Chapter 53
Ren Yi made an impatient gesture. “We’ve been at this all day. Look at the time. Yingxian, I don’t think we should waste any more time here. We’ve still got several more households to question tomorrow.”ufepNoYCHiIeTqGoBoynLDfowjPWbv
GaFXHhPRdSbUMxkGong Yingxian exchanged a knowing glance with Ren Yi and nodded. “You’re right.” He closed his notebook. “Mrs. Bai, thank you for your time today. You can go home now.”loPyBJeBrxlHTMSyDYeErjwaWHUixp
LBdQQBZWMpTXqpBMrs. Bai looked up, surprised to see them both standing up.KPwIzPPMBLqBIngKUgjkBKhsAaTRqL
WSUNVGLVrYuMFfvRen Yi turned his back and quietly said to Gong Yingxian, “2207 is young and ambitious. She’ll crack before this one does.”xucKQaECUovxBOYodFpeFpjoNrzcPl
FJQuWDmgoXLRWWXGong Yingxian nodded seriously, pretending to leave.qrJVTZCVlfjELavhqflbYOPECKSDEK
nRBBtQCRxwDVijF“W-wait.” Mrs. Bai called out. “You’ve kept me waiting so long, and now you’re just going to leave?”ylqiVrZCMqdbuldVnIgNfEcVqXonTy
WVGirIClTKIffEo“Mrs. Bai, you’ve been unwilling to say anything. We’re just wasting each other’s time. It’s late, let’s all head home.”dxrvnOaBJnVzkJlHtMFDkNRNcQYOZt
ElAKffrkmSHYCGp“Wait!” Mrs. Bai hesitated. “If I tell you everything I know, does that mean… you won’t charge me?”eGOvnpathpxUKrlHlpyNcEPNXZypVc
UEByQckhdXLFMbi“That depends on the extent of your involvement.”NngffdKmrsrkfgyIrSGtMpIHUzbFET
LrNsgaLDKAoBRnE“I just threw away some trash. I didn’t do anything else.”ZTHTWgsMrpfxxoanxlSklBNWKRqELO
jTNZwwGizJABKdhGong Yingxian and Ren Yi exchanged a glance. “Let’s go.”uVUzCWHmYEWpUnurJnMepgICOUtFEm
LSlTWGQPIHuBEQy“It was Xiao Peng who told us to throw it!” Mrs. Bai blurted out.HUqaXpVZSqtsqVMQxnbSeYBeFrQeNB
XtZBRXnYZDknbfGBoth men turned to look at her.frSjCxYzftftpILnuWaqdBKbfEDaaa
EoAGDkrKLnnpYYvMrs. Bai covered her mouth, choking on her sobs. “We all discussed it together, about how to deal with 2209. Xiao Peng said, ‘However disgusting they are to us, we’ll be just as disgusting to them.’ So we all decided to throw trash at their doorstep.”zWTANhgjXbwOdReehGJhZtZmjTwdjS
AxPZZJFqfECnamh“So, you all agreed to throw trash at 2209’s door as revenge on Friday?”mkcKRpAIfaTLOkmhAkIAAyCydOiTgU
VJEZkvEdzKpMlCzMrs. Bai nodded. “But no one ever said anything about starting a fire, really! We had no idea it would catch fire. If we knew, why would we stay inside? Who would want to burn down their own house?”ZCbzeInXdqaOHpxNpPfHojOvlMaxMq
NgiiatJtUpORaOG“Then why didn’t you say so from the beginning?”TmnYjeWZAHddTQkDbdEGKvMQUlhubB
IIxIjwFKOHcShQpMrs. Bai cried, “Xiao Peng said we were all accomplices. So many people died, so many houses burned. If the police found out, we’d all be held responsible. So no one could talk.”NsEYnmILZRvNmZvEokLnNoChkwooiC
KhuuwIRzIzFojen“He wasn’t wrong, but there’s still a difference in the level of responsibility. If all you did was throw trash and had nothing to do with the fire, you wouldn’t face criminal charges. But covering up a crime is far more serious than just tossing some trash.”WggOmDrwWfynsHNfNHuMDAtXqGrkLU
ORLDVaChTxjpwBH“I’m not, I’m not covering up anything. I’ve told you everything I know.” Mrs. Bai sobbed harder. “Even my own mother died in that fire. I really didn’t know anything!”DbbkFCWIoUTIAStuKgROayltKGvFQf
FUZkrEKPxGMJSxHAfter sending off the weeping old woman, the two men stood there, a mix of emotions swirling inside them, neither speaking.FBVbsncIIMfghhxeCPsEklEEMknUFn
HdaPGhyMMwkoRbM“I think she’s telling the truth. The residents might have really only thrown the trash, not knowing it would start a fire.”rbdMJWgzsMabprIsYAeAogFRWcveaU
GYrIfQWlRDvKScjGong Yingxian pondered, “The others might not have known, but Peng Fei might have. Still, based on the evidence we have now, we can’t prove he knew or participated in the arson.”WLOGyjRyWQyfFlbJaGsKZFPhYWzFPg
KUedkckewkXRcmb“By the way, what about the car owner? Any leads on a motive?”vgpVtITErvuXICSBwTqLETtQUeucFk
PpxQbGNuxFkFitN“The car was chosen at random. Just like Zhou Chuan said, the owner doesn’t know them, and their social circles don’t overlap at all.”QPFgdzznYStAwILiuNLTeHBDwBZWtH
PpyuZDFpiNezdOR“The key to the case still lies with these three people, but each one is harder to deal with than the last.”ccwefnGstfWWuEMwOUDMpvyglGgACz
IdaDfKYiclNQzAVGong Yingxian replied coldly, “Chen Pei has been asking to see me, but I haven’t met him these past few days. Instead, Yan-jie has been interrogating him. It was her suggestion, too—she’s worried I might be affected.”FTRYKCuiRekCFVfOslYMUrxNvjbwwA
EKZfujIXGqlgnCK“He wants to see you?” Ren Yi asked, surprised. “What does he want?”mloRGolmZUOxSLYyGTYmiQhafZoqIo
SmfAfWtsdrjxPds“Most likely, he wants to negotiate a deal.” Gong Yingxian’s expression darkened. “He knows he has something in his head that I need.”rJkOBaFskudUbrzwkcMgGNYeBWRlfl
WUSzKtsgcpBNfblRen Yi murmured, “If we can break just one of these three, the other two will collapse on their own.”pAsxXzXAzzTRIkpOZJlLrVtYXolPhX
brtyJeQkCFVAQoe“Unfortunately, we’re missing critical evidence.” Gong Yingxian tiredly rubbed his forehead. “Let’s hope the others are making progress.”wUQdtkFbKTUqTXtMedqKuSUHXaMbwP
jKMtENWFRggMZeG“Let’s go check on Cai Qiang and Zhou Chuan.”ptVbtayEJplvRHXUzxzvbcWdFYtgIV
NFWGAGrSGxfoeiG“Alright.”kPwpwzsLIhNPxXZLUIShPhSdqllHgA
CapDXGnMvDFqfixThe two of them walked to another interrogation room but didn’t enter. Instead, they knocked on the door.WbhWbptXEGEmINukwlAKnJycbdHJIg
JeUXBAGslUFIiCjCai Qiang glanced at them through the glass, then stood up and came out.EDoNpFVPQrRiFhjZqpiqZcbamIAXAZ
owkbyxPNteZKGDI“How’s it going?”QtpxOZUjjaIIkJgwSThNujRfMtnINe
djmrKvEZdjYajnoCai Qiang closed the door behind him and yawned. “That bastard is both a coward and a scumbag. He made a deal—he says he won’t talk unless he gets to stay in a hospital instead of the detention center before trial.”DbjFQfzpWQWoPqAptpkEvKheosqrtK
jnxbsipsSNsZVAsGong Yingxian frowned. “How valuable is the information he has?”pBfzzSbYoyJkiiAFZoCVYSedRfbliG
YthYptgdaTYRnQy“He knows we’ve caught Chen Pei. He says he knows things about Chen Pei that will be enough to convict him.”ZDXmfAAgydKTSEEVtDJMOBQTDSLiSf
puoViqgOMNsckMRRen Yi asked, “And what about the guy who set the car on fire?”NbLqQfpniAqPtrpCuLXABKEUSxRKqf
wXYgtnipktICAkhCai Qiang gave a bitter laugh. “Ah, check the WeChat group now; it’s driving me crazy.”MGFRWGxJnHShiUgCJDTPJckqjukbjF
CvfsZovMvaYwiIhGong Yingxian pulled out his phone, and his expression darkened immediately. “Is this… Peng Fei’s alibi?”iibDmXkWHGBKXeJnvcaYirELfYyasL
jcBMZebiSlJzEHj“Yeah, on the night the car was set on fire, he says he was staying at a friend’s house. No one can confirm that, but surveillance caught him going downstairs to buy cigarettes around 11 p.m. At that time, it would’ve been impossible for him to make it to the car fire scene.”XRoRKTRTJLPwJkfRUlSpNCEJPeEzzv
gLjrxVYjlykoWWO“Why didn’t he mention this alibi at the start?”QbKVISalMlvseFgtYTqDQtjQdexzJD
ILGpQXDsJDeWNAX“He says he just remembered it,” Cai Qiang scoffed. “Bullshit. He did it on purpose. He’s testing how much we know, deliberately trying to throw off the investigation.”RUSsRBswuZZvPzERHfkYaVDEHDRUJW
agOgblrOcHhUgEZGong Yingxian fell silent, clenching his fists, his expression fluctuating between anger and frustration.TydzBvCZyuZazQauuJYueOiZtDPnoa
IPkzWZhaRYNmchCRen Yi was secretly shocked by Peng Fei’s cunning. This guy was playing the long game, letting the police investigate him as a suspect for ages, while gathering information on how much they knew, and then pulling out his alibi at the last minute. With this alibi, all the work following his lead might have been for nothing.wZIKDxjYqSYirUedPOdonkMAqJASxE
tVRxFehbDzaSNYaGong Yingxian said in a chilling tone, “No wonder he had the guts to pressure the other residents into sticking to the same story. He knew we didn’t have enough evidence.”aZQPevLiWGbBuWQYidxPovRUbIVvJR
hJkCVIPjZSWsWuE“This bastard is too sly, and now we’re in a tight spot.” Cai Qiang glanced at the interrogation room. “We might have no choice but to agree to his demands.”tdhSrjzoBEuodoRhNCnDazDlvHYWJj
jmRPblTtfAMwyVe“We’ll discuss this tomorrow.”rhFsJnkwlpoDSuQVMkAvMYsSQxiucg
QPlQkzzfIeDYBEFCai Qiang nodded. “It’s late anyway. Let’s head home.” He gave Ren Yi a teasing smile. “Captain Ren, have you thought about switching careers? You seem pretty passionate about investigating cases.”bsUmRhSkltyJIJLbfCubCsXeWFESdq
dzQSJiXHOGbmEHSRen Yi chuckled, “Why don’t you ask your boss how much they’ll pay me per month, and I’ll seriously consider it.”jvuGnUhAairhnEGZGtnRwQwhXfpZtG
HGSdSPbQkIrEpCzCai Qiang burst out laughing.bDnHFrzAElZHHIXEQNxRtfOirvYSyy
xddBSFDKXtgZhaiAfter saying goodbye, the two walked toward the parking lot. Along the way, Ren Yi kept yawning and his stomach was growling with hunger. He was already thinking about what takeout he should order once he got back to the team. As he thought about food, Ren Yi hesitated whether to invite Gong Yingxian to grab a meal together. Although their first meal was super awkward, they were getting along pretty well now, so Gong Yingxian would probably agree, right? At this point, as long as he could spend a little more time with Gong Yingxian, even just a minute and a half, he was happy.PyXLTrtcnxTzySXWsFHaTaeZRujZpm
RhrDhSwVXnoLplW“Ren Yi…”QxnOIPyzepSOhOuHXZVZzxbCWryfyX
KBmAIFETFOxWXLr“I was just going to say, Old Gong…”CigMAPJmvHjZmJDhKZKyYqQQvodMwL
HBCmiieKjNgidIOThey both spoke at the same time.cdluPEBZKYdZmikVsXJNuqxcLTexyE
aYBaviVpQAkKjJyGong Yingxian glanced at him sideways.ZclVzcNTmCOxJDipCQSnEGWFXfskNj
gHxzIWUVLXgXyqHRen Yi laughed, “Don’t dislike the nickname. If everyone started calling you that, imagine how much you’d benefit.”JQpvPAIVWbLeQnElSBxuweLWRDrfwn
OyFucxccEisMpYR“You think everyone’s like you?” Gong Yingxian snorted lightly.GhpSzMgUReMeFtQQcGrpIlrrDZxvLt
vCYWnnfxbLPTnCtRen Yi secretly took pride in the fact that only he used that nickname. “You should appreciate it, seriously. Think about me—whether it’s ‘Little Ren’ or ‘Old Ren,’ I’m the one getting the short end of the stick.”QJHCWgyCsboNrOpOUgoXhBzALQdJSk
vtqRBBHJqJVEydzGong Yingxian couldn’t help but smile, “Quit rambling. Get in the car. I’ll drive you back to rest.”OmCTMYrYBmPjWXVTdMzrFUxIsdoECW
KWMHjNFlTsZLVVpThey got into the car, and Ren Yi rubbed his growling stomach. “Hey, are you hungry?”oJmuHXMFlTIWUpTpAkVlauwBFPpIXP
qUALHKMZpIkpPxrGong Yingxian was about to speak but yawned, seemingly catching it from Ren Yi. A hint of fatigue crept into his expression, difficult to hide. “I’m fine. Are you hungry?”idyObByzOAaxsSWENvMOIuHFdjAzUC
tydgiekqwaVIFTVSeeing how tired Gong Yingxian looked, Ren Yi couldn’t bring himself to invite him for a late-night meal. After all, he’d been exhausted all day, and Gong Yingxian wasn’t any different. Better to let it go. He said, “I’m okay. Let’s just head back to rest.” He yawned again after speaking.NKAuvicIEBkoMfGrasDGlrwnQBoBxt
YNosfVqVaQewrhY“Are you sure you’re okay to drive, being this tired?”VyfHCMdvECpXvkfzWpxCosHBdSDfly
uqrmcXknEgVNtUX“No problem. I’m used to it.” Gong Yingxian started the car and drove toward the team station.BpNRVLcNPaKaldRrvttEAvpNRJRFdG
JyvoqfGSbNZMaIS“You know, I get some days off now and then, but I’ve never really seen you take any time off.” Ren Yi’s eyelids were getting heavy with sleep. He adjusted the seatback slightly and found a comfortable angle to lean on.sTXwminXEqtAYLYMYvCuBBSdqamhCG
wTmCQHsmqDkaRwU“I do have days off, just haven’t taken them,” Gong Yingxian said. “I’ve got a lot to do. I don’t need a break.”mjmQYgiOGLRUWAiMtDoJNVlsdClPEu
bGeUyLHvifzBoGo“You can’t keep running on empty forever. You know the importance of balancing work and rest, right?”vadjsAZsTBJuICSTybTmmeUZUOiIJP
pDwDpLllmfEwDRLGong Yingxian shook his head, “I don’t have enough time.”KWtLWOYUyzZoUQDuQlStgcHIhaPQFV
WogtUUznYCWQLPPThe 20-year statute of limitations loomed behind him like a wild beast, constantly chasing him. He didn’t dare, didn’t want to, and couldn’t afford to stop. He had to believe that the truth was just ahead, and he needed to keep running.JNlVUxQNovNrgaDJjZWbukdmwbDruV
iBCzHVwKxYawQStRen Yi sighed softly, “You’re so stubborn.”UDReRgBesBeoesrzeeGOwGsnYRhBiX
GiHerwToeaTiGlLGong Yingxian said nothing.tSFRAaoblURuBZrXTdnZCOAvlsqbRv
tAFKAVcQRNLYNTcThe car fell into a brief silence. Ren Yi stared at the windshield in front of him. Due to the unique lighting, he could see a faint reflection of Gong Yingxian’s face on the glass. He became a little entranced, wondering what Gong Yingxian, sitting next to him, was thinking. Did he, even just a tiny bit, occupy a place in his thoughts?agKLGHdRACQBurrkokxvswQbJPOyff
kyBizROYXECRyYZRen Yi’s eyelids grew heavier and heavier.UFRSccxNUlXemKwFaRIOIFecQWSgLE
kuoGCGSGPXAmRsnBefore long, Gong Yingxian heard steady breathing from beside him. Glancing over at the passenger seat, he saw that Ren Yi had fallen asleep.OmooPQQBVWGOBFbtArAYPlmCSLrwfv
oXTaXWYrwBooXiTGong Yingxian gently turned the steering wheel and pulled over to the side of the road. He softly pressed the brake, bringing the car to a smooth and seamless stop.uzrdswcKbjZIKlLkCuVEBMAiwBQoTE
tAfWQdKkqhqaxOvAfter putting the car in park, Gong Yingxian turned his head and silently observed Ren Yi, who was now sound asleep. His deep-set eyes flickered in the dim light. Then, out of curiosity, he leaned over and carefully studied Ren Yi’s face.SKKRlXWPkinwluzSITYfGuDFcaJGNB
YJUsTmEFAQrZsZWWhy does his hair always stick up? Is it because it’s too soft or too stiff? His eyebrows are a bit unruly, but they’re still well-shaped. The mole on his nose is oddly placed. His lower lip is slightly fuller than his upper lip, making it look plump. His earlobes are small and rounded—what would it feel like to pinch them?gdIYtuiERlInQZQnSKDQPdWxSwixWc
yAhyaXPtVXAoqGVOne question after another popped into Gong Yingxian’s mind. The answers to these questions tempted him to reach out, to touch them and find out for himself.gqzLlzqdLgShsrbjwyJedAjVoNlxEj
vqKvjHUfgusHfBrGong Yingxian pursed his lips and tentatively reached out his hand, lightly brushing Ren Yi’s nose where the mole was.QwfCNUqEBvcqwcnZUtsSDdzRaFsgzL
WXVDVbiKIgvJilFIt had a slight bump, and he could feel the hardness of the nasal bone beneath it.KxRcnTLiOVdSARtXwlJGYMfmSRXmBk
NlUNnVKkQlqEsZjGong Yingxian moved his hand downward, his fingertips gently resting on Ren Yi’s soft lips. He applied a little pressure, feeling the warmth of Ren Yi’s breath against his fingers.QGwiPRkeakAFoiZpoqpWVBTGgmesIT
LkaPKuqboNDYOtnRen Yi mumbled something in his sleep.YxvNZGVPNKjkWTRqilJJlqOAtbudAZ
LAnWxHNgmXmdflDStartled, Gong Yingxian quickly withdrew his hand, as if he had been shocked by an electric current. He stared in surprise, questioning what he had just done and what he had been thinking. This was bizarre—he had never been curious about anyone like this before.VjrZgGrKWGwmsyMsnLrYDOHtbtKdQZ
YaLlQVcuptWfBipWas it because Ren Yi was his first real friend?wBjzSHQvGwHrsbuJHmPEEcLNyWOTLz
poQWAOGlYQGMaPwMaybe Sheng Bo and Sister Yan were right—he did need friends. Everyone needed friends. Having one wasn’t a hassle at all. In fact, it made him happy. Ren Yi’s presence made him happy.LZiFLBPjepovsvngkWMPcrESpuBbgn
fHWhFoCBBwLktkuSince he had never had a human friend before, it was natural to be curious about one.mTpbmVRiNCjbhNVJVvdoEhhTSegYVd
qPSxkElqbIxyqNOFeeling reassured by this reasoning, Gong Yingxian finally calmed down. He glanced at the sleeping Ren Yi, not wanting to disturb him, and quietly opened the case files to review them.yXmWiRMzGHQNNDjSfPmlaDjEymaJCd
SsAXEKZncvbTPjpSome time passed before Ren Yi sneezed, jolting himself awake. He blinked groggily and muttered, “Did I… fall asleep?”IiHwloCjrnkURxKQTsfPJMuUeJoOCN
cUfKsrZKSAEBbECGong Yingxian turned his head to look at him, noticing the double chin formed by Ren Yi’s scrunched-up neck. He found it amusing. “Yeah.”JQVAcalkfytJqiQJGAXvlWfuJmzDXp
FHsNEaqWmzSajBCRen Yi sat up and yawned widely. “Why didn’t you wake me up? I—oh, shit!” He looked at the time in surprise. “I slept for two hours?”wziiYGPGHPZGOuyjfpEQnjKlVgDKdb
jFzHRKlMAJaBdlt“One hour and forty-two minutes,” Gong Yingxian corrected, handing him a bottle of water. “What kind of call did you respond to today that exhausted you so much?”DLyIKZGlAcXgLzhhGRoQxsUsJcFpDH
EUiJGuEeAzPvqfDRen Yi gave Gong Yingxian a rough summary, “The exhaustion wasn’t that bad, it was mostly Gao Ge who gave me quite the scare.”IioDnooSEyysCHTlxjCcSaRtkfsnjx
tDLGAnmZJoDOJXCGong Yingxian frowned, “And yet you insisted on coming to the precinct with me. You should’ve been resting properly.”gHUesxdhVNXzyFBqWLYdVRUppBnSeX
qrCwsepSEcsZyioRen Yi chuckled, “It’s no big deal. A quick nap, and I’m full of energy again.”hXqvUGATGuXUMnSGxoNgQWLUzyafdy
pzYtCyZSjpXoDBBGong Yingxian started the car, “Let’s go, I’ll take you back.”LrfikiOvNXJNLoRTLnCNHZnLZofzPR
pAWiIGOHsvrOwBA“It’s so late already. If you drop me off at the station, by the time you get home, it’ll be two or three in the morning.”QDkojzxJbWbyVYpPklXiEItwQcQJxz
UkheUVGDIBNLLKe“I can drive faster.”kfbZTSkXqIjmjoRLZpdFnkpgqCECvA
LmiJUeUhrzgJXXI“Come on, your place is far, and you’ve had a long day too. Driving while tired is dangerous.”HwUFGhdQmzzZmpTAnHLmnDrFjEjntl
BkxETTdBUyJvhWN“I’m used to it.”brvgXptmkouHqltacABskYeSuksczF
ADkScnknHMshAcw“Used to it, my ass, you—” Before Ren Yi could finish, his stomach suddenly growled loudly.FiYreQqVnmPkENqdpOwrTEVAkXnOvp
ruIaGKVWtXBCJATGong Yingxian couldn’t help but laugh, “That hungry, huh?”LjvoJaGfROdbLKGPiwJXZAzqxsUbMV
nutmdZqWHfOapEARen Yi patted his abs, “Aren’t you hungry?”WDnJUgMUHkgPqdrTEFJTzQokgHNcaW
yyzjTnpzVitHXYM“A little.”dFOynvuBYFKHaOkuqWUsnOJaizkBhJ
iWfZrfLqBOesoRT“How about we head to my place? It’s close by,” Ren Yi suggested with a grin. “Have you ever had instant noodles? I can cook some for you.”psSlGKpXssAGpaUsEYhuMaNMLOeutK
bYhLHIaUdjvOHMX“Instant noodles aren’t exactly healthy.”IFTuNaooUHbRylxEoMVQTWQvPmnjTG
zgVTBcPjBNjGFaf“Listen to my reasoning.” Ren Yi’s tone became mock-serious. “First, you won’t eat takeout because you think it’s dirty. Second, cooking something fresh would take too long. Third, you’ve never had instant noodles, so you’re missing out on this essential life experience. Tonight’s the perfect time to fix that.”UOcpdMzaNRcugKcmnMHYCkmpbBoXQh
DllMcPUmNrmmmgSGong Yingxian smiled faintly.gamdGxRrQUxBrRTQrqgSCreQOmgPkn
wSxQWbXZpTGVJmxRen Yi tried his best to hide the eagerness in his eyes, keeping his tone casual, “Plus, I still have your pillow at my place. So, are you coming or what?”qekmdMLfVLrnCPxgxLcKeQVbkQKiBW
PxubUXFHVfuPxZH“Isn’t that where we’re headed already?”rVDKpQhLphksmUXRHcclmirkZpoCuO
jRKlDtEfFiQshcjaKHABdqNZIJyVaLpksFfpTwfoZORaT