Chapter 65

A pen and paper?

Officer Liu thought he hadn’t made himself clear and repeated, “You just need to tell me the suspect’s features.”

The young man seemed to think for a moment, then gave him a shy smile. “It’s more convenient to draw.”

This kid probably wasn’t good at expressing himself.

Officer Liu didn’t press further and handed him the pen and paper.

Ji Wei had only glanced at the suspect for a few seconds, so he didn’t remember everything in perfect detail. It should be a square face, with a longer lower jaw.

He began to recall.

As time ticked by, the man’s face became more and more concrete in his mind.

Thick eyebrows, triangular-shaped eyes, an inconspicuous scar on his nose… it even materialized down to a small mole by his mouth.

It was too clear.

So clear that Ji Wei was afraid of this part of himself. Deeper memories also surfaced.

—He wasn’t normal, and his mother wasn’t normal either.

—Then, it must be contagious, right?

—Ji Wei is a monster. Anyone who plays with him will become a monster too!

Anything beyond the scope of a normal person was a monster, wasn’t it?

He gripped the pen tightly, his knuckles turning white. A wave of physiological nausea washed over him, and his whole body became tense and pale.

Officer Liu handed him a glass of water and asked with concern, “Are you okay? Don’t force yourself if you can’t remember.”

Ji Wei summoned all his strength and shook his head.

Lu Shenxing was waiting for him outside.

He couldn’t let Lu Shenxing worry.

He didn’t want him to know he was a monster.

A few minutes passed.

Ji Wei finally calmed down. He took the water. “It’s just a cold.”

His fingertips were still trembling slightly.

Out of professional habit, Officer Liu studied him for a moment and judged that he was lying, but he only said with concern, “Young people should take better care of their health.”

“Thank you.” Ji Wei slowly exhaled.

He held the pen firmly and began to draw the first stroke.

Officer Liu watched the young man draw with astonishment. Unlike the usual method of starting with the overall shape and then adding details, the boy’s drawing style was interesting, almost a top-down approach—a method that required a strong sense of the bigger picture.

What surprised Officer Liu even more was the level of detail in the drawing.

It was as if he were drawing from a live model, capturing the facial features and expression with lifelike accuracy, to the point where it could pass for a photograph. But he had clearly only seen the person for a few seconds.

Even more terrifying than his drawing skills was his memory.

It made Officer Liu’s scalp tingle. In his many years at the police station, he had met many people, but this was the first time he had seen someone with such a terrifying memory. He could only attribute it to an artist’s sensitivity to images.

“Can I go now?” Ji Wei looked up and asked.

“Yes, yes. Please leave your name and contact information.” Officer Liu took the drawing, suppressing the shock in his heart. “We may need to contact you again in the future. Thank you very much for your help.”

“Okay.”

Ji Wei wrote down his name and number on a piece of paper. Officer Liu silently repeated the name “Ji Wei” and escorted him out of the room.

Yang Xixi, who was standing to the side, asked, “Can we go now?”

“Yes, you can. Thank you for your help.” Officer Liu glanced at Ji Wei. “Especially you.”

Yang Xixi let out a very faint “humph.” If they weren’t at the police station, he probably would have huffed even louder. He pulled his companion and left the station.

Ji Wei didn’t notice Yang Xixi’s expression and just smiled sheepishly at Officer Liu.

The man beside him, sitting in a wheelchair, watched the boy intently, a smile in his eyes that softened the coldness of his features.

Officer Liu walked over and, after a moment’s hesitation, asked, “Are you his friend?”

“His partner,” the man corrected with extreme naturalness.

His partner…

Ji Wei looked at Lu Shenxing. The man wore a white mask, revealing only his sharp brows and eyes. His black and white eyes gazed quietly at him, like the finest Hui ink.

Dark as lacquer on paper, its truth preserved for millennia.

Their gazes met—

Ji Wei’s heart unexpectedly skipped a beat.

Just then, he heard Officer Liu’s words: “Then please come with me for a moment.”

Ji Wei’s thoughts were pulled back. He looked puzzled. Why would Officer Liu want to see his idol? Was it still related to the stolen painting?

Lu Shenxing’s expression was calm. He gave Ji Wei a reassuring look and followed Officer Liu into the room.

Officer Liu closed the door before speaking. “That kid, Ji Wei, he draws well, and his memory is very good.”

Lu Shenxing lowered his eyes. His well-defined fingers unconsciously curled and tapped on the wheelchair. “If you have something to say, just say it directly.”

There was a faint sense of pressure.

Intuition told Officer Liu that this was not an ordinary person, so he didn’t beat around the bush. “You might want to pay more attention to his psychological well-being.”

Psychological well-being?

Lu Shenxing’s expression remained faint, but inside, his mind was in turmoil. He began to recall everything from his first meeting with Ji Wei.

Ji Wei was an outstanding child, but he had never been proud.

Not even once.

When Ji Wei participated in the variety show, he was initially afraid he wouldn’t be able to handle the pressure and had Ying Guanxiao hide his real-world information. But Ji Wei never cared about the online abuse. It wasn’t because he was tolerant, but more like a kind of indifference.

He had few friends and rarely contacted others.

There was a clear distance between him and other people.

He was the same way, so he hadn’t thought there was anything wrong with it. But Officer Liu’s words reminded him.

Ji Wei was only nineteen.

His Weiwei was only nineteen.

Lu Shenxing closed his eyes, then opened them again. He thanked Officer Liu and left the room.

Ji Wei was waiting outside. When he saw Lu Shenxing come out with a troubled expression, he asked cautiously, “Is something wrong?”

Lu Shenxing looked at him and answered slowly, “He asked me a few things about the art museum.”

Ji Wei breathed a sigh of relief. “Then let’s go back.”

“Mm, let’s go home,” the man said, his voice restrained.

***

Yang Xixi got home and unlocked the door.

He should have been out having fun on a weekend, but after a trip to the police station, his good mood was gone. He logged onto Weibo and posted a picture of the Traditional Chinese Painting cover.

[Cool Breeze Xixi]: Ji Wei is on the cover of Traditional Chinese Painting! He’s the youngest painter to ever grace its cover. The future is bright! Looking forward to more works!

Before long, there were many comments below.

[Vitamin]: Excuse me, what magazine is this?

[Lotus Leaf Chicken]: It’s a super prestigious art publication. To put it in perspective, Ji Wei getting the cover is like a newly debuted actress landing the September or October issue of one of the top five women’s magazines, and being the youngest one at that!

[Diving Crucian Carp]: Now I get it. Holy shit! That’s so damn impressive. Everyone, go buy it! Let’s boost the sales!!!

Yang Xixi was just a painting enthusiast who liked to visit art exhibitions and read books. The only fandom he was really involved in was soccer, and he always complained that basketball fans only cared about the players.

But not long after he posted this Weibo, he witnessed what a real fandom was like…

Because of its low sales, Traditional Chinese Painting had always been priced high, mostly subscribed to by school libraries, at 120 yuan per issue.

Despite such a high price, Traditional Chinese Painting actually sold out, which flattered the publisher so much that they posted on Weibo, promising to do another print run tomorrow and strive to cover major cities.

[Rhinoceros in Love]: Has anyone estimated the sales?

[Yellow Peach Canned]: Should be over 10,000. Ji Wei’s fans are too rich. They’re usually so low-key.

[Qizai is My Beloved Cat]: This number is very impressive. If there had been prior promotion, it could have sold even more.

Of course, while the Super Topic was a scene of jubilation, some discordant voices appeared in the evening, which made Yang Xixi want to complain.

[Hua University Physics Department Cheng Liang]: Seeing an internet celebrity easily sell over a million in magazines, I can’t help but sigh that doing scientific research in this era is truly a thankless task. #JiWeiMagazineSales#

Yang Xixi couldn’t help but comment.

[Cool Breeze Xixi]: Ji Wei is on the cover of Traditional Chinese Painting not because he’s an internet celebrity, but because he’s a good painter. Whether it’s art or scientific research, outstanding workers deserve respect. I think your words are a bit biased.

The blogger quickly replied to him.

[Hua University Physics Department Cheng Liang]: Isn’t art just a plaything for the rich? What contribution can it make?

Yang Xixi cursed him out a couple of times, but the guy just blocked him, leaving him with a bellyful of anger and nowhere to vent. He went to the sports field and played some ball. When he came back, he received a push notification.

[Shanghai Luwan District Police Affairs]: We thank Ji Wei for assisting our bureau in solving a case and hope that the public can actively provide clues about the following person [Image].

Ji Wei came to Luwan District?!

Too bad he didn’t get to see him.

Yang Xixi’s mood soured even more. Suddenly, he remembered the masked boy he saw today…

He immediately took out his phone and searched for a picture of Ji Wei. Ji Wei had fair skin and light-colored eyes. The boy also had fair skin and light-colored eyes.

Except for the voice not being quite right, they were practically identical. He then remembered what the boy had said when they were queuing: “He’s not that amazing, is he?” His steps suddenly faltered.

That was Ji Wei!

The case he helped the police solve must have been the theft at the Yiqiu Art Museum today. As for how he helped, was there even a need to ask? The police asked them to describe the suspect’s appearance, and Ji Wei must have drawn it directly.

Remembering that he had retorted Ji Wei two or three times, Yang Xixi felt like dying. He really needed to control his temper.

He hurriedly sent a private message to Ji Wei.

[Cool Breeze Xixi]: Hello, I’m the person who went to the police station with you today, the one with the glasses. Aaaahhhh, I’ve always been your fan. I’m so sorry about today, it was so rude!

He waited anxiously for a reply.

Half an hour later, he received a private message.

[Ji Wei Who Plays Games]: It’s okay. Go home and get some rest.

[Cool Breeze Xixi]: I will. You should get some rest too!

The heavy stone in Yang Xixi’s chest finally lifted. Ji Wei was such a nice person. Anyone else probably wouldn’t have even bothered to reply to him. Only then was he in the mood to browse Weibo.

Under the Luwan District police’s Weibo post, someone asked if it was the Ji Wei from The Forbidden City’s Little Shop. He immediately replied and also tagged Cheng Liang from the Hua University Physics Department.

[Yang Xixi]: I can confirm it’s @Ji Wei Who Plays Games. I won’t disclose the details, but his drawing greatly accelerated the case’s progress. @Hua University Physics Department Cheng Liang

He didn’t know if that Cheng Liang would see it, but anyway, Yang Xixi was happy. He ordered two more copies of the Traditional Chinese Painting magazine, along with some barbecue and beer, preparing to stay up late to watch the game.

***

Shanghai, Yiqiu Art Museum.

“We’re very grateful for your help this time, Officer Liu. If it weren’t for you, this painting wouldn’t have been recovered.” A young man bowed politely.

Officer Liu waved his hand. “It’s our duty to serve the people. And it wasn’t just us; a kind citizen helped a great deal this time.”

“Still, I must thank you on behalf of my teacher,” the young man said with another bow.

Officer Liu looked at a black car by the roadside and asked curiously, “Is Mr. Lin your teacher? I thought he was your father.”

“My teacher used to be an excellent painter,” the young man said with a respectful tone. “Unfortunately, his hand was injured, and he can no longer hold a brush. He can only collect others’ paintings.”

“Injured?” Officer Liu was even more curious.

“Because of a student,” the young man said, his tone filled with disgust.

He didn’t elaborate further, said goodbye to Officer Liu, and walked towards the black car. As he reached the car door, he saw The Forbidden City’s Little Shop playing on the screen on the back of the seat. The light-eyed young man was using a charcoal pencil to draw another’s painting from memory.

He heard a sigh. “As expected of Ye Lang’s bloodline.”

It produces geniuses, and also madmen.

***

By the time Ji Wei and Lu Shenxing returned home, it was already nine in the evening. Lu Shenxing took off his mask, but Ji Wei kept his on, afraid of infecting him.

Lu Shenxing, sitting in his wheelchair, sent a message to Ying Guanxiao.

[Lu Shenxing]: Help me schedule an appointment with Professor Guan from Yan Normal University the day after tomorrow.

[Ying Guanxiao]: Okay. You should meet with Director Li when you have time.

After confirming the time, he put his phone away.

Ji Wei finished replying to a fan’s private message. While pushing Lu Shenxing towards the room, he logged into his Weibo side account.

A top fan he followed had posted on Weibo. The fan used to be called “Xing Er Wei Yuan,” which fit the cool and aloof temperament of his fanbase, and often drew his characters. Now, the name was… “Self-Made Lu-Wei Fix.”

[Self-Made Lu-Wei Fix]: All men want to pin their partner against a wall. #ThePositionYouCan’tEscapeFrom#

The accompanying picture was fan art of Lu Shenxing and him. In the drawing, he was facing away from Lu Shenxing, his entire body pressed between the wall and the floor.

Ji Wei’s face flushed as he looked at it.

Suddenly, the wheelchair stopped.

The man suddenly spoke, “Weiwei—”

Ji Wei’s heart panicked. He was so startled that his phone fell to the floor. He quickly bent down to pick it up, but he was a step too slow.

It’s over.

Ji Wei’s body stiffened. The hand gripping the wheelchair turned ice-cold and grew colder still.

Lu Shenxing picked up the phone, looked at it for a while, and then handed it back to him.

He said nothing.

But the atmosphere grew even more tense.

It felt like something was about to explode.

Ji Wei took the phone, swallowed, and broke the silence. “It’s just a fan joking around.” As he spoke, his voice grew quieter.

The man gave a faint “mm.”

Ji Wei breathed a sigh of relief, but before he could fully exhale, the next second—

The man lowered his eyes and said in a flat tone, “But it’s not like I haven’t thought about it.”