Dead?
Luo Xi’s expression went blank for an instant before he seemed to snap out of it, hurriedly seeking confirmation from Jin Ge. “Is it really the same person? Jiang Fei? The Jiang Fei who works at Wan Universe?”
“If there’s no one with the same name and the ID information matches, then yes, it’s definitely him.”
At this point, it wasn’t just Luo Xi—even the Labrador seemed to understand human speech, its doggy face furrowing its brows in a serious expression.
Jiang Xiaoyu pulled out his phone and searched. He discovered that the man was a somewhat famous music manager who had under his wing a hot idol singer named Yang Guo—one that even Jiang Xiaoyu, who didn’t follow celebrities, knew about.
“How did he die?” Jiang Xiaoyu asked.
Jin Ge half-lidded his eyes, observing Luo Xi’s reaction. After a moment, he spoke. “According to the preliminary scene investigation, the deceased had multiple wounds. There were impact marks on the head, crush fractures on the fingers, and a fatal stab wound to the abdomen—that was the main bleeding point. But the specific injuries will need the coroner’s autopsy and appraisal report for confirmation.”
He paused, then asked, “Mr. Luo, did you fight back at any point during your argument with Jiang Fei?”
Luo Xi was pale but mentally stable. He first soothed the anxious Labrador, his breathing low but his words clear. “I wanted to, but I couldn’t see… After he stabbed me, Abu rushed out, and then he fled.”
Jiang Xiaoyu glanced at Luo Xi’s unfocused pupils. The Labrador let out an urgent woof. “Cat Officer, did something happen? What is this human asking the master?” It might not understand human speech, but its perception of human emotions was strong—it knew something must have happened.
Jiang Xiaoyu withdrew his gaze and softly patted the Labrador’s head. “I’ll tell you later.”
Jin Ge raised a brow. He now had a line of inquiry. Rather than asking Luo Xi directly, it might be better to have Jiang Xiaoyu question the dog. After all, there was the precedent of Ji Wangan’s Teddy that had been a big help—a real shortcut.
He put away his notepad. Luo Xi couldn’t see anyway, so there was no need for false politeness. He ruffled the back of Jiang Xiaoyu’s head. “Take the dog out first. Mr. Luo just had surgery—he needs proper rest.”
Upon hearing this, Luo Xi added, “Please take care of Abu, Officer Jiang. My… my wallet isn’t with me. Could you trouble yourself to grab some from my home? Abu eats a lot…” The implication was that the Labrador was expensive to keep, and he was worried Jiang Xiaoyu would mind.
“I’m not very mobile right now. It’s fine—I’ll cover the money for now.” Jiang Xiaoyu glanced at Jin Ge, who had been observing Luo Xi, a hint of doubt in his tone. “Master?”
Jin Ge withdrew his gaze. “Let’s go.”
The two left the room, but with his sore butt and dragging the dog, Jiang Xiaoyu walked slowly. Jin Ge tsked, rolled up his uniform sleeves, and moved to hoist him up.
Jiang Xiaoyu’s handsome face twisted in fright, full of resistance. “I can walk myself. Really, no need to trouble you.” If Lu Wanhui saw Jin Ge carrying him, that mad dog would bite every last strand of his cat fur off on the spot.
“What a prude.” Jin Ge casually slung an arm over his shoulders. “Getting shy with your master now?”
This wasn’t shyness—it was pure fear of trouble. Jiang Xiaoyu kept a straight face.
Back in the ward, Jin Ge finally had time to chat idly. He scanned the room, puzzled. “Where’d you get the money for a fancy ward like this? The state doesn’t reimburse this level, I’m telling you.” This foolish apprentice wouldn’t even turn on the AC unless he was dying of heat—and now with a bad cold, he’d checked into a high-end room?
Before Jiang Xiaoyu could respond, Jin Ge figured it out himself. Narrowing his eyes, he asked, “Ye Lian booked it for you? What’s his angle?” They’d only met a few times—how were they already this close?
Jiang Xiaoyu had been fretting over the reimbursement issue, but Jin Ge’s words made him bristle like his tail had been stepped on, letting out a feline hiss. “What do you mean ‘booked’?!” This chain-smoking old man spoke without any filter—a cop with zero propriety. “Mr. Ye is a good person. He happened to run into me when I passed out, so he saved me.”
Jin Ge stroked his stubbly chin, eyeing the fidgety Cat Cub who was busy with fake actions on his hands but wouldn’t meet his gaze—clearly guilty. Suspiciously, he said, “Good my ass. How many decent bourgeois fat cats are there?” He just couldn’t stand these pretty boys, and during their brief chat last time, that guy’s imposing aura had actually overshadowed his own.
Seeing Jiang Xiaoyu turn away like his ears had grown donkey fur, ignoring him again, Jin Ge tsked. With a long stride, he half-sat on the bed and directed, “Ask the dog what went down this afternoon.”
Jiang Xiaoyu adjusted his pillow and lay prone on the bed, finally feeling some relief on his butt. He reached a hand down over the bed’s edge and beckoned. “Come here.” Indicating the Labrador to approach, he then asked, “Abu, when you rushed out from the bathroom, did you see any wounds on Jiang Fei?”
Abu obediently lay on the ground. Hearing this, it felt like Jiang Xiaoyu was asking a stupid question and immediately retorted, “No, he ran super fast—not like someone injured at all. How could the master, who’s so frail, have hurt that scumbag?”
Jiang Xiaoyu asked Jin Ge, “Where was Jiang Fei’s body found?”
“Reid Europe underground level B2 parking lot. A young couple spotted it after finishing up in their car.”
Jiang Xiaoyu furrowed his brow. “Not far from Luo Xi Home.” He’d rushed to the scene right after receiving the Labrador’s alert. “When I got to Luo Xi Home, I didn’t see Jiang Fei anywhere.”
Though he’d only been there briefly, the building’s layout was simple. Three units side by side, escape stairs on the left, elevator on the right. Impatient for the elevator, he and the Labrador had taken the stairs. There were no other places to hide.
Jin Ge said, “It’s odd. The perpetrator injured someone and became the victim in less than two hours.” There was some contemplation in his eyes. Jiang Xiaoyu said, “Even becoming the victim doesn’t erase the fact that he injured someone. Is there an investigation direction yet? Have you checked the surveillance near Luo Xi Home? We need to confirm exactly when Jiang Fei fled from Luo Xi’s place first.”
“Why do you care so much?” Jin Ge stretched lazily, a cryptic curve to his lips. “You’ve gotten your wish and transferred to the Archives Department. Don’t poke into case details anymore—that’s not your job.”
Jiang Xiaoyu was stunned, momentarily at a loss for a retort. Jin Ge’s words stirred his heart into a tangled mess—unable to see clearly or make sense of it.
“I’m just asking…” He buried his head in the pillow, voice muffled.
Jin Ge scoffed and smacked the top of Jiang Xiaoyu’s head. “Worry about yourself first. It’s so late—haven’t eaten dinner? Fine if you skip it, but the dog needs food and a bathroom break, right? What if it can’t hold it and shits in the ward?”
Jiang Xiaoyu was silent for a moment, then half-raised himself to ask the Labrador, “Are you hungry? No dog food here—want some rice?”
Abu woofed, “Dogs love eating rice! The dog can go to the bathroom by itself—no need to walk it!”
“Alright, then I’ll go to the cafeteria to get some food.”
As he tried to get up from the bed, Jin Ge let out a huge sigh and pressed him back down, exasperated. “Ancestor! Can you drop that stubborn streak? Does asking for help cost you your life or your money? I’ve got this big body right here—’Master, grab me some food and walk the dog’ is no big deal! Huh? And you wanna go yourself? You trying to ruin that ass of yours?”
Jiang Xiaoyu pressed his lips into a tight line, not lifting his head amid the scolding.
“Officer Jin?” A low, crisp voice interrupted Jin Ge’s one-sided tirade.
Jiang Xiaoyu’s body trembled slightly at the sound.
Ye Lian was carrying a quaint bamboo-woven food basket. As he passed by the bedside, a breeze carrying his fresh, cool scent wafted over. He set the basket on the bedside table and smiled, eyes crinkling. “What’s with the huge temper?”
Jin Ge’s expression darkened. “Does how I talk to my apprentice concern you?”
Ye Lian tilted his head slightly, seemingly surprised. “I didn’t mean it that way. I was just puzzled seeing Officer Jin so angry. Did Officer Jiang do something to upset you?”
Jin Ge inwardly cursed Ye Lian as a pretentious pretty boy—then corrected to old pretty boy given his age. He didn’t want to deal with him, and he also felt awkward about inexplicably snapping at Jiang Xiaoyu earlier. He glanced at the food container Ye Lian brought and said to Jiang Xiaoyu, “Since someone’s brought you food, I’ll head out. Rest up.” Without waiting for a reply, he strode quickly out of the inpatient building and lit a cigarette.
“Fuck.” He took a drag, calming down after a while before self-mockingly muttering, “At this age, still getting pissed off by a clueless cat cub.”
What pissed him off was that Jiang Xiaoyu clearly had great enthusiasm for police work yet always lied to himself that he didn’t want to do it. What pissed him off was that after all these years, this idiot still hadn’t learned to seek help from those around him. Relying on others a little—what was so hard about that?
He irritably scratched his hair. In the end, he was someone with a straightforward temperament. He smoked the entire cigarette in one go, then sent a text to Jiang Xiaoyu: “Master was in a bad mood just now and took it out on you, but regarding your future work direction, I hope you can think it over carefully. Do you really want to just slack off in the Archives Department, or do you still have an unquenchable passion for police work and a desire to uphold the justice in your heart?”
The current Jiang Xiaoyu hadn’t seen Master’s text yet. He stared at the pillow under his face as if flowers had bloomed there, remaining completely still. Only when Ye Lian sat on the edge of the bed did he pretend nothing was wrong, clear his throat, and say, “Mr. Ye is here to see Mr. Ji?”
Ji Wangan was still in the hospital for treatment and under police supervision, awaiting further legal proceedings.
“Yes, I’m here to bring him food. I just happened to have an extra portion, so I brought it for you. Officer Jiang won’t mind, right?”
This was, of course, a lie, but Ye Lian had already gotten somewhat used to this little guy’s awkward personality. If he knew it was specially brought for him, he’d feel burdened. He was like a wild little beast that had been hurt by humans before—overly vigilant toward the outside world. When faced with others’ goodwill, he would subconsciously avoid it because he couldn’t tell if it was genuine friendliness or a trap. Since he couldn’t judge, he’d simply cut it off entirely and refuse any possibility of acceptance.
This was a classic avoidant attachment personality and self-defense mechanism.
“No, I don’t mind…” Jiang Xiaoyu tugged at the fuzz on the edge of the pillow and said softly, “Even so, you don’t have to bring me food. We’ve only met a few times.”
“That’s really upsetting. Uncle thought we were friends.”
“…”
“Aren’t we?” Ye Lian seemed troubled. “You helped me recover my stolen ring.”
“That was my job.”
“Mm, but I prefer to call it fate. Otherwise, with so many police officers in Pine City, why was it you who came out on the call?”
Jiang Xiaoyu pursed his lips. Because I planned it! To go to your house for clues! I even sent your brother to prison!
Seeing the little guy at a loss for words, Ye Lian continued, “Moreover,” he said with curved eyes teasingly, “Officer Jiang, you still owe me for that ointment. If we’re not friends, I might have to charge you.”
Jiang Xiaoyu’s face flushed red as he suddenly remembered. He pulled out his phone and said, “Sorry, I forgot. Um, what’s your Jianxin? I’ll transfer the money to you.” Unbelievable… he’d actually forgotten about this. Right, the ointment that day was bought by Ye Lian, and he hadn’t paid him back right away.
Ye Lian opened his QR code and handed it to Jiang Xiaoyu. After knowing each other for these few days, they finally added each other as contacts.
“How much?” Jiang Xiaoyu asked.
Ye Lian didn’t reply with a specific amount, saying lightly instead, “Since Officer Jiang says we’re not friends, you can pay for this meal too.”
Jiang Xiaoyu was stunned, momentarily dumbfounded. “I didn’t say we’re not friends…”
“But you didn’t hesitate at all to transfer the money when I said I’d charge non-friends.”
A cat’s brain was clever, but still only so big—not to mention Ye Lian had eaten ten-plus years more rice than him. He was easily led around in circles. He already had a cold, and now he was anxious enough to sweat, which triggered a coughing fit.
Ye Lian sighed and gently patted Jiang Xiaoyu’s back. “Alright, I’m done teasing you. If we’re not friends, then we’re not.”
“We are friends!” Jiang Xiaoyu didn’t know why he was refuting so urgently. The cough came on fierce and sudden, tears welling in the corners of his eyes and turning them slightly red. “We are friends.”
Ye Lian watched him quietly, the curve of his lips gentle. He smoothed the little fool’s breathing, thinking to himself that he’d been a bit too mean. This little guy was over twelve years younger than him—practically bullying a kid.
The little thing coughed a few more times, the corners of his eyes red and looking rather pitiful. He handed him tissues, and he took them silently to wipe his eyes and nose, obedient as could be.
Jiang Xiaoyu hung his head, feeling a bit embarrassed. He remembered what Jin Ge had said about accepting others’ kindness. After steeling himself inwardly for a long while with pursed lips, he finally looked up and said, “It doesn’t seem like enough to eat… The Labrador hasn’t eaten either. Its owner said it eats a lot…”
Abu: 0-o? That’s true, but the dog is annoyed.
This sentence seemed to use up all of Jiang Xiaoyu’s courage. After saying it, he felt a bit regretful. “Forget it, I’ll go buy some myself. Thanks—”
Ye Lian chuckled lightly and ruffled his hair top, interrupting him. “It’s my bad for not thinking it through. You eat first, and I’ll go buy a few more portions.”
Jiang Xiaoyu’s pale nose tip was red too, who knew if from coughing or what. After the man left, he laid out the food from the meal box, then picked out a few cold medicine and antibiotic pills to swallow down with the rice.
Abu caught a piece of meat Jiang Xiaoyu fed him in his mouth. After chewing it down, it was like he suddenly understood something, barking, “That person likes you.”
Jiang Xiaoyu froze. “What?”
The Labrador said: “Only if he likes you would he prepare food for you! The dog’s owner likes the dog and prepares food for it! The owner is so happy when making food for the dog. The dog also loves the owner, but the dog has no hands, or it would make food for the owner too.”
So that’s what he meant… Jiang Xiaoyu breathed a sigh of relief, as if speaking to the dog: “Your owner makes food for you because he loves you, but that doesn’t mean making food for you is love.”
The Labrador was puzzled. “What’s the difference? Isn’t it all making food? If he doesn’t love you, why would he make food for you?”
“Because we’re friends.” Jiang Xiaoyu said this, but it didn’t occur to him at all that love came in many forms, and friendship was one kind of love. He subconsciously thought the Labrador meant romantic love between men and thus rejected it.
His mind was now fully captured by the word “friends.” For so many years, he’d carefully avoided crowds, afraid that getting close would let people discover his abnormality, that they’d clip off his ears and tail and toss him into the river. Even after joining the Case Handling Office later, he still couldn’t get close to them.
They were the same, yet different.
Most of them were shapeshifters inherited through family, while he was just a little monster from a genetic mutation.
This was the first time he felt the urge to make a friend. He wanted to acknowledge Ye Lian as his friend.
Abu’s life had only his owner; he couldn’t understand the concept of friends. He still thought that person liked the cat cop, but he wouldn’t argue with humans, so he said no more.
Sometimes, animals’ perceptiveness surpassed humans’, but likewise, their thinking was overly simple.
