Overly Intense [Criminal Investigation] 10

Chapter 10: If It’s Too Bland, Add More Flavor

The sounds inside the car seemed to fall silent; even the sound of breathing disappeared.

Shen Yiyi shifted in her seat, her eyes fixed on the crosswalk outside the window.

Why hadn’t they gotten together?

There didn’t seem to be any reason.

To her, “why didn’t we get together” was the same as “why should we get together”—neither required a special reason.

It had nothing to do with the depth of their connection at the time, nor the intensity of their spiritual fervor. It had to do with self-containment.

Shen Yiyi felt that, aside from the unbearable experience brought on by her OCD, an overwhelming emotional collapse had not yet occurred. It was like someone who had tasted tobacco could curb the urge to become addicted. For such a smoker, “lighting up” and “extinguishing” were of little consequence.

If there was one thing in her life that was an absolute must, it was death.

At that time, Qin Luo had not yet appeared on the list of things that could resonate with death.

If one had to say how important Qin Luo was during her eighteen-year-old adolescence, it could only be described as a fleeting appearance. She had abruptly interrupted Shen Yiyi’s original perspective of the world, giving her life one more option.

In the future, besides choosing marriage, she could also choose not to marry.

That was all.

Shen Yiyi thought for a long time before answering, “I think studying hard was probably more important back then.”

Regret kills faster than lightning.

Qin Luo had expected such an answer. The disappointment in the corner of her heart vanished in an instant. She smiled. “Mm, that makes sense.”

Then she turned the car into the parking lot, found a spacious spot, parked, and turned off the engine.

Qin Luo turned to look at Shen Yiyi.

She asked with sincerity, her tone calm, “So, did you ask me to dinner today just to apologize?”

Shen Yiyi was forced into a close-up, eye-to-eye confrontation with Qin Luo.

She was not one to hide or lie, so she was stumped by this question.

“Yiyi.”

Qin Luo called her name gently. Although she believed that cultivating gentleness was a pair of scissors that killed a woman’s potential, as if gentleness should be a vessel that carries and saves all things—a mother is gentle to her child, so all those with mammary glands should be gentle forever and ever, with no other options.

So Qin Luo felt that “tolerance” suited her temperament better than “gentleness.”

She could tolerate Shen Yiyi’s disregard and forgetfulness. After all, she was prepared to start over. She now had the ability to add fuel to the fire. This was their second evening since reuniting. She didn’t mind, and she wasn’t in a hurry.

Qin Luo said tolerantly, “Help me figure out my position here.”

Seeing no response, she added, “What capacity should I be having dinner with you in? As the screenwriter for the production, as a high school classmate, or as something else… I don’t want to offend you either.”

Shen Yiyi’s head was spinning from the barrage of questions. “Just… as friends.”

“OK.”

Qin Luo nodded decisively, her tone seemingly very satisfied. “I like the relationship of friends. It means we’re not too close, not too far.”

With that, she unbuckled her seatbelt, pushed open the car door, and stood on the roadside, waiting for Shen Yiyi to get out.

It wasn’t dark yet. Shen Yiyi could see Qin Luo’s expression clearly through the window, from a not-too-close, not-too-far distance.

She looked very relaxed, even a little cheerful.

To the answer that had summed up sixteen years of regret, Qin Luo had only replied with “that makes sense,” and Shen Yiyi’s own rhythm had been disrupted.

Then the atmosphere in the car began to turn strange.

Both of them had clearly smelled the awakening of dopamine upon their reunion, yet it seemed only she felt the danger.

Shen Yiyi was having some trouble adjusting to the change in Qin Luo.

But more accurately, she was not used to her own reactions after meeting Qin Luo. They were intense. Her breathing would catch, and she had wanted to see her again, so she had made an excuse to ask her out tonight.

“Friend, I’m hungry,” Qin Luo said from the road, to the person dazed in the passenger seat.

Shen Yiyi got out of the car and led Qin Luo from the parking lot to the Japanese restaurant. Her mind was a jumble of thoughts along the way, and there were no suitable topics to start a conversation.

Fortunately, a phone call came in, breaking the silence.

Unfortunately, the call was from her dad.

“Have you eaten?” Shen Qinwen’s voice was gentle on the other end of the line.

“Just about to.”

Her father fretted, “Are you off today? It’s the first time I’ve heard you eating on time.”

“No, I have to work overtime later.” Shen Yiyi felt her reply was too perfunctory, so she asked back, “What about you?”

“Mm, I just finished cooking. I thought I’d give you a call before I eat, so it’s like we’re eating together.”

Her father still referred to himself as “daddy” to his thirty-something daughter. The repetitive word made Shen Yiyi frown. “Alright, you should eat. I’m busy, so I’ll hang up now.”

“You’re always in a hurry to hang up after just a few words.”

Shen Qinwen complained, “I asked you to video call me when you’re free. It’s been two months, and you haven’t called once. You must watch that video I shared with you on WeChat, about how people who stay up late can protect their hair…”

Shen Yiyi pinched her brow. “Dad, I’ll be home next month. Please stop calling.”

“Alright, alright, I won’t say any more. Any more and you’ll get annoyed with me.”

Shen Yiyi urged, “Okay, bye.”

Qin Luo had been listening on the side. Seeing the worried look on her face after she hung up, she found it amusing.

It was rare for the role of the father to not be absent in an East Asian family. Shen Qinwen was an exception, and a clingy one at that. For as long as she could remember Uncle Shen, this father had always revolved around his daughter.

“Was that Uncle Shen?”

Shen Yiyi forced an awkward smile. “Yes.”

“How has Uncle’s health been these past few years?” Qin Luo asked.

Shen Yiyi said, “He’s in good health, just a bit lonely. He retired two years ago and nearly drove me crazy. It wasn’t until he found a job at the university for the elderly, teaching old men every day, that things got better.”

“That job is a waste of Uncle’s talents.”

Shen Yiyi led her to the entrance of the Japanese restaurant. This time, it was her turn to hold the door for the other. She continued the conversation, “What about your parents?”

“My dad passed away the year I graduated from university.”

Qin Luo said it casually, as if her father’s death had nothing to do with their date tonight. Her facial expression didn’t change with the mention of life and death. She even said thank you to Shen Yiyi as she held the door.

Shen Yiyi pursed her lips at her retreating back, then followed her. She had wanted to say something comforting, but she was afraid of bringing up sad memories, so she chose to remain silent.

Qin Luo continued on her own, “But my mom’s health has always been good.”

“Mm, so has Auntie come to Shanghai with you?”

“No, she’s still living in the same old neighborhood. I bought her an apartment with an elevator, but she said it was too big and lonely, so she didn’t want to move.”

“The elderly are indeed afraid of loneliness.”

“What about your dad? Is he still living in the same place?”

“Yes. He lived there before he retired because it was convenient for work. After he retired, he couldn’t be bothered to move.”

The two of them chatted idly until they were full, and it was almost eight in the evening.

Shen Yiyi glanced at her watch. She couldn’t remember the last time she had spent two hours on a meal. Perhaps it was that time she had dinner with the leaders from the provincial department and the Ministry of Public Security.

But that time, she had endured it by watching the clock, taking countless trips to the restroom to buffer the middle-aged male leaders’ incessant chatter. This time, it was Qin Luo who had to remind her that it was time to pay the bill.

This brief time together felt like it had been suddenly paused. She felt it wasn’t enough.

“Where are you going later?”

Qin Luo was a considerate person. Since she had picked Shen Yiyi up, she would definitely see her home safely.

“The funeral home,” Shen Yiyi said.

“Huh?” Qin Luo thought she had misheard. In the middle of the night, her date was going to the funeral home after dinner.

Shen Yiyi explained, “I’m going to work.”

Qin Luo raised an eyebrow, her face full of doubt. “To dissect a body?”

“Yes,” Shen Yiyi nodded.

They walked out of the alley into the summer night breeze. Qin Luo stood on the side closer to the road, blocking the sound of the delivery riders’ horns. Occasionally, they passed a restaurant with an open door, and the cool air from the air conditioner blew straight to her heart.

The fleeting coolness would only intensify the returning heat.

Shen Yiyi thought of the body she had to dissect with the intern assistant tonight, and a wave of annoyance washed over her. She took two deep breaths and slowed her pace to walk alongside her.

“Want some ice cream?”

Passing by a convenience store, Qin Luo suddenly turned her head and asked, “I’ll get you the kind in a bowl, so it won’t melt everywhere.”

Shen Yiyi stopped. Qin Luo’s voice was soft, but the noise behind her was drowned out. She looked at her shadow under the streetlight. It was being stepped on by Qin Luo, crooked and twisted. The shadow was defenseless, and just as unexpectedly, she nodded.

“Okay.”

“Then wait for me here.”