Qiming Chapter 11

Chapter 11

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The day after tomorrow, exactly eighteen years will have passed.

Xu Chengyue reconstructed the relationship diagram he had drawn earlier with the criminal investigation team on the wall, adding Cao Yan and Chunqiu. He hesitated, uncertain whether to place Yuan Man or the girl named Chunqiu at the centre of the diagram.

Who was at the core of this case, Yuan Man or Chunqiu?

"Chunqiu, such a nice name," he sighed. Unfortunately, it was just an alias, and her real identity remained unknown. If only he could access the real names of all the victims. But this information was protected as personal privacy, and revealing it would only add to the victims' suffering.

Xu Chengyue shut down his computer and noticed a message from Professor Lu sent an hour earlier, inviting him for a meal. Over the years, he had gradually lost contact with most of his former classmates. The person he stayed in touch with the most was his doctoral supervisor, Lu Yong.

"Ran Ran hasn't seen you for a long time, she keeps asking about you," Professor Lu had written.

Ran Ran, Professor Lu's daughter, was fifteen years old. She was his precious child, born when Professor Lu was nearly forty, and was thoroughly spoiled. At home, she was the little princess; at school, she was almost a queen dowager, no one could control her.

Fortunately, she listened to Xu Chengyue and started to calm down as she grew older. She had transitioned from being a rebellious runaway to a passionate fan of pop stars.

Though... it wasn't a significant improvement.

"How's your health been lately?" Professor Lu asked him with concern.

"Pretty normal."

"Why haven't I seen Xizi around these days?"

"She went to Beijing. She prescribed some new medication for me before she left."

"Are you taking your medication every day? You can't afford to forget."

He nodded.

Lu Yong bought some ribs at the supermarket, saying he'd have his wife make soup. Professor Lu's home was close to the Third Public Security Bureau, so they chose to walk there. This area was filled with old houses, century-old sycamore trees, and historic buildings, giving it a unique charm. The streets were narrow, just wide enough for two cars to pass, and roadside stalls sold local snacks while children with balloons ran around on the sidewalks.

These scenes felt familiar, though he couldn't recall where he had seen them before.

"Will you have a drink with me later?"

"No," Xu Chengyue waved his hand. "You know I don't drink at all now."

"True, last year's incident was a wake-up call," Professor Lu said with a sigh. "I've always felt guilty, I shouldn't have let you all drink so much at that gathering."

"When you ended up in intensive care and the doctor said you were brain dead, my legs went weak from the shock."

"Don't laugh at me, at my age, I can't handle scares like that. I kept thinking, if something had happened to you, I would be truly sorry for your family, what could I do to apologise to them?"

"You're exaggerating, Professor, I'm really fine now." He genuinely didn't mind anymore. Life inevitably had its disasters, but having survived it, he decided to let go of the past.

In the middle of their conversation, they arrived at Professor Lu's home, where last year's wind chimes still hung by the door, ringing as they entered.

"Chengyue, you're here!" Professor Lu's wife greeted him with unrestrained joy. She took the bag of ribs and headed to the kitchen. Xu Chengyue took off his tie, hung up his suit jacket, and unbuttoned his collar. The air conditioning was set to a comfortable temperature, but he still felt hot in his long-sleeve shirt.

He regretted not wearing a cooler T-shirt.

"Old Lu, among your students, I like Chengyue the best, he's handsome and talented," she put the ribs in a pot to wash, put on an apron, and called Chengyue over to help her cut the vegetables.

"Chengyue'ah, have you found a partner?"

"Not yet."

"You, don't get so engrossed in your studies that you turn stupid, only knowing how to do experiments and doing experiments day after day, just like your teacher."

"... Being like Professor Lu isn't bad."

"What's so good about it?" she sighed, "Look at your Professor Lu. He had a daughter late in life, and she's completely spoiled. You should consider your future too; you're not getting any younger."

He nodded in agreement.

"What do you think of Xizi?"

"Ying Xizi?"

"Yes, Dr. Ying's daughter. She's a beauty, and many at the university hospital are after her. You should act quickly. She seems to care about you, always asking my Old Lu about you."

He didn't really have any thoughts about romantic relationships. Even if he did, he lacked the capacity for them. He was naturally low in emotional intelligence and clueless in matters of love. He wasn't sure if Ying Xizi had any special feelings for him, and if she did, he couldn't tell, so he just assumed she didn't.

The professor's wife cleaned the ribs, prepared the green onions, ginger, and garlic, and put them in the pot to fry. Seeing that he hadn't said a word, she suddenly put down the spatula, turned around, and looked at him. "Could it be that you like my daughter Ran Ran?"

"She's only fifteen, are you planning to wait for her to grow up? Actually, that's fine. In five years, she can get married. You'll only be in your early thirties, still in your prime." After saying this, she looked at Xu Chengyue with anticipation.

"Shimu... please don't joke about that." (Angel: Shimu, or 师母, is a term of respect for your teacher's wife. There is no proper English equivalent.)

The professor's wife was chatting with him when a blue-haired girl rubbed her eyes and peeked in. "Mom, did I hear Chengyue Gege's voice?" As soon as she finished speaking, she saw Xu Chengyue, and her eyes instantly lit up.

"Chengyue Gege?!" The girl rushed over and hugged him. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming? Look at me, still in my pyjamas and without any makeup."

He led Lu Yiran out of the crowded kitchen and, as instructed by Professor Lu, guided her to read and do her homework, and to change her hair colour back.

"Yiran, don't you think... blue hair doesn't suit you? Black is more suitable for you."

"But I like blue."

"Did the school approve of your blue hair?"

"No, so I haven't been going to school these days."

"..."

Xu Chengyue really didn't know how to deal with this troublesome child.

She handed Xu Chengyue an earphone, playing a youthful song. The walls were covered with posters of various stars and hanging digital photo frames. Her mother said that a few years ago, she was into Gothic Lolita fashion, buying lots of clothes and shoes, and filling the walls with dark paintings that scared her in the middle of the night. She then suddenly switched styles to become a fervent fan of various stars.

"I'm really into this girl group lately, AIR. Do you know them, Chengyue Gege?"

"I just met their lead singer the other day, Yuan Man, right?"

The girl's eyes immediately sparkled like stars. She excitedly grabbed his arm, overflowing with admiration. "That's amazing! Can you get me an autograph? A photo? Can I meet her in person?"

He deeply regretted saying that.

‿︵‿︵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 27, 2024 by Angel

Edited: July 2, 2024 by Angel