miralunem

Han Huaixiao returned to the detention center, but the moment Li Jinpeng saw him, he became visibly agitated, asking, “Captain Han… have you cleared me? Have you proven I’m not involved?”

“What’s your relationship with Yu Jing?” Han Huaixiao didn’t answer directly.

The excitement drained from Li Jinpeng like air from a punctured balloon, then surged back even more violently.

“It’s Dong Zijin, right?! He set me up, didn’t he?! He knew I was sleeping with his wife, but he stayed quiet all this time… just waiting to destroy me completely!”

Han Huaixiao frowned. Another name, Dong Zijin.

But from Li Jinpeng’s reaction, it wasn’t hard to piece together: Dong Zijin was Yu Jing’s husband. And not just anyone, but quite a famous man, the CEO of a pharmaceutical company.

“You actually had the nerve to sleep with Dong Zijin’s wife?”

“When it first started,” Li Jinpeng looked regretful, “I didn’t know her husband was Dong Zijin.”

The story itself was nothing new.

Yu Jing and Dong Zijin’s son had been hospitalized, and Li Jinpeng was the attending physician. During the hospital stay, Yu Jing handled everything alone; Dong Zijin never showed up.

Li Jinpeng, drawn to her mature charm, made a move when her son was discharged, leaving her his contact information. Yu Jing added him. Between two consenting adults, things escalated quickly, from flirtation to a hotel room within days.

Later, chasing excitement, they even met at the tutoring center where Yu Jing worked part-time. That was when Cai Yingxia accidentally caught them in the act.

“She was just a kid,” Li Jinpeng continued. “After she saw us, Yu Jing said she was obedient, just needed a warning, and she wouldn’t talk. I didn’t take it seriously.”

“When her parents brought her in for treatment, I didn’t even recognize her. Honestly, if you hadn’t brought it up just now, I would’ve forgotten about her completely. Why would I kill her over something like that?”

“If anything, I’m more afraid of Dong Zijin than that girl.”

“When did you find out Yu Jing’s husband was Dong Zijin?” Han Huaixiao asked.

“Last month. After we’d been together, I saw her phone wasn’t locked, so I looked through her photos. There was a family picture of the three of them. I’d seen Dong Zijin in financial news before.”

“And when did Dong Zijin find out about you two?”

“…Also, last month, about a week after I saw that photo. One day, Yu Jing and I ran into him outside a hotel; he was there to meet a client. She told him I was the doctor who treated their son and had taken good care of him, so she was treating me to a meal.”

“He didn’t seem suspicious. Said a few polite words and left.”

“You already knew who her husband was,” Wen Yu frowned, “and you still kept seeing her?”

Han Huaixiao didn’t say it out loud, but the logic was obvious.

Li Jinpeng must’ve been on edge for a few days. When nothing happened, no retaliation, no anything, he convinced himself that Dong Zijin believed Yu Jing’s explanation. And once the line had been crossed… he kept going.

After all, it was the wife of a powerful and famous CEO. His vanity outweighed his fear.

“Yu Jing said after she got pregnant,” Li Jinpeng answered weakly, “Dong Zijin never touched her again. With me… she was very proactive. She kept coming to me. I couldn’t resist.”

“So you stayed in contact with her the whole time?” Han Huaixiao pressed.

“…Yes.”

“After Dong Zijin saw you together, he didn’t come after you. Did anything happen to your family?”

“No. At first, I was terrified for a long time. But nothing happened. Life went on as usual, and I even got promoted. I thought maybe the affair hadn’t been exposed.”

“Now I realize… he never believed her story. He must’ve investigated us. He didn’t act immediately because he was waiting to hit me all at once.”

“Captain Han, you have to believe me. I would never harm those three girls! I have children too, a son and a daughter. I love kids. That’s why I became a pediatrician. I would never hurt them!”

“You ‘love children,’ and that’s why you slept with someone else’s wife?” Wen Yu couldn’t hold back. “You’re ruining families, including your own!”

……………….

After leaving the detention center, Han Huaixiao and Wen Yu returned to the bureau. At the entrance, they ran into Xia Hang and Xia Ling, who had just come back from the funeral home.

None of the four had eaten yet, so they headed to the cafeteria. Zhang Tianhua and the others were already there, but by that hour, most of the food was gone.

Han Huaixiao simply made a call and had food delivered. While waiting, they went upstairs and held a quick meeting.

The preliminary findings were as follows:

Li Jinpeng had always been a top student, with no criminal record. His professional performance was solid, well-regarded by colleagues, and he had a steady personality with a decent social circle.

The only issue? His personal life. Besides Yu Jing, he had been involved with other women outside his marriage, but so far, there was no evidence he had planned or committed the murders.

“So he’s basically pointing the finger at Dong Zijin,” Wen Yu asked, “saying he framed him?”

“When I looked into Dong Zijin,” Kong Qinmao nodded, “I found that the medications Li Jinpeng prescribed all came from his pharmaceutical company.”

“He’s also been seen entering high-end clubs with the director of the Children’s Hospital. But so far, there’s no evidence he’s taken any action against Li Jinpeng.”

“He even attended a public event recently, looked completely normal, like he had no idea about the affair. Though, to be fair… he has plenty of mistresses himself.”

“I checked the hospital,” Ling Yue added, “Under Director Yang Yongfeng, operations are well managed, with clear procedures and strict protocols. Even with the recent surge in patients, there’s been no sign of malpractice.”

“All departments are functioning normally. The medications match the diagnoses. The Health Commission and forensic side also found nothing wrong.”

“If both Li Jinpeng and the hospital check out…” Xia Ling frowned, “Then why did all three children die after visiting the same hospital?”

At that, Han Huaixiao turned to Kong Qinmao, asking, “When you looked into the victims, did you find any commonalities?”

“Other than all being girls in primary school, nothing obvious,” Kong Qinmao shook his head.

“Cai Yingxia attended No. 2 Primary School. She was the second child in the family; her parents run a business. Quiet personality.”

“Wu Qiaoran was from No. 7 Primary School. Only child, gentle personality. Father is a senior executive, and mother’s been ill and staying home.”

“Tang Yueqian attended a girls’ boarding school. Also an only child. Parents work in foreign companies. Very lively personality.”

When Tang Yueqian’s name came up, Han Huaixiao glanced at Xia Hang, just in time to see him unconsciously press his thumb and forefinger together.

“Different schools,” Kong Qinmao concluded, “different family backgrounds, different personalities, different living environments. Aside from being young girls… there’s no clear connection.”

“There is one thing they have in common…” Xia Hang spoke quietly, and everyone turned to look at him.

“They’re all very pretty,” he said, while lifting his head.

“You think some pervert targeted them?” Xia Ling frowned. 

“Not exactly,” Xia Hang shook his head. “I just think… if what happened to them wasn’t an accident, then three randomly affected girls in one week, all being very young and pretty, that’s a bit strange.”

Han Huaixiao nodded slightly. “That is strange. Qinmao, keep digging for common points between the three. Ling Yue, continue investigating the children’s hospital in depth.”

“Got it.”

Han Huaixiao continued, “Any updates from the traffic police on the victims’ bodies?”

“None.” Zhang Tianhua shook his head. “It’s like the three bodies just vanished from Lang City.”

“If the bodies contain evidence,” Han Huaixiao’s gaze hardened, “then the perpetrators will definitely destroy them. Cremation would draw too much attention. More likely, they’ll bury them somewhere or dump them. Notify all local precincts, search within their jurisdictions. Report immediately if anything is found.”

“I’ll send it out now!”

Just then, the aroma of food drifted in. The security guard, Old Wei, came up carrying several bags, saying, “Captain Han, your food’s here.”

Han Huaixiao had ordered from a restaurant that normally didn’t do delivery, but he’d used his mother’s name to get them to send it. Every dish came in generous portions, rich and fragrant. The team, already hungry, immediately dug in. Even Ling Yue, who usually couldn’t stop talking during meals, was completely silent, focused on eating.

Caught up in the atmosphere, Xia Hang ate half a bowl more than usual. After finishing, he stared blankly at an empty container, letting his mind drift.

“Did you forget something?” Han Huaixiao tapped lightly on the table in front of him. 

Xia Hang looked at him, confused, then glanced at the dishes. He’d eaten everything, so… what had he forgotten?

“Gu Chengrang asked me to remind you to take your medicine.”

Medicine… right. When he was discharged, the doctor had given him a week’s worth, three times a day. He’d only taken it twice. Since he felt fine, it had slipped his mind.

“I have the doctor on WeChat,” Xia Hang muttered. “Why didn’t he just tell me directly?”

Han Huaixiao frowned when Xia Hang didn’t move. “What, do you want me to call him over to personally supervise you?”

Across the table, Zhang Tianhua glanced between the two of them, thoughtful. Under Han Huaixiao’s gaze, Xia Hang finally stood up and went to the office to get his medicine.

After lunch, Han Huaixiao assigned tasks. “Tianhua, Xia Hang, you two go talk to Dong Zijin. Ling Yue and I will visit Wu Qiaoran and Tang Yueqian’s homes.”

“How about you and Xia Hang go to the victims’ homes,” Zhang Tianhua hesitated, “and Ling Yue and I handle Dong Zijin? Ling Yue sometimes speaks without thinking. I’m worried he might upset the families.”

Han Huaixiao paused. He had intentionally avoided pairing Xia Hang with Tang Yueqian’s case, knowing they knew each other, so now, he didn’t expect Zhang Tianhua to object.

“Then I’ll go with Xia Ling.”

“I’ll come with you,” Xia Hang said. “Let Sister Ling rest.”

In the end, it was Xia Hang and Han Huaixiao together.

Their first stop was Wu Qiaoran’s home.

Her mother had already been in poor health, and after Wu Qiaoran’s death, it had worsened; she was now hospitalized. Her father was there with her, leaving only her grandmother at home.

The elderly woman burst into tears the moment she saw them.

If it had been anyone else, Han Huaixiao would have had nothing to do with comforting her. But with Xia Hang beside him, he knew Xia Hang wouldn’t handle it well, so he stepped in himself, patiently soothing her for quite some time.

Only after her emotions had settled a little did he gently ask, “Grandma Wu, we’d like to take a look at Qiaoran’s room. Which one is it?”

“That one,” she said, pointing to the brightest room in the house, trying to lead them over, but Han Huaixiao quickly guided her back to the sofa with a “Please sit. We’ll take a look ourselves.”

He knew that stepping into her granddaughter’s room would only reopen the wound.

Inside, Wu Qiaoran’s room was soft and pink: pink bedding, pink desk, even the small decorations were pink. It was clear she loved the color, and yet, the room was simple: a bed, a desk, and a wardrobe.

Han Huaixiao opened the wardrobe. The clothes were neatly folded and organized in storage boxes.

Meanwhile, Xia Hang flipped through the books on the desk, mostly comics and extracurricular reading typical for a child her age. Nothing unusual.

He pulled open a drawer.

Inside were hairbands, clips, bracelets, and small, delicate trinkets.

Another drawer held certificates underneath, and on top, a photo album. Not professionally made, but printed and bound from an online service. Xia Hang ran his fingers over it. The quality felt even better than the one Zhang Tianhua had brought to the office before.

Inside were photos of Wu Qiaoran growing up.

He flipped through a few pages, then couldn’t continue. Quietly, he put it back and closed the drawer.

Han Huaixiao turned from the wardrobe. “Find anything?”

“No. Nothing unusual.”

Han Huaixiao gave the room one last look, then they stepped out.

After saying goodbye to Grandma Wu, they headed to Tang Yueqian’s home. Before knocking, Han Huaixiao glanced at Xia Hang, who stood still for a moment, then stepped forward and knocked.

The door opened to Tang Yueqian’s aunt, Ye Yin, but the moment she saw them, her face darkened, and she moved to shut the door.

Han Huaixiao stepped forward, blocking it with his hand.

“Hello,” he said calmly. “Could we come in and talk?”

Ye Yin shoved the door, but it didn’t budge. She shot them a vicious glare before finally letting them in.

Tang Yueqian’s father had gone out to handle the grandmother’s funeral arrangements, while his wife, Ye Jia, was lying on the living room sofa. The moment she saw Xia Hang, she suddenly rushed over, crying and shouting:

“It’s all your fault! If you hadn’t pushed us to agree to an autopsy, Qianqian’s body would’ve been safely in the hospital; it wouldn’t have gone missing! I’ve already lost my daughter, why do you have to make me lose even her body too?! Why? Why…!”

She clawed and scratched at Xia Hang, leaving several broken skin wounds on his arms. Han Huaixiao quickly stepped in, using controlled force to separate them.

Ye Yin also exploded at Xia Hang, her voice sharp with rage. “You police are in it together with whoever killed Qianqian! You said an autopsy would help find the killer faster, and what happened then? The moment we agreed, you colluded with criminals to take her body! I think you’re all the same, especially you! You claimed you were Qianqian’s friend, said you’d do everything to uncover the truth! But you got close to her with ulterior motives, you wanted to harm her!”

Han Huaixiao helped Ye Jia back onto the sofa. Seeing Ye Yin’s insults growing harsher while Xia Hang stood there, head lowered, not saying a word in defense, he took a deep breath.

He walked over to Xia Hang, pressed a hand to his shoulder, and turned him around so his back faced Ye Yin. Then he lifted his shirt in one motion, exposing his back.

“Ms. Ye,” Han Huaixiao said evenly, “you’re a surgeon. I believe you can tell what kind of injuries these are.”

At first, Ye Yin was startled, thinking he was doing something inappropriate, but her gaze was immediately drawn to Xia Hang’s back.

It was nothing like his handsome appearance would suggest.

His back was covered in ugly scars: knife wounds, gunshot wounds. Even just looking at the scars made it clear how severe they had once been. There were also large, fresh bruises from a recent impact. It was a shocking sight.

As a police officer, how he got those injuries didn’t need explanation.

Han Huaixiao let Xia Hang’s shirt fall back into place and looked at her. “Ms. Ye, I understand your anger toward the police. But my colleague is absolutely not the kind of person you’re accusing him of being.”

Ye Yin fell silent, and Ye Jia’s emotions also began to settle slightly.

Han Huaixiao noticed a set of matching cups for a family of three on the dining table. He picked up Ye Jia’s, poured a cup of warm water from the dispenser, and placed it in front of her.

“Ms. Ye,” he said gently, “we understand how you feel. But please believe that our urgency to uncover the truth and bring the killer to justice is just as strong as yours.”

Ye Jia stared at the cup for a long moment before asking, “Why did you come?”

“We’d like to take a look at Qianqian’s room.”

After a pause, Ye Jia pointed toward it. Han Huaixiao gave Xia Hang a look, and they headed inside.

Tang Yueqian’s room was more spacious, with a bay window covered in a soft blanket. On top of it were all kinds of turtle-shaped plush toys and figures. The desk held uniquely shaped pens and notebooks.

Xia Hang opened the wardrobe and saw the clothes she had worn the day she visited his home. His chest tightened.

He checked them briefly, then closed the wardrobe. Turning back, he saw Han Huaixiao staring at a photo album with a grave expression.

“Is there something wrong with that album?” He walked over. “Are parents nowadays all into printing these albums online? I saw one in Wu Qiaoran’s room, too.”

“What did you say?” Han Huaixiao turned sharply. “Wu Qiaoran had one too?”

“Yes.”

Han Huaixiao fixed his gaze on him. “Did you notice which shop it was printed from?”

Xia Hang remembered there had been a mark on the back, though he hadn’t paid close attention. He closed his eyes, recalling slowly.

“I think it was called… ‘Tongyan Tongyu.’”

The moment he said the name, Han Huaixiao’s expression turned complicated. After a moment, he handed him the album. Xia Hang flipped it over and saw the same four characters printed on the back.

“Cai Yingxia’s room had one too,” Han Huaixiao spoke, voice low but firm. “Same shop.”

All three victims had albums printed from the same store.

“Could it be a coincidence?” Xia Hang asked, but even he didn’t believe it.

“There aren’t that many coincidences,” Han Huaixiao said. “Most ‘coincidences’ are deliberate.” With that, he took the album and stepped out of the room.

“Ms. Ye, when did you print this album?”

Ye Jia looked at her daughter’s smiling face and winced in pain. “I don’t remember… over a year ago.”

“Can I see the purchase record?”

“Is there something wrong with it?”

“We’re not sure yet. We need to verify.”

Ye Yin handed Ye Jia her phone. After searching through her purchase history, she found the record and passed it over. Han Huaixiao opened the shop page. It had a strong reputation, with over 6,000 orders and almost entirely positive reviews.

“How did you find this shop?”

“A colleague recommended it,” Ye Jia said after thinking. “She printed one for her son. I saw it, thought the quality was good, and asked her for the link.”

“Can you give me her contact information?”

“I don’t have her address. Just her WeChat and phone number.”

“Her name and number will do.”

“Does my colleague have something to do with this?” Ye Jia hesitated. “We’ve had conflicts before.”

“Was that before or after she gave you the link?”

“After. About half a year ago, she took one of my clients. We argued, but she later apologized.”

“There are many things we need to verify,” Han Huaixiao said. “We’ll inform you as soon as we have updates. We’ll need to take this album for now; it’ll be returned once the case is clarified.”

“…Okay.”

After leaving the Tang residence, Han Huaixiao sent the print shop’s information to Wen Yu, asking her to investigate the owner and analyze historical order data, looking for children with similar traits to the three victims, and checking their current status.

“Should we go collect the albums from Cai Yingxia and Wu Qiaoran’s homes too?” Xia Hang asked.

“Mm.”

As they drove, Han Huaixiao suddenly pulled over in front of a pharmacy. A moment later, he returned with a bag of cotton swabs and antiseptic.

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