Chapter 7

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. "