Cherish You as My Life - Chapter 18.3

Chapter 18.3

Because Qiao Jiang’s murder case involved a cross-border killer and had a few breakthrough points, it couldn’t be resolved in a day or two.

As the first step, Ji Yao called Qian Jiang’s mother to the City Bureau to question her. 

Nothing strange or connected to May 6th was discovered in relation to Qiao Jiang from the moment he began wearing crotchless trousers and changed his diaper to the period just before his death.

In an attempt to make a connection, Ji Yao even looked through the murders Liu Qiangshan had committed, but he found nothing at all. Ji Yao flipped through the casebook while leaning back in his chair and placing his legs on the desk.

It was the time to go home, so Ji Yao went downstairs and waited for Han Xi. 

When he saw her coming, he grinned and said, “The most romantic thing I can think of is to go home with you after work.”

“I’m afraid it will not happen. We don’t live in the same direction,” Han Xi replied. 

Ji Yao soon smiled as he lifted the corners of his mouth.

When they arrived at the gate, Han Xi walked toward the subway entrance, and Ji Yao went in the opposite direction.

Recently, Han Xi was quite busy moving houses. She had already signed the contract with the previous landlord, and she waited until the weekend to contact the moving company.

The previous owner had decorated the house as a wedding house for her daughter, but Han Xi didn’t like such lavish decorations. However, she had already spent almost all of her money buying the house, so she had no money to renovate.

The moving company guy joked that the house could be used directly for marriage. 

Han Xi smiled and said nothing. She had never thought about getting married.

Establishing an intimate relationship was not difficult, but enduring the potential for abandonment and betrayal that would come with it was a challenge.

The children in the orphanage were all abandoned by their biological parents, some because they were girls and some because of physical disabilities or illness.

Even Luo Haiyao, who was later taken back by his biological parents, did not receive the large Shenghe Pharmaceutical from his parents before they died. Everything now was achieved by himself, and he was fighting with his uncle for control of the Luo Family.

 ****

Luo Haiyao was seated in the office on the eighteenth floor.

His secretary entered the office with a food box. 

After tasting a few bites, Luo Haiyao said, “Order a portion of this sweet and sour fish for Xiao Xi.” Then he commanded, “Go deliver it yourself.”

He didn’t trust the restaurant’s delivery boy.

The secretary proceeded to do it right away. She took someone with her and waited downstairs at Han Xi’s house without going up.

The secretary’s figure and dress were similar to Han Xi’s. Even the colours of her clothes were mostly black, white, and grey. From the back, she looked like Han Xi.

She knew very well that she was a substitute, and the one upstairs was the real thing and the ultimate one.

She knew that her boss cherished the person upstairs, and if she wanted stars and the moon, he would go through any hardship to fulfil her wish.

**** 

Ji Yao was standing on the balcony gazing up at the stars when he took a quick peek at the balcony next to him. Even though he was aware that she hadn’t moved in yet, he continued to act.

“What are you talking about? You want the stars in the sky.”

“I’m sorry, I won’t pick them for you.”

“Because you already have them. Han Xi, you have stars in your eyes.”

Ji Yao was struck by his own words. He was amused by his words filled with earthly love. As he was in his own dream world, he felt something was rubbing against his feet. It was the little dog he picked up from behind the mailbox in front of the barbecue stall.

Ji Yao looked down at the dog and thought about what to name it.

He took a photo of the dog and posted it in the group.

[City Bureau Yi Zhihua: Please give it a name.]

[Zhou Meili is Zhou Li: I think it’s quite fat, so let’s call it Qiuqiu.]

[Don’t call me Jingjing: You have a dog. Don’t you say you hate pets the most?]

[City Bureau Yi Zhihua: I never said that.]

As proof, Zhao Jingjing forwarded a screenshot of the conversation log. That was half a year ago.

The ID was Ji Yao’s WeChat ID.

[City Bureau Yi Zhihua: I don’t want to keep pets; I just want to get married.]

[City Bureau Yi Zhihua: Jingjing, will you lose money if you don’t do this?]

[Don’t call me Jingjing: Don’t call me Jingjing!]

[Xiangzi☆Feng Da Da: Why don’t you call it Fenfen? It’s so cute.]

[Yangchun Noodles don’t like noodles: Just call him Ergouzi. It’s a nickname that depends on the owner. Good to feed.]

[City Bureau Yi Zhihua: Let’s have afternoon tea with everyone in this group tomorrow, except @Yangchun Noodles don’t like noodles.]

[Xiao Kuan: Captain Yang, I’m also here.]

[City Bureau Yi Zhihua: Who is this kid?]

[Yangchun Noodles don’t like noodles: The new guy on our anti-drug side.] 

[City Bureau Yi Zhihua: Let’s invite everyone to have afternoon tea tomorrow, except @Yangchun Noodles don’t like noodles, @Xiao Kuan.]

[Xiao Zhu: Ashe. ]

[Zhou Meili is Zhou Li: Oh my god.jpg.]

[Xiangzi☆Pink Da Da: Cute.jpg. ]

[Xiao Yao: Master!]

[City Bureau Yi Zhihua: Xiao Zhu, you are really my daughter.]

[Xiao Zhu: Dad, your daughter is not greedy. She only wants 0.1% of Ji’s shares, and she promises not to compete with other brothers and sisters for family property. ]

[Yangchun Noodles don’t like noodles: My English is not good, can someone translate it? Ashe, what a ground-breaking and good dog name this is.]

[Zhou Meili is Zhou Li: Hush!]

[Don’t call me Jingjing: Just work together to bully others.]

With an affectionate grin, Ji Yao lifted his hand and gave the dog a head stroke, saying, “From now on, you will be called Ashe.”

****

Han Xi came out of the shower and took a look at the group chat history on her phone. She clicked on the picture of a dog and recognised it was the puppy from that day. 

Because it stole skewers from the barbecue stall, it was beaten on the leg by the boss. ‘It seems to have healed, and its body is very clean.’

She didn’t expect that he would take this stray dog back and take care of it very well.

“Ashe… Cherish… The meaning should be to take good care of it and cherish it. This is indeed a good name.”

End of chapter 18.3