After Xiong Jianwei left, Qin Feng exited the interrogation room, arms crossed and eyes slightly narrowed. He turned his head and instructed another colleague, "Look into Xiong Jianwei’s background."

Dr. Liu, the medical examiner, approached. "How did it go?"

"Not great." Qin Feng glanced past Dr. Liu to Lin Fan behind him. "Come to the office. I need to talk to you."

Lin Fan nodded.

Dr. Liu patted Qin Feng on the shoulder. "I’ll head out now."

Back in the office, Lin Fan was already shouldering her bag, frowning in thought. Qin Feng walked over. "Heading back?"

"No, I want to check out the crime scene."

Qin Feng rubbed her head. "Let’s go. I was just about to head there myself."

The scene suggested a crime of passion. The perpetrator had some counter-surveillance skills and was extremely familiar with the complex. Their lifestyle likely wasn’t affluent, and there were signs of robbery, with bloodstains found on the wallet.

As they stepped outside, Qin Feng received a call. "The security guard checks turned up nothing suspicious."

"Send me the details." Qin Feng started the car and indicated to Lin Fan. "Seatbelt."

Lin Fan buckled up and asked, "Han Xu is dead? Was Xiong Jiao lying about picking someone up?"

"An obsession," Qin Feng replied. "Xiong Jianwei mentioned she had an illness. It might be related."

Lin Fan sighed. So they were both dead.

Half an hour later, they arrived at Ruilei Garden. Their team was still on site. Qin Feng parked outside the complex and walked over.

"Captain Qin."

Qin Feng nodded. The head of security approached. "I’m the head of security here."

Qin Feng looked around. "Everyone needs a keycard to enter, right?"

"Yes."

"Who was on duty the night of the twentieth?"

"Lin Song, Xu Zhi, and Qian Kun."

During their conversation, two men walked into the complex carrying items, chatting and laughing. Qin Feng noticed. "They don’t need keycards?"

"They’re security guards."

"Why aren’t they in uniform?"

"They’re off-duty. They switch shifts at five."

"How many people work the day shift?"

"Six in total."

"Liu Juan, did you get their names?"

Liu Juan nodded. Qin Feng glanced at the security office. "Can I take a look inside?"

"Of course."

The security office was spacious. The back room had a table cluttered with instant noodle cups, playing cards, and clothes hanging to one side. The room smelled awful, the soup from the instant noodles had likely spoiled from sitting too long.

Lin Fan wrinkled her nose and continued further in, noticing the stench of foot odor and sweat mixed with a hint of blood. She tugged Qin Feng’s sleeve and whispered, "I smell blood."

Qin Feng’s eyes darkened, and he squeezed her hand to acknowledge before continuing inside.

"This place is a mess. There’s nothing much to see."

There was a bunk bed, probably for night shifts.

"Can we open the lockers?"

"Why? Is there an issue?"

"Can we open them?"

"Sure, I have the keys."

Qin Feng opened a row of lockers, spotting a black handle inside. He reached out. "Gloves."

Lin Fan, who had come in with him, ran out to get some. Qin Feng pulled out a telescoping baton, extending it to its full length of about a meter. The cold, bloody smell was strong. Lin Fan frowned. "This must be it."

Qin Feng asked, "Whose locker is this?"

"I’m not sure. Hey, whose locker is this?"

"It’s Xu Zhi’s."

"Where is Xu Zhi?"

"He was here just a moment ago." The head of security grabbed his radio. "Xu Zhi, Xu Zhi!"

"I’m patrolling in the back."

Qin Feng stepped out and instructed the officers still on site, "Arrest Xu Zhi."

Xu Zhi, thirty-two, about 175 cm tall, wet himself in fear when confronted by Qin Feng. "What did I do? Why are you arresting me? I didn’t break any laws."

"Is this yours?" The telescoping baton had been cleaned, but they had found blood traces in the crevices, which were sent for testing.

Xu Zhi stared at the baton. "This belonged to Shang Yilong. What’s the matter?"

"Who is Shang Yilong?" Qin Feng’s expression was stern, his posture straight.

"He already quit. Worked less than half a month, said it was too hard and left for a better-paying job. He used to carry this around and play with it a lot. I don’t know why he left it in my locker."

Liu Juan asked, "Then why were you scared earlier?"

"There are so many police officers. I get nervous easily."

Qin Feng stepped out, pulling up Shang Yilong’s records. Shang Yilong, nineteen, from Ying County, dropped out of school at sixteen to work. He was 180 cm tall, slim, and had a shifty look in his eyes. Colleagues described him as a lecher.

The blood test results confirmed it was Xiong Jiao’s. They had found the murder weapon. Qin Feng got the address and went to apprehend Shang Yilong, but he wasn’t there. Qin Feng holstered his gun and headed downstairs, just as a tall, thin man carrying a lunchbox staggered towards them. Upon seeing the police, he dropped the lunchbox and bolted.

"Stop!"

Qin Feng took off after him, but Shang Yilong was incredibly fast. He dashed out of the complex and nearly collided with a police car before stumbling and sprinting down another alley. Lin Fan jumped out of the car, grabbed Officer Xiao Wang's baton, and chased after him. Qin Feng grabbed Lin Fan by her collar and pushed her back. "Get back!"

They ran at breakneck speed and soon disappeared from sight. Shang Yilong had attended a martial arts school after graduation and worked as a security guard for a long time. His martial arts skills were questionable, but he was undeniably fast. The complex was remote, and through a long alley was an abandoned factory. Qin Feng climbed over a wall and saw him running the other way. He disengaged the safety on his gun, knowing he couldn't use it unless absolutely necessary. He took a shortcut to cut him off, suddenly seeing Lin Fan blocking the way ahead.

"Lin Fan!" Qin Feng shouted, quickly jumping down from the second floor and sprinting towards them.

Shang Yilong instinctively turned his head at the sound. It was getting dark, and he didn't see Lin Fan. Seizing the opportunity, Lin Fan rushed forward and struck Shang Yilong on the shoulder with the baton. He turned to grab the baton, and Lin Fan swiftly hit his hand, blocking his path. Furious at being bested by a young woman, Shang Yilong picked up a stick and swung it at Lin Fan. Before he could complete the swing, his shoulder was struck again, and he was pinned to the ground by Qin Feng. The stick fell, and Qin Feng twisted Shang Yilong's arms behind his back, kneeing him down and handcuffing him.

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Lin Fan laughed, holding the baton. "Is he the culprit?"

Shang Yilong glared at Lin Fan menacingly. Qin Feng shot Lin Fan a glance before lifting Shang Yilong. Other officers had arrived, and Qin Feng handed the suspect over to his colleagues. In a stern voice, he called out, "Come here."

The tone was severe. Lin Fan had already returned the baton to Xiao Wang and had her hands behind her back. She glanced around, realizing she was the only one being addressed. She hesitated, eyes darting nervously, not daring to walk towards Qin Feng.

"I called you. Did you hear me?" Qin Feng flexed his wrist and stopped, glaring at Lin Fan.

Lin Fan shuffled over. "I was afraid he'd escape—"

"Are you a police officer?"

Lin Fan shook her head, keeping her eyes downcast, avoiding Qin Feng's gaze.

"Stand up straight!"

"Captain Qin?" Liu Juan ran over from a distance.

Qin Feng composed himself and turned around. "I'll head back shortly. You take Lin Fan home."

He strode off, leaving Liu Juan to turn to Lin Fan. "Little Lin?"

Lin Fan looked up, smiling. "Thanks, Sister Liu."

Liu Juan drove Lin Fan home. "Should I take you upstairs?"

Lin Fan shook her head. "No need." She quickly got out of the car, closed the door, and reminded, "Drive safely, Sister Liu."

"Take care."

Liu Juan drove off. Lin Fan noticed a tall, thin woman with long hair standing at the entrance of the complex, looking at the sky with a complicated expression. Lin Fan couldn't decipher it.

She walked over, and Xiong Jiao finally turned around.

"Let's find a place to sit," Lin Fan suggested.

She nodded.

The complex had a beautiful environment. Lin Fan found a bench by the lake and sat down. "The culprit has been caught."

"Oh." Xiong Jiao's response was emotionless as she sat beside Lin Fan, staring at the distant lake.

"Why haven't you left?"

"He hasn't arrived yet," Xiong Jiao replied. "He’s coming back by plane. He hasn't landed yet."

Lin Fan also looked at the sky. "He might have already been reincarnated."

"He said he'd wait for me and then marry me."

Lin Fan felt a twinge of sadness. "If you go now, maybe you can meet him again in the next life."

"He’s dead."

She would never see the landing plane, never meet that person again.

Xiong Jiao hung her head, her long hair falling to cover her face.

She was crying, her shoulders trembling slightly.

Lin Fan sighed. "Let's go."

"He pulled me out of hell. He said he'd marry me when he came back. He's five years younger than me." Xiong Jiao's voice was low. "He's unique. There's no one else like him in this world. I waited for him, waited for two years, and he came back." Tears fell, quickly becoming invisible. "He had a ring in his pocket, stained with blood. When I got there, his body was still warm, but he was gone. How could he leave me? He promised to marry me. How could he leave me?"

Xiong Jiao came from a poor family. She dropped out of school before graduating from middle school to work. At a young age, she didn’t know much. Evil people, seeing her beauty, tricked her into a shady place. She resisted but couldn’t escape the harsh reality and eventually gave in. Xiong Jiao was beautiful and quickly became the most popular girl at the nightclub, but she wasn’t happy. She sent money home to her family, but she had nothing left for herself.

Then she met Han Xu. He was young when they first met, and she was already the top earner at the nightclub. Han Xu was brought there by his classmates and felt uncomfortable. Xiong Jiao teased him, and Han Xu coldly pushed her away.

He didn’t speak a word to her that night, but as he left, he said to Xiong Jiao, "You’re a good girl. You shouldn't be doing this. This place isn’t for you."

To Xiong Jiao, he was just a naive kid.

The second time they met, he brought her a set of books, still very serious. Xiong Jiao laughed until she cried, and then the tears were real. She stopped spiraling downward, using her remaining money to open a proper clothing store. On the opening day, she picked Han Xu up from school, leaning against the car like a seductress, smoking a cigarette. Han Xu blushed and got into the car, saying, "Smoking is bad for your health."

"Aren't you guys at this age into smoking to look cool?"

"It's not cool. It’s harmful." Han Xu lectured her all the way about the dangers of smoking, the components of tobacco, and even showed her pictures of diseased lungs from smoking. Xiong Jiao nearly kicked him out of the car. The store opened, and they became friends.

Han Xu tutored Xiong Jiao, hoping she’d attend adult university.

Xiong Jiao became a model student—no smoking, no drinking, no gambling, studying hard every day. Looking back, those days were too short. On Han Xu’s eighteenth birthday, they slept together. Xiong Jiao liked him. It wasn’t her first time with a man, but it was the first time she liked one.

It was Han Xu’s first time too, but he cherished her.

Han Xu got into Jiangcheng University. In his sophomore year, their relationship was discovered by his family. Han Xu’s family was wealthy and influential in B City. When they found out their son was in love with someone like her, they were furious. They destroyed Xiong Jiao’s store, and Han Xu stood in front of her with a knife to his throat, defiant and stubborn, holding onto Xiong Jiao with his other hand.

"It’s my fault. I’m the man. I take responsibility for my actions. Don’t take it out on her."

Xiong Jiao couldn’t pry his hand off the knife and sobbed uncontrollably.

His family left. They stayed together for another year. Han Xu’s field of study had no better projects in the country. He planned to study abroad for two years, wanting to give Xiong Jiao a better future.

They weathered time, endured others' disdain, and survived great hardships, only to be defeated by fate’s cruel turns.

"He didn’t like me interacting with other men. I opened a bar and met so many men. Why didn’t he come back for me? Why didn’t he scold me?" Xiong Jiao cried. "Why didn’t he come back? Even in a dream, he didn’t come to me... I didn’t touch those men. They weren’t him. How could I be with them? I was just angry at him. But he never returned, never waited for me—"

"Maybe he wants you to live well," Lin Fan said. "He doesn’t want you to be burdened by too much longing."

Xiong Jiao held her face and sobbed. Lin Fan looked at the distant lake, its surface calm. The lights reflected in the water, twinkling like stars.

"In the next life, he’ll be older than you, able to protect you," Lin Fan said. "Maybe he’s waiting for you on the other side."