Chapter 55

Chapter 55

A cool night.

After shower, Jian Yao is ready for bed.  It’s been two long days without a proper sleep for her.  She stands outside Bo Jinyan’s bedroom door and says to him: ”I am going to bed now.  Call me if you need my help. Goodnight.”

Bo Jinyan is lying on his bed, watching a documentary on TV.  He turns to look at her and asks: “Where are you sleeping tonight?”

Jian Yao blushes, then answers: “My room, of course.”

Bo Jinyan picks up the remote and presses the pause button.  He look at her and says: “As I recall, before the case, there is probably not a part of your body I haven't kissed or touched for at least three times.  And as for the important parts…. let me think…”His raises his brows: “…eight times.”

Jian Yao blushes: “Stop!  Why are you telling me this?”

This man… he counts how many times he kisses her?

Bo Jinyan smiles: “Because of my love for you, and my understanding on how much human desires closeness and passion.  You have to admit that we have developed a very intimate relationship… physically.  So, we should sleep on the same bed.”

Jian Yao: “…….”

The most embarrassing in the world would be to hear Bo Jinyan talk about sex. He is so blunt and straight forward, with no consideration for how it will make her feel.

Jian Yao: “I might move around in my sleep and accidentally touch your wound.  The priority right now is to make sure you have a speedily recovery.  So we need to sleep in separate rooms.” 

They are still looking into each others eyes.

Bo Jinyan: “That’s nonsense.  The last time I held you in my arm, you didn’t move at all.”

Jian Yao: “Well, just in case.  We can’t risk it.  Good night.”

Bo Jinyan keeps quiet this time.  

Jian Yao says before she leaves: “…. if there’s nothing else you need me to do, I’ll go now.  Goodnight.”

After a couple of steps into the corridor.  She can hear his voice: “Are you not even going to give me a good night kiss?”  He says in a dissatisfied and pompous tone.

Jian Yao laughs and turns back to him.  

In the soft light, he looks good in his black pyjamas.  She bends down: “Close your eyes.”

He looks at her and closes his eye lids.

When her lips are about to touch his, she notices the corners of his lips curl up to a little smile.  

Jian Yao feels warm and fuzzy in the heart.  

Bo Jinyan.  I am happy. Because you are happy.

——————-

The next morning.

A bright sunny day.  The whole of B city is enjoying the warmth the sun brings on this lovely autumn day. Fu Ziyu parks his Lexus in the apartment carpark.  He walks over to open the door for Yin Ziqi: “We are here.”

Yin Ziqi is wearing a navy blue dress today, with a white scarf, and a pair of heels.  She looks concerned: “Did you get a helper?  Who is looking after him?”

Fu Ziyu holds on to her hand to help her balance as she gets out of the car: “That’s alright.  Jian Yao is there.  They are living together.”

He notices Yin Ziqi looks a little strange when she heard that.  

Oh.. Bo Jinyan has not informed his sister yet.  If she knew how different her little brother behaves around Jian Yao nowadays, she will be horrified.  The block of ice that has turned into a flaming magma -  french kissed his girlfriend on day one, successfully persuaded her to move in with him on day two, and almost made out on day three! 

  

When Bo Jinyan told him about falling in love with Jian Yao, he choked and made a fool of himself.  He wants to see what sort of reaction the elegant Yin Ziqi might give. So he just says: “Well, she is his assistant, so it’s part of her job description to look after him.”

And Bo Jinyan does not disappoint him.  

Before he left yesterday, Bo Jinyan gave him a spare key to his house so that ‘Jian Yao won’t have to rush around to open the door for Fu Ziyu.”

So when he opens the door, the picture they see is Bo Jinyan leaning down on the chaise near the window.  Jian Yao is sitting next to him.  She is holding a bowl, and spoon feeding him congee. At that moment, the spoon is in Bo Jinyan’s mouth.

This is a normal scene of someone looking after an injured person.  But Jian Yao’s slightly blushing face and the smile that is in Bo Jinyan’s gaze adds a certain ambiguity to the atmosphere.  

When Jian Yao sees Fu Ziyu, she quickly pulls the spoon out of his mouth.  

“hu hum…” Fu Ziyu clears his throat: “Jinyan, your sister is here.”

Yin Ziqi obviously saw Jian Yao spoon-feeding him too.  She senses there is something between them, but she pretends she didn’t notice.

Bo Jinyan looks to his sister and gives her a nod.  Then he turns back to Jian Yao: “Don’t be distracted.  Continue.”

Jian Yao feels a little uneasy.  She shoves the bowl into Bo Jinyan’s hand.  “You can do it yourself.”  Then she stands and smiles to Yin Ziqi: “Hi.  Please take a seat.  I’ll make some tea.”

Yin Ziqi smiles back: “Thank you.”  Then she turns to her brother.  Before she gets a chance to speak, she can hear his voice.  Although, he doesn't seem to be talking to her.  “They have hands, leave them to do it themselves… Oh! Are you shy again…. You can imagine they are not here.”

Jian Yao blushes even more: “Shut up!” She turns to Yin Ziqi: “Sorry, he’s been a little hard to please since his injuries.”

Apologising for Bo Jinyan has become a habit of Jian Yao’s - from the little kid on the day they played fireworks, to soothing the police officers because of his harsh comments, to handling family members that he helped saved but don’t want to meet… 

But in Yin Ziqi’s ears, her apologies represent something different.  

She has always been a sensible person.  After being kissed by the Flower Cannibal No.2, she is well aware that the most dangerous part of the whole event is not the Flower Cannibal, but how moved she felt when she mistook the Flower Cannibal for Bo Jinyan.  

So for a long time, she did not contact Bo Jinyan.  Until today, when she heard about his injuries.

—————-

She is Bo Jinyan’s sister.   Jian Yao is only his assistant.  But she is apologising on to her on his behalf?  

She smiles and look towards Fu Ziyu for an answer.

Fu Ziyu refuses to get involved.  He simply gives a “I don’t know.  But you know what your brother is like” look to her.  

Yin Ziqi takes a seat next to Bo Jinyan.  He has lost weight since she last saw him.  She can see the top of the bandage showing just below his neckline.  Her heart feels for him.

“How did you end up hurting yourself so badly?” She frowns as she asks Bo Jinyan.

Bo Jinyan glances her a look.  He is not planning to answer the question.

Fu Ziyu also takes a seat on the sofa.  He is waiting for the sister’s reaction when she knows about their relationship.  Jian Yao takes out two cups of tea from the kitchen and places them on the coffee table.

“Did you forget what happened last time?” Qin Ziqi says softly. “We were so worried for you.  You can’t let yourself be hurt anymore.” 

This time Bo Jinyan answers: “I will do my best.”

————-

Jian Yao has returned to the kitchen cut up some fruits for everyone.   The three of them are chatting in the lounge.

Yin Ziqi says: “Do you want to move back to the villa for now? The servants there can better look after you.”

Fu Ziyu knows she is fishing for information.  He laughs.  

As expected, Bo Jinyan answers straight away: “No.”

Yin Ziqi looks at him: “Ok then, I will employ a professional nurse to look after you.  Jian Yao can’t handle the task by herself.  You have to rest in bed.  Besides, she is a girl.  How can she meet all your personal needs?”

The two of them looks at Bo Jinyan.  He has a strange look on his face.  

“Oh…” He says softly.

Yin Ziqi is puzzled: “What is it?”

His handsome face has sly smile: “Personal needs - I didn’t think about it.  This is where I can take advantage of the situation.  Thanks for the reminder.”  

“Ha ha ha….” Fu Ziyu is hysterical.  Yin Ziqi is still wondering what he means.

After a while, she starts laughing too: “Did I miss something here?”

Bo Jinyan suddenly remembers the his sister does not know about his love interest yet.  So he says: “Isn’t this obvious?  I am in love.”

Even though it’s his second time hearing the statement, Fu Ziyu chokes again.  

Yin Ziqi’s smile freezes. After a while, she turns to look at Fu Ziyu: “Can I have a moment with him?”

Fu Ziyu stands up: “Sure.”

Jian Yao walks out with the platter.  Fu Ziyu says to her: “Jian Yao, let’s go get some lunch for all of us.”  Jian Yao senses the siblings want some time in private, so she agrees. 

After they leave the apartment, Bo Jinyan is the first to speak: “What is it? Another murder in your company?”

Yin Ziqi says: “Of course not.” She smiles: “I am just surprised, to hear about you and Jian Yao.”

Bo Jinyan asks: “Why are you surprised? I am normal healthy man.”

Yin Ziqi pauses, then she says: “Congratulations.” 

“Thank you.”

She smiles again: “I am not trying to interfere with your private life. But because it’s the first time you are in a relationship, I have a question to ask you. Are you sure she is right girl for you?”

Bo Jinyan: “Why are you asking?”

“You are a fine young man.  Many women will consider you a good catch.  Jian Yao is a good girl too.  But I do have one hesitation.” She looks at him ands says carefully: “You have never spent so much time alone with a woman before.  She is your first female assistant.  Are you sure this is love? Or is it because she is around you all the time.  And all the care and attention you receive from her, you mistake that for love.  If it was another girl in her place, would you have the same feelings for her?”

Bo Jinyan thinks about what she says.

Then he starts tapping his fingers on the armrest.  He has a big smile on his face. His eyes look brightly at her.  

“You have confirmed something for me.  It’s not about how many times you fall in love.  Natural talent is an important factor.”  He says proudly: “Even with the amount of experience you have with guys, you can’t see through a simple truth?”

Yin Ziqi: “…What do you mean?”

  Bo Jinyan says slowly: “Your question is a paradox.  Think about it, there are millions of woman in the world, yet I have always used a male assistant.  But why did I change my habit and employ her instead?”

——————

When Yin Ziqi and Fu Ziyu leave, it’s the afternoon.  Fu Ziyu leisurely chats to her while he drives: “Isn’t it incredible?  Bo Jinyan is in love.  And they love each other so dearly.   Every time I see the way he looks at Jian Yao, I think to myself - I must be dreaming.”   

Yin Ziqi looks out of the window: “Yes, I am so happy for him.”

——————

After his visitors ‘reminded’ Bo Jinyan how Jian Yao should look after him, he waits eagerly for night to arrive.

After dinner.  Jian Yao sits in the balcony with him.  She asks: “What do you want to do tonight?  Watch TV? Read?”

Bo Jinyan looks at her and smiles: “Since I can’t take a shower by myself, you need to wipe my body for me.”

Jian Yao is speechless.  She blushes. 

Bo Jinyan adds: “Full body…”

Chapter 54

Chapter 54

The long street is noisy with a never ending flow of cars, and the hustle and bustle of city walkers.  The sun shines brightly in the lane that Bo Jinyan disappeared through just a few minutes ago.

Jian Yao decides to follow.  She gets out of the car. 

It’s dangerous.  But she will be careful.  Bo Jinyan is an academic. Now he is chasing after a mentally unstable killer.  She can’t let him go alone.

A thought comes to her mind as she passes through the crowd -

Even though he keeps saying the physical work should be left to the police, every time when he is face to face with the suspects, or sees someone in danger, he would rush to help.  He knocked Sun Yong unconscious with a stick, ran over to rescue the boy held captive by Huo Xiao Lu. And this. 

Arrogant, but firm in his beliefs.

Jinyan, please stay safe.

She is about go into the lane, when a few officers appear.  Jian Yao is relieved.  One of the taller officers blocks Jian Yao: “Stay here.” Then he and three other officers hurried into the narrow lane.

Jian Yao anxiously looks in.  Behind her, a lot of pedestrians are gathering.  It’s too far away for Jian Yao to see exactly what is happening.  The police officers are blocking her view.  She can vaguely work out there’s lot of movements, and then she hears a ‘dong’ sound, like something has fallen on to the ground. 

“Don’t move.  Don’t move.  Put down your knife.” She hears the police shout out.  

Jian Yao’s heart tightens.  She sees Bo Jinyan’s face for a split second. Then more police officers rush past her.  Her views are completely blocked.  

“We got him.  We got him.” Someone yelled out.  

“Stay down!”

“Someone is injured.  Please send an ambulance.” Someone else says.

Jian Yao runs towards the officers and tries to squeeze past them to get to Bo Jinyan: “Excuse me.  Excuse me…  I am Professor Bo’s assistant.”

“The Professor is hurt too.” Someone said.  

This is not good news.  She pushes through even harder.  People start to make way.  She sees four or five officers holding on a man with blood shot eyes.  He is still struggling to break free as the officers walk him towards the street to the police car.  Jian Yao quickly stands to the side to let them pass.  She recognises him from the photos emailed to them by the police.  That’s Zheng Chang.  

She hurries forward to find an officer lying on the ground.  He has been stabbed in the stomach.  There is a pool of blood beside him.  He looks very pale.  He is still conscious, breathing heavily and obviously in pain.  Bo Jinyan stands next to him.  There’s blood smeared on his face and suit.  A few officers are standing around him.

Jian Yao’s heart aches as she sees blood dripping down to the ground from Bo Jinyan’s sleeves. 

“What happened to you?  Are you ok?” She asks anxiously.  She wants to hold his hand, but she is afraid she might accidentally touch the wound.  She looks closer. There is a knife wound from his left shoulder that extends to his chest. 

She looks at the officer lying on the floor.  His wounds are much more serious.

“I am ok.  It’s just a flesh wound.” Bo Jinyan says to her.  

When Bo Jinyan entered the lane, there was another policeman who was going towards Zheng Chang from the opposite direction.  The police officer thought he looked suspicious too.  The two of them tried to stop Zheng Chang.  The policeman was stabbed in the stomach, and Bo Jinyan has a deep cut on his arm.  Fortunately, more officers appeared at the right moment.  

The medics arrives with stretcher.  They attend to the officer on the ground first.  Then one of them asks Bo Jinyan: “Do you need a stretcher too?”  Bo Jinyan looks at her arrogantly: “Of course not.”

Jian Yao didn't see what actually happened, but she can imagine how dangerous it must have been.  She looks at his arm again.  She asks gently: “Is it very painful?”

Bo Jinyan looks at her pale face.  He starts walking towards the main street: “Not really.  Let’s go.” 

Jian Yao follows suspiciously.  There is still blood coming from his wound.  Even though he can still walk freely but the wound is probably quite a deep one.

This man….

She walks up to him and says: “You are so brave.”

Bo Jinyan smiles back at her: “Of course.”

Jian Yao laughs.  She whispers in his ears: “So… does it hurt?”

Bo Jinyan pauses.  He decides not to reply this time. 

Two medics walk up to him.  The ambulance is just behind them.   Bo Jinyan follows them to the vehicle.  Then he turns round to say to Jian Yao: “Don’t come with me.”

Jian Yao is stunned: “Why?”

Bo Jinyan says calmly: “That goes without saying.  Zheng Chang is the first unorganised psychopath we encountered in China.  And he is alive.  I need you to follow up with his psychological assessment.” 

———————-

Jian Yao stands by the pavement.  A police car stops in front of her.  An officer opens the passenger door for her: “We’ll give you a ride to the station.”

She nods and gets into the car.  Then she takes out her phone to call FZY.  “Ziyu, Jinyan is injured….yes… on the way to the hospital.  Ok. I will come over to find you once I finish what I need to do.”

FZY will look after him.  She feels better now.

On the ambulance -

Bo Jinyan is lying down on a stretcher.  His eyes are closed.  

Just seeing the scars on his body made her cry.  How could he let her follow him to the hospital?  She will bury him with her tears.

As he is thinking of Jian Yao, the medical staff is taking off his jacket to examine the wound.

“It’s quite serious.” says one of the medics. “You should have used a stretcher.”

Bo Jinyan sweeps them a look. 

“You must lie down flat from now on.  Don’t move anymore.” He says to Bo Jinyan.  He cuts away his shirt.  Some of the dry blood is stuck to the fabric.  When the medic was peeling it off, Bo Jinyan can’t help but frown. 

Oh…

Jian Yao, it’s actually very painful.

——————

In the interrogation room.  Zheng Chang is cuffed onto a chair.  He has a gloomy look on his face, and his eyes are dull. 

Two officers are facing him.  Jian Yao and a few others, including some doctors from the mental health institutes are listening in the next room separated by dark non see through glass.  

“Why are you killing people?”  Asks the officer.

Zheng Chang looks confused: “Why did I kill people?  I need to take revenge.”

The two officers look at each other: “Why?”

Zheng Chang says quietly: “My brother.  He has been assassinated.”

“Who assassinated him?”

“Agents.  They are American agents, disguised as Chinese.  They were trying to send codes back to US.  It was very loud.  I discovered them.”

The two officers don’t know what to say.  They move on to the next question: “Why did you stab the women in their private parts?”

Zheng Chang pauses.  He is not speaking.

Then gradually, his face becomes red.  He starts to scream and yell.  The two officers are startled by his behaviour. They asked him to stop.  But Zheng Chang is getting more and more agitated.  He tries to struggle and break free…

—————

When Jian Yao leaves the room, she sees a forty year old man sitting quietly with his head down.  He looks worried.  His hands are grabbing the hair on his head.

Besides him sit a woman in her thirties.  She is scolding him in a low voice: “Look what has happened.  He is killing people.  I knew your brother is nothing but trouble.  I told you to leave him alone.  To leave him alone.  Let the state deal with it.  But you insisted you should take care of him.”

The man looks out and retaliates: “Shut up!  If it’s not because I left him for you for the last few months, his condition would not have worsen.”

“You are blaming me?” The woman slaps him on the face.

—————-

Jian Yao’s heart is saddened by the family’s story.

It is actually a simple one.

A normal family that has a child with mental illness.  It gradually put stress on their financial situation.   When his parents were still around, there were three people took turns to look after Zheng Chang - dad, mom, elder brother.  They could still cope.  

After the parents passed away, Zheng Chang became the sole responsibility of the elder brother.  A thirty year old man, spending almost all his earnings on his brother.  No girl would come near him.

Finally, he found a girlfriend.  The bride’s only condition was not to live with the younger brother in the same house. He thought about it, and decided, after all the years of sacrificing, he will do something for himself.

But what about his brother?  Private hospitals are too expensive, and he doesn’t qualify for longterm public hospital care.  Also, he is afraid the brother might be mistreated in the hospital.  His wife was not keen to send him to the hospital either.  But for a different reason.  She is afraid the hospital would charge extra fees which they would have to be responsible for.  That’s a lifelong burden!

The problem dragged on.  In the first few months after the wedding, the elder brother would sneak out to see Zheng Chang.  Lately, his pregnant wife demanded more attention, so he had not seen Zheng Chang for two months.  His wife had a hidden agenda for keeping him to close to her.  She secretly hoped that he would leave the brother alone and not have any contact with him anymore.  

So Zheng Chang was alone in the house for a few months.  The brother he was waiting for never turned up.  His mental state worsens and his world collapsed.  

My brother is dead.  He thought to himself.  I have to take revenge. 

———————

When Jian Yao leaves the station to go to the hospital, it’s past 6:00pm.

 The last rays of the afternoon sun casts a golden glow on the tall buildings.  The windows are bright and reflexive in the light.  Jian Yao is feeling a little lethargic.  Perhaps it’s because she hasn’t slept all night?  Or perhaps she is still thinking about the case? 

She received a call from Fu Ziyu earlier.

“The doctors asked him to stay in the hospital for a week.” Fu Ziyu said. “But he insisted he wanted to go home.”    

She takes out the front door keys.  Just before she unlocks the door, she thinks of something.  She takes her phone out and calls the Police Team Leader: “Officer, is there anything unusual in either of the crime scenes or Zheng Chang’s house?”

The officer replies: “No,  no codes written in blood, no English words… we didn’t find anything unusual.”

Jian Yao hangs up and feels much better.  Two cases.  No more messages.  “He must be dead.

She walks into the apartment.  There is light in the lounge, but it is empty.  Bo Jinyan is not there.  Then she hears some sound coming from his bedroom.

She removes her shoes and walk into the master bedroom.  Two men turn to look at her. 

Bo Jinyan has changed into his black pyjamas, lying straight in bed.  There are a few more pillows than usual under his head and upper back.  His face is pale.  He stares at her with his bright black eyes. 

Fu Ziyu stands to the corner of the bed.  He smiles at Jian Yao and asks: “How’s work?”

Jian Yao smiles back: “Good.”  She walks to the bed and looks at Bo Jinyan.  But she is asking Fu Ziyu: “How is he?”

“Minor injury.” Fu Ziyu says “About twenty stitches.”

Jian Yao frowns.  Bo Jinyan frowns too.

“Thanks, big mouth.  You can go now.” He says faintly, “Close the door and don’t disturb us.  Thank you.”

Jian Yao glances at him, then turns to say to Fu Ziyu: “You know what he is like.  Let’s have dinner together.”

Fu Ziyu is not one bit bothered by his best friend’s abandonment: “No, I will get going.  I have no intention of hanging around watching you guys smooch.  But…”

He looks at Bo Jinyan: “Your wounds became more serious because you kept moving around after the injury.  Now please listen to your doctor and rest.  Jian Yao, please watch him so he won’t do anything stupid anymore.”

Bo Jinyan looks at him coldly. Jian Yao replies quickly: “Of course.”

After Fu Ziyu leaves, Jian Yao asks Bo Jinyan: “So, what are the doctor’s orders?”

Bo Jinyan slowly answers her: “Less fish.  What else can it be.”

Jian Yao laughs: “Oh… that would be hard for you.”

There are two opposing views to eating fish when recovering from stab wounds. One school of thought is that it might cause infection. But others think that it’s full of vitamins and proteins so it will help muscle recovery.  Perhaps Fu Ziyu is trying to hassle him by saying he can’t have fish.  

Bo Jinyan doesn’t want to talk about this anymore.  He says to her: “Come and sit by me.”

Jian Yao shakes her head: “Let me take a shower first.”  How can she sit on his bed with the same clothes that she wore to Zheng Chang’s house?

Bo Jinyan: “Then give me a kiss first?”

Jian Yao: “No.  You stay there. Don’t move.”

He watches her as she walks into the bathroom. 

Bo Jinyan gives a sigh.

His mobility is affected, so he can’t walk up to kiss her whenever he wants.  But what’s worse is…

Not strenuous exercise for a week….Shit!