Fan Ya had known Liu Xiang for much longer than the middle-aged woman who had already been arrested. According to Fan Ya's testimony, Liu Xiang was a warm-hearted, loyal, and meticulous friend who took care of others like an older sister.
Since they met at a barbecue stall in 2020, Liu Xiang had helped Fan Ya countless times over the past four years. She comforted her, guided her growth, and even helped her secure the supermarket after Fan Ya's father suffered a stroke and became partially paralyzed.
Though Fan Ya's father was still alive, his mobility was limited. In his eyes, his girlfriend was more important than his daughter. At one point, he even wanted to hand the supermarket over to his girlfriend to manage. Fan Ya protested several times but to no avail—until Liu Xiang stepped in. No one knew exactly what method she used, but within less than a week, Fan Ya's father changed his mind and handed the supermarket to her, though on the condition that half the monthly profits would go to him.
This outcome far exceeded Fan Ya's expectations. Grateful, she became utterly devoted to Liu Xiang from then on.
At this point, Pang Le suddenly remarked, "Seems like Fan Ya's father changing his mind wasn’t so simple. I’d bet Liu Xiang had someone threaten him. Just having Geng Jing show up and say a few intimidating words would’ve been enough to make him comply."
Zhong Xiaoyu added, "Wow, this Liu Xiang is quite the strategist—sugarcoating, winning people over—she’s clearly a pro at this. With skills like hers, I doubt she’s just an ordinary member of their group. She’s got to be a core player."
"I agree," Qi Bai chimed in. "Just look at how even Geng Jing doesn’t dare act tough around her. That alone proves her status in the organization isn’t low. If we dig deeper into her, we might uncover something big."
Qi Bai then turned to Xu Nian and asked, "Xu Nian, will our team arrive tomorrow? I feel like we’ve hit a critical point in this case."
Though Ji An was from Shangshuang City, nearly eighty percent of their team were locals of Yongquan City. Even when investigating, they naturally preferred working with their own people.
As Qi Bai finished speaking, everyone, including Lu Tingfeng, instinctively looked toward Xu Nian.
Xu Nian met Guan Xia’s gaze, the corners of his eyes crinkling slightly as he replied, "Director Ren called me last night before the operation. Not just our branch—the municipal bureau and even the provincial department are sending people. From what Director Ren said, the task force also believes the clues we’ve uncovered strongly suggest a connection to that criminal organization."
Hearing this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
The case had grown increasingly complex, with more and more leads emerging. Even with Captain Zhou and the Nanping branch’s full support, they were still stretched thin. The fact that even Guan Xia, a rookie outsider, had been sent on surveillance missions—though everything had gone smoothly—left them uneasy, fearing someone might get hurt due to the lack of manpower.
Now, with their concerns alleviated and significant progress made, everyone relaxed their posture. Guan Xia adjusted hers as well before continuing to read.
After taking over the supermarket from her father, Fan Ya hired Ge Qing and Gao Cuicui to help run it.
Though the supermarket wasn’t large and the old residential complex had outdated facilities, the neighborhood itself was huge with a high occupancy rate. Running it alone was impossible, so Liu Xiang introduced Fan Ya to Ge Qing and Gao Cuicui.
From what Fan Ya knew, both women had also received help from Liu Xiang. Being older and clearly more experienced, Liu Xiang had earned their trust. They had previously worked as cashiers and dishwashers in restaurants, earning less than what Fan Ya offered, so they quit without hesitation to join her.
In her testimony, Fan Ya said that since meeting Liu Xiang in 2020, Liu Xiang had always taken care of her—giving both money and effort. Even a real sister couldn’t have done more. So when Liu Xiang one day asked for her help with something, Fan Ya agreed without a second thought.
She remembered it was late at night when Liu Xiang came to her. Fan Ya had just returned home after a long day at the supermarket and was discussing with Ge Qing and Gao Cuicui whether to order takeout when Liu Xiang knocked on the door, bringing a pile of late-night snacks and a few bottles of beer.
As they ate, though Liu Xiang chatted with them, Fan Ya, Ge Qing, and Gao Cuicui could all tell from her expression that something was weighing on her. When they asked, Liu Xiang explained that a close friend of hers was in trouble. She wanted to help but the situation was complicated and delicate, leaving her unsure who to turn to.
Fan Ya, indebted to Liu Xiang for all her past help, immediately volunteered. But Liu Xiang didn’t accept right away—instead, she first explained just how difficult the matter was.
According to Liu Xiang, her friend had married into Shangshuang City from afar. Now, with a six-year-old child, her husband had cheated on her. When caught, he showed no remorse—instead, he shamelessly demanded a divorce. Due to her poor health, worsened by childbirth, the friend had been unable to work long hours after the child started kindergarten. She had spent years as a homemaker with no income, and now her husband was using that to force her out with nothing.
Liu Xiang told them that her friend and her husband had been college sweethearts. Before marriage, the friend had explicitly said she didn’t want children due to her health. But after marriage, her husband and his family pressured her, coaxing and coercing her into having a child. Now, taking advantage of her being far from home, they were bullying her—kicking her out, refusing to let her take the child, and even moving the other woman into their home.
Her friend later learned that the other woman was her husband’s first love from high school. They’d had a brief romance before she went abroad for studies. She returned three years into their marriage, already married herself but unable to let go of her first love, so they began an affair.
Then, just recently in June, the other woman divorced. Now single, she grew bolder, leading to the affair being exposed—and everything spiraled out of control.
Liu Xiang said her friend hadn’t spent a single day apart from her child since birth. She had tried visiting to take the child back, even attempting to secretly see the child, but was always driven away. During one such confrontation, she was pushed and injured, spraining her ankle. Now, she stayed at Liu Xiang’s home, crying every day. Liu Xiang, furious, had been thinking of ways to teach the scumbag and his mistress a lesson—and, most importantly, how to get the child back.
Reading this, not only was Guan Xia stunned, but Pang Le also marveled, "Good grief! An unfaithful husband, a sick and bullied friend, and a long-lost love returning from abroad—this Liu Xiang really knows how to spin a tale. If I didn’t know it was fake, I’d be furious too. She must’ve binge-watched dramas and novels to come up with such a cliché-packed story. No wonder those three girls fell for it hook, line, and sinker."
Zhong Xiaoyu clicked her tongue. "Can’t blame them, honestly. Liu Xiang’s methods are just too slick. Put yourself in their shoes—this lie would fool at least half of ten people."
Guan Xia tried to imagine it: if Pang Le, who’d always been kind to her, spun such a story, she might not necessarily help, but she’d never doubt it. She’d probably even join in cursing the "scumbag" and brainstorm ways to "rescue" the child.
"No wonder so many people get scammed," Pang Le added. "Her skills are top-tier. Now I don’t doubt how she tricked Ning Xin and her daughter into getting in that car. Even if she wasn’t in Ning Xin’s social circle, they might’ve met before. That’s why, despite Geng Jing being there, Ning Xin still climbed in with her child."
After some discussion, they continued reading.
In Fan Ya’s statement, after Liu Xiang laid out her story, Fan Ya, Ge Qing, and Gao Cuicui were all outraged. They eagerly offered to help and brainstormed ideas with fiery enthusiasm.
Ultimately, Gao Cuicui’s proposal won unanimous approval. Though risky and morally questionable, it promised a permanent solution while "teaching those heartless villains a lesson."
Gao Cuicui suggested that since she often delivered goods on her e-bike, she knew the area’s backstreets well—including a hidden path near the friend’s neighborhood with no cameras. While they couldn’t confirm the entire complex’s surveillance, they could scout it.
"If we cover up well, it’s doable. That’s an old neighborhood with heavy foot traffic and spotty cameras. Plus, it’s summer—no one would suspect a thing," she said. They could take turns staking out the place, snatch the child when the chance arose, and Liu Xiang’s friend would immediately flee Yongquan City. Even if suspicions arose later, cutting all ties would make it impossible to trace them in a country this vast. After a few years, they could start anew.
Fan Ya initially hesitated at the plan’s risks, but seeing Liu Xiang’s gloom turn to excitement, she brushed aside her doubts. She even thought, This is my chance to repay Liu Xiang’s kindness. No wonder she has so many loyal friends—she goes all out for them.
After detailing the setup, Fan Ya’s statement described their execution.
Though Gao Cuicui devised the plan, Liu Xiang participated too. The four women took turns scouting Yan Xingyu’s neighborhood, disguised in full summer gear—hats, sunglasses, nothing suspicious.
The complex was large, and it took days to map all usable cameras. They rehearsed escape routes repeatedly but couldn’t avoid every lens, settling for the path with the least coverage. One night, Ge Qing and Gao Cuicui teamed up: one disabled a camera while the other kept watch.
Risky as it was, their preparation paid off. The actual snatch went smoothly. Liu Xiang, on her day off, was the one who grabbed Yan Xingyu.
At noon, she spotted the boy crying alone on a swing after burning his bottom. Liu Xiang told Fan Ya she checked repeatedly—no one responded to his cries. Boldly, she pulled out a hyper-realistic kitten plushie from her pocket. Yan Xingyu hesitated only seconds before approaching.
Luring him to a blind spot, Liu Xiang let him play with the toy until he relaxed. Then, she pressed a chemically soaked towel over his face, knocked him out, and carried him away via their pre-planned route.
En route, she called Gao Cuicui, who whisked them away on her e-bike through broken-camera alleys. After winding 3–4 kilometers, they transferred to a waiting van.
Fan Ya’s statement ended here, followed by repetitive police questioning to verify every detail and rule out lies.
Guan Xia then reviewed Ge Qing and Gao Cuicui’s statements. While their introductions to Liu Xiang differed, their accounts of Yan Xingyu’s abduction aligned. All three were clearly duped into committing a crime that could land them years in prison.
Returning the files to Nanping Station’s clerk, Guan Xia exhaled. "Finally, we’ve pried open a crack into that organization’s inner workings. So, what’s next? Do we focus on Liu Xiang or Geng Jing?"
Though she asked, Guan Xia suspected Xu Nian would split resources—especially since Yan Xingyu was safe and five suspects were in custody.
Sure enough, Xu Nian said, "Captain Zhou and I agreed: their team tails Geng Jing; we handle Liu Xiang. The buyer dealing with Liu Xiang’s group goes to Captain Zhou’s division. Three-pronged approach."
Guan Xia checked the time. "It’s been six hours since Yan Xingyu’s rescue. You said Nanping would keep Liu Xiang in the dark for 48 hours, so we’ve got under 42 left. How do we proceed? Start with her social connections?"
Ji An suddenly thought of something and said, "Remember our earlier speculation that Liu Xiang reconnecting with Fan Ya and Ge Qing might mean she has a new target—which implies there’s a new buyer. If we keep a close watch on Liu Xiang, we should be able to follow the trail and uncover another group of people."
Xu Nian pondered for a moment before responding, "Then let’s investigate the usual way. We have enough manpower now—we can assign a few people to dig into Liu Xiang’s social connections, while the rest split into teams to monitor her around the clock. Given how active they’ve been lately, as long as we don’t lose sight of her, we’re bound to make a major discovery. But there’s one critical point to note."
Xu Nian emphasized his final words, "Liu Xiang is currently our key suspect in this potential criminal ring. Surveillance is one thing, but if anyone notices signs of her attempting to flee or commit suicide to evade justice, act decisively and arrest her on the spot. Under no circumstances can we let her escape."
Even Guan Xia felt a chill at these words, instinctively straightening her posture and nodding solemnly.
Due to Guan Xia’s unique circumstances, Xu Nian deliberated before ultimately assigning her to the surveillance team. Considering her lack of combat skills, he paired her with Zhong Xiaoyu and Qi Bai—making them the only trio, while the others worked in pairs.
Guan Xia didn’t object. In their group, while she was the least physically capable, Zhong Xiaoyu was the strongest fighter among them all. Qi Bai, though not as skilled as Zhong Xiaoyu, was young, quick-witted, and well-trained—more than capable of subduing even someone like Geng Jing in seconds, let alone Liu Xiang.
Guan Xia wasn’t worried about her safety. Instead, her mind was occupied with whether their stakeout at Liu Xiang’s workplace—the supermarket—would lead them to another crucial figure.
