Qin Feng remained silent for a long time before looking up. "Madam's illness—"

"Liver cancer, late stage," Mr. Chen replied. "She doesn't like seeing outsiders. Please understand."

"Sorry to have disturbed you."

——

The educational quality at No. 16 High School is among the best in Jiangcheng, with strict discipline and a principal who has always pursued a militarized management style. They hardly had any time to play; every day was just studying, studying, and more studying.

Lei Xiaojia leaned over and handed a bag of egg rolls to Lin Fan. "Do you have time this weekend?"

"Probably not, but thank you." Lin Fan took the egg rolls and handed her a box of yogurt from her bag. "Why? Is there an event?"

"Yeah." Lei Xiaojia pulled over a stool and sat down. "New Year's Day is coming up, and our class has to put on two programs. Are you interested?"

Lin Fan smiled. "I'm just a bookworm. I don't know how to do anything else."

"How about singing?"

"I can't."

Lei Xiaojia, her roommate, who shared the same bunk bed, rolled her eyes mischievously. "It's my birthday this weekend. I'm having a party at a KTV in Nancheng. Will you come?"

"KTV?" Lin Fan had accompanied someone on Xiong Jiao's case and learned what a nightclub was.

She frowned slightly. "Aren't we a bit too young for that kind of place?"

Lei Xiaojia smacked her on the forehead. "What are you thinking? KTV is just a place for singing and having fun. What did you think it was? Aren't you a year older than me? Your thinking is really outdated. KTV isn't some terrible thing. Just tell me, are you coming or not?"

"I need to ask for permission first."

"You're asking Uncle Qin?" Lei Xiaojia smacked her forehead again, and Lin Fan quickly blocked it, saying, "I still need to get into college, don't hit me silly."

"Don't you have any opinions of your own? You're already nineteen. Why do you still listen to him? You're an adult with your own thoughts."

Lin Fan actually didn't want to attend any party; she wanted to see Qin Feng. Qin Feng had been busy, and she hadn't seen him since last week. It had been two weeks since they last met.

She looked up and smiled brightly. "I'll buy you a gift. Whether I can come or not, I'll let you know later."

"I've never seen anyone as obedient as you. How old are you, and you still listen to your parents. Girl! Live a little! Our youth needs excitement and indulgence."

Lin Fan opened the egg rolls and blushed. Why did that sound so improper? "Get out of here."

"Come to my party! If you come, the boys in our class will come too."

Lin Fan didn't understand. "You have better popularity. If they come, it's because of you. I don't think I can influence anything."

Lei Xiaojia stood up, cupped Lin Fan's face in her hands, and said, "Dear, you're beautiful."

Lin Fan: "..."

There were four people in the dormitory, and their relationships were neither good nor bad. Lei Xiaojia was quite versatile and continued her role as class monitor from the previous year. The other two were a top student who kept to herself and hardly communicated and a poor student who was a sports major, busy with training and didn't interact much with them.

The small test was coming up soon, and after several days of review, Lin Fan stuffed her books into her bag after the Saturday exam. She packed a bag of dirty clothes; the school's environment was too poor, and washing clothes wasted time. Just as she finished packing, Qin Feng's call came in. Lin Fan answered, "Hello?"

"I'm at the school gate. Come out."

Lin Fan slung her bag over her shoulder. "Okay, I'm coming out now."

At the door, she ran into Lei Xiaojia, who was hastily stuffing books into her bag. "Is your uncle here to pick you up?"

"No uncle, that's my brother," Lin Fan emphasized.

"Oh, calling him uncle is so endearing. Doesn't 'uncle' sound warm and cozy?" Lei Xiaojia said. "Can you give me a ride? The bus here takes forever, and my mom has a meeting and can't pick me up."

Lin Fan thought for a moment. "Where do you live?"

Lei Xiaojia mentioned an address. "It's not far from your place. I've seen your information."

Lin Fan: "..."

They went out, and Lei Xiaojia hugged Lin Fan's arm, whispering, "Do you know Xu Wenzhi?"

Lin Fan shook her head. "No, why?"

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

"I heard he wants to pursue you."

Lin Fan frowned. "Huh?"

"Xu Wenzhi is from Jiangcheng. His family is well-off, and he's a good student. He—"

"I have a boyfriend," Lin Fan interrupted her.

"What?"

Lin Fan nodded. "Really."

When they reached the school gate, Qin Feng strode over, took Lin Fan's bag, and greeted Lei Xiaojia, "Hello." He wrapped his arm around Lin Fan's head, opened the car door for her to get in first, and then put the bag in the back.

"Uncle Qin, could you please give me a ride today?"

Qin Feng paused before nodding. "Sure, where do you live?"

"Rongcheng Garden."

Qin Feng got in the car and handed a thermos to Lin Fan. "There's hot water. It's cold outside."

Lin Fan took off her hat and couldn't help but smile when she saw him, hugging the cup. "Oh."

Qin Feng wanted to touch her face but saw the intense gaze of the girl in the back seat through the rearview mirror. He forced his hand back and asked Lin Fan, "Didn't you go home last week?"

"I did, but you were busy, so I stayed at Auntie's place for a day."

"I was working on a case."

"Uncle Qin, isn't being a police officer very exciting? Dealing with dangerous criminals all the time?" Lei Xiaojia interjected.

Qin Feng replied perfunctorily, "It's okay."

Qin Feng had already shaved, revealing his strong facial features and looking very handsome. Lei Xiaojia liked this type of man, very handsome and tough. Leaning on the backrest and talking to Lin Fan, she glanced at Qin Feng from the corner of her eye, saying, "You must come this weekend, it's a date."

"I haven't agreed yet," Lin Fan's voice was soft and gentle.

"Uncle Qin," Lei Xiaojia turned her head to look at Qin Feng, giving her a legitimate reason to look at him, "we have a party tomorrow night. Can Lin Fan come with us?"

"She probably doesn't have time," Qin Feng said. He hadn't seen Lin Fan in half a month, so there was definitely no time tomorrow night.

"It's my birthday tomorrow, just a get-together with classmates. Why don't you come too?"

"I'll give you an answer tomorrow," Lin Fan said, pushing Lei Xiaojia's forehead to push her back. "Sit properly and don't lean forward."

Qin Feng didn't participate in their conversation. Lin Fan could handle her own friends, and it was best for him not to get involved. After dropping Lei Xiaojia off at Rongcheng Garden, Lei Xiaojia reminded her repeatedly, "Remember to reply to me."

Qin Feng drove onto the road. "What do you want to eat tonight?"

Lin Fan sighed with relief, "Can we buy groceries and cook at home?"

"Okay."

They parked at a supermarket near home. Qin Feng held Lin Fan's hand and leaned close to her. "Did you miss me?"

Feeling his warmth, Lin Fan looked up at Qin Feng's profile, her heart pounding, and honestly said, "Yes."

"What does 'yes' mean?" Qin Feng lowered his head, his gaze deep and seemingly smiling, "Hmm?"

"It means—lower your head." Qin Feng, holding Lin Fan's hand, got out of the elevator and lowered his head. "Miss—"

Lin Fan quickly kissed him on the lips, held Qin Feng's hand, and walked quickly ahead. "I missed you."

Qin Feng was pulled along, one hand in his pocket. "I like that answer."

Lin Fan looked back, smiling, "I like you."

Qin Feng's heart contracted suddenly. He walked over to Lin Fan, who let go of his hand and started to run. "Don't mess around; we're in public."

Qin Feng pushed a shopping cart, following Lin Fan. She was much more lively now. Qin Feng liked seeing her being playful, thinking about her behavior in the fourth world. He thought he had restricted her too much before and reminded her, "Watch where you're going."

Lin Fan waited for him to catch up. Qin Feng wrapped his arm around her shoulder, kissed her forehead, and then released her. "Where's the party?"

"East City KTV," Lin Fan said. "I don't want to go. I'll just buy her a gift."

"Have you ever been to a KTV?" Qin Feng asked.

Lin Fan shook her head. "I heard you can sing and play there, but I can't."

"If you want to go, you should. They're all your age. Just don't stay out too late."

"I don't want to go." Lin Fan held Qin Feng's hand and walked towards the fruit section. "I only know Lei Xiaojia well. I don't know the others; it doesn't mean much to me."

Lin Fan filled a bag with oranges, and Qin Feng took it and put it in the shopping cart. "Do your classmates know I'm your boyfriend?"

"No."

Qin Feng's heart sank. "They call me your uncle?"

"Not really." Lin Fan held Qin Feng's hand and walked to the vegetable section. "No one asked. It's not something we talk about. Everyone's busy studying; no one gossips about such personal matters."

Lin Fan felt a bit resistant. Maybe it was because of low self-esteem; she didn't want people to know she was living with her boyfriend.

Qin Feng smoothed her hair and didn't say anything. Lin Fan bought everything she needed, then looked at Qin Feng. "Are you mad?"

"Why would I be mad?" Qin Feng smiled. "What else do you want to eat? We won't come to the supermarket tomorrow. Buy all the snacks you need for school."

Lin Fan looked into his eyes and whispered with a smile, "Qin Feng."

Qin Feng pinched her face. "Where did you learn that weird expression? What do you want?"

Lin Fan continued to smile, imitating Lei Xiaojia's way of acting cute, "Don't pinch my face, it'll get deformed."

"You're getting cheeky." Qin Feng wrapped his arm around her and looked into her eyes. "I'm your man, not your dad, uncle, or brother. Don't introduce me wrongly again."

Lin Fan tilted her head to look at Qin Feng. He was still bothered by it. She nodded emphatically, "If anyone asks again, I'll say you're my boyfriend."

Qin Feng was very satisfied.

After buying the groceries, Qin Feng carried the bags in one hand and held Lin Fan's hand with the other as they walked to the parking lot. Suddenly, someone called out from behind, "Lin Fan?"

Lin Fan stopped and turned around. A stranger stood at the supermarket entrance. "It really is you?"

Lin Fan's mind raced, but she couldn't remember who he was.

The boy walked over quickly and saw Qin Feng and Lin Fan holding hands. He looked at Qin Feng with some surprise. "Who are you?"

"Xu Wenzhi," the boy said. "We're in the same class. I sit in the front row."

Lin Fan suddenly understood. He was the boy who supposedly liked her. "Do you need something?"

"Not really. I just saw you and wanted to say hi."

"Well, we're leaving."

"Uh—okay, goodbye."

In the car, Qin Feng's face looked a bit sour. Lin Fan opened a yogurt and handed it to him. "Want some?"

Qin Feng took a sip and handed it back. "Who was that?"

"A classmate, I guess. I didn't really notice."

Qin Feng snorted. Lin Fan drank her yogurt through a straw. "Lei Xiaojia mentioned him. Apparently, he's a rich and handsome guy." Changing the subject, she asked, "Any progress on the heart-extraction case?"

He had been working on the case for the past two weeks but couldn't find any new evidence. The crime scene was too clean, without any traces. The internet was buzzing with people criticizing them for being incompetent. But no matter how much pressure they faced, without a slip-up from the killer, there was nothing they could do. Ouyang Yu was still missing, as if she had disappeared from the world. Mr. Chen had an alibi for the night of the crime; he was in the hospital and hadn't left his room according to the surveillance. Another clue was that Mr. Chen was blind. He might be able to identify locations by sound, but if it was him, how did he avoid the cameras? How did he know where they were?

No fingerprints were found on the body, and there was no useful evidence at the scene.

"The case was handled too cleanly. No witnesses, no evidence. The motive for the murder is unclear. We've checked the victim's social relationships countless times and found no suspects." Qin Feng frowned, gripping the steering wheel tightly. "What is the killer's purpose? What does he want? It's insane."