When Su Miaoyi returned from the restroom, Zhuang Yanzheng was already gone—off to handle the follow-up on the case.
She had intended to leave.
But Yan Cheng said Zhuang Yanzheng had asked her to wait for him.
So she followed Yan Cheng to his office.
Yan Cheng sat at the computer, organizing his work.
Su Miaoyi sat quietly on the sofa.
Yan Cheng had taken off his mask, revealing a face that perfectly matched those eyes of his.
How to describe it?
Su Miaoyi, drawing on her habit of writing fiction, mentally described his appearance.
Sharp features, a high-bridged nose, thin lips—somewhat cold.
His lips were pressed tightly together, giving off an air of seriousness, meticulousness, and rigor.
And that was indeed the case.
Sensing her gaze, Yan Cheng looked up, glancing over the computer screen at her.
When their eyes met, Su Miaoyi offered a standard, polite smile.
Yan Cheng gave a courteous nod in return, then went back to work.
Su Miaoyi continued sitting on the sofa, waiting for Zhuang Yanzheng.
Zhuang Yanzheng had said he needed her help, but in truth, the case had already been solved—it was just that this case had a broader scope for testing.
She hadn’t expected that this time, she would voluntarily go and watch the victim’s death process.
Wouldn’t that be a huge help to solving cases in the future?
Su Miaoyi still found it all quite incredible.
She felt that over the past month or so, many strange things had happened.
Her cat had suddenly attacked her, her mind had suddenly gained knowledge she’d never learned, and she could suddenly see these visions.
She felt like something was changing somewhere, but when she tried to think it through, she couldn’t make heads or tails of it.
When she couldn’t make sense of it, she just slept it off.
The office had air conditioning—much more comfortable than selling vegetables at the stall.
After waiting for a long time, Su Miaoyi fell asleep on the sofa.
But this sleep wasn’t very comfortable.
She dreamed.
And she knew she was dreaming.
But she couldn’t wake up.
The scenes in the dream were also very disjointed.
She heard a voice speaking to her.
“Make sure you come back alive—when you’re back, we’ll throw a celebration banquet.”
But then the scene shifted.
Flames shot into the sky, and scorching waves of heat rushed toward her.
Explosions rang out in rapid succession.
She and someone else fell into a sea of water.
Just before the suffocating sensation hit, the scene changed again.
She saw herself at the orphanage.
She saw the Ji family coming to the orphanage to pick her up.
Then she saw herself standing in the Ji family’s living room, wearing old clothes that didn’t match the villa at all, listening to a woman’s sharp, venomous rebukes.
“You’re such a little jinx, born just to collect debts! If I’d known, I should have just strangled you back then—then none of today’s problems would exist.”
“After all these years of grinding, I was finally up for a promotion, and because of you! Not only did I not get promoted, I lost my job!”
“Why are you still alive? Why haven’t you died! Why did you let someone find you!”
“I never should have been soft-hearted and dumped you outside back then—I should have just buried you. Get out, don’t stand here making me sick!”
The scolding faded away.
Su Miaoyi then saw herself at her uncle and aunt’s house.
“Come, Miaomiao, this is your home from now on. This is your room. Your uncle just built the bed new, and the sheets and bedding are all newly bought. Take a look and see if there’s anything else you need—just tell your uncle and aunt, don’t be shy.”
The warm scene flashed by in an instant.
Su Miaoyi then sank into endless darkness.
She stood in the darkness, and after a moment, raised her hand to look at it.
A voice suddenly surfaced in her heart.
Who am I?
“Su Miaoyi, Su Miaoyi, Su Miaoyi, Su Miaoyi!”
Zhuang Yanzheng was pinching her sleeve, shaking her arm while calling her name.
His voice grew louder and louder.
Su Miaoyi jolted awake, staring blankly at him.
Everything before her eyes suddenly became real.
Zhuang Yanzheng asked, “Saw something again?”
Su Miaoyi looked at him, collecting herself: “No.”
Zhuang Yanzheng straightened up and let out a sigh of relief: “You scared me—I thought I wasn’t meant to get any rest.”
Su Miaoyi sat up straight, glanced out the window, then looked at the thin blanket on her.
When had that been put on her?
Who had covered her with it? She had no idea at all.
“You’re pretty comfortable with people—come twice, sleep twice,” Zhuang Yanzheng said. “Once at the Criminal Investigation Brigade, once at the Forensic Center.”
Su Miaoyi: “…”
She folded the blanket neatly.
“Come on, let’s go eat.” Zhuang Yanzheng called out to Yan Cheng.
Su Miaoyi looked at him: “Am I going too?”
“Yeah, mainly to treat you.” Zhuang Yanzheng said.
“Treat me for what?” Su Miaoyi asked.
“To thank you on behalf of the entire bureau.” Zhuang Yanzheng said.
Su Miaoyi stood up from the sofa: “This is my duty as a citizen—saying thank you is too formal.”
“Quite the sense of civic duty.” Zhuang Yanzheng said. “Alright then, no treat.”
Su Miaoyi looked at him: “How can a big team leader like you go back on his word?”
Zhuang Yanzheng let out a laugh: “If I really don’t treat you, you’d be upset.”
“I was just being polite.” Su Miaoyi said.
“Let’s go.”
Yan Cheng took off his white coat and followed the two of them out.
They arrived at the restaurant entrance.
Su Miaoyi pushed the door open and got out of the car, but upon seeing the restaurant’s name, she pulled her leg back inside.
“What are you doing?” Zhuang Yanzheng turned his head from the driver’s seat to look at her. “Is the ground biting your feet?”
The restaurant is biting my wallet.
Su Miaoyi looked at him. “You’re treating, right?”
Yan Cheng had already gotten out of the car and was standing off to the side watching them.
Zhuang Yanzheng looked at her.
Even when he found her amusing, his face still gave off a fierce, intimidating impression.
But Su Miaoyi ignored that most of the time—she only feared him in rare moments.
“It’s not one of those split-the-bill things, or where I have to chip in part of the money, right?” Su Miaoyi asked. “Or are you going to sell me off here as payment?”
“Don’t worry. If we really need to leave you here as payment, I’ll bring the boys around to visit you,” Zhuang Yanzheng said.
Su Miaoyi: “…”
“This place belongs to his family. Don’t worry,” Yan Cheng said.
Su Miaoyi looked at Zhuang Yanzheng in shock.
She’d always felt there was something unusual about his reckless, headstrong vibe.
When he’d said the custom pocket watch place started at seven figures, she’d known he must be loaded.
“What’s with that look?” Zhuang Yanzheng asked.
“Resentment of the rich.” Su Miaoyi got out of the car and looked at the restaurant in front of her.
Her royalties wouldn’t even get her through the door of this place.
Zhuang Yanzheng let out a laugh. “You two go on in. I’ll go park.”
Su Miaoyi followed Yan Cheng to the restaurant entrance.
She heard footsteps approaching from behind.
Two people—a man and a woman—walking quickly, urgently, and they soon caught up to them.
Sensing their haste,
Su Miaoyi stepped aside to make room.
But just as she moved, the people behind still bumped into her as they passed.
Yan Cheng caught her arm, steadying her, then immediately let go. “Careful.”
“Sorry—” the other party began to apologize.
But upon seeing Su Miaoyi, the apology died in their throat.
Su Miaoyi looked at them.
It was Ji Sheng and Cai Qinglian.
Her biological parents.
Su Miaoyi intended to treat them as strangers and looked away.
But Cai Qinglian suddenly said with disdain and disgust, “What are you doing here? What did you come for?”
Su Miaoyi looked back at her, and suddenly remembered the words she’d spoken in the dream. Anger rushed straight to her head. “Why can’t I be here? You’re allowed to come, but I’m not? Is this your house? Besides, do I even know you? I have to report to you what I’m doing here? You manage such a wide scope—do you taste-test every sewer drain in Jinghai daily to check the salt level?”
Yan Cheng raised an eyebrow faintly.
Indeed, you can’t judge a book by its cover.
Su Miaoyi looked so well-behaved, but she was sharp-tongued and highly aggressive.
“You—!” Cai Qinglian wanted to say more but was pulled back by Ji Sheng.
Ji Sheng glanced at Su Miaoyi. “We have important matters to attend to. Don’t get tangled up with her here and draw attention.”
Cai Qinglian fell silent and also glanced at Su Miaoyi. As she looked over, Su Miaoyi shot her a glare.
Cai Qinglian wanted to say something else, but Ji Sheng saw people already looking their way and quickly pulled her into the restaurant.
Su Miaoyi gave a light snort, then turned to Yan Cheng, her tone returning to normal. “Thanks for earlier.”
Yan Cheng shook his head to say it was nothing, and didn’t say more—after all, it was her private matter.