Memory Lost (美人为馅): Chapter 87

Chapter 87: My Sorrow Part 1

It’s past 10 pm as Bai Jin Xi walks into the station with Han Chen carrying a box of barbecue skewers.

Han Chen has no opinion on she delivering some late night snacks to the Black Shield Team.  They’re going to get married sooner or later, so how could he not be happy about her showing the responsibility of being his wife?

Bai Jin Xi isn’t thinking as deeply into this as he is.  She just happens to have eaten some very good snacks and wants to share it with Xiao Zhuan and the others.

The night is quiet and the office building is sparsely lit.  They push open the office door while holding hands, and the first thing they see is Xiao Zhuan and the others busying themselves in front of their desks.

Xu Nan Bai is also here.  This is a rather surprise to Jin Xi.

The lights are bright.  Xu Nan Bai is dressed in his usual casual jacket and shirt and is wearing a pair of gold-rimmed glasses while talking to Chatterbox leaning over the table.  He is holding a stack of paper as he discusses them over with Chatterbox.  His sleeves are slightly rolled up, revealing the watch and Buddha bead bracelet on his wrist, making him look elegant and intelligent.

Everybody turns to look hearing the noise.

“Ah!  Leader, Xiao Bai!  Aren’t you guys off on a honeymoon for these few days?” Xiao Zhuan is the first to jump up from his seat.  He rushes over to Jin Xi and examines her neck, “Mm, the wound has gotten a lot better now.”

He doesn’t watch his mouth at all.  Besides causing Bai Jin Xi to feel a bit embarrassed, the other guys in the room don’t show any change in their expressions.  Even Xu Nan Bai, who’s not a member of the team, is showing a polite smile.

This is obviously a publicly known secret now.

Jin Xi tosses the snacks at Xiao Zhuan, “Shut your mouth.  Eat it while it’s hot.  It’s good stuff!”  Xiao Zhuan and Chatterbox are in cheers and start to set up the table by laying newspapers over it.

Han Chen walks up to Cold Face’s desk, “Is everything going well?”

Cold Face replies, “We have completed gathering evidence at the scene as well as looking up all the information on Xin Jia in regards to her life.  Our current progress is going just the way we expected.”

Going the way they expected means that the killer is a professional.  There’ll be some challenges in finding him directly.

Han Chen wasn’t expecting that they would be able to solve the case overnight.  They’re not up against one person; they’re up against an entire organization.  He nods and looks towards Xu Nan Bai, “Professor Xu, how come you’re here as well?”

Xu Nan Bai smiles and takes the grilled shrimp skewer that Chatterbox is passing to him.  Even when he’s eating street food, he still gives off a graceful aura.

“My family and Xin Jia’s family can be considered as old friends and keep in touch.  Therefore, now that this has happened to her, whether it’s for work or for personal reasons, I should also contribute to the case,” his eyes show a hint of grief mentioning Xin Jia.

Han Chen and Jin Xi both nod.  Chatterbox butts in, “Professor Xu has been helping us with giving our condolences to the family, and he is also working on Xin Jia’s psychological analysis report.  He’s helped us a lot.”

Jin Xi says to him smiling, “Senior, thank you!”

Xu Nan Bai smiles nodding.  He fiddles with the Buddha bead bracelet with his fingers looking peaceful.

Han Chen and Jin Xi stay for a while before leaving holding hands.  As they walk down the stairs, Jin Xi’s phone rings.  She holds it up to see who it is, and it’s actually Zhou Xiao Zhuan texting her:

“I have a feeling——am I going to become a (god) uncle soon?  I can feel that the atmosphere around you two is different!”  And then it’s a very perverted smiley face.

Jin Xi presses her lips together into a smile.  Just when she’s about to reply back with “F–k off,” Han Chen takes her cell phone.  He takes a look and then taps on the keyboard with his long fingers: “How is it different?”

Jin Xi pinches the back of his hand and snatches the phone back, “You’re so hateable!  Why did you have to ask him?!”

In the office, Zhou Xiao Zhuan is standing by the window looking down at the street lights below and the shadow of the two of them walking together.  He can’t help but sigh, “They’re such a great match.”

The others lift their heads and also look at the couple.  They all reveal a smile.

“Yeah,” Chatterbox supports, “Every time I see them, I wish that they would hurry and get married and grow old together.”  He thinks for a moment and continues, “Heh.  This is really like that saying: the emperor isn’t in a hurry, yet us eunuchs are so anxious about it (idiom).”

Everybody bursts out laughing.  Cold Face says calmly, “You’re an eunuch.”

Chatterbox realizes his silliness.  He gives himself a slap, “My bad.  It was a mistake, okay?  I’ll go buy coffee to ask for your forgiveness.  Who wants one?  Cold Face will definitely want one.  Xiao Zhuan is a goodie-two-shoes, so he will definitely not want one.  What about Professor Xu?  Oh, I’ll have to get one for Forensic Investigator Xu too.”

_____

Morning of the next day, on the flight to Beijing.

There aren’t a lot of passengers, and there aren’t a lot of people around them, making the cabin feel quite empty.  Jin Xi is sitting by the window staring blankly at the layers of clouds.

Han Chen puts his arm around her shoulders, “What are you thinking about?”

Jin Xi turns around to look at him and answers honestly, “I’m thinking about what kind of person I was like before.  What were my mom and dad like.  If they saw me, would they recognize me.”

She sounds a bit depressed nonetheless.  Han Chen stares into her glittering dark brown eyes and then looks up straight as he says in a calm voice, “There’s no doubt about you.  You were more delicate and loved acting like a spoiled child before.  Your straightforwardness and violent behavior should be the same.”

Jin Xi is humored by his teasing, “Get lost!”

A hint of a smile also brushes across Han Chen eyes.  He squeezes her hand and says, “Your parents must have doted you to have been able to raise such a delicate daughter.”

Jin Xi lets out a soft “Mm” and becomes quiet.

The plane soon lands on the ground.  Han Chen fetches their carry on from the top.  He pulls out a pair of sunglasses, puts them on and gives her a pair as well.  Jin Xi takes them.  They’re planning to keep a low-profile in Beijing this time.

They exit the airport and sees many cars and people coming and going.  Jin Xi takes a look at the crowd behind her; some are in a hurry, while others are standing around waiting.  She says in a low voice, “Do you think that the seven-member organization would be following us right now?”

Han Chen doesn’t answer, nor does he look behind him.  His face looks colder with his sunglasses on.  He leads her to a cab holding her hands.

When the cab approaches the second ring road of the city, Han Chen tells the driver to let them off.  He then takes her to ride an extremely crowded bus.

Jin Xi is completely enclosed by him as she holds onto the handle above their heads and asks softly, “Where is this bus heading?”

Han Chen glances at her and answers, “My home.”

Jin Xi is stunned, “We’re going to your home?”

“No, it’s a smoke bomb.”

The bus comes to a certain stop.  The people who need to get off or on are done and the doors are closed.  The bus’ engine growls and is about to move forward again, but Han Chen shouts suddenly, “Mister driver, I need to get off!”

The doors open again with a thump.  The bus driver scolds, “What were you doing before?  Now you tell me you want to get off.”

Han Chen pulls Jin Xi’s arm and gets off the bus quickly.  And then he stands at the platform and looks back at the bus.

No one is getting off behind them.

Jin Xi smiles slightly——if anyone follows them now, wouldn’t they be exposed?

They wait until the bus drives away.  He holds her hand and they enter the busy subway station.

They switch their form of transit like this a couple of times.  No matter how persistent their followers may be, this should be enough to get rid of them.  It’s an hour and a half later when they finally arrive at the front entrance of the National Public Security University.