At this point in the investigation, Dan Jin’s motive would no longer affect the court’s verdict, but it was crucial for turning public opinion around.

The Major Crimes Unit and the municipal bureau’s Public Opinion Department didn’t have much contact. When Ji Chenjiao arrived, the head of the public opinion team was so worried about the online chatter that he was losing his hair.

When Ji Chenjiao explained the situation, the team leader jumped up in excitement. “Then what are we waiting for? I’ll prepare the article right away!”

But Ji Chenjiao held him back. “You guys get ready first. I’m still missing a key testimony. Before I get that testimony, don’t post anything.”

The team leader also calmed down. “You mean, Dan Jin’s sister?”

When he received Ji Chenjiao’s call, Ling Lie had just put the roast duck he had packed to take home into the microwave.

They hadn’t finished the meal at noon, and before paying the bill, he had ordered another roast duck, which, all told, cost Ji Chenjiao a pretty penny. The roast duck had been in the fridge for a few hours, and now that it was dark, he was hungry again. But as it turned out, Ji Chenjiao wouldn’t let him eat.

Ling Lie changed into the waist drum-playing outfit—it was the only female attire he had, and an elderly woman’s at that. He casually tied up his hair, skipped the makeup, and just put on some lipstick.

Ji Chenjiao’s car was parked downstairs in the family courtyard. The moment Ling Lie sat in the passenger seat, he felt a very strong gaze coming from his left.

Ling Lie: “Hmm?”

Ji Chenjiao was silent for a few seconds. “You changed your lipstick?”

Ling Lie let out a howl of laughter, then couldn’t stop laughing. “Captain Ji, you, a steel-straight… a steel detective, are actually so knowledgeable about lipstick shades?”

Ji Chenjiao was a bit annoyed by the teasing. “I’m not colorblind!”

“But you’re observing too closely.” Ling Lie stopped laughing. “I just grabbed one randomly. I wouldn’t have noticed it was different from last time if you hadn’t mentioned it.”

“…”

Ling Lie leaned closer. “Captain Ji, what color did I use last time?”

Ji Chenjiao was annoyed with him. “Magenta.”

Ling Lie: “Is that so? Detectives have really good memories.”

Ji Chenjiao felt as if he had been flirted with. He stepped on the accelerator. “You have a lot of lipstick?”

“They’re all samples,” Ling Lie fastened his seatbelt. “I’ve also worked at a mall. The young ladies saw how diligent I was and gave me a bunch. Do you want some?”

Ji Chenjiao got even angrier. “What would I do with them!”

The Dan family’s original residence was covered in graffiti like “scum” and “murderer.” The Women’s Federation had temporarily arranged a new place for the mother and daughter. Dan Jing was to receive psychological treatment and spent most of her time at the hospital.

When Ji Chenjiao and Ling Lie saw Dan Jing at the hospital, her mental state was much better than the last time. The doctor said she was gradually letting down her psychological defenses and was very cooperative with the treatment.

Dan Jing proactively walked up to Ling Lie and gave him a faint smile.

“It was this Captain Ji who arrested your brother. He has some questions for you today.” Ling Lie pointed at Ji Chenjiao. “Can you talk to him?”

Dan Jing looked at the doctor, then at Ling Lie. Ling Lie added, “Don’t worry, I’m here too. If Captain Ji bullies you, I’ll make him pay.”

Ji Chenjiao’s eyelid twitched slightly. He couldn’t help but think: Make me pay? How so?

Arriving at the lounge, before Ji Chenjiao could speak, Ling Lie placed a delicate velvet box in front of Dan Jing. “A gift for you. Open it and see.”

Ji Chenjiao didn’t know Ling Lie had brought a gift and was suddenly as curious as Dan Jing.

Dan Jing timidly opened the box, a look of pleasant surprise in her eyes. “Really, is this, for me?”

Ji Chenjiao looked and saw that it was a box of lipstick samples, but it wasn’t complete; two slots were empty.

“It’s for you, but I’ve used two of them, so I can’t give them to you.” Ling Lie pointed to his lips. “It’s the one I’m wearing this time, and the one I wore when we went shoe shopping. If you don’t mind that two are missing, you can have it.”

Dan Jing shook her head vigorously and carefully took the box. “Thank you, Brother Doudou. I like it very much.”

Ling Lie said, “You’re not afraid of me, this brother, are you?”

Dan Jing smiled shyly. “I’m not afraid. You’re very nice and gentle.”

Ling Lie quickly pulled Ji Chenjiao over. “This brother is also very nice. We need to ask you something important now.”

After speaking, Ling Lie gave Ji Chenjiao a forceful wink.

One second, Ji Chenjiao was still thinking about lipstick; the next, he quickly entered work mode. “Dan Jing, I want to know what your brother once did to you.”

Hearing this, the smile on Dan Jing’s face froze, and fear quickly appeared in her eyes. “He… I…”

“Wait a minute!” Ling Lie stood up. “Captain Ji, give us five more minutes.”

With that, Ling Lie opened the gift box again and said to Dan Jing, “Come, pick your favorite one.”

Dan Jing looked at him blankly, her eyes filled with fear and hope. A girl who had never worn makeup, never worn pretty clothes, and had been belittled since childhood, how would she know how to choose a lipstick?

But even a girl like this longed for a lipstick of her own.

“They’re all pretty, so you don’t know which one to choose, right? Then does the one I’m wearing now look good?” Ling Lie asked again.

There were already tears in Dan Jing’s eyes. “Mmm!”

“Then let’s pick one that’s most similar.” Ling Lie’s slender fingers slid across the row of lipsticks, finally stopping on a safe, everyday shade. “This one it is.”

Dan Jing took it, her fingers trembling. Ling Lie held the mirror that came with the gift box up to her. “Girls have to learn to apply lipstick themselves. Brother won’t help you. It’s very simple.”

Ling Lie took out his own lipstick from his pocket and applied another layer to his lips.

Dan Jing watched him, and Ji Chenjiao watched him too.

To both “spectators,” this scene was like magic. A huge surge of courage suddenly welled up in Dan Jing’s heart. She opened the lipstick, faced the mirror, and, imitating Ling Lie, carefully applied the beautiful color to her pale lips.

And Ji Chenjiao gazed at Ling Lie, deeply engraving the image of him applying lipstick into his mind. This was the first time he had seen a man go through the process of applying lipstick. He thought he would feel uncomfortable, but he didn’t. There were no negative emotions at all. He only felt beauty—a sharp, piercing beauty, a gentle beauty. They were contradictory yet reasonable, all appearing in Ling Lie.

Dan Jing looked at herself in the mirror. Fear and unease gradually receded from her face. She took a deep breath and looked at Ling Lie calmly. “I’m ready. I’ll tell you everything.”

Dan Jing was the product of an unplanned pregnancy. Her premature birth had caused her to suffer from many congenital diseases, and her health was very poor. Her memory of her childhood was almost entirely the smell of disinfectant in the hospital and hands that were always swollen from too many IV drips.

While other children were playing outside, she could only wear clothes altered from her brother’s, staying quietly at home. Her mother said that because treating her illness had used up all the family’s money, they couldn’t afford to buy her pretty dresses.

She never blamed her parents. She loved them very much, and her brother too. She was a crystal, her brother was gold; they were both treasures of the family.

But after starting school, she gradually realized that her brother didn’t like her. She was not good at academics or sports, and few people in her class played with her. She would find her brother, wanting to play with him. But her brother would smile and tell her, “Do you know why they don’t play with you? Because you’re an idiot, you have a low IQ, you’re crippled, and you’re ugly. Do you know why Mom and Dad don’t buy you pretty clothes? Because why should an ugly freak get to wear a dress?”

She would cry. “That’s not true. Mom said it’s just because our family is poor.”

Her brother would say, “So you’re an idiot. You believe her even when she lies to you.”

Dan Jing was already introverted. Under her brother’s constant “you’re ugly, you’re stupid” indoctrination, she became even more silent, not daring to play with classmates, and her grades got worse and worse.

By the fifth or sixth grade, her parents already felt she wouldn’t amount to much.

Her brother added, “Idiots don’t deserve to study. Ugly freaks don’t deserve to have friends. Your existence is a mistake.”

That year, she thought about suicide, but an idiot probably didn’t even have the courage to die. She backed away from the rooftop.

Later, in middle school, every girl in her class dressed up prettily. Only she was still a grimy ugly freak.

Middle school was probably the age of the most severe blind comparison. She was isolated. Because of her poor grades, the teachers didn’t like her either. During the New Year, her mother wanted to buy her a pink down jacket, saying girls her age all dressed like that, but her brother said that if a girl dressed too prettily, her mind wouldn’t be on her studies.

She missed out on that pink down jacket.

After enduring until technical school, her nightmare intensified. The students were all bad students in the public eye. They needed someone to vent on, and the stupid and ugly her was the first to bear the brunt.

Deng Zian and other boys initially made her run errands, which later escalated to beatings, treating her like a slave, and doing all sorts of illegal and criminal things. She once thought that was the darkest moment of her life, but later she understood that after hitting rock bottom, there was still another rock bottom.

Her brother came back from university and advocated for her to stay in technical school, but her parents took money from the Deng family and settled it privately. Although the evil person was not punished, she returned home, thinking she was liberated.

However, in the years that followed, she faced her brother’s progressive humiliation and bullying. And her brother’s identity gave Dan Jin a disguise that would not be exposed. She had also thought of asking her parents for help, but her mother reprimanded her: “Your brother is doing it for your own good. Don’t you think about who is supporting you now?”

Scolding you is for your own good. Hitting you is because I love you.

When everyone told her this, her not-so-smart brain completely accepted it. Her only rebellion was probably turning into a madwoman who couldn’t take care of herself.

This way, her brother could no longer hurt her, and she would no longer feel pain.

That day, perhaps guided by fate, she picked up the dress and high heels that her brother had thrown away. She had a sweet dream. In the dream, she finally broke free from her brother’s shackles and put on the beautiful clothes she had never worn before.

“You’re not ugly.” Ling Lie looked at Dan Jing intently and turned the mirror towards her again. “Your brother is a despicable murderer. Murderers only lie.”

Dan Jing said softly, “Re-really?”

Ling Lie said, “See for yourself. Is this girl wearing lipstick ugly?”

Dan Jing smiled shyly and shook her head. “Not ugly.”

Ling Lie stood up. “Get well and welcome your new life.”

Dan Jing’s testimony and mental state needed to be evaluated by a psychological expert, which would take a considerable amount of time. Although Ji Chenjiao went through the green channel, it was a week later before the public opinion department officially released this conversation. Along with it, Dan Jing’s mother’s confession and the psychologist’s interpretation were also released.

The overwhelming online abuse against women finally stopped. People fell into a brief silence amidst this reversal of a reversal. Some influential figures with a sense of social responsibility began to reflect on the entire incident. Some media outlets with a voice began to call for attention to women’s safety. Independent women who had been scolded to the point of almost quitting the internet stood up again, speaking out for women harmed by “hunting” and encouraging them to bravely defend their rights.

Seeing the tide gradually turning, Ji Chenjiao finally breathed a sigh of relief. And Dan Jin, awaiting trial, was furious. He could never have imagined that his useless sister would so clearly recount her experiences of more than twenty years.

The ironclad evidence and the inevitable judgment did not crush him. At this moment, he truly collapsed, becoming a criminal, a loser.

“Brother, you actually investigated so much behind our backs!” Shen Qi said indignantly. “You didn’t even take me with you!”

Xi Wan smiled. “Captain has Ling Lie, who can wear women’s clothes and give roses. What does he need you for?”

Shen Qi: “Brother Lie is my brother too!”

Speaking of which, Xi Wan was the first in the Major Crimes Unit to show friendliness to Ling Lie. “Captain, Ling Lie put in so much effort. How are you going to thank him?”

“Treat him to a meal…” Speaking of which, Ji Chenjiao suddenly remembered that his salary card was still with Ling Lie.

When Ling Lie got home and opened the door, a cool breeze from the air conditioner hit him. He paused. “Our Jiji is home!”

Ji Chenjiao: “…” Why was this person giving him more and more nicknames!

Ji Chenjiao said, “The case is solved.”

Ling Lie’s eyes curved into a smile. “So you’re here to thank me?”

Ji Chenjiao did indeed have such intentions, but Ling Lie’s expression was a bit smug, and he suddenly didn’t want to say it.

“How to thank me?” Ling Lie said as he walked to the balcony and took down the dried kung fu robe.

The moment Ji Chenjiao saw the dazzling fabric, his eyelids twitched. “You’re still keeping this?”

“What’s wrong with this?” Ling Lie said proudly. “If it weren’t for this, who knows when little sister Dan Jing would have opened her heart.”

Ji Chenjiao blurted out, “Couldn’t other dresses work?”

Ling Lie: “This is the only female attire I have.”

Ji Chenjiao was speechless.

Ling Lie leaned in slyly. “Then how about Captain Ji gets me another set?”

Ji Chenjiao was silent for a long while, then, as if possessed, said, “That’s not impossible.”

The moment the words were out, they both looked at each other, a hint of awkwardness and surprise in their eyes. After a moment, Ling Lie said, “Are you serious?”

Ji Chenjiao coughed, a little uncomfortable. “Didn’t you want it?”

Ling Lie stood up. “Then shall we go shopping now? Which mall do you want to go to?”

Ji Chenjiao imagined himself and Ling Lie shopping for women’s clothes in a mall, and his eyelids immediately twitched violently. Ling Lie could be indifferent, but he was the captain of the Major Crimes Unit. Wouldn’t this affect the reputation of the unit?

“That…” Ji Chenjiao touched his nose, his gaze falling on the phone on the sofa. An idea struck him, and he chose a compromise. “How about online shopping?”

Ling Lie wasn’t picky and immediately moved closer to Ji Chenjiao. “‘The sponsor’ decides. I’m fine with anything.”

This “sponsor” amused Ji Chenjiao again. With the phone held between them, shoulders touching, Ji Chenjiao tapped, Ling Lie tapped, and gradually, the distance between them grew smaller.

“This one. Red evening gown. All the female celebrities wear this.” Ji Chenjiao pointed to a backless, slim-fit, floor-length dress.

Ling Lie frowned deeply, a thoughtful expression on his face.

Ji Chenjiao switched to another. “This one? Plaid skirt, schoolgirl style, with a bow.”

The frown on Ling Lie’s brow could crush a small mouse.

Ji Chenjiao tapped his head with his index finger. “Then what do you want?”

As he said this, the website happened to recommend a wedding dress to them, snow white and with sequins. Ling Lie pointed. “How about this one?”

Ji Chenjiao glanced sideways, and was about to say “okay” when he saw the price and roared, “Are you trying to rip me off?”

“Hahahaha—” Ling Lie laughed so hard he fell onto the sofa. “Captain Ji, your aesthetic is terrible. What were you picking just now?”

Ji Chenjiao was skeptical. Was his aesthetic bad? But he really thought the ones he picked before were pretty good. Then he thought again, he shouldn’t even be discussing aesthetics with Ling Lie! Ling Lie was the one with aesthetic hell—a gold and red kung fu robe, a turquoise kung fu robe. How dare he question his aesthetic?

“Get up!” Ji Chenjiao patted Ling Lie. “If you keep this up, I’m not buying it.”

Ling Lie moved closer again and said deliberately, “Then I want that wedding dress.”

Ji Chenjiao, who was called Xia Chengshi (Summer Honest) at the orphanage, upheld his honest style and seriously considered it for three seconds. A wedding dress wasn’t out of the question, but the price of this one was too dishonest.

“Not this one. Pick another one.”

Ling Lie laughed again. “Frugal and housekeeping Captain Ji.”

At these words, Ji Chenjiao suddenly remembered something. His salary card was still with Ling Lie, and he had intended to ask for it back today. He held out his hand, fingers beckoning upwards.

Ling Lie: “Hmm?”

“Salary card. Give it back.”

Ling Lie took the salary card from the coffee table drawer. “I thought you’d forgotten.”

Ji Chenjiao took it and put it away. “I could forget my salary card? How big-hearted do you think I am?”

Although he said that, he had indeed forgotten about the card for a few days. But he quickly found an excuse—this was his own home, the card was in his own drawer, so naturally, he didn’t need to think about it all the time.

Ji Chenjiao tossed the phone to Ling Lie and let him pick himself. Ling Lie browsed for a while, then felt it was boring. “Let’s save it for later. I’ll buy it another time.”

Ji Chenjiao went to inspect the storage cabinet and found that the kitchen paper and toilet paper were almost gone. The kitchen paper was from last year’s stock-up by Zhou Yun, all sorts of paper neatly categorized. Since he rarely cooked, the kitchen paper was almost never used. Now that Ling Lie was here, the kitchen paper that seemed like it would last until the end of time was also running out.

Ji Chenjiao sighed at the last roll of kitchen paper. Composing himself, he asked Ling Lie to buy some paper on the way.

Ling Lie fiddled with his phone and also bought a kitchen degreaser. Ji Chenjiao raised an eyebrow, thinking that although his roommate had many faults, he wasn’t without his considerate side.

However, the considerate roommate’s face suddenly darkened. Ji Chenjiao was baffled. What? Was there not enough money in the online bank? Impossible.

“I suddenly remembered someone,” Ling Lie said angrily. “A spendthrift who’s buying things all day long.”

Ji Chenjiao was curious. “Who?”

Ling Lie: “I said, a spendthrift.”

Ji Chenjiao: “…I’m asking who that spendthrift is to you.”

Ling Lie: “Who could he be to me? I don’t know him.”

Ji Chenjiao was completely speechless. “Then why are you angry?”

Now it was Ling Lie’s turn to be speechless. Ming Shu’s face, that of a domestic ragdoll cat, flashed in his mind. He simply picked up his phone again and ordered a steamer.

Ji Chenjiao: “Hey!”

Ling Lie: “For steaming zongzi. Aren’t you eating?”

Ji Chenjiao: “…Eating!”

Ling Lie smiled. “Then isn’t that right?”

The case was finally over, and Ling Lie had contributed a lot. Ji Chenjiao had already planned to treat him today. He asked, “What do you want to eat today? My treat.”

Ling Lie thought for a moment and surprisingly said again, “McDonald’s then.”

Ji Chenjiao’s gaze paused. McDonald’s no longer just meant fast food to the two of them. It carried their initial, beautiful memories. Ji Chenjiao met Ling Lie’s bright gaze, and memories parted the mist. He saw that scrawny little boy again.

But, he really didn’t want to eat McDonald’s.

Ling Lie wasn’t very insistent either. “Then what do you want to eat?”

Ji Chenjiao: “Crab?”

Ling Lie was startled. “That’s so expensive!”

Ji Chenjiao smiled. “I can afford it.”

Ji Chenjiao drove to Crab King Court, a restaurant specializing in crab. On the way, he bought Ling Lie a McFlurry.

Ling Lie scooped his McFlurry while picking meat from a peeled crab leg. Ji Chenjiao watched from across the table and suddenly had a bizarre thought: This person eats everything, he’s quite easy to raise.

Ling Lie looked up, his round, blunt eyes wide with innocence and confusion. “Hmm?”

“Nothing.” Ji Chenjiao asked, “Is this better, or is McDonald’s better?”

“McDonald’s is my spiritual food.” Ling Lie’s eyes curved down, making him look particularly gentle. “You know why.”

Ji Chenjiao couldn’t answer directly, and his ears felt vaguely hot. This person, when did he become so good with words!

Ling Lie continued to eat, but Ji Chenjiao couldn’t calm down. There were too many mysteries about Ling Lie waiting for him to solve. Last time he didn’t get an answer. The atmosphere was good today, maybe he should try again?

“You…” Ji Chenjiao began tentatively. “How did you leave the orphanage later? There’s no adoption record of you in the orphanage. Where did you go?”

Ling Lie chewed on a crab shell. “Mmm-hmm…”

Ji Chenjiao added, “Which department are you from? What’s your relationship with Captain Xie?”

Ling Lie continued, “Mmm-hmm…”

Ji Chenjiao got angry. “Can’t you at least use a different sentence to brush me off?”

At this moment, the waiter started serving dessert and fruit. Ji Chenjiao temporarily stopped his questioning. Seeing Ling Lie picking out the lemon slices to eat alone, he asked, puzzled, “Why are you…”

Ling Lie: “Little Question Mark, do you have a lot of friends?”

It took Ji Chenjiao a second to react. Ling Lie was already laughing unrestrainedly.

Ji Chenjiao was defeated. It seemed he wouldn’t get a single damn thing out of him today either.

When paying the bill, Ling Lie leaned over to peek. After glimpsing the number that was more than ten times higher than a McDonald’s meal, he pretended to be angry. “Captain Ji, are you corrupt?”

Ji Chenjiao gave him a look. “Then you’re an accomplice too.”

“If you’re so upright and selfless, how can you afford such an expensive meal?”

“I worked hard to solve a case. Can’t I treat myself?”

Ling Lie squinted his eyes like a little fox. “Captain Ji spends money so lavishly. It must not be easy to save money, right? How about you leave your salary card with me?”

Ji Chenjiao refused. “Don’t trouble yourself.”

That night, Ling Lie opened the coffee table drawer and found the salary card lying there peacefully.

He pushed the drawer back in and checked the high-speed train tickets from Xiarong City to Feng City on his phone. It took four hours by high-speed train between the two places. He bought the earliest one for the day after tomorrow.

In the morning, Ji Chenjiao went to work. Ling Lie was surprised to find a bowl of warm fermented rice soup with poached eggs and small glutinous rice balls on the dining table in the living room.

“Yo, thanks, Little Snake.” Ling Lie finished the small rice balls in a good mood, washed the bowl, and went out to shop. He was leaving tomorrow and would be in Feng City for at least two days. He wanted to stock up on food for his roommate.

But in the afternoon, a sudden incident made him temporarily cancel his train ticket to Feng City.