An hour later, they arrived at an alley in the black market.
The young policeman had a sullen look ever since he saw Eliot. In front of his colleagues, Eliot and Sydnee were too intimate, making him a complete outsider. He was supposed to have a date with Sydnee.
"It's cold outside. Put on the scarf."
Eliot helped Sydnee wear the scarf that she had given him before.
He had been wearing this scarf these days. He forgot to buy a new one. Besides, he liked the smell of the scarf and the warmth it brought to him. He was accustomed to the scarf.
When he got off the taxi, he saw Sydnee standing in front of the police station. Her face looked pale due to the coldness, and he naturally helped her wear the scarf. Eliot only realized what he did when he withdrew his hand.
The two police officers on duty came out and greeted the young policeman. Seeing this, they looked at the young policeman, surprised about who Eliot was.
Sydnee did not notice how complicated the situation had become. She read the transcript of interrogation, "After entering the black market, walk forward and you'll find a store selling second-hand mobile phones...."
They walked forward and finally found the store.
Eliot immediately saw his own laptop. It looked very new, for he took good care of the laptop. The shopkeeper labeled it as a brand-new laptop. The price was eight thousand.
What an irony. He had to spend eight thousand to buy his laptop.
Sydnee thought of another way to get the laptop back. After seeing Eliot's determined look, she showed the shopkeeper a photo on her phone and asked, "Do you know him?"
The shopkeeper was around forty, bald and bearded. He glanced at the thief in the photo, shook his head, and calmly wiped the keyboard in his hand. "I don't know him."
Sydnee took back the phone and walked over to the laptop that Eliot was looking at. She asked, "Do you have a receipt for this laptop?"
"Young lady, I only sell second-hand goods. I'll just buy what others sell. There's no receipt."
"So, this is a second-hand laptop?" Sydnee asked.
"Right."
Sydnee took out her phone and handed it to him, "Don't you know him?"
"You just asked." The boss remained calm.
Sydnee played the recording, "... Turn left and there is a laptop store. The bald and bearded shopkeeper is in his forties. I sold the laptop to him for two thousand. I guess he has sold it to others. He has many second-hand goods in hand. He also has multiple distribution channels."
The bald shopkeeper stopped wiping the keyboard. But he still calmly looked at Sydnee, "I don't know him."
Sydnee also tried to keep calm. She had witnessed the entire process of Jaquan and other police men arresting Max at the Tea Manor. At this moment, her body was trembling slightly from excitement.
"He identified you as the one buying his stolen goods." Sydnee pointed at the police officer and said, "Show your badge to him."
The young policeman took out his badge and said, "Sorry, but you have to come with us. Even if you don't know him, we still need to investigate you and take evidence. If his deposition is true, all the laptops in your shop will be confiscated to take evidence."
The bald man's face darkened. "I'm just selling second-hand goods. How am I supposed to know that person is a thief?" He paused for a moment and looked at Eliot, who was standing in front of the laptop. He said, "If that laptop is yours, you can take it. I'll do with the loss."
Sydnee turned to look at Eliot and asked, "Is this okay for you?"
Eliot didn't know what to say. It felt like that he was their boss. But he was just a poor guy who had his laptop stolen.
The bald shopkeeper also looked at him.
The young policeman even put his hands on the handcuffs.
Eliot nodded as everyone kept silent. "I'm okay with this. Anyway, I just want my laptop back. Didn't you delete my documents, did you?"
Everyone suddenly got relaxed. The bald boss walked to Eliot. "I haven't deleted those yet. I thought it could show how advanced the laptop was."
The bald shopkeeper put the laptop in a bag and handed it over. Eliot thanked him.
Sydnee said at the counter, "Sir, when a thief sells something to you next time, don't take it. Just call the police officer. Now, there's a bonus for reporting the theft."
The bald shopkeeper smiled and didn't take it seriously.
After they left, the bald shopkeeper returned to the counter. There were two thousand and a business card with the policeman's private mobile phone number.
He looked at the money, then at the business card, and suddenly smiled, "The lady is quite smart."
"Actually, you don't have to give him money." The young policeman looked at Sydnee and said, "He knows that I am a policeman, so he dares not take revenge on you."
"No, I'm just thinking that he won't do it again. Moreover, if he can become your friends, he may provide valuable information to you."
Hearing that Sydnee was doing this for his sake, the young policeman's face turned blushed with excitement. "Really? You're really considerate."
Eliot didn't say anything. Was he thinking too much?
They separated when they arrived at the police station. The young policeman was very happy along the way, and so was Sydnee. However, Eliot did not seem to be very happy even though he had found the laptop.
When Sydnee drove Eliot back, she was in a good mood. "What's up? Are you excited about getting your laptop back?"
Eliot didn't know what to say.
He thought that Sydnee liked him and did everything for him. But just now she did a favor for the policeman. He felt embarrassed and shameful. Then he began to doubt that she might never like him.
Along the way, he was immersed in thought and therefore expressionless. He didn't expect that she would think he was happy.
"No," Eliot said politely, "Thank you so much this time."
"You're welcome."
Sydnee sent him downstairs, waved her hand and drove away.
Eliot stood there for a while, quite confused. If Sydnee didn't like him, why did she do these for him?
He couldn't figure it out.
She liked him, didn't she?
Sydnee drove her car on the main road and sneezed twice. She rubbed her nose in confusion and tightened the scarf around her neck.
It was New Year's Day. Would there be dark talk about her on this special day?