Monday morning brought fine weather, thanks to the light rain the night before that left the sky crystal clear and cloudless.
Xu Nian had just stepped into the office when Qi Bai intercepted him. Qi Bai hung up his phone but kept it in hand as he looked at Xu Nian and said, "Captain Xu, I just got word that Jiang Chuntao's relative—her older brother, Jiang Hongbo—has come to Yongquan City to pick up Luo Xiaoyun."
Wang Yu, who had also just entered the office, was surprised. "So soon? The case is still in its final stages and hasn't even been transferred to the prosecutor's office yet."
Jiang Yingyao strolled over, carrying a thermos freshly filled with hot water. "Probably because of the substantial inheritance Luo Xiaoyun is about to receive."
"That’s way too hasty," Wang Yu muttered. "The verdict isn’t even out yet. They’re treating Luo Xiaoyun like an ATM."
Jiang Yingyao took a sip of hot water and smirked. "Don’t forget, Jiang Chuntao has another brother besides Jiang Hongbo."
Wang Yu immediately understood, his expression darkening. Qi Bai couldn’t help but sneer. "They ignored Jiang Chuntao when Yu Hong was abusing her, but now that she’s dying, they’re in a hurry to show up."
After a few more sarcastic remarks, Qi Bai asked Xu Nian, "Captain Xu, should we go check it out? If we leave now, we might still make it."
Xu Nian glanced at the time and was about to say something to Jiang Yingyao when the latter waved him off. "I’ll keep an eye on wrapping up the case. You go ahead."
Relieved, Xu Nian left with Qi Bai.
Wang Yu seemed tempted to join but ultimately trudged back to his desk and began scribbling furiously.
After Jiang Chuntao and Luo Shun were arrested, Luo Xiaoyun—due to her special circumstances—had been temporarily placed under the care of a female officer at the local police station. On the drive there, Qi Bai kept glancing at Xu Nian, hesitating to speak.
Finally, Xu Nian, annoyed, cut straight to the point. "Just say what you want to say."
Qi Bai obliged. "Although Wang Yu and I questioned Liang Panpan and got the answer that Luo Xiaoyun didn’t ask her anything—just comforted her—I still feel Luo Xiaoyun isn’t as innocent as she appears."
He added firmly, "If she really knew nothing, why would she suddenly take pity on Liang Panpan out of nowhere? They had no prior connection."
Xu Nian replied calmly, "You’ve questioned Luo Xiaoyun too. Regardless of whether she knows anything, the evidence we’ve uncovered suggests she’s genuinely unaware. We have no choice but to take her at her word."
Qi Bai sighed. "Let’s hope all our suspicions are just unnecessary paranoia."
When they arrived at the station, a middle-aged man stood beside Luo Xiaoyun, bidding farewell to the female officer who had been looking after her.
The man was heavily overweight, with a thick neck and a face bloated with fat. His beer belly protruded like a balloon stuffed under his shirt. He forced a smile as he said goodbye to the officer, then tugged at Luo Xiaoyun’s arm—perhaps trying to sound affectionate, but his slightly twisted grin came off more like a warning. "Qianqian, say goodbye to the officer."
Luo Xiaoyun yanked her hand away and said flatly, "Call me Luo Xiaoyun. Only my parents can call me Qianqian."
Being contradicted in public clearly embarrassed the man. His expression briefly twisted with anger before he suppressed it and forced an awkward chuckle. "You silly kid, I’m your uncle. Can’t I even call you by your nickname?"
Luo Xiaoyun ignored him. Without another word, she coldly bid the officer farewell and walked straight toward the exit, not looking back.
The man, startled, hastily excused himself and hurried after her.
Perhaps trying to appear affectionate, he repeatedly attempted to hold Luo Xiaoyun’s hand, but she either dodged or shook him off each time. Eventually, he gave up and settled for chattering incessantly, casting occasional glances at her.
Silently watching the two figures—one large, one small—disappear beyond the gate, Qi Bai remarked sarcastically, "He even learned her nickname in just a few days. Seems he’s really put in the effort."
Xu Nian didn’t respond, but the image of Luo Xiaoyun’s expressionless silence lingered in his mind—strikingly similar to Jiang Chuntao’s demeanor during interrogation.
...
Guan Xia and Pang Le had booked tickets for 8 a.m., forcing them to cut their morning jog short and rush through breakfast before heading to the train station.
Pang Le had borrowed Pang Qi’s car again to pick her up. As Guan Xia buckled herself into the passenger seat, she couldn’t resist complaining, "You’re just burning money. We’re only staying in Quchun City for a day and night, returning tomorrow afternoon. We could’ve just taken a taxi."
Pang Le turned the music down slightly and grinned. "Money’s meant to be enjoyed. I can’t be bothered fighting for cabs. If there were flights between these two cities, I’d have flown us there."
Guan Xia fell silent, deciding not to argue with someone who treated money so casually. She quickly changed the subject. "Let’s hope this trip goes smoothly. Even though we’re mentally prepared, the thought of actually running into something still makes me nervous."
Pang Le, on the other hand, seemed more excited than worried. But seeing Guan Xia’s expression, he wisely kept his thoughts to himself and just patted her shoulder reassuringly.
They left early, and despite hitting rush hour, they still made it to the station half an hour before departure.
After smoothly passing through security and boarding, Pang Le suddenly had an idea as he settled into his seat. He turned to Guan Xia and said, "What if we actually run into someone on the train? I’ve been reading crime novels lately—protagonists always bump into fugitives in the most random places."
He subtly scanned the nearby passengers, as if trying to spot a suspicious face in the crowd.
Guan Xia instinctively followed his gaze before hesitantly replying, "That’s unlikely, right? Security’s way tighter now. IDs get scanned and matched to faces at checkpoints. A fugitive would have a hard time slipping through."
Pang Le thought about it and conceded, losing interest. He reclined his seat comfortably and pulled out his phone to browse videos.
As Guan Xia adjusted her own seat, she accidentally caught a glimpse of his screen and recognized a familiar face. Surprised, she asked, "Isn’t that the girl with the high ponytail? What’s her name—Song Yi? You’re a fan now?"
Pang Le lazily replied, "Not a fan, exactly. I just check out her videos now and then. Since Lawyer Shi and I both love camping and hiking, and we’re tired of the usual spots, I skim her recommendations for lesser-known trails."
Guan Xia leaned over to watch with him for a while before sighing in admiration. "She’s really impressive. Her stamina is just... beyond anything I could ever match."
"Truly impressive," Pang Le nodded in agreement. "It's been a week since our camping trip, and she's already climbed two more mountains—no, wait, this would be her third. Based on her usual routine, she’ll upload another video tonight. The most amazing part is she starts editing as soon as she comes down the mountain, without even resting. She’s practically a machine, no wonder she’s made a name for herself in this field."
Guan Xia watched the video with equal admiration before pulling out her phone to continue binge-watching her crime drama.
As Guan Xia had predicted, their journey from the station to the exit was uneventful—so uneventful, in fact, that she nearly forgot she was living in a world blended with crime fiction.
Dragging her suitcase behind her, Guan Xia mindlessly followed Pang Le through the streets until they arrived at a car rental agency.
After completing the paperwork and paying the deposit, Pang Le remained cheerful—until they’d driven about two kilometers away. Suddenly, she cursed under her breath. "Damn it, this car’s practically running on fumes. I was so focused on checking the car itself that I didn’t even glance at the fuel gauge. Well, guess we’re making a gas stop before lunch."
Having never rented a car before, Guan Xia was clueless about the process. "How much should we fill up? If we top it off now and return it with half a tank, wouldn’t the rental company just profit off us?"
"Not really," Pang Le replied, zooming in and out of the navigation map before making a turn at the next intersection. "If the fuel level is higher when we return it, they’ll refund us the difference based on the day’s gas prices."
Guan Xia relaxed. "That’s fair."
At the nearest gas station, Pang Le pulled in to refuel. While waiting, she suggested, "This might take a while. Why don’t you check out the convenience store and see if there’s any snacks you’d like?"
Guan Xia wasn’t in the mood to move, and Pang Le didn’t push it. "Then make sure you eat plenty later. The temple’s halfway up the mountain—we can only drive to the base, and from there, it’s a climb of two or three hundred steps. I brought some chocolate in case you need an energy boost."
Just the thought of hundreds of steps made Guan Xia’s knees ache. She briefly considered buying snacks but then remembered the candy she’d packed last-minute. "Never mind. Snacks take up too much space. You’ve got chocolate, I’ve got candy—it’s not like we’re scaling a mountain. This should be enough."
Pang Le raised an eyebrow. "You brought candy? Since when do you have a sweet tooth? I could’ve sworn you barely touched desserts."
Guan Xia shrugged. "Lawyer Dong gave me some during the last camping trip. I saw it while packing and just tossed it in."
Pang Le let out an "ah," then grinned. "So… what do you think of Lawyer Dong?"
Guan Xia blinked in confusion for a few seconds before catching on. She shot Pang Le a warning look. "Don’t tell me you’re trying to play matchmaker now. What’s there to think? He’s just a guy. Whether he’s impressive or not has nothing to do with me."
"Alright," Pang Le sighed, feigning disappointment. "I just thought, since you invited him to the housewarming party, and with all the book-borrowing and candy-sharing, maybe he finally met your standards. But I see you’re still the same love-averse Guan Xia."
Guan Xia rolled her eyes. "Correction: I’m not ‘love-averse.’ I’ve just finally reached a point where I’m not drowning in work, and I’d rather enjoy life than waste time on romance."
"Then poor Lawyer Dong," Pang Le teased. "Seems like he’s pretty interested in you."
Guan Xia shrugged. "His interest is his business. Doesn’t concern me."
Pang Le’s tone turned serious. "Got it. I’ll text Lawyer Shi during lunch and tell him to stop helping Lawyer Dong dig up info about you."
Guan Xia hummed in agreement, mentally noting that she should probably ask for her borrowed sketchbook back soon—it had been days.
After another ten minutes of waiting, Guan Xia grew restless and began glancing around. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a car ahead finishing its refuel and pulling up near the convenience store.
A man in his thirties stepped out of the driver’s seat and began hurriedly loading stacks of instant meals and cases of water into the car.
His movements were rushed, his expression tense and slightly frantic.
He’d bought so much that the back seat was soon packed full, forcing him to open the trunk—where a large, striking dark-blue suitcase immediately caught Guan Xia’s eye.
For no apparent reason, her right eyelid twitched.
Pang Le noticed it too, her expression shifting to suspicion. "Buying this much food and water at a gas station—is he stocking up for a long trip? Something feels off."
Guan Xia studied the man again, then exchanged a look with Pang Le.
"You getting any vibes?" Pang Le asked.
Guan Xia’s eyelid was still twitching. She nodded. "Yeah. Something’s not right."
Pang Le suggested, "Should we call Xu Nian?"
Still inside the gas station, Guan Xia hesitated before reaching for her phone. "Let’s wait until we’re back on the road."
