Grocery Store No.514

On October 29, 3020, Jiang Chengyan and Su Ke went to Bolang Bar to meet Kong Fang, wanting to obtain video surveillance, but unexpectedly they found that Kong Fang was Jiang Changping’s same-sex partner.

Inside the mortuary, Su Ke opened the drawer that contained Jiang Changping’s body.

The broken body suddenly appeared in front of him. Even though Kong Fang was mentally prepared, his pupils still shrinking. He murmured, “How could this be…”

Kong Fang shed tears silently, trembling, and wanted to grab Jiang Changping’s hand. He tries to raise his hands several times and after a while, he can finally hold Jiang Changping’s hand through the plastic bag.

Kong Fang didn’t speak or move, but tears flowed down one by one like beads with a broken thread.

Jiang Chengyan’s heart was not happy when he saw it. This silent sadness was more uncomfortable for bystanders than hysterical emotions. If Jiang Changping wasn’t a coward that not get married and have children, maybe he and Kong Fang could live happily ever after.

After a long time, Kong Fang let go of Jiang Changping’s hand and closed the drawer with his own hands. When he turned around, his eyes darkened and he passed out. Jiang Chengyan, who had been paying attention to him, hurriedly helped him. “His head is very hot and he is breathing rapidly, he must be sent to the hospital.”

Jiang Chengyan did not dare to delay, he picked up Kong Fang, with the help of Su Ke, hurried out of the police station then drove to the hospital.

Seeing the doctor coming out of the emergency room, Jiang Chengyan hurriedly stepped forward and asked, “Doctor, how is the patient’s condition?”

“It’s pneumonia with pneumothorax. With this condition, he must be hospitalized.” The doctor looked at Jiang Chengyan, “Are you guys with him? How come you didn’t bring the person here until now? If it’s more serious, I’m afraid he can’t be saved.”

“That serious?” Jiang Chengyan can’t help but frown.

“It’s not like I exaggerated this. But he has been in this condition for quite a while. He has just had respiratory failure, if he had not been saved in time, I’m afraid he would have been dead.”

The doctor looked at the two and said, “Are you his family or not? If not, hurry up and inform his family. He needs to be hospitalized in this condition.

“En. I will call his family now.”

When the doctor left, the nurse pushed Kong Fang out. They hurriedly followed him to the ward. After completing the discharge procedures, they were relieved.

Looking at Kong Fang, who was still unconscious, Su Ke spoke up, “It seems that what he said is true. With his physical condition, it is impossible to kill someone and then dismembered a body.”

Jiang Chengyan nodded, “Even so, we must do a good job to implement his statement.”

Su Ke sighed, “Sit down. I guess we’ll have to wait for a while.”

Jiang Chengyan also sighed, “Su Ke, do you think love can really make a person lose himself? If so, how terrible it would be.”

“It depends on how deep your love is. But I always believe that no matter how deeply you love, you must keep the minimum bottom line. Otherwise, you will only get yourself covered in black and blue.”

“You’re right.” Jiang Chengyan sighed again, “After all, it’s because of society and discrimination against the homosexual group. Su Ke, I actually admire you for having the courage to face your own sexual orientation.”

“Yo, Captain Jiang, it’s not easy to hear the praise from you. Is the sun coming out from the west today?”

“You… come on…” Jiang Chengyan looked at Kong Fang on the bed and said with a frown, “The two suspects— in this case— have been freed from suspicion for the time being. Are our investigations going in the wrong direction?”

Su Ke also frowned, “Jiang Changping’s relationships are simple, and there are no economic problems. Other than relationship problems, I can not think of other possibilities.”

“Hah, I have to check it carefully.”

The two waited for almost an hour before Kong Fang’s family arrived, their impression when looking at Jiang Chengyan and Su Ke was weird.

“I’m Kong Fang’s father. Just leave it to us for now, you can go.”

The overbearing tone with contemptuous looks made Jiang Chengyan frown. He took out his badge and lit it up, “ Mr. Kong, right? I’m Jiang Chengyan, the captain of the criminal investigation team, and he is Su Ke, the chief of the Forensic Department. Due to the recent case, please convey to Mr. Kong Fang not to leave the city for the time being. If there’s any problem we can contact him anytime.”

Kong Zhen was stunned. His eyes changed and asked, “Captain Jiang, right? What happened? What case did Kong Fang have involved?”

“Sorry, it is inconvenient to disclose any information until the case is finalized.” Jiang Chengyan paused, then continued: “Sir, Mr. Kong is very ill. If he hadn’t been rescued in time, he might have died. I believe All parents in the world hope that their children can be safe and sound. Compared with living a good life, other things are really not important. I hope Mr. Kong can think about it.”

Kong Zhen’s face stiffened and his eyes looked sharply at Jiang Chengyan.

Kong Zhen’s face stiffened and his eyes looked sharply at Jiang Chengyan.

Jiang Chengyan didn’t care and said, “We still have things to do, so we’ll leave first. Goodbye.”

The two left Kong Fang’s ward one after another, and Su Ke said with a smile, “Wow, Captain Jiang. Mighty and domineering, please accept my knee.”

“You, come on…” Jiang Chengyan rolled his eyes “Looking at the expressions of those people, you can tell that the relationship between Kong Fang and his family is not good. Probably because they thought the people associated with Kong Fang are not decent people. Well, even the family discriminates, ugh!”

Su Ke smiled bitterly, “that’s where their real pressure is.”

Jiang Chengyan looked at the time, it was already eight o’clock in the evening, “Where are you going, I’ll drive you.”

“Captain Jiang, it’s eight o’clock now. We haven’t eaten yet. Don’t you feel hungry?”

Eat?” Jiang Chengyan’s mind flashed with Ling Hua’an’s figure. Suppressing the inexplicable loss in his heart, he smiled and said, “What do you want to eat, it’s my treat today.”

“I want to eat fish, there is a restaurant nearby that does a good job of fish, especially the fish with pickled cabbage that you like. It tastes quite good.”

“Then let’s go and try it.”

***

At 10 o’clock in the evening, Sun Ming packed up and prepared to go back to school, “Laoban, I’ll go first.”

“Wait.” Ling Hua’an took out the thermos bucket, put it on the table, and said “Take it for a late-night snack. Remember to bring the thermos back to work tomorrow.”

“Laoban, this is for Captain Jiang, right? It’s okay for me to take it?”

“He shouldn’t be coming over at this time, you take it and eat it, save the waste.”

“Then, you’re welcome, heh.  To be honest, I’ve been drooling for a long time.”

Ling Hua’an smiled lightly and said, “Go, be careful on your way back.”

Sun Ming answered, happily carrying the thermos bucket, and left.

Ling Hua’an stared in the direction of the glass window for a while, then put on his headphones and listened to the song as if he was isolated from the whole world.

At midnight the bell hanging in the door rang without any wind, Ling Hua’an looked at the door, and Wang Lei’s figure appeared in front of him.

“Laoban, I’m here.”

Ling Hua’an took off the earphones, and asked “did you find anything?”

Wang Lei looks excited, “There is a discovery, and it is a major discovery.”

Before Ling Hua’an could react, the bell in his pocket moved first. Ling Hua’an touched it gently and asked, “What did you find?”

“Laoban, today Jiang Xiao Han had a temper tantrum and said he wanted to find his dad. Li qiuran got angry. Then Jiang Xiaohan cried and said he wanted Li Qiuran to return his father. Li Qiuran coaxed him and said his dad went to a faraway place. Jiang Xiaohan said Li Qiuran lied and that his father would never come back. Then Li Qiuran asked Jiang Xiaohan nervously why he said so. Jiang Xiaohan kept crying and asking Li Qiuran to return his father. Li Qiuran who was annoyed by Jiang Xiaohan began to cry and said Jiang Changping was not his father.”

“Impossible!” The bell rang with a loud voice from Jiang Changping.

Wang Lei was frightened and said in a low voice, “I’m just telling the truth. Of course, it’s possible that Li Qiuran was so annoyed and talking nonsense.”

“Master, Hanhan is my biological son. Qiuran must have experienced too many blows and she said that because of her emotional breakdown.” Jiang Changping made an excuse for Li Qiuran.

“Well, it is possible for people to babble when they are in an emotional breakdown.” Ling Hua’an’s tone was light, and successfully calmed Jiang Changping’s agitated emotions.

Ding Ding Ding Ding

The bell on the door rang again, and then the store door was pushed open, and a gust of cold wind blew in.

Wang Lei whispered in Ling Hua’an’s ear, “Laoban, it’s Yan Yu.”

Immediately after that, Yan Yu’s low voice came, “Hua’an.”

Ling Hua’an raised the corner of his mouth and said with a smile, “Why are you here so late?”

“Found some clues. “Yan Yu still cherishes words like gold1.

Ling Hua’an pointed to the table by the window and said, “Let’s go and sit there.”

Yan Yu approached Ling Hua’an and held his arm towards the glass window.  He waited for Ling Hua’an to sit up, then he put the things in his hand on the table. Yan Yu said lightly, “I made mushroom soup and dumplings, you can eat some.”

“Mushroom soup, I haven’t had it for a long time. Go get another bowl and let’s eat it together.”

Yan Yu got up to get the bowl, poured out the mushroom soup from the thermos bucket, and pushed the whole bowl into Ling Hua’an’s hand. He held his hand and touched the bowl to let him know the location of the soup bowl. 

He kept half of the bowl for himself, took a sip from the spoon, and deliberately touched the edge of the bowl to let Ling Hua’an know that he was eating too.

Ling Hua’an praised without hesitation, “Well, the taste is good. Yan Yu’s cooking skill has improved.”

“It’s you who taught me well.” Yan Yu slightly raised the corners of his mouth, looking at Ling Hua’an with a tenderness that he couldn’t see.

While eating the soup, Ling Hua’an asked, “Tell me, what did you find out?”

Yan Yu pushed the soup bowl and said, “I checked the friends around Jiang Changping and learned from his college roommate that Jiang Changping actually likes men.”

“Like men? Ling Hua’an frowned slightly and said, “Are you sure?”

“Sure.” Yan Yu paused, then continued, “I have a friend who is also gay. I learned from him about Balong Bar, which is a gay-themed bar. The bartender of the bar knows Jiang Changping and said that the police once went there to ask questions.”

“Then, did you find out who is his partner?”

~~~

 Said a little. Don’t waste a word. ↺