li Qing''s suicide was intentional and someone was controlling everything behind the scene. One more thing, she will only talk to Shi Nian."


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: omg what will Ruo Tingran confess?

 Chapter 330 - He Has Been Monitoring Me

    "You''re going to be okay. Here, just put on this earpiece and go inside to listen to what she wants to say." Xu Binchen nagged again for the third time. "No need to feel scared. She will be monitored thoroughly and her hands are handcuffed."


    Shi Nian slipped the earpiece on andughed. "I know. You have already said it three times. I''m not afraid, Binchen Gege. Moreover¡­"


    Li Qing''s death. Should Shi Nian be happy to hear that Li Qing didn''tmit suicide voluntarily? Perhaps this was a residual guilt gnawing on her, or perhaps what she needed was this closure. Whatever it was, as soon as she heard Ruo Tingran wanted to meet her, she instantly agreed without further thoughts.


    "Moreover what?" Xu Binchen noticed that her hair got caught between the cable and reached out to help her loosen it. However, before his hands could reach, another handnded on Shi Nian''s shoulder from behind and pulled her backward.


    "You''re not wearing the earpiece properly." Jiang Jinyan said quietly and tucked her hair behind the ear. His eyes met with Xu Binchen, sparks flying and electricity buzzed. In the end, Xu Binchen slowly lowered his arm and withdrew his gaze.


    "Oh! Thank you." Shi Nian beamed sweetly and scanned him with worried eyes. "Are you sure you''re okay? Your leg doesn''t hurt?"


    "It doesn''t." He patted her head, relishing in the warmth and silkiness of her hair. "Don''t worry about me. How can I leave you alone?" There was something Jiang Jinyan didn''t add though. How could he leave her with Xu Binchen here when she had just gone to the cemetery with some childhood friend and only notified him after returning?


    Up to this moment, Jiang Jinyan still got the urge to sulk whenever he recalled it.


    "Why are you sighing?" Shi Nian cupped his cheek softly. "Tired?"


    "No." He shook his head and pushed her forward. "Go. I will be waiting for you here."


    Shi Nian nodded firmly and took a deep inhale.


    "Are you ready?" Xu Binchen asked.


    "Yes, I am." Shi Nian swept his gaze over the monitor room. There were Jiang Jinyan, Xu Binchen, Qin Weizhe, Ru Meiqi and Wang Chengbing there. Of course, Jiang Jinyan wasn''t invited at the beginning but he went out of his way to get permission from Xu Binchen. Thus, here he was.


    "We will be seeing you from here." Wang Chengbing waved.


    Ru Meiqi gave her a smiling nod whereas Qin Weizhe pumped his fist. "You can do it!"


    Shi Nian nodded in return and went in next door, sitting on the chair. Behind her was a mirror that upied the whole wall, but she knew that everyone was looking after her from there. The door opened in the next moment and a police officer came in with Ruo Tingran dressed in jail uniform trailing behind.


    Shi Nian stood up and bowed politely. She had never seen Ruo Tingran ever since their final confrontation in the ssroom when she spread the voice recording. The talk of Ruo Family''s doom had spread through the school but Shi Nian didn''t expect that it would be so severe.


    The Ruo Tingran in her memory was no more. What remained was only a thin, pale and terrified young girl. The eyes that exuded arrogance and confidence were reced with timidity and nervousness. Her straight back became hunched.


    Shi Nian couldn''t even point out any simrities between them except for the same face and name.


    "Sit." The police officer pointed toward the empty chair in which Ruo Tingran went to obediently. "You only have an hour to talk, okay? Don''t waste your time."


    The police officer soon left, leaving Shi Nian and Ruo Tingran behind in a tense and awkward atmosphere.


    They weren''t friends to begin with and now that the situation had ended up like this, it was even more impossible for them to talk harmoniously.


    Shi Nian sighed inwardly and decided to be the one to break the silence. "You called me, right? Do you have something to say?"


    Without the police officer''s presence, Ruo Tingran slowly calmed down and her tremble subsided. Her head hung low, messy hair obscuring her face. At Shi Nian''s question, she timidly lifted her eyes and lowered it again in the next second when their eyes met.


    "I¡­" Ruo Tingran fixed her eyes on the handcuff around her wrist. Dry, calloused fingers wrung nervously together. "I''m sorry."


    Shi Nian couldn''t resist sighing. "Apology epted."


    However, what good was a sorry did? The harm had been done and the situation couldn''t be reversed anymore, Shi Nian thought. However, she still went along with what Ruo Tingran wanted. She had never known that an hour could feel this long before.


    "I don''t know why I called you either." Ruo Tingran started quietly. "The first person that came to my mind was you. Maybe because I was envious of you. Not only me, but also Li Qing¡­She talked about you once. She was envious of how you could always lift your head high even though you''re poor, how you could blend in the ss so fast when she needed years to do so. She was envious of how likable you are. You''re the type of person whom everyone can''t help but be drawn into¡­" She trailed off.


    Shi Nian waited for a moment but it seemed like Ruo Tingran was immersed in some kind of reminisce. The girl''s eyes wandered nkly, it was unknown what she was thinking about.


    "You''re saying that someone drove Li Qing tomit suicide? It wasn''t because of drug overdose?"


    Ruo Tingran snapped out of her thoughts and shook her head slowly.


    Shi Nian leaned forward in nervousness. "...Who is it?"


    "I don''t know who he is." Fear surfaced in her eyes. "Actually, the one who bought Li Qing''s vi is not me, but him. He''s the one who transferred thend deed to me. He''s also the one who prepared the money and told me to keep it from Li Qing''s hands. I don''t know¡­I don''t know that my act would lead to Li Qing''s death." She hugged herself and started crying. "He has always been monitoring me. When I went home that day, he''s also there. He said ''Well done''. What¡­? Well done for sessfully killing Li Qing?"


    "C¡ªCalm down¡­" Shi Nian was bewildered and confused as she wasn''t clear on the matter regarding Li Qing''s death. What vi? What money? "Calm down first, okay?"


    A slight rustle came from her earpiece and Ru Meiqi''s voice came through. "Ask her the chronology. How she found the vi deed. How she got in touch with that person. What she saw that day, everything."


    Shi Nian ryed the question one by one after Ruo Tingran rposed herself.


    "I received it in my mailbox one day. It was a proof of transaction under Li Qing and my name. I was confused, I never knew Li Qing had a vi nor did I pay for it. I thought it was a fake deed and was ready to report it to the police but there''s a letter inside. It wrote [This is my gift for you. Please ept it. Let''s teach Li Qing a lesson, shall we? Send the money to her by installment so that she can''t get her drugs.]"


    Shi Nian cut her off. "Where''s the letter right now? Did you save it?"


    "No. I was afraid that someone would find out so I burned it."


    Disappointment flooded Shi Nian''s chest. If¡­If they could get the letter, maybe they could have found something. "Okay, continue please."


    "I thought it was a prank so I went along with it. Li Qing was too much. No one expected her to get addicted for real. The others only consumed it for fun once in a while." She smiled wryly. "At first, I had my suspicions. The only people who knew about Li Qing taking drugs were only my group. I asked around privately but received no positive answers. The one who manipted everything wasn''t them but someone else¡­"


    "I got scared and in fact, I was ready to dump the money andnd deed to Li Qing because it didn''t concern me anyway what she wanted to do. But¡­But¡­" She started trembling again, this time even more violently. "He sent me a text. Right when I was ready to go¡­as if he was keeping an eye on me and tracking my movement. I knew from then that things had started to spiral out of my control." She buried her face into her palms and sobbed. "I''m sorry. I''m so scared. I couldn''t do anything and he assured me that the police couldn''t track anything back to me as long as I listened to him. I really had no choice¡­"


    Shi Nian let Ruo Tingran''s rambles seep into her brain slowly. She massaged her brows, feeling a headacheing. "How did you twomunicate? Do you still have the conversation history on your phone?"


    "It''s always one sided." Ruo Tingran spoke in murmur. "He texted me and after a while, the message naturally disappeared from my phone. I have gone to some expert to ask about it but they have no idea about it either. There''s no trace at all. I really don''t know how he did it¡­"


    In the monitor room.


    As Ruo Tingran''s words fell, Wang Chengbing stood up from his seat abruptly, toppling the chair upside down. Curses flew out of his mouth like fountains. "Damn it, damn it, damn it!"


    "What the hell is wrong with you?!" Xu Binchen pped the back of his head.


    Wang Chengbing couldn''t care less. He pointed toward Ruo Tingran''s tears soaked face. "What she said¡­" He breathed rapidly, furious. "The disappearing message¡ªit''s a program I made!"


    "What?!" Everyone eximed in shock.


    The fatty wailed and pulled on his head in frustration. "And guess what? I also sold it to Jia Renyu a few years ago!"


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Wang Chengbing you... (;£þ©`£þ) Well, he practically reaped what he sowed though right now lol


    Oh and the way Jiang Jinyan is wary of Xu Binchen lol

 Chapter 331 - I Saw Him That Day!

    Shi Nian pondered on Ruo Tingran''s words. "So, from start to end, you have never seen that person? How about that day? You said that he told you ''Well done''? Did you see them yourself?"


    "That day¡­" Ruo Tingran shuddered at the thought. "It''s also a text. But he showed it to me himself. ''Well done'' was written on the screen. It''s dark so I couldn''t see him clearly, plus I was too shocked. But I''m sure that¡­it''s a man. And," She mulled over it and pointed at her shoulder. "He has long hair. Around this length."


    "Ask her whether he''s bespectacled or not." Ru Meiqi''s voice transmitted through the earpiece.


    Shi Nian was stunned. A bespectacled man with shoulder length hair. She could only think of one person. The memory surfaced once again. The snowy ground and Si Zhening stood in front of her, staring down with a pair of expressionless eyes¡­ "That man¡­" Her voice came out strained and foreign. "Does he wear sses?"


    "I''m¡­not sure." Ruo Tingran frowned. "It seems so¡­but I didn''t see clearly either."


    "Okay." Shi Nian nodded. It was weird. Why was her heart beating so fast? If Si Zhening was the one who controlled Li Qing''s death, what should she do? Why did he do that? Si Zhening was a mature, sessful secretary of CEO Jiang whereas Li Qing was only a 17 years old high schooler. They didn''t have anything to do with each other.


    Moreover¡­her memory, was it real? If yes then, was Si Zhening the person who kidnapped her?


    "Shi Nian?" Ru Meiqi''s voice pierced through the fog of her mind. "Are you okay?"


    It was only then that Shi Nian realized she had zoned out for too long. She threw the matter to the back of her mind and focused on Ruo Tingran. "Is that what you want to talk to me about?"


    "Yes." The girl''s eyes were filled with hatred. "It''s all because of him that I am in this position now. It''s not fair! I want to drag him down with me! You too, Shi Nian¡ª"


    Shi Nian was startled by the cue. "What about me?"


    "You¡­the man who was there with you that day, is he CEO Jiang''s son?" Seeing Shi Nian''s surprised look, hope ignited in Ruo Tingran''s eyes and she scrambled up to hold Shi Nian''s hands. Her words frantic and messy. "Can you ask him to forgive me? Please¡­Please, I didn''t do it on purpose. I have no idea he''s CEO Jiang''s son! I can''t pay off that amount of debt for the rest of my life! Please, Shi Nian¡­we are ssmates, aren''t we?"


    Shi Nian was baffled by her barrage of questions and tried to shake her off to no avail. "Wait, I don''t understand what you''re saying¡­"


    The door mmed open in the next second, showing Xu Binchen and the police officer earlier. "Your time is up."


    "No!" Ruo Tingran shrieked. "It''s not an hour yet! I am counting the time!"


    Xu Binchen peeled her off Shi Nian and threw her toward the police officer. "Take her away."


    "Yes, Sir! Come out and behave yourself!"


    "Shi Nian!" Ruo Tingran struggled to face her. "Please ask him on my behalf, okay?! He has ruined me! He ruined me and my family! Shi Nian!!!" Her shrill screams echoed through the area although she had disappeared from their sights.


    "Are you okay?" Xu Binchen scanned her up and down.


    "I¡ªI am fine." Shi Nian gulped and nodded. "Let''s go back."


    Jiang Jinyan had already been waiting for her in the monitor room. Seeing her, he drew near and reached for her hand. "Are you okay? She didn''t hurt you, did she?"


    Shi Nian quietly shook her head and gave him aforting smile.


    "Okay." Ru Meiqi pped to pull their attention. "Thank you, Shi Nian, for your cooperation. We appreciate it greatly. There''s something important we have to discuss so¡­ maybe Comrade Xu can take both of you back?"


    "Um¡­that bespectacled man¡­" Shi Nian tried to adjust her breath and added some firmness to her voice that started to tremble. "Are you possibly suspecting a person named Si Zhening?"


    The whole room turned silent for a moment. Everyone sported a various degree of simr expression. Stunned and shocked. Shi Nian squeezed Jiang Jinyan''s hands to draw in some strength. "To be honest, I have no idea whether it was real, but I seemed to have¡­remembered something from that time." Shi Nian sucked in a shaky breath. "I saw Si Zhening in my memory¡­"


    Ru Meiqi was the first one to snap out of her senses. "This isn''t the right ce to talk and Shi Nian, you don''t look very good. Let''s go somewhere else first."


    Jiang Jinyan brought her cold hands to his mouth and exhaled warm breath into it. "Are you okay?"


    Shi Nian nodded yet still leaned closer to Jiang Jinyan. "...Stay with me." She whispered in a voice only both of them could hear.


    Jiang Jinyan nodded, the corner of his lips curled upward. "Don''t worry. I won''t go anywhere."


    They moved into the empty conference room. Xu Binchen enteredst and closed the door behind him. Meanwhile, Qin Weizhe casually looked around and counted; two active CCTV cameras and a few listening bugs under the table. He frowned and nodded grimly. They didn''t know who Director Fen''s spy was in the police station. Thus all these times, they had been walking on thin ice and didn''t dare to make any suspicious movement.


    Si Yusheng was temporarily handed to Jin Renguang and the ce where he was moved to, only Jin Renguang knew. Right now, the hospital must be pronouncing the time of Si Yusheng''s death and Jin Renguang would seize the time to haul him away. This was done to minimize the chance of the information being spread.


    Ru Meiqi put a cup of warm chocte milk in front of Shi Nian. "Drink first. Careful, it''s still very hot."


    Shi Nian nodded and cupped her hand around it, feeling warmth slowly spread over her body. Jiang Jinyan sat beside her, observing her pale visage worriedly.


    "Now, can you tell us, Shi Nian?"


    Shi Nian gingerly nodded. "Sometimes, when I sleep, I will dream of some unfamiliar memories. Some of it, I have told Binchen gege." She stole a furtive nce toward Xu Binchen and hastily averted it again out of guilt. "Actually, there''s something I haven''t told him. I haven''t told anyone about this¡­"


    She stuttered on her words. Chill rose from the soles of her feet up to her head and her breath came out rapidly.


    "Oh no." Ru Meiqi eximed softly and guided her. "Don''t be afraid, Shi Nian. Look into my eyes. Yes, focus on me and slowly take a deep breath¡­"


    Qin Weizhe crept closer to Xu Binchena and whispered carefully. "Do you think we need an oxygen mask?"


    Xu Binchen rolled his eyes and returned his attention toward the asphyxiating girl, his nails almost pierced bloody holes into his palm. Noticing his tense shoulder, Qin Weizhe patted his back without a word.


    Shi Nian followed Ru Meiqi''s guidance obediently and regained her breath. A warm touch fell upon her hand and she trailed her gaze toward Jiang Jinyan''s tightened jaws and nervous look. Somehow, her fear diminished greatly. She freed one hand to intertwine their fingers under the table, sping it tightly as if he was the only anchor she needed to stand firmly amidst the turbulence in her mind. Jiang Jinyan squeezed back harder.


    When she lifted her head, calm had returned to her eyes. That''s right. What was she scared for? That day, she managed to escape. She had won against him once and next time, she would still win. "Actually, there''s something that I felt strange about. The serial killer¡­he had never tortured me physically."


    Everyone kept mum and waited for her next sentence.


    "He said¡­he wanted me to be like him. He wanted me to be his partner." Shi Nian felt Jiang Jinyan tensed beside her and she brushed her thumb gently on the back of his palm. "I recalled¡­he always killed someone before throwing the me to me. I wasn''t allowed to speak to others. If I did, he would kill them and said that it was all my fault, that I had be his aplice¡­"


    "Damn¡­" Qin Weizhe cussed softly under his breath.


    "He¡­" Shi Nian suppressed the nausea deep in her stomach and forced the word out of her constricted throat. "He would give me raw meat once in a few days and told me to eat it otherwise he wouldn''t give me any food. At first, I wasn''t willing. I could endure the hunger. But once¡­" Tears welled up in Shi Nian''s eyes. "He said he would free me if I did. I didn''t know what possessed me at that time. I could still feel it¡­the taste of blood in my mouth, the rancid smell..." Shi Nian couldn''t hold herself back anymore and gagged.


    Jiang Jinyan gathered her in his embrace, his face twisted in anger and sadness. "Stop. It''s okay, stop talking¡­" The arms which wrapped around the girl trembled ever so slightly.


    But Shi Nian could hear him no more. The fear, dread and suffocating stuffiness exploded at once in that moment. "I don''t know anymore. Was it human meat? It''s not right? I really¡­didn''t want to do that! He lied to me, in the end, he still didn''t let me go¡­!"


    She burst into tears and sobbed. "I saw him¡­ The day I escaped, he''s there! Si Zhening was there!"


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: ohh...is it true that Si Zhening is the one behind Li Qing''s death? What will he gain from doing that?


    Also, how many are you who think that Si Zhening is the serial killer? Or do you have any other suspicion? Fufufu....

 Chapter 332 - Youre The Best!

    "You can stay here." Jin Renguang said after helping Si Yusheng onto the bed. "There are frozen dishes in the refrigerator and the housekeeper wille once every two days. She''s a mute olddy so she won''t disturb you."


    Si Yusheng nodded slowly. The previous thrilling escape still lingered vividly in his mind. Early in the morning, someone broke into his hospital room. He thought that Nan Cheng''s people hade to kill him yet it turned out to be Jin Renguang. A fresh corpse was soon put into his ce and he managed to sneak out of the hospital through the ambnce.


    s, even though today wasn''t the day, sooner orter Nan Cheng would find him. Even more so after knowing that he was a ticking time bomb used by the police.


    His fists clenched by his side. "Why¡­are you helping me?"


    Jin Renguang pushed open the window and lit up a cigarette. "Don''t you know why? I am not helping you. This is only a transaction. I need something from you and simrly, you can request something from me."


    "Right¡­" Si Yusheng put on a wry smile, his gaze trailed over the space until itnded on therge photo frame hidden behind the table. The edge of it poke out and from his position, he could see it was a photo of a young woman in wedding dress.


    "You''re actually married?" He asked out of surprise.


    Jin Renguang frowned and followed Si Yusheng''s line of sight, his face darkening. "Used to. Don''t change the topic. I assured you that it''s very safe here. Now you can talk. Who''s the owner of Dreamscape Bar?"


    The gaze Jin Renguang directed him was brooding and heavy, it was quite suffocating. Still, Si Yusheng stood his ground. "I have told the fatty disguised as Director Wang that I won''t tell you unless you give the word to protect my family."


    "Alright, then." Jin Renguang flicked the cigarette, its ashes fell on the windowsill. "Who''s your family? Based on our investigation, your parents and sister had died. Or are you actually married and have a secret child?"


    At his question, Si Yusheng fell silent. After an unknown amount of time, he gave a long sigh, exhaustion and depression evident between his brows. He looked nothing like the previous Manager Si who wore a suit with an elegant smile on his face.


    "First, let me ask you a question." He stated. "Regarding what Mr. Xu said that the police got a tip rted to the serial killer, can you tell me more about it?"


    "Right, Xu Binchen told me that you''re unusually concerned about it." Jin Renguang gave a smile that didn''t look like a smile, his eyes were razor sharp. "It''s simple. We got a tip from the higher ups that Dreamscape Bar had something to do with the serial killer and we infiltrated the ce. Just like that."


    To his surprise, Si Yusheng let out a bitter scoff. "Dreamscape Bar is rted to the serial killer? Yeah, that''s right." He lifted his eyes to meet Jin Renguang, wavering. "Mr. Jin, what if I told you that the enemy you''re looking for is out of your reach? Can you sacrifice your job or even your life to apprehend him?"


    Jin Renguang stared at him, calcting. His deep, masculine voice spoke out slowly, every single word stirred Si Yusheng''s heart. "In my line of work, we have always prepared ourselves for the worst. I hope it can satisfy your doubt."


    Si Yusheng slowly let out a sigh of relief and nodded. "I have a younger brother who isn''t registered in the household registry. My family¡ªno, to be exact, it''s my sister who adopted him. I think you can guess who he is."


    Jin Renguang couldn''t resist biting the cigarette. His voice came out muffled. "Si Zhening?"


    "Bingo." Si Yusheng chuckled bitterly. "Since my sister''s death, he has changedpletely. Even now, I don''t know where he is or how he''s doing. That kid¡ªhe has never cared for anyone other than Qingzhao. But I''m sure, as soon as he heard what happened to me, he will act." Ayer of tears formed in his eyes and his voice was raspy with pleading. "Please protect him and also¡­my nephew Nan Xukun. Protect them from that vile, repulsive man¡ªNan Cheng!"


    "Nan Cheng¡­?" Jin Renguang was genuinely stunned. "He''s the owner of Dreamscape Bar?" The one who was always interviewed in the national news channel for being a phnthropist, the founder of Henan Foundation that had sponsored countless poor kids who were unable to go to school? That Nan Cheng? "He''s the one who wants you dead?"


    "That''s right! He''s the one behind the human trafficking and drug distribution!" Once Si Yusheng started to talk, he couldn''t contain it anymore; the hatred, pain and agony burst forth like a tsunami. "He''s also the one who killed my sister. It''s all Nan Cheng¡ªthat obnoxious bastard! You''re all fooled by his appearance, he''s the most ruthless man I''ve ever known. If you told me that he''s the serial killer, then I will not doubt it a bit!"


    Si Yusheng''s eyes were full of zing hatred as he snarled. "Do you want to know who was the one who filed the anonymous report about the killing done by the mafia? It''s me! They''re killed by Nan Cheng and he paid them to bury the corpse for him!"


    ***


    Jiang Jinyan helped Shi Nian sit on the couch and crouched down. His eyes were gentle as they peered up at her. "Are you feeling better?" He brushed her bangs and proceeded to cup her face gently, his thumb rubbing her soft and smooth cheek.


    Shi Nian replied with a hum and pulled him up. "Sit here. Don''t put a strain on your leg."


    "Okay, okay." Jiang Jinyan relented and sat beside her. He pushed her head to lean onto his shoulder and kissed the crown of his head. "You still look a bit pale."


    Shi Nian narrowed her eyesfortably. Upon confessing everything she had buried deep inside her heart, Shi Nian finally found herself in peace. She didn''t have to feel guilty or scared by herself anymore. She should have done this sooner. It turned out that everything wasn''t as terrifying as she thought it would.


    On the other hand, Jiang Jinyan looked much more restless than her. He was constantly at edge and would randomly hug her close as if scared that she was going to disappear if he took his eyes off even for a second.


    Just as the thought shed through her mind, the man''s arms wrapped around her tightly, his head dropping to her shoulder, sighing.


    Shi Nian didn''t know whether tough or cry. "I''ve made you worry, have I?" She caressed his back in a soothing manner. "It''s actually not that bad. I only needed to let it off my chest."


    Jiang Jinyan nuzzled closer. "...Don''t."


    "What?"


    He lifted his head and sought her eyes. "In front of me, you don''t need to put on a strong front."


    Shi Nian''s smile faltered and the rims of her eyes reddened in an instant. She lowered her sight, eyshes quivering. "Jinyan¡­" She mumbled. "Si Zhening, what kind of person do you think he is?"


    Jiang Jinyan''s eyes hardened. "Truth to be told, I''m not that close to him. In my eyes, he''s nothing more than one of my father''s secretaries. Don''t be afraid, Shi Nian..." He murmured. "If he''s truly guilty, he will definitely be charged for his crimes. I won''t let him escape."


    Shi Nian nodded quietly.


    Jiang Jinyan felt his heart ache at how dispirited she was. "Are you hungry? You haven''t eaten anything for dinner, right? Look at your eyebags, it''s so dark and heavy. Did you not sleepst night?"


    Shi Nian hastily covered her eyes and peeked through the gaps of her fingers. "Is it ugly¡­?"


    "Of course not." He chuckled. "How can my baby be ugly? She''s the most adorable in the whole world."


    Shi Nian harrumphed and turned her head away. "W¡ªWho''s your baby?!" Out of his sight, the corner of her lips curled into a slight smile. "Speaking of it, how could Ruo Tingran know that you''re Uncle Jiang''s son? You heard her, right? She asked you to forgive her. What was she talking about?"


    Jiang Jinyan shrugged nonchntly. "Who knows? Perhaps my father did something to her." Shi Nian fixed her stare at his face expressionlessly. Less than five secondster, Jiang Jinyan surrendered. "Alright, alright, I will give him a callter. Satisfied?"


    Shi Nian broke out into smiles and hooked her arms around his neck. Pulling him closer, she dropped a loud smacking kiss on his cheek. "You''re the best!"


    Jiang Jinyan couldn''t suppress the grin. "Only my cheek? How about here?" he pointed at his lips.


    Shi Nian pretended to ponder deeply. "Hmmm¡­ah!" She gasped in shock when Jiang Jinyan started to tickle her waist. "You''re not fair! Stop! I will do it! I will do it¡­" She hastily yanked his face closer and dropped another loud smack on his lips. "Muah!"


    She held his head back when he wanted to deepen the kiss, earning her Jiang Jinyan''s confused look.


    "Jinyan¡­" Grinning, she drawled slowly. "I''m hungry." In a timely manner, her stomach growled in support.


    Jiang Jinyan burst outughing and mussed up her hair helplessly. Who told him to love this girl this much? "Okay, what does my baby want to eat? I will make it for you."


    .


    .


    Mini theater:


    As Shi Nian requested, after dinner, Jiang Jinyan gave his father a call. It was picked up right away.


    Jiang Huocheng: "¡­Jinyan?"


    Clearing his throat, Jiang Jinyan asked in a casual tone. "There''s something I want to ask you. Did you do something to Ruo Tingran?"


    With a nk look, Jiang Huocheng turned to his secretary¡ªDeng Chuqian who whispered to him. "CEO Jiang, it''s the Ruo Family''s daughter, the one who hurt Young Master."


    Jiang Huocheng seemed to remember it hazily. He answered in a cool and nonchnt tone. "Just the usual business. Nothing more."


    "Oh." Jiang Jinyan fell silent. "Okay, I know. I''m only calling because of Shi Nian anyway." After that, he hung up on the phone.


    "CEO Jiang?" Secretary Deng called out after seeing Jiang Huocheng frozen with the phone still on his ear even after the call was disconnected.


    Jiang Huocheng snapped out of his thoughts, put down his phone and returned to his work. Deng Chuqian didn''t give it much thought and the two kept busy until Doctor Walker came to drag Jiang Huocheng away from the study room.


    "Ah, right." Doctor Walker asked. "Did something good happen today? A new negotiation came through? CEO Jiang is so happy that he brought out a bottle of limited edition red wine."


    Deng Chuqian coughed out augh. "Nothing¡­"


    Just that, his precious son gave him a call.. Of course, Secretary Deng wouldn''t say that. He ought to help his Boss keep his face, right?

 Chapter 333 - Kill Nan Cheng For Me

    When Jin Renguang returned to the police station, what weed him was a depressing and gloomy atmosphere. Taken aback, he asked. "What''s wrong? Did something happen?"


    "Ugh, Captain!" Wang Chengbing took the lead toin. "You can''t imagine how miserable I am!"


    Qin Weizhe clicked his tongue and shook his head. "Shi Nian is so pitiful¡­"


    Ru Meiqi sighed and stared out of the window nkly, a cup of steaming coffee in her hands.


    Jin Renguang approached her and leaned down slightly. "What''s wrong? Are you okay?"


    Ru Meiqi shook her head silently and sighed again. It caused Jin Renguang to grow frustrated. He straightened up and pointed at Qin Weizhe. "Okay,e here and tell me what all of this is about."


    "Okay¡ªah, Binchen!" Qin Weizhe eximed in shock when Xu Binchen entered the office. His face still had residual dampness on it and his hair was wet, strands of it hanging down over his forehead. "Are you washing your face or burying your head under the cold water? Are you crazy? This is winter, you know! The temperature is 5 degrees Celsius!"


    "I know." Xu Binchen said in a gruffed tone and wiped his hair casually with tissue. Noticing Jin Renguang, he nodded slightly. "You''re here, Captain?"


    "Yes. What happened when I was out?"


    Ru Meiqi tugged on his palm and pointed at hisputer. "Listen to the recording. I have sent it to your mail."


    Jin Renguang nodded and went to it. The total statement Shi Nian gave didn''t even exceed ten minutes, mixed with stutters, sniffles and cries. However, the content was enough to make him cuss out loud.


    The words Si Yusheng said earlier repeatedly echoed in his mind.


    Nan Cheng. He''s the owner of Dreamscape Bar and the main suspect for murdering those corpses in the wall. Based on Si Yusheng''s statement, he''s also the one who caused his wife¡ªSi Qingzhao''s death. In short, he was an important individual worth monitoring. Yet, it''s not going to be easy because they ought to search for evidence before they could act. Moreover, he was sure that Director Fen was on Nan Cheng''s side. That alone messed up the situation even more.


    On the other hand, Si Zhening was an adopted son of the Si Family and he was quite close to Si Qingzhao. After her death, he disappeared from the Si Family. It was unknown what he was up to.


    Now, the most important question was: if Si Zhening was really there the day Shi Nian escaped, was he the serial killer or a mere standbyer? There''s a few problems with Nan Xukun too. Had his hallucination been cured already? What role did he y amidst all of this?


    Jin Renguang massaged his brows and went out to the balcony to smoke.


    ns after ns started to form in his mind however, every single one was equally dangerous. He was confident that he could handle the risk, but his teammates couldn''t. He couldn''t afford to put them in danger so he must seek a way that could benefit both sides.


    Nan Cheng, Si Yusheng, Si Zhening¡­what''s the middle point that connected them?


    The fingers that held the cigarette paused as the answer popped up in his mind in an instant.


    Of course, the mafia!


    Nan Cheng was said to have paid the mafia to bury the corpse for him whereas Si Zhening¡­let''s say if he wanted to take revenge on Si Qingzhao''s death, what was the best way to topple down a powerful figure like Nan Cheng?


    RIght, it was to use underhanded tricks. If he was in Si Zhening''s shoes, as someone who had nothing¡ªno wealth nor power¡ªhe would risk his life to join the mafia, gain Jia Renyu''s trust and be one of their importantworks.


    In exchange¡­


    "Kill Nan Cheng for me." He murmured under his breath.


    "Kill who?" The sudden voice interrupted his line of thought. Before Jin Renguang''s brain could react, his body had acted first. Turning around, he mmed his elbow toward that person, his eyes murderous¡­


    ¡­then he froze in ce when he saw that person''s face, barely stopping by a hair''s breadth.


    "Qiqi¡­" Jin Renguang''s body rxed instantly, deted like a balloon. "Haven''t I taught you countless times not to creep up on me from behind? You know how my reflexes work. Are you okay?" He supported the pale Ru Meiqi to sit down on the bench and went to get her a cup of warm water. "Here, drink first. Sorry¡­did I surprise you that much?"


    "Haha¡­" Ru Meiqiughed nkly. She had always known that Jin Renguang was as strong as an ox with sharp reflex, but it wasn''t until now that she felt it firsthand how dangerous he was. Looking at Jin Renguang who was putting on a sad puppy expression, Ru Meiqi realized for the first time how gentle he had always been in front of her. "Who did you want to kill just now?"


    "That¡­" Jin Renguang scratched his nose awkwardly. "Nothing, I just¡­"


    "Did you imagine yourself in the suspect''s mind again?" Even just looking at his face, Ru Meiqi knew she got the answer right. "How many times do I have to tell you to stop doing that? It''s not healthy for your mind. If you''re not careful, you might find yourself trapped inside."


    "It''s a habit." Jin Renguang sat opposite her and sighed. "It''s easier for me to deduce their line of thoughts that way."


    "No one is asking you to brood over there yourself!" She berated angrily. "If there''s something you can''t solve, then you should discuss it with everyone!"


    "I know¡­" He smiled and gingerly touched her hand. Upon noticing that she didn''t show any rejection whatsoever, he grew more courageous and fiddled with her fingers, stroking the tender flesh on the back of her palm in aforting manner. "I will not do it again. Don''t be angry, Qiqi¡­"


    Ru Meiqi harrumphed. "Don''t give me that nonsense. Just promise me to take a psychology test after the case is solved, okay?"


    "Alright, alright." Jin Renguang grinned happily then hastily changed the topic. "Speaking of it, how about that brat Jia Renyu''s son? He still hasn''t contacted us?"


    "Ah, you reminded me. Just now, your phone rang." Ru Meiqi took the phone out of her pocket and handed it to him. "It''s an unknown number. Do you happen to know who it is?"


    Jin Renguang checked it and shook his head slowly. "I have no idea." In a timely manner, the phone rang again from the same number. He picked it up right away. "Hello? This is Jin Renguang speaking."


    The other side was silent for a moment. "...Detective Jin?"


    Jin Renguang frowned. The deep, baritone male voice sounded kind of familiar but he couldn''t remember where he had heard it before. "Yes, who is speaking?"


    "I''m surprised you didn''t recognize my voice. After all the length you''ve gone to pressure us, I thought you might be expecting my call." The man introduced himself at the same time when Jin Renguang recalled his name. "I am Jia Renyu. Let''s get to the point, where should we meet?"


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: hehe we''re getting close to the climax. Prepare yourself for the truth!

 Chapter 334 - Dont Have The Right To Bargain

    Jin Renguang parked the car and peered over the window. A simple, elegant teapot sign hung over themp post "Jaded Teahouse". He looked around to ascertain the surroundings. It was 8 pm, way past the time when people would like to have a cup of tea to pass the day. Moreover, since it was a weekday, the shop looked more deste than usual. Besides Jin Renguang''s Jeep, there were only three other cars and a few motorcycles parked in the space.


    It seemed like the person he was supposed to meet had arrived first.


    A rustle came from his earpiece followed by Tang Wei''s concerned voice. "Captain, can you hear me?"


    "Yes." Jin Renguang adjusted the mini voice recording under his cor. "I am ready to go. If I don''te out after an hour, you know what to do."


    "Alright. Be careful."


    Jin Renguang hummed and took off the earpiece. Getting out of the car, he walked into the teahouse in casual strides.


    "Wee to Jaded Teahouse." The waiter weed him with a smile. "Table for one, Sir?"


    The interior of the teahouse adapted traditional Chinese style. Tables made of mahogany wood, tatami mats, folding screen decorated with ck and white oil painting separated the area, andstly there was a small pond built of stone with soft trickling water gently falling into it. Fat kois swam inside, sshing water here and there.


    The temperature was warm, contrasted to the chill outside. The gentle and fragrant scent of tea made people rx subconsciously. It''s no wonder why an old man like Jia Renyu would like to meet here.


    "No." Jin Renguang answered. "I have an appointment with Mr. Jia."


    "Oh, so you''re Mr. Jia''s guest!" The waiter smiled wider. "Please follow me. Mr. Jia has been waiting for you."


    They walked deeper into the shop and through a winding hallway into the private rooms. Jin Renguang couldn''t help asking. "Is Mr. Jia a regr here?"


    "Yes! Mr. Jia is our loyal customer and a shareholder. Once in a few days, he wille and enjoy our tea. We transport our tea fresh from its ntations. Also, we coborated with a few tea farmers to¡ª" As they got close to one of the private rooms, a ruckus sounded from the ajar door. "Oh my, I''m sorry, it seems like Mr. Jia is preupied with something."


    Jin Renguang''s ears perked up in an instant.


    "...why are you acting like this?!" A young male voice bellowed angrily. "Back then, what did you take him in for? Because you pity him? Because he has nowhere to go? Now that he''s tangled up in this mess, are you going to hand him over to the police?!"


    Oh? It seemed like something interesting was going on here. Jin Renguang pulled back the waiter who was going to knock and dismissed him.


    He slowly crept closer and listened in.


    "Go back." Jia Renyu said with an even tone.


    "No! This time, you must answer me. Are you going to keep everything away from me just because of that single incident?! Do you still consider me as a son? Do you have any idea what everyone said behind my back? They said that Si Zhening is going to take over your position once you retire!"


    "What? Does that bother you?"


    "You know I don''t care about something like that. I will even thank him!" Jia Ming''en sounded frustrated and helpless. "Still, that means you care about him even a bit, don''t you? Father, I''m sure there''s something not right about him. What did he need the human skin mask for? He¡­He''s not the serial killer right?"


    Silence for a while. "Have you asked him about it?"


    "I have but I can''t help but doubt his words! You''re the one who knows him best, Father. Tell me. I only need one word. Is it a yes or no?"


    Jin Renguang waited for the answer with bated breath. As he expected, Jia Renyu must have known something about Si Zhening! Also, he''s the one who had the human skin mask? The one which the serial killer wore in City A''s hospital?!


    Was Si Zhening really the serial killer?


    Sighing, Jia Renyu answered in a resigned tone. "Why do you care so much about him? It''s his own problem and he will solve it in his own way. Just go back and focus on your study. You will have an internship soon, won''t you?"


    "Father!"


    "Quiet!" Jia Renyu mmed the teacup down. "How dare you raise your voice in front of me like that! Jia Ming''en, you''re indeed my son but if you keep on showing this kind of attitude, don''t me me if I be ruthless!"


    Bang! The door mmed open and Jia Ming''en rushed out, his face twisted in anger and irritation. Fortunately, because he was too caught up in his own thoughts, he didn''t realize there was someone eavesdropping behind the door.


    "Pleasee in." Jia Renyu''s voice rang out, sighing. "I''m very sorry to have made you witness such an unsightly scene, Detective Jin."


    Jin Renguang didn''t hide anymore and came out from hiding. How many years had it been since hest saw Jia Renyu? Four, five years? At that time, he was investigating the anonymous report regarding the mafia''s brutal killing and had the chance to visit their basecamp once.


    In his memory, Jia Renyu was a vigorous man with a dark and heavy aura. His whole body reeked of blood and cruelty and the way he looked at you was as if looking at a dead person. Even when he sat there without doing anything, he was fully capable of inflicting fear and nervousness toward the opposite person. Jin Renguang recalled that even he had to pay attention to what he was saying in case Jia Renyu suddenly pulled out a handgun and shot him right on his head.


    Five yearster, he had changed significantly. Wearing a traditional ck kimono, he looked just like a scary uncle next door. His face still had that perpetual frown that seemed to have been etched on his forehead but his aura had mellowed considerably. White hair streaked across his temple and faint wrinkles made its traces on the corner of his eyes.


    He looked old and¡­exhausted.


    "Long time no see, Mr. Jia." Jin Renguang bowed.


    Jia Renyu nodded and gestured for him to sit down. "How much did you hear?"


    "Pretty much everything." Jin Renguang sat down and poured himself a cup of tea. The aromatic scent of Chrysanthemum and ginseng wafted through the vapor. "Are you aware that we have got in touch with your son?"


    Jia Renyu hummed in agreement. "Otherwise, he wouldn''t havee here and asked me that kind of question."


    "Speaking of it, I am also quite curious." Jin Renguang pulled up the corner of his lips. "Will Mr. Jia be generous enough to fill me in on the answer?"


    "I don''t understand what you''re talking about." He answered nonchntly.


    For a while, the air was full of sparks and electricity. The two men were silently fighting a battle of wits through their calmness. In the end, Jin Renguang caved in first. Fair enough, he couldn''t expect to receive an answer from Jia Renyu just like that.


    Sighing, he put down the deal. "I will appeal for your sentence to be reduced as long as you answer my question."


    "You? Reduce my sentence?" Jia Renyu sneered. His eyes condescending as if Jin Renguang was only an ant that wasn''t worth his attention.


    "I believe you don''t have the right to bargain with me, Sir." Jin Renguang sipped his tea calmly. "Eighteen corpses, illegal dealing of ammunition; we have all the evidence in our hands. Shall this be exposed to the public, it''s only a matter of time until you''re sitting in jail for the rest of your life."


    "You¡ª!" Jia Renyu smashed the teacup to the ground, breaking it to pieces. "How dare you!"


    Jin Renguang didn''t even flinch as he sat there calmly, eyes sizing the furious man in front of him whose chest heaved up and down rapidly and eyes bulged out in anger and humiliation. Strange, Jin Renguang thought. Why did he used to think that Jia Renyu was scary? Now that Jin Renguang looked at him, he was nothing more than a middle aged man, like a candle on itsst flicker. It was no wonder that the talk of choosing a sessor had beening up.


    "I''m sure that you don''t want this matter to blow up, do you? It''s clear, seeing how you show up here alone." Jin Renguang added.


    "You''re threatening me now?" Jia Renyu narrowed his eyes dangerously. "You do know that I can order you to be killed as soon as you step out of this ce, right?"


    "I know. Death is the least important matter to me." He gave a lopsided grin, eyes twinkling in a radiant light. "But as soon as something happens to me, my subordinates will directly give the materials to major newspaperpanies and reporters. Certainly, we both don''t want that to happen. Please curb your anger, Mr. Jia. I''m not threatening you. This is merely a deal. You and I got what we want. Isn''t that a win-win situation?"


    "You walk away with your information while I only got a sentence reduction?" Jia Renyu scoffed incredulously.


    Jin Renguang shrugged. "I don''t have the authority to erase such a huge crime scene. It''s the best I can do. Now, let''s talk." He leaned forward with his eyes gleaming.. "I just need you to confirm two things. First, is it Nan Cheng who killed those people inside the wall? Second, what did you take Si Zhening in for? For example, did he ask something of you in return for his loyalty such as¡­taking revenge on someone?"

 Chapter 335 - Keep Your Friend Close And Enemy Closer

    Jin Renguang returned to his car five minutes less than an hour. As soon as he put on the earpiece, a call came through. "Captain!" Tang Wei cried out anxiously. "Thank God you''re still alive! I''m so close to calling backups there!"


    He chuckled briefly. "Well, here I am. Where''s everyone?"


    "I don''t know." Tang Wei said, befuddled. "It seems like they have separate things to do. They aren''t in the office."


    "Alright. If there''s nothing more, go home early. I still have something I gotta do."


    "Eh? Wait, Captain, how about your conversation with¡ª"


    He directly hung up on the call and drove out of the parking lot. Peering through the rear view mirror, he could see Jia Renyu walking out and two men got out of the ck sedan, weing him. Whilst talking, their eyes inadvertently fell on Jin Renguang''s car which barely managed to blend into the busy traffic and disappeared among the throng of crowds.


    There was a secret code that was tacitly approved by the five people who gathered most of the information. If they wanted to talk about the case, then they would head toward Ru Meiqi''s apartment. Just as he expected, when he rang the doorbell, who weed him was Wang Chengbing.


    "Captain!" The fatty scanned him up and down. "You''re not missing a limb, are you?"


    "Why are you all so anxious?" Shaking his head helplessly, Jin Renguang slipped on the slippers and strode inside. All of the members except for him and Qin Weizhe were already there. "Have you been waiting for long? Where''s Qin Weizhe?"


    "He''s got a date." Ru Meiqi answered. "Anyway, you''re just in time. Comrade Wang found something."


    Jin Renguang had just wanted toin about Qin Weizhe when thetter half of her sentence brought his attention away. "What is it?"


    Xu Binchen chimed in before Wang Chengbing could talk. "Si Yusheng is still alive right?"


    Jin Renguang raised a brow and pulled out his phone. Tapping on it a few times, he showed the screen to Xu Binchen which was connected to the CCTV in his marital house. Si Yusheng was currently sneaking around and almost turning the entire house upside down. He looked anything but lethargic despite the cast around his leg. "Still very much alive and kicking."


    Xu Binchen frowned. "Where do you move him to? Is it okay for him to search around like that?"


    "It''s fine, let him probe as much as he wants. There''s nothing there anyway." Jin Renguang shrugged. "Speaking of it, what has Wang Chengbing found?"


    "Remember that Lei Liqiu¡ªour mole in Dreamscape Bar¡ªwho said that there''s a woman named Wan Biwen that behaved like a spy in there? I looked into this person and guess what? She used to be CEO Nan''s secretary a few years ago! Check out this report." He turned theptop screen toward Jin Renguang.


    On it was disyed Wan Biwen''s CV with her photo. Quite a sweet and beautiful girl, if Jin Renguang had to say. She had this sharp look to her eyes that made her look intelligent. "25 years old, graduated from Business Management in the most prestigious university in the Capital, then interned as a secretary in Henan Corporation two years ago?" Scrolling down, he found himself at the end. "There''s nothing more. How about now? Is she still listed as an intern or a permanent employee? How did she end up in Dreamscape Bar?"


    "Just as you have seen, there''s nothing more." Wang Chengbing said. "Also, she''s not listed anywhere. After her intern period ended, it was as if she just disappeared into thin air. Not a single information can be found about her. I guessed that''s the time when she got into Dreamscape Bar."


    Jin Renguang frowned. "She''s from Henan Corp? Then, how about her family? Have you asked around? If I recall correctly, there isn''t any Wan Biwen in the list of people we have rescued."


    "You''re right. She''s currently missing. " Wang Chengbing drawled out tiredly. "Don''t talk about her family. She''s an orphan. It seems like she''s one of the people whose education was sponsored by CEO Nan. But how could she suddenlynd herself in Dreamscape Bar? It''s so strange¡­" He scratched his head in frustration.


    "Ah¡­I forgot to tell you." Jin Renguang dropped a bomb out of nowhere. "Si Yusheng has given his statement. The owner of Dreamscape Bar is Nan Cheng."


    "WHAT?!" Everyone looked up in shock.


    Jin Renguang hummed and walked toward the transparent board, adding some important points on it. Nan Cheng, the corpses in the wall, Si Qingzhao''s death and he also told them his spection about Si Zhening and the mafia. "That old man Jia Renyu has given his word. Nan Cheng is indeed responsible for some of the corpses in the wall. We also have to re-investigate Si Qingzhao''s death to see whether Nan Cheng really has a hand in it. More importantly¡­" He drew a circle around Si Zhening''s name. "I''m sure he held a lot of important information. We need to get it out of him."


    "Huh? Nan Cheng?!" Wang Chengbing eximed in shock and rubbed his chest. "Oh my God, this world is such a cruel ce to live in. A shady person like me has a pure heart whereas phnthropist Nan Cheng is actually a devil inside."


    Xu Binchen revealed a disgusted expression. "Speak humannguage."


    "So, it''s Nan Cheng¡­" Ru Meiqi murmured, deep in thoughts.


    After a few moments, the truth slowly seeped into their minds and they proceeded with the analysis. Ru Meiqi started. "So, our previous spections are all incorrect. There''s no outside enemy at all. It''s Nan Cheng whom Si Yusheng has to be wary of¡­"


    "If he knew that Nan Cheng is such a person, why would Si Yusheng still work with him for so many years?" Wang Chengbing asked curiously.


    "I bet he''s been waiting for the exact moment to reveal everything. Keep your friend close and enemy closer." Xu Binchen inserted his thoughts. "If what you said is correct, Captain, then they are all waiting for Nan Cheng to lower his guard and then¡­kill him off in one move."


    Ru Meiqi agreed. "That''s right. So, Si Yusheng deliberately got close to Nan Cheng to get his hands on his ck material whereas Si Yusheng joined the mafia¡­to exact his revenge. " Turning to Jin Renguang, she asked. "What else did Jia Renyu say? You couldn''t have stayed there for so long and only got this little bit of information, right?"


    Jin Renguang gave a nted smirk. "Who do you think I am? He also gave his own proposal. If I am to turn a blind eye this time, he will give the evidence of Nan Cheng''s transaction with them."


    "That old fox!" Wang Chengbing hissed angrily. "He intends to throw all of the me into Nan Cheng''s head!"


    "Yeah¡­" Jin Renguang''s eyes wandered off around the names intertwining on the board. "And with this, Si Zhening''s revenge will be fulfilled."


    "After his revenge is done, then what?" Ru Meiqi suddenly asked. "He''s dipped his feet into the underworld. Once he gets in, it''s not so easy to escape anymore. Moreover, there''s something that concerns me. Si Yusheng told us to protect Si Zhening and Nan Xukun from Nan Cheng. Regarding Si Zhening, I can understand his reasoning. But what about Nan Xukun? What has Nan Cheng done to him to warrant such a request from Si Yusheng?"


    "Andstly¡­" Xu Binchen concluded. "Where does the serial killer stand amidst all of this?"


    .


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    .


    A/N: A chapter to sort out the messy clues. Now, everything has lined up and we can get to the action!


    Anyway, thank you very much for 100 GT, expect a mass release in the next few days (currently preparing fufufu)! Right now, there''s a double event where your GT will be counted twice so let''s keep voting as much as possible! If we pass 200 GT, I will give another mass release!

 Chapter 336 - I Will Always Wait For You

    The days passed by as usual. After the incident with Ruo Tingran, there wasn''t any remarkable event in Shi Nian''s life. Her days were filled with studying, studying and studying. Qiang Fei was promoted to be a branch leader and got busier due to that. In exchange, Shi Nian often spent time with Jiang Jinyan.


    She would do her homework while he''s working on his assignment. After that, they yed with Little Apple, had dinner together and cuddled sometimes. It couldn''t be more fulfilling than that.


    Everything was so peaceful on the surface, unaware that there was a huge storming soon afterward.


    Xu Binchen was either not at home or he would return in the middle of the night. It seemed like work had piled uptely. Sometimes, Shi Nian''s message wouldn''t even be read until a few dayster.


    Shi Nian had no clear idea what he was busy with. But it seemed like the police had been preparing for something huge. The rumors of how they dug out a few corpses started to spread around the city, originating from the citizens who lived near the mountain. Worse, everyone started to connect it to the serial killer, protesting that the city wasn''t safe anymore and how the police was ipetent to always let the culprit escape.


    [Xu Binchen]: Don''t care too much about the gossip. It has nothing to do with the serial killer.


    That was the only response Xu Binchen gave when she brought up the topic.


    Sighing, Shi Nian typed.


    [Ten Years]: Are you very busy?


    [Xu Binchen]: It''s good that you know it. Don''t bother me anymore and go finish your homework. Eat on time and sleep properly.


    Shi Nian had just wanted to type when a palm covered his phone screen. "Is it so fun texting him that you ignore your boyfriend?" Jiang Jinyan''s voice came above her, sulking.


    "No." Shi Nian hastily typed an OK and pocketed her phone. Turning around, she held Jiang Jinyan''s hands and gave him a ttering smile. "How can I ever ignore you?" He was always feeling sour toward Xu Binchen. Shi Nian was helpless at first but after it happened oftentimes, she had somehow gotten used to it, even ustomed to appeasing his temper tantrums.


    Jiang Jinyan scoffed and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her aside. "Walk where you''re going. You almost bumped into someone."


    "Ah¡ªI''m sorry!" Shi Nian bowed in apology toward the passerby she almost crashed into if not for Jiang Jinyan. Her fair cheeks reddened slightly, not only from the embarrassment for being such a klutz but also from the heat emanating from Jiang Jinyan''s body. The two stood so close together that she could sniff his cool and clean cologne. It always made her heart race like never before.


    She peered at his side profile; straight nose, thin pale lips and well defined jaw, so sharp it could cut through rocks¡­ "Hmm?" Shi Nian blinked and tiptoed, measuring the crown of her head to his body. "Jinyan, are you taller?"


    He lowered his eyes slightly. The mask covering his face made them look all the more dazzling and captivating. The front of his hair had been pulled back into a half bun, showing his clean and smooth forehead.


    Hearing her question, the corner of his eyes curved slightly and he pressed his palm down her head. "Are you sure?" Bending until their eyes were on a simr level, he continued in a teasing tone. "It''s not you who has gotten smaller?"


    "No!" Shi Nian puffed up her cheeks. "See, it''s you." She measured their heights again. "I recalled that I could reach your chin but now, I am only as tall as your shoulder! Are you having a growth spurt? How can you be so tall?"


    Jiang Jinyan chuckled. "My father is over 190 cm while my mother isn''t short either. It''s in my genes."


    "Hmm¡­" How tall was General Jiang again? Shi Nian tried hard to recall to no avail. In her memory, General Jiang stood towering and formidable not only because of his physique but also the aura he exuded. They had never stood this close before because Shi Nian had a habit of following behind him, always gazing at his back¡ªtransfixed.


    "What are you thinking about again?" Jiang Jinyan cupped her cheeks. "Your skin is so cold." Frowning, he wrapped the scarf tighter around her. "Be careful not to catch a cold. It''s a very important period for you right now. In a few weeks, you''re going to have your university entrance examination, right?"


    "Yes, that''s right!" Shi Nian''s eyes sparkled in determination. "Wait for me. I will definitely get into Sangzhe University!"


    "Alright." He gave a soft, very gentle smile. "I will always wait for you."


    Shi Nian stared up at him, dazed. Her heart thumped furiously as if almost breaking out of her ribcage. What was with that gentle and doting voice? That was so unfair! Regrettably, Jiang Jinyan didn''t give her any time to calm down as he grasped her hand and pulled her along. "Come on. Let''s go home."


    She stumbled along, eyesnding on their intertwined hands. Slowly, a blissful grin bloomed on her face.


    Turns out, it was possible to love a person more and more with each day. It was quite disconcerting how fast her feelings had grown. It had reached the point where she was afraid that if Jiang Jinyan wasn''t by her side anymore, she wouldn''t be able to bear it even for a second.


    Of course, they would always be together¡­right?


    "What are you talking about?" Shi Nian snapped out of her senses. Only then did she realize that she had voiced the question out loud. She gave a sheepish grin and was ready to shift the topic when Jiang Jinyan said with certainty. "Even if you want to leave me, I won''t let you go."


    "W¡ªWhat¡­? I won''t!" She skipped forward and linked her arms with him, grinning foolishly. "I''m the one who should say that!"


    The two walked down the street, immersed in their own world without caring for anyone around. That''s why they didn''t notice a man in a hooded jacket had been trailing them ever since Shi Nian left the school.


    The lips that weren''t hidden under the shadows slowly pulled up into a manic, crazy grin. "My little girl, wait for me. Soon¡­everything will be ready soon."


    ***


    Smiles colored Jiang Jinyan''s eyes even when he had sent Shi Nian off for the day. He closed the door behind him and lifted Little Apple to his arm, stroking the cat''s fluffy fur softly. "You''re getting fatter and fatter. I should tell Shi Nian not to feed you so much."


    "Mew!" Little Apple''s fur stood up and it bounced off Jiang Jinyan''s embrace, running toward its nest and protesting aggrievedly a few more times. "Mew mew mew!"


    "Why? Unhappy?" Jiang Jinyan chuckled, sat on the couch and took off his artificial leg, sighing. For a while, he leaned his head back without moving. The only sound in the room came from the ticking clock and Little Apple''s ws scratching the post.


    It was so quiet and deste. As soon as Shi Nian left, he was overwhelmed by the loneliness which came out of nowhere.


    There was something Jiang Jinyan never told anyone. To be honest, he was very disturbed by the fact that the serial killer was still prancing around freely around Shi Nian. Even worse when one of the possible suspects was his father''s secretary, Si Zhening. Exactly how did that old man choose his secretary? It''s so lousy that even such a dubious person could pass, he grumbled.


    Left with no choice, Jiang Jinyan grabbed his phone and opted to text him instead.


    [Jiang Jinyan]: Father, there''s something I want to talk to you about. Please call me once you receive this message. It''s about your secretary, Si Zhening.


    He had just put down his phone when it suddenly rang.


    Jiang Jinyan was pleasantly surprised for a split second before realizing that it was only a text. Disappointment flooded his chest.


    Soon after, his expression froze abruptly. Why was he upset? He wasn''t waiting for Jiang Huocheng''s call, okay?!


    He grumbled and opened the text which came from an unknown number.


    This time, he was genuinely stunned, unable to recover even after a while.


    [Hello, Mr. Jiang Jinyan. Have you ever wondered whether your mother''s mental disease was hereditary? Let me tell you, it''s not. Your mother didn''t die of mere suicide, she was driven to do it. Are you interested to know who is the one who spurred your mother''s death?]


    Jiang Jinyan moved his stiff fingers and typed slowly, his heart beating irregrly inside his chest. [Who are you? What do you want?]


    [Who I am isn''t important. I merely wish to help you see the truth. Jiang Huocheng isn''t as noble as you imagine him to be. Otherwise, how could your healthy mother suddenly go insane all of a sudden? Don''t be fooled, Mr. Jiang. Open your eyes and see clearly who is your enemy. Do you not wish to seek justice for her?]


    Buzz rang out in his ears. The words swiveled in his mind yet none registered truly.


    Who was this person? They knew his parents and also the truth behind her mother''s death when all that was exposed in public was how Guan Xiaoxiao died of a chronic illness. Who could it be? His father''s business rival?


    His mother''s suicide¡­was it really intentional? Someone was inciting her?


    Jiang Jinyan''s fingers pressed so hard that his knuckles turned white. Slowly, his lips curled up into a cold smile, his eyes even more so.


    [I''m in. Tell me.]


    Let''s see what kind of nonsense this bastard would tell him.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Yep, the finale is here. Prepare yourself hehehe

 Chapter 337 - I Will Not Kill You. Not So Soon.

    [Where are you?] Jiang Jinyan typed. [I have arrived at the location.]


    He stood on an intersection, red lights above his head counting down for fifteen more seconds. Around him were passersby who were simrly waiting to cross the road. Jiang Jinyan pocketed his phone and looked around. He had made an appointment with that suspicious person and here he was,te in the evening when people were supposed to get off work.


    The crowds around him were gettingrger and the air was filled with chatter andughter. A few students in school uniform were animatedly chatting about where they should go on a trip for Christmas and winter break.


    Jiang Jinyan pulled down his mask slightly and exhaled a puff of white mist from his mouth.


    So¡­Christmas was arriving soon. Time flew so fast that he didn''t notice the flow. How should he spend his Christmas? He couldn''t bring Shi Nian anywhere because it was a critical exam period for her, so maybe¡­they could just hang around in the vicinity then have dinner together with her mother? Or should he invite Jiang Huocheng altogether? He and Qiang Fei would be inws anyway, there''s nothing wrong with meeting first.


    Right, the Christmas gift. Jiang Jinyan shouldn''t forget about it.


    Well, he still had more than a week to prepare anyway. A smile made its way to his face without him knowing. Just the thought of spending his future days with Shi Nian was enough to fill him with satisfaction and bliss.


    But first, he had to deal with this bastard first.


    Jiang Jinyan kept the ns for himself and focused on the matter in hand. The traffic light turned green and people passed by him. Jiang Jinyan was almost smothered by the crowd thus he opted to stand by the side and pulled up his phone again.


    There was a new message. [The ck sedan parked in front of the dessert shop.]


    Jiang Jinyan looked around and spotted the car. He gave an incredulousugh. Whoever it was, he had to give it to them for the courage of meeting up in this kind of crowded ce. He had thought that they would meet privately in a deste ce but it turned out he had thought too much.


    He approached the car slowly all the while keeping an eye toward any movement inside. The car''s window was tinted ck, preventing him from seeing anything. Sighing, Jiang Jinyan knocked on the driver''s window.


    There was no answer.


    Frowning, he typed on his phone in irritation. [Where are you? If you don''t show up right away, I will leave.]


    Jiang Jinyan counted to three and was ready to turn away when the window slowly rolled down, revealing a face that was included in his list of suspects. Nheless, he was still a tad surprised. Then, a sneer formed on his lips.


    "Sorry." The other person said. "I just want to confirm that there''s nobody following you around. Get in."


    Jiang Jinyan scoffed and went into the passenger''s seat. "Say what you want. You also know the consequences if you lie to me, right?"


    "Of course, Young Master Jiang. Everything I will say is the truth, I guarantee it." A shallow smile formed on the man''s lips. He then turned on the engine and shifted the gear stick. "But first, let''s go to a more private ce."


    "I thought you wanted to meet there?" Jiang Jinyan pointed toward the dessert shop.


    The man jutted his chin toward the back seat. "I know you''re not fond of sweets so I bought it for myself."


    Jiang Jinyan was already toozy to give any response. He looked calm and nonchnt on the outside but actually, the hand inside the pocket was holding his phone. As soon as the other person made any suspicious movement, he would directly send a message to Xu Binchen.


    "Are you thirsty? There''s mineral water in the dashboard if you''d like."


    Jiang Jinyan kept mum, his eyes straight on the road.


    The atmosphere in the car was strained and heavy, as expected. The other man seemed not to mind the suffocating silence and Jiang Jinyan wasn''t willing to relent either. The car drove through the main road smoothly. The sign above pointed at ''Jianshan Intersection'' to the left and ''National Highways'' to the right.


    All of a sudden, the man suddenly asked. "How is your rtionship with Miss Shi¡ª"


    "Don''t." Jiang Jinyan said quietly, fists clenching. The light in his eyes twisted darkly as if he was going to pounce as soon as the man said another word. "Don''t ask about her. You don''t have the right to say her name."


    Silence. It was unknown what the man was thinking but his expression didn''t change a bit. "...Alright."


    The car made a turn to the left. Sensing no sign of stopping soon, Jiang Jinyan couldn''t help asking in irritation. "Where are you taking me?"


    "A private ce where we can talk alone." He said. "Aren''t you hot? Why don''t you take your coat off?" As a gesture of sincerity, the man adjusted the heater and the air that flowed out became slightly cooler. It sted Jiang Jinyan''s face, directly drying the sweat on his forehead. The sudden change of temperature caused a chill to quake his body.


    "Turn down the air¡ª" He suddenly froze.


    "Are you okay?" The man asked in a slightly worried tone.


    Stiffness traveled from the tip of Jiang Jinyan''s fingers to his whole body. Just in the span of two seconds, he realized that something was wrong with him. Very, very wrong. "What¡­did you do¡­?" He spat out the words with difficulty. Soon, he couldn''t even move a limb anymore.


    How? He hadn''t eaten or drank anything nor did he carelessly touch any part of the car¡­


    ¡ªThe air conditioner!


    Veins popped up in Jiang Jinyan''s forehead and he growled angrily inside. He had been too careless! Yet it was as if his soul was locked inside a puppet''s body. He was fully conscious yet unable to move a bit. His frustration quickly reached its peak and muffled words escaped his mouth. "...Bas¡­tard!"


    The man slowly parked the car on the sideroad and studied him carefully. "They said that it''s a paralysis gas that can take down a huge elephant in mere seconds. It''s a wonder how you can keep your sanity up to now. Well, you''re not going tost long anyway. Sleep tight, Young Master Jiang. Don''t worry. I will not kill you. Not so soon."


    The man''s visage slowly turned into a blur in Jiang Jinyan''s eyes and thest thing that shed through his mind was Shi Nian''s face.


    ¡­How anxious would she be if she couldn''t find him when she returned hometer?


    Jiang Jinyan bit the tip of his tongue, intending to use the pain to maintain his consciousness. s, even the strength to move his jaws was no more. Soon after, he couldn''t resist the lure of darkness anymore and closed his eyes unwillingly. His grab around the phone came loose and it slipped out of his pocket, forming a dull thud that caught the man''s attention.


    He reached for Jiang Jinyan''s phone and pressed thetter''s fingers on the lock sensor. The screen instantly shifted toward the WeChat interface where a message had just been sent out less than a minute ago. The recipient was Xu Binchen.


    [SOS! Disy: location.]


    "Hmm?" The man murmured under his breath. "Not bad, Young Master Jiang." He connected his own phone and Jiang Jinyan''s with a cable then copied a file there. Fiddling with Jiang Jinyan''s phone for a while, the message that was sent to Xu Binchen suddenly disappeared without a trace as if nothing was there from the start.


    He had just put down the phone when it suddenly rang. ''Old Jiang'' was written on it.


    The man''s movement paused and he hesitated for a while. In the end, he let the phone ring until it was naturally cut off. A message popped up. [What about Si Zhening?]


    He pondered for a while and replied. [Nothing. I''ve got it already.] After that, he threw the phone out of the window and it was instantly run over by a truck and shattered into pieces of scrap metal.


    Shifting the gear stick, he made a U-turn and drove toward the highway.


    .


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    .


    A/N: omg, Jinyan noo! Who do you think it is?!


    oh and if you are wondering why he''s unaffected by the paralysis gas, ofc he has taken precautions before


    hehehe still working on the mass release. Soon!

 Chapter 338 - Searching For A Lost Person

    "Xu Binchen!" Wang Chengbing hollered in annoyance. "Where the heck has he gone to?!"


    "What''s wrong?" Tang Wei popped his head out from behind theputer screen.


    "His phone has been ringing for a while!" He pulled his hair out of frustration. "Someone, pick it up for him please!"


    "Why don''t you pick it up yourself?" Tang Wei rolled his eyes.


    "Can''t you see that I''m busy right now?!" Wang Chengbing hissed and shrank his neck the moment Jin Renguang entered. "Aiyah, so many things to do. Aiyah, I''m so hungry. When can I get off work and go to a nice restaurant?"


    Unfortunately, Jin Renguang failed to receive his signal and instead went to Xu Binchen''s table where his phone was vibrating. He took a peek and asked out loud. "Where''s Xu Binchen? Shi Nian is calling him!"


    "Shi Nian?!" Wang Chengbing instantly left his seat and went to pick up Xu Binchen''s phone. "Hello, Niannian? This is Brother Wang! What do you need Xu Binchen for? Wait¡ªwait a moment, slow down. What did you say? You can''t get in touch with Jiang Jinyan?"


    "Yes¡­" Shi Nian walked back and forth anxiously. "It''s been a few hours since I sent him a text but he hasn''t replied yet. I have also called him but his number is out of service. There''s no one in his house either. Is it possible that Binchen gege has seen him?"


    Wang Chengbing let out augh. "Aren''t you a bit too anxious? It''s just a few hours and he''s a grown up man. Maybe he has something to do?"


    "Is that so?"


    Shi Nian also knew that she was overreacting but somehow, she couldn''t shake the feeling that something was off.


    Jiang Jinyan had always informed her if he went somewhere and if she called him more than once, he would definitely return the call as soon as possible.


    She texted him right after she got out of school and got no answer. She had also called him thrice and instead of a busy dial tone, his phone was out of service, proving that it had been turned off. What could he be so busy with that he would disappear just like that?


    Five hours, Shi Nian counted. She messaged him at 5 pm and now, it was already 10 pm. Yet, he was still nowhere to be seen.


    "Yeah." Wang Chengbing answered casually. "Maybe you''re overthinking. Don''t worry. It''s already sote. Go to sleep and tomorrow, he wille to your doorstep early in the morning."


    "...Who are you talking to with my phone?" Xu Binchen''s voice came from a distance.


    "Binchen gege!" Shi Nian cried out, the rims of her eyes reddened.


    "Oh, it''s Shi Nian."


    "Give it to me. Hello, Shi Nian?" His voice drew closer and unexpectedly, it was as if Shi Nian had found a ce to vent all of her anxiousness. Relief flooded her chest, so much that tears welled up in her eyes. "Sorry, I left my phone in the office. Did something happen?"


    Shi Nian hastily ryed her worry to him.


    "Wait a moment." He said. "Wang Chengbing,e here and help me track Jiang Jinyan''s phone for a second."


    "What?! Do you want me to die from overwork?! He''s only out of touch for a few hours, for God''s sake¡ª"


    "I will buy you two boxes of pig trotters."


    "Deal! Let me search for it real soon. Easy peasy lemon squeezy! Hmm¡­it''s weird. Thest location I track from his phone is on Jianshan Intersection. He hasn''t moved since five hours ago¡­"


    Xu Binchen leaned over Wang Chengbing''sptop screen and frowned. "He hasn''t moved for five hours? That means¡­"


    Wang Chengbing continued his sentence. "...either he lost consciousness or he dropped his phone there." Gulping, he added. "Anyway, is something really fishy about it? What if he just lost his phone somewhere and is on his way home right as we speak?"


    Xu Binchen pondered deeply. "No." He said in a firm tone. "Jianshan Intersection has nothing except for the abandoned construction site and an elite apartmentplex. The direction was opposite to the apartment building he lived in or Sangzhe University. Why would he go there for?"


    Both of them looked at each other.


    "What''s wrong?" Jin Renguang came to check.


    Xu Binchen straightened up. "Captain, I want to ask for a few hours'' break."


    "What do you want to do?"


    He nced down toward the call that was still connected and sighed inaudibly. "Searching for a lost person."


    "You''re really going, Binchen?! Seriously! Ah, wait¡ªwait for me!" He hastily gathered his things and saluted Jin Renguang. "Captain, as a good teammate, I request to go with Xu Binchen!"


    "Alright, go, go, go!" Jin Renguang directed a kick toward his ass.


    Ru Meiqi entered the office at the same time when Wang Chengbing was on his way out. The two almost bumped into each other before Wang Chengbing hastily apologized and chased after Xu Binchen who had reached the elevator.


    "Where is he going in such a hurry?" She asked curiously.


    Jin Renguang threw his gaze out of the window toward the dark, cloudless night and the powdery white crystal that started to descend gently. Finally, the Capital weed its first snow after five years. An unsettling premonition found its way to Jin Renguang''s chest and he couldn''t help sighing. "Searching for someone, I guess?"


    Ru Meiqi showed a confused look.


    Jin Renguang gave her a smile. "Let''s hope that nothing happens."


    ***


    "It''s okay. Stay at home and don''t go anywhere." Xu Binchen asserted. "I''ve got Wang Chengbing here with me. Alright, I will tell you if there''s any development." After appeasing her for the next few minutes, he hung up on the phone and focused on the road.


    Wang Chengbing couldn''t resist stealing some nces. "I have never known you could be so gentle with someone." He tutted.


    Xu Binchen rolled his eyes. "What are you following me for?"


    "Hmph! It''s in the middle of the night and see, it has started to snow! How can you search for a tiny phone like this?" Wang Chengbing felt his teeth be sour the more he looked at Xu Binchen. "I say ah, Binchen. Usually, you''re so sharp but why when ites to love, you be so stupid instead? Doing all of this for your love rival, is it worth it?"


    Xu Binchen drove the car slowly, the windshield wiper moved rhythmically to remove the snowkes. "I am a police officer above everything else."


    Wang Chengbing almost rolled his eyes to the sky at his diplomatic answer. "Alright, alright, be a police officer for the rest of your life and stay single, okay?"


    Xu Binchen merely scoffed.


    With Wang Chengbing''s navigation, they managed to reach Jianshan Intersection in less than half an hour. Parking his car on the road side, he scanned the surroundings and found a few working CCTV cameras above the streemps. "Where is it?"


    "It''s here." Wang Chengbing typed on hisptop. "Approximate distance is around twenty meters. But it''s definitely here."


    "There''s no one around." Xu Binchen sighed and got out of the car. Harsh, biting wind pped his face in an instant and the cold made him shudder. He wrapped his scarf until it almost covered half of his face before looking around.


    "Look! What is that sparkling thing on the ground?! Wang Chengbing pointed in a certain direction. "Yes, there! It reflects the ray from the streemp¡­yeah, right there!"


    Xu Binchen bent down and narrowed his eyes. His gloved hand brushed against the asphalt. Buried under the thinyer of snow was a piece of silver metal case. It was broken so thoroughly that not even its original appearance could be seen.


    "What is it?" Wang Chengbing caught up and followed Xu Binchen''s line of sight. "Ah! Is that¡­a phone?"


    Xu Binchen hummed lightly and gathered the broken pieces of the phone in his hands. He straightened up and said severely, his eyes brooding. "Hack the CCTV here and see what the fuck is going on. Right now."


    Wang Chengbing was affected by the severity in his tone and grew nervous. "O¡ªOkay! On it!"


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Xu Binchen QAQ he really put Shi Nian''s safety and condition above everything else under the guise of being a police officer. Hmph (£à¦Å¡ä)

 Chapter 339 - I Am The Serial Killer

    Jiang Jinyan''s phone was found on the road along Jianshan Intersection, possibly run over by a vehicle. And for the next twelve hours, the person himself didn''t show up.


    Since dawn, Shi Nian had been sending him messages once an hour.


    [Ten Years]: Where are you, Jinyan?


    [Ten Years]: Are you okay?


    [Ten Years]: If you see this message, call me as soon as possible okay?


    [Ten Years]: Jinyan, you''re making me scared¡­


    [Ten Years]: Please reply, okay? Even one word is fine.


    Her messages were akin to stones sinking into the ocean. No response at all. By now, Shi Nian was 90% sure that something must have happened to him. As soon as the sun began to rise, Shi Nian filed a missing person report to the police. She thought that her report would be transferred to the Public Security Division but when she arrived at the police station and found Xu Binchen waiting for her, only then did she know that the man had personally taken over the case.


    "Binchen gege." She approached him, her eyes slightly swollen from crying herself to sleepst night. "Sorry, you must have been so busy."


    Xu Binchen looked at her for a while and sighed. "What''s with this sudden politeness? I can be considered as your guardian and Jiang Jinyan isn''t someone unfamiliar either. Come with me."


    Shi Nian took a deep breath and nodded.


    As they walked down the hallway, he gave her a sideway nce. "...Are you okay?"


    Just in one nce, it was quite difficult to tell how anxious she was if not for her slightly reddened eyes. This girl¡­she really hadn''t changed a bit, always piling every single thing inside and brood over it herself, Xu Binchen sighed.


    "Hmm, I''m okay." She forced out a smile, which he''d rather not see.


    How could she be okay? Her three hours sleep was gued by nightmares and multiple unfamiliar memories kept popping up one after another. The moldy room without window, dark winding hallway, screams and cries of agony.


    Then, it all ended with the same scene. After running for so long, Shi Nian finally pushed open the door she thought was the exit but what she found inside was Jiang Jinyan on the ground, blood pooling underneath him. Warmth slowly left the man''s body until the end, when she managed to touch him, what was left behind was only the cold stiffness of a corpse.


    The image kept on repeating in her mind, so much that she couldn''t concentrate on her ss. She was told off by Teacher Yao, even got Chen Jiawei and Mo Ling to worry about her. Today was such a mess. Shi Nian didn''t even know how she managed to pass it and get to the police station with her own feet.


    "Have you found something, Binchen gege?" She asked quietly. "How about Uncle Jiang? Have you gotten hold of him and asked whether he has seen Jinyan?"


    "Yes, we''re trying to get a hold of him." Xu Binchen said shortly. He proceeded to take into an empty lounge. Shi Nian sat on the couch opposite him and wrung her fingers nervously.


    "Last night, we tracked his phone''s GPS and found it on Jianshan Intersection." He pulled out a stack of photographs, lining it up in front of Shi Nian. "Wang Chengbing hacked the CCTV system and found that the phone was thrown out of a ck sedan. The window was tinted ck so we couldn''t ascertain whether it was Jiang Jinyan himself or not. Here, have you seen this car before?"


    Shi Nian brought the photograph closer and scrutinized it deeply. Shaking her head, she mumbled. "I have no idea¡­"


    Xu Binchen raked his fingers through his hair, sighing. "I expect so. I have checked its te number but turns out, it''s an unregistered one. The only thing we can do right now is to monitor the traffic CCTV to see where the car headed to. Yesterday at around 5 pm, the car went from Jianshan Intersection toward the direction of National Highways. The ck sedan is a verymon one so after it merged with the busy traffic, it was difficult for us to confirm where it went. We have to wait a little longer for the result."


    Shi Nian nodded slowly. "Thank you and¡­sorry to inconvenience you."


    Xu Binchen clicked his tongue. "One more word and I will kick you out."


    A shortugh escaped her lips before it soon subsided. "I''m seriously asking, when was thest time you slept? Your eyebags are so dark and heavy, your eyes are bloodshot too."


    Xu Binchen stood up and rummaged through his pocket for a cigarette. "I have gotten used to it." He said curtly. "If you have nothing else to do, go home first. If he''s still missing for the next twelve hours, we will take drastic measures."


    Shi Nian hummed. "Okay, go and do your job. I will leave soon."


    Xu Binchen stared at the crown of her head for a moment. His hand reached out, seemingly wanting to pat her head but it halted midway and he lowered it back in the end. "Text me if you have arrived safely."


    Shi Nian nodded with a smile and maintained it until Xu Binchen''s back disappeared from her sight.


    She sat there for a short while, her head hung low and hands pressed together tightly. "It''s okay, it''s okay Shi Nian. Don''t panic. Nothing will happen to him. You have to believe in General Jiang. He''s undefeatable, he will definitely be okay¡­" She murmured under her breath again and again as if only that way would she be able to stand up again.


    ***


    When Jiang Jinyan came to, vertigo attacked his head and for a while, he couldn''t remember what happened before he lost consciousness. It seemed like he was sinking into a deep sleep, one where he dreamt of Shi Nian. A skinnier, shorter and timid Shi Nian in strange traditional clothing who trailed behind him. In that dream, Shi Nian went back to being a mute and everytime she wanted to say something, he would offer his arm for her to scribble on.


    She would steal some nces at him with those round, golden eyes and when their eyes met, she would hastily lower her sight, her fair cheek reddened ever so slightly.


    It was such a weird and vivid dream. But when he opened his eyes, he couldn''t recall it clearly anymore as every single scene turned into a blur.


    A dirty, yellow spotted ceiling weed his sight and he let out a groan. His whole body felt as heavy as lead. It reminded him of when he woke up for the first time after the car ident.


    When his mind gathered a little bit of rity, the memories rushed to his brain and his eyes snapped open instantly, awake and sober. He struggled to sit up and found his legs and arms tied up, his tongue still numb from the effect of the drug.


    In the corner of the moldy, cramped room, a man sat in poise. His elegant suit and polished shoes contrasted immensely with the shabby area. "You''re awake?" He asked in a calm tone.


    Jiang Jinyan''s eyes grew sharp and wary. He gritted his teeth. "What do you want?!"


    "Please cooperate with me, Young Master Jiang. That is¡­" The corner of his lips curled into a cold, chilling smile. "...if you don''t want to die."


    "Si Zhening, you bastard!" Jiang Jinyan snarled and struggled to no avail. The ropes were so tight that the effort only caused his skin to be chaffed. Gradually, he calmed down albeit his chest was still undting rapidly. "Are you going to torture me slowly, cut my limbs off one by one and throw it in public ces?"


    "Who knows?" Si Zhening stood up and approached him. In his hand was a ck cloth. Jiang Jinyan scrambled back in reflex yet his back bumped against the wall. There was nowhere to hide in this narrow space. Si Zhening suddenly pounced forward and strangled his neck, his fingers exerting strength. When Jiang Jinyan gasped in response, he shoved the ck cloth into his mouth.


    Leaning forward, he stared down at the furious man with cold-blooded, inhuman eyes. "I''m tired of ying anymore. Before you die, let me tell you the truth."


    "Yes, I lured you out on purpose and yes¡­" He chuckled grimly. "I am the serial killer who kidnapped your little Shi Nian."


    Out of nowhere, he pulled out an ax from behind his back and under Jiang Jinyan''s widened eyes, swung it down forcefully.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: How many of you get your guess right? (£à?¡ä)¦·


    Sorry to have made you wait! Today we will have 5 chapters mass release! Thank you for your golden tickets muah!


    [1/5]

 Chapter 340 - I Will Take Care Of Him

    Twenty four hours had passed, Jiang Jinyan still hadn''t been found.


    As soon as Jiang Huocheng heard the news of his son''s disappearance, he flew back from the private ind and settled in the Capital.


    "Wee, CEO Jiang." Director Fen Huiguan came out of his office and greeted Jiang Huocheng personally. "Actually, there''s no need for CEO Jiang toe here in person. We will definitely do our best to find your son."


    Jiang Huocheng nodded curtly and made his way inside.


    "Please follow me to the office." Director Fen gestured politely.


    "No need." Jiang Huocheng refused in a firm tone. "I heard that there''s a special division which handle the serial murder case? I want to meet all of them."


    Director Fen''s smile stiffened. "But¡­Young Master Jiang''s case has nothing to do with the serial killer."


    Jiang Huocheng ignored him, his gaze flew past him toward the man behind. "There you are, Mr. Xu."


    Xu Binchen stepped forward. "CEO Jiang, it''s an honor to have you here."


    "Where should we talk?"


    "Wait a minute." The veins on Director Fen''s forehead popped up. "Mr. Xu, I believe that it''s inappropriate to let CEO Jiang enter the messy SCI''s office. How about¡ª"


    "It''s okay." Jiang Huocheng cut him off, an impatient frown on his face. "I know Mr. Xu in person and I trust his skill and capability. I won''t bother Director Fen any longer so you may return to your work."


    This was a tant dismissal! Worse, it was done in front of his subordinate!


    Xu Binchen kept his expression even as if he heard nothing.


    The corner of Director Fen''s lips twitched and he nodded slowly. "Then I will leave CEO Jiang in your hands, Mr. Xu." He patted Xu Binchen''s shoulder. "You should know what is the proper thing to do, right?"


    Xu Binchen resisted the urge to sneer and saluted. "Yes, sir." Turning to Jiang Huocheng, he bowed formally. "Let''s go to the conference room, CEO Jiang."


    Jiang Huocheng nodded and followed behind Xu Binchen. The two didn''t exchange a word until they arrived at the conference room where almost all of the SCI squad and General Crime Division members had been waiting.


    When Jiang Huocheng stepped in, everyone stood up and bowed. The atmosphere was unprecedentedly solemn and formal. As the man sat at the head of the table, everyone had the impression that this was apany meeting and they were the head divisions who were waiting to present the quarterly revenue to the Chairman.


    "Don''t be so formal, everyone." Jiang Huocheng said. "I''m only here because I want to hear your reports personally. I have received the gist from Mr. Xu. First, please tell me the connection between my secretary, Si Zhening, and this case."


    Everyone was taken aback. Jiang Huocheng knew about Si Zhening?


    "CEO Jiang." Jin Renguang cleared his throat. "May I ask if you''ve noticed something off about him?"


    "I know nothing." Jiang Huocheng frowned. "It''s because my son asked me personally that I started to have some doubts. Moreover, Jinyan disappeared right after he sent me the message."


    "Message? What message?"


    Jiang Huocheng directly gave Jin Renguang his personal phone. "Feel free to check it. If the estimated time of Jinyan''s disappearance is ording to what you''ve told me, then there''s a possibility that the one who sent the message wasn''t him at all."


    Jin Renguang passed the phone to Wang Chengbing.


    Thetter narrowed his eyes as he checked on it. "It''s a possibility. The time the message was sent coincided with the time when Jiang Jinyan''s location stopped at Jianshan Intersection. And you call him right at that time too."


    Ru Meiqi nodded. "In the first ce, it''s weird that he didn''t pick up the call and sent a message to brush off the topic when he''s the one who brought it up first. The possibility of it being sent by another person is 95%."


    Xu Binchen, who was silent, suddenly interjected. "Is it possible that Jiang Jinyan had sent something before his phone was thrown away?" When everyone''s eyes turned to him, he added. "Based on what I''ve known of him, he doesn''t seem like a careless person. I''m sure he must have left something behind in case anything happened to him."


    "That''s right!" Wang Chengbing pped his thigh, his eyes twinkled. He proceeded to type furiously on hisptop. "Hmm, on the surface, he didn''t send anything but let''s see if I can dig something¡­."


    He had had enough of being fooled¡ªby his own creation at that. Of course Wang Chengbing wouldn''t say it outright. He had gotten more alert after being tripped twice because of the product he sold to Jia Renyu.


    "Oh!" He paused, eyes widening. "...He did indeed send something."


    "What is it?"


    Wang Chengbing turned hisptop around. "An SOS message to Xu Binchen. On it was a location marked at a dessert shop to Jianshan Intersection."


    "Where is the dessert shop?" Xu Binchen stood up readily and dashed out after receiving an answer.


    In the meantime, Jin Renguang filled Jiang Huocheng in on the suspicion regarding Si Zhening. The more he spoke, the grimer Jiang Huocheng''s face became. Until the end, he massaged his brows and gave a sigh. "It''s such a shame. I really didn''t notice anything¡­ So that''s why I felt like I had heard Miss Shi''s name somewhere so it turns out she''s hospitalized at the same time as Jinyan that time."


    Jiang Huocheng tapped his fingers on the armchair, pondering. "You said that Director Fen might have colluded with Nan Cheng to hide the truth? Ha¡­ Nan Cheng, that asshole." He sneered and said coldly. "Detective Jin, you should do your job properly and don''t worry about unnecessary matters. About Nan Cheng, I will take care of him. More importantly, I wish to see my son unharmed."


    Jin Renguang let out a sigh of relief inwardly. Now that they had Jiang Huocheng on their side, the scale of power had finally reached an equilibrium.


    He let out a polite smile and nodded. "Of course, Sir. We shall do our best."


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: oh yeah, Daddy Jiang is on board! No one shall hurt his precious son! (©V?©V )


    [2/5]

 Chapter 341 - Hitting Two Birds With One Stone

    The dessert shop clerk strained her eyes to scrutinize the photograph. "Hmm¡­"


    "How is it?" Xu Binchen pressed more urgently. "Have you seen this car yesterday?"


    "Um¡­sorry, Sir." She shrunk her neck and peeked at Xu Binchen fearfully. "I am only a part-timer and it''s not my shift yesterday so I have no idea about it¡­"


    Xu Binchen frowned and demanded impatiently. "Then call whoever was in charge yesterday right now! Say that a person''s life is on the line if they take any longer!"


    "O¡ªOkay!" She almost burst into tears from how fierce and harsh Xu Binchen was. Lifting the phone with trembling hands, she bit her nails. "Come on,e on please answer¡­ah! Feng Yu, are you busy right now? Can you visit the shop right now? Yes, now¡­hmm¡­" She snuck some nces at Xu Binchen and lowered her voice into a whisper. "A handsome gangster is here. If you still want your life, then you''d bettere as soon as possible, alright?!"


    She wiped the sweat on her forehead and directed a ttering smile at Xu Binchen. "She''s on her way here right now, Sir."


    Xu Binchen grunted curtly and went outside to have a smoke. In the meantime, he kept Shi Nian updated and reassured her that Jiang Jinyan would be okay when in fact, he also felt restless. If this was an ordinary kidnapping, then why wasn''t there any call for ransom?


    Could Jiang Jinyan''s disappearance have something to do with the serial killer?


    Or could it be that this was all a trap and the real target was Shi Nian?


    Everything was possible. Xu Binchen inhaled the cigarette deeply and let the tobo warm his body and soothed his headache. He hadn''t slept for more than thirty six hours and the repercussions were starting to get into his head.


    [Xu Binchen]: After school ends, stay at home. Do you hear me? Your mother applied for a leave for a few days right?


    [Ten Years]: Hmm. She said that she will apany me until Jiang Jinyan has been found.


    [Ten Years]: Gege, be careful.


    Xu Binchen''s expression eased and he snuffed the cigarette. [Worry about yourself, brat.]


    After two more cigarettes, the person he was waiting for finally arrived. Feng Yu was the part-timer who was in charge yesterday. Xu Binchen directly showed her the photograph of the ck sedan. "Do you remember seeing this car yesterday?"


    Feng Yu snapped out of her daze after seeing Xu Binchen''s aggressively attractive face and hastily reached for the photograph. Her freckled face reddened ever so slightly and it took a moment for her to focus her sight, especially when Xu Binchen was intently staring at every change of her expression. "W¡ªWait a moment, please. This car¡­" Her eyes suddenly rounded. "Oh! This car!"


    Xu Binchen leaned forward in anticipation. "You''ve seen it?"


    "O¡ªOf course!" She stammered for a while. Turning to the other clerk, she eximed enthusiastically. "Do you still remember the guy I told youst night? The one that''s so handsome, elegant and polite like a British butler! Wait a moment, I seem to have snuck some pictures¡­"


    The frown in Xu Binchen''s forehead got deeper. "Handsome, elegant and polite man?" His jaws clenched as he took out his phone and scrolled to find Si Zhening''s pictures. "Is that him?"


    At the same time, Feng Yi showed the photo she took. "Here it is¡ªoh! It''s him! You have his pictures too! Do you know him?"


    Xu Binchen pushed back the chair and stood up. "Thank you very much for your cooperation." He said in a severe tone. "You will be rewarded immensely. Now, if you''ll excuse me." After leaving that sentence, he hastily left the shop, leaving behind only a harsh gust of wind on his wake.


    Feng Yu and the other clerk looked at each other, dumbfounded. Then, thetter suddenly blushed. Cupping her cheeks, she stammered. "Do you think this is like the story of a runaway bride and the president who chased after him?"


    "Oh, seriously!" Feng Yu cackled. "You just told me that he looks just like a gangster!"


    Xu Binchen got into his car and directly phoned Jin Renguang. "Captain." He said as soon as the call was connected. "I have got the evidence. The one who took Jiang Jinyan away is Si Zhening. Please give me an arrest warrant. I will go and catch him."


    ***


    Fen Huiguan pinched his brows as he waited for the call to go through. Restlessness and anxiety coursed through his veins and he suddenly got the feeling that everything wouldn''t go the way he had imagined it to be.


    Click. The call was finally answered. "Hello?"


    "CEO Nan, this is Fen Huiguan." He tried to hide how uneasy he was and spoke in a calm and even tone. "I''m sorry to bother you."


    Sighing, Nan Cheng replied. "What''s wrong? Haven''t I told you not to call me again?"


    "I apologize but there''s an unexpected development. You promised me that the serial killer will give himself away soon but you never told me that he will take such a risky path!"


    "What do you mean?"


    "He has taken CEO Jiang''s son hostage! Now, CEO Jiang has taken the matter into his own hands. Do you think we can still keep the matter under the rug?" The more Fen Huiguan said, the more apprehensive he became.


    Why, of all people, must it be Jiang Huocheng''s son?


    Jiang Huocheng''s reputation had spread far and wide. He was someone who abhorred bribery and sexual favors. In the business world where there''s a lot of shady deals, he mighte out as inflexible and dull, but his true capability suppressed those who talked bad about him. In the end, he managed to be a power that no one dared to consider lightly.


    Now that such a person had gotten involved, would everything still go as nned?


    The other side was silent for a while. "You said¡­the serial killer has caught Jiang Huocheng''s son?"


    "That''s right. Is that¡­part of your n too?"


    Nan Cheng chuckled. "No, I never expected it would turn out like this either. But actually, it''s better this way. From now on, you must assist your subordinates and give your full cooperation. As long as Si Yusheng has been eliminated, everything will proceed smoothly. Not only will you catch the serial killer, I can also teach Jiang Huocheng a lesson. We''re hitting two birds with one stone."


    Fen Huiguan was bewildered. He couldn''t understand how making this matter explode was good in any way. Exactly what was Nan Cheng thinking about? The more he tried toprehend it, the more uneasy he became.


    Since when did this uneasiness appear? Was it the moment when they dug out eighteen unknown corpses from the basement wall? Or was it when Dreamscape Bar''s yacht capsized and Si Yusheng got hospitalized?


    But he had made sure that nothing could track it back to him. His spy also confirmed that Si Yusheng had died due to dyed treatment. Even if Jin Renguang started to suspect him, there was no evidence anyway so he could do nothing about that.


    Everything was going smoothly but¡­why did he still feel unsettled?


    "Alright." He nodded in resignation. "I have done as you said. That''s why, my son''s matter¡­you will make Jia Renyu pay for it, right?"


    "Yes." Nan Cheng affirmed. "I heard that there are unknown corpses you''ve found along with illegal ammunition? You may charge all of it on Jia Renyu''s head. Once you do, Jia Renyu can''t escape from a death penalty."


    "You''re right." Just the mention of his son was enough to disperse Fen Huiguan''s doubt. What did he hesitate for? He had vowed¡ªever since he found his son''s badly mangled corpse, his innocent son who was only caught in the mafia''s tussle¡­he had vowed to let Jia Renyu pay for it.


    This was the only way, he reassured himself. He couldn''t bring Jia Renyu to jail just based on legal measures. There was no other choice. He had to resort to these kinds of dirty tricks he hated the most.


    "Once the corpses have been identified, I will directly send out an arrest warrant to Jia Renyu''s doorsteps." Fen Huiguan said with conviction.


    "Good. I will help you from behind the scenes."


    Fen Huiguan leaned back on his chair, an unprecedented sense of exhaustion enveloped him. "Thank you, CEO Nan."


    "It''s a win-win cooperation. Make sure not to call me anymore. Farewell, Director Fen." Click. The call was hung up afterward.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Director Fen and Nan Cheng still have no idea that Si Yusheng is still alive ¦×(£à?¡ä)¦× please wait for it~


    [3/5]

 Chapter 342 - I Will Be Waiting For You Here

    Three dayster, there was still no news of Jiang Jinyan''s whereabouts.


    The missing person report was broadcasted throughout the entire country. If anybody had seen him or could give any crucial information to the police, they would be rewarded immensely by CEO Jiang Huocheng of Jiang Corporation.


    And along with the missing person report, a photo of the main suspect was also being spread far and wide. Everyone couldn''t believe that such a sophisticated, elegant man could be the culprit.


    Nowadays, the news about Jiang Jinyan and Si Zhening could be seen everywhere. Their faces were recognized nationwide, even rivaling top actors in the entertainment industry. The discussion even got into the first trending topic in Weib8 with all kinds of rich people''s conspiracies popping up here and there.


    Along with it, Jiang Jinyan''s history as an athlete was dug out once again. But instead of any ck materials, they were full of praises andpliments of how talented CEO Jiang''s son was and how unfortunate it was for him to have gotten himself into a car ident. Now, they prayed that he would be found soon.


    Once Jiang Jinyan''s true identity as a Young Master was exposed, the wind started to change its direction. Even the old matter of how Qing Si talked bad about him in Sangzhe University''s seminar was gossiped about, earning the former a worse reputation.


    The missing case of CEO Jiang''s son not only attracted the sport enthusiasts and melon seed eating followers but also the economic section. In the end, it even got into the national news channel.


    Outside, the atmosphere was filled with the jolly of uing Christmas while the police station was akin to a house burned in the pit of fire when the higher ups gave the ultimatum that they had to prioritize the case and catch the culprit as soon as possible.


    Shi Nian weed a snowy Saturday and brushed her teeth absentmindedly. The calendar atop of the table circled around today''s date, 22nd December. Just three more days until Christmas¡­


    Today was supposed to be their date. She had even discussed it with Jiang Jinyan excitedly. First, they would meet up after Shi Nian''s school ended. Then they would get ice cream from the ice cream van that usually settled near the school on weekends. The most important thing to do was to look around for gifts; she would give one to Jiang Huocheng while he would do the same to Qiang Fei.


    Just a few days ago, they were still so happy and blissful while talking about that¡­


    Tears blurred Shi Nian''s vision and she hastily bent down to spit out the toothpaste and ssh her face with bitingly icy water. The face that was reflected on the mirror was anything but beautiful. Haggard look, deep eyebags, swollen eyes, pale skin¡­


    Nausea crept up her stomach and she grabbed onto the sink and retched a few times. Yet all that came out was only sour, stomach acid.


    Shi Nian''s throat constricted painfully and her temples throbbed in pain. Red veins spread around her sclera. Her appearance was akin to a patient who suffered from terminal illness. How horrendous¡­


    For the past three days, she could only sleep for less than six hours in total. In her dreams, the image of Jiang Jinyanying in a pool of blood would show up everytime without fail.


    In the end, she got too scared to even close her eyes. The days felt painfully long and the yearning became more vivid during the night when nothing apanied her besides the memory of his smiles and warmth.


    When she awoke due to the nightmares, the fact that he was missing would p her harshly on the face. She missed him so much¡­too much that she was willing to sacrifice anything so that she could see him when she opened her eyes the next time. Curling into the nket, she cried herself to sleep.


    "Jinyan¡­" Teardrops fell onto the sink one after another. Mumbling, she sniffled quietly. "Where are you? Come back soon, okay? If you take any longer, I¡­"


    ¡ªShe was afraid that she wouldn''t be able to bear it anymore.


    pping her cheeks twice to add more colors to it, Shi Nian rposed herself and proceeded to put on her school uniform robotically.


    Even when she tried hard not to let it show on her face, Qiang Fei''s eyes were full of concern when she saw her. "Niannian¡­" The woman had taken a few days off since Jiang Jinyan disappeared so she was currently wearing afy sweater at home. Two bowls of piping hot meat congee were served on the table. "Come here and eat first."


    Shi Nian nced at the warm porridge and slowly shook her head. "I don''t feel hungry, Mama."


    Qiang Fei revealed a helpless look. "How can you not feel hungry?" She pressed Shi Nian down to the chair. "Eat a few spoonfuls, okay? Just to pad your stomach."


    Shi Nian couldn''t win against Qiang Fei''s stubbornness and resigned herself to fate, stuffing spoonful after spoonful of porridge into her mouth nkly. She could taste nothing but still stered on a smile. "Hmm, it''s delicious."


    Qiang Fei''s heart ached so much for her. "If you''re not well, how about taking a day off from school? It''s Sunday tomorrow anyway¡­"


    Shi Nian shook her head. "It''s okay. There''s an important review today." If she spent her time at home moping around, it backfired instead as she would feel all the more miserable. It''s better to bury herself into doing practice papers.


    Letting out a sigh, Qiang Fei didn''t insist anymore. "Mama will be home all day. What do you want to eat for dinner? Mama will cook everything Niannian wants."


    "Hmm¡­" Shi Nian pretended to think deeply. "I can''t think of anything. Everything Mama cooks is delicious."


    "Oh, you." Qiang Fei chuckled briefly. Looking at her daughter''s paleplexion, she reached out and patted her head, distressed. "It''s okay. Don''t worry too much. He will be okay."


    The touch on her head was warm and soothing. She hung her head lower so that Qiang Fei wouldn''t be able to see her reddened eyes. "When I disappearedst year, did Mama also feel this way?" She murmured quietly.


    She was already on the brink of copsing after Jiang Jinyan disappeared for less than a week.


    On the other hand, she¡­she was missing for three months. How devastated was Qiang Fei back then?


    "Hmm? What did you say?"


    "No, nothing." Sniffling, she finished the porridge and gave her mother a smile. "The porridge is very delicious. Thank you, Mama." Afterward, she grabbed her backpack and made her way to the door. "I will leave first!"


    "Okay, be careful on the road! Mama will prepare lots of delicious food for you, okay?"


    "Okay!"


    That''s right, she couldn''t keep being like this. Cheer up, Shi Nian! You have to be strong! No matter what, she was Jiang Jinyan''s girlfriend. He would be disappointed if he returned one day and found her all weak and feeble like this.


    Shi Nian clenched her fists and reassured herself.


    Everything would be okay.


    Jiang Jinyan would be fine. He was General Jiang after all!


    ***


    In the police station.


    A parcel was sent to their doorstep early in the morning. The recipient of it was the Special Crime Investigation Squad. It was delivered by a legal shippingpany and the sender address was left nk. Moreover, the delivery man insisted that he could only give the parcel to SCI Squad''s member. No matter how one looked at it, it was very, very suspicious.


    Everyone crowded around it, eyes trained on the parcel warily as if it could explode at any time.


    "Have you scanned it?" Jin Renguang asked in a grave tone.


    "Yes, there''s no dangerous substances, explosive materials or bombs. It''s safe for us to open it." Ke Shao answered. "In fact, it''s too light to even contain anything. What could this be¡­"


    The more harmless it looked like, the more doubtful they became. Who would send something to their squad amidst this perilous situation? Was this a fucking Christmas gift?!


    "Does this possibly have something to do with Jiang Jinyan''s disappearance?" Someone asked.


    "Whatever it is," Xu Binchen grabbed the parcel under multiple gasps and shocked exmations then used a cutter to open it. "We have to open it to know."


    Wang Chengbing even distanced himself and closed his eyes in case there was blood or animal carcass in it. Unexpectedly, the ruckus instantly subsided after Xu Binchen ripped open the parcel.


    "What is it?" He asked with his eyes still shut firmly. "For God''s sake, why are you all so quiet?!"


    He cracked open his eyes and saw a small round thing in Xu Binchen''s hand.


    "It''s a¡­CD?"


    Xu Binchen inserted it into the nearestputer. Everyone scrambled around it, a nervous and somber look on their faces.


    There was nothing inside except for a short, one minute video. Xu Binchen clicked to y it.


    At first, the background was totally ck for a few seconds.


    "What the hell is this?" Tang Wei pushed up his sses and frowned. Looking closer, he gasped in shock. "Ah! That¡ªIs that a¡­butterfly?!"


    The dark screen slowly brightened, overlooking an ordinary brick wall. However, on that wall, a huge butterfly was drawn in red. The thick crimson liquid trickled down, making the innocent image look bizarre and hideous.


    "Is it blood¡­?" Wang Chengbing''s breath stuttered.


    The video brightened even more and they could finally see a cramped space with walls made of bricks. And sitting on the ground was the figure they had been looking for since days ago.


    With his head hung low and messy hair dampened with blood covering his face, Jiang Jinyan sat there with multiple cuts on his body that were both garish and terrifying. His handsid limply by his sides.


    "Fuck, is that Jiang Jinyan?!"


    "It''s him¡­"


    They broke out in cusses. Jin Renguang snatched the screen closer and scrutinized it deeper. Barely sighing in relief, he murmured. "He''s still alive¡­"


    "Who sent this video?! Is it that bastard Si Zhening?!


    "How dare he?! This insolent son of a bitch!"


    "This is a tant provocation! What should we do now?!"


    If not for Jiang Jinyan''s faintly undting chest, they would also think that it was already toote. However, with this kind of severe wounds, how much longer would he hold on?


    A rustle sounded, followed by Si Zhening''s emotionless voice. "If you don''t want him to die,e and save him." A timer appeared on the corner, counting down 23 hours 59 minutes and 56 seconds. "You have one day left. If you fail¡­I will kill him."


    "I will be waiting for you here."


    Then the screen turned ck.


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    A/N:


    [4/5]

 Chapter 343 - Come On, Follow Me

    "Tang Wei, Wang Chengbing, process the video and try to see if you can find something to deduce the location." Jin Renguangmanded. "Xu Binchen and Ke Shao, go to Si Zhening''s apartment right now and find whatever clues there are. I will go to Director Fen to ask permission to acquire weapons. The rest of you, prepare yourself. We have to move as fast as possible. Go, go, go!"


    "YES, SIR!"


    Xu Binchen''s jaws were clenched tight throughout the journey as he drove the police car like a sports car. Ke Shao held tightly to the handlebar and mped his mouth shut. Sirens red out loudly, the sound wrecking and suspenseful. A few times, they even scraped against other cars. The whole scene didn''t lose out to genuine racing in the Fast and Furious movie.


    When they arrived in front of Si Zhening''s apartment less than half an hourter, the car acquired a few indents and scratches, as well as a poor passenger whose stomach was turned upside down.


    Ke Shao stumbled out and retched a few times. "You¡­crazy bastard! You ran through the red lights twice!"


    Xu Binchen mmed the door shut. "I will pay the fer."


    Ke Shao rolled his eyes and chased after Xu Binchen who had made his way to the security post.


    Seeing the police car, the security guard ran out, flustered. "He¡ªHello! May I ask what matter do these two police officers came here for?"


    Xu Binchen brushed past him and ran inside.


    "Please make way!" Ke Shao eximed loudly as he shed his police badge. "We''re apprehending a criminal!"


    The security guard uncle was dumbfounded for a moment before he hastily grabbed the metal baton inside the post. "Wait for me!"


    Three people sprinted inside one after another. The security guard uncle halted when he arrived at the second floor, panting while propping his hands on his knees. "Which floor is it?!"


    Ke Shao''s voice echoed from above. "Fifth!"


    ncing around, he opted to take the empty elevator instead. When he got to the fifth floor sessfully, the two police officers had stopped in front of a door, banging on it fiercely. "Si Zhening, we are the police! Open the door at this instant!"


    "Mr. Si?!" The security guard called out in shock. "It''s him?!"


    Xu Binchen barely broke into a sweat from running five flights of stairs. Hearing the guard''s words, he rushed forward and demanded urgently. "You know him?!"


    "Y¡ªYes!" He took a few steps back and stammered out. "Mr. Si always leaves for work and returns at the same time so it makes an impression on me. However, these past few days, I haven''t seen him around!"


    "You didn''t see the news?!" Ke Shao groaned in frustration. "He''s a fucking criminal, okay?"


    The guard was appalled, colors draining from his face. "My TV is brokentely so I haven''t seen the news¡­ Oh my God, so that''s why he hasn''t returned for four days! I counted it because Mr. Si always returns at 6 pm on the dot."


    "So he''s not at home¡­" Ke Shao rubbed his chin and sighed. "That''s as expected. If he''s at home, I will definitelymend his prowess and audacity."


    In the next second, the two officer''s eyes turned to the guard simultaneously, gleaming and sly like a fox. Goosebumps instantly formed on the guard''s arms and he stumbled back a few steps. "W¡ªWhat do you want?!"


    Five minutester, the door to Si Zhening''s apartment room was broken open. The security guard stepped in gingerly. "Is it okay if we break in just like that? Don''t you need to give me something like an arrest warrant?"


    However, his words were ignored as the other two were already preupied with prowling around the space. "I say¡­" Ke Shaoughed incredulously. "Is this really his home? There''s nothing here except for a bookshelf and a bed! Where''s his closet? He doesn''t change his clothes at all?!"


    Xu Binchen frowned and circled around the ce twice. The entire room could be seen in one nce. The kitchen was squeaky clean as if it hadn''t been used before and the refrigerator only contained a few bottles of mineral water. The bed near the window was neat and tidy, no creases were found on the mattress.


    The space was absolutely devoid of warmth and any sign of living beings.


    ¡­Well, maybe except for the bookshelf. The huge assortment of books were the only thing that could exin its owner''s temperament.


    Xu Binchen walked toward the shelf and inspected it.


    His head throbbed in pain. It''s pleasant to see if one arranged their books neatly, but when one was so obsessed to the point of separating it by genres and assorting them by alphabets and colors, it became a bizarre and freakish sight instead.


    "Holy¡­" Ke Shao swallowed. "How much of an OCD is he? Miss Ru is right. He''s one hell of a psychopath, alright?"


    The bookshelf almost took over the entire wall. Starting from economics, history, geography to literature, psychology and cooking, Si Zhening practically owned a mini library in his house.


    Xu Binchen massaged his brows and sighed. Where should he start to look? In the back of his mind, the 24 hours countdown and Jiang Jinyan''s bloody state repeated again and again. He shook his head to sober himself up. Think, Binchen, think. You have to save him before the time''s up.


    "Umm¡­what are you looking for, if I may ask?" The guard probed carefully. "I will help you if I can."


    Ke Shao spread his hands around. "Search around to see whether there''s anything that can lead us to where he''s hiding now."


    "Okay!"


    Ke Shao approached Xu Binchen who was staring intently at the bookshelf as if he could drill holes through it. "What''s wrong? Is there something in it?"


    Xu Binchen pondered deeply. "The house has nothing except for these little things. Most of it is books. If he wants to hide something, don''t you think the best ce to hide it is here?"


    "You''re right¡­" An idea popped up in Ke Shao''s mind and he rolled up his sleeves. "Then what are you waiting for?! Let''s knock this whole thing down!"


    The more he thought about it, the more brilliant his idea was. No matter how Si Zhening tried to hide it, there must be something that gave him away between those books!


    He had just grabbed the shelves when a voice suddenly came from the doorway. "What¡­are you doing?"


    Turning around in shock, Ke Shao found a young, quite handsome man with ck rimmed sses who looked stern and upright. "Are you a tenant? What are you doing here? Can''t you see we''re busy? Go, go¡ª"


    "Jia Ming''en?" Xu Binchen, who came to check the situation, uttered the man''s name in surprise. "What are you doing here?"


    "Huh? Do you know him? Wait¡­Jia Ming''en?" Ke Shao frowned and sized the man up and down. "I have heard that name before¡­"


    "Are you looking for Si Zhening?" He suddenly asked.


    Xu Binchen nodded. "Do you know where he is?"


    Jia Ming''en was silent for a while. Behind those sses were eyes filled with a kind of resignation and loss that came from deep within his soul. He looked just like an abandoned child.


    "I don''t. But if there''s someone who can bring you to any possible ces he might be, I''m the one." Sensing their doubts, he added. "I am on your side. After all, Jiang Jinyan is my junior in university and Si Zhening¡­" He sighed and turned his head away. "Come on, follow me."


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    A/N: Here it is for today''s mass release! I might release another on Christmas Eve as a gift for all of you! Oh and also, I didn''t expect that the time will coincide with real life lol, what an exciting Christmas they have (?????)


    [5/5]

 Chapter 344 - Me Too, Renguang

    "This is thest ce." Jia Ming''en said inside the car with hardly any change in his expression.


    They were in an old residentialplex which had been abandoned for quite long. The building was constructed in a tube shape and the prolonged desertion had caused the yard to be filled with wild grass and overgrown bushes. It was so old that the paint had peeled off and moss grew rampant on every corner.


    "Are you sure?" Xu Binchen asked.


    He nodded quietly. "Actually, Si Zhening is a very systematic person. Once you recognize his habit, you will be able to figure him out easily. He won''t do anything without preparation and¡­this is the most suitable ce." Jia Ming''en pointed toward a direction. "That''s the entrance to the basement. Si Zhening used to live there before he joined my father''s group."


    Ke Shao repeated incredulously. "Si Zhening used to live here?" He looked at the shabbyplex once again, unable to believe his ears. "Here?"


    "What''s so surprising about it? I never heard him talk about his family. He has always been alone." Jia Ming''en shrugged. "Unused basements like this are cheap so it''s suitable for people who struggled economically. Sometimes, you don''t even have to pay the rent because practically nobody wants to live there. It''s dark, cramped and moldy. The air is stench with a rotten odor and water will drip down from below."


    Xu Binchen recalled how Si Zhening wasn''t registered in the Si Family and guessed that there was more than what meets the eye. Based on Si Yusheng''s statement, Si Zhening only ever interacted with Si Qingzhao so it''s no wonder that he lived astray once the woman died.


    Still, it was kind of hard to believe that such a sophisticated person like Si Zhening¡ªwho looked like he would drive a limousine around¡ªhad once lived in such a dirty ce.


    What about his OCD? Or¡­did everything start from here?


    "Where are you going?" Ke Shao''s voice snapped Xu Binchen out of his thoughts. He lifted his head to see Jia Ming''en already wrapped himself with a scarf and opened the door.


    "I''m done here." He deadpanned. "If you want to catch him, then feel free to do so. I¡­don''t want to see it when that happens."


    Ke Shao sneered. "Funnying from the person who brought us here."


    Jia Ming''en acted as if he heard nothing and proceeded to leave.


    "Wait." Xu Binchen suddenly called out. Jia Ming''en turned his head sideways and raised one of his brows. "Why do you know so much about him?" The man asked.


    Jia Ming''en was taken aback by that question and fell silent for a while. "Well¡­just because." After leaving that sentence, he turned around and left for real without looking back.


    "What''s with that boy?" Ke Shao grumbled. "Do you trust him? Would he be so kind as to guide us to the right ce? What if he colluded with that bastard Si Zhening to trap us here?"


    Xu Binchen looked at the young man''s back who was almost swallowed by the pure whitendscape. He drifted further and further¡­until the end, what could be seen was only a ck dot far in the distance. Xu Binchen couldn''t help thinking that he looked especially¡­lonely and deste.


    He shook his head slowly. "I don''t think so. Come on, we should report back to Captain Jin and formte some ns."


    Xu Binchen scanned the surroundings for thest time and turned the car around.


    The overcast sky encased the bleak and barren residentialplex,pelling a gloomy premonition to whoever saw it. The whole scene looked like a prelude to a fateful and cmitous showdown, one that would change their lives forever.


    Countdown until the time''s up: 21 hours 44 minutes 32 seconds.


    ***


    "So, the ces he might be at are¡­" Jin Renguang circled the two locations on the map spread above the table. "His former junior high school and the old residentialplex. Both ces have been deserted for at least five years. Based on the video, the ce Jiang Jinyan was detained in is a dark, cramped space with brick walls. If what Jia Ming''en said was true, then the possibility of him being in theplex''s basement is more palpable."


    Everyone nodded whereas Ke Shao was still grumbling. "We''re searching for Si Zhening and coincidentally, some dude popped up and brought us to where he is. Don''t you think it''s too much of a coincidence?"


    "It''s not a coincidence."


    Ke Shao turned to Wang Chengbing who had just spoken. "What do you mean?"


    "Jia Ming''en. That''s him, right?" He turned hisptop screen around to show Ke Shao the CCTV footage of Jia Ming''en perching on his motorcycle under the snowy weather. "Ever since the wanted poster of Si Zhening was spread, he has been lurking around Si Zhening''s house, presumably wanting to catch him red handed."


    "Damn¡­" Ke Shao rubbed his arms. "Is he a stalker then?!"


    Wang Chengbing rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to Jin Renguang who had started to give out orders. "We will form two teams. First, Ke Shao and Xu Binchen, you two will lead Team 1 to check out Si Zhening''s junior high. Wang Chengbing, assist them. First, we will observe to see whether there''s any sign of him around. Remember, don''t alert anyone. As soon as you confirm the news, share it to others through our channel''s walkie talkie. Team 2, we will stand by near the residentialplex and wait for Team 1''s report. If Si Zhening is indeed in theplex, then everyone will gather there at once and we will break through from both sites. Understand?"


    "YES, SIR!"


    Xu Binchen, Ke Shao and Wang Chengbing saluted then proceeded to rush toward the junior high school. The weapons and bulletproof vests had been prepared and they had received Director Fen''s full approval thus everything went down smoothly.


    Before leaving, Jin Renguang stopped by his office and carried out his usual habit. First, water his nts and tidy up the messy folders. Then, made sure that his will was ced atop of his table where his subordinates would find it easily in case something unexpected happened to him.


    "Must you do this?" Ru Meiqi''s voice came from the doorway. The woman had his hair pulled up into a tight bun and tightbat suit enveloping her curves and edges as she leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed over her chest.


    "It''s a habit." Jin Renguang frowned. "Are you reallying with us?"


    She straightened up and said in a serious tone. "Captain Jin, I am also part of your team."


    Jin Renguang fixed his stare on her, myriads of indescribable emotions shed through his eyes. In the end, every sentiment he hadn''t had the chance to express ended with a single chuckle.


    "You''re right." No matter if it was five years ago or now, he knew that he wouldn''t be able to change her mind. That''s how stubborn she was and he loved that about her. "But I have high expectations toward myrades."


    A smile formed on her lips, eyes twinkling in determination. "I know."


    Jin Renguang approached her slowly, his pace slow andposed yet it also seemed like he would suddenly pounce and do something totally unexpected. Ru Meiqi gulped inaudibly and fixed her eyes ahead.


    The atmosphere outside the door was a full blown chaos. Yet in Jin Renguang''s eyes, only her silhouette was reflected vividly as if she was the only thing he could see. And perhaps, that''s also the truth.


    In the end, when he passed by, his fingers reached out to hook against hers lightly, teasing yet also contained a hint of affection. "Qiqi¡­" He whispered. "After the case is solved, there''s something I want to tell you."


    Ru Meiqi froze and it wasn''t until Jin Renguang turned to face her did she snap out of her senses. Her heart beat furiously inside her chest. Whether it was nervousness or anticipation, she couldn''t ascertain.


    "Me too¡­" She murmured in a low voice., eyshes quivering. "Me too, Renguang."


    They had so much to talk about, so many to catch up on. After everything ended, they could finally sit down and have a proper conversation; a deep, heart-to-heart talk.


    That''s why¡­they had to end this soon.


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    A/N: Sorry for thete update! I''m so happy to see you specte your doubts in thement section. What I can say is.... no spoiler fufufu. Everything will fall in ce soon so please wait for it~

 Chapter 345 - Everything Doesnt Match

    Based on initial investigation, there wasn''t any sign of activity around the old residentialplex. It was located close to the suburb where there were only a few roadside stalls and shabby restaurants around. The road leading to that ce was undeveloped and because their entire parade looked too eye-catching, they could only stop far in the distance and dispatched people there.


    After a while of asking around, they got no answer either. Nobody was spotted near theplex¡ªor to be exact, the citizens didn''t care enough to take notice of it. However, when Si Zhening''s photograph was shown, they had some reactions; the majority was shocked and surprised because Si Zhening had changed drastically from the boy in their memories.


    "Isn''t he the student who lived in the basement in thatplex there?"


    "Oh, I remember him. He used to buy breakfast from my ce everyday. There was one time when hecked a few cents to buy even a bun. I saw that he was so pitiful so I gave him a few extra more."


    "Nah, it''s been a long time. Who would return to this kind of ce? If you didn''t remind me, I would have forgotten all about him. It''s good that he has grown up well."


    "Speaking of it, why are you looking for him? Did something happen?"


    "That''s all they know, Sir." The subordinate reported to Jin Renguang. "It doesn''t seem like they were lying."


    Jin Renguang sat crossed leg on the back of the van, head buried into his notes. He hummed without looking up. "Good work. Go back and be on standby."


    "Yes, sir!" The officer saluted and closed the door behind him. The entire team was out on stake andbed for possible ces to hide at the same time, leaving Jin Renguang and Ru Meiqi inside the van. The former was busy sorting something while thetter actually didn''t have to tag along but still insisted. Thus, she opted to be Captain Jin''s assistant instead.


    However, she was getting bored of waiting. Cupping her cheeks, she asked for the third time. "You really don''t need my help?"


    "No." Jin Renguang answered helplessly. "You only need to sit still and be pretty."


    Ru Meiqi scoffed. "Since when did you be so cheesy? What are you looking at anyway?"


    Jin Renguang finally yielded under the woman''s stubbornness and shared his notes. The pages were filled with scribbles. Fortunately, Jin Renguang''s handwriting was neat, upright and straight; just like he was. Her eyes skimmed through it. "Lei Liqiu''s puzzle and¡­the website? Which website are you talking about here?"


    "Don''t you remember? The one that Wang Chengbing found with the username @kmeulchian5862 in it."


    Ru Meiqi nodded in realization. Frowning, she asked. "Why are you mulling about this again? Hasn''t everything been sorted out?"


    "Has it?" His lips curled into a wry smile. "As far as I know, the only thing we got from it was Yu Chuan who was used by the serial killer to drop the body part in public ces. But who is the one behind this username, what''s his motive, his modus operandi, we know nothing about it. Remember when I made use of Yu Chuan to pull the culprit out and he bailed on me at thest minute? Up to now, I still can''t fathom what gave me away."


    Ru Meiqi was stunned. So, he had been thinking about this matter until now? "I have no idea it bothered you this much."


    The man nodded, his eyes focused on the notes. "Much more than I expected. I can''t shake the gut feeling that there''s something I have overlooked. Something very, very important." He made arge red circle on the word ''kmeulchian5862''. "If I ce Si Zhening in the serial killer''s position, his motive for killing is unclear. If he only wants to take revenge on Nan Cheng, there''s no need to kill thirteen people, isn''t there? Moreover, recall kmeulchian5862''s tone when he replied to posts in the website; provocative, ironic and mocking. Then, recall when we sketched that childish sun on the maps to deduce the next location he would throw the body parts to."


    Slowly, he lifted his eyes to meet Ru Meiqi, dark and apprehensive. "Everything doesn''t match with Si Zhening''s character. If, as you had said¡ªhe truly has Alexithymia¡ªdon''t you think that the past behavior the serial killer showed has too much ''emotions'' in it?"


    Ru Meiqi''s expression was nk as Jin Renguang''s words slowly registered in her mind.


    Everything didn''t match.


    The serial killer''s motive, his tendency to challenge the police by showing off his victims as well as the crazy, psychopathic way of his killing. "You mean¡­"


    "Kmeulchian5862¡­" Jin Renguang scribbled on his notes and murmured under his breath. "Wang Chengbing has used a lot of algorithms to figure out what this username means. However, what if the serial killer also used a childish way to fool us? There is no pattern, no algorithm, no special arrangement at all. What if¡­this is a tant way for him to tell us his identity?"


    "Wait, slow down." Ru Meiqi held his hand. "Look at me, Renguang. Take a deep breath and focus. Do you know what you look like right now?"


    Crack! Jin Renguang snapped the pen into two with his bare fist. "I¡­" He reached out to touch his own face and only realized that he had been grinning maniacally. His pupils dted and he took in a shaky breath. "...Am I getting too carried away again?"


    "Yes." Ru Meiqi let out a sigh of relief. "It''s good that you havee to your senses. Let''s think slowly, alright?"


    Jin Renguang buried his face into his palms and heaved a long sigh. "I''m sorry." He rubbed his face roughly and when he blinked again, his face had returned to the usual stern and somber look. "I shouldn''t be distracted. The most important thing right now is to apprehend Si Zhening and rescue Jiang Jinyan as soon as possible."


    "You''re right." Ru Meiqi gave him a smile. "Renguang, I say if¡­if Si Zhening isn''t here then¡ª"


    "Captain!" An excited voice came through from the walkie talkie. "There''s a garbage collector who lives around here. He said that when he collected a few junks in this area a few days ago, he saw a person who looked like Si Zhening!"


    Jin Renguang and Ru Meiqi nced at each other. Finally, the first crucial clue popped up!


    In a timely manner, Team 1 who scouted Si Zhening''s junior high school reported back. "Captain, we have finished scouring the area. There''s no sign of Si Zhening and Jiang Jinyan. This is definitely not the ce."


    "Alright." Jin Renguang answered. "Gather here immediately. We will proceed to break in as fast as possible."


    "Yes, sir!"


    Jin Renguang closed his notes and reassembled the gun. He offered Ru Meiqi a dauntless smirk. "Are you ready, Officer Ru?"


    Ru Meiqi caught the gun he threw and strapped it toward the holster around her waist. She returned with the same provocative smile. "Right back at you, Captain Jin."


    Countdown until the time''s up: 17 hours 45 minutes 20 seconds.


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    .


    A/N: A familiar username is brought up again. Kmeulchian5862, what kind of secret is hiding behind this username?

 Chapter 346 - Why Arent You Answering The Phone?

    Xu Binchen took off his bulletproof vest and leaned on the car, his breath still came out uneven. He shivered intermittently due to the cold weather. The sweat caused his body to be sticky and his damp hair even wetter. Although he wasn''t a mysophobic, he really wished to hop into a warm shower right at this moment.


    s, the day was still long, he sighed tiredly.


    The junior high school wasn''t the ce. They had broken through every room that could be used for detainment yet found no trace of Jiang Jinyan or Si Zhening. Afterward, they had to go through the usual procedures and paid a visit to the local provincial government so that the act wouldn''t go back and bite them in the ass one day.


    Sucking on a nutrient bar, he pulled out his phone, disregarding the chaos around and let Ke Shao deal with the aftermath instead.


    He tapped on WeChat and opened the contact that was pinned on top.


    [Xu Binchen]: Everything is going well. We already got some crucial clues. On the way to rescue him.


    [Ten Years]: !!!!!! cry.jpg cry.jpg cry.jpg


    [Ten Years]: Thank you, Binchen Gege. Can you please¡­inform me as soon as you find him?


    [Xu Binchen]: Alright


    That was thest of their conversation this morning when Xu Binchen was on the way here. He looked at the time on the corner of the screen. 5.10 pm. She should have left school by now, he calcted.


    [Xu Binchen]: How is your day?


    [Xu Binchen]: Let me know if you''ve arrived home.


    [Xu Binchen]: I don''t wish to see another brat get into an ident under my watch.


    He finished the nutrient bar and proceeded to pour mineral water over his head. The icy freshness reced the gross stickiness, making him feel a tad better. Albeit a little too biting for his own good. Maybe that''s why his stomach felt ufortable.


    Why was Ke Shao taking so long to finish this kind of meager task? He grumbled and went to search for him. Even from a distance, he could hear Ke Shao''s frustrated howl as he argued with someone.


    "I have said it twice before that this is an official, urgent matter! Did you not watch the news about CEO Jiang''s son''s disappearance? We are currently chasing after the perpetrator!"


    "What is going on here?" Xu Binchen approached in a foul mood.


    As if finding a backing, Ke Shaoined ceaselessly. "This elder here said that we have made a mess out of the sacred ceremonial ce of his God so he demands me topensate him. I have told him again and again that we are an official team from the police." He shoved his police badge into the elderly man''s face. "Do you see this? I am a police officer, for God''s sake!"


    The elderly man''s hair and beard was white all over and his hunched back trembled as he spoke. Still, he argued recklessly. "God will be angry at you! God won''t be merciful toward the ignorant! You''d better ask for forgiveness before disaster befalls you!"


    "Hear that?" Ke Shao pointed at his temple with an incredulous expression. "He''s insane¡­"


    Xu Binchen winched lightly as a small, needle-like pain suddenly stabbed his stomach. "What do you want?" He asked the elderly man coldly.


    "You should ask for forgiveness! Everything will be toote when God is furious with you!"


    Xu Binchen endured the difort and grabbed his wallet, pulling out a stack of hundred yuan notes. "Is this enough?"


    The old man showed a bbergasted expression, presumably hadn''t seen this much amount of money before.


    Running out of his patience, Xu Binchen pulled Ke Shao away. "Come on. We should go right now."


    "R¡ªRight¡­" Ke Shao snapped out of his daze and stumbled along. "Damn, you gave him so much money, you rich bastard! You''d better treat me to dinner after this!"


    The two men had long legs and their strides were wide. Thus in a blink of an eye, they had entered the police car, leaving the dumbfounded old man behind. Furious, he threw the money to the ground and stomped his foot, cursing even when the police car had driven away.


    "Young, ignorant fools! Disaster¡­Disaster will befall you!"


    Ke Shao peeked at the rearview mirror and clicked his tongue. "Crazy old man. Who still believes in this kind of thing nowadays?"


    "Is that really okay?" Wang Chengbing asked nervously from the back seat. "You never know¡­ Maybe what he said was real? Damn it, why do I have to hear this kind of thing today? It really left a bad taste in my mouth. Right, Binchen?"


    "You''re too religious" Ke Shao shook his head exasperatedly. Hearing no response from the other side, he nced at Xu Binchen and was shocked to find his sweaty and pale face. "Hey, are you feeling unwell?!"


    Xu Binchen didn''t take his eyes off the phone and sent another message to Shi Nian. "What''s wrong?"


    "You¡­Don''t you realize?" Ke Shao stopped at the road side. "You''re sweating buckets, dude."


    Xu Binchen grabbed the tissue and wiped his face. "It''s only water."


    Wang Chengbing popped his head forward and simrly had a surprised look. "Are you sure you''re okay?"


    "Yeah¡­" Xu Binchen pressed on his stomach and gritted his teeth. "It seems like I have eaten something not good yesterday. Anyway, you can drop me here."


    "W¡ªWhat''s wrong?!" Wang Chengbing fumbled around in panic. "Are you very sick?! Do you need me to apany you to the hospital?"


    "No." A frown appeared on his forehead as he looked at the unread messages. Maybe he was thinking too much. Maybe she just didn''t look at his phone. Still¡­Xu Binchen couldn''t sit still just like this. "I will go and check up on Shi Nian for a moment. The distance to her apartment isn''t far. I can walk there in fifteen minutes."


    "What''s wrong with her?" Ke Shao asked, frustrated. "Something happened again?"


    "She doesn''t read my messages."


    Receiving this kind of unexpected answer, the two others revealed a dumbfounded expression. Even Ke Shao almostughed in disbelief. "Huh? Aren''t you too overprotective? So what if she doesn''t read it? Is she a three-years-old child?"


    "Just because." Xu Binchen got out of the car and shooed them away. "You can go and report to Captain first. Tell him that I will catch up after making sure Shi Nian is okay." He leaned on the car hood and hesitated for a while. "Also¡­tell him that I think something doesn''t add up in this case. That''s all. I will report back as soon as possible." As soon as the sentence fell, he turned around and jogged in the opposite direction.


    "Binchen, hey! Seriously?!" Wang Chengbing hollered.


    Ke Shao stared at his diminishing back and sighed. "Come on. He knows what he''s doing. We should go back first."


    Xu Binchen covered almost all of his face with a scarf, leaving only a pair of eyes showing. He braced through the howling wind and strode inrge steps toward the direction of the apartment building.


    Fifteen minutes...no, if he ran, he could reach there a few minutes faster.


    The stabbing pain on his stomach was thrown to the back of his mind as he was wholly focused on the continuous dial tone in his ear.


    Drrrr¡­.Drrr¡­.Drrr¡­.


    "The number you''re calling is out of service. Please leave a message after the beep¨C"


    "The number you''re calling is out of service. Please leave a message after the beep¨C"


    "The number you''re calling is out of service. Please leave a message after the beep¨C"


    "Damn it!" Xu Binchen gritted his teeth and started to run.


    Why¡­? What aren''t you answering the phone, Shi Nian?


    .


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    .


    A/N: omg, did something really happen?


    Anyway, this is a real case but in my neighborhood where there''s a lot of Chinese descendants, they would sometimes burn joss paper in front of their house. My mom has told me early on not to step on it but sometimes, other people has no idea about it. It''s kind of a taboo QAQ said that something unhealthy will stick to you....

 Chapter 347 - Why Me?

    "Binchen gege is searching for him right now. Are you happy?" Shi Nian brushed her fingers against Little Apple''s soft fur. The little kitten had grown bigger, almost as fat as her thigh. Its fur was fluffy and soft, smelling like its owner''s shampoo. s, without Jiang Jinyan here, the poor cat often lost its appetite and could only eat a bit everyday.


    Little Apple purred and nuzzled its head against Shi Nian''s palm.


    She poured cat food into its bowl and sighed as she watched it eat dispiritedly. "Are you sure you don''t want toe with me?" Looking around at the empty apartment, Shi Nian sighed to herself again. "Fortunately, I am not the only one waiting for him¡­"


    Presumably Little Apple knew that its owner had gotten into another mishap, it refused to leave Jiang Jinyan''s apartment and opted to wait inside its little nest of pillows and nkets. Shi Nian couldn''t bear to leave it alone but whenever she brought it out, it would start to cry and struggle within her arms. In the end, she could do nothing but visit Jiang Jinyan''s apartment everyday to feed it some food.


    "If Binchen gege found him today, then I will bring you to him tomorrow. How about it?"


    "Mew~"


    The corner of her lips curled up as she fiddled with Little Apple''s swinging little tail.


    Up to now, Xu Binchen still hadn''t given any further news. Shi Nian waited restlessly, each minute passed by like years.


    She stroked Little Apple''s soft body and scratched the back of its ear. "I wille back tomorrow. Be good and don''t bite the curtain, okay?"


    "Mew~"


    After saying goodbye, Shi Nian proceeded to climb the stairs home. She halted in front of the door, pped her cheeks twice and put on a more cheerful look on her face.


    You can''t show this unhappy look at home, Shi Nian. Doesn''t Binchen gege say that Jinyan is fine? You have to trust him, just wait for them toe home. A little bit more and Jiang Jinyan will return¡­ She pumped her fists and opened the door.


    The warm smell of BBQ sauce, cheese and butter spread through the air. Shi Nian''s tense shoulders instantly rxed and her mood alleviated. "Mama, I''m home!" She took off her shoes and put on the slippers.


    The water was running in the kitchen and the sound of someone shuffling around with spat and wok was heard. Shi Nian felt herself smiling. "Are we having steak today? I am quite hungry. By the way, Mama¡­ Binchen gege said that they have got clues to where Jinyan is. He will be found soon. Isn''t that very good news?"


    "I will go and change my clothes first, okay?" Shi Nian raised her voice louder so that Qiang Fei would be able to hear.


    Walking toward her room, Shi Nian saw that the light in the bathroom was on and the door was slightly ajar. She drew near, all the while checking her phone to see whether there''s any new messages from Xu Binchen. It was already 5 pm, what took him so long? Shi Nian thought fretfully as she fumbled for the light switch and pulled the doorknob. Yet the door was stuck on something, unable to be closed.


    Shi Nian nced down in reflex and her entire body froze up, the phone slipping from her hand to the ground in a loud thud.


    "Mama¡­?"


    Qiang Fei was lying on the bathroom floor, a pool of blood forming along the tiles and a kitchen knife was stuck in her stomach. Shi Nian covered her mouth in reflex, tumbled backward and ended up tripping and falling on her butt. "Mama¡­how¡­" How¡­? How could this happen? Who did this? What should she do? Blood¡­there''s a lot of blood everywhere¡­


    Shi Nian''s heart sank as a question popped up in her mind. If Qiang Fei was here¡­then who was the person in the kitchen?


    Hearing the rustle, Qiang Fei cracked open her eyes, panting. Tears formed in her eyes as she struggled to speak. "Niannian¡­run¡­run away¡­"


    The woman''s bleeding stomach was the only thing reflected in Shi Nian''s eyes. Her breath came out rapidly and tears streamed down her face without her realizing. Tremor quaked her entire body and no strength could be mustered on her legs.


    ¡ªRight, run¡­she had to run¡­


    But since when did the water in the kitchen stop running?


    Loud, thunderous heartbeat and quick breathing echoed in her ears¡­along with the light and brisk footsteps that approached leisurely. Shi Nian''s memory of that person was blurry, yet it turned out her body hadn''t forgotten every single thing.


    Just by hearing those footsteps, something deep in her subconsciousness jolted, fear coursed through her veins and every cell in her system was screaming: he''s here ¡ª GET AWAY FROM THERE! HE''S COMING!


    Her phone on the ground suddenly vibrated, snapping Shi Nian out of her dread. Cold sweat drenched her back and she scrambled up, cutting a pathetic and sorry figure. Xu Binchen''s name shed on the screen and it was as if Shi Nian had grabbed onto a lifeline as she reached out. Right, she had to answer this call. Binchen gege¡­ Binchen gege¡­


    But what about Qiang Fei? If she was left there any longer, would she survive?


    Millions of thoughts swam her head but in fact, only a split second had already passed. Her fingertips had barely reached the phone, so close¡ªonly within a hair''s breadth when a foot suddenly kicked it away out of her reach.


    A pair of ck sneakers stopped in front of her followed by a soft chuckle. As soon as she heard that, all of Shi Nian''s hair instantly stood on its end and an unprecedented sense of despair overwhelmed her. "I told you before¡­no one will be able to take you away from me. Not even you. Are you satisfied with this hide and seek y?"


    A familiar voice, yet unfamiliar tone and pitch.


    Large teardrops fell from Shi Nian''s eyes down to the ground and an immense headache attacked her head. Shi Nian muffled out a pained groan and clutched her head, sobbing. "Why¡­Why me¡­" Inside her mind, thousands of unfamiliar memories burst forth, as if the other person''s voice was the key to the Pandora Box.


    "Why you? Why you¡­you asked?" He crouched down and gripped her head harshly with one wide palm. From between the gaps of his fingers, Shi Nian could only see his eyes; bloodshot, manic and crazy. She let out a scream and adrenaline rushed to her head,pelling a burst of strength in her trembling body. Shoving the man off, she scrambled back but her ankle was caught once again.


    "No!" She stretched her hand toward the continuously ringing phone. "Let me go¡­! You psychotic bastard!"


    Shi Nian put all of her strength in her legs and kicked around wildly yet the man tightened his hold, his nails piercing deep into her flesh. Shi Nian gasped in pain, tears blurred her vision and thest thing she saw before everything turned dark was the bloodied Qiang Fei who struggled to crawl toward them and the dim screen of her phone.


    "I will slowly tell you why." He whispered.


    In the next second, a huge blow hammered her head.


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    .


    A/N: _(:3¡¹¡Ï)_ hehe

 Chapter 348 - Damn It...Not Now!

    "Haa¡­Haa¡­" Xu Binchen stopped by the roadside for a while to regain his breathing. All the running caused nausea to churn his stomach and his temples throbbed in pain. He swore he would take a week of leave from Captain Jin after everything had ended.


    The cold water he poured earlier over his head had evaporated into white mists, mixed in it was his own perspiration. So much for sobering himself up, now everything was in vain, he grumbled inwardly.


    "Excuse me¡­" A passerby approached and asked carefully. "Are you okay, Sir?"


    Veins popped up in his forehead. "Do I look that awful to you?"


    "Huh?" Taken aback, the passerby scratched his head awkwardly. "Sorry, you look like you''re about to faint¡­"


    Xu Binchen straightened up and nodded politely. "I am perfectly fine. Thank you, Sir."


    "Are you sure¡ªhey!" Xu Binchen strode past him, turned into a corner and disappeared in a blink of an eye, disregarding the other person''s protests.


    Ain''t got time to waste, he murmured to himself. Come to think of it, since when did his body turn so weak that he was already on hisst breath with this short sprint? If this was a few years ago, he could run twentyps around the police academy without breaking a sweat.


    Xu Binchen tried to think of whatever light and mundane to distract himself from his body''s difort. The road leading to the apartmentplex was already in front of his eyes. Just five minutes¡ªno, three minutes more, he could arrive there.


    A faint siren came from behind him, turning louder and louder until an ambnce drove past him at high speed, carrying with it the st of snowkes and harsh gusts of wind on its wake.


    Then it¡­entered the apartment district.


    A foreboding swelled in his heart and he quickened his pace, this time he truly didn''t have time to think of anything else. Could it be¡­? No, no¡­since when did his imagination be so fantastic? Just because she didn''t answer the phone didn''t mean that the ambnce wasing for her.


    Nheless, before he could realize it himself, he had started running.


    "Oh, Mr. Xu, you''re early today¡ª" The security guard stered a smile as he saw Xu Binchen but the man was too preupied with his own thoughts and brushed past him in a sh. bbergasted, the security guard turned to his colleague who had just returned from checking the situation out. "Did you see Mr. Xu just now?"


    "Yeah. It seems like he has heard of the emergency. News sure travels fast." The man shook his head in frustration. "First it was a murder case, now it''s an assault case. Do you think we will be fired anytime soon because idents keep popping up under our watch?"


    The security guard''s face was drained of all colors. "Damn, you''re right! Let''s pray that we won''t be held responsible for it!"


    ¡­


    Sometimes, Murphy''s Law indeed existed. The more you don''t want something to happen, the more likely it will. A crowd had gathered in front of his apartment building and the ambnce he had seen earlier was parked in front. The back door was opened as paramedics rushed into the building.


    Turmoil shattered the tranquility and hushed discussions were heard all around, yet Xu Binchen could care less about that.


    "This is the police!" He bellowed loudly. "Make way! Excuse me, please make way for me!"


    "Oh, it''s Mr. Xu!"


    "Mr. Xu hase here?"


    "Oh my God, how can this kind of thing happen? Is this district still safe for us to live in?"


    All the arguments and talks swiveled around him, making it hard for him to breathe. Upon hearing the police had arrived, the crowd instantly parted, offering him a smooth pass to break through.


    Please¡­please¡­he prayed for once in a blue moon. Please don''t let it be her.


    The sight opened up in front of his eyes. Paramedics shouted in medical terms he didn''t quite understand, the stretcher that had just been carried out and on itid Shi Nian''s mother with blood flowing out of her stomach ceaselessly. The woman''s face was as white as sheet and a frown marred her face, groaning in pain.


    It was as if something in Xu Binchen''s mind snapped.


    "Madam Shi!" He rushed forward but was held back by a paramedic.


    "Sir, you can''t get close!"


    "Scram!" Xu Binchen shed his police badge. "I''m from the police!"


    His steps faltered as he made his way to Qiang Fei. He didn''t even realize that his hands were trembling as he reached out to the barely conscious woman. How¡­How could this happen? Looking around in frenzy, he roared. "Who''s the one who called for the ambnce? Is there any witness?! Shi Nian! Shi Nian, where are you?!"


    His hand was suddenly yanked in a deadly tight grip. Qiang Fei gritted her teeth as she mumbled in a delirious state, again and again. "Save my daughter¡­please¡­save her¡­"


    Xu Binchen''s pupils dted as he leaned down. "What do you mean? Where''s Shi Nian? Who attacked you?!"


    The woman''s breath came out very, very weak as she kept on repeating. "Save her¡­Shi Nian, he¡­he is¡­" Xu Binchen ced his ear close to Qiang Fei''s mouth to no avail. The woman''s consciousness had faded. Only by sheer willpower could she persist in asking for help.


    "Sir!" Xu Binchen was pushed back by the angry paramedics. "Are you her family?! We have to get her to the hospital as soon as possible!"


    "I¡­" Xu Binchen clenched his fists. "I''m not¡­"


    "Then scram!" The stretcher was lifted into the ambnce. When Xu Binchen came to his senses, the door was already closed in front of his eyes. The red sirens rang out in an ear deafening re as the ambnce raced out from the apartment district.


    Xu Binchen lifted his hands to see them soaked in blood. Qiang Fei''s blood.


    Who was it? Who had taken Shi Nian away? The serial killer? It must be him, right?


    His suspicion was right¡­ There''s no way he would leave Shi Nian alone.


    Xu Binchen, you fucking idiot.


    Why did he leave Shi Nian alone? No, not only that, he should have prohibited her from going anywhere. Better if she could stay in the police station until everything ended.


    Why didn''t he do it¡­?


    "Boss...are you okay?" The manager probed carefully.


    Xu Binchen snapped out of his reverie and let out a light scoff. Exactly how many times had he heard this sentence today? "I''m fine. Please take care of the mess here. I will go upstairs to inspect. Also, prepare the CCTV footage and gather everyone, we will meet in the meeting room in fifteen minutes."


    Upon receiving the manager''s nod, he made his way to the twentieth floor. The door to Shi Nian''s house was wide open and the fragrant scent of grilled meat and sauce wafted out, mixing with it the familiar stench of blood. The inside of the house was unexpectedly not messy except for the pool of blood on the ground and Shi Nian''s phone not far from it.


    Xu Binchen bent down to retrieve it. His eyes inadvertently fell onto the mirror in the bathroom and hell...he looked so goddamn awful. Now he knew why everyone reacted like that when they saw him.


    The piercing pain on his stomach came again like waves. He staggered inside and bent over the sink, panting. "Keep yourself together..." He grunted.


    Without any warning, bile rose to his throat and he covered his mouth, gagging a few times. There was a wet sensation on his palm and he nced down to find it covered in blood. Not Qiang Fei''s blood, but his own. His head was spinning and the rusty scent of blood assaulted his nose, making his consciousness blur. "Damn it, not now¡­!" He gritted his teeth, wiped his mouth and rinsed all the blood away.


    After that, he started to move again like nothing happened.


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    A/N: spoiler - don''t worry he will not die _(:3¡¹¡Ï)_


    Xu Binchen: Scram!


    Paramedic: You''re the one who should scram!


    *Proceed to fight in the middle of the street*

 Chapter 349 - Get Out Of Here!

    Jin Renguang checked the time and decided atst. "We will go in now. Team 2, follow my lead. Team 1, be on standby. As soon as we give the signal, you may rush in."


    "Yes, sir!"


    He patted Ke Shao and Wang Chengbing''s shoulders as he walked past them. "Good work. Brief Xu Binchen after he arrivester." After saying that, he swept his gaze over everyone in Team 2 all the while putting on his bulletproof vest and helmet. There were eight people in total, including him and Ru Meiqi. "Recheck the barrel of your gun, shlight and walkie talkie. We are fighting against the enemy who has the upper hand here. Remember, our priority is to save Jiang Jinyan. I am giving you permission to shoot shall the culprit make any threatening move. Now, are you ready?"


    The seven people straightened up and saluted neatly. Jin Renguang''s gazended on Ru Meiqi in the end and he gave a brief smile. "Come on. We should finish this as soon as possible. I''m craving for some hot ramen."


    The tense atmosphere instantly loosened and the membersughed. "Yeah, it''s alreadyte and we haven''t had dinner yet."


    Jin Renguang nodded. "I will treat all of you after this."


    Soft cheers followed in response. "Thank you, Captain! You''re the best!"


    Chuckling shortly, he turned around and inspected the old residentialplex. The sky had started to dim and the clouds were shadowed by dark blue and purple color. Adding an abandonedplex in the background, the whole scene looked like one straight out of a horror movie. He could even hear someone gulping loudly behind him.


    "The door to the basement is sealed." He pointed toward therge door in the distance. "First, we will break the lock. By then, the ruckus must have alerted Si Zhening inside. As soon as the door is open, I will go in first. You will all follow after I give the clear signal, understand?"


    They nodded in return.


    Ru Meiqi stared at him firmly. "Be careful, Captain Jin."


    Jin Renguang''s lips curled up behind the helmet as he gave a signal to move forward. Under the darkening sky, eight swift members in fullbat suits crept closer soundlessly and dashed toward the door to the basement.


    There was a huge padlock and chains circling around the handlebar. Jin Renguang gave a nod and one of them instantly opened fire twice. Tsing tsing! The gun that was equipped with silencer easily pierced through the rusty lock and the long, huge chain fell with a loud ng that echoed through the deste space.


    In an instant, Jin Renguang broke in and rolled on the ground, a gun held in his hand. The musty and damp smell rushed to his face and he wrinkled his nose. Well, at least this was better than the smell of Luo Ning''s basement. It took a split second for him to readjust himself and his trained eyes slowly grew ustomed to the dark.


    He strained his ears yet heard no sound at all. Looking around, he found a long hallway with rooms on each side, approximately ten or more in number. Every single door was closed and he had no way to ascertain where Si Zhening and Jiang Jinyan might be.


    However, judging from the brick walls and broken cemented floor, he was 100% sure that this was the ce in the video.


    His spection was further proved correct. How naive was Si Zhening to hide in a ce that could be found even with a bit of research? It didn''t conform with the meticulous andprehensive serial killer who left no trace at all even after killing thirteen people.


    ¡­This clumsy arrangement was nothingpared to it.


    Jin Renguang raised his hand and gave the signal. In an instant, seven people joined him in the entrance. He pointed at each of them and assigned them one room to check while beckoning Ru Meiqi to follow him.


    The task was divided and everyone started to move.


    He and Ru Meiqi inched forward slowly to the deepest part of the basement. The further they went, the more slippery the ground was. Covered by years of moss and water dripping from above, squelching sound would follow with their every step.


    Ray from the shlights shifted around as insects and rats crawled by their feets. Jin Renguang had goosebumps over his arms just by knowing that the soles of his shoes were stained with such filth.


    Calcting inwardly, he estimated the distance to be around fifty meters. Exactly fourteen rooms with seven on each side. The rooms near the entrance were checked one by one by hisrades yet none issued the signal yet. The thrilling, silent atmosphere made their backs tense in preparation.


    Jin Renguang pointed to his right and received a nod from Ru Meiqi. The woman got close and quietly turned the knob. Creaaak¡­ a lengthy squeaky sound rang out eerily. Jin Renguang held his gun and pointed it forward as he pushed the door further with his shoulder.


    It was empty. The room had nothing except for dust and spiderwebs. The width was simr to the one in the video. The only thing missing was the blood butterfly on the wall and Jiang Jinyan.


    He shook his head and they proceeded to check the one on the left. Nothing either.


    So far, eight rooms had already been inspected, that left six more.


    Slowly, they got closer to the middle until two rooms were left.


    Jin Renguang knitted his brows. Something seemed weird yet he couldn''t put his finger on it. The door to the right was opened and simrly, a member rushed in alertly and froze from the sight in front of him. Then, he gave a low whistle.


    It was the sign that they had found the room!


    Jin Renguang rushed in immediately. Although he had seen the butterfly from the video, seeing it firsthand still sent shock enough to freeze him for a second. It wasrge;rge enough to cover one part of the wall. The stench of blood and sour odor rushed to their noses. Blood sttered all over the area and signs of a wild fight could be seen everywhere from the broken mess of the camera, tripod and gold rimmed sses which he recognized to belong to Si Zhening.


    ¡­But Jiang Jinyan and Si Zhening were nowhere to be found.


    A member crouched down and swiped his hand over the blood. "It''s already half dried."


    "Captain, there''s no one on the left either." Another reported.


    Jin Renguang stood in ce, perturbed. All the rooms had been checked but Jiang Jinyan and Si Zhening were still missing. This was clearly the mentioned ce but why? Why did they move? Or could it be that Jiang Jinyan himself had managed to make an escape? But they had staked out since early before noon and no sign of activity was detected at all!


    Everyone was unreconciled and started to inspect the rooms once again to find if there was any secret path. Ten minutester, they met in the middle. No result.


    The rescue mission¡­it had failed miserably.


    "What should we do?" Someone whispered.


    "I don''t know. Does that bastard bail on us at thest minute again?"


    "Where''s Captain Jin?" Ru Meiqi''s question awoke them. They looked around and found Jin Renguang standing in front of the blood butterfly.


    "Captain, what should we do next?" They asked in jittery.


    They had spent almost half of the 24 hours time here yet in the end, they got nothing. Who wouldn''t be frustrated?


    As if he didn''t hear the question, Jin Renguang stood still in front of the wall. It wasn''t until Ru Meiqi called him twice did he snap out of his senses. Turning around, he looked disoriented for a moment. "Ah yes, give me a moment."


    The members nodded and started to make their way out.


    "Renguang, are you okay?"


    Ru Meiqi''s voice seemed like it hade from a distance as he was immersed in his own thoughts. What was this weird feeling that had been bugging him since just now? Although there''s nothing here, his subconsciousness didn''t allow him to rx. His hair stood on its end as the whole scene gave him a very, very bad premonition.


    He tilted his head up and pondered. In the state of utmost concentration, it was as if his senses were twice as sharp and fast. He could hear the sound of hisrades'' footsteps, their hushed discussion and¡­the faint rumble above that sounded like thunder.


    "Captain!" The members returned and eximed in rm. "Xu Binchen just reported that Miss Shi is currently missing and her mother has been sent to the hospital! It must be Si Zhening that bastard who¡ª"


    Before the man could finish his sentence, Jin Renguang''s thundering holler cut in. "Get out of here! RIGHT NOW! THERE''S A BOMB!"


    The conditioned reflex trained them to execute themand even deep in their subconsciousness. Right on cue, loud rumbles came from the ceiling and the ground beneath their feet shook. Dusts and pebbles rained down as the members scrambled out of the copsing building.


    The bombs resounding one by one starting from the topmost floor of theplex.


    BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!


    Amidst the chaos, Jin Renguang''s sight fell onto Ru Meiqi who tripped on a falling brick. Cursing loudly, he pounced forward and covered her body with his whole as the entire building finally gave in and crumbled down on him.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: author....has nothing to say _(:3¡¹¡Ï)_

 Chapter 350 - You Have To Be Okay

    "Emergency! Emergency! The building has copsed and four people are buried within. I repeat, four people including Captain Jin and Miss Ru are still under there!"


    The dust didn''t settle even after a while. Ru Meiqi felt as if the whole world had fallen down on her, even taking a breath was difficult. Thest seconds in her memory were chaotic, she didn''t even realize what was happening except for losing her bnce. Her mind turned nk as a huge force smothered down on her from behind.


    Her ears were still ringing from the aftermath and her sight was blurry. However...through her skin, her every nerve and cell, she could hear a constant heartbeat, feel a warm body covering hers and a familiar distinct scent from someone who had once been the closest person to her.


    ...but she''d rather not perceive him. Not right now.


    "Where''s the medical team?!"


    "No we can''t pull them out just like this! The pirs will topple down on them! We need a crane, RIGHT NOW!"


    Faint chaotic ruckus were heard from a distance but right now, her attention was wholly attracted to the rhythmic heartbeat beating against her. Her limbs...every part of her body was numb with pain, rendering her immobile. Her eyes saw nothing but darkness. Quickly, fear crept up her heart.


    "...Renguang?" She didn''t even realize her voice was trembling. "Renguang...are you okay?"


    Light breathing brushed against her temple. His raspy and weak voice sounded thereafter. "Qiqi¡­"


    "You¡­" Ru Meiqi tried to free her hands to no avail. How she wished she could check on him. "How are you? Are you hurt? No....sorry it''s such a stupid question. What are you doing protecting me? You should prioritize yourself first¡­"


    "Qiqi don''t cry¡­" He chuckled briefly, his breaths soft and brief. "I''m okay¡­"


    "Bullshit!" Ru Meiqi gasped, warm tears slid down the corner of her eyes and disappeared into her hair. It was getting harder to breathe. The oxygen inside the cramped space was running out soon. "I warn you, if something happens to you, I¡ªI will not forgive you¡­"


    Yet there was no answer from Jin Renguang anymore.


    Ru Meiqi''s heart trembled. "Renguang¡­?"


    Slowly, he gave a soft, drowsy hum.


    A sob escaped Ru Meiqi''s lips. Taking in a deep breath, she tried to rpose herself although the violent tremble in her voice had given her away. "Are you tired? It''s okay. You can close your eyes for a while. Soon¡­very soon, I will bring you out of here. Don''t you remember? You said you have something to tell me. I''m still waiting for you to fulfill that promise."


    "...promise¡­"


    "Yes, you''re right." The weight above her was getting heavier and heavier, and the thick stench of blood permeated through the air. "Sleep, Renguang¡­"


    It was unknown how long time had flown by until a faint light pierced into Ru Meiqi''s eyes from the ceiling above. "We have found Captain Jin and Miss Ru! Hello, can you answer me?! Please report your condition!"


    Ru Meiqi suppressed the urge to cry and loudly eximed. "I''m fine, only a multiple flesh wound. But your Captain has lost consciousness. He might have sustained serious injuries. Urgently need emergency treatment!"


    The time Ru Meiqi spent beneath there was short yet every single second was excruciating. She vividly felt Jin Renguang''s strong heartbeat bing weaker and weaker¡­


    Despair and dread overcame her like never before. She had no idea how she managed to maintain her consciousness until the heaviness weighing down on her was finally lifted.


    Fresh air instantly rushed to her lungs and she coughed, curling up and clutching her chest in pain.


    "Miss Ru, are you okay?!" A medic drew close and put an oxygen mask on her face. "Please bear with it for a while! I will bring you to the ambnce!"


    Her sight was getting more and more blurry, yet she still held onto the closest person to her and rasped out. "Captain...how is he?"


    "Someone bring a metal cutter here!" An anxious holler sounded by the side. "A steel beam has pierced Captain from behind! Hurry up!"


    With difficulty, Ru Meiqi turned her head sideways and found Jin Renguang surrounded by two anxious medics. The man''s helmet had been taken off, revealing a face that was covered in blood. A long steel beam cut through the bulletproof vest to his back, painting a horrendous and terrifying sight for everyone who was there. Not an inch of his skin was left unscathed from scratches and gashes.


    He¡­He had taken that blow for her. If not for him shielding her, then the one with a steel beam on their back would be her.


    Ru Meiqi''s fingers twitched as she reached out toward him, who looked as if he was immersed in a peaceful slumber. She wished to caress his face, to pepper kisses onto those firmly shut eyelids so that he would wake up and gave her a teasing smirk.


    Yet strength had left her entire body. Her hands slumped to her side as she slowly closed her eyes, reluctant to even take her eyes off him until the veryst moment.


    "Come on! We have to move to the hospital as soon as possible!"


    "Number of casualties: six. Four are in need of intensive treatment while two suffered from light injuries. We are heading to the hospital right now. Please prepare the rooms for us!"


    "R...en...guang¡­" Ru Meiqi whispered before losing consciousness in the next second. Her eyshes damp with tears and blood.


    Renguang, you have to be okay. There is still so much, so much I haven''t told you¡­


    ***


    "What?!" Director Fen stood up in shock. "What did you say?! Bombs?! Then what about CEO Jiang''s son?!"


    "He''s nowhere to be found, Sir. On top of that, Miss Shi¡ªthe serial killer''s victim under our protection¡ªis currently missing; her mother was attacked and she was kidnapped. The main perpetrator is likely to be the same as the one who held Jiang Jinyan hostage. Captain Jin is currently in the operation room and almost one third of SCI''s core members are injured. Right now, the situation is rather chaotic."


    Fen Huiguan gnashed his teeth and swept everything on his table to the ground, enraged. What the hell was happening right now?! This wasn''t what they had nned for!


    "...Hello? Hello, Sir? What should I do now?"


    Fen Huiguan held his head and grabbed his phone. "For now¡­" He said hoarsely. "Stand back and observe. Point Xu Binchen as the temporary captain for now."


    "Err...that¡ª"


    "What now?!"


    "Mr. Xu is¡­ after he reported Miss Shi''s disappearance, he has been out of contact until now."


    Fen Huiguan cursed inwardly and clutched his chest, grimacing in pain. He hastily swallowed a Heart Calming Pill and inhaled deeply. "Then...Qin Weizhe. Put him in charge for now."


    "Yes, sir!"


    After the call ended, he hastily made another call to Nan Cheng. He knew that the man told him not to initiate contact ever again but in this kind of situation, how could he standby and watch?! Everything was a mess! It should be a simple rescue mission! Retrieving Jiang Jinyan and apprehending Si Zhening ¨C the serial killer. It should be as simple as that. So how did everything turn out like this?!


    Where the hell was Si Zhening and Jiang Jinyan?!


    If they couldn''t find Jiang Jinyan until the time''s up then CEO Jiang¡­


    Fen Huiguan couldn''t imagine the consequences of that happening.


    Drrr¡­.Drrr¡­.


    "The number you''re calling is currently unavable. Please call againter¡ª"


    "The number you''re calling is currently unavable. Please call againter¡ª"


    "Damn it!" Fen Huiguan smashed the phone to the ground and snarled furiously. "Nan Cheng you bastard!"

 Chapter 351 - The Place Where Everything Began

    Have you ever realized that you are dreaming in your sleep?


    It was akin to having a lucid dream; but Shi Nian could tell that she didn''t make up the scene. This truly happened in the past. It''s just that¡­she had thrown it to the back of her mind and deemed it unimportant. One more thing, she couldn''t control her actions. Like a puppet, she watched silently as the scene unfolded in front of her. The sensation was quite strange, as if she was upying someone else''s body and wasn''t her own.


    Deep orange glow from the sunset poured in the window of the convenience store. Standing behind the cashier, Shi Nian yawned and secretly did her homework when the store was deste with customers.


    She was so immersed that she didn''t realize when someone was standing in front of her. Only when the other person cleared his throat did she hide her homework in a flustered manner. "S¡ªSorry, I was distracted for a moment."


    "It''s okay." The boy answered quietly. He donned a school uniform she had never seen before, ck hair fell over his forehead, covering his eyes from sight. From the meticulous uniform, branded backpack and gleaming watch, she could tell that the other person must be loaded.


    How unusual for this kind of person to visit our shabby convenience store, Shi Nian thought.


    Shi Nian scanned the boy''s juice and bubble gum. "It''s 45 yuan in total. Do you want me to put it in a stic bag?"


    The boy shook his head and gingerly reached out to hand one hundred yuan over. Shi Nian entered the number to the cashier and dexterously returned the change. "55 yuan. Thank you for your patronage."


    He stretched his hand out but halted it midair. "...Shi Nian?"


    Shi Nian was taken aback before recalling that her name was written on the nametag. Putting on a polite smile, she asked. "Yes, do you need something else?"


    Even from a distance, she could sense the nervousness and jittery emanating from him. For a while, she didn''t receive any response. Only when she was ready to ask once again did the boy whisper in a very, very small voice. "You don''t remember me¡­?"


    .


    .


    She had just closed the convenience store''s gate when a phone rang in the distance. The sudden sound made her jolt in shock because tonight, the atmosphere was too eerie. She rarely got off work during these hours and even if she did, there would always be a 24-hours fast food restaurant on the corner of the street that lit up her way. Even though she was alone, at least she could still sense a sign of activity around.


    However, the restaurant underwent maintenance today and the only source of light came from the flickering streemp over her head.


    The ringtone resounded nonstop until the call was automatically disconnected.


    Shi Nian had just heaved a sigh of relief when it rang once again.


    Strange¡­did someone possibly drop their phone? Should she go to check it out or return straight home? Shi Nian contemted for a while and the call was cut off once again amidst her hesitation.


    Then a few secondster, it rang for the third time.


    Sighing, Shi Nian made her way to the source of the sound. So be it. For the phone to ring again and again, the owner must have been so anxious to look for it. She entered the alley by the side of the convenience store and found a conspicuous ray of light from the phone screen on the ground.


    ''Annoying person'' was shown as the caller.


    Shi Nian intended to pick up the call but when she grabbed the phone, a sticky wet liquid stuck to her palm. Shocked, Shi Nian used the light to illuminate her hand and found it covered in red liquid. Taking in a shaky breath, Shi Nian looked around in panic.


    What happened? Was this¡­blood?!


    "Excuse me¡­"


    "AH!" Shi Nian screamed in shock. Turning around to the source of the voice, she found herself face to face with a familiar looking youth. Where had she seen him before? Shi Nian clutched her chest as if trying to contain her heart that almost jumped out of her throat. Forget about the familiar boy, popping up randomly like this was dangerous for her heart, okay?!


    "Is¡­Is this your phone?" Shi Nian asked, the fear earlier started to diminish at the presence of another yet this wasn''t enough to reduce the wariness she held toward him.


    "Yes, it''s mine. Thank you for retrieving it."


    "No problem." She handed the phone over. "There''s some weird liquid sticking to it though. Is that¡­your blood?"


    The youth stood on the part where it was shadowed by the dark, rendering Shi Nian unable to see his features clearly. It wasn''t until the phone rang once more and the light illuminated the space around them did Shi Nian gasp in shock and take a step backward in reflex.


    Blood! Blood was sttered everywhere on his shirt!


    "Y¡ªYou¡­"


    "Ah, this?" He nced down in a terrifying sense of calmness. "Sorry, did I surprise you?"


    "Are you injured?!" Shi Nian asked in rm. This huge amount of blood¡­exactly how severe of an injury was enough to cause the blood to ooze through the clothes?


    "No." The corner of his lips curled up ever so slightly. "Don''t worry. It''s not my blood."


    "...Huh?" rm bells started to ring in Shi Nian''s head. She took another step back when the youth drew near. "W¡ªWhose blood is it?" No, why the hell are you curious about this kind of thing, stupid Shi Nian?! Something about the man told her that she''d better get away as soon as possible.


    So, that''s what Shi Nian did.


    Turning around, she rushed deeper into the alley but regrettably found that she met a dead end soon. The other person was no less than a few steps away. Chill traveled through Shi Nian''s limbs and her heart started to beat rapidly. "Why are you following me?!"


    "Because you ran." He answered simply.


    "I¡ªI want to go home. Sorry, can you please make way for me?" Shi Nian stared at him in vignce.


    Instead ofplying, the youth asked apletely unrted question. "You really don''t remember me?"


    The familiar sentence jolted something in her memory. Shi Nian blinked twice. "You¡­you''re the one who came to the convenience store a few days ago, right?"


    "You remember?" He sounded happier.


    Shi Nian gulped. Whatever it was, she should y along and make a run for it as soon as the other person lowered his guard. "Of¡ªOf course I remember you. You bought a bottle of orange juice and bubble gum. I remember that."


    "Uh-huh¡­then¡ª"


    Shi Nian''s eyes sharpened. Now!


    She pounced forward and pushed the youth away, scrambling as quickly as possible out of the dark alley. Please¡­please, please let her make it through!


    A sudden blow struck her back and she let out a short scream. Losing her bnce, Shi Nian tumbled down harshly to the ground. Her chin and knees scraped against the asphalt. Yet currently, the pain wasn''t the thing she focused on, but the youth who pulled out a small ax out of nowhere instead.


    "W¡ªWho are you?! What do you want?!" She scurried back, eyes filled with dread and horror.


    "See¡­" He let out augh and lifted his bangs, revealing a pair of bloodshot eyesdened in sadness, fury and¡­something dark; a desire for blood. To see the other person suffer. "You don''t remember me at all."


    .


    .


    Shi Nian''s eyes snapped open and she gasped sharply. A single move was enough to send pain all over her body. Hissing, rity slowly returned to her senses and the previous event rushed to her mind.


    Qiang Fei! How was she?!


    Sitting up, Shi Nian looked around in panic. The pain on the back of her head was forgotten as dread slowly crawled up her spine. The light in her golden eyes dimmed considerably as she took in the familiar surroundings.


    Narrow room without a window. Yellow, mottled ceiling. Walls whose paint had peeled off and broken tiles tainted by brownish red stain. A single bed covered in an old mattress. Fear, desperation and agony that spread through the air...


    This was, unmistakably, the room that had often emerged in her dreams and blurry memory.


    She was back.


    Back to the ce where everything began.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: I present you the finale showdown. Please enjoy it~

 Chapter 352 - Its Really You...

    Shi Nian curled up and clutched her furiously beating chest, wheezing.


    Calm down¡­. Calm down, Shi Nian. You can''t copse. Not right now.


    How was Qiang Fei? Thest time she saw her¡­was she alright? What about Jiang Jinyan? Did his disappearance have something to do with this? There were so many questions in her mind yet no one could give her the answers.


    Just like what happened that day, she was alone again.


    Shi Nian shook her head to eliminate all negative thoughts and stood up gingerly. What was important right now wasn''t to brood, but to think of how to escape from this situation.


    She grimaced and touched the back of her head. The sudden burning sting made her jolt in shock. Traces of half dried blood stained her fingers.


    It seemed like the serial killer had dealt a pretty heavy blow there. Shi Nian gritted her teeth. Instead of fear, the feeling that dominated her right now was anger.


    Why¡­if he wanted to mess with her, why should he drag her mother and Jiang Jinyan in this?


    Everyone always thought that she was gentle, docile and harmless. Yet she also had a bottom line that shouldn''t be crossed. Just like the case with Ruo Tingran, should anyone touch her most important people, she would fight them even to death.


    Shi Nian straightened up and circled around the room. It was very cramped and filthy and she couldn''t even take three steps without bumping into the wall. The familiar feeling evoked nausea up her stomach. The longer she stayed in that room, shes of images started to surface even more; the corner where she huddled up and hugged herself to sleep, the bed that was wet with tears she shed for countless nights, the blood that seeped through the door¡­


    She grabbed the handle of the door and as expected, it was locked. In addition, there was a manual sp lock added to it, presumably he had learned from the previous lesson when Shi Nian escaped for the first time.


    Pressing her ears to the door, she tried to eavesdrop yet detected no sign of movement outside.


    What time was it? How many hours had it been since she lost consciousness? Had Xu Binchen gege rescued Jinyan?


    Shi Nian paced back and forth anxiously. So restless that she didn''t see where she was going and bumped her pinky toe against the leg of the bed. Sucking in cold air, she crouched down and held her feet, tears sprung up her eyes from the pain.


    ¡­Damn it, it hurts so much!!!


    The metal leg slid askew in a grating screech, the sound echoed around the deste space. Shi Nian held her breath and waited, one second¡­two second¡­five second¡­no one wasing. Finally, she slowly let go of the breath she was holding and sat on the ground, rubbing her slightly swollen toe.


    Her eyes inadvertently fell upon the bottom of the bed and an image suddenly emerged in her mind. Stunned, she crawled closer and inspected the floor. By logic, if a bed had been put in the same ce for a long time, its leg would create a longsting mark. However, the brownish stain on the tiles told her that the bed was moved frequently for a period of time.


    ¡­It was her. She was the one who moved it.


    Shi Nian dragged the bed following the mark and found a stack of junk; metal wire, rusty bolt, sharp shards of sses hidden deep underneath.


    The sightpelled a flicker of hope within her eyes. Shi Nian was so ted that she almost cried. How could she not remember this bunch of things she had hoarded under her bed like a treasure?! Did she not escapest time because of them too?


    Never did she expect that it hadn''t been found out yet, recalling how meticulous that psychotic bastard was. Well, not that it mattered. Contrary to it, Shi Nian was very grateful.


    She pulled the stack out and started to fiddle with it, the corner of her lips curling up into a thrilling smile.


    Twenty minutester, the door handle rattled softly and¡­click, it was opened. The manual lock slowly lifted up by a thin sharp ss and came unsped. Shi Nian opened the door just a crack enough to peek out and was met with an identical door on the opposite.


    Bathump! Bathump! Bathump! Her heartbeat echoed within her ears and she wiped her mmy palms on her uniform skirt, gulping inaudibly.


    Sneaking out, Shi Nian found herself in a familiar dark hallway with rooms on each side. In the back of her mind, she could see herself from a year ago doing the exact same thing; contemting which way to go and gambled on the possibility of escaping, a piece of ss shard clenched on her palm and she held it like a protective charm.


    The memories from that day and today ovepped and Shi Nian traced her previous self''s steps as she slowly stumbled down the hallway toward the exit.


    BAM!


    The sudden sound of door mming almost caused her soul to fly away. Chills ran down her spine as she hastened her pace.


    He''s here! He''sing, she has to hurry and get out of here as soon as possible!


    With a burst of adrenaline, Shi Nian made a turn in the space that looked like a maze. Everywhere she looked was endless hallways and firmly shut doors which seemed to keep unimaginable secrets in them, one that she didn''t dare to probe.


    "SHI! NIAN!" The man''s furious hollered reverberated through the air. He had found out that her room was empty. "How dare you!"


    At the same time, her alert ears caught a ng of metal from one of the doors. Behind her was the serial killer''s oing rapid footsteps. In desperation, she sought shelter from the source of the voice she heard earlier and scrambled to open the door¡ªwhich was luckily unlocked¡ªand closed the door behind her.


    "Haa¡­haa¡­" She hugged her trembling body, her breaths came out shaky and hasty. Her eyes hadn''t adjusted to the dark yet but somehow, she could sense another presence deep inside. "Is¡­Is someone there?" She whispered fearfully. "Are you another one of his victims?"


    ng! The clinking metal was heard once again. The sound was awfully simr to¡­chains. Followed soon after was a voice she had never expected to hear in this ce; one that she could recognize even amidst the crowds, that she had yearned for days and nights.


    "...Shi Nian?" Jiang Jinyan''s voice was terribly hoarse and gruff. "Is that you?"


    Shi Nian covered her mouth, tears streamed down her face uncontrobly. Her body moved before her brain could process it, sprinting toward the man''s voice. In the next moment, her arm was caught and her body tilted forward, falling into a warm embrace she couldn''t be more familiar with.


    In an instant, all of her fear, anxiety and restlessness faded away. The chill around her body dispersed and melted into warm tears that soaked into his shirt.


    "It''s you¡­" He gasped in her scent, lips pressing onto her cheek. "It''s really you¡­"


    Shi Nian hugged him tightly, too worked-up to even say a word. Reaching out to touch his face, she sought his eyes, eager to drink in every inch of the sight in front of her.


    "It''s okay. I am fine." He said as if understanding what she wanted to say. "Don''t cry. I really wish to hug you right now but I can''t¡­"


    Shi Nian blinked twice, befuddled. It wasn''t until she looked closer did she realize that his hands had been chained to the wall. She hastily wiped her tears away. It wasn''t the time to be overwhelmed. She had to focus on the matter in hand!


    "How¡­" Her voice shook as she grabbed the chain. "How could you be here? Binchen gege said that he''s on his way to save you¡­"


    Jiang Jinyan bumped his forehead against her, his dark eyes gleamed in the dark. "Listen to me. There''s not enough time for exnation. You have to get out of here as soon as possible."


    "H¡ªHow can I leave you alone?!"


    BAM! Another resounding m was heard. "Shi Nian~" The serial killer sang in tune. "Where are you? You really like to y hide and seek with me, don''t you?"


    "Go!" Jiang Jinyan gritted his teeth and pushed her away. Turning to the other side of the room, he growled in a low voice. "You know the way out, don''t you?!"


    "Even if I know, what''s the use? I can''t move right now."


    Shi Nian turned around in shock and instinctively protected Jiang Jinyan behind her. Never did she expect that there would be another person with them here! Her body instinctively trembled as she met with those pair of impassive, emotionless eyes.


    Si Zhening was also here!


    Simr to Jiang Jinyan, he also had chains locking his hands up. However, he seemed to be in a slightly worse condition as he could only slump against the wall, bruises and wounds all over his skin that wasn''t covered by clothes. It was unknown how bad it was beneath.


    Jiang Jinyan tried to hold her back, the chains nking with his movement. "Shi Nian, he¡ª"


    "I know." Shi Nian said quietly. She stared at Si Zhening with aplicated gaze. "You''re the one who helped me escape¡­right?"


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Well, I think you might have an inkling to who the serial killer is. I must say that I have nned for this happening since the first chapter he appeared and I have my own reasons ^^ everyone has a backstory and ofc the serial killer will too! Please wait for it!


    I will try to mass release on Christmas Eve as a gift for you all~

 Chapter 353 - Si Zhenings Real Intention

    Central Hospital, Capital City.


    The faint conversation drifted into Ru Meiqi''s ears as her eyes slowly fluttered open. White ceiling and ring lights weed her sight as soon as she did. Frowning, she turned her head sideways. Her whole body felt as heavy as lead, even that single act almost drained all of her energy.


    "Oh my, Miss, you''re awake!" An exmation sounded nearby.


    Ru Meiqi''s sight focused gradually and she took in her surroundings. A woman in a nurse uniform, the thick scent of disinfectant in the air, creamy white walls and the IV drips that hung on her wrist. Right¡­she ought to be in the hospital right now.


    "How are you feeling?" The nurse asked. "Is there anywhere ufortable?"


    Ru Meiqi tried to speak but her throat felt like it was on fire; dry and painful. "Water¡­"


    "Ah, right, my apologies." She swiftly poured a cup of water and put in a straw to help Ru Meiqi drink. "Slowly¡­slowly¡­"


    "Thank you." Finally, she felt a lot morefortable. Sighing in relief, she asked. "How long have I been unconscious?"


    "Ah?" Taken aback, the nurse answered in reflex. "It''s been over two hours since you were brought in here."


    Ru Meiqi nodded. She lowered her eyes, long eyshes quivering slightly. "The man who was with me¡­how is he?"


    "Who?" The nurse asked, confused.


    "He¡­" Thest image of Jin Renguang''s terrible state shed through her mind. She closed her eyes and said in a strained voice. "The one whose back is injured by the steel beam."


    "Oh, it''s him!" The nurse put on a careful look and Ru Meiqi''s heart sank seeing that. "He''s still in the operating room. But don''t worry, the surgery is going smoothly."


    Ru Meiqi clenched her fists to suppress the tremble and flung away the nket covering her body.


    Shocked by her abrupt movement, the nurse tried to hold her back. "Miss, what are you doing?! You shouldn''t move yet!"


    A sharp pain stung her chest and she bit her lips, panting softly. Grabbing onto the nurse''s hands, she directed a somber and serious look. "I''m fine. Please report my condition to me."


    The nurse put on a dumbfounded look. It wasn''t until Ru Meiqi repeated her question once more did she react swiftly. "You¡ªYour right ankle is fractured and two of your ribs are broken. In addition, your body is covered in bruises and cuts."


    Ru Meiqi nodded. So that''s why she felt a bit difficult to breathe. "Not bad."


    "Of course! You have no idea how awful you look when you¡ªhuh? What did you say?"


    Ru Meiqi ignored the nurse''s remarks and requested instead. "Can you help me¡­no, can you please bring me a wheelchair?"


    This was the first time the nurse had to deal with this kind of stubborn patient. "Where do you want to go?! You shouldn''t get out of bed yet!"


    "I¡­" Ru Meiqi massaged her brows. She had so much to do, better than to stay here and be gued with the thought of Jin Renguang all day. Jiang Jinyan still hadn''t been found and on top of that, Shi Nian had also gone missing. Jin Renguang was right. Something didn''t add up, there must be more to it than what meets the eye. "I have something to take care of¡ª"


    She hadn''t finished her sentence when the door suddenly slid open and Ke Shao entered. Seeing Ru Meiqi awake, the rims of his eyes instantly reddened. "Senior Ru! Oh my God, it''s so good that you''re awake! You have no idea how panicked we were when the building copsed on all of you!" Striding forward, he asked worriedly. "Are you okay? Where do you want to go?"


    Just in time, Ru Meiqi sighed in relief. She asked eagerly. "How is the progress of the case? Is there any clue yet to Shi Nian''s whereabouts?"


    Ke Shao''s face turned gloomy. "The team is a mess right now. Captain is down and Xu Binchen is out of reach. We can only report it to Director Fen and at the moment, Qin Weizhe has been assigned to take over as temporary Captain."


    "Qin Weizhe?" Ru Meiqi frowned. "Where''s Xu Binchen? He''s missing too?"


    "I know right?" Ke Shao scratched his head in frustration. "He said that he''s going to check up on Shi Nian. You know, his face just turned pale all of a sudden, it really shocked me and Wang Chengbing! Well, it''s good otherwise we wouldn''t know that such a thing has happened. However, after he sent a report back, we couldn''t reach him anymore. Even his phone is inactive."


    Ru Meiqi lowered her head and pondered. She made a split second decision and nodded. "Where''s the rest of the members? I have something to discuss with all of you. Can you please take me there?"


    "Nah, everyone is here right now. Even those guys from General Crime too."


    "Perfect." Ru Meiqi nodded. "There''s no time to waste. Please gather everyone here. Tell them; I might have an idea who the serial killer is."


    As soon as the summons were sent out, everyone gathered in Ru Meiqi''s room in less than five minutes. The atmosphere turned rowdy in an instant. Qin Weizhe enteredst, his face was haggard with deep eye bags under his eyes. "Sorry, I was caught up on something. Is everyone here?"


    "Yes, yes." Wang Chengbing answered impatiently. "Come on, spill. Senior Ru, you said you know who the serial killer is?! Who is that damn son of a bitch?!"


    "Yeah, right! He has the audacity to bomb us!"


    "I will teach him a lesson if he''s caughtter!"


    Ru Meiqi cleared her throat. "Okay, I know everyone is frustrated with the situation right now. But this is not the time to let emotions get the best of us."


    Everyone turned silent simultaneously and grew ashamed. Captain Jin was severely injured and Senior Ru could still be this calm and collected. What right did they have to behave like kids?


    "Good. We have to remain cool-headed especially at times like these." After controlling the situation, she turned to Wang Chengbing. "Do you have the thing I asked you before?"


    "Of course." Wang Chengbing offered her hisptop. "But why are you asking for Nan Cheng and Nan Xukun''s data?"


    Nan Cheng and Nan Xukun. The members nced at each other. What did those people have to do with the case?


    Ru Meiqi scrolled through the two''s data. Wang Chengbing''s skill was exceptional as always. Not only was their life historypiled, but there''s also medical reports, additional expenses, the ces they frequented and past rtionships.


    Her movement halted as she finally found the thing she had been looking for.


    Her heart raced faster and the light from theptop screen made his paleplexion look even whiter.


    "So that''s how it is¡­" She murmured under her breath.


    Everyone was getting restless and jittery. What had Ru Meiqi found? They were impatient yet didn''t dare to bother her line of thoughts. Fortunately, Ru Meiqi soon snapped out of her daze and swept her gaze over solemnly. "Before the ident, Captain Jin has brought up something that has been overlooked by all of us."


    For the next few minutes, she proceeded to recap Jin Renguang''s doubts and suspicions regarding username kmeulchian5862.


    "There''s a few suspicions regarding Si Zhening as the serial killer. First, why did he kidnap Jiang Jinyan when all of his previous victims were ordinary people? He is Jiang Huocheng''s secretary so he must have known how difficult it is to deal with him. Second, why did he send that CD to us? It''s as if he was giving us clues to catch him. Do you know what it looks like?"


    Ru Meiqi paused. "...It''s as if he''s staking everything in thisst act.. He wants us to catch him red handed, his real intention must be to cover for the real serial killer."

 Chapter 354 - He Has Always Been Right In Front Of Us

    Qin Weizhe rubbed his chin, pondering deeply. "That has really slipped out of my mind. I was too focused on the riddle Lei Liqiu gave us. Captain Jin was right, everything doesn''t match."


    "Sorry," Wang Chengbing grimaced. "It''s my fault. I was supposed to keep an eye on the username but I forgot about it too because there''s a lot of other clues turning up. But what did he mean by no need to think aboutplicated things?"


    Ru Meiqi stared at the username with a deep frown. "Remember that the way the serial killer threw his victim''s body part was by marking the maps with a silly sketch of the sun? Sometimes, his reasoning is overly immature. With his big ego, he might wish to fool us, for example by tantly slipping in his real identity amidst the clue and I must admit it''s a brilliant idea. Our brain is wired to think two or three steps ahead but it''s possible that¡­the answer has always been right in front of us."


    Under everyone''s eyes, she wrote kmeulchian5862 inrge font on the notebook.


    "He has been telling us who he is for the whole time." Ru Meiqi sneered. "When Nan Xukun was eight, he reunited with his father and for some reason, he was sent abroad for a few years afterward. At that period of time, his English name was¡­Michael."


    k, m, e, u, l, c, h, i, a, n


    Ru Meiqi rearranged the word.


    k, u, n, m, i, c, h, a, e, l


    ¡ªIt''s me. Kun is here.


    "It''s him?!" The atmosphere exploded into an uproar. "Nan Xukun is the serial killer?! But¡ªBut what about thest number 5862? Could it mean something else?!"


    Ru Meiqi scribbled. "In numeric keypad, 5-8-6-2 can be tranted to j-k-m-a in alphabets. This doesn''t mean anything. But what if it means the 5-8-6 buttons being pressed twice?"


    "5-6-8¡­" Ke Shao tilted his head up and wrote on air. Gasping, he eximed. "Fuck, it says ''KUN''!"


    "Bingo." Ru Meiqiughed incredulously. "I can''t believe this. From the start, the answer has always been clear."


    "No wonder!" Ke Shao hit his fist on his palm. "The assault case in City A''s hospital! He managed to disappear without a trace because he''s one of the patients! From the start, we have been focusing on the matter of him breaking in from outside and totally neglected the possibility that he was only a few steps away from Shi Nian! This man, he''s too audacious for his own good, alright?!"


    Another member asked. "But ording to his medical report, Nan Xukun isn''t diagnosed with OCD, not even a light case. We have even done the MMPI test[1] and PCL-R test[2] on him! The result came out negative!"


    "About that¡­we will be able to know after we capture him." Ru Meiqi let out a tired sigh. "Now the question is, how did he manage to seize Jiang Jinyan and Si Zhening right in front of our eyes and nt the bombs?"


    "You spected that Si Zhening possibly wished to cover for him. But what if he''s an aplice? From the start, Jiang Jinyan is only a decoy and the real target is Shi Nian." Luo Ning gingerly shared his idea which some nodded in eptance. It was a huge possibility.


    However, Qin Weizhe rebuked. "I beg to differ. I still agree with Miss Ru. Si Zhening and Nan Xukun¡­ I got the feeling that they don''t seem to be on the same side. Now apart from the question Miss Ru brought up, the most important question is, where has he taken Shi Nian to? How much time do we have left? If it''s based on his previous modus operandi, then he will not leave any traces at all."


    "Speaking of time¡­" Ru Meiqi nced out of the window toward the darkened sky. The hour hand of the clock had almost tilted to nine. "Do you recall tomorrow''s date?"


    "Tomorrow¡­" Qin Weizhe checked the calendar. "It''s 23rd December. What''s wrong with that¡ªoh, shit. It''s the date when Shi Nian was foundst year."


    Shivers ran down their spines. This Nan Xukun, wasn''t he too terrifying?! His OCD had already reached another level altogether, okay?!


    "What?" Wang Chengbing shuddered and put on a disgusted expression. "If it''s the same datest year, doesn''t it mean we have until tomorrow''s time to save Shi Nian?"


    "Regardless, we have to release an arrest warrant." Ru Meiqimanded in a firm tone. "Atop of that, because SCI squad is almost incapacitated, we have to mobilize every single manpower at our disposal."


    "But¡ª" Ru Meiqi knew what Qin Weizhe wanted to say.


    But the arrest warrant had to be approved by Director Fen whereas the man himself was in cahoot with Nan Cheng. Would Nan Cheng stand still and allow his son to be a wanted criminal?


    Obviously, the answer was no.


    The arrest warrant was fated not tond into their hands. Ever.


    "But what?" Luo Ning probed carefully.


    "No. It''s nothing." Qin Weizhe sighed and put on a smile. "I will see if I can do something about it."


    This was going to be an arduous search. First, there wasn''t any CCTV in the area around the residentialplex so they couldn''t even check anything. Once Nan Xukun managed to slip in and out without anyone noticing, it meant he had seeded in getting away thoroughly.


    How could that damn bastard be so shrewd and slick?! It was absolutely hateful and repulsive!


    Knock-knock-knock.


    In a timely manner, the nurse who was there earlier when Ru Meiqi woke up popped her head in and was shocked to see a bunch of rowdy men with a scowl on their faces. Cowering, she spoke tremblingly. "E¡ªExcuse me¡­"


    Qin Weizhe stepped forward and showed his million dor smile. "Is there something you need, Miss?"


    The nurse was caught in daze for a moment before snapping out of her senses. Blushing, she stammered. "Oh, no¡­it''s nothing. I guess Miss Ru wants to know because she asked earlier. Your friend¡ªMr. Jin''s surgery is sessful and he has been moved to the ICU."


    "Really?!" The members instantly caused a ruckus. "Captain is safe now?!"


    "Oh my God, you have no idea how my heart almost stopped when he''s carried into the ambnce!"


    "Hallelujah! It''s a Christmas miracle!"


    "Miracle your ass! Captain is strong and it''s not like the beam pierced straight through his body. The doctor only needs to patch him up. Patch him up, you hear me?!"


    Smiles andughter returned to the members'' faces. It was such a relieving sight to see. Seeing them made Ru Meiqi smile subconsciously.


    "Alright!" Qin Weizhe pped to pull their focus back. "I know we''re happy for Captain''s recovery but now, we need to focus on the matter at hand! As you have known, Director Fen has pointed me as the temporary Captain. I will start to divide tasks. First, the most important thing we have to do is to find any clues regarding their whereabouts."


    Everyone nodded, rejuvenated. "Sure! Give us the tasks! We are ready!"


    Qin Weizhe nodded, satisfied. Recalling something, he frowned deeply. "I have no idea what Xu Binchen is doing right now. He was supposed to follow up on Shi Nian''s disappearance because he''s the one who discovered it first. However, it''s been almost three hours and he still hasn''t updated us. I can''t help but wonder whether something happens to him too¡­"


    "Oh no!" Wang Chengbing gasped. "Are you saying that he''s been caught by the serial killer too?!"


    "That''s possible." Qin Weizhe sighed.


    Everyone mulled over what had happened to Xu Binchen and the atmosphere turned strangely silent for a moment. Only then could they faintly hear the sound of the phone vibrating. Searching for the source, all eyes fell on Qin Weizhe in the end.


    "What?" He blinked and eximed with an ''oh''. "It''s an unknown number that has been calling me since a while ago. There has been a lot of simr cases before so¡ª"


    "You popr dude!"


    "Are you trying to brag that girls hit on you all the time?!"


    "Itching for a fight, huh?!"


    Curses rained down on him in the next few moments. The guys in the police station pretty much suffered from single-forever syndrome. It was hard enough to find a girl amidst their swamped work while this bastard here didn''t even have to move and the girls instantly threw themselves on him! Hateful! Unforgivable!


    Qin Weizhe put on a helpless expression and nced discreetly in Luo Ning''s direction. Fortunately, thetter didn''t give much of a reaction. Qin Weizhe sighed as he pulled out his phone. He didn''t know why he was kind of disappointed. He meant...shouldn''t he be ted to have such an understanding boyfriend like Luo Ning?


    With a begrudging expression, he hit the green button. "Hello? Who is this?"


    Out of his expectation, the reply came in a form of low, masculine voice. "Is this Qin Weizhe?"


    "Y¡ªYeah." It couldn''t be¡­had he even attracted gays since he started dating Luo Ning? "And you are¡­"


    "This is Jia Ming''en."


    "Oh, you''re Jia Ming''en¡ªwait, Jia Ming''en?!" He had just sighed in relief when realization dawned on him.


    "Jia Ming''en?!" The others eximed in shock. "Why does that son of a bitch contact us again?! Did he not collude with Si Zhening and Nan Xukun to bring us to that ce?! Otherwise, how could there be such a coincidence!"


    Qin Weizhe put his forefingers on his lips and turned on the speaker mode. "You may talk now. Do you need something?"


    "I''m sorry to call you at times like these and I know you might not trust me. But your colleague, Xu Binchen, is here with me."


    On the other side of the phone, Jia Ming''en propped his arms on the steering wheel as he nced to the side toward the pale faced, unconscious man. "His phone is broken by ident and the only number I was able to get from his mouth is yours." He put on a troubled expression and returned his gaze forward. "He''s in quite a perilous condition, you see. And I can''t leave my position for now. I''m currently trailing after the one who kidnapped Jiang Jinyan''s girlfriend."


    .


    .


    [1] The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) is a psychological test that assesses personality traits and psychopathology. It is primarily intended to test people who are suspected of having mental health or other clinical issues.


    [2] Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R). It ismonly used to rate a person''s psychopathic or antisocial tendencies.


    .


    A/N: hehe now the truth has finally been revealed. I see some of you wish that Nan Xukun isn''t the serial killer. Don''t worry, there''s more about the case than what meets the eye. Spoiler: Xiao Chun''s cuteness shall stay in your heart forever~


    Btw, if you want to test how psychopathic you are, you might want to try the two tests above but it''s not free. There''s a simple PCL-R test online consisted of a few basic question and my result is I''m 45% more psychopathic than average people but still hasn''t crossed the threshold of actual psychopath (Thank God) lol

 Chapter 355 - His Last Act Of Generosity

    Jia Ming''en had no idea how hended himself in such a situation, he pondered with a bowl of ramen in front of him plus a scowling Xu Binchen.


    Was it out of guilt? Or was he seeking some kind of console?


    In one way or another, Si Zhening was kinda rted to him. He''s the one who found out first about the man''s custom order of the human skin mask yet he deliberately hid it from the police, even when he knew that it could be crucial information for them. Not only that, he almost begged Jia Renyu¡ªthat bastard of a father¡ªto protect Si Zhening.


    Almost.


    Yet in the end, his effort was deemed futile because soon after, Si Zhening''s wanted poster was spread all over the country. Everyone knew him as a kidnapper, criminal and fugitive. Yet Jia Ming''en was the only one who stupidly thought that there must be some kind of misunderstanding here.


    Deep inside his heart, he resisted the knowledge of Si Zhening being the serial killer.


    But when Jiang Jinyan went missing, he started to waver.


    Was he¡­right? Could he confidently say that he knew what kind of person Si Zhening was? What if everyone was right but he''s the one who was blinded by the perception he had of him?


    He pondered for days and nights as he waited in front of Si Zhening''s apartment, hoping for some ludicrous miracle to happen where he could catch him and demanded answers for the questions that had almost driven him insane.


    He didn''t want to admit that what he wanted to hear the most was Si Zhening''s denial.


    Denial that¡­he was involved in everything.


    Taking Xu Binchen and his colleagues to ces where Si Zhening might be was thest form of conscience he could muster. In the end, whether Si Zhening was caught or not, he would hand everything over to fate.


    Jia Ming''en didn''t know why either, although he had done his best, there was still a sliver of guilt deep inside his heart. All of a sudden, he recalled Jiang Jinyan''s girlfriend and became curious how the girl was faring during her man''s disappearance.


    Thus without him realizing, he had made a circle around the city and found his way to their apartment building.


    Laughing at himself, he shook his head out of exasperation. What result did he hope wille out of meeting Shi Nian? That she wouldn''t me Si Zhening for what had happened to Jiang Jinyan? That she, too, would believe that Si Zhening wouldn''t do such an atrocious act just like he did?


    Jia Ming''en had imagined countless possibilities yet never in his wildest dream had he expected that he would witness a kidnapping act with his own eyes!


    Wait¡­wait a moment. He took off his sses and narrowed his eyes. The scene in front of him remained the same. Wasn''t that Jiang Jinyan''s girlfriend¡ªShi Nian?!


    And who was that dude who carried the unconscious Shi Nian?!


    Jia Ming''en hid behind the tree trunk and pretended to merge into the background as his eyes followed as a strange man carried Shi Nian to the car and drove away.


    Stunned, he let out a nkugh. What kind of shitty coincidence was this?!


    He wasn''t given any time to react when all of a sudden, a piercing scream broke through the roof and chaos ensued in the apartment building. "Help! Someone has been attacked!"


    Jia Ming''en pulled out his phone in reflex and called 120 for the ambnce. Of course, he didn''t have any intention to involve himself in case he was suspected to be the perpetrator. After he finished the call, he stared toward the direction where the car disappeared to and after pondering briefly, decided to trail after them.


    As he raced along the road, he fumbled through his phone for Xu Binchen''s number. Drrr¡­Drrr¡­ no one answered. He called again for the second time and the man finally answered. "What do you want?!" From the background, he could hear the ruckus of people discussing Shi Nian''s disappearance case.


    With his voice muffled, Jia Ming''en stated his location. "I think you might want toe here if you want to know where Jiang Jinyan''s girlfriend is, Detective Xu."


    Jia Ming''en drove for almost an hour until the car he was trailing left the bustling Capital City behind and entered the expressway where both sides of the road were covered by an expanse of wild vegetation and a few farmhouses. asionally, horses and cattles were seen gnawing on grass in leisure.


    The car proceeded to make a turn to the rest area. He knew better than to reveal himself just like that. Thus he opted to stay in the roadside ramen stall a few hundreds meters away as he kept an eye on the situation.


    Not surprisingly, Xu Binchen soon arrived driving his sports car.


    Jia Ming''en had only finished half of his spicy hot ramen. Noticing Xu Binchen''s car, he frowned, annoyed. "Do you think we''re not eye-catching enough? Don''t you have a humbler car than a fucking Lamborghini?!" However, after taking a proper look on Xu Binchen''s face, he was taken aback. "Are you sick?"


    Xu Binchen coughed. His face was terrifyingly pale and cold sweat dampened his hair. "No."


    "But you don''t look¡ª"


    "Shut it." The man grunted and sat opposite him, his eyes razor sharp as if itching to slice Jia Ming''en to pieces. "How do you know about Shi Nian? What are you doing around the apartment building?"


    Jia Ming''en didn''t feel obliged to exin himself. "Just a series of coincidences." He answered vaguely and instead, mentioned the car''s te number. "You may want to check it yourself."


    "Who?" Xu Binchen tightened his jaw, almost enraged to the boiling point. "Who took her?"


    "How should I know?" Jia Ming''en scoffed. "Isn''t that the police''s job to find out about it? Anyway, I must say that your apartment building''s security is truly shitty. No one guarded the back door and a shady person could even go in and out freely! Have you checked the CCTV around the area?"


    "All of them are down right at that precise moment and there''s no eye witness either." Xu Binchen closed his eyes and breathed deeply, apparently having difficulties controlling his own emotions. Jia Ming''en had felt it back when he gathered with them for the first time. This man¡­wasn''t he overly concerned about Shi Nian and Jiang Jinyan''s matter?


    Well, he lowered his sight, regardless of what had happened between the three of them, it didn''t have anything to do with him.


    Jia Ming''en felt like he had be such a Samaritantely. Sighing, he stood up. "I have told you everything I know. Now that you''re already here, I will take my leave."


    Xu Binchen nodded in agreement and they exited the ramen stall together. Jia Ming''en wasn''t worried that the kidnapper would escape because the rest area only had one way in and out. As long Xu Binchen kept an eye, he would be able to react swiftly as soon as they moved.


    "Bye, then." Jia Ming''en put on his glove and waved. "You¡ª" He turned sideways and intended to bid farewell when Xu Binchen suddenly staggered, bent over and coughed out a mouthful of dark, brownish blood.


    Shocked, Jia Ming''en went to grab his arm.


    Xu Binchen panted heavily, a frown on his face as he endured the pain on his stomach. "I¡­I am fine¡ª"


    "That''s it." Jia Ming''en cut him off. "You''re going to the hospital."


    "There''s no need." Xu Binchen yanked his arm away. However, he was currently weakened and Jia Ming''en''s strength couldn''t be underestimated either. In the end, the act failed and Xu Binchen found himself stumbled on his steps, his phone slipping out of his coat pocket, crashed to the rocky ground and stepped by his own foot, its screen cracking to pieces.


    ...It was dead for sure, alright.


    Jia Ming''en sighed deeply and snatched the car key from Xu Binchen''s palm.


    The man reacted in shock. "Hey!"


    Unlocking the car, Jia Ming''en didn''t give Xu Binchen any time to struggle as he proceeded to push him to the passenger seat and sat on the driver seat himself.


    "What are you doing?" Xu Binchen scowled. He gritted his teeth when the pain attacked again, this time it was more severe than ever before. The torment was so intense that he couldn''t resist a groan. Fortunately, his high resistance to pain refrained him from losing consciousness. However, it was only a matter of time until he wouldn''t be able to endure any longer. "Get away¡­"


    Jia Ming''en ignored him and started the car.


    When he nced at Xu Binchen, the man had entered a delirious state. He looked like a miserable Labrador who persisted in chasing after the person who had taken his owner away. Even until hisst breath, he wouldn''t back down without a fight.


    Jia Ming''en clicked his tongue and patted Xu Binchen''s cheek twice, hard. "Hey, give me your colleague''s number. Anyone. Hurry!"


    He practically squeezed the answer out of a barely conscious man. What mattered the most was that he was able to obtain it in the end. Coincidentally, the kidnapper''s car drove out of the rest area. Jia Ming''en shifted the gear stick, his eyes narrowed sharply.


    Sighing, he told himself, consider this hisst act of generosity. After this, he wouldn''t get himself involved again no matter what happened.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Are you sure you won''t get involved anymore, Ming''en? Hehehe...


    It''s Christmas Eve tomorrow and I will give a mass release on 10 pm GMT+8 as always~ MDG''s main story will end in less than ten chapters, are you ready?

 Chapter 356 - The Last Thing I Will Do

    "I know. You''re the one who helped me escape¡­right?"


    Shi Nian couldn''t describe how she felt. All these times, Si Zhening had always been the one who turned up in her memory and the subconscious fear she felt toward him was inexplicable, leading her to believe that he was the serial killer.


    However, Shi Nian knew that it was untrue especially when the memories started toe back to her.


    During that period of time, Shi Nian had no awareness of time, day and ce. Her days confined in that room seemed like endless agony. However, at thest moment, the door which seemed unreachable cracked open, revealing the field covered in snow and a simrly cold man who looked as if he was going to merge into the background. Shi Nian''s eyes shed with his; one was desperate while the other remained stoic.


    Shi Nian had a fuzzy recollection of what she had said. It should be between: "Help me" or "Please let me escape". She didn''t know what was going through Si Zhening''s mind at that moment but he suddenly moved, not to drag Shi Nian inside but to hold back the man behind her, the one who was truly hunting her down.


    Then, Si Zhening turned sideways and told her. "Go."


    Shi Nian was too overwhelmed by the thrill and excitement. Without caring for anything else, she dashed out without a slightest intention of looking back, throwing the ruckus and chaos between the two men behind. She entered an area filled with dense forest, blisters covered her bare feet and multiple shallow cuts formed across her body from the sharp branches. Nheless, the tion and anticipation numbed all the pain.


    She kept running and running until at one point of time, an explosion erupted closeby, the sound was so ear-deafening that her ears rang in pain. The soil underneath her feet quaked violently and like a broken kite that was thrown astray by the harsh wind, she lost her footing and tumbled down the steep hill, thendslide following behind her steps.


    At longst, she remembered.


    ¡­she remembered everything now.


    A perplexed look shed through Si Zhening''s eyes. "You remember me?"


    "Yeah, I do." Shi Nian turned around and proceeded to hammer the chain shackling Jiang Jinyan''s hands with the ss shard in her hand.


    ng! ng! ng! The sound reverberated through the space.


    "Shi Nian!" Jiang Jinyan gritted his teeth.


    "You know it¡­" Shi Nian said without lifting her head. Droplets of tears quietly fell from her eyes to the ground. "You know that leaving you is thest thing I will do."


    The ruckus had surely attracted the serial killer''s attention, proven by the footsteps that drew closer and closer. Yet somehow, Shi Nian wasn''t afraid anymore. Deep cuts formed on her palms and the pain sent tremor up her arms, yet she persisted relentlessly.


    Regardless of whether her act was fated to be futile, regardless of whether she would live to see tomorrow''s sunrise.


    As long as Jiang Jinyan was here, there was nothing to be afraid of.


    Shi Nian lifted her head, smiling. Throbbing pain not only tormented her physic, but also her heart. "Don''t cry, General." She whispered and wiped the tears on the corner of his eyes. "Everything will be okay."


    Jiang Jinyan''s heart trembled as he shook his head, tears sliding down his cheek. In the end, he gave up trying to change her mind, inhaled deeply and started to cooperate with Shi Nian to yank the chains off. It was arduous and painful for sure. The chains looked clean and new with absolutely no chance of being broken just by a single fragile ss fragment.


    Shi Nian''s hands started to turn numb from the pain and sweat dotted her forehead. It wasn''t until a crack formed on the chain and the tip of the ss lodged into it that she was forced to stop. Panting, she fell on her butt.


    The door swung open at the same time when Jiang Jinyan exerted a huge amount of force to forcefully snap the chain off. One of his hands was finally freed.


    "What are you two doing there?" Nan Xukun asked with a smile.


    He stood on the doorway, the light illuminated his back and shadowed his features. However, his bloodshot eyes shone fiercely and whoever looked into them would know that he was absolutely furious.


    Shiver ran down Shi Nian''s spine and she grabbed the bloodied ss shard, holding it tightly in her hand with the sharp tip pointed to Nan Xukun.


    Nan Xukun¡­ Xiao Chun¡­ Tears welled up in Shi Nian''s eyes. She wanted to believe that none of this was real but her newly regained memories and his presence right now directly shattered her hope.


    Everything fell into ce. When he asked if she remembered him, he wasn''t talking about their recent encounter, but the days they spent together twelve years ago.


    Two sides of Nan Xukun shed in her mind. The Xiao Chun she remembered was a cheerful, easy going,id back yet sensitive man but the serial killer Nan Xukun was cold-blooded, cruel and merciless.


    If their appearance wasn''t the same, Shi Nian wouldn''t have believed that they were the same person.


    Their voice, aura, the way they carried themselves¡­everything was different.


    He was Nan Xukun, but at the same time, he also wasn''t.


    Xiao Chun''s smile was bright and lively and there was a naive glint on the way he saw the world. However, the man in front of her¡­he had a dark and gloomy disposition, low and frosty voice and sinister smile.


    How could one person have two pr opposite sides?


    Jiang Jinyan struggled to stand up and pulled Shi Nian behind him, his eyes sharp and fierce. Yet it was as if Nan Xukun couldn''t see him at all. His eyes flew past him and met with Shi Nian. "Have you remembered me?"


    Shi Nian couldn''t bring herself to call this man ''Xiao Chun''. Thus, what came out of her mouth was his full name. "Nan Xukun¡­"


    However, this single sentence was enough to blow his fuse. Enraged, he mmed the ax on his hand to the wall, forming a crack on the surface. "Haven''t I told you to call me ''Xiao Chun''?! I give you permission! You''re the only one who is allowed to call me that! How can you forget again?! You did it a year ago, and it''s the same now! WHY AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO REMEMBER EVERYTHING?! IT''S NOT FAIR!"


    Shi Nian sucked in cold air. "I¡­I didn''t mean to¡ª"


    "You sick bastard." Jiang Jinyan sneered.


    Nan Xukun paused, his eyes finally fell on Jiang Jinyan. "...What did you say?"


    "I said, you''re a sicko." Jiang Jinyan ignored Shi Nian''s panicked tug on his shirt and continued. "It''s normal for someone to forget a childhood friend. Just because she forget you, does it give you the right to vent your anger on her, confine and torture her mentally? Just admit it, you''re twisted down to your bones."


    He pointed at his temple mockingly. "I heard you have killed many people before Shi Nian? See, that proves that the problemid on you, not her."


    .


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    A/N: Yep, just a reminder. Nan Xukun doesn''t start killing because of Shi Nian. He has killed eleven people before her and two more after. Nan Xukun only met her recently in the convenience store she used to work at.


    Next update is a mass release! Spoiler: please prepare your heart.


    It''s only three chapters (not five sowwy) to conclude the final fight here but don''t worry, each chapter is longer than average, there''s one that even equal to two :) you won''t be disappointed (maybe hehe)

 Chapter 357 - The World Doesnt Revolve Around You

    "Jinyan!" Shi Nian grabbed his arm, flustered. What was he doing?! Why did he take the initiative to provoke Nan Xukun? Couldn''t he tell how unstable Nan Xukun is right now?! Just one mistake and that ax would slice through his head easily!


    "SHUT UP!" Nan Xukun hollered furiously. "What do you know?! Who the fuck do you think you are?! You have no idea what Shi Nian means to me, you have no idea what I have gone through¡ª"


    "So what?" Jiang Jinyan said coolly. "Why should I? The world doesn''t revolve around you, crybaby. Do you think everyone is willing to hear you whine?"


    "YOU¡ª!" Nan Xukun''s eyes bulged out and he lifted his ax. "I should kill you first!"


    Jiang Jinyan''s eyes narrowed sharply. He pushed Shi Nian aside and grabbed the chain that had been tugged off the wall tightly in his palm. As Nan Xukun''s ax hammered down, Jiang Jinyan swung the chain toward his face. Taken aback, Nan Xukun threw his head sideways yet that split moment had been seized by Jiang Jinyan to direct the ax aside toward his other hand that was still shackled.


    Bang!


    The heavy force sessfully broke off the chains. Now, Jiang Jinyan was free. In addition, due to the force Nan Xukun exerted, the ax''s tip was lodged into the ground, stuck.


    "You¡ª!" Without any warning, Nan Xukun swiftly freed one hand and delivered a punch up Jiang Jinyan''s jaws, taking the man off guard. The solitaire on Nan Xukun''s ring grazed his cheek, creating a long slit that ran from his chin up to the side of his cheek. Blood instantly oozed out of it.


    Shi Nian took in the whole scene as her breath ceased abruptly.


    In her past life, Jiang Jinyan became a feared figure not only because of his infamous reputation in the battlefield, but also mainly due to the scar that deformed his face and made him look terrifying and fierce.


    She was gratified that the scar didn''t remain in this life.


    With that, Jiang Jinyan didn''t have to live surrounded by people''s malicious and inquisitive gazes. Because without that scar, Shi Nian was confident that he could easily be one of the handsomest figures in history.


    And now, Nan Xukun''s act had just crossed another one of her bottom lines; one that evoked bubbling fury deep within her chest. Her eyes zed in me and she clutched the ss shard tighter, pouncing forward like a wild beast. "How. Dare. You!"


    "Shi Nian!" Jiang Jinyan''s eyes widened in shock.


    It wasn''t only him who was taken aback, but also Nan Xukun and the immobilized Si Zhening.


    The fear in Shi Nian''s eyes were no more, only rage and madness remained. She tackled Nan Xukun and sat on him, intending to make him pay for injuring Jiang Jinyan''s face. She was really furious¡­but when things came down to it, her hands trembled in knowledge of hurting someone on purpose. Moreover, she kept on recalling that this was none other than Xiao Chun, her childhood friend¡­


    s, amidst her waver, Nan Xukun seized the opportunity to kick Shi Nian right on her gut, casting her rolling across the ground.


    Shi Nian doubled over and coughed in pain, tears trickling down her eyes.


    Jiang Jinyan''s pupils dted. Maddened by anger, he roared and leapt forward. "Nan Xukun, you dead bastard!"


    Nan Xukun swiped the blood on his lips and sneered. He didn''t defend against Jiang Jinyan''s attack but deliberately targeted the man''s leg. Jiang Jinyan was too consumed by his anger to notice his sneaky act.


    A sharp kicknded on his knee cap right on where the artificial sp was and intense pain shot through Jiang Jinyan''s whole body. His momentum weakened in an instant,pelling Nan Xukun to deliver another attack easily that stripped off all of his strength. He curled up on the ground, muffling in the groans of pain.


    "No!" Shi Nian gritted her teeth as she struggled to stand up against the wall, clutching her aching stomach. "Don''t you dare hurt him or I won''t forgive you!"


    Nan Xukun slowly turned to face her, an incredulous look on his eyes. "You''re siding with him, Shi Nian? For him, you''re willing to go against me?" He yanked out the ax on the ground and slung it across his shoulder. His eyes turned even more gloomy and menacing.


    "Nan Xukun, that''s enough." Si Zhening suddenly spoke up, his cid tone seemed out of ce amidst the burning and tense atmosphere.


    "Shut up!" He growled. "You only need to stay there quietly! Who do you think you are to control me?!"


    Si Zhening stared at him and said quietly. "You''re going to regret it."


    Hearing that, Nan Xukun''s eyes wavered. Only for a split second though before they hardened and burst forth with an even denser hatred. "Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP! I have regretted it for a long, long time!" He turned to Shi Nian and bared his teeth. "I should have killed you from the start! I shouldn''t have forgiven you again and again! In the end, you will always run from me!"


    Swinging his ax, he stalked toward Shi Nian, expression twisted maniacally. "I must kill you now¡­ I must kill you now!"


    "Shi Nian¡­!" Jiang Jinyan''s pupils reflected the two people, desperate. "GET AWAY FROM THERE!"


    Shi Nian stood still, frozen. She also knew that she had to dodge this or else she was going to die for sure. However, knowing it was one thing and executing it was another matter altogether. Her eyes widened in shock and the scene in front of her turned into a slow motion; Jiang Jinyan who scrambled to get up, Si Zhening who kept on yanking his chain and Nan Xukun who lifted the ax over his head¡­


    Her breathing halted and loud heartbeats thundered in her ears.


    In that split second, thest thing that shed through her mind was how to take Nan Xukun down with her so that Jiang Jinyan could escape safely.


    However, before she could move, Nan Xukun''s cor was suddenly hoisted from behind. Choked, his grip on the ax loosened, causing it to fall a few centimeters away from Shi Nian''s feet.


    Jia Ming''en had Nan Xukun gripped on his neck as he swept his gaze over everyone, grimacing in irritation. "I knew it. Good thing I didn''t wait for those slow-witted police officers or else everything will be toote."


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    A/N: Jia Ming''en to the rescue! Hehe after he said that he wouldn''t involve himself anymore...


    Anyway, Merry Christmas everyone! This is a mass release [1/3]

 Chapter 358 - Where Are Your Manners?

    Shi Nian gawked in shock. The near-death experience still shook her down to her soul. "Mr. Jia? How¡­How can you be here?!"


    "Me?" Jia Ming''en heaved a sigh. "Just a series of coincidences."


    "Who¡ªWho the fuck are you?!" Veins bulged out of Nan Xukun''s neck and his bloodshot eyes widened furiously. He struggled and swung his legs hard, yet Jia Ming''en''s vice strangle choked the breath out of his lungs. "Let me go¡­!"


    Shi Nian''s attention was quickly drawn to Jiang Jinyan who struggled to stand. Staggering toward him, she gasped and tremblingly reached out to touch his cheek. "Are you okay? Is it¡­Is it painful?"


    ¡­Of course, it was. Not only his cheek, but also his entire body, especially his leg. The pain was so intense that Jiang Jinyan wished he could pass out then and there. However, he still mustered a thin smile tofort the anxious girl. "I''m fine. More importantly, how''s your stomach? Does it still hurt?"


    Shi Nian stared at his pale, bloodied face that was clearly suppressing the pain. Biting her lips, her head slowly lulled to his shoulder, nuzzling in search offort. "I''m okay¡­ Jinyan, I will definitely bring you out of here."


    Jiang Jinyan couldn''t help but let out a grimace that sounded like augh. "Isn''t that supposed to be my sentence?"


    The situation on two sides of the room was pr opposites. One was heartwarming and emotional while the other was filled with curses and animosity.


    Hearing Nan Xukun''s words, Jia Ming''en raised a brow as he scanned the man up and down. "What did you say? ''Fuck''? Did you just curse me?"


    Nan Xukun glowered. "I am! So what, you fucker?!" He clenched his fist and swung it forward but Jia Ming''en had seen through him. Tilting his head to the side, Nan Xukun''s fist barely managed to graze his sses. The ck framed spectacles flew off Jia Ming''en''s face andnded on the ground heavily. Fortunately, it was made of stic so no crack was formed on it. "Who the hell are you?! You''re here to save the day? Another good Samaritan whoes to take Shi Nian away from me?!"


    "Haha¡­" Jia Ming''en gave augh that didn''t reach his eyes. The corner of his mouth twitched as he forced himself to remain cool-headed. "Where''s this snotty brat pop up from? How old are you? You''re younger than me, right? I can still endure it if I''m talking to someone older but who gives you the right to speak informally to me, huh?" Jia Ming''en pped his forehead hard. "Where are your manners? Do your parents not teach you to respect elders?"


    The mention of parents hit Nan Xukun right on his sore spot. Red veins spread through his sclera and he gritted his teeth, livid. He had no idea where this strange man came from but he was he strong and tough! Nan Xukun couldn''t move under his grip. Scratching and kicking didn''t work either.


    Jia Ming''en''s fingers pressed right on his neck where his veins were pulsing at a fast rhythm. If he just exerted a little bit of force, then he might be able to asphyxiate Nan Xukun to death.


    ¡­Unforgivable! Why was everyone out to get him?! It''s not fair at all!


    Jia Ming''en pped him once again. "Hey, where has your mind wandered to? I asked you a question."


    Nan Xukun lowered his eyes to hide the malice underneath. Without any warning, he pulled out a sharp, glinting scalpel from his back pocket and stabbed it straight on Jia Ming''en''s arm!


    "Ngh¡­! You damn brat!" Caught off guard, Jia Ming''en''s hold instinctively loosened as he clutched his bleeding arm, frowning.


    Nan Xukun seeded in freeing himself. His sightnded on two people who were immersed in their own world and unwillingness burst forth his chest once again.


    When Jiang Jinyan realized it, it was already toote. "No!"


    Nan Xukun pounced forward desperately like a cheetah and wounded his arm around Shi Nian''s neck from behind. She was dragged backward by the force, coughing in shock. In a few seconds, Nan Xukun had moved to the opposite side of the room. Another small knife was pointed to her neck. "Don''t move, everyone." Nan Xukun said with a grin as his eyes especially fell upon the enraged Jiang Jinyan. "You don''t want to see her bleed to death, do you?"


    Jiang Jinyan''s jaws tightened. He hollered to Jia Ming''en. "What the hell have you been doing?!"


    Jia Ming''en leisurely pulled out the scalpel stuck in his arm and tore the sleeve of his shirt to wrap around it. Biting the cloth, he spun the scalpel between his fingers. "My bad, I have no idea he has more than one weapon." He lifted the knife and licked the blood on the tip of it, his eyes bitingly cold. "Do you want me to teach you how dangerous it is to leave a knife in my hand?"


    "Hah!" Nan Xukun scoffed and pressed the knife harder to Shi Nian''s neck. A trail of blood trickled down the fair skin. "You still want to try?"


    "Nan. Xu. Kun!" Jiang Jinyan gritted his teeth, itching to pummel him to pieces.


    "What are you so scared of?" Jia Ming''en asked in a matter-of-fact tone. "We''re two people and he''s only one. No matter from what angle I see it, we are going to win." Then, he nodded to Shi Nian. "Just bear with the pain for a bit, Miss."


    No, that''s not right. The first person Jiang Jinyan had to pummel was Jia Ming''en. "What nonsense are you spurting now?! Can''t you see he''s holding Shi Nian at knifepoint?!"


    "Don''t panic, dude." Jia Ming''en took a step forward in which Nan Xukun responded by treaded back. His eye transfixed on Jia Ming''en, wary and alert. "Hey kiddo, you are a coward who can only satisfy yourself by hurting another, huh? This world isn''t so easy to live in, you see. If I throw you in front of Jia Renyu, I doubt whether you can persist for ten minutes. In a sense, Si Zhening is better than you ten times¡ªno, one hundred times."


    Cruelty and savagery reflected on Jia Ming''en face. Coupled with the bloodied scalpel in his hand, he looked more like a serial killer than Nan Xukun was. "Do you want to try to have your eyeball dug out slowly?" Even before hisst word fell, he caught everyone off guard by striding forward all of a sudden.


    The unprepared Nan Xukun was startled to face someone who didn''t have an ounce of fear toward him. Staggering back, he tightened his hold over Shi Nian''s neck. "Don''t you daree closer or I will kill¡ªarghh!"


    Shi Nian bit down on his arm tightly, so hard that blood instantly filled her mouth.


    Now! Her eyes and Jia Ming''en''s met across the room.


    Jia Ming''en leapt forward, the scalpel held in his hand like a reaper''s scythe that was out to reap souls. He was fast, so fast that his figure turned into a blur!


    "No¡­" Nan Xukun yanked Shi Nian''s hair ferociously, eliciting a sharp gasp of pain from the girl. Her bite on his arm also loosened as a result. Nan Xukun''s eyes went mad in a frenzy. "You''re the one who forced me to do this!"


    Chills ran down Jia Ming''en''s spine and he cursed out loud. He almost made it¡­ his hand was only less than five meters from them when Nan Xukun took out a small detonator from his pocket and pressed down on it.


    In an instant¡­


    BOOM!


    The entire building shook violently and Jia Ming''en staggered, losing his bnce. Jiang Jinyan fared worse, he already had difficulty standing for a long period of time and the unstable ground caused him to tumble down the ground. Blood slipped out from the corner of his mouth from identally biting his tongue.


    Jia Ming''en lowered his stance to regain the bnce. "You''ve gone nuts!" He hollered angrily.


    Tongue of mes burst forth from the walls. Dust and small pebbles sprinkled down on them. The temperature instantly rose higher and the air was filled with smoke. It was getting harder to see more than five meters in front, much less to breathe.


    Taking advantage of the chaos, Nan Xukun had dragged Shi Nian out. Thetter''s scream echoed through the air, filled with anger and frustration. "Nan Xukun, I won''t forgive you! LET ME GO, YOU JERK!"


    With thick smoke in front of him, Jia Ming''en found it difficult to move. Different from normal people, he only had one working eye. It stung so much that tears sprung up his eyes. From his blurry vision, he could only see Jiang Jinyan madly sprinting after Nan Xukun and Shi Nian, his leg limping badly.


    How could he endure the pain? Jia Ming''en grimaced.


    However¡­


    He looked at Jiang Jinyan and the coughing Si Zhening back and forth. Gritting his teeth, he made a split second decision and dashed toward Si Zhening, avoiding the falling rocks and bricks from above. "Come on! We have to get out of here!" He held the man up by arm, the chains rattling with the movement.


    "Exactly what has he done to you?!" Jia Ming''en gritted his teeth angrily and smashed the scalpel on the chain sp again and again. He panted heavily, the repulsive scent of burnt flesh wafted out from Si Zhening''s wrists, churning his stomach with nausea.


    Si Zhening painstakingly cracked open his eyes, his breath came out weak and rapid. "You should have gone¡­after them¡­"


    "Yeah, and leave you here to rot and die?! You keep your mouth shut and protect yourself!" Blood painted his gums crimson as Jia Ming''en exerted all of his strength to tear the chains off by sheer force. By then, the area around them had almost copsed and mes spurted from all directions. Hair-raising sizzles rose from Jia Ming''en''s palms as he roared fiercely. The chains finally gave in under the brutal force and snapped into two under his hands.


    All these times, Si Zhening''s eyes never left his face. It was unknown what he was thinking, albeit Jia Ming''en had given up trying to guess his thoughts. Breathing heavily, he slung Si Zhening''s arms around his shoulder and lifted the man up. "Let''s go. We need to catch up with those brats."


    Si Zhening slumped heavily against him. Closing his eyes, he slowly let out an inaudible chuckle. "...Stupid."


    Side by side, they walked through the sea of mes.


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    A/N:


    Mass release [2/3]

 Chapter 359 - Final Curtain Call

    "Let me go¡­!" Harsh wind and heavy snow pped Shi Nian''s face. She wore nothing other than a school uniform and a pair of thin socks. The biting weather almost numbed all of her senses. The twigs and leaves crunched under her staggering steps. Cuts formed on her body. Yet the only thing she focused on was to pull the chain back so that she wouldn''t die of asphyxiation. "Nan Xukun, you''re going to kill me like this!"


    Nan Xukun was totally out of his mind. He bore no mind to Shi Nian''s rugged condition and proceeded to pull her behind him.


    Everywhere Shi Nian looked was dense forestation, barren wild trees and steep hills covered in snowkes. The ne was unmistakably tilted downward. Rocks and soil rolled down along their rush. The entire scene ovepped with the one in her memory. This was also the scenery she had seen a year ago before thendslide happened.


    However, there was one thing that made everything different.


    "...Nian!"


    "Shi Nian!"


    Stumbling and faltering, often stopping for a moment to clutch his knees, Jiang Jinyan chased after them. Pain marred his face and blood soaked through his jeans, leaving a ring bloody trail on his wake. Yet what remained in his eyes was only desperation, recklessness and determination.


    Shi Nian''s eyes grew blurry with tears and she shouted at the top of her lungs. "GO AWAY!"


    Didn''t he know that his leg would be incapacitated for real if he kept this up?! He had painstakingly learned how to live with his artificial leg like normal people. How could he not take the risk into mind?!


    Jiang Jinyan''s feet got caught on a vine and his body staggered, only barely managing to keep his stance by holding onto the tree trunk. Lifting his head, their eyes met across the distance.


    Without a word, Shi Nian knew what he was going to say.


    ¡ªJust like earlier when she wasn''t willing to leave him behind, he, too, would do anything to get her back. Anything.


    A sob escaped her lips and she started to thrash around. This time in twice the desperation. "Let me go! I won''t forgive you! Nan Xukun, I am going to hate you even in my death!"


    Nan Xukun didn''t stop running. A dry chuckle traveled to Shi Nian''s ears. "Okay. If I am going to die, then you should go together with me. You have promised to be together with me forever, haven''t you, Xiao Nian?"


    "You crazy bastard! It''s just a childhood promise! I understood nothing back then!"


    "How cruel¡­" He started to have difficulty holding her down. Yanking her hair, he delivered a harsh p right on her face. His face twisted in sadness. "Why are you doing this to me?"


    "Nan Xukun, don''t you darey a hand on her!" Jiang Jinyan bellowed from a distance and picked up his pace, the pain thrown to the back of his mind.


    Shi Nian suppressed the pained muffle and red at him vehemently. "Right back at you! A sick person like you won''t understand what I mean!"


    Nan Xukun turned around and continued running. He murmured again and again under his breath. "It''s okay¡­It''s okay if you hate me. We''re going to be together even in death. Slowly, you will figure out everything about me. After all, the only person in this world who can understand me is you, Xiao Nian¡­"


    Shi Nian gnashed her teeth, enraged. Damn it, how she wished to smack some senses into that twisted mind of his! Exactly how did the Xiao Chun in her memory be like this?!


    "I won''t!" She screamed. "No matter what you do, I will never be like you!"


    "SHUT UP!" He tightened his hold on the chain, forcing the breath out of her chest.


    Shi Nian coughed hard, her pale lips slowly turning blue from both the chill andck of oxygen. She gasped, eyes fixing on Jiang Jinyan that gradually closed the distance between them. However, the continuousck of air quickly rendered her sight blurry and white noises attacked her mind. It was getting harder to think straight.


    The space in front of them opened up, revealing a dead path that ended with a cliff. A thrilling smile covered Nan Xukun''s eyes as he rushed forward like a madman. "Soon, Xiao Nian¡­ soon¡­"


    "No!" Jiang Jinyan''s desperate roar sobered Shi Nian''s mind for a split second.


    ¡­She was unwilling to die! Not in a ce like this!


    ncing at her surroundings, she gritted her teeth and made a split second decision. Nan Xukun was currently too engrossed in his own thoughts, making it the perfect opportunity for Shi Nian to act. The blurry scenery shed through her eyes. One of Shi Nian''s hands grabbed the chain around her neck while the other reached out and wrapped tightly around the tree trunk!


    The force Nan Xukun exerted in the opposite direction instantly dislocated her shoulder. A sharp scream wrenched out of her lips yet her arms vehemently hooked on the tree, forcing the man to halt in his tracks. Pain shot up Shi Nian''s entire body and strength quickly left her, but that few seconds'' pause had granted Jiang Jinyan the opportunity to catch up on them.


    "DAMN YOU!" He delivered a flying kick right on Nan Xukun''s chest, causing the man to fly a few meters away. The chain around Shi Nian loosened and she slumped to the ground, wheezing.


    "Shi Nian¡­Shi Nian¡­" Jiang Jinyan tremblingly gathered her into his embrace. The rims of his eyes reddened. "It''s okay. You''re with me now¡­"


    Shi Nian mustered up a smile. The relief flooding her chest caused her to feel weak. She nuzzled her head on Jiang Jinyan''s chest, sobbing. The man hugged her loosely in return as if she was a cracked porcin that would shatter with the slightest pressure, his entire body trembling violently.


    Shi Nian buried her head in his shoulder, her eyesnding on Nan Xukun who got up in stagger.


    Patting Jiang Jinyan in panic, she eximed. "Jinyan, watch out!"


    She had lowered her guard downst time because of Jia Ming''en''s presence, resulting in their situation now. There''s no way for her to repeat the same mistake the second time!


    The same thing was also in Jiang Jinyan''s mind. Turning around alertly, he protected Shi Nian behind him and pounced on Nan Xukun,nding one severe punch after another on him. "This is for hurting Shi Nian, bastard!"


    At first, Nan Xukun resisted furiously and the two fought tooth and nail. Nheless, Jiang Jinyan was too fueled by rage and he didn''t hold back his strength at all, making him hold the upper hand.


    In fact, Jiang Jinyan was certainly stronger. He was a former athlete regardless of what had happened in the past. However, the situation was quite dire now. He had been detained for days, hungered and injured all over. It nearly depleted all of his strength to deliver the final blow.


    Fortunately, Nan Xukun seemed to have given up soon after and could only defend by curling his body up, cursing under his breath. Gradually, those curses also subsided, reced with weak sniffles and sobs. Without any warning, he broke out in tears and wailed like a helpless child. "I''m sorry¡­ I''m sorry, forgive me, father. Don''t hit me anymore. I¡­ I will listen to you!"


    Jiang Jinyan''s fist halted in midair


    ¡­What did he just say?


    He thought there''s something wrong with his ears but then, Nan Xukun kept on pleading with a grievous tone. Tears streamed down his bruised and swollen face. "I''m sorry, father. Please forgive me! Please¡­ it hurts. Don''t hit me anymore¡­"


    The man''s body trembled violently as he buried his head into his arms, curling like a wounded cub that lost the protection of its mother. His cry was heartrending to hear.


    "Jinyan¡­" Shi Nian stood up by holding on to the tree. "He¡­"


    Jiang Jinyan frowned and pulled Nan Xukun up by his cor, snarling. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"


    Yet, Nan Xukun acted like he had just encountered the worst devil ever existed on Earth. His wide, terrified eyes didn''t seem fake at all, so did the subconscious reaction of his body under extreme stress. His eyes darted around in panic until itnded on Shi Nian. As if finding a sanctuary, he reached out to her. "Xiao Nian¡­ Xiao Nian, help me! It hurts¡­It hurts¡­"


    Shi Nian stared at him, perplexed. His sudden movement caught her off guard and she took a step backward by reflex. Unfortunately, that small act dealt a huge blow on Nan Xukun. With a pair of deste and nk eyes, he stared at her as if he had been abandoned by the whole world.


    "Why?!" He wept sadly. "Why are you like this?!"


    Jiang Jinyan''s heart wasn''t moved at all by Nan Xukun''s change of act. Pulling his cor back, he punched him once again in the gut. "Don''t get close to her!"


    Nan Xukun hugged his stomach and fell down on his knees, his head hung low. Tears fell down pitter patter from his eyes to the snowy ground. His thin shoulders trembled, blood sttered his shirt in multiple spots. He looked so fragile¡­so feeble as if he was going to break with a single touch.


    "J¡ªJinyan!" Shi Nian stopped Jiang Jinyan right before his punchesnded on Nan Xukun again.


    With the man''s cor in his grasp, Jiang Jinyan turned to her, frowning. "Do you pity him?"


    "I¡­" Shi Nian''s tongue was tied. She touched her bruised and bloody neck, shivering whenever she imagined what would happen if Jiang Jinyan didn''t arrive in time. However, as she looked at Nan Xukun like this, Shi Nian couldn''t bring herself to be utterly heartless.


    She wasn''t going to forgive him, but she also wasn''t a person who would kick someone when they were down.


    The most important question was¡­why did Nan Xukun suddenly change? Could it be an act? Was he such a good actor then?


    One second he was trying to kill her while the next second he bawled like a child. His condition waspletely unstable. Shi Nian had no idea how to deal with him. "It seems like something isn''t quite right with him. Can you just knock him¡ª"


    The words got stuck in her throat. In that moment, the wind ruffled, blowing Nan Xukun''s messy bangs away. And hidden underneath it was a pair of menacing, sinister eyes. One that was desperate and ready to forsake everything to bring Hell down to Earth. That was the eyes of the serial killer!


    Shi Nian''s heart almost jumped out of her throat as her feet kicked off the ground, hands reaching out toward Jiang Jinyan. "Let go of him!"


    Jiang Jinyan felt a forceful yank pulling his arm forward. The sudden move put pressure on his leg and he lost his bnce. His body tilted backward together with Nan Xukun. The gale blew harshly, carrying toward him the sight of Shi Nian''s horrified and desperate look. His hand reached out in reflex to hold the girl''s outstretched one and the two''s fingers touched for a split second before they separated again.


    A sense of weightlessness overcame Jiang Jinyan and her name had yet been uttered from his lips when his body rolled down the steep hill, again and again like a boulder before he plunged straight down the cliff.


    Shi Nian''s knees gave up beneath her and she copsed to the ground, her mind on the brink of breaking apart. Trembling, she murmured with nk eyes. "Jinyan¡­?"


    ¡­Close. She was so close. Just a little bit more and she could have reached him.


    Thest scene repeatedly shed through her mind. His dted pupils, shocked expression and atst, the lips that moved as if wanting to say something¡­


    Once again¡­she could only watch as the man left her behind, throwing her into a world surrounded by nothing but darkness that chilled her down to the bones.


    Slowly, her sight blurred and her body swayed, crashing to the snowy ground like a marite whose string had been cut off.


    The snow rained heavily that day, enveloping Earth in pure whiteness. The sky gradually brightened and bursts of golden light painted the horizon. From a distance, the siren of the police cars rang out faintly, carrying with them the final curtain call to the case that had been ongoing for more than a year.


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    A/N: Don''t worry, it''s a happy ending.


    The police alwaysete _(:3¡¹¡Ï)_ no just kidding lol they have to secure the area first, formte ns, report to higher-ups etc and remember, they''re behind Jia Ming''en and Xu Binchen by an hour


    Next chapter, we will enter the case closure!


    Mass release [3/3]

 Chapter 360 - Im Here Again

    Three weekster.


    The newscaster on the national TV channel announced in a solemn tone. The background showed the conference hall of the police station and the still empty podium.


    "One of the leading entrepreneurs and sessful businessmen in the country, Nan Cheng, was arrested three days ago in hispany, Henan Corporation. The reasons are currently unknown as of now, but reliable resources have stated that CEO Nan is involved in the case of human trafficking, drug distribution, homicides as well as severe abuse toward minors for years."


    "The case has be the most widely discussed topic in Weib8. Majority of the citizens stated that they couldn''t believe that CEO Nan was such a person. Even a petition has spread everywhere to plead for Nan Cheng''s innocence. On the other hand, there have been no less people who started to speak out regarding the incident that harmed them due to Nan Cheng''s cynical behaviour, using him for being a fake. The two contrasting public opinions have earned the attention from all sectors in the country. However, there has been no official statement from the police themselves up until now. The whole case is shrouded in mystery. One thing for certain is, the poprity Nan Cheng receivedtely due to the charges against him certainly doesn''t lose out to the serial killer. Today, we will finally receive a press conference from the police."


    Right as the words fell, ruckus erupted behind and all the reporters stood up. Camera lights shed rapidly, blinding the whole room as enthusiastic weed escorted the representative up to the podium.


    The man on the screen donned a dark blue police uniform that hugged his proportional body. He stepped into the podium and took off his hat, revealing an elegant, attractive face that could definitely make girls swoon. Under the blinding flickering lights, he gave his signature smile. "Hello, fellow reporters and everyone behind the screen. I am Qin Weizhe, the temporary leader in ce of Captain Jin Renguang who is currently inactive for duty due to some mishaps. Until Captain Jin returns, I will be the one in charge so you will be meeting me a lot in the future. Now, let''s begin the press conference. You may ask your questions."


    The atmosphere heated in an instant.


    "Captain Qin!" A reporter shouted loudly. "As we have all known, Captain Jin Renguang is the lead investigator for the serial killer case. You said that he was met with an ident, does it have something to do with the case?"


    Qin Weizhe maintained his smile which didn''t give anything away yet also seemed like it was hinting on something. The camera shed rapidly in response. "About that," He gave a wink, making the female reporter blush furiously. "Please wait for our official news."


    "...Miss Shi?"


    The call tore Shi Nian''s attention away from the TV and she stood up, bowing politely. "Good evening, Detective Ke. Happy New Year."


    "Happy New Year to you too. Sorry to keep you waiting. It''s been chaotictely especially after the press conference, you know." Ke Shao grinned. "Speaking of it, how are you? I heard from Senior Ru that you''re having your university entrance examination today. Did it go well?"


    "Yes, thank you for asking." A smile bloomed on Shi Nian''s face. "Everything is going well."


    "Good, that''s good. Then, shall we?" Ke Shao gestured ahead.


    Shi Nian nodded and followed the man to the interrogation room she had gotten quite familiar with. Sitting down, she took a deep breath.


    Ke Shao took a seat opposite her and opened theptop. "Don''t be nervous." He tried to offer a fewforting words. "You only need to tell me everything you have remembered. I know that you and him used to be childhood friends, but this is another matter altogether okay? He''s a criminal who has killed thirteen people. Well, it almost turned fourteen if we had arrived a bitter."


    Shi Nian lowered her head, hands clenched tightly above her knees. "I know." She murmured quietly. "Every action has its retribution. My past rtionships with him doesn''t justify the crime he hasmitted."


    They spent two full hours inside the room.


    When Shi Nian stepped out of the police station, the sun had begun to set and the sky sshed with sparkling golden rays. She looked up to the beautiful sky and sighed tiredly, white mists puffing up her mouth. The temperature still hadn''t risen and Shi Nian tugged the scarf higher to cover her reddened nose. Her lone figure merged with the throng of crowd whose atmosphere was still soaked in the exuberance of Christmas and Gregorian New Year. The contrast made her look especially lonesome and forlorn.


    Walking to and fro hospital had been a habit for thest three weeks. It had gotten to the point where Shi Nian started to get acquainted with the doctors and nurses there. After exchanging a few Christmas and New Year''s greetings, she made her way toward one of the rooms in the VIP ward.


    Coincidentally, it was time for dinner to be served.


    Shi Nian knocked on the door, drawing the attention of two people inside.


    "Oh, your daughter is here, Madam!" The nurse put on a wide smile. "Then I will leave you two alone. Please enjoy your meal."


    "Niannian." Qiang Fei beamed and opened her arms. "How is your exam?"


    Shi Nian flew to her embrace and nudged her head closer to the woman''s shoulder, careful not to put too much pressure on her waist. "Everything is fine. I will surely be able to pass!"


    Qiang Fei chuckled. "Some confidence you have there." Her eyes turned worried in the next moment. "You came here from the police station, right?"


    Shi Nian hummed and put down her backpack. "Don''t worry, it''s thest time. My statement has been recorded and now¡­all we have to wait for is the trial." She looked at Qiang Fei''s troubled look and changed the topic with a carefree tone. "What are you eating for dinner? Woah, it''s braised pork, stir fry vegetables and mapo tofu! You live afortable life here huh, Madam Shi?" She offered a teasing smile.


    "Of course." Qiang Fei harrumphed smugly and started to wolf down the food. "I don''t have to work and I can sleep as long as I want. Most importantly, the food is soo delicious! I can''t ask for more!"


    Shi Nian burst inughter.


    "That''s why," Qiang Fei continued, her eyes inadvertently glimpsed upon Shi Nian''s neck that wasn''t covered by the scarf. The purplish blue mark of chains still lingered. It looked horrendous against her fair skin. She withdrew her gaze instantly and pretended to be engrossed in her food so Shi Nian wouldn''t realize how her eyes watered again. "You have to thank Uncle Jiangter, okay?"


    Suddenly hearing that name, Shi Nian''s smile faltered for a split second before she nodded firmly. "I will."


    "Niannian." Qiang Fei put down the spoon and turned to her, smiling gently. "It''s been hard on you."


    The rims of Shi Nian''s eyes reddened and she lowered her head to hide the tears springing up her eyes. "What are you talking about now, Mama? The one who''s hospitalized is you, not me."


    "Mama is totally fine. It doesn''t even hurt anymore when I walk around." She patted Shi Nian''s head gently. "So don''t torture yourself anymore with guilt, enjoy your holiday, go out with your friends and eat delicious food, okay? Everything will be okay. He will wake up soon."


    Shi Nian pinched her thigh discreetly so as to not bawl her eyes out then and there. Sniffling, she gave an annoyed harrumph. "Aiyah...even if you don''t tell me, I will definitely do that." She lifted her head, revealing nothing but her usual cheerful smile. "I''m fine. Don''t worry about me."


    Qiang Fei stared at her face for a while as if searching for something. In the end, she gave up, sighing. "Fine. You can go now. Mama will continue to enjoy her meal." She even put on a blissful expression every time she took a bite of the food, prompting a more genuine smile on Shi Nian''s face.


    "Alright." Shi Nian stood up and grabbed her backpack. "I will visit again tomorrow."


    Qiang Fei waved offhandedly in response. Giving the woman onest nce, Shi Nian shook her head helplessly and left the room.


    Walking down the hallway, she turned into a corner and entered the area that was guarded by a few ck suit bodyguards. Those people seemed to be familiar with her as they gave a curt nod when she passed, even stepping aside to give way for her. Eventually, she stopped in front of a firmly shut door. From the ss panel, she could see the silhouette of the person inside.


    Shi Nian took a deep breath and slid the door open gently as if afraid she would wake the person inside up. This was ridiculous. She had clearly done this act almost every single day but why was she still feeling so nervous?


    Sunset poured into the room, enveloping the manying on the bed in golden glow. His body was connected with multiple apparatus, an oxygen mask covering his face. The rhythmic beep of the heartbeat monitor echoed with Shi Nian''s careful steps as she approached him.


    ¡­He looked as peaceful as ever, immersed in his slumber like a Sleeping Beauty.


    The thought came to her mind out of nowhere and she chuckled.


    "Jinyan..." She uttered his name gently, her eyes softened with affection tinged with a hint of sadness. "I''m here again. How are you today?"


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: It''s been three weeks and Jiang Jinyan hasn''t woken up yet QAQ how about Nan Xukun then? Let''s see....

 Chapter 361 - Dont You Blame Me?

    "Thest few questions are super hard." Shi Nian babbled as she wiped Jiang Jinyan''s fingers one by one. "In the end, I got five B''s in a row. How could it be possible? I must have made a mistake somewhere for sure. By then, only twenty minutes remained. You can''t imagine how nervous I was but fortunately, everything went well. I made a miscalction in the limit theory we have discussed before. It''s so difficult, no matter how many problems I did, I would always make the same mistake."


    She lifted Jiang Jinyan''s hands in front of her and smiled proudly. "Done, now you''re all clean and fresh." Shi Nian lifted her head, eyesnding on his sleeping visage; sharp eyebrows, curly eyshes that could make every girl envious, straight nose. He was as beautiful as he was fragile. Just in the span of three weeks, his cheek had sunken in and the weight he had put ontely vanished in a sh, making him look especially gaunt and thin. It reminded Shi Nian very much of when she first met him in City A''s hospital.


    Her eyes watered. She brought Jiang Jinyan''s hands to her lips, kissing his knuckles one by one almost piously. Not feeling enough, she moved his palm to cup her cheek, feeling the cold surface of his skin against her.


    "Jinyan¡­when are you going to wake up? Christmas is already over but you still haven''t received my gift yet. I nned to make it a surprise. But then, who would have known that this was going to happen?" She gave a hoarseugh and nuzzled her head onto his palm, eyes closing gently.


    The first few days after the incident seemed like a neverending nightmare. Qiang Fei was moved into the ICU, unconscious whereas Jiang Jinyan suffered from severe injuries. When he slipped off the cliff, Nan Xukun was firmly holding on his arm, intending to take Jiang Jinyan down with him.


    The area they were at was the other side of the mountain where Shi Nian was found a year ago. It used to be a popr ce for mountain climbers and hikers. However, the unstable state of thend rendered it prone tondslides. The mountain has been pretty much abandoned thus no one could have expected that there was a private condo atop of it.


    The house was already more than twenty years old and had been refurbished many times. When the mountain was crowded, the owner opened a cafe for the climbers to rest. However, when people stoppeding there, the cafe shut down and the building was put on sale.


    Disregarding the precariousndscape, who would want to live in the middle of the mountain where there''s nothing around except for trees and wild animals?


    It was also that exact reason that the police haven''t been able to find out the serial killer''s hideouts. From outside, the house looked like a dpidated haunted house, covered in overgrown vines, moss and lush. The location itself was almost hidden by the dense forestation, making it a perfect ce to execute his killings.


    If it wasn''t for the fire which almost burned down half of the mountain and Shi Nian''s statement, they wouldn''t be able to find out about the house.


    "They have found all of the evidence under that basement." Shi Nian told Jiang Jinyan in a soft tone as if singing a luby. "Fortunately, everything hasn''t been burned down yet. There are a few body parts belonging to the victims there, the blood evidence on it, and also weapons and drugs Nan Xukun had used on them. Detective Ke said that Nan Xukun won''t be able to evade punishment. Just that¡­it''s frustrating how he hasn''t regained consciousness yet, just like you."


    "Hey, Jinyan¡­" A droplet of tears slid down Shi Nian''s cheek to his palm, then followed by another, and another. "When your heart stopped beating for a few seconds, I thought to myself that I would be satisfied enough just to see you alive. However, now that you''re like this, I really wish to see your eyes open once again. I want you to look at me, I want to see your smile and hold your hands. I also want to feel your arms around me. I miss you. I miss you so, so much... Tell me, is that too greedy of me?"


    She pressed her forehead on his palm, sobbing. "What should I do without you¡­?"


    Intermittent sobs and sniffles echoed in the room, apanied by the monotone beep of the heartrate monitor. It wasn''t until a few momentster that Shi Nian managed to regain herposure.


    Lifting her head, she put on a smile and wiped her damp cheeks. "Sorry, I''ve told myself countless times not to cry again in front of you and look at me now. Just don''t call me a crybaby when you wake up, okay?"


    She slipped his hand into the nket and pulled it higher to his chest. Afterward, shebed her fingers through his hair and dropped a feathery kiss on his forehead. "Next, I only have to wait for the university entrance examination result so I have a lot of free time in my hands. I will visit you again tomorrow, okay? How about I bring you a bouquet of roses? Do you like them?"


    A faint ruckus outside drew her attention away. Faintly, she could hear the bodyguards greeting, "CEO Jiang." The door slid open at the same time when Shi Nian straightened up. Her eyes met with Jiang Huocheng''s across the room.


    "Uncle Jiang." Shi Nian took the initiative to greet the man and bowed politely. "Good evening."


    Jiang Huocheng looked taken aback as if not expecting to see someone else in Jiang Jinyan''s room, making Shi Nian feel awkward all over. She still hadn''t forgotten how severe Jiang Huocheng''s expression was when he caught sight of Jiang Jinyan who had just been pushed out of the operation room.


    At that time, Jiang Jinyan had barely managed to escape from critical condition. Intense observation was needed to see how well he would fare.


    A violent storm of guilt overwhelmed Shi Nian to the point where she didn''t even dare to look Jiang Huocheng straight in the eye. It was because of her that Jiang Jinyannded in this situation, she brooded over and over again.


    Jiang Huocheng didn''t even need a second to smooth his expression. Nodded curtly, he stepped into the room. His first sentence instantly made Shi Nian''s heart sink. "You don''t need toe here again."


    Shi Nian clenched her fists, swallowing hard. "I''m sorry, Uncle, but¡­I don''t think I can do that."


    As expected, Jiang Huocheng must have hated the sight of her. It was no wonder, considering how many times Jiang Jinyan had gotten himself injured because of her. If she was in his shoes, she would consider herself an eyesore too.


    "I mean, you don''t have toe here every single day." Jiang Huocheng sighed, his face haggard with exhaustion. "The nurse will give you a call when he wakes upter. This boy has unexpectedly gotten too weak, just that little bit of injuries rendered him bedridden for three weeks."


    Shi Nian almost couldn''t believe what she had just heard. Concussion, multiple bone fractures, severe blood loss, deep skin traumas and prolonged starvation was called ''a little bit of injuries''?


    "I¡­" Shi Nian was struck speechless. Even more so when she looked into his eyes and found no hatred or animosity there, only cidness and vicissitude of a person who had gone through so much. She couldn''t help asking. "Uncle¡­don''t you me me?"


    Her question made Jiang Huocheng''s brows knitted deeply. "It''s a twisted notion to me the victim for an unfortunate incident. Moreover, I''m sure that headstrong son of mine readily plunged into danger to save you. I have nothing to say regarding the decision he made himself as long as he was prepared for the consequences. And in this case, I''m sure he knew better than anyone what he has gotten himself into."


    The man''s tone didn''t fluctuate nor was there any sympathy or pity. But still, Shi Nian''s throat choked up badly and the eyes that had just recovered reddened once again. She exerted all of her willpower so as to not embarrass herself by crying in front of Jiang Jinyan''s father. "T¡ªThank you, Uncle¡­"


    He couldn''t imagine how those words had lifted half of the burden off Shi Nian''s shoulder, bringing to her a breath of fresh air she very much needed at the moment. As she expected, Jiang Huocheng was a very good father.


    Jiang Huocheng averted his gaze and cleared his throat. His expression turned even more somber and stern."I dropped by just to see how he''s doing. Now that he is still alive, I will take my leave."


    Shi Nian only recovered her senses by the time Jiang Huocheng reached the door. "Wait, Uncle!" She hastily reached for her backpack and chased after him, grinning ear to ear. "Uncle, have you eaten yet? If you haven''t, mind if I join you?"


    The two walked side by side down the hallway, one was a middle aged man in a suit emanating low pressure from his body while the other was a girl in school uniform, looking all cheerful and happy. They had no simrity at all, yet somehow the air between them was exceedingly heartwarming and harmonious.


    Beyond the closed door they had juste out from, Jiang Jinyan''s fingers twitched ever so slightly, a fluctuation turned up amidst the monotone heart rate diagram on the monitor.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: soon hehe

 Chapter 362 - I Want To Go With Her

    The man in front of Qin Weizhe had taken off the suit he had always worn, recing it with a loosefy sweater and cotton pants. His expression looked far more rxed than before, as if a huge burden had been lifted off his shoulder despite his current status as a criminal aplice.


    It was like he had given up trying to hide behind the hard shell.


    "How are you today, Mr. Si?" Qin Weizhe asked with a smile.


    "I''m fine, thank you for asking." He answered politely and took the initiative to offer. "Feel free to ask your questions, Detective Qin. I will try to answer as best as I can."


    Qin Weizhe scribbled on his notebook and chuckled. "You look very different from thest time I saw you. I almost can''t adjust with how cooperating you are. May I ask if there''s a reason for that?"


    "Reason?" Si Zhening hummed. "I guess¡­it''s because deep down, I have always known that things will turn out this way."


    Qin Weizhe raised one of his brows and leaned back on his chair. Staring at Si Zhening for a while, he asked a simple question. "Why are you pretending to be the serial killer?"


    That single question managed to open the lock to Si Zhening''s distant memory. He closed his eyes and immersed himself in the images surging in his mind.


    If he had to tell a reason, then it must be to repay his sister, Si Qingzhao''s kindness.


    One ought to return kindness a hundred fold and simrly, one also shouldn''t keep still in face of another''s animosity.


    That was the first thing Si Qingzhao taught him.


    Growing up in an orphanage, Si Zhening didn''t feel like he lived a bad life. The director was a middle aged woman who was unable to have her own child. That''s why she and her husband started to take in abandoned children one after another until the habit evolved into opening an orphanage.


    Si Zhening was a baby abandoned in front of the orphanage when he was only a few months old. He had always been a quiet child; he didn''tugh when others told jokes, nor did he cry when he was bullied. No, to be exact, he didn''t even know he was bullied.


    Life at the orphanage was the survival of the fittest. The food was only enough to pad their stomach, full tummy was merely a pipe dream. Thus, stronger and more selfish children would start to snatch food from another behind the director''s back.


    Si Zhening was the perfect target for that. He never reacted when his food was taken and he didn''t tattletale either.


    It was a perfectly ordinary day in summer when six-years-old Si Zhening found the portion of his food missing yet again. He turned around and tiptoed to drink from the water barrel instead so that he couldst until dinnertime, then proceeded to scribble on the sand with a tiny branch.


    All of a sudden, someone handed him a loaf of bread, still warm and fresh from the oven.


    "I made this myself." The girl smiled widely, her long hair fluttered along with the wind. "Do you want to try it?"


    That was his first meeting with Si Qingzhao. Following that, Si Zhening would find Si Qingzhao visiting the orphanage once in a while. It turned out that she was doing volunteer work during weekends to fill her missing high school graduation credits. She would go around helping the director to watch over the babies and help her cook. She also liked to bring homemade breads and cookies for them.


    Compared to other children, she was closest to Si Zhening. When he did his homework, she would watch over him and correct his mistakes. When he ate, she would sit beside him and ce food in his bowl. Also, when Si Zhening scribbled on the sand, she would crouch down and observe what he wrote.


    One day, she suddenly asked. "Aren''t you angry?"


    Si Zhening looked at her nkly.


    "They snatched your food again. If it''s not enough, then they should have told the director directly!" She huffed angrily. "There''s no need to take yours! And you, why are you keeping mum everytime it happens?!"


    "Then what should I do?" Si Zhening asked naively.


    "Be angry! Hit them! Tell the director about their misdeeds!"


    "Angry?" Si Zhening stared at her with an inquiring look. "Are you angry right now?"


    "Of course I am!"


    "Why?"


    "Why, you asked¡­" Si Qingzhao revealed a bewildered expression. "Isn''t itmon sense to be angry in a situation like this?"


    "Really?" Si Zhening tilted his head, confused.


    He had seen many people get angry. When the child who slept in the same bunk bed with him got his toys taken away, he got angry and started to throw tantrums. When a girl''s ponytail was pulled, she would get angry and then cry. When the director saw the mess they had caused over one meal, she would also get angry but it soon subsided after she nagged for an hour.


    The way people expressed their anger was different. Si Zhening gradually understood that.


    But in his case, when should he get angry and how? Should he cry? Or should he throw tantrums? How could people decide that? He couldn''t get a hang of it no matter how hard he tried.


    He had always thought that he was normal and it wasn''t until Si Qingzhao asked that question did the seed of doubt spurt in his heart.


    Why was he different from other people?


    Was he¡­abnormal?


    "You''re not." Si Qingzhao answered with a smile. She bent down to level her gaze with him, something he didn''t understand shed within her eyes. It wasn''t yearster that he knew it was sympathy tinged with a hint of affection and pity. "Everyone has something they''re bad at. Some people aren''t good with mathematics, some people have a bad memory. In your case, you only have difficulties in expressing your feelings."


    "Then what should I do?" If there was something he wasn''t good at, then he should practice on it more, just like how he practiced writing characters, stroke by stroke until in the end, he made no mistake.


    But feelings¡­ How could one define it? He couldn''t see it, nor could he write it down. It was so vague and abstract, Si Zhening thought this must be the most difficult problem he had encountered all his life.


    Si Qingzhao pondered deeply. "Observe, imitate and modify. You should go out and meet a lot of people. Only then will you understand that there''s a lot of different kinds of feelings you never know out there. How about this, do you want to go with me?"


    Si Zhening blinked. "Go with you? Where to?"


    "To my house." She beamed and harrumphed proudly. "I have an older brother. He''s very nice and gentle. If youe with me, then he will be your older brother too."


    Si Zhening didn''t hesitate to agree. Not because of the temptation of having an older brother, but because he didn''t want to separate from Si Qingzhao. There was a slightplication in the process but Si Zhening was still too young to understand that. The criteria for the adoption wasn''t fulfilled, thus it was difficult for Si Qingzhao''s parents to officially adopt him into the family.


    However, Si Qingzhao insisted stubbornly. She said that she had treated Si Zhening as his younger brother and there''s no way for her to leave him behind like this.


    The director held his shoulders and asked seriously. "Do you really want to go with her? You should understand that your status as their adopted son will be unofficial. Your name will not be registered in their family. Regardless of that, you can still treat this orphanage as your house."


    Si Zhening looked at the director and the dejected Si Qingzhao back and forth. In the end, he walked toward Si Qingzhao and held her hand with barely any hesitation at all. "I want to go with her."


    Si Qingzhao instantly burst into tears and smothered him into a tight hug.


    As he expected, Si Qingzhao was the most interesting person he had ever known so far.


    She was good at showing various kinds of vivid expressions. She would cry when someone cried and she would also get angry on behalf of another. Si Zhening couldn''t fathom how someone could hold that many feelings inside them. Wouldn''t they burst by then?


    Originally, he thought that it would take forever for him to figure out how Si Qingzhao''s brain was wired. Never had he expected that he would understand it so soon in the year he turned ten, four years after he joined the Si Family.


    It all started when Si Qingzhao suddenly disappeared for a week.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Finally, Si Zhening''s backstory is here! Omo, he''s so cute and clueless as a child QAQ

 Chapter 363 - What Was This Feeling?

    Panic spread among the Si Family''s members. The missing person report was filed again and again to the police yet they still hadn''t got a clue even after a few days.


    That day was supposed to be Si Qingzhao''s university graduation party and the event was held in a ballroom hotel. Si Yusheng had even personally gone to request for CCTV footage, but he came back without a result. Si Qingzhao never stepped out of the hotel, nor could she be found inside. It was as if she was spirited away.


    When she returned a weekter, her appearance shocked everyone. Her body thinned considerably and her eyes dulled. With a haggard and despondent look, she was totally different from the Si Qingzhao in Si Zhening''s memory. It wasn''t an exaggeration to say that she had aged ten years in one week.


    What happened during her disappearance? Why did she return like this? Who did this to her? They had so many questions yet no matter how many times she was asked, they couldn''t get an answer out of her mouth. Thus, the only thing they could do was to support her unconditionally.


    Mother Si and Father Si were especially distressed. Father Si was just an ordinary college professor while Mother Si was a housewife who would knit a few pieces of woolen clothing to sell in her spare time. They were one humble family, thus the unprecedented incident shattered the peace in their home in an instant.


    Father Si sought a few trusted psychologists to treat Si Qingzhao and got simr answers in varying degrees.


    He was told that Si Qingzhao had been traumatized by something and they should give her time to recover. She could also seek treatment from the professionals but at that time, Si Qingzhao wasn''t exactly in her best state. What she needed the most was to recuperate without being pressured by others.


    Nheless, Father Si and Mother Si weren''t young anymore. Seeing their beloved daughter acting like this broke their heart to pieces.


    Not only did she look ghastly different, her character also shifted. She was often more upset than not, and sometimes, she would even get hysterical. One time, when the attack rpsed, Si Zhening heard her say, "I shouldn''t have gone with him. I shouldn''t have done it. He will kill me. He will definitely kill me."


    "Who?" Si Zhening grabbed her and mustered the most trustworthy gaze he could think of. "Who would kill you?"


    Contrary to his expectation, Si Qingzhao showed a horrified look. "No¡­no!" She pushed Si Zhening away harshly and hugged herself, scared beyond wits. "Don''t touch me! Go away¡­! Get out of here! I don''t want to see you!"


    Si Qingzhao mmed the door right in front of his face. It wasn''t until Si Yusheng called out his name did he realize he had been standing frozen with his fists clenched, blood dripping out from his fingers.


    His chest felt as if it was going to explode. The emotions brimmed in his heart to the point of bursting and it frightened him ¡ª the knowledge that this weird feeling was something he was capable of producing.


    He clutched his chest, frowning.


    It hurts. The way his chest throbbed rapidly sent shivers down his spine and he felt out of breath.


    ...What was this feeling?


    ***


    Two monthster, Si Qingzhao''s condition still hadn''t improved. She shut herself inside the room. The meals that were ced in front of her door were often untouched. The atmosphere in the Si Family was all time low and the usual harmony and tranquility was nowhere to be seen.


    Si Yusheng started toe home once every two or three days. It was unknown where he spent the remaining nights. Father Si and Mother Si were too preupied with Si Qingzhao to care about him. Mainly because he was an adult male; he should be able to take care of himself.


    But Si Zhening knew more. He knew that Si Yusheng was up to something. When he returned from school, he saw the man roam around the street, mingling with those people whom his teachers warned to avoid at all cost.


    He hadn''t even turned eleven when he learned that those people were gangsters. They were part of the mafia, the dark side of the world that was filled with cruelty and cold-bloodedness. And Si Yusheng deliberately got close to them, because they had information¡ªsecret¡ªdark, vile secrets that could threaten lives in their hands.


    Si Yusheng returned one day in the middle of the night with his hands covered in blood. SI Zhening stood in the hallway, a ss of water in his hand. "What are you doing?" He asked in an impassive tone.


    The man snapped his head up, shocked. When he found that it was only Si Zhening there, he sighed in relief, his bloodied hands trembling violently. He dashed past Si Zhening to the kitchen and scrubbed his hands again and again under the sink.


    Si Zhening asked once again. "What are you doing?"


    "I found it¡­" He murmured under his breath.


    "What?"


    "I found the person who harmed Qingzhao." The lightning struck, illuminating the frenzied light in Si Yusheng''s eyes. The corner of his lips curled up into a sinister, malicious smile. "It''s Nan Cheng. He''s there that day in the same hotel as Qingzhao. I got the leads, it''s definitely him."


    Si Zhening should be worried about Si Yusheng''s unstable state, yet his attention was drawn toward the man''s sentence instead. "Nan Cheng?" He had heard that name a lottely. The newly opened amusement park in the city was said to be owned by Nan Cheng''spany. His teachers said that they should grow up to be people like Nan Cheng. "My teacher said that he''s a role model."


    "Bullshit!" Si Yusheng cursed, his fists clenched tight. "It''s all a facade he had put on in public. In the end, he''s no different than a beast in human clothing! He did it to Qingzhao¡­" He buried his face into his palms and let out a pained howl. "That bastard¡­he raped her!"


    The storm became the apaniment to the truth that prevailed that day.


    Nan Cheng. The person who had made Si Qingzhao turn this way. Si Zhening remembered that name by heart. For that reason, he started to study every single thing about Nan Cheng down to the tiny details. Whenever the man appeared on TV, newspapers or magazines, he would be the one to collect the articles first to the point where everyone mistook him as Nan Cheng''s fanatic fan.


    That man was known in public as phnthropist, benevolent, Good Samaritan, living Buddha and etcetera. The foundation he had built with his own money had sponsored many people throughout the country. The more Si Zhening learned about him, the more repulsed he became, especially when he recalled the state Si Qingzhao was in.


    Because of Nan Cheng, the freshly graduated girl became a shut-in. The time when she was supposed to enjoy the peak of youth was spent in her room, devastated.


    Unable to endure it any longer, Father Si and Mother Si finally made a decision to move into another city so as to give Si Qingzhao a new start.


    But Si Yusheng chose to stay.


    Si Zhening knew what he wanted to do. But that year, he was only a ten years old child. Even though he wanted to help, he didn''t know where to start. Just like that, four people moved to City S, leaving Si Yusheng behind.


    Yet the beautiful start they had imagined never happened.


    Minor problems started to crop up in Father Si''s workce then Mother Si''s clothing business went out of business all of a sudden. The string of coincidences were very bizarre. At his age, Si Zhening understood many things that his peers didn''t. He had always been smarter than others.


    The seed of doubt sprouted in his heart and Nan Cheng, that name, once again popped up in Si Zhening''s mind.


    Si Qingzhao had just barely recovered from her trauma when everything went downhill from that moment onward.


    One day, an ident happened to Father Si on his way home. A car suddenly ran through the red light and almost crashed straight on to Father Si. If the driver didn''t brake on time, Father Si wouldn''t have escaped with only a leg fracture.


    Next, Mother Si was harassed when she bought groceries in the market and she often felt like someone was following her home. The incident escted when someone often yed a prank on them by painting their gate with red spray or throwing rocks into their house.


    On the other hand, Si Zhening started to get bullied in school. His pencil case or books would disappear all of a sudden or he would get locked in the toilet when he was on cleaning duty. One time, he was even pushed down the stairs. Fortunately he managed to get away with only a sprained ankle. The perpetrator was different each time and he swore that he hadn''t even interacted with them before. It was as if they received some kind ofmand to make his life suffer.


    That period of time was akin to a nightmare, especially for Si Qingzhao.


    Because she knew that her family members suffered due to her stupid action and the knowledge pushed her to the brink of copse. Being as kind as she was, guilt and self-loathe started to consume her from within and the trauma that had started to fade surfaced once again.


    Winter that year, Si Qingzhao disappeared, leaving only a simple note.


    [Forgive me, Mama, Papa and Ah Ning. I will take care of my own problems and make sure that it won''t implicate all of you anymore. Please don''t look for me. I will send my regards from time to time to let you know that I have been living well. Sincerely, your beloved daughter.]


    The recurrence of Si Qingzhao''s disappearance broke the Si Couple''s heart. They searched for Si Qingzhao everywhere like crazy, but she was nowhere to be found.


    At first, Father Si could still hire a private investigator to search for Si Qingzhao. But then, Mother Si''s health abruptly deteriorated due to the constant stress and she was diagnosed with kidney failure. The amount of money they needed wasn''t small, especially for Mother Si''s medicine and dialysis.


    Their finances became tight and Father Si finally stopped paying for the private investigator and opted to search for his daughter himself.


    The whole family turned into a mess and Si Zhening watched it all happen through his eyes which showed no emotion whatsoever. He went to school as usual, did his homework, ate and slept like nothing happened. Even when Father Si told him they were unable to pay for his school fees anymore and persuaded him to drop out, he didn''t give any reaction except agreeing.


    That was the first time Si Zhening realized to an extent how peculiar he waspared to normal people.


    That was also the first time he heard someone call him ''monster''.


    Mother Si was the one who did it.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: poor Si Zhening QAQ

 Chapter 364 - Too Messy To Be Salvaged

    "Sorry." Father Si held his forehead and sighed. "Don''t think too much about what your mother said. She''s only muddled because of her illness."


    "It''s okay." Si Zhening answered quietly. For him, there was no difference between being called ''weird'' and ''monster''. It meant that he was not normalpared to other people. He looked at Father Si and asked,"Is mother dying?"


    Si Zhening couldn''t describe what Father Si''s expression looked like. Shocked, apprehension and bewilderment. It was then that he realized he seemed to have worded his question in the wrong way. Again.


    "No, it''s not what I mean." He hastily corrected his words. "It''s just that mother has gotten more emotionaltely. Usually, she won''t get angry at me just like that. She also eats a lot of medicines everyday... "


    "I understand." Father Si stood up and patted his shoulder. "Don''t worry about it. Everything will be okay."


    Si Zhening stared up at his side profile; the way his hair had almost been painted white, the deep wrinkles on his face and the downturn of his lips.


    ¡­It didn''t seem like everything would be okay just like he said.


    ***


    "Hello?" Si Zhening picked up the phone in the living room. There was no answer from the other side for a while. Pondering, he guessed. "Brother?"


    A sigh sounded. "Zhening." It was indeed Si Yusheng''s voice.


    "Are you calling because of what has happened?"


    It had been a few months since hest heard from Si Yusheng. At first, he would frequently call to let them in on the news buttely, it was as if he vanished into thin air. Si Zhening wasn''t even sure whether he knew what had ensued to the family after they had moved here.


    "Yes. Sorry, there''s a few things I''m quite busy with at the moment. Father and Mother are too much, they don''t even let me know that Qingzhao has run away from home." He sighed. "Is father there with you?"


    Si Zhening handed the phone to Father Si and sat down to continue watching the cartoon. The conversation by the side drifted to his ears.


    "...We don''t want to worry you. It''s okay, Father can still manage."


    Hearing Si Yusheng''s response, he gasped in shock. "What?! Where did you get so much money?! Si Yusheng, have you forgotten what I taught you? You''re not allowed to dip your hands in drugs and other illegal business. Do you hear me?"


    "Okay, fine..." Father Si sighed, his voice trembled. "I will trust you this time. Thank you, Yusheng, you''re a great help. Are you living well? Hmm, yes¡­ We are good. Don''t worry about Qingzhao too much. That rascal must be fine, you know how mischievous she is since she was a child. Yes, I''m still searching around the city for now. There''s no way she had gone so far. Yes¡­okay, you go and do your things. Father will not bother you anymore." Then, he hung up on the phone, buried his face into his palms and cried silently, his hunched back quivered.


    Si Zhening nced at him and lowered his head.


    He wanted to ask why Father Si was crying but somehow, he got the feeling that the more he said, the more mistakes he would make just like earlier. Thus, he opted to stay silent instead.


    However, it seemed like he had made another wrong decision because ever since that day, Si Zhening could vividly feel that the Si Couple started to be ufortable in his presence.


    He turned eleven amidst the strenuous atmosphere.


    Life without Si Qingzhao was quite dull. Si Zhening couldn''t quite describe it. He was like a floating balloon without anyone to hold his string. Just with the slightest breeze, he would be blown away without knowing where to end up when the wind subsided. It wasn''t exactly bad nor was it good either.


    He just felt¡­empty.


    Since Si Qingzhao left the house, the harassment they suffered instantly vanished. Yet it was impossible to return to how things were before everything happened. Si Zhening didn''t have to go to school and staying at home was the least favorite thing he wanted to do. That year, he started to roam all over the street, picking bottles and cans to earn money, helping the breakfast seller auntie to prepare her stall, etcetera. As long as those people were willing to pay him, he would do anything.


    A sudden thought emerged in his mind. No, not sudden ¡ª to be exact, the idea had started to take its form ever since Si Qingzhao left.


    He, too, wanted to follow Si Qingzhao''s steps. He wanted to leave the Si Family house. But before that, he needed money to survive.


    One yearter, Si Yusheng called home to inform them that he had found Si Qingzhao and she was living quite well, telling them not to worry about her again. He also said that she was ashamed to face her parents after making them worry so much.


    The good news lifted the atmosphere in an instant, even Mother Si gave Si Zhening a smile during dinner.


    Si Zhening had secretly bought a second-hand phone from his numerous misceneous jobs. When he returned to his room that night, he dialed Si Yusheng''s number which he had remembered early on.


    "Hello? Who is this?" Si Yusheng''s voice was gruff, with a hint of impatience.


    "It''s me." Si Zhening said.


    "Zhening?" He sounded taken aback and his tone softened considerably, returning to how he always did to his family. "Whose phone did you use to call me?"


    "It''s my own phone."


    "Oh? Did Father buy you this phone for your birthday?"


    No, of course not. Actually, Father Si and Mother Si didn''t even say happy birthday to him, he guessed that they had forgotten it altogether. However, Si Zhening glossed over the topic and hummed vaguely, then asked the question that had been guing his mind. "Have you really found Sister?"


    "Of course." Si Yusheng chuckled. "You brat, do you think I am lying?"


    "Then can you give her the phone right now? Or you can give me her number and I will call her myself."


    "What''s wrong? Do you miss her?" He asked in a teasing tone.


    Si Zhening contemted briefly and chose to confess. "I want to ask her whether I can go and live with her again."


    The other side of the phone was silent for a while. When Si Yusheng spoke again, his tone sounded more serious and somber. "Why? Did something happen again to you all?"


    "No. It''s not the whole family moving, just me." Si Zhening murmured under his breath. "It''s me who wants to live with Sister."


    "Wow, this is the first time I have heard you state your request." Si Yusheng said. "Did something happen between you and them?"


    Even if he was given a chance to exin, Si Zhening didn''t know where to start. In fact, he didn''t even know how the situation escted to this point. When he came to his senses, their rtionships were already too messed up to be salvaged. Moreover, he had no intention to. He held very meager attention toward anything and anyone other than Si Qingzhao.


    "Zhening," Si Yusheng heaved a long sigh. "I know that you and Mother barely got along only because Qingzhao was there so I''m not exactly surprised to hear this. I''m sorry if I neglected you before. How about this, do you want to live with me?"


    Si Zhening caught the underlying meaning in his sentence. "You don''t live together with Sister?"


    "No. I only said that I have found her. We''re not even in the same city, actually. I check up on her once in a while and help her if she has any difficulties, that''s all."


    "Why? Why don''t you live together? Why did Sister have to leave home? Is it because of ''that person'' again? Are you still trying to get revenge on him?"


    "Zhening!" Si Yusheng eximed in shock. "What are you saying¡ª"


    "You don''t need to hide it from me any longer." He said in a matter-in-fact tone. "I know that you are doing something secretly behind our back. It must be rted to ''that person''. Don''t worry, Mother and Father still haven''t got any idea yet."


    Si Yusheng sighed in relief. "You scared me¡­I thought they knew already. It''s okay, Zhening. Just leave everything to me and don''t bother yourself with that matter again. You''re still too young to worry about this. Go out and y with your friends. If you don''t have pocket money, let me know and I will send you some."


    You''re still too young¡­


    He had heard that sentence numerous times, both from Si Couple''s mouth or those people who refused to hire him because of his age. So what if he was young? Did being young automatically meant that he wouldn''t be able to do anything?


    That night, Si Zhening agreed obediently and hung up on the phone after getting Si Qingzhao''s number. The woman''s voice sounded normal, with a hint of sobs as she heard his voice, saying how much she had missed him.


    Life continued as usual after that.


    Two years of doing misceneous jobs, he managed to scramble up enough money to survive for a few months. Carrying with him nothing but a few pieces of clothing, he embarked on a journey to another city and arrived at Si Qingzhao''s doorsteps.


    She had been living in the suburbs all these while, in a shabby apartment building whose lights were dim and walls whose paint had peeled off, covered in graffiti and moss. Pressing the doorbell, Si Zhening wondered if Si Yusheng did send her enough money. Otherwise, how could she bear to live in such a ce?


    "Coming!" The door swung open, revealing a more mature Si Qingzhao. "Who is¡ª" Her expression froze in an instant when she saw him.


    Si Zhening was simrly stunned, not because of Si Qingzhao whose condition had improved muchpared to three years ago, but because there was someone else with her.


    A tiny toddler hugged her leg, his round eyes curiously looking up at Si Zhening.


    Just in one nce, Si Zhening could spot a few uncanny simrities between the toddler and ''that person'', the one he would spend almost half of his life for revenge ¡ª Nan Cheng.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Hmm, who has been harassing their family? What is their intention?


    Anyway, I thought that MDG will end before January but it seems toote already lol it''s a little longer than I expected.

 Chapter 365 - Stop Saying Sorry!

    There was so much Si Zhening wanted to ask her. He had even prepared the list such as, how well had she been living all these years? Was her sleep still gued with nightmares? Did the memory of that week still haunted her?


    But as soon as he saw the toddler, all the questions stuck in his throat, unable to be delivered. Instead, he only asked one thing, one most important question which he urgently wanted to hear the answer to.


    "So, are you leaving home for...this child?"


    Si Qingzhao''s face paled, especially when she looked into his eyes. Si Zhening had no idea what she saw in them. He himself didn''t understand what he was feeling. "Don''t you hate him? If you do, why are you still willing to¡ª" give birth to this devil''s spawn?


    However, he knew better than to say that out loud. He had learned so much from experience. What to say and what not to say, he could already make an urate judgement. Albeit that uracy seemed to be in vain in the face of Si Qingzhao''s ashyplexion.


    "Mama¡­?" The toddler tugged on her skirt, eyes brimming with tears.


    Si Qingzhao instantly brought him to her embrace, coddling and cajoling. "It''s okay. This is Mama''s younger brother. Say hello to Uncle."


    A pair of eyes simr to Nan Cheng nced at him nervously. "U¡ªUncle¡­"


    Si Zhening felt so repulsed to the point where he almost vomited his breakfast.


    "Anyway,e in first¡­" Si Qingzhao opened the door wider. Although the exterior looked shabby, the inside was very cozy andfortable. The area resembled how Si Qingzhao was; cheerful, gentle and calming. She sat on the sofa and continued to feed the child. "What do youe here for?"


    Si Zhening couldn''t bring himself to say that he came here to find her, to live with her again. Fortunately, his small backpack didn''t give him away. Instead, he looked as if he was only travelling. "To see how you''re doing." He said, betraying all of his original intention. "Why are you living in such a ce? Does Brother not give you enough money?"


    "No." She shook her head. "He gave me more than enough already. It''s just that...it''s morefortable this way."


    Just in one nce, Si Zhening could tell that she was hiding something. She had always been a bad liar. "Are you still hiding from that person? Is he the one who forced you on the run?"


    Si Qingzhao''s pupils trembled and her hand shook. "You¡­You know?"


    Seeing that, Si Zhening clenched his fist and lowered his eyes. There it was again, the suffocating that almost crushed his chest. What exactly was this feeling?


    Si Zhening stood up. "It seems like you''re busy. I will take my leave first. If you need something, give me a call."


    Si Qingzhao chuckled and shook her head helplessly. He knew what she meant by that. He was only a fourteen years old brat. What help could he give her? Could he win against Nan Cheng? Could he eliminate all of the threats around her?


    No, he couldn''t. From the start, there was nothing he could do.


    "Ah Ning."


    Si Zhening halted in his tracks.


    "Are you not even going to ask my child''s name?"


    He knew the appropriate reaction to that. He should pretend that he had forgotten, saying that the surprise had caused it to slip from his mind. Deliver a fewpliments; how cute, he looks just like you, you''re good at choosing names etcetera. Then, he would be able to walk out of this house after making Si Qingzhao happy.


    But this time, Si Zhening was really unwilling to follow his logic.


    He pretended as if he heard nothing and left.


    ***


    Three monthster, Si Qingzhao moved to City T and simrly, Si Zhening also followed her, although she was sure that the woman knew nothing about it. That''s why, when she opened the door and found him on her doorsteps again, her eyes widened in surprise before it morphed into frustration. "Why are you here? Do you even go to school?!"


    "I can study just fine by myself."


    "No!" Si Qinzhao eximed angrily. "Go home and return to school! I will pay for your school fees!"


    She wanted to m the door on his face but Si Zhening held onto the frame. "Aren''t you tired living like this? Do you want me to get rid of Nan Cheng?" He looked at her intently.


    Say it. As long as she said the word, he was willing to do anything for her.


    However, Si Qingzhao turned angrier instead. "Nonsense!" She pushed him back harshly. "Go home! If I see you around again, I will not forgive you!"


    Bang! The door was mmed shut.


    Si Zhening stood still, his lips pressed tight.


    For the next two years, Si Qingzhao moved thrice. Si Zhening still had no idea what had ensued between her and Nan Cheng and why she was so insistent on running away from him. What he noticed was, Nan Cheng''s people were hot on her trail. Sometimes, Si Zhening even shed with them head on. He fought with them with the same ferocity, earning him a body full of bruises and injuries.


    Si Zhening was careful not to let Si Qingzhao find him but what was destined to happen would still happen.


    One day, Si Zhening was resting in an alley after another fierce fight when Si Qingzhao suddenly rushed out from nowhere, face soaked in tears. She copsed in front of him, tremblingly reached out toward his badly injured face. "Ah Ning¡­ Ah Ning¡­ How did you be like this? I''m sorry. It''s all my fault. You shouldn''t have followed me¡­"


    Si Zhening coughed and wiped the blood on his lips. "I did it willingly. Not your fault."


    But the woman was too hysterical to digest his words. Repeatedly, she kept saying, "Sorry, please forgive me¡­ I''m sorry¡­"


    "I SAID I DID IT ON MY OWN VOLITION!" Si Zhening roared. "STOP SAYING SORRY!" It might be the one and only time he had shouted on top of his lungs. He also didn''t know what hadpelled him to do so. Just that, seeing Si Qingzhao consumed in self-me like this...his heart ached as if it was torn into pieces.


    That day, he finally learned the truth from Si Qingzhao''s mouth.


    During her graduation party, Nan Cheng was also there to sign a business contract. Not only was that man the role model for children, but women also yearned for someone like him. Handsome, rich, gentle and kind. He was like a charming prince straight out of a romance movie.


    Si Qingzhao¡­ also held some na?ve expectations. Could someone like Nan Cheng fall for her? Was it possible for her to approach him?


    That night, after drinking lots of alcohol and getting tipsy, Si Qingzhao threw herself on him, almost begging the man to take her first time just like a whore. If her parents and Si Yusheng were to see her like this, they would be so ashamed to admit her as a daughter and sister.


    ...It was ridiculous. Even up to this day, Si Qingzhao med herself, thinking that the world was simple and beautiful. How naive. She really, really regretted it a lot.


    Nan Cheng didn''t refuse and brought her to the presidential suite.


    It was the beginning of Si Qingzhao''s nightmare.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Si Zhening QAQ he''s struggling to cope with the feelings he doesn''t even understand....

 Chapter 366 - Please Take Me In!

    The intercourse was anything but pleasurable. It was raw, painful and brutal. Nan Cheng almost didn''t treat her like a human being, only a tool to vent his sexual desires. Her body was covered in ck and blue bruises and her lower part was swollen and bleeding. Even then, Nan Cheng didn''t stop until she fainted again and again, until the bedsheet was soaked in the mixture of their bodily fluids and the blood that trailed down her thigh.


    In the end, Si Qingzhao was unconscious for five days. When she came to, she was on IV drips and her whole body felt so painful as if she was run over by a truck. Her body wasn''t even cleaned, the traces of that man still lingered all over, sticky and disgusting.


    Nan Cheng was already nowhere to be found, only his secretary who looked at her like a lowly prostitute was there in the hotel room.


    Next, what she received were threats. Take the money away and go as far as possible. If she were to forget her ce ande to Nan Cheng again, they would dispose of her body. Not only that, her family¡ªtheir backgrounds, photos, jobs¡ªthey got everything in their hands. If she even dared to spread some rumors about Nan Cheng, her family''s fate would be on the line.


    That was the first time Si Qingzhao realized she had jumped head-on into the devil''s den. One that promised all the pain there was in the world.


    Following that, Si Qingzhao stayed in the hotel for two days and scrambled home. She hid herself there, too terrified to even tell anyone. Everytime someone asked her what happened, the memory of that day would pop up and she would get hysterical. Nightmares haunted her dreams, all of which starred that terrifying and cold-blooded man, Nan Cheng.


    ...How she wished she could turn back in time. If so, then she wouldn''t have been so stupid as to approach Nan Cheng again.


    Si Qingzhao regretted it immensely. Despite that, she thought that there was no way for her and Nan Cheng to cross paths again. Her family also moved to another city to grant her a new start which Si Qingzhao was truly grateful for.


    Until one day, she found there was something wrong with herself.


    Secretly sneaking to the hospital, Si Qingzhao discovered with dread that there was another living being growing in her stomach.


    ¡ªShe was already three months pregnant.


    The news somehow reached Nan Cheng''s ears and thus the harassment started. The nightmare returned all over again. Nan Cheng wanted to get her back but she was already too terrified beyond wits. Whenever she saw Nan Cheng, what she recalled was only the bone-breaking pain that night. Like a coward, she hid behind her family''s back and pretended as if she knew nothing.


    There were many times when she wanted to kill herself along with the fetus. Just imagining that it was Nan Cheng''s child almost broke her mind apart. Yet, time and time again, she would always stop at thest second.


    Why¡­? She clearly didn''t wish for the child to exist. So why couldn''t she get rid of it?!


    In the end, the breaking point came when Father Si, Mother Si and Si Zhening started to return home with wounds to varying degrees. This was clearly Nan Cheng''s threats ¡ª he would be able to get rid of them easily if she continued this ridiculous act of hiding. This sobered Si Qingzhao''s mind up,pelling her to run away and make the man focus on herself.


    Only by then would she be able to protect her family.


    Six monthster, she gave birth to an adorable baby boy, alone at a nameless clinic near the suburbs, only apanied by a dubious middle aged female doctor. She named him ''Xukun'' as she wanted him to grow up strong and vignt, to be smarter and braver than she ever was.


    At first, she was hesitating to let the child follow her surname. If he was a Nan, would his life be better? Then again, who could guarantee that Nan Cheng would love this child?


    Before she gave birth, she was afraid of Nan Cheng. But after she did, she became afraid that Nan Cheng would separate them. Of course, from the start, Nan Cheng had stated that he wanted nothing to do with her. He only wanted her baby. Despite that, Si Qingzhao had grown to love Xukun, so much that she wasn''t sure whether she would survive without him.


    Thus she kept on running, running and running.


    Countless times she wondered if she had made the right decision. Should she have given the child up to Nan Cheng?


    ***


    After hearing the story, Si Zhening made a decision at that time.


    Whether she granted him permission or not, he would help her.


    Ever since that day, Si Qingzhao pushed him away more harshly than before. She even went as far as to move again without telling him. This time she settled in City A, next door to kind neighbors such as Qiang Fei and her adorable daughter, Shi Nian.


    Nheless, Si Zhening still found out about it through Si Yusheng. Every time he visited, she would snarl and spout hateful words. Si Zhening knew that she was only worried that he would get hurt again likest time. That''s why he gradually showed up in front of her less and less, and chose to observe her from afar instead. Even more so when he was going to do something that she wouldn''t agree to no matter what.


    In the winter when he was fifteen, he left for another city and after asking around, staked out in front of a dimsum restaurant for three days. Before his body chilled to death, the person he was waiting for finally showed up. Still with traces of heavy bruises on his face, he stopped Jia Renyu on his way in.


    In an instant, the men by Jia Renyu''s side surrounded him and took him down. Si Zhening struggled desperately, his bloodshot eyes staring up at Jia Renyu, transfixed. "Please, take me in!" He pleaded.


    He had never felt as desperate as of now. Whenever he recalled Si Qingzhao''s nervous look every time she opened the door and her cries that day, his resolve strengthened even more. If he couldn''t bring Nan Cheng down, then he would seek someone who could.


    And that person was in front of him.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Surprise! Three new chapters updated! Scroll down to keep reading~


    Author''s favorite question! So, whose fault do you think it is? Si Qingzhao''s drunken recklessness or....

 Chapter 367 - Have You Killed Someone?

    Warning: mild gore :)


    ...


    Jia Renyu lifted a hand and his men let Si Zhening go.


    Panting, he repeated. "Please take me in."


    "Brat," Jia Renyu smirked. "You know who I am?"


    "I have asked around for you." He said with all honesty. "You''re Jia Renyu, the newly risen leader of the underworld. I have been waiting for you here. Those people said that you''re going to visit this restaurant soon."


    Jia Renyu scoffed out augh andmanded the man beside him. "Find out who sold me out." After that, he looked down on Si Zhening without any expression whatsoever. Their eyes locked for a few moments.


    Si Zhening might look unaffected but in fact, his back had long been drenched by cold sweat. There was an instinct deep within that warned him to beware of someone like Jia Renyu ¡ª someone who had fought his way through by blood and death.


    After an unknown amount of time, the corner of Jia Renyu''s lips curled into an offhanded smirk. "Brat, I really like the look in your eyes." Turning around, he told Si Zhening without looking back. "Follow me."


    Si Zhening scrambled to get into the car. They traveled for half an hour and arrived at a traditional styled house which seemed like the basecamp for the mafia. Walking in, Jia Renyu was showered with numerous loud greetings. Everyone bowed ny degrees with their eyes nailed to the ground. "Good evening, Boss!"


    Inside the main hall was a man whose limbs were tied and mouth shut with a tape. His eyes shook as soon as theynded on Nan Cheng then he started to thrash around, fear and dread reflected on the way tears streaming down his face.


    When Si Zhening looked closer, he realized that all of the man''s fingers had been cut off, leaving stump palms covered in infected flesh. His shirt was also dyed in blood with multiple gashes all over his body.


    Jia Renyu sat on the Master chair and Si Zhening stood in front of him obediently, the gangsters surrounded them. The whole image was kindaical, as if Si Zhening was a harmless rabbit that willingly sent himself to the wolf''s mouth.


    "Do you know what crime he has done to warrant such a torture?"


    "Betrayal?" He guessed.


    Jia Renyu chuckled. "It seems like you have done your homework properly."


    "I''ve heard about it," Si Zhening said. "That the most important aspect you uphold is loyalty. That''s why Ie to you. If you take me in, I will do anything ¡ª I will even sell my soul to you."


    "Woah, easy." The man lifted both hands and slipped a cigar between his lips. "I still haven''t agreed to anything yet."


    It was bizarre; the way they conversed calmly as if there wasn''t a dying and desperate man under their feet. "Then what should I do to make you agree?"


    Smoke puffed out of Jia Renyu''s mouth and Si Zhening resisted the urge to cough and turn his head away. He knew he shouldn''t show a slightest bit of weakness here, not at this moment.


    "How old are you?"


    "Fourteen."


    "Where do you live?"


    "Nowhere." Si Zhening lowered his sight. "I don''t have a home." The person whom he thought would be able to grant him a ce he called home was no more. She already had her own home and it wasn''t his ce to intrude on them.


    "Have you killed someone?"


    "No. But I can learn." He looked straight into Jia Renyu''s eyes. "I have always been a fast learner."


    Seemingly unprepared to receive this kind of answer, Jia Renyu was taken aback before bursting intoughter. Around them, his men also guffawed along, rowdy and riotous.


    Jia Renyu received a knife from the subordinate behind him and threw it to Si Zhening. "I want fifty grams of his flesh." He jutted his chin toward the man on the ground, disgusted.


    "Hmm¡ª!!!" Hearing Jia Renyu''s words, the man started to struggle even more desperately. However, his back was pressed to the ground, rendering him unable to move an inch. "Hmm¡ªmm!!!" Tears streamed down his face and he looked at Si Zhening full of plea.


    "What are you waiting for?" Jia Renyu clicked his tongue impatiently. "Scared?"


    "No." Si Zhening held the bloodstained knife in his hand tighter. "Just wondering where I should start. Is there a digital scale I can use here?"


    Once again, Jia Renyu broke out inughter.


    A digital scale was put atop of the table and the man gestured for him to start. Si Zhening nodded and stalked toward the man. Without the slightest hint of hesitation, he started to slice the flesh on the man''s thigh. The sensation of soft flesh under the knife and blood pouring onto his hand was something that Si Zhening wouldn''t forget for the rest of his life.


    The man''s body convulsed from the pain and his eyes rolled back. Muffled screams rang out of his mouth. Yet Si Zhening kept relentlessly slicing bit by bit and threw it onto the digital scale as if he was weighing livestock.


    Ten grams...fifteen grams...thirty grams¡­


    "Exactly fifty grams." He put the knife down and stood up. However, before he could catch his breath, one of Jia Renyu''s men suddenly attacked him from behind. Caught off guard, Si Zhening received a harsh blow on his back and his newly healed ribs started to throb again. Blood seeped out his mouth.


    The air seemed to have frozen at that second. Turning around, he directed a bloodshot re toward the perpetrator. "Do you want to kill me?"


    Without a word, the man attacked again and Si Zhening fought back. It was as if he had returned to that day when Si Qingzhao found him. His eyes furious and the aura he exuded was murderous.


    Hurry, he had to get rid of them as quickly as possible or else Sister would find him and cry again!


    "Stop!" Jia Renyu bellowed.


    Si Zhening''s movement halted and he snapped out of his thoughts. He looked down toward the man whose cor he was grasping, a knife held on his other hand without him realizing with its tip a hair''s breadth away from the man''s neck. Slowly, he let go, his ears ringing in pain.


    He shut his eyes tight and opened them again. Instead of bing clear, the scene in front of him turned even more blurry. His knees gave up beneath him and he gasped, his chest burning like never before.


    Jia Renyu stopped in front of him and lifted his chin, forcing him to look into the man''s eyes. "What''s your name, child?"


    "Si...Zhening¡­"


    "Si Zhening," Jia Renyu smiled. "Wee to the family."


    Then Si Zhening cked out.


    When he regained consciousness, three days had passed. The memory of that day was akin to a dream yet the scenery around him told him otherwise. He was lying on a bed in a single room in the basecamp; his own room. He had done it. Finally, there was something he could do with his own hands.


    His chest turned a lot lighter, albeit it still hurt as hell because Jia Renyu''s man had injured him again. But the knowledge that he was one step closer to Nan Cheng put him in a good mood.


    He returned to City A to inform Si Qingzhao that he would be going away for a while. If she asked further, he would only say that he was going back to school. Well, in fact he was really going back to school because Jia Renyu demanded him to continue his education so he wasn''t considered lying, right?


    Imagination was beautiful while reality would p him on the face, reminding him of the hell he was living in.


    Thinking that Si Zhening''s absence had something to do with Nan Cheng, Si Qingzhao took the initiative to seek the man out. As soon as she was under Nan Cheng''s radar, there was no way for her to escape anymore.


    And the next time he met Si Qingzhao was when he stood in front of her fresh grave, with only a ck and white photograph of the woman smiling back at him.


    Si Zhening was already too..te.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Second update! One more~


    Fun facts I realize after finished writing Si Zhening''s backstory:


    1. He''s kinda stalkerish, isn''t he? He literally follows Si Qingzhao to every city she moved into lol


    2.. Si Qingzhao and Nan Cheng''s story really resembles AllNovelFull''s popr trope of Mr. CEO''s Runaway Bride right? So why does it turn this dark and thriller when I wrote it? *Facepalm cry*

 Chapter 368 - My Most Important Person

    The rain poured heavily that day.


    Si Zhening stood without an umbre, letting himself be drenched from head to toe.


    There was no one around the cemetery except for the Si Family members. Despair and grief weighed down on the air, carrying with it the heavy scent of petrichor, soil and tears. Even up to this day, Father Si and Mother Si knew nothing of the mishaps that befell their daughter. What they knew was only that Si Qingzhao had gotten into a car ident amidst her journey and she breathed herst even before she could be sent to the hospital.


    ¡ªNonsense.


    What car ident? Everything was just a lie fabricated by Nan Cheng.


    Si Zhening felt he was immersed in a dream, one that he couldn''t wake up from no matter what he did. The sky was downcast, thick with dark whirling clouds and somehow, what he could remember of that day was only the color tone; ck, grey and white.


    It took Si Yusheng enormous effort to escort Father Si and Mother Si back to the car and drove them home. When he returned to the cemetery, Si Zhening was still there in the same position. His back looked especially lonesome and mncholic. It was weird, because he never knew that someone like Si Zhening could exude this kind of strong emotion.


    "Is that okay not to tell them?" His voice was muffled by the downpour but Si Yusheng heard it loud and clear. He brought the umbre over Si Zhening''s head and together, they stood side by side in front of her grave.


    "I''d preferred them to be oblivious forever." Si Yusheng answered. "Otherwise I don''t think they can live on with the fact."


    It was unknown what was going through his head but suddenly Si Yusheng started to ramble. "They have always wanted a daughter. Mother''s womb had gotten weak after giving birth to me, but they kept trying to conceive another child. That''s why, the gap between my age and Qingzhao is quiterge. Maybe that''s also why...even though she has clearly grown up, we have always considered her as a baby who ought to be protected."


    The raindrops made its trail on Si Qingzhao''s photograph, just like tears. The same water dripped down Si Zhening''s forehead and stuck to his eyshes. He blinked, letting them fall freely down his cheek.


    "I am going now." That was thest sentence he said to her before he departed to find Jia Renyu.


    What did she reply with again? Oh, that''s right. "Go, go away! Don''t make me repeat myself again. Go to school properly. If I find you sneaking around here again, you''re going to get it from me, got it?!"


    He didn''t take her words seriously and proceeded to leave.


    ...Why did he do that? He should have stayed longer and talked to her more. He should have apanied her, or at least told her honestly what he was going to do.


    That was the first lie he had ever told her...and look at the cost he had to pay for it.


    It''s so heavy, too heavy that he couldn''t breathe.


    Qingzhao ah, Qingzhao. If you were going to look for me, then why did you ask me not to show up in front of you again?


    If you''re going to die, then what did I try so hard for?


    In the end, the two brothers stayed there until the rain subsided. When the ray of the sunlight burst through the dark clouds, Si Zhening spoke out, his voice raspy. "Her child¡­what''s his name?"


    ***


    His name was Nan Xukun.


    It was only when Si Qingzhao was gone did Si Zhening realize he had never bothered to get a proper look at her child. If someone asked him to recall Nan Xukun''s face, what remained vividly in his mind was only a pair of eyes that awfully resembled Nan Cheng.


    It was repulsive. To think that Nan Cheng ¡ª that bastard''s blood ran in the child''s veins. However, half of him still came from Si Qingzhao and that one fact made Si Zhening unable to ignore him entirely.


    The boy that was already eight at the time started to live under Nan Cheng''s wings. The news that Nan Cheng had a legitimate sessor spread through the society. It wasn''t exactly a matter worth hiding anyway.


    Nheless, Nan Xukun''s sudden appearance still created quite a sensation and the rumors were getting more and more out of hand. Some of them said that Nan Xukun was kidnapped by a human trafficker when he was small and was only rescued recently. Some of them said that Nan Cheng had purposely hid his identity to protect him.


    One thing for certain was: Nan Xukun was at a level that Si Zhening couldn''t ever reach.


    That''s why Si Zhening studied his ass off. He couldn''t make a mistake again just like he did with Si Qingzhao. He trained himself to always seek for the most efficient way to solve problems and along with that, his mental state also started to change.


    One fact Si Zhening realized about himself from early on was that he hated the touch of others. It wasn''t unreasonable, recalling how lonesome his character was.


    With Si Qingzhao, it was barely bearable. That woman was the one and only person whose touch he could force himself to endure. Yet, after her death, his dislike of human touch turned even more severe. It was to the point where he had to wash himself a few times after he touched others even for a second.


    Dirty, he felt like the world was too filthy and repulsive to live in.


    Along with the growing mysophobia, he also liked to see things being arranged orderly, including but not limited to his own stuff, his schedule, his ns and every aspect in his life down to the tiniest detail. Just by that could he calm himself that he wouldn''t make a mistake anymore.


    With that, time passed quickly and he graduated from a prestigious university. Soon after, he got a job offer to be a manager in a small start-uppany.


    ...But this wasn''t enough.


    Against Nan Cheng, just a tiny manager wasn''t enough.


    These days, whenever someone brought up Nan Cheng, then the name Jiang Huocheng would also be mentioned. They were hailed as the two powerhouse in the country, the sessful businessmen who fought their way up with their own strength.


    Fortunately the two fitted the idiom ''well water doesn''t mix with sea water'', each minding their own business. Compared to Nan Cheng, Jiang Huocheng was more low profile and antisocial.


    Si Zhening made up his mind. And once he did, he would single-mindedly put his entire focus in it. He applied to Jiang Corporation and managed to pass the CV selection with flying colours. Starting from an intern, a permanent employee to the secretary department, after three years, he finally managed to be Jiang Huocheng''s personal secretary.


    In a business party where he apanied Jiang Huocheng to, he finally got his wish to meet Nan Xukun and he was stunned. After more than six years, the toddler in his memory had grown to be a remarkable teenager. That face, eyebrows, lips, the way he smiled, the way he wrinkled his nose; all of them resembled Si Qingzhao.


    Si Zhening''s heart, which only served the purpose of keeping him alive, started to race faster. He couldn''t take his eyes off Nan Xukun, as if the more he looked, the more he would be able to find the shadow of Si Qingzhao in him.


    ¡ªQingzhao, if you''re still alive, will you be happy? Your son grows up looking just like you.


    Looking at his bright smile, Si Zhening started to question himself. Was he living well with Nan Cheng? He looked happy and healthy, and he knew that it was all Si Qingzhao had ever wished for him.


    If so, then would his n to bring Nan Cheng down be detrimental to Nan Xukun? Would he suffer without his father''s protection?


    Si Zhening mulled over it for days yet unable to get a definite answer. He had always sought for the most effective way thus what came to his mind first was to directly ask for Nan Xukun''s opinion. Whether he wanted to leave with him or stay with Nan Cheng, Si Zhening would give him the freedom to choose for himself.


    Thus, he started to keep an eye on Nan Xukun. The more he learned about the teenager, the more he started to doubt himself. He had always thought that Nan Cheng would bring nothing but demise and torture to the people around him, but Nan Xukun seemed just fine. He was a bright, extroverted kid who liked to y with his friends. They hung out a lot and even though Si Zhening had difficulty interpreting people''s expressions, he could still make out the pure joy and happiness on his face.


    s, once again, fate decided to p him on the face.


    When he decided to end his observation and talk to Nan Xukun instead, what he stumbled upon was the scene of him stabbing a knife through a woman''s chest, again and again. His expression was twisted with a maniacal smile on his face, blood sttered all over his face and body.


    Seeing Nan Xukun like this, what shed through his mind was Si Qingzhao''s anguished face as she kept on apologizing again and again. At that moment, it was as if he was thrown back into that alley, to feel the burn of her tears on his skin and the way his ribs throbbed painfully against his chest.


    After painstakingly climbing up, he tripped and fell down with a whoosh, returning to square one where he first started.


    Nan Cheng, I have really thought too highly of you. Once again...you destroy my most important person.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: This is the end of Si Zhening''s backstory! Next, we will return to present time~


    Soo, whose story do you think is the most tragic?


    1. Jiang Huocheng x Guan Xiaoxiao


    2. Cui Qiqiang x Wu Wengen (serial killer copycat crime)


    3. Si Zhening x Si Qingzhao


    Author.... can''t choose _(:3¡¹¡Ï)_

 Chapter 369 - He Realized It Too Late

    "That was his first kill." Si Zhening''s eyes were half lidded, staring into nowhere nkly. "I have no idea what Nan Cheng has done to turn him like that but it was already toote when I found out. Nan Xukun has been broken beyond recovery."


    Qin Weizhe''s pen halted atop of the paper which was already filled with dense writing. "Who was the victim?"


    "Nan Cheng''s ex secretary until two years ago." Si Zhening answered. "I forgot her name but you can check it out yourself. She''s one of the students he sponsored. As you know, everyone who got a schrship from the foundation he set up has to work for Henan Corporation for a period of time. That woman was Nan Cheng''s probationary secretary."


    "Why did Nan Xukun kill her?" Qin Weizhe wondered. "It was his first kill so there ought to be a strong stimulus that triggered that, right?"


    Si Zhening stared at him with hardly any change in his expression. "I never asked."


    Shivers ran down Qin Weizhe''s spine and he gave a thrilling smile. He couldn''t imagine being in Si Zhening''s shoes. If he walked in and saw his nephew hacking someone to pieces, would he still be able to react as calmly? "So what did you do? Help him bury the body?" He asked in a sarcastic tone.


    To his surprise, Si Zhening nodded. "Yes, you''re right."


    Qin Weizhe almost choked on his saliva.


    "Hmm...I buried her on the mountain where you found us. But I doubt whether you can still find her remains."


    "What about the evidence? The murder weapon?"


    "I dispose of all of them."


    Veins popped up in Qin Weizhe''s forehead and he mmed his pen down to the table with a loud bang. Laughing, he said in an exasperated tone. "Listen here, Mr. Si, do you know that covering a crime is as heavy of a punishment as the crime itself?"


    "I know. After going home that day, I started to learn how thew works. I know perfectly what I will be subjected to by helping him, but I don''t regret it."


    "Why? Because he is Si Qingzhao''s son?"


    "That''s right."


    This man¡­ Qin Weizhe held his forehead and sighed. If he said that Si Zhening was ruthless, that''s also not quite urate because he''s more naive than anybody else. Little things like this reminded Qin Weizhe how single-minded the man in front of him was.


    From the start to the end, he only had Si Qingzhao in his eyes. His actions, words, behavior, all of them revolved around her. And after her death, he transferred all of that attention to her son.


    "Continue," Qin Weizhe said helplessly.


    Ever since Si Zhening found out about the ruthlessness in Nan Xukun, he started to interact with the teenagers more often. Along the way, he found out a few things.


    First, there were two contrasted sides to Nan Xukun; simply put, the good and the evil. When Si Zhening tried to confront him about the murder another day, what he got was only a nk and confused look. The ''good'' Nan Xukun had no idea what the ''evil'' Nan Xukun had done. However, sometimes he would have nightmares of the brutal and bloody scenes the ''evil'' Nan Xukun had done. Of course, with Si Zhening''s superb negotiation skill, he managed to convince the teenager that everything was just a dream. Since then, the ''good'' Nan Xukun would consume sleeping pills once in a while to shield him from the nightmare.


    "It''s not sleeping pills, right?" Qin Weizhe asked.


    "That''s right. It''s an antipsychotic medicine that''s used to treat schizophrenia. I couldn''t bring Nan Xukun to get therapy because Nan Cheng would target me, so that''s the only way I could think of that might possibly cure him."


    Qin Weizhe wrote ''antipsychotic'' and ''schizophrenia'' in his notebook. Hearing Si Zhening, he lifted his head. "Nan Cheng knows?"


    Si Zhening scoffed. "What do you think?"


    "Right¡­" He mumbled. "There''s no way he wouldn''t know." This man, Nan Cheng, exactly how many things had he hid all these years? It was terrifying just to imagine that. Clicking his tongue, he returned to the topic. "But then the medicines you brought didn''t work."


    If the medicine did have an effect on Nan Xukun, then the subsequent murders wouldn''t have happened.


    "At first, it did." Si Zhening sighed. "The evil side of him didn''t appear for quite a long period of time. I thought everything was under control and let my guard down for a moment. But then, he went and killed an innocent girl. He said that he was enraged because that girl had such a good rtionship with his father. Later I found out that he had a huge fight with Nan Cheng on that exact day."


    Qin Weizhe rubbed his chin. He must be talking about the first victim the police found, Qian Ke.


    It seemed like Nan Cheng had a huge effect on Nan Xukun. Qin Weizhe really wanted to peel every single thing off their mouths but Nan Cheng was currently keeping mum and letting hiswyer do the job while Nan Xukun was still unconscious in the hospital.


    Furthermore, the higher-ups were in total chaos. Almost half of them had once gotten help from Nan Cheng and now that the said man was sitting in the middle of the storm, they started to get antsy. On the other hand, Jiang Huocheng also exerted his authority to drag the guilty party out to light. He even went as far as to get the President''s support.


    The power struggle hidden underneath the current was too strong, just with a single wave, a few people would be washed away.


    Well,pared to the time when they were still blind and being led around the nose by the serial killer, Qin Weizhe should already be grateful that the remaining job to do was to tie the loose ends.


    He rapped his fingers on the table, all the while observing Si Zhening. The man looked totally unaffected even with his future already ruined. Once again, his outlook on how far human beings could go keeps being refreshed just with this single case that had started brewing a decade ago.


    "Can I ask you for a favor, Detective Qin?" Si Zhening suddenly asked.


    "What? Do you want to plead with me to reduce Nan Xukun''s sentence?"


    Si Zhening shook his head. "There''s something I want to confess. The vague area where you still haven''t got the answer to such as the one who incited Li Qing tomit suicide, the one who cleared the CCTV footage everytime Nan Xukun acted, also...the one who kidnapped CEO Jiang''s son¡­ I want to confess to all of them. In exchange, when Nan Xukun receives his punishmentter, can I go with him?"


    Qin Weizhe was rendered speechless. He scratched his head in frustration and sighed. "I need to discuss it with the others first."


    "That''s alright. Thank you very much, Detective Qin."


    This was the first time Qin Weizhe met a person who was almost eager to receive punishment. It was so ridiculous that he couldn''t bear to stay there any longer. Standing up, he gave Si Zhening a perplexed look and gingerly patted his shoulder. "You...really love Si Qingzhao, huh?"


    Si Zhening was taken aback. "Love¡­?"


    "Following her whenever she went, protecting her, persistently avenging her even after more than ten years of her death¡­" Qin Weizhe chuckled and walked out, leaving a single sentence. "If this isn''t love, then I don''t know what to call it."


    Si Zhening was still dumbfounded, even after another police officer came to escort him back to his cell.


    Love¡­? What was love, he wondered? He was abandoned by his parents, bullied by his peers and even his adopted parents never gave him any affection more than the basic necessity. Growing up, he had never tasted the sweetness of love.


    Was love the feeling when her image still lingered in his mind even after such a long time? Was it when he closed his eyes and still reminisced about the time he spent with her? Or was it when her very existence brought light and colors into his life and when she was gone, what remained was only dullness and gray?


    If so, then¡­


    Si Zhening looked down toward the handcuff around his wrist and let out a sigh. "Haa¡­" His lips quivered and tears fell down one droplet after another onto his palm. It was scalding, just like her tears all those years ago. "So this is love¡­"


    It was painful, bitter yet sweet nheless.


    Throughout twenty five years of his life, this was the first time Si Zhening had cried.


    He loved her.


    He always did, but...sadly, he realized it toote.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: this is for tying the loose end of Si Zhening''s story QAQ I found it ironic how he felt like he had received nothing. He is just blinded after Si Qingzhao''s death. Si Yusheng, Jia Renyu, and moreover Jia Ming''en, they more or less cared for him...


    Next, we will return to Jiang Jinyan and Shi Nian. It''s about time for him to wake up ;)

 Chapter 370 - Its Really Nice To Hear

    Sunlight sprinkled into the room, shining onto the petals of blood red roses which were still fresh with translucent dew hanging on them. It bloomed magnificently and a hint of tantalizing, bold fragrance wafted around the room. Shi Nian hummed as she arranged the flowers, all the while talking to the still unconscious Jiang Jinyan.


    "I met Binchen gege downstairs just now. It''s funny how eager he is to be discharged." Chuckling, she continued. "You should have seen the face of the nurse who''s in charge of him. She''s so angry that her face turned white. I mean, acute gastritis can''t be underestimated, right? The doctor even said that if he came a littleter, he would need surgery. It''s a wonder how he could bear with the pain¡­"


    The door slid open gently and the nurse eximed, pleasantly surprised. "Oh, Miss Shi! You''re here so early today!"


    "Hello, Miss Nurse." Shi Nian bowed politely. "Are you here to take notes of Jinyan''s stats?"


    "That''s right." The nurse stopped by Jiang Jinyan''s bedside and started to fill in the form. "I see you brought roses today. It''s so beautiful¡ªoh, yes, I forgot to tell you! Last night, Mr. Jiang showed some signs of waking up."


    Shi Nian''s eyes widened, trembling. "R¡ªReally?!"


    The nurseughed lightly. "Why should I lie to you? Congrattions, it seems like you only need to wait for a day or two for him to regain consciousness. If it''s fast, he might even wake up today."


    "T¡ªThat''s very great to hear..." Exhrated, Shi Nian bowed again and again. The rims of her eyes reddened. "Thank you so much!"


    "I did nothing here." She smiled. "It''s all his own effort. He already has some amazing luck to be stuck on a tree after falling from such a steep cliff. Now that his condition has fully stabilized, it''s only a matter of time until he wakes up." After recording Jiang Jinyan''s stats, the nurse waved goodbye and proceeded to leave the room.


    Shi Nian stared at Jiang Jinyan''s face for a while, her heart galloping madly in her chest. Gingerly, she held his hand and nuzzled her face onto his palm. "Jinyan, are you really waking up¡­? You are, right? Oh, right¡ª" She hastily reached for her phone. "I have to tell Uncle Jiang about it. He must be so happy to hear that. Last night, we even had dinner together and I forced him to exchange numbers with me¡­"


    Shi Nian''s words trailed off as the hand which she grasped gave a twitch all of a sudden. Subsequently, the man''s eyshes also trembled and his brows knitted lightly.


    "Jinyan¡­?" She called out carefully.


    The man''s hand tightened its hold and slowly, his eyelids fluttered open. A pair of dark eyes she had always been yearning for was revealed, dazed and watery. The heart rate monitor finally started to give more frequent beeps instead of dull monotonous sounds.


    "Jinyan!" Shi Nian cried out, tears brimming in her eyes. A joyful smile bloomed across her lips. "You''re awake¡­you''re finally awake!"


    The door once again slid open. The doctor and nurses walked in, their faces finally showing relief. It had been a pressure to treat the unconscious Jiang Jinyan day after day, especially when CEO Jiang came in person and asked them about his son''s condition every once or two days.


    "Hello, Mr. Jiang. I am your attending doctor." The doctor smiled. "Can you hear me? Do you still feel pain in your head?"


    Jiang Jinyan blinked, still disoriented. His eyes were transfixed on Shi Nian''s hopeful face, bewildered as if he had seen something strange. "You¡­" His oxygen mask fogged up along with his lips movement. "You are¡­?"


    The obvious confusion in his tone made Shi Nian''s expression sink. Her pupils trembled in disbelief and the shock almost made her knees grow weak. "Jinyan, you¡­you don''t remember me? It''s me, Shi Nian¡­"


    It couldn''t be, right¡­ How could that be? Did he really have no idea who she was?


    Seeing Shi Nian''s deathly paleplexion, rity finally seeped into his senses. Closing his eyes once before opening them again, he mumbled vaguely. "That''s right, you''re Shi Nian and I am Jiang Jinyan¡­"


    His oxygen mask was taken off and he was given a sip of water. Only after that did he look a bitfortable. The doctor continued to ask, "Mr. Jiang, do you feel dizzy? Do you still remember what happened before you lost consciousness?"


    "I do¡­" Jiang Jinyan nodded. "I fell off a cliff and got stuck on a tree. It saved my life, I guess? However, I do feel a little dizzy on the head."


    After a series of examinations, the doctor sighed in relief. "That''s good. It seems like there''s nothing wrong with your memory. The dizziness is just the post symptoms of a concussion. Next, you should get a lot of rest and don''t force yourself to walk so quickly. We will do a few tests for the next few days. As long as you start to feel ufortable, please do tell the nurse as soon as possible, got it?"


    Jiang Jinyan nodded.


    "Miss Shi, you too." Turning to Shi Nian, the doctor smiled. "Don''t worry too much. He recovers just fine. With a lot of rest and a healthy diet, he will be able to recover fully in less than two months."


    "Thank you, doctor." Shi Nian bowed politely, fear still lingered in her heart due to Jiang Jinyan''s previous inquiry.


    After reminding them what to pay attention to, the doctor and nurses left the room, leaving the two of them alone. Shi Nian sat on his bedside and brushed his bangs away. Her fingertips stroked the thick bandage on his head. "Are you really okay¡­?"


    "Sorry," Jiang Jinyan grabbed her hand and gently kissed her palm. "I scared you, didn''t I?"


    Shi Nian nodded, her lips trembling. "I thought you woke up with amnesia just like those male leads in Korean dramas."


    "Don''t cry, silly¡­" Jiang Jinyan wiped her damp cheeks and brushed his thumb on her reddened eyelids, his eyes softening. "I was just a bit muddled because I have been dreaming a lot in my sleep."


    Shi Nian nuzzled her face against his palm, her eyes narrowingfortably. "What are you dreaming about?"


    "You." He whispered. "You''re in all of my dreams."


    "Really? That''s nice... You''re able to meet me even in your dreams while I am losing sleep over you here. Three weeks without you feel so long." She rambled as if wanting to vent all of her frustration and sadness away. "I still have no idea how I got through these weeks¡­" Shi Nian''s words trailed off as she caught sight of Jiang Jinyan staring at her with a look she couldn''t quite describe.


    Was it only her feelings that there was something not quite right with Jiang Jinyan? Nevertheless, she couldn''t put her fingers on it no matter how hard she pondered. "What''s wrong?" She patted her own face. "Is there something on my face?"


    "No." He pulled up a smile. "Your voice... it''s really nice to hear."


    Shi Nian''s heart skipped a beat. Seriously, the first thing he did upon waking up was to flirt with her?! To hide how flustered she was, Shi Nian scoffed in a fake annoyance. "Why? Did I not talk in your dreams?"


    Jiang Jinyan merely smiled without saying anything. Then, he surprised her by patting the space by his side. "Come here."


    "W¡ªWhat?!" Shi Nian stammered in shock.


    "Lie here with me, won''t you?" A hint of plea wormed its way into his voice that was still suffused with slight hoarseness.


    It''s really not fair, she grumbled inwardly. If he put it like that, how could she bring herself to refuse?


    "But your ribs are injured..."


    His eyes curved in a teasing smile. "It''s not like I asked you to lie on top of me."


    "But!" Shi Nian''s face turned beet red. "I¡ªIt''s bright daylight and the nurses mighte here to check up on you at any moment¡­"


    "Fine." Jiang Jinyan sighed, dejected. He closed his eyes and turned his head away. "I miss my girlfriend so much but she''s not even willing to get close to me¡ª"


    "I will...I will do it, okay?!" Jiang Jinyan still hadn''t changed a bit! Still such a devilish tease! Shi Nian pressed her lips tight and gave onest nce toward the door that was still firmly shut. With her heart thundering, she carefully climbed onto the bed. "You''re such a tease¡­" She murmured inint.


    The corner of Jiang Jinyan''s lips curled upward and he scooted over to give her some space. In fact, the bed in VVIP ward was wide enough for two people to roll around. Even with Shi Nian there, there was still plenty of space between them.


    "Why are you so far away?" Jiang Jinyan said helplessly and pulled Shi Nian closer. "Come here."


    "C¡ªCareful! Your wounds!" Shi Nian was really afraid on behalf of him even though the rted party himself seemed pretty much energetic for a person who had just woken up after three weeks. Seriously, how could he be so reckless?!


    "It''s okay. Nothing more than a few fractures."


    "A few fractures?!" Shi Nian''s tone raised higher. "You¡ª"


    "Hush." He pressed her head deeper into his chest and circled his arms around her, nose buried into the crown of his head. "You smell good¡­" He mumbled, his eyes slowly closing. "I''m feeling a bit drowsy. Will you still be here when I wake upter?"


    "Of course...you know that as long as you''re still here, I won''t go anywhere." Shi Nian peeked up nervously. "But are you sure it''s okay for you to lie sideways like this? Won''t your chest hurt?"


    "Hmm¡­?" He let out a soft hum, eyes half lidded. Then, his sight coincidentallynded on the vase of roses on top of the nightstand. "The roses, did you bring them?"


    "Yes." Although exasperated that Jiang Jinyan ignored her question with tantly changing the topic, she still answered earnestly. "I have always thought that roses suit you very much. Do you like them?"


    "I do¡­" He chuckled, his voice turning fainter and fainter. "You haven''t changed at all, Shi Nian¡­"


    "What did you say?" Shi Nian strained her ears to pick up what he was saying.


    Jiang Jinyan nuzzled his cheek against the top of her head and dropped a light kiss there. "...love you." In no time at all, he fell into a sweet slumber with his dearest person in his embrace.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: surprise double update! Enjoy the long awaited sweetness after a long period of tragedy lol

 Chapter 371 - We Have All The Time In The World

    These days, Shi Nian really felt like there''s something off about Jiang Jinyan.


    First, she often caught him staring at her face nkly as if he was searching for something there. When she asked him about that, he only shook his head and said that he wanted to look at her longer.


    Second, his obsession over Shi Nian''s voice intensified. It got to the point where he frequently asked her to recite poems during her stay in the hospital. As far as she knew, Jiang Jinyan was never interested in poems. He was a sports fanatic who was stranded on the history major in the university because he couldn''t get into the military. She didn''t even know where he got a bunch of poem collections in his hands.


    ...Could it be?


    No, no way. How could it be possible?


    However, she also regained the memory of her past life after being in aa. If she could, then why couldn''t Jiang Jinyan?


    If he really did recall his past as General Jiang¡­ honestly, Shi Nian didn''t know what to feel. She had even told him their past lives under the guise of storytelling and furthermore, she lied saying that they lived happily ever after! If Jiang Jinyan really regained his memory, then her ridiculous lie would be busted!


    Shi Nian bit her lips as she stood in front of Jiang Jinyan''s door. Taking in a deep breath, she tried to calm herself. No, nothing was certain yet. She shouldn''t jump to false conclusions. It might just be the side effects of the concussion just as the doctor said.


    Shi Nian knocked on the door and slid it open. "Jinyan¡­?"


    The bed was empty and the door to the veranda was wide open, the curtains fluttering against the wind. Anger rose to Shi Nian''s heart. Even though it had stopped snowing, the weather was still freezing nheless. What was he doing out there? Did he wish to catch a cold?!


    Huffing, Shi Nian put the breakfast she had bought onto the table and proceeded to the veranda, intending to give him a piece of her mind. However, she halted on her tracks when she took in the scene in front of her, stunned.


    Jiang Jinyan sat on the wheelchair, his back facing her, still d in the hospital gown. His hair had grown a little past his shoulder and he tied it into a half bun as usual. After the three weeksa, his body had thinned considerably and when the gust blew by, Shi Nian had the notion that he, too, would also be blown away.


    The sight of his back looked particrly...forlorn.


    At that moment, it was as if in front of Shi Nian wasn''t her Jinyan, but General Jiang Jinyan of the Wei Dynasty.


    Seemingly sensing her presence, he turned around and a thin smile formed on his face. Shi Nian''s heart skipped a beat before it started to gallop madly inside her chest.


    "Shi Nian," He called out gently and stretched out a hand. "Come."


    She was bewitched by that voice and smile. As if under a spell, she found herself approaching him and stopped three steps away. Then, she bent her knees, sat in a Seiza-style and leaned her head against his legs. After that, the man''s palm gentlynded on her head as if it was the most natural thing to do.


    Shi Nian buried her face deeper, her throat choked up.


    She couldn''t have mistaken it.


    ...This was her General Jiang.


    "It''s strange." He said, fingers slowly running through her hair. "These days, I have been dreaming a lot. Of you. Of me. Inside my dreams, we often spent our time like this. Whenever I look back, you''re always there, only a few steps behind me. However, you look quite different, you''re thinner and you always hesitate to approach me. Actually, I also want to get closer to you but in the end, I always stop myself before I do. It''s quite stupid, now that I think about it. I wonder what all these strange images are?"


    A sob escaped Shi Nian''s lips and she whispered ''general'' inaudibly. The warm tears seeped into the fabric of his cloth and Jiang Jinyan finally snapped out of his senses. Shocked, he lifted Shi Nian''s face. "Why are you crying?!"


    Shi Nian shook her head yet the tears still fell unstoppably.


    To think that she wasn''t the only one who held onto the memory. To think that she managed to graze a mark in his mind and left her trace there¡­


    Everything was so wonderful, it couldn''t be true.


    "You''re really such a crybaby." He sighed with a helpless tone. Leaning down, he cupped her cheeks and ran his lips over her wet eyshes,pping on her tears with the tip of his tongue. "Salty." Hemented.


    "That''s¡­" She huped. "...for sure!"


    Jiang Jinyan chuckled, his cold breath caressed her face and his thumb stroked her cheek in a circr gesture. Then, without any warning, he leaned closer to kiss her nose before it slowly trailed down to her lips.


    His lips were cold and chapped yet hers were still warm and moist. Together, they melded into one, starting off with only feeling each other''s presence before it morphed into one that was more passionate.


    Shi Nian gasped and Jiang Jinyan took the initiative to lick the seam of her lips before slipping his tongue inside. Contrary to his cold lips, his tongue was scorching hot, ravenous, carrying with it the man''s sentiments he couldn''t put into words.


    A moan escaped Shi Nian''s lips and she grasped Jiang Jinyan''s clothes, her mind turning fuzzy from the fervor in his kisses. Their tongues intertwined, slick and moist, sending shivers down her spine. Every kiss she shared with Jiang Jinyan felt like the first time, with all the butterflies that fluttered wildly in her stomach.


    It made her heart palpitate, breath came out short and once again, she marveled on how sensitive a human''s tongue could be. It was as if all her nerves were concentrated there, on a dance Jiang Jinyan''s tongue invited her to. Every move, every gesture, she became painfully aware of it to the point where she didn''t even realize when the man had pulled her up and sat her across hisp.


    He yanked her arms forward and brought them around his neck while his lips chased after her and once again crashed into another wild kiss. Shi Nian could do nothing but tightly grasp onto him, her body turning hotter and hotter amidst the cold weather, it was enough to cause her skin to be covered in ayer of perspiration. Jiang Jinyan''s body, too, felt feverish. His broad palms rested on her back, stroking and caressing before trailing up to knead the girl''s neck.


    Everytime he did it, Shi Nian would give a purr, just like Little Apple when it was stroked on its belly.


    He felt her every tremble and shiver under his palms and the knowledge that it was him who caused her like this almost drove him insane.


    "Jin...yan¡­" She rasped, the soft mewl sent tingles through his scalp.


    Jiang Jinyan panted, his dark eyes reflected nothing but her. He wanted more. He wanted to swallow her whole, to see her flushed expression underneath him, squirming and writhing as he explored her body inch by inch. He wanted her toe apart in his embrace, to learn all the ecstasy he could offer in the world. He wanted to hear her scream his name to the top of her lungs.


    His imagination grew further and further, one was more dangerous than the other. However, his overflowing affection and love toward her managed to put a brake on his lustful desire. In the end, he gave her lower lip a bite before pulling away, his eyes hooded with mad longing.


    No, not yet. He couldn''t do it yet.


    He treasured her too much to do this.


    "You¡­" Shi Nian covered her mouth, her teary golden eyes red at him with usation. "You bit me again¡­"


    Jiang Jinyan gulped at the sight of her, oh so lovely and ravishing. "Sorry¡­" He said with a voice so rough and gruffy it resembled sand grinding on paper.


    Shi Nian still hadn''t recovered from the kiss which seemed to be different again than before. Every kiss he gave her always managed to evoke different feelings from deep within, one that was too embarrassing to be mentioned.


    It was only then that Shi Nian realized her position had somehow changed amidst the kiss. Shocked, she scrambled to get up. How could she sit on him when he''s still injured like this?! Yet, before she could stand properly, her legs immediately gave out and she would have fallen harshly if Jiang Jinyan didn''t catch hold of her.


    "S¡ªSorry¡­" She blushed, bewildered at how her legs trembled like a newborn calf. "Why¡­"


    Jiang Jinyan was caught off guard by her clueless and adorable reaction. His manhood also slowly calmed down. See, he was right. Shi Nian still wasn''t ready to receive all of his fervent passion, just this little bit already rendered her unable to walk. Chuckling, he once again pulled her to sit over hisp.


    "Jinyan!" She gasped in shock.


    "Hush." Jiang Jinyan bumped his forehead against her. "It''s okay. Just this little bit is fine. Allow me to send my girlfriend inside, okay?" Then, he proceeded to push the wheelchair in and closed the door to the veranda.


    She huffed angrily. "It''s all your fault!"


    "Yes, yes, my fault."


    "You''re so bad! Stinky Jinyan!"


    "Right, right, I''m stinky."


    "I hate you!"


    He paused and raised a brow.


    In an instant, Shi Nian cowered. "No, I don''t mean what I said¡­"


    "I know." He pecked her forehead. "I know how much you love me."


    "H¡ªHmph." She puffed out her cheeks and turned her head away. "It''s good that you know!"


    Jiang Jinyan burst into a heartyughter.


    As much as Shi Nian loved the sight of his smile, she also didn''t forget to insert aint. "Isn''t this the time when you''re supposed to tell me you love me too?"


    "It''s okay." Jiang Jinyan lifted her hand to his lips and kissed the back of her hand, all the while measuring the size of her ring finger discreetly. "I will slowly tell you my feelings for the rest of my life. We have all the time in the world, right?"


    Shi Nian was taken aback before breaking into a blissful smile. "Yes!"


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: sweet, sweet chapter. Come to think of it, MDG reallycks lovey dovey scene as almost half of it is dominated by plot *sigh*


    Omo Jinyan, you''d better marry her asap so you can do whatever you want fufufu~

 Chapter 372 - I Know Im Wrong

    "What did the doctor say about his condition?" Ru Meiqi asked all the while handcuffing Jin Renguang''s wrist to the bedrail otherwise the man would take every chance to get back to work, disregarding how his injuries hadn''t even dried properly yet.


    The members in the room pretended they saw nothing. Except Qin Weizhe who wouldn''t pass up the opportunity to snicker at Jin Renguang in schadenfreude. Thetter tried to lift his arm halfway only to get stuck by the handcuff. In the end, he sighed in defeat and continued to lie down obediently.


    "He should be waking up soon." Ke Shao said. "After all, his wounds aren''t even as severe as Jiang Jinyan. The other man woke up a few days ago, so there isn''t any reason for him not to. He doesn''t get a concussion anyway."


    Wang Chengbing munched on potato chips and gave Ke Shao a nce. "Aren''t you too harsh?"


    Ke Shao scoffed. "What? You want me to be buddy buddy with him? He''s a serial killer, for God''s sake!"


    "But from Mr. Si Zhening''s statement," Luo Ning chimed in gingerly. "He said that Nan Xukun has dissociative personality disorder. Does that mean that he actually has no idea that he''s the serial killer? I can''t help but imagine¡­what if he wakes upter and doesn''t have any recollection of what he has done?"


    Ke Shao replied in a sarcastic tone. "So what? Does being mentally unsound give him the reason to kill people?"


    It was ruthless but what Ke Shao said was true. So what if he had no idea? It was like the moment when one sleepwalked and identally fell down the stairs. When that person woke up, they still had to deal with the pain and injuries because the act had been done on their own, whether they were conscious of it or not.


    Xu Binchen, who had been silent, asked all of a sudden. "I don''t really get how dissociative personality disorder works. But is it possible for one of the personalities to not have the slightest idea what the other does?"


    "You haven''t been listening, have you?" Qin Weizhe grumbled. "He consumed antipsychotic medication periodically so it might have some effect on his brain. Or it might be his coping mechanism to forget about everything."


    Xu Binchen frowned. "So it means he''s aware of it one way or another, right?" Turning to Ru Meiqi, he asked. "What do you think, Senior Ru? I assume you''re the one who understands the most among all of us here."


    Ru Meiqi pondered briefly. "Have you ever read the novel ''The Minds of Billy Milligan''?" The sudden English title caused everyone to be confused. Ru Meiqi borated further. "It''s a nonfiction book portraying Billy, the first person in US history acquitted of a major crime because of multiple personality disorders. Billy has 24 different personalities."


    Everyone was shocked. "Twenty four?!"


    Wang Chengbing shuddered in fright. "So, is it like 24 people in one body?"


    "What I mean is," Ru Meiqi emphasized. "In that book, all of Billy''s 24 personalities live in harmony. They created a systematic schedule to decide who will appear on which day. Among his personalities, there is one leader who''s in charge of monitoring everyone. In Billy''s case, each personality recognizes each other but they indeed have no idea what the others are doing. My point is, it''s totally normal for Nan Xukun to not know what the serial killer has done in detail but at least, he ought to know that there''s another consciousness in his body."


    Everyone slowly mulled over her words, baffled. Why was this so damnplicated?! If he was a serial killer, then he was! Period!


    Qin Weizhe concluded. "In other words, we only have to wait for him to wake up and confront him directly, right?"


    They nodded at his words.


    "So in the end, what happens to Billy?" Wang Chengbing asked curiously.


    "He was monitored in a psychiatric institution as theirw stipted that he''s not guilty." Ru Meiqi said. "In our case, this is the first time that a person with dissociative personality and possibly schizophrenia hasmitted severe crime in our country so I''m certain there hasn''t been aw specifying the effective method to deal with it yet. Moreover, Nan Xukun''s identity is a bit thorny." She sighed and shook his head. "It''s really not easy¡­ now that we have caught the serial killer, we can''t even apprehend him directly."


    Then, as if on cue, everyone''s eyes turned to Jin Renguang simultaneously.


    "What?" The man responded offhandedly.


    "Nah, it''s just a bit unusual for you to stay silent, Captain." Ke Shao scratched his head. "I almost can''t get used to it."


    Jin Renguang scoffed. "I am not even granted permission to take part in the mission so why should I put my thoughts into it?"


    They were rendered speechless. Was this¡­ the way Captain Jin threw tantrums?


    "Captain, are you angry?" Wang Chengbing asked naively, his eyesnding on the handcuff around Jin Renguang''s wrist.


    Jin Renguang''s face abruptly darkened.


    "Ai¡ªAiyah!" Ke Shao eximed. "I suddenly remember that I still have something to do. Please give me a call when Nan Xukun wakes upter!"


    "Me too!


    "Oh, me three!"


    The crowd instantly diminished until the end, Qin Weizhe slung his arm around Luo Ning''s shoulder and dragged him out, whistling. Seeing that, Xu Binchen also stood up and left while dragging his IV drips along. In less than ten seconds, the room was only left with Jin Renguang and Ru Meiqi.


    Ru Meiqi started to peel an apple expressionlessly.


    "Are you really going to ignore me until the end?" Jin Renguang asked in an exasperated tone.


    "Are you still going to get off the bed?" Ru Meiqi retorted.


    He lifted his right hand, the handcuff nking with his movement. "I can''t even get off the bed like this. Come on, you know that I should do this. I am the one who has been chasing after the serial killer from the start. If anyone has to interrogate him, I am the best option there is." Seeing Ru Meiqi unmoved, he gave a small smile. "You know how thick my body is. Nothing can pierced through it¡ª"


    Bang! Ru Meiqi put down the knife harshly. "You still have the gall to joke about something like this?! It hasn''t even been a month since you''re hospitalized. You are really¡ª" She choked on her words, her eyes reddening. "¡ªso infuriating and annoying."


    She really hated him; hated how he had no idea how much effort she exerted to keep calm and continued working as he was unconscious, he had no idea how she felt when she sat days after days by his bedside, gazing at his sleeping visage and regretting how careless she was. He didn''t have the slightest idea how guilty and scared she was.


    If¡ªIf something really happened to him, she¡­


    "I''m sorry, Qiqi." He held her hand in a tight hold. "I was sure I would survive, that''s why I did what I''ve done. I know I''m wrong. See, I''m repenting now¡­"


    Ru Meiqi red. What kind of shabby excuse was it?! Look at that smug smirk on his face. Exactly which part of him that looked like he was repenting?!


    "Here." He brought her hand to his chest. "If you''re still angry, you may hit me, punch me, or even kick me. You''re free to do whatever you want. It''s a good deal, right?"


    ¡ªGood deal, his ass.


    The ce where he led her hand to was his injured part that was still covered in bandage. This sneaky man, Ru Meiqi gnashed her teeth. She should''ve known that a leopard wouldn''t change its spot as easily as that. He knew perfectly that Ru Meiqi couldn''t bear to hurt him, that''s why he acted like this.


    "Bastard, jerk, idiot." Ru Meiqi cursed under her breath, eliciting a deep chuckle from the other. The chest underneath her palm rumbled along with hisugh, sending numbness up her entire arm. Enraged, she grasped his chin and fiercely mashed her lips onto his, taking the man totally off guard.


    A momentter, Jin Renguang closed his eyes, lips curling up into a smile. The sight provoked Ru Meiqi further and she started to bite and gnaw on his lips like a wild cub, tasting the blood on the tip of her tongue. Still, Jin Renguang dly weed the sweet, delicious pain. His hand reached out and¡­


    "Ah! For the sake of my barren love life, oh shit, my eyes!" Wang Chengbing suddenly appeared on the door and covered his eyes as if he had been burned, groaning and grimacing incessantly.


    Jin Renguang and Ru Meiqi naturally separated, both looked totally calm and unruffled as if they hadn''t been caught making out in a hospital room. That is...if Jin Renguang''s lips didn''t have bloody bite marks on them and Ru Meiqi''s breath wasn''t so hurried as if she had just ran a marathon.


    "What''s wrong?" Jin Renguang asked coolly as he wiped his lips. Even a blind could see that he was currently in an excellent mood.


    "That¡­" Wang Chengbing said without taking the hand off his eyes. "Nan Xukun has regained consciousness and his mental condition doesn''t look very good. Right now, Qin Weizhe and Xu Binchen are with him as we speak. Oh yes, one more thing! He wants to see Shi Nian."


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: ''The Minds of Billy Milligan'' is a very great and mindblowing book. You should read it if you''re interested on how 24 personalities can cope in one body :)

 Chapter 373 - You Have No Right

    Qin Weizhe leaned against the wall as he observed the youth who was hugging his knees on the bed. Nan Xukun had stayed in the same position since he woke up. He was clearly very shaken up. It seemed like Ru Meiqi was right. Even though Nan Xukun had no recollection of the crime the serial killer had done, at least he was aware that there''s something wrong with him otherwise he wouldn''t have reacted so strongly like this.


    He also said that he would only talk if he could meet Shi Nian. Perhaps he wanted some answers from her or perhaps he wanted to assure himself that everything was just a nightmare.


    Qin Weizhe had kicked Xu Binchen out of the room, especially when the nurse found thetter missing yet again, leaving only him and Nan Xukun.


    It was absolutely quiet with only the rhythmic ticking sound of the clock resounding through the room. Honestly, Qin Weizhe could stay here until the end of the time as long as Nan Xukun was willing to open his mouth but he guessed that the higher-ups might be getting antsy soon, demanding for answers as soon as possible.


    "You''re still unwilling to talk?" He broke the silence and the sudden voice caused Nan Xukun to flinch, his hold around himself tightened to the point where his knuckles turned white.


    The youth buried his head deeper and kept mum stubbornly.


    Qin Weizhe sighed and raked his fingers through his hair. Fortunately, in a timely manner, the door slid open, revealing Wang Chengbing, Ru Meiqi and Jin Renguang. But no Shi Nian.


    Nan Xukun''s shoulders slumped down, dejected. Then, he pretended as if everyone was nothing but air and returned to hugging himself and curled up as small as possible as if he could disappear this way.


    Wang Chengbing took a seat on the corner of the room and yawned. Jin Renguang leaned on the door, seemingly without any intention of joining. It was only Ru Meiqi who walked in. "We have asked Shi Nian whether she was willing to meet you. She said no." She stated.


    Nan Xukun lifted his head up. His round eyes trembled in disbelief. "Why?"


    Instead of answering, Ru Meiqi pulled out her phone. "I will let you listen to it yourself."


    The audio recording started with a slight rustle, then Shi Nian''s clear voice rang out, no emotion could be detected from her tone. [I don''t know why you want to see me again, but sorry...I can''t bring myself to meet you. Not when you have hurt the most important people to me; my mother...and then Jinyan. I can''t forgive you for that. I have no idea why you be like this, Nan Xukun, but no matter what it is, I won''t justify the crime you have done nor do I have the right to judge you either. However, the fact you have harmed many people is indisputable. If you have something more to say, you may ry it to Sister Meiqi. Maybe then, I will be able to receive it. Farewell¡­Xiao Chun.]


    "No¡­! NO!" Nan Xukun turned hysterical and scrambled to reach for Ru Meiqi''s phone. His eyes bloodshot with unshed tears. "Why? It''s not me... it''s not me who did that! Xiao Nian¡­Xiao Nian!"


    Jin Renguang pulled Ru Meiqi back at the same time when Qin Weizhe caught Nan Xukun and pressed him back down to the bed. "Don''t make unnecessary movement, kiddo."


    "Let me go¡­!" He snarled and thrashed around, eyes staring maliciously at Qin Weizhe''s face. "Let me go, you son of a bitch! Who gives you the right to treat me like this?! Don''t you know who I am? I can make you get fired as soon as you step out of this ce!"


    Qin Weizhe smirked. "Oh? Who do you want to rely on? Your father who currently can''t even save his own ass?"


    Nan Xukun froze. "What did you say¡­?"


    "I forgot to tell you, didn''t I?" The man smiled even brighter. "Your father has been charged with human trafficking, drug distribution, homicides and other crimes that can make him be in the first row of death penalty."


    Nan Xukun''s body shook and his face morphed in disbelief. Until the end, when everyone thought he would break down, the corner of his lips ticked upward until he burst into a fit of cackles instead. "He''s caught¡­? He''s finally caught?! You''re telling me the truth, right?!"


    The reaction was so different from what Qin Weizhe had expected, rendering him at a loss of words for a moment. Ru Meiqi patted his arm and gave him a nod. Sighing, he let go of Nan Xukun who wasn''t struggling anymore. Instead, the youth was immersed in the euphoria of his own father being thrown into jail, possibly for the rest of his life. "He''s doomed...he finally got his own retribution!"


    Ru Meiqi pulled a chair and sat down. "I see that you''re finally ready to talk." She smiled. "First, may I ask which Nan Xukun I am talking to?"


    Nan Xukun''sugh suddenly halted and he tilted his head nkly. "What do you mean?"


    "Let me rephrase my question. Am I talking to Nan Xukun or...is it Xiao Chun?"


    "What are you talking about?" Nan Xukun looked at her strangely. Not only his gaze, but his voice also changed in an instant, turning deeper and hoarser. "We''re both Xiao Chun. It''s the nickname Xiao Nian gave us. Very precious, only Xiao Nian is allowed to call us like that. You...have no right."


    Ru Meiqi''s heart skipped a beat and she felt as if she was going to be sucked into Nan Xukun''s void eyes. So this was how it felt to talk face to face with someone with a dual personality. It was as if Nan Xukun suddenly switched with another person. The experience sent shivers down her spine and goosebumps erupted along her arms. In no time at all, she could feel cold sweat running down her back.


    All of a sudden, a palm gentlynded on her shoulder from behind, snapping her out of her thoughts. Warmth travelled through that palm to her entire body and she felt herself rxing. Even without turning around, she could guess who it was.


    Right. She wasn''t alone here. There was nothing to be scared about.


    As if knowing that she had regained her wits, Jin Renguang gave onest squeeze before retracting his arm.


    "Fine." Ru Meiqi nodded. "Then Nan Xukun it is. You seem happy to hear your father, Nan Cheng, being apprehended by the police. Is there a reason why?"


    Nan Xukun turned his head away and sneered. "Why should I tell you?"


    Ru Meiqi pressed further. "Did he do something to you? Or your mother? Her death has always been dubious and we certainly don''t believe that she died of an ident. Nan Xukun, you might be the only person who knows the truth. If you can bring it to light, you will be able to bring justice to your mother. Don''t you want to avenge her?"


    "Avenge her¡­" His eyes gradually turned nk as if immersed in a certain memory. "That''s right. I have to let him pay for what he did to Mother..."


    Ru Meiqi leaned forward and mustered the most persuasive tone she had ever learned. "What has he done to your mother? Tell us, Nan Xukun. We will help you."


    Nan Xukun suddenly red at her, furious. "That annoying person also said that he would be able to help me! But he''s of no help at all! He always got in my way!"


    "Who is it?" Ru Meiqi guessed. "Si Zhening?"


    Hearing that name, Nan Xukun grew even more enraged. "I am going to kill him! He took my prey away from me! He let Shi Nian go and he also locked me up!"


    "He locked you up?"


    "Yes! If you want to help me, then you should catch that person too! I don''t want to see him keep hanging around me. It''s so annoying!" His teeth chattered and he bit his nails anxiously.


    The subconscious sign of a body under extreme stress, Ru Meiqi noted.


    "Fine, I will help you catch him." She gave a reassuring nod. "Trust me. I will catch whoever has wronged you. So, can you tell me now what Nan Cheng has done to your mother?"


    "Mother¡­" Nan Xukun blinked and his twisted expression mellowed in an instant. His voice also returned to its usual higher pitch, letting Ru Meiqi know that his personality had swapped back again. "Mother often cried. She told me to be careful around Father, because Father isn''t someone we can trust. She was right..." He lifted his head and looked at Ru Meiqi with a pair of sorrowful eyes. "I saw it. A car crashed into Mother on the street outside our home. Father was watching everything from behind the curtain. He saw mother bleeding until she was no longer breathing. I was right beside him¡­" He hugged himself and shivered violently.


    "Then he told me," Nan Xukun mimicked his father''s tone and face. Cold glints shed through his eyes¡ªcruel and ruthless¡ª yet his smile remained gentle and loving nheless. It was as if they could vividly imagine how Nan Cheng''s expression was. The sight was absolutely bizarre and uncanny. "Watch and learn, child. You have to know how to cut off unnecessary people in your life. This is how you emerge as the victor."


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Double update! The serial killer''s backstory is finally here! Found out how our adorable Xiao Chun can grow up to be such a cruel criminal QAQ


    I remember saying that MDG will end in less than ten chapters. I guess I overestimated myself lol please bear with me~

 Chapter 374 - Xiao Chun Appeared

    Growing up, Nan Xukun hadn''t got the slightest idea what a ''father'' was. He only had his mother to rely on. People often said many bad things about them; mistress, illegitimate child, bastard''s son and he got used to listening to them.


    It wasn''t until one day when her mother hastily packed up and brought him into an unfamiliar ce did he realize that he, too, had someone he could call ''father''. Nan Xukun could still remember when he first met Nan Cheng. At that time, the man stepped into the ce they were in, wearing an expensive suit and polished shoes. He smiled as his sightnded upon them ¡ª or to be exact, him.


    "Nice to meet you. I''m your father." Nan Cheng said with a kind and gentle smile on his face.


    Nan Xukun didn''t know why he instinctively felt afraid of that man. He looked as dashing and handsome as the prince depicted in fairytales yet Nan Xukun didn''t even dare to look into his eyes. Scared, he buried his head into his mother''s shoulders.


    Only then did Nan Cheng give Si Qingzhao a nce. The smile subsided in his eyes and he clicked his tongue in disappointment. "He''s already eight?"


    Si Qingzhao instantly flinched as if someone had burned her. Hugging Nan Xukun tightly, she stared up at Nan Cheng full of wariness. If she could, maybe she would have hid Nan Xukun inside her pocket so that Nan Cheng wouldn''t be able to see him.


    Nan Cheng didn''t take offense toward her defensive reaction. He only waved and told his subordinates to escort them away.


    "Wait!" Si Qingzhao eximed in panic. "W¡ªWhere''s Ah Ning?"


    Nan Cheng raised a brow and shrugged. "I don''t understand what you''re talking about!"


    "Don''t lie!" Si Qingzhao gnashed her teeth and snarled. That was the first time Nan Xukun had ever seen his mother getting so agitated. "Did you do something to him?!"


    Nan Cheng smiled. "Whether I did or not, why don''t you find it out yourself?"


    In the end, Si Qingzhao had no choice but toply for the time being. Nan Xukun didn''t really understand but it seemed like Mother and Father''s rtionship wasn''t very good. Mother didn''t seem too happy to reunite with Father.


    Subsequently, they were given a luxurious house, more spacious and beautiful than any other home Nan Xukun had ever seen. He looked around curiously and tugged on his mother''s skirt. "Can I invite Xiao Nian here? Is this abroad?"


    "No. Sorry, Xiao Kun. You can''t¡­" She crouched down and tried to pull off a smile. However, seeing Nan Xukun''s oblivious face, she broke down in tears in an instant. Hugging him, she cried for a long, long time.


    Since that day, his mother often cried, way too often, especially after they had moved into the new house. Nan Xukun didn''t understand why. They didn''t have to move around anymore so why did his mother look unhappier than before?


    That man whom he called Father seldom came home. Nan Xukun only saw him once or twice a month and every single time, he would be given a lot of homeworks to work on. As he did his assignments, Father would bring Mother into a room and lock themselves inside all day. Faintly, he could hear the muffled sound of her mother''s miserable cries through the tiny gaps beneath the door.


    After the man was gone, Mother would be paralyzed in bed for a few days straight, bruises covering her body and she would spend the nights crying herself to sleep. When she finally recovered, she would sit in front of him and watch him do the homework.


    The same situation persisted for months.


    One day, she came out and watched over him as usual. Her face had be more haggard and downcastpared to the first time they came here. One couldn''t even guess that she was barely in herte twenties, she looked way too old than her real age...and also tired.


    Through the peek of her sleeves, Nan Xukun could take a glimpse of the usual bruises¡ªck and purple¡ªthat ran along her arms.


    Suddenly, she brought his hands in front of her and blew on it. "Does it hurt¡­?" Tears brimmed in her eyes as she stroked his hands that were grazed with horrendous red marks.


    Father inflicted it on him everytime he made a mistake. Oftentimes it would be his hands but if the injuries were too much to the point he couldn''t write well, Father would hit him on legs or body. It was so that he wouldn''t repeat it again next time.


    Nan Xukun shook his head. "This is nothing. It''s my mistake so I should be punished." Compared to the wounds on his mother''s body, what he received was nothing.


    Hearing that, her mother''s tears fell in an instant. "No, it''s not true¡­.I can''t let things go on like this¡­" Holding his shoulders, she directed a straight gaze into his eyes. "Listen, Xiao Chun. That man ¡ª your father ¡ª isn''t someone we can trust. Mother promises she will bring you out of here. After that, you don''t need to receive punishment anymore everytime you make a mistake, okay?"


    Nan Xukun nodded. It was unknown whether he really understood or not. "Can we live next door to Xiao Nian again? I really like to be with her."


    "Yes, yes of course." She hugged him tightly and kissed his forehead. "Mother will try her best."


    The next time Father came home, they had a huge fight. It was to the point where Mother''s screams echoed throughout the house, thrill and sharp. She demanded Father not to educate him like that otherwise he would grow up crooked like Father did. She also threatened to escape once again.


    Nan Xukun hid behind the sofa and saw how the man yanked Mother''s hair and mmed her head against the wall, again and again. Father''s face was twisted and full of contempt, disregarding the woman''s cries of pain. Until one point of time, Mother finally reached her breaking point and pushed Father away, running out like her life depended on it. She even forgot to take Nan Xukun away with her as she had promised.


    Then a car rushed out of nowhere and crashed into her, hard and brutal. Her body flew a few meters away before rolling on the ground, blood oozing out of every part of her body.


    The perpetrator, seemingly shocked to have crashed into someone, hurriedly pulled up and drove away, leaving nothing but a trail of blood from the woman who was barely hanging on her breath.


    Nan Xukun took in the whole scene, his heart palpitating. He didn''t even realize that he was holding his breath.


    Nan Cheng stood in front of the window until the woman''s breathing ceased. Only then did he turn around, eyes shing with Nan Xukun who was petrified on his position behind the sofa.


    "Watch and learn, child." He smiled, unruffled. "You have to know how to cut off unnecessary people in your life. This is how you emerge as the victor. Weakness only belongs to losers."


    It was as if something deep within the eight years old child shattered at that moment.


    What happened next was something that had only happened in cheap soap operas. After Mother''s death, Father would bring women home once in a while. And then, just like with Mother, they locked themselves inside the room all day.


    Nan Xukun learned not to probe for something he wasn''t supposed to lest he would get the consequences.


    However, one certain day, it was as if the universe worked in his wonder. Walking down the hallway, Nan Xukun heard dubious and unfamiliar soundsing from one of the doors. It was Nan Cheng''s study room, one of the many rooms that he was prohibited froming close to. But that day, the door was slightly ajar and as if bewitched by the devil''s spell, Nan Xukun crept forward and peeked into it, his heart pounding rapidly.


    What happened inside was something that would haunt him for the rest of his life.


    He saw Nan Cheng, his superior and ruthless father, thrusting his lower part again and again into a young girl like some animal in heat. His face morphed into pure ecstasy. The girl''s cries and sobs traveled to Nan Xukun''s ears, reminding him painfully of Mother when she was still alive.


    Wet and dirty squelching sound echoed throughout the room, mixed with the disgusting sound of flesh and flesh pping against each other repeatedly.


    When the girl''s head lulled to the side weakly, Nan Xukun finally caught a clear sight of her face. It was one of the girls who stayed in the orphanage he had just visited with Nan Chengst time.


    ...and she was only fourteen, four years older than him.


    Nan Xukun ran away from that ce as if his life depended on it. Entering his bedroom, he proceeded to the bathroom and vomited out all of his lunch.


    So...that was what he had always done to Mother. So, that was what he did to other women and some underage girls whose education he sponsored.


    He curled into the corner of the room and cried. For what reason, he didn''t know either. He was just sick of everything. He wanted someone to bring him out of this ce. He wanted his mother, and he also wanted Xiao Nian badly¡­


    Come to think of it, the only time when he could be truly happy was when he was with Shi Nian. He missed her terribly, so much that his dream was also affected by it.


    Inside that dream, there was no Father, no Mother, no Auntie Qiang...only Xiao Nian and him, in a field full of blooming flowers. The sky was clear blue and the sound of herughter drifted into his ears, calming and rxing.


    They yed together, lived together, and did everything together. He wasn''t the bastard''s son nor was he the only son of CEO Nan. He was only Nan Xukun whilst she was Shi Nian. It was a world that consisted of only the two of them alone.


    This was his pure Heaven; his sanctuary.


    And then, when he woke up, ''Xiao Chun'' appeared by his side. He was the boy Nan Xukun imagined himself to be if he didn''t leave Shi Nian. Cheerful, kind, naive, positive, theplete opposite of how he actually was.


    That boy became his only friend amidst the dark times in the ce of Shi Nian.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: ugh, Nan Cheng is so disgusting.. He''s a fcking rapist. My fingers hurt typing about him lol

 Chapter 375 - The Devils Son

    For the next few years of his life, it was ''Xiao Chun'' who dominated his consciousness. Nan Xukun chose to rest himself. He was too tired to face everything; his father''s contempt and continuous punishments, the rumors people spread about him, the way those second generation young masters looked at him as if he was some kind of cockroach that crawled out from the sewer.


    Xiao Chun was like a shield. He was immune to the negativity and persistently faced the world with a positive outlook. He was a reflection Nan Xukun created by thinking of how Shi Nian would react if she was thrown into such a situation. Slowly, his personality also grew up to resemble Shi Nian; passionate, strong, and beautiful.


    Never had he expected that one day, he would one day take over the control of his body for the sole reason of ending someone''s life.


    That woman was another one of Nan Cheng''s secretaries. He had lots of secretaries which were reced every once in a while. Some of them got into his bed, some of them not so lucky. That woman was the former.


    Nan Xukun recalled that she persisted quite long, almost half a year. It was already remarkable for Nan Cheng who slept with different women each week. Nan Xukun didn''t care whom Nan Cheng slept with nor could he bring himself to care.


    Perhaps because she was the one who stayed by Nan Cheng''s side the longest, delusions started to climb over her head. Thinking that she was something special, that she could fill the position of the Madam in the house.


    It even got to the point where she looked up to every opportunity to get close to him ¡ª Nan Cheng''s only son, the ultimate golden ticket. Nan Xukun didn''t care about his father''s messy affair but it didn''t mean that he would sit still and let it happen when it crossed his bottom line.


    That woman dared to ask him to meet up and asked him sweetly. "Young Master Nan, what do you think if I be your Mother? I heard Madam Nan passed away years ago so isn''t it lonely being at home with only the two of you? I can keep youpany, just like your mother did."


    "Oh?" Nan Xukun drawledzily, his voice turning deeper. "You want to be my mother?"


    "Isn''t that very nice?" She smiled. "You''re a very good boy, Young Master Nan. Just like how CEO Nan described you to be. I will certainly be very happy to take care of you."


    After that, Nan Xukun taught her what it meant to fill in his mother''s ce; to bear the brunt of Father''s ruthlessness, to defend him, to shield him from the pain that man inflicted on him. However, he had just barely started when the woman couldn''t bear it anymore.


    "Stop! Please¡­! I''m sorry, forgive me, okay?!" She scrambled up only for her ankle to be dragged back. "No! Let me go!!!"


    Nan Xukun sat atop of her and suppressed her movement. "Why?" A frenzied grin made its way to his face. "Don''t you want to fill my mother''s ce? Don''t you want to take care of me? Why can''t you bear this? This is nothingpared to what my mother has endured, you know." He lifted the knife over his head and stabbed the woman right in her chest again and again. "What else did he say? Did he warn you not to provoke me? No? That''s too bad¡­"


    Warm blood sttered all over his body and the woman''s screams echoed in his ears even when she had ceased breathing.


    Nan Xukun let go of the knife, panting. His entire body trembled, more confused than scared. What had he done? He looked around frantically, trying to find a glimpse of Xiao Chun, the one who had always been his shield.


    He found Xiao Chun crouching by the woman''s warm corpse, frowning.


    "Xiao Chun, Xiao Chun...w¡ªwhat should I do?" He asked tremblingly. If this was Shi Nian, what would she do?


    They stared at each other and saw the abyss in the other''s eyes. There was no answer to this question because from the start, Shi Nian wouldn''t havemitted this kind of offense. She was so kind that she wouldn''t have hurted anyone, let alone killing them.


    ¡ªIt was you, Nan Xukun. You have destroyed your own pure image of her.


    From then on, Xiao Chun was starting to be corrupted. It was not good. The only thing he could do to stop it from happening was to close his eyes and force himself to forget everything. Only this way could he somehow manage to hang on.


    But he didn''t expect himself to be busted right away.


    That year, it was only a month away from his seventeenth birthday.


    .


    .


    That man introduced himself as Si Zhening, his non-blood-rted uncle. Nan Xukun had some recollections of seeing him when he was young, but it didn''t mean that he would swallow every single word the man said.


    Si Zhening was full of nonsense. Saying how he would help him, that everything was okay, telling him not to be afraid. What wasughable was how the other man readily helped him dispose of the woman''s corpse.


    The whole situation was tragically ironic.


    Nan Xukun ah, Nan Xukun. Was there ever a normal person around you? Just a single one?


    He closed his eyes and let everything be forgotten. He had the hunch that Nan Cheng knew what he had done, considering how thest person that woman met before she disappeared was him. He also didn''t know where Si Zhening buried the corpse or whether it would be found one day.


    There was too much to be worried about. He didn''t want to face them and selfishly let Xiao Chun deal with everything. He even contemted whether he should gradually fade away, just like how the mermaid turned into bubbles in one of the fairytales his mother read for him.


    ...Letting this kind of dark, cruel him disappear for good wasn''t so bad, right?


    He swore, he didn''t expect that once again, he would lose control and kill someone else. This time, it was a totally innocent passerby. She didn''t provoke him, nor did she y any part in his life. One day, he just brushed past her and heard her say, "Happy birthday, Papa. I wish you a healthy, prosperous and long life. I and Mama will always love you."


    That sentence was enough to blow his fuse and before he knew it, he had kidnapped the girl.


    ¡ªI and Mama will always love you.


    Why...why did that sentence bother him so much? Why was he so agitated?


    It wasn''t enough to simply kill her like the previous woman. He wanted to see her suffer, to let her know that there''s a pain in this world more unimaginable than death. Thus, he slowly cut her limbs off part by part and watched her bleed to death.


    As he stood amidst the dark with blood flowing on the ground underneath his feet, a realization dawned on him.


    Ah¡­


    He...had be the same as Nan Cheng.


    In the end, he couldn''t escape from the curse of having that man''s blood flowing in his veins. He witnessed a life wither away and felt the joy in it. And along with that, a string of chains that was shackling him down was also broken.


    It was as if he had been granted liberation by epting who he truly was.


    That''s right, he shouldn''t have pretended to be someone he wasn''t.


    From the start, he was the devil''s son.


    And the devil''s son could only be another devil.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: double update! This is the end of Nan Xukun''s backstory! Now, everything has fallen into ce and you got the whole image ;) what do you think of it?


    One of the characters I have created since the start of the story, other than Jiang Jinyan and Shi Nian, is Nan Xukun. It''s twisted but he has always been one of my favorites. Outside, he appears cheerful, easygoing andidback. Everyone said he must have lived a good life with Nan Cheng as his father. But nobody knows that he''s actually rotting from the inside; his weariness, his hopelessness.... Omg I can feel how he longs to be free

 Chapter 376 - Please Dont Hate Me

    Without them realizing, two hours had already passed. After venting all of the things he couldn''t say all these years, Nan Xukun looked a lot lighter and also...drained. It was as if he had expended thest bit of his strength to deliver the words.


    Silence reigned over the room. Qin Weizhe, Ru Meiqi, Wang Chengbing and Jin Renguang, all of them had no idea where to start. For years, Nan Cheng had been building his good image in public and Nan Xukun''s statement just shattered their image of him. It felt so unreal as if the person he was talking about wasn''t Nan Cheng.


    "There are two things I want to ask." Jin Renguang suddenly broke the silence.


    "What now?! Nan Xukun red furiously. "I am a patient who has just woken up, for God''s sake! You have already tortured me for hours!"


    Jin Renguang ignored his remarks and proceeded to ask. "Last year, you used Yu Chuan and got him to bait Shi Nian out. Why did you hang up on him at thest minute?"


    "Yu Chuan?" Nan Xukun shrugged nonchntly, his expression taunting. "Don''t remember anymore."


    "The one in City A''s Recreational Park, Yu Chuan. You gave him fifty million in exchange for his bag which you used to store the body part. The one whom you asked to sneak into Shi Nian''s apartment district and baited her out, Yu Chuan. Does it jolt your memory?"


    "Ohh, it''s him." Nan Xukun sneered. "That pathetic excuse of a human being. What about him? Is he dead already?"


    "Well, he has certainly rotted in jail. Not like we care, to be honest." Jin Renguang narrowed his eyes sharply. "I just want to know why you hang up on him after he has gotten Shi Nian in his hands?"


    Nan Xukun''s lips curled into a smirk. "Come on, what reason could it be? I just felt bored that everything ended so fast. It wasn''t not exciting at all so I let him go. What? Are you going to thank me for that?" He chuckled in ridicule and leaned forward all of a sudden, his eyes showing excitement. "Don''t you understand? It''s when you let your prey go just for them to lower their guard down and¡ªhap! Swallow them when they think they have seeded in escaping! Isn''t that more exciting that way?!"


    The four others were rendered speechless. Jin Renguang, especially.


    God knew how long he had formed that n to make sure it was foolproof. He even begged Granny Kong to help him act the scene out. In the end, it failed just because the serial killer thought it wasn''t exciting enough?!


    The veins on Jin Renguang''s forehead bulged out and he spat out the words through gritted teeth. "Second question, when do you get chance to nt the bombs in Si Zhening''s apartmentplex? Or¡­" He probed. "Have you always been inside all along?"


    "Ha!" Nan Xukun scoffed incredulously. "Do you think that just because I killed all those people then you can throw all of the me on my head? That bastard openly provoked me, trying to pretend to be the serial killer ¡ª that goody two shoes. What did he expect me to do? Stay still and let him do whatever he wants? He knew all along that I would being for him. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have allowed himself to be found just like that!"


    Nan Xukun was justining and bbering nonsense, not really giving an answer to Jin Renguang''s questions whatsoever. But thetter nodded in satisfaction as if he had gotten what he wanted. "Okay, I understand. Thank you for your cooperation" Turning to the others in the room, he told them. "Let him rest for now. He can''t escape anyway. That is...if he wants his precious friend to hate him."


    "You¡­!" Nan Xukun gnashed his teeth, enraged. "Get out! Get out of here!"


    Ru Meiqi stood up and yed along with Jin Renguang. "Then, I will ry to her that Nan Xukun has been very cooperative during the interrogation. Who knows, maybe she will send him another voice note. If he continues like this, we might be able to persuade Shi Nian to meet him for a few minutes."


    Nan Xukun pretended he was ignoring everything, yet his ears secretly perked up.


    It was apparent that he was just a neen years old teenager. Against two seasoned police officers who were well versed in criminal psychology, he didn''t stand a chance from the start. They had totally yed Nan Xukun on the palm of their hands.


    "Wait, wait!" Wang Chengbing suddenly spoke up. "You... You''re also the one who came to Shi Nian''s house during her disappearance, right?"


    Qin Weizhe clicked his tongue and dragged him out, rendering him bbergasted. What had he done wrong to warrant such contempt and disdain from everyone?!


    The door closed behind them and Qin Weizhe finally spoke. "Why haven''t you got it? Of course, it''s him."


    "How should I know?" Wang Chengbing grumbled sulkily. "Why are you so certain anyway?"


    "At that time, he must have been so confused." Ru Meiqi said. "Xiao Chun, I mean. He didn''t know whether his memory was real and he could only confirm it himself. He went to Shi Nian''s house to see if she was there. It turned out that Shi Nian was indeed missing. He knew then that his other self had acted again. What I don''t understand is¡­" She turned to Jin Renguang who was deep in thought. "Your second question, do you suspect something?"


    Instead of answering, Jin Renguang asked. "Can you give me the copy of Shi Nian and Si Zhening''s statement? I want to look over them once again."


    The noises gradually drifted away, leaving Nan Xukun in a silence that was apanied only by the ticking sound of clock. Gradually, he opened his eyes and saw Xiao Chun sitting on his bedside, staring back at him.


    "What?" Nan Xukun asked. "Do you still regret it?"


    "Of course, it''s because of you that Xiao Nian doesn''t want to meet us anymore." Xiao Chun murmured sadly. "I know you''re angry but how can you hurt Auntie Qiang? You know how important that woman was to her. Just as important as Mother."


    Nan Xukun''s throat choked up. "Shut up." He pulled the nket over his head and closed his eyes. "Wasn''t it already enough that I let you take over at thest moment?"


    His sentence brought their memory back to the day when Shi Nian escaped. Back then, Shi Nian was hiding from them and vehemently trying to find the exit. At thest minute when she almost reached the door, Nan Xukun caught her and dragged her back.


    "Let me go! LET GO!" She screamed, her teary eyes filled with hostility and fear. "I HATE YOU!"


    At that time, Nan Xukun was suddenly reminded of Si Qingzhao. In thest few minutes before she ran out and got into the car ident, she also said the same thing to Nan Cheng. The exact same sentence, the exact same expression.


    Nan Xukun''s pupils trembled and at that moment, Xiao Chun took over.


    "No, don''t hate me... don''t hate me, Xiao Nian. I don''t mean to do this. I was just unwilling to ept it." He said in a sorrowful expression. "All these years, I treated you as ast straw to hold on to. But for you...I am no more than a faded memory, am I not?"


    Tears slid down from the corner of Nan Xukun''s eyes before it disappeared into the pillow, creating a wet mark on it. His wet eyshes quivered violently and he murmured in his sleep. "Don''t hate me. Please, don''t hate me¡­"


    .


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    .


    A/N: what to do....I know he''s the serial killer but I really want to baby him??

 Chapter 377 - Whats On The Report?

    As soon as Jin Renguang returned to his hospital room, he asked Qin Weizhe. "Has the antipsychotic medication Nan Xukun consumed been tested in theb?"


    Although he didn''t understand what Jin Renguang meant, Qin Weizhe still answered. "We have just confirmed the authenticity of Si Zhening''s statement so my people are on their way to secure the evidence. It might be done by night at thetest. Why do you ask?"


    "I know it''s a pain in the ass." Jin Renguang stated seriously. "But I want all the pills tested, not only the sample."


    Qin Weizhe''s eyes widened. "Do you suspect¡ª"


    Jin Renguang massaged his brows. "Nothing is certain yet. I can only confirm it after I get Shi Nian and Si Zhening''s statements in my hands."


    In a timely manner, Ru Meiqi returned and handed him the thick reports. Twobels were stuck on it, one by the name of Shi Nian and the other Si Zhening.


    "Thank you." He said. "I would like to read it by myself. Can you two please give me some room to think?" Spotting Ru Meiqi''s concerned look, he smiled. "You cane and get me by the time theb resultse out."


    Ru Meiqi sighed in surrender. "Fine. I will drag you out at dinnertime. If you need something, just give me a call. Let''s go, Comrade Qin." Afterward, the two of them left, leaving Jin Renguang alone.


    The man sat on the couch and tried to make himselffortable. It was quite impossible, considering how each movement would stretch the wound on his back. It felt weird but he soon got used to it and started to open the report, starting from Shi Nian''s.


    Word by word, he raked his eyes over the paper and immersed himself in it.


    ***


    Due to Jin Renguang''s abrupt request, theboratory analysts ended up working their asses off and managed to get the tests done by the crack of dawn. As soon as Qin Weizhe read the report, he cursed out loud and dashed to the hospital even though it was way past the visiting hours.


    shing his police badge to the receptionist in front, he made his way to the VVIP ward and strode down the hallway inrge steps, his pace hasty and impatient. It was still 4 am in the morning and the hospital was eerily quiet. The entire floor was filled with police officers stationed in every corner with CEO Jiang''s bodyguards mixing in.


    He turned to a corner and met Ru Meiqi who was talking to a police officer, her face showing traces of fatigue. As soon as she caught sight of him, her eyes lit up. "Comrade Qin, has it been done?"


    Qin Weizhe nodded with his face somber, unable to muster a smile at all. Seeing that, Ru Meiqi''s heart abruptly sank but she covered it quickly lest the other sniffed out something was off. Afterall, Jin Renguang had strictly ordered for the matter to be kept confidential for the moment.


    "Thank you for your hard work." She said to the police officer and gestured for Qin Weizhe to follow along. The two of them walked side by side to Jin Renguang''s room.


    "What is Captain doing inside?" Qin Weizhe asked.


    Ru Meiqi shook her head. "I''m not sure. Thest time I checked up on him was three hours ago, he was dozing off by then." She lifted her hand to knock. However, the act hadn''t been done yet when the door suddenly slid open, revealing Jin Renguang who still looked as alert as ever even with short stubbles growing on his chin. The only sign which indicated hisck of sleep was the slightly bloodshot eyes and the messy hair.


    "Come in." The man said quietly.


    Qin Weizhe stared at him for a while and stepped in after Ru Meiqi. He couldn''t help but think that there was something different about Jin Renguang yet he couldn''t put his fingers in it.


    "I got the report." Qin Weizhe''s expression wasplicated. "Captain Jin, have you always been doubting Si Zhening?"


    "At first, no." Jin Renguang answered. "I only started suspecting him after listening to Nan Xukun''s answer. There''s a few areas that don''t add up."


    "What is it?" Ru Meiqi asked in frustration. "Haven''t we already gathered all of the truth?"


    The corner of Jin Renguang''s lips curled up. "Yes...but only on the surface. Whether I found this out or not, there''s no difference, to be honest. We have caught the serial killer and secured all of the evidence we need. No matter how hard Nan Cheng resists, he will be defeated sooner orter. Si Zhening will also be apprehended as the serial killer''s aplice. Everything has been solved nicely. It''s just that...I can''t stand to see a stone unturned, regardless if it''s a pebble or a boulder."


    Qin Weizhe''s eyes inadvertentlynded on the reports on top of the low table behind Jin Renguang, shocked. The staples had been peeled off, making the papers spread all over the table messily. Scribbles written with red ink filled the nk spaces on the side of the papers and in one nce, it very much looked like someone had just scrawled curse words on it.


    Suddenly, realization dawned on him and he could finally word what was wrong with Jin Renguang. Everyone in the police station knew that Captain Jin of the SCI squad was someone with OCD, albeit his case wasn''t as severe as the serial killer.


    And someone with OCD wouldn''t have let his space¡ªand moreover himself¡ªto be this messy. He gave Jin Renguang another scan; not only was his hair messy, but his hands were also stained with red ink and creases formed on his clothes.


    It was disconcerting, especially when Qin Weizhe recalled that he once bore the brunt of Jin Renguang''s anger just because he didn''t tidy his desk properly when that man was still his mentor.


    The instability was just one little, insignificant hint but Qin Weizhe couldn''t shake off the waving red g in his mind.


    What had bothered Jin Renguang so much to the point where he had even forgotten to take care of himself?


    Unaware of theplicated thoughts running in Qin Weizhe''s mind, Ru Meiqi asked impatiently, toozy to y mind games with the Captain. "So what is on the report?"


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: What? What about Si Zhening? ©c(¡ã©–¡ã)?


    I want to give my special thanks for ArcaneMag!! Dear, you literally contributed more than half of the total amount of GTs! We have managed to cross 200 GTs! Thank youu so much, so happy to see you like the story ^^


    Also Keepitquiet, scissors04, and everyone I can''t check. Thank you so much! Now we''re nearing the end and it is only possible because of your immense support! £¨£þ¦Å£þ??£©

 Chapter 378 - It Is Really The End

    6 am. Police station.


    Once again, Si Zhening was being escorted to the interrogation room. His brows raised slightly as he saw Jin Renguang. Nheless, he still sat down calmly, even giving the other man a smile. "This is the first time we met face to face, isn''t it? To what do I owe the honor, Captain Jin Renguang ¡ª the lead investigator of the serial murder case?"


    Jin Renguang didn''t answer, only staring at Si Zhening intently.


    "I heard from the news that an ident has befallen you." Si Zhening continued politely. "But it seems like you''re doing okay. Are you here to tell me the answer to my offer? Have you considered it properly? As soon as you said yes, I will directly tell you everything I know."


    Jin Renguang chuckled, his fingers tapping gently on the table. "Why so anxious, Mr. Si? Are you scared that we will call off the deal?"


    "Scared?" He let out a sigh. "I am just worried about my nephew. You have been monitoring him 24/7, haven''t you? Please take note that his mental condition isn''t so good to begin with. Continuous confinement will cause the effect you want to backfire. Even if he looks fierce and fearless, actually he''s only a sensitive and insecure boy. At least with me there, he will have one more person to rely on."


    "You''re worried because his mental condition is unstable?" Jin Renguang shook his head as if in pity. "Stop giving me that distressed uncle act, Mr. Si. Why are you pretending to worry about his well-being when you''re the one who turns him like this?"


    For a moment, the two men stared at each other intently, sparks and electricity zapping in the air.


    "I''m afraid I don''t understand what you''re talking about, Captain Jin." Si Zhening finally said after a moment of silence.


    "You don''t understand?" Jin Renguang threw a report in front of him. It was one which Qin Weizhe brought out from theboratory. "You told him you''re giving him sleeping pills to aid him against the nightmares. Then, you told us that it''s actually antipsychotic medication for schizophrenia patients. But what is this, Mr. Si?" Jin Renguang leaned forward, a sharp glint shed through his eyes. "We found stimnt drugs in 2 out of 10 pills you have given him. It means that if he consumes the medicine 10 times, there''s a 20% possibility that he will take drugs which not only are unable to cure him, it will worsen his condition instead, making him more susceptible to anger and negative emotions. Mr. Si, care to exin?"


    That''s right, that was what the results stated. Ever since Jin Renguang heard Nan Xukun''s confession, doubt has started to grow in his heart. For a high functioning criminal psychopath, Nan Xukun was way too vulnerable and unstable. Simply put, he was just like a child who threw tantrums.


    In his confession, he often said, "I didn''t know what possessed me." Or "I swear I didn''t mean to do that."


    It showed his inability to control emotions. Why, even after consuming the medicine Si Zhening gave him, he still showed signs of losing control?


    Si Zhening stared at him evenly, the smile remained on his face. If this was any other person, they might already be creeped out and ended up being utterly manipted. However, this was Jin Renguang. If there was anyone who could crack this madman, it would be him.


    "Actually, you don''t need to answer me." Jin Renguang leaned back on the chair,pletely forgetting the wound on his back. He sucked in the cold air and clenched his jaw. The desire to not show anything on his face turned into low pressure that exuded from his body, imposing and intimidating. "You''re a very good maniptor, Mr. Si. In fact, the best that I''ve ever seen. You have even managed to fool my keenrade. Well, as the saying stated, to fool someonepletely, you have to slip one lie in between ten truths so that even deception can turn into truthfulness in the end. Do you agree with me, Mr. Si?"


    Slowly, Si Zhening let out augh. "I see¡­ you''re not a leader for no reason, Captain Jin. Truly remarkable."


    Jin Renguang ignored hisment and continued. "There''s a huge discrepancy in your statement that gave you away, Mr. Si. You stated that you couldn''t bring Nan Xukun to get therapy otherwise Nan Cheng would target you." Jin Renguang raised a brow, intrigued. "Hearing this sentenceing from someone who fought with Nan Cheng''s men all those years ago and was also reckless enough to beg Jia Renyu to take you in, I found it very...interesting.


    "In fact, as soon as you brought Nan Xukun''s illness to light, it would deal a detrimental harm toward Nan Cheng. As far as I know, you have always wanted to bring him down. But you didn''t do it, why?


    "No matter if it''s eleven years ago or now, you have never deemed your life and reputation as important things, so what changed your mind all of a sudden?" Jin Renguang''s eyes were fixed on Si Zhening''s face, piercing and sharp as if he could see through the other man''s soul. "You did it on purpose. You never want him to be cured. You want him to rely on you, to think of you as someone indispensable, to be unable to live without you. That''s why you triggered his mental condition, letting him go on a killing rampage and isting him from the whole world. That''s your goal."


    Jin Renguang''s deep voice rang in the interrogation room, cruelly peeled off the mask that Si Zhening had been wearing for almost half of his life. Yet as if it didn''t have anything to do with him, Si Zhening sat there calmly with hardly any change in his expression, letting the officer do the talking, utterly unperturbed.


    "Even with Shi Nian, you found out that Nan Xukun diverted an excessive amount of attention to her and it made you angry." Jin Renguangughed as if he was thinking of something funny. "Even until the end, she thought that you were the one who rescued her. How ridiculous...how do you think she will react if she knows that everything is just your selfish desire? So that Nan Xukun didn''t focus on her, you let her go and nted the bombs along the way to disguise it as an ident. Sadly, your ns failed because she didn''t die and Nan Xukun discovered that eventually.


    "In Li Qing''s suicide case¡­ She was indeed one of Nan Xukun''s targets, was she? Nan Xukun wanted to kill her to let Shi Nian notice him. I can guess what excuse you''re going to give such as wanting to prevent Nan Xukun frommitting more crimes but you didn''t expect that she wouldmit suicide. In the end, everything has been within your calctions. You have had enough with Nan Xukun''s attention being pulled to Shi Nian and you didn''t want another to show up. So you decided to get rid of her yourself.


    "However, there''s still Shi Nian. You couldn''t get rid of her so you nned a final stage. Pretending to be the serial killer, kidnapping Jiang Jinyan, nting bombs in the apartmentplex, everything was just to get rid of the police and drew Shi Nian out. It''s like hitting two birds with one stone. But you didn''t expect that Nan Xukun would show up himself nor did you guess that he would kidnap Shi Nian. It destroyed your foolproof ns. Oh yes, one more person, Jia Ming''en. I wonder how you feel toward him. He was so dead set on saving you but he ended up being a huge obstacle in your way. Poor boy...


    "What those people said about you is true, Mr. Si. You''re indeed a monster." Jin Renguang put on a grim smile. "You can never understand how it feels to be a normal human being. There''s nopassion or kindness in you. What remains inside is only your lingering obsession toward Si Qingzhao and her only son, Nan Xukun."


    Si Zhening still looked unruffled. "Are you done?"


    "Regrettably, yes." Jin Renguang chuckled. "Mr. Great Maniptor, will you confirm whether my spection is urate or not?"


    Si Zhening shrugged. "So what if it is? So what if it isn''t?"


    Jin Renguang narrowed his eyes. "Thank you. Your reaction just tells me that I''m right. Don''t you realize the position you''re in, Mr. Si? Remember the deal you offered us?" With that, he finally managed to draw out a different reaction from Si Zhening. "Haven''t you realized it? With my one word, I can throw Nan Xukun into an isted mental hospital and you can never meet him again for as long as you live."


    Si Zhening''s smile abruptly vanished.


    "Do I get your attention now?" Jin Renguang pressed the button to call in the police officers. "Unfortunately, that''s exactly what I''m going to do. Mr. Si, I will make you unable to see him, talk to him, or interact with him again...forever."


    Without any warning, Si Zhening suddenly sprung up from his chair and reached out toward Jin Renguang, his expression murderous. However, he hadn''t reached the man yet when electricity struck him from head to toe like a bolt of lightning. Gritting out a groan, Si Zhening copsed, his body twitching and he couldn''t even muster an ounce of strength. "You...dare!"


    Jin Renguang looked down at him and repeated his previous sentence. "So what if I dare? So what if I don''t?"


    The door opened and two police officers entered to drag Si Zhening out. The man struggled like mad, finally losing his mind over Jin Renguang''s threat. His eyes bloodshot as they sought Jin Renguang. "No! I worked so hard for this! You can''t back down right now¡­!"


    "Give up, Mr. Si." Jin Renguang said behind him. "Everything is already over. This time, it is really the end."


    As if knowing that struggling wouldn''t do him any good, Si Zhening''s body slumped down heavily as the police officers dragged his feet. His long hair covered his face, turning him into a mess. He looked nothing like the sophisticated and elegant Secretary Si when Jin Renguang first saw him. Suddenly, heughed, soft at first before it turned louder and louder.


    He turned around without any warning, so hard that a crack was heard from his neck. "You¡­" A pair of predatory eyes stared into Jin Renguang fixedly. "You said that I''m a madman, but what about you? You understand my thoughts thoroughly¡­" He gave a chilling smile, one that would cause shivers to everyone who saw it. "Doesn''t that make us the same?"


    "Shut up!" The police officer hollered and proceeded to drag Si Zhening out, hisugh echoed through the hallway before it gradually subsided.


    Si Zhening''s head hung low, his eyes nk. His whole person looked like he was about to break down and shattered to pieces.


    Far on the corner of the hallway, a person was leaning on the wall, waiting for him. It was Jia Ming''en.


    His eyes widened in shock as theynded on Si Zhening''s messy state. "Ge¡­" he called out subconsciously, yet the man passed through him just like that as if he didn''t see him, as if he was just a random stranger.


    Jia Ming''en''s fists clenched tight and his lips pressed together. He lowered his eyes to hide the turbulence underneath, one that was filled with sorrow and incredulity. Everything Jin Renguang said earlier and Si Zhening''s reaction, he witnessed all of them through the monitor room.


    His lone figure stood amidst the deste corridor, forlorn and dejected. It wasn''t until a few momentster that he managed to gather himself and took the first step ¡ª steadfast and firm ¡ª away from that ce...and also, away from that person. This time, for now and forever.


    For some people, this was really the end.


    But for some others, it was only the beginning.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Final twist!! If you''re still confused, the main point is...Nan Xukun is indeed the evildoer but Si Zhening is the ultimate mastermind behind everything!!! ¦²(¡ã¥í¡ã)


    Been dropping foreshadowing here and there to get to this point but you might want to read it over since the beginning to get it fufufu


    As Jin Renguang has said, whether he confronts Si Zhening or not, the end result is the same.. However, the least he can do is to separate Nan Xukun from him. Who knows how Nan Xukun will end up if he keeps being manipted! Worse, he doesn''t even have the slightest idea :(

 Chapter 379 - Yet Another Spring

    The storm that wrecked havoc in Capital City didn''t subside even for the next few months. The news of Nan Cheng being the perpetrator behind the human trafficking, drug distribution, homicides as well as sexual assault toward minors exploded, causing Henan Corporation''s stock to plummet in a single night.


    His victims went back to more than a decade ago, majority of them didn''t even realize what crime he had done until they turned adults. By then, they had be too timid to speak up, silently burying everything down to the deepest recess of their minds. It wasn''t until one person decided to bring the truth to light did many others start to regain courage.


    That person was Wan Biwen, Nan Cheng''s ex secretary and also one of the children whose education he had sponsored. All this time, she had been brought out of Dreamscape Bar by Jia Renyu on behalf of Si Zhening''s request. It wasn''t until Nan Cheng was apprehended by the police did she start to show up in public again.


    Truth behind the puzzle which she gave Yu Li''er before she left ¡ª the farmer and his poisonous nt ¡ª was finally solved. It was a huge clue that tipped Nan Cheng off as the man used to be just an ordinary small businessman until the President saw the great potential in him and decided to invest many resources on him. Nan Cheng didn''t disappoint, he grew up to be someone who stood out among others ¡ª indeed a very rare exotic nt. However, beneath that beautiful exterior, he caused huge damage to the country as the crimes he was charged with were both heavy and unprecedented.


    Nan Cheng''s behavior garnered contempt and hatred throughout the whole country, especially those vigorous keyboard warriors who ckened him to the point where his own son wouldn''t be able to recognize him.


    Speaking of his son, the news of Nan Xukun being confirmed as the wanted serial killer had also been broadcasted in all news channels. Along with that, the abuse Nan Xukun and her mother had endured was also uncovered. Due to the trauma Nan Cheng inflicted on him, Nan Xukun ended up suffering from dissociative personality disorder and severe schizophrenia. For a period of time, he became the talk of the town. A few journalists had even been inspired by his life experience and pleaded to interview him in person, intending to turn it into books.


    Nowadays if one strolled along the street, they wouldn''t have possibly not heard about Nan Xukun''s tragic yet ironic story.


    After all was said and done, the suspected serial killer who kidnapped CEO Jiang''s son didn''t garner that much attention. It was unknown what his fate was and slowly, people started to forget about him.


    With that, the chilling winter ended and spring arrived peacefully.


    The time when the cherry blossoms burst out in vivid pink colors like cotton candy was also the time when Shi Nian had her first orientation as a freshman in Sangzhe University.


    With her hair tied in a ponytail and a pantsuit donning her body, she exuded a more mature aura than usual.


    The atmosphere in the university was boisterous and lively with numerous performances by upperssmen who wanted to recruit newbies into their clubs.


    Shi Nian waved goodbye to Mo Ling who was dragged away by her ssmates in the Department of Art and Design, then painstakingly paved her way past the crowd to the exit. By then, her arms were already filled with flyers.


    Her eyes lit up as soon as theynded on the two tall figures that stood outside the gate. They wore nothing but ordinary loose sweaters and cotton pants, yet their towering body, proportional frame and remarkable aura instantly caused them to stick up like a sore thumb. Moreover, one of them didn''t wear a mask like the other, letting his aggressively handsome face be exposed to the public. Nheless, none of them gave a damn, pretending not to notice when the passersby ogled on them, making Shi Nian unsure whether tough or cry.


    She deliberately made a circle around them and intended to give them a surprise. However, she was busted before she could even do it.


    The man who didn''t wear a mask frowned, his expression contemptuous. "Don''t tell me you want to surprise us like the scene in teenage youth idol dramas. It''s disgusting."


    The one with a mask turned around, his eyes curving into a smile. "Too bad, we have already noticed you from afar."


    This was tantly mocking her for being short!


    Shi Nian pouted. "You two are so mean! Since when did you be such good buddies with each other?" Shi Nian hugged the masked man''s arm and sulked. "I can still understand it if it''s Binchen gege, but why did you also tease me?"


    "Hey!" Xu Binchen huffed out an angryugh. "Come here, what do you mean by that? Am I that kind of person in your eyes?"


    Jiang Jinyan chuckled, his voice came out muffled through the mask. "Seeing you sneaking around thinking we couldn''t spot you was just too adorable." He patted Shi Nian''s head gently. "Are you hungry?"


    "Uh-huh." Shi Nian''s stomach growled in a timely manner. Grinning toward Xu Binchen, she raised her brows teasingly. "Will Binchen gege treat us? Afterall, he has just been promoted. To a Captain at that!"


    Xu Binchen let out a scoff. Nheless, he couldn''t hide the faint smile on his eyes. "Brat." Turning around, he beckoned to them. "Come on. Just treat this as my congrattions for you passing your exam sessfully."


    That''s right, a week ago, Xu Binchen was officially promoted to be the new Captain of the Special Crime Investigation Squad. After the serial murder case concluded, Director Fen''s transaction with Nan Cheng was discovered. It turned out that Director Fen''s youngest son died mysteriously a few years ago. It wasn''t until he sat in the Director''s position did he discover some truth he didn''t know before. His son died unjustly in the hands of the mafia and he was adamant to make them pay. Unfortunately, he chose the wrong person to cooperate with.


    After Nan Cheng''s crimes were proven true, Director Fen willingly resigned from his position and epted his punishments. On the other hand, whether he would be able to throw Jia Renyu behind the bars, it would be the event far in the future.


    As for Jin Renguang, he became the most suitable candidate as the next Director and almost received unanimous votes from the higher-ups. Adding on to the reason for his mental assessment score being too low, he sessfully handed over his position as Captain to Xu Binchen and ascended to be the ultimate big boss of not only the SCI squad but also the General Crime Division. The members had no idea whether they should rejoice that Jin Renguang wasn''t their ruthless Captain who would torture them anymore or they shouldment that they had to execute hismands without fail for the man was perfectly capable of withholding their sry.


    Regarding Nan Xukun and Si Zhening, Shi Nian hadn''t heard much from them. Thest news she heard from Ru Meiqi a month ago was that Nan Xukun might possibly be acquitted of his crimes and would be monitored in a mental institution in the future. As for Si Zhening, he would receive at least 20 years of imprisonment.


    In the end, she could say that everything ended nicely...maybe.


    "What are you thinking of?" Jiang Jinyan''s voice brought her out of her reverie.


    She shook her head and grinned, eyesnding on their intertwined hands. "Nothing. Just that...it''s nice to be able to hold hands with you like this without a care in the world."


    Jiang Jinyan let out a chuckle and squeezed her hands tighter, his eyes oozing with love and affection.


    "Hey! You three!" A familiar voice called out from afar. "Where are you going?" Ru Meiqi approached and asked with a smile.


    "Senior Ru." Xu Binchen looked as if he had a headache. "What are you doing here?"


    Ru Meiqi harrumphed. "Have you forgotten that I am an Associate Professor here, Captain Xu?" Thest word was emphasized with a teasing tone. "Isn''t that right, Shi Nian?"


    "En!" Shi Nian beamed and bowed politely. "Please take care of me from now on, Professor."


    "Aren''t you supposed to call me Teacher?" Ru Meiqi smiled meaningfully.


    Shi Nian blinked and eximed with an ''ah''. Standing upright, she gave the woman a salute. "Reporting, Teacher! From now on I, Shi Nian, will learn under your tutge to be a good criminal psychologist!"


    Ru Meiqi returned with another solemn salute. "Very good, my disciple. Learn well from me ande to intern at Police HQ when you''re in your senior yearter."


    "That''s still three years away!" Shi Nianughed. When even her seniors in the Department of Psychology still hadn''t even nned where to do their internship, Shi Nian had secured a spot in her pocket. If anyone knew, they would be envious to death. "But still, thank you very much, Teacher. By the way, have you eaten yet? If you haven''t, pleasee and join us. Binchen gege said he will treat!"


    "Then, I will dly take you up on your offer."


    Xu Binchen sighed. "Have you ever asked for my opinion?"


    Jiang Jinyan shook his head and looked at him with pity, prompting a sneer from Xu Binchen. "What are you looking at, brat? I will only treat them because they''re my colleague and future colleague. What are you?"


    Jiang Jinyan scoffed and retorted. "Do you think I won''t be able to pay for myself?"


    Sparks and electricity flew as the two men had a staring showdown. It had always been like this. In one nce, the two looked as if they didn''t have a good rtionship but Shi Nian knew that they were closer than that. She had even once sported them drinking together behind her backs.


    Shi Nian exchanged a look with Ru Meiqi and covered her mouth, giggling.


    The wind blew, carrying with it the scent of cherry blossom suffused with a tinge of sweetness in the air. Shi Nian inhaled deeply with a smile on her face.


    It was yet another spring.


    Last year around this time, a miracle woke her up from aa. When she looked back at it, so many things had happened. They had gone through such a long, arduous journey to be able to get to today''s peace. This year too, and the years after that, she hoped that it would remain the same.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: oooh Shi Nian will def be a good criminal psychologist (?¨R?¨Q)? and Xu Binchen bes Captain Xu!


    Next ¡ª thest chapter. Please prepare your heart ^^

 Chapter 380 - My Dearest

    After stuffing their stomach with food paid from Xu Binchen''s wallet, Shi Nian even went as far as to plead the man drive Jiang Jinyan and her home before he returned to the police station with Ru Meiqi. Even though Xu Binchen grumbled incessantly along the road, he stillplied to Shi Nian''s request.


    By the time they arrived, the sun had started to set. Golden bursts of light sprinkled across the clouds, mixing with purple and blue streaks in the sky. It was a very breathtaking sunset.


    Shi Nian returned home to change into afortable sweater and pants. In the kitchen, she found Qiang Fei''s note stuck to the refrigerator. [Niannian, it seems like Mama will be busy until a few days before Lunar New Year. There''s a few side dishes inside. Share them with Xiao Jiang :)]


    She counted with her fingers. It was only a little more than a week until Lunar New Year. Time really flew by so fast. Shi Nian packed a few side dishes that Jiang Jinyan liked and brought them to the man''s house.


    "What are you doing?" She asked after finding Jiang Jinyan slumped onto the couch. "Are you unwell?"


    Jiang Jinyan spoke through gritted teeth. "I ate too much." He cursed inwardly for his stupidity. Well, he guessed that Xu Binchen wouldn''t be any better either. Somehow, the harmonious dinner turned into apetition between the two men to see who could sweep the food on the table faster.


    In the end, they matched evenly and it ended in a draw. Jiang Jinyan massaged his brows. How could he get carried away and act so childish? And that man, how old was he again? Twenty four? Twenty five? He was the most childish one there!


    "Pfft." Shi Nian covered her mouth and dashed to the kitchen. "Wait a moment, I will boil you some digestive tea."


    Jiang Jinyan narrowed his eyes and harrumphed. "Don''t hide it. I saw youughing."


    Laughter drifted out from the kitchen in the next second, clear and sonorous like the bell chime. Jiang Jinyan gave another harrumph and decided toy down so as to not feel nausea. He covered his eyes with his arm and took a deep breath. The soft rustle of Shi Nian''s movement, the water boiling in the kitchen, the scent of tea that wafted out¡­


    A sense of peacefulness filled Jiang Jinyan''s chest and he subconsciously drifted off.


    Ever since he fell off the cliff and woke up, a few strange memories started to surface in his mind. At first, he thought that everything was merely a dream. However, it was too vivid to be a dream yet the scenes also weren''t clear enough for him to discern what it actually was.


    Sometimes, his dream took ce in spring. Other times, it was winter. Sometimes, there would be people around him yet oftentimes, he would always be alone.


    Sometimes, he would wake up with a smile but there were also times when he jolted awake with tears in his eyes, his heart aching like never before. The pain was crushing to the point where he couldn''t breathe.


    As the fog in front of his eyes gradually dispersed, Jiang Jinyan had the feeling that...he would be able to unravel everything soon.


    ***


    Blood. Everywhere his eyesnded was crimson and the ground was littered with corpses and dying soldiers.


    He stood amidst everything with a bloodied sword in his hand. As soon as he sensed someone drew close, he swung his sword agilely ¡ª hard, brutal, without mercy. Heads flew and warm blood sttered onto his face.


    He could hear nothing except his own heartbeat and heard nothing except for the cries of his soldiers. "General! General, help! Help us!"


    In the distance was a royalty atop of a regal war horse ¡ª the Second Prince ¡ª looking down at him with disregard as if he was nothing more than another dead body. "Give yourself up, General."


    Jiang Jinyanughed, blood trickled down his mouth. "I''m afraid that as long as this body of mine can still move, I am unable to heed Your Highness'' order."


    "You¡ª!" The Second Prince''s face grew furious and he pointed the sharp tip of his sword in front of Jiang Jinyan''s face. "Fine, you''re the one who asks for this! Attention, kill the Great General of Wei Dynasty! Kill the traitor!"


    "Kill the traitor!"


    "Kill the traitor!"


    "KILL¡ª!"


    What happened next was akin to purgatory, a hell that had descended upon Earth. The number of corpses beneath his feet increased, so did the wounds on his body. His ck armor was cracked in a few ces and his skin had been drenched in blood, its original color could no longer be seen.


    After they had incapacitated his right arm, he fought with his left. And soon, one of his legs could no longer be used, and he resisted while kneeling on one knee.


    Three days and three nights.


    That was how long the war ensued until the end, what remained was only corpses ¡ª an endless amount of corpses that formed a hill.


    It was unknown when the snow started to fall. When Jiang Jinyan realized it, the ground had been covered in snowkes.


    He coughed out blood, a sword was stuck on his left chest near where his heart was beating weakly. His limbs had turned numb and his blood had soaked the snow underneath him crimson.


    Slowly, he let out augh. A weak, ironicugh. More than two decades had he spent his life guarding the border of the country and in the end, what he received was a demise that was worse than death itself.


    He could feel life slowly slipping out of him. Helpless, forsaken...like the puff of white mists that floated out from his mouth and quickly disappeared into thin air.


    It was said that when someone was on the brink of death, they would see the scenes of their whole life passing in front of their very eyes. Or so he had read from many books and scriptures.


    So why...was the one reflected in his mind at this moment was no one but her and her alone?


    His blurry eyes took in the open sky, gloomy clouds and falling snowkes. Somehow, the white tiny crystals resembled the cherry blossom petals he had shown her once before. Those times were so peaceful, so beautiful to be true.


    The expression she showed right before he left, her reddened eyes, the tears she tried so hard to suppress; everything about it haunted him.


    He wondered, would she cry by the news of his death? He also wondered... whether his servants would treat her well after he was gone, whether she would be bullied again?


    It had truly slipped his mind. He should have ordered Fu Jia ¡ª his head servant ¡ª to take care of her better; to give her delicious food, warm nkets when the weather turned cold, to let her tend to his flower garden as she pleased because he didn''t trust anyone but her to be able to make them thrive.


    He should have done more for her before he left¡­


    Unbeknownst to him, a drop of tears slid down the corner of his eyes. He exhaled softly; amentable sigh contained all of the regrets he couldn''t deliver any longer. His body gradually cooled down and air could no longer fill his lungs.


    His eyes fluttered shut and his breathing ceased like gentle snowkes that melted with the slightest warmth. Silently, lightly.


    Dear God,


    He was aware of the sin that he carried in this lifetime. He didn''t care what he would be reborn as nor did he mind that he would be doomed with continuous misfortunes throughout his life. He also couldn''t care less if he was missing an eye or a leg.


    He only wished...to meet her once again.


    May the Gods fulfilled his sole wish.


    And...may she live a life full of happiness, both in this life and the next lifetimes after that.


    "¡ªyan!"


    "Jinyan!"


    "Jiang Jinyan!!"


    He jolted awake, his eyes blurry with tears. In front of him was an anxious and distressed Shi Nian, her fingertips lightly brushing against the corner of his eyes. "Jinyan, are you awake? What''s wrong? You''re crying in your sleep¡­"


    Jiang Jinyan stared at her, dazed.


    Memories poured into his mind. This time, it was whole. The girl whose tongue was cut off, who embraced death without the slightest hint of fear in her eyes. The girl who appeared strong but quite fragile and sensitive inside.


    At the beginning, they were just two lonely people that were brought together by fate. But now, love had bloomed beautifully between them, tying them together with a red string weaved by affection and passion they held toward each other.


    Two lifetimes¡­ They had finally met again. Not as the General and the Witch. Not as the Master and his maidservant. Only two ordinary human beings; Jiang Jinyan and Shi Nian.


    "Jinyan?" Shi Nian asked in concern. "Are you okay? Do you have a nightmare?"


    He surprised the girl by suddenly bringing her into a tight embrace, his head buried into her shoulder, inhaling deeply. "Shi Nian...Shi Nian¡­"


    Shi Nian paused before gingerly cing her palms on his back, caressing there. "What''s wrong?"


    Jiang Jinyan shook his head. The memories of their first encounter in this lifetime reyed in his mind. In fact, he had always wondered why she could still persistently try to get close to him after he had been so harsh to push her away. He had none of the admirable traits; he was disabled, depressed and full of thorns.


    While she...she was like a moth that was unafraid of me, courageously letting herself be burned so brightly, so beautifully that he couldn''t avert his eyes away.


    "So it''s you¡­" He sighed. Finally¡­ he understood everything. "It has always been you."


    Whether it was their past lives or now, the person who stayed by his side had always been her. He smiled and caressed Shi Nian''s dumbfounded face. "My apologies for having you wait for so long, my dearest."


    .


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    The End of Volume 3 [Rose - Ardent Love]


    My Dearest General''s Main Story ¡ª Completed


    .


    A/N: AAAAAAAH! IT''S A WRAP! THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT! QAQ


    My dearies, please leave a review for MDG. I would very much like to hear what you think of this story ^^ will really appreciate it if you do~


    HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE! My only wish is that you will have a good year ahead, be healthy and safe, andstly...stay with me for my next projects :)


    Next, please read author''s thought below

 Chapter 381 - Jin X Ru — Extra 1

    In front of him was a row of corpses. Some of them he didn''t recognize but some were awfully familiar; Xu Binchen, Wang Chengbing, Qin Weizhe, hisrades both in SCI Squad and General Crime Division. And on top of that...he also saw Ru Meiqi''s face.


    The woman''s pallor was deathly blue. Blood poured out of her mouth, nose and ears. Her eyes bulged out abnormally, staring straight into Jin Renguang''s eyes with fear and disbelief. As if struck by lightning, his body was unable to move, nailed in ce and was helplessly forced to witness the death of those around him.


    "How about it?" A voice echoed in his mind. Soft, bewitching and tempting, just like the devil. "See, we are the same kind of person."


    His eyes lowered andnded onto the knife in his hand, still with blood dripping down from the tip of it.


    And the same knife was stuck into Ru Meiqi''s chest.


    Jin Renguang''s eyes snapped open and he gasped, his heart galloping furiously. The bloody scene vanished and was reced with the familiar sight of his white ceiling. Sitting up, he rubbed his face roughly and raked his fingers through his dampened hair.


    It''s that dream again, he thought in frustration.


    The hour hand of the clock had only pointed to two and the sky outside his window was pitch ck. He got off the bed and sauntered to the pantry to get a ss of water, yawning.


    He indeed felt a lot better after moistening his throat, but sleep had left him thoroughly. Once again, he sighed and went to the balcony to smoke.


    "Don''t let yourself be affected by his words." That was what his therapist said in histest counseling session. He understood that, but what should he do if his subconscious still hadn''t moved on?


    The case had clearly been solved and he had thrown all of the criminals in jail, but somehow his mind kept drifting toward the memory of that day; Si Zhening''s words, the way that man looked into his eyes with glee and ridicule.


    It was as if he had found another one of the same species as him in the world.


    Jin Renguang inhaled deeply, letting the tobo fill his senses and the smoke blurred his sight. It wasn''t the first time he had heard this kind of advice from his therapist. In almost every mission he returned to, he needed to seek counseling to calm his mind.


    It was disconcerting to find that a Captain could be so weak minded. If the others were to find out about this, how could they possibly entrust their lives into his hands?


    Well, fortunately he had thrown that responsibility to Xu Binchen. Now, he wasn''t a Captain anymore and he hated to admit that it made his shoulders lighten, like a burden was finally lifted off him.


    He sighed and snuffed out the cigarette, sliding the door closed behind him. The phone screen on top of the table lit up and he reached for it to find a new message.


    [Ru Meiqi]: Are you asleep?


    Jin Renguang was suddenly overwhelmed by the urge to see her. Right now. Right at this second.


    Thus, that was exactly what he did. Racing his Jeep through the deste street at two something in the morning to her apartment.


    Dingdong dingdong!


    Jin Renguang''s eyes were half lidded as he waited. Only God and he knew how fast his heart was beating at the moment. For God''s sake, he was already in his thirties, not the same teenager who would sing a love song and y guitar below her balcony anymore. He took a deep breath at the same time when the door opened, revealing a foul mood Ru Meiqi.


    The woman donned only a one piece satin dress with her long hair slightly messy, clearly looking like she was already sleeping or at least,ying on the bed.


    "Do you know what time is it¡ªoof!"


    Jin Renguang pounced forward and smothered her into a bear hug, pushing the woman in and closing the door behind them. "Qiqi¡­" He inhaled her scent deeply, only then did his heart begin to calm down. "Qiqi, I have a nightmare¡­"


    Ru Meiqi paused, her hands that were ready to push Jin Renguang away halted in midair. In the end, she opted to put them on his back instead, patting gingerly. Sighing, she was ready to offer somefort when the man continued,


    "I dreamt you turned into a cat. Well, you''re still cute and beautiful in every way and I can directly bring you home but¡ªow!" His waist was pinched brutally in the next moment. He grimaced and loosened his embrace, grumbling. "So heartless¡­"


    Ru Meiqi red. "Get out if you want to keep joking around."


    "No." Jin Renguang held her slim waist, feeling the smooth fabric of her dress under his palm as well as the curve of her hips. Like a puppy that was banned from food, he said in a dejected tone. "But I am not kidding¡­"


    Ru Meiqi resisted the urge to rub her ears. She was unsure whether it was the night working its wonder or something was wrong with her hearing, but Jin Renguang''s voice sounded lower and deeper than usual, its maic force was even more soul hooking. When he hummed softly like that, it was enough to make her knees weaken. She cleared her throat and took his misbehaving hands off her body. "Well,e in first. Did you see my message?"


    Jin Renguang changed into the slippers and strode in, slumping himself on the couch as if he owned the ce. "Yes, that''s why I''m here. Why are you still not asleep yet? It''s almost three."


    Ru Meiqi came out from the kitchen with a ss of warm honey water, ring in usation. "Whose fault do you think that is? I was already ready to sleep when you suddenly rang the doorbell!"


    He let out a chuckle, not feeling guilty in the slightest. "Well, it''s also your fault for messaging me like that. It''s very...inviting, you know." He reached out and twirled the loose thread from the hem of her dress, smirking. "Your dress that is. Do you always wear this to sleep?"


    Ru Meiqi pped his paw away and proceeded to take out a few candles. After she lit them up, the soft scent ofvender wafted across the living room. The me flickered and illuminated her side profiles. Adding on to the darkness, an ambiguous atmosphere started to form between them.


    Jin Renguang''s eyes deepened and he lowered his sight, pondering.


    "What are you thinking of?" Ru Meiqi sat on the other end of the couch and patted her thigh. "Come on,y down here."


    "Don''t tell me," Jin Renguangplied obediently and made himselffortable. Hmm, her thigh was softer than he had expected. "Are you going to give me a massage?"


    Ru Meiqi scoffed at his rhetorical question and put her fingers on both sides of his temples then started to knead on it gently in a circr gesture. "You have always been an overthinker. I told you many times not to let it get into your head but you never listened. Hmph, serve you right."


    Her words were sharp yet her movement was careful and gentle. Exactly how could someone as endearing as her exist in the world? Jin Renguang slowly closed his eyes and chuckled, his body rxing from head to toe. "You know me so well."


    "You should take a few days off work and go for a vacation somewhere. A hot spring in the mountains, maybe. It will be very rxing. You haven''t stopped working ever since you epted the serial murder case, have you? Have you forgotten that you''re not a Captain anymore?" She grumbled incessantly, each word seeping into his body like a warm spring water, very refreshing and cozy.


    To be honest, he needed no vacation because being with her was the best medication there was. Only she could make him feel this way. A way that no one had ever could before, both physically and spiritually.


    "Does the wound in your back still hurt? Do you need to change your position?"


    "Nope. I''m all healed already." Jin Renguang suddenly opened his eyes and said in a teasing tone. "You know what, actually there''s another method that can definitely cure me."


    "What is it?"


    "Making love." He smiled. "I swear, I will definitely get a good night''s sleep after that."


    Ru Meiqi stiffened. That reaction was just as he expected. How adorable. Jin Renguang let out a low chuckle and was ready to say that he was only joking when the woman suddenly leaned down and captured his lips, taking him off guard.


    Jin Renguang blinked a few times yet the scene in front of him didn''t change. Ru Meiqi''s sweet breath brushed against his cheek and her curly eyshes tickled him. She was looking down at him with a sultry gaze, taunting and challenging.


    "What''s wrong with that romantic phrase? It''s so unlike you." She whispered into his mouth and caressed his jaw with her fingertips, teasing him back. "Just say that you want to fuck me."


    Jin Renguang''s lips curled into a thrilling smile. Seriously, this woman was going to be the death of him. He pressed his arm on the couch to lift his upper body up and bit on her lower lip, his eyes darkening to the point where the light couldn''t even pierce through them. "Well, I do. What about you?"


    .


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    A/N: Hiii I''m back with the side story! First couple; my fav after Jiang Jinyan x Shi Nian! Enjoy~


    Release rate for extra stories will be slower. It will often be one per day but if I can, I will still update two. Thank you for still sticking with me up to here *kiss*


    And Happy New Year everyone! Wish you a good year ahead.

 Chapter 382 - Jin X Ru — Extra 2

    Warning: nsfw


    ...


    The candles atop of the table had half melted. The wax dripped down and solidified, leaving a trail on the surface. The me flickered, shining on the two people on the couch that were engrossed in a passionate kiss.


    Jin Renguang sat up and lifted Ru Meiqi onto hisp to straddle him. The woman''s dress slid up as a result, revealing a pair of smooth, fair thighs which he adored with all of his heart.


    Ru Meiqi''s fingers grasped tightly onto the man''s hair, half kneading and half pulling, as if this was the only way she could maintain her sanity amidst his maddening kisses.


    "You¡­" He rasped with a sigh. "...are so sweet. How can you be so sweet?"


    "Shut up." Ru Meiqi grumbled and continued kissing him, sucking on his upper and lower lip relentlessly and making them swell. When she pulled away, his lips had turned bloody red, all tantalizing and glistening with both their salivas. Well, she guessed that she wasn''t any better than that.


    Jin Renguang''s hands moved to take off her dress and threw it across the floor. Standing up, he proceeded to take them to the bedroom all the while never separating their lips. Ru Meiqi shuddered from the cold air that suddenly caressed her body yet it was quickly reced by the burning heat from his arms around her. His kisses were as bold and demanding as usual, it sent butterflies in her stomach and she subconsciously tightened her legs around his waist, feeling his throbbing manhood grinding onto her intermittently.


    A sigh escaped her lips when Jin Renguang trailed his lips down to her neck, kissing, sucking and biting there. In an instant, her pale skin flushed red and a hickey was formed. "Ugh...are you a dog?! Don''t leave a mark there...ah!"


    Jin Renguang bit down in defiance, earning him a re from Ru Meiqi. Well, she must have thought that she looked menacing like that but she had no idea that the flush on the corner of her eyes and the way she tried hard to hide her desires for him just riled him up further.


    He lowered her down gently on the bed and followed soon thereafter. His hand sized up the alluring curve of her waist until he arrived at the tender swell of her breast, cupping it gently with his wide palm. Ru Meiqi''s body flinched under him and she pressed her lips tight to suppress her moans.


    They had just barely started but beads of sweat had covered their body, covering it with a glistening sheen.


    It had been too long¡­


    Six years. They had missed each other for six long years. It was enough to make a baby or two ¡ª or even more if he worked hard. He wanted her so bad that his body trembled from the effort he exerted to keep his mind clear and he could tell that she wanted him as much.


    "Qiqi¡­" Jin Renguang stared at her pink, adorable nipple and gave it a lick. "Qiqi, I want you. Can you feel it?" He deliberately pressed down harder to prove his overwhelming desire for her. "It''s so painful that I''m gonna explode¡­"


    Ru Meiqi gritted her teeth, panting. "Stop...talking¡­"


    He hummed and sucked on one of her beads with utmost attention, giving it the attention it needed. Ru Meiqi gasped, her waist arched upward and her toes curled from the pleasurable sensation that crawled up her spine and numbed her scalp. She could no longer suppress the moans continuously spilling forth. "Renguang...Renguang, hmm, it''s ticklish¡­"


    He let go with a pop andughed, hot breath grazing on her trembling, perking bead that had be slightly swollen. "Yeah, that''s right. Call my name again." Afterward, he diverted his attention to the other one, giving it all of his love and attention.


    Ru Meiqi grasped on the mattress under her, writhing. Her lower body throbbed and she was sure that she would be dripping wet by now¡­ "Damn it, stop sucking! Are you a baby or what?!" She suddenly snapped when Jin Renguang showed no intention to move from her breast anytime soon, her hips buckling in impatience. "You...hurry up...!"


    "Hurry up? Hurry up for what?" He smiled and deliberately whispered into her ears. "Come on, tell me Qiqi. If you don''t say it, I will not know what you want."


    The rims of Ru Meiqi''s eyes reddened. How she wished to punch him on the face! He definitely did it on purpose! He knew exactly what she wanted but still forced her to say it out loud. Was there anyone more shameless than he was?!


    In a spur of anger, she used her leg to step on the bulge that was clearly imprinted on his trousers, hot and throbbing. Jin Renguang sucked in cold air, his eyes widening in shock. That reaction made her feel ted as if she had regained the upper hand and not always being the one who was yed on the other''s palm.


    She giggled softly, her eyes taunting. "Oh dear, look what we have here. You''re right." She moved her toes and rubbed on the tip, feeling the dampness of his precum leaking out. Her body grew feverish along with it and she felt as if she was high on drugs, intoxicated. "It really almost exploded. Are you sure it''s not you who is eager to do something?"


    "Qiqi¡­!" He let out a low growl and took off his shirt. The glistening, bronze skin and eight pack muscles were revealed in front of her eyes, so delicious that she almost drooled.


    Jin Renguang smirked at her dazed expression. Compared to six years ago, he was even more toned and...sexy. "How is it? Like what you see?" He proceeded to unbuckle his belt and threw it down the floor then slowly...so slowly pulled down his zipper. It was an agonizing yet exciting wait. He lifted his eyelids and raised one of his brows, provoking.


    Fine! Two could y the game! She propped her body up with her elbow and also did a painstakingly slow act...in taking off hercy underwear. Her eyes never left him all the way. She took in the way his chest undted fiercely, the way his eyes darkened with extreme lust and his sharp jaws that kept repeatedly clenched and unclenched.


    Six years ago, they had learned and explored each other''s body thoroughly, seeking the thrill of pleasure and ecstasy together. Yet this time, it was as if they had gone back to their first time. Everything felt novel and a single gesture from the other was enough to shake them up.


    "Okay, I lost." Jin Renguang said all of a sudden, chuckling helplessly. "I lost, okay?" He had always had the best self control, however it all seemed to disintegrate in front of this woman. Only in front of her, he couldn''t resist even for a few seconds.


    Ru Meiqi harrumphed in satisfaction. The corner of her lips curled into a seductive smile as she tossed her underwear away. Hooking one of her fingers, she purred. "Well, what are you waiting for?" Sheid there atop of the dark mattress, all naked and glorious with her light brown hair spilling down her waist.


    With the moonlight upon her, she was the very image of a bewitching siren and Jin Renguang was the enraptured fisherman, helplessly drawn to the fascinating creature she was. Prowling toward her, he marveled on the exquisite sight in front of him; the luminance in her eyes, the way her eyshes fluttered and the slight tremble on her body. How mesmerizing¡­ He gulped. If he had to wait any longer, he might as well go insane.


    "Can I?" He took off the remaining pieces of his clothes, revealing the breathtaking mermaid line and the masculine dark hair that trailed down below. His enormous member stood in attention, sucking in the air around Ru Meiqi and making her breathless.


    "Renguang¡­" She reached out her arms and the man captured her in an embrace, their bodies fit snugly like two pieces of puzzle that were meant to be together. Ru Meiqi held the man''s face and looked into his hooded, scorching eyes. "I''m ready..."


    .


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    A/N: oh I''m dying for the way they teased each other (?¨R?¨Q)?

 Chapter 383 - Jin X Ru — Extra 3

    Warning: nsfw :)


    ...


    "Renguang¡­" She said whilst looking into his eyes. "I''m ready¡­"


    And right in the next second, Jin Renguang''s fingers trailed down and spread her apart before entering gently, one finger at a time. Ru Meiqi gasped and closed her eyes, however the man said, "Open your eyes and look at me, Qiqi. I want you to see as I wreck havoc on your body."


    Helplessly, Ru Meiqi cracked open her eyes and their gazes locked together. Upward, he was peppering kisses all over her face; her eyes, nose, cheeks and lips. His eyes enthralled her like a magic spell, causing her to be unable to look away. While below, as he had said, his fingers did their wonder, exploring, kneading and searching until the end, his fingertip bumped against her sweet spot.


    "Ah!" Ru Meiqi screamed, her eyes widened. Holding onto the man''s shoulders, almost piercing her nails into his flesh, she cried out again and again. "Renguang...!"


    "Is it here?" He smirked and focused solely on that spot. Pleasure that she hadn''t felt for a long time coursed through Ru Meiqi''s body like electricity, turning her brain into mush. It was...it was heavenly. The way he teased and broke her apart, turning her into a marite that danced only for him. Tears sprung up Ru Meiqi''s eyes and she bit down on his shoulder at the same time when she came apart in his arms, hard and intense, her body quaked violently before she slumped down on the bed weakly.


    Jin Renguang took in the up and down of her chest, the flush that colored her face down to her neck, the unshed tears in her eyes that screamed of bliss and satisfaction¡­


    He almost came himself, damn it.


    He pulled out and licked the fingers that were drenched with her juices, sweat rolling down his jaw. "Exquisite as always." He brought her closer and kissed her forehead. "You don''t think that it will be over just like this, right?"


    Ru Meiqi scoffed weakly, yet her eyes were still full of provocation. "Bring it on¡ªaah!!" A short scream escaped her lips and her eyes widened in shock when Jin Renguang slid in without any warning, bringing with him the scorching heat of his manhood and the pleasurable pain. It was still the tip, but already enough to steal her breath away. "You bas...tard¡­"


    "Fuck." He cursed under his breath and grimaced. "Sorry, I forgot the condom." It seemed like he had one in his wallet, if he didn''t remember wrongly. Jin Renguang gritted his teeth and started to move back. However, Ru Meiqi''s legs suddenly hooked around his waist, preventing him from leaving. His eyes widened in astonishment. "Qiqi¡­"


    "Where the fuck...are you going?" Ru Meiqi snarled fiercely, tears of passion brimming in her eyes. "If you don''te in right at this moment, then I will cut your manhood off!"


    The corner of Jin Renguang''s lips curled upward and he let out augh. In no time at all, he was over her again. "Qiqi¡­ I love you, I love you so damn much¡­" He stared into her eyes ravenously as his lower body slowly slid in until he was fully sheathed inside her, a groan escaped his lips. She was so hot and tight, it felt so good that he couldn''t resist moving his hips right away.


    Ru Meiqi wed on his back, the sanity quickly leaving her as she was too consumed by the intense, brutal pleasure he offered. All of her nerves concentrated on the sensation below and her mind exploded into whites when Jin Renguang plunged himselfpletely up to the hilt and shot his load in a violent jerk, his body shuddering and a curse slipped out his mouth.


    Ru Meiqi gasped, tears slid down her eyes unstoppably. It was a sensation she never felt before, the warmth that filled her womb wholly and caused tremor up her entire body. It was a different kind of fulfillment on top of being united with the one you loved. It was so much, much more than that.


    For the first time ever, Ru Meiqi realized that what Jin Renguang did wasn''t fucking. He was right, he was indeed making love to her. A sweet, hot and passionate love.


    "Qiqi¡­" Jin Renguang breathed heavily into her neck, whispering. "Qiqi, marry me, okay?"


    Ru Meiqi couldn''t react for a while, her mind was still reveling in the earthshaking aftermath. It wasn''t until the man''s length hardened once again inside her did she snap out of her senses. "You¡ª" Her eyes widened in shock. "You''re still not done?! P¡ªPull out!"


    Jin Renguang indeed pulled out, without any hesitation at that. Ru Meiqi suppressed a groan as the fullness that was filling her up was suddenly reced by a sense of loss and desteness. She stared nkly at Jin Renguang who was getting up, bewildered.


    ...Just like that? He''s stopping just like that??


    "Don''t look at me like that." He grabbed a pillow that had been thrown to the floor and handed it to the confused Ru Meiqi. "Here, hold on to this tightly." Before the woman could ask anything, Jin Renguang flipped her over, lifted her hips up and plunged into her once again, this time rougher.


    Gasping, Ru Meiqi grabbed onto the pillow for her dear life as Jin Renguang started to move yet again with abandon and recklessness, as if wanting to make up for all the years they had been apart.


    "See?" He chuckled, breathless. "It''s useful right?"


    Bastard¡­! She wasn''t even given the time to curse when he picked up the pace and alternated between hard and shallow thrusts, each move hitting Ru Meiqi right on her sweet spot. She buried her face into the pillow, bearing the brunt of his unending passion with her remaining strength.


    Behind her, Jin Renguang leaned forward and deliberately whispered into her ears. "I really wish you can see what I''m seeing right now. Your hole, it''s sucking me like crazy. Can you feel it?" He pulled back slightly and to her dismay, Ru Meiqi''s hips subconsciously followed his movement as if unwilling to part even for a moment. "Every time I pull out, it will grasp onto me so tightly¡­"


    "SHUT UP!" Ru Meiqi hollered, mortified. Why had Jin Renguang never changed at all since all those years ago?! He should focus on what he was doing and stop talking altogether!


    "You want me to shut up?" He kissed her sweaty temple. "Then you should agree to my proposal."


    "What...hng¡ªproposal?"


    "Marry me. Marry me and I will do whatever you want, Qiqi."


    "What do you¡ª" Ru Meiqi snapped her head back, bbergasted. Was he serious? Proposing all the while thrusting into her relentlessly?! Could this lousy act be called a proposal?! However, she was unable to form any coherent words again soon after Jin Renguang grabbed onto her waist and elerated his rhythm, forcing her to be swayed back and forth like a tiny boat amidst the raging storm.


    The hour hand of the clock gradually moved from four to five, then from five to six, yet the activity inside the bedroom didn''t show any sign of stopping anytime soon. Light peeked in through the gaps between the curtain and the air was hot and moist, filled with the thick musky scent of lovemaking.


    "Okay, Qiqi? Just say yes, hmm?" He asked for the nth time for thest few hours. Whenever she didn''t answer, he would thrust into her harder and make her scream his name. It was an unending cycle.


    By then, half of Ru Meiqi''s soul had already left her body while the remaining half was on its way soon. Their body was so sticky with sweat and bodily fluid and the bedsheet had turned into a mess. Ru Meiqi couldn''t even count anymore how many times Jin Renguang had cum inside her. Nheless, the man above her still didn''t give up until he heard the answer.


    "You¡­" Ru Meiqi peeled her eyes open weakly, body sore from head to toe. "Asshole¡­"


    "Okay, okay, I am." He tightened his jaw and for the nth time, released everything inside her. She was so stuffed to the point where the viscous fluid kept spilling down her thigh and wetting the mattress. "So, what''s your answer?"


    "Okay, okay¡­" Ru Meiqi felt terrified at the thought that he would be able to go on again for a few more times. "I agree, okay?! So stop already¡­!"


    Jin Renguang beamed, the ray of sunshine illuminated his side profile and kissed his glistening body that was covered all over in bitemarks, hickey and scratches. "I knew you would agree." He kissed her lips and discreetly slipped a ring into her ring finger. "Now...you''re mine. Completely mine."


    Ru Meiqi was shocked when she saw that. Where did this thing pop out from?!


    "Do you like it?" He held her hand and brought it to his lips, nting a kiss atop of the diamond ring. "Don''tugh if you feel that the design is kind of old fashioned. Actually, I bought this ten years ago¡­" He smiled under Ru Meiqi''s widening eyes. "When I saw it for the first time, I instantly knew that I had to slip it into your fingers. It took me ten years to finally do that. Qiqi¡­" The rims of Jin Renguang''s eyes reddened and he whispered hoarsely. "Thank you¡­ Thank you for epting me, thank you for giving me one more chance, thank you for not disappearing on me¡­"


    Ru Meiqi choked on her tears, speechless.


    Ten years ago¡­ How old was he again? Twenty three? Twenty four? They hadn''t even talked about marriage at that time but he had secretly gone and bought her a ring?


    If he put it like that, how could she ever refuse?


    She lifted her left hand and admired the ring. With tears streaming down her face, she nodded. "En, it indeed looks quite old fashioned." Jin Renguang''s shoulders slumped down hearing that and she continued whilst giggling. "But I like it very much. This is the best ring I have ever seen."


    Jin Renguang reached out to hug her. "I know you''re saying that to humor me but I will pretend not to hear it right now." Peppering her face with kisses, he promised. "Next time, I will buy you a better one."


    "Nah," Ru Meiqi shook her head and pecked his nose. "I am serious. I really like this ring."


    "Qiqi¡­" Jin Renguang started.


    O¡ªOh, Ru Meiqi instantly knew what that look meant. He was hard again! What was he, a dog in heat?! "No!" She pushed him away furiously to no avail as the man had bent down and pressed her underneath him again. "Get away from me, you jerk! We have to go to work in a few hours!"


    Jin Renguang harrumphed and nibbled on her neck. "I''m the director. I will grant you permission to take a few days'' leave."


    Ru Meiqi cursed incessantly at his shamelessness. "You can''t do this!"


    "Oh, I can." He smirked, taunting. The tip of his manhood brushed against her opening, teasing gently although he himself had gotten rock hard.


    That hidden part of hers was kneaded for the whole night and had turned so sensitive that even this small movement was able to make her so aroused. And Jin Renguang knew it perfectly. He entered with one smooth movement and whispered into her ears, low and husky.


    "Say, Qiqi, do you think it''s possible that our child has formed inside?"


    .


    .


    .


    Jin x Ru ¡ª The End


    A/N: I swear their love is so pure and beautiful QAQ this is it for them! Next, we will still meet them altho only in cameo~

 Chapter 384 - Xu X Lei — Extra 1

    For Lei Liqiu, life after escaping from Dreamscape Bar couldn''t be more mundane. Just a few days had passed, but she felt like the thrill, anticipation and nervousness of that day''s ship hijacking was an event that happened in the previous lifetime. Her memory was blurry and chaotic, making it seem even more like a dream.


    The first thing she did after returning was to file a report against her scum ex boyfriend for his fraudulent act and the evidence that he was clearly involved in more ways than one with the human trafficking in the bar. However, only after the police took action did she find out that Zhu Zhenli ¡ª that scum ¡ª had a huge debt on his shoulder and was currently on a run.


    Once again, Lei Liqiu was overwhelmed by disbelief. She couldn''t have imagined that the sunny, innocent and puppy-like man who chased after her everywhere was actually so rotten and disgusting underneath his mask.


    The following event after that was uneventful. She returned home, had a good cry with her mother, cheered herself up after waking up the next day and proceeded to search for a job. Because she had a good qualification in university, she easilynded herself a job in an foreign English basedpany. The wage wasn''t bad, at least it was better than her previous job.


    Her life slowly returned to normal and from that day on, she hadn''t met with Xu Binchen again nor did she have any reason to.


    Well, she still sent a message to him every once in a while but the man never bothered to reply. Lei Liqiu even wondered whether he read it as everything was like stones sinking down to the ocean


    Maybe...this was it. The man obviously showed that he wasn''t interested in her. If she kept on making a pass on him, then wouldn''t she look like a desperate and wanton girl? Lei Liqiu didn''t want Xu Binchen to think of her like that, thus the only thing she could do was try to forget. She should be able to, afterall she had only known the man for less than a year. They couldn''t even be considered as friends ¡ª only acquaintances.


    A chilly winter arrived amidst the storm that shook the entire city''s foundation. The CEO of Henan Corporation, Nan Cheng, was taken away by the police with a string of crime usations stamped on his body. It really overturned people''s opinion of him. Not only Lei Liqiu, but her mother was also shocked as she was quite a fan of Nan Cheng.


    "So it''s this bastard who is the ringleader behind the human trafficking!" Mother Lei cursed when they were sitting together at dinner one day. The newscaster passionately reported Nan Cheng''s crimes one by one ¡ª each was more shocking than the other. "This is why you shouldn''t trust a rich, handsome man! Ckckck, look at that bastard''s face! Even with a handcuff around his wrists, he still doesn''t show an ounce of guilt!"


    Lei Liqiu nodded, her mouth full of rice.


    Mother Lei patted her chest, still with lingering fear within. "Fortunately you have been rescued. They really... didn''t do anything to you, right, Qiuqiu?"


    Lei Liqiu shook her head helplessly and gave the anxious woman a smile. Patting her hand, she replied, "No, they really didn''t. Actually¡­ I even lived quite afortable lifepared to others. It''s all thanks to Detective Xu. I''m sorry to have made you worried sick, Mom."


    "Detective Xu? Is it the very cool and handsome man with a domineering aura just like a CEO?" Mother Lei''s eyes brightened up at the mention of him.


    Where was the woman who had just vowed not to trust a rich and handsome man? Lei Liqiu nodded, amused. However, in the next second, realization dawned on her. "Wait a moment, how do you know him? You''ve met him before...?"


    Mother Lei hummed happily. "That Detective Xu, he''s a really good man. When you were gone, he came to visit me almost every week to fill me in on the update of your case. He always told me not to worry, that he would definitely save you out of that ce. Otherwise, do you think I could still manage to eat and drink when your fate out there was still unknown?!"


    "Wha¡ª" Lei Liqiu almost choked on her food. "He¡ªHe came here almost every week?"


    "Uh-huh." Mother Lei chuckled. "Why are you so shocked?"


    Lei Liqiu couldn''t close her jaw. Were they still talking about the same Xu Binchen? That Xu Binchen, who treated her as distant as a stranger after the case was solved? That Xu Binchen, who always had an impatient frown when he was talking? Was it possible for him to be so caring as tofort a stranger''s mother?


    ...No, actually it was. Hadn''t she realized it? Beneath that cold exterior of his, he had always been a caring and passionate man who put the priority of others above himself.


    Xu Binchen was exactly that kind of endearing man.


    Lei Liqiu clenched her fists. The feeling that she had tried very hard to ignore came crashing down like a tsunami. She didn''t want to give up, didn''t want them to end up just like this.


    Right now, she really, really wanted to see him.


    Hastily finishing her food and washing the dishes, she refused Mother Lei''s offer to watch TV together and locked herself in her room, dilemma.


    How should she contact him first?


    Texting him was a no-no, it was just like smashing her head into the brick wall. No matter how bloodied she became, the wall would still be unmoved.


    Her fingers trailed down toward another contact beneath Xu Binchen, one that she had never thought she would need one day.


    Shi Nian, the only girl who seemed to have a close rtionship with Xu Binchen and also...the girl he liked.


    Lei Liqiu swallowed and after inhaling deeply a few times, started a new conversation with Shi Nian.


    [Lei Liqiu]: Good evening, this is Lei Liqiu. Do you still remember me?


    The reply came within seconds, making Lei Liqiu so shocked that she almost dropped the phone. With her heart beating faster, she opened the message that was filled with nothing but cordiality.


    [Shi Nian]: Good evening to you too. Of course I do! How can I forget you?ugh.jpg


    [Shi Nian]: How are you doing? Sorry, I have been wanting to contact you sooner but things have been a bit chaotictely.


    [Lei Liqiu]: No, no it''s okay. I am doing very well, thanks for asking. Um...what do you seek me for?


    [Shi Nian]: Don''t be so formal. I am younger than you, Sister Liqiu :) you can address mefortably.


    [Shi Nian]: Nothing important. I just want to get to know you better. Afterall, you''re a friend of Binchen gege.


    Lei Liqiu smiled wryly. She and Xu Binchen¡­ they really weren''t friends but she had no idea how to correct Shi Nain''s misunderstandings.


    ¡­Wait a moment. Wasn''t this a good time for her to ask about him?! Lei Liqiu hastily replied.


    [Lei Liqiu]: It''s been quite long since I met Detective Xu. I wonder...how is he doingtely?


    [Shi Nian]: Binchen gege?


    [Shi Nian]: He''s...not very good. His health deteriorated again and he''s now in the hospital.


    Lei Liqiu almost sprung up on her feet. Anxiety filled her eyes.


    [Lei Liqiu]: Hospital?! Is he very sick?


    She bit her nails nervously as she waited for the answer. The upper section kept showing ''Shi Nian is typing¡­'' on and off as if the girl was pondering on how to word it down. Was Xu Binchen''s condition so serious that she had no idea what to say?!


    Three minutester, the reply Lei Liqiu was painstakingly waiting for finally arrived, carrying with it the doom she felt deep within her soul.


    [Shi Nian]: Quite serious.


    [Shi Nian]: He almost needed surgery. The doctor even told him not to run around but he''s too stubborn and workaholic to obey sigh.jpg


    [Shi Nian]: It really makes one wonder how he could keep his life until this day.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N:


    Shi Nian: I''m not lying, just partially covering the truth teehee :)


    Question: if you''re Lei Liqiu, after being treated coldly like that by Xu Binchen, will you still not give up and persistently chase after him?

 Chapter 385 - Xu X Lei — Extra 2

    "Acute gastritis."


    Lei Liqiu gaped, her breath stuttered. "W¡ªWhat?"


    "Acute gastritis." Xu Binchen massaged his brows and sighed. "She must be pranking you. I am not dying whatsoever. I only need to be on IV drips for a few days and eat some medicine to recover fully."


    As soon as Lei Liqiu saw Shi Nian''s messagest night, she directly asked for half a day''s leave from her job and proceeded to go to the hospital as soon as the visiting hour was open. She indeed found Xu Binchen in the list of patients but instead of seeing him sick and fragile, he looked as healthy as a bull, even with the IV drips still hanging on his wrist.


    "But it''s acute," Her brows knitted. "Anything that''s acute is bad, right?"


    "It''s not that bad."


    "What''s not that bad?" Shi Nian''s voice suddenly came from the door. Lei Liqiu lifted her head to see the girling in while pushing a man in the wheelchair who wore the same patient gown as Xu Binchen.


    Different from Xu Binchen whose charm was aggressive and fierce ¡ª often scaring people away ¡ª the man in the wheelchair was another kind of beauty altogether. There''s a tinge of mncholy in his eyes even though he hardly put any expression on his face. Nheless, his delicate feature was still eye candy, it could even rival top actors in the entertainment industry.


    "You even vomited blood and fainted, remember?" Shi Nian said helplessly.


    Lei Liqiu snapped her head to Xu Binchen, eyes widening in incredulity. "Vomit blood?!"


    Xu Binchen held his forehead and sighed. "It''s really not as bad as you think. Why are you two here anyway?" His eyesnded on the man on the wheelchair. "Aren''t you just waking up a few days ago? Why don''t you lie in bed for a few more days?"


    The man scoffed. "Different from a certain someone, I recover fast."


    "Don''t lie, Jinyan." Shi Nian giggled and exposed him. "As soon as he heard you''re also being treated here, Binchen gege, he asked me toe visit you together. And I guessed that Sister Liqiu would be here. Turns out I am right. So here we are!"


    "You¡­" Jiang Jinyan tugged on her hand, a helpless look on his face.


    "Oh right, I haven''t introduced you two, right?" Shi Nian turned to Lei Liqiu and gestured between them. "Jinyan, this is Sister Liqiu, the one I talked to you about before and¡­ Sister Liqiu, this is Jiang Jinyan, my boyfriend." A smile graced her lips as she said thest few words.


    Lei Liqiu''s eyes automatically shifted to Xu Binchen yet the man didn''t show any reaction except for boredom and faint annoyance. It made her sigh in relief, for some reasons she couldn''t describe. So, Shi Nian already had a boyfriend and Xu Binchen also knew it...


    Bowing slightly, she greeted Jiang Jinyan in a formal tone. "Good morning, Mr. Jiang. My name is Lei Liqiu. It''s a pleasure to meet you."


    "Likewise." Jiang Jinyan nodded. "My apologies, I am unable to stand at the moment."


    At the mention of that, her eyes moved to the man''s leg and only then did she realize that one of his legs was missing. Eximing softly, she blurted out in surprise. "Aren''t you the former athlete who was kidnapped by the serial killer, Jiang Jinyan?!" In the next second, she covered her mouth, shocked by her audacity. "Oh no, I''m sorry¡ªI didn''t mean to put it like that¡­"


    "It''s okay." The man cut in. His eyes which turned to Shi Nian contained smiles and affection. "It''s already in the past."


    Shi Nian grinned and smoothed down the strands of his messy hair. "Aren''t you happy that someone still recognizes you after so long?"


    Jiang Jinyan scoffed and caught her hand, a hint of smile ying on the corner of his lips.


    Xu Binchen cleared his throat, his expression showed obvious irritation. "Haven''t you forgotten whose room this is? Go out if you want to talk, okay? You''re so noisy, for God''s sake."


    Shi Nian harrumphed. "Is this how you treat someone who hase to visit you?"


    He sneered. "Should I go and cut you some fruit?"


    "You¡ª!" Shi Nian directed an angry re at him.


    Lei Liqiu looked at them back and forth, surprised. She didn''t expect that Xu Binchen would treat Shi Nian in the same harsh way as others. Afterall, wasn''t this the girl he liked? At least, the thing he could do was to treat her a bit better, right? Lei Liqiu was kinda reluctant to admit that seeing their interaction lightened her mood somehow.


    So it turned out Xu Binchen wasn''t only harsh and cold to her, but also to everyone else...


    Jiang Jinyan tugged on Shi Nian''s hands to pull the girl''s attention away. "Well, now that I''ve taken a good look at him and confirmed that he will still be alive until the next fifty years, I think it''s time to go back."


    Shi Nian blinked and eximed as realization dawned on her. "That''s right! We should go back now. Binchen gege doesn''t even want us here! Goodbye, Sister Liqiu, see you again!"


    Xu Binchen pinched his brows. "You¡­" However, he still hadn''t had the chance to rebuke yet when Shi Nian went to push Jiang Jinyan out and waved them goodbye with a wide smile, closing the door behind her. The atmosphere instantly turned still and awkward between the two that were left behind.


    "Sorry," Xu Binchen spoke first. "She has always been this wilful. No need to take it into heart."


    Lei Liqiu shook her head. "It''s okay, she''s a really nice person. But then, is it okay for you to treat her like that?" Her eyes were trained on the fingers above her thigh that wrung together, the words were out before her brain could process. "Afterall, she''s the person you like¡­"


    Instantly, the air froze.


    Lei Liqiu snapped out of her reverie and her eyes widened. W¡ªWhat did she just say...? Why did her mouth be so loose today?! She sped her mouth and snapped her head up, bbergasted. However, the sight in front of her caused the breath to hitch on her throat.


    Xu Binchen clenched his jaws tightly, his eyes were exceedingly grave and heavy as if wanting to pierce a hole through her. Those eyes were so dark, bottomless and staring into them made Lei Liqiu forget how to breathe.


    "What do you mean?" A voice so cold it made her shudder.


    "I¡ª" Lei Liqiu got tongue-tied. Colors drained from her face and beads of sweat formed on her back, terrified by the extent of coldness and animosity that Xu Binchen exuded. Every second passed by like years. If the man had continued to put pressure on her like this, Lei Liqiu might have had a breakdown right then and there.


    Fortunately, Xu Binchen sighed and withdrew his eyes in the next moment. "...How do you know about it?"


    Lei Liqiu let out the breath she didn''t know she was holding and stammered out. "S¡ªSorry! I found it out myself¡­ Really! It''s true, because I have been looking at you a lot and hmm¡ª" She shut her eyes and bit her lips, mortified. Lei Liqiu ah, Lei Liqiu, what the hell did you blurt out again? Why did everything seem to go wrong today? Seriously, it''s the worst¡­


    The ticking clock sounded especially loud, echoing along with her thumping heartbeat. Tears welled up in Lei Liqiu''s eyes and her shoulders trembled minutely. "Sorry, Detective Xu, I really didn''t mean to meddle in your private affair¡ª"


    "Alright, calm down." His firm voice cut through the fog in her mind, snapping her out of her senses. When she blinked again, a ss of water appeared in front of her. Lei Liqiu trailer her gaze up Xu Binchen''s arm until she met his eyes. There was none of the terrifying, threatening feeling as if he was going to break her in two. Only his usual impassive and cid gaze.


    "I''m sorry." The man said, much to her surprise. "I didn''t mean to question you like a criminal. I was just...a bit surprised. Here, drink first."


    Lei Liqiu received the ss of water and drank it, her mind still in daze.


    What was going on? One second, he was so fierce to her but the next second, he offered her kindness andforted her.


    Exactly what was going on in Xu Binchen''s mind? He continued to make Lei Liqiu more and more confused...


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: The perfect song to describe Xu Binchen is Hot n Cold by Katy Perry lol


    Guide 101 to date Xu Binchen ¡ª you need to get used to his:


    1. Sarcasm


    2. Extreme moodswings


    3. Workaholic tendency


    4. Denseness; if you don''t say what''s on your mind, he will never know


    6. Will interrogate you like a criminal without him realizing


    But in exchange you get a super handsome, rich, caring and surprisingly romantic boyfriend who would even give up his life for you *kiss*

 Chapter 386 - Xu X Lei — Extra 3

    "What did youe here for? Xu Binchen suddenly asked when Lei Liqiu was drinking, almost causing the girl to choke on the water.


    She coughed, stammering out. "I¡ªI''m only here because Shi Nian told me that you''re hospitalized." Sorry Shi Nian, she grimaced inwardly. Without using her as the reason, Lei Liqiu didn''t know what else she should say. What did shee here for? Need it be asked? Of course that''s because she wanted to see Xu Binchen again. However, that wasn''t the words she could say to him face to face. "And also¡­ I''m here to deliver my gratitude. My mother told me...about you visiting her every week to give her an update. I''m really grateful for that."


    "It''s fine." Again, that kind of impassive, nonchnt tone. "I''m just doing my job. So you don''t have to go out of your way to do this."


    Lei Liqiu nodded slowly, her fists clenched. Job, he had always said that everything he had done was within the scope of his job. Just with that one word, a clear line was drawn between them, one that she couldn''t refute nor pass through.


    I am just fulfilling my responsibilities, that''s what he meant to say.


    Heaviness weighed down on Lei Liqiu''s heart but she quickly shook them off. What was she expecting? She had seen this kind of treatmenting but she still braced herself toe here just to catch a look of him. Xu Binchen wasn''t the kind of man who would warm up to anyone, she understood that perfectly.


    She stood up and put on a smile. "Well, I have to go now. It''s good to see you doing okay. I wille againter. Please have a rest, Detective Xu."


    The man''s eyes followed her every movement up to when she reached the door.


    "Lei Liqiu," he called out softly.


    She froze in ce but didn''t turn around. No, to be exact, she didn''t dare to because she knew precisely what he was going to say. Just as she expected, the next words that came out of his mouth was, "Don''te again."


    She grabbed on the strap of her bag so tight that her knuckles turned white. No matter how much she prepared herself, hearing it directly still hurt, quite a lot. She hummed gently and forced her feet to move from that ce.


    Did she listen to him, though?


    Of course not.


    A few dayster, she came again after work with a box of fruit yoghurt that a gastritis patient could eat safely. Xu Binchen scowled as soon as he saw her but she pretended to see nothing and gave the dessert to him.


    Subsequently, she would visit every two or three days, bringing different foods everyday. At most, she would stay for less than ten minutes before leaving. Sometimes, Xu Binchen''s colleagues would be there and she gradually learned their names; Wang Chengbing who disguised as Director Wangst time, Ru Meiqi, Ke Shao, Qin Weizhe and Jin Renguang whom she often saw on TV. But oftentimes, he would always be alone.


    In total, Lei Liqiu visited ten times in the span of two months he was hospitalized. At first, Xu Binchen would show tant dislike at her presence but as time passed, his reaction slowly turned dull.


    That was also¡­ a kind of improvement, right?


    However that tiny bit of hope ended up being shattered when on a certain day, she visited yet again to find Xu Binchen already packing and ready to go. It had been so long since shest saw the man dressed in casual clothes. Except for his sharper jawline, he looked as handsome as ever. Lei Liqiu stood in the doorway and couldn''t help staring at him. "Are you...going to be discharged today?"


    Xu Binchen turned around and their eyes locked. He nodded. "I am just waiting for you."


    Lei Liqiu didn''t know why her heart thudded inside her chest. Not in a good way though. "Butst time, I overheard the doctor say that you weren''t allowed to work for at least the next three months. Why are you discharged now?" She let out an incredulousugh. "It can''t be because of me...right?"


    Come on, tell her that she was too narcissistic, that she was too full of herself. Refute her sentence, deny it, anything.


    But why did he say nothing...?


    "Really¡­?" Lei Liqiu lowered her head, her lips quivering violently. Tears welled up in her eyes and she tried hard not to let her voice tremble. "If you don''t want me toe again, then you should have just told me so. No need to go out of your way to¡­" Her words trailed off.


    Right from the start, Xu Binchen had already told her not toe again but she was the one that was so stubborn, unwilling to give up and persistently trying to get close to him. In the end¡­she was the one who had pushed him this far.


    From the start to the end, he had never opened his heart, not even a sliver crack, for her to get in. Everything was just her baseless assumption. What improvement? It was just in her head.


    Lei Liqiu, why are you so stupid¡­?


    A sigh escaped his lips. "Do you know what the suspension bridge effect is?"


    Hearing him, Lei Liqiu snapped her head up, a droplet of tears sliding down her cheek. However, the man continued mercilessly. "I was there in your darkest time, to apany you and help you to get out of that ce. And in the end, you mistook it as something more. Even if it''s not me, you will still develop the same feeling for that person. Give it some time, Lei Liqiu, and you''re going to realize that everything is just temporary."


    Lei Liqiu clenched her jaws so hard that her gums ached. More than sadness, anger overtook her emotions. "Suspension bridge effect¡­?" She spat out through gritted teeth, her eyes zing with fury amidst the tears. "I don''t really understand that but¡­ there''s one thing I should say. That day, it''s you who chose me out of everyone. You were also the one who apanied me, protected me and saved me. The one who did it was you, so isn''t it a bit far-fetched to say that I will fall in love with whoever it is?"


    Tears dropped pitter patter down her eyes and she wiped it roughly. The pent up frustration, anger and sadness morphed into one, making her unable to think straight. "It''s my own feelings. I am the one who decides to like you, Detective Xu. So you don''t have the right to tell me that everything is just the result of my own imagination!" After throwing thatst sentence, Lei Liqiu was unable to endure staying there any longer. Turning around, she dashed out from the way she came from, not even realizing when she bypassed Shi Nian.


    Xu Binchen only snapped out of it when the doorway was already empty. Before he could think, his feet had made their way forward and he almost crashed head on with Shi Nian outside the door.


    The girl showed a bewildered look. "I just saw Sister Liqiu crying¡­" Finding Xu Binchen''s grim expression, she sighed. "Did you say something hurtful again?"


    He frowned deeply and in the end, decided against chasing after Lei Liqiu, sighing. "Am I that kind of person?"


    Shi Nian returned with a disbelieving gaze as if she was awed by Xu Binchen''s audacity to ask this kind of question. Patting his shoulder, she said. "Liking someone actually takes an enormous amount of courage, even more so to confess it out loud."


    Xu Binchen scoffed. "What are you trying to say? This whole fiasco, didn''t it start because of you?"


    Shi Nian ignored thetter half of his sentence and continued, a smile on her lips. "What I mean is, love should be cherished, especially someone who loves you. Who knows¡­ one day when you finally realize what her existence means to you, you will find that she has moved on and put you behind her. Don''t waste your time with regrets, Binchen gege."


    ***


    Lei Liqiu came home with reddened eyes. When Mother Lei asked her about it, she brushed it off with vague sentences, saying how she had some problems with work.


    Fine. If he thought that it was just some kind of stupid effect, then so be it.


    In the next few days, Lei Liqiu tried hard not to let her mind wander back to that day. It still hurt whenever she recalled the firm tone in his voice and the sincere way of his persuasion. But most of all, the thing that hurt the most was the way he talked so logically to define her feelings as if thinking that as long as her brain understood it, then her heart would also follow along.


    Since that day, there was no further contact between them. They returned to how it should be; strangers. Two perfect strangers who wouldn''t even cross path if not for the bizarre case.


    But there were a few messages from Shi Nian though. The girl had been sending a few messages everyday, the content of it didn''t stray far from Xu Binchen.


    [Shi Nian]: Are you okay? Did you two fight?


    [Shi Nian]: You know how much of a blockhead he is, Sister Liqiu. Don''t let his words get to you. Actually, he cares about you more than what you think.


    [Shi Nian]: He ate all of the food you bought and didn''t allow anyone to touch it. Remember one day when you''re workingte and bumped into me downstairs in the hospital lobby? In fact, I was just on my way to look for you. He asked me for that.


    [Shi Nian]: He has always been straightforward, blunt and never put on a filter on his words. But I discovered that with you, he''s always careful of what to say.


    [Shi Nian]: Sister Liqiu?


    [Shi Nian]: Just make up with him, alright? Everyone can''t endure being in the same space as him recentlyugh.jpg you should see how foul his mood is


    [Shi Nian]: sent a photo


    Against her own will, Lei Liqiu clicked open the photo and saw Xu Binchen leaning on the windowsill with an ashtray full of cigarette butts beside him. The man had his eyes lowered, white smoke blurred his visage yet his irritation could be felt even through the screen.


    Lei Liqiu''s heart throbbed and the conviction she vowed to herself started to waver again. Stupid Liqiu, since when did you be so weak? Just seeing his face was enough to make her miss him so much that she got the urge to cry.


    She decided to turn off her phone for the time being, at least until she returned home otherwise she would keep taking the photo out again and again.


    The street was the one she had always taken everyday yet somehow, today it looked darker than usual.


    Lei Liqiu lifted her head and knew the reason why. It turned out that the streetmp''s lightbulbs were broken. She held the strap bag tighter and quickened her pace, her footsteps mingled with the sound of her rapid breathing and thumping heartbeats. The silent dusk and deste path caused her hair to stand at the end. Maybe it was just her being paranoid, maybe everything was just her imagina¡ª


    "Ah!" Her shoulder was suddenly yanked from behind and before she knew it, her back had crashed against the wall, followed by a man''s angry growl.


    "Lei Liqiu!!!"


    She snapped her head up, fear and anger shook her body. "You¡­ Z¡ªZhu Zhenli!"


    It was her bastard scum of an ex boyfriend.

 Chapter 387 - Xu X Lei — Extra 4

    He was nothing like the man she remembered him to be. He looked unkempt with messy hair, bloodshot eyes and stubbles on his chin. Coupled with the stained, filthy shirt and jeans he was wearing, he painted a totally different imagepared to the refreshing, shy and beaming Zhu Zhenli who chased after her for two years in university.


    "It''s you, isn''t it?!" He snarled, his eyes looked as if he was ready to chew her to pieces. "You''re the one who reported me to the police! How dare you!"


    Lei Liqiu''s eyes widened in disbelief. Fury took over her fear and she hollered back. "You''re still talking about that?! Who''s the one who brought me to that fucking bar?! Did you enjoy the money you got from selling me, you bastard¡ªhmphh!"


    Zhu Zhenli mped down on her mouth, hissing. "Shut up! Raise your voice again and I will kill you!"


    A cold sensation touched her waist and only then did Lei Liqiu realize that Zhu Zhenli was holding a cutter. Fear shed through her eyes and seeing that, Zhu Zhenli gave a satisfied harrumph. Slowly, he let go of her. "If you talk again, I will rape you right out in this street before killing you! Do you want your naked corpse to be seen by everyone, huh?!"


    Lei Liqiu''s heart sank. Somehow, she knew that Zhu Zhenli wasn''t lying. The man was already desperate enough to seek her out when the police were all over him. In a fit of anger, he might as well stab her to end it with. Shivers ran down her spine and she hissed through gritted teeth. "Y¡ªYou bastard¡­" Her eyes darted around in desperation for a way out¡ª or at least, someone she could ask for help.


    s, knowing her thoughts, Zhu Zhenli gave a sneer. "Give up. No one will being this way. There''s road construction up ahead. I removed the sign when you passed and put it back after that." He leaned forward, his frenzied eyes staring into hers intently. "Now, we''repletely alone."


    Lei Liqiu''s breath hitched on her throat. Now, she was truly terrified. "W¡ªWhat do you want?!"


    Her dread and desperation seemed to have pleased Zhu Zhenli. Jeering, the man twirled the cutter between his fingers. "You''re the one who made me like this. Take responsibility."


    Lei Liqiu stared at him in disbelief. "What are you talking about?! Your current situation is the result of your own doing! What does it have to do with me?!"


    "Shut up!" Zhu Zhenli mmed his fist on the wall beside her, enraged. "Do you know what I''ve gone through because of you?! To amodate you, I have to do many part time jobs. Because of it, I was scammed by my manager and had to dip my hands into gambling to pay my debt. So, I sold you in exchange for that. What''s wrong with it? You deserve it!"


    Crazy. He had gonepletely crazy! Despite being scared, Zhu Zhenli''s words were so ridiculous that she couldn''t bring herself to stay silent. How could he just paint white into ck and pour everything over her head?!


    "Amodate me?" She asked,ughing incredulously. "You were the one who kept giving me things and insisted when I refused, I never asked for¡ªah!" She lifted her hand to block Zhu Zhenli''s p. The strong momentum mmed her body against the wall and the uneven surface knocked harshly onto the side of her waist. Pain coursed through her body, causing her to curl up.


    She gasped, tears welled up in her eyes. What was with this situation? What had she done wrong? Why should she endure being treated like this? Because of Zhu Zhenli, she had to survive that hellish ce for half a year, living every single day with fear and wariness. But in the end, he didn''t even feel a sliver of guilt? And moreover what did he say? She... deserved it?


    Fury, hatred, grievance and fear mixed into one, bing adrenaline that coursed through her body.


    "Ha...you bitch." Zhu Zhenli rotated his wrist, cussing. "You should be grateful that I am still talking nicely. Speak one more word, I will¡ª"


    "Kill ah!" Lei Liqiu snapped her head up, her eyes bloodshot. "Just kill me right now! What are you waiting for? Scared?!"


    Seemingly taken aback that the meek and docile Lei Liqiu would snap, Zhu Zhenli froze for a split second. However, that fragment of time was already enough for Lei Liqiu to act. Shoving him as hard as she could, she directed a kick right on his groin and dashed out of that street. "...Help! HELP ME!"


    The harsh wind pped her face and she could no longer discern the direction of where she was heading to. There was only one thought in her mind: escape! She had to run away from him!


    "STAY RIGHT THERE, YOU BITCH!" Zhu Zhenli''s holler sounded very close behind her and Lei Liqiu yelped in terror.


    Thest time she ran this fast was when Dreamscape Bar''s ship was on the verge of copsing. She also felt the same kind of fear and desperation back there. However, she had Xu Binchen with her. The man held onto her tightly and protected her within his arms, tightly securing her from harm.


    But this time...she was alone. Totally alone.


    The long, winding street looked like a maze. Lei Liqiu panted heavily, disregarding Zhu Zhenli''s curses and rushed forward with all the strength her legs could take her. Someone¡­ anyone¡ª please help her!


    "HELP!!!" She screamed atop of her lungs and at the same time, the echo of a familiar voice reached her ears.


    "...Liqiu!"


    Why...at a time like this, she heard Xu Binchen''s voice? Was this because she missed him too much? Was she already nearing the end of her life, that''s why God granted her a wish and let her hear his voice once again?


    "...LEI LIQIU!"


    ¡ªNo! It wasn''t just her imagination! It was truly Xu Binchen''s voice! A sob escaped Lei Liqiu''s lips and she couldn''t hold back her tears anymore, her knees weakening due to the extreme strain and relief. "Binchen¡­ XU BINCHEN!!!"


    Her scream was cut short when a force suddenly pounced onto her from behind. She crashed down hard to the ground, her knees and elbows scratched bleeding by the friction.


    "Found you¡­" Zhu Zhenli''s heavy breathing sounded above her. "You bitch¡ªstop struggling!"


    Completely losing her mind due to the fear, Lei Liqiu desperately kicked to squirm out from underneath him and crawled forward. However, Zhu Zhenli caught her ankle and shed down on her calf, eliciting another sharp scream from her lips. Hurt¡­ It hurts so much!


    The despicable man''s weight bore down on her. Zhu Zhenli raised the cutter above his head, its tip still dripping with blood. Her blood. "I told you not to run... Haha, I have no choice. I really have no choice¡­"


    Lei Liqiu stared wide eyed, petrified as the cutter went down on her¡ª


    ¡ªand then caught by another hand.


    Xu Binchen towered over them, his eyes exceedingly cold. Blood trickled down his palm and when his eyesnded on Lei Liqiu''s messy state and the blood on her leg, fury burst forth his eyes.


    Zhu Zhenli was shocked. "W¡ªWho the fuck are¡ªarghh!!!" His arms were twisted behind his back and in a blink of an eye, the tide changed. His eyes bulged out to the extreme and veins popped up on his neck. "You¡ªlet me go!!! Who the fuck are you?!"


    Click. A handcuff was shackled around his wrists. Seeing it, Zhu Zhenli froze.


    "You''re apprehended for sexual assault, intentional murder and injuring a police officer. Whatever you say right now can be used against you in the court. Feel free to summon awyer to defend you," Xu Binchen sneered. "Though it won''t be much help anyway." After that, he chopped down on the back of Zhu Zhenli''s neck, rendering the man unconscious in the next instant.


    Lei Liqiu stared up at Xu Binchen''s side profile, frozen. Was this real¡­? Or was everything just a dream? "Xu Binchen¡­?" Her lips trembled and the voiceing out of her mouth was barely a whisper as if afraid that if she was just a bit louder, the man would dissipate into smoke. "Y¡ªYou...why are you¡ª"


    "Why aren''t you answering the damn phone?!" Xu Binchen roared out of nowhere, taking her off guard. The man looked absolutely furious.


    Dumbfounded, Lei Liqiu couldn''t react for a while. Then, tears slowly slid down her eyes, drop by drop, until it turned unstoppable. She huped and shouted back. "W¡ªWhy are you yelling at me?!"


    "You¡ª" Xu Binchen grabbed her hands which she almost used to wipe her face. "Don''t you know that your hands are dirty?! Do you want to hurt your eyes?!"


    "I told you, don''t yell at me!!!" She wailed and broke down into tears. "Why are you like this?! Why are you angry at me? Why do I have to go through this kind of thing? Do I deserve it? Do I deserve to be sold and abused?!"


    There was silence. After an unknown amount of time, Xu Binchen slowly let out a long sigh and gently...very, very gently, brought her into an embrace.


    .


    .


    .


    A/N: Lei Liqiu is me rn. Don''t yell at me, I''m sensitive QAQ

 Chapter 388 - Xu X Lei — Extra 5

    Lei Liqiu held a cup of warm chocte within her palms and relished on the warmth radiating from the heater near her. The sky had darkened since Xu Binchen went to deal with the aftermath and left Lei Liqiu here in his personal office. It looked tidier than she expected ¡ª she heard that he inherited it from the former Captain. It was also now that she knew Xu Binchen had been granted a promotion.


    Thinking about the previous event, Lei Liqiu felt like everything was a dream. She was ambushed by Zhu Zhenli, injured and almost died. The cutter was practically only a few inches away and could easily drill a hole through her body if not for Xu Binchen stopping it with his bare hand.


    "Did you wait for long?" Xu Binchen knocked on the door, bringing her out of her daze.


    Lei Liqiu''s eyes automatically trailed to his palm which was bandaged casually. A faint smear of crimson blood oozed through the gauze. "You¡­ are you okay?"


    Xu Binchen looked taken aback as if not expecting that question before letting out another long sigh. Walking in, he crouched down under her feet and scrutinized her leg. "Worry about yourself first, dummy."


    The way he stared so closely at her bare skin made her flush, even though Lei Liqiu knew that he held no intention other than checking her wound out. "I¡ªI''m fine. The medic in your team came just now to bandage me up. He said that I don''t need any stitches... fortunately." She sighed in relief. What would she do if a huge scar was left on her leg? That would be awful.


    However, what she received next was a flick on her forehead.


    "Ah!" Lei Liqiu covered her forehead, dumbfounded. "What¡ªWhat was that for?"


    Xu Binchen stared at her intently before shaking his head, a hint of mockery in his expression. Somehow, Lei Liqiu felt like the man had just insulted her intelligence. As she expected, the man blurted out with an incredulousugh, "Are you an idiot? This kind of thing happens and you can still feel fortunate?"


    Lei Liqiu blinked. In the next moment, realization dawned on him. Could it be¡­


    "Detective Xu, are you...angry? Wait, why were you there? Were you looking for me?"


    "Angry? Why should I?" He scoffed, the veins on his forehead popping out. "Do you think I should be angry at someone who has her phone in silent mode? Someone who, instead of running to the main road, heading deeper into the narrow alleys instead? Do you know how long I''ve been searching for you?"


    ...Okay, he was angry, indeed.


    Lei Liqiu''s shoulders slumped down, her tone dejected. "I''m sorry. I thought that I was near home already so I didn''t bother to touch my phone. Moreover, I was so scared¡­" Her throat choked up whenever she recalled the fear and desperation she felt. "How could I discern which way to go?"


    "Stop crying." He frowned. "You have cried enough before."


    Lei Liqiu rubbed her eyes roughly. "I know! I also don''t want to cry but¡ª" Her arms were suddenly grabbed by Xu Binchen. The man took a handkerchief out of nowhere and wiped the corner of her eyes, his movement exceedingly careful and gentle, so did his tone.


    "I''ve told you before that your hands are dirty. Why don''t you ever listen to me?"


    Lei Liqiu blinked and instead of stopping, her tears poured down even more. She hung her head low and sobbed. "Sorry¡ªI didn''t mean to¡­"


    Xu Binchen put the handkerchief into her hand without a word. However, before he could pull away, Lei Liqiu tugged on his fingertips. The girl didn''t even exert any strength but for some reason, Xu Binchen couldn''t bring himself to pull away.


    "...like you." She sniffled. "I really, really like you. What should I do? I don''t care about some stupid suspension bridge effect. I simply like you, is that very wrong?"


    "Wait." Xu Binchen nced at the ajar door with a perplexed look. Right beyond the door were hisrades. He was sure that every single one of them were listening in right now. "Stop¡ª"


    "I don''t want to!" Lei Liqiu snapped and wailed loudly. "Are you going to reject me again? How can I convince you of my¡ª" Lei Liqiu''s eyes widened and her breath hitched in her throat in the next second. Xu Binchen''s face was less than an inch away from her. She could clearly see the man''s long eyshes and the piercing eyes that stared straight at her through such close distance. And moreover¡­ this soft sensation on her lips¡­


    Xu Binchen pulled away a few momentster, his voice low and slightly raspy. "Don''t be so loud. Do you want everyone to hear you?"


    Lei Liqiu gaped. She couldn''t even form any word to refute him. sping her mouth, she relished in the sensation before; the gentle graze on her lips, the unfamiliar cold breath that carried a hint of tobo. Her heart thundered madly within her chest and she even forgot to cry. What just happened? Did¡­ Did Xu Binchen just kiss her?!


    He sighed and ruffled his hair, then leaned on his table and flipped open a document. "This is just the usual procedure so please answer my questions. After that, I will take you home. First, do you know the identity of the man who attacked you?"


    Lei Liqiu gawked at him in disbelief. That''s it? He was going to pretend that nothing happened? Nheless, noticing Xu Binchen''s stare directed toward her, she found herself unable to say anything except for answering his questions one by one.


    .


    .


    The drive home was filled with silence, it was suffocating. Lei Liqiu snuck a nce once in a while, wondering what the man was thinking right now.


    Why did Xu Binchen kiss her? Did he...also like her? Then why did he continue to act as usual? Or could he be the kind of person who was able to kiss anyone without special feelings?!


    "Stop hitting your forehead again and again," The man''s sudden voice broke the silence, carrying with it a light sigh.


    Lei Liqiu gritted her teeth and braced herself. "Detective Xu, w¡ªwhy did you kiss me earlier?!" She held her breath and waited for the answer.


    There was silence. Then the man suddenly turned the steering wheel and parked by the side of the road. Both his hands rested on the wheel as he stared ahead nkly as if pondering what he should say.


    Lei Liqiu bit her lips, her fingertips trembled. Damn, this was more nerve-wracking than a job interview! Was this also how someone felt when they waited for their life''s verdict? She couldn''t help but grumble. "Can''t you skip the thinking and tell me directly? Is it something you should ponder over for that long?"


    A short chuckle escaped his lips, so short that when she lifted her head up, it had vanished without a trace. He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel and started, "You''re making me confused, Lei Liqiu."


    She blinked, bewildered. Wasn''t she the one who was supposed to say that? "How¡­?"


    Instead of answering, Xu Binchen said. "Growing up, I have never known how liking someone feels like. My parents aren''t exactly affectionate with me and my older sister is an independent woman. I guess I am affected by them, thinking that I don''t need anyone in my life. The first person who made me feel something different is Shi Nian."


    Hearing the girl''s name, Lei Liqiu''s heart tightened.


    "Seeing her struggle so desperately yet still retained such a positive outlook, I am intrigued. The curiosity turned to pity and then...passionate. I didn''t want to see her get hurt, I wanted to help her get through the ordeal and apany her until the end. Na?vely, I thought...I was the only one who could do that. But I''m wrong. From the start, Shi Nian has always been strong. She didn''t need anyone ¡ª or to be exact, she hasn''t found anyone whom she could share her burden with."


    Lei Liqiu inhaled deeply. "Are you confessing your feelings to her in front of me now?"


    Unexpectedly, Xu Binchen gave a smile. Not the kind of sardonic, sarcastic or fake smile, but a genuine one which she had never seen before. It made her heart skip a beat. "I don''t know. Maybe I just need to let it out. As you may know, she already got a boyfriend and they cherished each other so much. For a person who''s never meant to stay, I won''t beg them to. At first, I thought it would take some time for me toe to terms with my feelings but I''m wrong yet again." He shrugged helplessly. "Maybe my logic is just too strong that it dulls my emotions."


    Turning to Lei Liqiu, he smiled again. "That''s why I am confused about your behavior. Time and time again, I have clearly expressed my rejection but you still surprised me each time you showed up. Then one day, I suddenly noticed that I kinda looked forward to the time when you woulde."


    Her eyes widened in shock. "You mean¡ª"


    "I don''t like you." He said mercilessly.


    Lei Liqiu red, the rims of her eyes reddened. Her soaring heart instantly crashed back to the ground. "Do you have to say it like that?!


    "To be exact, I don''t understand." He finished with a sigh. "What it feels like to treasure someone enough to be desperate, to beg them to stay when they walk away, to feel like half of your soul is gone when the other person leaves¡ª I don''t understand."


    "So, Lei Liqiu¡­" Under the light from the streemp which illuminated his side profile, he gave a grin. His eyes gleaming with a childlike shine she had never expected to see in him, as if he had just found something fascinating and couldn''t wait to explore it. "Are you interested in teaching me about it? I sought you out today to ask that."


    .


    .


    .


    Xu x Lei ¡ª The End


    A/N: Yep this is the end :) for me, this is the perfect ending for both of them. The rest of it, I will leave it to your own imagination lol


    Xu Binchen is just too logical to be overwhelmed with emotion (except for when he''s sick). It''s really hard for him to understand love. Before, Ru Meiqi has said before that his weakness is the type of girls who are earnest, straightforward and stupidly adorable. Now, he has given Lei Liqiu a chance so...it''s all up to her how to proceed from now on hehehe


    Next is Jiang x Shi and then it will really be the end QAQ


    Let''s see....maybe they will still appear as cameo fufufu

 Chapter 389 - Jiang X Shi — Extra 1

    Shi Nian couldn''t bring herself to concentrate in ss today. At least twice every five minutes, she would check her phone to count the time down until the ss ended, which was disappointing because the more she wished time would go faster, the slower it became. Cupping her chin, she stared out of the window to the serene scene of setting sun, painted with streaks of purple and golden. The weather forecast predicted that a thunderstorm wasingte at night, much to Shi Nian''s dismay. She didn''t want the weather to go bad, not when it''s the day when she was going to see Jiang Jinyan again after two months.


    After the serial murder case concluded, it was almost impossible for Jiang Jinyan to return to university when his identity was already exposed in front of everyone. He wasn''t a fan of crowded ces to begin with and afterward, people kept seeking him out, either to snatch the opportunity to befriend him or to snap a few photos with him in the background.


    Since he started attending university, many incidents kept happening one after another ¡ª heavily injured by gangsters, sick, kidnapped by Si Zhening and fell into aa at that. In short, he skipped too many sses and his attendance percentage was too low, making him ineligible to go through with the examination unless he repeated a year and retook all the sses he had missed.


    The subsequent event almost resulted in their first fight after bing a couple.


    Jiang Huocheng wished to haul Jiang Jinyan away and made thetter learn the ropes for how to operate apany. What''s the use of a Bachelor''s Degree in History when he had a multimillionaire corporation to inherit?


    s, Jiang Jinyan insisted that he wanted to stay. The equally stubborn father and son shed head-on yet again, causing the sparks and electricity to fly. None showed the intention to back down. Thus, the task of the peacemaker fell into Shi Nian''s hands.


    In fact, Shi Nian knew why Jiang Jinyan was reluctant to go. Not because he didn''t want to inherit Jiang Corporation ¡ª Shi Nian knew that he would be an amazing leader someday ¡ª but because he didn''t want to leave her alone. Not when they had just reunited after going through a life-and-death incident. Not when he had just started to adjust with two sets of memories in his head.


    Shi Nian was aware and thus, all the more reason for her to convince him otherwise. Jiang Jinyan certainly wasn''t fated to be an ordinary person in this life, he should be more than that. He should stand at the top with people looking up to him, respected and revered. He was born to be the cream of the crop. Shi Nian didn''t want herself to be the reason for Jiang Jinyan to hold back.


    It''s true that they almost fought. To be exact ¡ª it was the first time Jiang Jinyan lost his temper at her. The man naively thought that Shi Nian took Jiang Huocheng''s side and the mere idea aggrieved him so. Why did she push him away when all he wanted was to stay by her side?


    It took a lot of effort and coaxing from her part to finally change his mind at thest moment.


    Shi Nian got the urge to smile everytime he thought of their first quarrel. It was both endearing and childish. But she was d for it meant that Jiang Jinyan was showing his true feelings more and more. Shi Nian liked the idea of learning all about him, in and out.


    "That''s all for today''s ss, students! Don''t forget to review everything on page 67-150. We will have a quiz based on that next week." The teacher''s voice snapped Shi Nian out of her stupor and she instantly gathered her things, ready to dash out as soon as possible.


    "Shi Nian, where are you going?! You''re noting with us to check out the newly opened restaurant?"


    "Sorry!" Shi Nian grimaced and waved to her friends. "I have something to doter! See you guys next time!" She ran out of Sangzhe University and climbed into a taxi, panting. "To the airport, please!"


    The thunderstorm arrived faster than expected. Shi Nian arrived at the airport when it was almost 7 pm. By then, the downpour already started crashing down, drenching her hair wet even as she made her way in as fast as she could. The sudden change of temperature inside made her shiver. She rubbed her arms and wiped herself casually with tissues, checking her phone once in a while.


    The airport was packed with people ¡ª those who tugged a suitcase behind them and those who waited outside the arrival terminal. Shi Nian tiptoed to discern her surroundings. If Jiang Jinyan''s ne wasn''t dyed, then he ought to arrive any minute now.


    "Excuse me. Sorry, excuse me." Shi Nian agilely slipped through the throng of crowds to see the announcement board. A few seconds passed before she realized that Jiang Jinyan was riding on a private ne! So why the heck was she waiting here? pping her forehead, Shi Nian turned around and made her way to the VIP area. Immediately, the number of people decreased and she let out a huge sigh of relief.


    Shi Nian scanned the arrival gate with anticipation, excitement and nervousness mixed into one. It had been two months since theyst met. Two long months. Even though they kept in touch with messages and calls everyday, it just wasn''t enough. Shi Nian missed him terribly to the point where she dreamt of him almost every night.


    Where was Jiang Jinyan? Why hadn''t hee out yet? Shi Nian deliberately didn''t inform him that she wasing because she wanted to give Jiang Jinyan a nice surprise. But why did she get the feeling that everything wouldn''t go the way she wanted it to be?


    She bit her lips anxiously and after a short consideration, started to make her way to the information center.


    However, she hadn''t taken more than two steps when a pair of arms suddenly circled around her tightly from behind. Shocked, Shi Nian struggled by reflex until the other person''s familiar cologne and the warmth seeped into her senses, melting all of her fear and panic away and recing it with a flood of relief and longing. Her tense nerves loosened and her body instinctively leaned back into the embrace that she had yearned for days.


    "Shi Nian..." The man''s deep voice whispered into her ears, tinged with a bit of helplessness and amusement. "Why are you here?"


    Her eyes felt hot all of a sudden. Turning around, she quickly buried herself into Jiang Jinyan''s embrace, arms hugging around the man''s waist, inhaling deeply. "Jinyan...Jinyan, I miss you so much¡­"


    Jiang Jinyan returned the hug with the same intensity. His voice contained a strained hoarseness. "Then you shouldn''t have sent me away, dummy."


    Shi Nian snapped her head up and pouted. "I knew it! You''re still angry that I told you to go!" It had been two months! Exactly for how much longer did he want to hold onto the grudge? As much as she wanted to look menacing, Jiang Jinyan was just too dashing for her to do so. She had no idea whether it''s because they hadn''t met for long or it was the distance that made the heart grow fonder, but he looked more attractive than usual, even with the dark circles around his eyes and the evident fatigue between his brows.


    Feeling his heart ached, Shi Nian tiptoed and caressed the bottom of his eyes. "Are you very tired? Is it exhausting?"


    "Very much." He sped her hand and kissed her palm. "But as soon as I see you here, all of my fatigue disappears in an instant. Shi Nian, you have no idea how much I missed you¡­"


    Shi Nian''s heart skipped a beat. How could someone look so handsome just d in a simple T-shirt and jeans? Sometimes, she still couldn''t believe that such a captivating man was all hers.


    "Anyway, I am not angry." Caressing her hair, he frowned yet his tone was still as gentle and patient as ever. "But you shouldn''t do it again next time. Do you know how shocked I was to find you here? What would you do if we missed each other? It''s raining so heavily outside. What if you got sick?"


    Shi Nian grinned. "I asked Uncle Jiang about your flight schedule because I want to give you a surprise. How is it?"


    This time, his face truly darkened. "That old man¡­" He gnashed his teeth. But when he turned to Shi Nian, the irritation was reced by a fond helplessness. "Yeah, it''s a great surprise. I was so surprised that I almost got a heart attack."


    Shi Nian''s eyes flew open wide. "Is that sarcasm I am hearing in your voice? Did you mingle too much with Binchen gege that you picked up his bad habit?"


    Jiang Jinyan simply harrumphed and cupped her cheeks, pressing exasperatedly. "How many times do I have to tell you not to say another man''s name in my presence? Shall I remind you of that?" His narrowed eyes and the hint of danger in his tone reminded Shi Nian of a certain situation thest time when she babbled too much about Xu Binchen and Lei Liqiu''s enigmatic rtionship.


    She could feel flush spread across her cheeks and the way Jiang Jinyan held her close by hips didn''t help either as images after images of that day started to surface in her mind, making her look as red as a tomato.


    "You¡ª" Shi Nian''s tongue weighed a ton. She peeked toward the man through her eyshes shyly, reluctant to admit that the man''s threat didn''t scare her in the slightest. Instead, she felt a kind of thrill and anticipation, knowing how Jiang Jinyan''s hands, mouth and body could do wonders to her own. She licked her dry lips and the man''s eyes snapped down to follow the movement. From such a close distance, she could see his eyes darkening to a few degrees.


    O-oh. That''s not good.


    "I¡ªIt''s raining so heavily!" Shi Nian suddenly eximed with too much enthusiasm to cover her fluster.


    Jiang Jinyan raised a brow. "So?"


    "It''s cold and...and," She looked away for a split second due to the twist in her stomach she usually got from staring at Jiang Jinyan for a prolonged period of time. "Aren''t you hungry? You haven''t eaten yet, have you?! After that, you should get some rest after a long day!"


    The corner of Jiang Jinyan''s lips raised and Shi Nian hung her head lower, mortified. Somehow, she felt as if Jiang Jinyan could easily see through her mind, to find out those embarrassing thoughts and fantasies that she kept only to herself. "Now that you said it, I am quite hungry indeed."


    Shi Nian nodded again and again. "So where should we eat?"


    Jiang Jinyan brushed her dampened bangs and gave a smile that sent shivers down her spine and made her scalp tingle¡ª in an unspeakable, sinful way. "You should hop into a hot bath as soon as possible lest you catch a cold. Food can wait after that." Then, he started to pull her ahead, his steps firm and casual yet still contained an undeniable pressure that bore no rejection.


    "W¡ªWhere are we going?" Shi Nian gulped.


    He turned sideways and smirked.. "You''ll see."

 Chapter 390 - Jiang X Shi — Extra 2

    Jiang Jinyan ended up renting a hotel room closest to the airport. As soon as the door closed behind them, he instantly pressed Shi Nian against the wall, cutting off the words that she was preparing to say. "Wait...Jinyan¡ªhmm!" His lips crashed onto hers like a thunderstorm, fierce and powerful, carrying with it the cold droplets of rain and the man''s familiar cologne. Shi Nian grabbed onto his shoulders tightly, her eyes gradually fluttered shut from the onught of his passion.


    These two months, it wasn''t only her who missed the other, who checked the calendar every single day and wished that time would go faster.


    Jiang Jinyan tugged her closer by hips, their bodies pressed flush against each other. Shi Nian gasped and the man slid his tongue in, rubbing and teasing, eliciting a sweet hum from her throat. Wet, squelching sounds echoed out embarrassingly through the dance of their tongues and their rapid breaths melted into one, warm and steamy. The sensor light above their heads turned off abruptly, plunging the room into utter darkness.


    "Jinyan, wait¡­" Shi Nian breathed heavily, her eyes shone with ayer of tears. "This...is the hallway¡­"


    Instead of pulling away, Jiang Jinyan peppered kisses on her face all over; her eyes, nose, cheeks and forehead. Flush spread across Shi Nian''s cheeks down to her neck. She had never known that being the recipient of someone''s ardor could make her feel so blissful. Moreover, this wasn''t just anyone. This was Jiang Jinyan and the mere thought of how the man yearned for her as much as she did filled Shi Nian with giddiness to the point where her chest almost exploded.


    Jiang Jinyan pressed his forehead against hers, his dark eyes glowed amidst the hot breaths puffing out of their lips. "Sorry, I can''t help myself."


    Shi Nian''s breath hitched in her throat. That gaze...it wasn''t the eyes that the twenty-one-years-old Jiang Jinyan could have. Those were the eyes of the man who had seen too much, who was used to savagery and cruelty of the world, yet still managed to retain its pureness and serenity. It was General Jiang Jinyan''s eyes. Shivers ran down Shi Nian''s spine and she covered his eyes, choking out. "Don''t look at me with that kind of gaze¡­"


    General Jiang had been and always would be Shi Nian''s spiritual support, hero, mentor, the moon that she could only admire but not touch. However now, not only could Shi Nian touch him, she could also stand at the same level as him, doing all sorts of stuff just like...the French kiss they had just done¡­


    Just thinking about that was enough to deal a huge mental damage to her. It was as if she had done something wrong by sullying someone that should have been divine.


    Jiang Jinyan pulled her hand down and chuckled, kissing her knuckles one by one. "What''s wrong? Still not used to it? I have said it before. I am Jiang Jinyan, and the fact has never changed no matter whether it was the past or now."


    "I know¡­" Shi Nian grumbled. But still, could someone get used to this kind of thing? Sometimes, Shi Nian even got the urge to pay respect to Jiang Jinyan like how she always did in their past lives.


    As if understanding her dilemma, he pulled away and patted her head with a helpless and indulgent look on his face. Then he walked in and flicked the switch on, looking around. "Hmm, it''s quite a nice room. Fortunately, the hotel isn''t fully booked yet."


    Shi Nian stared at his back and gingerly followed him in. Did he¡­ get angry? No, judging from Jiang Jinyan''s temperament, he wouldn''t get angry just because of this. He wouldn''t force Shi Nian to do anything either. So...was he disappointed? Afterall, this was their long awaited meeting after two months. As a girlfriend, Shi Nian should have acted more amodating...right?


    They had been in a rtionship for almost two years. Before Jiang Jinyan regained the memory of his past life, Shi Nian had no problem in approaching him or interacting with him. But ever since he did, she vividly sensed a kind of awkwardness, a thin line she couldn''t pass no matter what. It might be because their master-servant rtionship had always been at the back of her mind and now that Jiang Jinyan remembered everything, she couldn''t ept treating him in a casual manner like she did before. And as a result, Shi Nian was always hesitant whenever Jiang Jinyan wanted to take their rtionship to the next level.


    Jiang Jinyan was kind so he never brought it up but...Shi Nian gradually felt guilty about it. The man had always been caring and patient so wasn''t there anything Shi Nian could do to erase the distance between them?


    "Shi Nian." Jiang Jinyan''s call snapped Shi Nian out of her reverie and she lifted her head to see Jiang Jinyaning out of the bathroom. "What are you thinking about? The hot water is ready. You should hop in first."


    Shi Nian refused immediately. "No, no, you should do it first. On our way here, you covered for me so you''re even more drenched than me."


    "No. You have been in those wet clothes for a while. You should go first otherwise you will catch a cold."


    "No! It''s you who should go first!"


    The two engaged in a silent staring war, none showed the intention of backing down. Eventually, Jiang Jinyan gave up. Heaving a helpless sigh, he took the towel from the closet. "I will finish as soon as possible."


    Realization struck Shi Nian suddenly and she shot up standing. What had she done? Hadn''t she just told herself that she should try her best to close the distance between them? Acting like this... wouldn''t it just make Jiang Jinyan more disheartened instead?!


    "Or¡­" Shi Nian blurted out. "Should we go in together?"


    Jiang Jinyan froze. "...What?"


    O-oh. Shi Nian covered her mouth, blushing furiously. "No, I don''t mean it. Err¡­ It''s true that it has been my intention to¡ªno, wait, how should I say it¡­" Shi Nian knocked on her head. The more she forced herself to exin, the more she couldn''t seem to form any coherent sentence.


    "It''s okay, Shi Nian. Calm down." Jiang Jinyan turned back and held her shoulders. His voice cut through the fog of her mind, gentle and firm. "I understand. Don''t worry. I won''t force you to do anything you don''t want." He gave her aforting smile and stroked the bridge of her nose. "I will be quick."


    No¡­ Shi Nian stared at his back, lips pressed tight in frustration. It wasn''t like that. She didn''t not want it. In fact, she also wished to get closer to him. It wasn''t enough just with affectionate kisses and gentle hugs, she also desired to be burned in the me that was his passion and fondness. She wished to be closer, not only spiritually but physically as well¡­


    Shi Nian clenched her fists tight, eyes shone in determination. Inhaling deeply, she grabbed another towel and marched to the bathroom. The sound of water running came from inside and warm mists floated out from the gaps under the door. Shi Nian gulped and raised her hand to knock. "J¡ªJinyan! You left the shampoo outside. Can you open the door a bit so I can pass it to you?"


    "Huh?" Jiang Jinyan''s voice echoed out, tinged with confusion. "The shampoo is outside?" Click. The door opened a bit and his hand stretched out, dripping and glistening with water. "Sorry about that. Here, give me¡ª"


    Shi Nian pushed the door open wider and barged her way in.. With her face as red as a tomato, she stuttered. "I¡ªI changed my mind! I¡ªI also want to shower right now!"

 Chapter 391 - Jiang X Shi — Extra 3

    Warning: nsfw :)


    ***


    Jiang Jinyan almost choked on his breath. Fortunately, he wrapped a towel around his waist earlier otherwise he would be butt naked now. He was so dumbfounded to the point where he couldn''t form aplete sentence. "W¡ªWhat are you¡­"


    However, Shi Nian didn''t give him any time to react as she took her sweater off, revealing her upper body that was only covered by a baby bluecy bra. Jiang Jinyan''s jaws dropped to the ground and his eyes involuntarily followed the girl''s movement as she proceeded to take off her jeans and marched toward him, her face was awfully simr to a soldier who was ready to jump into the battlefield.


    Jiang Jinyan had no idea whether to cry orugh. "Exactly what are you trying to do¡­?"


    "I want to shower together!" She asserted with her face flushed crimson.


    Jiang Jinyan took the towel from her hand and wrapped it around her body, his voice containing a hint of severity. "Is that what you want or what you think I want?" Seeing Shi Nian''s bewildered face, he let out a sigh. "I am serious about my words. You don''t have to force yourself to go along with my wishes. I am not a General anymore and you''re not a servant who''s obliged to obey my wishes so¡ª" His eyes widened abruptly as Shi Nian tiptoed to kiss him. The sudden movement made him tumble on his steps and she pressed closely. The running shower instantly fell upon their heads, drenching their whole body once again as Jiang Jinyan spun her over and regained control amidst their intertwined lips.


    The tiles were chilly against her back but Jiang Jinyan''s body was scorching hot. The two contrasting temperatures sent shudders through her body, whether it was from nervousness or anticipation, she could no longer differ. Maybe both.


    A mewl broke through her throat as Jiang Jinyan pulled away, not before giving her lower lips a hard bite. The man''s height towered above her and shielded her from the flowing water. However, the sight in front of her was proven to be much more lethal instead. This wasn''t the first time she saw Jiang Jinyan''s naked chest. But a wet Jiang Jinyan with water gliding down his flushed skin, eyes dark with danger and chest heaving up and down...this was the first.


    Shi Nian''s eyes were misty. "You aren''t forcing me¡­"


    "Shi Nian." His clenched fist rested by the side of her head, veins popping along his arms.


    Shi Nian swallowed with difficulty, her breath came out harsh both due to the rising temperature around them and the brewing storm in Jiang Jinyan''s eyes. Gingerly, she pulled the towel off her body and hugged the man''s waist, feeling his body tense up under her touch. "Jinyan, I want this¡­"


    Jiang Jinyan''s head lolled to her shoulder, its weight vivid and real. "Are you sure?" He asked in a raspy voice. Shi Nian noticed that he was holding himself back for her sake and the knowledge warmed her heart. Even in this kind of situation, he still put her above himself.


    Courage soared in her heart and she hummed gently. "I''m sure."


    He gave a chuckle and kissed her nape. Shi Nian''s breath hitched in her throat as she felt his hand glide up her back toward the sp of her bra. She buried her face deeper into his chest as the man stripped her of the underwear until she was finally as naked as the day she was born. "Are you okay?" The man''s hot breath brushed against her ears as he asked again and again and everytime, Shi Nian replied with a nod.


    She couldn''t imagine how red her face must have been now. When Jiang Jinyan pulled away to grab the body wash, Shi Nian covered her breasts by reflex. Yet unexpectedly, Jiang Jinyan''s eyes never strayed from her face, even when hethered the soap to the loofah and started to clean her body. "Am I too harsh?"


    "No." Shi Nian murmured, a tiny smile appeared on her face. Seeing how careful Jiang Jinyan was, her nerves gradually loosened up until the end, she could finallyugh. "It''s a bit ticklish though. You don''t even use any strength." She grasped Jiang Jinyan''s hand and exerted strength to give an example. "Here, just like this."


    Jiang Jinyan hummed, his Adam''s Apple bobbing. s, no matter how stubborn he tried to make her rx, his fingertips still inadvertently grazed against the side of her waist and a suppressed moan escaped her lips, one that was too indecent and wanton, echoing around the enclosed room.


    In an instant, both of them froze.


    Shi Nian''s breath stuttered and she could feel the heat start to get into her head and messed with her sanity. What kind of embarrassing sound was that? How... How could such a sounde out of her mouth? She pressed her lips tight, mortified.


    "Shi Nian¡­" Jiang Jinyan groaned exasperatedly and because Shi Nian had her head lowered, her sight instantly fell onto the prominent bulge on the towel around his waist.


    Stunned, Shi Nian subconsciously blurted out. "Y¡ªYou''re hard¡­"


    His breath got heavier and she could feel his tant, unwavering gaze on her body,pelling her unable to raise her head. However, Jiang Jinyan didn''t give her time to retreat. Not now. "Look at me." The man said with a tone that left no room for refusal.


    Shi Nian flinched, her knees trembling ever so slightly. She had no idea whether it was the effect of the hot shower or the dense mists, but Jiang Jinyan''s voice sounded deeper, maic and...much sexier. Hearing it from such a close distance was enough to make her stomach flutter. Her lower abdomen clenched and she held Jiang Jinyan''s arms tighter, her eyes bewildered and watery.


    "Shi Nian, look at me."


    "I¡ª"


    Losing his patience, Jiang Jinyan sped her chin and lifted her head up, their eyes locked in the next second, one was deep and piercing while the other was dazed like a newborn fawn. Electricity coursed through Shi Nian''s veins and once again, she felt as if her sanity was going to be sucked into those captivating eyes. "Jinyan, sorry... I¡ªI made a weird sound, right? I don''t know why¡­"


    "Sssh, it''s okay." He proceeded to rub the loofah through her arms and back,thering her body with bubbles. "You have done nothing wrong. It''s normal."


    "Normal¡­?"


    "Hmm." He pressed his forehead against her. "Because I made you feel good."


    Shi Nian blinked, bewildered. Feel good? She was ready to raise another question again when Jiang Jinyan''s fingers once again grazed against that ce, eliciting another breathless gasp from her. However this time, he didn''t stop. The loofah became the only thing that prevented his hand from directly touching her skin. Nevertheless, Shi Nian had the notion that heat from his palm had affected her truly. From her waist down to her hips, then her stomach¡­


    Shi Nian bit her lips so hard it was going to bleed, trying her hardest not to let out any more embarrassing sounds.


    "Shi Nian, Shi Nian¡­ My Shi Nian..." He rasped, heavy and thick with desire. "Can I?"


    "C¡ªCan you what¡­?" She stammered.


    "Can I touch you directly?"

 Chapter 392 - Jiang X Shi — Extra 4

    Warning: nsfw continued :)


    ...


    Jiang Jinyan''s sudden question threw her into shambles. What¡ªWhat was he saying? Hadn''t she stood here, in all of her naked glory, exposed tantly for him to see? Wasn''t it enough to tell him what her attention was? Was he trying to tease her again?! Shi Nian lifted her head, wanting to protest; however, all of the words stuck in her throat as she saw Jiang Jinyan''s serious look. The man was breathing heavily and whoever looked at him could tell that he was tethering on the edge but still, he made sure that she would feelfortable with whatever he was going to do.


    He was sincerely asking for permission.


    Another wave of goosebumps overcame her and she meekly nodded, her stomach twisting in both nervousness and the overwhelming love she felt for him. She could feel Jiang Jinyan let out a light sigh that awfully sounded like a chuckle. He reached out to grab the shower head above their heads and quickly rinsed Shi Nian''s body. The sudden pressure of water against her skin made her whimper, especially against her already sensitive body. Her fair skin flushed red in allure, so oh beautiful and Jiang Jinyan had to exert all of his willpower not to pounce on her right here and then. His eyes inadvertentlynded on her light pink nipples that perked up on attention and he could feel his manhood twitch, slowly but gradually pushing him to madness.


    "Done." He turned off the shower after making sure she was already clean and turned around abruptly. The sudden emptiness snapped Shi Nian out of her reverie and she lifted her head up, flustered when she found Jiang Jinyan walking toward the bathtub whilst taking off the wet towel around his waist. Her eyes instantly fell upon the man''s slender back, long legs ¡ª although one of them was artificial ¡ª and firm butt, an inaudible sigh escaped her lips. She stared dumbly as Jiang Jinyan stepped into the tub, sat down and casted his artificial leg off. Raking his fingers through the dampened hair, he gave her a nce. "Come here."


    Two images of Jiang Jinyan ovepped in Shi Nian''s mind. She had also once stood like this as Jiang Jinyan soaked himself in a bucket of hot, misty water. With droplets clung to his naked shoulders and his long jet ck hair stered to his chest which was engraved in numerous scars, he gave her a nce and told her, "Come here. '''' However back then, Shi Nian was only a servant whose job was to serve her master. All she did was to help General Jiang pour water over his head and scrub his back.


    She clutched her chest and slowly made her way forward. "Can I ask something of you¡­?"


    He raised one of his brows.


    Shi Nian gulped and grabbed the loofah, gingerly circling the tub to his back. "I want to¡­" Her words trailed off but it was as if Jiang Jinyan understood what she wanted to say, he chuckled lightly.


    "Do what you want."


    Shi Nian kneeled down and gazed at his back. It was smooth and fair, contrasting to General Jiang''s tan and scarred skin. Happiness burst forth her chest at the knowledge. "Um...we don''t have a waterdle here so I can only scrub your back¡­"


    Jiang Jinyan turned his head sideways, half mirth and half exasperation. "Do you remember what I said earlier?"


    "I know." Shi Nian grumbled and proceeded to scrub his back, her strength moderate ¡ª almost gentle, just like how she always did in their past lives. "You''re not General Jiang and I am not your servant. But I want to do this for you, can''t I?"


    Jiang Jinyan let himself rx in the bathtub, sighing infort. "You''re free to do whatever you want, Shi Nian but¡­" His tone lightened, voice airy. It made Shi Nian wonder how his expression was right now. "I would really appreciate it if you don''t worship me like some revered God. It makes me feel like you''re so far away¡­"


    Shi Nian''s movement halted and she pressed her lips tight, a twinge of pain in her chest from the loneliness in Jiang Jinyan''s tone. So, this was what he had always felt, wasn''t it? Shi Nian was too focused on herself, on her own difort and dilemma, unaware that she had subconsciously pushed Jiang Jinyan further and drew a line between them¡­


    "Shi Nian, you idiot¡­" She murmured under her breath, choked up.


    "What did you say?" Jiang Jinyan turned abruptly but Shi Nian reached out to hold his head in ce, stammering.


    "W¡ªWait, don''t look back. Let me...say something first." She let go after seeing Jiang Jinyan nod. Her hands trailed down to his shoulders, caressing the bare skin where his scars were supposed to be. "I''m sorry, it''s not my intention to make you feel bad ¡ª I said, don''t turn around!"


    With a harrumph, Shi Nian leaned forward and pressed her forehead against his back. "I know General Jiang is only a past and now, you''re none other than Jiang Jinyan as I am Shi Nian. For your information, I didn''t do this because I was searching for the shadow of General Jiang in you either¡­" She embraced his shoulders from behind and dropped kisses on the back of his nape down his back, her breath softly brushing against his tensed up body. "I am just happy. Happy because you''re not bearing all those scars again; the proof that you climbed your way out of the battlefields by ying countless others, the evidence of your sin. Everything has been removed..."


    Shi Nian beamed, tears welling up in her eyes. "That''s very nice, isn''t it?"


    Jiang Jinyan turned around all of a sudden, the rims of his eyes reddened. He reached out to grab Shi Nian''s arm and pulled her into the tub, taking her off guard. The water sshed out from the tub from the sudden weight. She gasped, coughing. "You¡ª" Jiang Jinyan''s lips came crashing down on hers, hard and fast, rough and powerful; blocking whatever protest she was going to utter. A whimper escaped her lips which he swallowed into his own mouth, deepening the kiss even more. They breathed the air that the other exhaled and took what the other had to offer, baring everything out in the open. The pain of separation and the joy of reunion, all of them melted into the evesting kiss.


    "Shi Nian...Shi Nian¡­" Tears slid down Jiang Jinyan''s cheek as he rasped. "I love you...I love you so much¡­"


    Jiang Jinyan''s tears tasted salty and astringent, warming her heart and entire body. She was filled with so much love toward this man that all she wanted to do was to give him everything she had. "You don''t know¡­" She hooked her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, smiling blissfully. "I have loved you since day one."


    A deep growl rumbled deep from within his chest as he pressed her closer, their naked bodies stered onto each other, scorching and wet. The man''s palm stroked her back to the side of her waist and Shi Nian whimpered yet again, earning her another chuckle from him. "So, this is your sensitive spot."


    "Ah¡ªJinyan, hmm...it''s ticklish there!" Jiang Jinyan''s hand didn''t linger long on her waist as it gradually slid up and cupped the side of her breast. Shi Nian''s breath hitched in her throat and she flinched, especially as she sensed the man''s scorching manhood rubbing intermittently against her stomach.


    Jiang Jinyan moved to palm her breasts, murmuring. "It''s softer than I expected."


    Shi Nian''s mind exploded and she cried out. "How can you say something like that out loud?!"


    "Why not?" The man retorted. Gazing into his hooded eyes, rm bells rang in Shi Nian''s mind. O-oh, the teasing and meanie Jiang Jinyan was back. His fingertip grazed the perked up bud, teasing back and forth. Shi Nian''s eyes widened abruptly as he dipped his head low and took one between his lips. A cry escaped her throat and she arched her back, pushing the mound deeper into his mouth. It''s hot. The cave of Jiang Jinyan''s mouth was scorchingpared to the lukewarm water. Shivers ran down her spine and an unfamiliar sensation built up deep in her core, rising and rising, sending her mind into the spiral of fervor and pleasure. Her nails dug into his shoulders, pulling out another deep groan from the man.


    Jiang Jinyanpped on her nipple, immersed. The other wasn''t ignored either from the onught of his fingers. In no time at all, her pink are deepened in color into a deeper crimson, quivering in attention.


    "Jinyan¡­" Shi Nian gasped, sobbing. She tugged on the man''s hair but had no idea whether what she wanted was to push him away or urge him to continue. "It feels weird¡­"


    He spoke without letting go, hot breath and teeth grazing on her most sensitive bud. "Do you mean it feels good?"


    "I¡ªI don''t know...ah!" He let go with a loud pop, licking his lips in satisfaction. Without giving her any time to catch a breath, he kissed his way up and bit her prominent corbone while his hand moved down to that ce which hadn''t been explored by anyone before.. Shi Nian gave a yelp and pulled her legs together in reflex, her eyes wide in anxiety and confusion.

 Chapter 393 - Jiang X Shi — Extra 5

    Warning: and still continue :)


    ***


    Jiang Jinyan halted and for a few seconds, their gazes were locked with each other, both breathing equally heavy. The man''s palm rested on her lower abdomen ¡ª not quite reaching that ce because she had mped her legs before he could do so ¡ª but the mere knowledge that Jiang Jinyan, her dearest General Jiang, was one with desires as such to venture deeper filled her with embarrassment and nervousness like never before.


    "J¡ªJinyan¡­" Shi Nian whimpered, a hint of tremble in her voice. The water in the tub had gradually cooled down and the cold air caressing her bare upper body made her shiver. Although she couldn''t ascertain how much of it was truly from the cold and how much was from the unfamiliar itch building within her body right now.


    Once again, Jiang Jinyan had his forehead against hers. His eyes, albeit hiding the brewing darkness within, still managed to calm her down nheless. It was quite magical, now that she thought about it. Being with Jiang Jinyan either offered her serenity or shoved her to the edge of madness ¡ª there was no in between.


    "Scared?" He asked softly.


    Scared? Her? She wasn''t even scared of death, why should she be scared of this kind of thing? Wouldn''t it be too embarrassing then? "No." s, her voice came out much more fragile and weak than she wished. "Just a bit...nervous."


    Shi Nian licked her lips, it felt slightly swollen now from all the kissing they had done earlier. There was a question that had been resting on the back of her mind and now, she couldn''t help but ask. "Have you done this before? I mean with...your ex, Miss Wei¡­" Shi Nian''s tone gradually weakened until the end, it formed into an inaudible whisper. She shut her eyes and cursed inwardly. Stupid Shi Nian, why ask if you''re going to feel terrible about that?


    Jiang Jinyan frowned as if disliking how she still brought up unrted people at their intimate moments. To her relief, he retracted his hand on her stomach but not to her relief, wrapped it around her waist and pulled her closer instead. The tub was already cramped to begin with and Shi Nian''snding position earlier wasn''t very good thus Jiang Jinyan''s pull instantly threw her off bnce, causing her to directly sit on his left thigh where the limb was still intact. Panicked, she tried to get off but was held back by the man''s tightening hold. "Where do you want to go?"


    "That¡­" Shi Nian stammered. "I''m heavy¡­"


    A scoff. "I can''t even feel your weight on me. Shi Nian," She lifted her head at his call and found the man''s stare transfixed onto her. In an instant, she forgot what she was going to say. "I have never done this before. Not with Wei Xiameng, not with anyone else, only you." Shi Nian subconsciously held her breath as Jiang Jinyan reached out to take her hand and ce it t on his chest right where his heart was beating furiously. "Can you feel it? My heartbeats are so loud and fast, I thought it was going to explode."


    Ba-thump. Ba-thump. Ba-thump. Each thump was powerful and vivid, beating against her palm with an intensity that almost matched hers.


    Shi Nian couldn''t bring herself to believe. Jiang Jinyan? Nervous? Despite his words, he looked totally unruffled, sitting there with his arms around her, ying and teasing her body with smooth movements that made her breath hitch again and again. He totally didn''t look like someone inexperienced.


    "Don''t you believe me?" He asked as if knowing her thoughts. A helpless chuckle escaped his lips and an unknown muscle within Shi Nian''s lower part clenched again at the sensuous voice. "Of course I am nervous. How can I not?" With his eyes never leaving hers, he brought her hand to his lips and kissed it affectionately. "I am holding the woman I love for the first time, afterall."


    Heat crept up her cheeks and her throat turned dry. She could vividly feel the love and devotion oozing out of his eyes. General Jiang ¡ª Jiang Jinyan, who never wore his heart on his sleeves, whose thought was hard to guess more often than not, who was known for his deep and scheming mind. That man was currently stripping off all of his thorns and armors, leaving only the softest and most gentle part for Shi Nian to touch, for her to own and do as she pleased.


    Shi Nian felt her throat choke up for the nth time today. Seriously, how could such a man exist on Earth? What had she done to deserve him? "I¡ªI believe you¡­"


    "You should." He teasingly pinched her cheek. "We''re both newbies in this kind of thing and I am very grateful to learn more about you along the way."


    Shi Nian nodded, bliss and contentment filled her chest to the point of exploding. "Me too¡­ Jinyan, I really, really want to be closer to you."


    "I know." He chuckled and brushed the tip of their noses together. "I ept the sentiment but still, let me repeat myself. I won''t force you if you aren''t ready yet. We should proceed at a pace that''sfortable not only for me, but for you also. Tonight, let''s stop here. The water is getting¡ª" Jiang Jinyan choked on his words. He snapped his head toward Shi Nian, bbergasted. Veins popped up on his forehead and he spoke through gritted teeth. "Do you not understand what I have just said?"


    "I do¡­" Shi Nian nodded bashfully, her eyshes fluttered violently as she took a nce at where her hands were currently touching, her cheek burning from embarrassment and thrill. She hadn''t seen anyone''s except Jiang Jinyan thus she had no examples topare it with but one thing she knew was that he was huge, hot and throbbing. She couldn''t even wrap her palm around his whole girth. "You''re going to be ufortable if we leave it like this so...let me help out like...like this, just for tonight?"


    "Ha¡­" Jiang Jinyan didn''t know whether tough or be angry. He held his forehead, exasperated. Having Shi Nian here with him already tested his greatest endurance and with her soft hands on his hardened member, another wave of me seethed, riling him up all over again. "You''re really going to be the death of me." The desire that he had suppressed with difficulty started to burn again like wildfire, this time it was much more dangerous and chaotic.


    "Ah! Y¡ªYou''re gettingrger¡­" Shi Nian sucked in cold air. "And twitching too¡­"


    Sometimes, Jiang Jinyan had no idea how to describe Shi Nian. When he thought that she was bold, she would always back out at thest minute but when he assumed she was a reserved and shy person, she would always be able to take him off guard. Just like right now. Seriously, just how many surprises were she going to give her? Breathing heavily, Jiang Jinyan cupped Shi Nian''s hands over his manhood and guided the girl''s movement. "Here, you should do it just like this¡­ En, you''re doing...good ngh¡­"


    He threw his head back and panted, eyes closing at the waves of pleasure that awashed him. "Shi Nian...Shi Nian¡­"


    She peeked at him through her eyshes, her golden eyes turning misty. She wasn''t the one who had something done to her yet somehow, her breathing grew messy and the strength in her grip intensified, pulling out another deep groan from him. She gasped in shock. "Ah, s¡ªsorry, I didn''t mean to¡­ Does it hurt?" Shi Nian''s words trailed off as soon as she took in the sight in front of her eyes.


    Jiang Jinyan had his skin glistening from the mixture of water and sweat, flush staining his skin crimson and lips parting in want. His eyes never strayed from her, unwavering as if wanting to etch every inch of her into his memory to remember it by. And those heavy lidded, aze eyes¡­ words weren''t enough to describe it. They could always draw out a side of her she didn''t know existed.


    Shi Nian gulped, the sound echoed through the cramped space.


    "You didn''t hurt me¡­" He drawled out, his voice extremely thick and hoarse. "Continue."


    ...She definitely would, even without him asking. Jiang Jinyan liked it. He liked what she was doing to him and that mere knowledge was enough to send shudders down her body. Wetness pooled between her legs but because she was underwater, the sensation didn''t seem as conspicuous, it highlighted the itch and unfamiliar throb that highlighted the emptiness within instead.


    Heavy gasps and groans erupted from his lips and amidst them was her name, over and over again. His head lolled to her shoulder and he nipped on her skin. Biting, sucking and licking, leaving his marks on them. Warmth leaked onto her palm and he grabbed her tighter, his hips subconsciously jerking upward.


    A whimper erupted from Shi Nian''s lips. With her sitting on him, his movement just seemed as if¡­they were truly having sex. Her eyes were covered by ayer of mist as she bit her lips, aroused. Their movement was getting more and more hasty until Jiang Jinyan''s body flinched abruptly, his back tense like a taut bowstring as he stilled, breath heavy against her neck.


    Shi Nian could vividly feel him twitching and throbbing, along with a warm spray that shot onto her palm. Was it...finished? He¡ªHe had found his release, right?


    "Was it...good?" She asked gingerly albeit it was kind of useless, judging from how well satiated his expression was.


    Jiang Jinyan gathered her into an embrace and kissed her lips, long and sweet. "It''s the best I have ever had. My baby is so good.." He whispered adoringly.

 Chapter 394 - Jiang X Shi — Extra 6

    "Come to think of it," Shi Nian said as she snuggled into Jiang Jinyan''s embrace, their feets peeking out of theforter, entangling with each other. "It''s like a miracle, isn''t it? I almost thought that I was making it all up, especially after I woke up from thea with selective memory loss. The concept of reincarnation itself seemed too surreal to be true. I have never expected that someone else would also remember and moreover, that person is none other than you¡­"


    The rain outside poured heavily through the night but the space around them was warm with their body heat. Dim incandescent light shone from themp on the nightstand, illuminated half of Jiang Jinyan''s face as well as highlighted the faint scar on his cheek. Shi Nian stared up at him and couldn''t help reaching out to trace the white mark that was put there by Nan Xukun.


    Sensing her movement, Jiang Jinyan nuzzled his cheek into her palm and hummed lowly. "What''s wrong?"


    "You have a scar here¡­" Shi Nian caressed his cheek, upset. "And also one on your right thigh...and all of them because of me. In this life, I really don''t want to see you bearing any scars again but I guess I am the one who messed it up¡ª"


    "Why are you ming yourself?" He grabbed her hand gently and brought it down to his chest where she could feel their ovepping heartbeat. Soon, she couldn''t think of anything more, not with Jiang Jinyan''s eyes bounding her in ce. "I did it because I want to and I''m proud to carry them on my body."


    At his words, Shi Nian chuckled. "Don''t tell me, are you still thinking that scars are badge of honor?"


    "They are. They''re proof that I seeded in protecting you." He moved to pull Shi Nian closer and dropped a kiss on her temple, inhaling her hair which smelled of the same shampoo as him yet still different for it was tinged with her natural scent, it was particrly gentle and soothing. "So, how did you know that your memory is true and you''re not making them up?"


    Shi Nian smiled at his tant effort to change the topic. Regardless of that, she still answered "My mother. As soon as I woke up, I recalled my mother''s face; it''s identical to my sister''s back then. Even their names are the same. Then one by one, I started to encounter more and more familiar people." She counted with her fingers. "Sister Meiqi, you, Sister Liqiu andstly...Mr. Jia Ming''en. Have you been in contact with him?"


    Jiang Jinyan''s eyes were lowered, rendering Shi Nian unable to see what was hidden beneath. "No. There has been a bit of internal chaos in his family and it isn''t convenient for me to visit him. Moreover, he has truly changed so much...so much that I almost couldn''t recognize him if not for the same appearance and name."


    Shi Nian hummed in agreement. Compared to the others whose core and character traits were mostly simr, Jia Ming''en seemed like a totally different person. In the past, he was a noble schr, a gentleman who preferred to solve problems through words rather than fists, a very gentle person through and through. He had a calm and soothing aura that made people subconsciously let down their guard around him.


    But now...born in the mafia family, he was forced to pursue cruel and ruthless streaks and grew up to be a hardheaded, stern and callous man. Let alone reciting poems or admiring flowers, Jia Ming''en looked like a man who wouldn''t even give a damn if anyone burned a forest in front of him.


    Shi Nian seldom heard from him since the serial murder case concluded. Thest time she did was when Jia Ming''en started his internship program in another city. They had totally lost all contact after that.


    Jiang Jinyan pressed his forefinger on the lines that had gathered between her brows, his smile gentle. "Don''t worry too much about him. I''m sure he will be okay."


    "Well, alright...if you say so." Shi Nian blinked as realization dawned on her. "Oh, I''m so sorry for keeping you up with my chatters when you''re this tired already! You should get some rest, Jinyan."


    "It''s really good to talk about whatever with you like this," He mumbled. "I am willing to lose a few more day''s sleep if I can hear your voice."


    "You¡­" Shi Nian''s cheeks heated up and she buried her face into his shoulder to hide the embarrassment. It was okay if he didn''t bring it up but now that he did, Shi Nian became overly conscious with her own voice. "There''s nothing good about hearing me talk¡­"


    "Of course there is. I couldn''t hear it at all in our past lives so now I must hear it more to make up for two lifetimes." Pulling away, he chortled at her red face. "Why are you so easily embarrassed just with this? We have clearly done much more¡ª"


    Shi Nian reached out to cover his mouth, flustered. Against her own will, the memory of the intimacy in the bathtub started to surface one by one, uncontrobly, making her already rxing body turn stiff all over again. "Don''t say anymore¡­" She closed her eyes, mortified. "Please¡­"


    Jiang Jinyanughed, his breath soft and ticklish against her palm and Shi Nian resisted the urge to shrink back and hide like an ostrich. He pulled her hand down, making her eyes snap up in unease and doubt. "I have something I want to ask you. I''m serious." He asserted with a firm tone.


    Shi Nian gingerly let go, her unwavering trust toward General Jiang Jinyan had started to diminishtely, especially after she knew the man deeper. Like the saying went, once bitten twice shy. Shi Nian had been teased so many times that she had grown wary everytime Jiang Jinyan said to trust him. Fortunately, the man didn''t have that kind of intention this time. "Speaking of your mother, have you notified her that you''re staying out tonight¡­with me?" Scratching his nose, Jiang Jinyan added. "Afterall, you''re her one and only daughter. If I want to take her daughter''s hand one day, I should start by getting her trust." Although it was a bit toote though, considering the things he had done to Shi Nian in the bathroom earlier, Jiang Jinyan brooded.


    Shi Nian vehemently resisted the urge to blush at Jiang Jinyan''stter half sentence and answered with the most serious yet casual tone she could muster. "Of course I have. She knows you will take good care of me so she doesn''t worry as much." Jiang Jinyan was pricked by shame and guilt again by this sentence. "You don''t need to worry about my mother. Recently, she even wishes I could leave her alone." Shi Nian giggled and leaned forward to whisper, her eyes sparkled with mischievousness. "Let me tell you a secret. I think she got a date."


    Jiang Jinyan blinked in surprise. "A...date?"


    "Uh-huh. I saw them a few times before. He''s the restaurant owner that my mother frequently visited. When she works overtime, that man will send her home. He looks like a nice gentleman. She hasn''t told me anything though so you must keep it a secret."


    Jiang Jinyan intently searched her eyes to find not even a speck of lie or reluctance. Carefully, he asked. "Are you really okay with that? I mean...with the prospect of your mother remarrying?"


    He tried to think in Shi Nian''s shoes. If one day he found Jiang Huocheng with another woman by his side¡­ Yep, impossible. He shook his head to eliminate the thought. In the first ce, he couldn''t even imagine another person standing beside his father. That old man looked like he was fated to be alone forever.


    "Why should I not be okay?" Shi Nian said in a matter-of-fact tone. "My birth father died before I was born so it''s only me and my mother in my family. She has worked so hard to raise me all alone that sometimes I feel really guilty to let her carry the burden all by herself. Moreover, there''s also the problem of me and...the serial killer, it has been really hard for her during that time. Truth to be told, I feel like I haven''t been a good daughter at all." Her tone became downcast and dejected. Jiang Jinyan was ready tofort her a bit when she suddenly perked up, the cloudy haze dispersed from her eyes in an instant. "That''s why I am really happy to know that she has found someone she can rely on." She beamed; a genuinely happy smile that made her golden eyes glowed even more, it was so endearing.


    "Hmm." The corner of his lips curled along with her smile. "I understand. Now that we''re talking about it, Shi Nian¡­"


    "Hmm?"


    "Do you want to¡­" Hesitation flickered in his eyes; one that she seldom saw in Jiang Jinyan. "...move in with me?"


    Shi Nian blinked, then blinked¡­


    ...and blinked again. The words registered in her mind yet she couldn''t seem to put the meaning together. "What¡­?"


    "You don''t hear me wrong." He bumped his forehead against hers gently, his voice softened even more. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Shi Nian. I want to wake up everyday to your face and bid you goodnight before sleeping. I want to go home everyday knowing that you will be there to wee me with a smile. I don''t wish to part from you ever again; not for this lifetime and the lifetimes after that." Wiping the corner of her teary eyes, he proposed again. This time, a hint of tremble slipped into his voice, showing his nervousness and anticipation at her answer. "Will you grant me this request of mine?"


    .


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    A/N: This is the end of Jiang Jinyan and Shi Nian''s story. Author can''t bear to write their snusnu scene *blush* so I will leave it to your own imagination. After they moved in together, they will soon get engaged and married :)


    I''m really thankful for all of your requests and I apologize if I can''t write all of them down.


    Last but not least, huge appreciation for Arcane, totmozi, Vidya and everyone else for your golden tickets! Thank youu and I love you all *kiss*

 Chapter 395 - Special 1&2

    Special 1: Death Anniversary


    Today was the first death anniversary of Jiang Jinyan''s mother. Last year, he had also stood in front of her grave with the zing sun shining down on him like this, despair and helplessness crawling up his spine. He had felt so angry, so desperate and aggrieved at everything; her mother''s selfishness who chose death as thest resort to run away, his father''s nonchnce and also his own miserable situation. It was as if he had been abandoned by the whole world. At that moment, Jiang Jinyan really thought that he wouldn''t be able to regain happiness anymore.


    In a blink of an eye, one year passed and everything suddenly changed for the better.


    "What''s wrong?" Shi Nian asked from beside him. "You''re suddenly in a daze. Is the sun too strong for you?"


    Jiang Jinyan blinked and gave the worried girl a smile, taking her hand gently in his. "No, just thinking of something in the past." Turning to face Guan Xiaoxiao''s photograph, Jiang Jinyan could finally let go of the burden that had been weighing on him. Letting out a sigh, he said to the grave. "Mother, I''m here again. This time, I brought your daughter-inw with me. How is she? Pretty, right?"


    Shi Nian flushed crimson. She discreetly pinched Jiang Jinyan''s arm and took a deep bow. "H¡ªHello Auntie, you look so young and beautiful! This is our first meeting and I''m very d that I am able to see you this year. My name is Shi Nian and...I¡ªI am dating your son. Please take care of me!"


    Jiang Jinyan leaned down to whisper in her ears, lightly teasing. "Why don''t you tell her that we are engaged?" He touched the ring on her finger, spinning it to draw her attention.


    Shi Nian inhaled deeply and forced herself to remain proper and courteous. "He''s right, we¡ªwe were engaged a few weeks ago. Being able to date Jinyan is one of the greatest things that have happened in my life. Auntie, you have no idea how long I have been waiting for him." Shi Nian turned to Jiang Jinyan with a smile and spotted the man with a surprised look on his face. Squeezing his hand, she said wholeheartedly. "Thank you so much for giving birth to the most important man in my life, Auntie. I am very grateful to you."


    Jiang Jinyan felt his throat choked up. He couldn''t resist hugging Shi Nian and nuzzling his nose into her hair, takingfort in her scent.


    "Jinyan¡­" Shi Nian tried to push him away to no avail, the man just didn''t budge at all. "We...We are in front of your mother!"


    Instead of letting go, Jiang Jinyan let out augh and directed his eyes toward Guan Xiaoxiao''s brightly smiling face in the ck and white photograph.


    Mother, did you see this?


    I used to ask exactly for what reason I was born. I thought that no one would care about me, that I would live my whole life surrounded by loneliness and pain that you left me. But right now, I am taking my first step toward the light.


    And it''s all because of her. Your daughter-inw is amazing, huh?


    Shi Nian''s eyes darted around in panic and she strived to change the topic. "W¡ªWhere''s Uncle Jiang? He still hasn''te up yet?" A sigh of relief escaped Shi Nian''s lips when Jiang Jinyan finally let go.


    "Don''t mind him, I''m sure he won''te up as long as we''re still here." Jiang Jinyan pulled her ahead. "You have sent your greetings, right? Let''s go back first. There''s still a few boxes we haven''t unpacked yet. It makes our house seem messy."


    "Wait¡ª" Shi Nian stared at him helplessly and said to the grave. "Goodbye Auntie! We will visit you againter!"


    The two went away whilst joking and bickering, theirughter echoed throughout the empty space, bringing with it an unusual sense of peace and tranquillity.


    A few minutester, a lone figure was seen approaching, d in ck business suit with arge bouquet of roses in his hand. The gust blew and ruffled his hair, revealing a face that still looked as handsome and mature although with gray hairs on his temple. Jiang Huocheng made his way step by step, firm and slow, until he finally stood in front of Guan Xiaoxiao''s grave, his hand holding the bouquet trembling ever so slightly.


    "Xiaoxiao¡­" He said in a hoarse voice. "I''m here. I''ve made you wait for so long, haven''t I?"


    ***


    Special 2: Little Apple


    Secretary Deng Chuqian diligently reported the CEO''s schedule one by one. "In half an hour, you will have lunch with Chairman Kang from Korea. At 4 pm, there''s a regr meeting regarding our newestnd project with the engineers on site. Then at 6 pm, there''s a business conference you have to attend online. After that, you''re done for the day, Sir."


    Jiang Huocheng hummed, his expression hardly changed as he read the documents. Sensing Deng Chuqian not moving, he finally took his eyes off the tablet. "What''s wrong?"


    "Err...that, CEO Jiang. If I may ask," The corner of Secretary Deng''s mouth twitched. "What is that on yourp?"


    "This?" Jiang Huocheng nced down toward the soundly sleeping cat with its belly up, sprawled on hisp. He gently kneaded the cat''s light pink paw pads, making its nose twitch adorably. "It''s Little Apple."


    "L¡ªLittle Apple?" Deng Chuqian exerted all of his effort not to show a strange expression. The image of his stern and serious boss with a sleeping cat was...quite a bizarre sight.


    "My son''s pet. He''s busy moving in with his fianc¨¦e so I''m helping him look after it for a while." Jiang Huocheng grumbled with a reluctant look.


    But...it didn''t seem like he was reluctant to do so? Deng Chuqian wondered. However he knew better than to say it in front of his moody boss thus the only thing he did was topliment the cat''s beauty and elegance. Well, it seemed to work though because he sensed Jiang Huocheng''s mood lighten somehow.


    Sighing helplessly, Deng Chuqian excused himself.


    Half an hourter, he didn''t spot Jiang Huochenging out of his office. Confused, he made a direct call through the office line. "Hello, CEO Jiang? The time for your appointment hase. You will bete if you don''t depart anytime soon."


    "Secretary Deng." Jiang Huocheng''s voice sounded lower and deeper than usual.


    "Yes?" Secretary Deng''s heart sank, he assumed that something had happened to his boss again. His health had always been fragile so Secretary Deng must be alert and wary at all times because Jiang Huocheng wasn''t one who would take care of his own health. "Did something happen, CEO Jiang?"


    "That¡­" A pause. "How do you get up without waking up the cat?"


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    A/N: Tonight,st chapter of MDG!

 Chapter 396 - Special 3

    Special 3: A Debt From Past Lifetime


    Jia Ming''en bit on the cloth as he used his working hand to tie a dead knot on the other bleeding arm, his jaws tightening from the pain. Harsh breathing echoed around the abandoned factory as he stumbled deeper and hid himself between the shadows of the dark. His sses had been thrown off somewhere during the fight earlier and his right eye was swollen badly too. Not only that, it seemed like he also had a few broken ribs. The hilt of a knife poked out of his stomach, he gritted his teeth and pulled it out without barely any hesitation. A deep groan escaped his lips, blood poured out of his wounds which he covered with his palm.


    No matter how he thought about it, he was at a disadvantage here.


    He cursed vehemently inward and nced around, the blood and sweat that dripped into his eye made it difficult for him to see. Spotting a fewrge cargos, he limped there, blood trickling down to the ground with his every step.


    Rapid footsteps followed soon after he was gone. "Where''s that son of a bitch?!"


    "He''s injured so badly. There''s no way he could have gone that far!"


    Three men with a vicious look scanned the empty factory, their eyes shone with bloodthirst and cruelty. "Find him and kill him instantly. We should take only his head back for Boss."


    Nodding, they went their separate ways until one of them hollered. "Look here!"


    The three gathered to see a pool of blood on the ground which trailed into the storage where the cargos were held.


    One of them crouched down and dipped his fingers into the crimson liquid, bringing it to his mouth for a lick. "It''s still fresh." He grinned. "He''s inside."


    They took out the knives and started to prowl in, eyes bearing excitement like a hunter would everytime they chanced upon a prey. There was no light in the building and only the dim ray of moonlight barely enabled them to make out the space in front.


    They ventured deeper, closely following the trace of blood until it disappeared behind one of the cargo. Whistling, one of them jeered. "Young Master ah,e out. It''s night already and we''re tired of ying hide and seek with you. If youe out, we promise we will give you a painless death." Guffaws echoed along with the man''s sentence.


    "Young Master~"


    Crouching above the cargo, Jia Ming''en''s eyes shed in a cold sharp light as he calcted his moves. As soon as the three men showed his back on him, he directly pounced forward and tackled the one who was at the back, mping the man''s mouth shut and shing his neck. Warm blood instantly sprayed on Jia Ming''en''s face and he let go of the man who immediately slumped to the ground, convulsing. The series of movements werepleted in less than two seconds.


    When the two others noticed the sounds and turned around, Jia Ming''en already put on an offensive state and lunged forward, his eyes wild and desperate.


    Five minutester, he dragged himself out of the storage room, leaving three corpses behind as well as blood which soaked his whole body. He leaned against the wall, breathing heavily. Each inhale took a toll on his body as he vividly felt himself losing strength. His sight blurred and it was only due to sheer willpower that he was able to endure standing after being on the run for three days, continuously maintaining a state of high alert and forcing his body to fight to its limit again and again.


    All of a sudden, he chuckled, bitter and ironic.


    It seemed like...he was already at the end of his ropes.


    He was tired, so tired to deal with everything. He only wished to live a quiet and peaceful life, one that was away from bloodshed and savagery, but it seemed like that one wish was too impossible toe true.


    In the deste space, the sudden sound of calm, steady footsteps approaching echoed loud and clear, taking him off guard.


    Jia Ming''en gritted his teeth and forced himself to remain sober. Damn it, there''s still one more?! He had made sure that he had lured the rest of the rats here but it turned out, he had let one slip?! He looked around in desperation but found no weapon on him. He had left the knife behind and it was already toote for him to go back there.


    No! Even if he had to die, he wasn''t willing to die under those bastards'' hands! He would bring them all down with him!


    Backed into the corner, Jia Ming''en slowly reached out, his trembling fingers dug his left eye out, rotating it in his palm. He exerted strength and crushed the artificial eyeball into pieces, the shards of ss created new wounds on his skin. He grasped the broken shards tightly in his hand, his nerves taut in preparation to fight.


    The footsteps grew closer and a shadow elongated on the ground, echoing along with Jia Ming''en''s loud heartbeats. He shook his head and peeled his eyes as wide as possible to divert his mind from the numbing pain and dizziness on his head. "I''m here." He took the initiative to provoke. "Come here if you want to kill me."


    The shadow paused for a second then proceeded to draw close, his steps a bit hasty. Jia Ming''en sneered and prepared to pounce yet again when a sigh rang out, sounding particrly distinct against the empty space, tinged with a hint of relief and helplessness. "Sorry to disappoint you but...I am not here to kill you."


    Who¡­? Jia Ming''en frowned. The voice sounded familiar yet he couldn''t seem to remember where he had heard it. His head buzzed and the only thing in his mind was: kill! He didn''t trust anyone, let alone someone with dubious intention who sounded like they were here to offer kindness. Those kind of people were far more dangerous than the one who showed tant murderous intent.


    "Cut the bullshit." He sneered.


    The other person made a turn and finally appeared in front of him, the moonlight shone behind him, shadowing his features. He halted twenty meters away from Jia Ming''en and made no effort to get close any longer. "You look terrible." That personmented.


    "Not as much as what you''re going to be in a few minutes." Jia Ming''en retorted, not losing in terms of momentum. Damn it, who was that? He shut his eyes firmly and opened them again. Nheless, because that bastard was standing right in front of the lights, Jia Ming''en couldn''t make out his features clearly and in exchange, it made him more cautious and alert.


    A snort. "Don''t tell me... have you forgotten who I am?"


    "Am I supposed to know you?"


    "Well," He shrugged. "You should. Afterall, I am here to bring you away."


    "Bring me away?" Jia Ming''enughed incredulously. "Has water got into your brain? Hey, you son of a bitch. If you want to kill me then hurry up and stop the nonsense. I almost fell asleep listening to you." Come ah, why didn''t hee?! If the fight dragged on longer, Jia Ming''en was sure he would die of blood loss first!


    Finally, the man took a few steps forward and his face was revealed in front of Jia Ming''en. What attracted his attention in an instant was that pair of eyes; calm and serene yet dark and terrifying. Shudder ran down Jia Ming''en''s spine. That person hadn''t done anything yet but Jia Ming''en felt as if he had lost. Standing in front of him, he felt like a puny worm that was being stared down by a predator. But how?! How could a person inflict such fear into him?!


    rm bells rang in his mind and Jia Ming''en was ready to attack first when the man suddenly spoke. "It''s me, Jiang Jinyan. Calm down and think. I really don''t have any intention to hurt you."


    "Jiang...Jinyan?" Memories surfaced in his mind and Jia Ming''en froze. "You...are Jiang Jinyan? Why are you here?"


    "As I said, I havee to bring you away." Jiang Jinyan finally arrived in front of him and offered a hand. "Come with me. I will take you under my wings. Those people who hunt you down, they will never be able to touch you again. Hasn''t it always been your wish to free yourself from your family? Now that your father has been apprehended by the police, this is the best time to do so."


    Jia Ming''en stared at his underssman warily. Yes, he finally remembered who Jiang Jinyan was but... wasn''t he a bit too different from the person in Jia Ming''en''s memory? It was as if he was looking at an entirely different person¡­


    "Why should I trust you?" He asked in suspicion. He hadn''t done anything that would warrant such a help and don''t tell him that Jiang Jinyan did it out of kindness. Out of every reason he could have given, Jia Ming''en distrusted that the most.


    Jiang Jinyan sighed, annoyed. "Well, you can save the trust forter. The only thing we need to do now is to get away from here." Right as his words fell, the faint rumbles of helicopter drew in, gradually closer and closer. "Ah, they arrived sooner than I expected."


    Turning to Jia Ming''en, he raised one brow. "Do you want to stay here and bleed to death or follow me and start anew? Your choice."


    Jia Ming''en stared at him for a while and let out a scoff, his body gradually turning ck as he unclenched his fists, small fragments of ss falling out from it. "Is that the attitude of one who''s supposed to offer their help to someone?"


    The corner of Jiang Jinyan''s mouth lifted and he slung his arm around Jia Ming''en''s shoulders, supporting thetter''s limp body as they made their ways outside. The violent gusts rising from the helicopter des were so strong that Jia Ming''en had difficulty keeping his eyes open, but he still couldn''t resist asking. "Why did you go out of your way to save me? Someday, I might betray you for my own benefit, you know."


    "I''ll worry about it when the timees." He said in a nonchnt tone. It made Jia Ming''en chuckle, exactly how much did Jiang Jinyan trust him to behave so? The whistling wind and loud roar reverberated in Jia Ming''en''s ears, adding to his dizziness and headache. However, a split second before he sumbed to the darkness, he heard Jiang Jinyan''s voice right beside his ears. "Just consider it as a debt repayment that''s due a long time ago."


    .


    .


    "General Jiang is falsely used!" Noble Schr Jia shouted his throat hoarse. No, he wasn''t a noble schr anymore as that title had already been revoked as soon as the Emperor caught wind of his rebellion. Nevertheless, Jia Ming''en still paraded on the street to spread the words. "General Jiang is a faithful vessel of the Emperor! He''s the one who has been guarding the border for more than twenty years! How could he possibly betray the country he loved?! There must be some kind of misunderstanding here! General Jiang is falsely used! He deserves a proper burial, ced together with his ancestors in the shrine!"


    "Give up ah, Noble Schr Jia." His peers advised him fearfully. "There''s no use in doing this. The person is already gone, not even his flesh and bones remain. What''s more important, your own life or the truth?" Those people had clearly realized the decay under the royal family''s grandeur, yet in fear of their own life, they chose to keep mum and turn a blind eye.


    Jia Ming''en refused to do so.


    It wasn''t that he didn''t fear for his own life. When the soldiers came to capture him, when his reputation took a hit to rock bottom, when he was brought to the execution ground, he was scared. So scared that he wanted to piss himself. However¡­


    He recalled the time when he heard the news of General''s revolt and witnessed his hair being delivered back to the General''s Residence, saw the grief and despair that shrouded the servants'' face. He was even the one who realized the General''s mute servant was missing only to find her body hung on the ceiling with a strip of white cloth around her neck, stiff and cold to the touch.


    Jia Ming''en buried that servant''s body together with General Jiang''s hair, remembering how the two closely apanied each other when they were still alive.


    Exactly how corrupt would the country go without General Jiang''s presence? Jia Ming''en was itching to find out.


    In spite of that, there was no longer anyone who would listen to his poem recitation, who would dly let him admire their flower garden, who would apany him talking deep into the night with only a jar of fragrant wine.


    Life without Jiang Jinyan was unexpectedly so...boring, that''s thest thought that shed through Jia Ming''en''s mind one second before the executor swung the de down his neck.


    Well, considering the General''s stubborn temperament, maybe this kind of oue was the best. That man also knew himself that the only ending he could get in this lifetime was demise. Such was the fate of a hero. Throughout history, there hadn''t been a hero famous enough to live a happy life. Just like a curse, every single one of them was destined to end with tragedy.


    It was a pity that he couldn''t clear the General''s name before he died. Nheless, he would dly witness the country''s downfall as a wandering ghost.


    If there was another lifetime, he hoped that he woulde across Jiang Jinyan once again. Having him as a friend would be great, a brother was even better.


    And...it would be nice if that mute servant was also there.


    That way, the General wouldn''t have to go through each day with loneliness anymore.


    .


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    My Dearest General ¡ª The End


    A/N: Myst chapter is dedicated to the brotherhood of Jiang Jinyan and Jia Ming''en QAQ In the past, they are a General and Schr and now, they''re the heir of a multimillionairepany and the hunted young master from mafia family. Always the pr opposite but somehow, theyplemented each other nicely :)


    Thank you so much guys.. We will have to part here. See you in my other works ^^


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!