235 No Longer Xing Yin

The question began worming inside Wang Reiji's brain. Her anxiety provoked her to play with the ballpoint pen on her desk, twirling it between her fingers while her mind was being torn to pieces. She recalled her unsolicited interaction with her ex-fiancee. While all of his words seemed meaningless and totally absurd at first, it was still highly plausible.

"In addition, why would Zhang Chenric lie?," she further questioned herself. To taunt her? To win her back? "No," she resolved. His beloved father was at the brink of his memory's capacity, a situation that required him to offer all the time he has left by his side. He would not be scheming something grandiose just for her. It was a mere act of honesty and penance.

If everything that Zhang Chenric told her last night was true, then it means that she had put the weight of the heavy blame on the wrong people. It also signified that the scumbags who made her life hellish were still loose and uncuffed. Now, she was certain: she had to know. It was an essential step, one that she had to take before being completely reborn.

Opening her laptop,, she directed her cursor to the search engine and quickly punched in only five words : General Prosecutor Zhang Jun murder. She hit the Enter button a little too hard. With it, a string of tasteless and unfiltered headlines flashed before her condensed eyes.

"Elite Heiress Charged to life imprisonment for Zhang's Murder"

"Woman Sent to Prison for the Death of Fiance's Father"

"General Zhang's Murder: A Successful Business Strategy?"

"Debunking the Fall of Zhang Jun and the Questions It Raises"

Wang Reiji reluctantly scanned through all the articles, searching for clues or hints that she may have missed. Yet after a few minutes, she found nothing useful, nothing but what she already knew at this point. Everything she had read just made her past all the more real.

She closed her laptop. If the past was catching up with her present, then she must make sure to be ready for what's about to come. She must be ready to protect Europa, and even Wang Yuvin. 

The thought of her brother made her remember a passing conversation they had, wherein Wang Yuvin mentioned that their brother Li, who was an important memory of her previous life, was now the Chief of Police in their turf. Wang Reiji put the pen down, then took a deep breath, one that's full of focus and direction. 

She now has her next lead, her next target.

First things first. Wang Reiji buzzed for Rentao; in a few moments, her assistant was at her door.

"What is it you need, Boss?" Rentao observed his employer tidy up her work place, even though the desk is acceptably organized. He couldn't help admiring the perfectionist in her boss. "It's probably why she's at the top," Rentao mumbled in his mind.

"But what shall I do about the calls and meetings scheduled for today? I assume that you will personally communicate with our potential partners today?," Rentao mentioned to Wang Reiji.

Wang Reiji stood up carrying a small duffel bag, walked towards Rentao, then mumbled at his ear, "We both know that you're capable of doing that for the company." When Rentao looked at the CEO, she was wearing a sly grin.

Like the loyal soldier that he was, Rentao nodded with respect. Before Wang Reiji could sprint out of the office, Rentao asked a follow-up. "Where would you be, Ma'am?"

"Let's just say, I want to breathe in some fresh air."

Like a vixen, Wang Reiji rushed to the elevator, applying the basic techniques she learned as an assassin to limit disturbance in the area. She was careful not to attract any attention from the employees of her hotel. 

Inside the lift, she took off the heels of her footwear, turning it into flats. Her hair, which was initially clumped into a tight, sophisticated bun, was freed; Wang Reiji let her auburn locks fell to her shoulders. She took off her blouse and pencil skirt, then smoothly slid a black dress into her slender yet toned body. She also donned a pair of eyeglasses that she nabbed under her desk. With an eyeliner, she dabbed a small but highly noticeable faux mole below her lower lip. She applied one of the cardinal rules of disguise: capitalizing on a distinguishing characteristic that can be removed. That way, people would be less likely to identify you once that character is gone. 

When the metal plates of the elevator parted, any trace of Wang Reiji was unrecognizable. Instead, a different lady came out, now carrying a tote bag. Once her feet were out of the premises, she immediately hailed a taxi and ordered the cab driver to take her to the police station. 

The roads were bustling with mild traffic for it was still the crisp of the rush hour. Inside the cab, Wang Reiji was contemplating the steps she was about to take. After all, it will be the first time that she will set foot on a location reminiscent of the place where she was convicted and humiliated. It was one of the settings of her nightmares, a spot where she was stripped from her reputation and honor. Looking back, it seemed that the girl sentenced to a life of utter shame and regret would never be able to break free from her hopeless situation. 

Wang Reiji felt her blood beginning to boil from hostility. She quickly managed her emotions by counting from three to one.

Three. Breathe in the oxygen, inhale the calmness.

Two. Hold the air in your chest, compose your mind.

One. Let it all out, relax your whole mind.

It was a simple method, but one that has always been effective. The next thing she knew, the cab driver was beeping softly, signaling their arrival to her destination. She paid the driver in cash, telling the driver to keep the change as a tip.

The concrete of the street was especially hard when Wang Reiji came out of the taxi. Before her loomed the police station, emanating a sense of masculine and authoritative aura. For a split second, her knees became cement, unable to move forward. "What if they're still looking for me?," the hesitant side of her spoke. For all she knew, there could be posters of her face plastered on every inch of the space. She was still a runaway from the law, their fugitive.

The air suddenly brisked by Wang Reiji's doubtful appearance, chilling her. At that moment, she was reminded.

"You're not Xing Yin anymore," she assured herself. "You are Wang Reiji, a successful woman, a person who built herself from the ground up." Taking a lungful of air, the convinced Wang Reiji marched to the glass door of the police headquarters, hoping to see the familiar face of her long-lost comrade and ally, her brother Li.