Chapter 18: premonition.

"Well, I think you just let a dangerous criminal escape, father."

"What are you talking about," the detective looked between them not understanding what was all this about.

She looked at her father meaningfully, 'should I make him lose some face,' she shook her head and recounted what happened. She didn't go out of her way to humiliate her father, but the detective still threw him reproachful looks.

Shuji regretted his decision to stay, but since it was already what it is, he steeled his face and stood his ground. He needed to hear the detective's opinion.

They didn't have much hope about the case. At first, when they found his DNA, they thought it's gonna be an easy case, they thought he was just a careless brute. It turned out they were completely wrong, aside from his DNA, they found nothing else about him, the guy was like a ghost. His DNA was kind of his crime signature, a kind of a challenge left for them. The details Lanru revealed matched with his style indeed, he was very careful and audacious at the same time, but it wasn't enough, "why do you think he's the silent pollen," his face was more serious now.

She explained why it's not some random theft, the cameras, the drink, his audacity to come specifically to her room, but his reluctance to break in forcefully, it must be from their house.

"if you don't believe me, wait for a second" she took a bottle from her bag, "I put the drink in this bottle, If my speculation is right, it should contain a drug, and most likely the same one used by the silent pollen. I still have the lamps with cameras in my closet, that rapist is knowing for using cameras, drugs, climb houses, and even his age match. It's not conclusive evidence, but we just need to check the drug and especially his DNA to make sure, you would probably be able to collect his DNA."

Her father could no longer keep a long face, nor take her words as a joke. He wasn't a police officer but he could see she wasn't lying and just spouting some nonsense, could it really be that a criminal was nesting in their house. He looked at the detective, and the latter was more serious than him. He was lost for words.

The detective opened his mouth, "This..." he was lost for a few moments, "I need to take this drink for analysis." he stood up and added, "I'll send some to take the cameras and DNA samples if possible. Are you willing to cooperate with us, Mr. Ning?"

Receiving an affirmative node from Shuji, he immediately pulled out his talkie walkie, "...pull all units, we have a suspect…"

"Detective, wait,"

"I made him think it's just about the cameras, I hope you won't make a big scene. He's friendly with all the coworkers in our house. He might realize we discovered his identity."

The detective's eyes went wide, just who's this girl, she is more meticulous than him. Had she not been this young, he would have thought she was another detective undercover or something.

"You're right," he was an honest man, he didn't let his ego blind him, he canceled the operation immediately, he was still gonna search for him after they got his picture and info, but not openly as he was about to do. He was indeed excited right now and didn't think carefully.

He looked intently at her for a while and said, "I'll come over personally, without drawing much attention. We would also need a forensic technician to collect his DNA."

He looked at Shuji, this guy was the real problem, though, had he known he was like that, he wouldn't have let him listen, "Mr. Shuji, I hope you would do the same, we need to keep this between us."

Shuji felt humiliated, but he couldn't argue, "don't worry" he discussed with the detective how to deal with the situation, while his eyes turned to his daughter from time to time. He couldn't believe this was the same person he read about from the rapport, he had a really biased idea about her, which led him to all of this. He called the security team chief, and ordered him to tighten the security of the house, and gave him other instructions.

Listening to her father's call, something dawned on her. Her family might be in danger. This idea shook her inside, no not again.

The detective was listening on Shuji's call in case his tongue slipped when Lanru interrupted him, "Detective, can you arrange for a witness protection system for my family."

"What do you mean," he didn't know about her situation, all he knew was that the Ning family didn't need any protection.

Listening to her situation, he shook his head regretfully, "I fear that even you won't qualify yet until we make sure he's indeed the silent pollen, or be sure you're in danger, as for your family they weren't directly involved, it won't work."

She was devastated to hear this, her eyes went red, but she kept her reason, "I understand, Detective."

The Detective looked at her helplessly, he wished he could help her, but he had just two hands. His eyes suddenly flashed, "you don't lack money, right, how about a bodyguard, I have some friends and acquaintances I can recommend."

Lanru didn't need to be convinced; she accepted immediately, "Is there any woman?"

"No, women hardly go into this field, though this job isn't entirely about strength, but most people, men or women prefer to hire men."

"I understand, I was tempted to hire a man as well, but I thought it would be easier for my mother, to keep her company undercover anywhere."

"Well, I can ask if you really need a woman bodyguard, but they are in high demand since they are rare, so I'm not sure I can find a competent one available."

"No, I can't compromise that, let me call my mom, first,"

She took her phone, moved off to the side, and called her mother. Once the call connected Lanru said, "Hello Mom," she was in a hurry to hear her voice.

"Hello! How are you, my daughter?"

Hearing her happy voice, a slight relief rested on her chest, "Mom, do you trust me?"

"Of course, what's happening?"

"Don't ask me anything and just pick up my brother, and come see me right now, I'm in the x restaurant, it's really..."

Suddenly pain assaulted her, and her ear got red as her father snatched her phone and shouted, "what are you doing?" didn't she just hear the detective, why was she thinking by involving her mother and calling her to come over here.

She really wanted to say, none of your f**king business, but she didn't want to cut all ties with him.. yet, she talked over her grinding teeth, "gave me my phone back or I'm gonna make a scene here, it was all because of you he escaped, and he knew I'm the one who exposed him," she lost her temper, it was all his fault, he put everyone in danger, and he was getting in the way instead of helping.

"You're overacting, we still don't know whether he's the same person."

She didn't freaking care if she was overreacting, as long as her family was safe, "I don't need to confirm anything when it comes to my family, like how you called the security for yours," she walked over to him, and said, "you don't want to appear on the news again, do you," snatching her phone back, she added, "you're not gonna give me back my mother if anything happens to her or my brother."

"Are we not your family," he was triggered for some reason, she acted like they weren't her family, it wasn't his fault that her mother hid it from him all this year. He forgot he's the one who didn't take her as one.

"Didn't I tell everything, because I thought you're my family, who was the one who didn't trust me?"

Her father was left speechless again, but this time all his energy deflated leaving him with a complicated feeling as he looked at his daughter. It was him indeed… he couldn't keep denying the facts. Had he trusted her like his own daughter, things might not have turned out this ugly. He lost all his spirit and walked away.

"What's happening, Lanru?"

"Mom, it's really a serious matter, I don't want to scare you but it's a matter of life or death. I'll tell you everything then when you come."

After staying silent for a while, Lanru pleaded again, only when she heard an ok that she let out a deep breath. "Meet me at x cafe, I'll come over instead," she didn't feel like meeting them in this restaurant.

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Mayin didn't want to see her boss, but from her daughter's tone, she could feel it was something serious. She steeled her heart and walked to his office, she knew the manager would just transfer her request to the Boss anyway.

"Mayin, what brought you here today," he stood from his place and walked over to her, "Could it be that you finally made up your mind?" a wide smile appeared on his face.

"Boss, something urgent came up, I need to take a leave."

He went back to his desk, "you know Mayin, you're making this hard for no reason," he looked her up and down, "look at yourself, your skin is dry, your hair is unkempt, why work this hard and ignore yourself?" he smiled gently, "you know, you deserve to be treated like a lady."

She remained silent looking at him. She learned from experience, the only way to deal with him was to let his words leave from the other ear without thinking about it. she would have fallen for him for his persistence alone had the shameless bastard wasn't a married man, his ring is right in front of her.

Maybe he went overboard, he thought, "no problem, you can take a leave." he wasn't in a hurry, the best dish is cooked over low fire.

Seeing her leaving the work, a woman that set by her desk snorted, "look at the bit*h, flirting with the boss again," she threw a document in her hand carelessly at her desk, "I'm tired of this biased treatment."

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Lanru took a taxi to the subway, the latter crossed the city to the other side, finally, another taxi took her to the cafe. She arrived even before them. She didn't take a taxi directly as she feared being stuck in the traffic, it was more efficient to take the subway. Her heart was unsettled along the way, she called her mother many times to curb her fear, she was worried he might try to get revenge on her through her family. Her past kept repeating in front of her, her dead mother, her soulless brother. Her hands were shaking all the time, 'no no no, the past can't repeat itself, she was just overthinking, nothing would happen to them again.'

After what felt like an eternity, two people entered the cafe. Lanru threw herself at them once she saw them, she hugged them tightly, her eyes teared with her chest heaving uncontrollably.