"Su Su, they're catching up!"

Before cutting into the next turn, the woman in the McLaren saw the Ferrari rapidly approaching in the rearview mirror.

Full power, the momentum instantly changed, as if a different driver had suddenly taken over.

"Hmph, that's more like it."

Su Su recalled the scene on the overpass that day. The Ferrari's driving skills were miraculous, and Zhao Yingjun was the one driving. So, it was clear that her clumsy driving just now was merely a show of leniency.

Now, the real race had begun.

She was no longer the same Su Su from the overpass that day. After this period of coaching and track experience, Su Su felt that she now had what it took to fight that Ferrari!

Two world-class top racing cars met at the curve...

But this time, the Ferrari cut into the curve at a much better angle, and its exit speed was extremely fast! It overtook the McLaren in just one turn!

After that, despite Su Su's best efforts to catch up, she was either blocked from overtaking or had her position predicted and blocked before entering the curve, forcing her to slow down.

She gnashed her teeth in hatred!

Inside the Ferrari...

Zhao Yingjun's eyebrows relaxed, and an uncontrollable smile appeared on her lips.

Lin Xian's left hand was on the back of her hand, completely taking over the steering wheel and gear shifting, and Lin Xian was also playing with the electronic handbrake button in various ways.

Although this awkward driving posture greatly affected her ability to perform, coupled with the fact that the accelerator control was still on Zhao Yingjun's foot, requiring verbal coordination, it was more than enough to deal with a second-rate driver like Su Su.

After an entire lap of the track, the McLaren failed to catch up with the Ferrari.

At the last moment, Zhao Yingjun actively controlled the steering wheel to block in front of the McLaren, changing the turn signals left and right, returning this set of provocative moves to Su Su in its entirety.

Then, she chuckled and turned to drive out of the parking lot.

"Racing is really interesting."

Zhao Yingjun turned her head and looked at Lin Xian with a smile:

"It's really fun. If you have time in the future, teach me more."

"Okay."

Lin Xian also agreed with a smile.

He now understood a little why the Jianghu (martial world) masters in wuxia novels often fought fiercely to compete for a prodigy disciple, even resorting to underhanded tactics to snatch them... It turned out that having a disciple with high comprehension was truly a very fulfilling thing.

…

In the evening, Lin Xian and Zhao Yingjun still went to the restaurant Lin Xian had booked for dinner.

The two talked about catching the murderer and about the temporary transfer to the Public Security Bureau.

"There are too many things involved behind this case. Later, the country should take over, because whoever is instructing this murderer to kill will definitely need to be investigated in the United States to find clues."

"But this kind of thing should not be made public," Lin Xian said while eating:

"After all...pointing the finger at the United States before there is absolute evidence can easily cause bad international effects. The country is very cautious in this regard. But no matter what, at least within the scope of the Donghai police's responsibilities, these three murder cases can be considered completely solved."

Zhao Yingjun nodded:

"Now that the temporary transfer to the Donghai Municipal Public Security Bureau is over, shouldn't you go back to the company and work hard? I haven't seen you, my secretary, for a long time."

Lin Xian smiled helplessly.

He picked up the kettle and filled Zhao Yingjun's cup with tea:

"I will go back to work as soon as possible. During this time...let me rest a little longer."

Over?

It wasn't over yet.

Lin Xian's thoughts returned to Ji Lin.

During this period, Ji Lin and Zhou Duanyun were very quiet. They hadn't looked for him or contacted him, as if they had disappeared out of thin air.

He didn't know what they were busy with.

But…

They weren't in a hurry, and Lin Xian wasn't in a hurry either.

Anyway, Ji Lin and the others would definitely come to him, otherwise he would never give anyone the opportunity to invite him out at midnight.

Anyone would not.

Except for Ji Lin, Zhou Duanyun, and Ji Xinshui.

"I'm waiting for you."

Lin Xian thought to himself.

…

After a few more peaceful days, Lin Xian received a call from Chu Anqing:

"Senior, May 3rd, Ji Lin's birthday is coming up soon! We have to hurry up and prepare a gift for him!"

Lin Xian answered the phone, looking at the calendar next to him.

Really, time flies so fast.

It felt like it wasn't long ago that he celebrated Chu Anqing's birthday, and in a few days, it would be Ji Lin's birthday.

Did he really have to prepare a gift for him?

Lin Xian actually felt that any perfunctory gift would be fine. After all, a weasel visiting a chicken isn't up to any good. Right now, the two of them were each other's weasels.

But Chu Anqing was very enthusiastic:

"I'll go find you now! Let's go shopping at the mall!"

Unable to refuse her enthusiasm, Lin Xian had to agree. After agreeing on a meeting place, he and Chu Anqing strolled around the surrounding shopping malls.

"Senior, what do you think we should give Ji Lin?"

Chu Anqing looked very happy today, dragging Lin Xian to play claw machines and visit boutiques. After a long time of fun, she finally remembered the main topic.

"I think it's fine to buy something casual."

Lin Xian replied:

"Guys don't care so much about birthday gifts...just buy something casual."

He recalled Ji Lin's never-fading dark circles:

"Or, should we buy him some vitamins?"

Pfft—

Chu Anqing couldn't help but laugh:

"Senior! Who gives vitamins as a birthday gift! That's too insincere! And...think about it, Ji Lin said that he has never celebrated his birthday or received a birthday gift...for him, it's almost the first time he's celebrating his birthday, so we have to be a little more serious!"

Listening to Chu Anqing's words, Lin Xian didn't say much.

Ji Lin's family was indeed very complicated.

Listening to his personal description...

His parents were also killed when he was very young, and then he was adopted by Ji Xinshui, and his name was also given by Ji Xinshui.

It seemed that in addition to Ji Lin, Ji Xinshui had also adopted many other children, so naturally she wouldn't have time to celebrate their birthdays. It was almost like raising Gu (a type of poisonous insect) in an orphanage, and finally she would pick out the smart children to bring back to her side.

When Lin Xian heard Ji Lin's description at the time, he didn't pay much attention to this information.

Because subjectively, he regarded Ji Lin as an enemy, so he naturally wouldn't trust the information he said too much. So, with the truth being difficult to distinguish, there was no need to delve into the details of these words.

But through this period of getting along with Ji Lin...

He didn't know why he had this feeling, but he always felt that Ji Lin shouldn't be lying about this kind of thing.

This feeling was difficult to describe.

Lin Xian could also sense that perhaps because of the lack of family affection, Ji Lin valued things that ordinary people took for granted, such as birthdays and family.

Especially his birthday banquet, which was mentioned several times, as if he was afraid that Lin Xian would forget.

[Birthday Banquet].

Lin Xian began to ponder...

Was Ji Lin planning to make a move on him after the birthday banquet?

It was hard to say.

Because a normal birthday banquet, in any case, could not go on until 00:42 so late.

Especially since Chu Anqing and Chu Anqing's university classmates would also be participating in the birthday banquet that day. These girls would have to return to school at 9 or 10 pm at the latest. Lin Xian and Ji Lin couldn't just sit and chat awkwardly in the villa for three hours, right?

That would be too terrifying...

Lin Xian would definitely not be able to sit still.

However.

Nothing was absolute.

At least from the current point of view, Ji Lin's birthday party was still the moment that was closest to the conditions for an assassination.

Because he was too cautious now, and they couldn't find any opportunities at all.

Especially killing him in a car accident on the road was even more impossible. Now, Lin Xian would stay far away from the road whenever he saw it.

Relatively speaking...

Ji Lin's birthday party, as he was the protagonist, he had a certain ability to control the departure time, and maybe he could really think of a way to keep Lin Xian until 00:42.

Moreover, the internal roads of the lakeside villa area where Ji Lin and Chu Anqing's villa were located were very wide, enough for two trucks to run side by side. In this kind of road condition, it was also possible to kill someone with a taxi.

In a situation where he was obviously wary of the road...they were very likely to attack on this informal road!]

Lin Xian nodded silently.

In any case, he had to treat Ji Lin's birthday banquet with caution.

"Haha, since Senior Lin Xian also agrees, then let's do it this way!"

Seeing Lin Xian nod, Chu Anqing happily took out her phone and started flipping through photos in her phone album.

"Hmm?"

Lin Xian, who had been thinking about the problem, was a little confused.

What happened?

What suggestion did Chu Anqing just make?

His nod was to consider his own affairs...how did it accidentally turn into agreeing to Chu Anqing's plan?

"Senior, look, this photo is very well taken!"

Saying that, Chu Anqing held the photo in front of Lin Xian.

Lin Xian took the phone.

On the screen, was a photo taken at Chu Anqing's birthday banquet that day -

At the stairway, Lin Xian and Ji Lin were standing shoulder to shoulder coming down from upstairs; Chu Anqing was smiling and holding up two scissor hands in front of them, smiling happily. The two people behind her looked down at Chu Anqing with slightly surprised eyes...

Although this photo was taken unprepared, it unexpectedly gave people a very harmonious and warm feeling, as if the three of them were close friends.

Lin Xian stared at this photo, and Chu Anqing explained the proposal just now:

"Because the birthday gift Ji Lin gave me was also a painting...that shows that he seems to value meaningful souvenirs more than ordinary gifts. So for Ji Lin's birthday, let's also give him a painting!"

"Let's do as I just said, Senior, you draw the sketch base of this photo, and then I'll color it with watercolor. That way, this gift will be considered a joint effort between the two of us. It's very memorable to give to Ji Lin, and he will definitely like it!"

"Although my painting level is not very good, I have specially studied watercolor painting, and I am confident that I can do a good job in the coloring step!"

Sketch + watercolor?

What a strange combination!

Lin Xian couldn't help but laugh:

"Perhaps this mixed style of painting will turn out...much worse than you imagine."

"It's okay, Senior, the important thing is the intention!"

Chu Anqing shook Lin Xian:

"Just promise me, Senior! Trust me, Ji Lin will definitely like this painting!"

"Okay."

Lin Xian responded softly.

Since Chu Anqing had said so and was so enthusiastic, he wouldn't spoil her fun.

Speaking of which, he was a little curious.

"Anqing, what exactly did Ji Lin paint in the painting he gave you at your birthday banquet that day? Can he also paint?"

Hearing Lin Xian's question.

Chu Anqing bit her lip, her eyes wandering:

"Ah...the painting he gave me. I'll, I'll show it to you later! Hehe..."

Lin Xian nodded and returned the phone to Chu Anqing:

"Then send me the original photo of this photo on WeChat, and I'll draw the sketch in the next few days, and then I'll give it to you to color, and finally we'll see if we frame it or something."

…

In the evening.

Back home.

Lin Xian took out a piece of drawing paper, turned on his phone, zoomed in on the photo, and began to sketch according to the three-person group photo.

Drawing himself and Chu Anqing was very smooth and skillful.

But when it came to drawing Ji Lin's handsome features and lazy eyes...

Lin Xian started to draw several times, but he always resistively outlined Ji Lin's details.

He thought of Xu Yun, who died on the street, his body split open, and blood flowing like a river.

He also thought of Tang Xin, whose pupils were dilated, tremblingly raised his palm, and left bloodstains on his face.

Pa.

Lin Xian threw the pencil on the table.

Rolling rolling rolling... Watching the pencil roll on the ground, bounce once, and the lead tip break into pieces.

"No way."

Lin Xian closed his eyes:

"I can't draw it."

The accumulated anger and hatred were destined to prevent him from preparing a birthday gift for Ji Lin as contentedly as Chu Anqing.

In any case, he couldn't draw a portrait of a murderer.

What's more...

This murderer's birthday banquet on May 3rd might be the last Hongmen Banquet for him. (a banquet set as a trap)

"I should still persuade Chu Anqing to change the gift."

Lin Xian opened his eyes, looking at the bright moon that was gradually rising in the sky outside the window.

An enemy is an enemy, and a murderer is a murderer.

Blood debt…

Must be repaid with blood.

Ring ring ring ring ring ring ring ring ring ring ring ring

Ring ring ring—

At this moment, the phone rang.

As if by coincidence.

The time on the phone screen happened to show 00:42

And the name of the caller...

Was Ji Lin.

Lin Xian picked up the phone and pressed the answer button.

"Lin Xian, I knew you weren't asleep."

"How did you know?" Lin Xian asked.

From the other end of the phone, Ji Lin's voice came:

"Because you always stay up late."

Lin Xian didn't speak.

When the two of them lived together in the Donghai Municipal Public Security Bureau dormitory, indeed, in order to avoid his 00:42 awakening pattern from being discovered, Lin Xian would always stay up past 00:42 before going to sleep.

"What's the matter, Ji Lin?"

"I wanted to ask if you have time tomorrow afternoon."

From the other end of the phone, Ji Lin said with a smile:

"I bought a lot of things to decorate the house, and they've all arrived. If you have time in the afternoon... would you like to come to my house and decorate the living room together?"

"After all, my birthday is coming up soon. I promised everyone before that I would invite everyone to come and play, but I don't have any experience in organizing a birthday party, so I can only ask you for help."

"Ji Lin."

Lin Xian paused:

"What kind of gift do you want on your birthday?"

"Anything is fine, didn't you say you weren't planning to tell me in advance?"

From the other end of the phone, Ji Lin smiled:

"It's already this late, there are only a few days left, but you still don't want to tell me in advance, just consider it... leaving me a surprise."

Lin Xian lowered his head, looking at the half-finished sketch on the table that didn't have Ji Lin drawn on it:

"A surprise..."

"Then please look forward to it."