Chapter 23: Working Together Long Term

Morning of the next day.

The moment Bai Jin Xi steps into the training room that is big enough for a hundred people, she can sense that something is wrong.

Other trainees who have arrived are sitting up particularly straight, all wearing their police uniforms.  In the back row, those who haven’t been doing well, are flipping their books frantically, as if they’re putting in all their efforts last minute.  On the stage in the front, the training instructors are also wearing their police uniforms, chatting among themselves quietly; the atmosphere seems rather serious.  There are a few empty chairs beside them.

A banner is hanging above their heads in the center: “Welcome, Provincial Criminal Investigation Team!” Read more

Chapter 22: The Sophisticated Me

Han Chen takes Jin Xi to a family restaurant.

The restaurant is relaxing.  The cherry-brown wooden windows separate the private dining rooms from the general dining area.  Lamps with lotus leaf shaped shades hang from the ceiling.  And the river is just outside the window.

Jin Xi sits down across from him and thinks to herself: he sure seems to like these old fashion decorations.

The server hands the menu to Han Chen.  He flips through it and asks, “What do you want to eat?”

Jin Xi answers, “I’ve never been here.  You pick.”

“Mm.”

Jin Xi rests her chin on her palm and looks around until her gaze falls onto him. Read more

Chapter 21: As Cute as Her

September at City Lan is already getting cold.  It’s slightly foggy in the morning, and there are cool winds at night.  The city is prosperous, pretty, and comfortable, like a pearl surrounded by the rivers.

It’s a little past 5pm when Bai Jin Xi and Zhou Xiao Zhuan arrive at the hotel.  It is the public security bureau’s (provincial station) designated hotel, and they will start training tomorrow.

Standing in front of the window in the room looking at the Yangtze River and mountains afar, the Chinese parasol trees and the streets, Bai Jin Xi feels refreshed.

Xiao Zhuan feels absolutely no shame in lying on her bed with his legs crossed as he asks, “My classmate’s car is here.  You really don’t want to come eat dinner with us?”

Bai Jin Xi replies without turning her head, “No.”

Xiao Zhuan gets up, walks to her side, and says slowly, “Xiao Bai, I think you’re becoming more and more dangerous lately.”

Bai Jin Xi glares at him, but he walks away while humming a melody.

Bai Jin Xi goes back to sit down on the bed, and leans backward.  Xiao Zhuan’s words make her think about last night’s dinner with Xu Si Bai. Read more

Chapter 20: So Gentle

Bai Jin Xi looks up at the group photo on the billboard.

She reads and searches through the names slowly.

She finds it.

The guy in the photo is still twenty something; a fair white face, handsome looking with a tall nose.  Even though everyone’s head is small in order to fit in the group photo, it’s obvious that he is good looking.

It seems to match up with the man that she has seen in her dreams.  But it also feels unfamiliar. Read more

Chapter 19: You Step Forward I Step Back

Xu Si Bai has made reservations at a restaurant in the central part of the city.

It’s already past lunchtime, so there aren’t a lot of people in the restaurant.  Streams of spotlights shine above their heads, and the floor is covered with a thick and soft layer of carpet; the atmosphere is quiet and relaxing.

After Bai Jin Xi finishes ordering her meal, she rests her chin in her palm and watches Xu Si Bai complete his order.

He’s wearing a white shirt and a pair of brown casual pants today.  He looks more laid back than when he’s wearing the white lab coat at work.  Perhaps because his facial features are too refined and he looks well educated, so when he raises his head and places his order with the waitress speaking in his low voice, it’s as if the waitress has been affected by his aura, she also talks to him in a low voice and very politely. Read more

Chapter 18: Prologue to T

Late night.

The temperature is rather cool at night in City Lan during the summer.  The wind from Yangtze River blows from the North, moisturizing the entire city.  Many people are already asleep, while many others have just begun their day.

In the central part of the city, there’s an old district.

A forty or so year old man is standing on the balcony of his home shirtless while having a beer.  Inside the apartment, his wife is cleaning up the dishes on the table and cursing at him at the same time.

A mosquito flies across.  The man slaps his hand on his arm.

And then he’s stunned.

It’s because he seems to have heard a sound just now.

Like it came from his body.

He looks down, and is in shock.

On the left side of his chest where his heart is, a splat of red has appeared.  He touches it with his hand——it smells like red ink. Read more

Chapter 17: Reflection of Beauty

Han Chen smokes for a while downstairs before going up.

When he arrives outside of the interrogation room, he spots Bai Jin Xi sitting across from Chen Li Jiang right away; they’re in the middle of talking.

Xiao Zhuan, who’s been standing in the corridor, comes over, “Super Detective Han, Chen Li Jiang is admitting to all of his crimes.  He’ll be taken into custody now.  District Chief says that everyone has worked hard for the past few days, so we’ll continue with the interrogation with our other colleagues from the branch tomorrow morning.”

Han Chen nods, and says looking at Bai Jin Xi, “What is she doing now then?”

Xiao Zhuan answers smiling, “Super Detective Han, you don’t know?  Leader always chat with the suspects every time.  She’s very secretive about it and won’t let others be around.  We’ve already gotten used to it, so you don’t need to mind about her.” Read more

Hi Everyone,

Apologies for the long wait.  Lots have been happening in life, so it got a bit hard to find time to translate…
Anyway, enjoy this next (long) chapter!

-tofudessert

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 16: Obsession + mini side story

5pm in the afternoon.

Investigator Xiao Qi is sitting inside the monitoring truck eating bread and staring at Chen Li Jiang on the monitor screen at the same time.

“Hey, nothing fishy, right?” his partner comes over, and pats his shoulder.

Xiao Qi swallows the bread in his mouth, “Nope.  Zeng Fang Ping chatted with him for a bit just now, and then the two of them got to work.”

His partner takes a seat beside him, “Keep a close watch.  Xiao Bai called just now and said that Zeng Fang Ping could be the suspect of the third incident.  They’ve gone to Baoan Temple to collect some evidence.  We have to watch both of them.  I wonder if this Zeng Fang Ping knows that he left footprints behind.  If he tells Chen Li Jiang about it, he’ll be on an alert.” Read more

Chapter 15: His Tenacity

A woman’s instinct can sometimes be a strange thing.

For example today, whether or not she eats breakfast or whom she eats it with is really a small and unimportant matter.  But recalling the back view of Han Chen walking away by himself, Bai Jin Xi feels uneasy for some reason.

Thinking about it again, she’s probably just too soft-hearted.

Sitting in the car heading back to the station, Zhou Xiao Zhuan glances at Bai Jin Xi.

After a while, he glances at her again.

Bai Jin Xi ties up a bag of Xiaolongbao (steamed soup buns), puts it inside an insulated bag, and asks without lifting her head, “Why are you looking at me?”

Xiao Zhuan feels a bit hurt, “Leader, do you have feelings for Han Chen?  You didn’t even go eat breakfast with Forensic Investigator Xu.” Read more

Chapter 14: Black Gloves

Bai Jin Xi is still in a daze when she feels someone holding her wrist tightly.

Her eyes meet with Han Chen’s when she turns around.

“Leave,” he states.

“Mm.”

He releases his hold.  It’s not until now that Bai Jin Xi realizes that her hands have been in fists all this time.

So he grabbed her wrist just now to prevent her from acting rashly?

That’s impossible.  No matter how angry or frustrated she is, she wouldn’t act recklessly.

They turn around and leave with the crowd.  The factory area behind them is still filled with noise, and the night scenery around them is still empty and quiet as before.

Bai Jin Xi murmurs, “This really sucks.” Read more