Attention Sir, I Have Your Heart Handcuffed!-Chapter 656 - 489. Epilogue 16: One Person’s Pursuit (First Update)
"It’s just that this process won’t be too short. You need to understand, Shi Haoran finding it alone won’t be easy," Tang Yanqing said slowly, staring into Gu Yong’s eyes.
Time is the best anesthetic. As long as enough time can be dragged on, Gu Yong’s vigilance will gradually numb.
Waiting is another exhausting thing, especially when waiting in defensive mode, which makes it even easier to become weary.
So, when they accumulate, he can use psychological tactics to wear down Gu Yong. By then, there will be an opportunity to tear open a gap and take Shi Nian away.
Gu Yong misunderstood and sneered evilly after hearing, "I understand what you mean, little brother. You hope I don’t bother you often, giving you and Shi Nian more time together."
Tang Yanqing snorted.
If Gu Yong thinks that way, that wouldn’t be bad either.
He extended his hand, "Hand it over."
Xiao Mao handed over the buns mixed with Banxia, and Tang Yanqing took big bites.
Gu Yong watched his decisive action and chuckled, "I can refrain from disturbing you, little brother, but for safety reasons, I must still offend you. I have to make sure you take this stuff every day, plus we have to meet daily to discuss the police’s movements."
Tang Yanqing stood up, nodded, and walked straight out.
.
At the police station, while facing the stagnated case, everyone was at a loss.
Shi Haoran stood up silently, took leave, and left the police station to visit his wife in the hospital.
Xu Xinzhen was still engulfed in the self-blame of watching her daughter being kidnapped yet powerless to save her. Her mental state was very poor. When she saw him, although she tried to control herself, she couldn’t help but grab his arm and cry out, "Haoran, have you found Nian Nian? Tell me, Nian Nian is okay."
So many days have passed. From a criminal investigation perspective, the likelihood of Shi Nian having died is greater.
Shi Haoran was also physically and mentally exhausted but had to force himself to comfort his wife, "There’s nothing to worry about, rest assured. Director Zheng has personally come to oversee it, and Xiao Qi and others are working hard to track down the case. Clues are emerging one by one, and we’ll soon find Nian Nian."
Xu Xinzhen gazed at her husband’s exhausted and haggard face, not daring to cry aloud anymore, but tears fell even more fiercely.
After so many years of marriage, how could she not understand the look on her husband’s face when solving a case? If everything was going as he said, smoothly, he wouldn’t have the current expression. He wouldn’t be able to suppress his excitement, his eyes would shine, and he wouldn’t sit idly for small talk. He would be like a leopard waiting for prey, full of vigor and spirit.
So there’s no need to ask further; she understood the actual situation.
Thinking of this made her heart hurt even more, and her self-blame as a mother deepened.
She had several breakdowns, but she tried her best to control her emotions. Shi Haoran gently stroked her hair, which had turned white overnight, and softly said, "Don’t worry, I swear to you, I will definitely bring Nian Nian back safely."
The nurse came to administer a sedative injection, and Xu Xinzhen finally reluctantly fell asleep.
Shi Haoran got up and left the ward; the attending doctor stopped him outside. Shi Haoran understood what the doctor meant. His wife was on the edge of danger. If she didn’t exert such self-control and took one step towards the edge of the cliff, her spirit would completely collapse.
So now, the problem before him was not only the safety of his daughter but also the fragile mental condition of his wife.
The doctor also said that only the safe return of their daughter could improve Xu Xinzhen’s situation.
Thus, for both daughter and wife, as a father and husband, he must bring this to an end as soon as possible.
He solemnly thanked and entrusted the doctor, then wandered alone into the night.
Despite his increasing age, and the diminishing trust from leaders and colleagues, he still believed in his intuition.
He knew his daughter was still alive because the suspect took her only to use her as bait to lure him out. As long as he didn’t go, his daughter would be temporarily safe.
Moreover, he still believed in his own conclusion: the suspect hadn’t taken his daughter out of Yun City; they must still be somewhere in the city.
He went home, slept alone in a cold, empty house, woke early the next morning to meticulously cut his hair and shave, and polished his gun once again. Then he went to work, walked into Director Zheng’s office, and took a leave of absence.
Director Zheng was stunned, "Old Shi, what are you...?"
Shi Haoran smiled lightly and said that the kidnapped person was his daughter; according to the bureau’s discipline, as the father, he should avoid the investigation. Ultimately, concerns clouded his judgment; he had already lost his calm regarding this case. Not only couldn’t he help his comrades, but his impatience also risked burdening and pressuring everyone.
Director Zheng hurriedly tried to console him, "No one took your table-slamming to heart; everyone understands how you feel."
Shi Haoran shook his head, "But I know my emotions have been out of control. Besides, as the leaders know about Xin Zhen’s situation, she’s at a dangerous point where she could utterly break down at any moment, and she needs someone to take care of her. So I think I should take leave to go back and take care of Xin Zhen."
Citing his wife’s reasons, Director Zheng couldn’t continue to block him. Everyone was aware of Xu Xinzhen’s situation and understood Shi Haoran had no other choice.
After securing his leave, Shi Haoran went to the conference room to bow to his colleagues in the task force, first to thank them for their work and secondly to entrust them with his daughter’s safety.
Qi Xiuqi personally saw him off, but Shi Haoran released Qi Xiuqi’s hand and patted his shoulder, saying, "Xiaoqi, you must find Nian Nian. Remember, whatever happens, Nian Nian’s safety is of utmost importance." 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶
Qi Xiuqi found the words strange, but he couldn’t quite grasp their meaning at the moment; all he could do was stand by the window, watching his teacher leave.
The legendary detective of Yun City, now hunched over, walked further and further away in his line of sight, growing smaller and smaller.
For some reason, Qi Xiuqi suddenly felt like crying.
Little did he know, this glance was his final farewell to his teacher.
.
Shi Haoran returned home and began to plan meticulously.
He needed an assistant, and so he thought of Xiang Yuan.
All of Shi Haoran’s previous apprentices were police officers, each busy with assignments he couldn’t interrupt. Xiang Yuan was the only one whose schedule was free to help.
He called Xiang Yuan’s cell phone but couldn’t get through.
Only then did he realize something was amiss.
He hurriedly contacted people who knew Xiang Yuan within the country, asking if they had been in touch in recent days. The result was that Xiang Yuan’s phone had been unreachable for several days.
He then called Lu Zhao, Xiang Yuan’s partner in M Country, only to get the same answer. Lu Zhao also mentioned he had wanted to contact Shi Haoran to inquire about Xiang Yuan’s situation, but at that time, even Shi Haoran’s phone was unreachable.
The shadow over Shi Haoran’s heart grew larger, and after much hesitation, he used his connections in the police department to find Xiang Jingsheng and contacted him.
During the call, there was a subtle tension in both their moods.
Even though Xu Xinzhen hadn’t actually developed feelings for Xiang Jingsheng, his pursuit of her during their university days was well-known. Despite Shi Haoran not having actively investigated back then, his professional instincts as a police officer had inadvertently gathered a lot of information.
Both men restrained their emotions, discussing only Xiang Yuan. It was then that they realized Xiang Yuan was truly missing, and coincidentally had lost contact on the very same day Shi Nian disappeared!
Both fathers were deeply shocked; Xiang Jingsheng immediately expressed that he would quickly arrange his affairs in M Country and come over as soon as possible.
Shi Haoran hung up the phone and immediately began checking the information prior to Xiang Yuan’s disappearance.
Fortunately, being used to using credit cards for transactions, Xiang Yuan’s last credit card statements were his disappearance’s parting clues, including purchases at the Swarovski counter for a crystal swan necklace and at Yunding Coffee House for premium Blue Mountain coffee.
Shi Haoran went directly to these two businesses to inquire. The crystal counter didn’t have much information, only that the store clerk mentioned the necklace was suitable for young girls; Shi Haoran then proceeded to Yunding Coffee House.
The coffee house was located on the top floor of the tallest mall in the business district. Given Xiang Yuan’s distinctive presence and outstanding appearance, the staff recalled where he sat that day.
Shi Haoran walked over and sat at Xiang Yuan’s seat. With a tilt of his head, he saw the street below from the floor-to-ceiling window. It was a place he would never forget, where his daughter was abducted!
Startled, he quickly stood to check the checkout time and the time Xiang Yuan left.
The clerk vaguely remembered that something happened below that day, someone was taken, and a mother was crying her heart out down there. All staff and guests gathered in front of the window to look, and that guest also saw... and then left in a hurry.
Shi Haoran covered his mouth and coughed dryly.
Sure enough.
Xiang Yuan also went missing, he went to save Nian Nian.
Shi Haoran left Yunding Coffee, took a cab, and set off along the route deduced from that day’s events. Along the way, he simulated the mindsets of the suspect, his daughter, and Xiang Yuan.
He recalled the complex feelings when he first accepted Xiang Yuan as an apprentice: he was a policeman, and he certainly knew that Xiang Yuan’s father was indeed Xiang Jingsheng. But since Xiang Yuan and his wife seemed unaware of those past affairs, he avoided mentioning them as well.
