My Dearest General: It Has Always Been You

Jin Renguang chuckled as he raised one of his brows. Seeing his subordinates' dumbfounded faces, he finally got some conscience and explained. "The reason I released this news and let it ferment is only one: to gauge the government's reaction. Throughout the year we have been chasing the serial killer, which kind of rumors hadn't spread before? Which kind of condemnation we haven't received before?"

Xu Binchen blinked in realization. That was true. They hadn't succeeded in catching the suspect for more than a year. The netizens had spat themselves dry due to cursing them for their slow efficiency. They had received all kinds of blackmail before from the simplest animal corpses gift sent to the police station to the petition to change the SCI unit's members.

Yet all those times, the government had never reacted.

The SCI unit could still stand strong until now, wasn't it because there was support from the government? Now, Jin Renguang had just released a little news, subtly informing the citizens that there's something wrong with the police. Due to it, the police and the serial killer had been tied in one boat.

This was an occasion that was unheard before. Because of it, the government couldn't escape either. One more thing that was worth pondering about was: even though Weib8's hot topic had been strictly regulated by the police, the post could still go booming and unknowingly sent itself to the government's door and thus, came the pressure on Jin Renguang's head.

What did this series of things mean? Everything became crystal clear in Xu Binchen's mind.

Why did the government give any reaction now?

Why did they give Jin Renguang pressure because of this?

"They surely have a guilty conscience." Jin Renguang's lips curled up with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "They are starting to get anxious. It's good. I can finally direct how we will conduct our investigation in the future."

Surely, the government had something to do with the serial killer's first victim. Jin Renguang was adamant to dig all of it up because he was sure that it would definitely contain something crucial that would lead them to the serial killer's identity.

After their secret meeting in Jin Renguang's office two weeks ago, they had been brainstorming as to how to start the investigation. The other side was people with higher authority and much bigger scope of network. Having to fish them out wasn't easy.

So, they came up with a plan; to use the pressure of public opinion.

Members in government relied on their good reputation among citizens to flourish. The best strategy against them was to use their Achilles Heel, forcing them to act and show their tail. Finally, the team's hard work succeeded.

Alas, it also didn't come without risk. This big move was only known to a few of them. Even Ke Shao and Xu Binchen weren't so clear about it. Jin Renguang only discussed it with Ru Meiqi and his old superior, Director Fen of City S Police Bureau. The three of them formed good cahoots, throwing out baits and waiting for the fish to come out and enter the trap.

Xu Binchen frowned. "So, the reason why you ask me to find a replacement similar to Butterfly and place her in the hospital is because of this?"

"Bingo." Jin Renguang snapped his fingers. "The government has moved. I also want to test whether the culprit will react or not. But I guess he is more slippery than we thought. Knowing that we have caught onto something about him, he chickened out and disappeared."

Seeing Xu Binchen's heavy frown, Jin Renguang chuckled meaningfully. "Don't worry. I will not risk people's lives in this operation. Butterfly will be safe and sound."

Xu Binchen received his teasing calmly without any change in his expression. "So, what should we do next, Captain?"

***

Ru Meiqi's car stopped in front of the suburban apartment that was older than her own age. The air was quite good and there was a market and convenience store nearby, but the environment…she looked up at the dark and narrow hallway that led to the stairs then at the winding alleys around the apartment.

Old buildings were like this. They retained their traditional style; wooden gates, brick floor, red lanterns, small and narrow houses whose paint was almost peeled off, streets only wide enough for two people to pass through and would definitely give passerby the impression of a maze. It was very suitable for people who were tight on budget and who really liked the historic feel it gave off.

But it couldn't be the same with the people.

Even as Ru Meiqi drove in, she had spotted three groups of gangsters that leered at the slick, black sedan with greed and curiosity in their eyes. Such a place would be suitable for retired, immigrants or busily working people, but it wouldn't be good for youths, especially a student like Shi Nian.

Of course, Ru Meiqi couldn't bring this up directly in front of Qiang Fei.

She followed the mother and daughter pair to the apartment building. The wall was covered with advertisements that were both old and new, spanning from the missing notice of a dog to the herbal treatment for AIDS that was 100% guaranteed.

"Slowly, slowly…" Qiang Fei hovered around Shi Nian nervously. "Look at the stairs properly. Don't trip."

Shi Nian turned to her mother, half exasperated and half amused. She was as fit as a paddle already but Qiang Fei still treated her the same as a chronically ill patient. She still remembered when they first met again. Upon seeing Shi Nian, Qiang Fei instantly burst into tears and wailed loudly in the hospital hallway, scaring the nurses to death thinking that there's another emergency situation.

She hugged the thin woman's shoulder, her eyes reddened. Qiang Fei's familiar smell entered her nose and suddenly, nostalgia spread through her. Qiang Fei pulled away and scrutinized her from top to bottom as if wanting to see whether she had grown two heads.

"Are you okay, baby? You have worked hard…you have worked really hard. Thank you for staying alive for mama."

Shi Nian's nose turned sour. She clearly hadn't recalled the details of the three months imprisonment with the serial killer. But upon seeing Qiang Fei's swollen eyes and the woman's face that looked much older than the one in her memory, an inexplicable grievance flooded her chest and she too, burst into tears.

The first meeting between mother and daughter after Shi Nian regained the memory of her past life turned out to be crying and hugging each other for almost an hour on the hospital hallway where people could pass by freely.

If it wasn't for Nurse Zhang who hardened her heart and interrupted them, maybe they could have cried longer than that.

Even until now, Shi Nian still felt confused as to where she got that much tears to spill.

"Hey," Qiang Fei waved her hand worriedly in front of her face. "Niannian, why are you zoning out? Is there somewhere uncomfortable?" Then, she started to scan her body up and down like laser light.

Shi Nian giggled and shook her head. Entwining their arms together, she pulled Qiang Fei up until they climbed to the third floor. Their neighbor, Auntie Su, coincidentally opened the door and caught sight of them. Pleasantly surprised, she exclaimed. "Aiyah, I haven't seen you for so long! I thought you had moved away! Where have you been?"

She looked at the luggage bag in Qiang Fei's hands and speculated. "Returned from a trip?"

Qiang Fei laughed heartily. "That's right. How are you, Sister Su? You have gotten much more beautiful now that I haven't seen you for months."

"You flatter me." Auntie Su waved her hand bashfully. But it was truly rainbow farts coming from Qiang Fei. Compared to the elite businesswoman's aura that radiated from Qiang Fei's body, Auntie Su was your standard vegetable auntie; wearing long daster, sandals, had her hair tied in a bun, flabby body with face dotted with black spots.

Auntie Su's eyes turned to Shi Nian and she beamed brightly. "I haven't seen Shi Nian for long and she has grown so much! You have become more and more beautiful like your mother!"

Shi Nian couldn't talk and her board was still in her luggage bag so she just gave a smile. Fortunately, Auntie Su didn't find anything strange as she moved to another topic. "Is your school okay?"

"Oh, that's fine." Qiang Fei answered. "I have called the school to ask for leave in advance."

"Is that so?" Auntie Su rubbed her chin and sighed in relief. "It's good then. I forget the exact date, but there's one day when I cooked too much and wanted to share it with Shi Nian. I opened the door to find someone standing in front of your house. It seems like they are trying to find you. Is that your classmate, Shi Nian? You have made them worried ah."

Shi Nian's smile froze. Even though her memory of the accident was blurry, Shi Nian could recall other things just fine. She remembered perfectly that she didn't have any close friends, especially a classmate that would come all the way here to find her.

Before she could try to ask, a soft and firm voice came behind her. "A classmate? Then, it's important to say your thanks. May I ask Auntie Su to describe that person's appearance to me?"

Auntie Su craned her neck to see a woman standing behind the mother and daughter pair since God-knows-when. Confusion filled her face. "You are…"

Ru Meiqi stepped forward and smiled as she slung her arms around Shi Nian's shoulder. "Hello, Auntie Su. Nice to meet you.. My name is Ru Meiqi and I am Shi Nian's distant cousin."