Ling Lie and two team members sent by Huang Yi arrived in Zheng City. The team members went to the city bureau to go through the procedures, while Ling Lie went directly to Zheng University.

A top university indeed had a great atmosphere for learning. Even during the summer vacation, the teaching buildings, study rooms, and library were full of people. Unfortunately, Zheng University had completed its new campus a few years ago, and the law school and other humanities colleges had been moved there.

After checking the campus map, Ling Lie found that the medical school was still on the old campus, so he decided to take a stroll through the medical school first.

The medical school had its own separate campus with a total of three buildings. The covered walkway was lined with photos of famous alumni throughout the years. Ling Lie glanced at them as he walked past and saw a professor who was the same age as Shen Wei. If Shen Wei hadn’t suffered a family tragedy, would his photo also be hanging on this wall of honor?

The administrative staff were still at work, but they were all young. When Ling Lie explained his purpose, they looked at each other, none of them knowing who Shen Wei was. Someone suggested, “Why don’t you ask at our school’s library? Many retired old teachers like to come to the library to read in their spare time.”

So Ling Lie went to the library. After asking several gray-haired old teachers, one teacher surnamed Yuan finally said, “Shen Wei was my student.”

The school library was decades old. The scorching summer sun shone in, seeming to have become much older and softer. Teacher Yuan recalled the events of seventeen years ago with deep regret in his eyes. “Shen Wei, ah, he was very outstanding, very diligent, and in good physical shape. If it weren’t for what happened to his brother, he would be a good doctor now.”

Back then, society was not as materially abundant as it is now. The vast majority of students were not well-off, and many came from rural areas. A meal could be just two steamed buns and a spoonful of pickled vegetables.

Shen Wei could be considered the wealthiest student, but he didn’t have the temper of a rich young master. On the contrary, he was more humble than many students from poor families. He never spent money recklessly, was very frugal with his food and clothing, and yet his family would continuously send him money. He would use what he couldn’t spend to buy books or help other students.

Within the department, Shen Wei was very popular. Teacher Yuan emphasized that this wasn’t because he often helped his classmates financially, but because he was gentle and kind, and never gave handouts from a high horse.

“Whether a person is putting on an act or is genuinely gentle, the students can tell.”

After the family tragedy, Shen Wei initially just took a leave of absence. His classmates spontaneously took notes for him. But when he returned to school to process his leave of absence, he was like a different person, paranoid and stubborn. No amount of persuasion from teachers and classmates worked. His friends from other colleges also tried to persuade him, but he wouldn’t listen. He insisted on finding the killer himself.

Once he took that leave, he never came back.

Teacher Yuan said painfully, “At that time, we didn’t pay much attention to students’ mental health. If we had intervened earlier and gotten him a psychologist, he wouldn’t have reached the point of dropping out.”

Ling Lie noticed a phrase Teacher Yuan mentioned—his friends from other colleges—and asked, “Shen Wei was on good terms with students from other colleges too?”

“Not all of them. He had a good relationship with the law school. His family was in business, and it seems they had some legal troubles or something, so he often audited classes at the law school and got to know some students there.”

“Do you remember the name of the classmate who tried to persuade him?”

Teacher Yuan thought for a long time. “His surname was Fu, I think? I really can’t remember his full name.”

Ling Lie took the school bus to the new campus located in the suburbs. The law school was holding a lecture, and there were many teachers and students. Ling Lie stood in front of the introduction board and looked. One of the speakers was a professor surnamed Zhou, who was in the same grade and department as Fu Shunan.

Ling Lie sat by the door and listened to Professor Zhou’s eloquent speech. After the lecture, Professor Zhou left with his assistant. Ling Lie immediately followed and called out to him.

Learning that Ling Lie was here to investigate a case, Professor Zhou immediately sent his assistant away.

Ling Lie asked, “You know Fu Shunan, right?”

Professor Zhou was stunned for a moment. “He was my roommate. Isn’t he in Feng City? We saw each other at the last class reunion. He’s doing very well now. What, did something happen to him?”

Ling Lie: “There are some clues related to him. Coincidentally, you were his roommate. Do you know about his leave of absence?”

Professor Zhou nodded quickly. “That was a pretty big deal. I’ll remember it no matter how many years pass.”

“Hmm?”

“Because the reason for his leave of absence was really a bit unbelievable. He had a friend, whom I actually knew too, from the medical school… I forgot his name, let’s just call him student Shen. His older brother was murdered. This matter should have been left to the police to investigate, but student Shen insisted on investigating it himself. Fu Shunan couldn’t rest easy and went with him, saying he wanted to help student Shen through the difficult time. Wasn’t that just a moment of impulse? One of them studied medicine, and not even forensic medicine, and the other studied law. The police couldn’t even catch the person, what could they do?”

Ling Lie: “They had a very good relationship? I heard at the medical school that student Shen often audited your classes.”

“Yes, that’s why I knew him. Many people in our college knew him. He even played basketball with us. He was actually a pretty good guy. But as for being close, Fu Shunan was the closest to him.”

“How so?”

“Fu Shunan went back to his hometown with him a few times, even spent the Spring Festival at his house. It seems he also went to his house to prepare for the graduate entrance exams.”

Ling Lie asked, “Why was their relationship so unusual?”

Professor Zhou thought for a moment. “I guess one reason is that their personalities were particularly compatible, and another is that Fu Shunan’s family was very poor, poorer than all of us. Student Shen helped him a lot.”

“What was Fu Shunan’s family situation like?”

“Very complicated. It seems it was a blended family with many children, and he had no status.”

“Was he with his father or his mother?”

“His mother. That’s actually the reason he wasn’t well-liked. It’s a rural family, you know, the man is the king of the castle. His stepfather was very unhappy with this ‘burden’.”

Ling Lie asked again, “Student Shen never returned to school later. How did Fu Shunan come back?”

“I don’t know the specifics of what happened, but Fu Shunan actually didn’t take a full year off. Let me think, student Shen’s family incident happened during the summer vacation, around this time. Fu Shunan applied for a leave of absence at the start of the semester, saying he was going to accompany student Shen. But around the beginning of winter, probably in November, he came back.”

Ling Lie calculated the time. Fu Shunan had stayed in Feng’an County for about three months.

Professor Zhou said, “He wanted to cancel the leave of absence record, but it was procedurally impossible. So for the better part of that year, he attended classes with us, but he couldn’t live in the dorms and had to rent a place outside. He couldn’t take exams either. He made up the credits the following year. So technically, he graduated a year later than us, but he had already started working in his final year.”

Ling Lie asked, “Did student Shen ever come looking for him again?”

Professor Zhou: “Not in my memory. It seems Fu Shunan tried to persuade him to come back together, but he gave up. We discussed it privately and thought that Fu Shunan’s main purpose in taking a leave of absence was to persuade Shen Wei to come back, not to really give up his studies. When he couldn’t persuade him, he naturally came back on his own.”

“I have one more question,” Ling Lie said. “Did Fu Shunan have a girlfriend when he was studying? Or did he have any female classmates he was on good terms with?”

“This…” Professor Zhou was an old-fashioned person and found it difficult to talk about his old classmate’s romantic life.

Ling Lie said, “This might be an important clue for the case we are investigating.”

As a man of law, Professor Zhou immediately became serious upon hearing this. “He never explicitly told us, but before graduation, I felt he probably had a girlfriend. I often saw him making calls on the school’s public phone.”

Professor Zhou was a little embarrassed. “Whether a person is in a relationship or not, especially in the beginning, their expression can be very telling.”

Ling Lie: “Making frequent calls? So it wasn’t a classmate?”

Professor Zhou: “It probably wasn’t a classmate. He rarely spoke to female classmates.”

“Shy?”

“Not really. The female classmates were all quite young. He liked older women. At the beginning of the semester, we even joked that he had a crush on one of our female teachers. It might have been someone from the law firm. He was already doing his internship at that time and had come into contact with many mature women.”

Ling Lie bid farewell to Professor Zhou and sat down in a study room. Young students were buried in their work. Ling Lie wanted to sort out his thoughts. He rummaged through his bag and pulled out a familiar notebook.

Isn’t this Xiao Ji’s?

Ling Lie found it a bit amusing. He opened the notebook. Most of it was in Ji Chenjiao’s handwriting, with some stick-figure drawings of him. But towards the back, there was also his own handwriting. He didn’t know since when they had started sharing things. Ji Chenjiao must have put this notebook in the wrong bag.

Ling Lie’s mind wandered as he imagined Ji Chenjiao trying to take notes now but being unable to find his notebook. He thought to himself: And he had the nerve to say I lose my ID.

He unscrewed the pen cap and wrote down the names Shen Wei and Fu Shunan.

Shen Wei was generous and humble. Because he wanted to help Tan Fabin solve legal traps, he often shuttled between the medical school and the law school and was well-liked in both places.

Fu Shunan came from a discordant family, was raised by his mother, was discriminated against by his stepfather, and was in poor financial condition. He received help from Shen Wei. During vacations, Fu Shunan didn’t go home but followed Shen Wei back to Feng’an County.

Ling Lie twirled his pen.

At that time, the Tan family could be considered very wealthy. They owned more than just the old residence. Shen Wei might have arranged for Fu Shunan to stay in another house. Fu Shunan also stayed in Feng’an County while preparing for his exams. Did he have contact with Tan Fabin? And with Chen Xiangli?

Ji Chenjiao saw that Fu Shunan and Chen Xiangli had an unusual relationship and even went back to a residence together. If Fu Shunan and Chen Xiangli were lovers now, what about back then?

Influenced by his upbringing, Fu Shunan preferred older women, and Chen Xiangli happened to be older than him. At that time, he was in his early twenties. Was it possible that he had developed feelings for Chen Xiangli, who was at the prime of her life but was someone else’s fiancée?

If he had, what would he have done?

“Tsk—” Ling Lie suddenly felt as if he had touched upon a very cruel truth.

Both Teacher Yuan and Professor Zhou testified that Shen Wei and Fu Shunan had a very good relationship. What was the reason he denied knowing Fu Shunan?

Mou Dianpei was poisoned to death, and the poison was very likely the one Mou Dianpei left at “Old Shen’s Boxed Lunch.” It was obvious who the poisoner was.

Did Shen Wei find out that Mou Dianpei was the murderer of Tan Fabin? Then why would he hide his relationship with Fu Shunan?

If he knew about the relationship between Fu Shunan and his “sister-in-law” Chen Xiangli, what would his normal reaction be?

On this trip to Zheng City, Ling Lie had found answers to some questions, but more questions followed.

In Feng City, “Old Shen’s Boxed Lunch” reopened. During mealtimes, it was still packed with customers. Shen Wei and Lu Feixiang looked unchanged, bustling about. Huang Yi’s team members monitored them twenty-four hours a day and found no signs of them trying to flee.

Ling Lie told Ji Chenjiao everything he had found in Zheng City and his own deductions without omission. Ji Chenjiao went to “Zhengfeng Qingyue” to formally approach Fu Shunan.

Fu Shunan had just finished a court case and had done well. He seemed high-spirited when he returned to the firm. But the appearance of the criminal police quickly wiped the look of triumph from his face.

When dealing with lawyers, if you’re not well-prepared, it’s easy to be manipulated by them. Ji Chenjiao came prepared. He mentioned Chen Xiangli right from the start. “We have a murder case on our hands right now, which may be related to two homicides that occurred in Feng’an County seventeen years ago. One of the victims had a fiancée named Chen Xiangli. Do you know Chen Xiangli?”

Fu Shunan hesitated for a moment and then said, “I know of her, but we’re not close.”

“Is that so?” Ji Chenjiao said. “But on the night of July 31st, it was pouring rain. You picked up Chen Xiangli from the Third Hospital and brought her here. Did she have a legal issue to consult you about?”

Fu Shunan’s eyebrow twitched in alarm. “You followed me?”

Ji Chenjiao: “This is a legal and compliant investigative method. Your physical contact didn’t seem like you weren’t close?”

Fu Shunan composed himself. “Yes, she did come to me for legal advice. Her fiancé died seventeen years ago, and the police still haven’t found the killer. She wanted to know if she could hire a private detective, and if there was any possibility of the case being solved.”

Ji Chenjiao felt that Fu Shunan had a gnashing tone when he said “fiancé.”

“How did the consultation end up at your home?” Ji Chenjiao said. “Was there something that couldn’t be clarified at the law firm?”

Fu Shunan was surprised. He adjusted his tie. “I see Chen Xiangli as an older sister.”

“Oh? Why?”

“I knew her before her fiancé’s accident. She’s a very nice person and took good care of me. I never expected something like that to happen.”

Ji Chenjiao observed Fu Shunan carefully and found that he spoke very slowly, as if carefully weighing each sentence. He was judging what the police had found out and would say just that, and what the police might not have found out yet, he wouldn’t say.

Ji Chenjiao felt a sense of being stared at—Fu Shunan was also observing his reaction.

“How did you know Chen Xiangli? Weren’t you still studying at Zheng City University at that time?”

“Because Shen Wei and I were classmates. During every vacation, Shen Wei would invite me to his hometown as a guest, so naturally, I got to know Chen Xiangli and… Shen Wei’s brother. I also found that incident hard to accept. When Shen Wei took a leave of absence to investigate the case, I also helped him investigate for a while. But as an outsider, I couldn’t give up my life like he did. I helped where I could, but I still had to go back to school to continue my studies.”

Ji Chenjiao showed a confused expression. “You mean, your relationship with Shen Wei was so good that you went home with him, got to know his family, and even took time off to help him hunt for the killer?”

Fu Shunan’s expression was a little unnatural. “Yes. Is this inconsistent with what you’ve learned?”

Ji Chenjiao deliberately looked even more surprised. “But when I asked Shen Wei, he said he didn’t know you.”

Fu Shunan’s eyes froze for a moment, then he gave a bitter smile. “He probably has his own considerations. That’s just how he is, always afraid of troubling others.”

Ji Chenjiao: “What kind of trouble?”

“His brother’s case,” Fu Shunan said. “Later, he didn’t let me investigate anymore and sent me back to school. Over the years, as my career has gradually taken off, I’ve always felt his brother’s case was a regret. I’ve mentioned it to him, but he told me to stay out of it, saying it was their Tan family’s business.”

Ji Chenjiao gradually saw a sense of ease in Fu Shunan’s demeanor. Fu Shunan was clearly very vigilant at first. What made him relax? Because Shen Wei said he didn’t know him? Was he confident that Shen Wei wouldn’t say anything, so he was no longer afraid?

Ji Chenjiao asked again, “Does Shen Wei know about your close private relationship with Chen Xiangli?”

Fu Shunan’s hand, which was about to reach for a cigarette, paused. “Is there anything wrong with that?”

“But in Shen Wei’s perception, Chen Xiangli is still his ‘sister-in-law’.”

Fu Shunan’s face darkened. “Sister Xiangli and I do not have any improper relationship.”

Ji Chenjiao: “Improper? Neither you nor Chen Xiangli are married. Even if you were dating, it wouldn’t be considered an improper relationship, would it?”

Fu Shunan became very agitated. “This has nothing to do with the case.”

Ji Chenjiao asked again, “Do you know Mou Dianpei?”

Fu Shunan: “The name sounds a bit familiar, but I can’t remember.”

“Didn’t Chen Xiangli tell you when you met that day?” Ji Chenjiao said. “He was a key suspect in the Tan Fabin case. Due to lack of evidence, he was released without charge. The recent sensational murder case, the victim was him.”

Fu Shunan: “Are you suspecting that a family member from the Tan Fabin case sought revenge? For example, Shen Wei or Chen Xiangli killed this person? And that’s why you’re investigating me?”

Ji Chenjiao: “You’re very good at analyzing.”

Fu Shunan was silent for a long time. “I don’t think it’s possible. Sister Xiangli doesn’t have the ability. If Shen Wei was certain who the killer was, according to his character, he would report it to the police, not seek revenge.”

Ji Chenjiao said meaningfully, “You know this old friend of yours very well.”

Fu Shunan looked away. “I don’t want him to be wrongly accused. He’s had a very hard life. If you arrest him, I will definitely defend him as his lawyer.”

Ji Chenjiao smiled, stood up, and took his leave. “I won’t disturb you any further today. I may need to ask you for more information in the future.”

Fu Shunan saw Ji Chenjiao to the door. “I will cooperate at any time.”

Ling Lie had already returned to Feng City. After meeting up with Ji Chenjiao, they discussed the clues. They both felt that Fu Shunan and Chen Xiangli’s relationship was not simple, but the suspicious point was Shen Wei. What was his purpose in deliberately hiding the fact that he knew Fu Shunan?

Ji Chenjiao was frowning and thinking about something when he suddenly noticed an unusually strong gaze on his face. He looked up, and sure enough, Ling Lie’s cat-like eyes were staring at him. He felt a strange sensation but couldn’t describe it, so he simply snapped at Ling Lie, “What are you looking at?”

If Ling Lie could be easily scared off by a sharp tone, he wouldn’t be Ling Lie. Being caught observing his prey didn’t embarrass Ling Lie at all. Instead, he leaned in closer. “Don’t be noisy, Xiao Ji.”

The actual Xiao Ji: “?”

Seeing Ling Lie’s face getting closer and closer to his own, Ji Chenjiao hastily put up a hand to block him. “What are you doing?”

“I went to Zheng University and learned a theory from a professor. I’m just putting it into practice.”

Ji Chenjiao was baffled. “What theory?”

“Hmm…” Ling Lie recalled for a moment. “If a young person has fallen for someone, you can tell from their expression.”

Ji Chenjiao’s heart suddenly tightened, and he felt inexplicably flustered. “What does that have to do with me? Go practice on yourself.”

“How can I observe myself?” Ling Lie said with a grin. “Captain Ji, I’ve noticed you’ve been acting strange lately. It matches all the points of the theory I learned.”

Ji Chenjiao was a little angry. “What’s strange about me?”

“When I first met you, your expression wasn’t this lively. You always had this face.” Ling Lie put on a cool and aloof expression. “Like a stone face.”

“…”

“But you’ve been very lively recently. We live together, so I know you’re not in a relationship. That means someone is in here.” As Ling Lie spoke, he naughtily poked Ji Chenjiao’s chest.

Ji Chenjiao slapped his hand away.

Is that so? Is there someone in here? As if bewitched by Ling Lie, Ji Chenjiao actually started to ponder this question. But after thinking about it, who else could be in here? Besides the case, the suspects, there was just an annoying thing bouncing around here all day!

Ji Chenjiao suddenly remembered the kiss Ling Lie had placed on his forehead. His heart, after a brief pause, began to beat joyfully.

He looked at Ling Lie suspiciously. Ling Lie’s eyes were wide open, his brown irises without a trace of impurity. But why did he find this face so infuriatingly annoying?!

Ling Lie wanted to continue his great practical endeavor, but Ji Chenjiao wouldn’t bicker with him anymore. He grabbed the documents and went to find Huang Yi.

Ling Lie, bored by himself, also trotted after him.

After preliminary investigation and contact, the criminal investigation team had now communicated with Xue Bin’s girlfriend, Zeng Shu. She was only back in the country for a vacation and would be returning to school next week. She had already broken up with the rich second-generation boyfriend she had dated after breaking up with Xue Bin and was currently single.

When she learned that the criminal police had found her to ask about Lu Feixiang dropping out of school, her mood changed drastically. She immediately hung up the phone, and subsequent calls could no longer get through.

Huang Yi said, “It seems there’s a hidden story behind what happened back then. This woman is suspicious.”

However, because Zeng Shu had no direct connection to the Mou Dianpei case, even if she was completely uncooperative, the police couldn’t force her to do anything, let alone prevent her from going abroad for school.

Seeing that time was running out, Ji Chenjiao and Ling Lie discussed and decided to have Ling Lie approach Zeng Shu, while Ji Chenjiao would go see Lu Feixiang again.

In the afternoon, when “Old Shen’s Boxed Lunch” was a little less busy, Shen Wei saw Ji Chenjiao and frowned, thinking he was here for him again. When he saw that he was looking for Lu Feixiang, the worry on his face became even more obvious.

Lu Feixiang still had no expression, wiping his sweat with a towel.

Ji Chenjiao said, “Zeng Shu is back.”

Lu Feixiang’s hand paused. A few seconds later, he took down the towel. “It has nothing to do with me.”

“My colleague has contacted her. When asked about you dropping out of school, she became quite emotional,” Ji Chenjiao said. “It seems your dropping out caused her a lot of psychological stress.”

Lu Feixiang lowered his head. “It’s all in the past. What she’s like, whether she’s in the country or abroad, has nothing to do with me.”

Ji Chenjiao studied Lu Feixiang for a while. “Do you regret it?”

Lu Feixiang frowned. “What?”

“Do you regret not explaining things clearly back then, ending up dropping out of school?”

Lu Feixiang clenched the towel and gave a bitter smile. “What’s the use of explaining? Did anyone listen to my explanation?”