Chapter 32: Gunman

In Pine City, which skewed south, people were generally on the shorter side. Jiang Xiaoyu was nearly 181 cm tall, which wasn’t short at all in a crowd. But the woman in front of him was still half a head taller, and her build was broad and sturdy-looking.

She appeared to be in her fifties, with dark skin, a red checkered apron tied around her waist, and bright brown eyes.

The Labrador instinctively took a step back, prompting Jiang Xiaoyu to glance down at it. “What’s wrong?”

Abu shook its head, seeming worried for Jiang Xiaoyu. It hesitated before stepping forward a few paces to block in front of him, eyeing the woman warily.

“Hey, what a clever good dog.” The tall woman laughed. She pulled out a key to unlock the courtyard gate and beckoned to Jiang Xiaoyu. “Come on in.”

Jiang Xiaoyu followed her inside. What met his eyes was a spacious courtyard, larger than the flat he was currently renting by quite a bit. It was just a bit too empty, without even a shed for shelter from wind and rain. There were two buildings in the yard: the main house was a small flat under 100 square meters, with a simple layout—just a master bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen for the three rooms. But the living room was unusually spacious and bright. Next to the main house was a small shed like a warehouse, with a large workbench inside and the rest filled with tall floor-to-ceiling storage cabinets.

The whole place looked like it had just been renovated, with simple and plain furniture—nothing fancy, just ordinary items. But the essentials were all there; it was fully furnished and ready to move in with bags in hand.

“How is it?” The woman turned on the central air conditioning in the room and handed Jiang Xiaoyu a bottle of water.

Jiang Xiaoyu quickly waved it off. “Thanks, Auntie, but I’m not thirsty.”

The woman stuffed the water into his hand with a loving yet insistent look. “Aww, such a sweet mouth you have. Take it, take it. Not thirsty now? Drink it later.”

Her palms were large and rough. Without exaggeration, her frame was twice as sturdy as Jiang Xiaoyu’s—she was a powerful woman like a female eagle, with a straightforward and generous personality. Seeing him take the water, she turned to grab some food for him.

“Auntie, I really don’t need any,” Jiang Xiaoyu said. He’d never dealt with someone this enthusiastic before. He kept turning away and blocking with his hands like a kid dodging red envelopes from elders during New Year’s, his handsome face flushing red.

“What do you mean no? Take it!” Instead of backing off, she doubled down, grabbing a handful of candies from her apron pocket and shoving them into his hands.

Jiang Xiaoyu’s face turned even redder. Unable to refuse, he was just about to speak when she machine-gunned him with words. “So, what do you think of the place? No issues? Rent it then—two-year minimum lease. Auntie likes your looks, so one month in advance, no deposit needed.”

“2000…?” Jiang Xiaoyu couldn’t help but question it. It felt practically like charity.

“Heh heh, feels weird, right?” She wiped her fan-like large palm on her apron. “Auntie won’t hide it from you. The reason it’s so cheap is there’s a cause for it.”

Jiang Xiaoyu clutched the handful of candies and promptly asked, “Go ahead.”

“Mm, this land belongs to the family my boss works for. Big families care about feng shui—this spot can’t sit empty too long, but it can’t be used for profit either. So they set it at 2000 a month, basically break-even, and someone to keep the qi lively.”

Her brown eyes were full of sincerity, no hint of deception. Jiang Xiaoyu wanted to doubt it, but she didn’t give him a moment. “I reached out to you ’cause I got a backend recommendation from the app. Knew you’re a cop—strong yang energy, prime tenant material. That’s why I kept contacting you, got it?”

…Jiang Xiaoyu worked a government job and wanted to call it superstitious nonsense, but looking around the place, it really suited him perfectly. He squeezed the candies in his palm, lowered his eyes in thought for a moment, then said, “Then let me see the lease contract.”

“You got it, no problem.” She grinned broadly and swiftly pulled out a thick stack of papers from her apron.

Jiang Xiaoyu stared blankly, tempted to peek into that apron pocket and see what else she could pull out.

“Officer Jiang, take a look. If it’s good, sign and you can move in anytime.”

“Alright.” Jiang Xiaoyu took the contract and read the terms carefully. It was a very standard lease, with tenant-friendly clauses. It even said he could renovate the courtyard freely, as long as he didn’t expand the area without permission.

While Jiang Xiaoyu reviewed the terms, the woman watched him with a motherly smile, thinking the kid was pretty well-behaved. No wonder that old coot Chen Yiqu badmouthed him but kept bringing him up from time to time: “Wonder how that picky Little Slob’s doing.”

Of course, the main reason was that the young master liked him.

“No issues? Sign right away then?” Jiang Xiaoyu looked up and asked.

“One more thing to note: since it’s a special deal, no subletting during the lease term, no matter what.” Can’t let the kid run off.

That hardly counted as a condition—Jiang Xiaoyu felt like he’d hit the jackpot. Without hesitation, he signed his part. Only then did he notice the two bold scrawls in the lessor’s section: Ye Lian.

He froze. “This doesn’t seem like your name.”

“Right-o. That’s my boss’s name. I’m Liu Qingqing. You can call me Qing Auntie.” She beamed.

Liu Qingqing? That name was too familiar—the nameplate on the honey jar at Ye Lian’s house downstairs had exactly that.

“Um, I know Ye Lian.”

Liu Qingqing feigned surprise. “What a coincidence! What’s your relation to the boss?”

Jiang Xiaoyu ducked his head, a hint of shyness in his tone. “We’re friends.”

Liu Qingqing lit up with joy. “That’s perfect then! It’s afternoon already—why not come over for dinner at our place tonight?”

Her Paulownia City accent was strong, making Jiang Xiaoyu briefly imagine his master Jin Ge. “Thanks for the invite, but I won’t intrude.”

“Oh, alright then.” Liu Qingqing didn’t push. She handed him the keys to the yard and house. “Tell Qing Auntie when you’re moving in, and I’ll throw you a welcome.”

Jiang Xiaoyu tightened his grip on the Labrador’s leash. After a moment, he tugged up the corners of his mouth in a slightly bashful smile. “Thanks, Qing Auntie.”

He led the Labrador out of the yard, and just before leaving, Qing Auntie chased after him to stuff another handful of candies into his palm.

No matter what, with his urgent housing issue solved, Jiang Xiaoyu let out a big sigh of relief. He peeled a milk candy for Abu and popped one in his own mouth—the tip of his tongue sweet.

“Let’s go see your owner.”

By the time he and the dog reached the hospital, the sun was high. The Labrador was panting with its tongue out, sweltering.

“I’ll get you some water.” Jiang Xiaoyu patted its head, then tied it to the post in front of a small supermarket.

He hadn’t expected to run into Zhou Xu’s grandmother around the corner of a shelf. The elderly woman’s expression was calmer than before. She held a bag of laundry detergent and froze obviously upon seeing Jiang Xiaoyu. Soon, her eyes reddened.

“Officer Jiang.” She dropped her things to the side, shakily opening her arms and tiptoeing to pull his head down onto her shoulder, sobbing as she said, “Thank you, thank you.”

Jiang Xiaoyu bowed his head. At first, his neck was stiff, but when the elderly woman’s warm, callused palm brushed his nape, trembling and patting there, his nose suddenly soured. It felt like what he’d done had a bit of meaning.

He rested his head on her shoulder, letting her hold him as she trembled. After a short while, she released him, wiping tears from her face with a smile. “What brings Officer Jiang here?”

Jiang Xiaoyu picked up the things she’d dropped. “One of the victims is hospitalized here. I’m checking on him.”

Hearing it was related to another case, Zhou Xu’s grandmother didn’t pry. Jiang Xiaoyu leashed the Labrador and, head slightly lowered, asked her, “And you?”

“Zhou Xu’s grandfather can move a bit now.” Light returned to the elderly woman’s eyes. “He still can’t get out of bed, but he’s recovering well. The doctor says they can schedule surgery next week.”

Jiang Xiaoyu asked softly, “Can you manage alone?” He wasn’t sure if he should continue, but after a pause, he added, “Need my help?”

Zhou Xu’s grandmother shook her head, her expression gentle. “No need to trouble you. There are more important things waiting for you. Plus, we have volunteers helping here.”

“Volunteers?”

“It’s that Ye Corporation. They have a charity foundation under them—not only donated money and provided legal aid, but they still send volunteers to help care for Zhou Xu’s grandfather.”

On the tree-lined path, light spots danced on the ground in irregular patterns, quietly flickering like swaying willows in the breeze. Jiang Xiaoyu stepped on them, suddenly wanting very much to see Ye Lian.

He parted ways with Zhou Xu’s grandmother at the inpatient area. Entering Luo Xi’s room, he saw a man in a striped shirt standing by Luo Xi’s bed, saying something.

Luo Xi’s face was pale to the point of sickly, showing clear fatigue, but he suddenly smiled faintly toward the door and softly called out, “Abu.” He didn’t need to look—he seemed to hear his little dog arrive.

Jiang Xiaoyu unclipped the leash. Abu whined like a child seeing its parent and pounced to the bedside, frantically licking his fingers.

The person by Luo Xi’s bedside lit up when he saw Jiang Xiaoyu and quickly asked, “Luo Xi, who is this?”

Luo Xi showed a hint of apology toward Jiang Xiaoyu’s direction, then turned his head to the man and said, “This is Officer Jiang, who’s in charge of Jiang Fei’s case.”

The man in the striped shirt looked a bit unnatural upon hearing this. “Oh oh, so you’re a cop, haha. Well then, Luo Xi, think it over some more. If the price isn’t satisfactory, we can negotiate. I’ll come back tomorrow.” With that, he grabbed his briefcase from nearby, tucked it under his arm, and hurried off.

Jiang Xiaoyu furrowed his brows slightly and walked closer to ask, “What’s that guy’s relationship with Jiang Fei?”

Luo Xi stroked Labrador’s head and let out a soft sigh. “He’s Jiang Fei’s successor.”

“Work-related?”

“Yes.” Luo Xi nodded. “Jiang Fei was a music agent at Wan Universe. After his death, Zhao Peng took over his job.”

As he spoke, a faint smile played on his lips. “I bet Officer Jiang must be quite handsome, since Zhao Peng got all excited and wanted to know who you were.”

Unfortunately, Jiang Xiaoyu paid it no mind. He furrowed his brows slightly, clearly deep in thought. “So what did he come to see you for? It shouldn’t be about Jiang Fei, right?”

“Correct.” As Luo Xi’s smile faded, a faint trace of worry and fatigue became more evident in his brows and eyes. “I’m a composer—maybe not to brag, but you could call me a composer too.”

“You’re one of Jiang Fei’s artists?”

Luo Xi shook his head. “I’m not his artist, but—” He trailed off, his vacant gaze turning toward Jiang Xiaoyu’s direction as he beckoned him over. “Officer Jiang, come a bit closer.”

Jiang Xiaoyu was a little puzzled but leaned in anyway. Luo Xi’s breath carried the scent of herbal medicine, warm and ticklish against Jiang Xiaoyu’s ear. His voice was very soft: “The ‘creative singers’ under Jiang Fei were all using lyrics and music I sold them. Including the hottest one right now, Yang Guo.”

Jiang Xiaoyu scratched his ear and couldn’t help pulling back a bit to create some distance. He understood now why Luo Xi had to lean in to say it—stuff like this usually came with nondisclosure agreements.

“You’re their ghostwriter.”

Luo Xi nodded and petted Abu again. “But my collaboration with Jiang Fei ended a while ago.”

Jiang Xiaoyu looked at him, puzzled, and asked, “Why not just debut as a singer yourself?” He hadn’t heard Yang Guo’s songs, but the fact that Yang Guo had blown up this much on the ‘creative singer’ label meant his lyrics and music must be outstanding.

“Your looks are fine, and you have talent. Why choose to be a ghostwriter instead of debuting directly as a singer?”

Before Luo Xi could answer, Labrador let out an indignant bark: “Because owner was tricked by a scumbag!”

With someone else around, Jiang Xiaoyu couldn’t respond to it, but Luo Xi spoke up: “It’s my fault for poor judgment—I got fooled by him into signing the contract. Luckily, it was only for a year, so once it ended, I broke up with him.”

“Jiang Fei came to your place back then to win you back?”

Luo Xi pursed his thin lips. “It’d be more accurate to say he wanted me to keep ghostwriting for his artists. But I didn’t want to anymore, so I rejected him outright. He got really worked up and said… that person’s about to release a new solo album, and if I didn’t help now, he’d blacklist me and make sure no agency would take my songs.”

Luo Xi paused, then continued, “He thought he could pressure me with Wan Universe’s name and scare me, but honestly, if I don’t want to do something, I won’t—no matter if I can’t sell my songs later. I didn’t want to have anything more to do with him. When he saw how firm I was, I don’t know if it was a heat-of-the-moment thing or what, but he grabbed a fruit knife from the coffee table and charged at me…”

“And then I got stabbed, and Abu went out to get help.”

Having said so much at once, Luo Xi leaned back against the pillow, his breathing shallow—like a fragile white camellia in full bloom, liable to wither at the slightest breeze.

Jiang Xiaoyu murmured an apology. Luo Xi curved his eyes in a smile. “This isn’t your fault, so why apologize?”

The two fell silent for a moment, with only Labrador humming and whining at its owner’s side. Seeing how pitiful it looked, Jiang Xiaoyu couldn’t help saying, “Abu really loves you.”

Luo Xi smiled gently. “I love Abu too—the most, the very most.”

Labrador acted like it understood human speech, its tail wagging furiously and slapping the metal bedside table with loud thwacks.

The day was getting late, so Jiang Xiaoyu patted Abu’s head and said to Luo Xi, “I’ll take Abu back first.”

“Alright, thanks for the trouble. I asked the doctor—should be able to discharge next week.”

“Okay.”

Labrador looked downcast as it left its owner. Jiang Xiaoyu chatted softly with it on the way back: “How did you and Luo Xi meet?”

Mentioning its owner perked Abu up a bit. Wagging its tail, it woofed, “Owner picked up the dog.”

“Picked up?” Weren’t guide dogs supposed to be from training centers? How’d it get picked up?

Man and dog chatted the whole way back, and that’s when Jiang Xiaoyu learned that Abu had originally been just a regular dog, trained bit by bit by Luo Xi into a guide dog.

“That’s impressive.” Training guide dogs was an extremely arduous and complex task. Ginkgo Country had around 17 million visually impaired people, but only about four hundred guide dogs—highlighting just how scarce they were.

Jiang Xiaoyu thought of the pack of dogs in his own yard. Although they were small, they were all smart. Plus, he could communicate with them without barriers, so training would definitely be much easier. If he could train them properly, it might be a good path for them too…

Lost in his jumbled thoughts, he didn’t even notice the tall figure at the door.

A red spark flickered in the darkness as Jin Ge took a drag from his cigarette and drawled lazily, “Couldn’t hold back and went to the hospital to ask about the case, huh?”

“Come on, let’s exchange what we know so far.”