The investigation into Ke Qian and the animation murder continues, while Luo Lang appears once again, sparking off a ‘cute’ moment between our main couple. What do you think of Luo Lang, though? Ding Mo doesn’t usually introduce side characters carelessly . . . hmmm . . . we’ll have to wait and see.
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Chapter 40
Who was it, hiding behind Ke Qian?
Who was it, who cherished such hatred for the animation studio members?
Who was it, who could engineer such a meticulous and cool-headed series of murders, and then push the survivors to the point of a nervous breakdown?
Moreover, was this person's killing spree not yet at an end?
Xu Sheng and Wen Xiaohua were already under police protection. As for this person, there were absolutely no clues to his or her existence.
"No, Ke Qian never told us about any other friends," Wen Xiaohua said.
"But . . . during that time, he always went out by himself. When he returned, he seemed very happy," Xu Sheng added.
"Didn't you ever ask him what he was doing? Or who he was meeting?" Fang Qing asked.
Xu Sheng and Wen Xiaohua bowed their heads. "We didn't ask."
The black Cherokee sped along the highway. Bo Jinyan's side profile was extremely calm as he said, "There are two possibilities. A lover, or a close relative."
Jian Yao was slightly surprised. "Relative? According to the information on Ke Qian, his paternal grandfather passed away a few years ago, and he has no other close relatives."
Bo Jinyan nodded. "However, we can't rule out any possibilities, so we should still visit his old hometown. That person was familiar with the animation community, as well as everyone's habits. Xu Sheng and Wen Xiaohua have already confirmed that Ke Qian had a set of Jiang Xueran's apartment keys that year, in order to facilitate rehearsals. This also means that Ke Qian would have told that person of the keys' whereabouts. The two of them would have told each other everything, and Ke Qian would have trusted that person absolutely. They would have been as one person.
Ke Qian's personality is sensitive and fragile, and his social skills are poor. That person should have appeared on the scene shortly before Ke Qian's disappearance. Any earlier, and there would be no reason for the animation studio members to be unaware of that person. It is highly unlikely that an ordinary person would be able to become someone's bosom friend in that short period of time, and especially not in Ke Qian's case.
However, if love or familial relations are involved, it would be possible."
Jian Yao nodded, thought briefly, then said, "What's more, with Ke Qian's character, the reliance on friends is very strong. If he had really made such a good friend, firstly, he would not have any need to hide this person from the animation studio members; secondly, his reliance on them should have diminished. In truth, where the investment venture was concerned, it's not as if he couldn't have done it without the others. However, when he obtained that investment, he was still concerned about what each of the others thought, and he deeply desired their fellowship. He was even willing to exchange that sum of money for their attention and companionship. This just goes to show, whatever relationship that person had with Ke Qian, it was unable to take the place of friendship."
Bo Jinyan smiled slightly. "Well done."
"Love . . . hmmmmm," Jian Yao sighed. "Is it love?"
Bo Jinyan did not answer her. Instead, he said, "That angel investment that Ke Qian obtained is actually very suspicious. We did not find any relevant investment documents in his home, and, according to what he said, the money was for him to use as he wished. Usually, angel investors do not proceed in this manner. It's just that Jiang Xueran and the others have no real-world experience, and did not notice anything peculiar."
"So, that means . . . that sum of money was probably given to Ke Qian by that person?"
"It is a possibility," Bo Jinyan replied. "I've already set An Yan to investigate the source of the money. At the same time, Fang Qing will stay in Beijing to search for clues about Ke Qian's circumstances."
"Then, the purpose of our trip to Ke Qian's hometown is to ascertain the possibility of his relative having committed the crimes?"
"Not only that." Bo Jinyan continued, "This is an interesting case. If we don't have a deep understanding of Ke Qian, how will I be able to think like him, and then to sense and understand our true killer?"
Aha, this again. Jian Yao smiled and said, "Hey, why are you always so interested in murderers? Won't you get bored, or tired?"
"How can one tire of the things one likes?" Bo Jinyan glanced at her. "What I love, and what I hate, has remained unchanged for many years."
"Oh." Jian Yao could not help smiling.
He smiled as well, and whispered, "Yes, I'm seamlessly bringing you into the conversation."
It become even more difficult for Jian Yao to control the smile on her face.
It was at this moment that her cellphone rang.
The caller was Luo Lang, whom she had not been in contact with for a few days.
"Jian Yao, it so happens that I have to go to court in your district today to handle some matters. Do you have time to meet me for a meal?"
Jian Yao paused.
Luo Lang laughed. "Get your husband to join us."
Jian Yao laughingly said, "I'm sorry, Luo dage, today we are conducting an investigation out of town and won't be able to get back in time. Let's meet another day, and I'll treat you."
Luo Lang said, "Oh! Okay. Next week, then. I have some useful legal information pertaining to cases, I'll pass it to you when we next meet."
After ending the call, Jian Yao said, "Luo dage wants to meet us for a meal."
Bo Jinyan replied, "Not interested."
"Go with me next time."
" . . . . all right."
Jian Yao watched him continue to drive with his usual demeanour, and a sudden desire to provoke him arose in her heart. "Hey, will you be jealous if I interact with my male friends?"
Bo Jinyan scoffed, "Only a man with a sense of crisis would feel jealous. Regretfully, I will never experience that."
"Humph."
After a short pause, he abruptly asked, "How much older is he compared to you?"
It took Jian Yao several seconds before she understood that Bo Jinyan was referring to Luo Lang. "Seven or eight years," she replied.
"Ah, so it's like that . . ."
"Like what?"
He replied indifferently, "You called him 'dage'."
"So? That's the right way to address him."
"I'm four years older than you," Bo Jinyan said.
Jian Yao was stunned for a moment. It was indeed true. However, she had never felt that he was older than she was.
On observing that she was not saying anything, Bo Jinyan frowned slightly and said, "But, you've never called me 'dage'."
Jian Yao was speechless.
So, this is what he was concerned about.
Didn't he just say that he would never experience being jealous . . .
Noticing that his clear eyes were watching her, she suddenly laughed.
"Do you want me to call you 'dage'?" The minute the words were out of her mouth, she felt her face getting warm.
Bo Jinyan did not say anything.
Jian Yao cleared her throat. "Bo dage."
He smiled faintly.
Jian Yao batted her eyelashes, and shouted, "Jinyan gege."
Bo Jinyan let out a faint sound of assent.
The wind blew in through the car windows, and the silent and familiar interior of the car seemed to have been transformed into an atmosphere that was both gentle and stirring. It came to Jian Yao's notice that, although he looked composed, Bo Jinyan's cheeks were slightly flushed.
Some kind of warmth filled Jian Yao's heart. She raised her head and looked with him at the way ahead. The Ren county wind was blowing, and Ren county scenery slipped past.
*T/N Ren county (任县 ren xian) is a county in the southwest of Hebei province.
At the same time, Luo Lang sat in his car, and looked up at the windows of Jian Yao's office. By his hand was a stack of neatly arranged papers, and many of the sheets had his personal comments written on them.
'It so happens' that he was in her district? Truthfully, his desire to meet with her had not come about due to the hometown reunion. It was because he had wanted it intensely for many years.
He sat quietly in the car for a while, then drove off.
When she returned safely, he would once again hope to meet her.
Translator: shl
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