BL Ch62

Three days later.

The burnt-out forest had been restored to its former glory, with lush greenery at its center where a patch of pristine white flowers was planted. A luxury car sped by, stirring up a gust of wind, causing the flowers to sway as if waving goodbye.

The public security bureau in the New Gold District was as busy as ever, seemingly handling endless cases every day. However, the busiest group was still dealing with those perplexing, long-unsolved cases that consumed countless days and nights.

Xu Sheng rushed through the lobby, about to ask for help to move some chairs, when he suddenly felt the day darken — or rather, the light coming into the hall was blocked by something.

Yu Duqiu stepped down from the Pullman, seeing Xu Sheng’s stunned expression, laughed: “Captain Xu, your reaction is exactly like your colleagues’ when they first saw this car.”

Xu Sheng retracted his jaw that had almost dropped, swallowing hard: “…Can this car pick me up next time I visit your place?”

“No problem, VR9 bulletproof standard, ensuring you’re safe all the way.” Yu Duqiu casually hooked his arm around Xu Sheng’s shoulder, “I like how easily you’re dazzled by wealth. If it were Captain Ji, he’d just scold me for being wasteful.”

Xu Sheng quickly sensed something was off, immediately shaking off his hand: “Who said I’m dazzled by wealth? I was just making casual remarks. You’ve come at the right time; help me move chairs. The leadership and colleagues from the Changping sub-bureau are here today, and we don’t have enough seats in the conference room.”

Yu Duqiu pointed behind him at two people: “Go help Captain Xu, and remember to get me a chair with a backrest.”

“…Where would I get one for you?”

“Hmm? Didn’t you call me to attend the meeting?”

Xu Sheng: “You really don’t treat yourself as an outsider. This isn’t for you; only our special task force can participate. However, you’re an important witness, so you might be summoned. That’s why I called you, go wait in the office for now.”

So, he was just here to make up the numbers.

Yu Duqiu, who usually stole the show, faced this rare cold shoulder, shrugging with reluctance, leading Bai Zhao to the office while Lou Baoguo and Zhou Yi were taken by Xu Sheng to help out.

The empty office of the Criminal Investigation Team Three was as messy as ever, with a large mattress still propped against one wall from the last time.

“They sure don’t treat me like an outsider, not even worried I might peek at their confidential documents,” Yu Duqiu said as he entered.

“Confidential documents aren’t kept here.”

A voice suddenly came from behind, making Yu Duqiu turn around with a smile: “I was wondering who it was, Captain Ji, it feels like ages since we last met.”

Ji Lin still wore that displeased expression, looking somewhat thinner, his cheeks sunken in. His skin seemed darker but lacked color, giving him a sickly pale appearance, mixing into a dull, defeated gray. His eyes, with their red veins, had a hint of blue beneath them.

He looked heavy and weary.

Ji Lin glanced at him without the usual sarcastic retort, sat down at his desk, and said in an official tone: “I have work to do. Go sit on the couch over there, don’t disturb me.”

Yu Duqiu and Bai Zhao exchanged a look, then walked over, arms crossed, standing beside him.

Yu Duqiu: “Comrade Ji, what have you been up to these past few days?”

Ji Lin flipped through the documents on the desk, answering while reading: “Investigating cases, what else?”

Yu Duqiu stretched his neck to see the suspect’s photo in the file, feeling somewhat relieved: “You’re looking at Jiang Sheng’s file. I thought you’d given up. Looks like I was overthinking; Comrade Ji is really tough.”

Ji Lin neither confirmed nor denied: “Could I just slack off? If we don’t solve the case, more people might get hurt. I don’t have time to be down, especially since the Queen might be deceiving me to demoralize me.”

Bai Zhao: “What if he’s telling the truth?”

Ji Lin fell silent for a while before speaking slowly: “Even if Brother Mu’s death is true… I was mentally prepared. It’s not too surprising, given how long he’s been missing. It’s just a pity that night… I should have gone over to speak to him.”

Which night they were referring to was clear to all three.

A moment’s hesitation became a lifetime’s regret.

Ji Lin’s expression was calm, almost numb, like a cold machine still functioning out of a sense of duty.

He could usually keep his composure when interrogating suspects, believing he could hide other emotions just as well, be it admiration, pain, or despair. Even if others noticed, he would pretend not to know and continue to deceive himself.

It seemed like admitting his feelings was a crime; as long as he didn’t say it out loud, no one would catch him, and he wouldn’t drag those he cared about into trouble.

Yu Duqiu tried to persuade him a bit but then realized he might not have the right to criticize.

Though their reasons were different, in some ways, they were both cowards.

Bai Zhao’s gaze dropped, asking, “Where’s your new watch?”

Yu Duqiu looked and saw Ji Lin’s wrist was bare.

“The watch face shattered during the car explosion that night; I sent it for repair. Once it’s fixed, I plan to sell it; it’s not suitable for me.” Ji Lin said it lightly, as if he didn’t care much.

Even Yu Duqiu, who usually loved to mock him, was silent, touching his own watch, listening to the soft ticking of the hands as time slipped away in the heavy air.

Ji Lin took a deep breath, temporarily suppressing some turbulent emotions, and carefully read through Jiang Sheng’s file.

Yu Duqiu and Bai Zhao sat with him, though neither managed to read much.

Suddenly, Ji Lin asked out of the blue, “Bai Zhao, did you know Jiang Sheng before?”

Bai Zhao responded instantly, “If I knew him, would I have nearly been killed by him?”

Ji Lin accepted this explanation and continued, “Is Bai Zhiming only your foster father?”

Bai Zhao paused slightly this time, “Not sure.”

“According to the civil affairs records, you’re the only one.”

Yu Duqiu sensed something was off, “You think Bai Zhiming had more than one foster son?”

“Because it’s a bit of a coincidence.” Ji Lin handed over the documents, “The task force ran a DNA test on Jiang Sheng, comparing it with the DNA database of the Ministry of Public Security. Initially, we wanted to check if he had a criminal record, but the results were surprising. Xu Sheng gave me a copy; you should look at it too.”

Bai Zhao moved beside Yu Duqiu to look at it together — a portrait photo obtained from somewhere by the police showed Jiang Sheng vibrant and youthful, smiling with dimples at the camera. Unfortunately, it was a black-and-white print, making it look more like a memorial photo at this moment.

Jiang Sheng’s life story was clearly laid out on several sheets of paper, the first detail being particularly surprising, justifying Ji Lin’s suspicion:

The DNA comparison results matched Jiang Sheng with a missing child in the database.

This child was originally from a small, obscure county in North China. His parents operated a small shop in town, living a relatively peaceful life. Since they were busy managing the shop during the day, they took the child to work with them, as there was no one to look after him at home.

The child was intelligent from a young age, walking before he was one, and his parents were careless, letting him play around the shop. One day, while busy giving change to a customer, they lost sight of him for a moment, and he was gone.

The couple was naturally devastated, reporting the incident to the police and posting notices, but twenty years ago, communication, transportation, and crime-solving technology were far less advanced than now. After searching for two to three years without success, they gradually lost hope. They had another child while still young, bringing new joy to the family, and the abducted child was slowly forgotten.

Meanwhile, as his biological parents found new happiness, young Jiang Sheng embarked on a life path very different from other abducted children.

He lived alone, supported by some kind-hearted person, not only completing elementary, middle, and high school but also getting into a foreign university. After graduation, he obtained a green card, making travel between the U.S. and China visa-free, greatly facilitating his criminal activities in both countries.

Ironically, it was only after his death that this DNA report revealed his true background. Perhaps even Jiang Sheng himself did not know where his hometown was or who his biological parents were.

“Today’s meeting with the task force should also discuss this,” Ji Lin said. “Bai Zhiming told the landlord that Jiang Sheng was his son. We initially thought it was just a made-up relationship to rent the house, but now knowing Jiang Sheng’s real identity, I suspect Bai Zhiming bought Jiang Sheng from human traffickers and raised him secretly, grooming him to work for him. They might have had a foster father-son relationship.”

Upon hearing this, Yu Duqiu frowned, “He was an orphan? Weird, how come my team didn’t find this out?”

Ji Lin: “He faked his background, and your team isn’t the FBI; it’s normal not to find it.”

“But didn’t the Queen mention his brother in the phone call? Who could that be?”

“It’s not clear at the moment. Maybe it’s just a term for someone older in their gang, not necessarily a blood relative.”

Yu Duqiu glanced at the person next to him, “Wouldn’t it be you?”

Bai Zhao looked at him helplessly, “Do you have to involve me?”

“Just asking casually, don’t get mad.” Yu Duqiu ruffled his hair to appease him, then returned to the topic, “I agree with your guess, but unfortunately, both are dead now. Even if we find evidence they were foster father and son, what use is it?”

Ji Lin: “At least we’ll have a character relationship map to help us understand their internal dynamics. Right now, it feels too chaotic. From that phone call, it seems Jiang Sheng didn’t listen much to the ‘Queen,’ and the ‘Queen’ didn’t listen much to the ‘King,’ often acting independently. They have different criminal motives and methods but somehow became allies.”

Yu Duqiu: “Isn’t that like us? You and I don’t follow the same path or use the same methods to solve cases, but we’ve become allies for a common goal.”

“Makes sense.” Ji Lin took back the documents.

Yu Duqiu accidentally caught a line of text, slightly surprised, “Jiang Sheng reported to the police before?”

Ji Lin nodded, “He told me before he died. After child abductors take children, they usually have these options: sell them, harvest their organs, or use them for begging. Jiang Sheng probably went through the last one, living a tough life. He might have tried to report when he got a chance, but perhaps he encountered an irresponsible police officer who didn’t take him seriously. Anyway, from his tone, it seems he didn’t manage to escape.”

“Normal,” Bai Zhao said calmly, “Those who escape make the news; those who don’t are the majority.”

“Yeah, although he deserved his punishment, he could have lived a normal life if not for those traffickers and the one who bought him. Xu Sheng said the task force won’t inform his parents; it would just add to their grief.”

After twenty years, the news of their son was finally known, but it was his death, and in the midst of crime, it was better left unsaid, keeping the parents’ memories of their child in the purest, happiest moments.

Yu Duqiu suddenly thought of something and turned to ask, “Do you want to do a DNA comparison too? Maybe you could find your relatives.”

Bai Zhao shook his head, “My parents are dead, that’s why I was sent to the orphanage. It’s not like Jiang Sheng’s situation.”

“What about grandparents? Aunts or uncles? There must be some relatives alive.”

Bai Zhao was silent for a moment, then said, “Even if there are, I can’t go looking for them.”

“Why?”

Bai Zhao didn’t answer further.

Yu Duqiu waited for a while, gradually understanding the silence behind his words: it was inconvenient to explain, but he didn’t want to make up a random excuse either.

He had learned his lesson.

“Alright, I won’t ask, and I won’t investigate, don’t worry.” Yu Duqiu leaned in and kissed his ear, “That’s the way to be; I like you like this.”

Ji Lin instinctively felt that some subtle change had occurred between them, especially Yu Duqiu, whose flirting was different from the previous probing and suspicious kind. But he never had the inclination to meddle before, and he certainly wouldn’t gossip now.

“He wouldn’t be able to do it even if he wanted to. China doesn’t have a national DNA database; only the DNA of those with criminal records or missing children is recorded. If he wasn’t abducted, there’s almost no chance of finding anything.”

Yu Duqiu expressed regret, “Is that so?”

After a while, Zhou Yi and Lou Baoguo, who had been helping to move chairs, completed their task and came to the office. Zhou Yi said, “There are so many people at the meeting today, even with extra seats… Huh, Captain Ji, aren’t you going? I saw Miss Lu and the others are inside.”

Ji Lin gave a self-deprecating scoff, “I’m not qualified. Today’s the major task force meeting; even the city bureau leaders are here. Old Peng told me not to cause trouble. It’s fine, I never help much anyway. I’ll just wait here for news from Xu Sheng.”

Lou Baoguo said bluntly, “How can you think that way, Captain Ji? You’ve put so much into these cases; you should be in there!”

“No matter how much I’ve given, I haven’t saved anyone, have I? Brother Mu, Huang Hanxiang, Jiang Sheng… I had chances to stop each of their deaths, but what did I achieve? Nothing. Maybe I should have realized earlier that if even Brother Mu couldn’t handle these enemies, how could I possibly?”

Lou Baoguo was stunned, looking at him in disbelief, unable to fathom what he’d just heard.

If anyone among them should give up first, it definitely shouldn’t be Ji Lin.

“I’m going to the archives to check some files. You guys sit wherever, just don’t touch anything you shouldn’t.” Ji Lin closed the file, stood up, and left without another word.

Lou Baoguo, still dazed, said, “Comrade Ji has taken quite a hit this time… Young Master, should we cheer him up?”

Yu Duqiu nodded and waved them off, “Good idea, you two follow him, cheer him up. If you don’t make him laugh today, I’ll dock your salary for a month.”

Zhou Yi, Lou Baoguo: “?”

“If you make him laugh, I’ll double your year-end bonus and next year’s vacation.” Yu Duqiu added.

“…”

The doorway was instantly empty, and voices faded down the corridor, “Wait up! Captain Ji! Let me tell you a joke!”

Bai Zhao closed the door, turned around, and saw Yu Duqiu sitting on the couch, patting the seat beside him, “Come here, let’s play some chess.”

As Bai Zhao approached, he pulled out his phone, “You seem to have gotten quite into video games lately.”

“Isn’t it because our chess set at home is incomplete? Ah, that was the very board Alekhine used in the world championships, which I had gold and silver plated by Russian craftsmen, unique in the world. It’s been sent for repairs and won’t be back for at least another ten days, so I have to settle for these low-level games for now.”

“I see you’re having fun with them; just watch your eyesight.”

Yu Duqiu laughed, “You sound like my grandfather, so naggy.”

Mentioning his grandfather, he sighed, “When I was kidnapped this time, my grandfather didn’t even come to see me, just called. Seems like he’s still mad at me for coming back to continue the brain-computer interface project. He suddenly stopped taking over Miss Cen’s research; something must have happened.”

Bai Zhao held his phone, opening the chess game, making the first move, “He cares about you, deep down.”

“You don’t know him, how do you know what he’s thinking?” Yu Duqiu leaned back lazily against Bai Zhao’s shoulder, not even lifting his hand, ordering with his mouth, “Move e7 to e5. With Ji Lin here earlier, I couldn’t ask, but there’s something I need you to tell me honestly.”

“Ask away.”

“You guessed that night that Jiang Sheng was another foster son of Bai Zhiming, didn’t you?”

Bai Zhao’s finger, about to touch the screen, paused in mid-air, whether searching for the right piece or contemplating something else. After a moment, with a click, he made the move for Yu Duqiu.

“How did you know?”

Yu Duqiu gave a light snort, “I thought initially that it was because the police leaked that we were investigating Jiang Sheng, which is why the Queen threw him away as a pawn. But you were so certain Jiang Sheng couldn’t be collaborating with the police. I puzzled over this for three days until just now, in Ji Lin’s document, I saw Jiang Sheng had reported to the police.”

Bai Zhao was silent.

Yu Duqiu toyed with the necklace around his neck, the sharp blade lightly pressing against his fingertips, gleaming with a cold light.

“I remember you said Bai Zhiming, to control you, would abuse you and then deliberately give you a chance to call the police, only for the call to be answered by someone he hired to pretend to be a cop, crushing your hope and making you distrust the police ever since. How similar to Jiang Sheng’s experience. Perhaps Bai Zhiming had traffickers torture Jiang Sheng first, and when reporting to the police proved futile, he stepped in to adopt him, providing for his education and needs, thereby quickly gaining a loyal, even more obedient foster son than a biological one. Am I right?”

Bai Zhao was silent for a long time before sighing softly, “You’ve got a good memory when it comes to these things.”

“I’ve got a good memory for everything.” Yu Duqiu knew he was right, his tone full of smugness, “I haven’t finished asking. That night, you didn’t know Jiang Sheng had reported to the police; you only heard his disdain for the police in his words. Just from that, you couldn’t be sure he was Bai Zhiming’s foster son like you, right? There must have been another piece of information. What was it?”

Bai Zhao pursed his lips, gripping the phone until the screen went dark before speaking, “It was the tattoo.”

“Tattoo?”

“Yes, his tattoo was in black, using a rare dye that can’t be washed off, just like mine. The tattoo on me was done by Bai Zhiming.”

Yu Duqiu had never seen the full tattoo on Bai Zhao, only vaguely remembering its location, now eager to see, “Show me.”

Bai Zhao held his hand back from reaching for his belt, “Aren’t you going to scold me?”

Yu Duqiu was puzzled, “Why would I scold you?”

“I didn’t tell you about this immediately.”

“There are plenty of things you haven’t told me.” Yu Duqiu withdrew his hand, lighting up the phone screen again, “Next time, don’t wait for me to ask; tell me proactively. Maybe if I’m in a good mood, I’ll reward you. Forget about showing me the tattoo for now; I’ll see it sooner or later. Let’s continue playing…”

Bai Zhao grabbed his hand, squeezing it gently, then, not satisfied, brought it to his lips for a kiss, “You didn’t ask in front of Ji Lin because you were afraid I might really be in league with Jiang Sheng and get arrested by the police? Young Master, by doing this… are you protecting me?”

Yu Duqiu’s fingers curled slightly, “I wouldn’t do anything illegal, nor am I that attached to you. Don’t flatter yourself.”

Bai Zhao gave a low laugh, “Alright, I understand. Let’s continue.”

Not sure what exactly he understood.

Yu Duqiu didn’t want him to see through his thoughts, so he casually changed the subject, “You said earlier that you know your parents are deceased, so you remember things from before you became an orphan? What did your parents do?”

Bai Zhao smiled again, “This is the first time you’ve asked about my personal matters.”

Yu Duqiu was indifferent, “So what? Can’t I ask?”

“No, you wanting to know more about me surprises me. I’ve never heard you ask about an employee’s private life before. Asking now makes me feel… like I’m somewhat special.”

Yu Duqiu gave a disdainful snort, “Don’t get too full of yourself. If someone better comes along, I’ll replace you in a heartbeat.”

“There’s no one better; I’m one of a kind.”

“Your arrogance is certainly unique.” Yu Duqiu lifted his arm to wrap around Bai Zhao’s shoulder, tilting his head to lean against him, “So, can you tell me?”

Bai Zhao thought for a long time, made another move in chess, and finally spoke, “They were both very remarkable people.”

Yu Duqiu waited for more, but nothing came, “That’s all?”

“They loved me very much.”

“…” Yu Duqiu understood, “If you don’t want to say, that’s fine, but don’t just give me perfunctory answers.”

“My mom loved hibiscus flowers; I remember we had a lot planted at home.”

Finally, some substantial information. Yu Duqiu responded, “So, your name was given by your mom?”

Bai Zhao paused, seemingly surprised that Yu Duqiu guessed it so quickly, “How did you know?”

Yu Duqiu spread his hands, “That day you told me about the hibiscus blooming in the morning and wilting at night, I vaguely guessed that you took Bai Zhiming’s surname, but your name might have been chosen by your biological parents, embodying their hopes for you. Bai Zhiming wouldn’t have had the leisure for such things. If you remember the meaning behind your name, you should also remember something about your parents, but you’ve never mentioned it. I got curious and had someone look into your life before you entered the orphanage. Unfortunately, your records seem to be missing, and the director has retired, with no memory of you. So, the only way to find out more is to ask you directly. Move f8 to d6.”

Bai Zhao was at a loss for words for a moment, then after a few moves, he said, “My mom hoped I would grow up facing the morning sun, never experiencing the night, never withering, so she named me Bai Zhao. My memories of them are very distant, and the few remaining ones are fragmented, there’s not much worth saying.”

Yu Duqiu pressed on, unsatisfied, “Do you remember how they left you?”

“Fire, they didn’t make it out.”

Yu Duqiu was about to say that must have been a painful way to go but caught Bai Zhao’s expression and wisely swallowed the tactless words, offering comfort instead, “Yes, escaping a fire is tough. Jiang Sheng died in a fire too, perhaps he was looking for his parents before he died. You’re the opposite; your parents must have been thinking of you at their end.”

“…” Bai Zhao hesitated for a few seconds, then gave up on teaching him the difference between comfort and insult, “Not necessarily. Didn’t Lu Qing play us the recording of that call? The other side said ‘Once this task is completed, I’ll tell you where he is,’ not ‘they’ or ‘your parents’.”

Yu Duqiu: “If not his biological parents, then who? It seems like with every case solved, more mysteries come up, like pulling a radish and getting mud with it. I desperately need an Ariadne’s thread to help me find the beast and exit this labyrinth.”

Bai Zhao wanted to ask where this reference came from, but as he turned his head, his nose brushed against Yu Duqiu’s cheek.

Both were slightly stunned.

When did they get so close?

Their breaths mingled on each other’s faces, their gazes intertwining.

An explosive proximity.

Bai Zhao decisively tossed aside the stupid mobile game and leaned over. Yu Duqiu, prepared, immediately raised his hand as a barrier, “Don’t.”

Bai Zhao only kissed his palm, unfazed, using his size advantage to pin Yu Duqiu to the couch, staying there for a while, kissing his palm then his forehead, finally hugging him and kissing the silver hair shimmering in the sunlight.

Yu Duqiu was rarely hugged like this, feeling that their positions should be reversed, but with Bai Zhao’s broad shoulders and long arms, it was quite comfortable, so he didn’t move, nestled in his embrace, and asked in a muffled voice, “When are we going to bed? I want to see your tattoo.”

“…” Bai Zhao’s voice came from above, low and husky, “Young Master, you really know how to ruin the moment.”

“Isn’t this the mood before going to bed?”

“This is the mood for me to hold and kiss you.”

“And after holding and kissing, isn’t it time to go to bed?”

“…”

“Don’t you want to sleep with me? Just want a platonic relationship?” Yu Duqiu suddenly thought of something, furrowing his brows, “Wait, you are actually named ‘Bai’…”

“I want to.” Bai Zhao interrupted his wandering thoughts, lowering his head to look into his light eyes, whispering, “I think about it every night, all night long.”

Yu Duqiu asked provocatively, “Think about what?”

Bai Zhao’s ears turned slightly red, his breath quickened, but his expression was candid, pecking at Yu Duqiu’s lips, “Think about being with you.”

Yu Duqiu smiled triumphantly, lifting his hand to caress Bai Zhao’s handsome face, leaning in—

Bang!

The office door was suddenly flung open by Ji Lin, who marched in with renewed vigor, shouting, “Why didn’t I think of this earlier! Yu Duqiu, listen—”

The two following him shouted, “Captain Ji, what did you think of—”

Inside the office, the two on the couch were entwined, sitting by the window where the sunlight poured in generously. Yu Duqiu’s silver hair reflected light so brightly it almost blinded the three intruders.

Yu Duqiu himself didn’t see the issue, seeing Ji Lin’s spirited look, he praised, “You two really did it, cheering him up so quickly? Good job, expect your rewards next year.”

Lou Baoguo and Zhou Yi were about to leave but turned back upon hearing this, thanking him profusely, though they knew their bad jokes had nothing to do with it.

After his initial shock, Ji Lin chose to ignore the blatant PDA and continued, “Yu Duqiu, Jiang Sheng mentioned someone to me that night, I just remembered.”

Yu Duqiu, still holding onto Bai Zhao’s neck, asked with interest, “Who?”

“Liu Shaojie.”

“What about him?”

“Jiang Sheng said he knew who the murderer in the Rain Alley case was.”

“Isn’t that something we already knew? But Liu Shaojie won’t talk.”

“No, no, that’s not my point.” Hope lit up Ji Lin’s eyes again, “Look, Liu Shaojie is about the same age as Jiang Sheng, and they knew each other. If Bai Zhiming, aside from Bai Zhao, secretly adopted another son to serve him… why couldn’t there be two?”