Growing Fond of You, Mr Nian

“It’s a form. We needed to fill in the time we came to the lab, the names of the projects we worked on and the materials we’d be using.” Jiang Yuning tilted his head to think. “I didn’t see the registration book in this lab.”

“Are you sure there’s always a registration book in each lab?” Nian Xi was surprised. She had never seen one before and was sure none of her colleagues had taken a book like that from the lab.

The police checked the surveillance videos and queried the people from the lab to find out who had been there on the day of the murder.

Jiang Yuning nodded affirmatively and said, “Even I need to register my name when entering the labs in this school, not to mention the students. There was a registration book in the dorm we visited just now. This laboratory building is much more strictly managed than the dorm.”

It was the first time Nian Xi had heard him speak so many words in one breath. Every word he said reminded her of what she missed, like a bomb.

“You’re right. But there’s a surveillance camera at the door. From the surveillance videos, we can learn who came into the lab and when they came. Why was the registration book removed? Did the murderer take it? Is it just missing? Let’s go. I have some questions for the person responsible for this lab.”

“Xi, did I just help you?” Jiang Yuning asked.

“Of course. You helped me twice. Every time you showed me a new way when there was a dead end. You’re awesome.” After saying that, Nian Xi found him bent over, his head lowered.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“Waiting for you to rub my hair,” Jiang Yuning said expectantly and shyly, raising his eyes.

“You’re not a dog.” Nian Xi paused briefly with a surprised look on her face, then burst out laughing.

Jiang Yuning pressed his lips together, then thought for a moment and said, “I can be your little wolfdog to protect you.”

“You? Little wolfdog?” Nian Xi laughed. “You’re more like a puppy.”

Jiang Yuning furrowed his eyebrows. He didn’t know what kind of dog a puppy was. “Whatever. As long as you like it.”

Nian Xi didn’t know what to say. He used to feel shy, but now he had become thick-skinned.

“Jiang Yuning, do you have self-esteem?”

“I mean it.” Jiang Yuning disappointedly dropped his head and finished the rest of his banana. While chewing, he looked at her with a grievance.

Nian Xi’s heart melted.

Oh my. He’s so much cuter than my Jiang-jiang. She thought to herself.

After finishing the banana, he said, “Xi, your banana was delicious.”

His voice was so soft and sweet. Hearing that voice, Nian Xi even wanted to rush straight to the market to buy him more bananas.

How can he be so cute!

She had always considered herself a strong, cold-hearted girl, but now she was all softened by him.

…

She didn’t dare to spend more time talking to him. Instead, she immediately asked the lab manager about the registration book.

“Oh. The registration book. Yeah. There is one,” said the manager. “Isn’t it in the lab? We never took it out. Maybe you should ask the others from the lab about it.”

“Is this the registration book for the building? Can I look at it?” Nian Xi saw a book on the manager’s desk. She had an idea.

“Sure.” The manager handed her the book.

“Nian Xi, what are you looking for?” Jiang Yuning was confused.

“Handwriting,” said Nian Xi. “Earlier, Hu Hao said that the handwriting of the love letter was a little familiar to him, but he didn’t know about the love letter. It could mean that the person who wrote the love letter was close to Duan Yang. If I’m right, I might be able to find the same handwriting in this registration book.”

Jiang Yuning was stunned slightly. He looked at her profile and found her so charming while concentrating on the work.

She wasn’t like the female scientists he met in the labs. She was brave, persistent, fearless. He remembered her squatting on the ground and crying out loud when he first met her. Back then, he felt so helpless.

…