Five Cases

Walking deep into the woods, Lu Hui was trailed by Ji Fanyang, Rao Feifei, Yang Jie, and a few other officers. 

“The body was already examined by the coroner.” Rao Feifei said. 

Lu Hui said: “Mm, when will the report arrive?”

“A two-year decaying corpse needs four or five days to process.” Ji Fanyang conjectured. 

“Apply for DNA identification.” Lu Hui stood next to the place where the body was discovered. He looked around and stated his conclusion, “The murder concealed the body. This isn’t the first crime scene.”

“What???” Rao Feifei asked. 

Lu Hui shot a look at the young woman and impatiently explained: “Dismembered, buried, two years without any reports from the villagers. Obviously the work of an adept murder.” He stuffed his hands into his pockets, “There’s nothing worth seeing. Find what remains can be found, the rest don’t matter. Let’s return and wait for the DNA report.” He lost all interest, then walked away 

“Un-Understood.” Rao Feifei nodded and answered. 

The group of them left the woods and passed by the well which had swallowed up six children in the distance. Ji Fanyang’s steps paused, and Lu Hui tilted his head to glance at him. 

Ji Fanyang forcefully turned his head away: “Let’s go.”

Lu Hui nodded slightly and brought their group away. 

Two cars, one in front and one in back, left the Yangliu Village in Gaotao County and returned to Linhua City’s Public Safety Bureau in under two hours. 

Lu Hui pushed open the car door, but was hit in the face by a potent, flowery fragrance that itched his nose and made him sneeze. 

“Uh…” Ji Fanyang bowed his head to look down at the flower petals beneath his feet, “I remember it being winter when we left.”

The car behind them parked. When Rao Feifei stepped out of the car, she likewise wore a stupefied expression: “Oh my God.”

“Is this from that young…” Yang Jie tilted her head to look at the building, “Feifei, do you know that young man?”

Rao Feifei responded by raising her head. The young, pretty woman’s eyes widened in surprise, then ignited with a faint flame of anger. She strode forward and kicked those rose petals covering the ground. Yang Jie hurried to stop her: “Calm down, calm down, Feifei.”

“Calm down, my ass.”  Rao Feifei exploded in a seldom-seem coarseness, “Could you calm down when you meet someone that moronic?”

Lu Hui walked toward the office building, Ji Fanyang following behind him, “Returning to the office?”

“Go grab some watermelon seeds and water from the cafeteria.” Lu Hui was in high spirits, “And carry two stools.”

“…” Ji Fanyang rolled his eyes, “You sensed it earlier, didn’t you?”

Lu Hui turned around and blinked innocently: “Sensed what?”

“Don’t pretend.” Ji Fanyang stepped carefully to avoid treading on the rose petals, “I was puzzled why you went to the census registration office the other day. So it was for this.”

“Xi Junhong, twenty-four years old, fell in love with Rao Feifei at first sight, thinks she’s ‘the love of his life.’ Second generation, a one-track mind.” Lu Hui recited the comprehensive information, then nodded in satisfaction, “Covering the ground with flower petals is a normal occurrence.”

Ji Fanyang sighed, stood with Lu Hui in the first-floor entryway, and looked at the young man standing there: “He’s probably not clear on what kind of girl he fell in love with.”

“A brilliant woman who punches rapists.” Lu Hui’s tone displayed both pride and ridicule, “It’s a shame we didn’t bring dinner.”

They only saw Rao Feifei, frowning, walk into the foyer. She was slightly shorter than Xi Junhong but vastly more imposing: “Why are you here?”

“Wooing you, Rao Feifei.” Xi Junhong pulled out a bouquet of red roses, “Be my girlfriend.”

Rao Feifei clenched her fists: “Are you sick in the head?”

Yang Jie patted Rao Feifei’s shoulder: “Cool down.” She faced Xi Junhong and said, “Young man, it’s not very appropriate to be doing something like this in the Public Safety Bureau, is it?”

“I…” Xi Junhong hesitated for a moment, “I’m afraid that Feifei won’t see me.”

“Of course I won’t see you.” Rao Feifei said ruthlessly. 

Xi Yunhong said aggreivedly: “Please see me.”

“Chief Lu.” Yang Jie looked at Lu Hui, “How about we talk in the office?”

“Nope, talk here. Clear the air.” Lu Hui sat on the tool and munched on watermelon seeds with relish. He laid some praise on Xi Junhong, “Young man, you’ve got courage.”

Xi Junhong smiled in pleasant surprise. He focused his gaze on Rao Feifei, proud of himself. 

Rao Feifei stared straight at Xi Junhong and did not give him an inch: “There’s nothing to say. I have work to do.”

“Feifei, whatever type of person you like, I’ll do my best.” Xi Junhong clutched the roses, beseeching foolishly. 

Rao Feifei looked Xi Junhong up and down, then concluded: “I don’t like your type of person.”

Lu Hui rocked back and forth with exaggerated laughter: “Hahahahahahaha I’m putting that on the office’s nameplate.”

Ji Fanyang supported his forehead: “Chief Lu, don’t choke.”

“I truly hope you give me a chance.” Xi Junhong hugged the bouquet in embarrassment, “I think you are the love of my life.”

“Oh, then keep thinking that.” Rao Feifei really wanted to crack open Xi Junhong’s skull to see if it was filled with water, “Young Master Xi, could you just go drive your sports car, bang your beautiful woman, go bungee jumping somewhere, and stop interfering with the police serving the people?”

“I’m part of the people.” Xi Junhong argued persistently. 

“You’re the son of an evil capitalistic family.” Rao Feifei said, “Whenever you can act like a normal twenty-four year-old man, bringing your resume to look for work or going out to mop floors at the shopping mall, that’s when you’ll be considered part of the people.”

“Feifei, that term was mistakenly defined.” Lu Hui reminded in a friendly manner. 

“I can do it tomorrow.” Xi Junhong pledged with utmost sincerity. 

Rao Feifei’s patience had reached its limit: “Have Chief Lu service you, don’t bother me.”

“I’m not gay.” Xi Junhong said. 

“I’m not either!” Lu Hui rebuffed. 

Ji Fanyang patted Lu Hui: “Don’t cause trouble.”

“But Feifei, your family is wealthy too.” Xi Junhong pointed out, “Mr. Rao came to my house as a guest.”

“And Mr. Zhao went to your house as a guest too, so why don’t you go pester Zhao Jing!” Rao Feifei retorted. 

“You’re the one I like.” Xi Junhong kept expressing himself with perseverance. 

Lu Hui pinched his voice and imitated in a nauseating manner: “You’re the one~ I~ like~”

Ji Fanyang, who was so grossed out by his behavior that he broke out in goosebumps, glared at Lu Hui: “Are you watching a TV drama right now?”

“Isn’t it one, though?” Lu Hui shrugged. 

“I don’t like you.” Rao Feifei felt more exhausted each time she repeated this sentence, “You’re annoying. I have work to do. My Squad Chief is a bored person who loves watching soap operas. If you don’t leave, he can sit here until tomorrow.”

The bored person who loved to watch soap operas, Lu Hui, reached out and stuck his hand into Ji Fanyang’s bag of watermelon seeds——

“Hey!” Ji Fanyang smacked Lu Hui’s hand away, “This one’s mine.”

“I finished mine.” Lu Hui said, unperturbed. 

Xi Junhong turned his head to look at the two-person squad of bored persons sitting on stools. The impetuous young man said: “They like to see me?”

“Are you missing some brain cells?” Rao Feifei was speechless with anger, “You, fork over the money to get those flower petals cleaned up and leave my sight.”

Xi Junhong nodded: “Then, can I come back tomorrow?”

“No!” Rao Feifei refused straightforwardly. 

“You can, you can.” Lu Hui promised enthusiastically. 

“Then I’ll come back tomorrow.” Xi Junhong carried his bouquet of roses and walked out of the foyer, leaving behind a kindly smiling Lu Hui and an angry pufferfish Rao Feifei to face each other, Ji Fanyang and Yang Jie in between them to ease the tension.