Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
âAh!? Sheâs dead?!â
Upon hearing the news, both Ren Zhiyong and Zhang Lele were shocked.
Neither of them had expected something like this to happen.
âWhen did this happen?â
âEarly yesterday morning,â Lin Yi replied curtly, not wanting to dwell on the matter.
âWhat a pity,â Zhang Lele lamented.
âShe was in a good relationship with her boyfriend, and they were supposed to get married next week. I canât believe this happened. You have to find the killer and get justice for her.â
âShe was about to get married?â
Zhang Lele nodded. âShe told me about it yesterday. Her boyfriend even had a house ready, and they were planning to get married next month. She even asked me to be her bridesmaid.â
âWith the wedding so close, she must have had a lot to prepare for. Did she show any signs of planning to take time off?â
Zhang Lele looked over at Ren Zhiyong, signaling that this was a question for him to answer.
âNot really, but I suspect she would have asked for time off if nothing had happened. After all, a wedding is a big deal, and thereâs so much to do.â
Lin Yi nodded, not pursuing the question further.
âWhat was she like as a person? Can you tell me a bit about her character?â
âXin Xin was a really good person. Her family background was a bit better than mine, and she would often pay when we went out to eat or shop. She was also really smart, hardworking, and she treated her boyfriend very well. I heard that when he first started working as a lawyer and wasnât doing well, she supported him. It was only in the past year that things started looking up for him, but then this happened,â Zhang Lele said, wiping away tears.
âItâs a real shame she didnât get to see that day.â
âIsnât it just? Her boyfriend was earning well, and after working so hard in Zhonghai for so many years, she was finally about to enjoy a good life. But then this happensâitâs true what they say, good people donât always get good returns.â
âLife is unpredictable, and sometimes thereâs nothing you can do about it. You two work in the ICU; you should be used to facing these things calmly.â
After checking the time, Lin Yi said,
âItâs already noon. You two have been busy all morning. Go have lunch, and if we need anything, weâll contact you. Please keep your phones on.â
âSure, no problem.â
After they left, Lin Yi and Zhang Zixin also packed up and left, heading to a nearby noodle shop for lunch.
âBrother Lin, did you find any clues? Everything seems pretty normal to me. None of them seem suspicious, including Sui Xin, who was murdered.â
âNothing stood out. I didnât notice anything amiss either.â
âBut if thatâs the case, then weâre stuck, arenât we?â
âYes, we are. Iâm still thinking about where the breakthrough might be,â Lin Yi said while eating his noodles.
âBut the people with the most motive to kill are still Zhang Guoping and his wife, and the people around them. We should shift our focus away from the hospital; thereâs no more need to investigate here.â
Zhang Zixin nodded in agreement.
âBut I do think those ICU doctors are too irresponsible. It seems like they have no medical ethics at all.â
âWhy do you say that?â
âThey themselves admitted that they were ordering breakfast while taking care of patients, and they even slacked off. That doesnât seem like something a doctor should do.â
âThatâs normal, actually. Human energy is limited, and there arenât enough medical staff in hospitals. Theyâre working beyond their capacity every day. If they donât take the chance to rest when they can, they might make mistakes when caring for patients, and the consequences could be disastrous.â
âThat makes sense,â Zhang Zixin said.
âBut I still think the ICU is a terrible place for anyone to be.â
âYouâre right,â Lin Yi said.
âIf a family member ever ends up in the ICU, it might be kinder to let them go quickly rather than prolong their suffering.â
âBrother Lin, you sound more and more like an old man,â Zhang Zixin laughed. âYouâre only in your twenties, but sometimes you talk like a grandfather.â
âBefore I joined the bureau, I spent some time in a hospital, so I know a bit about how things work there,â Lin Yi said.
âHonestly, I still find those places depressing. Iâd rather face a pile of corpses than spend another minute in an ICU.â
âI get what you mean. Iâve been to an ICU too, and itâs definitely oppressive.â
âThatâs why itâs important to stay healthy and exercise regularly.â
âBrother Lin, are you worried about my health?â
âNo, Iâm worried your butt is too flatâitâs not very appealing.â
âDamn it, Brother Lin, youâre teasing me!â
After finishing their meal, they drove back to the police station.
During the drive, Lin Yi was mostly silent whilst thinking about Sui Xin.
There were some inconsistencies in Zhang Leleâs testimony.
It was not because she was suspicious, but because of the details concerning Sui Xin.
According to Zhang Lele, Sui Xin was supposed to get married next week.
But there were no signs of any wedding preparations in her apartment.
Moreover, relationships were very open these days.
Most couples would have moved in together by this point if the wedding was so close. Yet, Sui Xin was still living in her rented apartment, which was odd.
âZixin, give Boss Li a call. He should have the landlordâs contact info. Ask if Sui Xin had any plans to move out.â
âGot it.â
Zhang Zixin called Li Xianghui, got the landlordâs number, and made the call.
The whole process took less than ten minutes.
âShe had no plans to move out,â Zhang Zixin reported.
âBut that is a bit strange. Sheâs about to get married, and her boyfriend already bought a house, yet she hadnât planned on moving out. If it were me, Iâd have moved in with my fiancé already.â
âSo thatâs a red flag. We need to investigate further.â
âUnderstood, Brother Lin.â
Soon after, they arrived back at the police station.
Zhang Peng was already there, reviewing some documents.
âBrother Lin, I heard there was an incident surrounding Sui Xin?â Zhang Peng asked.
Lin Yi nodded. âShe was murdered. We investigated at the hospital, but there were no cluesâitâs all a mess.â
âF*ck, things are just as chaotic with Zhang Guoping and his wife.â
Zhang Peng said, lighting a cigarette.
âHis wife, Pang Lanjun, found evidence of his affair. The two of them are at each otherâs throats and might even get divorced.â