Memory Lost (美人为馅): Chapter 71

Chapter 71: Killing by Imitation Part 2

Jin Xi finishes saying out this big load of information, throws the marker away and turns around to look at Han Chen.

Han Chen has been staring at her this whole time as if he’s been entranced.

Jin Xi asks, “What’s the matter?  Am I wrong?  Don’t hate me now.”

Han Chen finally lowers his eyes, stands up straights and stuffs both of his hands into his pockets.

“You’ve said everything very well.  Flawless and enlightening.”

Jin Xi’s mouth curves into a smile.

“Let’s go.  Let’s head over to Shao Lun’s home.  He should be caught by now,” he says.

Jin Xi nods, “Give me a minute.  I need to erase all these.”  She picks up the whiteboard eraser, tip-toes and starts wiping away the boards covered with words.

Han Chen watches her from behind.  He smiles, walks over and picks up another eraser.  He erases the board for a moment and then turns his head to look at her.

He was lost in a trance when she was talking about the profile just now.

It was because watching her with such high spirits actually made him remember some blurry images in his mind.  He could kind of make out another her, who was wearing a delicate dress in high heels.  She was standing in a big conference room as well explaining a suspect’s profile, and he was also the only member of the audience.

But she seemed different than the way she is now.  That face was more childish and more plumped.  Although she was young, her eyes carried even more incisiveness as if she didn’t care about anything else.

He was sitting in the seats below the stage with a smile and watching her in leisure.  He watched his princess spread out her vibrant wings in front of him.

……

And she right now, even though she’s just as proud as before, the incisiveness seems to have smoothed out quite a bit over time.  She no longer wears pretty and eye-catching dresses or shiny high heels.  Instead, she wears simple sportswear and ties her hair into a ponytail casually without using any hair accessories.

Han Chen feels pain in his chest.  His hand pauses in midair.

“Jin Xi, I’ll accompany you to buy a dress,” he says.

Jin Xi looks at him with a weird expression, “Why?”

“What?  You don’t want to?”

“Mm, I don’t want to,” Jin Xi continues erasing the boards, “I quite liked wearing dresses in the past, but after working as a criminal investigator for a long while now, I feel that wearing dresses is a hassle.  I don’t like it.”

“What should we do then?” he looks downwards towards her and says flippantly, “I like it.”

Jin Xi spurts out laughing and begins erasing the board quicker, “We’ll see about your performance from now on first.”

Han Chen has long arms and legs, so he finishes erasing his board quickly.  Instead of offering to help her, he tosses the eraser away, leans on the stand and continues watching his woman’s back.

After a while, he says, “Jin Xi, about the case from five years ago, I’ve already done some investigating and found some things.”

Jin Xi’s hand pauses for a second, “What is it?”

“There were 64 dead.  And based on the time, place and cause of death, there was more than one killer.  The victims were of different backgrounds and ages.  Some died from having their bodies sliced apart, some died from suffocating, and some died from poisoning……” he says, “Because the details of the case have been classified, we don’t have information on the criminals and we don’t know how we’re related to the case.  However, I plan to go in the reverse direction by investigating the victims first and then find out who the killers are and attempt to reconstruct what happened.  Therefore, in the days to come, you might have to build many profiles……”

He stops suddenly.

Jin Xi has been listening attentively, but hearing him stop suddenly, she turns around.  She sees his face turned to the side and staring at the door with his cold eyes.

He then makes eye contact with Jin Xi.

Jin Xi’s heart shakes.

Does this mean……there’s someone outside?

Someone is eavesdropping?

Han Chen has his eyes fixed on the door.  He then makes his way over slowly and quietly.  Jin Xi understands immediately and says in her usual tone of voice, “Okay.  Just let me know how you want me to complete the profiles……”

Before she finishes, Han Chen pulls open the door with force.  Jin Xi hops down from the stage and dashes over to him.

No one.

The hallway outside is completely empty.

Jin Xi and Han Chen look at each other.  Their hearts are beating a bit fast.

She was farther away from the door just now, so she didn’t hear anything.  But she knows that with Han Chen’s hearing and vision, he couldn’t have been wrong.

But this is inside of the station.  Everything and everyone should be open and unafraid of exposure.  So who would be eavesdropping outside of their door?

“Who could it be?” she asks in a low voice.

Han Chen shakes his head without an answer.

They hear a “thump” sound from the hallway suddenly.  Someone walks out from the washroom a few doors down.  Han Chen and Jin Xi both look.  They see the person pat his hands to get rid of the water while humming a melody.  He looks up and sees them, so he smiles saying, “Leader, little Bai girl, you’re both here?”

It’s Chatterbox.

Jin Xi looks at him dumbstruck, “What are you doing here?”

Chatterbox is surprised by her question, “I was going to the washroom.”

“Did you see anybody else walk by here?” Han Chen asks.

Chatterbox shakes his head, “No.  I just finished going to the washroom.”  He becomes full of alert, “What’s wrong?  Is something up?”

Han Chen exchanges his gaze with Jin Xi before answering, “No.  Let’s hurry downstairs and get ready.”

“Oh, okay!” Chatterbox runs downstairs right away.  Han Chen pulls Jin Xi back into the conference room, closes the door and looks down at her.

Jin Xi feels her heart pounding as she continues holding hands with him quietly.  After a moment of silence, he reaches up to hold the back of her neck and guides her to lean on his shoulder.  He kisses on her hair, “Everything is fine.  Don’t overthink it.”

_____

A number of police cars head towards Situ Yi’s mansion as well as the farmhouse rented by Shao Lun.

Cold Face is already at the place.  The other four members of the Black Shield Team are in one of the police vehicles.  And the other cars are carrying the other criminal investigators, Qin Wen Long, Xu Nan Bai, and Xu Si Bai.

“Xiao Bai, let me tell you,” Xiao Zhuan leans over to the front and says to Bai Jin Xi in the passenger seat, “I heard that this morning, Xu Nan Bai suggested to Captain Qin to continue searching for other suspects who fit the profile.  He must feel like being slapped in the face now since we found him first.”

Jin Xi feels quite smug hearing this.  She smiles with her eyes squinting and doesn’t comment.

Chatterbox, on the other hand, says hesitantly, “But is Situ Yi really not suspicious?”

The moment his words come out, everyone in the car is silent.

Han Chen, who’s driving, answers in a calm voice, “According to the evidence at hand, he may not be the murderer in these four cases, but he must have been related to the previous missing cases.  He can’t escape.”

Chatterbox and Xiao Zhuan both nod.

Jin Xi feels a bit perplexed now.  Han Chen is right.  They can only conclude that Situ Yi is not connected to these cases based on logic.  But the suspicion in her heart cannot be explained.

However, she answers nonchalantly, “If he’s not, then he’s not.  I’m not someone who doesn’t admit being wrong.  If one doesn’t go through wind and rain (hardships), how will one be able to see the rainbow?”

The three men laugh.

They finally see the light of day nonetheless.  Xiao Zhuan seems to be the happiest.  He leans over to the front again, takes a look at Han Chen and then at Jin Xi, “According to what Xiao Bai is saying, Leader, you and she locked down on the real killer at the same time.  So then regarding your bet, who’s considered the winner?”

Han Chen is a bit stunned.  He glances at Jin Xi.

Jin Xi really feels like stuffing something in Xiao Zhuan’s mouth to shut him up!  Although she couldn’t keep it to herself and told him about the bet, she didn’t actually tell him what they were betting on.  But now Han Chen probably thinks that she’s a very open person.

She makes eye contact with Han Chen immediately and then says, “It doesn’t matter who wins or loses.  Regardless, it’s just a free meal anyway.”

Xiao Zhuan, “Oh, oh——”

Jin Xi smiles.  Just when she’s about to change the subject, she hears a voice beside her say indifferently, “Mm.  Regardless, we’re eating this meal anyway.” (eating can also be a slang for sexual conquest)

Jin Xi is speechless, “……”

He’s so hateable!

She turns to look out the window with her cheeks blushing.

If she knew, she would have “eaten” this meal earlier!  Keeping him hanging like this simply makes her feel like they’re playing a waiting game and he will harass her and provoke her again and again until he gets it.  She’s going to be restless!

And after Chatterbox and Xiao Zhuan hears their words, they look at each other helplessly.

Leader and Xiao Bai are just too sappy and sickening!  They even had to put a bet on a meal as if they’re still kids!  This is too much for single youths like them to handle!