Chapter 5
1496 Words
She stood silently behind Cheng Cheng, secretly observing the home of the victim.
The largest bedroom door had a festive red double happiness character pasted on it—likely the daughter's room. The smaller bedroom was filled with books on a neatly arranged shelf. With Ye Ye's keen eyesight, she immediately noticed the titles, including male-centric novels like Martial Wanderer's Chronicles.
At first, she assumed the books belonged to the son-in-law. But then, her gaze fell on an old radio sitting on the desk—a rare relic no young person would bother using these days.
Although this was only the third day since the crime, the father behaved as though he had lived there for a long time.
Just as Ye Ye was scrutinizing her surroundings, a pair of eyes met hers. A woman stood quietly in the corner of the room, barely daring to breathe. She looked to be in her twenties, timid and cowering, avoiding the confrontation raging ahead.
“Go home!” Qi Dabao abruptly flung open the door. “My wife is dead! You police should focus on punishing the criminal, not harassing the victim's family!”
Seeing the man’s outburst, Cheng Cheng didn’t bother pressing further. He tugged at Ye Ye and left. As they stepped into the elevator, his expression shifted.
“You noticed it too, didn’t you?” His earlier frustration was gone, replaced by calm calculation. “The couple’s relationship had been strained for a long time. Qi Dabao didn’t just recently move here as he claimed. He’s been living here for years.”
Cheng Cheng instinctively reached for his pocket, pulling out a cigarette. But with Ye Ye standing beside him, he hesitated and tucked it back.
“Those books in his room,” Ye Ye remarked, glancing up at the tightly shut window of the house, “they’ve clearly been collected over many years. Did his daughter say anything about Fang Meizhen?”
“You mean Qi Lili,” Cheng Cheng said, scratching his head. “That woman’s a tough nut to crack—only answers ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ No clues at all.”
“But we know Fang Meizhen didn’t like her,” Cheng Cheng replied, fishing out some coins and inserting them into a vending machine. Two cans of drinks clattered down. Handing Ye Ye a can of hot coffee, he added, “She preferred spending time at the club with her ‘godson’ over her own daughter.”
Ye Ye glanced at the steaming coffee but didn’t reach out to take it. “I want to meet this godson,” she said simply.
“Pfft.”
High-end clubs catering to the wealthy were nothing like roadside bars. As they stepped off the bus, the gleaming floodlights of the venue lit up the night like daylight.
“Stay close to me,” Cheng Cheng murmured, slipping on his jacket and lowering his voice.
Ye Ye glanced at him curiously but stayed silent. Two men in black suits approached them, sweeping them with handheld scanners to check for weapons. After confirming everything was clear, the heavy doors opened, and they were ushered inside.
Behind them, one of the guards frowned, pressing buttons on his device. “Hey, why isn’t this working?”
“Out of battery?”
“Impossible. It was fine a moment ago.”
Inside, hostesses lined both sides of the entrance. This was no seedy brothel. The establishment boasted gyms, swimming pools, bars, dance halls, and spas, catering to every luxury imaginable.
Cheng Cheng led Ye Ye to a booth, waving at a server dressed as a bunny girl. After a brief exchange, the waitress nodded and left.
Ye Ye sat quietly in the corner, unwinding her thick scarf. Across from her, Cheng Cheng narrowed his eyes, observing the crowd outside.
“Why didn’t you show your badge?” she asked.
He glanced at her, then quickly averted his eyes as though caught off guard. “Plainclothes work is more efficient,” he muttered.
“You see those two over there?” Cheng Cheng gestured subtly toward a pair seated nearby. “That’s the son of a prominent tycoon, and the woman beside him is the daughter of a municipal minister.”
Ye Ye followed his gaze. If what Cheng Cheng said was true, it was best not to cause unnecessary disturbances here.
A waitress returned, setting down two ornate glasses. Ye Ye eyed the drink garnished with mint leaves and lemon slices, tempted to ask: Why did you order plain water?
Running her fingers along the warm glass, she murmured under her breath, “Actually... I could’ve paid.”
“Captain Cheng!”
A man suddenly stumbled toward them, his steps unsteady and breath ragged. Ye Ye turned to see a young man with a flushed face, visibly agitated.
“Sit,” Cheng Cheng said calmly, pressing the man into the chair effortlessly. He slid the untouched glass of water toward him, then leaned back in his seat, crossing one leg over the other. “Take a moment. Catch your breath.”
The man’s panic seemed to dissipate under the weight of those words. Clutching the glass, he lowered his gaze. “Have you caught the real culprit?” he asked hesitantly.
The youth, barely in his twenties, was pale and slender, dressed in a clean blue shirt that gave him a scholarly air. But his demeanor was anxious, even fearful.
Ye Ye assumed he was referring to Chen Tiao. She was about to respond when Cheng Cheng cut in.
“No.”
The young man’s face fell, a wave of guilt washing over him. “It’s all my fault. Meizhen-sister was so kind to me—she even funded my brother’s education. I knew her marriage was unhappy, but I never considered her safety…”
“Did she ever mention Chen Tiao to you?” Ye Ye asked suddenly.
The young man hesitated before nodding. “She said she envied their young love and even gave them a discount on rent. But her husband wasn’t happy. She didn’t talk much about it.”
“What was your relationship with her?”
The youth’s face turned crimson. Stammering, he finally admitted, “She… took care of me. It wasn’t romantic. She treated me more like a child than a lover. If anything, it was about companionship, not… buying affection.”
Leaning back in her seat, Ye Ye scrutinized him. He wasn’t lying.
When they finally left, the dark streets seemed quieter. Ye Ye replayed the young man’s words: Meizhen-sister didn’t cheat. She pitied me, that’s all.
“Hey, don’t tell me you’re falling for that guy,” Cheng Cheng teased, glancing at her sideways. “He may look innocent, and his story might check out, but don’t be fooled. This place exists to fulfill fantasies—nothing is as it seems.”
She met his gaze, her soft voice calm. “You’re overthinking, Captain Cheng.”
He scratched his head awkwardly. “Good. Just making sure.”
When they reached XX Road, the glowing sign of the Twelve Days Inn stood out.
“This is me. Thanks for walking me back,” Ye Ye said politely.
Cheng Cheng nodded distractedly. “Uh… lock the door behind you.” Realizing his redundant remark, he turned on his heel and left.
Ye Ye watched him disappear into the night before pushing open the glass doors. As soon as she was out of sight, Cheng Cheng emerged from the shadows, stealing one last glance in her direction.
She’s just an ordinary girl, he told himself.
At the front desk, Ye Ye handed over her ID. “I’d like to extend my stay by three days.”
The receptionist, who had been dozing off, perked up at the sight of her. “Of course, Miss.”
Born in 1999. Only eighteen... so young.
Waiting for her check-in, Ye Ye rubbed her stomach absentmindedly. She was starving. Captain Cheng had been so relentless, she hadn’t even had time to eat her ration biscuits.
If he’d delayed any longer, she might’ve eaten him.
The elevator chimed, and a drunken man staggered out. His bloodshot eyes roamed over Ye Ye, lighting up when he got a good look at her.
“500 bucks?” he slurred.
When she didn’t respond, his grin widened. “Fine, 1,000 then!”
The receptionist heard the exchange but pretended not to notice.
As Ye Ye reached for her wallet, the man’s filthy hand darted out, grabbing her arm.
But before he could revel in his prize, a sharp pain shot through his gut, and he was flung backward with a resounding thud.
The man, nearly 200 pounds, crumpled to the ground like a sack of potatoes, unable to utter a sound.
Meanwhile, Ye Ye calmly walked toward the elevator, unfazed.
The receptionist stared in horror at the information on her ID. Born in 1999. Only eighteen?!
- Writer
