Forensic Forensic - Chapter 15

Chapter 15

“Is this what you call ‘the fridge has everything’?”

Opening the refrigerator door, Luo Jianan looked like he’d stepped in dog sh1t. Just when he’d mentioned buying dinner, Qi Ming had said the refrigerator had everything—yes, a refrigerator full of mangoes, lemons, apples, bananas, avocados, and cherries could open a fruit shop, but where’s the meat? Where’s the vegetables?

Qi Ming was chewing on an apple when he heard Luo Jianan complaining. After a moment’s thought, he said, “If you can’t get enough fruit, there are carrots, cucumbers, and potatoes in the fresh-keeping drawer.”

“Do you take me for a rabbit?” Luo Jianan slammed the refrigerator door shut, then turned and lectured Qi Ming. “Men have to eat meat. Look how skinny you are, and then look at these muscles.” He flexed his forearms, showing off his biceps jutting from his short-sleeved T-shirt. He was even considering showing off his eight-pack abs and full chest muscles, but that seemed a bit too stimulating. Suddenly, he remembered seeing Qi Ming in the hotel earlier, clad only in a bath towel—his muscles were well-defined, his body fat percentage was very low—and felt strangely awkward.

“From a nutritional point of view, humans can survive on a single potato a day. Have you seen The Martian?” Qi Ming took a disdainful bite of his apple. He had seen some incredibly thick arms in the United States. Even Luo Jianan’s would be nothing more than a spare rib in the gym. Of course, it was a racial issue, but he wasn’t about to discuss genetics with Luo Jianan.

“I don’t have time to go to the cinema,” Luo Jianan said, pulling out his phone. “What’s your exact address?”

“What for?”

“Takeout.”

“Haven’t you had enough of the boxed lunches at the bureau?”

“You don’t have much here, but I need ingredients to cook!”

“There’s a supermarket downstairs, Yuanchu Foods.”

“…”

Seeing Luo Jianan’s eyes wander elsewhere, Qi Ming nodded thoughtfully. “You, can’t cook?”

“A gentleman stays away from the kitchen.” Luo Jianan’s neck stiffened.

“Don’t make excuses. Ninety percent of chefs are men.” Qi Ming waved his hand and stood up. “Come on, downstairs, I’ll get you some meat.”

Luo Jianan took off his coat from behind the door—Qi Ming had looked down on him the moment he entered, irritated by his throwing his coat on the sofa. Alas, when you live under someone else’s roof, you have to obey your master. The master, who usually came home barefoot, was walking around the house in slippers for the first time.

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The supermarket wasn’t big, but it had a lot of stuff. Luo Jianan scanned the shelves, finding nothing but imported food. He watched Qi Ming standing in the fresh produce counter, earnestly comparing two steaks from different manufacturers, and suddenly felt like he was shopping with his mother. He walked over and casually smoothed Qi Ming’s ponytail back, saying nonchalantly, “Hey, as long as it’s still within the expiration date, it’s fine. No need for all that autopsy analysis—”

“Pah!” Qi Ming immediately slapped Luo Jianan’s hand away with the steak in his hand, his cold gaze piercing Luo Jianan’s eyes through his glasses. Luo Jianan’s hand froze in mid-air, and he froze, bewildered. He hadn’t expected Qi Ming’s reaction to be so strong. It was just a braid, wasn’t it? Who didn’t pull the braids of the girl in the front row for fun back in school? Even a girl wouldn’t mind so much, right?

Qi Ming realized he’d overreacted. His eyes flickered back to the steak, and he uttered, as if speaking to the air, “Don’t be so boring.” Even Luo Jianan, whose heart was as vast as the ozone hole, could sense the immense awkwardness between them. His raised hand felt the chill of the fresh food counter slowly seep through his skin, giving him a slight chill.

“Um…” Placing his hand on his neck to warm it, Luo Jianan made small talk. “Your shampoo smells quite nice.”

Qi Ming’s facial muscles visibly tensed. “Any dietary restrictions?” He changed the subject, not wanting to dwell on his hair, even though he hated having his braids pulled.

Seeing Qi Ming didn’t mind, Luo Jianan breathed a sigh of relief and said, “Anything except human flesh.”

“The amount of human cells a person consumes in a day is the size of a thumbnail.” Qi Ming handed him the steak he had chosen. “Go and check out.”

Revenge, pure revenge. Luo Jianan wasn’t referring to who was paying the bill, but rather to Qi Ming’s use of his professional knowledge to disgust him. It’s quite remarkable that these forensic doctors could still eat right after touching a corpse. Their words could make you nauseous. Don’t mess with them.

After paying the bill, Luo Jianan suddenly realized, “Just one piece? You’re not eating?”

“I don’t usually eat meat for dinner,” Qi Ming turned to him. “Besides, haven’t you heard the saying ‘You’re a man who eats, so you’re always grateful’? As my roommate, you’d better be quiet.”

Luo Jianan thought it might be an illusion; he thought he’d just seen a warning flash of light on Qi Ming’s glasses.

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Perhaps it was Qi Ming’s cooking skills, or perhaps it was the quality of his steak. After finishing the last piece of meat on his plate, Luo Jianan began to rack his brains for words to express his gratitude. However, before he could finish his 200-word microfilmed paper, he saw Qi Ming walking towards the door in a tracksuit, glasses off.

“What are you doing?”

“Night run.”

“Oh, be careful.”

Qi Ming glanced back at him and asked, “After eating so much meat, aren’t you going to exercise?”

“I’ll go for a morning run if I have time.” Luo Jianan picked up the dishes and headed for the sink. “By the way, when you come back, remember to bring me a razor. I forgot to buy one.”

“There’s a new one in the bathroom cabinet. Find it yourself.”

Seeing Qi Ming open the door, Luo Jianan said awkwardly, “Thank you for dinner, and for letting me stay.”

Qi Ming didn’t say anything, just nodded to acknowledge his gratitude and walked out. After Luo Jianan finished washing the dishes, he turned on the TV, put on a random movie as background music, and do push-ups on the living room floor. Since joining the Serious Crime Unit, personal time has become extremely precious. He no longer has time to go to the gym, and other strength training, aside from morning runs, he usually does at home. Being a police officer is exhausting; you have to think fast and be physically fit. But the sense of satisfaction after successfully solving a case is priceless.

Sometimes, Luo Jianan feels like he has police genes running through his veins. Both his grandfather and father were police officers. Luo Weidong originally hoped he’d become a lawyer or judge, but the rebellious Luo Jianan enrolled in the police academy. When his father came home and saw his son had received his acceptance letter, he was so angry he didn’t speak to him for a week. But the old man supported his grandson’s choice, so his father didn’t force him to repeat his studies or take the exam. Luo Jianan still vividly remembers the words his grandfather said as he walked him through the police academy gates on his first day of school:

“Jianan, from today on, you’re a police officer. Remember, this profession is your commitment to society. It means sacrifice and dedication. No matter what happens, you must never let your badge be tarnished.”

At the time, Luo Jianan thought being a police officer was cool, but after hearing professors with long experience recounting those dusty case files, the fresh-faced, enthusiastic police academy students were completely dampened by reality. Many of the six-foot-tall young men were nauseated by the photos of the scene. Only then did Luo Jianan understand why his grandfather and father never mentioned their work after returning home.

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After sweating profusely, a hot shower was incredibly refreshing. Luo Jianan hummed a tune as he shaved in the mirror. Qi Ming was using a brand of razor he had never seen in supermarkets. The instructions were all in English, and it looked like it had been brought from abroad. Just as he finished shaving, he heard the sound of a door opening and closing outside. Coming out of the bathroom, Luo Jianan wiped his head and raised his chin towards Qi Ming.

“Back so soon?”

“Ah, just a little exercise—Luo Jianan! Didn’t I ever tell you to wear clothes in my house?” Although everything was blurry without his glasses, Qi Ming could still see Luo Jianan wandering around the house shirtless.

“I’m… wrapped in a towel…” Luo Jianan even glanced down to make sure he was still naked.

Putting on his glasses, Qi Ming was about to reiterate the “cohabitation rules” when his eyes were suddenly drawn to the old scars on Luo Jianan’s body. Last time, he’d only glanced at them, but this time, they were crystal clear. Scars, judging by the raised scar tissue, some must have been deep enough to reveal the bone.

“What’s with these injuries?” Qi Ming asked.

“It happened when I was undercover. The deepest cut is here.” Luo Jianan casually pointed behind his ear. “It almost cut my ear off. Damn, it’s so disfigured that my mom would cry.”

He turned and showed Qi Ming more scars on his back. Qi Ming walked over, ran his hand over a rough-stitched scar, and asked, “The doctor who stitched you up was a veterinarian, right?”

“Professional. You’re a veterinarian from a pet store.” Luo Jianan smiled disapprovingly. “Hey, hey, don’t touch me. It’s itchy.”

Pulling his hand back, Qi Ming lowered his eyes. “Was it worth it?” he asked.

Luo Jianan blurted out without thinking, “It’s not worth it. If I fail the mission, I’ll be embarrassing my dad and grandpa.”

Qi Ming was silent for a moment, untied the rubber band holding his hair in his braid, and pulled aside a lock of hair. “I grew my hair long to hide this scar,” he said. “It’s from a serial killer. The police couldn’t catch him, so they put me in witness protection. I lived under a false identity for a year, then decided to return home before I got depressed.”

Although Luo Jianan didn’t know much about anatomy, he had seen autopsies before. He felt that the scar resembled the spot where the medical examiner had incised the head during an autopsy. This made him sympathize with Qi Ming and feel a bit sorry for him. Just as he was about to ask more about the incident, his phone, which was charging on the table, suddenly rang. He grabbed the phone and raised his index finger at Qi Ming: “Don’t be depressed! I’ll definitely catch that bastard for you someday.”

Although he felt deeply disdainful of Luo Jianan’s brazenness, Qi Ming couldn’t help but curl his lips.

“Hello? Boss, I’m just about to go to bed… Where? Renhe Hospital? Okay, I’ll be right there.” After hanging up the phone, Luo Jianan said to Qi Ming, “I was working overtime tonight. A head nurse at Renhe Hospital was found dead in her office.”