The Girl Who Restarted Time

She heard Xu Lei reply, “The investigation is underway!”

Lu Jia’er put wrinkles in her eyebrows. She was feeling uneasy: how could Su Han have been kidnapped? Who kidnapped her?

Xu Lei went on, “Professor Lu, can you please come to the Provincial Criminal Investigation Brigade?”

Hearing this, Lu Jia’er frowned even harder because she and Jin Xiangdong had already booked the plane ticket to Los Angeles in the States. However, compared to Su Han being kidnapped, the trip to the States was not the priority.

“Okay. I will head over right away!” Lu Jia’er answered.

Lu Jia’er hung up the phone and stepped out from the telephone booth. She walked to Jin Xiangdong and informed him, “Su Han was kidnapped. I need to pay a visit to the Provincial Criminal Investigation Brigade.”

Jin Xiangdong was startled to hear this. “Su Han was kidnapped?”

Lu Jia’er felt sorry, “We will probably have to change our tickets!”

“I will go with you to the Criminal Investigation Brigade.” Jin Xiangdong proposed.

Looking at his face, Lu Jia’er refused. “No, let me go by myself.”

“Jia’er, as of now, it is not appropriate for you to be alone!” Jin Xiangdong insisted.

Lu Jia’er was aware what Jin Xiangdong was worried about. She thought for a few seconds. “It’s better that I go alone. When your phone is back up, contact Jason and tell him about this.”

Jin Xiangdong did not agree with Lu Jia’er on this arrangement. He was about to say something when Lu Jia’er just happened to see a taxi approaching. She stepped to the curb at once and hailed that taxi.

“Jia’er!” Jin Xiangdong chased after her.

“Ace, I will be fine. I will contact you as soon as I know what happened to Su Han!” With that said, Lu Jia’er opened the door and got into the car.

Jin Xiangdong had to watch as she left in the taxi. The worry in the depth of his eyes was evident. It was surprising that Su Han would be kidnapped. Jin Xiangdong frowned as he recalled the incident last night. Maybe, the ones chasing them last night did not mean ill. They were just trying to make sure if Lu Jia’er was safe.

Was it really like what he was thinking? Or, was there another conspiracy waiting to be revealed behind all this?

The taxi parked at the gate of the Provincial Public Security Bureau. Lu Jia’er got out of the taxi quickly. A few minutes later, she was inside Xu Lei’s office.

Xu Lei stood up at once as he saw Lu Jia’er. “Professor Lu!”

The first thing Lu Jia’er mentioned was about Su Han. “Deputy Xu, is it true that Su Han has been kidnapped?”

“Professor Lu, take a seat first. Let me take the time and tell you the details.” Xu Lei invited Lu Jia’er to sit down.

While anxious, Lu Jia’er took a seat first. Xu Lei poured her a glass of water.

“Thank you.” Lu Jia’er took over the glass and expressed her appreciation. “Are you sure the tip is real?” She asked Xu Lei.

Xu Lei sat down as well and updated Lu Jia’er about the current situation. “Last night, we received a tip. We contacted the involved party at once and we went to Su Han’s residence to confirm the information. However, the apartment was empty. Then, we learned that she is your friend and once was your roommate. I hurried to contact you but failed. I thought something happened to you as well!”

Lu Jia’er could already tell how worried Xu Lei was from that phone call. Lu Jia’er kept on asking, “What information has the investigation revealed so far?”

“According to our current investigation, the phone to report the tips was used only once. The location of the call is confirmed. We are viewing the surveillance cameras video to check the population. However, since the location of that phone call was in a downtown area, there is no definitive way to be sure of any results.” Xu Lei replied.

Suspicions rose in the depth of Lu Jia’er’s eyes. “Did the informant say anything else apart from tipping you that Su Han was kidnapped?”

“Nothing else!” Xu Lei continued. “But, Professor Lu, don’t worry. I have already sent people to look further into it. That being said, I do have to ask you some questions first.”

“Go ahead.” Lu Jia’er said.

Xu Lei stood up and picked up his pen and notebook from the desk. “Where were you last night?” He cut straight to the chase.

Speaking of last night, Lu Jia’er felt it was hard to explain. Still, she gave an answer promptly. “I sailed out to the sea with my boyfriend.”

Hearing this, Xu Lei’s eyes flickered. Still, he went on, professionally. “How many people were with you?”

Su Han being kidnapped was not a trivial matter. Lying to Xu Lei would be seen through. Therefore, Lu Jia’er spoke frankly. “Three people all together! Me, my boyfriend Jin Xiangdong and his friend Jason.”

“When did you go to the sea? When did you come back? Also, what do your boyfriend and his friend do for a living?” Xu Lei went on.

Lu Jia’er tried to think back. “It should be around 10 when we sailed out and we came back early this morning. My boyfriend and his friend are the president and vice president of BUA Technology respectively.”

Xu Lei was not a stranger to BUA Technology, the highly-famed company studying Artificial Intelligence.

“Then who were you with before 10 last night?” Xu Lei continued.

“We were having dinner at XX Restaurant before 10 last night.” Lu Jia’er answered. “But there was one more person. Yuan Miaomiao from the Department of Biology of F University. She is the granddaughter of Professor Yuan Xin. Both my boyfriend and Jason know her well.”

She could answer the questions without any hitch. But she had already had a clear idea of what Xu Lei was thinking. She went on, “Deputy Xu, are you worried about me?”

Though he was seen through, Xu Lei did not try to cover it up. “Yes, you are my psychiatrist. Of course, I am worried about you!”

Lu Jia’er admired that Xu Lei was sincere. He did have a crush on her, but he never harassed her. This man was more graceful than she had expected.

“Thank you.” Lu Jia’er extended her appreciation politely.

Xu Lei put forward another question, “When was the last time you contacted Su Han?”

“At noon the day before yesterday!” Lu Jia’er said.

“What did you talk about?” Another question.

“Just some trivial matters. “Said Lu Jia’er.

“You… did not return to or visit the apartment recently, right?” Xu Lei questioned.

“No, I didn’t. I moved into my boyfriend’s place.” While this was her private matter, Lu Jia’er told him the truth.

“That is to say, it has been some time since you went back?” Xu Lei continued.

“Last week, I went back to pick up some of my stuff.” Lu Jia’er gave a frank reply.

Xu Lei noted it down and went on, “What does Su Han do for a living? Who does she usually socialize with?”

“She is a writer. Usually, she just stays at home and rarely has any friends.” Lu Jia’er said.

“That is to say, she is unsociable?” Xu Lei asked.

Lu Jia’er chose some simple words to describe Su Han’s personality. “I won’t say that Su Han is unsocial. She is just quiet. She likes to read and write.”

“Has she suffered from some trauma recently? Or, did anything happen to her?” Xu Lei wondered.

“She was dumped.” Lu Jia’er said, honestly.

“Dumped?” Xu Lei stared at Lu Jia’er.

“Her ex-boyfriend is my boyfriend’s friend, Jason, the one sailed out with us last night.” Lu Jia’er explained.

Xu Lei’s gaze at Lu Jia’er carried some interest. “Since you are all acquaintances, do you know why they broke up?”

Lu Jia’er did not make her remark specific. “I heard that they don’t find one another compatible.”

“Lu Jia’er, based on your understanding of Jason, do you think he is involved in the kidnapping of Su Han? Or, do you think it has anything to do with the break-up?” Xu Lei asked.

“I don’t think so. Both Su Han and Jason are open and forthright!” Lu Jia’er stated.

“That is to say, this incident should not be a practical joke, right?” Xu Lei said.

Practical joke? It shouldn’t be. Last night, Lu Jia’er fainted all of a sudden and then they were followed. Everything implied that nothing about this was simple. Maybe…

Lu Jia’er had an idea. “Deputy Xu, please find Su Han as soon as possible!” She begged.

“Of course! It’s just we don’t have enough clues to go on.” Xu Lei admitted.

Right at this moment, a police officer came in. Since Lu Jia’er was here, he did not report to Xu Lei at once.

Noticing this, Xu Lei stood up and walked to his desk. The police officer lowered his voice. “Deputy Xu, we found some new clues to the kidnapping we were tipped about last night.”

While he said it in a low voice, Lu Jia’er did hear it.

“What is it?” Xu Lei asked.

“Last night, from 8:55 to 9:10, the surveillance system at the apartment the kidnapped was living in was hacked.” The police officer said.

“The surveillance system was hacked?” Xu Lei sounded surprised.

“Yes, it is understood that this was the second time the surveillance system in this apartment was hacked. Besides, last night, the Bureau of Transportation…” The police officer went on.

The looks in Xu Lei’s eyes shifted a bit after the police officer finished. “Okay. Noted.” Xu Lei said.

The police officer left the office. Xu Lei sat back on the couch and Lu Jia’er looked at him. “Have you got new clues?”

Xu Lei looked back at her, hesitating. Eventually, he began to tell her. “Professor Lu, you must have mentioned that your boyfriend and that Jason are the president and vice president of BUA Technology?”

Hearing this, Lu Jia’er sensed what he was implying. Even so, she said, “Yes!”

Xu Lei did not respond to her at once. He just stared at her.

Lu Jia’er put on a gentle smile. “Deputy Xu, you haven’t misunderstood one of them, have you?”

While those words were just to sound him out, Lu Jia’er had already learnt what Xu Lei was really thinking.

“Professor Lu, I will tell you the truth. Just now, we picked up some new clues. The surveillance cameras of the apartment you and Su Han live in were hacked and the videos were deleted! Someone spotted BUA’s vice president Jason’s car!” Xu Lei did not withhold the information from Lu Jia’er.

Last night, Lu Jia’er had no idea how Jin Xiangdong and Jason took her to the lab at the university. That being said, she knew that it must not be easy. That trip must have been filled with twists and turns, if not soul-stirring.