Chapter 10: Don’t Be Nervous

Chapter 10: Don't Be Nervous

The rain gradually intensified, pattering against the car windows, forming ripples on the flooded streets.

Waiting for the traffic light, which lasted over a hundred seconds, felt like a long, ominous countdown to death, especially after Yi Yang's questioning.

Yi Yang's words brought immense pressure.

Regardless of the truth, Yue Yan couldn't let Yi Yang lead the conversation. After a moment of silence, he withdrew his hand from the hat, clasping one hand with the other, and asked, "How did you know that the apartment actually belonged to Dr. Shen?"

"I knew him," Yi Yang said. "To be precise, my parents knew him. They were friends for many years."

That explained it.

"But Dr. Shen told me this apartment is now under my name, which means it's my personal property."

"So, you do know Shen Qing, Dr. Shen, right?" Yi Yang, looking at the traffic light on the other side of the zebra crossing, his emotions unreadable, said, "About half a month ago, there was activity in the apartment opposite mine, which is where you live now. This coincides with the explosion at the Yinge Mountain underground laboratory, which happened half a month ago. Do you think there’s a connection between the two?"

An inevitable connection...

The confined space of the car felt oppressive in the rain, with the windows closed, just the two of them, silence turning awkward.

Yue Yan quietly clenched his hands. Right at that moment, he found himself disliking Yi Yang; this atmosphere was a hundred times more frightening than being in an interrogation room.

Unable to find effective words to counter in his limited vocabulary, he dryly responded, "I don't understand what you're talking about."

"You must know."

Yue Yan muttered, "I don't know."

"You called him 'teacher'."

Yue Yan sighed softly, "So, the reason you wanted to have dinner with me today is because of this? As a police officer, you probably already have answers to all your questions before you even ask them."

"The answer is that you came from the laboratory. Others might not know your name, but I do. In the files passed down from above, there was a person named Yue Yan. At first, I thought it was a coincidence, but after seeing you on the mountain, I connected that name to you," Yi Yang glanced at him, adding, "Don't be nervous, I just want to ask about what happened then. We're investigating the case."

"What files have my name on them?"

"The Yinge Mountain underground laboratory personnel list. The same files you saw in my office last night."

"Oh."

This was not surprising at all. Dr. Shen had said that the experiments in the laboratory were not to be disclosed, and Yue Yan was a unique existence, thus he had his own identity. Otherwise, even if he had successfully entered society, he would still be unregistered.

Yi Yang: "So my guess is correct?"

"...I was indeed Dr. Shen's student," Yue Yan felt a slight tremor of fear inside as he decided to lie. During the pause, he mentally braced himself, swallowing before continuing, "Half a month ago, Dr. Shen personally escorted me out of the lab... It was raining like today, the mountain road was too slippery, and I fell..."

Continuing, Yue Yan swallowed again, "Those black shoes were mine. I didn't admit it because..."

Yue Yan didn't know how to continue the lie. He even felt sweat forming on his forehead, the heat escaping through his unbuttoned collar, making it hard to breathe.

Yi Yang turned his head to face him, answering for him, "Because you're afraid of being held accountable? The day you came out was not well chosen. Only you survived from the lab. If the media found out, no matter if you're innocent or not, you would be maliciously speculated upon by netizens. You were scared, right?"

"I'm thirsty," Yue Yan wanted to open the window, but it was raining outside.

Yi Yang reached for a can of Red Bull from the middle of the car, "This is all I have, do you want it?"

"Yes," Yue Yan licked his lips, pondering how to open the can when Yi Yang pulled the tab and opened it for him, then handed it over.

"Thank you." He drank most of the can in one go. The taste was strange, not bad, just too sweet.

Yi Yang was still waiting for his answer.

"I don’t know why the lab exploded. Everything was fine when Dr. Shen escorted me out. He looked sick, coughing up blood. I asked him, but he said it was nothing and told me to deliver something…" Yue Yan hung his head, resembling a student who had made a mistake.

Unaware of his actions, his left hand kept fiddling with the seatbelt, a suspicious gesture.

Yi Yang glanced at him and asked, "What were you supposed to deliver?"

"A letter…" Yue Yan suddenly stopped. He couldn’t mention the letter’s existence and quickly changed his answer, "It was to find a girl named Shen Yu."

"Shen Yu?" Yi Yang suddenly seemed to believe Yue Yan a bit more, asking, "Dr. Shen’s daughter?"

Yue Yan was surprised.

Daughter? Was she the teacher’s daughter?

He didn’t know, the teacher never mentioned…

"Officer Yi, you know her?" Quickly realizing he had asked a redundant question, Yue Yan remembered Yi Yang had said his parents knew the teacher…

Yue Yan said, "Officer Yi, you had such suspicions on the mountain today, but you didn't arrest me. Does that mean you're a good person?"

Yi Yang countered, "How do you define good or bad?"

"Being humane is good," Yue Yan said. "I even connected to your Wi-Fi. Isn't that a sign of trust?"

Yi Yang suddenly laughed, "That standard is too low."

The red light flashed, and as the green light appeared, the car resumed moving. Yi Yang drove slowly, watching the slippery road ahead in the dim light. He said, "Your appearance and behavior don’t seem like that of a suspect with ulterior motives, though I know appearances can be deceiving."

"So, you’re basically saying I’m foolish, right?"

The rabbit vaguely understood. Yi Yang’s words implied that one could tell Yue Yan wasn't smart just by looking at him.

Yue Yan felt nothing but frustration, not knowing how to counter that statement.

Ever since he was mistaken as a stalker on the first day, his image in Officer Yi’s eyes was doomed to never appear intelligent... Moreover, Yi Yang probably couldn’t see through people's hearts; his actions were influenced by the name Yue Yan he saw in the files!

Suddenly, Yue Yan wasn't so afraid of him anymore!

"What are you thinking about?" Yi Yang glanced at him through the rearview mirror, "Are you cursing me in your mind? Frowning brows, unconsciously grinding teeth, and pouting lips are all signs of cursing someone internally."

"I'm not," Yue Yan relaxed his eyebrows and lips, returning to their natural state, repeating, "I'm not."

"Relax, I was just joking." Yi Yang might have felt the car's atmosphere was a bit dry, so he played a song.

Yue Yan liked the intro and shifted his gaze to the display, only catching one character.

Deception...

The song's title was actually "Deception"!

Yi Yang must be hinting at something. Humans are good at implying one thing through another, like indirect criticism or distractions – these idioms describe such behavior!

It's like he could see through everything. From the beginning, Yue Yan should have known that his neighbor, Officer Yi, was an intimidatingly astute person!

The car's atmosphere didn’t lighten with the song. Yi Yang, noticing Yue Yan might not like it, changed it. Before the music even started, Yue Yan was seen smiling secretly.

Now playing was Stefanie Sun's "Believe".

Yi Yang almost immediately realized what was happening and chuckled, "You pay attention to the details, huh?"

Yue Yan didn’t quite understand but genuinely enjoyed this song!

They parked as the rain eased.

Yue Yan had been holding the Red Bull can the whole way and now finished the last bit, looking for a trash bin. Yi Yang pulled his arm towards himself as they walked. The restaurant was crowded, and the parking lot was full. Yi Yang always felt Yue Yan was a bit clumsy and couldn't help but keep an eye on him.

"There's a trash can inside the restaurant, let's throw it away there," he took the can from Yue Yan and pressed the elevator button.

The doors of the third-floor elevator opened.

"Ji Yu," Yue Yan read out the two characters following the retro signboard.

Yi Yang chuckled, correcting him, "It's Yu Ji. With these signboards, you read from right to left."

"Oh."

It was an ordinary restaurant located on the third floor of a shopping mall. The entrance had a row of sofas, all occupied, presumably by people waiting for their meal.

Yi Yang was immediately shown to a table upon arrival. Yue Yan wondered why he didn't have to wait, but then realized upon seeing the electronic menu for VIPs in the hands of the waiter.

In human society, being a VIP means enjoying privileges a notch above the rest.

There are VIPs everywhere in life, but Yue Yan hadn't yet encountered a situation where he needed to be one. When he shopped for groceries, there was no such thing as VIP treatment.

The restaurant was full yet quiet and comfortable. He and Yi Yang sat at a side table with a view of the sea.

Yue Yan quickly spotted the iconic twin towers of Jiangbei City, shining alone amidst the neon lights. So, this was the same sea he could see from Yi Yang's floor-to-ceiling windows.

Yue Yan withdrew his gaze, noticing Yi Yang busy on his phone, perhaps working.

Not fond of using his phone, Yue Yan occasionally glanced at Yi Yang while waiting for their meal. Once assured Yi Yang wasn't paying him any attention, he felt free to study him.

Last time, he observed Yi Yang's ears. Now, he could see his whole face!

Yi Yang looked stern when focused, intimidating enough to ward off many, including Yue Yan, if not for his handsome features.

Yue Yan's gaze drifted to Yi Yang's fingers tapping swiftly on the phone screen. Their curved shape made them look particularly attractive.

Tilted his head slightly, Yue Yan noticed a scar on the inside of Yi Yang's left middle finger, like an old cut wound.

Yi Yang had many scars, Yue Yan had seen.

"Are you looking at me?" Yi Yang suddenly asked.

Yue Yan's gaze slowly shifted away from Yi Yang's fingers, only then realizing Yi Yang had been watching him for quite some time.

Yue Yan shook his head, sincerely saying, “Just waiting for the meal.”

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Yue Yan thought to himself, annoyed: Next time, I won't look!

PS: Gift me a sea star, and I'll continue updating tomorrow.