Love Me if You Dare: Pristine Darkness

Who knew, when Jian Yao took out the rings, she was proven wrong. The ring with the little bird was noticeably smaller, so it had to be hers.

Bo Jinyan took the ring and placed it on her finger. He said, “Nietzsche* once said that people are like trees. The taller they grow, towards the sunlight, the deeper the roots will have to reach into the dark earth. Jian Yao, I am the tree root, and you are the little bird who is flying above my body, free and pure. Together, we will keep our faces towards the sun, pursue the truth, and nestle against each other all our lives.”

*T/N : Nietzsche – a German philosopher.

Jian Yao looked at the ring on her ring finger. After a moment’s silence, she stretched out her arms and hugged him. Bo Jinyan also lowered his head and kissed her cheek, then put on his own ring and held her hand.

“Ziyu asked me to go over; there might be something wrong. You go with Fang Qing and the others to capture Ke Qian. We’ll meet tonight.”

“Ok.”

——

Bo Jinyan quickly drove away. Jian Yao had turned to go upstairs when she heard someone call her name. “Jian Yao.”

She turned her head and saw Luo Lang, whom she had not seen for many days.

Surprised, she said, “Luo dage, why are you here? Is there something wrong?”

Luo Lang stood under the porch wearing a light-coloured T-shirt and black trousers – tall, straight and clean-cut. He smiled slightly and said, “It was on my way, so I thought I would bring you the material that I mentioned previously. I didn’t expect that we would actually meet.”

Jian Yao smiled as she received the material. “Many thanks. You even had to make a trip here, I feel so apologetic. However, Bo Jinyan and I won’t be able to treat you to a meal today, as we have to attend to our duties immediately.”

Luo Lang smiled and nodded. “I understand, go ahead. You’re on your way to catch someone?”

Jian Yao asked, “How did you know?”

“I saw Fang Qing and An Yan drive off ten minutes ago with a team in tow, as well as with handcuffs and handguns.”

Jian Yao nodded, that was right. However, that also made it a little more troublesome, as the team was already on the move. She would have to contact them and then find a car to catch up with them.

Luo Lang seemed to be able to read her thoughts. He said, “I drove here, and since I don’t have anything to do this evening, I’ll drive you there. Won’t trying to arrange for a car in such a ‘last minute’ fashion be a waste of time and energy? Don’t bother with it.”

Jian Yao quickly declined. “How can I do that? This is an official police investigation, I can’t simply grab you and deputise you.”

However, Luo Lang looked at her for two beats, pulled her by the hand and led her towards the car without allowing her any time to protest. “Officer Jian, Jian xiaomei, rest assured, I promise I will leave after I have driven you to the destination, and will not interfere in official business. The courts and the public security bureau are sprung from the same root; it’s not as if I have never accompanied the police to capture a criminal. You don’t have to be so formal with me. I know the director and captain of the city bureau.”

After Luo Lang had pulled Jian Yao to the side of the car, she subconsciously drew her hand out of his grasp. To refuse again would be unreasonable, so she calmly thanked him and got into the car.

Luo Lang drove at high speed down the road, which was very much at odds with his steady and refined appearance. Jian Yao sat next to him and managed to contact An Yan. It turned out that Ke Qian had fled to the little apartment he had once rented near the Animation Park. Fang Qing and An Yan were leading a team to make a surprise arrest there.

Jian Yao hung up and conveyed the location to Luo Lang. He responded with a curt ‘OK’ and the car picked up speed, although it remained steady. Jian Yao had to grab hold of the car’s roof handle. She said, “Luo dage, I didn’t expect that your driving would be so . . . wild.”

Knowing he was being teased, Luo Lang replied, “Comrade Jian Yao, my only intention is to enable you to meet up with your colleagues in the quickest time possible. I think we will be able to catch up with them.”

Jian Yao thanked him once more.

The sky had already turned hazy, and the street lamps had been lit. As the light shone into the car, it seemed to bring tranquility with it. Jian Yao looked out of the window without saying anything; she felt calm.

However, Luo Lang was not feeling calm. He seemed to be intensely focused on driving, yet he also could not help being distracted by the person at his side. He thought, she was so far removed from the child she had once been; she no longer cried, and showed no sign of weakness. On this mission to stop evil in its tracks, she pressed forward courageously and calmly.

Luo Lang suddenly felt a great sense of grief strike his heart.

She had already grown to be so beautiful, with her own ideals, her own life, and, best of all, she could be said to have found a worthy companion.

But, he . . . in this bustling city, he seemed to be living a dazzling life, replete with success. However, in reality, he was all alone, empty-handed.

As the car stopped at a traffic light, Luo Lang turned his head to look at her.

He was unable to stop the impulse to look at her silently.

Jian Yao had been looking out of the window, but she felt the weight of his stare and asked, with some hesitation, “Luo dage, why are you looking at me? Is something the matter?”

Luo Lang turned back and smiled without saying anything.

Jian Yao also looked straight ahead silently.

However, the silence was just a facade. Her perceptive gaze had already taken in what was right in front of her eyes.

Why had she just glimpsed a flash of deep sorrow in Luo Lang’s eyes?

. . . . .

Could it be that he saw her as more than just someone from the same hometown?

When and where had they ever met prior to this?

. . . . .

Why would this man look at her that way?

Further thought was not possible. The outline of the Animation Park could already be seen ahead of them. They were not far from Ke Qian’s home.

——

Fu Ziyu lived in a high-rise apartment, and Bo Jinyan had the key.

He rang the doorbell, but no one answered the door. Bo Jinyan fished out the key and opened the door. The sky was already dark, and the interior was in darkness as well.

Bo Jinyan switched on the lights, which lit up the entire room. But, there was no one there.

He walked in slowly.

There seemed to be nothing amiss in the living room, with objects in their usual places. The floor was very clean, and Fu Ziyu’s water tumbler was on the table.

Opposite it was another, empty glass.

The chairs and table showed signs of having been moved.

With an expression as tranquil as still water, Bo Jinyan raised his voice to call out, “Ziyu? Ziyu?” Still no one responded.

With light footsteps, he walked towards the bedroom.

The curtains in the bedroom were pulled tightly across the window, leaving not even the slightest gap. The blanket had not been folded, and had been carelessly thrown onto the bed. After staring at the scene for a moment, Bo Jinyan took out his gloves and put them on, then retrieved a strand of hair, probably that of a female, from the pillow.

He eyed it quietly for a while, then replaced it. Pacing slowly around the bed, he reached the window and stood still in sudden shock.

Blood. There was blood on the floor.

He squatted abruptly, and his long eyebrows knit together tightly. It was a long and narrow bloodstain. Although there was not much blood, smears along the length indicated that someone had been dragged along the floor. He touched the bloodstain, and it was not yet completely dry.

He stood up quickly and walked toward the window, intending to draw open the curtains. Suddenly, he stopped.

And slowly released them.

He turned and ran for the door, taking out his cellphone as he did so to call the police station. “Check on a car for me, licence plate no. . . . .” He gave Fu Ziyu’s licence plate number. When he had come up to the apartment, the car was already not there.

“The car departed Sheng Ting Jia Yuan not more than half an hour ago. Help me track where it went. Immediately!”

Bo Jinyan had reached the ground floor and got into his car when his colleague replied. “Professor Bo, we’ve found the car!”

“Where?”

“It just exited the expressway at Jingxi intersection.”

Jingxi . . . expressway intersection . . .

Bo Jinyan’s eyes darkened as he looked at his GPS.

The Animation Park was also in that direction.