One other chilly winter morning.  The rising solar casts a ray of sentimental golden gentle over the mountain aspect.  The timber offers a delicate glow within the morning solar. Hardly anybody involves this a part of the city. It’s at all times so quiet and peaceable right here.  Apart from the little episode yesterday.  

Jian Yao walks quietly towards the villa.

She enters the home she is now pretty conversant in.  Upstairs, the gates are open. 

Cautiously, she steps into Bo Jinyan’s ‘territory’. 

“Bo Jinyan? Bo Jinyan?”

No reply.

Jian Yao walks as much as the primary room.

The door is open.   She walks inside.   Close to the window, a stack of information sit on high of a desk.  There are a number of books scattered there as properly. It’s somewhat messy.   An enormous blanket is left unfold on a settee subsequent to the desk.  A half-finished cup of tea sits on the small espresso desk.  

Reverse the couch hangs a big whiteboard.   It’s lined with images, with a number of captions and phrases written round them. 

Jian Yao walks over to the whiteboard. 

There are a  complete of 9 pictures.  These are the photographs of the lacking youngsters. All of them are rural youngsters.  Beneath three of the images, Bo Jinyan wrote down the places the place the boys went lacking. South of the market. Prepare station.  Supplies Quarter.

Li has briefed Jian Yao about this.  They’ve sufficient proof to find out the kidnapping places for 3 of the boys that went lacking. As for the remainder of the youngsters, for all they know, they may have disappeared wherever.  

Then there’s the second row of phrases.  Extra places, locations with related qualities to these three above –  Jap market, bus station, farmers market …… and so forth. Jian Yao understands their significance  –  Visitors, online game film theatres, Web cafes and so on.  Locations youngsters like to hang around.   Doable looking grounds for the abductors. 

However these locations are dispersed all through town.  In search of the criminals will likely be like in search of a needle in a haystack.

Additional down the whiteboard, there’s extra phrases, a mix of  English and Chinese language.  The handwriting is so messy that Jian Yao can’t work out what among the phrases are.  On the nook of the white board is a drawing of a bit turtle.  It’s solely a stick determine, nevertheless it’s very cute.

So ‘nice god’ likes to doodle when he’s analysing information.  How cute.  Jian Yao smiles to herself.  

There’s a phrase inside the messy writing that’s written in a much bigger and clearer font than the remaining.  

“No witnesses.”

No witnesses?

Everyone is aware of this. So why is he emphasising the purpose?

Jian Yao doesn’t perceive that.  She takes out her telephone and sends a textual content message to Li. “Kp: No witnesses.”   

( I’m not certain what KP means.  It’s within the authentic textual content.  In English.  So I left it there.)

-—

Final night time, Jian Yao decided.  She referred to as Li.

Li instantly went to her residence.  The very first thing he stated was: “I nonetheless wish to work with him and study from him.”

Jian Yao will not be too shocked: “However… How?”

“At any time when he tells you one thing – conclusions or concepts he comes up with, principle, opinions,  every thing!  Are you able to please write them down and let me know? This isn’t ‘infringement’.  No matter info you possibly can entry, I ought to be capable of entry too.”

Jian Yao replied: “I have no idea a lot about crime and psychology.  However I’ll do my greatest that will help you.”

So, each time Jian Yao finds a key level, she texts Li.   

(Ahh…. Kp means Key level.  I see.)

Li replies nearly instantly: “?????”

Jian Yao smiles.  Nicely, she solely agreed to be the messenger.  The remainder is as much as him to determine himself.   Simply then, Bo Jinyan walks in carrying a pair of white pyjamas.

That is so totally different from her expectations. 

Yesterday, despite the fact that he was boastful and immodest, displaying how thoughtless he will be to the emotions of others; he was carrying a swimsuit, wanting very prim and correct.  As we speak, he’s carrying a pair of PJs, strolling round barefooted.  He’s nonetheless the identical good-looking man she noticed yesterday.  Solely immediately, the expressions on this man’s face reveals that he’s not completely happy.  Not completely happy in any respect.

He walks go Jian Yao.  He turns and appears in her route.  Jian Yao thinks he’s going to talk to her.  However he appears to stare straight go her.  He picks up the cup on the aspect desk. Walks out of the room and heads downstairs.  

– Nicely, if in case you have nothing to say to me.  I’ll simply preserve quiet then. 

She follows him down in silence. 

Within the kitchen.  He bents over to take a carton of milk from the fridge and heats it up within the microwave.  He takes out a number of slices of bread, put them within the toaster, then throws a bottle of jam on the desk.  Then he sits down on the eating desk.  

• He’s going to speak about work now.  Thought Jian Yao. 

All of the sudden, he put his arms on the desk, then buries his head into the outlet between his arms.. 

The microwave offers a “ding” sound.  He appears up, stands up, takes the food and drinks to the desk and begins having his breakfast. 

“One other late night time?”Jian Yao asks.

“Umm…” His throat give a bit groan. 

After some time, he appears up at her once more.  He frowns: “You’ve modified your fashion of dressing.”

Jian Yao appears at her little black skirt.  She has dressed extra formally immediately as a result of he was in a swimsuit yesterday.  She thought she ought to match his dressing fashion.  

He retains gazing her. Jian Yao begins to really feel a bit uneasy. Then she hears him say: “This fashion doesn’t swimsuit you.  You look prettier in your standard clothes.”

Jian Yao is shocked by his phrases.  After he finishes his sentence, he continues to have his breakfast. 

Flattering phrases are at all times welcomed by lady, particularly when it’s from somebody like him.  

Jian Yao offers him a smile:”Thanks.”   

After he finishes his breakfast, he appears brighter, and extra ‘awake’.

Bo Jinyan:   “My rookie assistant, come upstairs.  Collate all the data on the case, after which look ahead to me within the automotive.”

–

Within the driveway, Jian Yao sees a parked police automotive.  The motive force appears like he has been ready for some time. 

Jian Yao sits within the again seat.  She begins to learn the data on the case whereas ready.  After a couple of minutes, Bo Jinyan seems.  

He’s in a swimsuit once more, with a black coat on high.  A espresso brown scarf wrapped round his neck.  He’s carrying a masks on his face, the kind that appears a bit like surgical masks, revealing solely a pair of slender darkish eyes. 

He sits beside Jian Yao.  He takes off his masks and scarf: “We’re able to go.” He offers directions to the driving force. 

Jian Yao: “Why are you carrying a masks that covers your face?”

He appears at her as if it’s an inappropriate query: “Don’t you assume it’s chilly on the market?”

Jian Yao: “…… No, probably not.”

In order that’s the rationale.  Individuals from the north don’t adapt properly to the winter temperatures of the south.  Bo Jinyan will not be an area. He wears a masks to maintain his face heat.  It is a frequent follow within the northern cities, however folks within the south will discover it unusual.  No surprise folks label him as “Frankenstein.”

The automotive is leaving city.  They’re on the nationwide freeway.

Jian Yao asks: “The place are we going?”

Bo Jinyan adjusts his sitting place a bit.  The automotive will not be very spacious.  Jian Yao strikes nearer to the door to provide him extra room.  His physique takes up greater than half the again seat.  

“We have to get his deal with.” says Bo Jinyan

“He? Who’s he?” asks Jian Yao.

Bo Jinyan smiles: “The prison, in fact.”

–

Jian Yao appears at him: “You imply… there is just one individual chargeable for the kidnapping? And it’s somebody from the world?” Li instructed her the police suspects a human trafficking gang is concerned, or somebody from additional afield, not so near residence. However Bo Jinyan goes down a very totally different path. 

Bo Jinyan appears at her: “You aren’t so dumb in spite of everything.  There’s an identical sample to all of the disappearances.  All of them have the identical distinctive and distinctive ‘persona’ about them.  It will probably solely be performed by one individual.”

Whereas Jian Yao is processing what he simply stated, the telephone rings.

Bo Jinyan glances at her: “Ah!  Time to report back to your little boyfriend?”

Jian Yao appears at him: “He’s not my boyfriend.”

Bo Jinyan says no extra.  He closes his eyes for a nap. “Do you thoughts if I replace him?” Jian Yao asks.

“Do as you please.  I don’t care.”

–

The police automotive stops in a close-by township.

Alongside the freeway, there are line of homes on each aspect of the street.   There are 4 or 5 low rise buildings, and some outdated huts.

Bo Jinyan and Jian Yao walks to one of many huts – the house of the primary lacking boy – Fu Mingyis’ mother and father’ home. Nobody is aware of the place Fu was kidnapped. They knock on the entrance door.

The home appears outdated and drained.  The paint are stripped off, cracks run alongside the aspect of the partitions.  Inside, Fu’s mother and father appears as if life has been drained out of them.  Yao can really feel the ache they carry.

–

Based on the police assertion, on the day of his disappearance, Fu left residence early within the morning.  He was meant to reach at Tong metropolis round 8:00am. He simply turned 15 years outdated.  He’s a secondary scholar.  He was presupposed to go to Tong metropolis to stick with his aunt for 2 weeks, to attend some tutorial lessons for the upcoming faculty exams.  His aunt referred to as his mother and father round noon after he did not arrive.  Bo Jinyan requested the mother and father a number of extra questions.  However nothing supplied any clue as to the place he might have gone.  

–

They go into Fu’s bed room.  His room is full of a number of stuff –  youngsters toys, masks, kaleidoscope, recreation playing cards, and handheld gaming gadgets. All this stuff are actually keepsakes for the outdated couple to recollect their beloved son.  

Jian Yao: “Something helpful?”

As an alternative of answering her query, Bo Jinyan says:”Out.”

Simply earlier than she walks out of the room, he says: ”Please use your mind.  It’s not a chunk of furnishings. I need every bit of data you’ll find on Fu.  There have to be clues hiding on this home that may inform us the place he went that morning.”

By now, Jian Yao is used to the best way he speaks.  She would not get offended anymore.  

–

They stroll out to the yard.  There’s a poultry shed.  

Contained in the shed, there’s round 12 chickens.  It’s in all probability one of many most important supply of revenue for the household.  There’s a cupboard beside the shed.  A basket of eggs sits on high of the cupboard. 

Jian Yao turns again into the home to search out Fu’s mom.

–

After a while, Jian Yao returns to Fu’s room.

“I discovered one thing. Nevertheless it’s in all probability ineffective.” She stated.

Bo Jinyan retains his eyes on the bottom: “Converse.”

Jian Yao appears at his good-looking face. She feels a bit uneasy to share her little humble opinion with a world famend professional.  

She clears her throat and speaks out: “Fu does alright at college. He doesn’t appear to be the tutorial sort, however he will get on properly together with his classmates.  They like enjoying video video games however his household is just too poor to purchase a console and video games for him to play at residence.  So he likes to hang around at online game parlours and web cafes.“

“The day Fu went lacking, he took a basket of eggs to convey to his aunt…” Jian Yao continues.

“Cease!” Bo Jinyan interrupts her.  her together with his  clear sharp eyes: “How are you aware he introduced eggs?”

Jian Yao replies: “I observed there’s a basket of eggs within the yard.  I assumed, for the reason that mother and father needed their youngster to board with the aunt for a time period, they’ll absolutely give a bit reward, comparable to recent eggs.   Ha ha.. not related to the case, proper?  Apart from that, I can’t discover anything “

Jian Yao’s voice all of a sudden stops, as a result of Bo Jinyan steps ahead, bents over to hug her.

Jian Yao stiffens and appears at Bo Jinyan.  He releases her rapidly and appears at her with a smile.

“Carry eggs to aunt! You are a genius!”

Jian Yao: “That is the fundamental manners ……”

Bo Jinyan smiles: “Fu Ziyu stated you’re a very properly mannered individual, so you possibly can complement me in locations I’m missing in.  He’s proper…”

Jian Yao: “……”

Bo Jinyan opens the map app on his telephone.  He factors to a location and says: “That is  the place he went lacking.” 

He’s pointing to a farmer’s market. “Why?”

Bo Jinyan appears a bit extra affected person along with her now.  He explains: “Cash.  He’s carrying a basket of eggs.  It’s so inconvenient.  If he didn’t go straight to his aunt’s home.  He have to be gone to the market to promote the eggs for cash.  Then he can go to the online game parlour.  This market will not be removed from his aunt’s home, and really near a online game parlour.”

“He loves video video games, however he doesn’t have the funds for. So he secretly offered the eggs. He typically brings eggs to his auntie’s home so he’s betting that his aunt won’t discover out his mischief.”

Jian Yao listens and nods: “The place will we go from right here?”

Bo Jinyan’s smile deepens.

–

They return to the automotive.  Leaving Tong metropolis, they’re again on the nationwide freeway.

Bo Jinyan takes out a pocket book and begins to put in writing frantically.   Jian Yao is busy texting Li with all of the updates. 

When Bo Jinyan has completed writing, he throws her the pocket book: “Give them a name.”

Jian Yao picks up the guide.  She reads what Bo Jinyan wrote.

“Male, aged 25-30, native, slim, extraordinary wanting;

Lives alone inside 3km from the farmer’s market. The place the place he works is near the market too.

No automotive.

Sturdy communication expertise, articulate, frequent customer of online game parlours, film theatres and different locations youngsters like to hang around. “

Jian Yao appears at him: “Why …… Why does the offender dwell close to the situation of the primary disappearance? And why is he between 25-30 years outdated??”

Bo Jinyan places his arms behind his head: “I’ve already written all the explanations on the whiteboard.  Did you not see them this morning?”

Then he opens the map apps on his telephone once more, pointing: “Inform them to right away search the forest to the east of the farmers’ markets.  In the event that they discover something, give us a name instantly.”

Jian Yao coronary heart is shocked: “Discover?  Discover what?”

Bo Jinyan, glancing at her: “You’ve already guessed the reply.  Why do you ask me?”

Bo Jinyan smiles: “My pricey assistant, I instructed you earlier than. I’m not desirous about human trafficking gangs, or different mediocre stuff like that.  Serial killers are my specialty.”