Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
For example, if they were to go to South Africa, they would need more immunizations, like yellow fever, hepatitis A and B, tetanus, Cholera, and Ebola. If they were to go to Central or South America, on top of all the shots mentioned for South Africa, they would also require immunizations for cerebrospinal meningitis, measles, mumps, and chicken pox. However, if they were to go to more developed areas like Europe or North America, they would require fewer immunizations, but mumps, measles and rubella were definitely necessary.
The two staff members looked at the brochure Ye Zitan had given them, pointed at the column with mumps, measles, and rubella, and said, “I think we have taken these before. Could doctor Ye please check if we have developed antibodies to these?”
Even though one had been injected with immunizations, it did not necessarily mean that they would work. It was common knowledge. For example, some people had the immunization for hepatitis B many times, but they still contracted the disease, as they did not have antibodies to it.
Ye Zitan immediately understood where the staff members were going. Her heart skipped a beat, but she did not say anything as she began doing blood tests and physical exams for them.
After checking that they had indeed developed antibodies to the diseases, Ye Zitan approved their health checkups and sent them out. After they were gone, Ye Zitan sent a text message to a number. “Praying Mantis is beginning operation. They should know where Cicada is.”
Just when they were going crazy, they were elated upon receiving Ye Zitan’s message. “Please report on Cicada’s location,” they replied.
This was tough for Ye Zitan. No matter how bright she was, she wouldn’t be able to get to the central control system of the Special Forces. Therefore, she could only reply, “Follow Praying Mantis,” and send them the pictures of the two staff members just now. It meant to follow the Hua Xia Empire’s tracking satellite by following the two men.
…
Chen Lie sat in his office alone, smoking. Smoke filled the air and caused Ye Zitan to choke and cough the moment she entered. She waved her hands in front of her mouth and nose in an attempt to fan some smoke away and said, “Doctor Chen, won’t you set off the smoke alarm by smoking like that here? What, did the alarms fail or something?”
“I turned them off,” Chen Lie said gloomily. Turning around, he saw Ye Zitan’s look of concern, and his spirits lifted instantaneously. Putting out his cigarette, he raised his hands, smiling. “Okay! I’m not smoking anymore!”
Ye Zitan walked over gently and tidied his ashtray while attempting to console him. “Doctor Chen, this isn’t all your fault. You told Mr. Huo, but he wanted to hide it from the higher ups…”
“Shut up!” Chen Lie did not expect Ye Zitan to be speaking up for him and stopped her quickly. Even though he felt warm in his heart, he knew the seriousness of the matter and did not want to betray Huo Shaoheng like that.
Ye Zitan blushed with embarrassment at his harshness. She put down the ashtray and said chokingly, with tears in her eyes, “Please calm down, Doctor Chen. I’ll go now…” With that, she left the office hastily, wiping tears off her face.
Chen Lie panicked. However, he realized that Ye Zitan increased her pace as he attempted to chase after her. He was embarrassed to continue chasing her, so he returned to his office, sighing, and locked himself in. Moreover, he and Huo Shaoheng had something more important that they were keeping from the higher ups. This was what was worrying him. When he thought of this, his heart sank. Picking his phone up, he decided to call Ye Zitan.
Ye Zitan only answered the call after a while. “I’m sorry doctor Chen, it’s my fault. You were right to reprimand me.” Her voice was still shaky. The chances of her crying just now were high.
Chen Lie felt even guiltier now. He softened his tone and stammered, “Doc… Doctor Ye… It was my fault just now. I should not have lashed out at you… Please don’t be upset…”
“I’m not angry…” Ye Zitan sighed. “I have to go through my materials now, Doctor Chen. Do you have anything else for me?”
Even though Chen Lie had had a crush on Ye Zitan for a rather long while, he hadn’t been able to figure out how to communicate effectively with her in order to let her know his feelings. Disappointed, he hung up and closed his eyes, putting the matter to the back of his mind.
He began pondering Gu Nianzhi’s background. This involved Gu Nianzhi; he had to let her know beforehand. At least, she had to know how much Huo Shaoheng had to go through just for her! This comrade of his did so much for her but did not let her know. How could he?
However, Chen Lie dialed many times but was unable to get through. He only managed to get the message, “The number you’ve just dialed is not within the area of service.” Chen Lie glared at his phone, pissed, like he was trying his utmost to see through it so that he could figure out what on earth went wrong. He could not get through to Gu Nianzhi no matter how he tried.
This is weird. Huo Shaoheng is out on a mission. Yin Shixiong and Zhao Liangze are out on missions as well. Who can I call? Gu Yanran and Gu Nianzhi don’t seem to be on really good terms. Should I ask her? Maybe I should just wait…
He shoved his phone back into his coat pocket with his stubby fingers on his chubby hand and stopped trying to call Gu Nianzhi, deciding to immerse his attention in research instead.
…
It had been about ten days since Gu Nianzhi had come with Reinitz to this villa in the capital of Germany, Berlin. September was almost over, and October was arriving. It was autumn. The suburbs of Berlin had maple trees, and the leaves were turning red. All the daisies in the greenery were blooming beautifully. They were a mixture of blue, purple, pink, while, and light green, and they added life to the otherwise boring greenery by attracting different types of butterflies and bees. The weather was great—it was neither too warm nor too cold. It was almost the best season of the year.
Gu Nianzhi, however, was losing weight rapidly, and it was obvious even to the naked eye. She ate a good amount daily and did not exercise. Logically, she should be putting on weight. However, it was the total opposite for her.
Reinitz knew that Gu Nianzhi did not have a good night’s sleep whenever he saw her with dark eye circles in the morning. She was here physically, but her heart was somewhere else. Therefore, her mental state was bad. She was like a walking zombie and was even showing signs of anorexia.
Reinitz was extremely worried about her health, and he got a doctor to check on her on a weekly basis. As long as there was no mention of drawing blood, Gu Nianzhi would cooperate nicely with the doctor. Reinitz would stand by to ensure no doctors dared to mention that.
…
The doctor stated, “Cereus’ vital signs are normal. There are no signs of her being anorexic, Reinitz.” Then the doctor asked, confused, “From the symptoms you’ve described, she does look anorexic, but does she have the most important symptom of vomiting after eating?” That was the classic symptom of anorexia—vomiting immediately after an intake of food, like it was the body’s natural reaction. Therefore, the body was not getting the nutrients it needed to survive and would therefore lose weight rapidly.
Reinitz was struck dumb. After thinking about it carefully, Gu Nianzhi really did not have the symptoms of throwing up after meals. She ate a huge amount of food at each meal, and she ate slowly, too. The only way to know that she was alive everyday was probably just during mealtimes.
However, she wasn’t throwing up. Therefore, it showed that it was not very likely that she was anorexic. Or rather, her rapid weight loss was due to something else. As for the real reason, Reinitz knew best.
…
Als came to “spy” again in the evening. Reinitz brought him to the neighborhood to take a walk. They walked along the path covered with maple leaves and discussed Gu Nianzhi. Als was wearing his Bluetooth earpiece as he walked, so as to keep in contact with his people. After a while, he stopped abruptly and asked, “What does she want to do?”
The men keeping watch on Gu Nianzhi said through the earpiece, “Miss Gu attempted to leave the house at the fence at the backyard…”
Als was speechless.
Reinitz turned to look at him, puzzled. “What’s up?”
Als turned to him mockingly. “Your darling wants to escape.”
Reinitz fell silent for a while. After that, he mumbled, “So many of your men are watching her. How would she be able to escape?”
Als chuckled and shook his head. He was in an extremely good mood as he whistled. Gu Nianzhi’s tricks only seemed funny to him. He did not even worry about her.
Reinitz looked at Als calmly and said, “Actually, by locking her up like that, she will die. Can’t you tell? Even if you don’t kill her, she’s letting go. Is such a person someone you’d want?”
Als was taken aback. “What do you mean? Let me tell you…”
Reinitz cut him off as he turned around in the direction of the villa. “Don’t you feel it? She’s losing weight too rapidly and becoming weaker.” When they had just met her, even though she was skinny, she could still say emphatically that she had a D-sized cup…
What about now? She merely sat there like the most beautiful sculpture. Even her eyeballs did not move.
“So what? Didn’t the doctor say that she wasn’t anorexic?” Als couldn’t understand. “Are you sick in the head or something?! Don’t tell me what you’re up to?!”
Reinitz smiled. However, that smile was anything but happy. It was like a crack in a porcelain sculpture. It opened up, and you could see the dark inside.
Their voices were low. On the maple leaf-covered pavement, one could only see the confused look on Als’s face and Reinitz looking as cold as ice.
After a while, they continued walking. Reinitz glanced at him. “Alright. What can I do? You’re thinking too much… The chrysanthemums over there have bloomed. Aren’t those your favorite? Do you want to take a look?” The bright hues of wild chrysanthemums made them look like little suns, and they were even more eye-catching when they were seen bathed in rays of sunlight. There were fields of wild chrysanthemums on the hillside near his place, and Als loved looking at them.
“Oh? Then we really have to take a look. They weren’t in bloom a couple of days ago when I went.” Als smiled and followed Reinitz to the valley that he liked.
Als beamed like a child as they entered the valley filled with wild chrysanthemums. Looking ahead, the slopes were filled with the pretty little yellow flowers as well. With that smile, it was hard to imagine that it was the same person who had been so cunning just a moment before.
…
Gu Nianzhi had long noticed the trend for the past fortnight that Als had been visiting more frequently. Each time he was there, both of them would go out for a walk for about 30 minutes to an hour. While they were gone, the men that Reinitz ordered to keep watch over the villa would be a lot fewer, all because they went off with Als. Als was an important figure with a high position, so he had many bodyguards with him.
Gu Nianzhi felt that this was an opportunity not to be missed. That evening, Als was there again. He looked gloomy. Seeing that he was in a bad mood, Reinitz suggested drinking. They went to the living room. Reinitz prepared bratwurst sausages and pork knuckles. They began with beers first, then wine, and finally, vodka.
Albeit slightly drunk, their eyes sparkled. Als was a talkative drunk. Therefore, he rambled on, but no one understood a thing he was saying. Reinitz was a calm drunk. He looked at Als as he smiled gently, and his gaze was especially gentle when his eyes landed on Gu Nianzhi. It was so gentle that Gu Nianzhi felt her heart flutter. It was like he was caressing her with his gaze.
Unfortunately, Gu Nianzhi wasn’t paying much attention. She was contemplating whether Reinitz was truly drunk or if he was merely pretending…
After staying with him for so many days, they understood each other fairly well. Moreover, she wasn’t a fool. Reinitz was a capable person. Even if Gu Nianzhi didn’t think much of Als, she wouldn’t do the same to Reinitz.
She also understood that even though Als said that Reinitz would be implicated if she were to run away, there was a high chance that it might not be true. Judging from the friendship between Reinitz and Als, nothing would happen to Reinitz. Even if he did something extremely illegal, Als would cover up for him. He wasn’t the type who would betray his buddy.
Of course, this was only Gu Nianzhi’s assumption. As for whether it would really happen, she would need time to prove her theory. She had planned for a long time and intended to use her escape to prove this theory once and for all, and see if Als would lock Reinitz up. If he didn’t, she could leave in peace. If Als was really so heartless, then she couldn’t bring herself to see Reinitz get implicated as well. From Huo Shaoheng’s information, Gu Nianzhi knew only too well how scary the “Geheime Staatspolizei” were from that time.
Today seemed like a good opportunity. Gu Nianzhi sat beside Reinitz and poured him drinks continuously. Reinitz’s clear blue eyes really looked as clear as a pond. He looked at her lovingly, as though he wouldn’t see her again. Gu Nianzhi finally felt that her earlobes were burning from his stare.
Raising her arm instinctively and tilting her head, she rubbed her earlobe to cool it down. The diamond stud on her earlobe shimmered beautifully under the chandelier’s light. Then, it seemed like there was a faint red light inside the stud.
Of course, Gu Nianzhi did not see that. However, Reinitz noticed it. He squinted his clear blue eyes but still looked at her gently. He reached out slowly and rubbed her earlobe.
Gu Nianzhi shied away. Covering her earlobe, she grumbled, “Why did you touch my ear?!” Gu Nianzhi’s earlobes were her sensitive spots. Moreover, Reinitz had great strength. To him, it was just a rub. However, Gu Nianzhi’s earlobe was already red.
Reinitz put his hand down. That soft and silky texture lingered on his fingers. He felt suffocated and wiped his fingers continuously on his pants, like he wanted to get rid of that texture. He was really drunk. Otherwise, he wouldn’t dare to do the thing he had always wanted to do—rub her earlobes.
