Dong Sisi never expected she would leave the police station with Shen Zetian that evening.
He'd asked his friends to depart first, but she was kidnapped.
When the black blindfold was ripped from her eyes, her heart—which had been pounding relentlessly throughout the journey—finally began to calm. The figure with the most distinctive temperament among the assembled men was Shen Yi. She knew him, so at least she didn't have to fear for her life.
Shen Yi didn't look at her, his eyes appearing vacant, leaving no one able to discern his thoughts.
Dong Sisi had only glimpsed Shen Yi a few times from a distance before. He was the kind of person who stood out even beside someone as charismatic as Ji Chen. She'd never met him up close, yet she recognized him instantly by his scarred right hand.
He'd tied her up merely to warn Shen Zetian—retribution for the potion incident at the LAX club and the grip on her face in the Cantonese restaurant's restroom.
Dong Sisi smiled with forced composure. "Mr. Shen kidnapped me here—is there something you wish to convey to Zetian?"
She thought her words sounded intelligent and cautious, but Shen Yi seemed not to listen at all, appearing somewhat absent-minded. On his beautiful profile, the peaks of his brow bones and nose bridge formed lines of extreme perfection.
Dong Sisi had never been ignored like this before. She'd never been a weak, useless woman. She smiled faintly, her tone hovering between threat and gratitude. "I want to thank you for Jiang Xiao's death."
But Shen Yi remained utterly calm, as though he hadn't heard anything. He pondered his own matters for a moment before commenting, "The newly installed camera is quite good."
After speaking, he stood and walked out, his icy expression never once turning her direction. Only a group of guards remained to watch over her.
Late at night, Yucheng Public Security Building.
Zhen Nuan entered the elevator, mentally reviewing the transcripts from Shen Zetian and Dong Sisi, her brow furrowed in concentration.
If what they both stated was true, Jiang Xiao had committed suicide.
If Jiang Xiao hadn't committed suicide, how did these two obtain their alibis?
With a soft chime, the elevator reached the first floor.
Zhen Nuan headed toward the exit but paused when she heard Yan Han's voice as she passed the reception room. Curiosity drew her closer to investigate.
Yan Han and Brother Tan were both present. The visitors were a couple in their thirties, with two children clambering all over the sofa.
The man's eyes were red and swollen, his appearance deeply sorrowful. He choked on his words. "Captain Yan, my sister would never commit suicide. You must seek justice for her. She..."
Before he could finish, the woman beside him interrupted with angry indignation. "Yes, my sister-in-law had a cheerful personality and a promising future. She would never take her own life. It must have been that bitch from the Dong family. She must have been jealous that Young Master Shen favored my sister-in-law, so she killed her. Officer, you must arrest her."
Yan Han's expression remained perfectly neutral as he inquired, "How can you be certain it was Dong Sisi who committed murder, and not Shen Zetian?"
The woman's voice sharpened. "Young Master Shen was so generous with his money toward my sister-in-law—how could he possibly kill her? He loved Jiang Xiao deeply and gave her everything she desired. He wasn't playing with her feelings. Despite his elevated status, he kept her by his side for five years."
The man added, "Officer, my sister would never commit suicide. She was perfectly fine before leaving that day, saying she would definitely win Young Master Shen back."
Yan Han's tone grew pointed. "You knew Jiang Xiao intended to disrupt the wedding, and you let her go?"
Meeting Yan Han's scrutinizing gaze, the man appeared somewhat embarrassed. "Young Master Shen has no feelings for that woman. He loves my sister. It's not easy for people to meet someone they truly love. I wanted her to pursue her own happiness."
Zhen Nuan thought to herself: Perhaps Jiang Xiao's brother and sister-in-law simply didn't want to relinquish their connection to a wealthy benefactor?
As this thought crossed her mind, she suddenly sensed an intense gaze. Her heart skipped a beat, as though struck by Yan Han's direct stare through the window.
The window stood slightly ajar. She shifted awkwardly back into the shadows.
"Well..." The woman deliberated for a moment before asking, "Officer, if my sister-in-law was murdered, we can demand compensation from the Shen family. They have so much money—can they pay tens of millions?"
Yan Han replied flatly, "Ask a lawyer."
"Don't you also understand the law?"
"According to Yucheng's urban living standards, nine hundred thousand."
"Only nine hundred thousand? The car he bought for Jiang Xiao before cost more than that." The woman clicked her tongue in disappointment. "Why would someone who hit another person with their car and caused paralysis have to pay three million in compensation?"
"That's calculated based on the annual cost of treatment for an average lifespan."
Mrs. Jiang sighed heavily.
Jiang Xiao's brother and sister-in-law remained for only a short while before departing, muttering as they went. "It's all Miss Dong's fault for being so formidable. Young Master Shen doesn't favor our Jiang Xiao. If she'd just turned a blind eye, it would have been wonderful for Jiang Xiao to remain with Young Master Shen. If she'd given birth to a son, perhaps things would have turned around."
Zhen Nuan overheard this and found herself speechless.
Yan Han emerged from the hall and glanced at the figure standing by the door with lowered head. His voice carried pleasant neutrality. "What are you doing standing there?"
Zhen Nuan raised her head. "I want to ask—is it possible that Shen Zetian and Dong Sisi designed an alibi together? Otherwise, I keep feeling I was there merely to establish a timeline and handed them an advantage."
"I was present at the time," Yan Han stated. "The time you recorded was correct."
"But—"
He interrupted her with a cold assessment. "Putting the cart before the horse."
"Huh?"
"Wait until you have sufficient evidence to prove they're suspects before considering the validity of their alibi. Otherwise, their current alibi constitutes proof of innocence."
Zhen Nuan stood stunned for a moment, her face flushing slightly as she whispered, "Oh, I'll check the results of the bloodstain comparison on the flower branch later."
She lowered her head, feeling somewhat dejected. After hearing Yan Han's words, she realized she'd attempted to involve herself in areas where she lacked experience, leaving her feeling lost.
Observing her crestfallen expression, Yan Han recognized his tone had been overly harsh. He bit his lip thoughtfully, preparing to say something when Zhen Nuan's phone rang.
It was Guan Xiaoyu. "Warm beauty!"
"Yes?"
"The comparison results are in. The bloodstains on the plant thorns belong to neither Shen Zetian nor Dong Sisi."
"How can that be?"
"It's unfortunate. It might be a useless clue."
Zhen Nuan felt devastated. The bloodstains on the flower branches she'd worked so diligently to find were worthless?
She sighed softly and ended the call, frustration settling over her.
She murmured quietly, "What you said earlier was right."
Yan Han understood immediately. "The bloodstains aren't from them?"
"No."
Seeing her listless demeanor, Yan Han stated, "The team is about to finish for the day. You should head home first."
She responded with a subdued "Oh" and departed.
Guan Xiaoyu's phone call had been like a bucket of cold water, chilling her to the core.
Yan Han watched her sluggish movement through the cold wind before finally calling out, "Hey!"
"Hmm?" She slowly turned to face him.
"You came by bus?"
"Yeah." She answered vaguely, then suddenly grew nervous. He wouldn't offer to drive her home, would he? She'd feel awkward and uncomfortable being alone with her boss.
Yan Han turned and walked away, leaving behind perfunctory advice. "Be careful. Call the police if anything happens."
Call the police if anything happens. Zhen Nuan stood speechless.
Ten minutes later.
Yan Han drove home along the main road and spotted a thin figure shivering violently at the bus stop in the harsh wind.
Zhen Nuan had curled into a tight ball, the night's chill burrowing into her skin like venomous insects, gnawing at her bones and blood. She was freezing, in pain, and in a terrible mood. As her mind went blank, a black car pulled up before her, its window rolling down.
No face was visible, only a voice. "Get in the car." The same voice that had dampened her enthusiasm earlier.
Zhen Nuan stammered, "No need, the bus will arrive soon..."
"Get in the car." The tone carried unmistakable command.
She opened the back door with trembling hands, then reconsidered—sitting in the back seat would make her boss function as her chauffeur. She climbed into the passenger seat instead.
The heater in the car quickly enveloped her, but she was so thoroughly chilled that she couldn't stop shivering, her teeth chattering audibly.
Yan Han drove while glancing at her in the rearview mirror. Her face was deathly pale, her lips nearly black, her eyelashes fluttering, her brow tightly furrowed. She looked as though she were enduring torture.
He looked away without reacting. He'd never encountered anyone so sensitive to cold.
The car remained quiet. The night radio played a soothing song—"The Brightest Star in the Night Sky." The faintly melancholic melody drifted through the vehicle, and her mood sank even lower.
He noticed and inquired, "Are you unhappy with work?" The tone was formal, a superior showing consideration for a subordinate.
She leaned back in her seat, staring blankly at the dim lights flowing past the window. Her voice carried sadness tempered with forced cheer. "I feel like this job is like falling in love."
Yan Han felt stunned, dusty memories suddenly cracking open.
He turned his head to look at her, but saw only her profile gazing out the window—pale and fragile, as though blending into the gray night.
In the small, dark car interior, a male voice on the radio sang with prolonged melancholy: "I would rather keep all the pain in my heart than forget your eyes."
His mind wandered, conjuring images of Xia Shi's beautiful eyes. He smiled, though the expression carried sadness. Being a doctor... I feel like this job is like falling in love.
Zhen Nuan continued gazing out the window, a hint of sadness touching her lips. "My heart is always thinking about it, sometimes excited and happy, sometimes sad and disappointed."
Yan Han's lips moved, but he found himself speechless and at a loss, his heart empty of sound.
Many years ago, when he was young, he'd asked, "Why?"
His girl had replied, "Because my heart is always thinking about it, sometimes I am excited and happy, and sometimes I am sad and disappointed."
Too long ago—like a century had passed.
The streets on this winter night were empty and desolate, mirroring Yan Han's expressionless face at this moment.
He stated calmly, "It's rare that you still possess this kind of sentiment. I hope time won't wear it away."
A surge of encouragement swelled through Zhen Nuan's heart, and she looked at him gratefully. He stared straight ahead, the dim light making his expression difficult to discern.
She also looked toward the road ahead—empty, unknown, yet impossible to avoid.
Late at night, the male voice sang softly on the radio: "Whenever I can't find the meaning of existence, whenever I get lost in the darkness... Do you know where the figure walking with me is now..."
A warm smile appeared on Zhen Nuan's lips. Such an inspiring song.
Yan Han gripped the steering wheel and sneered inwardly. Such a sad song.
The road ahead stretched bleak and gray, just like his past and future.
Zhen Nuan existed in a completely different mood. She listened to the song with a smile gracing her face. When the lyrics reached "the meaning of existence," she was moved and spoke softly. "I will stick to my faith and I am willing to sacrifice my life for it. I would rather die than betray it."
Yan Han felt startled and turned to look at her. "What did you just say?"
It really is a night of ghosts!
In his memory, that summer, Xia Shi had been sitting on the swing, rocking gently with a book in hand, while he sat on the stone bench playing bass.
The girl had raised her head and sighed deeply. "Well, I'd rather die than betray my faith."
The boy had turned to look at her. Dots of sunlight filtered through branches, adorning her long hair. She'd pressed the book against her chest, her eyes gleaming with piety.
He'd glanced at the book in her hand and responded lightly, "Oh. The old man who questioned all the Athenians and drove them mad?"
"After being sentenced to death, Socrates could have fled, but he chose to accept the will of democracy because fleeing would have undermined the authority of Athenian law. Even facing death, he would not undermine his faith."
Zhen Nuan stared at Yan Han's judging eyes, stunned. "I was planning to minor in philosophy at school, and when I read about Socrates, he gave me this feeling."
Yan Han remained speechless for a long moment before finally smiling softly. "Really?"
Zhen Nuan murmured quietly, "Very inspiring, isn't it?"
"Yes." Yan Han agreed, his mind drifting back to that summer.
"Oh? Ah Shi, what is your faith?"
"It's very simple, just one word." The girl on the swing smiled slightly, as beautiful as an angel descended to the mortal world.
"Good."
Previous/Next
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
