My childhood friend is in her mature, sophisticated form again today. - Chapter 35

She sat up and rubbed her temples. Her head felt heavy, the kind of heaviness you get from not getting enough sleep. She got up, took a hot shower, changed into clean clothes, and went downstairs. Cheng Ran was already in the lobby. He was sitting on the sofa, a tablet and a few printed pages in front of him, his coffee cup empty. A Zuo stood at the door, holding his car keys.

“Good morning.” Lin Jiqiu walked over and sat down.

“Good morning.” Cheng Ran turned the tablet around for her to see. “I had A Zuo compare the tire tracks from last night. It’s a Toyota SUV, dark-colored, with no license plate. The tire brand and wear level match the previous car registered under Wang Jianguo’s name.”

“Wang Jianguo?”

“Director of the Research Institute. The person who signed off on Fang Lin’s solo deep-sea dive.” Cheng Ran zoomed in on a photo. “A Zuo took a picture of Wang Jianguo’s car last night in the research institute’s parking lot. The tire treads and the tire tracks on the cliff top match perfectly.”

Lin Jiqiu tapped his fingers lightly twice on the coffee table. “So Wang Jianguo is on their side too.”

“At least someone who knows the inside story. Maybe even more deeply.” Cheng Ran turned the page. “His account statements, besides the previous transfer from overseas, have recently seen two more transactions. The total amount is close to two million.”

Two million?

“Yes. The timing is quite coincidental—the first payment came after Fang Lin’s accident, and the second after you rescued Song Yang. It’s like a performance-based bonus.”

Lin Jiqiu leaned back on the sofa, staring at the ceiling. “Is he still at the research institute?”

“Yes. He went to work today. When A-Zuo went there this morning, he saw his car parked in the parking space.”

“He won’t run away. Running away would be tantamount to admitting guilt. He’s probably still observing the situation, not knowing how much evidence we have.”

Cheng Ran looked at her. “What do you want to do?”

Lin Jiqiu thought for a moment. “No rush. He’s not the most important one. Chen Weisong is.”

Cheng Ran nodded and put the tablet away. “I found more specific information about Chen Weisong. He now lives in a coastal city in the south, rarely goes out after retirement, and occasionally goes fishing at the beach. He hasn’t mentioned that project from back then to anyone.”

“Perhaps he thought the project was dead. Like Lin Xiao, he thought no one would ever ask about it again.”

“Are you going to find him?”

“Yes, but not now. The underwater facilities aren’t finished yet, and the rescued people haven’t been fully settled. We’ll go find Chen Weisong after all that’s been taken care of.”

Cheng Ran picked up his empty coffee cup and stood up. “I’ll go get some coffee. Do you want some?”

“want.”

Cheng Ran went behind the counter, picked up the coffee pot, and poured two cups. Lin Jiqiu looked at him—he was wearing a black hoodie, the hood off, and his hair was a little messy. He had slept even less than she had last night. She noticed that his fingers were gripping the coffee pot handle tightly, as if using it for leverage.

He returned with two cups of coffee and placed one in front of her. It was bitter, dark roast, and low in acidity. She was already used to it.

“Cheng Ran”.

“Um.”

How many hours did you sleep last night?

“Three.”

“not enough.”

“That’s enough.” He picked up his coffee and took a sip. “Back in Rustbone, it was common for me to go three days without sleep.”

“We’re not in the Rusty Bones now.”

Cheng Ran’s finger paused on the rim of the glass. “I know.”

Lin Jiqiu didn’t press further. She picked up her coffee cup, took a sip, put it down, and stood up. “Let’s go. To the clinic. Lin Xiao is being discharged today. I want to see him off.”

The two left the hotel and got into the car. A-Zuo started the car and drove towards the health center. The sky had cleared, and the sunlight shone on the sea, making it sparkle. Several seabirds circled in the distance, their white wings gleaming in the sunlight. Several cars were parked in front of the health center—Lin Xiao’s family had arrived, and Zhou Wan’s family had also come. Lin Xiao sat in a wheelchair, being pushed out by his son. His son had grown taller than before, a boy of thirteen or fourteen, whose eyebrows and eyes resembled Lin Xiao’s, but his eyes were different. Lin Xiao’s eyes were deep and somber, the kind of somberness that comes from having experienced much. The boy’s eyes were bright, untouched by the hardships of life.

“Lin Jiqiu.” Lin Xiao saw her and gestured for his son to stop.

Lin Jiqiu walked over and squatted down next to the wheelchair. “Are you being discharged today?”

“Yes. Going back to my hometown. My son came to pick me up.” Lin Xiao patted the hand holding the armrest of the wheelchair. “Call me ‘sister’.”

The boy glanced at Lin Jiqiu and obediently called out, “Sister.”

Lin Jiqiu’s lips curved slightly. “How old are you?”

“fourteen.”

What grade are you in?

“Second year of junior high school.”

Lin Jiqiu took a business card out of his pocket and handed it to him. “Wanxiang Agency. You can contact me if you need anything.” The boy took the card, glanced at it, and put it back in his pocket. Lin Xiao looked at him, his eyes shining.

“Lin Xiao, I found Chen Weisong’s address. He lives in the south after retirement.”

Lin Xiao’s expression didn’t change, but his fingers tightened slightly on the armrest of his wheelchair. “You went to see him?”

“not yet.”

“Are you planning to go?”

“Wait until things are settled here.”

Lin Xiao was silent for a few seconds. “He may know more about your father. But he might not tell you. He signed a confidentiality agreement, and he’s the kind of person who cares a lot about rules.”

“I’ll figure something out.”

Lin Xiao looked at her, his lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he just nodded. “Be careful.”

Lin Jiqiu stood up and patted the armrest of his wheelchair. “Have a safe journey.”

Lin Xiao’s son pushed the wheelchair towards the car. Lin Xiao turned his head and stared at her until his view was blocked by the car door. The car started and drove out of the parking lot. Lin Jiqiu stood there, watching the taillights turn into two small red dots in the sunlight, getting farther and farther away, and finally disappearing.

“Lin Xiao is a good person.” Cheng Ran stood next to her.

“Um.”

He didn’t tell you everything.

Lin Jiqiu turned to look at him. “What do you mean?”

“Most of what he said is true. But there’s one thing he’s hiding.” Cheng Ran’s voice was low. “He was there when your father had the accident.”

Lin Jiqiu’s finger paused on the photo in her pocket. “How did you know?”

“Last night I checked the records of that project. The Institute of Ocean Research’s archives didn’t have any records, but I found a technician who was involved in the project back then—not a core member, just an assistant. He said that when the explosion happened, there was more than just your father in the lab; Lin Xiao was there too.”

Lin Jiqiu remained silent for a long time. “Why didn’t he tell me?”

“Maybe he doesn’t want you to think he’s also responsible. Maybe he feels that it won’t do you any good to talk about it.”

Lin Jiqiu took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. “I understand.” She didn’t say anything else. Cheng Ran didn’t ask any further questions.

The two got into the car, and A-Zuo started the engine and drove towards the hotel. Lin Jiqiu leaned back in her seat, her eyes closed. Lin Xiao’s face was in her mind—when he said, “Your father is my best friend,” his eyes were genuine. When he said, “His accident wasn’t an accident,” his eyes were genuine too. But when he said, “I don’t know the specific details,” his eyes flickered.

“Cheng Ran”.

“Um.”

“You investigated Lin Xiao because of his heartbeat?”

“yes.”

“Any other discoveries?”

Cheng Ran thought for a moment. “There’s a record in his file. After the project was shut down, he applied to transfer out of the Ocean Research Institute, but was rejected. He applied again later, and it was finally approved. The reason for the first rejection was ‘work needs,’ without any specific explanation.”

“They don’t want him to leave.”

“Perhaps. Because he knows too much.”

Lin Jiqiu opened her eyes and looked out the window. The sea shimmered with golden light under the sunlight. The distant lighthouse looked small in the daytime, a white beam standing on the cliff like a silent sentinel.

The car stopped in front of the hotel. Lin Jiqiu got out, and Cheng Ran followed behind. The two went into the lobby, and A Zuo went to park the car. Lin Jiqiu walked to the sofa, sat down, picked up the cup of tea on the coffee table that had gone cold, and took a sip.

“Cheng Ran, that passageway, the footprints on the platform, Wang Jianguo’s car. Do we have any evidence?”

“Yes. Photos of tire tracks on the cliff top, comparison results of tire tread patterns, Wang Jianguo’s bank statements, and a copy of the document he signed approving Fang Lin’s solo deep-sea dive.”

Is this enough for the police to file a case?

“That’s enough. But the police investigation will take time, and they may not be able to find out anything beyond the Mirror Association. Wang Jianguo is just a pawn, not the mastermind.”

Lin Jiqiu put down his teacup. “Let’s not call the police yet. We’ll talk about it after we find Chen Weisong.”

“Are you afraid of alerting the enemy?”

“I’m afraid. If Wang Jianguo is arrested, the Mirror Society will know we’re investigating. If Chen Weisong knows some key information, they might strike first.”

Cheng Ran nodded. “Keep an eye on Wang Jianguo’s side for now.”

“Let Ahua go.”

“Ahua?”

“She used to sit on the windowsill at the research institute. There’s a familiar scent there.” Lin Jiqiu closed her eyes. Not to sleep, but to sense Ahua’s location. Ahua was at the office, sunbathing on the windowsill. She opened her eyes. “Ahua, go to the research institute tonight. Keep an eye on Wang Jianguo. See where he goes after get off work and who he meets.”

Ahua didn’t respond, but Lin Jiqiu knew she had heard her.

That evening, Ahua set off from the firm. Lin Jiqiu used her vision to sense the direction of the research institute. The night wind was strong, blowing Ahua’s fur wildly. Despite her small stature, her low center of gravity allowed her to walk steadily. Only a few cars remained in the research institute’s parking lot; Wang Jianguo’s car was still there.

Ahua squatted beside the car wheel for an hour. At 9:15, Wang Jianguo came out of the research institute. He was wearing a dark coat, carrying a briefcase, and walking quickly, as if he was in a hurry to go somewhere. He got into the car and started the engine.

Ahua jumped onto the rear bumper and lay on the trunk lid. The car drove out of the parking lot and headed north along the coastline.

“Cheng Ran, he’s heading north.”

“I saw it. I’m checking the surveillance footage along the route,” Cheng Ran’s voice came through the earpiece. “He got on the highway. Heading towards the city.”

Ahua clung to the roof of the car, the wind making it hard for her to open her eyes. She gripped the edge of the roof with her paws to steady herself. The car drove for over an hour before entering the city. More tall buildings appeared, and more lights shone. Ahua squinted, adjusting to the city light.

The car stopped in front of an office building. Wang Jianguo got out of the car, picked up his briefcase, and went into the building.

Ahua jumped off the car roof and followed him into the lobby. There were security guards in the lobby, but no one noticed the cat. Wang Jianguo entered the elevator, and Ahua squatted in a corner of the lobby, watching the elevator floor indicator light stop at the fifteenth floor.

“Chengran, fifteenth floor. Check that company.”

“Wait a minute.” The sound of typing on a keyboard. “There’s only one company on the fifteenth floor—Mingyuan Consulting.”

Lin Jiqiu’s fingers tightened slightly on his knee. Mingyuan Consulting. The upstream funding source for Huanxin Growth Camp. The white gloves of Jinghui.

“Wang Jianguo has connections with Mingyuan Consulting.”

“It might just be a work report. It could also be for money.” Cheng Ran’s voice was low. “Can Ahua go up?”

“The elevator requires a card. She can take the stairs.”

Ahua found the stairwell. The door was heavy; she used her head to pry it open and squeezed in. The stairwell was narrow, and the lighting was harsh. She climbed up, fifteen floors, her claws making a soft scratching sound on the concrete steps.

The stairwell door on the fifteenth floor was also locked, requiring a card swipe. Ahua crouched beside the crack in the door and listened for a while. There were people talking on the other side of the door, but the voices were muffled and the content was unclear. Lin Jiqiu closed his eyes and focused his senses. Ahua’s ears were twitching slightly, trying to catch the sound waves coming from the crack in the door.

“…They already know. All the people have been rescued, and the police haven’t intervened yet. But the people from that agency are still investigating.”

“Who gave them permission to investigate?”

“I don’t know. It could be Sun Yuan. It could be someone else.”

“Whoever it is, make them stop.”

How do I stop?

“Same as before.” Silence.

Lin Jiqiu’s fingers clenched tightly.

“Cheng Ran, they’re going to target the firm.”

“I heard you. Tell Ahua to leave. Now.”

Ahua came down the stairs, exited the building, and jumped onto the roof of Wang Jianguo’s car. She lay on the roof, her heart pounding—not just from the exhaustion of climbing the stairs, but because of those words: “Like before.” How did they do it before? Lin Xiao was arrested. Fang Lin was arrested. Song Yang was arrested. Their method was to make people disappear.

The car started and drove out of the city. Ahua lay on the roof of the car, the wind making it hard for her to open her eyes, but she didn’t let go of her grip.

It was almost midnight when they got back to the hotel. Lin Jiqiu sat on the edge of the bed, holding a copy of “Yin” in her hand. Cheng Ran sat in a chair, his tablet displaying information from Mingyuan Consulting.

“The legal representative of Mingyuan Consulting is Li Hua, the former accountant of ‘Stargazer’. He has direct contact with Wang Jianguo.”

What did they mean by ‘like before’?

Cheng Ran was silent for a few seconds. “It could be a threat. It could be violence. Rusty Bone is helping them deal with people.”

Lin Jiqiu held the “yin” in his hand. “We need to be prepared. As for the firm—”

“Ayou and Azuo are here. Azuo isn’t a fighter, but Ayou has basic self-defense capabilities. And with Amo and Yunbao there, ordinary attacks won’t hurt them.”

“Normally. But what if it’s not normally?”

Cheng Ran looked at her. “Then you need to go back first.”

Lin Jiqiu thought for a moment. “I’ll go back tomorrow.”

“good.”

Lin Jiqiu lay down on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Cheng Ran stood up and walked to the door.

“Cheng Ran”.

“Um.”

“You just said ‘as before’—did you see them handle people when you were in Rustbone?”

Cheng Ran’s finger paused on the doorknob for a moment. “I’ve seen it before.”

Lin Jiqiu didn’t ask “what kind of”. She knew the answer from his silence.

“Good night.”

“Good night.”

The door closed. Lin Jiqiu closed her eyes, the round ball on her wrist vibrating gently, in sync with her heartbeat. She held it, not letting go.