Qin Feng left, and Lin Fan found her phone in the bedside drawer. She flipped through the messages and found the number to call. She felt a bit flustered; the sudden fainting had left her scared.
"Miss Lin."
"Is it true what you said last time, that I only have eighteen years of life?"
"I never speak falsely."
"Who are you exactly? How do you know?" Lin Fan grew more suspicious of Ouyang Yu. "What's in that haunted building?"
Ouyang Yu laughed on the other end of the phone. "This isn't the attitude of someone seeking help."
Regret flooded Lin Fan as she impulsively made the call. It was too impulsive. She gritted her teeth. "Who are you?"
He chuckled, his voice clear. "The policeman has too much positive energy. The closer he gets, the shorter your life becomes."
Lin Fan abruptly hung up, her temples throbbing. She needed to go back. Only by returning could she uncover the mystery of the Yin and Yang eyes. Ouyang Yu's words were cryptic, and she needed to verify.
She slept for two days, feeling only hunger when she woke. Qin Feng returned quickly, bringing porridge. Underestimating Lin Fan's appetite, she nearly finished the bowl and looked up at him hopefully. "Is there more?"
"You've just woken up; eat less."
Lin Fan realized she had pushed her luck too far and compromised. "Can I leave the hospital?"
"You should be able to." Qin Feng returned soon, handing Lin Fan a coat. "Let's go."
Lin Fan got out of bed, taking the coat. "Thank you. How much for the medical expenses? I'll pay you back."
"No need."
Qin Feng still drove, handing Lin Fan a bottle of water as she got into the car. "Have you experienced something like this before?" He opened his own bottle, taking a sip before turning to Lin Fan. "Hmm?"
"Fainting?" Lin Fan shook her head. "No, this is the first time."
Qin Feng screwed the cap back on his water bottle and started the engine, pulling the car out. "We need to investigate."
Lin Fan pondered. "Is there a possibility that I can only live until I'm eighteen and then die without illness? My lifespan is fixed, unrelated to sickness?"
Qin Feng frowned, his expression darkening. "Nonsense."
Ouyang Yu said she had only half a year left — Lin Fan couldn't help but entertain that thought. She feared death.
"What if it's true?"
Qin Feng glanced at her, then turned his gaze back to the road. "It's false, what else?"
Lin Fan dared not argue further after being reprimanded. She shifted the conversation to the awkward ghosts. "The case of that old man is solved. Who's the killer? Xu Yi or Su Changqing?"
"Su Changqing killed Zhu Mao, and Xu Yi killed Su Changqing."
Lin Fan informed him that Su Changqing was the one who died, prompting Qin Feng to rearrange the clues. Unable to find anything conclusive from the DNA, and with Su Changqing's information heavily guarded, it was difficult to find leads. So, they made a bold assumption — the possibility that the two were brothers.
Fortune favors the determined. The next morning, Qin Feng's friend from city B sent over information. Su Changqing's original household registration was in Jiangcheng, but he was sold to city B. His foster parents died unexpectedly, leading him to be sent to an orphanage. Investigating his biological family revealed intricate ties to Xu Yi's family. Meanwhile, someone had seen Xu Yi at the Jiangcheng train station. Confirming their brotherhood and the possibility of sharing the same DNA, a warrant was issued for Xu Yi. They apprehended Xu Yi, who was on the run, on a long-distance bus at noon.
Only then did Qin Feng have time to come and see Lin Fan.
"What about the DNA?" Lin Fan's curiosity was piqued, unable to figure it out.
"They are identical twins."
Lin Fan was astonished. "They don't look the same age. Su Changqing looks much younger than Xu Yi."
"If Su Changqing looked like Xu Yi, would Zhu Mao be interested in him?"
Zhu Mao had peculiar tastes. Due to his status, he couldn't easily find partners, so he instructed Xu Yi to find like-minded individuals. Coincidentally, Xu Yi's biological brother was also involved in the same activities, so he introduced him to Zhu Mao. The two brothers quickly climbed the ranks with Zhu Mao's help. Unfortunately, things went awry when Su Changqing killed their benefactor.
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Lin Fan connected the dots. "Su Changqing killed Zhu Mao, then conspired with Xu Yi to dismember him. But why was Su Changqing killed? Aren't they brothers?"
"Money. Unequal division of the spoils." Qin Feng said. "People take risks for wealth, disregarding morality and ethics."
Zhu Mao wasn't a good person either; he was greedy. Unable to keep the money in his own name, he stored it in the villa. Su Changqing had a clean background, and they had been good for many years, so Zhu Mao had a little trust in him.
But Su Changqing didn't see it that way. He plotted with Zhu Mao solely for money and had been planning how to take Zhu Mao's money. Accidentally strangling Zhu Mao in a panic, he called Xu Yi in distress. Xu Yi had more ideas than him. After discussing, they decided to dismember Zhu Mao, prolonging the time before the crime was discovered, and fled with his money. But greed knows no bounds; when dividing the money, they disagreed, and Xu Yi, taking a decisive step, killed Su Changqing.
Lin Fan was speechless. "None of them are good people." Pausing for a moment, she continued, "How did Xu Yi know that he and Su Changqing had the same DNA?"
"By chance, he knew their blood types were the same and thought the autopsy was to check blood."
"Greed cost three lives."
One person's greed, two people's greed for money. Those two ghosts Lin Fan never saw again, probably gone. Whoever goes to hell or reincarnates, it's all predestined. Lin Fan sighed. Some people's worldview renders love and brotherhood worthless in the face of money.
"Xu Yi didn't deny anything; he confessed everything as soon as he was caught." Finally, they arrived. Qin Feng stopped the car and reminded Lin Fan, who was about to get off, "Put on your coat."
Putting on her coat and stepping out of the car on a hot summer day, Lin Fan didn't feel any warmth. Shivering with cold, she stood there. Qin Feng closed the car door and caught up with her. "Give me your ID later; I'll book the flight for tomorrow." Lin Fan turned to look at him, almost bumping into a wall since she wasn't looking where she was going. Qin Feng grabbed her and pulled her to his side. "Look ahead."
"Will it cost a lot? The examination fee must be expensive."
"Don't worry about it."
His warm palm emitted heat, and Lin Fan felt a bit warmer. Without thinking, she grabbed Qin Feng's fingers back. Qin Feng paused, stopped walking, and looked at her. Lin Fan didn't meet his gaze; instead, she kept holding his hand and walked forward, her head almost buried in the ground.
Qin Feng's eyebrows lifted slightly as he held her hand in his palm.
This child.
Even in the elevator, Lin Fan didn't let go, her ears turning red.
"Is there money on the ground?" Qin Feng suddenly chuckled, his voice low. "Always looking down."
Lin Fan tightly pressed her lips together, refusing to lift her head no matter what he said. Her head buzzed, her face burned, and her heart raced wildly. Sweat began to form in her palms, but she dared not move, as the heat from his hand continued to spread, scorching her heart.
Entering the apartment, Lin Fan let go of Qin Feng and rushed into the room, slamming the door shut behind her. Qin Feng wanted to laugh outright. He placed the keys on the table, but the room was stuffy. He looked for the remote control to turn on the air conditioner but couldn't find it.
Lin Fan seemed to be afraid of the cold; her hands were ice-cold just now. The soft touch lingered in his palm. Qin Feng wiped his hands, but the sensation remained, soft and moist as if it were stuck in his palm. He put his hands in his pockets, sat down, and took a deep drag on his cigarette, the white smoke dispersing into the air. Lin Fan said her life was short. Knowing Lin Fan as he did, she wouldn't say such things without reason. Could it be true?
Is her life really short?
---
Lin Fan hugged the pillow and rolled around in bed. She buried her face in the soft pillow and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. Her heart thumped like a drum. Lin Fan was very slow in matters of love and had never discussed this secret and embarrassing topic with her peers. She only knew that Qin Feng was good, and there was no one better than him in this world.
After her grandmother's death, Lin Fan lived a lonely life without relatives or friends. She was an outlier, a lost lamb separated from the flock, and Qin Feng took her in.
The next morning at six o'clock, Qin Feng came to knock on the door. His voice came through the door, "Get up; the flight is at eight thirty."
"Okay."
Lin Fan had never paid much attention to her appearance. It was the first time she struggled because she had no clothes. With only a few pieces in the wardrobe, she picked a long-sleeved hoodie and jeans. When she went out, Qin Feng was already dressed neatly in his police uniform, looking sharp. He had shaved, looking very handsome.
Lin Fan glanced at him a few more times before going to wash up.
They arrived at the airport late. Qin Feng carried Lin Fan's bag on one arm and Lin Fan on the other, walking briskly.
"Are you hungry?" Lin Fan's stomach growled, but she shook her head.
There were many people at Jiangcheng Airport, and since they had bought regular tickets, it was crowded. Qin Feng protected Lin Fan in his arms as they moved forward. Lin Fan looked up at Qin Feng from his embrace, but all she saw was his cold, hard jawline.
Licking her lips, she buried her face again.
At ten-thirty, they arrived in City B. Qin Feng carried Lin Fan's bag on his shoulder and talked on the phone as they walked out. Suddenly, he couldn't find Lin Fan and hurriedly turned back. Lin Fan was squatting down, comforting a little girl whose mother was nowhere to be seen.
Qin Feng said to the person on the phone, "Let's talk later."
Hanging up, he quickly walked over to Lin Fan. He didn't have the speed of the girl's mother, so the young woman rushed over and almost knocked Lin Fan over. Qin Feng's face changed suddenly; he ran over and pulled Lin Fan up from the ground.
"Are you okay?"
"Mommy—" The child started to cry.
The woman looked wary as she glanced at Lin Fan and Qin Feng.
Suppressing his anger, Qin Feng pushed Lin Fan behind him. Was her child a child, but others' children were not?
"Take care of your child. Try not to let go of her in crowded places at the airport. If you encounter a trafficker, crying won't help." Pulling Lin Fan along, Qin Feng walked away. The woman finally reacted. "Thank you."
"You're welcome. Take care of your child." Lin Fan turned her head and said before hurrying to catch up with Qin Feng. "Are you angry?"
"Why would I be angry?" Qin Feng put his hands in his pockets. "Let's go eat now. You'll go to the hospital for an examination in the afternoon."
"Okay."
Lin Fan agreed and suddenly noticed a woman at the exit. She was tall, slender, and looked like a beauty from behind. With black hair cascading behind her, she passed through the crowd, seemingly panicked, and kept retreating toward the exit.
The exit was not for entry, but the security guards seemed not to have noticed her, and she just barged in.