S.C.I Mystery Series Volume 2 Chapter 120

Love Murderer 26 – Auction

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After listening to the autopsy repot, Bai Yutang was taken to his office by Zhan Zhao, forced to lay on the sofa, and covered with his jacket so that he could sleep.

The little lion that Zhan Zhao brought back caused quite the stir in SCI. Everyone took turns hugging it, and the entire group of big men were defeated by this young white creature, all agreeing – So cute!

At this time, Gongsun’s cell phone rang. As soon as he saw that it was Bai Jintang calling, he knew that he was definitely calling to urge him to go home to sleep, so he answered, “En, I’m coming back.”

Contrary to Gongsun’s expectation, Bai Jintang asked, “Are you in the SCI office? I’m downstairs at the police station, and I’m coming up now.”

“What’s the matter?” Zhan Zhao asked Gongsun.

“Jintang said he is coming up.” Gongsun said.

Zhan Zhao nodded. It didn’t take long before they saw Bai Jintang walk in. The twins were watching in the autopsy room all night and were now sleeping in the rest room. Seeing him come in, they went over to him and asked, “Big Brother came here to pick us up?”

Bai Jintang gave the two of them a blank look, then stretched his hand out and passed Gongsun a piece of dark chocolate and a jar of vitamins.

Gongsun took them, and Zhan Zhao looked at Gongsun, “Why take vitamins? Have you been in poor health recently?”

Gongsun shrugged. Recently, he has been suffering from severe hypoglycemia and is often dizzy. He had already eaten yesterday’s portion, so Bai Jintang specially brought him more. On the other hand, Bai Chi and Ma Xin are both caring people. As soon as they saw the situation, they decided to go and buy ten boxes, each containing twenty boxes, of dark chocolate, and kept them in the SCI office, and would force Gongsun to eat it everyday.

Bai Jintang looked around and asked, “Where is Yutang?”

Zhan Zhao nodded towards his office, “Still making up for the sleep he lost to Auntie’s scolding last night.”

After Bai Jintang heard this, the corners of his mouth picked up slightly and his eyes narrowed – It really was deliberate!

Gongsun packed up his things and said, “I can go back now.”

Bai Jintang nodded, took out two tickets from his pocket, and handed them to Zhan Zhao, “You may be interested in this, but if Yutang wants to sleep, you may not be able to go.”

Zhan Zhao took the tickets and looked at them, then asked puzzledly, “An auction?”

“En.” Bai Jintang nodded, “Sponsored by Li Hao.”

“Oh.” Zhan Zhao raised his eyebrows, “Then I have to go, I have to find a way to probe his lies.”

“Some of his friends will also be at the auction.” Bai Jintang said, “I ordered four tickets, so you can take a few people.”

As Zhan Zhao nodded and took the tickets, Xiao Ding said, “Kitty, I’ll accompany you. Li Hao, that kid eats people and doesn’t spit out their bones, you have to be careful.”

Ma Han and Luo Tian also said they would go. Bai Chi wanted to go as well, but there weren’t enough tickets, so he stood aside worriedly.

Xiao Ding gave him his ticket and said, “Xiao Chi Chi, you go.”

Bai Chi looked at him, “Then what about you?”

Xiao Ding smiled, “If we want to go in, we don’t need tickets, there is always another way.”

Afterwards, everyone discussed their plan and set off.

Before leaving, Zhan Zhao told Zhao Hu and the others not to wake Bai Yutang and to let him sleep well.

“Dr. Zhan, Captain will curse when he wakes up and finds that you left alone.” Zhao Hu said.

“He hasn’t slept for two days. When he wakes up, tell him where we are going.” After he spoke, Zhan Zhao took the group away.

Luo Tian stopped the car at the entrance of the International Hotel. Zhan Zhao got out of the car, and the four people entered the hotel. Seeing their tickets, an attendant led the group to the event hall on the twentieth floor where the auction of artworks was being held.

There were a lot of celebrities gathered in the hall, and the auction had not started yet. There were exhibits all around for everyone to look at first.

Zhan Zhao and Bai Chi acted separately, while Luo Tian and Ma Han watched them, responsible for their safety.

Zhan Zhao looked around and found no sign of Li Hao, so he wandered. His eyes were quickly attracted to a classical oil painting. The painting shows a teenage girl wearing a red coat with a necklace of a cross on her chest… The first thing that attracted Zhan Zhao was the pendant, which was the same as that of the Bathory family… Looking at the girl again, Zhan Zhao knew that this should be a portrait of Count Bathory’s daughter when she was a teenager. In line with their guesses, the daughter of Count Bathory did not die.

Looking at the style of the painting and the background behind the person, Zhan Zhao frowned slightly. He has a certain understanding of oil paintings. This oil painting should be in the popular style of Italian painters back then. The paint and layout have a strong Milan style… And, looking at the age marked on the artist’s signature… it doesn’t match the year when the Count’s daughter should have been a teenager. To be precise, it was twenty years later. In other words, this girl who looks like a teenager is actually in her thirties.

Zhan Zhao touched his chin, staring at the oil painting in a daze.

“You have quite good taste.” A voice came from behind him.

Zhan Zhao was familiar with this voice. When he looked back, he saw that it was Li Hao… Zhan Zhao’s face showed a bit of surprise as he looked at Li Hao.

Li Hao smiled, “This auction is hosted by me, I hold one every month. I really didn’t expect you to come. If I knew you were interested in art, I would have sent you a ticket.”

Zhan Zhao nodded, and causally said, “I don’t know much about art, I just came to take a break and pass time.”

Li Hao smiled and asked, “You didn’t come with Captain Bai today?”

Zhan Zhao shook his head, “He has something to do, so I’m taking a break.”

“Shall we sit and have a cup of coffee?” Li Hao took a step closer and asked with a smile.

Zhan Zhao shook his head, “I just arrived and would like to look around for a while. Is this painting yours?”

“It is.” Li Hao nodded, “One of my many collections.”

Zhan Zhao smiled with interest, “How much does such a painting cost?”

Li Hao looked at Zhan Zhao in surprise, and asked with a smile, “Do you like it?”

“En.” Zhan Zhao nodded.

“Why do you only like this one?” Li Hao asked.

“Hmm…” Zhan Zhao thought for a while and said, “Although this girl is very young, her eyes seem to be very mature, with some vicissitudes of life… The painter treated her well… Well, I think that the painter might love this girl.”

“Haha.” Li Hao couldn’t help but laugh. He stretched his hand out and took down the velvet rope that blocked the painting. Grabbing the painting, he flipped it over and showed Zhan Zhao the back. Written in Italian, it read, ‘To my favourite Paris, Miraya is loyal to you all his life’.

“This Miraya is a representative figure of the middle and late stages of the school in Milan. However, he was a landscape painter and didn’t like to paint figures. This is the most famous among his few figure paintings, whose name is Paris.” Li Hao looked at Zhan Zhao in admiration, “It is said that you can understand peoples’ minds. It turns out that you can even understand a person’s mind through a painting.”

Zhan Zhao felt surprise in his heart; Paris… Paris Bathory, the daughter of Count Bathory, the beloved who had left him.

“Dr. Zhan.” Seeing Zhan Zhao in a daze, Li Hao called out to him.

Zhan Zhao turned around and looked at him, “Huh?”

“If you like this painting, I can give it to you.” Li Hao said generously.

“Zhan Zhao laughed and shook his head, “How could you do that?”

“Why can’t I.” Li Hao said, “Such a famous painting should belong to someone who understands it.”

Zhan Zhao shook his head, “I was just curious and asked about it. I don’t intend to accept such an expensive gift, I am a police officer, we can not accept gifts casually.”

“Oh…” Li Hao sighed with regret, “That’s right, I forgot.”

Zhan Zhao smiled and asked, “Are there any more paintings by this artist? I want to take a look.”

“Oh, there are some landscape paintings.” Li Hao took Zhan Zhao, looking aside.

Luo Tian stood not far away and listened to Ma Han next to him speak in a low voice, “Fortunately, Captain didn’t come, otherwise Li Hao would be in trouble.”

Luo Tian nodded, “He seems to be interested in Dr. Zhan.”

Ma Han laughed twice, “This Li Hao only likes men, and Dr. Zhan is his favourite type.”

“No wonder his eyes showed desire.” Luo Tian frowned.

“I asked Jiayi about it the other day.” Ma Han whispered, “This Li Hao is not as pure as he seems on the surface. As long as he is interested, whether they are a celebrity or a model, he must have them… We both need to keep an eye on him.”

Luo Tian nodded and separated from Ma Han to watch Zhan Zhao. Ma Han was still a little worried about Bai Chi, but when he looked back, he saw someone.

Ma Han raised the corner of his mouth and smiled; it seems as though he doesn’t need to worry about Bai Chi anymore. Turning around, he continued to watch Zhan Zhao.

Bai Chi was in front of an exhibit, staring at a string of sapphire necklaces inside. After looking at them for a while, he felt that someone was approaching him from behind. Bai Chi wondered if someone wanted to see the exhibit, so he moved a little to the side, but the man stopped behind him. Bai Chi was a little puzzled. Just as he was about to look back, he felt… someone pat his butt.

Bai Chi jumped in shock and turned his head violently, but he saw Zhao Zhen standing behind him, holding a glass of champagne and smiling at him.

“Zhen? Why are you here?” Bai Chi was surprised.

“Oh…” Zhao Zhen made a sad gesture, “The person I love left me home alone last night. Lisbon and I were starving, relying on takeaway to save our lives… Early this morning, my love hadn’t returned yet, and I was overwhelmed with sadness. Wondering if he didn’t love me anymore, I found an art exhibit so that I could get a nice gift to save the heart of my love…”

Bai Chi glanced at him helplessly and kicked him lightly, “You’re killing me.”

Zhao Zhen hugged Bai Chi with one hand and asked, “Where did you go last night? You just texted to say that you wouldn’t be back for dinner. I thought you were out on a mission and didn’t dare to call you.”

“Well, I went to your uncle’s place.” Bai Chi said.

“Zhao Jue?” Zhao Zhen was surprised, “Is he in S City?”

“En.” Bai Chi nodded, “But Brother said that he probably left already.”

Zhao Zhen shrugged, “I haven’t seen him for a long time.”

“Seriously, why are you here?” Bai Chi asked again.

Zhao Zhen laughed, “I wanted to go to the SCI office to find you, but when I passed by hotel, Lisbon saw your Jeep, so I guessed that you came here. I asked about it, and the only event happening is the art auction here, so I came.”

Bai Chi nodded, “So it’s like this.”

Zhao Zhen looked around and asked, “Are you catching thieves?”

Bai Chi glanced at Zhan Zhao, who was standing with Li Hao in the distance, and said, “We’re looking into Li Hao.”

Zhao Zhen looked up and saw Li Hao taking two glasses of champagne from a waiter and handing one to Zhan Zhao.

Zhao Zhen frowned fiercely, “He’s using tricks.”

“What?” Bai Chi looked at Zhao Zhen puzzledly.

Zhao Zhen said, “Li Hao put something in Zhan Zhao’s drink.”

“I didn’t see it…’ Bai Chi was a little panicked, and he looked at Ma Han and Luo Tian, who didn’t seem to notice either.

“He is very quick.” Zhao Zhen said, “He has already noticed Ma Han and Luo Tian, so he did it out of their sight.” Zhao Zhen said. He wanted to walk over to stop him, but Zhan Zhao had already taken the glass handed over by Li Hao.

“Although you don’t understand art, your instinctive appreciation of art is really beyond my expectations.” Li Hao said, raising a toast to Zhan Zhao, “It’s worthy of a toast.”

Zhan Zhao smiled but found it boring. After talking for a long time, Li Hao hadn’t given him any clues and had only showed off his collection.

Zhan Zhao felt that his interest was lacking. He held the cup to his mouth, wanting to drink, but his lips touched something warm.

Looking down, there was a familiar hand blocking the mouth of the cup, as well as a familiar ring.

Zhan Zhao looked up; at some unknown time, Bai Yutang had stood by his side.

“Xiao Bai?” Zhan Zhao was surprised.

Bai Yutang raised his eyes and glanced at Li Hao. The two looked at each other, and Li Hao looked a little embarrassed.

When Bai Yutang saw Zhan Zhao, his heart was relieved. Fortunately, he woke up early. When he heard that Zhan Zhao had come to deal with Li Hao alone, he rushed over.

Reaching out and taking the glass of champagne from Zhan Zhao’s hand, Bai Yutang smiled, “Cat, let’s change your drink… this wine tastes a bit strong.”

Zhan Zhao is clever, so he naturally understood his words. He turned his face to look at Li Hao, who said, “Captain Bai is here too. The auction has started, so I won’t accompany you.”

After speaking, he turned and walked away quickly.

Luo Tian and Ma Han looked at each other. Bai Yutang looked back at them and winked, indicating – It’s all right, keep watching Li Hao.

The two nodded.

Zhan Zhao glanced at Bai Yutang, “Have you finished sleeping so quickly?”

Bai Yutang looked for a trash can, poured the champagne into it, and half-jokingly said, “I can’t sleep without you, Cat.”

Zhan Zhao couldn’t laugh or cry, and he glanced at Bai Yutang, “Disgusting!”

‿︵‿︵ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ・❉・ ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ‿︵‿︵

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Translator Notes

Please feel free to comment any mistakes I made so I can improve and do better as I go through the book.

Translated: June 11, 2021