Silent Reading by Priest - Book 1

Chapter 22: Julien XXI

This was Ma Xiaowei’s second time opening his mouth to accuse himself of killing someone in a Public Security Bureau. This ground-breaking teenager was wailing more powerfully than the victim’s relation, nearly knocking his head against the floor. Two policemen next to him reacted, going over and pulling him up, drawing him away amidst Mother He’s sorrowful cries.

Luo Wenzhou hadn’t expected his casual introduction to precipitate such an event. His head swelled. He had a premonition that this would be a sleepless night. He had to quickly send his building’s property manager a text message, imploring a serving of cat food for the starving and freezing Luo Yiguo.

Lang Qiao was about to lead Fei Du away to give a statement. Luo Wenzhou looked up and called him to a stop.

“Hey,” said Luo Wenzhou, without appellation or inscription, “thank you.”

Fei Du hadn’t expected this person’s dog mouth to sprout an elephant’s tusk33. He was rather taken aback. His steps paused. With the elegance of a president giving an inaugural speech, he very solemnly nodded. “You’re welcome.”

Luo Wenzhou appraisingly watched his model-like back out of the room, oddly reminded of a strutting poodle. He really wanted to chase after and put a walking stick in his hand. But after fighting for seven years, the two of them had only just seen the dawning light of a ceasefire, and Luo Wenzhou didn’t want to go borrowing trouble. He therefore forced down all his marvelous ideas, turned and patted Xiao Haiyang on the shoulder. “Why don’t you come with me.”

Xiao Haiyang silently followed him to an individual interrogation room. Somewhat nervily pushing at his glasses, he looked directly at Luo Wenzhou. “I’m not here in the capacity of a police officer assisting with an investigation, am I?”

Luo Wenzhou gestured at Xiao Haiyang. “Please sit. Tell me, what capacity do you think you’re here in?”

Xiao Haiyang didn’t stand on ceremony. At his words, he sat down, very upright. “Am I a suspect or a witness?”

Luo Wenzhou laughed and according to habit crossed his legs and leaned back. The wound on his back immediately protested, shrieking towards his pain receptors, hurting so much he nearly . Luo Wenzhou forced himself to preserve his demeanor and awkwardly sat up properly, chattily asking, “How long have you been at work?”

“Two years…a year and half,” said Xiao Haiyang.

“Oh, so you only finished your trial period recently, right?” Luo Wenzhou nodded, recalled for a moment, then continued, “When I was little, my dad originally wanted to have me test into the armed forces academy, but I was still going through my rebellious phase. Whatever he said, I did the opposite. I said, ‘I’m not going to go study missiles in the Sahara,’ then I ran back to school and submitted a bunch of forms. At the time I was very deeply impressed by Hong Kong gangster films and thought all policemen were like Tony Leung and Louis Koo, so I ended up in this line of work.”

Xiao Haiyang very seriously responded, “The Sahara isn’t in Chinese territory.”

Luo Wenzhou: “…”

This young person really knew how to talk.

Xiao Haiyang may also have noticed something off about this response. His posture became a little more tense. “Please go on.”

Luo Wenzhou felt that Xiao Haiyang perhaps didn’t even know how to say “relax,” so he abandoned his efforts on that score and became businesslike, coming right to the point. “Anyway, you’re a fellow professional who’s performed meritorious work. Whether you’re a witness or a suspect remains to be seen based on the outcome of the investigation.—You’ve already mentally prepared for that, and you’ve also prepared to divulge everything you know, is that right?”