UCS Chapter 121.2

At the entrance, Gao Gusheng stood with the squirrel on his shoulder and apologised to Xiao Yusheng. “I am very sorry for causing Student Xiao so much trouble. I will come by another time to thank you properly.”

Xiao Yusheng smiled. “Student Gao, there is no need to be so formal.”

A thought came to Gao Gusheng. “I find Edward very appealing. If I have time in the future, would it be alright for me to come and visit him?”

Xiao Yusheng blinked and said with a smile, “Of course. It is Edward’s honour to have caught your eye.”

“If I were so fortunate as to have you willing to act in my films, that would be even better.”

…

The three of them walked in the direction of the Master’s home. Wu Qin was the first to speak. “Young Gao, stay away from that Xiao Yusheng. He is not a good person.”

His expression was grave, nothing like the animated conversationalist from the sitting room moments ago. “That man disguises himself very well. You are young. Do not let yourself be taken in.”

Sun Jun said, “He is right, Xiaosheng. Why did you just say you wanted to go back and visit that golden retriever?”

Sun Jun’s face was full of disapproval.

Gao Gusheng opened his phone as he spoke. “I think that golden retriever is being mistreated by Xiao Yusheng.”

“And look at this,” he said, pulling up one of Xiao Yusheng’s older paintings: Edward chasing a butterfly through the rose garden. “Edward should be three years old by now and fully grown. But the golden retriever today was much larger than the one in the garden painting.”

An ordinary golden retriever typically stands between one point two and one point six five metres. The one in the painting appeared to be around one point three, while the one today had been a full one point eight.

Sun Jun hesitated. “Are you saying that dog was not Edward?”

“Xiao Yusheng is not a realist painter. Perhaps this is simply how he imagined Edward to look?”

Gao Gusheng shook his head. “No, look at this one. The fur colour is slightly darker than in the earlier painting.”

Sun Jun pondered. “Could that be because this one was painted at dusk and that one at dawn?”

Wu Qin shook his head. “At dusk the colouring should be darker still. Someone as particular about paint as Xiao Yusheng would never make that kind of error.”

So the Edward that had reportedly been with Xiao Yusheng for five years was in fact more than one dog?

Gao Gusheng tightened his grip on his phone, his expression shifting slightly.

There was one more thing he could not share with them due to confidentiality.

The moment he had sent his message to Gao Shi, Gao Shi had immediately warned him to be careful around Xiao Yusheng.

Because among the criminal profile portraits, one bore a resemblance to Xiao Yusheng.

The instant he saw Gao Shi’s warning, Gao Gusheng had made up his mind: the person who had taken Zhou You was Xiao Yusheng.

Thinking back over the scoundrels who had approached him: Qin Shi had cheated, Li Mochen had committed tax evasion, Gui Yan had fled the scene of an accident, the evil god and Tianlin had interfered in human affairs. Between them they had practically covered every vice imaginable. Adding a kidnapper to the list did not surprise Gao Gusheng in the slightest.

So Gao Gusheng did not believe for a moment that the strange thumping from beside the kennel had truly come from a dog.

He stroked Xiaohong’s head. “You were the one who undid the big dog’s collar, weren’t you?”

Xiaohong, as though she understood, nuzzled Gao Gusheng’s palm.

…

Slender fingers with clearly defined knuckles picked up the collar from the ground. The break was uneven, as though something had bitten through it.

He gave a soft laugh and toyed with the big dog’s ear.

“Your little friend is very clever.”

***

Gao Shi glanced out the window. The sky was growing dim, and clouds were gathering at the horizon.

“What is it, Captain?”

Gao Shi stood. “Qiuzi, apply for a search warrant,” he said in a low voice.

From the moment he had seen the profile portrait resembling Xiao Yusheng, he had been certain: this kidnapping was inextricably linked to Xiao Yusheng.

Gao Shi stepped aside and called Gao Gusheng.

“Hello, Lele.”

“Dad, I am fine. I am already out.”

“Good. Stay put for now. We will be there shortly.”

Ying Bujie rose and walked to Gao Shi’s side. The team going in was small. After all, this was based on personal suspicion alone. Were it not for the Anomaly Management Bureau’s special standing, and the fact that Gao Gusheng was involved, obtaining a search warrant would have been impossible.

Passing a luxury goods shop on the way, Gao Shi stopped and bought a watch. It was a new release, priced at five hundred and eighty thousand yuan, not the most exclusive on the market, but more than sufficient as a gift of thanks.

More to the point, Cheng Zeqi had mentioned in passing during one of their casual conversations that the watch’s design was so striking that very few people could carry it. It tended to wear the person rather than the other way around, and only someone with Xiao Yusheng’s presence and appearance could pull it off.

In other words, presenting this watch to Xiao Yusheng would be a gesture of considerable sincerity, and could effectively lower Xiao Yusheng’s guard.

As they were about to leave, Gao Shi’s gaze swept across the counter and he stopped.

“Wrap this one up as well… no, place it with the watch.”

What Gao Shi was pointing at was a tie clip.

A gold tie clip in the shape of a rose, with a small diamond set into one of the petals, like a drop of dew resting on the flower.

By the time they drove to Gao Gusheng’s location, Gao Gusheng was sitting in a café not far from the villa district, two bags of dog food at his feet.

“Dad, you are finally here!”

Gao Shi gave Gao Gusheng’s head an affectionate ruffle. Gao Gusheng spoke with some urgency. “Dad, I am worried about the golden retriever and about Zhou You. Even if Zhou You was not taken by him, he is definitely mistreating that dog.”

“Let’s go. Right now.”

The longer Zhou You remained missing, the greater the danger.

As they walked, Gao Shi explained in a low voice to his son trotting at his side. “In a moment I will go to the door and say I am there to thank him. While I have his attention, your uncles will go to the kennel and break through the wall. Give Xiaohong to your Uncle Ran and have her lead him to Edward, so Edward does not make noise and alert Xiao Yusheng.”

Gao Gusheng paused and pointed at himself. “Dad, and what about me?”

Gao Shi said, “You stay in the car with your father.”

At these words, Ran Qiu let out a sound, looked at Ying Bujie, then at Gao Shi, then finally at the red mark on Gao Shi’s neck, and silently retreated into a corner.

What the hell!

Ran Qiu replayed the scene from earlier in his mind and nearly slapped himself.

[Hey, Chief, did a mosquito bite you? Are there already mosquitoes out this time of year? That is incredibly bold of them. Those scientists with nothing better to do wouldn’t have gone and invented cold-resistant mosquitoes that… OW! That hurts! Yang, why did you hit me?!]

[…You really are a complete pig-brain!]

— I really am a complete pig-brain!

Ran Qiu buried his face in his notebook.

What kind of mosquito leaves a mark that size?!

Meanwhile, Gao Gusheng tilted his head up to look at Gao Shi. “Dad, I think it would be better if I went to apologise. He knows you are a police officer. If you show up it will tip him off.”

Gao Shi refused outright. “Absolutely not. You will sit in the car with your father and behave yourself.”

He left no room for argument. “If something actually happens, I can take him down directly. You cannot.”

Gao Gusheng grew agitated. “What do you mean I cannot? Your son has won the taekwondo championship eight consecutive times!”

When it came to his son’s safety, Gao Shi was an unyielding tyrant who would brook no resistance from Gao Gusheng whatsoever.

Ying Bujie, who had been pleasantly surprised at being referred to so naturally as “your father,” came back to himself only now and said, “It is fine. Let Lele go if he wants to. You can stand in for him this time since you are prepared, but next time that may not be possible.”

“I will go invisible and stay at his side.”

Ying Bujie had identified Gao Shi’s hesitation precisely. While he was still deliberating, Ying Bujie reached into his robes and drew out a wisp of black mist, stretching it long, and looped it around Gao Gusheng’s neck like a scarf.

The black mist, having only recently developed awareness, was thoroughly terrified of Ying Bujie. Having barely managed to escape, it immediately scrambled to press itself trembling into the crook of Gao Gusheng’s neck with all its might.

Gao Gusheng brightened. “Dad, you brought Xiaohe too!”

Ying Bujie gave a sound of assent. The two of them turned their expectant gazes on Gao Shi together.

Gao Shi opened his mouth to object further, but meeting the expressions on their faces, the fight went out of him. He conceded with a helpless sigh. “Fine. Lele, use this as a learning opportunity. So you don’t get abducted again next time.”

…

The sun had sunk to the horizon. Under the heavy overcast the evening sky was a leaden grey.

Gao Gusheng carried the gift and rang the doorbell.

A pleasant little chime rang out through the still and sunken dusk, sounding faintly eerie.

The gate opened. A flicker of surprise crossed Xiao Yusheng’s face. “Student Gao?”

Gao Gusheng smiled with slight bashfulness. “Sorry to disturb you.”

Xiao Yusheng’s gaze deepened slightly, unreadable in the fading light, though his voice remained as warm and pleasant as ever.

“Student Gao could never be a disturbance.”

The vast dusk spread out behind them. One was strikingly handsome, the other refined and delicate. The picture they made was harmonious.

…That is, if one did not look at Ying Bujie standing behind Gao Gusheng like a shadow attached to his back.

Ying Bujie looked at Xiao Yusheng with an expressionless face, as though looking at a dead man.

***