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墨書 Inktalez
I quickly looked up and saw that it was indeed Liu Qi. She was wearing a tight-fitting, sleeveless mini dress and walked out of the Pet Store with a bag slung over her shoulder.
"Should we follow her?" I asked.
"Of course." Ah Huang glanced around. "Old Wang, what about the dog?"
"The dog? What dog?"
"The Tibetan Mastiff." He seemed a bit anxious.
"Hmm? I didn't notice. Is it not in the store?"
Ah Huang fell silent, starting the car to follow Liu Qi. "At this time, I wonder where she’s headed?"
He took out his phone and sent a text. "Tell Tian to get ready."
Meanwhile, Liu Qi had hailed a taxi, and Ah Huang quickly drove after her. As expected, the car headed straight for Hexi.
Is she really going to a bar? Will there be a breakthrough in the case tonight?
My feelings were mixed; I was eager to know the outcome of the case while also feeling sorry for Qiqi.
The outside world had turned completely dark as we arrived at Bar Street. Qiqi got out of the car, confirming that she had indeed come to a bar.
Ah Huang parked the car and rolled down the window, watching her enter a different bar than the one I had visited last time.
Ah Huang pulled out his phone and called Tian, giving a few instructions before hanging up. "Now we wait for Tian," he muttered to himself.
Working with Ah Huang was dull, and I was pretty sure of that. While waiting for Tian to arrive, I nearly dozed off again.
Suddenly, someone knocked on the window, jolting me awake. Ah Huang and I looked over to see that it was Tian!
Truly, people are like clothes and horses like saddles; in his police uniform, Tian looked imposing, but in casual wear, he appeared youthful and carefree. You could hardly see the air of authority he usually carried. He looked just like any handsome guy we might encounter at a bar—truly fitting the role.
"The bar with the green neon lights at the front, you’ve seen the photo, right? You recognize it?" Ah Huang instructed.
Tian nodded and turned to walk toward the bar.
Ah Huang and I resumed our long wait.
"Hey, do you think Liu Qi is connected to the missing person case?" I couldn't help but ask after a while.
"I don't know. We'll see how things go tonight. I hope Tian can find some clues inside," Ah Huang replied, leaning back against his seat.
"Do you want Liu Qi to be the culprit if there's a connection?" My curiosity piqued; ever since I met Liu Qi through Ah Huang, I noticed his gaze toward her was rather simple—like he viewed her as either a thief or a witness, merely a work-related subject.
"I don't want it to be anyone," Ah Huang said calmly.
"If it really is her, would you arrest her?"
"Why not?" Ah Huang seemed surprised.
"She's so beautiful and alluring; could you really bring yourself to do it?"
"What's that got to do with being pretty and sexy?" Ah Huang exclaimed in surprise.
"Oh, I see! Haha, I guess I understand why you like Xiao Mo Ya now," I chuckled.
"What do you mean?"
"It means you like the tough girl type! Hahaha!"
...
After teasing Ah Huang, we continued to chat casually.
As it approached ten o'clock, I nudged Ah Huang. "Hey, they’re coming out."
I saw Tian and Liu Qi exiting the bar one after the other. Tian said a few words to Liu Qi before quickly walking away. He headed to a nearby car, casually glancing our way before getting in. The engine roared to life as he drove over to Liu Qi, who got in beside him.
Wow! It's a Porsche Cayenne! Tian really is wealthy.
Ah Huang immediately started the car.
"Hey, Ah Huang, did you see what kind of car Tian was driving?" I couldn't help but ask.
"I didn't pay attention. Why?"
"It's a Porsche Cayenne!" I was a bit surprised by Ah Huang's indifference. "With that much money, why be a cop?"
Ah Huang replied calmly, "Maybe it's just a hobby."
He started the car and followed along.
Tian must have known we were tailing him, as he deliberately slowed down to let us catch up. Thus, we followed him back to Liu Qi's Pet Store.
Watching Liu Qi get out of the car, say goodbye to Tian inside, then take out her keys to unlock the store and go in, closing the door behind her.
Soon after, Tian's phone rang. Ah Huang answered it, mumbling for a while before finally telling Tian to head home.
After hanging up, Ah Huang turned to me. "Tian said Liu Qi is acting completely normal; she's just a girl who enjoys going to nightclubs. However, he suspects there might be a connection between Liu Qi and the bar's drink promotions. But since their interaction was brief and Liu Qi was heading home, Tian volunteered to drive her back, and they exchanged contact information."
"Drink promotions?"
"Yeah, selling alcohol for commission."
"Hmm?" I recalled how many people had sent her the Flaming Red Lips Cocktail that night; it wasn't cheap, and the commissions could add up.
After that, Ah Huang and I sat in silence for a long time. We hadn't noticed any issues with Liu Qi—what should we do? But the three missing persons had clearly interacted with her.
"What’s next?" I asked.
"We should investigate the surrounding circumstances—mainly their economic backgrounds and social circles. It's not wise to contact her right now; if she is involved, we don't want to alert her," Ah Huang pondered for a moment. "I'll have Tian keep an eye on Qiqi."
"And what about me?"
"You? If you're free, come by my place tomorrow. Three heads are better than one, and you’re on vacation anyway," Ah Huang chuckled.
"I still have nothing to do. If it weren't for Jing having classes, those three would probably come looking for me again. That damned Old Bi! I did her a favor, and now she can just walk into our reception area."
"Actually, I think your friend isn't bad," Ah Huang hesitated to say.
"Stop right there. I know what you're getting at, but now is not the time for that." I fastened my seatbelt and added, "Let's just get me back to the office first!"
Ah Huang said nothing and drove straight to my workplace.
After a night without incident, I woke up the next morning, hesitating over whether to continue following this case. After all, it wasn't my primary job—how could I neglect my own responsibilities for someone else's?
Just then, my internal phone rang; it was time for a report!
I had actually written the report long ago, thinking everything was settled. But now, with this sudden reminder, I felt a bit down again. After sending Sheng Xiong to submit the report for me, I changed my clothes and headed out. Curiosity can be dangerous, but I was genuinely intrigued by this missing person case. So, I decided to visit Ah Huang!
I slipped out through the side door and grabbed a bowl of noodles by the roadside (I really felt too embarrassed to mooch another meal off Ah Huang). I hailed a cab, intending to go directly to Ah Huang's workplace. Halfway there, as we passed an intersection, it suddenly struck me—wasn't this the same intersection where I had been stopped by the traffic police last time? It seemed to be near Liu Qi's Pet Store.
Sitting in the backseat, I glanced around and suddenly spotted a familiar figure by the roadside: it was the Fortune Teller!
What was he doing here? Wasn't he supposed to be next to Liu Qi's shop?
I called out to the driver to stop at the curb. After paying him, I hopped out and hurried over to the old man's stall. As soon as a big lady left his side, I leaned in eagerly. "Hey, Master! What brings you here? Is business better in this spot? You opened up so early!"
The old man squinted up at me. "Oh, Officer! What a coincidence."
"Yeah, it really is. Seems like I run into you no matter where I go."
He looked at me thoughtfully. "Are you all keeping an eye on that girl named Liu Qi?"
"Uh, about that..." I hesitated. The fewer people who knew about this matter, the better. I wasn't sure what he meant by asking that question.
“Honest, I see both of you are nearby her. Are you secretly watching her?” The old man stroked his beard.
I remained silent, and the old man suddenly smiled mysteriously, changing the subject. “Didn’t you just ask why I moved? Let me tell you, my business location is right here.”
“Here?” I was a bit surprised.
“Do you want to know why I moved? I’ll tell you. I was here reading fortunes, and that girl named Liu Qi passed by. I noticed her expression and realized she seemed a bit dazed, as if she had something on her mind, so I called out to her. I initially thought I could make some money, but instead, I discovered a secret.”
“What secret?” I couldn’t help but be drawn in by the old man’s words.
“Liu Qi has been hypnotized,” the old man said quietly.
I was taken aback for a moment before responding, “That’s not surprising; she’s been receiving hypnosis treatment at the Mental Health Hospital.” As soon as I said it, I realized I had let something slip.
“Hmm?” The old man looked startled. “Receiving treatment?”
Seeing that he was just as confused as I was, I decided to be straightforward and told him our purpose for tracking Liu Qi.
After listening, the old man pondered for a moment before saying, “So that’s how it is. It seems this matter is indeed related to Liu Qi.”
“You also think it’s related to Liu Qi?” I was greatly surprised. Honest, I never expected to discuss a case with a rogue fortune teller.
“I know. During the process of reading Liu Qi’s fortune, I discovered she had been hypnotized. And mind you, this is not just simple relaxation therapy; it involves commands implanted directly into her subconscious. I suspect the person who did this has some ulterior motives that might be directly linked to your case.”
Wow, it truly is a case of finding light in the midst of darkness! I never imagined that this seemingly rogue fortune teller could uncover a breakthrough in the case.
But I still found it hard to believe. “Master, but you’re in this line of work; how can you tell?”
The old man revealed a demeanor that had never matched his usual self; it was a kind of arrogance, born from an absolute confidence in his own abilities. He slowly smiled.
“Buddy, do you think I am a Rogue Fortune Teller?”
“What is that?”
“Have you heard of Lu Zhiwei?” the old man asked.
“No, who is that?”
“A famous psychologist from the Republic of China, my Grandmaster.” The old man's voice suddenly grew somber.
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