"With just one clue, how could anyone figure out who the thief is?"
Ve Dinh Tieu asked again.
"If it were you, which method would you choose to filter out the suspect?"
Giai Moc Vi knew he was intentionally testing her, probably trying to guide her step by step to stimulate her memory, so she also thought very seriously.
"First, you're a police officer, so you have the authority to conduct a simple search on the suspects. Check backpacks, handbags, and all places where the stolen item could be hidden."
Ve Dinh Tieu grew more interested. "What if nothing is found?"
"The thief knew this exit was a camera blind spot, which means he takes Line 1 often and is very familiar with this place. Therefore you should immediately check his travel records."
"Oh ~ not bad at all." Ve Dinh Tieu nodded. "And what after checking that?"
"If we can't find the stolen item and still can't identify anyone after checking the travel records…" Giai Moc Vi thought for a moment then decisively said:
"Then the thief must have an accomplice."
Ve Dinh Tieu looked at her differently now as though admiring a rough gem that had just been finely polished.
"You really did recount my actions exactly from that day."
"Are you doubting the truthfulness of my memory loss?"
Ve Dinh Tieu smiled. "No no. Because you definitely didn't say that back then."
Giai Moc Vi: "... Then what did I say?"
"You said that doctors surely don't lack money so he wouldn't commit theft like that."
"..." Giai Moc Vi.
"Then I told you that motive is only secondary and absolutely not the key to determining guilt." Ve Dinh Tieu flicked his cigarette butt into the trash pouch.
He scrutinized Giai Moc Vi carefully.
"But what kind of scientific miracle is this? Does memory loss actually increase intelligence? If I encounter any foolish rookies later maybe I'll ask Officer Ngan to help them 'explode' a little too—they might get smarter."
Giai Moc Vi felt he was definitely teasing her.
"Just as you said the stolen item might have been transferred to the accomplice so I went to check the surveillance cameras. I filtered out the people who frequently rode the subway together with any of the three suspects."
"But this was also thanks to the Libra sunflower badge you kept in your wallet because of that metal badge the thief's accomplice was stopped during the security check."
"So the culprit was…" Giai Moc Vi asked.
"It was the surgeon who took Line 1 every day to commute. Every day going to and from work he would casually steal small items from the subway station. His accomplice was his neighbor who ran a fruit shop next to the hospital."
After finishing Ve Dinh Tieu tossed the trash pouch into the bin.
It fell straight to the bottom.
"So? Did you remember anything?" he asked.
Absolutely nothing.
Before Giai Moc Vi could shake her head Ve Dinh Tieu reached into his pocket leaned slightly toward her and said with a smile:
"Besides after we caught the thief you held your wallet and said two things."
"What two things?"
"First: It's great that my badge wasn't stolen. The second…"
He slowly said each word drawing out the tone:
"Officer Ve you were really handsome just now. Could we exchange email addresses? I promise I won't bother you I just want to be friends."
"..." Giai Moc Vi's face instantly darkened.
Was this man taking advantage of her?
Line 1 went straight to the United Lawyers Association.
Back then Giai Moc Vi took Line 1 to retrieve her Libra sunflower badge.
Who could've guessed that the moment she held it in her hand not even warmed yet she was robbed the moment she stepped off the train.
From others' descriptions Giai Moc Vi used to be a little careless shy prone to crying and… a bit boy crazy.
That really didn't match the way she behaved after waking up.
Her thought "How could I ever like this man?" quickly turned into "So he likes soft timid girls?"
Sorry.
She couldn't be like that now.
If they stayed together longer… he would probably find her extremely boring.
Great.
Then they could peacefully break up.
End this bizarre fate.
Considering that after they confirmed their relationship on the Ferris wheel she was hospitalized for three days…
With that situation she could guess
Not only had they never done anything they probably hadn't even kissed once.
Which made things simpler.
Before this easily bored man lost interest in her she at least needed enough survival skills to ensure she wouldn't end up sleeping on the street for lack of rent.
With her memory blank… everything was inconvenient.
If she could she truly wanted to skip this whole phase.
After returning home from the subway station
Giai Moc Vi still didn't remember anything from before.
Instead she became very interested in the At Ro device Ve Dinh Tieu brought back.
"Those two kidnappers will be taken for examination in two days" Ve Dinh Tieu said.
"In the meantime they might come looking for you again."
Giai Moc Vi nodded. "I'll be careful."
Because Ve Dinh Tieu had taken care of her
she felt somewhat guilty.
So she gritted her teeth mustered her gratitude and used her own money to order dinner bento boxes for both herself and Ve Dinh Tieu.
Ve Dinh Tieu didn't mind scooping some miso soup. "Tomorrow morning I have an unresolved case. I might need overtime at noon so I may not eat until 1:30."
"?"
Why tell her that?
What did he mean?
Didn't Dam Uyen Chi say she often brought him lunch? Could it be…
Giai Moc Vi put her spoon down. "The doctor never said I need to repeat everything I did before to restore my memory right? Handle your own lunch. Too troublesome."
Ve Dinh Tieu: "..."
He swallowed the words "Tomorrow I'll finish early so we can eat together."
Although she said that the next day at noon she still brought him lunch.
Because he stayed up late with her the night before.
To quickly adapt to her job as a lawyer after dinner Giai Moc Vi sat at her desk reading her old books.
The scope of law was broad and her books covered many fields.
Constitutional law economic law criminal law civil law marriage law…
Everything.
Ve Dinh Tieu casually picked up a book and read beside her. "Normally a lawyer only needs to specialize in two or three areas. Are you casting a wide net? In our country cases involving personal interests pay better."
Giai Moc Vi didn't know what she used to think.
Maybe she had planned to develop in multiple directions.
Anyway she definitely had read each book because every one she opened was filled with detailed notes.
"If you don't understand something ask me." The man beside her lay sideways on the sofa using a book to cover his face as he rested leisurely.
Giai Moc Vi truly didn't understand some things.
She flipped two pages the basic contents she could remember well.
But the hardest part of studying law was analysis questions where you had to apply many different articles getting even one wrong ruined everything.
She felt like a student again. Whenever she had a question she poked the man resting beside her.
Even though he had graduated years ago fortunately he hadn't returned all his knowledge to the teachers.
She asked a few questions and he answered them all.
"The instructors at the police academy were strict and there was this study maniac who always chased high scores. If you didn't try hard around that type you'd fall behind easily" he said.
Giai Moc Vi took notes and asked "Is that Officer Du Thua Uy?"
"No" he replied. "Someone else. Thua Uy only cared about being popular at school."
Giai Moc Vi glanced at the photo album and the officer sitting near him snorted. "He does look like someone all the girls would like."
"Tch." He scoffed.
"What about you Officer Ve? When you were studying at the academy didn't any girls chase you?" Giai Moc Vi narrowed her eyes.
"No." One of his eyes peeked from behind the book watching her with amusement. "You were the first."
"..." Giai Moc Vi.
Why did I open my mouth…
She tried to regain dignity. "So Officer Ve also knows how to pursue girls. When you pursue someone do you also… act arrogant like that?"
"No." He pushed the book up to hide his expression.
"When it comes to love you're also the first."
"..." Giai Moc Vi.
"?"
"Wow incredible." She muttered a soft meaningful sigh.
She felt like she was looking at a man who was born single.
That couldn't be right?
Even though he had an annoying personality his appearance and figure were decent surely some girls would have been fans of his looks?
Giai Moc Vi lifted her eyes her gaze traveling along his long legs propped on the back of the sofa stopping at his lower abdomen.
Could it be… that area had a problem?
Ve Dinh Tieu ignored her scrutinizing stare and spoke calmly from under the book: "But I think I finally know why your personality changed so much."
Giai Moc Vi: "Why?"
She didn't even understand herself how could he?
His tone was steady. "Lang Trac Uan said girls when facing someone they like always try to maintain their image. Like Du Thua Uy he'd tell small white lies in front of girls to make them like him more. Hmm but you are kind of the opposite."
"After regaining your memory you don't need to act anymore. You were endearingly silly before but now this serious version of you is also quite charming."
He yawned sleepily and looked at her sideways.
"My life only has one gas pedal I go straight to the end. No matter how many turns appear I won't drift off my path. Love is the same. So just be yourself."
"..." Giai Moc Vi.
Two little bombs rolled close to each other.
Boom an explosion of tiny souls.
So.
Was this a confession?