Falling for Him — The Case Takes a Turn. Back in her teenage years, Wen Qingli had been on the heavier side, weighing nearly 120 jin (about 60 kg).
Every other girl in her class was slender and graceful, making her feel like she didn’t quite fit in. As a result, the rowdy boys often called her “Little Fat Pig” behind her back.
To make things worse, her father Wen Mingyuan had an affair around that time, leading to constant arguments at home. Her grandmother, who favored boys, also looked down on her for not being a grandson.
During that period, she grew extremely sensitive and insecure.
There was a notorious troublemaker in class who sat right behind her. He was always causing fights and thought nothing of bullying others. Every day, he would either yank her ponytail, step on her chair, or force her to do his homework for him.
One sweltering afternoon in the height of summer, her period arrived unexpectedly early.
Her school uniform consisted of a thin short-sleeved shirt and a skirt, with no pockets. All she could do was carefully tuck a sanitary pad between the pages of her textbook.
Clutching the book tightly, she tried to slip quietly out of the classroom toward the restroom.
But the moment she reached the doorway, the school bully and a few of his followers blocked her path.
“Wen Qingli, I haven’t finished my homework yet. Come here and write it for me!”
She kept her head lowered, her face turning pale. “I won’t do it. I need to go out for a moment.”
“Not a chance.” The bully stood his ground, blocking her way.
With the book pressed tightly against her chest, the pad hidden inside made her feel both humiliated and flustered. “Get out of my way!”
Seeing her face flush bright red, the bully glanced down at the book she was holding so protectively.
“Hahaha! You wouldn’t be hiding some dirty magazines in there, would you? Wen Qingli, you’re supposed to be the top student. Come on, show us what’s got you so worked up!”
Ignoring her protests and attempts to stop him, he snatched the book right out of her hands.
Thud.
The book fell open onto the floor, and the sanitary pad slipped out with it.
For a split second, the classroom went dead silent.
Then, a wave of mocking laughter erupted from every corner.
“Hahaha! Look, Wen Qingli’s bleeding from her bottom!”
“How disgusting!”
“I actually saw blood—what bad luck!”
Countless eyes filled with ridicule and disdain fixed themselves on her.
The hot summer wind blowing through the windows felt like molten lava, burning her face until it felt as if it might burst into flames.
Her whole body went rigid. Standing frozen in place, she was overwhelmed by a crushing wave of embarrassment and shame.
Crystal-clear tears spilled uncontrollably down her cheeks, and her fingers clutched the hem of her skirt so tightly they turned white.
In that moment, she wished more than anything that the ground would open up and swallow her whole.
Just as she stood there helpless and mortified, a tall, lean figure strode quickly toward her.
It was Lu Zheng.
First, he took the school jacket draped over his arm and handed it to her. Then he bent down, picked up her book and the fallen pad, tucked it back neatly between the pages, and silently gave it back to her.
He swept a cold, sharp gaze over the crowd that had been jeering and laughing. There was a calm, commanding presence about him far beyond his years. “Is getting your period something to be ashamed of? It’s a completely normal biological process for every woman. Did none of you pay attention in biology class? Is mocking someone for something like this supposed to make you look impressive?”
With Lu Zheng stepping in to defend her, no one dared to laugh or give her any more trouble.
After that day, Wen Qingli realized Lu Zheng was the kind of person who seemed cold on the outside but was warm-hearted and full of a strong sense of justice underneath.
Even though she knew, given his character, he would have helped any girl in such an embarrassing situation, her feelings for him began to grow all the same.
The more she observed and learned about him, the more she realized he was different from all the other boys.
He never gave anyone mean nicknames, and he never laughed at any girl’s flaws.
He was upright, honorable, and unapologetically himself.
In the middle of her youth, a time filled with so much self-doubt and insecurity, Lu Zheng became the brightest light guiding her way.
Wen Qingli slowly pulled herself back from those distant memories.
In the darkness of the bedroom, she held her breath gently and turned her head slightly to look at the man sleeping beside her. All these years later, he still carried that same cool, steady composure.
And deep in her heart, that soft, tender chord still vibrated just for him.
The next morning.
When Wen Qingli woke up, it was already 7:30 a.m.
She sat bolt upright in bed and instinctively glanced to the other side.
As expected, it was empty.
Lu Zheng must have left for work very early.
After washing up and changing her clothes, she picked up her bag and walked out of the bedroom.
Heading toward the dining area, she spotted him standing by the kitchen counter.
He was wearing his official police uniform—navy blue long-sleeved shirt, neatly tucked in and fastened with a sturdy leather belt. His shoulders were broad, leading down to a trim waist and long, straight legs.
Hearing her footsteps, he turned to look at her.
“Would you like noodles for breakfast?”
Wen Qingli froze, her eyes widening in surprise. “You can actually cook?”
Lu Zheng gave a faint, relaxed smile. “Just threw something together. It probably won’t taste great.”
Wen Qingli hurried into the kitchen to help carry the bowls out, but he moved faster. He picked up both bowls steadily, one in each hand, and said in a low voice, “It’s hot. My hands are tough enough—let me handle it.”
Wen Qingli sat obediently across from him. The thought of eating something he had personally made filled her with a quiet thrill.
She took a bite, and her eyes instantly lit up. A bright smile spread across her face. “It’s delicious, Lu Zheng—you’re really good at this!”
Seeing those sweet dimples appear as she smiled, Lu Zheng ran his tongue lightly over the back of his teeth.
Damn.
How could she look so sweet when she smiled?
Once Wen Qingli arrived at school and finished the morning staff meeting, she found all the teachers gathered in small groups, whispering about Gu Huaiyuan and Lin Weiwei.
“It’s true what they say—you can never truly know someone. Who would have guessed Professor Gu was capable of this? He’s brought nothing but shame to our whole department.”
“Professor Su must be heartbroken. To have to go through something like this out of nowhere…”
“Lin Weiwei worked so hard to get into graduate school. Why throw away her reputation by getting involved with her supervisor’s family? And now it’s ended with her being murdered.”
“At the end of the day, a degree only filters out the academically lazy—it doesn’t filter out bad people.”
Walking alongside Mingtang, Wen Qingli listened to the talk and felt a heavy sense of sadness and disbelief.
Mingtang leaned in closer and lowered her voice. “I have a feeling Professor Su knew about Gu Huaiyuan and Lin Weiwei’s affair all along—and that she deliberately caused her own miscarriage.”
Wen Qingli frowned, looking at her in shock. “What makes you say that?”
“Before she lost the baby, I ran into her one day when she had a cold. I saw her taking Ribavirin.”
Wen Qingli went still, her mind suddenly reeling with alarm.
Ribavirin was a prescription medication with severe side effects. It was strictly advised to avoid conceiving for at least six months after taking it. If taken during pregnancy, it carried a very high risk of causing birth defects and developmental abnormalities in the fetus.
Professor Su could not possibly have been unaware of how dangerous this drug was.
Back in her office, Wen Qingli pulled out her phone and sent a message to Lu Zheng.
At the Criminal Investigation Division.
Zhou Kai knocked on the door of Lu Zheng’s office.
“Come in.”
Zhou Kai stepped inside and asked, “Chief, can we wrap up the Lin Weiwei case now?”
Lu Zheng narrowed his eyes slightly, tapping his fingers rhythmically against the desk. “Not yet. Come with me to the hospital where Su Ying had her miscarriage.”
Zhou Kai looked confused. “What do we need to go there for?”
“To speak to her attending doctor and get the full details about how and why she lost the pregnancy.”
Just then, Lu Zheng’s phone buzzed with a new WeChat message.
It was from Wen Qingli.
After reading what she had written, his expression turned grave and serious.