Cherish You as My Life - Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The setting sun spread through the gaps in the thick clouds, dyeing half of the sky red.

 “Miss…Miss Han.”

Han Xi was walking home under the sunset, and when she was about to go upstairs, she heard someone calling her.

“I made some cookies for you,” the woman said, while handing Han Xi a beautiful little box.

This woman, Xiao Yu, lived in the same community, and some days ago, she was bitten by a stray dog while she was giving it some food.

Han Xi helped to treat the wound right away.

Xiao Yu never forgot her kindness, and often sent treats as a way of saying thank you.

Taking the box, Han Xi thanked her. The corners of her slightly curved mouth seemed to be lifted up by an invisible thread, giving her an unreal feeling.

Xiao Yu was happy and had a smile on her face. ‘This Miss Han has been living here for over six months. She has always been alone, and she has never been close to anyone. She doesn’t show any excitement; it’s like she doesn’t want to be part of this world. But those eyes are as deep and clear as a clear spring, and they show a lot of feeling.’

Han Xi went home and put the cookie box on the table; then cleaned her hands with lemon-scented hand sanitiser, turned on the lights in every room, and made a cup of lemon tea.

Nobody was home. Her adoptive parents died when she was in high school. Ever since then, she has been living by herself.

Even though she lived alone, she didn’t feel lonely, and she enjoyed being by herself when she was not working.

Han Xi looked at her phone and saw a message from her  professor.

[Han Xi, the old dean of the Sixth Hospital is still talking to me about you. Their hospital is short on talent. Are you willing to go?]

Han Xi quickly replied. [Thank you, teacher. But I want to be a forensic doctor.]

Seeing the reply, the professor felt sad that this smart student hadn’t become a successful doctor.

The job of a doctor was reliable, but forensic doctors had to work with a lot of dead bodies every day. They had to go to the scene with a heavy toolbox and run around with the police, day or night.

However, Han Xi thought it was easier to handle dead people than living ones. Living people could be sneaky, dishonest, mean and harmful, but a dead body always told the truth.

She had been working as a forensic examiner for the past two years since finishing college. She did a great job, so she was moved to the City Bureau.

 *****

Monday morning at 8:30, at the City Bureau Building.

Ji Yao walked slowly into the criminal investigation office, holding a half-finished banana milk carton.

“Good morning, boss,” said Policewoman Zhou Li as she ate her lotus seed bread. “You look very attractive—I mean, handsome. Are you going on a blind date?”

Today, Ji Yao, leader of the First Criminal Investigation Team, was wearing a light purple shirt with dark designs on it. He had on a carefully tied tie and a long black coat. He wore shiny Italian leather shoes.

Ji Yao sat on the desk, drinking milk and feeling helpless as he said, “The old lady at home is urging me.”

His mother was afraid that one day he would have an accident while performing his mission, and his family’s billions of assets would be left alone.

“If you don’t go on a blind date, you will have to quit your job and go back home to take over the family property.” This was what his mother was saying.

But he wanted to be a policeman and was ready to work as one for the rest of his life.

Zhou Li talked excitedly, “Boss, who are you dating today? Is it a famous person or someone from our police department?” Then she covered her mouth and laughed secretly.

Actually, every young woman who worked at the City Bureau, including Zhou Li, had been set up on a blind date with the captain of the Criminal Investigation Team. The organisation made the arrangements for these dates.

Zhou Li laughed as she opened a bag of potato chips and said, “I heard a female forensic doctor is coming today. Boss, be prepared. I think the organisation will arrange a blind date with that doctor too.”

Right then, the secretary’s assistant came in, knocked on the door, and said with a smile, “Director Cai from the Discipline Bureau wants to see you.”

When Ji Yao saw the man’s sympathetic smile and a hint of satisfaction in his misfortune, he knew that something was not right.

He threw the empty banana milk box into the trash can in the corner with a playful and stylish toss. He then took a small mirror with a broken corner from the table, looked at it, and went to the boss’s office on the top floor. 

Director Cai threw some papers at Ji Yao. “Look at all the good things you have done; people have complained to the municipal committee!”

The loud, angry voice could be heard all over the City Bureau Building. Coworkers walking by might not have been shocked if they had heard it. It would be odd if someone didn’t get scolded by Director Cai every day.

Ji Yao picked up the papers on the floor, looked at them quickly, and said, “This person complained about our City Bureau’s poor service attitude and violent law enforcement. Tsk, that grandson; I know he is not a good bird.”

The case had been closed, and the deceased did commit suicide. Although Ji Yao usually seemed a bit careless, when it came to work issues, he was always serious and rigorous. Moreover, he possessed a very rare chivalrous spirit and was able to strike a good balance between work discipline and right and wrong. He paused and then said, “My voice was a little loud during the interrogation, and I didn’t even touch him. If you don’t believe me, watch the surveillance.”

Ji Yao sorted out several documents and placed them on Director Cai’s desk. “There were bruises of varying degrees on the body of the deceased, varying in depth. The neighbour’s confession also confirmed that the deceased had been subjected to domestic violence frequently in the past six months. She had just passed away, and before the body had even cooled, the husband started asking for compensation from the insurance company. What a scumbag!” Last Wednesday evening, a woman jumped from the roof of her residential complex and died on the spot. The husband of the deceased was called in for questioning, and Ji Yao interrogated him.

Director Cai didn’t understand at first, but after a moment, he got angry and raised his cup as if to smash it. “Be more serious.” But then he put the cup down and said, “Forget it; just pretend I didn’t say anything.”

Director Cai had known Ji Yao since he was young, and even though he was Ji Yao’s boss, he was also like a family member. He always felt anxious about this young man’s life-long relationship.

After talking about work and scolding people, Director Cai changed the topic. “Old Xing officially retired last Friday. Today, a new forensic doctor will arrive. She is young, and I will make arrangements for you next month, depending on the situation.”

Director Cai raised his eyebrows and raised his voice a little higher. “Your father called yesterday and asked me to be strict with you. If you make any mistakes at work, you will be dealt with severely. It is best to be fired. So don’t cause trouble for me.”

Ji Yao sat down on the swivel chair, kicked off one foot, and spun around twice. “Green tea and red dates, Director Cai, you are so exquisite.”

Director Cai pinched two red dates, put them into the teacup, and stirred them. Then he suddenly looked at the door, gasped a bit, and said, “You can go now.”

Seeing the director’s sudden change of attitude, Ji Yao looked up and saw an elegant figure at the door.

Han Xi stood outside the director’s office and heard the people talking inside. Her face and her mood didn’t change, as if she was not the one being talked about just now.

Ji Yao stood up, looked at the door, and said, “That’s the best.” Ji Yao pinched his chin, lost in thought, and then explained the results of his thinking very bluntly. “Blind dates are boring… but…forensic doctor, uniform, I think it will work.”

The lady had on a plain white coat, with no extra accessories on her body. Her long hair was in a ponytail, and it fell onto her shoulders.

‘Thick, shiny lips look like they have lip gloss on them, making them look delicious like strawberry candy wanting to be licked.’ Thinking that Ji Yao raised his hand and greeted her with a serious and friendly smile. “Hello, friend. Welcome to the Nanquan Municipal Bureau.”

‘If I hadn’t just heard the conversation about blind dates, I would have been easily fooled by such a bright and upright smile.’ Han Xi looked at the hand reaching out from the other side. Because of her job, she was very sensitive to seeing a white drop-shaped stain on his mouth. ‘It should be milk, but it could also be other liquids of unknown composition.’ Being slightly mysophobic, she nodded in agreement.

Ji Yao shook his hand, raised the corner of his lips, and smiled. “Why don’t you give me  face?” A pair of peach blossom eyes narrowed slightly, but the corners of his eyes seemed to fly up, tearing away the seriousness he had just pretended.

Han Xi did not speak. This man’s actions and words were way above what she thought normal people could do.

Ji Yao pulled back his hand and half-smiled, saying, “Okay, we’re connected now. I’ll lead the group later.”

Director Cai finally couldn’t bear it anymore and shouted, “Rebellion!”

Ji Yao smiled. “Oh! Why do you say that?”

Han Xi stared at the man who was standing in front of her like an airtight wall. And suddenly, she was caught off guard and was almost sucked in by those deep eyes.

He curled his lips and spoke in a voice that only two people could hear. “There are stars in my eyes; do you want to pick them?”

This sentence was like a magic spell. And she actually saw the starry sky in those eyes.

‘He is very good at leading people and should be a master of negotiation and interrogation.’ Han Xi came back to her senses, kept her face calm, staggered past him lightly, slipped into the director’s office, and closed the door.

After Han Xi reported her arrival to Director Cai, she caught a glimpse of a photo in a transparent document bag on the corner of the table.

In the photo, the woman was lying on the cold cement floor, with dark red blood flowing all over the floor. Her face was blue and grey, highlighted by the dark brown beauty mark on the corner of her lips, which gave her a desolate and strange beauty.

The woman holding the biscuit box and her smile which was brighter than the sunset suddenly flashed in front of Han Xi’s eyes.

‘But how could such a person commit suicide?’

 End of chapter 1