Volume Two: Second Scroll
Inquiry1
“Words said in bed, must they also be said openly and honorably here?”
Fang Xin pulled an all-nighter, and after getting the appraisal results, she went directly to find Song Yuhang.
She left in a hurry, only locking her computer without turning it off. Someone passed by her desk, inadvertently glanced at it, then stopped their steps. Seeing that no one was around, they turned back, tapped the keyboard, and copied a file onto their own U-disk2.
“Captain Song……” Fang Xin clutched the thin sheet of paper, hesitating to speak.
In contrast, Song Yuhang smiled as usual and comforted her in return.
“It’s fine. No matter the result, I can take it.”
“Alright then.” Fang Xin gritted her teeth and handed the appraisal report over.
The person who said she didn’t care snatched it over with considerable urgency, quickly opened it, and smoothed out the paper’s wrinkles.
When her gaze fell on the appraisal opinion at the very bottom, she shook violently, her face deathly pale.
——After appraisal, the DNA sequence similarity between sample one and sample two is 0. There is no blood relationship.
“How could this be……” Song Yuhang bit her lip tightly, her hands trembling, gradually wrinkling the paper. Her eyes slowly reddened.
“Captain Song, don’t be anxious yet.” Seeing she was on the verge of collapse, Fang Xin licked her lips and began to explain.
“DNA appraisal is only relatively accurate, not absolutely accurate. Moreover, the correctness of the operating procedure when extracting the samples, the ambient temperature and humidity, and the testing methods will all have a great impact on the appraisal results……”
She said so much, not knowing who she was trying to comfort, and finally added a sentence.
“You… don’t lose heart.”
Song Yuhang of course knew that DNA was not a sole piece of evidence, and modern criminal investigation would not convict based on DNA appraisal results alone.
But for her at this moment, this appraisal result was ironclad proof, and it was also her only hope of discerning Pei Jinhong’s true identity.
She buried her head in the steering wheel, sniffled, and waved her hand to indicate she didn’t need comforting. After calming down for a good while, she finally lifted her head, revealing an ugly smile.
“Sorry to trouble you.”
“Not at all, not at all. Captain Song, take good care of yourself. I’ll head back to work now.”
Seeing her like this, Fang Xin’s heart also felt heavy. She didn’t dare to stay longer, leaving her space to be alone. She pushed open the car door, got out, and said goodbye.
Song Yuhang nodded, watching her walk into the City Bureau gate. Immediately, she reached for the cigarette case thrown on the console, lit one with trembling hands, and smoked to calm her emotions. But then she slammed a fist on the steering wheel, and tears fell.
“Someone wants to buy my goods.” A man’s hoarse voice came from the receiver.
He instantly tightened his grip on the phone.
“You should stop. Hasn’t me turning a blind eye all these years been enough?!”
By the end of his words, his voice had already been suppressed into a roar.
The person on the other end of the receiver let out a sinister laugh.
“Not enough, not nearly enough. How can making money ever be enough? This is a two hundred million big deal.”
Two hundred million.
The heart of the man on the call with him suddenly skipped a beat.
“Aren’t you afraid this is a trap?”
“If you can’t bear to part with the child, you can’t trap the wolf3.” The man on the other end of the line laughed nonchalantly, stroking a parrot’s feathers and feeding it a sunflower seed.
“Such an important matter, why tell me?” he gritted his teeth.
“Naturally, it’s because I want to ask for your help.”
The man snorted coldly, about to hang up the phone.
“I have long had no connection with you.”
“That’s not necessarily true.” Kuba held the phone for him, and the old man freed up a hand to scratch the parrot’s chin.
The intelligent pet mimicked: Not necessarily true, not necessarily true, not necessarily true…
The man laughed out loud: “Hehe, you see, even an animal knows to repay kindness.”
“What exactly are you trying to say?!” His tone grew colder, already extremely impatient.
“I have a meeting this afternoon, I don’t have time to bullshit with you here.”
The old man grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds to feed his pet, his tone calm but with a hidden edge.
“Still having meetings? You should retire soon. Once you retire, who will still remember you? Look how long you’ve been in this position. Why not give it one last push before retirement, maybe you can even climb a little higher.”
“Don’t even think about it!” The other side roared in a low voice, furious.
The old man suddenly felt it was dull and threw the sunflower seeds into the dish.
“Look at you, refusing money and credit delivered right to your hands. To be honest, I’ve grown tired of this humid and stuffy place in Southeast Asia. This time, I just want enough money to emigrate and live out the second half of my life in peace. The rest of the goods and people can all be yours. Wiping out a criminal syndicate that runs through all of Southeast Asia, threatens border security, transports drugs into the country, and traffics in human beings in one go—that’s a great merit. Consider it, old pal.”
As he spoke, he lovingly stroked the parrot’s head and fed it another sunflower seed, watching it mimic: Old pal, old pal, old pal…
This sharp and strange voice carried far in the empty factory, making one’s hair stand on end for no reason.
The breathing on the other end hitched, and then with a bang, the phone was hung up.
Kuba took the satellite phone away.
“Ding Ye, why did you tell him? Aren’t you afraid he’ll sell us out?”
“Hah, at this age, a person with half a body almost in the grave, what do they value most, do you know?”
Kuba honestly shook his head: “I don’t understand.”
Although he was a big man, he had nothing but muscles, his mind filled only with women and drug business. He couldn’t figure these things out; they even gave him a bit of a headache.
Ding Ye had taken him under his wing precisely because he valued his stupidity and loyalty.
“Child, it’s face.” With the parrot on his shoulder, Ding Ye supported himself with a cane and shakily stood up, patting his shoulder.
“For someone who has always been glorious and boundless, to climb high and fall hard overnight, the gap this brings can probably only be filled by death.”
Kuba supported him: “Ye, I still don’t understand.”
A smile appeared on the old man’s lips.
“It’s good not to understand, good not to understand.”
If you understood, you would be in danger.
The work at the grassroots police station was much more leisurely than she had imagined, at least compared to before.
When there were no street disputes, she could finish her patrol duties and get off work on time.
Song Yuhang first drove to the Ji family’s home to visit her mother and Xiao Wei. She had thought that Ji Jingxing wouldn’t be back at this time, but who knew it was her who opened the door.
“How come you’re…”
How come you’re so early.
Ji Jingxing took the gift she had bought for Xiao Wei from her hands.
“Why did you buy something again, your salary now…” She swallowed the rest of her words halfway through.
Ji Jingxing knew this was a major sore spot for Song Yuhang, so she deftly changed the subject.
“You don’t know yet, do you? I’ve resigned from the law firm. From now on, I’ll be an independent lawyer. Please look after me.”
Perhaps seeing that she was in a bad mood, she deliberately said some playful words to cheer her up.
Mother Song also poked her head out from the kitchen, smiled at her, a glimmer of hope in her eyes.
“Yuhang, you came at just the right time. Mom made braised pork. Stay for dinner later.”
Song Yuhang couldn’t bear to go against her mother’s wishes, so she had to agree.
“Okay.”
Xiao Wei heard the commotion in the living room and also poked her head out from the bedroom, calling out, “Auntie.”
Song Yuhang was overjoyed. Just as she was about to walk over quickly to hug her, she zipped back in and locked the door.
Ji Jingxing laughed: “She can call people now, much better than before. Let’s take it slow, no need to push her.”
She must have resigned to become an independent lawyer to better take care of her child.
Song Yuhang sighed in her heart: “Sister-in-law, you’ve worked hard.”
Soon, the food was on the table.
The room was lit with a warm yellow light. The home-style meal of four dishes and one soup was steaming, and the family sat together, happy and harmonious.
“Yuhang, try this.”
“And this, crispy hairtail fish, just bought from the market this morning, so fresh.”
…
But Song Yuhang stopped her chopsticks, staring in a daze at the rice bowl piled high in front of her, and murmured.
“Hairtail fish, she likes to eat it, and braised pork too.”
“Yuhang…” Mother Song looked at her with worry.
Song Yuhang suddenly stood up, walked to the kitchen, took out an empty bowl and a pair of chopsticks, and placed them next to herself.
The people in the room looked at each other, watching her move half of the food from her bowl to another non-existent person.
Mother Song’s heart ached terribly. She put down her chopsticks, her eyes red.
“Yuhang…”
Song Yuhang looked up, picked up her rice bowl, and smiled.
“Mom, it’s fine. Eat quickly, or the food will get cold.”
She originally wanted to comfort her, but was instead comforted by her. Mother Song was stunned, not knowing what to do.
Ji Jingxing came to her rescue, nudging her arm.
“It’s fine, Mom, let’s eat. Yuhang, you eat too, eat more. Xiao Wei too, try this.”
Song Yuhang shoveled rice into her mouth, from time to time putting food into the empty bowl beside her. Her eyes were always dim and lifeless.
Only when someone called her would she raise her head and smile at them.
That smile was also empty and hollow.
After dinner, Song Yuhang wanted to clear the dishes, but was stopped by Mother Song.
“You rarely come by. Go play with Xiao Wei for a while.”
Ji Jingxing also chimed in from the side: “Exactly, exactly. Xiao Wei misses her aunt too, right, Xiao Wei?”
Xiao Wei shyly burrowed into her arms.
But when the person sat down, she stroked the child’s head and said softly.
“Xiao Wei, be good, go play with your building blocks in your room for a while. Mommy and Auntie need to talk.”
Song Yuhang sat far from her, on a separate single sofa. She had noticed since she entered the door that Song Yuhang would from time to time rub her ring and get lost in thought.
Like right now.
Ji Jingxing was a little worried. In the process of taking Xiao Wei for treatment, she had met many psychologists and had also crammed knowledge on the subject.
She could tell that Song Yuhang’s current state was actually very bad.
She chose her words carefully and began: “Yuhang, have you ever thought about getting to know new people?”
Song Yuhang shook her head: “No.”
“Then… how about traveling to change your mood?”
Song Yuhang smiled a little.
“Busy, no time.”
Ji Jingxing gritted her teeth and decided to lay it all out.
“Don’t you think your current state is very dangerous? How about this, this weekend I’ll ask a friend to meet with you? Listen to his advice, maybe it will help you in your current situation.”
Although she said it very cryptically, Song Yuhang still understood. Her eyes moved, turning to her, and she shook her head.
“No, sister-in-law, I don’t want to see anyone, except you all.”
As she spoke, she picked up her bag and stood up, walking towards the door.
“Mom, I’m heading back first. Goodbye sister-in-law, goodbye Xiao Wei.”
Mother Song came out of the kitchen: “Not staying to play a little longer?”
Before her voice fell, she had already closed the door with a bang.
Mother Song and Ji Jingxing looked at each other and let out a long sigh.
“Aigh, I don’t know when days like this will ever end. If I had known she… I wouldn’t have stopped them back then.”
Ji Jingxing walked over and took her hand to comfort her.
“Mom, you have to take good care of your health. Look at me, didn’t I get through that huge ordeal too? Everything will get better.”
“You still have Xiao Wei, I still have something to look forward to. Yuhang truly has nothing left.” Mother Song choked up. Ji Jingxing pulled her into an embrace, gently patting her back.
“It’s okay, Mom. Look, Yuhang rarely comes, and you cry like this. Next time, she won’t dare to come.”
…
After leaving home, Song Yuhang didn’t know where to go, so she just drove aimlessly around the streets. Unconsciously, she arrived at the entrance of the Huange Nightclub again.
The windshield wipers scraped across the front glass. She looked out through the watery mist. A few somewhat familiar cars were parked at the entrance of the Huange Nightclub.
The car doors opened, and they were indeed acquaintances.
Xue Rui and two other plainclothes police officers. They were probably here to ask questions about that case of Wang Qiang’s.
Song Yuhang calculated for a moment, then also pushed open the car door and got out.
“Xue Rui.” She called his name from a distance.
Xue Rui turned his head, his eyes lighting up.
“Captain Song, what are you doing here? Yo, such heavy rain, you didn’t bring an umbrella?”
As he spoke, he asked a colleague for an umbrella, wanting to hand it to her.
Song Yuhang politely declined: “Just passing by. You’re here to investigate a case?”
Xue Rui nodded, looking somewhat troubled, and scratched his head.
“It’s still that murder and corpse burning case from last time. Not a single clue.”
A slight smile appeared on Song Yuhang’s lips.
“What a coincidence, I’m also a little interested in this case. Together?”
Xue Rui was just worrying about having no one to give him ideas. He was overjoyed.
“Let’s go, what are we waiting for, let’s go in.”
“Who are you, please show your membership card.”
“Police, investigating a case. Tell your boss to come out.” Xue Rui directly showed his credentials.
Someone at the door had already reported the commotion to Pei Jinhong.
She was drinking with a client, leaning obliquely on the sofa. A docile young girl knelt at her feet, massaging her legs. The man next to her had his arm around her shoulder, drunk.
“Who is it? I’m not seeing anyone!”
The words had just fallen when Xue Rui and his group had already burst in. The attendant, of course, couldn’t stop them, nor had any reason to.
To stop them would be to have a guilty conscience.
Song Yuhang saw at a glance her leaning on the leather sofa, being served by a beautiful young girl, with a man’s arm around her waist, being intimate with someone. No matter how she looked at it, it was an eyesore.
Pei Jinhong was truly a veteran of the nightlife scene. Faced with this situation, not only was she as steady as a mountain, she even put a grape into that man’s mouth.
Her slender, delicate fingertips pressed against his lips, grinding back and forth, making one’s face flush and heart pound just watching.
Xue Rui coughed lightly. Before he could speak, the person beside him had already said coldly.
“Police inquiry. All irrelevant personnel, withdraw.”
Lin Yan resentfully withdrew her hand, still wearing that black gauze hat, which added a bit more mysterious allure.
“Yo, such great official authority. Last time it was framing us for hiding drugs, what’s the charge this time?”
Everything that happened in the Huange Nightclub last time was still vivid in her memory.
Song Yuhang pressed her lips together tightly and said no more.
Xue Rui looked at her, then had no choice but to continue.
“It’s related to a murder case. It’s better if the others step aside.”
Liu Zhi whispered in her ear while pretending to pour her a drink.
“Hong-jie, should we…”
Lin Yan’s fingers rested on the rim of the glass, tapping lightly on its side.
“No need. Do as I say, don’t create extra complications.”
Liu Zhi’s back blocked most of the line of sight. Both their words and actions were very secretive.
Song Yuhang frowned slightly: “Is there something that can’t be said openly and honorably?”
“My, what you’re saying.” Lin Yan took the opportunity to caress the smooth, firm muscles of Liu Zhi’s chest, withdrawing her hand as if wanting more.
“Words said in bed, must they also be said openly and honorably here?”
Everyone in the room let out a muffled laugh, not too loud, not too soft.
Song Yuhang’s face darkened a few shades more.
Only then did Lin Yan sit up a little straighter: “Alright, everyone get out. We’ll play again another day.”
That man got up reluctantly, still wanting to kiss her again. Lin Yan plucked a grape from the fruit platter on the table and stuffed it into his mouth, her eyes as seductive as silk.
“Wait for me tonight.”
“Of course, my baby.”
For some reason, although the air conditioning wasn’t set low on this rainy day, Xue Rui, standing next to Song Yuhang, shivered fiercely.
Everyone in the room filed out. He rubbed his nose, sat down face to face, and began to work.
Song Yuhang stood three steps away from him, in the shadow of the sofa behind him, directly facing Lin Yan.
Lin Yan of course knew she was observing her, but ever since she saw that it was Xue Rui and the plainclothes officers who had come, she was reassured.
If they really suspected she did it, at this moment, she should be sitting in the interrogation room at the City Bureau, not having them make a trip in person.
Inquiry and interrogation4, a one-character difference, but worlds apart in meaning.
Liu Zhi’s hands might not have been clean, but the burning of the corpse had already destroyed most of the trace evidence.
They wouldn’t be able to find a breakthrough. Plus, something like an alibi could also be forged.
Lin Yan, after all, had a background in forensic medicine. Dealing with a police inquiry could be said to be a familiar road, watertight.
“That night I was singing at Huangju KTV5. I went at one o’clock and only came out when it was almost dawn. Don’t believe me? If you don’t believe me, then go check the surveillance footage. It’s not like I have the power to bribe every single shop in Jiangcheng City, right?”
Lin Yan said, smiling contemptuously.
Song Yuhang, listening from the side, almost wanted to applaud her.
Xue Rui awkwardly put down his pen. Of course they had investigated before coming. What she said matched the shop’s surveillance footage.
He turned his head to look at Song Yuhang.
“Captain Song, anything to add?”
Song Yuhang shook her head, her sharp gaze still fixed on her, and a smile curved her lips.
“I have to say, Miss Pei’s eloquence and on-the-spot reaction ability are both extremely outstanding.”
Lin Yan swirled the liquid in the wine glass. Her black dress was not worn properly, revealing half a shoulder, and the high heels on her feet were also worn loosely, dangling and swinging from her ankles.
That snow-white ankle, like her herself, possessed a fatal attraction.
Song Yuhang watched without blinking, only listening to her speak.
“You flatter me, you flatter me. Since you’re all here, and have made the effort to come, would you like to try our drinks here, to wet your throats?”
As she spoke, she put down the glass, and lifted the bottom of the red wine bottle to pour into another empty glass.
The person standing behind the sofa moved.
Song Yuhang picked up her unfinished red wine and took a sip. The faint lipstick stain on the rim of the glass disappeared.
The smile on Lin Yan’s lips gradually cooled.
Song Yuhang raised her eyes to look at her, her smile hiding a sharp edge.
“Does Miss Pei know what it means to be too clever for one’s own good?6”
In her cognition, the only one who could handle a murder case so flawlessly was a certain person she had crossed hands with before, who was also the owner of the other ring on her hand.
Lin Yan’s heart skipped a beat. Her smile faded, and she lowered her eyes slightly, putting on a frightened appearance.
“Police Officer Song’s words, I don’t understand.”
Xue Rui, watching from the side, felt a strange atmosphere permeating between the two of them. Captain Song was especially abnormal, actually drinking a suspect’s drink during work hours. This was something he wouldn’t even dare to imagine in the past.
Xue Rui licked his lips and looked at Pei Jinhong carefully again. The light in the private room was dim, and she wore a black gauze hat, so he couldn’t see her face clearly for a moment. But the half of her chin that was exposed felt familiar, as if he had seen it somewhere before.
Before he could ponder it carefully, Song Yuhang had already stood up.
“Let’s go.”
Xue Rui and the others hurriedly got up to follow.
“Not asking anymore?”
“Not asking anymore.”
Asking more wouldn’t get them anywhere. If Lin Yan wanted to push a case away to have no connection with herself.
Then she could indeed do it. If it wasn’t Lin Yan, then it was…
There was someone else behind her, fanning the flames.
Song Yuhang’s gaze sharpened, and she stopped in her tracks.
“Thank you all for today.”
Xue Rui scratched his head: “Not at all, we didn’t find out anything either.”
After the two said their goodbyes, they got into their respective cars and drove off in different directions.
LP: Re-translated on August 20, 2025
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