Miss Forensics – Chapter 15

Weak

After leaving Li Shiping’s residence, Song Yuhang hailed a taxi and provided the destination. She then slightly closed her eyes and rested.

“Miss, we’ve arrived at the Randy Bar.”

“Alright, thank you.” She handed over money, opened the door, and got out of the car. She glanced at the massive neon sign and could even hear the deafening music from the roadside.

Several young individuals with colorful dyed hair were smoking by the entrance of the bar. As soon as they saw her, they approached to solicit her: “Miss, want to have a drink? Today, drinks are on special at 20% off.”

Song Yuhang took out her identification from her pocket: “Police, I’m looking for someone named Zhou Mo.”

The group of people instantly showed a lack of interest on their faces. Those engaged in this kind of business were most afraid of police showing up at their establishment – it was bad luck.

A young man with green-dyed hair weakly pushed open the door: “Zhou Mo, someone’s looking for you.”

A guy was busy cleaning glasses behind the bar counter. Suddenly, he looked up, his gaze met Song Yuhang’s, and then he lowered his head again to continue his work.

Song Yuhang knew he was the person she was looking for. She walked over and tapped the bar counter: “Police, I’m here to inquire about a situation.”

Due to still being in school, Zhou Mo hadn’t adopted any peculiar hairstyles. He was dressed in the bar’s uniform, appearing as a clean and refreshing young man.

Seeing that identification, he didn’t even furrow his brow: “About Teacher Ding, right?”

Before Song Yuhang could speak, he continued, “I have no knowledge about it. I think you might have the wrong person. After Teacher Ding dropped me off at my dorm that evening, I stayed in my room resting the whole time. My roommate and the dorm supervisor can vouch for me.”

This guy even knew about the concept of an alibi.

Song Yuhang remained composed: “Currently, there’s no evidence indicating that you killed her. There’s no need to get so worked up. I’m just here today to understand a bit more. How was your relationship with her on regular days? Or were there any people she was particularly close to…”

As she finished speaking, a customer called out, “Where’s my drink?! Why hasn’t it been served yet!”

Zhou Mo carried a tray outside, saying, “Excuse me, make way, I still have to work.”

Song Yuhang reached out to halt his path, signaling him to wait for a moment. “Don’t you want to know who killed her?”

The young man’s steps faltered, and after a brief moment, he chuckled in a sarcastic manner. “Officer Song, I haven’t turned eighteen yet this year. As far as I know, questioning minors individually might not be legal.”

Pretty smart, indeed.

Song Yuhang was taken aback, as he had already entered the crowd with the tray in hand.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. Here’s your Long Island Iced Tea. Enjoy.”

As he turned around, one of his colleagues happened to pass by. Zhou Mo handed over the tray, took off his apron, and whispered, “A cop is looking for me. Keep an eye on the front, I’m heading to the back.”

It was the guy with green-dyed hair. He nodded, and the two exchanged positions. Zhou Mo disappeared into the bustling crowd.

The bar switched to a more intense dance track, and the multicolored lights dazzled to the point where one’s eyes couldn’t focus. Coupled with the constant movement of people, Song Yuhang followed for a short distance before realizing she had lost her target.

A faintly amused smile curved on her lips until someone lightly tapped her shoulder.

Subconsciously, she was about to execute a shoulder throw, grabbing onto the person’s wrist. The touch was tender and boneless, and a hint of sweet perfume floated into her nostrils.

Lin Yan leaned in close to her ear, whispering something she couldn’t quite make out. His warm breath brushed her neck softly, causing a slight tickle.

Song Yuhang let go of her grip, taking a step back to stand her ground. “What did you say?”

Lin Yan held a mojito in her hand, her eyes carrying a smile as she glanced at Song Yuhang. “I said, it seems even Detective Song can have off days.”

Song Yuhang pressed her lips together, catching that sentence clearly. “Why are you here?”

“Investigating a case, what else? I’ve said it before, young people nowadays don’t fall for your tricks anymore. Look at this lady.”

Lin Yan handed the glass to her, giving a flirtatious flip of her hair. She adjusted her off-shoulder dress, accentuating her full curves.

Before Song Yuhang could ring the bell, a waiter immediately came over to attend to her.

The guy with green-dyed hair chimed in, “Miss, what would you like to drink?”

“…”

Song Yuhang turned her expressionless face away.

“You have the most expensive liquor, and also, bring out some of you handsome young folks to keep me company,” Lin Yan pretended to be drunk, her footing unsteady. She stumbled over and hooked her arm around the guy with green-dyed hair’s neck, who helped her to a seat in the booth.

“Two bottles of Louis XIII,” the guy with green-dyed hair instructed a young person behind him. He then turned back to her, looking at her with a slightly swollen face, almost blinded by the designer labels all over her.

Lin Yan leaned back from the booth and again looped her arm around his neck, unreservedly this time. Her gaze was unfocused, and her speech was slurred, “I heard… heard you have this handsome guy named Zhou Mo… Sis has plenty of money… Let him come out and drink with me… It’s all yours.”

As she spoke, she randomly pulled out a stack of Chinese Yuan from her LV bag and stuffed it into his embrace.

The guy with green-dyed hair was almost drooling, but after a moment of consideration, he hesitated briefly before saying, “Sis… He’s not here today. How about… letting someone else keep you company? Equally considerate, attentive, and well-behaved.”

Lin Yan’s mind was spinning, and a seductive smile appeared on her face. She reached out and pulled him down, saying, “Alright then, I think we don’t need anyone else. Just you. As long as you can make sister happy, all this money is yours~”

Song Yuhang was separated from them by only a corridor. She watched as Lin Yan and a few young people in the booth exchanged toasts. Amid the sea of red and green, Lin Yan giggled, her movements erratic. She lowered her head, seemingly overwhelmed by the alcohol, burying her head in the guy’s embrace.

Her voice was gentle and soft, her demeanor delicate. Her eyes were full of ripples, seemingly in distress. “It’s a shame that little brother isn’t here. Sister wanted to support him. As for me, I like these younger puppies.”

Embraced like this, the guy with green-dyed hair felt his bones turn soft, and he hardly cared about anything else. “Support? That kid isn’t short on money lately.”

Lin Yan lay on his lap, allowing him to feed her a sip of the drink. “Oh? Why’s that? If he’s not short on money, why would a student like him come work in a place like this?”

The guy with green-dyed hair was also quite intoxicated, and he blurted out, “I don’t know what rich benefactor that kid has gotten close to lately. I saw him wearing an Omega watch yesterday.”

Though the Omega brand might not be as luxurious as Rolex, for a student, it still counted as a form of affordable luxury.

Lin Yan raised an eyebrow slightly. “Oh? Is it a guy or a girl? Daring to compete with me for someone. Don’t they know who I am…”

Song Yuhang was engrossed in listening. She picked up her glass and took a sip, suddenly feeling something amiss. Wasn’t this the same drink Lin Yan had just sipped from?

She frowned and quickly set the glass down, the refreshing scent of the alcohol lingering on her lips.

The group of them revelled and drank until the bar closed late into the night. Lin Yan had also acquired the information she wanted. Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced over to where that person was still sitting upright in their chair, their untouched drink before them.

Miss Lin staggered as she stood up, tossing a stack of money onto the table. “Enough, we’ve had our drinks, had our fun. Let’s go, let’s go.”

With that said, she turned around to leave, but the guy with green-dyed hair quickly stopped her. He exchanged a glance with a few others nearby, and they followed them out.

As the crowd dispersed, Song Yuhang was left pondering the events of the night. She watched as they left, the unanswered questions still lingering in her mind.

Song Yuhang pulled up her hoodie zipper and placed her hat on her head. Settling her bill, she headed towards the exit.

“Hey, miss, slow down a bit, the car is over here,” Lin Yan’s steps were unsteady, her gaze unfocused. She would occasionally bend over, feigning discomfort, her face growing pale.

For a while, even Song Yuhang couldn’t tell if Lin Yan was genuinely drunk or just pretending. She could only follow along.

As the car ahead came into view, it wasn’t Song Yuhang’s vehicle. Lin Yan let out a faint cold laugh deep within.

Damn it, still trying to take advantage.

The guy with green-dyed hair instructed someone to open the car door, preparing to help Lin Yan get in. Lin Yan appeared unsteady on her feet and held onto his waist for support. However, her right hand subtly and like a snake slithered up to the third segment of his spine. A blow to that spot under gravity would cause severe damage if not death.

Before she could make a move, she suddenly felt a light touch on her body. The guy with green-dyed hair had been pulled away from her. Lin Yan even seemed slightly disappointed. She relaxed her previously tensed right hand and instead put her arm around the newcomer’s waist, resting her head on his shoulder.

“Darling, you’re here. I feel so uncomfortable. Can you take me home, pretty please~” She deliberately used a sweet and cloying tone that sent shivers down people’s spines.

Both of them shuddered simultaneously.

Song Yuhang remained expressionless as she lowered her head to observe Lin Yan.

During that fleeting moment of eye contact, both individuals concealed their thoughts.

Lin Yan blinked her innocent eyes, tightened her embrace a little, and even grasped her clothing slightly. She buried her head in the newcomer’s chest.

……

Song Yuhang suppressed the urge to throw Lin Yan out and instead wrapped her arm around Lin Yan’s shoulder, leading her outside.

Several people noticed the situation turning sour and their expressions turned unfriendly. One of them, seemingly emboldened by alcohol, approached aggressively as if to snatch Lin Yan away. Song Yuhang swiftly shifted Lin Yan from her left hand to her right, and with a swift backhanded elbow strike to a vulnerable spot, the aggressor staggered back several steps, gasping in pain.

“Damn it, get them!”

The others rushed forward in a disorganized manner. Song Yuhang pushed Lin Yan behind her and without looking back, whispered, “Call the police.”

“Oh dear, I forgot to bring my phone. Isn’t Detective Song the top-notch criminal investigator in Jiangcheng City? Why bother calling the police?” The drunkenness evaporated from Lin Yan’s face. She stood up straight and wished she had a bowl of sunflower seeds and a foldable stool to enjoy the show, truly amused.

Just then, one of the troublemakers swung a punch towards Song Yuhang’s head. She leaned to the side, avoiding the blow. With her extensive combat experience, she immediately executed a sweeping leg kick, toppling the attacker to the ground in a swift and precise motion.

Catching a glimpse of someone attempting a sneak attack from behind, she swiftly turned her head and evaded the attack. Seizing the assailant’s arm, she performed a back throw with ease.

Another person charged at her with a baseball bat, but Song Yuhang didn’t show any signs of fear when facing multiple opponents. Her fighting style was rapid and fierce, maintaining a balance between stability and agility. She launched a knee strike that sent the guy with green-dyed hair flying, preventing him from escaping. She grabbed his wrist, twisting it as he writhed in pain.

The guy with green-dyed hair howled in agony and attempted to use his head to headbutt her. In response, Song Yuhang delivered a powerful hook punch that splattered his nose with blood. She pushed him backward, her strength not inferior to that of a male detective. The impact of him colliding with the car created a loud bang that disoriented him. As he staggered, she used her free hand to pry the baseball bat from his loosened grip. Tossing it far away, she took handcuffs from her pocket and secured him firmly to the car door.

As Lin Yan looked down at the fallen baseball bat at her feet, her laughter faded, and she contemplated making a run for it.

The police car hadn’t arrived yet, and the fallen thugs were now crying and begging for mercy on the ground.

Turning back, Song Yuhang looked at Lin Yan with a somewhat profound gaze. “Quite a performance, Dr. Lin. Where are you planning to go?”

Lin Yan was about to reply when a sudden wave of nausea overcame her. She couldn’t hold it back and ended up leaning against a utility pole, retching.

She had intended to test Song Yuhang’s skills with those thugs, and Song Yuhang had deliberately displayed her proficiency in dealing with them. After all, there was no need for such ferocity when handling a few local ruffians.

She was clearly conveying through her actions: “Don’t take reckless actions.”

Song Yuhang was a smart person and still remembered their encounter in the file room.

Her suspicions about Lin Yan had never fully disappeared.

Thinking about these things, Lin Yan’s coughing became more severe, and she leaned against the utility pole, bending over. The alcohol had hit her hard, and vomiting was especially unpleasant. She couldn’t even stand properly. Her neck, as white as jade, was exposed under the streetlight, looking pale and fragile.

When the police car arrived, she shifted her gaze from the silhouette under the streetlight back to the group of flamboyant thugs. After getting them into the police car, Song Yuhang turned and looked at Lin Yan. She then walked over to Fang Xin and asked for some tissues.

“Here.”

As Lin Yan looked at the tissues handed to her, she hesitated for a moment, a hint of impurity at the corner of her lips. She raised her head, her eyes glowing with heat. “No need, I’m not drunk.”

Seeing that she wasn’t receptive, Song Yuhang didn’t say anything more and turned to leave.

After a while, she began feeling better. Leaning against the wall, she walked out of the alley. To her surprise, the police lights were still flashing; Song Yuhang hadn’t left yet.

She was leaning casually against the car door, hands in her pockets, cap still on her head. She wore a simple gray T-shirt and black pants, radiating a gentle and serene vibe, like the older student waiting for a girl from the next class to finish her lessons.

It was hard to believe that the same person had just exhibited such sharp and fierce moves.

Lin Yan didn’t know why the thought suddenly popped into her mind. Her whole body shuddered, and she felt disgusted by her own thoughts for the second time tonight.

“Are you cold?” Seeing her still pale and shivering, Song Yuhang glanced at her exposed shoulders and collarbone, then considerately handed over her own coat.

Lin Yan didn’t intend to take it. “Aren’t you angry?”

“Dr. Lin is full of schemes. If I get angry at every little thing, I might just get infuriated to death.”

With that statement, Lin Yan gritted her teeth again in resentment. Swiftly snatching the coat from her hands, she slipped into the car.

“Maybe you should just keep quiet!”

Song Yuhang smiled and got into the car with her, saying, “Duan Cheng, let’s go.”

On the way back, she finally quieted down a bit. Perhaps due to lack of proper rest lately and the effects of alcohol, she fell asleep in no time.

She was still wrapped in Song Yuhang’s coat. It seemed like she never used perfume or makeup. There was a faint scent of sunshine on her clothes.

Half in a dreamy state, Lin Yan thought to herself that it smelled like the kind of pleasant scent you get when you take a blanket out into the winter sun and let it air out for an afternoon.

She fell asleep completely wrapped in this scent.

The alley was narrow and difficult to navigate, with uneven roads that caused further jolts. Lin Yan’s head tilted over and rested on Song Yuhang’s shoulder.

She intended to reach out and steady her, but accidentally brushed against her breath. A gentle warmth brushed against her fingertips.

The car interior was dimly lit. Lin Yan’s exceptionally fair skin glowed in the darkness. Her eyes were closed, breathing steady, and she had fallen asleep.

The delicate vulnerability of her exposed neck was under her gaze. Song Yuhang came from a family with a military and police background; her father was a special forces officer, and her older brother was in the anti-narcotics division. She had learned martial arts and military training from a young age, not traditional exercises, but military-style boxing. By the age of seven or eight, she had joined the provincial team to specialize in freestyle combat.

Her father and brother didn’t allow her to be weak, and her own pride drove her to strive to catch up with her brother. As she grew older, her height far surpassed that of her peers. With a large frame that looked lean, it was actually the result of years of muscle training. She had a strong and sturdy build, and she might consider becoming a fitness trainer if she ever took her clothes off, revealing the muscles she had developed over time.

She had never known what “fragility” meant. Today, for the first time, she experienced the taste of that word through Lin Yan.

That pale nape of the neck, a slight exertion from her could easily bend it under her hands.

No wonder she felt the urge. Fragile things often stirred a desire for destruction in people.

This was a lesson she had learned from countless confrontations with ruthless criminals.

Song Yuhang inexplicably felt a bit dry in her throat.

“Team Leader Song, we’ve arrived,” Duan Cheng turned off the engine and parked the car at the entrance of the police station.

Lin Yan sat up, looking weary. She yawned and as she did, her uniform jacket slipped off her shoulders. By the time she bent down to pick it up, Song Yuhang had already jumped out of the car.

The jacket might have picked up a bit of dirt and the pungent smell of alcohol. Lin Yan got out of the car and raised an eyebrow at her. “Hey, I’ll wash it and then give it back to you.”

Song Yuhang nodded and without saying a word, she headed into the police station, her pace swift. Lin Yan hadn’t fully regained her energy yet. “Hey, why are you in such a hurry?”

Her question caused the person ahead to momentarily pause. Song Yuhang moved her lips slightly but didn’t turn around. “Interrogation.”

Beneath her seemingly unruffled exterior, only she knew the kind of guilt she had just given birth to.

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