Chapter 52: Champagne Rose

Cheng Zesheng had a stern expression on his face, holding a mineral water bottle he had introduced again from the scene of the accident. It was exactly this mineral water bottle that led Cheng Zesheng to conclude that this was not simply an odd site visitors accident however a homicide case.

His gaze was sharp, his expression critical. Xiang Yang stood by, observing cautiously. Cheng Aiyue signaled to the kid, calling him over in order to not disturb Vice-Captain Cheng’s seek for loopholes.

In reality, what made Cheng Zesheng furrow his forehead and ponder was not simply the straightforward case, however He Wei’s phrases. Earlier than he had an opportunity to specific his emotions, he had already been struck out. He Wei wasn’t like these mild and exquisite, he didn’t play good; he handed over a blade, simple and direct.

It actually hit deep and with out mercy.

With this face, Cheng Zesheng attracted the admiration of many girls and boys throughout his scholar days. After becoming a member of the police power, many policewomen’s hearts have been secretly given to him. He even rescued hostages throughout missions, but folks didn’t ship him banners of upholding society; as a substitute, they provided themselves as a reward.

However Cheng Zesheng remained unmoved. Through the years, his coronary heart hadn’t been swayed by anybody. And now, investigating a case, he discovered himself drawn to a “lifeless individual,” solely to be clearly rejected by them. This sense was actually disheartening.

“Bizarre,” Cheng Zesheng’s low voice sounded, “Why can’t they be collectively?”

Although he and He Wei have been from completely different worlds, so long as there was this connection, wasn’t that sufficient? Many {couples} solely had their very own worlds after returning dwelling from work. Their scenario wasn’t so completely different.

Cheng Aiyue and Xiang Yang exchanged glances, saying in unison, “As a result of that man has a spouse!”

“…” Cheng Zesheng put down the mineral water bottle, “It’s not about this case. I’m asking you, if there’s somebody who lives below the identical roof as you, cleans up the home, cooks, and even helps you to get shut with out resistance, does that individual have emotions for you?”

“After all, they have to. They even allow you to get shut.” Cheng Aiyue smirked mischievously. “Vice-Captain Cheng, who did you get near?”

Cheng Zesheng ignored her and continued, “However that individual doesn’t wish to be with you. They received’t even provide you with an opportunity to admit. They immediately reject you, citing geographical causes. If it have been you, might you settle for it in your coronary heart?”

Xiang Yang was a bit puzzled, “Isn’t it cohabitation? Why a long-distance relationship?”

Cheng Zesheng nodded. An extended-distance relationship couldn’t embody all of it; it was an otherworldly romance.

Cheng Aiyue tiptoed, barely inserting her arm on Cheng Zesheng’s shoulder, “I’m not the one saying this, however you have to have performed one thing to upset them, so that they’re intentionally making issues tough for you. Right here’s what you do: purchase a bouquet of roses, organize a candlelit dinner, and in that romantic environment, confess. Your success price will skyrocket.”

Cheng Zesheng was skeptical, “…Will that work?”

“Sufficient nonsense! Most ladies have hearts stuffed with romantic fantasies. Blame it on you straight guys who don’t get the vibe.” Cheng Aiyue pointed at Cheng Zesheng’s face. “Your seems to be alone ought to do the trick. Moreover, your face is kind of placing. Imagine me, nobody can resist it.”

Cheng Zesheng felt like this method may be riskier with He Wei. Given He Wei’s chilly persona, a candlelit dinner may obtain a chilly response, like: allergic, can’t eat. You couldn’t actually predict his response; who knew if he was actually allergic?

Flowers may not work both. It may be simpler to only set a stack of crime-related books on the desk. That may enchantment to him extra.

Xiang Yang, curious however cautious of prying, requested Cheng Zesheng to finish the workday. Cheng Zesheng eliminated his gloves. “Let’s wrap it up. Put issues again the place they belong.”

Cheng Aiyue was baffled and grabbed him. “Are you critical? Love has made you lose your thoughts to the purpose the place you’re ignoring the case?”

“Who’s ignoring the case?”

“Aren’t we about to depart now?” Cheng Aiyue pointed on the proof unfold on the desk. “You stated we have been going to reexamine it to search out loopholes. However now, with none outcomes, you’re simply abandoning it. Which woman managed to bewitch you want this?”

“…” Cheng Zesheng gestured on the mineral water bottle. “The fingerprint place is mistaken. The hand gesture to carry the bottle seems to be regular, however attempt utilizing a needle to inject one thing at this place.”

Xiang Yang instantly tried and realized that if he held the mineral water bottle precisely as indicated by the fingerprint place, it was not possible for a pinhole to seem the place it ought to. He exclaimed, “Somebody framed him intentionally, leaving his fingerprints on the mineral water bottle!”

“It may be his pal. We did discover proof that he had ailing intentions in direction of the deceased.” Cheng Aiyue speculated.

Cheng Zesheng didn’t fairly agree and as a substitute instructed Xiang Yang to analyze the suspect’s spouse, a weak and unsuspecting lady who had been deceived by her husband.

Earlier than leaving the lab, Cheng Zesheng cleared his throat. “Um… does giving flowers actually work?”

“Give it a attempt. It’s a last-ditch effort. Anyway, you’ve been rejected already, so there’s nothing to lose.”

———

After investigation, it was found that after arriving in Shengzhou Metropolis and making a name to his cousin, Zhao Shen’s telephone had been turned off. There have been no communication information with Qiao Ruofei earlier than that both. Nevertheless, with so many trendy social apps, even when they didn’t use telephone numbers, they may talk on-line via different apps. All of Qiao Ruofei’s social apps have been checked, proving she hadn’t been in touch with Zhao Shen. After Zhao Shen arrived in Shengzhou Metropolis, he appeared to fade into skinny air.

The allotted time for cooperation within the investigation had ended, and Qiao Ruofei and Zhao Yang have been launched. Upon studying that Zhao Yang had been deceiving her all alongside, Qiao Ruofei went loopy after they met, hitting and kicking him wildly. The officers rapidly restrained her, however she scratched Zhao Yang’s face within the course of. Irritated, he was about to lash out, however a stern glare from Chong Zhen made him shut up.

Yun Xiaoxiao supposed to rearrange for Qiao Ruofei to return to Haijing, however Qiao Ruofei stubbornly shook her head, refusing to return. She wished to search out Zhao Shen. She moved out of Zhao Yang’s place and located a small inn to remain in. Listening to that Zhao Shen went lacking close to Dangshui Village, she visited there intermittently, asking the native residents and exploring the mountain. Within the eyes of many, she was appearing foolishly within the identify of affection.

Twenty-two days had handed since Zhao Shen’s escape to Shengzhou Metropolis. The top of the month was approaching, and there was nonetheless no information of the suspect. The arrest warrant had been issued way back, and the police had additionally posted a reward discover on varied platforms. They provided a reward of 100,000 yuan to anybody offering important info resulting in the direct seize of Zhao Shen, hoping to leverage the ability of the lots to uncover his whereabouts.

“The place do you suppose he could possibly be hiding?” Lin Heyu stood on the balcony, holding a can of beer. He Wei rested his elbow on the railing and stated, “I really feel like he hasn’t gone far, in all probability nonetheless within the neighborhood of Dangshui Village. His social and monetary accounts haven’t been energetic for all as of late. If nobody helps him, then until—”

“Except he’s already lifeless,” Lin Heyu stated nonchalantly.

He Wei had thought-about that chance too, however the proof that they had didn’t level to anybody eager to take his life. He thought in regards to the gradual progress in Cheng Zesheng’s case. In line with He Lu’s testimony, He Wei disappeared proper in entrance of him, and the physique that appeared later wasn’t He Wei. The present scenario with Zhao Shen was fairly just like his personal disappearance, suggesting he might need fallen into some form of space-time rift.

“He might need time-traveled,” He Wei joked, and surprisingly, Lin Heyu didn’t deny it. He nodded in settlement, “It’s doable.”

The 2 exchanged a smile. It was higher to remain grounded; actuality not often aligns with such scientific notions.

“Your roommate isn’t coming again tonight?” Lin Heyu seemed again on the entrance.

“Unsure,” He Wei shrugged. He wasn’t aware of Cheng Zesheng’s work schedule. He had been ready for him to return that day, hoping to debate the case, however an accident occurred. Later, when He Wei returned to his room, they hadn’t spoken once more.

He Wei questioned if Cheng Zesheng was avoiding him on account of being rejected or if he genuinely had a busy workload, inflicting him to return much less continuously. They hadn’t crossed paths these previous few days, and He Wei really felt okay with that. It may be good to let Cheng Zesheng cool off, to stop him from harboring unrealistic fantasies.

He Wei’s detached expression was interpreted by Lin Heyu as an indication of battle. As somebody who had been via related conditions, Lin Heyu suggested, “Relationships like these are arduous to return by; you need to treasure them. You may remorse it later in the event you lose them.”

“You appear skilled,” He Wei raised an eyebrow. “I stored forgetting to ask you – how have been you in a position to work together with my invisible roommate?”

After the experiments within the mansion, Chong Zhen couldn’t sense Cheng Zesheng’s presence, so He Wei deduced that, other than him, others couldn’t perceive the peculiarities of parallel worlds. Nevertheless, Lin Heyu not solely sensed Cheng Zesheng however might additionally bodily contact him, shattering He Wei’s understanding as soon as once more.

“It may be as a result of I’ve had related experiences. I’ll let you know one thing eerie, however don’t get spooked.” Lin Heyu smiled and continued, “I’ve been to a different world.”

“One other? One other parallel world?”

Lin Heyu shook his head; he wasn’t positive, and he didn’t know the way he received there. All he remembered was waking up with a powerful conviction to search out somebody. Regardless of the early morning gentle, he went mountaineering. Nevertheless, the sky grew more and more darkish, and the day turned as black as ink, with thunderstorms rolling in.

As if guided by some unseen power, he sought refuge in a picket cabin to flee the rain. Coincidentally, there was a suspected legal hiding there. After a battle, he managed to subdue the suspect. At that second, another person entered the cabin. In that second of eye contact, he acknowledged that it was the individual he was trying to find.

Nevertheless, that individual had no recollection of his existence.

Taken again to the unfamiliar police station, sporting an unfamiliar uniform, Lin Heyu was introduced in to cooperate with the investigation. He had been trailing behind that individual, and within the blink of a watch, the rain cleared up and a bunch of vacationers appeared, their laughter and chatter drifting by. Shiny daylight shone from above, and the folks round checked out Lin Heyu surprisingly, as in the event that they couldn’t perceive why a very drenched man would seem on such a sunny day.

Lin Heyu stored this incident hidden in his coronary heart, not telling anybody. He had held onto the dedication to search out that individual, however as time handed, he forgot just a little bit on daily basis. Till the serial murders occurred, he had fully forgotten the individual’s identify and look, and all reminiscences associated to him had vanished.

“I do know he’s vital, however I forgot who he’s,” Lin Heyu stated with a bitter smile, shaking his head gently. “I used to put in writing about him. Once I opened my pocket book, it was all clean. I can’t discover him anymore.”

“You began step by step dropping your reminiscence after you met him? Your expertise appears much more weird than mine,” He Wei patted his shoulder. “Possibly you’ve gotten a particular structure; you’ll be able to even go to a different world. No surprise you’ll be able to work together with Cheng Zesheng.”

“Cheng Zesheng? The pianist?”

“Yeah, however the one you met will not be him. He’s in the identical occupation as us.”

As they have been discussing Cheng Zesheng, the safety door on the entrance opened. He Wei and Lin Heyu each turned their heads concurrently, listening to rustling noises and faint, ethereal buzzing.

The connection between the nodes was changing into clearer. Now, it appeared that so long as they stepped into this place, they may sense one another’s presence.

“He Wei, are you right here?”

“Um… yeah, on the balcony, and—”

Simply as He Wei was about to say that Lin Heyu was additionally there, Lin Heyu gripped his arm and gave it a squeeze, silencing him.

Lin Heyu put his index finger to his lips, then pointed towards Cheng Zesheng’s location, playfully winking.

He Wei fell silent, feeling that hassle was brewing.

Cheng Zesheng stood in the lounge. Though he couldn’t see the place the individual was, he might think about how they have been leaning towards the balcony railing. His coronary heart out of the blue raced, and he nervously fiddled with the reward he had introduced.

“That day, I acted impulsively, however I don’t remorse what I did. It’s my true emotions.” Cheng Zesheng sounded a bit uneasy as he positioned the merchandise he was holding on the espresso desk. “Don’t rush to decide both. Take your time to consider it.”

Within the blink of a watch, one thing appeared on the clear and tidy espresso desk.

A gently packaged, slowly blossoming champagne rose.