My Dearest General: It Has Always Been You

Jin Renguang parked the car and peered over the window. A simple, elegant teapot sign hung over the lamp post "Jaded Teahouse". He looked around to ascertain the surroundings. It was 8 pm, way past the time when people would like to have a cup of tea to pass the day. Moreover, since it was a weekday, the shop looked more desolate than usual. Besides Jin Renguang's Jeep, there were only three other cars and a few motorcycles parked in the space.

It seemed like the person he was supposed to meet had arrived first.

A rustle came from his earpiece followed by Tang Wei's concerned voice. "Captain, can you hear me?"

"Yes." Jin Renguang adjusted the mini voice recording under his collar. "I am ready to go. If I don't come out after an hour, you know what to do."

"Alright. Be careful."

Jin Renguang hummed and took off the earpiece. Getting out of the car, he walked into the teahouse in casual strides. 

"Welcome to Jaded Teahouse." The waiter welcomed him with a smile. "Table for one, Sir?"

The interior of the teahouse adapted traditional Chinese style. Tables made of mahogany wood, tatami mats, folding screen decorated with black and white oil painting separated the area, and lastly there was a small pond built of stone with soft trickling water gently falling into it. Fat kois swam inside, splashing water here and there.

The temperature was warm, contrasted to the chill outside. The gentle and fragrant scent of tea made people relax subconsciously. It's no wonder why an old man like Jia Renyu would like to meet here. 

"No." Jin Renguang answered. "I have an appointment with Mr. Jia."

"Oh, so you're Mr. Jia's guest!" The waiter smiled wider. "Please follow me. Mr. Jia has been waiting for you."

They walked deeper into the shop and through a winding hallway into the private rooms. Jin Renguang couldn't help asking. "Is Mr. Jia a regular here?"

"Yes! Mr. Jia is our loyal customer and a shareholder. Once in a few days, he will come and enjoy our tea. We transport our tea fresh from its plantations. Also, we collaborated with a few tea farmers to—" As they got close to one of the private rooms, a ruckus sounded from the ajar door. "Oh my, I'm sorry, it seems like Mr. Jia is preoccupied with something."

Jin Renguang's ears perked up in an instant. 

"...why are you acting like this?!" A young male voice bellowed angrily. "Back then, what did you take him in for? Because you pity him? Because he has nowhere to go? Now that he's tangled up in this mess, are you going to hand him over to the police?!"

Oh? It seemed like something interesting was going on here. Jin Renguang pulled back the waiter who was going to knock and dismissed him. 

He slowly crept closer and listened in.

"Go back." Jia Renyu said with an even tone.

"No! This time, you must answer me. Are you going to keep everything away from me just because of that single incident?! Do you still consider me as a son? Do you have any idea what everyone said behind my back? They said that Si Zhening is going to take over your position once you retire!"

"What? Does that bother you?"

"You know I don't care about something like that. I will even thank him!" Jia Ming'en sounded frustrated and helpless. "Still, that means you care about him even a bit, don't you? Father, I'm sure there's something not right about him. What did he need the human skin mask for? He…He's not the serial killer right?"

Silence for a while. "Have you asked him about it?"

"I have but I can't help but doubt his words! You're the one who knows him best, Father. Tell me. I only need one word. Is it a yes or no?"

Jin Renguang waited for the answer with bated breath. As he expected, Jia Renyu must have known something about Si Zhening! Also, he's the one who had the human skin mask? The one which the serial killer wore in City A's hospital?!

Was Si Zhening really the serial killer?

Sighing, Jia Renyu answered in a resigned tone. "Why do you care so much about him? It's his own problem and he will solve it in his own way. Just go back and focus on your study. You will have an internship soon, won't you?"

"Father!"

"Quiet!" Jia Renyu slammed the teacup down. "How dare you raise your voice in front of me like that! Jia Ming'en, you're indeed my son but if you keep on showing this kind of attitude, don't blame me if I become ruthless!"

Bang! The door slammed open and Jia Ming'en rushed out, his face twisted in anger and irritation. Fortunately, because he was too caught up in his own thoughts, he didn't realize there was someone eavesdropping behind the door. 

"Please come in." Jia Renyu's voice rang out, sighing. "I'm very sorry to have made you witness such an unsightly scene, Detective Jin."

Jin Renguang didn't hide anymore and came out from hiding. How many years had it been since he last saw Jia Renyu? Four, five years? At that time, he was investigating the anonymous report regarding the mafia's brutal killing and had the chance to visit their basecamp once. 

In his memory, Jia Renyu was a vigorous man with a dark and heavy aura. His whole body reeked of blood and cruelty and the way he looked at you was as if looking at a dead person. Even when he sat there without doing anything, he was fully capable of inflicting fear and nervousness toward the opposite person. Jin Renguang recalled that even he had to pay attention to what he was saying in case Jia Renyu suddenly pulled out a handgun and shot him right on his head.

Five years later, he had changed significantly. Wearing a traditional black kimono, he looked just like a scary uncle next door. His face still had that perpetual frown that seemed to have been etched on his forehead but his aura had mellowed considerably. White hair streaked across his temple and faint wrinkles made its traces on the corner of his eyes.

He looked old and…exhausted.

"Long time no see, Mr. Jia." Jin Renguang bowed.

Jia Renyu nodded and gestured for him to sit down. "How much did you hear?"

"Pretty much everything." Jin Renguang sat down and poured himself a cup of tea. The aromatic scent of Chrysanthemum and ginseng wafted through the vapor. "Are you aware that we have got in touch with your son?"

Jia Renyu hummed in agreement. "Otherwise, he wouldn't have come here and asked me that kind of question."

"Speaking of it, I am also quite curious." Jin Renguang pulled up the corner of his lips. "Will Mr. Jia be generous enough to fill me in on the answer?"

"I don't understand what you're talking about." He answered nonchalantly.

For a while, the air was full of sparks and electricity. The two men were silently fighting a battle of wits through their calmness. In the end, Jin Renguang caved in first. Fair enough, he couldn't expect to receive an answer from Jia Renyu just like that. 

Sighing, he put down the deal. "I will appeal for your sentence to be reduced as long as you answer my question."

"You? Reduce my sentence?" Jia Renyu sneered. His eyes condescending as if Jin Renguang was only an ant that wasn't worth his attention.

"I believe you don't have the right to bargain with me, Sir." Jin Renguang sipped his tea calmly. "Eighteen corpses, illegal dealing of ammunition; we have all the evidence in our hands. Shall this be exposed to the public, it's only a matter of time until you're sitting in jail for the rest of your life."

"You—!" Jia Renyu smashed the teacup to the ground, breaking it to pieces. "How dare you!"

Jin Renguang didn't even flinch as he sat there calmly, eyes sizing the furious man in front of him whose chest heaved up and down rapidly and eyes bulged out in anger and humiliation. Strange, Jin Renguang thought. Why did he used to think that Jia Renyu was scary? Now that Jin Renguang looked at him, he was nothing more than a middle aged man, like a candle on its last flicker. It was no wonder that the talk of choosing a successor had been coming up.

"I'm sure that you don't want this matter to blow up, do you? It's clear, seeing how you show up here alone." Jin Renguang added.

"You're threatening me now?" Jia Renyu narrowed his eyes dangerously. "You do know that I can order you to be killed as soon as you step out of this place, right?"

"I know. Death is the least important matter to me." He gave a lopsided grin, eyes twinkling in a radiant light. "But as soon as something happens to me, my subordinates will directly give the materials to major newspaper companies and reporters. Certainly, we both don't want that to happen. Please curb your anger, Mr. Jia. I'm not threatening you. This is merely a deal. You and I got what we want. Isn't that a win-win situation?"

"You walk away with your information while I only got a sentence reduction?" Jia Renyu scoffed incredulously.

Jin Renguang shrugged. "I don't have the authority to erase such a huge crime scene. It's the best I can do. Now, let's talk." He leaned forward with his eyes gleaming.. "I just need you to confirm two things. First, is it Nan Cheng who killed those people inside the wall? Second, what did you take Si Zhening in for? For example, did he ask something of you in return for his loyalty such as…taking revenge on someone?"