Chapter 28: Really Exciting

Chapter 28: How Thrilling

Guan Yingjun didn't stop the car. Instead, he made a U-turn and drove back, screeching to a halt in front of Chen Jincai.

Jian Ruochen, jolted by the sudden inertia, dazedly pulled out the voice recorder and handed it over. Through the car window, he began, "Press this button to play the reco—"

Before he could finish the word "recording," Guan Yingjun slammed the accelerator to the floor, once again speeding off into the distance.

The exhaust fumes made Chen Jincai's jacket flap.

Chen Jincai chuckled, holding the voice recorder. "How unusual."

Besides cases and the truth, there was finally something in this world that Guan Yingjun couldn't bear to part with.

……

Jian Ruochen's mood was complex. "Detective Guan, do you not get along with Officer Chen?"

"No," Guan Yingjun replied, his tone as cold as his expression. "He mentored me for a while at the police academy. We get along fine."

Jian Ruochen murmured "Oh," with an indescribable feeling.

Usually, Guan Yingjun maintained a poker face with everyone, but that was simply due to his disinclination to express emotions, not anger. Today felt different.

He was indeed angry, even a bit irritated.

Why, he wondered?

Jian Ruochen's gaze fell upon the car window.

This vehicle was different from Guan Yingjun's usual car. It was a large jeep with an extremely high chassis, offering a commanding view from the inside. Looking out through the window gave a sense of looking down on all the other cars.

The car was quiet for a while. Jian Ruochen felt that Guan Yingjun had probably calmed down and said softly, "Do you remember what we said when we agreed on our three terms?"

"I remember," Guan Yingjun replied, keeping his eyes on the road. "I can recite them for you right now."

"No need," Jian Ruochen chuckled. "The third rule wasn't about treating me as a Group A consultant?"

"Mm."

"I mean what I say. If I say I'm a Group A consultant, then I am a Group A consultant." Jian Ruochen rested his elbow on the car window, propping his chin in his palm. "I argued with you..."

He paused, choosing a milder word, "We had our disagreement because you were always probing me, and I didn't like it. If you had shown more restraint, I wouldn’t have gone to another group for no reason. There's no reason for you to be angry about this."

A red light appeared ahead.

Guan Yingjun pulled the handbrake and shot a glance sideways. "Whether I can keep you on depends on my ability. It’s understandable for you to want to go somewhere with better treatment and atmosphere. I’m not angry about that."

Jian Ruochen gave another light laugh. "Your eyebrows are furrowed, your lips are tightly pressed, your jaw is clenched, and your neck is tense. Although the movements are subtle, this anger micro-expression is quite standard."

"I’m not angry with you," Guan Yingjun said, then paused for a moment.

The red light's timer counted down slowly. He added softly, "Putting you in danger today was my fault. I shouldn’t have chosen Chen Hetang restaurant."

Jian Ruochen: "Oh? It seems you've figured something out? That driver was rambling incoherently, and I haven’t sorted it out yet."

Guan Yingjun’s tight throat suddenly relaxed.

He knew perfectly well that Jian Ruochen was exceptionally sharp, his thinking certainly no slower than his own.

He knew this was just a tactful comment, meant to make him feel better, but he still cracked a slight smile.

The light turned green.

Guan Yingjun put the jeep in gear. "The key breakthrough in this case is why the driver happened to spot his target entering Chen Hetang for a meal immediately after getting the money."

"Mm."

Jian Ruochen continued, "If someone didn’t directly inform him of my movements, then someone must have guided his actions. I'm leaning toward the latter. What about you?"

"Same as you," Guan Yingjun said, eyes fixed ahead.

Though his vision contained nothing related to Jian Ruochen, his mind pictured the other tilting his head to ask a question.

Jian Ruochen was indeed a mystery so intriguing that one wanted to unravel him.

But at this moment, this mystery felt like a cloud, effortlessly lifting the weight in his heart. Jian Ruochen always had a way of making people feel better.

Guan Yingjun: "Chen Hetang Hotel is relatively close to the West Kowloon Region Police Station and has always been a popular choice for police gatherings. If the owner of Chen Hetang is corrupt, he must have ways to monitor the movements of the police inside."

"I booked a private room at noon. The person who put the driver up to murder had plenty of time to plan."

"But if that’s the case, someone making the driver hear rumors about you a month ago to pique his interest seems unnecessary. What do you think?"

From his tone and pace, Jian Ruochen could tell Guan Yingjun was over his sulking. He ribbed him, "Detective Guan, no wonder no one dates you. After knowing you for so long, you only talk a bit more when analyzing cases."

Guan Yingjun said, "Dating wastes time better spent solving cases. What are your thoughts?"

Huh? He could take a joke now?

Jian Ruochen raised an eyebrow. "I think the person who fed the driver those rumors a month ago and the one who put out a hit on me today are not the same."

Guan Yingjun grew serious. "How so?"

"From a motivational perspective, both actions aim to kill me, which gives the impression that the same person is behind them."

Jian Ruochen gazed at the scattered lights outside the window, his eyes slightly unfocused. "But from the perspective of criminal psychology, the thought processes of the instigators behind these two events are completely different."

"The first one is covert. He understands the driver’s personality, is familiar with his criminal patterns, and knows what kind of targets he chooses. He subtly exploits human nature, trying to achieve his goal through rumors."

"The second one is direct. He knows the murderer needs money, perhaps even why he needs it, and simply satisfies the murderer’s desire for money. This person and the murderer have a purely transactional relationship."

Guan Yingjun’s doubts were instantly resolved, and the sense of incongruity lingering in his mind vanished completely.

Yes, if two people were behind this, the driver’s situation made perfect sense!

"So the sequence of events should be—"

"After I booked a private room at Chen Hetang for the evening, a staff member at Chen Hetang saw my name. Because I’ve been closely associated with you recently, he reported it to the owner. The owner, upon learning this, planned the murder, bribed the driver with money, and gave the order. The owner knew the time and location, making it easy to act."

Jian Ruochen nodded in agreement and added, "The driver said: After he got the money, he immediately went to buy something near Chen Hetang and happened to see you and me entering Chen Hetang."

Guan Yingjun made no comment on his replacement of the word "lover."

Jian Ruochen: "This means the owner who gave the money didn’t directly tell the driver when we would be eating. He only calculated that the driver would go out immediately after getting the money."

Why?

Guan Yingjun’s tone deepened as he slapped the steering wheel. "Because the driver has a severe drug addiction. He would immediately go out to buy drugs after getting the money. So the owner of Chen Hetang knows the driver uses drugs!"

Jian Ruochen said softly, "He not only knew the driver was a drug user, but also knew there was a drug den right next to Chen Hetang."

Why would he know so clearly?

Was it because the owner of Chen Hetang was in cahoots with the drug lord? Or was he himself the supplier selling drugs to the driver?

Jian Ruochen got chills for a moment.

This was definitely a pro at contract killings.

He hadn’t even shown his face from start to finish. Without concrete evidence, all the driver’s testimony wouldn't hold up against him!

Guan Yingjun took a deep breath, "As long as we can find out who owns Chen Hetang now, we can basically confirm who’s targeting you."

"Hold on, I’ll make a call. Our butler might know who owns Chen Hetang."

Jian Ruochen picked up his phone, dialed Luo Binwen’s number, and got straight to the point, "Uncle Luo, do you know who owns the Chen Hetang Grand Hotel in Hong Kong?"

"Young Master, I’m not very familiar with businesses in Hong Kong. But most of the large hotels and nightclubs here are basically tied to the Lu family. They started by buying and selling properties to launder money, even forced demolitions of homes in the process."

After speaking, Luo Binwen asked worriedly, "Why are you suddenly asking this? Are you in some kind of trouble? If you want to eat out, it’s better to go to Huangji—it’s cleaner there. The owner is a good person too."

Jian Ruochen fell silent for a moment but ultimately didn’t hide the truth, "I already ate. It’s not a big problem, just a minor issue. But don’t worry, Detective Guan will drive me home tonight. I’m safe with the police."

Luo Binwen was silent for a while before saying, "Alright, I’ll wait for you to come home."

Jian Ruochen was only 19 years old now, right at the most rebellious age. The young mistress was about that age when she ran away from home back then.

Back then, the young mistress left because the family was too strict. Luo Binwen wasn’t about to risk that again.

·

Jian Ruochen hung up the phone and turned his head, "Detective Guan, Chen Hetang Grand Hotel should be owned by Lu Qian."

The Jeep gradually turned into the bar street.

Guan Yingjun chose a spot with roads on three sides and no other parking spaces around, backing the Jeep into the spot.

One hand on the steering wheel, he glanced at the parking spot, "It’s actually Lu Qian’s? We usually don’t pay attention to sectors like hotels, only nightclubs, bathhouses, and entertainment centers."

"No matter how bold Lu Qian is, he probably wouldn’t dare to mess with the food. He wouldn’t want to see his stock prices plummet."

Jian Ruochen: ...

Detective Guan was still too naive. This wasn’t just about the food.

"Detective Guan, the food in big hotels might contain poppy pods to get people addicted. The bathrooms in the rooms might have spy cameras. Hotels and inns might collaborate with sex trafficking rings, slipping hooker cards under guests’ doors. Some even host drug parties in hotels."

Guan Yingjun: ...

"Do you have inside information?"

They’d been investigating for so long and hadn’t seen any of this in big hotels.

Jian Ruochen reminded him tactfully, "There might not be any now, but where there’s profit, there are opportunists."

"I’ll remind CIB to pay attention."

Guan Yingjun acknowledged, opened the door, got out, took out a cigarette, lit it, and absentmindedly glanced at Jian Ruochen’s side profile.

From this angle, the young man’s face had a soft curve, his eyelashes curled and delicate, giving off a gentle vibe.

After all, Lu Qian was someone he had liked—would Jian Ruochen be upset?

Back when he suspected Jian Ruochen, he had someone investigate him. The informant’s tip was very detailed at the time.

Jian Ruochen had once pinched pennies at his poorest just to buy a fake bracelet to match the one Lu Qian wore.

He never took it off, even when rumors spread at school that he was sugar dating.

That was until the case where Huo Jinze killed someone and pinned it on him.

If Jian Ruochen was upset, he—

Before Guan Yingjun could figure out what to do, he heard Jian Ruochen let out a long sigh.

Jian Ruochen said regretfully, "This is all just speculation. If only we could find actual evidence. Attempted murder—this is attempted murder! Even if it’s not a death penalty offense, it’s enough to land Lu Qian in hot water."

Guan Yingjun: ...

Had his informants’ intel really been accurate?

The two walked into the bar street together.

The closer they got to the street, the more discarded newspapers and plastic bags littered the road. Bamboo skewers and paper cups rolled along the sides of the street, giving off a dirty, decadent kind of vibrancy.

They reached the end of the street and saw the bar called 1892. A tacky pink neon light twisted across the top of the sign, wrapped in a circle of pure blue high-saturation neon tubes.

The aesthetic was... aggressively modern.

Jian Ruochen tilted his head back, his neck aching from looking, but he still couldn’t find any beauty in the design. "What should we look for once we’re inside?"

"The kitchen, bathrooms, VIP rooms, and the bar counter. Just those four areas." Guan Yingjun pulled out a black face mask and put it on, then unfolded a slightly crumpled fisherman’s hat. "If we get split up inside, just come out first and wait for me by the car."

Jian Ruochen quickly ran through the spots they needed to check in his mind and gave Guan Yingjun a thumbs-up. "What’s our cover story this time?"

Guan Yingjun chuckled, "What else could it be in a bar like this? Just a no-strings-attached kind of thing."

Jian Ruochen smoothly slipped under Guan Yingjun’s arm, throwing an arm over his shoulder. "Let’s go, bro."

Guan Yingjun: ...

Might pass as brothers.

He moved his hand down and wrapped it around Jian Ruochen’s waist.

Huh? Where was his waist?

Guan Yingjun pinched the puffer jacket Jian Ruochen was wearing, flattening it.

He fell silent for a moment. This puffer jacket was really padded thick...

Jian Ruochen didn’t realize Guan Yingjun was trying to find his waist. He stepped into the bar.

As soon as they entered, the wall of sound and chatter hit their eardrums.

Just as he was about to take his second step, a security guard at the entrance stopped them. "Sorry, new faces need a vetting process."

He took one look at Jian Ruochen’s striking looks, high-end brands, and luxury watch and felt like he’d wasted his breath.

This one outfit costs more than his entire year's salary.

Then what's the fucking point of checking?

The security guard paused for a moment before saying respectfully, "No need for you to be checked, sir. But the gentleman with you needs to be checked."

Jian Ruochen leaned into Guan Yingjun's embrace, "What's the big idea? Everything I eat and use is bought by him. I don't have a penny to my name."

He cleared his throat, put on a higher voice, raised his chin, and boomed from his diaphragm, "Show him your financial power!"

Guan Yingjun: ...

It's the end of the month, and he just treated the team to a meal—his pockets are flat broke.

The security guard looked at Guan Yingjun.

Guan Yingjun looked at Jian Ruochen, "Don't you manage all my money?"

Jian Ruochen: ... Ah, Detective Guan's broke.

He reached into Guan Yingjun's large pocket, pulled out a gold card, and said, "What's this? Hiding a secret stash from me now?"

Security guard: ... Big spender!

He gave Guan Yingjun a look of pity.

So rich, yet still hiding money from his wife like an ordinary person. Probably even has to ask for cigarette money—how sad.

He felt that.

Jian Ruochen put the card he’d fished out back into his own pocket, "Confiscated."

The security guard pitied Guan Yingjun even more.

He bowed respectfully and said, "Please follow me, gentlemen."

The security guard led the two through the hallway to the cloakroom. "You can store your overcoats and jackets here. There's a dressing room over there where you can buy clothes you like. If needed, an attendant will help you."

Jian Ruochen glanced toward where he pointed.

He saw a young man in a silver sequined crop top emerging from the dressing room, wearing biker shorts with silver chains dangling against his slender legs as he walked.

Yikes, Jian Ruochen averted his gaze and tugged at his collar.

Too try-hard alternative, isn't it?

No way I'm changing.

Putting on clothes like that, he’d feel like opening his mouth and saying, "Old man, the ghost bike is parked under your building."

The nightclub's heat was stifling. Jian Ruochen took off his bulky puffer jacket and hung it in a locker at the coat check.

If both of them kept their jackets on, they’d stand out too much in this hedonistic scene.

Once he took off his jacket, his slender neck and wrists were exposed. As he raised his arm, his sweater tightened against his slim, soft waist, and the delicate, petite impression created by the fluffy down jacket instantly faded, replaced by a mature, coolly glamorous beauty.

The security guard couldn’t take his eyes off him.

No wonder he’s the one managing the money—he’s got the assets for it.

After taking off his jacket, Jian Ruochen suddenly felt a gaze fixed on him. Frowning, he moved into the crowd, trying to shake off that sticky, intrusive stare.

Guan Yingjun followed closely behind and asked quietly, "You upset?"

Jian Ruochen stopped immediately, waiting for him to walk alongside. Only when he felt Guan Yingjun's hand settle on his waist again did he say, "Sorry, it’s just strange. I keep feeling like someone’s watching me."

Guan Yingjun froze.

He scoped the room, his eyes eventually settling on the second floor, where he met a pair of gloomy eyes.

It's Lu Qian.

Guan Yingjun’s fingers tightened imperceptibly. He slowly looked away, scanned the area once more, then turned back inconspicuously and whispered, "Lu Qian is here."

Jian Ruochen’s breath hitched.

Guan Yingjun guided him toward the bar, "If you don’t want to continue, I’ll take you out and come back alone to investigate later."

Jian Ruochen’s back stiffened.

Just as Guan Yingjun thought he was about to give up—

Jian Ruochen said with a hint of excitement, his voice soft, "Now this is exciting."