The Brain Science Case 34p2

Chapter 34: The Ulysses Contract – 10-2 (End)

By the time Zhou Jinglin finally arrived, the ambulance, police cars, and even her colleagues from the Criminal Investigation Division were already on the scene.

The suspect, who was holding a modified firearm and was involved in stalking and coercion, had been arrested. The victim was unharmed, other than being shaken. The male student who had originally been the suspect’s accomplice but had turned to help the victim at the last minute had minor bruises on his abdomen and face, and the paramedics had already treated him on the scene.

But Zhou Jinglin didn’t care about any of that. The only thing she cared about was…

“Teacher! Are you okay?”

Tang Yingli turned at her voice. “It’s you, Officer Zhou… you’re late.”

“How are your injuries? Are you okay?”

“The BB has been removed, and the wound has been treated, but I still need to go to the hospital for further…”

“Don’t move.” Zhou Jinglin reached out and touched her still-pale face.

“What’s wrong… hey.”

She took out a handkerchief and dabbed the left side of Yingli’s neck. “You have a cut on your neck. It’s bleeding… why isn’t it bandaged?”

“Hm? I didn’t even feel it until you said so.” Probably got it when I was dodging the close-range shots by the door. “I can press it myself…”

“I’ll do it. It must hurt, right?” She moved closer, and she could smell the metallic scent of blood on Yingli. “I was so scared when you called me. I had just caught the suspect… and then I heard you were injured. Do you know how fast I drove to get here?”

Yingli paused. “From the Guandu Bridge… you’re probably going to get a whole bunch of speeding tickets after this.” She had made the trip in just twenty minutes.

“Is this the time to be joking?”

So scary. Yingli shrank back, enduring the roar. “You’re so fierce…”

“That’s because I was worried about you. And you said the suspect had a modified BB gun.” Zhou Jinglin held her chin and continued to apply pressure to the wound. “How did you get out in the end?”

“I just set a little trap, and then, I kicked him down…” She pointed to her high heels.

Zhou Jinglin’s eyes almost popped out of her head. “Kicked him down? Weren’t you injured?”

“It was probably the adrenaline and the painkillers that made me forget the pain for a while, and then…” Yingli shrugged, her meaning clear.

The police were escorting Lu Zhiwei past them. “That person, if he doesn’t have a mental illness, then he has a defect in his brain… what a terrifying obsession and possessiveness.”

Zhou Jinglin also noticed the pretty female student in denim shorts. “So she was the one being stalked…”

“Hm?”

“It’s nothing. In any case, it’s a good thing you’re relatively safe, Teacher.”

Yingli gave a small smile. “The wound hurts a lot, but it’s not life-threatening… by the way, aren’t you, a little too close?”

Zhou Jinglin ignored her, and only after confirming that the wound was no longer bleeding did she put away the handkerchief. “Shall I take you to the hospital?”

“Okay.” Yingli nodded and let her help her slowly leave the scene.

“Teacher.” Glancing at Yingli’s blood-stained right hand, she took a deep breath. “Promise me one thing.”

“Hm?”

“Even if it’s for a student, you shouldn’t put yourself in any danger.” She said to Yingli very seriously, “There are still many places where we need your brain.”

Yingli raised an eyebrow and pushed up her glasses with a smile. “I know. Your tone… it’s like you’re lecturing a child.”

“I am. Because you really are quite reckless sometimes.”

“How am I reckless?”

“This time is the best example.”

“Oh, I didn’t say anything when you were so impulsive before…”

“What are you trying to say?” she glared at Yingli.

Yingli glared back. “Who was it that was beating a suspect before and needed me to plead for her?”

“I didn’t ask you to do that. And I ran an errand for you, so we’re even, aren’t we?”

“So we’re just going to hurt each other now?”

She retorted, “Bring it on.”

Yingli pouted, and Zhou Jinglin’s face was a poker face. After staring at each other for a few seconds, it was Yingli who broke into a smile first.

“Oh, I’m not playing anymore. Honestly…”

“I’m not playing with you. I’m seriously asking you.”

“I know…” she sighed with a smile and looked up. “I still have things I need to do, so… don’t worry.”

“What things?”

She raised an eyebrow. “Ah, by the way, if you take me to the municipal hospital, you can pick up your mother, right? I remember she’s being discharged tonight.”

“My mom has already… it’s so late. She should be at my place by now. I’ll give her a call.” Zhou Jinglin immediately dialed Li Yuejiao’s number. “Hello, Mom… yes, we got him. How did you get home… a taxi, of course.

“I’m taking the teacher to the hospital. I’ll be back soon… okay, okay. See you later.”

Opening the car door, she let Yingli get into the passenger seat first, then went around to drive.

“Look at you, all smiles. Have you completely reconciled with your mom?”

“Not really reconciled. I guess I was just being immature.” She started the engine. “In any case, I invited my mom to come live with me. It’s up to her if she wants to.”

“Of course a mother would want to live with her daughter.”

“But a daughter might not want to live at home, right?” Zhou Jinglin leaned in with a mischievous smile. “By the way, I think I know why you moved out. It definitely wasn’t for some superficial reason like being closer to work.”

She immediately touched her forehead. “Ah, my wound is starting to hurt again. I’m a little dizzy. I don’t want to talk right now.”

“Tang Yingli! So besides dogs, your other weakness is being afraid of being set up on blind dates.”

Yingli turned her face to the window and covered her left ear with one hand. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

**

The incident came to a close. Lu Zhiwei was charged with violating the firearms and weapons control act, as well as assault and attempted murder.

As for Li Chengyao, who had originally been hired by Lu Zhiwei, he claimed that he had sent the harassing messages only for the pleasure of watching the victim’s panicked expression. Although he had caused the victim a great deal of stress, he had provided her with assistance at the critical moment and had stood up to the suspect, and had reached a private settlement with the victim.

As for Tang Yingli’s gunshot wound, after diagnosis and suturing, it was not serious, and she was discharged after two weeks of rest.

**

In early October, the heat of summer had slightly subsided, and the afternoon thundershowers were gone, replaced by a light, cool drizzle.

Placing fresh flowers before the tombstone, Yingli held an umbrella and silently prayed for the person who was laid to rest here.

After returning to the country, she had almost immediately thrown herself into investigating cases and preparing for her classes, and then she had been injured while protecting a student. It was only now that she finally had a chance to come.

The rain grew a little heavier, and the splashing drops wet the hem of her dress, but she paid it no mind. Her fair profile was as calm as a marble statue, with only a hint of sorrow in her eyes.

“Yingli,” a gentle voice called out, “the rain is getting heavier.”

“I know.” Her rose-colored lips were pressed into a thin line as she said quietly, “Just a little longer…”

“You’ve finally finished your studies and come back. As long as you want to come, I’ll always come with you.” A large hand gently rested on her shoulder. “Your feelings, they must know… let’s go back.”

The flowers before the grave were gradually scattered and withered by the rain. After a long moment, she closed her eyes and finally nodded in compromise.

She had a reason she had to come back.

Because of them, her ambition had changed from being a doctor to a neuroscientist who studied criminal psychology.

Now, she would use her own hands to uncover the truth that had been buried all those years ago.

This was Tang Yingli’s…

Ulysses contract.