“Director Chu.”
“Where are you?” Chu Juxian asked directly.
“In the office.”
“Get over here.”
Chu Juxian was never one for small talk. Lu Linjiang hung up and glanced at Yang Bo, who was waiting nearby. “I suppose I underestimated him.”
“I heard there’s surveillance footage. Did it catch anything?”
Lu Linjiang shook his head, then scrutinized Yang Bo. Yang Bo looked like he hadn't slept all night; a layer of dark stubble covered his chin, and his face was still flushed from being buried in the nap pillow.
Lu Linjiang suddenly had an idea. “Did you eat all those buns from this morning?”
“No.” Yang Bo pointed to the desk behind him. “You bought way too many. I was planning to have the leftovers for lunch.”
“Go. Put one in the microwave on medium for one minute. I’ll be right there.”
Yang Bo had no idea what Lu Linjiang was up to. He confusedly grabbed a bun and headed to the breakroom. Lu Linjiang went into his small private office, rummaged through a drawer, and finally pulled out a small packaging box. He took the item out, inspected it, and tucked it into his pocket before walking out.
By the time Yang Bo finished heating the bun, Lu Linjiang had arrived. He tested the temperature and found it a bit too hot, so he opened the window and let the biting winter wind blow on the bun for a moment. Once the temperature felt right, he brought it back in.
Yang Bo felt he understood his captain less and less by the second. He couldn't make heads or tails of these maneuvers. But Lu Linjiang didn't give him a chance to ask; he handed the bun back to him. “Here. Shove it in your armpit.”
Yang Bo’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. “Wh—what is this for?”
Lu Linjiang whispered in his ear. Yang Bo took a massive step back. “That’s so devious! Is this really appropriate?”
“It’s called a battle of wits!” Lu Linjiang unceremoniously dragged him back. “Be sharp. Don't blow our cover!” As he spoke, he stuffed the bun into Yang Bo’s armpit.
Yang Bo hadn't even recovered from the shock before the heat made him jump. “Holy—! Hot! It’s hot!”
“Endure it, or it’ll be cold by the time we’re done talking!” Lu Linjiang looked at him skeptically. “It didn't feel that hot when I held it. Nice acting, though—keep that energy up!”
Yang Bo had a grievance he couldn't voice. He followed Lu Linjiang with a pained expression. “Captain Lu, I’m never eating your breakfast again. The price is too high!”
Lu Linjiang pulled him along. “I don’t have the time to buy you breakfast every day anyway. Remember to keep bringing me mine in a couple of days.”
Chu Juxian was already waiting in his office, looking impatient. Hearing the knock, he immediately said, “Come in.” He waited patiently for Lu Linjiang to close the door, then glanced at Yang Bo, who followed him in and could barely stand straight. “What took so long? And what’s wrong with you?”
“I just happened to run into Xiao Yang coming back from Luo Jia’s place. He didn't look right, so I brought him along in case something happened.”
Chu Juxian looked at Yang Bo suspiciously. Seeing that he indeed looked very uncomfortable, he pointed to the sofa nearby. “Sit down first.” He then turned his attention away from Yang Bo and stared at Lu Linjiang. “How’s the case?”
“We’ve found some leads, but we’re lacking key evidence.”
Chu Juxian pulled out a cigarette. “Key evidence? Weren't there fingerprints on the storage tube containing the virus? Isn't that enough?”
*As I thought,* Lu Linjiang noted inwardly. “It’s like this: the institute sent over the video. Based on the current footage, there’s no way to prove that Jiang Cheng was the one who took that storage tube. Besides, there’s only one fingerprint from Jiang Cheng’s middle finger on it. Convicting him based solely on that might not be sufficient.”
Chu Juxian glared at him, a headache brewing. “Why did you have someone tailing Luo Jia?” Just as he finished speaking, the phone on his desk rang. Chu Juxian’s expression shifted, and he picked it up with great reluctance.
“Yes, this is he... Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes... I understand.” After five consecutive 'yeses,' his face looked increasingly grim. “The criminal investigation team is already working overtime on this matter. Please rest assured. Yes, we will notify everyone as soon as the case is closed.”
Chu Juxian hung up and tapped the desk. “You see? My phone hasn't stopped ringing all morning. Someone leaked the details of the case. Tao Minxing had a good reputation, and the pressure on my end is immense. Now, why are you following Luo Jia?”
“Based on various clues, Luo Jia is problematic,” Lu Linjiang said. “According to the investigation, this whole thing was likely caused by someone at the Hughes Institute tampering with data. I tested Luo Jia, and his reaction was very strange.”
Chu Juxian tapped the desk again. “Are you sure this isn't just your intuition?”
“I’m sure. First, four of them came on this trip. Tao Minxing had told Jiang Cheng and Jiang Langmin separately about the data tampering, but only Luo Jia claimed he didn't know. As the one who has been by Tao Minxing’s side the longest among the three, that is extremely strange.”
“Second, Jiang Langmin sent back the surveillance footage from when the strain was stolen. Luo Jia appeared within the one-minute window before the surveillance was shut down for maintenance. As soon as he appeared, interference occurred in the footage. I don't believe all of this is a coincidence.”
“I have sufficient reason to suspect him, which is why I had someone follow him,” Lu Linjiang said, meeting Chu Juxian’s scrutiny. “Using a virus to infect someone—setting aside the source of the strain—that kind of method is something only people in their industry would think of. Tao Minxing’s social circle wasn't complex at all. He was highly skilled and very humble; he wasn't the type to make enemies. Barring any surprises, this is definitely an internal issue within their team.”
“Also, look at Yang Bo. He came back after tailing him all day yesterday and said he felt unwell. I was just wondering if the released flu virus hasn't completely dissipated yet.”
“What?!” Chu Juxian looked at Yang Bo, who hadn't made a sound since entering. “Where do you feel unwell?”
Yang Bo sat slumped on the sofa. Facing the interrogation of the big boss, he answered cautiously, “Director Chu, I... I’m feeling a bit off...”
“I can see that. How exactly are you 'off'? Can you still work?”
Seeing Yang Bo’s trembling state, Lu Linjiang interjected, “He just said he has a bit of a fever.”
“A fever?” Chu Juxian stood up abruptly. His head had been spinning from the non-stop phone calls over the last two days, and he had spent plenty of time ruminating on Tao Minxing’s cause of death. Consequently, hearing the word 'fever' felt particularly alarming.
Chu Juxian walked around his desk and stood before the sofa, hands behind his back, observing Yang Bo. “Your complexion looks alright to me. Fair and rosy.”
Fearing the Director might reach out to feel his forehead, Yang Bo covered himself and curled into a ball. “It hurts... my head hurts a bit.”
Lu Linjiang pulled a thermometer from his pocket and reached over Chu Juxian to hand it to Yang Bo. “Here, take your temperature.”
Yang Bo took the thermometer and carefully placed it in his armpit. As he pulled his clothes aside, a faint scent wafted out. Chu Juxian, being close, caught it immediately. “What’s that smell?”
Standing behind Chu Juxian, Lu Linjiang glared at Yang Bo. Yang Bo flinched, his brain suddenly performing at peak capacity. “I haven't showered in a week...”
Chu Juxian: “...”
He took two small steps back, standing side-by-side with Lu Linjiang as they stared at Yang Bo. Under the gaze of four eyes, Yang Bo was restless. He wanted to move but feared exposing the ruse, so he sat frozen on the sofa like a stiff wooden club.
“Doesn't look like a fever.” The observational skills Chu Juxian had honed as a front-line detective in the criminal investigation brigade hadn't faded. If Yang Bo hadn't said he hadn't showered in a week, he would have wanted to investigate that smell further; it felt very familiar.
Yang Bo pulled the thermometer out just in time. Chu Juxian snatched it away to look. “Thirty-eight point nine...” This was a mercury thermometer; it wouldn't fluctuate wildly like an electronic one. “Do you need to go back and rest?”
Yang Bo didn't know whether to nod or shake his head, so he could only look at Lu Linjiang out of the corner of his eye. “I... a minor wound won't take me off the front lines.”
“Nonsense!” Chu Juxian scolded him. “Go to the hospital in a bit for a check-up. Get a shot if you need one, take your medicine. You young people shouldn't ignore your health just because you have a strong constitution.”
Yang Bo nodded and shook his head simultaneously, looking miserable and not knowing what to say.
Lu Linjiang took the opportunity to chime in. “With Yang Bo falling ill like this—while it might not be a hundred percent certain—it would be too dismissive to say it’s entirely a coincidence.”
Chu Juxian held the thermometer between his fingers like a cigarette. Lu Linjiang’s analysis was sound; convicting someone based on a single middle-finger print was indeed a bit forced, especially since this Luo Jia fellow seemed quite problematic based on the existing evidence...
He suppressed the irritation in his heart. “I hope you can solve the case as quickly as possible on a solid foundation. There are many people outside waiting to pay their respects, and with people fanning the flames, dragging this out will put us in a very passive position.” He pointed toward the door. “But this case must be handled quickly. I know you’re short-handed; I’ll shoulder as much of the pressure for you as I can. If you need anything, just say the word.”
“Yes, sir. Understood.”
Chu Juxian moved to help Yang Bo up, but Yang Bo scrambled to his feet on his own. Chu Juxian didn't mind being brushed off. “Xiao Yang, take care of yourself. Make sure you go to the hospital.”
Yang Bo nodded repeatedly and bolted out the door.
Once the office door closed, Chu Juxian sighed. He pulled a lighter from his pocket, intending to light a cigarette. Only after flicking the flame did he realize he was holding the mercury thermometer; he had left his cigarette on the desk at some point. Irritation rose again. Chu Juxian put away the lighter and, driven by some strange impulse, sniffed the thermometer. A few seconds later, he turned on his desk lamp. Under the cold light, the speck of soy sauce on the tip of the thermometer had nowhere to hide.
“...Those little brats!”
Yang Bo walked out, guiltily clutching the bun. He felt the stunt had been far too intense; his legs were still a bit weak. He asked Lu Linjiang cautiously, “Captain Lu, the Director won't find out, will he?”
Lu Linjiang paused in his tracks. “Crap, I forgot the thermometer!” Both of them looked back toward the Director’s office at the end of the hallway. “Forget it. If anything happens, I’ll take the fall!”
Was there anything more depressing than leaving the murder weapon at the scene? Yang Bo looked like he was attending his own funeral. “That move was way too stressful. Give me a heads-up next time, okay?”
“Your acting was terrible. It’s only because Director Chu’s guard was down; it’ll be hard to fool him like that again.” Lu Linjiang pulled him into the elevator. “Don't think about it. If the sky falls, I’m the one holding it up.”
“First, tell me—you spent the whole day at Luo Jia’s yesterday. Did you gather any information?”
“What could I possibly get?” Yang Bo pulled the bun out from his armpit. “He was extremely hostile toward me. He hasn't given me a single good look since the moment he saw me. Hey, wait—the thermometer poked a hole in the bun. It’s ruined!”
Lu Linjiang ignored the hole. “What were you doing while he was on that video call with Denmark yesterday?”
“Watching from the side, obviously. He wanted to kick me out, but I’ve got thick skin, so I just sat there. After the call...” Yang Bo tossed the bun back and forth in his hands, speaking thoughtfully. “I think his mood clearly improved. He even ordered room service. That’s when he started mass-sending emails. Then there was this morning—his phone didn't stop ringing. He tried to avoid me at first, but eventually, he couldn't be bothered. From what I heard, they were all talking about the case. I knew then that this guy was calling in backup.”
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
---|---|---
楚居闲 | Chu Juxian | Director of the police bureau.
陶敏行 | Tao Minxing | The deceased professor/researcher.
修斯研究所 | Hughes Research Institute | The research facility where the victim worked.
姜朗旻 | Jiang Langmin | A colleague of the victim currently in Denmark.
江澄 | Jiang Cheng | A researcher and suspect in the case.
珞珈 | Luo Jia | A primary suspect and colleague of the victim.
