Red Light

Meanwhile...

Breakfast was over. To Wei Ying's horror, Yanli had insisted in wiping his face and arms clean.  "You will feel fresher and more comfortable so stop fussing so much." she said firmly. Consequently, Wei Ying had been rather sulky before falling asleep again. 

Taking advantage of Wei Ying's nap, Yanli had gotten A'Yuan into the bathroom to clean up as well. After wiping his face, she had given him his underthings and sweat pants then discretely turned her back while he put them on. The t-shirt though was beyond what he could do by himself with his ribs. When she carefully removed his pajama shirt, she was horrified. His ribs were awful blacks and purples. Why his ribs weren't broken, she had no idea. But there were signs this had been long term abuse. Scars. Too many to be from the normal accidents of childhood. And so thin... Later, she knew she'd probably be crying on A'Zi shoulder again but right now, A'Yuan need positivity. She carefully helped him put on a pale blue t-shirt.

"How's that? Do the clothes fit okay?" she asked with a smile. He looked up at his aunt and the warmth in her smile. Her eyes were sad though. They hadn't been sad until she had seen him with his shirt off.

"I'm okay, Gu-gu. It doesn't hurt very bad." he hesitantly reached out and touched her face. It was almost more than Jiang Yanli could take. She gently pulled him into her arms and kissed the top of his head.

"No one will ever hurt you like this again, A'Yuan. Life is about to change for you in so many wonderful ways. Soon those bruises will be healed and you can run and play. We'll go do things together when you're ready." She tilted his head up and looked in his eyes. "You can tell me anything, Zhizi. I will always help you." Yanli couldn't help the tears filling her eyes but her voice was warm, kind, loving.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and just leaned against her. She felt good to hug. He wasn't sure if he was going to get to keep all the new happiness he had but he hoped so.

------

Yu Bin was watching Nie Huaisang and Jiang Cheng. Both were fidgeting, checking either their watch or phone often and giving each other worried looks.

"Okay, spill, please. What's going on, A'Sang?" Yu Bin asked.

"What? Nothing in particular. Why?" Nie Huaisang pulled out his phone again. He pulled up something and passed it Yu Bin.

Looking confused, he accepted the phone and began to read the message Huaisang had pulled up. His eyes widened. He checked the time.

"Ten more minutes?" he asked suddenly as nervous as the other two officers. He tried, rather unsuccessfully, to lean closer. "How the hell did he end up in the attic?"

Nie Huaisang made a helpless 'who knows?' gesture and started flipping his fan open and closed again.

-----

Nie Mingjue knocked on the door of Wen Chao's apartment. He was smiling.

"What do you want?" was yelled through the door. Nie Mingjue fought the urge to say 'Your head!'.

"Police! We're serving a search warrant!" he replied with the same cheery tone most people used to announce the arrival of dinner. He heard running feet. "Open it up, boys!"

A small battering ram designed for urban use, was slung into action. Two smashes later, the door had been breached.

'So satisfying.' Nie Mingju sighed to himself. 'I should have definitely been born in an earlier age. Castles, swords, battering rams and heads over the gate. Yep.'

"Remember, gloves and put up with no shit from his minions. Now let's round'em up and get a move on before they start destroying things!" he announced with a great deal of satisfaction. "Pictures of anything you think is necessary. Use your phones if the photographer can't get to you. Let's go!"