Chapter 168 Do you miss Yan Yu?

Shen Jin clearly hadn't expected this response: "Huh?"

"Without an ID card, we can't even get a police report receipt, how can we file a case?" The police officer looked at Chen Jin helplessly and said, "What 'ah'?"

“This…” Shen Jin suddenly had a headache. The main problem was that he hadn’t figured out how to face his family, and he didn’t remember how to contact them… and now that so much time had passed, he didn’t know their situation.

Therefore, he didn't want to reveal too much about his relationship with Yan Yu at once, to avoid any potential trouble.

A shadow of gloom flashed in Shen Jin's eyes; he was at a loss for what to do.

Shen Jin's stammering attitude aroused the police's suspicion even more, and they asked directly, "What evidence supports what you're saying?"

The police stared intently at the ashes.

"Evidence?" Shen Jin felt as if his head had exploded. He really hadn't collected any evidence, nor did he intend to keep any.

"No." Shen Jin could only shake his head helplessly.

"Hehe, young man, you have neither identification nor any evidence. Based solely on your verbal statement, we cannot file a case!" The police officer said, looking at Shen Jin with a stern yet gentle gaze.

Shen Jin stared into those eyes, lost in thought for a few seconds. Then he instantly understood. Yes, it was just his word; the police could easily dismiss his account as fabricated.

But how could Shen Jin be willing to give up? He had finally found a chance to save himself, and if he let it go, wouldn't he be a fool?

“But police, my friend is still in the mountains, and we really need your help,” Shen Jin said patiently.

"How do you want us to help you?" the police officer asked, his tone full of doubt.

“Go out and arrest those two kidnappers! They’re in this town, I…” Shen Jin said earnestly, but the police burst into laughter.

"Young man, our police station isn't an amusement park. You can't just arrest whoever you want. Everything requires evidence, understand?"

“Besides, since you say your friend is safe and sound, and you can walk around, are you two young people, living and breathing, unable to afford a ride home, or are you lost and can’t find your way out? If that’s the case, we can help you. Otherwise, we really can’t help you,” another policeman said.

Shen Jin's face suddenly turned deathly pale. He knew that no matter what he said, it would be useless. The police officers were clearly getting impatient and even thought that Shen Jin was just someone who was making trouble and seeking amusement.

After all, there are all kinds of young people in today's society.

Therefore, no matter how agitated Shen Jin became, the police only looked at him with suspicion, and if he continued to cause trouble, they might even arrest him as someone who was there to cause trouble.

Helpless, Shen Jin could only walk out of the police station with a dejected face and his head hanging low. The sky outside the police station was very blue, but standing there, Shen Jin felt an overwhelming sense of despair, as if the world was spinning around him.

But Shen Jin only mourned for a mere second, because he had no right to be sentimental. He quickly glanced left and right, knowing that he could easily fall into Lao Zheng's hands again if he wasn't careful.

Without time to think, Shen Jin decided to return to the inn and meet up with his elder brother and the villagers first. So, when no one was around, he quietly slipped out of the police station.

His actions drew silent indifference from the police officers at the station. They felt this young man was even stranger.

Shen Jin walked quickly back and forth with his head down, finally arriving at the inn where he had arranged to meet his elder brother. Shen Jin only glanced at it briefly; it was a very unique inn. Its bamboo-like exterior exuded an antique charm.

Having found out his elder brother's room number, Shen Jin quickly went upstairs. When he knocked on his brother's door, a voice said "Come in," and Shen Jin went inside. Inside the guest room, a group of people were sitting together, playing cards with great enthusiasm.

Upon closer inspection, they were all his fellow villagers. Everyone was delighted to see Chen Jin, and the eldest brother beamed with joy.

"Shen Jin, where have you been? Everyone's waiting for you!" He stood up, saw Shen Jin's pale face, walked over and patted him on the shoulder, "Why are you so late!"

Upon seeing the familiar and friendly faces of the villagers, Shen Jin felt as if he had returned to the human world, and the panic and tension of fleeing for his life temporarily disappeared.

Shen Jin let out a sigh of relief and rubbed his temples: "It's nothing, just wandering around. I went to a temple and watched a circus."

He didn't mention the two people who had caused him and Yan Yu to fall off the cliff, since it was originally unrelated to them and he didn't want to involve them or make them worry about him.

"I didn't realize I was back so late..." Shen Jin sat down and poured himself a cup of tea. Only then did he notice that the table was already piled high with all sorts of New Year's goods that the villagers had bought.

There was food, clothes, and all sorts of fun trinkets that children would love. Shen Jin glanced at it briefly and asked the villagers with a smile, "You bought so much? Will you be able to carry it all back?"

"Hey, don't worry, we've got the guts! It's just a little bit." The older brother chuckled, showing Chen Jin his muscular arms. "Besides, we have a delivery truck, we'll load it all back!"

"I see..." Shen Jin forced a smile, took a sip of water, and a little color returned to his pale face.

"But you, Brother Shen, you were gone all day and only came back in the evening." The elder brother and the villagers looked at Shen Jin with concern. "And look at all the things we all bought! But you, how come you came back empty-handed? What did you do?"

"I..." Shen Jin felt uncomfortable under the stare. He swallowed and said awkwardly, "No, I just chatted with the abbot about Buddhist verses for a while at the temple."

Shen Jin picked up his cup again and took a sip of tea. He was really bad at making up lies and was easy to give himself away, so he could only continue drinking tea.

"Oh, so you went to chat with the abbot! Sigh, the world of you cultured people is something we people just don't understand," the older brother said heartily.

Shen Jin looked up at him. Indeed, these simple villagers could not understand Shen Jin's difficult and dangerous situation.

Of course, Shen Jin didn't intend to let them know.

That night, the moonlight was exceptionally bright. Shen Jin shared a room with a villager, listening to the gradually rising, even, and deep breathing in the room. Shen Jin, however, was overwhelmed with mixed emotions and found it impossible to fall asleep.

Beneath his long eyelashes, a pair of bright eyes gazed silently at the night sky. The bright moon hung gleaming on the treetops, and scenes from the day began to flash rapidly through Chen Jin's mind.

He thought a lot about what would happen next, and before he knew it, under the gentle gaze of the bright moonlight, he gradually drifted off to sleep.

But in his dream, Shen Jin found himself in another predicament. Night after night, he dreamt that he was running, with Old Zheng and the young man sniping at him from behind.

They relentlessly pursued him, but ahead lay a sealed wall. Shen Jin felt an unprecedented despair, with ruthless thugs like wolves behind him.

He only heard the sound of a trigger being pulled in his ear.

At this critical moment, Shen Jin seemed to have no choice but to wait for death to come. He closed his eyes in despair, knowing that this time Yan Yu would not be by his side like before. He pushed Yan Yu away without hesitation, just like last time.

He was all alone... all by himself...

It involuntarily brought to mind the terrified expression on Yan Yu's face when he saw the bullet heading towards him...

Until he heard the trigger pull, followed by a loud "bang," Chen Jin was jolted awake from his nightmare, drenched in a cold sweat.

He suddenly opened his eyes wide, and was plunged into the pitch-black, boundless darkness of the night. Shen Jin awoke with a start, staring at the vast expanse of darkness. Even the moon outside the window had quietly hidden itself away, disappearing from sight.

"Where is this? Gun? Gun!" Shen Jin was suddenly startled, as if he heard the gunshot in his dream again. He quickly looked around.

He thought he was still in front of that wall until he saw the familiar surroundings. Only then did Shen Jin breathe a sigh of relief and realize that he was dreaming.

He reached up and wiped the sweat from his forehead, only to find it was completely soaked. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath: "It was a dream..."

It was a dream of his own, a dream in which Yan Yu was not present...

He felt a suffocating tightness in his chest, as if a heavy stone was pressing down on him. The nightmare almost made it hard for him to breathe, and he muttered, "Why am I having this kind of dream..."

A subtle sense of loss lingered in his dream and extended beyond it, leaving Shen Jin feeling utterly desolate and lost. But he didn't know why.

He felt a tightness in his chest and couldn't help but scratch it a few times, but the feeling didn't go away, making him very uncomfortable.

Suddenly, the voice of an older man who shared a room with him rang out, asking, "Brother, what's wrong with you?"

Shen Jin was startled. He quickly exhaled a few breaths, his face still a little pale, and said with difficulty, "It's nothing..."

"How could nothing be wrong? You've been yelling the whole time," the older brother's voice sounded sleepy. "Were you having a nightmare?"

"I guess so..." Shen Jin couldn't remember his behavior in the dream at all, and couldn't help but ask, "I dreamt about... no, did I say anything in my dream?"

The older man yawned and said, "Yan Yu, you're calling his name. Have you missed him since we haven't seen him for a while? Don't worry, we're going back soon, and you'll see him soon."

Shen Jin's heart skipped a beat. Her expression became somewhat unnatural, her eyes flickered slightly, and she looked away from him, pursing her lips. "I didn't..."