"Sir, you called ?"
Jia knocked on the door twice where the naplate said Commissioner Zhong Kai. An officer of a fairly senior rank, who evoked fear in the hearts of officers with his ironclad will.
"Co in, Inspector Song."
She promptly stepped in and closed the door behind her. She stood in attention in front of his desk.
"Yes, Sir!"
Zhong Kai closed the file he was working on and looked at her. "I heard that you are looking to enter Huayuan and have visited it twice for permission."
How does he...Is it that big of a deal that it reaches all up to a commissioner’s ears?
"Yes, Sir. We have a suspect who escaped the charity event and according to the information I got, there are high chances that she cos from Huayuan."
"And are you sure that she is hiding there?"
"It’s a high possibility that she is hiding there, Sir. Also considering our relationship with Huayuan, it is even more possible that she is lying low there."
"So you are not absolutely sure, it’s just a possibility."
She blinked. "For now, yes Sir."
He shook his head. "We cannot proceed with the investigation like this, Inspector Song. Not when we don’t have absolute proof that she is involved."
Her eyes slightly widened. "But she is. She was clearly escaping from the gathering."
"Did you clearly see her face? Can you say with absolute certainty that it was Yong? You were chasing after her and there were a hundred other things going on there. You could have made a mistake."
"I..."
Jia admitted to herself that she had only gotten a partial look at her face when they had collided with Zhuo Syaoran. Then she had shed with the darkness and Jia couldn’t get a clearer confirmation.
"I did get only a partial look but I recognized her. It was definitely Yong."
"That cannot be the basis to go after her."
She quickly said, "I am not saying to arrest her. I just want to ask her so questions."
"Even when you cannot be absolutely sure?"
"Sir, if it wasn’t Yong then why has she disappeared? If she is innocent, then why isn’t she coming to college? She hasn’t returned to her rented apartnt either. It definitely points to that-"
"It again points to the fact how distrustful Huayuan is of the police. They prefer to hide than co forward and cooperate with the investigation."
Jia paused and after so thought slowly asked, "Is that...distrust related to Miss. Nuwa’s case?"
Zhong Kai blinked twice. "Where did you hear that na?"
"From the woman guarding Huayuan’s entrance. It was years ago but Miss. Nuwa didn’t return after her work. Then apparently, the cops found her but she still never returned after the questioning. She implied if she had disappeared from the client’s place or from the officers’ hands."
Zhong Kai said, "I don’t know the details about the case that much. Files related to Huayuan are pretty much confidential."
"But it confirms their fear for the cops."
"Nothing is confird, Inspector Song. Even if they hold fear or distrust towards us, it is misguided. But unfortunately, that stage to clear things between Huayuan and the Beijing police force is long gone. We have to follow the contract we have with them."
Jia then said, "What does it say about when sobody from Huayuan is vital to a case? What happens when the police suspects one of them of a cri or abetnt to a cri?"
"It is a long process to go through with Huayuan’s leader. They have quite autonomy over how they operate and if we have clashes with them, then we have to follow the due process."
"Then we should. We should contact the leader-"
"No," Zhong Kai firmly declined. "We will not approach Huayuan with this matter."
Her lips parted in shock. "But Sir, it’s very important...! She could be crucial in helping us find the She leader."
"Inspector Song, it only makes sense to knock on their door if you can say it with confidence that you saw Yong that night. Or even better, if you have another witness to confirm your suspicion. But you admitted it yourself that you got only a partial look."
She pressed her lips inwardly.
"We cannot approach their leader with this fleeting suspicion. Our relationship is already strained enough as it is. If we are not completely sure of our findings, they would simply misunderstand us again and take it as our harassnt. Everything will take a turn for the worse."
Jia slightly clenched her jaw in helplessness.
"But-"
"No," Zhong Kai said a little more sternly this ti. "We have to tread very carefully whenever Huayuan cos into the picture. I cannot allow you to dig into this thread of investigation anymore. So forget about Yong. Find other ways to track the culprits."
Jia matched his stare with her own gaze.
"...Yes, Sir."
"You can leave now."
She slowly turned, her shoulders slumping in defeat.
"Inspector Song."
She stopped and turned.
Zhong Kai was tapping his finger on the desk as he said with a slightly squinted gaze.
"You shouldn’t get so overwheld and lose your way in this case."
She looked confused. "Overwheld?"
"This is a big case and I know if you could crack it, then it will be a big victory for our departnt and personally and professionally for you. But why do I feel that you want to close this case because of your parents?"
She froze.
"Don’t take it in the wrong way, Inspector Song. But to , you look very anxious and desperate to win this, even if you might have to cross lines and make things complicated with the involved parties. You are more focused but is it to serve justice or prove that you are different from your parents?"
"I..." her voice slightly turned hoarse, "I never thought-"
"You might be unconsciously thinking it that way," he let out a sigh. "I don’t bla you and I even understand your need to compensate for your parents’ cris with your good work."
She trembled hard.
"But I want to suggest not to go down that path. You are doing fine the way you are. With Huayuan especially, there are many sensitive things at play here. We cannot simply barge in headstrong with our notions. So I get your motivation, but don’t lose your way because of your parents. Nobody in this departnt is judging you because of them so you can take it easy," he smiled assuredly.
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