Zhou Jin’s breath caught. Her vision narrowed in an instant, contracting until it held only Jiang Hansheng’s face.
She came back to herself as though waking from a dream. She looked at him for a moment, then asked, “All done?”
Jiang Hansheng took her hand in his and said quietly, “Let’s go.”
Zhou Jin smiled, and did not look back again.
The door clicked shut behind them, sealing the apartment off from the outside world. A dead, heavy silence crept through the rooms like spreading vines.
……
The next day, Zhou Jin put on a pale blue shirt beneath her navy uniform and went to the Major Crimes Unit to see Tan Shiming.
Jiang Hansheng came with her. When Tan Shiming saw the two of them, he spoke to Jiang Hansheng first: “Deputy Director Yao has already arrived — he’s in the task force office.”
Jiang Hansheng gave a knowing nod. “Understood.”
Tan Shiming was inwardly a little puzzled.
Yao Weihai had arrived that very morning and immediately called a meeting to get a briefing on where the case currently stood. After the meeting, Tan Shiming had brought up the outside consultant that Major Crimes had brought on — and judging by Yao Weihai’s reaction, he seemed to have already heard of Jiang Hansheng beforehand.
Though that wasn’t particularly remarkable.
Jiang Hansheng had previously worked at the provincial department’s criminal research division, taking on numerous major and serious cases alongside his mentor. It was perfectly natural that Yao Weihai would have heard of him.
Tan Shiming didn’t think much more of it. He watched Jiang Hansheng head out, then leaned back in his chair and started in on Zhou Jin with mock contempt: “So they’ve finally got you this time.”
“……Mentor, can you please stop kicking me while I’m down.”
Tan Shiming said, “Cooperate with the investigation. You’ll be fine.”
Outside the door, Jiang Hansheng stood in silence, his expression still as still water.
From within the room, Zhou Jin’s voice drifted out, firm and clear. She was saying: “If I genuinely made errors in the course of my work — if I violated the discipline of the police force — I am willing to accept disciplinary action.”
“But if the investigation finds I was without fault, I would like to request immediate reinstatement so that I may participate in the investigation of the ‘8·17’ case.”
The darkness in his eyes deepened slightly. He turned and walked toward the task force office.
Two quiet knocks at the door. Yao Weihai called for him to enter.
He looked up, and saw a young man in a well-fitted suit — a lean and refined face, dark brows, dark eyes. Compared to the Jiang Hansheng who had worked at the provincial department five years ago, the man standing before him now appeared far more composed and self-contained.
Almost to the point of seeming cold.
Yao Weihai let out a quiet sigh. “So it really is you.”
Jiang Hansheng gave a nod in greeting. “Director Yao.”
Yao Weihai said, “Your mentor went to all that trouble to arrange for you to teach at Keda University — it was all to keep you safe. And now here you are again, coming back to investigate this case. Have you even considered how much risk you’d be taking on?”
Jiang Hansheng’s eyes were dark and still. “Running,” he answered, “will never be the solution.”