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Chapter 4
Do you want people to think that we are a couple?” “I can be gay for ten minutes.”
“The intersection is only four or five hundred meters away from the Sleepless KTV. Yan Xie found a place and parked the heavily damaged car there. Then he informed the traffic police brigade, returned to the original spot; all this only took ten minutes in total.
“What’s the matter with you?” Yan Xie stood in front of Jiang Ting and raised his chin. “Where’s your girlfriend? Did you let her go out and wander around alone?”
Jiang Ting’s complexion still wasn’t great, but that was due to long-term bed rest and an inadequate blood supply. He smiled when he heard the words. “The doctor told me to walk around when I’m fine. Yang Mei went out, so I went out by myself.”
Yan Xie reached out to support him, but Jiang Ting gestured for him not to bother, so he withdrew his hand and lit a cigarette. “Don’t mind, do you?”
Jiang Ting asked, “Can I have one?”
Yan Xie was a little surprised. He rarely encountered non-smoking men, but for some reason, he subconsciously thought that Jiang Ting was one of them, probably deceived by the other’s refined and scholarly appearance.
“Thank you.” Jiang Ting took the cigarette and lit it, taking a long exhale. “Thanks to Officer Yan just now, I’m really sorry. About the repair costs…”
Yan Xie said, “Forget it, it’s a police car! I’ll just report the damage, and it’ll be fine.”
Through the cigarette’s white smoke, Jiang Ting glanced at him, probably not expecting the police vehicles in Jianning to be so high-end. Yan Xie laughed at being scrutinized and didn’t explain, saying, “Coincidentally, there are some doubts about the case. I’m going to re-investigate the scene, and I can give you a ride back. What happened just now? Standing in the middle of the road without moving, scared stiff?”
Jiang Ting hesitated for a moment. “Just now… I was a bit shocked by the car accident. Maybe it was a post-traumatic stress reaction.”
“Oh, and you dared to come out alone.”
Jiang Ting said, “I have to learn to walk alone; otherwise, I’ll be useless, right?”
He walked slowly, and Yan Xie didn’t rush him. The two of them walked down the sidewalk together, and the neon lights of the Sleepless KTV were shining ahead. Yan Xie pointed with the almost burnt-out cigarette and teased, “You have such a devoted and wealthy girlfriend, much better than us who earn a fixed salary. What are you afraid of becoming useless for?”
Helplessly, Jiang Ting shook his head and hadn’t replied yet when Yan Xie naturally asked, “How did you two meet?”
Vice-Captain Yan was not one to beat around the bush, apparently waiting for this moment.
“We both came out of the county town to work together in the early years. We stayed in Gongzhou for a few years, and when I earned some money, I went back to my hometown. She came to Jianning and opened this KTV. She’s more daring than me. The business in the store has been getting better and better. Three years ago, when she asked me to come to Jianning to help, I had a car accident on the way.”
“How did it happen?”
“I was speeding in the rain. I almost lost my life,” Jiang Ting sighed. “We call each other boyfriend and girlfriend, but with my current condition, it’s not good to burden her, right?”
Surprisingly, Yan Xie immediately agreed, “That’s right. What are you two going to do in the future? Are you just going to continue dragging on like this?”
“After a while, we should break up,” Jiang Ting smiled. “Staying here won’t be of much help, so I’ll go back to my hometown and live there.”
The KTV was temporarily closed due to the murder case, and the entrance was partially open, giving a desolate feeling. As they talked, they entered the KTV, and when they looked up, they saw Yang Mei eagerly waiting at the bar. She tilted her head and exclaimed, “Brother Jiang!”
Jiang Ting hesitated, “Oh, I…”
Yang Mei’s eyes were filled with joy, almost about to burst out. “Oh, you scared me, Brother Jiang! Where did you go? Why didn’t you inform me? How could you wander around alone with so many cars outside?”
Jiang Ting: “…”
“I’ve been waiting for you for half a day. Why didn’t you answer your phone? What about Xiao Zhang? Why didn’t he go out with you? What if something happened? Hurry, sit down. Have you eaten so late? What did you eat? Hey, manager, come here and tell the kitchen to bring the steamed egg custard I just ordered!”
Jiang Ting: “…”
Yan Xie raised his eyebrows and smiled, remaining silent.
Yang Mei kept circling around him, and Jiang Ting had to hurriedly deal with her while explaining what happened with Yan Xie on the road. Yang Mei immediately felt extremely grateful to Officer Yan and urged Jiang Ting to go upstairs to eat, insisting on personally hosting Yan Xie for a meal outside.
“No need, I just came to see the scene. I have to rush back to the city bureau later.” Yan Xie smiled. “You two are busy. Just call a waiter to take me to the kitchen.”
Yang Mei immediately put down her bag and shoes. “What am I busy with? Come on, I’ll take you. After the police cordoned off this place yesterday, I had the kitchen sealed off. Didn’t they say we had to cooperate with the police? I repeatedly told the staff not to talk outside, fearing that it would leak your police’s confidential information.”
Yan Xie put on shoe covers and gloves. “No need. Besides, you don’t know any confidential information.”
Yang Mei stood at the entrance to the kitchen, forcing a smile.
The heavy makeup made it hard to tell her age, but her facial features and attire were beautiful, and she even sprayed some perfume in her delicate curls—Yan Xie had never seen a woman dress so meticulously outside his own home. The only explanation was that she knew Jiang Ting would come back.
Yan Xie found it quite interesting.
This woman, Yang Mei, was very adaptable. She had a smooth way of speaking and handling things, likely developed from mingling with various social circles. On the other hand, her rumored fiancé, Jiang Ting, who was said to be from a small county, was not only limited to manual labor but also physically weak, spending years bedridden and lacking in labor capacity.
From any perspective, the two of them seemed mismatched, but when Yang Mei faced Jiang Ting, she naturally carried a sense of reverence.
Yan Xie’s gaze fell on the freezer, and he suddenly recalled the scene of giving Jiang Ting the cigarette—the latter took it, lowered his head slightly, and with the side profile of his neck forming an elegant curve, he lit the cigarette with the lighter in Yan Xie’s hand and gently exhaled.
That seemed like a gesture as if he was accustomed to being respected with cigarettes.
Yan Xie opened the freezer door absentmindedly and casually asked, “You and your boyfriend have a good relationship?”
Yang Mei smiled and nodded in agreement.
“How did you meet?”
“We came out of the county town together to work in Gongzhou in the early years. After a few years, he went back to his hometown. Later, I opened this store in Jianning, and the business grew bigger and bigger. I wanted him to come and help, but he had a car accident on the way.” Yang Mei sighed with emotion. “Speaking of which, his current condition is also my responsibility, right?”
Yan Xie shook his head with a sigh. Passing by the freezer, he walked through the kitchen towards the back door.
“What are you doing?”
“Ah, I’m going to check the road outside. You don’t need to come with me,” Yan Xie waved his hand without turning back. “You go ahead and continue with your work.”
The dirty and narrow alley was deserted, and with the KTV closed today, it appeared even more desolate. The technical investigation team had thoroughly searched every corner here, even turning the garbage bins upside down. There was basically no value in re-investigating.
While dialing a number on his phone, Yan Xie followed the deceased’s route on the surveillance footage towards the road outside. “Hello, Ma Xiang, is your team back? Log into the internal network and help me check someone.”
The other end of the phone was chaotic, indicating that the technicians were working overtime. Ma Xiang shouted loudly, “Sure—Whom should I check?”
“Luo Chengjiang,” Yan Xie said, “the person sitting in a wheelchair at the crime scene last night. Check his place of origin, school, work history, and if there are any hotel records, check those as well.”
“Why? Is this person a suspect?”
“It’s not clear for now, but let’s check first.”
Ma Xiang’s biggest advantage was his efficiency. Yan Xie walked out of the alley, patrolling the empty paths back and forth. He searched while walking along the roadside, and after a moment, he heard the voice from the phone saying, “Got it—Luo Chengjiang. The place of origin matches the information recorded last night. He has a college degree and spent a few years in Gongzhou, working at the nightclub with someone named Yang Mei.”
Yan Xie paused, clearly surprised. “Are you sure it’s the same person?”
“Absolutely sure, it’s written on the household registration system.”
“…What happened later?” Yan Xie inquired.
“Well, Yang Mei got involved in a few cases of gambling and fights at the nightclub. We need to check the case files in Gongzhou for more details. But she was lucky; one charge of intentional injury was dropped, and she was released on bail for the charge of hosting gambling. Let me see… Oh, she managed it well. It’s not easy to be released on bail in Gongzhou.”
“And what about Luo Chengjiang?”
“He returned to his hometown when he was first suspected of intentional injury. It doesn’t seem like they have a very deep relationship.”
Yan Xie lit another cigarette and stared at the pattern on the pavement tiles, lost in thought.
“We need to check Luo Chengjiang’s situation in his hometown, but the car accident three years ago matches what he said. As for Yang Mei, after being released on bail for the second time, she came to Jianning and took over this KTV. She even won a lawsuit against the original landlord over the property contract. I’m telling you, Officer Yan, this woman either has powerful connections or incredible luck. Every time, she manages to turn the situation around.”
The sky gradually darkened, and streetlights began to illuminate one after another. Yan Xie withdrew his gaze from a distance, and suddenly, a faint glimmer flashed by the drain channel a few steps away.
At first, Yan Xie didn’t pay much attention, but after a few seconds, an intuition developed from years of frontline criminal investigation work gently rang a bell in his mind.
“Brother Yan?”
“Wait a moment.”
Yan Xie walked forward and squatted down. There, at the corner between the sidewalk and the one-way lane, a shiny object lay quietly in the dust—a zipper slider.
Yan Xie picked it up with two fingers and examined the small piece of metal, partially covered in leather, under the light, narrowing his eyes.
“What is it, Brother Yan? Did you find something during the scene re-investigation?”
“Go check the case files of Yang Mei’s lawsuits in Jianning and tell the technicians not to leave the office.” Yan Xie stood up, put the zipper slider into an evidence bag, and said, “I’ll be back at the city bureau in half an hour. We’ve made a significant discovery at the scene, and if confirmed, it will be a breakthrough lead.”
“Got it!”
Yan Xie hung up the phone, turned around, and suddenly froze in his tracks.
Not far away, by the side of the alley, Jiang Ting stood quietly under a streetlight, holding a large plastic bag of takeaway food.
The two locked eyes for a while. The sound of cars on the distant street approached and faded away, and moths occasionally bumped into the streetlights, making slight popping sounds.
Jiang Ting walked up and handed the still warm plastic bag to Yan Xie, saying softly, “Officer Yan, don’t eat too late.”
His gaze slid over the zipper slider inside the transparent evidence bag, and then his fingertips lightly brushed against Yan Xie’s hand before letting go.
The two stood face to face, less than a foot apart. Yan Xie saw his reflection in Jiang Ting’s light-colored pupils and realized that his jaw muscles were tightly clenched, displaying a fierce expression as if facing a formidable enemy.
But it was strange.
The person in front of him, with an illness that couldn’t be concealed on his face, was far from being a threat.
“…I see,” Yan Xie took a half-step back, feigning a stern expression as he nodded, “Thank you.”
Jiang Ting stood still, hands in his pockets, nodding with a gentle smile without saying a word. He watched as Yan Xie turned around and gradually walked away under the streetlight.
The sound of high heels tapping on the ground came from the alley. Yang Mei stopped behind Jiang Ting, watching Yan Xie disappear into the distance on the road, then looked at Jiang Ting with concern. “Are you going to help him investigate this case?”
Jiang Ting’s gaze lost the warmth that was present a moment ago. His tone was flat as he replied, “If the case remains unsolved, the police’s attention won’t withdraw. Do you want to be watched by the police for months?”
“Then…” Yang Mei hesitated, then changed the subject, “What do you plan to do for the investigation?”
Jiang Ting lowered his gaze, not answering immediately, seemingly lost in thought.
Yang Mei adjusted her thin shawl and looked up at the golden light from the streetlamp falling on Jiang Ting’s hair and cheek, like a delicate and translucent golden gauze.
Regardless of the passing years, Jiang Ting in Yang Mei’s eyes was no different from when they first met. Despite the turbulent and perilous years and the dangers he had faced, he still possessed the meticulousness to face any situation, overwhelming everything.
“Zipper,” Jiang Ting murmured.
Yang Mei stared at him without blinking.
Suddenly, Jiang Ting looked up and said, “Do you have something to sell to a second-hand shop?”
“Second-hand shop?” Yang Mei asked.
………
“Fendi?” Ma Xiang took the zipper from the evidence bag and examined it under the light. He exclaimed in surprise, “Yes!”
Yan Xie was eating his eel rice quietly. “Mhm.”
The zipper head had a black sheepskin upper part with a yellow edging, and the lower metal part was embossed with the FENDI logo. It was still relatively new, but the connection between the tail and the slider loop was loose, indicating that it had been forcefully pulled or torn off from somewhere.
Ma Xiang was a bit puzzled. “What does this prove?”
Yan Xie held the greasy chopsticks and adjusted the computer screen on his desk, pointing for Ma Xiang to look at the FENDI official website.
Ma Xiang asked, “What?”
“A zipper with this color scheme—a black sheepskin upper part with yellow edging—is mainly used on their new season’s men’s backpacks. Look, it’s this model,” Yan Xie used the chopsticks to tap on one of the images, clicked to enlarge it, and said, “Considering that the seasonal design was recently released, the sales volume is limited. Luxury stores also keep records of customer information. I’ve already instructed a team to retrieve the surveillance footage from the FENDI store in the International Finance Center.”
Ma Xiang said, “Holy shit, can you do that?!”
“It’s just a quick trip. Even if we’re wrong, we won’t lose much. What about the case files I asked you to check on Yang Mei?”
Ma Xiang was dumbfounded, but after a moment, he realized and quickly handed over the paper bag.
Yan Xie leaned back in his chair, opened the case files, and started flipping through them. Ma Xiang immediately seized the opportunity to sneakily pick up a piece of eel and put it in his mouth, finding it so delicious that tears welled up in his eyes.
Yang Mei’s case was not complicated. Essentially, it involved the original landlord suddenly raising the price and breaching the contract, leading Yang Mei to sue the other party in court out of anger. However, due to flaws in the contract and incomplete procedures, she was likely to lose the case and be dragged into a lengthy and tedious appeals process. In Yan Xie’s half-expert eyes, it would be best for Yang Mei to withdraw the lawsuit before the trial, otherwise, she would likely lose both business opportunities and a large sum of money.
But she won.
It had nothing to do with the lawyer, as Yan Xie didn’t think the lawyer was particularly competent after reading the trial records. The only explanation was that the judge fell in love with Yang Mei’s extraordinary beauty right there in the courtroom.
Or perhaps, just like how this woman miraculously escaped imprisonment twice in Gongzhou, someone high up and hidden in the thick fog had once again extended their help to her.
Ma Xiang, attempting to sneak another piece of eel, was swiftly hit on the back of his hand by Yan Xie’s chopsticks. “Ouch!”
“Isn’t a couple packs of instant noodles enough for you? Be careful not to end up like Director Gu next door, gaining weight from eating extra meals every day!” Yan Xie scolded.
Ma Xiang felt deeply wronged. “We, the broad masses of the people, eat instant noodles every day. At best, we have self-heating hot pots. As a leader, you should set an example instead of running your own little capitalist kitchen!”
Yan Xie snorted, “I earned this little kitchen with my exceptional charm. If you’re capable, try to deceive someone too.”
Ma Xiang exclaimed, “What? Did the KTV lady boss fall for your handsome face?!”
Yan Xie said, “…”
“I’m telling you, she didn’t look at you right yesterday! She kept staring at your strong chest and biceps! Her weak little white-faced boyfriend can’t compare to your masculine hormones. Brother Yan, do your best, and whether we can sing karaoke for free in the future depends on you!” Ma Xiang babbled.
Yan Xie angrily said, “Get lost! Stop babbling about my biceps. Do you want people to think we’re a couple?!”
Ma Xiang immediately turned on the charm, saying, “If you give me the eel rice, I can be your gay for ten minutes…”
Yan Xie kicked him off the table with one swift kick, causing Ma Xiang’s pink glass heart to shatter all over the floor. While they were arguing, the phone rang. Yan Xie covered the eel rice with one hand and answered the call with the other, “Hello? It’s Yan Xie. What’s up?”
“Brother Yan, we found surveillance footage at the International Finance Center! In mid-April, the victim bought the men’s backpack you mentioned from the FENDI store. It was priced at 18,000 yuan, paid in cash. We’ve retrieved high-definition images and sales records!”
Ma Xiang, an inexperienced straight guy, widened his eyes on the spot, his face clearly showing “what,” 18,000 yuan?!
Yan Xie praised, “Good job. Did they find any identity information left by the victim?”
“Yes, yes,” the voice on the other end searched for a while, probably looking for the identification card, and after a moment, spoke again, “Here it is—his name is Chu Ci, Ci as in compassion.”
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