As the day’s frustrations began to settle, Lu Linjiang subconsciously picked up the receipt the housekeeper had left pressed on the table and scanned its contents. It was just some instant noodles, fruit, and the like. The receipt was held down by a meticulously cleaned ashtray. Originally, there had been a white porcelain vase on the table; Jiang Cheng used to change the flowers in it every week. Even though Lu Linjiang had never once stopped to admire them, the flowers on the table had been constant.
It wasn't until a certain day after Jiang Cheng had moved out that Lu Linjiang returned from work to find a cluster of blackened plants on the table. He had clumsily yanked the withered stalks from the vase, leaving a trail of water droplets across the dark tabletop. When he went to grab a rag, he realized it hadn't been washed in a long time. He managed a half-hearted wipe, then flicked his hand in disgust; the rag caught the porcelain vase, sending it flying. It shattered across the floor.
That was when he finally remembered to hire a cleaning service.
The house was soon restored to order. The housekeeper was a good woman who kept all the receipts neatly organized. Since she rarely saw Lu Linjiang in person, she had scavenged the ashtray Jiang Cheng had tucked away in a cabinet. From then on, an empty ashtray sat on the table where the flower-filled porcelain vase used to be.
Lu Linjiang only then realized that the traces Jiang Cheng had left in his life had vanished completely along with that shattered vase.
Until today.
Since early morning, information regarding Jiang Cheng had been presented to him with unprecedented density. If he weren't certain that this situation benefited no one, Lu Linjiang would have almost suspected that someone had meticulously engineered the whole thing.
The phone vibrated in his pocket, and Lu Linjiang’s spirits instantly rallied. Yang Bo’s excited voice rang out: "Captain Lu, good news! Tao Minxing died of heart disease."
"What?"
"The preliminary assessment is heart failure triggered by a cold. Tao Minxing had diabetes, and it’s likely several factors combined to cause the failure." Yang Bo was speaking so fast he nearly tripped over his tongue, but the excitement in his tone was unmistakable. "In short, based on the forensic conclusion, we can close the case."
Lu Linjiang subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief. No sooner had he hung up than the phone rang again. Xu Sichen spoke on the other end, sounding half-dead with exhaustion. "I checked. This 'World Virus Academic Symposium' is held annually, rotating through different countries, mainly to exchange research progress. The institute Tao Minxing headed is affiliated with the Danish CDC. His annual research output alone is enough to make you question your life choices. He was a titan in the industry; it’s only in the last couple of years that he stepped back from the front lines due to age."
"He brought one assistant and two students to this conference."
"Two?"
"Yes. One is Jiang Cheng, the other is Jiang Langmin. Jiang Langmin returned to Denmark two days ago."
Lu Linjiang’s furrowed brows slowly relaxed. "Yang Bo just told me the autopsy results point to heart failure. Barring any surprises, we can close the case tomorrow."
"Oh, geez," Xu Sichen groaned. "You could've told me sooner; I’ve been running in circles." Her voice suddenly cut off. Lu Linjiang could only hear a few muffled hums on the other end before she spoke rapidly again. "Right, I just found out that Jiang Cheng canceled his flight for tomorrow afternoon. So, Boss, remember to notify him that the alarm has been cleared." She hung up abruptly.
Lu Linjiang listened to the dial tone and slowly lowered his phone. The darkened screen suddenly lit up again; Xu Sichen had sent him a string of digits. Lu Linjiang didn't need to ask to know it was Jiang Cheng’s phone number.
He shifted slightly, adjusting his posture. His back remained ramrod straight, his head tilted slightly downward, the curve of his nape tense. He looked like a steel blade driven into the dining table. Lu Linjiang stared at the numbers and finally let out a slow breath. He felt a sense of debt toward Jiang Cheng; even if he never consciously dwelled on it, he knew full well that, to Jiang Cheng, he had been an utter bastard.
Jiang Cheng was good in every way, but for Lu Linjiang—who had only ever felt his heart race for pretty girls since he was a boy—that goodness was something he simply couldn't feel. They could have been brothers, but being a couple in the same bed was far too much of a stretch.
Adopting the mindset that he might as well be a bastard to the end, Lu Linjiang called Yang Bo again. The younger man seemed busy and waited until the very last second to answer. "Hello, Captain Lu? What's up?"
Lu Linjiang cleared his throat. "Give Jiang Cheng a call. Notify him that everything is basically fine and there's no need for him to stay in the country anymore."
"Hello? Hello? Hello? Captain Lu, what did you say?"
Lu Linjiang raised his voice. "I said, call Jiang—"
"Hello, Captain? There’s no sound. Hang on a sec." Thumping noises came from the other end. A moment later, Yang Bo’s voice came through clearly again. "Captain Lu? Captain Lu? This piece of junk phone! Hang on, I’ll call you back after I get home and charge it."
A clear dial tone followed. Lu Linjiang stared at his phone, somewhat dumbfounded. Perhaps he hadn't disciplined his unit in too long; these brats were staging a rebellion!
Given Yang Bo’s reaction, there was no point in seeking further frustration from Xu Sichen or Tang Hua. The usually invincible Lu Linjiang felt he had encountered the most thorny problem of his career. In public, he could maintain a professional, business-like attitude, but in private...
The man who had looked as cold and hard as a blade just moments ago was now as restless as a monkey. His thumb hovered over the screen for a while, but he still couldn't bring himself to press it.
The screen dimmed and brightened. Just as it was about to lock again, it suddenly lit up. Lu Linjiang, thinking he could escape for a moment longer, breathed a sigh of relief. However, whether it was a slip of the hand or a twist of fate, the finger that intended to open a message accidentally tapped the number he had been staring at for ten minutes.
His finger swiped over the word "Dial." Thanks to the high-quality touch screen, the call was placed instantly.
Lu Linjiang looked at the screen, thinking for the first time that a lack of technical glitches wasn't necessarily a good thing. But the die was cast. Forced into a corner, Lu Linjiang quickly composed himself. Before long, the other party picked up.
"Hello, this is Jiang Cheng."
Despite three years without contact, hearing Jiang Cheng’s voice again made Lu Linjiang realize he remembered that tone and manner of speaking with perfect clarity.
He pursed his lips, shaking off the unease in his heart. "It’s me, Lu Linjiang."
The other man seemed to have expected it. "Yes, Captain Lu. What is it?"
Jiang Cheng’s polite detachment made Lu Linjiang’s mood turn subtle once more. "It’s like this: the preliminary autopsy results are out. Theoretically, the Professor did not die of foul play."
There was silence on the line. Thinking he hadn't understood, Lu Linjiang continued to explain, "Which is to say, you don't have to stay in the country anymore." As soon as he said it, he felt he sounded like he was chasing him away. Just as he was guiltily trying to find a way to soften the blow, Jiang Cheng spoke first.
"Captain Lu, I’d like to treat you to dinner."
Lu Linjiang was caught off guard. "Huh?"
"Please don't worry. It's just a simple meal."
"No, no," Lu Linjiang hurried to explain. "If anyone’s treating, it should be me. I should at least show some hospitality as the host, right?"
Jiang Cheng didn't object, nor did he seem to mind Lu Linjiang’s hesitant attitude. "Alright. You pick the place."
Lu Linjiang checked the time; it was not yet eight o'clock. "Somewhere near your hotel then. I'll look one up and let you know in a bit."
"Okay."
Lu Linjiang found a local Shanghai-style restaurant near the International Hotel. By the time he rushed over, it was already eight-thirty, and only a few tables were occupied. The waiter led him to a quiet corner. Jiang Cheng was still wearing the same sweater from earlier, his face turned to look out the window.
Lu Linjiang gave a light cough and sat down as Jiang Cheng turned his gaze toward him.
He didn't even look at the menu. "You order."
Jiang Cheng didn't stand on ceremony either, simply asking the waiter to bring two dishes and a soup. Once they were finally alone, Lu Linjiang realized they had nothing to say. After all, trying to reminisce about the past would, in reality, be nothing short of a car crash—and a particularly gruesome one at that.
Lu Linjiang subconsciously studied Jiang Cheng, noting that he was thinner than he remembered and much colder. In his memory, Jiang Cheng was a youth, still possessing a hint of baby fat, always appearing a bit flustered and nervous in his presence. But the person sitting across from him now was a man. Those hardened lines actually gave Lu Linjiang a sense of strangeness. Whether it was the man's expression or the look in his eyes, everything about him was unfamiliar.
It was as if the man had been replaced by a different soul.
***
