Red Light

Observations

Xiao Xingchen yawned and stretched in his car. There was an audiobook on low in the background but he wasn't really paying attention. It was eight o'clock and he'd only been sitting for just over two hours. No time at all really considering the circumstances. He yawned again. Maybe Song Lan had worn him out more than he thought. A satisfied smile crossed his face before a car pulling up to the mansion's gate grabbed his attention. He wrote down the time as he watched the car pull in. It matched the make and model of the suspect's. A few pictures with one zoomed in on the license plate.

His original excitement at first contact with the subject waned as nothing happened. Apparently, they were in for the evening. Song Lan had called. There was nothing in the suspect's life that wasn't button hole tight. There were the gossip columns of course. The scandals of the rich, real or fictional, sold. Especially when they were being connected to Beijing's mayor, Jin Guangshan. It was, however, gossip with nothing verifiable given in the articles.

"Will you be home soon, my Star**?"

"If nothing happens by midnight, I'll be home." Xiao Xingchen had gone all soft. My Star. He loved it when Song Lan called him that.

"Then I will be waiting. Be safe and let me know if you have to tail them."

"Will do. Get some rest. I love you." His voice was low as if there was someone listening. In public, both men were highly conservative in their interactions. It was necessary. In private, they were themselves. Affectionate. Playful. Loving.

"I love you too, My Star."

Both were smiling when they hung up.

It was nearing midnight when Xiao Xingchen reached for his second sandwich. He knew Song Lan would check if he had eaten his whole meal. His hand was in the cooler feeling for it when the gates began to swing open. The sandwich was dropped back into the cooler. Xiao Xingchen watched in anticipation until he could see the car. It was the suspect's.

Waiting until the car passed, he turned on his vehicle and followed discretely. He drove a Nissan Sylphy. With a half a million of them on the road in China**, it was as close to invisible as Xiao Xingchen could get. He did have a few upgrades that were personal including the paint. It was a matte gray that was difficult to see when it wasn't daylight. Perfect for his line of business.

It wasn't long until Xiao Xingchen was confused. The driver was heading into a poor neighborhood near the Yung-Ting River. He called Song Lan.

"They are on the move but I'm not sure why they are headed in this direction."

"Where are they headed?"

"It's a poor section near the river. Considering this person's background, it just seems odd. I've turned on the GPS on my phone. Are you receiving?"

A pause. "I have you. Be careful. That's not a particularly rough neighborhood but better safe than sorry."

"Agreed. I'll be careful. I'll update as warranted." Xiao Xingchen hung up.

Where were they going and why?

Xiao Xingchen watched the car pull up to a small unkempt park right on the river. He was surprised it hadn't already been purchased by investors. Land directly on the river was pricey.

Getting out of the car, the suspect walked carefully to the river's edge. Once there, they had just stood next to a stunted tree and stared at the water. Out of all they places they could go to look at the river, the subject came here? There was enough light from one of the few functional streetlamps near the park. He began to snap pictures.

'What are you up to, Madame Yu?'
~~~~~

Lan Wangji's eyes opened at his accustomed five am. He hadn't had nearly enough sleep and he knew it but his body wasn't in the mood to cooperate. A sigh of annoyance. It seemed to be the prevalent mood for the last twelve hours.

Quietly, he entered the kitchen and started his electric kettle. He pulled down a cup. With his hand on his regular jasmine green tea, he paused. Reaching a bit further into the cabinet, he pulled out a small box that he rarely drank. It was special. It always made him feel better for some reason. He put the appropriate amount into the tea ball and poured the now boiling water into the cup. Placing the tea ball into the hot water, he leaned over the cup waiting for the moment its scent would waft upward. He smiled.

When the tea was properly steeped, he took it with him to stand looking over his garden. Lan Wangji knew why he was frustrated and annoyed. He just didn't want to admit it. Not out loud anyway. To himself, he could admit there was something about Yiling that touched him. The detective wanted to help the man if he could. What exactly he could do he didn't know but he could try.

Last night had felt like a colossal failure. Lan Wangji wasn't a talker. A fact he was, at times painfully, aware of ever since he was young. If it wasn't about work, his communication was given in as few words as possible. His inability to obtain what he needed to know was interfering with his ability to find and consequently help Yiling.

And that was the crux of his problem. Worse, he didn't know how to fix it.

Not as Huang Feng anyway.

Today, he was going pretty much as himself. That might change everything. It was worth a try.

Satisfied with this possible solution, Lan Wangji sipped his lotus blossom green tea** and watched the sun rise.

=========

In the soft gray before dawn, Meng Yao snuck out of Yiling's room. He had never heard his phone's alarm and Yiling hadn't woken him. He had left every yuan he had on him on the tiny table in the room. He didn't want Yiling to get in trouble on his account. On the top of the pile, he left a note written on a gum wrapper he found in his pocket.

Meng Yao was smiling. He had slept over six hours. In a row. It had been months since he could say that. It was amazing what a decent night's sleep could do. Maybe he could look at his situation now and make a decision.

If Yiling could look at him like he mattered, maybe he did. Anything was possible.

=========

Yiling woke slowly.

A'Yao was gone. He wasn't surprised. Last night, he hadn't stirred when his phone's alarm sounded. Yiling couldn't help with whatever was bothering the man but he could let A'Yao sleep. With some effort, he had managed to reach the phone and turn off the alarm.  

He had apparently fallen asleep himself. Not what he was planning but it had turned out okay.

A huge yawn as he stumbled to the bathroom. When he came out, he put his kettle on and turned to get his cup. That's when he saw the money and a small piece of paper placed carefully on top of it.

Picking it up, he read:

Thank you more than you can know.

                                        A'Yao

Yiling delicately tucked it in his copy of Lord of the Rings and smiled.

=========

Xing means Star in Chinese.

The Nissan Sylphy has 540,947 units on the road in China as of August 2021. It didn't come in matte gray. (And yes, I have done some of the weirdest research while writing this story! But it has been fun.😁)

Guess what came in today, edzooc8r and NebulusCharlie !?! I had already put it in the chapter when my husband sauntered in with the box. A HUGE Thank you ❤!!!

May you receive an unexpected smile today! 😁😁😁

❤🍫🫖❤