Chapter 32

In this chapter, it’s Fang Qing and An Yan who take centre stage as the investigation continues. Being this close to young people and their dreams gives Fang Qing pause, while An Yan has an interesting encounter. Not only is he given unexpected information, has the young lady in question caught his attention as well? Only time can tell . . .

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Walking out of the interrogation room, a mixture of excitement and shock surged in Fang Qing’s chest. Subconsciously, he really wanted to find someone to talk to.

He leaned against the corridor wall, lit a cigarette and took out his mobile phone.

It had already been a day since he sent the flowers. She had neither called nor texted him.

Fang Qing listlessly finished his cigarette, then walked out into the bright sunlight.

They were in the middle of an investigation, so he had to focus.

Fang Qing’s team visited the animation park again. Due to the lethal poisoning case, the animation exhibition had been suspended. However, there were still quite a number of people in the exhibition hall packing up, dismantling the display stands and so on. It seemed that the exhibition would be held again on another date.

Fang Qing had never been to something like this before. He was surrounded on all sides by young men and women in the flush of youth, walking around wearing strange costumes. On the surface, they looked so bright and dazzling, brimming over with individuality, and with a somewhat unrestrained air. It seemed as if they cared for nothing except how they expressed themselves on stage.

However, the hearts of Fang Qing and the other criminal investigators were also stirred. When they walked backstage, they saw the young people with their headgear and costumes off. Their makeup had not been removed, but many of them were wearing cheap T-shirts and sitting with lowered heads on plastic stools or on the ground, eating a less than appetising packed lunch.

This is a very contradictory group of people.

When they are performing, it is as if the very essence of their personality is set free and on display for the whole world to see, as if they, as a generation, are fearless.

When they return to reality, they are only insignificant shells, nothing out of the ordinary, wearied by life, and indistinguishable from the rest of the crowd.

The purpose of today’s visit was to conduct further investigation, and also to confirm Bo Jinyan’s speculations.

Fang Qing found a cosplayer whose exhibition booth was next to that of Yueying Animation Studio. He was a big, tall, unfriendly youth.

“Did you know the people from Yueying Animation Studio?” Fang Qing asked.

The youth, who was currently standing in front a mirror removing his heavy armour, replied, “I’ve seen them a couple of times. But I don’t know them well.”

“How many of them were there?”

“I didn’t pay much attention. Four or five.”

“When the murder occurred yesterday, did you notice anything unusual?”

The youth shook his head. “Nope, we were all busy performing. Who had time to notice them?”

Fang Qing looked at him thoughtfully. “How much interaction is usually there among different animation groups?”

“Not much.” The youth removed the final piece of armour and washed his face vigorously at the pool. “We all take part whenever there are activities, and their group has recently participated in very few activities, so we are not familiar with them. Moreover, these groups are always changing – someone leaves, someone joins.”

At this point, someone outside the door yelled to the youth, “”Come on, the public bus will be here soon! There won’t be any buses later!”

The youth heaved his heavy equipment over one shoulder and asked, “Officer, can I go?”

Fang Qing nodded. “Go on. Thank you.”

These youth are really complex, he thought.

When he thought about his own younger days, he had taken the entrance exam for the police academy at the direction of his father, also a police officer. He had not really thought much about his future. When he looked back on that time, he realised that he didn’t even have any dreams.

——

At the same time, An Yan, in a police uniform, was standing ramrod straight outside Yueying Animation Studio, surveying the surroundings and the terrain. There were no monitoring devices nearby, and the surveillance camera a little further away had not captured any clues. He had decided to visit the scene to see whether any information had been overlooked.

It was now just after noon. The sun shone fiercely on the tops of people’s heads, and caused everything to be seen through a halo of brilliant light. When An Yan had been standing there for a while, he heard an undescribably entrancing female voice behind him yelling, “Shushu* Officer!”

*T/N 叔叔 (shu shu) – literally, father’s younger brother. However, used in the sense of ‘uncle’ to address an adult male older than oneself (but not elderly).

An Yan turned his head and stood still, stunned.

Black hair, pale skin, 1.65m or taller, a simple white T-shirt, black shorts, a pair of snow-white long legs, ankle boots, a little dazzling to the eyes.

She had not removed the makeup on her face, and had long, curly eyelashes, as well as pale pink lips. However, even without makeup, she would be a beauty with large eyes, a nose with a high bridge, and cherry lips.

When she took in An Yan’s appearance, she was slightly shocked, and changed her form of address, saying, “Gege* Officer.”

*T/N 哥哥 (gege) – one’s older brother, used to address a younger male who is older than oneself.

An Yan looked at her quietly and said, “What’s the matter?”

“Are you the police officer in charge of investigating the Yueying Animation Studio case?” she asked.

An Yan replied, “I am. Who are you? What’s happened?”

The girl unconsciously tucked her hair behind her ears and answered, “My name is Gu Fangfang, from Chenyao Animation Studio. I’d like to know if the investigation has yielded any results?”

An Yan took a step forward. “Why are you concerned about this?”

Gu Fangfang instinctively took a step back. “Because . . .” She seemed to be having some problem framing her words. Her eyes, like a lake with hidden depths glimmering in the darkest night, looked at him.

An Yan dropped his gaze.

At this time, noise sounded from the path behind them. It sounded like people were coming their way, and someone was shouting, “Great Half Moon! It’s Great Half Moon!* Wow!” “You said you were going to ask her for an autograph and a group photograph, do you think she will agree?”

*T/N 月半大大 (ye ban da da) – 月 = moon, 半 = half, 大大 = big/ great

An Yan noticed that Gu Fangfang was blushing slightly.

“Er . . . we can talk later, I’ll be going first.” Gu Fangfang turned and walked off.

An Yan moved swiftly and deftly grabbed her arm. The pair looked at each other, then Gu Fangfang said softly, “Let’s talk somewhere else.”

After that, they crossed a few small paths and ended up at a small, empty plaza. Naturally, in the meantime, An Yan had used his mobile phone to search up all the information pertaining to this ‘Great Half Moon’:

Gu Fangfang, 21 years old, a Physics junior at China’s Min Sheng University.

Department beauty (i.e. the most beautiful girl in the Physics department). Screen name “固月半” (gu yue ban), a famous cosplayer, also a famous singer and acknowledged maestro of 古风圈*. Although young, she has been part of the 古风圈 community for many years, and is considered very senior. 300,000 Weibo followers.

*T/N 古风圈 (gu feng quan) – ancient Chinese folk songs. Click here to listen to some.

And, single.

Gu Fangfang leaned against the steps at the side of the plaza and said, “I’m sorry. Those were some of my fans just now. I find direct contact with my fans quite embarrassing.”

An Yan grunted noncommittally.

Gu Fangfang looked up at him. “Are you sure you’re in charge of the investigation? You seem rather young.”

After a pause, An Yan handed her his police identification card.

Gu Fangfang examined it carefully. An Yan, 25 years old, Ministry of Public Security, Criminal Psychology Special Cases Unit.

“Oh,” she murmured, and handed it back to him.

Gu Fangfang shivered as a gust of wind blew past them, and shifted her long legs; they were eye-strikingly pale.

An Yan looked away and asked, “Why are you looking for me?”

Gu Fangfang bit her lower lip and said, “Officer An, I . . .”

An Yan’s gaze was clear and steady.

“I only found out today that people have died in Yueying Animation Studio. Then, after thinking about it, I realised that I may have seen the murderer that night. So, I figured that I had better look for the police immediately.” She continued, “The night before the incident, it was late by the time I finished my activities. When I passed their studio, I saw someone go in without turning on the lights.”

An Yan’s eyes suddenly opened wide. “Who was it?”

“Although the person was wearing a cap, and I could only see the side profile, it should be someone belonging to their group,” Gu Fangfang replied.

“Who”? An Yan looked at her intently. “Lu Ji, Rong Xiaofeng, Jiang Xueran, Wen Xiaohua or Xu Sheng?”

Gu Fangfang was silent for a moment before saying, “Officer An, didn’t you know? When their group first started, there were six people.”