One Life, One Incarnation, Beautiful Bones

23

Chapter 7.2 - Eighteen Prayer Beads (2)

The discussion was still carrying on.

From outside the window, she could still only hear silence, but her mind had already whirled through a countless number of jumbled thoughts.

She had never even seen before the passports that were in the handbag beside her, let alone have any sort of understanding of the whole situation. She had thought that Zhousheng Chen was simply his family's "firstborn son of the firstborn son" and had never guessed that he would have such power to be able to completely change her citizenship without even her knowledge of it.

The four or five police vehicles in front of them as well as Uncle Lin's composed manner as he took care of the situation showed that he had already been aware of all of this and had anticipated that it would happen. Hence, he had first made the arrangements such that their identities would ensure their security.

He had "diplomatic immunity"? Which diplomatic envoy was he?

Uncle Lin had already turned around, walked up to Zhousheng Chen's side of the vehicle, and opened the door for him. Very soon, he had stridden briskly over to Shi Yi's side, and in the same slightly bowed posture, had opened her door as well.

After getting out of the vehicle, Shi Yi quickly took Zhousheng Chen's arm.

With so many police vehicles parked in front of the gate, it was impossible to not feel anxious, and as a result, her hold on his arm was rather tight.

"Mr. Zhousheng, hello."

The middle-aged police officer in charge as well as a prosecutor who had personally come to the scene to investigate approached him. After shaking his hand, in an official and professional tone, they stated their purpose for the visit.

The whole time, Zhousheng Chen smiled and remained quiet while Shi Yi kept her eyes lowered and fixed upon the ground. When she heard them mention the murder case of Tang Xiaofu, however, she could not restrain her fingers from tightening their grip slightly.

The middle-aged police officer stated that he knew he had diplomatic immunity.

However, this case was not just a simple criminal case. The series of criminal allegations -- illegal detention, involuntary disappearance, murder, and torture -- all, to some degree, could be connected to him, and some of these were even transnational crimes. Shi Yi was overcome with fear as she listened to this, but the whole time, she clutched tightly to his arm, not allowing herself to show any abnormal expression on her face.

He remained as before, not saying anything until at the end, he very politely shook their hands and bid them farewell.

The power of silence was very daunting.

Yet, at the same time, was it not also a black hole in which one's imagination could be unleashed?

This uninteresting-looking ethnic Chinese man was an associate professor at the UC Berkeley College of Chemistry but ten days ago had made public his identity as a Russian diplomat. Such a mysterious and bizarre change in identity. Even this woman beside him, prior to the case, had changed citizenships and became his lawfully married wife in Russia. All of these things were clearly a maneuver to deal with these allegations.

"Mr. Zhousheng, we would wish for you to stop all your activities in Xi'an's knowledge exchange project."

Zhousheng Chen pondered briefly. "I am most regretful about it, but I will certainly respect your request."

Out of good manners, he observed the proper etiquette as host and master of the property and watched until all the uninvited guests had departed.

Shi Yi wanted to move, but as her nerves had been on the edge and she had been tensed up for such a long period of time, her legs were already numb. Zhousheng Chen did not notice and had taken two steps forward before he realized anything was wrong. But it was too late. He had moved but she could not keep up. Her legs gave out beneath her and her knee hit the ground.