Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Hans raised his hands and waved them with such force that the handcuffs clicked.
“Do you offer male striptease?” quipped one policeman.
The officer who was escorting Hans came up and said, “Officer Rose, do you know
him? What’s the matter, is this one of your men?”
This policeman gave Luo Qun enough face and asked this to give Luo Qun an
opportunity to take him.
As one could deduce from American TV series and Hollywood blockbusters, American
police had its own informants. If something went wrong, they would immediately find
their undercover allies.
If an informant committed a relatively mild criminal offense, the police could quietly let
him go.
If Hans were an undercover agent for Luo Qun, the police would not charge him for
having sex with a prostitute.
Hans knew this, and nodded his head vigorously, saying, “Rose, Big Li, save me!”
Luo Qun ignored him and asked, “What’s the matter with him?”
The policeman shrugged his shoulders and said, “The man was very clever. He was
hiding in the cupboard. I didn’t find him at first. When I went back to take something, I
found him pushing the door of the cupboard, trying to come out.”
Li Du laughed, while Hans looked bitter. He was impatient this time.
“Then he did it?” asked the Luo Qun.
“He certainly did. I found this in the cupboard,” The police took out a forensic evidence
bag, which contained a used condom.
Looking at it, Luo Qun snapped her fingers and said, “Take him away. He is not mine.”
Hans went mad and said, “Rose, you can’t do this! Li, you are my brother, help me!”
Li Du said calmly, “Just take it as a lesson and go to the police station with the officer.”
He was going to bail Hans out, but he was not going to put in a good word for him now,
as he wanted to teach him a lesson.
The officer dragged the sour-faced Hans away. Hans turned his head back every three
steps he took, with a look that clearly meant to evoke emotion.
“Stop dreaming,” said Li Du. “I won’t save you.”
Hans said, “F**k you!”
Li Du only had a massage, so after the police made a record, he was released.
When Luo Qun was ready to leave, he stopped her and said, “Tell me what you intend
to do.”
Luo Qun bristled. “What are you talking about? I told you it’s none of your business.
stop asking and get out of the way.”
“You said that when we meet again, you would tell me everything. Well, now we meet
again… actually, we already did during the earthquake,” said Li Du. “Luo Qun, you must
keep your promise! Tell me, why did you quit?”
His words made Luo Qun silent. The policewoman looked to the distance and said
slowly, “I’m going to Siberia.”
Li Du was startled and said, “How could you think of something so sudden? To Siberia?
What will you do there? Mine? Roam the plains?”
“Jonas Malone was in Siberia, and I have information that someone had seen him
there,” said Luo Qun shortly.
Li Du’s pupils narrowed. “Jonas Malone, the murderer?”
“That’s him,” Luo Qun spoke through clenched teeth.
Li Du sighed and asked, “Are you sure?”
Luo Qun nodded vigorously.
Li Du fell silent and didn’t know what to say.
He understood the meaning of Luo Qun and knew this meeting might be the last time he
would see her.
Siberia was one of the greatest wildernesses that mankind has not conquered yet. It
was less traveled than other parts of Russia, but the loneliness of the plains was
actually better than meeting the locals, many of whom were dangerous.
It would be extremely dangerous and difficult to chase down Jonas Malone in that part
of the world, especially for a young, pretty woman who would be going alone.
Li Du tried to stop Luo Qun, but he knew it was useless.
Even if she knew she would die, this stubborn girl would still go, if there was any chance
at all to catch Malone
So long as this possibility existed, Luo Qun was willing to take risks.
Li Du took a deep breath and asked, “Must you go?”
“I have to go!”
“Maybe there is some other solution?”
“There is no other solution!”
“What if you achieve nothing?”
“Then let it be so!”
As Li Du thought, Luo Qun was determined and no one could change her decision.
He said slowly, “It's too dangerous for you to go alone. Do you have any help? Do you
have a plan?”
“No, I would put someone in trouble if I asked them to help. I’ll take care of my own
business,” said Luo Qun.
Li Du shook his head and said, “You can’t solve it this way. You know, whoever you ask
for help will hurt others. You are now putting yourself into big trouble.”
“You have to take risks, don’t you?” she shrugged.
She looked at Li Du and suddenly became emotional. “You know, I don’t want to choose
this way! But tell me, do I have any other choice? Is there any?”
As she spoke, she stepped back, shook her head and said softly, “No, I don’t have any
other way!”
Li Du took a deep breath and said, “Make a plan. I’ll help you. It’s too dangerous for
you, a woman, to go alone to Siberia.”
“No, Old Li,” she said, laughing. “I didn’t want to tell you about it, but I don’t want you to
think I’m helpless. I don't need your help.”
When Li Du was about to say something, Luo Qun stopped him. “You know how
dangerous it is to go to Siberia. You are not alone. You have parents, you have Sophie
and those fluffy little guys.”
“When I went to see you, I saw Sophie with your little ones. She fed them, she taught
them, she was with them as a mother with her children.”
“Old Li, you have to cherish such a life and its blessings. I wanted to ask you for help,
but when I saw this, I thought it would be unfair to you and to Sophie. I was too selfish.”
Luo Qun uttered these words in one breath. She smiled again and turned to leave.
Li Du quickly caught up with her. “It is not unfair to me, Siberia is dangerous, but I would
be prepared…”
“Even if you’re prepared, it’s just as dangerous, and you would be risking your life,” said
Luo Qun.
She continued, “As I said before, you have parents, a fiancée, a family. You shouldn’t
take risks. Me? I have only myself, and I can afford to put myself in danger.”
With these words, she walked to the police car, turned and smiled at Li Du again.
The winter sun was shining brightly in Phoenix. Its rays were soft and golden. Although
the plants and trees in the greyish-yellow land were all grey, they still emitted a warm
smell.
Luo Qun smiled brightly. Li Du had never seen such a smile on her face before.
Later, it would be even more difficult to see.
