It was very difficult for a person to evade the CCTVs in the whole country — almost impossible, even. Even if one had just gone to the convenience store to buy cigarettes, they would still have been caught in the surveillance. Unless it was a person who did not have to go out their whole life or they had a very powerful anti-reconnaissance skill, it was impossible for them not to appear on the CCTVs.
No matter what the reason was, for a person to completely not appear in any surveillance footage was really suspicious.
He Juan's lips parted and closed, at a loss of words. He understood Mu Yuze's words one by one, but when it was strung together into one sentence, He Juan suddenly found them incoherent. Bewilderment surfaced in his otherwise serene silver eyes. "I… I don't…"
Clearly detecting his confusion, Jia Molei stood up in such an abrupt manner that the chair screeched across the floor. "Officer, he is—"
"Mr. Jia." Mu Yuze did not snap, but his firm tone and razor sharp gaze managed to cut off Jia Molei mid-sentence and rendered the man speechless. "I am asking him a question." So shut your fucking mouth up and don't butt in, the rest of his words hung heavily between them.
Once again, He Juan looked at them back and forth in exasperation. Was this not their first meeting? Why had they already at each other's throat?
He Juan had a feeling that blood would spill on this floor if he did not say anything thus he cleared his throat to draw Officer Mu's attention. It worked. He Juan smiled helplessly as he tried to regain his bearings. "Officer Mu? I am very sorry but… I don't think I can give you a satisfactory answer because I have no idea about it myself…" he heaved out a long sigh. "...not until today."
He Juan had tried not to think of his forgotten memories too often because he would start to feel sad and his-surgeon-slash-best-friend Doctor Jia Molei had said that it was lucky he was still alive. As for whether he would be able to regain his memory, the chance was pitifully infinitesimal. Thus he had learned to accept that he just had to live the rest of his life without it.
"You see, I had a major accident seven years ago," He Juan grimaced in apology. "And I think everything was lost back then. That's why… I am sorry—"
"Why are you sorry?"
"Huh…?" That question was so unexpected that it caught He Juan off guard.
Mu Yuze didn't look like he was joking. Instead he looked… upset? Frustrated? "Back in your apartment, you apologized for not being able to help with the investigation and right now, you apologize again for something you can't control. Why do you keep apologizing again and again?"
Not to mention He Juan, even Jia Molei was staring at Mu Yuze as if the man had grown a second head.
He Juan closed his jaws with an audible click. Shock coursed through his entire body, lodging the words on his throat. His heart soared as the meaning behind Mu Yuze's words sank into his mind. Had he been wrong? It seemed like… Mu Yuze didn't hate him as much as he had assumed. For some reason, the thought sent warmth all over his body, dispersing the chill that was lingering around the air of the cold investigation room. He was so delighted that he felt he could run around the building twice.
His face broke out into a warm and brilliant smile. "Thank you for saying that, Officer Mu. You're right. It was indeed something I can't control."
For a few seconds that seemed like eternity, both of them were staring at each other just like that. He Juan found himself easily lost in the faint swirl of blue within Mu Yuze's dark eyes. It might be ten minutes or it might just be ten seconds, the magic spell was broken when Mu Yuze turned away to tap on his earpiece.
He Juan lowered his gaze and felt his neck growing warm. What was that? How could he just stare at someone and… just stare?! It was one thing to admire someone's beauty but it was a different matter altogether if he started to act like a creep! Heavens, He Juan, what was wrong with you today? Suddenly the sweater he wore felt strangely too warm, thus he cleared his throat and tugged on his collar… only for his eyes to crash against Jia Molei's narrowed ones.
He Juan swallowed nervously. How could he forget that Jia Molei was still here?! "What?" He mouthed soundlessly, showing a plastic smile filled with false bravado.
Of course, Jia Molei wasn't convinced in the slightest. "Later." he mouthed back. Uh-oh, that didn't sound good, not at all.
Mu Yuze finished his call quickly and his gaze landed on He Juan in an instant. "We will conclude the investigation for now. But because of some missing pieces and also in case we need you for something, we have to keep you here for the next few hours, Mr. He." Turning to Jia Molei, Mu Yuze inclined his head slightly yet somehow the tone he used was way colder. "Thank you for your help, Mr. Jia. The police will reach out to your hospital soon. I will send you out now."
He Juan would have burst out laughing if he had not feared karmic retribution — and most importantly, Jia Molei's violent wrath. Goodness, Jia Molei's expression was priceless. Poor him though, He Juan knew that because of his stature and aura, not many people dared to talk back to him face-to-face, let alone standing on the same ground and challenging him. He was used to being misunderstood as a thug. But this… this might be the first time that Jia Molei finally met his match!
He Juan's shoulders trembled from the effort to hold the laughter back. How could Mu Yuze be so beautiful, bold and fascinating at the same time? This was the first time He Juan had met someone so intriguing.
Jia Molei closed his gaping mouth and scoffed, the corner of his lips tilted into a provoking sneer. "Are you chasing me out, Officer? What if I don't want to? What if I don't trust you to treat my patient well?"
Mu Yuze narrowed his eyes sharply. "This is the police station. Hundreds of capable cops are here. Nothing will happen to Mr. He." So stop being unreasonable and drag your ass out of here, was what he did not say but everyone could hear nonetheless.
As much as He Juan wanted to watch this weirdly hostile banter, he was afraid that a fight would really break out. So before Jia Molei could say anything in retaliation, he hastily piped in, "Officer Mu is right, Molei. They are just keeping me here for further investigation. I would like to help find Miss Zhao as soon as possible too. You have a scheduled surgery today, don't you?"
Jia Molei stared at him in disbelief, as if saying, "Really? You're taking his side now?!" The corner of He Juan's lips twitched. He did not take anyone's side. It was just the reasonable thing to do, okay?
"Fine!" Jia Molei threw his hands up in the air and stood up, strapping the medical box to his shoulder. The glare he threw at He Juan was filled with accusations yet what his mouth blurted out was, "I will keep my phone with my assistant, so tell her if you need anything."
He Juan couldn't hold back his smile. No matter how naggy and unreasonable Jia Molei was, he still thought of He Juan first and foremost. He was truly a very good friend. "I will, Molei." He said softly, filled with gratitude toward this man who had been nothing but kind to him. And that's why He Juan strived not to become a bother to him any longer. "Thank you. I wish you luck with the surgery."
Jia Molei merely let out a grunt.
Mu Yuze had been waiting at the door and when Jia Molei passed by, electricity seemed to crackle in the air between them. He Juan did not know whether to laugh or cry. He only wished that they could at least act civil outside.
Mu Yuze disappeared a few minutes before coming back.
As soon as he saw the man, He Juan asked almost eagerly, "So is there anything I can do to help you, Officer Mu?"
"No." Mu Yuze answered coldly, so cold that it gave He Juan a pause. The frost in his eyes was so thick that it could form icicles on the ceiling. This time, He Juan could clearly see the flash of hostility and agitation in his dark eyes. "Please keep in mind that you're here as the prime suspect, Mr. He. As long as the real suspect hasn't been found yet, the suspicion against you will never be cleared." After saying that, he left again, leaving He Juan with his mouth agape, bewildered.
What was that? He thought they had at least built a rapport… but was he wrong after all?