Everyone was once again called into an emergency meeting.
Shen Yan walked over to the blackboard area, wrote the name “Qin Lang,” and circled Xie Aixian’s name with a red marker.
Above that were densely packed names and photo headshots…
He turned around, tossed the marker onto the table with a crisp clatter, leaned forward with his hands braced on the desk, and said, “According to the clues provided by the forensic examiner, there were no residual substances found in Xie Aixian’s body, and no external injuries either. So how would a normal person think to jump from the 10th floor?”
Everyone exchanged glances. Chen Chuan spoke up, “Could it be, as the eyewitness said, that she jumped because she couldn’t accept Xie Jingnan’s disappearance?”
Shen Yan lifted his eyelids and gave him a sidelong glance. “If it were that simple, the police could all be out of a job.”
Chen Chuan shrank his shoulders.
“Xie Aixian and Qin Lang didn’t have a good relationship. Maybe it was the long-term cold war between them, domestic violence, and her desperate longing for her son—the last straw finally snapping? So she just ended it all?” Jiang Shisan raised the question while looking at Qin Lang’s statement.
Shen Yan stood up, walked over to the small blackboard, and pointed at Xie Jingnan’s photo with his pale, cold fingers. “According to what headquarters sent over, for the past six months, Xie Aixian has been going to ask about Xie Jingnan’s case every couple of days, and she was even posting on social media searching for her son. How could a woman so desperate to find her son jump off a building?”
“Also, the Xie Jingnan disappearance case was originally under headquarters’ jurisdiction. Director Meng will be coming to the branch tomorrow to hand over the case files to our team. Everyone needs to give it their absolute best!”
Everyone answered in unison, “Yes, sir!”
“Tomorrow, Xinya and Chuanzi will go to Qin Lang’s company to look into the situation. Shisan, you and I will go back to Xizi Bay residential area. Nami, you and the others will look into the people Xie Aixian had contact with before her death. The rest of you, sort through whether there’s any missed information.”
Shen Yan raised his wrist to check the time. “It’s midnight. Everyone, go home and rest. Good work.”
He strode out with his long legs, and Meng Xinya hurried after him. “Boss, are we not getting barbecue?”
“No.”
Meng Xinya wanted to persuade him further, but all she could see was a figure growing smaller and smaller into the depths of the night.
Everyone in the bureau knew she had a very open crush on Shen Yan. They all thought that even the coldest block of ice would eventually melt inch by inch. But little did they know—Shen Yan was a thousand-year-old glacier! Unmoved by anyone.
Over the years, he had thrown himself entirely into his cases. Four years ago, he participated in the Yanshan 4.11 serial child trafficking case. Although they had busted the ring’s hideout, the mastermind behind it all, Aunt Yun, had never been captured. That matter had become a knot in his heart that he couldn’t untie. Until he found the mastermind, he couldn’t clear Wen Xin’s name…
Late night at Xizi Bay.
For some reason, ever since she learned that her next-door neighbor had jumped to her death, Wen Xin felt like there was a hurdle of fear she couldn’t overcome, one she simply couldn’t ignore.
When she got home, she couldn’t even bring herself to glance at the door next door.
She opened the fridge, wanting to drink some ice water to calm down, when suddenly she saw a piece of mung bean cake lying quietly inside. Memories flooded back—three nights ago, Xie Aixian had been standing right in her living room…
The thoughts in her head were magnified endlessly, and she even felt like Xie Aixian was right there beside her at this very moment.
In the dead of night, even the slightest sound in the house was amplified infinitely.
Knock, knock, knock…
Suddenly, a real knocking sound came from the door.
Wen Xin clutched a bottle of water in her hand, her heart pounding like a drum as she turned to stare at the door.
Her heart rose and fell with each knock, as if bound by an invisible force, unable to move.
It wasn’t until a few seconds later, when the knocking stopped, that she still hadn’t moved an inch, fine beads of sweat forming on her forehead.
Wen Xin’s whole body trembled as she quickly ran to the small storage room, pushing large items in front of the door to block it, then locked all the doors and windows.
She immediately opened her phone and was about to dial 110, but then deleted it.
She could only dial that familiar yet unfamiliar phone number.
The other end picked up quickly, his voice like a shooting star tearing through the night sky, “Wen Xin?”
“Shen Yan, come to my place quickly, someone’s knocking on the door outside, but they’re not saying anything…”
Then, another round of knocking came from outside. She gripped her phone tightly, her face pale, her voice trembling, “They’re knocking again, Shen Yan, come quickly.”
Shen Yan, who had been planning to head to the military compound, immediately turned his car around upon receiving the call, forcing himself to stay calm, “Wen Xin, listen to me now. Contact the property management and have them come up right away. Also, find a place to hide first. Don’t hang up the phone, I’ll be there soon!”
“Okay, the door lock password is…”
Immediately after, Shen Yan contacted Jiang Shisan, “Shisan, Xizi Bay 1005, dispatch officers!”
Wen Xin hid in the corner of the room, only her rapid breathing coming through the receiver.
The knocking outside grew more and more frequent.
It felt like, if you don’t open the door, I won’t give up.
“Wen Xin?”
Wen Xin stared intently in the direction of the door. Suddenly, the knocking stopped, and someone outside kept calling out, “Miss Wen? Miss Wen? Are you in there?”
“Shen Yan, I hear someone calling me, it might be the property management.” Her voice carried a slight nasal tone.
Then she added, “I’ll go open the door.”
Shen Yan stopped her in time, “I’m almost there, don’t open the door yet.”
Three minutes later, Shen Yan and Jiang Shisan arrived one after another on the 10th floor of Xizi Bay.
There were indeed two property management staff members standing outside 1005.
The two of them pulled out their badges and began asking about what had just happened.
One of the property staff replied, “Miss Wen said someone was knocking at her door, but when we arrived, there was no one here.”
“Yes, and it’s already this late. Everyone coming back at this hour is a resident, no outsiders.”
Shen Yan and Jiang Shisan exchanged a glance, their peripheral vision simultaneously catching a glimpse of 1003 next door, where an extremely faint light was visible from under the door.
He withdrew his gaze and said calmly, “Shisan, go pull the surveillance footage. Also, take the mung bean cake from Wen Xin’s fridge back to the bureau for testing.”
Jiang Shisan was puzzled, “Okay, boss, but you…”
“Something came up. I’ll head to the station once I’m done.”
After Wen Xin knew Shen Yan had arrived, she hid behind the door. When Shen Yan came in, the tension and fear in her heart finally began to dissipate.
The two stood facing each other. Wen Xin gently clasped her hands together, her throat dry as she swallowed nervously.
Shen Yan’s gaze swept over her, his brow slightly furrowing.
“Shen Yan, someone really was knocking on the door just now.” She explained eagerly.
He nodded, walked past her to the window, and gestured for Wen Xin to stay quiet.
Shen Yan pulled open the curtain and saw that 1003 next door had completely gone dark, quiet as a mouse, not a single sound.
He gently drew the curtains closed and turned around to find Wen Xin standing right in front of him. She stammered, “Is there a problem?”
Shen Yan said, “It’s not safe here. Do you have anywhere else to stay?”
Wen Xin shook her head.
Ms. Xu had many properties in the capital, but she didn’t want to trouble her again.
Then, speaking candidly, she added, “I put all the money I earn into funds, so there’s a fixed cash flow every month. I think when it comes to housing, I’ll just go with the flow—it really depends on who you’re living with, don’t you think?”
As she said this, she kept her eyes fixed on Shen Yan’s subtle expressions, hoping to catch even the slightest reaction that might give her some comfort.
Unfortunately, there was none.
Shen Yan teased her, like an elder showing concern for a younger one, “You’re still young, but you think a lot. I have a boutique apartment near the School of Humanities and Arts—the neighborhood has great security. You can stay there.”
Wen Xin was amused by his tone and stepped forward, standing ramrod straight. Her long, comic-book-like legs seemed to stretch beyond the frame of any camera. Chin up, chest out, she tried her best to prove herself. “I’m not young at all. I’m 169 cm tall, and my bust measures 90.95 cm.”