Always by your side

Ch 43 Visiting old friends

Lan Zhan POV

Past

When Wei Ying jumped in the car with baby Ah-Yuan and Wen Qing, I was left speechless. We know bodyguard detail, but he is also a potential witness. However, I know how much Wei Ying cares for them. He will keep them alive no matter what. When Wen Ning arrived, I tried to return inside the house and retrieve Wen Zhuliu, but the fire was too intense. I wanted him in jail. So I am left there to rely on the details of what transpired to Wen Ning. 

However, in charge upstairs, thank you that Wen Ning is here, or I will be collapsing. After a short deliberation, we fabricate a story to give them time. "During the fire Det. Wei Ying entered once again in the building but disappeared along with the son of the deceased witness. As there are several bodies to be identified, it will take some time to recognize if the bones of the deceased belong to Det. Wei Ying." 

As flames start to be appeased by the firefighters and ambulances arrive, Rui has left with Ah-Qing. I stay there with Wen Ning to contemplate the fragments of the lives changed. I sigh. Sanren and his children are injured and probably lost most of their things. Two officers, two witnesses and four criminals lost their lives. And I "lost" a husband. Wei Ying is a bit of an idiot, but he is my husband. Mine. I should be crying to complete the act, but tears take time to form. When they do, I let go of everything. How many times will I have to mourn him?

Wei Ying doesn't know that I would have done it if he hadn't jumped in the car. How can I leave my son to suffer?. Fragments of many lifetimes have been piecing together all these years. I remember good days, bad days, days of love, days of Emperor's smile,  days of a father and a son, battlefield days. I leave the gloomy thoughts to rest since the firefighters have stopped the flames and it is safe to inspect the building. 

We should retrieve eight bodies, but there are only seven. Wen Zhuliu's body is not here. We deliver the bodies to the autopsy, ensuring that our story is supplied correctly. However, we still need to stay since we need something from the house in ruins.

Inside a case in the living room rests a delicate flute. Though the case is damaged, the flute is intact. Liebling will never abandon Chengquin and Wangji. Though I am not its current master, I know each instrument has a spirit of its own. Liebling is the gentlest of the three, and even if he prefers Xingchen, his current master, I will have to do it. He is needed to save five people, including his master. We received a text message from Rui urging us to go to the hospital.

Seeing my uncle and Sanren fighting for their life hurts. Tubes come from their mouth, and an intravenous drip is in their arms. Xingchen is out of danger, but his eyes are injured due to the fumes and the glass shards. If possible, I would change my life for them, but we can only play and wait. 

Ah- Qing is awake, but she is still in shock. Xue Yang is also physically fine but hasn't talked about what happened, and we don't push. Instead, he spends the time consoling Ah-Qing. The corpse in his room was full of resentful energy. So he is a natural at manipulating it. Having a family keeps him together. I can only hope they all survive.

My brother and his husband are already there when Wen Ning and I arrive. As Wei Ying is not here, my brother is the only one to comfort me. Us. I can see Wen Ning is distressed as well. He is probably blaming himself for this. So do I. So does my husband. However, the real culprit is another, and I need to hold myself together until then.

It is almost noon when our witnesses start to collect their thoughts. "I was in my room playing video games with my brother when we heard a crash downstairs. We ordered Ah-Qing to hide, and we went to face the assailants. Officer Wang was shot dead in a moment. We didn't even have the time to assist him. He fell like a paper doll. We panicked. The last thing I remember is that my brother sacrificed himself to protect me and jumped through the window holding one of the guys and that I saw red in that instant".

It is not the complete story, but it is consistent with the scene. If I pressure Xue Yang about how the second guy died, it won't help. However, I must insist on something, "did the assailants say what they wanted?". Xue Yang got angry and yell "How the fuck should I know? but I am pretty sure they would have killed us all" he started sobbing. I sigh. Wei Ying, I need you right now. Wen Ning is by my side and shakes his head. We leave Xue Yang alone. 

We still have to tell two families that their husband/child died in the line of duty. Uncle. How did you manage to do this for so long? He won't answer for now. One look at him again, and I am ready to hunt them all.

The first three raids were quite fruitful. They all want to tell us everything. Wen Chao never left China. He ordered his henchmen to kill the witnesses and ruin the trial. To ensure that everything goes according to plan, he sent Wen Zhuliu to ensure no one survived. As the program was thwarted, however, Zhuliu had already fled. 

A postcard from an ancient temple with several halls dug into a cliff two days later. Some statues that seem restored can be seen. It is lovely, mainly because the riverbank has picnic tables at the bottom of the gorge. Below it says "Yulin". I burn the postcard and smile at the dancing flames with a simple spell. He must have driven like a madman the last few days to be there so soon.

The next day uncle Qiren and Sanren woke up. Their stories fit with the puzzle. 

"However, that won't bring the others back, but we can add new charges to the detained people and the fugitives," Says Wen Ning.

"But what will be the cost?" says a voice behind. Xue Yang is pretty angry "what will happen to my brother? he can't survive in jail. Xiao Xingchen eyes won't recover that easily, and he won't be able to identify anyone on trial". 

True, both Xue Yang and Xiao Xingchen will face charges, even self-defence. The prosecution might be merciful, but they might be at risk of being silenced when they are questioned. Also, they wouldn't have been involved in this mess from the beginning. 

"Do you need all of us to testify?" asks Sanren

I shook my head, and she smiled. 

I know that smile. 

She says, "I was supervising my children when the attack occurred. One entered Xue Yang's room, and I killed him in self-defence. But another guy attacked Xingchen, and I couldn't defend my child. So I ran downstairs to help him, but I found the body of one of the officers. Then another assailant intercepted me. He has already killed Wen Lee, his wife and a bodyguard. We fought, and I won" I look at Wen Ning and Qiren. 

No one is happy, but we understand this. Wen Ning gulps and says, "I will talk to the prosecutor". It will take so much paperwork, but I will do it. For them, for Wei Ying. I breathe deeply and say, "I must talk to my brother and make some phone calls. We are going to need some help."

Three hours later, Xiao Xingchen, Xue Yang and Ah-Qing are in a car of the Jin foundation. That night they left the country. 

Detective Luo and Detective Shen sent postcards of Yulin city a week later. Though the recipients varied, sometimes they wrote to me, but other days the postcards arrived for Wen Ning, uncle and auntie, my brother Yu and the others. We also received some souvenirs, necklaces, clothes, etc., during the next six months. The weirdest thing I got was an old bamboo hat from a different address. It didn't have a note, just the photo of a temple. Then, the gifts stopped. 

A month later, Detective Luo and Shen arrived with a different present: Wen Zhuliu in handcuffs.

My husband is dense but also brilliant.

The next six months gifts came from different parts of the Central Plains. 

In the blink of an eye, a year has past and the moment in which Wen Qing must testify is coming close. God, bless us all.

Note.

 I haven't done Lan Zhan POV in a while. I thought about doing this Wei Ying POV too, but you can have lots of fun letting readers imagine how Wei Ying got a bamboo hat or how Wen Zhuliu fell into the trap. Also, it was getting very angsty.

I am running away from angry readers. Happy new year.