Five Cases - CH 32

“Chief Lu, you…” Ji Fanyang looked at Lu Hui outside, who was rolling paper, “Aren’t we going to go eat?”

“Mm.” Lu Hui finished rolling the paper tube, bent it at about one third of its length, then used a pair of scissors to cut it. He stuffed it into Ji Fanyang’s hands, “Hold this.” He tore open the plastic packaging and wrapped it around the paper tube, “It’s done.” He took the wrapped paper tube and stuck it into the small of his back, securing it with his belt then shaking out his shirt to cover it.

Ji Fanyang was entirely baffled: “Chief Lu, are you performing a magic trick?”

“Let’s go.” Lu Hui smiled mysteriously, pleased with himself, “Time for dinner.”

Ji Fanyang shook his head and followed Lu Hui: “You and Chief Zhong…could you try to ease up a little and not infuriate others as much?”

“You know that it’s my life’s ambition.” Lu Hui said lightly, smiling as he bantered, “If it wasn’t for this, would you still like me?”

“Infuriating people is your life’s ambition.” Ji Fanyang did his best to overlook Lu Hui’s gag, “Very interesting, and very dangerous.”

“I haven’t been beaten to death yet, at the very least.” Lu Hui shrugged. He opened the car door and sat in the driver’s seat, “If you want to keep bringing this up, I’m perfectly willing to put you in my will.”

“I want your resettlement compensation.” Ji Fanyang sat in the passenger’s seat, fastening his seatbelt, “Leave the money in your bank account for your sister.”

“Wow, how thoughtful.” Lu Hui turned the key in the ignition, “But I don’t want my resettlement compensation to go toward supporting your little sweetheart.”

“Huh?” Ji Fanyang blinked, “Little sweetheart?”

“The one from the apartment building.” Lu Hui turned the steering wheel and drove out of the parking lot, “Oh, we haven’t talked about her, have we.”

“Her? Who?” Ji Fanyang tilted his head to look at Lu Hui, “We were just discussing your problem. Don’t change the topic.”

“You’re the one changing the topic.” When it came to arguing unreasonably and vexatiously, Lu Hui was a prodigy, “That one, the one named something like Fang or Li. We met her in July when we went to see the apartment. She was wearing a turquoise skirt.”

“Her name is Xu Qinglei!” Ji Fanyang rested his elbow on the car’s window, supporting his forehead in his hand, “She came to greet us several times and brought us some food. You were always the one who opened the door for her, and you don’t even remember her name?!”

“Hundreds of girls come knocking at our door every day, how am I supposed to remember which one she is?” Lu Hui patted the steering wheel, “All the girls in the building are so eager to move in with us!”

“That isn’t my fault!” Ji Fanyang took a breath to stabilize himself, “And she came to see you, not me!”

“Don’t push this off on me.” Lu Hui smiled coldly, “You’re just feeling guilty.”

“Guilty, my ass.” Ji Fanyang couldn’t help but swear, “She has a crush on you, so I always made you open the door for her.”

“Don’t you shave incessantly?” Lu Hui retorted, “By the time you get to the door, she’ll have retired by then.”

“Until I turn into a big, hairy monster, don’t talk to me.” Ji Fanyang said.

Lu Hui rubbed the stubble on his jaw: “She hasn’t spoken to me before.”

“Of course she’s spoken to you before, but you were always focused on research questions like ‘how do I bring about Doomsday’.” Ji Fanyang grumbled, “The fridge is going to burst with all the flat cakes she brought over.”

“Sounds like we need a bigger fridge.” Lu Hui said.

“Is that really the point?” Ji Fanyang pinched the bridge of his nose.

Lu Hui mumbled something to himself, then his eyes flashed: “I have an idea…”

“No, shut up. I don’t want to hear it.” Ji Fanyang was well aware of Lu Hui’s bad habits. He suddenly sat up, “Are we at the restaurant?”

“Soon.” Lu Hui turned into the restaurant’s parking lot, “…I remember something that I seem to have said to mess with you.”

“…” Ji Fanyang kept silent. His murderous gaze rested on Lu Hui, “Wait until I think of a water-tight murder method.”

“I’m planning on proposing to you.” Lu Hui put his foot on the brake, “That’s what I told her.”

“…So that’s why none of the girls in the apartment building acknowledge me?” Ji Fanyang’s eyes widened, “You bastard.”

“It’s more interesting. Her expression was enough to amuse me for the whole day.” Lu Hui could not restrain his laugh. He removed the key from the ignition and got out of the car, “Don’t be mad. At worst, you’ll just need to rent a different apartment. There are plenty of girls out there waiting to be swindled by you.”

Ji Fanyang angrily got out of the car: “I really should get some singles’ insurance[1].”

“Don’t be so negative. I still want to be your kid’s godfather.” Lu Hui said, “Alright, on second thought, maybe ‘godfather’ isn’t so appropriate right now.”[2]

Ji Fanyang opened the restaurant’s door, looked for an open table, and sat down: “What do you want to eat?”

Lu Hui reached out and pulled him up: “We didn’t come here to eat.” He called a waiter over and showed them Du Chengxian’s photo. The waiter brought them up to the second floor.

“Over there.” Ji Fanyang saw Du Chengxian and his daughter, Du Huanyue, sitting in the corner.

“We’re going over to say hello.” Lu Hui strode over to the side of Du Chengxian’s table, “What a coincidence.”

The laughter and cheerful voices stopped. Du Chengxian put his chopsticks down and lifted his head to look at Lu Hui: “Officer Lu. Is something the matter?”

“Can’t the People’s police get a bite to eat?” Lu Hui said smilingly, “Do you mind if we eat with you?”

“I do.” Du Chengxian refused, “This is a family dinner.”

“Mr. Du, I’ve heard a piece of news.” Lu Hui revealed a proper smile, like a shark circling its prey, “Very interesting. Explains a lot.”

“Oh. What is it?” Du Chengxian asked.

Lu Hui shook his head: “Mr. Du, you…” His hand reached around to the paper tube at the small of his back.

Du Chengxian stood up and grabbed Lu Hui’s hand: “What are you doing?”

Lu Hui’s other hand clamped down on his forearm: “You act well, but reveal yourself more.”

“What are you saying?” Du Chengxian lifted an eyebrow doubtfully.

Lu Hui pulled out the paper tube from his waist: “First of all, I never intended to pull out a gun. Second, you’re an ordinary accountant, not someone with killers chasing you. You shouldn’t be this used to the motion of pulling out a gun. Third, you have calluses on your hand, especially on the webbing of your thumb. You’re someone who often holds a gun.”

Du Chengxian’s face tensed: “What are you trying to say?”

“I’m saying, you’re Du Chengxian’s older brother.” Lu Hui placed the paper tube on the table and smiled fakely at Du Chengxian, “Why don’t you come to the Bureau with us. Bring your little niece.”

“…He isn’t Du Chengxian?!” Ji Fanyang reacted, “Should I handcuff him?”

Lu Hui gripped Du Chengxian’s palm tightly: “What do you think, Mr. Du?”

“Don’t.” Du Chengxian looked at Du Huanyue, “I’m begging you.”

“Then we’ll do as Mr. Du wishes.” Lu Hui bent at the waist to speak to Du Huanyue, “Come to the Public Safety Bureau with this Uncle Policeman, okay?”

Du Huanyue starred with her bright, black eyes, and said: “I’ll go where dad goes.”

“Good.” Lu Hui straightened back up and looked regretfully at the table, “A shame about the food.”

“Chief Lu, let’s go.” Ji Fanyang pressed, “There are customers.”

“Mm.” Lu Hui grasped Du Chengxian by the forearm and Ji Fanyang held Du Huanyue’s hand as the four of them went downstairs and sat in the car.

“Do not attempt to flee, Mr. Du.” Lu Hui warned, starting the car.

Du Chengxian said: “Of course I won’t flee, because you don’t have any evidence that I’m not Du Chengxian.”

“We’ll see.” Lu Hui pressed on the gas and drove out of the restaurant’s parking lot toward the Public Safety Bureau.