When He Comes, Close Your Eyes.pdf

When He Comes, Close Your Eyes Close Your Eyes and Close To Me Hay Nham Mat Khi Anh Den He Has Arrived, Please Close Your Eyes Love Me, If You Dare Love me if you dare Ta Lai Le, Qing Bi Yan 他来了, 请闭眼

Author(s) - Ding Mo, 丁墨 Description What if you have a smart, playful and faithful boyfriend? When dating, he said: “I have no interest in these sort of things. But if you kiss me every ten minutes, I am willing to do any sort of silly things with you. When jealous, he said: “Compared to me, this man had stupid written all over him. The only good point he has is that he knows you are a good woman too. When making love, he said: “Although I have no experience, my intelligence and ability to learn far surpass normal people. Just to add, I am very observant as well. When proposing, he said: “I have no words to express myself. But if I have to sum everything up – I love you with all of my wisdom and life. I took him from a lonely world, back to the warmth of the bustling city. While he drags me from a quiet and ordinary life to a exciting and unpredictable life.

Chapter 1 The blue clouds covered the mountains from a distance while a thin layer of snow could be seen on the forest trail. The air felt cold and refreshing, smelling of pine and snow. It was a nice and comfortable scent, making it ideal for a slow walk. Alighting from the bus, Jian Yao looked around until she spotted a stone path. Following the path for 10 minutes, Jian Yao saw the grey-ish green roof of a European styled cottage. Ever since she could remember things, she had always seen this cottage at the outskirt of the hillside. Despite the fact that twenty years had passed, this cottage didn’t feel outdated at all even when compared to the modern infrastructure nowadays. This cottage had been left unoccupied for the past few years and there were even rumours that it was a haunted house. Jian Yao had believed it when she was younger, since the house was always sitting alone amidst the darkness at the outskirt of the hillside. It was only when she got older then she learnt the truth. It turned out the truth was just that the owner of the house had went oversea with his son when his wife passed away. However, the house that stood in front of Jian Yao now was different from her memory. This cottage was given a fresh coat of paint and she could see the lights shining from inside, the weeds surrounding the cottage was also pulled out. Jian Yao was a fourth year student majoring in English. The reason she was here today was because her middle school teacher had introduced a part time translator job to her after knowing that she was on holiday. Although the pay was rather good, her teacher had mentioned that this employer was very picky. This employer had rejected all of the previous applicants that her teacher had referred. Removing her gloves, Jian Yao knocked on the front door. A man who looked to be in his twenties, wearing a thin sweater with black trousers, greeted her. He was tall, thin and had delicate features. “Jian Yao?” He asked, giving her a cheeky smile. Jian Yao’s cheeks were red, possibly from the coldness. Her breath came out in white mist and her eyes were slightly wet. “Yes, I am Jian Yao. Nice to meet you.” “Come in,” the man stepped aside to let Jian Yao entered. Layers of dark purple curtains lined the window, there were large velvet couches with curved backrest. At the corner of the house, Jian Yao saw a fireplace with logs in it. This felt very much like a typical European styled cottage. At the side of the house, a deep brown wooden staircase led up to the second floor which was really quiet as though there wasn’t anyone there. The only thing that felt out of place in this cottage was the metal railings that were fitted on the windows, not allowing much sunrays to come into the house. With his sleeves rolled up, the man washed his hands before handing a cup of tea to Jian Yao and

gestured for her to sit down. When he sat down opposite her, Jian Yao caught a very faint but familiar scent from him. A scent which Jian Yao couldn’t quite remember where she had smell it before. The man gave Jian Yao a friendly smile, “I am Fu Zi Yu and the owner of this place is called Bao Jin Yan. We are currently looking for a translator to translate his English documents into Chinese.” Jian Yao nodded, wondering if the owner was related to the previous owner of the house or maybe he was a new owner. Zi Yu took out a stack of papers and a pen, handing it over to Jian Yao. “So, let’s not waste any more time and start the test to see if you are qualified for this job. Within half an hour, please translate all the English articles here.” Jian Yao flipped through the articles before looking up, “Is there a computer here?” Zi Yu shook his head and a helpless smile appeared on his face. “Jin Yan likes things to be handwritten.” “No problem,” Jian Yao picked up the pen and papers and started to work her way through the articles. Zi Yu got up quietly and headed to the sink to wash his hands again before leaning against one of the windows, sipping his tea quietly. “The victim had been sexually assaulted and there were signs that the victim’s hands had been tied together. There were also multiple wounds on her lower body – “ Jian Yao was a bit surprised by the content and paused in her translation. She looked up at Zi Yu who was impervious. As Jian Yao had experience in translating such things in the past – except that it was not as gruesome as this, she got over her surprise rather swiftly. She got back to translating the article until she came across a word that she did not know. Briefly looking through the whole article, Jian Yao encountered quite a number of words that were rather uncommon. “Do you have a dictionary specialised in this field of work?” Zi Yu pointed to the bookshelf at the side, “Feel free to use any one of them.” Jian Yao managed to find what she was looking for and she buried herself in translating the article again. “Sexhanges – , Parentiside – ……” It was not a surprise that she did not know such words as she continued looking through the dictionaries. After she managed to translate everything, Jian Yao checked it thoroughly once more. Zi Yu looked at his watch and was rather surprised when he saw that only 25 minutes had passed since the start of the test. “I will be back in a bit after I hand this over to Jin Yan.” After saying that, Zi Yu headed up to the second floor. Jian Yao simply sat the couch and waited for Zi Yu. He was back in a short while and he went to the sink to wash his hands once more before drying it on his handkerchief. “He is looking through it now.”

“Okay,” Jian Yao nodded. With nothing much to do, Zi Yu started to strike up a conversation with Jian Yao. “Are you studying at a University in B City?” “Yes, I am graduating next year.” Jian Yao answered. Zi Yu inclined his head slightly, “I see. We have been talking for quite a while, do you want to guess which profession I am in?” The man in front of Jian Yao looked to be older than her by a few years and he was a very courteous person. Jian Yao had a good first impression of him. “Are you a doctor?” Zi Yu’s smile got deeper, “How did you know?” Jian Yao was rather pleased that she managed to guess correctly, her gaze landed on Zi Yu’s slender fingers. “It was just a lucky guess, since I saw you washing your hands a number of times which means that you are a person who placed great emphasize on cleanliness. I also smell a very faint disinfectant scent coming from you and your fingers… It looked rather doctor-ish.” “I guess I will take those as compliments then,” Zi Yu replied. They continued chatting about other things when the conversation somehow steered back to Bao Jin Yan. At the mention of him, Zi Yu sighed. “I am leaving here in a few days, but I am worried about Jin Yan. To be honest, he is a fairly withdrawn person.” Listening to him talking about Jin Yan, Jian Yao simply gave him a polite smile with no questions asked. Zi Yu sneaked a glance at her before continuing, “Even though he has been back for quite a while, he still didn’t have any friends. I bet you don’t even know when he got back here.” Jian Yao’s smile remains unchanged, looking as though she had no intention of continuing the topic. However, she saw Zi Yu looking at her intently as if he was waiting for her answer. Although Jian Yao felt quite weird, she replied him nonetheless. “He came back last year, right?” “How did you know?” Zi Yu asked. “I passed by here last year during my holidays and I didn’t see any creeper. But when I entered the house just now, I saw that the creeper was about four to five meters tall. My house’s creeper grow about that much in a year.” Unexpectedly, they had chatted with each other for half an hour. Zi Yu looked at his watch with a smile on his face. “It is rather late now, why don’t you head home first? I will call you later when we come to a decision.” Jian Yao nodded. “Thank you for coming today, if he decided to hire you, there will be a contract drawn up. You will be required to work here for twenty days straight and all translation

works had to be done on the spot. Also all the information have to remain confidential, so you can’t bring home any of it.” Zi Yu informed her as he walked her to the door. “Jin Yan is currently recuperating so without any permission, you are not allowed to head up to the second floor. Regarding other details, we will discuss it when we sign the contract.” When Jian Yao left the house, it was close to evening time. The sun was setting, bathing the area in an orange glow. It had looked especially pretty when the rays landed on the crystal white snow and the leaves that were covered in snow. Jian Yao was pretty confident about getting hired. Despite the fact that the employer hadn’t showed his face once, making him rather mysterious and a little eccentric. But at the end of it, this job was referred to her by her teacher so it should be reliable. After walking a few meters away from the house, Jian Yao turned back to look at the house once more. From the window on the second floor, she spotted a tall and slender man, wearing a black cut suit. A rather striking sight if you asked Jian Yao. However, she was too far away from the house to see the man’s face clearly. Once Jian Yao was gone, Zi Yu went up to the second floor straight. Compared to the warm elegance on the first floor, the second floor was rather gloomy and cold. There were a number of sealed rooms and the walls were completely void of any decorations. Going to the room at the end of the hallway, he saw that the door was left ajar. He pushed it open and leaned against the door. There was none of the refined elegant man left as he cursed loudly. It caused the man who was reading a book to frown momentarily at Zi Yu. However, at the next second, he resumed his reading. Zi Yu was nonchalant as he picked up Jian Yao’s translation work and handed it over to the man. “She has beautiful handwriting and translated perfectly.” Zi Yu took out a paper from his pocket and unfolded it. On the paper, there were a few questions like what was his occupation, how long has Jin Yan moved here and etc. Yes, those were the questions that Zi Yu had asked Jian Yao to guess just now. He slapped the piece of paper on the table and said, “Regarding all these questions here, she had managed to answer all of them correctly. Are you satisfied with her?” The man’s lips turned up ever so slightly.

Seeing that expression, Zi Yu was afraid that he was going to be picky again, he pulled out a chair and sat in front of him. “If you are not satisfied with her, you can always translate it yourself. Besides, I am not your assistant and not to mention I will be returning to the city soon, so do not always count on me to help you run your errands.” The man looked up from his book with a weird expression on his face as he replied Zi Yu. “My time isn’t to be used doing those silly things.” For a moment, Zi Yu did not know how to reply him. “You are a homicide expert and she is just a translator, I don’t understand why there is a need to test her observation skills? I am willing to bet that she probably thinks that I talk too much.” This time, the man revealed a very gentle smile. “Obviously, I cannot allowed stupid people to translate my work. If the person isn’t meticulous enough, he will only be translating directly from the article. He won’t be able to translate the finer details and most definitely he won’t be able to grasp the true meanings behind those words.” Zi Yu really didn’t know if he should laugh or be angry but he was all too used to him being like this. “So does this mean that Jian Yao is able to understand you?” The man face went blank for a second. Then he went back to read his book and said, “No one will ever be able to understand.”

Chapter 2 Jiao Yao lived alone in the old house at the police compound during the holidays. This was where Jian Yao’s family lived before her father’s death. When Jian Yao’s mother remarried, they moved out and this house was left vacant. It was already late evening, the lights in the compound were mostly lit up and the smell of food could be detected. Similarly, the lights in the police office was also lit up while the police busied themselves. Jian Yao unlocked her house door only to see her sister, Jian Xuan, lying on the couch and munching an apple while watching the television. When Jing Xuan saw that her sister was back, she turned around and complained a little, “Why are you home so late? I waited almost half a day for you.” Jian Yao tossed her bag at her sister and sat down beside her. “My interview ended late. Besides, I thought that you will be home late? Weren’t you going to catch some sleep over at that place.” By ‘that place, Jian Yao was referring to her stepfather’s house. Both of them had spent quite a number of years there, resulting in a close relationship with their stepfather. However, her stepfather’s house was rather cramped. This was why Jian Yao chose to move out once she was of age. Jian Xuan spent her time alternating between the two places. But during festivals like Chinese New Year and such, the whole family would usually gather together. Jian Xuan was currently studying aboard at a university. It took her ten hours to get home which explained why she looked rather haggard. However, once she heard the word ‘interview’, she had sat up immediately, her eyes brimming with curiosity as she looked at her sister. “So, I heard from mother that you went there for an interview?” Jian Yao gave her a smiled before replying, “I did go over there for an interview.” She briefly recounted what happened during the interview without mentioning the content of her translation work due to confidentiality requirements of the job. Jian Xuan expression turned enigmatic, “So, you haven’t seen that … Mr Bao yet?” “No.” Jian Yao looked at her and asked, “Why?” “Well,” Jian Xuan suddenly patted her sister’s shoulder and with a very dignified bitter tone said, “Sister, you must be prepared. I think I might have seen him before. He is simply too frightening.” Suddenly, an image of the man emerged in Jian Yao’s mind. It was the image of the man which she had glimpsed on the second floor of her house. He looks scary? Jian Xuan immediately described to Jian Yao what happened.

Last year, during the tomb sweeping festival, Jian Xuan had went back home. One time, when she and her friends went up the mountain to fish, she passed by the house and saw the man standing at the second floor. During that time, Jian Yao was still working in the city and hence did not know what happened. Although this happened a year ago, Jian Xuan could still clearly remembered what she saw. She shivered a little, “He was all skin and bones, with sunken eyes and wrinkled skin – he resembled a skeleton. Actually, he looked more like a monster! Later on another occasion, my classmates saw him in the street wearing a mask covering his face – he most probably did not want to scare anyone with his horrifying look.” After hearing that, Jian Yao remained silence. “Just a piece of advice, if that person is really Mr Bao, do not ever look at his face.” Jian Xuan added after a while. Jian Yao smiled and say, “It’s okay. Come what may, he will not be able to scare me.” After chatting a while more, Jian Yao looked at the time before turning to look at the police office that was opposite her house. There were still lights emitting from the office. “Let’s call Li Xun Ran to eat dinner with us,” Jian Yao said to her sister. “I have to meet my friends,” Jian Xuan suddenly told her sister before leaving in a hurry. Once her sister left, Jian Yao headed to the window and called Xun Ran. “Xun Ran, it is me, Jian Yao. I am back.” Xun Ran didn’t reply her immediately and that was when Jian Yao spotted a shadow appearing at the police office’s window. “First stick your head out of the window, so I can verify your identity with my binoculars.” Xun Ran instructed her and Jian could hear a hint of laughter in his voice, making her smile slightly. The Li’s family and the Jian’s family were very close friend, Xun Ran and Jian Yao had known each other since young. Because of their family’s close relationship, the both of them had often hang out together even though there was a four years gap between the both of them. After Xun Ran enrolled into the police academy, they hang out lesser. When Xun Ran finally graduated, it was Jian Yao’s turn to head to the university and they had even lesser time to hang out with each other. Time passed and before she knows, 3 years had passed since Jian Yao last seen Xun Ran.

The sky was already dark, the street lamps slowly lighted up one by one until the end of the street. Under the dark and hazy sky, Xun Ran was in his police uniform, causcally leaning against one of the lamppost and a lazy smile on his face. Jian Yao walked over to him, a smile was on her face. Once she was in front of him, Xun Ran had hugged her before she could open her mouth to greet him. “It has been a long time, Jian Yao.” Xun Ran said to her. Jian Yao was rather surprised by his sudden action but she returned the hug after a while as her smile grew wider. They headed to one of the restaurants nearby, Xun Ran had chosen a table that was near the window. There was a screen that separated their table from the rest, secluded and quiet. While he was ordering food for them, Jian Yao simply looked at him quietly. Not looking at her, Xun Ran continued pointing at the dishes he wanted to the waiter when he asked, “Why? There aren’t handsome guys at your campus?” “Indeed,” Jian Yao answered him in all seriousness. A smile emerged when Xun Ran heard her answer. Xun Ran’s looks belonged to those upright kind of handsome, neat and clean. Black brows, red lips and white teeth, everyone who looked at him would agree that he was extremely good looking. However, Xun Ran was rather arrogant since young making it hard for people to approach him. Jian Yao felt that aura was more evident now after he was in the force for these past few years. He was more solemn, more serious and more unapproachable. After he had finished placing orders, he placed one of his arms on the back of the chair beside him. He was quiet for a few seconds, staring at Jian Yao when he smiled. “Let’s go fishing a few days later?” When they were younger, the both of them would often run around in the mountains. Their activities included fishing and digging vegetables from the field. “Sure,” Jian Yao placed her chin on her hands. “I joined the fishing association when I was in school. My skills now is much better than before, you better prepared yourself mentally.” Xun Ran laughed loudly when he heard her answer. After a while, he asked. “Managed to find a boyfriend yet?” “No, you?” “Haven’t, too busy.” They were halfway through their meal when Xun Ran’s phone rang. Picking up his phone, his expression turned solemn when he heard what the person on the line was saying. After he hang up his phone, he took his wallet out from his coat’s pocket,

“Something came up in the station, I have to go. You can take your time and eat slowly. Waiter, bill!” “It is fine,” Jian Yao took out her wallet as well. When the waiter arrived at their table with the bill, Jian Yao was about to take out her money when Xun Ran had grabbed her hands. His grip was surprisingly strong, making Jian Yao unable to move her hands. After the waiter had given him his change, Xun Ran suddenly recalled about one of the cases he was handling. Waving a hand at her, Jian Yao moved closer to him. “Recently, there is a human trafficking organization that is in the move over here, their targets are mainly teenagers. Even though you and your sister are too old to be called teenagers, both of you should also keep a lookout. This case is currently being investigated so it isn’t made known to the public yet.” Jian Yao went blank for a moment when she heard Xun Ran’s voice again. “I was the one who found out what happened when I was sorting through the different cases. I found out that city as well as the area around here, there is a total of nine people who went missing. This number is twice higher compared to the previous year.” “Then?” Jian Yao frowned. “I went to do a more in-depth understanding. Out of the nine missing people, eight of them of them are teenagers and they went missing in the city. “He paused for a while before continuing. “According to the records as well as asking some of the other police from other department, I found out that there is indeed a human trafficking organization in the area. Those missing people are mostly likely sold.” Jian Yao’s frown got even deeper after listening to what he said. Xun Ran had patted her on her shoulders, “I will crack this case.” Jian Yao sent him to the entrance of the restaurant. Xun Ran had walked off when he stopped and turned back. He saw that Jian Yao was rooted to the same spot, looking at him. At this timing, the sky had already turned dark. The light from the moon as well as the street lamps’ light had woven together, illuminating the streets. Jian Yao was dressed in a pale yellow sweater coupled with a pair of dark jeans, her long black hair draped off her shoulders, making her looked even more fairer than usual. “Go in!” Xun Ran shouted and saw Jian Yao nodded. Turning his back on her, Xun Ran rubbed his hands together, blowing some air on them to warm his hands up as he walked towards the station. At night, Jian Yao relayed what she heard from Xun Ran to her sister. Jian Xuan had appeared to be nervous and had even made plans to buy some self-defense tools to protect herself. They had chatted a while more before heading to sleep when Jian Yao recalled whenever there is a case, the station would usually be extremely busy with no notion of

the time outside. This meant that the fishing plan with Xun Ran had to be pushed back infinitely. She then suddenly thought of the interview, her priority now was that job. The second day, Jian Yao was still in the kitchen, preparing breakfast when the doorbell rang. Opening the door, Jian Xuan saw a courier who handed her what appeared to be documents. Taking it from the courier, Jian Xuan passed it to Jian Yao. “Same city from us.” Opening it, true enough, it was the contract that Zi Yu had told her about. Looking through the contract once more to make sure that she didn’t miss anything out, Jian Yao flipped to the last page of the contract when she stilled. The other party had already signed his name, ‘Bao Jin Yan’. Curious, Jian Xuan looked over her sister’s shoulders. “The monster send this? His handwriting is – “ “His handwriting style is just like him,” Jian Yao told her sister. “Even if he is a monster, he is a monster with character.” “Oh,” Jian Xuan didn’t say anything more. Jian Yao took out a pen from her bag and was about to sign her name when she stopped. Taking a piece of paper, she practiced signing her name on the paper for over ten times. It was only then when she finally picked up the pen again, signing her name beside his.

Chapter 3 T City is located somewhere near the edge of a tributary of the Yangtze River. It is surrounded by mountains blocking the traffic which in turn caused the city to be a very backwater place. However, when the highway was built in T City 2 years ago, the city suddenly have a tremendous development and become the economic centre of the province. Like other developed cities, people in T City want to get out to go North Guangzhou, while the surrounding people living near T City wanted to get in. During the period when Jian Yao was in university, she went back home every year. Each time she went back to her hometown, she felt like the history of the place was slowly fading away. Old building were slowly being demolished, real estate prices kept going up and the city felt more and more crowded. However, there were still things left untouched. For example, the rivers around the city, the People’s Heroes Monument as well as that old and secluded villa. At eight in the morning, she reached just on time and knocked on the door which turned out to be already open. Peeking in, she saw that the house was entirely silent with only the sunlight streaming in, there wasn’t anyone in the house. Yesterday, Fan Zi Yu called to inform her that he needed to go back to B City. He told her to make herself at home in the villa, with the exception of the locked room on the first floor. It seems that this is the start of “make herself at home”. The living room looks the same except for the white colored square table and chair near the window. There was a laptop on top of the table with a pile of old yellow document. According to the agreement, due to the large workload, it is requested for her to make use of the laptop. Jian Yao sat down on the white chair. Sitting down on the white chair, Jian Yao turned to look outside of the window. There were mountains that were blanketed snow, she could also see the sunlight streaming through the pine trees, all of these made a beautiful sight. Looking at the table, everything was neatly arranged – this made a good and comfortable environment to work in. Switching the laptop on, she saw that a word document was already opened. But there was no content in it except for the email address at the top of the page. Getting up, Jian Yao decided to do a little exploring. The kitchen is next to the living room and Jian Yao could smell pyrotechnic gas in the air which could mean Mr Bo usually cook at home. Placing the fruits she bought into the fridge, she saw that it was almost empty saved for the half eaten fish soup. Close by the kitchen, there was a door which was connected to a hallway. Taking a few steps, Jian Yao discovered a fishing rod placed against the wall. It wasn’t a surprise since this place had a few water bodies and fishes could often be seen swimming in the water so most of the families here had one or two fishing rods at home.

What surprised Jian Yao was the brand of the fishing rod, “Red Tiger.” Not to mention that it was a limited edition and probably considered to be one of the most expensive in the world. This version of fishing rod was hailed as the best in many anglers’ mind. Taking out her phone after a minute of admiring it, Jian Yao took a picture before she continued walking. Nearing the end of the hallway, Jian Yao halted her steps. In front of her was a rather dark small room. Heavy curtains were used to block out the sunlight, this room felt dull and cold. There wasn’t anything else in the room except for two tightly closed door. Going into the room, Jian Yao headed to one of the doors and tried to pull it open only to realise that it was locked. She then made her way back to the living room since she had enough of exploring for now. Making a cup of coffee for herself, she started working. Time passed rather quickly and Jian Yao never once stood up from her work station. While she was hard at work, Fu Zi Yu was in one of the rooms on the second floor, facing surveillance screens. His eyes were captured by the sight of Jian Yao before he turned to Bao Jin Yan. “She is rather well-behaved. I guess there won’t be any problems so I will be going back to the city tomorrow.” Leaning against the couch with his long legs resting on the footstool, Bao Jin Yan’s sleeves were rolled up halfway as he picked up another grilled fish in his mouth. His eyes flicked up to the screen for a second before looking away. “Boring, she is just like a wooden doll.” “Well, you did pick her yourself.” A smile was Fu Zi Yu’s face as he reminded him. Turning to the man on the couch, he saw that the plate was completely empty. It was just minutes ago when it was filled with fishes. “Will you die if you don’t eat fish for a day?” Licking his fingers slowly, Bao Jin Yan’s lips curved up slowly. “No but I will turn violent if my needs aren’t met.” After that dinner with Jian Yao, Lee Xun Ran started to get increasingly busy. He was busy enough with his usual work and added onto that was the missing teenagers’ case. As the investigation continued, it started to get harder to dig deeper. The first stumbling block was the missing teenagers all came from different areas and the second stumbling block was the time that they went missing were all different as well. Lee Xun Ran couldn’t find any link that these missing teenagers’ cases were related and they were abducted by an organisation, he had no way to prove that this organisation exist. His supervisor did pay attention to his findings but without concrete evidence, this case couldn’t get the green light to start a formal investigation nor an increase in manpower. This was why he decided to meet up with one of his seniors for dinner. Both of them went to a nearby hotpot restaurant which was the perfect meal on such a chilly day.

“Honestly, you have too much free time on your hand.” His senior told him after Lee Xun Ran told him what he was investigating. Lee Xun Ran gave him a smile. Well, he did have a little more time on his hand but now that he was involved, he wasn’t going to just give up so easily. He lit a cigarette and took a puff of it. “I trust my instinct. My sixth sense is telling me that these few cases are connected and they are done by the same person. Other people wash their hands off it but I can’t. I can’t let more children disappear again.” “It is not going to be easy,” his senior said after a while. “Our country is so big, how are you planning to start? The organisation is smart enough to not leave any traces behind.” “But you have to understand that – “ “There is two ways to crack this case. First, you find an expert. This kind of case isn’t something that normal people like us can solve. But nowadays, finding an expert isn’t that easy. All of them are just all talk with their deduction but no actions were taken. So this brings us to the second way, you can choose to work undercover but unlike the past, trafficking organisation isn’t going to be as easy to infiltrate. One of the cops in the past managed to infiltrate but that was after days and days of disguising himself as a beggar. He eventually cracked the case but he died soon after. ” Lee Xun Ran didn’t say anything as he drowned another can of beer. His senior sighed before changing the topic, he had no doubt that Lee Xun Ran was going to continue with his investigation. “I saw a woman with you the other day, is it Jian Yao? She has grown up rather well, getting prettier day by day. It isn’t easy to find a suitable partner in our line of work so you better treat her well and propose soon.” “What propose? She is just my sister.” Lee Xun Ran said. As per usual, just like every other day, Jian Yao will send her completed work to the email address in the laptop during afternoon time. The next day, she will get a read receipt but still, Bao Jin Yan never once replied her email nor showed his face. Well, she believed that no news meant good news. However, now that she had seen Bao Jin Yan’s fishing rod, her fishing addiction started to kick in. It has been quite a while since she last fished. After working continuously for a week, she picked a day with the perfect weather to take a break. “Hello?” Lee Xun Ran answered his phone. He was currently in disguise, wearing tattered clothing to make himself resembled a beggar. After talking to his senior, he choose to do what that cop had done. It had been a few days but still, there wasn’t anything. “Fishing? I am currently in the midst of an investigation.” “Is that so?” Jian Yao asked. “How about this? I will meet you later on at our secret spot but I can’t give you an exact timing now.” Lee Xun Ran hung up after he told her that. Looking at her phone, Jian Yao placed it on the table before packing her fishing gears.

She was surprised that Lee Xun Ran still remembered their secret spot. They discovered that spot when they were still kids. The place is rather remote so not many people know about it and that was probably why the fishes are always bountiful in that area. Since then, Lee Xun Ran coined that place to be their secret spot. Another reason why such a good place weren’t discovered earlier by other people might have to do with the fact that it is located near Bao Jin Yan’s house which was rumored to be haunted and making people stayed away from it. Now that she think about it, she realized that she could see this spot clearly from Bao Jin Yan’s living room so their secret spot weren’t exactly a secret anymore. Well, that aspect might have changed but the memories that remained were worth reminiscing about. Jian Yao set out after lunch when it was the warmest hour of the day, not too hot and not too cold either. The sunlight filtered through, shinning on the small path that crossed the villa, leading further into the forest. Between the black and the brown stones, hidden was a small trail of sparkling water. The water continued to flow, connecting to an even bigger water body. This is the secret place. It was relatively quiet with no one around. Jian Yao headed to the largest tree to sit before she started to fish. It was only then when she saw that the opposite tree had a fishing rod underneath but there wasn’t anyone tending to it. Her phone rang and she saw that it was Lee Xun Ran. “Urgent situation, I won’t be able to go.” “But I am already here!” Jian Yao told him. “You can fish by yourself then. But remember to take care of yourself and call me if you encounter trouble. Gotta to go now.” Jian Yao sighed softly, “Bye.” Hanging up, Jian Yao sat for a little while before heading to the fishing rod that wasn’t tended by anyone. It was a little unexpected but at the same time, she kind of expected it. This was the same fishing rod that she saw before. Her excitement started to grow as she looked around the place. But still, she didn’t see any traces of a person being here. Just as she was about to walk off, she heard the sound of a bell being rang rapidly signaling a fish had bit the bait. Reeling the carp up, she placed it into the basket. Seeing the empty hook, Jian Yao hesitated for a while before looking down to find something. As expected, she found a box of baits. Hooking one of the baits on to the hook, she placed the fishing rod back to its original position.

Perhaps, a branded fishing rod really makes all the difference and coupled with the nice and cozy weather, the fishes were more enthusiastic than usual. Before she could return to her spot, another fish had bit the bait again. Within half an hour, Jian Yao had caught six fishes. But there was still no sight of Mr. Bao. Even if he was called away by an urgent matter, simply leaving such an expensive fishing rod around was unthinkable. Luckily, she was the one who saw the rod. Eventually, Jian Yao moved her equipment over and she even hooked her own specially created bait onto his fishing rod. A branded fishing rod coupled with a high quality bait is a flawless combination. When the skies started to darken, Jian Yao had caught enough fishes to fill up two baskets. She exerted more than her usual strength to carry the two baskets back to the villa. Jian Yao even helped to place the fishing rod back to where she had seen it in the house. After a while of thinking, she decided to email her employer. “Mr. Bao, I saw your fishing rod when I happened to go fishing just now. I am unsure if you were called away by an urgent matter so I took the liberty to help you pack your equipment and brought it back to the house. I’ve also brought back the fishes that were caught by your fishing rod. If this offend you in any way, I seek your forgiveness.” After sending the email, Jian Yao selected a few fishes that she caught to bring home. It was during dinner time when her phone signaled that she had just received a new email. Opening it up, she saw that it was a reply from Mr. Bao; the first ever reply. “The fishes are good. Thank you.” ———Turning up at the villa the next day, there was still no one. Not putting much thought about yesterday, Jian Yao started to bury herself in her work. During a short break, she went to wash some of the fruits she brought. Entering the kitchen, she sniffed a waft of fish being cooked, needless to say, it smelt delicious. Opening the fridge, she was momentarily shocked – there were so many fishes in the fridge. Unlike yesterday where it was completely empty, the fridge was filled to brim today. There were all kind of fishes that were cooked in a variety of methods; braised fish, steamed fish, pickled fish head, fish slices and fish soup – the fridge was filled to the brim with these dishes and all of it looked to be leftover. Closing the fridge, Jian Yao suddenly felt like laughing as she imagined her employer who cooked all of these in the middle of the night. This Mr. Bao must have liked to eat fish a lot. ———–

Each day continued to pass just like per usual after that when it was yet another day with nice weather. Jian Yao went to the secret spot with her sister this time. Jian Yao didn’t want to disturb Lee Xun Ran at work plus his phone was off completely this time, making it felt as though he had disappeared without a trace. Upon reaching, she saw that familiar rod once again. Jian Xuan saw the brand of the fishing rod before exclaiming. “Whose fishing rod is this? How can the person leave such an expensive rod lying around.” Jian Yao’s curiosity started to grow too – why did Mr. Bao leave his fishing rod here without anyone tending it? Jian Xuan lifted the fishing rod out of the water. “Hey, there is no bait. Did one of the fish bite the bait? If that is the case then where is the fish? This kind of hook isn’t easy for the fish to get away.” Hearing what Jian Xuan had said, Jian Yao looked around for a box of baits but there wasn’t anything save for this fishing rod. Jian Xuan had also discovered the same thing, “Is this person another *Jiang Tai Gong?” Jian Yao understood by now as the end of her lips curved up slightly, “No, he isn’t waiting for fish.” He is waiting for her. *jiang tai gong: “Taigong Diaoyu, Yuanzhe Shanggou” is a famous Chinese idiom about a willing victim letting himself be caught.

Chapter 4 Jian Yao appears to be a gentle girl, with all the qualities one would ask for in pretty girl -long hair, fair complexion, nice facial features and sparkly eyes. She is also very slim. The dress she is wearing is elegant and tasteful. With her proportions, she will look good in whatever she chooses to wear. She speaks with a soft and pleasant voice. She inherited her mother’s virtuous temperament - modest and elegant. But she also has her father’s free and easy going spirit. Though her father was only able to accompany her for six years, Jian Yao remembers a lot of his teachings,such as “ A real man with live with integrity and a clear conscience always, and "Enjoy and maximize all the pleasures which life affords!” etc etc As the sun begins to set, she starts to pack up. She leaves the "DAIA Red Tiger" and more than a dozen fish on the shore. As they start to walk, Jian Xuan is amazed: “Are we just going to leave them here?” “Yeah. He will come over and collect them later." When they reach their house, Jian Xuan asks: "Sister, you helped him to catch so many fish, did he not even send you an email to say thank you??" Jian Xuan not usually so preoccupied with other’s lack of gratitude, but she fears her sister’s generosity will be taken advantage of. Jian Yao admits she has not thought about it. To her, Bo Jinyan seems to be a pretty straightforward guy. She smiles: “What do you mean?" Jian Xuan says: "I think you are too nice to the weirdo. Are you interested in him?” Jian Yao laughs: "Nonsense." After three days, to her surprise, a parcel arrives - a gift from Mr. Bo. Walking into the house, she sees a large box on the table. Jian Xuan looks at her. Obviously, she’s waiting for Jian Yao to reveal what’s inside. “From B City. Fu Zi Yu (Fu Ziyu) sent it to you." Jian Xuan asks curiously, “Isn’t he the gay partner of the weirdo? What is he sending to you?" Fu Ziyu didn’t mention anything about a parcel. Jian Yao has no idea what it is. To her surprise, it’s a brand new fishing rod, a ”DAIA" Red Tiger! The exact same one as Bo Jinyan Jian Yao gives Fu Ziyu a call. In another city, Fu Ziyu, dresses in a white doctor’s robe, sits in the office and is looking at his patients’ files.

”Jian Yao, please accept this as a token of appreciation from Jinyan. He asked me to send it to you on his behalf. You know how much he likes to eat fish. It’s nothing, really” Jian Yao hesitates: "It is too expensive, I cannot accept this." Fu Ziyu smiles: "He has one already. And I don’t fish. This rod will be wasted if you don’t accept it. " Jian Yao disagrees: “Mr. Fu, this ‘reward’ is much bigger than my ‘sacrifice’. It’s only a few fish! ” "It is Jinyan’s idea, you will have to talk to him about this. I can’t make any decisions." Fu Ziyu interrupts her, "but knowing his character, useless stuff gets thrown out. Tomorrow, you will see a pitiful ‘Red Tiger’ inside the garage bin by the back door.” Jian Yao has no choice but to say she will accept it. But she doesn’t want the money from doing the translation. Since she is so adamant about it, Fu Ziyu agrees to it with some reluctance. After the phone conversation, Fu Ziyu recalls the events two days ago. He did not lie to Jian Yao, buying the Red Tiger is Bo Jinyan’s decision, but giving a present is his idea.

Two days ago, he called Bo Jinyan like he normally does just to check that everything is going smoothly. Casually, he asked: “Do I need to replenish your fish supply??" With winter approaching, a small town like the one Bo Jinyan is staying might prove difficult to buy fresh fish. Surprisingly Bo Jinyan replied: "I have a lot of fish." "How? Where?" He knows Bo Jinyan too well. He is not patient enough to stand for hours fishing himself. Usually, he will cast the fishing rod, then walk off within minutes because he is so bored. Bo Jinyan replied in a calm voice: “Jian Yao caught them for me." Fu Ziyu was intrigued: "Why did she catch fish for you?" Bo Jinyan answered: “I don’t know and I don’t care." Fu Ziyu was speechless - a typical "Bo Jinyan-style answer." He said: “ And you previously commented that she is like a piece of wood….How are you going to thank her?" Bo Jinyan thought for a moment:. "I'll double her pay.”

Fu Ziyu was about to say yes when a thought came to his mind. With Bo Jinyan’s personality, it’s extremely hard for him to make friends, but maybe, just maybe, the two of them will get along. So Fu Ziyu said: “Nah, cash is a bad idea. You should send her a gift." "Alright. Please arrange on my behalf." “Hey, Jinyan, I'm not your maid!" Fu Ziyu growled, "I do not know her well enough. How would I know what’s a good gift for her?” Bo Jinyan thought for a few moments, then smiled and told him:. “Get her a fishing rod that is exactly the same as mine. This way, I don’t even have to set up my fishing rod by the river in the morning and collect it at night. ” The next day after receiving the rod, Jian Yao takes a bottle of wine with her to the villa. Jian Yao’s father used to have a wine cellar. There’s still a few bottles left after all these years although the stock is being steadily depleted by Lee, who drinks them when he visits the family. The wine is from local artisan winery. It’s eight years old and you won’t be able to buy anything like this in a shop, so it is very precious. An appropriate way of saying thank you for the expensive ‘Red Tiger’. Leaving the bottle of wine in the kitchen, Jian Yao send an email to Bo Jinyan: “A good wine for fish.. Please accept my gift." Bo Jinyan did not reply. But the next day when Jian Yao goes to the villa, she notices the wine is placed in the cupboard, but there’s less of it in the bottle. Days passed, the New Year is just around the corner, and Jian Yao’s translation work is near its completion. Jian Xuan feels a deep regret in her: “You still haven’t seen the man’s face? Not even once?” At least she is not calling him a weirdo anymore. To be frank, Jian Yao is a little disappointed too. But what she doesn’t expect is that it’s the very next day after their conversation that they will finally see each other face to face for the first time. It’s a bright sunny morning. It’s warmer than usual for this time of the year. Jian Yao leaves home wearing a thin padded jacket. As usual, she heads to the villa and begins her work.

Trying to finish off all the translation before the New Year, Jian Yao stayed in the villa for a bit longer than usual. As she is about to leave, she realised the weather has turned - thunder, lightning, and heavy rain. It’s too dangerous to travel now. Jian Yao waits for the wind and the rain to die down, but the weather shows no signs of improvement in the next few hours. She gives up and calls the family. But no one answers. Night is here. The wind is still howling outside the villa. The noisy chaos outside is a sharp contrast to the still and silence inside the villa.

The power supply for small towns are less reliable and bad weather often cause blackouts. Jian Yao hears some ‘pops’ in the air and thinks to herself: Please, not another power outage. Suddenly, all the lights were gone, and darkness fills the room. Jian Yao gives a sigh and start to walk towards the stairs. She shouts out from the bottom of the stairs. “Mr Bo! Mr Bo!” He did not respond. Jian Yao climbs the stairs, and finds there’s a gate. An iron gate. A dark large iron gate, blocking the entrance on the second floor. It looks gloomy and forbidding. Jian Yao is taken back slightly. Then she walks up and knocks on the iron gate, shouting a few words. No one. There is a small window on the iron gate. Jian Yao takes a peep through the small window and sees a dark hallway, with several doors, closed of course. A bolt of lightning tore across the sky and a peal of thunder followed. It’s a scene that one often finds in horror movies. Jian Yao has been to the villa many times, but this is the first time she feels afraid, She turns back. Just as she’s about to walk down the stairs, a door opens, and she hears footsteps behind her. Jian Yao holds on to the stair railings tightly. She dares not to move. On a torrential rainy night, a man walks toward the gates. Sudden there’s a "bang" sound. The iron gate is opened. A tall man comes out. Because it’s too dark to see what this man looks like. He is very tall, at least 185cm. Surprisingly quite a burly man, not as thin as Jian Yao had imagined him to be. He is wearing a white bathrobe ......? No wonder nobody answered her when she yelled earlier.

See that it’s a real person and not a ghost, Jian Yao felt less scared. Having had some experience with his eccentric personality, she is not too surprised to see him appearing the way he did. He stops for a moment and looks at her. Then he walks down those stairs with his long legs. Jian Yao: “Mr.. Bo?" "Ah." He answered quietly, more like a hum from the nose. Then he walks up to her. His big tall body is as a wall moving closer towards her. Jian Yao subconsciously steps back. In a polite voice, she asked: "Mr.Bo, do you have a flashlight ? ......" Bo Jinyan walks straight pass her as if she isn’t there. She follows behind him. Bo Jinyan passes through the living room into the kitchen. Jian Yao speaks again: “Mr. Bo?” "No." He replies without looking back. Although the response is brief, Jian Yao can tell that he has a deep and melodious voice. “Do you know how to fix the problem?” Jian Yao asks tentatively. Although she does not know much about power, she is familiar with the fact that properties in remote locations such as this villa usually have its own power generator. This time, Bo Jinyan turns around to look at her. After a few moment in deep thoughts, he replies: “Judging from the extend of the power outage, the transformer is overloaded. I will need to close the gates, open the transformer, find the damaged parts, then get the required accessories to repair it . " He said in his deep male voice. Deep and clear, like the bass notes of a piano. But just as Jian Yao has her hopes up, he speaks again. "But I will not fix it, I am busy. Make yourself at home, but do not disturb me. Goodbye. " Then he turns around, through the kitchen, into the narrow aisle, and disappears into the darkness once again. Down the aisle, is the locked room that is out of bounds to her. Jian Yao stands, shocked at his reception. She totally does not expect their first face to face encounter will be like this. She is working for him. There’s a storm outside, a power crisis inside. And he wants nothing to do with her and leaves her by herself in the living room?

Chapter 5

Jian Yao sits down on the sofa. She decides to take a nap. It doesn’t take long for her to stand up again. She is wearing a thin jacket and her hands and feet are getting cold. I might catch a flu. She thought to herself. She makes her way to the room where Bo Jinyan is in. At the end of the corridor, she gets another surprise. Light. A narrow streak of light shines through the gap at the bottom of the door. There is emergency lighting equipment! Jian Yao stand there, stunned for a moment. She knocks on the door. The door opens. Fluorescent tubes in the ceiling shines brightly. She finds it hard to adjust to the brightness after being in the darkness for so long. Then she sees a man, blocking most of the light as he stand in front of the doorway. Jian Yao blinks. She is curious what else is inside the room. But Bo Jinyan quickly stands in front of her to block her view. “What’s up?’ says the man wearing a huge white surgical mask. All Jian Yao can see is his eyes. “I am cold, I need to borrow some clothes.” says Jian Yao After a few moments of silence, he replies :” I don’t like other people wearing my clothes.” Jian Yao is dumbfounded. Then he steps back and closes the door. Darkness surrounds her once again. While he was closing the door, she noticed Bo Jinyan was wearing surgical gloves. She also saw some round containers sitting on the shelves inside the room. She is not sure what’s in them, but they had something in them. ——Jian Yao goes back to the lounge. She sits down for a few minutes, and then she stands up once again. This time, heading toward the kitchen. She lights up the gas stove top. Jian Yao places her hands close to the yellowish green flame to warm herself up. She looks up and sees a cupboard. The bottle of wine

she gifted to Bo Jinyan is sitting on one of the shelves. Without hesitation, she opens the bottle and takes a few sips. Now that she feels a little warmer, she realises that she is also quite hungry. She begins searching for food in the kitchen. Empty. There’s nothing in the cabinets. Not even a piece of fruit or biscuit. She looks inside the freezer. Again, it’s empty. She turns to the fridge next. Bingo! Fish. Lots of fish. Neatly stacked inside the refrigerator. She chooses the biggest one and puts it on the chopping board. Using the light from her mobile phone, she makes herself a plate of poached fish fillet pieces. It is still pretty dark in the kitchen, but it’s enough for her to prepare the food. Satisfied with what she has cooked, she places the plate on the dining table and heads back to the kitchen to clean up before she enjoys her meal. After she is done, she returns to the dining room, only to find the table empty. A tall white shadow stands on the other side of the table. A pair of hands is holding the plate of food. “Thump” Bo Jinyan puts the plate back on the table. “Unpalatable!” He says in his deep voice. “The fish is boiled for too long. And you added too much salt.” Jian Yao feels as if a bomb has exploded within her. She walks over to him, takes the plate and brings it back to the other side of the table. “Did I say you can eat it?” Then she sits down, picks up the chopsticks, and eats in silence. Bo Jinyan gives no reply. He just stands there, like a quiet white tree. The wind is howling outside. But inside the house, it’s a sharp contrast. Everything seems so still and quiet. The flickering flames from the gas stove are the only movement. Suddenly, he walks over to her. She keeps her head facing down towards the table and pretends he is not there. In the corner of her eyes, she sees him leaving a man’s jacket on the back of one of the dining chairs. His fingers are slender but plump, not skeletal as Jian Xuan has described. Jian Yao is a little stunned. But she chooses not to comment. Then he turns around, and walks into the kitchen. ———

He rolls up his sleeves. After washing his hands under the faucet, he stands before the chopping board and starts filleting more fish pieces. He places the pieces of fish on the plate neatly, then one by one he puts them into the pot, and scoops them out quickly, like an experienced chef. Soon he holds up another plate of poached fish, put it on the table pushes it in front of her. "This is what poached fish should be like." Jian Yao looks up at him. All that work just to prove he can do a better job? He is standing very close to her. Close enough for Jian Yao to see his face. He is not wearing a mask anymore. But he is wearing a pair of chunky complicated looking glasses with bits of red beam showing on the sides. They are so big that most of his face is covered. Night vision goggles? His house has no hand held torches because he wears night vision goggles? Even with the goggles on, Jian Yao can tell that he has attractive facial features. A slender and straight nose, thin lips and a nice jaw line, Well proportioned and …smooth, not like ‘crumpled concave’ as Jian Xuan described. ...... Jian Yao protests in silence and refuse to try his fish. She continues to finish what is on her plate. Without saying another word, Bo Jinyan heads back up the stairs and once again, his tall white shadow disappears in the darkness. Jian Yao is alone again. She picks up the jacket. This looks familiar. Ah, it belongs to Fu Ziyu. It was hanging on a cloth rack on the day of their interview. Half way through their conversation, he stood up, walked over to the jacket to retrieve his mobile phone. She suddenly remembers what Fu Ziyu said. Bo Jinyan is an eccentric guy with no friends. So, Bo Jinyan is socially challenged and lack interpersonal communication skills. That thought makes Jian Yao feels a little better. Unable to contain her curiosity any longer, she picks up the chopsticks. She chooses the smallest piece of fish fillet she

can find from his plate and puts it in her mouth. Then she moves the remaining pieces of fish around the plate to make it look as if she has not touched the plate at all. Sigh! She has to admit, it tastes much better than hers. Jian Yao is awaked by loud banging sounds. She sits up from the sofa, and finds two windows moving with the strong wind. The banging sounds are caused by the windows hitting the frame. The sky is still dark. The rain seems to have eased a little but the whistling sound of the wind is like a roaring beast. - If the windows keep banging on the frames, the glass will shatter. Immediately, she gets up and walks over. When she is in front of the window, she notices Bo Jinyan is also making his way down toward her, obvious concerned after hearing the banging sounds. His face is still mostly dark. He is still wearing those night vision googles. Jian Yao is too busy to talk to him now. She manages to grab the handle of one of the windows and quickly secure it back to the locked position. As she reaches out for the second window, a gush of wind rips through. A streak of white lightning blinds her eyes. The window is coming towards her with great force. Jian Yao reflexively turns to escape, while lifting her hands to block her face. She feels a hand clenching her right wrist. She is pulled away from the window. Meanwhile behind her, there’s a loud ‘bang’, followed by a large area of broken glass shattered all over the floor ...... What a close call. She turns around to face Bo Jinyan. Because they are standing so close to each other, she can smell his scent, masculine and unfamiliar to her. His hand still holding her wrist. "Thank you." She tries to loosen his grip. The next second, he bends down, lean her back into his arms and carries her. Jian Yao is shocked: "What are you doing?" Bo Jinyan looks at her: "I do not think you can bypass all broken glass on the ground without night vision googles." He walks toward the sofa. With close proximity to his chest, his faint masculine scent is even more apparent. She feels safe in the arms of this tall and slender man.

Jian Yao feels a little awkward. She’s never been in such close contact with a man before. But there is nothing she can do. She can only hold on to him for now. "Thank you.” Jian Yao says. After putting her down on the sofa, he heads to the kitchen. Within a minute,he is back. "I believe you have come to a conclusion.” He says. - Huh? Oh, the fish. She thought she concealed the evidence very well. How does he know? With a honest and calm answer, she says "I admit, your fish is more delicious than mine, but can you not speak in such a condescending manner?” Bo Jinyan ignores her criticism. Softly, he says to her: "Good night" Jian Yao is sure there’s a smile on his face when he said that. A smile of victory. He disappears up the stairs again.. Jian Yao wakes up. The storm has passed. She takes a breathe of the clear cold morning air. Everything that happened last night is like a dream. She folds Fu Ziyu’s jacket and leaves it on the sofa, takes out a broom, cleans the broken glass in the living room and goes home. There’s not a lot of people on the street in this time of the day. She heads over to her step-father’s house but he has gone to work. She sends a text to her mom to say she is okay. A few security guards walk past her.

Jian Yao overhears their conversation. They sound anxious and angry. "It must be him, that Frankenstein." "Yes, it must be him that has abducted the children." “We have to do something." ......

- Abduction? Jian Yao remembers what Lee mentioned previously about the kidnapping cases. The security guards hop in a car and drive off. Jian Yao knows this is something to do with those cases. She feels it’s important to tell Lee about the security guards. She tries to call him but no one picks up the phone. Maybe he is somewhere with poor phone signal reception. He did mention he is working in the countryside for a few days. She decides to try again later. At home. She tells Jian Xuan about the security guards. Jian Xuan tells her that one of the sons of the guards has been missing for a day. “They have reported it to the police." Jian Xuan said, “But the police won’t do a filing unless he is missing for more than 48 hours." Jian Yao nods. She tries to call Lee again but she still can’t get through. Feeling very tired, she takes a nap. Jian Yao wakes up around noon. Scattered clouds, bright sunshine. It’s a nice day outside. Jian Yao eats a late breakfast and gets ready to leave the house. ”Are you heading back to the villa? Didn’t you just come back from there?" Jian Xuan asked. Jian Yao replied: “Just a little work left to complete. I should finish everything today." She pauses and adds, "Yesterday, I saw Bo Jinyan." "Really? "Is it a scary encounter?” Asks Jian Xuan Jian Yao don’t know what to say. She gives a sigh. Soon, the work she is doing for Bo Jinyan will come to an end. Bo Jinyan and her will never meet again. Life will return to normal. The holidays will be over. She will return to B city, where she will work as an intern for a company. She will find a boyfriend, get married and have kids. But unknown to her now, her life is about to take a turn. This very afternoon, in the villa. Something unexpected will happen. Her life will change dramatically, leading her down a path that is so different from her current dreams and aspirations.

Chapter 6

The rain has stopped. Back to a clear blue sky. The water droplets on the leaves sparkle under the sun.

Walking along the tree lined avenue, Jian Yao enjoys the lovely scenery and feels a sense of peace and contentment within her. She will say goodbye to Bo Jinyan soon. Even ‘Frankenstein’ deserves a final farewell. The villa stands amidst greenery. It is a lovely place. Jian Yao walks towards the entrance. The front door is wide open. Usually, the door is closed when she comes over. She knocks on the door, and it will automatically open. Bo Jinyan has a remote control in his room. It’s never wide open like this. She walks through and sees a number of people in the living room. They are whispering amongst themselves. An unprecedented situation. Jian Yao stops and stands at the door, listening carefully. One of the people turns around and sees her. “It’s you!!" Then a few people come out from the house, Jian Yao recognises them. They are the security guards she met this morning. ———— The security guards are familiar with Jian Yao. She always goes to the dormitories they guard. That’s where her step father lives. Some of them know her by name. One of the oldest guards raises his voice: “ Jian Yao, why are you here?" They look tense. Some of them have wooden sticks with them. Jian Yao says: “ Eh.. I came by to eh… have a look….. eh… Why are you here? Is Lao Xiao’s son found yet?” Lao Xiao" is the father of the missing boy. One of them answers. ". Not yet. The Frankenstein is not home yet." Jian Yao is about to ask another question. Another security guards suddenly thinks of an idea. “ Can you give us a hand?" Jian Yao looks at him, nods firmly:”Tell me what you want me to do." The security guard knows that Jian Yao has a good friend that works in the Police Department. If she is willing to put in a word for them, the police might agree to take on the case earlier than the required 48 hours. .

They give her the details of what happened. The child went missing yesterday afternoon. All the relatives and friends had searched in every possible place they could think of. Still, there was no trace of the boy. The only clue is from a shopkeeper near the train station. He saw the child going into a gaming parlour in the morning. He also saw “Frankenstein" there at the time, talking to the young boy. Jian Yao asks: “How did the shopkeeper know the person who talked to the young boy is the owner of this house?” A security guard replies: “Ms Jian, do you not know that he’s famous for wearing a trench coat and a mask on everywhere he goes?. He is such a strange guy. Everybody knows he lives in the mountain, Everybody thinks he is crazy. He must have abducted the child!” Jian Yao is shocked - She is only back in town for the school term break. She has no idea. ———— Jian Yao enters the house with them. The house still looks the same as when she left in the morning. The security guards look around to see if they can find any clues. Two of the guards walk up the stairs to the second floor. A middle-aged security guard squats beside the sofa. His eyes are red. He looks crushed and desperate. Jian Yao recognises him. He is Lao Xiao. When the security guards told her that Bo Jinyan has abducted the children, her first instinct was ‘It’s impossible.” She has always thought he is novelist that specialises in detective stories. However, he did speak to the child… Suddenly, her cell phone rings. It’s from a number she is not familiar with. She walks away and answers the phone: "Hello?" The voice of the caller is exceptionally low, with a more nasal hoarse sound than last night, like someone who just woke up: “Please tell them to leave immediately. Thanks. ” he says in a very calm tone. With the cell phone still by her ears, she looks at the people who have congregated in his house.

FZ has her resume, so that’s how he knows her phone number. So, he is at home after all. Jian Yao speaks in low voice: “Mr.Bo. They have something very important that they need to speak to you about. Can you please come downstairs?” Bo Jinyan gives a laugh: "If I meet with every person who wants to meet me , I will be dead by now.…” - Huh? Jian Yao is slightly confused. “… from exhaustion.” Jian Yao keeps quiet for a moment: "Since you do not want to talk to them, can you tell them yourself. I will not tell them for you.” She is obviously annoyed. Bo Jinyan pauses for a while. Then he says: "Well, tell them that what they are looking for is in the room on the first floor. The key to the room is inside the kitchen cupboard, on the third shelf.” He hangs up. With those instructions, Jian Yao goes to the kitchen and retrieves the key. She walks back to the living room, and says to the guards: ".. Actually, I am doing a bit of work for Mr.Bo, but I don’t know him that well. He just phoned me and asked me to show you this.” This is the room that is supposed to be out of bounds. Yao inserts the key into the slot and unlocks the door. Her heart is pounding. What will they see? Why is Bo Jinyan leading them to this room? A security guard opens the door slowly. The lighting inside is very dim. Slowly, she realises what is inside those jars and bottles on the shelves. Everyone is stunned. Nobody made a sound. Inside the bottle that is sitting on the shelve closest to them, is an eyeball. Pale, with lax pupil, as if it is staring at them. Other bottles in the room contain lips, teeth, wrists, heart, male genitals ......

A security guard exclaims: “Murderer! Psychopath! !!" Then he turns and runs down the stairs and out of the house. Others immediately follow him. “We have to keep this place secure before the police arrives. Let’s guard at the front door.” . Lao Xiao is standing there like a statue. “Come on, Let’s leave this place first. The police will be here soon.” Says one of the guards. He then helps Lao Xiao down the stairs and back out into the courtyard. Jian Yao feels a chill slowly infiltrating her limbs and her body. She takes a look around the room. . Nobody is here anymore. Except her. Suddenly a thought comes to mind. She picks up the jar with the eye. She tilts it and looks at the bottom of the jar. There is a small yellow sticker. It is an English label: "Number: 42; Content: left eye; Gender: Female; Age: 27; Cause of death: accident, excessive bleeding; Time of death: 15 August 27 Donation hospital: Ohio State Hospital. There is also a hospital seal: - human organ specimen for research. Jian Yao is relieved. She hears the sound of police siren, and it is getting louder. Then it stops. She walks downstairs to the entrance. Just stepping out of the front door, she sees two policemen being surrounded by the security guards. Meanwhile, she hears a bang behind her. The door is shut. Jian Yao looks at the closed door. Bo Jinyan led them to the room with all the specimens to scare them away. -

The two policemen that are here are civilian police. Jian Yao tells them what had just happened. Although she explains that those bottles are only specimens for

research purposes, the security guards are still convinced that Bo Jinyan is the one who abducted the children. The two policeman knock on the door. They want Bo Jinyan to personally explain what’s happening. No response. Security guards start to talk amongst themselves: “He is trying to hide from us because he is guilty.” - What’s on his mind? Jian Yao is also puzzled by his actions. One of the police walks over to Jian Yao. “You have his phone number, right? Can you please call him to open the door?" Jian Yao nods. At the request of the police, she dials the number and turns on the speakerphone function. "The police is outside your house. They need to speak to you. Please open the door." Bo Jinyan stays quiet for a few seconds before answering: “ They have a search warrant or an arrest warrant?” The policeman shakes his head. Jian Yao replies: "No." Bo Jinyan: "Then why should I open the door? Goodbye." He hangs up again. The policemen look at each other. They are getting very annoyed: "Call the bureau to consult!" Jian Yao is also offended by his attitude. But she thinks to herself. He is not a criminal. Criminals don’t behave this way. Another police siren sound gets closer. Everyone looks toward the direction of where the sound is coming from. A middle-aged man, surrounded by several police officers are walking towards them. One of the officers is Li. Jian Yao recognises the middle-aged man. He is chief Inspector. In this little courtyard, the situation seems to get somewhat complicated. Lee is surprised to see Jian Yao here- “What are you doing here?” Jian Yao: “Long story. Why is Chief here?” Li Xunran gives a little laugh. “Long story. We only just found out from central office that ‘he’ lives here. So, we are here to see him. “ There is a sense of excitement in his voice. “ Are you here to help find the missing children? Reports have been filed about him being a suspect for kidnapping. There must be some mistake. How could he possibly be the offender? I’ll explain later. Gotta go.” Then he runs off.

Once again, someone is knocking on the front door. This time, it’s Li. Once again, the request has been denied. No one answers. And once again, Jian Yao is asked to call him with her phone. All eyes are on her. Jian Yao has no choice but to press the numbers again. Speakerphone function is on… once again. Before she can even say anything , Bo Jinyan speaks with a slightly annoyed voice “Are you so incapable? Seems like you can’t even remember events that happened within the last 24 hours? Did you forget how late I went to bed last night? How many times are you going to call me?" Jian Yao is about to respond, but suddenly she feels the crowd looking at her strangely. It’s too hard to explain to them what he meant. She decides to give up. So she goes straight to the point: “Bo Jinyan, The Chief Inspector is here to see you." “I don’t want to see him.” He replies. “Let me talk to him." The Chief Inspector stretches out his hand and ask for Jian Yao’s phone. He walks away from the crowd. They talk for a while. He walks back with a smile on his face. Chief walks to the front door. This time, the door opens. Chief, Li Xunran and Jian Yao goes inside the house. Jian Yao taps Li Xunran on the shoulder: “Who is he?” Li Xunran looks at Jian Yao: “How do you know him? What is the relationship between you two?” “I am working for him. As a translator.” Li Xunran grabs her by her arm: “You work for him!" He says with an envious voice.

“Bo Jinyan. Associate professor from University of Maryland. The world's youngest criminal psychology expert, Consultant for the Ministry of Public Security. And he chose to stay in our little town! “

Chapter 7

A cloud of twilight dust covers the atmosphere. Jian Yao stands in front of the window. She looks at the police station that’s situated directly opposite to her house.

After the Chief entered the house, the police asked everyone to leave the villa. She returned home before the Chief finished meeting with Bo Jinyan. Jian Xuan comes out from the study. She hands over a journal to her sister: "I want the great god’s autograph!" Jian Yao turns to look at her: “Really?” Yesterday, she was still calling Bo Jinyan a "male demon." Jian Xuan nods: “I am a super fan of the US series “Criminal minds’. Here I am, living with a real life expert in the field in the same town. I can’t miss this opportunity!!" Jian Yao turns around and looks out the window:. "I'm not going to ask him for an autograph." "Why?" Jian Xuan is surprised. She doesn’t understand why her sister is so against the idea. "Sis, is there something that’s bothering you?" Jian Yao gives a sigh. “Nothing. Do you know what he will say when I ask for an autograph?” "What?" Jian Yao tries to imitate his arrogant tone. Lowering her voice: "If I satisfy everyone’s wish to get my autograph, I’d be without a hand by now. “ Jian Xuan: "Ah?" Jian Yao: "...... detached due to over-using ." Jian Xuan rolls her eyes: “Your joke is not even funny?" Jian Yao laughs: “This is not a joke." ———Jian Yao is very shocked to hear the identity of Bo Jinyan. Her first impression of him is that he is a very arrogant, low EQ, naive introvert. Can such a person really be a world-renowned expert? Well, sometimes life does throw you some surprises. The phone rings. It’s Li, Jian Yao immediately answers the phone. "I see that you are home. Are you free to come to my office now?"

The distance between the police housing compound and the offices are less than a few hundred meters away. A few minutes later, Jian Yao enters Li’s office. Li Xunran gives her a glass of water. His bright eyes are looking at her. A lot of the ladies working in the police station consider him an attractive man. He does not say a word. Jian Yao doesn't speak to him either. She sips the water he gave her. The atmosphere is a little awkward. Finally, he asks the question that really bothers him: “Is Bo Jinyan wooing you?” Jian Yao almost chokes:”Are you crazy? That’s not even possible.” Li Xunran looks at her. He knows she is telling the truth. He mumbles to himself: "Although you are quite smart, you are not in the top 1%……" Jian Yao is slightly offended. He continues: “If he is not trying to woo you, why would he insist that the assistant must be you?” Jian Yao is shocked: "What assistant?" Li Xunran answers: “His assistant for the investigation, of course.” Jian Yao is slightly confused: “The case information needs to be translated into English?" “No, the case about the missing teenagers. Nothing needs to be translated.” Jian Yao is even more confused. Clearly, Li Xunran is not joking. "Why me? I'm not even part of the police force." —— A few hours ago. After a brief chat with the chief, Bo Jinyan agrees to take on the case and assist the police to find the kidnapper. But he has one condition, He wants Jian Yao to be his assistant. He doesn’t care that Jian Yao is not part of the police force. It is not his problem. It’s the chief’s responsibility to see that his requests are met. As Li Xunran is a good friend of Jian Yao, the task of persuading her to join the operation falls on his shoulder. Li’s initial plan was to volunteer his service to Bo Jinyan. To be his assistant. Before he met Bo Jinyan, he thought Bo Jinyan would be an older gentleman. He is surprised to find that Bo Jinyan is about the same age as himself.

Bo Jinyan was sitting on the couch reading the newspaper in the police conference room. Without even lifting his head, he answered: “Thanks for volunteering, but I do not know you. I am not interested." ...... - That’s why Li Xunran is behaving in such a strange way. He wants to learn under Bo Jinyan but is refused. Li Xunran : "Why you? Jian Yao: How would I know? Go and ask him yourself.” Li: “Our policy is not to allow civilians to join our investigation. But Professor Bo has just been awarded the Ministry of Public Security honorary inspector. This is a position of a very high ranking. Since it’s the request of professor Bo, we will make an exception. But it’s up to you to decide whether you want to accept this post." Jian Yao thinks for a while. She shakes her head:” I want to talk to Professor Bo first. I have a few queries about the post.” Li Xunran nods: "He just left our office. He should be back at the villa soon.” Jian Yao walks home, contemplating about what Li Xunran told her. She opens the door and looks around. The living room is empty. She sits down on the sofa, and hear some noise coming from the study. - Must be Jian Xuan working at her computer. She thought. She picks up the phone and is about to call Bo Jinyan. Before she hits the dial button, she raises her voice to talk to her sister in the study: “You'll never guess what Li Xunran said to me. Your ‘great god’ wants me to be his investigation assistant. This seems unreal. I feel as if I am struck by lightning.” - No comment from her sister? She must be on headphones. Jian Yao presses the dial button. Suddenly, there’s music coming from the study. A ring tone from a mobile. That doesn’t sound like Juan’s phone? Her ring tone is rap music, not a classical symphony. Then the front door is opened. Juan walks in. Seeing her sister in the lounge, Jian Xuan asks enthusiastically: “You are back! I looked everywhere for you. Where did you go? You didn’t even bring your mobile phone with you. Where’s ‘great god’? Is he still in the study?” Jian Yao is stunned for a moment”…. Great God? Study?”

"Yeah, he came by to see you. You don’t know he is here? Go! Phew… Let me calm down first. Handsome! He is too handsome! I must have mistaken him for someone else previously!" Jian Yao takes a peep through the study door. The lights are on, the whole room has a warm feel about it. Classical music is playing softly in the background. She can faintly hear the sound of a tea cup being placed on the wooden table. Jian Yao gently opens the door and walks in. In the middle of the room, a man is sitting on a red couch. He is wearing a black suit and a white shirt. No tie. One leg folds on top of the other, he is holding a book in his right hand, reading. On a side table next to him, there is a cup of tea and a small dish of fruits. A very elegant scene. He puts the book down and looks up at Jian Yao. The man is undoubtedly very tall. You can tell even when he’s sitting down. He has quite broad shoulders. He looks good in a suit. Their eyes meet. Finally, she is able to look at him properly. He’s not just a shadow in the dark anymore. His eyes are long and slender. The pupils are very dark, a sharp contrast to his fair complexion. He is a handsome man. But his gaze is cold, as if he wants to keep a distance with the world. ...... Jian Yao sits across from him. She feels a little uneasy. They have had several encounters in the past. But they are either on the phone or in the dark. They are no strangers to one another, but yet they don’t really know each other either. She is about to speak when he looks at the book again: “How does that feel like?” He asked. Jian Yao: Huh? Bo Jinyan: “To be struck by lightning?” Jian Yao is a little embarrassed. She ask him a question instead of giving him an answer :” Why are you in my house?” Bo Jinyan lifts his eye toward her:. “Background check.”

"A harmonious family. Gets on well with your classmates. Studies in the city and returns home during your school vacations. You don’t live with your mother and your step father, but choose to live alone in this old vacant house. Perhaps you are not as cheerful and happy as your appearance suggests“ “Your father died when you were six years old. Your mother and step father loves you and you get along with them. You are not the paranoid or fragile type. What happened during your childhood that has left a hole in your heart?" Jian Yao's face suddenly turned white. And then, Bo Jinyan changes the subject:”This is a trivial problem compared to this other one I just found.” He raises the book in his hand: “You are into novels that have no scientific basis and no logic?" Jian Yao notices the title of the book - “I’ll accompany you to ends of the universe.” It’s one of her romance novels. Jian Yao argues: "This is a romance novel. Logic is not important." Bo Jinyan opens the book and turns to one of the page: “You even wrote annotations......" She blushes a little, and took the book off him: “Who said you can touch my books?” She read it in high school. At the time, she found the story very touching. But she was only sixteen then. “The girl outside.” said Bo Jinyan: “She said I can take any book in the study.” Jian Yao puts the book back on the shelf. Not wasting any more time, she asks: "Why do you want me to be your assistant?" Bo Jinyan smiles: “It’s obvious. There are so many reasons for it.” Jian Yao is a bit surprised: "For example?" "For example, I do not like to be disturbed. For example, I need someone to deal with the police and reporters on my behalf. I need someone to do all the tedious and time consuming tasks. For example, you are the only person I know in this town. And you can fish." Jian Yao: "...... I need some time to consider." Bo Jinyan takes a glance at her. He stands up, picks up the jacket and starts walking out. Before he gets out of the room, he turns around and says to her: "I only catch the most vicious criminals. Because only I am capable to do so. This case will not take more than one week. That’s all the time I want from you. If I were you, I won’t waste my time ‘considering’. See you tomorrow. Please arrive at my villa by 8am. "

Chapter 8

Another chilly winter morning. The rising sun casts a ray of soft golden light over the mountain side. The trees gives a gentle glow in the morning sun. Hardly anyone comes

to this part of the town. It’s always so quiet and peaceful here. Except for the little episode yesterday. Jian Yao walks quietly toward the villa. She enters the house she is now fairly familiar with. Upstairs, the gates are open. Cautiously, she steps into Bo Jinyan’s ‘territory’. "Bo Jinyan? Bo Jinyan?" No answer. Jian Yao walks up to the first room. The door is open. She walks inside. Near the window, a stack of files sit on top of a table. There are a few books scattered there as well. It’s rather messy. A big blanket is left unfold on a sofa next to the table. A half-finished cup of tea sits on the small coffee table. Opposite the sofa hangs a large whiteboard. It’s covered with photos, with lots of captions and words written around them. Jian Yao walks over to the whiteboard. There are a total of nine photographs. These are the pictures of the missing teenagers. All of them are rural children. Underneath three of the photos, Bo Jinyan wrote down the locations where the boys went missing. South of the market. Train station. Materials Quarter. Li has briefed Jian Yao about this. They have enough evidence to determine the abduction locations for three of the boys that went missing. As for the rest of the teenagers, for all they know, they could have disappeared anywhere. Then there’s the second row of words. More locations, places with similar qualities to those three above - Eastern market, bus station, farmers market ...... and so on. Jian Yao understands their significance - Traffic, video game movie theatres, Internet cafes etc. Places teenagers like to hang out. Possible hunting grounds for the kidnappers. But these places are dispersed throughout the city. Looking for the criminals will be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Further down the whiteboard, there’s more words, a combination of English and Chinese. The handwriting is so messy that Jian Yao can’t work out what some of the words are. On the corner of the white board is a drawing of a little turtle. It’s only a stick figure, but it’s very cute. So ‘great god’ likes to doodle when he’s analysing data. How adorable. Jian Yao smiles to herself.

There’s a phrase within the messy writing that is written in a bigger and clearer font than the rest. "No witnesses." No witnesses? Everybody knows this. So why is he emphasising the point? Jian Yao doesn’t understand that. She takes out her phone and sends a text message to Li. “Kp: No witnesses.” ( I am not sure what KP means. It’s in the original text. In English. So I left it there.) -— Last night, Jian Yao made a decision. She called Li. Li immediately went to her home. The first thing he said was: "I still want to work with him and learn from him." Jian Yao is not too surprised: “But… How?” “Whenever he tells you something - conclusions or ideas he comes up with, theory, opinions, everything! Can you please write them down and let me know? This is not ‘infringement’. Whatever information you can access, I should be able to access too." Jian Yao replied: "I do not know much about crime and psychology. But I will do my best to help you.” So, whenever Jian Yao finds a key point, she texts Li. (Ahh…. Kp means Key point. I see.) Li replies almost immediately: "?????" Jian Yao smiles. Well, she only agreed to be the messenger. The rest is up to him to figure out himself. Just then, Bo Jinyan walks in wearing a pair of white pyjamas. This is so different from her expectations. Yesterday, even though he was arrogant and conceited, showing how inconsiderate he can be to the feelings of others; he was wearing a suit, looking very prim and proper. Today, he is wearing a pair of PJs, walking around barefooted. He is still the same handsome man she saw yesterday. Only today, the expressions on this man’s face shows that he is not happy. Not happy at all.

He walks pass Jian Yao. He turns and looks in her direction. Jian Yao thinks he is going to speak to her. But he seems to stare straight pass her. He picks up the cup on the side table. Walks out of the room and heads downstairs. - Well, if you have nothing to say to me. I will just keep quiet then. She follows him down in silence.

In the kitchen. He bents over to take a carton of milk from the refrigerator and heats it up in the microwave. He takes out a few slices of bread, put them in the toaster, then throws a bottle of jam on the table. Then he sits down at the dining table. • He’s going to talk about work now. Thought Jian Yao. Suddenly, he put his arms on the table, then buries his head into the hole between his arms..

The microwave gives a "ding" sound. He looks up, stands up, takes the food and drink to the table and starts having his breakfast. “Another late night?”Jian Yao asks. “Umm…" His throat give a little groan. After a while, he looks up at her again. He frowns: “You’ve changed your style of dressing.” Jian Yao looks at her little black skirt. She has dressed more formally today because he was in a suit yesterday. She thought she should match his dressing style. He keeps staring at her. Jian Yao begins to feel a little uneasy. Then she hears him say: “This style doesn’t suit you. You look prettier in your usual clothing.” Jian Yao is surprised by his words. After he finishes his sentence, he continues to have his breakfast. Flattering words are always welcomed by woman, especially when it’s from someone like him. Jian Yao gives him a smile:”Thanks.” After he finishes his breakfast, he looks brighter, and more ‘awake’. Bo Jinyan: “My rookie assistant, come upstairs. Collate all the information on the case, and then wait for me in the car." -

In the driveway, Jian Yao sees a parked police car. The driver looks like he has been waiting for a while. Jian Yao sits in the back seat. She starts to read the information on the case while waiting. After a few minutes, Bo Jinyan appears. He is in a suit again, with a black coat on top. A coffee brown scarf wrapped around his neck. He is wearing a mask on his face, the type that looks a bit like surgical mask, revealing only a pair of slender dark eyes. He sits beside Jian Yao. He takes off his mask and scarf: “We are ready to go.” He gives instructions to the driver. Jian Yao: "Why are you wearing a mask that covers your face?" He looks at her as if it’s an inappropriate question: “Don’t you think it’s cold out there?" Jian Yao: "...... No, not really.” So that’s the reason. People from the north do not adapt well to the winter temperatures of the south. Bo Jinyan is not a local. He wears a mask to keep his face warm. This is a common practice in the northern towns, but people in the south will find it strange. No wonder people label him as "Frankenstein." The car is leaving town. They are on the national highway. Jian Yao asks: "Where are we going?" Bo Jinyan adjusts his sitting position a little. The car is not very spacious. Jian Yao moves closer to the door to give him more room. His body takes up more than half the back seat. “We need to get his address.” says Bo Jinyan "He? Who is he?” asks Jian Yao. Bo Jinyan smiles: “The criminal, of course." Jian Yao looks at him: "You mean... there is only one person responsible for the kidnapping? And it’s someone from the area?" Li told her the police suspects a human trafficking gang is involved, or someone from further afield, not so close to home. But Bo Jinyan is going down a totally different path.

Bo Jinyan looks at her: “You are not so dumb after all. There’s a similar pattern to all the disappearances. All of them have the same distinctive and unique ‘personality’ about them. It can only be done by one person." While Jian Yao is processing what he just said, the phone rings. Bo Jinyan glances at her: “Ah! Time to report to your little boyfriend?" Jian Yao looks at him: "He is not my boyfriend." Bo Jinyan says no more. He closes his eyes for a nap. "Do you mind if I update him?” Jian Yao asks. “Do as you please. I don’t care.” The police car stops in a nearby township. Along the highway, there are line of houses on both side of the road. There are four or five low rise buildings, and a few old huts. Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao walks to one of the huts - the home of the first missing boy Fu Mingyis’ parents’ house. No one knows where Fu was abducted. They knock on the front door. The house looks old and tired. The paint are stripped off, cracks run along the side of the walls. Inside, Fu’s parents looks as if life has been drained out of them. Yao can feel the pain they carry. According to the police statement, on the day of his disappearance, Fu left home early in the morning. He was meant to arrive at Tong city around 8:00am. He just turned 15 years old. He’s a secondary student. He was supposed to go to Tong city to stay with his aunt for two weeks, to attend some tutorial classes for the upcoming school exams. His aunt called his parents around midday after he failed to arrive. Bo Jinyan asked the parents a few more questions. But nothing provided any clue as to where he could have gone. They go into Fu’s bedroom. His room is filled with lots of stuff - children toys, masks, kaleidoscope, game cards, and handheld gaming devices. All these items are now keepsakes for the old couple to remember their beloved son. Jian Yao: “Anything useful?" Instead of answering her question, Bo Jinyan says:”Out.”

Just before she walks out of the room, he says: ”Please use your brain. It’s not a piece of furniture. I want every piece of information you can find on Fu. There must be clues hiding in this house that will tell us where he went that morning." By now, Jian Yao is used to the way he speaks. She doesn't get offended anymore. They walk out to the backyard. There’s a poultry shed. Inside the shed, there’s around 12 chickens. It’s probably one of the main source of income for the family. There is a cabinet beside the shed. A basket of eggs sits on top of the cabinet. Jian Yao turns back into the house to find Fu’s mother. After some time, Jian Yao returns to Fu’s room. "I found something. But it’s probably useless." She said. Bo Jinyan keeps his eyes on the ground: “Speak." Jian Yao looks at his handsome face. She feels a little uneasy to share her little humble opinion with a world renowned expert. She clears her throat and speaks out: “Fu does alright at school. He doesn’t seem to be the academic type, but he gets on well with his classmates. They like playing video games but his family is too poor to buy a console and games for him to play at home. So he likes to hang out at video game parlours and internet cafes.“

“The day Fu went missing, he took a basket of eggs to bring to his aunt…” Jian Yao continues. "Stop!" Bo Jinyan interrupts her. Looking at her with his clear sharp eyes: “How do you know he brought eggs?" Jian Yao replies: "I noticed there’s a basket of eggs in the backyard. I thought, since the parents wanted their child to board with the aunt for a period of time, they will surely give a little gift, such as fresh eggs. Ha ha.. not relevant to the case, right? Other than that, I can’t find anything else " Jian Yao's voice suddenly stops, because Bo Jinyan steps forward, bents over to hug her. Jian Yao stiffens and looks at Bo Jinyan. He releases her quickly and looks at her with a smile.

“Bring eggs to aunt! You're a genius!" Jian Yao: "This is the basic manners ......" Bo Jinyan smiles: "Fu Ziyu said you are a very well mannered person, so you can complement me in places I am lacking in. He is right..." Jian Yao: "......" Bo Jinyan opens the map app on his phone. He points to a location and says: “This is where he went missing.” He is pointing to a farmer's market. "Why?" Bo Jinyan seems a little more patient with her now. He explains: “Money. He’s carrying a basket of eggs. It’s so inconvenient. If he didn’t go straight to his aunt’s house. He must be gone to the market to sell the eggs for money. Then he can go to the video game parlour. This market is not far from his aunt’s house, and very close to a video game parlour.” “He loves video games, but he doesn’t have enough money. So he secretly sold the eggs. He often brings eggs to his auntie’s house so he is betting that his aunt will not find out his mischief.” Jian Yao listens and nods: “Where do we go from here?” Bo Jinyan’s smile deepens. They return to the car. Leaving Tong city, they are back on the national highway. Bo Jinyan takes out a notebook and starts to write frantically. Jian Yao is busy texting Li with all the updates. When Bo Jinyan has finished writing, he throws her the notebook: "Give them a call." Jian Yao picks up the book. She reads what Bo Jinyan wrote. "Male, aged 25-30, local, slim, ordinary looking; Lives alone within 3km from the farmer's market. The place where he works is close to the market too. No car. Strong communication skills, articulate, frequent visitor of video game parlours, movie theatres and other places teenagers like to hang out. "

Jian Yao looks at him: "Why ...... Why does the offender live near the location of the first disappearance? And why is he between 25-30 years old??" Bo Jinyan puts his hands behind his head: “I have already written all the reasons on the whiteboard. Did you not see them this morning?" Then he opens the map apps on his phone again, pointing: "Tell them to immediately search the forest to the east of the farmers' markets. If they find anything, give us a call immediately." Jian Yao heart is shocked: “Find? Find what?" Bo Jinyan, glancing at her: “You’ve already guessed the answer. Why do you ask me?” Bo Jinyan smiles: "My dear assistant, I told you before. I am not interested in human trafficking gangs, or other mediocre stuff like that. Serial killers are my specialty.”

Chapter 9 The police car is still traveling on the national highway. Jian Yao is lost for words. She cannot believe this. The policeman that is driving the car asks Bo Jinyan: “Professor Bo, you mean ...... those kids are dead?" Bo Jinyan says slowly: ”I am afraid so." The scenery outside the window changes rapidly. Jian Yao asks: "Even if there’s only one person that is committing the crime, he may still be a trafficker. Why are you so sure that it’s a serial killer?" Bo Jinyan’s pale handsome face has no expression. Looking outside the window, his eyes seem to be staring into a different world. Bo Jinyan: "Because I understand them." Jian Yao calls Li. Even though she has her doubts, she calls Li Xunran to tell him what Bo Jinyan just told her. Li Xunran stands in the office with his speakerphone function on. The whole police station is in uproars after hearing Bo Jinyan’s words: "Why? How did he reach such a conclusion?" Jian Yao: “Wait." she puts down the phone and looks at Bo Jinyan: "They want to know the reasons behind your conclusion." Bo Jinyan leans his body back and closes his eyes: “I’ll do the briefing later. Ask them to find the bodies first.” “Bodies?” The police can’t believe what they heard. Neither are they familiar with the concept of briefing. They still have their doubts about whether they should change their direction of investigation. “Jian Yao, this is too big a decision to make without understanding the facts fully. Chief is with me. He asks if Professor Bo can explain his findings to us first?” Jian Yao ponders. She looks at Bo Jinyan again: “Can't you just give them a briefing over the phone?'" Bo Jinyan opens his eyes: "The last time I did a briefing, it was in the central hall in the University of Maryland. Now you want me to...." He glances outside the window: "...... in front of the tolling booth of the 18th Forrest section of the National Highway?”

Jian Yao wants to laugh: “So, will you be less convincing just because you are briefing outside the tolling booth?" Bo Jinyan pulls out his sleep mask from his coat pocket and turns his head away from Jian Yao. His response is clear. Stop bothering me. Jian Yao looks at the time. It’s only another hour till they will arrive the police station. She can’t possibly tell them directly that he is reluctant to do it over the phone. So she says: “ Professor Bo is preparing the content for the briefing right now. We also need to return to the villa to collect some information that we will use at the briefing. We are almost back in town. We will come over to the police station as soon as possible to present to you all our findings.” Jian Yao puts down the phone and gives a sigh. Bo Jinyan removes his googles and says in a deep voice: “Liar!” Jian Yao : “Just shut up!” By the time they arrive the police station, it’s almost evening. Li Xunran and a few other officers are waiting outside the station. Jian Yao’s eyes are drawn to the 3rd floor,where the conference room is located. That is where the briefing will be held. The last time Jian Yao was there, she was six years old. Memories starts to trickle like water drops into her mind. A voice besides her: “Lips pressed together, the upper eyelid drooping ...... Why did I just see a typical expression of pain, hiding within your calm appearance?" Jian Yao does not expect Bo Jinyan to be so observant. Like he said, she thought she hid her emotions well. Staring into her beautiful eyes, he continues: “ That ‘hole’ in your heart… is something to do with your father.” Not wanting to dwell on the subject any longer, Jian Yao answers: “ You have mistaken. The source of my pain is actually you, because you are about to brief the squad." That took Bo Jinyan by surprise: “I beg your pardon?” Jian Yao steps back: “As your assistant, it is my duty to remind you that even though you might be better at investigation/criminal profiling, that doesn't give you the right to mock them. They are a very diligent and responsible team of police. Also, they might not appreciate your dry humour. So, when they ask you questions, can you please answer them patiently without being sarcastic? "

“How did you come up with this strange conclusion?” Bo Jinyan looks at her arrogantly, “If I am ever sarcastic, it’s always because there is a gap in the IQ levels. The nature the work of a policeman is very different from mine, why would I mock them because they have little understanding of criminal psychology?“ Feeling a little offended, he walks on. ———— In the conference room. All the policeman are sitting around the big table that takes up most of the room. Chief is there too. After a quick introduction, Li Xunran invites Bo Jinyan to address the team. Jian Yao is sitting at the back. Bo Jinyan stands up. He quickly sweep a place over everyone there. He is not smiling. There is not much expression on his face. He starts to speak. This is a confident, articulate and professional Bo Jinyan. Jian Yao has met the arrogant and sarcastic Bo Jinyan; the ‘I don't give a shXX about you’ Bo Jinyan; the warm and cuddly Bo Jinyan. But this is a different side of him that she has not seen before. "We are looking for a local. Aged between 25-30 year old. Male. Medium height. Slim. Average looking. Likes to frequent video games parlours, movie theatres and internet cafes. It is also possible that he works in one of those places. He is streetwise. He does a lot of detailed planning before each kidnapping. He chooses his victims carefully. And all of them are either young workers from out of town, dropouts (of schools), or immature boys from the rural areas. They have little life experience. They are not as strong as him physically, so they can easily seduced or abducted. He approaches most of his victims in the downtown area. His great interpersonal skills allows him to relate to those boys and gain their trusts. Then he will lure them to a specific location, to be killed. He does not use a car because it will draw attention from the public. And he doesn’t own a car anyway. He lives alone. He is either renting, or staying in a house left to him by his parents, because he won’t be able to afford a house himself. He lives in a secluded area, not too far from the farmers market. His house is possibly where he kills the boys. This is the preliminary profile. Once you find the bodies, I will give you a more detailed profile." The whole room is quiet.

After a long pause, Bo Jinyan says: "Any questions?” The policemen look at each other. Li Xunran asks the first question: ”Why do you think the criminal is between 25 to 30 years old? " “He can’t be too young. If he’s too young, he’s not financially independent. Nor will he be living alone, or have the ability to lure the victims and physically kill them. He can’t be too old either. Two people walking together with a huge age gap is more conspicuous. Also, he is a psychopath. Psychopaths generally starts budding during adolescence. To reach the state of perversion he is in now will require a gestation period of more than a decade.” Answers Bo Jinyan. Li Xunran nods. He continues with his second question: “Why do you think he lives near the farmer’s market. It’s only one of the many possible locations the boys went missing." "He's more bold than the average person. But he is not very intelligent. You can tell from his choice of vulnerable victims, and the monotonous way of how he operates. When psychopaths commit their first crime, they never dare to venture too far from their place of murder. Our criminal is not sure if he can convince a teenager to go somewhere that’s too far away. He needs to keep the travel distance short. Everyone nods. It’s hard to believe, but all the pieces seem to fit well together. After his briefing, everything seems to be so simple and logical. More questions followed. Bo Jinyan patiently answered them. He is often very brief in his explanation. Nevertheless, it’s always very clear and to the point. "Professor, why did you say you can give us a complete profile once we find the bodies?” Li Xunran is asking one last question.

Bo Jinyan flashes a haughty smile. "Because the desires of his heart will be ‘written’ on the bodies.” When Jian Yao and Bo Jinyan returns to the villa, it’s past nine o’clock. Once they go inside the house, Bo Jinyan hurries upstairs. Jian Yao asks him: " What should we do now?" Bo Jinyan: "Shower." So Jian Yao waits downstairs. Today is the first time Jian Yao saw him in his professional capacity. Her impression of him has greatly improved. In his work, he is more than just a respectable scholar. He’s a good detective. Very observant. Quick on his feet, and knowledgable in

what he does. Though he is still cold and unapproachable, there’s something about him that makes people feel that he can be trusted. That they can depend on him. It is getting very late. But Jian Yao understands that criminal cases are time sensitive. She expects to work 24/7 if need be. After a while, Bo Jinyan walks downstairs in his bathrobe. His hair is still damp from the shower. He sits down on the sofa and picks up the book and reads. Jian Yao asks: “Are we working tonight?" He does not look up: "No." “What about assisting the police to find the bodies and the criminal?” He glances briefly at her: "That is something the police are responsible for. I am responsible for analysing and profiling." The police are excavating the area where bodies might be dumped. There is nothing they can do to help at this time. So she stands up: "Then I’ll go home first, and come back tomorrow." Bo Jinyan turns over a page, and spit out a word: ‘No.” Jian Yao waits for a further explanation. Slowly, he says:. “Your time belongs to me now.” If these words are from the mouth of another male, it might seems ambiguous. But when it’s from Bo Jinyan, it is literally what it means. No more. No less. - But there’s nothing to do at the moment. Jian Yao: "...... I’ll head home first. You can call me if you need me." Bo Jinyan: "No, if we need to examine the bodies at midnight, do I have to spend extra time to pick you up from your house?" Every second counts. The faster they are able to catch the criminal, the less likely there will be another victim. Jian Yao asks: "Where should I sleep?" Bo Jinyan “Fu Ziyu’s room." ——Jian Yao lies on the wide bed in Fu Ziyu’s room. It’s around 11pm. Bo Jinyan is still awake. He seems to be busy working in that first room. She can hear his footsteps,

sounds of books being taken from the shelve, sounds of turning pages, sounds of words being scribbled on the white board… ——She is awakened by the ring tone of her phone. "Jian Yao, we found the bodies." In the background, she can hear the whistling sound of the wind, voices of other police working, “A lot of bodies.” says Li. Jian Yao immediately gets out of the room. Down the dark hallway, she knocks on Bo Jinyan’s door. No response. She takes out her phone and calls him. It rings for a long time, but there is no answer - Is he fast asleep or is he somewhere else? Jian Yao runs downstairs to retrieves his room key from the kitchen cupboard. She slowly opens the door. Warm air rushes over her face - his room is warm and toasty. She finds the switch on the wall and turns the lights on. In the middle of the king size bed, a man is sleeping soundly. Bo Jinyan is still wearing his bathrobe over his PJs. He has an interesting sleeping posture. Facing upwards, his body is straight like a tree trunk. Hands on either side of his body. Jian Yao pushes his arm gently: "Bo Jinyan?" No movement at all. Jian Yao taps his face: "Wake up!" He responds, his eye brow raised slightly.

- He is going to wake up. Jian Yao thinks to herself. With his eyes still closed, he raises his hand to grab hers He then puts it to his lips and gently kisses it. Jian Yao's whole body stiffens. She is about to pull her hands out from his when she heard his subconscious murmurs: “Chen Mo… go to sleep….”

- Chen Mo? (Note from TB: the phrase Chen Mo also means silence in Mandarin) - Is the name of his girlfriend? Remembering why she is there, she pulls her hand back and shakes his body again.

Bo Jinyan’s eyelashes tremble. Finally, he slowly opens his eyes. “Why are you in my room?” Her hand is still warm from his kiss. She quickly says: “They found the bodies." Jian Yao went back to her room to get changed. When she returns to the hallway, Bo Jinyan is ready to go, dressed in his suit and tie. Before he starts to walk, he looks to the ground: “Chen Mo, stop blocking the hall.” Jian Yao follows his gaze to the ground. There is a tortoise in front of him. That tortoise seems to understand what Bo Jinyan says, and slowly crawls to the side.

Chapter 10 This is a vacant piece of land in the countryside. It is off the beaten track. A pile of old junk sits amongst the trees and overgrown grass. Bo Jinyan parks his car on the side of a dirt road and walks over. The police are everywhere. The place has been thoroughly searched. There are pits on the ground. One of them has two policemen standing next to it. Bo Jinyan walks up and sees a huge black plastic bag next to the pit. Further back, there are a few more similar looking bags, where the police are examining the content inside. They look very intense and at the same time, sad. Jian Yao's heart sinks. Li walks up to Bo Jinyan: “The dismembered body parts belong to a total of eight boys. Estimated time of death for the most recent body is around one week. We need further testing to determine how long the other bodies have been there, but we think the earliest murder would have occurred more than 12 months ago.” Bo Jinyan nods and starts walking towards the bags. Jian Yao asks: “Can I stay here?” Both men look at her at the same time. Li sees her slightly pale face: “Why don’t you wait in the car?” Bo Jinyan keeps his hands in his coat pocket to keep warm. He bents down slightly and looks at her at ‘eye level’: “Are you afraid?” Jian Yao softly replies: “I don’t want to see." Bo Jinyan says mockingly:”Ah! Woman!” Li is surprised at his comment. Experience tells Jian Yao that there’s more to come. Sure enough, she hears his voice that carries no feelings: "What a tragedy." Jian Yao looks at him: “Whatever. I do not want to see." And she turns away. Li is a little stunned by the way they relate to each other. He takes a look at Jian Yao and walks on with Bo Jinyan. Bo Jinyan squats on the ground, He is looking through the items in the bag wearing a pair of gloves. Li squats next to him.

The body parts are cut very neatly. The surface of the cuts are tidy. Skins are still intact. Each body is cut into seven pieces, including the limbs and torso. Li says "According to preliminary forensic test results: The cause of death is asphyxia. There are bruises on their necks, caused by commonly available nylon strings. The body is then cut into pieces. We are unable to determine what tools were used for the dismembering. Other than that, the victims suffer no other injuries." Another police officer asks: “Professor, you said yesterday that the murderer’s desires will be reflected on the bodies. So what does the murderer want?” Bo Jinyan points to the body parts: “Nothing else was done to them while they were alive or after they died. No sexual assault. No torture or abuse. No blood. No poisoning. He did not take any organ …… The murderer had only one purpose - to kill and dismember." Li looked at the corpses. He always thought the teenagers might have suffered from sexual assault before they died. But that weren’t the case. Another policeman asks: "Do you mean… that he abducted those teenager just to kill them? He is not trying to take revenge on society?" Bo Jinyan smiles: "True psychopaths do not care about the community. They do it because they feel they need to, not to take revenge.” That police is surprised at the answer. Li also raises his eyebrows to look at him. Bo Jinyan stands up, looks towards the direction of the farmers market: "Since he does not play other tricks, the case is reasonably straight forward. We need to identify what tools he used to dismember the victims, and the method and sequence of how he did it. Once we have that information, we can find the guy. " Jian Yao has waited in the car for quite a while. Bo Jinyan has not returned. A young policeman walks up to her and says” Miss Jian, Professor Bo has left. He asked me to pass on this message to you - Drive back to the villa and wait there.” Jian Yao: "Where did he go?" The young police replies: “He said he needed to buy something, but he didn’t tell us where he was going." —— Midnight. Jian Yao is awakened by some abnormal noise outside. She put on her coat and slippers.

The sound is not coming from Bo Jinyan bedroom, but a room she’s never been in. It’s at the end of the hallway. She knocks on the door. "Come in." She can smell blood when she walks in. The room is fitted with extremely bright lights. The room is very big. There’s no ornament on any of the walls. Bo Jinyan is wearing a medical jumpsuit, complete with surgical masks and cap. This whole scene reminds her of the movie "Resident Evil". On top of a rectangular stainless steel table lies a naked man’s body. Motionless. Behind him, there are five or six more of these table, each with a body on it. Bo Jinyan looks at her:”Now that you are awake. Give me a hand.” "What are you doing?" Jian Yao asks. Bo Jinyan is moving something that resembles a cabinet that is approximately 80cm high, with movable wheels on the bottom. He places it next to the corpse on the table. There are a few blades attached to the side of the cabinet. Jian Yao looks closer at the design. They look like guillotines. He leisurely replies: “Real dead body, human models, computer simulations.... I need to experiment with all of them to determine the tools, processes and methodologies of how the killer mutilated his victims.” Jian Yao asks: "Is there not a forensic room in the headquarters? Why do we need to conduct our own experiments?” Bo Jinyan adjusts the angles of the blades: “By the time we get approval for a forensic corpse, our murderer will have had his hands on a few more little guys." Jian Yao points at the body on the table: "...... Where did this come from?" “Fu Ziyu." He goes around to the other side of the body, turns around and looks at her, “Come. Hold the blade for me." Jian Yao looks at him for a few seconds:"Sorry, I can’t do this. I can help you to call a policeman." She turns around to walk away. She hears a deep voice from behind: “To investigate a case but refusing to look at the corpse, is like closing your eyes in front of the truth.” Jian Yao pauses for a moment. She decides to walk out. The low deep voice again: ”He may still be alive."

Jian Yao turns and looks at him: “He?" Jian Yao knows who he is referring to. Lao Xiao’s son. The last body found at the scene died a week ago. Lao’s son has been missing for only four days. Jian Yao whispers: "? Do you think you could bring him back?” Bo Jinyan is still staring at the guillotine. Without looking up, he replies: “I am saving him now." Jian Yao leaves the “morgue”. She returns to the bedroom and lies down for a while, She looks outside the window into the deep darkness. After a deep breath, she washes her face and heads towards where Bo Jinyan is. Bo Jinyan lifts his eyes. He has a smile on his face - as if he is convinced that she will be back. Jian Yao put on the "resident evil costume”. She walks over to the other side of Bo Jinyan to keep the blades steady, as per his earlier request. Bo Jinyan: "Keep steady. I am starting the experiment now." As the blade is speeding down towards the body, Jian Yao closes her eyes. She hears a loud crash. She can imagine how it would look like if her eyes were open. Bo Jinyan asks: "What are you afraid of? He won’t move." Jian Yao keeps her eyes tightly closed: "Bo Jinyan ! Can you just tell me what I need to do next and say nothing else?” At 3am, all the "experiments" are done. Bo Jinyan says he needs a few hours for the computer simulation programme to come up with the calculations. Jian Yao immediately takes off her terribly soiled clothes, goes back to the room to bathe. After her shower, she lies in bed. She stares at the ceiling. It’s hard to wipe off the disturbing images that keep emerging in her mind. Even though she had her eyes closed for most of the time during the experiments, there were instances where she inevitably had to open them to complete some tasks. It’s hard to go to sleep. She gets up. She notices the door of one of the rooms is open. The one with the study table and the white board. Light is coming out from that room. She walks in.

Bo Jinyan is sitting on the sofa, reading. There is a cup of coffee and a plate of smoked salmon fillet on the side table. He takes a look at her and continues to read. She grabs a book from the shelve, sits down beside him and starts reading. Nobody knows how much time has passed. "Good night." Bo Jinyan says. Jian Yao: "Good night.” After he leaves the room, Jian Yao gets out too. Just as she is about to fall asleep in her bed, she hears a loud knock outside the door. She runs to open the door, but is surprised that no one is there. She hears Bo Jinyan’s room door being closed. Puzzled, she closes her door and walks back to bed. But her feet knock onto something. A black object has made its way into her room. “Chen Mo” is crawling slowly towards her bed. When Jian Yao wakes up again, the sun is hanging high in the sky. The warm rays resting on the wooden floor boards. Chen Mo is enjoying the sun bath, heads and limbs stretched out from its shell. Jian Yao gets out of bed. She kneels down in front of the tortoise. She looks at it for a moment and strokes its shell. The shy tortoise tucks its head and limbs back into its shell. The ‘morgue" door is open. She knows Bo Jinyan is in there. By the time Jian Yao comes out of the bathroom, Chen Mo is no longer in her room. It is slowly crawling back to Bo Jinyan’s room. Inside the ‘morgue’, Bo Jinyan is no longer in a jumpsuit. He is in his usual black suit, with his back to her, looking outside the window. The table with the corpse is no longer there. Bo Jinyan turns to look at her. Jian Yao: "Thank you for the tortoise." Bo Jinyan smiles. He speaks about something totally unrelated: ”He dreamt of being a killing machine." Then he moves aside. Jian Yao sees what is previously covered by his body that’s between him and the window.

It’s a modified “guillotine”, with three blades all lined up together. Bo Jinyan raises his hand to push down the handle. All three blade came down at once. Bo Jinyan looks proud. "According to the experimental data last night ......" He takes off his gloves, throws them aside: "This thickness, this material, would create a wound that closely resembles the ones we found on the bodies. Yes, three knives falling simultaneously onto frozen blood and body. As you know, no one can use three knifes at the same time." Jian Yao: “So… you mean..?” "I mean - the killer’s home has a machine similar to this. He lures his victim home, so that they will become sacrifices under his killer machine. But of course, his machine will be in all ways inferior to mine.” As if she is infected by the passion in his voice, Jian Yao’s heart starts to pound and become excited: “Large blades like these are restricted items. They are only stocked in special stores. You can’t buy it over the internet. They are not allowed in long distance buses and trains. If we check with the shops that sell these blades, we should be able to track him down quite easily.” Bo Jinyan sits down next to his killer machine. Picks up a cup of coffee and takes a graceful sip:” You are not too dumb after all. With the intelligence level of our murderer, he would have wasted many blades before he could make a machine that is barely comparable to mine. Let’s get to work. Inform your boyfriend. I will give them a detailed and accurate description of who they are looking for. Fingers crossed, we will also win back a child."

Chapter 11 8am. Police conference room. "The murderer is a typical 'organised' criminal. An unorganised criminal usually has mental illness, behavioural disorder, and lack of planning. But our killer is sober, calculative, and has clear set of goals. He lets young people become victims of his killing machine. He fantasies about controlling life and death. It is not known how he formed his fantasy, but he lives in a city, this is a type of escapism. When you search his house, you might find a lot of violent movies and games. His attitude is a metamorphosis. He didn’t form that personality overnight. He has this fantasy which can’t be satisfied in reality. Although he speaks persuasively in front of his victims, he doesn’t like socialising. He has no friends. His solitude adds to his psychological problems. Before he started killing the boys, he would have 'experimented' with stray cats and dogs, or neighbours’ pets. Near his house, you might find clues and traces. Last January, he suddenly began committing crime. Something must have happened to trigger this. For example, a severe setback at work or life. I lean towards problems with his family - deterioration of relationships, death, etc. So he was out of step.” It is a short briefing. Almost all the police is assigned to be on the case, leaving behind only a few older officers to man the fort. The conference room becomes empty. Jian Yao packs the presentation materials: “What should we do now?" Bo Jinyan puts on his coat: “Rest.” Just as they walk out of the station, they see Jian Xuan a few meters away, with a sweet smile: "Sister ...... Great god!!" Jian Yao smiles at her and asks: "? What are you doing" Jian Xuan replies: "You did not go home for a few days. Mom has sent me to spy on you." As they are speaking, Bo Jinyan stands quietly at the corner. Without his mask on, he attracts even more attention from the people on the street because of his good looks. Jian Xuan is also secretly glancing at him a lot: “Have you had breakfast?”

Jian Yao replies: "Not yet." Bo Jinyan says to them: “Let’s go.” Jian Yao: “I know of a stall nearby that serves excellent fish dumplings.” The stall is situated in the alley full of eateries. Business is booming. Smoke curls rising to the air from the the big pot which the stock is boiling away. The three of them sits at a corner table. The young waitress’ usual cool and spicy voice has become somewhat polite and sweet today. Looking at Bo Jinyan: “Can I take your order?” ——Breakfast is served. The sisters chat while they are eating. Bo Jinyan just concentrates on eating . He has no interest in small talk. Jian Yao notices his bowl is empty. And he has a satisfying smile on his face. Jian Yao asks: “Would you like another bowl?" Bo Jinyan: “Yes please.” After two bowls of dumplings, he elegantly wipes his mouth with a serviette. He sits up, and drinks the bottle of mineral water Jian Yao bought him. Jian Xuan types message with her mobile phone. She passes it to Jian Yao:"Sis, do you think this dress is pretty?" Jian Yao takes a look at the text: “Wow, I didn’t realise Great god has such a big appetite!” Jian Yao passes the phone back to her and says:. "Your taste has always been good." Jian Xuan puts the phone away. She asks Bo Jinyan: "Great god, can I ask you a question?" Bo Jinyan: “Go ahead." Jian xuan: “Almost one year ago, I passed through your house once. I saw a very thin man. I mean VERY thin. He looks a bit scary. Who is that?” He answers in a calm voice: “That’s me." -

After breakfast, Bo Jinyan returns to the villa by himself. The sisters go home. Jian Yao is looking forward to a nice hot shower. When she gets out of the bathroom, she finds her sister lying in her bed. Jian Yao lies next to her and closes her eyes. Jian Xuan turns and looks at her: "Sister ......" Jian Yao: "Huh?" “Do you think ......." Jian Xuan asks carefully “..Is Bo Jinyan on drugs?" Jian Yao opens her eyes: “Maybe he’s just unwell. Serious illness.” Jian Xuan said: "It is much more than just ‘serious illness’. You weren’t here. He was really skinny. Although I have a great deal of respect for great god, but only a drug addict has that sort of look. Think about it! He is a genius that deals with murderers. He lives alone. He must be very lonely. He has a face of a playboy. Perhaps he has a secret corrupted side to him." Jian Yao hears Jian Xuan say: "Sis, you better keep a distance with him. Be careful.” Jian Xuan looks concerned. In Jian Yao’s mind, the handsome and arrogant face flashes before her. Jian Xuan is right. He is not a usual, ordinary guy. He’s lonely, kinda alternative… Perhaps everyone in this town thinks that they are in a different world to his. But this is because they don’t know him, including Jian Xuan. If they ever see him walking around barefooted in his PJs, or holding his pet tortoise, perhaps they won’t feel that he is as mysterious and far away as they imagine him to be. Jian Yao doesn’t deny Jian Xuan’s speculations: “When we meet someone, we have to trust our instincts too and not over complicate things. In my life, I will encounter a lot of people. I know that he is one in a million. Sure, he is a little odd, but I can sense that he is a brilliant person - not just because of his looks, but how his mind works. I am saving lives with him right now. This is a once in a life time experience. I feel good about it. Although it is only for a few days. I find it very meaningful. And that’s enough.” Jian Xuan looks at her calm and gentle face. She nods. The next morning, Jian Yao goes to the villa. They have not heard anything from the police. So naturally, there’s nothing to do. She wonders if Bo Jinyan is still sleeping.

She switches on the computer, to finish off the final bits of the translation she is doing for him. —— A large hand presses down the laptop screen:"You have other work to do." Thinking that there’s an update to the case, Jian Yao quickly asks: “What is it?” Bo Jinyan: “There’s no more fish.” Jian Yao: "...... Oh." She opens the refrigerator door. Sure enough, zero inventory. Jian Yao says to Bo Jinyan, who is drinking a glass of milk:”Do you want me to teach you how to fish today? From choosing bait to tips for pulling the pole. Then you can look after yourself from now on…” "Impossible." Bo Jinyan interrupts her, "I do not like fishing, and how could I waste my time on something like that?" Jian Yao: "...... Before I return to B city, I will find a fisherman that lives nearby so that he can send you fish whenever you want." Jian Yao expects him to agree. But he answers: “No. Go fishing.” —Under the winter sun, Jian Yao walks alone by the waterside, to replenish Bo Jinyan’s depleted stock. - Bo Jinyan probably refused her fishermen proposal because he doesn’t like strangers near his house. But she is not too worried for him. There’s always FZY. She is very fond of fishing, and good at it too. Looking at the two creels full of fish, she starts packing up and calls Bo Jinyan: “Please come and carry the creels.” He looks at all the fish Jian Yao caught. His thin lips bent slightly. He gives a rare friendly smile. They go through the narrow forest path. Jian Yao follows behind him. She remembers what her sister says about him. She speaks out: “Why were you so skinny before? I am just curious. If you don’t feel comfortable sharing, it’s ok.” Bo Jinyan: “I was sick.” Jian Yao:“Oh, so.. you have recovered from it?”

A typical Bo Jinyan answer: “ Nonsense. Of course, or else I would be dead by now.” - It must have been very serious. Subconsciously, she takes a deep breathe. Fortunately, he has recovered. After a while, Jian Yao asks another question: “How did Chen Mo get his name?” Bo Jinyan pauses for a moment and replies “I don’t know. I didn’t name him.” Jian Yao: “Oh." She stops asking. Bo Jinyan: “My mother. She chose the name.” Bo Jinyan added. Jian Yao senses that this is not a comfortable topic for him. She heard from FZY that his mom died when he was very young. No wonder he’s turned out so eccentric. And he has a pet tortoise. Jian Yao also lost his father at an early age. She changes the topic: ”How soon do you expect the police to catch the killer?" Bo Jinyan answers with an arrogant smile: "I don’t know. But if they still can’t catch the killer by tomorrow, I can only say that they operate at an amazing speed. Amazingly slow.”

Chapter 12 The southern winter wind is damp and cold. But winter does not linger for long. It makes its presence known and leaves like a traveller hurrying to its next destination. A few days till the New Year. The temperature is gradually rising again. As the snow melts, the town looks clean without those greyish white patches on the ground. People are spending more time outdoors. The city seems more lively and vibrant again.

Jian Yao walks slowly. Unlike the crowd, her heart is still heavy and filled with grief. Bo Jinyan says the killer should be captured by the police today. There are already rumours going around. People are anxious. She sees several people standing outside a shop, chatting. ”I hear he target boys.” “What a bastard. Can the police find him?” “Can’t allow my kids wander by themselves anymore.”… ...... Today, Jian Yao is visiting her stepfather. She’s about to enter the house when the phone rings. It’s Li Xunran. "Jian Yao! We’ve found the boy!” Li Xunran sounds tired, ”He is still alive. We are rushing him to the hospital now. But the killer escaped. We’ve sent every man we have on a city hunt.” Jian Yao jumps onto the first available taxi. She calls Bo Jinyan. Must be another late night. His voice sounds muffled: “Ah… I will be there immediately. Tell them not to temper with the crime scene.” Jian Yao arrives at the farmers market. According to Li, the killer lives in an alley behind the market. The market usually closes around noon but because of the forthcoming New Year, there are more people than usual at this time of the day. Jian Yao walks to the seafood section. Fresh fish is sold out, so there are less people in this part of the market. She stands beside the fish tanks, waiting for Bo Jinyan to arrive.

The place smells of the salty sea water and blood. She takes a look around. Jian Yao calls Li. He says he’ll be there in a few minutes. —— The breakthrough was found by the community police. According to them, there is a small hardware shop next to the market. The owner’s name is Sun Yong. He fits the description of the killer’s profile. They went to his house, but no one answered the door. However, they heard some noise coming from the inside. The police acted decisively. They broke in and saw a boy tied up in a corner. He was using his body to hit the floor to alert the police. ......

Li Xunran arrives at the market. The place is still packed. He works his way pass the crowd and heads towards the back entrance. From his peripheral vision, he notices a slim man of medium height, walking towards the back entrance steps. He has one hand in his pants pocket. The man seems to be very nervous. He looks at the ground most of the time, but every now and again, he looks up and checks out what’s going on. Li’s police instinct kicks in. While his eyes are closely following every move of this suspicious looking man, he calls his mates nearby for assistance. The young man suddenly looks back over at Li’s direction. Li Xunran pretends to examine the vegetable in front of him. But when he looks up again, the young man is no longer in sight. Darn it! Immediately, Li Xunran yells out: "Sun Yong, stop!" As he has expected, a figure froze, which made him stand out from the crowd. Then he starts to run. Li Xunran runs after him, while yelling to the crowd: “Out of the way, police at work.” But the place is packed, both of their paths are blocked by people at times. Sun Yong pulls out a dagger from his trouser pockets and starts waving it around. The frightened pedestrians quickly moved out of his way. Sun Yong runs towards the side entrance, which is next to the seafood section. Everyone has moved aside, standing at a distance observing what’s happening. None of the people dares to stop Sun Yong. He is getting closer and closer to the door. . -

From the corner of his eyes, Li Xunran notices a person standing by the fish tank. That person did not move away like the rest of the crowd. Jian Yao sees Sun Yong running towards her direction. Some people are yelling out to her: “Stand back! Stand back! The police are trying to arrest the person.” Not far behind, she sees Li Xunran trying to catch up to Sun Yong. Jian Yao looks at Sun Yong. He is the guy described by Bo Jinyan. She suddenly remembers all the experiments she did with the blades, cutting up the corpse and the human models. This is the man. He killed and dismembered those teenagers. ...... “Yao yao, don’t listen to your mother. Of course policemen get tired, but we can still catch the bad guys. Daddy loves his job.” ...... Jian Yao looks up. Not far from the entrance comes a man in his black suit and jacket. He is wearing a hat and a mask. But she is too busy to greet him. She picks up a wooden stick next to a pillar. The stick is usually used by the fishmonger to hit the fish unconscious. She clenches the stick, stands next to the glass tank and waits. "Girl! What are you doing?" Concerned shoppers behind her shout out. "She is so brave! She is going to help catch the guy.” Jian Yao waits until Sun is coming closer. He’s almost parallel to the fish tanks. She uses all her strength to break the glass. A loud ‘bang’. Water came gushing out from a large tank that’s about one metre high. Broken glass, fishes, oxygen pump and lots of water rush towards Sun Yong. He uses his hand to block most of it. But the floor is very slippery. He skids and falls to the ground. But he only stayed down for a few seconds. He struggles up again. He looks at Jian Yao angrily. Someone takes the wooden stick from Jian Yao’s hand from behind. She looks up to see a familiar tall figure. He walks towards Sun Yong. The next scene took Jian Yao completely by surprise. Bo Jinyan, looking prim and proper in a suit, calmly raises the stick and hit Sun Yong in the back of the neck. Sun Yong falls unconscious to the ground.

Bo Jinyan throws the stick to the ground. He takes out a handkerchief from his pocket and wipes his hand. Li catches up. He crouches beside Sun Yong to briefly examine him. He looks up at Bo Jinyan: " Why did you knock him unconscious?” Bo Jinyan: “What? Do you expect me to overpower him with my own strength and pin him to the ground like a police officer?” Li Xunran turns around and looks at Jian Yao: "Well done!" Bo Jinyan also turns to look at her: “Why didn’t you just hit him directly? With the speed he was going, even a gentle wave with stick is enough to knock him out.” Jian Yao takes a glance at Bo Jinyan - She has never scolded anyone before, let alone hitting. She does not have the nerves to confront him head on. Sun Yong is taken to the police station for interrogation. The alley near Sun Yong’s house is surrounded by police cars and police officers. Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao walks through the blockade into Sun Yong’s property. Then Jian Yao stops: "Wait a minute." She walks over to Li’s car and takes out a first aid kit. There are two small pieces of broken glass stuck in her right hand. They are not serious cuts, but they’re still painful. She stands near the vehicle, pulls out the pieces of glass and coat the wound with a layer of iodine. While she is doing this, Bo Jinyan stands waiting with his hands in his pocket. She reaches out to him, then hands him the Band-Aid: “Help." Bo Jinyan takes his hands out of his pockets reluctantly. Even though he’s not the patience and caring type, his touch is soft and gentle. Facing her, he holds her wrists. Her hand is on top of his wrist. She rests her fingers on his arm. He feels the cold skin of her fingers... “Don't tickle me." He suddenly whispers a sentence. Jian Yao is taken by surprise:”Ah? I didn’t tickle you.” Bo Jinyan raises his dark looks to look at her. He lets go of her hand: “Come on, let’s not waste anymore time.” Jian Yao looks that the smooth Band-Aid on her hand.

Sun Yong's house is a single storey dwelling. The place is damp and dark, with old and outdated furnishings. The forensics team has completed what they needed to do. Earlier, a young community police arrived on the scene and found that everything in the house is as described by Bo Jinyan - the killing machine, violent videos and books, eroded bloody blades… They walk up to the killing machine. As Bo Jinyan has predicted, the machine is very rough compared to the one Bo Jinyan assembled. The blades,though, looks sharp and deadly. Jian Yao is about to take some pictures with her camera. Bo Jinyan takes off his coat, and lies down beneath the blades on the killing machine. Jian Yao: "What are you doing?" He closes his eyes: “ To feel…” Jian Yao is speechless. She takes a few pictures and passes the camera to Bo Jinyan. He gets up, and smiles at her. His slender eyes shining like a star. He reaches his arms to grab Jian Yao’s wrist. Jian Yao’s heart jumps because of this unexpected move:” What are you doing now?” He pulls her closer towards him. He replies with a straight voice: "Obviously I'm too big. You are about the same size as the victims. You lie down here so that I can take a look. Jian Yao breaks away from him. Just as she is about to protest, the young community police comes over to Bo Jinyan: “Professor, I also found some words scribbled in blood underneath the bed.” Bo Jinyan takes a look. It looks like a set of random numbers. Bo Jinyan asks: “Anywhere else?" One of the police officers replies: “We will do a thorough inspection of the entire house." Bo Jinyan nods: “Let me know once you have done the search.” Jian Yao thinks to herself. Bo Jinyan mentioned before that Sun Yong dreams of being a killer machine. Perhaps these numbers are part of his fantasies. -

Two days later. They just received a call from the detention centre. Sun Yong developed a high fever while in custody. He died this morning. Apparently, he’s suffering for some serious illness all this time. His sins, his fantasies, his killing machine, those mysterious figures. These are all things of the past now. Bo Jinyan Interviews the survivor. His statement added more questions to the case. He told the police he has been begging Sun Yong not to kill him. And strangely enough, Sun Yong obliged. There was once he was put under the killing machine. Out of desperation, he told Sun Yong: “Sir, if you don’t kill me, I will take care of you like you are my father. When you die of old age, I will be your son to organise your funeral.” And it is this statement that saved him from the blades. Everything is back to normal, but this case will leave a scar in this little town that is usually peaceful and quiet. The case has officially closed. Jian Yao’s job as Bo Jinyan’s assistant has come to an end.

Chapter 13 Bo Jinyan wakes up at 10 o’clock every morning. Not earlier, not later. As usual, he gets out of bed and gets ready for a new day. He is wearing a grey colour long-sleeved cotton PJs. Again, walking around barefooted. He actually does not like wearing shoes. (then more descriptions about how nice his feet is?! and his perfect body proportions, and his fair complexion and handsome facial features. Ok, we get it. Every part of his body is perfect…) ——— The first ten minutes after he wakes up, he is still in his "sleepwalking" mode. He stands in front of the mirror, squeezes the tooth paste on his toothbrush and starts brushing. The usual morning routine. The numbers found under Sun Yong’s bed surfaces to his mind. He still has no idea what those numbers mean. Coffee, toast, jam. He has the same food for breakfast every day. This is because he doesn’t like wasting his time on preparing food. But as he bites into his toast, he can’t help but remember the fish dumplings Jian Yao brought him to eat. Maybe he should learn how to cook that dish. He likes it so much he is prepared to ‘waste’ more of this time on it. After breakfast. He gets changed and starts work. He goes through some case files sent to him from the US. His phone beeps. It’s Fu Ziyu: “Hi.” Fu Ziyu senses from his greetings that he is in a good mood: “I heard that you solved the 'killing machine' case?" "Of course." Bo Jinyan smiles :”A simple textbook case, except there’s still some loose ends to tidy up." Fu Ziyu is impressed: “ No wonder you are so highly regarded amongst the FBI. Mr. Criminal Psychology Professor / Detective." "...... Jian Yao.” Fu Ziyu continues. “Are you giving her the same pay as the assistants you employed in the US?" “Ah, up to you. You can decide for me.” Bo Jinyan is studying a homicide file at the same time. Fu Ziyu says: “Ok. I am also looking for a new assistant for you from the university. Preferably a graduate from school of psychology. I wonder if I can find someone that specialises in criminal psychology….” Bo Jinyan stops what he is doing.

"Wait." He cuts off Fu Ziyu sentence: “Why do you want to replace Jian Yao?" Fu Ziyu laughs: "...... I want to replace her? Come on, Professor Bo. Are you out of your mind? Or am I missing something here. She is a language student. She does not have the qualifications required for the post. She helped you for this one of case because it was urgent and we had no time to look for anyone else. Besides, she is graduating soon, and will be moving to B City. She has accepted a job offer there already." Bo Jinyan thinks for a moment. His tone is somewhat contemptuous "Obviously you are the one with the problem. She has gained experience from working with me on this serial killer case. And she can fish. I don’t want to change to a different assistant. As for her work, just ask her to breach the contract. How can a common tedious boring office job compare with my assistant position? She will make the right choice.” Late afternoon. In a coffee shop in town. Jian Yao and Li Xunran are sitting by the window. Even though there’s only three days till the New Year, neither of them has the usual excitement that comes with this festive season. It’s been a while since they are able to catch up with one another. Li Xunran has been very busy. Jian Yao puts a spoon of sugar into her coffee and stirs it around: “Is the work on Sun Yong’s case finished?” Li Xunran lights a cigarette: “Yeah. This guy died too easily. Ten lives…” Both are silent for a moment. Jian Yao asks: “Has anyone cracked those numbers yet?” Li Xunran shakes his head: “Not really. Since Sun Yong has mental problems, these figures are likely to be casually written after his fantasy. They probably have no specific meaning.” Jian Yao nods. They chat for a while. Li Xunran asks: “When are you heading back to the university?” “Fifteen January." Jian Yao replies, “Then I will start my internship in a company in B city.” Li Xunran smiles: “Let’s celebrate. Order a bottle of wine. You worked as Bo Jinyan’s assistant and helped solved a difficult case. Your dad would have been proud of you.”

Jian Yao thinks about her father. - Yes, he would have been proud of me. ——-

After dinner Jian Yao goes to the villa. Every time she tries to finish off the last bit of the translation, there’s some sort of interruption. She is determined to get it done today. After she is done, Jian Yao walks upstairs to that first room with the whiteboard. Bo Jinyan is sitting on the sofa reading. Dark shiny hair. Symmetrical facial features. His signature black suit. - He’s a lot more attractive when he’s not talking. Thought Jian Yao. Bo Jinyan raises his eyebrows slightly, then goes back to read his book.

Jian Yao turns around. The whiteboard has some numbers on it. "145,297,289,121 17,324,1 25, 484 365,729,16 421,27,841 29,1 136,729,16 " These are the numbers found in Sun Yong house. There were more than one group of numbers - mattress, floors, window frames, ceiling …… some were hiding in places not easily found. They were all scribbled by Sun Yong with his own blood. Jian Yao studies them for a moment and goes over to sit down next to Bo Jinyan: “I’ve finished translating the file for you. Is there anything else you want me to do?" Bo Jinyan lifts his eye from the books to look at her: "No." "Fish? I can go fishing.”

“That’s not urgent." Presumably, the refrigerator has not been emptied out yet. She sees all the documents scatters around the room. He must be busy. She stands up: “Ok. I am leaving now. Keep in touch. Goodbye.” Bo Jinyan looks up: "You can continue to work for me." Bo Jinyan find a document from the table and passes it to her. "This is a contract Fu Ziyu drafted. You will find that the terms are extremely good for someone with your level of experience.” He goes back to reading his files again. Jian Yao is surprised. It’s an employment contract for a duration of three years. The terms and pay are similar to her previous contract, except for one additional term to take care of Bo Jinyan’s diet. She assumes this means fishing. The pay is much better than she expects. This is like an endorsement from Bo Jinyan. Jian Yao is extremely pleased. “Just sign on the bottom of the document and fax it to Fu Ziyu, he will organise the rest.” Grateful and touched by his offer, Jian Yao says: "Thank you Bo Jinyan. I really did not expect this. Thank you for thinking so highly of me. But I have accepted a position with a company in B city. The internship starts after the New Year holidays. I am sorry, but I can’t accept this job." Bo Jinyan puts his cup of coffee on the table. Jian Yao smiles at him. Bo Jinyan smiles back: “Fu Ziyu says woman likes to worry about irrelevant things. Looks like he is right again. You can breach their contract. I will pay for any compensation required.” She never thought about a career in the criminal investigation. It’s alright to do it for a few days, but to continually be in that sort of harsh environment is a different story. She still prefers a calm and stable life. "I do not intend to breach the contract. This is my first job, I cannot lose my integrity. Besides, I have no desire to pursue a career in your field. But thank you so much for the offer." ———That night, Fu Ziyu calls Bo Jinyan: “Hey, no sign of the signed contract yet. Did you forget to send it to me?”

Bo Jinyan: “How can you expect me to remember such trivial things?” Fu Ziyu: “But… isn’t she heading back to school soon?” Bo Jinyan: “Maybe.” Fu Ziyu is getting a little agitated: “You were the one who insisted I had to have the contract ready for you by today. You said it’s a no brainer and she will sign it straight away. I spent hours on it last night…” Then he pauses…”Wait a minute… Did she decline your job offer?” “Click~ !” “Hello… Hey, how dare you hang up on me, Bo Jinyan…”

Chapter 14 Every household is busy preparing for the New Year celebrations. The streets are filled with people who are rushing around,running errands and getting their last minute shopping done. Everyone is looking forward to the family reunion dinner on the last day of the year. Jian Yao's mother is a typical, traditional mom, and a very diligent one. There’s a lot of cooking and cleaning to be done before New Year’s eve. Together with Jian Yao and Jian Xian, the three of them worked hard for three whole days. Finally, everything is ready. New Year's Eve. Since the first firecracker was set off in dawn, the sound of these little explosions has not stopped. You can hear it all around the city. And it will keep going until late in the night. After lunch, the family goes to visit Jian Yao’s grandmother. The extended family gathers. The adults sit around to chat and enjoy a drink or two. The energetic children playing the backyard. After dinner, Jian Yao and Jian Xian escape the crowd. They hide in Grandma’s room and play with their smart phones. New year blessing texts clog Jian Yao’s inbox. She scrolls down the list and notices one from Fu Ziyu: “To the mighty Ms Jian, please allow me to send my greetings and blessings to you on this special day - May you become more beautiful each day. " - Mighty? Interesting choice of adjective. Jian Yao smiles and responds to his text. She hesitates, then she sends Bo Jinyan a simple “Happy New Year’ message too. The sky is dark. The sound and sight of fire crackers fill the town. Dazzling displays bursting in the sky. - I wonder how Bo Jinyan is spending his New Year’s eve. Jian Yao thinks to herself. Will he spend it like any other day? Eating his fish quietly, accompanied by Chen Mo. is Fu Ziyu with him? But surely, Fu Ziyu needs to spend tonight with his own family.

The phone rings. It’s Bo Jinyan. They have not been in contact since Jian Yao declined the assistant position. Jian Yao picks up the call: “Hello. Happy new year.” Bo Jinyan asks: "What are you doing?" Jian Yao is baffled: “Uh… Nothing much.”

Bo Jinyan: “Then do you want to come over and collect some fireworks? They are of no use to me.” It must be a gift. He is not the type to spend money on fireworks. From Fu Ziyu? The police? Jian Yao smiles and says:. "No thank you. You can enjoy them yourself." Bo Jinyan says coldly: “I have no interest in a bunch of solid that creates foul smell and bright patterns.” Jian Yao: "...... Well, my sister and I will come around soon." Before receiving Jian Yao’s text, Bo Jinyan was sitting in front of a warm fireplace, wrapped in a thick blanket, reading a book. The TV is turned on, but he is not watching it. After he put down the phone, he threw a blanket aside and walked to the storage room. He took out two full boxes of firework. They were gifts from Fu Ziyu, Tong City Police Department, Ministry of Public Security Office …… He left them next to the front door. Jian Yao borrows a car from one of her uncles and drives to his house. As they are driving towards Bo Jinyan’s house. they can see a lot of people standing on either side of the river with their fireworks. The water in the river reflects the colourful fluorescent rays from the displays. Bo Jinyan steps inside his house and see the amount of fireworks on the floor. Jian Yao: “That’s too much for us…" Bo Jinyan: “If you don’t take it away, I will throw it into the rubbish bin tomorrow.” Jian Xian quickly opposes: “ That’s too good to be wasted. And it’s not safe to dispose of firework that way. Sis, we’ve got to take them all.” Jian Yao looks at Bo Jinyan and asks tentatively: "Can you help us to move it down to the riverbank?” More and more people gather around the riverbank. The two sisters are carrying a box in front. Bo Jinyan is holding a box walking behind them. Jian Yao is a little surprised that he is willing to help.

The firework Bo Jinyan gave them are premium quality Before long, they have attracted a lot of attention, especially young children. Jian Yao notices that Bo Jinyan has put on his mask, leaving only a pair of slender black eyes to be seen. The little children are in awe. They are clapping their hands and exclaiming: “Too beautiful!” “Wow, this is so cool!” Jian Yao notices Bo Jinyan is raising his eyebrows. It’s sign that he is about to make a comment. Before he utters anything, Jian Yao says to him “Please. Don’t say anything.” Whatever he will say is likely to destroy the atmosphere. Bo Jinyan turns to look at her and keeps quiet. Soon, they’ve grown from a group of three to almost twenty people playing fireworks together. One of the boys proposes to line up rows of fireworks and set them off simultaneously. Everyone agrees that it’s a good idea. He takes a bunch of fireworks and arranges them in several rows. A boy standing next to Jian Yao asks her: “Your friend is so ‘cool’. Why is he standing so far away? Is he afraid?” Everyone laughs. Jian Yao smiles and turns around to look at Bo Jinyan: “ Bo Jinyan, can you come and help light a few fireworks?” Twenty fireworks to be lighted up by five people. Timing is key. Everyone has to light them together. Jian Yao and three others start to light the fuses and angles their bodies so they can run away immediately after they are done. But Bo Jinyan is taking his own sweet time. He squats before the fireworks, one hand resting on his knee. Slowly he lights each fuse one by one with the cigarette lighter that is in his other hand. “Can you please hurry up?!” Jian Yao urges him as they squat down together. He lifts his eye to look at her: “Are you nervous?" All the fuses are lighted. Jian Yao and the others runs away from the fireworks. Within a few seconds, the fireworks start to explode. Bo Jinyan is still amongst the fireworks. He slowly emerges from the smoke and light. He goes up to Jian Yao: “All done.”

Jian Yao’s attention is on the fireworks display. She casually answers: “Thank you for your help.” Jian Yao suddenly remembers something. She turns around and finds Bo Jinyan walking towards the little kid that commented he was afraid earlier. As Jian Yao gets closer, she hears him say: ”Hey kid. Do you think I am afraid of these mixtures of sulphur, charcoal powder and potassium nitrate? in fact, I've dismantled a bomb that is a hundred times the impact of these pathetic toys before…” Jian Yao pulls him away, while apologising to the parents: "I'm sorry. Please ignore him...." In less than half an hour, all the fireworks are gone. Jian Yao’s mother calls to urge the girls to go home soon. So they pack up the rubbish and get ready to go home. Jian Yao turns to Bo Jinyan: “Thanks for the firework. We need to go.” Jian Xian: "Thank you, thank you!" Bo Jinyan:”Don’t mention it. Bye. ” He turns to the direction of the villa and walks away. As he disappears, Jian Xian sighs: “Sister. It’s New Year's Eve, and he is all alone. I feel sorry for him." Jian Yao looks in his direction for a moment, and smiles:. ". Believe me, he does not feel sorry for himself. He probably thinks that tonight was noisy and boring" Time flies when one is having fun. Jian Yao spends the New Year holidays visiting friends and relatives. She has not seen Bo Jinyan since New Years’ Eve. It is only a few days till she returns to the university. That afternoon, some unexpected guests came to visit Jian Yao. It’s the security guard Lao Xiao and his son. They have come to express their gratitude to Jian Yao. Lao Xiao gives her several packages. They are all produces from his garden. Jian Yao politely declines but Lao Xiao insists she must accept it as a token of their appreciation. She finally accepts their gifts. Jian Yao’s mom invites them to stay for dinner. Jian Yao’s mother is busy cooking in the kitchen. Jian Xian is playing a board games with the son in her room. Jian Yao, her stepfather and Lao Xiao is chatting in the lounge.

“We owe it all to Professor Bo. I heard from the police, he’s like a fortune-teller, the bastard is exactly as he had described!” Lao Xiao tells Jian Yao what happened yesterday. They paid Bo Jinyan a visit. They brought the same presents they gave to Jian Yao today. But Bo Jinyan didn’t invite them into his villa. In fact, he didn’t even open the door for them. He simply talked to them from the inside of the house: “Thank you. I don’t need the gift. Goodbye.” And when they insisted, he added:”Please don’t bother me anymore.” ...... Lao Xiao sigh: “All I wanted is to thank him for saving my child’s life. I don’t know how to repay his kindness…” Jian Yao’s stepfather, Mr.Xie, says to him: "You do not have to worry. A lot of experts are somewhat eccentric...." Jian Yao nods. Jian Yao’s mother walks out from the kitchen: "Jian Yao, Professor Bo lives alone, right? How about inviting him over for dinner tonight?” Jian Yao: “I'll try. Mom, can you please add a steamed fish to tonight’s menu?” Jian Yao didn’t expect Fu Ziyu to answer the phone. Obviously, he has come to visit Bo Jinyan. Fu Ziyu: “He's shut himself inside a room the whole day. I am not sure what he is up to. He didn’t take his phone with him.… go over to your house for dinner? You are so nice…. Sure… Don’t worry, I’ll drag him out of his cave." They arrive. Fu Ziyu is carrying a bottle of red wine and a box of lanterns. Bo Jinyan follows behind him, wearing his usual black suit. Jian Yao’s parents are slightly stunned when they met the legendary Professor Bo. Perhaps they didn’t think he would be so young. Everyone is seated. Fu Ziyu is a friendly and social character: ”Auntie, Uncle, Lao Xiao (Xiao Senior) , Xiao Xiao (Xiao Junior) !!” He greets everyone as if they are long lost friends. In contrast, Bo Jinyan is reserved and quiet. He just nods and says Hello.

As the head of the family, Mr. Xie speaks first: “We have heard a lot about you. My friend says it’s not easy to become a professor in America. You have done well to achieve an associate professor status at your age.” Bo Jinyan says in a flat voice: "In fact, I am good enough for professor level and above, but they refused my application because I am too young.” Mr. Xie: "...... Oh, yes, you are more qualified than we thought!" Bo Jinyan smiles: "Thank you." Fu Ziyu gives Jian Yao a "I knew this would happen" look. Jian Yao smiles. After a while, Lao Xiao takes his son, holds up a glass of wine. He stands and faces Bo Jinyan. With tears in his eyes, he says: “ Professor Bo, We will never forget what you have done for us. Thank you for saving my son." Bo Jinyan replies: "I am just doing my job. It’s nothing personal. You don’t have to thank me.” Jian Yao immediately reaches for his glass and shoves it into his hand. Fu Ziyu adds: “Bo Jinyan is so modest. He doesn’t want you to feel that you owe him anything..." ...... Fu Ziyu is clearly a master at changing the mood. He casually leads the conversation to a different topic, such as Jian Yao’s new work. “Yes, I will start after the New Year holidays. " Jian Yao smiles. She is very much looking forward to it. It is her first proper full time job. it’s a new chapter in her life. Like all mothers, Jian Yao’s mom is a little concerned for her daughter: “We are not going to be close by to you when you are in B city. You have to be careful. Have you found a flat yet?” When Fu Ziyu hears this, he raises his eyebrows: “You are looking for a flat? I’m helping Bo Jinyan to find a place in B city, so I can look out for you too.” He looks at Jian Yao’s mom: “I’ve checked out a few flats already. They are in a good and safe suburb, close to the city centre. Any one of them will suit you quite well.” Jian Yao looks at Bo Jinyan. He is also going to B City? As if he’s aware of her doubts, Bo Jinyan says to her: “I’ll be working there." Jian Yao’s mom and step father is very pleased with Fu Ziyu’s offer: “Thank you so much for taking care of our Yao Yao.” Fu Ziyu waves his hand: “Leave it to me. I’ll make sure she finds a nice place.”

Jian Yao is not so sure about this: “Mom, it’s too much hassle for Mr. Fu.” “Just let him help you.” Bo Jinyan interrupts her. “Looking after people is like a hobby to him." Jian Yao: "...... oh." The meal ended around nine o’clock. Lao Xiao probably had a little too much to drink. His son had to hold on to him when they left. Shortly after Lao Xiao left, Fu Ziyu and Bo Jinyan went home. Jian Yao is washing the dishes in the kitchen. Her mom is humming away. Jian Yao: " Mom, you are in a good mood.” Mother looks at her: “Yao Yao, I think ...... Fu Ziyu is a good man." - No wonder she encouraged Fu Ziyu to look for a flat for her. It’s not in her character to trouble others or ask for favours. Jian Yao laughs: “Mom. There is nothing between us. We are just friends.” "I know, but you are twenty two years old already, it’s okay to have a boyfriend. Just be friends first. All relationships start with friendship.” Jian Yao: “Mom.…” Mom continues: “Fu Ziyu is a doctor. He is friendly, charming, responsible and considerate. It’s hard to find good bachelors like him these days…” Jian Yao asks: “What about Bo Jinyan? I mean, they came together. Why are you not ‘selling’ him to me?” Her mother pauses and answers: "He is quite a nice young man too. But he is a forensic expert. He deals with brutal criminals and psychopaths. It’s a high risk profession. I was worried for you when you assisted him with the kidnapping case. All parents are selfish when it comes to the safety of their children. I would rather you be with someone not belonging in the field of law and order." Jian Yao understands where her mother is coming from. Losing a husband when she was young is not an experience she wishes her daughter will have to go through too. On the road back to the villa. They are walking along the riverbank. Bo Jinyan is strolling leisurely with his hands in his pants pockets.

Fu Ziyu’s face is slightly red, probably from all the wine he had tonight. He tells Bo Jinyan :” I think Jian Yao’s mom likes me. She wants me as her son-in-law.” Bo Jinyan takes a glance at him. Fu Ziyu sighs and shakes his head: "Unfortunately, Jian Yao is not my cup of tea. I don’t like girls that’s so…. mature.” "Impossible." Bo Jinyan says to his friend. Fu Ziyu knows him too well. What Bo Jinyan means is that “I am taller, smarter, more handsome, and earns more money than you.., there is no way Jian Yao’s mother would fancy you over me. This defies basic logic.” He nods: “You have a point, my superior friend. Hey, I have something to show you.." He pulls out a folded document from his overcoat pocket. “When you mentioned you would like to hire Jian Yao to be your assistant, I did the standard background check on her, in accordance with the routine procedures. This is what I found." Bo Jinyan takes the piece of paper and reads it quickly. Fu Ziyu: "Why do you think I offer to help find a flat for her. I feel a bit sorry for her. Her father died when she was six years old. He is the crime investigation vice-captain. He caught a gang leader and sent him to prison. When the gang leader was released, he took revenge. He went to his house. She and her sister were in the bedroom at the time. The father locked the door so that the gang members were unable to get in and harm the two girls. The police came in time to rescue the girls, but Jian Yao’s grandparents and her father were already dead.” -----(Note from TB: The author sometimes includes a short story at the end of the chapter...)

New Year's Day. Fu Ziyu calls Bo Jinyan. “Happy new year! How was New Year's Eve?" "Normal." "Uh ...... What is that suppose to mean?" "I used up the fireworks you gave me." Fu Ziyu is shocked: “With whom?” "Jian Yao, Jian Xian, and a bunch of people that I do not know."

Fu Ziyu can’t believe what he is hearing. Bo Jinyan: “It's better than staying home to watch the TV. There’s nothing worth watching.” - Yeah, whatever you say, Mr. Bo. Fu Ziyu thinks to himself.

Chapter 15 Winter makes way for spring. The trees that lost their leaves over winter are starting to grow new leaves again. These Ginkgo trees line either side of the road leading to the university dormitory block for the girls. Underneath the trees, students are standing in groups, catching up with one another about what happened during the holidays. There are also couples in the more secluded spots, cuddling and displaying their affection for each other. After, the romantic spring season has arrived. Jian Yao’s roommates have not returned to the campus, so she has the room all to herself. She spends her day reading, surfing the net and recording the details of working with Bo Jinyan on a journal. It was a one in a lifetime experience. She wants to keep a note of everything that has happened. ——— Jian Yao is lying in bed when Fu Ziyu calls. “Your voice sounds funny. Are you ok? Do you have a toothache? Or is your face swollen because someone hit you?” asks Fu Ziyu. Jian Yao tries not to laugh. She has a whitening mask on her face. It’s hard to talk when you don’t want to open your mouth. “Mask! What’s up?” She answers. Fu Ziyu is amused. He turns to Bo Jinyan and says: “Hey Bo Jinyan, she sounds like a sheep. It’s kinda whiny but it’s cute. Do you want to listen to it?” Bo Jinyan answers :”Why would I want to hear her distorted voice?” By this time, Jian Yao has removed the thin piece of sheet from her face: “Hey, I didn’t answer the phone to get mocked.” Fu Ziyu laughs and tells her the reason for the call:”Let’s have lunch together. I’ve found a flat for you.” “I’ll treat you. Come over to the campus. There’s a restaurant nearby that does a nice fish dish.” ——— There’s a lot of small eateries around the campus. Yao picked a restaurant that does a good lamb and fish casserole. It’s a popular choice amongst the students. - Does he own suits of any other colour? Jian Yao wonders. At least he looks good in a black suit. Hang on, why should she care what Bo Jinyan wears. •

They stand at the entrance, waiting for a waiter to show them to their table. Bo Jinyan takes a look around. The place is filled with the smell of chilli, fish and lamb. “They source their fish from the fish market every morning. It’s guaranteed fresh. And the lamb is from Mongolia.” Jian Yao looks at Bo Jinyan, “Have you tried this before?” Bo Jinyan take a glance at her. He doesn’t answer her question. Jian Yao passes the menu to Fu Ziyu: “Is there anything else you want to order?” Fu Ziyu asks the waiter: “Can we order a steamed fish as well?” “Sorry, we specialises in lamb and fish casserole. The kitchen prepares the food in the morning. We don’t have any whole fish fillets left. The portions are quite large, it should be more than enough for the three of you.” It’s a pleasant meal. Jian Yao and Fu Ziyu did most of the talking. Bo Jinyan will add a sentence or two occasionally, but it’s always in his arrogant and inconsiderate manner. They are used to his style by now, so they just laugh it off. When Bo Jinyan leaves the table to take a phone call outside, Fu Ziyu says jokingly to Jian Yao: “What’s wrong with us? Why are we friends with Bo Jinyan? Do we like to bring torture upon ourselves?” - A Friend?! Bo Jinyan? Jian Yao thinks to herself. They are friends now. —— Jian Yao notices that Bo Jinyan did not touch the fish and lamb casserole. He didn’t eat from the beef dish either. Jian Yao: “Why…?” “He doesn’t eat red meat.” Fu Ziyu knows what she is about to ask: “He was on a six months cannibal hunt in California a couple of years ago. He stopped eating red meat after that case.” Jian Yao“I’m sorry….” “Never mind. He also likes vegetables. See, he finished this whole plate by himself!” smiles Fu Ziyu. “ In his line of work, he comes across a lot of very disturbing sights at the crime scenes, especially during the time when he assisted the FBI investigation. He is used to them now, but it’s because of accumulated experience. The first time he was at a crime scene, he threw up too.” —— After lunch, Fu Ziyu brings them to a beautiful apartment building on a quiet cul de sac.

The three bedrooms apartment Fu Ziyu found for Bo Jinyan is on the first place. It has a very minimalist feel. A palette of neutral and grey colours makes the place cold and uninviting. There is a big 2metres x 2 metres bed in the master bedroom, covered in black bed linen. Bo Jinyan takes a look around and nods: “Yes, I like this place. Thank you.” “We are going to your apartment next.” says Fu Ziyu to Jian Yao. “Mine? In the same building?” “Of course, then you can look out for one another.” Fu Ziyu whispers in her eyes: “I think it’s safer for you to have a male friend living close by.” Bo Jinyan overheads this statement. He has a smile on his face. Jian Yao is not sure what the significance of this smile. Proud? Pride? What is he proud of anyway? That he’s a man, and not a weak and vulnerable woman? ——“This neighbourhood is probably outside my budget…” “Take a look inside first before you decide.” Fu Ziyu pushes her into a small studio apartment on the second floor. It’s neatly furnished. A little chandelier hanging from the ceiling adds a nice feminine touch. There’s two small orange sofas in the middle of the room. There’s a tatami bed next to the window. In the other side of the room is a clawed foot bathtub, with soft pink drapes around it. Jian Yao can already imagine how relaxing it will be soaking the tiredness away after a hard day’s work. This place is perfect for her. “How much is this studio?” She knows it’s not going to be cheap but it’s worth the extra rent. Fu Ziyu tells her how much the rent is. She makes a quick calculation in her head. “OK! I’ll take it.” Bo Jinyan looks around her apartment. He takes a look at the views outside the window: “Wow, you’ll never see a sunrise through these windows.” It looks into the wall of a tall neighbouring building. Come on, at the price she is paying, she can’t expect a sea view too! He walks to the clawed foot bathtub. He looks at it for ages, and then uses his fingers to examine the surface. Jian Yao thinks it’s weird that a man would stare at her bathtub for such a long time. She walks over and tries to draw him away: “There’s nothing special to see here.” “Why are you blushing?” Asks Bo Jinyan. It’s not something Jian Yao expects him to say. She subconsciously touches her face. It’s … a little hot.

“Don’t be shy." His eyes flashes her a haughty glance: “Woman feels the need to be naked sometimes. To be freed from the restraints of clothing. You express that when you are alone. It’s normal human behaviour.” Jian Yao face is bright red now. But perhaps they have spent enough time together by now. She comes back with her counterattack: “Is this what you read from your psychology books? That’s just theories ‘on paper’, you have no idea how woman actually thinks or behaves.” Jian Yao spend the next few days decorating her apartment. She looks forward to her first day of work. Bo Jinyan has been busy too. He bought a car - a Grand Cherokee. They met each other at the lobby a few times. Apparently, Bo Jinyan works mostly from home. He does not need to go to the office every day. Jian Yao works for a company calls ClearWorld - a well-known international trading company. It’s not easy to get an internship there, but her good grades helped her to secure the job. On Monday morning, Jian Yao takes the subway to work. The company is in a building located near the embassy district, next to all the high-end shopping malls, entertainment and bars. It is a magnificent building. Everyone is very well-dressed. They all look like they are very busy. The atmosphere here is quite intense. Jian Yao has heard rumours about an employee who died suddenly of fatigue due to over working. There’s also a story that a girl committed suicide recently because she can’t take the pressure of working here anymore. Jian Yao doesn’t know if they are true. But everyone does look like they are in combat mode and ready to ‘fight’. Jian Yao reports to the sector that is responsible for automotive parts. This is one of the smaller divisions within the sales department. To her relieve, her reporting manager is quite nice, and her colleagues are friendly and helpful. They are all around the same age as her, so it’s easy to get along with them. —— Weekend. It’s been a week since Jian Yao started work. It’s been a busy week. She is happy to relax in her little apartment. There’s a knock on the door. It’s a courier package for someone calls Simon.

The courier guy says to Jian Yao: “ I called Mr.Bo. He is not home at the moment. He said to leave this package with you.” - Simon? She didn’t know he has an English name. - Simon. It’s a nice name. It suits him.

Just before dinner time, there’s another knock on the door. It’s Bo Jinyan. They just look at each other. She passes him the parcel. She expects him to leave straight away. But instead, he walks in without an invitation. He starts inspecting the house. Then he takes a seat on the sofa and opens the parcel. It’s a document file. He starts going through the file. Jian Yao leaves him to do his own thing. She goes back to the kitchenette to prepare her dinner.

Chapter 16 The house is so quiet that Jian Yao sometimes forgets that there is someone else sitting on the sofa. Bo Jin Yan is very focused in what he is reading. Jian Yao pours him a cup of tea. Without even looking up, Bo Jin Yan says: “I don‟t drink liquid from unknown origins. Replace it with water.” Jian Yao looks at what he calls „liquid from unknown origins‟. It‟s a combination of lavender and orange blossoms and hibiscus flowers. It‟s her favourite flower tea. “If you want water, pour it yourself.” Bo Jin Yan senses her displeasure. He looks up, but she is no longer there. Jian Yao is cutting vegetables in the kitchenette. But she is listening out for what Bo Jin Yan might do. There is no movement behind her. She turns around and sees Bo Jin Yan holding the cup of tea she gave him. He looks like he is examining some important evidence from a crime scene. Jian Yao can‟t help but give a little laugh: ”I found this shop in an old alley. A girl that owns this speciality tea shop says they only use organic produces. I have tried all the tea shops in the area. This is the best.” Jian Yao continues cooking. She puts a pot of chicken soup on the table. The cup Bo Jin Yan is drinking from is empty. Jian Yao smiles. She is about to walk off when she sees Bo Jin Yan stretching out his hand. He taps the top of the coffee table (next to the empty cup) with his long fingers. Does this means that he wants more tea? Jian Yao raises an eyebrow and asks: “It‟s nice huh?!" Bo Jin Yan smiles without looking out: "Yes, thank you." Jian Yao thinks about Fu Zi Yu‟s comments in the restaurant - bringing torture upon themselves. He is right. Why should she bother? She is not his maid. Yet, she is flattered because he approves of her taste in tea. She gives a small sigh and pours him another cup of tea. For dinner, she has prepared some braised pork, fried lotus root, stir fried green vegetable and soup. She left the pork in its pot and brought out everything else. Is he staying for dinner? She actually never checked. She takes out two bowls of rice.

Given the past comments he made about her cooking, she is ready for his unkind comments. If Bo Jin Yan says: ‟I can‟t possibly eat food of this quality.” She will respond “You have mistaken. Both bowls of rice are for me.” But her „preparation‟ is unnecessary. Bo Jin Yan picks up the chopsticks and starts eating. None of them speaks. Jian Yao watches him pick up the lotus roots with his chopsticks. He puts it in his mouth. No comment. Then he picks up the bowl of chicken soup, scooped out the chicken pieces to eat with his rice, then the vegetables… "Even if you keep staring at me, the quality of the food will not magically improve.” Bo Jin Yan finally speaks. She is about to rebuke him when he continues to say: “What‟s this?” He points at the soft capsules of rice in the white porcelain bowl. “Jasmine rice from Thailand." Jian Yao answers. “I tried over 20 brands. This is the best.” Because the sofa sits quite low to the ground, he has to lean forward whenever he is taking food. She puts down her rice bowl, takes out a pillow from the bed and put it behind his back: “There. You should be more comfortable with this.” She found this pillow after looking at quite a few shopping malls. It has a nice design and is very comfortable. Bo Jin Yan looks at her, then leans against it. Jian Yao just finished washing the dishes when the phone rings. She dries her hands and answers. It‟s Li Xun Ran. “What are you doing?" He sounds relaxed. Jian Yao smiles and answers: "Doing the dishes." Li Xun Ran: “Did someone come for dinner?" Jian Yao glances at Bo Jin Yan, who is still sitting on the sofa watching TV: “Yes. Bo Jin Yan.” “Dinner at 9pm? Are you guys dating each other?" “Of course not.” Jian Yao interrupts him, “You and I always dine together. Same deal. Just two friends having a meal together. So why did you call me?”

Li Xun Ran says : “About the words at the crime scene. We have some experts from the provincial office come by. They are trying to decipher them. They have made some progress. Just want to let you and Professor Bo know. " Bo Jin Yan is examining Jian Yao‟s bed, or to be exact, what‟s on Jian Yao‟s bed. On top of her bed, there is a nice silk duvet. Then he looks at her bedside table. There‟s a number of beautiful dolls on it, as well as a black paper weight. These are all the results of careful selection after looking through several shopping malls. “You must have spent hundreds of hours to find decorations for this little space of less than forty square metres.” Jian Yao pours herself a cup of tea: "More than one week.” She enjoys the process. Besides, the end results are well worth the time spent. “You are right.” says Bo Jin Yan Jian Yao: “About what?” "I don‟t really understand woman.” He obviously agrees with her. “ I can‟t understand why you would spend hundreds of hours just to decorate the place.” Jian Yao: "...... that‟s none of your business!" ———After the detailed „inspection‟ of her house, Bo Jin Yan finally left. - Bo Jin Yan ate a whole bowl of rice today. He ate at least half of the vegetables and three bowls of chicken soup. Seems like he enjoyed the meal after all. She smiles and goes to sleep. ———— The next morning, Bo Jin Yan visits again. This time, it‟s Jian Yao‟s turn to be in her long-sleeved cotton PJs. Bo Jin Yan takes a look at her: “You are thinner than I expect. Get changed. Time to go out.” Jian Yao: “Go? Where?” Bo Jin Yan: "Shopping." When they are both in his car, he passes Jian Yao a list. She can‟t believe what‟s on the shopping list: ”You mean - tea, rice, pillow, duvet, paperweights… all those things in my

house, you want a set too? You said yesterday that you can‟t understand why I spent so much time shopping for them! " “Firstly, we need to buy two sets of each item. I told Fu Zi Yu about them and he wants a set too.” He says in a casual voice: “ Don‟t you think it‟s the perfect outcome? You have done all the boring, inefficient and time consuming work, but all three of us get to share the benefits.” Jian Yao: “Bo Jin Yan! I have never encountered anyone who asks for favours in such an arrogant and condescending manner!!” ———Fu Zi Yu calls to thank Jian Yao. His approach is completely different to Bo Jin Yan‟s. He‟s so appreciative of her time and effort, and praises her for good taste. He vows to treat her a nice and expensive meal later. Bo Jin Yan is sitting beside her when she talks to Fu Zi Yu. When they have finished, he says to her: “I appreciate your taste, but I despise your efficiency. It‟s two separate issues. It‟s not contradictory!” When they are on their way to the first shop, Jian Yao asks him: ” If you don‟t want to waste your time shopping, why are you coming with me?” Bo Jin Yan replies: "Do you think I want to be here? Fu Zi Yu says I must be your driver for the day.” —— This afternoon, Jian Yao finds out something new about Bo Jin Yan. He is quite loose with money. He never asks about price of things. He just throws his credit card to her and let her deal with it. She collects all the dockets and passes them to him. He just throws them away without looking. And although he is a picky person, the type of things he is picky about is very selective. He‟s picky about everything to do with his work. He is picky about what food he eats. But other than that, he seems pretty easy going. Maybe he can‟t be bothered. it‟s not worth his time and energy. For example, when she asks him what colour and style of pillow does he want, he will say: “Same as yours. Don‟t ask me anymore.” When she asks about other purchases, she gets the same answer. With one exception. They are in a mattress shop. Bo Jin Yan wants to test and choose his own mattress. Because sleep is important for him. The sales rep leads them to the mattress Jian Yao is after: “This is our best selling mattress. Would you like to lie down and test it out?”

Jian Yao lies down on the bed. The sales rep continues to talk to Bo Jin Yan : “It‟s firm, made with fabric that‟s treated with anti bacterial properties…” Bo Jin Yan: “Would it go out of shape if you bounce and roll on it a lot?” The sales rep takes a look at him and Jian Yao, then with a sly smile on her face, she replies: “Sir, that‟s absolutely fine. This mattress is made with the best quality latex foam on the market.” She walks off, leaving just the two of them. Bo Jin Yan lies down beside Jian Yao. Feeling the other side of the bed sinking in slightly, Jian Yao turns around and looks at him: “You do a lot of rolling in bed?” "Of course not, only Chen Mo would roll on my bed.” It‟s been a long day. They both rest on the mattress. As she is about to get up, Bo Jin Yan turns sideways, supporting his head with one of his hands. He looks into her eyes. She heart starts to pound. - It‟s because he is intruding into my personal space. She says to herself. He leans towards her. His handsome features are more distinctive than usual because of they are just centimetres apart. His eyes look bright and he has a smile on his face. His thin lips moves: ”Jian Yao ...... moves in with me.” He says softly with deep and rather sexy voice. Jian Yao has never been so physically close to a man before. They are so close that she can feel his warm breath touching her skin. After a short pause, Bo Jin Yan continues: "Clearly, if we live together, it will be a mutual beneficial arrangement. I am not interested in wasting my time on trivial matters in life, which you seem to enjoy. I will have more time that I can devote to my work and other things I enjoy doing..." “….Excuse me, are you satisfied with this mattress?” The sales rep is back. Bo Jin Yan turns to look at the rep: “Please do not interrupt me.” Then he continues with Jian Yao :” Indirectly, you will reap some benefits too… You can….” "Sorry, I'm not interested.” Jian Yao stops him. Jian Yao gets off the bed and walks away with the sales rep. She is buying the mattress, to put in her own apartment. Bo Jin Yan stands at a distance and looks at her.

"Come on in." Jian Yao steps into the elevator. Bo Jin Yan walks in and stands beside her. "Why are you not interested?" He looks down at her. Jian Yao does not answer. The elevator door opens. This level is a food court, a bunch of people flood in. As many people as possible squeeze into the elevator. Jian Yao is standing so close to Bo Jin Yan that their bodies seems to be touching each other‟s. Jian Yao wants to step back, but there‟s no space. Then Bo Jin Yan looks down at her: "You haven‟t answered me. Why are you not interested to move in with me?” ————— The whole elevator is eavesdropping. He obviously doesn‟t care about the crowd. Jian Yao speaks with a soft voice: “I like my own space. I need my peace and quiet time. I am not moving in. Case closed.” Bo Jin Yan does not insist anymore. She is relieved. But after a few seconds, she hears him speak again: “ You have made a wrong decision.” Finally, a young girl next to Jian Yao can‟t hold it in anymore. She bursts out laughing. —— Jian Yao knows that everyone in the elevator thinks Bo Jin Yan is her boyfriend, trying to persuade her to live with him. But she knows that it‟s the last thing on his mind. He‟s simply looking at the issue from an efficiency angle. His cohabitation proposal is not personal. So therefore, to decline his offer is an „inefficient and wrong‟ decision. Back in the apartment, Jian Yao is enjoying a warm relaxing bath in her bathtub. She thinks about Bo Jin Yan, his handsome looks, his smiles, and his proposal. Something feels different in her heart. She can‟t explain it, nor has she felt like that before in her life. She gets ready for bed. She is still feeling a little out of sorts. The phone rings. It‟s Li. He doesn‟t usually call at this time of the night. It must be important: “Is everything ok?" Li Xun Ran sounds kind of vague: “Those numbers. We are able to put them in some sort of order, but they still don‟t make sense.” "What do you mean?"

“I‟ve sent them to your email and to Professor Bo. Have a look yourselves.” Jian Yao puts on her coat and turns on the computer.

"145,297,289,121 162,17,324,1 25, 484, 365,88,729,16 421,27,841,1 586,29,1156,1 425,136,729,16 " - What sort of game is Sun Yong trying to play here? Jian Yao scrolls to the bottom of the message. The decipher specialist has boiled it down to this row of numbers : 8,9,9,13,14,15,19. “We can‟t work out what this group of numbers might mean. They can be anything. Some sort of co-ordinates? words/page numbers in a book? Without any clues, it would take forever to solve. There‟s not much else we can do.” Jian Yao recalls what Li Xun Ran tells her on the phone. Jian Yao looks at the columns of numbers. She closes her computer and lies back onto the bed. She takes out the phone, press those numbers. A landline number has eight digits. So there‟s three extra numbers. Switchboard extensions? No such luck. It‟s an empty number. Morse code? She is not familiar with it. Latitude and longitude coordinates? But it‟s in the wrong format. English alphabet? A to Z corresponding to 1-26. She takes up pen and paper from the bedside table and converts them into English alphabet. But she has her doubts. Can‟t be that easy. Even the experts cannot decipher them. Translated letters: H, I, I, M, N ,O, S. Doesn‟t make any sense. - Ok. What if we change the order HIMINOS? HNSOMII ?

...... - Just go to bed. Jian Yao thinks to herself. Maybe Bo Jin Yan can work it out tomorrow. She closes her eyes. Bo Jin Yan‟s face flash before her. The long slender eyes, tall nose, thin lips, his faint smile, the sarcastic smile… She suddenly opens her eyes. She looks at those letters again. Bo Jin Yan. Bo Jin Yan. She has found the meaningful combination - HI, SIMON.

Chapter 17 Jian Yao knocks on the black colour front door. She thinks about the code that she has just cracked. Chills are going down her spine. She’s knocked on the door for a long time, but there’s no answer. “Tap.. Tap…” She persists. She takes out her phone to call him. Bo Jinyan answers in a tired voice: “Are you sleepwalking? It’s 1:00am in the morning.” Jian Yao: "Are you home? Open the door!” Jian Yao waits outside his apartment for another five minutes before Bo Jinyan opens the door. He is wearing a bathrobe. His hair is still damp and with occasional drop of water forming at the tips and dripping down onto his bathrobe. The robe is ‘open’ around the neckline, revealing the top part of his chest. He glances at her and smiles: "You can change your mind, with the proviso that you have to make me breakfast tomorrow morning." Jian Yao: "I'm not ......" He walks inside the house. Jian Yao has no choice but to follow behind him. It’s the first time she stepped in the house ever since he has moved into the apartment. Everything looks more or less like what she remembers. Except… there is now a porcelain bathtub in the middle of the living room. This bathtub is twice the size of the one in her apartment. The tub is filled, with steam rising into the air, which means Bo Jinyan just took a bath. Next to the tub, there’s a little side table with a tall glass, filled with the flower tea Jian Yao recommended. Bo Jinyan takes a seat on the sofa, one leg overlapping the other, underneath his big bathrobe. He looks at her: " Well, what makes you come to my house at this time of the night in your pyjamas…” His eyes slides over her face: “… like a frightened bird?” Jian Yao sits across from him: "Li sent you an email on the numbers we found in Sun Yong’s house.” Bo Jinyan takes out his silver notebook from beneath the coffee table. After only a few seconds, he raises his hand to close the screen. He stands up. Jian Yao notices that his face has turned a little pale, with a sharp cold look in his eyes. She says softly: "If you replace the numbers with alphabets ......"

Bo Jinyan turns and walks to a room. Jian Yao follows behind. Bo Jinyan’s study. One side of the wall is a large bookcase, filled with boxes and boxes of file. It extends all the way to the ceiling. Jian Yao watches Bo Jinyan reaches for one of the boxes on the top shelve. He places the box on his study table and starts to take out a few folders. These folders are big and thick. On the side of each folder, there’s a label that reads: 27-211, California , Flower Cannibal. Bo Jinyan is scanning the documents in the file. Jian Yao asks: “ Why would Sun Yong leave such a message?” “It’s not from him.” Bo Jinyan says without looking, still scanning those documents: “He is a simple guy, he is incapable of coming up with such complex codes. And based on his personality, if he was to leave signals behind, they should be totems, or abstract symbols like knights and emblems." Jian Yao is slightly surprised: “ You mean Sun Yong is just a puppet? And there’s someone else behind the instigation of his crime?” She looks at the folders on his study desk: “One of your cases in the US?" Bo Jinyan shakes his head: “No. His mental condition can be hereditary, but it does not happen overnight. Sun Yong's abnormal behaviour was consistent with his troubled upbringing. Besides, his first murder happened while I was in America. Staying in Tung City is a last minute decision after I decided to come back to China, therefore his crime was not done to provoke me." Jian Yao nods and looks at his stern face. He suddenly returned to China. Must be something to do with that serious illness of his. Bo Jinyan continues: “Introverts prefer to work alone, and his crime displayed a distinctive personal character. There is no evidence to suggest that he has an accomplice." He looks at Jian Yao, “It’s impossible that someone was controlling his actions all those times. " "Sun Yong was solely responsible for the killing machine case. There is no doubt about it." Bo Jinyan concludes: "but someone went to the crime scene and left me this message." Bo Jinyan has taken out a few photos from the files. Jian Yao takes a look at them. It’s a caucasian in his 20s. In the photo, he is wearing a white T Shirt. He is an attractive man with blue eyes.

Suddenly Bo Jinyan speaks in a way that is very different from how he speaks normally: "Hi, Simon. I am scared. Hi, Simon. Come get me. Hi, Simon. Will you be my dinner tonight? He is imitating someone else. She looks at the pictures again: “Did he leave these signals for you? Has he come to China?” - Is this the reason he left America? To return to China? The Flower Cannibal from California? Bo Jinyan puts all the documents and the photos back into the box: “He is in Pelican Bay prison serving a life sentence. It’s impossible for him to be here.." Jian Yao knows there has to be a connection somewhere. Or else, Bo Jinyan would not have rushed in here and start going through the files. “Then, who could it be?” Jian Yao asks. “I don’t know." They both stand there for a while. Suddenly, he turns around and puts his hands on either side of her shoulders. He turns her around and starts pushing her gently towards the door. "Bo Jinyan ......" Jian Yao knows he does not want to discuss any further, but she is concerned for him. He pushes her all the way to the front entrance. He turns the knob of the front door and opens it. One more gentle push and she will be outside of his apartment. Jian Yao turns to looks at him. He stands with a reassuring smile on his face. Then he looks straight into her eyes. His deep voice sounds like soothing water: ‘ Jian Yao. I am fine. Don’t worry. Goodbye.” He gives her one final nudge. Then he closes the door. Jian Yao can’t sleep. She tosses and turns for the rest of the night. She knows it’s pointless to knock on his door again. He will not answer.

The sun is out. Another morning. She gets ready for work. Before she leaves the house, she gives Bo Jinyan a call. "Sorry, the number you dialled is currently switched off …." She is greeted by a mechanical female voice. Bo Jinyan never switches off his phone. This is probably more serious than she thinks. She rushes downstairs. She knocks on his door: “Bo Jinyan! Bo Jinyan!” The banging sound and her voice echoes in the deserted stairway. No one answers. -— Monday mornings are usually a frantic time for Jian Yao. There’s a mountain of work piled on her desk. She has no choice but to put Bo Jinyan’s matter aside. During lunch break, she gives Fu Ziyu a call. "He took the first flight back to the United States this morning.” Fu Ziyu sounds concerned too. Jian Yao: “What’s the story with the Flower Cannibal?” Fu Ziyu pauses. Then he explains: "Jian Yao, I don’t think Bo Jinyan is certain who is behind the message. He has gone back to the US to talk to the FBI and possibly Ty, the Flower Cannibal. It’s not something we can help with at this stage. But I believe in Bo Jinyan. He will be able to handle this. Don’t worry. He will be back soon." Fu Ziyu is right. There is nothing she can do. After lunch, she returns to her desk. She looks around her office. Men and women dressed in business attire. Rows of computer, cubicles with desks and office chairs… busy, calm and ordinary. She wonders where Bo Jinyan is now. Who is he talking to. Criminals? Psychopaths? FBI agents who faces violence and death on a daily basis? She and Bo Jinyan. They live in two different worlds. A week has passed. Every evening after work, she will pass by Bo Jinyan’s apartment. She presses her ears over the front door. It is always quiet. There’s no one inside. On Saturday night, while checking the inbox for new mail, she comes across Li’s old message on the numbers.

She decides to send Bo Jinyan a message. The content is very brief: - How’s everything? A few minutes later, a new email appears in the Inbox. It’s Bo Jinyan. - Fine. Take care of Chen Mo. The key is underneath the doormat. Jian Yao smiles and immediately go downstairs. She picks up the key that’s hidden underneath the thick black mat. Even though this is a safe neighbourhood, but it’s still a little risky to leave the key like that. Jian Yao decides to keep it until he returns. The house has a slight musty smell, probably because it’s been empty for a week. B City is notoriously bad for its quality of air. There’s a thin layer of dust and ash on top of the furniture and window seals already. Jian Yao gives the place a quick clean. She finds Chen Mo underneath a pile of documents in the study. Jian Yao squats down, pats its shell and says: “He’s overseas at the moment. Come home with me.” For the next two months, Jian Yao continues with her busy and uneventful life. Every morning, she has breakfast with Chen Mo, then it’s off to work. She is usually exhausted by the time she gets home in the evening. A quick dinner, read a little, and it’s bed time. In the weekend, she catches up with her classmates from the university. She will also spend a couple of hours cleaning Bo Jinyan’s apartment for him. During this time, she has lost a couple of kilos, and Chen Mo has gained 2 grams. She did some research on the net, For a turtle, it’s considered a growth spurt! She can see how Bo Jinyan’s calculations are very accurate. If she moves in with him, both him and Chen Mo will be very well looked after. Sometimes, when she is cleaning his apartment, she will think of his handsome face. She will remember the day when they were testing mattress together, and she could feel her heart beating faster. In her high school years, she had a crush on one of the seniors, a good looking, quiet boy who is mature for his age. She still remembers that feeling. Anxious, sweet, almost nauseating. She felt like she has butterflies in her stomach. When he was around her, she is excited but very shy at the same time. But Bo Jinyan is different. He is dazzling and bright. She feels there’s a big distance between him and her, who is just an ordinary girl. And he is supercilious and hard to get along with. She is usually very patient and tolerable, but in front of him, these virtues can vanish into the thin air. Also, he can be painfully naive sometimes. Does she have a crush on him? Jian Yao is not so sure.

But she is sure that she wants him to be a part of her life. As a friend. At least.

The first of May is a public holiday - Labour day. Fu Ziyu comes to B City to meet up with Jian Yao. He is bringing her out for a meal to thank her for cleaning Bo Jinyan’s house and looking after Chen Mo. "Rest assured, I will make Bo Jinyan pay for this meal." He says. Jian Yao asks: "When is he coming back?” “Nobody knows. He works alone. So he doesn't have to be accountable to anyone but himself. He seldom shares his plans and schedules with anybody.” Another fortnight has past. As usual, she goes down to clean Bo Jinyan’s apartment. It’s close to lunchtime, so she arranges for the lunch order to be delivered to his house. She had a big breakfast, so there’s some leftover in the lunchbox. She leaves it on the table and continues with the cleaning. It’s a sunny afternoon. She put on her head phones and press play on her iPod, humming the melodies as she wipes the cabinet. After a while, she thought she heard the sound of a door closing. She takes her head phones off. She walks slowly into the lounge. The front door is closed. There’s no one else there. - Maybe it’s the neighbours. She thought to herself. After she tidies the study, she rinses the cloth in the bathroom. She passes by the kitchen and notices something is different …on the table. The chair is still nicely tucked underneath the table, the cutlery neatly placed to side… Where’s the half eaten food? The two chicken wings, the red bean mousse. They are gone?! Jian Yao’s heartbeat starts to accelerate. She is sure they are on the table. She looks to the right, where the trash bin is. There’s an empty cup and a plate inside. Someone finished her food.

Jian Yao slowly turns around to look in the direction of his bedroom. She can see a vague image of a body moving on the reflections of the shinny floor boards. No thief will finish off a half-eaten meal when he first enters a house. So, either he was picky about the food served on the flight, or he is extremely hungry. Jian Yao smiles to herself.

Chapter 18 Jian Yao leans on the wall that faces his bedroom door. She knocks gently on the wall. It’s been three months. He looks much the same. He is sitting on his bed, working. When he hears the knock, he looks up and sees Jian Yao. He puts down the stack of documents in his hands and walks toward her. Jian Yao is still wearing her apron and long rubber gloves. Her long hair casually tied back. There’s even a bit of stain on her cheeks. Bo Jinyan walks up close to her. She can smell the laundry scent from his clean, white shirt. His eyes sparkles. With a shallow and arrogant smile, he speaks with the deep voice she has not heard in months: “Liar.” Jian Yao feels as if her heart has missed a beat. Her cheeks start to burn. But she calms herself down quickly. - Remember, he held your hands just to let you lie down on the killing machine. There must be a ‘non-romantic’ reason for all his suggestive gestures. So she asks: “What do you mean?" Bo Jinyan answers proudly: “Obviously, you already treat this apartment like your home." He comes back to see her cleaning the house, even having her lunch here. So he assumes she has finally ‘come to her senses’ and decides to move in with him. Just as she is about to explain the whole situation, he points to the table: “Present. It’s on the table.” Present? Jian Yao walks over to the table. Next the stack of documents, there’s a small rectangular box. It’s blue in colour with a white ribbon around it. She takes her gloves off and opens the box. Jian Yao holds the box and walk out to the lounge. Bo Jinyan is sitting on the sofa drinking the flower tea. She is quiet. So he speaks first: “ So, do you like it?”

Jian Yao answers truthfully: "Yes, it’s very nice." She looks inside of the box: A platinum necklace with a heart-shaped pendant, trimmed with diamonds. It’s sparkling brightly under the lights. "But ......" she did not get to finish her sentence, because Bo Jinyan suddenly takes out his mobile phone. “Susan, she likes the gift. Goodbye.” He tells the person on the other side, then puts the phone aside. Jian Yao asks: "Who did you call?" Bo Jinyan stands up from the sofa: "FBI Behavioural Analysis Unit Assistant. She chose the present. She insists that I call her after you receive the present. She wants to know what your reactions will be.” - So that’s how the present came about. He asked his assistant to buy a present on his behalf. That person must have misunderstood her relationship with him. Therefore the present is an expensive heart-shaped diamond necklace. Jian Yao gives the necklace back to him: "Thank you, but it’s too expensive, and it’s not necessary." Bo Jinyan lifts his eye to look at her: “Just because the present is from me, you want me to be responsible for gift exchange too?” Jian Yao: "......" That’s not what I mean! Bo Jinyan stands up: ". If there is a problem with the present, contact Susan directly. Here’s her number. But do it later. We are meeting Fu Ziyu for dinner now.” —— Fu Ziyu is waiting in the restaurant. He sees the two of them walk through the entrance. He gives a them little wave. They walk over, Fu Ziyu puts out the cigarette that’s in his hand. He gives Bo Jinyan a hug. "Welcome back." Fu Ziyu says softly. After the hug, Fu Ziyu goes back to his seat. Bo Jinyan remains standing. He looks pensive. Suddenly, he takes a big step, his tall body approaching Jian Yao. Before she can react, he bows his head, stretches out his arms to wrap her tightly in his arms. "Thump, thump ......" Jian Yao can hear her own racing heartbeat.

Compared to him, she is petite. She sees a big patch of white colour in front of her. It’s his shirt. A side of her face rests on his chest. “What..?” Jian Yao asked softly. He loosens his grip and says lightly: “I forgot to hug you earlier.” Jian Yao: "...... Thank you." Jian Yao looks up and sees a funny expression on Fu Ziyu’s face. She gives him a shrug. - Calm down. It’s Bo Jinyan. Don’t read into it. Fu Ziyu is responsible for ordering the food. He orders a mix of meat and fish dishes. Bo Jinyan doesn’t seem to mind. Jian Yao takes note. Oh, so it’s ok to have dishes with red meat when she is dining with him in the future. Even though he won’t touch it, he doesn’t mind seeing them there.

She really wants to know what happened when Bo Jinyan was in US, But Jian Yao is not sure if she should ask. But she doesn’t need to, because Fu Ziyu brings up the topic: ”Have you found the guy?” Bo Jinyan shakes his head. Jian Yao is sipping the soup, quietly listening. Fu Ziyu asks: “Will you be going to US to assist with the investigation, or stay in China to try and find him??” He answers: "Unfortunately, I will not participate in the investigation of this case." Fu Ziyu thinks for a second and says: “Because of your identity?” “Yeah…” .. Jian Yao looks at Fu Ziyu. Puzzled. Fu Ziyu explains the situation to her. Bo Jinyan assisted the FBI in the past because of his affiliations with Maryland University. Now that he is no longer a professor there, and the fact that he accepted the post of the consultant for the Ministry of Public Security in China, the FBI feels it is inappropriate to include him in their investigations because it’s a matter of national security. Jian Yao looks at Bo Jinyan and frowns: "But this guy is coming after you. How can they cut you out of the investigation loop?"

Bo Jinyan looks at her: "Oh, they will not ‘cut me out of the loop’. The Chinese officials negotiated with the FBI on my behalf. After a month of discussion, the two countries have reached an agreement. I will assist in certain aspects of the operation… as the victim." Fu Ziyu asks: “Then, how are they going to approach this case?" “The FBI will send a team over here. Their investigation will, of course, be done under the supervision of the authorities. If necessary, the Chinese police will assist. The Municipal Public Security Bureau will be responsible for victim protection, i.e., protecting me. " Fu Ziyu asks another question: “Will your phone, e-mail, as well as resident be monitored?” , Bo Jinyan answers arrogantly: "Do you think I will agree to that?” Jian Yao takes a look at him. It must be very frustrating. To be excluded in an operation when the criminal is obviously provoking him. By the time they return to the apartment, it’s past 8pm. It is a bright star-studded night. The cool breeze seems to blow away the stress and worries and relaxes those who are walking on the street. Jian Yao and Bo Jinyan are standing outside his apartment. Jian Yao asks: "Do you want to see Chen Mo?" Bo Jinyan nods, and add a dry joke: “I hope he is still alive.” Jian Yao: "...... he is doing fine." Once they enter the house, they see Chen Mo clawing toward the entrance. Bo Jinyan walks over and puts him on his palm: “He’s put on weight.” , - Such a tiny difference. 2 grams. Can he actually feel it? Bo Jinyan then turns around and looks at her: “Let’s go.” Jian Yao wonders: "Where?" Bo Jinyan raises an eyebrow: "Downstairs, to sleep. "Do you not intend to move in with me? Chen Mo can stay here. He seems to have adapted to this new environment very well. It’s the first time he’s gained weight in 10 years.” - Ah. Liar… She remembers his words from this morning.

Jian Yao reaches her hands out towards him. His wrist is grabbed. The itchy feeling… is here again. Jian Yao starts walking, pulling him along. When she reaches the first door, she turns the knob and opens the door. Then she walks behind him and push him outside, just like how he treated her three months ago. Bo Jinyan quietly turns to look at her. “Goodbye Bo Jinyan. No, I am not moving in with you.” She smiles, and closes the door in front of his face. She turns and walks to the sofa. But after a few steps, she turns back and looks through the peephole. Bo Jinyan is still standing outside. He seems to be pondering. After a while, without any expression on his face, he heads to the elevator. Soon the door opens and he walks in. Jian Yao walks to the bed. She lies down, takes out the necklace form the box. She watches it sparkles in the light. Three days after Bo Jinyan has returned from US, Jian Yao receives a transfer notice from her manager. She is being transferred to the Customer 3 division. Customer 3 is one of the largest division within the Sales Department. They generate a lot more revenue than the small department she is currently working in. Jian Yao’s new role is the business assistant, which is responsible for odd jobs, administration and logistic, secretarial matters. Actually, even a college graduate will be qualified for the position. Jian Yao does not understand why she is transferred here.

Jian Yao asks her manager what is the reason for the transfer. The manager smiles apologetically: ” The previous assistant of Customer 3 division died from a sudden illness last month, and they are not able to find a replacement yet. Within all the new interns, your performance is the most outstanding. Therefore, head office has decided to transfer you to their team. They are an important division within the department. If you do well there, it will help your career progress.”

The automotive parts division goes for lunch together. It’s the farewell meal for Jian Yao. The manager is not there, so everyone is more relaxed. Because Jian Yao is going to Customer 3 division, the topic of conversation naturally falls on the gossips and stories from that division.

A young girl starts: “Apparently, they are getting a new director. I went pass the Board office yesterday to collect some documents, and I saw the chairman of the board personally sending him off.” Everyone has heard rumours, but no one knows who this new director is. They begin to ask questions. Jian Yao is quietly listening. After all, the information might be useful for her new post. The girl shakes her head: “How would I know… but -!" She laughs:. “the director looks very handsome. Tall and handsome.” Everybody laughs. Someone says: “Maybe that’s the fiancé of the Chairman, not the director” Jian Yao has only seen the photo of the Chairman in promotional materials. Yin Ziqi, daughter of the former chairman. She is 29 years old. Has a fiancé. A rich young man who is the heir to a large multi national corporation. The girl thinks for a moment: “Mmm… Don’t think so. Chairman’s fiancé is supposed to be a smooth talking charmer. This new director looks kind of …vain.” Someone adds quickly: “Don’t scare Jian Yao. That’s her future boss!" —— After lunch, Jian Yao packs up and reports to her new division. As she steps into the office, she can see the difference between a core and marginal division. It’s a much bigger office. Even the staff’s office desks are much bigger than those in her division. In her previous office, only the manager has a desk this size. Most desks are empty, There’s two people in the whole office. Jian Yao walks over: "Hello, I am Assistant Jian Yao, starting work in Customer 3 division today.” One man and a lady turns around to look at her. Her female colleague is in her late 20s, with wavy hair and big eyes. She dresses quite casually, in a bohemian style dress. There’s a black jacket hanging on back of her chair. She nods to Jian Yao and introduces herself: “Hi. I am Dan Shen Wei, Sales Manager.” Then she turns to the young man next to her: "Pei Ze, take care of her.” Then she goes back to work. Pei Ze looks a couple of years younger than Dan Shen Wei. He’s wearing a straight black suit. He has a baby face with a charming smile. He stands up to greet Jian Yao: "Hi,

I am Pei Ze. I am also one of the Sales Manager. Don’t mind Dan Shen Wei… Takes time for her to warm up to new people…” Shen Dan Wei gives him a friendly swears without looking up: “Fxxx you, Pei Ze.” - They seem pleasant enough to work with. Jian Yao has a good first impression of her new colleagues. Pei Ze continues: “The others have gone for a meeting, to meet our new director. The two of us are working on an urgent proposal so we stayed behind. You will meet the rest of the team soon." Jian Yao nods. (something extra) - story behind the gift Bo Jinyan is on the phone with Fu Ziyu. “She cleans your apartment every weekend. She is so nice. I want to move in with her too.” After he puts down the phone, he remembers the fishing rod he gave her as a thank you present for the fish. He remembers Fu Ziyu words. Show appreciation. Does it mean he should get her a gift this time too? Even though he’s been excluded from the investigation, he still has some authority within the organisation. He calls the department assistant: “Help me to buy a gift." Susan: "Well, who is it for?" "A girl." - This is interesting. Professor Bo has never bought any woman a gift. Carefully, she asks: "Is it for a young girl?" "Yes." - Oh my god! A girlfriend? Susan takes the opportunity to ask further: “What stage of the relationship are the two of you in?” Bo Jinyan raises his head. He thinks about it and replies: "She is my assistant. We will be living together very soon.” Susan is stunned. This is incredible news. It’s a well known fact that Bo Jinyan is an ‘iceberg’. He’s never had a girl friend. There’s a rumour that he’s still a virgin at the age of 26. Well, he’s finally…

Susan says timidly: “But… such an important gift… you should choose it yourself." Bo Jinyan growls at her: “What makes you think I have time to waste on something so trivial? Just buy something. Anything. “ Susan: “…”

Chapter 19 Pei Ze: "Jian Yao, briefing in five minutes. Conference Room." “Thank you." Jian Yao gives Pei Ze a smile. She makes a quick trip to the rest room. In front of the mirror, she makes sure she looks presentable. She takes out her lipsticks and does a quick touch up. Her clothes look straight and not wrinkled. Good. She takes a deep breathe and straightens her back. She gives herself a ‘Bo Jinyan’ type haughty professional smile. Very good. Perfect. Looks dignified. - Okay. I am ready. She walks out in her heels, and heads to the conference room. There are five people sitting around the large oval table. Pei Ze and Dan Shen Wei are already there. There are another three men whom she has not met before . Jian Yao finds an empty seat. Before she sits down, she gives a small bow: "Hello everyone I'm Jian Yao. I am the new Assistant." Jian Yao smiles toward the crowd. The man sitting beside her is the first to stand up to shake her hand: “"Hi I am Zhou Qin." He is in his mid thirties. He looks average, but he has a pair of sharp eyes and a contagious smile. He looks like an experienced sales person. The other two men also stand up. One of them is called Qian Yu Wen, in his early thirties, medium height, slim build, with dark skin. He has a stern look on his face. He gives Jian Yao a firm handshake. The other man is Mai Chen. He is a cute young man around the same age as Jian Yao. He smiles gently to her: “Welcome to the team.” All pleasantries are over. Pei Ze walks to stand behind Jian Yao. He rests his hands on the back rest of her chair and leans down: “ ‘Lau Zhou’ and ‘Lau Qian’ are the senior sales manager. ‘Xiao Mai’ is the Operations Assistant. Like your previous division, we work together as a team, so communication is very important." (Note from TB: You probably know this. But just in case - In China, colleagues and friends often don’t call people’s full name. Instead, they would use “Lau” (usually when it’s an older man) or “Xiao” (when the person is younger than you) plus their last name. i.e. Mai Chen is “Xiao Chen” and Zhou Qin is “Lau Zhou”.) Jian Yao thanks him. Pei Ze replies: “It’s my pleasure to work with a pretty girl like you.” Then he returns to his seat. Others laugh, with the exception of Shen Dan Wei. She is looking down at her notebook. Everyone is seated, The room becomes quiet. They wait. Jian Yao thinks to herself. She has met everyone in the division except for the Department manager Lin Yu Xuan and the mysterious new director.

A woman around thirty years old walks in, It’s Lin Yu Xuan. You can tell that she is a career woman, dressed in a ladies suit. Her eyes rest on Jian Yao: “Jian Yao?” Jian Yao stands up immediately: “Yes. Nice to meet you, Manager Lin." Lin Yu Xuan smiles, she answers politely: “Mmm…” Pei Ze smiles and asks “Manager Lin, who is our new director?" Lin Yu Xuan replies: “He’s on his way here. He was just talking to the Chairman.” She turns and looks down the corridor :”Ah, here he is.” Everyone stands. Through the frosted glass panels, they see a tall figure walking leisurely towards the entrance. The moment he enters, Pei Ze gets everyone to clap and welcome him. Then Jian Yao sees the same handsome face that lives just downstairs from her. Everyone has a big smile on their face. Only Jian Yao looks stunned. Jian Yao now understands the ‘vain’ comment made by the young girl during her farewell lunch. - Can someone tell her why Bo Jinyan is here? Manager Lin introduces: "This is Bo Jinyan, our new director. We are honoured to have him join the team. I’m sure our division will go from strength to strength under his leadership." Everybody applauds again. Even the grim beauty Dan Shen Wei seems to like this new director. She has a look of approval in her eyes. Jian Yao fixes her eyes on Bo Jinyan, but he looks pass her as if he does not recognise her. , Just this morning they were having breakfast together. He didn’t even give the slightest hint that he will be here. Everyone takes a seat. Each employee makes a brief self introduction to the new director. When everyone has finished, Manager Lin says: “Director Bo will be responsible for the overall strategic and business direction. From now on, all of you will report directly to me. The Chairman does not want Director Bo to be bogged down with the routine tasks.” Everybody nods. Jian Yao is suspicious. Business direction? It’s not his expertise. Manager Lin asks: “Director Bo, would you like to say a few words?”

"Alright." Bo Jinyan says. He takes a pause and looks around the table slowly. The place is so quiet that you can hear a pin fall to the ground. He starts to speak: “I don’t like beating around the bush. I am only going to be here temporarily. You do not have to befriend me. I have no energy to deal with each one of you separately. I have my way of doing things. You have to respond to my every demand, but I will not respond to yours. We will live in peace. And at appraisal time, you will all get an A for performance from me. Thank you.” The room is quiet again. - Temporary? What is he trying to achieve here? The Customer 3 division is an elite team. They never expected to have to deal with someone who is so brutally blunt. But after a moment to take in Bo Jinyan’s speech, they applaud in unison. Manager Lin is still slightly taken back by his speech, To smooth things over, she speaks with a calm voice: “Director Bo, since we have not been able to recruit a secretary yet, Jian Yao, our new assistant will serve you until we find someone else.” An indifferent looking Bo Jinyan: “That’s fine.” Manager Lin looks to Jian Yao: “From now on, you report directly to Director Bo.” Meeting has ended. They return to their office. The table for the Director’s secretary is located outside his office. She sits down and see Bo Jinyan walking towards her. People are watching. Jian Yao keeps an expressionless face. He walks past the table, taps the side with his fingers: “You. Come in.” And he goes into an oversized office. Jian Yao takes a notebook and pen and walks in after him. She hesitates, then decides to shut the door behind her. . The crowd outside is finally able to relax. All the company chairs have castors on them. While sitting in his chair, Pei Ze glides over to Shen Dan Wei’s desk. He takes a glance at the Director’s office: “The poor little beauty. Where did this arrogant guy come from? ” Shen Dan Wei replies: "Really? I think he’s cool."

Pei Ze looks at her and laughs out loud. He looks up, surprised to find that Qian Yu Wen looking at him quietly. Pei Ze looks away, starts whistling, and glides back to his desk, Everyone goes back to work. Bo Jinyan is sitting at an expensive black solid work desk. He sits in the leather chair and stares at the computer screen. Jian Yao walks to the table. She throws the note book and pen on his desk: “Explain!” Behind the screen, Bo Jinyan mumbles: “Your inescapable fate as my assistant ......" Jian Yao: “BO Jinyan!" Suddenly, a light knock at the door. "Come in." Bo Jinyan lifts his eyes to glance at her. A smile has appeared on her previous angry face like magic. It’s Mai Chen. He has two security guards with him, carrying some office furniture. Bo Jinyan smiles. One of the guys asks: “Where do you want us to put them?” Bo Jinyan puts his hands behind head, like he is resting on a pillow, and casually answers: “ Anywhere, as long as it’s somewhere within my range of vision.” —— Jian Yao looks at him. “Don’t tell me you are here for some undercover operation. You disguised as a director and transferred me here so I can work for you?” Bo Jinyan: "I'm glad to see you are using your brain." She can’t believe this. “Bo Jinyan, how can you do this to me?” she asks: “You should at least check with me first to see if I am willing to help you? Bo Jinyan’s smile freezes. Jian Yao continues: “Do you know how much I value my job? This is an area of work I want to pursue in. You don’t like other people to intervene with your investigations. I am the same. I want a stable and safe job. But what will become of me in the future? You would have left the company but I am still going to work here. How will my colleague treat me? What would they think of me “O be careful. Don’t talk to her. She’s a spy” Or if the next time you need to solve a case in Mongolia, you expect me to quit my job and follow you there?”

Her face is getting more and more red. She’s only been here for a few months. She has worked hard to settle into the company. But Bo Jinyan is going to ruin all that. He has no right to dictate what she will be doing. She walks to the door, and suddenly remembers, her desk has been moved inside his office. She has nowhere else to go. She sits down at her desk and turns her back to Bo Jinyan.

After a while, she has calmed herself down. She begins to think. • What am I going to do now? Should I resign? But where will I go from here? Clearly the Chairman and Manager Lin knows Bo Jinyan’s identity. Perhaps after she solves this case, they can help cover for her, so no one else in the company will know. She will return to her original post. At this point, someone knocks on the door. The tapping goes on for a while. Bo Jinyan just keeps silent. Jian Yao clears her voice: “Please come in.”

Pei Ze pushes open the door. His hand is carrying two coffee cups. He gives a charming smile: “A mocha and a herbal tea. Is that ok?” Jian Yao smiles and stands up: “Thank you so much. How much is it?” Pei Ze laughs: “Don’t mention it. My pleasure.” He turns to Bo Jinyan: “Bye.” Bo Jinyan really is a man of his word. He ignores Pei Ze. Pei Ze closes the door. Jian Yao puts down the cups on her table. Bo Jinyan: ”Mocha, thank you." “Come and get it yourself!” Soon, she hears him standing up and walking towards her. She keeps her head down. He says in a sooth gentle voice: "your job will not be too affected by this case. I will solve it very quickly. Think about it. A case as complicated as the killer machine only took me 5 days to crack. This is a piece of cake." Jian Yao feels a little more reassured, but she keeps quiet. A pair of hands appear on either ends of the table. The amber cufflinks on his sleeves reflects the light from the table lamp. He leans forward. His face is just inches away from hers. “Sorry for being blunt, but what is the purpose of your job? Taking some goods from one location, transfer them to a different location and sell them at a higher price. Is that what you will tell your grandchildren when you are old? How much cargo you

helped transferred in your lifetime? Or do you want them to know how many lives you have saved?” Jian Yao looks at him. The two faces are separated by less than 30cm, she can almost see her own reflection in his eyes. Somewhere in her heart, a chord is struck lightly. Jian Yao turns her face away. "Nonsense." She says: “It’s logistics, economic development, an indispensable part of keeping the society prosperous.” Bo Jinyan loosens his grip off the corners of the tables. He walks back to his desk, taking his cup of mocha with him. He takes a few pieces of paper from there and walks back to her desk: “Okay, Miss logistics, can we have a look at the information on the case now?” He puts the pieces of paper on her desk. She opens the files. There’s a photo of a young lady, wearing a suit, in her early twenties. She looks at the next document. It’s her CV. Wang Wan Wei, aged 23, Assistant of Customer 3 Division. Her predecessor. Bo Jinyan makes a comment: "You and her. The two of you look alike. You are both pale and thin." Jian Yao ignores him. He continues: “It’s not death from natural causes. It’s suicide.” - Jian Yao thought Bo Jinyan only deals with cases involving vicious serial killer .The death of a white collar office lady? This is not the type of case he would usually take on. She asks: “Is she an agent from the Ministry of Public Security?" What’s so special about her? Bo Jinyan: "Do you think the Ministry has nothing better to do than to send their agents as porters, I am sorry, logistic workers?" Jian Yao: “……So, what’s the reason…?” She is confused. Bo Jinyan’s phone rings: "Ah well.." He takes a look at Jian Yao: "She'll eat anything. Bye.” He hangs up. He says to Jian Yao: “We are going for dinner." Jian Yao asks: "With Whom?” Bo Jinyan: “A woman that brings me nothing but trouble. Why else do you think I would accept this ‘kindergarten level’ case?"

Jian Yao is curious. - Woman?

…..Chairman Yin?

Chapter 20 They walk pass a European design screen with white floral cravings. A beautiful crystal chandelier hangs from the ceiling in the middle of the lounge. The large lounge is furnished with expensive but tasteful furniture. An elegant lady sits at a small round table in the middle of the lounge. Yin Ziqi is wearing a red strapless dress. Beautiful, sexy, yet seems unapproachable and not very easy to get along with. But when she sees Bo Jinyan, she embraces her femininity. She glances at him obliquely: “Finally, you are willing have a meal with me.” Bo Jinyan pulls out a chair and sits down. He tells Jian Yao: “Take a seat.” Yin Ziqi stands up, shakes hands with Jian Yao and smiles: “Nice to meet you.” Jian Yao responds with a smile: "Hello, chairman Yin, I am Jian Yao." The three of them sit down. Yin Ziqi looks at Bo Jinyan: "I thought your assistant will be an arrogant eccentric weirdo like you.” Jian Yao smiles: "I certainly am not." Bo Jinyan glances at Yin Ziqi, and says in a sarcastic tone: “Is this how you see me?” Bo Jinyan suddenly thinks of something. He turns to look at Jian Yao: “Is this how you see me too?” Jian Yao answers softly: “Well, who transferred me to a different division without consulting me first?” Yin Ziqi is surprised to see how they relate to each other. She tells Jian Yao: “Miss Jian, I need Jinyan to help me with an investigation within the company. He insisted that only if you can be his assistant, will he then accept the case, thereforeI have no choice but to authorise the transfer.” - Insisted that she works with him before he would accept? Jian Yao is secretly pleased. Yin Ziqi said: "But I thought he would consult you first. I had no idea that he didn’t speak to you beforehand..." Bo Jinyan interrupts her: "We have come to an agreement. Now let’s get back to business.” Yin Ziqi laughs. She says to Jian Yao: “ Let me formally introduce myself. I am Ziqi, Jinyan’s sister.”

Jian Yao has a suspicion that they are related, but she never thought they are brothers and sisters, because Bo Jinyan never mentioned he has a sibling. As if aware of her doubts, Yin Ziqi smiles: “Actually, I am his step sister. Jinyan’s father married my mother. Not a lot of people know about this. We grew up in America together." Before dinner is served, Yin Ziqi talks about the case. “The police have confirmed that Wang Wan Wei’s death is a suicide. However, I still want to clarify a few things: 1. She mentioned in the suicide note that she chose to end her life because she was overwhelmed by pressure. I do not know if this pressure is work related. If so, I need to know more about it and whether the management style in Customer 3 division was part of the cause. I would like to know the specific reasons for her suicide. 2. Her cause of death is drug overdose. I do not want to make this fact public because I have heard a lot of rumours about staff in our company taking drugs. I want to know if anyone else in the division takes drugs as well. I am afraid there is a secret drug network within the company. Jian Yao did not expect to hear this. Her impression of the company is a clean one. Bo Jinyan just summarises the requests: “Investigate cause of suicide and find out if company has a drug network. Sounds like freshman criminology introductory exercises. " Yin Ziqi says: “Come on, Jinyan. You have shares in this company too. Uncle Bo and mom took years to build this company. Do it for their sake.” Bo Jinyan looks at Jian Yao: "Never mind, we have Jian Yao. Good practice for her since she is still in the elementary levels of criminology.” Jian Yao ignores his scoffing comments: “ Chairman Yin, we will do our best.” Yin Ziqi nods: “let’s take a break from work. I hope you will enjoy the food tonight…” She signals the waiter to serve the courses. Appetiser is salad. She ordered steak as main course for herself and Jian Yao, and fried cod for Bo Jinyan. Like an elder sister, she reminds her brother: “Don’t just eat the fish, eat some vegetables too.” Bo Jinyan: “I am not a kid anymore.” But then, he picks up some salad from the bowl.

The portions are quite big. Jian Yao cannot finish her salad. Bo Jinyan takes a look starts eating her remaining salad. Yin Ziqi give Jian Yao a strange look. Jian Yao glances at her food. There’s also leftover salad on Yin Ziqi’s bowl but Bo Jinyan is only eating from her bowl. Bo Jinyan is the last to finish eating. He wipes his mouth with a napkin and turns to Yin Ziqi. Both of the ladies thought he is going to talk about his views toward the case or strategies he will be employing, but instead, he asks his sister to keep Jian Yao’s involvement with the case a secret, so that she can go back to her little assistant role in the automotive parts division after the investigations are finished. They are driving home. She is pleased that he talked to his sisters about her concerns. Jian Yao: “You get on well with your sister.” Bo Jinyan: “Really? I don’t feel that way.” Jian Yao looks at him. If it’s not because he loves her sister, would he take on such an entry-level case? As if he can read her mind, he says: “If it was you who committed suicide, I will take on the investigation too.” Jian Yao: “……Gee…should I say thank you?" - Come on… no one uses this sort of analogy to express how important the person is to them. —— They return to Bo Jinyan’s house together to study the information on the case. Wang Wan Wei, from H province. Attended University in B City. Graduated with average grades. Single. Comes from an ordinary family. Parents are divorced. She is raised up by her mom who owns a tailor shop. Not wealthy. Last month, the team went on a retreat together. Wang injected too much drug into herself. Her body was found the next morning, by her colleagues. There is also a suicide note in her room. It’s not a suspicious death. Information pack also contained the resort they went for the retreat, photos of her body in the room, her personal items such as clothes, jewellery, etc, confessions of her colleagues.

Jian Yao picks up a copy of the suicide note. "Mom: When you see this letter, I have left this world. I am sorry, I can not look after you anymore. I am a timid girl, always disappoints you. I can not give you the life you are after. I choose to leave now. Please believe I am going to a better place. Don’t be sad. Everyone will die sometime, right? it’s only a matter of timing. I am just choosing to end it earlier. I used to think that the future is bright. I thought if I worked hard enough, I could get you a little place of your own. But I was wrong. No matter how hard I try, I am not as clever as others, I am not as eloquent as others. I am bad at my job. I am like a defeated and disgraced soldier, putting on a fake smile every day, hiding in my little shell, falling into a bottomless pit. I do not even know when it started, but my life has become so dark, so dirty, so desperate. I look in the mirror in the morning and I don’t recognise myself. I am ashamed to see you, I have avoided home for a year. I am not afraid that you will scold me. But I don’t want you to be sad. Mom, I’ve made a lot of mistakes, taken many wrong steps. It’s too late to turn back. I cannot look back, I just have to end it. Mom, there’s still twenty thousand dollars in my bank account. The password is the birth year of you, dad and me. I am sorry, mom. Mom, do not be sad. This is a release for me. I can not change or resist my fate, but at least I can choose to end my life, to end it in my own hands. Goodbye, Mom. Do not be sad, tomorrow is a new day. Daughters Wang Wan Wei xx, x, x Day " Jian Yao puts down the suicide note, Tears comes to her eyes. She clears her throat and tells Bo Jinyan: “I have read all the information.” Bo Jinyan on the other hand, does not seem to be affected in the slightest. “My assistant cannot be so sentimental. Can you switch back to normal mode now?” Jian Yao replies: "Women are sentimental. Why don’t you go find a man? This man needs to be good at fishing, will clean your house, take care of Chen Mo, and not mind how picky you are.” Bo Jinyan keeps silent this time.

Jian Yao calms down. She asks: Bo Jinyan "Is it because of this note that the police concluded that it’s a suicide?” Bo Jinyan: “ Based on a note alone is not enough evidence to conclude it’s a suicide, because to fake a note is not difficult. They just need to put themselves in the shoes of the victim, thinks about what bothers them in life and write the note based on those fears and frustrations." Bo Jinyan sighs: "I hate to answer simple question like these. It’s boring.” Jian Yao: “Just say it!" Bo Jinyan closes his eyes and starts to share his analysis on the case: "This is indeed a suicide note that Wang wrote. Firstly, there’s the absence of duress in her note. She was not stressed when she was writing. Because the writing was fluent. You can tell it from the strokes of her handwriting. In addition to this, she used a lot of abstract suicide metaphor, defeated, shell, bottomless pit; there are many repeat statements such as 'Mom, do not be sad'; some phrases does not make much sense, for example, 'my life became dark, dirty' ..People faking notes tend to be more clear, cohesive, concise, straight to the point, as to avoid loopholes. This is a real testament." Jian Yao reads the suicide note again: “Your analysis is very thorough." Bo Jinyan’s eyes flashed a smile. Jian Yao asks: “What should we do now?" Bo Jinyan replies: “We need to start with the reasons for the suicide. If there is drug network, it will naturally surface…" Jian Yao: “But where do we start?" Bo Jinyan asks her: “ What are the most common reasons for woman to commit suicide?” Jian Yao thinks for a while: ”work stress, relationship problems, economic pressure, physical illness ......." "Great." He says, “I will leave it to you to decide what ones fit this case.” "Then I will start with detailed background check on Wang Wan Wei." Jian Yao said.

(extra story) - Bo Jinyan’s zero love history Once, Jian Yao asks Fu Ziyu: “Not a single girlfriend in 26 years?” Even though his character is a little arrogant, a little overbearing, a little difficult to get along ...... but the overall package is still very attractive. It’s hard to believe there’s no woman attracted by him. Fu Ziyu answers: "Miss, have you considered his age?" "Age?" "Ah, He went to university when he was 14, graduated when he was 17, gained his PhD when he was 21, This means he’s always around women that’s a lot older than him.” Jian Yao: Oh…… Fu Ziyu : ”He won’t go for woman that’s older than him.” Jian Yao: "Why?" His comment is strictly an intuitive one. He has never thought about why. Jian Yao thinks for a while: "I think I know why. Because the EQ gap is too big. Girls mature faster than guys generally. So in his case, the gap is even bigger.” Fu Ziyu laughs :”Spot on. You’ve nailed it.” They are still laughing when Bo Jinyan enters the room. Bo Jinyan: "What are you guys talking about?" Fu Ziyu says: “Your past." Bo Jinyan raises his eyebrow - his past ah ....... He looks at Jian Yao with a smile. She is interested in his past… ah…

Chapter 21 Jian Yao is standing in the pantry making a cup of tea. She watches her well dressed colleagues through the clear glass panel. Wang Wan Wei ’s suicide note is very obscure. The reason for her suicide. The drug network. Is it related to these people? Bo Jinyan says no one must suspect or know about their operation. She politely greets everyone before going into Bo Jinyan’s office. An uneventful morning. Customer 3 division is an elite team. They are obviously better paid than her previous colleagues, as even the places they have lunch is more expensive. They are sitting at a buffet house not far from the office. Manager Lin did not join them. Apparently she is rarely present at joint meals. Perhaps she wants to keep a distance from her subordinate. Bo Jinyan certainly will not come. The group sit down at a wooden table near the window. To Jian Yao’s left, it’s Pei Ze, to her right is Mai Chen. Shen Dan Wei is sitting across her. She does not like to engage with others much. Zhou Qin is a pleasant guy to chat with. Qian Yu Wen is a bit stiff and serious, even in a social setting. " Shen Dan Wei will only show her nice side to the customers. She gets a lot of complaints from other departments. " Pei Ze says to Jian Yao. Everyone laughs, even Shen Dan Wei. She sees Pei Ze’s arm resting on Jian Yao’s backseat. She smiles to Jian Yao: “Little Rabbit, beware of the big bad wolf.” "Me?" Pei Ze stares at her, then turns to Jian Yao, “Just ignore that." Jian Yao reaches for her tea cup and raises it in front of her :” It’s my second day on the job. Here’s to you guys. Thank you for all your help. To the future!” Everyone raises their cups. After a bit of wine and dine, Pei Ze asks on behalf of everyone: “Jian Yao, what’s the background of Director Bo? You are working in his office. Have you found out anything about him yet? Share with us.” Jian Yao thinks for a while what she should share: "He seems to be related to the Chairman.” Everyone gets a little excited. Mei Chen asks: “How do you know this ?” Jian Yao: "Yesterday I heard him calling the Chairman ‘sister’ over the phone.”

Pei Ze: "Must be a first cousin because I have not heard about Chairman having a sibling.” Jian Yao: "I am not sure.” It was a fun meal, but Jian Yao notices that most of the time Mai Chen keeps very quiet. A lot of good salesperson is outwardly attractive. This theory proves true in this division. Pe Ze is a rich playboy type. Mai Chen also looks good. He makes Jian Yao feel comfortable - like ‘the boy next door’. Jian Yao gets a phone call from Bo Jinyan. She gets up immediately to say goodbye to the rest and hurries to meet him. Pei Ze stands up with her: "I'm done too. Let’s walk together." Jian Yao is walking quite quickly, Pei Ze laughs whilst following behind: “ Slow down. Are you so afraid of him?” Jian Yao smiles. She can see Bo Jinyan’s BMW parked outside the building. It’s part of his remuneration package as Director for Customer 3 Division. It’s a busy lunch time. As they were going through the revolving door, Jian Yao was knocked by someone next to her. Pei Ze tries to puts his hand around her waist to give her some support. Jian Yao moves away quickly: “ Thanks.” She gives Pe Ze a smile. “See you later.” She walks towards the BMW. Bo Jinyan is sitting at the backseat. She sits next to him. Bo Jinyan: "If I were you, I would avoid physical contact with all of them. Some of them might be drug addicts. And drug addicts always carry some kind of infectious disease.” Bo Jinyan must have seen what happened just now. Even though Pei Ze’s hand didn’t end up touching her, it could look different from Bo Jinyan’s angle. The driver in front is one of Yin Ziqi’s trusted staff. So the two of them can talk freely. Jian Yao: “Stop using that disgusted tone. He didn’t even touch me.” Bo Jinyan closes his eyes and leans back to rest. Jian Yao stares at him for a few seconds. She suddenly reaches out and touches his cheek with back of her hand. He looks at her.

Jian Yao: "Oh, sorry, Unintended physical touch." Bo Jinyan: "Childish!" ——Afternoon. They get off the plane. They have arrived in Wang Wan Wei ’s hometown. Her mother lives alone in an old house. Bo Jinyan shows her the documents from Ministry of Public Security. She shows them around the house She is a quiet and timid lady. She brings them some tea then she leaves them by themselves in Wang Wan Wei ’s room. Bo Jinyan says to Jian Yao: “A weak, introverted, and poor single mother with a daughter. Wang Wan Wei more or less rubs off some of her mom’s character.” Then he takes a look at her: “Surprisingly, you turned out fine.” Bo Jinyan takes a look around. There are many journals in the room. She has a habit of keeping a diary. Bo Jinyan: "She likes to use words to express herself - a good habit." He finds a chair to sit down, passes a few journals to Jian Yao. They start to read. The journals start from when she was 14 years old, and stops when she reaches 21, which is her second year in University. Wang Wan Wei has a delicate and sensitive style of writing. She recorded a lot of little things in her daily life, Overall, she was a positive but cautious girl. Nothing truly dramatic happened in her high school years. She lived a normal life. According to the police records, Wang Wan Wei gave her mother a phone call on the night of her death. Jian Yao asks the mother: “What did she say?" With sombre and grief, she says: "...... It’s was around midnight. It’s an unusual time to call. She knows I rest early…. I should have known… She didn’t say much… just that she is at a company retreat…. ask me to take care of myself. I didn’t notice anything. She is always quiet and reserved…. If only I knew….. " Jian Yao gets up to comfort her. The police records mentioned that Wang Wan Wei tried to call her mom half an hour before her suicide. But before the lines were connected, Wang Wan Wei decided to hang up. Perhaps this was sign of hesitation and struggle? But it is too late to speculate now.

After leaving her mom’s house, they visit Wang Wan Wei ’s ex-boyfriend. They went to high school together, but studied in different universities. Long distance relationship proved difficult to maintain, they broke up after a couple of years. They did not keep in touch with each other. It is midnight when they return to B city. Jian Yao summaries their findings: "No economic pressures. Though her family’s poor, it’s not to the point that they can’t survive. It’s not to do with relationship issues. They broke up long ago. No health problems - last medical report shows she is healthy. So the only possible reason left on the list is pressure from work. We need to keep the investigation confidential. How are we going to get any information out of the people in the office then? “ Bo Jinyan is driving. "I like to take short cuts when I investigate.You need to keep up with me.” - Isn’t she following closely behind already? Jian Yao: "What is a shortcut?" Bo Jinyan: “The journals." Jian Yao thinks for a moment, still puzzled: "? Diary stopped in her second year of university.” Bo Jinyan whistles softly. They are almost home. The neighbourhood look quiet and picturesque in this time of the night. “People don’t change their habits. She must have some recent diaries somewhere. We just need to find it." Jian Yao nods. Surprisingly, Bo Jinyan adds: “You, for example, took three days to choose a toothbrush. Would you change your habit of taking time to find the right product?" Jian Yao: "Why should I change? I like it. Didn’t you also buy the exact same toothbrush after you saw mine?” Bo Jinyan says proudly: “Short cut.” Jian Yaois puzzled: "What shortcut?" "You spend three days to choose, I spend three seconds to copy your choice - this is shortcut.”

—— After they get home, Bo Jinyan asks if Wang Wan Wei owns a laptop. Jian Yao finally understands what Bo Jinyan is trying to get at. She probably started to write her diary online. Jian Yao says to Bo Jinyan: “You are right. She probably has a blog or something. I will go to the tech department and get her IP address. Then we should be able to find it with the help of your friends at the Ministry of Public Security.” Bo Jinyan: “Good. See you tomorrow.” The next morning, while the others are busy with liaising with customers and making sales for the company, Jian Yao and Bo Jinyan sit in their office to continue with their investigation. They are both looking at Wang Wan Wei ’s blog, but on their own separate desk. "September 4, he was wearing a shirt today, very handsome. I met him at the pantry, he said I did a good job taking the minutes of the meeting today. I'm so happy. January 12, I am not well today. I didn’t join the others for lunch because of my stomach ache. The other colleagues did not notice, but he brought back a snack for me. He is nice to everybody though. O how I wish I am special to him. November 9th, He is wearing a sky blue tie with stripes. I notice that he has a lot of blue colour ties. Does he know, blue is my favourite colour? November 15, The assistant from another department broke up with his boyfriend today. He was cheating on her. Is there really no true love after all? Do people not care about ethics and morality anymore? What about you my dear? Will you love me too? November 2, What am I going to do. I feel my love for him is growing every day. ...... December 15, too much work. I forgot to submit a couple of files to Director Dong. Manager Lin was criticised because of that. I feel so bad. December 19, Disaster today. I made a mistake with the gift list for our VIP clients. The computer crashed. Shen Dan Wei became very angry because of this. It took me a whole night to fix the file. I cried in the morning. December 28, Everything went wrong. Manager Lin says she will give me a C for this year's performance evaluation. I think everyone in the team despise me. He smiles when he is talking to me. But in his heart, he probably thinks I am useless and stupid.

Jian Yao moves to the next post. To her surprise . It’s her last post. And it’s six months after the December post. June 1, 0:37am The forensic records shows that Wang Wan Wei ’s time of death on that day is between 2-3am. So this last post is written 2 hours before she died. “It’s been six month since my last post. Nothing has come right for me in this last six months. I fell into a low life, a dark, cold and dirty place. Those things, I do not want to record on my blog. This is a clean space. And tonight, I have decided to commit suicide tonight ...... But he came to my room. To tell me he loves me. He said he has always liked me, ever since the first day I started to work in the company. He said he is still a junior, his salary is not high, but he will work hard. He wants to know if I will be his girlfriend. Oh my love. Why didn’t you talk to me earlier? Oh my love, clean stream of water, handsome and shinning, why do you come now? It’s too late. But thank you, thank you, for letting me know, that my life is not a total failure. You are the light of my life. Diary stops here. Not quite what Jian Yao and Bo Jinyan have expected. At least it’s not the short cut that Bo Jinyan is looking for. He thought it will give them reasons for her suicide, but like her suicide note. It’s obscure. But there is one unexpected bonus - Someone from the office confesses his love to her on the night of the suicide. This is an important clue, but the man did not mention it to the police. Bo Jinyan stands up and draws back the curtain so he can look out into the office. It’s treated glass. Only they can see what’s happening outside. The people in the office can’t see them. In line with the age and job description in Wang Wan Wei ’s diary, it can only be one of the two men - Pei Ze, or Mai Chen. Of the two, only Pei Ze is wearing a blue tie today. Jian Yao says:. "Is Mai Chen.”

Bo Jinyan looks at her. Jian Yao says softly: "Although Pei Ze has a blue tie today, she said the boy is ‘a stream, handsome and shining’ . Only Mai Chen fits that description." Bo Jinyan laughs: ”Streams, shine, you ladies have strange way of describing people. But I agree with you. It’s Mai Chen.” Just when Jian Yao is going to ask about t their next steps. Bo Jinyan takes a seat and asks her: “How would a woman describe me?" Jian Yao looks at his face: “Any metaphor?" Bo Jinyan: “Yes, what words will you use?" Jian Yao: “Ok. This is not meant to be derogatory. An arrogant labrador.” Bo Jinyan’s eye sinks: “Seems like you are worse than Wang Wan Wei .” Jian Yao smiles. - Well, it’s because… I like labradors.

Chapter 22 Jian Yao says to Bo Jinyan: "I will find the opportunity to test out Mai Chen this morning?" Bo Jinyan shakes his head: “No, ask him directly." Jian Yao looks at him. Aren’t they supposed to conceal their identities? Bo Jinyan glances at her: "Do you think I'm an idiot?" Ah, she almost forgets, this man is an expert on criminal psychology. Mai Chen comes into the room. He looks a little apprehended. Bo Jinyan asks him to sit down: “Tech department called me yesterday. They managed to restore some of the data from Wang Wan Wei’s computer, including her online diary. She mentioned that you confessed your love to her on the night that she died.” Mai Chen puts down his head. He keeps silent. “Why did you conceal such an important piece of information from the police? It’s a matter of integrity.” Mei Chen’s face turns red. His head is still bowed. He sits there motionless. Jian Yao is engrossed in watching the two of them. Then she sees Bo Jinyan blinks at her. What is that supposed to mean? Is it her turn to speak? What is she supposed to say? She has no idea. So Jian Yao decides to ‘interpret’ the blink the way she sees fit. She gets up, pours a glass of water and passes it to Mei Chen. Mei Chen: "...... Thank you." Jian Yao looks up at the Bo Jinyan: “ Director Bo, allow me to say a few words.” Jian Yao looks at Bo Jinyan. She is not sure if this ‘good cop bad cop’ tactic is what he is after, but she has to act fast. She stands beside Mai Chen, says softly: “You do not have to be nervous. I think Director Bo is just concerned for the wellbeing of the whole division. Giving a false

police statement can have serious consequences. Why don’t you explain the situation to us and we can see what we can do." Mai Chen looks up at them. With sadness in his eyes, he says: “I'm sorry. Yes, I did see Wang Wan Wei that night. I didn’t expect her to commit suicide.” He clears his throat, “Company policy does not allow colleagues to be in a romantic relationship. If it’s found out, I will be fired immediately. So I dare not say anything.” Bo Jinyan looks to Jian Yao. He has not read through the employee manual. Jian Yao nods. Yes, there is such a provision. Bo Jinyan: “Can you tell us what happened that night?” Mai Chen’s eyes are red. He is trying to hold back the tears coming to his eyes: “That night, I had the sudden urge to let her know how I feel. I went to the villa she was staying..” "What time was that?" Bo Jinyan interrupts him. “Around midnight. It was pretty late by then, so I glanced at my watch before I left my villa. I saw lights shining from her room. I know she is still awake.” “Then what happened?" Jian Yao says softly. Mai Chen took a deep breath, he says: "I told her that I like her very much. I want her to be my girlfriend. She said she will consider. So I went back to sleep, till the next morning." Bo Jinyan: “What time did you leave?" “12:30am or so." “Did she seem unusual or different to how she usually behaves when you were together?" Jian Yao asks. Mai Chen’s face has bitter laugh: "I was too nervous, I did not pay much attention." Bo Jinyan: “What else did you guys talk about?" Mai Chen pauses for a moment: “That’s it.” he does not want to talk about it anymore. Is he concealing something? Or is it simply too painful to talk about it? Jian Yao is not sure. Should they continue? Should they let him go now? What should she do? On this point, Bo Jinyan speaks: "Jian Yao, please tidy up Wang Wan Wei’s online diary and send a copy to the police."

Jian Yao: “Yes, Director Bo. ” - Why does he suddenly mention the diary? Mai Chen looks up: “Can I...... look at her diary?" Mai Chen is getting more and more emotional as he reads her diary. As per Bo Jinyan’s instructions, Jian Yao is only showing him the parts where she has a crush on Mai Chen. By the time he finishes, he is sobbing uncontrollably. Jian Yao sits beside him. Her hand gently patting his back: “It’s alright.” Mai Chen’s mood has spiralled out of control. He turns and hugs her tightly. This is a normal reaction for someone looking for comfort. But it took Jian Yao a little by surprise. She stands motionless, allowing him to hold her and continues to comfort him. Then a cold voice from behind him says: “Do you not have bones to support your own body? Let go of her.” Hearing these words, Jian Yao and Mai Chen quickly separate. - What sort of reaction is it? She remembers his ‘infectious disease’ theory. Is he concerned that she might get sick from a hug? But Mai Chen certainly doesn't seem to be a drug addict. —— "That day she was wearing a blue dress. Now I understand why she likes to wear blue. She had no make up on, wearing a pair of pearl earrings, had her hair down…. she is a pretty girl. Her eyes were a little red. But when I asked her what’s wrong, she said she was ok.” ...... After I asked her to be my girlfriend, she said she will consider. I said, that I would call her in an hour. But I didn’t. I fell asleep. I was too tired. Maybe… I didn’t keep my words… If only… I did call.. maybe she would still be alive?… I’m ashamed to mention this…. it’s… my fault. "

Bo Jinyan asks: “Does anyone else in the department knows about your feelings towards her?" “They are all aware of it.” Mai Chen whispered, "That morning, when her body was found, I was out of control. Everyone saw me. They are just covering up for me.” -

Jian Yao tells Mai Chen to keep their conversation confidential. The Chairman is not keen for anyone else to know about it, and it’s also to show respect for the dead. Mai Chen nods. He walks out of Bo Jinyan office and returns to his seat. Zhou Qin, who sits next to him pats on his shoulder: “Are you ok?” Anyone can tell that he cried. Mai Chen is a little embarrassed: “Director Bo is not happy with the proposal I did. He gave me quite a hard time.” He gets up and walks towards the toilets. Jian Yao looks through the glass. As if he can read her mind, Bo Jinyan says: “ You feel sorry for him.” Jian Yao: "A little…” “You shouldn’t be.“ Bo Jinyan said, “It’s because of his cowardice and guilt, that the truth behind her death is concealed from the police all this time." He continues: "Call Yin Ziqi. Tell her we cannot continue with the investigation.” Jian Yao "Why?" Bo Jinyan adjusts his posture: "Because this is a murder investigation. I must notify the police. We can’t continue with the investigation in secret as she wishes. Bravo! ” Jian Yao is shocked. "Why is it a murder? You said it yourself yesterday. She wrote the suicide note."

"I said she wrote the suicide note, but I never said she committed suicide." Bo Jinyan smiles :”Do you not see it? There are too many things that don’t add up. This is a murder case. And the killer is one of your lovely colleagues in Customer 3 Division."

Chapter 23 Jian Yao takes her chair and puts it in front of him. She sits with her hands folded, resting on her knees and smiles sweetly: “Please explain.” - Oh… so docile…. a nice change. Bo Jinyan’s mind is thinking about other things: "Last Wednesday ...... What did we have for breakfast?" Jian Yao looks at him in surprise. - What does that have to do with this case? Wednesday… breakfast… Jian Yao: "Fish dumplings." It was her first time trying to make them. It’s quite a tedious process. She does not intend to make them again. Bo Jinyan: “Tomorrow, I want to have it for breakfast again. And if you have no objections, let’s get back to this case." Jian Yao: "......" That’s like daylight robbery! But why is she not angry about it? As she has not objected to the idea, Bo Jinyan smiles: "First of all, Mai Chen said she was wearing a blue dress. That’s her favourite colour, she should keep it on when she committed suicide, but the police records show she died in a black dress. The man she loved confessed his love to her. Even if she didn’t change her mind about the suicide, it’s highly unlikely she would change out of her lucky colour. That’s not her personality. A timid girl like her will want some luck with her on her way to death. Secondly, her mother’s farewell phone call was made at 0:05am. Mai Chen left around 0:30am, the second call to her mom was 0:40am, but it didn’t go through. If she didn’t change her mind, why call again? To double the pain? And it’s a very short time after Mai Chen left. The most logical conclusion is she gave up the idea of death, and she wants to hear the voice of her mother. She wrote her last post at 00:37am, but her death was between 2:00-3:00am. This is unreasonable. Would she not write one last post to say goodbye to Mai Chen? What did she does in those two hours before she died? She didn’t call her home, didn’t reject Mai Chen, didn’t write a blog…And why did she choose to take drugs to die? If the experience of the last six months made her feel dirty, why would she choose such a filthy way to die?"

Bo Jinyan ends with this statement: “This is too easy. Next time, please figure it out yourself. I am born to solve more complicated cases than this." Jian Yao is digesting his words carefully, then she looks at him. - Did he say… next time? - There’s NOT going be a next time. She asks Bo Jinyan: “Do you think Mai Chen’s words are reliable?” Bo Jinyan replies: “Yes. Besides, according to Wang Wan Wei’s diary, her miserable life had nothing to do with Mai Chen.”

Bo Jinyan adds: “There is one more thing. Mai Chen mentioned she was wearing a pair of pearl earrings. In the autopsy photos, she wasn’t wearing anything. Go to the police station to check the evidence to see if there is a pair of earrings." Jian Yao: "Okay." Bo Jinyan picks up the phone: “I need to talk to you now.” After the other person has done talking, Bo Jinyan replies: “Then just end the meeting. Nothing is more important than a human life.” — —-— Yin Ziqi is wearing a Chanel suit today. She sits in the sofa of Bo Jinyan’s office and listens to the findings of the investigation. Jian Yao did most of the talking, because Bo Jinyan said: “I do not want to repeat the same words again.” "...... So, we need to immediately notify the police, and suspend all of the work on this case.” Jian Yao concludes. Yin Ziqi remains silent for a moment, then looks at them calmly: "Thank you for the discovery, or I will not know there’s a murderer in my company. " Jian Yao nods. Yin Ziqi continues: "However, can we keep it low-key? Why don’t you continue with the investigation. Once you find out who’s the murderer, we will inform the police. The media do not need to know about this. ” Jian Yao can understand her concerns. She is afraid of the impact on the business. But like Bo Jinyan says, it’s a human life. A secret investigation can be very difficult.

Bo Jinyan: “No.” The room falls silent. After a while, Yin Ziqi says to Jian Yao: “Ms Jian, can you give us a few minutes by ourselves.” Jian Yao gets out of Bo Jinyan’s office. Manager Lin asks : ”Is everything ok?" “Oh yes." Jian Yao replies, “The Chairman needs to talk to Director Bo in private.” Jian Yao finds an empty seat. Pei Ze glides his chair next to hers: “Are you busy today?” Jian Yao looks up and smiles: “I am not sure, need to check Director Bo’s schedule first.” Pei Ze smiles at her: “There’s a new Cantonese restaurant that’s just opened, wanna try later?” - Do not have physical contact with them… drug addicts carries infectious diseases… do you not have any bone, let go of her…. She suddenly remembers Bo Jinyan’s words She has a sweet smile on her face: “Sorry, I am busy tonight.” Pei Ze: "Boyfriend?" Jian Yao does not disagree. She gives Pei Ze a smile. He glides his chair back to his table. Yin Ziqi looks at her brother. She is a little disappointed with him. She knew Bo Jinyan from young. He is withdrawn, indifferent to everyone, including her. But they did spend a lot of time together. And they had some fun times too. In high school, she was the centre of attention. Bo Jinyan was the handsome and talented boy. Nobody suspected they were related. But once, her boyfriend cheated on her, she was devastated. She cried and cried at home. Bo Jinyan went to find the boy, and beat the crap out of him. Then he went to university to study criminal psychology. He never bothers to initiate contact with her. Sometimes she wonders if he has any feelings for anyone. But undeniably, she is the only woman who has been able to walk into his life. And this

fact had always brought her a strange satisfaction and pleasure. But she will never bother to analyst why she feels this way. Is it because she is a proud sister, or it’s more than that. Anyway, she has a brilliant life, a fiancé that is very nice to her. And he is her only brother. That’s enough. But Bo Jinyan has refused her request to her face, in front of an outsider. She is a little upset by it. Yin Ziqi says to him: “ This is a listed company. A murder scandal will cause our stock price to drop dramatically." Bo Jinyan glances at her. Yin Ziqi said: "This company is built by your father and my mother with their sweat and tears. And now it’s my future and my life. Can you stand by to see your sister’s life ruined?” She sees that he is still not convinced. Yin Ziqi stands up from the couch to walk beside him. She puts her hand on his shoulder : ”I don’t want you to suspend the investigation, just do it in secret. It should be a piece of cake for you. You are so capable. I have never asked you for a favour in my life. This is the first time. Just this once. OK?“ Yin Ziqi walks out of Bo Jinyan’s office. She is wearing a smile. All the employees stand up to greet her: ”Just had a chat with Director Bo. he is very satisfied with all of you. Good job. Keep it up. Wait for the bonus at the end of the year.” Everybody laughs. Manager Lin sees her out. Jian Yao returns to Bo Jinyan’s office. "Book two tickets for tomorrow morning. We are going to the resort for site exploration.” Night. Bo Jinyan’s apartment. Jian Yao and Bo Jinyan are doing some prep work ahead of tomorrow’s trip. There’s quite a bit of information to go through, but she is getting tired.

Jian Yao do not know when she fell asleep, but when she opened her eyes, she realises she is on Bo Jinyan’s bed. When did she go into his room?

She is still wearing the same white shirt and black knee high skirt she had earlier, but her slippers have been removed, and it’s not on the side of the bed. Was she… carried into the room by Bo Jinyan? He didn’t just leave her on the couch, but carried her to his bed. That’s unexpected… and sweet. Classical music travels from the lounge into the hallway, where she is standing now. She slowly takes her step towards the lounge. She stops as she sees another unexpected scene. Only the floor lamp is on in the lounge. She sees steam rising out of the big bathtub. No wonder he brought her into the room - he wanted to bathe in the living room. But there’s no one in the bathtub. She looks around, and sees him standing with only a towel around his waist. His entire back is exposed. With the dim lighting in the room, the shadows give his body a nice definition. But soon, she also notices there’s something on his back. Scars. Lots of scars. By the looks of them, they were caused by once deep wounds. In the night, they seem like ferocious vine flowers, blooming on his back. - Where did these scars come from? Isn’t he just responsible for analysing work? Arresting the criminals is the police’s responsibility. That’s what he said before. She takes a closer look. The scars are neatly arranged, in rows. There are more than a dozen on the left, and on the right too. Jian Yao stands in the dark. Then softly, she tip toes back into the bedroom.

Chapter 24 Jian Yao can’t remember how long she’s been asleep for …again. A little bedside lamp is on, so it’s not completely dark in the room. But she vaguely remembers that at some point last night, she saw Bo Jinyan dressed in pyjamas standing on the side of the bed, looking for something. But soon, she fell asleep again. She turns her head, and is surprised to find something lying beside her on the bed. Actually, it’s someone. Actually, it is….Bo Jinyan. - What? She gets a fright from this scene. He is lying very straight, with his hands on either side. The same sleeping position like the last time she saw him. Without the arrogant look on his face, he looks like a big boy when he is asleep. But, when did he climb onto her bed? Oh ...... his bed. Jian Yao tilts her body to look more closely at him. The room is so quiet, she can hear his breathing, and even feel the warmth of his breath coming towards her. Her heartbeat, silently accelerates. Sweet dreams, Bo Jinyan. The rays of the morning light shines through the window. Bo Jinyan is the first to wake up. He sits up, then turns around to look at Jian Yao who is sleeping beside him. It’s the first time in his life that he’s slept next to woman. He was exhausted last night when he went to bed so he didn’t think too much about it. She is still wearing the white shirt and black knee high skirt, revealing her legs. Her skin is so delicate and smooth. He can see her foot too. Soft, slender and beautiful. She is sleeping on her side, and her whole person is in a crouching stance. He frowns. This position would put pressure on the heart. It’s an unhealthy sleep posture. Bo Jinyan adjusts her body so she is facing up. He puts her hands and feet straight. - That’s much better. He slowly gets up and out of the room.

Jian Yao wakes up for the third time. The sky is completely bright. She looks at the clock. It’s much later than she expects. She hurries into the bathroom to wash her face. She lifts her head and see a woman with messy hair and wrinkly clothes starring at her… in the mirror. Oh great! this is how Bo Jinyan saw her this morning when he woke up?! —— Bo Jinyan is in his black suit, sitting on a sofa reading the newspaper. Jian Yao goes pass him. She needs to go back to her apartment to get changed when she hears a voice coming from behind the newspaper: “Where’s my fish dumplings?” - Oh no! She has completely forgotten about it. Jian Yao: "...... I’ll make it another day. We don’t have time now.” She turns and see that there’s already breakfast at the dining table. 2 bowls of congee and some shrimp dumplings. They’re from a well-known shop in the neighbourhood. - Bo Jinyan bothered to queue up to buy breakfast. That’s so out of character for him. He used to say that the place is too crowded, too noisy and standing in queue is a time waster. Even though she knows she won’t get a nice answer out of him, she can’t help but ask: “Did you buy them?” And as expected… "No." He put down his newspaper: “It just appeared out of thin air.” Jian Yao quickly goes home to freshen up. When she returns with her luggage, she sees Fu Ziyu sitting opposite Bo Jinyan, eating her share of the dumplings. Fu Ziyu gives her a cheeky smile. She pretends not to notice and eats her congee. When he finishes eating, he takes out a stack of documents and passes them to Jian Yao. Jian Yao takes a look: "This is ......"

Fu Ziyu smiles: “Background check by a private detective on all the staff in Customer 3 Division. Of course, given the short timeframe, these are only preliminary results. Once I have more details, I’ll update you." Jian Yao looks to Bo Jinyan: “Wow, that’s efficient." Bo Jinyan smiles at her. - Of course that goes without saying. —— Jian Yao starts reading the documents in the car. Fu Ziyu is driving them to the airport. Lin Yu Xuan - Manager. Career woman. Divorced. no kids. Work is life. Picky, Not very good tempered, often complain about residential security guards / cleaning / restaurant services etc etc, Replaces part time maid every 3-4 months. She doesn’t like Wang Wan Wei. Last year, she has twice wanted to transfer her out of the division or fire her, but was unable to do so because of department of labour regulations. Jian Yao now realises Manager Lin don’t know of their real identity and purpose in the division. She only think Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao are related to Chairman and thus given good positions in an elite team. Zhou Qin - Typical nice guy. Everyone thinks highly of him, whether they are his coworkers, neighbours, or friends. His wife died two years ago, leaving behind a two year old son. He battled depression for a long time after his wife died. He devotes all his time to his son. He spent all his time outside work with him. Last year, a friend tried to match him with a beautiful young girl. He refused. Qian Yu Wen - He is not originally from B city. Single. Homosexual. Likes to frequent gay bars. No fixed partner. Shen Dan Wei - also from out of town. She frequent bars too. Gets on well with foreigners. changes a boyfriend every few months. Pei Ze - fits the impression Jian Yao has of him - from a rich family, playboy, a wellknown client in most of the city’s nightclubs. Mai Chen - The complete opposite to Pei Ze. He spends a lot of time looking after his parents, who were both paralysed after their stroke. A caring and filial son.

According to police records and meteorological data, it was raining heavily the whole night. So there is a possibility a lot of the evidence would have been washed away by the rain.

Jian Yao takes out a pen and paper, and list the room arrangement for the retreat :

Room A: Manager Lin, Shen Dan Wei *. Room B: Zhou Qin. Room C: Qian Yu Wen, Pei Ze *. Room D: Mai Chen. Room e: Wang Wan Wei. In the original schedule, Shen Dan Wei and Wang Wan Wei should be in the same room. But because Manager Lin and Shen Dan Wei were working on a project together, they changed the sleeping arrangements. Pei Ze should have stayed with Mai Chen, but he and Qian Yu Wen wanted to watch soccer together. Based on what they told the police. No one left their room that night. —— Jian Yao thinks for a moment, turns to look at Bo Jinyan. He’s put on a sleep mask to take a nap. She pokes his arm: "Tell me. What do you think so far?" Bo Jinyan just answers "I want to sleep. Don’t forget, when you were still sleeping in that unhealthy posture, I had to go downstairs to buy breakfast.” Jian Yao blushes. She takes a glance at Fu Ziyu. Fu Ziyu is still driving, as if he didn’t hear a word they were saying.

Jian Yao pretends she didn’t hear those words too, and continues to poke Bo Jinyan: “Just sleep on the plane. The plane is surrounded by people. I won’t be able to talk to you freely. If you don’t teach me, how am I suppose to solve the case myself next time?” - Ops. Next time?… It’s a slip of the tongue. Bo Jinyan takes off his sleep mask and smiles to her: “It’s a deal!” Jian Yao: “No no… I’m just using an analogy ......" He puts on his sleep masks again. Then Fu Ziyu suddenly speaks: “Jian Yao. Do you find it crowded in this car?” Bo Jinyan chips in: "What do you mean?"

Jian Yao is also a bit puzzled. Then she sees Fu Ziyu putting up three fingers. She suddenly understands why Three is a crowd. He’s like the third person spoiling the privacy of a pair of lovers. —-Jian Yao pretends she doesn't understand. Luckily Fu Ziyu has decided not to ridicule her anymore. He whistles as he continues to drive. Then Bo Jinyan speaks: “Tell me what are your views first, then I’ll tell you mine.” Jian Yao says: "First of all, the phone that didn’t reach Wang Wan Wei’s mom was during 0:04am. I suspect that it’s because someone went to see her, so she was interrupted. But of course, we will need to find out who this person was. Secondly, the blue dress and pearl earrings. There’s no reason why the murderer had to take away these two things, leaving loopholes in the case. so, something must have happened. Maybe the dress ripped, or the earrings torn, that the murderer had to take them away in order to avoid exposing signs of struggle. Of all the suspects, I think Qian Yu Wen is more likely to be the killer. Although he is gay, there’s something about him that make me very uncomfortable, even more so than that playboy Pei Ze” After she finished, she looks expectantly at Bo Jinyan. “Oh great." He nods, “Only one suspect, and it is based on speculation. Good job" Jian Yao: “...... “ A little disappointed, she asks: “So, what is your conclusion?" "Preliminary Conclusions: Pei Ze and Qian Yu Wen, Manager Lin and Shen Jun Wei, One of these pairs contains a murderer and an accomplice..”

Chapter 25 The sun is out. Bo Jinyan asks Fu Ziyu what’s their current location. Fu Ziyu: “We have nearly reached the toll station." "Ah." He takes off his sleep mask, sits up and look at Jian Yao, "You finally got your wish, for me to do a briefing outside a tolling station.” Jian Yao remembers the last investigation. He refused to brief to the police over the phone. “The curse of the tolling station......" She mumbles. Bo Jinyan starts: "In the past six months, Wang Wan Wei was controlled by drug addiction. Her diary mentioned about ‘wrong steps’. It’s probably something to do with sex or drugs, or both. She said she ‘couldn’t resist fate’, so someone had some information about her that she didn’t want to be made public. I suspect it’s nude photos or sex videos. The person who is controlling her could only be one of these three: Shen Dan Wei, Pei Ze or Qian Yu Wen. It’s not Manager Lin, as she tried every way she could to get her transferred or dismissed. If she wanted to play a game of cat and mouse, she wouldn’t try to push her away. It’s not Zhou Qin. He was not interested in developing a relationship with a young pretty girl. Besides he devotes all his time to his son. There’s no time for him to train up a sex slave. All the staffs from Customer 3 division are very well paid. So this person’s dominance is not about money, but purely to satisfy his/her desires. This person is experienced when it comes to taking drugs and fooling around. Shen Dan Wei, Pei Ze and Qian Yu Wen all meet these criterias. Although Qian Yu Wen is a homosexual, we cannot rule out the possibility of him being a bisexual, so he is still one of the suspects.”

Jian Yao is quiet. Under the guise of these well dressed and professional looking colleagues are souls that are dark and ugly. To use such dirty tactics on a young woman. It’s hideous. No wonder Bo Jinyan warned her not to have any physical contact with them. Bo Jinyan continues:

“Manager Lin knew what’s going on but chose to keep quiet. Wang Wan Wei’s diary mentioned that everything seemed to go wrong suddenly. Who else has the power to incite the crowd against her within the division? However, for Manager Lin to hate Wang Wan Wei so much, she might have done something to offend manager Lin. Perhaps Wang Wan Wei accidentally came across her misdemeanour (for example, accounting fraud). So Manager Lin is very eager to get rid of her. But according to the diary, Wang Wan Wei didn’t seem to be aware of it. I will get the private detective to check out her financial status and private life. The most important element in any murder is motive. Wang Wan Wei was trying to break free from the person’s control. That angered the killer. It was pouring with rain on the night of the murder. The murderer must have returned to the room with muddy shoes or wet clothes. And two hours is a long time to be away from the room. Yet, no one admitted they ever leave their rooms. Therefore, the roommate must be covering up for him/her, making that person an accomplice." ——— The Orange Hill Resort is located on a recently developed tourist attractions to the south of B City. The developer is a company owned by Yin Ziqi. This is also the crime scene. The resort is built along a gentle hillside. There are five residences scattered amongst the trees. All the dwellings has the same layout - brown house with a hay roof, stone steps leading to the front door, a small courtyard at the back, surround by circle of green shrubs and flowers. The villa is not open to the public as it’s still under renovations. A few company staffs have come for their annual retreats, like Customer 3 Division. But because it’s not taking in outsiders, there’s no security on duty on the night of the murder. CCTV is not in operation. No one has stayed at the resort since Wang Wan Wei’s death. Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao walks into the first room, where Wang Wan Wei stayed. The place looks tidy. There are no signs to suggest there’s been a murder there. From the backyard, it’s less than 100m to the front door of Zhou Qin’s residence. Pei Ze and Qian Yu Wen stayed in the third residence. From their lounge, they could see Zhou Qin’s backyard clearly. Mai Chen and Lin Yu Xuan’s residences were on either side of these three residences. So, the two pairs of suspects’ residences were the furthest from Wang Wan Wei’s place. But with the heavy rain, it would have been hard for anyone to hear what’s happening outside of their residences. —-

When they walk out of Lin Yu Xuan’s residence, the team of security guards which Bo Jinyan has arranged to come and help with finding evidence has arrived. Under Bo Jinyan’s instructions, they start digging in certain parts of the courtyards. —Florescence testings came back negative. There’s no evidence of blood in any of the rooms. Bo Jinyan filled several large boxes with the soil his men dug up, and sent them for analysis. The results should come back in a few days. Yin Ziqi's assistant looks at the holes in the once nicely landscaped courtyards: “Should we fill the pits? To which Bo Jinyan answers: “Is that necessary? I will return all the dirt to you once the analysis is done." For the next few days, Jian Yao has a lot of free time as they are waiting for the forensic results. She takes out some management manuals and business data. After all, she plans to go back to her original position when the investigation is over. But her brain keeps thinking about the case. What she used to enjoy doing now seems boring and not as meaningful. Is this what happened to Bo Jinyan? That he slowly walked into a different world, and found it so interesting that he didn’t want to leave? ——— Pei Ze seems to be interested in her. He finds excuses to be around her all the time. But he’s has not asked her out on a date…. yet. Jian Yao hopes that day never comes. Friday night. Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao are in a Japanese restaurant. They are just starting dinner when Pei Ze calls. Jian Yao sees the caller ID on her phone, and shows Bo Jinyan: “It's Pei Ze.” Bo Jinyan: “Take it." Pei Ze: "Jian Yao, the rest of the team are coming to my house on Sunday for dinner. Zhou Qin is bringing his son too. You have to join us.” Jian Yao looks at Bo Jinyan. Bo Jinyan: “Go!” He is moving his mouth but there’s no actual sound coming out from him.

Jian Yao hesitates. She covers the mic of her mobile with her hand and whispers to Bo Jinyan: “Will it be too dangerous?” Bo Jinyan gives her a haughty look, as if she’s raised a very stupid question. “Would I throw you in the lion’s den and not protect you?" He whispers. Jian Yao picks up the phone: “OK. What time? Can you give me your address?" It’s close to midnight. Jian Yao has brought half her wardrobe to Bo Jinyan’s house. They are trying to find something suitable for her to wear for Sunday’s dinner. “What should I wear?" Bo Jinyan takes a look at the clothes she brought. Just as Jian Yao thought he’d give her some advice, he says: “You want me to imagine how you would look in these clothes? Sorry, I am not very good at that. Get change and show me.” The first set is a white T-shirt with beige pants. Bo Jinyan is sitting in the sofa. He is holding a book in one hand, and a coffee in the other. When she walks out, he looks up for a few seconds, then goes back to his book. ”No,” He said :”Next.” Summer clothes use softer fabrics. It’s not easy to hide a pinhole camera and listening device without looking conspicuous. She tries on another five sets. Bo Jinyan will occasionally ask her to turn around, and look if there’s a good place to attach a listening device. They finally settle on a strip blue pinstripe cotton dress. The button like black circular pinhole camera is fixed on the V-shaped collar. And further down, a listening device hidden inside a silver brooch. Next is to fit the ear piece, which obviously needs to go into one of her ears. Jian Yao is sitting on a stool. Bo Jinyan kneels down facing her. His hand is holding the small piece of electronic device. Jian Yao can feel his soft fingertips touch her ears. It’s a little numb, a little hot and a little itchy. He’s so close to her. She knows her face is starting to get red: ”Are you done yet?" "No." He looks at her: “Can’t seem to fit it in with my fingers." Jian Yao takes the mini communicators from his hand: “Let me try.” She carefully slots it into her right ear. “Will it fall?” She asks

Bo Jinyan: "Yes, so keep your head movements small tomorrow." Jian Yao: "...... alright.” The next day, Bo Jinyan was out for the whole day. He didn’t want Jian Yao to go with him. On Sunday afternoon, Jian Yao gets changed into the dress they’ve decided on. She goes to Bo Jinyan’s apartment. She is still nervous: “I’ll be leaving soon. Are you sure I’m going to be okay?” When she asked him earlier what are his plans for protecting her, he just asked her to trust him, and that It’s not something she needs to worry about. Bo Jinyan smiles: "Take it easy, they are not going to kill you today." - Gee.. thanks for the reassurance. Jian Yao takes a taxi to Pei Ze’s apartment. She speaks softly: "I am there” "Ah, I know." Bo Jinyan’s deep melodious voice is coming through her right ear. Jian Yao thought he is seeing through the camera, and then she hears him say: “I’m right behind you.” Jian Yao turns around and sees a familiar black Lexus - It’s Fu Ziyu’s car, parking on the side of the road. Then slowly, a dark window is lowered down, a man puts out his hand and waves upward. He is motioning her to go. . Jian Yao suddenly laughs. Is that his arrangement? To follow her here?

But knowing he’s nearby gives her the courage. She lifts her head and walks into the apartment building.

Chapter 26 Actually, how dangerous can it be to go to Pei Ze’s house for dinner? In her heart, Jian Yao knows it’s not that bad. Like Bo Jinyan says, it’s highly unlikely something will happen to her. Pei Ze’s home is lavish penthouse suite, with a panoramic view overlooking the city.

Jian Yao is holding a drink, sipping slowly. Since she arrived, she has been quietly listening to the conversations of the others. At the moment, the topic of conversation is Bo Jinyan. Shen Dan Wei is sitting opposite Jian Yao: “So… Director Bo has no girlfriend?” Jian Yao replies: “I am not sure." Shen Dan Wei asks :”Well, has he ever asked you to order flowers for girls, buy presents on his behalf, make dinner reservations etc etc… If not, he must be single.” Jian Yao smiles. She does not answer. Pei Ze hears the conversation from the kitchen. He shouts out: “Are you interested in him? Well, if you are not afraid to lose your job, go ahead and woo him?” Shen Dan Wei laughs loudly. Then she continues to talk to others in the lounge: “I bet you he is still a virgin.” The men all laugh aloud. Pei Ze shouts from the kitchen again: “I second that.” Then Jian Yao finally hears Bo Jinyan from the ear piece :”A bunch of morons!" Jian Yao smiles. Qian Yu Wen leans back on the sofa: “How can you be so sure? He’s quite an attractive guy with a great body. Maybe he has a different side to him outside of work… “ Faced with his doubts, Shen Dan Wei replies: “Man and woman who are deprived for a long time usually behaves strangely, like Director Bo and Manager Lin. They are more critical and easily irritable, it’s a result from abstaining from sex for too long.”

She glances at JYao: "You are a woman. Do you think I am right?” Jian Yao thinks for a while. She answers truthfully: “That’s possible…” Jian Yao hears a groan of disgust on the other end. Inside Bo Jinyan’s car. His seat is adjusted to a comfortable position. His lap top is showing the images transferred from the hidden camera in Jian Yao’s brooch. He has a walkie talkie on the seat beside him. “Professor Bo, our team is in position.”

He picks up the walkie talkie: “Good.” Jian Yao is chatting with others when she hears a lot of background noise from the ear piece. She excuses herself to the toilet. She ask Bo Jinyan: “Sounds like there’s a lot of people at your end.” Bo Jinyan: “I told you I have made some arrangements.” - So he is not alone. He brought helpers. Her heart is at ease :”Thank you ....." Bo Jinyan replies :” Don’t have to thank me. Critical and irritable people like to be cautious.” Jian Yao: "......" So vengeful !! Food is ready. The main course was lobster and king crab, Pei Ze is sitting next to Jian Yao. He whispers to her ear: “I saved the best pieces for you. They are in the platter that’s in front you. Enjoy.” “..Urr.. thank you.” She says. He is leaning too close to her. Jian Yao tries to moves away. He smiles at her: “Oh, you blush so easily.” Jian Yao is repelled by his actions: “Really? Maybe it’s bit hot in here.” After a few seconds, Pei Ze calls out to Jian Yao :”Look this way.” Unconsciously, she looks up and sees a white flash. Pei Ze puts down the phone, and continues to eat leisurely. Jian Yao: “Why did you take a photo of me? Delete it.” Pei Ze whistles: ”That is my freedom. Nowadays, it’s hard to find ladies that blushes so easily." After the meal, Jian Yao goes to the bathroom. "Hey." She whispers to Bo Jinyan. "Ah?" He replies in his deep voice. “What happened?”

Jian Yao says: "When the case is over, I want that photo deleted from his phone.” "Of course." He replies. Jian Yao feels better. She goes back to the living room. Just as she reaches the living room, Zhou Qin is helping his son to put on his backpack: “Bye Jian Yao! The little guy needs a shower, and he still has some homework he needs to finish. See you at work tomorrow.”

“Bye” Jian Yao replies. From what she has observed this afternoon, Zhou Qin really is a loving and gentle father. The remaining four people play a board game. When the game is over, Shen Dan Wei says to the others: “I am leaving now. My boyfriend is waiting for me downstairs.” Jian Yao takes the opportunity: “It’s getting a little late. I should go too.” Pei Ze takes her hand bag from her: “ It’s hard to find a taxi in this neighbourhood. I’ll drive you home.” Jian Yao: “…. that’s fine… I can..” Pei Ze starts to walk towards his room with her bag: “Just wait. I’ll get the car keys.” Jian Yao is still trying to resist: “I don’t want to trouble you.” By then, Shen Dan Wei has left. Pei Ze changes his mind: “ Hey, Qian Yu Wen. Can you give me a hand with the dishes?.” Qian Yu Wen looks at him. He chuckles: “Am I your maid?" But then, he still rolls up his sleeves and walks into the kitchen. Only Pei Ze and Jian Yao are left in the living room. “Let me give you a house tour?" Pei Ze says. Jian Yao hesitates. On the other end, Bo Jinyan is giving her the instruction: “Take the tour.” It is obvious that the owner of the house is wealthy and knows how to enjoy life. All the appliances are the latest models of top brands. There is a special room with

fitness equipment and game consoles. He stands next to a cabinet, where there are some novels and car magazines. There’s also a lot of ornaments in the room- Cars, boxing gloves, flute, and even ink stone and a brush for Chinese writing. Jian Yao asks: "You like calligraphy?" He smiles: “Just a novice." A voice from the living room: “I’m done.” says Qian Yu Wen: ”See you tomorrow.” Then they hear the front door closes. The house is suddenly very quiet. Jian Yao says to Pei Ze: "I should go too." Pei Ze smiles: "OK, wait in the living room. I’ll get my keys.” Jian Yao collects her hand bag from the couch. Bo Jinyan starts the engine. He’s ready to trail Pei Ze’s car. Suddenly, a voice from his walkie talkie: “3rd position reports. He is shutting off the main electricity switch for his house.” The surveillance screen on Bo Jinyan’s laptop turns black. Suddenly, it’s dark everywhere. Jian Yao tries to keep calm: "Pei Ze, is it a power cut?” No one answers. Bo Jinyan tells Jian Yao over the ear piece: “He switched off the power. Wait and see.” Jian Yao reaches for the mini defibrillator in her handbag. She hears a light footsteps coming towards her. "Ah, how unfortunate. A power cut." It’s Pei Ze’s voice, "I can’t find the car keys.

Chapter 27 Jian Yao is scared. She pauses for a moment: “I’ll call a taxi.’ She turns, estimates which direction the front door is and starts to walk slowly. "Wait Jian Yao , I have something to say to you." Pei Ze’s voice is coming closer towards her. Jian Yao: “What is it that you want to tell me?” Pei Ze suddenly laughs: “You are a brave girl. Wang Wan Wei, you know, your predecessor. The two of you look alike, but your personality is so different.” Jian Yao’s heart starts to thump. “Why are you suddenly mentioning her?" Jian Yao asks with a calm voice, "She used to be your girlfriend?" Pei Ze replies: “Nah. You remind me of her. That’s all. Wait there, I’ll be out soon.” She can hear the sound of something being wheeled out. “The Pei Ze you usually see, that’s not the real me ......" He says. Jian Yao’s getting more and more nervous: ”Then what is the real you like?" “You’ll find out. But now, lets the show begin.” He smiles. “Can you not tell, it’s my plan all along, that I would have some private time with you tonight?” “Do you have a torch or some candles at home?" Jian Yao tries to sound calm. "No, it’s more fun this way.” Pei Ze is getting closer and closer. Jian Yao starts to run towards the door: "! Do come near me...... ah" Suddenly, she trips over something. Jian Yao loses her balance and her body falls forward to the ground. In the chaos, the listening device has dropped out. It only picks up sound within a small range. Bo Jinyan might not be able to hear her anymore. And with no lights, he can’t see what’s going on. She is completely on her own now! She hears Pei Ze footsteps coming towards her: ".. I told you to wait for me. Come, I’ll pull you up. Suddenly, she feels something falling on top of her. It’s Pei Ze. They both cry out of pain. Jian Yao’s whole body tense up and shouts: "Get off me!" Pei Ze is not moving: “Hey, you tripped me with your foot. Come on, give me a kiss first.”

Jian Yao can’t bear it anymore. She kicks him in the chest. - Ouch! He quickly grabs her foot to stop her from kicking him again. Jian Yao tries to break free from him, but he is stronger than her. After he has lost contact with Jian Yao, Bo Jinyan quickly gets out of the car and rush to the apartment. “What’s the situation like up there?” He asks through the walkie talkie. “No. 1. 3, 4 and 5 has limited vision where they are positioned. No.2 can see what’s going on in the lounge with his infra red night vision googles and through the telescope on his sniper gun.Suspect A is lying on top of Bird. Do you want him to shoot?” "Suspect A" is Pei Ze code, "Bird" is the code name for Jian Yao. Bo Jinyan is walking into the elevator. He ponders: “Be ready, but don’t shoot yet. Continue to observe.” The elevator has gone up two floors, sniper speaks again: "Report: bird struggled, the suspect has grabbed Bird’s right leg. Should we…” Bo Jinyan stops him in mid sentence: "What are you waiting for? Shoot!" Pei Ze’s Penhouse Suite. Pei Ze is still not letting go of her. But suddenly he laughs: “Don’t be so tense. I just want to give you a surprise." He lets go of her leg :”Your skin is so smooth ...... Get up! I ‘ll give you a hand. Ok Ok, I will turn the lights back on. Happy?" Jian Yao is not sure what he is up to. She just wants to get out of there as soon as possible. Just as she tries to sit up, she hears a small piercing sound. "What ……? " He whispers something in his mouth. Suddenly, Pei Ze’s body falls on her again. He lies motionless. Still as a corpse. Jian Yao quickly pushes him away. She staggers to get up against the wall. ...... What’s happened to Pei Ze? As she wonders, the phone rings. She reaches for her pocket. It’s Bo Jinyan.

She quickly reports to him: “Bo Jinyan, Pei Ze is unconscious. I am not sure what happened… ” "Open the door." Bo Jinyan interrupts her, "I am standing outside." "You arranged a sniper?" Jian Yao looks at Bo Jinyan. She is surprised. Although it’s in order to protect her. But it seems like his actions are a bit over the top. He turns the power switch back on. He walks over to where the listening device is and picks it up.

Bo Jinyan leaps over Pei Ze’s unconscious body: “It’s just anaesthetic. He will wake up in an hour’s time.” Jian Yao and Bo Jinyan walks into the next room, where there is a trolley on wheels. There’s a white cloth covering the top. This is what Pei Ze was trying to push out just now. Bo Jinyan uncovers the trolley. A Cake. It is actually a fruit mousse cake with the words Happy Birthday on it. There are candles on the cake, covered by a plastic lid. Next to the cake is a plastic knife and a couple of paper plates. Bo Jinyan turns to look at her: “It’s your birthday today?" Jian Yao is a little surprised to see the cake. She nods. It is her birthday, based on the Western calendar. She usually celebrates her birthday according to the lunar calendar, as that’s the tradition of her hometown. . She looks at Pei Ze, who is ‘lying dead’ on the ground. He did all that, just to surprise her with a birthday cake? Now in retrospect, those words seems to make sense: Tonight program, everything is planned, wanted to surprise you ......

As if he could read minds, Bo Jinyan says coldly: “How can you be sure he didn’t have other motives?” Jian Yao remembers some of the other comments he made… Nice skin… kiss me…

“What should we do now?" She asks. When Pei Ze wakes up, he will be suspicious. Their identities will berevealed! Bo Jinyan walks up to her: “Give me your taser. Jian Yao hands it over to him. Bo Jinyan knees down next to Pei Ze. He pressed the taser onto his back. Even though Pei Ze has lost consciousness, his body moved a little when the electric charges went through his flesh. Bo Jinyan throws the taser back to her: “Solved. Just tell him it was you.” Jian Yao : "...... alright." Bo Jinyan suddenly reaches down and pull out a few hairs from Pei’s Ze’s head. Jian Yao: "What are you doing?" “DNA testings." Bo Jinyan replies. “To compare with some DNA results from the soil samples we collected from the resort." Jian Yao: "……Oh." Bo Jinyan takes a quick look around his apartment, then retreats back to the car. When Pei Ze finally wakes up, it’s past 9:00pm. Pei Ze rubs his head and back, looks up at Jian Yao:” What did you do to me?”

Jian Yao looks at him: “ Sorry, I carry a taser for self defence. Now that you are ok, I’d better go.” Pei Ze stops her: “At least cut the cake before you go, I especially ordered it from the best cake shop in town. Or else I won’t forgive you.” —— Pei Ze is not in the best of moods after what happened. After eating the cake, he drives Jian Yao home. Jian Yao : “Well, thanks for the ride. See you tomorrow.” Suddenly she hears a "thump" sound, the door is automatically locked. Pei Ze turns to stare at her: “After all that you have put me through, a simple apology is not enough.”

Jian Yao : “Lunch is on me tomorrow?" "I want this." Pei Ze suddenly leans over toward her and pulls out a few strains of her hair. Jian Yao: “…..??” Ze Pei smiles: “I think the most beautiful part of a woman’s body is her hair. This is mine to keep, as compensation. And we are going for lunch tomorrow too.” While in the elevator, Jian Yao thinks to herself…. Bo Jinyan took Pei Ze’s hair. Now Pei Ze takes her hair. What is this all about? Bo Jinyan needs to debrief his special force. He told Jian Yao he won’t be home for another two hours. Jian Yao takes a shower and get changed into her pyjamas. She is exhausted. She plans to wait up for him, but unwittingly falls asleep. And she has a dream. In the dream, a man is pressing down her limbs to restrict her movements. She struggles desperately, but is not able to break away. The man is laughing. “Hi Jenny.” He says. Jenny is her English name. Jian Yao wakes up in a cold sweat. She immediately switches on her bedside lamp.

Must be due to all the tension from today. The doorbell rings. She looks at the clock. 1:00am. She opens the door. Bo Jinyan is standing outside. He glances at her. His eyes are clear and sharp as ever: “Everything is back to normal. Goodbye.” He turns around, ready to go. Jian Yao says to him: "Wait." He turns back to look at her. Jian Yao steps forward, tiptoes, reaches out and hugs him. Her heart is still beating very fast.

She can feel her hands trembling. He just stands still for her to hug him. Jian Yao says softly: “I was really scared today." Jian Yao is about to release him, and she feels his arms around her waist. He takes a small step forward. Now their bodies are touching. She can feel the warmth of his embrace. Jian Yao relaxes in his arms. She hears his deep voice: "3 snipers, five special force agents. It’s enough to destroy a whole triad gang. What’s there to be afraid of?” Jian Yao cannot help laughing. Jian Yao lets go of him. Her face is flushing, but she tries to sound calm: “Good night.” Bo Jinyan smiles: “Goodnight." He walks to the elevator. Just before the lift doors closed, he pressed the ‘open’ button. He looks out and says to Jian Yao: "Happy birthday. I hope you will be… smarter… next year.” Jian Yao: “What sort of birthday greeting is that?" ——Everything was normal the next day. Jian Yao took Pei Ze out for lunch. But much to Pei Ze’s disappointment, She also called all the other colleagues to join them. After lunch. In Director Bo ’s office. There are some documents on Bo Jinyan’s desk that Jian Yao has not seen before. Jian Yao immediately asks: “Are the result back yet?" “Read it yourself” Bo Jinyan says with a smile. Jian Yao picks up the file and reads carefully. “1. In Zhou Qin’s backyard, they found a pearl earring; 2. Strains of Wang Wan Wei’s hair are found on the cracks of the front steps of Lin Yu Xuan and Shen Dan Wei’s residence.

Jian Yao looks at Bo Jinyan : “How are these evidences helpful? Have you already guessed who is the murderer?” Bo Jinyan walks up to her, with a teapot in his hand. He pours her a cup of tea. That’s is so out of his character. He must be really excited. He replies to Jian Yao confidently: "Yes, I’ve figured it out. I need to verify a few things first. After that, I’ll tell you.” Jian Yao wants to ask another question. But he continues :” Tell Yin Ziqi to arrange another meeting for the Customer 3 Division at the resort. I want them to have the same room arrangement as last time. And make sure you pick a rainy day.” "What do you want to do?" Bo Jinyan looks down at her: “I will do a replay of what happened that night.”

Chapter 28 They are on their way to the Orange Hill Resort. Jian Yao sits a little closer to Bo Jinyan . She asks softly: “Tell me who is the murderer, ah.” She has not seen him since he ‘announced’ that he wanted to ‘replay’ what happened on the night. He left the office promptly after giving Jian Yao a list of instructions. It was a short notice, and there were plenty of things for Jian Yao to organise. Now that they are in a car together, just the two of them, Jian Yao can’t wait to find out what’s in his mind. Bo Jinyan : “Not telling you.” Is he trying to keep her guessing? But that’s not his style. Besides he did say he needs to verify something first. Jian Yao asks: “Are we still lacking some evidence? Is that why you want everyone there?” "No" Bo Jinyan answers, "We already have enough evidence. I just want the murderer there so that I can shame him….or her.” Jian Yao: "......" Okay. That’s a standard Bo Jinyan type answers. She quits asking. The low rays of the sun shine through the windows of the back seat. Bo Jinyan face’s has a soft golden glow. Jian Yao looks at him. He looks handsome, noble even. Last night’s embrace returns to her mind. The warmth that surrounded her. But… he’s probably forgotten about it. After all, his brain only has room for his work. Yin Ziqi has arranged a special meeting at the Orange Hill Resort. She is a little anxious about what will happen. Like Jian Yao, Yin Ziqi has asked Bo Jinyan who is responsible for Wang Wan Wei’s death several times. Bo Jinyan didn’t tell her much, only to arrange several security guards to be at the scene, ready to escort the murderer to the police. When the dinner reception finishes, it’s past 10:00pm. It’s a rainy night, as Bo Jinyan has hoped for. Staffs from Customer 3 Division are sitting in a minivan. It’s going to an area of the resort that is familiar to them. They arrive at the residences. When they realise where they will be staying tonight, the mood in the van changed

dramatically. Suddenly, there are no more jokes, no more gossips or laughs. The team looks at each other. Seven people, carrying luggage, are standing in front of the residences. Not far behind stands Yin Ziqi assistant , and several bodyguards. “Room are assigned ......" Jian Yao is holding a stack of cards handing them out to the group, “in the same arrangement as on 1st of June, the night Wang Wan Wei died.” This is the opening line Bo Jinyan asked her to use. Everyone takes their room card. They are disconcerted by this loaded statement. Lin Yu Xuan is the first to speak: “Director Bo, what does this mean?" Bo Jinyan gives what is probably the first real smile they’ve seen since they first met him: “It’s what on your mind. We are going to recapitulate the strings of events that led to Wang Wan Wei’s death. ” Jian Yao further explains. “Director Bo and I are sent to investigate Wang Wan Wei’s suicide by Chairman Yin. There are a few things we want to clarify, therefore we need your help.” Everyone is quiet. Pei Ze glances at Jian Yao, with a wily smile: “Didn’t you say it’s a suicide? What’s there to clarify?” Mei Chen starts to scan the faces of others. Qian Yu Wen face is dull and expressionless as he usually is, Zhou Qin is stunned.;Lin Yu Xuan and Shen Dan Wei is looking at each other, not saying a word. Bo Jinyan ignores Pei Ze’s question: "Thank you for your cooperation. Now get into your rooms, and we will come to speak to each one of you shortly.” Jian Yao and Bo Jinyan enters Wang Wan Wei’s residence. This is their monitoring quarter. Bo Jinyan has arranged for video cameras and listening devices in each of the other four residences. Facing them is a row of monitors, showing what’s happening in each of the rooms. Jian Yao lay down their luggage, sits down with him in front of the screens. Room A: Manager Lin and Shen Dan Wei are not talking to each other. They each sit on their side of the bed. Manager Lin takes out her mobile phone, then puts it down again. Shen Dan Wei is looking out of the window, with an obscure and sarcastic smile on her face.

Room B: Zhou Qin is also sitting on the bed. He calls home: “Mom, is Le Le in bed? No… Mmm… daddy miss you too….” Room C: Pei Ze throws his overnight bag on the bed. He walks into the bathroom, humming a tune at the same time. After a while, he comes out. Qian Yu Wen goes up to him. He whispers something Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao can’t quite hear. Then both of them rest in the lounge. They turn the TV on, and casually chats with one another. Room D: Mai Chen stands at the window, absorbed in his own thoughts. ———— 0:01am Jian Yao talks into the intercom on the table :”Mai Chen, please come over to our room." Everyone is startled. Because the broadcast can be heard in all the residences. Mai Chen approaches with a little apprehension, takes a seat facing Bo Jinyan . “Director Bo, Wang Wan Wei… is murdered?” He asks solemnly. "Who knows!" Bo Jinyan replies lightly. Jian Yao observes the reactions of others through the monitors. Everyone looks up when they hear the conversation. Mai Chen stayed in this room for 30 minutes. Then he returned to his own residence. Jian Yao and Bo Jinyan follows him back to his place. Bo Jinyan : ”Repeat what you did that night after you returned from Wang Wan Wei’s room. Try to recall all the details.” Mai Chen takes a shower, then turns on the TV. He has a quick supper of cookies and water, then he goes to bed. Jian Yao and Bo Jinyan returns to Wang Wan Wei’s room. Jian Yao says to Bo Jinyan : “Anything worth noting?” Bo Jinyan replies: “Some minor differences from the police statement, like sequence of events, what he said to Wang Wan Wei etc. This is normal for people who are trying to recall events of the past. Overall, his actions are consistent with his testimony. There’s no loopholes. He is telling the truth.” Rain is getting heavier.

Bo Jinyan is holding a large umbrella, sharing it with Jian Yao. They are now in Pei Ze and Qin Yu Wen’s place. Jian Yao carries the intercom machine with her and places it close to where Pei Ze is sitting. The four of them are sitting in the living room. The television is showing a soap opera. From Jian Yao’s angle, she can see Zhou Qin’s backyard through the windows. “Sorry Director Bo ....... Oh…. or is it Officer Bo…” Pei Ze smiles: "We were watching a soccer game that night, but there’s no match on today. Is Soap opera ok?" "Whatever." Bo Jinyan walks to the window, then turns back and smile at them, "Anyway, you weren’t really watching the game that night.” The two guys look shocked. Qian Yu Wen speaks up: “I don’t understand what you are talking about.” “You don’t?” Bo Jinyan looks at Jian Yao, "Tell them what we found in Zhou Qin’s backyard.” Jian Yao holds up a transparent plastic bag with the pearl earrings. "This belongs to the deceased, Wang Wan Wei.” Bo Jinyan says faintly, “Mai Chen said she was wearing them when he saw her that night. Yet, when the body was found, the earrings were missing. I believe no one would purposely take the earrings and throw it in the backyard. It can only mean that she came by here before she died. Why would a girl come around at that time of the night? The earrings were found less than two metres from your living room window. It is impossible that both of you didn’t notice she was here.” Pei Ze sneers. “We were concentrating on the game. It was raining, so we turned up the volume. It’s totally possible that we couldn’t hear her.” Jian Yao is wearing a raincoat, standing where the earrings were found. After a while, she quickly runs past the window.

As she runs past, her body blocks the light that’s coming through a lamppost that shines straight into the living room. It casts a large shadow. She was so close to the window, it’s very hard to miss. “Imagine, she must have been in some distress in order for the earrings to fall. She was either having a dispute with someone, or running very quickly. If you were in the lounge, you would have noticed her.” says Bo Jinyan . Qian Yu Wen’s hands are clenched, his face turns pale. Jian Yao returns to the room. She is completely soaked from the rain. Bo Jinyan smiles at her: “Good job.”

Pei Ze gives a laugh: “Well, alright. We didn’t watch the game. We weren’t in the lounge. We were in the room.” Bo Jinyan : “Oh. So you’ve decided to change your testimony? Just like that? What makes you think we will believe you?" "Huh ......" Pei Ze takes a deep breath and answers faintly, "We were in the room, making love the whole night. We didn’t want others to know. Does that answer your question?” ———Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao goes back to their residence.

Bo Jinyan replayed the video clips of the other rooms. When Pei Ze admitted having sex with his roommate: Zhou Qin closed his eyes. He gave a big sigh and covered his face with his hand. Lin Yu Xin looked stunned and Shen Dan Wei was still wearing her sarcastic smile.

Chapter 29 Raindrops come pelting out of the sky. It’s a busy yet somewhat soothing sound as the rain brushes the windows and hit the roof. But it is not enough to calm the anxious minds. Of course, there is still one person in the Orange Hill resort that is calm and collected. Bo Jinyan is sitting in front of the monitors, observing the reactions of each staff member of Customer 3 Division. "Zhou Qin is next?" Jian Yao is trying to brush away some of the water vapours that’s on her wet garment. She is wearing a blue dress today, similar design to the one Wang Wan Wei was wearing that night. "No, that’s not necessary." Bo Jinyan leans back and rest with hands behind his head, “Their reaction have told me everything I need to know.” Jian Yao is a little baffled. He used the earring to force Pei Ze and Qian Yu Wen to admit that they were having sex just so that he can see the reactions of others? A man’s hand, holding a dark blue handkerchief appears in front of her. “Hair." Bo Jinyan says. "Thank you." Jian Yao wipes off the water drops that are on her face. Bo Jinyan is starring at her forehead. Her hair, still wet from the rain, is resting on her soft supple skin. “Don’t you feel uncomfortable?" He looks at her. Jian Yao wonders why he is suddenly interested in her wet hair. He stands up and walks over to her. He takes the handkerchief. - Surely he is not going to dry my hair. A thought flashes past her. He uses his handkerchief to blot up the water drops that hanging at the tip of her fringe. It has a clean cotton smell, as well as a slight warmth that’s been transferred from his hand. And he is looking down at her, with a “can’t you even take care of yourself properly?” look on his arrogant face. But his gaze is gentle and warm. The handkerchief is gliding down her face, past her ears, along the cheeks. His slender fingers ‘accidentally’ touches her skin from time to time. Jian Yao's face starts to blush.

The man ...... What is in his mind as he is doing this? Just giving her a hand because she can’t even do such a trivial task properly?

———Bo Jinyan walks over to the phone. He picks up the receiver and ask Yin Ziqi’s assistant to arrange for a vehicle to send Pei Ze, Qian Yu Wen and Mai Chen to the resort conference centre. He tells them that the investigation is over. They can relax now. Five people are standing in the pouring rain, in the dark. They are standing on the grass area between Zhou Qin and Lin Yu Wen / Shen Dan Wei’s room. This is Bo Jinyan ’s idea. He will ask a few questions with all of them there. Jian Yao asked him why they had to stand in the rain. To which, Bo Jinyan replied,”It’s harder to hide one’s guilty conscience under such circumstances.” Bo Jinyan is holding a big black umbrella. Jian Yao is leaning towards him as they are sharing the shelter. He looks at Zhou Qin: “ Your turn.” He talks above the white noise of the rain hitting the ground. Zhou Qin answers: "I do not know . I was sleeping.” “Let me explain to you." Bo Jinyan says coldly, “Wang Wan Wei's diary reveals that someone has been using drugs to control her for the past six months. We have sufficient evidence to believe that the person went to her room that night. Why would a young lady run out of the room so late at night, when it’s pouring with rain? Unless it is to get away from her killer. And what a coincidence, that one of her earrings is found in the courtyard behind your residence.” Zhou Qin’s face turns white: “I have no idea what you are talking about." Bo Jinyan turns to the other two ladies. “What do you have to say?" Lin Yu Xuan: "We worked till midnight. Then we went to bed. We didn’t notice anything suspicious.” "Oh?" Bo Jinyan smiles at them, “I am afraid the evidence points otherwise." Jian Yao takes out a copy of the investigation report.

Bo Jinyan : “We know that Wang Wan Wei went into your backyard. There were signs of struggle. We found some of her hair not far from your lounge window.” "...... I do not know." Lin Yu Xuan’s face is turning pale. Shen Dan Wei: “I didn’t hear or see anything." "Never mind." Bo Jinyan says. “At this point in time, there’s nothing to suggest Pei Ze, Qian Yu Wen and Mai Chen have anything to do with the murder. I believe they are innocent. But based on the evidence we have, the culprit is one of you. I will hand you over to the police. Bon Voyage. " “Diector Bao, I am innocent!” "You can’t convict me just like this! !” "Are you kidding!" The three of them starts to protest. Bo Jinyan turns around and ask Jian Yao to arrange for the security guards to come. Then he turns around and says to the three of them: “Let me give you some tips. Based on the evidence, the killer will receive a death penalty, accomplices… probably three to five year sentence. You’d better be prepared.” ———— The security guards took everybody to the conference centre. The three of them are locked in a room while waiting for the police to come. Jian Yao and Bo Jinyan wait in another room. Someone knocks at the door. . A middle-aged man, dressed in civilian clothes, comes in. "Hi, Professor Bo. I am Huang Xi from the Urban Criminal Investigation team. I've heard a lot about you." The man gives Bo Jinyan a polite handshake. Bo Jinyan smiles: “Officer Huang, I will hand over the suspects to you. How long do you think the interrogation will go on for?" “We’ll do our best.” He walks out. Jian Yao walks up to him: “What are you up to?" As if to stop her asking any further, he takes out his sleep mask and uses it to cover his eyes: “I need to rest. Stop bothering me.”

One of Jian Yao’s greatest virtues is patience. After hearing what Bo Jinyan says, she goes to the other side of the room to lie down on a sofa. After all, it is very late. She can do with some sleep too. The way he handled the case thus far is not what she would expect from him. It’s very unlike for him to conclude who the murderer is based on such superficial evidence. He seemed like a different person. Like he is …acting… ah. "You were just scaring them, right? So that they will tell you who the murderer really is?" Jian Yao turns around and asks. Bo Jinyan takes off his sleep mask and looks at her. "Congratulations. It seems that your birthday wish from me has been granted by the gods.” Jian Yao: "......" Can’t he use a better way to deliver compliments? “So who is the killer?" “Use logic to slowly work out a conclusion” He says slowly, "You can try." Jian Yao thinks for a while and shakes her head:. "I'm still confused." Bo Jinyan : “Alright. Time for another lesson.” Jian Yao: “..... Thank you. So where do we start?” “Get a pad and a pen." He orders. "First." He says. “It’s a homicide. But is it not a premeditated, or acted in a spur of the moment?" Jian Yao thinks aloud: “It’s the first time they have come to the Orange Hill Resort. It’s just undergone renovations. Nobody is familiar with the place. If it was a premeditated murder, the killer should choose a location he/she is more familiar with." “Bingo. We can begin!" Bo Jinyan looks down at the paper in her hand, “Write down the second question? How many people entered Wang Wan Wei’s residence that night?” They are sitting side by side on the bed. The pen and paper are on her knees. They are sitting so close that she can smell his aftershave. But what is intriguing her more are the questions he has for her, one after another, pulling her in a different world. The world of criminal psychology.

"One." She replies, “Wang Wan Wei is relatively petite. If there’s two people, for example Manager Lin and Shen Dan Wei, it should be easy to pin her down, and she won’t have had the chance to escape out of the villa. It also appears she’s been to more than one place, therefore it’s highly unlikely that the culprit will bring her to several places.” Bo Jinyan gives a small smile. Jian Yao asks with apprehension: “Am I Right?” “Yes.”Bo Jinyan says, “after all, you are petite like Wang Wan Wei, so if you put yourself into her shoes, it’s easy to get to this answer.” Jian Yao: “…. Let’s continue.” Bo Jinyan always comments she is petite, when in fact she is not that small. 165cm is a pretty good height for a woman. But of course, anyone is will be petite next to a six foot three guy! “Which door did she escape from? Front or back?" He asks. Jian Yao suddenly feels a hint of pressure. - How can you tell? “Back door.” Bo Jinyan suddenly interrupts her thoughts:. “Stop! If you take more than 10 seconds to answer a question, you are too slow… ” Jian Yao looks at him. She doesn't care about his comments, She just want to know which door is it. "Back door." Bo Jinyan answers, "If it is the front door, Mai Chen's residence is the closest.” ————After clarifying these points, Jian Yao's starting to put the pieces together. That night, the person controlling Wang Wan Wei comes to see her. They have a fight for some reason, perhaps Wang Wan Wei wants to seek a new life and escape from his/her grip. So the person killed her out of anger and fear that his/her secret will be out. The person may have blocked the direction to the front door, so she escaped from the back door. “Question4: After she runs out of her residence, why would she not run downhill but up the slopes towards the other residences?” Jian Yao quickly blurts out: "She was seeking help from the other colleagues.”

Bo Jinyan asks her: “Who is the first person she went to?" Jian Yao thinks for a while. Her 10 seconds limit is up, Bo Jinyan gives her a hit on the head and says ‘Stop’ again.

"Remember, Zhou Qin’s expression?" He says lightly. Jian Yao touches her head: “yes…?” "It was guilt." Bo Jinyan says, “When we told him we found Wang Wan Wei’s earrings in his back courtyard, there’s no shock, no fear, just guilt … on his face” Jian Yao is beginning to form a view in her mind. But surely, he’s not that kind of person. "Why is he guilty?" Bo Jinyan asks. Jian Yao: "Because he ignored Wang Wan Wei’s request for help?" Bo Jinyan : “Can there be any other explanation?" 2am. Jian Yao asks: “If Zhou Qin is not the killer, and given he is a well known “Mr.Nice”, why won’t he help Wang Wan Wei?” Bo Jinyan replies: “One thing at a time. You will find out the motives and reasons later. Let’s focus on facts, evidence and logic first.” Jian Yao nods: “That makes sense." “ According to Wang Wan Wei’s escape route, Zhou Qin's front door is closest from her residence. She must have knocked on his front door first, but Zhou Qin didn’t let her into his residence." Bo Jinyan continues: "Okay, if it was you, it’s raining and it’s late at night. He didn’t open the front door, maybe he was asleep, would you go around to knock on the back door? Or find someone else to help?” Jian Yao replied: "Of course I would go find someone else.. The front door is located closer to the bedroom. If he is asleep, the chances of waking him up from knocking on the back door is even slimmer." "Then why is her earring in his backyard?” Bo Jinyan asks. - There are no traces of struggle, the earring is inside the back courtyard, which means at some point, she was in the backyard. By why would she go there? A thought comes to her. Wang Wan Wei should be running to Pei Ze / Quin Yu Wen for help. Why would she go into Zhou Qin’s backyard? "Stop." Bo Jinyan ’s deep voice interrupts her again.

Jian Yao looks at him. - She is starting to think that Bo Jinyan enjoys “Stopping” her? Bo Jinyan takes a sip of tea, and says: “There are only two possibilities. One, she entered the backyard herself, or two, the killer brought her there. But why would the killer bring her there? So the former is more probable.” Bo Jinyan continues: “How she entered the backyard also has two possibilities. One, from the outside. She walked into the courtyard after going around the residence. Two, she is getting out of the residence. If she is being chased, the chance of her running into a ‘no exit road’ is extremely low. Therefore I believe she was getting out of Zhou Qin’s residence." Jian Yao can’t believe what she is hearing. ”Yes, this is the only explanation.’ says Bo Jinyan , “ She escaped from her back door. First, she knocks on Zhou Qin’s front door. Zhou Qin didn’t know what’s going on, so he let her in. But the killer was not far behind. He/she caught up with her very quickly. For some reason, Zhou Qin decided to keep himself out of it. So our poor victim escaped through the back door for the second time, accidentally dropping her earring in the backyard as she was leaving.” Jian Yao is marvelled. How did Bo Jinyan unravel all the details from the small amount of evidence they gathered. It is as if he was present on the night, watching the events unfold.

"OK." This time he has a pleasant smile on his face, “Where did she go next?" Jian Yao: “She ran to ....... Lin Yu Xuan and Shen Dan Wei’s residence.” "Why?" "...... to seek help, of course?” "So the murderer is….?” Process of elimination. It’s not Mai Chen, not Zhou Qin, not Lin Yu Xuan or Shen Dan Wei… Bo Jinyan : “The hair is probably caused by the struggle between our killer and Wang Wan Wei. She ran to Manager Lin and Shen’s residence, but like Zhou Qin, they chose to ignore her plea for help.” Jian Yao is biting her lower lip.

"Why?" Jian Yao slowly asks, "Murder is a felony. Why would the whole division withhold information and not lend a hand?” Bo Jinyan glances at her: "You finally ask a good question." He takes out a report from a folder: “I told you before. I like to take short cuts when I am investigating. Remember the hair I got from Pei Ze? I asked Yin Ziqi to collect hair samples of everyone else in Customer 3 Division for testings.” Jian Yao takes a look at the report. She is shocked to see the results. Except for Mai Chen, everyone tested positive for taking drugs. . Bo Jinyan : " Lin Yu Xuan and Shen Dan Wei changed the sleeping arrangement not because they needed to work on a proposal together, but to take drugs together.” Shortly after Mai Chen’s confession to Wang Wan Wei, he was ‘so tired’ that he fell asleep until the next morning. My guess is that someone put a sleeping pill in his water in advance. With him out of the way, they can all have one happy party.” Pei Ze and Qian Yu Wen. Sex and drugs. Perhaps he is already intoxicated when he went to find Wang Wan Wei. " “But can’t it be Qian Yu Wen?" Jian Yao asks. “It’s obvious from how they relate, Pei Ze is the dominant one and Qian Yu Wen the submissive partner. Besides, from Wang Wan Wei’s diary, she said she was tempted into doing the wrong things. Pei Ze’s age appearance, sexual orientation fits the profile of the seducer more than Qian Yu Wen.” In addition to this, Lin Yu Xuan and Pei Ze’s relationship seems to be more than just colleagues or friends. But from her shocked reaction today, she did not know that Pei Ze is bisexual. In Wang Wan Wei’s diary, she mentioned that she offended Lin Yu Xuan. She probably saw the two of them together, but this silly girl didn’t join the dots. This also explains, why Lin Yu Xuan decided to cover up for Pei Ze. As for Shen Dan Wei and Zhou Qin, if Wang Wan Wei didn’t die, the secret that they are doing drugs will be disclosed. So they decided to keep quiet, and let her die. He spoke fast,like water spilling out from a glass. Finally, he asks Jian Yao ” So, rookie! What’s our conclusion?” At this point, Jian Yao's mobile rings. It’s Officer Huang. “Assistant Jian, we have their confessions…..” "Culprit is Pei Ze." Bo Jinyan says softly “except for Mai Chen, the rest are all accomplices.”

"Culprit is Pei Ze, Qian Yu Wen, Lin Yu Xuan, Zhou Qin and Shen Dan Wei are accomplice." Officer Huang says over the phone, just one second after Bo Jinyan gave her the answer.

Chapter 30 Jian Yao puts down the phone. She looks at Bo Jinyan. He is still sitting on the bed, He leans forward and rests his arm on his lap, interlocking his fingers. His face flashes a relaxed smile. He looks extremely pleased with himself… Jian Yao has to admit: “Wow, you are good.” - Actually, he is more than just ‘good’, he’s awesome. But he doesn't seem to be touched by her compliments. He lies down on the bed, put his eye mask back on, and goes back to rest. To him, this is a simple and easy to solve case. There is nothing to rave about. This is a case of logical deduction. It’s not even in his area of specialty - criminal psychology, serial killers etc. Jian Yao says: “Don't sleep. Officer Wang has invited us to oversee the interrogation process." “I am not going." He simply answers, "My work is done. The rest is up to them.” Jian Yao heads over to the conference centre by herself. She follows Officer Wang into a room that they are using as their control room. Inside the room, two officers are observing several computer monitors, which are transmitting video images from the rooms where the Customer 3 division staffs are being questioned. Jian Yao sits down in front of the monitors. She sees a number of familiar faces. Lin Yu Xuan, Zhou Qin, Shen Dan Wei, Qian Yu Wen and Pei Ze. They are arranged in separate rooms. The police are recording their testimonies. Everyone looks weary, except for Pei Ze. He looks disinterested, as if he doesn’t give a damn to what has happened. Jian Yao remembers the times they spent together. She is repulsed by his actions and attitude. When the policeman throws the testimonies of others in front of him, he momentarily loses his composure. He looks flustered. But soon, he recollects himself. “Whether you confess or not, we have enough evidence to charge you.” says the policeman.

Pei Ze is silent for a moment. He asks: “What is the penalty for murder?" Police replies: “That’s a matter for the courts to decide. But they will show more leniency to those who confess.” "Ah……" When did it all start? Long before Wang Wan Wei joined, Customer 3 division was already a drug house. Wang Wan Wei was like a small fresh flower planted amongst the decaying vegetation. She was totally unaware of what’s going on. But their private lives were quite separate from their work lives. And there should have been no intersection between the two. They were not short of money. They kept to themselves and were very careful around others. The good kids like Mai Chen and Wang Wan Wei lived in a different world from them. Until that night. Pei Ze and Lin Yu Xuan were wantonly indulging themselves in the conference room. “It doesn’t matter. No one will come." He said, "Xuan, I want you here, in this very room that you use for telling me off during work hours.” Lin Yu Xuan is a capable and shrewd woman. But she is only a woman after all. Her husband was a professor in a music college. He fell in love with his female student that’s twenty years younger than him. He walked out from their marriage while she was still pregnant. Lin Yu Xuan was devastated. She aborted the child to start a new life. But life had stagnated since then. She was not able to move on. Then Pei Ze appeared in her life. They worked together, dined and wined together. She knew this attractive young man had ulterior motives. But she was too lonely, and too fragile to resist. - He must have some feelings for me too, right? Otherwise… There are many other women in managerial positions. But he came for me. When exactly did she fall in love with Pei Ze? She was not sure. Initially, she looked at it as a deal. He provided the love and comfort she desired. In return, she used her position and power to help him advance in his career. A fair trade. But when Pei Ze was ready to move on from this relationship, she didn’t want to let him go. She couldn't bear to live without him. Her successful career did not fill the emptiness in her life. The loneliness was too much for her to bear. But it was not hard to keep him, as long as he was still working in the company.

So their relationship continued. She turned a blind eye to his debauchery nightclubbing, casual sex with other girls… And he lured her into drugs. Cannabis. Sweet but painful. In the end, it’s hard to say who is the dominant one in the relationship? Is it Pei Ze? Controlling her with a steady supply of drugs? Or is it Lin Yu Xuan? Using her power and influence in the company to keep him close to her. The line was blurred. No one knew the answer. That night, as they were busy enjoying themselves, someone opened the door to the conference room. They even heard a gasp. But the person retreated very quickly. Pei Ze quickly put on his pants, opened the door slightly and looked through the gap: “Yes, it’s Wang Wan Wei. The lock is broken. We didn’t notice that just now." From then on, Lin Yu Xuan was worried Wang Wan Wei would one day expose her shameful deeds in front of others. Though Pei Ze insists that Wang Wan Wei didn’t see their faces, she would be happy to see her go. It was too risky to have her around. She started to pick on the innocent girl all the time. And surprisingly, she started to enjoy seeing her suffer. After all, a young girl just starting out in life should also learn that life is not an easy and smooth journey. ...... "This is the reason you and Lin Yu Xuan lured her to the path of drugs?” Pei Ze smiles: "In the beginning, it was Yu Xuan’s idea for me to sound her out." To find out how much she actually knew about their affair. It was during the time when Wang Wan Wei felt down and discouraged because of her situation at work. To Pei Ze, she was like a little rabbit. Meek and weak, evoking a man’s innate urge to conquer. One night. Pei Ze and Wang Wan Wei had a lot of wine. They were drunk. She was lured into a sexual relationship with him. The first time Pei Ze asked Qian Yu Wen to join them, Wang Wan Wei refused. But eventually, she gave in to Pei Ze’s request. She was too timid to resist him. Their threesome relationship went on for a while. She knew Pei Ze and Qian Yu Wen were drug addicts. But she had no idea her other colleagues were taking drugs too. She never would have guessed that her life was lost because these people would disregard her plea for help. Lin Yu Xuan vaguely knew about Pei Ze and Wang Wan Wei’s relationship, but surprisingly, she didn’t seem to care. “How did Shen Dan Wei become a drug addict?" The police asks. Who knows? Is Shen Dan Wei going through the same ordeal as Wang Wan Wei?

"Her?" Pei Ze laughs: “She is the first to take drugs in the division. She was led astray by her boyfriend when they were attending university. Later, the man left her to return overseas. Only then did she realise he was married.” Shen Dan Wei. Her dreams of marrying a rich foreigner were shattered. She couldn’t shake off her addiction, so she frequented bars and nightclubs. Pei Ze and her met in a drug party once. They nodded and smiled to one another. "She helped me clean up the traces of my crime." Pei Ze says, "Everyone helped. They are all accomplices, right?” ———Just like Bo Jinyan predicted, Pei Ze went to see Wang Wan Wei after Mai Chen left. She refused, threatened to call the police. Pei Ze was heavily intoxicated. Out of anger, he decided to kill her. “Qian Yu Wen’s drugs… Are you the supplier?” The police asks. Pei Ze gives a faint smile: “He asked me for it. But I did not introduce him to the habit.” Qian Yu Wen’s reason for taking drugs was boredom. He’s simply looking for physical stimulant to spice up his life. As for his taste for men, he discovered it after he became a drug addict. Life is short. He decided to let himself loose and enjoy life the way he wanted to. —— But all these were hidden from their outwardly normal lives. They were not stupid. No one wanted to lose their job because of drug abuse. Perhaps, this is a road of destruction, but the end is still a long way off. There’s no hurry to take a U turn at this time. Later, perhaps. Later. Between each other, not everything was disclosed. Pei Ze was the only one who knows who were into drugs too. Qian Yu Wen was with him all the time, so he had an idea of what’s going on. But the others, they did their own thing. Shen Dan Wei is a loner. The others might have guessed that she took drugs. But it’s none of their business. As for Pei Ze and Wang Wan Wei’s relationship, no one was aware of it until the night of the murder. And Mai Chen. He’s the law abiding and honest young man that didn’t pose a threat to his seniors at work.

“Why then, is Zhou Qin taking drugs?" The police asks, “Same reasons as Qian Yu Wen?" "Oh ......" Pei Ze laughs, “His drug habit has nothing to do with me either.” Zhou Qin and his wife met in university. They fell in love with each other. But their romance was short lived. They broke up because of some misunderstanding. However, they still had each other in their hearts. They reunited after a few years and Zhou Qin was the happiest man in the world. But his happiness didn’t last long again. She died in a car accident. Leaving behind a son. Every time he saw the child’s face, he agonised over the death of his dear wife. He couldn't concentrate on his work. Once he almost lost his job because of his carelessness. It was drugs that held him together. It gave him a new lease of life. He knew it’s the wrong path. He thought he could get away with taking small dosages for a short period of time and not get hooked. By the time he realised, he had gone too far. He deeply regretted his actions and had started rehab. However, it’s not easy to cut off the addictive habit. So he’s had a few relapse every now and then. Pei Ze knew everyone's secrets, so he made them cover for him. Everyone knew that if the murder was discovered, they will be brought back to the police station for a detailed interrogation. All their dirty laundry would be exposed. They might get fired. Nobody wanted to lose their jobs. Besides, Wang Wan Wei intended to commit suicide in the first place. But today, the truth that they tried so hard to cover up, is finally revealed. ...... “How could you do this to a young lady? Where is your conscious? ” The police asks each one of them. But silence is the only answer he gets. When Jian Yao leaves the conference centre, it’s three o’clock in the morning. It is still dark, as if the sky is covered by a thick layer of black ink. Jian Yao walks down a long and brightly lit corridor. She stops beside a window and looks out. A lot of people come to her mind. Her father, Li, Bo Jinyan, and many others. Everyone will encounter confusion and temptation at some point in their life. It may be hard and painful. But that is not the reason to forsake morals and principles. Life is more than indulging in selfish desires and feeling good, it’s about doing the right thing.

She opens the door and walks in the room. She expects to find Bo Jinyan sleeping, but to her surprise, he was standing in front of a mirror. He is doing up the buttons of his jacket, as if he’s about to attend a formal meeting. Jian Yao walks up to him and asks suspiciously : “Are you going somewhere?" Bo Jinyan turns to look at her: “Let’s get on with the real reason we are here today.” Jian Yao is confused. Before she could ask any questions, he walks out of the room with a solemn face. ——Jian Yao sits in the backseat of the car, beside Bo Jinyan. He is looking out of the window with an infrared telescope. The rain has stopped. The car drives into a narrow and windy road. It brings them back to the residences they visited earlier. The crime scene is pitch dark. All the lights in the area have been turned off. There are two other police officers in the car. They are keeping their eyes on a monitor inside the car. It is linked to the video cameras placed around the complex that shows all the paths that leads to the residences. Bo Jinyan puts down the binoculars. He is sitting there, deep in thought. Jian Yao cannot contain herself any longer :”You did so much… to lure him here?” That man. Bo Jinyan replies lightly: "Why do you think I agreed to take on something as dumb as a secret investigation? Not to mention coming back to this boring place? " Is that the reason he agreed to help Yin Ziqi? He planted his move - secret investigation means there would be no police involvement, giving the person an opportunity to leave more signs for him. “But you said you enjoy seeing the murderer shamed?" Jian Yao asks. “Yes, I did enjoy that, but it’s not a good enough reason for me to make all that effort.” The numbers written in blood comes to her mind. Suddenly, she is all tensed up. “How do you know that he will be here?” She asks.

“He will. He will come… for me.”

Chapter 31 “He will come… for me.” A sentence said without emotions. But in Jian Yao ears, the words are like the sound of war drums hitting her heart. She turns around and looks at him. In the dim light, she can faintly see him. His handsome face looks calm and collected. Jian Yao remembers the scars that lie on his back. What sort of experience and pain does he carry with him? And when he first returned to China, Jian Xuan said he was so skinny he looked like a walking skeleton. Were any of these things related to the Flower Cannibal? Fu Ziyu mentioned it was the last case he worked on before returning to China. He caught the notorious criminal, who is now serving a life sentence in the United States. But during the process, did he put himself in danger? This smart, naive and arrogant man that is next to her…. Did he suffer unmentionable cruelty and abuse? ...... “Teach him a lesson." Jian Yao says softly. This man came in the name of the Flower Cannibal. He must be either a follower or an accomplice of the hideous monster. Bo Jinyan is looking through his binoculars. He stares out of the window, moving his lips: “You don’t have to remind me.” He answers haughtily. Jian Yao asks: “He arrived at Sun Yong’s house before us. If he turns up today…. how does he find out what you are up to and where you will be?” Bo Jinyan puts down the binoculars. He says with a cold smile: ”That’s obvious. He stalks me.” Jian Yao suspects that might be the case. Nevertheless, it is still creepy to hear it. He continues: “Both the FBI and Chinese police have sent their men to surveil me. Yet, they failed to notice his presence. He must be very good at lurking in the shadows.” Jian Yao stays silent for a moment, then asks: "? So ...... Was our office bugged?”

Bo Jinyan: “Yes, it was. The listening devices were underneath our chairs.” Jian Yao is astounded. When did Bo Jinyan know about this? So he used it to his advantage to set up this trap? But he pretended he didn’t know anything about it. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?" She whispers softly. Bo Jinyan glances at her: “Tell you? Would you be able to act ‘normally’?” "Of course. And I would have been more prepared." “I am here. What other preparations do you need?” Darkness still covers the sky. The damp paths leading to the residences are quiet. Besides Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao, there are two other policemen in the monitoring vehicle. There are also numerous officers hiding in the area. The streets are empty, except for two cleaners who are sweeping the streets in the early morning hours. Everything seems normal. Jian Yao feels heavy headed and dizzy. Her nose starts to run, and her throat is dry. A cold. Probably from being cold and wet in the rain earlier. Well, at least she is prepared. She takes out some flu medication. She also has a small box of tissues. She blows her nose. Bo Jinyan turns to look at her briefly and then returns to his monitoring. Jian Yao is very tired. She taps on his shoulders :”I am going to take a snooze. Call me if anything happens.” "Ok." Their car is one of the maintenance vehicles of the Orange Hill resort. So it’s not conspicuous when parked on the side of the road. The back of the car is quite roomy, but there are no in-built seats. The chairs Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao are sitting on are added temporarily. It’s 4am. No signs of the man they are after. After a while, Bo Jinyan feels some weight on his shoulders. He turns his head and finds Jian Yao leaning towards him. Her head rests on his shoulder. Her eyelids closed against the dim lights inside the car, and her breathing deep and relaxed.

Bo Jinyan frowns. He adjusts her sleeping position so she is leaning on the back of chair instead. But it only takes a few minutes for her to flop on his shoulders again. This is not Jian Yao’s fault. The flu medication contains antihistamine which helps the taker to sleep more soundly. It is uncomfortable to sleep on the chair, especially when it’s not padded. Bo Jinyan’s shoulder is like a comfortable ‘pillow’ in comparison. Women, even in their sleep, have an instinct for choosing the better alternative. Bo Jinyan looks down at her. Her hair is touching the side of his face. It’s soft and rather comfortable. But as she breathes, he can feel her warm breath on his neck. It’s ticklish. A few minutes later Bo Jinyan rubs his hands together and does a quick stretch. He sits back on his chair, picks up the binoculars and stares out of the window. The young office looks at him and asks hesitantly: “Professor Bo. Assistant Jian is sleeping on the floor! Are you sure that’s ok?” Bo Jinyan takes a glance at Jian Yao. He found a strip of thin blanket. So he spread on the floor and moved Jian Yao to lay flat on top of it. “Yes, it’s alright.” He replies, “I’m sure she doesn’t mind a bit of dirt on the floor.” Another half an hour has passed. There is still no sign of ‘him’. Bo Jinyan puts down the binoculars. His rubs his eyebrows with his finger as he looks down. He stops what he is doing. Jian Yao has rolled over, curled up into a ball, like a cat. Her long black hair spreads out on the think blanket. She is cuddling up next to him. She must be feeling cold. And ...... He frowns again. Because she rolled to the side, her face is outside of the thin blanket. Her lips are so close to the floor it looks like she is about to kiss the dirt. Jian Yao wakes up after a short nap. When she was half asleep, she could feels someone tickling her face and nose with a feather. She opens her eyes and takes a look around. She is lying on the chairs. Two chairs put together side by side. When did she lie down? And where’s Bo Jinyan?

He is sitting on the floor. He’s back is slightly hunched, knees bent, in a cross legged position. One hand is holding the binoculars, still staring out of the window. The other hand is resting causally on the knee. What a gentleman. Jian Yao is pleased, that he can be so thoughtful. Jian Yao looks at his handsome face. Just as she is about to speak, she sees his hand that was resting on the knee reaches out towards her. - What does he want to do? His hand is getting closer. It stops in front of her face. Then he picks up a few strands of her long hair that is resting on the chair, and starts to circle them around his fingers. And when the hair is strapped around his fingers, he lets go of the hair by flicking his finger. Long hair falls from the sky, some strands brushes over her cheeks. No wonder she felt someone was tickling her. Before long, he does it again….. He seems to like playing with her hair. He does it for a while, then his hand will rest on his knee, then he comes back for her hair again… as he’s looking out of the window with the binoculars in his other hand. Jian Yao can’t believe it. Playing with her hair? How childish can he be? He is Detective, for goodness sakes! She sits up and use her fingers to brush the hair that’s messed up by him. Bo Jinyan hears movement behind him and turns around. “You’re awake.” He says briefly and continues to monitor what’s going on outside. Jian Yao is about to pick up her binoculars when she hears the policeman in front says: “Someone is here.” There’s a man riding a bicycle, coming closer towards them. He is wearing a red uniform, with a shop logo in the front of the shirt. It’s a 24 -hour restaurant. Food delivery? But none of the residences are occupied. Besides, who would order takeaway at this time of the day?

Everyone, including the police officers in the other monitoring vehicles get ready for action. When the man reaches an intersection. He stops. He gets off his bike and starts walking uphill with some delivery box in his hand. "Professor Bo, leave it to us, we will approach him now." says one of the officers from another vehicle via a Walkie-talkie. "Wait." Bo Jinyan says, “Just keep observing for now." The police officer on the other end hesitates for a moment. He orders his men to be on standby. The man walks toward one of the residences. It’s the one Pei Zi stayed in. He stops in front of the door. He takes a few containers out from the delivery box and leaves them in front of the entrance. Then he took a quick look through the window and walks off. Jian Yao feels her heartbeat accelerating. "Action?" Officer on the other end checks again. Bo Jinyan gives a mocking laugh: “No. It’s not him." Everyone is surprised by his remark. He continues: “This is not right. It’s the wrong residence.” Everyone is even more confused. She thinks to herself :”Why is this the wrong house? Last time, he left a note in Sun Yong’s house, This time, he’s leaving a note in Pei Ze’s residence. On both occasions, he appeared at the killer’s house. That’s routine. It’s a trait of a psychopath.” Bo Jinyan explains: "No, he should appear in the victim’s residence. For psychopath, the moment of death is of the most significance.” - So he should be leaving a note at Wang Wan Wei’s house. The delivery man has walked down the hill. The Police officer anxiously asks: “Professor Bo, this person is suspicious. Should we not arrest him first?” "No, let him go." Bo Jinyan says, “He is sent by the man to test us.” As the delivery man disappears from their sight. Everyone quietly waits. This is like a silent chess game between ‘Him’ and Bo Jinyan. One wrong move, and it’s all over.

As minutes and seconds continue to drift away, the policemen are getting more and more anxious. They don’t fully trust Bo Jinyan’s analysis. Have they missed their opportunity? They are not sure. The dark sky is slowly getting brighter. A thin fog covers the ground. Visibility is still low. Another man comes on the scene. One of the cleaner. They saw him working further away earlier. He is sweeping the leaves on the road. He slowly makes his way closer to the residence. Jian Yao looks through the binoculars- A small man. He seems quite sluggish and his pace is slow. He is wearing a hat which blocks most of his face. There’s grey stubbles around his chin, and his skin is wrinkly. He should be at least fifty years old. His clothes are old, and so are his shoes. With one hand holding the broom and a dustpan on the other, he is sweeping leaves and garbage. When he sees an empty bottle, he picks it up and throws it into the rubbish bin. His actions seem natural, like a task that he does all the time. Everyone stares at him. He slowly approaches the slope next to the residences. He continues to sweep and clear rubbish in the area. Everyone has the same query. - Is he going to Wang Wan Wei’s residence? He didn’t. He left. He takes the broom and walks back to the main road. “Another false alarm.” says a policeman. “Soon, first light will appear.” Another policeman says. Jian Yao notices Bo Jinyan’s binoculars are still following the cleaner. He’s getting further and further away from them. … Something is not right "The cleaner. Something tells me he’s not just a cleaner......" she murmurs.

Just as she finished murmuring, she feels warmth covering her back. She lifts her head. Bo Jinyan has put his arm against the glass. He is standing right behind her and looking through the same glass panel to the outside. His chest touching her back. “What's wrong?" He leans in and whispers. She is literally in his arms. She can feel his breath brushing past her ears. Both his pose and the itchiness from the breath is making her very uneasy. But she knows Bo Jinyan is not aware of how physically close they are. He is so focused on the case he will not be thinking about anything else. So she turns around and says to him: “Look at his…” She stops. The moment she puts down her binoculars is the same moment he puts down his binoculars and leans down to hear her answer. Their faces are only inches apart from each other to start with. A moment of overlap. She feels her lips grazes pass a patch of soft skin, then it lands somewhere on his face that is slightly damp. That’s…… His lips. As she realises what has happened, her cheeks starts to burn. He seems a little stunned too. They are back to their original distance before their lips touched. Just inches apart. Quietly looking at each other. ...... “What’s wrong?" Bo Jinyan breaks the silence by repeating his earlier statement, as if nothing has happened. "Uh ......" Jian Yao immediately replies, "Low income cleaners. I see them all the time. They usually keep the empty bottles so they can sell them later. But he threw them away….” She decides to pretend as if nothing has happened too. Bo Jinyan grew up abroad, he’s not familiar with Chinese cleaners’ usual practice. Immediately, he picks up the walkie talkie: “Action!” The officer on the other end hesitates: “Professor Bo, are you sure? He didn’t even get close to the residences….?" Another police interrupts him: “Professor Bo, look at the walls of the residences!” Everyone looks up to the walls. A chilling message has appeared on the wall.

The English words with meandering handwriting in blood red is projected onto the wall. “I miss U so much, buddy” Then they hear a loud bang. There’s an explosion on the grass area the cleaner went past. “The projector used to show us the phrase.” says Bo Jinyan Jian Yao looks around and see a silhouette of a man disappearing into the bushes. All the police offices come out of their hiding. They are running in all directions and covering all the grounds. They are determined to find the cleaner. Two policemen are about to leave when Bo Jinyan asks one of them to stay behind: “You stay here. I’ll go.” Jian Yao is surprised - Did he not say arresting is the responsibility of the police? That he is only responsible for the intellectual stuff? ——Jian Yao’s is very worried. The policeman senses her anxiety and comforts her :”We have informed the Resort Securities. No cars or person will be allowed to enter or leave the Resort tonight. He can’t get away….” Jian Yao heart settles. No matter how cunning the man is, Bo Jinyan will be able to seek him out. They will win the game after all. However, the resort is very big. It’s easier said than done to track down a person. Dozens of police have dispersed, and Bo Jinyan has joined them to find this cleaner. There’s not enough policemen to cover all the areas, so the perimeters of the Resort is left in the hands of the Resort securities. Half an hour later. The sky has brighten up into a pale blue as the sun starts to rise. Bo Jinyan is standing outside a small forest. He walks through the trees. After a few metres, he finds a red uniform at his feet. He walks a little faster, taking short and light steps. After a while, he sees a pair of pants, a broom and a pair of shoes. He frowns.

He sees a dwelling in front of him. It’s the villa Yin Ziqi’s is staying for the night. This is no coincidence. The man deliberately came through this way. He immediately takes out his mobile phone: “ Tell the Resort Securities not to let any car out of the resort. Not even Yin Ziqi’s car.” Immediately, the other side replies: “Professor Bo, a few minutes ago, Chairman Yin’s car left from the west gate. The guards didn’t stop it….” Bo Jinyan swears loudly. The others are confused: "Professor ...... What are you talking about?" Bo Jinyan did not answer them. He puts his phone away and walks towards the trees. Yin Ziqi is wearing a skirt, with a shawl over her shoulders. Her eyes are shut and her face is pale. She is lying unconscious on the ground. Yin Ziqi is supposed to be staying in the Luxury Suite. A number of bodyguards were with her. It should have been fool proof. Perhaps she left the suite for some reason, and was attacked by the man. He stole her car keys and drove away in her car. Bo Jinyan checks her pulse to make sure she is alright. He exhales a long sigh. Then he bends over and carries her in his arms.

Chapter 32 Yin Ziqi did not intend to leave the villa… until she received a text message from Bo Jinyan. It’s 4am in the morning. She was still awake because she knew her brother brought a lot of police officers with him to the resort. That was not part of their agreement, and she was a little annoyed. But she didn’t confront him straight away. She knew he’s always had a mind of his own. Besides, it’s not appropriate to bother him at this critical moment. She couldn’t change what has happened, so it’s better for her to let it go, so Bo Jinyan knows that he owes her a favour. All she needs to do is to wait. Wait for his explanation. Wait for his apology. This is how a wise woman should treat a man, with grace and gentleness. As she had expected, he sent her a text message: I am outside your villa. Come alone. I give you five minutes.” She couldn’t help but laugh. His tone is so arrogant! Even when he is trying to explain himself. Her assistant wanted to go with her, but she refused. She didn’t want anyone else there when she is with Bo Jinyan. The sky was still dark. No one was at the entrance of the villa but she could vaguely see a man standing by a tree at the edge of the forest. The man was in a black suit. Tall and slender. He had his back to her, so she couldn’t see his face. But judging from the body shape and attire, it had to be Bo Jinyan. She smiled and walked over to him: “This is not one of those occasions which you can get away with a simple apology…..Ah!” She let out a small scream. Because the man turned around and quickly pulled her into his arms. His arm tightly wrapped around her waist. Her face was buried in his chest. Just when she wanted to speak, he pressed his lips on hers. At the same time, he used his other hand to cover her eyes. “Oh…” The man gave a small laugh as he slid his tongue into her mouth. Yin Ziqi’s body was trapped, her eyes covered. She struggled and he deepened the kiss. - So that’s what Bo Jinyan’s kiss feels like. Cold, raw and powerful.

Before long, she lost consciousness. ———-

When Yin Ziqi opens her eyes again, she finds herself lying in her bed. The lights are on. Bo Jinyan is sitting in a chair next to her bed. His eyes are dark and bright, staring thoughtfully at her. ———— The news of Chairman Yin’s attack has quickly reached the police, as well as Jian Yao. She is on her way to Yin Ziqi’s villa. Another police officer is with her. Once she steps out of the car, she realises there is a lot of people surrounding the villa. Most of them are senior management staff from the company. Jian Yao is slightly surprised to see so many people there. She hears someone call her name. It’s the assistant from her previous division. The young lady that commented Bo Jinyan looked ‘kind of …vain.’ She looks at Jian Yao: “Why are you here with the police?” Jian Yao gives a vague answer: “I just happened to meet them here. Why are you here?” “Do you not know?” says the young lady. “Chairman Yin fainted in the forest. Luckily she was not injured. Director Bo carried her back to the villa. All the staff at the villa saw it.” Jian Yao: “I see… I am going to find Director Bo now.” The young lady is curious: “Where is everyone else from your division?” Jian Yao smiles, but doesn’t answer her. She doesn’t really care anyway. So she continues to tell Jian Yao some rumours she has heard: “Apparently, he looked very concern for Chairman Yin. Some people say he’s Chairman Yin’s boyfriend. You work with him. Any inside stories?” Jian Yao takes a look at her: “Of course not. Don’t speculate.” ———— Yin Ziqi's bodyguards are standing outside her suite. Her assistant greets Jian Yao. She is a woman in her thirties. She smiles at Jian Yao: “Chairman Yin is awake. Director Bo is with her. Come with me.”

The master bedroom is at the end of a long corridor. The door is left slightly opened. “Why did you kiss me?” They hear Yin Ziqi’s voice. Jian Yao is stunned. 

Did she hear correctly? A ‘kiss’?

The assistant already has her hand on the door handle. But instead of pushing it, she pulls it to close the door. She signals to Jian Yao and they return to the lounge. “Jian Yao, no matter what you heard earlier, it’s the private affairs of the chairman. Please do not tell anyone else. You understand?” says the assistant. Jian Yao: “… I understand.” She is confused. Why would Bo Jinyan kiss Yin Ziqi. She is his sister! But in her heart, she can feel little flickers of pain. ————In the master bedroom. Bo Jinyan is sitting in the chair, crossing one leg over the other. He looks at his sister. She looks baffled. He gives her a smile. He has some softness in the eyes and gentleness in his smile. Looking at his handsome face, Yin Ziqi suddenly feels like her heart has skipped a beat. Then she heard him say :”I am sorry, but my first kiss is still…” Then he pauses: “…emm.. not available anymore. But I have no desire to mess with my sister. Congratulations. It seems you kissed the Flower Cannibal No.2.” ————— The sun is finally out. A golden glow covers the Orange Hill Resort. Jian Yao is sitting by the window, in a daze. “He” has fled. The police have issued a warrant for his arrest. Her colleagues from Customer 3 Division are escorted to the Police station. There is nothing else for her do. Except to wait. Wait for Bo Jinyan to appear. Did he really kiss Yin Ziqi?

Then she remembers the words of the assistant from her previous department: “He looked very concerned for her.” … She has never seen him concerned or worried for any woman before. However, he seems to treat Yin Ziqi differently. After all, he obliged when she asked him to take up this simple murder case. Perhaps… she is the one he’s secretly adored for years? She is the only woman by his side all these years. However, he suppressed his feelings because they are meant to be siblings? She smiles bitterly. As she is still deep in thought, Bo Jinyan walks in: “We are returning to B City tonight.” He sits down in a chair across from Jian Yao. His hands are tapping the armrests. “Ah…”Jian Yao replies briefly. There’s nothing more for them to do here. After a moment of silence, Jian Yao asks: “What actually happened to Chairman Yin?” Bo Jinyan replies coldly: “He stole my mobile number and sent her a text message.” 

Ah.. that’s why Yin Ziqi left the villa. Fortunately, she was not injured.

He looks annoyed. …. because he angry that Yin Ziqi is bullied by this guy? She asks causally: “You kissed Yin Ziqi?” The question has been on her mind for too long. Yes, that’s the right tone. Like talking to a friend. She is just curious. That’s all. “Yeah…” Bo Jinyan leans back onto the chair. He closes his eyes: “At a critical moment of chasing after the Flower Cannibal No.2, I would take time to kiss my sister? Who do you think I am? Someone with no brains or moral standards?” “So… you didn’t kiss her?” “Nonsense. That ‘man’ kissed her.” Joy is gushing out of her heart like a stream. But then she remembers poor Yin Ziqi, kissed by a monster. No wonder Bo Jinyan is not happy. As she is thinking about these things, Bo Jinyan suddenly says: “I only kissed one person today.”

She feels her heart halts for a second. 

Is he referring to the ‘accident’?

Jian Yao turns to look at him. He opens his eyes and gives her a smile. A playful but arrogant one. She blushes. Then her heart starts to pound like a rocket about to be launched. What does this mean? That he cares about the kiss as much as she does? Her heart is racing. “Surely this is not your first kiss.” He says with his low magnetic voice. Her face is red with embarrassment. But she tries to sound calm: “So what if it is? It’s your first kiss too, right? At the age of 26.” It’s his turn to look stunned. “Don’t worry.” He stands up, “In the future, when you have a boyfriend, he won’t know about this. Let’s go.” …. When you have a boyfriend…. Jian Yao stands still for a while. When he has reached the door, he looks back, as if to hurry her up. She quickly picks up the luggage and makes her way to the door. - Ah… Query solved. She is not special to him after all. ————— The next morning, Jian Yao gets a call from Bo Jinyan: “We need to head down to the Police Station, to look at some evidence.” Jian Yao is not sure why they need to go there, but who is she to say no. Bo Jinyan asks again: “What are we having for breakfast?” “Sorry, I didn’t have time to cook anything.” She didn’t sleep well after last night’s saga. They decide to have congee in a little shop close to their apartment block. Jian Yao seems to be a bit more pensive than usual. Bo Jinyan looks at her: “You are very quiet today. Is everything ok?” Jian Yao didn’t want to explain: “Uhh… just not fully recovered from my cold.”

“Oh.” Bo Jinyan answers. ———Inspector Wang shows them to a reception room. He takes out two pieces of evidence: Pei Ze’s mobile phone and a bag of…hair? “Take your time. I will be back soon.” He walks out, closing the door behind him. They are the only two people left inside the room. Bo Jinyan picks up the mobile phone. He fiddles with it for a while. Then he passes it to her: “This one?” Jian Yao takes a look. It’s the picture Pei Ze took of her at his house. Bo Jinyan deletes the photo from his phone. Jian Yao asks: “This is the reason we have come to the police station? Just to delete a photo?” He looks at her: “Whatever I have promised you, I will keep my word. No matter how trivial it is.” “….thank you.” Then he picked up the bag of hair. Within the big plastic bag, there are many little bags with a few strands of hair in each. Some of them are labelled. Some are not. Jian Yao asks: “What is this?” Bo Jinyan is going through the bags as if he is looking for something: “Remember the calligraphy brush in Pei Ze’s house?” “Yes…” “It’s made from hair. Women’s hair.” says Bo Jinyan. “ His house has no calligraphy or paintings. There’s not even a trace of ink in the house. Yet a brush is displayed in an expensive box in the cupboard. And he told you he practises calligraphy… We took the brush for analysis. The results show that it’s made from hair from women. They are from women that he had a love interests with previously. He collects their hair… as souvenirs.” Bo Jinyan finds a bag with her name on it. “Take this. It’s yours.” Jian Yao is disgusted. “No, I don’t want to touch it.” “OK.” Bo Jinyan puts the little bag back to the pile. “No!” She shouts: “I don’t want to leave it here either.”

“So, do you want it or not?” Bo Jinyan smiles. He is just teasing her. “Take it away.” Jian Yao commands. Bo Jinyan smiles at her and puts the bag into his pants pocket. Once they got out of the Police station, Jian Yao walks to a convenience shop next door to buy a cigarette lighter. She passes the lighter to Bo Jinyan. He takes out the hair, and burns it. Soon the strand of hair has turned to ash, blown away by the wind. ————They are on their way to Yin Ziqi’s office. She thinks of what Bo Jinyan has done for her. He did not forget. Even when it’s only a photo, a strand of hair. Why is he so nice to her? He said Pei Ze is obsessed with women’s hair. She wonders what was going through Bo Jinyan’s mind when he was playing with her hair. If he has no feelings for her, why is he so nice to her? Perhaps, there is no gender difference in his mind? She is just a good friend, like Fi Ziyu . “What’s wrong with you today?” Bo Jinyan asks again. “I’m tired….” She closes her eyes and turns her head away. ———— Yin Ziqi’s has had a frantic morning. The entire Customer 3 division has collapsed. The news has travelled to all the departments. She is working hard to minimise the damage done to the reputation of the company, as well as organising staff to take over the work from the collapsed division. She has no time to think about the kiss, or her feelings for Bo Jinyan. “Let’s keep this short.” She says: “Bo Jinyan, for the records, you are fired. For incompetence. The division collapsed while under your administration.” He smiles. Yes, that’s the best cover up. Yin Ziqi looks at Jian Yao: “Thank you for your help with this investigation. As we have agreed, your involvement in the case will be kept confidential. As a token of

appreciation, you can choose to work in any department within the company you wish to. However, the position will be based on your qualifications and experience.” In her heart of hearts, Yin Ziqi does not want Jian Yao to continue to hang around Bo Jinyan. Now she is giving her a chance to advance in her career. It’s killing two birds with one stone.

“Chairman Yin… Thank you so much….” Jian Yao is surprised and touched by her offer. “You deserve it.” Yin Ziqi answers. But Bo Jinyan doesn't seem as happy: “That’s not necessary.” He interrupts her sister. “She is mine now. She will not be working for you anymore.” …Mine? Jian Yao thought to herself. Since yesterday, she has been heartbroken by his suggestive words and actions that obviously don’t mean anything to him. Now she is pushed to the limits by this last phrase. What does he mean by ‘mine”. Didn’t he tell her earlier that he doesn't care if she has a boyfriend? Jian Yao looks at him: “Sorry, I don’t belong to you.” Then she turns to Yin Ziqi :”Chairman Yin, can I have a think about it for a few days?” Yin Ziqi senses there is something going on between the two of them. But she just answers: “Sure. I’ll wait for your answer.”

Chapter 33 Saturday morning. When Fu Ziyu received Bo Jinyan ’s call, he was having a tennis game with an attractive lady. “Come over for dinner.” Bo Jinyan said. He was rather surprised by the call. Since the multi talented assistant Jian Yao appeared in his life, Bo Jinyan seldom calls him anymore. There was even one occasion, where he tried to invite Bo Jinyan out for dinner, Bo Jinyan declined: “I won’t go. Jian Yao has prepared dinner…. There’s only enough food for the two of us. Don’t come over.” What’s happened to Bo Jinyan ? Is he ‘dumped’ by Jian Yao? This is more interesting than playing tennis with a pretty girl. So he excused himself quickly and went to Bo Jinyan ’s house. ————

When he enters Bo Jinyan ’s apartment, Fu Ziyu finds him sitting on the sofa, reading a book. Bo Jinyan takes a brief glance at Fu Ziyu and returns to his book. Fu Ziyu sits across from him: “Where are we going?” “Your call.” Fu Ziyu pours himself a cup of tea. Then he asks causally: “Should I ask Jian Yao to come along?” Bo Jinyan turns over a page. Without lifting his head, he answers: “Whatever.” It’s been a while since Fu Ziyu saw Jian Yao. He misses her. So he gets up from the sofa and heads to the front door. When he’s waiting for the elevator, he notices Bo Jinyan is next to him. “Why are you following me?” “Mmm… Just to take a breather.” answers Bo Jinyan . In the lift. Fu Ziyu looks at the numbers changing on the display panel, and turns around to look at Bo Jinyan . Take a breather? At a young lady’s apartment? —————

The two men stand outside Jian Yao’s apartment. Fu Ziyu rings the doorbell again. No one is answering. He turns to look at Bo Jinyan : “Well, princess is not home. Call her.” Bo Jinyan is looking at the peephole on the door, he sounds unwilling: “Why don’t you call her?” Something sparks in Fu Ziyu ’s brain: ”What’s the matter with you two? Is she giving you the silent treatment?” Bo Jinyan ’s frowns. He looks at Fu Ziyu and but doesn’t answer his question. Somehow, seeing Bo Jinyan ‘suffer’ is quite a satisfying experience. Fu Ziyu smiles and takes out his mobile phone: “Hey, pretty girl. Where are you? O.. taking graduation photos…” —————Fu Ziyu is trying to get the full story of what’s happened while driving to the University. “So… she has not seen you for two days?” Bo Jinyan is obviously in a foul mood. He utters: “Yea…” Fu Ziyu is enjoying this conversation: “She has not called you…. or come down to your apartment…” “Yea…” “She has declined your invitations to dine together… not even talking to you…” There’s a big smile on Fu Ziyu ’s face. He is gloating over his misfortunes. Bo Jinyan looks at him: “You childish prick!” Fu Ziyu laughs: “Who is the childish one here? Jian Yao is the most patient person I’ve ever known. You must have done something wrong to make her so angry. You should apologise to her.” It’s Bo Jinyan ’s turn to be silent. Fu Ziyu thinks for a while: “No… you don’t even know why she is angry with you?” Bo Jinyan looks at him: “Of course I do. She is like a sheet of blank paper in front of me.” Fu Ziyu looks at him seriously: “So what is she angry about?”

Bo Jinyan rests his arm on the door handle. He thinks for a while: “She doesn’t want to see me now, because she is choosing between me and Yin Ziqi.” He explains the situation and Yin Ziqi’s offer to Fu Ziyu . Fu Ziyu : “Ah… I see.” Bo Jinyan : “Obviously, she is under pressure, so she doesn’t want to talk to me.” Fu Ziyu thinks for a moment: “Yes, it will be a hard decision for her. She’s worked hard for a few years to get her degree. And you are asking her to forgo such a good opportunity for a job that’s is physically tiring and mentally taxing. If it is me, I will choose Yin Ziqi’s offer too.” Bo Jinyan remembers her words at Yin Ziqi’s office: “I don’t belong to you…” She did not choose him at the time. Fu Ziyu taps his shoulder: “Do you know what you should do now?” “What?” “Woman needs to be coaxed and pampered. If you don’t want your assistant to run away, I suggest we’ll do whatever she wants for the next few days. Women are emotional creatures. If she feels touched, she will choose you.” ————The summer flowers fill the gardens in the University campus. There are graduates everywhere, proudly walking around in their regalia. The nicely manicured ground provides a nice backdrop for photos. Fu Ziyu parks his car on the side of the road. They look out of the window and see a group of girls sitting on the grass. The foreign language faculty is famous for pretty girls. Jian Yao is not the most outstanding beauty amongst them. But her long hair, elegance and poise still attract a lot of attention. She is taking photos with her friends. They are posing like models in a magazine shooting. She has a sweet smile on her face. The two men have not seen the energetic and lively side of her before. Fu Ziyu smiles: “This brings back memories of my student days.” He looks at Bo Jinyan . He has a smile on his face too. Fu Ziyu asks: “I thought you hate woman who likes to pose.” When they were in university, a lot of girls were interested in Bo Jinyan . Some of them would deliberately walk past the boys or approach them, hoping he would take notice. Bo Jinyan refused

to go out with any of them. He hates girls that try to make themselves look sexy. He just thinks they are pathetic. Bo Jinyan says defensively: “She is so natural. You don’t have much of an idea what makes a woman beautiful. You should work on that.”  Excuse me? Some of my ex-girlfriends are famous super models! But Fu Ziyu decides not to argue with him.

As some of her friends start to leave, Fu Ziyu says to Bo Jinyan : “Go and sit in the backseat.” “Why?” “You might scare her away. You are not in her good books right now.” Bo Jinyan reluctantly moves to the back. “Keep the window up!” He continues to instruct Bo Jinyan . 

Oh.. he is seldom so obliging. Fu Ziyu is very amused.

After the window is tightly closed, he waves and raises his voice: “Jian Yao!” ——— Jian Yao walks over to the car. She can see that someone is in the backseat. She pretends not to notice and says Hi to Fu Ziyu . Actually, she is not deliberately trying to ignore Bo Jinyan for the past few days. She had to get ready for the graduation ceremony. And a lot of her friends are in town, so she’s been busy catching up with them. But the truth is, she doesn’t want to see him anyway. “Let go for a meal.” Fu Ziyu opens the car door for the lady: “I miss you so much!” Jian Yao gives him a smile, and hops into the car. ————It’s the weekend. There arefewer cars on the road. Fu Ziyu ’s Lexus is driving at a nice and steady pace on the freeway. Fu Ziyu puts the radio on. Often he sings along. Other times, he chats with Jian Yao. She asks him about his work at the hospital.

Bo Jinyan is very quiet. There’s no sound coming from the backseat. It’s as if he is not there at all. Jian Yao takes a peek at him in the rearview mirror His handsome face looks calm and collected. “Jian Yao, where do you want to go for dinner?” Fu Ziyu asks again. “Oh… I don’t mind. Why don’t you decide.” answers Jian Yao. Mmm… why does she feel so uneasy? She takes another peek at Bo Jinyan . He is staring at her through the rearview mirror. In fact, his eyes are fixed on her, following her every move. 

How long has he been staring at her?

She feels her face is blushing. She slides down the seat so that she would be out of sight for Bo Jinyan . ———They walk into a Cantonese restaurant. The waiter brings them to a table that can seat four people. A screen separates them from a nice outdoor garden. It’s a chic restaurant. As Jian Yao is sitting down, Bo Jinyan automatically takes the seat next to her. Like he usually does. Jian Yao refuses to look in his direction. Fu Ziyu passes the menu to Jian Yao. “You can do the ordering today.” Jian Yao is happy to oblige. As she is doing the ordering, the men talked about the Flower Cannibal No.2 case. “There’s two types of soups today, They are served individually. What would you like?” says Jian Yao to the guys: “Mushroom or tripe?” “Tripe.” says Fu Ziyu . Without looking up from the menu, Jian Yao asks “What about Jinyan?” “Mushroom.” Bo Jinyan says with a contented voice. Jian Yao deliberately keeps her eyes on the menu. She is turning the page to see what else she can order. “What about you, miss,” asks the waiter :”Which soup would you like?” She prefers mushroom. She is about to answer ‘Tripe’ when she hears Bo Jinyan telling the waiter: “She wants mushroom soup too.”

Fu Ziyu looks at the two of them. Jian Yao lowers her head even more. Love is in the air. He smiles. ——— Jian Yao’s glass is empty. Fu Ziyu gives Bo Jinyan a nudge with his arm, then looks at the jug of orange juice on the table. Before Jian Yao reaches out for the jug, a long and slender hand appears in front of her, and gets hold of the handle. She watches Bo Jinyan pour her a glass of orange juice, then brings it to her. “Enjoy.” he says. Jian Yao takes a look at him: “Thank you.” This is the first time he has served her on the dinner table. Usually, he is the prince that does not lift a finger. She is a little puzzled about his unusual behaviour. As she is preoccupied, Jian Yao is more quiet than usual. Fu Ziyu gives Bo Jinyan another signal with eye contact: Talk to her. You’ve offended her. Do you expect her to initiate a conversation? Bo Jinyan gives him a nod. Just as Fu Ziyu thought he understands what to do, Bo Jinyan looks at the dish of steamed fish in front of him. He takes a fork and spoon and starts to fiddle with the fish. Fu Ziyu is speechless. There’s an awkward silence. He gives up on Bo Jinyan and starts chatting to Jian Yao. Jian Yao takes a glance at Bo Jinyan . It’s obvious that he does not share the same affections she has for him. It’s time to walk away. Fu Ziyu ’s phone rings. He takes the call. Jian Yao continues with her dinner. Then there’s a tap on her shoulder. She turns her head and sees Bo Jinyan pushing a bowl towards her. She is stunned. Fish. It’s piled with fish. Tiny pieces of fillet, deboned and carefully piled into a bowl.

“Enjoy.” he says again, while giving his fingers a good stretch after the ‘hard work’. Jian Yao looks at him. Many things are running through her mind. She looks straight into his eyes: “What are you trying to do?” Bo Jinyan looks at her: “You can’t tell?” Jian Yao shakes her head. Is it just an illusion or Bo Jinyan is feeling a little warm because of the weather… His face looks like it’s a little red. Though his eyes are still giving his usual indifferent and slightly cold gaze.

“I am coaxing and pampering you.” he smiles.

Chapter 34 "I am coaxing you.” Jian Yao is surprised by his answer. That’s not what she expected to hear. Sweetness poured into her heart. But almost immediately, it’s replaced by reason and logic, with a touch of frustration. She turns around to look at him: “Coax me… to be your assistant?” “Yeah.” He taps his hand on the corner of the table, leans forward to look at her. - I knew it! Her lips curl into a bitter smile. “Well, that’s not the only reason.” He suddenly adds. She waits… He stares at her. Bo Jinyan looks good in white. It brings out his nice skin complexion. His eyes looks clear and sharp. “I think we should reconcile.” Jian Yao is speechless. By now, Fu Ziyu has finished his call. He’s been observing the two of them. He can’t help but smile: “Nice job with the fish.” Jian Yao is poking her chopsticks in an empty bowl. She is not giving Bo Jinyan an answer. Fu Ziyu takes a glance at Bo Jinyan: “Have some fish. Nobody forced him to debone it for you. He does not expect anything on return. Don’t worry. Just because you eat some fish does not mean you agree to reconcile with him, or to remain to be his assistant. Right?” “Hum…” Bo Jinyan asks coldly: “Whose side are you on?” Fu Ziyu: “Jian Yao’s of course. I’ve always been and will always be loyal to her!” While the two men are bickering amongst themselves, she picks up a piece of the fish fillet with her chopsticks and puts it in her mouth. It’s very tender. He spent half a day deboning the fish for her… till his fingers are tired. This man….

—————Dinner is over. They are standing in the shade under a tree in the restaurant carpark. Fu Ziyu asks: “What should we do next?” Jian Yao: “I need to go to the supermarket. I won’t join you anymore.” Bo Jinyan stands next to her. He takes a look at her. Fu Ziyu smiles: “Then we will accompany you to the supermarket. We are coaxing you, remember? Today, you are the Queen. We will follow Your Majesty anywhere. Is that right, Bo Jinyan?” Jian Yao laughs: “ Oh, Come on…” Bo Jinyan agrees with a low voice: “Yes, we will go with you…” —————

How often does a lady get to stroll the supermarket with two handsome and charming ‘bodyguards’. She is attracting lots of attention today. Fu Ziyu is clearly in a good mood today. He is playing his ‘Queen’s knight’ role extremely well. “Your Majesty, which aisle should we take?” “My Queen, do you want this brand of salt?”…. His charm manages to soothe her melancholy. She can’t help but smile: “Oh, stop calling me that.” Bo Jinyan stands quietly by her side. From her peripheral vision, she knows that Bo Jinyan is always looking at her. She refuses to engage with him, so she keeps looking away from him. They don’t talk to each other at all. They come to the confectionary section. Jian Yao stops to replenish her stock. There’s a young pretty lady promoting a new brand of biscuit. When she sees Jian Yao and the two men, she walks over with some samples. Bo Jinyan will, of course, ignore her. But Fu Ziyu is too soft hearted to say no to a pretty girl. After trying the sample, he follows the girl to the biscuit section to get a pack. There’s only the two of them left in the confectionary section. Jian Yao pretends to read the labels of the products. Suddenly, she notices Bo Jinyan has walked off. She takes a look around. He is not there anymore.

Her heart sinks. Then she hears a familiar voice behind her: “Your majesty, here’s your sugar-free lollies.” It’s an item on her grocery list. He must have seen it and went to find it for her. Jian Yao says to him: “Why are you following his lead? Stop calling me that.” Bo Jinyan puts the pack of lolly into her trolley: “No one is forcing me to do it. And I don’t expect anything in return.” Jian Yao takes a look at his ‘unwilling’ face. She smiles and says: “I don’t want apple flavour. I prefer orange.” Bo Jinyan reaches for the pack in the trolley: “Yes! Your majesty.” He picks up the packet of lolly and return it to the shelf. Jian Yao watches him as he looks carefully at the labels to find what Jian Yao is after. A tall man with bright eyes and strikingly handsome features, wearing a simple white shirt and a pair of black pants. Yes, this is the man she likes. Soon, he finds what he is looking for. He turns back and walks toward Jian Yao. “Thank you.” Jian Yao reaches out her hand, ready to take the packet of lolly from him. He places it in her hand, but he doesn’t let go. They are both holding the packet of lolly. She looks at him. He takes a step forward to reduce the distance between them. He looks into her eyes. “Reconcile?” He says in his deep melodic voice. Jian Yao’s face starts to blush. She tries pulling the pack a little harder. But he is not letting go. The packet of lolly is quite small. His fingers are touching the back of her hand. Jian Yao feels like there’s small pulse of electricity coming through her hand. Jian Yao gives a sigh. She surrenders. Lifting her head, she smiles at him: “Alright. I have had enough of your nonsense. Let’s make peace. I won’t hide from you anymore. What do you want for breakfast tomorrow?” Bo Jinyan eye’s light up: ”Whatever you want. My Queen.”

Jian Yao just answers: “Let’s go.” “Ok…” She pushes the trolley towards the counter. He is following behind her. After a few steps, she feels something soft and warm touching her head. It’s Bo Jinyan, he pats her head as he walks past her. She pauses her steps. - Yes, we have reconciled. Bo Jinyan, I like you, but you obviously don’t share the same sentiment towards me. But I can’t stay by your side as a friend anymore. What am I going to do? ———— Since they have ‘reconciled’, Jian Yao takes some snacks and fruits she bought earlier to Bo Jinyan’s apartment. Bo Jinyan is taking a shower. Fu Ziyu is sitting in the sofa reading. When she enters the apartment, he smiles and signals her to come to sit beside him. Fu Ziyu pours himself a glass of red wine. He asks Jian Yao: “Would you like some wine too?” Jian Yao shakes her head. She walks to the kitchen and pours herself a glass of milk: “I’ll take milk.” She says to Fu Ziyu. They quietly sit for a while. Then Fu Ziyu asks her: “You like Bo Jinyan, don’t you?” Jian Yao almost choked hearing those words. Her face turns red, and she starts to cough. Fu Ziyu laughs at her, while gently patting her back to help her feel better: “Take it easy. I am on your side.” “I am not sure what you are talking about.” says Jian Yao after she finally regains her composure. Fu Ziyu: ”Your secret is safe with me…” Jian Yao does not deny anymore. She is a straightforward person in front of her friends anyway. After a moment of silence, she says to Fu Ziyu: “Please don’t tell him.” “Of course not. Men should always make the first move when it comes to courting.” Then he pauses “Though, this might be difficult for Bo Jinyan.” “I don’ think that’s necessary. He has no feelings for me.”Jian Yao says.

Fu Ziyu is stunned: “That’s impossible!” Jian Yao hesitates. Then she explains to Fu Ziyu why she has come to that conclusion. She feels a bit of her burden is lifted after getting it off her chest to someone. She didn’t expect Fu Ziyu to have such a reaction after hearing her out. Instead of consoling her, he has a ‘I knew it’ look on his face. He smiles: ”You base your conclusion on those statements of his?” Jian Yao argues: “Well, would you say to someone you like - “Go find yourself a boyfriend’?” “Me? No…. But we are talking about Bo Jinyan! A genius with extremely low EQ. Besides he has never been in a relationship before. You know what he is like. In the inside, he’s just an egotistic boastful kid.” Jian Yao can’t help but agree with what he says: “Yes, that’s so true.” Fu Ziyu continues: “So, even if you tell him you are getting married tomorrow. He will congratulate you and even write you a big cheque as a wedding present. But it’s not until he sees you in the arms of another man will he suddenly realise “Oh, how come she is not mine anymore?” “ Jian Yao laughs at the suggestion. There’s still a bit of bitterness and uncertainty in her heart. Can he be such an idiot when it comes to love? Maybe… “I’ve never seen him so concerned about a girl before.” Fu Ziyu looks at her and says in an unwavering tone: “ But that’s Bo Jinyan. He is extremely talented, and a very good criminal psychologist. But he is also a loner. Someone that hates socialising. So, to be his friend, or lover, we need to take more effort to reach out to him. Looking back, it took me a long time to become his only friend. Now, as his best and only friend, I urge you to give him more time. I don’t want him to lose out on such a lovely girlfriend.” —————It’s a beautiful night. The warm summer breezes brushes over one’s face as if to appease the restlessness in the heart. Jian Yao looks up and meets Fu Ziyu’s reassuring gaze. Bo Jinyan walks out from his bedroom. Without looking at him, his two guests raise their glass. Fu Ziyu says to Jian Yao: “To our alliance!”

Bo Jinyan stands behind them: “Alliance? What are you talking about?” He is wearing a white T Shirt and shorts. He looks at Jian Yao: “Why is your face so red?” Fu Ziyu smiles. Jian Yao stands up quickly and says her goodbye: “It’s getting late. See you tomorrow.” ————— The next morning. Bo Jinyan wakes up feeling a little irritable. Jian Yao said they’d make peace, but she didn’t even speak to him once last night. This is the first time in Bo Jinyan’s life that he is at someone’s disposal. He’s used to being the one in control - Where he works, his title, who works for him… No one dared to say no to him before. - Perhaps, if he continues to coax her for one more day? She will agree? He stands in front of the mirror. Then he hears the sound of the front door open. He smiles. Time for breakfast. When he enters to the lounge, he see Jian Yao sitting on the sofa. And his favourite fish dumplings… on the coffee table. She is wearing a beige dress today. She greets him with a nice smile. Mmm…that’s what it ought to be every morning. His irritability has dissipated. Jian Yao asks causally: “What do we need to work on today?” Bo Jinyan smiles: “There’s no urgent work at the moment. I’ll… I’ll get changed first. Then we will have breakfast together.” He’s obviously in a good mood. He sounds cheerful. “OK.” Jian Yao puts her head down. - Oh Bo Jinyan. I have gone one extra step. I will wait here. Are you willing to come to me? But don’t make me wait too long, I might get discouraged and turn my back on you…. ————Bo Jinyan whistles as he changes in front of the mirror. Then he gives Fu Ziyu a call. Fu Ziyu congratulates him: “I will arrange for the contract. The usual term? Three years?”

Bo Jinyan: “Change it to ten years.“ Fu Ziyu is a little surprised. Then he laughs: ‘Your sister won’t be too happy that you won this round.” This reminds Bo Jinyan. He sends his sister a text message: “I am sorry. Jian Yao is mine now. - Yours, “The ‘real’ Bo Jinyan” ” YinZiqi did not reply to his text. He returns to the lounge. Jian Yao is reading a book “The Guide to Behavioural Evidence” His phone rings. “Professor Bo. My name is Wang Xi.” It’s the inspector from Wang Wan Wei’s case. “Yes?” asks Bo Jinyan

“We found ‘him.…” He says heavily, “His body.”

Chapter 35 Jian Yao is in front of his ‘body’. They are in a morgue that belongs to the Ministry of Public Security. A room with dull grey walls. A lifeless and cold room. Though she thinks she is prepared, she is still repelled by the sight. His body burnt into an unrecognisable charred corpse. The only conclusions they can make of the remains are that he is very tall, not too thin, but not fat either, which fits Yin Ziqi’s description of him. According to the police, his car went off the cliff during a high speed pursuit with the police. There was an explosion at the bottom of the hill. “Is that ‘him’?” Jian Yao asks Bo Jinyan. During the hot summer days, Bo Jinyan usually wears a white shirt and pant without his jacket. But today, he has his full suit on. Even his shoes are nicely polished. It’s a sign of respect for meeting someone for the first time, even though he’s no longer alive. He does not answer Jian Yao’s question. Instead, he looks at the body for a few seconds, then he greets ‘him with a small smile’: “Hi.” His voice is mellow and soft. Jian Yao is used to his unusual behaviour. But others are perplexed: “You know this guy?” Before they get an answer, Bo Jinyan has walked out of the room. ——————

The conference room of the Ministry of Public Security. It’s a meeting between the representatives from China and the FBI from the US. Bo Jinyan looks like a different person from the charmer who called her “Your Majesty” yesterday. Today, he is a professional with a sharp mind and distinguished capability. Jian Yao sits quietly at the back with a few other supporting staff members. One the side of the round table sits the reps from FBI. They share the results of the DNA testings: “We have successfully identified the deceased.” They project a picture of an Asian man on the screen. He is wearing a suit. He looks like he is in his late twenties.

“Jiang Hao. American born Chinese. IT engineer.” FBI rep looks at Bo Jinyan: “Simon, you should be familiar with who he is.” Everyone is surprised by the statement. Bo Jinyan replies with a mocking tone: “What an honour - He’s one of the survivors I helped rescued from Flower Cannibal No.1.” —————Jiang Ho fits the profile drew up by the FBI. The physical attributes, his nationality, what he was wearing at the time of death (a match to Yin Ziti’s descriptions)… He is a rich and intelligent expat that returned to China about 6 months ago. He had the means to stalk Bo Jinyan, and the ability to leave the clues at the crime scene. What is his motive? The FBI have come up with two explanations: 1. Post traumatic stress disorder prevented him from living a normal life. The mental illness turned him into an abuser. 2. Perhaps he was an accomplice of the Flower Cannibal from the start. He pretended to be one of the victims to escape from being arrested when the Flower Cannibal was captured by Bo Jinyan and the FBI. —————— At the end of the meeting, Jian Yao walks up to Bo Jinyan. He is still standing by the table, reading the document that contains information about Jiang Ho. One of the FBI investigators comes over to Bo Jinyan: “Simon, good job.” He gives Bo Jinyan a handshake. They said they owe the success of this operation to Bo Jinyan. He successfully set a trap for Jiang Ho to step into. Without his help, they would not be able to identify him so quickly. Jian Yao is happy for Bo Jinyan too. But Bo Jinyan just hangs a faint smile on his face. He does not show any signs of excitement, or relieve. —————When they leave the Ministry of Public Security, it’s past lunch time. Bo Jinyan is very quiet. Jian Yao asks: “So, case closed? “ She heard the FBI investigators discussing about booking their air ticket to go home. Bo Jinyan: “Yes. Case closed…at least officially.”

There seems to be more to his sentence. Jian Yao asks: “Are you saying Jiang Ho is not the person we are looking for?” Bo Jinyan answers: “I don’t know.” 

That’s true. His death is too sudden. It’s hard to believe that it’s all over. Just like that. Bo Jinyan gives a smile: “Well, time will tell. If he is still alive, he will come back, won’t he?” ————————Night. The moon is shining brightly in a cloudless and clear sky. Jian Yao is in Bo Jinyan’s apartment. She is reading a book in his study. Since she has made up her mind to ‘follow his footsteps’, she is not losing any time to upskill herself.

However, she is only ‘following his footsteps’ in the area of work. But in the area of love… 

How will she know what’s really in his mind?

“Why are you staring at me?” He asks without even lifting his head. He is reading a book in the other corner of the room. He seemed to be focusing on his reading. How did he know she was staring at him? Jian Yao blushes and answers: “Mmm… just observing.” After all, she is reading a book on behavioural evidence. Bo Jinyan puts down the book he is reading. He looks into her eyes: “You can move into my apartment. You can stay in the study.” Jian Yao: “… I am not going to move in with you.” Bo Jinyan gives a slight frown: “My assistant should be by my side 24 hours a day.” Jian Yao is used to his self centred and unreasonable requests by now. She simply answers him: “I like to have my own space. Just call me when you need me.” He decides to drop the subject, but he is not happy that he is ‘rejected’ again. He gets up, loosens his tie and gets ready for a shower. Just as he steps out of the study, he hears Jian Yao says: “Besides… when I have a boyfriend… in the future… I will be living with him, right? I can’t be at your side 24/7.”

Bo Jinyan stops and turns around to look at her. His icy gaze is making her slightly uneasy. “Whatever…” He says in such a small voice that it’s almost not audible. Then he walks off. Jian Yao can hear the ‘bang’ of his bedroom door. Jian Yao can’t help but laugh. He started it by first asking her to find a boyfriend (after the accidental kiss). Now he can try and imagine what life can be like if she does have a boyfriend! ——————— Jian Yao reads for a little longer. Then she remembers about what happened in the morning. She stands up and walks over to the book shelves. She pulls out the box that labelled “California Flower Cannibal”. It’s the biggest of all the case boxes. She puts the box carefully on the table and takes out the content inside. It has a big folder inside, There are documents that explain why it was such a difficult case to solve. There was no pattern to how he chose his victims. People of all ages, from different backgrounds and ethnicity can end up being his victim. Although he came from a broken family. He had his fortune from investing in the stock market. His wealth made it easier for him to conceal his crime. Then there’s information on all the victims. She picks up a few files randomly. There are some photos which are quite gruesome. She quickly moves to the next file. She sees a familiar name. Simon Bo, Bo Jinyan. Bo Jinyan comes out from his shower. His hair is still wet. But he doesn't take too much notice. He is thinking about what Jian Yao said earlier. Obviously, he is less important than some ordinary guy that doesn’t even exist yet. He is not happy about that. He walks out to the lounge. Jian Yao also walks out from the study. She has the file in her hand. His name is on the cover of the file. Bo Jinyan sits down on the sofa and turns on the TV. He is deliberately ignoring Jian Yao. After a while, he feels someone sitting next to him. Jian Yao is pulling his sleeve. He turns around, and sees her beautiful eyes: “Can I have a look at your scars?” “No woman has seen my body before.” He answers. He continues to watch TV. “But it’s important.” Jian Yao pleads with him,” I am your assistant, and it is related to the case. I have the right to inspect.”

Bo Jinyan looks at her. He starts to unbutton his top. His eyes are still looking at the TV. He takes off his top. The sight of his broad shoulders and muscular body is before her, she looks down to the middle of his sleek chest. Below the chest, close to the heart, is a dark red scar. Further down, there’s another long, slightly more shallow scar that lines his abdomen. There’s less scars in the front of his body compared to the back. But they look like wounds that implied life threatening injuries. The images and words from the file she is holding in her hand flashes through her mind. In the file, it was recorded that “Simon disappeared for six months. When he was recovered, he was severely wounded, and suffering from hypovolemia and early signs of multiple organ failures. He was unconscious and cared for in the intensive ward for four days. The FBI eventually captured the Flower Cannibal based on information provided by Simon. He helped saved twelve other victims that were in captive with him at the time.” Jian Yao looks at him. He never mentioned about his past experiences. Tears form in the corner of her eyes. “Have you seen enough?” He asks in a cold tone. Jian Yao ignores the question. She reaches her hand out to touch the scar on his chest. The cold rugged surface is warmed by her finger tips. 

How deep is the wound? How much pain did he suffer?

Suddenly, she feels her hand is grabbed by his. She looks at his hand, then gradually move her gaze up to his face. Is he…blushing? She hears him say: “It’s ticklish. Don’t touch my scars.” Jian Yao thought she could hold her tears in. But when he said that, she can’t help but smile. And the tears that she tried so hard to contain escapes down past her cheeks. Bo Jinyan clearly does not expect her to cry either. He is stunned. He looks at her. Jian Yao is a little embarrassed. She turns around to grab some tissues to wipe her tears. “If I knew it would make you cry, I would never have shown you.” Bo Jinyan says while buttoning up his shirt. More tears stream down her face. Such a tender statement…

She takes more tissues. She knows he is still staring at her: “Don’t look at me. Watch your TV program!” she says to him. “Ok.” He mutters and goes back to watching TV. She sits down next to him. Her red eyes are still wet. She sniffles and clears her noses and throat. Phew…Ok… Then she feels some weight on her shoulders. Bo Jinyan has put his arm around her. Her whole body stiffens as he comes closer towards her. “Don’t cry.” He says in a soft voice. “…” The pictures and sounds from the TV continues. There are no other movements in the lounge. Bo Jinyan’s hand is still draped over her shoulders. She can smell the fresh clean scent of soap that lingers on his body after his shower, and his warmth that’s passed on to her because of their closeness. How much time has gone by? Half an hour? Fifteen minutes? No one knows. No one is counting… The mobile phone in Bo Jinyan’s pocket buzzes. He retrieves his arm that was around her shoulders. Jian Yao gives a small quick stretch. She wished the phone never ringed and she could remain in his arms forever… He didn’t catch the disappointment in her eyes. He looks at the caller ID, and answers: “Hi, Fu Ziyu.” Fu Ziyu is asking Bo Jinyan about Jiang Hao. Jian Yao decides it’s time for her to go back. She takes the file to return it to the study. As she walks past Bo Jinyan, she says to him: “I’m going.” Bo Jinyan looks up: “Ok, bye.” On the other end of the line, Fu Ziyu says: “It’s late. Jian Yao is still there?” “Oh, she was crying just now. I was soothing (comforting?) her.” Bo Jinyan says it like it’s the most natural thing in the world. (Note from TB: Re: translation for ‘soothe’ - The word used here in chinese is 哄, which is the same word Bo Jinyan used when he deboned the fish for Jian Yao. 哄 can be used in many ways, like coax, pamper, soothe. It has connotations of intimacy :) ) Jian Yao is extremely embarrassed: “You are not allowed to tell him!” ————

After Jian Yao returns to her apartment. She washes up, gets changed into her pyjamas and lies on her comfortable bed. It’s late at night. She looks at the ceiling for a while. Then she sits up and walks to her handbag. She takes out a photo. A photo she made a copy in Bo Jinyan’s study. It’s a photo of Bo Jinyan. He’s lying in a cave. He is lying on the ground. She couldn’t tell what the colour of his shirt is, because it’s stained with blood. His handsome face is pale. His eyes are shut. He is lying unconscious, next to a pool of blood. Jian Yao looks at the photo for a long time. Then she gives a big sigh. She holds the photo close to her lips and gently kisses Bo Jinyan’s ‘cheeks’. ———— Shortly after Jian Yao leaves, Bo Jinyan is also ready to rest. He takes off his top next to the bed. He looks in the mirror and sees the scars on his body. He thinks about Jian Yao. Her fingers touching his body. He uses his fingers to touch the same wounds Jian Yao lays her hands on earlier. It’s not ticklish. Then why is it ticklish when she touched him? He remembers her beautiful hand. And the sensation he felt when her fingers touched his skin. It’s like a white feather brushing past softly and gently. A woman’s touch. Something stirs within him. Feels like heat is coming out from within him through the wound. He stands in front of the mirror for a while. He heads to the bathroom and takes a cold shower before going to bed.

Chapter 36 Dawn breaks into daylight. The morning has begun. The start of another busy yet ordinary day for many people in B City. Jian Yao is wearing her pyjamas. Her hair tied into a ponytail. She stands in front of her wardrobe. - Mmm… what should I wear today? She takes out a light blue shirt and a pair of beige Capri pants. That’s her usual attire since she started working. Clothes that are more suitable for the corporate environment. Then she pauses. She looks at the dresses on the other end of the wardrobe. Those with more vibrant colours and designs. She thinks for a while. Then she pulls out the prettiest dress that is in the wardrobe. A sleeveless dress with a flared shirt and shoulder straps with buttons. It shows off her collarbone, nice arms and a little bit of her back. It’s a tight fitting dress so it accentuates her curves. But it’s not a low cut dress that would make her look too sexy. The pale yellow fabric is a perfect match to her beautiful skin complexion. She looks at the mirror and is pleased with how she looks. She takes a hair tie with a sparkly crystal design on it. She usually leaves her hair down but she wants to tie it up today. She puts on a little lip gloss, changes into a pair of heeded sandals and heads downstairs. —————Bo Jinyan is reading the papers when she went into his apartment. Reading the newspaper in the morning is something he does every morning. An old fashioned habit of his. He is so focused he didn’t even take a glance at her. Jian Yao is surprised to see that breakfast is already on the table. He went out earlier this morning to get it from their usual stall. “You woke up early today.” She sits opposite him, and picks up a section of the paper that he is not reading. She pulls a bowl of congee to herself. “Yeah…” Actually, he woke up early because he didn’t sleep well last night. He thinks about his lack of sleep. He lifts his head to look at the culprit. ——————

Jian Yao is reading the papers when she feels someone is starring at her. It’s a familiar gaze. She can see from the corners of her eyes that Bo Jinyan is looking at her. She blushes. Today, she has tied her hair up, showing her shoulders. She can tell that Bo Jinyan are starring at her shoulders. She pretends not to notice, and continues to eat her breakfast. - He is still starring… “Are you going for a beauty contest today?” He finally speaks. Jian Yao blushes even more. She takes a look at him. He does not seem to be ‘attracted’ by the looks. He’s merely commenting on the fact that she looks different today. “Well, you said we are going to meet someone from the Central Police Station today.” says Jian Yao, “I thought it would be nice to leave him a good first impression.” Bo Jinyan thinks for a few seconds: “Then why didn’t you dress like this the first time we met? Is it not necessary to leave me a good first impression?” Jian Yao laughs: “But you don’t care. In fact, you don’t know how to appreciate woman. Why should I care about what kind of first impressions I will leave you?” Bo Jinyan doesn't look pleased. As she stands up to wash her hands, she hears his voice from behind her: “I don’t know? 33C, 22, 34.” Jian Yao is dumbfounded. Then she realised….. It’s her measurements! She turns around to stare at him: “How… how did you know? You read my medical files?” Bo Jinyan gives an impish smile: “Did you think that is necessary? I can tell just by looking.” As he speaks, he continues to ‘scan’ her. Jian Yao: “Stop looking at me!” ————— Bo Jinyan needs to have an official title from the Police Department before he can take part in any investigations. Today they have come to the Central Station to finalise the details.

The Central Police station is a white building amongst the tall and mature trees in the city centre. Jian Yao follows Bo Jinyan into the Chief Inspector’s office. As previously agreed, Bo Jinyan will have his own research lab within the station. He is a university professor working with the Chinese Police. His responsibilities include: 1. Lead the investigation team when there are crimes in his area of expertise. 2. As an independent consultant, give advice to officers investigating homicide cases. The first responsibility is like what he used to do with the FBI in the US. The second responsibility is a trial role. Criminal psychology is only an emerging field in China. While the Police Department is keen to train and upskill staff in the area, they do not have the necessary resources to set up a complete separate department for it yet. With Bo Jinyan’s help, they can prove to the front line officers the benefits of criminal psychology and help raise awareness and interest for it. So, when there’s a homicide case, Bo Jinyan will form a sub committee within the office. There will be another group of officers using the more traditional investigation methods. Bo Jinyan’s team will be responsible for profiling. The two teams will share information, resources and work together to solve the case. After they have locked in the details, the Chief Inspector stands up and smiles: “Professor Bo, let me introduce you to the rest of the team.” The secretary next to him says: “I’ll take Jian Yao with me to complete the paperwork for your role.” —————After she completes her tasks, Jian Yao waits in the corridor. She sits in a chair to wait for Bo Jinyan. Bo Jinyan is in a meeting with the Chief Inspector and several other senior officers. A group of police officers are working in an office across the hallway from where Jian Yao is sitting. There are no urgent cases at the moment. They are all quite relaxed. Besides, it is close to their lunch break. One of them notices the pretty lady sitting in the corridor. “Who is that?” Someone asks.

“Oh, I think she is the assistant of the new criminal psychologist, Professor Bo. She is probably a post-graduate student working with Professor Bo.” “Ah…” Everyone turns to look at her. Jian Yao is still sitting on the chair. She notices the attention. She spent a lot of time in the police station when she was young because of her father. Therefore, she feels quite at home with the officers. She walks over and shakes hand with them while introducing herself: “Hi. I am Jian Yao.” ——————— When Bo Jinyan and the senior officers finished their meeting, they see a group of men crowding around Jian Yao. She looks lovely in her pale yellow dress, with a polite smile on her face. She is obviously the centre of attention at the moment. Bo Jinyan frowns. The Chief Inspector officially introduces Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao to the group. Jian Yao walks to stand beside Bo Jinyan. The Chief Inspector jokingly tells the group off: “I know it’s not often we get a pretty girl in the station. But enough chatting. Get back to work!” One officer laughs: “But Chief Inspector, it’s lunchtime. We are just getting acquainted with our new workmate.” Everyone else laughs…. except Bo Jinyan. He does not find it funny at all. He stands expressionless besides Jian Yao. Such an antisocial guy. But that’s Bo Jinyan! One of the Senior officer suggests: “Should we have lunch together?” A few others are about to nod their head in agreement when Bo Jinyan just says coldly: “Sorry, we are busy. Goodbye.” He turns to look at Jian Yao. Everyone is quiet. Jian Yao senses the awkward atmosphere. She quickly adds: “Yes, we have to rush. We have an appointment with the Department of National Security. Next time, Professor Bo will be pleased to join you…” —————— Appointment with National Security is just an excuse Jian Yao made up. When they are in the car, she asks: “Why did you decline the invitation to dine with them?” With his hands on the steering wheel, he answers slowly: “Not only are you not thanking me for rescuing you from that place which is overloaded with testosterones, you are interfering with my personal freedom?”

Jian Yao is amused by his answer: “What testosterones? They are a nice bunch of lads.” She knows he doesn’t like socialising, so she says gently: “Next time when you want to decline an invitation, leave it to me. It’s part of the assistant’s responsibility. And even if you have to go, you don’t need to speak to them, just treat them as if they are not there. Ok?” Bo Jinyan seems happy with the suggestion. His silence means he agrees with what she says. Jian Yao leans back onto the seat . She closes her eyes to rest. After a while, she opens them and says slowly: “When it comes to testosterones. You don’t seem to have any.” Bo Jinyan frowns immediately. That’s an insult! He takes a look at her. She has her eyes closed again. She looks lovely in the afternoon sun. Her delicate skin, beautiful features, sensual curves… He turns away and concentrates on his driving. “Testosterones? Of course I…” he responses haughtily: “I am just better at controlling my urges than those cowboys.” ————— Jian Yao gives her mom a call that night. Although her mom is concerned about her new job, she respects Jian Yao’s decision. After a while, her mom asks:” How’s Fu Ziyu? Do you see each other often?” Jian Yao knows where she is heading: “Mom, I am not interested in him.” “Oh.” Another disappointment. But she understands that love cannot be forced. Jian Yao is also a little disappointed. 

Why didn’t you ask about Bo Jinyan? After talking to her mom, she calls her sister. Compared to mom, Jian Xuan is a lot more ‘switch on’. Once she hears Jian Yao is working for Bo Jinyan, she asks her sister: “You like him, don’t you?” Jian Yao laughs. That’s equivalent to saying yes to Jian Xuan’s question. Jian Xuan is very supportive. She gave Jian Yao lots of ideas and advice. The last phone call is to Li. It’s been months since they have contacted one another. But they both lead a busy life, it’s normal for them not to have spoken to each other for months at a time. The friendship never tarnished because of the lack of contact.

It’s past 8:00pm. He is usually awake at this time of the day. But no one answers the phone.

Chapter 37 A few weeks later. The top floor of the Central Police building is the staff canteen. During lunchtime, it’s packed with people. The smell of rice and other dishes fills the place. Jian Yao has two sets of meals on her tray. One in a takeaway box and another on a plate. She turns around to look for a seat. Someone is waving to her: “Jian Yao, this way.” She looks over and sees a few officers from the team they work with most. She joins their table. “Professor Bo is not here again?” Someone asks. Jian Yao smiles: “Yes, when he is busy, he doesn’t feel hungry.” Another officer smiles: “It’s so nice to have a student like Jian Yao.” Jian Yao corrects him: “I am actually his assistant, not his student.” People tends to make that mistake all the time. She has clarified her role numerous times already. She feels it’s important that people don’t mistaken their relationship. They are not a ‘teacher’ and a ‘student’ to each other. Because if the relationship is to progress into something else later, she doesn’t want any misunderstandings and complications… After lunch, a young officer walks her back to the lab. “Xiao Jian (nickname for Jian Yao), would you be interested to watch a movie with me? “Galaxy Battleship” releases tomorrow.” Jian Yao smiles: “Sorry, I am busy tomorrow.” He looks disappointed: “Maybe next time.” He says goodbye to Jian Yao. Jian Yao pushes open the lab door. Bo Jinyan is sitting at his desk, working away. He’s in the same position as when she left earlier on for lunch. There is a small mountain of documents in front of him. There are no cases for them to follow at the moment. So they are working on building up a database of crime statistics.

It involves visiting serial killers, their family and any surviving victims. For the past few weeks, they spent a lot of time talking to criminals in the prison, and going all over the city to trace their backgrounds. It’s not as nerve wreaking as solving real cases but it’s still a physically and mentally tiring task. When Bo Jinyan is working, he shuts himself off from the rest of the world. He is so focused that Jian Yao wonders when he will get out his ‘shell’. —————

He finally stops what he is doing. With his eyes still fixed on the computer screen, he says: “Hi, the Criminal Psychology Beauty.” Since she started work in this building, there are suggestions that she should be called the ‘Central Police Station Beauty’. Back in her university days, there are a lot of girls that were more attractive than her, so she never got so much attention. But this building is filled with blokes, with hardly any other young female staffs around. But ‘the Criminal Psychology Beauty’?? Anyway, she clears the files on his desk and puts down the takeaway box: “You have to eat something.” “Alright.” Jian Yao is used to this. She literally has to force Bo Jinyan to break for meals. Bo Jinyan looks pre-occupied. He is still reading a document as he shovels the food into his mouth. He probably doesn’t really know what the food taste like. When he eats, he is like a little kid that just wants to finish quickly so he can get on with other more important stuff in life. He suddenly remembers something: “Jian Yao, where’s the conversation records with the criminals with death penalty. You know, the ones from West End Prison?” “I’ve emailed them to you.” Jian Yao answers. “Ok.” He stops asking. Perhaps there’s the moment where work was temporarily out of his mind. He looks down at his food. Then he frowns and asks Jian Yao: “Where did you buy this? It’s awful!” Jian Yao takes a look. He’s finished half the box of rice before he complained. Or perhaps she should say he finally discovered. He is such a picky eater. Surely the food from the canteen is not fine enough for him.

Jian Yao smiles and tells him: “But you’ve been having this for days. You were just too busy to realise. It cannot be compared to restaurant standard, but it’s fresh and nutritious. Come on, just finish it.” Bo Jinyan finishes his lunch reluctantly. Jian Yao is on the internet. She sees an advertisement for “Galaxy Battleship”. She asks Bo Jinyan casually: “There’s a new si-fi movie releasing tomorrow. Are you interested?” Bo Jinyan has finished his lunch. He walks to the sink to wash his hands and rinse his face. Then he turns around to Jian Yao: “No.” She is a little disappointed. He walks over to her and leans on her desk: “I have arranged for something more interesting than watching a movie.” Jian Yao sips the cup of tea in front of her: “What is that?” Bo Jinyan: “A trip to Cheng Provence Prison. We will be interviewing a few interesting criminals there.” Jian Yao puts down her cup. She looks at the computer screen: “I won’t go. Tomorrow is Saturday. I need to rest.” This type of investigation is not urgent. It would not make any difference if they go next week. Bo Jinyan didn’t expect her to say no: “You are…. not happy?” What can Jian Yao tell him? That she just wants to spend the weekend with him alone, watching a movie, having a date with him…? She just ignores him and gets back to her work. Bo Jinyan stands by her desk for a while. Then he walks back to his seat. Nobody says a word for the next few hours. At first, Jian Yao is still a little crossed. But after awhile she too, is so focused on her work that she soon forgets about the incident. Occasionally, she will glance at Bo Jinyan, only to find him working quietly and attentively. Around 5pm, a staff from the mailing room comes over to give Jian Yao an envelope: “Jian Yao, it’s addressed to you.” Jian Yao thanks him and opens the envelope. It’s two tickets to “Galaxy Battleship” for tomorrow afternoon, in the couples box. (Room with an extra large leather sofas designed for couples) Jian Yao puts the ticket back into the envelope. She walks towards the door.

Bo Jinyan asks softly: “Where are you going?” Jian Yao turns round to look at him: “I think these tickets belong to Xiao Chen.” Xiao Chen asked if she would watch the movie with him earlier. He might have filled in her details when he made the booking.

Bo Jinyan stops what he is doing. He folds his arms together, and looks at her: “Who is Xiao Chen?” He asks: “I booked those tickets.” Jian Yao: “…you booked the tickets?” Bo Jinyan picks up the document he was reading: “Well, does this cheer you up? My unhappy assistant?” Jian Yao sits down and looks at the tickets: “Yes. I am happy now.” She smiles. She is reading the label on the tickets “Couples Box”. She asks: “Why did you buy the couple box tickets?” Bo Jinyan looks at her: “You don’t expect me to squash inside the big theatre with other people, do you?” Of course. What else can it be? Nevertheless, she is pleased. Bo Jinyan’s phone rings. While he is on the phone, Jian Yao is still thinking about the movie. She has never been in a couples box before. She heard the sofas in that cinema are very comfortable. Bo Jinyan finishes his call. He takes a look at her and walks to her desk. Jian Yao gives him a big smile: “I’ll cook breakfast for you tomorrow, as a token of appreciation.” “That’s not necessary.” He answers. Then he takes the tickets from Jian Yao’s hand. “Let’s get rid of this.” He throws it on her desk. “We have a case to work on. The 79th High School. Homicide.” Well, now they are definitely not going to watch the movie anymore. But Jian Yao quietly picks up the tickets and puts them in her wallet. —————— The sun has set. There is a pale glow of the moon in the horizon.

The 79th High School is the outskirts of town, next Fragment Hill district. It’s a prestigious high school. When Bo Jinyan, Jian Yao and several officers arrive, the school is in a locked down. A lot of the students are looking out of the window trying to find out what’s going on. Overall, the atmosphere is calm, but tense. The police from a nearby station reports their findings so far: “The deceased’s name is Ruan Ming Huai. Eighteen years old. Third Grade. She is discovered by some students on the peak of “Qi” Hill. Jian Yao looks pass the deserted playground to a small hill that is next to the school.

“That’s a great lookout point for the surrounding landscape. The school is currently building a viewing platform for the staff and student. It is off limits to the students due to construction. But kids sneaking up there for fun. ——————Qi Hill. Peak. Bo Jinyan has a pair of latex gloves on. He swats down next to the body. He takes a good look around. Jian Yao is standing behind him. She feels very sorry for the girl who died. Ruan Ming Huai is lying next to a piece of large rock. There are blood stains on the rock. There is also a pool of blood on the concrete ground. It looks as if all her blood has been drained out of her body. The fatal injury seems to be the slit in the throat. It caused the neck artery to burst. She died of excessive blood loss. But she also had multiple injuries on her body. There are two cuts on her face. One on each side of her cheeks. The wounds are deep, with a mixture of blood and soil on the surface. You can tell she is an attractive girl before the wounds were there. There are more cuts on her shoulders and legs. Her white dress soaked in her own blood. They get more information about her. Ruan Ming Huai is one of the top students at school. She is from a rich family. She is a member of the school committee. Yesterday, she collected 40,000 Yuan (Chinese currency) worth of fees from the students. She was on her way to the school administration office with the cash.

Her good friend, Huo Xiao Lu was with her. It was around 8pm. The staff in the administration office was not there, so they waited outside. After a while, Huo Xiao Lu left because she needed to go to the toilet. After that, she returned to the dormitory. They have just finished their exams, and there were no classes the next day. Huo Xiao Lu thought Ruan Ming Huai would go home after dropping off the money. Her family lives nearby. It was not until this morning that her body was discovered by a few students who sneaked up to the peak. The staff from the administration office returned to the office just before 9pm. He did not see Ruan Ming Huai. In other words, nobody knew when she left the administration office. Her time of death was between 9pm to 11pm, which suggests it’s shortly after she left the administration office. And there’s no sign of the money. It looks like it’s been stolen. ———— Bo Jinyan swats in front of the body for less than ten minutes. Then he looks at the other officers and then at Jian Yao. “A hasty and immature murder.” He says; “What are your thoughts so far?” Jian Yao looks at the body again: “I want to solve the case quickly and catch the killer. Does the killer have no feelings? How can he or she be so cruel to a young girl?”

“Yes, the person has developed an urge to kill.” He nods. He stands up and looks at the school from the peak, “If he/she is not stopped, there will be more deaths.” Bo Jinyan takes a look at the officers: “The killer is not an experienced killer. He/she left behind a lot of evidence - hair, finger prints, footprints… If you do a good job with the forensic evidences, we should be able to solve the case within 24 hours.” She is amazed. “24 hours? That’s great.” Bo Jinyan looks at her: “Actually, 4 hours is all I need.” Jian Yao knows by now that he is not just boasting. If he said 4 hours, that’s really all that he will need. She asks with admiration: “Wow. You are truly a genius. Can you tell me what you have found out so far?” Bo Jinyan smiles and asks her: “You should try and work it out for yourself. First question. Is the killer from within the school, or an outsider?” Ah… another teaching session. Jian Yao smiles. it’s not often that he would ask questions so patiently. The compliment she gave him earlier on must have put him in a good mood.

She thinks for a while: “Within the school. Because there is quite a good security system in this school. All the teachers, staffs and students need to register their arrival and departure.” “Second question.” He puts his hands in his pants pocket and stands next to her. “ Did she come here willingly, or was she dragged here?” Jian Yao takes a look at the surroundings: “I think she came here on her own free will. Even though it was late at night, there should still be a lot of people within the school complex. It would have been difficult to get her up here if she didn’t walk up herself. Besides, we didn’t notice any signs of struggle on our way up.” Bo Jinyan has a smile on his face. He looks at Jian Yao: “Then what brings a girl to a remote place like this?” Jian Yao answers immediately: “Boyfriend!” This is the perfect place for couples looking for a secluded spot. “OK.’ says Bo Jinyan: “Time to talk to some of her classmates. Let’s see who has a romantic relationship with this top student.” Jian Yao follows behind. Bo Jinyan stops momentarily and turns to look at her: “This is behavioural evidence. It’s not that complicated. Right?” Jian Yao smiles. She must remember to praise him more often. “That’s because you are able to explain complicated issues in a simple way.” she says.

Bo Jinyan is extremely pleased with himself. Under his guidance, Jian Yao is getting better at filtering through the facts to get to the truth.

Chapter 38 In the vicinity of the 79th Secondary school, there are a lot of old deserted textile factories. After the SOE reforms in the early 21st century, most small scale textile factories faced bankruptcy and closed down. Many of the laid off workers set up street stalls in the Fragrant Hill district to makes ends meet. And many of their children studies in the 79th Secondary School. Ruan Ming Huai’s best friend, Huo Xiao Lu is one of them. Jian Yao and Bo Jinyan observe as an officer takes her testimony. It’s late in the night and it’s dark outside. The school is well lit, but there is a sense of emptiness in the place. They have set up a temporary office in one of the classrooms. A girl is grieving the loss of a good friend. “Did she tell you whether she was meeting someone afterwards?” Asks the officer. Huo Xiao Lu is weeping: “No.” She shakes her head. She is an ordinary girl with average looks. A small face with some freckles around the nose. But her eyes look clear and sharp. She is wearing a simple T Shirt and jeans. “Does she have a boyfriend?” Asks the officer. She shakes her head again: “Of course not.” “Can you please repeat what happened that night?. Include every detail.” Bo Jinyan says suddenly. Huo Xiao Lu looks at this man who has been quietly sitting throughout the interview. She nods. “Around 8pm. Huai Huai collected all the money. We left the classroom together. I don't recall seeing anyone along the way. The third graders are on holiday. Other students are revising for exams in their own classrooms.” She clears her throat and continues: “We arrived at the administration office. The door is open but there’s no one inside. We waited outside for a while. A few teachers walked past us. We were chatting. We didn’t pay too much attention. The officer interrupts: “We have confirmed that with the CCTV footages.” Huo Xiao Lu continues: “Around 8:30pm, my stomach started to hurt. I usually get cramps on the first day of my period. So I returned to the dormitory to rest.” “Was there anyone in the dorm?” asks the officer. “No. My roommates were studying in their classrooms.” answers Huo Xiao Lu.

“Then? What did you do in the dormitory?” Bo Jinyan asks. Huo Xiao Lu answers: “Well, I went to the…. toilet. Then I noticed my clothes were stained, so I washed them. Then I made myself a cup of tea, lied on bed to read. After a while, I went to bed.” The officer asks one final question: “Does she have an entanglement with any of the boys? Perhaps a crush, or someone is chasing after her?” Huo Xiao Lu: “Well… there is this boy…” ——————— The second person they interviewed is another good friend of Ruan Ming Huai. Her name is Qi Xiao Ran. Like Ruan Ming Huai, her family lives in the area so she does not need to stay in the school dormitories. She starts crying when asked about what happened that night. “If I knew something would happen to her, I wouldn’t have left her alone.” She sobs. “I left school immediately after the classes. She looked fine on the day. Why would anyone kill her?” Bo Jinyan asks: “What did you do after school?” Qi Xiao Ran pauses for a while. Then she answers: “I was with my boyfriend. I didn’t go home until 10pm. Mr. Officer, is it possible not to tell my parents about this?” Bo Jinyan puts his hand on his knee. There’s a small smile on his face: “Sure. Everyone is entitled to pursue love the way they want to.” Jian Yao takes a look at him. Somehow, this sounded funny coming from him. A ‘love idiot’ has views on courting and dating too? “Hmm..” The officer asks again: “What were the two of you doing?” “Not much… just chatting. We were sitting in amongst the trees just outside of the school.” She mentions the name of her boyfriend. It’s someone from her class. “I really didn’t think this would happen to Huai Huai…” Tears are streaming down uncontrollably. “I am shocked. Why would anyone want to kill her… there’s college entrance exams next year… but she will never….” The officer passes her a tissue: “Last question. This is very important. Does she have any entanglements with any of the boys in school?” Qi Xiao Ran answers: “Su Bei. Huai Huai likes Su Bei. But Su Bei is not interested in her. They don’t get along with one another… Does he have anything to do with the murder?”

—————— “Su Bei” The third girl’s name is Zhao Ying Zi. She is the daughter of one of the teachers at school. It’s the same name… again. She looks like a straight forward girl. Her eyes are swollen from all the crying, but she speaks with a firm voice: “Huai Huai likes Su Bei. It’s been two years. But Su Bei is not interested. Hua Huai belongs to the school committee. Su Bei heads the sports committee. But they are not on talking terms.” Jian Yao tries to clarify: “Even if Su Bei is not interested in her, why are they not even talking to each other?” Zhao Ying Zi pauses, then answers: “Because Huai Huai mentioned before that Su Bei might be gay, because he likes to hang around the basketball players. I don’t think Huai Huai meant to start a rumour, but it ended up that way, and Su Bei was not happy.” Bo Jinyan smiles: “Ruan Ming Huai must be a bit of a diva too, right? Just because someone doesn’t like her, they are homosexuals?” Zhao Ying Zi says: “Well, she is a proud girl. Apparently, Su Bei finds her arrogant. But this Su Bei is not Mr. Nice Guy either. I heard he gambles a lot with those basketball boys, and lately he has been losing a lot of money.” Everyone is quiet. Gambling… then the missing 40,000 yuan… “Does Ruan Ming Huai still like Su Bei?” Jian Yao asks. “Yes.” Zhao Ying Zi says quietly. “She still likes him.” ————— It seems more layers of this mystery have been peeled off. They are closer to the truth now. After a few more interviews with other students, they are sure that the only boy that she has involvements with was Su Bei. Su Bei. Eighteen. His parents used to be workers in the textile factory too. From the records provided by the school, he is tall and handsome. His grades are average but he is very good at sports. Many girls are attracted to these ‘sporty bad boys’. Recently, he has lost thousands of dollars in sports betting.

The motive is there. And he has no alibi. Nobody knows where he was during the time of the murder. In fact, no one is sure where he is currently. His parents are in Zhuhai. He lives with his grandfather, who has no idea where Su Bei is most of the time. —————It’s 9pm. Bo Jinyan has spent one and a half out of his four hours. In the temporary office, officers continue to take testimonies from other students and staff. Bo Jinyan thinks he has enough information. He asks Jian Yao to go to the playground with him. Summer is almost over. Jian Yao feels the cool night’s breeze against her skin. She is only wearing T Shirt and a pair of Capri pants. She wraps her arms around herself to keep warm. “Does he hate her so much? What makes a high school student so determined to kill his peer?” Bo Jinyan stands next to her. He looks straight ahead and comments: “Sometimes, killing is their way of escaping from this world.” Jian Yao always knew Bo Jinyan understands those psychopaths. When he is investigating, he is able to maintain impartial and never let his emotions get in the way of work. But perhaps, it’s simply because… he has no feelings? “You have two and a half hours left…” She changes the subject. He glances at her, as if to say he has it all under control. An officer walks up to them. It’s Xiao Chen, the young man who asked Jian Yao out for a movie. He says to Bo Jinyan: “Professor Bo, we are going to check out the places Su Bei usually hangs out. Would you like to come with us?” Bo Jinyan shakes his head: “That will not be necessary.” Xiao Chen is about to walk off when he notices Jian Yao’s face is a little pale. She still has her arms around herself. He starts to unbutton his jacket: “This area is close to the hills, the temperature drops at night. You should wear something warmer.” Jian Yao is feeling cold, but she quickly waves her hands: “No no, I’m alright.” Bo Jinyan takes a look at this young charming officer. Xiao Chen… Oh…. It’s him. The one who tried to ask Jian Yao out for movie, who distracted her from work and even caused her to be angry with him.

- And what is he trying to do now? Is he interested in my assistant? How long has he had that jacket on? He’s been running around the whole night. There’s a combination of his odour and sweat on it. Jian Yao’s skin is delicate… This…man is about to put his jacket on her. - What is he trying to do? Testosterones transfer? Jian Yao is about to say thank you to Xiao Chen when they hear an icy voice: “She doesn’t wear clothes that belongs to strangers.” They are both stunned. Then they see him taking off his jacket and wrapping it around Jian Yao. “She can wear mine.” He says to Xiao Chen. “You can go now.” ——————The cool night breezes brushes past them. Jian Yao is standing there with his jacket wrapped around her. Xiao Chen looks a little embarrassed. He seems to come to some sort of understanding. Jian Yao knows what’s in his mind. But she is not sure herself if that is in fact the case. Once again, Bo Jinyan’s seemingly intimate gestures always have a logical and non-intimate reason behind them. This might just be another example. But she is touched. During the first encounter, he refused her request for letting her borrow his clothes. In the end, he reluctantly gave her Fu Ziyu’s jacket. But she feels that he should learn to be more considerate. So she says to him: “Xiao Chen is only concerned for me. The things that you said, they might hurt his feelings.” Bo Jinyan: “Why should I care about his feelings?” Jian Yao: “…..” -Ok… Forget it. She looks at Bo Jinyan: “Are you…cold?” He is looking ahead. A forensic doctor and an officer are walking towards them. “Nah…” He answers Jian Yao: “What? Do you think I am not strong enough?” —————There are more discoveries .

1. The wounds on her body were done to her at the time of death. The most likely scenario is that the killer slit her throat. Then as the blood is draining from the neck artery, he inflicted the cuts on her face and limbs. 1. According to the owner of a small supermarket nearby, Su Bei bought a knife from his shop. The owner recognises him as he is a frequent customer. 1. The police found a backpack in an old air raid shelter in Qi Hill. It’s covered with leaves. The students recognise the pack. It belongs to the victim. They pass Bo Jinyan a blood stained cotton back pack. “They found the money.” The officer passes Bo Jinyan a clear plastic bag with all the cash in it.”The killer didn’t take it with him. Instead, he hid it in the mountain. We are trying to match the fingerprints on the notes, but that might take a while.” Bo Jinyan have a look at the items. He pulls out a large yellow envelope. He takes a look inside, the notes have blood stains on them too. He passes the evidences back to the officer. ———“Why didn’t he take the money with him?” Jian Yao asks. “He’s afraid.” Answers Bo Jinyan. Jian Yao nods. The money is stained with blood. That would attract unnecessary attention. They see a group of officers walking towards the entrance of the school. They must be the team looking for Su Bei. All the evidence points to him: Motive, weapon, his lack of alibi, his disappearance… Behind them, students are slowly leaving their classrooms and make their way home. The lock down order has been lifted. The students are free to go. Jian Yao turns to look at Bo Jinyan: “Looks like the police has also figured out who is the killer.” But Bo Jinyan has a smile on his face: “Have they?” Jian Yao turns to look at him. “Of course they will need to find Su Bei. He is involved in the case. But…” He turns to the Seniors Block. A group of students are walking out to the playground. They look tired. It’s been a long night.

“The killer is there.” He points to a group of girls. It’s Ruan Ming Huai’s friends - Huo Xiao Lu, daughter of redundant factory workers; Qi Xiao Ran, who also lives in town like Ruan, and Zhao Ying Zi, child of a teacher in the school. Jian Yao feels her head being tapped gently. It’s Bo Jinyan, of course. He whispers in her ear: “Which one of them killed Ruan Ming Huai?” Jian Yao looks at the three girls. All of them have been crying. But each of them has a slightly different look on their face. One girl looks calm and collected. The other girl looks upset. And the last girl has a determined look on her face. Jian Yao’s gaze rests on the girl that is calm and collected. “Huo Xiao Lu?”

Bo Jinyan looks at her with a big smile: “Good. Our Criminal Psychology Beauty is showing improvement.”

Chapter 39 The playground is filled with the noise of students chatting as they make their way to the school gates. Bo Jinyan finds Huo Xiao Lu in the crowd. He smiles: “Let’s go.” Jian Yao: “Go? Where are we going?” Bo Jinyan takes a stride forward: “Case Study. Let’s find out how this young teenage girl developed into a psychopath.” ————— Even though it’s just one street away from the school, the atmosphere is completely different. It is still and quiet in this part of town. Most of the shops are closed. The dim street lamp lights up the pavement Huo Xiao Lu walks on. Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao is following her from a distance in his Grand Cherokee. Shortly after they got into the car, Jian Yao calls the officer in charge and shares BJY’s conclusion with him. He is a bit dubious. Nevertheless, he sent two officers to go with them. Jian Yao is not surprised by the officer’s doubts. She is sure once the fingerprints and DNA samples match their findings, the officers will know that they are right. After all, criminal psychology is an emerging field in this country. It takes time for people to accept its merits. Bo Jinyan waits for Jian Yao to finish her conversation with the officer. Then he asks: “Tell me, what made you ‘click’?” Jian Yao answers: “Well, from the surface, Su Bei is the suspect. Like you said earlier, the person that she was meeting in Qi Hill is Su Bei. He bought a knife, and he has a gambling debt that he needs to clear. He probably had the intention of robbing Ruan Ming Huai. But whether he had the intent to kill, I am not so sure.” Bo Jinyan nods. Jian Yao continues: “You mentioned we have to analyse their behaviour. ” Therefore, even though the physical evidence points towards Su Bei, the behaviour evidences suggests otherwise.” “Explain…” “The wounds on Ruan Ming Huai’s body. The killer disfigured her face, and stabbed her multiple times on her shoulder and legs. Why would Su Bei do that? He was after the money. The wounds on the face are signs of jealousy. Also, Ruan was lying on a concrete platform, but there were a lot of soil on top of Ruan’s dress. It looked like the soil had been dumped on top of her. From this, I suspect the killer is a girl. Someone

who was jealous of Ruan. Based on thebackground information we know about the three girls, Huo Xiao Lu is the most likely the candidate.” Bo Jinyan gives her a rare praise: “Not bad at all. Continue.” Jian Yao recalls the time when Huo Xiao Lu gave her statement. Is it because she is hanging out more with BJY these days, she is more sensitive to how psychopaths behaves? She says: “She was acting a little strange. Even though she was crying…. she was just too calm and collected.” The corner of Bo Jinyan s lips curls up. Jian Yao gives a sigh. She looks at the girl that is walking with her head down: “She was the last person that saw the victim. If Ruan Ming Huai had a date with Su Bei, she would most likely know about it. Also, she has no alibi.” Jian Yao thought she had done very well. Three important observations that leads to her conclusion. Deep down, she is hoping she would impress Bo Jinyan . She looks at him in confidence, and in anticipation of him praising her. But Bo Jinyan always have a way of crushing her hopes: “Is that all you can come up with?” He asks. Jian Yao: “…eh…yeah.” Bo Jinyan smiles at her. Jian Yao immediately asks him: “Please tell me. What other discoveries have you made?” Huo Xiao Lu has turned into another street. Bo Jinyan has to concentrate on the driving before answering her. When he is ready, he says to her: “Another three points” - There are another three points she didn’t think of? “No. 1- Distance” “Distance…?” “Our killer slitted Ruan’s throat, with only one cut. This is not an easy thing to do. The blood stain pattern suggests the killer cut her from behind, at very close range. Besides, If the killer was in front of the victim, the blood would have spatter all over her face and body, which would make the chance of her being discovered by others much higher. Based on the peak’s layout, there was nowhere for the killer to hide. No trees, or big rocks. The killer didn’t suddenly appear to attack. Therefore, it’s most likely they were together. It’s a matter of distance.

Everyone keep a distance with one another. Generally, the gap is between 1.2 to 3.3 metres. It’s enough space for people to feel comfortable with. When the distance is less than 0.6 metres, it’s considered intimate… like you and me now.” Jian Yao takes a glance at him. Then she repeats what he says: “So they were sitting next to each other. Very intimate.” “It’s obvious.” Bo Jinyan continues: “Considering the victim’s relationship with Su Bei, they would not sit so close to one another. Of course, there is always the possibility that they finally overcome their misunderstandings and cuddles together… but that’s highly unlikely.” Jian Yao says: “And it’s more likely that the two best friends are sitting together. Ruan Ming Huai did not expect her friend to take out a knife to kill her, so she didn’t have time to react.” Huo Xiao Lu has entered a complex. It’s an old housing estate that a lot of the extextile workers stay. They park their car on the side of the road. They wait until Huo Xiao Lu has almost disappeared from sight before turning off the car headlights and driving into the complex. Bo Jinyan continues with his second point: “No.2 - Money.” Jyao asks: “You mean Huo Xiao Lu is after the money because she comes from a poor family? “ “No.” He says with a touch of frustration in his voice: “What kind of conclusion is that?” Jian Yao: “… please continue.” Bo Jinyan carefully drives into the complex: “Do you remember how the corpse is positioned? She was lying sideways. When her throat was slit, the blood would have ejected forward. Besides, it takes time for the blood pool on the ground to form.” Bo Jinyan continues to explain: “The money was in a backpack. If the killer was after the money. He/she would have removed the backpack soon after Ruan was killed. Instead, it was left on ground, long enough for the blood to soak through the pack?” “This means…” says Jian Yao: “That the motive for the murder is not the money?” “Yes, the backpack was left on the body for at least half an hour before it was removed.” says Bo Jinyan : “According to the forensics, it would take the killer no more than five minutes to inflict all the wounds. There is no reason why she would only take the money after half and hour. “The evidence suggested that the killer was emotionally unstable, but bold in her killings. Yet, hiding the money is a cowardly act. So, the most likely scenario is… Killing and stealing… it’s done by two different people.”

Jian Yao looks at the surroundings. There are lots of two storey buildings. Each floor would accommodate approximately ten families. At this time of the night, only a few of them are not asleep yet. The lights from their unit seep through the window. “No. 3 - Huo Xiao Lu’s statement.” said Bo Jinyan in a low voice. Jian Yao has her notebook with her. She turns to the page with Huo Xiao Lu’s interview on it. Jian Yao thought something was wrong when Huo spoke. But her statement looks fine. She can’t pinpoint the problem. “I’ll explain this one later.” He says quietly. He picks up his night vision binoculars. “OK.’ Jian Yao takes up the other pair of binoculars. By now, the officers that came with them are in a car parked behind them. They are probably doing the same thing as Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao. On the second floor. The unit that is closest to the stairs belongs to Huo Xiao Lu’s parents. The curtains are drawn, but there’s a gap they can see through on one of the sides. Jian Yao adjusts the focus of her binoculars so she could look at what’s inside the house through the curtain gaps. She is horrified. A boy is tied to a chair. His hands bound together behind his back and his feet are tied to the two front legs of the chair. There is a piece of duct tape over his mouth. He looks familiar. It’s Su Bei! There is fear in his eyes. Then, they see Huo Xiao Lu next to him. She has a knife in her hand. Suddenly, Jian Yao hears the car door close. Bo Jinyan has rushed out to get to Huo’s unit. The other two officers have come out of their police car too. In no time, the three of them are outside Huo’s unit. Jian Yao hurries behind. “Huo Xiao Lu. Open the door!” Shout one of the officers. There’s sounds of movement from the inside, but no one opens the door. “Knock it down.” says Bo Jinyan . One of the officers kicks at it just below the doorknob. The door burst open in a rush of splintered wood and dust. The officers rush in. Jian Yao is about to go in with them when a hand blocks her way. It’s Bo Jinyan .

Without turning his head towards her, he says: “Follow me.” He walks in front of her.

Inside the unit, Huo Xiao Lu is holding a knife. Beside her, Su Bei is wriggling violently trying to free himself. One of the officers pushes Huo towards the wall. He holds on to her shoulders and forces the knife off her hand. The other officer unties the ropes around Su Bei and removes the duct tape on his mouth. “Arrest her!” Screams Su Bei. The handsome young face is flushed with anger. He is grabbing onto the shoulders of the officer. “She is crazy. She killed Ruan Ming Huai. She wants to kill me too. She is mad!” “Oh, shut up.” The officer yells: “You need to come to the station with us too.” Then he handcuffs him.

Huo Xiao Lu is handcuffed too. But she looks at Su Bei in a confused and sad manner: “Crazy? You said I am crazy? I did this for you. I got rid of the person you dislike. I… I love you!”

Chapter 40 Huo Xiao Lu's story began when she was eleven years old. It was love at first sight. She liked Su Bei the first moment she laid her eyes on him. His parents are also ex-workers from the textile factories. But unlike her, he has lots of friends. He seems to be living a happy and contented life. She has nothing. She does not like going home. Some nights, she can hear squeaky beds, heavy breathing and moaning sounds. Each time, a different man walks out of her mother’s bedroom in the morning. In 2003, her father abandoned the family. He went off to Dong Guan with another woman. But rather than feeling sad, Huo Xiao Lu felt relieved. She was fed up with the constant fighting between her parents. However, the peaceful times didn’t last long. Two years after her father left, her mother was made redundant. A middle aged woman with no formal education or specialised skill. She turned to prostitution to support herself and her daughter. Her mother did her best to solicit in areas away from Huo Xiao Lu’s school and where her friends live. Her classmate assumed her mother was working as a labourer out of town. But every time Huo Xiao Lu takes the money to pay for school fees, she feels dirty and disgusted. She didn’t always hate Ruan Ming Huai. But she decided to ‘befriend’ her after Ruan started the rumours about Su Bei being an homosexual. No one can defame her prince. She decided to become Ruan’s friend first, then she will find an opportunity to avenge her. The murder was an impulsive decision. That evening, Ruan Ming Huai received a call from Su Bei. Ruan asked Huo Xiao Lu to leave first. The arrogant and joyous smile on Ruan’s face infuriated her. • Su Bei was falling for this shallow and bossy girl? She tried to persuade Ruan Ming Huai not to meet up with him: “Didn’t you say you are over him? Why do you still want to go?” But Ruan knew her secret. She said scornfully: “Do you think I don’t know how you feel towards Su Bei? Shame on you for trying to steal your good friend’s boyfriend.” Huo Xiao Lu secretly followed Ruan Ming Huai up the hill.

Su Bei hadn’t arrived yet. So she appeared and apologised to Ruan Ming Huai. She assured Ruan she will stay away from Su Bei… When she saw the blood gushing out of Ruan Ming Huai’s wound, and her body convulsing, a great joy swept over her. It was a thrilling experience.

A few hours later, she found Su Bei on top of an empty watch tower. This is the place he usually hangs out when he is not happy. Sitting by himself, looking far into the horizon. She found out about this place years ago. She used to stand quietly at the corner, just looking at him… That night, she approached Su Bei: “What’s the matter? Is something bothering you?” Su Bei’s face was very pale. He looked like he was still in shock. “Ah… nothing… Xiao Huo, I have to leave town tonight. I might not see you again. You take care.” This was a bolt from the blue for Huo Xiao Lu. She thought for a moment, then said to him: “Do you have enough money? I have some saving at home I can lend to you. Come with me.” Su Bei had no idea this innocent and quiet looking girl had other motives. His original plan was to rob Ruan Ming Huai. He knew she had the money from the class. Anyway, his grades weren’t good and he won’t stand a chance in getting into the university. He would take the money and travel to Dong Guanto find his parents. But then, he thought more about it. Ruan Ming Huai’s parents are rich. And she has a crush on him. Perhaps she would help him pay off his gambling debts. So he was late to their meeting. But when he got there, he found her dead. He saw that the backpack was still there, and the money too. Without thinking, he grabbed the pack and ran off. It wasn’t until he was half way down the hill he realised that taking the money would make him a murder suspect. He panicked. He found an old air raid shelter. So he buried the backpack under a pile of old leaves. Then he left. He was contemplating his next step when Huo Xiao Lu appeared. ————Huo Xiao Lu put a sleeping pill into the glass of water she gave Su Bei. When he was unconscious, she tied him up. Her mother is often away for weeks at a time. She knew her mom was not due back for at least a week.

But even if mom did come home, she would be able to handle it. ————— There are more police cars arriving at the scene. An officer is looking after the two teenage criminals in the lounge. Bo Jinyan and another officer are searching the house for other evidence. Jian Yao stands at the entrance. She takes a look at Huo Xiao Lu. Huo has no expression on her face. Footsteps coming from the stairs. A middle aged woman with heavy make up, a black dress and black stockings appears. “What’s the matter? Who are you?” She raises her voice: “Where’s Xiao Lu? Xiao Lu?” She tries to enter the house but is blocked by Jian Yao: “Sorry, I am with the police. We cannot let you in at the moment.” The woman sees Huo Xiao Lu handcuffed, standing inside the lounge. There is disbelief on her face. “Xiao Lu…you… Why are you arresting my daughter…?” “I killed someone, Ma.” Huo Xiao Lu tells her mom in a calm voice, as if she is talking about someone else. The woman is shocked. “We need to go to the Police Station together….” Jian Yao puts her hand on the woman’s shoulder. To everyone’s surprise. Instead of running toward her daughter, the woman is heading towards the stairs. She is trying to run away?! But perhaps she is too nervous, she misjudged her footing and was about to trip down the stairs. Jian Yao quickly grabs her by her shoulder to help her regain her balance. Jian Yao quickly stands in front of her on the top of the staircase. “Get out of my way.” The woman tries to push Jian Yao aside. Jian Yao is standing on the edge of the step. Because of the push, she loses her balance and falls down the stairs.

“Jian Yao!” Bo Jinyan rushes out of the unit. Jian Yao is falling with her face facing the top of the stairs. She can see Bo Jinyan in mid-air. The next thing she knows, her mouth ‘kisses’ the ground. She is rolling down the stairs. Fortunately the flight is not long. Her whole body is aching. Her head hurts from hitting the wall. As she struggles to get up, she sees Bo Jinyan swatting beside her. He wraps one arm around her shoulder and one around her waist. She rests in his warm and familiar embrace. “Are you ok?” He looks displeased. “I’m fine.” Jian Yao tries to stand up by pushing off with her hand on his shoulder. A sharp pain is coming from her left ankle. She falls back into his arms. Bo Jinyan tightens his arm. Her face is pressing onto his chest. They are so close that she can hear the pounding of his heart. Bo Jinyan looks even more annoyed now. He looks down at Jian Yao. Two officers heard the noise and came out to check if Jian Yao is fine. Bo Jinyan takes a cold look at Huo Xiao Lu’s mother. He turns to the officers: “It’s fine. You can continue with searching the house.” Jian Yao pulls Bo Jinyan’s sleeve: “I want to say something to her.” Bo Jinyan stands up, with her in his arms, he turns so that Jian Yao can see Huo’s mom. “She is your daughter. You can’t just run away like that. Even though she has killed someone, you cannot give up on her.” The woman’s face changed. She drops to the ground, looking sad and in despair. “Are you done?” Jian Yao hears Bo Jinyan’s voice. “Uhh… yes.” She says softly. He carries her down the stairs and walks toward the car. More police cars arrive at the scene. Behind them, two officers are escorting Su Bei and Huo Xiao Lu downstairs. Huo’s mother follows behind. She is weeping as she walks Jian Yao secretly hopes that time will be still, and she could remain in his arms forever.

But… Jian Yao looks at Bo Jinyan. His face looks annoyed. Very annoyed. She wonders what made him so angry. “Maybe you should let me down.” says Jian Yao. “Other people are walking this way.” Bo Jinyan looks at her: “So, what does me carrying you have to do with other people? ” Jian Yao: “….” The officer in charge has arrived. He sees Bo Jinyan carrying Jian Yao: “Is Xiao -Jian alright?” She is just about to reply when Bo Jinyan speaks on her behalf: “She is ok. It’s not serious.” Bo Jinyan looks at the people around him. He adjusts the position of his arms slightly so that Jian Yao is more comfortable. Then he starts: “Huo Xiao Lu is the murderer. We found evidence…” He explained what’s happened to the officer. They listen intently to what Professor Bo has to say. And at that time, Jian Yao was lying in his arms. She blushes. • He is doing his briefing in front of everyone while holding someone in his arms. After he finishes, he says to the officer in charge: “We will leave it. You can take over from here.” The officer in charge is surprised. Bo Jinyan is like a new gem the department has discovered. Now that he has seen how good Bo Jinyan is, he wants all the help he can get. “Can you stay behind to guide the rest of the search? I can send a couple of officers to accompany Xiao Jian to the hospital…. Xiao Chen, Xiao Zhou. Please go with Xiao Jian.” When Jian Yao heard Xiao Chen’s name, something tells her it’s not a good idea. As expected. Bo Jinyan gives Xiao Chen an icy glance. Xiao Chen looks a little embarrassed too. He stays quiet. “Gee.. you really know how to choose…”Bo Jinyan says sarcastically to the officer in charge. The officer in charge is perplexed at his comment. Jian Yao elbows Bo Jinyan lightly in his chest.

Bo Jinyan looks down at her. Then he tells the officer in charge: “My work here is done. Later, I will follow up with the criminal analysis. Goodbye.” ————He gently put Jian Yao down in the passenger seat. Jian Yao thought he’s going to close the door and walk to the driver’s seat. But he did not. He switches on the light inside the car: “Turn around and let me take a look.” Jian Yao leans over slightly: “I’m alright. Only a few scratches.” He didn’t answer. His shirt is stained with the dirt that was on her face. He holds up her face with his hand and examines it under the light. He is still grumpy…. His cool fingertips gently touching a swell on her forehead. She puts her fingers over the part he just touched. Oh, there is a reasonably sized bump. “Oh great!” He said “You almost split your head.” Jian Yao: “… it was an accident.” He looks into her eyes: “Is it painful?” It’s actually not that bad, but Jian Yao answers softly: “Mmm… quite painful.” She lifts her eyes to look at him. His answer is brisk: “Just endure it.” But then, he adds: “I will put some ice on it when we get home.” “…. ok.” He looks at her feet: “Take off your shoe.” He holds her left foot with his hand. As his fingertips touch her sole, it feels cold and ticklish. Her face is blushing again. But he doesn’t seem to notice her shyness. He examines the foot and says: “A little swollen, but nothing major. A lot less spectacular compared to the horn on your head.” Jian Yao gives him a glance of disapproval. What a day. She sighs: “Would the knock make me more stupid…”

Bo Jinyan has gone back to the driver’s seat and started the car. He starts to get out of the complex: “Don’t worry, my IQ is 180, doesn’t matter if you lose a bit of your IQ. You have me.” That’s sweet…in a strange sort of way. She complains: “Is that meant to be words of comfort?” Bo Jinyan gives her a smile. They are back on the main road. Home is not far away now. ————— Bo Jinyan stops at a red traffic light. He turns to look at Jian Yao. She looks so lovely in her sleep.

After a long stare, he takes his eyes off her and continues driving.

Chapter 41 When Jian Yao opens her eyes, she sees a dark blue sky. There is a new moon, thin and bright, hanging just above the horizon. She is still in Bo Jinyan’s car. The surroundings are familiar. It’s the parking lot of their apartment. Bo Jinyan didn’t turn on the lights inside the car. Thin yellow light from the street lamps shines through the windows. Bo Jinyan is sitting on the driver’s seat beside her. Looking out from the window. “What’s on your mind?” asks Jian Yao. Bo Jinyan taps his finger on the dashboard: “ ‘He didn’t appear.” Jian Yao knows that Bo Jinyan didn’t arrange any surveillance at the crime scene to give ‘him’ the opportunity to leave a note - that is, if he is still alive. There were a lot of people up on Qi hill peak today. If he wanted to sneak up as a police officers or forensic staff, it would have been very easy. But there is nothing. “Is ‘he’ dead?” Jian Yao asks. “Maybe.” He turns to look at her. The interior of the car is very dim. But the shadows accentuate his well-shaped features - his body, his face… His eyes sparkles like stars, looking at her. It flustered her to have him staring at her. She clears her throat and asks: “What’s up?” “E.T!” He says softly: “We need a new rule. From now on, when we are investigating a case, you must be within my reach 24/7.” Jian Yao: “I understand the second half of the sentence. But the first half. What? E.T?” “Yea…” Bo Jinyan smiles and opens his car door. Jian Yao: “Hey…you are the E.T…” Bo Jinyan walks over to her side. He opens the door and carries her out of the car. He says slowly: “I am not the one with the bump on my forehead.” ————-

By the time they get inside Bo Jinyan’s apartment, it’s 1am. Bo Jinyan puts her down on the sofa. He goes into the kitchen and came backwith two ice packs. After he sits down beside her, Bo Jinyan presses one ice pack on her forehead. The bone chilling coldness causes her to gasp. A smile appears on his face: “You hold on to the ice pack.” Jian Yao quietly takes over. His tenderness towards her was only temporary. Then it’s replaced by teasing - ET, bump on the face, seeing how she reacts to the ice pack…. Like a school boy that runs around to pull the girls’ ponytails. He is so immature! But then, he bends down and lifts up her left foot. He removes the shoe, throws it next to the entrance, then rests her foot on his legs. She blushes, and doesn’t dare to move a muscle. He picks up the other ice pack and places it on top of her left ankle. With his other hand, he points the remote at the TV and starts watching a documentary. As this other ice pack touches her skin, she gasps again. She notices that although his eyes are glued to the TV, his lips curl with a small smile. 

Well, ok. Tender. And immature.

Jian Yao is not interested in documentaries about criminology. She thinks about today’s case. “Hey.” She gently kicks him with the left foot. “You said Huo Xiao Lu’s statement was full of loopholes. Explain.” His palm felt her kick. As a reflex action, he grabs her foot with his hand so that she can’ move it anymore. “Remember Wang Wan Wei’s suicide note?” “Yes…” She recalls the details from the case. Bo Jinyan said the suicide note was genuine because it had minor inconsistencies and a distinctive personal style of writing. But fake notes tend to be concise, clear and without flaw. Following this train of thought, Huo Xiao Lu’s statement was more like the latter. But if this is the only reason he based his conclusion on, it might seem a little inadequate. Bo Jinyan knows what is going through her heart. He says: “The analysis process used for written notes and oral statements are different.”

“Oh.” He gives her a glance: “It’s simple. When it’s comes to verbal communication, human display a lot of the same characteristics regardless of their personality and background.” Jian Yao smiles at him: “Please enlighten me.” Bo Jinyan teases her again: “E.T, now that you’ve come to Earth, you need to read more. These are basic analytical skills.” “….. I will. Later! Please tell me now.” “Firstly, what guide our memories are emotions, not time sequence.” He says. Jian Yao is waiting for further explanation. True to Bo Jinyan’s words, he does not “mock or look down on people based on their lack of professional knowledge.” He patiently explains: “For example. If you are to tell your friend about your fall today, what would you say?” Jian Yao thinks for a while: “I tumbled down the stairs during an investigation today. I was accidentally pushed down by the murderer’s mother. It was a painful fall…” “Stop.” Bo Jinyan interrupts her. “Did you notice? When you recalled the incident, the first thing that came to mind was what you felt was the most important part of the event - you were pushed down by the woman, pain. Because you were led by your emotions, not time sequence.” Jian Yao thinks about it. It’s true. She opens her bag and takes out her notebook. She turns to the girls’ statement. - How did they start? Huo Xiao Lu - Around 8pm, Huai Huai collected all the money… Qi Xiao Ran - If I knew something would happen to Huai Huai, I would stay with her… 

Ah… I see.

Bo Jinyan says again: “Their good friend was killed. It would have been a huge emotional blow to all of the girls. Everyone should have very strong feelings about what had happened. But Huo Xiao Lu was too sensible. Her statement starts with time sequence. And it was well rehearsed. She was not recalling the events, but presenting a scenario, one that she wanted us to believe.” Jian Yao nods.

Bo Jinyan continues: “Second point. Huo’s statement had lots of mundane details that had very little to do with the case. For liars, details pads out their stories to make it more believable. If she was truly devastated by her friend’s death, would she remember and care to tell the police that she washed her clothes and made herself a cup of tea?” Jian Yao looks at that part of the statement: The seniors are on holiday. The other students are studying… ; made myself a cup of tea… “Third point.” Bo Jinyan says, “The stronger you have feelings for something, the more you feel the urge to conclude. It’s an emotional need to ‘wrap up’ the feelings. But liars do away with that. Because they feel that once they have explained the incident, their job is done.” Jian Yao is flicking the pages again. She hears Bo Jinyan says: “Yes, check out their concluding statements.” Huo Xiao Lu - Then I made myself a cup of tea, lied on bed to read. After a while, I went to bed. Qi Xiao Ran - Why would anyone want to kill her… there’s college entrance exams next year… but she will never… ————— Bo Jinyan’s apartment is the only house with lights on. The rest of the neighbourhood is fast asleep. They have watched two episodes of the documentary. Jian Yao has had an hour of ice pack on her foot and forehead. But Bo Jinyan doesn’t look tired at all. Jian Yao, on the other hand, can hardly keep her eyes open. She kicks him again. “I need to go home. I am very tired. Thank you for everything.” He looks at her: “Sleep here tonight.” Jian Yao: “….why?” Bo Jinyan: “What if you need help tonight? Do you expect me to run up to the studio? You sleep in my room. I will take the study. If you need me, just knock on the wall.” —————— Jian Yao didn’t knock on the wall, of course. After a quick shower, she collapsed on his big bed and falls into a deep sleep, almost immediately. Bo Jinyan lies on the single bed in the study. Perhaps it’s because it’s not his usual bed, he is not very used to it. He finds it hard to go to sleep.

He recalls the moments when Jian Yao fell down the stairs. Dark and narrow stairways. As he rushed out of the unit, all he could see was her body in the air, then the tumble, and the knocks… Then he hurried to her side, carried her, the look on her pale face, her body lying softly in his arms… Some unknown sentiment fills and agitates his heart. He pulls down his sleeping mask. Everything is dark. Time to sleep. ———Jian Yao wakes up after a dreamless night to the bright sunshine coming through the bedroom windows. She looks at the alarm clock on Bo Jinyan’s bedside table. It’s past midday. She touches her left foot. The swell has subsided a bit. The bump on her forehead… is still there. She smiles and gets out of bed. She slowly makes her way to the lounge. Bo Jinyan is sitting in the sofa in his usual white shirt and black pants, reading newspaper. When he hears her footsteps, he asks from behind the newspaper: “Do you need to be carried?” Jian Yao: “…. no.” She slowly walks towards the sofa. There’s some breakfast left on the coffee table. She picks a piece of bread and starts eating. No one speaks. After a long pause. Jian Yao asks: “What are we doing today?” Bo Jinyan puts down his papers briefly, takes a look at her forehead and foot, and says: “Your call.” Jian Yao: “…..” - Man..He has the ability to irritate people with just one sentence. Your call? Yeah, of course. Because she has twisted her ankle. There’s nothing they can do anyway.

Chapter 42 Summer is coming to an end. Autumn colours are beginning to appear on trees. Light and refreshing breezes comes through the window into the lounge. Jian Yao is lying in the sun. There is not much to do. Bo Jinyan looks very contented with reading his book. Jian Yao is sure that even if he was the only human left in the world, but there are books for him to read, he would be quite happy to live by himself, without missing much of the social aspects of life. She, on the other hand, is bored. She takes out her notebook from the bag. She wants to read through the ‘lesson on verbal communication analysis’ from last night. Then she notices the corner of a pink paper sticking out from the bag. The movie tickets. She sighs. She didn’t expect Bo Jinyan to be able to solve this case in four hours. If it wasn’t for her injuries, they could go and watch the movie. Jian Yao puts the tickets back in her bag. She opens the notebook and starts reading. After she reads a few pages, she feels someone is looking at her. She looks up. Bo Jinyan is putting his feet together, and looking thoughtfully at her. “What’s the matter?” She asks. He gives her a smile. Then he puts the book down and walks into his room, and he closes the door. Jian Yao has no idea what he is up to.  His smile. A typical aloof Bo Jinyan’s style of smile. Like he is telling her: “Woman, I know you too well.” Has he come up with some new but pathetic theories about woman again?

He opens his room door. Bo Jinyan walks out with his hands in his pockets. Leisurely. Jian Yao is confused. He’s dressed in his suit. Complete with a tie, a nice white shirt and polished shoes. He’s combed his hair nicely too. He is looking very smart in his outfit. Jian Yao: “Are you going somewhere?”

Bo Jinyan gives her a glance: “No. I changed into my suit to go to bed.” Jian Yao: “…..” 

Can’t he just answer her nicely for once?

She decides to ignore him and continue to read her book. It doesn’t matter where he is going. She can’t tag along anyway. But he walks over to her and she hears his voice above her head: “How long are you going to make me wait, Ms. Jian?” Jian Yao looks up. He has extended his hand out towards her. The amber cuffing on his sleeve glints in the light. “The movie is starting soon.” —————It’s the weekend. The cinema is packed and noisy. Bo Jinyan hates this sort of environment. He frowns as he enters. But when he sees the smile on Jian Yao’s face…. 

Well, if it makes her happy, it’s tolerable, I suppose.

When they walk pass the candy bar, Bo Jinyan takes a look at the queue. They are mostly young man standing in line in a narrow corridor. But their purchases are usually popcorn, energy drinks, preserved plum etc etc… all the snacks that the girls like to eat. It is so pathetic… He is about to enter the ticket check area when Jian Yao gives him a nudge: “Go buy some popcorn.” Bo Jinyan’s lips curl - Ah… woman. He is about to refuse, and comment on her poor taste when… he sees her eyes, like two sparkling jewels on her soft delicate skin. She gently shakes his arms. “Go on.” She asks with a sweet soft voice. Bo Jinyan stands still for a while. He takes out his wallet and asks: “Just popcorn?” “Mmm… get some drinks too. I want green tea.” ——————

These so called couple boxes are reasonably sized rooms that can fit around 60 people. There are approximately thirty pink two seater sofas in them. The one Bo Jinyan booked is in the centre of the room. Bo Jinyan assumed couple boxes are individual rooms with just one sofa in them. He thought there would only be the two of them there. He didn’t expect to have to share the room with so many other strangers. Jian Yao is thrilled though. She says to him: “The seats you reserved are great.” Bo Jinyan takes a look at her. Finally, a smile on his face since he entered the couple box: “Well, of course.” He says. As the lights dims, vibrant images emerge onscreen. Jian Yao is sitting on the sofa. Besides the movie screen, she can see couples cuddling on the sofas. The sofa is not very wide. The two of them takes up most of the space. Bo Jinyan sits quietly beside her. They are certainly not as intimate as the other couples. Bo Jinyan rests one arm on the back of the sofa above her shoulders. Jian Yao is so happy that he has decided to accompany her to the movies. “Thank you.” She says, with her eyes looking at the movie screen. It’s to thank him… for watching a movie with her even though he might find it boring, for looking after her last night, and for patiently leading and guiding her and walking side by side on a journey together. “Huh?” A slightly confused half hearted response in the dimmed light. Jian Yao just smiles. As usual, anything that is romantic cannot be sustained when it comes to Mr. Bo. After ten minutes of the movie, he starts to get bored. The story still focuses on the relationship between the leads. He takes out his mobile phone and leans back: “Call me when the aliens start to invade.” Jian Yao: “….alright.” Bo Jinyan reads the news, then checks his email. He is about to do a search on Google when he hears everyone else in the room laughs. He looks up. It’s something to do with the male lead telling the female lead a joke. He takes a look at Jian Yao. She is holding the popcorn with both of her hands, leaning towards him. She seems to be enjoying the movie a lot.

Bo Jinyan smiles and takes out his mobile phone again, to continue with his search. He presses the return button. He is surprised with the findings. Instead of the criminal terminology, he accidentally typed ‘Jian Yao’ because he was looking at her. He is distracted. This has never happened before. ————Jian Yao sees a space battleship onscreen. She taps him in the chest: “You can watch the movie now.” “Yeah…” He is still staring at his mobile screen. With a smile. Jian Yao subconsciously takes a glance at his screen. Even through the image is blur, it looks kind of familiar. “What are you looking at?” Bo Jinyan doesn’t try to move his body trying to block her view, but allows her to lean closer so that she can see more clearly what’s on the tiny screen. “This is…’Jian Yao blushes. Bo Jinyan has a bigger smile on his face. On his mobile, is a picture of Jian Yao when she was young. It’s probably from some kids singing contest. There’s even a caption with her name on it. A little girl is wearing a swan costume, looking very cute and innocent. She was trying hard to stretch out her hands and feet. There’s make up on her face too. Thick black eyeliners, two red patch of rouge on her cheeks. It’s hard to tell what she actually looks like under the layer of make up. Jian Yao takes the mobile phone from him: “I just started primary school. Back then the teachers like ‘decorating’ the kids this way.” Bo Jinyan: “Mmm… very enchanting.” Jian Yao laughs: “… what?” As she leaned over to see the picture, she was almost in his arms. She didn’t notice that her hair is resting on top of his white shirt. All he needs to do is just to move his neck slightly - and his lips will touch her silky, shiny hair.

In a dimly lit room, a wisp of fragrance lingers. It’s Jian Yao. He sniffs her hair. Jian Yao was just curious about what he was looking at. But suddenly, a thought enters her Bo Jinyan searched about her on the internet. Well, perhaps he was bored. But she decides to get it clarifies so she lift up her head and asks:”Why are you ‘searching’ me?” Then she freezes in her position. As she was lifting up her head to speak to him, he was bending down to sniff her hair (of course, Jian Yao was not aware of this). There was hardly any distance between them to start off with, and now, they are looking into each other’s eyes with just centimetres between the faces. She can hear the rhythm of Bo Jinyan’s breathing. His breath seems to surround her whole body. Those deep dark eyes, so close to her, are staring steadily at her. She remembers their ‘accidental’ kiss. Her heart is pounding. And her body is still. Still… in his arms, still… just centimetres away from his face. She can’t decide whether she should move closer, or move away. ——————Bo Jinyan is not moving either. Jian Yao is in his arms. They are so close to one another, their individual breaths seems to fuse together. He can see her face from the bright rays refracted from the screens. Her clear sparkly eyes, her lovely nose and her pink lips. The wisp of her humid breath escapes from her mouth into his nostrils. A distinctive floral feminine scent. Bo Jinyan feels that deep within him, a gust of hot air is silently surging. An imaginary bright light seems to have shined into and illuminated his mind. He remembers the time when Jian Yao’s fingers gently touched his skin, the unusually ticklish but nice sensation. He remembers whenever he sees her, the joy that he feels. He remembers the day when she wore the sleeveless yellow dress, the way he looked at her delicate skin, her neck, collarbone, shoulders, arms… It’s the same feeling as he has now - his hormones are raging. He also remembers the moment he saw her fell down the stairs. The burning pain in his chest. It is as if his heart were contracting.

That moment, all the thoughts came together at once. The pieces of the puzzle finally put in their place. He slightly lowers his eyes and looks at this woman. In the dimmed room, his puckers his lips, and leans his face towards her. “Buzzzzz” A rapid pulse is coming from her pocket. Bo Jinyan is startled by the buzz. Jian Yao moves back to retrieve her phone in the pocket. The ambiguity between them quickly dissipates. Bo Jinyan sits silently. His eyes are fixed on her. Jian Yao’s heart was beating so fast that she thought she would collapse. It was only a short moment but it felt like it lasted for a whole century. She doesn’t know if what just happened was only her illusion. Does Bo Jinyan really have no feelings for her? Or can he also feel… an undercurrent of passion between them? So, when the phone rang, she instinctually leaned back. She feels both relieved and disappointed. But she feels that she needs to clear her head first. She tries to remain calm. She lowers her voice and takes the incoming call: “Hello?” Li Xunran’s familiar voice appears on the other end: “I’m in B City.” Jian Yao is surprised. She smiles: “Give me a moment.” She turns to Bo Jinyan: “I am going outside to take a call.” The lights dies out on the screen. She can’t see Bo Jinyan’s expression. But she can hear a soft “Yah.” from him. —————— Jian Yao is not fully recovered yet. She walks slowly into the corridor. She takes a deep breath. Li Xunran hears her ‘loud’ breathing and asks: “Is everything ok?” “Yes yes.” She says with a smile: “You said you are in town.” Li Xunran answers with a smile too: “Yip, just landed.”

It’s been a long time since they caught up with one another. The last time Jian Yao tried to call, he didn’t answer his phone. Jian Yao found out from her mom later that he was away investigating a big case, and he’s not allowed to contact anyone. Two months ago, Li Xunran gave her a call to say he is fine. He’s busy, and tired. That was the day she started to work in the Central Police Station. Since them, both of them were busy with their respective jobs, and they hadn’t spoken to each other since. She didn’t expect him to be in B City. “I’m going to be here for a few days. There’s a conference at the National Securities Office. Tomorrow is Sunday. I am free. Make sure you don't have any other plans.” Jian Yao laughs: “Yes, Dictator.” “You should know me better by now.” He says, “I borrowed a car. I will pick you up from your apartment tomorrow.” “Ok.” They chat for a while. When Jian Yao mentions she is now starting to investigate cases, Li Xunran was very happy for her. He says boastfully: “I knew I had a positive influence on you.” When she ends the call, she realises they have chatted for more than half an hour. Jian Yao still has a smile on her face. When she turns around, she sees a familiar tall figure standing in the corridor, not too far from her. It’s Bo Jinyan. Jian Yao doesn’t know when did he come out from the couples box. Jian Yao walks over. Trying to look ‘normal’ while she says to him: “I’m sorry. It’s Li Xunran. It’s been a long time since we spoke, so I got a bit carried away.” He sweeps her a glance: “That’s ok. I’ve just been neglected for half an hour.” Jian Yao is both slightly annoyed and amused: “Sorry, sorry. Let’s go in.” Bo Jinyan curls his lips, and gives her his hand as a support: “No. let’s go.” Jian Yao wonders: “Why? The alien battleship has begun its attack, right?” It’s the action bits that he is after. Bo Jinyan says slowly: “I am thinking of something that is very important.” Jian Yao looks at him. He looks so serious. Perhaps it’s something to do with ‘him’? She asks softly: “What is it? Is there anything I can do to help?” Bo Jinyan pauses his steps. He looks at her.

“I will definitely tell you, soon.” ————-

When they get back to the apartment, Jian Yao suggests that she will sleep in her own studio tonight. Her foot is better, and it will be easy when Li Xunran comes over tomorrow morning. Her injuries are better, so Bo Jinyan does not insist that she stays with him anymore. Jian Yao asks him if he wants to accompany Li Xunran for sightseeing tomorrow. Bo Jinyan seems to be still thinking about this ‘very important matter’. He answers grumpily: “Why would I want to spend time sightseeing with him?” —————— Jian Yao is lying in bed. She lets out a long sigh. She still believes Bo Jinyan has no feelings for her. Perhaps at that moment, he was perplexed about what she wanted to do. Even when they did kiss last time… well, the lips touched…. he can leisurely say to her he won’t let her future boyfriend know about it. What expectations can she have? 

Stop thinking! Actually their relationship is not too bad at the moment.

But… She takes out the photo from her drawer. She looks at his quiet but pale face. Bo Jinyan, will I ever get into your heart? ————Bo Jinyan fell asleep quite quickly tonight. Perhaps it’s because something good happened today? Then he dreamed. A series of dreams. In the first dream, he was a young boy. His mother was cuddling him by the river, fishing. He can’t recall what mom looks like, but he remembers her to have a warm and gentle voice, and nice facial features. Then it changed to after he returned to China. The first time he saw Jian Yao.

She was holding a fishing rod, sitting by the river. Beautiful, slim and gentle. He loves eating fish, but he has no patience for fishing. Whenever his mom was fishing, he would play around in the wood. When he returns, the basket will be full of fish. Although mom is no longer around, he would still cast the rod into the river and walk off. But this time, she picked up his fishing rod, and filled it with fish. —————— Then, he dreamt about what happened today. Jian Yao and him are in the cinema again. But in his dream, the movie screen only shows the action bits. There is no boring romance scenes. She is resting in his arms, looking up into his eyes. He smiles, and takes out her mobile phone from her pocket. He throws it away, to the far corner of the room, and then he bends down, and kisses her. Her lips are as soft as he expected them to be. Her floral and sweet scent, lingering in his mouth. His hands are holding her face, they gently kiss, and kiss, and kiss. ——————The slightly chaotic dream suddenly halts in his mind. He opens his eyes. He is awake. He switches on his bedside lamp. He sits up and looks at himself in the mirror. There’s still the same smile that he had in his dreams. He gets out of bed and pours himself a glass of water. There is an even bigger smile. The dream was so real. Well, a lot of them were events that actually happened in his life… except for the kiss. Sigmund Freud once said, the human brain has the capacity to add and subtract things to their dreams, therefore most dreams can be quite far from reality. But if dream and reality is closely similar to one another, there are two possibilities: He is too tired both physically and mentally, therefore, the ability to alter his dreams is reduced. 1. There is a strong desire that has been repressed for a long time. But now it’s released.

Chapter 43 Sunday morning. It’s a bright day. A layer of thin airy clouds lines the pale blue skies. Last night, Bo Jinyan was too excited to sleep, like he had too much energy that can’t be burnt off. Finally, he is conscious of the depth of his feelings for her. He put on some music, and opened a bottle of red wine to celebrate. He changed into his shirt and trousers, and sat down. Faint moonlight seeps through the window. He remembered the wonderful times they have spent together in the past nine months, every detail. If someone was to see his face, they would think this man looked confident, yet, calm and mysterious at the same time. This was because he was wearing an enigmatic smile on his face. And this smile has been on his face for hours. But in fact…. He was extremely pleased with himself. Even though he did not realise how much he liked Jian Yao, he had successfully attracted her to be by his side, as if he was a prophet, and knew this would eventually happen. And he managed to keep her exclusively for himself. ————Fu Ziyu used to laugh at him for the lack of experience in this area. So what? Obviously he is a genius in this field as well. Now, all he needs to do is to make sure this woman only has eyes for him, and totally commits to him. To fall in love with him, enjoy his company, experience the best in life, indulge in their passion, marry him, spend their days together, hug him, kiss him, travel the world together - Paris, the Caribbean, Zurich, Istanbul, the South Pole… watching Jian Yao standing in different backdrops smiling sweetly at him… must be a marvellous feeling.  Oh…. It’s so exciting just thinking about it. Bo Jinyan wants to run up to her studio right now and wrap her in his arms. 

Jian Yao, you are mine. “Bo Jinyan’s lover.” This identity is perfect for you.

He looks at the night lights, and enjoys his wine. See you tomorrow, my love. ————— What if…. Jian Yao doesn’t like him?

Sorry, perhaps it is a question that causes concern or anxiety for a normal guy, it is not a thought that ever occurred for Mr. Bo Jinyan. He only needs to know he likes her. He wants to get her. That’s enough. ——————After spending the whole night thinking about his late blossoming first love, he didn’t fall asleep until late at night. When he opens his eyes in the morning, it’s past 10am. He frowns, then takes a stretch. His original plan is to buy her breakfast, then surprise her at her studio. Well, too late for that. Change it to lunch then. He calls a nice restaurant in the neighbourhood reserves a booking for two. After shower, he carefully chooses what he will be wearing today. He even picks up a tie with bright colours, to suit his mood. And he even uses the skincare Jian Yao bought for him. If she wants to savour his scent - he will be happy to oblige. 11.00am Bo Jinyan is standing in front of Jian Yao’s house. He presses on the door bell. “Ding Dong-“ “Ding Dong-“ No answer. Then he remembers. Jian Yao said she will be going out with Li Xunran today. But in Bo Jinyan’s mind, sightseeing is an activity that doesn't take very long. She will be back soon. He thought. But…. He looks at the closed door. Jian Yao will not be coming back to have lunch with him.

—————-

The first time he is pursuing a girl…. and he misses out. Jian Yao is having lunch with Li Xunran and a few of his colleagues at a restaurant that specialises in roast duck. Li Xunran has been to B City a few times now, but it’s the first visit for some of his colleagues. Jian Yao insists that she must shout them a meal, as a good host would. She looks at the menu. The other colleagues are chatting and smoking cigarettes. Li Xunran rests his hand on the back of her chair. She picks a few of her favourite dishes. When a woman has someone on her mind, she is always thinking about that person. After giving the orders to the waiter, she takes out her mobile phone and texts Bo Jinyan: “Remember to have some lunch.” Li Xunran picks up his cigarette, takes a look at her sitting the sun. Her gaze is gentle, and her skin is soft and supple. After she puts down her phone, Li Xunran quietly laughs: “Who are you sending a text to? So pre-occupied when you are spending time with me… your boyfriend?” Jian Yao: “No… don’t have one.” Her phone rings. The caller displays has “Bo Jinyan” on it. He’s calling her. ———Just before he received Jian Yao’s text, he was watching TV. Another documentary on … criminology :) After finishing the episode. He switched it off. He notices a takeaway box on the coffee table. He frowns. He is not in interested in fast food. He looks at his mobile phone. He picks it up and walks to the window. He is just about to call Jian Yao when he sees a new text message. ———————— He smiles. - Ah ….she is thinking of me. He calls her number.

“I will have lunch soon.” He leans his body towards the window. He looks out to the clear blue sky, and speaks with husky voice: “When are you coming back? Jian Yao is in noisy restaurant. She can’t pick the difference in his tone. But the fact that he asked when she will be back is enough to make her smile. So she answers sweetly: “I am having roast duck with them. I might be a little late today. What’s up?” There is no way the arrogant Bo Jinyan will confess his love for her over the phone in such a hasty fashion. Besides there’s a lot of people around her. He is quiet for a moment. Then he says politely: “Enjoy your meal.” Jian Yao: “Ok…. you too.” She puts down the phone and finds Li Xunran looking at her suspiciously, with a sly smile. She blushes. Then she pushes him: “What are you smiling about..?” ———— The plans are deferred once more. Bo Jinyan has nothing to do. He calls the central police station to schedule the remaining work he needs to do for Huo Xiao Lu’s case. Then a thought comes to his mind. He calls Fu Ziyu: “Come out for dinner.” A clear and bright night in B City. People are enjoying themselves and relaxing in bars and restaurants after a hard week’s work. Fu Ziyu arrives at the restaurant to see Bo Jinyan sitting alone in the private dining room. The look on his face…. well, perhaps narcissism is not quite the right word to describe it, but he is certainly in a good mood. A subtle smile radiates on his face. “Where’s Jian Yao?” asks Fu Ziyu. “Why is she not with you today?” Bo Jinyan simply answers: “There’s no hurry.” 

That’s a strange answer…

Fu Zuyi sits down and pours himself a glass of water. He sips a bit: “Anything happened to you recently?” Bo Jinyan looks at him. His eyes gleam. “I have fallen in love with Jian Yao.”

Fu Ziyu gags, and the water in his mouths is sprayed all over the table.

Chapter 44 Bo Jinyan looks calmly at his friend whose face is red because of the gag. It took a while for Fu Ziyu to calm down and manages to breath properly again. He says: “You finally discovered.” Bo Jinyan sweeps him a glance, his finger tapping on his trousers: “Sooner.. Later… Does it matter?” Anyway, she belongs to him. Fu Ziyu looks at his proud friend…. He has always been a sore loser. But he is still very happy for the two of them. After being in so many relationships himself, he knows that letting their relationship progress naturally is the best way forward. Things like match making or forcing them to date would have been a waste of time. He lifts his glass: “Congratulations!” Bo Jinyan lifts up his and they clink their glass together. “Thank you.” Fu Ziyu asks: “How are you going to confess your love for her? Bo Jinyan: “I already have a plan.” ————— The autumn night is brisk and cool. When Bo Jinyan gets back to the neighbourhood, it’s past 8:00pm. He looks up to Jian Yao’s studio from the carpark. There is no light coming from her window. He gives her a call. Jian Yao is in Li Xunran’s car. The others have gone back to the hostel. Li Xunran is driving her home. “What’s up?” Jian Yao smiles as she answers his call. Li Xunran is giving her a crafty smile. “When are you coming back?” Bo Jinyan asks in his rich masculine voice. “I have something to tell you,” Jian Yao looks at the road sign they are passing, and answer: ”Within the hour.”

When a woman spends a lot of time with a man with low EQ, she will subconsciously rub off from him. So even though Bo Jinyan said “I have something to tell you.” in a gentle voice, it will be interpreted by Jian Yao as “I have some new thoughts on the case.” or “I am bored, come back so that I can talk to you.” “Ok.” Bo Jinyan smiles. “I will come around to your studio later.” “But…” Li Xunran is coming to my place too. We have plans - Jian Yao didn’t get to finish her sentence. Bo Jinyan has hung up. Bo Jinyan looks at the row of shops on the opposite side of the street. One of them is a flower shop. It is still open for business. He walks over. Actually, it has just past their business hours and the shop assistant is about to close the shop. She is happy to see a handsome man walks in. She has a big smile on her face: “Hi there. How can I help you? We have some flowers selling at half price.” “I don’t need any discount.” He answers. He is standing in the middle of the shop. His eyes are scanning through all the beautiful flowers there. …. Mmmm.. He knows nothing about flowers and flower languages. He asks the shop assistant to tell him the meaning of all the flowers. The shop assistant is stunned. But she is quick on her feet. She chooses about ten of the popular types of flower (which happens to be the most expensive ones of course) and explains to him what they represent. When she gets to the moth orchids, the handsome man in the suit stops her: “This one please.” The shop assistant has a huge smile on her face: “A good choice!” Bo Jinyan takes the bouquet. He has a smile on his face too. The funny shaped little flowers have a beautiful meaning I love you. May happiness and blessing come to you. ——————It only took Jian Yao and Li Xunran half an hour to get back to her apartment. Li Xunran wants to visit a bar in town later. So they decide to freshen up at Jian Yao’s studio first. As for Bo Jinyan…. Well, she will tell him of their plans when she sees her. Jian Yao thinks to herself. And… it will be nice to see him. She hasn’t seen him for a whole day. She misses him.

Li Xunran wants to know more. He comes out from the shower. He is wearing a white singlet, showing off his well toned and shapely body. He takes the towel Jian Yao passes to him. He leans towards the sofa and dries his hair: “Tell me, are you a couple with Professor Bo yet? Will I be a getting an invitation to your wedding banquet soon?” Jian Yao blushes. They are friends since childhood, there are no secrets between them. Even though they don’t spend much time together nowadays, she knows in her heart that nothing will change their friendship. She doesn’t hide it from him. She is just shy about it. “We haven’t even started.” She answers. “He only has room for work in his mind.” Li Xunran stops drying his hair and look at her sideways. Jian Yao looks at him. He looks calm. Soon, a smile appears on his face. He ruffles her hair and says: “I have a feeling the two of you will be very happy together.” It’s not often that he speaks such serious and sentimental words. Jian Yao is very touched. She smiles and answers: “Hope you are right.” Both of them take a seat on the sofa. Jian Yao tells Li Xunran about Bo Jinyan - the touching moment, the sweet moment, the tired moments, the frustration of not seeing the relationship going anywhere… She also asks if Li Xunran has a girlfriend yet. He just laughs: “I’m still young. And it’s hard to find a woman who is hungry for love like you within the police force.” Jian Yao laughs: “Hey! Stop hassling me.” At the end of the conversation, LI Xunran knows what is bothering her heart. He says to her: “You want to know if Professor Bo is interested in you? That’s easy. When he comes afterwards, we will test him. Let’s pretend there’s something between us. Perhaps he will get jealous. A conceited man like him needs a little provoking.” But to his surprise. Jian Yao shakes her head: “No.” She knows Li Xunran means well. But what if he is not interested in her and doesn’t care… But this is not the mainreason. She doesn’t want to provoke him. She doesn’t want to force him into any action. She doesn’t want him to misunderstand. She didn’t want him to feel uneasy. She just wants things to progress naturally. She doesn’t mind the wait.

She wants Bo Jinyan to feel comfortable about their relationship. Li Xunran sees the look on her face. He knows what is in her mind. He sighs: “You are too nice to him!” ————— At this time, Bo Jinyan is sitting on the sofa in his apartment. He is holding the bunch of moth orchids in his hands. Waiting. It’s a still and silent night. Stars are twinkling in the velvety black sky. For Bo Jinyan, even the stars look brighter and nicer tonight. He notices Chen Mo is slowly crawling out from under the sofa. As he passes by, his shiny shell reflects the light from the ceiling. Bo Jinyan lifts his brows: “Come here.” When Chen Mo is at his feet, Bo Jinyan looks at the moth orchids in his hand. He chooses the stem with the most beautiful flower on it, and threw the rest of on the sofa.

He ties the flower on Chen Mo’s back with a small piece of string. “Crawl.” Chen Mo slowly moves, the flower gently sways as he crawls forward. Bo Jinyan smiles. There is a saying in Chinese: “Train an army for a thousand days for one day's battle.” - Chen Mo, this is your moment to shine! Today, you are helping Bo Jinyan to confess his love, it’s a task that you will be proud of for the rest of your life. He picks up the tortoise and opens the front door. A brightly lit corridor. Outside Jian Yao’s apartment. Bo Jinyan is standing here for the second time today. And Chen Mo is ‘in position’ not far away from Jian Yao’s door. When she opens the door, he will bend down and kiss her. Then Chen Mo will come over with the flower, and he will give it to the woman he loves. Good. Perfect. “Ding Dong… Ding Dong…”

Bo Jinyan has a half smile on his face. He is resting one hand on the door frame, looking forward to see the person who is about to appear before him. The door gradually opens. A man in singlets and shorts is standing in front of him. Bo Jinyan notices his tanned and toned chest. The smile on his face freezes. Even though Jian Yao asked Li Xunran not to ‘help’ her, Li is not really listening to her. He says causally: ‘Professor Bo, how are you? Yao Yao is having a shower. Would you like to come in first?” 

Yao Yao? Who gave him permission to dress like that in her house? And to call her Yao Yao? Bo Jinyan sweeps him a glance, and walks in. The door closes behind him. The corridor is quiet once again. The lights are still bright, but there is no one there anymore. Except… for a tortoise, with a flower tied to his shell. He who has a great responsibility… is forgotten by his master. After a while, Chen Mo starts crawling towards the corner. There’s a little hole there that looks like a great resting place for a tortoise. Then he heard some footsteps. To ‘protect’ himself, Chen Mo decides to retreat back into its shell. A tall man appears in the corridor. He is wearing a nicely ironed shirt, trousers and a pair black leather shoes. He stands in front of Chen Mo. He chuckles, then bends down and take the flower that’s tied to Chen Mo. He puts the flower with soft purple petals in his hand. He is wearing a pair of disposable latex gloves. His long slender fingers crush the flower, then crumple it and throw it into the rubbish bin that is next to him. Then he turns around. He looks down and sees Chen Mo in his way. He does not hesitate to kick him to the corner. He starts humming a tune and disappears down the stairs. ———Inside Jian Yao’s apartment. Jian Yao comes out from the bathroom to see Li Xunran standing by the window with a smile on his face. And in the sofa, a tall man is sitting there in his suit.

Even though Jian Yao is aware that Bo Jinyan likes wearing his suit, but during summer he seldom dresses so formally unless there is an important occasion. Not only is he dressed formally, he has a very solemn look on his face. Jian Yao asks: “You said you have something to tell me. Is it related to the case? Is it urgent? I am planning to go out with Li Xunran tonight.” Bo Jinyan is quiet for a moment. Jian Yao is wearing a long dress. Her damp hair drapes over her shoulders. She is looking at him with her sparkly eyes. And Li Xunran is looking at him too. LI Xunran. Bo Jinyan remembers him. He is the competent police officer. He seems to be a good friend of Jian Yao’s. But perhaps they are more than just friends? Otherwise, based on Jian Yao’s personality, she will not let men dressed like that in her house at this time of the night. Hmmm….

He takes a look at Li Xunran, then turns to look at Jian Yao, and says to them: “Yao Yao’s friend is my friend. Let’s all go together.”

Chapter 45 It is a pleasant autumn night. The evening is cool, but comfortable. Beneath the stars and moon, the three of them walks toward a bar situated next to the lake in the city. Jian Yao is standing in front of the white railings by the lake. On her left is Li Xunran, on her right, Bo Jinyan. Both of them are tall and handsome. And both of them seem to want to walk beside her all the time so she is ‘clipped’ in the middle between the two of them. Actually, it is not a bad thing - her best friend, and the man she adores, both by her side on a beautiful night. Of course, if Li Xunran would drop that cunning smile of his, and Bo Jinyan does not have that solemn look on his face, that would have been perfect. A few people are holding water lanterns and walking towards the water edge. Bo Jinyan seems to be interested in what they are doing. He follows them for a closer look. As Bo Jinyan walks away, Jian Yao uses this opportunity to talk to Li Xunran: “I told you I don’t need your help.” Li Xunran playfully hits her head and says: “Don’t be afraid. I know what I am doing. Your happiness is of utmost importance to me.” Bo Jinyan walks back. He asks them: ”What are you chatting about?’ Jian Yao is about to speak, but Li Xunran starts before her: “We are chatting about Yao Yao’s love life.” “Oh… love life?” Bo Jinyan looks at her, with an unusual smile on his face. Li Xunran answers: “A few of my colleagues are interested in her after working together on the ‘killer machine’ case. They have asked me to find out if they have a chance.” He turns to Jian Yao: “So, what do you think?” Jian Yao don’t know what to say. She doesn’t want to make Li Xunran to look bad in front of Bo Jinyan, so she just replies: “Let’s talk about this later.” Bo Jinyan raises his brows and looks sharply at her. “For a good lady, it’s the quality of the suitors that is important, not quantity.” 

Oh… another opinion on love from him.

Li Xunran is not letting go of this great opportunity: “Professor Bo, you are her senior. If you know of any fine young man, you should introduce them to Jian Yao. Her mom is quite concerned as well. She is always talking to me about it.”

Jian Yao is getting more and more embarrassed. What if he says - I don't care about pathetic matters like these?” But his response is different from what Jian Yao has expected. He smiles and says: “Fine young man? Of course I can introduce someone. He is outstanding. As long as she wants a boyfriend.” He looks at her warmly as he ‘hints’ to Jian Yao. But of course, Jian Yao misunderstands him again. She heart sinks when she heard this. He wants to introduce someone else to her… She gives a faint smile: “Let not talk about this anymore. I am not looking for a boyfriend at the moment.” This statement caused Bo Jinyan’s smile to freeze. But again, Jian Yao is too heavy hearted to notice. Li Xunran looks at the both of them. The smile on his face has never left him. —————They walk for a little longer and come to the entrance of a bar. The bar is situated in the middle of an island in the lake. The setting looks very nice. Jian Yao asks: “Should we go inside?” “Ok.” replies Li Xunran. Jian Yao takes a look at Bo Jinyan. She doesn’t even want to smile to him. Bo Jinyan looks like he has something on his mind too. He simply answers: “If Yao Yao wants to go, let’s go there.” Jian Yao: “….ok.” Bo Jinyan quickly walks ahead of them. She can’t help but smile. 

What is the matter with him today? Yao Yao? He doesn’t want to miss out because he hears Li Xunran call her that? He is such a big kid! But he is so cute that you can’t stay mad at him for long. The three of them take a seat. It is an open air bar and is built on the flatten ground of the small island. The sofas lounge area is right by the waterside. Quiet and nice. They find a nice spot that can look out the lotus leaves clustering on the surface of the water. A relaxing atmosphere. Jian Yao and Bo Jinyan are sitting side by side. Li Xunran takes a seat that faces them. A waiter comes and takes their order: “What would you like to drink today?” Bo Jinyan: “A Margarita for me.”

Li Xunran nods. Then tells the waiter: “Give me a dozen beers.” The waiter asks the lady: “What about you, miss?” He hands over the drinks menu to her. As she is about to take it…. Bo Jinyan: “She will have the same as me.” Li Xunran: “She will have the same as me.” Both of them speak out together. All four of them are stunned. Li Xunran laughs and tells Bo Jinyan: “Here’s something you might not be aware of. Jian Yao can drink like a fish. A tiny glass of cocktail is nothing to her.” Jian Yao: “Hey…!” It’s true that she has a high tolerance for alcohol. She inherited it from her father. She hardly drinks, but it’s a special day today. It’s not often she sees Li Xunran. So she feels she should keep him company. So she says to the waiter: “I’ll have beer too.” Bo Jinyan looks at her, but he doesn’t say anything. Five minutes later. The night is beautiful. There’s soft mellow music in the background. The breeze is softly blowing to their faces the faint refreshing-smell from the lotus plants. Bo Jinyan is wearing his suit, looking tall and smart in the red velvet sofas. He is holding a glass of blue Margarita in his hand. This is not what Bo Jinyan has in his mind. He thought the two of them (Jian Yao and him, of course) will be sitting quietly, side by side, clinking their tall glasses together. She will lean on him and whisper softly into his ears, while he savours her floral feminine scent… And of course, when he was designing this scene in his mind, he had forgotten that Li Xunran is with them. But it seems he is the one that is sitting by himself, while Jian Yao and Xunran are chatting and drinking beer together. Though he is not too happy, he quietly observes them. Jian Yao looks and behaves differently today. In the soft lighting, Jian Yao lifts her hand to tuck her hair behind her ears. He watches her… the lovely fingers holding the beer bottle, the mouth that slowly drinks the beer. There is this tough side about her when she tries to act like one of the boys.

Bo Jinyan smiles. There are many sides to a person. The Jian Yao beside him reminds him of the Jian Yao who bravely hit the glass of the fish tank with a stick to stop the murderer; and the Jian Yao that doesn’t hesitate to risk her life to help the mom who almost fell down the stairs. Oh…. She is not just a little sheep, but within her, she possesses the strength of a small cow. She is so cute. While Bo Jinyan is ‘entertaining’ himself with thoughts, Jian Yao and Li Xunran is talking about their childhood stories. One of the patrons walks up to the little stage in the front. They hear him say: “This song is for my girlfriend…’ Everyone claps. Jian Yao puts down her bottle of beer. She looks at Li Xunran. “Are you going to go up to the stage?” Li Xunran says: “If you ask nicely, I’ll sing for you.” Jian Yao: “It’s a sincere request.” Li Xunran stands, takes a bow at her: “Yes Madam!” and walks up to the stage after the song is finished. Jian Yao leans back on the sofa. She seems to hear Bo Jinyan muffles a snort of dissent. “Is he a good singer?” He asks. Jian Yao answers: “Yes, he is.” The lights dim on stage. Li Xunran is sitting on a bar stool, and tell the DJ what song he wants to sing. Jian Yao asks Bo Jinyan: “Do you….sing?” She has never heard him sing a whole song. He whistles sometimes when he is in a good mood. Bo Jinyan says slowly: “Why do I have to sing?” Jian Yao laughs. Perhaps…. he is tone deaf.

She takes out her mobile and sends Fu Zuyi a text message: “What’s Bo Jinyan’s singing like?” The reply is quick: “I have never heard anyone that sings more horribly than him. Believe me. Do not try. It will be a disaster.” Jian Yao laughs out aloud. Bo Jinyan leans over to her: “What are you laughing about?” “Oh, nothing.” She says. Then she feels his hand over her shoulders. She can hear his breathing in her ears. Then she hears him say: “Let me see.” Jian Yao quickly puts her phone in her bag. Music starts. Both of them look up. The handsome Li Xunran has a smile on his face. He picks up the microphone from the stand and speaks into it: “This song is dedicated to my best friend, and her good friend.” He continues “To their happiness, and I hope everyone here enjoys this song.” A handsome man always attracts attention. The whole bar cheers and claps. Jian Yao feels very touched. He is like a big brother to her. “Another spring since we said goodbye, my memory melts like snow…” LI Xunran starts singing. He does have a great voice. Everyone is impressed. There seems to be hints of sadness in his voice. But it suits the mood of the song. She turns around to look at Bo Jinyan. He is also listening intently. And his arm is still around her. Jian Yao blushes.  Perhaps it’s comfortable to rest his arms there. Perhaps he is just resting his arm there like she is a piece of furniture?

Ugh…. Bo Jinyan picks up his glass of cocktail, and sips a mouthful. Jian Yao has never tried a Margarita before. She asks him: “Is it nice?” “Why don’t you try?” He holds the glass to her lips. “…Ok.” She takes a sip. Bo Jinyan looks at her. He smiles. “How is it?” He asks slowly.

Jian Yao answers: “It’s quite nice.” Then she sees him taking a sip too. From her angle, his lips are touching the spot where she drank from. “Yes… it’s nice.” He says faintly. Her heart beats faster. Does he realises….  Surely he didn’t know that would qualify as an ‘indirect kiss’. He is used to eating food from her plate. It’s already a habit of his.

She tries not to overthink the issue and concentrates on enjoying Li Xunran’s song. Bo Jinyan puts down the glass and his lips curls into a smile. As Jian Yao correctly thought, he has no idea what an ‘indirect kiss’ is. What he just did was purely out of instinct. She drank from his cup. It seems her fragrance is left on the part of the glass her lips touched, which matched the smell he remembered from his dream where he was kissing her. So…. I am warming up…. Jian Yao. ————— Li Xunran has finished singing. There are sounds of encore all over the bar. Li Xunran puts down the microphone and walks back to the seat. As he approaches, he sees the two of them leaning together. His arm causally drapes over her shoulders. Jian Yao’s cheeks are blushing and Bo Jinyan is looking at her, with a gentle smile on his face. It seems …. He has been ‘made redundant’. He takes a seat. The three of them are quietly listening to patrons singing. Bo Jinyan notices a sightseeing boat in the lake. He asks the others: “Would you like a boat ride?” The others didn’t object, so Bo Jinyan stands up and tells them: “I’ll organise. I’ll let you know when it’s ready.” He doesn’t wait for their reply and walks off quickly. Jian Yao looks at him disappearing around the corner. She is a little surprise. 

Why is he so keen?

Perhaps he loves boats. There can’t be any other explanation. Li Xunran also stands up and tell Jian Yao: “It’s time for me to go.” Jian Yao is surprised again: “Now?” Li Xunran says: “Well, in a beautiful and romantic night like this, three is a crowd. Bye, Jian Yao. I’ll bet anything… he is definitely interested in you. I can guarantee that.” “What are you talking about…? I wanted to spend some time with you today. Don’t go.” She stands up too. “Don’t follow me.” says Li Xunran. “Or else he won’t be able to find you. I have a whole day of seminars ahead of me tomorrow. I’ll be in touch.” He waves his hand and leaves. —————-

There are lots of boats by the shore. Bo Jinyan stands at the pier and chooses the one he likes. He walks toward the boat. The owner of the boat is happy to see some business coming to him. He walks up to Bo Jinyan and says: ‘Sir, would you like to take a cruise? I’ll start when we have six passengers. Fifty dollars per person.” Bo Jinyan curls his lips: “I want the boat all to myself. But….” The owner is very happy: “Yes…” “I need to make some adjustments.” “Oh…” says the owner. Five minutes later. Bo Jinyan and the owner stand in an almost empty cabin. The owner says to him: “Is this ok?” There are only three chairs left in the cabin. Bo Jinyan takes a look. He asks the owner to put two chairs side by the side and moves the third chair to a corner far away. “How about this?” asks the owner. Bo Jinyan smiles and gives him a nod. He then calls Jian Yao.

“You can come to the pier now.” He says. Jian Yao answers: “I am at the pier. Li Xunran just left…. Do we still want to go ahead with the cruise? Or should we go home?” Bo Jinyan is quiet for a moment, then he says: “That’s perfect.” Jian Yao: “Huh…?” “Just stay where you are. I’ll come and get you.” He turns to the owner of the boat and tells him:”You can remove that chair by the corner too. It’s not necessary anymore.” Jian Yao senses that Bo Jinyan is acting very strangely today. She can’t put her finger on it, but it’s seems there’s a purpose for following them all night. What is it? Is he observing her and Li Xunran for some sort of behavioural research? She continues to walk on the wooden decks of the pier. There’s a few tourists around. She sees a few boats moored nearby. A few of the boat men are resting, some of them shouting out to her to see if she wants to go on a cruise. She smiles and politely declines. She keeps walking forward and looks out for Bo Jinyan. Then she sees a wooden lacquered boat quietly parked by the dock. The moon reflects on the water. Bo Jinyan is standing on the front deck of the boat. It’s like a courtship scene from a romance novel. Bo Jinyan stands with his hands in the pockets of his trousers. Tall, and handsome, starring at her with eyes that are gleaming. This is like a dream. Suddenly, Jian Yao has this feeling. He is waiting for her. He is standing there for her. Perhaps he has feeling for her too. But this is too good to be true. Can this be possible? Then Bo Jinyan reaches out his hand to her. He looks into her eyes and says with his low and magnetic voice:

“This is the moment I’ve been waiting for.’ -------------------------------------------------

(Side Story - The master of love) One day, Fu Ziyu had a fight with his girlfriend. She refuses to talk to him. Then he has an idea. He went into the kitchen and steamed a fish. Then he carefully deboned it for her. He was not as skilful as BJY. It took him a long time just to get a small bowl of fish. He looked at it. That should be enough. He took the precious little bowl and put it before his girlfriend: “Have some. You didn’t eat much for lunch today. I especially prepared it for you.” His girlfriend was still mad at him, but she was also quite touched: “What are you doing?” Fu Ziyu followed BJY’s example and said: “Can’t you tell? I am coaxing/pampering you.” Her girlfriend laughs. She takes the bowl and says impressively: “That’s so sweet. You know how to pamper a girl. What a master!” Fu Ziyu answers modestly: “Oh, I just learnt the trick from my friend.” His girlfriend is surprised: “Who is this friend of yours? He is a genius.” Fu Ziyu thinks of his good friend, who is recently attached, and he answers: “ He is a strange man. His love EQ is zero. He never gets the hints the girls are trying to give him. But I reckon he is a natural lover. Even before they started dating, his girlfriend will start blushing at his unintentional comments or actions…. ha ha…” He starts laughing. “What’s so funny?” asks his girlfriend. “Oh, I’m just ‘happy’ for Jian Yao.” ————At the same time, BJY and Jyao are huddling together as they walking down a tree lined path together. Suddenly, he sneezes. Jyao looks at him: “Are you cold? It’s a cool autumn day. She is wearing his jacket. He only has a shirt on. He must be cold! BJY sweeps her a look: “It’s more important that you are not feeling cold.” - Oh… so sweet…. so sweet.

But she needs to point out an important fact: “But… I have my own jacket in the bag. I can take it out. Then you won’t be cold either.” “No!” Insists BJY. “….why?” “I like to see you wrapped in my jacket.” Jyao “……” She blushes. When they get inside the apartment, BJY sits on the sofa. Jyao goes to the bathroom to wash her hands. When she returns, she sees him looking thoughtfully at her. “What is it?” “I want my jacket back.” “Ok.” She takes off his jacket and passes it to him. BJY smiles “Well, you must be cold now that you don’t have a jacket anymore. I have a great idea to keep you warm…” He changes to a lower, deeper and inviting tone: “Come, sit on my lap.” Jyao: “……” She is still blushing.

Chapter 46 The windy road lined with bars and nightclubs. Music blasting from these nightlife establishments fill the streets. The noise and the humid air from the lake add annoyance to an already irritated mind. LI Xunran walks until he can’t see Jyao and BJY anymore. He looks at the dark and lonely sky and gives a long sigh. He did not take a taxi back to his hostel. Instead he chooses a bar that has a lively atmosphere. He walks up to the counter and orders another dozen beers, and sits by himself. It doesn’t take long for a single lady to spot him and walk up to him. She offers him her phone number by stuffing a note into his shirt pocket. He laughs, retrieves the note and passes it back to the lady. “Are you alone?” A man who is also sitting by himself asks him. “Yes.” They clink bottles and drink. 

I wish you happiness, Jyao. Cheers.

—————

On a still lake. Jyao is sitting on a wooden chair. She is looking out to the night lights. She is quite distracted as BJY is sitting beside her, with his arm around the back of her chair again. The atmosphere was charged with excitement as their passion rose within them. “You said earlier you are not looking for a boyfriend?” BJY asks. Jyao does not expect him to bring this up. She doesn’t understand what he is trying to say. She turns around to face the window, with her back to him, and answers: “I don’t need you to introduce someone else to me.” She hears some wood scratching noise. BJY has moved his chair so he can be closer to her. Even though she has her back to him, she can feel him coming closer as the warmth of his body is transferred to her. This man…. Why is he coming closer? “Who says I am introducing someone else to you?” He whispers in his deep low voice. She is slightly stunned, she turns around.

But because they are so close to each other, as she turns, their cheeks rub each other. Jyao freezes. He leans further in. There is hardly any gap between the faces. The tip of their noses are touching. His arms move and wrap around her to pull her toward his chest. They feel the heat rising. Her cheeks and neck flaring hot. This is just like what happened at the cinema… the same ambiguity. But this time, she can see his face, his thick black hair, his adam’s apple, his hands, and those electrifying eyes. What… does he want? This atmosphere…burns. Jyao subconsciously leans back. But there’s a hand behind the back of her head, holding it in place, not allowing it to move away. Jyao’s heart is racing. She hears him say: “What are you afraid of?” He smiles: “Don’t you want to kiss me?” That moment, Jyao is so shocked that she can’t think clearly. Her throat is also feeling a little dry. “What about you…. you want to kiss me?” After she speaks these words, her heart pounds like a drum inside her. She lowers her eyelids. She dares not to look at him. She feels the tip of his finger lifting her chin. His breathing is even closer now, she can feel the warmth just above the tip of her nose. “Yes.” His voice is a little coarse. “Very much so.” She inhaled a deep breath. Her hands tightly gripes the armrests of the wooden chair. His soft cold lips touch hers.

It’s quiet on the lake. There’s a faint sound of music coming from the shore, and the sound of a wood oar paddling through the water. BJY is leaning on top of Jyao. One hand cups the back of her head, while the other cradles her face, locking her in his arms. His lips gently covering hers, licking, sucking… She breathes in his unique masculine scent.

Jyao is shivering. Her heart seems to have stopped beating. Her chest is tightening. She stiffens. But the sensation from the lips… confusing but great at the same time. It’s gentle, mystical, dazzling… She lightly gasps. She opens her eyes. She sees a calm and focused BJY, with his eyes closed. She closes her eyes too. She relaxes and allows him to access the warmth of her mouth. He is kissing her. How does the kiss feel like to him? She wonders. A woman’s scent, as sweet as he has imagined in his dreams. Actually, it’s better than what he’s imagined. When they lips touched, he feels like he is licking honey… He doesn’t want to let go of her. When her nose tip touches his face, and her lashes brushes over his cheeks… Oh… it’s so ticklish, but pleasant. This kiss… is different from what he expected. He thought he would kiss like a gentleman - gently, softly.. that would be a perfect kiss. But after awhile, he felt he wanted more…a more in-depth kiss. He instinctively uses his tongue to swipe across the opening of her lips. She opens her mouth. He can feel her shivering even more as he slides his tongue inside her mouth and tangles with hers…. her breathing becomes heavier. She releases her hand from gripping the armrest to rest gently on his chest. He is stirred by her responsiveness to his kiss. There’s a pleasure he has never felt before in his life. He wraps his hands around the back of her waist and deepens his kiss. Even he is starting to gasp for air… After a long time, he finally lets go of her, concluding their real first kiss. A passionate french kiss. Jyao’s face is burning. Her dreamy eyes are gleaming like the stars. BJY’shand is still cradling her around her shoulders. He looks at her. Even his face, which is usually pale, has a touch of red on his cheeks. “That’s was great. Don’t you think?” He says in a low voice. Jyao’s face couldn’t get any redder than this. But her heart is filled with joy. She asks softly: “Why did you kiss me?” BJY: “What’s wrong with kissing my girlfriend?” Jyao’s lips curl into a smile: “When did I agree to be your girlfriend?” BJY looks at her. The hand that is resting on her shoulder starts to twirl and play with her hair. “Then you can think about it now.”

Neither of them speaks for a while. Then he says: “Jyao. I like you. No matter which angle you look from, we are a perfect match. In the past, we’ve obviously positioned our relationship incorrectly.” Then he continues in his low voice: “We are attracted to each other. We suit each other. I don’t think you need to even think about it. Our kiss, it says it all. You, and me. We have feelings for each other. I want you, Jyao, as my woman, my lover.” Jyao is speechless. He said ‘he likes her! He also said ‘they have incorrectly positioned their relationship’ - what utter rubbish! Only HE had the wrong idea. And, “he wants her?”?? The cabin is quiet other than the sound of the water beneath them. Jyao leans into his arms. After a while, he turns to look at her: “So, what’s your decision?” Jyao tries not to laugh: “It’s just been a few minutes.” He sweeps her a look: “Ok, take your time.” Then he points at his face with his finger: “Kiss me. I initiated the kiss earlier. Now it’s your turn.” Jyao laughs: “….what?” That’s BJY’s logic for you. He stops urging. But he doesn’t move. He is waiting. Jyao’s heart is beating faster again. She leans over and kisses him softy on his cheeks. He turns around and looks straight into her eyes. “That was perfect!” He mutters. Before she has time to respond, he tightens his arms to pull her even closer towards him. Not giving her a chance to object, he kisses her again. ———— By the time they leave the boat, her lips are a little swollen. So is his. A twenty two year woman and a twenty six years old man, acting like teenagers that experience love for the first time. The streets are still filled with people having a good time at the bars and nightclubs. BJY has his arm around her waist. They are walking to the carpark together. He is in a fantastic mood. Everything seems to be beautiful and lovely. Even when the carpark warden greeted BJY, he did something he’s never done before. He responded. ————-

As they leave the nightlife district, there’s less cars on the road. They drive through the city lights. BJY has his hand on the steeling wheel. He can’t stop smiling. Jyao is sitting beside him. Her heart is filled with a happiness that she can’t even start to describe. Perhaps it’s because they kissed too much? Both of them are feeling thirsty. Jyao takes out a bottle of mineral water on the side. She drinks a few mouthful and is about to put the lid back on. BJY reaches his hands out to take it from her. Jyao tells him: “There’s another bottle. Do you want me to get it for you?” BJY smiles at her:” I am drinking yours.” He starts drinking. 

Oh, this man….

He is so natural with actions like these… it’s so sweet that it’s almost reached the point of being sickening… But she loves it. After driving for a while, he turns to look at her. “Yao Yao, do you want me?” He asks. Jyao just about chokes on the mouthful of water she is sipping. Though his choice of word is suggestive, she is sure the word ‘want’ means ‘belong to’ in this context. She coughs and then answers softly: “You are already my boyfriend.” - After that passionate kiss, you are still asking if I want you? BJY pauses for a while and says: “I mean… my body.” Jyao coughs more. This time, her face is red too. “No… not now.” she answers immediately. - Come on, the thought has never crossed her mind. But then she thought about her answer. Not now? Why didn’t she simply say no? They stop at the traffic lights. He looks on to the road ahead. Then he says: “It will be very beautiful.” It took a while for Jyao to understand what he was referring to. Her face burns again.

This guy… She used to think to herself. If one day, he decides to like her too, she will probably have to initiate a lot of things in the relationship, since his love EQ is so low. He has no experiences with relating to girls. But she is willing to guide him. Step by step, they will create a future today. Because, even though she has not been in a relationship before either, she is the one with the higher EQ. But perhaps she is wrong. After the ‘awakening’, even though his EQ is still lacking… he is a man with no shame! And his narcissistic personality means he will just ask for what he wants, when he wants it. So, he is already thinking about… All this while, she has been quietly waiting for him to respond. Carefully, they will build their relationship slowly. One step at a time. But the response she is getting seems very different from her expectations. She is like a little rabbit who is hopping into a wolf’s den, ready to be devoured! No. It can’t be this way! ——————— They are back at the apartment block. They stand in front of BJY’s front door. Jyao: “I’m going back. Goodnight.” BJY smiles. His arm is still around her waist: “I will send you up.” Jyao is still thinking about his ‘want’ statement. She stiffens a bit. But he’s already pressed the button for the elevator. That should be fine. Jyao thinks to herself. I won’t allow anything to happen tonight. Not possible! They are standing outside Jyao’s door. And Chen Mo is there, cuddled up in the corner. Jyao asks curiously: “Chen Mo? Why are you here?” BJY looks at the empty shell. The flower is gone. Anyone could have taken it. Kids, the cleaner, security… Oh well, never mind, he’s got the woman. Jyao is about to pick him up. BJY stops her: “Just leave him here. I will bring him down afterwards.” Jyao: “Well, at least, take him with us.”

BJY gives her a glance: “Do you liked to be watched by a tortoise while you are kissing your boyfriend?” Jyao: “……” So, he intends to kiss her again when they get inside? She unlocks the door with her key, and says to him at the same time: “It’s getting late. You should get going. We have to go to the station tomorrow.” There’s a click sound. BJY pushes the door open and walks in. Jyao follows behind. She closes the door. Jyao left a side lamp on. It is not a very bright light, helps to create a lovely ambiance.

He takes off his jacket, then turns around to look at her. She feels a bit uneasy and walks to the kitchenette: “Would you like some water?” she asks. He has walked up to her. She turns around. He puts his hands on her shoulders. He looks at her with a smile. Before she has time to think, he has pushed her all the way to her bed. “What are you doing?” She puts her hand in front of his chest to block him from coming any closer. But before she knows it, she is pushed onto the bed, with him lying on top of her. His lips are always covering hers, he replies fuzzily: “Kiss you, of course. Now, close your eyes.” This kiss is even more passionate than the ones on the boat. Jyao feels his weight on top of hers. She is feeling breathless. One of his hands gliding over her hair, the other holding one of her hands. He deepens the kiss… Both of their breathing quickens. BJY ’s lips have left her face, it’s moving down the curves of her neckline… downwards. He is just following his primitive instincts. Jyao never felt this way before…. the tinkling sensation. She feels like she is melting under his lips… Suddenly, she feels coolness in her chest. She looks down. He’s left her neck. His hand is unbuttoning her shirt, and his mouth is resting on her soft plump skin… Jyao pushes him away: “Stop! Not there.”

BJY lifts up his head. His face is red. He looks at her. Then she sees him licking his lips, as if he wants more. But he decides to let go of her. They sit side by side on the bed. Though the long kiss is over, the atmosphere is still hot and steamy. Jyao carefully buttons up her top, pulls her clothes and uses her fingers to brush her messy hair. Then BJY takes her hand and places it inside his. He slips his hand around her waist and holds her. He looks at her. His voice is still coarse: “To reciprocate the favour… don’t you want to kiss my neck?” Jyao’s heart starts pounding again. Why is it so hard to resist him? She puts her hands on his shoulder. Then she leans over and gently presses her lips on his neck. His scent wafting around her and into her nostrils. His hands gently caressing her cheeks, her hair, her ears…. After a while, she looks up. They stare into each other eyes. “You are so sexy…” He says softly. Jyao’s face is burning with embarrassment. He leans over to kiss her again. She pushes him away with whatever strength is left inside her: “You should go.” ————— Reluctantly, BJY returns to his apartment. The first day of invasion stops at the neck. Jyao lies in bed. His masculine smell lingers in her studio. She covers her face with the duvet. What is she going to do? She is crazy about him, but he is moving so fast. How many times will she be able to stop his advancements? —————— BJY puts Chen Mo to the corner. He takes a shower, then goes to bed. At night, he dreamt again. In his dream, Jyao didn’t stop him when he was kissing her breast. Then… the passion continued… Suddenly, BJY wakes up. He sits on the bed for a few seconds. He changes the bed linen and his pyjamas. He throws them into the washing machine. Then he goes back to bed. ……

Chapter 47 Monday morning. Fu Ziyu is holding his cup of coffee, sitting in his office. The first thing he does is to give Bo Jinyan a call. “How was it?” He laughs: “Was it successful?” Bo Jinyan answers lazily on the other end: “She is very happy with me.” He is standing in front of the mirror, putting on his tie. Fu Ziyu laughs. Even though this is what he has expected, he can’t stand BJY’s arrogance. “Let’s celebrate tonight.” Says Fu Ziyu. “Ok.” After he hangs up. Fu Ziyu calls Jian Yao to congratulate her. It was too late last night. Jian Yao didn’t notice the love bites he left on her neck. She is examining at them in the mirror when he called. “Thanks. If it’s not for your encouragement, we might not be together.” They chat for a while. She asks: “What made Bo Jinyan decide to confess yesterday?” She smiles as she asks the question. FJY recalls the answer Bo Jinyan gave him when he asked the exact same question. “It’s because he suddenly realised you are special to him. And he has strong desires for you.’ Jian Yao blushes in the morning sun. “…. I can tell.” She mutters. “What?” Fu Ziyu didn’t hear her. Jian Yao refuses to repeat: “O, nothing.” ————Jian Yao comes down to his apartment as usual. After two knocks. Bo Jinyan quickly opens the door. He has a big smile on his face. “Good morning.’ Jian Yao says. Bo Jinyan looks down at her: “Good morning, my dear.”

She is stunned by the term of endearment. He continues with his plan, which is to bend down and give her a morning kiss…French style. After the short kiss, he moves his lips away. His bright black eyes look gently at her. He says with his low husky voice: “We’ll continue tonight?” Jian Yao blushes. This man…. She changes the subject: “Let’s go. We have lots on today.’ “Mmm..” He rests his hands inside the pockets of his trousers. “You can cling to my arms when we are walking together.” She obliges and put her arm around his. He looks satisfied. She can’t help laughing… - He likes to cling on to me when he walks. Actually, she likes it too. ————————The first day of work after they become lovers. Nothing much changes. As Bo Jinyan starts to work, he returns to the Bo Jinyan she is familiar with - quiet, focused, a little unruly. He still forgets to eat, or to talk to her. So naturally, there’s no kissing either. But for her, it’s different. What happened last night keeps distracting her from concentrating. But she is glad that he is acting ‘normally’. That when they are working, he would keep a professional distance. However, when the bell rings for lunchtime, something is different from usual. She sees a pair of eyes, looking hungrily at her. 

Oh… the bell broke his concentration for work. Suddenly, his mind is freed up to think of other things. Then Bo Jinyan puts down what he is doing. He walks over to Jian Yao and kissed her. After a very long kiss, he smiles and goes back to work.

Mmmm…. so it’s not because he doesn’t want to kiss her. He is just too focused on his work and forgets the world around him. But once he’s stopped working, he comes immediately to soothe his desires. —————— Twilight. Fu Ziyu arrives at the restaurant. He asks the waitress: “Have my friends arrived yet?” The waitress shows him to the private dining room. She blushes as she tells him: “They have arrived for a while now.” Fu Ziyu was puzzling about her strange reaction. But once he opened the door to the room, it all made sense. Inside the dimly lit room. A couple is sitting at the sofa. The man has his head lowered down. He is kissing the girl in the pretty long dress. Even though he has had many girlfriends himself, seeing how focused these two are in their kiss, he feels a little embarrassed on their behalf. And it is too hard to imagine…. Bo Jinyan kissing a girl! He gives a small laugh, then walks over to them. When Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao hear someone has entered the room, they lift their heads together. Jian Yao’s face is red with embarrassment. She wants to push Bo Jinyan away. Bo Jinyan just takes a glance at Fu Ziyu, nods at him and turns his attention back to Jian Yao: “Ziyu can do the ordering. Let’s continue.” Jian Yao pushes harder to break away from him. She picks up her glass of juice. This man….a professor by day, an animal by night. When he wants to kiss, he doesn’t care who is there with them. Bo Jinyan starts chatting with Fu Ziyu. But he is still holding her hand. He is squeezing her hands playfully. In the middle of the meal, Bo Jinyan decides to go to the toilet. Fu Ziyu looks at Jian Yao. She thought he is about to hassle her. But he gives a sigh, and says to her: “This is great. I thought he would die a lonely old man. Thanks for loving him.” Jian Yao is touched. She says:”Surely not. You mentioned before that lots of girls are interested in him.” Fu Ziyu answers: “But love is a two way thing. It’s not easy to win his heart.” He rests his chin on his hand: “Beware, Jian Yao. Once he’s serious about you, he’s committed for life.”

Jian Yao answers: “That’s too far in the future.” They just started. And not to forget, his love EQ is low. “….I’ll prove it to you.” he says with a very sure tone. After Bo Jinyan comes back. Fu Ziyu says in a very causal tone: “You will only accept a perfect ring as a wedding ring for Jian Yao.” Jian Yao is drinking tea. She is observing his reactions. Bo Jinyan answers without thinking: “Of course.” Fu Ziyu continues: “Choosing the stone, getting it polished, deciding on a designer, find the right craftman… You will need at least a few months. Remember that.” Bo Jinyan thinks for a while. He looks at Jian Yao “She is the most fussy woman I’ve ever met. I should allow twelve months.” Then he lifts his brows: “Oh… should make a start on it now.” Fu Ziyu: “Sure.” Jian Yao: “….” ——————— Falling in love has the same effect to a person whether they are sixteen or twenty six. No matter how old you are, you just want to spend as much time as you can with the other person. Even if the two of you are just sitting together, doing nothing. It’s 8:00pm. The golden hours in the evening. Jian Yao didn’t even ask. She knew he would follow her to her studio. As she steps into the elevator, he holds her hand. “If I remember correctly..” he says ”You should move in with me today.” Jian Yao is confused: “When did I say that?” Bo Jinyan pauses and ‘reminds’ her: “Well, you said when you have a boyfriend, you will be living with him, spending time with him 24/7” That is what she said before. It was meant to be an excuse to reject his offer for moving in with him previously. Now he is using it to his advantage. She bits her lower lip. He continues to say to her: “Attention. I am your boyfriend. We have a great relationship. I fit all your requirements…” “Ok.” She says softly, holding his hand and swaying it: “I will move my stuff down tonight.” He tightens his grip on her hand.

“Fantastic.” One hour later. Bo Jinyan is holding her luggage, walking in front. She follows leisurely behind. She remembers what he said in the restaurant. He has already made up his mind to marry her. She is so touched. But of course, it also shows how arrogant he is. But she didn’t want to fight with him. Because if she says “But when did I decide to marry you?” , he might well decide to propose to her tonight. What if that happens? So it’s much easier not to bring up the subject. But…. She knows that he is not a man who will plan for these things way in advance. It’s just that Fu Ziyu mentioned about it, and he speaks out his views on it. At least she knows that he is serious about the relationship. That he cares a lot about her. And whether they will get more intimate? She thought it has nothing to do with moving in together. Bo Jinyan is a gentleman. He will respect her decisions. So whether it will happen or not, it’s entirely up to her.

But Jian Yao doesn’t know men well enough. And she doesn’t know herself well enough either. She forgets that sometimes emotions and passion can bury logic and self control. There’s still lots of time after they move her belongings downstairs. He sits down on the sofa and turns on the TV. Time for another documentary. Now that this is also her home, she takes away the remote and says: “Let’s watch something else for a change.’ She changes to the drama channel. Bo Jinyan frowns and says: “That’s torture.” Jian Yao replies: “It’s entertainment.” She continues to change channels to see what interests her. Bo Jinyan is trying to stop her. But when he lowers his head, she lifts her head at the same time. Pulling his sleeves, she says to him: “You work on those cases all day. Your brain will need to rest too. Don’t just watch documentaries on criminology.” She speaks softly to him. Her slender fingers touch the fabric when she pulls his sleeve. So he says to her: “I am not interested. But if you kiss me every five minutes, I will accompany you to do even the most boring thing in the world.”

—————— After they finish, it’s past 11:00pm. Jian Yao is sitting in his lap. He is kissing her…. cheeks, neck, ears, hand… Every time he finishes, he will demand her to kiss him on the same spots. Amidst the rosy cheeks, heavy breathing, and loving gazes, he tries to seduce her again: “Sleep in my room tonight?” he says it his coarse husky voice. Jian Yao quickly jumps off him: “No, I am going to bed now.” ————— She is lying on bed. Jian Yao has the duvet over her head. she can still hear what’s happening outside. His footsteps. Noise of opening and closing doors. Then it’s the sound of water coming out from a tap. He is taking a bath in the lounge. He really doesn’t care, does he? She doesn’t want to hear the sound but there’s no way of shutting them out. Then her phone rings. It’s Jian Xuan. She is spending her summer holidays at home. She will return to school after Midautumn festival. Jian Yao smiles and answers the call. After chatting for awhile, Jian Yao senses there’s something on her sister’s mind. “What it is?” She says her sister. Jian Xuan pauses. Then she asks Jian Yao: “Did Li Xunran confess his love to you?

"What?" says Jian Yao.

Chapter 48 There is an endless crowd in the vast airport departure hall, and broadcast updates for the passengers every few minutes. This place is like the rest of B City: prosperous, busy and surrounded by strangers. Li Xunran lights a cigarette in the smoking room. He takes out his mobile phone. It’s a photo of Jian Yao which he took a few days ago. She was smiling brightly in the sun. And he was standing behind her, with one hand on the railings and the other over her shoulder. He gives a small laugh. He puts out his cigarette and stands up. As he opens the door of the smoking room, he sees her. Jian Yao. Their eyes meet. She smiles at him, like she normally would, warm and gentle. Li Xunran feels like someone has poked his heart with small knife as he sees the smile. After a moment, he walks up to her. He smiles: ‘Why are you here?” This time, Jian Yao voice has a little sadness in it: “You don’t plan to say goodbye before you leave?” Li Xunran is quiet. Behind them, people are hurrying past to get the departure gates. Both of them smiles at the same time. Li Xunran reaches out to pull Jian Yao into his arms. Jian Yao rests her hands on his back. He has a comfortable and broad chest, with a faint smell of sweat. Even though Li Xunran is three years older than Jian Yao. Jian Yao has never called him “Ge”. (NOTE from TB: just in case you are not familiar… Ge which means brother - a term the chinese uses for people in the same generation as them but older. It’s a term used amongst friends and acquaintances as well as family) Li Xunan is Li Xunran. When she needs him, he is always there. He is always encouraging her - “You can do this. It is not that difficult.” “Yes, that’s more like it. Well done.” Nothing more needs to be said. Her most important friend. Someone she never wants to lose. Li Xunran cradles her in his arms. His hands feel her soft waist, her floral fragrance in his nose. He tightens his grip, then lets her go. “How did you come into the departure lounge? It’s restricted area.” He asks.

She holds up her police identity card: “That’s quite handy. Now I know how you feel to have a pass that gives you access everywhere.” Li Xunran laughs. He puts his hand on her shoulders: “Go. I need to board the plane.” “Mmm…” Jian Yao laughs too. She walks with him. They are at the start of the corridor that leads to the departure gate. “Your new boyfriend is not with you today?” He asks. “No, he is at home.” ————— There are many kinds of love. Li Xunran’s love to Jian Yao is in between friends and lovers. From young, they hang out together. As Jian Yao was growing up, a lot of boys were interested in her. They wanted to go after her, but they were blocked by Li Xunran. Others used to say to him: “Hey, you are only protecting her so that you can have her all to yourself.” He used to say to them: “That’s my sister. I am not going to let her get into a relationship in her teens. It’s too young.” But is she only a sister to him? At least for eighteen year old Li Xunran, that’s what he thought. Then a year later, he finished his last year of secondary school. He got into the Police academy. He needed to leave town. On his last day at home, he went to her house. At the entrance of their house, he heard Jian Xuan crying: “Sis, are you really ok with Li Xunran leaving?” At the time, Jian Yao was fifteen. Jian Xuan was twelve. Li Xunran overhead their conversation. “Of course not…. I will miss him so much.”Jian Yao says: “Actually, I want to go to the Police Academy too.” Li Xunran felt like something was pricking his heart. Jian Yao was a strong girl. He seldom saw her in tears. She must really like her ‘Xunran Ge’. That night, Li Xunran made up his mind. He wanted to tell her that he will wait for her. He will wait for her to grow up. When she is eighteen, he will be her first boyfriend. When he steps into their house for the second time though, he overheard another conversation. This time, it’s between his mom, and her mom. “You won’t let Jian Yao go to the police academy?” Li Xunran’s mom asked. “Actually it’s pretty safe to be policemen nowadays. Times are different.”

Jian Yao’s mom shook her head: “I don’t. And I will be frank to you. I don’t want my daughter to find a boyfriend who is a policeman either. I don’t want her to keep remembering what happened. She is still young. I don’t want her to carry the burden for the rest of her life.” Li Xunran’s mom pads her back: “I understand. Don’t worry. Xunran is like a brother to her. Both of them are good kids. We are very lucky.” ————— Li Xunran had one girl friend when he was attending university. But she didn’t want to live in a small town. When Li Xunran returned to his hometown to work, they broke up. Last winter, he met Jian Yao again. He was very happy to see her. Then Jian Yao became Bo Jinyan ’s assistant. He felt a hint of jealousy. But he didn’t persist. He was sure he would get over it. They were good friends. They lived in different cities. Her mom didn’t approve of a policeman boyfriend. And most importantly, she was not interested in him. Until two months ago. He was badly injured while investigating a case. Stabbed by one of the criminal several times. People say you see visions before you die. At the verge of death, he remembered seeing a flash of white light. Then blood speared all over a dull and confused world. He saw his parents. He was in his police uniform. They were smiling, hugging as a family. Then he saw a room, full of blood. A room that is decorated in 1990s, with a twenty inch LED TV. The sofa was the old fashioned type that had springs in them. There were a few people lying on the ground. A lot of people were in the room. Many of them, crying. As he entered the room, he stepped into a pool of blood. Then he heard someone say: “All dead, except for two kids.” “The younger one is carried outside. But the older one refuses to leave. She is clinging on to Lao Jian (Jian Senior). “She saw everything.” “Xunran? How did you get in here? Bring both of the kids out.”

Then someone put a little girl next to him. She had blood all over her. He looked down. His little face was pale. Her eyes were wide open. She was not crying. She was not making a sound. She used her little arms to hug him. He hugged her back. They hugged each other for the next few days. They refused to let go. They slept together at night. That year. He was ten. She was seven. He thought, that he only had a crush on her. That it would eventually pass. But until he reached the point where he almost died, did he realise he had given everything within him to her. His love for her flowed like a quiet stream, one that had never stopped flowing for as long as he knew her. ——————— Jian Xuan was home. She often visited him in the hospital. One day she picked up his mobile phone: “It’s a missed call from sis. She sent you a text. Are you not going to reply to her?” He smiled: “No, if she knows about this, she will drop everything she is doing and come back immediately. She just started her new job.” Jian Xuan looked at him. She keeps quiet. But Li Xunran was well aware of the real reason. He didn’t want her to see him in pain. It would be too heartbreaking for her. He is a man. A police. If he has to sacrifice his life for justice, so be it. But he did not want to see the woman he loves to shed a tear for him. He was seven years late in his confession. When he was well, he would go and find her. ———— At the departure gate. Most of the travellers have boarded the plane. Li Xunran turns to looks at Jian Yao. He didn’t say much, just ruffles her hair with a smile. Jian Yao laughs too: “I will come back to visit you during Chinese New Year.” “Mmmm…” Moments of quiet.

Then he calls her softly: “Jian Yao.” “Huh…” Jian Yao answers “Look who is here.” He points to her back. Jian Yao thought “No way…” She turns around, but there are only faces of strangers. There is no sight of the arrogant man. She turns back to face Li Xunran. Suddenly a shadow covers her face. The next thing she knows, his lips are pressing on hers. His hand wraps around her waist. His tongue going straight into her mouth. She tries to move her tongue away from his, but he is determined to chase after her. His kiss is hard and deep, like he wants to swallow her mouth and tongue. Jian Yao tries to push him away. But before long, he lets go of her. They keep a safe distance between them. His face seems to be blushing too. His lips still wet from the kiss. Jian Yao looks at him. She doesn’t know what to say. He laughs and touches his lip with his hand. “Just this once.” He says slowly. “To make my trip worthwhile.” Jian Yao feels heaviness in her heart. He has a big smile on his face. “Ok, I am going. Remember, you said you’d visit this winter.” He turns around walks to the gate. “Xunran!” Jian Yao shouts out. He pauses his steps. “Have a good trip. Send me a text when you get home.” He doesn’t look back. He waves to her and says his farewell in a warm voice: “Goodbye, Jian Yao.” Goodbye, the girl that I didn’t know I’ve loved for so many years. ——————— Jian Yao drove Bo Jinyan ’s Grand Cherokee to the airport today. When she left the carpark, it’s past 8:00pm. The corners of her eyes starts to get wet. She lets down the windows of the car. The autumn’s breeze comes through. After a while, the tears are dried off.

——————— When she gets back into the apartment. The TV is on, but there is no one in the lounge. She takes off her shoes to change into house slippers. A sweet buttery smell is coming from the kitchen. She walks into the kitchen and finds Bo Jinyan with a black apron over his shirt and trousers. He is wearing a pair of mittens, standing proudly in front of the kitchen table.

A combination of cool & chic, and warmth & family. Two images that don’t usually fit together. It’s a strangely comforting sight. He takes a look at her and turns to the oven. Jian Yao walks to him: “What are you doing? He is wearing mittens, so he can’t hug her. He leans over to give her a peck on the lips. “As you are out saying goodbye to your secret admirer, your boyfriend is at home making cookies for you.” She is stunned. After work today, she told him she is going to the airport to send Li Xunran off. Bo Jinyan just say to her: “Ok, let’s go.” Then she corrected him: “I am going, by myself.” She thought he would be upset with her. But he simply said: “Be careful. Don’t come home too late.” Jian Yao didn’t tell him about Li Xunran’s feelings for her. She thought Bo Jinyan don’t really care about Li Xunran. 

So he knows about it. Well, of course he would.

He is a psychologist. Just because he is slow with his own emotions doesn't mean he doesn’t have feelings. In fact, since he met Jian Yao on day one, he quite liked her. But he thought that the‘like’ feeling was similar to what he had for FZY - friendship…. until he realised how much he wanted to have her all to himself. ———— Once he realised it is love (between a man and a woman), he was able to see that Li Xunran had the same micro-expressions on his face as himself when he was with Jian Yao.

When he heard that Jian Yao wanted to send Li Xunran off by herself, he was not entirely happy. But he is a gentleman and he knew he had to respect Jian Yao and give her the space she needed. So.. he baked cookies for her instead. Because, she made a passing comment before about a particular cookie recipe that she likes very much. ——————Their eyes meet. His gentle gaze melts away any remaining heaviness in her heart. She wraps her hands around his waist: “Thank you. My hardworking boyfriend.” Since they are together, this is the first time she has initiated a hug (although it’s only been three days, Bo Jinyan feels they have been together for a long time). His lips curls into a smile: “You don’t have much strength.” Squeeze harder, woman! —————— But Bo Jinyan does not like to be interrupted when he is in action. This applies to baking too. After a while, he makes Jian Yao waits for him outside. When the cookies are ready, he tried the first one. He is happy with it. A plate of his cookies, some red wine, and a red rose. He carries the tray into the lounge but no one is there. She is standing in the balcony. She turns around to look at him. She has light a candle and placed it on the balcony table. She looks beautiful under the candlelight. - Oh…. she is so romantic. Bo Jinyan puts down the biscuits and give her a kiss. “Can we chat?” She asks “Mmmm….” “I want to tell you about my childhood.”

The Bo Jinyan that is focusing on the kiss pauses. Then he locks his hand tightly around her waist: “A good decision.” he says to her.

Chapter 49 When you love a person, you want to share your deepest secrets with him. On a peaceful night. Even the stars are ready for bed, shimmering in the horizon. Jian Yao curls up like a cat on the sofa. She is resting her head on Bo Jinyan ’s chest. She says: “Actually, I can’t remember much about what happened to dad, or even what he looks like.” Bo Jinyan nods: “That’s the usual memory capacity for a normal person.” Jian Yao laughs. She beats his chest lightly. Even as a listener, he is serious and ‘technical’. “I was seven then.” she said. Her eyes are looking into a blank space. “Dad was involved in a murder case with a gang leader. The man had many followers.” “Ah..” Bo Jinyan ’s hand plays with the hair behind her ears: “Continue.” “That day, dad brought me and Xiao Xuan to my grandfather’s house. It’s grandpa’s birthday. Mom had to work late in the factory.” Her voice is turning coarse. “We were having so much fun. I remembered grandma and grandpa were cooking dinner. Jian Xuan was very young then. She was sleeping in the room. Dad was playing with me. Then, those men came.” Jian Yao’s tightens her grip on Bo Jinyan ’s hand. Bo Jinyan looks at her with his deep black eyes. “They call themselves the ‘axe gang’, because their choice of weapon is axes.” Jian Yao lets out a breath, “Actually, they are all boys between twelve to twenty years old. They ran away quickly after the incident. All of them were caught and served time in prison after that.” After she finishes, she keeps quiet and leans more into his arms. And Bo Jinyan …. He sees her head digging into his chest. His heart has a burst of warmth and pity for her: Oh… she confides and trusts in him. Her man. Listening and sharing are important aspects of any relationship, just like physical closeness. After drafting a response in his mind, he says to Jian Yao: ‘I am glad you share your past with me. Actually, I already know about this a long time ago. But it has a different significance to hear it from you. This means that the love and trust you have for me has reached a deeper level. Of course, I am the same.”

Jian Yao smiles in his arms. He continues: “You have handled the tragic incident very well. I am very proud of you.” Tears form in the corners of her eyes. She knows his response will be different from the usual “don’t be sad.” Type’s statements. But he is proud of her? A simple statement, like the most beautiful music notes, has made an impact in her heart. She pauses for a while, then she says: “There’s more.” Bo Jinyan raises his brows. He looks at her. “I was not in the room. I was in the lounge.” She says slowly. “I was playing hide and seek with dad. He… locked me in the cupboard, and pushed a sofa over to cover it. I could see what’s going on. They had the music up. No one heard my screaming and yelling. When I was rescued, dad was still alive. I held on to him, until he breathed his last breath.” —————Why did she decide to tell Bo Jinyan about it tonight? Perhaps after saying goodbye to Li Xunran reminded her of her past. Perhaps she has finally found a person whom she can share, without reservations, her deepest and most painful memories. Because he understands. He understands how she would have felt, more than anyone else. From now on, he is the closest person to her. Bo Jinyan looks solemn. He stares at her for a few seconds, then he kisses her. This evening, he embraced her while he listened quietly, and of course making sure his side of the promise was met - a kiss every now and then. When they first started, Jian Yao didn’t pay too much attention. Later, she realised that he strictly followed the time limit - once five minutes was reached, he would pause the conversation and ask for a kiss. She asks him if there are any interesting things he did at university that he wants to share with her. He frowns and replies: “Nothing in particular.” Jian Yao: “….. ok.” She is feeling tired. It’s getting late.

She stands ups from the sofa: “I am going to bed now.” Bo Jinyan looks at her. He also stands up. The two of them goes back through the lounge to get to their respective rooms. Jian Yao says before she walks into her room: “Good night.” Bo Jinyan gently kisses her forehead: “Good night. Sweet dreams.” ————— But she didn’t really have sweet dreams. Instead, she finds it hard to fall asleep. Perhaps her heart is feeling a little empty after recalling the events from her childhood. She looks out the windows. Stars dimly lines the dark sky. She sighs. Then she thinks about Bo Jinyan . These few nights, after a lot of cuddling and kissing, he will ask for more. The first day. He asks: “Do you want my body?” The second day. He says: “Sleep in my room tonight?” But tonight. He seemed to have forgotten about this. He simply said goodnight to her. Jian Yao laughs. —————— In Bo Jinyan ’s room. He is wearing his black pyjamas, lying straight (in the healthy sleep posture) on the bed. But he is not asleep yet. He has seen things far worse than Jian Yao’s experience. A lot more cruel and bloody, including his own past. But when he thinks about his woman had once been through hell, and remembers her tears, he feels agitated. After lying in bed for an hour or so, he gets out of bed, and takes out a key. He walks out of his room. Men like him don’t even consider whether it’s appropriate to go into a woman’s bedroom in the middle of the night, without her permission. He only knows he really wants to be with this woman now. And she is just a wall away. So, why not? ———-

Jian Yao is still awake. She hears his footsteps. Bo Jinyan is awake too? What is he trying to do in the middle of the night? Then she hears the sound of the door being unlocked. He quietly walks into her room, and closes the door behind him. Jian Yao is not nervous. She knows Bo Jinyan will not do anything to her that is against her will. The room is dark. She half open her eyes to see what he wants to do next. He walks up to the bed. Jian Yao quickly closes her eyes to pretend she is asleep. Then she feels her hand is lifted up by him. A warm moist touch - he kisses her hand. Jian Yao’s heart skips a beat. He gently puts her hand back on bed. Sometimes, a small kiss on the back of the hand means more to woman than a long passionate kiss. That is because it’s not about lust - just admiration. Jian Yao wants to laugh, but she refrains. After a while, she senses there’s no more movement. She thought he is going to leave the room. But the right hand side of her bed sinks in. She is stunned. He lied down on her bed? His masculine scent is coming towards her. The coolness of the fabric of his black pyjamas brushes past her nose. Then, there’s weight on top of her waist. He is resting his hand there. She tries hard not to move. He is obviously not that tired. Soon, his hand is twirling her hair. But he is only doing it gently and carefully, just in case he wakes her up. This guy…. Jian Yao can’t stand it anymore. She opens her eyes. Her pupils are bright even in the dark room. Their eyes meet. He is a little stunned. Then he smiles. “You can’t sleep either.” he sounds pleased. Jian Yao laughs. He is facing her, which means he is lying down sideways. She says to him: “Oh, an unhealthy sleep posture.” Bo Jinyan examines his pose. That’s true. He didn’t even notice that. As someone that despises her sleeping position… he has broken the golden rule.

He looks at her for a while: “So?” She answers: “So.. what?” “How are you going to compensate me?” Once the voice stops, his kiss lands on her mouth. A deep kiss. His hands cupping her cheeks. He kisses her until she starts to gasp for air. Then he looks at her. Jian Yao looks at him too. He is like a beautiful sculpture, whose existence is for the sole purpose of staring at her. Heat is rising quickly in this room. At least, that’s how the two of them feel. It’s like something is fermenting in the air. Her heart is pounding like never before. The emptiness she felt earlier is completely filled and soothed by this kiss. His mouth, his every touch, like a magnet, is attracting her to want more. She wraps her arms around his neck. And at the same time, he moves on top of her. Their hands lock together. His lips press on her again. --------After the sharing, both of their hearts are unsettled, they both feel the suppressed desires slowly releasing. He starts at the mouth, then he hovers on her cheeks. Soon he moves down to her neck. Jian Yao mind is not thinking whether this is or is not appropriate anymore. She just wants to be close to him. Tonight feels different to the past two nights. An urge that was hiding somewhere deep within their body have surfaced. A fire has been ignited. Dangerous, but terribly tempting. Perhaps she is not sure what she is getting herself into. Jian Yao is wearing a pyjamas set. Bo Jinyan ’s hand is feeling the curves of her body that’s underneath the thin layer of fabric. Then, he reaches ups gradually and grabs a handful of her full and plump flesh. “Oh…” He uses his fingers to squeeze it gently. His mouth lets out a moan. It’s the first time someone has touched her like this. Jian Yao grabs on to his pyjamas. She buries her face in his chest. Without thinking, Bo Jinyan is unbuttoning her pyjamas top. She cries out: “Don’t…”

For the first time, Bo Jinyan ignores her plead. He lowers his head and bites her. That is a strange sensation. An itch that starts dispersing to the rest of her body from the top of her head. In the dark, she can see his short black hair. His head buried in her chest. She feels like she is suffocating. “fantastic!” He mutters. (TB: In the original text, that’s exactly what he said - Fantastic- in English) Jian Yao covers her face with her hands: “Can you please… don’t comment.” They bodies are rubbing against each other. He holds her with his pair of large hands. Amidst the gentle bites and kisses, she feels something hard is against her body.

This is making her feel very shy, and a little fearful of what will happen next. Suddenly, Bo Jinyan lets go of her and sits up. She looks at him. He quickly takes off his clothes and lies down on top of her again. Jian Yao puts a hand on his chest to stop him: “You took off your clothes… for what?” Bo Jinyan is also stunned. He took off his clothes because subconsciously, he was feeling very hot. There’s a tight feeling inside him that makes him want to explode. So… he took off his clothes. He pauses for a second and thinks about the situation. “Jian Yao, let’s do it.” She is lying underneath him. Goosebumps rises on her bare skin that’s exposed in the air. She makes a fist. She looks at him in the dark. His naked body. In this moment, time has stopped for the both of them. The atmosphere is hot and inviting. They look quietly at each other. He is waiting for her answer. In a soft and slightly coarse voice, she whispers: “Please be gentle.” Bo Jinyan has a big grin on his face: “Thank you.” His body covers her. Only this time, while their tongues tangle, his hand slides underneath her pants.

Her whole body tenses up as he touches her leg. Then, she hears his voice in her ears: “I need to make one correction.” “Huh…”Even her voice is shivering. “If I am too gentle, you will not be aroused.” She feels defeated. She just wants to hide in his arms: “Please… just don’t speak.” He straightens his body again. He reaches out for the light switch: “I need to turn on the lights.” “No!” Jian Yao is blocking his hand. “Why? Don’t you want to look at my body?” “That’s not it.” She said. Her face is red like a tomato. “I am shy. We’ll have the lights on next time. Ok?” Bo Jinyan hesitates: “Ok.” Jian Yao is relieved, until she hears him say: “I can wear my night vision glasses. Then we’ll both get what we want.” “No! You are not allowed to.” She holds on to his shoulders to stop him from getting out of bed. Bo Jinyan looks at her in the dark. Then he laughs. “Why are you so shy?” Before he gets an answer, he leans down again. Tenderly and gently, he glides his hands down her neck and below. He takes her pyjamas top off and starts kissing her back, inch by inch, while his hand continues to move down her body. Every cell in Bo Jinyan is crying out to him to get to the main act. But he restrains himself. He knows the woman in his lap is accepting his advances because she loves him very much. But she is very shy and tense. As a gentleman, he should put her feelings before his. And human biology tells us sufficient foreplay is necessary to help a lady get excited. He wants her to have a good and memorial first experience. So he patiently waits and enduring the burning desires in him, kissing her over and over again. In hindsight, Bo Jinyan regretted the delay. Based on experiences he accumulated after that night, he realised that Jian Yao’s body would have been ready for him midway through their foreplay. But since he lack experience at the time, he dragged it out for too long, which led to the delay of their first night.

——————It’s late in the night. Jian Yao’s perfect naked body is finally before him. Bo Jinyan takes a breathe. He is ready to reach out to her. ---------Suddenly the phone rings. Both of them pauses. Jian Yao was in a dreamy state while Bo Jinyan was all over her. She is ‘awaken’ by the call. She reaches out to the bedside cabinet. “Leave it.” Bo Jinyan is trying to grab her hands. Jian Yao: “…. This is a special ringtone I set for incoming calls from the Police Station.” Bo Jinyan gives a big sigh. He reaches out and takes the phone: “I am Bo Jinyan.” The team leader is a little taken back. He calls Jian Yao’s number but Bo Jinyan answers the phone… in the middle of the night? But he had more important issue at hand than to speculate what is happening over their end: “A family is murdered in the Daxin district. The crime scene is gruesome, and very strange. It’s hard to explain over the phone. Please come over immediately.”

Chapter 50 Historically, there are a lot of cunning and cruel criminals that managed to escape the raid, yet exposed their identity under the least expected circumstances. For example, Ted Bundy, the American serial killer was arrested after he failed to pull over for a routine traffic stop. In China, Yang Xinhai was stopped by police check points in an entertainment venue. Now, in front of Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao is a valuable clue that’s obtained in a similar fashion. After lunch. A quiet conference room. A few technicians from the Ministry of Public Security are analysing data they collected from the arsonists’ house. One of the senior technicians explains: “Three of the five arsonists had computers at home. We noticed that all of them have been hacked a few days before the fires. All the data inside were wiped off by a virus sent by the hacker. Not only were the computers, but the servers in the areas were attacked too.” Bo Jinyan stands behind them. His long fingers taps the desk: “So, the internet cafes that are close to the two other arsonists’ houses were hacked too?” He says coldly: “Internet. This is the quickest way to source his victims.” Jian Yao says: “They are born all in the 70s. People from this generation are usually technically proficient.” She turns to Bo Jinyan: “We should add this to the profile: frequent users of the internet chat rooms and discussion forums. It’s common for these middle aged men, who are not successful in their careers, to spend a lot of time online.” “You are right.” The senior technician is impressed with her analysis: “And we have a bonus. The data in one of the computers was not completely wiped off.” The last arsonist, who is also the oldest of the five arsonists, is in better financial shape compared with the others. The old computer he normally used was at the repair shop. What the hacker wiped was his son’s laptop. ‘We traced the data back to an online discussion forum. According to the company that runs the forum, their server was hacked around the same period as well. But their firewall managed to block the hacker. So we managed to retrieve the information that belonged to all five arsonists. The results show that all of them had frequent contact with a particular ID account.” The senior technician turned to a young man: “Anam, please show Professor Bo.” Anam looks like he is in his early twenties. He wears a pair of glasses with a thin golden frame. He turns the monitors towards them: “The name of the ID account is Ching Tian Gu Chi* It uses an overseas proxy login, with a number of firewalls around it. We are currently using a few different algorithms to crack his location. (* literal translation: the solitary notes/accounts of the clear sky)

This is not a speciality of Bo Jinyan, he takes a look at Anam: “How long till we get the results? Anam: “Approximately three minutes.” Bo Jinyan has a satisfied smile on his face. He pulls a chair over to sit next to Anam. The others take a seat too. Everyone is waiting anxiously. “Ching Tian Gu Chi…” Bo Jinyan mocks: “What a narcissistic name.” Suddenly, all three computers flashes and turns into a blue screen! Rows of data fills the screen, then there is an error message. The original program is nowhere to be seen anymore. “What happened?” asks the senior technician. Anam frowns and looks at the machine. They try typing on the keyboards but the computers are not responding. Bo Jinyan says coldly: “Are we….. being attacked instead?” Jian Yao’s heart tightens. She taps his shoulder to remind him not to be too harsh to Anam. The senior technician says to Anam: “Deal with this immediately. If we lose this clue, we will be at a dead end.” Anam, who has been silent since the computer started to play up, speaks calmly: “His safety system uses the best technology he can get his hands on in the US.” Everyone starts to worry, but then he continues faintly: “But it’s not the best in the world.” Then his fingers start typing on the keyboard at a quick speed. In a few seconds, his screen flashes again, and rows of calculations re-appear on screen. The technicians are relieved. Jian Yao and Bo Jinyan looks at Anam. His hand is on the mouse. They hear around 10 clicks, then another set of numbers appear on screen. He turns to look at Bo Jinyan. His glasses reflect the lights from the computer screens: “I’ve got his address - didn’t take more than 3 minutes.” Everyone is surprised. The senior technician taps Anam’s shoulders. He passes the information to the officers waiting outside. Bo Jinyan stands up. He takes a glance at Anam: “The security system for the discussion forum. Is it designed by you?” Anam has no expressions on his face. He closes his laptop screen: “A small job I took on while studying in university.”

Bo Jinyan doesn’t say anything more. He walks out of the conference room. Jian Yao looks at him. Then she looks at the young man, Anam. Then she walks out after Bo Jinyan. ————Half an hour later. On a plane. The address Anam identified is a villa in a seaside city. The special team in charge of this case is taking the first available flight there. They have informed the local police to work with them. The plane is travelling through a clear blue sky. Bo Jinyan has his sleep mask on. He adjusts his seat so that he can lean back more comfortably. His handsome face glowing from the rays coming through the cabin window. He is holding Jian Yao’s hand. His thumb gently rubbing the back of her hands. Even in the midst of stressfulness and hard times, love brings a sense of peace to the situation. When he is by your side, you heart is settled. Even if you are in a dangerous place, you feel that together, you can face it with ease. “Anam is a genius too.” Jian Yao says softly. When they were in the conference room. It was like watching two masters at work. Jian Yao is glad to have another genius working with them in the team. Bo Jinyan faintly repeats an important word: “Too?” Jian Yao laughs: “Yes. Like you.” Bo Jinyan looks disdainfully at Jian Yao: “Criminal psychology is an art. Mathematical calculation is a skill. How can you compare the two?” Jian Yao: “……” Man, can this man be more arrogant? Then he says again: “Of course, he is one of the best amongst his field. He should be very pleased to be working with me.” Jian Yao asks: “Why is that?” “Because I can help him maximise his value and live to his full potential.” He says: “Why shouldn’t he be happy?” Jian Yao: “…..” There are a lot of empty seats in the plane cabin. Some of the others within the special team comes over to discuss the cases with Bo Jinyan.

Jian Yao looks at Anam. He is sitting quietly by himself in a window seat a few rows behind them. He is reading something on his mobile phone. Looks like he has no intention of joining the discussion. Mmmm… so is this what happens when two geniuses meet? They simply ignore each other? —————— The private beach looks lovely in the setting sun. A golden sheen covers the sand. A cool sea breeze is blowing. Several police cars are driving along the coastal highway. From afar, one can see a black and white villa. It has a contemporary design, at the water’s edge. There are a few police car in front of the property - the local police who arrived ahead of them. “It’s a new dwelling. There’s no registered owner yet.” says one of the officers. “But to be able to build a villa like this, the person must be very rich.” When Bo Jinyan’s police car arrives the car parking area of the villa, they see a person they don’t expect to see. Yin Ziqi. She is wearing a causal pair of cream colour track pants. Her hair is tied up to a poly tail. There are few people standing behind her. They don’t look pleased either. Jian Yao recognises them. They are her assistant, secretary and two bodyguards. “Welcome to K city. Let’s keep this brief.” One of the local police is addressing the special team: “The owner of this villa is Lin Yi Yang, the deputy general manager of Feng Kai Group. The lady over there is Ms. Yin Ziqi. She is his fiancee. When we arrived, she is already at the villa.” Jian Yao is shocked. Bo Jinyan walks overs to her. When Yin Ziqi sees him, a concoction of emotions arises: surprise, joy, dependence, confusion, shock ...... “Jinyan. What’s the matter?” She grabs hold of his shirt: “What’s happened to Yi Yang?” Bo Jinyan asks her coldly: “Why are you here?” “A few days ago, Yi Yang said he will be here to go sailing. I am here on business. I thought I’d join him. He said he will be back today.” Bo Jinyan is quiet for a moment: “I think you might need to prepare yourself. He may never return.”

Yin Ziqi’s face turns pale. Jian Yao is very quiet too. He is right. Whether it’s Lin Yi Yang is or is not the person behind the arson cases, he might never come back.” This is an unexpected turn of events. Yin Ziqi’s finance is involved in this case? Is ‘he’ someone close to them? Yin Ziqi’s heart is very troubled. They have been together for five years. Their relationship has been very steady. Both of them regard each other as their future partner for marriage. It is very hard to accept Bo Jinyan’s words. She is not ignorant. She knows that Bo Jinyan only gets involved with big cases. She asks as streams of tear start to flow down her face: “So…. Yi Yang is murdered?” Bo Jinyan asks the police to leave first, then he answers: “We are not sure. Perhaps he is the killer.” Yin Ziqi can’t believe what she is hearing: “What did you say?” Bo Jinyan is looking at her without any expression on his face. Jian Yao suddenly understands why he said that - he wanted to observe Yin Ziqi’s reaction. He wants to know if she is hiding anything. From what Jian Yao can tell, she doesn’t know anything about the case. Bo Jinyan has obviously reached a conclusion. He softens his voice and says to his sister: “Don’t be sad. I know you are a strong woman. I will find him for you. Dead or alive, I will bring him back.” What was intended to be ‘words of comfort’ by Bo Jinyan is just making Yin Ziqi feel worse. Jian Yao steps forward to console her: “Perhaps the situation is not as bad as we think. Don’t worry. Just leave everything to Jinyan.” Yin Ziqi does not reply to Jian Yao. She takes out a packet of tissue. After wiping her tears, she turns to ask Bo Jinyan again: “Tell me, what has happened?” Bo Jinyan: “I don’t have time to explain. The other police officers will fill you in the details. I just need you to answer a question now.” Yin Ziqi nods. Bo Jinyan looks at her and says in a clear and slow voice: “Flower Cannibal No.2 kissed you. And you have spent a lot of time with Lin Yin Yang. Tell me. Do you notice anything strange about your fiance? Do they have any similarities?”

Yin Ziqi is shock to hear what Bo Jinyan is suggesting: “That’s impossible. How could you….” “Are you sure?” Bo Jinyan interrupts her: “Is there anything, no matter how small it seems, that you find unusual about him?” “No!” This time, it’s Yin Ziqi that is cutting him off mid-sentence. “Jinyan. Sure. We are both very busy people. I don’t know everything about him. But you said it. The Flower Cannibal kissed me before. Would I confuse his kiss with my fiance’s kiss?” —————— This is a typical rich man’s villa. Luxurious, refined and elegant. Especially the bedroom, and study, full of touches that reveals the masculinity of its owner. In the middle of the bedroom hangs a large artist self portrait - half body, shirtless, muscular, and with a smile on his handsome face. Inside the study, Anam connects his laptop onto the computer. Other officers are busy looking around for clues and evidence. Bo Jinyan stands in front of a window. He puts up the blinds and looks at the ocean that stretches out to the horizon. Jian Yao walks up and ask him softly: “Do you think it’s him?” Bo Jinyan puts down the blinds. He looks at her: “I don't plan to make a conclusion now. But he does fit all the criteria we set for ‘him’.” Jian Yao thought about that earlier too - He is close to Yin Ziqi, wealthy, capable of doing what ‘he’ would have done… But from another angle, he is a normal rich kid with a good qualification and high IQ. Who knows if he is hiding something underneath his charming appearance? But Jian Yao shakes her hand: “I don’t think Lin Yi Yang is him.” Bo Jinyan lifts his brows: “Why? My female detective?” Jian Yao chuckles. Then she says in a serious voice: “Yin Ziqi is right. If ‘he’ is Lin Yin Yang, she would know when ‘he’ kissed her.” Bo Jinyan looks quietly at her, then gives a laugh: “What an interesting view. From a kiss? Unless he has a very distinct bad breath, I don’t think it’s easy to confuse Yin Ziqi by changing his kissing style.” Jian Yao: ‘But I still think….” “Ok. Let’s test it out.” He says. He steps forward, grabs her waist and lower his head to kiss her.

A hot and wet scent quickly fills her mouth. But this kiss is different from his usual ones. His usual kisses start off gentle. He likes to linger for a long time. When he gets passionate, he will suck and lick her, it can be rich, deep and intense, but he is always very patient, and warm toward her. But now, his hand is squeezing her chin. it’s so tight that she is feeling a little painful. His tongue invading greedily, sweeping around the inside of her lips. He even bites her tongue, till it’s painful and numb. It’s like he’s changed to a different person. Powerful, and cruel. After a while, he lets go of her. Their lips are still wet from the kiss. Her lips are still burning from this short but fiery kiss. “I don’t like this style of kissing. And I don’t think you enjoyed it either.” He said: “But we have proved a point. Kisses can be used as a disguise.” Jian Yao is just catching her breath back. Then she remembers There is someone else in the room! Even though the kiss is an experiment, but it’s still awkward that others would watch them. She turns her head. Surely enough, Anam stands in the other side of the room. He has a surprised look on his face. When their eyes meet, he looks down again to the computers. Jian Yao blushes. Then she turns to Bo Jinyan and asks: “This style. Did you learn it from a book?” Bo Jinyan: “There’s no need to. I just imagined myself as a ruthless criminal.” Jian Yao smiles: “But you are wrong.” Bo Jinyan frowns at her words. Jian Yao grabs hold of his shirt and pulls him towards her. She says quietly in his ears: “Whenever you kiss me, you have a habit. At the end of the kiss, your tongue will always curl at the tips, then lick mine from bottom to top. It’s a subconscious trick you do every time.” Bo Jinyan is stunned, then he looks down at her. He thinks for a while, then he smiles: “Ok, you have successfully convinced me. Yin Ziqi and Lin Yi Yang have been lovers for years. They would be very familiar with each other’s, and Yin Ziqi is a sharp and observant woman. Based on this, she should be able to tell if those two men are the same person.” Jian Yao nods. It’s a relieve to hear that he agrees. The last thing she wants to see is that people she knows are involved in the case.

But then, he says: “It’s not a good enough reason to eliminate the possibility that Lin Yi Yang is ‘him’ yet.” Jian Yao is puzzled: ‘Why?” But didn’t he just admit…. Bo Jinyan has a faint smile: “You have left out a possibility - Split personality.” She thinks about what she has read in the books about split personalities. It’s like two people living in one body. They can have completely different likings, characters, and of course personality. So kissing habits and styles can be completely different too. So it’s back to square one again. The truth seems to be hiding behind layers upon layers of fog, and they can’t see where they are going. ———————— Some of the other special team members walk in. They ask Anam: “Any new discoveries?” Anam: “His motherboard and hard drive is destroyed. I am trying to recover some of the data…” Suddenly he stops and looks at the computer screen. Everyone looks at him. He tells everyone: “We have a set of numbers.” On the black screen, there’s a few rows of numbers in red. Blood red. And it’s arranged in a pattern very familiar to Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao “135 / 329 25100 /16 ….” Anam enters the numbers into another analysing programme. Jian Yao turns to looks at Bo Jinyan. The room is very quiet. No one moves. Jian Yao has a bad feeling about what will happen. Then Bo Jinyan’s face changed when he saw words starting to appear on the screen. The others in the team don’t know about the codes Bo Jinyan received earlier, or anything about the Flower Cannibal. Anam reads out the words on screen: “Say Hello to Jenny.” He looks ups: “Who is Jenny?”

Chapter 51 2am. Officers and residents fill the tiny Hongyun Village. The officers are listening to Bo Jinyan’s briefing. The residences are standing near the crime scene, discussing amongst themselves. Bo Jinyan takes off his jacket. He stands on front of the crowd, like he is about to present an academic paper. He takes a quick look at the crowd and starts: “The suspect is a male, between the age of 25-35, thin….” The officers are impressed. This matches the opinions from the forensic team. The forensic team also said that the killer is between 165 to 175cm. “… He may look like he suffers from malnutrition. He is dirty, probably has not had a shower or bath for days. You should be able to identify him from a crowd quite easily. He is a history of mental illness, even possibly been diagnosed to have paranoid schizophrenia and delusions. In the past year, he would have stayed at a mental institution. You should match your DNA samples with hospital records first. Education level: Junior or senior high school. He doesn't have a job. He might be doing contract work or is dependant on family or the state for financial assistance. He most probably lives alone. But there is a small possibility that he lives with other family members. He is withdrawn, with not much contact with the neighbours. But the neighbours should recognise him because of his strange behaviours. He doesn’t drive. And since there’s no traces of any bicycle tracks or other vehicles tracks, he probably walked here. So he lives quite close to this village. His house is very messy, probably full of rubbish. That’s all. You should leave now.” His speech is fast and concise. He almost finished the whole briefing in one breath. All the officers are stunned. Jian Yao is used to seeing him in ‘work’ mode. After hearing the briefing, she knows it’s not going to take long for the killer to arrested. And in her mind, a picture of what the killer looks like begins to form - like a tramp you might occasionally see on a street; dirty, with messy hair; mental unstable, might looks a little scary, may even flash his body in front of strangers…. Even though Bo Jinyan asked the officers to ‘leave now’, nobody is moving. “Why?” Some officers are asking. “There is no time to explain!” Bo Jinyan interrupts them. “He is most likely wandering nearby, or has gone home to sleep. We must catch him before he kills again. My assistant will email you a more detailed report soon. Now, go!”

Suddenly everyone sense the urgency of the matter. They quickly leave. Bo Jinyan turns to says to Jian Yao: “Back to the car.” They are inside the car, separated with the noise and action outside by the thick tinted glass windows. Jian Yao has her notebook ready. After the briefing, Bo Jinyan is not as hurried as he was before. He leans back and picks up a bottle of water. He opens the lids and drinks some. Then he passes it to Jian Yao: “Here, have some.” Jian Yao realises then, that her throat is very dry too. She let Bo Jinyan hold the bottle for her and drinks a few mouthfuls. Bo Jinyan has a smile on her face. When she has finished drinking the water, he throws the bottle to the back of the car: “Can you handle the report yourself?” Jian Yao: “…. not yet.” Bo Jinyan looks at her, and says: “I am still feeling uncomfortable.” His sudden swap from ‘professor’ to ‘her man’ mode. Jian Yao blushes and laughs at the same time. She gently holds his hand: “I have some thoughts, but I am not entirely certain. Please help me out .” He is obviously less grumpy now: “It’s a simple case.” Jian Yao keeps quiet. She waits for him to continue. Besides, my boyfriend. It’s for your own good. Something to distract you from your ‘uncomfortableness’. “Today, today’s lesson is: Criminal psychology is not always a logical deduction. Details are important, of course, but if you can grasp the big picture, it will help speed up the investigation. Criminal psychology is an art, not science. When we can link their unusual behaviours with their characteristics/personalities, then we can successfully profile them. These clues might be buried in a seemingly complicated crime scene. And what you need to do is to discover them. I wrote a thesis on this in 2010, published in the annual report of the Federal Association for Behavior Analysis.” He looks at her: “If you need it, I can give you my original copy.” Jian Yao smiles: “Oh, thanks.” - Of course she will be happy to keep it. It’s monument of his wisdom.

“For example. In the killer machine case, what behaviours best reveal the killers’ psychological characteristics?” Jian Yao: “…. cutting up the bodies?” Bo Jinyan gives a small smile: “Correct!” Jian Yao remembers what Bo Jinyan said before: “…the desires of his heart will be ‘written’ on the bodies…” After finding the bodies, they realised the killer did not torture or harm them in any other ways. Therefore ‘cutting the body’ helped them to sketch the picture of a serial killer dreamed of being a killer, hiding amongst the crowds, preying… “What about Huo Xiao Lu?” Bo Jinyan asks. A lot of elements in the case comes to her mind: successfully slitting her throat with just one try, the multiple stab wounds, the love triangle… “Don’t contemplate for too long.” He says: “What is the first thing that comes to your mind?” “Jealousy.” Jian Yao quickly says: “the deep wounds on the victim’s face.” That’s the distinctive element, which led them to profile the killer as a girl that is emotional unstable, rather than a boy in need of money. Bo Jinyan’s long finger is tapping on the bottle of mineral water, making ‘tonk’ sounds. She notices his hand actions. He must be in a better mood now. He looks at her: “You should thank me. See, you have become wiser.” Jian Yao tries hard not to laugh. She squeezes his hand: “Please continue.” He looks down at her hand squeezing his, he says slowly: “For this case, what’s the distinguished elements?” Jian Yao answers: “Mmm… Chaos, brutality.” Bo Jinyan lifts up his head to look at her: “See, it’s not a hard question at all.” He lifts his brows and starts composing his ‘written’ report: “The more appropriate phrases for describing the crime scene is: No logic, uncontrollable desires.” I mentioned in the killer machine case. Psychopaths can be divided into two types: organised and unorganised. Sung Yu belongs to the former - carefully planned, fixed way of luring and killing his victims. But this killer - messy crime scene, no logic.. from the evidence, he probably ate the leftover food and changed his clothes. He didn’t not consider if he would be exposed. Even a primary school kid knows it’s important to

wipe off the fingerprints. So whether he knew this family or not, whether they had some arguments between them or not, he is a typical ‘unorganised’ psychopath. Murderers like him usually has mental illness. I said he is thin and suffer from malnutrition because most longterm mental patients don’t have a good appetite. And studies show that those who are thin are more likely to develop schizophrenia. These people are exposed to mental pressure for a long period of time. They don’t care about their appearance and tidiness. Aged between 25-35 years old. This point, I have mentioned before during the killer machine case. Their illness is developed during adolescence. There’s a gestation period of around ten years before it gets to this stage. He is not any older as he would have done other crimes by now due to the development of his mental state. This is the first time this area encounters these type of cases, which means this is his first killing. Because of his mental capabilities, the chances of him getting into university is very low. He can’t stay at a job, and of course, won’t be able to find a girlfriend easily. Driving is a dangerous activity for him. Besides, the neighbour did not hear any automobile sounds. He walked to the house. Because he has lost his ability to organise, and is living in a state of fantasy, he will not consider the danger of crime. There is no planning, his killing is a spontaneous decision. And I believe he lives nearby. Lastly. The physical abuse. Beheading the owner, and inflicting injury on his wife’s private parts, is a sign of releasing his desires and suppressions. We do not know currently what he is fantasising about, but I think it is to do with revenge and sexual desires.” It is hard to digest all the things he said in a short period of time. And he is speaking very quickly today. Why is this? “That’s great.” It is still important to give him some praise. Bo Jinyan smiles. - Huh….. of course. Male likes to display their strength in front of female. Peacocks arch into magnificent fans, high school boys will play a better basketball game when the girls are watching… And Mr.Bo Jinyan feels the need to show off his superior abilities in criminal psychology to make up for the criticism he received regarding his bedroom skill. Seeing that she is still stunned, Bo Jinyan taps her and says: “What are you waiting for? Write it down for the police.” Jian Yao: “There’s too much information in one go. Speak slowly. I didn’t get all of it just now.” Then she adds: “Next time, can you please slow down as you speak.”

Bo Jinyan: “…” ———————— Jian Yao completes the report and passes it to one of the officers. She is standing next to wall in the courtyard. A staff is taking out a black bag with one of the bodies in it. Even though she was keeping calm just now, she was controlling herself to focus and calm down. Now that all the work has been done, there is ‘space’ in her mind. The gruesome scenes reappeared in her mind. Suddenly, she feels there is a nauseating feeling in her chest. She bents over and starts vomiting. Most of the people have left the crime scene by now. One can still hear the footsteps and voices of a few officers nearby. The position of where she is standing faces a forest. She thought she saw a black shadow going past. It’s dark. The leaves rustle as the wind blows. She looks more closely, but it seems there is nothing. She remembers Bo Jinyan’s words. The killer may be nearby. Suddenly she tenses up. Chills are running down her spines. “What are you afraid of?” A familiar voice from her back: “Vomit. It will make you feel better.” Such a condesending tone. Suddenly, she feels fine. The fear and the sick feeling is gone. She rinses her mouth with water, then she turns round and look at him: “I am ok now.” Bo Jinyan nods. They walk back to the car together. Jian Yao asks: “When you were working for the FBI, did you throw up?” She remembers Fu Ziyu told her that when Bo Jinyan first started working with the FBI, he did. Bo Jinyan pauses and answers: “The first time.” Then he frowns and adds: “That morning, I had some fish that was not fresh. It took me a whole day to get over it.” Jian Yao: “Oh….” So, it’s nothing to do with the case? This man is born to work in this field.

They get back into the car. “What are we doing next?” Jian Yao asks. Bo Jinyan adjusts their seats so they can lie down straight. “Sleep.” He says. Jian Yao understands his work system now. Arresting criminals is the job of the police. They are there to provide in depth analysis. So it’s time to rest and recuperate. Then when the police needs them, they can give their best. She nods and says goodnight. Bo Jinyan looks at her. “Goodnight.” Jian Yao takes a look at him. Her handsome and capable boyfriend. She smiles and closes her eyes. Then she hears his steady and evenly breathing sounds… “I will make the necessary adjustments. You don’t have to worry.” He says. Jian Yao is puzzled by the statement. She turns around and see him wearing the sleep mask. He opens his mouth again: “But of course, I will need a bit of time.” Jian Yao is so confused: “Adjustments… for what?” Bo Jinyan bites his bottom lips. “Sleep.” He says. Then he turns his head to the side facing away from her, and pulls up the blanket to wrap around himself. Jian Yao thinks about what he just said. Ah…. she told him he was speaking too fast when they were doing the report for the officers. Oh, such trivial matters. Yet he remembers and even give her a promise that he will improve. He is … so sweet to her. Bo Jinyan, on the other hand, has different ideas in his head. He knows he lacks experience in bed. And he has no knowledge in the area. That’s why she feels its ‘unreal’. But up-skilling is one of his strength. Don’t worry, he will prove it to her in action after the case is solved. —————————

They are woken up by a phone call. She grabs her mobile phone. Bo Jinyan takes off his sleep mask. They are both sitting up straight. The sky is still dark. The roads are quiet and empty. Except for two officers that are left to guard the crime scene, the rest have gone to find the killer. The call is from one of the officers. Jian Yao presses the speaker button. “Jian Yao, please let Professor Bo know. We have just received reports of another killing. It’s approximately 8kms away from where you are now. Again, the whole family is killed. We are not sure of the details yet. We are on our way there. The police officer at the scene tells us that it has many similarity with our case, including what happened to the couple that owns the house. All the killings are done by just one person. Time of death is approximately two hours after our case.” Jian Yao’s heart sinks. This means after the first murders, the killer went on to the second house, even before they arrived the first crime scene. Bo Jinyan is enraged. He starts the car and makes a quick U turn and onto the highway. He does not say anything for minutes, then lets out a loud swear: “Fxxx!”

Chapter 52 A distance of 8km should take less than 5 minutes to reach. Bo Jinyan is driving with a stern face. Jian Yao looks out the window - houses, police cars, more fields… they fade away quickly by as Bo Jinyan speeds to their next destination. Jian Yao is trying to analyse the facts: “After killing the first family, the killer stayed at the crime scene - he ate some food and changed his clothes. It takes time to get to the second house, which means he was only on the road for about thirty minutes. He couldn’t have walked there. There’s not enough time, and it would attract people’s attention. Besides we don’t have any eye witness yet. The second family he killed lived in a quiet road too. Is that part of his criteria? But then, it would imply there is some planning towards his killing. Is our initial deductions wrong?” This is the first time she doubts Bo Jinyan’s reasonings. It’s a strange feeling, but looking at him, she feels it’s a valid question. Because there is an obvious contradiction. Bo Jinyan calmly relies: “I cannot be wrong.” Jian Yao: “…..ok.” They arrives the next crime scene. Another farmhouse. The place is cordoned off. A group of police officer stands outside the house. Bo Jinyan says mildly: “Though we did not want to see more killings, the new deaths have help us determine his identity and what he looks like.” Jian Yao is stunned. Obviously, they are not thinking at the same level. When she felt they have taken a step back in the investigation, Bo Jinyan has in fact taken a huge step forward. He opens the door, and says to her before he hops off: “Stay close to me.” ——————The second crime scene has many similarities to the first one. The killer is even more vicious in his assaults. Jian Yao takes a look and wait outside. After a while, Bo Jinyan comes out. He takes off the gloves that is soaked with blood. He looks at the pale Jian Yao: “If you are still shaken by what you’ve seen, come into my arms.”

There’s people surrounding them. Jian Yao hesitates and declines his offer. He looks around and grabs her cold hand: “Are you embarrassed again? Who doesn’t know that you are my woman?” He says. Jian Yao blushes. Bo Jinyan is obviously very upset at the moment. The killer has caused over ten deaths. He needs to focus on the case, but he is concerned for her at the same time. So even when he speaking about their relationship, his tone is still cold and moody…. She taps his shoulder gently: “Just focus on the case. Don’t worry about me. I can take care of myself. I’ll be right behind you all the time.” It’s supposed to be a considerate statement from a girlfriend. Bo Jinyan turns to her, and says in his cold voice: “Do you think I am not capable of handling both roles at the same time?” The two roles obviously means ‘detective’ and ‘boyfriend’. Jian Yao: “…….” He must be angered by this killer. He has been in a bad mood since he left the bedroom. Now it’s even worse. Nothing she says can soothe him. Never mind. Just leave it. Jian Yao thought to herself. He is probably more efficient when he is grumpy. A young officer comes up to them: “We found him. Professor Bo, we found him.” Jian Yao heart tightens. Bo Jinyan quickly walks up to a vehicle parked on the side of the road. It’s a vehicle equipped with surveillance equipment. There are a few computers. Technical staff and s few officers crowd around the screens. A young technician points at a paused frame of a video. Like Bo Jinyan says, they now know his identity and what he looks like. When reality and deduction don’t match, the truth seems to hide under the fog. Some people will start to doubt themselves, making it hard to progress. But for Bo Jinyan, this is not a problem. He is so confident of himself. He is not affected by emotions such as doubt. Deduction and reasoning, for him, is simple and clear: the killer doesn’t drive. There are no traces of transport vehicles (eg. tyre marks etc.). No witnesses. There is only one way of getting to the second crime scene. Bus. So, he found the killer.

——————Bo Jinyan leans down and examines the man on the screen. Even though the image is not very clear, one can tell he is a thin average height man. He is wearing a commonly found black jacket. His hair is messy and he looks a little sluggish. A young officer says: “Around 10pm, he board the bus in a stop close to the first crime scene. He came off the bus around 10:15am at a stop that’s next to the second crime scene.” Another officer adds: “This is a farming village. There’s hardly anyone on the bus. Therefore no one saw him.” “Yes, it’s him,” Bo Jinyan says. The officers feel more confident after Bo Jinyan confirm their findings. “Found another image.” says an officer. Everyone looks to where he is pointing at. On another monitor, the same man appears. The police looks at the data: “11:00pm. Location is the Li Yu Transit Station. Not far from the second crime scene.” Everyone is quiet. That’s after killing the second family. Where is the killer going next? It’s hard to see from the small image whether his clothes have blood stains on them or not. He stood at the platform and waited. Next to him, there’s a sign with all the numbers of the buses that stops at that transit station. Two buses came his way: 928, 900. He didn’t move. Then 910 appears, he slowly boarded the bus. —————It’s only been a few hours, but the police now knows who they are looking for. And they know where he is heading next. This is a huge breakthrough. Everyone is getting exited. The young officer who found the first image of the man said in a loud voice: “We will be able to get him soon.” “Yes!” “Yes!” All in agreement. Jian Yao is glad to see the officers so fired up.

“Don’t be too happy too soon.” Bo Jinyan interrupts them. He does not sound as enthusiastic as the rest of the group. “This bus route heads to the city.” He says faintly. “Our killer has entered into a high density area. There will be people all over the place. Even pedestrians may become his victims. What’s there to be excited about?” —————In the east the sky was turning white, and the last stars were disappearing over the horizon. A layer of fog hovers on the roads of the farming village. After leaving the surveillance vehicle, Jian Yao pulls Bo Jinyan’s sleeves and says: “Don’t you think your words were a little harsh?” The group of young officers were stirred up until he spoke. After that, they all became quiet. They were still going about their tasks, but they are noticeably discouraged. “Is that right? But I am only telling the truth. As an officer, they need to be conscious of this.” “But they are still young. Not every is so quick on the feet like you.” Jian Yao explains. “You are their senior. Give a word of encouragement at time, like the way I encourage you.” Bo Jinyan sweeps her a look. He doesn’t say anything more. The two of them returns to the car. Once again, it’s time to wait. Jian Yao: “Is there anything you need me to do?” Bo Jinyan looks at her: “Sleep.” But he opens the map and starts studying it. Jian Yao asks: “What are you looking for?’ Bo Jinyan marks a few locations with a ballpoint pen. He says: “When he got off the bus near the second crime scene, he was walking towards the transit station. And the house of the second crime scene happens to be on his route.” Jian Yao’s mind is starting to string the pieces together. Bo Jinyan lifts his head and looks out of the window. He has the answer: “When he killed the first two family, it could be just random acts, or there could be some sort of connections between these families and him. But what we can be sure of, is that, he has totally departed from reality and is now living on his own fantasy world. A world filled with blood and murder.” Jian Yao is quiet.

Because Jian Yao is leaning towards his side to see the map, when Bo Jinyan puts down the map and lifts his head, the cheeks touched. He looks into her eyes: “Give me a kiss.” Jian Yao takes a quick peep around. There is nobody near. She puts her hands around his neck and pecks him gently on the lips: “Keep up the good work.” Bo Jinyan: “Why are you encouraging me? I have been exceeding everyone’s expectations right from the start.” Jian Yao: “…. Just pretend that I didn’t say a thing.” After a short wait. There’s news. Bad news, though. Jian Yao turns her phone to speaker mode: “Professor Bo, according to the CCTV footages provided by the bus company, our suspect got off the bus around 4:30am. We have lost track of him since.” He pauses “We are looking at the video footages from the businesses nearby, and we have sent officers to search in the area. But so far, we have nothing.” They have lost him. Like Bo Jinyan says, when he enters into a big city, it like finding a needle in the haystack. Bo Jinyan looks at Jian Yao. He recalls what she says earlier. “Professor Bo, do you have any new instructions for us?” The officer asks. Bo Jinyan answers: “No. You are doing well. Keep up the good work.” The officer: “…..” After they finish the call. Jian Yao looks at him with a smile. Not bad, he is learning fast. But…. hopefully, the officers don’t think he is mocking them… Jian Yao asks: What should we do now?” Bo Jinyan picks up the map again: “He is heading towards a destination.” Jian Yao asks: “How do you know? What makes you think he is not wandering aimlessly?”

Bo Jinyan: “Though he might not be thinking straight anymore, his instincts and subconsciousness still affects his actions. When he was taking the bus, he didn’t look at the bus signs. He didn’t board the first bus that came past his way. He used the shortest route to walk from one bus stop to the other. This shows he’s been on this route before. Now, he is heading to place with vengeance, to seek liberation and to conquer.” “But how do we know where he is going? Her phone rings again. Finally some good news. “We have the man’s identity. His name is Zhang Cheng. 28 years old. He lives in Huang Yun village, where the first crime scene is.” The officer gives them an address. Bo Jinyan quickly starts the car and drives to his house. “Home. a place where the deepest secrets are kept.” He says “This holds true for everyone, whether you are normal or you are a psychopath.”

Chapter 53 Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao stands in front of a small house, surrounded by trees. It seems their suspect - Zhang Cheng likes to live in a remote and isolated place, away from people. Bo Jinyan is the first person to arrive, ahead of the police officer who called him. They can hear the police sirens coming from a distance. They should not be too far behind. Jian Yao asks: “Should we wait for them?” “No.” says Bo Jinyan. He puts on a pair of latex gloves. He seems to look excited: “When a lot of people enters the house at the same time, the place loses its originality.” Jian Yao is not surprised. This man is honest and smart. But when it comes to investigating criminal cases, he can’t cover the excitement that arises from the passion he has for his job. “Ok. Let’s go in.” She smiles. Of course she will go in with him. Fortunate for them, the yellow wooden door is not locked. It is easily pushed open. There’s an unbearable stench that rushes to their nostrils once the door is opened. Jian Yao almost vomited again. Bo Jinyan places his finger over his nose to block out the smell. He walks in without slowing down. Jian Yao hesitates, then she pinches her nose and follows him inside. It’s dark in there. The windows are blocked. It is a small place. One bed. One desk/table. That’s it. There are things lying all over the place. It’s too dark to see what they are. She is stepping into a psychopath’s house in darkness. Every step, she is stepping on top of something… the bumps underneath her soles… Jian Yao secretly hopes they are not body parts. Subconsciously, she gently holds on to Bo Jinyan jacket from the back. Stay close to him. The Bo Jinyan that was busy examining the room in the dark pauses. He turns round to look at her . She quickly grabs on the corner of his suit jacket. She is not letting go of him. “Oh.” he seems to sigh softly in the darkness.

“What’s up?” asks Jian Yao. She can vaguely tell by the light shining through the front door, that he is trying to look at the hand that is grabbing onto his jacket. “So cute.” He says in pleased voice. Jian Yao blushes in the dark. Even though she can’t see his facial expressions, she knows he is staring at her. And at the same time, a hand reaches the light switch on the wall. He just found it. Ah…. handling two roles at once. They are standing in a pigsty. Light blue bed linen has sweat stains all over it. The duvet is curled up into a bundle on the floor. The table has lots of dirty dishes and bowls with food scraps inside them. On the floor, there are polystyrene takeaway containers, rubbish bags, clothes, shoes… flies everything. There is also a strong stench of urine in the air. “What a tasteless lunatic.” Bo Jinyan mutters to himself. Then he starts searching through the rubbish. As a woman, Jian Yao automatically take up the tasks that are less filthy - she opens the drawers of the desk and examines what’s inside them. In one of the drawers, she finds a stack of envelope. They are made from the same type of yellow paper. She passes them to Bo Jinyan. The envelopes are empty. In the front of the envelope, there is a date written with ink pen: “2013 January , 2013 February…. “until” 2013 June. The handwriting is the same for all the envelopes. Obviously, it’s written by the same person. Bo Jinyan looks more closely at the stack of envelope. He notices the corner of red note sticking out from one of them. He pulls it out. It’s a hundred dollar note. “This is for living expenses.” Bo Jinyan says: “Someone is looking after him.” Bo Jinyan mentioned earlier. Because of his mental state, he won’t be able to hold a job for long. To survive, money must come from somewhere. Perhaps it’s family members? Passing him some money with an envelope every month. After a while, Jian Yao finds two pieces of paper that’s torn. It’s not too badly damaged, so she can still read the words on it: “Time for dinner.” “Take a shower/bath after the sun has gone down.”

Again, it has the same writing as the envelopes. Bo Jinyan stands up from examining the pile of rubbish on the floor. He passes a few pieces of paper to her. Like the ones in her hands, there are phrase or short sentences on them. Don’t leave the village. Use the toilet, not the floor. etc etc. There are some adhesive tapes on the corners of these paper. They used to be on the wall. “Male. Educated. Financial status - average. Young adult.” Bo Jinyan looks at the words and comments. ——————

Soon, the officers join them inside the house. “Professor Bo, have you discovered anything?” Jian Yao looks at Bo Jinyan. He signals her to show the envelopes and white sheets of paper to the officers: “Someone was looking after him. He was very attentive. But then, the person has not been coming for awhile, or else this place cannot be so messy.” He pauses and continues: “He’s abandoned.” Everyone is quiet. Is that the reason for his mental breakdown? The officers scatter to look for other evidence. Jian Yao stands beside Bo Jinyan. She asks: “How do we find out the identify of that person?” Her instinct tells her that the place Zheng Chang is going is somehow linked to this man. Perhaps, he is going find him…. But there seems to be no other clues of the man’s identity in the house. Bo Jinyan sweeps her a look, he says proudly: “Of course there is a way.” He always has a way. Jian Yao waits hopefully for another speech. He is going to use his expert knowledge and superior elimination skills to…. Wait. He is pushing away rubbish on the desk? A red colour telephone appears. “Like I said before, I like taking short cuts.” First, he turns on the speaker function. Then he presses the re-dial button. This is much faster way to find out.

Other officers gather. Everyone waits. But it goes straight to voicemail: “Your phone cannot be used at this stage. Please pay your account….” It’s an older phone. There is no caller display button. So they don’t know what the re-dial number is. One of the officers suggest: “I will call the station. We will find the records linked to this phone.” Everyone agrees it’s a good plan. Except Bo Jinyan: “It will take too long.” He lifts up the receiver. Takes a quick look at it and passes it to Jian Yao. There is a small sticker on it, with the number of this telephone on it. Jian Yao takes out her mobile to load $100 credit on the number. She never thought that one day she would top up the phone for a psychopath. Finally, they successfully call the person on re-dial. A man picks up the phone. He is speaking very softly, and he sounds tired: “Cheng, did you not remember what I told you? I will call you later? They are asleep.” Bo Jinyan ponders for a while, then he starts speaking: “Hello. Are you Zheng Chang’s brother?” The person pauses: “Yes. Who are you? Why are you using his phone?” He sounds concerned. “Did something happen to Ah Chang?” Bo Jinyan answers: “It’s a long story. Keep your windows and doors locked. Do not get out of the house. Your brother is on his way to kill you.” The man is shocked: “What?” The officers next to him is stunned too. Bo Jinyan turns to one of them and says: “Get his address. Send it to me immediately.” Then he says to Jian Yao: “Let’s go.” Jian Yao follows. She takes a quick look before leaving the house. An officer is explaining the situation to Zheng Chang’s brother. Others are getting ready to move to their next destination too. ——————-

Early morning. The roads in the countryside don’t have many cars on them. Soon they are back in B city. Jian Yao took a short nap on the way back. When she wakes up, Bo Jinyan is still driving. His face looks less tense. His fingers are tapping on the steering wheel. Looks like his mood has improved. Well, they are very close to catching the killer.

“Did anyone call?” She asks. “No.” He answers faintly. That’s good. That means there’s no other causalities so far. “He has arrived at the neighbourhood for quite some time now.” Bo Jinyan says It’s enough time for him to run around the B city three times.” Jian Yao think of the mental unstable killer, hovering near his brothers’s house… “They found his medical records.” She says. “If the brother cares about him, why doesn’t he send him to an institution?” Not long after they left the house, the police found the file in the rubbish bin. The last visit was early this year. Bo Jinyan: “I am not sure. But according to official numbers, at least half of the serious mental patients are not receiving any treatment.” Jian Yao is shocked: “Why?” Bo Jinyan says mockingly: “Because there’s not enough bed space*.” Is this meant to be a joke? But it is not funny at all. (* Note from author Ding Mo - It is a known fact that there are not enough facilities (including doctors, nurses and spaces in the hospital) in China. A lot of the serious mental patients are not granted admission to hospital because of this.) ———————Then they come across another problem. One that frustrates Bo Jinyan greatly. Traffic jam. They have been on the road for over two hours. They are so close to their destination. Often they can see police officers walking past them. But they are stuck. Only 1km of distance left, yet, it has taken them over ten minutes just to crawl forward a few metres. Jian Yao just talked to the team leader: “They will send someone to clear a way for the police cars to go through.” Bo Jinyan replies: “Oh great. The rest of the cars will be stuck here for ages.” Jian Yao knows he is just complaining to let out some steam. As the car moves slower, she has more time to observe what’s happening on the streets.

About fifty metres ahead of them, beside a flower bed, there is a man sitting down at the corner. He is wearing a black top and a pair of black pants. His hair is messy. Most of the pedestrians are deliberately avoiding getting close to him. He is wearing a pair of grey sport shorts. There are some dark marks on it. Jian Yao looks more carefully. His hands have red stains on them too. When did he arrive? He wasn’t there a moment ago. Jian Yao calls out to Bo Jinyan: “Jinyan…. that man.” “I see him.” Bo Jinyan says coldly. He quickly turns his steering wheels to drive off the road onto a patch of grass on the side. “Good boy.” Bo Jinyan mutters. He fixes his eye on the man. Jian Yao starts to get nervous. At this time, the person that they suspect is Zheng Chang stands up. He walks towards a little lane to the side of the flower bed. We can’t lose him now. Jian Yao takes out her phone and calls the Team leader. “Don’t leave the car.” Jian Yao turns around. Bo Jinyan has opened the door and disappears in the crowd. After a few seconds, she finds him. He is walking into the same lane Zheng Chang went.

Jian Yao suddenly feels worried.

They agreed that they would stay together whenever they are investigating. But he ran off by himself…. to go after a mentally unstable killer that has a weapon with him.

Chapter 54 The long street is noisy with a never ending flow of cars, and the hustle and bustle of city walkers. The sun shines brightly in the lane that Bo Jinyan disappeared through just a few minutes ago. Jian Yao decides to follow. She gets out of the car. It’s dangerous. But she will be careful. Bo Jinyan is an academic. Now he is chasing after a mentally unstable killer. She can’t let him go alone. A thought comes to her mind as she passes through the crowd Even though he keeps saying the physical work should be left to the police, every time when he is face to face with the suspects, or sees someone in danger, he would rush to help. He knocked Sun Yong unconscious with a stick, ran over to rescue the boy held captive by Huo Xiao Lu. And this. Arrogant, but firm in his beliefs. Jinyan, please stay safe. She is about go into the lane, when a few officers appear. Jian Yao is relieved. One of the taller officers blocks Jian Yao: “Stay here.” Then he and three other officers hurried into the narrow lane. Jian Yao anxiously looks in. Behind her, a lot of pedestrians are gathering. It’s too far away for Jian Yao to see exactly what is happening. The police officers are blocking her view. She can vaguely work out there’s lot of movements, and then she hears a ‘dong’ sound, like something has fallen on to the ground. “Don’t move. Don’t move. Put down your knife.” She hears the police shout out. Jian Yao’s heart tightens. She sees Bo Jinyan’s face for a split second. Then more police officers rush past her. Her views are completely blocked. “We got him. We got him.” Someone yelled out. “Stay down!” “Someone is injured. Please send an ambulance.” Someone else says. Jian Yao runs towards the officers and tries to squeeze past them to get to Bo Jinyan: “Excuse me. Excuse me… I am Professor Bo’s assistant.” “The Professor is hurt too.” Someone said.

This is not good news. She pushes through even harder. People start to make way. She sees four or five officers holding on a man with blood shot eyes. He is still struggling to break free as the officers walk him towards the street to the police car. Jian Yao quickly stands to the side to let them pass. She recognises him from the photos emailed to them by the police. That’s Zheng Chang. She hurries forward to find an officer lying on the ground. He has been stabbed in the stomach. There is a pool of blood beside him. He looks very pale. He is still conscious, breathing heavily and obviously in pain. Bo Jinyan stands next to him. There’s blood smeared on his face and suit. A few officers are standing around him. Jian Yao’s heart aches as she sees blood dripping down to the ground from Bo Jinyan’s sleeves. “What happened to you? Are you ok?” She asks anxiously. She wants to hold his hand, but she is afraid she might accidentally touch the wound. She looks closer. There is a knife wound from his left shoulder that extends to his chest. She looks at the officer lying on the floor. His wounds are much more serious. “I am ok. It’s just a flesh wound.” Bo Jinyan says to her. When Bo Jinyan entered the lane, there was another policeman who was going towards Zheng Chang from the opposite direction. The police officer thought he looked suspicious too. The two of them tried to stop Zheng Chang. The policeman was stabbed in the stomach, and Bo Jinyan has a deep cut on his arm. Fortunately, more officers appeared at the right moment. The medics arrives with stretcher. They attend to the officer on the ground first. Then one of them asks Bo Jinyan: “Do you need a stretcher too?” Bo Jinyan looks at her arrogantly: “Of course not.” Jian Yao didn't see what actually happened, but she can imagine how dangerous it must have been. She looks at his arm again. She asks gently: “Is it very painful?” Bo Jinyan looks at her pale face. He starts walking towards the main street: “Not really. Let’s go.” Jian Yao follows suspiciously. There is still blood coming from his wound. Even though he can still walk freely but the wound is probably quite a deep one. This man…. She walks up to him and says: “You are so brave.” Bo Jinyan smiles back at her: “Of course.” Jian Yao laughs. She whispers in his ears: “So… does it hurt?”

Bo Jinyan pauses. He decides not to reply this time. Two medics walk up to him. The ambulance is just behind them. Bo Jinyan follows them to the vehicle. Then he turns round to say to Jian Yao: “Don’t come with me.” Jian Yao is stunned: “Why?” Bo Jinyan says calmly: “That goes without saying. Zheng Chang is the first unorganised psychopath we encountered in China. And he is alive. I need you to follow up with his psychological assessment.” ———————Jian Yao stands by the pavement. A police car stops in front of her. An officer opens the passenger door for her: “We’ll give you a ride to the station.” She nods and gets into the car. Then she takes out her phone to call FZY. “Ziyu, Jinyan is injured….yes… on the way to the hospital. Ok. I will come over to find you once I finish what I need to do.” FZY will look after him. She feels better now. On the ambulance Bo Jinyan is lying down on a stretcher. His eyes are closed. Just seeing the scars on his body made her cry. How could he let her follow him to the hospital? She will bury him with her tears. As he is thinking of Jian Yao, the medical staff is taking off his jacket to examine the wound. “It’s quite serious.” says one of the medics. “You should have used a stretcher.” Bo Jinyan sweeps them a look. “You must lie down flat from now on. Don’t move anymore.” He says to Bo Jinyan. He cuts away his shirt. Some of the dry blood is stuck to the fabric. When the medic was peeling it off, Bo Jinyan can’t help but frown. Oh… Jian Yao, it’s actually very painful. —————— In the interrogation room. Zheng Chang is cuffed onto a chair. He has a gloomy look on his face, and his eyes are dull.

Two officers are facing him. Jian Yao and a few others, including some doctors from the mental health institutes are listening in the next room separated by dark non see through glass. “Why are you killing people?” Asks the officer. Zheng Chang looks confused: “Why did I kill people? I need to take revenge.” The two officers look at each other: “Why?” Zheng Chang says quietly: “My brother. He has been assassinated.” “Who assassinated him?” “Agents. They are American agents, disguised as Chinese. They were trying to send codes back to US. It was very loud. I discovered them.” The two officers don’t know what to say. They move on to the next question: “Why did you stab the women in their private parts?” Zheng Chang pauses. He is not speaking. Then gradually, his face becomes red. He starts to scream and yell. The two officers are startled by his behaviour. They asked him to stop. But Zheng Chang is getting more and more agitated. He tries to struggle and break free… ————— When Jian Yao leaves the room, she sees a forty year old man sitting quietly with his head down. He looks worried. His hands are grabbing the hair on his head. Besides him sit a woman in her thirties. She is scolding him in a low voice: “Look what has happened. He is killing people. I knew your brother is nothing but trouble. I told you to leave him alone. To leave him alone. Let the state deal with it. But you insisted you should take care of him.” The man looks out and retaliates: “Shut up! If it’s not because I left him for you for the last few months, his condition would not have worsen.” “You are blaming me?” The woman slaps him on the face. —————Jian Yao’s heart is saddened by the family’s story. It is actually a simple one. A normal family that has a child with mental illness. It gradually put stress on their financial situation. When his parents were still around, there were three people took turns to look after Zheng Chang - dad, mom, elder brother. They could still cope.

After the parents passed away, Zheng Chang became the sole responsibility of the elder brother. A thirty year old man, spending almost all his earnings on his brother. No girl would come near him. Finally, he found a girlfriend. The bride’s only condition was not to live with the younger brother in the same house. He thought about it, and decided, after all the years of sacrificing, he will do something for himself. But what about his brother? Private hospitals are too expensive, and he doesn’t qualify for longterm public hospital care. Also, he is afraid the brother might be mistreated in the hospital. His wife was not keen to send him to the hospital either. But for a different reason. She is afraid the hospital would charge extra fees which they would have to be responsible for. That’s a lifelong burden! The problem dragged on. In the first few months after the wedding, the elder brother would sneak out to see Zheng Chang. Lately, his pregnant wife demanded more attention, so he had not seen Zheng Chang for two months. His wife had a hidden agenda for keeping him to close to her. She secretly hoped that he would leave the brother alone and not have any contact with him anymore. So Zheng Chang was alone in the house for a few months. The brother he was waiting for never turned up. His mental state worsens and his world collapsed. My brother is dead. He thought to himself. I have to take revenge. ——————— When Jian Yao leaves the station to go to the hospital, it’s past 6:00pm. The last rays of the afternoon sun casts a golden glow on the tall buildings. The windows are bright and reflexive in the light. Jian Yao is feeling a little lethargic. Perhaps it’s because she hasn’t slept all night? Or perhaps she is still thinking about the case? She received a call from Fu Ziyu earlier. “The doctors asked him to stay in the hospital for a week.” Fu Ziyu said. “But he insisted he wanted to go home.” She takes out the front door keys. Just before she unlocks the door, she thinks of something. She takes her phone out and calls the Police Team Leader: “Officer, is there anything unusual in either of the crime scenes or Zheng Chang’s house?” The officer replies: “No, no codes written in blood, no English words… we didn’t find anything unusual.” Jian Yao hangs up and feels much better. Two cases. No more messages. “He must be dead.

She walks into the apartment. There is light in the lounge, but it is empty. Bo Jinyan is not there. Then she hears some sound coming from his bedroom. She removes her shoes and walk into the master bedroom. Two men turn to look at her. Bo Jinyan has changed into his black pyjamas, lying straight in bed. There are a few more pillows than usual under his head and upper back. His face is pale. He stares at her with his bright black eyes. Fu Ziyu stands to the corner of the bed. He smiles at Jian Yao and asks: “How’s work?” Jian Yao smiles back: “Good.” She walks to the bed and looks at Bo Jinyan. But she is asking Fu Ziyu: “How is he?” “Minor injury.” Fu Ziyu says “About twenty stitches.” Jian Yao frowns. Bo Jinyan frowns too. “Thanks, big mouth. You can go now.” He says faintly, “Close the door and don’t disturb us. Thank you.” Jian Yao glances at him, then turns to say to Fu Ziyu: “You know what he is like. Let’s have dinner together.” Fu Ziyu is not one bit bothered by his best friend’s abandonment: “No, I will get going. I have no intention of hanging around watching you guys smooch. But…” He looks at Bo Jinyan: “Your wounds became more serious because you kept moving around after the injury. Now please listen to your doctor and rest. Jian Yao, please watch him so he won’t do anything stupid anymore.” Bo Jinyan looks at him coldly. Jian Yao replies quickly: “Of course.” After Fu Ziyu leaves, Jian Yao asks Bo Jinyan: “So, what are the doctor’s orders?” Bo Jinyan slowly answers her: “Less fish. What else can it be.” Jian Yao laughs: “Oh… that would be hard for you.” There are two opposing views to eating fish when recovering from stab wounds. One school of thought is that it might cause infection. But others think that it’s full of vitamins and proteins so it will help muscle recovery. Perhaps Fu Ziyu is trying to hassle him by saying he can’t have fish. Bo Jinyan doesn’t want to talk about this anymore. He says to her: “Come and sit by me.”

Jian Yao shakes her head: “Let me take a shower first.” How can she sit on his bed with the same clothes that she wore to Zheng Chang’s house? Bo Jinyan: “Then give me a kiss first?” Jian Yao: “No. You stay there. Don’t move.” He watches her as she walks into the bathroom. Bo Jinyan gives a sigh. His mobility is affected, so he can’t walk up to kiss her whenever he wants. But what’s worse is…

Not strenuous exercise for a week….Shit!

Chapter 55 A cool night. After shower, Jian Yao is ready for bed. It’s been two long days without a proper sleep for her. She stands outside Bo Jinyan’s bedroom door and says to him: ”I am going to bed now. Call me if you need my help. Goodnight.” Bo Jinyan is lying on his bed, watching a documentary on TV. He turns to look at her and asks: “Where are you sleeping tonight?” Jian Yao blushes, then answers: “My room, of course.” Bo Jinyan picks up the remote and presses the pause button. He look at her and says: “As I recall, before the case, there is probably not a part of your body I haven't kissed or touched for at least three times. And as for the important parts…. let me think…”His raises his brows: “…eight times.” Jian Yao blushes: “Stop! Why are you telling me this?” This man… he counts how many times he kisses her? Bo Jinyan smiles: “Because of my love for you, and my understanding on how much human desires closeness and passion. You have to admit that we have developed a very intimate relationship… physically. So, we should sleep on the same bed.” Jian Yao: “…….” The most embarrassing in the world would be to hear Bo Jinyan talk about sex. He is so blunt and straight forward, with no consideration for how it will make her feel. Jian Yao: “I might move around in my sleep and accidentally touch your wound. The priority right now is to make sure you have a speedily recovery. So we need to sleep in separate rooms.” They are still looking into each others eyes. Bo Jinyan: “That’s nonsense. The last time I held you in my arm, you didn’t move at all.” Jian Yao: “Well, just in case. We can’t risk it. Good night.” Bo Jinyan keeps quiet this time. Jian Yao says before she leaves: “…. if there’s nothing else you need me to do, I’ll go now. Goodnight.”

After a couple of steps into the corridor. She can hear his voice: “Are you not even going to give me a good night kiss?” He says in a dissatisfied and pompous tone. Jian Yao laughs and turns back to him. In the soft light, he looks good in his black pyjamas. She bends down: “Close your eyes.” He looks at her and closes his eye lids. When her lips are about to touch his, she notices the corners of his lips curl up to a little smile. Jian Yao feels warm and fuzzy in the heart. Bo Jinyan. I am happy. Because you are happy. ——————The next morning. A bright sunny day. The whole of B city is enjoying the warmth the sun brings on this lovely autumn day. Fu Ziyu parks his Lexus in the apartment carpark. He walks over to open the door for Yin Ziqi: “We are here.” Yin Ziqi is wearing a navy blue dress today, with a white scarf, and a pair of heels. She looks concerned: “Did you get a helper? Who is looking after him?” Fu Ziyu holds on to her hand to help her balance as she gets out of the car: “That’s alright. Jian Yao is there. They are living together.” He notices Yin Ziqi looks a little strange when she heard that. Oh.. Bo Jinyan has not informed his sister yet. If she knew how different her little brother behaves around Jian Yao nowadays, she will be horrified. The block of ice that has turned into a flaming magma - french kissed his girlfriend on day one, successfully persuaded her to move in with him on day two, and almost made out on day three! When Bo Jinyan told him about falling in love with Jian Yao, he choked and made a fool of himself. He wants to see what sort of reaction the elegant Yin Ziqi might give. So he just says: “Well, she is his assistant, so it’s part of her job description to look after him.” And Bo Jinyan does not disappoint him. Before he left yesterday, Bo Jinyan gave him a spare key to his house so that ‘Jian Yao won’t have to rush around to open the door for Fu Ziyu.”

So when he opens the door, the picture they see is Bo Jinyan leaning down on the chaise near the window. Jian Yao is sitting next to him. She is holding a bowl, and spoon feeding him congee. At that moment, the spoon is in Bo Jinyan’s mouth. This is a normal scene of someone looking after an injured person. But Jian Yao’s slightly blushing face and the smile that is in Bo Jinyan’s gaze adds a certain ambiguity to the atmosphere. When Jian Yao sees Fu Ziyu, she quickly pulls the spoon out of his mouth. “hu hum…” Fu Ziyu clears his throat: “Jinyan, your sister is here.” Yin Ziqi obviously saw Jian Yao spoon-feeding him too. She senses there is something between them, but she pretends she didn’t notice. Bo Jinyan looks to his sister and gives her a nod. Then he turns back to Jian Yao: “Don’t be distracted. Continue.” Jian Yao feels a little uneasy. She shoves the bowl into Bo Jinyan’s hand. “You can do it yourself.” Then she stands and smiles to Yin Ziqi: “Hi. Please take a seat. I’ll make some tea.” Yin Ziqi smiles back: “Thank you.” Then she turns to her brother. Before she gets a chance to speak, she can hear his voice. Although, he doesn't seem to be talking to her. “They have hands, leave them to do it themselves… Oh! Are you shy again…. You can imagine they are not here.” Jian Yao blushes even more: “Shut up!” She turns to Yin Ziqi: “Sorry, he’s been a little hard to please since his injuries.” Apologising for Bo Jinyan has become a habit of Jian Yao’s - from the little kid on the day they played fireworks, to soothing the police officers because of his harsh comments, to handling family members that he helped saved but don’t want to meet… But in Yin Ziqi’s ears, her apologies represent something different. She has always been a sensible person. After being kissed by the Flower Cannibal No.2, she is well aware that the most dangerous part of the whole event is not the Flower Cannibal, but how moved she felt when she mistook the Flower Cannibal for Bo Jinyan. So for a long time, she did not contact Bo Jinyan. Until today, when she heard about his injuries. —————She is Bo Jinyan’s sister. Jian Yao is only his assistant. But she is apologising on to her on his behalf?

She smiles and look towards Fu Ziyu for an answer. Fu Ziyu refuses to get involved. He simply gives a “I don’t know. But you know what your brother is like” look to her. Yin Ziqi takes a seat next to Bo Jinyan. He has lost weight since she last saw him. She can see the top of the bandage showing just below his neckline. Her heart feels for him. “How did you end up hurting yourself so badly?” She frowns as she asks Bo Jinyan. Bo Jinyan glances her a look. He is not planning to answer the question. Fu Ziyu also takes a seat on the sofa. He is waiting for the sister’s reaction when she knows about their relationship. Jian Yao takes out two cups of tea from the kitchen and places them on the coffee table. “Did you forget what happened last time?” Qin Ziqi says softly. “We were so worried for you. You can’t let yourself be hurt anymore.” This time Bo Jinyan answers: “I will do my best.” ————Jian Yao has returned to the kitchen cut up some fruits for everyone. The three of them are chatting in the lounge. Yin Ziqi says: “Do you want to move back to the villa for now? The servants there can better look after you.” Fu Ziyu knows she is fishing for information. He laughs. As expected, Bo Jinyan answers straight away: “No.” Yin Ziqi looks at him: “Ok then, I will employ a professional nurse to look after you. Jian Yao can’t handle the task by herself. You have to rest in bed. Besides, she is a girl. How can she meet all your personal needs?” The two of them looks at Bo Jinyan. He has a strange look on his face. “Oh…” He says softly.

Yin Ziqi is puzzled: “What is it?” His handsome face has sly smile: “Personal needs - I didn’t think about it. This is where I can take advantage of the situation. Thanks for the reminder.” “Ha ha ha….” Fu Ziyu is hysterical. Yin Ziqi is still wondering what he means.

After a while, she starts laughing too: “Did I miss something here?” Bo Jinyan suddenly remembers the his sister does not know about his love interest yet. So he says: “Isn’t this obvious? I am in love.” Even though it’s his second time hearing the statement, Fu Ziyu chokes again. Yin Ziqi’s smile freezes. After a while, she turns to look at Fu Ziyu: “Can I have a moment with him?” Fu Ziyu stands up: “Sure.” Jian Yao walks out with the platter. Fu Ziyu says to her: “Jian Yao, let’s go get some lunch for all of us.” Jian Yao senses the siblings want some time in private, so she agrees. After they leave the apartment, Bo Jinyan is the first to speak: “What is it? Another murder in your company?” Yin Ziqi says: “Of course not.” She smiles: “I am just surprised, to hear about you and Jian Yao.” Bo Jinyan asks: “Why are you surprised? I am normal healthy man.” Yin Ziqi pauses, then she says: “Congratulations.” “Thank you.” She smiles again: “I am not trying to interfere with your private life. But because it’s the first time you are in a relationship, I have a question to ask you. Are you sure she is right girl for you?” Bo Jinyan: “Why are you asking?” “You are a fine young man. Many women will consider you a good catch. Jian Yao is a good girl too. But I do have one hesitation.” She looks at him ands says carefully: “You have never spent so much time alone with a woman before. She is your first female assistant. Are you sure this is love? Or is it because she is around you all the time. And all the care and attention you receive from her, you mistake that for love. If it was another girl in her place, would you have the same feelings for her?” Bo Jinyan thinks about what she says. Then he starts tapping his fingers on the armrest. He has a big smile on his face. His eyes look brightly at her. “You have confirmed something for me. It’s not about how many times you fall in love. Natural talent is an important factor.” He says proudly: “Even with the amount of experience you have with guys, you can’t see through a simple truth?”

Yin Ziqi: “…What do you mean?” Bo Jinyan says slowly: “Your question is a paradox. Think about it, there are millions of woman in the world, yet I have always used a male assistant. But why did I change my habit and employ her instead?” —————— When Yin Ziqi and Fu Ziyu leave, it’s the afternoon. Fu Ziyu leisurely chats to her while he drives: “Isn’t it incredible? Bo Jinyan is in love. And they love each other so dearly. Every time I see the way he looks at Jian Yao, I think to myself - I must be dreaming.” Yin Ziqi looks out of the window: “Yes, I am so happy for him.” —————— After his visitors ‘reminded’ Bo Jinyan how Jian Yao should look after him, he waits eagerly for night to arrive. After dinner. Jian Yao sits in the balcony with him. She asks: “What do you want to do tonight? Watch TV? Read?” Bo Jinyan looks at her and smiles: “Since I can’t take a shower by myself, you need to wipe my body for me.” Jian Yao is speechless. She blushes. Bo Jinyan adds: “Full body…”

Chapter 56 Many times, men and women have a different understanding for the same word. For example. ‘Full body’ to Jian Yao means she will be wiping his face, neck, chest, back, arms and legs. And this is embarrassing enough. But for Bo Jinyan… Full body means EVERYWHERE, especially the part that is usually hidden beneath his underwear. Jian Yao thinks to herself. Well, it is a reasonable request. It has been quite warm in the past few days. She suggests: “Let me put a chair in the shower box. You can sit there. I will hold and control the shower head and make sure no water touches the wound. Ok?” Bo Jinyan smiles. His eyes are gleaming with joy. “Of course. Good idea.” He says in a low soft voice. Something don’t feel right. But man are usually excited by physical contact. She thinks no more of it and walks to the bathroom. ————The bathroom lights has a nice warm glow. Jian Yao puts a bar stool in the middle of the shower box. Jian Yao helps Bo Jinyan to sit down. She helps him to unbutton his shirt. He is sitting very still, just looking at her. She takes his shirt off. Perhaps it’s her imagination? The place seems to be filled with his unique masculine scent. She looks up. Bo Jinyan is still staring at her, smiling. “What are you smiling about?” She asks. “I am enjoying my shower.” Ok…. Jian Yao makes a mental note for herself. Do not speak to him during any form of physical contact. Anything he says is bound to make her embarrassed. But it’s not up to her to control whether Bo Jinyan decides to speak or not. After she takes off his trousers, and see his long and toned legs, she picks up the shower head with a redden face. As she turns the water on, she hears him say: “What about my underwear?”

Jian Yao takes some time to think of a reply. The water lands next to his feet. Steam starts to fill the bathroom. “It’s not necessary.” She says softly. “Of course it is.” He looks at her and says faintly: “I wash myself everyday.” Jian Yao’s face is burning with embarrassment. “I can teach you.” He continues to say in a leisurely manner. Jian Yao feels like the thread veins inside her face is about to explode. “I don’t need you to teach me.” She starts to rinse his good arm. “I will do what I need to do. If you don’t like it, you can do it yourself.” “Ok.” Bo Jinyan says reluctantly. She takes the handmade soap from the corner and starts to gently rub it on his arms. Then she hears him speaks again: “How are you intending to wash it off? I don’t like the water temperature to be too high.” Jian Yao: “You… just shut up!” Eventually, she finishes cleaning his back, his arms and his legs. She shoves him the shower head: “I will go out for a while. You can rinse the rest yourself.” Bo Jinyan looks in your eyes: “Sure, but you will need to help me to take off my underwear.” He smiles: “I can’t bend my back.” This is a very ‘valid’ reason. He is sitting on the chair. He is tall, proportionate, with a great muscle definition. A perfect body. His face seems to be blushing too. He looks at her with anticipation. Jian Yao tries her best to avoid touching his skin, but some contact is inevitable. She pretends nothing has happened when her fingertips accidentally touches his flesh. But her heart is pounding. Seems like it took forever for her to complete the task. She quickly hands him the shower head and turns her back on him: “Call me when you are done.” She walks out quickly. But she hears him call even before she reached the door: “Jian Yao.” “What?” She turns her head to the side, looking at him with her peripheral vision. “Even if you pretend not to see it. You can’t ignore the fact.” He says in a slightly coarse voice, “I'm aroused…because of you.” ——————-

Jian Yao waits in the lounge. She pressed her cold fingers to her hot cheeks and takes a deep breath. It’s the first time she has seen a completely naked man in her life. The night in bed. It was too dark. Besides, she subconscious kept her eyes away from the lower half of his body. The image is still vivid in her mind. Suddenly she thinks of what’s likely to happen between them in the not too distant future…. Oh, how embarrassing. Bo Jinyan’s voice from the bathroom: “I’m ready.” “Ok.” She walks slowly back to the bathroom. Oh great! She has to face him again. ———————— Because of his restricted mobility, there are lots of things Bo Jinyan cannot do at the moment. The days become long and boring. Bo Jinyan’s temper is obvious. Except for Jian Yao, he grumbles and mocks about everything. On the fifth night. Jian Yao is watching some US drama on her laptop. Bo Jinyan is sitting next to her. He can now put his hand around her. After the nth time he criticises about the drama - actors are ugly, the plot has too many loop holes… Jian Yao can’t stand it anymore. She looks at him: “Why are you so testy?” He says faintly: “Because I hate recuperating.” “Your injuries were worse last time. It took you a whole year to recover. You got through that ok.” Bo Jinyan gives her a glance: “It’s different.” “Why?” “I didn’t have you by my side to challenge my desires.” “….” Then when night falls, he mood improves: “Time for a shower.”

It’s almost October. The weather has cooled down a bit. Jian Yao looks into the dark outside the window: “The temperature is dropping tonight. It’s not that hot anymore. Is it necessary?” He looks at her: “Are you trying to deprive me of my only pleasure in life at the moment?” She pauses, then says: ‘Very well. Let’s go.” When she settles Bo Jinyan on the chair in the shower box. She shoves him the shower head and smiles: “When you are done, go to bed. Goodnight.” Bo Jinyan looks at her. She has already walked out of the bathroom: “I saw you taking the files from the shelves with your hand today.” So, Mr. Bo Jinyan. You are on your own. Jian Yao returns to her room. Then she hears water splashing sounds from the bathroom. She smiles to herself. But she forgets that everything has a consequence. She deprived him of his ‘only pleasure’, and there is a price she will need to pay too. She is woken by in the middle of the night. She smells a familiar scent, then her body is lifted off the bed. She opens her eyes. It’s Bo Jinyan. He is strong enough to carry her. “What you are doing?” It’s the middle of the night. He replies with action. He carries her into his room, put her on his bed, then lies down beside her. He just twirls her hair quietly. She thinks of all the possible things he might do. She blushes. He has purposely left the bedside lamp on. “Hug me.” He says. Jian Yao turns around and shuffle up close to him. She puts a hand in front of his chest. She likes this position. It’s intimate, but not sensual. And to her surprise. He is lying very still. Eyes closed. He carried her over just so that they can sleep on the same bed. Nothing more. After she falls asleep, Bo Jinyan opens his eyes. Oh…. she was expecting something more from him.

But he is not fully recovered. And he must be in his best form for his first ‘time”. —————-

The next morning, someone comes to see Bo Jinyan. Finally, he has got something to sink his teeth in. Bo Jinyan’s fame has spread to the rest of the country since the two serial killing cases. Today, an older officer from a second grade city from the South have come to seek his counsel. He is about forty ears old. He looks tough and experience. Although they are not expecting visitors, Jian Yao invites him to come in to take a seat on the sofa. Bo Jinyan is clearly not so welcoming: “When did my lounge become a reception area?” Jian Yao looks apologetically to the officer. But he doesn't seem to mind. He takes out a stack of files and passes a few photos to Bo Jinyan: “Professor Bo, please have a look at the files.” The photo shows victims lying in their respective crime scenes. There are five photos all together. They look like they were killed by the same person. The murders happened about eighteen years ago. The method the killer used had was the same for all the cases. There were also matching DNA from all the crime scene. But it’s a cold case. The old officer heard about how quickly Bo Jinyan managed to crack the recent homicides, so he thought he’d take a chance. “ A lot of the buildings where the crimes were committed have been demolished. The bodies are long buried.” says the old officer. “I only have these photos and the witness statements. I have worked on this case for years. I am about to retire. I know there is only a very slim chance we can crack this now. But I want to give it a last try.” Jian Yao studies the information on the cases: 5 single ladies. Factory workers. Between the age of 20 - 25. All of them were quite pretty, and slim. Time of death was in the middle of the night, when they were asleep at home. No signs of sexual assault. But the bodies were abused after death. The cases were spread over a period of two years. According to the witnesses, all the ladies had a number of admirers in the factories.” Jian Yao frowns: “It’s a very old case, and there’s hardly any evidence. Bo Jinyan, what do you think?” Bo Jinyan says to the officer: “I will give you a few suggestions:

The killer was between 30 to 35 years of age when he killed those women. He worked for an organisation that provides services to the community: driver, courier services, electrician or plumber, or even police officer. He was working for or close the factories. At least, it will be in the same suburb. He was probably a stalker. But the victims and him might have met during some social functions. He might even tried to pursued them. He’s had personal contact with the victims before killing them. He should be average looking. Not handsome, but not ugly either. Quiet. Quick tempered. Temperamental. He hated women. Though he didn’t have sex with any of the women, I think there is still connection between sex and his crime. He lacked family attention from young, especially from his father. Lastly, a serial killer at this level lacks self control. There reason why there were no more cases must be because of change in his circumstances. Perhaps he was in jail for other crimes, or he was hospitalised or moved elsewhere, or he changed his killing style. If he is still alive, he will want to keep connected with his victims, for example, visiting their tombs or the crime scenes regularly, so he can re-live his memories. You mentioned some of the buildings are demolished. However, for a psychopath, he can only sees what’s in his head. To him, those building still exist. ——————— The officer left after talking to them. Is he going to find the killer after so many years? It’s hard to say. But over the next few days, more officers from various provinces come to Bo Jinyan for assistance. Bo Jinyan does the same thing as he did for the old officer. He gives them his views on the cases and profiles the killer for them. Sometimes Jian Yao is concerned that he is too tired out. “Are you sure you are not too tired?” Bo Jinyan: “Does your body ever feel tired when your brain is doing all the work?” Five days after the old officer came to him, he locked in a suspect: 52 years old man that runs a small store near the cemetery. He was an electrician. His parents separated when he was young. The police officer matched his DNA to the cases. Jian Yao is overjoyed to hear the results. They try their best to help the ever increasing flow of visitors that seek his counsel. So, time passes quickly when one is busy. It’s now end of October. Bo Jinyan has been resting at home for almost two and a half weeks.

Chapter 57 A beautiful autumn day in B city. The air is brisk and clear. In a bright sunny morning, Jian Yao stands in front of the coffee table. She is tidying the files. Bo Jinyan is sitting on the sofa behind her. He has his laptop on. He seems to be concentrating on reading something. “Once the holiday starts, we have no more visitors.” Jian Yao says casually. She is talking about the officers visiting them with their cold cases. Yesterday, two people came. Today is the beginning of the seven day holiday. Not a soul has come to them. Bo Jinyan lifts up his head from looking down at the screen: “Well, it is the National holidays.” Jian Yao laughs. Is this the same guy that she knew six months ago? She thought festivals and holidays mean nothing to him. She had to drag him out of the house to play fireworks with her. Bo Jinyan knows what she is thinking about. He gives a sly smile. “I don’t really care. But today is an important day for me.” Jian Yao is not sure what he means. But he lowers his head to work on his laptop again. She is a little puzzled, but then it dawns on her Today is the nation’s ‘birthday’, so it’s his special day as well. Wow! Didn’t think he would love his home country this much! After tidying the files, she goes to her room to get changed. She is meeting a few of her university friends today for shopping. Surely Bo Jinyan would not be interested. “I’m leaving now.” She yells at the front door. “Umm.” He replies “When are you coming back?” Jian Yao answers: “I won’t be long.” She pauses, and adds: “I won’t leave you to spend the first day of the holidays alone.” Bo Jinyan sits up straight on the sofa. He curls the lips on his handsome face: “Of course you won’t.” He says in a lazy but dreamy voice.

When you are in love, you start to miss the person the moment you part from him. Jian Yao sits in the taxi. The puffy white clouds hang high in the blue sky. She thinks of her charming boyfriend. Her heart is filled with joy. Even when he was injured, he never hides the intention of wanting advance to the next level in their relationship with her. But in the past few days, they have been so busy that he seems to have forgotten. Oh, he is so childish, yet so cute. She is sure when he remembers… he will not hold back. Oh, she’d better finds a place to hide herself. What Jian Yao doesn’t realise is that he has never forgotten about it. It’s always on his mind. He is waiting for his injuries to completely heal. He wants to be in top form to deliver the perfect first time experience for both of them. The moment she walks out of the front door, Bo Jinyan puts down his laptop and starts to pace around the house. Finally, their big day has arrived. He’s made all the necessary arrangements. She will be pleased. He called the Police Department earlier to make sure no one will be appearing out of the blue with their unsolved cases. She might have noticed this already. As for his injuries? He is completely recovered. In fact, he’s been lying in bed for so long he feels he has lots of excess energy to burn. Knowledge and skills? …. Those suggestions he just read on the internet is firmly planted in his brain. It is not an exaggeration to say that he is so knowledgeable in the area now that no matter which position or techniques she prefers, he can satisfy her. She does not have her menstrual period today. In fact, according to the woman’s normal cycle - today is one of her more productive days, which means she will be easily aroused. Good. It’s all set. He walks to the window and taps the glass with his long fingers. He wants everything to be perfect. Is there anything he’s forgotten? He thinks for a while and gives Fu Ziyu a call. Fu Ziyu is sitting with a cup of coffee in his balcony at home. He is enjoying the holiday too. He takes a sip and asks: “Master, what can I do for you today?”

Bo Jinyan says bluntly: “I am planning to have sex with Jian Yao tonight. For the first time. Do you have any tips for me?” Fu Ziyu chokes again. “cough… cough…” —————Jian Yao returns with a few shopping bags with her. To her surprise, the house is very quiet. His car keys are not there either. It’s the first day of the holiday. Everywhere is packed with people. It’s very unusual that he would choose to go out on a day like this. Then her phone rings. It’s him. “Are you home?” He asks. There’s music in the background where he is. And his voice sounds low and a little muffled. “Yes, I just got back.” She is curious. “Where are you?” “Wait.” He turns to talk to someone else. After a while, he says to her: “You don’t need to know where I am. Go and get ready, someone will come and pick you up soon.” Jian Yao is confused: “Pick me up? Why?” Bo Jinyan laughs lightly: “To attend an important function with me.” She hangs up. An important function? Is it something to do with National Day celebrations with the department of Public Security? No matter what it is, she is just glad to be with him. But when she walks downstairs, she is shocked. There is a long black limousine waiting for her. There are roses on both sides of the door handle. A driver in his black uniform walks towards her. He bows to her and opens the passenger seat doors. The neighbours are attracted to this unusual sight. A lot of them are standing around, looking. When she is in the car, she calls Bo Jinyan: “What is this all about? Why is a limousine here to pick me up?” Bo Jinyan is silent on the other end. “It goes without saying.” He finally answers: “I am on a date with you.” Fu Ziyu’s first tip.

“You intend to wait for her to come home, then carry her straight into the bedroom? Atmosphere, mate. The first time, atmosphere is very important. Give her a romantic date that she will never forget, then things will progress naturally from there.” ——————She is a little stunned. Oh, so this is the important function. A date. But it’s quite true. They have not been on a proper date before. “Sorry, I didn't realise.” She smiles: “Thank you.” Bo Jinyan sounds pleased. He asks: “Is this romantic?” Jian Yao can’t help but laugh. The limo with flowers is a little over the top, but it’s the thoughts that count. “Romantic. Thank you so much.” The long car stops in front of a five star hotel. The lobby manager opens the door for Jian Yao: “Welcome, Miss Jian.” He shows her to the elevator that will bring her straight to the top floor. “Mr. Bo is waiting for you.” Jian Yao smiles at him: “Thank you.” She asks the manager: “What is he doing on the top floor?” The manager smiles: “Mr.Bo has booked the penthouse on the top floor. It’s got a 270 degrees view of the city lights. There is also a private swimming pool. I’m sure you will be satisfied with our facilities and services. We are the best hotel in town. Have a wonderful evening.” Jian Yao is dumbfounded. She finally understands why Bo Jinyan brought her here. She thought their first date will be a romantic candlelight dinner in some nice restaurant… not in a luxurious penthouse. This fellow…. is obviously running towards a goal. She blushes as she walks out of the elevator. A dazzling and elaborated designed crystal chandelier quickly attracts your attention as you step into the oversized lounge. There is a set of classic European designed leather sofa with a curved back rest. The window looks out to the city lights of B City. She walks down the corridor lined with lush red carpet, to the next room. There is music coming out from the room. She hears footsteps too.

Jian Yao slowly walks over, and around golden screen. It’s a beautiful dining room that is dimly lit with mood lighting. There is a small round table in the middle of the room. On this dark brown table, there is a long white candle in a candle stand, and a bunch of burgundy coloured moth orchid. A young violinist is playing on the side, the soothing music is like the sound of gently flowing water. Bo Jinyan is standing at the end of the corridor, in a well tailor shirt and trousers. His eyes sparkle under the flickering flame of the candle light, and his face has a gentle glow. “Hi.” He says in his naturally low magnetic voice. Jian Yao: “…..Hi.” He walks towards her. He looks into her eyes and says admiringly: “You look beautiful tonight.” Jian Yao thought they were attending a party tonight. So she chose a beautiful dress and put her hair up. She is wearing the diamond necklace that he gave her, revealing her soft neck and shoulders. “Thank you.” she says softly. She can see his suggestive smile. She heart pounds. Because she is well aware of what he is thinking about right now. He is obviously pleased with the way she dressed. Bo Jinyan takes her hand and they sit at the dining table. Dinner is exquisite. Throughout the meal, Bo Jinyan is very quiet, but his smile never leaves him. And the look in his eyes says it all. Soon, dinner is over. The table is cleared, the violinist gone. Only the two of them are left in this big penthouse. They are still sitting at the dining table, staring at each other in candlelight. Jian Yao picks up the bunch of moth orchids: “It’s very pretty.” Bo Jinyan stands and walks behind her. He takes the flower away from her and throw it back onto the table. “Leave the flowers here. Let’s go to the bedroom.” Jian Yao’s face reddens. She doesn’t say a word. She does not even look up. But she allows Bo Jinyan to hold her hand and leads her to the bedroom.

He notices her nervousness, he says in his low deep voice: “Relax.” he pauses slightly: “Even though I don't have experience, but my ability to learn and grasp new skills is superior. I am also very observant. I will do very well.” Jian Yao don’t know what to say. When they get inside, she is amazed. There is another big chandelier in the room. This time, it is a modern artistic design with little square over it. A huge king size bed is in the middle of the room, surrounded by ceiling to ground glass windows that shows a panoramic view of B city. So… they will be making love on this bed? With the city underneath them? That’s so bold and arrogant. Well, it sure fits his style. Her palms begin to sweat. What is going to happen next? Will he push her down onto the bed? But Bo Jinyan leads her to one of the glass window. With one hand on the glass, one hand behind her head, he says to her: “Close your eyes.” Jian Yao: “…Why?” She is nervous. He covers her eyes with his hand that was on the glass. He lowers his head and kisses her gently on her ear. Then he says to her: “I’ll let you know when to open them.” Bo Jinyan continues to gently kiss her ears. Then he glides his lips down her neck, hover at the curve that is usually covered by her long hair. Jian Yao is shivering in his arms. Her eyes are covered by his hand, so she holds on his shirt. “How long do I have to wait?” She says “Not long.” He says as he nibbles and gently bites the smooth flesh on her neck. Jian Yao’s first reaction is - a new trick. A few days ago, he only knows how to passionate but simply kiss her. But today, his touches are melting her, she is already breathing more quickly. Her second thought - She knows what Bo Jinyan wants her to see. From the limousine, to the luxurious penthouse, and the exquisite dinner, she can almost guess that his next trick is to arrange for the hotel staff to write messages of love on helium ballrooms and float them up to appear before her. Oh gosh, please do not write something like “Please make love to me, Jian Yao!”

As she is still thinking, suddenly he removes his hand. His lips are no longer on her neck. Jian Yao opens her eyes slowly, and see fireworks exploding in the most beautiful patterns, right before her eyes. The sky comes alive with so many vibrant hues, starbursts, and showers of light along with ribbons of smoke. And the colours reflect on the lake waters. It’s breathlessly stunning. Jian Yao is shocked - fireworks. He brought her to see fireworks. She did contemplate this possibility, but B City does not allow fireworks, except “Fireworks for the National Celebrations.” He says proudly: “You are standing in the best spot for the city’s firework display.” Jian Yao quietly watches the fireworks while Bo Jinyan quietly watches her. He is not interested in these shimmering lights and patterns at all. But he remembers why Fu Ziyu said. “Take her to a romantic and beautiful setting.” Bo Jinyan thought for a while. He remembers how much she enjoyed the firework during the lantern festival. He tells Fu Ziyu his plans. Fu Ziyu approves: “Very good. No woman can resist fireworks. She will take the initiative to kiss you, then let things progress naturally from there on.” Humm…. he is waiting…. If she doesn't come over and kiss him in the next minute, then he will have to take the initiative instead. “Thank you. Jinyan.” She says gently. “You are welcome.” He smiles. “As long as you think it’s romantic.” Because romance is the best catalyst. Jian Yao smiles again. She does not watch the fireworks anymore. She takes a step forward and hooks her hands around his neck. Then she leans over to kiss him. This kiss is different from her previous kisses. Her whole body snuggles up into his arms, as if she is going to entrust herself to him. She copies his kissing style - stirring him, inviting him for more… Bo Jinyan has two other arrangements but he decides they are not necessary anymore. Lifting her up, he carries her across the room to the king size bed. Jian Yao leans close to his chest. He gently places her on bed. The firework display is still going in the background. He leans down and looks at her. His face has the proud arrogant smile again. He is ecstatic. Jinyan. So am I. I am as happy as I am nervous...

-----------------“Take my clothes off for me.” He says with his deep voice. His black eyes fixed on her. Jian Yao blushes as she unbuttons his shirt. First button, second button… Then she feels a warm feeling on her thigh. He slides his hand in from underneath the dress, gradually exploring her body. “Don’t stop. Continue.” He orders, “Unless you want me to keep my clothes on.” Jian Yao’s attention was on his hand that’s resting on her thigh. Her hands shakes as she continues to take off his shirt. He is pleased. He lies on top of her. Her hand gently rests on his chest as she tries to block him from coming closer. But…. can he not stare at her like that. His gaze is sharp like razor. And the hand that is underneath the dress is getting more and more bold… His long fingers start rubbing her, on top of the thin layer of fabric. He touches her with a strength that is not too hard, or soft, but just enough to make her body shivers. But of course, this is only the beginning. When he is aware of the slight dampness on the fabric, he smiles and says: “You are wet. Faster than I expected.” Jian Yao is almost driven mad. She hides her face in his chest and protests with a whine: “Can you please keep quiet?” He looks at her. His smile increases. “No.” He says. “We should communicate our feelings. It helps to achieve perfect sex.” Then his fingers finally tilt the layer of fabric away to explore further. Jian Yao feels as if there are electric currents going through her. Every cell within her seems to be under his control. She can barely speak. His thumb presses on her soft flesh. Jian Yao’s legs becomes weak and shaky. His fingers dive in further. He frowns at this point. His hands actions do not stop. He is obviously looking for something. “Is it here?” He uses his fingertips to rub gently. Jian Yao takes a big breath. His frown turns into a smile: “Found it. I am so accurate.” Jian Yao’s face is completely red from embarrassment. She grabs on to his shoulders. He notices her reactions, he is even more proud. He smiles: “Don’t be so nervous. Just enjoy.” He bents down to kiss her. His large body pressing on to hers, restricting her body movements. His hand continues to work its magic, and getting better at it as each second passes. Knead, push, tease… Sometimes, it’s a fast and strong rub. Sometimes, he’s move in circles slowly and gently. His action is swift and smooth, not leaving her a chance to respite. She curls up like a cat under his body.

“Where… did you learn this?” She asks as she breathes heavily. He looks up and smiles at her: “You mean this technique?” Jian Yao’s mutters a soft yes. “A French book.” He says “ ‘Best guide to sex.’ You should read it too when you have time.” “No, I won’t….” she struggles to finish her sentence as he picks up his speed again. The constant stimulation is making her anxious like ants on a hot pan. She feels a strong urge within her. A feeling like she can’t get enough of. She has never felt like this all her life. “Oh…. getting more and more excited?” His low voice is getting coarser too. Jian Yao feels she can’t continue anymore. Under his fingers, in a part deep within her, a trembling, strange sensation is going though her like layers of waves. Her heart is pounding so fast she feels it’s going to explode any minute. But he continues to stir her… This is not fair…. It’s both their first attempt. Why does she feels so frustrated and nervous, and he is like an experienced lover, with all the confidence and skills to control the game right from the start. But she has no strength left to complain. Then, a clear but sharp feeling, like a flash of white light/electric current, engulfs her. “Oh…” She moans. She can’t believe she made that noise. Her whole body trembles. She pushes him away: “Stop, stop. I can’t take it anymore….” Bo Jinyan looks at the woman who is shaking in his arms. According to the ‘The Best Sex Guide’, at this point, he needs to stay away from strong stimulations. He stops using his fingers, and gently presses the sides to help calm her down. But his mind is not as calm as Jian Yao thinks. Heat waves are rippling and stirring inside of him. Too sexy. She is too sexy. Her toes curl when she reaches orgasm, softly pushing against his calves. Her skin turns to a pale pink at that point. This is not mentioned in the books. He wants to access her right now, to have her tightly wrapping against him. Oh, it must be incredibly wonderful. He looks at that beautiful place, completely wet, looking soft and red under the lights.

His lower abdomen tightens. somewhere, there is a burning tension that feels like it wants to explode. Only the valley dripping with honey can appease and ease the tension. No. Wait a little longer. There is something he wants her to do. “Jian Yao, touch me.” He lowers his head and latches on to her breasts, then grabs her hand. His heart is stirring - She is finally going to touch his private part. Jian Yao body is still soft, her legs still numb. Her head is a little groggy. She looks up to see his bright black eyes looking into hers. His hand has led her to press on a hot and hard place. Jian Yao’s face is completely red again. She feels like she is going to suffocate soon. But she can’t back off now. She holds him in her hand, and under his gaze, and moves slowly. Within a few seconds, Bo Jinyan feels his throat tightening. And it swells incredibly. She does not have the skills like he did. She pats it like a pet . But it’s enough to set him on fire. "You're great ......" he sighs. Jian Yao continues to blush: “Really?" Looking at the thing in her hand, she can’t help but comment: “It’s nothing like your outer appearance.” His skin complexion looks more like smooth ivory. Bo Jinyan understands what she means. It’s a compliment from his woman to him. He can’t wait another second. He removes her hands from there, and lowers his body to the right position. Even though her tender flesh is sufficiently moist, the muscles are still tight. He lowers the head, it feels stuck. But this is enough to release a bit of the pressure. His mouth opens slightly, even his face has a tint of blush. “Oh…..” he lets out a sigh. Jian Yao also whispers a gasp. It’s hurting her. Bo Jinyan holds her waist, and pushes in another segment. This is really painful. She complains: “It’s painful.” She gives him a disapproving glance, “I thought you read the book, so why does it still hurts?” For once, Bo Jinyan don’t feel like talking at at all. He just wants to get it all in there. Oh… that warm wrapped up feeling. It’s like drugs that are seducing him. He is completely unable to suppress the urge to thrust. He can even feel the tip hopping with joy.

But it hurts her though. Bo Jinyan lets out a long breath. He stops the movement, and places his finger on her sensitive part. “Relax.” He is coaxing her: “It will be wonderful. I am skillful and my techniques are top class .” Jian Yao bursts into laughter. But soon she is not laughing anymore. He caresses her with his fingers while advancing slowly at the same time. It’s double stimulation. Her body starts to shiver again. Ok, he is a master… it’s not as painful anymore. When it’s finally completely wrapped up, neither of them speaks. It’s a strange and overwhelming feeling. The two bodies wrapped in each other arms. The air is filled with their scent. Their heart beating like drums, awaiting for the most intimate moments. “Now, do you feel it is real?" Bo Jinyan asks in her ears. Jian Yao stares at him: “Ah.” A beautiful night. You are beside me. I am beside you. You are in me, and I am in you. You, who are usually proud and arrogant, would love me so passionately. You excite me in ways I have never experienced before. I am crazy about you. We will be the most intimate person for each other from now on. We will be inseparable.

I wish this moment is a covenant of a lifetime. We will be by each other’s side for the rest of our life. Until we are old and frail, we will still be deeply in love with one another, till death do us part. -----------------The two bodies wrapped in each other arms. The air is filled with their scent. Their heart beating like drums, awaiting for the most intimate moments. “Now, do you feel it is real?" Bo Jinyan asks in her ears. Jian Yao stares at him: “Ah.” A beautiful night. You are beside me. I am beside you. You, who are usually proud and arrogant, would love me so passionately. You excite me in ways I have never experienced before. I am crazy about you. We will be the most intimate person for each other from now on. We will be inseparable.

I wish this moment is a covenant of a lifetime. We will be by each other’s side for the rest of our life. Until we are old and frail, we will still be deeply in love with one another, till death do us part.

Chapter 58 The sun’s rays are streaming in from three directions. The whole room has a luminous glow. In the center of the messed up bed, Jian Yao and Bo Jinyan are lying there Words alone cannot express how he feels. Every drop of her sweat, every bead of her sweet nectar and every inch of her delicate skin is under his mastery, dancing with him.

A delicate beauty, bowing for her lover. This primal act of sharing love between men and women is too wonderful. Everything described in the books about sex is just a monotonous explanation. What a joke. Bo Jinyan thinks to himself. It should be rewritten as ‘Words cannot express this. It is recommended that you experience it for yourself to understand the immense pleasure it brings.” She buries her heavy breathing under the sheets. Her small and soft waist swings according to the rhythm he sets. Her flushed cheeks, her supply breasts, and the trembling legs that wrap around his waist… she is so weak, so attractive. Every entry, the feeling being tightly wrapped by her warmth… It’s ecstasy. His broad hand caresses and explores her curves. His advances are in his usual style: fast, precise and powerful, but tasteful and refined at the same time - And he repeatedly whispers softly in her ears with his low magnetic voice, to seduce her even more… “Oh…. looks like you enjoy the ‘nine shallow one deep’ thrusting pattern.” “Don’t bite your lips. Your moaning brings me pleasure.” “You are so wet…. baby, this time will be even better than the last.” ——————Bo Jinyan is known for his forthright mannerisms. But to speak such brazen words without a hint of embarrassment? Jian Yao wishes he could just be quiet, but she is melting in his arms, she is too weak to protest. So she continues to allow him to stimulate her senses, both physical and verbally. Her whole body is immersed in the pleasure he brings her. Everything around her seems blur out of focus, except for his forceful thrusts, reminding her of his presence. Then, the moment arrives. He pushes in deeply and wraps his arms tightly around her waist. Her entire bodyweight falling on her. His body is still, except for that one spot, which is quivers in the same rapid rhythm as the soft flesh it’s resting in. She opens and closes her palm that is on his chest, not letting go of his lean toned muscles. The sweat on his forehead drips on her face. His handsome face finally relaxes. A smile appears upon his lips.

“……” He lets out a long breath, and rolls off her. They lie side by side on the big bed. Both of them are staring at the ceiling, recovering their breath. Jian Yao pulls the scrunched up duvet to cover herself. He too, grabs the other corner and pulls it up over his body. After a while, he pulls her into his arms. She can feel that his desires are not completely faded. He looks at her with his bright black eyes. “How did it feel this time?” He takes a quick glance at the classic pendulum clock at the corner of the room: “One hour thirty four minutes. If you still think it’s too short, it can be extended the next round.” He purposely emphasises on the length of time. Jian Yao is both embarrassed and amused. She lifts her finger to lightly scratch his chest: “You don’t have to feel bad about what happened the first time. You are inexperience…” Both of them remember what happened last night. Not long after he entered into her, pushing in and out around a dozen times or so, she gradually adjusted to the motion and the pain lessened. She whispers in a voice so soft that it’s almost inaudible: ‘Umm.. feels alright now… it’s actually quite nice.” Perhaps he was overstimulated by his lover’s encouraging words, his face suddenly tightens. And for the first time in his life, his eyes reveals emotions of intolerance, defeat and awkwardness. He quickly backs out… Of course Bo Jinyan is well aware of the fact that the first time don’t last long for most men. But he was so sure that he was different from other ordinary men. That he is special and ‘gifted’ and will be able to have great control over himself, even for his first time. So, after what had happened, even though he was able to lengthen the time considerably for all subsequent acts, his first defeat left him rather dissatisfied. The first thing he did after waking up this morning was to score another round. So he could increase his average time length (including their first time) to more than 60 minutes, and also to show Jian Yao that he is more capable than she thinks. He feels better with this average. “I am sorry. Looks a little swollen.” He looks down and says: “But don’t worry, I bought some ointment for you. It’s at home. I’m sure the swelling will subside in no time.” Then he starts to visualise in his mind how she looks when ‘the swell subsides”, he smiles approvingly. Jian Yao blushes uncontrollably again. She gently hits him: “Why do you have …this type of medicine at home?” Bo Jinyan sweeps her a proud smile: “Making love is an important milestone for our relationship. Do you think I will miss out any detail?”

Jian Yao thinks for a while, then she smiles: “Yes, very well prepared. Except for the first time which ended with lightning speed.” This is obviously asking for trouble. Bo Jinyan frowns and looks at her for a few seconds. She starts to get uneasy. She quickly turns to get out of bed: “I’m taking a shower…” But he slides his arm around her waist and scooped her up before she has a chance to escape. His body once again covers her. His breath surrounding her: “Looks like the average is still short…” The probing and grinding starts again. “Ah!” She screams: “I’m sorry…. It’s my fault….. I’ve had enough….” ……… After a passionate and strenuous morning, they doze off again. When they wake up again, it’s mid-afternoon. The room is filled with the afternoon sun. Jian Yao is still in bed. It seems like all the strength in her body has drained out of her. She hears the sound of water in the bathroom. Bo Jinyan is having a shower. She hides under the duvet. She thinks about what has happened. She has given herself completely to him. A feeling of wondrous sweetness fills her heart. Bo Jinyan’s mobile phone rings. Her thoughts are interrupted by the incoming call. She looks at the screen, it’s Fu Ziyu. She yells out to Bo Jinyan: “It’s Ziyu.” She presses the answer button and says to Fu Ziyu: “Ziyu, he won’t be long.” Fu Ziyu says with laugh in his voice: “Oh, no hurry at all. I hope I am not interrupting you guys.” Jian Yao’s face burns in embarrassment. He knows! Bo Jinyan walks out from the bathroom, she quickly passes him the phone. Bo Jinyan’s hair is still wet. Water is dripping down onto his shoulders and back. He has a towel wrapped around his waist, showing off his lean toned body. Jian Yao is watching him from the bed. Oh… from now on, this will be a frequent and normal sight… “What’s up?” Bo Jinyan smiles as he answers the phone. Fu Ziyu is concerned about his good friend. He was afraid last night may have been a set-back for Mr.Bo because of his inexperience. But it seems his concern was unnecessary. His friend sounds like he had a fantastic night. Wow… Ms Jian Yao, must have been a tiring night for you. A 26 years old virgin…

So he says to Bo Jinyan: “Oh, nothing much. I just called to congratulate you.” Then he asks: “How was it?” Bo Jinyan has a deep smile: “Thank you. It was great.” Jian Yao is able to guess what they are talking about. She throws a pillow at Bo Jinyan: “I don’t want you to talk about it.” Bo Jinyan turns to smiles at her: “Ok.” Then he tells Fu Ziyu: “She is shy, I can’t talk about it anymore. But you can imagine how awesome it was. Thanks for your useful advice.” Jian Yao: “……” After he puts down the phone, he sees her getting out of bed, wearing her pyjamas. She is going to take a shower. He looks at her lovely curves and her full firm bosom. It’s enough to make him feel hot again. Oh… she belongs to him. This is an amazing feeling. Jian Yao turns around and sees him staring at her. “What is it?” Bo Jinyan pauses to think of something to say to her. He wants to convey his love for her in one concise statement. “If I knew how much pleasure it would bring me when we are one physically and spiritually, I would have asked for your love on the first day we met.” I have wasted so much time already. I should have held your hands long ago, to share this happiness.

Jian Yao feels like a jar of honey has spilled into her heart, the sweetness flowing through to all the other parts of her body. Seeking her love on day one? That does fits his vain and brazen personality. But… “Thank you. I am feeling very happy too.” She replies softly. I am happy to be with you. Even though your statement had no logic in it, but it’s the first time I have heard a statement from you that is illogical. And it’s because of me. Because you love me, and I love you very much too. ———————-

The National holiday flashes past. Some people had a passionate and sweet week. Some had a tiring but meaningful week. But some passed it in despair and pain. 7th October. The last night of the holidays. In a city in Southern provinces. A dark and quiet factory warehouse. A middle aged man. He is stumbling as he walks. He is holding a can of petrol, pouring it over a row of petroleum gas tanks. “I beg you…. please, let me go…” He wails like a trapped animal. A man that appears to be strong on the outside has tears over all his face: “My parents are very old. I have family. My wife and children are waiting for me. Please don’t kill me…. why me…” A deep voice speaks out in the darkness: “I chose you because I like the looks of you.” The man knows there is no way out of this. His hand shakes as he takes out the lighter and turns it on. A flickering flame dances in the night. “You will let my family go?” He asks trembling “If I light the fire, you will dismantle the bomb in my house?” “Of course.” says the other man: “And I promise they will not suspect a thing… except that you have such a hatred for this society that you are committing suicide with arson.” The man takes his last deep breath. He closes his eyes, lets out an agonising yell. He drops the lighter on the ground, onto the slippery and pungent petrol next to his feet…. As flames engulf him, he seems to hear the other man saying: “This is for my good friend. To die for him is an honour.” Then, there are sounds of big explosions, and he is swallowed in the waves of heat and force. His world is silenced. —————8th October. Morning. A Grand Cherokee arrives at the Central Police Station. Jian Yao gets out of the car. Bo Jinyan is in his black suit. They are walking side by side. “I have to file a complaint about last night.” Bo Jinyan says to her. Jian Yao pauses her step. Bo Jinyan continues with his ‘complaint’: “Why do you refuse to try out the new positions? You know how inquisitive I am. You can’t stop me from exploring and improving in this area.” Jian Yao: “Please, just shut up.”

Bo Jinyan is not finished yet: “If I am one of the smartest people in the world, naturally I will also be one of the best in this area too.” Jian Yao starts to blush. A group of officers are coming towards them. She quickly says in a low voice: “Can we discuss this when we get home?” Bo Jinyan takes a look at the guys coming towards them. They have just finished their fitness routine in the morning. All of them are wearing T Shirts or singlets. Their muscles have the pump look after workout. And they greet Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao as they walk past: “Good morning, Professor Bo. Good morning, Jian Yao.” Jian Yao smiles at them. A few of them stops to chat to Jian Yao. Bo Jinyan stands quietly. After they leave, he mutters to himself: “A bunch of raging hormones that are not getting the satisfaction they want.” Jian Yao bursts out laughing… It’s only been a week since he is ‘getting the satisfaction’. Does he have to be so proud of it? Work after the long holiday is no different from usual. He still gets lost in this work and forgets about her until the ‘bell’ rings for lunch. Then he walks over, gives her a long passionate kiss and whispers in her ears: “We’ll continue tonight…” He receives a call from Yin Ziqi in the afternoon. Because he is in a good mood. His tone is unusually pleasant: “What is it? My lovely but troublesome sister?” Yin Ziqi is inviting Bo Jinyan to go to America next month. To spend Christmas with the rest of the family. “Your father is not feeling so well lately.” She says: “You should visit him.” Bo Jinyan thinks about it: “Ok. I will bring Jian Yao to see him. Can you arrange the air ticket for us?” Yin Ziqi hesitates on the other end: “Are you sure you want to bring your girlfriend along? I know Uncle Bo well. He wants you to have a wife from the same social circle. I agree it’s too old fashioned but he is not well at the moment, are you sure you want to do that?” Bo Jinyan gives a faint laugh: “That’s his problem, not mine. From the moment I chose my field in university, he’s always used his health has an excuse. But he is never successful. I am surprised you even brought this up.” Yin Ziqi: “…..alright.” She hangs up. Then she calls her fiance: “Hi. Where are we going for dinner tonight?” ——————

After Bo Jinyan hangs up, he looks at Jian Yao. Jian Yao is looking at him too: “You want to bring me back to the US?” “We can spend Christmas together. Just the two of us.” He says calmly. Perhaps it’s the way he speaks, Jian Yao automatically thinks about what they usually do when there’s ‘only the two of them’. She is about to tell him off when he continues: “If you are willing, I want to bring you to a few places. I think you will enjoy visiting the places I like.” Jian Yao answers gladly: “Yes, I’d love to.” He wants to share his likes and interests with her. He inadvertently makes her feel loved and treasured. Bo Jinyan is pleased with her answer. They continue with their work. No one speaks anymore. But the air in the office seems to be filled with a scent of happiness and contentment. Someone knocks on the door. They both look up. The Team Leader is holding some files, walking in with a sober look on his face. “Professor, there is an unusual case. I would like to have your opinion on it.” Bo Jinyan has his usual faint smile: “Sure.” The Team Leader continues: “In the last seven days, there have been five arson cases in five different cities. All the arsonists died on scene, and they left suicide notes. When we link the cases together, we found the following: 1.The brand of petrol used is the same 2. The brand for the lighter used to start the fire is also the same 3. We found detonation device in three of the five crime scenes. All of them are configured in exactly the same way. Bo Jinyan stands up and takes the files. He looks through them and mumbles: “This is an Interesting case indeed….” (Note from Author Ding Mo: He is coming. He is really coming. Everyone, close your eyes ~) —————————An ‘interview’ between the author Ding Mo and Bo Jinyan (Warning: contains Xrated discussions)

Author : Hi everyone. Happy Mid Autumn Festival! We are honoured to have Mr.Bo Jinyan here today to answer some of your questions. Due to his busy schedule (he has made arrangements for later tonight, I am sure you’ll understand), he will only be with us for a few minutes… Bo Jinyan: You have already wasted 5 seconds. Author: …. Question 1. How many times did you do it last night? Please note these questions are from the QQ forum readers. It has nothing to do with me. Bo Jinyan: Four, not counting the first one. Author: Why are you not counting the first one? Bo Jinyan: You can shut up now. Next question. Author: How did you feel? What frequent do you anticipate you will be engaging this physical exercise in the future? Bo Jinyan: (Smile) This is a good question. It think it was perfect. As for frequency. It depends. But once a day will be the minimum. Author: Do you ever find Jian Yao not attractive? Bo Jinyan: Hormones flood your brain and body when you fall in love. Therefore, in my eyes, she is always attractive. The person who asked this question clearly lacks knowledge in the area. I suggest they should read more on how to relate with the opposite sex. Author: ……Hmmm… first time…. how long did it last? Bo Jinyan: (looks coldly at screen) Are you trying to provoke me? Author: .. next question…. how did the first time feel? Bo Jinyan: To be honest, I don’t mind leaving my role as the male lead of this novel right now… Author: I am sorry. I promised I’ll leave it alone. Next. Do you want children? Bo Jinyan: No, I am not interested to have kids. Author: Ok. But it’s not entirely your decision…. Bo Jinyan: What did you say? Author: Nothing… Next. Was Jian Yao too weak to stand up the next day? Bo Jinyan: (finally with a smile back on his face) Yes. But she refuses to admit it.

Author: Contraceptive methods? Bo Jinyan: We tried condoms and the pull out method. I don’t like either. But for now, we will settle for the latter. Author: You are so blunt…. how many kids… O sorry, that’s a repeat. Bo Jinyan: Zero. Next. Author: Are you afraid of dying? Bo Jinyan: Nonsense. Of course not. But with my IQ, I am confident of keeping myself alive until a ripe old age. Author: What sort of logic is that? But alright…. next. How do you see Yin Ziqi?

Bo Jinyan: She is a family member that I am not very close to. Author: Yin Ziqi, I hope you are not too disappointed. Next. Jian Yao has a lot of secret admirers. How do you deal with them? Bo Jinyan: Why do I have to deal with them. They have the word stupidity written all over them. Author: Oh… that’s in my book intro. Anyway, which part of Jian Yao do you like? Bo Jinyan: (Smiles again) eyes. Author: Today is Mid Autumn Festival. What type of mooncake do you like? Bo Jinyan: French style cherry filling. That is Jian Yao’s favourite too. Author: Last question. When you guys were …. what did you say to her? Bo Jinyan: Even though your question is incomplete. I understand what you mean. I admit, when I reaches orgasm, there are moments where my mind goes blank. But as you know, I do recover very quickly, then, a lot of phrases comes to mind. Author: For example? Bo Jinyan: Like…. So great. Unbelievable, I am fxxking her, and I love her very much. Author: I want to laugh, but I am so touched at the same time… Last question. Is there anything you would like to say to the readers on Mid Autumn Festival? Bo Jinyan: (pauses): Nothing.

Author: …You! If you don’t wish them a Happy Mid Autumn, you can forget about sex for the rest of the story. Bo Jinyan: (relunctantly) Ok. Happy Mid Autumn. Wish you have a happy time with your family. Goodbye.

Chapter 59 Why would someone commit arson?” “Because when they see the flames engulfing everything, they think they are in control. In the beginning, it’s controlling the fire, then he will want to control life, and start to murder people.” Inside the burnt out factory, Bo Jinyan is standing with his hands at his back. He looks at the ashes all over the floor. Jian Yao stands behind him. She is examining every corner. All five cases happened in different cities. They are closed cases. This is why they are keeping their investigation confidential. A police officer standing behind them explains: “The first three cases happened in empty parks in the middle of the night or in residential houses. Except for the arsonist, there were no other victims. However, from the fourth case onwards, innocent people were killed. Especially this last case, three workers died in the blast.” “So….” Bo Jinyan turns to look at him: “You only noticed the similarities after the fifth case.” The officer nods. Bo Jinyan has a sarcastic smile on his face: “I don’t buy the ‘five cases are similar’ lie. It’s obvious that the person who is behind all these cases changed his strategy after the third case. There are two reasons for this: 1. He is getting greedy. 2. He wants more attention. I think his next step is to cause a big explosion involving public transport.” The officer is shocked. He asks: “But how does he control the arsonists?” “That’s the answer we are looking for.” Bo Jinyan says slowly. He takes off his gloves and turns to Jian Yao: “Let’s go.” Jian Yao catches up behind him: “We’ve been to all the scenes. Any discoveries?”

“No. There’s nothing out of the ordinary. All the necessary forensic work had been done by the police.” They step out of the factory. There are police cars everywhere. Bo Jinyan pauses his steps and smiles at her: “Tell me, what should we doing next?” Jian Yao thinks for a while: “Since there’s no clue at the scenes. I think we should look at the suicide notes.”

Bo Jinyan turns around and continues to walk forward. He says with a flat voice as he is walking: “Good, looks like our frequent and passionate sex is not affecting your work. You are as smart and efficient as usual. Good. Keep it up.” Jian Yao: “……” This guy is like a changed man when he is working. But…what a way of making sure their private life is not affecting their work. ——————— The local police station. Jian Yao and Bo Jinyan is sitting in their conference room. The five suicide notes are on the table, as well as copies of other suicide notes. It didn't take Bo Jinyan very long to read through them. He leans back on to the chair. Jian Yao carefully reads through every sentence. She gets more and more suspicious as she reads on. “These suicide notes… something is wrong.” She looks at Bo Jinyan. He gives a cold smile: ‘Yes, they are very well written.” Jian Yao understands what he means. He doesn’t mean they are very ‘well written’ that one can easily tell it’s fake. It’s well written because they very believable! Firstly, the handwriting. The strokes flowed smoothly. They were not forced at all. Some writers were getting emotional and their handwritings were a little harder to read. The style of writing was very colloquial. It’s filled with frustration and anger. Each letter expressed they were disappointed and hopeless with life, and so they decided to end it with arson. Every letter was reasonably lengthy. None of the letters deliberately avoided anything, and each one written in a different personal style. It ticks all the boxes for evaluating if a suicide note is genuine or not. Based on what Bo Jinyan taught Jian Yao in the Wang Wan Wei case, it does seem like these suicide notes are not written under duress. This is probably why none of the police officers were suspicious earlier. But the question remains. If there is someone else behind the arsons, how did he manage to get them to write suicide notes willingly, and to commit arson after that? “Humm…look at your confused little face.” He says in his low voice. He is looking at her with a smile. How can he always be so confident?

“I am thinking.” Jian Yao snaps back. “Tell me. What do you think?” Bo Jinyan stands up. Today, he is wearing a dark grey suit. He walks to the white board in front of the conference room. He picks up a marker. With both hands at his back, he looks at her: “Give me Conan Doyle’s quote on finding answers. It’s old fashioned but it’s practical and useful.” Jian Yao answers: “Eliminate the factors that are not possible, whatever is left behind, no matter how bizarre it seems, is the truth.” Bo Jinyan: “So, what are you so puzzled about. Just analyse the situation one step at a time. Ok?” Jian Yao: “….ok ok! Just tell me.” Even though they are lovers, he always disparages her, by either criticising she is not smart enough, or not proficient enough at her work…. But that’s ok. she will ignore his immaturity and arrogance. Bo Jinyan starts slowly: “I repeat what I said previously, that there must be someone behind all these cases.” The reason is simple: Even though all five arsonists have a motive, the probability of them choosing to commit their crime in the same style, and all within a few days is very low. And the sequence of cases clearly indicates the evolution of a psychopath.” “Yes,” Jian Yao says, “The possibility of that is very very low indeed.” “There is a second probability.” says Bo Jinyan: “When they were writing their suicide note, his mind controlled them to write in a style he wanted. The common methods including drugs, hypnosis, persuasion etc etc to create hallucination, and/or to influence their emotions. In that way, he is able to obtain the ‘genuine’ suicide notes.” Jian Yao is shocked. Mind control? These are things she has only read in a text book. Perhaps it’s because he notices her hesitation, he says: “Are you confused again? Mind control is a real method that people uses. It’s not just a theory. But it’s not as dramatic as Hollywood portraits it to be.” Then his smile disappears from his face. He looks pensive. Jian Yao asks: “What is it?” Bo Jinyan gives a dry laugh: “I just remembered. Tommy tried it on me too…” Tommy, serving his life sentence in a high security prison in California US. Bo Jinyan has not shared with Jian Yao about his experience. The dark cellar, his wounds, and what he just mentioned, the mind control techniques. “Then… what happened in the end?” She asks softly.

Bo Jinyan glances at her: “In the end? I sent him to prison. Have you lost your memory?” Jian Yao smiles at the aloof look on his face. Yes, Bo Jinyan always wins in the end. “Ok, Ok, Ok. My mistake. Let’s get back to the case.” Bo Jinyan continues: “I lean towards the theory that he used mind control. Being burnt to death is a very painful way to die. To find five determine men that wants to use this painful method to take revenge on society is not an easy task. For example…. if I give you a choice… Choose between death by burning yourself or taking poison, which one would you choose?” Jian Yao: “…. poison.” Bo Jinyan nods: “That’s my point.” “Next question. What do the five arsonists have in common?” Jian Yao had some time to think over this before: “ 1. Age. They are in between 35 to 45 years old. 2. Financial status. All of them struggle to make ends meet. 3. According to their family and friends. They are reserved and quiet. They don’t like to communicate. These people often build up resentment towards society. They tend to be more negative. 4. Prior criminal record. Whether it’s theft, or assault, all of them had been charged for minor offences before. But the charges are not serious so none of them have spent time in prison.” When she finishes, she quietly looks at Bo Jinyan. He has an approving smile on his face. “That’s correct.” And he adds slowly: “A good arsonist’s criminal profile.” Jian Yao says: “You mean…” Bo Jinyan nods: “He” knows how to profile his victims. This verifies my previous theory. That he is very good at mind control techniques.” Jian Yao is quiet. An intelligent criminal that is also an expert on criminal psychology. He’s challenging the police by a series of brutal arson cases… She asks softly: “Is “He” the Flower Cannibal No.2?” Since Jiang Hao's death, and the absences of ‘messages’ after the two homicide cases, Jian Yao was almost certain “He” is dead.

But when Bo Jinyan mentioned about Tommy, a sense of foreboding filled her. Bo Jinyan has long contemplated this possibility. He has a sarcastic smile on his face: “Well, if it is ‘Him’, that would be interesting.” Then he swipe her a glance: “Don’t have to be nervous. I’m here.” Jian Yao thinks about it. Yes, he is no match for Bo Jinyan. She should not be worried about it. I only arrest the most hideous criminals. He said before. And he is never wrong. ——————— After lunch. Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao are sitting in one of the most famous restaurant in town. The setting is lovely. It’s located at the water’s edge. Bo Jinyan loosens his tie. He is relaxing on a sofa, with his arms wrapped around his woman. Jian Yao is used to his investigation style by now. The initial stage of criminal analysis is done. It’s time for the police and forensic staff to take over. It’s their job to find the person behind the cases and work out how he connected with each of the arsonists. Even though it’s their lunch break, Jian Yao is not as relaxed as Bo Jinyan. She is busy reading the information on the case. Bo Jinyan suddenly says to her: “You did a great job with the arsonist profiling today. It’s definitely an improvement on the previous cases.” Jian Yao looks up and gives him a sweet smile. It’s not easy to get a compliment from him. Bo Jinyan smiles and continues: “Perhaps my previous judgment on you is not accurate enough.” Jian Yao is curious: “What do you mean?” Bo Jinyan answers slowly: “The British believes the right amount of sex will make people more healthy, enhances one’s ability to think, and have quicker reaction times. You just proved the theory right. Interesting.” He is not trying to be cheeky. He speaks it as a matter of fact. But Jian Yao finds it embarrassing to be chatting about these things. She blushes. Then he says faintly: “Are you not going to thank me?”

“Oh… just stop it, will you!!” ———————News came on their way back to the police station.

The officer calls: “Professor Bo, we have made an important discovery.”

Chapter 60 Historically, there are a lot of cunning and cruel criminals that managed to escape the raid, yet exposed their identity under the least expected circumstances. For example, Ted Bundy, the American serial killer was arrested after he failed to pull over for a routine traffic stop. In China, Yang Xinhai was stopped by police check points in an entertainment venue. Now, in front of Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao is a valuable clue that’s obtained in a similar fashion. After lunch. A quiet conference room. A few technicians from the Ministry of Public Security are analysing data they collected from the arsonists’ house. One of the senior technicians explains: “Three of the five arsonists had computers at home. We noticed that all of them have been hacked a few days before the fires. All the data inside were wiped off by a virus sent by the hacker. Not only were the computers, but the servers in the areas were attacked too.” Bo Jinyan stands behind them. His long fingers taps the desk: “So, the internet cafes that are close to the two other arsonists’ houses were hacked too?” He says coldly: “Internet. This is the quickest way to source his victims.” Jian Yao says: “They are born all in the 70s. People from this generation are usually technically proficient.” She turns to Bo Jinyan: “We should add this to the profile: frequent users of the internet chat rooms and discussion forums. It’s common for these middle aged men, who are not successful in their careers, to spend a lot of time online.” “You are right.” The senior technician is impressed with her analysis: “And we have a bonus. The data in one of the computers was not completely wiped off.” The last arsonist, who is also the oldest of the five arsonists, is in better financial shape compared with the others. The old computer he normally used was at the repair shop. What the hacker wiped was his son’s laptop. ‘We traced the data back to an online discussion forum. According to the company that runs the forum, their server was hacked around the same period as well. But their firewall managed to block the hacker. So we managed to retrieve the information that belonged to all five arsonists. The results show that all of them had frequent contact with a particular ID account.” The senior technician turned to a young man: “Anam, please show Professor Bo.” Anam looks like he is in his early twenties. He wears a pair of glasses with a thin golden frame. He turns the monitors towards them: “The name of the ID account is Ching Tian Gu Chi* It uses an overseas proxy login, with a number of firewalls around it. We are currently using a few different algorithms to crack his location.

(* literal translation: the solitary notes/accounts of the clear sky) This is not a speciality of Bo Jinyan, he takes a look at Anam: “How long till we get the results? Anam: “Approximately three minutes.” Bo Jinyan has a satisfied smile on his face. He pulls a chair over to sit next to Anam. The others take a seat too. Everyone is waiting anxiously. “Ching Tian Gu Chi…” Bo Jinyan mocks: “What a narcissistic name.” Suddenly, all three computers flashes and turns into a blue screen! Rows of data fills the screen, then there is an error message. The original program is nowhere to be seen anymore. “What happened?” asks the senior technician. Anam frowns and looks at the machine. They try typing on the keyboards but the computers are not responding. Bo Jinyan says coldly: “Are we….. being attacked instead?” Jian Yao’s heart tightens. She taps his shoulder to remind him not to be too harsh to Anam. The senior technician says to Anam: “Deal with this immediately. If we lose this clue, we will be at a dead end.” Anam, who has been silent since the computer started to play up, speaks calmly: “His safety system uses the best technology he can get his hands on in the US.” Everyone starts to worry, but then he continues faintly: “But it’s not the best in the world.” Then his fingers start typing on the keyboard at a quick speed. In a few seconds, his screen flashes again, and rows of calculations re-appear on screen. The technicians are relieved. Jian Yao and Bo Jinyan looks at Anam. His hand is on the mouse. They hear around 10 clicks, then another set of numbers appear on screen. He turns to look at Bo Jinyan. His glasses reflect the lights from the computer screens: “I’ve got his address - didn’t take more than 3 minutes.” Everyone is surprised. The senior technician taps Anam’s shoulders. He passes the information to the officers waiting outside. Bo Jinyan stands up. He takes a glance at Anam: “The security system for the discussion forum. Is it designed by you?” Anam has no expressions on his face. He closes his laptop screen: “A small job I took on while studying in university.”

Bo Jinyan doesn’t say anything more. He walks out of the conference room. Jian Yao looks at him. Then she looks at the young man, Anam. Then she walks out after Bo Jinyan. ————Half an hour later. On a plane. The address Anam identified is a villa in a seaside city. The special team in charge of this case is taking the first available flight there. They have informed the local police to work with them. The plane is travelling through a clear blue sky. Bo Jinyan has his sleep mask on. He adjusts his seat so that he can lean back more comfortably. His handsome face glowing from the rays coming through the cabin window. He is holding Jian Yao’s hand. His thumb gently rubbing the back of her hands. Even in the midst of stressfulness and hard times, love brings a sense of peace to the situation. When he is by your side, you heart is settled. Even if you are in a dangerous place, you feel that together, you can face it with ease. “Anam is a genius too.” Jian Yao says softly. When they were in the conference room. It was like watching two masters at work. Jian Yao is glad to have another genius working with them in the team. Bo Jinyan faintly repeats an important word: “Too?” Jian Yao laughs: “Yes. Like you.” Bo Jinyan looks disdainfully at Jian Yao: “Criminal psychology is an art. Mathematical calculation is a skill. How can you compare the two?” Jian Yao: “……” Man, can this man be more arrogant? Then he says again: “Of course, he is one of the best amongst his field. He should be very pleased to be working with me.” Jian Yao asks: “Why is that?” “Because I can help him maximise his value and live to his full potential.” He says: “Why shouldn’t he be happy?” Jian Yao: “…..” There are a lot of empty seats in the plane cabin. Some of the others within the special team comes over to discuss the cases with Bo Jinyan.

Jian Yao looks at Anam. He is sitting quietly by himself in a window seat a few rows behind them. He is reading something on his mobile phone. Looks like he has no intention of joining the discussion. Mmmm… so is this what happens when two geniuses meet? They simply ignore each other? —————— The private beach looks lovely in the setting sun. A golden sheen covers the sand. A cool sea breeze is blowing. Several police cars are driving along the coastal highway. From afar, one can see a black and white villa. It has a contemporary design, at the water’s edge. There are a few police car in front of the property - the local police who arrived ahead of them. “It’s a new dwelling. There’s no registered owner yet.” says one of the officers. “But to be able to build a villa like this, the person must be very rich.” When Bo Jinyan’s police car arrives the car parking area of the villa, they see a person they don’t expect to see. Yin Ziqi. She is wearing a causal pair of cream colour track pants. Her hair is tied up to a poly tail. There are few people standing behind her. They don’t look pleased either. Jian Yao recognises them. They are her assistant, secretary and two bodyguards. “Welcome to K city. Let’s keep this brief.” One of the local police is addressing the special team: “The owner of this villa is Lin Yi Yang, the deputy general manager of Feng Kai Group. The lady over there is Ms. Yin Ziqi. She is his fiancee. When we arrived, she is already at the villa.” Jian Yao is shocked. Bo Jinyan walks overs to her. When Yin Ziqi sees him, a concoction of emotions arises: surprise, joy, dependence, confusion, shock ...... “Jinyan. What’s the matter?” She grabs hold of his shirt: “What’s happened to Yi Yang?” Bo Jinyan asks her coldly: “Why are you here?” “A few days ago, Yi Yang said he will be here to go sailing. I am here on business. I thought I’d join him. He said he will be back today.” Bo Jinyan is quiet for a moment: “I think you might need to prepare yourself. He may never return.” Yin Ziqi’s face turns pale. Jian Yao is very quiet too.

He is right. Whether it’s Lin Yi Yang is or is not the person behind the arson cases, he might never come back.” This is an unexpected turn of events. Yin Ziqi’s finance is involved in this case? Is ‘he’ someone close to them? Yin Ziqi’s heart is very troubled. They have been together for five years. Their relationship has been very steady. Both of them regard each other as their future partner for marriage. It is very hard to accept Bo Jinyan’s words. She is not ignorant. She knows that Bo Jinyan only gets involved with big cases. She asks as streams of tear start to flow down her face: “So…. Yi Yang is murdered?” Bo Jinyan asks the police to leave first, then he answers: “We are not sure. Perhaps he is the killer.” Yin Ziqi can’t believe what she is hearing: “What did you say?” Bo Jinyan is looking at her without any expression on his face. Jian Yao suddenly understands why he said that - he wanted to observe Yin Ziqi’s reaction. He wants to know if she is hiding anything. From what Jian Yao can tell, she doesn’t know anything about the case. Bo Jinyan has obviously reached a conclusion. He softens his voice and says to his sister: “Don’t be sad. I know you are a strong woman. I will find him for you. Dead or alive, I will bring him back.” What was intended to be ‘words of comfort’ by Bo Jinyan is just making Yin Ziqi feel worse. Jian Yao steps forward to console her: “Perhaps the situation is not as bad as we think. Don’t worry. Just leave everything to Jinyan.” Yin Ziqi does not reply to Jian Yao. She takes out a packet of tissue. After wiping her tears, she turns to ask Bo Jinyan again: “Tell me, what has happened?” Bo Jinyan: “I don’t have time to explain. The other police officers will fill you in the details. I just need you to answer a question now.” Yin Ziqi nods. Bo Jinyan looks at her and says in a clear and slow voice: “Flower Cannibal No.2 kissed you. And you have spent a lot of time with Lin Yin Yang. Tell me. Do you notice anything strange about your fiance? Do they have any similarities?” Yin Ziqi is shock to hear what Bo Jinyan is suggesting: “That’s impossible. How could you….”

“Are you sure?” Bo Jinyan interrupts her: “Is there anything, no matter how small it seems, that you find unusual about him?” “No!” This time, it’s Yin Ziqi that is cutting him off mid-sentence. “Jinyan. Sure. We are both very busy people. I don’t know everything about him. But you said it. The Flower Cannibal kissed me before. Would I confuse his kiss with my fiance’s kiss?” —————— This is a typical rich man’s villa. Luxurious, refined and elegant. Especially the bedroom, and study, full of touches that reveals the masculinity of its owner. In the middle of the bedroom hangs a large artist self portrait - half body, shirtless, muscular, and with a smile on his handsome face. Inside the study, Anam connects his laptop onto the computer. Other officers are busy looking around for clues and evidence. Bo Jinyan stands in front of a window. He puts up the blinds and looks at the ocean that stretches out to the horizon. Jian Yao walks up and ask him softly: “Do you think it’s him?” Bo Jinyan puts down the blinds. He looks at her: “I don't plan to make a conclusion now. But he does fit all the criteria we set for ‘him’.” Jian Yao thought about that earlier too - He is close to Yin Ziqi, wealthy, capable of doing what ‘he’ would have done… But from another angle, he is a normal rich kid with a good qualification and high IQ. Who knows if he is hiding something underneath his charming appearance? But Jian Yao shakes her hand: “I don’t think Lin Yi Yang is him.” Bo Jinyan lifts his brows: “Why? My female detective?” Jian Yao chuckles. Then she says in a serious voice: “Yin Ziqi is right. If ‘he’ is Lin Yin Yang, she would know when ‘he’ kissed her.” Bo Jinyan looks quietly at her, then gives a laugh: “What an interesting view. From a kiss? Unless he has a very distinct bad breath, I don’t think it’s easy to confuse Yin Ziqi by changing his kissing style.” Jian Yao: ‘But I still think….” “Ok. Let’s test it out.” He says. He steps forward, grabs her waist and lower his head to kiss her.

A hot and wet scent quickly fills her mouth. But this kiss is different from his usual ones. His usual kisses start off gentle. He likes to linger for a long time. When he gets passionate, he will suck and lick her, it can be rich, deep and intense, but he is always very patient, and warm toward her. But now, his hand is squeezing her chin. it’s so tight that she is feeling a little painful. His tongue invading greedily, sweeping around the inside of her lips. He even bites her tongue, till it’s painful and numb. It’s like he’s changed to a different person. Powerful, and cruel. After a while, he lets go of her. Their lips are still wet from the kiss. Her lips are still burning from this short but fiery kiss. “I don’t like this style of kissing. And I don’t think you enjoyed it either.” He said: “But we have proved a point. Kisses can be used as a disguise.” Jian Yao is just catching her breath back. Then she remembers There is someone else in the room! Even though the kiss is an experiment, but it’s still awkward that others would watch them. She turns her head. Surely enough, Anam stands in the other side of the room. He has a surprised look on his face. When their eyes meet, he looks down again to the computers. Jian Yao blushes. Then she turns to Bo Jinyan and asks: “This style. Did you learn it from a book?” Bo Jinyan: “There’s no need to. I just imagined myself as a ruthless criminal.” Jian Yao smiles: “But you are wrong.” Bo Jinyan frowns at her words. Jian Yao grabs hold of his shirt and pulls him towards her. She says quietly in his ears: “Whenever you kiss me, you have a habit. At the end of the kiss, your tongue will always curl at the tips, then lick mine from bottom to top. It’s a subconscious trick you do every time.” Bo Jinyan is stunned, then he looks down at her. He thinks for a while, then he smiles: “Ok, you have successfully convinced me. Yin Ziqi and Lin Yi Yang have been lovers for years. They would be very familiar with each other’s, and Yin Ziqi is a sharp and observant woman. Based on this, she should be able to tell if those two men are the same person.” Jian Yao nods. It’s a relieve to hear that he agrees. The last thing she wants to see is that people she knows are involved in the case.

But then, he says: “It’s not a good enough reason to eliminate the possibility that Lin Yi Yang is ‘him’ yet.” Jian Yao is puzzled: ‘Why?” But didn’t he just admit…. Bo Jinyan has a faint smile: “You have left out a possibility - Split personality.” She thinks about what she has read in the books about split personalities. It’s like two people living in one body. They can have completely different likings, characters, and of course personality. So kissing habits and styles can be completely different too. So it’s back to square one again. The truth seems to be hiding behind layers upon layers of fog, and they can’t see where they are going. ———————— Some of the other special team members walk in. They ask Anam: “Any new discoveries?” Anam: “His motherboard and hard drive is destroyed. I am trying to recover some of the data…” Suddenly he stops and looks at the computer screen. Everyone looks at him. He tells everyone: “We have a set of numbers.” On the black screen, there’s a few rows of numbers in red. Blood red. And it’s arranged in a pattern very familiar to Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao “135 / 329 25100 /16 ….” Anam enters the numbers into another analysing programme. Jian Yao turns to looks at Bo Jinyan. The room is very quiet. No one moves. Jian Yao has a bad feeling about what will happen. Then Bo Jinyan’s face changed when he saw words starting to appear on the screen. The others in the team don’t know about the codes Bo Jinyan received earlier, or anything about the Flower Cannibal. Anam reads out the words on screen: “Say Hello to Jenny.” He looks ups: “Who is Jenny?”

Chapter 61 The sound of the waves crashing on the rock fills the study. Inside, everyone is apprehensive. Chills are running down Jian Yao’s spines. After a few seconds, she tells everyone: “Jenny, is my English name.” Everyone is astonished. Even Anam raises his head in shock. Bo Jinyan looks at her too. His eyes look cold as ice. “What are you nervous about?” He says flatly. Everyone looks at each other. Bo Jinyan looks at Jian Yao in the eyes: “He is just saying Hello. It’s the only thing he will be able to do to you.”

———————Ten minutes later. Bo Jinyan is standing with his hands in the pockets of his trousers. Jian Yao is inside one of the police vehicles. The technicians are putting on a tracking device on her. They also fit a small microphone on her shirt collar. Two officers are standing guard beside the vehicle. Bo Jinyan knew how to break ‘his’ code. He was doing the calculations in his head as the computer was analysing the data. He got the results a split second before it was shown on screen. He just feels an anger building up inside of him. “’He’ thinks ‘he’ is able to provoke him? It only takes him seconds to completely calm down. Say hello to Jenny. He already knows what “he” wants to do next. Every time “he” says hi, it means someone will be killed. So “his” next step is to hurt the person that matters most to Jian Yao. But Bo Jinyan is going to keep it a secret from Jian Yao for now. If she knows about it, she will be worried sick for her family and friends.

An officer runs up to Bo Jinyan: “Professor, we have made contact with the Tung City. We’ve also talked to Jian Yao’s mother and sister. The police will be protecting them.” Bo Jinyan nods. Then he asks: “What about the guy called Li Xunran? The office replies: “Oh, he is an officer himself. He is currently out of town. We haven’t been able to get hold of him yet. This morning, a firework factory in the suburbs of Tung City had an explosion. There’s no casualties, so the local police didn't report the incident to Ministry of Public Securities. But the latest updates show they found a small amount of flesh residue at the scene. They are currently analysing if it belongs to animals or human….” —————— After all the necessary devices have been fitted and tested, Jian Yao sits in another police car with a pen and a piece of paper, deep in thought. The sky is dark. It’s getting harder to see what’s outside the car. The two officers assigned to protect Jian Yao is still standing next to the car she is in. This is a request of Bo Jinyan. From now on, they will be protecting her around the clock. Jian Yao looks around. She sees Bo Jinyan standing outside the front door of the villa. He looks like he is giving the officer some instructions. Everyone was startled when they saw “his” statement. He was the only one that remained calm and collected, as if he is completly not affected by ‘his’ provocations. But his gaze looks even colder than usual. He is angry. But he hides it well. If Bo Jinyan is with her, she has nothing to fear. He is walking towards her. Jian Yao is sitting at the backseat. He opens the door and sits beside her. His short hair is a little messed up by wind. “Are you feeling better?” He asks Jian Yao smiles at him. Under the lights, her eyes sparkles. Her smooth skin has a nice glow too. “Yes, I have calmed down for a while now.” She answers: “You are right. I can’t stop others from greeting me.” Bo Jinyan gives an approving smile. He looks at the pen and paper on her lap: “How’s the profiling coming along?”

The profile Bo Jinyan refers to is “him”. He has passed the task to her. At least, to give it a go. Jian Yao replies: “I have some ideas.” Bo Jinyan looks at her. His hands are resting on his knees. He is extremely relaxed. To her, it feels like the master is waiting for a rookie’s first performance. Jian Yao decides to ignore his expression. She starts: “So far, Lin Yi Yang has the highest possibility of being ‘him’. But we can’t draw any conclusions yet. I asked Anam to give me everything he can find on Lin Yi Yang. During the Killer Machine case, Lin Yi Yang was overseas. Then for the rest of the cases, we don’t know where he was at the time. But that is not important. As he might have an assistant.” Bo Jinyan nods. Jian Yao continues: “He is from a rich family, but his childhood was not necessarily a happy one. His father has several mistresses. He was sent to boarding school for his high school years. He was once in trouble with the police over some driving offences. But that’s quite typical of a lot of rich young man. So that’s not much for us to work on.” Bo Jinyan smiles: “This Anam is fairly useful after all. It’s not easy to dig out people’s love affairs.” Jian Yao nudges his arm: “So, occasionally you have to encourage him. It helps build relationship. If you guys work together, it will speed up the investigation.” Bo Jinyan gives her a noncommittal look. He keeps quiet. Jian Yao asks: “What are your thoughts on Lin Yi Yang?” Bo Jinyan puts his hands behind his head and leans back: “I agree with you. He might be a criminal, but yet he might be a victim too. It’s hard to tell at this point.” Right from the start, all the clues are deliberately left by ‘him’. Perhaps he led us to Lin Yin Yang. It’s part of his plan. We don’t know yet. Perhaps Lin Yi Yang is just another Jiang Hao, a scapegoat to divert our attention.” Now she understands why the old officers that come to them for assistance always have a look of desolation on their faces. Even someone as smart as Bo Jinyan cannot predict crimes in advance. It’s not possible to protect everyone. This man, whether he is someone that has no regards for human lives, or he is the notorious Flower Cannibal, or a wealthy young man with split personality…. “We must catch the bastard.” She turns and tells Bo Jinyan.

“Nonsense.” He replies. Jian Yao is not angry at his response. Instead, she laughed. Bo Jinyan asks again: “Let’s get back to the point. What conclusions have you come up with about ‘him’?” Jian Yao thinks about all the information and impressions she has on ‘him’. Like Bo Jinyan says, all the clues are deliberately left behind by him.They really don’t have much to work on. And he knows a lot about criminal psychology. But based on the little information they have, Jian Yao has come up with the following: “Let’s put aside the possibility of whether ‘he’ is Lin Yi Yang, and profile him as a stranger Firstly, the man who kissed Yin Ziqi is around your age. So… between 25 to 35 years old, tall. Not too fat or thin. Smart and strong organisational skills. I suspect he has a history of crimes, perhaps he’s never been caught out, but he definitely has a lot of experience in the area. And of course he needs to be wealthy, to fund all his crimes. From a personality perspective, he is puffed up with conceit. He doesn’t seem to be releasing any emotions through his crimes. As far as I can tell, he has no feelings or regards for anyone, except for you. He looks upon the crimes as a game. A game with you. What is his motive? He does not attack you directly. His aim… is to beat you? Because he is Flower Cannibal No.1’s accomplice or follower?” “No.” Bo Jinyan lifts his head to look out the window: “I have worked out their relationship.” “He is a spiritual mentor to Tommy.” Jian Yao: “….you mean … Tommy listens to him?” Bo Jinyan nods: “The FBI and I originally thought Tommy worked alone because: Serial killers like him generally like to work alone. Working with others don’t fit their mental profile. 2. In those six months, there were no traces of anyone else. 3. Tommy is a cunning criminal. He is fully capable of committing all the crimes by himself. So we never suspected there is another person involved. But everything has exceptions. ‘He’ is extremely egotistic. He won’t want to be under someone else, or even considered to an equal. I think his mind control techniques are over and above Tommy’s.

Therefore it’s more likely he is an instructor to Tommy. He influenced Tommy, not the other way around. He is real Flower Cannibal. Tommy should be ranked No.2. As for his aim. It’s obvious. His desire ‘to conquer' is much greater than ‘to revenge’. Because I was the one who sent his protege to prison. Jian Yao is worried: “What should we do next?” Bo Jinyan thinks for a while. He turns to look at her. “Now that we know his motives, we can take proactive measures. I will make a trip to the US, to talk to Tommy. That’s where all the root knots lie.” He pauses: “But first, we need to go to Tong city.” ——————— Night. A few police cars are traveling on the road to Tong City. There is no direct flight to Tung City, taking the road option will be the fastest. Jian Yao sits on the backseat of the car. Bo Jinyan is next to her. The two officers protecting her are sitting/driving in the front. Jian Yao is on the phone with her family, assuring them everything will be ok. After she hangs up, she gave a sigh. She asks Bo Jinyan: “What about Li Xun Ran? Will he be part of the team working with us?” It’s not bright in the car. The lack of light hides the gloomy look on Bo Jinyan’s face from Jian Yao. He looks at Jian Yao and says calmly: “We can’t locate him yet. He is working out of town.” Jian Yao is a little concerned. Her hands are sweating. She tries to call Li Xun Ran, but again, it goes straight to voicemail. She leaves a message for him: “Emergency situation. Please call immediately.” After that, she looks out of the window into the dark scenery outside for a while. Bo Jinyan stretches out his hand to leans her to his chest. Jian Yao wraps her hands around his waist: “It should be ok. He always switches off his phone when he is working on a big case.” “Umm..” Bo Jinyan says. Nobody talks. There is only the monotonous and repetitive sound of the engine. Suddenly, Jian Yao hears Bo Jinyan says: “I was threatened during the investigation of Flower Cannibal No.1.”

Jian Yao lifts her head to look at him. He continues: “I received some wrong information from an FBI agent. I went after Tommy by myself. The others were not there yet. It’s an opportunity that will past quickly if I didn’t take it then. It’s a street near a primary school. Tommy blew up a school bus in front of me. More than ten children died on the spot. He asked me to put down my gun and get into his car, or else he will blow up the second bus.” It’s the first time he is sharing his experience with the Flower Cannibal with Jian Yao.

“All the FBI staff, especially the analysts are told never to compromise with criminals. But I compromised at the time.” Jian Yao tightens her hug: “Why are you telling me this now?” He looks down at her gently: “Because you need me now.” ——————————It’s 5a.m. when they arrives Tung City. Bo Jinyan and the team went straight to the site of the explosion. Jian Yao went home under the protection of the two police officers. She is relieved to see her mother and sister safe. But of course they are very concerned. Jian Xuan is asking a lot of questions. As for Jian Yao’s mom, there are tears in her eyes, but otherwise, she looks calm. She didn’t say much, just told Jian Yao to take care of herself. Jian Yao feels bad for them. She gives them a big long hug, and leaves. Her mother watches her leave the house. After a long time staring at the door, she turns to Jian Xuan: “Your sister is just like your father. Whatever they think it’s right, they will do…. I hope nothing happens to her. Or else, what would your father think…” —————————Jian Yao arrives the firework factory. There are a lot of staffs there. The area is cordoned off. The place looks like a war zone after fire. There is ash and charred pieces of scraps everywhere. She walks up to the front gate and sees an older officer. She recognises him: “Uncle Zhou, what’s the situation?” The officer looks at her: “Jian Yao. You are back.” Jian Yao don’t have a good sense about this. The officer is a tough man, an excolleague of her father. But he has tears on his face right now.

Jian Yao’s heart starts to sink. Li Xun Ran! She rushes in. She sees a few more officers. All of them are crying. Bo Jinyan is standing amongst them, expressionless. “Jian Yao.” He says to her: “I am sorry to have to tell you this.” Jian Yao’s mind has gone blank. An sickening feeling swells up inside of her as she hears Bo Jinyan says: “We have results from the DNA testing. The flesh residue we found, belongs to Li Xun Ran.” Jian Yao feels as if someone is stabbing her continuously. Her body starts to shake. Bo Jinyan steps forward and holds her in his arms. Tears stream down her face uncontrollably. Li Xun Ran…. Li Xun Ran? The cool and handsome Li Xun Ran? Her big brother from young? Her best friend who helped match make her with Bo Jinyan? The passionate and devoted police officer? She is speechless. Everything around her seems to be spinning. Only Bo Jinyan’s familiar voice is coming through the vacuum she is in right now: “We didn’t find a suicide note. Perhaps he couldn’t be controlled. He is considered missing at this stage. There is still hope.” ——————— Then Bo Jinyan’s phone has an incoming text. He takes a look at it, then he calls out : “Anam!” Anam runs over with his laptop. He takes out more equipment from his backpack. On Bo Jinyan’s phone screen, there’s just a phrase - “Now it begins.” Anam grabs the phone and connects it to his equipment. He is trying to trace the origins of the message. He asks whilst his hands are busy: “His message. What does it mean?”

Bo Jinyan pauses for a while, then answers: “Up until now, he is not committed any crime with his own hands. Even the arsonists case, we can connect him to it, but we have no direct evidence that he started the fires.” He pauses again, then he continues: “But now, he is ready do it himself.”

Chapter 62 It’s past midnight. There has been misty rain all night. Bo JinYan comes out from the bathroom in his black pyjamas. His hair, still damp, is combed behind his ears. He takes a look at the bed. Jyao is sleeping with her head buried in the pillow. Her long hair scattered on the white bed sheets. He looks at her for a while. Then he walks over to the window. Drops of water forms and drips down on the window as the soft rain hits the glass. He gives Fu ZiYu a call. Fu ZiYu does not sound pleased: “Do you know what time it is? I have to perform an operation at 9am tomorrow!” Bo JinYan looks at the clock on the wall, and answers accurately: “1:20am.” He says without any guilt or shame in his voice. But Fu ZiYu knows he is calling for a reason at this hour, so he asks: “…. What’s bothering you?” “We’ve lost him.” Bo JinYan says in a low voice, “He vows to commit more serious crimes. He might be targeting people who are close to me. Please be careful.” Fu ZiYu is quiet for a while, then he says: “Ok. I will. Don’t worry about me. How are you and Jian yao doing?” Bo JinYan answers: “I am fine. But Jian yao…. one of her good friends may have become the Flower Cannibal’s victim.” Fu ZiYu gives a small sigh: “Please send my regards.” “Will do.” Fu ZiYu says to him: “I know you are preoccupied with the case. But as a boyfriend, make sure you spend more time with her and comfort her.” His words are what Bo JinYan has in mind. He frowns. Fu ZiYu waits for a response. But whenhe doesn't get one for more than a minute, he ask: “What is it?” Bo JinYan asks faintly: “What should I do to comfort her? He sees her grieving for her best friend. But this genius/natural born lover is running out of ideas. Fu ZiYu smiles. He thinks for a while, then says: “Simple. When she is feeling down, sing to her. I guarantee she will laugh.”

Bo JinYan shows disbelief on his face: “No way?!” Then he hangs up. Jian yao pushes herself to sit up on the bed. She is awake. Her eyes are still swollen from all the crying she did yesterday, her face looks pale under the light. “Jinyan.” She calls him softly. Bo JinYan walks over and sits down beside her. He is as handsome as ever. His black eyes looking gently at her. He is concerned about her. “Are you feeling better now?” He asks with a warm voice. Jian yao nods: ‘Yes, better.” “Then give me a kiss.” Jian yao’s voice is still a little coarse: “Are you a kid?” Bo JinYan looks at her: “Yesterday, you left at least one litre of tears on my shirt who’s the kid?” She remembers Li Xun Ran. The crime scene. Li Xun Ran’s empty house, his police uniform hanging in his room…. Her heart aches again. She tells herself to be brave. There is still hope. They didn’t find a body. She lifts up her head to look at Bo JinYan: “Have you never cried in your life?” “No.” He replies: “Ever since I was a child. As far I can remember, I have never shed a tear.” Jian yao looks at his face. She tries to imagine Bo JinYan as a kid, never shed a tear. A lot of old memories suddenly come back to Bo JinYan. He frowns and and continues: “But the tragic thing is, a lot of people cried in front of me.” It took Jian yao a moment to understand what he is trying to say. So, the man that can’t cry, don’t like to see other people shedding tears in front of him either. But…. Except for the tears of joy from those whom were saved by him, the others probably cried because of his sharp inconsiderate comments.

But of course she wouldn’t tell him that. She reaches out her hand to hug him from behind. Bo JinYan obviously enjoys the intimacy. She sits quietly, with her face lightly touching his back. Jian yao asks softly: “Those six month…. how did you survive it?” Bo JinYan pauses for a while, then he lies down on bed and scoop her into his arms: “Just.. a day at a time, according to my plans. Nothing special about that. As for the injuries, that’s just a price that I had to pay.” He says it so lightly. Jian yao knows it must have been very difficult. She is both sad but proud of him. No matter how rough it was, he can dismiss it, just like that. ———————— It’s almost dawn. The rain is getting heavier. The quietness is broken by rolling rumbling sound of thunder from afar. Bo JinYan opens his eyes. The room is still dark. Jian yao is resting in his arms, sleeping soundly. Her face seems more relaxed. She is not frowning anymore. And the puffiness around her eyes has faded too. He looks at her quietly, and the question she asked earlier comes back to him: “Those six months… how did you survive it?” Lots of unimaginable and dreadful scenes come to mind: pools of blood everywhere, dismembered body parts, trays of human flesh, blood that flows down along his back and drips into a glass everyday… He closes his eye and leans to sniff her hair. The fresh fragrance helps to clear his mind. He goes back to sleep. He doesn’t want to tell her about his past. The truth is too painful for her to bear. There’s no need for her to know. —————— The next morning. Police conference room. It’s more than 24 hours since the disappearance of Li Xun Ran. The police have deployed a large number of officers to search the neighbouring cities. Highway checkpoints are set up, and there’s an alert for all police offices across the country. The text message Bo JinYan received traced back to a mobile phone that is left in the rubbles of the firework factory. It was installed with a program to automatically send out the text at a preset time. As expected, there’s no fingerprint. It’s another dead end.

Around the conference table, everyone looks concerned. The team leader of the special team asks Bo JinYan: “Professor Bo, what do you think his next step will be?” Bo JinYan is wearing a black suit with a while shirt. He stands up and says: “There is no such thing as a perfect crime. There are only evidences that we have not discovered. It’s the first time he is personally committing a crime. He will need time to plan and prepare. I guess that take between ten to twenty days.” One of the officers asks: “Professor, why is it between ten to twenty days?” Bo JinYan answers calmly: “ I did an estimate. If it was me who was planning a complicated and sophisticated crime, it would take ten days.” Jian yao is probably the only person there who don’t doubt Bo JinYan’s estimation. She writes down the numbers in her note book: “10 to 20 days.” Then, Anam, who is quietly sitting at the corner of the room working on his laptop suddenly speaks: “I found something.” Anam picks up the remote. The projector shows an image on screen. It shows the back of a black SUV driving on the road. Anam explains: “I managed to enlarge the image to give us a registration plate - T05893.” All the police recognise the background of where the car is as well: “It’s on the road to the fireworks factory.” Anam nods: “There are three other surveillance cameras on that road. All were damaged.” This is an old camera installed many years ago. It’s hidden behind a tree, in a secluded location. But because of its age and location, the images are quite blurry. It took me a while to sharpen the image.’ “I have checked out the car.” He continues: “It belongs to a local car rental company. The person who booked it used a false name to register, and he never showed his face to the staff.” Bo JinYan looks at Jian yao. He seems to have thought of something. Jian yao seems to understand what his train of thought….

One of the old officers says: “Perhaps Li Xun Ran lured the criminal to the factory. The fireworks factory, old train station… During the “Killer Machine” case, Li Xun Ran was in charged of recording the locations of all the surveillance cameras. He knows where every camera is…” Everyone is quiet. Jian yao’s heart is still aching. She sits down quietly. He is in the hands of a cunning criminal. His life is in danger. And he is trying his best to leave clues for them.

Bo JinYan turns to ask Anam: “Where is the car now?” He says calmly. He seems to be sure that Anam has found the location of this car. And Anam doesn’t disappoint him. He gives his first smile since Jian yao and the others have met him. When he smiles, two adorable dimples appear on each cheek. He shows the next image. It’s the entry to a highway. It’s late at night. There are not a lot of cars in the picture. And it is dark, they can’t see who the driver is. But the signboards are bright. They can clearly read it’s the highway that leads to the Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal. The route to get to Hong Kong. Everyone is stunned. If ‘he’ has thrown down his challenge to war, why is he going to Hong Kong? —————Fifteen days later. Cresent City, California. USA. Pelican Bay Prison. At twilight, the fields and forest look like they are covered by a grey veil. The prison are dotted with guards patrolling the prison that holds some of the most notorious criminals in the US.

Jyao and BJY are standing on the lawn outside the prison. There are a few representatives from the Chinese embassy and the FBI with them - they are waiting to see Tommy. Since ‘he’ ‘disappeared’ to Hong Kong, it’s even harder to track him. Two weeks has passed. Little progress has been made. It is likely ‘he’ will commit a crime anytime. It’s like time bomb waiting to explode. The night winds are brisk and cold. Jian yao zips up her jacket. Bo JinYan has a long black trench coat. He looks at her: “Wait outside when I talk to Tommy.” Jian yao nods: “Be careful.” The guard opens the gate for Bo JinYan. ————— A room without window. Thin concrete walls. A metallic yellow door with a series of complex locks on it.

Jian Yao and others stands inside the room next to this cell. There is a one way glass so they can observe the interactions between Bo JinYan and Tommy. Bo JinYan is sitting alone under a blazing white light. He looks calm and collected. Two guards are standing at the door. Then slowly, a young white man in yellow prison uniform shows up. He is not how Jian yao has expected. He looks more ‘gentle’ and cleanly shaven than that in the pictures in Bo JinYan’s files at home. But when you look into his eyes, your heart will be startled. Those blue eyes, is the colour of a still blue lake. There is a smile on his face, like he doesn’t care about anything in the world. His gaze is completely cold. It’s a pair of eyes that belong to a serial killer. Tommy sits opposite Bo JinYan. The guards leave and close the door behind them. Only Bo JinYan and Tommy are left in the room. Bo JinYan looks at him: “Hi.” Tommy shows a smile: “Hi.” The two of them then keeps quiet. Bo JinYan don’t seem to be in a hurry to ask him any questions. “You are different.” Tommy says to him. Bo JinYan looks at him. He remains quiet. Tommy laughs: “There’s a scent of a woman on you.” On the other side of the glass, Jian yao’s heart tightens. Then she hears Tommy says: “I want to see her. If she shows up, I will tell you the identity of the person you are looking for.”

(Extra story - His voice 1)

In the two weeks that Li Xun Ran was missing, Jian yao found it hard to sleep sometimes. She would toss and turn all night, thinking about her good friend. When her fidgety woke him up, he looked gently at her frowned brows. He wished there were something that he could do to make her feel better. One night, Jian yao was half asleep when she heard some voice. It sounded like

someone singing. It’s a popular song. She was not fully conscious, and she can’t really remember what’s the name of the song, even though it does sound very familiar. But she also thought the tune sounded funny. It’s like every note was sung wrong. She subconsciously wanted to tell the person that his singing was off, and that it’s almost painful to listen to his singing…. The next morning, when Jian yao woke up, Bo JinYan was already out of bed and changed. He was in his white shirt and trousers, looking smart standing beside the bed. He smiled at her: “Did you sleep well last night?” Jian yao sat on bed, and shook her head: “No. I dreamt of the Flower Cannibal.” Bo JinYan is startled. He looked concerned. Then Jian yao continued: “I dreamt that he was singing in my ears.” Bo JinYan has no expressions on his face: “Oh, how was it?” Jian yao looked like there’s still lingering fear in her: “To use the term you say all the time - it was a disaster.” Bo JinYan kept quiet for a while. Then with a slightly blushed face, he started to walk out of the room. Jian yao heard his voice coming from the corridor: “I assure you. You will never hear him sing again.”

Chapter 63 On the flight to US, Jian Yao asked Bo JinYan: “How would you describe Tommy?” Bo JinYan answers: “Cunning, cruel, crazy, craves for blood and death, and he uses lots of tricks and method to accomplish his sick desires.” Jian Yao thought about what he said: “So… Flower Cannibal no.1 is like an oracle on the philosophy of killing, and Tommy is the expert on the art of killing?” Bo JinYan gave her a glance, and said faintly: “Why do you make them sound so civilised? One is a lunatic with delusional disorder. The other, a lunatic that runs around like a mad dog.” ———————Under the blazing white light, a neatly dressed Bo JinYan sits on one end of the table. Opposite him, Tommy is sitting quietly with cuffs on both his hands and his feet. After Tommy’s request, everyone turns to look at Jian Yao. Jian Yao just stands quietly. She is looking at Bo JinYan. Others in the room are surprised at how calm she is. After all, it’s a request from a notorious monster. But the reason is simple. Jian Yao trusts Bo JinYan. She knows he will make the right decision. Besides, if she has to face Tommy, so what? After thinking about his request for a while, Bo JinYan pushes his chair back and stands up. He straightens his suit. He has an answer for him. “Nice meeting you again. Goodbye.” He takes the files on the table, walks out without looking back at Tommy again. There is no hesitation in his steps. On this side of the glass, everyone is quiet. Tommy keeps looking at the wall in front, as if he is oblivious to Bo JinYan leaving. “Ding.” The metal door opens. The guard comes in: “You have finished?” Bo JinYan: “Yes, thanks.” He walks out briskly. “Ok. Ok.” At the last moment, Tommy gives in: “Simon, you are so boring. Can’t you even take a joke?”

Bo JinYan turns sideways to look at him: “Don’t challenge my patience. Did you forget you were never successful at that?” Tommy keeps smiling. But he looks displeased. Jian Yao’s heart is like a string that just got plucked. In those six months, what sort of games were Bo JinYan, Tommy and ‘him’ playing? Bo JinYan throws Tommy the files. Then he sits back leisurely in his chair. The room with Jian Yao and the rest of the officers. One of the FBI agents says: “Obviously Tommy is eager to know what’s no.1 has done recently. Bo JinYan knows him well.” Jian Yao smiles. Well, don’t play any mind games with Bo JinYan, because he will always win. Bo JinYan passes the information on the ‘killer machine’ case to Tommy. “Rough.” He criticises. Bo JinYan nods: “Yes, that’s true.” Then Tommy’s eyes are fixed on the photos with the codes written in blood. Bo JinYan observes his expression. He asks: “Have you come across this encoding method before?” Tommy smiles. He is still looking at the photos: ”He likes to play number games. And he likes variety. I don’t remember.” His answer is vague. Bo JinYan explains: “The answer is a group of numbers…. and this next group is the sum of the number when multiple them by itself…the difference between the numbers when you divide them by itself… “ He shows Tommy the method used to work out the final set of numbers. “…and convert these numbers to their corresponding alphabet according to their order from A to Z… so, the message is “Hi, Simon.” “ Tommy smiles: “Oh. Such a simple but perfect method.” Bo JinYan asks Tommy: “Why does he use squares and square roots within his calculations. Is there a special reason for that?” On the other side of the glass, Jian Yao is amazed. She never thought it would be of any significance.

Tommy looks at Bo JinYanY with his blue eyes. When he wants to, he can look warm and gentle. Just by his looks alone, you would never have guessed he is such a monster. “He likes the concept of ‘square’, because it represents him and me. Simon, it’s the two of us, saying Hello to you.” Then Bo JinYan shows Tommy the second file. It’s the murder case at Yin Ziqi’s company. This time, it’s a projection on the wall. A short phrase ‘written’ in English: “I miss you so much, buddy.” And the last messages are from the arsonist case: “Say Hello to Jenny.” and “Now it begins.” Tommy maintains the same smile on his face. He looks up: “What do you want to know?” “What can you tell me?” Tommy’s hand reaches under the table to press the button to call the guards. Then he stands up. “I can tell you this - His aim is to kill you, to avenge me.” Bo JinYan is quiet. All the others are stunned, including Jian Yao. The guards open the door. Tommy reaches his hands out to them. He turns to smile to Bo JinYan: “Thank you for showing me the messages. As a token of my appreciation, I will give you a hint. He and I, we like to hunt the strongest prey. This is his favourite trick - to wear you down slowly, to provoke you. Then when you are in his hands, he will devour you. Good luck, Simon. I can’t wait to see you getting into one of those big black plastic bags for corpse.’” —————— A new moon hangs in the horizon. They are walking along the waterfront in a wharf. It’s twilight. The city lights starts to sparkle and reflects on the waves before crashing the pier. There is another eight hours before the flight leaves for Hong Kong. After leaving the prison, Bo JinYanand Jian Yao walk along the road together. This city is new to Jian Yao, but it’s a familiar place to Bo JinYan. He brings her to the wharf, and look out to the yachts and boats on the water. Jian Yao holds on to his sleeves: “There’s not a lot of people here. We need to be careful.” Bo JinYan looks at her, then at the beautiful scenery. He smiles: “What are you afraid of? No.1 is in Hong Kong.”

Tommy’s words are still ringing in her head. But she is distracted by Bo JinYan as he grabs her hand and walk towards a yacht. A white yacht is leaving the harbour. Bo JinYan takes off his suit jacket. He is steering the boat. Jian Yao stands behind him. She sees his broad shoulders and back, and a sense of comfort fills her. This is beautiful. The shimmering stars in the sky. The sparkling waves in the sea. They can feel a cool breeze on their face. Bo JinYan has a glass of red wine in one hand. He doesn’t seem concerned about the current situation at all. Jian Yao, on the other hand, is not so relaxed: “ Does No.1 want to kill you?” She asks. “No. He doesn’t want to kill me.” He turns around to look at her: “You believed Tommy? I knew he was lying right from the start.” Jian Yao is shocked. BJY stops the yacht in a sheltered bay. He sits down next to her. His masculine scent mixed with the salty air wafts to her nostrils. “What was his first sentence?” He asks. Jian Yao replies: “If you allow me to meet her, he will tell you the identity of No.1.” “No.1 is his spiritual mentor and support, he will never betray him.” Bo JinYan says: “He only said that to entice me.” Jian Yao nods: “You said that No.1’s status is higher than Tommy. He won’t consider Tommy as his equal.” “Yes.” Bo JinYan agrees: “After he saw the messages left by No.1, he was not pleased. It’s obviously not what he expected. As for his final words….” Bo JinYan gives a small smile: “If he didn’t really care, based on his cunning personality, he would make up another lie and try to trap me again. But he decided to leave almost immediately. Even though he was trying to cover his emotions, I knew he was most upset.” Jian Yao is puzzled: “You mean… he thinks that No.1’s goal is to make you his new partner?” Bo JinYan nods. More than anyone in the world, Tommy understands No.1. “No.1 wants to defeat you, break you then control you?” Jian Yao asks. Bo JinYan is right. No.1 is a lunatic with delusional disorder. He will not get his wish. Bo JinYan is much stronger than he thinks.

But Bo JinYan didn’t reply Jian Yao straight away. He looks out to the sea for a while, then answers in a slight mockery tone: “Of course he won’t succeed.” Jian Yao does not feel any more relaxed than before this discussion. They are dealing with a madman. A psychopath who wants to make the most famous criminal psychologist in the world his partner. She turns to him. He is still looking out to the sea. She doesn’t know what’s in his mind. Eventually, he realises she is staring at him. “I just remembered, it’s been a long time since our last kiss.” Their tongues tangle. Soon Jian Yao is sitting on his knees. Bo JinYan wraps his hand around her waist with one hand. The other supports her head so that he can kiss her more deeply. The cool brisk evening is turning into a steamy hot night. Bo JinYan carries her and walks to the bedroom cabin… ——————When they get back to the pier, Bo JinYan looks calm and cool again, but with a smile on his face. Jian Yao’s face is still blushing. They walk off the yachts with their arms around each other. Why does she feel like a little kid who just stole some candy? She treasures every moment she spends with him. When the two of them meet up with the other representatives from China, one of them tells them: “He has begun. Something very serious has happened in Hong Kong. No.1 sent us a ….cruel and perverted video. ” ————— Two days later. In the Hong Kong Police Criminal Unit. Conference room. Beside a rectangular table, the team that consists of elite officers from China and Hong Kong are sitting down in rows. Behind the closed curtain and dimmed lights, a projector is hooked up to Anam’s laptop. They are about to see a video sent to them by No.1. It was delivered in an envelope with a USB inside. Of course there’s no signs of any fingerprints or clues that they can use to track where did the envelope came come. . Bo JinYan and Jian Yao is sitting in the front row, listening intently to what’s been shared so far. The video begins. A black screen. There’s some background noise. It’s not very loud. It sounds like a woman’s crying, mixed with footsteps. Suddenly, it’s bright. Someone has turned on the lights. It’s a prison cell.

In the small space of around 10 metres square, there is a woman. Her hands and feet are tied with a long chain. She is sitting in bed. There is a toilet seat next to the bed. When she saw the lights turned on, she looks frightened and desperate: “Please… No!… Please let me go… Don’t hit me anymore!” The room is quiet. Jian Yao feels the chills are running down her spines. The girl is in her 20s. There are lots of wounds on her body. Her clothes are torn, like rags hanging on her. Except for her face, everywhere is filled with bruised marks caused by whipping. There are several open wounds as well, some of which looks horrible. She is curling to the corner of the bed. There is nowhere to hide in this small cell. Then, a whip appears in the video. The whipping begins again. It lasted for about 10 minutes. By the end of it, the girl is whining like a small animal, shaking uncontrollably on the floor. The screen goes dark again. A few seconds later, another image appears. The second cell. This time, there’s an old man in the room. He is over 60 years old. His hands and feet are also in chains. There are no marks of physical abuse on him. But he looks scared. He is looking around the cell. This is because there is a speaker on in a corner of ceiling. And the sound coming out from the speaker is the sound from the woman’s cell. The old man’s eyes look empty and spaced out. He is covering his ears with his hands and yelling loudly: “Who are you? Let me go! Do you want money? You can take all my money.” —————The third room. The lighting is different in this room. It’s dark red. It’s probably shot through night vision camera. The images are not very clear. Here, a man is tied up onto a bed. He is struggling to break himself. But he is not successful. There is a piece of masking tape over his mouth. Then, a man with medical white robe walks in, wearing a cap, a face mask and night vision googles. That’s him. Jian Yao thought to herself. She never expects that it would be under such circumstances that she ‘sees’ him for the first time. He is holding a scalpel and a towel. He walks over to the bed. Then he cut off a small piece of flesh from the man’s left arm. The man whimpers like a wounded animal. He holds the piece of flesh in his hand. It’s around the size of an egg. He throws it into the air, then catches it. He walks out of the room.

The fourth room. Jian Yao’s heart is aching. There’s a boy in this room. He is approximately seven years old. He is a good looking boy, but he looks extremely pale at the moment. He is still wearing his primary school uniform, curled up in a corner of the bed. He is in fear because there’s something else in the room besides him. A dog. A black dog that seems to have starved for a long time. The dog is almost half the height of a man. Patches of its fur is missing, and there’s also wounds on its body. Then a man’s hand appears on the bottom of the screen. It pushes a tray with some raw meat through the bars into this cell. Both the child and the dog are starring at the food. The dog pounces towards the tray. The boy looks scared, but he closes his eye and jumps out of the bed to grab the meat. He gets it before the dog. The dog bites his leg… Four scenes of physical and mental torture. Anam pauses the video. Everyone is disgusted. Jian Yao takes a look at Bo JinYan. He has no expression on his face. One of the officers from the Hong Kong Police Force explains: “The identity of the four victims has been identified. It’s inside the report in front of you… Hwa Tiao. Female. 25 years old. She lives in Sai Kung. She is a sales assistant. She has been missing for 5 days. Last seen on her way home from work. Zhou Lin Po. Male, 64 years old. He lives in Aberdeen. A retired government employee. He has been missing for 6 days. Last seen on the way to visit his family. Yang Yu Zhe. Male. 29 years old. He lives in Lamma Island. He is an architect. Disappeared four days ago. He was trekking at the time. Li Kai Xuan. 8 years old. He lives in Tuen Mun. He is a student. He has been missing for seven days. Last seen on his way home after school. Four very different victims. At this stage, there seems to be no connection between them. ————————— Anam continues to play the video. The screen is split into four boxes, with one image in each box. This is actually the end of the video. Just four still frames.

The top left frame shows a woman lying on the floor, motionless. Her skin has been peeled off from her body. The top right frame shows the old man lying on the floor. His throat is slit. He is lying in a big pool of blood. It looks like all his blood has been drained. The bottom left frame shows a man lying on a metal bed. His body is full of holes where flesh has been scoped out. The largest hole is on his left chest. His heart has been ripped out. The last frame shows a boy also lying on bed. His hands are chopped off. Four very different deaths. ———————Then a voice that’s been processed to sound mechanical and coarse coming from the video: “Hi Simon. I am here.” Everyone turns to look at Bo JinYan. Jian Yao’s feels like a rock has just fallen onto her heart. Then ‘he’ declares war. “Simon. it’s your turn now. Profile me.”

Extra story (His voice 2) The truth is, Bo JinYan only ever sang in public once before he met Jian Yao. But for some things, once is more than enough. It’s the graduation day for his doctorate degree. His pro-Asian culture professor has invited his pet student and some others to a karaoke bar. Bo JinYan does not like to attend social functions. But this is an invitation from a professor he highly respects. He can’t decline. After everyone else has had a turn, they ask Bo JinYan, who has been sitting by himself and drinking sake at the back of the room, to choose a song. “Yes, come on. Simon, sings us a song.” “We have never heard Simon sings.” Bo JinYan sweeps them a look: “I am not interested.” He turns to the professor: “Can I leave now?” The professor is half drunk. He says, with his face blushing from the alcohol: “No, this is my party. Everyone has to sing. This is your last task for the night. Simon, don’t tell me you are tone deaf.” Bo JinYan smiles mockingly: “How can that be true?” That means he’s agreed. Everyone is so excited. They eagerly wait for the handsome star of their faculty to perform. Bo JinYan walks up to the microphones. He chose the hit song at the time - You are beautiful. It’s not because he particularly likes this song. But it’s so popular and catchy that even he remembers the tune. As for whether he could sing… well, Bo JinYan thinks there’s nothing wrong with his singing. Reason? How can a genius like him not able to master such a simple skill? The music starts… His lips starts to move… “My brilliant life..” Everyone dropped their jaw at the first line of the lyrics. He is…. he is…. totally out of tune! Bo JinYan can tell from the reactions of his peers that something is wrong. But he is confident he can fix it…

His voice, which is usually deep and magnetic, is now a torture to all who are present.

Gradually, more and more people are laughing out loud. Then at the end of the song, Bo JinYan throws down the microphone and leaves without saying goodbye. The next day, a text is spreading at lightning speed around the campus. Girls, do you believe that perfect guys exist? Of course not. The winner for the hottest and most perfect Asian man - Simon Bo… yes, that’s him. If you would like to date him, we suggest you click on this internet link first: xxxxx Simon’s solo. PS. Consensus amongst those who were present on the night - It’s a total disaster. PPS. You are most welcomed to forward this message to your friends.

Chapter 64 When Li Xunran wakes up, he sees a glaring white light. He is lying on a shabby little bed. He body is covered with cuts and wounds. His hands and feet bounded by long heavy chains. He coughs. His congested chest seems to clear a little. Slowly, he sits up and gets out of bed. He walks over to the sink at the corner of the room. He turns the tap on and drinks some water. He hears the sound of a plate being pushed through a little opening on the bottom of the metal door. It’s a plate of hot roast duck and rice. Li Xunran has lost weight. He hasn’t shaved for days. But his eyes still looks sharp. He looks at the food, then walks back to bed. “Well…” Comes a man’s voice from behind the metal door: “You are foolish to starve yourself. If you have no energy, where will you get the strength to fight me?” The voice has been processed. It sounds sharp and creepy. Li Xunran ignores him. He closes his eyes. After a while, he opens his eyes and asks: “Where are the four people that were locked up in the other cells?” He voice is very coarse. The man laughs: “Oh, I have sent them home.” Li Xunran remains quiet. The man says: “There’s no hurry. You will get four new neighbours in a few days. Now, have some food, or else you won’t have the energy to counsel them like you did for the other four people. Huh.. you are a good policeman.” Li Xunran refuses to engage with him. After a while, the man seems to have lost his patience. “Why are you so stubborn?” He yells at him: “Can you just relax and have some fun? … Thanks to you. I am stuck in Hong Kong. If you didn’t tip the police off, I wouldn’t be here. I hate Hong Kong.” Then the plate of roast duck and rice is pulled out of the cell. Li Xunran hears noise of shattering glass. He threw the plate of rice on the plate. Then he walks away. “Click.” The light is turned off. The room is pitched dark. —————

The sunshine is like a gold dust that is sprinkled onto this cosmopolitan city. It’s hard to connect the gruesome murders with this beautiful and sophisticated city, Jian Yao stands in front of her window in the hotel room. Not far behind her, Bo Jinyan is taking a shower in the bathroom. They have been very busy since they arrived Hong Kong. After watching the video, the special team made up of elite officers from Chinese Public Security and the Hong Kong Police Force continues with their investigation and gathers evidence about the victims. Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao are taking a short break in their hotel. The sound of the water stops. Bo Jinyan walks out from the bathroom. He sits down on bed. He is drying his hair with a towel. Jian Yao walks over and stands in front of him. Bo Jinyan looks at her: “Do you want me?” He touches her cheeks with his hand: “Baby, I am sorry. I am not in the mood right now. I promise I will make it up to you once we solve this case.” Jian Yao quickly clarifies: “Of course not!” When they left the police station, nearly everyone was looking at Bo Jinyan . The team leader quietly said to her: “This is not his fault. Please make sure he understands. And that he doesn’t put unnecessary pressure on himself.” She takes his towel from him and dries his hair for him: “I wanted to tell you… don’t put too much pressure on yourself.” He reaches out and wraps his hand around her waist: “Why would I put pressure on myself?” Jian Yao replies: “No.1 declared war on you in front of everyone.” Actually, everyone feels the pressure. They know they face a strong enemy. Everyone is a little tense. “Of course he would say that to me, who else in this world would be able to catch him?” Jian Yao realises…. once again, she has underestimated Bo Jinyan . His self-confidence and arrogance, is as concrete as a rock. ‘Pressure’ is what normal people would have, not Bo Jinyan . He never even consider that he might loose. Bo Jinyan leans over and pecks her lips: “I am taking a nap.” He lies down and covers himself with the duvet. Jian Yao is a little surprised: “We are not going back to the station?”

Bo Jinyan smiles: “What’s the hurry? We can’t do much at the moment. Besides, I have to make sure I am in my top form.” He grabs the sleep mask on the bedside table. Jian Yao looks at him. Actually, he hadn’t had a good sleep for days. “Ok then. I’ll take a shower now.” She says. Then she hears him say: “Call the restaurant and reserve a table. Order some seafood and fish. I’ll need a good meal when I wake up.” She can feel it. He is going all out for it. ——————Sunset. Jian Yao wakes up. Bo Jinyan is not beside her. He is changed into his suit. He’s combed his hair back. He stands in front of the mirror. He is ready. Jian Yao gets out of bed and hugs him from behind. She rests her head on his back: “What do you want me to do?” He pauses, then he says: “Wear something pretty.” Jian Yao is stunned: “Why?” He turns sideways to look at her: “I need to be in top form. And according to past experiences, every time you dress nicely, I feel pleased, and it helps me to perform better.” He is serious. Jian Yao can’t help but laugh: “Sure.” —————In the evening. Inside the conference room of the police station. Everyone in the team is there. They start with a quick update: First, they have found the bodies. It’s dumped in four different rural locations. From each body, he took away something as a souvenir. A piece of skin from the back is missing from the woman. He cut off some hair from the old man. The heart of the man is missing. As for the young boy, he took his pair of hands. Jian Yao writes down the items on a whiteboard: Skin. Hair. Heart. Hands

Anam managed to make a discovery too. Even though the roads to where the bodies were dumped are in remote areas, he managed to find some surveillance camera images and eye witness that proves that the same Black Honda 7 seaters has passed by.

However, the registration plate is, as they have expected, a fake number. None of the images managed to capture the driver’s face. This model of car is popular in Hong Kong. It will be very hard to find the vehicle with the information they have. One of the officers from Hong Kong says: “We’ve asked the family members and friends of the four victims. They don’t know one another. No.1’s seems to choose his victims randomly. Besides that, we also found out the female victim attends night school classes, and that the architect is an amateur writer who has won a few awards. But we are not sure if they are relevant to the case.” Another senior investigator shares his views: ‘I think his choice of victims is not completely random. We found surveillance camera images and eye witness accounts that shows that the same black vehicle were spotted multiple times in the areas where the victims went missing for a few days before the disappearance. The female victim and the child travel on the same route every day. As for the male victim and the old man, it’s just by chance that they were in the area where they went missing.” Jian Yao summaries: “So, two abductions are pre-planned, and the other two are spontaneous.” ————————— The meeting is finished. The officers have been running around all day. Some of them are going for a bite. Others are going home to sleep. But for Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao, their work has just begun. They list the facts In front of them: Woman, old man, man, child Torture method: Whipping, mental stress, flesh cutting and animal bites Cause of death: Poison, slit the throat, removing the heart, poison Souvenir: skin, hair, heart, hands Abduction: both preplan and spontaneous Anam and a few other young officers from Hong Kong are still in the conference room. One of them comments: “I think he is deliberately using different methods to confuse us, so that we cannot establish any patterns.” Another officer suggests: “Is it a hint that he has multiple personality disorder?”

Multiple personality disorder is something that occurs frequently in movies. But in real life situation, it’s actually very rare. Then Anam speaks: “Four people. Three possible groupings: From the torture angle: the man and the woman suffered the most physical abuse. From the angle of how they died: He chose a cruel way to kill the two men. The woman and child were poisoned before their bodies were mutilated. From the angel of abduction: it’s pre-planned for the woman and child only.” Bo Jinyan asks him: “So, what’s your conclusion?” Anam shakes his head: “I don’t have one. I am just summarising the facts.” Jian Yao asks Bo Jinyan : “So what are your thoughts?” There’s hardly any trend or pattern in the four deaths. She doesn’t even know where to start. Bo Jinyan seems to be able to read her mind: “You think it’s too complicated?” Jian Yao nods. “Then remember this. No matter how complicated a case seems, it still follows the same principle.” Everyone in the room looks at each other. They wait for Bo Jinyan to explain. Bo Jinyan continues: “He is a psychopath. No matter how much he tries to complicate things, he will reveal his desires and real feeling through his killings. It’s not something he can hide. He is very egotistic. He naively thinks he can tame me to be his partner. What do you think he is trying to show me?” Jian Yao has some thoughts, but they are random thoughts that needs time to be organised and sorted out. But before she is able to work it out, Bo Jinyan reveals the answer. “He is trying to show me his life.”

Chapter 65 “He is trying to show me his life.” Bo Jinyan is standing under the light. Tall body, highly handsome face, superior intellect… he always manages to stand out in the crowd. What Bo Jinyan said is like a laser beam that cuts through the darkness. Suddenly there’s a place to start. Everyone looks at the white board again. The words seem to become more meaningful now. They try to link the thoughts together. But Bo Jinyan can’t wait for them to catch up. He puts the white board marker in the table, then he starts to speak: “Whipping, is the most direct and powerful way to convey anger and hatred. It’s more intense than cutting flesh or slow torture such as draining the blood. Therefore, he hates woman. And usually, the cause of hatred for women stems from the lack of maternity love. Men who grow up in a healthy and normal childhood usually remains psychologically stable even though they are treated badly in their teenage years or adulthood by other woman. Therefore, it’s most likely that his mother abandoned or left him when he was young. Skinning is a complicated and tedious process. But he managed to complete the task almost to perfection. It’s not the first time he had done that. You should investigate all the skinning cases in the US in the past ten years. There might be some clues there. Skinning suggests plunder and pillage. Even though there’s no sex involved, it’s a type of punishment. Perhaps it’s linked to his lack of maternity love during his childhood. But there is also a possibility that he was sexually abused by an older woman in his teenage years.” The room is quiet after Bo Jinyan stops. Jian Yao thinks about what he says. Most psychopaths in the US had a rough childhood. No.1 might come from a rich family, but psychological damage can happen regardless of background. Bo Jinyan continues: “He dismembered the man’s body, and he removed his heart. This is also a sign of depredation. He wants to take away his self-worth and pride. The man suffered a lot of injuries when he was alive. Almost all psychopaths form their fantasies during their teenage years. This man probably represents his father. He and his father did not have a close relationship. I think his father may have abused him, either physically or mentally when he was growing up, but over a long period of time. He has no respect for his father’s character or values. Emotionally, what he did to the man requires more patience than what he did to the woman. Just like the hatred he has for his father is accumulated over a long period of time. ”

Jian Yao starts to understand the difference between the methods he used for torture. They are all cruel. But one method requires more patience than the other, and it’s closely tied with his emotions and how he wishes to express his angers. This is the most reasonably explanation of why he used so many different ways to kill. He carries different types of angers from his life experiences. So, this is how he is ‘showing his life’ to Bo Jinyan. “The old man signifies death. He didn’t suffer any physical abuse. This is out of character for him. Perhaps, the fact that no one can escape death, is a natural fear that he has to live with. But he slit the old man’s throat to signify that he has the power to control life and death…. at least, for other people. The child and the dog signify his perilous childhood. It was full of suffering and pain. The child died of poisoning. It is a peaceful way of killing his victim. After the child died, he chopped off his hands. The symbolism of this is that he is taking away hope.” Bo Jinyan starts to summarise and profile: “Based on these findings, we have a picture of him: He is between 25 to 35 years old. American Chinese. He has lived in the US for a long time. He is between 180 to 185 cm tall. Not thin or fat. He has a good command of both English and Chinese language. He is wealthy. He puts in a large amount of time, effort and money towards his crime. He doesn’t have to work. His money is inherited. His mother abandoned him when he was young, and that scarred his life. He was also abused by his father and other older female member(s) in the family. Strong anti-society sentiments. He is also very temperamental. Extremely intelligent, and very egotistic. He might be paranoid and have delusions about things. But currently, it’s not too serious. It has not evolved into illness yet. He is still sober and fully conscious of everything he is doing. Based on his family background and his abilities, he studied in one of the top universities in the US. However, he didn’t have friends and he couldn’t integrate into the community. There is a strong possibility that he dropped out before completing his degree. His knowledge on criminal psychology and mind control is beyond most amateurs. I believe he studied the subject in university. He has accumulated a lot of crime experience. His first crime was committed when he is a young adult. I will contact the US Police for information on skinning cases in the past decade. ————— It’s late at night. But there is still much work to be done.

After Bo Jinyan’s briefing, all of the officers look impressed. Anam walks up to him. He adjusts his glasses and says: “That’s incredible. Well done.” Then he walks out of the conference room. He needs to get some rest too. Everyone is gone. There are only two people left in the conference room. Jian Yao is busy typing what he just shared with everyone onto the computer. When she is done, she turns the screen to Bo Jinyan: “Do you want to double check that I didn't miss out anything?” Jian Yao is so proud of her man. The Flower Cannibal No.1 tried to mislead the team, but in front of Bo Jinyan, it’s like child play. Bo Jinyan stands in front of the white board. He frowns. Jian Yao glances at him. There’s hesitation in him. Why is that? He turns to Jian Yao, and gives a faint laugh: “No. If we follow this profile, we will not find him.” Jian Yao: “…why?” Bo Jinyan leans back on his chair. His fingers tapping on the table. “Hum…. it’s too easy.” He smiles mockingly. “This profile is a profile that he wants me to believe.” Jian Yao’s heart misses a beat: “The profile is incorrect? It’s a ploy to distract us?” “No.” Bo Jinyan clarifies: “The profile is real. Like I said, he is temperamental pervert. If he didn’t tell me anything about himself, there’s no fun for him. But he confident that we won’t be able to find him based on these informations alone.” Jian Yao looks at the white board. Bo Jinyan points to a few of the points: “There are a lot of people that fit these basic points. We have seen his ability with hacking into computer systems. What if he changed his education records, for example, we would spend a lot of time and effort without finding him. And in the meantime, he is ready for his second crimewave.” “If I am just an arrogant professor, and rely on the profile he gave me, then I am going to lose this game.” Bo Jinyan continues. “But I am more intelligent than that. He underestimated me.” Jian Yao smiles at his confidence. “So..” she ask: “What should we do then?” But then she doesn’t expect Bo Jinyan’s response.

He wipes everything off the white board. Then he takes one white board marker and gives another one to Jian Yao: “What’s the hurry. If it’s not the right path, let’s start again.” ————— A lot of people are destined to have a sleepless night in Hong Kong. A mad man is on a killing spree, it’s enough to make the whole city’s police force jittery. But thousands of miles away, Yin Ziqi’s mood and fate is also governed by development of this case. She is wearing her nightgown, sitting in the study. She is reading the news on Lin Yi Yang’s case. Ever since his disappearance, she has not smiled. They have been together for many years. Besides, he has a direct impact on her life, and the future of her company. After all, it’s also an arranged marriage based on commercial reasons. However, there’s not much news on the case. Police force from both Hong Kong and China are very careful not to leak any information to the media. There’s no indication as to the whereabouts of her fiancé, and whether he is alive, or dead. Her mobile phone rings. She checks the caller display. It’s Lin Yi Yang’s mother, the wife of the chairman of Lin’s Corporation. She hesitates, then decides to answer the call: “Hello, Auntie.” Mrs.Lin sounds anxious: “Ziqi, do you have any news on your side?” “Sorry, not yet.” Mrs.Lin pauses for a while, then she says with a low and slightly coarse voice: “I have news.” Lin’s Corporations is bigger than Yin’s Corporations. They have more connections and influence. Mrs. Lin speaks with a low voice: “This is confidential. The police says Yi Yang is brought to Hong Kong. He is still alive, but they don’t know where he is.” Yin Ziqi is relieved to hear that he is alive: “Thank God he is alive. But…” “Ziqi. Yi Yang’s father has had a heart attack. I know your brother is leading this investigation. Can you please go to Hong Kong, and do everything you can to save him. When Yi Yang’s father is better, we will come and join you.” “Sure. I will be there tomorrow.” Yin Ziqi replies. “Nothing to will happen to Yi Yang.” After she hangs up, Mrs Lin gives a sigh. She is sitting on a luxurious and expensive sofa, her eyes are filled with tears.

Suddenly, her phone rings. She picks it up. She says with a trembling voice: “Yi Yang! Yi Yang!” On the other end, comes the familiar of voice of his son: “Mom, is Ziqi coming?” “Yes, she will be in Hong Kong tomorrow.” Mrs.Lin asks anxiously: “What’s happening? I know you have nothing to do with those cases. But why are you not contacting the police? Does he want money? How much does he want?” “Mom…. just don’t call the police… goodbye.” —————-

Dawn. When Jian Yao wakes up, Bo Jinyan is not in bed anymore. She looks around. Bo Jinyan is nowhere to be seen. His briefcase and trench coat are still on the sofa. Where can he be? Suddenly, she is scared. She quickly gives him a call on his mobile phone. A familiar voice answers after just one ring: “What is it?” Jian Yao relaxes: “Where are you?”

———————Early morning. The roof top of the hotel. The wind is quite strong today, and Jian Yao feels a little shaky while walking on the concrete floor. She wraps her hands around her shoulders to walk towards Bo Jinyan. She smiles when she sees him. There is a helicopter pad on the roof top. A large yellow circle is drawn on the ground. A man with a white shirt has his back to her. That’s her Bo Jinyan. “Hey.” She calls him softly. “Yeah.” He replies without even looking up. The roof looks out the stunning views of Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong. But he is not there for the scenery. He has a piece of chalk on his hand. On the floor, it’s filled with numbers, words, symbols…. and a few cartoon drawings of Chen Mo. That’s so cute. But if the hotel staff sees this, they might not be so amused. Jian Yao sits down next to him. She asks: “Why did you come up here?” “It’s quiet here.” He answers “It helps me to concentrate and think.”

“Did you stay awake the whole night?” He gives her a disapproving glance: “Do you think it would take me a whole night to work this out?” Jian Yao laughs. He seems a little more relaxed than when he said they have to start from scratch last night. “You made progress?” she asks. “Of course.” He smiles. Jian Yao smiles too. Of course. She said to herself. The wind is strong. Jian Yao is starting to shiver slightly. Bo Jinyan pulls her into his arms. They sit down together to watch the sunrise over the harbour. “There are some contradictions in his behaviour. Of course, he is not aware of them himself. What a pathetic lunatic. He is within our reach now.”

Chapter 66 Roof top. Bo Jinyan stands up. He reaches his hand out to help Jian Yao to stand on her feet. They look at the words on the ground together. Bo Jinyan looks proud of his handiwork. Unfortunately, his scribbles and thoughts don’t seem to make any sense to her. She needs a little explanation to the visual ‘feast’ that is in front of her. But she is used to it. She leans on his chest and compliments him: “You are amazing!” Bo Jinyan curls his lips into a smile. “Now, can you explain it to me?” “Ur…. of course.” He starts to point out his new discoveries: “The first point, and the most important one. For a serious psychopath, the part of his fantasies that is most important for him is not to look back at his past, or show his hatred or retaliation. It’s how to express the desires that are hidden deep within his heart. For them, this is the most rewarding part of their crime. But when No.1 is ‘showing us his life’, where did he hide this important element?” Jian Yao thinks to herself. Sun Yung fantasied about being a killer machine. Zhang Cheng imagined he was killing US spies, both are a type of heroism. What does No.1 desires in life? Therefore, he confuses the police and Bo Jinyan with the different killing methods. The real him is hiding somewhere. “Second point. He hates women. So the question is, why did he plunder the man’s self-worth, but not the woman’s?” Jian Yao can’t work this out. Bo Jinyan continues: “The third point. When he was torturing the man, he used duct tape to cover his mouth. Why did he not let him speak?” Jian Yao answers subconsciously: “Because he doesn’t want to hear his voice?”

Bo Jinyan sweeps her a glance. He says faintly: “All his actions, even those he didn’t consciously planned, has a reason. Why did he not want to hear the man’s voice. I can’t work this out at the moment.” Jian Yao is quietly thinking. Well, looks like there arestill a lot of unanswered questions. “The fourth point. Why did he take away the grey hair from the old man as a souvenir? If it’s to symbolise his control over life and death, should it not be some other organs or blood? After all, that would definitely excite him more. But he took away hair.” Jian Yao answers without much thinking: “Grey hair represents time, vicissitudes of life.” Bo Jinyan looks at her with his bright eyes: “Correct.” He says in his low voice. Jian Yao is pleased to receive a praise from him. She smiles sweetly: “Thank you.” “The last point. Why did he have to go through so much effort to dump the bodies in four different locations? Why not leave them in the same place? It would have saved him a lot of hassle.” Yes. These are good questions. Perhaps the answers will lead them into a new dimension. Once they are able to make sense of these points, they will be very close to the truth. Bo Jinyan holds her hand and starts to walk to the lift. “There must be some connection between the four victims. We need to find out what it is.” He says, “So, our next job is -“ Jian Yao continues: “go back to first step - to analyse the victims.” Bo Jinyan stops and looks at her. “What is it?” Jian Yao asks. “Oh, nothing.” He smiles. They continue to walk. Bo Jinyan is very pleased. Oh.. The words she spoke were exactly what Bo Jinyan was going to say. This is amazing. It has never happened before. Sure enough. Nothing, not even the most difficult case, can stop them from deepening their relationship. They just love each other more as each day passes. —————— The name of the detective from Hong Kong that is accompanying them to interview the victim’s family is Ouyang Lin. Anam is with them too.

The four of them are in a car on their way to visit the female victim’s friend. Ouyang Lin has his hands on the steering wheel. He is looking at the rear view mirror and says: “My men havedone all that we can. The four victims are not connected. What do you expect to find?” Even though he has his doubts, his tone is calm. It’s a genuine question. He is not trying to mock them. Bo Jinyan answers: “We are looking for different things to you.” He stops there and looks at Jian Yao: “Tells him what we are looking for.” Jian Yao doesn’t think twice. She says to them: “We are trying to find out what is No.1’s fantasy.” Everyone in the car keeps quiet. Bo Jinyan has a smile on his face. Oh…. perfect! ———————You Hua is a good friend, flatmate and colleague of the female victim. She is also in her early twenties. You Hua’s apartment is still cordoned off by the police. They walk into the apartment together. When Jian Yao enquires about her friend’s character, You Hua’s friend starts to cry: “She is the best girl I have ever met. She is gentle, smart and considerate. Everyone likes her. But why….” Jian Yao reaches out and put her hand on You Hua’s friend’s shoulder to console her. Her friend continues: “Six months ago, she broke up with her boyfriend. She was very sad. Other than that, I can’t think of anything out of the ordinary.” Ouyang Lin says to to Bo Jinyan and Anam: “We’ve checked out the boyfriend. He is in Australia when she was missing. He is not suspicious.” The friend picks up You Hua’s family photo and passes it Jian Yao: “Her parents live in the countryside. They love her very much. Next month she is supposed to start a new position as a senior sales person in Lamma Island…” Bo Jinyan takes a look at all the photos on the table. Colleagues, friends, family…. She has a lovely smile in all the photos. Looks like what You Hua said is true. She is an outgoing and friendly girl. —————After they leave the apartment, the four of them heads back to their car. Ouyang Lin says: “This is the same information we obtained during our last visit. Professor Bo, do you have any new discoveries?”

“How do you think men rate You Hua?” ask Bo Jinyan. Ouyang Lin replies: “A friendly girl that is quite approachable. I am sure she has a lot of admirers“ Anam replies: “Top 20% to 40% of women.” Everyone laughs. Now it’s Jian Yao’s turn: “It’s comfortable to be with her. She is pleasant and nice. Is she the type of girl that No.1 is attracted to?” ——————They arrive at their second destination. It’s the old man Zhou Lin Po’s house. His daughter and daughter in law greets them. Like You Hua, Zhou Lin Po is a good man. His daughter is pregnant. Her husband is holding onto her. She is in tears: “My dad always says: Live a life that is worthy. Don’t hide your conscience. You can see for yourself what kind of person he is.” She shows them to the study. The room is full of trophies and medals. 1995 - 2002 - He’s won several awards while working as a fireman 2002 - 2005 - As a primary school teacher, he’s in the list of top 100 teachers in HK. 2005 - retirement - He works for the government and has received many awards for his diligence and hard work. His daughter says: “Dad doesn’t get paid a lot for his jobs. But he has helped many people. He sponsors two children in Guizhou province so that they can attend school…” At this point, even Anam, who is usually very quiet, consoles the daughter, “Our condolences.” Ouyang Lin whispers into Bo Jinyan’s ears: “We have verified all these. The other victims have not crossed path with him while he was working as a fireman, teacher or government staff.” Bo Jinyan nods and smiles. Jian Yao knows this expression. It’s a look that shows he has found a link. ….. so quickly?

Looks like he has some new ideas about the case already.

Chapter 67 Afternoon. In a Hong Kong style tea restaurant. Hong Kong is known for being crowded. So little space, so many people. The tiny restaurant is packed with diners. It took a while before Ouyang Lin finds an empty table. He can’t be bothered waiting for the waiters to come to get their orders. He and Anam walk up to the counter. Jian Yao is sitting next to Bo Jinyan. She asks him quietly: “What have you discovered?” Bo Jinyan smiles: “I still need to verify a few things.” Jian Yao nods. After a while, the two men return. Ouyang Lin puts 2 plates of rice in front of them: “There’s no grilled eel today. I ordered a barbecue roast pork and roast goose with rice for you. It’s their most popular dish here.” Jian Yao looks down. Everyone is having the same food - roast pork and roast goose with rice. Anam takes a pair of chopsticks and starts to eat. Ouyang Lin is hungry too. He starts before Jian Yao and Bo Jinyan. Bo Jinyan frowns. Then he starts eating, but obviously, pushing the pork to one side. He is only eating the goose. “Wait.” said Jian Yao. She transfers the roast pork from his plate to hers, and gives him all her roast goose. Bo Jinyan smiles at her: “Thanks.” During the whole exchange process, they never talked, as if they instinctively knew what’s on each other’s mind. Both Anam and Ouyang Lin are amazed. Jian Yao explains to them: “Oh, he doesn’t take roast pork.” But of course, she didn’t elaborate on the reason. Ouyang Lin smiles. Anam continues with his meal. Jian Yao’s phone rings. It’s her mother. She walks outside to take the call. The three men are left at the table. Ouyang Lin thought he should start a topic of conversation since he is the host. He smiles to Bo Jinyan: “Professor, you areso lucky to have such a gentle and considerate girlfriend.”

This is a new experience for Bo Jinyan. People usually speak to him out of respect. Even if it’s out of envy, it’s because of his high IQ. It’s the first time it’s on his success on finding the right woman. Ha ha…. that’s inevitable that other men are jealous of him. He smiles, and then he looks at Ouyang Lin and says: “Thank you.” Ouyang Lin smiles back. Bo Jinyan looks at Anam, who kept quiet all these time. Anam doesn't think that it concerns him at all. But since, Bo Jinyan is looking at him, he pauses, then replies: “Top 15% - 30%. Not bad indeed.” They have been working together for some time now. They are getting more familiar with each other. Bo Jinyan just smiles: “Ah, a rookie that has never been in love.” Anam is puzzled: “What do you mean?” Bo Jinyan has no patience to teach juniors. He just laughs in his heart. What a stupid kid. He fails to understand one simple truth. There’s no ranking when it comes to love. She is his one and only - No.1. —————— The third person they are visiting is the male victim Yang Yu Zhe's apartment. This young architect lived alone in a well-designed and classy apartment. His brother is there to meet them. “Why did the pervert choose Yu Zhe?” The brother speaks with reddened eyes. He is aggrieved: “He gets on with everyone. He has a bright future in front of him…” Jian Yao takes a look at the apartment. Like his brother said, he is an outstanding person. He’s an award winning architect, working in a one of the best firms in town. The novel he wrote in his spare time has won many awards and is a best seller. Like Zhou Lin Po, his house is full of trophies and awards. Bo Jinyan picks up his latest trophy. It has the words ‘Winner of 2013 Hong Kong Galaxy Writing Competition engraved on it. His brother explains: “This is the highest achievement he has obtained so far. He was one of two people who got this award. It is very special. He was planning to give up his architectural career to become a full-time writer.” Bo Jinyan picks up a pile of letters. These are fan mails. Looks like his novel is very popular. His audience covers a large age group. Bo Jinyan looks at Ouyang Lim. Ouyang Lim nods and says: “We’ve checked out his fans. There’s no one that is suspicious.” Jian Yao asks the brother: “Does he has a girlfriend?”

The brother shakes his head: “My brother spent all his time on work and his writing. Now that he’s giving up his day job, he would have had more time to find a girl, and settle down. He was looking at buying his own apartment. But now…” Everyone is silent. The overall impression they got from Yang Yu Zhe’s family and friends is that he is a high achiever with pleasant personality. He is not from a wealthy family. His parents died a few years ago from illness. But he and his brother have had a comfortable and good life…. until a few days ago. —————The last place to visit is their youngest victim - Li Kaixuan’s house. Well, to be correct, his uncle and auntie’s house. His parents died in a car accident last year. The child’s death brought pain and grief to the family, but in a different way to the previous families. When Jian Yao and the others arrive, his uncle (father’s elder brother) is manning his grocery shop. He looks tired. His aunt is looking after their two children. “We feel sorry for Kaixuan.” The auntie cries as she speaks: “But our work is busy and the shop opens for long hours. We are always exhausted. We know that he missed his parents, but he never said anything to us. He usually hid in the room when he came back from school. He was an obedient boy, and he did well at school. If his parents were still around, perhaps he wouldn’t have met the killer, and he’ll be alright…” She is so overcome with emotions she can’t continue. Jian Yao consoles her for a while, then she asks: “Can we have a look at his room please?” “Yes, I’ll show you where it is.” The Lee family house is not big. There is no extra room for Kaixuan, and the cousins didn’t want to live in the same room with him. so Kaixuan stays in the small loft. Li Kaixuan is a mature boy for his age. The loft is neat and tidy. All the books are classified into genres and stacked neatly. He has lots of superhero comics like Superman & Spiderman. There are a lot of awards displayed on the wall: 2nd place in class, winner of writing competition, history knowledge contest winner etc etc To everyone’s surprise, Bo Jinyan only took one look at the room. Then he walks to the entrance: “We can go now.” The other three people are a little shocked. Jian Yao rushes up to him: “Why?” Bo Jinyan looks at her: “I’ve seen what I needed to see. I have all the clues now.” Jian Yao asks unbelievably: “You have worked out what his fantasy is?”

Bo Jinyan gives a confident smile. The others wait for him for an answer. “Oh, I know everything.” He says: “His fantasy, his desires, and his next target…”

The others are amazed. He continues: “…and how we can find out his name, identity and what he looks like.”

Chapter 68 When Jian Yao is investigating a case with Bo Jinyan, she often feels like this She is still trapped in the fog on the bottom of the hill, but Bo Jinyan has arrived at the top, leisurely looking at the panoramic views of the surrounding mountains….

His “fantasy”, his next victim, his name and identity, his looks… How did Bo Jinyan get those answers? “Simple.” He says as he rests his arm on the window sill of the backseat of the car: “The male victim is the person that is linked to the other three victims. Once you identify these links, you can work out what is his fantasy.” It’s 2pm. The sun is shining through the windows as Ouyang Lin drives everyone back to the police station. Both him and Anam is listening intently to Bo Jinyan’s words. So… the answer is hiding in the details. But there’s so much detail. It’s easy to overlook and hard to pick out ones that are important. Bo Jinyan solves the puzzle for all of them: “The female victim You Hua is a sales assistant who is about to take up a new role in Lamma Island. Yang Yu Zhe lives in Lamma Island. He is ready for a relationship, which means, if they didn't die, they would most probably meet each other. A beautiful outgoing single woman and a handsome but shy writer…. a perfect romance.” Anam is bewildered: “Just because they might meet one another…No.1 decided to kill them?” Bo Jinyan corrects him: “No. It’s not ‘might’. Didn’t No.1 arrange for the two of them to meet by capturing both of them?” Everyone feels a chill down their spine. “That’s sickening.” says Ouyang Lin. Bo Jinyan continues: “Zhou Lin Po was a primary teacher between 2002-2005. So according to Yang Yu Zhe’s age, he would be at primary school at the time. No.1 wants a teacher like Zhou Lin Po. Someone that is like a father and a good mentor. Someone that is worthy of his respect.” Li Kaixuan is a lonely, clever child who has lost his parents. Like Yang Yu Zhe, he likes writing - remember the awards he received for winning a writing competition? And those superhero comic books? If he were Yang Yu Zhe’s son, he would admire and adore Yang Yu Zhe, and probably follows after his footsteps to become a writer when he grows up - the perfect son.”

That’s his fantasy. He dreams of being Yang Yu Zhe. A talented writer. He wants to replace him. And he goes around to find the best lover, father and son for himself. But because his fantasy is mixed with reality of what he experienced in his childhood, this new family is also filled with betrayal and deception. Therefore he tortured & killed them - his way of keeping them for himself forever. Ouyang Lin can’t believe what he is hearing: “But this is only in his head. He killed four people that he didn’t know just to satisfy his fantasy?” Bo Jinyan answers: “The links he established in the four victims’ life is a good enough motive for a twisted psychopath. Furthermore, it answers the question as to why he came to Hong Kong. Long distance traveling increases his risk of being exposed. Also, Hong Kong is a much smaller city, with a highly proficient and efficient police force. There’s no logical reason why he wants to be here. Except to attend the 2013 Hong Kong Galaxy Writing Competition Award Ceremony. It was held on the second day he came to Hong Kong. As I said before, he is an egoistic anti-society psychopath. The reason he came all the way to Hong Kong was because he wanted to attend this event.” Jian Yao thinks to herself. That’s true. If his dream is to become a famous novelist, this might well be the reason he is here. Bo Jinyan: “Now, why did he put duct tape over the man’s mouth when he was imprisoning him? It’s likely that both of them entered the same competition. No.1 did not get an award. So, there is a chance they’ve met in the award ceremony. He knows the identity of No.1. Therefore, he was not allowed to speak or else he might reveal it in front of the other victims.” Suddenly, all the random decisions made sense. Why did he choose those people, the methods he used to torture and kill them, the ‘souvenirs’ he took…. Towards the end, he released himself from the fantasy that he is Yang Yu Zhe, and enters back into his world of hatred. He abandoned them. Now, the cycle is about to repeat. He will look for the next person he wants to ‘replace’, ‘build’ another family and then kill them off…” Bo Jinyan looks out of the window, and focuses on the road they are driving on: “His next target, is the other winner of the Galaxy Writing Competition.” ————— Half an hour later. The car is stopped in front of a small house. There are a few police cars there already. The neighbours are watching curiously from their properties. This is the house of the second Galaxy Writing competition. Bo Jinyan and the others get out of the car. Ouyang Lin takes the leads. He walks up to an officer that’s already there. The officer updates him: “A neighbour said the whole family has gone out with a friend. But no one knows where they are”

Ouyang Lin gives Bo Jinyan a glance. BJY is quiet. Jian Yao understands Ouyang’s glance. The ‘friend’. Is that No.1? Has he started round 2? Ouyang Lin asks the officer: “What about the award ceremony?” The officer answers: “They are collating all the photos, videos and information together. Once the file is ready, it will be sent to us.” ——————The sun is inching its way to the west. There are a lot of officers inside and outside of the house. They are looking for every piece of information that might help to find them quickly. Bo Jinyan is leaning on the first floor balcony railings. He has a photo frame in his hand. Inside, there’s a photo of the missing family: Dad, mom, two kids and the dad’s father. Jian Yao walks to him and asks softly: “Will he treat them the same way as the others?” Bo Jinyan thinks for a while and answers: “This is a real family. It’s even more attractive for him. He will want to replace the dad and live with the rest of the family members…” Jian Yao is disgusted at the thought. It’s both amazing and scary that Bo Jinyan can understand these psychopaths so well. Even though he is so intelligent, but if he has to think in the shoes of a psychopath all the time… Suddenly, she feels very sorry for him. She holds his hand and says: “Jinyan, when this case is over, let’s take a holiday. You said you want to bring me to America. Let’s not take up any cases then. I want your full attention on me.” Her voice is soft and sweet. Bo Jinyan takes a look at her and smiles: “OK. I agree.” He answers without hesitation. Jian Yao is surprised but very pleased. She squeezes her hand a little tighter. Bo Jinyan is also very pleased. Oh, she is so possessive of me. I love it. I’ll do whatever that will make her happy. ——————One hour later. The Hong Kong police found the family.

Bo Jinyan and the others return to the car. Anam shows them an image on his lap top. It’s a beach near Tsim Sha Tsui. It’s backed to a forrest. It’s a remote and slightly isolated campsite. There are a few fishing rods at the water edge, a tent, and some luggages. But no one is there. (Note from TB: Ok….. obviously author is not too familiar with the geography of Hong Kong. Beach, forrest and camping in Tsim Sha Tsui? That’s impossible.) “We found their car in the carpark. According to their relatives, the luggage belongs to the family.” Ouyang Lin explains: “According to the forensic team, they have left the site for more than three hours.” Three hours is enough time for ‘him’ to bring them anywhere in Hong Kong. But Bo Jinyan laughs: “Cordon off Tsim Sha Tsui and do not allow traffic to get in and out of the region. He is not far away.” Anam asks: “Why?” Ouyang Lin steps on the accelerator, and the car speeds off. Bo Jinyan sits leisurely at the back seat. He replies: “Because, according to his plans, we are still running around in circles trying to find him based on the profile he wanted us to see. He is still safe until the bodies of the second lot of victims are discovered by us. By then, he will have abandoned where he is staying, his tools, cars… He will use a new identity so we can’t find him. So, for now, there is no necessity for him to change the location where he imprisons his victims. His house is not far from the campsite.” —————— All the police are deployed to search for a house that fits the following description in the Tsim Sha Tsui area: 1. A house with a reasonable amount of land, so that the actual house is far from its immediate neighbours. 2. The house has a floor area of at least 2000 square feet. It will most probably have a cellar. 3. The owner has a Honda black seven seater vehicle. 4. The owner lives alone. It’s getting darker. Ouyang Lin bought sandwiches on a roadside store and passes to the others. They have a quick and quiet dinner and then continue with their investigation.

They have come across three houses that fit that description so far, but none of them is what they are looking for. They approach the fourth house. There’s no black car in the driveway. Bo Jinyan looks at the house. It’s a villa with lots of flowers in the front gate. All the drapes and curtains are closed but there’s light coming though the gaps. “This fits his style.” says Bo Jinyan. Ouyang Lin nods. The other officers that came with them draw their guns from their pouch. Slowly, they surround the villa. There’s a smaller unit next to the main house. The door of the unit is suddenly opened. A woman in her forties walk out. She gets a big fright when she sees so many officers in the property. Ouyang Lin puts up his fore finger in front of his mouth. It’s a hand signal for her to keep quiet. Bo Jinyan sweeps a glance to Jian Yao. J Yao quickly walks over and asks the lady softly: “We are with the police. We are on an investigation. Who lives here?” The lady is very surprised. She answers quietly: “His name is Mr. Mei Yuanjun.” Bo Jinyan walks over and asks her: “Does he live alone? Does he own a black Honda 7 seater? Is he a writer?” The lady is stunned: “Yes… how did you know? You guys are ….” Jian Yao’s heart tightens. Bo Jinyan has a victorious smile on his face. It’s him. “Get inside. Close the door and don’t come out.” Bo Jinyan says to the lady. Then he gives a sign to Ouyang Lin. Ouyang Lin nods and signals the other officers to moves towards the villa. Bo Jinyan gives a sign to Anam, who is still in the car, to call for the police station for support. Suddenly, there is a high squealing noise. It’s from the tyres of a black Porsche coming out from a garage around the back of the villa. “Stop!” yells Ouyang Lin, as he takes out his gun and fires a few warning shots. But the Porsche just ignores him. In the blink of an eye, it made a sharp turn and disappears down the main road.

“Quick!” Everyone rushes back to the car to go after him.

Chapter 69 “Sit tight.” says Ouyang Lin as his foot slams on the accelerator. Because they are travelling in a high speed, the car swings to one side as they are turning the corner. Bo Jinyan puts his arm around Jian Yao’s waist so she can be more steady. They manage to catch up to the black Porsche. They are just behind him. “Oh no!” says one of the officer that has joined them in their car: “It’s the Sai Kung night markets ahead.”

They have left the highway. They are now driving on a road with more traffic. There’s also pedestrians walking along either side of the road. Soon they lose track of the black Porsche. Obviously, he has his escape route planned. “I have asked for road blocks to be set on the fifteen exits that the road might lead to.” Anam says as he quickly types on his laptop. “That’s of no use.” says Bo Jinyan: “He will abandon his car and walk. Have your people guard the entrances to the night market.” Ouyang Lin nods. They are so close to catching him. They can’t let him sneak into the night market. It will be very hard to find him amongst the massive crowd.” They are now in an area full of people and cars. Ouyang Lin has to reduce the speed of the car. He takes out his phone and calls the other officers: ”Get a team over here and guard the west end of the market entrance…” “Boss!” says the officer on the other side: “We have an emergency situation here. There is a bomb.” Everyone looks ahead to the end of the street. A wave of people are suddenly rushing down towards them. Suddenly, the place is in chaos. There are people everywhere. It’s too late. He has caused chaos. “What’s happening?” Ouyang Lin asks the officer over the phone: “Have you notified the bomb squad yet?” The officer replies: “Yes, we have. They should arrive in 5 mins. There’s a man strapped with a bomb in his body. He is lying in the middle of the road. We are evacuating the people and residents in the area.”

Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao are holding each other’s hand tightly. Bo Jinyan is scanning through the crowd. Jian Yao knows he is trying to find No.1. “I just received the news that the family has been rescued from the villa.” says Anam: “They have injuries on their bodies, but none of them are fatal.” Jian Yao is relieved. Then she pauses. If the whole family is rescued, then who is the ‘human’ bomb lying on the ground? She starts walking towards the site, Her palms are sweating. By now, the crowd has dispersed. Her eyes are blocked by the police cars and officers that surround the street.

—————— A man is lying on the ground, motionless. There are wounds on his body. He is only wearing a dirty singlet, and a pair of torn trousers. His hair looks like it hasn’t been cut for a month. It’s covering half his face. “Is that him?” Bo Jinyan asks. Jian Yao feels like there is a lump in her throat. She answers: “It’s too far away. I can’t tell. But from the shape of the body…. yes.” It’s him. Something in her heart tells her. An officer next to them passes her a pair of binoculars. She puts it to her face and looks. His wounds look worse in close up view. A familiar and handsome face that has obviously lost a lot of weight… Jian Yao puts her hand over her mouth. Her vision blurs as tears fill her eyes. “He is still breathing.” says Bo Jinyan. He holds her hand tightly. The bomb squad is here. Two experts wearing protective gear walks towards Li Xunran. When they are close enough, they examine the bomb, then they leave him and get back behind the safety line. Jian Yao’s heart starts to sink. One of the expert takes off his helmet. He shakes his head and says to Ouyang Lin: “We can’t dismantle it in time. The set up is complicated, we will need at least an hour. But there’s only 5 minutes left on the timer. Unless the person who assembled it stops it by remote control, we can’t save him.”

————————— Time passes slowly. Even though it’s only a minute, it’s like they have gone through a few incarnation and live several lives already. Great sadness overwhelms Jian Yao. She stands there looking at Li Xunran. Her face is pale as a sheet of paper. “Sorry, we can’t save him.” He quietly tells Bo Jinyan. Ouyang Lin has been informed of Li Xunran’s identity. “Anam, get ‘his’ phone number from the family that’s just been rescued.” Bo Jinyan says. Jian Yao and the others turn to him. They watch as Bo Jinyan reaches to his jacket pocket and takes out his phone. He wants to speak with ‘him’? Jian Yao looks up at him. Is ‘he’ going to answer the call? Even at this critical moment, Bo Jinyan looks calm and fully in control. The phone rings - Do…Do… Do… He manages to get through. Anam quickly connects his phone to his laptop. He is trying to trace the location of the phone. He gives Jian Yao a pair of headphones so she can listen to the conversation. Ouyong Lin looks at his watch. He signals to Bo Jinyan - We have 4 minutes before the bomb will explode. Everyone is holding their breath. After about five rings, there’s a click sound. Then a background noise of traffic and people talking in the street. “Hi.” says Bo Jinyan The other end is silent for a moment before he also says Hi. “Have you managed to escape yet?” Like he is talking to an old friend. The man on the other end of the phone laughs: “Oh…. almost.” Everyone is tensed up. Ouyang Lin looks at his watch: 3 minutes and 30 seconds. He looks at Anam. Anam is looking at his computer screen. But he doesn’t look very happy. Obviously, he is encountering difficulty with tracing the location of the call. “Let’s trade. I have something for you in exchange for Li Xunran’s life.” He says slowly, like he is chatting to a friend.

Everyone is amazed. What does he have to trade? On the other end of the phone, ‘he’ is curious as well: “Oh… tell me…” ———————— The area surrounding Li Xunran is empty and quiet. The officers standing at a distance is waiting for the final outcome. Is a miracle going to happen? Hundreds of metres away, there is a huge crowd standing in the streets. Some of them are quickly leaving the area. Some of them are standing around to find out what’s going on. A lot of them are on phone, updating their friends of the events happening. A tall man wearing a trench coat is also holding his phone. He walks towards a quiet lane in the side street. Some policeman is holding a sketch of ‘him’ based on the descriptions of the rescued family. They are scanning through the crowd to see if they can locate him by any chance. “He” walks into another side street so that he is away from the officers with the sketches. Then he says to Bo Jinyan: “Just wait a second. I have to take another call.” ‘He’ looks around and makes sure he is alone. Then he tears off two fake thick eyebrows, a fake beard and a silicon patch on top of his nose. Suddenly he looks like a different man. He shoved those brows etc into his pocket. He then picks up the phone again. He leisurely walks past the police officers, and talks to Bo Jinyan at the same time: “My apologies. You may continue now.” As he walks past the officers, they took a look at him, looked at the sketch again, and let him pass. ———————— Ouyang Lin signals Bo Jinyan again. 2 minutes and 50 seconds left. Bo Jinyan sweeps him a look. He says faintly: “Tomorrow, every newspaper will reveal that a budding writer named Mei Yuanjun is a psychopathic killer.” ‘He’ smiles: “That’s great.” Bo Jinyan continues: “Human beings are curious. You will become their favourite topic of conversation. Everyone will read your book. You didn’t gain the favour of the judges from the Galaxy writers competition. But it doesn’t matter anymore. The public can make up their own mind about you. They will find that you are a gifted and talented writer. That’s always been part of your aim. You’ve succeeded. Congratulations.”

Everyone is confused. What does this have to do with bargaining with ‘him’? But ‘he’ continues to chat leisurely to Bo Jinyan: “Are you trying to suck up to me?” Bo Jinyan smiles: “No. I am threatening you.” Everyone is stunned. Then they hear Bo Jinyan continues: “Our game is fair. I won’t interfere with the attention you will get from the media. But if Li Xunran blows up before me, then I have to change the rules of the game. I am sure the media is interested in hearing your hidden and secret stories from a world renowned criminal psychologist.” For the first time, ‘he’ is quiet. They can only hear his breathing from the other end of the phone. Slow, calm and deep. There’s not much time left. Bo Jinyan continues: “For example, how you were abandoned by your mother when you were young. But when you became an adult, you physically abused and killed her to vent your anger. And of course, I cannot leave out the fact that during your teenage years, you had an incest relationship with your aunt over a long period of time. I don’t mind telling them that you have had sex with both men and women of different age group and ethnicity, as well as with animals. This is perhaps more than what they can bear. But they will be most disappointed to find out that you dropped out from university, A budding talented writer who didn’t even finish his studies…. If these things are made known, what do you think the public’s reactions will be? Oh, I know. Human beings are curious. But there is a line of morality that you can’t go past. Once you have past that line, you are no longer a legend. You are a disgusting piece of garbage. People will only think of all the awful and dirty acts of yours whenever they see the name Mei Yuanjun. No one will remember you for your writing talents. Is that the legacy you are after?” Ouyang Lin signals Bo Jinyan again. 60 seconds left. ‘He’ speaks again, with an icy smile: “What a pathetic threat.” Bo Jinyan cuts him off: “Oh yeah, you wanna bet?” Bo Jinyan starts to walk towards Li Xunran. Jian Yao rushes out after him. He turns around and says to her: “Don’t worry. Go back.” Then he turns to Ouyang Lin and says: “Take her back.” Ouyang Lin is stunned too. He pulls her back and hands her to another officer. Then he steps forward and says to Bo Jinyan: “Don’t go over, the bomb will get you too.”

Bo Jinyan signals him to go back. Ouyang Lin pauses for a while. Then he stands back. He calls the bomb squad team. One of them rushes forward to put a protective top and helmet on Bo Jinyan. He doesn’t even look at him. He just asks him to leave. Then he stands next to Li Xunran. Jian Yao is held back by a few officers. Her heart is pounding hard. She is breathing very heavily. Tears start to run down her cheeks. Jinyan… She knows what he is doing. She knows he will win. But she can’t bear the sight of him risking himself in such dangerous circumstances. She hears through the headphones. “He’ is speaking again: “Do you want to die with that police?” Jian Yao takes the binoculars. She can see Bo Jinyan bending down and placing his mobile phone on top of the timer of the bomb. “Click… Click… Click…” They can all hear it. ‘He’ can hear it. Bo Jinyan gives a small laugh and says to ‘him’: “I am right next to the bomb. I won’t die. I know it. You are not going to blow the bomb up. Because I understand you. ‘Mei Yuanjun’ is an important identity for you, you treasure it like you treasure your life. Also, I think I understand you more than you think… Oh… You have 10 seconds to consider. Good bye,” “Click…” Bo Jinyan hang up on ‘him’! The officers there are dumbfounded. They can’t believe what’s happened. Jian Yao is shaking. She has a smile on her face, but her tears are still streaming down. Only Bo Jinyan remains calm. He stands besides Li Xunan, looking at them. Ouyang Lin’s face is pale. He is counting: “8 , 7, 6, 5, ….” Jian Yao holds her breath. She fixes her eyes on Bo Jinyan. “3, 2, 1!” ———————Quietness. Bo Jinyan curls his lips to form a smile. Suddenly there’s applauses from the officers. The bomb didn’t go off.

Everyone looks excited. The bomb squad hurries to Li Xunran again. Jian Yao runs towards Bo Jinyan and throws herself into his arms. Bo Jinyan holds her tightly. She is back to his warm and familiar embrace. She hears his strong and steady heartbeat. Her heart seems to melt into one with his. ——————One hour later.

Bo Jinyan is holding hands with Jian Yao. They are standing next to the ambulance. Li Xunran is still unconscious. He is put on a stretcher. “He is very weak, but his vital signs look good. We will need to do further examinations when we get to the hospital to be certain.” says the medic. Jian Yao nods and watches the ambulance drives off. The surrounding roads are still blocked off. The police are still busy screening people. Even though he managed to escape tonight, at least they have rescued the family and Li Xunran. It’s a huge breakthrough. And they have a lot more information about him. It shouldn’t be long till they capture him. It’s late at night. One of the officers drive Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao back to the hotel. The two of them are sitting at the backseat. Jian Yao looks at him. A burst of unspeakable bitterness fills her. Everyone thought Bo Jinyan was using the pressure of the media to ‘trade’ with ‘him’. And that Bo Jinyan is so brave to stand with Li Xunran. But she understands why Bo Jinyan did that. He used himself to trade with ‘him’. ‘He’ wanted Bo Jinyan as his partner, so he won’t blow Bo Jinyan up. The only way Bo Jinyan could be sure that he would win is to put his own life on the gambling table too. But why? Even she knows that in her head, her heart still feels so painful? ———————— In another corner of this city. A black Cadillac is waiting at the roadside. After a long wait, a man in uniform gets out of the crowd and gets into this car. “Drive.” He leans back, loosens his tie. He sounds tired. “Yes, sir.” The driver answers. The car leaves the busy town area and drives to a villa in the country side. This is one of the most affluent areas of Hong Kong, where all the rich people reside.

The security guard opens the door of the car and greets the man: “Sir, welcome back.” He walks in slowly. ——— He is sitting on an expensive and extravagant sofa. He opens a bottle of red wine and pours himself a glass. On the TV, it’s showing the news of the serial killer. They are showing images of officers at the night market. The man kept smiling until the image of Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao appears on TV. Then his smile disappears. He throws his glass on the ground and walks leisurely down the corridor. He opens the thick metal doors of the last room. It’s a secret chamber. He whistles as he walks in. It’s dim place. A man is chained in his hands and feet. He is swatting on the floor. His handsome eyes look empty and unfocused. When the prisoner saw the man come on, he tenses up. After a while. The edge of the knife is pushed into the prisoner’s flesh. He yells in pain. But all the sound is well contained within those specially sound proofed walls. The man who is torturing is excited by his prisoner’s response. He continues to cut him with the knife. “I… thought.. we are friends…” his prisoner begs him: “Please let me go. I’ll give you anything.” The man suddenly freezes his smile. He lifts his knife and chop off one of his prisoner’s fingers. The prisoner screams painfully. The man throws the knife aside. He looks at his prisoner and says slowly: “Do not be mistaken. I only have one friend.” Then he lifts up his head and mutters to himself: “But he won’t come to me right now.”

Then he smiles: “But soon. When I destroy him, he will belong to me.”

Chapter 70 – 72 (Note from TB: In the internet version, there are 84 chapters in total. However, chapter 70 is completely blank, and chapter 71 are side stories which you should read after the ending. I am not sure why that is. But I checked a few website, and it's all the same. For consistency purposes, I will use the same chapter numbers as the internet version.)

Chapter 72 “Xie Han. English name - Jabber. Born in California, US. Age - 26.” A Hong Kong officer is presenting the information as an image of a handsome Asian man is projected onto the screen: “His father was the Chairman of Tong Neng Corporation before he passed away. His personal asset worth is over 1 billion US dollars. His mother was a biologist. His parents divorced when he was four. She gave up her custody rights.” Based on Bo Jinyan’s interactions with No.1 last night, and the deductions he made previously, the FBI and the Hong Kong have set up a special unit to work together on the case. And they have found a person that fits all the description. The officer continues: “Even though we have a name, we have difficulty issuing a warrant of arrest. He disappeared in 2006. All his personal assets have been moved overseas. Since then, no one has seen him. We suspect that he has had plastic surgery done to him. Look at this.” He shows a different image on the screen. It’s a photo taken during the 2013 HK Galaxy writers Award Ceremony. The photo of “Mei Yuanjun” fits the description of the family that was kidnapped earlier, but it looks very different from Xie Han’s. “Experts say there are a few features on his face that look like it’s pasted on. For example, his brows. There might be other features that have been ‘camouflaged’ as well. But even just by looking at the shape of his face, it’s obvious that there are a number of changes to how he used to look. The possibility of plastic surgery is extremely high.” Ouyang Lin says: “So, even though we have his name, identity and even his DNA, we can’t find him because we still don’t know what he looks like. And there is a possibility that he is using a new name and a fake identity. We are looking for a needle in a haystack!” Everyone is quiet. The team leader look at Bo Jinyan: “Professor, do you have any ideas?” Bo Jinyan answers faintly: “I agree with Sergeant Ouyang’s views. But he was forced to abort his most current plan because of us. He will need some time to organise something that is more complex and cruel. So we must seize time to check the top 1% of the rich people in Hong Kong. It’s a competition on speed. If we find him quickly, we can stop the next wave of murders.”

——————The sun warms the sheets on the bed. There is a smell of disinfectant and medication in the air. The usually pungent scent brings peace to the minds of those who are there. Jian Yao is sitting on the side of the bed. She looks at Li Xunran. He is asleep at the moment. All his injuries are treated. He is still the handsome officer she knows. Just that he has lost a lot of weight and his face is heartbreakingly pale. She holds on to his hand. Bo Jinyan is sitting in a sofa behind her. He is quietly accompanying his girlfriend. Occasionally, he will look up at the man that’s lying in bed. Hmm… Li Xunran is still an annoying guy. But he will tolerate him for two reasons. 1. He is Jian Yao’s good friend. 2. He is the only other person (besides himself) who survived after being imprisoned by the Flower Cannibal for a long period of time. Jian Yao can feel Li Xunran’s fingers moving. Then she sees his eyes slowly open. “Xunran….” She calls him softly. When Bo Jinyan hears that he is awake, he stands up and stands beside Jian Yao. Li Xunran’s lips are still cracked from dehydration. He gives a small smile: “Come on, pinch me… I need to know if this is a dream.” Jian Yao’s eyes tear up. She says softly: “You are safe now. Jinyan and I, and the Hong Kong Police Force will protect you.” Li Xunran looks at her. Tears of joy swell up in his eyes. He squeezes the hand that is holding her. They look into each other’s eyes and laugh together. Then he lets go of her hand. He turns to Bo Jinyan and says with a coarse voice: “Thank you.” He reaches his hand out to Bo Jinyan. He is clever enough to know that he owes his lucky escape to Bo Jinyan. He is truly grateful. Bo Jinyan reaches his hands out and shakes his hand: “You don’t have to thank me. You are a lucky man.” Li Xunran smiles. Jian Yao takes a look at Bo Jinyan: “Yes, he is a good person, so the gods looked after him. But you don’t have to be so ‘humble’…. if it’s not for you…” She says it with admiration and love. Oh…. Bo Jinyan’s lips curl into a smile. That’s excellent. Her love for him is getting deeper and richer every day. ———————

Li Xunran tells them briefly what happened during the time he was kidnapped. He went to the hospital for a check up after returning from B City. The nurse gave him some aesthetics before doing some tests. When he woke up again, he was in a cell. He didn’t even know when or how Xie Han did it. Bo Jinyan asks: “Why didn’t he kill you?” It doesn’t make sense that the sole purpose to capture him is to use him as a human bomb in Hong Kong. Why did he go through so much trouble? Li Xunran smiles: “I remember… during the killer machine case… you said… an organised psychopaths wants to find satisfaction and joy from torturing his victims…. So… I made sure I did everything against his wishes. He would not get any satisfaction from me.” He didn’t eat. He didn’t talk back. He didn’t react to any of his provocations. He just pretended Xie Han was not around. Jian Yao feels sorry for her friend. Bo Jinyan replies: “That’s a dumb move, but at least it worked.” Jian Yao quickly pulls his sleeves to protest. Bo Jinyan looks at her long pretty fingers. He decides to keep quiet. He gives her a small smile. Li Xunran observes them. He smiles too. Jian Yao and Bo Jinyan stayed until around 7pm. Li Xunran watches them go out of the ward. Then he closes his eye. He thinks for a while, then gives a big sigh. He has a smile on his face. Thank you. I am very lucky to have friends like you. ———————— The dark sky looks like a large black curtain wrapped around the earth. Misty rain gently and quietly lands on the ground. Jian Yao’s vision is blurred. She is standing in the fog, she sees a man standing in the distance. A tall man with a handsome face, lean and long body. A familiar man. Jinyan…. Jinyan…. She steps into the rain and walks towards him. But he turns around and runs in a different direction and disappears in the darkness. Then she hears a loud explosion. She sees fire and smoke coming from the area Bo Jinyan is in. The fire engulfed him. It’s going to engulf me too. She thought. Jinyan— She used all her strength, but no sound is coming out of her mouth. Jinyan— tears filled her eyes. Suddenly she starts to fall… into a bottomless pit.

…… “uh….” Jian Yao opens her eyes. She is sitting on the armchair in the hotel. Outside, the rain is falling. She can hear the sound of the raindrops brushing the window. There is a blanket covering her body, and a book on her lap. She fell asleep. She gets up and walks to the bathroom. After splashing some water over her face, she looks into the mirror. It’s a dream. Only a dream. Yet, she feels sad, and afraid. The dream only reveals the fear she has in her heart. The fear that came to her when Bo Jinyan walked towards the bomb yesterday. She looks at her watch. it’s 9pm. Jian Yao is wearing a nightgown. It’s getting a bit cold. She grabs a shawl to wrap around her body. Then she walks into the study. Bo Jinyan is standing in front of a white board. Quiet and focused. There’s a map of the California US on the white board. There are markings on various locations. He is reviewing the old Flower Cannibal case. Jian Yao walks up to him. As she is about to hug him, the phone rings. Bo Jinyan turns around to pick up the call. He sees Jian Yao. He gives her a smile, then he says hello to the caller. Jian Yao walks over to stand beside him. It’s Yin Ziqi on the phone. She’s arrived in Hong Kong for a while now. But Bo Jinyan has been too busy to contact her. Bo Jinyan frowns: “…. there’s no sign of him. Well… there is a good chance that he is still alive like Li Xunran. It will be easier for me if you aren’t around. Go back to China…” he pauses for a while: “…up to you. Take care of yourself…. Of course… I will be careful.” Jian Yao listens quietly. She wraps her hands around his waist, and rests her head in his chest. His steady and strong heartbeat has a soothing effect on her. “Ok. I get the signal.” A low magnetic voice speaks. Jian Yao looks up. He is looking down at her. Their faces are just inches apart. He’s finished his conversation with his sister. Bo Jinyan stares at her. Jian Yao blushes. She lets go of him and says softly: “What signal? I didn’t give you any signals.” “Are you sure?” He bents his head down a little more. His masculine scent moving closer towards her. “Don’t you want me?”

Jian Yao’s face is bright red. How is she supposed to answer him? She refuses to give an answer. Instead, she turns around and walks out of the room. However, Bo Jinyan has known her long enough to know that, for women - silence means yes - under these circumstances. He smiles and follows her out of the room. ————Every wisp of breath, every inch of the room is filled with a sweet aroma of their passion and longing for each other. The dim light settles gently on their naked bodies as they lie down on the bed. Bo Jinyan climbs up on top of her, but keeps his weight off her body by pushing his arms up on either side of her body. He looks at her lovely curves. Jian Yao is embarrassed by his gaze, curling her body like a shrimp. He smiles lovingly. Bo Jinyan is a good lover. Even though it’s been a long time since they were last ‘together’, he does not rush into the main act without first making sure she is ready. And he takes his time to admire every inch of her smooth supple skin and those graceful curves. “Hoo..Hoo…” He whistles! Jian Yao is lying in his arms. She hears his playful whistles. She gets out of her dreamy state of mind and blushes: “You are a bad boy!” Bo Jinyan looks at her with those gorgeous black sparkly eyes of his: “What?” Jian Yao: “Oh, never mind….” Bo Jinyan knows her body very well by now. What he can do to make her gasp with excitement. How to tease her until she shivers and screams…. His smile deepens as her breathing becomes heavy. He hovers around the point of entry, rubbing her soft sensitive flesh… Jian Yao’s body is ready for more… She grabs a pillow and throws it at him: “You…you…” -Come in!! But she will never be able to get herself to say it out loud. He leans closer towards her. His chest pressing down against her. He eases his hand into hers and interlock their fingers. His warm lips and tongue kissing her gently on her flushed cheeks. He has a cheeky smile on his face: “Me? What about me?” He obviously knows what she wants to say. But he is not giving it to her just yet. “You nasty…” Jian Yao stops mid-sentence as he gently pushes himself into her while he continues to kiss her. She wraps her hand tightly around his back. He makes a deep thrust. Her smile freezes as she moans. He mumbles some praises to her and kisses her more deeply.

—————A beautiful and sweet evening for a pair of lovers. A time to temporarily put aside all the cares of the world, and concentrate on each other. But there are others out there who can’t sleep. The night is long. Yin Ziqi is lying alone on a King size bed. She’s been tossing around, unable to sleep for hours. She sits up, and looks at the spacious and opulently decorated room. Sadness comes over her. This is Lin Yi Yang’s villa in Mid Levels in Hong Kong. She’s arrived in Hong Kong for a few days now. There’s no progress in finding Lin Yi Yang yet. She wants to go back to China, but Lin Yi Yang’s mom insists that she should stay in Hong Kong. So she has been using the time to inspect the Hong Kong offices of Lin Corporations and Yin Corporations, just to keep herself busy. Perhaps it’s the worries and fears, she’s been suffering from insomnia for a few nights already. She calls their family doctor, who says it’s probably due to stress. She gets out of bed and walks to the study. She picks up a book and starts to read. ————All the lights suddenly go off. Yin Ziqi looks at the darkness around her. This villa has its own generator. Even if there’s a power outage in the area, this house should not be affected. She frowns and calls the maid: “Zhang Ma! Zhang Ma!” Nobody answers. She starts to feel a little uncomfortable. Just as she gets up from the sofa, she hears footsteps from the stairways. “Ms Yin.” A tall man appears at the door. He sounds a little out of breath. Perhaps it’s because he was rushing to bring her the news: “I am very sorry. There’s a short circuit in the system. We are fixing it right now.” She smiles politely: “Thank you. You are…” The young man smiles. “I’m one of Mr.Lin’s bodyguards.” His voice has a natural soothing quality about it. It has the power to make people relax and put their trust in him: “Nice to meet you.”

Chapter 73 2 weeks later, on a flight going to Maryland, US. Bo Jinyan is sitting on a comfortable and spacious first class seat. He looks at Jian Yao, who is mixing his tuna fish salad for him. Then she butters a piece of toast for him. Fu Ziyu observes for a while. Then he can't stand the sight anymore. He says disapprovingly to Bo Jinyan: “Don’t you have any hands? Do it yourself!” Bo Jinyan can’t be bothered to argue with him. He continues to admire Jian Yao’s every move. Everything about her is perfect. Jian Yao just smiles. She doesn't ‘serve’ him all the time. But every now and then, she just wants to pamper him. Because.. well… that’s just what lovers do for each other. Sitting next to Fu Ziyu , is Yin Ziqi, She smiles at her brother and Jian Yao. Then she looks out to the window. She thinks about her fiancé. She is concerned for his safety and wellbeing. Anam is in the same cabin too. He sits at the back, away from the four of them. He is playing video games to keep himself occupy during the long flight. ————— Xie Han’s case is not tracking much progress. It’s a difficult task to investigate the rich in any countries. There’s always a lot of hindrances. It’s hard to trace their assets. And there are often complicated family relationships and illegitimate children… It’s not easy to put a list together. The reason they are going to the US is because Bo Jinyan received an email from his mentor from the university. Many years ago, this professor received an anonymous letter on areas of criminal psychologist. However, the views are very extreme. He thought the tone of the letter and the views presented in the letter matches Xie Han’s writing style and profile. So he invites Bo Jinyan to investigate further and analyse it with him. Bo Jinyan has invited Anam to come along as they may need his help with fingerprint matching and other technical analysis done to the letter. Like Bo Jinyan, he is also an university professor, a special consultant employed by the department of Social Security. But he is not a police officer. Therefore, he can only come along as part of an academic exchange programme. As for Yin Ziqi and Fu Ziyu , they are both going home for Christmas. Yin Ziqi’s fleet of bodyguards are with them, assuring their safety.

It’s early winter. The last of the autumn leaves covers the ground. One can start to feel the winter chills as the cool wind blows. Jian Yao and Bo Jinyan are walking side by side. When you love someone, everything you do with him/her, and every place you go together becomes beautiful. Even when you are in an unfamiliar place, the atmosphere becomes cordial and relaxed. “What are you looking at?” Bo Jinyan asks Jian Yao. “This is a nice place.” says Jian Yao. “Really? The buildings are ugly. There are too many people. It’s too noisy. The only thing nice about this place is that they have the best school of criminal psychology in the US.” Jian Yao: “….” Well, no surprises here. He is able to completely change the mood and ruin any ambience by saying just a few sentences. Fu Ziyu is following behind enthusiastically. He is showing Anam the famous sights of the university campus. Bo Jinyan, Jian Yao and Anam are only staying in the US for three days. After that, they will be flying back to Hong Kong. So, they’ve agreed to have dinner together today. Behind them, there are five bodyguards. The Chinese police can’t send any officers to accompany them to America for political reasons. Therefore, Yin Ziqi has organised bodyguards for them. They are almost at the building for criminal psychology. Bo Jinyan turns to face Jian Yao. He gives her a peck on the cheeks, then turns to tell Fu Ziyu : “Please look after her for me.” Fu Ziyu is speechless: “You are only leaving for a few minutes!?” Bo Jinyan answers casually: “We made a promise. I will stay by her side 24/7 when we are on an investigation.” Fu Ziyu : “Oh, that’s sickening for the rest of us.” Jian Yao face blushes. She gives Bo Jinyan a push: “Just go.” Bo Jinyan takes another look at her, and give her a smile before walking off. Due to the sensitivity of the information, the professor t doesn’t want to reveal the information to anyone else other than Bo Jinyan, to avoid getting into trouble. So Jian Yao, Fu Ziyu and Anam, together with their five bodyguards in their black suit, wait outside the entrance of the building. Naturally, the sight attracts the attention of a lot of

students. But they just look at them curiously as they walk past. No one comes up to bother them. After waiting for a while, they see a champagne coloured sports car, followed by a Hummer, approaching them. Fu Ziyu smiles and admire the nice cars. Soon, the cars stop in the carpark that is approximately 50 metres from them. Yin Ziqi gets out of the sports car wearing a white fur coat. She is surrounded by a few body guards too. She has come to take them for dinner. Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao were too busy to meet up with Yin Ziqi when she was in Hong Kong. Jian Yao notices that she looks a little gaunt, despite the calm smile she has on her face. She feels sad for her. Yin Ziqi walks up to her and says: “Someone wants to speak with you.” Jian Yao is stunned. Yin Ziqi smiles and says to the two other men: “We’ll talk over there.” Then she signals to Jian Yao to go into the car with her. Fu Ziyu laughs: “Hey hey, your brother emphasised that I can’t let her out of my sight while he is away. Where are you bringing her?” Yin Ziqi glances at him: “Do you want to come along?” Fu Ziyu stands up. He follows them to the car. Jian Yao and Yin Ziqi are inside the car. Fu Ziyu stands outside and looks around. Yin Ziqi passes her a mobile phone. The line is connected. It’s Bo Jinyan’s father. She says politely: “Hello, uncle.” The voice of an old man on the other side of the line: “Hello. I hear that you are Jinyan’s assistant.” “Yes.” She answers. She has overcome the initial shock. She is not as nervous anymore. “He didn’t even call me. I would not have known he is back in town if Ziqi hadn’t told me.” He said: “Come home for dinner tonight.” Jian Yao smiles to herself: “Sure. I will pass on your words to him.” Like father like son… ——————

While Jian Yao is concentrating on the phone call with Bo Jinyan’s father, Yin Ziqi takes her handbag and gets out of the car. She walks towards a white building, where the toilets are. Two bodyguards follow her. Fu Ziyu takes a glance at her, but he is not too concerned about her. Firstly, she has body guards with her. Secondly and more

importantly, Bo Jinyan has assigned the task of looking after his girlfriend to him. He can only focus on one person at a time. Anam is sitting on the bench just outside the building of the criminal psychology department. He is browsing through the internet with his lap top. It’s just after midday. The sun is high in the sky. It’s the first time Jian Yao is speaking to Bo Jinyan’s father. It’s a little sudden, but it’s also quite a pleasant experience. He is asking her all sorts of questions about how Bo Jinyan is doing. His tone sounds cold, but he obviously cares a lot about his son. Jian Yao can’t help but smile. Every now and then, she looks up at the window of the room where Bo Jinyan is. She wonders how his conversation with the professor is coming along. ——————Suddenly, Fu Ziyu notices there are a crowd gathering around the white building where Yin Ziqi is. “Oh my gosh! Someone is hurt.” Someone shouts from that direction. Fu Ziyu takes a look. There is a person lying on the ground. He recognises the fur coat. It belongs to Yin Ziqi. There’s blood on parts of her body. He quickly runs towards her. The two guards that are standing by the car also rushes forward: “Chairman!” Anam notices what’s happening. He too stands up and takes out his phone while rushing there. But after Fu Ziyu takes a couple of steps. He stops. Just as he wants to turn back to look at Jian Yao, he hears two soft sounds - “Zi.. Zi…”. Then he feels like something has hit his left chest and right abdomen. It’s… gunshots! He slowly looks down. Blood is seeping through his shirt and onto his suit jacket. Jian Yao just finished talking to Bo Jinyan’s dad when all these happened. She sees from the corners of her eyes a lot of people are running towards a point. She looks up. Before her eyes, she see Fu Ziyu suddenly freezes, then slowly falls to the ground. She is horrified. Just as she is about to open the car door, someone jumps into the drivers seat. A tall man with broad shoulders. She can only see his back. …… In just one minute, so many things have happened. ———————

Bo Jinyan is standing in the professor’s office. He has just finished reading the letter. His instincts tell him that this letter is written by Xie Han. As for whether there’s fingerprints on the letter, he will have to pass it to Anam for further testings. He keeps the letter in the inner pocket of his jacket. He says goodbye to the professor, and reminds the professor to keep himself safe. While he is in the corridor, he feels something is not quite right. He can’t explain it, but this causes him to walk faster. Even before he reaches the entrance, he can hear the noise of the crowd. His face tightens. He starts to run. In the bright sunlight, a group of students stands in the square next to the white building. Yin Ziqi is lying sideways on the ground, with a knife stuck in her stomach. He can hear someone’s voice: “It’s suicide… I saw her stabbing herself.” In the car park not far away, Fu Ziyu is lying on the ground. His body is shivering. His suit soaked in blood. Anam is kneeling next to him. He presses hard on his wound. He gives Bo Jinyan a look as he comes towards him. Bo Jinyan takes a look at Fu Ziyu , then he turns to look at Yin Ziqi. Then he looks around. Again and again. There’s no sight of her. For the first time in his life. He feels his heart is about to stop beating. He can hear his own heavy breathing. A wave of great fear and pain covers him. It’s the first time he is so overcome by emotions he can’t think clearly. —————When Jian Yao wakes up again, the first thing she sees is a metal door. She is in a small cell. She is lying on a bed with a metal frame. Her limbs feel very heavy. Her hands and feet are attached to thick long chains. A great fear covers her like a tidal wave. Every inch of her skin, every muscle seems to feel painful. It’s from the fear that’s within her. Because she knows what is ahead of her. Pain, and despair. Her chest feels like it’s filled with large pieces of rock. Even her breathing has become difficult. Everything happened so quickly. It’s not long since she said goodbye to Bo Jinyan. Mom, Jian Xuan, Xunran. And Jinyan. I might be leaving you.

She doesn’t know how long she has been in the cell. Then she hears footsteps coming from outside the cell. It’s coming closer towards her. She also hears a man whistling. He… is here. Jian Yao closes her eyes. Then she opens it. She sits up. She puts on a stern face, and looks towards the metal door. He appears out of the darkness. A simple and well tailored shirt and trousers on a well proportioned body. Short black hair. A pair of bright black eyes are looking at her, with a smile. Jian Yao suddenly remembers. Images from the past runs past her mind. She feels more hopeless. She has seen him before.

Now that she has seen his face. He will not let her live.

Chapter 74 “Tonk…Tonk…Tonk…” The sound of turning on light switches. Suddenly, Jian Yao is overwhelmed by hundreds of lights bulbs shining their light onto her. Her pupils can’t adjust to the sharpness of the light. She closes her eyes. Xie Han is standing not far away from where she is. He laughs like a mischievous boy. After a while, she is able to open her eyes. Xie Han looks at her beautiful face, her nice skin complexion, and her dark bright eyes. There is a stillness and quietness about her. He walks closer to her cage, and looks at her with interest. “Such an exciting moment…. Jenny, I was hoping to see your sweet smile.” He says softly. Jian Yao remains quiet, as if she didn’t hear his words. She takes a look at her surroundings. It’s the size of a big warehouse. There are containers everywhere. The space in the middle is about the size of a basketball court. The ceiling is installed with rows of spotlights shining down like a stage. And her cage is in the middle of the ‘stage’. About 30 metres in front of her, there’s a set of sofas, a bar cabinet, a book shelf, a TV and a bed. There are only 2 tones - black and white. The place is chic, clean and tidy. On a coffee table, there’s half a glass of unfinished red wine. A suit jacket lies casually on the sofa. This is obviously where he is staying, right next to her cage. ————— The place is quiet and empty. There’s only the two of them there. In an unknown place. Jian Yao tries to avoid eye contact with him. But eventually, their eyes meet. These eyes, are very different from all of the psychopaths she has met before. “Killing machine” Sun Yong has a pair of hollow and mocking eyes. Even when he was arrested, there was no guilt or nervousness in him. Zhang Cheng, who killed two families under the illusion that they were spies, had a dazed and stubborn look in his eyes. Even Tommy, his gaze is cold and dark… All of them looked like they have no regards or feelings for other people. But this man, who is labelled as the cruelest serial killer in this century, the godfather for the Flower Cannibal, looks like a warm and charming young man.

That is why, when he came face to face with Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao, playing the most unnoticeable roles, was never discovered by Bo Jinyan. “You remember me?” He asks gently. Jian Yao stares at him. She keeps silent. He was the community police that first arrived at Sun Yong’s house. He even stood in front of Bo Jinyan to brief him of his findings. “Like the briefing report Jian Yao sent us, we found a killing machine in the bedroom.” Xie Han starts to repeats the words he said that day, as if to help her recall their first encounter. “Professor Bo, I found some words written in blood underneath the bed.” “We need to examine the whole house.” ……. Was that it? Was there a second encounter? Jian Yao looks up, and notices that his smile deepens. Yes. More than twice. Pedestrians that walks past time, a security guard that guards the suburb, the courier man, a community officer some of the cases they were involved in…. it’s so easy for him to pretend to be one of ‘them’. He’s always been by their side. But even Bo Jinyan fails to notice. If only she can tell the others. But now… “OK. Are you hungry?” His words interrupt her thoughts. “It’s not polite to keep a lady hungry while having a conversation. Let’s eat and chat at the same time. Shall we?” Jian Yao keeps quiet. She remembers what Li Xunran said to her. The reason Xie Han didn’t kill him “I made sure I did everything against his wishes. He would not get any satisfaction out of me.” He didn’t eat. He didn’t talk back. He didn’t react to any of his provocations. He just pretended Xie Han was not around.

And Bo Jinyan’s comment: “That’s a dumb move, but at least it worked.” ……. After a short pause, she lifts her hand. It’s the first time she responds to him: “Good, I am hungry too.” Xie Han gives a smile. He stares at her with a smile. “You are a brave woman indeed…” He says slowly. ———————He has put some gentle and romantic music through the sound system. There is not a single window in the warehouse. It’s a complete world of its own. A world that belongs to him alone. Jian Yao is sitting on the sofa. Her hands and feet still in chains. There is also a long chain around her neck. She is being treated like an animal. The other end of the chains is casually hung onto a coat rack behind Xie Han. He rolls up his sleeves, and pushes a trolley next to the dining table. Red wine, candlelight, steak, salad, cheese, dessert… He slowly puts the dishes on the table. Then he lays the napkin, cutlery and plate before Jian Yao. She is sitting very still in her seat, just looking at him. She is not showing any expression on her face. This is the tactic she will use. To be obedient. Try not to offend him. Don’t show any emotions. Because Bo Jinyan said before in his evaluation of Xie Han, that his sentiment towards men is to conquer and plunder. Therefore, when Li Xunran resisted with stubbornness, even though he was tortured, he was not ‘conquered’, and therefore managed to keep his life. But it’s different for women. Using Li Xunran’s method would be counterproductive. Even though he looks and acts like a gentleman right now, there’s a lot of hatred in him. Any resistance from a woman will arouse his desire to kill. He doesn’t have any patience when it comes to women. He could kill her and dump the body in front of Bo Jinyan. If she makes him angry, he might destroy her straight away. So, she has to endure. But she knows in her mind, that this courteous gentleman standing in front of her, has prepared to treat her more cruelly than any of his other victims. Because she is Bo Jinyan’s woman. In his mind, she is a feast that he is ready to taste and sample. She will buy as much time as she can.

Before Bo Jinyan finds her, she must keep herself alive. No matter how much pain she will suffer, she will live to see him again. If she is dead…. Bo Jinyan will be alone. Someone like him will not enter into another relationship again. If she dies, he will be living by himself for the rest of his life. She can’t let this happen. The man she loves… her only lover…. She cannot lose him. With these thoughts in her mind, she keeps calm. A strength from within her rises up to keeps her eyes from swelling up with tears. A warm sense of peace soothes the fear that is in her. She looks at Xie Han. He’s finished transferring the dishes onto the table. He sits opposite her, and raises his glass. She takes her glass, and elegantly sips the red wine. —————— This meal was quiet and long. Xie Han doesn’t like to speak. Every now and then, he will introduce the dish that they are eating, which executive five star chef made it… etc etc. Jian Yao will nod her head. Sometimes, she makes a brief comment. But most of the time, they dine in silence. At one point in time, Xie Han puts down his cutlery to stare at Jian Yao. Jian Yao feels very uncomfortable, but she keeps her head down and pretends he is not there. Finally, the meal is finished. Xie Han walks over to face her. Jian Yao’s palms starts to sweat. He knees down next to her. Her heart pounds. They stare silently at each other. Suddenly he smiles. He puts out a drawer from underneath the table. There’s a syringe with some substance in it. He holds it up. Then he takes one of Jian Yao’s arms. His finger are cold. He puts his arm straight on the table. Then he injects the substances into her.

“Let the party begin.” He says.

Chapter 75 So that’s how Xie Han did it. Jian Yao thought to herself. The reason why he can mentally control so many people. Basically, it’s the use of drugs to cause hallucination. It will make you feel drowsy and slows down your brain’s response time. She is sitting on the cold and hard bed in her cage. He switched off all the spotlights except for the one that’s shining onto her bed. It’s like she is lying on an isolated island in the middle of the ocean. He is standing somewhere in the darkness, still whistling, like he is the master of the world. Her heart is beating very quickly. She can even feel her nerves throbs. This is a very uncomfortable feeling. She can hear a humming sound in her ears. She wants to sit up, but her hand slips. Everything around her is a blur. Then she starts to fade in and out of consciousness. She can’t think clearly. She doesn't even know where she is. She feels completely lost. Her body still feels very uncomfortable. But her vision is getting clearer now. She is relieved. She stands up and look around. She is in her grandfather’s house. A familiar room - the old fashioned TV cabinet, the 22 inch colour TV, the red velvet sofa. But… they died with her father many years ago. Then she sees a man. He is sitting down with his back to her. But she can see his back. There are rows of very neatly arranged scars. “Jinyan!” She walks over and wraps her hands around his waist. “Why are you here?” Bo Jinyan slowly leans towards her. His face is pale as a sheet. His eyes closed. There is no breath in him. He is dead. Bo Jinyan is died. Jian Yao feels a sudden pain in her heart. Her face is filled with tears. Then she hears coarse voice that says: “Jinyan.“ She opens her eyes Again, everything around her is blurred. There is that humming sound again. No, it’s just an illusion. She tells herself. She must hold on. But the pain is still vividly felt in her heart. Tears continue to stream down her cheeks….

“Oh… you’ve had these types of drugs before?…. Such a huge reaction…. You are a good girl.“ A voice speaks into her ears. Jian Yao wants to turn her head to look at her him, but it’s darkness all around her. She nods subconsciously. After getting a response from her, he asks gently: “Do you want to clear your head?” Yes…. She almost said it out loud. But she controls herself not to speak by biting her lower lips. She is biting so hard that she can feel blood in her mouth. The man laughs. “You are biting your lips until it’s bleeding. That’s cute…. But I know, you want to get out of this dreamy state.” Then Jian Yao hears the sound of the door opening. “I must admit I was a little over-excited last time.” He says, “So the patch of skin is a little torn from the whipping. I will have better control this time. Your clothes act as a good barrier. There will not be any permanent scars.” —————— Maryland. John Hopkins Hospital. Intensive care unit. Bo Jinyan is standing outside the ward. Behind him stand a lot of people - Chinese officials, FBI agents, Fu Ziyu’s family, Yin Ziqi’s mother and friends….. etc etc. The doctor walks out with his diagnostic report. Everyone crowds around him, except for Bo Jinyan. He just stands where he is, and looks at the doctor. “The bullet in Mr. Fu Ziyu’s left chest missed the heart by 3cm. We have successfully removed all the fragments.” He explains: “He is a lucky man. He should wake up between 24 to 48 hours.” Everyone feel they could breath easily now. Bo Jinyan looks through the glass windows. He sees his good friend lying on bed, with an oxygen mask over his pale face.

Then the doctor continues: “Ms Yin Ziqi’s knife wound is serious but not life threatening. She is in a stable condition. We expect her to wake up sometime tomorrow morning.” As everyone starts to thank the doctor, Bo Jinyan quietly walks away. Anam watches him as he walks to the end of the corridor and disappears down the stairs.

——————Bo Jinyan drives back to the hotel alone. It’s late at night. And the early winter winds seem to be colder than usual. There’s no expression on Bo Jinyan’s face. He reaches to his pocket to take out the room key card. He opens the door to their hotel room. The place is dark. But there’s light coming through the windows from the neighbouring office buildings. He turns the lights on, and throws the room key card onto the bed. He takes a look around the room.

They moved into this hotel yesterday. Jian Yao’s luggage is still on a small table next to the bed. The zip is open. He can see a sleeve of one of her shirts hanging out. There are two pairs of slippers on the floor. A pair of big one next to the small sized pair. A coat of hers is lying on the sofa. It’s a beige colour trench coat that still has her scent on it. Bo Jinyan stands there for a while. Then he takes off his jacket, pulls off his tie and walks barefooted into the bathroom. A hot shower is not enough to warm up someone that feels cold in the inside of their body. He stands quietly under the shower head for the water to splash over him. ————— After his shower, he stands in front of the window and looks out at the city lights. Then he turns to walk to the bed. He pulls back the duvet and lies down. He closes his eyes. After a few minutes, he opens them and turns to look at the empty side of the bed. Then he decides to get out of bed. He takes a jacket and wrap it around his back. Then he walks to the next room. It is set up like a study under Jian Yao’s special instructions to the hotel. There’s desk and chair, and a whiteboard, so that he can jot down any thoughts that come to him. He stands in front of the white board. He opens his own suitcase and brings out a stack of documents and photos. Soon, the white board is full with photos. He looks at the photos of the past victims. He can visualise what’s happening to Jian Yao. She is treated like an animal, tied with chains. And Xie Han will whip her, and enjoy watching her making desperate but futile escapes from the whip…She will be injected with drugs, so that she cannot differentiate between reality and hallucinations…. The only thing she can feel is pain….. And in a few days, when he cannot be satisfied with

whipping and teasing, he will start to cut off pieces of her skin, as his booty. And this might only be the beginning, because he won’t let her die so easily. Because she is Bo Jinyan’s woman. She represents his most passionate desires. He will torture her, until there is not a piece of skin, hair, and flesh left on her body. Xie Han wants him to lose her completely. ……

Bo Jinyan lowers his head and covers his eyes with his hands.

Chapter 76 Losing Jian Yao is something Bo Jinyan will never be able to accept. The surroundings are quiet. There’s blood flowing along the arm, down to the fingertips, then onto the ground. Jian Yao’s face touches the cold concrete floor. She is not moving. There’s a burning pain coming from her back and her waist. It feels like her body doesn’t belong to her anymore… But her vision is still blurred. Lights, bed, metal bars, every thing around her are turning into monsters. There are lots of voices speaking at the same time. Her head is so painful it feels like it’s going to explode. “Yao Yao, remember daddy’s words. Live with integrity. Do not do anything that goes against your conscience.” “Hey sister. Why are you so nice to the weirdo…” “Jian Yao, I’ve never seen him care so much about a girl before.” “Don’t you want to kiss me?” “If you kiss me every five minutes, I will do anything with you. No matter how boring it is to me.” “Now, do you feel it’s real?” ——————— Tears stream down her cheeks, down past her cracked lips. Everything tastes salty and bitter. She can’t recognise any other tastes anymore. Sweetness? That’s a thing of the past. “Tak… Tak… Tak..” Some footsteps comes close. Jian Yao instinctively curls up like a little vulnerable animal in the corner. “Why aren’t you running anymore?” Xie Han’s voice appears from behind. “This is no fun at all. You were still hopping like a rabbit two days ago.” Jian Yao lowers her head. She looks at her hands, which are full of wounds and dried blood. They used to be so soft and smooth. She covers her head with her hands and wait for the whipping that is about to start. Perhaps he’s amused by her slow and futile actions, he laughs.

“Swoosh..” The cracking sound of the whip seems cuts through the air. The familiar burning pain lands harshly on her waist. Jian Yao feels like she is going to pass out. All her internal organs feels like they are bunched up together. This endless pain. When is it going to end? What can she do to bring it to an end? —————— “Ok.” A pair of hands carries her and put her gently on the bed. “Do you want to end this?” He asks softly, as if he can read her mind. Jian Yao doesn’t answer him. Her eyes can’t seem to focus. She opens and closes her palm repetitively. This is the only way she can tell herself she is still in control of her own mind. That she is not controlled by him. And she cannot give up. “Write it down.” He says it like a sweet temptation: “Just write down how you feel. If it’s not for Bo Jinyan, you will be a happy, ordinary lady. Living a life of a normal person, without having to endure all these pain and suffering.” Xie Han puts a pen into her hand. “Write it down.” He gently coaxes her: “Tell him you will leave him. Then it will be all over. No more pain. You will get a new life. I will let you go.” Jian Yao looks at the piece of paper before her. Everything is still a blur. She is in a drowsy state. She can see Xie Han’s handsome face smiling at her. - Just writing one letter… leave Bo Jinyan… this man will let me go? - Just one letter? The tip of the pen touches the surface of the paper. She writes down his name “Jinyan: “ Her hands and joints are painful from the whipping. She is crying silently. She pauses. “Why have you stopped?” He asks gently, but his tone sounds a little cold. Jian Yao lets go of the pen. It falls down onto the bed sheet and the ink from the pen leaks to stain the linen. She lowers her head and wraps her arms and rests it on her arms. Her heart hurts too much to continue. No. No matter how much physical pain I am experiencing. I can’t write that letter. He is lying to me. She knows that the moment the letter is written, he will kill her. Because it’s not just a

letter. It’s her suicide note. A suicide note to destroy the love between her and Bo Jinyan - That’s his intent all along. He knows how to deliver the biggest blow to Bo Jinyan. And that’s more just killing her. Endure. She has to endure. She needs to stay alive until they meet again. Xie Han senses her determination. A cold hand taps her shoulder. He rubs a part of her skin that is still nicely ‘preserved’, free from any injury. “Hadn’t I done enough?” He asks softly: “Did I give you the illusion that you can disobey me?” He spoke with a calm but cold tone. Jian Yao’s heart starts to pound. He is angry. She can’t avoid provoking him after all. “Hor hor …” He laughs. It’s a terrifying laugh. His fingers that are rubbing her skin increases in strength so Jian Yao’s starting to experience pain. “Let change our strategy.” He says: “It’s time to give Simon a present.” His hand glides over her shoulders, neck and onto her back. He rips the fabric at the back of her top. He takes a look at the skin on her back. “It looks beautiful.” He gives a sigh. “Not even a red mark. Just like I promised you.” Jian Yao starts to shiver. Tears flows down her face uncontrollably. ——————— Fu Ziyu woke up 48 hours after the operation. It took him one more day before he could start talking. He is still in the intensive care unit. The doctors are very strict with number of visitors allowed in the ward at one time and the length of visit. After spending some time with his family, a nurse comes to Fu Ziyu . Anam wants to see him. Although he is quite weak, he agrees to see Anam, because he knows it’s something to do with Bo Jinyan. Bo Jinyan has not appeared once since he woke up. Fu Ziyu knows he is focusing on finding a way to save Jian Yao. That is the absolute priority at the moment. When he thinks about Jian Yao, his heart aches.

So, why is Anam there to see him? It’s late afternoon. Fu Ziyu lies in bed. He is still very weak and his face looks pale. He smiles at Anam. It’s only been a few days. Anam is usually very tidy and doesn’t have much expression on his face. But today, Fu Ziyu can see the stubble on his chin. And the young man looks worried. “He’s locked himself inside the hotel room for three days.” Anam says: “Nobody is allowed in. He is not taking any phone calls. Nobody knows what he is doing.” A few sentences. Then the ward is quiet again. Neither of them speaks. After a long pause, Fu Ziyu asks: “Do… we… have … any news… on… Jian Yao?” Anam looks heavy hearted: “No.” The US is a big place. It’s not easy to locate a missing woman. Especially when she is abducted by a highly intelligent and organised criminal. All the profiling and analysing on Xie Han has been done prior to Jian Yao’s disappearance. There is nothing much Bo Jinyan can add to the FBI investigations. It’s now the job of the officers to try and track down Xie Han. “Even a genius in criminal psychology can’t save his own girlfriend.” This is what one of the FBI agents said to Anam: “I think Simon needs time to accept this … truth.” Anam is concerned for Bo Jinyan. He has come to see Fu Ziyu because he might be the only person that can help Bo Jinyan get out of that hotel room. …… “He… will never accept it.” says Fu Ziyu . Anam looks at Fu Ziyu . He’s not sure what Fu Ziyu is referring to. He notices that Fu Ziyu looks sad. He knows his best friend. That straight forward and proud man - to lose Jian Yao… is something that Bo Jinyan will never accept. Now he is back to his own world. What’s in his mind? If Jian Yao is dead, what will become of him? Fu Ziyu thinks for a while: “I’ll….give… him a… call.” Anam nods. He takes his mobile phone for him, then he dials the number and puts the phone to Fu Ziyu ’s ear.

The phone rings… Anam frowns. It’s been a while but no one is answering. But Fu Ziyu looks confident. “Click.” It’s connected. “Jinyan?” Fu Ziyu asks with a coarse voice. There’s silence on the other end for a while, the a voice speaks: “Ziyu,” Anam sees a shocked expression on Fu Ziyu ’s face. Fu Ziyu looks up to Anam and says: “Anam… can you please…. leave…for a while?” Anam nods. He puts the phone on Fu Ziyu ’s hand and walks to the door. When he is outside, he turns around to close the door. He glances at Fu Ziyu . Fu Ziyu is still lying down on the bed, with one hand holding the phone. On the pale and handsome face, a tear glides down his face. This doctor is Bo Jinyan’s only friend. The day when he was shot, when his life was in danger, he muttered: “Jian Yao….not able to protect… Jian Yao…”. He didn’t cry when he was injured and in pain. He didn’t shed a tear when the anaesthetic starts to wear off. But when he spoke to his good friend, he cried. Anam closes the door and waits outside quietly. He doesn't know the real reason why Fu Ziyu cried. It’s not only until the case was over did he did find out why he cried that day. ————Marriott hotel Suite. Bo Jinyan is changed into his black suit. He stands in front of the glass window. The golden glow from the sunset shines on his face. He is holding the mobile phone to his eyes. He looks out of the window into the city that underneath him. There is no expression on his face. Only an icy gaze. —————When Jian Yao is awake again, she is lying with her back to the ceiling on a metal frame. She has her clothes on, but her back feels exposed. Her limbs are firmly locked in chains. She can’t move her body. She looks around. The lighting is soft and dim. She is not in her cage anymore. She feels like a fish on a chopping board that is about to be scaled and gutted. She bites her cracked dried lower lips. A tingling feeling comes to her.

Her brain feels heavy. But she is feeling more alert. Perhaps he’s stopped the medication. Is that because he is ready to move to the next phrase - skinning? Jian Yao’s trying to control herself not to sob. But Xie Han realises she is awake. He whistles as he walks toward her. “Finally, you are awake.” He says. She hears a crisp sound of metals touching. She can guess what’s in his hand. His scalpel and other tools for skinning. His cold fingertips touches her bare back. He glides over the smooth skin. “I am about to start.” He whispers in her ear: “But I’ve arranged for some accompaniments. I am sure it will help us to be happier and more excited.” Jian Yao’s hand holds tightly to the metal frame. She starts to shiver. What she doesn’t expect is that the ‘accompaniment’ he mentioned is news on Bo Jinyan. He switches on the the LED screen in front of her. It’s the news. The presenter is reporting: “Famous criminal psychologist Professor Bo Jinyan’s girl friend Jian Yao has been missing for four days. She’s kidnapped by the Flower Cannibal No.1. Police assures the public that they are doing the best they can to track down suspect Xie Han. And as we can see from behind us… Professor Bo has locked himself in the hotel room for four days. He has been refusing all communication with the outside world…” Jian Yao’s tears stream down her face. Her reaction pleases Xie Han. He smiles and walks to her and says in a delighted voice: “The more intelligent a person is, the prouder he will be. When they face adversity, they will completely collapse.” He turns to her: “You are very important to him. I can’t imagine how much fun there will be when he receives a piece of your skin. The guilt and pain will overwhelm him. He will not be able to forgive himself.” Xie Han puts one hand on the back of her neck, to stop her shivering. With the scalpel in his other hand, he slowly lowers it onto her back. Jian Yao can feel the cold sharp blade touching her skin…. Jinyan… save me. Jinyan, save me! “Breaking news!” The news presenter’s voice cuts through the silence. It interrupts Jian Yao’s thoughts and Xie Han’s actions. They turn to look at the screen. There’s images of grass and police offices running taken with a hand held camera.

The presenter speaks: “… We’ve just got the latest information on Flower Cannibal No.2 Tommy. He’s broken out of jail 18 hours ago. FBI and the police refuse to comment on the issue. But we are told a large number of officers are deployed to find him….” The image shifts back to the presenter in the studio: “… According to inside information, Tommy has written the word ‘revenge’ with blood on the floor of his cell. Who is he referring to? Is he after Professor Bo Jinyan? Will the two Flower Cannibals reunite? …” Jian Yao is dumbfounded. Xie Han throws his tools onto a table. “Oh… Shit!” He swears. A strange smile appears on his face. Then he walks off into the darkness, leaving Jian Yao where she is. Jian Yao looks around her. Everything is back to its stillness. Deep in her heart, a small glimmer of hope mixes with desperation and hopelessness. Is that him? Is that part of his plan? Or did Tommy really break out of prison? Then he will have one more problem to deal with. They will never meet again… She keeps watching. There’s no more news about Bo Jinyan. She lowers her head and let those big tears flow down her face.

Chapter 77 Simon could be the person that is behind all this. “Hi Jack. I have a gift for you.” Xie Han is sitting on the sofa. He is reading the “Washington Economic Times”. In the classified section, he finds a message. he is overjoyed. He quickly walks down the stairs to the cellar where Jian Yao is. This is a villa in the countryside of a small town. The house was used as a warehouse during the civil wars. Now it’s his little playground. He hurries downstairs and finds Jian Yao still tied up in the same position where he left her. “Oh…” He sighs. He puts the newspaper in his hand on the sofa. He releases the locks on her limbs and carry her in his arms. She coils up into a ball. Her face is as white as a sheet of paper, and her hands and feet are cold. She tries hard not to move at all. She is not sure if she can take any more threats and intimidation. She might collapse. Xie Han is very gentle. He puts her down on a big comfortable sofa. Then he takes off his suit jacket and places it over her body. He sits down besides her and wraps his hand around her shoulder. He leans over and gives her a kiss on her cheek. His actions frightens her. She stiffens her body even more. But he doesn't seem to notice her rigidness. He picks up the newspaper and says to her: “Good news and bad news. What do you want to hear first?” Jian Yao tries hard to control the shake in her voice. She answers softly in a coarse voice: “…bad news.” He smiles and shows her the classified page: “Our little Tommy is back.” Jian Yao looks at the part of the paper he is pointing at. Her heart sinks. This must be the usual way of how they communicate to each other. It’s obviously a secret between the two of them. Others have no way of knowing or imitating it. Jinyan… you have enemies in front and behind you at the same time? What are you going to do? Xie Han knows what is going through her mind. He says with a smile: “Don’t be discouraged. I have not shared the good news yet.” He throws the newspaper onto the coffee table. Then he leans back onto the sofa again. Jian Yao doesn't dare to move, not even a tiny bit. She waits for him to speak.

“The good news is…” he says slowly: “Simon might be behind all this.” Jian Yao is startled by his comment. Xie Han continues: “ Tommy cannot defeat Simon. Perhaps he thinks he’s escaped, but Simon is watching his every move. That’s possible too.” He picks up her hand. He examines and admires his own handy work for a while. Then he says: “Relax. Do you know what I am going to do next?” Jian Yao keeps quiet. He laughs: “I am not going to reply. No matter what happens to Tommy, they won’t get a word out of me. Simon takes a risky step, but his efforts will be futile. What a waste.” —————After ‘sharing’ the news with her, he sits at the sofa to watch a bit more television. Then, like a gentleman, he says good night to Jian Yao and leaves. Jian Yao hears the noise of a closing door from a distance. She is still sitting on the sofa. He must be really happy. He forgot to lock her back in the cage. But it doesn’t make much difference. Jian Yao picks up a box of tissues from the coffee table. She walks over to the sink and starts to rinse the dried blood off her wounds. A round of pain comes over her. She is used to it. She looks into the mirror. She sees a woman that is pale and thin. Is that her? Just like Xie Han, she wonders what’s Bo Jinyan’s next move. She knows that he has successfully aroused his curiosity. At least for now - Xie Han’s attention is on Tommy. He seems to have lost interest in torturing and skinning her. But Jinyan, what are you going to do next? How long can you keep his attention? ——————-

Xie Han sits at his desk. He is searching the internet on all the lastest news on Tommy. Then he leans back and looks at the fields outside the window. His goal is to win Bo Jinyan over. Someone that is as superior and proud as him. The only person in the world that is worthy to be his partner. They have had a few rounds of contests. Sometimes he wins, sometimes Bo Jinyan wins. He is more sure than ever that he made the right decision. Bo Jinyan is his own match.

To get Bo Jinyan, the first thing he has to do is to crush him. Lead him to the lowest point of his life. Wait until he is most vulnerable… then he can capture him. He is very confident Bo Jinyan will eventually submit to him. Because they are very similar people. People with the same nature. Oh… angels and demons, it’s a fine line between the two. Once the demon in Bo Jinyan’s heart is awakened, they will be together, forever. As for Jian Yao…. she is disrupting his plans. The more he thinks about it, the ‘present’ of a piece of her skin will not be enough. He needs a bigger blow. Bo Jinyan needs to receive the suicide note. A note that contains all her regrets, pains and sufferings. This is the weapon Xie Han needs to send him to hell. However, this woman’s tenacity is more than he had expected. It’s almost one week. Even under the influence of drugs, she refuses to write a suicide note. He is losing interest in torturing her. And he knows in his heart. Even if he peels off her skin, she will not lift the pen. This quality reminds him of Bo Jinyan, and Li Xunran. Stubborn and headstrong. He admires this. It makes him a little reluctant to kill her… But anyway… something else intrigues him now. He looks at the newspaper classified ad again. His eyes lands on the word ‘present’. He knows exactly what Tommy means by ‘present’ - Tommy is jealous of Bo Jinyan. He wants to kill Bo Jinyan and give it to Xie Han as a present. Tommy worships and loves his mentor. He cannot tolerate his position being replaced by Bo Jinyan. If he gets rid of Bo Jinyan, then he will still be Xie Han’s only partner. Xie Han laughs out loud. Tommy… Tommy… you are no match for Bo Jinyan. You are doomed. However, it’s an interesting twist to the game. How exciting. He can rest for a while and watch the two of them fight each other. ——————Two days later. Early morning. Xie Han is sitting at the dining table, having breakfast. He is holding today’s “Washington Economic Times”. After breakfast, he turns to the classified section. As he expected, Tommy has contacted him again.

“My dear. I am still your only friend.” Xie Han works backwards. This message is printed more than 8 hours ago. That means at the time, Tommy is still free - or least he considers himself to be. Xie Han smiles. He puts aside the paper. There’s a pile of newspaper on the desk. Everyday, Tommy sends him a message. Oh….Simon, Tommy, without any reply from me… are you both disappointed? He sits back on the sofa. He switches on the TV and watches the news. Economic summit meeting, presidential voting trends, a hurricane that is sweeping through Louisiana…. This world is so dull and boring. He turns on the surveillance camera images. In his underground playground, Jian Yao is quiet as a cat, curled up in the sofa. Xie Han smiles. As he picks up a glass of red wine, the voice of the news presenter on television catches his attention: “We have the latest news on the flower cannibal case….” “Breaking news: The flower cannibal has sent the TV station a secret parcel.” A parcel? What is this all about? What happened next took him completely by surprise. Xie Han puts down his glass. He fixes his eyes on the screen. The news presenter looks more serious than usual. She says with a clear voice: “We received a parcel from Tommy, the flower cannibal no.2 ten minutes ago. It’s dispatched from the Pelican Bay prison. This is a USB stick with a video footage. Please be warned. What you are about to see is disturbing and brings great shame to the whole of the United States, FBI, and the US and Chinese police.” She pauses for a while, then she continues: “This footage is from two years ago. The person in the video is the consultant for the Chinese police, an ex-analyst for the FBI, the famous Maryland University Professor - Bo Jinyan. Simon.”

Chapter 78 A few days later, Jian Yao is rescued by the FBI from the devils’ den. When she looked back at the experience, she remembers the immense pain she suffered both physically and psychologically. But she is also amazed how life can be so much like an unpredictable plot of a novel. Nobody, except for the person who planned the moves, expected how the events would played out. Let’s take the story from where it all started - the video footage that was sent to the TV station by Tommy. A secret footage that nobody else knew existed, except for Tommy, Xie Han… and him. ……. Afternoon, In the underground cellar. It’s hard to tell the time of the day when there’s no natural light coming through. Jian Yao is sitting on the sofa. She watches as Xie Han arranges the fresh flowers and places the candles on the dining table. She can tell he is in an extremely good mood. Every word, every action. He is like a well mannered gentleman. He even gave her a nice bunch of yellow daisies. Jian Yao feels as if every cell in her body is withering, like a plant that is about to die. Xie Han takes a look at her and sits facing her on the other side of the table. “Bon appetite.” He says with a smile. Jian Yao picks up the chopsticks. As they touch the white rice in the bowl, she hears Xie Han makes a “Oh” sound. Her hand shakes and the chopsticks fall onto the tablecloth. Xie Han stares at her: “I have not introduced tonight’s entertainment. We are about to see another video about Simon. Are you happy about that?” Jian Yao has an uneasy feeling about this. She keeps quiet. Xie Han stands up and walks over to her. This movement sends chills to her spine. He casually place his hand on her shoulder, and says softly: “I know that you are woman with depth and good character. I am honoured to share my feelings with you.” He starts to converse with her! Like Bo Jinyan says, he is an unpredictable and moody man. “People say, ants can overcome elephants. Even an insignificant pawn can completely change the course of an event. I didn’t expect our little Tommy to give me such a big surprise! I am amazed.”

Jian Yao is getting more and more afraid. Her whole head starts to hurt. He continues: “I didn’t know he kept the footage. And to send it out at this time… I understand why he is doing this. Once this is broadcasted, Bo Jinyan’s reputation will be completely ruined. This is his present for me. He seems to think that by destroying Bo Jinyan, Bo Jinyan will be of no interest to me anymore. I can only say Tommy underestimates Bo Jinyan, and he underestimates me - This is exactly what I wished for - to put Bo Jinyan to destruction, is to push him towards me.” Jian Yao sits very still. Her heart is sore. Jinyan, what’s happening to you? He smiles at her: “You don’t understand what I am talking about?” Jian Yao bits her lower lip. She is not answering him. Xie Han laughs. He picks up the bunch of yellow daisies and put it to his nose for a sniff: “Let’s just say that Simon has a secret…. a secret that was revealed two years ago. Only I know about it, Tommy knows about it. And Simon… does not.” So Bo Jinyan has made a fatal mistake. Using Tommy as a bait as allowed him to reveal this secret to the rest of the world. Bo Jinyan’s plan backfired. What is about to happen is going to be out of Bo Jinyan’s control.” Jian Yao is confused and worried. A secret? Bo Jinyan has a secret? That’s impossible. Is this another trick Xie Han is using on her? It must be. She must stay sober. Stay in control. Xie Han presses the play button on the remote. He says with a dreamy voice: “Enjoy. This is what I am after. This is what I have been waiting for. It’s a time for fiesta and celebration for serial killers around the world." Even though she keeps telling herself this is just a trick of his, she can’t help but tense up. She is afraid to see what’s on the video. —————A small room. A prison cell with a lonely light bulb hanging from the middle of the ceiling, and a rectangular desk. A man is sitting in front of the video camera. He is bare chested. There are rows of cuts on his back. Jian Yao recognises him at first glance. It’s Bo Jinyan. His hands and feet are tied to chains. Obviously, he is imprisoned. He lifts his head. The familiar handsome face that she knows too well. But he is a lot thinner here. And his hair is much longer too.

But this Bo Jinyan is somewhat different from the man that she loves. It’s his expressions! Callous. Cruel. His eyes looks looks cold and uncaring. Why is that? Then he picks up a little knife on the table. He licks off the blood with his tongue. Then he speaks: “Tommy.” Jian Yao’s heart shivers. What happened to his voice? Why… why does he sound… so different? Tommy is probably outside of the range of the camera lens. Bo Jinyan has an devilish smile on his face. “I’m not that stupid guy, Simon.” He is holding the dagger in his hand. He plays with it like a skilful hunter: “I am Allen.” Suddenly, Jian Yao can hear a buzzing sound in her brain. There is no sound other than Bo Jinyan’s voice. Her heart feels like it’s being shredded into pieces. The same man. But with a different expression and a different voice. Usually, Bo Jinyan’s voice is deep and low, but this voice sounds very husky, and a bit brighter than his normal voice. It sounds like it’s from a completely different person. Even the accent he speaks is different. How is this possible? A second personality…. Allen? In the images, where Bo Jinyan refers to himself as ‘Allen’, smiles and says: “I have killed more people than you.” “Don’t drag me into this immature game of yours.” “If you can completely kill off Simon’s consciousness so I can have this body all to myself, I’ll join you.” ————The video footage went viral. It’s broadcasted on very major television channel in the US. And it’s all over the internet. As the news presenter has predicted, it shocked the whole of the US. Everyone needs time to digest this piece of information - Angel and demon… it’s the same person.

Allen even admitted to some murders that he committed over the years. These were unsolved mysteries. He even told Tommy the details of how he went about committing those crimes. …….. FBI Analyst Office. Everyone looking at the television live broadcast is in shock. They can’t believe the man in the video is the same man they used to work with. Someone mutters: “Shit!” In the Maryland Hospital, Fu Ziyu is lying in bed. He watched the broadcast on his laptop. Tears starts to trickle. He keeps very quiet. Anam is standing beside his bed. He is nonplussed by the news. He is so shocked he is rooted to the spot. The family members of the victims that Bo Jinyan claimed to have killed look at the TV in disbelief and anger. At the same time, countless reporters gathering in the lobby of the Marriott Hotel, where Bo Jinyan is staying. The hotel security and police stops them from getting to Bo Jinyan’s room. A lot of them goes outside and point their camera towards the window of Bo Jinyan’s room. A tall man appears before the window. He partly open the curtains so that he takes a look at the crowd that’s gathered on the ground. Then he closes the curtains, and disappears from the crowd’s gaze. ———————The broadcast is over. Jian Yao sits on the chair with her body shaking. She doesn’t know what to believe. Xie Han is well pleased with her reactions. He takes up his chopsticks and enjoys his meal. “You are surprised?” He says: “I don’t blame you. Even Simon himself don’t know that Allen exist. You are only his girl friend, how would you know.” Jian Yao’s is speechless. Xie Han looks at her. then he smiles. He picks up a slice of beef and put it into her bowl: “Actually, it’s not hard to understand why he has split personality. Did Simon ever tell you how his mother died? His father killed her in a villa and used cement to hide her body in a wall. Allen remembers it. But Simon has forgotten. They are the same person, with different sets of personality and memories.

I bet he never told you what happened when he was captured by Tommy. They are too painful to bear, even for Simon. He’s not as strong as you think he is, that’s why he’s split into two persons. Let me think…. what else? Does he suffer from insomnia and walk around the house at night?” He continues: “That’s Allen. He’s just hiding himself from Simon.” Jian Yao’s heart aches. Her head starts to spin. She supports her forehead with her hands as her dizziness makes her feel like she is going to faint. From the corners of her eyes, she notices Xie Han looking at the TV screen, and with an extremely contented tone, he murmurs: “Hi Allen. You have returned… finally… My greatest friend.” Allen (Note from TB: This is a side story of when Bo Jinyan is captured by Tommy. It gives a bit more insight to the original Flower Cannibal case, Tommy, his relationship with Xie Han, and... 'Allen'.) Side Story - Allen He opens his eyes. The room is pitched dark. He is lying down still. Gliding his fingers down along the side of his body, he realises he is on a bed, smooth and soft. It even smells fresh and clean. Bo Jinyan gives a faint smile. This is the first day he is kidnapped. The Flower Cannibal seems to be treating him well. After pausing for a while, he stands up. His slender figure seems to be melting into the darkness. Like a solitary tree standing alone in a cold dark night. In the same room. In one of the corners. A man is staring at him with interest. A pair of blue eyes spark with excitement, like a falcon eyeing his prey. - Hi Simon. - You belong to me. Finally. Ten minutes later. Suddenly all the lights are turned on. Bo Jinyan instinctively covers his eyes with his hands. When he got adjusted to the brightness, he looks around. A narrow room. Hanging light. A blond man standing in the corner. Behind him is a cage. There are other victims in there. They curl up in the corner of the cage, like ants curling their bodies before their moment of death. - Hi, Tommy. - We meet in person. Finally. And I am about to be the food in your plate.

Nobody spoke. They are just looking into each other’s eyes. Tommy keeps a smile on his face. Bo Jinyan...... takes his eyes off his rival. Without the slightest change of expression, he looks at his surroundings again. Then, with a smile filled with disgust, he sits down on the bed. "How does it feel?" Tommy speaks to Bo Jinyan like he’s an old friend of his. Not looking in his direction, Bo Jinyan gives a faint smile, in his usual supercilious way. Tommy smiles, showing his white teeth: "You're mad." He falls to his hands, but it seems he fails to see who is in control here. Turning toward Tommy, Bo Jinyan says in an indifference tone: "Oh, what should I do? Should I be celebrating the fact that I am the most intelligent man that you will have eaten in your life?" Puzzled by what he said, Tommy looks up: "What?" He walks out. ***** In a different room. “Tommy." Xie Han stands up. His eyes are still staring at a monitor screen: "it seems the two of you are not getting along." Tommy grunts. He walks over to the refrigerator, takes out a dish with some meat in it and starts eating. As if he has been revived, he smacks his lips and smiles again. Han Xie is familiar with this scene. “He’s been here for half an hour, talked to you no more than three times, but every word makes you angry - Do you know why he is able to do that?” Tommy lifts his eye towards him. Xie Han smiles: "Because both of you are aware - he is different from your other preys, he is invulnerable, you can’t break him. You don’t know what to do.” Tommy loosens the tie around his neck: “That is not true.” He stares at Han Xie. He has a cold and stubborn look on his face:. "Starting tonight, we'll deal with him with mind control technique plus your drugs. We will have some fun."

Xie Han lights a cigarette, slowly sucks a few mouthfuls and passes it to Tommy. Han Xie smiles: “These tactics are useless to him , besides ......." His eyes glances at the man on screen - this time Bo Jinyan has closed his eyes, lying back on the bed, without a a trace of nervousness in him. "Besides what?" “These tactics are desecrating for someone like him.” Tommy’s heart feels like it’s been pricked by a needle. What the …. Does Xie Han think that Bo Jinyan is a god ? Hiding his feelings, Ty asks causally: “So, what do you suggest?" All the hassles just to catch this man. Now he’s in our hand. But how do we tame him? "Grind slowly." Xie Han replies. The first time Bo Jinyan cut human flesh, is three days later. Threatening him into submission is more simple than Tommy has expected, a woman and a baby is thrown in front of him, together with a selection criteria: "You will decide the life and death of this baby. Do as I say, and I will let this baby go." Bo Jinyan takes a look at him. He picks up the scalpel, and walks towards the woman who is tied up. Tommy sits down and looks at him in silence. The baby is sound asleep, oblivious to what’s happening around him. The woman shrills screams that fills the room. When the first booty is thrown into the tray, Tommy emerges with grin: "Maybe I am lying to you. Maybe I'm just teasing you, both of these people, in fact, will not survive. How can you not think of this ? Smart guy.” Bo Jinyan answers contemptuously. “Whether you are lying is your business, whether I choose to give up hope for a life is mine." Tommy no longer speaks. He knows. The longer he stays with Bo Jinyan, the more frustrated he will be. Yet the boss does not allow him to torture or eat him. From that day, cutting human flesh becomes one of Bo Jinyan daily routines. He can see the fear and hatred inside the eyes of these victims. Bo Jinyan never speaks to them, because he can’t explain himself to them. He knows that his life is safe at the moment,

and as long as he is unharmed, these people will have a higher chance of surviving. But how many of them will be able to escape from here? He is not sure. But the person hiding behind the video camera ...... Tommy, has different views. Tommy says to Xie Han: "We should not waste any more time on him. Cutting human flesh everyday does not seem to bother him. There has been no progress. Just kill him. We don’t need him, we have each other. We are partners, right?" Han Xie is carrying a small dish with the flesh Bo Jinyan harvested today. Hearing Tommy’s words, he laughs: "Who says there is no progress?" Tommy looks at the dish. With appreciation for his skills, he says: “Despites the things he says, he’s turning into a professional with the scalpel.” Xie Han picks up a piece of meat with a knife, examines it closely under a lamp. He gives a satisfying smile. A person in law enforcement, a crime-fighting expert, has become an abuser of the weak and innocent. Tommy can only see his scalpels skills, but he can see the devil that’s hiding in Bo Jinyan’s body. What they fail to see, is that Bo Jinyan is turning their temptation for him into a trap for themselves. Han Xie's second phase of the program is to make Bo Jinyan eat raw human flesh, together with physical torture. Abuse, both mental and physical, can break any man’s will, no matter how strong. And eventually, he'll surrender, even fall in love with the feeling of being abused, or abusing other. Because within every one of us lives a hidden demon, Bo Jinyan is no exception. So it is the routine - every night, Tommy brings a plate with red meat to Jinyan and tell him it’s beef: “I like it raw.” Tommy says and passes to him. Bo Jinyan will thank him, then eats all of it as if he believes the meat is actually beef. Then, Tommy will walk around to his already heavily bruised and wounded back, find a place that is unharmed, and stabs him. Then he will collect the thick blood that runs down his back with a tall glass tightly pressing above his tailbone. Tommy has obsessive-compulsive disorder. The wounds on Bo Jinyan’s back are very evenly spaced and symmetrical. Han Xie likes his tidy workmanship. Every night, Han Xie looks into the camera. He sees Bo Jinyan’s scarred and etched back. He eagerly waits for the birth of a new man. And now, Tommy sits beside him,

slowly drinks the cup of blood and sweat mixed with some meat residue from the stabs. He offers it to Han Xie, who shakes his head and declines. “This is disgusting." Tommy laughs. For Bo Jinyan, time seems to be standing still. In his dark and narrow cell, as time passes by silently, more and more people are no longer there. You just do not know when the lights will be turned on suddenly and Tommy will come in. No one dares to make a sound in this heavy darkness. Sometimes, he will keep his eyes open for a long time, even though all he sees is nothing but a deep black surrounding him. Even when he is extremely tired, he can’t fall asleep as easily as before. This year, he is twenty-four years old. And thousands of miles away across the Atlantic, Jian Yao enter university this same year, living a simple and safe life. Events finally takes a turn after his fourth month of captivity. There is a fire around midnight. Nobody knows the cause of it. When Tommy is aware of the blaze, smoke and flames have surrounded the cellar. Han Xie is not there at the time. Later, when Tommy is in prison, when he thinks about the fire, he reckons it is one of Bo Jinyan’s tricks, that he used it to try and escape but failed. Xie Han, though, believes that this is just a bad short-circuit accident. Nevertheless, the fire, is where everything started. That night, the fire is fierce. Tommy cannot get close to the cellar entrance. People inside are burned by the scorching iron that’s become very hot due to the fire outside of the cellar. Hot water vapours dripping from ceiling scald their skins. There’s screaming everywhere. Bo Jinyan wraps himself in a blanket, and waited. Finally, the metal bars of the cage starts to warp and melt and a gap big enough to fit through a person emerges. Bo Jinyan takes the opportunity and gets out of the cage. (Note from TB: Is this possible? if it’s so hot, all of them should be dead by now, right??)

The cellar is in chaos. Women, the elderly, children, and several young men are all trying to get away, pushing one another. But their freedom is short lived. Tommy shoots each one in the head as they run out of the entrance of the cellar. After a while, the bodies blocks the entrance and no one can pass through anymore. That night, Bo Jinyan understood two things. 1. Tommy wants to kill him. 2. The cellar is located close to ground level, perhaps only separated by a wall. "Come with me. I will help you escape." He tells the crowd. Everyone is scared. They turn around to see this young man. He has not spoken to them once in the last four months. He is one of those who tortured them, yet he himself is imprisoned with them. "Why? Why should we believe you?" "Kill him, kill him. He’s one of them” ...... Everyone is in panic. Bo Jinyan frowns. He starts to walk without a moment's delay. “Why should you believe me?" He lightly replied, "Because you have no other choice." Most of the people are skeptical. But really, like he said, there is no other choice, so they follow him.

“We’ve kept ourselves alive for this long. Let’s not lose anymore lives." He said. A woman hears these words, and immediately tears come to her eyes. Bo Jinyan leads the way. Others follow. He leads them through to a different room of the cellar. In front of them is a wall that is partially collapsed. They can see a small hole with light coming through. Even though it’s only a small hole, they see half a slice of ink blue sky, and the moon that illuminates the grass. Can we finally escape from this hell? And live to tell the tale? People are starting to push each other away to get ahead. This time, Bo Jinyan gains control of the situation: "Women and children will go out first, I will follow after."

One, two, three ...... Bo Jinyan stands at the end of the queue. He counts silently. Occasionally, he will look up and see a wall above the bright moonlight jade. Seven, eight, nine ...... Then Bo Jinyan hears footsteps and gun shots. Unfortunately, Tommy has found some of them. He hopes that some of the people will be able to escape from Tommy and run to safety. Twelve, last one. As Bo Jinyan helps to push the last man up the hole, he positions his body so he can be pulled out of the hole. A hand is extended toward Bo Jinyan to put him out. Bo Jinyan smiles, and reaches out to the hand. ...... As half of a metal rod is inserted into him, sharp pain rips through his chest. He looks down, and he sees his blood spreading. A man screaming in pain. "! I know it...... You are one of them. This is just another sadistic game of yours. I will kill you first. I will kill you first!!" ...... In extreme pain, Bo Jinyan closes his eyes, and opens them. He sees the moonlight. He smells the grass. Then he hears a ma laughing insanely, and other panic voices: "What are you doing? He saved us!" Everything starts to spin around him. He feels his body fall, back into the cellar that has been roasted too hot by the heavy flames coming from all sides.... Before he loses consciousness, he says to himself. The man, whom he has rescued, is suffering from severe post-traumatic stress disorder. --------He was in a coma for a few days. He knew he had a high temperature. His forehead, throat, eyes felt as if there were ten million needles poking him. He kept dreaming. He dreamt about going fishing with his mother during his childhood days. Then when his mother died, his father locked himself in the empty house, and lived like a dead sculpture.

He also dreamt about his first encounter with Fu Ziyu - the boyfriend of a serial murder victim. Fu Ziyu was standing at the corner of the school library, smiling at him. Then, he dreamed of the scene before the coma - the man he saved, picked up a piece of metal bar, turned back and stabbed him in the chest. ...... "What is the purpose of life? You think you are risking your life to save others? But is there any value to it?" "Those mediocre beings whom you saved, does anyone of them really know you?" A voice whispers into his ear. Bo Jinyan wakes up. He opens his eyes to see the cellar and find it a very different environment. Silver ceiling, new cages and new rooms. Only he is left in the cellar, still lying in his bed. He has no idea what has happened to the rest of the prisoners. His lips forms the sarcastic smile. He raises his hand to touch his forehead. The fever has broken. He stands up slowly. Behind the monitor, Han Xie is looking at his face, stunned. Bo Jinyan still has those slender beautiful eyes, yet they look different. His eyes scans the cell, stopping at the camera lens. It is as if Bo Jinyan is looking at Xie Han face to face, staring into his eyes. Xie Han’s heart starts to pound. Then he hears a strange, unfamiliar sound. A sound that he’s been waiting for.

"Hello, precious. As you wish, I am awake."

Chapter 79 Darkness surrounds her. Jian Yao lies down in the small bed. It seems she is only person left in the world. She touches the bed sheets underneath her body. Xie Han changed a new set of bed sheets for her today. It smells freshly laundered. But this smells reminds her of home. She misses her mother. She misses her sister. She misses Xunran, and she misses Bo Jinyan most. In this place where there’s no way of differentiating whether it is night or day…. Where are you… my love? Before Xie Han left her, he injected some drugs into her. Her arm is full of needle holes. But it didn’t produce hallucinations like the previous drugs. Instead, memories comes flooding to her. Sweet memories, bitter memories… they just appear in her mind uncontrollably. The night when she touched Bo Jinyan’s scars on his back for the first time. Her tears swelled up in her eyes. What did he say to her then? Under the gentle and soft lighting, his handsome but proud face looks at her with regret and concern: “If I knew this would make you cry, I would not have shown you.” His rich low voice, sounding like beautiful music notes played by a cello, rings in her ears. His warm breath, his sensual touch, filled with love and his adoration for her…. Jian Yao falls into a dreamy fantasy where he is beside her, wrapping his arms tightly around her… Suddenly, a big vacuum sucked away her lover. Then, the voice of another man rings in her ears: “I will be the one that live. The one and only… Allen.” No! Jian Yao puts her hands over her face. No. She does not believe it. Bo Jinyan cannot have split personality. He is strong and tough. Even though he is walking in darkness, his heart is still pure and clear. Her Bo Jinyan. the one and only… Simon. No matter what she hears. No matter what happens next. There is only one thing she can do Believe in him. Wait for him. He will unlock this hell and rescue her.

—————— “Pang!” The sound of the light switch being turned on. The blinding light causes Jian Yao to cover her eyes with her hands. She hears a familiar footage behind her. Jian Yao’s heart pounds. He, is here again. ———————— There is smell of coffee in the air. Jian Yao is forced out of her cage back to the sofa again. Xie Han is still in a good mood. He’s whistling again. He brings over a cup of coffee and put it in front of her. Jian Yao’s face is very pale. She doesn’t pick up the cup. Xie Han gets himself another cup of coffee. He takes a sip, then he smiles: “Drink it. Or I will whip you.” Jian Yao takes the coffee and sips it slowly. He smiles. After she has drinks about a third of the cup, he suddenly says: “Oh… I forgot to tell you, I added something special in the coffee.” Jian Yao pauses. She looks at the cannibal that is sitting before her. A disgusting thought comes to her mind. She starts throwing up into the rubbish bin next to her feet. Xie Han laughs loudly: “What I wanted to tell you was… I added milk in the coffee.” Jian Yao takes a deep breath. She takes a tissue from the table and wipes her mouth. Then she looks ups and meets his gaze. She quickly looks down again. Bo Jinyan is right. He has an unstable and anti-social personality. At the moment, he is in a good mood, making fun of her. But he might change his mind and want to kill her a few minutes later. He’s so unpredictable. God, please protect me from this monster. I must live to the day Jinyan comes for me. Just don’t upset him. With this thought, She quietly sits and observes what’s his plans are today. He sits beside her, throws today’s newspaper on the coffee table and turns on the TV. Jian Yao quickly glances at the newspaper. It’s the classified section. There’s an ad that says: “Jack, do you like my present?”

It’s a message from Tommy. Her heart swells and trembles with bitterness. She looks up at the TV screen. It’s news time. The same news presenter from yesterday brings more news on Bo Jinyan. Her clear and calm voice pierces Jian Yao like a sword: “Both the Chinese government and the FBI refuse to comment on the “Bo Jinyan case’. This has upset a lot of family members of the victims. This morning, more than 200 people gathered outside the FBI headquarters in Washington to protest. They are petitioning for the arrest of Professor Bo Jinyan. We have news that a few families have appointed the famous litigators from Davis Law Firm. They will be suing Professor Bo…” “A lot of people believe that he has split personality.” Xie Han sips his coffee again. “What about you?” Jian Yao keeps quiet. Xie Han looks at her coldly. Jian Yao clenches her hands that’s resting on her knees. Does he believe? How should she answer him without provoking him? Jinyan, what should I say? ————“I don’t believe it.” Jian Yao says softly: “He is not like that.” Her voice is soft and coarse, but there’s trust and faith in her voice. Xie Han laughs again. But he didn’t comment. They continue to watch the television. It’s a building that Jian Yao recognises. it’s the hotel she stayed in before being kidnapped. This is also the place where Bo Jinyan has isolated himself from the rest of the world for a few days now. “Oh…” Xie Han sits straighter on the sofa. They can hear the news presenter’s voice: “Breaking new. Our reporter brings you the latest developments from the Marriott hotel. The FBI has arrived, and Professor Bo Jinyan has finally left the hotel room.” Then Jian Yao’s body is numbed. Because for the first times in days, she sees Bo Jinyan. The man that she misses so much!

He is surrounded by a big group of FBI agents. He is wearing a tidy black suit, with a simple shirt. No tie. He looks palm and calm. As the camera flashes, he turns around. Inside his dark eyes, there’s a coldness that is enough to freeze you with just a glance. Tears streams uncontrollably down her face. Her vision is blurred. She tries to wipe the tears, but it just keeps flowing. “Tears of desolation. Your subconsciousness believes he has split personality.” He smiles. No. She does not believe. She says in her heart. Never. Bo Jinyan does not have split personality. He is trying to mislead her. “If Bo Jinyan’s girlfriend confirms in a letter to the public that he has split personality…” He takes out a syringe from the drawer and walks towards her: “That would make things even more interesting,” Jian Yao can only watch him inject more drugs into her. A coldness runs through her veins. Another run of mental control and manipulation. How long can she defend her position? ————— It’s been a few long and painful days for many people. Anam lives in the same hotel as Bo Jinyan. He wakes early in the morning. It’s been two days since Bo Jinyan has been taken away by the FBI. On his computer, he can see the surveillance images of the FBI headquarters’ various entrances, stairways, interrogation rooms, and the temporary detention cell for Bo Jinyan. Everything is as per normal. Bo Jinyan is lying straight as a pole on the single bed. He is separated with the guards by the rows of metal bars. The guards are walking up and down the corridor. Anam stares at the screen for a while. Bo Jinyan looks tired and gaunt. There are bags under his eyes. He has lost weight. Anam switches on the TV. It’s a morning filled with controversy. There’s more and more pressure from the media to press charges against Bo Jinyan; but they cannot underestimate the voice of support for Bo Jinyan: The most renowned Criminal psychology professor in Maryland has publicly expressed his support for his most beloved student. He claims that even if there is another personality in him, as long as the primary personality Simon has no knowledge of the second personality’s actions, he is not guilty.

Other people whom he’s saved marched with their families to show their support. They urge the FBI to find out the truth behind the allegations….“How can anyone doubt his integrity when he has given himself so selflessly to save the life of others?” China has requested to transfer Bo Jinyan to China for further investigations. However, the US has not responded to the Chinese’s request. …. Anam walks out of his hotel room after he’s seen the news. ———————One hour later. In the FBI headquarters interrogation room. Anam is sitting at one end of the table. Facing him is the man that everyone is discussing lately - Bo Jinyan. Two days of detention has not caused him to change very much. He looks more or less the same as when he first stepped into this building two days ago. Anam speaks first: “There’s chaos everywhere.” Bo Jinyan nods. Anam lowers his voice: “What should we do now?” Bo Jinyan looks at him, but he does not answer. ——————Two days later. In Jian Yao’s cell. She does not know when the lights were dimmed. Her vision is blurred. Her head is hurting. Jian Yao is lying on the floor, with a sheet of paper and a pen in front of her. Xie Han bends down and talks to her as a close friend: “Now you know. He has split personality. Do you still love him?” She is under the influence of drugs. Everything seems to be spinning around her. She lifts her head towards Xie Han’s direction: “Yes, I still love him.” She is finding it hard to differentiate between reality and illusions. The handsome and gentle man. The blood thirsty killer. And how many people are there with her in that dimly lit cell. One? Two? Is Xie Han? Allen? Both of them? She is so confused. Or perhaps it’s all just a dream… a bad dream. But whatever it is, it’s too painful.

“Write it down. Tell him everything.” Xie Han sounds more gentle than he’s ever been: “Don’t you want him to know how much you love him? Tell him before you die. That even the world cannot accept his split personality, you will not abandon him…” Jian Yao looks at him. She focuses her gaze onto his face. Finally, she reaches out for the pen. ——————“Jinyan: When I was young, I dreamt that one day, I will grow up to be someone like my father - to maintain justice, even if it costs me my life. Then, I settled for a more ordinary life. I went to school, I grew up and I started work. I thought I walked further and further away from that dream. It’s a regret that I hid deep inside my heart. Then, I met you. My dream. I never said this to you aloud. I love you. But I’ve said it many times in my heart. Every morning when I see you sleeping beside me, every time when I am amazed by your talent, when you put aside your own safety to help those who need you… I tell myself. I am so lucky to have you. You deserve my love. But perhaps, I can’t accompany you anymore. I can’t endure it anymore. I am stuck in darkness without an exit. Every morning, I hope to wake up and find you here, to rescue me, to feel your warm embrace, so that we will never part again. I am sorry Jinyan. I can’t accompany you anymore. Don’t be sad. There’s a lot of people in this world that love you. They will take my place to love you. You will not be lonely in your journey ahead. Live a good life. I am not sad at all. Really. Because you once belonged to me. Even as I am facing death, my heart is at peace. This is a release for me. Even if I am turned to dust and ashes, I will not forget you. From now on, every sunrise, every sunset, every night, I will hope that I can still meet you and love you in my next life. We will return to the place we met, and I will tell you, personally, how much I love you. ….. Jinyan, I am sorry. I doubted you. Whenever we were confronted by the perverted killers, when you were the only person that understood them, I was afraid. I feared

that one day, you too, will be swallowed up into that darkness. Then, I saw the footage of Allen. Surprisingly, I felt more settled in my heart. It’s not important. Jinyan. Simon or Allen. It’s not important. You are who you are. My only Jinyan. My love for you will never change, because I believe, you will conquer Allen, conquer Xie Han. You will find me, and bring me away from this hell. Then, we will return to our hometown. We will return to our house. Please embrace me, even if it’s only my ashes, and sit by the river. Accompany me to watch the sunrise and the sunset. Then, bury me in a place where you can see me everyday. Do you remember the first time we held hands? We are both stunned. You said I was tickling you. But the truth is, you’ve never held any other girls’ hand before…. So what if I die? We have too many memories together. They will accompany me till I die. I have achieved my dream. I have you. I’ve met my parent’s expectations. I have become someone they wanted me to be. We have solved many cases together. I have no regrets. The only regret I have is that I can no longer accompany you on your life journey. Please do not be alone. Bo Jinyan. Do not be alone. Live everyday well. Because I am here. Jinyan. In your eyes. In your heart and in your life. We will never part from each other. Jian Yao.” ————— The next morning. Anam takes the letter to the FBI headquarters. A night of quietness. As if he is expecting something, Bo Jinyan is sitting at the table. Anam puts the letter on the table and slides it on him. Bo Jinyan does not pick it up. Instead, he reads the letter line by line carefully and slowly. Anam is quiet. He is observing the expressions on his face. After a long time, Bo Jinyan lifts his head to look at him. But it’s like he is looking through him, and through the cement walls, to the place where she is. A smile appears on his face. However, his eyes still looks cold and empty. A coarse and unfamiliar voice speaks. “I need to break out of here.”

Chapter 80 Candlelight, music, wine. But this is only a false picture of harmony and calmness. Jian Yao sits on the sofa. She is holding a wine glass, quiet as a mouse. Xie Han is sitting next to her. They are watching TV together. The same news presenter that they’ve seen many times for the past few days speaks: “This is a touching letter. We have invited the famous criminal psychologist Professor Makie to share with us his thoughts on the letter. He believes the letter is written by Miss Jian Yao under duress. She is most likely threatened by the Flower Cannibal no.1. The thoughts within the letter is coherent, and fully conveys her sincere and heartfelt love for Professor Bo Jinyan. Through a number of logical and grammatical analyse, he believes the contents of this letter is credible. However, he also thinks that Miss Jian Yao may have been killed shortly after the letter is written, which we are very sorry to hear about… However, Professor Makie believes that Miss Jian Yao has accepted the existence of Professor Bo Jinyan’s split personality. We believe her views on the issue will influence and persuade those who are still in doubt.” Xie Han smiles and looks at her: “Well done.” Jian Yao holds the glass tightly with her hand. She thought she would die. The letter is what Xie Han’s been waiting for. Her suicide note. She refrained from writing the note earlier because she doesn’t want to die. But that night, she was on the verge of a mental breakdown. She knew that another injection would turn her mad. When she saw the FBI took Bo Jinyan away, she’s made up her mind. She is willing to die, but it must be a worthy death - as long as Xie Han can be brought to justice. Jinyan, can you find the clues I hide in the letter? I still believe you are my Jinyan. You are Simon. You will see them. Then you will find Xie Han, and find me… ——————— For the next few days, he did not give her any more drugs, nor did her torture her. In fact, he even treated her wounds. She was treated like a guest. They had exquisite meals together.

But Jian Yao knows in her heart. The reason she is still alive, is because he wants to find another ‘perfect’ way to kill her. ——————— Xie Han stands up. He smiles to her: “Guess where I am going today?” He straightens his shirt and makes sure his tie is in the right place. Jian Yao does not answer. Xie Han doesn’t seem to mind. He leisurely says: “Today, our little Simon… Oh.. and little Allen will have his psychiatric evaluation. Once they confirms he has split personality, as the news presenter says, his reputation will be completely ruined. He will be spending the rest of his life in a mental institution, or the Pelican Bay Prison. Life Imprisonment.” Jian Yao’s heart tightens. Xie Han disappears into the darkness. She hears his voice saying as he walks away: “He’s at the cliff’s edge. How can I not be there to see him with my own eyes?” —————— Outside the J. Edgar Hoover Building in Washington, US. The winter sun. Bright, calm. and cool. Bo Jinyan is wearing a thick black coat. He is surrounded by a group of FBI agents. He is handcuffed. A cap on sits low his head, covering his eyes and brows. When the reporters spot Bo Jinyan and the FBI agents, they flooded to them with their cameras and questions. “Professor Bo Jinyan, do you have split personality?” “Are you Simon or Allen at the moment?” “As a criminal psychologist, do you think you ought to be take responsibility of Allen’s crimes?” “Did Miss Jian Yao’s letter leave you heart-broken?” Bo Jinyan walks quickly and ignores the questions until he hears the last one. He pauses for a few seconds. But he doesn’t turn his head towards the reports. With the help of the FBI agents, he boards a bullet proof van. The reporters take as many photos as they can before the van disappears. —————— In the car.

Bo Jinyan leans on the side of the wall. He is quiet. Two young FBI agents sit opposite him. They are not speaking either. The van has been on the motorway for a while. There are two police cars accompanying the van. One travels in front of the van, leading the way. The second car is follows closely behind. After being on the motorway for about half an hour, the driver in the police car in front of the van reports to the other drivers: “There is an accident ahead. A lane has been closed and it is causing a traffic jam. If we want to make it to the hospital by the scheduled time, we should take a different route.” The two young FBI agents look at one another. Then one of them says: “We are not suppose to detour. Contact headquarters to arrange for help to direct traffic.” The other officer takes a glance at Bo Jinyan. He holds on to his gun in the pouch. Soon, there’s respond from the headquarters. There has been a traffic light malfunction, which caused a serious accident. The whole area is congested. There is nothing much they can do. “Detour.” That’s their only option. Bo Jinyan closes his eyes, as if he is taking a nap. Red lights. Red lights. Red lights. Green lights… the van travels on a secondary road, which is a lot more quiet than the main road. There's university dormitories and residential buildings alongside both sides of the roads. It’s a workday, so there’s hardly any pedestrians on the road. “Shit!” says the driver. He’s hit another set of red lights. The police car passed it before it turned red, but the van didn’t make it in time. It is stuck behind the traffic lights together with the police car behind it. “Tat.. tat… tat….” Inside the van, the driver taps his fingers on the steering wheel. Nobody speaks. Suddenly Bo Jinyan asks: “What time is it?” One of the officers looks at his wrist watch: “3:12 pm.” Bo Jinyan then smiles. Then he lowers his head and covers it with his hand, in a brace position. He leans his body towards the wall. He did it in front of the two officers.

As the two officers are a little puzzled by his actions, they hear a sound that is getting louder and louder above their heads. “Oh! Damn it!” They shout, and lower their heads and cover their heads with their hands too.

“Gong!” Suddenly the van is being hit by something. The whole van shakes. And those who are outside the van - pedestrians, people looking through the windows from the dormitories and apartments - are horrified with what they saw. A military helicopter hovers above the van. The violent shake was caused by a mini rocket hitting the van. Then machine guns on the helicopter starts to shoot at the two police cars that are accompanying the van. The police officers takes out their guns. One of them calls the headquarters: “We are ambushed! But… why are they from the military?!” All the pedestrians are petrified. They scream and run for for shelter. From one of the nearby buildings, a sniper aims at the officers that are inside the police car. One down, two down… soon all of them fall with a bullet going through their hearts. As this is happening, a pair of eyes in an inconspicuous corner watches with great interest. The bullet proof van has rolled over to its side. It has hit the safety railings on the side of the road. There’s smoke coming from the van. “Eaaa…” the door is opened from the inside. Bo Jinyan’s black coat is covered with dust. His face has blood on it. He is holding a gun. He didn’t fully close the door as he walks out of the van. The two officers that were sitting opposite him lie motionless on the floor. They have a red patch on their chest. Obviously, they’ve been shot. He adjusts his cap, then quickly walks towards a side street. Soon, he disappears from the scene. And the helicopter makes a turn, lifts its altitude and flies off into the clear blue sky. ————— The same day. Later in the afternoon. Jian Yao is sitting in darkness. Her heart is unsettled. Jinyan. What are his plans? What is he trying to do? “Dong..” Jian Yao is familiar with this sound. It’s the door opening. Then the footsteps that are like an evil curse sounds closer and closer to her. Jian Yao sits on the sofa. Her hands are tightly clenched together. She waits for him to speak.

“Oh! Waiting for some news?” Xie Han takes off his leather jacket and throws it onto the sofa. He speaks with smile: “Are you still hopeful that you will live to see him again?” Jian Yao’s heart feels like it’s been pricked by a needle. But she makes sure she looks calm and quiet. “But…” He pours himself a glass of water: “It’s good news.” Jian Yao picks up the remote and turns on the TV. It’s a chaotic scene. There are many bodies covered in white clothes, and lots of people injured. The angry condemnation of the news reporters, and the embarrassed spokes person from the Military…. Jian Yao’s heart is pounding. Xie Han starts to speak, with joy and admiration in his voice: “What a perfect and intricate plan. No doubt, he used mind control techniques on that hacker kid. He managed to hack into the military control system and the traffic control unit. Every route, every point of attack, even the train he took to escape… It’s perfect. And the hacker kid ends up being in the hospital, poisoned. I heard he is in a critical condition…” Jian Yao is in shock. Xie Han ignores her and continues: “Clean. Ruthless. It’s Allen’s style.” Her palms are wet with cold sweat. She made herself believe there is only one Jinyan. Everything is just a plan of his, to catch Xie Han. But the images on the casualties and the damage are right before her eyes. Jinyan, Jinyan… is this true? Should I still believe you, even when it’s against all odds? Once again, her thoughts cannot escape Xie Han. He smiles: “Soon, he will come to find us.” Two days later. A short advertisement appears on the classified section of the Washington Economic Times. “Hi. J. I am back.”

Chapter 81 All the furnitures are removed. The cage, sofa, bed, coffee table… nothing is there anymore. In the large and empty space, Jian Yao stands in the middle of the room. Her hands are cuffed to long chains that hold her up. There is a spot light shining down onto her. She is like a marionette on a stage. Helpless and stiff. Her face is extremely pale. She is waiting for what fate is bringing her way. A thick layer of tape covers her mouth. She can’t make any sound. She can only watch what Xie Han is doing with her eyes. Xie Han is in a suit today. He looks like a gentleman with a smile on his face. But Jian Yao knows behind this facade is a despicable pervert. He holds up a mobile phone. He is standing just a few steps away from her. He looks at her and smiles: “Are you excited?” Jian Yao keeps her body still. But inside, her heart is pounding so hard it feels like it’s going to explode. The person he is about to call, is Bo Jinyan. Bo Jinyan sent him a phone number via the classified section of the Washington Economic Times. And Xie Han is about to dial the number now. He puts the phone on hands free mode. “Do— Do—“ It’s connecting! Jian Yao lifts up her head. Xie Han’s smile freezes. He looks at the screen. He is waiting… “Click.” Someone answers the phone. “Hi.” An unfamiliar voice, with a smile in the tone. Jian Yao’s eyes widens. The voice. The tone. It’s… so different. Is that really Bo Jinyan? Her instincts tell her it’s him. Jinyan… is under disguise? Xie Han replies: “Hi.” The man on the other end asks: “Where should we meet?”

“Two hours later….” Xie Han takes a look at Jian Yao: “I will send you the address.” “OK.” “Jian Yao is with me, my present to you.” The man pauses, then he says: “Great. Thank you.” ———————— That’s the end of the conversation. They mentioned her in their conversation. What does Xie Han mean by “a present”? What has he ‘prepared’ for Bo Jinyan? Fear goes through her. Xie Han keeps the phone in his pocket. He looks at Jian Yao. He rips off the tape that is covering her mouth. He has a look of regret on his handsome face. “Now, I really need to say goodbye to you, Jenny.” A cold chilly fear comes over her heart. She can’t hold back her question: “You… are going to kill me?” Now? When Bo Jinyan is on his way here? They can’t even say their last goodbye. He will find her body when he arrives? No! “No.” Surprising, Xie Han shakes his head. But before she is relieved, he shares a plan that is even more cruel. “The person that will kill you… is Allen, of course.” He says with a smile: “Oh… think about it. If he kills you with his own hands, it will be a painful blow to Simon. He loves you so dearly, he will not forgive himself.” He looks at the ceiling, and falls into a reverie. After a while, he looks down at Jian Yao again, and sighs: “… Pain and guilt will never leave him. You know, this is the beauty of split personality - if his will is weakened, he will fall into darkness, and be replaced by Allen. Simon will not come back again. You see, Allen understands this too. That’s why he is eager to kill you.” Xie Han’s voice echoes in the vast empty space. Jian Yao’s face is white as a sheet of paper. Her waist and ankles are so tightly strapped and stretched that they are starting to hurt. No. He will not kill me. If he is Simon, he will not kill me. He is Simon. He is not anyone else.

She believes him. Even though there’s only a glimpse of hope, she will not let go of it. She believes in him. But Xie Han seems to know what’s on her mind: “Oh, I forgot to tell you, Underneath where you stand, is a 300kg bomb. When it explodes, the whole villa and this place will be razed to the ground. But like you say in your letter to him, even when you turn to ashes, the ashes will represent the love you have for Simon.” A bomb powerful enough to wipe out everything ? He buried the bomb there long ago. So that it will be ready when this day comes. Suddenly she understands the reason why she is still alive. It’s not only so that Bo Jinyan can kill her with his own hands. There is another purpose - a test to see if Allen really exist. If Bo Jinyan is Allen, he will kill her, and Xie Han will leave the bomb alone. But only then will he truly accept and believe Allen - No matter how much he wants Bo Jinyan, he is equally cautious. This is the final test - using her life. But if this is the trap he set, why did he tell her about it? Does it matter? Xie Han doesn’t care. She is already a dead person in his eyes. She can’t change anything. Simon is willing to give up his own life to save people that he doesn’t know. He would never kill her. Jian Yao’s heart sinks. Her body stiffens even more. Jian Yao’s pain does not escape Xie Han’s eyes. He smiles: “Oh my gosh, I like the expression on your face. You are terrified, aren’t you? My dear, do not be sad. The process of dying is terrifying, but that too is momentary. It’s painful, but it will be over soon. After spending so many days with you, I must say that I like you, Jian Yao. Now, you should feel happy that I am allowing you to die in such a meaningful way.” ——————— Xie Han walks off. This might be the last time she hears his footsteps. Jian Yao quietly looks ahead. Tears start to stream down her face. Above where Jian Yao is imprisoned, on ground level, a black bullet proof sedan leaves the garage and travels through the empty roads of a small town. It’s travelling westward, past the border of a state, across the fields and finally arrive at an even more remote little town. He drives along a private driveway, until he reaches a big gate installed with high voltage barb wires. The guard recognises him straight away and walks up to him: “Sir, welcome back,”

Xie Han smiles and get out of the car: ‘Today, I have a friend coming. I want level one security alert for the property.” “Yes sir.” After giving the instructions, he drives leisurely into the estate. He passes a few towers, where guards with guns are standing in the towers. They notice their master is back. He enters the mansion and walks along the long empty corridor until he gets into the last room. Then he goes through a bullet proof door, into a study. This is theroom that is isolated from the rest of the house. There are some abstracts but disturbing artwork hanging on the walls. A large gun cabinet filled with different types of guns. There are also a number of jars in the room, with human organs covered in preservative liquid. Xie Han sits at the desk and switches on the computer. It’s the close circuit television images from where Jian Yao is imprisoned. She is still hanging in the same place. Chains around her hands. She looks pale and weak. Her eyes are red and swollen. It’s obvious that she cried after he left. Xie Han smiles. He takes a sip of his coffee, then he presses a button on the keyboard. “Tong… Tong… Tong…” His mouth imitates the sound of lights turning on. At the same time, the rows of spotlights in the warehouse are turned on. The place looks like a stadium that has been lit up. Jian Yao closes her eyes as she tries to adjust to the sudden brightness. He laughs at her, then speaks through the microphone: “Jenny, I am home. How are you feeling?” ———————In the warehouse. Jian Yao finally opens her eyes. She looks around. The sound is coming out from the speakers but it feels as if Xie Han is in the same place as her. It makes her shiver. She notices there are several cameras that are pointing at different angles of where she is. They look like eyes that are starring at her. “How long till he arrives?” Jian Yao asks with a coarse voice. She wants to know if he has fitted microphones there as well. She is deliberately speaking softly to test if he can hear her. Soon, she hears Xie Han’s reply: “Soon.”

Jian Yao keeps quiet again. Xie Han does not seem to be in the mood for talking either. The place is silent again, except for the occasional sound of Xie Han’s singing coming through the speakers. Jian Yao never paid attention to his singing before. There is nothing but his voice in this horrible place at this point in time. As she listens, she realises it is an old song ‘How could an angel break my heart.’ “How could an angel break my heart, Why didn’t he catch my falling star…” Jian Yao looks towards the entrance of the warehouse, the place where Bo Jinyan might appear. How could an angel break my heart? Jinyan, how can I let you die? …… Please…. kill me, so you can live. Finally, after a long silence, she hears the noise of someone opening the door. “Dong..” The door is pushed open. Then footsteps that are evenly paced, steady and familiar come closer and closer towards her. Jian Yao’s eyes are filled with tears. She has mixed feelings inside of her: pain, sadness, happiness, numbness… all tangled together in her heart. Soon, a person appears in the light. A tall slim man wearing a cap that covers most of his face. Jian Yao’s heart tightens as his face becomes clearer and clearer in the light. Finally, he is standing in front of her. He takes his cap off, lifts his head and looks at her. Jian Yao’s world has come to a halt. Time, space, sound, light…. everything fades into an empty background. The man of her dreams is standing before her. He is wearing a thick black coat, with a clean white shirt inside. No tie. He looks at her with those bright dark eyes. Yet, his gaze is cold and distant. No warmth. No love. Jian Yao: “Jinyan, there is a bomb.” - Please, make the right choice. To be able to see you one last time… I have no regrets.

Unexpectedly, she hears two laughs simultaneously after she speaks. One is from Xie Han, coming through the speakers. The other, from the Bo Jinyan standing in front of her. He walks towards her, with a mocking and cold smile: “You don’t trust me?” He looks at Jian Yao when he says this, but of course, he is talking to Xie Han. Xie Han replies: “Finally, we will be seeing each other face to face for the first time. I have a present for you. It’s time to show your sincerity for cooperation.” Bo Jinyan stands about two steps away from Jian Yao. He looks at the chains that are binding her. “That’s fair.” He says to Xie Han: “Where will we meet after I kill her?” Xie Han: “I will let you know later.” “OK.” Bo Jinyan looks at Jian Yao again. They are so close that she can smell his familiar masculine scent. The same handsome face. Those cold and arrogant stares. He still looks like her Bo Jinyan, but the coarse voice that is filled with hostility reminds her of Tommy, and the cynical smile on his face is not dissimilar to what Xie Han always has on his face. “Ah…” She gasps as Bo Jinyan squeezes her chin. His strength is much stronger than usual. His finger nails digs into her skin. She can’t believe it. It’s not possible… Has he really…. really…. Is this Allen? Her Bo Jinyan, her Simon, is trapped in darkness forever? She can’t see them again? She can’t believe him anymore? Is she going to die in his hand? In the hands of the evil soul that shares his same body? No! Jinyan! Jinyan! She subconsciously bites his finger. Soon, the smell and taste of blood fills her mouth. The man is angered. He uses his other hand to pull her hair. A sharp pain comes over her, and now she can’t move. Jian Yao stares at him, with tears on her face. But there is no hesitation in him. Not pity, only the look of disgust on his face.

“Oh…. Simon’s woman.” He speaks with that coarse voice again: “Pity I have to kill you before getting a taste of you.” Then he takes out a gun and points it to her head. Jian Yao’s body has lost all strength. She slowly closes her eyes. She can feel his breath on her face. She can hear the ‘click’ sound as he releases the safety latch of the gun. Farewell, Jinyan. Goodbye, mother. I am going to die here today. I will not wake up to see you again. But I will never…. forget you. On the screens, Xie Han eagerly waits as he looks at the images of the couple in the warehouse. He feels as if his blood is starting to boil with excitement. He waits patiently. He is waiting for a complete, perfect Allen to come to him. Then Bo Jinyan lowers his head. He bites Jian Yao’s lips. Xie Han is surprised. But then he starts to laugh. Because Bo Jinyan is looking at Jian Yao like she is his prey. The kiss is rough and barbaric. Jian Yao’s lips are bleeding from his bite. And the look on Jian Yao’s face is pityful. It is a combination of desolation, sadness, and anger. It’s understandable that Allen has desires for her too. If she isn’t the final test for Allen’s allegiance, Xie Han will not mind if Allen kept her as a toy. So, if he wants to indulge himself for a while before killing her, he has no objections. Xie Han looks at the screen. Bo Jinyan continues to kiss her forcefully. His hands are all over her body, squeezing and groping as he pleases, without any respect for her. But… there is a certain feeling of familiarity. Jian Yao thinks to herself. Bo Jinyan… Simon, once kissed her like this. When was that again? In Lin Yi Yang’s villa by the sea, when they were discussing about whether a person can differentiate a person from their kisses. At the time, he was imitating someone else and kissed her in a way that is not in his usual style. What happened after that?

As he finished his kiss, his tongue curled at the tips, then licked her from bottom to top. This is Bo Jinyan’s subconscious little habit. Based on this, Jian Yao won the argument. Their conclusion is … from a kiss, one can judge whether it’s from the same person. ………… Hope returns to Jian Yao. She waits till the end of the kiss…. She tenses up as she waits for the answer… He bites her again, the pain is spreading to the rest of her body. When he is finally satisfied, he releases her tongue and steps backwards. As his tongue is about to leave her mouth… He pauses. Then, his tongue curls at the tips, then slowly licks her from bottom to top. …… —————— On the same day. Five hours ago. In the hospital. Fu Ziyu is feeling marginally better. He can’t sleep, so he asks an officer to help him onto a wheelchair so that he can go to Anam’s room. There are a few officers guarding the door. The room is completely closed up. You can’t see through the rectangular glass panel on the door. The officer pushes him into the room. The first thing Fu Ziyu notices is that there is no one in bed. All the bed linen is neatly folded on the bed, Then he went through another door into a bigger room that looks like an office. There are more than ten IT specialists there, in front of a few computer monitors. Anam is sitting in the center, giving instructions to them. He looks calm and well. There is not a trace of illness in him. Fu Ziyu sits quietly. He doesn’t want to interrupt them. One of the officers makes a comment: “The escape… the plan was perfect. Professor Bo has the potential to be a top class criminal.” Everyone laughs. Fu Ziyu answers: “No, He can never be a top class criminal.” Because of his words, everyone recalls the ‘battle’ on the day. Mixed feelings come upon them, they quiet down again.

Anam suddenly thinks of something else. He turns to Fu Ziyu and asks him: “The day you talked to Professor Bo….Why did you cry?” It’s a question that’s been in his heart since he saw the incident. He does not care if it is appropriate to ask the question. He just wants to know the answer. Fu Ziyu pauses for a while, then he answers: “Because I heard so called ‘Allen’s voice,” The last time he heard this voice was when Bo Jinyan was rescued from the cellar of Flower Cannibal Tommy. Bo Jinyan almost lost his life then. When he woke up after being in a coma for days, that’s how he sounded like. “Your voice…” Fu Ziyu asked him then. He simply answered: “While Tommy was away, I had a fever, and deliberately damaged my vocal cords.” Infection, Inflammation, pain… He allowed his condition to worsen so that he could use the different voice to pretend to be another personality. At the time, he was at risk of permanently damaging his vocal cords. Even though he did eventually recover from it, there was some irreversible damage done to his vocal cords. Bo Jinyan would not have told Jian Yao about this. Because if she knew about this, she would have been heartbroken. So when he was on the phone with Bo Jinyan, he recognised the voice straight away, and he knew how much pain Bo Jinyan went through to get the voice again. As his best friend, he instantly understood his plan - to pretend to be Allen so he can get near to Xie Han. He sacrificed his reputation, and put himself on the line…. it’s a risky move. He might end up with nothing. His best friend. A lonely and arrogant man, willing to give up everything he has, for the woman he loves. That’s why he couldn’t hold back the tears. ……… Fu Ziyu asks Anam: “So, how’s the progress?”

Anam replies calmly: “Everything is going according to his plan. Soon, the two of them will return safely.”

Chapter 82 Xie Han looks at the screen with a smile on his face. He sees a ‘beautiful’ picture - A man has complete control over the woman. He is kissing her and his hands are all over her body. But the woman is like a petrified little bird, with no means of escaping from him. The kiss is a short one. The man licks the blood on his upper lips. He steps back, and points his gun at her temple. “Bye Jenny.” He says in a coarse and excited voice. Jian Yao closes her eyes. Her body is shivering. She tightens her fists, and grabs on to the chains… “Pang!” A clean shot. Bo Jinyan gives a mocking smile and puts his gun back in his pocket. He turns around, lifts his head and looks into one of the cameras. Behind him, Xie Han can see Jian Yao’s body. Her whole body is flopping down. There is a blood hole in her left temple. Obviously, the bullet went through her head. “Oh…” Xie Han’s smile deepens. He is so excited his hands is grabbing on to the corner of the table. Allen. There’s no doubt about it. What a perfect test. What a beautiful death! Bo Jinyan says with an insolent tone: ”Hey, puppet, where are we meeting?” He ridicules Xie Han by calling him a puppet. It’s his way of telling Xie Han he thinks this test is childish and pathetic. But Xie Han doesn’t mind at all. He leans back on his chair: “There’s a car in the garage. Drive it out. I have set the destination inside its GPS navigation system.” “Ok.’ Bo Jinyan puts the cap back on his head, then he lifts his head to look into the camera again: “This woman, leave her here. I’ll come back for her body.” Xie Han laughs: “Ok. Ok. She is all yours.” Bo Jinyan quickly leaves the undergound warehouse. Xie Han sits at the table and looks at the screens. The place is so quiet. There is no sound or movement at all, except for the blood on Jian Yao’s forehead, dripping down onto the ground. A drop at a time, like a poignant but bright picture.”

Xie Han can’t wait for Bo Jinyan to arrive. He has no interest left in Jian Yao. He switches off the screens and walks out of the study. ————— Two hours later. In the State hospital. Jian Yao slowly opens her eyes. The first thing she sees is an unfamiliar ceiling. Drapes that are light blue in colour blocks the sun rays from coming through the window. She is lying on a bed. She is wearing a clean set of clothes, with IV drip attached to her. Beside her bed, a nice looking man wearing hospital clothes is sitting in a wheelchair. He looks thinner than a few weeks ago. And there is IV drip attached to his arms too. A wave of relief comes over her. Ziyu. Her head is still heavy, but she slowly sits up. She remembers the horrible underground warehouse where she was kept for the past few weeks, and everything that happened when she was there. It’s over. It’s finally over. ————— After the violent kiss, Bo Jinyan moved his lips away. He stared at her, with his face just centimeters away from her. He didn’t say anything. He put his forefinger over his mouth. It’s a sign to ask her to be quiet. Her heart was pounding. What was he doing? Wouldn’t Xie Han see that? But then a strange thing happened. She could hear from Xie Han’s voice from the loudspeaker. He gave an approving “Oh..” sound. She was confused. Bo Jinyan then lower his head again, put his hand around her waist and kissed her. It’s a different kiss from the one he just gave her. There’s still the smell of blood in both their breaths. He gently touched her chin, which was a little bruised from his much rougher squeeze earlier. He kissed her silently, softly, steadily, in a manner that is familiar to her. His hand tightened around her waist, as if he wanted her to merge into his body.

Tears were flowing down her cheeks. Soon, he let go of her. His fingers wiped away her tears gently. Then he moved back a few steps. Their eyes met. Jian Yao bit her lower lips to stop herself from making any sound. He took a last look at her, and looked towards the camera: “Hey, Puppet, where are we meeting?” ————Soon, Bo Jinyan left her again. She was still hanging by the chains in the warehouse. But she guessed what just happened. Bo Jinyan must have asked Anam to change the images which Xie Han saw on his screen. Xie Han would think that she is dead, and completely believe Bo Jinyan is Allen. She thought she was going to die. But once again, it’s only a plan. Bo Jinyan had everything under control! But she was still worried for him. Bo Jinyan was on his way to see Xie Han. Why did he go alone? After a while, she could hear someone coming into the warehouse. It’s a few FBI agents. They quietly entered the room. Jian Yao gave them a signal to keep quiet. They then splited themselves into two teams. The first team looked everywhere for video cameras and microphones and made sure they covered them with some sort of metallic cover. The second team came to Jian Yao, to free her. Then they put her onto a stretcher. The whole operation was swift and fast. Soon, Jian Yao was carried to ground level. She saw sunlight for the first time in weeks. It was too bright for her. She lifted her hand to block the brightness. Tears flows down her face uncontrollably. Once she was on the ambulance, one of the female agents assured her: “Miss Jian Yao, you are safe now.” Jian Yao asked immediately: “What about Bo Jinyan? Is he going to see Xie Han alone?” The agent did not answer her. Then the medic came over and started to check her vital signs and examined the wounds on her body. Jian Yao had a high temperature. She was exhausted from the ordeal, soon she dozed off. ——————In the hospital room. Perhaps it’s her movement that woke Fu Ziyu, he immediately looks up. They look into each others’ eyes. Perhaps it’s because they both had a near death experience, they just quietly gazes at each other. At this moment, no words are necessary. They smile at one another.

Fu Ziyu stretches his arms open, and gives her a hug. “Where is Bo Jinyan?” Jian Yao asks him. Fu Ziyu pauses, then he answers: ”He’s probably arrived Xie Han’s estate by now. That’s his lair.” Jian Yao’s eyes widen slightly. She asks: “What is his plan?” If Bo Jinyan does not have split personality, then all the crisis, betrayal, drama… it’s all part of a trap he’s set for Xie Han. But Bo Jinyan… how did you manage to achieve all that? And what is the next step? What are you planning to do? Fu Ziyu laughs: “It’s a long story. It’s a sophisticated plan. So many people got involved. But it’s worth it. We saved you. Don’t worry, he will be okay. Let me bring you to a place, and you will understand.” Jian Yao relaxes a little after hearing what Fu Ziyu- said. Fu Ziyu is confined to a wheelchair, but Jian Yao is okay to walk by herself. One of the agents pushes Fu Ziyu’s wheelchair. The three of them goes to Anam’s hospital room. The afternoon sun shines through the windows in the corridor. Jian Yao looks out and sees the sky. She thinks about the underground prison she was trapped for a few weeks. It’s only been a few hours since she is freed. But what a difference. Fu Ziyu takes out a plastic bag from his pocket and passes it to Jian Yao: “I am returning it to the owner.” Jian Yao takes it. She stops walking. It’s her ‘suicide note’. Xie Han sent it to the TV station. Now it’s back in her hands. She looks at it. It’s been neatly and carefully folded, and well preserved. Someone circled three of the sentences she wrote. The first line is “…to be someone like my father.” The second line is “first time we held hands? …You said I was tickling you.” The last line is: “I’ve met my parent’s expectations. I became someone they wanted me to be.” Jian Yao is pleased in her heart. He understood the clues. He deciphered them correctly.

On the day when they received the letter, everyone was very sad and touched. They couldn’t imagine how wretched Bo Jinyan would be reading a letter like that. But after the initlal shock, Bo Jinyan quickly pointed out the clues Jian Yao left him: “Someone like her father - a police. She…” He paused: “that time she tickled me.. we weren’t holding hands. She couldn’t have remembered incorrectly. That’s the Killer Machine case. And lastly, her mother doesn’t want her to become a police. So she is trying to tell us, that Xie Han disguised as an officer in the Killer Machine case.” Then he continues: “He can’t be a sworn officer. I work with all of them very closely. Perhaps a community police , because a lot of community police helped in that particular case…. “ He suddenly stops, his eyes widens: “I think I know who he is.” …….. Now they have a drawing of Xie Han. Anam almost hacked all the relevant surveillance sites he could in China, Hong Kong and the US. He found many footage of him… He frequently attends a university lecture in B city; he visited a lot of famous tourist attractions in Jian Yao’s hometown; he lived as a low profile millionaire in Hong Kong. They found records of his properties. He even has a house in the suburb that Jian Yao and Bo Jinyan lives in. He was so close to them, lurking around in their neighbourhood. His latest appearance was on the day Bo Jinyan escaped on his way to the hospital. The CCTV from a building a few streets away had images of him walking down a flight of the stairs. He must have a place somewhere inside the building, and used it as a base to monitor Bo Jinyan. From that image, they traced back some earlier CCTV footages, and they were able to find the villa which Jian Yao is imprisoned, and from there, they also detected the bombs that’s buried underneath the villa. Bo Jinyan knew Xie Han well enough. If the police tried to rescue Jian Yao forcefully, Xie Han would detonate the bomb. Therefore, he decided to stick with the original plan. He would disguise as Allen and find Xie Han. ……… “Thanks to your letter, we were able to track him down much more quickly than we expected.” Fu Ziyu said: “Jinyan kept this letter with him every day. He only passed it to me this morning to safeguard it for him.” Jian Yao’s heart hurts when she heard that. She carefully folds the letter and puts it in her pocket. —————‘Anam’ hospital room is the control centre for this operation. The curtains are closed. Ten or so computers are set up, with technical staff working attentively behind

the computer screens. Anam is the leader for the technical team. There are also a number of FBI agents in the room. Jian Yao looks at the first computer screen. There are two pictures on the screen. Each taking half of the screen. The background of both is the same - the warehouse that she was imprisoned. On the left hand side, the warehouse is empty. The chains that once bounded her were cut and hanging down to the ground. On the right hand side, a woman is still in the warehouse. Her left temple has blood hole, the result of a gunshot. And on the floor, there is a pool of blood. Jian Yao asks: “This is…” Anam hears her voice. He turns around, smiles at Jian Yao and says: “Samuel did it.” An Afro-American with a FBI vest that is sitting two seats next to him gives Jian Yao a victory hand signal. Jian Yao fully understands now. They have hacked into Xie Han’s system. So what he saw on his screen is not what’s really happening. Even though she doesn’t know how it could be done, she is amazed by their talents and skills. Jian Yao and Fu Ziyu sits in front of a different computer screen. The images show the views through a front windscreen of a car. They can hear the breathing sound of a man. The images show that the man has arrived at an estate in the woods. There is a white mansion inside the estate.

These are images from a pinhole camera attached to Bo Jinyan. Through this camera and a small listening device they’ve put on Bo Jinyan, they are able to see and hear what he is seeing and hearing too. An agent explains: “Although we have worked out the GPS location of the estate, we believe there are over ten hostages kept in this property.” “We will need time to come up with a rescue plan, and how to bypass the security system.“ Another agent continues: “So, we need Simon to distract him to buy us some time. But don’t worry, we have troops scattered around the area, ready to attack if we need to. They only need two minutes to get Simon to safety.” Jian Yao nods and looks at the screen again. Still… he’s put his life on the line again, so he can save the other victims. Bo Jinyan has entered the estate. He stops the gate. There are several guards with machine guns standing there. Obviously, instructions have been given to them to let Bo Jinyan in. They take a look at him and wave him to continue.

The car drives through the gardens and stops next a flower bed in the middle of the gardens. Bo Jinyan opens the car door and steps outside. He looks around, and ignores the number of guards that are standing not far from him. They are all armed with guns. Then, a tall man that is standing at the entrance of the white mansion slowly walks towards him. He is wearing a simple white shirt and trousers. He’s obviously just tidied his appearance. He welcomes Bo Jinyan with a smile. Bo Jinyan smiles back at him. “Hi.” “Hi.”

Chapter 83 5pm. The golden rays of the sunset shine through the window. Under the crystal Chandelier, two men are sitting at a dining table. One on each end. They are having dinner. “What are your plans?” asks Xie Han. Bo Jinyan glances at him: “What do you think of Russia?” Xie Han smiles: “I like it. The heaven for drugs and weapons. Let’s go to Russia together.” It’s decided. They raise their glass. “To Russia.” “To Russia.” They have just finished their entree of smoked salmon. The servants dish up their main course. Xie Han adjusts his napkin and watches Bo Jinyan’s reaction. A plate with a medium cooked steak appears before Bo Jinyan. Bo Jinyan flashes a sarcastic smile, then he leisurely picks up his knife and fork. As he cuts the steak into small pieces, the juice flowed out from the steak shows streaks of blood. He picks up a small piece with his fork and puts it in his mouth. Xie Han looks with approval. Soon, Bo Jinyan has finished his beef. Salad and dessert is served next. Xie Han stands up. He walks over to Bo Jinyan: “I’ve had enough to eat. Please excuse me. I will give you a tour of the mansion tonight. When you finish your meal, one of the servants will show you to your room.” Bo Jinyan is about to put a slice of cake into his mouth. He does not even look at Xie Han: “Ok.” As Xie Han is about to leave, suddenly, he notices from the corners of his eyes, that a force is coming at him. He tries to defend but it’s too late. There is something poking his throat. Bo Jinyan has grabbed Xie Han by his collar with one hand. And he is holding a fork by Xie Han’s throat with his other hand. Their eyes meet. Bo Jinyan is not smiling. He has a look of disgust on his face. A few minutes later.

“No more pathetic tests.” Bo Jinyan lets go of him. He sits down and says: “My patience is running out.” Xie Han’s throat is a little red and painful from the poke. But he is not angry. He laughs: “Ok. Ok. I am not trying to test you. I just want to see you eat some red meat.” Bo Jinyan pays no heed to his words. Xie Han waves his hand. A few red laser dots on Bo Jinyan’s body disappears. The snipers who are pointing their guns at Bo Jinyan relaxes. ——————Night. In Anam’s hospital room. It’s almost midnight. But nobody intends to go to bed any time soon. All the IT specialists are sitting at their desk. The FBI agents and a rep from the army are gathered around a map, discussing the plan of attack. Fu Ziyu is still very weak. His doctor orders him to get some rest. He has no choice but be wheel-chaired back to his room. But Jian Yao wants to keep up with the latest progress. She insists to stay on. But she is tired too. Soon she doses off in her chair. But after a short rest, she wakes up and immediately checks the screen. It’s a view of a ceiling in a dark room. It is Bo Jinyan’s bedroom. He is lying in bed, wide awake. They can hear his breathing. Every now and then, he turns his body, or sits up to drink some water. After dinner, Xie Han showed him around the estate. He invited Bo Jinyan to his underground cellar to view some of his prized booties/body parts taken from his victims. He also showed him some people that he’s kidnapped and kept in cells. Bo Jinyan did a quick count. There were more than ten people imprisoned, including Yin Ziqi’s fiancé, Lin Yi Yang. He looked pale and terrified. He had lost a lot of weight since Bo Jinyan last saw him. He was surprised to see Bo Jinyan there. But he was too afraid to ask any questions. Xie Han said: “We’ll have some fun tomorrow.” Bo Jinyan smiled: “Sure.” It was a ‘pleasant’ conversation. They didn’t say very much, but they seemed to understand what’s in each other’s minds. When they reached Bo Jinyan's bedroom, Xie Han made sure he was happy with the room before he said goodnight and left. And Bo Jinyan remained calm at all times. He took a shower, then got changed and lie down on the bed. He has a little microphone in his ear, which means he can hear what’s going on in Anam’s room. But he can’t speak. Because he is sure the room is wired.

Although Jian Yao can’t see Bo Jinyan, she can see what he is seeing. Her heart follows his every move. She is concerned for his safety. Even though the army and the FBIs have surrounded the estate, it only takes a few seconds for Xie Han to kill him if he wants to. One of the FBI agent in Anam’s room walks over to Jian Yao. He is in charge of ground operation for this case, a Caucasian in his forties. Jian Yao smiles at him. He looks like a considerate and sincere man: “Jenny, we commend you for your bravery and wisdom. How are you feeling?” Jian Yao smiles: “I am fine. Thank you. I want to thank you too. It’s a risky plan and the FBI has put a lot of effort into this operation.” In fact, so many people are involved in this operation - the media, FBI, the army, Maryland University criminal psychologist… Everyone is cooperating with Bo Jinyan in setting up this trap for Xie Han. This is why Jian Yao almost believed the existence of Bo Jinyan’s split personality. This lie is too grand. It’s so ‘ridiculous’ that it’s hard not to believe. The FBI agent laughs, He says seriously: “Simon has given a lot for our country. We have great respect for him. And Xie Han is a cunning and cruel criminal. We cannot afford to let him slip. Therefore, we have no reason to refuse Professor Bo’s requests.” ————A few hours later, Anam comes to her. This genius hasn’t slept for days. He looks tired. He quietly walks up to her, and takes a seat beside her. He puts something on the table that looks like a walkie talkie. “He can hear you if you speak into this. Just press the red button when you speak.” Then he leaves and walks back to his seat. Jian Yao looks appreciatively at Anam. She picks up the device. “Hi, Jinyan.” She speaks with a soft low voice. Everyone in the room can hear their conversation. They all smile. Some of them turn around and look at her. Jian Yao is not paying any attention to the rest of the people in the room. She is just staring at the screen. About one second later, Bo Jinyan lifts his hand and touches his nose. It’s a sign he’s heard her.

She feels both happy and sad at the same time. But more than that, she really misses him. A feeling that words alone cannot convey. She pauses for a while, then all she can say is a simple phrase of encouragement: “You can do it. I believe in you.” Everything has come to a stand still. No one says a word. After a while, Bo Jinyan gets out of bed and switches on the light. He walks to the bathroom. He stands in front of the mirror, and stare at his own image… … to stare at her. He wants her to see him. Jian Yao looks at his handsome face. Then he bends down, splashes some water over his face and dries it with a towel. Then he looks into the mirror again, and gives a faint smile. ——————After their ‘greeting’, Jian Yao relaxed a bit. An FBI agent escorted her back to her room to rest. She asked the nurse to wake her up in a few hours. But when the time came, Fu Ziyu told the nurse it’s not necessary, that Jian Yao needed the rest. If Bo Jinyan was there, that’ what he will do! Rest well, Jian Yao. When you wake up, he will be back. —————— In the control room. They are ready for action. All the agents, officers and Anam etc are doing their final briefing. “5:20am.” says the agent. “Simon, in fifteen minutes, we will start our attack. The helicopter will come and bring you out.” Bo Jinyan is awake. He stands on the balcony, looking out to the surrounding woods and forests. He uses his finger to tap the marble table top his hand is resting on. He’s survived the night. He looks at his watch: 5:26am. He walks back into the room and takes a sip of water. “Knock… knock…” A strong tap on the door. Everyone in the control room tenses up. They don’t expect Xie Han to wake up so early in the morning.

Someone suggests: “Perhaps we should start our attack sooner.” The chief in command keeps silent. Bo Jinyan opens the door. Xie Han is standing outside his room in a white track suit. He leans against the wall and smiles at him: “Early bird catches the worm. I am about to go for my morning exercise. I’m sure you will be interested.” Bo Jinyan smiles. ——————— They are on the roof of the mansion. It’s an observation deck. Standing on the deck, Bo Jinyan has an unbroken 360 degrees view of an entire surrounding area - the meadows, the gentle slopes of the nearby hills, the forests… There are two sniper rifles strapped on the edge of a corner on the observation deck. Xie Han’s five body guards are standing not too far away from them, at a distance of around fifteen metres. Xie Han picks up one of the rifles, he aims it to the ground, then turns his head towards Bo Jinyan: “L115A3. It’s my favourite.” Bo Jinyan takes up the other rifle. He looks through the scope and says to Xie Han: “Yes, it’s my favourite rifle too.” He glances at his watch. 5:32am. Two more minutes till the attack. ……. The chief in command asks Anam: “Have we penetrated his security system yet?” Anam smiles and adjusts his glasses: “Yes, of course.” “Ok.” Chef in command orders: “No change to the original plan. We will attack in two minutes. Hunter no.1 Fighter Jet will assist Simon.” ………

Bo Jinyan hears everything that’s said in Anam’s room. But there is no change whatsoever in his facial expressions. He aims at a patch of grass. Suddenly he remembers Jian Yao. Soon. My lady. I will be back by your side. “Choose your target.” He hears Xie Han’s voice. He takes his eyes away from the scope and looks towards the ground. Xie Han has ‘released’ his prisoners. From a distance, they look like ants crawling around.

Obviously, Xie Han wants to use them as living targets. It’s a hunting game, using humans as their preys. From Xie Han’s expression, Bo Jinyan knows it’s not the first time he has played this game. Bo Jinyan looks at the ragged prisoners, he curls the edge of his lips: “Oh…. it’s too easy.” Xie Han’s face glows with joy. Then they hear a few gun shots, and the laughter of a few man from somewhere that’s below the observation deck. Then all the prisoners panics and starts running. “Is this… more fun?” Xie Han asks. Bo Jinyan looks at him: “Well, I’ll give it a try. If you don’t mind, I would like to make the first shot.” “Be my guest.” Bo Jinyan bends down. His eyes look through the scope once again. At the same time, he quickly glances at his watch. Ten seconds to go. Since Anam has penetrated Xie Han’s security system, the army is already hiding within the grounds of the estate, He counts in his mind: “10, 9 , 8 …. 3, 2, 1!” Engine sound. The engine sound becomes louder and louder. Then they hear the sound and feel the movement of a whistling wind beneath them. In a spit second, Bo Jinyan turns towards Xie Han and points his rifle in front of Xie Han’s heart. But once Xie Han heard the whistling wind, he instinctually draws out a gun and points it at Bo Jinyan. Their eyes meet. In close range. Two men, Two guns. Bo Jinyan’s gun is pointing at Xie Han’s heart. And Xie Han’s gun is pointing at Bo Jinyan’s forehead. Xie Han’s body guards were initially shocked by what’s happened. Then they quickly point their guns at Bo Jinyan. One of them shouts at Bo Jinyan: “Drop your gun.” Then they heard some gun shots on ground level.

Bo Jinyan looks coldly at Xie Han. Xie Han’s mouth curves into an ironic smile. Suddenly, he realises things are not quite going his way anymore. “Oh shit!” He mutters. Then Bo Jinyan hears a voice speak to him from the control room: “ Simon, get down!” He ducks down immediately. At the same time, Xie Han pulls his trigger. The bullet misses Bo Jinyan’s throat by centimetres. A helicopter hovers above them. There is a row of machine guns attached to it. The pilot fires at all those who are standing on the observation deck. Smoke is everywhere. The body guards are shot. They fall onto the ground. Xie Han sensed something was wrong so he followed Bo Jinyan’s lead to duck down, but he was still a fraction too slow. His right leg is shot. Blood gushes out of the wound. Bo Jinyan wastes no time. He tries to shoot Xie Han! But Xie Han is well trained. He manages to hide behind a table that is turned sideways. He tries to make his way to the stairs. If he can get downstairs quickly, he can run to the lift that takes him to his room, where there is a secret tunnel that he can use to escape. Yet, he is not fast enough. A second helicopter comes up from behind. Another row of machine guns are pointing straight at him. At the same time, a few soldiers from the army have come up to the observation deck and surrounds him. Bo Jinyan stands up. He shakes off the dusk on his clothes. He looks at Xie Han. There is no way he can escape now. Xie Han’s face is pale. But he also looks relaxed. “Put down your gun. Kneel down.” says one of the FBI agents. He throws his gun away and reaches both hands to touch the back of his head. But he didn’t kneel down like the agent asked him to. Instead, he turns around and faces Bo Jinyan. He starts to laugh. “Simon. Simon, Simon - You don’t understand, do you? You give yourself to save these foolish and mediocre people. But do they understand you? You choose a lonely path, and a foolish way to live.” He is slowly stepping backwards, closer and closer to the edge of the deck. One of the agents asks Bo Jinyan if they should shoot Xie Han. Bo Jinyan slowly shakes his head.

“Simon. I will die here today. But in the same way, your life also ends here.” He seems to have resumed his usual composure: “You didn’t win. We will meet again in hell… my Bo Jinyan.” He then jumps off the edge. Everyone runs towards the edge. They see a body falling in mid air, like a rock sinking to the bottom of the ocean, like a leaf flowing through the air towards the ground… “Pang..” Suddenly, there is a huge explosion. His body becomes a fireball. Then all they see are ashes flying in the air and dripping like rain onto the ground. No one speaks. Xie Han strapped a bomb to his body. Like Bo Jinyan said before, he will not allow himself to be captured. Before his death, he turned himself into a ball of ash. The officers and agents behind him continue with their rescue plan. The morning sun is shining. There is a golden glow over the estate. Bo Jinyan looks around. The agents have reached the victims and are helping them to the ambulances.

He turns around, and boards the helicopter that is waiting to bring him to the hospital, where Jian Yao is waiting.

Chapter 84 This is the first time Jian Yao managed to sleep for so many hours in weeks. She is not imprisoned by Xie Han anymore. There’s no blinding white light. No drugs and hallucination. No footsteps or Xie Han’s voice appearing suddenly. However, her mind is still too unsettled for a good sleep. In her dream, she was walking alone, searching. She didn’t know what she was looking for, but there was a strong desire in her mind. When she finally opens her eyes, she understands why she is so anxious - even in her sleep. She immediately calls for a nurse to accompany her to Anam’s room. She looks at the clock on the wall. It’s 10:00am. She quickly washes up. She stands in front of the mirror and splashes some water over her face. Then she looks up and stares at herself in the mirror. She is still weak and pale. And her heart is filled with concern for the man she loves dearly. Soon, she hears someone opening her room door from behind her. She is drying her face with a towel. She quickly says: “I won’t be long. Please accompany me to Anam’s hospital room.” Jiao Yao hears a ‘pang’ sound. The person has closed the door. Then she hears footsteps coming towards her. Her body stiffens. Before she can turn around, there’s a pair of arms around her waist. He holds her from behind, and pulls her into his embrace. Jian Yao gasps. She quickly turns around and put her hands around his neck. A familiar scent surrounds her. He still has his big black coat on. It has a faint smell of gunpowder. His short thick black hair… The handsome but cool look on his face… She looks at him. He is also staring at her. All the stress and pain that’s built up over the past weeks starts to melt away. She is ecstatic to see him. “Jinyan… Jinyan…” She subconsciously repeats his name. This is real. It is not a dream. She reassures herself by saying his name, again and again. He is back, and she is safe. They are finally together again. Bo Jinyan lowers his head and kisses her. She belongs to him. He can hear her every breath, and her every sob. He holds her in his arm. The room is quiet and still, except for the digital display on the medical monitoring equipment that is beside the bed. He is holding her so close it’s like their bodies are welded together.

She can feel his cold and gentle breaths. She closes her eyes as they kiss. But Bo Jinyan keeps his eyes open. He refuses to miss any opportunity that he can look at her face. Then he notices the red marks on her neck, and the bruises on her arms which are under her sleeves. He lets go of her. Jian Yao is lost in his tender kisses. She slowly opens her eyes and looks at him. He moves his hand and carries her to the bed. “I have slept for a long time.” She says softly. “You need more rest.” He says and sits down on the bed beside her. He gently glides his fingers over the bruises and marks, then his hand returns to touch her face. “Ah..” Jian Yao lifts her hand to hold his. Bo Jinyan is reluctant to let go of her too. He takes his coat off and lies down on the bed with her. He carefully pulls her into his arms and kisses her again. Jian Yao doesn’t ask him about Xie Han. She doesn’t ask how Bo Jinyan escaped. And he doesn’t want to tell her. But her heart still aches as she thinks of what he might have gone through, and tears steam down her cheeks. He quietly kisses away her tears. He hears some footsteps coming toward their room. He quickly gets out of bed to lock the door, then he returns to Jian Yao. Warm sun rays shines through the hospital ward windows. His hand clenches hers, and with his arm supporting his body weight, he climbs up on top of her. He kisses her hair, then her forehead, nose, mouth, neck, her every finger… gently and slowly, moving an inch at a time. Jian Yao can’t stop herself crying. But she can’t stop the smile on her face either. Bo Jinyan’s touch has sooth any remaining fear and doubt that is in her mind. Everything is back to its original place. There is no need to fear anymore. All the dark and painful memories are wiped away by the assurance of his love. They are completely lost in one other’s presence. ———— When twilight comes, Fu Ziyu can’t wait any longer. Bo Jinyan went straight into Jian Yao’s room. He didn’t talk to anyone along the way, didn’t stop by Anam’s room, didn’t even get check by the doctor after his showdown with Xie Han… The FBI is still waiting to talk to him. Fu Ziyu is wheel chaired to Jian Yao’s room. He asks the other agents to leave first, then he takes out a key to open the door. He is a little surprised that the room is so quiet. He sees the two of them squeezing in the single hospital bed. They are lying sideways, facing and embracing each other, like two kids try to keep warm by hugging together. Bo Jinyan is a big tall man, he takes up most of the bed. Jian Yao curls up and tugs herself in his arms.

He looks at them for a while, then he quietly closes the door. He smiles. What’s the hurry? Let them enjoy each other’s company for a while, without any interruptions from the outside world. —————— Jian Yao is woken up when Fu Ziyu closes the door. She opens the eyes and finds Bo Jinyan looking at her. He is aware too. She looks at the clock on the wall. They have been sleeping in that position for the whole afternoon. Jian Yao moves her head to touch his chest. Bo Jinyan looks at her. His heart has a familiar congested feeling. He first felt this on the first day of her disappearance. It’s something that is very foreign to him. He’s never felt this way in his life. Bo Jinyan slowly realised what it is. Whenever he feels Jian Yao is in pain, or unhappy, he has this congested feeling. It’s a natural response. It’s because your heart aches when you see or sense the person you love is going through rough times. “Aren’t they waiting for you?” Jian Yao asks him: “Perhaps you should see them first?” Bo Jinyan tightens his arms around her: “My work is done. We have rescued all the prisoners. Surely they can tell how important you are to me? My priority is to be with you.” Jian Yao laughs. After a while, she touches his neck and asks softly: “Your voice… can it be restored?” Bo Jinyan looks at her. He knows her heart aches for him. So he lied: “Of course.” Jian Yao is relieved. But then she hears him say: “But I don’t intend to restore it.” Jian Yao: “…. why?” He glances at her: “Don’t you think this voice is more attractive?” —————One month later. In the B City airport. The New Year is only a few days away. The airport is packed with people, ready to leave or arrive at B City to spend the holidays with their families. Bo Jinyan has his arm around Jian Yao’s waist. Fu Ziyu and Anam follow behind them. They are pushing the luggage and giving the loving couple plenty of private space. Yin Ziqi and Lin Yi Yang are reunited in America. They will be spending their New Year together in the US.

Jian Yao sees three familiar faces once she steps outside the customs area. She is so excited. She leaves Bo Jinyan’s arms and runs up to greet them. “Mom, Xiao Xuan, Xunran!” She wraps her hands around her sister and her mom. Li Xunran stands by their side. She looks at him. He smiles back. Bo Jinyan and the others join the crowd. They greet one another. Then the men look at the three ladies who are still crying and cuddling. Jian Yao is overjoyed to see her mother and her sister. At one stage, she thought they’d never meet again. She is the least teary of the three. Jian Yao’s mom looks at her daughter, who’s obviously lost weight through the ordeal. She holds her daughter’s hand and ask where she was hurt and why was she kidnapped etc. Jian Yao tries to play it down and gloss over the details. She just reassures her mom that everything is fine now. But the questions inevitably bring up some unpleasant memories. Tears fall uncontrollably down Jian Yao’s heart. Bo Jinyan is standing beside her. For the past month, he has only seen her smile. It’s the first time she’s cried so much since their reunion in the hospital. As he sees the tears, the familiar congested feeling in his chest is back again. But he is used to it now. And while it’s slightly frustrating, he is happy that he can feel this way. He has found someone worthy enough for him to care about so much. While his eyes only have room for Jian Yao, Fu Ziyu and Anam are waiting for some interesting ‘drama’. Fu Ziyu has figured out, from his few phone conversations between him and Jian Xuan, that although Jian Yao’s mom likes him very much, she is less approving of Bo Jinyan. But Bo Jinyan wants to be her son in law. And it has never occurred to Bo Jinyan that his future mother in law doesn’t like him. How is that possible? So, when the ladies finally let go of one another, he steps forwards with a smile: “Hi Auntie. Hi Jian Xuan. How are you?” Even though Jian Yao has already told them she is in love with Bo Jinyan, they can’t accept the fact that this strange young genius is going to be their future son/brother in law. “Hello, my great god brother in law.” Jian Xuan quickly greets him. Obviously, this ‘title’ pleases Bo Jinyan. He curls his lips into a wider smile. Jian Yao’s mom looks at her daughter. Then she takes a look at Bo Jinyan, and gives a small sigh in her heart. She nods and says to Bo Jinyan: “Hi. Thank you for looking after Jian Yao. Well, as long as the two of you are happy and well… that’s good.”

Fu Ziyu and Anam are both surprised and disappointed. That’s it? Just one sentence, and she’s given her approval? It’s too easy!! Perhaps, there is a certain blessing to those with low EQ? Not only his girlfriend is so gentle and caring, even her mother is so nice to him?! Jian Yao stands beside Bo Jinyan. She smiles with confidence, as if she already knows her mom will accept Bo Jinyan into the family. Bo Jinyan is oblivious to all these emotions and thoughts. He says to Jian Yao’s mom: “We are perfect for each other. You don’t have not worry at all.” Jian Yao mom’s don’t know how to reply: “… ok… good.” Jian Yao quickly pulls his sleeves to ask him to shut up. The others just smile.

—————— A wise woman anticipates conflicts and takes steps to defuse the situation before it becomes a problem. While Jian Yao was still in the US, she has made several phone calls home to talk the matter over with her mom and her sister. Even though mom is not keen for Jian Yao to find a man that works with law and order, she can tell from the conversations that her daughter loves this man. She knows that Jian Yao is very stubborn when it comes to love and will not abandon this relationship easily. Besides, Jian Yao assured her over and over again that Bo Jinyan’s arch enemy is dead, and they are no longer in any sort of danger. At the end of the day, Jian Yao’s mom just wants her daughter to be happy. She also feels that perhaps it is fate that brought those two together. So, after some persuasion, she agreed. That night, Fu Ziyu and Anam return to their homes in B City. Jian Yao’s family, Bo Jinyan and Li Xunran take another flight back to Tung city. Once they are back in their hometown, Bo Jinyan suddenly remembers Jian Yao has to go home with her mother and sister tonight. Bo Jinyan uses his brain a lot for his line of work. Both the quality and quantity of sleep is very important to him. His usual ‘straight as a log’ sleep posture has long been replaced by ‘cuddling Jian Yao’ sleep posture. He is not enthused at all to have to spend the entire new year holiday sleeping by himself. But he understands Jian Yao has to go home. Jian Yao doesn’t think too much about this issue. She smiles at him and says: “See you tomorrow.” Bo Jinyan answers: “No, I am not used to sleeping by myself anymore. I am sure you feel the same way. So I can go to your house.” Then he turns around to say to Jian Yao’s mom: “Auntie, let’s go.”

All three ladies are stunned. Jian Yao blushes. Even though Jian Yao’s mom suspects they might be already living together in B City, it’s still inappropriate as they are not married yet. She makes a little cough, and looks at Jian Yao. Jian Yao blushes even more. She says to mom: “Mom, why don’t you and Jian Xuan start walking first. I’ll catch up with you soon. I will have a quick word with him.” Jian Xuan gives a little laugh and pulls mom’s hand to start walking. Jian Yao gives Bo Jinyan a disapproving glance: “Be careful of what you say in front of my mom!” That night, Bo Jinyan reluctantly returns to his own house. When Jian Yao gets home, her mother asks: “The two of you are… living together… for a while now. Are you planning to get married?” Jian Yao blushes: “Perhaps in a couple of years.” She is only 24 years old. She is not in a hurry to get married. Besides, as long as they are together, it doesn't matter when they go through the ceremony. When they were in the US, one of the FBI agents asked the same question. Bo Jinyan said at the time: “Soon, I’m planning it now.” Not long after they began their relationship, Bo Jinyan went ahead and ordered the wedding ring and started making plans for the wedding. But because he is such a particular and fussy man, it will probably take him a long time to get the preparations done. So, another two years… that sounds about right. —————On New Years Eve, Bo Jinyan is invited to Jian Yao’s mother and stepfather’s house for lunch. Given Bo Jinyan’s arrogant personality, there’s not much conversation between him and the other family members. However, he is a talented and attractive man, and Jian Yao is there to help smooth any rough patches. So, overall, it is a pleasant meal. After lunch, Jian Yao walks him to the door. He refuses to go. He looks her in the eye: “Are you coming to my house tonight?” Jian Yao blushes, and nods her head. How can she leave him to spend New Year Eve by himself, alone in that big and empty house? They go back to the villa together. Naturally, they head to the bedroom straight away. As everything is behind them now, and there are no cases that’s bothering Bo Jinyan at the moment, he throughly enjoys the time with her. Around 4pm, Jian Yao feels like she’s been in a fight and all her bones are aching. Bo Jinyan, though, maintains a satisfied smile throughout, and mutters: “What a beautiful New Year’s Eve!”

Jian Yao throws a pillow at him: “It’s not even night time yet!” Bo Jinyan looks at her with a smile: “Let’s go fishing.” Jian Yao can’t help by laugh. But then she thinks about the many Christmases and New Years he spent alone, she just wants to satisfy all his wishes. Now that he is satisfied…. in that area, it is natural that he wants to satisfy his hunger too. “Sure.” Jian Yao sits up in the bed: “But it’s quite cold today, I am not sure if we can catch anything.” He replies slowly: “I am sure we will catch something.” After they settle at a spot and cast out the fishing line, Bo Jinyan excuses himself: “I’m going for a walk.” Jian Yao didn’t think too much about it. She is well aware that he has no patience for fishing. She hears his footsteps getting further and further away. She enjoys the peace and quiet. The long rays of the sunset settles on the surface of the water, The buoys lie quietly on the water. She feels contented and peaceful. But as she has predicted. There’s not much fish today. She’s been there for hours, but she only manages to catch two small fish. As the night falls, the temperature drops. A long silver moon is hanging in the blue sky. Jian Yao hears footsteps from behind her. She knows it’s Bo Jinyan coming back. She doesn't turn back, and says to him: “Time to go. Let’s go back and watch the Spring Festival Gala .” (Note from TB: The Spring Festival Gala is a variety show, featuring musical, dance, comedy, and drama performances etc. It is a ritual for many Chinese families to gather in front of the TV to watch it together after their reunion dinner.) Watching the Spring Festival Gala together is like achieving a milestone with him. He used to be so against doing ‘festive stuff’ together. “Jian Yao.” He is standing behind her. A very gentle but formal tone. She is slightly surprised. She puts down the fishing rod and turns around. It’s a scene she doesn't expect to see. Under the moonlight, Bo Jinyan is standing about five steps away from her. He’s changed into a black suit. He’s even put a bright coloured tie on. He looks strikingly handsome. He is holding a bunch of red roses in his hand. His eyes are fixed on her face. Jian Yao’s heart starts to pound. He looks at her with a faint smile.

And in between them, a big tortoise is moving slowly. Yes, it’s Chen Mo. On his back, there is a black velvet box. Jian Yao can see a large sparkly diamond ring inside the box.

Bo Jinyan follows behind Chen Mo. They are slowly walking towards her. But after a couple of steps, Chen Mo stops. He scans with his little eyes the tiny hump that is ahead of him. He tries to go over it but his limps are too short. After a couple of unsuccessful attempts, he decides to give up. He hides his limbs and head back into the shell. Bo Jinyan frowns. He lifts his leg and gently pushes Chen Mo up past the hump. Then he gives him a little kick. It’s a command - keep crawling!! Even though his actions are gentle, Jian Yao feels a little sorry for the poor tortoise. She rushes up and picks up Chen Mo. She complains to Bo Jinyan: “Why did you kick him?” Bo Jinyan stands in front of her. He does not say a word. Jian Yao feels a little uneasy with his gaze, she lowers her head, and looks at Chen Mo and the ring. Against the beautiful backdrop of moonlit river, and the lush meadows around them, Jian Yao feels like she is transported into a different realm, where all she can feel is his unrelenting and tender love for her. “Marry me, Jian Yao.” Marry me, my lovely Jian Yao. The love of my life. The woman who touched my heart. I was once so lonely, drifting through life, all by myself. Until I met you. Tender-hearted. Beautiful. Exceptional. Words alone cannot convey my feelings for you. If I have to summarise it, this is it - I love you, with all my wisdom, and with all that is in me. And I will continue to love you for the rest of my life.

(The end)

Fu Ziyu 1 I just want to be with you. Day after day. Month after month. Year after year. To be by your side. This is my dream from young. I just want to be with you. We will grow old together. You and I. We shall never, never apart. ——————Maryland University. It’s mid-August. The university library is the favourite hangout for nerds to hide from the hot summer sun. Fu Ziyu don’t admit he is a nerd. But this top student from Medical School loves hanging out at the university library. Today, he wants to borrow the new book by the winner of this year’s Nobel prize winner for Medicine. It’s a popular book. He is not the only person looking for it. He finds a few of his fellow classmates at the bookshelf where the book is usually kept. He smiles and greets them: “Hi. Are you looking for the book too?” Even though it’s his first year in his post grad studies, he is a well regarded student. This is because he seems to have virtually all the qualities you want in a man. He is tall, handsome, academically smart, and comes from a good family background. Despite all that, there is not a hint of arrogance in him. He is a very good natured person. Everyone loves him. Amongst all the Asian students, he is the elegant and perfect prince. As for that guy Bo Jinyan from the Criminal Psychology Department? Oh my gosh! Ok, it might be a little mean to call him the cold devil. But he is definitely an unusual and strange character. And at this moment, Fu Ziyu’s classmates are looking at this ‘cool devil’. One of them says: “We found the book. But it’s been borrowed… by the library overlord - Simon Bo.”

Every social circle has a hierarchy. Bo Jinyan is no doubt the overlord of the library. His arrogance, plus the fact that he is a consultant for the FBI means no one wants to mess with him. Bo Jinyan has about twenty books stacked in front of him. The book that the medical school students are after is one of them. Fu Ziyu has been nominated as the representative to negotiate with Bo Jinyan. Their reason is that they are both Chinese and it should be easier for Fu Ziyu to strike up a

conversation with him. And given Fu Ziyu’s reputation in the university, it will be hard for Bo Jinyan to refuse his request. Fu Ziyu has heard a lot about Bo Jinyan but it’s the first time he sees him in person. And it’s the first time he realises how childish Bo Jinyan can be. No one can finish 20 books in one afternoon. But he took many of the most sought after and popular titles and hoards them in his ‘territory’. This is like a kindergarten bully keeping all the toys for himself and won’t let others play with it. Obviously, this nineteen year old genius has a very low EQ. Fu Ziyu walks over and sits opposite him. He smiles and introduces himself: “Hi. I am Fu Ziyu.” He spoke in Chinese. Bo Jinyan lifts his head and takes a glance at him. But he has no expression on his face after he sees Fu Ziyu, it is as if he was he saw nothing. Then he continues to read his book. Everyone is offended on Fu Ziyu’s behalf. How dare him? Bo Jinyan is so rude. But Fu Ziyu didn’t seem to mind. He asks nicely: “If you are not reading this book today, can I borrow it?” Bo Jinyan doesn’t lift his head: “If I don’t intend to read it, why would I borrow it? So that I can gather a crowd to observe me and talk behind my back?” Fu Ziyu is stunned. Because in the short time he sat down beside Bo Jinyan, he noticed that Bo Jinyan does read very quickly. The speed of how fast he turns a page is almost unbelievable. At this speed, he will be able to finish 20 books in one sitting. Fu Ziyu stands up: “Sorry for interrupting you.” Bo Jinyan continues to ignore him. The others are a little disappointed to see him come back empty handed. Fu Ziyu explains to them: “Actually, he is not hoarding all the books for no reason. He does have the ability to read that many books in one afternoon.” He gives a self-depreciating laugh: “ Although it is a slight insult to our intelligence, we can’t blame him for being smart.” He said those words with his back to Bo Jinyan, therefore he didn’t notice that Bo Jinyan lifted his head to look at him for a while. The medical students walk towards the exit. Before Fu Ziyu walks out, he turns to look at Bo Jinyan again. Bo Jinyan is a strange and aloof guy. But somehow, Fu Ziyu doesn’t find him annoying.

————— A quiet and peaceful night in Maryland City. Han Yumeng is wearing a strapless blue dress, with her hair tied up in a bun. She is standing on the balcony of her room. She does not seem to be feeling cold from the cold breezes that comes her way. After standing there for about ten minutes, she sees a familiar Lexus coming up the driveway. “Kris!” She waves her arms and lifts up the hem of her dress and starts to run down the stairs. She meets her brother on the way, who makes fun of her: “Hey hey… be a little more ladylike please. You only have eyes for Kris nowadays.” Han Yumeng laughs. She thinks to herself: Actually, it’s not only ‘nowadays’. Brother, since a long time ago, my eyes and my heart only have room for him. Han Yumeng’s parents are sitting in the lounge having a cup of tea. Just as Han Yumeng reaches the entrance, she sees the servant opening the door for Kris. He is wearing a white shirt, and a causal suit. He is as handsome as the first day she met him. Kris is twenty years old. Han Yumeng is seventeen this year. “Thank you for accompanying me to the party.” She is very ladylike in front of her parents. She acts more mature than her actual age. Well… at least when she is in front of her parents, she does. Kris greets her parents. The two families have known each other for a long time. Han Yumeng’s parents are very satisfied with their daughter’s choice of companion: “Don’t stay out too late. And take care. ” ——————— Once they get into the car, Han Yumeng throws her bag to the backseat. She puts her hand around his neck and starts kissing him. Kris decides to stop the car on the roadside and concentrate on the kiss. He misses her too. He scoops her into his arms and deepens the kiss. Most of the time, their kiss is initiated by Han Yumeng, but then, Kris will take over. Even though he is usually a warm and gentle gentleman, his kiss can be passionate and forceful. He is in his second year of university, and she is in her last year of high school. It’s been almost a week since they saw each other. She can feel his repressed desires.

The sky is so dark it’s like the god has painted it with a black ink. Stars sparkles in the horizon. Han Yumeng is lying underneath him. “…Ziyu… Ziyu.” She likes to murmur his Chinese name when she is catching her breath after a long passionate kiss. And hearing her call his name always makes him smiles deeper. “Would you like to come to my house?” He invites her. After he started attending university, he moved out to stay by himself in an apartment close to the university. Han Yumeng pokes his cheek with her finger: “We are supposed to go to a party.” “We’ll only be two hours late.” He says. Actually, he is no intention of going anymore. ——————— They started kissing while they were in still in the carpark. When they arrive Fu Ziyu’s apartment, Han Yumeng is hanging onto him a like a koala bear. Once they enter the apartment, he pushes her against the wall, and lifts up her dress. She is sufficiently aroused with all the kissing in the car. She is ready for him. He kisses her gently while he thrusts himself forcefully inside her. Han Yumeng blushes. She is slightly taken back by how wild he is aggressive he is. But, after all, he is a young man who has just experienced sex for the first time not too long ago. It was during the last days of the summer holidays. Then school started. He misses her greatly. Han Yumeng’s hairdo is all messed up. Her dress is still on her. But it’s been pushes up to her waist. The fabric is crinkled. Her beautiful long white legs are wrapped around his waist. He is lifting her up by grabbing her buttocks with both his hands. Her body moves in the same rhythm with him as he moves backwards and forwards. What’s going through Fu Ziyu’s mind at the time? This seventeen year old girl belongs to him. This is his first love. His only love. He wants to be buried inside her forever. He just wants to feel her close to him. Nothing else is as important as her. He wants to be with her forever. The two hours dragged on until it’s time to send her home. Kris reluctantly gets out of her. But he still has her in his arms. Han Yumeng loves this moment. When his eyes shows he much he is not willing to let go. How much he longs for her. How much he desires her.

“I have decided.” She whispers into his ear: “Next year, I am going to apply for medical school in Maryland University.” He lifts his head from her bosom, and looks into her eyes: “I want to propose to you right now.” He says with a smile. Han Yumeng rests in his arms with a sweet smile. Kris. Kris. My Ziyu. I love you so much. I just want to spend every moment of my life with you. ————The second time Fu Ziyu meets Bo Jinyan is in the University Medical Centre. He is the top student in medical school. Naturally, his internship starts earlier than most students. The nurse knocks on his office door: “Kris, Doctor Jim is not back from lunch yet. We have a patient here with a small problem. Can you handle the case?” “What’s the problem?” “There’s a fish bone stuck in his throat.” “Ok. Ask him to come into the office.” He walks over to the cabinet to take out some tools. When he turns around, he takes the file the nurse passes him. Simon Bo Jinyan. Fu Ziyu laughs. The last time he had to perform the same procedure, it was for a seven year old boy. —————Bo Jinyan is in a bad mood today. The prison has rejected his request for an interview with a notorious serial killer. Then when he was reading through the file materials, he accidentally swallowed a fish bone, which got stuck in his throat. The large glass of vinegar he drank after that didn’t help at all. Once he walks into the doctor’s office. He sees a young man behind the desk. Like him, the doctor has black hair. Behind his face mask, Bo Jinyan can see a pair of warm and bright eyes. Bo Jinyan recognises him straight away. But he says nothing.

It’s a simple procedure. Fu Ziyu takes up a pair of tweezer and takes out the bone. Then he sees a smile on Bo Jinyan’s face. “Thank you.” says Bo Jinyan. He stands up and starts to walk towards the door: “If there are complications because the procedure was done by a student, would the medical centre take full responsibility?” Fu Ziyu is dumbfounded. That is an insult to his abilities. Okay, it is not normal procedure for students to make diagnosis and provide treatment. It is understandable that patients can be concerned about their experience and abilities. But for goodness sakes. We are talking about a tiny fishbone. How can there possibly be complications? Fu Ziyu thinks for a while, then he says: “Of course. Should there be any problems, I will take full responsibility. I will include that in the medical file.” Bo Jinyan seems to be satisfied with the answer. He nods and starts walking again. Then he hear Fu Ziyu voice: “And since you are concerned about complications, my medical advise is: stay away from fish for a month to avoid another accident. If the small wound in your throat gets wounded again, it might cause an infection.” Bo Jinyan looks at him with doubt and uncertainty: “One month?” Fu Ziyu answers with a sincere voice: “One month.” ....... Life can be so unpredictable. One month ago, Fu Ziyu only knew him by name. They have never met in person, despite the fact that both of them have been studying in the same university for a few years. But since the day they met at the library, Fu Ziyu seems to bump into Bo Jinyan all the time. Today, Fu Ziyu is at the university canteen. He is there with his group of friends. He notices Bo Jinyan is sitting at a corner table, all by himself. Fu Ziyu looks at what Bo Jinyan is doing. Fu Ziyu can’t help but laugh. This 20 years old young man who is famous in US for being a young consultant for the FBI , this criminal psychology genius, is busy deboning a fish. He has a fork in his hand, and a knife in the other hand. There is a pair of chopsticks on the table too. He is so focused on his task, carefully taking out all the bones from the fish. He’s obviously spent a lot of time on this. Fu Ziyu suddenly feels a little guilty that he played a joke on him. To a lot of people’s surprise, Fu Ziyu sits down next to Bo Jinyan. He smiles at Bo Jinyan: “Hi. Can I sit here?” “I don’t like having people next to me when I am eating.” “Oh.” Fu Ziyu answers causally, but he doesn’t move. He starts to eat his meal.

—————Han Yumeng first met Fu Ziyu when she was five. That year, he was eight years old. He is her neighbour. Then for the next ten years, they are best friends. But they are not a couple. He is not her boyfriend. She secretly admires him. Even from a young age, she knew she couldn’t love anyone else but him. Soon, she is sixteen. That year, he started his first year of university studies. The best word used to describe their relationship is ‘ambiguous'. For every ball or party they go together, he is always her partner. He will wrap his arm around her waist, then watches her beautiful face under the lights, and responds to her smiles with his warm smiles. Their faces are only inches away from each other. If he reaches down just a little bit further, their lips will touch. She senses that there is passion in his eyes. She is sure of it. However, it seems the two of them have a certain understanding. They don’t talk about their relationship. They hover between the boundaries of friends and lovers. Neither one of them is willing to take the first step. Han Yumeng knows what he is afraid of. Because it is the same concern as what she has. What if their relationship don’t work out? They will end up losing their friendship too. She doesn’t want to lose him. And neither does he. So they decide not to confront the issue. Until… her sixteenth birthday. The perfect prince Fu Ziyu has a partner. A beautiful and sexy blond. They become the centre of attention the moment they walk in. She is devastated. It’s a lovely night and a great party. But Han Yumeng thinks this is the worst party ever. She can’t stand the sight of the two of them together. She wants to ask them to leave straight away. To drown her sorrows, she takes drinks after drinks…. champagne, cocktails, vodka shots… When a person is drunk, he or she is usually more bold. Suddenly, Han Yumeng doesn't want to suppress her feelings for him anymore. She wants him to know that she loves him.

She walks towards the swimming pool as she thinks about this. It’s much more quiet here. The reflection of the moon floats on the water. It is a huge contrast to the noisy and crowded house. She sits on a bench and enjoys the cool breezes that go past her face. Then she notices someone approaches her. He sits down beside her. It’s a boy from her class. He is the ideal boyfriend for most of her female classmates. He is tall, handsome, with blond hair and blue eyes. “Hi, Joe.” Says the handsome young man: “Would you like to be my girlfriend?” Han Yumeng stares at him. She doesn’t answer. The boy leans forwards to kiss her. Han Yumeng closes her eyes. She doesn’t want to be alone tonight… Suddenly, she hears footsteps coming towards them. She opens her eyes. The boy that’s sitting next to her is pushed off the bench…. …by Kris. “What are you doing?” The young man asks angrily. “And what are you doing?” Fu Ziyu looks even more angry than him. They start to fight. Fu Ziyu is a few years older than this young boy, but he is usually a gentle and placid guy. This young man, however, is a top basketball player. Soon, Fu Ziyu has bruises and swells on his face. Han Yumeng hurries up to separate them. She grabs Fu Ziyu’s hand and drags him back into the house. They walk past groups of astonished people, and go upstairs into her room. Once they get into the room, she feels a hand around her waist. He pushes her against the wall. They stare at one another. Without saying a word, they wrap their arms around each other. She feels their passion surge, like fire that spreads without control. Nothing can stop them anymore. After a long kiss, he carries her in his arms, and sits in the balcony. A line of trees block the other’s from looking into the balcony. Han Yumeng’s brother knocks on the door. They can hear him yell from the outside: “Kris! What are you doing to Joe? I’ll kill you if you dare to do anything to my sister…” They ignore his yelling. They kiss and kiss… until all the guests have left. At midnight, he whispers into her eye: “Happy birthday, my princess.”

Han Yumeng is overjoyed. But she is also a little worried. She hooks her hand around his neck and asks: “Are you sure?” Are you sure you want me to be your girlfriend? “I am sure.” He knows what is in her mind: “Don’t be angry. That woman is my mother’s colleague’s daughter. She insists I have to bring her here tonight - I don’t even remember her name. The truth is, I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time. I want to tell you I love you on your sixteenth birthday.” Sorry for the long wait, my princess. I know what you are afraid of. A lot of people cannot keep their promises that they made when they were eighteen years old. But I am confident. Because I have been in love with you for a long time. My lovely Yumeng. I promise you, that I will never stop loving you. Our relationship will be a successful one. —————When Bo Jinyan and Fu Ziyu became inseparable, it shocked the whole Maryland University. But to be exactly, their friendship is somewhat different from normal friendship. To put it simply, Fu Ziyu is more like Bo Jinyan’s personal assistant. He becomes Bo Jinyan’s dedicated doctor. They have lunch together everyday. They hang out in the library. Fu Ziyu helps him to choose his assistants, helps him to deal with the complicated relationships within the FBI… then later, even Bo Jinyan’s clothes are chosen and bought by Fu Ziyu. He runs around like a servant for Bo Jinyan, and Bo Jinyan accepts and enjoys his service without any guilt or feeling uncomfortable. And as one would expect, two superior Chinese students that spend most of their time together will attract some rumours of them being a homosexual couple. Fu Ziyu just laughs at the rumours. He is not even a least bit bothered by them: “Of course not, we are like brothers…” As for Bo Jinyan, he does not care what others say about him. In fact, there was someone who asked him if he was gay, to which he replies: “Actually, Kris and I, we do act like a couple… except we don’t have a sexual relationship.” However, this comment is interpreted as… “Simon is complaining that Kris refuses to sleep with him.” But soon, this rumour stops. Fu Ziyu has found himself a girlfriend. A freshman. She is also an Asian. A beautiful girl that is very gentle and nice. Everyone is envious of Fu Ziyu. Fu Ziyu treats her well, He is a caring boyfriend that attends to her every need. Bo Jinyan does not like her very much though. He usually excludes her in their gatherings.

Two years later, Fu Ziyu and his girlfriend breaks up. Fu Ziyu is surprised: “Is there anything I could have done better? Or have you met someone else?” He doesn’t mind letting go, he just wants to know the reason why he is dumped. The girl answers: “Kris. You are a very nice man. I have never met anyone who treated me so well. But we both know. There is a hole in your heart. No one can fill it. So I need to leave.” Fu Ziyu thinks about what she says. He cannot disagree. Actually, it’s not only the students that are curious about Bo Jinyan and Fu Ziyu’s friendship, their supervising professor discussed about the issue too. The head of medical school asks the criminal psychology professor: “I have heard a lot about how aloof Simon is. How did Kris manage to become his only friend? Is it because Kris is so easy going and friendly that even Bo Jinyan can't refuse him? The professor shakes his head: “Do you remember what happened to Kris last year? I think the truth is that, it is not Simon who needs Kris. It’s the other way around. Kris needs Simon. Simon is aware of this too, and that’s why he has allowed Kris to be his friend.”

Fu Ziyu 2 The scorching sun is baking the dry ground that is already covered with cracks. There is no breeze, only hot and dry air that easily dehydrates the body. Han Yumeng is carrying a few bottles of water and some candy. She walks towards a white tent. She sees Fu Ziyu from a distance. He is measuring the blood pressure for a native african man. There are a few kids playing in the tent too. They are very skinny and dressed in rags. But their eyes are big and bright. “Kris.” She walks behind him. When the kids see Han Yumeng, they gather around her. “Joe is here! Hello Joe!” The children are very fond of her. She is delighted to see them too. She sits on the floor, opens her backpack and distributes the water and candy to them. They cheer excitedly. She looks up and meets Fu Ziyu’s warm and gentle gaze. This is their 43rd day of doing voluntary work in Africa. She was overwhelmed by the poverty and hopelessness of the place when she first arrived. She has never seen a place like this in her life. This is Fu Ziyu’s fifth visit to this part of the world. His first visit was when he was sixteen years old. Someone once said: If you love someone, he or she may change your life. What if you fall in love with a selfless and great man? Han Yumeng believes she has changed for the better because of him. At sunset, they sit down under a tree in a quiet spot, away from the crowd. They have left the tents of the Médecins Sans Frontières. The humanitarian-aid organisation’s tents are white in colour, which symbolises hope and healing. Han Yumeng looks at the magnificent view in front of her. Not far from where they sit is a steep cliff, then a big and deep canyon. In front of nature, humans always seem so small and insignificant. But because of Fu Ziyu, Han Yumeng feels her life is meaningful and complete. She loves everything that has to do with him. Fu Ziyu has introduced her to a world beyond her normal life and experiences. “A penny for your thoughts.” Fu Ziyu looks at his girlfriend. She seems pensive. He leans closer and kisses her. Han Yumeng wraps her arms around his neck. They lie quietly together. Their body cast a long shadow on the crimson ground they are sitting on. - His favourite place for sex is traditional - the bed. But they have done it on a misty morning in the balcony of a villa in the forrest, in a tent in the middle of a desert, and

even at the backseat of his Lexus…. She feels that she is very blessed, because she understands her lover. - They will live happily ever after like those fairytales. Nothing can change that. What about Fu Ziyu. What is he thinking of at this time? He thought that she would not get used to working in Africa. She is a rich kid from America. Even though she has been well brought up, she will not be used to the hardship associated with voluntary work in this challenging part of the world. But she is able keep pace with him. She showed him that she is more capable than he thinks. ‘I will propose to her when she graduates.” He thinks to himself. It’s too young for her to get marred at the moment. But it’s such a long wait. It’s another four years. Perhaps they should get engaged first. He loves her, more than he loves himself. He wants to marry her and bring her home, so that he can treasure her for the rest of his life. ————— Each time Bo Jinyan helps the FBI solve a case, his reputation grows. More and more FBI seek his assistance. The number of cases that he is involved in increases every year.

The first injury Bo Jinyan had while helping to solve a case was from a bullet wound. Fortunately, it is not serious. The suspect who was trying to escape opened fire on the FBI. A bullet grazed his arm. He didn’t want to be treated by the FBI medic staff. He went to Fu Ziyu instead. Fu Ziyu looks at his blood soaked sleeve and frowns: “ You said previously you are only responsible for the analytical work, you don’t get involved with the physical stuff. How did you get hurt so badly?” Bo Jinyan looks at him faintly and says: “Well, am I supposed to hide and do nothing and watch the suspect run past me?” Fu Ziyu gives a helpless laugh - This guy always makes it sound so convincing. Actually, he has already heard from his FBI friends. He was injured because he was not agile enough. He might be a gifted intellectual, but his fitness level and reflexes does not meet the standard required for an officer. After Fu Ziyu bandaged his wound, Bo Jinyan gets out of bed. He takes a look at the bandage and complains to his friend: “Looks ugly.” Fu Ziyu pays no heed to Bo Jinyan’s comment. He is on the phone with his girlfriend. She wants to have dinner with him. When he hangs up, he asks Bo Jinyan: “Would you like to come along? It’s Linda.”

As expected, Bo Jinyan shakes his head: “Not interested.” Fu Ziyu’s ‘motherly’ instincts kicks in. He asks Bo Jinyan: “What are you having for dinner tonight?” Bo Jinyan puts on his jacket and answers faintly: “The suspect is injured. He is having an operation at the moment. I have to rush to the hospital.” Fu Ziyu was putting his tools back into the medical kit as Bo Jinyan said that. When Fu Ziyu heard what he said, he suddenly paused what he was doing. But he continued to finish what he was doing. However, this moment of distraction did not escape Bo Jinyan’s eyes. Bo Jinyan looks calmly at him, then he leaves the room. That night, Fu Ziyu seems preoccupied while having dinner with his girlfriend. She asks: “Is there something bothering you?” Fu Ziyu smiles: “No, just thinking of something that happened a long time ago. Sorry, I am not my usual self today. After dinner, I will send you home.” His girlfriend looks at his bright smile. She wants to say something, but in the end, she decides to keep quiet. Someone told her once, that this man has a hole in his heart. If you listen carefully, you will hear the echo that bounces around in that empty space. He will treat you very well, but you will never enter his heart. ——————The day Bo Jinyan was captured by the Flower Cannibal, it was a nice sunny day just like any other. It was just another ordinary day. He went to work in the morning. After work, he went to Bo Jinyan’s favourite Japanese restaurant to order some takeaway for him, while asking himself why he allows himself to live like a nanny. When Bo Jinyan’s assistant called, Fu Ziyu broke out in a cold sweat. A chill that is like water that slowly and quietly creeping up his back made his body shake. “Simon is missing,” said the desperate assistant. “ The FBI think his is captured by the Flower Cannibal.” Fu Ziyu was walking when the assistant called. After the phone conversation, he looked around. He was not sure where he is. He was walking randomly while talking on the phone. This was a familiar feeling. It happened before. Many years ago. But again, it feels like it only occurred yesterday. In the same way, on an ordinary day, he received an unexpected phone call that told him Han Yumeng had gone missing.

He thought he would never lose her. But only three days after the phone call, he lost her forever. —————— Han Yumeng doesn’t know the identity of the man who wears the clown mask. The man who captured her and five other girls. They are locked up in a cage. All of them are terrified. Each one of them hoping they will not be the next victim under the axe. The first victim the masked killer ‘executed’ is a fifteen year old girl. The pool of blood, the broken bones lies in front of the cage.... and strangely, the killer seems tired and confused. He stood in the pool of blood for a long time. Everyone was quiet. Nobody wanted to draw attention to themselves. They didn't even dare to cry. After a couple of days, he kills another two girls. Those who remain are petrified. The physical and psychological stress is too much for them. Han Yumeng tries hard not to think about the situation. What will she do if she is next to be killed? But that day is not far away. The masked killer is agitated. He is watching the news. With the help of a young criminal psychologist genius, the FBI is able to profile the masked killer. They have announced a massive manhunt. Han Yumeng has a feeling that the police will be able to find this place today. Darkness before dawn is the darkest time of the day. That night, he is surprisingly calm. He walks up to the cage and to announce their fate. “I am going to sail out to the sea,” he says gently to them: “I will not die under the bullets of the police. As for you… I will give you a choice.” They listen intently. But his options are cruel: “I will let three of you go, and bring one of you with me onto the boat. This person will die with me in the sea. But if no one is willing to come with me, I will have to kill all four of you before I leave.” In the last nineteen years, Han Yumeng has never been so torn. She has never felt so much pain, and surrounded by so such hopelessness. All the girls keep quiet. The eyes are full of fear and avoidance. After a short silence, she lifts up her head and looks at the killer: “I will go with you.” There is relieve and guilt in the eyes of the other girls. He laughs: “Why? Why sacrifice yourself?” Han Yumeng doesn't know how to answer him. Why?

Because… because of her boyfriend. The person she loves is someone who helps and saves lives. He devotes his life and energy for this cause. Therefore, she has to have the same compassionate heart. Because she loves him, more than she loves herself. The masked killer takes her out of the cage, and brings her to a different room. There is a telephone on the table. She can see a joy that is in his eyes. Watching her suffer makes him happy. “You can call him.” He says. “I am very fair. You have the chance to give the man you love your last words. When we are gone, he will receive this recorded message.” She picks up the phone with her trembling hands. In all hopelessness, at least she can leave him a last message. She is grateful that at least she is able to have this last ‘gift’. Tears streams down her cheeks as she thinks about what she wants to say. ——————“Masked killer case” happened in 2007, in Maryland. One night, Bo Jinyan, who was then a student at Maryland University, was watching the evening news on the reports on the masked killer. At the time, his abilities were still unknown to the public. He sent a letter to the FBI, giving them an accurate profile of the masked killer. Based on the information he provided, the FBI successfully solved the case. When they rushed to the house that was by the sea, they found the three survivors and the bodies of three other victims. But the killer and Han Yumeng was not where to be seen. The marines searched the area and found some wreckage of a boat that they think belonged to the killer. Based on the weather report and the conditions of the wreckage, they ruled that the killer and Han Yumeng died in a storm. As more evidence and information surfaced from the investigations, the FBI finally understood why the killer kidnapped those girls. His fiancee was seriously injured by a robber three years ago. He shot the robber out of self defence. Both the robber and his fiancee were sent to the hospital. In the end, the robber lived, but his fiancee died. All the girls he killed were family members of the medical team that helped saved the robber. The other four girls had no direct connection with the medical team, but they are partners or daughters of doctors from the same hospital. And one of those girls was the girlfriend of the most outstanding young doctor in the hospital - Fu Ziyu. A doctor’s mission is to save lives. But why did they save that bastard? He did not understand, nor would he allow it. If they were willing to save the undeserving criminals; if they believed that everyone, regardless of their background, has the right to live; then he would take away those whom they love the most. Then they can feel with their heart how wrong this ‘right’ is. ——————————-

Six months later, Bo Jinyan was rescued by the FBI. He was in the operation room for four days. Fu Ziyu waited in the hospital for four days. But he left briefly on the third night. He left the hospital to drive to Han Yumeng’s grave. He stood in front of her grave for a long time. Then before he left, he said one sentence: “Joe, if you are looking down from heaven, please let Simon live.” When he returned to the hospital, it was dawn. Bo Jinyan’s operation was finally over. Fu Ziyu looked at his best friend. He looks like a dried up and shrivelled tree. His face was pale, and he lied motionless, almost like a corpse on the bed. Nobody knew when he would wake up, or if he would even wake up at all. Fu Ziyu stood by his bed for a while, then he took down his necklace, opened Bo Jinyan’s right palm, put the necklace in his hand and closed his hand into a fist. When Bo Jinyan woke up, it was in the middle of the night. He saw Yin Ziqi leaning on his bed. Then he saw his father, who was dozing off in the sofa. Fu Ziyu is also in the room. He was standing by the window, looking at the bright moon. He seems to be deep in thought. “…” Bo Jinyan let out a small moan. Almost simultaneously, all three of them lifted their heads to look at him. Bo Jinyan tried to smile at them, but he couldn’t move his lips. Yin Ziqi took his hand to hers, and tears of joy started to flow down her cheeks. His father walked to the bed, he was crying too. He quickly pressed the bell for the nurse to come. Bo Jinyan felt that there is something in his hand. He opened his palm and saw a familiar looking necklace. He knew this necklace belongs to Fu Ziyu. Inside the heart shaped pedant is a photograph of a couple. The face of the woman is in his victims’ information files. Fu Ziyu stood next to his bed. They looked at each other. Fu Ziyu didn’t say anything. He knelt down and held Bo Jinyan’s right hand. Together, they hold the necklace in their hands. ————— “Ziyu: Promise me, that you will live a happy life, like you used to. A person’s happiness is not measured by how long they live. We will not be able to grow old together, but this does not mean our love will not last forever. You are kind and honest. There will be many years ahead of you. You will be able to help a lot of people. Ziyu, I wish you happiness.” …….

I once loved a woman. She is perfect. Like an angel. She represents my ideals and my dreams for love. She witnessed all my passion and loyalty for love. When I lost her, I knew my life will never be complete again. How can I expect God to give me another girl like her? But I will live according to her wishes - a life of happiness. And I will, with the best of my abilities, help as many people as I can. This is my way of reciprocating the lavish love that she gave me.”

Extra 1 - The virgin theory verification (From Chapter 26 …Shen Dan Wei replies: “Man and woman who are deprived for a long time usually behaves strangely, like Director Bo and Manager Lin. They are more critical and easily irritable, it’s a result from abstaining from sex for too long.”) Bo Jinyan scoffed at Shen Dan Wei’s abstinence theory… until he was no longer a virgin. One night, he wraps his arm around Jian Yao and says: “There is some truth in Shen Dan Wei’s theory after all.” Jian Yao is confused: “What are you talking about?” Bo Jinyan answers: “Lately, I feel that life has taken a turn for the better. I am more happy and contented. Previously, I was more pugnacious and easily irritated.” ----------------The crab meal Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao are regular diners at seafood restaurants. A weekend shortly after they finished the case at Yin Ziqi’s office, they went to a seafood restaurant to have crabs. Usually, most of the food is consumed by Bo Jinyan, as he really likes seafood. Jian Yao is rather indifferent, so the best parts of the crab ends up in Bo Jinyan’s stomach. But this time, Bo Jinyan remembers Pei Ze reserving the best parts for Jian Yao when he invited Jian Yao to his house. So… He takes out the best meaty parts of the crab, puts them in a plate and gives it to Jian Yao: “You don’t have to thank me.” Jian Yao is surprised to see him giving her his favourite parts of the crabs. Then, she remembers the ‘Pei Ze incident’ too. She thinks to herself: Surely, he is not jealous… is he? She suddenly feels very touched. She blushes as she picks up a piece of crabmeat he gave her. Bo Jinyan looks at her and smiles: “Wow. You truly do blush every time you eat good quality crabmeat. What sort of strange psychological response is that?" Jian Yao answers: “… Because I like… it.” Because I like you! You arrogant fool!

--------------------Watching TV One day, Mr. and Mrs. Bo Jinyan are watching a programme on law and order produced by the CCTV, where crimes are reenacted. And that particular episode starts with showing a car that is shaking violently because a couple is having sex inside the car. Jian Yao (blushing): “How could they….” This is a fascinating eye opener for Bo Jinyan : “Oh… it’s possible to do this?” Jian Yao: “Let’s skip this.” Bo Jinyan : “No. Let’s watch it again. I must write a letter to commend the team that produced this episode. This is both entertaining and educational. It’s killing two birds with one stone.” Yes, I forgot to tell you. The name of the programme is “大案终结者 “. (literal meaning is ‘putting an end to the big cases’) (Note from TB: This is an actual TV programme aired in China in 2014. It caused a bit of a stir with the realistic sex scene in one of the episodes. I think this would make more sense if we’ve actually watched the programme…) ——————— Hi Robot One day, Jian Yao bought a robot vacuum cleaner. Mr. Bo’s upper lip curled in disdain as he watches the little round and flat machine moved around the room. That night, Jian Yao woke up in the middle of the night. She heard Bo Jinyan ’s voice coming from the study: “Hi Robot. This is Silence.” (Note from TB: Bo Jinyan spoke in English.) Jian Yao was stunned: We have guests in the house at this time of the night? Then she opened the door and found Bo Jinyan squatting down in the middle of the room. Chen Mo was on his left, and the robot vacuum cleaner was on his right. Jian Yao said to herself: Ah, looks like her husband has a second little companion! ———————— Family Performance

First of June. The kindergarten requests each family to come up with a performance item. This is a difficult task for the Bo family, The teacher suggests: “Perhaps you can sing a song together. That is the most simple option.” Immediately, both Mr.Bo Snr and Mr.Bo Jnr refuses: “No!” In the end, Bo Jinyan tells the teacher they will perform a dance. A scene from Swan Lake. Jian Yao is shocked… Later, she realises what he really means. The dance will be performed by Jian Yao and their daughter. As for father and son, they will pretend to be trees. Two trees that stand on stage from the start to the end of the dance. ——————Vinegar At one stage, Jian Yao likes to drink cider vinegar. Bo Jinyan ridicules her as ‘the woman who likes to drink vinegar’ (Note from TB: the phrase ‘like to drink vinegar’ means ‘a lover that easily gets jealous’ in Chinese.) Jian Yao retorts: “Don't you like drinking vinegar too?” But Bo Jinyan is not the same Bo Jinyan who didn’t know much about love when they first started dating. He gets what she means straight away.” He thinks about it seriously for a while: “Yes, I like to drink vinegar that’s from your cup.” Then he gives her a proud glance: “You see, I am not the same low EQ guy that I used to be.” Jian Yao: “…..” ———————Forging signatures Jian Yao usually signs for all the invoices and receipts that gets delivered to the house, e.g.. courier receipts, water bills etc. One day, she was out when a delivery arrived. Bo Jinyan signed for it.

When she returned home, she gave a sigh: “I had to imitate your signature before.” He was stunned for a moment, She then told him the reason she had to do that. After hearing the explanation, he smiled. Then next day, when a courier arrived, he quickly went to the door: “I will sign for it.”

Then when someone came to deliver the water bill, he picked up his Mont Blanc pen and opened the door… Jian Yao: Stopping being so pompous, will you? (Note from TB: to be honest, I don’t fully get this story…)

Extra 2 - A story about ‘voice’ (from Chapter 15) Jian Yao is lying in bed when Fu Ziyu calls. “Your voice sounds funny. Are you ok? Do you have a toothache? Or is your face swollen because someone hit you?” asks Fu Ziyu. Jian Yao tries not to laugh. She has a whitening mask on her face. It’s hard to talk when you don’t want to open your mouth. “Mask! What’s up?” She answers. Fu Ziyu is amused. He turns to Bo Jinyan and says: “Hey Bo Jinyan, she sounds like a sheep. It’s kinda whiny but it’s cute. Do you want to listen to it?” Bo Jinyan answers :”Why would I want to hear her distorted voice?” By this time, Jian Yao has removed the thin piece of sheet from her face: “Hey, I didn’t answer the phone to get mocked.” —————— Even geniuses make errors of judgement. Bo Jinyan realises this after he has a girlfriend. As you know, when a couple engages in a particular… sport, the woman often involuntarily murmurs some… strange sounds. One night, after some vigorous ‘exercise’, they cuddle in bed. Jian Yao is using her finger to draw circles on Bo Jinyan’s chest. He looks down and grabs her hand. “Actually…” He says in a plain voice: “I don’t mind if you use that type of voice to speak to me.” Jian Yao is not sure what he is talking about: “What type of voice?” Bo Jinyan gives her a sly smile. Jian Yao realises what he means now. She blushes and retorts: “You mentioned before that you don’t like to hear my distorted voice. Why… ” Bo Jinyan answers seriously: “I have to take that statement back. I just discovered, this level of distortion excites me.” Jian Yao: “….” ———————-

Although Bo Jinyan is not a very sporty person, he spends a good amount of time to exercise in order to keep himself fit and looking in top form. He works out three times a week, spending approximately an hour each time. However, when he reached thirty, Jian Yao noticed that he increased the frequency of exercise from three to five times a week, and he worked out for an extra half an hour each time. He even ordered exercise equipment from the internet that especially targets his core muscles and waist strength. Jian Yao asks him: “Why have you suddenly increased the amount of exercise you do?” Bo Jinyan looks tired from the work out. But he answers faintly: “I have not been exercising enough. I am just doing more of it to achieve the optimal fitness level for a man my age. Jian Yao: “Oh…” 6 months later. One day, Jian Yao walks into the bathroom to brush her teeth. She sees the silhouette of a man behind the frost shower glass door. The man is taking a shower. Is that… Jinyan? He looks like he has broader shoulders, more defined lines, increased muscle tone, an obvious six packs… Jian Yao blushes as she looks at him. She asks while she is brushing her teeth: “Are you trying to bulk up like a body builder? I prefer the ‘old’ you.” Bo Jinyan looks at her: “So, you don’t like it?” Jian Yao nods: “I don’t like it.” That night, Mr. muscle man lies on top of his wife, and as he is moving in and out of her, he asks her every few minutes: “Well, do you like it?” His tone was not boastful, it’s purely trying to find out the truth. Jian Yao is so overwhelmed. She puts her hands around his neck: “Yes, I like it!” When they are finally resting in bed, Jian Yao thinks back to what he said. Suddenly, she has a query: “You didn’t do more exercise so that you can perform better in bed… did you?” Bo Jinyan sounds offended: “What? Who do you think I am? I am not that type of man!”

Jian Yao: “…No?” • Striving for perfection is your style, professor Bo. Especially when it comes to bedroom skills! ——————After Bo Jinyan calmly denied her theory of why he is working out more, she forgets about the whole issue. However, after a days, Jian Yao discovered the truth. That day, while he is busying working out, she borrows his mobile phone to read online romance novels. After a while, she becomes bored. She opens the web browser to search for another book. She comes across a webpage Bo Jinyan was reading earlier. It’s a forum for lifestyle and living. It’s a famous forum that Jian Yao visits from time to time too. The caption of the page that Bo Jinyan is on attracts Jian Yao’s attention. “A wolf in her thirties, and a tiger in her forties. My sex life for the past ten years. ” (Note from TB: There is a saying in Chinese that says ‘A woman is a like a wolf in her thirties and a tiger in her forties.’ It’s a statement that describes the sexual appetite of woman. They become more demanding when they reach 30 years old, and even more so when they are 40 years old) She is shocked. Her husband actually read this post? She scrolls down and reads the page. In summary, the person who wrote the post is one of those man who was rather confident of his level of fitness. Before he was thirty five years old, having sex five or six times a night is a piece of cake. However, after he past thirty five, his strength no longer match his ambitions. However, his wife, who is two years younger than him, is more sexually demanding than when she was younger, which proves the saying that ‘Woman is a wolf in her thirties, and a tiger in her forties’ is indeed true! He has no choice but to improve his physical fitness. Finally, he is able to restore to his former glory in bed, and once again, remains to be the ideal husband for his wife. Then he continues by giving the list of fitness exercises he did, the equipments he used etc… It’s the same equipments that Bo Jinyan bought! Jian Yao laughs. She wonders if her husband commented on the post. Then she finds his ID - SimonKing - on one of the comments. The comment attracts no response from others. There’s neither a like or a dislike for it. This is what he wrote: “… I can only say… Only someone who is not physically fit enough, with a will that is not strong enough, and don’t love his wife enough will

experience incongruity between sex and love. I feel for you. From a happily married man with a perfect sex life.” —————That night, after a long session in bed, where he scored a new record of quantity and length of ‘duration’, he smiles with satisfaction. They cuddle each other in bed. Jian Yao says softly: “Jinyan, actually….” “Yeah…” “I won’t be a wolf in my thirties, and a tiger in my forties. You don’t have to work so hard.” Jian Yao feels like laughing after she said that. Because Bo Jinyan starts to blush. Ops… the secret is out. That IS the reason why he has been working out more. But soon, he calms himself down and smiles: “Oh, my dear. Of course you are not a wolf, nor are you a tiger. You just have rather powerful thighs. You squeezed so hard that my head hurts.” Jian Yao: “….” She blushes with embarrassment and pulls the duvet to cover her face. What the…? He was the one who insisted he wanted to do that! -----------------Bo Jian Bo Jian has been Bo Jinyan’s little pride since his birth. (Yes, you guessed right, their daughter’s name is Bo Yao) Most babies are born without eyebrows. And because of the puffiness of their eyelids, some babies cannot open their eyes wide right away. However, little Bo Jian has been a handsome boy right from the start of his life. Just seconds after he has come out of his mother’s room, you can see his pair of black eyes looking around curiously. Bo Jinyan’s evaluation is: “This son doesn’t look too stupid. Perhaps he will have an above average IQ and sharpness - a portion of his father’s ability” Jian Yao is lying in bed. She is resting. The birth process is a lot more tiring than she expected. She is surprised: “Only a portion?”

Bo Jinyan lifts up her hand and kisses it, and says: “My dear. You know that I love you to bits, but we cannot deny the truth. The IQ of the next generation is an average of their parent’s IQ. I am very sorry, but unfortunately our son can’t possibly be a genius.” Jian Yao: “….. get out!” ———————However, as Bo Jian grows, they realise Bo Jinyan’s prediction is not very accurate. Even though it’s hard to identify all his talents and gifting at such a young age, it is evident that his son is more intelligent than other kids his age. According to Bo Jinyan, Bo Jian is not as smart as when he was a kid, but he still have to admit that ‘Bo Jian is good enough to be considered a genius”. It’s true that the little man is gifted in a certain area. For example… One day, when Jian Yao gets home after work, she sees her son watching Japanese manga. She smiles at him and asks him” Zhi Zhi, are you hungry? We will go for dinner once your father comes home.” (Zhi Zhi is Bo Jian’s nickname. ‘Shang Shang’ is Bo Jinyan’s daughter’s nickname. “Zhi Shang’ means IQ in Chinese.) Jian Yao has a warm smile on her face as she spoke to her son. Bo Jian takes a quick glance at her, then turns back to watch TV. And he says to her: “I noticed there’s frustration on your face. What has he done again? Something childish that he is not aware of?” The ‘he’ Bo Jian refers to is obviously his low EQ father. Jian Yao: “….. Don’t say that about your dad! It’s something to do with a case we are working on.” ————— Another example. Bo Jinyan is sitting in the study looking at the pictures of three suspects. He is trying to decide who the killer is… Bo Jian comes into the study to find a detective novel. He takes a look at his father. “Oh, the killer is the person in the second picture.” He says. Bo Jinyan is concentrating on his work, he subconsciously answers his son: “Oh, you think so too. You are my son indeed…” Then it dawned on him. He lifts his head and frowns: “Bo Jian, who gave you permission to read my micro-expressions?”

Bo Jian ignores his dad and sings the theme song from his favourite cartoon as he skips out of the study. (However, he is completely out of tune.) —————One more example. During one of Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao’s wedding anniversaries, Bo Jinyan says to Bo Jian: “Today, you and Bo Yao will be staying with Uncle Fu Ziyu. Your mother and I are working on a very important case. We will need to work through the night. We can’t be disturbed.” Bo Jian looks at his father and says: “Oh cut it out, dad. I know you want some private time with mom. Your micro-expressions is filled with the same look that male animals have when they are aiming to attract females for mating.” Bo Jinyan answers without shame: “Ok. You know the reason why you need to leave the house. Just do what you are told.” Jian Yao blushes: “…. Shut up! Both of you….” ———————That’s right, Bo Jian is a natural when it comes to reading people’s microexpressions. When he was ten, Bo Jinyan brought him to the Department of National Security Polygraph Examination Office. His test results are amazing. Ordinary people will maintain their micro-expression between 1/25 seconds to 1/5 seconds. Most humans can only recognise longer and clear facial expressions, but Bo Jian is able to recognise expressions maintained for only 2/25 second. That’s as quick as a computer! Jian Yao is very proud of her son. Bo Jinyan is proud of him too, of course, but he is also a little uncomfortable. This is because the expert in the Polygraph Examination Office told Bo Jian he can visit the office whenever he wants to: “You can give us some advice when you visit.” Bo Jinyan was invited to help the FBI when he was fifteen years old. But his son is only ten years old! Even though he is uncomfortable that his son is invited to be a counsel at a much young age than him, he resigns to the fact that in the area of micro expressions, his son shows more talent than him. After all, if it’s not for his superior genes, his son would never have this ability. So, it’s partly his achievement too. He enthusiastically designs a comprehensive ‘psychological crime investigation training program’ for his son. He is determined to train him up to be a top class detective, just as what he did with his wife.

Much to his surprise, Bo Jian refused: “I am not interested. I am only interested in micro expressions.” Bo Jinyan is stunned. Then he laughs mockingly: “You will never become a top class detective if you only rely on micro-expressions.” Bo Jian thinks for a while, then he answers his father: “You missed one important point. An ‘ordinary’ genius like you will need to grasp the skills in all areas of investigation. But I am the genius of geniuses in micro-expressions. This will be enough for me to become a top class detective.” Bo Jinyan smiles coldly. What? His son says he is only an ‘ordinary’ genius? What a joke! “You are shallow and naive. I won’t discuss this with you any further.” He says: “But truth will reveal itself. You will find out in time who is the genius of geniuses.” —————— One month later. Bo Jinyan invites his ‘unfavored’ son along to an interrogation. It’s the first time he is involved in a real interrogation. But Bo Jian is very confident of himself. He says arrogantly to his parents: “Give me ten minutes. I will find out the truth from reading his micro-expressions.” Jian Yao watches as her son walks into the interrogation room. Bo Jinyan has a cunning smile on his face. ——————— Ten minutes later. Bo Jian looks at the suspect. He can’t read the suspect’s micro expression on his face. He is shocked. How can this be? The speed of how fast he can recognise an expression is 2/25 second. Why can’t he read this man’s micro expressions? Then Bo Jinyan walks in. In all honesty, Bo Jinyan rarely works on such simple cases. However, he is making an exception this time. His deductions are so detailed and accurate that the suspect is completely taken by surprise. He mutters: “How did you know that? Are you a fortune teller? I admit… I admit… Yes, I killed him…” Bo Jian stands in the room, flushed with shame.

From that day onwards, he is a changed boy. He is no longer boastful of his own abilities. He accepts his father’s training and diligently takes on the comprehensive training. Both Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao are glad to see the change in attitude in Bo Jian. One evening, when the couple is in bed, Jian Yao says to Bo Jinyan: “Jinyan, you are amazing. You have successfully persuaded the little man to build a solid foundation and learn a range of skills and techniques. Well done.” Bo Jinyan smiles: “Well of course. I am the father. He is my son.” Jian Yao can’t help but laugh. She is a little puzzled too: “That suspect is able to hide his feelings so well. Even Bo Jian can’t read his micro-expressions.” Bo Jinyan gives her a quick glance: “My dear, no one can hide their feelings that well.” Jian Yao: “Huh?” Bo Jinyan smiles: “Ok, it took me a whole month, searching cases from all over the country, to find a suspect with paralysed facial muscles. He is my son. How can he outdo me? It’s just a simple trick. Ha ha…” Jian Yao: “….” Bo Jinyan, you went to such great lengths just to prove to your son you are smarter? You are so childish!

Extra 3 - University of Maryland College Park In their second year of marriage, Jian Yao got her wish. She received a letter of admission for her doctoral degree at the Department of Psychology in University of Maryland. Bo Jinyan decides to accompany her to the US. He will be working in the University as a professor. Jian Yao hesitates as they discuss about the issue: “Are you sure you want to come? I will fly back every holiday, and you can come and visit me during term time.” As Bo Jinyan is a consultant for the Ministry of Public Security, he won’t be able to help the FBI with their investigations. She knows her husband well. He will find a pure academic role very boring. Bo Jinyan looks at her: “Have you forgotten the agreement we made when I proposed?” Jian Yao can’t remember what he said. She shakes her head: “…. agreement?” Bo Jinyan bends down and gives her a peck on her cheeks, then he says proudly: ”I will love you with all my wisdom, and with all that is in me. And I will continue to love you for the rest of my life.” - I want to be with you everyday. Even if we are apart for one day, I can’t bear it. How can we be separated for at least six months a year for a few years? Jian Yao is touched by his sweet words. She lifts her sparkly eyes and asks him: “What is the first half of the first sentence you said?” Bo Jinyan knows what she wants to hear. He says in a soft sexy voice: “I love you.” After a passionate kiss, Jian Yao asks him: “But what about your work with the Ministry of Public Security?” Bo Jinyan says: “My apprentice will cover for me.” The apprentice he recently acquired is an officer from Lin City. Her name is Xu Xu. (Note from TB: For those who has read “When I snail loves”, you will recognise this name. She is female lead for the novel.”) Jian Yao has a query: “Ok. But would her husband be ok with the arrangement? He works in Beijing!” Bo Jinyan looks surprised: “That’s not my problem. They can sort it out.” ——————-

Maryland University. It was a bright sunny day in August. The sky was painted a bright blue and the shiny green grass glistened in the sun. Jian Yao is sitting on the first row of the lecture theatre. She is leaning forward, with her hand under her chin. She is admiring her husband, who is standing behind the podium, teaching the class. He speaks fluent English. This is her most favourite class. She can observe if his tie is straight, and whether the colour of his shirt match the rest of his outfit. Then, when he turns around to write something on the blackboard, she thinks to herself… oh, even the sight of his back is so handsome. Professor Bo Jinyan though, is not as relaxed. He’s already heard a few comments from some of the ‘boys with testosterones overload’: “Have you noticed that Chinese girl? She is so cute.” “Oh, and sexy too.” “I will be the first guy to go on a date with her.” …….. Jian Yao and Bo Jinyan have made an agreement not to disclose their relationship to others in the University. She doesn’t want other students to look at her differently. Naturally, Bo Jinyan is not happy with those boys. If he can have his way, he will kick them out of his class. But that is professionally an unacceptable option. So, the only thing he can do is to endure. But everything has a limit. One day, when Bo Jinyan is waiting in his car for his wife to go for lunch with him, he sees a tall boy with blond hair walking beside Jian Yao. He is the one who claimed that he will be ‘the first guy to go on a date with her.” Bo Jinyan looks coldly at him. He gets out of the car. The boy’s name is Sam. Although he is quite cute and have a sense of humour, Jian Yao finds him rather annoying. He’s been pestering her for a while. She has told him on more than one occasion that she is married, but he doesn't believe her. “You are married?” He says: “Surely it’s a joke. You are in your early twenties, right? No one gets married this young nowadays.” At this moment, Bo Jinyan walks up to them.

He is a man that attracts attention wherever he goes. All the students nearby look at him as he stands in front of Sam. Sam is surprised too: “Professor Bo, how are you!” Jian Yao is stunned to see him too. Bo Jinyan gives a small smile and replies to Sam: “I am well. What are you doing?” Sam can’t believe the usually aloof professor is conversing with him: “I am planning to have lunch with Jenny. What about you?” Bo Jinyan nods and says: “I am planning to have lunch with my wife.” Jian Yao puts her hand over her face. That’s it! He is obvious not happy. Her initial plan was to walk away quietly, but Bo Jinyan’s sentence has stirred up everyone’s curiosity. More students, and even a few teachers gathers around them. “Professor Bo is married? Congratulations!” “Is Professor Bo’s wife a Chinese too?” “She must be very pretty.” “Will we have a chance to meet her?” ……. Bo Jinyan can’t be bothered to answer all the questions, he just says a simple ‘Thank you” after the last question. Jian Yao wants to dig a hole and hide inside. Then she sees his hand reaching out towards her. Suddenly, everyone is quiet. She lifts her head, and sees Bo Jinyan looking at her: “Let go for lunch.” Jian Yao: “…..Sure.” Bo Jinyan gives Sam a glance: “Looks like my wife prefers to have lunch with me.” Sam: “Oh….” Then Bo Jinyan holds Jian Yao’s hand and walks off. Suddenly, it dawned on them that this Chinese beauty is Professor Bo’s wife! Sam’s body stiffens: “So… I tried to ask his wife out on a date?”

And Professor Bo has a nickname - the cold blooded devil! But at the end of the year, Sam is relieved that he received a A on the paper taught by Professor Bo. But… is it his imagination? Every time Professor Bo looks at him, the gaze is so icy cold that he feels like he is in Alaska… ——————

Americans like parties. Bo Jinyan is not keen to attend these functions. Most of the time, he will decline the invitations - ‘I can’t dance.”, or “I am not not interested.”Therefore the whole university knows he almost never attend any parties. “Well, he might be a genius, but he can’t dance.” That’s the view of most people. However, since Jian Yao has come to the US, this has changed. Because she has an easy going and amiable personality, plus everyone now knows she is wife of Professor Bo, she has a lot of friends. And naturally, a lot of invitations to parties. The night of the first party she went to. She asks him again: “Are you sure you don’t want to come? The invitation is for Mr. and Mrs. Bo.” “No.” “Alright, then.” she goes into the room to get ready for the party. Half an hour later, she stands in front of the mirror in her curve accentuating sleeveless sapphire blue dress. She is putting on her earrings. Suddenly, she feels the warmth of a hand touching her soft and smooth shoulders. “Are you sure you don’t want to come?” She winks at Bo Jinyan. “Well, since you want me to be there, I’ll go.” He’s changed his mind. “Ok.” She turns around, wraps her hands around his neck and gives him a kiss. Ha ha…. She has successfully seduced him. A lively party. The tall and handsome professor in a black suit attracts a lot of attention. Jian Yao is chatting to a few ladies in one end of the room. She notices in the corner of her eyes that a few ladies attempted to invite Bo Jinyan to dance with them.

“Can you dance with me, Professor Bo?” Even though Bo Jinyan is usually arrogant and rude, he is still a gentleman. He tries not to hurt their feelings, so he simply answers: “Sorry, I don’t know how to dance. Goodbye.” After he’s declined several invitations, Jian Yao walks over to him and whispers quietly in his ear: “I can teach you…” Bo Jinyan takes a glance at her, but he didn’t say anything. Jian Yao takes it as he doesn't want to learn. A few minutes later, someone invites Jian Yao to dance. It’s another lecturer from their school of criminal psychology. He is a warm and nice man. Jian Yao has a good impression of him. She smiles. And before Bo Jinyan has time to object, she lifts her hand to hold the lecturer’s hand and they walk out to the dance floor. Bo Jinyan sits in the sofa with a glass of red wine. He uncomfortably watches his wife dance with someone else. A few minutes later, he puts down his wine glass and walks to the dance floor. The music for the song has come to an end. The lecturer is about to ask Jian Yao if she wants another dance when Bo Jinyan reaches out his hand and ask: “May I?” Jian Yao turns around and see her husband standing with a smile. He bows like a gentleman and waits for her answer. “….Sure.” she replies. Nobody there has seen Bo Jinyan dance before. The crowd awaits. Other couples leaves the dance floor. Jian Yao looks around. They are the only two people there! The music starts. It’s music for tango. The cold blooded devil knows how to tango? Under the chandelier, he holds Jian Yao’s hand and leads the dance. Jian Yao is stunned. She never knew Bo Jinyan is such a good dancer. He’s an expert on this sensual, romantic and elegant dance. Everyone is amazed. When they have finished the dance, the whole room applauds. Jian Yao is in his arms: “I thought you don’t know how to dance. But you are an amazing dancer.”

Bo Jinyan is pleased with his wife’s praise. He smiles: “What makes you think I can’t master such a simple thing like dancing?” “Then why didn’t you dance earlier?” Jian Yao asks. “Don’t you think it’s a pathetic activity?” He answers. “Well….” She looks at him with a proud smile: “Do you want to stop now? I will do whatever you say.” At the same time, she takes a small step forward so there is even less space between them. Bo Jinyan does not answer. But he does not want to let go of his beautiful and sexy wife. Since Jian Yao didn’t hear an answer from him, she assumes he wants to stop. She steps back to turn around but his hand around her waist draws her back into his arms. “Yes, I still want to dance.” He answers. Jian Yao gives a small laugh. - Pathetic? Mmm… It’s the second time in one day that he’s made an exception for her. She feels a sense of accomplishment. But the following morning, she questions herself whether she has done the ‘right’ thing. Even bone in her body feels sore. They had a vigorous session after the party last night… She is so tired that she just wants to lie in bed all day. Bo Jinyan, on the other hand, feels very satisfied and smiles to his wife: “In the future, I will try my best to make time to go to parties with you.” “Why?” “Don’t you think we had fun last night?” “…..” Ms Jian Yao, you should be careful if you tease a man who’s only lost his virginity when he’s twenty six years old. The consequences may be beyond what you expect.

Extra 4 - Parenthood for Bo Jinyan A few years after Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao are married… Jian Yao gives birth to their first child. Bo Jinyan don’t like kids. To him, ‘children’ equates to trouble, noise, unable to communicate, and crawling around. Jian Yao on the other hand, is very fond of children. She knows her husband lacks patience, so she is the primary care giver. He just needs to spend a bit of time each day with her and the kids. But there are occasions when Bo Jinyan has to look after the child himself. For example, today. The nanny is taking a day off. Jian Yao has to accompany her mom to the hospital for a check up. Therefore, the task of looking after baby falls onto Bo Jinyan. Before Jian Yao left, she made sure she did everything she can to make his life easier. Baby is bathed and fed. He needs to look after her for five hours. It’s a hot summer day. A lazy afternoon. Bo Jinyan sits on the sofa to watch TV. He seldom watches TV, but sometimes he watches investigation documentaries to keep up with what’s been happening in the country.

As he is watching TV, his ten month old daughter crawls around on the carpet, while playing with toys. She seems to be entertaining herself quite well and leaving Bo Jinyan alone. He just needs to keep an eye out on her: “Not too bad. She is quite independent. ” He thinks to himself. But before long, he feels something warm over his foot. He looks down. Baby has crawled up to him and is hugging his leg. Bo Jinyan frowns and asks her: “What do you want?” “Cuddle… cuddle…” Bo Jinyan replies: “I don’t want cuddles.” “Woo…woo…” Bo Jinyan remembers what Jian Yao said before she left: “You have to be gentle with her!” So, he decides to compromise. He picks her up and sits her next to himself on the sofa: “Don’t move, watch TV.”

Baby obliges and watch TV quietly besides daddy. However, this new found peace does not last long. Soon she is agitated again. She leans over to her father and asks piteously: “Milk, milk.” “Sit here and wait.” He heads to the kitchen to get the milk bottle. Soon, milk is ready. She giggles and reaches out her hands to try to grab the bottle. Bo Jinyan puts her on his lap and gently pushes the bottle teat into her mouth. She drinks contently. Bo Jinyan observes her while she drinks milk. She is starting to look more and more like Jian Yao. She is definitely more good looking now. And her chubby fingers are so cute. Baby seems to sense the father’s soften emotions. She stays in his arms and smiles at him. He gently pinches her small cheeks, and rubs her round little shoulders. “Ok. You can stay in this position for a while.” He thinks to himself. So, they continue to watch TV together. When Jian Yao returns, she finds the sitting room empty. There is no one on the carpet or sofa. The TV is switched off. She goes into the bedroom. She laughs. Both of them have fallen asleep. But… in a different way to what she normally sees. Baby likes to curl up when she goes to bed. But today, she is lying down in a straight line. Obviously, her sleeping posture has been ‘corrected’. A tenderness comes across her. She washes up, gets changed into her pyjamas and lies down next to Bo Jinyan. He wakes up when she gets into bed. He curls his lips and immediately rolls himself above her. ……. Bo Jinyan used to be very particular about his sleep posture. But since he met Jian Yao, this good habit of his that he maintained for over 20 years disappeared. Most of the time, he rolls himself and sleeps on top of Jian Yao, while hugging her tightly. —————When baby is about one and a half years old, she starts to speak more phrases.

This particular day, she learns a new phrase - ‘Help! Save me!’ Because she doesn’t fully understand the meaning of the word, she often uses it out of context. For example: When she is hungry, she will say: “Help! Save me! I need to eat.” And when she wants to play, she will say: “Help! Save me! Get out. Get out.” And when she is in the bathroom… Jian Yao is trying to wash her hair. Like many other young children, she doesn’t like the feeling of water splashing on her face. She struggles as her mother bathes her. Bo Jinyan just happens to walk pass the bathroom. Baby immediately shouts out: “Help! Save me! Daddy.” But Bo Jinyan stands at the door and looks at his daughter with an aloof smile. Then he says to her: “Sorry, I can’t save you.” Then he walks away mercilessly. Baby is stunned. Then she starts to cry. Jian Yao turns around and yells out to him: “Don’t do that in the future. It might cause psychological shadows. To which he answers: “My daughter need to possess a strong heart.” Jian Yao: “…..” Baby continues to cry… ————— After baby came, they spent less time ‘engaging intimately’. One evening, after baby is put to bed, Bo Jinyan says to Jian Yao: “Help! Save me, my lovely wife.” Jian Yao smiles and looks at him: “How do you want me to save you?” Bo Jinyan scoops her into his arms and rolls himself on top of her: “What do you think?” ….. The next morning. Jian Yao is still half asleep when Bo Jinyan gently shakes her: “My lovely wife, I want to eat fish congee.”

Jian Yao complains: “I saved you many times last night…. Go make it yourself. You should be serving me today.” Bo Jinyan thinks about how she ‘rescued’ him the previous night. He smiles satisfactorily: “Ok. Take a rest.” Just as he is about to get out of bed, he sees baby sitting up in her bed, starring at them. “Help! Save me!” She says. Jian Yao is a little apprehensive. Oh no! Did baby hear the words they used when they were flirting with each other? Even though baby do not comprehend what they said, but it’s still inappropriate…

But her concerns are unnecessary. Because baby promptly climbs out of her bed and heads to the toilet while shouting: “Help! Save me! Wee-wee…”

Extra 5 - Cross over story with ‘When a snail loves’ Shortly after Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao’s wedding. The truth is, how these two couples crossed path is a lot less dramatic than you’d imagine. It is at the height of summer. Both couples are delegates of a conference organised by the department of National Security. It is held in a resort in the mountains. In the evenings, there’s some free time for delegates to enjoy the facilities of the resort. ——————One evening, Bo Jinyan brings to Jian Yao to the Leisure Centre where there are a few billiard tables. No long after they started to play, Bo Jinyan notices that Jian Yao is distracted. She keeps looking at another man. Naturally, he is not too pleased about that. “He is also a very good billiard player.” She says as she looks at the handsome man just a few meters away from them. There is a petite lady standing next to him. They don’t look like father and daughter. His Girlfriend? Probably… oh… how cute. As Bo Jinyan looks up, the man so happens to turn his head around too. The two man look at each other. Oh, I know him - Ji Bai. Oh, I know him too - Bo Jinyan. Ji Bai walks over with a smile: “Hi.” “Hi.” “Want to play a game?” “Why not?” Billiard table is a great place to check out the ‘competition’. It’s like a scene out of a TV drama. Two equally handsome man. Both are good at the game. The petite lady that came with Ji Bai walks over to Jian Yao. Jian Yao smiles and says to her: “Hi. Your friend plays well.” The lady nods. She looks at Bo Jinyan and says in a serious tone: “And your friend is very handsome.”

Jian Yao laughs. What a straight forward girl. And her tone is so serious, as if she is giving a scientific conclusion. Jian Yao has a good first impression on her: “Hi. My name is Jian Yao. That is my husband.” “Xu Xu. We are husband and wife too.” Please note that Xu Xu seldom praises people for their looks. Especially man. But in her heart, her perfect man should be tall, fair, refined and sophisticated. Bo Jinyan ticks all the right boxes. As for her own husband Ji Bai… well, he is handsome, but too muscular for her liking. Her love for him has never been based on his physical appearance. Jian Yao takes a look at Ji Bai and says: “Your husband is very handsome too.” Xu Xu looks at her strangely and answers without thinking: “Really? I never noticed.” Even though they are speaking softly, the men are able to hear their conversation. So as Ji Bai hears his wife dismissing his good looks, he loses his concentration and makes an error. As a result, Bo Jinyan wins the game. Bo Jinyan gives Ji Bai an arrogant smile: “Thanks for the game.” But Ji Bai has a cunning plan. He casually suggests: “Let’s play another game. This time, we will let them join in as well.“ He turns to look at the two ladies. Any activity that involves his wife always makes it more appealing and interesting for Bo Jinyan. But just as he is about to nod and say yes, he takes a glance at Xu Xu: “I am not interested in playing billiard with underaged girls.” Ji Bai: “…..” Jian Yao: “……” She turns to Xu Xu: “I am so sorry. Just ignore him.” The good impression that Xu Xu had of Bo Jinyan earlier quickly shatters. She looks him in the eye and says: “Come on. Wisdom and skill will determine who is the better player here.” The four of them takes turn playing. At the end of the game, the couple’s score will be added up. Whichever couple has the higher scores win. Both men are about the same in their skill levels. In other words, the result of the game will be based on how well the ladies play. But unknown to Bo Jinyan, Xu Xu is a very good billiard player. She is a perfectionist who spent a lot of time to hone her skills. And not to forget, her coach is Officer Ji Bai. As for Jian Yao… she has only played billiard a few times with Li Xunran before. She is still at beginners level!

Ji Bai has a big smile on his face. There is no way they are going to lose this game. As for the earlier comments made by his wife… well, he will use other means tonight when they return to their room to ‘convince’ her that she was wrong. But then, Xu Xu decides that she should give Jian Yao a hand. She walks over to Jian Yao and says: “Do you want me to give you a few tips?” Jian Yao is struggling. She welcomes all the help she can get: “Sure!” As Jian Yao bends over onto the table. Xu Xu bends overs behind her to correct her posture. She patiently teaches her how to hold the stick and where the tip should hit the white ball… etc etc Soon, they ignore the two men who is standing there, waiting. Ji Bai gives a helpless laugh. The reason he likes teaching Xu Xu how to play billiard is because he can enjoy this type of close physical contact with her. However, she has denied him of this ‘pleasure’ as she thinks this is inappropriate public behaviour. But obviously, she has no problems with having ‘close physical contact’ with another woman. But… he can still admire her curves with his eyes. O, look at those arms, and the curves on her body… And Bo Jinyan has a new revelation! Oh, so this is how you can play billiard. What a perfect and sexy game! ….. Finally, the game ends. In the end, because both men are pre-occupied with other matters on their minds, Xu Xu scored the highest. Jian Yao came last as expected. But she managed to pick up some new skills. There is no need to add up the couples’ scores. Clearly, Ji Bai and Xu Xu are the winner. ———— When they return to their rooms later that evening, Bo Jinyan says: “Let’s play billiard again tomorrow. I’ll teach you.” Jian Yao feels a bit bad: “I am sorry. If only I was better at the game, you won’t lose to Ji Bai.” It’s not easy for Bo Jinyan to accept defeat. He is used to winning! Actually, soon after they started the second game, Bo Jinyan knew Ji Bai tricked him. Obviously, Xu Xu was an expert. There is no way he and Jian Yao could win the game! He opens his lap top and looks at the student list for the advanced criminal psychology course that he is about to give. Then he gives a cunning smile: “Revenge is a dish best served cold.”

We meet again… soon. As a tutor and a student. Oh! Life is sweet.

Extra 6 - A number of serial killings happened in early February in Tung City. The police in Tung City are furious and eager to crack the cases as soon as possible. Since the famous criminal psychologist Professor Bo Jinyan and his assistant Jian Yao is in town to visit their family, the Tung City Police Department has invited them to join in the investigation. —————— On the day of the first meeting. It is a sunny day with a cool breeze. It’s 7:30am. The police officers arrive at the crime scene. The meeting with professor Bo and Jian Yao is scheduled at 8:00am. When they walk past the area that is cordoned off to the public, they see a beautiful lady in her twenties. With plastic gloves and shoes on, she is bending down and examining the blood stains on the ground. A man stands behind her. He is leisurely drinking a cup of Starbucks coffee. The lady looks up when she sees the officers. She gives a sweet smile: “Hi. I am from the Criminal Psychology Team under the Department of National Securities. My name is Jian Yao.“ All the police officers that came are men. Their faces brighten as they realise they will be working with a pretty lady. They take turns to introduce themselves to Jian Yao. One of the officers in his thirties recognises her: “Xiao Yao, I am Li Kun. Do you remember me? I used to keep you and Li Xunran entertained when you guys came to the police station. Wow, you have grown so much! You are such a pretty girl now!” Jian Yao is about to reply when they hear a faint mocking smile from behind. Jian Yao is slightly embarrassed. Bo Jinyan walks up and nods to the crowd. Then he introduces himself: “Hi. I am Bo Jinyan.” Everyone is silent. They wait eagerly for what Bo Jinyan has to say about the case. But instead, Bo Jinyan turns to Jian Yao and says: “I will wait for you in the car.” Then he turns back to face everyone else: “Goodbye.” So everyone watches as the alleged super detective walks off without giving any contribution. “Well…”Jian Yao smiles and turn everyone’s attention onto her again: “Let’s profile the criminal. Here’s a list of things you should concentrate on…” ——————The case went well. Based on the profile Jian Yao provided, the police identified seven suspects. They took five days to interview the suspects but they could not figure

out who is the killer. Then Jian Yao came to the office. It only took her one day get a confession. Superior interrogation skills, lie detection, micro expression observations… she uses a variety of tools, and she is very proficient in all of them. It’s an eye opener for the Tung City Police. Compared to Jian Yao, Bo Jinyan is like the arrogant man who has no actual skills. They have decided his fame is overrated. When Jian Yao was briefing the team, Bo Jinyan was taking a nap in the car. When Jian Yao was interrogating the suspects, he came in with two bento boxes with sashimi for Jian Yao and himself. And he left promptly after dinner. Even though the bento boxes did look impressive, he is not a house husband… surely? He is supposed to be a very good detective, but he certainly doesn't act like one. Li Xunran is no longer working in Tung City. The officers that were involved in the ‘killer machine’ case years ago have either retired or transferred elsewhere. The new bunch of officers in Tung City have not worked with Bo Jinyan before. And based on what they have seen so far, they have a very mediocre impression of this legendary detective. ———————The day after the case is closed. Two officers, Xiao Zhang and Xiao Li are resting in the garden courtyard inside the Police Station complex. Xiao Zhang: “That Professor Bo didn’t care about the case at all.” Xiao Li: “Yeah, it’s solely Miss Jian’s effort. It’s a hard case to crack, she is a brilliant detective.” “Mmm…. I heard that they are a couple. If this is true, then I must say, he is a lucky man. He may be hopeless in solving cases, but he has a pretty and smart wife.” “I think the rumours are true. Yesterday, as Miss Jian is leaving, I saw Professor Bo resting his hand on her shoulder as they walked. Oh, what a shame! She deserves a better man…” Xiao Zhang: “I think Professor Bo sponges off his wife. Obviously, he only managed to be the team leader because she is silently helping him do all the work behind the scenes” ……… Unknown to the two officers, Jian Yao and Bo Jinyan are sitting behind them, blocked by a hedge. Jian Yao turns to look at Bo Jinyan. She is surprised that he seems to be unperturbed by the comments. He continues to drink his mineral water leisurely.

Jian Yao reaches out her hand to pat his face: “They said you are sponging off me. Aren’t you angry?” Bo Jinyan smiles and reply: “Such short-sightedness.” He takes a glance of her: “The measure of a superior detective is not about many complex cases he can solve, but his ability to train a rookie into a great detective like him.” And before Jian Yao can speak, he adds: “And, he is able to successfully stand out from the many suitors to become this great detective’s husband.” Jian Yao laughs. She leans over and whispers in his ear: “I love you.” Bo Jinyan smiles. After a short pause, Jian Yao says: “I don’t mind that you pass me the simple cases. Like the one I just worked on. But the reality is that, complicated cases are few and far between. We have not seen any in the past 12 months.” Then she looks in his eyes: “Well, if you keep ‘resting’, will this brain of yours that you are so proud of start to deteriorate due to lack of stimulation?” What is meant to be a small joke is not taken very well by Mr. Bo Jinyan. Jian Yao immediately regrets what she said as she sees an angered look on his face. But a few seconds later, Bo Jinyan smiles and speaks with a sweet tone: “My dear, you are so cute.” He leans over to kiss her forehead. “ A Porsche is still a Porsche even if it’s not driven for a while. But if the Porsche is forced to go at slow speed everyday because it has crawler tractor attached to it, then it will wear out and deteriorate.” Jian Yao laughs at his analogy: “Ok, Ok… You are a Porsche, I am a …” Her smile freezes: “Wait a minute… are you trying to say I am a crawler tractor?” The “Crawler Tractor” comment has great consequences. For the next three months, Jian Yao refused to take on any simple cases. She insisted that Bo Jinyan needed some first hand experience of what it felt like do the job of a ‘crawler tractor’. Normally, Bo Jinyan calls the shots at work and at home. But Jian Yao threatened him a ‘don’t come near my bed if you don’t agree to this’ statement, he said ‘yes’ straight away. And of course, the benefit this arrangement brought was that Bo Jinyan was able to solve many cases at an alarmingly fast speed, and the rumours of him ‘sponging off her’ vanished. When the officers mentioned Bo Jinyan, they described him differently“Oh, that grumpy detective who is also a hen-pecked husband…. “

Extra 7 - Marriage Certificate A warm spring day. Today, Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao will register their marriage at the Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau. Fortunately, the queue is not long. There are about ten couples ahead of them standing in line. But of course, they are the most attractive couple by far. The tall and handsome Bo Jinyan is wearing a custom made suit specially made for this occasion, with a dark grey shirt inside. Jian Yao looks elegant and beautiful in a light blue dress. Jian Yao is used to attracting attention, but not to this degree. She knows that it is probably due to the man that is standing beside her. As she puts her arm around his, she notices that he is looking at the people that are ahead of him in the queue. He seems to be deep in thought. “Is something bothering you?” She asks softly. Bo Jinyan sweeps her a look. Usually, this look represents something important. She looks carefully at the people he is observing. There are a few young man in their twenties, and a few ordinary looking middle aged man standing with their wives-tobe. There’s nothing extra-ordinary about these people. “What’s the matter?” She asks even more quietly. He looks at her and says heartily: “ I must thank destiny for letting us meet each other.” Jian Yao is a little confused. That’s sweet! But hang on… what makes him say something so touching? It’s not his usual style. Or perhaps the atmosphere here somehow manages to affect his usually dull heart? As she is pondering, she hears him say: “Or else, you would be marrying to a mediocre man just like them. Oh! I can’t accept even the thought of it.” Jian Yao: “….” So that’s what’s in his mind. Sentimental? No way, it’s just pride. ——————The registration process is a simple one. After paying nine dollars and getting a stamp on the little book, they are now officially husband and wife. On their way back home, Jian Yao holds the red little booklet (Marriage Certificate) in her hand. She is overwhelmed with emotions. But Bo Jinyan seems to be as cool as

ever. He only took one look at his red booklet and it’s been sitting in his trousers’ pocket ever since. He has this ‘couldn’t care less’ attitude since the proposal. To him, whether they decide to register at the Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau is not important. A promise that comes from the heart means so much more than a piece of paper with a written agreement on it. “Well, if you think that kind of stuff is important to you, then we’ll do it.” He said during the proposal. The genius’ brain obviously works differently to other normal human beings. If another man said this to her, it’s probably because he is trying to avoid commitment. But Jian Yao understands him. Getting registered is only a legal requirement that needs to be fulfilled. He is already so committed to the relationship, there is no chance that they will need a divorce, so therefore, what’s the value of going through the process? In the end, they agreed that they would register their marriage, but they would not have a big celebration or ceremony. Jian Yao cannot imagine him wearing a traditional groom’s gown, having to entertain and talk to the many guests that attend their wedding… Oh, forget it. A few days have past since they received their marriage certificate. Jian Yao has never seen him looking at it. For the first few nights, she takes hers out and looks at it every night before she goes to bed. But tonight, she decides to lock it in a drawer in their bedroom. So she asks him: “Where is your marriage certificate? I will lock it in the drawer together with mine.” Bo Jinyan looks at her: “Is that even necessary?” Then he walks off to read some documents. That’s an unusual reaction. Jian Yao thinks to herself. But then she comes to a conclusion. Because it is not an important document for him, he’s probably forgotten where he has placed it. But he is unwilling to admit and to look for it. Never mind. When it reappears one day, he will pass it to her. One week later… There is a security check on the ground floor of one of the buildings of the Ministry of National Securities. It’s the centre for storing confidential information. Today, they have a meeting there to discuss a serial robbery case. As they past through the check point, they are asked to empty their belongings from their pockets for inspection. Not only that, they have to take off their jackets and shoes for inspection. Whenever Jian Yao knows she needs to come to this building, she will make sure only essential items are in her purse. There was an embarrassing incident once. She had some sanitary pads in her bag and a few male officers looked through her bag… Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao are frequent visitors to the building, and the security guard knows them quite well. When it’s Bo Jinyan’s turn, he slowly takes out all the items in

his pockets - a notebook, a pen, his wallet, car keys…”Pang”, a small red booklet falls on the ground. Jian Yao is shocked. Bo Jinyan picks up the booklet and places it with the pile of his other belongings. Then he continues to empty his pockets - handkerchief, mobile phone… Even the two security guards are dumbfounded. It’s the fist time they have seen someone carrying their marriage certificate with them. The younger security guard picks up the marriage certificate, looks at Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao and says to them: “Congratulations.” Bo Jinyan smiles: “Thank you. Are you done yet?” “Yes, yes.” The two security guards return his items to him. They are still a little puzzled. Why did Professor Bo carry his marriage certificate with him? Jian Yao blushes. She is also puzzled like the guards. Perhaps he needs to disclose their new status to the ministry of National Security? Is that why he is carrying the booklet with him? She tries to confirm that with Bo Jinyan: “Why is your marriage certificate in your pocket?” “Is that a problem?” He asks, “I thought we are supposed to keep important documents with us at all times.” Jian Yao: “…” Ah! So, that’s the reason why he doesn’t keep it at home. But… “So, you keep it in your pocket everyday?” She is still blushing, but a sense of happiness swells up from within her. “Of course!” He answers. They head towards the lifts. She walks behind him with a smile. Didn’t he mention a few days ago these sort of things are not important, and he doesn’t need her to keep it safe for her? But in reality, it’s because he wants to keep it with him all the time. But… who carries their marriage certificate with them all the time? Even though he is an extremely intelligent man, he can be so childish and stubborn at times.

—————— Jian Yao is so touched by what he did, that she is more affectionate than usual for the next few days. Naturally, Bo Jinyan can’t be more happy about that. Their relationship is strengthened by this little episode. It didn’t take long for all the staff that works in the building to know they are married. Some of them jokingly ask for lollies. (NOTE from TB: The Chinese often gives out sweets/lollies as gifts when they get marry.) ——————— Jian Yao is a little embarrassed by this. She encourages Bo Jinyan: “I know the marriage certificate is a very important document to you and you want to carry it with you all the time, but it’s weird walking around with it everyday. Why don’t you keep it at home?” Bo Jinyan glances at her and chooses to ignore her suggestion. Then… one day… Jian Yao needs to go to the Ministry of National Security office by herself. There is a new security guard working today. As he is about to ask her more questions to confirm her identity, another guard comes and says to the new guard: “Don’t bother asking. She is the wife of the man that brings his marriage certificate to work.” Jian Yao: “…..” ’The man that brings his marriage certificate to work’ has become Bo Jinyan’s new nickname? The guard smiles to her: “Oh… I heard about you guys when I was still working in another branch. Where is your marriage certificate?”

Jian Yao: “…..” - But I am not Bo Jinyan. I don’t carry my marriage certificate with me all the time!

Don’t Turn from Summer (莫负寒夏) by Ding Mo Don’t turn from Summer 1 The dark sky was calm and the shadows under the streetlights swayed lightly. There were no other pedestrians and no other cars passing. Mu Han Xia suddenly gripped her handbrakes, stopping her bike at the intersection. She couldn’t believe that she just witnessed such a severe accident. A black sedan lay lopsided by the side of the road. Shattered glass covered the ground, half the body of the car was deformed from impact. The wheels were still rotating futilely in the air. It was uncertain whether the passengers had survived. Just a few feet away a big truck also drove off the road into vegetation, with the front of the truck flattened by the impact. As Mu Han Xia tried to piece together what had happened, the big truck started again and began to drive away. Mu Han Xia instantly yelled: “Wait! Wait!” but the truck just kept accelerating. Mu Han Xia took out her cell phone from her pocket and snapped a few photos. The truck drove farther away. Mu Han Xia parked her bike by the side of the road. Though nervous, her first instinct was to call an ambulance, then call the police. After this she ran over to the sedan and stopped a few steps away. There was no one in the back. A woman sat in the passenger seat, head bleeding, eyes tightly shut, seemingly passed out. In the driver seat was a young man. There was a lot of blood on his face, but his eyes were open watching her. His skin quite fair, his eyes very deep as if it contained some calm and deep precipitate, watched her attentively. Mu Han Xia lightly asked: “Can you move? Would you like me to help you get out?” The man’s voice low and hoarse: “Help me get out.” His behavior was too calm, far from the stress of someone who was just in an accident. Mu Han Xia couldn’t help but look him over again. When meeting his close, cool, gaze, she quickly withdrew. Mu Han Xia pulled open the door and he offered an arm to her. She supported him and carefully helped him out of the car. Their surroundings were still very quiet, only the light sound of the wind blowing on the leaves could be heard. It was almost midnight and this was a side street intersection, no wonder there was no one else passing.

Mu Han Xia helped him lie down on the roadside. Slightly panting, she also sat down. Although he looked skinny, he was very tall with a big frame. His weight leaning on her for just a little while was very strenuous. After they sat quietly for a few seconds, he said: “Call an ambulance.” Mu Han Xia: “Already called.” He spoke again: “Do you……remember the license plate?” talking seemed somewhat difficult. Mu Han Xia looked down at him. His hair and suit were covered in blood. His suit seemed to be well-made and he was wearing a Rolex on his wrist. Light shining on his face, his features were visible, but his skin was pale. Evidently, this was someone who was used to ordering others around[1], till now, he has yet to express gratitude. Mu Han Xia: “License plate is already recorded and the picture is very clear. I have already contacted the police, don’t worry. Although, do you think the more you talk right now, the quicker you will bleed?” The man glanced at her, and after a moment said lightly: “Thank you.” Mu Han Xia smiled, turned around and took two T-shirts out of her bag, this was all she had on her. She secured one to his still bleeding thigh and used the other one to wipe away some blood from his face. The soft, clean T-shirt still had a light fragrance. The man felt her hand gently moving on his face, wiping the blood from around his eyes, making it a lot more comfortable for him. His body still hurt and he felt a wave of exhaustion washing over him so he slowly closed his eyes. “Go look at my companion[2].” He said. “Alright” Mu Han Xia walked around the car, the woman was still unconscious and it looked like she was stuck. Mu Han Xia did not want to make things worse, but with some courage she stuck a finger under her nose, and let go of the breath she was holding in. Mu Han Xia returned to the man’s side: “Your friend is still alive, but has not woken up.” Him: “Don’t move her carelessly.” Mu Han Xia: “Why would I move her without thinking?” Their gaze met and Mu Han Xia spoke: “Alright, there is nothing else I can help you with. The ambulance should be here shortly, so just hang in there.” After saying this,

before she could get up to get a bottle of water from her bag for him, his hand swiftly grabbed her hand. Mu Han Xia froze. He fixed his gaze on her: “Don’t leave, take care of me here.” Reflexively, Mu Han Xia tried to take her hand back. Although he was injured badly, he was still a man. Mu Han Xia did not put up a struggle. His hands were fairer than hers, big and slender, a pair of hands that clearly haven’t done hard labor[3]. Mu Han Xia could only say: “I’m not leaving! Let go.” He simply did not comply, continuing to grasp her hand firmly. Each of her fingers were intermingled with his. His eyes were half open, half closed, seemingly only half conscious. “Before the ambulance gets here……” He suddenly mumbled in a low voice, “If you leave, I will (falsely) blame this on you.” Mu Han Xia: “……” This guy! What kind of person did she save? “How……how are you going to blame? You can’t possibly tell the police that I used my body to send your car flying?” Eyes closed, the corners of his mouth turned upward wordlessly. Mu Han Xia could only let him hold her hand. But she knew that in this moment, his awareness was not fully clear. When she rescued him from the car, his behavior was so calm. However, now muddle-headed he knew to rely on her. Each minute each second passed, in the dead of the night the wind started picking up. His eyes closed, Mu Han Xia looked down to assess him. The man had a broad forehead, high brow peaks, and a tall nose. His features were not heavily accented, on the contrary his features lined up concisely giving a strong and refined feel. “If the gas tank explodes, you should escape yourself.” He said suddenly, eyes still closed. Pausing, Mu Han Xia replied: “Don’t worry, I was mindful of the tank before. For the time being, there is no leak. Also if it really does explode, I’ll help you till the end[4], I’ll walk with you. Though I won’t be able to help your friend.

He was silent for a bit and suddenly mouth upturned: “You are strong enough? (Your) wrists are so thin.” Mu Han Xia: “Then you have made an incorrect assumption. I am the clerk at the supermarket who does manual labor.” He spoke softly: “Liar.” Opening his eyes, he looked at her: “There are no clerks that are this pretty and clever.” Mu Han Xia smiled: “Hey, I think your awareness is still pretty good, I’m talking about the latter half.” He did not say anything else. Eyes closed, eyebrows slightly pulled together, seemed to be in a lot of pain. His grip on her hand became even tighter. Mu Han Xia realized that he was enduring a lot, moving closer to his ears she said: “Don’t worry, I really won’t leave. I’ll stay with you.” He did not say anything, nor did he move. His even breathing made it seem like he had fallen asleep. After a little while longer the sound of an ambulance could finally be heard. Mu Han Xia lightly pulled her hand out of his. Taking out her phone she prepared to give the photo to the police, but suddenly she looked down. The light filtered through the leaves, mottling his face in a quiet silhouette. Although his suit was disarrayed and there was blood everywhere leaving him in a dismal state, his profile view was more tasteful[5] than any other man’s profile she’s seen. Mu Han Xia raised her cell and took a picture. —— Le Ya Supermarket’s start of the day is 7 in the morning. Mu Han Xia got home from the precinct at 3 last night. With two eyebags the next morning, she got on the bus. Downstairs at the supermarket’s breakfast store, she tiredly asked for a rice bowl. As she ate the first two bites, He Jing arrived. He Jing energetically sat across from her, face brimming with the glow of gossip: “Hey Ah Xia (nickname), have you seen the news? Yesterday night our Le Ya’s biggest competitor, Yong Zheng Corp’s heiress Cheng Wei Wei got in a car accident!” Tired as a ghost and still eating, Mu Han Xia took a couple seconds to react: “Car accident?” “Yeah.” He Jing handed over her phone.

“Yong Zheng Corp’s Marketing Director Cheng Wei Wei and friend were in a car accident” – below the black eye-grabbing headline was an associated picture showing the intersection from yesterday without the wreckage. “Oh, I know.” Mu Han Xia said, “Yesterday night after work I was there. I even helped them call an ambulance. Currently……they should be out of danger.” “Ah!” He Jing opened her eyes wide, “Really?” Mu Han Xia summarized yesterday’s happenings for her, leaving out the details of her interactions with the man. After hearing her story, He Jing looked disappointed[6]: “Just like that?” “Just like that.” “You should leave them a number and ask for a reward or something. They are super rich and you saved their lives. They didn’t even express their thanks, let them shower you with checks!” Mu Han Xia laughed, feigning remorse said: “Yes yes yes, my awareness was too low. Next time, next time I will surely utilize such an opportunity and not let it go!” The two laughed a while longer, He Jing said seriously: “This situation, let’s not tell anyone else. Although saving someone isn’t wrong, but Yong Zheng’s competition with us is fierce. If this gets out to the leadership staff, they might actually care.” Mu Han Xia replied: “Alright, I got it.” Footnotes 1. Idiom meaning one whose facial features show that they are meant to give orders. Similar to looking noble or arrogant. 2. Means person who was with him, not necessarily ‘companion’ 3. Idiom meaning hands of a prince 4. There is also a comparison here for helping someone till the end to “Sending the Budha to the West” since the journey for Budhists is to the West – this is likely another Monkey King/Journey to the West reference since the Monkey King and crew accompanied Tang Seng to the West and throughout the journey there were many conflicts they had to overcome. I think at some points Tang Seng did not want them to die and said that they could just leave him to fend for himself. Pretty fitting if the author is saying that the male lead (Lin Mo Chen) is pretty looking like Tang Seng 5. Technically “taste” here is more of eliciting feelings. One can say a painting is better than another, or a music piece is better than another because they are more “tasteful” 6. Idiom hate iron for not becoming steel – means impatient for someone to improve

Don’t turn from Summer 2 “Sushi ah sushi, sweet and smooth sushi…” Mu Han Xia was humming a tune of a popular song, while kneading the sushi and placing it on a saucer. It was still early in the morning, jewels on the top shelf were glittering through the bright sunlight, since there were not many customers yet, supermarket seemed very empty and quiet. Mu Han Xia wore the red colored short sales uniform, leisurely standing beside the counter, picking out some sushi that seemed most beautiful from the rest. After arranging the sushi in order, she took a snapshot of it. In case of photograph technology, although her mobile’s camera quality was quite ordinary, the pictures she took were always praised by others. Shadow cast by the bright sunlight made the background seem a little fuzzy, each and every rice grain seemed sparkling and plump, the green colored seaweeds and the red colored fish, the dish was quite beautiful. She sent the photo to her friend circle, also added some words above: “Salmon sushi with tuna rolls, soak in with fragrance, flavor of the day – by Mu Han Xia” Bunch of people started commenting right away. High school classmate A: “quite beautiful!” High school classmate B: “Really hateful, It’s so early in the morning and I’m still on subway rushing to work, plus I didn’t get to have any breakfast either!” High school classmate C: “Another one of Mu Han Xia’s arts, speechless” Cosmetics sales clerk: “Xia Xia, it must be really good!” Meat section’s shop assistant: “Ha ha, Pork is the way of the king!” Holding the phone, Mu Han Xia leaned against the counter, suddenly He Jing passed by carrying two big Durian in both hands. She was the fruit section sales clerk, taking a deep breath threw the fruits in her hands at the top shelf, moving closer to Mu Han Xia, muttered, “You know, even poor can be happy!” Mu Han Xia lowered her mobile phone, “Could it be that I can not be happy since I’m poor?” He Jing sneered, sweeping a glance at those beautifully arranged sushi, she couldn’t help but sigh, “What are you doing ah? always changing sections here”

Mu Han Xia replied firm face, “don’t you know, my professional goal is to grasp all the 72 skills of the supermarket and… “ “Screw you!” He Jing interrupted, holding back the laugh, lowered her voice to say, “You think I don’t know that you want crawl higher, you already got yourself a undergraduate degree right? Plus in Jianchen university. Hmph! You people looking pretty and all, don’t you forget me if you climbed high in the future” Mu Han Xia felt embarrassed, “But you know, as they say, the wife who shared husbands hardships must never be ignored…” Han Jing burst away, after giving her a slap on the head. _________________________ The general manager of Jiancheng 2nd street Yue Ya supermarket, was called Meng Gang. 35 years old, single and divorced. He always came to work awfully early, begin supervising daily operations of the supermarket. Also he oftenly works till late in the night, finishing the work together with other employees. Although no one dare to talk with him, but they all know that this supermarket’s income ranked first in central China for many years, under his leadership. Today, Meng Gang called supervising managers of every section for the weekly regular meeting. Morning sunshine was still bright and warm, everyone sat around the table in the big conference room. Meng Gang sat on the middle seat, tweaking a cigarette between his fingers. Sunlight fell behind him, making his features appear neat and clean and he seemed taller, this made him look uninhibited and imposing. Originally atmosphere around the conference room was solemn and serene, but when marketing manager made his statement, some started showing faint smiles. Because marketing manager bought over some news, their rival Yong Zheng supermarket chairman’s daughter, marketing director Chen Wei, had encountered an accident, although not life threatening , yet there was severe injuries. “Yong Zheng just announced to open a new store, within 5 km to ours, however marketing director who was in charge of the new shop preparations had met with a traffic accident” director had an indifferent expression whilst his speech, “it seems their new shop is going o be postponed” Purchasing section manager with a fiery temper sneered and said, “Frankly, I got no sympathy for them, since we’re doing well in here, seeing our good performance here Yong Zheng wants to open up a new shop across to us, plus to steal our business here, serves them right!” Everyone was gathering around the lively discussion, rejoicing at others misfortune. Meng Gang sat in the middle, although he hadn’t spoken or joined in on the topic, yet he

wasn’t someone merciful nor kind. Hearing the conversations before him, occasionally his mouth would curve upwards, forming in to a slight smile. “Chief Meng” marketing manager seemed to be thinking about something before he said, “I heard that when this accident happened, there was someone together with Chen Wei, also that person seem to be a friend of hers from US, coming back here to help her with their new operations” “From US?” someone asked. “He appears to be a friend from University, a young man over 20” “Oh…” someone laughed, turned to Meng Gang, “Chief Meng, it seeds the young miss brought over a friend from college before stepping in to the battle, Yong Zheng played a bad card on this round” Everyone laughed in unison at the ridicule, Meng Gang also showed a faint smile before saying, “Everyone, whoever it is we shouldn’t let our guard down this early. Yong Zheng always operated steadily, a shop they just opened recently on the other town showed some good performance. They’re always well prepared when they open up new shops, ah that’s right! That friend of Chen Wei’s, what was his name?” Marketing manager thought for a bit and answered, “Something like.. Lin Mo Chen?” _________________________ It was almost noon, after sending off a customer, Mu Han Xia started to doze off behind the counter. Last night was terrible, her feeling sleepy was completely natural. There was no one near her so taking advantage of the surroundings, she let out a big yawn, closing the eyes full of tears. After a while her head drooped, jerked down making her suddenly wake up. She looked around with half opened eyes, wanting to go back to sleep. But glancing over the raw of refrigerators, her eyes caught Meng Gang standing there with his assistants. Mu Han Xia sobered up at once, straightened her back sitting upright. Reached out to arrange sushi in the sales counter with a solemn face. It was as if the one who was dozing behind the counter a moment ago, was entirely different person. She didn’t raise her head, merely felt him on looking at this direction. When she raised her eyes, they were already gone. Mu Han Xia sighed in relief. Thinking to herself, Meng Gang patrols around the shop everyday, and there’re many attendants on the sales counter maybe he didn’t see her in here.

Not long after that, result came with Meng Gang’s assistant Xiao Chen’s return. Standing behind the counter with a pleasant smile he said, “Mu Han Xia, chief Meng called you to his office”. The offices of the executives members were at the upstairs of the supermarket. And Meng Gang’s office was at the end of the forth floor. This is not the first time Mu Han Xia coming here. It was 3 years ago, when she was first recruited to this supermarket as a shop assistant, along with 20 other people, yet Meng Gang only summoned her here. Then till now, Meng Gang’s appearance almost didn’t change at all. Crew cut hair, tall build, short sleeved shirt along with trousers, wearing a good wrist watch. His firm and stiff face as well and fingers pressing a cigarette between them. Mu Han Xia still remember the brief words he said to her that day, “Little girl, I saw your resume. Although you only got your high school diploma, it was the sixth best in whole city. Work well here! then you’ll have many opportunities in the future” Meng Gang only graduated from middle school, without any background to support him, made it all the way here through hard work while relying only on himself. From being a supermarket shop assistant crawled up to a staff member, supervisor, manager… and finally became the director of this supermarket. In this supermarket, he is the goal many people struggling to achieve. Same was for Mu Han Xia. Mu Han Xia gently pushed open the door, raising her eyes to see Meng Gang sitting behind the desk, the water pump of the gold fish tank next to him made a regular sound. He was holding a cup of tea, inside the room had the fragrant smell of the tea mixed with faint smell of cigarettes. Seeing Mu Han Xia knocking the door before coming in, he smiled, “Sit” Mu Han Xia sat down feeling a little embarrassed, thinking about her snoozing episode, she assumed that it was unlikely for big boss to summon her upstairs for this kind of small matter. For such a thing, letting her supervisor reprimand her was enough. Her heart beat accelerated a little. Meng Gang finally opened his mouth to ask, “didn’t sleep well last night?” His voice sounded mild and indifferent, furthermore his face carried a slight smile, without a meaning to reproach. Mu Han Xia’s face turned red, clear distinct sound constantly ran through her ears, lowering her head softly replied, “It’ll not happen again”.

She was wearing the red uniform, she had took off her cap since she had to go to the upstairs to meet Meng Gang, revealing the thick hair bounded up to a pony tail. Maybe because she had walked fast on the way here or maybe because of the uneasy heart, her forehead soaked with a thin layer of sweat. With a little moist on the face and neck, her original pale white skin seemed ivory, highlighting the little shade of red on her face. As she was lowering her head, her usual dark pair of eyes hung low eyelashes appeared dense and long. Similarly the pale white hands falling to one side, grasped lightly in to a fist. After a while she heard Meng Gang say, “Don’t be nervous, this one time is not to blame, pay attention more next time” “Thank you chief Meng!” corners of her mouth slyly curved upwards and immediately bent down again, raising her head Mu Han Xia turned her solemn face at him, “Chief Meng called me for…” Meng Gang fixed his gaze at her, “you got your undergraduate diploma?” Mu Han Xia embarrassed smiled, “En, finally got it few days ago” Also smiling Meng Gang slowly raised his tea cup up to his mouth, “So what’re your plans for the future?” Mu Han Xia looking at his expression replied, “I had applied for Human resources department before, thought to go for marketing section to work…” “I have already approved it” Mu Han Xia stared blankly, then suddenly felt a surge of joy filling her. Never mind a little bit of hard work, to be successful in such a short amount of time, her heart filled with happiness. “Chief Meng, I…” bowed deeply towards him, “Thank you, thank you” “Look at your usually upright mouth today, stuttering and all?” looking at her deeply, he too revealed a smiling expression. Meng Gang nodded towards her, “Good job, little girl!” Mu Han Xia was beaming with joy, yet opened her mouth saying , “Chief Meng, I’m already 22, I’m not a little girl anymore” He said while laughing, “You’re so young, still saying not a little girl in front of me?” _________________________ One month later…

Since the task at hand requires manufacturing division once again, they have been very busy recently. Therefore Mu Han Xia had to stand in at supermarket again for few days. It was a sunny and peaceful morning. For the past few days after Mu Han Xia took over pastries sales counter, it had been quite leisurely period, only she was not the one to stay idle.Soon she begun to learn how to make cookies, awfully fast. There was very few customers at the supermarket at that time. Loudspeaker above her head was playing Eason Chan’s , Mu Han Xia followed the lyrics with softly humming . Her singing was not very pleasant to the ear, in Han Jing’s words, “It resembles to a child who can not find the right melody” Glass in front of the sales counter reflected the falling warm sunlight, dense fragrance of the slightly warmed grills blew in to her nose. Bending over Mu Han Xia picked up the finely baked cookies one by one, placing them on a dish, she started to sing in a low voice, “Ten years ago, I did not know you, you didn’t belong to me” Just then she noticed a pair of long straight legs standing perfectly still before the counter. Glancing over, she saw a man wearing a suit with leather shoes standing there, perfectly still. Mu Han Xia was still arranging the cookies, putting them aside she slowly got up. Cheerfully asked, “Sir, What do you need, these are freshly baked cookies, want to give them a try?” The cookies she just earned to bake may have looked a little plain and square shaped, still the flavor was pretty good. “Such ugly biscuits, would it poison me?” Hearing the man speak, Mu Han Xia stared at him blankly. He raised his head, his eyes meeting a pair of deep black eyes.

Don't turn from Summer 3 Mu Han Xia is a little stunned. Even though she spent quite a bit of time with him on the night of the accident, the lights were not bright then , and it was like looking through a layer of thin black gauze. But now, he stands in front of her. He looks immaculate in his suit and black shirt. His hands are inside the pockets of his trousers. He lifts up his chin, and looks at her with an icy gaze. Her second impression of him is the same as her first - This man has the word ‘arrogant’ written all over him. He is proud to the core. “Mu Han Xia.” He says her name slowly. Mu Han Xia gives a puzzled expression on her face: “You are…” He does not look pleased that she can’t remember him. But Mu Han Xia can’t help but feel pleased that she managed to annoy him: “Oh, it’s you. I remember now. Hope you have completely recovered from your injuries.” He gives her a soft “Hmm…” sound. Mu Han Xia looks him in the eye and smiles at him: “Congratulations.” She is genuinely happy for him. He gives her a quick glance and looks at the surroundings: “Let’s find a place to sit down and talk.” “I can’t leave my post.” Mu Han Xia answers: “What do you want to say to me?” He is quiet for a moment: “You are a salesperson?” “Yes, I told you I wasn’t lying.” She puts her hands behind her back: “And to be more precise - a pretty and smart salesperson.” He is not taken by her humour. He looks down and examines the cookies she made. Mu Han Xia places a few cookies in front of him: “Come on, give it a try. My treat.” He picks one up and pops it into his mouth. She notices his hand is not like her other male colleagues. His fingers are slim and long and his skin is very fair. “Well, how does it taste?” She asks. He didn’t answer her question. Instead, he said: “I’ll buy all of your cookies.”

Mu Han Xia is stunned. Now that’s the attitude of a rich man. He is taking all the whole lot of her $5.5 per catty* cookies! She laughs and says to him: “I can’t do that. The most I can sell to one person is half a catty.” (Note from TB: 1 catty is equivalent to approximately 600 grams) She swiftly packs up the cookies and passes the bag to him. He stands quietly at the counter, watching her every move. For a few minutes, no one speaks. She secretly wonders in her mind if he will pass her a cheque as a gift of appreciation for saving his life. That’s ridiculous. She thought to herself. But somehow, her heart starts to pound… He is taking his hand out of his pocket. He is holding a piece of paper in his hand. She blushes. Then she notices what the piece of paper is. No, it’s not a cheque. It’s… his name card? He hands it to her. A simple card in that’s in a pale gold colour. No fancy designs. Just two rows of words. Feng Chen Trading Company Limited General Manager - Lin Mo Chen She has not heard the name of this company before. As for his name… Mmmm.. all the character are looks slender but powerful. His name suits him. She quickly wipes off the oil and grease on her hands onto her apron. Then she reaches out with both hands to take his card. The sweet smell of baking fills the air. “Come and work in my company, as an administrative assistant.” He says. Mu Han Xia is most surprised to hear this. She never expected this from him. A job offer? “You…” A sense of warmth comes over her. She is speechless for a moment. As if her reaction is part of his expectation, he gives a faint smile: “Take your time to consider my offer.” “No…” Mu Han Xia interrupts him with a smile on her face. She shakes her head: “Thanks, Lin Mo Chen. Thanks for thinking so highly of me. But I’d rather stay here, in Le Ya.” Lin Mo Chen keeps quiet. He gives her an icy gaze: “You would rather stay in a supermarket and be a salesperson?” He asks.

Mu Han Xia laughs. She thinks to herself, I am shifting to management soon. But she answers him with a smile: “Yes, I love being a salesperson.” He keeps quiet again. But Mu Han Xia can sense his mood change. Hey, what right does he has to be angry with her? Is that the attitude of someone coming to show his appreciation to the person who saved his life? She thinks to herself. She is about to say something to ease the tension between them when he takes out his sunglasses from his pocket. Looks like he is ready to go. She watches as he puts on his sunglasses. He has a grim expression on his face. Then he says something that’s beyond her expectations. “In three months, I will force this store to close its doors for good. Before that happens, you can come and join my company. This is my repayment to you for saving my life.” ————— Soon after Lin Mo Chen leaves, someone from management calls Mu Han Xia: “Mnanger Meng is calling for a meeting. He has asked you to join us.” Mu Han Xia makes a quick dash to the toilet. She gets out of her greasy uniform and puts on a T Shirt and a pair of jeans. Then she looks at the girl that has no make up and who is slightly nervous in the mirror. She lets her hair down, combs it with her hand and ties it back into a ponytail. Yes, she is ready. To make sure she is not late for her first meeting, she runs towards the conference room. When she is a few steps away from the door, she slows down and walks casually into the room. She is putting on a brave front, but inside she is nervous. Her throat is feeling a little dry. The room is packed full of people. Meng Gang is sitting in the middle of the room. As if he knows that she is looking at him, he lifts his head and looks towards the entrance. Mu Han Xia smiles and nods respectfully. Then she finds a seat in the corner of the room and sits down. Some people are smoking in the room. Some people are talking in a low voice. Mu Han Xia is holding a pen and a notebook. It feels like a dream to be here. Soon, everyone is present. Meng Gang taps the table top with his hand softly: “Let’s start.” The room quiets down. Everyone, including Mu Han Xia is looking at Meng Gang. He starts speaking: “Yong Zheng Supermarket will be open for business in a month’s time. We need to come up with some strategies to protect our market share.”

—————After Lin Mo Chen leaves Le Ya Supermarket, he heads to the hospital. Cheng Wei Wei is resting in the VIP ward. There are two servants from the Cheng household there too. When Cheng Wei Wei sees Lin Mo Chen entering the room, she dismisses the two servants. Lin Mo Chen sits down on the sofa. Cheng Wei Wei squeezes a smile on her face. Her head is wrapped in bandages, and her right leg is in a cast. “Did you find the girl who helped us?” She asks. Lin Mo Chen folds one leg on top the other, and rests his hand on his knee. He looks at her: “Yes.” “Repaying her kindness with a cheque… that should be sufficient. Right?” She says. Lin Mo Chen didn’t answer her. Cheng Wei Wei looks at Lin Mo Chen. He is a little pale from the injuries, but he is still as handsome and attractive as ever. She sighs: “This is so unfair. We were in the accident together. You are free to roam about, and I have to stay in hospital for a whole month.” Lin Mo Chen takes a bottle of mineral water. He opens the lids and takes a sip: “Vivian, we are business partners. What you are saying is, because of that, I have to suffer the same injuries as you in order for it to be fair? Do you have any consideration for me?” Cheng Wei Wei was only joking of course: “Ok Ok… Jacky, you win. But seriously, I invited you to help me plan the launch. As you know, everyone in the company - the directors, their sons, and my brothers in law… they are all watching me closely. This is an investment that involve a large amount of money. I am going to be stuck here for another month, but I don't want anyone else to meddle with it. Jacky, I am counting on you.” Lin Mo Chen keeps quiet. Cheng Wei Wei looks at him sincerely: “Can you put aside your plans for setting up your own company, Feng Chen, for a while and focus on the launch and management of Yong Zheng for me for this next month?” Lin Mo Chen smiles. He looks at her leg that is hanging in midair inside the cast. She moans softly to indicate to him that her injuries are still giving her pain. Lin Mo Chen says: “Do I look like a man that would do anything for a woman? Especially when you are not even my woman?”

Cheng Wei Wei feels there is a lump in her chest. She controls her disappointment and says calmly: “I know. Okay. Name your price.” Lin Mo Chen looks at her: “When my company is up and running, All the Yong Zheng supermarkets will stock my products. Plus, I want add another 5% margin to what I will get from the deal.” Cheng Wei Wei agrees reluctantly: “Ok. I agree to your terms.” Lin Mo Chen smiles. The sun has just set. The sky is still bright from the remnants of daylight. The pale light coming through the window and rests on Lin Mo Chen. Since the first day she met him in the university, he has had this decisive and aloof stance about him. He is an opportunist, ready to make more money at every available chance. She admires his good looks for a while, then she turns her head away from him: “The sales data report for Le Ya supermarket for the last few months is on the table.” Lin Mo Chen picks up the report and starts reading it. Cheng Wei Wei says: “Jacky, I know this is not the most interesting job for you. You are used to working in industries with more flexibility. The business model for supermarkets is rigid. There is not much room to move, and the revenue margins are small. And because you only have one shop to work with, your only strategy is to initialise a price war. But I can assure you that I have requested from the headquarters for a good amount of cashflow, and complete freedom to determine our strategies and business directions. Hopefully, this will make it easier for you.” Cheng Wei Wei thought her words would win some praise and appreciation from Lin Mo Chen. But instead, he doesn't even lift his head, and says to her: “What’s so difficult about the launch? Price war? I can win it with my eyes closed.”

Don’t turn from Summer 4 What is the biggest discount you’ve seen at a supermarket promotion? 5% off the entire bill? $5 rebate for every $50 spent? No items marked price will be over $15? This is the question that the Le Ya Supermarket marketing department staff is discussing now. What is the strategy they should take to defend their position as the market leader? “When Yong Zheng launches a new supermarket, it’s their standard practice to give a 2 to 5 percent discount on the total bill,” says one of the supervisor. “I think they will be employing the same strategy this time around.” Another manager says: “But we cannot deny the fact that Yong Zheng’s shop layout is better than ours, and the quality of their service is generally better than Le Ya. Plus, we’ve been in business for at least seven years. Our shop will inevitably look more tired than a brand new shop.” “Yes, we must give our supermarket a good clean up, and put some emphasis and resources on staff training to make sure our service matches theirs.” Someone agrees with the manager. “And we can meet their promotion deal.” Someone else suggests. “The customers are familiar with our shop. People are creatures of habit. I don’t believe they can snatch all of our customers.” …….. As everyone is sharing their opinions, Mu Han Xia quickly jots down their thoughts. She quickly realises her colleagues are very experienced sales staff. A lot of the ideas are practical and good. Occasionally, she looks up at Meng Gang. He is a good and competent leader. He is quick to approve all the good ideas. But he won’t shut people down immediately even if their ideas are not do-able. He will ask plenty of questions, then put forward his views for why he think they won’t work. This way, people don’t get offended or feel rejected. To conclude, the marketing manager says: “Manager Meng, I think we should settle for a 5% discount. That will match or better the deal that Yong Zheng will be offering. At the moment, our cashflow float is around two million dollars. For a one week promotion, we will need to put in around one million dollars. That should be sufficient.” Meng Gang nods. He agrees with this tactic. At the end of the day, it’s easier to defend than to attack. The same discount for the same goods. A customer will always choose the shop they are more familiar with.

—————Mu Han Xia’s house is not far from the supermarket she works at. The neighbourhood is like a village inside of a big city. In the evening. After she gets off the bus, she walks on a bumpy dust road back to an old rundown building. She is covering her nose and mouth with her hand to avoid breathing in too much dust. The neighbourhood is half empty. Most of the residents have moved to newer suburbs. She walks up six flight of stairs to her small little studio apartment. She opens the door, puts her backpack on the floor and slumps into the sofa. “Ai……” She gives a long sigh. It is as if she is happy and sad at the same time. After a brief rest, she sits up. She looks at the portraits of her parents, which are framed and mounted on the mottled wall. She mutters to herself: “Mom, your daughter is awesome. Today, Manager Meng promoted me to the role of marketing assistant. I am not a sales person anymore. I am now a white collar worker!” “Come to think of it, this is comparable to my high school friends that have a university degree. But mind you, my results were better than theirs in high school.” “It seems fortune is finally in my side. Mom, Dad, I will burn you some paper money tomorrow. And I will have a good meal myself. Finally, I am moving above the poverty line! We must celebrate.” “I miss you both.” Then she starts to cry. But after a while, she wipes her tears and lies in bed in a daze. She remembers what Lin Mo Chen says today. She feels very uneasy about the statement he made. Someone mentioned in the meeting today that Lin Mo Chen graduated at University of Columbia in the US. One of the universities she wished she can study there one day. Suddenly, she thinks of something. She switches on her lap top and enters an internet chatroom. “Monkey, are you there?” ‘Monkey’ is one of her high school classmate. He is currently studying in New York in the University of Columbia. Around midnight, ‘Monkey’ comes online: “Hi, class captain. What makes you decide to contact an old friend? What’s up?”

Mu Han Xia smiles. She replies: “I can contact you just because I feel like it, right? How are you anyway?” Monkey: “I am well. You know me. I can still thrive under any situation.” Mu Han Xia: “Ha ha… That’s great. But actually, I do have something I want to check with you. Lin Mo Chen. He graduated at University of Columbia. Have you heard of him?” Monkey: “No…. Is he in the same year as us?” “No, he’s older than us by a few years.” “Ok, I will ask around and get back to you soon. Don’t worry. I have lots of friends here. And the Asian community is not that big.” Mu Han Xia: “Thank you so much :)” After a while, Monkey sends another line to her: “So, how’s life for you nowadays?” Mu Han Xia pauses for a while, then answers: “Pretty good!” Monkey sends back an emoji with a little man dancing. Mu Han Xia takes a look at the cute cartoon and laughs. ———————The next morning, Mu Han Xia is formally transferred to the marketing department. Although she is still working in the same building, (just on a different floor), the scope of her work is so different. A clean and quiet office. Everyone is working behind their desk and their computer. If they are not at their seats, then they are in a meeting somewhere, either in-house with other colleagues, or outside with suppliers / clients. Her supervisor introduces Mu Han Xia to the rest of the team. On her first day of work, she is assigned some simple administrative tasks. Mu Han Xia is friendly, humble, obliging and efficient. She soon gains favour with all her colleagues. After work, Mu Han Xia meets up with He Jing. The two young ladies take a bus to the river side night markets. After lots of kebabs and beer, they sit satisfyingly by the water’s edge and chat under the stars. “Hey…..” He Jing looks at Mu Han Xia: “Tell me honestly, how much do you earn now?” “Let me think….” Mu Han Xia smiles: “Double the amount I used to earn.” “Wow!” He Jing exclaims and pretends to punch her face: “Hey, stop bragging in front of me…”

Don’t turn from Summer 5 The two girls are having a good time laughing. Then Mu Han Xia stands up and walks to the waters edge. She can see the clear reflections of the lights from the skyscrapers on the other side of the river. That is River City’s most prosperous commercial district. A surge of pride swells up from within her. She takes a deep breath, then shouts: “I am the King of the universe.” He Jing laughs until her body aches. Occasionally, some pedestrians walk past. The looks on their face suggests they wonder if the two girls are crazy. It’s been ten years since the movie “Titanic’. But for some reason, those the words came to Mu Han Xia as she stands on the waters’ edge. He Jing jokes to her: “Someone is looking for a boyfriend! You want to find a Jack?” Mu Han Xia answers: “Of course! If there’s a Jack in this world that is willing to give up everything for me and jump into that icy water, I will definitely fall in love with him.” He Jing laughs. Mu Han Xia turns her head towards the water and continues: “But… I am not Rose. I will not live alone. I will jump into the water with him. We will not separate.” ————It’s getting late. The girls take a bus back to the supermarket. He Jing walks to the connecting bus station to catch another bus. Mu Han Xia is about to walk away too when she sees light coming out of the new Yong Zheng supermarket. They are at the final stage of construction. It’s almost ready for business. A brand new building, painted in white, with their name “Yong Zheng - Your mart” written in a simple black font. Mu Han Xia doesn’t like their design. Even though it’s trendy, it seems to lack a certain warmth and joy when compared to the red colours Le Ya uses. And it’s dark. And it’s quiet. Mu Han Xia decides to sneak into the shop to check out the competition. She crosses the road and walks past a few construction workers as if she is just passing by the area. Then, when they are not looking, she walks down an alleyway that leads to the rear of the building. She is standing in a newly constructed carpark. It’s empty except for one car parked in the corner. Mu Han Xia recognises that Porsche Cayenne. So, looks like the boss is still working in the office.

One of the roller doors of the warehouse is still open. She wants to ‘accidentally’ walk in to take a look at what products are stored there. But before she gets a chance, she hears some footsteps coming down a flight of stairs. She quickly runs around the corner and hides herself. She takes a peep. It’s Lin Mo Chen. Mu Han Xia keeps her body as straight and as close to the wall as possible. But every now and then, she leans forward to watch what Lin Mo Chen is doing. He is walking towards the car with his hands in his pocket. Then when he is next to his car, he takes out the keys and press the remote control button to unlock the car doors. Then he pauses. Lin Mo Chen is not getting into the car. Instead, he starts walking in the direction of where Mu Han Xia is. Mu Han Xia quickly leans back. Her heart starts to pound. The lighting in the area is pretty dim. The grass beside her feet gently moves with the wind. The place is very quiet. She is not making any noise. And neither is he. Mu Han Xia decides this is not a place to linger. She takes small steps and quietly walks back toward the front of the building. But it’s dark and it’s hard to see where she is going. She is feeling the way with her feet. Occasionally, she steps on a pile of dirt. But it’s not the time to think about whether her shoes are dirty. She just wants to leave the area. And just as she starts to feel relieved, she hears a dry laugh from behind her. “Ah…” She panics and loses her balance as she steps into an undulating pit. she falls face down to the ground. “Ough.. ough..” She coughs because of the irritation caused by the dust going into her nostrils. Her face is full of dirt too. She begins to feel pain on her elbows and knees. She tries to get up, but the heels of one of her shoes is stuck in the crack on the ground. Then she hears some footsteps. She looks up and sees Lin Mo Chen standing next to her. He bends down and look her in the eyes. Mu Han Xia blushes. She can see his bright eyes clearly, even in the low light conditions. “A humble salesman who is unwilling to turn from the dark side. What? She is planning to be a spy too?” Mu Han Xia retorts: “Who says I am a spy? I just happened to walk past here.” Lin Mo Chen looks around and says: “You so happened to walk past my warehouse at 9pm?” Mu Han Xia is lost for words. She chooses to ignore him. She bends over to loosen the shoe that is stuck. Then she puts it back on and stands up. Eager to change the topic of conversation, she says to him: “Let’s talk about something else. How can you be so sure that you can force Le Ya out of business in three months?”

Lin Mo Chen stands up too. When he stands next to Mu Han Xia, it’s obvious that he is much taller than her. Mu Han Xia instinctually wants to step back to increase the distance between them. But the alleyway is narrow. There is not much room to move. He leans forward and smiles while whispering to her: “Of course I can. Would you like me to tell you my plan?” Mu Han Xia is stunned: “Huh?” Lin Mo Chen laughs: “Do I look like someone who will give my secret away out of gratitude?” Mu Han Xia: “….” She feels like picking up a piece of brick to throw at him. “Well…” She retorts: “We are not as easy to defeat as you think!” She starts to walks away. Lin Mo Chen watches her as she leaves the alleyway. She is wearing a pair of blue jeans, and a shirt with a simple checkers design on top of a plain white T Shirt. Her long straight hair is shiny and silky smooth. Her waist is small and her legs are long. She is attractive. But within his social circle, there are a lot of woman that are more beautiful than Mu Han Xia. If she is a star in the sky, she would be a small, dim and inconspicuous star amongst many other much brighter ones that shine like diamonds. She is like a small ordinary speck of dust that does not belong in his world. —————When Mu Han Xia arrives home, she notices her high school friend “Monkey’ is online. When he sees that she is online too, he calls her for an online chat. Mu Han Xia asks: “Do you have some news for me?” ‘Monkey’ doesn't answer her question. Instead, he asks her another question: “Class captain, can you tell me why you are inquiring about this person?” Mu Han Xia answers: “Something to do with my work. Tell me, what have you found out about him?” ‘Monkey’ answers: “Oh… Anyway, you should avoid this man at all cost. If you see him walking towards you, take a different route. If he is attacking your company, your company should ‘take a different route’ too.” Mu Han Xia is dumbfounded: “What do you mean?”

‘Monkey’ answers: “There are some horrifying rumours about him. He is a merciless, ruthless mercenary. Apparently, those who oppose him end up defeated and bankrupted!”