Nostalgia
“Hao Miao… ” After expressing the purpose to Hao Miao’s homeroom teacher, a rural teacher in his fifties took off his reading glasses, furrowing his brow in thought for a while before saying, “A rather good child, with decent academic performance, a simple lifestyle, honest and trustworthy, and a strong work ethic…”
It seemed like this teacher might have written too many end-of-term evaluations, or something similar, as his words came across as a rehearsed repetition, lacking any notable points of interest.
Song Yuhang, taking notes, asked, “Do you know much about her family situation?”
“I have some general knowledge. I’ve heard her family isn’t well-off. They didn’t attend several parent-teacher meetings. Her aunt did attend the last one in ninth grade, but as soon as she arrived, she said she wanted to withdraw Hao Miao from school. With the high school entrance exams approaching, we tried to persuade her, but it was in vain.”
She glanced at the male teacher. “So, did she end up withdrawing in the end?”
“Her aunt wanted to withdraw her, but this child has a stubborn streak. She insisted on continuing her education, saying she would find a way to cover the tuition and exam fees herself.”
“And then?”
A trace of surprise crossed the male teacher’s face. “After that, we don’t know.”
“How long ago was this?”
“About three months ago.”
“Does she have any particularly close friends at school?”
“She doesn’t talk much, maybe she’s a bit introverted, after all…”
Song Yuhang nodded in understanding. “Could you please take me to her classroom to have a look?”
“Sure, follow me this way.”
The school wasn’t large, consisting of a total of three floors. From top to bottom, they were divided into higher grades to lower grades, with five classes in each grade. The desks in every classroom were arranged closely together, with the last row pressed right up against the wall.
The homeroom teacher led her to the third floor, pushed open the door of the fifth classroom. It was currently after class, and her arrival immediately caused a commotion.
“Police, police, hey, did Hao Miao really die?”
“I heard she died quite tragically, it’s all over the news, didn’t you see it?”
“Tsk, with her family situation, if I were her, I might consider suicide too.”
……
Song Yuhang remained composed as she walked over to the desk pointed out by the homeroom teacher. A multitude of books were stacked on the table, and she casually picked up a few, flipping through them. Among the books were textbooks and exercise books, and it seemed like she had a fondness for drawing, as almost every book had doodles within.
Song Yuhang briefly skimmed through several of them, and the most common theme in the drawings appeared to be marine animals like whales and dolphins.
It seemed she had a particular affection for the sea, yet she had never heard her family mention it.
Song Yuhang took out her phone and snapped pictures of the drawings done in pen.
* * *
“Has Captain Song returned?” Early in the morning, Lin Yan entered the office, causing quite a surprise.
Zhang Jinhai was about to enter his own office, holding a teacup. He glanced at her, still hesitating, “Is Forensic Doctor Lin alright? You suddenly fainted yesterday, and it seemed quite serious. Captain Song turned pale and rushed you to the hospital. Work is important, but one’s health is even more crucial.”
Turned pale and rushed her to the hospital?
No matter how you looked at it, it didn’t seem like something Song Yuhang would do.
Lin Yan was momentarily stunned but then nodded gently, “I’m fine now.”
At this moment, a colleague stood up and said, “Captain Song went to Hao Miao’s home and hasn’t returned yet.”
Lin Yan, with her coat in hand, turned on her heel and headed towards the pathology laboratory. “Alright, I’ll check if the DNA matching results are ready.”
The technician entered the comparison data, searched, and it displayed as “inconclusive.”
Lin Yan furrowed her brow. She had thought this might be a lead, but it turned out to be another dead end.
A nearby colleague hesitated to speak, “Forgive me for being blunt, Forensic Doctor Lin, even if that girl had suicidal thoughts due to her pregnancy, it would only be considered an indirect cause of death. And if it was forced, at most, it would result in a three to five-year sentence. If it wasn’t that, then it’s really…”
Before the words “no way” could escape his lips, Lin Yan’s cold gaze turned towards him. Unlike Song Yuhang, who usually wore an indifferent expression, she now appeared serious and somewhat intimidating.
The technician was rendered speechless by that look, and Lin Yan’s thin lips curled into a highly sarcastic smile.
“Do you know why Jiangcheng City’s homicide clearance rate has always been so low nationwide? It’s because of scum like you in the public prosecution and law enforcement teams. A 15 year old girl tragically dies, and instead of seeking the truth and bringing the suspect to justice, you spend your days thinking about how to take it easy. Taxpayers’ money has nurtured the likes of you, worse than animals.”
The technician’s face turned red, and he abruptly stood up, stammering, “I… I’m just stating the facts. Why are you… why are you resorting to personal attacks?”
“So what if I’m resorting to personal attacks? Problem with that?” Lin Yan watched him clench his fist, her laughter becoming even more carefree.
“If it bothers you, that’s just fine. Either get me removed from this position or resign yourself.”
Lin Yan lightly patted his shoulder and leaned in closer, whispering softly. Before he could regain his composure, she had already left.
Lin Yan returned to her office, hung her uniform jacket on a hanger, changed into casual clothes, and retrieved a baton from a drawer, tucking it into her waistband. She took out a bottle of chewing gum, poured two pieces into her palm, and threw them into her mouth, chewing away. She then confidently walked out of the city bureau’s gates.
* * *
Her sports car could only go as far as the entrance of the alley, and then it scraped against the walls on both sides, emitting a grating sound that made her cringe. Lin Yan turned the steering wheel and began to reverse, wincing at the sight of her now misaligned rearview mirror.
Damn it, ever since she started working at the Jiangcheng City Bureau, she hadn’t taken any more body autopsy commissions. Her income had plummeted, and she was barely making ends meet with the meager stock profits. And now, this was her relatively new car.
After exiting the alley, she drove around the West City district for a while and noticed that the parking lot near the Green Building, the site of the incident, was not yet completed. It had a bumpy and uneven path that her car couldn’t navigate.
Lin Yan parked her car on the outskirts, checked that the baton was still on her waist, and then got out and walked.
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“Hello, have you seen this girl?”
“No, haven’t seen her.”
“Thank you.”
Song Yuhang put the photo away, glanced at the map, and headed to the next store.
The West City alleyways were deep and concealed many late-night establishments like massage parlors, dance clubs, and barbecue stalls. These were the places where potential witnesses might have seen Hao Miao before her disappearance.
From the West City alleyways to the Green Building, there were two routes. One was a straight line, approximately 1.5 kilometers in distance, while the other involved winding through streets and alleys, covering a similar distance. Along the way, houses of varying heights stood scattered, and there were small canals by the roadside, making it a somewhat picturesque route. During holidays, it was also a spot frequented by artistic youth for photography.
Someone who’s actively seeking death should have no interest in admiring the scenery along the way. Song Yuhang turned the corner and took another route.
“Have you seen this person?” Lin Yan extended the photo in front of a homeless man sitting on the ground, picking up discarded cigarette butts.
A fragrant breeze wafted through, and the homeless man lifted his head, his eyes going green, shimmering with greed and lechery.
It had been a long time since he had been with a woman.
The homeless man licked his lips, reached out as if to grab the photo but went straight for her wrist. No one saw how she moved, but the baton was already at his throat.
“Why speak if you’re going to move?” Lin Yan’s eyes darkened slightly, carrying a hint of murderous intent.
The man was about to say something when she simply swung her baton at him. The throat is a vulnerable spot in the human body. The homeless man sat down abruptly, writhing in pain, attempting to make a sound but finding his voice hoarse and incapable of shouting.
“Ah, ah, ah…” The man knelt on the ground, clutching his throat, one hand futilely reaching out towards her, his face contorted in agony.
Lin Yan kicked the man over onto the ground with one foot. “If you don’t want to talk, then don’t.”
A young girl scavenging nearby witnessed it all, her face turning pale with fear, and she quickly began to step backward.
Lin Yan’s cold gaze glanced over in her direction, and a sensation akin to having been targeted by a wild beast made the girl’s scalp tingle, prompting her to bolt.
Lin Yan put away her baton and calmly followed suit.
She wasn’t in a hurry because she knew there was a dead end up ahead.
The young girl carried a basket on her back, filled with plastic bottles. At first glance, she saw the nearly two-meter-high wall in front of her and felt like crying.
The footsteps behind her drew nearer.
The young girl turned around, enveloped in Lin Yan’s shadow, her face turning pale. She took slow steps backward. When a fragrant breeze reached her face, she tightly closed her eyes and shielded her face with her hands. “Please don’t hit me, don’t hit me… I… I’ve seen her…”
The person in front of her emitted a disdainful chuckle and casually plucked a small flower from her hair.
The young girl raised her eyes to see her blowing the flower petals in her palm gently towards the ground. Her posture, appearance, and expression were so beautiful, surpassing anyone she had ever seen on television.
She was momentarily captivated until Lin Yan’s voice broke the spell. “You said you’ve seen her. When?”
She struggled to gather her thoughts, met her gaze, and found that this person had a pair of affectionate eyes, albeit with a mischievous glint, and a mouth that seemed to be in a perpetual state of amusement, often smiling in a flirtatious manner.
The young girl couldn’t find a suitable place to look and could only lower her head, focusing on her shoes with exposed toes. She shifted uncomfortably against the wall, her voice barely audible, like a mosquito.
“I’ve… I’ve seen her… We used to pick up trash together.”
Lin Yan stood up straight. “When did this happen?”
“About three months ago. She used to show up in the alley every day around four in the afternoon to collect bottles, and she would leave around six.”
“She came every day?”
Afraid that Lin Yan might not believe her, the girl nodded vigorously. “Yes, every day. Even on a day when there was a typhoon and heavy rain, I was ready to go home, but she was still collecting.”
“On May 31st, did you see her?”
The girl looked at the photo and shook her head confidently. “No, she hasn’t been around for a long time.”
“When do you think she stopped coming?”
“About two months ago.”
“Are you close to her?”
The girl roughly knew about Hao Miao’s death, considering it had been widely circulated on the streets and alleys. At this moment, she couldn’t determine Lin Yan’s identity and, after witnessing the aggression earlier, didn’t dare to lie. She shook her head vigorously, resembling a drumbeat.
“Not… not close… she didn’t talk much… we just occasionally exchanged a few words…”
“What did you talk about?”
“We talked about where there was a lot of foot traffic to find plastic bottles…” In front of the polished and presentable Lin Yan, the girl couldn’t help feeling ashamed and curled her toes a bit, attempting to retract the ones that were exposed.
“And which recycling centers offered higher prices…”
She actually had a somewhat delicate appearance but had rough and tanned skin due to exposure to the sun and rain. Her clothes were oversized and dirty, clearly leftovers from someone else.
Lin Yan nodded, realizing she wouldn’t get much more information. She stepped aside to clear a path. “Thanks.”
The girl glanced at her while carrying her basket on her back. She saw Lin Yan’s clear and serene gaze, devoid of the earlier intensity but also lacking pity. It was as if she had just encountered a stranger, granting the girl’s fragile sense of self-respect.
She also nodded lightly, sidestepping Lin Yan as she briskly walked away. As they passed each other, she felt the weight of the basket on her back.
She didn’t dare to think too much and hurriedly continued on her way.
When she reached the end of the alley and wanted to take out some water from her basket, she discovered that there were several 100 yuan bills inside.
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* * *
Song Yuhang raised her gaze toward the last nail salon at the street corner. The shop door was wide open, but there was no one inside. She walked in and knocked on the counter.
“Is anyone here?”
A middle-aged woman emerged from the back room, dressed in red and green, and her eyes immediately lit up upon seeing her.
“Oh, are you here for a pedicure or a massage? We have special discounts on massages.”
She spoke while winking at her.
Song Yuhang shook her head. “It’s neither of those.”
The woman eagerly grabbed her hand. “Oh, don’t be shy. We offer those services here too. As long as you pay, we can provide them.”
Song Yuhang lowered her gaze as the woman held onto her arm, and she felt overwhelmed by the scent of cosmetics, growing increasingly uncomfortable. She took a step back and pulled out her police badge.
“I’m a police officer, and I have some questions for you.”
The woman immediately let go, losing interest. “Oh, not interested then.”
Cooperating with a police inquiry is a civic duty rather than a mandatory obligation.
Song Yuhang thought for a moment and pulled out a pack of cigarettes from her pocket, handing it over. She rarely smoked, so keeping it didn’t serve much purpose.
The woman’s eyes lit up upon seeing the Zhonghua1 cigarettes. She took them without hesitation and lit one.
Song Yuhang showed her the photo. “Have you seen her?”
The woman squinted her eyes and blew a smoke ring. “Yeah, I’ve seen her. Isn’t she the girl who died a few days ago?”
“When and where did you see her?”
Song Yuhang took out paper and a pen from her bag to make notes.
“On the night of May 31st, I had a pretty wealthy customer. He left around 4AM , and I escorted him to the door. That’s when I saw that girl stumbling over here.”
Song Yuhang seized the key point. “Alone?”
The woman nodded. “Yes, alone. I remember it clearly. This street is narrow, and she even bumped into my wealthy customer. He had been drinking and was in a bad mood, almost getting into a fight, but I managed to stop him.”
“I saw her alone and told her to hurry back home, but she ignored me. It was as if she was possessed, just kept walking forward in the middle of the night, which was quite eerie.”
The shop owner finished her story and blew another smoke ring, clearly puzzled by the situation.
Song Yuhang closed her notebook, slung her bag over her shoulder, and started to leave. When she reached the store’s entrance, she turned back and added, “The perfume… it was too strong.”
She couldn’t help but recall the subtle floral fragrance that had often lingered around her. She had initially thought it was Lin Yan’s perfume, but it wasn’t until that rainy night when the rain washed everything away that she realized it was Lin Yan’s natural scent.
* * *
“This is the place.” Lin Yan cautiously entered the construction site, navigating through the uneven terrain of the half-finished parking lot. The vast construction area was deserted, with caution tape still cordoning off the ground floor. Although the ground had dried up, the traces of blood had seeped into the soil, creating a dark red stain.
Weeds had overrun the surroundings, and the broken railing on the rooftop swayed in the wind. The sun was beginning to set, and it was eerily quiet, devoid of even the chirping of birds and insects.
Perhaps it was her imagination, but Lin Yan rubbed her arms and suddenly felt a chill.
She turned around abruptly to look back where she came from, but there was no one in sight.
Lin Yan took a few more steps, approaching the entrance of the building. She glanced back again, and it was still vacant.
Only the wind rustled through the waist-high weeds.
For some reason, she couldn’t shake off a faint sense of unease.
She felt like someone was watching her.
Although she didn’t graduate from the police academy, she excelled in tracking and anti-tracking courses during her time abroad.
Anyone trying to follow her in Jiangcheng City would probably find it impossible.
As Lin Yan walked, she couldn’t shake off the sense of unease, and she took a few more steps. She placed her hand on the staircase railing, appearing as if she was about to climb the stairs. However, in an instant, she turned her face sharply. At that very moment, her hair stood on end.
“Crack!” There was a crisp sound as her collapsible baton was drawn from its sheath. She hadn’t even identified her opponent yet, but she instinctively struck.
Song Yuhang blocked the blow, grunting, “It’s me.”
Her baton had struck Song Yuhang’s hand directly, causing it to turn blue and swell instantly.
Lin Yan retracted her collapsible baton behind her back and chuckled awkwardly, “Hey, Captain Song, why do you always sneak up from behind? You’re never straightforward.”
Song Yuhang flexed her wrist and looked at Lin Yan. “Your vigilance is too high.”
Lin Yan was quick to retract her collapsible baton, but Song Yuhang had sharp eyes and instantly recalled the scene of the fight outside Sun Xiangming’s house and her jumping from the fifth floor with the collapsible baton. Her gaze darkened.
Sometimes, Song Yuhang had inexplicable emotions towards Lin Yan, but her rationality told her that this person was not to be trusted, let alone fully trusted.
With these thoughts in mind and meeting Lin Yan’s scrutinizing gaze, she adopted a colder tone. “Why are you here?”
Facing her scrutinizing gaze, Lin Yan shrugged. “Don’t misunderstand. I have no connection to this deceased person. I just felt there might be something suspicious about her death, so I came to the crime scene to take a look.”
The sky gradually darkened, and in the backlit corridor, Song Yuhang’s expression was hard to discern. She continued walking upstairs, a hint of a cold smile playing on her lips.
Song Yuhang didn’t believe Lin Yan’s words at all.
“Whether it’s related or not, who knows? After all, Forensic Doctor Lin has remarkable skills.”
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Lin Yan pretended not to detect the sarcasm in her words and followed her upstairs. “Oh, come on. Captain Song, you’re not bad either.”
Most people who engaged in banter with Lin Yan didn’t end up well, so Song Yuhang wisely chose not to respond further.
She walked quickly, while Lin Yan, still a bit sluggish, held onto the handrail. Song Yuhang glanced down casually and remarked, “I remember you’re supposed to be discharged tomorrow.”
Though Song Yuhang didn’t bring it up directly, the mention of her recent hospitalization triggered Lin Yan’s memories of the incident with Zhang Jinhai. She remembered his comment about her face turning pale and the urgency to rush her to the hospital.
Then there was that evening at the hospital with the seemingly probing and casual conversation, as if they had triggered another layer of connection. In that moment, Song Yuhang showed a gentleness she had never seen before, and Lin Yan exposed a vulnerability she had never revealed.
It was terrifying.
But it didn’t matter because day and night were a clear divide for adults.
Just like Song Yuhang didn’t trust her completely, Lin Yan never truly believed in her either.
“Oh, the doctor said I’m almost fully recovered. It’s a waste of medical resources for me to keep lying around. I won’t be taking up a bed from seriously ill patients. I’m self-aware.” Lin Yan sighed, picking up her pace.
Song Yuhang subtly slowed down to wait for her.
They reached a junction on the second floor.
Lin Yan pointed to the left. “I’ll go this way.”
Song Yuhang pointed her toe to the right. “I’ll go this way.”
As Lin Yan turned to leave, Song Yuhang glanced back and said, “Don’t play tricks. Once or twice is a mistake, but if you cross the line again, it won’t end well for you, no matter what your reasons are. You’d better not fall into my hands.”
Lin Yan also turned to look at her, her lips curling into an extremely charming smile. “Captain Song, you’re quite righteous. If that’s the case, why don’t you report me? Even if I don’t dare to harm you physically, I might still be able to shake you off this position. Or perhaps…”
Lin Yan took a step closer, and that faint floral fragrance once again filled the air.
“Is Captain Song cherishing talent, or is there some other reason you can’t let me go?”
Footnotes
- Zhonghua or Chunghwa cigarettes are a brand of Chinese cigarettes known for their premium quality and strong, distinctive flavor. They are one of the most famous and prestigious cigarette brands in China, often associated with luxury and status. Zhonghua cigarettes come in various variants, including Zhonghua (Original), Zhonghua Classic, and Zhonghua Soft, each with its own unique blend and packaging. These cigarettes are often considered a symbol of traditional Chinese tobacco craftsmanship and are typically more expensive than other cigarette brands in China.