Chapter 137 — So It Was You
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 2
"Old Yang, where are you?" The call connected almost at once, and Wei Zhao asked.
"Wang Family Lane, behind No. 1 Middle School... Hold on, Wei Zhao, what did you just call me? Old Yang? Why does that sound so off?" Yang Huaijun said. "Call me Junzi or Hound, anything but Old Yang—do I really seem that old?"
"All right then, Brother Jun. Out in public you're my senior, so calling you Junzi doesn't sit right." Wei Zhao said. "I'm here, at the bus stop in front of No. 1 Middle School's main gate."
"I'll be right over," Yang Huaijun said.
Before long a police car pulled up in front of Wei Zhao, and Yang Huaijun stuck his head out the window. "Wei Zhao, get in!"
Wei Zhao nodded and took the passenger seat. Yang Huaijun eased the car forward. "I have to say, that medicine of yours really works. One day on it, and I wasn't in pain at all that night!"
"You think it's some miracle cure? That I'm a Taoist immortal? No pain after one day?" Wei Zhao gave a bitter smile. "Isn't that just your own head playing tricks on you?"
"Heh, maybe a little, but it really has eased up quite a bit. I can fall asleep without the painkillers you gave me," Yang Huaijun said. "It's just—somewhat miserable."
"That's more like it..." Some relief was only natural; otherwise Wei Zhao's medicine would have been a waste of effort. But claiming it was cured in a single day was nonsense—even Wei Zhao didn't believe that. "Still, why won't you take the painkillers?"
"I figured I'd just tough it out. Besides, isn't it better not to keep taking those painkillers?" Yang Huaijun explained.
"Who told you that..." Wei Zhao was a little speechless. "They don't have side effects; they're just there to help you along... Fine, if you'd rather tough it out, suit yourself."
"Damn, why didn't you say so earlier..." Yang Huaijun howled in regret. The pain had eased a little the night before, but only a little; toughing it out into sleep had still been miserable.
"Heh..." Wei Zhao shrugged. "I thought a hound wouldn't be that dumb."
"You little punk!" Yang Huaijun could only count himself unlucky. "By the way, has little Song come looking for you?"
"Little Song? Qiu Lingshan?" Wei Zhao guessed that the "little Song" Yang Huaijun meant must be Qiu Lingshan. "What would she want with me?"
"What else but the bank robbery? They can't find the suspect, and she'd already given the chief a solemn pledge to crack the case within fifteen days..." Yang Huaijun smiled bitterly. "She came to me for help, and I had no good answer, so I pointed her your way. You won't hold it against me, will you?"
"That I won't. You want me to help her find someone?" Wei Zhao narrowed his eyes. Even if Yang Huaijun hadn't mentioned it, he would have had to deal with this sooner or later. Gu Pengzhan had made it plain that Gu Mengyao was a key piece of his own mission—so if anything happened to Gu Mengyao, what mission would he have left to speak of? All these potential threats, Wei Zhao would naturally stamp out.
A few bank robbers, nothing more—Wei Zhao did not take them seriously. They were small fry; leave them to the police. What concerned Wei Zhao was the man behind them, that Brother Cihua. Just who was he?
"Everyone in the squad knows it—once an enemy falls in your sights, there's no escaping. Prey marked by the eagle rarely gets away." Yang Huaijun laughed. "Little Song's a pitiful sort, really. She transferred from the army to the local force, always wanting to prove herself and be recognized, and then this grinding case lands on her."
"Heh, I've noticed your sympathy's overflowing," Wei Zhao said with a laugh.
"Can't help it. Do the job long enough, see enough odds and ends, and you get sentimental." Yang Huaijun nodded. "Whether or not there's anything between the two of you, I've said my piece. The decision's yours."
"Then we'll talk when she comes to me. So far she hasn't," Wei Zhao said.