Several police vehicles and 3 prison vans had arrived at the tea house which was cordoned off. Two policemen were keeping guard at the entrance; their hands behind backs.
This was the situation several hours after that incident.
“These journalists are like flies.” Officer Ma frowned as he looked at those journalists outside who were continuously pressing the shutters of their cameras.
The inconceivable thing was their intelligence network. It was even better than that of the police.
“So, I’m with the flies?”
A dissatisfied voice sounded behind Officer Ma. He turned around, His stern face looked even more ferocious due to the fierce scar he had obtained while handling an old case. All of a sudden, it turned glum as he recognized the person that spoke those ironic words.
It was a very beautiful woman.
“That’s not what I mean…”
“Tut.” Ren Ziling expressed her disapproval.
Officer Ma had to smile in embarrassment.
Ma’s subordinates were all shocked by his gentle tone; totally different from his usual fiery temper. This was this year’s biggest news!
Did Officer Ma have a crush on this beautiful lady?
“Stop letting your thoughts run wild! She is the widow of Officer Ma’s elder brother [1]! Ma treats her as respectfully as he treated his elder brother!”
“A widow? My god… At this age?”
“Mind your own business! Be polite to her when questioning later! Or you’ll suffer back at police station! If you offend Officer Ma, he’ll quarrel with you at most! But if you offend this woman, she won’t say anything, instead, Officer Ma will become your source of misery!”
On the other side.
Officer Ma drew Ren Ziling aside, asking nervously, “Sister[2]! Why must you be so full of justice? Going undercover in this kind of place? Can you not work so hard? If you get into trouble, how will I face Luo Qiu and my brother?”
“All right, don’t prattle on.” Ren Ziling said, “I’ve filmed their entire deeds. I’ll give you a copy later as evidence.”
Officer Ma hurriedly nodded, “Thanks, my sister.”
Afterward, he asked her hesitantly, “Sister… did you knock them down yourself?”
Ren Ziling thought of the clown’s words, then answered vaguely, “Why, don’t you believe my skills?”
Officer Ma shook his head promptly, “No, no… but I have to write the truth and hand in the report.”
Ren Ziling impatiently gazed at Ma, as if he was an idiot, “You’re still so stupid after all these years! Can’t you say that these guys were embroiled in an internal strife due to the unfair distribution of profits? Then you came to catch them due to a tip-off. I’m just a journalist that came for an interview only!”
Officer Ma smiled after hearing her words. “A reporter’s mind is really intelligent!”
“Don’t butter me up.” Ren Ziling waved her hand. Suddenly she recalled something, saying in a low voice, “But they know my appearance, and I have no idea if they have other partners. I’m alright but you must pay attention to this issue because I don’t want any accidents to happen to Luo Qiu.”
Ma said quietly, “Don’t worry, sister! If anyone dared to hurt brother’s child, all the students of his won’t let them off!”
Ren Ziling nodded, and said at last, “Oh right, that old man was unusual, you’d better pay more attention to him… Well, binding his hands would be for the best.”
Officer Ma stared blankly, but nodded, “ I will have someone send you back home.”
“No, I have to go back to the newspaper office… this is a huge scoop!”
As Ren Ziling entered her ride and fastened her seatbelt, Officer Ma ran out after her.
“Ziling, hold on.” Officer Ma stopped Ren Ziling, he hesitated a little before speaking. “Can you give me a hand…”
Ren Ziling frowned, “What’s wrong?”
Officer Ma said softly, “Well, we’re investigating an international criminal case… I know your information network is broad so can you help me to look up a person? You also understand, it’s inconvenient for the police to do some things.”
Ren Ziling thought for a while. “No problem, give me the information.”
Officer Ma now said seriously, “But sister! Don’t do it yourself, ok? Just purchase some intelligence. Promise me, do not risk yourself! Or I rather not have your help!”
Ren Ziling gave a deep sigh, staring at Ma with a smile and swore, “You brat, you sound like my mom.”
Officer Ma answered bitterly, “No, no, no, you’re the mother! My dear mother! My grandmother, please don’t do anything dangerous!”
“Damn you, I don’t have a son your age!” Ren Ziling scrunched her nose, “I only have one son, and he is much better-looking than you!”
“Absolutely! He has Elder Brother Luo’s genes, so he must be very handsome.”
Ren Ziling was delighted with that. Then she stepped on the gas and rushed out.
Officer Ma shouted helplessly, “Sis! Take care!”
…
…
As he went back to the hotel, Cheng Yun reported something to Zhong Luochen, then left using the excuse that he had some business to attend to.
However, after strolling around outside for a while, he went to a cafe to meet the Third Miss of the Zhong Family.
“Is this the black card?” The Third Miss sized up the card after she received it from Cheng Yun.
“Yes! I had someone forged another with almost the same size using the palm size of second master as comparison.”
The Third Miss nodded. “Alright. You may leave, don’t arouse my second brother’s suspicions.”
She paused for a moment, then said, “You’ll receive a satisfactory amount of money.”
Cheng Yun looked cheerful at once, “Thank you Third Miss. I’ll head back right away… Eh, it's that guy?”
The Third Miss glanced towards the direction that made Cheng Yun astonished. She found it was merely an ordinary person ordering some food.
“Who is he?” the Third Miss asked.
Cheng Yun said, “I’m not quite sure, but he is Ms. Zhang’s acquaintance. They seem to have a pretty close relationship.”
The Third Miss suddenly said, “That Ms. Zhang, seems like she is not to be keen on my second brother.”
Cheng Yun said, “She’s indifferent, but it’s hard to say whether she likes him or not. After all, it hinges on whether the man has found the right method to enter the girl’s heart.”
She showed an enchanting smile abruptly, “Seems like you understand women very well.”
Cheng Yun answered instantly, “They’re merely ordinary women! I wouldn’t dare say to understand noble ladies like you!”
The Third Miss said coolly, “Go get the information on this guy. It might be useful.”
Cheng Yun nodded, left through the door while attempting to hide his face.
The Third Miss started to observe the black card in her hand. There was a golden stamp on it… The longer she looked at it, the further the card drew her in. She couldn’t help being fascinated by it.
Luo Qiu walked passed the window after he finishing his purchase at the counter.
Which meant he also passed by Cheng Yun.
…
The shopping district wasn’t far away.
After Luo Qiu exited the tea house, he didn’t go very far, instead, he hid nearby until Ren Ziling left safely, only then did he went on his merry way back.
He also saw Officer Ma---a close friend of his father from before.
Nevertheless, it was inconvenient for Luo Qiu to appear and greet him.
He came back around lunchtime, so he didn’t bother You Ye, instead, bought something to eat from a nearby café… The cake of this café was rather famous in that area.
After returning to the club and changing out of his suit, he sat behind the bar and set down the cake he bought at the café, along with You Ye’s black tea.
Luo Qiu started the gramophone. He enjoyed the music while reading the ‘Origins of Blue and White Porcelain’.
He would waste half the day like that.
[1]: A elder brother here means his senior colleague in police organization. People also call some male ‘elder brother’, who is several years older, even cross over a generation, to show their respect.
[2]: The sister here is a friend’s wife.
In the hospital.
Jiang Chu was sitting silently in his office with a heavy heart. Meanwhile, another woman was with him.
This was his ex-wife.
“Jiang Chu, tell me the truth, what’s wrong with our child?”
Jiang Chu said dejectedly, “His body is showing symptoms of rejection .”
The woman’s face turned pale. “Rejection? How come… but you said you’ve found a bone marrow that matched him, only then did I consent to the operation! Now you say, there are signs of rejection?”
Jiang Chu was very agitated right then as well. “Do you know how hard it is to find a suitable match for our son? I’ve focused all my efforts on searching for one…but it still failed!”
“Then…what now? Can the rejection be controlled?”
Jiang Chu shook his head, “I cannot answer this question…it depends on how serious the rejection is. We’ll know the situation after receiving a more detailed analysis report. Anyway, I won’t let anything happened to our child… Go see our child, I need to a moment of peace.”
After his ex-wife left, Jiang Chu leaned against the chair, gazing at the ceiling in a trance.
“How could this be… Why?”
Not only did he get diagnosed with early stage Parkinson’s disease, his son could go into critical condition any time as well.
Jiang Chu closed his eyes painfully.
Now, it was as if he saw the wishful look and the pale face of the little girl lying in the sickbed. Tormented with the illness, she was still waiting for his operation.
The two kept intertwining with each other in his head, just like a spiral. Jiang Chu felt as if he had dropped into an abyss.
He opened his eyes suddenly; cold sweat beaded his forehead. Only then did he realize that he had fallen asleep due to exhaustion.
…
…
Luo Qiu first cursed the person who invented the locating function on cell phones.
Nevertheless, he still sent his location to Ren Ziling’s cellphone. He guessed she would appear nearby in a short while.
At the so-called part-time job location.
Generally speaking, it was normal for university students to have a part-time job. Ren Ziling wouldn’t be opposed to it. However, she still worried that he’d been working in some illegal places.
To avoid Ren Ziling’s nagging about going home late, Luo Qiu decided to work…for only one evening.
He had to carefully select the appropriate workplace.
It should be a place that Ren Ziling rarely go to or never been to and one that she wouldn’t come again after this time.
Furthermore, the job should be common and easily found by a university student.
“Tutor, is this alright?”
“Let me see…”
Right, the job that didn’t need him to face many people, matched his personality, and did not need many other actors was---A tutor!
It was very easy. Should he let You Ye find and hypnotize a mother-son pair? Father-daughter pair? Mother-daughter pair… anyone was fine. As long as they were at the age that required a tutor and could afford the payment.
However, he didn’t know if You Ye had a preference for beauty.
Luo Qiu was now tutoring a high school girl…in Grade 10.
Wasn’t this a little too well-developed? The current high school girls were…
As for her parent, she was a woman who looked well-educated and a model of propriety.
She sure maintained her beauty very well…just like a beautiful siren?
But when he thought of the fact that these two were innocents that were forced to coordinate with his play, furthermore without pay, Luo Qiu at least still hoped to properly teach this high school girl in return.
Even though he had no idea how helpful this once off tutoring would be, nevertheless, he was still willing to solve several questions.
The place he chose was a quiet western restaurant near the shopping district. A seat near the window was taken.
“He really was tutoring students…” Ren Ziling said while biting into a hamburger and sipping cola.
She had stood there and observed for more than ten minutes.
She was happy that Luo Qiu had been tutoring students, but…
“This girl is really well developed… and how did her mother maintain her beauty so well…like a beautiful siren? Is she the kind that would eat up younger men?”
Subeditor Ren was good at thinking, she also had a ridiculous imagination.
She fiercely sucked a mouthful of cola, still unable to reign in her imagination. “Are they…a MD (Mother and Daughter) honey trap?”
The scene where Luo Qiu had his left arm draped around the young lovely daughter while hugging her beautiful mother in his right arm flashed across her mind. Ren Ziling felt that this situation was awful!
Definitely not allowed to happen!
Subeditor Ren threw the leftover hamburger and cola into the garbage bin, before rushing into the western restaurant in a hurry.
Ren Ziling’s sudden dash into the café was beyond Luo Qiu’s expectations. He opened his mouth, but no words came out.
“Who is this lady?”
The girl’s mother looked at the woman who suddenly appeared, asking Luo Qiu curiously.
Just as Luo Qiu was about to explain, Ren Ziling gave a wide smile. “Hello! I’m Luo Qiu’s elder sister, call me Ziling. I just finished work and heard my brother was tutoring a student, so I dropped by to take him back home… Well, I hope I didn’t disturb you guys?”
“That’s alright.” The girl’s mother smiled gracefully, taking out a pack of tissue and pulling one piece out to pass to Ren Ziling.
Ren Ziling gave a start, while Luo Qiu pointed at his mouth impatiently.
Ren Ziling touched her mouth… My god! There was still sauce from the hamburger sticking on her face.
No wonder the staff gave her a weird look when she came in.
“Thank, thank you…” Ren Ziling smiled awkwardly and wiped off the sauce on her face.
“Well…that’s all for today, time is almost up.” The girl’s mother smiled faintly and stood up. “Tutor Luo, we can continue next time.”
There should not be a next time.
However, Luo Qiu still nodded.
The girl’s mother said, “We won’t disturb you two. Pinting, say goodbye to them.”
The girl’s name was Pinting… Luo Qiu didn’t know it till now.
“Goodbye, Tutor Luo, and bye, big sister.” The girl said politely.
Luo Qiu let out a sigh after they left, then said with a little anger, “I thought you were supposed to just look from outside. And what the hell is with the older sister?”
Ren Ziling poured out her grievance, “All I did was for your sake! What would others think about you if they knew your mother was so young and beautiful?”
Luo Qiu sighed again. “It’s good to be confident, but can you wipe your mouth after eating? And, can you try not to add mayonnaise when you eat hamburgers?”
Ren Ziling opened her eyes wide, “What are you talking about? Filthy!”
“…” Luo Qiu skipped this subject. “Are you full now?”
“So so…” Ren Ziling touched her belly.
Luo Qiu shook his head, and called the waiter over, ordering a seafood spaghetti and a portion of fruit salad. He calmly added, “It’s healthier to eat something light in the evening.”
Ren Ziling planted a kiss on Luo Qiu’s face without thinking, “Good boy! You’re the one that’s like a mother!”
Luo Qiu wiped his face, then moved to the end of the booth, leaning against the window. He then proceeded to take out the ‘Origins of Blue and White Porcelain’ and started reading without saying any other words.
Seeing that Luo Qiu was behaving the same as usual, Ren Ziling realized her fears were all for naught.
She started enjoying the cuisine served by the waiter.
…
…
An extraordinary beauty that looked like a model passed by the mother and daughter pair quietly. Due to her beauty, the two of them glanced at her a few more times.
When they came back to their senses, the girl’s mother shuddered as the night wind blew over her. She said absent-mindedly, “Weird… where is this?”
Ji Pinting gazed at her mother wonderingly.
Right then, a black card flew under the night sky, silently slipping into the handbag of Ji Pinting’s mother.
“Let’s go back.”
“OK!”
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